LucarioOfLegends
Master Procraster
QC [3/3]: snake_rattler, cbrevan, cbrevan
GP [2/2]: GMars, Fireflame479
[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to a great Special Attack stat, a good Speed tier, and a unique STAB combination, Plasmanta sets itself apart from other strong Electric-types by being able to take down the metagame's numerous bulky Grass-types such as Pyroak, Jumbao, Assault Vest Tapu Bulu, and Ferrothorn. Its typing alongside Storm Drain gives Plasmanta eight resistances and an immunity to Water, giving it numerous opportunities to switch in against Pokemon such as Hawlucha, Shift Gear Magearna, and Kartana. Plasmanta also has a number of other moves, being able to use Hidden Power, Psyshock, Encore, and Taunt to prepare for a variety of different threats to a team.
Unfortunately, Plasmanta's good resistances are offset by a terrible 4x weakness to Ground, which leaves it commonly forced out by Ground-types such as Zygarde, Landorus-T, and Colossoil, with Ground-type moves in general being a great risk for it. Due to its underwhelming bulk and lack of reliable recovery, Plasmanta's overall survivability is severely lacking to the point where it is hard to avoid 2HKOs, which is only made worse by a lack of Volt Switch. Plasmanta also suffers from a deal of four-moveslot syndrome, as forgoing certain coverage moves for others leaves it unable to deal with threats such as Mollux, Ferrothorn, Landorus-T, and Heatran depending on the move. It is also stopped cold by both Assault Vest Colossoil and Assault Vest Magearna, which are common Pokemon in the metagame.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Aura Sphere
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt allows Plasmanta to revenge kill a staggering portion of the metagame, with special mention going to Dragon Dance Naviathan, Choice Scarf Volkraken, Mega Pinsir, and Ash-Greninja. Sludge Bomb serves as a great secondary STAB move that can hit Grass-types that otherwise resist Thunderbolt, help ensure KOs with a good chance to poison, and revenge kill fast Fairy-types such as Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Jumbao, and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele. Hidden Power Ice is an important coverage move that lets Plasmanta hit and revenge kill Landorus-T and Zygarde, which can otherwise come in on Plasmanta's other attacks and force it out. Aura Sphere lets Plasmanta revenge kill Kartana much more reliably and can strike Steel-types such as Excadrill and Magnezone. Aura Sphere is also the best option against Colossoil and Ferrothorn. Psyshock is a possible alternative that can hit Mollux, Mega Venusaur, and Crucibelle super effectively, but it leaves Plasmanta unable to touch Colossoil and stop a boosted Kartana.
Set Details
========
With 252 Speed EVs, a Timid Nature, and a Choice Scarf, Plasmanta is able to outspeed naturally fast Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Syclant as well as common Choice Scarf users such as Tapu Lele and Volkraken. Maximum Special Attack investment lets Plasmanta hit as hard as possible. Storm Drain gives Plasmanta a useful Water immunity to ease switching in, and the Special Attack boost can help ensure KOs. It also allows Plasmanta to fully check Ash-Greninja, as Storm Drain absorbs Water Shuriken.
Usage Tips
========
Utilizing the Speed boost Choice Scarf gives Plasmanta, this set should mostly be used as a revenge killer. As Plasmanta can be rendered useless by Ground- and Steel-types switching into Thunderbolt and Sludge Bomb, respectively, prediction is a key part in using this set. Because of how easy it is to lock into a move that can easily be switched into, Plasmanta can also be used to lure in Ground- and Steel-types such as Landorus-T and Magearna and switch into an appropriate check. Once Ground-types have been removed by teammates, Thunderbolt will be the safest move to lock into, as it hits most of the metagame neutrally. Similarly, Sludge Bomb becomes much safer to lock into once Steel-types have been removed from play. Pokemon such as Arghonaut, Celesteela, Pyroak, and Naviathan, which are otherwise threatened by Plasmanta, can carry coverage moves that hit it super effectively, so be sure to scout these moves and be wary of switching Plasmanta in if they do carry said coverage. Switching into Water-type attacks can give Plasmanta a power boost to revenge kill Pokemon it otherwise cannot, such as being able to OHKO Syclant, and lets it clean up teams once Ground-and Steel-types have been removed. Remember that Water-type attackers can also choose moves that severely damage Plasmanta, such as Kingdra's Draco Meteor and Ash-Greninja's Dark Pulse.
