[OVERVIEW]
Cinccino has access to the ability Skill Link, which guarantees its multi-hit attacks to hit five times, always giving them an effective 125 Base Power. This allows it to break Substitutes, Focus Sashes, and Sturdy with its multi-hit moves such as Tail Slap, Bullet Seed, and Rock Blast. With an impressive base 115 Speed, Cinccino can outpace Pokemon such as Gengar, Serperior, Mega Pinsir, Mega Medicham, Galvantula, and Landorus. Because Cinccino is rather difficult to fit on balanced teams, it functions more effectively on offensive teams. However, Cinccino's base 95 Attack is rather mediocre, so it doesn't have a great enough offensive presence to break through many Pokemon. It won't be able to OHKO any threats unless its attack is a super effective hit or the opposing Pokemon is frail. Its movepool is also pretty shallow, making it predictable and easier to check. Cinccino's defenses are poor, meaning it cannot afford to take any powerful hits, which limits its opportunities to switch in. Cinccino is also outclassed by other physical attackers such as Mega Lopunny, Diggersby, and Staraptor, as they can remove opposing threats from the field more efficiently than Cinccino can. Cinccino's biggest flaw is that it struggles to break through Steel-types with its movepool, making it completely walled by them.
[SET]
name: Spick and Span (All-out Attacker)
move 1: Tail Slap
move 2: Rock Blast
move 3: Bullet Seed
move 4: U-turn / Knock Off
item: Choice Band / King's Rock / Life Orb
ability: Skill Link
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Tail Slap hits most types for neutral damage, only missing out on Ghost-, Rock-, and Steel-types. Rock Blast is a great coverage move that allows Cinccino to hit Bug-, Fire-, Flying-, and Ice-types super effectively such as Armaldo, Rotom-H, Mega Charizard Y, Zapdos, and Kyurem-B. Bullet Seed gives Cinccino more coverage against Ground-, Rock-, and Water-types such as Hippowdon, Mega Diancie, Azumarill, and Keldeo. U-turn allows Cinccino to gain momentum for its teammates and switch into a more reasonable counter to the opposing team. Knock Off can be used instead of U-turn to cripple item-reliant Pokemon such as Chansey and Porygon2 while also hitting Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Gengar, Doublade, and Jirachi.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature makes Cinccino as fast as possible, outspeeding Pokemon such as Mega Gallade, Mega Medicham, Mega Charizard Y, Gengar, Latios, and Keldeo. Running maximum Attack EVs increases Cinccino's damage output. The remaining 4 EVs are invested into Special Defense to keep Porygon2 and Porygon-Z from getting a Download boost in Special Attack. Skill Link allows Cinccino to always hit five times with its multi-hit moves and is useful for breaking Substitutes, Focus Sashes, and Sturdy on Pokemon such as Keldeo, Smeargle, Cloyster, and Carracosta. Choice Band is the preferred item, as it maximizes Cinccino's damage output, which allows it to OHKO threats such as Mega Medicham, Mega Gardevoir, Galvantula, Latios, and Raikou with Tail Slap, specially defensive Armaldo with Rock Blast, and Terrakion with Bullet Seed. King's Rock increases Cinccino's chance of causing flinches; however, it's very luck based and won't work all the time. Life Orb can be used instead; while it doesn't increase its damage output as much, Cinccino can freely use any of its moves without having to switch, although it will lose a little health each turn and be worn down faster. Compared to Life Orb, Choice Band gives Cinccino the ability to OHKO Latios and special defensive Tentacruel and 2HKO Mega Venusaur with Tail Slap; OHKO Rhyperior with Bullet Seed; and OHKO Armaldo with Rock Blast.
Usage Tips
========
Cinccino functions better on offensive teams, as teammates like Smeargle, other offensive Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny and Diggersby, and defensive Pokemon such as Chansey and Porygon2 can put pressure on the opposing teams. Due to Cinccino's poor bulk, it's best to switch it in after a teammate has fallen or through a slow U-turn or Volt Switch, as it cannot afford to take multiple hits. Similarly, entry hazards should be kept off the field at all times, as Cinccino needs to be at full health to survive an attack. Cinccino should use U-turn on Pokemon it can't OHKO, including Ghost- and Steel-types such as Doublade, Heatran, and Skarmory, as well as defensive Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur and Clefable. Use Knock Off to cripple defensive counters such as Porygon2 and Latias as they switch in. In certain matchups, it's best to lead with Cinccino if it's able to defeat the foe. For example, if you're up against Bug or Electric teams that tend to lead with Galvantula and set up Sticky Web, it's best to send Cinccino out first, as it can remove Galvantula from the field with either Tail Slap or Rock Blast. The same concept applies to Swampert on Water-type teams and Mamoswine on Ice-type teams with Bullet Seed. It's best to keep Cinccino away from status moves such as Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and Thunder Wave, as poison and burns can hinder its longevity and paralysis can ruin its ability to outspeed other Pokemon.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard setters such as Smeargle and Chansey are excellent partners for Cinccino, as Stealth Rock gives Cinccino a better chance to KO Pokemon. Cinccino can KO Gyarados with Rock Blast; Hydreigon, Drapion, and Landorus with Tail Slap; and Rhyperior with Bullet Seed after Stealth Rock damage. Smeargle deserves a special mention, as it's also able to set up Sticky Web to cripple Choice Scarf Pokemon and others that to be faster than Cinccino such as Kyurem-B, Victini, Terrakion, Heracross, Weavile, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Manectric. Defensive Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Chansey can sponge physical and special attacks for Cinccino, respectively. Both can spread status to opposing teams with Toxic and Thunder Wave. Porygon2 can also check Swords Dance Mega Scizor with Foul Play. Chansey is also a great status absorber due to Natural Cure. With access to Heal Bell, Chansey can cure any status that Cinccino is inflicted with, which allows it to play more aggressively. Strong physical attackers such as Diggersby and Mega Lopunny are excellent partners for Cinccino; Diggersby can check Skarmory with Choice Band-boosted Wild Charge and deal with Steel-types that wall Cinccino such as Bisharp and Magnezone. Mega Lopunny can also remove Steel-types off the field for Cinccino and counter Doublade due to Scrappy.
Special attackers such as Porygon-Z, Meloetta, and Mega Pidgeot are great assets for Cinccino, as they all can deal with physical walls that Cinccino struggles against such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, Mandibuzz, Ferrothorn, and Slowbro. Staraptor can be a wonderful partner, as it can help Cinccino switch in safely with a U-turn and check Bug-, Fighting-, and Grass-types such as Heracross, Terrakion, and Mega Venusaur. Ditto is a great partner for Cinccino due to Imposter letting it copy the foe's stat changes, punishing setup sweepers such as Keldeo, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Pinsir.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Scarf gives Cinccino more Speed to outpace Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny, Mega Manectric, Mega Aerodactyl, and other Choice Scarf Pokemon; however, Cinccino is already fast and would much prefer to deal more damage with Choice Band. Focus Sash allows Cinccino to survive a powerful attack from the opposing team and gives it a turn to retaliate with its own attack. Unfortunately, Stealth Rock is a very common entry hazard that renders Cinccino's Focus Sash useless, and Cinccino loses the extra power it needs to KO threats without a boosting item. Aqua Tail allows Cinccino to hit specifically Fire-types such as Victini, Heatran, and Entei. However, Rock Blast is much more efficient in dealing with Fire-types and Bullet Seed covers both Ground- and Rock-types as well. Gunk Shot gives Cinccino coverage against Fairy- and Grass-types such as Clefable, Sylveon, Whimsicott, Celebi, and Serperior. However, Cinccino relies more on its multi-hit moves, Steel-types are immune to it, and it has a 20% chance to miss.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Cinccino is completely walled by any Steel-type, while they in return have no problem eliminating it from the field. Skarmory doesn't take much damage from Rock Blast and can use Roost to recover any damage lost while hitting it with Brave Bird or Iron Head. Mega Scizor, Doublade, and Bisharp can use Cinccino as setup fodder with Swords Dance and KO it with one of their STAB moves, and Heatran can sometimes OHKO Cinccino with Fire Blast.
**Revenge Killers**: Choice Scarf users such as Kyurem-B, Victini, Heracross, Terrakion, Jirachi, and Latios all pose a threat and can KO Cinccino due to its frailty.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Cinccino's lacking Attack stat makes it harder to take down physical walls. Pokemon such as Skarmory, Porygon2, Mega Venusaur, and Avalugg can take any hit that Cinccino has.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types are immune to Cinccino's STAB Tail Slap, which means it has to rely on Knock Off and its other coverage moves to deal damage. Sableye can burn Cinccino with Will-O-Wisp, making its attacks deal less damage and hindering its effectiveness. Choice Scarf variants of Chandelure and Gengar can OHKO with Fire Blast and Focus Blast, and Doublade can easily get rid of Cinccino with Sacred Sword.
**Priority**: Cinccino is vulnerable to priority moves such as Bisharp's Sucker Punch and Breloom's Mach Punch. Cinccino also needs to be wary of Prankster Pokemon such as Thundurus, Sableye, and Whimsicott, as they all can cripple it with status such as burn and paralysis.
**Status**: Cinccino is rendered useless if inflicted with any status ailments, especially burn and paralysis, as burn cuts Cinccino's Attack in half and paralysis ruins its Speed.
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