Done!
Diancie is an interesting defensive Pokemon in the tier that compresses Stealth Rock with the ability to check Noivern, Arcanine, Goodra, Mega Ampharos, Swellow, and Houndoom thanks to its typing and mixed bulk. Diancie also has an easy time setting up entry hazards against a handful of the tier's removers such as Mandibuzz, Mega Blastoise, and Sigilyph. However, Diancie is completely hopeless against Steel-types like Metagross, Registeel, and Bronzong due to their resistance to its primary attacks alongside their immunity to Toxic, although the rare Earth Power somewhat mitigates this flaw. Diancie also invites some of the most dangerous offensive Pokemon in the metagame like Zygarde-10%, Shaymin, Roserade, and Virizion in due to its typing. Diancie's lack of reliable recovery can also leave it worn down quickly throughout the match, and it can be chipped down by Stealth Rock and Spikes and crippled by poison and burns. Diancie faces competition from other defensive Rock-types like Rhyperior and Gigalith, which both have essential tools to pressure out Steel-types and can also check Salazzle as opposed to Diancie, but Diancie's higher Special Defense and part-Fairy-typing, which allow it to be a more reliable answer to Houndoom and other special attackers, can set it apart.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Clear Body
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Moonblast is Diancie's main attack and is also important for fishing for Special Attack drops against the likes of Dragalge, Mismagius, and Necrozma. Earth Power offers the coverage to damage Nidoqueen, Metagross, and Houndoom super effectively. Toxic can be essential to crippling walls like Slowbro and Cresselia, but Heal Bell is an alternative if the team requires a cleric and cannot fit another Pokemon; however, this move should only be run as a last resort, as Diancie cannot cripple the aforementioned walls without Toxic.
Set Details
========
A Calm nature boosts Diancie's Special Defense without compromising its power. Clear Body is Diancie's only ability but does have some use in preventing random stat drops from Psychic and Bug Buzz.
Usage Tips
========
Diancie should set up Stealth Rock as early as possible to deal chip damage and soften up any checks. Diancie should also often be switched in against foes it checks such as Noivern, Goodra, Arcanine, and Houndoom if it's healthy enough in order to stomach their attacks and potentially set up Stealth Rock. Spreading Toxic is not a bad strategy to help wear down defensive switch-ins like Donphan and Slowbro when Stealth Rock is already on the field in order to cripple the opposition and offer its teammates complementary chip damage to soften up the opponent's defenses. Diancie should avoid status if it isn't running Heal Bell, as it greatly hinders its longevity in the match. Diancie will often invite Steel-types, so aggressive doubles to bring in Fire- or Ground-types that prey on these Pokemon or possibly scouting and chipping with Earth Power can work.
Team Options
========
Diancie fits best on bulky offense and balance teams that require role compression to round out the rest of the team. Roserade, Virizion, and Shaymin are all offensive Grass-types that greatly appreciate Diancie’s ability to check Fire- and Flying-types. Ground- and Fire-types such as Zygarde-10%, Donphan, Salazzle, Arcanine, and Houndoom can offensively pressure the Steel-types that Diancie struggles with. Slowbro forms a strong defensive core with Diancie due to it checking Zygarde-10% and other Ground-types and its high Defense that complements Diancie's Special Defense. Entry hazards can chip Diancie fairly quickly if they're stacked up, so removal from Mandibuzz, Mega Blastoise, and Tsareena can be essential to keeping Diancie healthy.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Power Gem can be used to defeat Pokemon such as Sigilyph, but is generally a worse coverage option than Earth Power. Diamond Storm paired with a Sassy nature gives Diancie a stronger attack that can also boost its Defense to toughen it up against physical attackers like Toxicroak and Drapion, but its lower accuracy and low PP compared to Power Gem can be detrimental in long, drawn-out games. Diancie could attempt at sweeping with a Calm Mind + Groundium Z set to bust through Metagross and Registeel, but this set needs to invest into its offensive stats, which makes it less effective defensively. This set is also outclassed by other Calm Mind users like Virizion, Necrozma, and Comfey. Diancie can stall out foes with Protect and Toxic, but this removes coverage that Diancie often wants for checking Flying- and Fire-types. Shuca Berry is useful on more offensive teams, as Diancie can lure in Nidoqueen and Zygarde-10% and retaliate, but this item is difficult to justify over Leftovers.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Metagross and Escavalier destroy Diancie with their STAB moves. Metagross needs to be wary of Diancie's Earth Power, however. Defensive Steel-types like Bronzong and Registeel, although the latter fears the rare Calm Mind + Groundium Z set, completely wall Diancie as well.
**Grass-types**: Roserade, Shaymin, and Virizion can offensively pressure Diancie with super effective damage, although the latter should be wary of Moonblast. Tsareena can also remove Diancie's entry hazards while pressuring it.
**Water-types**: Water-types such as Golisopod and Feraligatr are offensive answers to Diancie, while Milotic and Slowbro take a Defensive approach, with the former taking advantage of Toxic by virtue of Marvel Scale.
**Ground-types**: Donphan can spin away Diancie's entry hazards, while Nidoqueen completely walls any set that isn't using Earth Power. Zygarde-10% and Flygon can revenge kill Diancie after it's chipped, although these two should scout for the potential Shuca Berry.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[BackAtYouBro, 451000]]
- Quality checked by: [[roman, 396169], [zizalith, 410251], [MrAldo, 227521]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Fireflame479, 231476], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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