Team Options
========
Plasmanta excels at removing bulky Water-types such as Arghonaut and Toxapex, so Pokemon that generally want these Water-types removed, such as Volcarona, Volkraken, Colossoil, and Ash-Greninja, appreciate the support that Plasmanta provides. Moreover, Ground-types such as Colossoil and Landorus-T make good partners for it, as they are able to deal with the Steel-types that Plasmanta is blocked by, while it revenge kills the Grass-, Water-, and Flying-types that give them trouble. Ground-type removal is essential for this set, so Pokemon that can remove them such as Syclant, Tapu Bulu, and Volkraken make great partners. This set also struggles with Cawmodore, so Pokemon that can serve as checks to it, such as Choice Scarf Volkraken, Cyclohm, and Ash-Greninja, make great teammates. Wallbreakers generally weaken teams for Plasmanta to clean up, so Pokemon like Tapu Bulu, Choice Specs Volkraken, and Mega Pinsir work well with it, with Plasmanta being able to deal with their bulkier checks in return. Plasmanta additionally likes entry hazards, as they can soften up foes for it to revenge kill, so Pokemon that can set them like Tomohawk, Ferrothorn, and Ash-Greninja work well in this regard. Slow U-turn and Volt Switch users, such as Rotom-W, Colossoil, and Magearna, can get Plasmanta into battle safely, so having them as partners is greatly appreciated.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Aura Sphere / Psyshock
item: Life Orb
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt can hit most of the metagame ruthlessly hard and is especially effective against Water- and Flying-types such as Naviathan, Tomohawk, Arghonaut, and Celesteela. Sludge Bomb works great as a secondary STAB move and hits bulky Grass-, Electric-, and Dragon-types that Thunderbolt cannot punch through such as Pyroak, Tapu Bulu, Mega Latios, Tapu Koko, and Cyclohm while also hitting Clefable and potentially crippling the foe with poison. Hidden Power Ice hits Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Zygarde, which otherwise wall Plasmanta. Hidden Power Fire can be run as an alternative that can hit Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor super effectively while stopping Plasmanta from being setup fodder against Cawmodore. Aura Sphere deals with Steel-types like Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Heatran, which can otherwise give Plasmanta significant trouble, and can target Colossoil. Psyshock can be used instead to hit Mollux, Mega Venusaur, and opposing Plasmanta.
Set Details
========
Life Orb gives Plasmanta a large power boost to its attacks while still giving it the freedom of move choice, letting it serve as a powerful wallbreaker without having to worry about being locked into a move and easily exploited. Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment lets Plasmanta hit as hard and fast as possible. A Timid nature is preferred, as then Plasmanta will then Speed tie with other base 100s like Victini and Mega Medicham while also outspeeding Tapu Lele, unboosted Aurumoth, Flame Orb Colossoil, and Choice Specs Volkraken. Storm Drain is a great ability that allows Plasmanta to absorb incoming Water-type attacks and can further supplement its Special Attack.
Usage Tips
========
Plasmanta should primarily be used as a wallbreaker to soften up defensive walls that would cause problems for the rest of the team. Try to get it in through as many free switches or resisted hits as possible, as consistent damage paired with Life Orb recoil can severely cut into Plasmanta's limited longevity. Also, be sure to scout for coverage moves on Pokemon such as Celesteela, Naviathan, Pyroak, Arghonaut, and Tangrowth, as they can carry Ground- and Psychic-type attacks for Plasmanta. If Water-types such as Ash-Greninja, Volkraken, and Keldeo are locked into a Water-type attack, feel free to switch Plasmanta in, as it will gain a Special Attack boost and increase its wallbreaking capabilities to even be able to threaten its slower checks. Be wary of trying to switch into a Water-type attack if the foes are not Choice locked, as they can strike Plasmanta with strong coverage moves.
Team Options
========
Setup sweepers such as Zygarde and Naviathan greatly benefit from Plasmanta breaking through strong defensive Pokemon that they otherwise struggle to get through such as Clefable, Tangrowth, Tomohawk, and Arghonaut. In return, they are able to break down Plasmanta's own checks once they have set up to sweep. Plasmanta appreciates help from physical wallbreakers like Flame Orb Colossoil, Pajantom, and Kartana, as they can break through specially defensive Pokemon such as Assault Vest Magearna and Chansey, which otherwise stop it cold. Spikes setters such as Ferrothorn, Greninja, Skarmory, and Syclant can lay down Spikes to soften up incoming foes while also serving as decent checks to Ground-types that threaten Plasmanta. Sticky Web support from Necturna is also great, as it lets Plasmanta outspeed and OHKO Pokemon it otherwise could not such as Syclant. Plasmanta in general appreciates the removal of Ground-types such as Zygarde and Colossoil. Pokemon like Tapu Bulu, Tomohawk, and Jumbao make great partners in this case. Tomohawk is a notably great teammate, as it can easily set up hazards to weaken Plasmanta's targets, while Plasmanta can scare away threatening Fairy-types such as Clefable in return. Tapu Koko can set up Electric Terrain for Plasmanta's Thunderbolt while also helping it get in through Volt Switch, while Plasmanta can remove bulky Grass-types that give Tapu Koko trouble. Pokemon that appreciate the removal of bulky Water-types, such as Volkraken, Volcarona, and Ash-Greninja, serve as good partners to Plasmanta. Ground-types such as Zygarde, Colossoil, and Landorus-T also appreciate Plasmanta, as it can remove troublesome Grass- and Flying-types that they otherwise can struggle against, while they deal with Steel-types that can give Plasmanta trouble.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Sludge Wave can be used over Sludge Bomb if the extra power is desired, but the difference usually is not significant, and Plasmanta appreciates the extra poison chance on Sludge Bomb. Encore can lock Pokemon into unfavorable moves to force a switch and can ease the pressure of fighting slower Pokemon by locking them into bad moves such as Toxic, Thunder Wave, and Water-type attacks. It can also lock slower setup sweepers such Landorus-T and Bulk Up Revenankh into their boosting moves, leaving them open to attack. Hidden Power Grass is an alternative to Hidden Power Ice, letting Plasmanta OHKO Mega Swampert, 2HKO Gastrodon, and serve as a lure for Pokemon like Ash-Greninja and Volkraken. Haze lets Plasmanta serve as an emergency stop to setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Naviathan and Bulk Up Revenankh by removing their stat boosts, but Plasmanta's other options, such as Encore, generally prove more useful. Dazzling Gleam serves as a great move for neutral coverage while maintaining super effective damage on Pokemon such as Colossoil and Zygarde and being a better option against Dragon-types such as Cyclohm and Pajantom. Z-Electric Terrain can be used to fix any speed problems that Plasmanta usually has while powering up Thunderbolt, turning it in a sweeper However, there are better ways to use the Z-Crystal, and the lack of power on Plasmanta's other moves is quite noticeable.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Colossoil, Excadrill, Landorus-T, and Zygarde can easily switch into both of Plasmanta's STAB attacks and OHKO it with Earthquake or Thousand Arrows. Assault Vest Colossoil in particular takes very little damage from any of Plasmanta's moves, can effortlessly KO it with Earthquake, and is even able to punish a switch out with a powerful Pursuit. Mega Swampert and Gastrodon also have very little to fear from Plasmanta besides the rare Hidden Power Grass and can easily force it out with Earthquake.
**Psychic-types**: Mega Latios, Hoopa-U, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Mega Medicham can all threaten out Plasmanta with their strong Psychic-type attacks. Keep in mind, however, that Tapu Lele and Mega Medicham are unable to switch into the Life Orb set at all, and Tapu Lele loses to the Choice Scarf set.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Assault Vest Magearna is a solid counter to Plasmanta, as it fears very little from Plasmanta and can use it as a way to gain free momentum. Chansey can easily heal off any attacks thrown at it and can force Plasmanta out with Seismic Toss, while Mollux and Mega Venusaur also wall Plasmanta using reliable recovery and can wear it down with their STAB attacks. However, Taunt can stop most options these Pokemon have, and Mollux and Mega Venusaur must be wary of Psyshock.
**Faster Attackers**: Although they are unable to directly switch into Plasmanta's attacks, faster attackers such as Syclant, Pajantom, and Ash-Greninja all can outspeed and KO Life Orb Plasmanta. Choice Scarf Volkraken and Swift Swim Kingdra can also outspeed and KO it, but they have to be careful of locking into a Water-type move.
**Cawmodore**: Unless Plasmanta carries Hidden Power Fire or gets high damage rolls with Aura Sphere, Cawmodore can use Choice Scarf Plasmanta as setup bait, as it can absorb Thunderbolt using Volt Absorb and is immune to Sludge Bomb.
GP [2/2]: GMars, Fireflame479
[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to a great Special Attack stat, a good Speed tier, and a unique STAB combination, Plasmanta sets itself apart from other strong Electric-types by being able to take down the metagame's numerous bulky Grass-types such as Pyroak, Jumbao, Assault Vest Tapu Bulu, and Ferrothorn. Its typing alongside Storm Drain gives Plasmanta eight resistances and an immunity to Water, giving it numerous opportunities to switch in against Pokemon such as Hawlucha, Shift Gear Magearna, and Kartana. Plasmanta also has a number of other moves, being able to use Hidden Power, Psyshock, Encore, and Taunt to prepare for a variety of different threats to a team.
Unfortunately, Plasmanta's good resistances are offset by a terrible 4x weakness to Ground, which leaves it commonly forced out by Ground-types such as Zygarde, Landorus-T, and Colossoil, with Ground-type moves in general being a great risk for it. Due to its underwhelming bulk and lack of reliable recovery, Plasmanta's overall survivability is severely lacking to the point where it is hard to avoid 2HKOs, which is only made worse by a lack of Volt Switch. Plasmanta also suffers from a deal of four-moveslot syndrome, as forgoing certain coverage moves for others leaves it unable to deal with threats such as Mollux, Ferrothorn, Landorus-T, and Heatran depending on the move. It is also stopped cold by both Assault Vest Colossoil and Assault Vest Magearna, which are common Pokemon in the metagame.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Aura Sphere
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt allows Plasmanta to revenge kill a staggering portion of the metagame, with special mention going to Dragon Dance Naviathan, Choice Scarf Volkraken, Mega Pinsir, and Ash-Greninja. Sludge Bomb serves as a great secondary STAB move that can hit Grass-types that otherwise resist Thunderbolt, help ensure KOs with a good chance to poison, and revenge kill fast Fairy-types such as Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Jumbao, and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele. Hidden Power Ice is an important coverage move that lets Plasmanta hit and revenge kill Landorus-T and Zygarde, which can otherwise come in on Plasmanta's other attacks and force it out. Aura Sphere lets Plasmanta revenge kill Kartana much more reliably and can strike Steel-types such as Excadrill and Magnezone. Aura Sphere is also the best option against Colossoil and Ferrothorn. Psyshock is a possible alternative that can hit Mollux, Mega Venusaur, and Crucibelle super effectively, but it leaves Plasmanta unable to touch Colossoil and stop a boosted Kartana.
Set Details
========
With 252 Speed EVs, a Timid Nature, and a Choice Scarf, Plasmanta is able to outspeed naturally fast Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Syclant as well as common Choice Scarf users such as Tapu Lele and Volkraken. Maximum Special Attack investment lets Plasmanta hit as hard as possible. Storm Drain gives Plasmanta a useful Water immunity to ease switching in, and the Special Attack boost can help ensure KOs. It also allows Plasmanta to fully check Ash-Greninja, as Storm Drain absorbs Water Shuriken.
Usage Tips
========
Utilizing the Speed boost Choice Scarf gives Plasmanta, this set should mostly be used as a revenge killer. As Plasmanta can be rendered useless by Ground- and Steel-types switching into Thunderbolt and Sludge Bomb, respectively, prediction is a key part in using this set. Because of how easy it is to lock into a move that can easily be switched into, Plasmanta can also be used to lure in Ground- and Steel-types such as Landorus-T and Magearna and switch into an appropriate check. Once Ground-types have been removed by teammates, Thunderbolt will be the safest move to lock into, as it hits most of the metagame neutrally. Similarly, Sludge Bomb becomes much safer to lock into once Steel-types have been removed from play. Pokemon such as Arghonaut, Celesteela, Pyroak, and Naviathan, which are otherwise threatened by Plasmanta, can carry coverage moves that hit it super effectively, so be sure to scout these moves and be wary of switching Plasmanta in if they do carry said coverage. Switching into Water-type attacks can give Plasmanta a power boost to revenge kill Pokemon it otherwise cannot, such as being able to OHKO Syclant, and lets it clean up teams once Ground-and Steel-types have been removed. Remember that Water-type attackers can also choose moves that severely damage Plasmanta, such as Kingdra's Draco Meteor and Ash-Greninja's Dark Pulse.
Team Options
========
Plasmanta excels at removing bulky Water-types such as Arghonaut and Toxapex, so Pokemon that generally want these Water-types removed, such as Volcarona, Volkraken, Colossoil, and Ash-Greninja, appreciate the support that Plasmanta provides. Moreover, Ground-types such as Colossoil and Landorus-T make good partners for it, as they are able to deal with the Steel-types that Plasmanta is blocked by, while it revenge kills the Grass-, Water-, and Flying-types that give them trouble. Ground-type removal is essential for this set, so Pokemon that can remove them such as Syclant, Tapu Bulu, and Volkraken make great partners. This set also struggles with Cawmodore, so Pokemon that can serve as checks to it, such as Choice Scarf Volkraken, Cyclohm, and Ash-Greninja, make great teammates. Wallbreakers generally weaken teams for Plasmanta to clean up, so Pokemon like Tapu Bulu, Choice Specs Volkraken, and Mega Pinsir work well with it, with Plasmanta being able to deal with their bulkier checks in return. Plasmanta additionally likes entry hazards, as they can soften up foes for it to revenge kill, so Pokemon that can set them like Tomohawk, Ferrothorn, and Ash-Greninja work well in this regard. Slow U-turn and Volt Switch users, such as Rotom-W, Colossoil, and Magearna, can get Plasmanta into battle safely, so having them as partners is greatly appreciated.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Aura Sphere / Psyshock
item: Life Orb
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt can hit most of the metagame ruthlessly hard and is especially effective against Water- and Flying-types such as Naviathan, Tomohawk, Arghonaut, and Celesteela. Sludge Bomb works great as a secondary STAB move and hits bulky Grass-, Electric-, and Dragon-types that Thunderbolt cannot punch through such as Pyroak, Tapu Bulu, Mega Latios, Tapu Koko, and Cyclohm while also hitting Clefable and potentially crippling the foe with poison. Hidden Power Ice hits Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Zygarde, which otherwise wall Plasmanta. Hidden Power Fire can be run as an alternative that can hit Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor super effectively while stopping Plasmanta from being setup fodder against Cawmodore. Aura Sphere deals with Steel-types like Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Heatran, which can otherwise give Plasmanta significant trouble, and can target Colossoil. Psyshock can be used instead to hit Mollux, Mega Venusaur, and opposing Plasmanta.
Set Details
========
Life Orb gives Plasmanta a large power boost to its attacks while still giving it the freedom of move choice, letting it serve as a powerful wallbreaker without having to worry about being locked into a move and easily exploited. Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment lets Plasmanta hit as hard and fast as possible. A Timid nature is preferred, as then Plasmanta will then Speed tie with other base 100s like Victini and Mega Medicham while also outspeeding Tapu Lele, unboosted Aurumoth, Flame Orb Colossoil, and Choice Specs Volkraken. Storm Drain is a great ability that allows Plasmanta to absorb incoming Water-type attacks and can further supplement its Special Attack.
Usage Tips
========
Plasmanta should primarily be used as a wallbreaker to soften up defensive walls that would cause problems for the rest of the team. Try to get it in through as many free switches or resisted hits as possible, as consistent damage paired with Life Orb recoil can severely cut into Plasmanta's limited longevity. Also, be sure to scout for coverage moves on Pokemon such as Celesteela, Naviathan, Pyroak, Arghonaut, and Tangrowth, as they can carry Ground- and Psychic-type attacks for Plasmanta. If Water-types such as Ash-Greninja, Volkraken, and Keldeo are locked into a Water-type attack, feel free to switch Plasmanta in, as it will gain a Special Attack boost and increase its wallbreaking capabilities to even be able to threaten its slower checks. Be wary of trying to switch into a Water-type attack if the foes are not Choice locked, as they can strike Plasmanta with strong coverage moves.
