[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: Roost
move 4: Toxic / Air Slash
item: Life Orb
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Sigilyph is a niche option that sets itself apart from other Psychic-types thanks to the combination of Magic Guard, a solid Speed tier that lets it offensively check Pokemon like Roserade, Lucario, and Rotom-C that can outspeed Gardevoir and Necrozma, and its ability to easily break through Steel-types like Escavalier that Celebi and Reuniclus struggle with. However, it faces fierce competition from other Psychic-types, due to Celebi, Necrozma, and Reuniclus's superior bulk and ability to run viable setup sets, Reuniclus and Gardevoir's greater power and ability to directly threaten Umbreon, and Espeon's greater power and ability to outspeed Heliolisk and Haxorus. Heat Wave offers near-unresisted coverage alongside Psychic, hitting Steel-types like Bronzong, Escavalier, and Doublade. Toxic lets Sigilyph break through defensive Pokemon like Mantine, Sylveon, and Umbreon while punishing switch-ins such as Incineroar, Rhyperior, and Gigalith. Air Slash instead allows Sigilyph to pressure Incineroar switch-ins more and check Pangoro but leaves Sigilyph walled by Umbreon and Gigalith. Energy Ball can also be used to let Sigilyph OHKO Rhyperior after slight chip damage and threaten Gigalith with more direct damage on the switch but also leaves Sigilyph walled by Umbreon. On teams lacking any entry hazard removal, Sigilyph may instead choose to run Defog, making use of its immunity to all entry hazards and the switches it forces against Pokemon such as Roserade; however it is unable to deal with Stealth Rock setters such as Gigalith and Rhyperior. Magic Guard is the preferred ability, preventing damage from entry hazards, status, or Life Orb, importantly allowing Sigilyph to freely use Toxic against Umbreon without fear of Synchronize.
Machamp and Roserade can put additional pressure on bulky Water-types, Umbreon, and Pokemon that check Sigilyph such as Rhyperior and Gigalith, while Roserade can also provide Spikes support to further wear down Sigilyph switch-ins such as Gigalith and Rhyperior. Bulky Water-types like Jellicent and Milotic can switch into and check Rhyperior and Gigalith and appreciate Sigilyph checking Roserade and Celebi; Jellicent can also check Stone Edge Cobalion, and Milotic can check Noivern. Gigalith and Incineroar can check Chandelure for Sigilyph; Gigalith can also help check Noivern and Heliolisk, while Incineroar can check Doublade and bring Sigilyph in on Galarian Weezing and bulky Water-types with Parting Shot and cripple their shared checks such as Gigalith with Knock Off. Checks to Golisopod and Haxorus are helpful, as they can revenge kill Sigilyph with First Impression. Noivern, Golisopod, and Cobalion are great options, the latter two can provide entry hazard support, while Cobalion can help to pressure Gigalith and Incineroar. Noivern can also help pressure faster threats to Sigilyph like Cobalion and Heliolisk and clean up late-game after Sigilyph has weakened its checks like Sylveon and Milotic. Other pivots like Flygon and Heliolisk can provide Sigilyph with more breaking opportunities; Flygon can check Gigalith and bring Sigilyph in on Galarian Weezing while similarly providing a check to faster Pokemon like Heliolisk, while Heliolisk can help to pressure bulky Water-types, and invite in Roserade and Celebi. Pokemon like Shift Gear Toxtricity and Choice Scarf Darmanitan appreciate Sigilyph weakening their checks like Rhyperior and Gigalith, allowing them to clean late-game.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Estarossa, 461329]]
- Quality checked by: [[Hilomilo, 313384], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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