OVERVIEW]
Registeel is a mixed wall with a great defensive profile and typing. Once seen only as a Curse set -up sweeper, it has now established a strong and unique role in the metagame. Thanks to its Steel typing, making it immune to sandstorm, as well as its outstanding base stats, Registeel is able to pivot into many strong attacks with relative ease. While it does have some weaknesses, namely very common Ground and Fire-type coverage moves, low Speed, and a vulnerability to Spikes, it has many different tools that allow it to circumvent these issues and make it a legitimate choice in Generation 3 OU.
[SET]
Name: Mixed Wall
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Seismic Toss
move 3: Counter / Toxic
move 4: Explosion
Item: Leftovers
ability: Clear Body
nature: Careful
evs: 252 / 200 Spd / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
In its role as a mixed wall, Registeel is most often lauded for its ability to check special attackers like Zapdos or offensive Suicune; however due to its well-rounded defensive stats it can also switch into Metagross, Aerodactyl and many others serving as a great pivot into some of the most commonly used Pokemon in generation 3 OU. Thunder Wave, Counter and Explosion are crucial to Registeel’s game.The combination of these moves let Registeel trade with many important and common Pokemon. Thunder Wave and Counter make it a check to physical set-up Pokemon such as Agility Metagross, Dragon Dance Salamence and Dragon Dance Tyranitar in a pinch when it has high enough HP, limiting their set-up and forcing them to trade via Counter. Registeel's monstrous bulk and typing allows it to soft check both special attackers and physical attackers including Zapdos, Salamence, Starmie and Aerodactyl, a set of roles that would otherwise require multiple Pokemon like Snorlax and Metagross. While Registeel does switch into many Pokemon its overall very passive in comparison to other offensively oriented walls like Snorlax or Regice. Explosion and Seismic Toss round out Registeel’s moveset, with Explosion giving Registeel a way to trade with opposing Pokemon, while Seismic Toss gives it a way to reliably damage its foes and prevent Pokemon such as Zapdos from Baton Passing a Substitute.
Registeel is one of the best Zapdos switch-ins in the tier. Zapdos’s Thunderbolt is a 5HKO vs Registeel. Registeel can come in repeatedly taking very little damage and not fearing any of its usual coverage options.It is often paired alongside other Pokemon that can check Zapdos like Celebi and Raikou. Registeel complements these teammates by using Counter and trading with Pokemon such as Dugtrio, Metagross or Tyranitar, taking pressure off its teammates. Since it resists Rock-type moves, it’s also a great check to Aerodactyl, taking little damage from most moves aside from Earthquake, which is a 2HKO. Aerodactyl, on the other hand, has to be wary of Thunder Wave and Counter unless Registeel’s health is low. Registeel's Counter also lets it trade with or eliminate Pokemon that use Hidden Power Fire like Celebi and mixed Metagross. In Gen 3 OU Hidden Power can be Countered regardless of type, since the game’s code treats it as a Normal-type move for the purposes of Counter. 56 Speed Evs let Registeel outspeed important Pokemon such as Swampert and Blissey. Toxic is also used used on Registeel as a way to pressure some of its common switch-ins like Swampert, Claydol and Natural Cure Pokemon. However, it does let other Pokemon such as Skarmory or Gengar in for free.
Registeel’s Clear Body ability is also strong in Generation 3 OU. Its Attack can't be lowered by Intimidate so its Explosion will always be strong. It also can't have its Defensive stats lowered by moves like Psychic, Crunch or Shadow Ball which helps it check Pokemon like Celebi, Jirachi, Snorlax, and Pursuit Tyranitar (in a pinch) more reliably.
Team Options
========
Registeel can be found on a variety of team styles. It's become very common on many different mixed offense structures as well as Spikes builds. Registeel being sand-immune makes it a great partner for Tyranitar unlike other offensively oriented special walls like Snorlax or Regice, since Registeel only has to deal with spikes and chip heals under sandstorm. This makes Registeel more reliable at switching into foes such as Zapdos. Registeel, however, provides less offensive pressure than options like Snorlax or Regice. Registeel is often paired with another Pokemon that resists Rock-type moves like Metagross, Swampert or Claydol. Registeel paves the way for some sweepers like Dragon Dance Tyranitar or Dragon Dance Salamence as well as some special set-up sweepers like Calm Mind Jirachi, Suicune and Raikou with the use of Counter. It can also spread paralysis to support many of its common teammates. Endeavor Swampert is particularly synergistic with Registeel; Swampert acts as a secondary rock-type resist against Tyranitar and Aerodactyl and provides additional much-needed offensive pressure and speed control alongside Registeel.
The Spikes teams Registeel fits on can be hard to wear down with passive damage. Tyranitar, Swampert, and Skarmory are excellent teammates for Registeel on Spikes builds. The four are all sand-immune and Registeel and Skarmory are Toxic-immune, making it very hard to wear them down. This means that foes will frequently need to trade with Registeel in order to do significant damage to it. This means Registeel typically fits on a faster playstyle on modern Spikes teams. However, Registeel is sometimes also used on slower stall-type teams as an early buffer vs Zapdos. This is important because those stall teams often rely on Blissey to check special threats, and when Blissey is forced to check Zapdos early, it can often be trapped by Zapdos’s Baton Pass to Dugtrio. Registeel can fill that need as an early pivot, avoiding the need for Blissey to check Zapdos and even possibly trading with Dugtrio or other foes that threaten Blissey.
Other Options
=============
Superpower is a decent option for Registeel, providing a less prediction-reliant way to trade with Tyranitar instead of Counter and giving it a much stronger hit into Snorlax. Superpower also can pressure Blissey. Choice Band can be used with Superpower and options like Hidden power Ghost, however Registeel can also just use Leftovers with attack investment, though due to Registeel’s mediocre base 75 Attack stat this role as an all out attacker is more suited to other Pokemon like Metagross or Registeel's fellow legendary trio member Regirock.
Curse with Rest can be used as a way for Registeel to sweep by itself; however, it can take a while for Registeel to boost its stats enough to be threatening. Curse also wants Magneton support to remove Skarmory, which otherwise walls this set; this limits the teams a Curse set can fit on. Amnesia is also sometimes used alongside Curse and Rest as a way to boost both defenses however this means Registeel will only be able to run one attack move such as Return or Roll Out and requires additional support. Curse can also be used alongside Explosion letting Registeel boost and attack short term before trading itself via Explosion for value later on. Thunder and Thunderbolt are rarely seen options used as a way to pressure Skarmory. Hidden Power Grass is used to hit Swampert hard without having to Counter Swampert’s Earthquakes. Zap Cannon is very rare on Registeel but it gives Registeel a way to hit Gengar and paralyze it as it switches in. Earthquake is used rarely as a way to beat Magneton without trading a significant amount of health. It is also Registeels best option to deal with Substitute Calm Mind Jirachi. 12 Atk EVs are required to OHKO Magneton and to always break Jirachi's Substitute.
Checks and Counters
===================
Substitute Calm Mind Sweepers: Substitute Suicune can be particularly hard for Registeel to deal with because Suicune’s base 100 HP stat means its Substitute takes two Seismic Tosses to break and Substitute gives Suicune a way to avoid Registeel’s Explosion. Likewise, Calm Mind Jirachi can be very difficult for Registeel to handle. Jirachi often runs super effective fire-type coverage to threaten Registeel directly or, like Suicune, can run Substitute sets and use Registeel as an opportunity to set up Calm Mind boosts.
Rest/Recover and Natural Cure Pokemon: Rest variants of Suicune shrug off Registeel’s attacks and set up Calm Mind boosts in its face. Starmie, Celebi and Milotic can come in on Registeels common attacks and Recover off the damage. Starmie, Celebi and Milotic also don't fear Thunder Wave due to former two's Natural Cure ability and Milotic's Refresh. Registeel will often have to use Explosion to do anything to these Pokémon possibly benefiting its foe's teammates. Registeel is usually an important defensive piece to the teams it finds itself on so it isn't always ideal to Explode and trade with these Pokemon.
Tyranitar: While it can pivot into Tyranitar's Rock Slides, Registeel’s weakness to Earthquake means it must be at a decently high health to actually stop a Dragon Dance sweep. This can be difficult as Registeel is used as a pivot into a bevy of other Pokemon and likely will not be at high health late in a game. Substitute and Focus Punch Tyranitar is also very threatening to Registeel since its 101 HP Substitutes take 2 Seismic Tosses to break.
Skarmory: Skarmory takes very little from Registeel’s common moves bar the rare Thunder and can use Registeel to set up Spikes to wear it and its teammates down. Skarmory with the move Taunt can also prevent Registeel’s Thunder Wave.
Gengar: Gengar is immune to most of Registeel’s common attacks and often carries Taunt which completely shuts down Thunder Wave sets. Gengar's Will-o Wisp is one of the few ways to actually wear down Registeel, wearing it down faster along with Spikes, making it harder to check other Pokemon on Gengar's team such as Zapdos, and making its Explosion weaker. Only rare move options like Zap Cannon and Thunder can hit Gengar making it one of Registeel’s toughest foes. Even a paralyzed Gengar can use Registeel as an entry point to either spread status or fire off attacks.
Charizard and Moltres: Charizard and Moltres are huge threats to Registeel dealing massive damage to it with their Fire-type STAB moves. However, neither can OHKO Registeel and must be mindful of Thunder Wave. Charizard often runs Substitute, which means Registeel must predict whether to Thunder Wave or Seismic Toss. Moltres, like Gengar, runs Will-o-Wisp, which, as mentioned above, is irritating for Registeel to deal with. Registeel is often one of its team’s main checks to special attackers and would normally be tasked to handle similar Pokemon, making its matchup into Charizard and Moltres particularly challenging.
Dugtrio: Dugtrio can trap and eliminate Registeel with its Arena Trap ability. It has to be wary of Registeel’s Counter but can switch into many of its common moves like Thunder Wave and Seismic Toss after Registeel is chipped. Dugtrio is often paired with Spikes and Pokemon like Zapdos that lure in and chip Regsiteel making it possible to trap it in the mid- or late game.
Magneton: Magneton Traps Registeel similarly to Dugtrio. It has to be wary of switching into Thunder Wave but will usually deal a significant amount of damage as well as possibly paralyzing Registeel in their interaction. Even when Registeel wins the 1 on 1 interaction its going to be less effective as a wall for the remainder of the game after dealing with Magneton. Earthquake or Superpower are Registeels best way of dealing with Magneton quickly but both moves are rarely used.
Ground Type Pokemon: Swampert, Claydol and Flygon can all come in on Registeel's Thunder Wave and threaten it back with a super effective STAB Earthquake. Swampert and Flygon also commonly run the move Protect making it difficult for Registeel to reliably use Explosion to trade with them. Claydol is not usually the best target for Registeel to trade with using Counter or Explosion as its often tasked with checking other key Pokemon on Claydol's team.
[CREDITS
Written by
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zpanther.590983/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/shitrock-enjoyer.600071/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/spreek.682628/
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