Amaroq
Cover me.
Primarina
QC: [3/3]
GP: [1/1]
[OVERVIEW]
* Strong offensive stats, a great offensive typing, and an excellent movepool allow Primarina to serve as a dangerous wallbreaker.
* A good defensive typing and nice natural bulk enable Primarina to find opportunities to switch in or to survive a hit from faster Pokemon and retaliate.
* Primarina's typing provides it with valuable resistances and a small number of weaknesses.
* Primarina is held back by its Defense and Speed and lacks the ability to boost its stats in a meaningful way.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Scald / Energy Ball
item: Choice Specs
ability: Torrent
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Hydro Pump is Primarina's strongest available STAB move with no significant drawbacks other than its accuracy.
* Moonblast is its secondary STAB move and balances power and accuracy.
* Psychic hits Amoonguss and Tentacruel.
* Scald is a more reliable Water-type STAB move and can also be used to fish for burns.
* Energy Ball hits Empoleon neutrally and allows Primarina to win against Slowbro and Suicune if it switches in as they use Calm Mind.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment and Choice Specs allow Primarina to maximize its wallbreaking potential.
* A Timid nature allows Primarina to outspeed everything up to neutral-natured base 70s like Adamant Scizor and Bisharp whereas a Modest one maximizes damage.
* Torrent boosts the power of Primarina's Water-type STAB moves when it's at 1/3 of its maximum HP or lower.
* Primarina's defensive typing and natural bulk allow it to survive a large number of attacks and retaliate with a Torrent-boosted STAB move.
Usage Tips
========
* Use Primarina as an early- or mid-game wallbreaker.
* Take advantage of slow, bulky Pokemon that are threatened by Primarina's STAB moves.
* Primarina has the bulk to take a neutral hit or two in order to remove a threat.
* Utilize Primarina's typing to create switch-in opportunities.
Team Options
========
* Pokemon that can provide entry hazard support help Primarina break walls more effectively.
* Fighting-types can pressure special walls like Blissey and Empoleon. Cobalion resists Grass-type attacks, is immune to Poison-type attacks, and can break through Empoleon and Blissey with STAB Close Combat, while Primarina can lure Tentacruel with Psychic. Infernape can threaten Blissey and Empoleon and also snatch momentum for its team with U-turn, allowing Primarina to switch in freely.
* Dragon-types have good typing synergy with Primarina, resisting Electric- and Grass-type attacks, while Primarina resists Ice-type attacks and is immune to Dragon-type ones. Hydreigon can lure Blissey and Empoleon with Superpower.
* Steel-types cover Primarina's weaknesses to Poison- and Grass-type attacks, while Primarina can handle the Fire- and Fighting-type Pokemon that threaten Steel-types. Choice Band Scizor can provide Primarina with a safe switch via U-turn, threaten Primarina's counters with the appropriate move—Superpower for Blissey and Empoleon, Knock Off for Tentacruel, and U-turn for Amoonguss—and revenge kill faster Primarina checks like Gengar and Mega Aerodactyl. Klefki can provide Spikes support and use Thunder Wave to paralyze faster threats.
* Ground-types like Hippowdon, Krookodile, and Gliscor can take on Electric-types for Primarina.
* U-turn and Volt Switch support helps Primarina switch in more safely. Scizor, Mienshao, Hydreigon, Infernape, and Raikou all make good teammates that can grab momentum and provide Primarina with free switches.
* Primarina is susceptible to all entry hazards. Teammates that can provide entry hazard control in the form of Rapid Spin or Defog can ease pressure on Primarina and improve its longevity. Latias resists Grass- and Electric-type moves and appreciates Primarina's ability to switch into Ice-type attacks. Tsareena also resists Grass- and Electric-type moves, can remove entry hazards with Rapid Spin, and can take on physical attackers, but it shares a Poison-type weakness with Primarina.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Ice Beam hits Grass-types harder than a neutral Moonblast and covers Amoonguss, which resists Moonblast.
* Rest + Sleep Talk and a defensive EV spread can be used to take advantage of Primarina's defensive typing and natural bulk.
* Primarina's support movepool contains moves such as Toxic, Protect, and Encore, but other bulky Water-types tend to offer more utility.
* Sparkling Aria hits through Substitutes but requires the user to give up a move that has more consistent value.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Blissey**: Blissey is the bulkiest special wall in UU and takes a maximum of 37% from a Choice Specs Hydro Pump, although Hydro Pump has a chance to 2HKO if Primarina is in Torrent range. It can then recover off of the damage and then wear Primarina down with Toxic or Seismic Toss.
**Empoleon**: Empoleon resists both of Primarina's STAB moves and takes neutral damage from Energy Ball.
**Tentacruel**: Tentacruel has high Special Defense and resists both of Primarina's STAB moves but must be careful of Psychic.
**Amoonguss**: Amoonguss resists both of Primarina's STAB moves and can threaten Primarina with its STAB moves and Spore but must be wary of Psychic and Ice Beam.
**Venusaur**: Like Amoonguss, Venusaur resists both of Primarina's STAB moves but must avoid Psychic and Ice Beam. Venusaur has more offensive presence than Amoonguss and can set up on Primarina or force it out with powerful STAB attacks.
**Volcanion**: Volcanion resists both of Primarina's STAB moves but is weak to Stealth Rock and requires Sludge Wave, Bloom Doom, or a status move to do anything meaningful back.
**Faster Offensive Pokemon**: Primarina's physical bulk is unimpressive, and its Speed tier leaves it prone to revenge killing. Pokemon like Raikou, Gengar, Magneton, and Celebi can force Primarina out with the threat of their super effective STAB moves, while strong physical attackers like Mega Aerodactyl, Krookodile, and Decidueye can revenge kill it with some prior damage.
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