Legendary Pokémon

Pokemon of the Week DP: Milotic

Sets

Standard Bulky Water

Item Held

Leftovers

Nature

Bold (+Defense, -Attack)

Effort Points

240 Defense - 148 HP - 122 Special Attack

• Surf
• Ice Beam
• Hypnosis
• Recover

This set has been the standard for Milotic in Advance and remains unchanged in D/P. With Hypnosis becoming 10% more accurate, Recover and awesome tanking abilities, Milotic will really slow down your opponent's team. Surf is obviously here for STAB and Ice Beam is mainly for the Dragons. About the EP spread and the nature now, the ones suggested above are the standard as it allows you to survive Garchomp's Earthquake after a Swords Dance and OHKOs it with Ice Beam (assuming max IVs). However, they may be changed according to your preference depending on what you want your Milotic to counter. Another suggested spread is 252 HP - 252 Special Defense - 6 Special Attack with a Calm Nature which makes Milotic a fine SpecsMence counter.

Mirror Coat

Item Held

Leftovers

Nature

Bold (+Defense, -Attack)

Effort Points

252 HP - 232 Defense - 26 Special Attack

• Surf
• Mirror Coat
• Ice Beam
• Recover

Much like the previous set, but functions differently. You have to try to bring your Milotic in on a Will-O-Wisp/Toxic or just switch in on Toxic Spikes to activate Marvel Scale. Then, you'll have a huge Defense stat, forcing your opponent to hit you with a Special Attack. Then, Milotic can counter that hit with Mirror Coat and Recover off the damage. Sure, not as reliable as the first set, but it can score an unexpected KO.

You may ask why not use Flame Orb instead of Leftovers and hope for a status inducing move by the opponent. The reason is really simple. The passive damage that Milotic will take each turn will eat its HP faster than you thought giving it problems against powerful hits.

Sleep Talker

Item Held

Leftovers

Nature

Bold (+Defense, -Attack)

Effort Points

252 HP - 232 Defense - 26 Special Attack

• Surf
• Rest
• Sleep Talk
• Ice Beam

With Rest activating Marvel Scale, Milotic makes a great Physical Wall. However you must be able to predict when you'll need to use Rest as a single mistake can get your Milotic knocked out.

Other Possible Options

Other than Surf and Ice Beam, Dragon Pulse and Hidden Power Electric are the only useful Special moves Milotic can get, but their use is occasional at best. Toxic is also a move that you should consider using over Ice Beam if your team has no Salamence/Garchomp problems. Milotic can annoy with Confuse Ray too if you want. Light Screen gives a nice Special Defense boost to the rest of your team and Safeguard prevents status inducing moves. This is not always good though as you'll want to activate Marvel Scale most of the time. Finally, Haze is an option but Vaporeon and Weezing are much better at it.

Counters

Metagross and Electivire's Thunderpunch is probably the best way to take Milotic down if it hasn't activated Marvel Scale. A Zapdos with Sleep Talk is also an awesome counter as it has no problem getting a Hypnosis too. Raikou can Substitute to avoid Hypnosis, Calm Mind up easily and OHKO. Magnezone can use Substitute and hit as well.

Charge Beam Cresselia makes a quite good counter. Blissey can wall Milotic while waking up any Pokémon affected by Hypnosis with its Aromatherapy. Empoleon and Starmie's Grass Knot, Ludicolo's Energy Ball, Abomasnow's Wood Hammer and even a Life Orb boosted Energy Ball/Thunderbolt by Gengar will do the job. Finally, most Rest + Sleep Talk users won't have many problems against Milotic.

Opinion & Notes

Unfortunately, the generation jump gave Milotic a lot of new things to worry. Physical Electric and Grass moves, Tyranitar's Special Defense boost, Choice Specs boosted Draco Meteor and Garchomp's Life Orb boosted Earthquake are not going to help Milotic walling whole teams as it did in Advance. Certainly, it got a 10% boost in Hypnosis' accuracy but compared to Slack Off that Slowbro gained and to Stealth Rock and Avalanche that Swampert did, it's not that much. However, Milotic is still a pretty solid defensive option when used correctly.

Note that Hypnosis and Mirror Coat cannot be used in the same set.

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