[SET]
Choice Specs (Sylveon) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 80 HP / 80 Def / 252 SpA / 96 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hyper Beam
- Hyper Voice
- Echoed Voice / Mystical Fire / Draining Kiss / Psyshock
- Mystical Fire / Echoed Voice / Draining Kiss / Psyshock
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With Choice Specs, Sylveon can break out immensely powerful moves on the first turn of battle. Hyper Beam is the usual move of choice and OHKOs neutral targets like physically defensive Aromatisse and Landorus. Hyper Voice is a spammable option that ignores Substitute and cannot miss, making it a good click into Pokemon like Garchomp, Dragapult, and Regieleki. Echoed Voice beats Substitute Zapdos variants lacking Eerie Impulse, as well as certain specially bulky Trick Cresselia sets. Mystical Fire is a coverage option that beats Ferrothorn. Psyshock handles Power Herb Nihilego, and Draining Kiss has niche usage against Kommo-O (which can block all of Sylveon's other moves with Substitute and Soundproof) as well as Custap Berry and Choice Scarf variants of Sawk (which cannot 2HKO after Sylveon heals).
EVs
=============
The HP EVs allow Sylveon to tank a Sludge Wave from Choice Specs Landorus. Special Attack is maxed-out to grant the best possible rolls against targets like Assault Vest Goodra, Landorus, and non-Psychic Seed Tapu Lele. The Speed investment allows Sylveon to always outpace Adamant Rhyperior. The remainder is put in Defense for the best rolls against Choice Band Garchomp's Earthquake.
Alternatively, Sylveon can run a bulky spread of 224 HP / 148 SpA / 136 SpD with a Calm nature. This allows it to tank Adamant Choice Band Dragapult's Phantom Force, as well as Choice Specs Naganadel's Sludge Wave. If ran alongside Psyshock, it notably allows Sylveon to tank a hit from any Nihilego set and OHKO back.
Usage Tips
=============
In general, Choice Specs Sylveon has a simple gameplan: click Hyper Voice. Hyper Beam should be used against Pokemon which have the potential to KO Sylveon before it can attack a second time, such as Azumarill, Goodra, and Landorus-T. The remaining moves are very situational and should not be used outside of their listed matchups.
Choice Specs Sylveon commonly finds itself in uncertain matchups against Custap Berry-users. Custap Berry Primarina, for instance, beats a Choice Specs Sylveon clicking Hyper Beam by opening with Endure. However, if Sylveon clicks Hyper Voice, Primarina wins by clicking Moonblast followed by Endure, then KOing with a Torrent-boosted Hydro Cannon. As such matchups are effectively coinflips, no advice allows for consistent victories.
[SET]
Custap Berry (Sylveon) @ Custap Berry
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 232 Def / 252 SpA / 24 Spe
Modest Nature
- Fake Tears
- Hyper Voice
- Hyper Beam
- Endure
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With a Custap Berry, Sylveon can survive powerful attacks like Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Hyper Beam, Choice Band Darmanitan-G's Giga Impact, or Choice Specs Naganadel's Sludge Wave. Hyper Beam OHKOs these Pokemon and helps against Goodra and Aromatisse. Hyper Voice is useful against Substitute users like Dragapult or Whimsicott and Sturdy Pokemon like Crustle or Sawk, while Fake Tears offers an anti-stall tool to be used against Sap Sipper Azumarill, defensive Chansey, and certain Cresselia sets (Trick and Skill Swap variants still win, however).
EVs
=============
Maximum Special Attack allows for optimal odds against Trick Togekiss and Tapu Koko. The Defense EVs allow Sylveon to always survive Adamant Life Orb Urshifu-R's Surging Strikes. The remainder of the EVs are put in Speed to try and outspeed other base 60s, like Primarina and other Sylveon, as well as possible.
Usage Tips
=============
Broadly speaking, Sylveon should click Hyper Voice or Fake Tears on turns it's not at risk of getting OHKOd, and Endure followed by Hyper Beam on turns where it is. However, against pokemon with priority moves, like Azumarill or Urshifu-R, it is not possible to safely drop to 1 HP. Sylveon should also beware of clicking Hyper Beam on an opposing Endure. Unlike most Custap-users, Sylveon should click Endure t1 against Regieleki, as it will always survive and consume its Custap Berry next turn, whereas attacking runs the risk of fainting to Electro Ball.
[SET]
Yawn (Sylveon) @ Mental Herb
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 204 HP / 224 Def / 80 SpA
Modest Nature
- Yawn
- Protect
- Hyper Voice / Fake Tears
- Hyper Beam / Fake Tears
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Sylveon is the best Yawn user, and in fact the best sleep user, in the whole SS 1v1 metagame, as it boasts good bulk, powerful attacks, and a very solid setup move. Hyper Voice or Hyper Beam are both excellent attacks: Hyper Voice is able to beat Substitute users like Dragapult and Whimsicott, but Hyper Beam's higher damage offers reliability versus Pokemon like Choice Scarf Darmanitan-G and Modest non-Specs Porygon-Z. A Mental Herb allows Sylveon to safely click Yawn versus Aromatisse, Primarina, Spectrier, Togekiss, Gardevoir, and other Taunt/Encore users.
