Phione is UU now, and hence we need an analysis page for him. I'd like someone who has experience with using Phione in UU to volunteer with the writeup of this analysis. Thanks.
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DP Phione
- Thread starter X-Act
- Start date
I'lm having a little go at it, but I'm actually trying to come up with more Movesets that actually work...
Rain Dance / Rest / Surf / Ice Beam seems to be the only thing worth trying, but even Dewgong is arguably better at that with better defensive stats and duel stab, though Phione can boast the None Fighting/Rock weak & Grass Knot.
The fact it doesn't get Calm Mind / Tail Glow is even worse, I wonder why this wasn't UU in the first place.. lol. None the less, I should have something to contribute soon hopefully.
Rain Dance / Rest / Surf / Ice Beam seems to be the only thing worth trying, but even Dewgong is arguably better at that with better defensive stats and duel stab, though Phione can boast the None Fighting/Rock weak & Grass Knot.
The fact it doesn't get Calm Mind / Tail Glow is even worse, I wonder why this wasn't UU in the first place.. lol. None the less, I should have something to contribute soon hopefully.
Great Sage
Banned deucer.
I would argue that U-turn and Grass Knot should be on at least one of the sets, as those two moves are the main things differentiating Phione from the rest of the Water-type crowd.
Yeah, I meant to say that Ice Beam / Grass Knot would be in the main set as the fourth slot. I was working on something with Choice Band along the lines of U-Turn, Waterfall, Return and something else. But I just don't know if it's truely worth it. I'll see how it plays though.
I saw someone (I think it was Lee) who said that Rain Dance / Rest / Surf / Grass Knot with a rather defensive EV spread is the way he uses it in UU. He says that it's not as easy to take down as it looks when it can keep on Resting and has only 2 weaknesses. I think that should be the main set, with an option of Ice Beam for the fourth move (although I can see Grass Knot work better in UU). Maybe Lee himself should post what his EV spread is.
I don't think Phione warrants a Choice set, but I could be wrong.
I don't think Phione warrants a Choice set, but I could be wrong.
When you have Ice Beam, Grass Knot, and STAB Surf, I don't see why not. Slap U-Turn or even Rest and it would do decent. Choice Band is a bit too gimmicky, but you still got... a coupel of moves. The Specs, at least, would help it's modest 80 Special Attack Base.
Surf / Ice Beam (or Grass Knot) / Rest / Rain Dance would be the best Hydroresting moveset IMO.
Surf / Ice Beam (or Grass Knot) / Rest / Rain Dance would be the best Hydroresting moveset IMO.
Ice Beam will get a mention on Set 1 due to the fact there are plenty of Grass Types in UU, but Grass Knot is generally the better choice.
Also, even though this is turning into more of a Phione dicussion, it's all constructive and will help the Analysis so I hope no one minds ._. lol
Also, even though this is turning into more of a Phione dicussion, it's all constructive and will help the Analysis so I hope no one minds ._. lol
I used a physical rain starting set with manaphy back when it wasn't banned, rain dance/rest/waterfall/u-turn, and it worked really well to get frail/life orb stuff that hates damage in with free rain (kabutops is uu right? that's what I paired this with)... anyway phione's defenses are ok for uu so it's worth a shot I guess.
kind of a theorymon post =x
kind of a theorymon post =x
Okay, here's my first attempt. Tell me what you think guys.
[SET]
name: Hydrator
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Surf
move 4: Grass Knot/Ice Beam/Toxic
item: Damp Rock/Leftovers
ability: Hydration
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Look familiar? Yes, this set is very similar to Dewgong’s “Rain Rest” set. The difference is that Phione has access to Grass Knot, meaning it can do something back to other Water types. The strategy is to set up Rain Dance first, so that Surf will be doing a lot more damage, then you’re free to abuse the Hydration ability. Resting to restore maximum HP and wake up at the end of the turn is one of the advantages to using Phione over most other Water types. The other options in the final slot allow Phione to do other things; Ice Beam allows you to deal with Grass types and Altaria, while Toxic is a good alternative as you can stall down foes with the Rain Dance + Hydration + Rest combination.</p>
[SET]
name: Phioce Specs
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: U-Turn
item: Choice Specs
ability: Hydration
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs Phione can be a bit of a surprise as it allows you to make use of all three of your special moves. Being able to use Grass Knot and Ice Beam at x1.5 the Special Attack stat instead of just Surf is nice. This also means that you’re not completely walled by any Grass or Water types anymore as you don’t have to pick out of Grass Knot and Ice Beam. U-Turn is a great move and will allow you scout your opponents best Phione counter early on. Modest with max Special Attack and HP are recommended, but using more Speed EVs, or even a Speed boosting nature aren’t bad choices. If you’re really not bothered about keeping defensive capabilities higher, using a Defense hindering nature is an option for U-Turn to do slightly more damage, or if you want to throw in a different surprise physical move to do more damage to special walls. </p>
[Other Options]
<p>Charm can be used to lower the Attack of incoming threats such as Muk and Toxicroak, Acid Armor has a similar effect. Dive, Protect, Substitute, Water Pulse and Swagger can all be used in conjunction with Toxic for stalling and general annoyance. Psych Up can be nice to copy a foes stat boosts, while Safeguard can be used as a support move to aid the rest of your team. Brine can be effective as a surprise Attack on a foe under 50% HP that thinks they can switch in on Surf freely, while Waterfall is your best option for a Physical Water type move that only takes one turn to use. Hidden Power Psychic is a bit novelty, but is your best hope against Toxicroak.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Phione will want a Modest nature and max Special Attack if you’re hoping to do any damage. Maxing HP is generally advised as well, but if you want to pump some EVs into the Speed stat in hope of outracing other Pokémon then feel free. If you’re more of a defensive player, using a Bold nature and Defense EVs can work to a degree, but you won’t be doing a lot of damage with your attacks, so it’s advised that you opt for Toxic on a more defensive Phione.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Phione is exactly what you’d expect it to be, a rather poor pseudo-form of Manaphy. Missing out on Tail Glow, Calm Mind, Heart Swap, Energy Ball, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Reflect, Light Screen and even Hyper Beam are all huge losses and limit Phione’s capabilities. However, in the UU Tier it can be of some use, rivalling Dewgong with the Hydration + Rest combo in the Rain, as it isn’t weak to Fighting or Rock and has access to Grass Knot. Phione is a cool little Pokémon and deserves more love, try it out and see what you think.