S1nn0hC0nfirm3d
aka Ho3nConfirm3d
[OVERVIEW]
Cacturne is an powerful Pokemon that has a niche for its offensive Grass / Dark typing and coverage. It can function as a mixed attacker that threatens walls like Golem, Poliwrath, Pyukumuku, and Dusclops while also taking on faster attackers like Electivire and Kadabra with a strong priority attack in Sucker Punch. Spikes are a rare entry hazard that Cacturne can afford to fit, as its offensive presence gives it opportunities to set them when forcing switches. With Swords Dance, Cacturne becomes a sweeper with powerful priority that can also break through walls like Mareanie, Torterra, and Lickiliky. However, Cacturne is very frail, which gives it limited opportunities to set up or wallbreak. This is compounded by its vulnerability to all forms of entry hazards and reliance on Life Orb to break through major defensive targets and its weakness to common coverage, especially to U-turn from users like Silvally-Dark and Furfrou. Cacturne also relies on Sucker Punch to patch up its mediocre Speed, which means it has a hard time against faster attackers that resist Dark like Combusken, Silvally-Fighting, and Monferno. Lack of a usable physical Dark-type move outside of Sucker Punch allows more Pokemon like Gourgeist-XL, Muk, Rapidash, and Rotom-S to wall it or play around Sucker Punch and renders both sets unable to break Shiinotic. This makes Cacturne hard to support on teams, as it has limited windows of opportunity to perform as a sweeper or revenge killer.
[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Giga Drain is a reliable Grass-type attack that has recovery to combat Life Orb recoil. Sucker Punch allows Cacturne to still be offensively threatening to faster Pokemon like Swanna and Mr. Mime that may try to revenge kill it.
Set Details
========
An investment that prioritizes Cacturne's Special Attack rather than its Attack grants it reliable STAB attacks in Giga Drain and Dark Pulse and avoids having to rely on Sucker Punch for physical Dark-type coverage. 252 Speed EVs allow Cacturne to be faster than Golem, Marowak, and Sandslash. A Mild nature is chose to maximize the power of Cacturne's special moves while retaining the strength of Sucker Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Cacturne should be utilized early-game to threaten entry hazard setters like Golem, Marowak, and Sandslash; all the while, it can force these Ground-types to switch out and capitalize by setting Spikes. Some walls like Gourgeist-XL, Mareanie, and Torterra may lack coverage to effectively deal with Cacturne, so it may find an opportunity to switch in on them and attack or set Spikes. Setting Spikes might be futile, however, if the opponent has reliable Defog users that beat Cacturne like Silvally-Fighting, Silvally-Dark, and Rotom-S. Try instead to wear them down with Giga Drain and Dark Pulse if they try to switch in on Cacturne. While Sucker Punch can 2HKO many faster Pokemon, watch out for those that can evade it like Roost Swanna, Substitute Raichu, and Encore Mr. Mime. In these cases, it might be better to not rely on Cacturne to revenge kill these threats unless absolutely necessary. Cacturne is more reliable revenge killing Choice Scarf users like Electivire and Silvally, but these threats still need to be worn down for Cacturne to OHKO them; otherwise, Cacturne's poor bulk prevents it from stomaching their hits.
