[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Icicle Crash
move 4: Ice Shard / Low Kick
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Pickpocket / Pressure
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Swords Dance raises Weavile's Attack stat to dangerous levels, letting it pose a threat to bulkier teams. Knock Off threatens key targets such as Slowbro, Cofagrigus, and Latias and removes items such as Leftovers from Clefable and Ferrothorn and Rocky Helmet from Skarmory. Icicle Crash lets Weavile break past metagame staples such as Serperior, Tornadus-T, and Landorus-T. The odds to flinch let it force through Clefable and Skarmory, which otherwise give Weavile major trouble. Ice Shard picks off faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam and Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T. Finally, Low Kick is a solid coverage move that threatens an OHKO on Bisharp and Tyranitar, the former which resists both of Weavile's STAB options.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature is a necessity to outspeed Tornadus-T and Serperior. A Focus Sash allows Weavile to survive a powerful move in a pinch to allow an extra opportunity to set up Swords Dance and break through its targets with its boosted Knock Off and Icicle Crash. It pairs especially well with Pickpocket to allow Weavile to steal items such as Leftovers from Ferrothorn after the Focus Sash is consumed. A Life Orb is an option to increase Weavile's damage output at the cost of lowering its HP. Additionally, it lets Weavile OHKO Mega Alakazam with a +2 Ice Shard after Stealth Rock. If Weavile runs a Life Orb, Pressure is preferred instead of Pickpocket to drain the PP of moves such as Hydro Pump in a pinch, which can be crucial for later in the match.
Usage Tips
========
Weavile functions best as an early-game wallbreaker and a late-game cleaner. Due to Weavile's frailty and weakness-laden typing, it is very difficult to bring it in safely; thus, the best methods to safely come in are aggressive switching, pivot support, or after a teammate has fainted. If Weavile is facing a Pokemon that it can easily force out such as Landorus-T and Gliscor, it can use the free opportunity provided to set up with Swords Dance. If it is wielding a Focus Sash, it can survive a strong hit from full HP and attack to break holes through the opposing team before going down so that its teammates can clean up. Try to keep entry hazards off the field as much as possible because Weavile's typing leaves it vulnerable to Stealth Rock, which can break the Focus Sash and reduce its setup opportunities later in the game. If Weavile is holding a Life Orb instead, it will be chipped down even further in conjunction with entry hazards; therefore, reducing its survivability. Weavile must also watch out for status conditions, especially burn and paralysis, as they will reduce its effectiveness as a wallbreaker and a cleaner.
Team Options
========
This Weavile set shines best on offense and hyper offense teams thanks to its deadly STAB combination granting it the ability to punch holes through bulkier teams. On hyper offense teams, a dedicated lead such as Mew or Rocky Helmet Aerodactyl is a solid partner for Weavile, utilizing Taunt to deny opposing entry hazards and then set up its own entry hazards. Entry hazard removal is mandatory, so it appreciates being paired with Pokemon like Cloyster and Latias, which provide support from Rapid Spin and Defog respectively; Cloyster also sets up Spikes to limit revenge killers such as Mega Lopunny or Toxic Spikes to put the likes of Keldeo, Volcanion, and Mega Medicham on a timer, while Latias provides paralysis support with Thunder Wave to cripple faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam and Healing Wish to bring its teammates back to full health. Weavile also appreciates partners like Volcarona, Mega Scizor, and Thundurus-T, as they can overwhelm each other's checks for the other to clean up. Volcarona enjoys Weavile taking care of Chansey and is a dangerous sweeper that has solid coverage and has safe entry against non-Thunder Wave Clefable and Mega Scizor, allowing easy setup opportunities, as well as punishing contact moves with Flame Body. Mega Scizor provides a solid answer to Bisharp and smashes it with Superpower, especially if Weavile lacks Low Kick, and threatens Mega Lopunny by picking it off with Bullet Punch after it has taken prior chip damage. Thundurus-T provides a decent check to Talonflame, blocks Volt Switch thanks to Volt Absorb, and can set up with Nasty Plot to break past bulkier teams. On offense teams, pivots such as Tornadus-T, Landorus-T, Zapdos, Thundurus, and Rotom-W are beneficial, since they provide a safe switch-in via U-turn and Volt Switch. The former four can also punish contact moves such as Return and High Jump Kick from Mega Lopunny with Rocky Helmet and in the case of Zapdos, paralysis from Static.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.102/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.103/
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Icicle Crash
move 4: Ice Shard / Low Kick
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Pickpocket / Pressure
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Swords Dance raises Weavile's Attack stat to dangerous levels, letting it pose a threat to bulkier teams. Knock Off threatens key targets such as Slowbro, Cofagrigus, and Latias and removes items such as Leftovers from Clefable and Ferrothorn and Rocky Helmet from Skarmory. Icicle Crash lets Weavile break past metagame staples such as Serperior, Tornadus-T, and Landorus-T. The odds to flinch let it force through Clefable and Skarmory, which otherwise give Weavile major trouble. Ice Shard picks off faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam and Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T. Finally, Low Kick is a solid coverage move that threatens an OHKO on Bisharp and Tyranitar, the former which resists both of Weavile's STAB options.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature is a necessity to outspeed Tornadus-T and Serperior. A Focus Sash allows Weavile to survive a powerful move in a pinch to allow an extra opportunity to set up Swords Dance and break through its targets with its boosted Knock Off and Icicle Crash. It pairs especially well with Pickpocket to allow Weavile to steal items such as Leftovers from Ferrothorn after the Focus Sash is consumed. A Life Orb is an option to increase Weavile's damage output at the cost of lowering its HP. Additionally, it lets Weavile OHKO Mega Alakazam with a +2 Ice Shard after Stealth Rock. If Weavile runs a Life Orb, Pressure is preferred instead of Pickpocket to drain the PP of moves such as Hydro Pump in a pinch, which can be crucial for later in the match.
Usage Tips
========
Weavile functions best as an early-game wallbreaker and a late-game cleaner. Due to Weavile's frailty and weakness-laden typing, it is very difficult to bring it in safely; thus, the best methods to safely come in are aggressive switching, pivot support, or after a teammate has fainted. If Weavile is facing a Pokemon that it can easily force out such as Landorus-T and Gliscor, it can use the free opportunity provided to set up with Swords Dance. If it is wielding a Focus Sash, it can survive a strong hit from full HP and attack to break holes through the opposing team before going down so that its teammates can clean up. Try to keep entry hazards off the field as much as possible because Weavile's typing leaves it vulnerable to Stealth Rock, which can break the Focus Sash and reduce its setup opportunities later in the game. If Weavile is holding a Life Orb instead, it will be chipped down even further in conjunction with entry hazards; therefore, reducing its survivability. Weavile must also watch out for status conditions, especially burn and paralysis, as they will reduce its effectiveness as a wallbreaker and a cleaner.
Team Options
========
This Weavile set shines best on offense and hyper offense teams thanks to its deadly STAB combination granting it the ability to punch holes through bulkier teams. On hyper offense teams, a dedicated lead such as Mew or Rocky Helmet Aerodactyl is a solid partner for Weavile, utilizing Taunt to deny opposing entry hazards and then set up its own entry hazards. Entry hazard removal is mandatory, so it appreciates being paired with Pokemon like Cloyster and Latias, which provide support from Rapid Spin and Defog respectively; Cloyster also sets up Spikes to limit revenge killers such as Mega Lopunny or Toxic Spikes to put the likes of Keldeo, Volcanion, and Mega Medicham on a timer, while Latias provides paralysis support with Thunder Wave to cripple faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam and Healing Wish to bring its teammates back to full health. Weavile also appreciates partners like Volcarona, Mega Scizor, and Thundurus-T, as they can overwhelm each other's checks for the other to clean up. Volcarona enjoys Weavile taking care of Chansey and is a dangerous sweeper that has solid coverage and has safe entry against non-Thunder Wave Clefable and Mega Scizor, allowing easy setup opportunities, as well as punishing contact moves with Flame Body. Mega Scizor provides a solid answer to Bisharp and smashes it with Superpower, especially if Weavile lacks Low Kick, and threatens Mega Lopunny by picking it off with Bullet Punch after it has taken prior chip damage. Thundurus-T provides a decent check to Talonflame, blocks Volt Switch thanks to Volt Absorb, and can set up with Nasty Plot to break past bulkier teams. On offense teams, pivots such as Tornadus-T, Landorus-T, Zapdos, Thundurus, and Rotom-W are beneficial, since they provide a safe switch-in via U-turn and Volt Switch. The former four can also punish contact moves such as Return and High Jump Kick from Mega Lopunny with Rocky Helmet and in the case of Zapdos, paralysis from Static.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.102/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.103/