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Toxicroak has the luxury of resisting almost every attack Phione can throw at it, though Ice Beam isn’t really doing much damage to Toxicroak either. Altaria can take on any Phione without Ice Beam in its arsenal, along with most Grass types like Vileplume and Meganium. If Phione is using Ice Beam instead of Grass Knot, most Water types can stand up to Phione, though few can actually do much back thanks to Hydration. Special mentions go to Quagsire, Gastrodon, Poliwrath and Politoed in regards to stopping Phione without Grass Knot, as they can Curse up or Belly Drum respectively. Quagsire, Poliwrath & Politoed can also boast the Water Absorb ability, so will find switching in much easier. Muk is a nice switch in to any Phione as well, with its huge HP and Special Defense Muk can take a few Surfs, but without any Attack EVs will struggle to 2HKO Phione with Gunk Shot. However, Phione is only a threat to Muk with Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf which can 3HKO. Finally, the main UU Special Walls, Hypno and Grumpig will be taking little damage from even Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf. Grumpig will be able to utilise Calm Mind rather easily, then finish off Phione with STAB Psychic. While Hypno may struggle if it’s not running Calm Mind or Nasty Plot itself, due to Phione being able to stall Hypno out of Seismic Tosses. Both Hypno and Grumpig will want to stay clear of Toxic, though.</p>
[SET]
name: Hydrator
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Surf
move 4: Grass Knot/Ice Beam/Toxic
item: Damp Rock/Leftovers
ability: Hydration
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Look familiar? Yes, this set is very similar to Dewgong’s “Rain Rest” set. The difference is that Phione has access to Grass Knot, meaning it can do something back to other Water types. The strategy is to set up Rain Dance first, so that Surf will be doing a lot more damage, then you’re free to abuse the Hydration ability. Resting to restore maximum HP and wake up at the end of the turn is one of the advantages to using Phione over most other Water types. The other options in the final slot allow Phione to do other things; Ice Beam allows you to deal with Grass types and Altaria, while Toxic is a good alternative as you can stall down foes with the Rain Dance + Hydration + Rest combination.</p>
[SET]
name: Phioce Specs
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: U-Turn
item: Choice Specs
ability: Hydration
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs Phione can be a bit of a surprise as it allows you to make use of all three of your special moves. Being able to use Grass Knot and Ice Beam at x1.5 the Special Attack stat instead of just Surf is nice. This also means that you’re not completely walled by any Grass or Water types anymore as you don’t have to pick out of Grass Knot and Ice Beam. U-Turn is a great move and will allow you scout your opponents best Phione counter early on. Modest with max Special Attack and HP are recommended, but using more Speed EVs, or even a Speed boosting nature aren’t bad choices. If you’re really not bothered about keeping defensive capabilities higher, using a Defense hindering nature is an option for U-Turn to do slightly more damage, or if you want to throw in a different surprise physical move to do more damage to special walls. </p>
[Other Options]
<p>Charm can be used to lower the Attack of incoming threats such as Muk and Toxicroak, Acid Armor has a similar effect. Dive, Protect, Substitute, Water Pulse and Swagger can all be used in conjunction with Toxic for stalling and general annoyance. Psych Up can be nice to copy a foes stat boosts, while Safeguard can be used as a support move to aid the rest of your team. Brine can be effective as a surprise Attack on a foe under 50% HP that thinks they can switch in on Surf freely, while Waterfall is your best option for a Physical Water type move that only takes one turn to use. Hidden Power Psychic is a bit novelty, but is your best hope against Toxicroak.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Phione will want a Modest nature and max Special Attack if you’re hoping to do any damage. Maxing HP is generally advised as well, but if you want to pump some EVs into the Speed stat in hope of outracing other Pokémon then feel free. If you’re more of a defensive player, using a Bold nature and Defense EVs can work to a degree, but you won’t be doing a lot of damage with your attacks, so it’s advised that you opt for Toxic on a more defensive Phione.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Phione is exactly what you’d expect it to be, a rather poor pseudo-form of Manaphy. Missing out on Tail Glow, Calm Mind, Heart Swap, Energy Ball, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Reflect, Light Screen and even Hyper Beam are all huge losses and limit Phione’s capabilities. However, in the UU Tier it can be of some use, rivalling Dewgong with the Hydration + Rest combo in the Rain, as it isn’t weak to Fighting or Rock and has access to Grass Knot. Phione is a cool little Pokémon and deserves more love, try it out and see what you think.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Toxicroak has the luxury of resisting almost every attack Phione can throw at it, though Ice Beam isn’t really doing much damage to Toxicroak either. Altaria can take on any Phione without Ice Beam in its arsenal, along with most Grass types like Vileplume and Meganium. If Phione is using Ice Beam instead of Grass Knot, most Water types can stand up to Phione, though few can actually do much back thanks to Hydration. Special mentions go to Quagsire, Gastrodon, Poliwrath and Politoed in regards to stopping Phione without Grass Knot, as they can Curse up or Belly Drum respectively. Quagsire, Poliwrath & Politoed can also boast the Water Absorb ability, so will find switching in much easier. Muk is a nice switch in to any Phione as well, with its huge HP and Special Defense Muk can take a few Surfs, but without any Attack EVs will struggle to 2HKO Phione with Gunk Shot. However, Phione is only a threat to Muk with Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf which can 3HKO. Finally, the main UU Special Walls, Hypno and Grumpig will be taking little damage from even Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf. Grumpig will be able to utilise Calm Mind rather easily, then finish off Phione with STAB Psychic. While Hypno may struggle if it’s not running Calm Mind or Nasty Plot itself, due to Phione being able to stall Hypno out of Seismic Tosses. Both Hypno and Grumpig will want to stay clear of Toxic, though.</p>
Great Sage
Banned deucer.
A more dynamic version of the Hydrator might be able to get away with using Life Orb. I've gone over the surface errors, and bolded additions and changes, couldn't do anything for deletions, though. The ability tag is useless because Phione only has 1 possible ability anyways.
[SET]
name: Hydrator
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Surf
move 4: Grass Knot/Ice Beam/Toxic
item: Damp Rock/Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Look familiar? Yes, this set is very similar to Dewgong’s “Rain Rest” set. The difference is that Phione has access to Grass Knot, meaning it can do something back to other Water types. The strategy is to set up Rain Dance first, so that Surf will be doing a lot more damage; then you’re free to abuse the Hydration ability. Resting to restore maximum HP and waking up at the end of the turn is one of the advantages to using Phione over most other Water types. The other options in the final slot allow Phione to do other things: Ice Beam allows you to deal with Grass types and Altaria, while Toxic is a good alternative as you can stall down foes with the Rain Dance + Hydration + Rest combination.</p>
[SET]
name: Phioce Specs
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: U-Turn
item: Choice Specs
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs Phione can be a bit of a surprise as it allows you to make use of all three of your special moves. Being able to use Grass Knot and Ice Beam at x1.5 the Special Attack stat instead of just Surf is nice. This also means that you’re not completely walled by any Grass or Water types anymore as you don’t have to pick between Grass Knot and Ice Beam. U-turn is a great move and will allow you scout your opponent's best Phione counter early on. Modest with max Special Attack and HP are recommended, but using more Speed EVs or even a Speed boosting nature aren’t bad choices. If you’re really not bothered about keeping defensive capabilities higher, using a Defense hindering nature is an option for U-turn to do slightly more damage, or if you want to throw in a different surprise physical move to do more damage to special walls. </p>
[Other Options]
<p>Charm can be used to lower the Attack of incoming threats such as Muk and Toxicroak, Acid Armor has a similar effect. Dive, Protect, Substitute, Water Pulse and Swagger can all be used in conjunction with Toxic for stalling and general annoyance. Psych Up can be nice to copy a foe's stat boosts, while Safeguard can be used as a support move to aid the rest of your team. Brine can be effective as a surprise attack on a foe under 50% HP that thinks it can switch in on Surf freely, while Waterfall is your best option for a physical Water type move that only takes one turn to use. Hidden Power Psychic is a bit novelty, but is your best hope against Toxicroak.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Phione will want a Modest nature and max Special Attack if you’re hoping to do any damage. Maxing HP is generally advised as well, but if you want to pump some EVs into the Speed stat in hope of outracing other Pokémon then feel free. If you’re more of a defensive player, using a Bold nature and Defense EVs can work to a degree, but you won’t be doing a lot of damage with your attacks, so it’s advised that you opt for Toxic on a more defensive Phione.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Phione is exactly what you’d expect it to be, a rather poor pseudo-form of Manaphy. Missing out on Tail Glow, Calm Mind, Heart Swap, Energy Ball, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Reflect, Light Screen, and even Hyper Beam are all huge losses and limit Phione’s capabilities. However, in the UU tier it can be of some use, rivaling Dewgong with the Hydration + Rest combo in the Rain, as it isn’t weak to Fighting or Rock and has access to Grass Knot. Phione is a cool little Pokémon and deserves more love. Try it out and see what you think.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Toxicroak has the luxury of resisting almost every attack Phione can throw at it, and Ice Beam isn’t really doing much damage to Toxicroak either. Altaria can take on any Phione that doesn't have Ice Beam, along with most Grass types like Vileplume and Meganium. If Phione is using Ice Beam instead of Grass Knot, most Water types can stand up to it, though few can actually do much back thanks to Hydration. Special mentions go to Quagsire, Gastrodon, Poliwrath and Politoed in regards to stopping Phione without Grass Knot, as they can Curse up or Belly Drum respectively. Quagsire, Poliwrath & Politoed can also boast the Water Absorb ability, so will find switching in much easier. Muk is a nice switch in to any Phione as well; with its huge HP and Special Defense Muk can take a few Surfs. However, without any Attack EVs, it will struggle to 2HKO Phione with Gunk Shot. However, Phione is only a threat to Muk with Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf which can 3HKO. Finally, the main UU Special Walls, Hypno and Grumpig will be taking little damage from even Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf. Grumpig will be able to utilize Calm Mind rather easily, and then finish off Phione with STAB Psychic. Hypno may struggle if it’s not running Calm Mind or Nasty Plot itself, due to Phione's being able to stall Hypno out of Seismic Tosses. Both Hypno and Grumpig will want to stay clear of Toxic, though.</p>
[SET]
name: Hydrator
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Surf
move 4: Grass Knot/Ice Beam/Toxic
item: Damp Rock/Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Look familiar? Yes, this set is very similar to Dewgong’s “Rain Rest” set. The difference is that Phione has access to Grass Knot, meaning it can do something back to other Water types. The strategy is to set up Rain Dance first, so that Surf will be doing a lot more damage; then you’re free to abuse the Hydration ability. Resting to restore maximum HP and waking up at the end of the turn is one of the advantages to using Phione over most other Water types. The other options in the final slot allow Phione to do other things: Ice Beam allows you to deal with Grass types and Altaria, while Toxic is a good alternative as you can stall down foes with the Rain Dance + Hydration + Rest combination.</p>
[SET]
name: Phioce Specs
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: U-Turn
item: Choice Specs