EVs
=============
The HP EVs allow Sylveon to survive Choice Specs Regieleki's Electro Ball. The Defense EVs let it tank a Surging Strikes from Adamant Choice Band Urshifu-R. The remaining EVs have been put in SpA to improve rolls versus Pokemon like Primarina or Togekiss.
Usage Tips
=============
When a foe is on their third sleep turn (and thus guaranteed to wake up next turn) and impossible to KO in a single move, it is usually advantageous to re-apply Yawn (using Protect against slower foes so the sleep can wear off), as this yields several additional turns.
Beware of Pokemon potentially carrying Trick, like Togekiss, Porygon-Z, Cresselia, and Telepathy Tapu Fini, and do not click Yawn or Fake Tears into an unknown set. Protect may be used to scout for this eventuality, though at the risk of being set up on - it is often safer to simply attack.
Note that Tapu Koko's Electric Terrain and Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain both prevent sleep, making Yawn a waste of a turn against these Pokemon. Likewise, Yawn should not be clicked against Porygon-Z as that Pokemon commonly runs Uproar. Finally, both Urshifu formes ignore Protect with their ability. Do not click Yawn against these Pokemon, as there is no guarantee Sylveon will be able to survive until the foe falls asleep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Babiri Berry gives Yawn Sylveon a fighting chance against Pokemon like Choice Band Tyranitar, Aggron, Steelix, and Kartana, though the more popular Steel-types (Celesteela, Metagross, Ferrothorn, and Registeel) remain insurmountable walls.
The Yawn set can give up its Mental Herb in favor of a Petaya Berry, replacing Protect with Endure to reliably drop to low HP. In addition to boosting offensive power against specially bulky foes like Tapu Lele or Primarina, this will also make it possible to play around recharge moves like Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Hyper Beam or Choice Band Rhyperior's Rock Wrecker. However, the loss of Mental Herb is painful in many matchups, and this variant is highly dependent on the opponent's actions.
Finally, Yawn sets with Fake Tears and Hyper Beam can run Life Orb for maximum offensive power. This set can punch holes in threats that ordinarily would wall Sylveon, beating bulky Ferrothorn and bulky Celesteela with two Fake Tears into Hyper Beam (with a 1/3 chance of the foe waking up early, plus the need to play around a potential Endure). This option can also OHKO Pokemon that would normally be able to tank a single move, such as Azumarill or bulky Tapu Bulu.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
Here Comes Team Charm!
Quality checked by:
[insert user link]
Grammar checked by:
[insert user link]
Choice Specs (Sylveon) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 80 HP / 80 Def / 252 SpA / 96 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hyper Beam
- Hyper Voice
- Echoed Voice / Mystical Fire / Draining Kiss / Psyshock
- Mystical Fire / Echoed Voice / Draining Kiss / Psyshock
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With Choice Specs, Sylveon can break out immensely powerful moves on the first turn of battle. Hyper Beam is the usual move of choice and OHKOs neutral targets like physically defensive Aromatisse and Landorus. Hyper Voice is a spammable option that ignores Substitute and cannot miss, making it a good click into Pokemon like Garchomp, Dragapult, and Regieleki. Echoed Voice beats Substitute Zapdos variants lacking Eerie Impulse, as well as certain specially bulky Trick Cresselia sets. Mystical Fire is a coverage option that beats Ferrothorn. Psyshock handles Power Herb Nihilego, and Draining Kiss has niche usage against Kommo-O (which can block all of Sylveon's other moves with Substitute and Soundproof) as well as Custap Berry and Choice Scarf variants of Sawk (which cannot 2HKO after Sylveon heals).
EVs
=============
The HP EVs allow Sylveon to tank a Sludge Wave from Choice Specs Landorus. Special Attack is maxed-out to grant the best possible rolls against targets like Assault Vest Goodra, Landorus, and non-Psychic Seed Tapu Lele. The Speed investment allows Sylveon to always outpace Adamant Rhyperior. The remainder is put in Defense for the best rolls against Choice Band Garchomp's Earthquake.
Alternatively, Sylveon can run a bulky spread of 224 HP / 148 SpA / 136 SpD with a Calm nature. This allows it to tank Adamant Choice Band Dragapult's Phantom Force, as well as Choice Specs Naganadel's Sludge Wave. If ran alongside Psyshock, it notably allows Sylveon to tank a hit from any Nihilego set and OHKO back.
Usage Tips
=============
In general, Choice Specs Sylveon has a simple gameplan: click Hyper Voice. Hyper Beam should be used against Pokemon which have the potential to KO Sylveon before it can attack a second time, such as Azumarill, Goodra, and Landorus-T. The remaining moves are very situational and should not be used outside of their listed matchups.
Choice Specs Sylveon commonly finds itself in uncertain matchups against Custap Berry-users. Custap Berry Primarina, for instance, beats a Choice Specs Sylveon clicking Hyper Beam by opening with Endure. However, if Sylveon clicks Hyper Voice, Primarina wins by clicking Moonblast followed by Endure, then KOing with a Torrent-boosted Hydro Cannon. As such matchups are effectively coinflips, no advice allows for consistent victories.
[SET]
Custap Berry (Sylveon) @ Custap Berry
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 232 Def / 252 SpA / 24 Spe
Modest Nature
- Fake Tears
- Hyper Voice
- Hyper Beam
- Endure
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With a Custap Berry, Sylveon can survive powerful attacks like Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Hyper Beam, Choice Band Darmanitan-G's Giga Impact, or Choice Specs Naganadel's Sludge Wave. Hyper Beam OHKOs these Pokemon and helps against Goodra and Aromatisse. Hyper Voice is useful against Substitute users like Dragapult or Whimsicott and Sturdy Pokemon like Crustle or Sawk, while Fake Tears offers an anti-stall tool to be used against Sap Sipper Azumarill, defensive Chansey, and certain Cresselia sets (Trick and Skill Swap variants still win, however).
EVs
=============
Maximum Special Attack allows for optimal odds against Trick Togekiss and Tapu Koko. The Defense EVs allow Sylveon to always survive Adamant Life Orb Urshifu-R's Surging Strikes. The remainder of the EVs are put in Speed to try and outspeed other base 60s, like Primarina and other Sylveon, as well as possible.
Usage Tips
=============
Broadly speaking, Sylveon should click Hyper Voice or Fake Tears on turns it's not at risk of getting OHKOd, and Endure followed by Hyper Beam on turns where it is. However, against pokemon with priority moves, like Azumarill or Urshifu-R, it is not possible to safely drop to 1 HP. Sylveon should also beware of clicking Hyper Beam on an opposing Endure. Unlike most Custap-users, Sylveon should click Endure t1 against Regieleki, as it will always survive and consume its Custap Berry next turn, whereas attacking runs the risk of fainting to Electro Ball.
[SET]
Yawn (Sylveon) @ Mental Herb
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 204 HP / 224 Def / 80 SpA
Modest Nature
- Yawn
- Protect
- Hyper Voice / Fake Tears
- Hyper Beam / Fake Tears
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Sylveon is the best Yawn user, and in fact the best sleep user, in the whole SS 1v1 metagame, as it boasts good bulk, powerful attacks, and a very solid setup move. Hyper Voice or Hyper Beam are both excellent attacks: Hyper Voice is able to beat Substitute users like Dragapult and Whimsicott, but Hyper Beam's higher damage offers reliability versus Pokemon like Choice Scarf Darmanitan-G and Modest non-Specs Porygon-Z. A Mental Herb allows Sylveon to safely click Yawn versus Aromatisse, Primarina, Spectrier, Togekiss, Gardevoir, and other Taunt/Encore users.
EVs
=============
The HP EVs allow Sylveon to survive Choice Specs Regieleki's Electro Ball. The Defense EVs let it tank a Surging Strikes from Adamant Choice Band Urshifu-R. The remaining EVs have been put in SpA to improve rolls versus Pokemon like Primarina or Togekiss.
Usage Tips
=============
When a foe is on their third sleep turn (and thus guaranteed to wake up next turn) and impossible to KO in a single move, it is usually advantageous to re-apply Yawn (using Protect against slower foes so the sleep can wear off), as this yields several additional turns.
Beware of Pokemon potentially carrying Trick, like Togekiss, Porygon-Z, Cresselia, and Telepathy Tapu Fini, and do not click Yawn or Fake Tears into an unknown set. Protect may be used to scout for this eventuality, though at the risk of being set up on - it is often safer to simply attack.
Note that Tapu Koko's Electric Terrain and Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain both prevent sleep, making Yawn a waste of a turn against these Pokemon. Likewise, Yawn should not be clicked against Porygon-Z as that Pokemon commonly runs Uproar. Finally, both Urshifu formes ignore Protect with their ability. Do not click Yawn against these Pokemon, as there is no guarantee Sylveon will be able to survive until the foe falls asleep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Babiri Berry gives Yawn Sylveon a fighting chance against Pokemon like Choice Band Tyranitar, Aggron, Steelix, and Kartana, though the more popular Steel-types (Celesteela, Metagross, Ferrothorn, and Registeel) remain insurmountable walls.
The Yawn set can give up its Mental Herb in favor of a Petaya Berry, replacing Protect with Endure to reliably drop to low HP. In addition to boosting offensive power against specially bulky foes like Tapu Lele or Primarina, this will also make it possible to play around recharge moves like Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Hyper Beam or Choice Band Rhyperior's Rock Wrecker. However, the loss of Mental Herb is painful in many matchups, and this variant is highly dependent on the opponent's actions.
Finally, Yawn sets with Fake Tears and Hyper Beam can run Life Orb for maximum offensive power. This set can punch holes in threats that ordinarily would wall Sylveon, beating bulky Ferrothorn and bulky Celesteela with two Fake Tears into Hyper Beam (with a 1/3 chance of the foe waking up early, plus the need to play around a potential Endure). This option can also OHKO Pokemon that would normally be able to tank a single move, such as Azumarill or bulky Tapu Bulu.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
Here Comes Team Charm!
Quality checked by:
[insert user link]
Grammar checked by:
[insert user link]
Last edited: