Bolts said it was fine for me to write this up.
[OVERVIEW]
While Misdreavus faces a lot of competition from its evolution, Mismagius, its superior bulk with an Eviolite equipped gives it a decent niche as a defensive spinblocker and check to physical attackers for certain teams. Full defensive investment combined with Will-O-Wisp, Pain Split, and its pure Ghost typing makes Misdreavus hard to deal with for certain powerful Normal- and Fighting-types such as Tauros, Primeape, and Hitmonchan to break through. Furthermore, unlike Mismagius, it is not as prone to being KOed by a stray coverage attack as it tries to spinblock, such as Claydol's Psyshock or Kabutops's Stone Edge, making it a safer switch-in to these foes, and Misdreavus still has enough Speed to outspeed most Defog users and Taunt them before they can remove the hazards set. However, Misdreavus suffers terribly from its vulnerability to Knock Off, which prevents it from checking foes such as Hariyama and Zangoose that Ghost-types with Colbur Berry can normally deal with; furthermore, compared to Rotom and Gourgeist-XL, it lacks resistances to switch into attacks with. Misdreavus also relies on the combination of Will-O-Wisp and Hex to deal good damage, conceding a lot of momentum to Pokemon that don't mind these moves, such as Pyroar and Choice Specs Swellow. As Misdreavus relies on Eviolite for its niche over Mismagius, any team that uses the little ghost must have Pokemon that can switch into Knock Off reliably for it to not become a liability. However, any team that absolutely requires entry hazards on the field consistently will highly appreciate Misdreavus's support as one of the bulkiest and most reliable spinblockers around.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Hex
move 3: Pain Split
move 4: Taunt
item: Eviolite
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple the physical attackers that Misdreavus switches into, such as Tauros and Kabutops, while also inflicting chip damage and boosting Hex's power to respectable levels. Hex inflicts decent damage to most Pokemon that are not Normal-types if they have been burned or inflicted with status by a teammate or Toxic Spikes; it does enough damage to prevent Misdreavus from being too passive. Foul Play is a good option to hit Normal-types such as Tauros directly, giving Misdreavus a better matchup against some of the specific targets it can check. It also does good damage to physical setup sweepers, such as Swords Dance Samurott and Shell Smash Barbaracle, dissuading these faster threats that could avoid a Taunt from setting up if necessary. Pain Split is Misdreavus's best recovery move and can also inflict chip damage on foes, being most effective against targets with high HP, such as Lanturn, Audino, and Aurorus. Taunt can be used to stop setup attempts from slower threats such as Mega Audino, block entry hazard moves from Steelix and defensive Omastar, and protect Misdreavus against status attacks such as Steelix's and Quagsire's Toxic. Thunder Wave can also be used to punish Fire-types that try to switch into Will-O-Wisp, as well as special attackers that don't mind a burn and faster targets such as Archeops in general.
Set Details
========
56 Speed EVs are used to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured Pawniard, Torterra, and Aurorus, while the remaining EVs are invested in HP and Defense to improve Misdreavus's physical bulk as much as possible, emphasizing its niche over Mismagius as a bulky spinblocker. An EV spread of 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe with a Timid nature can be used to outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Sandslash as well as positive-natured Golurk and Omastar, while 96 Speed EVs and a Timid nature allow Misdreavus to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured Samurott, Hitmonchan, Garbodor, and most Skuntank and Xatu variants. Outspeeding Skuntank will generally allow Misdreavus to win against it one-on-one even if it runs a Lum Berry, so consider whether the loss in bulk is worth the opportunity to outspeed and Taunt or inflict status on a wider range of targets before they can move. Levitate is useful for dodging Earthquakes from Rhydon, Steelix, and Torterra and lets Misdreavus ignore Spikes and Toxic Spikes; the latter gives Misdreavus a solid niche over Gourgeist-XL. Eviolite is mandatory for the extra bulk it provides Misdreavus with and also allows it to tank strong special attacks such as Life Orb Haunter's Shadow Ball after Stealth Rock despite a lack of investment in Special Defense.
Usage Tips
========
Misdreavus should switch into Rapid Spin users, such as Hitmonchan and Kabutops, whenever they try to remove entry hazards, as well as physical attackers such as Tauros and Primeape that struggle to hit it hard. While Rotom and Mismagius take significant amounts of damage from a Life Orb-boosted Ice Punch from Hitmonchan or Waterfall from Kabutops, Misdreavus can tank those hits, making it a more consistent spinblocker than most other fast Ghost-types. It can then use Will-O-Wisp to burn them or another foe if they switch out or use Pain Split to heal up if it's significantly weakened. Misdreavus can switch in and Taunt threats such as Calm Mind Musharna and Mega Audino to stop them from setting up; it can also make for a good lead against slower entry hazard setters, such as defensive Omastar and Garbodor, by outspeeding them and using Taunt, thus forcing them to attack or switch out. Misdreavus can also use Taunt to block Defog from slow users, such as Pelipper and Mantine, giving it even more utility in keeping its team's entry hazards up. Even Lum Berry Skuntank can be beat with Taunt unless it runs Crunch, as Pursuit inflicts minimal damage to Misdreavus if it stays in and Sucker Punch can easily be bypassed by using Will-O-Wisp or Pain Split. Knock Off users, such as Hariyama and Zangoose, should be avoided at all costs, as the move will deal significant damage even from a burned target and will cripple Misdreavus's ability to take hits for the rest of the match.
Team Options
========
As Misdreavus is one of the most consistent spinblockers around, teammates that use Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes highly appreciate its support. Toxic Spikes users such as Garbodor and Omastar synergize particularly well with it, as they appreciate Misdreavus's immunities to Ground- and Fighting-type moves, respectively, while Misdreavus enjoys the boosted Hex damage on poisoned targets. These two Pokemon can also provide Spikes support to wear down offensive Pokemon that Misdreavus can switch into repeatedly, such as Tauros and Primeape. Meanwhile, Omastar, Steelix, and Rhydon can use Stealth Rock and similarly appreciate Misdreavus's immunities. Strong cleaners, such as Kangaskhan and Swellow, appreciate Misdreavus's ability to spread residual damage, both through status and through the entry hazards it protects, and they can both beat opposing Ghost-types with their Scrappy STAB attacks. They can also reduce the opponent's opportunities for using Defog through the offensive pressure they provide. Fire-types, such as Pyroar, Magmortar, and Charizard, can usually switch into Misdreavus without fear, so packing a solid Pokemon that resists Fire-type moves, such as Hariyama, Grumpig, or Lanturn, is highly recommended, with the latter also potentially providing Heal Bell support to remove crippling status from Misdreavus. These Pokemon can also check other special attackers such as Floatzel and Manectric, which aren't too bothered by a burn from Misdreavus. Finally, having a dedicated switch-in to Knock Off is highly beneficial given Misdreavus's huge weakness to the move; Mega Audino can fill the role while also providing Wish and Heal Bell support, while bulky itemless Charizard is another option.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic does more chip damage to foes and breaks down walls such as Mega Audino and Lanturn much easier in combination with Taunt, but it struggles to find a moveslot over the listed options. Notably, it gives Misdreavus a means of inflicting damaging status on Fire-types, but Toxic Spikes support is usually more consistent for this purpose. Heal Bell is a useful utility move that makes Misdreavus and its team less susceptible to status, but Misdreavus will struggle to fulfill its spinblocking niche successfully if it replaces Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, or Pain Split with it; Misdreavus will also become very vulnerable to faster Taunt users, such as Archeops and Floatzel, when without an attacking move. Memento + Taunt lets Misdreavus provide team support for sweepers such as Barbaracle and Omastar and has good synergy with Spikes-stacking teams, but this is usually done better by Mismagius thanks to its higher Speed. Destiny Bond can similarly be used with Taunt to force slower attackers into a bad position, but Misdreavus shouldn't be sacrificing itself when it has other roles it should fulfill, and Mismagius once again boasts a greater Speed stat to more effectively use these moves. Finally, Mean Look + Perish Song can be used to trap and KO certain threats, but Will-O-Wisp + Taunt usually does a good enough job and has much more useful general applications.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-type Pokemon**: Fire-types, such as Charizard, Pyroar, Magmortar, and Combusken, are immune to Will-O-Wisp and can switch into Misdreavus with few problems if it doesn't run Thunder Wave. They can either threaten Misdreavus immediately with powerful STAB attacks or set up with Swords Dance or Flame Charge. Pyroar poses a particular threat due to its immunity to Hex.
**Knock Off**: Knock Off undermines the core premise of Misdreavus—its raw bulk in conjunction with its decent Speed. Knock Off not only removes its Eviolite but also hits it super effectively, almost always 2HKOing Misdreavus despite its defensive investment. While Misdreavus is most threatened by Dark-types that run the move, such as Shiftry and Liepard, other users of the move such as Hariyama and Zangoose can still heavily damage it, and even weak users such as Ferroseed can cripple Misdreavus so that a stronger teammate can take it down afterwards. However, most of these Pokemon fear switching directly into Will-O-Wisp, except for the rare Guts Hariyama.
**Status Blockers**: In general, stopping Misdreavus from spreading burns is an effective countermeasure against it. Fast Skuntank variants can outspeed Misdreavus and use Taunt + Pursuit to lock it down. Calm Mind Xatu, if it outspeeds Misdreavus or is at full health, can set up on it despite its super effective STAB move, as it cannot be inflicted with status by Will-O-Wisp and will thus only have to take a weak 65-Base Power attack most of the time.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Misdreavus lacks reliable recovery and can easily be worn down over time if it can't pull off a good Pain Split. Strong special attackers, such as Life Orb Samurott, Manectric, and Choice Specs Swellow, still dislike the chip damage that Will-O-Wisp inflicts, but they are not crippled by it and can hit Misdreavus hard with their STAB attacks if it chooses to stay in.
[OVERVIEW]
While Misdreavus faces a lot of competition from its evolution, Mismagius, its superior bulk with an Eviolite equipped gives it a decent niche as a defensive spinblocker and check to physical attackers for certain teams. Full defensive investment combined with Will-O-Wisp, Pain Split, and its pure Ghost typing makes Misdreavus hard to deal with for certain powerful Normal- and Fighting-types such as Tauros, Primeape, and Hitmonchan to break through. Furthermore, unlike Mismagius, it is not as prone to being KOed by a stray coverage attack as it tries to spinblock, such as Claydol's Psyshock or Kabutops's Stone Edge, making it a safer switch-in to these foes, and Misdreavus still has enough Speed to outspeed most Defog users and Taunt them before they can remove the hazards set. However, Misdreavus suffers terribly from its vulnerability to Knock Off, which prevents it from checking foes such as Hariyama and Zangoose that Ghost-types with Colbur Berry can normally deal with; furthermore, compared to Rotom and Gourgeist-XL, it lacks resistances to switch into attacks with. Misdreavus also relies on the combination of Will-O-Wisp and Hex to deal good damage, conceding a lot of momentum to Pokemon that don't mind these moves, such as Pyroar and Choice Specs Swellow. As Misdreavus relies on Eviolite for its niche over Mismagius, any team that uses the little ghost must have Pokemon that can switch into Knock Off reliably for it to not become a liability. However, any team that absolutely requires entry hazards on the field consistently will highly appreciate Misdreavus's support as one of the bulkiest and most reliable spinblockers around.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Hex
move 3: Pain Split
move 4: Taunt
item: Eviolite
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple the physical attackers that Misdreavus switches into, such as Tauros and Kabutops, while also inflicting chip damage and boosting Hex's power to respectable levels. Hex inflicts decent damage to most Pokemon that are not Normal-types if they have been burned or inflicted with status by a teammate or Toxic Spikes; it does enough damage to prevent Misdreavus from being too passive. Foul Play is a good option to hit Normal-types such as Tauros directly, giving Misdreavus a better matchup against some of the specific targets it can check. It also does good damage to physical setup sweepers, such as Swords Dance Samurott and Shell Smash Barbaracle, dissuading these faster threats that could avoid a Taunt from setting up if necessary. Pain Split is Misdreavus's best recovery move and can also inflict chip damage on foes, being most effective against targets with high HP, such as Lanturn, Audino, and Aurorus. Taunt can be used to stop setup attempts from slower threats such as Mega Audino, block entry hazard moves from Steelix and defensive Omastar, and protect Misdreavus against status attacks such as Steelix's and Quagsire's Toxic. Thunder Wave can also be used to punish Fire-types that try to switch into Will-O-Wisp, as well as special attackers that don't mind a burn and faster targets such as Archeops in general.
