[overview]
**Draft Order**: Early round 1 onwards
**Price Range**: Banned or 19 points
**Overview**: Spectrier is an incredibly powerful wallbreaker and sweeper that can quickly snowball out of control with its ability, Grim Neigh. Although it lacks coverage, its huge Special Attack and Speed stats along with its support moves make up for it, leaving it very difficult to check properly, and Draining Kiss can keep it healthy and defeat Dark-types that normally check it. Spectrier requires very little support to work properly, typically just needing a Fighting-type teammate or entry hazard support to break through its checks, which makes it one of the best Pokemon available. In formats with rosters of 8 Pokemon, Spectrier is almost always banned because it forces a lot of preparation, making it very difficult for opponents to check it with limited options.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Late-game Sweeper**: Spectrier can easily win games by setting up with Nasty Plot or Calm Mind and snowballing with Grim Neigh. Shadow Ball allows for immediate damage, while Draining Kiss can keep it healthy and beat Dark-types, especially after a Special Attack boost. If needed, Spectrier can also boost its Speed with Agility and stop foes from disrupting it with Taunt.
**Wallbreaker**: With Choice Specs or another damage-boosting item combined with Nasty Plot, Spectrier can be an effective wallbreaker by dealing immediate damage to foes. This set can sweep late-game or break specific Pokemon to enable its teammates.
**Status Spreader**: Spectrier can use Will-O-Wisp to spread burn against its typical checks, enabling its teammates down the line or dealing large amounts of damage itself with Hex.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Shadow Ball, Hex
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind, Nasty Plot, Agility
**Utility Moves**: Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, Disable
**Coverage**: Draining Kiss, Dark Pulse, Psychic, Mud Shot
Niche Moves
========
**Endure**: Endure can be combined with Salac Berry to give Spectrier an immediate Speed boost, allowing it to outspeed Choice Scarf revenge killers.
**Snarl**: Snarl can help Spectrier take hits more effectively from special attackers while also dealing a solid amount of damage. This can especially be helpful on Nasty Plot and utility sets.
**Pain Split**: While it is typically outclassed by Draining Kiss, Pain Split can be used against Pokemon with high HP that Spectrier typically struggles breaking to keep it healthy while dealing large amounts of damage.
**Curse**: Spectrier can use Curse on its checks to deal massive damage to them and force them out, letting it get free damage or setup opportunities.
**Hyper Beam**: Hyper Beam can be used as a nuke against foes that resist Spectrier's other attacks, especially on an all-out attacker set.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots is typically preferred on Spectrier, since it keeps it healthy against teams with entry hazard setters. It also negates Spectrier's weakness to Toxic Spikes and Sticky Web, which can shut it down.
**Damage-boosting Items**: Spectrier sometimes appreciates damage-boosting items, notably Choice Specs and Life Orb, to do extra damage to foes it would normally not be able to KO.
**Leftovers**: If entry hazards are not an issue, Leftovers synergizes well with Draining Kiss, keeping Spectrier as healthy as possible. This is appreciated even further on sets that carry Substitute.
**Resistance Berries**: Resistance Berries, especially Colbur Berry, give Spectrier more opportunities to attack and set up against its typical checks. Colbur Berry can also help Spectrier against revenge killers with Sucker Punch.
Niche Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry is valuable against foes that barely 2HKO Spectrier, letting it take another hit, which can give it more attacking or setup opportunities.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf can be used to outspeed opposing revenge killers while still letting Spectrier snowball late-game with Grim Neigh.
**Salac Berry**: Combined with Endure or against specific attacks, Spectrier can gain an immediate Speed boost with Salac Berry, allowing it to outspeed faster revenge killers.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry allows Spectrier to get around typical status spreaders that would normally shut it down with poison or paralysis.
Tera
========
Spectrier's main issue is its lack of coverage, which makes it often struggle against bulky Dark- and Normal-types as well as specially defensive Pokemon. Tera allows Spectrier to get around that, which means that it is always Tera banned. It often appreciates Tera Fairy to boost Draining Kiss damage and give it a better defensive typing, though it can also benefit from specific Tera types such as Tera Fighting, Ice, and Ground for needed coverage through Tera Blast. It can also simply use Tera Ghost to make its STAB attacks even stronger, allowing it to break through specially defensive walls more effectively.
Draft Strategy
========
Spectrier is an incredibly fast and powerful Pokemon that forces a lot of opposing preparation. It appreciates a team that can support it well, but it also appreciates alternative potential wincons that can get overwhelming to prepare for alongside it.
**Offensive Fighting-types**: Offensive Fighting-types make incredible Spectrier partners, since they can handle the Dark- and Normal-types that typically check it. Since most get a form of pivoting, they can also easily pivot into Spectrier on anticipated switches, quickly putting opponents in a tough spot. Good partners include Urshifu-S, Sneasler, and Iron Hands.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Spectrier forces Special Defense EV investment, so pairing it with strong physical wallbreakers like Meowscarada, Ogerpon-W, and Baxcalibur quickly overwhelms opponents with offensive pressure.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Spectrier appreciates entry hazard setters that can weaken its foes, such as Garchomp, Iron Treads, and Glimmora. Spectrier itself also plays as a great spinblocker that can easily switch in and immediately add offensive pressure. On the other hand, entry hazard removers like Terapagos, Great Tusk, and Corviknight help Spectrier, especially when it does not want to use Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Dark-types**: Dark-types pair well with Spectrier, as they can effectively cover its weaknesses and take hits from revenge killers. Bulky Dark-types that can take multiple hits such as Ting-Lu, Overqwil, and Darkrai are even more valuable.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Dark- and Normal-types**: Although Spectrier has Draining Kiss, it often needs a bit of time to get going, so bulky Dark- and Normal-types like Ting-Lu, Ursaluna, and Kingambit can somewhat reliably check it.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: It is hard for Spectrier to initially break through many specially defensive Pokemon, even those that are neutral to Shadow Ball like Clodsire and Hisuian Goodra, making them solid checks. Although it can freely set up on many of them, it is weak to phazing and status, especially if it does not have Taunt or if its checks use a Mental Herb.
**Fast Revenge Killers**: Spectrier often forces revenge killers to handle it, since most defensive walls cannot reliably beat it. Choice Scarf or Booster Energy users like Iron Valiant, Meowscarada, and Urshifu-S are typically necessary, since very few Pokemon outspeed Spectrier naturally. Priority moves such as Palafin's Jet Punch and Kingambit's Sucker Punch can also effectively revenge kill Spectrier.
**Status**: Spectrier is very weak to status, especially paralysis, which allows most Pokemon to revenge kill it, and poison, which puts it on a timer. While Spectrier can use Taunt, Mental Herb can get around it, and Toxic Spikes can also be detrimental to it.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scribble.356084/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
**Draft Order**: Early round 1 onwards
**Price Range**: Banned or 19 points
**Overview**: Spectrier is an incredibly powerful wallbreaker and sweeper that can quickly snowball out of control with its ability, Grim Neigh. Although it lacks coverage, its huge Special Attack and Speed stats along with its support moves make up for it, leaving it very difficult to check properly, and Draining Kiss can keep it healthy and defeat Dark-types that normally check it. Spectrier requires very little support to work properly, typically just needing a Fighting-type teammate or entry hazard support to break through its checks, which makes it one of the best Pokemon available. In formats with rosters of 8 Pokemon, Spectrier is almost always banned because it forces a lot of preparation, making it very difficult for opponents to check it with limited options.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Late-game Sweeper**: Spectrier can easily win games by setting up with Nasty Plot or Calm Mind and snowballing with Grim Neigh. Shadow Ball allows for immediate damage, while Draining Kiss can keep it healthy and beat Dark-types, especially after a Special Attack boost. If needed, Spectrier can also boost its Speed with Agility and stop foes from disrupting it with Taunt.
**Wallbreaker**: With Choice Specs or another damage-boosting item combined with Nasty Plot, Spectrier can be an effective wallbreaker by dealing immediate damage to foes. This set can sweep late-game or break specific Pokemon to enable its teammates.
**Status Spreader**: Spectrier can use Will-O-Wisp to spread burn against its typical checks, enabling its teammates down the line or dealing large amounts of damage itself with Hex.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Shadow Ball, Hex
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind, Nasty Plot, Agility
**Utility Moves**: Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, Disable
**Coverage**: Draining Kiss, Dark Pulse, Psychic, Mud Shot
Niche Moves
========
**Endure**: Endure can be combined with Salac Berry to give Spectrier an immediate Speed boost, allowing it to outspeed Choice Scarf revenge killers.
**Snarl**: Snarl can help Spectrier take hits more effectively from special attackers while also dealing a solid amount of damage. This can especially be helpful on Nasty Plot and utility sets.
**Pain Split**: While it is typically outclassed by Draining Kiss, Pain Split can be used against Pokemon with high HP that Spectrier typically struggles breaking to keep it healthy while dealing large amounts of damage.
**Curse**: Spectrier can use Curse on its checks to deal massive damage to them and force them out, letting it get free damage or setup opportunities.
**Hyper Beam**: Hyper Beam can be used as a nuke against foes that resist Spectrier's other attacks, especially on an all-out attacker set.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots is typically preferred on Spectrier, since it keeps it healthy against teams with entry hazard setters. It also negates Spectrier's weakness to Toxic Spikes and Sticky Web, which can shut it down.
**Damage-boosting Items**: Spectrier sometimes appreciates damage-boosting items, notably Choice Specs and Life Orb, to do extra damage to foes it would normally not be able to KO.
**Leftovers**: If entry hazards are not an issue, Leftovers synergizes well with Draining Kiss, keeping Spectrier as healthy as possible. This is appreciated even further on sets that carry Substitute.
**Resistance Berries**: Resistance Berries, especially Colbur Berry, give Spectrier more opportunities to attack and set up against its typical checks. Colbur Berry can also help Spectrier against revenge killers with Sucker Punch.
Niche Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry is valuable against foes that barely 2HKO Spectrier, letting it take another hit, which can give it more attacking or setup opportunities.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf can be used to outspeed opposing revenge killers while still letting Spectrier snowball late-game with Grim Neigh.
**Salac Berry**: Combined with Endure or against specific attacks, Spectrier can gain an immediate Speed boost with Salac Berry, allowing it to outspeed faster revenge killers.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry allows Spectrier to get around typical status spreaders that would normally shut it down with poison or paralysis.
Tera
========
Spectrier's main issue is its lack of coverage, which makes it often struggle against bulky Dark- and Normal-types as well as specially defensive Pokemon. Tera allows Spectrier to get around that, which means that it is always Tera banned. It often appreciates Tera Fairy to boost Draining Kiss damage and give it a better defensive typing, though it can also benefit from specific Tera types such as Tera Fighting, Ice, and Ground for needed coverage through Tera Blast. It can also simply use Tera Ghost to make its STAB attacks even stronger, allowing it to break through specially defensive walls more effectively.
Draft Strategy
========
Spectrier is an incredibly fast and powerful Pokemon that forces a lot of opposing preparation. It appreciates a team that can support it well, but it also appreciates alternative potential wincons that can get overwhelming to prepare for alongside it.
**Offensive Fighting-types**: Offensive Fighting-types make incredible Spectrier partners, since they can handle the Dark- and Normal-types that typically check it. Since most get a form of pivoting, they can also easily pivot into Spectrier on anticipated switches, quickly putting opponents in a tough spot. Good partners include Urshifu-S, Sneasler, and Iron Hands.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Spectrier forces Special Defense EV investment, so pairing it with strong physical wallbreakers like Meowscarada, Ogerpon-W, and Baxcalibur quickly overwhelms opponents with offensive pressure.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Spectrier appreciates entry hazard setters that can weaken its foes, such as Garchomp, Iron Treads, and Glimmora. Spectrier itself also plays as a great spinblocker that can easily switch in and immediately add offensive pressure. On the other hand, entry hazard removers like Terapagos, Great Tusk, and Corviknight help Spectrier, especially when it does not want to use Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Dark-types**: Dark-types pair well with Spectrier, as they can effectively cover its weaknesses and take hits from revenge killers. Bulky Dark-types that can take multiple hits such as Ting-Lu, Overqwil, and Darkrai are even more valuable.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Dark- and Normal-types**: Although Spectrier has Draining Kiss, it often needs a bit of time to get going, so bulky Dark- and Normal-types like Ting-Lu, Ursaluna, and Kingambit can somewhat reliably check it.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: It is hard for Spectrier to initially break through many specially defensive Pokemon, even those that are neutral to Shadow Ball like Clodsire and Hisuian Goodra, making them solid checks. Although it can freely set up on many of them, it is weak to phazing and status, especially if it does not have Taunt or if its checks use a Mental Herb.
**Fast Revenge Killers**: Spectrier often forces revenge killers to handle it, since most defensive walls cannot reliably beat it. Choice Scarf or Booster Energy users like Iron Valiant, Meowscarada, and Urshifu-S are typically necessary, since very few Pokemon outspeed Spectrier naturally. Priority moves such as Palafin's Jet Punch and Kingambit's Sucker Punch can also effectively revenge kill Spectrier.
**Status**: Spectrier is very weak to status, especially paralysis, which allows most Pokemon to revenge kill it, and poison, which puts it on a timer. While Spectrier can use Taunt, Mental Herb can get around it, and Toxic Spikes can also be detrimental to it.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scribble.356084/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
