[OVERVIEW]
Manaphy is a powerful wallbreaker that is capable of easily breaking apart defensively oriented teams with Tail Glow, which boosts its Special Attack to incredible levels. It also boasts decent natural bulk and a good defensive typing in mono-Water, which grants it many opportunities to set up. To top it off, Manaphy has access to a number of excellent coverage moves such as Energy Ball, Ice Beam, and Psychic that allow it to customize its moveset to break through some of its traditional checks and counters. However, Manaphy suffers from significant four-moveslot syndrome, as it's unable to fit all the options it wants to run on one set. Additionally, its base 100 Speed tier, although decent, makes it largely ineffective versus offensively oriented teams.
[SET]
name: Tail Glow + 3 Attacks
move 1: Tail Glow
move 2: Scald
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Psychic
item: Leftovers
ability: Hydration
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Tail Glow is an incredible setup move that quickly boosts Manaphy's Special Attack to ridiculous levels. Scald is Manaphy's best option for a Water-type STAB move, as it has a 30% chance to burn the foe, which is useful versus certain physical attackers, and still hits relatively hard. Ice Beam hits bulky Grass-types such as Tangrowth and Amoonguss, as well as Dragon-types such as Latios and Zygarde. Psychic allows Manaphy to beat Toxapex and the rarer Mega Venusaur at +3. However, Energy Ball can be used instead to break through certain Water-types such as Mega Slowbro, Azumarill, Tapu Fini, and Rotom-W. Hidden Power Fire targets Ferrothorn, a Pokemon that can otherwise take on even a +6 Manaphy. Finally, Hidden Power Electric is also an option to hit Pokemon such as Mantine and Gyarados harder.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed with a Timid nature best takes advantage of Manaphy's base 100 Speed tier. 252 Special Attack EVs allow Manaphy to hit as hard as possible. Hydration is Manaphy's only ability and is situationally useful when facing a team that utilizes rain. Leftovers gives Manaphy some much-needed longevity and allows it to take advantage of its surprisingly good bulk for an offensive Pokemon. Alternatively, Icium Z combined with Ice Beam allows Manaphy to blow back a number of its traditional checks and counters after a boost, such as Ferrothorn and Assault Vest Tangrowth, at the cost of recovery.
Usage Tips
========
Try to set up Tail Glow against Pokemon that struggle to touch Manaphy, such as Celesteela and non-Bloom Doom Heatran. This Manaphy set is not very useful against offensively oriented teams, as offense tends to have multiple Pokemon that can outpace and KO it. As such, it should focus less on setting up and more on checking specific threats on the opposing team in this matchup. Manaphy is best suited for the role of an early-game wallbreaker, so don't be afraid to set up early in the match and start punching holes in the opposing team. Manaphy can take advantage of its good bulk to switch into weaker or resisted special attacks; for example, it can pivot into Pokemon such as non-Psychic Mew and Keldeo Choice-locked into a Water-type attack.
Team Options
========
Pursuit trappers such as Weavile and Tyranitar can eliminate Latios for Manaphy. They can also notably pressure Chansey, with Weavile in particular being able to remove its Eviolite with Knock Off and leave it 2HKOed by a +6 Scald. Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn have excellent defensive synergy with Manaphy, as they can lure in Fire-types and then pivot out into Manaphy to give it setup opportunities. Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Tapu Bulu, and Mega Manectric that can threaten bulky Water-types that Manaphy otherwise struggles to break through such as Toxapex, Tapu Fini, and Rotom-W make for good partners. Volt Switch and U-turn users such as Tapu Koko, Magearna, Landorus-T, and Jirachi are useful partners to help get Manaphy in safely and allow it to start wallbreaking. Late-game cleaners and sweepers like Ash-Greninja, Mega Pinsir, and Gyarados can take advantage of the holes that Manaphy is capable of punching into bulkier teams. Manaphy tends to bring in fast Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Mega Manectric, as they are capable of easily revenge killing it or otherwise forcing it out. As such, solid switch-ins to these Pokemon such as Tangrowth and Alolan Marowak make for good partners. Faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Choice Scarf Keldeo in general are useful teammates due to their good matchup versus offensively oriented teams, which Manaphy tends to struggle against.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set with Rain Dance / Surf / Psychic / Tail Glow and Waterium Z is an option, as Z-Rain Dance boosts Manaphy's Speed, gives it a boost to its Water-type STAB attacks, and allows it to passively heal status. Manaphy can also opt to use Hydro Vortex as a nuke in some situations when the Speed boost from Z-Rain Dance is not needed. The main perk that comes with this set is the ability to take on offensively oriented teams more reliably, but Manaphy often struggles to set up a Tail Glow and a Z-Rain Dance versus these teams, so it's usually not worth it. A Calm Mind set can be run to take advantage of Manaphy's good natural bulk, but it is generally inferior to Tail Glow and struggles to establish a niche. Rest alongside rain support allows Manaphy to instantly recover all of its HP without having to wait and wake up, but Manaphy struggles to find room for it. Surf can be used over Scald for some extra power, but it doesn't really pick up any useful KOs, and the nifty burn chance that Scald provides is generally more useful. Wacan Berry surprises some of Manaphy's usual counters, such as Magnezone and Tapu Koko. Lastly, Substitute can take advantage of the switches Manaphy forces and passive Pokemon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Ferrothorn, Tangrowth, Mega Venusaur, Amoonguss, and Serperior resist Scald and can take a few boosted hits from Manaphy, although all of them have to watch out for a certain coverage move.
**Water-types**: Water-types such as Tapu Fini, Mantine, Mega Slowbro, and Azumarill can somewhat wall non-Energy Ball Manaphy, even after a boost. However, they struggle to do much in return.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Mega Manectric often are able to outpace Manaphy and can OHKO it with their powerful STAB attacks. Assault Vest Magnezone is particularly threatening because it has the bulk to switch into Manaphy.
**Fast Offensive Pokemon**: Pokemon that naturally outpace Manaphy, such as Tapu Koko, Latios, Weavile, Gengar, and Mega Alakazam, are all capable of revenge killing a weakened Manaphy assuming it hasn't received a Z-Rain Dance boost.
Manaphy is a powerful wallbreaker that is capable of easily breaking apart defensively oriented teams with Tail Glow, which boosts its Special Attack to incredible levels. It also boasts decent natural bulk and a good defensive typing in mono-Water, which grants it many opportunities to set up. To top it off, Manaphy has access to a number of excellent coverage moves such as Energy Ball, Ice Beam, and Psychic that allow it to customize its moveset to break through some of its traditional checks and counters. However, Manaphy suffers from significant four-moveslot syndrome, as it's unable to fit all the options it wants to run on one set. Additionally, its base 100 Speed tier, although decent, makes it largely ineffective versus offensively oriented teams.
[SET]
name: Tail Glow + 3 Attacks
move 1: Tail Glow
move 2: Scald
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Psychic
item: Leftovers
ability: Hydration
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Tail Glow is an incredible setup move that quickly boosts Manaphy's Special Attack to ridiculous levels. Scald is Manaphy's best option for a Water-type STAB move, as it has a 30% chance to burn the foe, which is useful versus certain physical attackers, and still hits relatively hard. Ice Beam hits bulky Grass-types such as Tangrowth and Amoonguss, as well as Dragon-types such as Latios and Zygarde. Psychic allows Manaphy to beat Toxapex and the rarer Mega Venusaur at +3. However, Energy Ball can be used instead to break through certain Water-types such as Mega Slowbro, Azumarill, Tapu Fini, and Rotom-W. Hidden Power Fire targets Ferrothorn, a Pokemon that can otherwise take on even a +6 Manaphy. Finally, Hidden Power Electric is also an option to hit Pokemon such as Mantine and Gyarados harder.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed with a Timid nature best takes advantage of Manaphy's base 100 Speed tier. 252 Special Attack EVs allow Manaphy to hit as hard as possible. Hydration is Manaphy's only ability and is situationally useful when facing a team that utilizes rain. Leftovers gives Manaphy some much-needed longevity and allows it to take advantage of its surprisingly good bulk for an offensive Pokemon. Alternatively, Icium Z combined with Ice Beam allows Manaphy to blow back a number of its traditional checks and counters after a boost, such as Ferrothorn and Assault Vest Tangrowth, at the cost of recovery.
Usage Tips
========
Try to set up Tail Glow against Pokemon that struggle to touch Manaphy, such as Celesteela and non-Bloom Doom Heatran. This Manaphy set is not very useful against offensively oriented teams, as offense tends to have multiple Pokemon that can outpace and KO it. As such, it should focus less on setting up and more on checking specific threats on the opposing team in this matchup. Manaphy is best suited for the role of an early-game wallbreaker, so don't be afraid to set up early in the match and start punching holes in the opposing team. Manaphy can take advantage of its good bulk to switch into weaker or resisted special attacks; for example, it can pivot into Pokemon such as non-Psychic Mew and Keldeo Choice-locked into a Water-type attack.
Team Options
========
Pursuit trappers such as Weavile and Tyranitar can eliminate Latios for Manaphy. They can also notably pressure Chansey, with Weavile in particular being able to remove its Eviolite with Knock Off and leave it 2HKOed by a +6 Scald. Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn have excellent defensive synergy with Manaphy, as they can lure in Fire-types and then pivot out into Manaphy to give it setup opportunities. Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Tapu Bulu, and Mega Manectric that can threaten bulky Water-types that Manaphy otherwise struggles to break through such as Toxapex, Tapu Fini, and Rotom-W make for good partners. Volt Switch and U-turn users such as Tapu Koko, Magearna, Landorus-T, and Jirachi are useful partners to help get Manaphy in safely and allow it to start wallbreaking. Late-game cleaners and sweepers like Ash-Greninja, Mega Pinsir, and Gyarados can take advantage of the holes that Manaphy is capable of punching into bulkier teams. Manaphy tends to bring in fast Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Mega Manectric, as they are capable of easily revenge killing it or otherwise forcing it out. As such, solid switch-ins to these Pokemon such as Tangrowth and Alolan Marowak make for good partners. Faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Choice Scarf Keldeo in general are useful teammates due to their good matchup versus offensively oriented teams, which Manaphy tends to struggle against.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set with Rain Dance / Surf / Psychic / Tail Glow and Waterium Z is an option, as Z-Rain Dance boosts Manaphy's Speed, gives it a boost to its Water-type STAB attacks, and allows it to passively heal status. Manaphy can also opt to use Hydro Vortex as a nuke in some situations when the Speed boost from Z-Rain Dance is not needed. The main perk that comes with this set is the ability to take on offensively oriented teams more reliably, but Manaphy often struggles to set up a Tail Glow and a Z-Rain Dance versus these teams, so it's usually not worth it. A Calm Mind set can be run to take advantage of Manaphy's good natural bulk, but it is generally inferior to Tail Glow and struggles to establish a niche. Rest alongside rain support allows Manaphy to instantly recover all of its HP without having to wait and wake up, but Manaphy struggles to find room for it. Surf can be used over Scald for some extra power, but it doesn't really pick up any useful KOs, and the nifty burn chance that Scald provides is generally more useful. Wacan Berry surprises some of Manaphy's usual counters, such as Magnezone and Tapu Koko. Lastly, Substitute can take advantage of the switches Manaphy forces and passive Pokemon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Ferrothorn, Tangrowth, Mega Venusaur, Amoonguss, and Serperior resist Scald and can take a few boosted hits from Manaphy, although all of them have to watch out for a certain coverage move.
**Water-types**: Water-types such as Tapu Fini, Mantine, Mega Slowbro, and Azumarill can somewhat wall non-Energy Ball Manaphy, even after a boost. However, they struggle to do much in return.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Mega Manectric often are able to outpace Manaphy and can OHKO it with their powerful STAB attacks. Assault Vest Magnezone is particularly threatening because it has the bulk to switch into Manaphy.
**Fast Offensive Pokemon**: Pokemon that naturally outpace Manaphy, such as Tapu Koko, Latios, Weavile, Gengar, and Mega Alakazam, are all capable of revenge killing a weakened Manaphy assuming it hasn't received a Z-Rain Dance boost.
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