Set Details
========
56 Speed EVs are used to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured Pawniard, Torterra, and Aurorus, while the remaining EVs are invested in HP and Defense to improve Misdreavus's physical bulk as much as possible, emphasizing its niche over Mismagius as a bulky spinblocker. An EV spread of 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe with a Timid nature can be used to outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Sandslash as well as positive-natured Golurk and Omastar, while 96 Speed EVs and a Timid nature allow Misdreavus to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured Samurott, Hitmonchan, Garbodor, and most Skuntank and Xatu variants. Outspeeding Skuntank will generally allow Misdreavus to win against it one-on-one even if it runs a Lum Berry, so consider whether the loss in bulk is worth the opportunity to outspeed and Taunt or inflict status on a wider range of targets before they can move. Levitate is useful for dodging Earthquakes from Rhydon, Steelix, and Torterra and lets Misdreavus ignore Spikes and Toxic Spikes; the latter gives Misdreavus a solid niche over Gourgeist-XL. Eviolite is mandatory for the extra bulk it provides Misdreavus with and also allows it to tank strong special attacks such as Life Orb Haunter's Shadow Ball after Stealth Rock despite a lack of investment in Special Defense.
Usage Tips
========
Misdreavus should switch into Rapid Spin users, such as Hitmonchan and Kabutops, whenever they try to remove entry hazards, as well as physical attackers such as Tauros and Primeape that struggle to hit it hard. While Rotom and Mismagius take significant amounts of damage from a Life Orb-boosted Ice Punch from Hitmonchan or Waterfall from Kabutops, Misdreavus can tank those hits, making it a more consistent spinblocker than most other fast Ghost-types. It can then use Will-O-Wisp to burn them or another foe if they switch out or use Pain Split to heal up if it's significantly weakened. Misdreavus can switch in and Taunt threats such as Calm Mind Musharna and Mega Audino to stop them from setting up; it can also make for a good lead against slower entry hazard setters, such as defensive Omastar and Garbodor, by outspeeding them and using Taunt, thus forcing them to attack or switch out. Misdreavus can also use Taunt to block Defog from slow users, such as Pelipper and Mantine, giving it even more utility in keeping its team's entry hazards up. Even Lum Berry Skuntank can be beat with Taunt unless it runs Crunch, as Pursuit inflicts minimal damage to Misdreavus if it stays in and Sucker Punch can easily be bypassed by using Will-O-Wisp or Pain Split. Knock Off users, such as Hariyama and Zangoose, should be avoided at all costs, as the move will deal significant damage even from a burned target and will cripple Misdreavus's ability to take hits for the rest of the match.
Team Options
========
As Misdreavus is one of the most consistent spinblockers around, teammates that use Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes highly appreciate its support. Toxic Spikes users such as Garbodor and Omastar synergize particularly well with it, as they appreciate Misdreavus's immunities to Ground- and Fighting-type moves, respectively, while Misdreavus enjoys the boosted Hex damage on poisoned targets. These two Pokemon can also provide Spikes support to wear down offensive Pokemon that Misdreavus can switch into repeatedly, such as Tauros and Primeape. Meanwhile, Omastar, Steelix, and Rhydon can use Stealth Rock and similarly appreciate Misdreavus's immunities. Strong cleaners, such as Kangaskhan and Swellow, appreciate Misdreavus's ability to spread residual damage, both through status and through the entry hazards it protects, and they can both beat opposing Ghost-types with their Scrappy STAB attacks. They can also reduce the opponent's opportunities for using Defog through the offensive pressure they provide. Fire-types, such as Pyroar, Magmortar, and Charizard, can usually switch into Misdreavus without fear, so packing a solid Pokemon that resists Fire-type moves, such as Hariyama, Grumpig, or Lanturn, is highly recommended, with the latter also potentially providing Heal Bell support to remove crippling status from Misdreavus. These Pokemon can also check other special attackers such as Floatzel and Manectric, which aren't too bothered by a burn from Misdreavus. Finally, having a dedicated switch-in to Knock Off is highly beneficial given Misdreavus's huge weakness to the move; Mega Audino can fill the role while also providing Wish and Heal Bell support, while bulky itemless Charizard is another option.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic does more chip damage to foes and breaks down walls such as Mega Audino and Lanturn much easier in combination with Taunt, but it struggles to find a moveslot over the listed options. Notably, it gives Misdreavus a means of inflicting damaging status on Fire-types, but Toxic Spikes support is usually more consistent for this purpose. Heal Bell is a useful utility move that makes Misdreavus and its team less susceptible to status, but Misdreavus will struggle to fulfill its spinblocking niche successfully if it replaces Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, or Pain Split with it; Misdreavus will also become very vulnerable to faster Taunt users, such as Archeops and Floatzel, when without an attacking move. Memento + Taunt lets Misdreavus provide team support for sweepers such as Barbaracle and Omastar and has good synergy with Spikes-stacking teams, but this is usually done better by Mismagius thanks to its higher Speed. Destiny Bond can similarly be used with Taunt to force slower attackers into a bad position, but Misdreavus shouldn't be sacrificing itself when it has other roles it should fulfill, and Mismagius once again boasts a greater Speed stat to more effectively use these moves. Finally, Mean Look + Perish Song can be used to trap and KO certain threats, but Will-O-Wisp + Taunt usually does a good enough job and has much more useful general applications.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-type Pokemon**: Fire-types, such as Charizard, Pyroar, Magmortar, and Combusken, are immune to Will-O-Wisp and can switch into Misdreavus with few problems if it doesn't run Thunder Wave. They can either threaten Misdreavus immediately with powerful STAB attacks or set up with Swords Dance or Flame Charge. Pyroar poses a particular threat due to its immunity to Hex.
**Knock Off**: Knock Off undermines the core premise of Misdreavus—its raw bulk in conjunction with its decent Speed. Knock Off not only removes its Eviolite but also hits it super effectively, almost always 2HKOing Misdreavus despite its defensive investment. While Misdreavus is most threatened by Dark-types that run the move, such as Shiftry and Liepard, other users of the move such as Hariyama and Zangoose can still heavily damage it, and even weak users such as Ferroseed can cripple Misdreavus so that a stronger teammate can take it down afterwards. However, most of these Pokemon fear switching directly into Will-O-Wisp, except for the rare Guts Hariyama.
**Status Blockers**: In general, stopping Misdreavus from spreading burns is an effective countermeasure against it. Fast Skuntank variants can outspeed Misdreavus and use Taunt + Pursuit to lock it down. Calm Mind Xatu, if it outspeeds Misdreavus or is at full health, can set up on it despite its super effective STAB move, as it cannot be inflicted with status by Will-O-Wisp and will thus only have to take a weak 65-Base Power attack most of the time.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Misdreavus lacks reliable recovery and can easily be worn down over time if it can't pull off a good Pain Split. Strong special attackers, such as Life Orb Samurott, Manectric, and Choice Specs Swellow, still dislike the chip damage that Will-O-Wisp inflicts, but they are not crippled by it and can hit Misdreavus hard with their STAB attacks if it chooses to stay in.
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