[OVERVIEW]
Roserade has a decent niche in UU as a Spikes setter on offensive builds thanks to its decent Speed, great Special Attack, and a STAB combination that allows it to threaten several of the tier's common defensive types, including Ground, Water, and Fairy. Its access to Technician-boosted Hidden Power Fire as well as a powerful Sludge Bomb eases its matchup against traditional Grass-type checks such as Steel-types, Rotom-H, and Moltres that trouble its main competitors in Celebi and Rotom-C more. Roserade also has resistances to common types, such as Fairy and Water, that can allow it to adequately revenge kill big metagame threats such as Primarina and Mega Slowbro. Unfortunately, Roserade's merely decent Speed and horrid physical bulk leave it heavily pressured by the majority of UU's fast physical threats as well as priority users such as Mamoswine, Bisharp, and Scizor. Its typing can also hinder it defensively, as it is weak to the attacks of common special threats in Latias, Kyurem, and Chandelure preventing it from properly utilizing its good Special Defense. Roserade also struggles to break past a few popular defensive Pokemon, including Blissey and particularly Alolan Muk, which tanks any of Roserade's attacks and cripples it with STAB Pursuit.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Spikes
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Leaf Storm is a powerful STAB attack that heavily damages the majority of unresisted targets. It OHKOes all of the tier's bulky Water- and Ground-types while even threatening to KO neutral targets like Mega Aerodactyl and Reuniclus with minor chip damage. Sludge Bomb provides valuable coverage against Fairy- and Grass-types, heavily damaging the likes of Sylveon, Mega Altaria, and Rotom-C while also damaging other switch-ins to Leaf Storm like Moltres, Latias, and Hydreigon fairly well. Hidden Power Fire receives a boost in power from Technician and covers Steel-types like Scizor, Cobalion, and Klefki while reliably 2HKOing Amoonguss. Spikes can be set as Roserade forces switches to rack up chip damage on foes. Sleep Powder can also be used in the fourth slot to cripple some of Roserade's checks like Mega Aggron, Alolan Muk, and Snorlax, with sleep, which can generate free turns for Roserade or its teammates, although Spikes is often a better utility option for allowing Roserade to wear down its checks over time while more consistently supporting its teammates. Giga Drain is an option for restoring Roserade's health as it deals damage while providing Roserade with a Grass-type attack with more PP. However, it is too often hard to find room for due to its significant lack of power or costing coverage.
Set Details
========
Life Orb maximizes Roserade's damage output with a neutral attacking nature, notably allowing it to OHKO +1 Special Defense Mega Slowbro with Leaf Storm. Technician is the preferred ability for granting Roserade access to a 90-Base Power Hidden Power Fire. Black Sludge can be used over Life Orb to give Roserade a way of passively restoring health, though the loss in power, which includes being unable to OHKO Volcanion without Stealth Rock down, is usually not worth it considering Roserade is already quite frail.
Usage Tips
========
Due to its frailty, Roserade should primarily look to come into play with support from a pivot or after a teammate has fainted. It can, however, reliably switch into weaker special attackers such as Amoonguss and Tentacruel. From there, it should look to either punch holes in the opposing team or set up Spikes as it forces the opposing Pokemon out of play. Leaf Storm should be used to deal heavy damage to foes, though due to the decrease in Special Attack that comes with using the attack, Roserade should look to more frequently spam Sludge Bomb. Switching out after using Leaf Storm is often advised. When using Hidden Power Fire, it is best to catch Steel-types on the switch with the attack in order to secure the 2HKO on most of them without sustaining major damage on Roserade's part. If Sleep Powder is being run, it is great to use on forced switches in order to generate free turns for Roserade's teammates to safely switch in. It can also be used on slower foes that tank Roserade's attacks, such as Alolan Muk, Mega Aggron, and Chandelure. Faster attackers often can't safely come in on Roserade, though it should immediately switch out of them once they're in play due to its poor bulk preventing it from often even tanking one strong hit. Foes with strong priority, most notably Scizor, should also be played around carefully due to Roserade's poor bulk.
Team Options
========
Roserade fits best on offensive builds due to its power and decent offensive utility, though it can also work on balance due to its good synergy with various defensive Pokemon. Setup sweepers like Mega Altaria, Cobalion, and Terrakion can take advantage of the Spikes support Roserade can provide them with to more easily break past foes. Wallbreakers like Nidoking, Primarina, and Hydreigon are also appreciative of Roserade's ability to help them secure KOs with entry hazard damage. Stealth Rock setters such as Empoleon, Krookodile, and Mamoswine can stack hazards with Roserade, further adding onto the chip damage sustained by the opposing team. Roserade appreciates Pokemon capable of dealing with the many faster threats that pressure it on its team, which makes the likes of Mega Slowbro, Hippowdon, and Diancie particularly good partners on balanced builds due to their good bulk. Bulkier attackers such as Doublade and Mega Altaria can help compensate for this issue on offensive teams. Methods of checking faster foes, such as Mega Aerodactyl, Choice Scarf Krookodile, and Choice Scarf Infernape, can also alleviate Roserade's low Speed. Fighting-types like Heracross and Kommo-o often have good synergy with Roserade due to appreciating the removal of Fairy-types while in return taking on Blissey, Alolan Muk, and Steel-types for it. Water-types such as Primarina and Starmie enjoy Roserade's ability to come in on Grass- and Electric-type attacks for them, while they can aid it in removing Fire-types and weakening Steel-types. Flying-type checks like Empoleon and Diancie can take on the likes of Moltres and Mega Pidgeot for Roserade, while in return the aforementioned examples appreciate its ability to pressure bulky Water-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Natural Cure is plausible for allowing Roserade to come in on bulky Water-types without fear of a long-term status ailment. However, giving up Hidden Power Fire's extra power isn't worth this slight benefit. Toxic Spikes can be used over Spikes to cripple foes with poison. However, the presence of both Steel- and Poison-types makes them a lot more situationally useful than regular Spikes, which consistently damage most opposing Pokemon. Grassium Z is an option for using a powerful Grass-type attack without lowering Roserade's Special Attack, but it often fails to hit anything that isn't already adequately damaged by Leaf Storm, which isn't worth the lack of power that Life Orb will provide. Synthesis is an option for allowing Roserade to consistently recover health, though it is too often hard to find room for because it costs utility or coverage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Roserade's awful bulk and average Speed makes it fold to the tier's several faster offensive threats, which include Infernape, Latias, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Sharpedo. Potential Choice Scarf users like Volcanion and Togekiss can also be burdensome, surprising and overpowering Roserade.
**Flying-types**: Several Flying-types will often have ways of working around Roserade quite easily. Though unable to comfortably switch in, Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Pidgeot can outspeed and OHKO it, while Mantine's good special bulk allows it to tank hits while recovering and wearing Roserade down. Crobat is particularly troublesome, due to outspeeding it while resisting both of its STAB attacks.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types can often tank a hit and KO Roserade or outspeed and pressure it. Infernape and Mega Houndoom outspeed and OHKO it, while Chandelure resists both of Roserade's STAB attacks and doesn't fear Hidden Power Fire. Moltres and Rotom-H can also offensively handle Roserade, albeit less reliably due to both taking hefty damage from Sludge Bomb.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Assault Vest Alolan Muk is one of the best checks to Roserade available, as it tanks any of Roserade's hits while threatening it with Pursuit. Blissey can also reliably sponge hits while setting up Stealth Rock for its team and whittling Roserade down with Seismic Toss. Both dislike being put to sleep, however. Umbreon and Snorlax, while not particularly common, can also adequately check Roserade.
**Steel-types**: Offensive Steel-types like Cobalion and Scizor resist Roserade's STAB combination and can pressure it heavily; Cobalion can outpace it and damage it with Iron Head, while Scizor threatens to OHKO it with Bullet Punch. Both should be wary of coming in on Hidden Power Fire, however. Defensive Steel-types such as Mega Aggron and Klefki can take Hidden Power Fire at least once and heavily damage or cripple it in return. Mega Aggron can OHKO Roserade with Heavy Slam, and Klefki can cripple it with Prankster Thunder Wave. They fear being hit with Sleep Powder, though.
**Strong Priority**: Roserade's horrible bulk keeps it from reliably tanking even resisted priority attacks. It is OHKOed by Scizor's Bullet Punch, Bisharp's Life Orb-boosted Sucker Punch after Stealth Rock, and Mamoswine's Ice Shard. Roserade can only switch in on even Infernape's Choice Band-boosted Mach Punch once with Stealth Rock down, as after two rounds it can be 2HKOed.
- Written by: [[Hilomilo, 313384]]
- Quality checked by: [[martha, 384270], [Nuked, 382658], [Kreme, 224453]]
- Grammar checked by: [[martha, 384270], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
Roserade has a decent niche in UU as a Spikes setter on offensive builds thanks to its decent Speed, great Special Attack, and a STAB combination that allows it to threaten several of the tier's common defensive types, including Ground, Water, and Fairy. Its access to Technician-boosted Hidden Power Fire as well as a powerful Sludge Bomb eases its matchup against traditional Grass-type checks such as Steel-types, Rotom-H, and Moltres that trouble its main competitors in Celebi and Rotom-C more. Roserade also has resistances to common types, such as Fairy and Water, that can allow it to adequately revenge kill big metagame threats such as Primarina and Mega Slowbro. Unfortunately, Roserade's merely decent Speed and horrid physical bulk leave it heavily pressured by the majority of UU's fast physical threats as well as priority users such as Mamoswine, Bisharp, and Scizor. Its typing can also hinder it defensively, as it is weak to the attacks of common special threats in Latias, Kyurem, and Chandelure preventing it from properly utilizing its good Special Defense. Roserade also struggles to break past a few popular defensive Pokemon, including Blissey and particularly Alolan Muk, which tanks any of Roserade's attacks and cripples it with STAB Pursuit.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Spikes
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Leaf Storm is a powerful STAB attack that heavily damages the majority of unresisted targets. It OHKOes all of the tier's bulky Water- and Ground-types while even threatening to KO neutral targets like Mega Aerodactyl and Reuniclus with minor chip damage. Sludge Bomb provides valuable coverage against Fairy- and Grass-types, heavily damaging the likes of Sylveon, Mega Altaria, and Rotom-C while also damaging other switch-ins to Leaf Storm like Moltres, Latias, and Hydreigon fairly well. Hidden Power Fire receives a boost in power from Technician and covers Steel-types like Scizor, Cobalion, and Klefki while reliably 2HKOing Amoonguss. Spikes can be set as Roserade forces switches to rack up chip damage on foes. Sleep Powder can also be used in the fourth slot to cripple some of Roserade's checks like Mega Aggron, Alolan Muk, and Snorlax, with sleep, which can generate free turns for Roserade or its teammates, although Spikes is often a better utility option for allowing Roserade to wear down its checks over time while more consistently supporting its teammates. Giga Drain is an option for restoring Roserade's health as it deals damage while providing Roserade with a Grass-type attack with more PP. However, it is too often hard to find room for due to its significant lack of power or costing coverage.
Set Details
========
Life Orb maximizes Roserade's damage output with a neutral attacking nature, notably allowing it to OHKO +1 Special Defense Mega Slowbro with Leaf Storm. Technician is the preferred ability for granting Roserade access to a 90-Base Power Hidden Power Fire. Black Sludge can be used over Life Orb to give Roserade a way of passively restoring health, though the loss in power, which includes being unable to OHKO Volcanion without Stealth Rock down, is usually not worth it considering Roserade is already quite frail.
Usage Tips
========
Due to its frailty, Roserade should primarily look to come into play with support from a pivot or after a teammate has fainted. It can, however, reliably switch into weaker special attackers such as Amoonguss and Tentacruel. From there, it should look to either punch holes in the opposing team or set up Spikes as it forces the opposing Pokemon out of play. Leaf Storm should be used to deal heavy damage to foes, though due to the decrease in Special Attack that comes with using the attack, Roserade should look to more frequently spam Sludge Bomb. Switching out after using Leaf Storm is often advised. When using Hidden Power Fire, it is best to catch Steel-types on the switch with the attack in order to secure the 2HKO on most of them without sustaining major damage on Roserade's part. If Sleep Powder is being run, it is great to use on forced switches in order to generate free turns for Roserade's teammates to safely switch in. It can also be used on slower foes that tank Roserade's attacks, such as Alolan Muk, Mega Aggron, and Chandelure. Faster attackers often can't safely come in on Roserade, though it should immediately switch out of them once they're in play due to its poor bulk preventing it from often even tanking one strong hit. Foes with strong priority, most notably Scizor, should also be played around carefully due to Roserade's poor bulk.