Team Options
========
Setup sweepers such as Zygarde and Naviathan greatly benefit from Plasmanta breaking through strong defensive Pokemon that they otherwise struggle to get through such as Clefable, Tangrowth, Tomohawk, and Arghonaut. In return, they are able to break down Plasmanta's own checks once they have set up to sweep. Plasmanta appreciates help from physical wallbreakers like Flame Orb Colossoil, Pajantom, and Kartana, as they can break through specially defensive Pokemon such as Assault Vest Magearna and Chansey, which otherwise stop it cold. Spikes setters such as Ferrothorn, Greninja, Skarmory, and Syclant can lay down Spikes to soften up incoming foes while also serving as decent checks to Ground-types that threaten Plasmanta. Sticky Web support from Necturna is also great, as it lets Plasmanta outspeed and OHKO Pokemon it otherwise could not such as Syclant. Plasmanta in general appreciates the removal of Ground-types such as Zygarde and Colossoil. Pokemon like Tapu Bulu, Tomohawk, and Jumbao make great partners in this case. Tomohawk is a notably great teammate, as it can easily set up hazards to weaken Plasmanta's targets, while Plasmanta can scare away threatening Fairy-types such as Clefable in return. Tapu Koko can set up Electric Terrain for Plasmanta's Thunderbolt while also helping it get in through Volt Switch, while Plasmanta can remove bulky Grass-types that give Tapu Koko trouble. Pokemon that appreciate the removal of bulky Water-types, such as Volkraken, Volcarona, and Ash-Greninja, serve as good partners to Plasmanta. Ground-types such as Zygarde, Colossoil, and Landorus-T also appreciate Plasmanta, as it can remove troublesome Grass- and Flying-types that they otherwise can struggle against, while they deal with Steel-types that can give Plasmanta trouble.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Sludge Wave can be used over Sludge Bomb if the extra power is desired, but the difference usually is not significant, and Plasmanta appreciates the extra poison chance on Sludge Bomb. Encore can lock Pokemon into unfavorable moves to force a switch and can ease the pressure of fighting slower Pokemon by locking them into bad moves such as Toxic, Thunder Wave, and Water-type attacks. It can also lock slower setup sweepers such Landorus-T and Bulk Up Revenankh into their boosting moves, leaving them open to attack. Hidden Power Grass is an alternative to Hidden Power Ice, letting Plasmanta OHKO Mega Swampert, 2HKO Gastrodon, and serve as a lure for Pokemon like Ash-Greninja and Volkraken. Haze lets Plasmanta serve as an emergency stop to setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Naviathan and Bulk Up Revenankh by removing their stat boosts, but Plasmanta's other options, such as Encore, generally prove more useful. Dazzling Gleam serves as a great move for neutral coverage while maintaining super effective damage on Pokemon such as Colossoil and Zygarde and being a better option against Dragon-types such as Cyclohm and Pajantom. Z-Electric Terrain can be used to fix any speed problems that Plasmanta usually has while powering up Thunderbolt, turning it in a sweeper However, there are better ways to use the Z-Crystal, and the lack of power on Plasmanta's other moves is quite noticeable.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Colossoil, Excadrill, Landorus-T, and Zygarde can easily switch into both of Plasmanta's STAB attacks and OHKO it with Earthquake or Thousand Arrows. Assault Vest Colossoil in particular takes very little damage from any of Plasmanta's moves, can effortlessly KO it with Earthquake, and is even able to punish a switch out with a powerful Pursuit. Mega Swampert and Gastrodon also have very little to fear from Plasmanta besides the rare Hidden Power Grass and can easily force it out with Earthquake.
**Psychic-types**: Mega Latios, Hoopa-U, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Mega Medicham can all threaten out Plasmanta with their strong Psychic-type attacks. Keep in mind, however, that Tapu Lele and Mega Medicham are unable to switch into the Life Orb set at all, and Tapu Lele loses to the Choice Scarf set.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Assault Vest Magearna is a solid counter to Plasmanta, as it fears very little from Plasmanta and can use it as a way to gain free momentum. Chansey can easily heal off any attacks thrown at it and can force Plasmanta out with Seismic Toss, while Mollux and Mega Venusaur also wall Plasmanta using reliable recovery and can wear it down with their STAB attacks. However, Taunt can stop most options these Pokemon have, and Mollux and Mega Venusaur must be wary of Psyshock.
**Faster Attackers**: Although they are unable to directly switch into Plasmanta's attacks, faster attackers such as Syclant, Pajantom, and Ash-Greninja all can outspeed and KO Life Orb Plasmanta. Choice Scarf Volkraken and Swift Swim Kingdra can also outspeed and KO it, but they have to be careful of locking into a Water-type move.
**Cawmodore**: Unless Plasmanta carries Hidden Power Fire or gets high damage rolls with Aura Sphere, Cawmodore can use Choice Scarf Plasmanta as setup bait, as it can absorb Thunderbolt using Volt Absorb and is immune to Sludge Bomb.
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