Doubles Milotic [QC 2/2] [GP 2/2]

Milotic has good bulk and a good defensive Water typing that renders most attacks neutral, offering its team a defensive backbone and a good switch-in to sponge most attacks. Its access to a good range of supportive moves like Icy Wind and Scald alongside reliable recovery is also noteworthy, making Milotic a good utility Pokemon with longevity. In addition, its ability Competitive allows it to check Intimidate users like Landorus-T and Salamence, which are extremely common. On the other hand, it has a rather mediocre Speed stat of 81 and underwhelming Special Attack, making it, without a Competitive boost, lack the offensive presence other Water-types like Tapu Fini and Volcanion have. This is also made worse by the fact that Milotic has a poor offensive movepool and no STAB type other than Water.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Icy Wind / Ice Beam
move 3: Recover
move 4: Protect
item: Psychic Seed / Maranga Berry / Leftovers
ability: Competitive
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Milotic's primary STAB attack and source of damage, with the added possibility to inflict burns, allowing it to take physical hits better and cripple physical threats. Icy Wind is used mainly for speed control on both targets, helping Milotic's partner to outspeed threats it normally would not. Ice Beam may be used if there is preference for a more offensive attack to hit Flying- and Grass-types like Amoonguss, Tapu Bulu, and Mega Salamence much harder. Being a supportive Pokemon with access to recovery is great, since Recover gives Milotic longevity and helps it carry out its role of switching in and crippling opposing Pokemon. Last but not least, Protect allows Milotic to stall out Terrains, Tailwind, Trick Room, and sun and is used to protect Milotic from being targeted while its partner clears threats on the field. Haze can also be used if the team struggles with setup Pokemon, but dropping Ice Beam makes it hard for Milotic to make its presence felt, since it can't really do much if it doesn't get a boost.

Set Details
========
Using maximum HP and Defense gives Milotic good physical bulk to complement its high natural special bulk with Psychic Seed or Maranga Berry. Competitive gives Milotic a niche in the Doubles metagame, as it allows it to check Intimidate users by deterring Intimidate switch-ins and to even become a threat of its own after a boost, making up for its lackluster offensive presence. Finally, whether to use Maranga Berry or Psychic Seed for an item depends on if you have a Tapu Lele on your team, which is recommended, while Leftovers is an option to provide more general sustain longevity. Psychic Seed also avoids risking Milotic being hit by a strong special move to activate Maranga Berry.

Usage Tips
========
Milotic is usually sent out if you think the opponent will send out an Intimidate user or if you predict a switch to one. Competitive is a nice boost when it happens, but it isn't worth going out of your way to force it. It's also to be kept in mind that Pokemon switch order also depends on speed, so avoid switching in Milotic if your Pokemon is slower than the foe, as Intimidate would have already been activated. Similarly, Milotic's presence on the field can be used for the opposite effect, which is discouraging the foe from sending out Intimidate Pokemon in order to avoid triggering Competitive and making Milotic a bigger threat. It's also smart to switch in Milotic in case you predict a stat-lowering move such as Snarl or Icy Wind, since Milotic generally doesn't mind them and appreciates getting the Competitive boost in return. While out on the field, Milotic's job consists mostly of supporting its teammates by lowering opposing Pokemon's Speed with Icy Wind or by attempting to cripple physical threats with a Scald burn. This is facilitated by Milotic's good bulk and typing, which allow it to take hits fairly well and make it generally a good switch-in option, and it can also activate Psychic Seed on a switch to take a hit even better. It should be kept in mind that Maranga Berry and Psychic Seed are one-time-use items, so use them wisely. Lastly, preserving Milotic is important because it usually requires being healthy to perform its sponging role, so finding the opportunity to safely recover is crucial.

Team Options
========
Thanks yet again to Competitive, most physical attackers appreciate having Milotic on their team and out on the field, since it greatly discourages opponents from sending out Intimidate Pokemon, notably Landorus-T and Salamence. This makes Milotic a great teammate for Pokemon that are bothered by Intimidate more than they should be, such as Tapu Bulu, which relies on its naturally high base Attack to do damage considering its poor offensive typing. Zygarde is another notable example, as it suffers from an already low Attack stat further aggravated by the spread reduction on its main move Thousand Arrows, making Intimidate really harmful to it, especially with how it neutralizes a potential Dragon Dance. If using Icy Wind support, offensive Pokemon that lack high Speed such as Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Heatran become able to outspeed and KO opposing threats after the Speed drop on both targets. Due to the lack of offensive pressure it exerts, Milotic has little way to play around its offensive threats and thus relies on its teammates to do so. Pokemon like Heatran and Landorus-T make good teammates in this regard due to their ability to check common offensive Grass- and Electric-types, respectively. Another particular partner is Tapu Lele, since Psychic Seed is usually the optimal item on Milotic and is less risky than Maranga Berry. On the other hand, Milotic's passiveness makes it setup bait for Pokemon like Tapu Fini, which can ignore Milotic to a certain degree, making teammates that deter setup, such as the aforementioned Tapu Lele with Taunt, appreciated partners.

[SET]
name: Coil
move 1: Scald / Hydro Pump
move 2: Coil
move 3: Hypnosis
move 4: Recover
item: Psychic Seed
ability: Competitive
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 88 SpD / 64 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Milotic's only attack on this set, as it's more focused on setting up and winning passively. Hydro Pump is an alternative that offers more damage if you want Milotic to be less passive, with the benefit of having full accuracy after a Coil boost. Coil raises Milotic's Defense, which helps it become monstrously bulky after setting up and hard to take down once its checks are down. With two or more accuracy boosts from Coil, Hypnosis becomes 100% accurate, allowing Milotic to offer even greater amounts of support by putting key opposing threats to sleep so that it can further set up or enable partners to do work. Lastly, Recover helps ensure Milotic's longevity after setting up and makes it very difficult to remove from the field.

Set Details
========
Maximum HP investment with 88 Special Defense EVs allows Milotic to take three Psychics or a Shattered Psyche + Psychic from Modest Tapu Lele in Psychic Terrain after the Psychic Seed boost, and 104 Defense EVs allow it to survive two Double-Edges from Mega Salamence provided Milotic has a Coil boost. Lastly, 64 Speed EVs allow Milotic to outspeed most slow Tapu Fini sets. It's good to keep in mind that having Psychic Seed allows Milotic to cover its special bulk, while Competitive grants it some semblance of an offensive presence in some situations, which could get Milotic to function independently as a threat alongside its supportive functions.

Usage Tips
========
A key element to keep in mind is that the goal of this set isn't setting up to the fullest, but rather putting Pokemon to sleep while being tanky enough to stay on the field, allowing its more offensive allies to break the opposing team. When using this set, it's preferable to start setting up after its checks are taken out, since the point is becoming too tanky to be taken down by the rest of the team. Setting up can also be done if both Pokemon on the opposing side of the field don't do much to Milotic, such as Heatran. Remember the fact that you can't put a Pokemon to sleep if it's been burned and vice versa, so think about what benefits your team most instead of mindlessly spreading status. Hydro Pump is a valid option because Milotic still can take advantage of Competitive and Coil's accuracy boosts to become not only a defensive threat but an offensive one as well. Do note that you only need one boost to get Hydro Pump to full accuracy and two for Hypnosis, meaning it might be unnecessary to boost further. Psychic Seed gives Milotic great special bulk, and its physical bulk is covered by Coil. It's preferable to not use up Milotic's Seed recklessly, though, as Milotic is less efficient without it when setting up. However, this set dislikes being in Misty Terrain, which keeps both status opportunities blocked, so a Terrain reset is appreciated if not taking out their Terrain setter as whole. The same applies for Electric Terrain, which prevents sleep, but do keep in mind that in both Terrains, non-grounded Pokemon like Landorus-T, Mega Salamence, and Celesteela are still vulnerable. Its also very important to note that Milotic's lack of offensive presence without Competitive can leave it as a momentum drainer on the field, especially if Misty or Electric Terrain is active to prevent sleep. This is crucial to consider, because setting up early versus foes that can shut down Milotic like this can leave you in many potential two-versus-one situations.

Team Options
========
This set is generally paired with Tapu Lele and possibly Tapu Bulu, as the first provides Psychic Terrain to activate Psychic Seed, while Grassy Terrain is great for keeping Milotic healthy with passive recovery. It's also important to reset Terrain to keep status inflicting an option. In addition, teammates that handle Tapu Koko are crucial, as it can take out Milotic before it sets up, Taunt it to prevent it from setting up in the first place, or even just set Electric Terrain to prevent Hypnosis. Finally, a teammate like Psych Up Mega Metagross can steal Milotic's stat boosts to become a massive threat as well.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Milotic's movepool is somewhat limited, leaving its other options less varied and generally less viable, thus it isn't encouraged to stray away too much from the standard set or moves. Mirror Coat can be used for a surprise factor, as Milotic generally is very capable of surviving special hits and can use this to offer an unexpected counterattack. Hydro Pump can be used over Scald on the first set to provide a potentially higher amount of damage at the cost of accuracy, even if Milotic's low base Special Attack doesn't usually make the increase too impactful. It's also better if you manage to get a Competitive boost. Haze is a niche option appreciated by teams that have a hard time breaking setup Pokemon with the additional option of using Icium Z to heal back to full in the process, although this isn't usually optimal, since Recover already covers that aspect.

Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-type Pokemon**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos are very common Pokemon that hit Milotic very hard, and Rotom-Wash also heavily walls Milotic. Kyurem-Black can be particularly threatening if it has Fusion Bolt.

**Grass-type Pokemon**: Tapu Bulu, Shaymin-Sky, and Amoonguss threaten Milotic despite the fact that it runs Icy Wind or even Ice Beam, since they either outspeed Milotic and hit it first or put it to sleep.

**Water-type Pokemon**: Water-types are notably scary because Milotic doesn't dent them offensively and cannot prevent them from setting up; examples include Calm Mind Tapu Fini, Tailwind Suicune, and opposing Milotic.

**Taunt**: Reliance on its supportive options leaves Milotic prone to becoming a momentum drain on the field if it is Taunted, as it loses most of its utility. This is especially true for the Coil set, which is basically shut down as a whole and is left with Scald only.
 
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talkingtree

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  • [Team Options] Give examples of Pokemon that like Icy Wind support (Tapu Lele, Heatran, non-Scarf Landorus-T)
  • [Team Options] Tapu Lele if using Psychic Seed to set Terrain
  • [Team Options] "cripple opponents with utility" is a weird way to phrase it - change to something like "cripple foes with burns and Speed drops"
  • [Other Options] Add Coil (for use alongside Hypnosis), Hydro Pump, and Icium Z Haze (Heals to full); Remove Rain Dance and Light Screen
  • [Checks and Counters] Remove **Faster Pokemon**, this tag is meant for Pokemon that are dependent on moving first to succeed, not for those that are commonly outsped and chipped.
  • [Checks and Counters] Remove **Opposing Weather**, I'd never really think "Oh no, my opponent has weather, I guess Milotic won't be much help this match". This tag is more for weather-dependent sweepers or extreme cases like Heatran vs rain
  • [Checks and Counters] Move Kyurem-B to **Electric-types** for the point about Fusion Bolt. While Sub Kyube can't be stopped with Milotic, it also doesn't do much in return and has to resort to non-STAB Earth Power to dent Milotic, which has a 20% chance to lower SpD and activate Competitive. As such, it's not really a check or counter, sort of a strange relationship.
I'll give input on the other sections later, I gotta go but I figured I might as well give you something to work on for now.
 

Pocket

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Coil deserves its own set imo. It's lethal, and plays quite differently than the conventional set

As for the main set, I think Maranga Berry and Leftovers should be removed. I've only seen Seed Milotic in actual games. Maybe slash Grassy Seed next to Psychic Seed with an alternative spread mentioned in AC.

I would drop Haze to OO
 
Coil deserves its own set imo. It's lethal, and plays quite differently than the conventional set

As for the main set, I think Maranga Berry and Leftovers should be removed. I've only seen Seed Milotic in actual games. Maybe slash Grassy Seed next to Psychic Seed with an alternative spread mentioned in AC.

I would drop Haze to OO
i personally have not battled coil milotic before during my time here in SM meta, nor did i think it was popular enough to have it's set, but if others think differently i'd be down to give it it's own.

While Seed is probably the best option indeed, putting it as the sole item, or main item at least, kind of gives me the impression that we're saying "you must have a tapu on your team" , or at least have one for Milotic to be paired with. On the other hand, it is very rare to see a team without a Tapu so i dont mind making this change.

I agree with Haze being OO
 

Pocket

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if you have no experience with Coil Milotic, I guess somebody else can write a separate set analysis for it
 

talkingtree

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  • [All] You've got a few typos: *Psychic* Seed, not *Pyschic* Seed
  • [Set 1] Remove Haze, that should be OO
  • [Set Details 1] Take out the bit about 8 EV base 80s - those aren't a thing
  • [Set Details (All)] This section should only discuss item, EVs, nature, and ability, so remove all bullet points about moves
  • [Usage Tips 1] Talk about how Psychic Seed and Maranga Berry are one-time use
  • [Team Options 1] Something to take on Tapu Fini, which can basically ignore Milotic's presence
  • [Set 2] Put Hypnosis in the third slot and Recover in the fourth, it's mostly semantic but Hypnosis is more relevant to the set
  • [Moves 2] When discussing Hydro, clarify that after one use of Coil it gains perfect accuracy
  • [Set Details 2] Talk about Psychic Seed + Competitive
  • [Set Details 2] Demantoid please let swb know what the EVs do soon
  • [Usage Tips 2] Don't talk about pairing with Lele/Bulu here, that's only for Team Options
  • [Team Options 2] Teammates to take on Tapu Koko are crucial, same goes for Tapu Fini
  • [Checks and Counters] Add **Taunt**, preventing Recover can keep Milotic low and stopping Coil/Hypno is detrimental for the second set
Do the above for 1/2, then go ahead and start writing!
 
implemented all of those the best i could, will start writing this up by tomorow and will get demantoid to remind me again what the evs do !

edit: written and ready !
 
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Hi amcheck here.

Just quickly if you do ctrl+f on these words: recove, recovert, pyschic, doulbes, Zyguard you will find mistakes which need correcting.

Set 1
Team options

I think it would be worth mentioning that because milotic is super weak esp with scald/icy wind, setup mons like lax and fini can very easily set up in its face. So a way to at least deter setup like life orb marshadow is a good partner since it does good damage to a lax at +1 and steals finis boosts.

I think lando-t needs a certain mention as a 'physical attacker'. It provides its own intimidate to make milo bulkier and matches up well vs koko.

Set 2
Usage tips

Also mention that you only need one boost to get hydro pump to full accuracy and two to get hypnosis to full acc. so dont boost up any more than this otherwise you waste turns.

I feel like you should say that the main aim of this set is to start putting as much as possible to sleep rather than getting bulky as, following on from my last point, +6 defense is not going to help so much when you arent doing damage anyway. +2 is the maximum you need.

Team options
You really really need to say something about marshadow since its the main reason why this set isnt as good anymore. Milotic cant really stop it from taking the boosts and then destroying with +1 atk and defense (maybe even spdef too).
Scarf lele is good here and synergises well with the seed like youve said.
Zapdos can take a hit and set up tw to let milo outspeed it, but shaky since once again milo cant stop marshadow.

It also might be worth adding a bit about setup sweepers that appreciate the opposing team being asleep to get free boosts. Mmence doesnt do bad vs marshadow, volcarona hits grasses.

Checks and counters
Following on from my marshadow bit. I think this requires its own part since it almost makes the hypnosis set completetly unviable. Even keeps milos damage output to a minimum by taking spatk boosts so intim users dont need to worry so much. Just needs to be careful of getting scald burnt since lele is milos most common terrain support.
 
I feel like it warrants its own if not only to sag that the hypnosis set has become a lot worse because of it. I mean what else can take its boosts like marshadow
 

Level 51

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Marshadow's gone! It was all part of our plan to delay this until Milotic became viable again. Also Snorlax is gone which is probably good for Milotic's viability. It was #allplanned. For real though, apologies that this is so late, it was really intimidating to work on due to its length. Silverwhiteblue let me know if you're still interested in working on this

[Overview]
  • Milotic isn't charming, it's a snake. don't @ me
  • Combine the comments about defensive stats, typing, and recovery - all three combine to make Milotic a strong choice to make up a defensive backbone and also give it a lot of success in consistently carrying out its support role
  • Be careful about using the word "counter" - in this case, Competitive helps Milotic "check" Salamence and Landorus-T, or "keep them in check". You can also mention Incineroar here, though that's less important since it's not super common or anything
  • Remove the part about "since Milotic invests in defenses" - you can just go straight to saying that Milotic has lackluster offenses and speed
  • Change "and no other STAB than Water" --> "with no STAB other than Water"; it's more of a supplementary point than a stand-alone big point of its own, so we don't want to highlight it too much
[Defensive]
[Moves]
  • Mention the key advantage of Ice Beam is that it guarantees OHKOs Salamence and Landorus-T, and can OHKO Landorus-T even without the Competitive boost
  • The downside of this is that dropping Icy Wind makes it hard for Milotic to make its presence felt since it can't really do anything useful if it doesn't get a boost
[Set Details]
  • Make the connection between the EV spread and the items clearer - something like "This EV spread focuses on investment in physical bulk, since Milotic's special bulk is mostly covered by its high base Special Defense, boosted further by its Maranga Berry or Psychic Seed."
  • Avoid use of the term "unique" to describe Milotic's niche, since it's not technically unique - you can say it gives Milotic "niche value in checking Intimidate users by deterring Intimidate switch-ins"
  • Also in the sentence about Competitive, remove the clause "due to lack of investment" at the end - Milotic is just weak, even if one was to give it 252+ SpA investment it'd still hit like garbage
  • Maranga Berry doesn't activate by HP... it activates by being hit by a special move. (Regardless, Psychic Seed is still the superior option)
[Usage Tips]
  • Milotic usage does not centre around activating Competitive, so don't get obsessive about activating it. It's nice when it activates but you don't have to drop everything and overextend to get it to activate. I'd rewrite the first part of this paragraph to reflect this
  • Reverse the order of the two clauses in "supporting its teammates by either attempting to cripple physical threats with a burn, or lower their speed with icy wind so that teammates can outspeed" - in terms of support, we should focus on using Icy Wind for guaranteed speed drops instead of fishing for burns
  • I'd remove "This also makes Milotic a decent staller of effects like Weather, Terrains, etc" - this is a pretty meaningless attribute for a Pokemon to have I think
[Team Options]
  • "This makes Milotic a great choice for a team that's bothered by intimidate more than it should be." - instead of this, try to list some Pokemon which are especially affected by Intimidate - for example, Tapu Bulu, which relies heavily on its natural Attack stat due to its relatively poor attacking type, or Zygarde, which has a naturally low Attack stat and needs to boost to deal significant damage but is easily neutered by Intimidate as it tries to boost
  • Remove non-Scarf Landorus-T from the list of Pokemon which like Icy Wind, since it doesn't have any Pokemon which it beats with Icy Wind but not without
  • Remove the mention of Snorlax
  • "Now since Milotic has little to harm some of it's bigger threats like Grass types, Notably Tapu Bulu, Shaymin-Sky, Amoonguss, and electric types, Fire types generally pair well with it, such as Heatran since they usually can beat those threats. Similarly, Landorus-Therian is a noteworthy partner, as the intimidate it provides makes Milotic even bulkier, with the addition of making Tapu Koko less of a threat." Change this to a more general statement, combining both these sentences into one. Here's an example of what I mean:
"Due to the lack of offensive pressure it exerts, Milotic has little way to play around its offensive threats, and thus relies on its teammates to do so. Pokemon like Heatran and Landorus-T make good teammates in this regard due to their ability to check common offensive Grass- and Electric-types respectively.​

[Coil]
[Set]
  • Why isn't Maranga on this set? It was on the previous one
[Moves]
  • "The accuracy boosts justify the use of Hypnosis as it becomes more reliable and likely to hit" - Coil is actually mainly used to boost Hypnosis, not Hypnosis used because we happen to have the accuracy boost. Change to something more objective like "with two or more accuracy boosts from Coil, Hypnosis becomes 100% accurate, allowing Milotic to offer even greater amounts of support by putting key opposing threats to sleep"
[Set Details]
  • "traditional Tapu Fini sets" --> "most slower Tapu Fini sets"
  • If you add Maranga here, make sure you talk about it next to Psychic Seed
  • "It's handy to keep in mind that having both Psychic Seed and Competitive allow Milotic to cover the SpD side of bulk and still have offensive presence along with the Defense boosts" - rewrite into two separate clauses: "It's good to keep in mind that having Psychic Seed allows Milotic to cover its special bulk, while Competitive grants it some semblance of an offensive presence in some situations"
[Usage Tips]
  • "Using Scald can be better than putting a target to sleep when the attack drop from the burn is appreciated, like on physical threats such as Zygarde." This is pretty debatable since Sleep is a very strong status; I'd instead say something like "remember the fact that you can't put a Pokemon to sleep if it's burnt and vice versa, so think about what benefits your team most instead of mindlessly spreading status"
  • "but do keep in mind" - relatively minor, but make sure it's clear this caveat applies to both terrains: ie "but do keep in mind that in both terrains"
  • "so think twice before setting up" - emphasise the time / turn investment on setting up: ie "so think twice before investing effort into setting up Coil boosts"
  • "putting pokemon to sleep while being tanky enough to stay on the field" never won battles: make sure you mention the explicit connection between putting Pokemon to sleep and support Milotic's own (offensive) allies
[Team Options]
  • First sentence: make clear why Psychic Seed and Grassy Terrain are mentioned: Psychic Seed is a more convenient way to get a SpD boost than Maranga Berry since it doesn't require you to take a hit, while Grassy Terrain is great for keeping Milotic healthy with passive recovery
  • "It's also important to reset terrain" doesn't really show the link: instead say something like "Both Tapu Lele and Tapu Bulu also reset the field's terrain, keeping Milotic's dual status options available"
  • "Tapu Lele is also dangerous with its high special damage under terrain if Psychic Seed was used up and with its access to taunt." - This sounds more like a Check/Counter than a part of Team Options, and it's rather out of place; remove this line
  • I would not recommend Amoonguss as a partner for the Coil set, since that's two passive Pokemon which focus on putting things to sleep. Heatran and Landorus-T, as recycled from the previous set's Team Options, are fine enough options for teammates
[Other Options]
  • "Hydro pump can be used over scald in the first set to have a more reliable source of damage." ...Hydro Pump is a less reliable source of damage than Scald, you can instead say that it can be used to "provide potentially higher amounts of damage", but do mention that due to Milotic's naturally weak offenses it doesn't provide that much more damage
  • Mention Haze by itself before mentioning that it can also be paired with Icium, and furthermore mention that Milotic already has access to Recover so Z-Haze isn't that huge an advantage for Milotic
[Checks and Counters]
  • Water-types: change this to focus on the fact that Milotic can't touch any of the listed threats offensively, and then move on to say how Tapu Fini can easily set up in front of Milotic.
QC 2/2
 
yeah im up for it Level 51 ill update it soon enough

edit: that was too soon, as it's implemented ! i didnt mention maranga because when i started this coil was recomended with psychic seed apparently, but if you insist on me featuring it just say. i'll wait for you to read/like this post for any additional detail you may want added before i 2/2
 
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Level 51

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[Defensive - Moves] "dropping Icy Wind makes it hard for Milotic to make its presence felt since it can't really do much if it doesn't get a boost" - should be appended to the mention of Ice Beam, not to Haze.
[Defensive - Usage Tips] "You generally want to recover while they switch, or when the opposing pokemon on the field either are burned or don't do enough damage to threaten you." - you can remove this, just change the previous sentence to say "finding an opportunity to safely Recover is crucial".
[Defensive - Team Options] I think you missed the point I was making about Zygarde; it has a low Attack stat so it depends on boosts to damage, which are in turn checked by Intimidate. Thus Competitive lets it boost more safely. If the sentence structuring is too awkward you can remove the Tapu Bulu mention instead
[Defensive - Team Options] "Milotic also provides a switch in for most teams to help frail Pokemon by cripple foes with burns, facilitating ally set up Pokemon's jobs, like Volcarona making them become high level threats much easier." - This sentence doesn't make any sense, switching in has nothing to do with burning Pokemon. You don't burn Pokemon by switching in. I think this sentence should be removed entirely, because I want to avoid overselling Milotic's ability to burn things with Scald.

[Coil - Moves] "which can be rendered much easier with scald burns." - delete this part
[Coil - Usage Tips] "Last, its important to keep in mind that the goal of this set isn't setting up to the fullest, but rather putting pokemon to sleep while being tanky enough to stay on the field, setting up it's more offensive allies to break the opposing team." - move this to the front to qualify the first statement.
[Coil - Usage Tips] "are weak against Milotic, such as Heatran" - change to "can't really do much to Milotic, such as Heatran".

QC 2/2 after these are implemented

good luck gp
 

Lumari

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GP 1/2
[OVERVIEW]
Alongside it's its charming looks, Milotic has good bulk and high defensive stats (same thing) a good defensive Water typing that renders most attacks neutral, offering its team a defensive backbone (RC) and a good switch-in to sponge most attacks, made easier by its Water typing that renders most attacks neutral. It's also noteworthy that having Its access to a good range of supportive moves like Icy Wind and Scald (RC) alongside the fact that it has reliable recovery in its arsenal makes is also noteworthy, making Milotic a good utility Pokemon with good longevity. In addition, it's its ability Competitive allows it to be a check to Intimidate users like Landorus-T and Mega Salamence, which are extremely common. (AP) like Landorus-T, Mega Salamence On the other hand, (remove linebreaks) it has a rather mediocre Speed stat of 81 and underwhelming Special Attack, (AC) making it, without the Competitive boost, lack the offensive presence other Water-types like Tapu Fini (RC) and Volcanion have. This is also made worst worse by the fact that Milotic has a poor offensive movepool, with no STAB type other than Water.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Icy Wind / Ice Beam
move 3: Recover
move 4: Protect
item: Maranga Berry / Psychic Seed / Leftovers
ability: Competitive
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Milotic's primary STAB attack and source of damage, with the addition of the high added possibility to inflict burns, allowing it to take physical hits better and cripple physical threats. Icy Wind is used mainly for speed control on both targets, helping the partner to outspeed threats it normally would not. (RC) Ice Beam may be used if there is preference for a more offensive attack to hit Flying- (AH) and Grass-types like Amoonguss, Tapu Bulu, and Mega Salamence much harder. Being a supportive Pokemon with access to recovery is great, (AC) since Recover gives Milotic longevity and helps it carry its role of switching in and crippling opponents opposing Pokemon for longer through out throughout the game. Last but not least, Protect allows Milotic to stall out Terrains, (AC) if needed, Tailwind, (AC) and Trick Room, (AC) and sunny weather as well, and is used to protect Milotic from being targeted while it's its opponent (partner?) clears threats on the field. Haze can also be used if the team struggles with set up setup Pokemon, (AC) but dropping Ice Beam makes it hard for Milotic to make its presence felt, (AC) since it can't really do much if it doesn't get a boost. (AP; Ice Beam isn't even a main slash though)

Set Details
========
Using maximum HP and maximum Defense gives Milotic good physical bulk to complement its special bulk provided by its already high natural Special Defence Defense and Psychic Seed or Maranga Berry. The remaining 4 speed EVs can be put in speed to try and speed creep other Milotics. It's ability Competitive gives Milotic a niche in the Doubles metagame, as it allows it to check Intimidate users by deterring Intimidate switch-ins (RC) and to even become a threat of it's own after a boost, making up for its lackluster offensive presence. Finally, whether to use Maranga Berry or Psychic Seed for an item depends on if you have a Tapu Lele on your squad (which is usually recommended), while Leftovers provides is an option to provide more general sustain. Psychic Seed also avoids risking Milotic being hit by a strong special move to activate Maranga Berry. (AP)

Usage Tips
========
Milotic is usually sent out if you think the opponent will lead or send out an Intimidate Pokemon (RC) or if you predict a switch to one. It's a nice boost when it happens, but it isn't worth getting going out of your way to force it. It's also to be kept in mind that switching Pokemon switch order also depends on speed, so avoid switching in Milotic from a slower Pokemon if your Pokemon is slower than the foe, (AC) as the Intimidate would have already been activated. Similarly, Milotic's presence on the field can be used for the opposite effect, which is discouraging the foe from sending out Intimidate Pokemon in order to avoid triggering Competitive (RC) and making Milotic a bigger threat. It's also smart to switch in Milotic in case you predict a stat-lowering (AH) move such as Snarl (RC) or Icy Wind, (AC) since Milotic generally doesn't mind them, while appreciating and appreciates getting the Competitive boost in return. While out on the field, Milotic's job consists mostly of supporting its teammates mainly by lowering their opposing Pokemon's Speed with Icy Wind so that teammates can outspeed or by attempting to cripple physical threats with a Scald burn. This is facilitated by Milotic's good bulk and typing, (AC) that allows which allow it to take hits fairly well (RC) so its and make it generally a good switch-in option, and it can also use effects like Psychic Terrain + activate Psychic Seed on a switch to take a hit even better. It should be kept in mind that Maranga Berry and Psychic Seed are one-time-use (AH) items, so use them wisely, since switching out after activating your item leaves you without an item or boost the next time it's sent in. Lastly, Preserving Milotic is important because it usually requires being healthy to perform it's its sponging role, so finding the opportunity to safely recover is crucial.


Team Options
========
Thanks yet again to Competitive, most physical attackers appreciate having Milotic on their team and out on the field, (AC) since it greatly discourages opponents from sending out Intimidate Pokemon, notably Landorus-T and Mega Salamence. This makes Milotic a great choice teammate for a team that's Pokemon that are bothered by Intimidate more than it they should be, such as Tapu Bulu, (AC) as it which relies on its naturally high base Attack to do damage considering the its poor offensive typing it has. Zyguard Zygarde is another notable example, (AC) as it suffers from an already low Attack stat (RC) that is further aggravated by the spread reduction on its main move Thousand Arrows, making Intimidate really harmful to it, especially with how it neutralises neutralizes a potential Dragon Dance. If Using With Icy Wind support, offensive Pokemon that lack high speed such as Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Heatran (RC) become able to outspeed and KO opposing threats after the Speed drop on both targets. Due to the lack of offensive pressure it exerts, Milotic has little way to play around its offensive threats (RC) and thus relies on its teammates to do so. Pokemon like Heatran and Landorus-T make good teammates in this regard due to their ability to check common offensive Grass- and Electric-types respectively. Another particular partner is Tapu Lele, (AC) since Psychic Seed is usually the optimal item on Milotic and is less riskier risky than Maranga Berry. On the other hand, Milotic's passiveness makes it easy to set up on by for Pokemon like Tapu Fini, which can ignore Milotic to a certain degree, making teammates that deter set up, using taunt on such as the pre-mentioned aforementioned Tapu Lele for example with Taunt, appreciated partners.

[SET]
name: Coil
move 1: Scald / Hydro Pump
move 2: Coil
move 3: Hypnosis
move 4: Recover
item: Psychic Seed
ability: Competitive
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 88 SpD / 64 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Milotic's only attack in on this set, as it's more focused on setting up and winning passively. Hydro Pump is an alternative that offers more damage if you want Milotic to be less passive, with the benefit of having full accuracy after a coil boost. Coil is the primary move of this set and the reason behind its name. It raises Milotic's Defense, (AC) which helps it become monstrously bulky after setting up and hard to take down once its checks are down. With two or more accuracy boosts from Coil, Hypnosis becomes 100% accurate, allowing Milotic to offer even greater amounts of support by putting key opposing threats to sleep so that it can further set up (RC) or for enable partners to do work while the foe's asleep. Lastly, similar to the previous set, Recover is there to helps ensure Milotic's longevity after setting up (RC) and makes it very difficult to remove from the field. (AP)

Set Details
========
The EVs used have multiple purposes, (AC) most of which most include taking hits efficiently. Maximum HP investment with 88 SpD Special Defense EVs allows Milotic to take three Psychics or a Shattered Psyche + Psychic from Modest natured Tapu Lele in Psychic Terrain after the Psychic Seed boost, or a Shattered Psych + Psychic, (comma) (and proceed to do what?) 64 Evs allow it to outspeed most slow Tapu Fini sets and the 104 Defense EVs allow it to survive two 252 Atk Mega Salamence fully invested Double Edges from Mega Salamence provided you have it has a Coil boost. Lastly, 64 Speed EVs allow Milotic to outspeed most slow Tapu Fini sets. It's good to keep in mind that having Psychic Seed allows Milotic to cover its special bulk, while Competitive grants it some semblance of an offensive presence in some situations, which could get Milotic to function independently as a threat alongside its supportive functions.

Usage Tips
========
A key element to keep in mind is that the goal of this set isn't setting up to the fullest, but rather putting Pokemon to sleep while being tanky enough to stay on the field, setting up it's its more offensive allies to break the opposing team.(space)When using this set, it's preferable to start setting up after checks are taken out, since the point is becoming too tanky to be taken down by the rest of the team. Setting up can also be done if both Pokemon on the opposing side of the field don't do much to Milotic, such as Heatran. Remember the fact that you can't put a Pokemon to sleep if it's burnt been burned and vice versa, so think about what benefits your team most instead of mindlessly spreading status. Hydro Pump is a valid option because Milotic still can abuse take advantage of Competitive and the Coil's accuracy boosts to not only become not only a defensive threat (RC) but an offensive one as well. Do note that you only need one boost to get Hydro Pump to full accuracy and two for Hypnosis, therefore meaning it might be unnecessary to boost further. Psychic Seed gives Milotic strong specially defensive great special bulk, and leaves only the physical side to be leaving only its physical bulk, which is covered by Coil. It's preferable to not use up your Milotic's Seed recklessly, (AC) though, as Milotic is less efficient without it when setting up. However, (remove linebreak) this set makes it that Milotic dislikes being in Misty Terrain, having which keeps both status opportunities blocked, so a Terrain reset is very appreciated if not taking out their Terrain setter as whole. The same applies for Electric Terrain, (AC) since which it negates prevents sleep, but do keep in mind that in both Terrains non-grounded (AH) Pokemon like Landorus-T, Mega Salamence, and Celesteela are still vulnerable, like Landorus-T, Mega Salamence, Celesteela and so on. Its also very important to note that Milotic's lack of offensive pressure presence without Competitive can leave it as a momentum drainer on the field, especially if Misty or Electric Terrain are is active to prevent sleep. This is crucial to consider, (AC) because setting up early versus opponents foes that can shut down Milotic like this can leave you in many potential 2v1 two-versus-one situations, so think twice before setting up as the consumed turn can be too valuable to lose.

Team Options
========
This set is generally paired with Tapu Lele and possibly Tapu Bulu, (AC) as the first provides Psychic Terrain (RC) a more convenient way to get a SpD boost than Maranga Berry since it doesn't require you to take a hit to activate Psychic Seed, while Grassy Terrain is great for keeping Milotic healthy with passive recovery. It's also important to reset Terrain as was mentioned earlier to keep status inflicting status available an option. In addition, teammates that handle Tapu Koko are crucial, (AC) as it can take out Milotic before it sets up, Taunt it to prevent it from setting up in the first place, (AC) or even just set Electric Terrain (RC) preventing to prevent Hypnosis. Finally, a teammate like Psych Up Mega Metagross can steal Milotic's status stat boosts can be Psyched up by a teammate like Mega Metagross, making the partner to become a massive threat as well.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Milotic's movepool is somewhat limited, leaving its set possibilities other options with less variety (what does this mean?) and to be generally less viable. Mirror Coat can be used for a surprise factor, as Milotic generally is very capable of surviving SpA based special hits (RC) and therefore using Mirror Coat offers offer an unexpected counterattack. Hydro Pump can be used over Scald in on the first set to provide a potentially higher amount of damage at the cost of accuracy, even if the Milotic's low base Special Attack doesn't usually make the increase too impactful. It's also better if you manage to get a Competitive SpA boost. Haze is a niche option appreciated by teams that have a hard time breaking set up setup Pokemon, with the additional option of using Icium Z to heal back to full in the process, although this isn't usually optimal, (AC) since Recover already covers that aspect.

Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-type Pokemon**: Tapu Koko (RC) and Zapdos are very common Pokemon which that hit Milotic very hard, and Rotom-Wash (RH) also heavily walls Milotic. Kyurem-Black (AH) can be particularly threatening if it has Fusion Bolt. (AP)

**Grass-type Pokemon**: Tapu Bulu, Shaymin-Sky, and Amoonguss threaten Milotic despite the fact that it holds runs Icy Wind or even Ice Beam, since they either hit it faster before it can dent them (RC) or spread can put it to sleep.

**Water-type Pokemon**: Water-types are notably scary because Milotic doesn't dent them offensively (RC) nor and cannot prevents prevent them from setting up; (SC) examples include such as Calm Mind Tapu Fini, Tailwind Suicune, and opposing Milotic, etc. (AP)

**Taunt**: Relying mostly Reliance on its supportive options leaves Milotic prone to draining becoming a momentum drain on the field once its if it is Taunted, as it loses most of its utility. This is especially true for the Coil set, (AC) as it which is basically shuts shut down Milotic as a whole (RC) leaving it and is left with Scald only. (AP)
 
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Alongside its charming looks, Milotic has good bulk and a good defensive Water typing that renders most attacks neutral, offering its team a defensive backbone and a good switch-in to sponge most attacks. Its access to a good range of supportive moves like Icy Wind and Scald alongside reliable recovery makes is also noteworthy, making Milotic a good utility Pokemon with good longevity. In addition, its ability Competitive allows it to be a check to Intimidate users like Landorus-T and Mega Salamence, (megamence doesnt have it, regular does) which are extremely common. On the other hand, it has a rather mediocre Speed stat of 81 and underwhelming Special Attack, making it, without the a Competitive boost, lack the offensive presence other Water-types like Tapu Fini and Volcanion have. This is also made worse by the fact that Milotic has a poor offensive movepool (RC) with and no STAB type other than Water.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Icy Wind / Ice Beam
move 3: Recover
move 4: Protect
item: Maranga Berry / Psychic Seed / Leftovers
ability: Competitive
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Milotic's primary STAB attack and source of damage, with the added possibility to inflict burns, allowing it to take physical hits better and cripple physical threats. Icy Wind is used mainly for speed control on both targets, helping the Milotic's partner to outspeed threats it normally would not. Ice Beam may be used if there is preference for a more offensive attack to hit Flying- and Grass-types like Amoonguss, Tapu Bulu, (AC) and Mega Salamence much harder. Being a supportive Pokemon with access to recovery is great, since Recover gives Milotic longevity and helps it carry out its role of switching in and crippling opposing Pokemon for longer throughout the game. Last but not least, Protect allows Milotic to stall out Terrains, Tailwind, Trick Room, and sunny weather and is used to protect Milotic from being targeted while its partner clears threats on the field. Haze can also be used if the team struggles with setup Pokemon, but dropping Ice Beam makes it hard for Milotic to make its presence felt, since it can't really do much if it doesn't get a boost.

Set Details
========
Using maximum HP and maximum Defense gives Milotic good physical bulk to complement its high natural special bulk provided by its already high natural Special Defense and with Psychic Seed or Maranga Berry. The remaining 4 speed EVs can be put in Speed to try and speed creep other Milotics. Competitive gives Milotic a niche in the Doubles metagame, as it allows it to check Intimidate users by deterring Intimidate switch-ins and to even become a threat of it's its own after a boost, making up for its lackluster offensive presence. Finally, whether to use Maranga Berry or Psychic Seed for an item depends on if you have a Tapu Lele on your team, which is recommended, squad (which is usually recommended), while Leftovers is an option to provide more general sustain longevity. Psychic Seed also avoids risking Milotic being hit by a strong special move to activate Maranga Berry.

Usage Tips
========
Milotic is usually sent out if you think the opponent will lead or send out an Intimidate Pokemon user or if you predict a switch to one. It's Competitive is a nice boost when it happens, but it isn't worth going out of your way to force it. It's also to be kept in mind that Pokemon switch order also depends on speed, so avoid switching in Milotic if your Pokemon is slower than the foe, as the Intimidate would have already been activated. Similarly, Milotic's presence on the field can be used for the opposite effect, which is discouraging the foe from sending out Intimidate Pokemon in order to avoid triggering Competitive and making Milotic a bigger threat. It's also smart to switch in Milotic in case you predict a stat-lowering move such as Snarl or Icy Wind, since Milotic generally doesn't mind them (RC) and appreciates getting the Competitive boost in return. While out on the field, Milotic's job consists mostly of supporting its teammates by lowering opposing Pokemon's Speed with Icy Wind or by attempting to cripple physical threats with a Scald burn. This is facilitated by Milotic's good bulk and typing, which allow it to take hits fairly well and make it generally a good switch-in option, and it can also activate Psychic Seed on a switch to take a hit even better. It should be kept in mind that Maranga Berry and Psychic Seed are one-time-use items, so use them wisely. Lastly, preserving Milotic is important because it usually requires being healthy to perform its sponging role, so finding the opportunity to safely recover is crucial.

Team Options
========
Thanks yet again to Competitive, most physical attackers appreciate having Milotic on their team and out on the field, since it greatly discourages opponents from sending out Intimidate Pokemon, notably Landorus-T and Mega Salamence. This makes Milotic a great teammate for Pokemon that are bothered by Intimidate more than they should be, such as Tapu Bulu, which relies on its naturally high base Attack to do damage considering its poor offensive typing. Zygarde is another notable example, as it suffers from an already low Attack stat further aggravated by the spread reduction on its main move Thousand Arrows, making Intimidate really harmful to it, especially with how it neutralizes a potential Dragon Dance. If using Icy Wind support, offensive Pokemon that lack high Speed such as Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, (AC) and Heatran become able to outspeed and KO opposing threats after the Speed drop on both targets. Due to the lack of offensive pressure it exerts, Milotic has little way to play around its offensive threats and thus relies on its teammates to do so. Pokemon like Heatran and Landorus-T make good teammates in this regard due to their ability to check common offensive Grass- and Electric-types, respectively. Another particular partner is Tapu Lele, since Psychic Seed is usually the optimal item on Milotic and is less risky than Maranga Berry. (then why is maranga slashed first?) On the other hand, Milotic's passiveness makes it setup bait easy to set up on for Pokemon like Tapu Fini, which can ignore Milotic to a certain degree, making teammates that deter setup, such as the aforementioned Tapu Lele with Taunt, appreciated partners.

[SET]
name: Coil
move 1: Scald / Hydro Pump
move 2: Coil
move 3: Hypnosis
move 4: Recover
item: Psychic Seed
ability: Competitive
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 88 SpD / 64 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Milotic's only attack on this set, as it's more focused on setting up and winning passively. Hydro Pump is an alternative that offers more damage if you want Milotic to be less passive, with the benefit of having full accuracy after a Coil boost. Coil raises Milotic's Defense, which helps it become monstrously bulky after setting up and hard to take down once its checks are down. With two or more accuracy boosts from Coil, Hypnosis becomes 100% accurate, allowing Milotic to offer even greater amounts of support by putting key opposing threats to sleep so that it can further set up or enable partners to do work. Lastly, Recover helps ensure Milotic's longevity after setting up and makes it very difficult to remove from the field.

Set Details
========
The EVs used have multiple purposes, most of which include taking hits efficiently. Maximum HP investment with 88 Special Defense EVs allows Milotic to take three Psychics or a Shattered Psyche + Psychic from Modest Tapu Lele in Psychic Terrain after the Psychic Seed boost, and 104 Defense EVs allow it to survive two Double-(AH)Edges from Mega Salamence provided it Milotic has a Coil boost. Lastly, 64 Speed EVs allow Milotic to outspeed most slow Tapu Fini sets. It's good to keep in mind that having Psychic Seed allows Milotic to cover its special bulk, while Competitive grants it some semblance of an offensive presence in some situations, which could get Milotic to function independently as a threat alongside its supportive functions.

Usage Tips
========
A key element to keep in mind is that the goal of this set isn't setting up to the fullest, but rather putting Pokemon to sleep while being tanky enough to stay on the field, setting up allowing its more offensive allies to break the opposing team. When using this set, it's preferable to start setting up after its checks are taken out, since the point is becoming too tanky to be taken down by the rest of the team. Setting up can also be done if both Pokemon on the opposing side of the field don't do much to Milotic, such as Heatran. Remember the fact that you can't put a Pokemon to sleep if it's been burned and vice versa, so think about what benefits your team most instead of mindlessly spreading status. Hydro Pump is a valid option because Milotic still can take advantage of Competitive and Coil's accuracy boosts to become not only a defensive threat but an offensive one as well. Do note that you only need one boost to get Hydro Pump to full accuracy and two for Hypnosis, meaning it might be unnecessary to boost further. Psychic Seed gives Milotic great special bulk, leaving only its physical bulk, which is and its physical bulk is covered by Coil. It's preferable to not use up Milotic's Seed recklessly, though, as Milotic is less efficient without it when setting up. However, this set dislikes being in Misty Terrain, which keeps both status opportunities blocked, so a Terrain reset is very appreciated if not taking out their Terrain setter as whole. The same applies for Electric Terrain, which prevents sleep, but do keep in mind that in both Terrains, (AC) non-grounded Pokemon like Landorus-T, Mega Salamence, and Celesteela are still vulnerable. Its also very important to note that Milotic's lack of offensive presence without Competitive can leave it as a momentum drainer on the field, especially if Misty or Electric Terrain is active to prevent sleep. This is crucial to consider, because setting up early versus foes that can shut down Milotic like this can leave you in many potential two-versus-one situations.

Team Options
========
This set is generally paired with Tapu Lele and possibly Tapu Bulu, as the first provides Psychic Terrain to activate Psychic Seed, while Grassy Terrain is great for keeping Milotic healthy with passive recovery. It's also important to reset Terrain to keep status inflicting an option. In addition, teammates that handle Tapu Koko are crucial, as it can take out Milotic before it sets up, Taunt it to prevent it from setting up in the first place, or even just set Electric Terrain to prevent Hypnosis. Finally, a teammate like Psych Up Mega Metagross can steal Milotic's stat boosts to become a massive threat as well.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Milotic's movepool is somewhat limited, leaving its other options with less variety varied and generally less viable, thus it isn't encouraged to stray away too much from the standard set or moves. Mirror Coat can be used for a surprise factor, as Milotic generally is very capable of surviving special hits and can use this to offer an unexpected counterattack. Hydro Pump can be used over Scald on the first set to provide a potentially higher amount of damage at the cost of accuracy, even if Milotic's low base Special Attack doesn't usually make the increase too impactful. It's also better if you manage to get a Competitive boost. Haze is a niche option appreciated by teams that have a hard time breaking setup Pokemon (RC) with the additional option of using Icium Z to heal back to full in the process, although this isn't usually optimal, since Recover already covers that aspect. (haze is in moves on the first set so it should either be there or here; you/qc decide)

Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-type Pokemon**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos are very common Pokemon that hit Milotic very hard, (AC) and Rotom-Wash also heavily walls Milotic. Kyurem-Black can be particularly threatening if it has Fusion Bolt.

**Grass-type Pokemon**: Tapu Bulu, Shaymin-Sky, (AC) and Amoonguss threaten Milotic despite the fact that it runs Icy Wind or even Ice Beam, since they either outspeed Milotic and hit it first or put it to sleep hit it faster before it can dent them or can put it to sleep.

**Water-type Pokemon**: Water-types are notably scary because Milotic doesn't dent them offensively and cannot prevent them from setting up; examples include Calm Mind Tapu Fini, Tailwind Suicune, and opposing Milotic.

**Taunt**: Reliance on its supportive options leaves Milotic prone to becoming a momentum drain on the field if it is Taunted, as it loses most of its utility. This is especially true for the Coil set, which is basically shut down as a whole and is left with Scald only.


 

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