
[SET]
name: SubPetaya
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Giga Drain
move 4: Agility / Ice Beam
item: Petaya Berry
ability: Intimidate
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Masquerain's wide coverage, excellent base Special Attack, and access to Intimidate allow it to stand out amongst other pinch Berry users. Even without the boost from its Petaya Berry, Masquerain can threaten many attackers and physical walls such as Rhyhorn, Castform, and Staryu. With Substitute, Masquerain can more reliably self-activate Petaya Berry. Hydro Pump is Masquerain's strongest move and has a chance to OHKO both Elekid and Aipom when at +1. Giga Drain provides Masquerain with a form of recovery while keeping it from relying on Hydro Pump's poor accuracy against Rock- and Ground-types such as Rhyhorn and Cubone. Agility allows Masquerain to outspeed and threaten faster attackers such as Aipom, Elekid, and Chinchou. Alternatively, Ice Beam can be used to hit bulky Grass-types such as Sunflora, Bayleef, and Lileep which otherwise wall Masquerain. Ice Beam also allows Masquerain to focus its efforts on wallbreaking rather than relying on Agility to clean. Intimidate allows Masquerain to pivot in on weaker physical attackers, such as Koffing, or attackers that lack strong coverage, such as Shuppet. Masquerain's mediocre base Speed means it appreciates the boost that a Timid nature provides it. This allows it to Speed tie with other base 60 Speed Pokemon such as Wailmer and Growlithe. Modest can also be used but the only notable thing it can accomplish is securing a more favorable chance to OHKO Aipom, which requires the use of Agility.
Masquerain thrives on bulky offense builds that appreciate special wallbreakers or late-game cleaners. Masquerain appreciates paralysis support from Pokemon such as Nosepass, Magnemite, and Chinchou. Chinchou deserves a special mention, as it's able to switch into Electric- and Ice-type moves for Masquerain and paralyze offensive threats that outspeed it, such as Elekid and opposing Chinchou. Other sweepers like Bagon, Mankey, and Croconaw appreciate Masquerain's role compression, which allows it to act as a sweeper or wallbreaker. Physical attackers such as Pidgeotto, Aipom, and Cubone can threaten special walls such as Delcatty and Dustox for Masquerain. These physical attackers also threaten Substitute + Calm Mind Spoink, which otherwise turns Masquerain into setup fodder. Dustox makes for a fantastic partner; it can phaze out Spoink with Whirlwind while walling special attackers that threaten Masquerain, such as Elekid and Chinchou. It's also a more reliable check to Koffing, which helps prevent Masquerain from being statused. If Masquerain lacks Ice Beam, Pokemon that can threaten Grass-types such as Growlithe, Pidgeotto, and Seaking are appreciated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Masquerain can opt for a Lum Berry and focus solely on being a special attacker that counters Koffing, but the loss of Petaya Berry may cause it to struggle for power. A Salac Berry can be used as a late-game cleanup option, though it heavily relies on Aipom and Elekid being damaged beforehand. Toxic or Stun Spore can be run alongside Substitute to catch opposing switch-ins like Chinchou off guard; however, this limits Masquerain's coverage options.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Walls**: Dustox and Delcatty wall Masquerain thanks to their reliable recovery. Dustox can also phaze out Masquerain with Whirlwind to remove any boost. If Masquerain lacks Ice Beam, Grass-types like Sunflora and Bayleef can easily wall it.
**Spoink**: Substitute Calm Mind Spoink is able to wall an unboosted Masquerain and use it as setup fodder.
**Faster attackers**: Pokemon like Chinchou and Elekid can outspeed and OHKO Masquerain with Thunderbolt. Physical attackers like Aipom and Pidgeotto can OHKO it with Double-Edge, even with an Attack drop from Intimidate.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/stupidflandrs48.633500/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tea-guzzler.577920/
Last edited: