Oh, how the mighty have fallen. To think this thing was once the king of BW1 RU and later a metagame staple of BW2 UU: a Pokemon once so great in BW lower tiers has now been reduced to something barely usable in today's RU. Poor Cofagrigus, how you've fallen so far :( Oh well, here we go:
[OVERVIEW]
Cofagrigus has a high amount of bulk that allows it to serve as an effective wall. Its Ghost typing allows it to spinblock the likes of Hitmontop and Blastoise, and it also bears a few disruptive moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Haze, and Toxic Spikes. Its unique ability, Mummy, is decently useful and allows it to neutralize the abilities of common threats such as Fletchinder, Mega Glalie, and Medicham that rely on them, severely reducing their threat level. However, Cofagrigus is extremely slow, which makes it very easy to revenge kill. Its Dark and Ghost weaknesses leave it vulnerable to numerous common Pokemon in the tier, as well as the ever-popular Knock Off. In addition, it lacks reliable recovery outside of Pain Split, which makes it easy to wear down with entry hazards, status, and repeated attacks. Its lack of a varied offensive movepool also leaves it highly vulnerable to common threats such as Meloetta, Mega Camerupt, Braviary, and Drapion. Additionally, it faces stiff competition from Spiritomb and Jellicent as a bulky Ghost-type.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Hex / Shadow Ball
move 3: Pain Split
move 4: Toxic Spikes / Haze / Knock Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Mummy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Will-O-Wisp inflicts burns on opposing Pokemon, allowing Cofagrigus to cripple several physical attackers such as Mega Glalie and make itself much harder to take down. Hex is a strong Ghost-type move that takes advantage of Cofagrigus's ability to spread status, hitting hard against anything that doesn't resist it. Shadow Ball, however, is a more consistent STAB move, albeit sometimes weaker. Pain Split serves as a shaky yet usable form of recovery if Cofagrigus is weakened, healing its own HP and damaging opposing threats, which works well with Cofagrigus's low base HP. Haze prevents Cofagrigus from becoming setup fodder, resetting the stat boosts of setup sweepers. Toxic Spikes allows Cofagrigus to spread poison to the opposing team, although with Venusaur being relatively common, it must be used carefully. Knock Off allows Cofagrigus to remove items and cripple or weaken certain Pokemon, such as Togetic and Gurdurr.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in HP and Defense along with a Bold nature maximizes Cofagrigus's physical bulk to allow it to effectively take on common physical attackers in the tier, such as Mega Glalie, Medicham, Escavalier, and Rhyperior. Leftovers serves as a form of passive recovery for Cofagrigus and allows it to take hits slightly more effectively.
Usage Tips
========
Cofagrigus should be used to switch into something it can check, such as Accelgor, Hitmonlee, Medicham, or Mega Glalie, and attempt to wall it. From there, it should be used to spread burns or use Toxic Spikes as a means of spreading crippling status. If Cofagrigus carries Knock Off, it is advised to use it to cripple opposing Pokemon by removing their items. When Cofagrigus's HP reaches a low point from a powerful attack, Pain Split should be used to restore it. Haze should also be used when necessary to prevent opposing Pokemon from using Cofagrigus as setup bait.
Team Options
========
Diancie is a very good teammate for Cofagrigus, since it has the sheer special bulk to deal with special attackers that Cofagrigus cannot and also has access to Stealth Rock. Thanks to its resistances, it can take on Dark-types such as Houndoom that trouble Cofagrigus, overall providing solid synergy with it. Mega Audino is also a viable candidate for this job, since it can pass a Wish to compensate for Cofagrigus's lack of reliable recovery. Other Wish users such as Alomomola are also useful to help keep Cofagrigus healthy. Steelix and Registeel also make for good teammates, since they can take on several of the threats that trouble Cofagrigus, such as Jolteon and, in the latter's case, Venusaur. Both can also set up Stealth Rock to utilize Cofagrigus's ability to force switches. In addition, Spikes is also a useful form of support. Qwilfish and Roselia can both lay down Spikes effectively.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Cofagrigus has a very sparse movepool, which leaves its other capabilities extremely limited. It can run an offensive set with Trick Room and Nasty Plot, which allows it to use its bulk and low Speed to its advantage to become a sweeper that hits hard and fast. However, as it requires two turns to become a threat, such a set is difficult to use. Curse is an interesting option that can wear down an foe and force it out, but it cuts Cofagrigus's HP in half, leaving it highly vulnerable to being KOed afterwards. Destiny Bond is also a usable move that can take down a foe as it KOes Cofagrigus, but it is highly situational. Disable is also a unique move that can disable a powerful attack used on Cofagrigus. Either Energy Ball or Grass Knot can be used to deal heavy damage to certain Pokemon, such as Rhyperior and Seismitoad, though Cofagrigus lacks the room to use such moves. Imprison is also usable to disable moves that Cofagrigus shares with other Pokemon, such as Will-O-Wisp, though Cofagrigus lacks the moves to make Imprison useful. Memento is also usable to sacrifice Cofagrigus to provide a free setup opportunity for threats such as Fletchinder and Virizion. Magic Coat is a passable option to allow Cofagrigus to reflect entry hazards and status back to the foe.
Checks and Counters
========
**Dark-types**: Houndoom is immune to Will-O-Wisp and resists Shadow Ball, and it can KO Cofagrigus with Dark Pulse or boost its Special Attack with Nasty Plot. Drapion, Absol, and Sneasel are also relatively common and can hit Cofagrigus quite hard with Knock Off or Pursuit.
**Hoopa**: Hoopa cannot switch into Cofagrigus but is faster than it and can OHKO Cofagrigus with Shadow Ball.
**Normal-types**: Meloetta, Exploud, Braviary, and Mega Audino can all take advantage of Cofagrigus and are immune to Shadow Ball. Exploud can bypass Cofagrigus's immunity to Normal and OHKO with Boomburst, while Meloetta, Braviary, and Mega Audino can use Cofagrigus as setup fodder.
**Status**: Burn and poison can wear down Cofagrigus fairly quickly over the match, especially with its lack of reliable recovery and Cofagrigus's poor Speed forcing it to take attacks first. Paralysis and sleep also render it potentially incapable of doing anything.
**Wallbreakers**: Emboar, Manectric, Venusaur, and Mega Camerupt can all overwhelm Cofagrigus by dealing more damage to it than it can handle, and most of these Pokemon do not fear a burn at all.
[OVERVIEW]
Cofagrigus has a high amount of bulk that allows it to serve as an effective wall. Its Ghost typing allows it to spinblock the likes of Hitmontop and Blastoise, and it also bears a few disruptive moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Haze, and Toxic Spikes. Its unique ability, Mummy, is decently useful and allows it to neutralize the abilities of common threats such as Fletchinder, Mega Glalie, and Medicham that rely on them, severely reducing their threat level. However, Cofagrigus is extremely slow, which makes it very easy to revenge kill. Its Dark and Ghost weaknesses leave it vulnerable to numerous common Pokemon in the tier, as well as the ever-popular Knock Off. In addition, it lacks reliable recovery outside of Pain Split, which makes it easy to wear down with entry hazards, status, and repeated attacks. Its lack of a varied offensive movepool also leaves it highly vulnerable to common threats such as Meloetta, Mega Camerupt, Braviary, and Drapion. Additionally, it faces stiff competition from Spiritomb and Jellicent as a bulky Ghost-type.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Hex / Shadow Ball
move 3: Pain Split
move 4: Toxic Spikes / Haze / Knock Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Mummy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Will-O-Wisp inflicts burns on opposing Pokemon, allowing Cofagrigus to cripple several physical attackers such as Mega Glalie and make itself much harder to take down. Hex is a strong Ghost-type move that takes advantage of Cofagrigus's ability to spread status, hitting hard against anything that doesn't resist it. Shadow Ball, however, is a more consistent STAB move, albeit sometimes weaker. Pain Split serves as a shaky yet usable form of recovery if Cofagrigus is weakened, healing its own HP and damaging opposing threats, which works well with Cofagrigus's low base HP. Haze prevents Cofagrigus from becoming setup fodder, resetting the stat boosts of setup sweepers. Toxic Spikes allows Cofagrigus to spread poison to the opposing team, although with Venusaur being relatively common, it must be used carefully. Knock Off allows Cofagrigus to remove items and cripple or weaken certain Pokemon, such as Togetic and Gurdurr.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in HP and Defense along with a Bold nature maximizes Cofagrigus's physical bulk to allow it to effectively take on common physical attackers in the tier, such as Mega Glalie, Medicham, Escavalier, and Rhyperior. Leftovers serves as a form of passive recovery for Cofagrigus and allows it to take hits slightly more effectively.
