[SET]
name: Support Wonder Guard
move 1: Baton Pass / King's Shield
move 2: Defog / Stealth Rock
move 3: Aromatherapy / Whirlwind
move 4: Recover / Wish
item: Shed Shell
ability: Wonder Guard
nature: Bold / Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
ivs: 0 Atk
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its titanic bulk, decent Speed tier, and good pure Psychic typing, Cresselia is an excellent support Wonder Guard user, reliably providing cleric support, Wish passing, entry hazard removal, entry hazard setting, and pivoting support for its teammates. In addition to the utility a pivoting move provides, Baton Pass also allows Cresselia to escape its greatest enemy—Pursuit—provided it is faster than its foe. Thankfully, Cresselia is naturally faster than the most common Pursuit user, Huge Power Mega Gyarados. Alternatively, King's Shield eases Cresselia's matchup versus Pursuit users while also improving Cresselia's matchup against powerful physical foes like Choice Band Mold Breaker Mega Rayquaza. Defog and Aromatherapy are extremely valuable support options on the majority of team structures, but if another teammate is carrying either one, Cresselia can also opt to support its team with Stealth Rock instead. Whirlwind is another option that synergizes well with entry hazards and allows Cresselia to force out Substitute + Baton Pass Wonder Guard users like Xerneas. Finally, recovery is essential for this set to function. Recover's immediate recovery is usually superior on sets lacking King's Shield, while Wish allows Cresselia to support its teammates and has good synergy with both King's Shield and Baton Pass. Shed Shell is the preferred item, as it makes Cresselia much more resilient against Shadow Tag users, requiring a teammate to remove its item with Trick or Knock Off before it can be trapped. A physically defensive EV spread is used to better scout Choice Band Mold Breaker users, as Cresselia's typing and natural bulk allow it to switch into the likes of Choice Specs Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza once even without investment. A Bold Nature and 31 Speed IVs allow Cresselia to outspeed opposing Mega Gyarados with no Speed EVs, allowing it to escape Mega Gyarados's Pursuit with Baton Pass. Alternatively, if vulnerability to Pursuit trappers isn't a concern, a Relaxed nature and 0 Speed IVs can be used to allow Cresselia to underspeed other common slow pivots such as Xerneas and Primal Kyogre.
Like is the case with all support Wonder Guard users, most teams benefit from the utility Cresselia can provide in the form of Aromatherapy, entry hazard removal or setting, pivoting, and Wish passing. In addition, Cresselia can also support Huge Power or Protean teammates lacking a Dark-, Bug-, or Ghost-type attack as a switch-in for them against Imposter users. Cresselia can similarly support Choice Specs Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza against Imposter users. Wonder Guard Xerneas is a particularly notable teammate for Cresselia, as it has an excellent matchup against Huge Power Mega Gyarados and other Pursuit trappers in addition to forming a strong Wonder Guard core with it. Alternatively, Cresselia can also pair well with offensive Wonder Guard users like Mega Lucario and Shell Smash Xerneas thanks to their positive matchup into Pursuit users, as well as Cresselia's own ability to effectively compress the roles of cleric and defogger. Offensive Shadow Tag users that aren't weak to Water, such as a Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, also make effective teammates for Cresselia, as they can trap and remove the aforementioned Mega Gyarados. Ironically, Cresselia's greatest nemeses—Huge Power Dark-types like Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, and Yveltal—are also stellar teammates for it, serving as offensive checks against Shell Smash Mold Breaker users, especially with Sucker Punch. Similarly, -ate Speed users such as Mega Rayquaza and Mega Abomasnow are also excellent teammates for that same ability to check and revenge kill Shell Smash Mold Breaker users. In addition, -ate Speed users are excellent entry hazard setters and can either form a entry hazard stacking core with Cresselia or free up a moveslot for Whirlwind or other utility move.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
116 Speed EVs can be used outpace and escape Huge Power Yveltal's Pursuit, though doing so comes at the cost of Cresselia's survivability versus Mold Breaker users, as well as the ability to underspeed minimum Speed Wonder Guard Arceus. A specially defensive set, though hard to justify when Cresselia is so effective at scouting physically offensive Mold Breakers, is also an option to improve Cresselia's matchup against Choice Specs Mold Breaker users and to let it survive a single Bug Buzz from Protean Latios. Colbur Berry is another option to improve Cresselia's matchup against Pursuit trappers, allowing it to risk the 50 / 50 a single time versus Mega Gyarados; however, forgoing Shed Shell comes at the cost of increased vulnerability to Shadow Tag users like Perish Song Lugia. Safety Goggles is another option that can allow Cresselia to soft check some Spore Mold Breaker Shell Smash sweepers alongside either Whirlwind or Glare—although it similarly leaves Cresselia vulnerable to Shadow Tag users. Mail is a final option to make Cresselia immune to Trick.