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs Phione can be a bit of a surprise as it allows you to make use of all three of your special moves. Being able to use Grass Knot and Ice Beam at x1.5 the Special Attack stat instead of just Surf is nice. This also means that you’re not completely walled by any Grass or Water types anymore as you don’t have to pick between Grass Knot and Ice Beam. U-turn is a great move and will allow you scout your opponent's best Phione counter early on. Modest with max Special Attack and HP are recommended, but using more Speed EVs or even a Speed boosting nature aren’t bad choices. If you’re really not bothered about keeping defensive capabilities higher, using a Defense hindering nature is an option for U-turn to do slightly more damage, or if you want to throw in a different surprise physical move to do more damage to special walls. </p>
[Other Options]
<p>Charm can be used to lower the Attack of incoming threats such as Muk and Toxicroak, Acid Armor has a similar effect. Dive, Protect, Substitute, Water Pulse and Swagger can all be used in conjunction with Toxic for stalling and general annoyance. Psych Up can be nice to copy a foe's stat boosts, while Safeguard can be used as a support move to aid the rest of your team. Brine can be effective as a surprise attack on a foe under 50% HP that thinks it can switch in on Surf freely, while Waterfall is your best option for a physical Water type move that only takes one turn to use. Hidden Power Psychic is a bit novelty, but is your best hope against Toxicroak.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Phione will want a Modest nature and max Special Attack if you’re hoping to do any damage. Maxing HP is generally advised as well, but if you want to pump some EVs into the Speed stat in hope of outracing other Pokémon then feel free. If you’re more of a defensive player, using a Bold nature and Defense EVs can work to a degree, but you won’t be doing a lot of damage with your attacks, so it’s advised that you opt for Toxic on a more defensive Phione.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Phione is exactly what you’d expect it to be, a rather poor pseudo-form of Manaphy. Missing out on Tail Glow, Calm Mind, Heart Swap, Energy Ball, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Reflect, Light Screen, and even Hyper Beam are all huge losses and limit Phione’s capabilities. However, in the UU tier it can be of some use, rivaling Dewgong with the Hydration + Rest combo in the Rain, as it isn’t weak to Fighting or Rock and has access to Grass Knot. Phione is a cool little Pokémon and deserves more love. Try it out and see what you think.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Toxicroak has the luxury of resisting almost every attack Phione can throw at it, and Ice Beam isn’t really doing much damage to Toxicroak either. Altaria can take on any Phione that doesn't have Ice Beam, along with most Grass types like Vileplume and Meganium. If Phione is using Ice Beam instead of Grass Knot, most Water types can stand up to it, though few can actually do much back thanks to Hydration. Special mentions go to Quagsire, Gastrodon, Poliwrath and Politoed in regards to stopping Phione without Grass Knot, as they can Curse up or Belly Drum respectively. Quagsire, Poliwrath & Politoed can also boast the Water Absorb ability, so will find switching in much easier. Muk is a nice switch in to any Phione as well; with its huge HP and Special Defense Muk can take a few Surfs. However, without any Attack EVs, it will struggle to 2HKO Phione with Gunk Shot. However, Phione is only a threat to Muk with Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf which can 3HKO. Finally, the main UU Special Walls, Hypno and Grumpig will be taking little damage from even Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf. Grumpig will be able to utilize Calm Mind rather easily, and then finish off Phione with STAB Psychic. Hypno may struggle if it’s not running Calm Mind or Nasty Plot itself, due to Phione's being able to stall Hypno out of Seismic Tosses. Both Hypno and Grumpig will want to stay clear of Toxic, though.</p>
Cool. :)
So should we add Life Orb to the first set, then add a comment about suggesting using it with more Speed EVs or something?
Choice Band with Waterfall, Return, U-Turn & Brine/Sleep Talk was also something in the works but I haven't tested it at all yet.
Edit: Are you sure that "Phione's" at the end in the counters section is right?
So should we add Life Orb to the first set, then add a comment about suggesting using it with more Speed EVs or something?
Choice Band with Waterfall, Return, U-Turn & Brine/Sleep Talk was also something in the works but I haven't tested it at all yet.
Edit: Are you sure that "Phione's" at the end in the counters section is right?
Great Sage
Banned deucer.
Yes, I am sure that the possessive should be used in that sentence because although "being" is technically a verb, it is the gerund of "to be" and therefore is treated as a noun. A noun preceding a gerund must be used in the possessive.
I have basically no experience with D/P UU, so I'm mainly going off theorymon, and I don't know to what extent using Life Orb on the Hydrator helps Phione's attacking capabilities, so I'll just say for now to add a few comments detailing a sweeping Phione.
I have basically no experience with D/P UU, so I'm mainly going off theorymon, and I don't know to what extent using Life Orb on the Hydrator helps Phione's attacking capabilities, so I'll just say for now to add a few comments detailing a sweeping Phione.
It's Phione Specs, not Phioce Specs. And U-turn not U-Turn in the Specs set.
I think an attacking hydrator (Rain Dance / Rest / Waterfall / U-turn) is worth mentioning as well. U-turn is cool in the Hydration set anyway as you can set up Rain Dance and then U-turn to whichever counter the opponent will switch.
Also it's important to specify Dry Skin Toxicroak, not simply Toxicroak, whenever it is mentioned, especially in the counters section.
I think an attacking hydrator (Rain Dance / Rest / Waterfall / U-turn) is worth mentioning as well. U-turn is cool in the Hydration set anyway as you can set up Rain Dance and then U-turn to whichever counter the opponent will switch.
Also it's important to specify Dry Skin Toxicroak, not simply Toxicroak, whenever it is mentioned, especially in the counters section.
Okay.
With the "Phioce" thing I was just trying to be clever instead of just saying "Choice Specs" as Phione and Choice share similar lettering.. I'll change it if you like, though. I'll Copy & Paste Great Sage's version first and make the Toxicroak eidt now.
[SET]
name: Hydrator
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Surf
move 4: Grass Knot/Ice Beam/Toxic
item: Damp Rock/Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Look familiar? Yes, this set is very similar to Dewgong’s “Rain Rest” set. The difference is that Phione has access to Grass Knot, meaning it can do something back to other Water types. The strategy is to set up Rain Dance first, so that Surf will be doing a lot more damage; then you’re free to abuse the Hydration ability. Resting to restore maximum HP and waking up at the end of the turn is one of the advantages to using Phione over most other Water types. The other options in the final slot allow Phione to do other things: Ice Beam allows you to deal with Grass types and Altaria, while Toxic is a good alternative as you can stall down foes with the Rain Dance + Hydration + Rest combination.</p>
[SET]
name: Phioce Specs
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Specs
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs Phione can be a bit of a surprise as it allows you to make use of all three of your special moves. Being able to use Grass Knot and Ice Beam at x1.5 the Special Attack stat instead of just Surf is nice. This also means that you’re not completely walled by any Grass or Water types anymore as you don’t have to pick between Grass Knot and Ice Beam. U-turn is a great move and will allow you scout your opponent's best Phione counter early on. Modest with max Special Attack and HP are recommended, but using more Speed EVs or even a Speed boosting nature aren’t bad choices. If you’re really not bothered about keeping defensive capabilities higher, using a Defense hindering nature is an option for U-turn to do slightly more damage, or if you want to throw in a different surprise physical move to do more damage to
special walls. </p>
[SET]
name: Attacking Hydrator
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Waterfall
move 4: U-turn/Return
item: Damp Rock/Leftovers/Life Orb
nature: Jolly/Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p></p>
[Other Options]
<p>Charm can be used to lower the Attack of incoming threats such as Muk and Toxicroak, Acid Armor has a similar effect. Dive, Protect, Substitute, Water Pulse and Swagger can all be used in conjunction with Toxic for stalling and general annoyance. Psych Up can be nice to copy a foe's stat boosts, while Safeguard can be used as a support move to aid the rest of your team. Brine can be effective as a surprise attack on a foe under 50% HP that thinks it can switch in on Surf freely, while Waterfall is your best option for a physical Water type move that only takes one turn to use. Hidden Power Psychic is a bit novelty, but is your best hope against Dry Skin Toxicroak.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Phione will want a Modest nature and max Special Attack if you’re hoping to do any damage. Maxing HP is generally advised as well, but if you want to pump some EVs into the Speed stat in hope of outracing other Pokémon then feel free. If you’re more of a defensive player, using a Bold nature and Defense EVs can work to a degree, but you won’t be doing a lot of damage with your attacks, so it’s advised that you opt for Toxic on a more defensive Phione.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Phione is exactly what you’d expect it to be, a rather poor pseudo-form of Manaphy. Missing out on Tail Glow, Calm Mind, Heart Swap, Energy Ball, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Reflect, Light Screen, and even Hyper Beam are all huge losses and limit Phione’s capabilities. However, in the UU tier it can be of some use, rivaling Dewgong with the Hydration + Rest combo in the Rain, as it isn’t weak to Fighting or Rock and has access to Grass Knot. Phione is a cool little Pokémon and deserves more love. Try it out and see what you think.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Toxicroak has the luxury of resisting almost every attack Phione can throw at it providing it has the Dry Skin ability, and Ice Beam isn’t really doing much damage to Toxicroak either. Altaria can take on any Phione that doesn't have Ice Beam, along with most Grass types like Vileplume and Meganium. If Phione is using Ice Beam instead of Grass Knot, most Water types can stand up to it, though few can actually do much back thanks to Hydration. Special mentions go to Quagsire, Gastrodon, Poliwrath and Politoed in regards to stopping Phione without Grass Knot, as they can Curse up or Belly Drum respectively. Quagsire, Poliwrath & Politoed can also boast the Water Absorb ability, so will find switching in much easier. Muk is a nice switch in to any Phione as well; with its huge HP and Special Defense Muk can take a few Surfs. However, without any Attack EVs, it will struggle to 2HKO Phione with Gunk Shot. However, Phione is only a threat to Muk with Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf which can 3HKO. Finally, the main UU Special Walls, Hypno and Grumpig will be taking little damage from even Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf. Grumpig will be able to utilize Calm Mind rather easily, and then finish off Phione with STAB Psychic. Hypno may struggle if it’s not running Calm Mind or Nasty Plot itself, due to Phione's being able to stall Hypno out of Seismic Tosses. Both Hypno and Grumpig will want to stay clear of Toxic, though.</p>
Just so we're up to date.
Edit: I added the Attacking Hydrator set, but I won't have time to add the comments until I get home later. The EV spread may also need tweaking, I'll have to find out if Max Speed is worth it or not, and if it's worth lowering the HP EVs and adding even more Atk.
With the "Phioce" thing I was just trying to be clever instead of just saying "Choice Specs" as Phione and Choice share similar lettering.. I'll change it if you like, though. I'll Copy & Paste Great Sage's version first and make the Toxicroak eidt now.
[SET]
name: Hydrator
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Surf
move 4: Grass Knot/Ice Beam/Toxic
item: Damp Rock/Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Look familiar? Yes, this set is very similar to Dewgong’s “Rain Rest” set. The difference is that Phione has access to Grass Knot, meaning it can do something back to other Water types. The strategy is to set up Rain Dance first, so that Surf will be doing a lot more damage; then you’re free to abuse the Hydration ability. Resting to restore maximum HP and waking up at the end of the turn is one of the advantages to using Phione over most other Water types. The other options in the final slot allow Phione to do other things: Ice Beam allows you to deal with Grass types and Altaria, while Toxic is a good alternative as you can stall down foes with the Rain Dance + Hydration + Rest combination.</p>
[SET]
name: Phioce Specs
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Specs
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs Phione can be a bit of a surprise as it allows you to make use of all three of your special moves. Being able to use Grass Knot and Ice Beam at x1.5 the Special Attack stat instead of just Surf is nice. This also means that you’re not completely walled by any Grass or Water types anymore as you don’t have to pick between Grass Knot and Ice Beam. U-turn is a great move and will allow you scout your opponent's best Phione counter early on. Modest with max Special Attack and HP are recommended, but using more Speed EVs or even a Speed boosting nature aren’t bad choices. If you’re really not bothered about keeping defensive capabilities higher, using a Defense hindering nature is an option for U-turn to do slightly more damage, or if you want to throw in a different surprise physical move to do more damage to
special walls. </p>
[SET]
name: Attacking Hydrator
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Waterfall
move 4: U-turn/Return
item: Damp Rock/Leftovers/Life Orb
nature: Jolly/Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p></p>
[Other Options]
<p>Charm can be used to lower the Attack of incoming threats such as Muk and Toxicroak, Acid Armor has a similar effect. Dive, Protect, Substitute, Water Pulse and Swagger can all be used in conjunction with Toxic for stalling and general annoyance. Psych Up can be nice to copy a foe's stat boosts, while Safeguard can be used as a support move to aid the rest of your team. Brine can be effective as a surprise attack on a foe under 50% HP that thinks it can switch in on Surf freely, while Waterfall is your best option for a physical Water type move that only takes one turn to use. Hidden Power Psychic is a bit novelty, but is your best hope against Dry Skin Toxicroak.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Phione will want a Modest nature and max Special Attack if you’re hoping to do any damage. Maxing HP is generally advised as well, but if you want to pump some EVs into the Speed stat in hope of outracing other Pokémon then feel free. If you’re more of a defensive player, using a Bold nature and Defense EVs can work to a degree, but you won’t be doing a lot of damage with your attacks, so it’s advised that you opt for Toxic on a more defensive Phione.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Phione is exactly what you’d expect it to be, a rather poor pseudo-form of Manaphy. Missing out on Tail Glow, Calm Mind, Heart Swap, Energy Ball, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Reflect, Light Screen, and even Hyper Beam are all huge losses and limit Phione’s capabilities. However, in the UU tier it can be of some use, rivaling Dewgong with the Hydration + Rest combo in the Rain, as it isn’t weak to Fighting or Rock and has access to Grass Knot. Phione is a cool little Pokémon and deserves more love. Try it out and see what you think.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Toxicroak has the luxury of resisting almost every attack Phione can throw at it providing it has the Dry Skin ability, and Ice Beam isn’t really doing much damage to Toxicroak either. Altaria can take on any Phione that doesn't have Ice Beam, along with most Grass types like Vileplume and Meganium. If Phione is using Ice Beam instead of Grass Knot, most Water types can stand up to it, though few can actually do much back thanks to Hydration. Special mentions go to Quagsire, Gastrodon, Poliwrath and Politoed in regards to stopping Phione without Grass Knot, as they can Curse up or Belly Drum respectively. Quagsire, Poliwrath & Politoed can also boast the Water Absorb ability, so will find switching in much easier. Muk is a nice switch in to any Phione as well; with its huge HP and Special Defense Muk can take a few Surfs. However, without any Attack EVs, it will struggle to 2HKO Phione with Gunk Shot. However, Phione is only a threat to Muk with Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf which can 3HKO. Finally, the main UU Special Walls, Hypno and Grumpig will be taking little damage from even Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf. Grumpig will be able to utilize Calm Mind rather easily, and then finish off Phione with STAB Psychic. Hypno may struggle if it’s not running Calm Mind or Nasty Plot itself, due to Phione's being able to stall Hypno out of Seismic Tosses. Both Hypno and Grumpig will want to stay clear of Toxic, though.</p>
Just so we're up to date.
Edit: I added the Attacking Hydrator set, but I won't have time to add the comments until I get home later. The EV spread may also need tweaking, I'll have to find out if Max Speed is worth it or not, and if it's worth lowering the HP EVs and adding even more Atk.
Great Sage
Banned deucer.
Personally, I'd much rather use a special rather than physical sweeper Phione. Phione has Ice Beam and Grass Knot to work off its Special Attack, and Surf is 18.75% more powerful than Waterfall. Phione definitely needs some offensive EV investment to actually hurt things.
I had used the set that X-Act mentioned earlier on, but found that Phione's humble special attack score doesn't really lend itself to all out attacking. I found that Toxic-stalling was his best form of offence and managed to convince Havak to list it as an option on the primary set.
Rain Dance/Rest/Surf/Toxic was my favourite set for UU. When you consider the list of Pokemon who can take a double-STAB Surf, you'll realise that all of them loathe the idea of Toxic. Think Lanturn, Quagsire, Blastoise and Meganium (without Aromatherapy). Then consider that all the Steel or Poison types who can absorb Toxic are OHKO'd or heavily damaged by Surf - think Aggron, Probopass, Steelix, Nidos etc. The only safe switch-ins are Muk, Clefable and Vileplume.
I think the option of Toxic deserves a little more attention than "Toxic is a good alternative" because it partners perfectly with Phione's typing, ability and her usual counters.
Also note that Manaphy has it's own set based solely around Toxic! I'm sure we can take inspiration from that.
Rain Dance/Rest/Surf/Toxic was my favourite set for UU. When you consider the list of Pokemon who can take a double-STAB Surf, you'll realise that all of them loathe the idea of Toxic. Think Lanturn, Quagsire, Blastoise and Meganium (without Aromatherapy). Then consider that all the Steel or Poison types who can absorb Toxic are OHKO'd or heavily damaged by Surf - think Aggron, Probopass, Steelix, Nidos etc. The only safe switch-ins are Muk, Clefable and Vileplume.
I think the option of Toxic deserves a little more attention than "Toxic is a good alternative" because it partners perfectly with Phione's typing, ability and her usual counters.
Also note that Manaphy has it's own set based solely around Toxic! I'm sure we can take inspiration from that.
I've not had much time this weekend, but I've just started sorting this out. I'm going to put more emphasis on Toxic due to Lee's suggestions, but still keep it as the third option on slot 4.
Physical Phione on paper works, but Great Sage is right in his latest post. I'd much rather just keep everything physical based in Other Options, but if you really want a Physical Set I think it'd be hard to not run a Choice Band Version as well as the Attacking Hydrator. I'll mention the Water + Normal type combo as well, as the only resists are found in the Tier(s) above.
Though, it does seem a little odd. Phione has a limited movepool, much worse than Manaphy's. Yet there are going to potentially be 4 Movesets for Phione if we list both Physical sets. Manaphy does everything Phione does, and a lot more. Yet it has 2 movesets listed, I know it's in the Uber tier so can be harder to work with, but it just seems a little strange and makes Phione seem like it can do more than it can/should... If you want the sets though, I'll add them.
Also adding Lapras and Lanturn into the Counters Section, no idea how I missed those ._.
Physical Phione on paper works, but Great Sage is right in his latest post. I'd much rather just keep everything physical based in Other Options, but if you really want a Physical Set I think it'd be hard to not run a Choice Band Version as well as the Attacking Hydrator. I'll mention the Water + Normal type combo as well, as the only resists are found in the Tier(s) above.
Though, it does seem a little odd. Phione has a limited movepool, much worse than Manaphy's. Yet there are going to potentially be 4 Movesets for Phione if we list both Physical sets. Manaphy does everything Phione does, and a lot more. Yet it has 2 movesets listed, I know it's in the Uber tier so can be harder to work with, but it just seems a little strange and makes Phione seem like it can do more than it can/should... If you want the sets though, I'll add them.
Also adding Lapras and Lanturn into the Counters Section, no idea how I missed those ._.
Great Sage
Banned deucer.
I wouldn't worry about having more movesets than Manaphy. Manaphy is an inferior Uber, so it needs to take advantage of stuff like Tail Glow. It could run a Choice Specs/Scarf set, but there is no point in doing that because Kyogre exists. Water Arceus is a better physical Water. Phione doesn't have as much to compete against in UU for its sets; 80 across the board is quite decent there, I'd assume.
Both sentences start with "however", which is awkward.
The "&" should be "and".
Word it that way so you can use "the former three" or "the latter three" in the second sentence to avoid doubling up.
If Phione ends up having more movesets, it's because it needs to dig deeper into its movepool to do anything noticable whereas Manaphy is fine with one or two sets. Not to mention UU is arguably more diverse than ubers and requires more different approaches.
And what Great Sage said.
[SET]
name: Hydrator
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Surf
move 4: Grass Knot/Ice Beam/Toxic
item: Damp Rock/Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Look familiar? Yes, this set is very similar to Dewgong’s “Rain Rest” set. The difference is that Phione has access to Grass Knot, meaning it can do something back to other Water types. The strategy is to set up Rain Dance first, so that Surf will be doing a lot more damage; then you’re free to abuse the Hydration ability. Resting to restore maximum HP and waking up at the end of the turn is one of the advantages to using Phione over most other Water types. The other options in the final slot allow Phione to do other things: Ice Beam allows you to deal with Grass types and Altaria, while Toxic is a good alternative as you can stall down foes with the Rain Dance + Hydration + Rest combination. Other benefits to Toxic are that you can inflict Poison on the vast majority of threats to Phione. When you realise that most of the Pokémon who can take Surf under the rain detest Toxic, it stands out as a really useful option, as the only real threats to the Surf + Toxic combo Vileplume, Muk and possibly Clefable. Phione can then stall down opponents with Hydration and Rest the majority of the time.</p>
[SET]
name: Phioce Specs
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Specs
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs Phione can be a bit of a surprise as it allows you to make use of all three of your special moves. Being able to use Grass Knot and Ice Beam at x1.5 the Special Attack stat instead of just Surf is nice. This also means that you’re not completely walled by any Grass or Water types anymore as you don’t have to pick between Grass Knot and Ice Beam. U-turn is a great move and will allow you scout your opponent's best Phione counter early on. Modest with max Special Attack and HP are recommended, but using more Speed EVs or even a Speed boosting nature aren’t bad choices. If you’re really not bothered about keeping defensive capabilities higher, using a Defense hindering nature is an option for U-turn to do slightly more damage, or if you want to throw in a different surprise physical move to do more damage to special walls.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Charm can be used to lower the Attack of incoming threats such as Muk and Toxicroak, Acid Armor has a similar effect. Dive, Protect, Substitute, Water Pulse and Swagger can all be used in conjunction with Toxic for stalling and general annoyance. Psych Up can be nice to copy a foe's stat boosts, while Safeguard can be used as a support move to aid the rest of your team. Brine can be effective as a surprise attack on a foe under 50% HP that thinks it can switch in on Surf freely, while Waterfall is your best option for a physical Water type move that only takes one turn to use. Hidden Power Psychic is a bit novelty, but is your best hope against Dry Skin Toxicroak. Return can be paired with Waterfall if you want to try a physical set, since nothing you'll face in UU can resist that combination. Life Orb is a nice item to try, the offensive power is occaisonally worth it, and the recoil isn't a problem thanks to Hydration.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Phione will want a Modest nature and max Special Attack if you’re hoping to do any damage with special moves. Maxing HP is generally advised as well, but if you want to pump some EVs into the Speed stat in hope of outracing other Pokémon then feel free. If you’re more of a defensive player, using a Bold nature and Defense EVs can work to a degree, but you won’t be doing a lot of damage with your attacks, so it’s advised that you opt for Toxic on a more defensive Phione. Use an Adamant nature with quite a few, or probably max Attack EVs on physical sets.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Phione is exactly what you’d expect it to be, a rather poor pseudo-form of Manaphy. Missing out on Tail Glow, Calm Mind, Heart Swap, Energy Ball, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Reflect, Light Screen, and even Hyper Beam are all huge losses and limit Phione’s capabilities. However, in the UU tier it can be of some use, rivaling Dewgong with the Hydration + Rest combo in the Rain, as it isn’t weak to Fighting or Rock and has access to Grass Knot. Phione is a cool little Pokémon and deserves more love. Try it out and see what you think.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Lanturn is an excellent counter to Phione, with its high HP and low weight it can shrug off weak Grass Knots and hit back with STAB Super Effective Thunderbolt. Toxicroak has the luxury of resisting almost every attack Phione can throw at it providing it has the Dry Skin ability, and Ice Beam isn’t really doing much damage to Toxicroak either. Altaria can take on any Phione that doesn't have Ice Beam, along with most Grass types like Vileplume and Meganium. If Phione is using Ice Beam instead of Grass Knot, most Water types can stand up to it, though few can actually do much back thanks to Hydration. Special mentions go to Lapras, Quagsire, Gastrodon, Poliwrath and Politoed in regards to stopping Phione without Grass Knot, as they can Curse up or Belly Drum respectively. Lapras, Quagsire, Poliwrath and Politoed can also boast the Water Absorb ability, so will find switching in much easier. Lapras can do damage with moves like Thunderbolt, or stat up with Dragon Dance if Phione doesn't pack Grass Knot, so differs from the aforementioned Water types due to this. Muk is a nice switch in to any Phione as well; with its huge HP and Special Defense Muk can take a few Surfs. However, without any Attack EVs, it will struggle to 2HKO Phione with Gunk Shot. Though, Phione is only a threat to Muk with Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf which can 3HKO. Finally, the main UU Special Walls, Hypno and Grumpig will be taking little damage from even Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf. Grumpig will be able to utilize Calm Mind rather easily, and then finish off Phione with STAB Psychic. Hypno may struggle if it’s not running Calm Mind or Nasty Plot itself, due to Phione's being able to stall Hypno out of Seismic Tosses. Both Hypno and Grumpig will want to stay clear of Toxic, though.</p>
Decided to leave it at that, physical options in "Other Options".
Rain Dance/Rest/Waterfall/U-turn and Waterfall/Return/U-turn/Filler were sets I was playing around with, but I found that they're really not as useful as you might think.
Physical Hydrator just lures out Water and Grass types all the time, sure you can U-turn out. But it's seriously doing fuck all in the long run. I feel that the Choice Bander is best left off as well, since the majority of the time you'll get one surprise hit on something like Hypno with Waterfall if they expect Surf, but even that's a rarity. You're just not hitting hard enough really, so going for a mixed set is basically completely out of the question due to Phione's lack of power.
I think that Analysis should be good enough, but again. Read through and make changes as you wish.
name: Hydrator
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Surf
move 4: Grass Knot/Ice Beam/Toxic
item: Damp Rock/Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Look familiar? Yes, this set is very similar to Dewgong’s “Rain Rest” set. The difference is that Phione has access to Grass Knot, meaning it can do something back to other Water types. The strategy is to set up Rain Dance first, so that Surf will be doing a lot more damage; then you’re free to abuse the Hydration ability. Resting to restore maximum HP and waking up at the end of the turn is one of the advantages to using Phione over most other Water types. The other options in the final slot allow Phione to do other things: Ice Beam allows you to deal with Grass types and Altaria, while Toxic is a good alternative as you can stall down foes with the Rain Dance + Hydration + Rest combination. Other benefits to Toxic are that you can inflict Poison on the vast majority of threats to Phione. When you realise that most of the Pokémon who can take Surf under the rain detest Toxic, it stands out as a really useful option, as the only real threats to the Surf + Toxic combo Vileplume, Muk and possibly Clefable. Phione can then stall down opponents with Hydration and Rest the majority of the time.</p>
[SET]
name: Phioce Specs
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Specs
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs Phione can be a bit of a surprise as it allows you to make use of all three of your special moves. Being able to use Grass Knot and Ice Beam at x1.5 the Special Attack stat instead of just Surf is nice. This also means that you’re not completely walled by any Grass or Water types anymore as you don’t have to pick between Grass Knot and Ice Beam. U-turn is a great move and will allow you scout your opponent's best Phione counter early on. Modest with max Special Attack and HP are recommended, but using more Speed EVs or even a Speed boosting nature aren’t bad choices. If you’re really not bothered about keeping defensive capabilities higher, using a Defense hindering nature is an option for U-turn to do slightly more damage, or if you want to throw in a different surprise physical move to do more damage to special walls.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Charm can be used to lower the Attack of incoming threats such as Muk and Toxicroak, Acid Armor has a similar effect. Dive, Protect, Substitute, Water Pulse and Swagger can all be used in conjunction with Toxic for stalling and general annoyance. Psych Up can be nice to copy a foe's stat boosts, while Safeguard can be used as a support move to aid the rest of your team. Brine can be effective as a surprise attack on a foe under 50% HP that thinks it can switch in on Surf freely, while Waterfall is your best option for a physical Water type move that only takes one turn to use. Hidden Power Psychic is a bit novelty, but is your best hope against Dry Skin Toxicroak. Return can be paired with Waterfall if you want to try a physical set, since nothing you'll face in UU can resist that combination. Life Orb is a nice item to try, the offensive power is occaisonally worth it, and the recoil isn't a problem thanks to Hydration.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Phione will want a Modest nature and max Special Attack if you’re hoping to do any damage with special moves. Maxing HP is generally advised as well, but if you want to pump some EVs into the Speed stat in hope of outracing other Pokémon then feel free. If you’re more of a defensive player, using a Bold nature and Defense EVs can work to a degree, but you won’t be doing a lot of damage with your attacks, so it’s advised that you opt for Toxic on a more defensive Phione. Use an Adamant nature with quite a few, or probably max Attack EVs on physical sets.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Phione is exactly what you’d expect it to be, a rather poor pseudo-form of Manaphy. Missing out on Tail Glow, Calm Mind, Heart Swap, Energy Ball, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Reflect, Light Screen, and even Hyper Beam are all huge losses and limit Phione’s capabilities. However, in the UU tier it can be of some use, rivaling Dewgong with the Hydration + Rest combo in the Rain, as it isn’t weak to Fighting or Rock and has access to Grass Knot. Phione is a cool little Pokémon and deserves more love. Try it out and see what you think.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Lanturn is an excellent counter to Phione, with its high HP and low weight it can shrug off weak Grass Knots and hit back with STAB Super Effective Thunderbolt. Toxicroak has the luxury of resisting almost every attack Phione can throw at it providing it has the Dry Skin ability, and Ice Beam isn’t really doing much damage to Toxicroak either. Altaria can take on any Phione that doesn't have Ice Beam, along with most Grass types like Vileplume and Meganium. If Phione is using Ice Beam instead of Grass Knot, most Water types can stand up to it, though few can actually do much back thanks to Hydration. Special mentions go to Lapras, Quagsire, Gastrodon, Poliwrath and Politoed in regards to stopping Phione without Grass Knot, as they can Curse up or Belly Drum respectively. Lapras, Quagsire, Poliwrath and Politoed can also boast the Water Absorb ability, so will find switching in much easier. Lapras can do damage with moves like Thunderbolt, or stat up with Dragon Dance if Phione doesn't pack Grass Knot, so differs from the aforementioned Water types due to this. Muk is a nice switch in to any Phione as well; with its huge HP and Special Defense Muk can take a few Surfs. However, without any Attack EVs, it will struggle to 2HKO Phione with Gunk Shot. Though, Phione is only a threat to Muk with Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf which can 3HKO. Finally, the main UU Special Walls, Hypno and Grumpig will be taking little damage from even Choice Specs or Rain Dance Surf. Grumpig will be able to utilize Calm Mind rather easily, and then finish off Phione with STAB Psychic. Hypno may struggle if it’s not running Calm Mind or Nasty Plot itself, due to Phione's being able to stall Hypno out of Seismic Tosses. Both Hypno and Grumpig will want to stay clear of Toxic, though.</p>
Decided to leave it at that, physical options in "Other Options".
Rain Dance/Rest/Waterfall/U-turn and Waterfall/Return/U-turn/Filler were sets I was playing around with, but I found that they're really not as useful as you might think.
Physical Hydrator just lures out Water and Grass types all the time, sure you can U-turn out. But it's seriously doing fuck all in the long run. I feel that the Choice Bander is best left off as well, since the majority of the time you'll get one surprise hit on something like Hypno with Waterfall if they expect Surf, but even that's a rarity. You're just not hitting hard enough really, so going for a mixed set is basically completely out of the question due to Phione's lack of power.
I think that Analysis should be good enough, but again. Read through and make changes as you wish.