[overview]
**Draft order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price range**: 7-8 points
**Overview**: Sinistcha primarily functions on a team as a bulky setup sweeper and premier secondary Tera Captain to pair with expensive primary Tera Captains. Sinistcha has great natural bulk, especially on the physical side, high Special Attack, and the ability to boost both its defenses and offensive capabilities. It can also effectively play the role of a physically defensive wall due to its bulk paired with Strength Sap, spinblocking due to its immunity to Rapid Spin and good matchup into most spinners, or even perform as a wallbreaker given the right matchup. Despite these strengths, Sinistcha is only a later-round, Tera-reliant value pick due to its plethora of common weaknesses, awkward Speed, and shallow movepool.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Bulky Setup Sweeper**: Sinistcha can boost both its defenses with the combination of Calm Mind and Iron Defense to become a difficult-to-remove threat. It can regain its health with Matcha Gotcha or Strength Sap, will often employ a strong defensive Tera type, and if positioned well, is a fantastic wincon.
**Physically Defensive Wall**: Sinistcha can use its natural bulk on the physical side paired with Strength Sap, Matcha Gotcha, and Scald to regain health, burn foes, or do both simultaneously, capably facing physical threats one-on-one. These sets will also often be used to spinblock, as they are even bulkier than normal.
**Wallbreaker**: Sinistcha can focus on its strong Special Attack and use its awkward Speed to still outpace many defensive foes and wallbreak. These sets may use Nasty Plot to set up for more power or an item such as Choice Specs to boost immediate damage.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Matcha Gotcha, Shadow Ball, Hex, Leaf Storm, Energy Ball
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind, Iron Defense, Nasty Plot
**Utility Moves**: Strength Sap, Pain Split, Substitute, Reflect, Stun Spore, Memento, Foul Play
**Coverage**: Scald, Tera Blast
Niche Moves
========
**Trick Room**: Trick Room can be used as a form of speed control for Sinistcha due to its middling Speed or as a means of supporting slower teammates.
**Rest / Sleep Talk**: Rest or RestTalk can be used on bulky setup variants where Strength Sap and Matcha Gotcha are not reliable forms of recovery in the match, such as facing a Grass-immune Pokemon or a foe with Defiant.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Sinistcha will most often equip Leftovers as passive recovery is incredibly valuable to sustain longevity on a bulky setup set that will likely require multiple turns to set up and become threatening.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots will let Sinistcha avoid entry hazard damage, putting it in a better position for setting up or to walling foe. Toxic Spikes in particular pose a problem for Sinistcha and often will force Heavy-Duty Boots depending on your team's hazard removal.
**Resistance Berries**: Resistance Berries such as Colbur Berry allow Sinistcha to absorb one super effective hit and become bulky enough by defensive setup to take on or remove the foe that threatens Sinistcha.
**Rocky Helmet** Rocky Helmet can be used on physically defensive sets to punish contact moves.
Niche Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: A Sitrus Berry can help Sinistcha recover health to set up or avoid certain damage rolls. This will be used instead of Leftovers in situations where Sinistcha may spend less time on the field or face more threatening damage rolls.
**Covert Cloak**: Covert Cloak can help eliminate the risks involved with setting up for a long time on defensive setup sets. With a Covert Cloak, secondary effects such as pesky stat drops and status conditions will no longer affect the long-term viability of a Sinistcha sweep.
**Choice Specs / Damage-boosting Items**: Damage-boosting items can give Sinistcha far more threatening immediate power to function in a wallbreaking role.
**Weakness Policy**: Sinistcha can leverage its natural bulk in combination with its number of common weaknesses to gain power after absorbing a super effective hit. works best on sets that boost their defenses and sets with Trick Room for speed control.
**Chesto Berry**: Chesto Berry can be used on the aforementioned Rest sets as a form of recovery.
Tera
========
Sinistcha will primarily be drafted with the intention of fulfilling the role of a secondary Tera Captain to pair with a high-tier option. Sinistcha makes great use of Tera, as it may shed its mediocre typing to ease the job of the common bulky setup sets that can thrive with a better defensive typing or gain the coverage Sinistcha craves. Defensive Tera types such as Tera Fairy, Water, and Poison will be commonly seen, as well as Tera Steel, which pairs particularly well with Heatproof. More offensively, Tera Ghost to enhance Sinistcha's STAB on wallbreaking sets can also be potent against teams without great Ghost-type checks. Although it is not the main objective to bring and Terastallize Sinistcha most games, it is a very solid pairing to some of the most expensive options and can be a looming threat.
Draft Strategy
========
As a late-round pick, Sinistcha is not the centerpiece of your draft, although it can play an extremely valuable role as a secondary Tera Captain, bulky setup sweeper, and defensive piece. Sinistcha is meant to pair with specific top meta threats and makes for a threatening late pickup due to playing a few specific roles phenomenally when facilitated well.
**Status Spreading**: Sinistcha greatly benefits from the spread of status for a myriad of reasons. Paralysis helps Sinistcha overcome its awkward Speed, poison helps weaken walls for a late-game sweep, sleep and burn can create opportunities for setting up, and all of these statuses double the power of Hex. Strong status spreaders to pair with Sinistcha include Rotom-W and Sneasler.
**Speed Control**: Sinistcha suffers from a very mediocre Speed tier, something the remainder of your team must cover. Although it is able to outspeed walls, most offensive threats can outspeed Sinistcha with ease, creating a need for your own speed control to force opposing Speed investment and handle these threats. Speed control Pokemon that pair well with Sinistcha include Pokemon such as Iron Valiant, Weavile, and Cinderace.
**Wallbreaking**: Although a potential wallbreaker, typically Sinistcha is at its best when it can be a setup-oriented win condition and defeat a weakened team. Therefore, strong wallbreakers to put Sinistcha in a favorable game state where it can sweep are valuable. Pokemon such as Roaring Moon and Iron Moth can weaken teams over the duration of a game to facilitate a Sinistcha sweep.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Hazard setting synergizes nicely with Sinistcha, which can be an extremely reliable spinblocker and benefits from the chip damage to enable a setup sweep. Reliable hazard setters such as Ting-Lu and Hisuian Samurott can be great teammates.
**Pivoting**: Sinistcha wants to enter the field safely against a foe it can set up on, thus requiring Pokemon that force switches and can use momentum moves to bring it in. Reliable pivots such as Tornadus-T, Cinderace, and Zapdos can easily bring Sinistcha into favorable positions.
**Specially Defensive Teammates**: Although very physically bulky, Sinistcha does not have much special bulk until it can start setting up with Calm Mind. As a result, specially defensive Pokemon such as Galarian Slowking and Ting-Lu can create nice defensive cores with Sinistcha and are appreciated as partners.
Checks and Counters
========
**Disruption**: While Sinistcha can be a very potent sweeper, it is very reliant on setup sets to do so. As a result, status moves such as Taunt and Encore can effectively shut down Sinistcha.
**Toxic / Toxic Spikes**: Badly poisoning a Sinistcha is one of the most effective ways to prevent a sweep. Sinistcha sweeps often require many turns to set up and since Sinistcha is not immune to Toxic Spikes and cannot prevent an opposing Toxic barring Substitute, it will be common for foes to attempt to badly poison Sinistcha.
**Stat Resetting /hazing**: As Sinistcha is reliant on setting up to become a wincon, resetting its stat increases or phazing it will reduce its effectiveness greatly. Moves such as Haze, Clear Smog, Roar, and Whirlwind are all common against Sinistcha and can prevent a sweep.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Although naturally strong while also boasting the ability to set up, Sinistcha can struggle against a few specially bulky Pokemon in the meta. Pokemon such as Heatran, Corviknight, and Roaring Moon can all stomach attacks from Sinistcha and threaten it back.
