Milotic
[Overview]
<p>Milotic
moves moved into the 5th generation retaining her status as
the one of the (This is more precise) only pure Bulky Water-type with instant, self-sufficient recovery. Above average HP, excellent Special Attack, and phenomenal Special Defense allow
s Milotic to function as a great mixed wall that is also capable of dishing out its own damage. Marvel Scale remains a unique, defensive ability that sets Milotic apart from the other
bulky
Waters Water-types as a status absorber or a
Sleep-Talker RestTalker. Despite a relatively minute increase in its already shallow movepool, Milotic has some new toys to play with in Generation V. Scald is a welcomed asset to its excellent Special Defense and Dragon Tail gives it
a the much-needed ability to phaze. Since these options are TM-based, Milotic is one of the few pokemon who can enjoy the generational transition with no detrimental impact to its old tricks. In
a the chaotic, new world dominated by offense, Milotic establishes itself as a moderate defensive check,
trading teamwork for support options that are more detrimental for the opponent (I'm not exactly sure what you are trying to say here so I can't help you reword it).</p>
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Recover
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Dragon Tail / Toxic / Haze
item: Leftovers
ability: Marvel Scale
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set takes advantage of Milotic’s access to Recover, which frees up extra moveslots for both
offense and support offensive and supportive moves. The defensive EV spread makes the most of Milotic's mixed wall potential, providing her with solid 394 HP and 280+
Defenses. Scald and Ice Beam allow Milotic to
enjoy exercising exercise her robust 100 base Special Attack. Scald's 30%
burn chance means that most physical sweepers must be wary of switching in, lest they be crippled. Ice Beam rounds out Milotic's coverage, especially in the realm of dragon-slaying. The 4 offensive EVs guarantee
s that Ice Beam
's will OHKO
on a Salamence without any defensive investment.</p>
<p>The choice of support move is at the player’s discretion, each having their own merits: Toxic allows Milotic to make short work of her fellow
bulky Water-types and generally Recover-stall opposing Pokemon to death while either p/hazing
move ensure
s that Milotic is not setup-bait. Dragon Tail allows Milotic to bounce away setup sweepers and inflict extra damage through entry hazards. It also bypasses Taunt, but unlike Haze, it is liable to miss, albeit rarely, and fails to get rid of opponents behind a Substitute.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Toxic can be used over Ice Beam and allows Milotic to shuffle status across an opponent's team with Dragon Tail. If one is turned off by the idea of conflicting statuses, then Surf can be used over Scald. However, most opponents will enjoy neither Burn or Toxic, making Surf's additional base power almost negligible in the long-run. Milotic can fit on both bulky offensive teams or pure stall as both welcome a defensive pivot with the potential to hit back. Entry Hazard support is always welcome. Milotic enjoys being part of a Fire/Grass/
bulky Water core—Ferrothorn Roserade, and
Erufuun Whimsicott come to mind as worthwhile Grass-type partners, especially with the entry hazard potential of the first two. Heatran or Shandera are great Fire-type choices as in most cases Milotic can pave the way for their sweep by eliminating enemy
bulky Waters.</p>
<p>Milotic works wonderfully in tandem with sweepers that fear Ice-, Water-, or Fire-type moves: Latios, Dragonite, Garchomp, Scizor, Lucario and most other Dragon- or Steel-types work as teammates. They allow Milotic to avoid getting into stall wars with the most resilient of walls. With Poison Heal, Gliscor or Breloom can switch in and absorb threatening Toxic and Electric-type moves. Milotic can happily switch into an opponent’s attempts at setup and status—
as an activated Marvel Scale gives Milotic the potential to exceed Skarmory’s Defense. Opposing Scalds, the first layer of Toxic Spikes, and Will-O-Wisp all provide incredibly optimal opportunities to switch in and grab the defensive boost.</p>
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Scald
move 4: Dragon Tail
item: Leftovers
ability: Marvel Scale
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The fabled strategy of
Sleeptalking RestTalking is definitely still viable on Milotic because she is the only Pokemon that receives a defensive reward for using
Rest, through Marvel Scale. Scald, again, is the primary STAB because of its chance to enhance Milotic's walling potential. Dragon Tail finally allows Milotic to join the phazing ranks of Gyarados and Swampert, becoming a team player of sorts as it can hamper opposing efforts at setup and status. With Sleep Talk, Dragon Tail loses its negative priority and Milotic has the opportunity to force out threats that exploit the inherent slowness of a regular phazer. Milotic is a solid choice over Gyarados in this niche because of its lack of
