[SET]
name: Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Grass Knot / Energy Ball / Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Stun Spore / Toxic Spikes / Sleep Talk
item: Black Sludge
ability: Poison Point / Natural Cure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Roserade’s offensive profile and decent defensive prowess make it a good Spikes user. Grass Knot is Roserade’s best offensive move, OHKOing Swampert and 2HKOing Suicune, most Tyranitar, Gyarados, and Hippowdon. As Grass Knot hits lighter Pokemon such as Clefable and especially Rotom-A for negligible damage, Energy Ball is a reliable alternative. Unfortunately, Energy Ball is not as effective at powering through Tyranitar and offensive Suicune, especially if Suicune has a Calm Mind boost and outspeeds Roserade. Another option to maximize Roserade’s effectiveness against Breloom and Dragon-types such as Latias and Dragonite is Sludge Bomb. However, Poison is not a good offensive typing and leaves Roserade walled by Ground-types.
Hidden Power Fire helps Roserade hit Steel-types such as Skarmory, Scizor, Forretress, Metagross, and Jirachi, generally at worst 3HKOing them. Hidden Power Ice hits Dragon- and Flying-types instead, OHKOing Flygon, Dragonite after Stealth Rock, and Gliscor while doing acceptable damage to Latias. Both Hidden Power Fire and Ice hit Breloom hard. Roserade can also use Hidden Power Ground to hit Heatran or forgo Hidden Power entirely and use a support option such as Aromatherapy or Rest; however, it sorely misses coverage. The last slot is most commonly Stun Spore, as it helps prevent foes from setting up on Roserade unimpeded if it can’t hit them hard. However, Roserade can also use both Spikes and Toxic Spikes to get multiple entry hazards up. Another option is to maximize Roserade’s matchup with Breloom and use Sleep Talk. This is often most effective with either Energy Ball or Sludge Bomb, as both options always break Breloom’s Substitute, or it sets up Spikes.
Set Details
========
Roserade needs heavy Defense investment to survive against foes it checks such as Breloom and Swampert. Maximum HP EVs, near maximum Defense, and a Bold nature emphasize this. The Speed EVs outspeed neutral nature Tyranitar, Swampert, and Empoleon. Roserade has a naturally high Special Defense stat and is a decent mixed wall with full investment. Roserade can also focus on its Special Defense to better answer Electric-types such as Zapdos and Rotom-A, as well as offensive Water-types such as Suicune and Starmie, with an EV spread such as 252 HP / 44 Def / 188 SpD / 24 Spe with a Calm nature. Defensive Roserade should always invest at least 44 Defense EVs to avoid being OHKOed by offensive Swampert’s Earthquake, but can also run around 124 Defense EVs to survive Choice Band Scizor's Bullet Punch. While Roserade does enjoy Natural Cure healing status effects on switch out, Poison Point is the most common ability to better absorb Breloom’s Spore.
Roserade can also use a fully offensive EV spread with Spikes, Grass Knot, one of Hidden Power Fire or Ice, and Sludge Bomb to act as an offensive Spikes user and hit very hard. However, such a set is extraordinarily frail, still doesn’t have amazing coverage, and doesn’t have Sleep Powder to ease setup.
Usage Tips
========
Due to its frailty, Roserade should switch into foes sparingly, preferably coming in on predicted switches or resisted attacks. Even attacks it is meant to take such as Breloom’s Focus Punch and Swampert’s Earthquake can 2HKO it after Stealth Rock. From here, Roserade should try to set up entry hazards immediately, as it often only gets a few turns to make an impact due to residual damage. Roserade, even with Stun Spore, is setup fodder for a lot of dangerous threats in the tier, such as Dragonite and Metagross, so it should be used carefully against very aggressive teams and use its bulk to help weaken or status sweepers rather than setting up in these cases. Should Roserade have both Spikes and Toxic Spikes, getting one layer of both should be prioritized, as the second layer is not nearly as useful. Once it has fulfilled its role of getting up entry hazards, freely sacrificing itself for momentum is often best, as it is slow and often cannot heal effectively.
Team Options
========
Roserade is a staple of the Fire-Water-Grass playstyle, as it very effectively lays entry hazards while assisting its Fire- and Water-type teammates such as Heatran, Swampert, and Suicune. Heatran is one its best partners, as both Toxic Spikes and Spikes are highly effective alongside it. Heatran’s Substitute + Protect sets can easily stall out foes such as Swampert and Tyranitar with Toxic Spikes, while Roserade either resists them or hits them super effectively. Roserade is effective with Water-type partners as well, as it can switch into their weaknesses as well as crucially absorb Toxic Spikes. Swampert can help handle aggressive sweepers such as Dragon Dance Tyranitar and Dragonite that Roserade struggles with and very much appreciates entry hazards. Offensive and Substitute Suicune does similarly and can help against Gyarados too. Roserade also loves Steel-types such as Trick + Iron Ball Metagross, Jirachi, and Empoleon to help it deal with Dragon-types such as mixed Flygon, Dragonite, and Latias. To keep entry hazards on the field, Ghost-types such as Rotom-A and Gengar both are very helpful. Both appreciate Roserade’s entry hazards wearing down Tyranitar. As Roserade can let dangerous threats set up, a Choice Scarf revenge killer such as Flygon, Lucario, or Rotom-A is also very helpful. Choice Scarf Tyranitar helps Roserade to keep its entry hazards up by removing Starmie, the most common spinner. However, having multiple weaknessed to Gyarados is unadvised. Offensive sets of good defensive Pokemon such as Swords Dance Gliscor, Calm Mind + Hidden Power Fire Latias, offensive Zapdos, and Hippowdon really appreciate the entry hazard damage and help the archetype deal with threats.
Roserade can also be used as an Spikes setter for hyper offensive teams looking to deal with Swampert without using Gyarados. Some example partners include Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Choice Specs Latias, offensive Starmie, Swords Dance or Choice Band Scizor, and Agility Empoleon.
name: Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Grass Knot / Energy Ball / Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Stun Spore / Toxic Spikes / Sleep Talk
item: Black Sludge
ability: Poison Point / Natural Cure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Roserade’s offensive profile and decent defensive prowess make it a good Spikes user. Grass Knot is Roserade’s best offensive move, OHKOing Swampert and 2HKOing Suicune, most Tyranitar, Gyarados, and Hippowdon. As Grass Knot hits lighter Pokemon such as Clefable and especially Rotom-A for negligible damage, Energy Ball is a reliable alternative. Unfortunately, Energy Ball is not as effective at powering through Tyranitar and offensive Suicune, especially if Suicune has a Calm Mind boost and outspeeds Roserade. Another option to maximize Roserade’s effectiveness against Breloom and Dragon-types such as Latias and Dragonite is Sludge Bomb. However, Poison is not a good offensive typing and leaves Roserade walled by Ground-types.
Hidden Power Fire helps Roserade hit Steel-types such as Skarmory, Scizor, Forretress, Metagross, and Jirachi, generally at worst 3HKOing them. Hidden Power Ice hits Dragon- and Flying-types instead, OHKOing Flygon, Dragonite after Stealth Rock, and Gliscor while doing acceptable damage to Latias. Both Hidden Power Fire and Ice hit Breloom hard. Roserade can also use Hidden Power Ground to hit Heatran or forgo Hidden Power entirely and use a support option such as Aromatherapy or Rest; however, it sorely misses coverage. The last slot is most commonly Stun Spore, as it helps prevent foes from setting up on Roserade unimpeded if it can’t hit them hard. However, Roserade can also use both Spikes and Toxic Spikes to get multiple entry hazards up. Another option is to maximize Roserade’s matchup with Breloom and use Sleep Talk. This is often most effective with either Energy Ball or Sludge Bomb, as both options always break Breloom’s Substitute, or it sets up Spikes.