**Faster Threats**: As a result of its mediocre Speed, a large portion of the meta can outspeed Sinistcha and either use disruption to inhibit it or fire off strong attacks that can break it before it can win.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf2.608304/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scribble.356084/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
**Draft order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price range**: 7-8 points
**Overview**: Sinistcha primarily functions on a team as a bulky setup sweeper and premier secondary Tera Captain to pair with expensive primary Tera Captains. Sinistcha has great natural bulk, especially on the physical side, high Special Attack, and the ability to boost both its defenses and offensive capabilities. It can also effectively play the role of a physically defensive wall due to its bulk paired with Strength Sap, spinblocking due to its immunity to Rapid Spin and good matchup into most spinners, or even perform as a wallbreaker given the right matchup. Despite these strengths, Sinistcha is only a later-round, Tera-reliant value pick due to its plethora of common weaknesses, awkward Speed, and shallow movepool.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Bulky Setup Sweeper**: Sinistcha can boost both its defenses with the combination of Calm Mind and Iron Defense to become a difficult-to-remove threat. It can regain its health with Matcha Gotcha or Strength Sap, will often employ a strong defensive Tera type, and if positioned well, is a fantastic wincon.
**Physically Defensive Wall**: Sinistcha can use its natural bulk on the physical side paired with Strength Sap, Matcha Gotcha, and Scald to regain health, burn foes, or do both simultaneously, capably facing physical threats one-on-one. These sets will also often be used to spinblock, as they are even bulkier than normal.
**Wallbreaker**: Sinistcha can focus on its strong Special Attack and use its awkward Speed to still outpace many defensive foes and wallbreak. These sets may use Nasty Plot to set up for more power or an item such as Choice Specs to boost immediate damage.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Matcha Gotcha, Shadow Ball, Hex, Leaf Storm, Energy Ball
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind, Iron Defense, Nasty Plot
**Utility Moves**: Strength Sap, Pain Split, Substitute, Reflect, Stun Spore, Memento, Foul Play
**Coverage**: Scald, Tera Blast
Niche Moves
========
**Trick Room**: Trick Room can be used as a form of speed control for Sinistcha due to its middling Speed or as a means of supporting slower teammates.
**Rest / Sleep Talk**: Rest or RestTalk can be used on bulky setup variants where Strength Sap and Matcha Gotcha are not reliable forms of recovery in the match, such as facing a Grass-immune Pokemon or a foe with Defiant.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Sinistcha will most often equip Leftovers as passive recovery is incredibly valuable to sustain longevity on a bulky setup set that will likely require multiple turns to set up and become threatening.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots will let Sinistcha avoid entry hazard damage, putting it in a better position for setting up or to walling foe. Toxic Spikes in particular pose a problem for Sinistcha and often will force Heavy-Duty Boots depending on your team's hazard removal.
**Resistance Berries**: Resistance Berries such as Colbur Berry allow Sinistcha to absorb one super effective hit and become bulky enough by defensive setup to take on or remove the foe that threatens Sinistcha.
**Rocky Helmet** Rocky Helmet can be used on physically defensive sets to punish contact moves.
Niche Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: A Sitrus Berry can help Sinistcha recover health to set up or avoid certain damage rolls. This will be used instead of Leftovers in situations where Sinistcha may spend less time on the field or face more threatening damage rolls.
**Covert Cloak**: Covert Cloak can help eliminate the risks involved with setting up for a long time on defensive setup sets. With a Covert Cloak, secondary effects such as pesky stat drops and status conditions will no longer affect the long-term viability of a Sinistcha sweep.
**Choice Specs / Damage-boosting Items**: Damage-boosting items can give Sinistcha far more threatening immediate power to function in a wallbreaking role.
**Weakness Policy**: Sinistcha can leverage its natural bulk in combination with its number of common weaknesses to gain power after absorbing a super effective hit. works best on sets that boost their defenses and sets with Trick Room for speed control.
**Chesto Berry**: Chesto Berry can be used on the aforementioned Rest sets as a form of recovery.
Tera
========
Sinistcha will primarily be drafted with the intention of fulfilling the role of a secondary Tera Captain to pair with a high-tier option. Sinistcha makes great use of Tera, as it may shed its mediocre typing to ease the job of the common bulky setup sets that can thrive with a better defensive typing or gain the coverage Sinistcha craves. Defensive Tera types such as Tera Fairy, Water, and Poison will be commonly seen, as well as Tera Steel, which pairs particularly well with Heatproof. More offensively, Tera Ghost to enhance Sinistcha's STAB on wallbreaking sets can also be potent against teams without great Ghost-type checks. Although it is not the main objective to bring and Terastallize Sinistcha most games, it is a very solid pairing to some of the most expensive options and can be a looming threat.
Draft Strategy
========
As a late-round pick, Sinistcha is not the centerpiece of your draft, although it can play an extremely valuable role as a secondary Tera Captain, bulky setup sweeper, and defensive piece. Sinistcha is meant to pair with specific top meta threats and makes for a threatening late pickup due to playing a few specific roles phenomenally when facilitated well.
**Status Spreading**: Sinistcha greatly benefits from the spread of status for a myriad of reasons. Paralysis helps Sinistcha overcome its awkward Speed, poison helps weaken walls for a late-game sweep, sleep and burn can create opportunities for setting up, and all of these statuses double the power of Hex. Strong status spreaders to pair with Sinistcha include Rotom-W and Sneasler.
**Speed Control**: Sinistcha suffers from a very mediocre Speed tier, something the remainder of your team must cover. Although it is able to outspeed walls, most offensive threats can outspeed Sinistcha with ease, creating a need for your own speed control to force opposing Speed investment and handle these threats. Speed control Pokemon that pair well with Sinistcha include Pokemon such as Iron Valiant, Weavile, and Cinderace.
**Wallbreaking**: Although a potential wallbreaker, typically Sinistcha is at its best when it can be a setup-oriented win condition and defeat a weakened team. Therefore, strong wallbreakers to put Sinistcha in a favorable game state where it can sweep are valuable. Pokemon such as Roaring Moon and Iron Moth can weaken teams over the duration of a game to facilitate a Sinistcha sweep.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Hazard setting synergizes nicely with Sinistcha, which can be an extremely reliable spinblocker and benefits from the chip damage to enable a setup sweep. Reliable hazard setters such as Ting-Lu and Hisuian Samurott can be great teammates.
**Pivoting**: Sinistcha wants to enter the field safely against a foe it can set up on, thus requiring Pokemon that force switches and can use momentum moves to bring it in. Reliable pivots such as Tornadus-T, Cinderace, and Zapdos can easily bring Sinistcha into favorable positions.
**Specially Defensive Teammates**: Although very physically bulky, Sinistcha does not have much special bulk until it can start setting up with Calm Mind. As a result, specially defensive Pokemon such as Galarian Slowking and Ting-Lu can create nice defensive cores with Sinistcha and are appreciated as partners.
Checks and Counters
========
**Disruption**: While Sinistcha can be a very potent sweeper, it is very reliant on setup sets to do so. As a result, status moves such as Taunt and Encore can effectively shut down Sinistcha.
**Toxic / Toxic Spikes**: Badly poisoning a Sinistcha is one of the most effective ways to prevent a sweep. Sinistcha sweeps often require many turns to set up and since Sinistcha is not immune to Toxic Spikes and cannot prevent an opposing Toxic barring Substitute, it will be common for foes to attempt to badly poison Sinistcha.
**Stat Resetting /hazing**: As Sinistcha is reliant on setting up to become a wincon, resetting its stat increases or phazing it will reduce its effectiveness greatly. Moves such as Haze, Clear Smog, Roar, and Whirlwind are all common against Sinistcha and can prevent a sweep.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Although naturally strong while also boasting the ability to set up, Sinistcha can struggle against a few specially bulky Pokemon in the meta. Pokemon such as Heatran, Corviknight, and Roaring Moon can all stomach attacks from Sinistcha and threaten it back.
**Faster Threats**: As a result of its mediocre Speed, a large portion of the meta can outspeed Sinistcha and either use disruption to inhibit it or fire off strong attacks that can break it before it can win.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf2.608304/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scribble.356084/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
