uploaded -zard
[OVERVIEW]
Wishiwashi has the highest Special Attack stat in the tier, allowing it to 2HKO most Pokemon with its Choice Specs-boosted moves. Given its low Speed stat, great offensive capabilities, and the fact that it functions optimally with HP investment to avoid deactivating its School form, it works best with Trick Room support. While it has a shallow movepool, it has enough coverage to make it difficult to wall with standard Water-resistant Pokemon, as Hidden Power Grass OHKOes Gastrodon, U-turn OHKOes Jynx, and Ice Beam provides coverage against Grass-types like Cradily that are able to switch into a Choice Specs-boosted Hydro Pump. Its vulnerability to entry hazards coupled with its lack of reliable recovery options outside of Rest and Leftovers leaves it liable to being worn down to the point its ability Schooling is deactivated, which in turn causes Wishiwashi to become extremely passive. Even with full HP investment and high defenses, it is unable to take many neutral hits before it's forced out of School forme. Outside of Trick Room, Wishiwashi is very easy to KO or deactivate Schooling, as it's slow, forcing it to take a hit before attacking. Its weakness to common typings in Grass and Electric causes it to lose to Pokemon like Lilligant and Alolan Raichu when Trick Room is not active. Wishiwashi requires a great deal of team support to work well, as it cannot set up Trick Room on its own and greatly benefits from entry hazard removal.
[SET]
name: Trick Room Sweeper
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Specs
ability: Schooling
nature: Quiet
IVs: 0 Spe
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
A STAB-boosted Hydro Pump with Choice Specs coming from a massive Special Attack stat allows Wishiwashi to 2HKO even Water-resistant Pokemon like Drampa and Abomasnow. Ice Beam is used for hitting Dragon- and Grass-types that can take a Hydro Pump such as Altaria, Alolan Exeggutor, Cradily, and Ludicolo. Hidden Power Grass hits Pokemon that resist both Hydro Pump and Ice Beam such as Gastrodon, Poliwrath, and Lanturn. U-turn is used in the final slot to preserve momentum on predicted switches and to ease prediction against opposing teams with Water-immune Pokemon like Gastrodon. It will also OHKO Jynx on the switch, which is able to freely switch into Wishiwashi's other moves.
Set Details
========
Full investment in HP and Special Attack maximizes Wishiwashi's bulk and damage output. A Quiet nature with 0 Speed IVs is used to increase Wishiwashi's Special Attack while making it as slow as possible so it is able to move before its foes when Trick Room is in effect. Choice Specs is the preferred item, as it allows Wishiwashi to hit incredibly hard with Hydro Pump. Schooling is Wishiwashi's only ability and causes its base stats to be reduced dramatically if Wishiwashi's HP goes under 25%.
Usage Tips
========
Try to bring Wishiwashi in safely while Trick Room is active with moves such as U-turn, Healing Wish, and Explosion to prevent Wishiwashi from being taken below 25% HP, deactivating Schooling. Use Wishiwashi early-game to break down the opposing team to enable another teammate such as Crabominable to sweep. Hydro Pump should be used most of the time for its incredible Base Power, and it should only be using its other moves on Pokemon that avoid the 2HKO from Hydro Pump, such as Ludicolo and Alolan Exeggutor. Be wary of using Hydro Pump if the opponent has Pokemon with Water immunities, such as Gastrodon and Jynx, as they can take advantage of Wishiwashi being locked into Hydro Pump. Against these Pokemon, it's a good idea to use U-turn to scout the opponent's reaction and preserve momentum, as Trick Room is a hyper offensive playstyle and cannot afford to lose momentum. If Wishiwashi is about to reach 25% health and transform out of School forme, it is better to sacrifice it so it doesn't become setup fodder for the opposing team unless Wishiwashi has access to Healing Wish from Pokemon such as Mesprit and Audino. Schooling only activates at the end of the turn, so even if Wishiwashi is brought below 25% health, it is still able to act in its School forme for that turn.