Team Options
========
Spikes Cacturne works on teams that want the extra entry hazard support to wear down walls and put them in range of the team's setup sweepers. Sweepers like Combusken, Swanna, Simisear, and Bibarel appreciate that their checks like Silvally-Water, Silvally-Dragon, and Poliwrath are put in compromising positions with constant Spikes pressure. In return, Cacturne can rely on their complementary Fire and Water typings when trying to deal with opposing Grass- and Fire-types. Defensive Pokemon such as Poliwrath, Mareanie, and Mawile can be great switch-ins for when Cacturne is being threatened by common pivots like Silvally-Fighting and Furfrou. Mawile in particular can run Rocky Helmet to further wear down these U-turn users. Flying-types like Swanna, Rotom-S, and Toucannon help target Shiinotic as well as Fighting- and Bug-types for Cacturne, while Cacturne helps deal with some of their checks like Metang, Bronzor, and Golem. Rotom-S and Toucannon are also offensive pivots, and other pivot options like Electivire, Silvally-Dragon, and Komala make great teammates to help bring in Cacturne safely.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Seed Bomb
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Superpower
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Sucker Punch can OHKO multiple faster threats after a Swords Dance, including Electivire, Simisage, and Floatzel. Superpower can break through Pokemon that work around Cacturne's other coverage like Bronzor, Bouffalant, Mawile, and Pawniard. Substitute over Superpower can help Cacturne avoid status attempts, and Cacturne can set Substitute up safely against the likes of Bronzor and Mareanie. However, lacking Superpower's coverage makes Cacturne less efficient as a wallbreaker, and Substitute only wears down Cacturne further.
Set Details
========
Life Orb with 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature provides Cacturne with enough strength to OHKO frail attackers such as Z-Mirror Move Swanna and mixed Simisear after Stealth Rock damage.
Usage Tips
========
Cacturne should find opportunities to revenge kill vulnerable Pokemon like Golem, Choice Specs Exeggutor and Beheeyem, Komala, and Marowak. In the case of Choice Specs Exeggutor or Beheeyem locked into Psychic, Cacturne can have a rare opportunity to set up Swords Dance safely, though it may still set up on the others when they switch out. Faster Pokemon like Swanna, Rapidash, Chatot, and Kadabra can be revenge killed by Sucker Punch after Stealth Rock or similar chip damage, but they may have status coverage like Roost or Encore to deter it; try scouting for the sets and coverage before relying on Cacturne to revenge kill these targets. If not using Sucker Punch, Cacturne may still risk going for Swords Dance on the aforementioned Pokemon that it can revenge kill on the prediction that they will switch out. Cacturne can be preserved as a late-game cleaner, as after boosting with Swords Dance, it can OHKO walls like Poliwrath and Sandslash, as well as faster threats like Electivire and Silvally-Dragon. Without a Swords Dance boost, Cacturne can still clean late-game with enough prior chip damage, but you should avoid relying on it on situations where Pokemon like Will-O-Wisp Rotom-S, Substitute Simisear, and Z-Celebrate Leafeon are still in the game, as they can play around Sucker Punch. Instead of sweeping itself, Cacturne can offer its wallbreaking capabilities against slower teams to bait threats that lack reliable recovery like Silvally-Water, Mawile, and Granbull to trade hits and put them in a workable range for setup sweepers.
Team Options
========
Cacturne fits on teams that appreciate its strong priority and wallbreaking capabilities to support and revenge other sweepers. Swords Dance Combusken, Bouffalant, and Crustle are physical sweepers that appreciate Cacturne for targeting walls like Golem, Mareanie, Poliwrath, and Pyukumuku for them. They in return help Cacturne by wearing down or breaking through some of its checks like Gougeist-XL, Muk, Shiinotic, and Rotom-S. Entry hazard support is crucial to put multiple threats into KO range from Cacturne's Sucker Punch, and teammates that can provide Stealth Rock or Toxic Spikes support can be Mawile, Marowak, Shuckle, and Mareanie. Shuckle also provides Sticky Web, which can allow Cacturne to revenge kill more targets like defensive Silvally-Water and Bibarel. Pivoting support from Rotom-S, Silvally-Fighting, and Furfrou is integral for bringing in Cacturne safely. Pivots can also help scout sets, and in the case of knowing if the opposing target is Choice-locked, Cacturne is able to safely use Sucker Punch or set up. Rotom-S and Silvally-Fighting also check threats for Cacturne; Rotom-S is able to take on Fighting-types, while Silvally-Fighting takes on Dark-types. To prevent relying on Sucker Punch, use alternative revenge killers; Choice Scarf users like Swanna, Electivire, and Silvally work well, as do faster Pokemon such as Kadabra, Floatzel, and Rapidash.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
============
Poison Jab can OHKO Shiinotic, a wall that otherwise counters Cacturne's sets, but lacks any other targets that Cacturne's existing coverage already hits. Similarly, Stomping Tantrum can OHKO Muk after a Swords Dance boost and still hits Steel-types like Mawile and Pawniard but leaves Cacturne reliant on Sucker Punch to break through other Pokemon that resist Grass like Bronzor and Bouffalant. Cacturne can try a physical set with Spikes, but it lacks a reliable pair of STAB attacks compared to the special variant. A Nasty Plot set can function as a dangerous wallbreaker. However, it tends to be less effective than the Swords Dance set, as it fails to boost its priority move and thus makes Cacturne more vulnerable to revenge killers.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: Faster Fighting-type Pokemon can easily manage Cacturne offensively while resisting Sucker Punch. In addition, Combusken and Monferno resist Cacturne's Grass-type coverage, Silvally-Fighting pressures with U-turn, and Poliwrath takes it on with priority in Vacuum Wave.
**U-turn**: U-turn is 4x super effective against Cacturne, causing it to be either forced out or KOed when up against pivots like Silvally-Dragon, Silvally-Dark, Toucannon, and Furfrou. These pivots do have to be weary of Sucker Punch if they are weakened into its KO range, though.
**Defog Users**: Many Defog users like Silvally-Dark, Silvally-Fighting, Altaria, and Rotom-S can work around Cacturne's coverage, revenge kill it, and remove its Spikes.
**Muk**: Due to Cacturne's unreliable physical coverage and frailty, Muk can wall both variants of Cacturne and revenge kill with Poison Jab.
**Shiinotic**: Shiinotic resists both of Cacturne's STAB attacks and can OHKO it with Moonblast. Shiinotic only has to worry about the unlikely chance that Cacturne runs Poison Jab just for it.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Ho3nConfirm3d, 231074]]
- Quality checked by: [[5gen, 296755], [uhuhuhu7, 407249]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [estronic, 240732]]
Cacturne is an powerful Pokemon that has a niche for its offensive Grass / Dark typing and coverage. It can function as a mixed attacker that threatens walls like Golem, Poliwrath, Pyukumuku, and Dusclops while also taking on faster attackers like Electivire and Kadabra with a strong priority attack in Sucker Punch. Spikes are a rare entry hazard that Cacturne can afford to fit, as its offensive presence gives it opportunities to set them when forcing switches. With Swords Dance, Cacturne becomes a sweeper with powerful priority that can also break through walls like Mareanie, Torterra, and Lickiliky. However, Cacturne is very frail, which gives it limited opportunities to set up or wallbreak. This is compounded by its vulnerability to all forms of entry hazards and reliance on Life Orb to break through major defensive targets and its weakness to common coverage, especially to U-turn from users like Silvally-Dark and Furfrou. Cacturne also relies on Sucker Punch to patch up its mediocre Speed, which means it has a hard time against faster attackers that resist Dark like Combusken, Silvally-Fighting, and Monferno. Lack of a usable physical Dark-type move outside of Sucker Punch allows more Pokemon like Gourgeist-XL, Muk, Rapidash, and Rotom-S to wall it or play around Sucker Punch and renders both sets unable to break Shiinotic. This makes Cacturne hard to support on teams, as it has limited windows of opportunity to perform as a sweeper or revenge killer.
[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Giga Drain is a reliable Grass-type attack that has recovery to combat Life Orb recoil. Sucker Punch allows Cacturne to still be offensively threatening to faster Pokemon like Swanna and Mr. Mime that may try to revenge kill it.
