[SET]
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Scald
move 4: Weather Ball / Ice Beam / Roar
item: Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 192 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Suicune sets itself apart from other bulky Water-type pivots in the metagame such as Tapu Fini, Swampert, and Slowbro, forgoing some of their utility options to become a bulky setup sweeper with Calm Mind. Like them, it can still check offensive threats like Cinderace and Barraskewda. Substitute takes advantage of passive foes like Blissey, Mew, and Ferrothorn, keeping Suicune healthy by blocking their status moves like Toxic and Leech Seed and keeping its Leftovers safe from Knock Off. This also makes Suicune harder to revenge kill and stops Trick users like Azelf and Latios from neutralizing it with a Choice item. Scald is the STAB move of choice to debilitate checks, like Ferrothorn and non-Magic Guard Chansey, and dissuade physical attackers like Zarude and Zygarde-10% from switching in with burns. Weather Ball damages Desolate Land users like Heatran, Cinderace, and Volcarona that would otherwise wall Suicune thanks to their Water immunity. Ice Beam hits Grass- and Dragon-types like Zarude, Dhelmise, Kommo-o, and Latios, as well as Water Absorb users like Landorus-T and Hippowdon. Roar phazes opposing setup sweepers like Garchomp and Mew that try to overwhelm Suicune with their own boosted attacks. Regenerator alongside Leftovers gives it much-needed longevity to pivot into attacks early-game and still maintain enough health to set up and sweep late-game. The EVs let Suicune outspeed Modest Heatran and survive a Choice Band Adaptability Terrakion's Close Combat after Stealth Rock.
Suicune fits best on balance and semi-stall teams that appreciate its defensive qualities and ability to be a dangerous wincon. Suicune still struggles against physically offensive threats like Terrakion, Garchomp, and Zygarde-10% due to its not-exceptional bulk and lack of reliable recovery; teammates that can cover them like Ferrothorn, Dauntless Shield Mew, and Hippowdon pair well with it. Specially defensive walls such as RegenVest Landorus-T and Chansey can check special attackers like Tapu Koko, Azelf, and Latios that force Suicune to switch out; in particular, the former can also check Desolate Land users such as Heatran and Volcarona if Suicune is not running Weather Ball. Due to Suicune's propensity for being weakened by entry hazards, Defog users like Corviknight and Mandibuzz can help it. If not running Roar, Unaware users like Mandibuzz and Mew can check the physical setup sweepers that would otherwise overwhelm Suicune. Spikes from teammates like Ferrothorn and Mew, and Toxic Spikes from Toxapex and Nidoqueen, can debilitate Suicune's checks like Zarude, Unaware Chansey, and Water Absorb Hippowdon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dauntless Shield can be used to take on physical attackers like Zarude, Galarian Zapdos, and Zygarde-10% better, and an immunity ability like Volt Absorb can turn foes like Tapu Koko and Zapdos into setup fodder; however, losing Regenerator recovery makes Suicune an unreliable pivot. Rest + Sleep Talk can give Suicune more setup opportunities but makes it rely on Sleep Talk rolls, and thus less consistent and easier to play around.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Desolate Land Users**: If foregoing Weather Ball, Suicune cannot threaten common Desolate Land users like Heatran, Cinderace, and Volcarona. Heatran in particular often carries Taunt, completely stopping Suicune from setting up.
**Water Absorb Users**: Without Ice Beam, Water Absorb Ground-types like Landorus-T and Hippowdon can wall Suicune. Hippowdon also has Whirlwind to phaze Suicune.
**Chansey and Blissey**: Even with Suicune's Substitute to avoid status and take Seismic Toss, Chansey and Blissey's astronomical special bulk makes them difficult to break through. Magic Guard variants ignore Scald burns and any entry hazards that Suicune is paired with, while Unaware completely ignores any Calm Mind boosts.
**Prankster Toxapex**: Toxapex's typing and huge bulk can let it take any of Suicune's attacks and consistently remove Calm Mind boosts with Haze, which out-prioritizes Suicune's attacks with Prankster and has more PP than Calm Mind.
**Strong Physical Attackers**: Despite being a bulky pivot, Suicune can still be overwhelmed by strong physical attackers like Adaptability Terrakion and Zygarde-10% and Tough Claws Galarian Zapdos, as it doesn't resist their attacks and lacks reliable recovery moves.
**Entry Hazards**: As a pivot that only relies on Regenerator and Leftovers to be healthy, Suicune easily gets overwhelmed by entry hazards. Toxic Spikes in particular puts it on a timer and stops it from continuously setting up.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[royalfluxh, 493260], [beauts, 484270]]
- Quality checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662], [beauts, 484270]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Adeleine, 517429]]
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Scald
move 4: Weather Ball / Ice Beam / Roar
item: Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 192 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Suicune sets itself apart from other bulky Water-type pivots in the metagame such as Tapu Fini, Swampert, and Slowbro, forgoing some of their utility options to become a bulky setup sweeper with Calm Mind. Like them, it can still check offensive threats like Cinderace and Barraskewda. Substitute takes advantage of passive foes like Blissey, Mew, and Ferrothorn, keeping Suicune healthy by blocking their status moves like Toxic and Leech Seed and keeping its Leftovers safe from Knock Off. This also makes Suicune harder to revenge kill and stops Trick users like Azelf and Latios from neutralizing it with a Choice item. Scald is the STAB move of choice to debilitate checks, like Ferrothorn and non-Magic Guard Chansey, and dissuade physical attackers like Zarude and Zygarde-10% from switching in with burns. Weather Ball damages Desolate Land users like Heatran, Cinderace, and Volcarona that would otherwise wall Suicune thanks to their Water immunity. Ice Beam hits Grass- and Dragon-types like Zarude, Dhelmise, Kommo-o, and Latios, as well as Water Absorb users like Landorus-T and Hippowdon. Roar phazes opposing setup sweepers like Garchomp and Mew that try to overwhelm Suicune with their own boosted attacks. Regenerator alongside Leftovers gives it much-needed longevity to pivot into attacks early-game and still maintain enough health to set up and sweep late-game. The EVs let Suicune outspeed Modest Heatran and survive a Choice Band Adaptability Terrakion's Close Combat after Stealth Rock.
Suicune fits best on balance and semi-stall teams that appreciate its defensive qualities and ability to be a dangerous wincon. Suicune still struggles against physically offensive threats like Terrakion, Garchomp, and Zygarde-10% due to its not-exceptional bulk and lack of reliable recovery; teammates that can cover them like Ferrothorn, Dauntless Shield Mew, and Hippowdon pair well with it. Specially defensive walls such as RegenVest Landorus-T and Chansey can check special attackers like Tapu Koko, Azelf, and Latios that force Suicune to switch out; in particular, the former can also check Desolate Land users such as Heatran and Volcarona if Suicune is not running Weather Ball. Due to Suicune's propensity for being weakened by entry hazards, Defog users like Corviknight and Mandibuzz can help it. If not running Roar, Unaware users like Mandibuzz and Mew can check the physical setup sweepers that would otherwise overwhelm Suicune. Spikes from teammates like Ferrothorn and Mew, and Toxic Spikes from Toxapex and Nidoqueen, can debilitate Suicune's checks like Zarude, Unaware Chansey, and Water Absorb Hippowdon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dauntless Shield can be used to take on physical attackers like Zarude, Galarian Zapdos, and Zygarde-10% better, and an immunity ability like Volt Absorb can turn foes like Tapu Koko and Zapdos into setup fodder; however, losing Regenerator recovery makes Suicune an unreliable pivot. Rest + Sleep Talk can give Suicune more setup opportunities but makes it rely on Sleep Talk rolls, and thus less consistent and easier to play around.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Desolate Land Users**: If foregoing Weather Ball, Suicune cannot threaten common Desolate Land users like Heatran, Cinderace, and Volcarona. Heatran in particular often carries Taunt, completely stopping Suicune from setting up.
**Water Absorb Users**: Without Ice Beam, Water Absorb Ground-types like Landorus-T and Hippowdon can wall Suicune. Hippowdon also has Whirlwind to phaze Suicune.
**Chansey and Blissey**: Even with Suicune's Substitute to avoid status and take Seismic Toss, Chansey and Blissey's astronomical special bulk makes them difficult to break through. Magic Guard variants ignore Scald burns and any entry hazards that Suicune is paired with, while Unaware completely ignores any Calm Mind boosts.
**Prankster Toxapex**: Toxapex's typing and huge bulk can let it take any of Suicune's attacks and consistently remove Calm Mind boosts with Haze, which out-prioritizes Suicune's attacks with Prankster and has more PP than Calm Mind.
**Strong Physical Attackers**: Despite being a bulky pivot, Suicune can still be overwhelmed by strong physical attackers like Adaptability Terrakion and Zygarde-10% and Tough Claws Galarian Zapdos, as it doesn't resist their attacks and lacks reliable recovery moves.
**Entry Hazards**: As a pivot that only relies on Regenerator and Leftovers to be healthy, Suicune easily gets overwhelmed by entry hazards. Toxic Spikes in particular puts it on a timer and stops it from continuously setting up.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[royalfluxh, 493260], [beauts, 484270]]
- Quality checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662], [beauts, 484270]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Adeleine, 517429]]
Last edited:
