[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price Range**: 10-12 points
**Overview**: Espathra is very threatening on paper due to its sweeping potential with Speed Boost combined with Calm Mind and Stored Power. It is typically used as a Tera Captain to give it needed coverage for Pokemon that resist its attacks and for better setup potential. However, it is very reliant on lots of support to work properly, as many Pokemon can take advantage of it when it has few boosts due to its weak Stored Power and average Special Attack. Espathra is left vulnerable to disruption and phazing and has many checks that resist or are immune to Stored Power, rendering it nearly useless in some matchups and against opposing teambuilding.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Sweeper**: Espathra uses Calm Mind along with Speed Boost to quickly snowball into a strong sweeper with Stored Power. It often uses Substitute, Protect, or Roost to maintain HP while gaining additional Speed boosts. Espathra has some coverage, such as Dazzling Gleam and Shadow Ball, to hit Pokemon that resist Stored Power, but it can also use Tera Blast for needed coverage.
**Wallbreaker**: Espathra's signature move, Lumina Crash, is a great way to break through specially defensive walls that come in anticipating a setup variant. It can then pivot with U-turn or deal further damage with its coverage options.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Lumina Crash, Stored Power
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind
**Utility Moves**: Roost, Substitute, Protect, Reflect, Light Screen, U-turn
**Coverage**: Dazzling Gleam, Shadow Ball, Flash Cannon, Energy Ball, Tera Blast
Niche Moves
========
**Trick**: Trick can be used alongside a Choice item to shut down opposing wallbreakers or walls that come in anticipating a setup sweeper set.
**Reflect / Light Screen**: Espathra can be used as a fast dual screens setter to enable other win conditions.
**Foul Play**: With Speed Boost, Foul Play can be used to counter opposing Speed-boosting sweepers such as Baxcalibur.
**Hypnosis**: Hypnosis allows Espathra to take advantage of a sleeping Pokemon with more setup opportunities; that is, if it hits.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers can be used on setup sweeper sets alongside Substitute and Protect to maintain HP while building up Speed boosts.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots keeps Espathra as healthy as possible to begin setting up and prevents it from being statused through Toxic Spikes.
Niche Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry can be used as an alternative to Leftovers, especially against Pokemon with attacks that deal around 60% damage to Espathra.
**Mental Herb**: Encore is common counterplay against Espathra, so having a Mental Herb helps it not get stuck into specific moves.
**Light Clay**: Light Clay is used on dual screens sets to ensure the team gains more value from them.
**Weakness Policy**: Espathra can take advantage of weaker attackers that deal super effective damage to instantly gain a large damage boost to Stored Power.
**Electric / Grassy Seed**: Espathra combined with Rillaboom or Pincurchin can use Terrain seeds on setup sets to tank physical attacks more easily.
**Kee Berry**: Kee Berry can be used against weaker physical attackers to boost Espathra's Defense and take even more physical hits.
**Choice Items**: Espathra's below-average coverage makes it difficult to use Choice Specs or Scarf for wallbreaking and cleaning, respectively. However, combined with Trick, its Choice item can be given to opposing wallbreakers or walls.
**Mirror Herb**: On Opportunist sets, Mirror Herb can give Espathra a double boost against opposing setup sweepers, giving it an instantly threatening Stored Power.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry can be good against Thunder Wave users, especially ones with Prankster such as Klefki and Grimmsnarl.
Tera
========
Espathra should not be considered as a team's first choice of Tera Captain. It is extremely one dimensional, has lots of counterplay, and prevents a team from using a more threatening and higher-priced Tera Captain. That being said, it does benefit strongly from Tera due to its less-than-ideal typing and need for coverage options. Offensively, it appreciates Tera types that can help it deal with Psychic-resistant Pokemon, such as Tera Fairy and Fighting. Tera Fairy benefits from a STAB Dazzling Gleam that can hit opposing Dark-types, and Tera Fighting gives it much-needed coverage that can hit Dark- and Steel-types. It can also use defensive Tera types, such as Tera Steel, Dark, and Water, to set up on Pokemon that would typically check it.
Draft Strategy
========
While Espathra appreciates good teammates and can work as a late-round pick, it is not a Pokemon that a team should be entirely built around. It typically works best as an alternative wincon and has a massive intimidation factor that will force a lot of opposing preparation. However, its reliance on Terastallization means the team will not be able to utilize a higher-priced and more versatile Tera Captain.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Espathra appreciates opposing Pokemon being chipped down from entry hazards so that it can sweep a weakened team more easily. Gliscor, Ting-Lu, and Glimmora work as solid entry hazard-setting partners. On the flip side, Espathra wants to stay as healthy as possible, making entry hazard removal important, especially if it does not want to use Heavy-Duty Boots. Solid hazard-removing partners include Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Corviknight.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Opponents typically use specific Pokemon to counter Espathra, such as specially defensive walls or their own physical wallbreakers. Fast physical wallbreakers like Meowscarada and Iron Valiant can help handle these checks. Since Espathra requires specific counterplay, it can double switch to put physical wallbreakers in a very strong position against Espathra's checks.