Set Details
========
An investment that prioritizes Cacturne's Special Attack rather than its Attack grants it reliable STAB attacks in Giga Drain and Dark Pulse and avoids having to rely on Sucker Punch for physical Dark-type coverage. 252 Speed EVs allow Cacturne to be faster than Golem, Marowak, and Sandslash. A Mild nature is chose to maximize the power of Cacturne's special moves while retaining the strength of Sucker Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Cacturne should be utilized early-game to threaten entry hazard setters like Golem, Marowak, and Sandslash; all the while, it can force these Ground-types to switch out and capitalize by setting Spikes. Some walls like Gourgeist-XL, Mareanie, and Torterra may lack coverage to effectively deal with Cacturne, so it may find an opportunity to switch in on them and attack or set Spikes. Setting Spikes might be futile, however, if the opponent has reliable Defog users that beat Cacturne like Silvally-Fighting, Silvally-Dark, and Rotom-S. Try instead to wear them down with Giga Drain and Dark Pulse if they try to switch in on Cacturne. While Sucker Punch can 2HKO many faster Pokemon, watch out for those that can evade it like Roost Swanna, Substitute Raichu, and Encore Mr. Mime. In these cases, it might be better to not rely on Cacturne to revenge kill these threats unless absolutely necessary. Cacturne is more reliable revenge killing Choice Scarf users like Electivire and Silvally, but these threats still need to be worn down for Cacturne to OHKO them; otherwise, Cacturne's poor bulk prevents it from stomaching their hits.
Team Options
========
Spikes Cacturne works on teams that want the extra entry hazard support to wear down walls and put them in range of the team's setup sweepers. Sweepers like Combusken, Swanna, Simisear, and Bibarel appreciate that their checks like Silvally-Water, Silvally-Dragon, and Poliwrath are put in compromising positions with constant Spikes pressure. In return, Cacturne can rely on their complementary Fire and Water typings when trying to deal with opposing Grass- and Fire-types. Defensive Pokemon such as Poliwrath, Mareanie, and Mawile can be great switch-ins for when Cacturne is being threatened by common pivots like Silvally-Fighting and Furfrou. Mawile in particular can run Rocky Helmet to further wear down these U-turn users. Flying-types like Swanna, Rotom-S, and Toucannon help target Shiinotic as well as Fighting- and Bug-types for Cacturne, while Cacturne helps deal with some of their checks like Metang, Bronzor, and Golem. Rotom-S and Toucannon are also offensive pivots, and other pivot options like Electivire, Silvally-Dragon, and Komala make great teammates to help bring in Cacturne safely.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Seed Bomb
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Superpower
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Sucker Punch can OHKO multiple faster threats after a Swords Dance, including Electivire, Simisage, and Floatzel. Superpower can break through Pokemon that work around Cacturne's other coverage like Bronzor, Bouffalant, Mawile, and Pawniard. Substitute over Superpower can help Cacturne avoid status attempts, and Cacturne can set Substitute up safely against the likes of Bronzor and Mareanie. However, lacking Superpower's coverage makes Cacturne less efficient as a wallbreaker, and Substitute only wears down Cacturne further.
Set Details
========
Life Orb with 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature provides Cacturne with enough strength to OHKO frail attackers such as Z-Mirror Move Swanna and mixed Simisear after Stealth Rock damage.
Usage Tips
========
Cacturne should find opportunities to revenge kill vulnerable Pokemon like Golem, Choice Specs Exeggutor and Beheeyem, Komala, and Marowak. In the case of Choice Specs Exeggutor or Beheeyem locked into Psychic, Cacturne can have a rare opportunity to set up Swords Dance safely, though it may still set up on the others when they switch out. Faster Pokemon like Swanna, Rapidash, Chatot, and Kadabra can be revenge killed by Sucker Punch after Stealth Rock or similar chip damage, but they may have status coverage like Roost or Encore to deter it; try scouting for the sets and coverage before relying on Cacturne to revenge kill these targets. If not using Sucker Punch, Cacturne may still risk going for Swords Dance on the aforementioned Pokemon that it can revenge kill on the prediction that they will switch out. Cacturne can be preserved as a late-game cleaner, as after boosting with Swords Dance, it can OHKO walls like Poliwrath and Sandslash, as well as faster threats like Electivire and Silvally-Dragon. Without a Swords Dance boost, Cacturne can still clean late-game with enough prior chip damage, but you should avoid relying on it on situations where Pokemon like Will-O-Wisp Rotom-S, Substitute Simisear, and Z-Celebrate Leafeon are still in the game, as they can play around Sucker Punch. Instead of sweeping itself, Cacturne can offer its wallbreaking capabilities against slower teams to bait threats that lack reliable recovery like Silvally-Water, Mawile, and Granbull to trade hits and put them in a workable range for setup sweepers.
