[Overview]
<p>Suicune is without any doubt the best Pokemon of the first legendary trio in the game (second surely? Articuno/Zapdos/Moltres is the first). It has great defensive stats and a good HP stat, which that allow means that it can to perform as a very bulky Water-type. Offensively it's not a bad Pokemon either; (semicolon) it has a base 90 Special Attack and a decent base 85 Speed. It also has access to Calm Mind to further boost its Special Attack and Special Defense, letting it perform as either a tank or an offensive Pokemon.</p>
<p>However, time hasn't been kind to Suicune. The legendary dog has had increasing troubles since its first appearance in Johto and now, with the significant increase in power of the offensive threats, its defenses aren't as amazing as they used to be and it now has a harder time taking even unboosted hits. Suicune also has a somewhat shallow movepool, which that makes it somewhat predictable. Despite these two facts, it is still a top Pokemon that one should always consider when building a team.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Surf / Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Electric / Hidden Power Fire
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Calm Mind is the main move here as it allows Suicune to boost its already impressive Special Defense and decent Special Attack and start a sweep. Surf is a reliable and powerful STAB attack that Suicune loves to spam after a few boosts. Ice Beam allows Suicune to hit the Grass- and Dragon-type Pokemon that resist its STAB attack for major damage. The last slot represents the most difficult decision and depends on Suicune's teammates it's really up to what are Suicune's teammates; Hidden Power Electric is usually the best choice as it lets Suicune get past bulky Water-types that would otherwise stall out the legendary dog or defeat it through Toxic try to beat the legendary dog though Toxic stall or just by outlasting it.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Using a Timid nature and 252 Speed EVs lets Suicune tie with Jolly max Speed Heracross and max Speed neutral-natured Hydreigon, both of which it can deal with if it uses Calm Mind on the switch. , while The 252 Special Attack EVs maximize the Suicune's attacks' damage output of Suicune's attacks. Hydro Pump can be used instead of Surf for more power but the the lower accuracy may reduce Suicune's chance to sweep accuracy drop means Suicune will sometimes miss, thus reducing its chances to sweep. Hidden Power Fire turns this set into bulky Waters' bait but it does hit one major opponent that would otherwise laugh at Suicune - Ferrothorn - very hard.</p>
<p>As mentioned, if one chooses Hidden Power Electric, Magnezone is a good partner as it can trap and 2HKO Ferrothorn, which that would otherwise stop Suicune's sweep. Chansey / Blissey can also counter this set as Suicune lacks a recovery move when using it, so Conkeldurr and Calm Mind Reunuclus with Psycho Shock (beats Blissey regardless) are also good partners as they can defeat both Ferrothorn and Blissey/Chansey, who stop this variant of Suicune because they can beat both the aforementioned counters and Ferrothorn. If Hidden Power Fire is the move in the fourth slot, a Grass- or Electric-type Pokemon is pretty much needed to take out the Water-types before Suicune can attempt to sweep. Ferrothorn, despite being one of Suicune's main obstacles, is also one of its best partners. It can set up entry hazards on the bulky waters to help Suicune sweep, or go for the KO with Power Whip. It also and it attracts Fire-types, which gives giving Suicune a good opportunities opportunity to switch in.</p>
[SET]
name: CroCune
move 1: Boiling Water / Surf
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Leftovers
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is a different approach at to fulfilling Suicune's potential; it trades immediate power and Speed for huge bulk and high great durability. It may have an unappealing Special Attack at first but it has enough bulk so that it can easily find an opportunity to find lots of opportunities to set up Calm Minds, turning it into a monster. Boiling Water is the only attacking move, but this is acceptable thanks to and Suicune can perform pretty well due to the great neutral coverage Water-type moves provide. provides, while The burning chance may also provide Suicune it with an easier set-up on physical attackers, and may help wear down the opponents' Pokemon. Calm Mind even allows Suicune to set up even on some super effective special attacks if it manages to get a boost on their switch-in. Rest and Sleep Talk are the moves that protect Suicune from status and allow it to recover the health it lost while setting up.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Bold nature with max Defense and HP EVs allow for maximum physical bulk and, with 115 base Defense, Suicune will be able to take on most of the physical attackers in OU. If Boiling Water's power isn't enough, Surf can be used but Suicune will miss the burns against the physical attackers and will therefore have less fewer chances to set up on them.</p>
<p>Strong Electric- and Grass-type Pokemon can KO Suicune before it has grabbed enough boosts so Pokemon that can switch into on those counters them are good teammates for Suicune. SubSeed Shaymin and specially bulky Heatran are good examples as they can handle with both types and attempt to KO in return.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Surf / Boiling Water
move 4: Ice Beam / Hidden Power Fire
item: Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 172 SpA / 84 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set attempts to cause some major damage with little set-up. Calm Mind is the boosting move of choice and lets Suicune be a bulky tank after some turns. Substitute is this set's main selling point; (semicolon) it provides Suicune with a status immunity and works very well with Calm Mind as, with Suicune's natural bulk and, after a few boosts, its Substitutes won't be broken even with super effective attacks after a few boosts. Surf is the powerful and reliable STAB attack of choice, while Ice Beam provides good coverage against the Grass- and Dragon-type Pokemon that resist the Water-type attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Modest nature boosts Suicune's Special Attack, while 84 Speed EVs let it outspeed minimum Speed Gliscor and set up a Substitute on it. (full stop) 252 HP EVs allow Suicune to create 101 HP Substitutes and, therefore, set up on Chansey / Blissey and Dusclops, and beating them with Toxic Spikes support. (full stop)The remaining 172 EVs are put into Special Attack, giving EVs give a huge boost to Surf and Ice Beam. Boiling Water can be used over Surf because of its 30% burning chance, but this set Suicune doesn't have the have as great durability of "CroCune" and as such most of the time Surf is the superior option most of the time. Hidden Power Fire can be used in the last slot instead of Ice Beam because Ferrothorn can't be beaten without it, but Suicune will lose some really important coverage without Ice Beam.</p>
<p>Forretress has great synergy with Suicune, and can set up the Toxic Spikes, that allowing Suicune to beat all of the aforementioned special walls bar Ferrothorn, stalling the poison damage, and has great synergy with the legendary dog. It can also use Rapid Spin to remove entry hazards, especially the Toxic Spikes as poison ruins this set. Magnezone is a good partner to eliminate bulky Steel- and Water-types that give this set some troubles.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Suicune works very differently depending on the set it is running but there are some pretty good teammates which are helpful for any set. Forretress and Scizor possess a 4x Fire-type weakness covered by Suicune while resisting covering the Grass-type weakness of the legendary dog possesses. The former can set up all kinds of entry hazard, which that every set loves to abuse, and use Rapid Spin to make the offensive sets' job easier, while the latter has many resistances and reliable recovery, possibly being used with a special defensive set, and has a strong U-Turn or Bug Bite to KO any Grass-type Pokemon.</p>
<p>To make any attempt to use Rapid Spin void, pairing Suicune with a spinblocker will often prove valuable. On defensive teams, Dusclops and Cofagrigus can be good teammates to spinblock because they both have great bulk and can proceed to cripple the physical attackers with Will-o-Wisp. Gengar and Chandelure are both good options for the offensive teams as they can threaten some of the most common Rapid Spinners while being able to inflicting huge damage on the opponent's team.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Outside of the listed sets, Suicune doesn't have many options. Toxic is a good move to hit the bulky Waters that trouble the legendary dog so much and it can be used if Suicune isn't paired with a instead of Toxic Spikes to get past the aforementioned Pokemon. In a metagame filled with Fighting-type Pokemon, Extrasensory can be used to hit them super effectively but STAB Surf or Hydro Pump already deals major damage to most of them. Shadow Ball is not really worthy of use for similar a not-that-worthy attack for the same reasons.</p>
<p>Suicune has major bulk and access to Rest so it can work as a bulky Rain Dance user set-upper. With defensive investment it can take lots of hits but it's not as good as Uxie or Scizor because it has the same shares weaknesses as the with common rain abusers, making Uxie or Scizor a much better choice.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Bulky Water-type Pokemon are Suicune's biggest counters as they resist its STAB attacks and have ways to prevent a sweep: Jellicent may have Taunt or Toxic, both of which ruin Suicune unless except if it is running the Substitute + Calm Mind set and, even using it, it needs even then requires Toxic Spikes support to beat the jellyfish; Vaporeon has Water Absorb to protect itself from Suicune's STAB attacks and Roar to force it out but it must watch out for the Offensive Calm Mind set as +1 Hidden Power Electric is a 2HKO; Gyarados has to watch out for Hidden Power Electric but if Suicune doesn't carry it, it can phase Suicune use Roar to prevent any sweep attempt.</p>
<p>Ferrothorn is another major obstacle to for the legendary dog as it resists every move Suicune usually has barring and only has to watch out for the rare Hidden Power Fire, while Ferrothorn has and can use Power Whip and Leech Seed to damage the legendary dog. If Suicune doesn't have Hidden Power Fire, its only chance to protect itself from Ferrothorn is Boiling Water's 30% burn chance. In fact, if Suicune can burn Ferrothron, Power Whip will only do around 25% so it is no longer an impossible Pokemon to get past.</p>
<p>Chansey and Blissey appear as the primary counters for the offensive versions of Suicune as they can come in, sponge any special attack it throws at them and use Seismic Toss to KO. However, it but the pink blobs have to watch out for the defensive versions as they are may become setup fodder for them.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Suicune's Dream World ability is Water Absorb and, even though Suicune doesn't take significant damage from Water-type attacks due to its great bulk, it's not a useless ability. The defensive sets are better paired with Pressure as Suicune will be on the field for a while and can PP stall some strong attacks that have low PP. However, but the Offensive Calm Mind set lacks recovery and, as such, can make use of Water Absorb to recover some health before attempting a sweep.</p>
GP Check 1/2