a Stealth Rock weakness, overall better
Special Defense, and the boost from Marvel Scale.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread and
nature take the most advantage of the 50% defensive boost of Marvel Scale, investing more points in Special Defense as Milotic's physical walling capabilities will be heightened most of the time. Enjoying respectable defenses of 394 HP/ 254 Def/319 SpD before sleeping, Milotic's physical defense soars to 381 under Status. Rest and Scald actually allow Milotic to handle any of the five major statuses and restore itself to full health. A minus attack nature is used because Dragon Tail is being used to phaze rather than as a legitimate attacking option. Before choosing this over Gyarados, one has to consider higher defenses or higher damage roll as well as the chance to
burn. Marvel Scale also makes Milotic a viable choice over Suicune, but as always, one must weigh the many pros and cons of Dragon Tail vs Roar.</p>
<p>Entry hazards of all kinds are welcome--at least two are recommended to make full use of Milotic's phazing powers, but one should probably take into account Toxic Spikes as it reduces the chance that Milotic will score a burn. As Milotic is still effectively acting as a mixed wall, it's a good idea to have Pokemon in the wings who are entirely focused on one defensive stat such as Blissey or Snorlax and Hippowdon or Skarmory. Like Jellicent, Milotic has high special defense and the power to burn its foes, but the sea serpent isn't Pursuit weak and boosts superior physical
Defense--even before it is augmented by Rest. This means, a non-Water-type
spinblocker like Spiritomb, Shandera, or Dusclops is recommended.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>With Scald disabling physical sweepers, Milotic can try Mirror Coat to nail Special Attackers as well
. For this niche, a primarily special defensive spread is recommended as Milotic needs all the special defensive investment it can get to survive and reflect the most powerful of special moves. Light Screen, too, can be used to increase Milotic's overall defenses with Scald. A Calm nature with 252 HP/200 Def
ense/56 Sp
ecial D
efense makes a good balance, but Milotic will want to focus most of its EVs to physical Defense this generation to differentiate itself from Jellicent</p>
<p>Hidden Power Electric or Grass are offensive alternatives to Ice Beam or the support options on the Recover set, but Milotic won't be doing much damage to its fellow
bulky Waters as it would with Toxic. Hidden Power Fire is an option to counter Ferrothorn, but doesn't offer many other benefits. A Life Orb set is also a possibility, but
it's difficult to run as although Milotic has great Special Attack, barely better than average speed, a poor offensive movepool and no stat-boosting move leave it to coverage-based tanking at best. </p>
<p>Magic Coat's increased versatility this generation extends to Milotic as well, although more often than not, Milotic is happy to take a status move, though a lead set is somewhat of a possibility. Hypnosis was once a staple on Milotic last generation and it remains a viable option with the sleep counter shenanigans of Gen V, although Scald and Toxic make for more consistent options.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>For all of its splendor and bulk, Milotic is easily 2
HKOed by powerful Grass
- and Electric-Type moves. Zapdos, Thundurus, Virizion, Breloom, Celebi, Jolteon, and Lilligant can all counter and sweep Milotic quite effectively with their STAB moves, but the majority of them won't like being hit with Ice Beam or badly poisoned. Ferrothorn and Whimsicott make Milotic's life hellish as they can sap massive amounts of health through Leech Seed--Ferrothorn is especially troublesome as it can setup entry hazards. However, Scald can be troublesome as Ferrothorn will be unable to kill Milotic with Power Whip if it's burned. The Rest
-Talker also carries the possibility of outspeeding it and Dragon Tailing it out with Sleep Talk. If Milotic switches into either Ferrothorn's Thunder Wave or Whimsicott's Stun Spore, killing her will be much harder. Milotic needs Ice Beam to slay dragons and Grass-types, Toxic to overcome bulky waters, and Haze to counter Substitute sweepers. Once you figure out its support specialty, it's relatively simple to counter appropriately. Jellicent might have a chance if its running Energy Ball or Toxic, but Taunt will only work on the switch
-in as Milotic can easily outspeed and Toxic. Out of all the other
bulky Waters, Tentacruel counters Milotic the best by either draining its health or badly poisoning it while resisting whatever she tries to dish out.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Milotic gets the hopeless Cute Charm—more appropriately Intoxicating Body in Japan—which gives it 30% of a chance to inflict the Attract status on a member of the opposite gender. Given that Marvel Scale is one of the only reasons to run Milotic and Cute Charm is unlikely to go off unless your opponent runs a single gender team, there is never a good reason to play with this Dream World ability.</p>