[OVERVIEW]
* Whimsicott has access to Prankster along with a high base 116 Speed and a plethora of useful status moves, allowing it to provide nearly guaranteed support for its team and disruption to the opponent's Pokemon.
* It is one of the few viable Tailwind users, providing a reliable and not very common form of speed control in the format.
* It can prevent and disrupt other forms of speed control with its status moves.
* While providing resistance to some common types like Electric, Whimsicott's Grass / Fairy typing and low defensive stats makes it weak to common attacks in the format, especially Poison-type coverage moves.
* Dark-type's immunity to Prankster status moves hinders it's disruptive potential.
* Its large support movepool means it suffers from four-moveslot syndrome.
* It has little offensive presence, only being capable of dealing significant damage to a select few Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Tailwind Support
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Tailwind
move 3: Encore
move 4: Taunt
item: Focus Sash
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Moonblast is Whimsicott's best offensive choice, allowing it to 2HKO Dragon-types like Garchomp and Salamence as long as Focus Sash is intact, as well as Dark-types like Persian wishing to switch in to block Prankster. It can also 2HKO uninvested Hariyama that try to support a Trick Room setter.
* Tailwind is the most important move on Whimsicott, doubling the Speed of its teammates and allowing them to attack first in most scenarios.
* Encore lets Whimsicott lock a foe into Protect or a setup move for three turns, either shutting it down or forcing it to switch out.
* Taunt prevents foes from using status moves, most notably preventing the setting of their own speed control measures like Trick Room, as well stopping them from using Protect, making them more vulnerable.
Set Details
========
* Prankster is mandatory, allowing Whimsicott to use its status moves before it can be hit, as well as letting it shut down other status move users before they can set up.
* 252 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Whimsicott to be as fast as possible, with the remaining EVs are invested into HP and Defense to help it take resisted hits the best it possibly can.
* Focus Sash is needed due to Whimsicott's low defenses, ensuring it stays in the field to use another status move after setting Tailwind.
Usage Tips
========
* Leading with Whimsicott is usually recommended, as it can set up Tailwind on turn one to provide immediate pressure from your sped-up teammates, or letting it shut down dangerous set up Pokemon before they can gain momentum.
* If your team is not completely reliant on Tailwind and you see a hail or sand setter on the opponent's team, not leading with Whimsicott is advisable, as the weather damage will break the Focus Sash and risk an early faint.
* Take advantage of Whimsicott's immunity to Dragon-type attacks in order to safely switch in later in the match, as you can easily waste a foe's Devastating Drake or Draco Meteor and turn the tide of battle in your favor with a late-game Tailwind.
* Only use Moonblast when you can predict a favorable switch or if the opponent has no way to prevent a super effective hit on one of his Pokemon. The most notable target is Garchomp, which can try to KO Whimsicott with Poison Jab.
Team Options
========
* Powerful Pokemon with above average Speed like Garchomp and Kartana are prime teammates as they become extremely threatening after Tailwind doubles their Speed.
* Intimidate users can help Whimsicott deal better with otherwise lethal physical Poison-type attacks. Arcanine can take care of dangerous Steel-types like Celesteela and Kartana, while Krookodile can use Groundium-Z to take care of the ever-threatening Alolan Muk; both also have enough Speed to take advantage of Tailwind.
* All of the guardian deities are good partners that make great use of Whimsicott's support to pressure the opponent's team, set up, and generally bypass any Speed creep wars with opposing Tapu groups thanks to Tailwind, be wary of stacking Poison weaknesses, though.
* Steel-types like Magnezone and Kartana are also great parners as they can switch in on the Poison- and Steel-type attacks aimed at Whimsicott, letting them in safely to make use of Tailwind.
* Pokemon with set up moves like Dragon Dance Gyarados and Calm Mind Tapu Fini also appreciate Whimsicott's support, as Encore gives them more breathing room to set up.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Memento with Darkinium-Z can be used to neutralize a threat when Whimsicott is on its last legs, while at the same time bringing a fully healed teammate back into the field.
* Helping Hand is an option to make up for Whimsicott's low offensive presence by boosting the power of its partner's moves.
* Trick Room can be used to reverse an opponent's own Trick Room or for a surprise set up of your own, since Whimsicott can still function during it thanks to Prankster.
* Charm can be used to drop the Attack stat of physical attackers two stages, severely lowering their damage potential or countering any boosts they might have obtained previously.
* Sunny Day can be used to remove a foe's weather, stopping hail or sand from breaking Whimsicott's Focus Sash, as well as hinder the opponent's strategy and possibly help your own team if you have Pokemon that make use of the sun. Bear in mind that this is less optimal than simply running your own dedicated weather setter.
* Beat Up can be used to boost the Attack of a partner with Justified like Arcanine or Lucario up to four times, at the cost of minimal health loss due to Whimsicott's low Attack stat.
* Energy Ball can be used over Moonblast if you find your team deficient in answers to Gastrodon or bulky Water-types, but Whimnsicott's lackluster Special Attack makes this far from optimal.
* Nature Power instead of Moonblast with Normalium-Z can be used on teams with multiple guardian deities, allowing Whimsicott to do considerable damage off a move that also has priority from Prankster, even getting a few surprise OHKOs on relevant threats like Garchomp under Misty Terrain. Bear in mind that you become vulnerable to Taunt this way.
* Endeavor is an alternative to bring down most threats to KO range after Whimsicott is brought down to its Focus Sash, allowing its teammates to finish them off.
* Infiltrator is an option if you are using Whimsicott and Tapu Lele on the same team, allowing Whimsicott to use status moves in Psychic Terrain.
* Fake Tears can be used to lower the Special Defense of a foe, letting a specially offensive teammate do more damage; this is especially useful if using Infiltrator with Tapu Lele as a partner.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-type Pokemon**: All Dark-type Pokemon can safely switch in and brush off Encore and Taunt thanks to their immunity to moves affected by Prankster. Most dangerous of all are Alolan Muk and Incineroar, which take minimal damage from Moonblast and can KO Whimsicott comfortably with their STAB moves.
**Poison-type Pokemon**: Alolan Muk, Nihilego and Salazzle pose an inmediate offensive threat to Whimsicott, along with many other Pokemon that run Poison-type coverage like Garchomp and Goodra.
**Steel-type Pokemon**: Kartana, Magnezone, and Celesteela can all easily KO Whimsicott after it has lost it's Focus Sash, with only Celesteela being afraid of getting locked into a move by Encore or Taunted.
**Fire-type Pokemon**: Arcanine, Alolan Marowak, and Incineroar can both get rid of Whimsicott after it has lost its Focus Sash too, being unafraid of Taunt. Incineroar is especially capable of countering Whimsicott, being inmune to Prankster and taking little damage from Moonblast, as well as being able to use Fake Out freely to stop Tailwind.
**Taunt users**: Tapu Koko, Tapu Fini, opposing Whimsicott, and many other Pokemon with Taunt can effectively turn Whimsicott into dead weight with it, preventing the use of its status moves for three turns.
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