**Alternative Win Condition**: Espathra has a large intimidation factor, meaning opponents will bring lots of counterplay for it specifically, such as Special Defense EV investment and disruption. Having other potential wincons, such as Garchomp and Roaring Moon, makes it difficult for opponents to be prepared for both options. They can also help enable each other by weakening each other's checks.
**Dual Screens**: Since Espathra is relatively frail, it benefits from dual screens so that it can have more turns to set up while taking less damage. Klefki and Grimmsnarl are solid options with Prankster, but many Pokemon can also run dual screens as a niche, such as Rotom-W.
Checks and Counters
========
**Specially Defensive Walls**: While Espathra can often use Stored Power to eventually break through walls, defensive Pokemon that resist or are immune to Psychic, such as Kingambit and Scream Tail, can be difficult for Espathra to break and force it to run specific coverage. Assault Vest can also be used on Pokemon that don't have disruption or other types of support to check Espathra.
**Disruption and Phazing**: Espathra's predictability in its gameplan allows it to easily be taken advantage of with disruption moves such as Encore and Taunt. This allows other Pokemon to easily break through it without having to worry about it using boosted Stored Power, especially if it can be disrupted early on. Phazing such as Roar or Red Card can also be a great way to force it out, especially if caught before setting up too much.
**Entry Hazards**: Espathra's defenses are relatively frail, meaning it wants to maintain as much health as possible. Entry hazards are able to deal enough damage that it can get knocked out by many opposing wallbreakers. Toxic Spikes especially are annoying for Espathra, since it wants to stay in for as many turns as possible to stack multiple stat boosts.
**Priority**: Even when investing in lots of physical bulk, Espathra struggles against priority attackers, such as Dragonite and Palafin, especially if it has already been weakened.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno6377.527276/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sablolol.466715/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
**Draft Order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price Range**: 10-12 points
**Overview**: Espathra is very threatening on paper due to its sweeping potential with Speed Boost combined with Calm Mind and Stored Power. It is typically used as a Tera Captain to give it needed coverage for Pokemon that resist its attacks and for better setup potential. However, it is very reliant on lots of support to work properly, as many Pokemon can take advantage of it when it has few boosts due to its weak Stored Power and average Special Attack. Espathra is left vulnerable to disruption and phazing and has many checks that resist or are immune to Stored Power, rendering it nearly useless in some matchups and against opposing teambuilding.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Sweeper**: Espathra uses Calm Mind along with Speed Boost to quickly snowball into a strong sweeper with Stored Power. It often uses Substitute, Protect, or Roost to maintain HP while gaining additional Speed boosts. Espathra has some coverage, such as Dazzling Gleam and Shadow Ball, to hit Pokemon that resist Stored Power, but it can also use Tera Blast for needed coverage.
**Wallbreaker**: Espathra's signature move, Lumina Crash, is a great way to break through specially defensive walls that come in anticipating a setup variant. It can then pivot with U-turn or deal further damage with its coverage options.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Lumina Crash, Stored Power
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind
**Utility Moves**: Roost, Substitute, Protect, Reflect, Light Screen, U-turn
**Coverage**: Dazzling Gleam, Shadow Ball, Flash Cannon, Energy Ball, Tera Blast
Niche Moves
========
**Trick**: Trick can be used alongside a Choice item to shut down opposing wallbreakers or walls that come in anticipating a setup sweeper set.
**Reflect / Light Screen**: Espathra can be used as a fast dual screens setter to enable other win conditions.
**Foul Play**: With Speed Boost, Foul Play can be used to counter opposing Speed-boosting sweepers such as Baxcalibur.
**Hypnosis**: Hypnosis allows Espathra to take advantage of a sleeping Pokemon with more setup opportunities; that is, if it hits.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers can be used on setup sweeper sets alongside Substitute and Protect to maintain HP while building up Speed boosts.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots keeps Espathra as healthy as possible to begin setting up and prevents it from being statused through Toxic Spikes.
Niche Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry can be used as an alternative to Leftovers, especially against Pokemon with attacks that deal around 60% damage to Espathra.
**Mental Herb**: Encore is common counterplay against Espathra, so having a Mental Herb helps it not get stuck into specific moves.
**Light Clay**: Light Clay is used on dual screens sets to ensure the team gains more value from them.
**Weakness Policy**: Espathra can take advantage of weaker attackers that deal super effective damage to instantly gain a large damage boost to Stored Power.
**Electric / Grassy Seed**: Espathra combined with Rillaboom or Pincurchin can use Terrain seeds on setup sets to tank physical attacks more easily.
**Kee Berry**: Kee Berry can be used against weaker physical attackers to boost Espathra's Defense and take even more physical hits.
**Choice Items**: Espathra's below-average coverage makes it difficult to use Choice Specs or Scarf for wallbreaking and cleaning, respectively. However, combined with Trick, its Choice item can be given to opposing wallbreakers or walls.
**Mirror Herb**: On Opportunist sets, Mirror Herb can give Espathra a double boost against opposing setup sweepers, giving it an instantly threatening Stored Power.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry can be good against Thunder Wave users, especially ones with Prankster such as Klefki and Grimmsnarl.
Tera
========
Espathra should not be considered as a team's first choice of Tera Captain. It is extremely one dimensional, has lots of counterplay, and prevents a team from using a more threatening and higher-priced Tera Captain. That being said, it does benefit strongly from Tera due to its less-than-ideal typing and need for coverage options. Offensively, it appreciates Tera types that can help it deal with Psychic-resistant Pokemon, such as Tera Fairy and Fighting. Tera Fairy benefits from a STAB Dazzling Gleam that can hit opposing Dark-types, and Tera Fighting gives it much-needed coverage that can hit Dark- and Steel-types. It can also use defensive Tera types, such as Tera Steel, Dark, and Water, to set up on Pokemon that would typically check it.
Draft Strategy
========
While Espathra appreciates good teammates and can work as a late-round pick, it is not a Pokemon that a team should be entirely built around. It typically works best as an alternative wincon and has a massive intimidation factor that will force a lot of opposing preparation. However, its reliance on Terastallization means the team will not be able to utilize a higher-priced and more versatile Tera Captain.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Espathra appreciates opposing Pokemon being chipped down from entry hazards so that it can sweep a weakened team more easily. Gliscor, Ting-Lu, and Glimmora work as solid entry hazard-setting partners. On the flip side, Espathra wants to stay as healthy as possible, making entry hazard removal important, especially if it does not want to use Heavy-Duty Boots. Solid hazard-removing partners include Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Corviknight.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Opponents typically use specific Pokemon to counter Espathra, such as specially defensive walls or their own physical wallbreakers. Fast physical wallbreakers like Meowscarada and Iron Valiant can help handle these checks. Since Espathra requires specific counterplay, it can double switch to put physical wallbreakers in a very strong position against Espathra's checks.
**Alternative Win Condition**: Espathra has a large intimidation factor, meaning opponents will bring lots of counterplay for it specifically, such as Special Defense EV investment and disruption. Having other potential wincons, such as Garchomp and Roaring Moon, makes it difficult for opponents to be prepared for both options. They can also help enable each other by weakening each other's checks.
**Dual Screens**: Since Espathra is relatively frail, it benefits from dual screens so that it can have more turns to set up while taking less damage. Klefki and Grimmsnarl are solid options with Prankster, but many Pokemon can also run dual screens as a niche, such as Rotom-W.
Checks and Counters
========
**Specially Defensive Walls**: While Espathra can often use Stored Power to eventually break through walls, defensive Pokemon that resist or are immune to Psychic, such as Kingambit and Scream Tail, can be difficult for Espathra to break and force it to run specific coverage. Assault Vest can also be used on Pokemon that don't have disruption or other types of support to check Espathra.
**Disruption and Phazing**: Espathra's predictability in its gameplan allows it to easily be taken advantage of with disruption moves such as Encore and Taunt. This allows other Pokemon to easily break through it without having to worry about it using boosted Stored Power, especially if it can be disrupted early on. Phazing such as Roar or Red Card can also be a great way to force it out, especially if caught before setting up too much.
**Entry Hazards**: Espathra's defenses are relatively frail, meaning it wants to maintain as much health as possible. Entry hazards are able to deal enough damage that it can get knocked out by many opposing wallbreakers. Toxic Spikes especially are annoying for Espathra, since it wants to stay in for as many turns as possible to stack multiple stat boosts.
**Priority**: Even when investing in lots of physical bulk, Espathra struggles against priority attackers, such as Dragonite and Palafin, especially if it has already been weakened.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno6377.527276/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sablolol.466715/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