Team Options
========
Cacturne fits on teams that appreciate its strong priority and wallbreaking capabilities to support and revenge other sweepers. Swords Dance Combusken, Bouffalant, and Crustle are physical sweepers that appreciate Cacturne for targeting walls like Golem, Mareanie, Poliwrath, and Pyukumuku for them. They in return help Cacturne by wearing down or breaking through some of its checks like Gougeist-XL, Muk, Shiinotic, and Rotom-S. Entry hazard support is crucial to put multiple threats into KO range from Cacturne's Sucker Punch, and teammates that can provide Stealth Rock or Toxic Spikes support can be Mawile, Marowak, Shuckle, and Mareanie. Shuckle also provides Sticky Web, which can allow Cacturne to revenge kill more targets like defensive Silvally-Water and Bibarel. Pivoting support from Rotom-S, Silvally-Fighting, and Furfrou is integral for bringing in Cacturne safely. Pivots can also help scout sets, and in the case of knowing if the opposing target is Choice-locked, Cacturne is able to safely use Sucker Punch or set up. Rotom-S and Silvally-Fighting also check threats for Cacturne; Rotom-S is able to take on Fighting-types, while Silvally-Fighting takes on Dark-types. To prevent relying on Sucker Punch, use alternative revenge killers; Choice Scarf users like Swanna, Electivire, and Silvally work well, as do faster Pokemon such as Kadabra, Floatzel, and Rapidash.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
============
Poison Jab can OHKO Shiinotic, a wall that otherwise counters Cacturne's sets, but lacks any other targets that Cacturne's existing coverage already hits. Similarly, Stomping Tantrum can OHKO Muk after a Swords Dance boost and still hits Steel-types like Mawile and Pawniard but leaves Cacturne reliant on Sucker Punch to break through other Pokemon that resist Grass like Bronzor and Bouffalant. Cacturne can try a physical set with Spikes, but it lacks a reliable pair of STAB attacks compared to the special variant. A Nasty Plot set can function as a dangerous wallbreaker. However, it tends to be less effective than the Swords Dance set, as it fails to boost its priority move and thus makes Cacturne more vulnerable to revenge killers.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: Faster Fighting-type Pokemon can easily manage Cacturne offensively while resisting Sucker Punch. In addition, Combusken and Monferno resist Cacturne's Grass-type coverage, Silvally-Fighting pressures with U-turn, and Poliwrath takes it on with priority in Vacuum Wave.
**U-turn**: U-turn is 4x super effective against Cacturne, causing it to be either forced out or KOed when up against pivots like Silvally-Dragon, Silvally-Dark, Toucannon, and Furfrou. These pivots do have to be weary of Sucker Punch if they are weakened into its KO range, though.
**Defog Users**: Many Defog users like Silvally-Dark, Silvally-Fighting, Altaria, and Rotom-S can work around Cacturne's coverage, revenge kill it, and remove its Spikes.
**Muk**: Due to Cacturne's unreliable physical coverage and frailty, Muk can wall both variants of Cacturne and revenge kill with Poison Jab.
**Shiinotic**: Shiinotic resists both of Cacturne's STAB attacks and can OHKO it with Moonblast. Shiinotic only has to worry about the unlikely chance that Cacturne runs Poison Jab just for it.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Ho3nConfirm3d, 231074]]
- Quality checked by: [[5gen, 296755], [uhuhuhu7, 407249]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [estronic, 240732]]
Last edited: