Useful in and out of water, unlike the Frog suit!
[SET]
Stealth Rock Support (Empoleon) @ Leftovers / Sitrus Berry / Air Balloon
Ability: Competitive
Tera Type: Flying / Fairy / Grass
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm / Sassy Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Yawn / Roar / Roost
- Flash Cannon / Ice Beam
- Flip Turn / Surf / Roost
[SET COMMENTS]
* Empoleon's fantastic typing and good movepool make it a great choice for a specially defensive Stealth Rock setter.
* **Yawn versus Roar**: Yawn has fantastic synergy with Stealth Rock, forcing foes to either take damage or be put to Sleep. Roar is more reliant on Stealth Rock being set up first, but it isn't as vulnerable to common Substitute foes like Iron Bundle.
* **Flash Cannon versus Ice Beam**: Flash Cannon is the preferred STAB move for dealing good damage to Flutter Mane and Iron Bundle. Ice Beam is still worth considering for dealing far more damage to Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor though.
* **Flip Turn versus Surf**: Flip Turn makes Empoleon a good pivot despite its low damage output, though Surf is still a reasonable alternative for doing good damage against Ground-types.
* **Roost**: Despite Empoleon's good defensive profile, Roost can be hard to fit in since it means either giving up support or coverage. Still, it does make Empoleon a better check with Flutter Mane when paired with Flash Cannon.
* **Calm versus Sassy**: In addition to making Flip Turn stronger, Sassy's lower Speed can help Empoleon pivot out last. However, Sassy forces a Speed tie with 4 Speed EV Ursaluna-B unless 20 Speed EVs are used. If the power drop isn't an issue, a Calm nature with a Speed IV of 17 can be used to reach the same Speed.
Tera Types
=====
* **Tera Dependency - Low**: Empoleon's superb typing means Terastallization should only be used to flip certain troublesome match-ups.
* **Flying**: Tera Flying floats above common Ground-types such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Ursaluna-B, and it additionally grants an important Fighting-type resistance.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy is a good response against Fighting-types like Urshifu while making Electric-types such as Zapdos and Vikavolt less problematic.
* **Grass**: In addition to a Ground-type resistance (though this can be risky against Landorus-T), Tera Grass saves Empoleon from Breloom's Spore.
* **Bug**: Bug isn't normally a great defensive type, but the resistances to Fighting and Ground, combined with not being weak to Electric, makes it a viable choice on Empoleon.
Items
========
* **Leftovers**: Leftovers is the most reliable healing item, especially when getting free turns with Yawn.
* **Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry's quick burst of recovery is a decent alternative to Leftovers. Make sure to use 244 HP EVs with it so it activates after getting hit by Ting-Lu's Ruination.
* **Air Balloon**: Empoleon is an especially effective user of Air Balloon with its offensive advantages against Ground-types, doing especially well against Gliscor thanks to Empoleon's Toxic immunity.
[SET]
Assault Vest (Empoleon) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Competitive / Torrent
Tera Type: Water / Fairy / Flying
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Flash Cannon
- Surf / Flip Turn
- Ice Beam / Grass Knot
- Flip Turn / Vacuum Wave / Grass Knot
[SET COMMENTS]
* Empoleon's vital advantages against Fairy-types and good Special Attack make it a fantastic Assault Vest tank.
* **Surf**: Surf is a reliable secondary STAB move that's particularly good against Ursaluna-B.
* **Ice Beam versus Grass Knot**: Ice Beam has a multitude of high value targets, such as Dragonite, Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Gliscor. Grass Knot's coverage is less impressive, but it prevents Empoleon from being totally walled by bulky Water-types like Dondozo and Milotic.
* **Flip Turn**: Flip Turn will require giving up coverage or priority, but Empoleon is a bulky enough pivot to justify it.
* **Vacuum Wave**: While not being a strong priority move, Vacuum Wave is great for picking off weakened threats, especially Chien-Pao.
* **Competitive versus Torrent**: Competitive is the most reliable option for checking Flutter Mane, punishing Charm variants and ensuring that Special Attack drops from Moonblast turn into an advantage. Torrent can make some sense with Tera Water though, making Surf very difficult to switch into.
Tera Types
=======
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Empoleon relies on its excellent typing to be a great Assault Vest tank, but its lack of recovery means Terastallazation can still be important for flipping certain match-ups.
* **Water**: Tera Water vastly improves Empoleon's match-up against common Ground-types like Ursaluna-B and Landorus-T, removing the Earthquake / Earth Power weakness and having a powerful Surf.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy is a great response against Fighting-types like Urshifu and also lets Empoleon tank Electric-types like Zapdos and Vikavolt more reliably.
* **Flying**: Tera Flying's Ground-type immunity is perfect for saving it from sweepers like Garchomp and Landorus-T, and it additionally removes grievances with Dondozo's Fissure.
* **Grass**: Tera Grass protects Empoleon from Breloom's Spore and makes Grass Knot more desirable.
[Credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theorymon.29010/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/thick-fat-azumarill.330577/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tea-guzzler.577920/
Last edited:
