Chingling Movesets & Competitive Sets

This is a basic utility set. Hypnosis is always great to have, as sleep can immobilize most foes as well as allowing other Pokemon on your team to set up more comfortably. Use Reflect or Light Screen depending on the Pokemon you're facing, judging on their use of physical or special moves, to soften blows to Chingling. The key factor is to make good use of your time while you have the dual screens up. Don't lollygag around with Chingling--switch to something that can set up with these barriers placed. Chingling can use Wish over Psychic; although this change leaves it without any attacks, passing Wishes is a nice option to have. This also gives you more incentive to use Chingling over other Levitating Psychic-types such as Bronzor and Baltoy, besides Hypnosis and less common weaknesses. If your team is solid in physical or special defense, you can use Wish over Reflect or Light Screen and keep Psychic. There are several more options. Chingling could run Magic Coat, Recycle (while using an Oran Berry instead of an Eviolite), Knock Off, or even Taunt. A Calm nature can be used for taking special hits better instead of physical ones. Chingling's vast defensive movepool can lead to a variety of interesting movesets, but most besides the one listed above are impractical.

This set attempts to make Chingling as useful as it possibly can be, and in some ways, the set succeeds. With its passable defenses, Chingling can take hits and strike back with its array of support options. Hypnosis and Thunder Wave are the two status moves on this set. After hopefully surviving an attack, use Hypnosis to put the opposing Pokemon to sleep. The opponent will hopefully switch out to another Pokemon, which can then be paralyzed by Thunder Wave, unless it is immune to Electric-type moves, such as Chinchou and Ground-type Pokemon. With two Pokemon of the opposing team afflicted with status, Chingling's teammates should have an easier time setting up and sweeping. Heal Bell can remove any inconvenient status afflicting Chingling's teammates, whereas Substitute eases prediction on a switch—Chingling often only gets one chance to inflict status, so it would be unfortunate to have this chance rendered useless by Mankey or a Ground-type. It also helps Chingling avoid the ubiquitous Sucker Punch, allowing it one more shot at inflicting the opponent with status. Psychic ensures that Chingling does not become useless when Taunted, however unlikely an occurrence that may be. Knock Off is an option over Heal Bell if Scarfed Pokemon particularly threaten your team. However, Heal Bell is usually the superior support option. As Chingling's defenses are not particularly stellar, it should be switching in only on resistances or immunities. Thankfully, Ground is a relatively common attacking type. Any Choice-locked Ground-type attack provides a free switch-in to Chingling and an opportunity to inflict status upon the opponent. Switching in on Fighting-types is also an option, but some Fighting-types, such as Machop, are powerful enough to break through Chingling's defenses regardless of resistance. Additionally, some opponents possess other threatening options that can easily take down Chingling; one example is Croagunk with Dark Pulse. Houndour makes a fantastic partner to Chingling. Chingling is not only resistant or immune to Fighting- and Ground-type attacks, two of Houndour's most common weaknesses, but it also benefits from Houndour's ability to severely damage the opponent. Carvanha works in a similar fashion, but does not lure the Ground-type attacks that Chingling craves. While not having the typing synergy that Houndour possesses, Dratini can run amok against statused teams, especially after a Dragon Dance.