Though a little difficult to fit, Glare is an option to punish Mold Breaker users like Mega Gengar that Cresselia lures in. Similarly, Will-O-Wisp is an option to cripple incoming Huge Power users, continuously chip special attackers lacking recovery, and to limit the number of times Substitute + Baton Pass users like Xerneas and Mega Mewtwo Y can use Substitute. Substitute can be used alongside Baton Pass, but this role is typically filled better by less passive Wonder Guard users, such as Xerneas. Perish Song is an alternative to Whirlwind to put any opponent, but especially Whirlwind-immune Substitute + Baton Pass Magic Bounce users, on a timer. Magic Coat is an option to reflect sleep moves from Mold Breaker users like Primal Groudon looking to use Cresselia as a setup opportunity, as well as Parting Shot and Stealth Rock from -ate Speed users like Mega Abomasnow and Sing, Gastro Acid, Taunt, and Spider Web from No Guard users. Finally, a set with both King's Shield and Baton Pass is viable, but it severely limits the utility Cresselia can offer its team.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Huge Power Pursuit**: Despite measures to mitigate Cresselia's weakness to Pursuit, it is still very vulnerable to Huge Power Pursuit users like Mega Gyarados and Yveltal. Even if running additional speed EVs to outpace Yveltal, Cresselia still has to be wary of being trapped while paralyzed or afflicted with a Speed drop from Sticky Web, especially since Cresselia is often the team's cleric and entry hazard remover. Sets lacking Baton Pass have to be played even more carefully in a matchup versus Huge Power Pursuit.
**Knock Off**: Thanks to its Dark-type weakness, Cresselia is vulnerable to having its Shed Shell removed by Knock Off, leaving it vulnerable to Shadow Tag users, or just being outright KOed by Dark-type Huge Power users.
**Trick**: Unless it's holding Mail, Trick users can hinder Cresselia for the entirety of the match, forcing it to either use Baton Pass or relinquish momentum.
**Powerful Mold Breaker Users**: Shell Smash Mold Breakers like Mega Gengar, Mega Tyranitar, Mega Diancie, and Arceus can swap in on nearly every Cresselia set risk free use it as setup fodder. In addition, if Cresselia forgoes King's Shield, it's also forced out without much difficulty by Choice Band Primal Groudon.
**Prankster Giratina**: Like is the case with most defensive Wonder Guard users, Prankster Giratina can come in on virtually every Cresselia set and force it out with Encore, chip it with Will-O-Wisp, or leave it vulnerable to Pursuit trapping with Glare.
**Unfavorable Matchup**: Despite its impressive bulk, like any Wonder Guard user, Cresselia is still vulnerable to being OHKOed by powerful foes carrying the right coverage such as Beat Up Huge Power Mega Mewtwo X and Bug Buzz Protean Mega Latios. King's Shield variants of Cresselia, however, can scout the aforementioned foes and somewhat mitigate the disadvantage of an unfavorable matchup.
