In-battle formes
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| HP: | 60 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Attack: | 130 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense: | 80 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Atk: | 60 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Def: | 60 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speed: | 70 |
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Evolutions
- Shroomish
- Breloom
Strategies
- en
Overview
Because of its offensive stats, coverage, and two fantastic abilities, Breloom keeps its title as one of the most powerful threats in BW OU, even if it can't use Spore anymore. While Technician turns Breloom into one of the most fearsome threats to balance teams, Breloom really shines with its Poison Heal sets, which let it counter all bulky Water-types by blocking status. However, Breloom has pitiful HP and Special Defense, mediocre base Speed, and the inability to fit all of the moves it wants on most of its sets.
Bulky Setup Sweeper
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Moves
Swords Dance is the preferred move to boost Breloom's Attack to insane levels and to immediately threaten Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Reuniclus. However, Bulk Up is an option if your team prefers a more controlled game pace, as it reduces damage from Excadrill's Iron Head and Keldeo's Secret Sword. Protect lets Breloom scout moves, activate Toxic Orb, and stall for Poison Heal recovery. Drain Punch contributes to Breloom's longevity by healing it while doing damage. The last slot is based on team preference: Facade is the best move to heavily damage bulky Pokemon like Amoonguss, Gliscor, and Reuniclus, while Seed Bomb targets Jellicent at the cost of not doing much damage to Latios, Celebi, Amoonguss, and Thundurus-T. If Breloom doesn't need the extra longevity from Drain Punch, Superpower can be used to have a stronger attack without needing any boosts.
Set Details
236 HP and 212 Special Defense EVs with a Careful nature maximize Breloom's bulk and Poison Heal recovery. 60 Speed EVs let Breloom outspeed standard specially defensive Heatran. Another possible EV spread is 236 HP / 36 Atk / 176 SpD / 60 Spe with an Adamant nature to OHKO standard Tentacruel with Facade after a Swords Dance.
Usage Tips
Avoid switching Breloom into Scald and Will-O-Wisp users before Toxic Orb has activated, as burns nullify Poison Heal. Because of this risk, leading with Breloom and using Protect Turn 1 is normally the best opening play possible. Use Breloom to steal momentum from Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Rotom-W, which don't want to take any of Breloom's moves or give it a chance to freely set up. If your opponent has fast and powerful Breloom switch-ins like Latios and Thundurus-T, expect these Pokemon to switch in and use Facade on the switch to weaken them. Take advantage of Breloom's versatility as both a threat to balance teams with its setup options and a VoltTurn punisher that scares away Rotom-W and Ferrothorn, taking offensive momentum from your opponent throughout the game.
Team Options
This Breloom set has very good synergy with sand teams, since Poison Heal removes the residual damage from sand and lets Breloom counter Pokemon that trouble this structure, like Rotom-W, Ferrothorn, Politoed, and Tentacruel. Tyranitar is an amazing partner, as it sets up sand and can Pursuit trap Psychic-types such as Latios, Latias, Reuniclus, and Alakazam. Good answers to Excadrill, like Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Skarmory, are also very good options, since Sand Force-boosted Iron Head immediately threatens Breloom that have not boosted with Bulk Up. Latios, Alakazam, Reuniclus, Mamoswine, and Garchomp are some of the most common offensive Pokemon that capitalize on Breloom's wallbreaking. Breloom also functions on rain teams as a way to force out Rotom-W. Rain Pokemon like Politoed, Tentacruel, Starmie, Keldeo, and Jirachi have very good defensive and offensive synergy with Breloom. Jirachi and Breloom in particular cover each other's weaknesses.
SubPunch
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Moves
Substitute takes advantage of the switches Breloom forces to create a huge offensive threat with STAB Focus Punch. Even Fighting-resistant Pokemon like Latios and Thundurus-T take massive damage from Focus Punch. Protect lets Breloom safely activate Toxic Orb and, alongside Poison Heal and Substitute, become a durable PP staller if sand is not in play. Seed Bomb is the best option to hit Jellicent and heavily damage Tyranitar and Politoed without needing a Substitute. Facade can be used as a reliable, strong move and deals more damage to Amoonguss, Celebi, Reuniclus, and Gliscor; however, it makes Breloom useless versus Jellicent.
Set Details
236 HP EVs maximize Poison Heal recovery and make standard Rotom-W's Volt Switch unable to break Breloom's Substitute. 20 Special Defense EVs reduce the chance of standard Landorus-T 2HKOing Breloom with Hidden Power Ice in sand. Breloom can invest a bit in Speed to not be a target of Encore from standard defensive Politoed.
Usage Tips
Turn 1 Protect is one of Breloom's best possible moves, as Breloom does not need to fear a burn from Scald or Will-O-Wisp after activating Toxic Orb. Try to switch Breloom into Pokemon it naturally beats, like Rotom-W, Politoed, and Ferrothorn lacking Gyro Ball, so it can freely use Substitute when they switch out. Take advantage of Substitute + Protect, especially if there is no sand, to PP stall even Pokemon that could normally defeat Breloom like Latios, Landorus-T, and Garchomp. Do not be afraid to use Focus Punch behind Substitute, since even Pokemon that resist Fighting-type attacks receive massive damage from it.
Team Options
Since this set forces a lot of switches from your opponent, its best partners are entry hazard setters like Ferrothorn and Skarmory for Spikes and Tentacruel for Toxic Spikes. Good Stealth Rock users like Landorus-T, Garchomp, Heatran, and Gliscor are also very good choices. If using Facade, Tyranitar is one of Breloom's best friends to Pursuit trap Jellicent. Scizor can Pursuit trap Psychic-types and safely bring in Breloom with U-turn. Other VoltTurn users are also amazing options. Pokemon that provide paralysis support, like Alakazam, Latias, and Jirachi, are very valuable, since full paralysis activating at the same time as Breloom sets up a Substitute has game-changing effects. If Breloom is using Seed Bomb, Psychic-types or strong special attackers, like Latios, Alakazam, Reuniclus, Hydreigon, and Tornadus, are needed to remove Amoonguss, which counters Breloom. If it is used outside of sand, remember to partner Breloom with weather-neutralizing Pokemon like Sunny Day Magnezone and Heatran so it can use the lack of sand damage to PP stall its foes.
Technician
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Moves
Bullet Seed is the best STAB move to use, since Technician gives it a massive power boost. Mach Punch provides priority and benefits from Technician, turning Breloom into a decent revenge killer. Low Sweep also benefits from Technician and is one of the best moves to use on a predicted switch-in, since even Fighting-resistant Pokemon take a lot of damage from it and have their Speed lowered, letting Breloom 2HKO them in most cases. Superpower is Breloom's most powerful STAB option but pressures it to switch out, while Stone Edge is the best option to hit Dragonite, Celebi, and Amoonguss. Another option is to use Facade to let Breloom deal consistent damage after it has been burned.
Set Details
A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Adamant Mamoswine and Dragonite as well as Modest Heatran. Choice Band provides a larger power boost that applies to all of Breloom's moves while Fist Plate allows Breloom to switch moves and boost the power of its Fighting-type moves.
Usage Tips
The best way to use this Breloom set is by bluffing a Poison Heal set and leading with it. Since most opponents will use the Protect turn from Poison Heal Breloom to set entry hazards or switch to a better Pokemon, Choice Band Breloom can grab a surprise KO with the correct prediction. Once the absence of Poison Heal is revealed, do not be afraid to play aggressively with Breloom and make double switches, since your opponent will try to prevent it from entering the field at all costs. Correct predictions and good switching are what make this set dangerous, so try to maintain offensive pressure at all times.
Team Options
This Breloom set belongs on hyper offensive teams alongside Pokemon like Scizor, Volcarona, Dragonite, Salamence, Garchomp, Starmie and suicide lead Skarmory. Pokemon that can deal with Skarmory, like Magnezone, Garchomp, Kyurem-B, and Hydreigon, are also good partners.
Other Options
Stun Spore and Toxic can be used over Protect on Poison Heal sets or as the last move of the Choice Band set to spread status, but the shaky accuracy of Stun Spore and the lack of targets for Toxic make both mediocre options. Worry Seed can be used to defeat poisoned Gliscor and Reuniclus and to remove Amoonguss's Regenerator, but it doesn't have any other important targets. Other sets can be used if your team can afford a more customized Breloom: maximum Attack Superpower on a Poison Heal set gives Breloom greater offensive power alongside a surprise factor, but reduces Breloom's defensive utility versus Water-type Pokemon. A more defensive approach with Leech Seed and Protect or Substitute is also possible, but makes Breloom very passive versus Amoonguss, Celebi, and Reuniclus. A Choice Scarf set can be used to grab surprise KOs against faster foes, especially Alakazam because of Bullet Seed, but the lack of Spore also makes this a very fringe option.
Checks and Counters
Amoonguss: Amoonguss doesn't fear any STAB attacks from Breloom, can heal any damage it deals with Regenerator, and can heavily damage it back with Sludge Bomb. However, Amoonguss must watch out for Facade and Choice Band Stone Edge because it is slower than Breloom.
Psychic-types: Reuniclus has enough bulk to take any hit from Breloom and threaten to KO it with Psychic. Celebi can take any move used by Breloom, heal with Recover, and threaten to KO Breloom with Psychic, set Stealth Rock, or get momentum with U-turn. Cresselia can shrug off Breloom's attacks with Reflect + Moonlight, deal decent damage with Psychic or Ice Beam, or steal Poison Heal with Skill Swap. Latios and Latias take little from Breloom's STAB moves, and Latios threatens to OHKO it back with Draco Meteor. Alakazam can't switch in directly, but it also threatens an immediate OHKO with Psychic.
Flying-types: Defensive Flying-types like Skarmory, Gliscor, and Landorus-T take little damage from Breloom's STAB moves and can threaten to OHKO back with a STAB Flying-type move or set entry hazards. More offensive Flying-types like Tornadus, Dragonite, and Salamence can use Breloom to set up Substitute or Dragon Dance, or they can threaten an immediate OHKO with their STAB moves. Thundurus-T can use Breloom to set up Substitute and Agillity or immediately threaten it with Hidden Power Ice.
Ghost-types: If using Facade, Breloom can't touch Ghost-type Pokemon like Jellicent and Gengar. However, they need to scout for a Grass-type move, since Seed Bomb 2HKOes Jellicent and heavily damages Gengar.
Credits
- Written by Caetano93
- Quality checked by Finchinator and Excal
- Grammar checked by Adeleine and CryoGyro
