[OVERVIEW]
Flutter Mane is an effective fast attacker. A Ghost typing and good Speed let it effectively use Normalize + Entrainment as a disruption tool, while more offensive sets can benefit from Moongeist Beam for high damage against Ice Scales users like Arceus-Fairy; Normalize in particular makes Flutter Mane an effective entry hazard setter and check to setup threats like Eternatus and some Take Heart Arceus formes. Flutter Mane also benefits from low Attack and HP, the latter of which makes Pain Split a solid choice on utility sets that lets it chunk Blissey for good damage, and decent Special Defense lets it trade damage&mdash?albeit with a high cost—against faster foes like Mega Sceptile. However, Flutter Mane's offensive profile is notably throttled by Mega Audino and Blissey, two very common walls that Flutter Mane struggles to break through. It also suffers from weaknesses to common status moves like Glare and Topsy-Turvy that can stall its progress, and it, in many cases, is forced to make risky decisions thanks to said status move weakness. Flutter Mane's weak Defense also means it can't afford to stay in on stray hits like Flip Turn much, either.
[SET]
Normalize (Flutter Mane) @ Pixie Plate / Spooky Plate
Ability: Normalize
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Entrainment
- Judgment
- Taunt
- Spikes / Thunder Cage / Nasty Plot
[SET COMMENTS]
Normalize + Entrainment allows Flutter Mane to ignore most forms of direct damage, giving it free turns to set up or use its utility options. Judgment both ignores Normalize and allows Flutter Mane to attack with a STAB-boosted move without Imposter users being able to. Taunt shuts off annoyances like Glare and Parting Shot, and it additionally pairs well with all last-move options; Nasty Plot + Taunt makes it a solid sweeper with the rare ability to beat Topsy-Turvy users, Spikes is especially useful due to Entrainment beating all forms of entry hazard removal and forcing switches, and Thunder Cage + Taunt allows it to trap and remove targets that lack ways to damage it through Normalize. Pixie Plate has more consistent damage, while Spooky Plate is more threatening to foes like Arceus-Ghost and Imposter users.
Flutter Mane's best fit is on balance teams that can, depending on its set, either take advantage of its Spikes-setting ability or help pressure special walls that can beat Normalize. Ultra Necrozma makes a good candidate for its ability to threaten Arceus formes, which regularly carry Judgment, and Mega Audino with its mixed attacks. Slow pivots like RegenVest users are recommended, as Flutter Mane essentially stops working if hit with Knock Off or Mortal Spin; additionally, these Pokemon carrying Stone Axe benefit from Flutter Mane's tools to stop hazard removal and force switches. Reliable hazard removal or Wish support help Flutter Mane play more aggressively given its lack of recovery. A strong special wall like Blissey is also recommended as a check to rare Spooky Plate Imposter users, which can force Flutter Mane out. Flutter Mane's damage flatlines without its Plate, so Knock Off absorbers like Arceus formes are particularly helpful.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flutter Mane's immunities to Dragon and Fighting mean it can potentially use immunity abilities like Well-Baked Body and Levitate to hard-wall Pokemon like Mega Blaziken and Mega Garchomp; however, this eats into damage output, making Magic Bounce users much more problematic. Flutter Mane can potentially use a Choice Specs set with either Beads of Ruin or Pixilate, but its damage falls short of competitors like Mega Alakazam, and it now struggles much more against RegenVest users. Flare Boost sets can act as potent sweepers with Nasty Plot and a built-in status immunity, but these suffer from high rates of residual damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Revelation Dance and Judgment**: These moves bypass Normalize, meaning that Flutter Mane essentially can't set up in front of them. Ice Scales Arceus formes also benefit from Flutter Mane still needing to use Entrainment to do meaningful damage.
**Dialga-O**: Dialga-O will always be carrying Revelation Dance or Doom Desire, both of which force Flutter Mane out and beat Normalize sets. It also commonly uses Assault Vest.
**Status**: All Flutter Mane sets simply stop working when paralyzed; Normalize sets also falter to burn and poison. Common users also tend to carry moves like Ruination, like Chansey and Blissey, forcing Flutter Mane into unfavorable situations.
**Normal-types**: Mega Audino, Blissey, and Meloetta all largely shut down Flutter Mane's direct damage and consistently carry Topsy-Turvy to offset Nasty Plot boosts. They tend to be fodder for Spikes, however, and only sparingly use Glare.
**Magic Bounce**: Magic Bounce users like Mega Audino blank most of Flutter Mane's utility.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tea-guzzler.577920/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/chessking345.355040/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rightclicker.589755/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Flutter Mane is an effective fast attacker. A Ghost typing and good Speed let it effectively use Normalize + Entrainment as a disruption tool, while more offensive sets can benefit from Moongeist Beam for high damage against Ice Scales users like Arceus-Fairy; Normalize in particular makes Flutter Mane an effective entry hazard setter and check to setup threats like Eternatus and some Take Heart Arceus formes. Flutter Mane also benefits from low Attack and HP, the latter of which makes Pain Split a solid choice on utility sets that lets it chunk Blissey for good damage, and decent Special Defense lets it trade damage&mdash?albeit with a high cost—against faster foes like Mega Sceptile. However, Flutter Mane's offensive profile is notably throttled by Mega Audino and Blissey, two very common walls that Flutter Mane struggles to break through. It also suffers from weaknesses to common status moves like Glare and Topsy-Turvy that can stall its progress, and it, in many cases, is forced to make risky decisions thanks to said status move weakness. Flutter Mane's weak Defense also means it can't afford to stay in on stray hits like Flip Turn much, either.
[SET]
Normalize (Flutter Mane) @ Pixie Plate / Spooky Plate
Ability: Normalize
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Entrainment
- Judgment
- Taunt
- Spikes / Thunder Cage / Nasty Plot
[SET COMMENTS]
Normalize + Entrainment allows Flutter Mane to ignore most forms of direct damage, giving it free turns to set up or use its utility options. Judgment both ignores Normalize and allows Flutter Mane to attack with a STAB-boosted move without Imposter users being able to. Taunt shuts off annoyances like Glare and Parting Shot, and it additionally pairs well with all last-move options; Nasty Plot + Taunt makes it a solid sweeper with the rare ability to beat Topsy-Turvy users, Spikes is especially useful due to Entrainment beating all forms of entry hazard removal and forcing switches, and Thunder Cage + Taunt allows it to trap and remove targets that lack ways to damage it through Normalize. Pixie Plate has more consistent damage, while Spooky Plate is more threatening to foes like Arceus-Ghost and Imposter users.
Flutter Mane's best fit is on balance teams that can, depending on its set, either take advantage of its Spikes-setting ability or help pressure special walls that can beat Normalize. Ultra Necrozma makes a good candidate for its ability to threaten Arceus formes, which regularly carry Judgment, and Mega Audino with its mixed attacks. Slow pivots like RegenVest users are recommended, as Flutter Mane essentially stops working if hit with Knock Off or Mortal Spin; additionally, these Pokemon carrying Stone Axe benefit from Flutter Mane's tools to stop hazard removal and force switches. Reliable hazard removal or Wish support help Flutter Mane play more aggressively given its lack of recovery. A strong special wall like Blissey is also recommended as a check to rare Spooky Plate Imposter users, which can force Flutter Mane out. Flutter Mane's damage flatlines without its Plate, so Knock Off absorbers like Arceus formes are particularly helpful.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flutter Mane's immunities to Dragon and Fighting mean it can potentially use immunity abilities like Well-Baked Body and Levitate to hard-wall Pokemon like Mega Blaziken and Mega Garchomp; however, this eats into damage output, making Magic Bounce users much more problematic. Flutter Mane can potentially use a Choice Specs set with either Beads of Ruin or Pixilate, but its damage falls short of competitors like Mega Alakazam, and it now struggles much more against RegenVest users. Flare Boost sets can act as potent sweepers with Nasty Plot and a built-in status immunity, but these suffer from high rates of residual damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Revelation Dance and Judgment**: These moves bypass Normalize, meaning that Flutter Mane essentially can't set up in front of them. Ice Scales Arceus formes also benefit from Flutter Mane still needing to use Entrainment to do meaningful damage.
**Dialga-O**: Dialga-O will always be carrying Revelation Dance or Doom Desire, both of which force Flutter Mane out and beat Normalize sets. It also commonly uses Assault Vest.
**Status**: All Flutter Mane sets simply stop working when paralyzed; Normalize sets also falter to burn and poison. Common users also tend to carry moves like Ruination, like Chansey and Blissey, forcing Flutter Mane into unfavorable situations.
**Normal-types**: Mega Audino, Blissey, and Meloetta all largely shut down Flutter Mane's direct damage and consistently carry Topsy-Turvy to offset Nasty Plot boosts. They tend to be fodder for Spikes, however, and only sparingly use Glare.
**Magic Bounce**: Magic Bounce users like Mega Audino blank most of Flutter Mane's utility.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tea-guzzler.577920/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/chessking345.355040/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rightclicker.589755/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Last edited:
