[OVERVIEW]
Wailmer is an incredible Pokemon in LC, capable of running either a bulky mixed set or a specially offensive set. Wailmer's excellent bulk allows it to tank most hits, highlighted by bulky Wailmer's ability to survive Electric-type attacks from Pokemon like Elekid and Voltorb. Wailmer is no pushover offensively either, as it has base 70 in both Attack and Special Attack as well as high-Base Power moves like Water Spout and Self-Destruct, making it a powerful attacker. Wailmer's set diversity makes it difficult to answer due to its two sets having different matchups and answers. Wailmer makes for a great lead Pokemon due to both its unpredictability and good matchups against much of the tier. Self-Destruct is one of Wailmer's best moves, often letting it take an opposing Pokemon down with it for a neutral or even positive trade if it has managed to pick up one KO already. Wailmer isn't perfect however, as it notably has problems with Water-types like Staryu and Chinchou; against these Pokemon, it's often made to rely on the weak Hidden Power Grass in order to attack without exploding. Wailmer is also slow and outsped by much of the tier's offensive threats, letting Wailmer be revenge killed if it has been weakened.
[SET]
Mixed Bulky Attacker (Wailmer) @ Sitrus Berry
Level: 5
Ability: Water Veil
EVs: 36 HP / 40 Atk / 76 Def / 120 SpA / 236 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Surf
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power Grass
- Self-Destruct
[SET COMMENTS]
Bulky Wailmer is an incredible lead Pokemon due to its high bulk that often provides with it a positive or neutral matchup against many other leads, such as Staryu, Voltorb, Elekid, and Abra. This set maximizes Special Defense investment for a 93% chance to survive Thunderbolt from two of the strongest Electric-type Pokemon in the tier, Elekid and Chinchou. The Special Defense investment is also generally useful against powerful special attackers in the tier such as Abra and Gastly. Earthquake is a great coverage move to hit Electric-types: with 40 Attack EVs, it lands an OHKO on Elekid while hitting Chinchou hard. Hidden Power Grass is used to hit other Water-types like Wailmer or Staryu. A Sassy nature lets Wailmer achieve maximum Special Defense and maintain the power of its physical moves while still outspeeding Porygon. Self-Destruct is excellent for trading Pokemon, as it is usually used against some of the tier's best Pokemon like Porygon. It can also be used in poor matchups or to sacrifice Wailmer to bring in one of its teammates.
One of the few attacks capable of OHKOing Wailmer is Choice Band Doduo's Double-Edge, so Pokemon that can switch into Doduo such as Porygon, Snubbull, Gastly, or Duskull make good teammates. Despite being able to take on Electric-type Pokemon, Wailmer still appreciates Ground-type teammates like Trapinch or Diglett that can trap and remove Electric-types so that Wailmer is not overwhelmed. Wailmer's high bulk allows it to reliably check powerful threats like Abra, which is appreciated by Pokemon like Gastly, Doduo, and Koffing that are all scared out by it.
[SET]
Specially Offensive Wailmer @ Sitrus Berry
Level: 5
Ability: Water Veil
EVs: 36 HP / 76 Def / 200 SpA / 196 Spe
Modest Nature
- Water Spout
- Hydro Pump / Surf / Ice Beam
- Hidden Power Grass
- Self-Destruct
[SET COMMENTS]
Wailmer's high bulk and solid offensive movepool make Wailmer a threatening attacker. 196 Speed EVs allow Wailmer to outspeed Pokemon like Cubone, Magnemite, and Snubbull, which outspeed and threaten slower Wailmer variants. Water Spout hits incredibly hard when at full power, boasting a huge 150-Base Power and landing OHKOes on almost anything that doesn't resist the move like Snubbull or Magnemite. Hydro Pump is a backup option if Wailmer is at low HP and can't use Water Spout. Surf is a more reliable move than Hydro Pump but misses out on KOs versus Pokemon like Gastly or Koffing. Ice Beam can hit Pokemon like Cacnea and Bagon that try to come in on Water-type moves. Hidden Power Grass lets Wailmer hit Water-types like Chinchou and Staryu that resist its STAB moves. Self-Destruct can be used to KO an opposing Pokemon if Wailmer is at low HP.
This set aims to hit enemies as hard as possible with Water Spout but can miss KOs on bulky foes like Porygon, making Spikes setters like Pineco or Cacnea good teammates. Chinchou, Voltorb, and Elekid all outpseed and OHKO Wailmer with Thunderbolt, so pairing Wailmer with trappers like specially defensive Diglett or Trapinch to remove these Pokemon is a good idea. Finally, teams that appreciate strong wallbreakers enjoy Wailmer's ability to create holes in teams with Water Spout and Self-Destruct so that they can clean up with faster threats such as Abra and Staryu.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A physically defensive EV spread can be used to survive Choice Band Doduo's Double-Edge and Bonemerang from Cubone, letting Wailmer get surprise KOs on both of them. However, HERE this set means that Wailmer can no longer survive Electric-type moves, and it also doesn't have the speed and power of the offensive set.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Chinchou**: Chinchou is the best check to both Wailmer sets, as it can freely switch in on offensive Wailmer and outspeed and OHKO it with Thunderbolt, while it can beat the bulky set by weakening Wailmer with Surf and then KOing it with Thunderbolt.
**Staryu**: Staryu can easily switch in on Water-type attacks from Wailmer and can threaten it with Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Grass or with paralysis from Thunder Wave.
**Magnemite**: Magnemite outspeeds bulky variants of Wailmer and can OHKO it with Thunderbolt, but it is slower than offensive Wailmer and can be OHKOed by either Water Spout or Hydro Pump.
**Doduo**: Doduo threatens to OHKO both Wailmer sets with Choice Band Double-Edge, forcing Wailmer to switch out.
**Porygon**: Porygon takes little damage from a bulky Wailmer and is only threatened by Self-Destruct, while it can disrupt offensive Wailmer sets with moves like Thief or Thunder Wave.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flou.605215/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/grape-tylenol.593128/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/reggg.588561/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/aurora.109385/
Wailmer is an incredible Pokemon in LC, capable of running either a bulky mixed set or a specially offensive set. Wailmer's excellent bulk allows it to tank most hits, highlighted by bulky Wailmer's ability to survive Electric-type attacks from Pokemon like Elekid and Voltorb. Wailmer is no pushover offensively either, as it has base 70 in both Attack and Special Attack as well as high-Base Power moves like Water Spout and Self-Destruct, making it a powerful attacker. Wailmer's set diversity makes it difficult to answer due to its two sets having different matchups and answers. Wailmer makes for a great lead Pokemon due to both its unpredictability and good matchups against much of the tier. Self-Destruct is one of Wailmer's best moves, often letting it take an opposing Pokemon down with it for a neutral or even positive trade if it has managed to pick up one KO already. Wailmer isn't perfect however, as it notably has problems with Water-types like Staryu and Chinchou; against these Pokemon, it's often made to rely on the weak Hidden Power Grass in order to attack without exploding. Wailmer is also slow and outsped by much of the tier's offensive threats, letting Wailmer be revenge killed if it has been weakened.
[SET]
Mixed Bulky Attacker (Wailmer) @ Sitrus Berry
Level: 5
Ability: Water Veil
EVs: 36 HP / 40 Atk / 76 Def / 120 SpA / 236 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Surf
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power Grass
- Self-Destruct
[SET COMMENTS]
Bulky Wailmer is an incredible lead Pokemon due to its high bulk that often provides with it a positive or neutral matchup against many other leads, such as Staryu, Voltorb, Elekid, and Abra. This set maximizes Special Defense investment for a 93% chance to survive Thunderbolt from two of the strongest Electric-type Pokemon in the tier, Elekid and Chinchou. The Special Defense investment is also generally useful against powerful special attackers in the tier such as Abra and Gastly. Earthquake is a great coverage move to hit Electric-types: with 40 Attack EVs, it lands an OHKO on Elekid while hitting Chinchou hard. Hidden Power Grass is used to hit other Water-types like Wailmer or Staryu. A Sassy nature lets Wailmer achieve maximum Special Defense and maintain the power of its physical moves while still outspeeding Porygon. Self-Destruct is excellent for trading Pokemon, as it is usually used against some of the tier's best Pokemon like Porygon. It can also be used in poor matchups or to sacrifice Wailmer to bring in one of its teammates.
