[OVERVIEW]
Espeon sets itself apart from other psychic types with its ability, magic bounce, which bounces status inducing moves, phazing, and most importantly entry hazards back to the opponent. This is paticuarly useful on hyper offesnive teams, because all other forms of hazard control drain momentum, so Espeon is the only viable form of hazard control on hyper offense. It is also a potent offensve threat because of its excellent 130 / 110 offenses. However, despite its many strenghts, it also has many flaws. Its Mediocre psychic gives it a pursuit weakness, lack of resistances, and means its STAB doesn't hit many things super effectively, and is resisted by a lot of common Mons like registeel. It struggles to consistently support its team because of its poor physical bulk and below average special bulk. Simkar things can be said about its usefulness offensively, while good, base 110 speed leaves it vunerable to prominent revenge killers such as swellow and scarf heracross.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Dazzling Gleam
move 4: Grass Knot / Trick
item: Choice Specs
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic is the main move on this set, and it deals massive damage to nearly all Pokémon. Psyshock is an option over psychic to hit special walls like Mantine and Florges harder. Shadow ball hits ghost types like mismagius and doublade and psychic types like reuniclus for super effective damage. Dazzling gleam hits dark types such as umbreon super effectively. Grass knot allows it to beat donphan, gigalith and rhyperior, all of which are prominent stealth rock users. Trick allows espeon to cripple Pokémon such as registeel who despise being choice locked.
Set Details
========
Choice specs allow espeon to hit insanely hard without boosts, dealing massive damage to almost all Pokémon. Magic Bounce is Espeon's main niche, because the support provided by bouncing back entry hazards, status inducing moves and taunt are useful for any team. 252 special attack EVs are used to hit as hard as possible, and 252 speed EVs and a timid nature are used to outrun threats such as mismagius, galvantula and shaymin.
Usage Tips
========
Generally, it is a good idea to mostly use psychic STAB unless the opposing team has a Bronzong or dark-type, because it can be exploited when choice locked. Grass knot is particularly risky to lock in to, because grass resists and light Pokémon are very common.Don't be reckless switching in against moves that can be bounced back, because a mispredict can result in an easy kill for your opponent. Espeon should primarly be used as a wallbreaker, because it can heavily dent common defensive and balanced cores such as mantine + nidoqueen.
Team Options
========
While espeon is usually sufficient hazard control for hyper offense teams with a Pokémon like Salazzle or Swellow 2× weak to rocks, more consistent hazard control is needed for most teams. Fast sweepers like Minior and dragon dance Flygon appreciate Espeon's ability to break walls. Cleaners like scarf Flygon, scarf Heracross and Swellow also appreciate a wallbreaker and Swellow and Flygon they have U-turn, plus Swellow appreciates hazard control. In terms of pokemon that can support Espeon, pursuit trappers like Sneasel and Escavalier can trap and remove threats like Bronzong and Reuniclus. Zoroark can lure and weaken psychic resists like Registeel, Umbreon and Doublade with its coverage moves, namely Low Kick or Focus Blast, and Dark STAB. A slow U-turn or Volt Switch from the likes of Gligar can get Espeon in safely.
[SET]
name: Calm mind
move 1: Calm mind
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Shadow Ball / Dazzling Gleam
item: Psychium Z / Life Orb
ability: Magic bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm mind allows espeon to hit extremely hard, and also take special hits easier. Psychic is the main STAB move. When used as a z-move, it turns in to a 175BP shattered psyche, which is capable of OHKOing mantine and possibly florges after Stealth rock. Psyshock can be used over Psychic to break past special walls without a a Z-move. Morning Sun provides recovery. Shadow ball hits ghost and psychic types such as reuniculus and hoopa. Dazzling gleam is an option over shadow ball to hit dark types like pangoro super effectively.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in special attack maximise damage output, and 252 speed EVs and a timid nature allow espeon to outspeed threats like Durant and Virizion. A Psychium Z gives Espeon a nuke which allows it to beat checks like mantine. Life orb means all of Espeon's attacks hit exceptionally hard at +1. Leftovers is another option for an item because it provides more recovery, but it means Espeon struggles to get past special walls. Magic bounce deflects taunts, phazing, status-inducing moves and entry hazards, making it the preferred ability. Calm mind + 3 attacks is an option on offensively orientated teams, but recovery is generally more useful.
Usage Tips
=======
This set can be used as a late-game sweeper once all its checks are removed. It can also be used as an early-game breaker to weaken teams for other sweepers. Set up calm minds on fairly weak special attackers like Florges and Cyroganal. As a result of its fragility, switching it in directly is a bad idea. If your opponent has a Pokémon like Heracross or Gardevoir that could potentially be holding a choice scarf, scout your opponent's team to see whether it is a choice scarf varient.
Team Options
========
Pursuit trappers like Escavalier and Sneasel can remove psychic and ghost types like Hoopa and Reuniclus that threaten it. Rotom-Heat is a fantastic partner, because it beats steel types with ease, can weaken physical attackers with a burn, and provides a slow volt switch. A slow U-turn or Volt Switch from Pokémon such a Gligar or the aforementioned Rotom-Heat can get Espeon in safely. Fire and ground types that beat steel types such as Nidoqueen and Moltres are good partners. Zoroark can beat psychic resists like Slowking, Umbreon and Bronzong.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Z-celebrate boost all of Espeon's stats besides HP, but it can only be set up once and it means Espeon can't run magic bounce. A more defensively orientated Calm Mind set is a decent option on stall teams, although it faces competiton from Xatu as a defensive magic bouncer, who has a better defensive typing, more reliable recovery and better physical bulk. It can either run an EV spread with 176 speed EVs and a timid nature to outspeed fully invested base 100s like Shaymin or invest in more bulk. Hidden power fire is a viable option to hit Escavalier and Durant. On the calm mind set, stored power can be run over Psychic or Psyshock because of how hard it hits after 2 to 3 boosts.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark types**: Dark types like Umbreon and Sneasel are immune to psychic, and can return back with their super effective STAB.
**Steel types**: Steel types like Escavalier and Registeel are resistant to psychic and don't take super effective damage from any of Espeon's common coverage moves, although doublade and bronzong must be wary of shadow ball.
**Pursuit** Pursuit trappers like Escavalier and Aerodactyl force it not to switch, and Espeon can't do a lot in return to most.
**Faster Pokémon and strong priority** Faster Pokémon such as Swellow and scarf Rotom-Mow and users of strong priority like Doublade and Zoroark easily revenge kill Espeon.
Espeon sets itself apart from other psychic types with its ability, magic bounce, which bounces status inducing moves, phazing, and most importantly entry hazards back to the opponent. This is paticuarly useful on hyper offesnive teams, because all other forms of hazard control drain momentum, so Espeon is the only viable form of hazard control on hyper offense. It is also a potent offensve threat because of its excellent 130 / 110 offenses. However, despite its many strenghts, it also has many flaws. Its Mediocre psychic gives it a pursuit weakness, lack of resistances, and means its STAB doesn't hit many things super effectively, and is resisted by a lot of common Mons like registeel. It struggles to consistently support its team because of its poor physical bulk and below average special bulk. Simkar things can be said about its usefulness offensively, while good, base 110 speed leaves it vunerable to prominent revenge killers such as swellow and scarf heracross.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Dazzling Gleam
move 4: Grass Knot / Trick
item: Choice Specs
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic is the main move on this set, and it deals massive damage to nearly all Pokémon. Psyshock is an option over psychic to hit special walls like Mantine and Florges harder. Shadow ball hits ghost types like mismagius and doublade and psychic types like reuniclus for super effective damage. Dazzling gleam hits dark types such as umbreon super effectively. Grass knot allows it to beat donphan, gigalith and rhyperior, all of which are prominent stealth rock users. Trick allows espeon to cripple Pokémon such as registeel who despise being choice locked.
Set Details
========
Choice specs allow espeon to hit insanely hard without boosts, dealing massive damage to almost all Pokémon. Magic Bounce is Espeon's main niche, because the support provided by bouncing back entry hazards, status inducing moves and taunt are useful for any team. 252 special attack EVs are used to hit as hard as possible, and 252 speed EVs and a timid nature are used to outrun threats such as mismagius, galvantula and shaymin.
Usage Tips
========
Generally, it is a good idea to mostly use psychic STAB unless the opposing team has a Bronzong or dark-type, because it can be exploited when choice locked. Grass knot is particularly risky to lock in to, because grass resists and light Pokémon are very common.Don't be reckless switching in against moves that can be bounced back, because a mispredict can result in an easy kill for your opponent. Espeon should primarly be used as a wallbreaker, because it can heavily dent common defensive and balanced cores such as mantine + nidoqueen.
Team Options
========
While espeon is usually sufficient hazard control for hyper offense teams with a Pokémon like Salazzle or Swellow 2× weak to rocks, more consistent hazard control is needed for most teams. Fast sweepers like Minior and dragon dance Flygon appreciate Espeon's ability to break walls. Cleaners like scarf Flygon, scarf Heracross and Swellow also appreciate a wallbreaker and Swellow and Flygon they have U-turn, plus Swellow appreciates hazard control. In terms of pokemon that can support Espeon, pursuit trappers like Sneasel and Escavalier can trap and remove threats like Bronzong and Reuniclus. Zoroark can lure and weaken psychic resists like Registeel, Umbreon and Doublade with its coverage moves, namely Low Kick or Focus Blast, and Dark STAB. A slow U-turn or Volt Switch from the likes of Gligar can get Espeon in safely.
[SET]
name: Calm mind
move 1: Calm mind
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Shadow Ball / Dazzling Gleam
item: Psychium Z / Life Orb
ability: Magic bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm mind allows espeon to hit extremely hard, and also take special hits easier. Psychic is the main STAB move. When used as a z-move, it turns in to a 175BP shattered psyche, which is capable of OHKOing mantine and possibly florges after Stealth rock. Psyshock can be used over Psychic to break past special walls without a a Z-move. Morning Sun provides recovery. Shadow ball hits ghost and psychic types such as reuniculus and hoopa. Dazzling gleam is an option over shadow ball to hit dark types like pangoro super effectively.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in special attack maximise damage output, and 252 speed EVs and a timid nature allow espeon to outspeed threats like Durant and Virizion. A Psychium Z gives Espeon a nuke which allows it to beat checks like mantine. Life orb means all of Espeon's attacks hit exceptionally hard at +1. Leftovers is another option for an item because it provides more recovery, but it means Espeon struggles to get past special walls. Magic bounce deflects taunts, phazing, status-inducing moves and entry hazards, making it the preferred ability. Calm mind + 3 attacks is an option on offensively orientated teams, but recovery is generally more useful.
Usage Tips
=======
This set can be used as a late-game sweeper once all its checks are removed. It can also be used as an early-game breaker to weaken teams for other sweepers. Set up calm minds on fairly weak special attackers like Florges and Cyroganal. As a result of its fragility, switching it in directly is a bad idea. If your opponent has a Pokémon like Heracross or Gardevoir that could potentially be holding a choice scarf, scout your opponent's team to see whether it is a choice scarf varient.
Team Options
========
Pursuit trappers like Escavalier and Sneasel can remove psychic and ghost types like Hoopa and Reuniclus that threaten it. Rotom-Heat is a fantastic partner, because it beats steel types with ease, can weaken physical attackers with a burn, and provides a slow volt switch. A slow U-turn or Volt Switch from Pokémon such a Gligar or the aforementioned Rotom-Heat can get Espeon in safely. Fire and ground types that beat steel types such as Nidoqueen and Moltres are good partners. Zoroark can beat psychic resists like Slowking, Umbreon and Bronzong.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Z-celebrate boost all of Espeon's stats besides HP, but it can only be set up once and it means Espeon can't run magic bounce. A more defensively orientated Calm Mind set is a decent option on stall teams, although it faces competiton from Xatu as a defensive magic bouncer, who has a better defensive typing, more reliable recovery and better physical bulk. It can either run an EV spread with 176 speed EVs and a timid nature to outspeed fully invested base 100s like Shaymin or invest in more bulk. Hidden power fire is a viable option to hit Escavalier and Durant. On the calm mind set, stored power can be run over Psychic or Psyshock because of how hard it hits after 2 to 3 boosts.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark types**: Dark types like Umbreon and Sneasel are immune to psychic, and can return back with their super effective STAB.
**Steel types**: Steel types like Escavalier and Registeel are resistant to psychic and don't take super effective damage from any of Espeon's common coverage moves, although doublade and bronzong must be wary of shadow ball.
**Pursuit** Pursuit trappers like Escavalier and Aerodactyl force it not to switch, and Espeon can't do a lot in return to most.
**Faster Pokémon and strong priority** Faster Pokémon such as Swellow and scarf Rotom-Mow and users of strong priority like Doublade and Zoroark easily revenge kill Espeon.
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