[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 3-4 points
**Overview**: Spiritomb is an okay budget Pokemon that possesses a valuable Ghost / Dark typing, which allows it to act as a spinblocker. It has decent bulk in both of its defensive stats, allowing it to serve as a good check to specific foes. It also has a surprisingly deep utility movepool, which it can use to support its teammates. Unfortunately, Spiritomb's abysmal Speed and lack of reliable recovery outside of Pain Split and Rest means that it can be worn down quickly. Additionally, it lacks good coverage, so it finds itself walled by opposing Dark-types.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Wall**: Spiritomb can act as a good defensive piece in a team, tailoring its EVs to be either physically or specially defensive. With access to moves such as Trick, Toxic, and Will-O-Wisp, it can cripple foes for its teammates to take advantage of later. It also has the unique property of hitting foes through Substitute thanks to Infiltrator, further dissuading opposing setup opportunities.
**Revenge Killer**: With a damage-boosting item, Spiritomb can threaten weakened foes as well as ones that are weak to its strong priority attacks in Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Foul Play, Dark Pulse, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Hex, Poltergeist, Shadow Sneak
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind, Nasty Plot
**Utility Moves**: Will-O-Wisp, Trick, Taunt, Toxic, Destiny Bond, Pain Split, Memento, Rest, Sleep Talk
**Coverage**: Psychic, Psyshock, Burning Jealousy
Niche Moves
========
**Payback**: Given its low Speed, Spiritomb can use Payback to deal more damage if needed.
**Rock Tomb / Icy Wind**: Spiritomb can use Rock Tomb and Icy Wind as a form of speed control for either itself or its teammates to take advantage of during a match.
**Trick Room**: Spiritomb can use Trick Room to utilize its low Speed to its advantage to punch holes in the opposing team.
**Curse**: Spiritomb is bulky enough to utilize Curse to whittle down foes quicker than Toxic, allowing its teammates to then finish them off more quickly.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers gives Spiritomb the passive recovery that is needed for it to stay healthy and fulfil its defensive role.
**Rocky Helmet**: Spiritomb can use Rocky Helmet on physically defensive sets to punish contact attackers and wear them down over the course of a match.
Niche Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Against entry hazard-stacking teams, Spiritomb can use Heavy-Duty Boots to allow itself to switch in and out more freely without fear of passive damage.
**Choice Band / Specs**: Spiritomb can use either Choice Band or Choice Specs primarily to ruin foes via Trick and neuter their capabilities. It also appreciates the extra damage to punch holes through opposing threats.
**Damage-boosting Items**: Black Glasses and Spell Tag can power up Spiritomb's respective STAB attacks further to whittle down a foe enough to be in range of a follow-up priority move.
**Mental Herb**: Spiritomb is vulnerable to disruption due to its low Speed. Therefore, it benefits from Mental Herb to guarantee that it can cripple a foe with its utility movepool.
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry can be used to give Spiritomb more longevity than Leftovers's slow recovery, utilizing the extra health to deal more damage or cripple foes with status. This also works well with Curse, keeping it healthy over the course of a match.
**Custap Berry**: Spiritomb can use Custap Berry in conjunction with its low Speed to either use Destiny Bond and take down a problematic foe or use one last attack to set up a revenge kill next turn.
Tera
========
Spiritomb prefers to not be a Tera Captain, as its base typing is already valuable to fulfil its defensive role. If you choose to make it your secondary Tera Captain anyway, Tera Steel and Poison are good options to check a decent number of Fairy-types.
Draft Strategy
========
Spiritomb serves as a good option to fill in weaknesses and offer more utility to complete a draft. Its defensive capabilities are often overlooked, and it can be a good surprise to opponents that are not prepared to deal with it, but this should not be relied on, as it cannot wall Pokemon on its own. Some teammates that work with Spiritomb are:
**Entry Hazard Stackers**: Spiritomb fits best on hazard stacking teams, as its Ghost typing prevents opposing foes from using Rapid Spin. Pokemon such as Hisuian Samurott, Skarmory, and Glimmora are good options to consider.
**Poison-types**: Poison-types such as Galarian Slowking, Iron Moth, and Fezandipiti enjoy having Spiritomb as a partner as they can cover for its weakness to Fairy, keeping up momentum.
**Dark-type Checks**: Spiritomb greatly appreciates partners that can threaten Dark-types, as it fails to do so on its own. Pokemon such as Sneasler, Urshifu-R and Clefable work well in this way.
Checks and Counters
========
**Taunt and Encore**: Spiritomb is particularly vulnerable to Taunt and Encore, as its low Speed can be taken advantage of easily, disrupting its defensive capabilities.
**Fairy-types**: Spiritomb is vulnerable to Fairy-types that prey on its singular weakness, especially bulky ones that it struggles to break past through. Examples include Iron Valiant, Primarina, and Diancie.
**Dark-types**: Spiritomb's lack of coverage means that it fails to make any meaningful progress towards Dark-types. Pokemon such as Zarude, Roaring Moon, and Darkrai can easily break through it and use it as setup fodder, although they do have to be wary of Toxic and Will-O-Wisp.
