[OVERVIEW]
Fairy
========
Mimikyu is a decent setup sweeper for Fairy teams with the unique utility of acting as a blanket check for offensive threats due to its ability, Disguise. Disguise absorbs one attack for Mimikyu, guaranteeing it a turn to use Swords Dance or check a dangerous threat to the team such as Porygon-Z, Azumarill, or Victini. With Swords Dance and access to priority, Mimikyu can set up and sweep weakened teams. Its Ghost- and Fairy-type STAB attacks hit virtually every Pokemon in the metagame neutrally. Mimikyu's Ghost typing offers it a useful neutrality to Poison-type moves and an immunity to Normal-type moves, giving Fairy more options in managing threats such as Diggersby. It can also give Fairy an edge in the Psychic matchup, where threats such as Victini and Celebi can otherwise prove troublesome. However, Mimikyu's base stats are underwhelming. Even with unresisted STAB type coverage, its mediocre offenses leave it easily walled by defensive Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Skarmory. Without Disguise active, Mimikyu's mediocre defenses leave it vulnerable to faster revenge killers such as Mega Lopunny, and while Mimikyu has decent Speed, it is still outsped by important threats such as Landorus and the key base 100 Speed tier.
[SET]
name: Utility Attacker (Fairy)
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Shadow Claw
move 3: Shadow Sneak
move 4: Swords Dance
item: Life Orb
ability: Disguise
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Play Rough is Mimikyu's most powerful STAB attack and has near-perfect offensive coverage alongside Shadow Claw. Shadow Claw is Mimikyu's strongest Ghost-type STAB attack and is useful for threatening troublesome Psychic-types for Fairy such as Mew and Celebi. Shadow Sneak is a priority move that helps Mimikyu pick off weakened Pokemon and sweep teams alongside Swords Dance late-game. Swords Dance allows Mimikyu to clean late-game with a guaranteed usage through Disguise and is necessary to compensate for Mimikyu's otherwise lackluster Attack.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment with a Life Orb allows Mimikyu to hit as hard as possible. Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Mimikyu to outspeed key threats such as Nidoking and Porygon-Z. Disguise is Mimikyu's only ability and absorbs one attack for Mimikyu, allowing it to blanket check offensive threats.
Usage Tips
========
Mimikyu should be used as a blanket check, utilizing Disguise to guarantee a hit against offensive threats in the metagame such as Greninja and Mega Diancie. It can also revenge kill certain threats such as Celebi and post-V-create Victini. Shadow Sneak can be used to pick off weakened Pokemon as well. Preserve Mimikyu's Disguise when it is necessary to check threats to the team, including strong setup sweepers such as Azumarill and Volcarona and offensive threats such as Sand Rush Excadrill. Because of Disguise, it can afford to be more reckless with taking chip damage from entry hazards. Take care to avoid status, especially burns and paralysis, as they greatly diminish Mimikyu's capacity as a sweeper. Mimikyu can also be used to sweep weakened teams late-game once its defensive checks have been removed, as Disguise guarantees it can use Swords Dance at least once. Remember that Mold Breaker bypasses Disguise, meaning Mimikyu cannot effectively check threats such as Choice Scarf Mold Breaker Excadrill and the rare Choice Scarf Kyurem-B.
Team Options
========
Mega Diancie is a dangerous mixed attacker that can tear open holes in opposing teams and chip switch-ins with Stealth Rock so that Mimikyu can more easily clean late-game. Clefable can offer Stealth Rock support and also serve as a sturdy check to Mega Scizor, a major threat to Fairy that can sometimes take advantage of Mimikyu to set up. Klefki provides dual screens support for Mimikyu, which can allow it to pull off a second Swords Dance even after Disguise has been exhausted. It is also able to provide Spikes support to chip down the opposing team, use Thunder Wave to cripple Mimikyu's offensive checks, and serve as a Mega Scizor check using Foul Play. Tapu Koko is a potent special attacker that can punch holes through teams and take care of walls that Mimikyu otherwise has trouble with, such as Toxapex and Skarmory. Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu is a frightening physical attacker that complements Mimikyu as a revenge killer for threats such as Landorus and Mega Charizard Y. Tapu Bulu also puts pressure on bulky Water- and Ground-types that Mimikyu struggles with, such as Hippowdon and Swampert. Ribombee provides Sticky Web for Mimikyu, allowing it to outspeed key threats such as Mega Lopunny. Belly Drum Azumarill is an exceptionally dangerous setup sweeper that can serve as a complementary cleaner alongside Mimikyu and help tremendously in the Steel matchup, where Mimikyu struggles.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fairy
--------
A Z-Crystal such as Ghostium Z or Mimikium Z can be utilized over Life Orb to provide Mimikyu with a more substantial nuke to break through defensive checks such as Swampert. However, this carries a large opportunity cost on Fairy, which has other more potent Z-Move users such as Z-Belly Drum Azumarill.
Checks and Counters
===================
Fairy
--------
**Physical Walls**: Due to Mimikyu's mediocre offenses, it is easily walled by common defensive threats such as Porygon2, Mega Venusaur, and Celesteela.
**Scizor and Mega Scizor**: Scizor resists Mimikyu's strongest attacks and is able to set up with Swords Dance and pose a serious threat to Fairy.
**Haze Users and Phazers**: Mimikyu's reliance on Swords Dance to compensate for its lackluster Attack leaves it easily shut down by phazers and Haze users such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Toxapex, which it can't break unboosted.
**Faster Attackers**: Without Disguise, Mimikyu's frailty leaves it vulnerable to revenge killers and fast wallbreakers that are not threatened by Shadow Sneak such as Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu and Choice Specs Keldeo.
**Status**: Mimikyu's capacity as a late-game sweeper and reliable check to offensive threats is greatly diminished by burn and paralysis, which can be inflicted through Disguise.
Fairy
========
Mimikyu is a decent setup sweeper for Fairy teams with the unique utility of acting as a blanket check for offensive threats due to its ability, Disguise. Disguise absorbs one attack for Mimikyu, guaranteeing it a turn to use Swords Dance or check a dangerous threat to the team such as Porygon-Z, Azumarill, or Victini. With Swords Dance and access to priority, Mimikyu can set up and sweep weakened teams. Its Ghost- and Fairy-type STAB attacks hit virtually every Pokemon in the metagame neutrally. Mimikyu's Ghost typing offers it a useful neutrality to Poison-type moves and an immunity to Normal-type moves, giving Fairy more options in managing threats such as Diggersby. It can also give Fairy an edge in the Psychic matchup, where threats such as Victini and Celebi can otherwise prove troublesome. However, Mimikyu's base stats are underwhelming. Even with unresisted STAB type coverage, its mediocre offenses leave it easily walled by defensive Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Skarmory. Without Disguise active, Mimikyu's mediocre defenses leave it vulnerable to faster revenge killers such as Mega Lopunny, and while Mimikyu has decent Speed, it is still outsped by important threats such as Landorus and the key base 100 Speed tier.
[SET]
name: Utility Attacker (Fairy)
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Shadow Claw
move 3: Shadow Sneak
move 4: Swords Dance
item: Life Orb
ability: Disguise
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Play Rough is Mimikyu's most powerful STAB attack and has near-perfect offensive coverage alongside Shadow Claw. Shadow Claw is Mimikyu's strongest Ghost-type STAB attack and is useful for threatening troublesome Psychic-types for Fairy such as Mew and Celebi. Shadow Sneak is a priority move that helps Mimikyu pick off weakened Pokemon and sweep teams alongside Swords Dance late-game. Swords Dance allows Mimikyu to clean late-game with a guaranteed usage through Disguise and is necessary to compensate for Mimikyu's otherwise lackluster Attack.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment with a Life Orb allows Mimikyu to hit as hard as possible. Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Mimikyu to outspeed key threats such as Nidoking and Porygon-Z. Disguise is Mimikyu's only ability and absorbs one attack for Mimikyu, allowing it to blanket check offensive threats.
Usage Tips
========
Mimikyu should be used as a blanket check, utilizing Disguise to guarantee a hit against offensive threats in the metagame such as Greninja and Mega Diancie. It can also revenge kill certain threats such as Celebi and post-V-create Victini. Shadow Sneak can be used to pick off weakened Pokemon as well. Preserve Mimikyu's Disguise when it is necessary to check threats to the team, including strong setup sweepers such as Azumarill and Volcarona and offensive threats such as Sand Rush Excadrill. Because of Disguise, it can afford to be more reckless with taking chip damage from entry hazards. Take care to avoid status, especially burns and paralysis, as they greatly diminish Mimikyu's capacity as a sweeper. Mimikyu can also be used to sweep weakened teams late-game once its defensive checks have been removed, as Disguise guarantees it can use Swords Dance at least once. Remember that Mold Breaker bypasses Disguise, meaning Mimikyu cannot effectively check threats such as Choice Scarf Mold Breaker Excadrill and the rare Choice Scarf Kyurem-B.
Team Options
========
Mega Diancie is a dangerous mixed attacker that can tear open holes in opposing teams and chip switch-ins with Stealth Rock so that Mimikyu can more easily clean late-game. Clefable can offer Stealth Rock support and also serve as a sturdy check to Mega Scizor, a major threat to Fairy that can sometimes take advantage of Mimikyu to set up. Klefki provides dual screens support for Mimikyu, which can allow it to pull off a second Swords Dance even after Disguise has been exhausted. It is also able to provide Spikes support to chip down the opposing team, use Thunder Wave to cripple Mimikyu's offensive checks, and serve as a Mega Scizor check using Foul Play. Tapu Koko is a potent special attacker that can punch holes through teams and take care of walls that Mimikyu otherwise has trouble with, such as Toxapex and Skarmory. Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu is a frightening physical attacker that complements Mimikyu as a revenge killer for threats such as Landorus and Mega Charizard Y. Tapu Bulu also puts pressure on bulky Water- and Ground-types that Mimikyu struggles with, such as Hippowdon and Swampert. Ribombee provides Sticky Web for Mimikyu, allowing it to outspeed key threats such as Mega Lopunny. Belly Drum Azumarill is an exceptionally dangerous setup sweeper that can serve as a complementary cleaner alongside Mimikyu and help tremendously in the Steel matchup, where Mimikyu struggles.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fairy
--------
A Z-Crystal such as Ghostium Z or Mimikium Z can be utilized over Life Orb to provide Mimikyu with a more substantial nuke to break through defensive checks such as Swampert. However, this carries a large opportunity cost on Fairy, which has other more potent Z-Move users such as Z-Belly Drum Azumarill.
Checks and Counters
===================
Fairy
--------
**Physical Walls**: Due to Mimikyu's mediocre offenses, it is easily walled by common defensive threats such as Porygon2, Mega Venusaur, and Celesteela.
**Scizor and Mega Scizor**: Scizor resists Mimikyu's strongest attacks and is able to set up with Swords Dance and pose a serious threat to Fairy.
**Haze Users and Phazers**: Mimikyu's reliance on Swords Dance to compensate for its lackluster Attack leaves it easily shut down by phazers and Haze users such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Toxapex, which it can't break unboosted.
**Faster Attackers**: Without Disguise, Mimikyu's frailty leaves it vulnerable to revenge killers and fast wallbreakers that are not threatened by Shadow Sneak such as Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu and Choice Specs Keldeo.
**Status**: Mimikyu's capacity as a late-game sweeper and reliable check to offensive threats is greatly diminished by burn and paralysis, which can be inflicted through Disguise.
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