Team Options
========
Roserade fits best on offensive builds due to its power and decent offensive utility, though it can also work on balance due to its good synergy with various defensive Pokemon. Setup sweepers like Mega Altaria, Cobalion, and Terrakion can take advantage of the Spikes support Roserade can provide them with to more easily break past foes. Wallbreakers like Nidoking, Primarina, and Hydreigon are also appreciative of Roserade's ability to help them secure KOs with entry hazard damage. Stealth Rock setters such as Empoleon, Krookodile, and Mamoswine can stack hazards with Roserade, further adding onto the chip damage sustained by the opposing team. Roserade appreciates Pokemon capable of dealing with the many faster threats that pressure it on its team, which makes the likes of Mega Slowbro, Hippowdon, and Diancie particularly good partners on balanced builds due to their good bulk. Bulkier attackers such as Doublade and Mega Altaria can help compensate for this issue on offensive teams. Methods of checking faster foes, such as Mega Aerodactyl, Choice Scarf Krookodile, and Choice Scarf Infernape, can also alleviate Roserade's low Speed. Fighting-types like Heracross and Kommo-o often have good synergy with Roserade due to appreciating the removal of Fairy-types while in return taking on Blissey, Alolan Muk, and Steel-types for it. Water-types such as Primarina and Starmie enjoy Roserade's ability to come in on Grass- and Electric-type attacks for them, while they can aid it in removing Fire-types and weakening Steel-types. Flying-type checks like Empoleon and Diancie can take on the likes of Moltres and Mega Pidgeot for Roserade, while in return the aforementioned examples appreciate its ability to pressure bulky Water-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Natural Cure is plausible for allowing Roserade to come in on bulky Water-types without fear of a long-term status ailment. However, giving up Hidden Power Fire's extra power isn't worth this slight benefit. Toxic Spikes can be used over Spikes to cripple foes with poison. However, the presence of both Steel- and Poison-types makes them a lot more situationally useful than regular Spikes, which consistently damage most opposing Pokemon. Grassium Z is an option for using a powerful Grass-type attack without lowering Roserade's Special Attack, but it often fails to hit anything that isn't already adequately damaged by Leaf Storm, which isn't worth the lack of power that Life Orb will provide. Synthesis is an option for allowing Roserade to consistently recover health, though it is too often hard to find room for because it costs utility or coverage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Roserade's awful bulk and average Speed makes it fold to the tier's several faster offensive threats, which include Infernape, Latias, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Sharpedo. Potential Choice Scarf users like Volcanion and Togekiss can also be burdensome, surprising and overpowering Roserade.
**Flying-types**: Several Flying-types will often have ways of working around Roserade quite easily. Though unable to comfortably switch in, Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Pidgeot can outspeed and OHKO it, while Mantine's good special bulk allows it to tank hits while recovering and wearing Roserade down. Crobat is particularly troublesome, due to outspeeding it while resisting both of its STAB attacks.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types can often tank a hit and KO Roserade or outspeed and pressure it. Infernape and Mega Houndoom outspeed and OHKO it, while Chandelure resists both of Roserade's STAB attacks and doesn't fear Hidden Power Fire. Moltres and Rotom-H can also offensively handle Roserade, albeit less reliably due to both taking hefty damage from Sludge Bomb.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Assault Vest Alolan Muk is one of the best checks to Roserade available, as it tanks any of Roserade's hits while threatening it with Pursuit. Blissey can also reliably sponge hits while setting up Stealth Rock for its team and whittling Roserade down with Seismic Toss. Both dislike being put to sleep, however. Umbreon and Snorlax, while not particularly common, can also adequately check Roserade.
**Steel-types**: Offensive Steel-types like Cobalion and Scizor resist Roserade's STAB combination and can pressure it heavily; Cobalion can outpace it and damage it with Iron Head, while Scizor threatens to OHKO it with Bullet Punch. Both should be wary of coming in on Hidden Power Fire, however. Defensive Steel-types such as Mega Aggron and Klefki can take Hidden Power Fire at least once and heavily damage or cripple it in return. Mega Aggron can OHKO Roserade with Heavy Slam, and Klefki can cripple it with Prankster Thunder Wave. They fear being hit with Sleep Powder, though.
**Strong Priority**: Roserade's horrible bulk keeps it from reliably tanking even resisted priority attacks. It is OHKOed by Scizor's Bullet Punch, Bisharp's Life Orb-boosted Sucker Punch after Stealth Rock, and Mamoswine's Ice Shard. Roserade can only switch in on even Infernape's Choice Band-boosted Mach Punch once with Stealth Rock down, as after two rounds it can be 2HKOed.
- Written by: [[Hilomilo, 313384]]
- Quality checked by: [[martha, 384270], [Nuked, 382658], [Kreme, 224453]]
- Grammar checked by: [[martha, 384270], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
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