[OVERVIEW]
Despite its average movepool, Suicune is a decent setup sweeper due to its astounding bulk and valuable defensive typing that allow it to check distinguished threats such as Scizor and Rhyperior. With Pressure, Calm Mind, and its superb bulk, Suicune is able to stall out threatening walls such as Aegislash and Chansey. However, Suicune is held back by the prevalence of Water-resistant Pokemon in the tier such as Keldeo, Mantine, and especially Zarude; Keldeo can simply ignore Suicune's Special Defense boosts with Secret Sword, Suicune struggles to make headway against Gastrodon and Mantine, and Zarude especially can use Jungle Healing to cure itself of burns and Power Whip to deal significant damage. In addition, Suicune lacks reliable recovery, forcing it to rely on Leftovers and Rest in order to regain HP. This makes Suicune susceptible to Knock Off, as losing Leftovers would require Suicune to use Rest more often. In addition, its overreliance on Sleep Talk isn't great either, as you rely on RNG to choose the ideal move. Furthermore, Suicune's weakness to Grass- and Electric-type moves is easily exploitable by the common Power Whip Tangrowth, Zarude, Thundurus, and Thundurus-T.
[SET]
name: CroCune
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Scald
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Calm Mind allows Suicune to become a threatening bulky sweeper. Scald is Suicune's only offensive move, which it can use to spread burns and sweep. Rest allows Suicune to easily recover HP while also curing any status conditions. Sleep Talk prevents Suicune from being too passive during sleep turns either by letting it continue to boost its special stats or attack foes. Suicune's Speed investment allows it to outspeed Adamant Scizor and potentially burn it before Scizor can switch out via U-turn.
As Suicune is a sweeper, it fits best on balance teams. Pokemon such as Scizor and Salamence are essential teammates for Suicune, as they threaten Grass-types like Zarude that pose a tremendous threat to Suicune. Salamence can also provide Defog support for Suicune and its teammates, which they appreciate. Suicune also appreciates Electric-immune teammates such as Nidoqueen and Rhyperior, with the former having the ability to set up Toxic Spikes to help Suicune stall opposing Pokemon like Seismitoad, and the latter providing counterplay to foes such as Nasty Plot Togekiss as well as Stealth Rock support. However, Nidoqueen cannot switch into Thundurus and Thundurus-T after a Nasty Plot boost. Suicune also appreciates teammates like Assault Vest Tangrowth and Amoonguss, which can help check threats like Keldeo; Tangrowth can also help check Thundurus and Thundurus-T, while Amoonguss can provide sleep support with Spore. Pokemon that can sponge Knock Off such as Buzzwole and Heavy-Duty Boots Zarude are also treasured on Suicune's team, as Suicune despises losing its Leftovers. Zarude is especially appreciated, as it can also threaten KOs on Water-resistant foes such as Gastrodon, Milotic, and Seismitoad, which would otherwise completely wall Suicune.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Substitute + Calm Mind is another option, as it allows Suicune to PP stall would-be checks such as Quagsire; Ice Beam can also be used over Protect to prevent it from getting walled by Grass-types. However, it makes Suicune extremely vulnerable to passive damage and status and thus less reliable than CroCune. In addition, it is unable to sponge hits from foes like Rhyperior and Mamoswine, effectively taking up the teamslot of a Water-type without offering very much defensive utility. Toxic can be used to subdue Water-immune Pokemon such as Gastrodon, Mantine, and Seismitoad. However, Suicune often doesn't have room to run Toxic due to it suffering from four-moveslot syndrome. If you were to run Toxic, it would likely replace Sleep Talk on CroCune. A set with Calm Mind / Roar / Scald / Rest allows Suicune to be used as a dedicated phazer and stop foes like Calm Mind + Psyshock Galarian Slowbro and Nasty Plot + Psyshock Mew from setting up; however, this would waste Suicune's sweeping capabilities and requires entry hazard support to be effective.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Pokemon such as Raikou and Thundurus-T can easily severely damage Suicune with Thunderbolt, even after a Calm Mind boost.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu and Zarude pose an immense threat to Suicune with Horn Leech and Power Whip due to Suicune's lackluster Defense and poor Speed. Heavy-Duty Boots variants of Zarude, in particular, completely counter Suicune, as they can switch into Scald without fear due to Jungle Healing.
**Water-immune Pokemon**: As Scald is Suicune's only offensive move, it can't damage Water-immune foes such as Mantine and Gastrodon; Suicune struggles with Gastrodon especially, as it can force Suicune to use Rest more often due to Toxic. Despite this, Suicune can still annoy both through Pressure stalling.
**Knock Off and Trick Users**: Knock Off removes Leftovers, preventing Suicune from regaining passive recovery over the course of a battle and forcing it to use Rest more often. Trick users such as Jirachi and Rotom-W can force Suicune into being Choice-locked.
**Haze Users**: Moves such as Clear Smog and Haze make it difficult for Suicune to set up for a late-game sweep, as they reset all of Suicune's stat boosts. Notable examples of foes that are able to do this are Gastrodon and Mantine.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Aqua∞Ring, 531302]]
- Quality checked by: [[Twilight, 344575], [Lilburr, 481709], [Estarossa, 461329]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Milak, 262594], [DC, 449990]]
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