[SET]
Offensive (Ninetales-Alola) @ Focus Sash / Choice Specs / Never-Melt Ice
Ability: Snow Warning
Level: 50
Tera Type: Ghost / Ice
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Freeze-Dry / Encore
- Aurora Veil / Encore / Moonblast
- Icy Wind / Protect / Dazzling Gleam
[SET COMMENTS]
- Offensive Alolan Ninetales is a good Pokemon in Regulation H thanks to its fast STAB Blizzard in snow, threatening metagame staples like Rillaboom, Dragonite, and the Ursaluna formes, and its ability to support its team in a pinch thanks to its wide supportive movepool.
- Freeze-Dry grants Alolan Ninetales the ability to threaten Basculegion-M and the plethora of Tera Water Pokemon in the format, such as Gholdengo and Amoonguss. Aurora Veil is a great move to increase the team's longevity when Alolan Ninetales can't do a lot on the field or take advantage of defensive play. Encore can be used over these two to better punish defensive play and discourage Fake Out, especially if Alolan Ninetales does not carry Protect. Moonblast and Dazzling Gleam are great secondary STAB moves on Choice Specs variants, threatening 2HKOs on Kingambit and Annihilape, respectively, and ensuring Alolan Ninetales doesn't get walled by Incineroar. Icy Wind is preferred over Protect to provide Alolan Ninetales with speed control.
- Focus Sash is preferred to get around Alolan Ninetales's poor defensive typing, Choice Specs and Never-Melt Ice sacrifice longevity for better damage rolls against the metagame; Choice Specs Blizzard OHKOes Ursaluna-B and Never-Melt Ice Blizzard guarantees a 2HKO on uninvested Archaludon not holding an Assault Vest.
- Alolan Ninetales prefers Tera Ghost across all its sets, as it provides an immunity to Fake Out and sheds all of its weaknesses. Alolan Ninetales can utilize Tera Ice as well, ensuring even Ursaluna gets OHKOed by Choice Specs Alolan Ninetales. Focus Sash and Never-Melt Ice Alolan Ninetales can OHKO uninvested and bulky Ursaluna-B, respectively, with Tera Ice Blizzard.
- Offensive Alolan Ninetales can provide much more offensive pressure but has longevity issues with the plethora of Fake Out and its weaknesses in the metagame.
[SET]
Screens Setter (Ninetales-Alola) @ Covert Cloak / Light Clay
Ability: Snow Warning
Level: 50
Tera Type: Water / Ghost
EVs: 228 HP / 36 Def / 20 SpA / 76 SpD / 148 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Aurora Veil
- Encore
- Icy Wind / Protect / Freeze-Dry
[SET COMMENTS]
- Alolan Ninetales also finds a good niche as a supportive screens setter thanks to its good Speed tier and access to a variety of other support tools.
- This Alolan Ninetales focuses more on setting up Aurora Veil and disrupting with Encore so its team can set up and sweep more comfortably rather than threatening bulky Pokemon itself.
- Covert Cloak is preferred to provide Alolan Ninetales with an immunity to Fake Out and Speed drops from Electabuzz's Electroweb. Light Clay sacrifices this for screens to stay up longer, allowing for more setup opportunities and room to position Alolan Ninetales's teammates.
- Alolan Ninetales uses Tera Water to improve its defensive profile, turning the glaring Steel- and Fire-type weaknesses into resistances. Light Clay sets may use Tera Ghost to keep the potential Fake Out immunity. Both Tera types remove all of Alolan Ninetales's original weaknesses.
- The EV spread ensures that Alolan Ninetales survives Sneasler's Tera Stellar Dire Claw and Life Orb Ursaluna-B's Blood Moon. The Speed investment allows Alolan Ninetales to outspeed Indeedee-M and Hisuian Typhlosion, while the Special Attack ensures a 2HKO on Ursaluna-B.
- Screens setter Alolan Ninetales can last a lot longer on the field to use its support kit, but it is easier to ignore in the majority of matchups due to its lackluster damage output.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Teambuilding
============
- Alolan Ninetales heavily struggles against Gholdengo, being unable to punish it with Encore or threaten it with its STAB moves. Fire-types like Incineroar, Hisuian Arcanine, and Volcarona put pressure on Alolan Ninetaleswhilst while shrugging off all of its attacks. Opposing weather control like Tyranitar and Torkoal are also major issues, making Alolan Ninetales's Blizzard inaccurate and Aurora Veil useless.
- Dragonite works well with both sets, providing speed control and taking on the Fire-types Alolan Ninetales is weak to, especially with Stomping Tantrum.
- Offensive Alolan Ninetales is strongest with other offensive threats to overwhelm the opposing team with Pokemon that cover each other's checks. The most notable of these are Sneasler and Kingambit. Sneasler can threaten Incineroar for a lot of damage and has a faster Fake Out but struggles to damage Dragonite and Gholdengo. Alolan Ninetales can cover for Dragonite and Kingambit can take on Gholdengo.
- Screens setter Alolan Ninetales works best alongside multiple setup sweepers that can steal the game when supported well. Annihilape and Gholdengo cannot be slowed down by Fake Out and hit the majority of the metagame for great damage. Annihilape and Gholdengo also notably take care of Incineroar and Sneasler, two of Alolan Ninetales's toughest matchups.
Strategy Comments
============
- Offensive Alolan Ninetales's primary role is as a fast sweeper with unique support options. It is best when dishing out early damage while being supported by Fake Out or redirection and going down after taking on what it's expected to handle so Alolan Ninetales's teammates can clean up. Screens setter Alolan Ninetales is strongest when it sets up screens for its team and faints soon after, ensuring its teammates can take full advantage of the Aurora Veil turns and being not nearly as passive.
- Offensive Alolan Ninetales's flexibility allows it to be an excellent lead Pokemon, threatening foes with powerful Blizzards, Icy Wind speed control, and often Aurora Veil support. This lets it adapt in many lead matchups and position itself in a way to win the game. Choice Specs Alolan Ninetales also plays similarly, as its damage output is rather forceful from turn 1. After Alolan Ninetales impacts the game, it's good to send out your other offensive Pokemon that can finish the job most efficiently. Screens setter Alolan Ninetales also finds itself as a lead, but for different reasons. Alolan Ninetales can use its many support options to set the board for sweepers like Gholdengo and Annihilape to come in and set up. Alolan Ninetales may want to Terastallize if opposing Pokemon threaten to KO it before it sets up Aurora Veil or when interested in sticking around for Icy Wind and Encore support.
- Gholdengo is Alolan Ninetales's most reliable answer, as Alolan Ninetales cannot threaten it or lock it into a move with Encore. (AP) Alolan Ninetales is also 4x weak to Make It Rain and weak to Shadow Ball after Terastallizing into a Ghost-type. Tyranitar is also a great counter, overriding weather and passively breaking Alolan Ninetales's Focus Sash. It's wise to use Kingambit and Annihilape to threaten these Pokemon while preserving Alolan Ninetales, by switching it out once its checks enter the field.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lovelyluna.641287/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rauvgc.589964/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ipetbigfoot.645750/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lustre.567354/
Offensive (Ninetales-Alola) @ Focus Sash / Choice Specs / Never-Melt Ice
Ability: Snow Warning
Level: 50
Tera Type: Ghost / Ice
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Freeze-Dry / Encore
- Aurora Veil / Encore / Moonblast
- Icy Wind / Protect / Dazzling Gleam
[SET COMMENTS]
- Offensive Alolan Ninetales is a good Pokemon in Regulation H thanks to its fast STAB Blizzard in snow, threatening metagame staples like Rillaboom, Dragonite, and the Ursaluna formes, and its ability to support its team in a pinch thanks to its wide supportive movepool.
- Freeze-Dry grants Alolan Ninetales the ability to threaten Basculegion-M and the plethora of Tera Water Pokemon in the format, such as Gholdengo and Amoonguss. Aurora Veil is a great move to increase the team's longevity when Alolan Ninetales can't do a lot on the field or take advantage of defensive play. Encore can be used over these two to better punish defensive play and discourage Fake Out, especially if Alolan Ninetales does not carry Protect. Moonblast and Dazzling Gleam are great secondary STAB moves on Choice Specs variants, threatening 2HKOs on Kingambit and Annihilape, respectively, and ensuring Alolan Ninetales doesn't get walled by Incineroar. Icy Wind is preferred over Protect to provide Alolan Ninetales with speed control.
- Focus Sash is preferred to get around Alolan Ninetales's poor defensive typing, Choice Specs and Never-Melt Ice sacrifice longevity for better damage rolls against the metagame; Choice Specs Blizzard OHKOes Ursaluna-B and Never-Melt Ice Blizzard guarantees a 2HKO on uninvested Archaludon not holding an Assault Vest.
- Alolan Ninetales prefers Tera Ghost across all its sets, as it provides an immunity to Fake Out and sheds all of its weaknesses. Alolan Ninetales can utilize Tera Ice as well, ensuring even Ursaluna gets OHKOed by Choice Specs Alolan Ninetales. Focus Sash and Never-Melt Ice Alolan Ninetales can OHKO uninvested and bulky Ursaluna-B, respectively, with Tera Ice Blizzard.
- Offensive Alolan Ninetales can provide much more offensive pressure but has longevity issues with the plethora of Fake Out and its weaknesses in the metagame.
[SET]
Screens Setter (Ninetales-Alola) @ Covert Cloak / Light Clay
Ability: Snow Warning
Level: 50
Tera Type: Water / Ghost
EVs: 228 HP / 36 Def / 20 SpA / 76 SpD / 148 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Aurora Veil
- Encore
- Icy Wind / Protect / Freeze-Dry
[SET COMMENTS]
- Alolan Ninetales also finds a good niche as a supportive screens setter thanks to its good Speed tier and access to a variety of other support tools.
- This Alolan Ninetales focuses more on setting up Aurora Veil and disrupting with Encore so its team can set up and sweep more comfortably rather than threatening bulky Pokemon itself.
- Covert Cloak is preferred to provide Alolan Ninetales with an immunity to Fake Out and Speed drops from Electabuzz's Electroweb. Light Clay sacrifices this for screens to stay up longer, allowing for more setup opportunities and room to position Alolan Ninetales's teammates.
- Alolan Ninetales uses Tera Water to improve its defensive profile, turning the glaring Steel- and Fire-type weaknesses into resistances. Light Clay sets may use Tera Ghost to keep the potential Fake Out immunity. Both Tera types remove all of Alolan Ninetales's original weaknesses.
- The EV spread ensures that Alolan Ninetales survives Sneasler's Tera Stellar Dire Claw and Life Orb Ursaluna-B's Blood Moon. The Speed investment allows Alolan Ninetales to outspeed Indeedee-M and Hisuian Typhlosion, while the Special Attack ensures a 2HKO on Ursaluna-B.
- Screens setter Alolan Ninetales can last a lot longer on the field to use its support kit, but it is easier to ignore in the majority of matchups due to its lackluster damage output.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Teambuilding
============
- Alolan Ninetales heavily struggles against Gholdengo, being unable to punish it with Encore or threaten it with its STAB moves. Fire-types like Incineroar, Hisuian Arcanine, and Volcarona put pressure on Alolan Ninetales
- Dragonite works well with both sets, providing speed control and taking on the Fire-types Alolan Ninetales is weak to, especially with Stomping Tantrum.
- Offensive Alolan Ninetales is strongest with other offensive threats to overwhelm the opposing team with Pokemon that cover each other's checks. The most notable of these are Sneasler and Kingambit. Sneasler can threaten Incineroar for a lot of damage and has a faster Fake Out but struggles to damage Dragonite and Gholdengo. Alolan Ninetales can cover for Dragonite and Kingambit can take on Gholdengo.
- Screens setter Alolan Ninetales works best alongside multiple setup sweepers that can steal the game when supported well. Annihilape and Gholdengo cannot be slowed down by Fake Out and hit the majority of the metagame for great damage. Annihilape and Gholdengo also notably take care of Incineroar and Sneasler, two of Alolan Ninetales's toughest matchups.
Strategy Comments
============
- Offensive Alolan Ninetales's primary role is as a fast sweeper with unique support options. It is best when dishing out early damage while being supported by Fake Out or redirection and going down after taking on what it's expected to handle so Alolan Ninetales's teammates can clean up. Screens setter Alolan Ninetales is strongest when it sets up screens for its team and faints soon after, ensuring its teammates can take full advantage of the Aurora Veil turns and being not nearly as passive.
- Offensive Alolan Ninetales's flexibility allows it to be an excellent lead Pokemon, threatening foes with powerful Blizzards, Icy Wind speed control, and often Aurora Veil support. This lets it adapt in many lead matchups and position itself in a way to win the game. Choice Specs Alolan Ninetales also plays similarly, as its damage output is rather forceful from turn 1. After Alolan Ninetales impacts the game, it's good to send out your other offensive Pokemon that can finish the job most efficiently. Screens setter Alolan Ninetales also finds itself as a lead, but for different reasons. Alolan Ninetales can use its many support options to set the board for sweepers like Gholdengo and Annihilape to come in and set up. Alolan Ninetales may want to Terastallize if opposing Pokemon threaten to KO it before it sets up Aurora Veil or when interested in sticking around for Icy Wind and Encore support.
- Gholdengo is Alolan Ninetales's most reliable answer, as Alolan Ninetales cannot threaten it or lock it into a move with Encore. (AP) Alolan Ninetales is also 4x weak to Make It Rain and weak to Shadow Ball after Terastallizing into a Ghost-type. Tyranitar is also a great counter, overriding weather and passively breaking Alolan Ninetales's Focus Sash. It's wise to use Kingambit and Annihilape to threaten these Pokemon while preserving Alolan Ninetales, by switching it out once its checks enter the field.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lovelyluna.641287/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rauvgc.589964/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ipetbigfoot.645750/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lustre.567354/
Last edited:
