Cloyster
Bivalve Pokémon
Its shell is extremely hard. It cannot be shattered, even with a bomb. The shell opens only when it is attacking.
Base Stats
Type Effectiveness
Abilities
Held Items
Evolution Chain
Moves
Details
Sprites
Competitive
Strategy Overview
With both Spikes and good offensive pressure, Cloyster works as a potent suicide lead. Shell Smash combined with Focus Sash, Skill Link, and STAB Icicle Spear lets it reliably set up and OHKO leads like Excadrill and Slurpuff through their Focus Sashes. Its access to Rapid Spin is also valuable, compacting the role of entry hazard remover. Knock Off users such as Yveltal especially like Spikes because they can remove Heavy-Duty Boots, which helps them sweep later on. However, Cloyster is held back by its low Speed, making it susceptible to Taunt; also, its poor typing and defensive stats mean that it will be on the field only once most of the time. Finally, it faces severe competition with other leads, with Froslass and Aerodactyl having great Speed and Taunt for more consistent hazard setting, Shuckle having Sturdy + Mental Herb, and Galvantula and Ribombee having great Speed alongside paralysis.
Most Used Moves
Common Teammates
Competitive data from Smogon University via data.pkmn.cc