Not dog
Cat
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Fake Out
move 3: Wide Guard
move 4: Feint / Taunt / Knock Off
item: Focus Sash
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
With a myriad of utility moves such as Fake Out and Wide Guard, good base 125 Attack and 105 Speed stats, and a naturally good matchup against Incineroar thanks to Inner Focus ignoring Intimidate and Fake Out, Mienshao finds itself as a good offensive utility Pokemon in the current metagame. Close Combat does good damage, taking on the likes of Incineroar and Stakataka, and Mienshao isn't particularly affected by the defensive drops due to its already low defensive stats. Fake Out allows Mienshao to pin down opposing Pokemon for common partners such as Calyrex-S and Nihilego to attack them more freely, with Mienshao notably being able to use it before other common Fake Out users such as Incineroar and Rillaboom. Wide Guard is a must-have utility option that blocks some of the most threatening moves in the game like Calyrex-S's Astral Barrage, Kyogre's Water Spout and Groudon's Precipice Blades. Feint breaking all forms of protection is particularly helpful alongside Calyrex-S, allowing it to click Astral Barrage against most Wide Guard users. Taunt allows Mienshao to disrupt other utility Pokemon such as Volcarona, Amoonguss, and Whimsicott. Knock Off applies heavy pressure to Dark-weak Pokemon such as Aegislash and Calyrex-S. Focus Sash makes up for Mienshao's lack of bulk being the only item viable as a result. Helping Hand is a potential option to boost Mienshao's teammate in situations where its own damage is going to be limited; however this typically means giving up a more valuable utility move.
Mienshao's utility can fit onto a wide array of teams, but it is mostly used alongside Calyrex-S. Mienshao's Close Combat is able to pressure two of Calyrex-S's best checks in Incineroar and Urshifu-S, and it also provides Wide Guard for opposing Calyrex-S alongside Feint. Nihilego also appreciates Mienshao, as Fake Out and Feint offer it the best chance to land a Meteor Beam for a crucial Special Attack boost, and it enjoys being protected from Kyogre's Water Spout, Landorus-T's Earthquake, and Groudon's Precipice Blades, which would all otherwise OHKO it. Whimsicott is another Pokemon that appreciates Mienshao's fast Fake Out support, being able to typically safely set up Tailwind as a result.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Raineko, 294287]]
- Quality checked by: [[zeefable, 501951]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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