[OVERVIEW]
Sporting good STAB moves, a decent Attack stat, and access to Swords Dance, Mimikyu is one of the premier setup sweepers in the tier. Mimikyu's viability stems from its ability, Disguise, which provides it with an opportunity to set up safely. Disguise can also be used to cleanly revenge kill foes such as Dragon Dance Flygon, Sharpedo, and Polteageist with its STAB moves, making it a great answer to hyper offense teams. Mimikyu synergizes well with most offensive Pokemon in the tier such as Tsareena, as Mimikyu can deal with Steel-types such as Registeel that often switch into Tsareena. Sharpedo also synergizes well with Mimikyu, as they both pressure Pokemon like Steelix. Despite Mimikyu's good Speed tier, with damage taken from Disguise being broken, entry hazards, and Life Orb recoil, it's easily revenge killed by faster foes such as Flygon, Crobat, and Raikou unless they're weakened enough to be KOed by Shadow Sneak. Mimikyu is also extremely weak without a boost, and even when it's boosted, foes like Milotic, Rhyperior, and Galarian Weezing can take it on.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Sneak
move 3: Shadow Claw
move 4: Drain Punch / Play Rough
item: Life Orb
ability: Disguise
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Shadow Sneak gives Mimikyu a method of picking off weakened faster threats that would otherwise revenge kill it such as Noivern and Choice Scarf Gardevoir. Shadow Claw allows Mimikyu to hit foes that resist Drain Punch or Play Rough such as Metagross, Chandelure, and Crobat. Drain Punch allows Mimikyu to hit Steel-, Dark-, and Normal-types like Registeel, Sharpedo, and Snorlax for super effective damage. Play Rough prevents Guzzlord from checking Mimikyu. In addition, without Play Rough, Mimikyu cannot 2HKO Milotic and Flygon at +2. Mimikyu can also run Play Rough and Drain Punch together over Shadow Claw for teams that want the benefits of both moves, but this generally leaves it weaker against the aforementioned targets of Shadow Claw.
Mimikyu fits best on hyper offense or bulky offense teams that appreciate the insurance that Disguise provides against faster threats. Mimikyu appreciates teammates that can defeat Steel-types such as Chandelure, Lucario, and Pangoro, as Steel-types like Steelix and Registeel can prevent Mimikyu from sweeping. Pangoro and Lucario are particularly good teammates, as they serve to weaken or outright defeat Crobat. Spikes setters such as Klefki, Froslass, and Heracross are also appreciated, as they can chip foes such as Suicune, Rhyperior, and Steelix that would otherwise annoy Mimikyu. Bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Suicune all can prevent Mimikyu from sweeping and threaten to burn it with Scald. As a result, Grass-types such as Tsareena, Roserade, and Vileplume as well as Electric-types such as Xurkitree and Raikou pair well with it. Pokemon that work together with Mimikyu to weaken bulky Water-types, such as Flygon and Sharpedo, also make for good teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Wood Hammer is an option over Drain Punch or Play Rough to prevent bulky Water-types from beating Mimikyu, but it prevents Mimikyu from substantially damaging Steel-types with the exceptions of Bronzong and Metagross. In addition, Wood Hammer's recoil damage will greatly weaken Mimikyu, making it prone to getting revenge killed. Furthermore, most teams do not rely on their Water-types to defeat Mimikyu, so using Wood Hammer may ultimately be a fruitless endeavor. Lum Berry can be used to prevent Mimikyu from getting burned or badly poisoned by Suicune and Milotic, protecting it from having its sweep halted and allowing it to stay on the field longer. Red Card is an option to forcefully make setup sweepers such as Flygon exit the field. Thanks to Disguise, Mimikyu can also guarantee that it can set up Trick Room once. However, it should be noted that this is an inconsistent and niche playstyle, and Mimikyu doesn't have many tools to bring teammates in safely.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Mimikyu's best answer, Steelix, is able to come in on Mimikyu that do does not run Drain Punch and force it out. However, Drain Punch Mimikyu is able to prevent Steelix from countering it after Steelix has taken a little chip damage. Registeel, Escavalier, and Foul Play Klefki also check Mimikyu due to either their immense bulk or their neutrality to Drain Punch. Klefki that do does not run Foul Play can still take on Mimikyu, as it can paralyze Mimikyu with Thunder Wave and chip it between Dazzling Gleam and Rocky Helmet. Stakataka is also a notable mention, as it outright counters non-Drain Punch Mimikyu.
**Faster Pokemon**: Once Disguise is broken, Crobat, Flygon, and other foes that survive +2 Shadow Sneak are able to revenge kill Mimikyu. Foes with pivot moves are especially notable, as Pokemon like the aforementioned Crobat as well as Raikou can pivot into Mimikyu and it.
**Bulky Water-types**: Milotic, Suicune, and Tentacruel are all able to take Mimikyu's attacks and threaten to burn it with Scald. Milotic in particular is a great answer because it can wipe away Mimikyu's boosts with Haze and heal itself with Recover.
**Physical Walls**: Galarian Weezing can thwart Mimikyu by burning it with Will-O-Wisp, while Rhyperior can simply damage it with Earthquake. Vileplume hits Mimikyu hard with Sludge Bomb and can wear it down more with Rocky Helmet and Leech Seed, but Mimikyu can defeat it if it is able to boost its attack to +3. Golisopod can break Disguise and pivot to a revenge killer via Emergency Exit.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/aether.531302/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/goldcat.359771/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/yourwelcomethanku.541847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sol.291087/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Sporting good STAB moves, a decent Attack stat, and access to Swords Dance, Mimikyu is one of the premier setup sweepers in the tier. Mimikyu's viability stems from its ability, Disguise, which provides it with an opportunity to set up safely. Disguise can also be used to cleanly revenge kill foes such as Dragon Dance Flygon, Sharpedo, and Polteageist with its STAB moves, making it a great answer to hyper offense teams. Mimikyu synergizes well with most offensive Pokemon in the tier such as Tsareena, as Mimikyu can deal with Steel-types such as Registeel that often switch into Tsareena. Sharpedo also synergizes well with Mimikyu, as they both pressure Pokemon like Steelix. Despite Mimikyu's good Speed tier, with damage taken from Disguise being broken, entry hazards, and Life Orb recoil, it's easily revenge killed by faster foes such as Flygon, Crobat, and Raikou unless they're weakened enough to be KOed by Shadow Sneak. Mimikyu is also extremely weak without a boost, and even when it's boosted, foes like Milotic, Rhyperior, and Galarian Weezing can take it on.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Sneak
move 3: Shadow Claw
move 4: Drain Punch / Play Rough
item: Life Orb
ability: Disguise
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Shadow Sneak gives Mimikyu a method of picking off weakened faster threats that would otherwise revenge kill it such as Noivern and Choice Scarf Gardevoir. Shadow Claw allows Mimikyu to hit foes that resist Drain Punch or Play Rough such as Metagross, Chandelure, and Crobat. Drain Punch allows Mimikyu to hit Steel-, Dark-, and Normal-types like Registeel, Sharpedo, and Snorlax for super effective damage. Play Rough prevents Guzzlord from checking Mimikyu. In addition, without Play Rough, Mimikyu cannot 2HKO Milotic and Flygon at +2. Mimikyu can also run Play Rough and Drain Punch together over Shadow Claw for teams that want the benefits of both moves, but this generally leaves it weaker against the aforementioned targets of Shadow Claw.
Mimikyu fits best on hyper offense or bulky offense teams that appreciate the insurance that Disguise provides against faster threats. Mimikyu appreciates teammates that can defeat Steel-types such as Chandelure, Lucario, and Pangoro, as Steel-types like Steelix and Registeel can prevent Mimikyu from sweeping. Pangoro and Lucario are particularly good teammates, as they serve to weaken or outright defeat Crobat. Spikes setters such as Klefki, Froslass, and Heracross are also appreciated, as they can chip foes such as Suicune, Rhyperior, and Steelix that would otherwise annoy Mimikyu. Bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Suicune all can prevent Mimikyu from sweeping and threaten to burn it with Scald. As a result, Grass-types such as Tsareena, Roserade, and Vileplume as well as Electric-types such as Xurkitree and Raikou pair well with it. Pokemon that work together with Mimikyu to weaken bulky Water-types, such as Flygon and Sharpedo, also make for good teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Wood Hammer is an option over Drain Punch or Play Rough to prevent bulky Water-types from beating Mimikyu, but it prevents Mimikyu from substantially damaging Steel-types with the exceptions of Bronzong and Metagross. In addition, Wood Hammer's recoil damage will greatly weaken Mimikyu, making it prone to getting revenge killed. Furthermore, most teams do not rely on their Water-types to defeat Mimikyu, so using Wood Hammer may ultimately be a fruitless endeavor. Lum Berry can be used to prevent Mimikyu from getting burned or badly poisoned by Suicune and Milotic, protecting it from having its sweep halted and allowing it to stay on the field longer. Red Card is an option to forcefully make setup sweepers such as Flygon exit the field. Thanks to Disguise, Mimikyu can also guarantee that it can set up Trick Room once. However, it should be noted that this is an inconsistent and niche playstyle, and Mimikyu doesn't have many tools to bring teammates in safely.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Mimikyu's best answer, Steelix, is able to come in on Mimikyu that do does not run Drain Punch and force it out. However, Drain Punch Mimikyu is able to prevent Steelix from countering it after Steelix has taken a little chip damage. Registeel, Escavalier, and Foul Play Klefki also check Mimikyu due to either their immense bulk or their neutrality to Drain Punch. Klefki that do does not run Foul Play can still take on Mimikyu, as it can paralyze Mimikyu with Thunder Wave and chip it between Dazzling Gleam and Rocky Helmet. Stakataka is also a notable mention, as it outright counters non-Drain Punch Mimikyu.
**Faster Pokemon**: Once Disguise is broken, Crobat, Flygon, and other foes that survive +2 Shadow Sneak are able to revenge kill Mimikyu. Foes with pivot moves are especially notable, as Pokemon like the aforementioned Crobat as well as Raikou can pivot into Mimikyu and it.
**Bulky Water-types**: Milotic, Suicune, and Tentacruel are all able to take Mimikyu's attacks and threaten to burn it with Scald. Milotic in particular is a great answer because it can wipe away Mimikyu's boosts with Haze and heal itself with Recover.
**Physical Walls**: Galarian Weezing can thwart Mimikyu by burning it with Will-O-Wisp, while Rhyperior can simply damage it with Earthquake. Vileplume hits Mimikyu hard with Sludge Bomb and can wear it down more with Rocky Helmet and Leech Seed, but Mimikyu can defeat it if it is able to boost its attack to +3. Golisopod can break Disguise and pivot to a revenge killer via Emergency Exit.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/aether.531302/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/goldcat.359771/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/yourwelcomethanku.541847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sol.291087/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Last edited:
