Skill Link Strategy Guide

  • Thread starter Memento Mori
  • Start date
Memento Mori

Memento Mori

Reapers' Game's Producer.
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With the upcoming worldwide release of Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, the player base of the series will most likely be bigger than it has ever been. This also means that there will be a lot of people trying online battles for the first time. If you are one of those, this post is for you.

If you assume that challenging other players online is the same as challenging NPCs in games, you're in for a surprise. Online battles take more than a good understanding of types weaknesses/strengths or EV training and IV breeding. Even the most balanced team even can't always save you. There are different strategies that people can use to sweep your best team, without losing a single of their Pokemon. The Skill Link strategy is one of those.

Skill link is a Pokemon ability that ensures the multi-strikes moves of the Pokemon will always land for the maximum number of times. Thus, attacks like Bullet Seed or Rock Blast for example, with a base power of 25, will always hit 5 times, offering a constant power of 125.

Affected moves include:
  • Arm Thrust
  • Barrage
  • Bone Rush
  • Bullet Seed
  • Comet Punch
  • Double Slap
  • Fury Attack
  • Fury Swipes
  • Icicle Spear
  • Pin Missile
  • Rock Blast
  • Spike Cannon
  • Tail Slap

So far, the Pokemon that can have this ability include Shellder and Cloyster, Aipom and Ambipom as well as Minccino and Cinccino.

Out of all these, Cloyster is most commonly used for this strategy for the following reasons:

  • First of all, it can learn both Rock Blast and Icicle Spear, making it super effective against Dragon, Flying, Ice, Ground, Fire, Grass and Bug type Pokemon. Moreover, Cloyster being an Ice type Pokemon offers Icicle Spear a STAB bonus, giving it a power of 187.5.
  • Secondly, it has a high defense, which means that it can handle a good number of attacks.
  • Finally, and most importantly, Cloyster can learn Shell Smash. This move will boost the Pokemon's Attack, Special Attack, and Speed by two stages but lower its Defense and Special Defense by one stage.

Here is what I consider the best way to use this strategy.

  • Pokemon: Cloyster (Max Speed and Attack, with a Speed bosting nature)
  • Ability: Skill Link
  • Item Held: Focus Sash
  • Move Set:
  1. Shell Smash
  2. Icicle Spear
  3. Rock Blast
  4. Rapid Spin (can also be replaced with traps)
Cloyster will of course be the first Pokemon in your team.
What you do during the first turn will depend mostly on the Pokemon sent by your opponent.
  • If you believe the Pokemon of your opponent has a priority move like Extreme Speed or Bullet Punch, switch to another Pokemon right away.
  • If your opponent's Pokemon is weak to either Rock Blast or Icicle Spear and you believe it is slower than your Cloyster, hit them.
  • If it is none of the above, use Shell Smash. If you are unlucky and the opponent hits you, Focus Sash should keep you alive, which means that can KO them in the next turn (you will most likely hit first thanks to the great speed boost). However, if you are lucky and the opponent either decided to boost their own stats, switch to another Pokemon or set up traps, use another Shell Smash and you've most likely won this match. Rock Blast and Icicle Spear (provided they don't miss) will pretty much KO any Pokemon your opponent throws at you.
Best ways to counter this strategy:
  • Put Cloyster to sleep
  • Paralyze Cloyster
  • Use priority moves like Bullet Punch or Mach Punch
  • Remove Cloyster's Buffs
  • Use Trick to give Cloyster a harmful item
  • Use Skarmory to remove Cloyster from the battle and set up traps
Here is a video is you wanna check the strategy in action:
http://pokemonshowdown.com/replay/ou-52056136
 
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Reactions: Lee Sin, jandkas and Matthew
@Marc, post this in the blog...
 
Marc told me to post it here :bookworm:
 
Nice little guide, dude. I might use it if I ever find myself getting into competitive Pokémon.
 
I hope you guys find it useful :p
Just know that if you see a Cloyster using Shell Smash, you're in deep trouble :bookworm:
 
Great guide. I hate Cloyster it's one helluva physical sweeper. Best thing about Skill Link is all corresponding attacks break substitute and continue damaging the opponent.
 
@Memento Mori Don't you mean Trick or Switcheroo not Trick Room?
 
  • #10
:eek: My bad, edited.
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It's ok. :) Trick Room would help Cloyster against faster Pokémon though. :p
 
  • #11
It's ok. :) Trick Room would help Cloyster against faster Pokémon though. :p
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Shell Smash makes Cloyster faster than any Pokemon :p
 
  • #12
Shell Smash makes Cloyster faster than any Pokemon :p
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Not my speed boost Yanmega or my bullet punching Hitmontop, ;)
 
  • #13
  • #14
Not my speed boost Yanmega or my bullet punching Hitmontop, ;)
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While you protect your Yanmega, I'll be using another shell smash and give Closyter a x3 speed ;)
 
  • #15
Not my speed boost Yanmega or my bullet punching Hitmontop, ;)
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Yanmega won't even stand a single icicle spear, or not more than 2 xD A bullet punch won't kill the cloyster, have you seen it's Def stat?? It's huuuuge :O
 
  • #16
Yanmega won't even stand a single icicle spear, or not more than 2 xD A bullet punch won't kill the cloyster, have you seen it's Def stat?? It's huuuuge :O
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I meant to say Mach Punch. It's super effective. Bullet punch from a high ATK Pokemon can also work. I had to put a focus sash on my Cloyster because it couldn't take a hit. As for Yanmega, it doesn't need to. After one hypnosis, you're done for, :woot: (and my Yanmega always attacks first. Ask @Memento Mori, ;))
 
  • #17
I still beat your Yanmega :p

Also, after 2 shell smashes, Cloyster's defense is halved.
 
  • #18
I meant to say Mach Punch. It's super effective. Bullet punch from a high ATK Pokemon can also work. I had to put a focus sash on my Cloyster because it couldn't take a hit. As for Yanmega, it doesn't need to. After one hypnosis, you're done for, :woot: (and my Yanmega always attacks first. Ask @Memento Mori, ;))
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Bullet Punch is super effective as well but Cloyster's Def is too high for OHKO. Hypnosis relies too much on luck, what if it misses?
 
  • #19
Bullet Punch is super effective as well but Cloyster's Def is too high for OHKO. Hypnosis relies too much on luck, what if it misses?
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It's not super effective (steel-type move) - http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-dp/091.shtml

If you max out its HP and DEF (EVs with perfect IVs), then it can survive.
Hypnosis relies too much on luck, what if it misses?
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I give my Yanmega an item that increases accuracy. Still, it can miss, however, it hits most of the time.
 
  • #20
It's not super effective (steel-type move) - http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-dp/091.shtml

If you max out its HP and DEF (EVs with perfect IVs), then it can survive.

I give my Yanmega an item that increases accuracy. Still, it can miss, however, it hits most of the time.
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oh, my bad...yeah steel isn't super effective. Yep, and Showdown lets you put in your preferred EV and IVs. :D You are making your Yanmega invincible aren't you. :D
 
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