**Residual Damage**: Without reliable recovery, Spiritomb is susceptible to Toxic and entry hazards, which wear it down easily and make it hard for it to fulfil its defensive role.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/addison0727.514695/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 3-4 points
**Overview**: Spiritomb is an okay budget Pokemon that possesses a valuable Ghost / Dark typing, which allows it to act as a spinblocker. It has decent bulk in both of its defensive stats, allowing it to serve as a good check to specific foes. It also has a surprisingly deep utility movepool, which it can use to support its teammates. Unfortunately, Spiritomb's abysmal Speed and lack of reliable recovery outside of Pain Split and Rest means that it can be worn down quickly. Additionally, it lacks good coverage, so it finds itself walled by opposing Dark-types.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Wall**: Spiritomb can act as a good defensive piece in a team, tailoring its EVs to be either physically or specially defensive. With access to moves such as Trick, Toxic, and Will-O-Wisp, it can cripple foes for its teammates to take advantage of later. It also has the unique property of hitting foes through Substitute thanks to Infiltrator, further dissuading opposing setup opportunities.
**Revenge Killer**: With a damage-boosting item, Spiritomb can threaten weakened foes as well as ones that are weak to its strong priority attacks in Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Foul Play, Dark Pulse, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Hex, Poltergeist, Shadow Sneak
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind, Nasty Plot
**Utility Moves**: Will-O-Wisp, Trick, Taunt, Toxic, Destiny Bond, Pain Split, Memento, Rest, Sleep Talk
**Coverage**: Psychic, Psyshock, Burning Jealousy
Niche Moves
========
**Payback**: Given its low Speed, Spiritomb can use Payback to deal more damage if needed.
**Rock Tomb / Icy Wind**: Spiritomb can use Rock Tomb and Icy Wind as a form of speed control for either itself or its teammates to take advantage of during a match.
**Trick Room**: Spiritomb can use Trick Room to utilize its low Speed to its advantage to punch holes in the opposing team.
**Curse**: Spiritomb is bulky enough to utilize Curse to whittle down foes quicker than Toxic, allowing its teammates to then finish them off more quickly.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers gives Spiritomb the passive recovery that is needed for it to stay healthy and fulfil its defensive role.
**Rocky Helmet**: Spiritomb can use Rocky Helmet on physically defensive sets to punish contact attackers and wear them down over the course of a match.
Niche Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Against entry hazard-stacking teams, Spiritomb can use Heavy-Duty Boots to allow itself to switch in and out more freely without fear of passive damage.
**Choice Band / Specs**: Spiritomb can use either Choice Band or Choice Specs primarily to ruin foes via Trick and neuter their capabilities. It also appreciates the extra damage to punch holes through opposing threats.
**Damage-boosting Items**: Black Glasses and Spell Tag can power up Spiritomb's respective STAB attacks further to whittle down a foe enough to be in range of a follow-up priority move.
**Mental Herb**: Spiritomb is vulnerable to disruption due to its low Speed. Therefore, it benefits from Mental Herb to guarantee that it can cripple a foe with its utility movepool.
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry can be used to give Spiritomb more longevity than Leftovers's slow recovery, utilizing the extra health to deal more damage or cripple foes with status. This also works well with Curse, keeping it healthy over the course of a match.
**Custap Berry**: Spiritomb can use Custap Berry in conjunction with its low Speed to either use Destiny Bond and take down a problematic foe or use one last attack to set up a revenge kill next turn.
Tera
========
Spiritomb prefers to not be a Tera Captain, as its base typing is already valuable to fulfil its defensive role. If you choose to make it your secondary Tera Captain anyway, Tera Steel and Poison are good options to check a decent number of Fairy-types.
Draft Strategy
========
Spiritomb serves as a good option to fill in weaknesses and offer more utility to complete a draft. Its defensive capabilities are often overlooked, and it can be a good surprise to opponents that are not prepared to deal with it, but this should not be relied on, as it cannot wall Pokemon on its own. Some teammates that work with Spiritomb are:
**Entry Hazard Stackers**: Spiritomb fits best on hazard stacking teams, as its Ghost typing prevents opposing foes from using Rapid Spin. Pokemon such as Hisuian Samurott, Skarmory, and Glimmora are good options to consider.
**Poison-types**: Poison-types such as Galarian Slowking, Iron Moth, and Fezandipiti enjoy having Spiritomb as a partner as they can cover for its weakness to Fairy, keeping up momentum.
**Dark-type Checks**: Spiritomb greatly appreciates partners that can threaten Dark-types, as it fails to do so on its own. Pokemon such as Sneasler, Urshifu-R and Clefable work well in this way.
Checks and Counters
========
**Taunt and Encore**: Spiritomb is particularly vulnerable to Taunt and Encore, as its low Speed can be taken advantage of easily, disrupting its defensive capabilities.
**Fairy-types**: Spiritomb is vulnerable to Fairy-types that prey on its singular weakness, especially bulky ones that it struggles to break past through. Examples include Iron Valiant, Primarina, and Diancie.
**Dark-types**: Spiritomb's lack of coverage means that it fails to make any meaningful progress towards Dark-types. Pokemon such as Zarude, Roaring Moon, and Darkrai can easily break through it and use it as setup fodder, although they do have to be wary of Toxic and Will-O-Wisp.
**Residual Damage**: Without reliable recovery, Spiritomb is susceptible to Toxic and entry hazards, which wear it down easily and make it hard for it to fulfil its defensive role.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/addison0727.514695/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
