QC: erisia / Hootie / Punchshroom
GP: Xayah & DeathByWobbuffet / Fireflame479
[OVERVIEW]
Cinccino's ability in Skill Link gives it great power on its main STAB move, Tail Slap. Thanks to its coverage options in Bullet Seed and Knock Off, it can threaten many Normal-resistant foes in the metagame such as Rhydon and Mismagius and serve as a powerful wallbreaker, as well as a late-game cleaner if its faster checks have been removed from the battle. Cinccino also sits at a fantastic Speed tier, being able to outspeed the likes of Tauros, Mismagius, Delphox, and +1 Scrafty. Due to Skill Link, Cinccino performs very well against common leads that utilize Focus Sash such as Aurorus and Omastar. However, despite its great Speed tier, Cinccino fails to outspeed common offensive threats such as Sceptile and Whimsicott, as well as Choice Scarf users like Emboar, Hitmonlee, and Rotom-C. In addition, due to its frailty, Cinccino finds it hard to switch directly into foes; this also means it is pressured into OHKOing its foes to avoid being OHKOed in return. Finally, Cinccino also has major difficulty in dealing with Steel-types such as the common Steelix and Rocky Helmet users such as Garbodor, Druddigon, and Xatu.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Tail Slap
move 2: Bullet Seed
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: U-turn / Rock Blast
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Skill Link
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Tail Slap, in combination with Skill Link, gives Cinccino a high-powered STAB move that breaks past threats it outspeeds such as Rotom-C and Virizion. Bullet Seed allows Cinccino to break past Rock-types such as Rhydon and Barbaracle, which can easily take a Tail Slap, while also doing great damage to Water-types such as Slowbro, Seismitoad, and Jellicent. It also has the benefit of OHKOing Focus Sash leads such as Aurorus and Omastar due to the multiple hits. Knock Off allows Cinccino to hit Ghost-types such as Mismagius and Rotom while removing its common switch-ins' items such as Garbodor and Xatu's Rocky Helmet, and Golbat's Eviolite, which means these threats will have difficulty switching into Cinccino later on in the match. U-turn lets Cinccino pivot out of unfavorable matchups and its common switch-ins such as Steelix and Garbodor. Alternatively, Rock Blast can deal more consistent damage to Flying- and Fire-types like Golbat, Archeops, Sigilyph, Braviary, and Delphox.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Attack investment with a Jolly nature allows Cinccino to hit as hard as possible outspeed threats such as Tauros, Virizion, Delphox, Mismagius, and boosted threats such as +1 Scrafty. Skill Link is the necessary ability for this set, as it allows Cinccino to get maximum damage out of its multi-hit moves such as Tail Slap and Bullet Seed. Technician is not preferred, as Skill Link-attacks have a more consistent and higher average damage output than Technician-boosted multi-hit attacks. A Choice Band is the preferred item so Cinccino can maximize its damage output with the drawback of locking it into one move. However, a Life Orb may be used instead for the freedom to switch moves, although Cinccino's damage output becomes limited, as it can no longer OHKO Rhydon with Bullet Seed; it also wears Cinccino down, which can leave it vulnerable to priority users such as Alolan Raticate and Spiritomb.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Cinccino's frailty, it is best not to switch it directly into threats; instead, it can be brought in on double switches or with the assistance of U-turn and Volt Switch users such as Xatu, Rotom-C, and Whimsicott. When Cinccino is in play, it is important to look at the opponent's team and watch out for any potential Rocky Helmet users such as Garbodor and Xatu, which can cause Cinccino to inflict massive damage on itself; if any of these foes are present on the opponent's team, then it is safest to use Knock Off to remove their items or Rock Blast to inflict great damage to them while avoiding Rocky Helmet damage. If a Rock-type threat such as Rhydon is on the opposing team, you can choose to predict their switch in by going for Bullet Seed. Knock Off and Bullet Seed may both be used for potential Ghost-type switch-ins such as Mismagius and Rotom, although Bullet Seed is generally the preferred move to avoid activating their potential Colbur Berry. Due to Cinccino's phenomenal Speed stat, it is generally safe to use Tail Slap against the foe in front of it due to its high damage output, provided none of the aforementioned switch-ins are on the opponent's team; especially if running a Life Orb, as there is less of a need to predict with Cinccino. If running U-turn, then Cinccino can use it to pivot out of its common switch-ins such as Steelix and Garbodor so it can bring in a partner that threatens these foes, such as Delphox.
Team Options
========
Partners to deal with Steel-types, notably Steelix, are mandatory, as Cinccino has little ways of dealing with them outside of Focus Blast; Delphox is a phenomenal partner, since it also handles other checks to Cinccino such as Golbat and Garbodor and can take out Rhydon and Slowbro with Grass Knot. U-turn and Volt Switch users such as Whimsicott and Rotom-C can bring Cinccino safely into the match; Whimsicott also lures in Flying- and Fire-types for Cinccino to take out with Rock Blast while being able to run a Choice Specs set to lure in and KO Steelix with Energy Ball or Golbat and Garbodor with Psychic. Rotom-C can also take out Steelix and wear down Poison-types like Garbodor. Garbodor itself can help handle Fighting-types such as Hitmonlee and Choice Scarf Emboar, which threaten Cinccino, while being able to set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes for Cinccino to take advantage of. Despite Cinccino's great Speed stat, it is still vulnerable to faster attackers like Sceptile, Accelgor, and Choice Scarf users like Emboar and Rotom-C; as such, Choice Scarf users like Delphox make for great partners. In addition, due to Rock-types like Rhydon being able to switch into Tail Slap, partners that can help wear them down like Virizion, Machamp, and Hidden Power Water Houndoom assist Cinccino in maximizing its wallbreaking potential.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Aqua Tail can be used to hit both Rhydon and Steelix in the same slot. If using a Life Orb, Focus Blast may be run with a Naive nature so Cinccino can lure in and take out Steelix, although it fails to 2HKO specially defensive variants even with Stealth Rock damage. An alternative to this is using a Fightinium Z set utilizing Focus Blast and Work Up to allow Cinccino to boost its stats, lure in Steelix, and take it out with All-Out Pummeling, although the lack of immediate power makes Cinccino's damage output very underwhelming and not worth it, especially in comparison to the combination of Life Orb + Focus Blast.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steelix and Rhydon**: Steelix is the most common switch-in to Cinccino, taking very little from all of its attacks and being able to set up Stealth Rock or deal great damage to Cinccino in return. Although Rhydon must watch out for Bullet Seed, it can handle Choice Band variants locked into any other move.
**Rocky Helmet Users**: Garbodor, Druddigon, and Xatu prevent Cinccino from freely spamming Tail Slap, as the multiple contact hits cause Cinccino to inflict great damage on itself, thereby limiting its ability to come into the match. If Druddigon is running the combination of Rocky Helmet + Rough Skin, then Cinccino can OHKO itself. Xatu, however, must watch out for Rock Blast, and all three must worry about getting their Rocky Helmet removed by Knock Off.
**Ghost-types**: Mismagius, Rotom, Jellicent, Gourgeist-XL, and Spiritomb are immune to Tail Slap; Mismagius and Rotom, however, must watch out for Bullet Seed and Knock Off, which can OHKO them after Stealth Rock damage. Colbur Berry Jellicent can take two Choice Band Knock Offs but must watch out for Bullet Seed. Gourgeist-XL can take most of Cinccino's attacks and heal off the damage with Synthesis. Spiritomb can also Pursuit trap Cinccino and prevent it from coming into the match later on.
**Faster Attackers**: Sceptile, Accelgor, and Choice Scarf users like Emboar and Rotom-C all outspeed and threaten Cinccino out by OHKOing it with their attacks, although they have issues switching directly into it.
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