[OVERVIEW]
Roserade's unique mixture of power and utility makes it one of the best offensive Pokemon in the RU metagame. Its high Special Attack and excellent STAB combination allow it to heavily pressure many of the metagame's best forms of hazard control, such as Donphan, Xatu, and the ever-present Mega Blastoise, making it RU's most effective user of Spikes. Furthermore, Roserade has ample tools to circumvent its checks, with Hidden Power Fire to snipe Steel-types and Sleep Powder and Z-Moves to cripple or break through other defensive answers. Decent special bulk and a strong defensive typing allow Roserade to pivot in on and threaten defensive Pokemon such as Milotic and Florges, especially if running Synthesis. These same traits give Roserade the option of outlasting its checks with a bulky set that can generate even more opportunities to set Spikes. Furthermore, Roserade's Speed is sufficient to outrun many threatening attackers, such as Necrozma, Choice Specs Gardevoir, and Choice Band Passimian. However, Roserade's versatility is also its weakness, as it is often forced to choose between being unable to threaten its defensive checks, set Spikes, or maintain its longevity. Furthermore, Roserade's overall bulk is mediocre and its Speed is only decent, and many of the Pokemon faster than it, such as Salazzle, Ninetales, and Noivern, are capable of taking a hit and revenge killing it with ease.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Sludge Bomb / Hidden Power Fire
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Spikes
move 4: Spikes / Sleep Powder / Synthesis
item: Grassium Z / Poisonium Z
ability: Technician / Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Grassium Z-boosted Leaf Storm is obscenely powerful, easily OHKOing bulky Water-types such as Milotic and offensive Pokemon such as Bewear and Nidoqueen and dealing hefty damage even to frailer resistant Pokemon such as Toxicroak. Alternatively, Roserade can opt to use Poisonium Z with Sludge Bomb, as Acid Downpour can OHKO Xatu and opposing Roserade and finish off weakened checks such as Mandibuzz and Goodra that resist Leaf Storm. Hidden Power Fire, when boosted by Technician, deals hefty damage to Steel-types such as Metagross and Bronzong. Spikes lets Roserade take advantage of forced switches and defensive Pokemon such as Diancie and non-Ice Beam Milotic that can do little to threaten it. Sleep Powder lets Roserade incapacitate a check, giving it more leeway to preserve its Z-Move and set Spikes or fire off attacks. Synthesis gives Roserade more breathing room to take on defensive Pokemon that would otherwise whittle away at its health, especially Registeel.
Set Details
========
Grassium Z and Poisonium Z both allow Roserade to pose an immediate threat to slower Pokemon and wallbreak without the negative effects of Life Orb. Rocky Helmet can be used if another teammate needs the Z-Crystal more, as it can let Roserade chip down physical attackers such as Passimian and punish Registeel for using Seismic Toss. Roserade should use Technician to boost the power of Hidden Power Fire, but if it omits the move, it should use Natural Cure to heal off status such as Scald burns.
Usage Tips
========
It is often wise to lead off with Roserade if you expect your opponent to lead with a slower Pokemon, especially if carrying Sleep Powder. However, if Roserade finds itself matched up against a slower lead that can OHKO it and is likely to stay in, such as Metagross, you should be conscious of Sleep Powder's miss chance and consider switching out if you predict Roserade to be necessary at later stages of the game. Generally, Roserade's best chances to come into play are through double switches or directly against passive defensive Pokemon such as Milotic, Diancie, and Registeel, but it should be wary and ideally scout for Ice Beam from the former. In the early game, Roserade should look for opportunities to set Spikes as often as possible, especially if the opponent is using a hazard control Pokemon such as Mega Blastoise or Forretress that is directly threatened by it. If you can predict when the opponent will switch in their check, surprising it with Sleep Powder or the appropriate Z-Move or coverage move can be very beneficial to keep up the momentum and allow Roserade to exert even more pressure on the opposing team. Roserade should use its Z-Move as a tool to either pick off unsuspecting defensive Pokemon out of range of its normal attacks or to bring them into range of Leaf Storm. After Roserade has done its job, it can often be sacrificed with little issue to gain momentum or waste the opponent's Z-Move.
Team Options
========
Because it struggles to find clear opportunities to switch in directly, Roserade greatly appreciates partners that can pivot it into battle safely. Golisopod and fast pivots such as Noivern and Flygon can keep Roserade's offensive answers such as Salazzle in check, while slower pivots such as Mandibuzz and Incineroar can annoy its defensive checks with Knock Off. Bulky Water-types, such as Slowbro and Mega Blastoise, can switch into Steel-types and other defensive Pokemon that trouble Roserade, while Roserade can take the Grass-type moves aimed at them. The aforementioned Mega Blastoise and other Rapid Spin users such as Donphan pair excellently with Roserade, as they can clear away opposing hazards without removing Roserade's Spikes. Steel-type Stealth Rock setters such as Metagross and Registeel can stack hazards with Roserade and handle Poison- and Dragon-types such as Garbodor, Dragalge, and Noivern that trouble it. Lastly, various attackers can take advantage of Spikes. Powerful wallbreakers such as Bewear, Tyrantrum, and Choice Specs Gardevoir have their switchins severely limited by Spikes, and the latter two commonly draw in Steel-types to assist Roserade in wearing them down. On the other hand, setup sweepers such as Zygarde-10%, Barbaracle, and Mismagius deprive Roserade of its Z-Crystal but are helped tremendously by its offensive pressure and Spikes or Sleep Powder support.
[SET]
name: Bulky Support
move 1: Grass Knot / Giga Drain
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Synthesis
move 4: Spikes
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Grass Knot is the superior Grass-type STAB move due to its high PP, lack of a drawback, and Base Power sufficient to hit important targets such as Metagross, Registeel, Mega Blastoise, Milotic, and Rhyperior notably harder than Giga Drain. Giga Drain, however, remains a viable alternative to give Roserade more consistent damage and extra longevity.
Set Details
========
Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers such as Golisopod and Passimian and greatly improves the Registeel matchup by dissuading it from spamming Seismic Toss. Natural Cure is Roserade's best ability, situationally preventing it from falling victim to status effects such as freeze from Milotic's Ice Beam. Maximum Speed with a Timid nature helps Roserade crucially retain its Speed advantage against dangerous threats such as Gardevoir, while maximizing Roserade's HP lets it survive an array of attacks, such as Slowbro's Psyshock, Donphan's Earthquake, and Flygon's Outrage, that would otherwise threaten to OHKO it. If its team needs the full extent of its defensive capabilities, Roserade can instead utilize a spread of 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe with a Timid nature to most notably survive +2 Virizion's All-Out Pummeling and Choice Band Metagross's Meteor Mash while still outspeeding Jolly Bewear and Adamant Tyrantrum.
Usage Tips
========
Early on, you can choose to lead off with Roserade and play aggressively to feign an offensive set, which can allow Roserade to catch a physical attacker that expects to OHKO it, such as +2 Virizion, Golisopod, or non-Choice Band Metagross, off guard later in the battle. From there, it can opt to take the hit to rack up Rocky Helmet damage and either set up Spikes or begin chipping down the threat, depending on which option is likely to open up your team more in the long run. In general, Roserade's excellent typing lets it naturally pivot into and take advantage of other defensive Pokemon such as Diancie and Milotic. Its improved defensive capabilities also allow it to turn the tables against checks such as Registeel and Mandibuzz and wear them down over time, provided it scouts for Brave Bird from the latter. Once in play against a Pokemon it walls, Roserade should most often begin laying down Spikes, especially if it matches up well against the opponent's hazard control Pokemon, for example, Mega Blastoise.
Team Options
========
Stealth Rock users can stack hazards with Roserade, and it greatly appreciates those that can break past Mandibuzz and other Flying-types for it, such as Diancie and Rhyperior. Because Roserade often sets multiple layers of Spikes throughout the battle, it flourishes alongside offensive Rapid Spin users such as Donphan and Mega Blastoise that can preserve its hazards while it wears down their checks. Golisopod, Noivern, Flygon, and other offensive pivots handle the fast attackers such as Salazzle, Sigilyph, and Zygarde-10% that can outspeed and break through Roserade. Wallbreakers such as Gardevoir, Metagross, and Houndoom appreciate Roserade's Spikes support and ability to switch into their walls, such as Registeel and Milotic. Water-types such as Slowbro and Milotic can blanket check many of Roserade's answers, such as Noivern, Metagross, and Aerodactyl. Mandibuzz not only covers Roserade against Mismagius and Steel-types such as Bronzong, but also helps it win the hazard game long-term by countering Donphan and Xatu and preventing opposing Mandibuzz from using Defog with Taunt.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Life Orb boosts all of Roserade's attacks to make it more consistently threatening, but it comes with the downside of draining its health and putting more pressure on it to devote a moveslot to Synthesis if it wants to retain its defensive utility. It also makes Roserade more reliant on Leaf Storm to apply offensive pressure, forcing it into a hit-and-run playstyle that makes it more difficult to force switches to set Spikes. Energy Ball can be used as a more reliable Grass-type STAB move on the offensive set, but Roserade will sorely miss Leaf Storm's power. Hidden Power Ice can be used to lure Dragalge and land a slightly stronger hit against Mandibuzz and Goodra, but Hidden Power Fire is generally far more useful.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Registeel is only 4HKOed by Hidden Power Fire and can 3HKO Roserade back with Seismic Toss if the latter does not carry Synthesis, but Rocky Helmet Roserade can use it as Spikes fodder. Metagross and Bronzong cannot stomach Hidden Power Fire as easily but can hit back hard with Meteor Mash and Gyro Ball. Mandibuzz and Goodra are immune to Sleep Powder, can take most of Roserade's attacks, and can OHKO back with Brave Bird and Fire Blast, respectively. However, they must be wary of Acid Downpour and Sludge Bomb poison. Several less common specially defensive Pokemon, such as Snorlax, Cresselia, and Mantine, effectively stonewall Roserade, and Snorlax can use it as setup fodder while Mantine can Defog away its Spikes.
**Poison-types**: Garbodor can take Roserade's attacks fairly well and deal huge damage back with Gunk Shot or set its own Spikes. Salazzle outspeeds Roserade and can OHKO it with a Fire-type STAB move, while Drapion can trap Roserade with Pursuit. Toxicroak is outsped by Roserade but can take a single hit and OHKO in return with Gunk Shot. Dragalge completely walls Roserade's common moves and OHKOes it with Draco Meteor.
**Faster Pokemon**: Noivern can OHKO Roserade with Hurricane and gain momentum with U-turn as Roserade is forced out. Sigilyph, Ninetales, and Houndoom can force Roserade out and set up with Calm Mind or Nasty Plot. Aerodactyl and Sneasel OHKO Roserade with their STAB attacks and force mindgames with Pursuit as a result. Other fast Pokemon and priority attackers such as Zygarde-10% and Golisopod have few problems revenge killing offensive Roserade, but the latter in particular struggles to take on a healthy defensive Roserade.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[memesketch, 537558]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
Roserade's unique mixture of power and utility makes it one of the best offensive Pokemon in the RU metagame. Its high Special Attack and excellent STAB combination allow it to heavily pressure many of the metagame's best forms of hazard control, such as Donphan, Xatu, and the ever-present Mega Blastoise, making it RU's most effective user of Spikes. Furthermore, Roserade has ample tools to circumvent its checks, with Hidden Power Fire to snipe Steel-types and Sleep Powder and Z-Moves to cripple or break through other defensive answers. Decent special bulk and a strong defensive typing allow Roserade to pivot in on and threaten defensive Pokemon such as Milotic and Florges, especially if running Synthesis. These same traits give Roserade the option of outlasting its checks with a bulky set that can generate even more opportunities to set Spikes. Furthermore, Roserade's Speed is sufficient to outrun many threatening attackers, such as Necrozma, Choice Specs Gardevoir, and Choice Band Passimian. However, Roserade's versatility is also its weakness, as it is often forced to choose between being unable to threaten its defensive checks, set Spikes, or maintain its longevity. Furthermore, Roserade's overall bulk is mediocre and its Speed is only decent, and many of the Pokemon faster than it, such as Salazzle, Ninetales, and Noivern, are capable of taking a hit and revenge killing it with ease.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Sludge Bomb / Hidden Power Fire
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Spikes
move 4: Spikes / Sleep Powder / Synthesis
item: Grassium Z / Poisonium Z
ability: Technician / Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Grassium Z-boosted Leaf Storm is obscenely powerful, easily OHKOing bulky Water-types such as Milotic and offensive Pokemon such as Bewear and Nidoqueen and dealing hefty damage even to frailer resistant Pokemon such as Toxicroak. Alternatively, Roserade can opt to use Poisonium Z with Sludge Bomb, as Acid Downpour can OHKO Xatu and opposing Roserade and finish off weakened checks such as Mandibuzz and Goodra that resist Leaf Storm. Hidden Power Fire, when boosted by Technician, deals hefty damage to Steel-types such as Metagross and Bronzong. Spikes lets Roserade take advantage of forced switches and defensive Pokemon such as Diancie and non-Ice Beam Milotic that can do little to threaten it. Sleep Powder lets Roserade incapacitate a check, giving it more leeway to preserve its Z-Move and set Spikes or fire off attacks. Synthesis gives Roserade more breathing room to take on defensive Pokemon that would otherwise whittle away at its health, especially Registeel.
Set Details
========
Grassium Z and Poisonium Z both allow Roserade to pose an immediate threat to slower Pokemon and wallbreak without the negative effects of Life Orb. Rocky Helmet can be used if another teammate needs the Z-Crystal more, as it can let Roserade chip down physical attackers such as Passimian and punish Registeel for using Seismic Toss. Roserade should use Technician to boost the power of Hidden Power Fire, but if it omits the move, it should use Natural Cure to heal off status such as Scald burns.
Usage Tips
========
It is often wise to lead off with Roserade if you expect your opponent to lead with a slower Pokemon, especially if carrying Sleep Powder. However, if Roserade finds itself matched up against a slower lead that can OHKO it and is likely to stay in, such as Metagross, you should be conscious of Sleep Powder's miss chance and consider switching out if you predict Roserade to be necessary at later stages of the game. Generally, Roserade's best chances to come into play are through double switches or directly against passive defensive Pokemon such as Milotic, Diancie, and Registeel, but it should be wary and ideally scout for Ice Beam from the former. In the early game, Roserade should look for opportunities to set Spikes as often as possible, especially if the opponent is using a hazard control Pokemon such as Mega Blastoise or Forretress that is directly threatened by it. If you can predict when the opponent will switch in their check, surprising it with Sleep Powder or the appropriate Z-Move or coverage move can be very beneficial to keep up the momentum and allow Roserade to exert even more pressure on the opposing team. Roserade should use its Z-Move as a tool to either pick off unsuspecting defensive Pokemon out of range of its normal attacks or to bring them into range of Leaf Storm. After Roserade has done its job, it can often be sacrificed with little issue to gain momentum or waste the opponent's Z-Move.
Team Options
========
Because it struggles to find clear opportunities to switch in directly, Roserade greatly appreciates partners that can pivot it into battle safely. Golisopod and fast pivots such as Noivern and Flygon can keep Roserade's offensive answers such as Salazzle in check, while slower pivots such as Mandibuzz and Incineroar can annoy its defensive checks with Knock Off. Bulky Water-types, such as Slowbro and Mega Blastoise, can switch into Steel-types and other defensive Pokemon that trouble Roserade, while Roserade can take the Grass-type moves aimed at them. The aforementioned Mega Blastoise and other Rapid Spin users such as Donphan pair excellently with Roserade, as they can clear away opposing hazards without removing Roserade's Spikes. Steel-type Stealth Rock setters such as Metagross and Registeel can stack hazards with Roserade and handle Poison- and Dragon-types such as Garbodor, Dragalge, and Noivern that trouble it. Lastly, various attackers can take advantage of Spikes. Powerful wallbreakers such as Bewear, Tyrantrum, and Choice Specs Gardevoir have their switchins severely limited by Spikes, and the latter two commonly draw in Steel-types to assist Roserade in wearing them down. On the other hand, setup sweepers such as Zygarde-10%, Barbaracle, and Mismagius deprive Roserade of its Z-Crystal but are helped tremendously by its offensive pressure and Spikes or Sleep Powder support.
[SET]
name: Bulky Support
move 1: Grass Knot / Giga Drain
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Synthesis
move 4: Spikes
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Grass Knot is the superior Grass-type STAB move due to its high PP, lack of a drawback, and Base Power sufficient to hit important targets such as Metagross, Registeel, Mega Blastoise, Milotic, and Rhyperior notably harder than Giga Drain. Giga Drain, however, remains a viable alternative to give Roserade more consistent damage and extra longevity.
Set Details
========
Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers such as Golisopod and Passimian and greatly improves the Registeel matchup by dissuading it from spamming Seismic Toss. Natural Cure is Roserade's best ability, situationally preventing it from falling victim to status effects such as freeze from Milotic's Ice Beam. Maximum Speed with a Timid nature helps Roserade crucially retain its Speed advantage against dangerous threats such as Gardevoir, while maximizing Roserade's HP lets it survive an array of attacks, such as Slowbro's Psyshock, Donphan's Earthquake, and Flygon's Outrage, that would otherwise threaten to OHKO it. If its team needs the full extent of its defensive capabilities, Roserade can instead utilize a spread of 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe with a Timid nature to most notably survive +2 Virizion's All-Out Pummeling and Choice Band Metagross's Meteor Mash while still outspeeding Jolly Bewear and Adamant Tyrantrum.
Usage Tips
========
Early on, you can choose to lead off with Roserade and play aggressively to feign an offensive set, which can allow Roserade to catch a physical attacker that expects to OHKO it, such as +2 Virizion, Golisopod, or non-Choice Band Metagross, off guard later in the battle. From there, it can opt to take the hit to rack up Rocky Helmet damage and either set up Spikes or begin chipping down the threat, depending on which option is likely to open up your team more in the long run. In general, Roserade's excellent typing lets it naturally pivot into and take advantage of other defensive Pokemon such as Diancie and Milotic. Its improved defensive capabilities also allow it to turn the tables against checks such as Registeel and Mandibuzz and wear them down over time, provided it scouts for Brave Bird from the latter. Once in play against a Pokemon it walls, Roserade should most often begin laying down Spikes, especially if it matches up well against the opponent's hazard control Pokemon, for example, Mega Blastoise.
Team Options
========
Stealth Rock users can stack hazards with Roserade, and it greatly appreciates those that can break past Mandibuzz and other Flying-types for it, such as Diancie and Rhyperior. Because Roserade often sets multiple layers of Spikes throughout the battle, it flourishes alongside offensive Rapid Spin users such as Donphan and Mega Blastoise that can preserve its hazards while it wears down their checks. Golisopod, Noivern, Flygon, and other offensive pivots handle the fast attackers such as Salazzle, Sigilyph, and Zygarde-10% that can outspeed and break through Roserade. Wallbreakers such as Gardevoir, Metagross, and Houndoom appreciate Roserade's Spikes support and ability to switch into their walls, such as Registeel and Milotic. Water-types such as Slowbro and Milotic can blanket check many of Roserade's answers, such as Noivern, Metagross, and Aerodactyl. Mandibuzz not only covers Roserade against Mismagius and Steel-types such as Bronzong, but also helps it win the hazard game long-term by countering Donphan and Xatu and preventing opposing Mandibuzz from using Defog with Taunt.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Life Orb boosts all of Roserade's attacks to make it more consistently threatening, but it comes with the downside of draining its health and putting more pressure on it to devote a moveslot to Synthesis if it wants to retain its defensive utility. It also makes Roserade more reliant on Leaf Storm to apply offensive pressure, forcing it into a hit-and-run playstyle that makes it more difficult to force switches to set Spikes. Energy Ball can be used as a more reliable Grass-type STAB move on the offensive set, but Roserade will sorely miss Leaf Storm's power. Hidden Power Ice can be used to lure Dragalge and land a slightly stronger hit against Mandibuzz and Goodra, but Hidden Power Fire is generally far more useful.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Registeel is only 4HKOed by Hidden Power Fire and can 3HKO Roserade back with Seismic Toss if the latter does not carry Synthesis, but Rocky Helmet Roserade can use it as Spikes fodder. Metagross and Bronzong cannot stomach Hidden Power Fire as easily but can hit back hard with Meteor Mash and Gyro Ball. Mandibuzz and Goodra are immune to Sleep Powder, can take most of Roserade's attacks, and can OHKO back with Brave Bird and Fire Blast, respectively. However, they must be wary of Acid Downpour and Sludge Bomb poison. Several less common specially defensive Pokemon, such as Snorlax, Cresselia, and Mantine, effectively stonewall Roserade, and Snorlax can use it as setup fodder while Mantine can Defog away its Spikes.
**Poison-types**: Garbodor can take Roserade's attacks fairly well and deal huge damage back with Gunk Shot or set its own Spikes. Salazzle outspeeds Roserade and can OHKO it with a Fire-type STAB move, while Drapion can trap Roserade with Pursuit. Toxicroak is outsped by Roserade but can take a single hit and OHKO in return with Gunk Shot. Dragalge completely walls Roserade's common moves and OHKOes it with Draco Meteor.
**Faster Pokemon**: Noivern can OHKO Roserade with Hurricane and gain momentum with U-turn as Roserade is forced out. Sigilyph, Ninetales, and Houndoom can force Roserade out and set up with Calm Mind or Nasty Plot. Aerodactyl and Sneasel OHKO Roserade with their STAB attacks and force mindgames with Pursuit as a result. Other fast Pokemon and priority attackers such as Zygarde-10% and Golisopod have few problems revenge killing offensive Roserade, but the latter in particular struggles to take on a healthy defensive Roserade.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[memesketch, 537558]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
Last edited:
