Needs very minimal edits compared to the currently live version, just a little rearranging, a few added details, and a few mentions changed to reflect meta development, gonna knock this out fast. Rest from main set to OO is the biggest change, reflecting the faster meta we have now.
[OVERVIEW]
What Exeggcute lacks in stats, it makes up for in status moves and typing, utilizing its key Psychic and Electric resistances to spread sleep and paralysis. It is one of the few Pokemon available that can inflict sleep consistently. It can switch into, status, and wear down the opponent's Mr. Mime without exposing your own Mr. Mime to paralysis, keeping it healthy so it can run rampant later in the match. Its resistance to Mr. Mime's, Electrode's, and Venomoth's primary attacks makes it good support for teams otherwise vulnerable to these foes, and it minds paralysis less than most Pokemon. It also packs Explosion to heavily damage a foe on the way out and grant free entry to a deadly attacker or setup sweeper, allowing for clever positioning to set up a nice endgame sweep.
Exeggcute's typing does, however, make it extremely vulnerable to the plentiful Fire- and Ice-type attacks in the tier. Even though it resists Earthquake, its very low Speed and lack of Grass-type STAB moves make it a mediocre Golem check, and its low Special and Ice weakness make it an extremely unreliable switch-in to Nidoking. Its physical bulk, while passable, is insufficient to avoid OHKOs from Kingler's and Pinsir's +2 Hyper Beams, leaving it unable to stop their sweeps with Stun Spore. Additionally, its low offensive stats leave it rather passive after it spreads status, and it will almost certainly get paralyzed as it tries to put something to sleep, which leaves it with an inconsistent 56% chance to actually land its status moves thereafter. Nonetheless, Exeggcute is a considerable thorn in the side of almost any NU team given the sheer prevalence of Mr. Mime and Venomoth.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Stun Spore
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Explosion
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Exeggcute's primary goal is to get in and put something to sleep as soon as it can, and then it attempts to spread paralysis to support its team. Teammates shouldn't paralyze Pokemon Exeggcute struggles to handle, like Fire-types, before Exeggcute gets in and puts a foe to sleep. Psychic is Exeggcute's best attacking option and hits most Pokemon in the tier for neutral damage. Psychic's 33.2% chance of reducing Special helps Exeggcute to overcome its passiveness, breaking down even bulky foes when combined with paralysis. A Special drop also provides defensive benefits, such as preventing Blastoise and Seadra from 2HKOing Exeggcute with Blizzard and reducing even Moltres's nuclear Fire Blast to a 2HKO, giving a healthy Exeggcute the option to boldly stay in on Fire-types and debilitate them with status. Explosion allows Exeggcute to take out over two-thirds of Mr. Mime's HP, leaving it in KO range for most allies, or to deal around 50% to most foes while granting an ally free entry. This allows Exeggcute to grab momentumwhen it's about to faint anyway and potentially set up an ally's sweep.
Water-types in particular have good synergy with Exeggcute, covering for its weakness to Fire and Ice, while Exeggcute in turn covers their Electric weaknesses. Kingler and Kabutops also benefit from Exeggcute's relatively weak Explosion, which can grant them a safe moment to set up Swords Dance against a weakened foe. Powerhouses below base 90 Speed, like Nidoking and Kingler, enjoy Exeggcute as a relatively safe switch-in to escape heavy damage or paralysis from Mr. Mime, Electrode, or Venomoth, and it can inflict status to help them blow apart the opposing team. While Exeggcute can't fight Ground- and Water-types one-on-one, its resistances to their STAB attacks let it bait out their weaker coverage moves, letting teammates switch in more safely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Rest gives Exeggcute longevity against Mr. Mime and Electrode, letting it continually frustrate their attempts to make progress and provide a safe switch for Pokemon vulnerable to them. However, due to its low bulk and common weaknesses, it invites sweepers like Nidoking and Raticate and Swords Dance users like Kingler and Kabutops in, letting them throw out devastating attacks while it is asleep. It also must fear repeated Special drops from Mr. Mime, which will eventually force a switch. Double-Edge could be used to pressure Mr. Mime slightly more heavily than Psychic; however, it only threatens a 5HKO with Exeggcute's dismal Attack stat, and the move weakens Exeggcute with recoil damage. Alternatively, Egg Bomb avoids recoil damage at the cost of a poor 74.7% accuracy. Solar Beam is Exeggcute's only Grass-type attack—it threatens Kingler, Kabutops, and Golem with an OHKO and inflicts massive damage on Blastoise and Seadra. However, since the opponent can simply switch out during its charge turn, Solar Beam is only possibly useful late-game, when they might lack healthy Grass-resistant Pokemon to tank it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Water-types**: Blastoise and Seadra are faster than Exeggcute, aren't threatened much by its Psychic or Explosion, aren't affected heavily by paralysis, and shred Exeggcute with Ice-type attacks. Blastoise's Seismic Toss followed by Blizzard has an 82% chance to KO, making it nearly impossible for Exeggcute to switch in or bait an attack to pivot in a teammate.
**Fire-types**: All fully-evolved Fire-types outspeed and OHKO Exeggcute with Fire Blast, and they are either 5HKOed or 4HKOed by Exeggcute's weak Psychic. Stun Spore on the switch takes their greatest asset away, though.
**Clefable and Wigglytuff**: Both Clefable and Wigglytuff outspeed and 2HKO Exeggcute with Blizzard, and if they don't have that, they can 3HKO with two Body Slams followed by Hyper Beam. They are already slower than most of the tier and thus aren't harmed much by paralysis, and Psychic only 5HKOes them, letting them bully Exeggcute once Sleep Powder isn't an option.
**Fearow, Raticate, and Nidoking**: In a pinch, these fast offensive Pokemon 2HKO Exeggcute to win one-on-one, but all are severely hampered by paralysis, and Nidoking especially does not take Psychic well. They are very effective at punishing Rest Exeggcute, taking advantage of its sleeping turns to switch in safely and blow holes in its team.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/enigami.233818/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/may.236353/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pac.520967/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/phoopes.96315/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adeleine.517429/
What Exeggcute lacks in stats, it makes up for in status moves and typing, utilizing its key Psychic and Electric resistances to spread sleep and paralysis. It is one of the few Pokemon available that can inflict sleep consistently. It can switch into, status, and wear down the opponent's Mr. Mime without exposing your own Mr. Mime to paralysis, keeping it healthy so it can run rampant later in the match. Its resistance to Mr. Mime's, Electrode's, and Venomoth's primary attacks makes it good support for teams otherwise vulnerable to these foes, and it minds paralysis less than most Pokemon. It also packs Explosion to heavily damage a foe on the way out and grant free entry to a deadly attacker or setup sweeper, allowing for clever positioning to set up a nice endgame sweep.
Exeggcute's typing does, however, make it extremely vulnerable to the plentiful Fire- and Ice-type attacks in the tier. Even though it resists Earthquake, its very low Speed and lack of Grass-type STAB moves make it a mediocre Golem check, and its low Special and Ice weakness make it an extremely unreliable switch-in to Nidoking. Its physical bulk, while passable, is insufficient to avoid OHKOs from Kingler's and Pinsir's +2 Hyper Beams, leaving it unable to stop their sweeps with Stun Spore. Additionally, its low offensive stats leave it rather passive after it spreads status, and it will almost certainly get paralyzed as it tries to put something to sleep, which leaves it with an inconsistent 56% chance to actually land its status moves thereafter. Nonetheless, Exeggcute is a considerable thorn in the side of almost any NU team given the sheer prevalence of Mr. Mime and Venomoth.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Stun Spore
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Explosion
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Exeggcute's primary goal is to get in and put something to sleep as soon as it can, and then it attempts to spread paralysis to support its team. Teammates shouldn't paralyze Pokemon Exeggcute struggles to handle, like Fire-types, before Exeggcute gets in and puts a foe to sleep. Psychic is Exeggcute's best attacking option and hits most Pokemon in the tier for neutral damage. Psychic's 33.2% chance of reducing Special helps Exeggcute to overcome its passiveness, breaking down even bulky foes when combined with paralysis. A Special drop also provides defensive benefits, such as preventing Blastoise and Seadra from 2HKOing Exeggcute with Blizzard and reducing even Moltres's nuclear Fire Blast to a 2HKO, giving a healthy Exeggcute the option to boldly stay in on Fire-types and debilitate them with status. Explosion allows Exeggcute to take out over two-thirds of Mr. Mime's HP, leaving it in KO range for most allies, or to deal around 50% to most foes while granting an ally free entry. This allows Exeggcute to grab momentumwhen it's about to faint anyway and potentially set up an ally's sweep.
Water-types in particular have good synergy with Exeggcute, covering for its weakness to Fire and Ice, while Exeggcute in turn covers their Electric weaknesses. Kingler and Kabutops also benefit from Exeggcute's relatively weak Explosion, which can grant them a safe moment to set up Swords Dance against a weakened foe. Powerhouses below base 90 Speed, like Nidoking and Kingler, enjoy Exeggcute as a relatively safe switch-in to escape heavy damage or paralysis from Mr. Mime, Electrode, or Venomoth, and it can inflict status to help them blow apart the opposing team. While Exeggcute can't fight Ground- and Water-types one-on-one, its resistances to their STAB attacks let it bait out their weaker coverage moves, letting teammates switch in more safely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Rest gives Exeggcute longevity against Mr. Mime and Electrode, letting it continually frustrate their attempts to make progress and provide a safe switch for Pokemon vulnerable to them. However, due to its low bulk and common weaknesses, it invites sweepers like Nidoking and Raticate and Swords Dance users like Kingler and Kabutops in, letting them throw out devastating attacks while it is asleep. It also must fear repeated Special drops from Mr. Mime, which will eventually force a switch. Double-Edge could be used to pressure Mr. Mime slightly more heavily than Psychic; however, it only threatens a 5HKO with Exeggcute's dismal Attack stat, and the move weakens Exeggcute with recoil damage. Alternatively, Egg Bomb avoids recoil damage at the cost of a poor 74.7% accuracy. Solar Beam is Exeggcute's only Grass-type attack—it threatens Kingler, Kabutops, and Golem with an OHKO and inflicts massive damage on Blastoise and Seadra. However, since the opponent can simply switch out during its charge turn, Solar Beam is only possibly useful late-game, when they might lack healthy Grass-resistant Pokemon to tank it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Water-types**: Blastoise and Seadra are faster than Exeggcute, aren't threatened much by its Psychic or Explosion, aren't affected heavily by paralysis, and shred Exeggcute with Ice-type attacks. Blastoise's Seismic Toss followed by Blizzard has an 82% chance to KO, making it nearly impossible for Exeggcute to switch in or bait an attack to pivot in a teammate.
**Fire-types**: All fully-evolved Fire-types outspeed and OHKO Exeggcute with Fire Blast, and they are either 5HKOed or 4HKOed by Exeggcute's weak Psychic. Stun Spore on the switch takes their greatest asset away, though.
**Clefable and Wigglytuff**: Both Clefable and Wigglytuff outspeed and 2HKO Exeggcute with Blizzard, and if they don't have that, they can 3HKO with two Body Slams followed by Hyper Beam. They are already slower than most of the tier and thus aren't harmed much by paralysis, and Psychic only 5HKOes them, letting them bully Exeggcute once Sleep Powder isn't an option.
**Fearow, Raticate, and Nidoking**: In a pinch, these fast offensive Pokemon 2HKO Exeggcute to win one-on-one, but all are severely hampered by paralysis, and Nidoking especially does not take Psychic well. They are very effective at punishing Rest Exeggcute, taking advantage of its sleeping turns to switch in safely and blow holes in its team.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/enigami.233818/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/may.236353/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pac.520967/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/phoopes.96315/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adeleine.517429/
Last edited:
