Chikorita Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Because being a bulky cleric is Chikorita's main niche, Aromatherapy is the obvious first choice. Synthesis gives Chikorita a mostly reliable form of recovery. Giga Drain is the STAB move of choice, allowing Chikorita to threaten Water-, Rock-, and Ground-types and giving it a bit of extra recovery. The last move is mostly filler. Using Hidden Power Fire means that Chikorita isn't completely deadweight against opposing Grass- and Steel-types such as Ferroseed, Foongus, and Pawniard. Hidden Power Fighting is another option, still hitting Steel-types and also OHKOing Choice Scarf Pawniard after Stealth Rock. Unfortunately, Hidden Power is quite weak, but Chikorita doesn't get too many other options. Set Details The defensive EVs give Chikorita 16 and 14 in Defense and Special Defense respectively, which become 24 and 21 after Eviolite is taken into account, allowing it to avoid the 2HKO from bulky Chinchou's Ice Beam as well as Drilbur's and Timburr's Poison Jab. Chikorita can also avoid the OHKO from powerful moves such as Amaura's Tri Attack, Fletchling's Acrobatics, and +2 Tirtouga's Stone Edge. Chikorita is bulky enough to serve as a strong physical wall to anything that does not have a super effective STAB move or that can't set up on it. Chikorita's HP stat hits 23, meaning it takes 1 less damage from Stealth Rock than if it were invested fully. 48 Special Attack EVs are necessary to 2HKO Ferroseed and Choice Scarf Pawniard with Hidden Power Fire. They also allow Chikorita to OHKO Choice Scarf Pawniard with Hidden Power Fighting. Usage Tips Chikorita works as a wall that can switch into the Water-, Rock-, and Ground-types that it can easily put a stop to throughout the match, using Aromatherapy or Synthesis when needed. Team Options Pokemon that hate status and are weak to Water-, Ground-, and Rock-types appreciate Chikorita as a partner. Pawniard is an example of a Pokemon that hates being burned and needs a Pokemon to switch into Ground-type moves. Rock-types can switch into Flying- and Fire- types for Chikorita and need something to switch into Water- and Ground-types. As with most bulky Grass-type Pokemon, Chikorita works well in a Fire / Water / Grass core, due to the members' good defensive type synergy. Ponyta hates Toxic and paralysis, while bulky Tirtouga hates Toxic and burns, so they make good partners to Chikorita.

Using its exceptional bulk, great defensive movepool, and useful defensive typing, Chikorita is a very hard wall to tear down. Using Aromatherapy, Chikorita can remove status from its whole team, proving effective on stall teams and hyper offense teams that are scared of paralysis. Its Grass typing in tandem with Aromatherapy allows Chikorita to wall and defeat common offensive and defensive threats, namely Slowpoke, Staryu, Chinchou, Diglett, Drilbur, and Hippopotas. It can also spread status in the form of Toxic, which is beneficial for teams with a plethora of Fake Out and Protect users. Chikorita does have trouble with some Pokemon, however. Almost any Steel-type walls and sets up on Chikorita; Bronzor can set up Stealth Rock, Pawniard can set up Swords Dance, and Magnemite can set up Substitute. Ferroseed is especially tricky for Chikorita, as its Grass typing means Giga Drain will do abysmal damage. For this reason, using Hidden Power Fire instead of Toxic is an option if your team has trouble with Steel-types. As an alternative, you can pair Chikorita up with Magnemite or a Fire-type, such as Houndour to help with the aforementioned threats. Chikorita's impressive movepool grants it Bullet Seed, Leech Seed, Grass Whistle, and Counter, which might be usable with special team support. Using a teammate with Sunny Day is helpful to aid Synthesis's healing capabilities as well as eliminate harmful weather conditions. Munchlax is a good teammate, as with Thick Fat, it takes only half damage from Ice- and Fire-type attacks, and it can check Gastly and Ferroseed quite well using Pursuit and Fire Punch, respectively. Ponyta can check Snover and Steel-types, and it can set up sun for both itself and Chikorita to enjoy.

The goal of this set is to set up both Reflect and Light Screen. Leaf Storm is a good STAB attack that can hit Pokemon such as Chinchou hard, and the drop in Special Attack doesn't matter much since Chikorita won't need to attack very often. Magic Coat allows this set to function effectively as a lead. Chikorita can reflect status and entry hazards, which allows it to play a key role in the team. If not in the lead position, it is useful for reflecting the occasional Taunt that would prevent the setup of screens. Both Synthesis and Giga Drain can be run on the set so Chikorita can regain HP, allowing it to set-up screens multiple times throughout the course of the battle. The specified EVs and nature give Chikorita maximum bulk. Its relatively high defenses allow it to fulfill its role as a dual screener. A Bold nature can be used to boost Defense, whereas a Calm nature can be used to boost Special Defense. Dual screens, Magic Coat, and decent bulk allow Chikorita to deal with threats such as Cottonee that are not carrying Hidden Power Fire or Ice. Magic Coat tends to be less useful outside of leading or checking Cottonee, so if not used as a lead, Synthesis is the preferred option. Anything that appreciates dual screens appreciates Chikorita support, though Chikorita is best used when you want to keep Stealth Rock off the field or when its teammates have better synergy with it than other Pokemon carrying screens, such as Bronzor. Water-type sweepers such as Mantyke, Chinchou, and Shellder appreciate Chikorita's ability to take Grass-, Electric-, and Ground-type hits. Aside from Water-type sweepers, Pokemon such as Vullaby are good partners, as under screens, they will find themselves able to set up multiple times, making them extremely dangerous. Steel- and Dragon-type set-up sweepers such as Dratini also benefit from having Chikorita on their team, as Dragon-types can switch in on Fire-type attacks directed at Chikorita, while Steel-types can switch into Ice-type attacks. Pokemon that can offer Wish support, such as Lickitung, allow Chikorita without Synthesis to set up screens multiple times, thanks to the added survivability.

With a shallow offensive movepool to choose from, supporting the team is sadly the only role Chikorita plays well. This set utilizes its bulk and helps the rest of the team by setting up dual screens. Both Reflect and Light Screen are very useful tools in Little Cup, and with them set up, fellow team members will find sweeping much easier. The idea is to bring Chikorita into bulky Water- or Ground-types, such as Chinchou or Sandshrew, and set up. Alternatively, it can hit back with Leaf Storm, packing 140 Base Power, which is sure to make a huge dent or even KO frail Pokemon that don't resist it. Worry Seed definitely deserves to be on this set, helping Chikorita escape from Pokemon such as Diglett and Wynaut by changing their ability to Insomnia. Oran Berry is a real asset to Chikorita since it increases its longevity substantially, although Light Clay is an alternative that can give your team those vital extra turns of dual screens. Chikorita does not need to invest at all in its offensive stats, mainly because it lacks good coverage and should stick to its role as a team supporter. Synthesis can be used instead of Worry Seed if you feel the need to preserve Chikorita for longer periods of time, although very rarely does Chikorita get a safe switch in. When it does, setting up screens should be its primary goal. Toxic can put pressure on the opponent's team, limiting the amount of time they can stay on the battlefield, although it is worth noting that Chikorita's most common switch-ins, Bronzor and Croagunk, are both immune to Toxic. Pokemon that can take Fire- and Poison-type attacks aimed at Chikorita are of great use as teammates. An example of this is Houndour, which can absorb incoming Fire-type attacks for a Flash Fire boost and proceed to sweep, while Chikorita can easily switch into bulky Water-type Pokemon that threaten Houndour. Gligar can take a Poison Jab aimed at Chikorita from Croagunk and KO back with Earthquake. Choice Scarf sweepers such as Machop and Mankey make full use of the screens set up by Chikorita and can survive for longer, enabling them to fire off more attacks.