Usage Tips
========
Cofagrigus should be used to switch into something it can check, such as Accelgor, Hitmonlee, Medicham, or Mega Glalie, and attempt to wall it. From there, it should be used to spread burns or use Toxic Spikes as a means of spreading crippling status. If Cofagrigus carries Knock Off, it is advised to use it to cripple opposing Pokemon by removing their items. When Cofagrigus's HP reaches a low point from a powerful attack, Pain Split should be used to restore it. Haze should also be used when necessary to prevent opposing Pokemon from using Cofagrigus as setup bait.
Team Options
========
Diancie is a very good teammate for Cofagrigus, since it has the sheer special bulk to deal with special attackers that Cofagrigus cannot and also has access to Stealth Rock. Thanks to its resistances, it can take on Dark-types such as Houndoom that trouble Cofagrigus, overall providing solid synergy with it. Mega Audino is also a viable candidate for this job, since it can pass a Wish to compensate for Cofagrigus's lack of reliable recovery. Other Wish users such as Alomomola are also useful to help keep Cofagrigus healthy. Steelix and Registeel also make for good teammates, since they can take on several of the threats that trouble Cofagrigus, such as Jolteon and, in the latter's case, Venusaur. Both can also set up Stealth Rock to utilize Cofagrigus's ability to force switches. In addition, Spikes is also a useful form of support. Qwilfish and Roselia can both lay down Spikes effectively.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Cofagrigus has a very sparse movepool, which leaves its other capabilities extremely limited. It can run an offensive set with Trick Room and Nasty Plot, which allows it to use its bulk and low Speed to its advantage to become a sweeper that hits hard and fast. However, as it requires two turns to become a threat, such a set is difficult to use. Curse is an interesting option that can wear down an foe and force it out, but it cuts Cofagrigus's HP in half, leaving it highly vulnerable to being KOed afterwards. Destiny Bond is also a usable move that can take down a foe as it KOes Cofagrigus, but it is highly situational. Disable is also a unique move that can disable a powerful attack used on Cofagrigus. Either Energy Ball or Grass Knot can be used to deal heavy damage to certain Pokemon, such as Rhyperior and Seismitoad, though Cofagrigus lacks the room to use such moves. Imprison is also usable to disable moves that Cofagrigus shares with other Pokemon, such as Will-O-Wisp, though Cofagrigus lacks the moves to make Imprison useful. Memento is also usable to sacrifice Cofagrigus to provide a free setup opportunity for threats such as Fletchinder and Virizion. Magic Coat is a passable option to allow Cofagrigus to reflect entry hazards and status back to the foe.
Checks and Counters
========
**Dark-types**: Houndoom is immune to Will-O-Wisp and resists Shadow Ball, and it can KO Cofagrigus with Dark Pulse or boost its Special Attack with Nasty Plot. Drapion, Absol, and Sneasel are also relatively common and can hit Cofagrigus quite hard with Knock Off or Pursuit.
**Hoopa**: Hoopa cannot switch into Cofagrigus but is faster than it and can OHKO Cofagrigus with Shadow Ball.
**Normal-types**: Meloetta, Exploud, Braviary, and Mega Audino can all take advantage of Cofagrigus and are immune to Shadow Ball. Exploud can bypass Cofagrigus's immunity to Normal and OHKO with Boomburst, while Meloetta, Braviary, and Mega Audino can use Cofagrigus as setup fodder.
**Status**: Burn and poison can wear down Cofagrigus fairly quickly over the match, especially with its lack of reliable recovery and Cofagrigus's poor Speed forcing it to take attacks first. Paralysis and sleep also render it potentially incapable of doing anything.
**Wallbreakers**: Emboar, Manectric, Venusaur, and Mega Camerupt can all overwhelm Cofagrigus by dealing more damage to it than it can handle, and most of these Pokemon do not fear a burn at all.
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