[OVERVIEW]
Suicune is generally outclassed as a Calm Mind user—offensively by Keldeo and defensively at times by Primarina. Keldeo requires less setup, becoming immediately threatening at +1 with Secret Sword and Vacuum Wave, while Primarina boasts a better defensive typing, which is valuable in Dragon and Fighting matchups. With Draining Kiss and Psychic Noise, Primarina can also more proactively handle threats like Zamazenta and Clodsire. However, Suicune is overall bulkier than these two options, and Pressure, combined with Substitute and Protect, makes it an extremely frustrating defensive win condition, stalling out Pokemon reliant on low-PP moves like Latios, Gholdengo, and Sneasler.
[SET]
Suicune @ Leftovers
name: Calm Mind
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
-Protect
-Substitute
-Calm Mind
-Scald
[SET COMMENTS]
Calm Mind Suicune is a terrifying defensive win condition due to its sheer bulk, coupled with Scald's burn chance, allowing Suicune to whittle down Flying, Steel, and Fighting teams lacking Pokemon that 2HKO it. Protect and Substitute allow Suicune to scout and PP stall foes, and when paired with Pressure, it can achieve seemingly impossible feats, such as depleting Bleakwind Storm, Luster Purge, Seismic Toss, and Earthquake from Tornadus-T, Latios, Blissey, and Clodsire, respectively. Scald is preferred due to the burn chance, massively reducing the number of physical attackers that can come in to overwhelm Suicune before it accrues too many boosts. For instance, if Iron Hands gets burned, its Thunder Punch will not be able to break Suicune's Substitute in one hit. The given EV spread provides Suicune enough bulk for its Substitute not to break in one hit against Earthquake from Gliscor or fixed damage moves such as Seismic Toss or Night Shade. 216 Speed EVs lets it outspeed Adamant Mamoswine, OHKOing it with Scald after Stealth Rock damage and a Calm Mind boost.
As Suicune is reliant on Leftovers for recovery, it is ruined by Toxic Spikes. Hence, Poison-types such as Toxapex and Tentacruel are a must-have due to their ability to passively remove them. Toxapex also checks setup sweepers that can overwhelm Suicune, such as Iron Defense Zamazenta and Dragon Dance Gouging Fire, while Tentacruel is able to spin away other entry hazards to preserve Suicune's health. Greninja deals with the Ogerpon formes and Sinistcha that overwhelm Suicune and can use a Choice Scarf set to deal with runaway setup sweepers like Hisuian Lilligant, Trailblaze Ogerpon-H, and Scale Shot Garchomp. Electric-immune teammates such as Gastrodon and Swampert are useful for dealing with Choice Specs users locked into Thunderbolt such as Flutter Mane and Dragapult that do too much damage against Suicune; they also can set up entry hazards to chip down Suicune's checks. These teammates, in turn, benefit from Suicune's ability to scout the next move, preventing them from taking unnecessary damage from the coverage moves of these threats. Empoleon checks Kyurem and Hatterene and sets Stealth Rock. Swords Dance Hisuian Samurott also sets entry hazards with Ceaseless Edge and cleans up opposing teams after Suicune has worn them down. Walking Wake is decent for dealing with Dragon-types like Gouging Fire and Hydrapple, which use Suicune as setup fodder and tears up Fire teams with its Protosynthesis-boosted Hydro Steam.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/neko.542526/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pengairxan.622813/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/boomp.637295/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
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