NationalDex
cloyster
#091

Cloyster

Bivalve Pokémon

WaterIce

Its shell is extremely hard. It cannot be shattered, even with a bomb. The shell opens only when it is attacking.

Base Stats

HP 50
Attack 95
Defense 180
Sp. Atk 85
Sp. Def 45
Speed 70
Total 525

Type Effectiveness

Abilities

Held Items

Evolution Chain

Moves

Details

Category Bivalve Pokémon
Height 1.5 m
Weight 132.5 kg
Base Exp 184
Growth Rate Slow
Capture Rate 60
Base Happiness 70
Gender 50% ♂ / 50% ♀
Habitat Sea
Egg Groups Water3

Sprites

cloyster Front Front
cloyster Back Back
cloyster Front Shiny Front Shiny
cloyster Back Shiny Back Shiny
cloyster Official Art Official Art
cloyster Official Art (Shiny) Official Art (Shiny)

Competitive

Shell Smash Sweeper
Item
Life Orb / White Herb
Ability
Skill Link
Nature
Naughty
EVs
Atk 252
SpA 4
Spe 252

Strategy Overview

Cloyster is a unique, solid setup sweeper with Shell Smash + Skill Link on hyper offense teams. Its naturally high Defense lets it set up on physical attackers such as Zygarde-10%, Mamoswine, and Excadrill. After a Shell Smash boost, Cloyster can threaten many top UU threats such as Hippowdon, Salamence, and Amoonguss, with only a select few Pokemon able to revenge kill it at +2. However, Cloyster's lackluster Special Defense stat and initial speed prevent it from setting up against offensive teams with powerful special attackers such as Azelf, Nihilego, and Thundurus-T. Even at +2 Speed, Cloyster is outsped by common Choice Scarf users such as Zarude and Hydreigon. Cloyster cannot fit coverage for both Slowking and Primarina, and it just cannot get past checks such as Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Tentacruel. It is vulnerable to priority moves such as Lycranroc-D's Accelerock and Conkeldurr's Mach Punch, and can have its sweep cut short by status, Life Orb recoil, and entry hazards.

Most Used Moves

Ice Shard
48.4%

Most Used Items

Life Orb
15.1%

Competitive data from Smogon University via data.pkmn.cc