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Overview
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Linoone is a great late-game cleaner thanks to its unique access to both Belly Drum and Extreme Speed. Linoone also has a decent base 70 Attack, allowing it to hit 1048 Attack after Belly Drum. Linoone is also extremely fast with base 100 Speed, but because Linoone has a +2 priority move in Extreme Speed, the high Speed stat isn't all that needed. Linoone's underwhelming 78 / 61 / 61 bulk makes it hard to set up Belly Drum, as it cuts its HP by 50%. Linoone therefore needs a lot of support from moves such as Memento and dual screens.
Belly Drum
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name: Belly Drum
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Shadow Claw
move 4: Seed Bomb
ability: Pickup
item: Sitrus Berry
evs: 172 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Def / 40 SpD
nature: Adamant
Moves
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Belly Drum boosts Linoone's Attack by six stages, allowing it to hit 1048 Attack. Extreme Speed is a strong Normal-type STAB move that also has +2 priority. Shadow Claw is used to hit Ghost-types which are immune to Extreme Speed, such as Mismagius, Spiritomb, Rotom, Golurk, and Gourgeist. Seed Bomb is used to OHKO threats such as Seismitoad, Rhydon, and Lanturn.
Set Details
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252 Attack EVs are used to maximize Linoone's sweeping potential, with the remaining EVs put in HP, Defense, and Special Defense to bolster Linoone's mixed bulk. Adamant is the preferred nature as it provides the most power. Sitrus Berry is used to recover 25% of Linoone's HP after using Belly Drum. Pickup allows Linoone to get a new item if the opponent has used it, and is the preferred ability since Gluttony is mostly useless.
Usage Tips
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Linoone works really well as a late-game cleaner. However, Linoone often has trouble breaking through Steel- and Rock-types such as Steelix, Klinklang, Pawniard, Ferroseed, and Probopass. After a Belly Drum, Linoone is extremely powerful, and will almost always go first thanks to its +2 priority STAB move in Extreme Speed. However, Linoone will often end up being outpaced when using its coverage moves. Physically bulkier Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Tangela, and Spiritomb can take a hit and KO Linoone back. It is therefore strongly recommended that you weaken these threats before attempting a sweep. However, it can often be hard for Linoone to set up Belly Drum due to its underwhelming bulk, but it is certainly possible with the right support, such as Memento and dual screens. There are however a few Pokemon it can set up on, such as Audino and -2 Dragalge. Linoone can also take advantage of Ghost-types using Choice Scarf, such as Rotom and Haunter, locked into Shadow Ball.
Team Options
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Due to Linoone's frailty, dual screens and Memento support are greatly appreciated so that it can set up Belly Drum more easily. Uxie is a great teammate, having access to dual screens as well as Memento. Entry hazard setters are strongly recommended, giving Linoone KOs on Pokemon such as defensive Slurpuff, certain Spiritomb sets, Musharna, Vileplume, and Granbull, as well as breaking Sturdy. Good hazard setters include Omastar, Crustle, Qwilfish, Accelgor, and Ferroseed. Meowstic-M, Xatu, and Serperior are also good teammates thanks to their ability to set up dual screens. Teammates that can deal with Steel-types such as Sawk, Pyroar, Typhlosion, and Gurdurr are also appreciated. Ursaring is also a good teammate for Linoone thanks to its ability to lure in one of its best counters, Spiritomb, and OHKOing it with +2 Play Rough while dealing with most Pokemon that wall Linoone with Close Combat.
Other Options
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Rock Smash can be used to OHKO Rock- and Steel-types such as Probopass and Pawniard, but Linoone must be careful with Pawniard's Sucker Punch. Iron Tail and Gunk Shot can be used, but are not recommended as they don't offer enough coverage to be worth a moveslot. Play Rough can be used because it allows Linoone to OHKO Gurdurr and Spiritomb after Belly Drum. Linoone can also use a set with Salac Berry and Natural Gift so it can deal with Steel-type Pokemon more easily. Salac Berry can also be used with Gluttony and maximum Speed investment to outspeed and OHKO threats such as Mismagius with Shadow Claw. Linoone can also use a set with Choice Band, making it a decent revenge killer thanks to Extreme Speed. Silk Scarf can be used to boost the power of Extreme Speed. Substitute can be used, as it allows Linoone to set up on opponents that have a status move, such as Weezing.
Checks & Counters
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**Steel-types**: Steel-types, namely Steelix, Klinklang, Probopass, and Ferroseed, are all Pokemon Linoone have big problems getting through.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Bulkier Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Spiritomb, and Tangela can easily survive any of Linoone's moves, and are also being able to OHKO it back.
**Faster Ghost-types**: Faster Ghost-types, especially those that run Choice Scarf such as Rotom and Haunter, can outspeed Adamant Linoone with maximum Speed investment and OHKO it.
**Status**: All sorts of status aliments are a problem for Linoone. Paralysis makes Linoone very reliant on Extreme Speed and it risks being fully paralyzed. Sleep completely stops Linoone's sweep. Poison wears it quickly down and burn halves Linoone's Attack.
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