yogi
I did not succumb...
This better not move up by usage or I'll actually cry... well it did :( -gum
uploaded -zard
[OVERVIEW]
Mesprit is the most versatile Pokemon in PU, with a wide movepool that gives it several viable sets such as Choice Specs and defensive Stealth Rock and a great stat distribution that gives it both bulk and power. Mesprit notably has access to one of the best moves in the game in Stealth Rock, and it is undeniably the best setter in the tier thanks to great defensive stats and Levitate, which allow it to set with relative ease. It also has a fantastic matchup versus the best Rapid Spin user in the tier, Hitmonchan. Levitate also gives Mesprit immunity to all entry hazards except for Stealth Rock, preventing it from being worn down over repeated switches. Mesprit has access to a myriad of useful support moves such as Healing Wish, Thunder Wave, U-turn, and Trick, all allowing it to fulfill support roles. Healing Wish is one of the most notable ones, letting a weakened Mesprit sacrifice itself to fully restore the HP of a teammate. Mesprit also boasts a great offensive presence thanks to a solid base 105 Special Attack stat along with several offensive sets like Choice Specs, Choice Scarf, and (Substitute +) Calm Mind, which are capable of either wallbreaking or setting up on weaker, more passive Pokemon. The Choice sets offer either an immediately powerful special attacker or a decent revenge killer, while the Calm Mind sets offer a reliable sweeper. A Psychic typing along with Levitate allows Mesprit to check common Fighting-, Ground-, and Poison-types effectively, but it also leaves it vulnerable to Pursuit users such as Absol and Skuntank, with more offensive sets being more proneto Sucker Punch users like Shiftry and the aforementioned Skuntank. Depending on the item Mesprit is holding, however, it is able to potentially beat these checks. Even though Mesprit has good stat distribution, its Speed is rather lacking, meaning that against more offensively based teams it can struggle, especially if it's running an offensive set. Bulkier sets also have no way of restoring HP outside of Leftovers, meaning they can be worn down throughout the course of the game.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Signal Beam
move 4: Healing Wish
item: Choice Specs
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic is the strongest Psychic-type move that Mesprit has at its disposal, with the ability to OHKO or 2HKO most neutral targets, even specially defensive tanks like Assault Vest Lanturn and Magmortar after some prior damage. Psyshock is an option to hit more specially defensive targets such as Clefairy and Audino, which Psychic fails to beat. Ice Beam allows Mesprit to hit Pokemon that resist or are immune to its main STAB option such as Sableye and Ferroseed for good damage, picking up a 2HKO and 3HKO, respectively, while offering a fantastic neutral coverage option. Signal Beam gives Mesprit super effective coverage against Psychic- and Dark-types, which are usually able to come in on its STAB Psychic-type move and force it out. Signal Beam allows Mesprit to hit every Dark-type aside from Skuntank and Sableye for super effective damage. Healing Wish is usually used in the last slot because it gives a weakened Mesprit the chance to heal a teammate back to full if Mesprit's no longer needed. Hidden Power Fire is a niche option that lets Mesprit hit Ferroseed and Mawile super effectively, but it is generally pushed aside for a better coverage move.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment allows Mesprit to hit as hard as possible, with a Modest nature further boosting its offensive prowess and allowing it to gain crucial 2HKOs against Pokemon such as Assault Vest Lanturn and Magmortar. Choice Specs further boosts Mesprit's offensive capabilities and along with a Modest nature allows it to break opposing teams extremely effectively. Levitate gives Mesprit a nice immunity to Ground-type moves along with an immunity to all forms of entry hazards except Stealth Rock. Maximum Speed investment allows Mesprit to be a reasonably quick wallbreaker, being naturally faster than Pokemon like Assault Vest Magmortar and Adamant Absol. A Timid nature is an option, as it allows Mesprit to outspeed foes like Adamant Kangaskhan and Skuntank, along with Jolly Absol; it leaves Mesprit noticeably weaker, however, and unable to get some 2HKOs and 3HKOs that it does with Modest.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Mesprit's great wallbreaking capabilities, it should be used early- or mid-game to break teams down with its powerful STAB and coverage moves. It can be brought in on resisted hits from Ground- and Fighting-type Pokemon like Piloswine and Hitmonchan or on weaker, more passive Pokemon like Qwilfish and Weezing. When Pokemon resistant or immune to Mesprit's Psychic-type STAB attack are still present, it should be wary of locking itself into Psychic or Psyshock and instead use coverage when appropriate, like on a predicted switch-in. This is an especially notable tactic against Pokemon like Skuntank and Absol, which are able to Pursuit trap Mesprit. Ice Beam is also a very spammable move. If the opponent has no Pokemon resistant or immune to Psychic or if it has fainted, Mesprit should focus on spamming its Psychic-type STAB attacks in an effort to break the opposing team. Mesprit can also use Healing Wish once it is weakened too much or isn't needed anymore to give a teammate another chance. Due to how many sets Mesprit has, it can sometimes be difficult to tell what set Mesprit is, which you can use to your advantage in certain situations, especially if the opponent believes it to be a more defensive set.
Team Options
========
Even though most Dark-types are unable to switch directly into Mesprit when it isn't locked into Psychic, Mesprit still appreciates support to check and beat them, as it doesn't want to get caught in prediction games versus Pokemon with Pursuit and Sucker Punch. Teammates like Weezing and Gurdurr are useful in these situations because they pressure Dark-types such as Skuntank and Shiftry. Alolan Persian is another notable partner because Parting Shot helps get Mesprit in more easily. Mesprit loves support from entry hazard stacking Pokemon such as Weezing, Qwilfish, and Piloswine, as they help it break down the opposing team far more efficiently while also providing Mesprit with soft checks to Dark-types, with Piloswine being the most notable because it pressures Shiftry with Ice Shard and Skuntank with Earthquake. Sweepers and breakers such as Lilligant and Aggron benefit from Mesprit as a teammate, as Mesprit is able to break common checks for them and support them late-game with a Healing Wish, giving them another opportunity to sweep or break. In return, Aggron and Lilligant help pressure troublesome foes like Dark-types and special walls. Mesprit also enjoys a teammate that can provide speed control to keep faster foes in check due to Mesprit having a lackluster Speed stat itself, with Primeape being the most notable example of this. Primeape is able to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, offer U-turn support, and force out specially defensive walls that Mesprit struggles with, such as Type: Null and Audino. Setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Lycanroc and Absol are also able to set up on these Pokemon. Pursuit trappers are appreciated by Mesprit because it struggles versus Ghost-types that naturally outspeed it, like Oricorio-G and Haunter. Skuntank is a good example, as it resists both of Haunter's STAB attacks and can pressure Oricorio-G. Liepard is another notable trapper, as it outspeeds Oricorio-G and Haunter that lack Choice Scarf.
[SET]
name: Defensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Psychic
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Healing Wish / Thunder Wave
item: Colbur Berry
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock helps support teammates by whittling opposing Pokemon down with residual damage as they switch in, and Mesprit is the best setter in the tier thanks to its good typing and defensive stats. Psychic gives Mesprit a powerful STAB option that allows it to deal super effective damage against Fighting-types such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr and Poison-types such as Weezing and Qwilfish. U-turn offers a pivoting move to allow Mesprit to help slow teammates get in safely while also allowing it to switch out versus Dark-types switching in like Shiftry, Absol, and Skuntank. U-turn especially helps versus the latter two, as they usually attempt to Pursuit trap Mesprit. Healing Wish allows a weakened Mesprit to give a teammate such as Lilligant or Drampa another chance at sweeping or wallbreaking. Healing Wish also gives the teammate a free switch in, so it does not have to worry about taking a hit. Thunder Wave is another option for crippling potential switch-ins like Dark- and Steel-types and setup sweepers like Carracosta, which are able to boost on Healing Wish variants of Mesprit. Thunder Wave also provides soft speed control against more offensive teams.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP EVs along with almost maximum Defense EVs give Mesprit the bulk it requires to take on most physical attackers, with a Bold nature further increasing its longevity. Even though Mesprit runs U-turn, an Attack-lowering nature is preferred because it's only using U-turn as a pivoting move, not for damage. U-turn is also able to almost always OHKO Shiftry even with an Attack-lowering nature. Colbur Berry is the optimal item for Mesprit, as it helps versus Dark-types that are usually able to Pursuit trap it, such as Skuntank and Absol. 16 Speed EVs allow Mesprit to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured base 50s such as Aggron, allowing it to pivot more safely without taking an unwanted hit. Levitate is the only ability Mesprit has access to, but it gives it a decent Ground immunity along with an immunity to every entry hazard bar Stealth Rock.
Usage Tips
========
Thanks to maximum defensive investment, Mesprit is able to effectively switch into physical attacksthat aren't super effective. It should especially aim to switch into Fighting- and Ground-types due to its resistance and immunity to their STAB attacks. Mesprit is also one of the few users of Stealth Rock that are able to beat Hitmonchan, the most common user of Rapid Spin in the tier. Mesprit should attempt to use U-turn on a predicted switch to or directly pivot out on Pokemon that it can't hit, such as Steel- and Dark-types like Ferroseed and Skuntank, and other switch-ins like Magmortar and Oricorio-G, which can take a hit and either set up on it or force it out. Using U-turn against Dark-types also allows Mesprit to avoid extra damage from faster Pursuit users. Mesprit should try to set up Stealth Rock against foes that it isn't directly threatened by, such as Piloswine and Regirock, or Pokemon that it forces out with the threat of its STAB move, like Weezing, Gurdurr, and Hitmonchan. Mesprit should aim to use Healing Wish later in the game once it and the rest of its team are weakened, and once it's no longer needed, to restore the HP of a more useful teammate. Thunder Wave is to be used as a form of pseudo-speed control, crippling faster targets like Skuntank or setup sweepers such as Carracosta and making them more susceptible to revenge killing. It is worth noting that once Mesprit's Colbur Berry has been consumed, Mesprit finds it a lot harder to switch in and out when the opponent has a Dark-type Pokemon, because Mesprit is Pursuit trapped a lot more easily. During the late-game Mesprit is generally not very useful, unless it's still required to check Fighting-types like Gurdurr and Hitmonchan, so it should set up Stealth Rock, pivot, and even use Healing Wish earlier on.
Team Options
========
Mesprit works well with a VoltTurn core, so pivots like Primeape, Lanturn, and Eelektross are all notable partners. Primeape provides a fast U-turn and the ability to check most Dark-types, while the latter two are good specially defensive pivots offering a slow Volt Switch. Alolan Persian is notable because it provides a good fast Parting Shot to complement Mesprit's slow U-turn. Mesprit also pairs well with strong wallbreakers like Aggron and Magmortar, as it usually brings them in for free with a slow U-turn along with resisting Fighting-type moves from the likes of Hitmonchan and checking Ground-types like Piloswine; it's also able to offer late-game Healing Wish support. Due to how passive this Mesprit set is, it often draws in bulky setup Pokemon like Musharna and Type: Null, so strong wallbreakers like Choice Specs Pyroar and Swords Dance Absol are useful for taking on these foes. Mesprit can be also be used in a similar vein as mentioned above with setup sweepers such as Lilligant and Shiftry. Team support to deal with Dark-types is appreciated, so Fighting-types like Gurdurr and Hitmonchan make good partners for Mesprit. Skuntank and Absol can use either Pursuit or Sucker Punch to pressure foes that would usually switch in and set up on Mesprit like Musharna and Oricorio-G or directly force it out like Haunter. Due to a complete lack of recovery and a vulnerability to status, especially Toxic, Mesprit appreciates cleric support from the likes of Miltank and Audino, with the latter also being able to provide it with decently sized Wishes.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Psychic
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Healing Wish
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic is Mesprit's strongest STAB option, allowing it to deal super effective damage against Poison-types such as Weezing and Qwilfish and Fighting-types such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr. Due to a naturally high Special Attack stat, Mesprit can potentially sweep teams late-game with STAB Psychic. U-turn allows Choice Scarf Mesprit to act as a fast pivot and helps ease prediction, especially against incoming checks such as Skuntank and Ferroseed, though Mesprit does take residual damage from the latter. Mesprit is also able to outspeed Jynx and almost OHKO it with U-turn. Healing Wish gives Mesprit the chance to heal a weakened teammate to full once Mesprit isn't needed anymore or has taken too much damage, with the benefit of also generating momentum. Ice Beam allows Mesprit to hit foes such as Oricorio-G and Lilligant for super effective damage, as well as Dark-types for neutral damage if they switch into Mesprit predicting a Psychic-type move.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment alongside a Choice Scarf allows Mesprit to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, barring Ninjask and Electrode, and outspeed any Choice Scarf user below base 65 Speed, such as Abomasnow. A Modest nature coupled with maximum Special Attack EVs allows Mesprit to hit as hard as possible, so Modest is the preferred nature. Timid is a niche option that does allow Mesprit to outspeed a few additional foes such as +2 Adamant Torterra and Gorebyss. Levitate allows Mesprit to be brought in against Ground-types like Piloswine and gives it an immunity to all forms of entry hazards apart from Stealth Rock.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Mesprit appreciates being brought in after something has fainted or by a slow Volt Switch or U-turn user, such as Lanturn, to try to either force out the opposing Pokemon or revenge kill it. It's also able to pivot in on Fighting- and Ground-types. Early- and mid-game, Mesprit shouldn't be played aggressively if the opponent has checks such as Skuntank or Ferroseed and should instead opt to gain momentum by using U-turn on these switch-ins. Mesprit can also use coverage moves versus them if they're sufficiently weakened, but it has to be wary of Sucker Punch from Dark-types. Mesprit can be used late-game as a sweeper, as it can clean weakened teams lacking checks to it with STAB Psychic. If Mesprit is no longer needed or is weakened, it can also choose to heal a teammate to full with Healing Wish while also giving that teammate a free switch-in and generating momentum. Since it can be hard to identify what set Mesprit is running from Team Preview, try to use thisto your advantage by catching your opponent off guard.
Team Options
========
Mesprit is a good fit on offense teams that need a soft check to both Fighting- and Ground-types but also require a good way to keep faster foes in check. Due to a relative lack of power and bulk investment, Mesprit appreciates having a solid Dark-type check or counter. Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Weezing, and Ferroseed are fantastic partners, with the latter two being able to set entry hazards to weaken the opposing team for Mesprit, while Weezing also acts as a solid Fighting switch-in. Mesprit also pairs well with strong wallbreakers like Abomasnow and Pyroarthat it can rely on to break teams.Mesprit is able to bring them both in with U-turn, can switch in on Fighting-types like Hitmonchan along with checking Ground-types like Piloswine, and offers late-game Healing Wish support to these wallbreakers once it's weakened or isn't needed. Archeops forms a potent U-turn core with Mesprit, with the two pressuring each other's checks, Dark-types in Mesprit's case and physical walls in Archeops's case. Archeops also appreciates Healing Wish support especially if its Defeatist ability is activated. Defensive pivots also benefit Mesprit due to it not wanting to take hits. Pokemon like Miltank and Audino fit the role while also being able to heal Mesprit of status, with the former also setting up Stealth Rock for Mesprit and the latter able to pass Wishes to it. Alolan Persian and Liepard are also fantastic pivots to pair with Mesprit.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind + 3 Attacks
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Psyshock / Psychic
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Signal Beam
item: Colbur Berry / Icium Z
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind gives Mesprit the ability to boost both its Special Attack and Special Defense stats while facing Pokemon that either hit it for resisted damage or are unable to threaten it, such as Hitmonchan and Weezing, allowing Mesprit to become a powerful breaker. Psyshock is the preferred Psychic-type STAB move for Calm Mind Mesprit because it lets it deal with special walls such as Clefairy and Type: Null while also still hitting physical walls such as Gurdurr and Qwilfish for substantial damage. Psychic is an alternative option instead of Psyshock, as it can hit most neutral targets, most notably Piloswine, Regirock, and Aggron, harder along with letting an unboosted Mesprit take on Gurdurr better. It does make beating special walls harder, however, which can hinder Mesprit's ability to break. Ice Beam is Mesprit's best coverage move, hitting everything that its Psychic-type STAB attacks can't for neutral damage, barring Steel-types like Togedemaru, and allowing Mesprit to hit Oricorio-G and Lilligant for super effective damage. It also provides a decent middle-ground option to hit Dark-types. Signal Beam is Mesprit's best way to hit both Psychic- and Dark-types in one slot, allowing it to punish these common switch-ins with a super effective hit or, in Skuntank's case, a neutral hit. Hidden Power Ground can be run as a coverage option to hit Skuntank and Steel-types like Aggron and Mawile for super effective damage. Hidden Power Fire is another niche option capable of dealing with Ferroseed.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack EVs coupled with maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature allows Mesprit to be as fast as possible while also hitting as hard as possible. A Modest nature is usable, but not letting Mesprit outspeed the likes of Adamant Skuntank and Jolly Absol makes it overall a worse option. Mesprit's only ability is Levitate, which gives it an immunity to all entry hazards outside of Stealth Rock and also an immunity to Ground-type attacks. Colbur Berry helps Mesprit tackle Dark-types like Shiftry, Liepard, and Absol, which are usually checks to more offensive sets, and allows it to OHKO all of them at +1. Alternatively, Icium Z gives Mesprit access to a nuke in Subzero Slammer that helps break past checks, most notably OHKOing Skuntank at +1, but leaves it noticeably weaker to Dark-types and being Pursuit trapped.
Usage Tips
========
Once Mesprit has set up a Calm Mind, it becomes a strong mid-game wallbreaker able to break teams down with its powerful STAB moves and coverage; bring it in on resisted hits from Ground- and Fighting-type Pokemon like Piloswine and Poliwrathin order for it to set up. Mesprit can also be brought in on weaker, more passive foes like Qwilfish and defensive Carracosta. Mesprit should try to use its Psychic-type STAB move as much as possible if nothing resistant or immune to Psychic is present on your opponent's team, but it should be wary of doing so if Pokemon like Aggron and Skuntank are still around. If Dark-types are present, Mesprit should attempt to use its coverage moves so that they don't get a free switch into its STAB attack. Subzero Slammer should be used as a one-time nuke to remove or weaken a check to Mesprit like the previously mentioned Skuntank or Aggron, OHKOing or heavily damaging them. Mesprit should avoid setting up on Pokemon with potential status moves, like Regirock and Clefairy, because being paralyzed or badly poisoned makes it more vulnerable to revenge killing or prevents it from wallbreaking effectively. Due to how many sets Mesprit can run, the opponent may have difficulty determining what set Mesprit is, which you can use to your advantage, especially if they believe it to be a more defensive set.
Team Options
========
Due to this set's offensive nature, Qwilfish and Weezing are good partners, because they function as more reliable Fighting-type checks that help punish constant switching on the opponent's part with Toxic Spikes in Weezing's case or both Spikes and Toxic Spikes in Qwilfish's case. Slow pivots like Volt Switch Lanturn and Eelektross allow Mesprit to come in for free without taking damage, enabling it to set up Calm Mind more effectively. Even though Mesprit can OHKO every relevant Dark-type at +1 with Signal Beam except Skuntank, which is OHKOed by a +1 Subzero Slammer, it still appreciates checks to them. Fighting-types like Hitmonchan and Gurdurr work well, as they make it easier for Mesprit to set up by baiting in common foes that resist their attacks. Mesprit also weakens both Psychic- and Poison-type checks to Fighting-types. Special sweepers like Lilligant and Ludicolo appreciate special walls either weakened or dealt with, which Mesprit can take care of thanks to Psyshock hitting foes like Audino and Munchlax for decent damage when boosted. Alolan Raichu also enjoys Dark-types being weakened, even though it's able to deal with special walls by itself. Cleric support from Clefairy and Miltank, which also offer Stealth Rock support, and Wish support from Audino benefit Mesprit, as status can severely reduce its ability to break teams, while Wish support increases its longevity. Support from Pursuit users such as Liepard and Skuntank helps Mesprit, as they're able to trap Ghost-types like Haunter and Oricorio-G, which naturally outspeed Mesprit and force it out; although these Ghost-types cannot beat it one-on-one if they're holding a Choice Scarf or aren't boosted, Mesprit takes serious damage from both.
[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Ice Beam / Signal Beam
move 4: Healing Wish / U-turn
item: Colbur Berry / Life Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock allows Mesprit to fulfill the role of an entry hazard setter on more offensive teams, allowing it to chip down switch-ins. Psychic is its strongest STAB option and allows it to sufficiently check Fighting- and Poison-types. Psyshock is an option, but it only hits a few foes harder, like Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Magmortaralong with pivot Lanturn. Ice Beam allows Mesprit to hit Dark-types such as Skuntank and Absol for neutral damage while also giving it a fantastic coverage move to hit common Grass-, Ground-, and Flying-types for super effective damage. Signal Beam is a decent alternative that allows Mesprit to hit every Dark-type bar Skuntank for super effective damage but doesn't quite have the same coverage Ice Beam does. Healing Wish is another momentum move that helps offensive teams that usually rely on powerful sweepers and breakers, which appreciate a second chance. U-turn is a great move on offensive Mesprit, as most of the teams that use it rely on momentum generated by forcing switches. It also gives Mesprit a way of pivoting on incoming Dark-types that are usually able to trap the offensive set with relative ease. Hidden Power Fire can be used if your team is weak to Ferroseed, but apart from that, more coverage is usually preferred.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Special Attack investment allows Mesprit to retain the role of a Stealth Rock user while letting it fit on more offensive teams due to it being a lot less passive. A Timid nature allows Mesprit to outspeed threats such as Adamant Skuntank and Kangaskhan along with Jolly Absol. A Modest nature is also usable, but the loss in Speed means Mesprit struggles more versus Dark-types and the aforementioned Pokemon that the Timid set is able to outspeed. Levitate gives Mesprit immunity to both Ground-type attacks and every entry hazard apart from Stealth Rock, granting it increased longevity. Colbur Berry is the item of choice, giving Mesprit a way of dealing with Dark-types and Knock Off users without being crippled or taking serious damage. Life Orb is an alternative that gives Mesprit a greater offensive presence, but it decreases its longevity and leaves it more open to being Pursuit trapped.
Usage Tips
========
Mesprit is often an offensive team's choice for a Stealth Rock user and should be played aggressively, as it's able to pressure every defensive Stealth Rock setter in the tier apart from Ferroseed. Thanks to its offensive set, Mesprit can act as a wallbreaker, especially if it's using a Life Orb over Colbur Berry, allowing it to soften opposing Pokemon for teammates early- and mid-game. Mesprit should be played cautiously if the opponent has a Pursuit trapper because it lacks the bulk to take them on, especially if it opts for Life Orb as its item. It should also be played carefully if it's the team's only Fighting-type check. With U-turn, Mesprit is able to pivot on the switches that it can force, gaining momentum and bringing in teammates potentially for free. You should be wary of spamming U-turn when using Life Orb, however, as Mesprit becomes easily chipped down throughout the match. Offensive Stealth Rock Mesprit can be a hard set for the opponent to pin down because it's rather uncommon, meaning you can use this to your advantage. This is especially noteworthy considering how hard the more offensive sets, outside of Choice Specs, are to tell apart thanks to them having the same damage output, unless this set is using Life Orb. Healing Wish allows a weakened Mesprit to give another teammate a shot at sweeping or breaking, which is extremely useful late-game for offensive teams. It can also be used to block both Defog and Rapid Spin early- or mid-game if needed.
Team Options
========
Primeape is a great partner for Mesprit because it provides a check to every Dark-type apart from Sableye, offering a dual U-turn core that keeps momentum for offensive teams. Archeops fulfills a similar role, acting as a fast U-turn user that is able to check most of the Pokemon that threaten Mesprit. Mesprit appreciates entry hazard support from Qwilfish because it functions as a more reliable Fighting-type check that helps punish constant switching on the opponent's part with both Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Powerful sweepers and cleaners like Zangoose and Lilligant act as good partners because they benefit from getting free switches from U-turn and are capable of breaking Steel- and Dark-types, respectively. They both like the Healing Wish support from Mesprit, especially Zangoose, which is worn down incredibly easily throughout the match. Due to Mesprit's difficulty dealing with both Ghost- and Psychic-types, which threaten Mesprit and force it out, it appreciates support from Dark-types like Liepard and Skuntank to help check them. In turn, Mesprit is able to break Fighting-types like Gurdurr and physical walls such as Weezing. Strong wallbreakers such as Magmortar and Abomasnow are able to weaken teams and gain momentum from Mesprit's U-turn while also appreciating the Healing Wish support it provides.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Psyshock / Psychic
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 208 HP / 48 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute gives Mesprit the ability to set up Calm Mind in front of walls that rely on status in order to cripple setup sweepers, like Gastrodon and cleric Lanturn. It also allows Mesprit to not be Pursuit trapped by Dark-types like Liepard and Skuntank, which are extremely threatening for this set. Calm Mind coupled with Substitute gives Mesprit the ability to boost both its Special Attack and Special Defense stats against Pokemon that are unable to threaten it, such as Gastrodon and Poliwrath, allowing Mesprit to become a powerful breaker. Psyshock is the preferred STAB move for Mesprit, giving it the ability to break through special walls like Clefairy and tanks like Magmortar. Psychic can be used over Psyshock to hit Pokemon like Aggron and Gurdurr harder, which Psyshock struggles against, but overall Psyshock is the more consistent option because Psychic struggles against most special walls and tanks. Ice Beam allows Mesprit to hit everything that its Psychic-type STAB attack cannot, apart from Steel-types, 2HKOing standard switch-ins like Absol and Skuntank at +1. Ice Beam also gives Mesprit super effective coverage against common Grass-, Flying-, and Ground-types like Lilligant, Oricorio-G, and Golurk. Signal Beam is an option that lets Mesprit tackle Psychic- and Dark-types, like other Mesprit and Absol, in the same slotand far more easily compared to Ice Beam, but Mesprit loses out on overall coverage.
Set Details
========
208 HP EVs give Mesprit the highest Leftovers recovery possible and give it a good form of passive recovery, allowing it to set up a higher number of Substitutes. The investment also makes Mesprit a lot bulkier, making it harder for more defensive Pokemon to break its Substitute. Maximum Speed investment along with a Timid nature lets Mesprit Speed tie withother positive-natured base 80s like Shiftry while also letting it outspeed foes like Jolly Absol and Kangaskhan. 48 Special Attack EVs mean that Mesprit can almost always OHKO Shiftry with Ice Beam at +1 while 2HKOing other Dark-types such as Liepard and Skuntank. Leftovers is basically required for this set to function, as it gives Mesprit the passive recovery it needs to constantly set up Substitutes. Levitate gives Mesprit an immunity to all entry hazards apart from Stealth Rock along with an immunity to Ground-type attacks.
Usage Tips
========
Mesprit should aim to pivot into many of the more defensive Pokemon in the tier, such as Gastrodon and Lanturn, to set up with Substitute and Calm Mind, forcing them out. You should be aware that a lot of the defensive Pokemon in the tier carry some form of status, however, which can cripple Mesprit if it directly switches in. Switching into Fighting-types like Hitmonchan also gives Mesprit almost free setup, but it should be wary of Knock Off or U-turn from Gurdurr and Primeape.Substitute + Calm Mind Mesprit is noticeably weaker in comparison to other offensive sets and as such has trouble dealing with opposing Pokemon when unboosted and even when at +1, but it is able to set up on a considerable number of passive bulky Pokemon such as Lanturn and Audino. Due to this, it should be used towards the late-game when the opponent's team has already been weakened by teammates. This Mesprit set struggles with Dark-types the most, as it doesn't have the offensive presence to pressure them or access to Colbur Berry to mitigate damage, meaning it should be used carefully when the opponent still has a Dark-type around. Substitute is able to slightly mitigate this weakness, as it stops Pokemon like Liepard and Skuntank from Pursuit trapping Mesprit while also giving it a way to force mind games versus Sucker Punch users.
Team Options
========
First and foremost, Substitute + Calm Mind Mesprit requires a good check to Dark-types, as it's extremely weak to Pokemon like Shiftry and Skuntank; Fighting-types like Hitmonchan and Gurdurr help mitigate this weakness. Mesprit also benefits from these teammates because they draw in Psychic- and Poison-types, which it can switch into and set up on. Entry hazard support from the likes of Qwilfish and Weezing helps Mesprit break through teams late-game, as it can rely on the residual damage that Spikes and Toxic Spikes offer to wear down opposing Pokemon. Granbull and Weezing also offer a secondary resistance to Fighting-types and a check to Dark-types, along with blanket checking most fast physical attackers. Piloswine and Miltank are notable Stealth Rock users that offer both hazard support and a way of checking strong physical attackers like Archeops and Kangaskhan, with Mesprit also giving them a check to Fighting-types. Miltank can act as a cleric with Heal Bell in case Mesprit gets afflicted with status. Pursuit trappers such as Absol and Skuntank pair well with Mesprit, as it struggles against offensive Ghost-types like Oricorio-G and Haunter, which are able to OHKO or 2HKO Mesprit. Powerful wallbreakers like Magmortar and Zangoose are able to break Mesprit's checks, such as Aggron, Ferroseed, and Skuntank, giving Mesprit an easier time setting up and cleaning late-game. Choice Scarf Primeape benefits from Mesprit breaking down teams, as it's able to clean far more easily late-game, while also providing U-turn support to bring Mesprit in on Pokemon that resist Fighting such as Weezing and Qwilfish.
[SET]
name: Weather Setter
move 1: Rain Dance / Sunny Day
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Psychic
move 4: U-turn
item: Damp Rock / Heat Rock
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Depending on what weather archetype you're using, you'll either be using Rain Dance or Sunny Day to assist the rest of your team, doubling the Speed of Swift Swim or Chlorophyll users and increasing the power of their Water- or Fire-type attacks, respectively. Stealth Rock breaks Focus Sash and Sturdy and chips targets that switch in, giving Mesprit's teammates an easier time sweeping, as they don't need to waste weather turns and take unnecessary damage. It also stops opposing Pokemon from being able to constantly switch in order to wait out the remaining weather turns. Psychic helps Mesprit not be completely passive and stops it from being set up onwhile also making Mesprit a good check to both Poison- and Fighting-type Pokemon. This is especially important against Pokemon like Qwilfish, as most weather teams don't have a way to remove entry hazards. U-turn provides Mesprit with a slow momentum move that lets it get a teammate in once it has set up both its weather and Stealth Rock.
Set Details
========
Near-maximum HP and Defense investment allow Mesprit to set both its weather and Stealth Rock more than once a game, making it a useful bulky pivot versus Fighting-, Ground-, and Poison-types. 16 Speed EVs mean that it can outspeed Adamant Aggron and any other neutral base 50s. Levitate gives Mesprit an immunity to Ground-type attacks and to every entry hazard except Stealth Rock. Heat Rock or Damp Rock is required, as they increase the number of turns weather is on the field from five to eight, with Heat Rock increasing the duration of sun and Damp Rock increasing the duration of rain.
Usage Tips
========
Mesprit provides excellent role compression for weather teams, as it can set both weather and Stealth Rock along with having access to a momentum move in U-turn. Thanks to its high defensive stats it's also able to take multiple hits throughout the course of the battle, meaning it can set multiple times. Generally when you're using Mesprit it should aim to set up Stealth Rock before setting up weather, because it doesn't want to waste its weather turns for no reason, especially as it's used on such an offensive playstyle. However, some situations may arise where it is only able to use one, and then it should only focus on getting up weather because it's more beneficial for its team. Against Taunt users such as Skuntank and Qwilfish, it should be wary of trying to set up. Because it's not carrying a Colbur Berry, Mesprit has to be cautious of opposing Dark-types and may have to make a choice between setting up weather and getting knocked out or not setting up weather so it can be used later on. You should attempt to predict Dark-types coming in and use U-turn to pivot out. On rain teams Mesprit is often the best Fighting-type resistant Pokemon available, so it should be preserved if the opponent still has a Fighting-type like Gurdurr or Assault Vest Hitmonchan.
Team Options
========
This Mesprit set should only ever be considered on full rain and sun teams. Rain sweepers like Ludicolo, Kabutops, and Gorebyss are great partners for Rain Dance Mesprit, as they all benefit from rain boosting their STAB moves along with doubling their Speed thanks to Swift Swim. Similarly, sun sweepers like Victreebel, Sawsbuck, Shiftry, and Exeggutor are ideal teammates for Sunny Day Mesprit, as they receive a Speed boost thanks to Chlorophyll when sun is up, with Victreebel also getting access to a Fire-type, boosted Weather Ball. On rain, Qwilfish is a fantastic partner because rain teams have no other way to remove or absorb Toxic Spikes,which cripples every sweeper on the team, unlike with Victreebel on sun. Qwilfish is also able to set its own hazards and Taunt opposing setup Pokemon. On sun teams, fast Pokemon like Pyroar are ideal because of how slow the rest of the team is when outside of sun, and they also give their teams a powerful breaker when sun is up. Magmortar is another powerful breaker that's also able to boost its Speed with Flame Charge. Other weather setters such as Liepard, Regirock, and Volbeat also benefit weather teams.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band is an option on Mesprit thanks to its decent physical movepool including options like Fire Punch, Knock Off, Zen Headbutt, and U-turn as well as a high base 105 Attack stat. However, physical walls are far more prominent in comparison to special walls, making physical Mesprit a lackluster set. Future Sight gives Mesprit a powerful Psychic-type move that can help force switches after it pivots out and works well with U-turn, but it is too inconsistent and requires Mesprit to drop a coverage or utility move. Magic Coat allows Mesprit to bounce status and entry hazards back at the opposing Pokemon and can be a unique move on the defensive Stealth Rock set. A dual screens set, with Reflect and Light Screen, can be used, but Meowstic-M totally outclasses it thanks to a better Speed tier and Prankster. Imprison allows Mesprit to prevent either opposing Stealth Rock on hazard sets or opposing Calm Mind on setup Mesprit. Energy Ball can be used on the Stealth Rock sets to hit almost every opposing Stealth Rock setter, most notably Piloswine, for super effective damage, but means Mesprit has to give up Healing Wish. Trick can be used on the Choice Scarf and Choice Specs sets to cripple defensive Pokemon on the opponent's team. Knock Off can be used on defensive sets to cripple standard switch-ins such as Clefairy and Type: Null. Toxic has a similar effect, but instead it is able to cripple specially defensive foes like Musharna and Gastrodon. Shadow Ball, Dazzling Gleam, and Thunderbolt may all seem like decent coverage moves, but they hit a very small range of targets and aren't worth using over Mesprit's standard coverage. Trick Room Mesprit is another semi-viable option if you want a Trick Room user that can also set Stealth Rock, but it is often overshadowed by either Musharna or Carbink. Generally, if Mesprit is to drop a move on one of its sets, it will opt to drop Healing Wish.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Dark-types such as Shiftry, Liepard, and Absol are Mesprit's main checks, as they are immune to its STAB moves and threaten it with a super effective Dark-type move; however, they all struggle to switch in to the offensive sets and must be wary of Colbur Berry weakening their Dark-type attacks. Sucker Punch also helps these Pokemon to check the more offensive sets. Skuntank is the most notable, as the only coverage move Mesprit has to hit it for super effective damage is Hidden Power Ground, but often the offensive sets are able to 2HKO it.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Ferroseed, Probopass, and Aggron resist all of Mesprit's standard coverage options and can set up entry hazards on it, with Probopass being able to pivot against any switch-in with Volt Switch and Aggron threatening a powerful Head Smash or Heavy Slam. The latter two have to be wary of the uncommon Hidden Power Ground, however, while the first has to be wary of Hidden Power Fire, and Aggron is unable to directly switch in on Mesprit when it has a Calm Mind boost or is holding Choice Specs. Bronzor is especially notable, as due to its typing and ability it's able to wall every Mesprit set.
**Specially Defensive Walls**: Specially defensive walls like Munchlax, Clefairy, Audino, and Type: Null are capable of checking every set Mesprit uses, including the Calm Mind sets if they're unboosted.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types like Haunter and Oricorio-G are capable of offensively checking Mesprit with their powerful STAB attacks, but they are unable to directly switch into Mesprit. Choice Scarf Mesprit is also able to check them if they lack the same item, and without a boost or Life Orb they're unable to OHKO the offensive sets.
**Strong Attackers**: Strong attackers such as Ursaring and Drampa are usually able to take any hit from Mesprit and either OHKO it, or 2HKO it in the case of more defensive sets, or force it out. However, they both are unable to directly switch in on Mesprit, and Drampa struggles against Subzero Slammer and Choice Specs Ice Beam. Zangoose is also worth mentioning because it OHKOes every fully offensive Mesprit set with Facade, when Toxic Boost is activated.
uploaded -zard
[OVERVIEW]
Mesprit is the most versatile Pokemon in PU, with a wide movepool that gives it several viable sets such as Choice Specs and defensive Stealth Rock and a great stat distribution that gives it both bulk and power. Mesprit notably has access to one of the best moves in the game in Stealth Rock, and it is undeniably the best setter in the tier thanks to great defensive stats and Levitate, which allow it to set with relative ease. It also has a fantastic matchup versus the best Rapid Spin user in the tier, Hitmonchan. Levitate also gives Mesprit immunity to all entry hazards except for Stealth Rock, preventing it from being worn down over repeated switches. Mesprit has access to a myriad of useful support moves such as Healing Wish, Thunder Wave, U-turn, and Trick, all allowing it to fulfill support roles. Healing Wish is one of the most notable ones, letting a weakened Mesprit sacrifice itself to fully restore the HP of a teammate. Mesprit also boasts a great offensive presence thanks to a solid base 105 Special Attack stat along with several offensive sets like Choice Specs, Choice Scarf, and (Substitute +) Calm Mind, which are capable of either wallbreaking or setting up on weaker, more passive Pokemon. The Choice sets offer either an immediately powerful special attacker or a decent revenge killer, while the Calm Mind sets offer a reliable sweeper. A Psychic typing along with Levitate allows Mesprit to check common Fighting-, Ground-, and Poison-types effectively, but it also leaves it vulnerable to Pursuit users such as Absol and Skuntank, with more offensive sets being more proneto Sucker Punch users like Shiftry and the aforementioned Skuntank. Depending on the item Mesprit is holding, however, it is able to potentially beat these checks. Even though Mesprit has good stat distribution, its Speed is rather lacking, meaning that against more offensively based teams it can struggle, especially if it's running an offensive set. Bulkier sets also have no way of restoring HP outside of Leftovers, meaning they can be worn down throughout the course of the game.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Signal Beam
move 4: Healing Wish
item: Choice Specs
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic is the strongest Psychic-type move that Mesprit has at its disposal, with the ability to OHKO or 2HKO most neutral targets, even specially defensive tanks like Assault Vest Lanturn and Magmortar after some prior damage. Psyshock is an option to hit more specially defensive targets such as Clefairy and Audino, which Psychic fails to beat. Ice Beam allows Mesprit to hit Pokemon that resist or are immune to its main STAB option such as Sableye and Ferroseed for good damage, picking up a 2HKO and 3HKO, respectively, while offering a fantastic neutral coverage option. Signal Beam gives Mesprit super effective coverage against Psychic- and Dark-types, which are usually able to come in on its STAB Psychic-type move and force it out. Signal Beam allows Mesprit to hit every Dark-type aside from Skuntank and Sableye for super effective damage. Healing Wish is usually used in the last slot because it gives a weakened Mesprit the chance to heal a teammate back to full if Mesprit's no longer needed. Hidden Power Fire is a niche option that lets Mesprit hit Ferroseed and Mawile super effectively, but it is generally pushed aside for a better coverage move.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment allows Mesprit to hit as hard as possible, with a Modest nature further boosting its offensive prowess and allowing it to gain crucial 2HKOs against Pokemon such as Assault Vest Lanturn and Magmortar. Choice Specs further boosts Mesprit's offensive capabilities and along with a Modest nature allows it to break opposing teams extremely effectively. Levitate gives Mesprit a nice immunity to Ground-type moves along with an immunity to all forms of entry hazards except Stealth Rock. Maximum Speed investment allows Mesprit to be a reasonably quick wallbreaker, being naturally faster than Pokemon like Assault Vest Magmortar and Adamant Absol. A Timid nature is an option, as it allows Mesprit to outspeed foes like Adamant Kangaskhan and Skuntank, along with Jolly Absol; it leaves Mesprit noticeably weaker, however, and unable to get some 2HKOs and 3HKOs that it does with Modest.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Mesprit's great wallbreaking capabilities, it should be used early- or mid-game to break teams down with its powerful STAB and coverage moves. It can be brought in on resisted hits from Ground- and Fighting-type Pokemon like Piloswine and Hitmonchan or on weaker, more passive Pokemon like Qwilfish and Weezing. When Pokemon resistant or immune to Mesprit's Psychic-type STAB attack are still present, it should be wary of locking itself into Psychic or Psyshock and instead use coverage when appropriate, like on a predicted switch-in. This is an especially notable tactic against Pokemon like Skuntank and Absol, which are able to Pursuit trap Mesprit. Ice Beam is also a very spammable move. If the opponent has no Pokemon resistant or immune to Psychic or if it has fainted, Mesprit should focus on spamming its Psychic-type STAB attacks in an effort to break the opposing team. Mesprit can also use Healing Wish once it is weakened too much or isn't needed anymore to give a teammate another chance. Due to how many sets Mesprit has, it can sometimes be difficult to tell what set Mesprit is, which you can use to your advantage in certain situations, especially if the opponent believes it to be a more defensive set.
Team Options
========
Even though most Dark-types are unable to switch directly into Mesprit when it isn't locked into Psychic, Mesprit still appreciates support to check and beat them, as it doesn't want to get caught in prediction games versus Pokemon with Pursuit and Sucker Punch. Teammates like Weezing and Gurdurr are useful in these situations because they pressure Dark-types such as Skuntank and Shiftry. Alolan Persian is another notable partner because Parting Shot helps get Mesprit in more easily. Mesprit loves support from entry hazard stacking Pokemon such as Weezing, Qwilfish, and Piloswine, as they help it break down the opposing team far more efficiently while also providing Mesprit with soft checks to Dark-types, with Piloswine being the most notable because it pressures Shiftry with Ice Shard and Skuntank with Earthquake. Sweepers and breakers such as Lilligant and Aggron benefit from Mesprit as a teammate, as Mesprit is able to break common checks for them and support them late-game with a Healing Wish, giving them another opportunity to sweep or break. In return, Aggron and Lilligant help pressure troublesome foes like Dark-types and special walls. Mesprit also enjoys a teammate that can provide speed control to keep faster foes in check due to Mesprit having a lackluster Speed stat itself, with Primeape being the most notable example of this. Primeape is able to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, offer U-turn support, and force out specially defensive walls that Mesprit struggles with, such as Type: Null and Audino. Setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Lycanroc and Absol are also able to set up on these Pokemon. Pursuit trappers are appreciated by Mesprit because it struggles versus Ghost-types that naturally outspeed it, like Oricorio-G and Haunter. Skuntank is a good example, as it resists both of Haunter's STAB attacks and can pressure Oricorio-G. Liepard is another notable trapper, as it outspeeds Oricorio-G and Haunter that lack Choice Scarf.
[SET]
name: Defensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Psychic
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Healing Wish / Thunder Wave
item: Colbur Berry
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock helps support teammates by whittling opposing Pokemon down with residual damage as they switch in, and Mesprit is the best setter in the tier thanks to its good typing and defensive stats. Psychic gives Mesprit a powerful STAB option that allows it to deal super effective damage against Fighting-types such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr and Poison-types such as Weezing and Qwilfish. U-turn offers a pivoting move to allow Mesprit to help slow teammates get in safely while also allowing it to switch out versus Dark-types switching in like Shiftry, Absol, and Skuntank. U-turn especially helps versus the latter two, as they usually attempt to Pursuit trap Mesprit. Healing Wish allows a weakened Mesprit to give a teammate such as Lilligant or Drampa another chance at sweeping or wallbreaking. Healing Wish also gives the teammate a free switch in, so it does not have to worry about taking a hit. Thunder Wave is another option for crippling potential switch-ins like Dark- and Steel-types and setup sweepers like Carracosta, which are able to boost on Healing Wish variants of Mesprit. Thunder Wave also provides soft speed control against more offensive teams.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP EVs along with almost maximum Defense EVs give Mesprit the bulk it requires to take on most physical attackers, with a Bold nature further increasing its longevity. Even though Mesprit runs U-turn, an Attack-lowering nature is preferred because it's only using U-turn as a pivoting move, not for damage. U-turn is also able to almost always OHKO Shiftry even with an Attack-lowering nature. Colbur Berry is the optimal item for Mesprit, as it helps versus Dark-types that are usually able to Pursuit trap it, such as Skuntank and Absol. 16 Speed EVs allow Mesprit to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured base 50s such as Aggron, allowing it to pivot more safely without taking an unwanted hit. Levitate is the only ability Mesprit has access to, but it gives it a decent Ground immunity along with an immunity to every entry hazard bar Stealth Rock.
Usage Tips
========
Thanks to maximum defensive investment, Mesprit is able to effectively switch into physical attacksthat aren't super effective. It should especially aim to switch into Fighting- and Ground-types due to its resistance and immunity to their STAB attacks. Mesprit is also one of the few users of Stealth Rock that are able to beat Hitmonchan, the most common user of Rapid Spin in the tier. Mesprit should attempt to use U-turn on a predicted switch to or directly pivot out on Pokemon that it can't hit, such as Steel- and Dark-types like Ferroseed and Skuntank, and other switch-ins like Magmortar and Oricorio-G, which can take a hit and either set up on it or force it out. Using U-turn against Dark-types also allows Mesprit to avoid extra damage from faster Pursuit users. Mesprit should try to set up Stealth Rock against foes that it isn't directly threatened by, such as Piloswine and Regirock, or Pokemon that it forces out with the threat of its STAB move, like Weezing, Gurdurr, and Hitmonchan. Mesprit should aim to use Healing Wish later in the game once it and the rest of its team are weakened, and once it's no longer needed, to restore the HP of a more useful teammate. Thunder Wave is to be used as a form of pseudo-speed control, crippling faster targets like Skuntank or setup sweepers such as Carracosta and making them more susceptible to revenge killing. It is worth noting that once Mesprit's Colbur Berry has been consumed, Mesprit finds it a lot harder to switch in and out when the opponent has a Dark-type Pokemon, because Mesprit is Pursuit trapped a lot more easily. During the late-game Mesprit is generally not very useful, unless it's still required to check Fighting-types like Gurdurr and Hitmonchan, so it should set up Stealth Rock, pivot, and even use Healing Wish earlier on.
Team Options
========
Mesprit works well with a VoltTurn core, so pivots like Primeape, Lanturn, and Eelektross are all notable partners. Primeape provides a fast U-turn and the ability to check most Dark-types, while the latter two are good specially defensive pivots offering a slow Volt Switch. Alolan Persian is notable because it provides a good fast Parting Shot to complement Mesprit's slow U-turn. Mesprit also pairs well with strong wallbreakers like Aggron and Magmortar, as it usually brings them in for free with a slow U-turn along with resisting Fighting-type moves from the likes of Hitmonchan and checking Ground-types like Piloswine; it's also able to offer late-game Healing Wish support. Due to how passive this Mesprit set is, it often draws in bulky setup Pokemon like Musharna and Type: Null, so strong wallbreakers like Choice Specs Pyroar and Swords Dance Absol are useful for taking on these foes. Mesprit can be also be used in a similar vein as mentioned above with setup sweepers such as Lilligant and Shiftry. Team support to deal with Dark-types is appreciated, so Fighting-types like Gurdurr and Hitmonchan make good partners for Mesprit. Skuntank and Absol can use either Pursuit or Sucker Punch to pressure foes that would usually switch in and set up on Mesprit like Musharna and Oricorio-G or directly force it out like Haunter. Due to a complete lack of recovery and a vulnerability to status, especially Toxic, Mesprit appreciates cleric support from the likes of Miltank and Audino, with the latter also being able to provide it with decently sized Wishes.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Psychic
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Healing Wish
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic is Mesprit's strongest STAB option, allowing it to deal super effective damage against Poison-types such as Weezing and Qwilfish and Fighting-types such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr. Due to a naturally high Special Attack stat, Mesprit can potentially sweep teams late-game with STAB Psychic. U-turn allows Choice Scarf Mesprit to act as a fast pivot and helps ease prediction, especially against incoming checks such as Skuntank and Ferroseed, though Mesprit does take residual damage from the latter. Mesprit is also able to outspeed Jynx and almost OHKO it with U-turn. Healing Wish gives Mesprit the chance to heal a weakened teammate to full once Mesprit isn't needed anymore or has taken too much damage, with the benefit of also generating momentum. Ice Beam allows Mesprit to hit foes such as Oricorio-G and Lilligant for super effective damage, as well as Dark-types for neutral damage if they switch into Mesprit predicting a Psychic-type move.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment alongside a Choice Scarf allows Mesprit to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, barring Ninjask and Electrode, and outspeed any Choice Scarf user below base 65 Speed, such as Abomasnow. A Modest nature coupled with maximum Special Attack EVs allows Mesprit to hit as hard as possible, so Modest is the preferred nature. Timid is a niche option that does allow Mesprit to outspeed a few additional foes such as +2 Adamant Torterra and Gorebyss. Levitate allows Mesprit to be brought in against Ground-types like Piloswine and gives it an immunity to all forms of entry hazards apart from Stealth Rock.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Mesprit appreciates being brought in after something has fainted or by a slow Volt Switch or U-turn user, such as Lanturn, to try to either force out the opposing Pokemon or revenge kill it. It's also able to pivot in on Fighting- and Ground-types. Early- and mid-game, Mesprit shouldn't be played aggressively if the opponent has checks such as Skuntank or Ferroseed and should instead opt to gain momentum by using U-turn on these switch-ins. Mesprit can also use coverage moves versus them if they're sufficiently weakened, but it has to be wary of Sucker Punch from Dark-types. Mesprit can be used late-game as a sweeper, as it can clean weakened teams lacking checks to it with STAB Psychic. If Mesprit is no longer needed or is weakened, it can also choose to heal a teammate to full with Healing Wish while also giving that teammate a free switch-in and generating momentum. Since it can be hard to identify what set Mesprit is running from Team Preview, try to use thisto your advantage by catching your opponent off guard.
Team Options
========
Mesprit is a good fit on offense teams that need a soft check to both Fighting- and Ground-types but also require a good way to keep faster foes in check. Due to a relative lack of power and bulk investment, Mesprit appreciates having a solid Dark-type check or counter. Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Weezing, and Ferroseed are fantastic partners, with the latter two being able to set entry hazards to weaken the opposing team for Mesprit, while Weezing also acts as a solid Fighting switch-in. Mesprit also pairs well with strong wallbreakers like Abomasnow and Pyroarthat it can rely on to break teams.Mesprit is able to bring them both in with U-turn, can switch in on Fighting-types like Hitmonchan along with checking Ground-types like Piloswine, and offers late-game Healing Wish support to these wallbreakers once it's weakened or isn't needed. Archeops forms a potent U-turn core with Mesprit, with the two pressuring each other's checks, Dark-types in Mesprit's case and physical walls in Archeops's case. Archeops also appreciates Healing Wish support especially if its Defeatist ability is activated. Defensive pivots also benefit Mesprit due to it not wanting to take hits. Pokemon like Miltank and Audino fit the role while also being able to heal Mesprit of status, with the former also setting up Stealth Rock for Mesprit and the latter able to pass Wishes to it. Alolan Persian and Liepard are also fantastic pivots to pair with Mesprit.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind + 3 Attacks
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Psyshock / Psychic
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Signal Beam
item: Colbur Berry / Icium Z
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind gives Mesprit the ability to boost both its Special Attack and Special Defense stats while facing Pokemon that either hit it for resisted damage or are unable to threaten it, such as Hitmonchan and Weezing, allowing Mesprit to become a powerful breaker. Psyshock is the preferred Psychic-type STAB move for Calm Mind Mesprit because it lets it deal with special walls such as Clefairy and Type: Null while also still hitting physical walls such as Gurdurr and Qwilfish for substantial damage. Psychic is an alternative option instead of Psyshock, as it can hit most neutral targets, most notably Piloswine, Regirock, and Aggron, harder along with letting an unboosted Mesprit take on Gurdurr better. It does make beating special walls harder, however, which can hinder Mesprit's ability to break. Ice Beam is Mesprit's best coverage move, hitting everything that its Psychic-type STAB attacks can't for neutral damage, barring Steel-types like Togedemaru, and allowing Mesprit to hit Oricorio-G and Lilligant for super effective damage. It also provides a decent middle-ground option to hit Dark-types. Signal Beam is Mesprit's best way to hit both Psychic- and Dark-types in one slot, allowing it to punish these common switch-ins with a super effective hit or, in Skuntank's case, a neutral hit. Hidden Power Ground can be run as a coverage option to hit Skuntank and Steel-types like Aggron and Mawile for super effective damage. Hidden Power Fire is another niche option capable of dealing with Ferroseed.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack EVs coupled with maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature allows Mesprit to be as fast as possible while also hitting as hard as possible. A Modest nature is usable, but not letting Mesprit outspeed the likes of Adamant Skuntank and Jolly Absol makes it overall a worse option. Mesprit's only ability is Levitate, which gives it an immunity to all entry hazards outside of Stealth Rock and also an immunity to Ground-type attacks. Colbur Berry helps Mesprit tackle Dark-types like Shiftry, Liepard, and Absol, which are usually checks to more offensive sets, and allows it to OHKO all of them at +1. Alternatively, Icium Z gives Mesprit access to a nuke in Subzero Slammer that helps break past checks, most notably OHKOing Skuntank at +1, but leaves it noticeably weaker to Dark-types and being Pursuit trapped.
Usage Tips
========
Once Mesprit has set up a Calm Mind, it becomes a strong mid-game wallbreaker able to break teams down with its powerful STAB moves and coverage; bring it in on resisted hits from Ground- and Fighting-type Pokemon like Piloswine and Poliwrathin order for it to set up. Mesprit can also be brought in on weaker, more passive foes like Qwilfish and defensive Carracosta. Mesprit should try to use its Psychic-type STAB move as much as possible if nothing resistant or immune to Psychic is present on your opponent's team, but it should be wary of doing so if Pokemon like Aggron and Skuntank are still around. If Dark-types are present, Mesprit should attempt to use its coverage moves so that they don't get a free switch into its STAB attack. Subzero Slammer should be used as a one-time nuke to remove or weaken a check to Mesprit like the previously mentioned Skuntank or Aggron, OHKOing or heavily damaging them. Mesprit should avoid setting up on Pokemon with potential status moves, like Regirock and Clefairy, because being paralyzed or badly poisoned makes it more vulnerable to revenge killing or prevents it from wallbreaking effectively. Due to how many sets Mesprit can run, the opponent may have difficulty determining what set Mesprit is, which you can use to your advantage, especially if they believe it to be a more defensive set.
Team Options
========
Due to this set's offensive nature, Qwilfish and Weezing are good partners, because they function as more reliable Fighting-type checks that help punish constant switching on the opponent's part with Toxic Spikes in Weezing's case or both Spikes and Toxic Spikes in Qwilfish's case. Slow pivots like Volt Switch Lanturn and Eelektross allow Mesprit to come in for free without taking damage, enabling it to set up Calm Mind more effectively. Even though Mesprit can OHKO every relevant Dark-type at +1 with Signal Beam except Skuntank, which is OHKOed by a +1 Subzero Slammer, it still appreciates checks to them. Fighting-types like Hitmonchan and Gurdurr work well, as they make it easier for Mesprit to set up by baiting in common foes that resist their attacks. Mesprit also weakens both Psychic- and Poison-type checks to Fighting-types. Special sweepers like Lilligant and Ludicolo appreciate special walls either weakened or dealt with, which Mesprit can take care of thanks to Psyshock hitting foes like Audino and Munchlax for decent damage when boosted. Alolan Raichu also enjoys Dark-types being weakened, even though it's able to deal with special walls by itself. Cleric support from Clefairy and Miltank, which also offer Stealth Rock support, and Wish support from Audino benefit Mesprit, as status can severely reduce its ability to break teams, while Wish support increases its longevity. Support from Pursuit users such as Liepard and Skuntank helps Mesprit, as they're able to trap Ghost-types like Haunter and Oricorio-G, which naturally outspeed Mesprit and force it out; although these Ghost-types cannot beat it one-on-one if they're holding a Choice Scarf or aren't boosted, Mesprit takes serious damage from both.
[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Ice Beam / Signal Beam
move 4: Healing Wish / U-turn
item: Colbur Berry / Life Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock allows Mesprit to fulfill the role of an entry hazard setter on more offensive teams, allowing it to chip down switch-ins. Psychic is its strongest STAB option and allows it to sufficiently check Fighting- and Poison-types. Psyshock is an option, but it only hits a few foes harder, like Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Magmortaralong with pivot Lanturn. Ice Beam allows Mesprit to hit Dark-types such as Skuntank and Absol for neutral damage while also giving it a fantastic coverage move to hit common Grass-, Ground-, and Flying-types for super effective damage. Signal Beam is a decent alternative that allows Mesprit to hit every Dark-type bar Skuntank for super effective damage but doesn't quite have the same coverage Ice Beam does. Healing Wish is another momentum move that helps offensive teams that usually rely on powerful sweepers and breakers, which appreciate a second chance. U-turn is a great move on offensive Mesprit, as most of the teams that use it rely on momentum generated by forcing switches. It also gives Mesprit a way of pivoting on incoming Dark-types that are usually able to trap the offensive set with relative ease. Hidden Power Fire can be used if your team is weak to Ferroseed, but apart from that, more coverage is usually preferred.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Special Attack investment allows Mesprit to retain the role of a Stealth Rock user while letting it fit on more offensive teams due to it being a lot less passive. A Timid nature allows Mesprit to outspeed threats such as Adamant Skuntank and Kangaskhan along with Jolly Absol. A Modest nature is also usable, but the loss in Speed means Mesprit struggles more versus Dark-types and the aforementioned Pokemon that the Timid set is able to outspeed. Levitate gives Mesprit immunity to both Ground-type attacks and every entry hazard apart from Stealth Rock, granting it increased longevity. Colbur Berry is the item of choice, giving Mesprit a way of dealing with Dark-types and Knock Off users without being crippled or taking serious damage. Life Orb is an alternative that gives Mesprit a greater offensive presence, but it decreases its longevity and leaves it more open to being Pursuit trapped.
Usage Tips
========
Mesprit is often an offensive team's choice for a Stealth Rock user and should be played aggressively, as it's able to pressure every defensive Stealth Rock setter in the tier apart from Ferroseed. Thanks to its offensive set, Mesprit can act as a wallbreaker, especially if it's using a Life Orb over Colbur Berry, allowing it to soften opposing Pokemon for teammates early- and mid-game. Mesprit should be played cautiously if the opponent has a Pursuit trapper because it lacks the bulk to take them on, especially if it opts for Life Orb as its item. It should also be played carefully if it's the team's only Fighting-type check. With U-turn, Mesprit is able to pivot on the switches that it can force, gaining momentum and bringing in teammates potentially for free. You should be wary of spamming U-turn when using Life Orb, however, as Mesprit becomes easily chipped down throughout the match. Offensive Stealth Rock Mesprit can be a hard set for the opponent to pin down because it's rather uncommon, meaning you can use this to your advantage. This is especially noteworthy considering how hard the more offensive sets, outside of Choice Specs, are to tell apart thanks to them having the same damage output, unless this set is using Life Orb. Healing Wish allows a weakened Mesprit to give another teammate a shot at sweeping or breaking, which is extremely useful late-game for offensive teams. It can also be used to block both Defog and Rapid Spin early- or mid-game if needed.
Team Options
========
Primeape is a great partner for Mesprit because it provides a check to every Dark-type apart from Sableye, offering a dual U-turn core that keeps momentum for offensive teams. Archeops fulfills a similar role, acting as a fast U-turn user that is able to check most of the Pokemon that threaten Mesprit. Mesprit appreciates entry hazard support from Qwilfish because it functions as a more reliable Fighting-type check that helps punish constant switching on the opponent's part with both Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Powerful sweepers and cleaners like Zangoose and Lilligant act as good partners because they benefit from getting free switches from U-turn and are capable of breaking Steel- and Dark-types, respectively. They both like the Healing Wish support from Mesprit, especially Zangoose, which is worn down incredibly easily throughout the match. Due to Mesprit's difficulty dealing with both Ghost- and Psychic-types, which threaten Mesprit and force it out, it appreciates support from Dark-types like Liepard and Skuntank to help check them. In turn, Mesprit is able to break Fighting-types like Gurdurr and physical walls such as Weezing. Strong wallbreakers such as Magmortar and Abomasnow are able to weaken teams and gain momentum from Mesprit's U-turn while also appreciating the Healing Wish support it provides.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Psyshock / Psychic
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 208 HP / 48 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute gives Mesprit the ability to set up Calm Mind in front of walls that rely on status in order to cripple setup sweepers, like Gastrodon and cleric Lanturn. It also allows Mesprit to not be Pursuit trapped by Dark-types like Liepard and Skuntank, which are extremely threatening for this set. Calm Mind coupled with Substitute gives Mesprit the ability to boost both its Special Attack and Special Defense stats against Pokemon that are unable to threaten it, such as Gastrodon and Poliwrath, allowing Mesprit to become a powerful breaker. Psyshock is the preferred STAB move for Mesprit, giving it the ability to break through special walls like Clefairy and tanks like Magmortar. Psychic can be used over Psyshock to hit Pokemon like Aggron and Gurdurr harder, which Psyshock struggles against, but overall Psyshock is the more consistent option because Psychic struggles against most special walls and tanks. Ice Beam allows Mesprit to hit everything that its Psychic-type STAB attack cannot, apart from Steel-types, 2HKOing standard switch-ins like Absol and Skuntank at +1. Ice Beam also gives Mesprit super effective coverage against common Grass-, Flying-, and Ground-types like Lilligant, Oricorio-G, and Golurk. Signal Beam is an option that lets Mesprit tackle Psychic- and Dark-types, like other Mesprit and Absol, in the same slotand far more easily compared to Ice Beam, but Mesprit loses out on overall coverage.
Set Details
========
208 HP EVs give Mesprit the highest Leftovers recovery possible and give it a good form of passive recovery, allowing it to set up a higher number of Substitutes. The investment also makes Mesprit a lot bulkier, making it harder for more defensive Pokemon to break its Substitute. Maximum Speed investment along with a Timid nature lets Mesprit Speed tie withother positive-natured base 80s like Shiftry while also letting it outspeed foes like Jolly Absol and Kangaskhan. 48 Special Attack EVs mean that Mesprit can almost always OHKO Shiftry with Ice Beam at +1 while 2HKOing other Dark-types such as Liepard and Skuntank. Leftovers is basically required for this set to function, as it gives Mesprit the passive recovery it needs to constantly set up Substitutes. Levitate gives Mesprit an immunity to all entry hazards apart from Stealth Rock along with an immunity to Ground-type attacks.
Usage Tips
========
Mesprit should aim to pivot into many of the more defensive Pokemon in the tier, such as Gastrodon and Lanturn, to set up with Substitute and Calm Mind, forcing them out. You should be aware that a lot of the defensive Pokemon in the tier carry some form of status, however, which can cripple Mesprit if it directly switches in. Switching into Fighting-types like Hitmonchan also gives Mesprit almost free setup, but it should be wary of Knock Off or U-turn from Gurdurr and Primeape.Substitute + Calm Mind Mesprit is noticeably weaker in comparison to other offensive sets and as such has trouble dealing with opposing Pokemon when unboosted and even when at +1, but it is able to set up on a considerable number of passive bulky Pokemon such as Lanturn and Audino. Due to this, it should be used towards the late-game when the opponent's team has already been weakened by teammates. This Mesprit set struggles with Dark-types the most, as it doesn't have the offensive presence to pressure them or access to Colbur Berry to mitigate damage, meaning it should be used carefully when the opponent still has a Dark-type around. Substitute is able to slightly mitigate this weakness, as it stops Pokemon like Liepard and Skuntank from Pursuit trapping Mesprit while also giving it a way to force mind games versus Sucker Punch users.
Team Options
========
First and foremost, Substitute + Calm Mind Mesprit requires a good check to Dark-types, as it's extremely weak to Pokemon like Shiftry and Skuntank; Fighting-types like Hitmonchan and Gurdurr help mitigate this weakness. Mesprit also benefits from these teammates because they draw in Psychic- and Poison-types, which it can switch into and set up on. Entry hazard support from the likes of Qwilfish and Weezing helps Mesprit break through teams late-game, as it can rely on the residual damage that Spikes and Toxic Spikes offer to wear down opposing Pokemon. Granbull and Weezing also offer a secondary resistance to Fighting-types and a check to Dark-types, along with blanket checking most fast physical attackers. Piloswine and Miltank are notable Stealth Rock users that offer both hazard support and a way of checking strong physical attackers like Archeops and Kangaskhan, with Mesprit also giving them a check to Fighting-types. Miltank can act as a cleric with Heal Bell in case Mesprit gets afflicted with status. Pursuit trappers such as Absol and Skuntank pair well with Mesprit, as it struggles against offensive Ghost-types like Oricorio-G and Haunter, which are able to OHKO or 2HKO Mesprit. Powerful wallbreakers like Magmortar and Zangoose are able to break Mesprit's checks, such as Aggron, Ferroseed, and Skuntank, giving Mesprit an easier time setting up and cleaning late-game. Choice Scarf Primeape benefits from Mesprit breaking down teams, as it's able to clean far more easily late-game, while also providing U-turn support to bring Mesprit in on Pokemon that resist Fighting such as Weezing and Qwilfish.
[SET]
name: Weather Setter
move 1: Rain Dance / Sunny Day
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Psychic
move 4: U-turn
item: Damp Rock / Heat Rock
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Depending on what weather archetype you're using, you'll either be using Rain Dance or Sunny Day to assist the rest of your team, doubling the Speed of Swift Swim or Chlorophyll users and increasing the power of their Water- or Fire-type attacks, respectively. Stealth Rock breaks Focus Sash and Sturdy and chips targets that switch in, giving Mesprit's teammates an easier time sweeping, as they don't need to waste weather turns and take unnecessary damage. It also stops opposing Pokemon from being able to constantly switch in order to wait out the remaining weather turns. Psychic helps Mesprit not be completely passive and stops it from being set up onwhile also making Mesprit a good check to both Poison- and Fighting-type Pokemon. This is especially important against Pokemon like Qwilfish, as most weather teams don't have a way to remove entry hazards. U-turn provides Mesprit with a slow momentum move that lets it get a teammate in once it has set up both its weather and Stealth Rock.
Set Details
========
Near-maximum HP and Defense investment allow Mesprit to set both its weather and Stealth Rock more than once a game, making it a useful bulky pivot versus Fighting-, Ground-, and Poison-types. 16 Speed EVs mean that it can outspeed Adamant Aggron and any other neutral base 50s. Levitate gives Mesprit an immunity to Ground-type attacks and to every entry hazard except Stealth Rock. Heat Rock or Damp Rock is required, as they increase the number of turns weather is on the field from five to eight, with Heat Rock increasing the duration of sun and Damp Rock increasing the duration of rain.
Usage Tips
========
Mesprit provides excellent role compression for weather teams, as it can set both weather and Stealth Rock along with having access to a momentum move in U-turn. Thanks to its high defensive stats it's also able to take multiple hits throughout the course of the battle, meaning it can set multiple times. Generally when you're using Mesprit it should aim to set up Stealth Rock before setting up weather, because it doesn't want to waste its weather turns for no reason, especially as it's used on such an offensive playstyle. However, some situations may arise where it is only able to use one, and then it should only focus on getting up weather because it's more beneficial for its team. Against Taunt users such as Skuntank and Qwilfish, it should be wary of trying to set up. Because it's not carrying a Colbur Berry, Mesprit has to be cautious of opposing Dark-types and may have to make a choice between setting up weather and getting knocked out or not setting up weather so it can be used later on. You should attempt to predict Dark-types coming in and use U-turn to pivot out. On rain teams Mesprit is often the best Fighting-type resistant Pokemon available, so it should be preserved if the opponent still has a Fighting-type like Gurdurr or Assault Vest Hitmonchan.
Team Options
========
This Mesprit set should only ever be considered on full rain and sun teams. Rain sweepers like Ludicolo, Kabutops, and Gorebyss are great partners for Rain Dance Mesprit, as they all benefit from rain boosting their STAB moves along with doubling their Speed thanks to Swift Swim. Similarly, sun sweepers like Victreebel, Sawsbuck, Shiftry, and Exeggutor are ideal teammates for Sunny Day Mesprit, as they receive a Speed boost thanks to Chlorophyll when sun is up, with Victreebel also getting access to a Fire-type, boosted Weather Ball. On rain, Qwilfish is a fantastic partner because rain teams have no other way to remove or absorb Toxic Spikes,which cripples every sweeper on the team, unlike with Victreebel on sun. Qwilfish is also able to set its own hazards and Taunt opposing setup Pokemon. On sun teams, fast Pokemon like Pyroar are ideal because of how slow the rest of the team is when outside of sun, and they also give their teams a powerful breaker when sun is up. Magmortar is another powerful breaker that's also able to boost its Speed with Flame Charge. Other weather setters such as Liepard, Regirock, and Volbeat also benefit weather teams.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band is an option on Mesprit thanks to its decent physical movepool including options like Fire Punch, Knock Off, Zen Headbutt, and U-turn as well as a high base 105 Attack stat. However, physical walls are far more prominent in comparison to special walls, making physical Mesprit a lackluster set. Future Sight gives Mesprit a powerful Psychic-type move that can help force switches after it pivots out and works well with U-turn, but it is too inconsistent and requires Mesprit to drop a coverage or utility move. Magic Coat allows Mesprit to bounce status and entry hazards back at the opposing Pokemon and can be a unique move on the defensive Stealth Rock set. A dual screens set, with Reflect and Light Screen, can be used, but Meowstic-M totally outclasses it thanks to a better Speed tier and Prankster. Imprison allows Mesprit to prevent either opposing Stealth Rock on hazard sets or opposing Calm Mind on setup Mesprit. Energy Ball can be used on the Stealth Rock sets to hit almost every opposing Stealth Rock setter, most notably Piloswine, for super effective damage, but means Mesprit has to give up Healing Wish. Trick can be used on the Choice Scarf and Choice Specs sets to cripple defensive Pokemon on the opponent's team. Knock Off can be used on defensive sets to cripple standard switch-ins such as Clefairy and Type: Null. Toxic has a similar effect, but instead it is able to cripple specially defensive foes like Musharna and Gastrodon. Shadow Ball, Dazzling Gleam, and Thunderbolt may all seem like decent coverage moves, but they hit a very small range of targets and aren't worth using over Mesprit's standard coverage. Trick Room Mesprit is another semi-viable option if you want a Trick Room user that can also set Stealth Rock, but it is often overshadowed by either Musharna or Carbink. Generally, if Mesprit is to drop a move on one of its sets, it will opt to drop Healing Wish.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Dark-types such as Shiftry, Liepard, and Absol are Mesprit's main checks, as they are immune to its STAB moves and threaten it with a super effective Dark-type move; however, they all struggle to switch in to the offensive sets and must be wary of Colbur Berry weakening their Dark-type attacks. Sucker Punch also helps these Pokemon to check the more offensive sets. Skuntank is the most notable, as the only coverage move Mesprit has to hit it for super effective damage is Hidden Power Ground, but often the offensive sets are able to 2HKO it.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Ferroseed, Probopass, and Aggron resist all of Mesprit's standard coverage options and can set up entry hazards on it, with Probopass being able to pivot against any switch-in with Volt Switch and Aggron threatening a powerful Head Smash or Heavy Slam. The latter two have to be wary of the uncommon Hidden Power Ground, however, while the first has to be wary of Hidden Power Fire, and Aggron is unable to directly switch in on Mesprit when it has a Calm Mind boost or is holding Choice Specs. Bronzor is especially notable, as due to its typing and ability it's able to wall every Mesprit set.
**Specially Defensive Walls**: Specially defensive walls like Munchlax, Clefairy, Audino, and Type: Null are capable of checking every set Mesprit uses, including the Calm Mind sets if they're unboosted.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types like Haunter and Oricorio-G are capable of offensively checking Mesprit with their powerful STAB attacks, but they are unable to directly switch into Mesprit. Choice Scarf Mesprit is also able to check them if they lack the same item, and without a boost or Life Orb they're unable to OHKO the offensive sets.
**Strong Attackers**: Strong attackers such as Ursaring and Drampa are usually able to take any hit from Mesprit and either OHKO it, or 2HKO it in the case of more defensive sets, or force it out. However, they both are unable to directly switch in on Mesprit, and Drampa struggles against Subzero Slammer and Choice Specs Ice Beam. Zangoose is also worth mentioning because it OHKOes every fully offensive Mesprit set with Facade, when Toxic Boost is activated.
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