[OVERVIEW]
* Chansey's astronomical HP stat, paired with a base Special Defense stat of 105 and boost from Eviolite, allows it to handle the strongest special attackers in the metagame such as Xerneas, Primal Kyogre, and Kyurem-W.
* Chansey's monstrous special bulk and lone Fighting-type weakness courtesy of its Normal typing force most special attackers to rely on trapping, excessive prior damage, or brute force to surmount it.
* A high HP stat also allows Chansey to pass enormous healing from Wish, keeping threats like Primal Groudon and Giratina-O healthy throughout the match.
* Access to Heal Bell leaves Chansey as one of the very few viable clerics in the tier, making it a staple pick on stall teams as well as a decent pick on balance teams.
* Chansey's ability Nature Cure allows it to absorb status moves, which makes Chansey even harder to wear down due to many Pokemon in the Ubers metagame, such as Celesteela and Giratina-O, relying on Toxic damage to chip away at bulky foes.
* Unlike Blissey, Chansey can utilize Eviolite, which makes it bulkier and allows it to take physical attacks if needed.
* However, as Chansey is going to be holding Eviolite, it will lack access to Shed Shell, meaning it can be completely neutralized and removed by trappers such as Mega Gengar, Gothitelle, and the rare Dugtrio. This forces Chansey's team to acquire dedicated Pursuit support to keep it safe from the former two.
* Chansey's reliance on Toxic to do meaningful damage lets threats like offensive Necrozma-DM, Mega Lucario, and Naganadel use it as a setup fodder. In addition, Mega Salamence is able to take advantage of Chansey's Toxic to fire off a boosted Facade, and Refresh Calm Mind Arceus formes are able to accumulate boosts and eventually overwhelm Chansey. Zygarde-C, Arceus, and Primal Kyogre can invest in HP to make a Substitute that cannot be broken by one Seismic Toss and set up while avoiding Toxic.
* To alleviate problems with passivity, Chansey will have to forgo one of its utility moves for Confide or Seismic Toss, meaning it will find itself being set up on when against a playstyle that it is not prepared against.
* Lastly, Chansey has trouble taking physical attacks, even with Eviolite and investment, due to its abysmal Defense, meaning common physical attackers such as Primal Groudon, Mega Salamence, Mega Lucario, Ho-Oh, Rayquaza, and Arceus can easily threaten it. Chansey's low Defense stat is further exploited by Mewtwo's Psytrike, Deoxys-A's Superpower, and Palkia's Focus Punch.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Soft-Boiled
move 2: Heal Bell
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Wish / Confide
item: Eviolite
ability: Nature Cure
nature: Bold / Calm
evs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Soft-Boiled allows Chansey to stay healthy and check special attackers it is tasked to handle.
* Heal Bell cures teammates' status conditions, which is especially helpful if Chansey is paired with teammates such as Giratina and defensive Tyranitar that rely on Rest to restore health.
* Toxic lets Chansey punish threats like support Arceus formes, Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and Geomancy Xerneas, should they try taking advantage of Chansey's passivity, by putting them on a timer.
* The last moveslot is flexible depending on the rest of the team. Wish lets Chansey keep teammates like Primal Groudon, Giratina and any Pokemon that does not have a reliable form of recovery, and thanks to Chansey's high HP stat, it often ends up restoring most of their health.
* Confide lets Chansey prevail against Calm Mind Kyogre, Z-Geomancy Xerneas, and Refresh Calm Mind Arceus formes, which would otherwise use it as setup fodder. The move also bypasses Substitute, meaning Chansey can check the former even if it has Substitute up.
* Seismic Toss is another move that can be opted for, letting Chansey do consistent damage to Steel-types and break Substitutes.
* Chansey can use Stealth Rock as well, but forgoing Wish keeps Chansey from effectively keeping its teammates healthy, and forgoing Confide means Chansey can no longer handle Refresh Calm Mind Arceus formes and Z-Geomancy Xerneas, both of which are formidable threats to defensive teams.
Set Details
========
* It is more efficient to invest EVs into Defense and Special Defense, since Chansey already has a very high HP stat.
* Eviolite further increases Chansey's already impressive bulk.
* 252 Defense EVs along with a Bold nature let Chansey take two Precipice Blades from defensive Primal Groudon and two Sunsteel Strikes from defensive Necrozma-DM if necessary.
* A Calm nature is another option that lets Chansey escape 2HKOs from +1 Primal Kyogre's Origin Pulse and +2 Xerneas's Focus Blast. If this nature is opted for, Chansey should be paired with defensive roadblocks like Giratina.
* Nature Cure is the best ability for Chansey, letting it cure itself of status upon switching out without spending a turn to use Heal Bell.
Usage Tips
========
* Chansey should be switched into special attackers, such as most Arceus formes, Xerneas, Primal Kyogre, Kyurem-W, and Lunala. Thanks to its significant Special bulk, Chansey can handle most damage from said threats if they are unboosted.
* Switching Chansey into predicted status moves is a promising idea; Chansey can absorb Toxic from the likes of Arceus formes and Lugia thanks to Nature Cure curing said status upon switching.
* Chansey should focus on spreading status if given the opportunity to switch in by using Toxic on support Arceus formes and defensive Primal Groudon. This is especially important regarding the fact that they are premier users of and Defog and Stealth Rock, respectively, and entry hazards are something that passive team relies on quite a lot to wear down foes.
* Soft-Boiled should be used as often as possible, since Chansey has to be near full health to check Xerneas and Primal Kyogre.
* Heal Bell should be used under consideration, since it has only 8 PP, especially if the battle is going to be long enough for status moves to be a significant factor in winning.
* Chansey should avoid Mega Gengar, Gothitelle, and Dugtrio by any means necessary, since once Chansey is trapped, it will be removed. Until said trappers are removed, Chansey should refrain from switching in recklessly, since double switching is dangerous for Chansey even when paired with dedicated Pursuit trapper.
Team Options
========
* Due to Chansey's passivity, it is usually fit on semi-stall and stall teams, though it can also justify use on balance teams.
* A dedicated Pursuit trapper is mandatory to keep Chansey safe from Mega Gengar, and in this aspect, Marshadow and Tyranitar are great partners. The former weakens or KOes Mega Gengar, Gothitelle, and Dugtrio with Pursuit while forcing them out and makes up for Chansey's passivity with its offensive presence, while the latter has more defensive presence by acting as a check to Ho-Oh and Mega Mewtwo Y and also provides Stealth Rock support.
* Mega Sableye is able to switch into Celesteela and Ferrothorn, which would otherwise use Leech Seed on Chansey and recover themselves. Mega Sableye also does a great job controlling entry hazards to let Chansey preserve its HP and can effectively switch into Knock Off. Another one of its strengths is its ability to handle Marshadow and Deoxys-A well. In return, Chansey is able to switch into most special attackers that would overpower Mega Sableye and transfer Wish.
* Giratina is able to handle most physical attackers, most notably Primal Groudon and Mega Lucario, which heavily threaten the aforementioned common partners. It also provides Defog support to keep the field clean of entry hazards, switches into Fighting-type attacks, and uses Pressure to deplete the opposing team's PP. Giratina appreciates Wish support from Chansey and can opt to use Rest without Sleep Talk thanks to Heal Bell. Giratina-O is an alternative option to check Primal Groudon better in exchange of lower bulk and lack of Pressure.
* Primal Groudon is another good partner that appreciates Wish and cleric support from Chansey. It provides Stealth Rock support, threatens Steel-types, acts as a secondary check to Primal Kyogre and Xerneas, and weakens physical attackers with potential burn from Lava Plume. It also makes up for Chansey's passivity to large extent when paired with Chansey on balance teams.
* Ho-Oh is another teammate that aids Chansey by handling Xerneas and Arceus formes. Ho-Oh appreciates cleric support from Chansey, since it can play more aggressively against Arceus formes. It also threatens opposing Steel-types with Sacred Fire, and said move also spreads burns that give Chansey room to breathe against physical attackers.
* Lugia can also be paired with Chansey due to the cleric support it appreciates, and it is capable of handling Naganadel thanks to Multiscale.
* Zygarde-C can stay healthy without losing too much momentum thanks to Chansey's Wish and cleric support that lessen the necessity to use Rest often. In return, it can use its colossal bulk to prevail against Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, Marshadow lacking Hidden Power Ice, Ho-Oh, Swords Dance Arceus formes, and Mega Lucario.
* Support Arceus formes also appreciate Chansey's Wish and cleric support. Arceus-Fairy is able to shut down most Marshadow variants and threaten Yveltal, which concerns Chansey with Knock Off and Taunt. It is also able to force out Mega Sableye, which otherwise completely shuts down Chansey. Arceus-Ground checks Primal Groudon, Mega Salamence, and Mega Lucario.
* Xerneas is another partner that can force out Mega Sableye, Marshadow, and Yveltal, which otherwise massively bother balance teams or stall teams in the former's case. Chansey is able to offer Wish support in return. If Xerneas is running Aromatherapy, it can let Chansey use both Wish and Confide.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Thunder Wave surprises Gengar, physical attackers, and Naganadel, but it has hard time fitting on Chansey's moveset.
* Counter can be used to give Chansey some offensive presence against physical attackers, but bear in mind most physical attackers that tend to switch into Chansey are usually inclined to set up prior to attacking it, and in this aspect Counter is very unreliable. Even if Chansey KOes them using Counter, it will usually be left crippled at very low health.
* Icy Wind is a gimmicky option to keep reducing Mega Gengar's Speed to the point where Chansey can use Soft-Boiled before it is afflicted by Taunt and PP stall Mega Gengar. However, Chansey will still be helpless against Perish Song variants, and it will still fall prey to Gothitelle and Dugtrio, making this move largely an ineffective choice to run over other utility moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Trapping**: Even with dedicated Pursuit support from teammates, Chansey should always be wary of trappers like Gothitelle and Dugtrio. A single well-timed double switch will immediately result in Chansey's removal, and this is devastating to Chansey's teammates due to the majority of them being physically defensive and relying on Chansey to heal their status conditions and handle special attackers. Mega Gengar, while easier to avoid trapping from due to it requiring a turn to Mega Evolve and gain Shadow Tag, is still able to remove Chansey with a combination of Taunt and a series of Sludge Waves or Focus Blasts while potentially causing Chansey to use Struggle. It can also dispose of Chansey easily with Perish Song. Although uncommon, Choice Band Tyranitar is able to either severely cripple Chansey with Pursuit or OHKO it with Superpower.
**Fighting-types**: Marshadow, Mega Lucario, Mega Blaziken, and Mega Mewtwo X massively threaten Chansey with their super effective STAB moves. The former three are able to set up while forcing Chansey out, while the latter is able to use Taunt to keep Chansey from performing its role.
**Strong Physical Attackers**: Mega Salamence, Ho-Oh, Necrozma-DM, Primal Groudon, and Arceus are able to overwhelm and break through Chansey with their powerful attacks. As Chansey is forced out, these threats are able to set up or use a status move on the incoming switch-in, leaving Chansey with an obligation to switch in again to use Heal Bell while they can freely switch in again. The former three get special mentions: Mega Salamence is able to take advantage of Toxic with a boosted Facade, Ho-Oh is resilient to Toxic thanks to Regenerator, and Necrozma-DM can set up on Chansey easily thanks to its immunity to Toxic. Primal Kyogre can run physically oriented sets to score a clean 2HKO on Chansey using Liquidation.
**Taunt**: Chansey is completely shut down by Taunt users like Mega Gengar, Yveltal, and Mewtwo. While Seismic Toss alleviates this issue, Chansey still finds itself struggling to handle said threats and it will be forced out most of the time due to it being unable to perform its role.
**Mega Sableye**: Chansey is completely helpless against Mega Sableye, as it is immune to Seismic Toss and Magic Bounce bounces back Toxic. However, it is important to note that Chansey takes next to no damage from Foul Play and Sableye cannot stop Chansey from passing Wish or using Heal Bell without carrying the rare Taunt.
**Pokemon immune or Resilient to Toxic**: Steel-types such as Mega Lucario and Necrozma-DM are able to use Chansey as a setup fodder, as they can only be damaged by Seismic Toss. Naganadel can set up Nasty Plot freely against Chansey without Seismic Toss. Against Confide variants, Naganadel can set up to the point where it will have enough boosts to OHKO Chansey with boosted Devastating Drake. Refresh Calm Mind Arceus formes are able to fully set up on Chansey lacking Confide. Rest users such as Giratina and Zygarde-C are impossible for Chansey to take down, as the former uses Pressure and the latter uses its colossal HP stat to PP stall Chansey out of Toxic and Seismic Toss. Steel-types like Celesteela, Ferrothorn, and Magearna take advantage of Chansey's high HP stat with Leech Seed in the former two's case and Pain Split in the latter's.
**Removal of Eviolite**: Losing Eviolite significantly hampers Chansey's role, as it greatly reduces its overall bulk, leaving it no longer able to check Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, the two most important threats it is tasked to handle. Trick from Mewtwo not only rids Chansey of Eviolite but also locks Chansey into one move with a Choice item, leaving it even more passive than it already is and unable to fulfill its role efficiently. Knock Off from Yveltal, Deoxys-A, and even Necrozma-DM, Ferrothorn, and Landorus ends up crippling Chansey.
**Offensive Pressure**: Despite Chansey's colossal special bulk, it is going to be a huge burden for it to handle multiple threats by itself. Since it must be as healthy as possible to check Pokemon it must switch into, Chansey will find itself using Soft-Boiled almost every turn it is on the field, possibly delaying the use of Wish or Heal Bell to keep itself from getting into range of 2HKOs. Entry hazards on the field sometimes cause Chansey to be KOed by a series of attacks that it would normally survive. Some examples of this include Stealth Rock guaranteeing the 2HKO with +2 Focus Blast from Xerneas, +1 Origin Pulse from Primal Kyogre, and Precipice Blades from defensive Primal Groudon if Chansey is even slightly weakened.
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