[OVERVIEW]
Meloetta is one of the best Calm Mind sweepers in the tier, being able to cover all of the bases it needs to while having a unique typing to enforce this. Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, and Psychic hits every typing for at least neutral damage, and with immunity to Ghost and resistance to Psychic can check other bulky Psychics and Ghosts from Cresselia to Doublade. In addition, its one ability in Serene Grace doubles secondary effects; this means Meloetta has a reliable way to attack while weakening special sides. Being a bulky Psychic itself allows it to effortlessly setup on weak or resisted Special Attackers such as Comfey, Xatu and Espeon while allowing it to take stronger hits unlike other premier sweepers in Salazzle and Honchkrow; this doesn't come at the cost of its power either, sporting 78/125/90 offensive bases capable of ravaging anything slower and unable to break this sweeping juggernaut. Even with these strengths accounted for, Dark - Types and their moves such as Knock Off and Sucker Punch are prevalent and scare Meloetta into not boosting so long as they're alive. General offensive pressure directed at Meloetta snuffs out the number of opportunities it can setup, as many threats are still faster than it. Furthermore, its lack of recovery limits its usability, meaning it is easily worn down from status and hazards should one try to preserve it, and relies on boosting its Special Attack in some way or Special Defense drops to break open vital defensive walls on opposing teams.
[SET]
name: Offensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Fightinium Z
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpAtk/ 4 SpDef / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind gives Meloetta a way to boost it's Special Attack in order to increase it's damage output. It also increases its solid Special Defense stat, letting it tank a few Special hits before it goes down. Psychic STAB is Meloetta's spammable attack, capable of KOing Nidoqueen, Roserade, Bewear, Kommo-o and 2HKOing Quagsire without a single boost. Shadow Ball weathers down bulky Psychics and Doublade, as a boosted chance to drop their Special Defense means they cannot simply sponge and setup. Focus Blast is a must coverage for Meloetta, shooting Rock, Dark and Steel - Types especially for super-effective damage.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in Special Attack and Speed maximizes its offensive capabilities to perform sweeping as swiftly as it can. Meloetta needs a Timid nature in order to be faster than what would otherwise have an easy time KOing it, such as unboosted Feraligatr and Adamant Flygon while speed tying with Roserade and Life Orb Moltres. Fightinium Z is used in order to net a KO with a +1 All-Out Pummeling on key defensive Pokemon such as Registeel and Umbreon and rockers in Gigalith and Rhyperior. Serene Grace graces Meloetta with a doubled chance of dropping a Pokemon's Special Defense through Shadow Ball, Psychic and Focus Blast.
Usage Tips
========
Bring this Meloetta in with slow pivoting from the likes of Rotom - H and Gligar, or switch in on Pokemon it can sponge an attack from such as Florges and Mismagius. When it is unable to boost, it can try to nick in some Special Defense drops with Shadow Ball, and can take a number of special attacks in return. Toxic and Thunder Wave ruins its effectiveness, so make sure to weaken or rid the field of bulky status spreaders like Cresselia, Milotic and Registeel, or have a cleric on hand. The prevalent Knock Off, Sucker Punch, and the albeit rare Pursuit - trapping are some of Meloetta's weak points, so be cautious when seeing common abusers in Zoroark and Honchkrow. Due to Fightinium Z's one time usage, make sure to have good timing on when to press the red button as the opponent could predict it.
Team Options
========
Fighting - Types in Pangoro, Chesnaught, Machamp, Bewear, Kommo-o and Virizion give Meloetta a much needed switchout for Knock Off, ease its setup opportunities by checking opposing Steel and Dark types and lessens its reliance on Focus Blast. Virizion, however, is unable to help chip Doublade for Meloetta unless it is the Calm Mind variant. Because of the offensive nature of this Meloetta, partners who can perform similar roles are good to spam with it and pressure opposing teams. Comfey and stallbreaker Gardevoir can form a Calm Mind setup core, while Swellow can form a Normal spam core with its powerful Boomburst to help Meloetta break open special walls. Gligar is an especially handy partner, being able to Defog away hazards that would otherwise wear Meloetta down and able to pivot it in safely whenever possible. It can also chip Steel - Types with its Earthquake so that Meloetta can blast them away quicker.
Other Options
=============
Choice Specs grants Meloetta more immediate power, turning it instead into a special wallbreaker able to catch unprepared Special walls. A bulkier Substitute Calm Mind version of Meloetta can tank more hits and avoid status, but misses out on a necessary coverage move in order to sweep. Putting on an Assault Vest increases Meloetta's special bulk, turning it into an effective tank; this however decreases Meloetta's greatest asset as an offensive presence.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark - Types**: The Dark - Types force Meloetta to rely on the ever shaky Focus Blast, which has a limited amount to fire off. Zoroark lures Meloetta using its ability and KOs it with Choice Specs, Pursuit trapping, Sucker Punch, and Knock Off, making it Meloetta's most dangerous foe. Honchkrow invalidates any counterattack with a Sucker Punch and boosts off the KO. Drapion outspeeds the Psychic singer, forcing mindgames with trapping and Knock Off.
**Steel - Types**: Although not as menacing as Dark - Types, the Steel - Types in RU still give Meloetta some trouble. Durant is naturally faster and crosses out Meloetta with an X-Scissor; Escavalier is too bulky for Meloetta to get rid of with a +1 Fightium Z and KOs it back with Megahorn; Doublade can survive a +0 from full Shadow Ball and KO Meloetta should it be Swords Dance boosted. Registeel and Bronzong are much easier to take care of due to passivity, but will ruin Meloetta's longevity with a Toxic as they are likely to live a turn or two.
**Pursuit**: Pursuit puts Meloetta in a tight position of whether to switch out or stay in. Zoroark is the most infamous of these due to Illusion. Non - Dark - Type users include the the Choice Band variants of Escavalier, Snorlax, and Stoutland; one should scout or take care of Escavalier and Snorlax before putting in Meloetta.
Meloetta is one of the best Calm Mind sweepers in the tier, being able to cover all of the bases it needs to while having a unique typing to enforce this. Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, and Psychic hits every typing for at least neutral damage, and with immunity to Ghost and resistance to Psychic can check other bulky Psychics and Ghosts from Cresselia to Doublade. In addition, its one ability in Serene Grace doubles secondary effects; this means Meloetta has a reliable way to attack while weakening special sides. Being a bulky Psychic itself allows it to effortlessly setup on weak or resisted Special Attackers such as Comfey, Xatu and Espeon while allowing it to take stronger hits unlike other premier sweepers in Salazzle and Honchkrow; this doesn't come at the cost of its power either, sporting 78/125/90 offensive bases capable of ravaging anything slower and unable to break this sweeping juggernaut. Even with these strengths accounted for, Dark - Types and their moves such as Knock Off and Sucker Punch are prevalent and scare Meloetta into not boosting so long as they're alive. General offensive pressure directed at Meloetta snuffs out the number of opportunities it can setup, as many threats are still faster than it. Furthermore, its lack of recovery limits its usability, meaning it is easily worn down from status and hazards should one try to preserve it, and relies on boosting its Special Attack in some way or Special Defense drops to break open vital defensive walls on opposing teams.
[SET]
name: Offensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Fightinium Z
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpAtk/ 4 SpDef / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind gives Meloetta a way to boost it's Special Attack in order to increase it's damage output. It also increases its solid Special Defense stat, letting it tank a few Special hits before it goes down. Psychic STAB is Meloetta's spammable attack, capable of KOing Nidoqueen, Roserade, Bewear, Kommo-o and 2HKOing Quagsire without a single boost. Shadow Ball weathers down bulky Psychics and Doublade, as a boosted chance to drop their Special Defense means they cannot simply sponge and setup. Focus Blast is a must coverage for Meloetta, shooting Rock, Dark and Steel - Types especially for super-effective damage.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in Special Attack and Speed maximizes its offensive capabilities to perform sweeping as swiftly as it can. Meloetta needs a Timid nature in order to be faster than what would otherwise have an easy time KOing it, such as unboosted Feraligatr and Adamant Flygon while speed tying with Roserade and Life Orb Moltres. Fightinium Z is used in order to net a KO with a +1 All-Out Pummeling on key defensive Pokemon such as Registeel and Umbreon and rockers in Gigalith and Rhyperior. Serene Grace graces Meloetta with a doubled chance of dropping a Pokemon's Special Defense through Shadow Ball, Psychic and Focus Blast.
Usage Tips
========
Bring this Meloetta in with slow pivoting from the likes of Rotom - H and Gligar, or switch in on Pokemon it can sponge an attack from such as Florges and Mismagius. When it is unable to boost, it can try to nick in some Special Defense drops with Shadow Ball, and can take a number of special attacks in return. Toxic and Thunder Wave ruins its effectiveness, so make sure to weaken or rid the field of bulky status spreaders like Cresselia, Milotic and Registeel, or have a cleric on hand. The prevalent Knock Off, Sucker Punch, and the albeit rare Pursuit - trapping are some of Meloetta's weak points, so be cautious when seeing common abusers in Zoroark and Honchkrow. Due to Fightinium Z's one time usage, make sure to have good timing on when to press the red button as the opponent could predict it.
Team Options
========
Fighting - Types in Pangoro, Chesnaught, Machamp, Bewear, Kommo-o and Virizion give Meloetta a much needed switchout for Knock Off, ease its setup opportunities by checking opposing Steel and Dark types and lessens its reliance on Focus Blast. Virizion, however, is unable to help chip Doublade for Meloetta unless it is the Calm Mind variant. Because of the offensive nature of this Meloetta, partners who can perform similar roles are good to spam with it and pressure opposing teams. Comfey and stallbreaker Gardevoir can form a Calm Mind setup core, while Swellow can form a Normal spam core with its powerful Boomburst to help Meloetta break open special walls. Gligar is an especially handy partner, being able to Defog away hazards that would otherwise wear Meloetta down and able to pivot it in safely whenever possible. It can also chip Steel - Types with its Earthquake so that Meloetta can blast them away quicker.
Other Options
=============
Choice Specs grants Meloetta more immediate power, turning it instead into a special wallbreaker able to catch unprepared Special walls. A bulkier Substitute Calm Mind version of Meloetta can tank more hits and avoid status, but misses out on a necessary coverage move in order to sweep. Putting on an Assault Vest increases Meloetta's special bulk, turning it into an effective tank; this however decreases Meloetta's greatest asset as an offensive presence.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark - Types**: The Dark - Types force Meloetta to rely on the ever shaky Focus Blast, which has a limited amount to fire off. Zoroark lures Meloetta using its ability and KOs it with Choice Specs, Pursuit trapping, Sucker Punch, and Knock Off, making it Meloetta's most dangerous foe. Honchkrow invalidates any counterattack with a Sucker Punch and boosts off the KO. Drapion outspeeds the Psychic singer, forcing mindgames with trapping and Knock Off.
**Steel - Types**: Although not as menacing as Dark - Types, the Steel - Types in RU still give Meloetta some trouble. Durant is naturally faster and crosses out Meloetta with an X-Scissor; Escavalier is too bulky for Meloetta to get rid of with a +1 Fightium Z and KOs it back with Megahorn; Doublade can survive a +0 from full Shadow Ball and KO Meloetta should it be Swords Dance boosted. Registeel and Bronzong are much easier to take care of due to passivity, but will ruin Meloetta's longevity with a Toxic as they are likely to live a turn or two.
**Pursuit**: Pursuit puts Meloetta in a tight position of whether to switch out or stay in. Zoroark is the most infamous of these due to Illusion. Non - Dark - Type users include the the Choice Band variants of Escavalier, Snorlax, and Stoutland; one should scout or take care of Escavalier and Snorlax before putting in Meloetta.
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