In-battle formes
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HP: | 60 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Attack: | 70 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Defense: | 55 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sp. Atk: | 125 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sp. Def: | 105 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Speed: | 90 |
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Strategies
- en
Overview
Despite having been dethroned by Moxie Heracross, Roserade deserves its title as the former queen of UU. Its access to great support moves in Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sleep Powder, combined with a huge base 125 Special Attack and usable base 90 Speed make it both a fearsome offensive powerhouse and a useful team supporter. It has a good ability in Natural Cure, which allows it to function as a status absorber. Because of its resistance to Water, the ability to remove a Scald burn with Natural Cure, and access to recovery moves in Giga Drain, Synthesis, and Rest, Roserade beats nearly all the bulky Water-types on its own. Unfortunately, its low HP stat and a pitiful Defense stat means it is threatened by almost any physical attack. Furthermore, it is weak to Fire, a very common offensive type in UU, and its merely decent Speed tier leaves it vulnerable to many faster threats. Despite these drawbacks, Roserade continues to be a very potent threat in UU, and is a monster to any that underestimate its power.
Offensive
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As an illustration of just how much raw power this set has, it can potentially 2HKO Snorlax after Stealth Rock damage. STAB Leaf Storm decimates not only the common Water-, Rock-, and Ground-types it hits for super effective damage, but also many Pokemon neutral or even resistant to Grass. Sludge Bomb is a more reliable STAB, which has the benefit of nailing opposing Grass- and Fire-type Pokemon for significant damage. Reasonably bulky Pokemon such as Arcanine and Shaymin might try to switch into Roserade expecting a Grass move, only to be surprised by a 2HKO and OHKO respectively. Sludge Bomb also has a 30% chance of poisoning, which might help cripple walls. Sleep Powder makes this set incredibly difficult to counter, as otherwise reliable counters can be rendered useless if they switch into the move. Roserade can proceed to bombard the slumbering Pokemon with high-powered moves, or switch out and present a setup opportunity for a teammate. Hidden Power Fire prevents Roserade from being walled by Steel-types such as Bronzong and Cobalion while adding onto neutral coverage alongside Roserade's dual STAB. Synthesis is the recovery move of choice for sets using Life Orb as it allows Roserade to stay in battle and keeping attacking. Rest is more useful for sets using Choice Specs, as it needs to switch out after locking itself into a recovery move anyways. Switching out after using Rest allows Roserade to clear the sleep status and brings her back to perfect condition. Extrasensory can be used in the fourth slot to deal significant damage to Fighting-type switch-ins such as Heracross, while dealing more to Crobat and opposing Roserade than Hidden Power Ice.
The choice of item depends on whether Roserade plays the role of sweeper or wallbreaker. Life Orb is more suited for the general sweeping role as it has the freedom to stay in and change moves, while Choice Specs allow Roserade to perform as a powerful wallbreaker designed to hit and run. What nature you decide to use is up to your stand on the millennia-old debate of speed versus power. Timid allows Roserade to get the jump on anything slower than neutral Porygon-Z, such as Heracross without a Choice Scarf, Nidoking, and Adamant Arcanine. Modest simply makes Roserade more of a monster, and its benefit is simple: deal extra damage. Hidden Power Ice decimates other common switch-ins to Roserade, namely Crobat, Togekiss, and Zapdos. Giga Drain can be used over Leaf Storm to alleviate Life Orb recoil, but is significantly weaker and will prevent Roserade from 2HKOing Pokemon such as Snorlax. Spikes can replace Sleep Powder or Rest to bluff a defensive set, and is useful in case your team struggles with bulky walls. However, Roserade must then use Giga Drain over Leaf Storm, as Leaf Storm is illegal with Spikes. Roserade likes being paired with Pokemon that resist Flying-, Fire-, and Ice-type attacks, such as Suicune, Slowbro, and Rhyperior. Pairing Roserade with Pokemon such as Rhyperior, Qwilfish, or other Pokemon that can supply entry hazards eases Roserade's sweeps, turning many 2HKOs into OHKOs. Wish support from Umbreon or Togekiss is also appreciated by Roserade, as it keeps Roserade alive longer without having to rely on Synthesis or Rest to restore its HP.
Spikes
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Rather than attacking prowess, this set focuses on Roserade's above-average Special Defense and ability to lay hazards reliably. Even uninvested, Roserade's Special Attack is fearsome. Giga Drain is a reliable STAB that keeps Roserade's HP in supply alongside Black Sludge, and Sludge Bomb allows Roserade to provide a slight offensive pressure while having a 30% chance to poison opponents, helping to bring walls down. Rest is a last-ditch attempt to patch up Roserade's HP if Giga Drain and Black Sludge aren't getting the job done. Natural Cure also allows Roserade to heal itself of sleep upon switching out, and keeps it healthy. Synthesis can be used over Rest as it doesn't put Roserade to sleep, but it has less PP and won't recover all of Roserade's HP.
This set's EVs are designed to maximize Roserade's Special Defense while allowing it to outpace slower Pokemon, such as Modest Empoleon and Qwilfish. An alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe may be used to take advantage of Roserade's high Speed stat. Aromatherapy can be used to help cure Roserade's teammates, but a cleric role is better left to bulkier Pokemon such as Umbreon and Togekiss who can take advantage of their immunities and better bulk to find opportunities to heal their team. Toxic Spikes can replace Spikes, but holds little merit due to how common other Roserade and Toxic Spikes-immune Pokemon are. Hidden Power Ice and Hidden Power Fire can leave a mark on Pokemon such as Crobat and Zapdos or Bronzong and Bisharp, respectively. Stun Spore can be used over Sludge Bomb if your team desires paralysis support. Pokemon such as Slowbro and Snorlax that can switch into strong and fast attackers make good teammates for Roserade, as they can give Roserade room to lay Spikes without fear of being OHKOed early on in the match. Pokemon that aren't extremely powerful and dish out a lot of close 2HKOs, such as Sharpedo and Yanmega, really appreciate Spikes support from this Roserade, as this allows them to break through walls and continue their sweeps.
Other Options
Choice Scarf allows Roserade to gain the jump on many unboosted Pokemon in the tier, such as Raikou, Weavile, and Mienshao. A SubSeed set is viable but done better by Whimsicott, whose Prankster grants it priority on Leech Seed and Substitute, or by Sceptile, who is much faster. Technician can be used with Grass Knot and Hidden Powers of 60 or 59 Base Power. With Hidden Powers of 60 Base Power, one has to reduce HP, Defense, Special Defense, and Speed IVs to 28 or 29, while 59 Base Power Hidden Powers only require reducing the Special Attack IV to 29. However, losing the utility of Natural Cure makes Technician often inferior.
Checks and Counters
Life Orb Roserade is extremely hard to counter if the person using it is competent, as the combination of Sleep Powder, Leaf Storm, and Sludge Bomb can deal out serious damage to a majority of teams. Crobat is arguably the best check to Roserade, as it can switch in on both of its STAB, outspeed it, and deliver a powerful counter-attack in Brave Bird. Snorlax has the bulk to take on all Roserade sets and demolish them with a powerful STAB Return or Body Slam. Faster attackers that can exploit Roserade's significantly lower Defense stat, such as Choice Scarf Heracross and Weavile, can come in on Spikes or after Roserade has landed a kill, and can heavily damage it or force it out. Fire-type Pokemon, such as Darmanitan, Rotom-H, and Arcanine, can switch in on Leaf Storm or Giga Drain and threaten it with their powerful STAB moves. Steel-type Pokemon such as Bronzong, Bisharp, and Registeel resist both of Roserade's STAB attacks and can set up hazards or a Substitute while Roserade is forced to switch out. However, Steel-types must beware Hidden Power Fire from the offensive set, as it will still deal a hefty amount of damage to them. Xatu can use its Magic Bounce ability to switch in on Spikes or Sleep Powder and bounce them back at Roserade, effectively neutering a sweep. However, offensive Roserade's Sludge Bomb 2HKOes even specially bulky Xatu.