[OVERVIEW]
Water
=========
Cloyster is generally outclassed on Water teams, its poor defensive typing and lacking offensive prowess before setting up compared to options like Primarina and Urshifu-R makes finding that turn to get in and use Shell Smash difficult. However, should it overcome these hurdles, Cloyster can be a meance being able to rip through types like Dragon and Ice and completely flip games on their head.
[SET]
Cloyster @ Never-Melt Ice
Name: Shell Smash (Water)
Naive Nature
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 120 Atk / 136 SpA / 252 Spe
- Shell Smash
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump / Ice Shard
- Icicle Spear
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its excellent offensive movepool and access to Shell Smash, Cloyster finds a niche on Water teams. Thanks to Cloyster's high Defense stat, it can reliably use Shell Smash in front of some of the tier's premier physical attackers, such as Ceruledge and Mamoswine. Ice Beam is a great option to hit physically defensive foes such as Archaludon, Skarmory, and Great Tusk; it hits the former without activating Stamina. Hydro Pump is an option to prevent Cloyster from being entirely passive against Steel-types, namely Gholdengo and Heatran, whereas Ice Shard is helpful for picking off threats that may move before Cloyster even after a Shell Smash boost, such as Sucker Punch Dragapult and Choice Scarf Flutter Mane. Icicle Spear is excellent for hitting Flying-, Ground-, and Dragon-type Pokemon, such as Tornadus-T, Clodsire, and Latios, as well as breaking Focus Sash or Sturdy on Pokemon such as Breloom and Ogerpon-C. After a Shell Smash, the given EV spread, coupled with Never-Melt Ice, allows Cloyster to OHKO Choice Scarf Archaludon with Ice Beam, as well as defensive Archaludon and Hisuian Goodra with Ice Beam and Icicle Spear, respectively, after a layer of Spikes.
Hisuian Samurott is a great teammate for Cloyster, as the Spikes it provides with Ceaseless Edge are very important for Cloyster. If Cloyster opts to use three Ice-type moves, then Hisuian Samurott can weaken opposing Steel-types, such as Heatran and Empoleon, with Sacred Sword. Ogerpon-W is a fantastic teammate for Cloyster, as Cloyster's moveset notably leaves it weak against other Water-types, such as Alomomola and Primarina. Ogerpon-W remedies this issue by threatening these Pokemon with either Horn Leech or Power Whip. Swampert and Alomomola are both great teammates for Cloyster, as they both act as slow pivot options to help Cloyster get in more easily. Swampert can also provide Knock Off and Stealth Rock support while being immune to Electric, whereas Alomomola can use Wish to keep Cloyster healthy in case it takes some entry hazard damage. Fighting-types such as Urshifu-R and Keldeo complement Cloyster excellently, as they can help weaken Steel-types, such as Gholdengo and Skarmory, so that Cloyster can have an easier time sweeping. Additionally, both of these Pokemon have pivoting options in the form of U-turn and Flip Turn, respectively, allowing Cloyster to come in when the Fighting-types scare something out. Toxapex can use Toxic to weaken foes that Cloyster cannot OHKO, such as Urshifu-R and Iron Hands. Toxapex can also use Haze to prevent opposing setup sweepers from getting too out of hand, which gives Cloyster more opportunities to use Shell Smash. Tentacruel can provide hazard control with Rapid Spin, ensuring Cloyster will have an easier time finding an opportunity to use Shell Smash, as well as using Toxic Spikes of its own to chip down opposing Pokemon. Additionally, Tentacruel has Flip Turn to help Cloyster hit the field more easily.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/royalreloaded.246753/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/boomp.637295/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pengairxan.622813/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Water
=========
Cloyster is generally outclassed on Water teams, its poor defensive typing and lacking offensive prowess before setting up compared to options like Primarina and Urshifu-R makes finding that turn to get in and use Shell Smash difficult. However, should it overcome these hurdles, Cloyster can be a meance being able to rip through types like Dragon and Ice and completely flip games on their head.
[SET]
Cloyster @ Never-Melt Ice
Name: Shell Smash (Water)
Naive Nature
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 120 Atk / 136 SpA / 252 Spe
- Shell Smash
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump / Ice Shard
- Icicle Spear
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its excellent offensive movepool and access to Shell Smash, Cloyster finds a niche on Water teams. Thanks to Cloyster's high Defense stat, it can reliably use Shell Smash in front of some of the tier's premier physical attackers, such as Ceruledge and Mamoswine. Ice Beam is a great option to hit physically defensive foes such as Archaludon, Skarmory, and Great Tusk; it hits the former without activating Stamina. Hydro Pump is an option to prevent Cloyster from being entirely passive against Steel-types, namely Gholdengo and Heatran, whereas Ice Shard is helpful for picking off threats that may move before Cloyster even after a Shell Smash boost, such as Sucker Punch Dragapult and Choice Scarf Flutter Mane. Icicle Spear is excellent for hitting Flying-, Ground-, and Dragon-type Pokemon, such as Tornadus-T, Clodsire, and Latios, as well as breaking Focus Sash or Sturdy on Pokemon such as Breloom and Ogerpon-C. After a Shell Smash, the given EV spread, coupled with Never-Melt Ice, allows Cloyster to OHKO Choice Scarf Archaludon with Ice Beam, as well as defensive Archaludon and Hisuian Goodra with Ice Beam and Icicle Spear, respectively, after a layer of Spikes.
Hisuian Samurott is a great teammate for Cloyster, as the Spikes it provides with Ceaseless Edge are very important for Cloyster. If Cloyster opts to use three Ice-type moves, then Hisuian Samurott can weaken opposing Steel-types, such as Heatran and Empoleon, with Sacred Sword. Ogerpon-W is a fantastic teammate for Cloyster, as Cloyster's moveset notably leaves it weak against other Water-types, such as Alomomola and Primarina. Ogerpon-W remedies this issue by threatening these Pokemon with either Horn Leech or Power Whip. Swampert and Alomomola are both great teammates for Cloyster, as they both act as slow pivot options to help Cloyster get in more easily. Swampert can also provide Knock Off and Stealth Rock support while being immune to Electric, whereas Alomomola can use Wish to keep Cloyster healthy in case it takes some entry hazard damage. Fighting-types such as Urshifu-R and Keldeo complement Cloyster excellently, as they can help weaken Steel-types, such as Gholdengo and Skarmory, so that Cloyster can have an easier time sweeping. Additionally, both of these Pokemon have pivoting options in the form of U-turn and Flip Turn, respectively, allowing Cloyster to come in when the Fighting-types scare something out. Toxapex can use Toxic to weaken foes that Cloyster cannot OHKO, such as Urshifu-R and Iron Hands. Toxapex can also use Haze to prevent opposing setup sweepers from getting too out of hand, which gives Cloyster more opportunities to use Shell Smash. Tentacruel can provide hazard control with Rapid Spin, ensuring Cloyster will have an easier time finding an opportunity to use Shell Smash, as well as using Toxic Spikes of its own to chip down opposing Pokemon. Additionally, Tentacruel has Flip Turn to help Cloyster hit the field more easily.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/royalreloaded.246753/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/boomp.637295/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pengairxan.622813/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Last edited:
