BP
Upper Decky Lip Mints
[SET]
name: Lead
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Grass / Substitute
item: Lum Berry
ability: Thick Fat
nature: Timid
evs: 236 HP / 88 SpA / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Spoink carves out a niche as a lead thanks to its special bulk and access to Thick Fat, which allows it to beat other common leads such as Snorunt, Growlithe, and Cyndaquil. Lum Berry helps prevent Butterfree from putting Spoink to sleep so that Spoink can use Taunt. Calm Mind allows Spoink to set up on Growlithe and Cyndaquil. Taunt is able to shut down Snorunt from using Spikes and Butterfree from using Sleep Powder. STAB-boosted Psychic threatens Poison-type Pokemon such as Grimer, Koffing, and Nidorino, and due to the lack of Dark-types in the tier, it is very spammable. Hidden Power Fire is used to threaten Steel-types such as Magnemite and Aron. Hidden Power Grass can be used to help Spoink OHKO Rhyhorn without relying on a Calm Mind boost. Alternatively, Substitute can be used to help Spoink avoid status. The most notable instance of this is against Butterfree, where a Taunt followed by a Substitute allows Spoink to set up on it. While both Substitute and Hidden Power Grass are effective they fail to check Magnemite. 180 Speed EVs allow Spoink to outspeed Snorunt, while 236 HP EVs prevent a 2HKO from Growlithe's Crunch. 88 Special Attack EVs allow Spoink a chance to OHKO Cyndaquil with Psychic at +1.
Spoink fits best on teams that aim to take advantage of common leads on balance teams such as Cyndaquil, Growlithe, and Snorunt. It can make an excellent lead on bulky offense teams for this reason. Dustox and bulky Castform are unable to check Cyndaquil and Growlithe reliably, so they naturally appreciate Spoink as a counter-lead. Pokemon that struggle against lead Butterfree such as Koffing, Rhyhorn, and Cubone all appreciate how adept Spoink is at shutting it down and forcing it out. Pokemon that struggle with taking repeated Spikes damage such as Magnemite, Chinchou, and Nosepass appreciate Spoink's denial of Snorunt's entry hazards. Other Substitute users such as Larvitar, Croconaw, and Mankey also appreciate the lack of Spikes. Larvitar is worth mentioning, as it can turn Delcatty, which walls Spoink, into set-up fodder. Other physical attackers such as Aipom, Rhyhorn, and Cubone can threaten Delcatty just as well. Spoink appreciates physically defensive walls such as Nosepass and Koffing, as they can prevent faster physical foes such as Aipom and Pidgeotto from OHKOing it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Salac Berry may be used in conjunction with Substitute and maximum Speed to turn Spoink into a set-up sweeper. Spoink may be tempted to use a set utilizing Trick and Choice Band; however, this falls short due to Spoink's mediocre Speed and the fact that many foes wouldn't mind holding a Choice Band.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Physical attackers**: Pokemon such as Aipom, Delibird, and Pidgeotto can all outspeed and OHKO Spoink due to its poor Defense.
**Status users**: Toxic users such as Elekid and Cyndaquil can all severely limit Spoink's ability to function as a Calm Mind user. Thunder Wave from Pokemon such as Nosepass, Magnemite, and Chinchou makes Spoink easier to revenge kill.
**Bulky attackers**: Without a boost from Calm Mind, Spoink struggles to do anything against bulky attackers like Castform and Seaking.
**Delcatty**: Due to its excellent bulk, Delcatty is able to threaten Spoink with STAB-boosted Body Slam or Shadow Ball if opts to drop Heal Bell.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tea-guzzler.577920/
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