[OVERVIEW]
Cloyster is one of the most powerful late-game sweepers in the tier. Its high Defense stat allows it to take a hit before boosting with Shell Smash, and once boosted, it is incredibly difficult to wall or outspeed. Physical attackers, particularly Choice Scarf users like Flygon and Basculegion, provide ample opportunity for Cloyster to set up. Skill Link only increases Cloyster's offensive capability, making Icicle Spear and Rock Blast more consistent and dangerous. Cloyster also has a wide variety of natural coverage options with Icicle Spear, Rock Blast, and Drill Run and often carries Tera Blast to effectively choose its counters. Heavy-Duty Boots, Focus Sash, and entry hazard control can all help give it clear opportunities to boost. However, its low Special Defense, relatively low Speed, and weakness to Stealth Rock can make setting up difficult. Revenge killing Cloyster can be difficult after a Shell Smash boost, as +2 Jolly Cloyster outspeeds all common Choice Scarf users, but priority moves, such as Vacuum Wave or Sucker Punch, can take it out. Checks to Cloyster depend largely on the coverage and Tera type it uses. Bulky Water-types, such as Slowbro, Vaporeon, and Unaware Quagsire, tend to do well but can be blown up by Tera Blast Electric and Grass. Steel-types like Registeel or Magnezone can resist many of Cloyster's attacks but struggle with Drill Run and Tera Ground.
[SET]
name: Shell Smash
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Icicle Spear
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Tera Blast / Drill Run
item: Focus Sash / Heavy-Duty Boots / White Herb
ability: Skill Link
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Electric / Grass / Ground
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Rock Blast is a useful coverage move that OHKOes Talonflame without a boost and 2HKOes Avalugg after a boost. Tera Blast gives Cloyster the coverage to break through the Water-types that would otherwise counter it entirely. At +2, Tera Blast Grass and Electric can OHKO Vaporeon and 2HKO Slowbro. Tera Blast Grass also notably has a chance to OHKO Unaware Quagsire. Drill Run provides super effective damage against the Steel-types that would otherwise wall Cloyster, and at +2, it OHKOes Magnezone and 2HKOes Registeel. Tera Electric and Ground also provide an immunity to the threat of Prankster Thunder Wave. Focus Sash guarantees an opportunity to use Shell Smash but requires support to keep entry hazards off the field. White Herb restores Cloyster's defenses after a Shell Smash, bolstering it against revenge kills. Heavy-Duty Boots protects Cloyster from its Stealth Rock weakness and preserves health to let it take a hit before boosting. Cloyster requires a Jolly nature to outspeed common Choice Scarf users, notably outspeeding Mienshao and Munkidori. An Adamant nature can hit a few additional breakpoints, giving Cloyster a chance to OHKO Registeel with +2 Tera Ground-boosted Drill Run and guaranteeing it an OHKO on specially bulky Diancie with +2 Tera Blast Grass.
Cloyster works best on hyper offense teams that provide opportunities to sweep and wear down its checks. It benefits heavily from teammates that can chip or seriously damage the Water- and Steel-types that can wall it. Options like Tsareena and Brambleghast can threaten defensive Water-types like Slowbro and Quagsire while keeping entry hazards off the field, preserving Cloyster's health and Focus Sash. Ground- and Fighting-types like Krookodile, Mienshao, and Gallade can put a serious dent in Steel-types, and Gallade and Krookodile in particular threaten Slowbro with Leaf Blade and Knock Off, respectively. Hazard setters like Klefki, Flygon, and Mew can also support Cloyster's sweeping, wearing down foes that it cannot OHKO. Galvantula serves a similar role, setting up Sticky Web to allow Cloyster to run an Adamant nature and outrun Choice Scarf Infernape, Mienshao, and Munkidori after a boost. Other late-game cleaners like Mienshao or a Shell Smash Torterra benefit from Cloyster's damage output and can storm through teams whose physical walls have already taken multiple hits.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Cloyster can choose to run Liquidation as an alternate STAB move option, and it can also choose to run Ice Shard, primarily on Adamant sets, to hit the few Pokemon that outspeed and threaten it. Hydro Pump is niche but lets Cloyster always beat Avalugg after a Shell Smash boost. Tera Ghost is another option, particularly on slower Adamant sets, to gain an immunity against Fighting-type moves like Close Combat from revenge killers like Choice Scarf Mienshao. Tera Steel is potentially useful to resist Accelerock and give Cloyster additional resistances as it sets up.
Checks and Counters
====
**Water-types**: Bulky Water-types can be extremely difficult for Cloyster to break without the use of Tera Blast Grass or Electric. Slowbro and Vaporeon both comfortably take hits from Cloyster, while Unaware Quagsire counters its gameplan entirely. Vileplume also baits Icicle Spear and can use Tera Water to resist it.
**Steel-types**: Without Drill Run or Tera Blast Ground, Cloyster struggles to break through Steel-types. Registeel and Magnezone, particularly if they have the opportunity to use Iron Defense, are serious checks to a potential sweep. Klefki also threatens to cripple Cloyster with priority Thunder Wave. Thundurus and Tsareena both have the potential to bait Icicle Spear, use Tera Steel to survive a hit, and KO Cloyster in return.
**Revenge Killers**: +2 Jolly Cloyster outspeeds every Choice Scarf user in the tier, so priority moves are the main source of revenge killing against it. Lycanroc-D's Accelerock, Brute Bonnet's Sucker Punch, and Mew and Lucario's Vacuum Wave can threaten to end a Cloyster sweep. Boosted Adamant Cloyster can be outsped by several Choice Scarf users, notably Munkidori, Mienshao, and Flygon. Chlorophyll Venusaur can also revenge kill a boosted Cloyster, but it requires a Timid nature to outspeed Jolly Cloyster.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hammer798.641404/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rabia.336073/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lucario.189361/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/captaindaimyo.602431/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Cloyster is one of the most powerful late-game sweepers in the tier. Its high Defense stat allows it to take a hit before boosting with Shell Smash, and once boosted, it is incredibly difficult to wall or outspeed. Physical attackers, particularly Choice Scarf users like Flygon and Basculegion, provide ample opportunity for Cloyster to set up. Skill Link only increases Cloyster's offensive capability, making Icicle Spear and Rock Blast more consistent and dangerous. Cloyster also has a wide variety of natural coverage options with Icicle Spear, Rock Blast, and Drill Run and often carries Tera Blast to effectively choose its counters. Heavy-Duty Boots, Focus Sash, and entry hazard control can all help give it clear opportunities to boost. However, its low Special Defense, relatively low Speed, and weakness to Stealth Rock can make setting up difficult. Revenge killing Cloyster can be difficult after a Shell Smash boost, as +2 Jolly Cloyster outspeeds all common Choice Scarf users, but priority moves, such as Vacuum Wave or Sucker Punch, can take it out. Checks to Cloyster depend largely on the coverage and Tera type it uses. Bulky Water-types, such as Slowbro, Vaporeon, and Unaware Quagsire, tend to do well but can be blown up by Tera Blast Electric and Grass. Steel-types like Registeel or Magnezone can resist many of Cloyster's attacks but struggle with Drill Run and Tera Ground.
[SET]
name: Shell Smash
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Icicle Spear
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Tera Blast / Drill Run
item: Focus Sash / Heavy-Duty Boots / White Herb
ability: Skill Link
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Electric / Grass / Ground
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Rock Blast is a useful coverage move that OHKOes Talonflame without a boost and 2HKOes Avalugg after a boost. Tera Blast gives Cloyster the coverage to break through the Water-types that would otherwise counter it entirely. At +2, Tera Blast Grass and Electric can OHKO Vaporeon and 2HKO Slowbro. Tera Blast Grass also notably has a chance to OHKO Unaware Quagsire. Drill Run provides super effective damage against the Steel-types that would otherwise wall Cloyster, and at +2, it OHKOes Magnezone and 2HKOes Registeel. Tera Electric and Ground also provide an immunity to the threat of Prankster Thunder Wave. Focus Sash guarantees an opportunity to use Shell Smash but requires support to keep entry hazards off the field. White Herb restores Cloyster's defenses after a Shell Smash, bolstering it against revenge kills. Heavy-Duty Boots protects Cloyster from its Stealth Rock weakness and preserves health to let it take a hit before boosting. Cloyster requires a Jolly nature to outspeed common Choice Scarf users, notably outspeeding Mienshao and Munkidori. An Adamant nature can hit a few additional breakpoints, giving Cloyster a chance to OHKO Registeel with +2 Tera Ground-boosted Drill Run and guaranteeing it an OHKO on specially bulky Diancie with +2 Tera Blast Grass.
Cloyster works best on hyper offense teams that provide opportunities to sweep and wear down its checks. It benefits heavily from teammates that can chip or seriously damage the Water- and Steel-types that can wall it. Options like Tsareena and Brambleghast can threaten defensive Water-types like Slowbro and Quagsire while keeping entry hazards off the field, preserving Cloyster's health and Focus Sash. Ground- and Fighting-types like Krookodile, Mienshao, and Gallade can put a serious dent in Steel-types, and Gallade and Krookodile in particular threaten Slowbro with Leaf Blade and Knock Off, respectively. Hazard setters like Klefki, Flygon, and Mew can also support Cloyster's sweeping, wearing down foes that it cannot OHKO. Galvantula serves a similar role, setting up Sticky Web to allow Cloyster to run an Adamant nature and outrun Choice Scarf Infernape, Mienshao, and Munkidori after a boost. Other late-game cleaners like Mienshao or a Shell Smash Torterra benefit from Cloyster's damage output and can storm through teams whose physical walls have already taken multiple hits.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Cloyster can choose to run Liquidation as an alternate STAB move option, and it can also choose to run Ice Shard, primarily on Adamant sets, to hit the few Pokemon that outspeed and threaten it. Hydro Pump is niche but lets Cloyster always beat Avalugg after a Shell Smash boost. Tera Ghost is another option, particularly on slower Adamant sets, to gain an immunity against Fighting-type moves like Close Combat from revenge killers like Choice Scarf Mienshao. Tera Steel is potentially useful to resist Accelerock and give Cloyster additional resistances as it sets up.
Checks and Counters
====
**Water-types**: Bulky Water-types can be extremely difficult for Cloyster to break without the use of Tera Blast Grass or Electric. Slowbro and Vaporeon both comfortably take hits from Cloyster, while Unaware Quagsire counters its gameplan entirely. Vileplume also baits Icicle Spear and can use Tera Water to resist it.
**Steel-types**: Without Drill Run or Tera Blast Ground, Cloyster struggles to break through Steel-types. Registeel and Magnezone, particularly if they have the opportunity to use Iron Defense, are serious checks to a potential sweep. Klefki also threatens to cripple Cloyster with priority Thunder Wave. Thundurus and Tsareena both have the potential to bait Icicle Spear, use Tera Steel to survive a hit, and KO Cloyster in return.
**Revenge Killers**: +2 Jolly Cloyster outspeeds every Choice Scarf user in the tier, so priority moves are the main source of revenge killing against it. Lycanroc-D's Accelerock, Brute Bonnet's Sucker Punch, and Mew and Lucario's Vacuum Wave can threaten to end a Cloyster sweep. Boosted Adamant Cloyster can be outsped by several Choice Scarf users, notably Munkidori, Mienshao, and Flygon. Chlorophyll Venusaur can also revenge kill a boosted Cloyster, but it requires a Timid nature to outspeed Jolly Cloyster.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hammer798.641404/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rabia.336073/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lucario.189361/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/captaindaimyo.602431/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
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