Team Options
========
Wishiwashi requires Trick Room active to function but is unable set it up itself, so it needs support to do so. Pokemon such as Carbink have access to both Stealth Rock and Trick Room and can use Explosion to safely bring Wishiwashi in during Trick Room turns. Mesprit can set up Trick Room and has access to U-turn to bring Wishiwashi safely in; it can also use Healing Wish to fully heal Wishiwashi, allowing it to be played more aggressively in the match. Musharna and Audino also have access to both Trick Room and Healing Wish but are more passive than Mesprit, which is able to threaten the opposing team with Psychic. Other Trick Room users such as Crabominable and Alolan Exeggutor appreciate Wishiwashi's wallbreaking ability for a late-game sweep. Crabominable helps Wishiwashi by breaking down special walls like Type: Null, which can wall Wishiwashi. Alolan Exeggutor is able to beat Water-resistant Pokemon like Gastrodon and can also set up Trick Room for Wishiwashi. Ursaring beats Ferroseed and Type: Null, which can be problematic for Wishiwashi, while absorbing status and being able to clean up teams weakened by Wishiwashi with Facade.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Surf is an option over Hydro Pump, as it has more PP and does not miss, which can be beneficial because missing an attack can easily cause Wishiwashi to be taken out of School forme. However, the loss of power allows Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Kangaskhan, and offensive Mesprit to avoid an OHKO. 252 Speed EVs and a Modest nature can be used to work outside of Trick Room to outspeed uninvested base 60s, but Wishiwashi needs a great deal of support like Sticky Web, paralysis, or Tailwind to outspeed faster Pokemon, and the Speed investment causes a noticeable loss of bulk. Earthquake is an option over U-turn to guarantee a 2HKO on Lanturn, but it's already very likely 2HKOed by Hidden Power Grass after Stealth Rock damage, and losing U-turn prevents Wishiwashi from pivoting. It also allows Ground-immune Pokemon like Archeops and Eelektross to revenge kill Wishiwashi for free, and it's only usable against specific Pokemon like Lanturn, as it's not boosted by Choice Specs and is coming off of an uninvested Attack stat. Aguav Berry heals 50% of Wishiwashi's health when it reaches 25% health, allowing to it avoid being taken out of School forme once, but this greatly reduces its damage output. Assault Velt increases Wishiwashi's special bulk and allows it to change moves but greatly reduces its damage output. Rest + Sleep Talk or Rest + Chesto Berry lets Wishiwashi recover its HP back to full but requires it to give up offensive coverage for it and wastes valuable Trick Room turns. Endeavor allows Wishiwashi to do great damage even outside of its School forme, but it cannot afford to give up a moveslot for the move. A physically based set can be used to make use of Wishiwashi's high Attack stat, but its physical movepool is lacking, as Waterfall is significantly weaker than Hydro Pump, and it has very limited physical coverage moves, being limited to Earthquake, Iron Tail, U-turn, and Return, making it much easier to wall. Hidden Power Fire allows Wishiwashi to OHKO Ferroseed, which would otherwise wall it, but being able to take on Gastrodon and Lanturn is more important. Wishiwashi scores a 3HKO on Ferroseed with Choice Specs-boosted Ice Beam anyway. Life Orb is an option over Choice Specs to allow Wishiwashi to hit as hard as possible without being locked into moves, but the recoil from Life Orb makes Wishiwashi even easier to wear down to deactivate Schooling.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-immune Pokemon**: Pokemon like Gastrodon, Cradily, Poliwrath, and Jynx are immune to Water-type moves, and they can easily capitalize on this by pivoting into Wishiwashi's Choice-locked Hydro Pump and setting up or inflicting status on it or its teammates afterwards. Additionally, until they have been KOed, their presence prevents Wishiwashi from safely wallbreaking with Hydro Pump and can force it into using its weaker coverage options.
**Grass-type Pokemon**: Grass-types like Abomasnow, Ferroseed, and Ludicolo are threatening for Wishiwashi. Abomasnow survives an Ice Beam and can use Giga Drain to recover enough health to take another one while being almost guaranteed to deactivate Schooling. Ferroseed avoids the 2HKO from anything but Hidden Power Fire and can use Leech Seed and Protect to stall out Trick Room turns. Ludicolo is 2HKOed by Ice Beam and U-turn but avoids a 2HKO from Hydro Pump and can use Giga Drain to restore the lost health and likely deactivate Schooling.
**Faster Pokemon**: Wishiwashi is very slow and struggles to do much when Trick Room isn't active. Without Trick Room, faster Pokemon with a type advantage over Wishiwashi like Manectric and Shiftry can outspeed it and OHKO it with their STAB moves.
[OVERVIEW]
Wishiwashi has the highest Special Attack stat in the tier, allowing it to 2HKO most Pokemon with its Choice Specs-boosted moves. Given its low Speed stat, great offensive capabilities, and the fact that it functions optimally with HP investment to avoid deactivating its School form, it works best with Trick Room support. While it has a shallow movepool, it has enough coverage to make it difficult to wall with standard Water-resistant Pokemon, as Hidden Power Grass OHKOes Gastrodon, U-turn OHKOes Jynx, and Ice Beam provides coverage against Grass-types like Cradily that are able to switch into a Choice Specs-boosted Hydro Pump. Its vulnerability to entry hazards coupled with its lack of reliable recovery options outside of Rest and Leftovers leaves it liable to being worn down to the point its ability Schooling is deactivated, which in turn causes Wishiwashi to become extremely passive. Even with full HP investment and high defenses, it is unable to take many neutral hits before it's forced out of School forme. Outside of Trick Room, Wishiwashi is very easy to KO or deactivate Schooling, as it's slow, forcing it to take a hit before attacking. Its weakness to common typings in Grass and Electric causes it to lose to Pokemon like Lilligant and Alolan Raichu when Trick Room is not active. Wishiwashi requires a great deal of team support to work well, as it cannot set up Trick Room on its own and greatly benefits from entry hazard removal.
[SET]
name: Trick Room Sweeper
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Specs
ability: Schooling
nature: Quiet
IVs: 0 Spe
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
A STAB-boosted Hydro Pump with Choice Specs coming from a massive Special Attack stat allows Wishiwashi to 2HKO even Water-resistant Pokemon like Drampa and Abomasnow. Ice Beam is used for hitting Dragon- and Grass-types that can take a Hydro Pump such as Altaria, Alolan Exeggutor, Cradily, and Ludicolo. Hidden Power Grass hits Pokemon that resist both Hydro Pump and Ice Beam such as Gastrodon, Poliwrath, and Lanturn. U-turn is used in the final slot to preserve momentum on predicted switches and to ease prediction against opposing teams with Water-immune Pokemon like Gastrodon. It will also OHKO Jynx on the switch, which is able to freely switch into Wishiwashi's other moves.
Set Details
========
Full investment in HP and Special Attack maximizes Wishiwashi's bulk and damage output. A Quiet nature with 0 Speed IVs is used to increase Wishiwashi's Special Attack while making it as slow as possible so it is able to move before its foes when Trick Room is in effect. Choice Specs is the preferred item, as it allows Wishiwashi to hit incredibly hard with Hydro Pump. Schooling is Wishiwashi's only ability and causes its base stats to be reduced dramatically if Wishiwashi's HP goes under 25%.
Usage Tips
========
Try to bring Wishiwashi in safely while Trick Room is active with moves such as U-turn, Healing Wish, and Explosion to prevent Wishiwashi from being taken below 25% HP, deactivating Schooling. Use Wishiwashi early-game to break down the opposing team to enable another teammate such as Crabominable to sweep. Hydro Pump should be used most of the time for its incredible Base Power, and it should only be using its other moves on Pokemon that avoid the 2HKO from Hydro Pump, such as Ludicolo and Alolan Exeggutor. Be wary of using Hydro Pump if the opponent has Pokemon with Water immunities, such as Gastrodon and Jynx, as they can take advantage of Wishiwashi being locked into Hydro Pump. Against these Pokemon, it's a good idea to use U-turn to scout the opponent's reaction and preserve momentum, as Trick Room is a hyper offensive playstyle and cannot afford to lose momentum. If Wishiwashi is about to reach 25% health and transform out of School forme, it is better to sacrifice it so it doesn't become setup fodder for the opposing team unless Wishiwashi has access to Healing Wish from Pokemon such as Mesprit and Audino. Schooling only activates at the end of the turn, so even if Wishiwashi is brought below 25% health, it is still able to act in its School forme for that turn.
Team Options
========
Wishiwashi requires Trick Room active to function but is unable set it up itself, so it needs support to do so. Pokemon such as Carbink have access to both Stealth Rock and Trick Room and can use Explosion to safely bring Wishiwashi in during Trick Room turns. Mesprit can set up Trick Room and has access to U-turn to bring Wishiwashi safely in; it can also use Healing Wish to fully heal Wishiwashi, allowing it to be played more aggressively in the match. Musharna and Audino also have access to both Trick Room and Healing Wish but are more passive than Mesprit, which is able to threaten the opposing team with Psychic. Other Trick Room users such as Crabominable and Alolan Exeggutor appreciate Wishiwashi's wallbreaking ability for a late-game sweep. Crabominable helps Wishiwashi by breaking down special walls like Type: Null, which can wall Wishiwashi. Alolan Exeggutor is able to beat Water-resistant Pokemon like Gastrodon and can also set up Trick Room for Wishiwashi. Ursaring beats Ferroseed and Type: Null, which can be problematic for Wishiwashi, while absorbing status and being able to clean up teams weakened by Wishiwashi with Facade.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Surf is an option over Hydro Pump, as it has more PP and does not miss, which can be beneficial because missing an attack can easily cause Wishiwashi to be taken out of School forme. However, the loss of power allows Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Kangaskhan, and offensive Mesprit to avoid an OHKO. 252 Speed EVs and a Modest nature can be used to work outside of Trick Room to outspeed uninvested base 60s, but Wishiwashi needs a great deal of support like Sticky Web, paralysis, or Tailwind to outspeed faster Pokemon, and the Speed investment causes a noticeable loss of bulk. Earthquake is an option over U-turn to guarantee a 2HKO on Lanturn, but it's already very likely 2HKOed by Hidden Power Grass after Stealth Rock damage, and losing U-turn prevents Wishiwashi from pivoting. It also allows Ground-immune Pokemon like Archeops and Eelektross to revenge kill Wishiwashi for free, and it's only usable against specific Pokemon like Lanturn, as it's not boosted by Choice Specs and is coming off of an uninvested Attack stat. Aguav Berry heals 50% of Wishiwashi's health when it reaches 25% health, allowing to it avoid being taken out of School forme once, but this greatly reduces its damage output. Assault Velt increases Wishiwashi's special bulk and allows it to change moves but greatly reduces its damage output. Rest + Sleep Talk or Rest + Chesto Berry lets Wishiwashi recover its HP back to full but requires it to give up offensive coverage for it and wastes valuable Trick Room turns. Endeavor allows Wishiwashi to do great damage even outside of its School forme, but it cannot afford to give up a moveslot for the move. A physically based set can be used to make use of Wishiwashi's high Attack stat, but its physical movepool is lacking, as Waterfall is significantly weaker than Hydro Pump, and it has very limited physical coverage moves, being limited to Earthquake, Iron Tail, U-turn, and Return, making it much easier to wall. Hidden Power Fire allows Wishiwashi to OHKO Ferroseed, which would otherwise wall it, but being able to take on Gastrodon and Lanturn is more important. Wishiwashi scores a 3HKO on Ferroseed with Choice Specs-boosted Ice Beam anyway. Life Orb is an option over Choice Specs to allow Wishiwashi to hit as hard as possible without being locked into moves, but the recoil from Life Orb makes Wishiwashi even easier to wear down to deactivate Schooling.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-immune Pokemon**: Pokemon like Gastrodon, Cradily, Poliwrath, and Jynx are immune to Water-type moves, and they can easily capitalize on this by pivoting into Wishiwashi's Choice-locked Hydro Pump and setting up or inflicting status on it or its teammates afterwards. Additionally, until they have been KOed, their presence prevents Wishiwashi from safely wallbreaking with Hydro Pump and can force it into using its weaker coverage options.
**Grass-type Pokemon**: Grass-types like Abomasnow, Ferroseed, and Ludicolo are threatening for Wishiwashi. Abomasnow survives an Ice Beam and can use Giga Drain to recover enough health to take another one while being almost guaranteed to deactivate Schooling. Ferroseed avoids the 2HKO from anything but Hidden Power Fire and can use Leech Seed and Protect to stall out Trick Room turns. Ludicolo is 2HKOed by Ice Beam and U-turn but avoids a 2HKO from Hydro Pump and can use Giga Drain to restore the lost health and likely deactivate Schooling.
**Faster Pokemon**: Wishiwashi is very slow and struggles to do much when Trick Room isn't active. Without Trick Room, faster Pokemon with a type advantage over Wishiwashi like Manectric and Shiftry can outspeed it and OHKO it with their STAB moves.
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