[Overview]
Nihilego is a very unusual Pokemon. It has a unique typing that makes it a problem for many important threats, such as Tapu Koko and Volcarona. It's strange stat distribution also lets it outspeed the important Garchomp, and take special hits surprisingly well. Combine this with Beast Boost, and against the right teams, Nihilego can be a frightening cleaner that isn't stopped by common specially based revenge killers! However, Nihilego has a pathetic Defense stat that physical Pokemon can easily exploit, and Nihilego has problems covering all of its physical threats with one moveset, leading to it getting benched more often than some teams like.
Below are some sample sets. These sets are likely to be standard, but they will be expanded upon and updated as the metagame progresses.
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Power Gem
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Stealth Rock / Thunderbolt / Grass Knot / Psychic
item: Focus Sash
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Power Gem is an excellent STAB, letting Nihilego take out important threats such as Mega Charizard Y, Thundurus-T, and Volcarona.
* Sludge Wave is Nihilego's strongest STAB attack, making it a perfect revenge killer for Fairy-types.
* Hidden Power Ice lets Nihilego fully take advantage of its extra speed point over Garchomp, making it a potential revenge killer of non Choice Scarf carrying variants.
* Nihilego is a great offensive setter of Stealth Rock due to the switches it forces out against many offensive Pokemon.
* If Stealth Rock isn't important, extra coverage can go a long way towards patching up some of Nihilego's common problems. Thunderbolt does decent damage to Celesteela and Suicune, while Grass Knot deals massive damage to Mamoswine. Psychic can be used to hit Mega Gengar much harder than usual.
* Although unusual, running Hidden Power Fire can be a reasonable option to deal massive damage to Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor switch-ins. Just be warned, this makes Garchomp a hard counter to Nihilego, with Dazzling Gleam becoming the only way Nihilego can deal good damage to it.
* Focus Sash is usually the best item for Nihilego to get around its extreme weakness to physical attacks, letting it revenge kill threats it normally couldn't such as boosted Mega Charizard X.
* If Focus Sash is already used up, Life Orb can make an acceptable alternative for the power boost it gives Nihilego, though it does make it harder to play due to its physical frailness.
* Maximum Special Attack is important for ensuring that Beast Boost gives Nihilego a Special Attack boost, making it capable of sweeping teams. Maximum Speed is also needed to outspeed the common Garchomp.
* Any team with Nihilego will want some sort of Ground-type switch in, since even Special Ground-type attacks deal massive damage to Nihilego. Pokemon that take physical hits well are also much appreciated.
* If the plan is to make Nihilego a win condition, taking out Steel-types is very important, since these are the Pokemon that wall Nihilego the most.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Power Gem
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Thunderbolt / Grass Knot / Psychic
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Choice Scarf lets Nihilego revenge kill important, boosted threats such as Mega Charizard X and Volcarona, and it also makes Nihilego a dangerous late game cleaner.
* Power Gem is Nihilego's STAB with the least resistances, making it a reliable choice.
* Sludge Wave does a great job of smashing through Fairy-types, though note the ever present Steel-type immunity to it.
* Hidden Power Ice deals massive damage to Garchomp. While Nihilego is unlikely to sweep while locked into Hidden Power Ice, revenge killing Garchomp is too good to give up.
* Thunderbolt lets Nihilego deal decent damage to Celesteela and Suicune, though it's unlikely to beat healthy variants one-on-one. Grass Knot hits Mamoswine hard, giving Nihileglo a new target to revenge kill once weakened. Psychic lets Nihilego deal more damage to Mega Gengar and Blaziken than any other move.
* Leave this Nihilego for late game or revenge killing only, since it's very easy to set up on Nihilego if its locked into the wrong move.
* Teams with Choice Scarf Nihilego will want checks for Steel-types such as Mega Mawile, since Nihilego can't possibly cover them all with one moveset.
Nihilego is a very unusual Pokemon. It has a unique typing that makes it a problem for many important threats, such as Tapu Koko and Volcarona. It's strange stat distribution also lets it outspeed the important Garchomp, and take special hits surprisingly well. Combine this with Beast Boost, and against the right teams, Nihilego can be a frightening cleaner that isn't stopped by common specially based revenge killers! However, Nihilego has a pathetic Defense stat that physical Pokemon can easily exploit, and Nihilego has problems covering all of its physical threats with one moveset, leading to it getting benched more often than some teams like.
Below are some sample sets. These sets are likely to be standard, but they will be expanded upon and updated as the metagame progresses.
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Power Gem
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Stealth Rock / Thunderbolt / Grass Knot / Psychic
item: Focus Sash
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Power Gem is an excellent STAB, letting Nihilego take out important threats such as Mega Charizard Y, Thundurus-T, and Volcarona.
* Sludge Wave is Nihilego's strongest STAB attack, making it a perfect revenge killer for Fairy-types.
* Hidden Power Ice lets Nihilego fully take advantage of its extra speed point over Garchomp, making it a potential revenge killer of non Choice Scarf carrying variants.
* Nihilego is a great offensive setter of Stealth Rock due to the switches it forces out against many offensive Pokemon.
* If Stealth Rock isn't important, extra coverage can go a long way towards patching up some of Nihilego's common problems. Thunderbolt does decent damage to Celesteela and Suicune, while Grass Knot deals massive damage to Mamoswine. Psychic can be used to hit Mega Gengar much harder than usual.
* Although unusual, running Hidden Power Fire can be a reasonable option to deal massive damage to Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor switch-ins. Just be warned, this makes Garchomp a hard counter to Nihilego, with Dazzling Gleam becoming the only way Nihilego can deal good damage to it.
* Focus Sash is usually the best item for Nihilego to get around its extreme weakness to physical attacks, letting it revenge kill threats it normally couldn't such as boosted Mega Charizard X.
* If Focus Sash is already used up, Life Orb can make an acceptable alternative for the power boost it gives Nihilego, though it does make it harder to play due to its physical frailness.
* Maximum Special Attack is important for ensuring that Beast Boost gives Nihilego a Special Attack boost, making it capable of sweeping teams. Maximum Speed is also needed to outspeed the common Garchomp.
* Any team with Nihilego will want some sort of Ground-type switch in, since even Special Ground-type attacks deal massive damage to Nihilego. Pokemon that take physical hits well are also much appreciated.
* If the plan is to make Nihilego a win condition, taking out Steel-types is very important, since these are the Pokemon that wall Nihilego the most.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Power Gem
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Thunderbolt / Grass Knot / Psychic
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Choice Scarf lets Nihilego revenge kill important, boosted threats such as Mega Charizard X and Volcarona, and it also makes Nihilego a dangerous late game cleaner.
* Power Gem is Nihilego's STAB with the least resistances, making it a reliable choice.
* Sludge Wave does a great job of smashing through Fairy-types, though note the ever present Steel-type immunity to it.
* Hidden Power Ice deals massive damage to Garchomp. While Nihilego is unlikely to sweep while locked into Hidden Power Ice, revenge killing Garchomp is too good to give up.
* Thunderbolt lets Nihilego deal decent damage to Celesteela and Suicune, though it's unlikely to beat healthy variants one-on-one. Grass Knot hits Mamoswine hard, giving Nihileglo a new target to revenge kill once weakened. Psychic lets Nihilego deal more damage to Mega Gengar and Blaziken than any other move.
* Leave this Nihilego for late game or revenge killing only, since it's very easy to set up on Nihilego if its locked into the wrong move.
* Teams with Choice Scarf Nihilego will want checks for Steel-types such as Mega Mawile, since Nihilego can't possibly cover them all with one moveset.
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