Better Pay Your Respects!
[SET]
Name: Offensive
move 1: Wave Crash
move 2: Aqua Jet
move 3: Last Respects
move 4: Endure / Tera Blast / Flip Turn
Item: Custap Berry / Life Orb / Assault Vest
tera type: Fairy / Water / Ghost
ability: Adaptability
nature: Adamant
evs: 28 HP / 252 Atk / 228 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
* With a good offensive typing and Adaptability pushing its already high power STAB attacks past the heavens, Basculegion is a horrifyingly powerful wallbreaker that only gets stronger in the later stages of the game!
* **Last Respects**: After just one teammate is KOed, Last Respects already becomes a strong STAB move. When it's the last Pokemon standing, this vengeful attack will 2HKO almost anything that doesn't resist it at minimum, with the big exceptions being defensive Dragonite if Multiscale is intact and Dondozo if not using Life Orb.
* **Endure and Custap Berry**: Endure can be used to put Basculegion into Custap Berry's activation range against many powerful attacks, letting it fire off Last Respects on the top of its priority bracket. This can be a devastating surprise late-game, turning what could be a sure loss into new avenues to sweep!
* **Flip Turn**: Adaptability turns Flip Turn into a powerful pivoting move, giving Basculegion more utility early-game.
Other Options
========
* **Psychic Fangs**: While hitting Urshifu-R extra hard isn't a bad deal, the real use for Psychic Fangs is to get rid of dual screens that would otherwise stop Basculegion from sweeping.
* **Mold Breaker**: Mold Breaker can be tempting for cleaving through Multiscale Dragonite, offensive Sturdy Archaludon, and the occasional Mimikyu with Last Respects, but Dragonite's habit of using Tera Normal and the big overall damage reduction makes it a rather niche option, especially since Mold Breaker announces its presence, removing any sort of surprise value.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Terastallization is a more double-edged sword than usual due to Adaptability, which only gives its damage bonus if Basculegion's current typing matches the attack. Because of this, while Terastallizing makes sense for Basculegion, it will lower the power of at least some of its attacks!
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy trades Basculegion's wallbreaking power for a defense against Dark-types. With Tera Blast, this can even stop Urshifu-S!
* **Water**: Tera Water makes Aqua Jet into a potent late-game cleaning tool and lets Basculegion survive most Choice Specs Flutter Mane attacks as a bonus, with the exception of rare variants with Thunderbolt or Tera Blast Stellar.
* **Ghost**: Tera Ghost transforms Last Respects into a truly outrageous wallbreaking attack when Basculegion is the last fish swimming, with even Dondozo taking over 50% from it!
* **Fighting**: Tera Fighting is a more niche option against Dark-types, leaving Basculegion vulnerable to Fairy-type attacks in exchange for a stronger matchup against Archaludon and Urshifu-S via Tera Blast.
* **Don't Use Tera Stellar!**: Basculegion may seem like a perfect candidate for Tera Stellar, but don't be fooled: Adaptability has no interactions with the Stellar-type, making it completely useless unless using the niche Mold Breaker!
Items
========
* **Life Orb**: Life Orb may compromise Basculegion's decent bulk, but it turns the fish into an absolute scourge against bulky Pokemon, with Last Respects now 2HKOing Dondozo at its maximum power and Tera Ghost even potentially 2HKOing defensive Dragonite through Mulitscale if it lacks Leftovers!
* **Assault Vest**: When used with specialized EV spreads, Basculegion can send common revenge killers like Flutter Mane and Gholdengo to an early grave.
* **Focus Sash**: Even with Wave Crash's recoil, Focus Sash is good for winning unexpected matchups against threats like Chi-Yu and Chien-Pao, though note that this item benefits best from a more specialized set.
General EV Spreads
========
* **28 HP / 252 Atk / 228 Def with Adamant**: This physically bulky EV spread survives Adamant Ogerpon-H's Horn Leech on all but the highest damage roll and does the same for Ursaluna-B's Blood Moon. It also always dodges a 2HKO from Adamant Choice Band Urshifu-R's Surging Strikes, usually survives +1 Jolly Dragonite's Scale Shot at five hits, and survives Jolly Chien-Pao's Sucker Punch.
* **4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def with Adamant**: This spread always survives Adamant Ogerpon-H's Horn Leech but now has around a 19% chance of being OHKOed by Modest Ursaluna-B's Bloodmoon.
* **4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe with Adamant**: While maximizing Speed makes Basculegion notably frail, it does outspeed some otherwise troublesome foes like Modest Raging Bolt, although it needs to watch out for Thunderclap, and the rare but deadly Adamant Breloom.
* **Brave Nature** Reducing Basculegion's Speed can give it an edge in mirror matches when used on Trick Room teams with setters like Porygon2 and Mimikyu, but note that going as far as using a Speed IV of 0 can harm Basculegion's matchups against normally slower foes like Scizor, Primarina, and Corviknight, so using a Speed IV of 31 is the most flexible option.
Assault Vest EV Spreads
========
* **4 HP / 252 Atk / 172 Def / 68 SpD / 12 Spe**: This bulky spread avoids an OHKO from Jolly Ogerpon-H's Horn Leech, survives Timid Choice Specs Flutter Mane's Shadow Ball, and outspeeds paralyzed Adamant Dragonite even after one Dragon Dance.
* **212 Atk / 244 Def / 52 SpD**: This spread survives all but the highest damage from Adamant Ogerpon-H's Horn Leech and Timid Choice Specs Flutter Mane's Shadow Ball at the cost of some Attack.
* **244 Atk / 68 SpD / 196 Spe**: This avoids an OHKO from Timid Choice Specs Flutter Mane's Shadow Ball while still outspeeding Adamant Breloom.
[SET]
Name: Swift Swim Sweeper
move 1: Wave Crash
move 2: Aqua Jet
move 3: Last Respects
move 4: Substitute / Tera Blast / Head Smash
Item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
tera type: Water / Fairy / Stellar
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* With such powerful attacks and the game-ending Last Respects, Swift Swim Basculegion is the king of rain teams!
* **Last Respects**: Last Respects is the key to sweeping late-game if common Water-resistant foes such as Urshifu-R are still around, but even after one teammate is KOed, it's a good coverage attack.
* **Setting Up Rain**: Pelipper is almost required support for this Basculegion, not only providing the needed rain to gobble teams up but even providing Tailwind so Basculegion can outspeed extremely speedy foes like Booster Energy Flutter Mane and Iron Bundle.
* **Substitute**: Substitute ruins Pokemon like Chien-Pao and Urshifu-S for daring to use Sucker Punch and helps against Raging Bolt's Thunderclap as well.
* **Head Smash**: While not very reliable, this is Basculegion's most powerful attack against Dragonite and Roaring Moon and rips Iron Bundle to shreds too.
* **Adamant versus Jolly**: Adamant is the most reliable nature for sweeping, but Jolly does outspeed +1 Jolly Roaring Moon and Choice Scarf Latios.
* **Life Orb versus Focus Sash**: Life Orb is preferred for maximizing Basculegion's late-game sweeping potential. If Life Orb is needed elsewhere, Focus Sash can be a reasonable shift in focus, making Basculegion easier to use outside of rain, which makes benching Pelipper for some matchups easier to justify.
Other Options
========
* **Liquidation or Waterfall**: Wave Crash's constant recoil wears Basculegion down quickly, so Liquidation saves Bascluegion's scales if a foe is already in its KO range. Waterfall is a tad weaker, but the 20% chance to flinch can lead to huge upsets in a battle!
* **Rain Dance**: Setting up Rain Dance usually shouldn't be a job for Basculegion, but it does severely punish Torkoal's attempt to change weather.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: While Basculegion can function without Terastalliztion, its often the star sweeper of rain teams, making it a likely choice to Terastallize.
* **Water**: Tera Water boosts Wave Crash to truly obscene power, with offensive Roaring Moon in particular being OHKOed 75% of the time by Adamant Wave Crash!
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy not only saves Basculegion from Sucker Punch foes like Chien-Pao and Urshifu-S, but it also shreds Roaring Moon if it doesn't Terastallize with Tera Blast Fairy.
* **Stellar**: Tera Stellar is a flexible method for sweeping, with the one-time boost to Last Respects reaping Urshifu-R's soul when Basculegion is the lone teammate alive!
* **Ghost**: While it doesn't have amazing synergy with rain, Tera Ghost still boosts Last Respects into a ghoulish wallbreaking tool regardless of the weather, being particularly useful against Urshifu-R, defensive Primarina, and Dondozo
[SET]
Name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Wave Crash
move 2: Last Respects
move 3: Flip Turn
move 4: Head Smash / Aqua Jet / Tera Blast
Item: Choice Scarf
tera type: Water / Ghost / Fairy
ability: Adaptability
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Choice Scarf and the powerful Adaptability-boosted Flip Turn under its fins, Basculegion is an effective revenge killer and offensive pivot with an important immunity to Extreme Speed.
* **Jolly Nature**: While Adamant's power may be tempting, Jolly is needed for outspeeding Iron Bundle, Adamant Dragonite after Dragon Dance, and the rare Dragapult.
* **Last Respects**: Last Respects transforms Basculegion into a vindictive sweeper once its allies have passed on to the afterlife!
* **Head Smash**: While the accuracy can be worrisome, this is Basculegion's most powerful attack against Dragonite and Roaring Moon and does a reasonable job of revenge killing Choice Specs Iron Bundle when Last Respects is still weak.
* **Aqua Jet**: Aqua Jet may seem ridiculous with a Choice Scarf, but it can pick off weakened priority users like Urshifu-S and Chien-Pao.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Low**: Terastallization is nice when a game-ending sweep is in sight, but reducing the power of at least one of Basculegion's STAB attacks can make it a bit situational.
* **Water**: Wave Crash is the least risky move to lock Basculegion into, so Tera Water is a reasonable cleaning option.
* **Ghost**: Tera Ghost Last Respects is an excellent cleaning tool when Basculegion is the final soul remaining, but watch out for Ursaluna-B, Porygon2, and Tera Normal Dragonite.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy reducing the power of both STAB attacks is a big issue, but it saves Basculegion against Chien-Pao and Urshifu-S's Sucker Punch, and Tera Blast Fairy still deals good damage.
* **Don't Use Tera Stellar!**: Because Adaptability does not take Tera Stellar into account, this Tera Type is fool's gold and should be ignored.
[SET]
Name: Agility
move 1: Agility
move 2: Last Respects
move 3: Wave Crash
move 4: Aqua Jet / Liquidation / Substitute
Item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
tera type: Ghost / Water
ability: Adaptability
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Agility and the terrifying Last Respects transform Basculegion into a ferocious late-game sweeper once its friends are sleeping with the fishes!
* **Last Respects and Late-game**: This set is extremely focused on sweeping late-game with Agility, so while Basculegion's Water-type attacks don't make it useless earlier in the game, its best to save it as your last Pokemon to transform Last Respects into a slaughterous showstopper!
* **Wave Crash**: Even if using Focus Sash, Wave Crash's power is far too good to pass up, since Basculegion isn't guaranteed to be sweeping every game.
* **Aqua Jet**: A priority attack may seem pointless on a Speed boosting set, but beyond letting Basculegion revenge kill weakened Pokemon, it also ruins Sucker Punch attempts from Chien-Pao and Urshifu-S.
* **Liquidation**: If using Focus Sash, Liquidation is a reasonable alternative STAB attack to let Basculegion live another day.
* **Substitute**: While risky and not a great fit with Focus Sash, Substitute punishes Sucker Punch attempts from Urshifu-S and Chien-Pao and could even turn the tables on Raging Bolt's Thunderclap.
* **Adamant versus Jolly**: Adamant is the easiest nature to score sweeps with, but Jolly can be worth it if outspeeding Jolly +1 Roaring Moon and Choice Scarf Latios is important.
* **Focus Sash versus Life Orb**: Focus Sash is the most reliable way to set up Agility, making it the best option. Life Orb can pull off sweeps with less damage though and is a reasonable alternative if another teammate already has Focus Sash.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - High**: Terastallization guaranteeing that at least one of Basculegion's STAB attacks gets a downgrade is a bummer, but this set focuses so heavily on late-game sweeping that it's likely to go that route regardless.
* **Ghost**: Even though Tera Ghost doesn't offer much defensive benefit, boosting Last Respects is often a key ingredient for sweeping.
* **Water**: Tera Water gives Basculegion more flexibility in sweeping without the lives of its teammates being over, though Last Respects can become a disappointing cleaning tool later in the match.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy provides insurance against Sucker Punch throwers like Urshifu-S and Chien-Pao, but both STAB attacks receiving a power downgrade is a big problem. If doing this, seriously consider Tera Blast to rip Dark-types to shreds.
* **Don't Use Tera Stellar!**: Tera Stellar is a siren song, having no impact on Basculegion's power at all due to Adaptability's mechanics.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theorymon.29010/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/photon.516307/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/derpysux.528485/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
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