[CREDITS]
- Written by [[Daylight, 562267]]
- Quality checked by: [[Mbouchon, 515077], [berry, 226455]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]]]
name: Support Wonder Guard
move 1: Baton Pass / King's Shield
move 2: Defog / Stealth Rock
move 3: Aromatherapy / Whirlwind
move 4: Recover / Wish
item: Shed Shell
ability: Wonder Guard
nature: Bold / Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
ivs: 0 Atk
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its titanic bulk, decent Speed tier, and good pure Psychic typing, Cresselia is an excellent support Wonder Guard user, reliably providing cleric support, Wish passing, entry hazard removal, entry hazard setting, and pivoting support for its teammates. In addition to the utility a pivoting move provides, Baton Pass also allows Cresselia to escape its greatest enemy—Pursuit—provided it is faster than its foe. Thankfully, Cresselia is naturally faster than the most common Pursuit user, Huge Power Mega Gyarados. Alternatively, King's Shield eases Cresselia's matchup versus Pursuit users while also improving Cresselia's matchup against powerful physical foes like Choice Band Mold Breaker Mega Rayquaza. Defog and Aromatherapy are extremely valuable support options on the majority of team structures, but if another teammate is carrying either one, Cresselia can also opt to support its team with Stealth Rock instead. Whirlwind is another option that synergizes well with entry hazards and allows Cresselia to force out Substitute + Baton Pass Wonder Guard users like Xerneas. Finally, recovery is essential for this set to function. Recover's immediate recovery is usually superior on sets lacking King's Shield, while Wish allows Cresselia to support its teammates and has good synergy with both King's Shield and Baton Pass. Shed Shell is the preferred item, as it makes Cresselia much more resilient against Shadow Tag users, requiring a teammate to remove its item with Trick or Knock Off before it can be trapped. A physically defensive EV spread is used to better scout Choice Band Mold Breaker users, as Cresselia's typing and natural bulk allow it to switch into the likes of Choice Specs Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza once even without investment. A Bold Nature and 31 Speed IVs allow Cresselia to outspeed opposing Mega Gyarados with no Speed EVs, allowing it to escape Mega Gyarados's Pursuit with Baton Pass. Alternatively, if vulnerability to Pursuit trappers isn't a concern, a Relaxed nature and 0 Speed IVs can be used to allow Cresselia to underspeed other common slow pivots such as Xerneas and Primal Kyogre.
Like is the case with all support Wonder Guard users, most teams benefit from the utility Cresselia can provide in the form of Aromatherapy, entry hazard removal or setting, pivoting, and Wish passing. In addition, Cresselia can also support Huge Power or Protean teammates lacking a Dark-, Bug-, or Ghost-type attack as a switch-in for them against Imposter users. Cresselia can similarly support Choice Specs Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza against Imposter users. Wonder Guard Xerneas is a particularly notable teammate for Cresselia, as it has an excellent matchup against Huge Power Mega Gyarados and other Pursuit trappers in addition to forming a strong Wonder Guard core with it. Alternatively, Cresselia can also pair well with offensive Wonder Guard users like Mega Lucario and Shell Smash Xerneas thanks to their positive matchup into Pursuit users, as well as Cresselia's own ability to effectively compress the roles of cleric and defogger. Offensive Shadow Tag users that aren't weak to Water, such as a Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, also make effective teammates for Cresselia, as they can trap and remove the aforementioned Mega Gyarados. Ironically, Cresselia's greatest nemeses—Huge Power Dark-types like Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, and Yveltal—are also stellar teammates for it, serving as offensive checks against Shell Smash Mold Breaker users, especially with Sucker Punch. Similarly, -ate Speed users such as Mega Rayquaza and Mega Abomasnow are also excellent teammates for that same ability to check and revenge kill Shell Smash Mold Breaker users. In addition, -ate Speed users are excellent entry hazard setters and can either form a entry hazard stacking core with Cresselia or free up a moveslot for Whirlwind or other utility move.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
116 Speed EVs can be used outpace and escape Huge Power Yveltal's Pursuit, though doing so comes at the cost of Cresselia's survivability versus Mold Breaker users, as well as the ability to underspeed minimum Speed Wonder Guard Arceus. A specially defensive set, though hard to justify when Cresselia is so effective at scouting physically offensive Mold Breakers, is also an option to improve Cresselia's matchup against Choice Specs Mold Breaker users and to let it survive a single Bug Buzz from Protean Latios. Colbur Berry is another option to improve Cresselia's matchup against Pursuit trappers, allowing it to risk the 50 / 50 a single time versus Mega Gyarados; however, forgoing Shed Shell comes at the cost of increased vulnerability to Shadow Tag users like Perish Song Lugia. Safety Goggles is another option that can allow Cresselia to soft check some Spore Mold Breaker Shell Smash sweepers alongside either Whirlwind or Glare—although it similarly leaves Cresselia vulnerable to Shadow Tag users. Mail is a final option to make Cresselia immune to Trick.
Though a little difficult to fit, Glare is an option to punish Mold Breaker users like Mega Gengar that Cresselia lures in. Similarly, Will-O-Wisp is an option to cripple incoming Huge Power users, continuously chip special attackers lacking recovery, and to limit the number of times Substitute + Baton Pass users like Xerneas and Mega Mewtwo Y can use Substitute. Substitute can be used alongside Baton Pass, but this role is typically filled better by less passive Wonder Guard users, such as Xerneas. Perish Song is an alternative to Whirlwind to put any opponent, but especially Whirlwind-immune Substitute + Baton Pass Magic Bounce users, on a timer. Magic Coat is an option to reflect sleep moves from Mold Breaker users like Primal Groudon looking to use Cresselia as a setup opportunity, as well as Parting Shot and Stealth Rock from -ate Speed users like Mega Abomasnow and Sing, Gastro Acid, Taunt, and Spider Web from No Guard users. Finally, a set with both King's Shield and Baton Pass is viable, but it severely limits the utility Cresselia can offer its team.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Huge Power Pursuit**: Despite measures to mitigate Cresselia's weakness to Pursuit, it is still very vulnerable to Huge Power Pursuit users like Mega Gyarados and Yveltal. Even if running additional speed EVs to outpace Yveltal, Cresselia still has to be wary of being trapped while paralyzed or afflicted with a Speed drop from Sticky Web, especially since Cresselia is often the team's cleric and entry hazard remover. Sets lacking Baton Pass have to be played even more carefully in a matchup versus Huge Power Pursuit.
**Knock Off**: Thanks to its Dark-type weakness, Cresselia is vulnerable to having its Shed Shell removed by Knock Off, leaving it vulnerable to Shadow Tag users, or just being outright KOed by Dark-type Huge Power users.
**Trick**: Unless it's holding Mail, Trick users can hinder Cresselia for the entirety of the match, forcing it to either use Baton Pass or relinquish momentum.
**Powerful Mold Breaker Users**: Shell Smash Mold Breakers like Mega Gengar, Mega Tyranitar, Mega Diancie, and Arceus can swap in on nearly every Cresselia set risk free use it as setup fodder. In addition, if Cresselia forgoes King's Shield, it's also forced out without much difficulty by Choice Band Primal Groudon.
**Prankster Giratina**: Like is the case with most defensive Wonder Guard users, Prankster Giratina can come in on virtually every Cresselia set and force it out with Encore, chip it with Will-O-Wisp, or leave it vulnerable to Pursuit trapping with Glare.
**Unfavorable Matchup**: Despite its impressive bulk, like any Wonder Guard user, Cresselia is still vulnerable to being OHKOed by powerful foes carrying the right coverage such as Beat Up Huge Power Mega Mewtwo X and Bug Buzz Protean Mega Latios. King's Shield variants of Cresselia, however, can scout the aforementioned foes and somewhat mitigate the disadvantage of an unfavorable matchup.
[CREDITS]
- Written by [[Daylight, 562267]]
- Quality checked by: [[Mbouchon, 515077], [berry, 226455]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]]]
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