Set Details
========
Roserade needs heavy Defense investment to survive against foes it checks such as Breloom and Swampert. Maximum HP EVs, near maximum Defense, and a Bold nature emphasize this. The Speed EVs outspeed neutral nature Tyranitar, Swampert, and Empoleon. Roserade has a naturally high Special Defense stat and is a decent mixed wall with full investment. Roserade can also focus on its Special Defense to better answer Electric-types such as Zapdos and Rotom-A, as well as offensive Water-types such as Suicune and Starmie, with an EV spread such as 252 HP / 44 Def / 188 SpD / 24 Spe with a Calm nature. Defensive Roserade should always invest at least 44 Defense EVs to avoid being OHKOed by offensive Swampert’s Earthquake, but can also run around 124 Defense EVs to survive Choice Band Scizor's Bullet Punch. While Roserade does enjoy Natural Cure healing status effects on switch out, Poison Point is the most common ability to better absorb Breloom’s Spore.
Roserade can also use a fully offensive EV spread with Spikes, Grass Knot, one of Hidden Power Fire or Ice, and Sludge Bomb to act as an offensive Spikes user and hit very hard. However, such a set is extraordinarily frail, still doesn’t have amazing coverage, and doesn’t have Sleep Powder to ease setup.
Usage Tips
========
Due to its frailty, Roserade should switch into foes sparingly, preferably coming in on predicted switches or resisted attacks. Even attacks it is meant to take such as Breloom’s Focus Punch and Swampert’s Earthquake can 2HKO it after Stealth Rock. From here, Roserade should try to set up entry hazards immediately, as it often only gets a few turns to make an impact due to residual damage. Roserade, even with Stun Spore, is setup fodder for a lot of dangerous threats in the tier, such as Dragonite and Metagross, so it should be used carefully against very aggressive teams and use its bulk to help weaken or status sweepers rather than setting up in these cases. Should Roserade have both Spikes and Toxic Spikes, getting one layer of both should be prioritized, as the second layer is not nearly as useful. Once it has fulfilled its role of getting up entry hazards, freely sacrificing itself for momentum is often best, as it is slow and often cannot heal effectively.
Team Options
========
Roserade is a staple of the Fire-Water-Grass playstyle, as it very effectively lays entry hazards while assisting its Fire- and Water-type teammates such as Heatran, Swampert, and Suicune. Heatran is one its best partners, as both Toxic Spikes and Spikes are highly effective alongside it. Heatran’s Substitute + Protect sets can easily stall out foes such as Swampert and Tyranitar with Toxic Spikes, while Roserade either resists them or hits them super effectively. Roserade is effective with Water-type partners as well, as it can switch into their weaknesses as well as crucially absorb Toxic Spikes. Swampert can help handle aggressive sweepers such as Dragon Dance Tyranitar and Dragonite that Roserade struggles with and very much appreciates entry hazards. Offensive and Substitute Suicune does similarly and can help against Gyarados too. Roserade also loves Steel-types such as Trick + Iron Ball Metagross, Jirachi, and Empoleon to help it deal with Dragon-types such as mixed Flygon, Dragonite, and Latias. To keep entry hazards on the field, Ghost-types such as Rotom-A and Gengar both are very helpful. Both appreciate Roserade’s entry hazards wearing down Tyranitar. As Roserade can let dangerous threats set up, a Choice Scarf revenge killer such as Flygon, Lucario, or Rotom-A is also very helpful. Choice Scarf Tyranitar helps Roserade to keep its entry hazards up by removing Starmie, the most common spinner. However, having multiple weaknessed to Gyarados is unadvised. Offensive sets of good defensive Pokemon such as Swords Dance Gliscor, Calm Mind + Hidden Power Fire Latias, offensive Zapdos, and Hippowdon really appreciate the entry hazard damage and help the archetype deal with threats.
Roserade can also be used as an Spikes setter for hyper offensive teams looking to deal with Swampert without using Gyarados. Some example partners include Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Choice Specs Latias, offensive Starmie, Swords Dance or Choice Band Scizor, and Agility Empoleon.
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