[OVERVIEW]
Cloyster has access to one of the best set-up move in the game in Shell Smash. Its ability skill link makes it extremely threatening as it gives Cloyster a powerful 125 BP STAB Move with no drawbacks in Icicle Spear. Cloyster's massive defense stat allows it to set up on a lot of Physical attackers. However Cloyster is greatly let down by its terrible HP and Special Defense stats and so it gets Ko'ed by nearly every special attacker. It also has a bad typing defensively and so it has little safe set-up opportunities. Its speed and attack are also Sub-par before it has boosted.
[SET]
name: Shell Smash Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Icicle Spear
move 3: Hydro Pump
move 4: Explosion
item: Normalium Z / Life Orb
ability: Skill Link
nature: Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shell Smash is the move that makes Cloyster extremely threatening as it raises its Attack,Special Attack and Speed by 2 stages although it does lower its defense and Special defense by one stage. Icicle Spear is its best STAB attack that hits 125 Base Power after all 5 hits and can also break Focus Sashes and Sturdy. Hydro Pump allows it to beat Durant and Doublade. Z-Explosion allows it to break opposing water types like Slowking and Milotic which are resistant to both Icicle Spear and Hydro Pump without sacrificing itself and the combination of Z-explosion and Explosion allows it to beat even extremely bulky pokemon like Slowbro, Cresselia and Pyukumuku allowing another pokemon in the team to sweep.
Set Details
========
The Evs maximize its Sweeping potential as much as possible. Naughty nature is used as Cloyster needs all the power it can to break opposing walls. Normalium-Z allows it to break bulky pokemon that its other moves cannot without sacrificing itself. However Naive nature can be used to outspeed and avoid being revenge killed by Scarf Shaymin,Scarf Durant and Venusaur in Sun. Life orb can be used however if some other pokemon in the team has taken the Z-move slot and it can OHKO Cresselia,Doublade and Slowbro at +2.
Usage Tips
========
Cloyster gets Ko'ed by almost every special attacker due to its poor Special Defense and so it should try to set-up only in front of a Physical Attacker which it is not weak to,taking advantage of its massive Defense stat. Gligar, Donphan,Sneasel and Bruxish are generally good targets to set-up on as they can't do much to it. Cloyster should be sent to sweep only after its checks like Registeel, Cresselia and Doublade are weakened to the required level. It is a good idea to remove entry hazards from the field before sending Cloyster in as cloyster is weak to stealth rock and it may help Cloyster to survive a priority attack after its defense has been lowered by a stage.
Team Options
========
Cloyster appreciates Dual screens and Memento support a lot as they help Cloyster to set-up despite its poor typing and very low special bulk. Zoroark in particular is a good candidate as it can lure and beat Pokemons that give Cloyster trouble like Doublade,Cresselia,Slowbro and Cofagrigus if played properly while also providing memento support.However there should be no stealth rocks in the field as Hazard Damage will give away the true pokemon. Entry Hazards are helpful in wearing down Cloyster's checks as a lot of them don't have reliable recovery.So Entry Hazards setters like Gigalith,Roserade and Froslass are good teammates. Cleaners and other sweepers that appreciate Cloyster's explosion in breaking down bulky water types and Unaware users like Aerodactyl and Flygon are also good teammates. Entry hazard removers like Gligar and Dhelmise are helpful as Cloyster is weak to stealth rock.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Waterium-Z with Razor Shell is an option to break past steel types like Registeel,Escavlier and Brozong which can otherwise take on Cloyster.However,it cannot beat the bulky water types and cannot break Whimsicott if it encores unlike Z-explosion. A choice banded set can be used with Ice Shard and Razor Shell as it can revenge kill Flygon,Honckrow,weakened Kommo-O and Tyrantrum while also being powerful without setting up. Cloyster has access to Rapid Spin, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes but it has neither good speed nor good typing to use these effectively. White Herb, King's Rock or Focus sash can be used in the main set but they are generally Outclassed or situational.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Steel types**: Steel types like Registeel,Escavlier and Bronzong don't take too much from Cloyster even if it has set up and can stop its sweep by either Knocking it out or crippling it with thunder wave or toxic.
**Unaware Users**: Pyukumuku and Quagshire can easily wall Cloyster even it has set up due to unaware and explosion deals only around 50 percent damage which they can heal back with recover. However they take about 90 percent damage to the combination of Z-Explosion into explosion allowing other Set-up sweepers to sweep.
**Slowbro**: Slowbro can survive any attack from Cloyster even at +2 except life orb boosted Explosion and has access to Regenerator and Slack-off making it extremely difficult to wear it down for cloyster to sweep.
**Phyiscally Bulky walls**: Physically bulky walls not weak to its moves like Cresselia, Cofagrigus,Doublade and Necrozma can easily stop Cloyster's sweep when they are at near max health and beat it. A weakened Cofagrigus can also remove Cloyster's skill link thus making it unable to sweep the rest of the team as it requires the Maximum power from icicle spear to KO opposing pokemons.
**Certain Revengekillers**: Vacum Wave Toxicroak,Scarf Shaymin,Offenisve Comfey and weather sweepers like kabutops and venasaur can easily revenge kill it after it has set-up.
Cloyster has access to one of the best set-up move in the game in Shell Smash. Its ability skill link makes it extremely threatening as it gives Cloyster a powerful 125 BP STAB Move with no drawbacks in Icicle Spear. Cloyster's massive defense stat allows it to set up on a lot of Physical attackers. However Cloyster is greatly let down by its terrible HP and Special Defense stats and so it gets Ko'ed by nearly every special attacker. It also has a bad typing defensively and so it has little safe set-up opportunities. Its speed and attack are also Sub-par before it has boosted.
[SET]
name: Shell Smash Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Icicle Spear
move 3: Hydro Pump
move 4: Explosion
item: Normalium Z / Life Orb
ability: Skill Link
nature: Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shell Smash is the move that makes Cloyster extremely threatening as it raises its Attack,Special Attack and Speed by 2 stages although it does lower its defense and Special defense by one stage. Icicle Spear is its best STAB attack that hits 125 Base Power after all 5 hits and can also break Focus Sashes and Sturdy. Hydro Pump allows it to beat Durant and Doublade. Z-Explosion allows it to break opposing water types like Slowking and Milotic which are resistant to both Icicle Spear and Hydro Pump without sacrificing itself and the combination of Z-explosion and Explosion allows it to beat even extremely bulky pokemon like Slowbro, Cresselia and Pyukumuku allowing another pokemon in the team to sweep.
Set Details
========
The Evs maximize its Sweeping potential as much as possible. Naughty nature is used as Cloyster needs all the power it can to break opposing walls. Normalium-Z allows it to break bulky pokemon that its other moves cannot without sacrificing itself. However Naive nature can be used to outspeed and avoid being revenge killed by Scarf Shaymin,Scarf Durant and Venusaur in Sun. Life orb can be used however if some other pokemon in the team has taken the Z-move slot and it can OHKO Cresselia,Doublade and Slowbro at +2.
Usage Tips
========
Cloyster gets Ko'ed by almost every special attacker due to its poor Special Defense and so it should try to set-up only in front of a Physical Attacker which it is not weak to,taking advantage of its massive Defense stat. Gligar, Donphan,Sneasel and Bruxish are generally good targets to set-up on as they can't do much to it. Cloyster should be sent to sweep only after its checks like Registeel, Cresselia and Doublade are weakened to the required level. It is a good idea to remove entry hazards from the field before sending Cloyster in as cloyster is weak to stealth rock and it may help Cloyster to survive a priority attack after its defense has been lowered by a stage.
Team Options
========
Cloyster appreciates Dual screens and Memento support a lot as they help Cloyster to set-up despite its poor typing and very low special bulk. Zoroark in particular is a good candidate as it can lure and beat Pokemons that give Cloyster trouble like Doublade,Cresselia,Slowbro and Cofagrigus if played properly while also providing memento support.However there should be no stealth rocks in the field as Hazard Damage will give away the true pokemon. Entry Hazards are helpful in wearing down Cloyster's checks as a lot of them don't have reliable recovery.So Entry Hazards setters like Gigalith,Roserade and Froslass are good teammates. Cleaners and other sweepers that appreciate Cloyster's explosion in breaking down bulky water types and Unaware users like Aerodactyl and Flygon are also good teammates. Entry hazard removers like Gligar and Dhelmise are helpful as Cloyster is weak to stealth rock.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Waterium-Z with Razor Shell is an option to break past steel types like Registeel,Escavlier and Brozong which can otherwise take on Cloyster.However,it cannot beat the bulky water types and cannot break Whimsicott if it encores unlike Z-explosion. A choice banded set can be used with Ice Shard and Razor Shell as it can revenge kill Flygon,Honckrow,weakened Kommo-O and Tyrantrum while also being powerful without setting up. Cloyster has access to Rapid Spin, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes but it has neither good speed nor good typing to use these effectively. White Herb, King's Rock or Focus sash can be used in the main set but they are generally Outclassed or situational.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Steel types**: Steel types like Registeel,Escavlier and Bronzong don't take too much from Cloyster even if it has set up and can stop its sweep by either Knocking it out or crippling it with thunder wave or toxic.
**Unaware Users**: Pyukumuku and Quagshire can easily wall Cloyster even it has set up due to unaware and explosion deals only around 50 percent damage which they can heal back with recover. However they take about 90 percent damage to the combination of Z-Explosion into explosion allowing other Set-up sweepers to sweep.
**Slowbro**: Slowbro can survive any attack from Cloyster even at +2 except life orb boosted Explosion and has access to Regenerator and Slack-off making it extremely difficult to wear it down for cloyster to sweep.
**Phyiscally Bulky walls**: Physically bulky walls not weak to its moves like Cresselia, Cofagrigus,Doublade and Necrozma can easily stop Cloyster's sweep when they are at near max health and beat it. A weakened Cofagrigus can also remove Cloyster's skill link thus making it unable to sweep the rest of the team as it requires the Maximum power from icicle spear to KO opposing pokemons.
**Certain Revengekillers**: Vacum Wave Toxicroak,Scarf Shaymin,Offenisve Comfey and weather sweepers like kabutops and venasaur can easily revenge kill it after it has set-up.
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