One of the few attacks capable of OHKOing Wailmer is Choice Band Doduo's Double-Edge, so Pokemon that can switch into Doduo such as Porygon, Snubbull, Gastly, or Duskull make good teammates. Despite being able to take on Electric-type Pokemon, Wailmer still appreciates Ground-type teammates like Trapinch or Diglett that can trap and remove Electric-types so that Wailmer is not overwhelmed. Wailmer's high bulk allows it to reliably check powerful threats like Abra, which is appreciated by Pokemon like Gastly, Doduo, and Koffing that are all scared out by it.
[SET]
Specially Offensive Wailmer @ Sitrus Berry
Level: 5
Ability: Water Veil
EVs: 36 HP / 76 Def / 200 SpA / 196 Spe
Modest Nature
- Water Spout
- Hydro Pump / Surf / Ice Beam
- Hidden Power Grass
- Self-Destruct
[SET COMMENTS]
Wailmer's high bulk and solid offensive movepool make Wailmer a threatening attacker. 196 Speed EVs allow Wailmer to outspeed Pokemon like Cubone, Magnemite, and Snubbull, which outspeed and threaten slower Wailmer variants. Water Spout hits incredibly hard when at full power, boasting a huge 150-Base Power and landing OHKOes on almost anything that doesn't resist the move like Snubbull or Magnemite. Hydro Pump is a backup option if Wailmer is at low HP and can't use Water Spout. Surf is a more reliable move than Hydro Pump but misses out on KOs versus Pokemon like Gastly or Koffing. Ice Beam can hit Pokemon like Cacnea and Bagon that try to come in on Water-type moves. Hidden Power Grass lets Wailmer hit Water-types like Chinchou and Staryu that resist its STAB moves. Self-Destruct can be used to KO an opposing Pokemon if Wailmer is at low HP.
This set aims to hit enemies as hard as possible with Water Spout but can miss KOs on bulky foes like Porygon, making Spikes setters like Pineco or Cacnea good teammates. Chinchou, Voltorb, and Elekid all outpseed and OHKO Wailmer with Thunderbolt, so pairing Wailmer with trappers like specially defensive Diglett or Trapinch to remove these Pokemon is a good idea. Finally, teams that appreciate strong wallbreakers enjoy Wailmer's ability to create holes in teams with Water Spout and Self-Destruct so that they can clean up with faster threats such as Abra and Staryu.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A physically defensive EV spread can be used to survive Choice Band Doduo's Double-Edge and Bonemerang from Cubone, letting Wailmer get surprise KOs on both of them. However, HERE this set means that Wailmer can no longer survive Electric-type moves, and it also doesn't have the speed and power of the offensive set.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Chinchou**: Chinchou is the best check to both Wailmer sets, as it can freely switch in on offensive Wailmer and outspeed and OHKO it with Thunderbolt, while it can beat the bulky set by weakening Wailmer with Surf and then KOing it with Thunderbolt.
**Staryu**: Staryu can easily switch in on Water-type attacks from Wailmer and can threaten it with Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Grass or with paralysis from Thunder Wave.
**Magnemite**: Magnemite outspeeds bulky variants of Wailmer and can OHKO it with Thunderbolt, but it is slower than offensive Wailmer and can be OHKOed by either Water Spout or Hydro Pump.
**Doduo**: Doduo threatens to OHKO both Wailmer sets with Choice Band Double-Edge, forcing Wailmer to switch out.
**Porygon**: Porygon takes little damage from a bulky Wailmer and is only threatened by Self-Destruct, while it can disrupt offensive Wailmer sets with moves like Thief or Thunder Wave.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flou.605215/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/grape-tylenol.593128/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/reggg.588561/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/aurora.109385/
Last edited:
