Cobalion Movesets & Competitive Sets

With an excellent Defense stat and a good utility movepool, Cobalion is the premier Stealth Rock setter on Fighting teams. Thunder Wave is used to slow down faster foes such as Choice Scarf Latios and Dragapult. Taunt prevents foes such as Tapu Fini and Dragonite from setting up while stopping foes such as Torkoal and Araquanid from setting entry hazards. Iron Head reduces Cobalion's passivity while also allowing it to hit Fairy-types such as Clefable and Hatterene super effectively. All of Cobalion's teammates appreciate its ability to break down teams with Stealth Rock and act as a neutrality to Fairy- and Flying-type moves. Keldeo and Urshifu-R are good teammates, as they can switch into Fire-type moves as well as threaten out Fire-types such as Heatran and Volcarona. Choice Scarf Terrakion can take on Fire-types while also providing good speed control. In return, Cobalion can paralyze faster Choice Scarf users such as Dragapult. Galarian Zapdos is a good teammate for Cobalion, as it can pressure bulkier Pokemon such as Quagsire. Thanks to its ability, Toxicroak provides an immunity to Water-type moves such as Scald. Together, they are also able to break through menacing Fairy-types such as Clefable and Hatterene. Buzzwole is also a good teammate, as it is a great asset against Flying-type teams due to its coverage in the elemental punches and Stone Edge, as well as being able to switch into powerful Ground-type attacks like Excadrill's Earthquake.

Magic Guard Cobalion trades longevity and bulk for Speed and power, acting as an excellent offensive pivot. Cobalion's average offenses are shored up by a recoil-free Life Orb boost and strong STAB moves in Steel Beam and Close Combat, giving it a surprisingly high damage output. Steel Beam hits incredibly hard, even more so with Calm Mind, and can OHKO offensive threats like Landorus-T after Stealth Rock and Tapu Koko outright. It also heavily damages defensive Pokemon like Tapu Fini and Mew. Close Combat reliably nails Steel Beam switch-ins like Heatran and Blissey. Volt Switch deals decent damage to Water- and Flying-types while also gaining momentum for the team. The last moveslot is flexible; Magic Guard and Cobalion's high Speed make it an effective user of Taunt and Stealth Rock, while Calm Mind lets Cobalion act as a wincon. A Naive nature and maximum Speed investment are used to outspeed offensive Pokemon like Zarude and Garchomp while not weakening Close Combat. While it's still a usable Knock Off switch-in, Magic Guard Cobalion relies on its Life Orb to nab crucial OHKOs and 2HKOs on Pokemon like Landorus-T and Mew, so it would prefer not to lose it. Cobalion forms a solid pivoting core with Primordial Sea Zapdos and RegenVest Swampert, both of which resist Cobalion's weaknesses and appreciate its wallbreaking power, utility, and Speed. Cobalion also forms great offensive VoltTurn cores with Pokemon like Cinderace, Azelf, and Zarude, all of which deal with common Cobalion switch-ins and appreciate the support it can provide. If running Calm Mind, entry hazard support is vital to chip checks like Zapdos and Swampert into 2HKO range; Landorus-T and Mew are excellent entry hazard setters that pair well with Cobalion. While Cobalion still has a good defensive typing and bulk, it cannot consistently check attackers like Zarude due to its lack of recovery. Defensive partners like Corviknight are thus useful.

Cobalion is a useful utility pivot, and its excellent movepool gives it a solid niche on many teams. An excellent typing and high Defense make it one of the better checks to Zarude, as well as a great switch-in to the ever-present Knock Off. Cobalion's also an effective Stealth Rock setter, pivoting checks to Defoggers in with Volt Switch or even shutting them down via Taunt. Close Combat damages Pokemon like Barraskewda and Zarude that would otherwise stay in on Cobalion. Toxic damages Pokemon like Zapdos and Swampert, which would otherwise use Defog or damage and status Cobalion with their STAB moves, while Taunt instead stops Defog or status moves from Pokemon like Corviknight and Ferrothorn. 112 Speed EVs are used to outspeed Timid Heatran as well as neutral Lucario. Rocky Helmet significantly damages many physical attackers and punishes pivot moves from Pokemon like Swampert and Corviknight. Chople Berry allows Cobalion to survive a single powerful Fighting-type attack, including a Close Combat from Terrakion or Zarude, for a surprise KO back. As a pivot and entry hazard setter, Cobalion is easy to fit on most AAA teams, which highly value both qualities, espeically in one package. It forms a great defensive pivoting core with RegenVest Swampert, which is a great blanket check to many of the special attackers that would take advantage of Cobalion's weaker Special Defense. Because Cobalion's only form of recovery is Regenerator, it synergizes well with physical walls, which can switch into Pokemon that overwhelm and force Cobalion out. Mew, Zapdos, and Tapu Fini all perform this job well, and they appreciate Cobalion switching into Knock Off for them. Zapdos deserves special mention, as Primordial Sea Zapdos is immune to or resists all of Cobalion's weaknesses (and vice versa) while providing Defog and status support as well. Like AAA's other pivots, Cobalion pairs well with offensive Pokemon that struggle to switch in, such as Talonflame and Tapu Koko. Ground-types like Swampert will often switch into Cobalion as it attempts to pivot with Volt Switch, blocking the pivot and forcing a manual switch. Teammates like Zarude and Dhelmise can handle them. Lastly, there are several physical attackers like Terrakion and Talonflame that exploit Cobalion's weaknesses, so additional physically defensive partners like Tapu Fini are appreciated.

A good Speed tier, an amazing Defense stat, good utility moves in Taunt, Stealth Rock, and Thunder Wave, and an amazing secondary typing in Steel make Cobalion one of the best defensive pivots Fighting has to offer. Stealth Rock primarily helps against threats weak to it like Choice Specs Zapdos and Alolan Ninetales. Cobalion's decent defensive stats and good Speed mean it can successfully set Stealth Rock more often than not. Iron Head helps against Fairy-types that threaten Fighting-type teams like Mega Diancie and Tapu Lele. Taunt blocks foes from using Taunt and recovery moves, as well as blocking their own entry hazards or Defog to remove Cobalion's Stealth Rock. Thunder Wave is used to cripple faster offensive threats that Cobalion fails to do much against like Deoxys-S and Latios. Volt Switch can be used in lieu of Thunder Wave, making Coballion a great defensive pivot while maintaining offensive momentum. Justified allows it to switch into weak Dark-type attacks from the likes of Mandibuzz and gain an Attack boost. A Jolly nature allows Cobalion to outspeed key threats like both Urshifu-R, Kyurem, Hydreigon, non-Choice Scarf Blacephalon, and Tapu Lele while Speed tying with Pokemon such as Keldeo and Terrakion. All of Cobalion's teammates appreciate it reliably setting up Stealth Rock while also being able to paralyze faster foes for them. Terrakion and Keldeo reliably deal with Fire-types like Volcarona and Victini that threaten Cobalion. Keldeo can also threaten Ground-types that threaten Cobalion such as Landorus and Excadrill. Both Terrakion and Keldeo also appreciate. Volt Switch Cobalion reliably pivoting into them, as do Mega Gallade and Kommo-o looking for good setup opportunities. Mega Gallade also eases matchups such as Poison and Steel where Cobalion fails to do anything significant, and Kommo-o has Taunt to take on opposing walls like Toxapex and Celesteela that deal with Cobalion. Urshifu-S, Heracross, and Buzzwole fit well on Fighting teams because they aid greatly in the Psychic-type matchup. Hawlucha is able to ease the Fighting-type mirror matchup while taking care of Fighting-types that threaten Cobalion, like opposing Keldeo and Choice Scarf users such as Heracross and Buzzwole. Lastly, Breloom can be opted for on certain teams to ease matchups such as Ground and Water where Cobalion fails to do anything of significance besides setting Stealth Rock.

Moves Stealth Rock chips Pokemon when they switch in and helps against Fire, Flying, and Bug teams, and Cobalion can set it easily with its high defenses. Taunt prevents foes from using status moves, crippling opposing walls, leads, and, most notably, Defoggers. For example, Taunt is crucial for keeping Stealth Rock in place in the matchup against Flying. Iron Head keeps Cobalion from being too passive while also hitting Fairy-type threats such as Mega Diancie and Clefable for heavy damage. Thunder Wave cripples fast threats and setup sweepers that Cobalion cannot threaten offensively, such as Latios. Volt Switch is an option over Thunder Wave as a way for Cobalion to generate momentum for the team and bring in teammates. Set Details Maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature allows Cobalion to outspeed most opposing entry hazard setters and walls, and full HP investment gives Cobalion the most bulk possible for tanking hits from both physical and special attackers. Leftovers gives Cobalion a bit more longevity with passive recovery. Justified is Cobalion's only ability, raising its Attack by one stage when hit with a Dark-type attack, which is unfortunately largely useless on Fighting teams. Usage Tips Cobalion should generally be used to lead and get Stealth Rock up as soon as possible to support the team. However, given its lack of recovery, it is crucial to preserve Cobalion carefully in matchups such as Dragon and Psychic where it is needed to check threats to the team, such as Latios. If Cobalion isn't needed to check a specific threat, its bulk and resistances can be used to switch into attacks liberally. Send Cobalion in against passive Defog users such as Mantine and Skarmory that it can Taunt and then set Stealth Rock against. Once Stealth Rock has been set, Thunder Wave can be spammed liberally to cripple foes. Iron Head and Thunder Wave can also be used together to paraflinch in a tight spot. Shutting down passive Pokemon such as Chansey and Ferrothorn with Taunt and pivoting out is a good way to bring teammates in safely. This is also important, since, even with Taunt, Cobalion will still typically lose to most walls one-on-one. Volt Switch is best used to pivot on predicted switches, since Cobalion's high Speed make it difficult to bring in teammates safely otherwise. Team Options Given Fighting's offensive nature, nearly every teammate of Cobalion benefits greatly from its capacity to set Stealth Rock dealing chip damage to their checks and counters. Revenge killers on Fighting teams, such as Choice Scarf Terrakion, Buzzwole, and Heracross, appreciate the chip damage dealt by Cobalion's Stealth Rock. In return, Terrakion can check the Fire-types that threaten Cobalion such as Victini and Volcarona. Wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Keldeo and Choice Band Infernape appreciate having foes chipped by Stealth Rock or slowed down by paralysis. Cobalion can also bring these Pokemon in safely against threats using Volt Switch. Setup sweepers such as Hawlucha, Mega Gallade, and Kommo-o benefit greatly from Cobalion's ability to chip checks such as Skarmory with Stealth Rock or provide safe setup opportunities with Volt Switch. Hawlucha in particular appreciates having paralyzed enemies to set up Substitute and ideally Swords Dance on. Breloom is another wallbreaker, providing valuable offensive utility through access to strong priority and Spore, that appreciates Cobalion's ability to bring it in against threats. Breloom, in return, also helps enormously in the Water matchup where Cobalion struggles.

Moves Calm Mind boosts Cobalion's Special Attack to high levels, enabling it to attempt a sweep after a few boosts, while simultaneously patching up Cobalion's low Special Defense to make it harder to defeat. This makes it a great tank both physically and specially, considering its excellent Defense stat. Focus Blast is a high-powered, albeit inaccurate, STAB move that deals a lot of damage after a boost. Flash Cannon is a more reliable secondary STAB move that enables Cobalion to break through Fairies and provides decent neutral coverage alongside Focus Blast. Hidden Power Ghost is the preferred option in the last slot, allowing Cobalion to beat Ghost-types that resist both of its STAB types, such as Chandelure and Jellicent. Substitute can be used instead, as it allows Cobalion to avoid status and take advantage of its excellent natural bulk and physical resistances. With a few boosts Cobalion can also set up unbreakable Substitutes against weak special attackers such as Tentacruel. Magnet Rise turns Ground-type checks such as specially defensive Gligar into setup bait, and as a result any team that relies on such Pokemon to counter Cobalion will find themselves very hard-pressed to prevent a sweep if Cobalion carries this move. Set Details Maximum Special Attack and Speed are used so that Cobalion can deal as much damage and be as fast as possible. Life Orb is recommended if running three attacks, as Cobalion really appreciates the additional power boost. However, it does compromise Cobalion's decent bulk, so Lum Berry can be used to allow Cobalion to shrug off status. This set is not badly affected by burns, so Leftovers is generally a better option than Lum Berry. Leftovers is a given if you run Substitute, though, in order to create more Substitutes. Additionally, Substitute allows Cobalion to accumulate multiple boosts, so the lack of Life Orb should not matter in the long run. Usage Tips The surprise factor of this set plays a huge role, as teams will usually expect a physical set from Cobalion and react accordingly. This Cobalion's specially based nature allows it to break through Pokemon that would wall a physical set quite handily; for example, a +1 Life Orb Focus Blast OHKOes physically defensive Swampert after Stealth Rock and Spikes. As such, it can be used to eliminate certain physical walls to open up a sweep for one of its teammates. With its high Speed, it can also attempt a sweep on its own late-game. Due to Calm Mind boosting Cobalion's Special Defense, it can set up on specially attacking walls such as Alomomola, Cresselia, and Tentacruel. At +1, it can even set up unbreakable Substitutes against them. Be wary about Scald burns from bulky Water-types, though, as even though they don't affect Cobalion's damage output, they still hinder its longevity. Team Options Entry hazards greatly aid Cobalion in its sweep, so Stealth Rock users such as Swampert and Spikes users such as Froslass and Roserade make great partners. Cobalion has common weaknesses, so Pokemon that synergize well with it defensively, such as Suicune and Swampert, are solid teammates. Special attackers such as Hydreigon and Chandelure lure in the likes of Florges and Umbreon, which Cobalion can easily set up on. Powerful physical attackers such as Heracross, Mega Aerodactyl, and Tyrantrum, which appreciate Cobalion's ability to lure in and eliminate or weaken their counters, are also excellent partners. Dark-types and Bug-types help take care of bulky Psychic-types such as Slowking and Cresselia, which are almost impossible for Cobalion to break through if they pack Calm Mind themselves. Krookodile and Escavalier in particular can heavily weaken them with Pursuit to enable Cobalion to muscle through them later.

Moves Close Combat and Iron Head are powerful STAB moves that offer good neutral coverage. Swords Dance makes Cobalion significantly more threatening; for example, with Life Orb and a +2 boost Cobalion can OHKO Mega Swampert with Close Combat after Stealth Rock damage. Stone Edge rounds out Cobalion's coverage perfectly, smashing Flying- and Fire-types such as Crobat and Entei. It also offers a neutral hit on Pokemon that resist Cobalion's STAB moves, such as Tentacruel. Substitute is an alternative over Stone Edge that allows Cobalion to avoid status and take advantage of its excellent natural bulk and physical resistances. Magnet Rise turns Ground-type counters such as Gligar and Nidoqueen into setup bait, and as a result any team that relies on such Pokemon to counter Cobalion will find themselves very hard-pressed to prevent a sweep if Cobalion carries the move. X-Scissor is another option to hit bulky Psychic-types such as Cresselia and Slowking super effectively. Stealth Rock can be run in the fourth slot if your team can't find room anywhere else and the coverage provided from Stone Edge isn't needed. Set Details Maximum Attack and Speed investment allows Cobalion to deal as much damage and be as fast as possible. Life Orb can be used if running three attacks, as Cobalion really appreciates the additional power boost. However, it does compromise Cobalion's decent bulk, so Lum Berry can be used instead to allow Cobalion to shrug off Scald burns and other status. Leftovers is recommended if you run Substitute to increase Cobalion's longevity. Additionally, Substitute can allow Cobalion to accumulate multiple boosts, so the lack of Life Orb should not matter in the long run. Usage Tips This set can either use its strong attacks early-game to punch holes in teams to open up a sweep for a team member or attempt a sweep itself late-game with its high Speed and good bulk. It's recommended to weaken Cobalion's checks and counters, such as Gligar and Swampert, as well as eliminate any possible revenge killers before attempting to sweep. Cobalion finds plenty of opportunities to come in and set up with its excellent bulk and resistances, particularly against Choice-locked Dark-type moves, which Cobalion can attempt to take advantage of with Justified to gain a useful Attack boost. While Cobalion may be outclassed by Lucario in terms of raw power, its higher bulk allows it to accumulate more boosts, and its much better Speed gives it more sweeping potential. Team Options Entry hazards greatly aid Cobalion in its sweep, so Stealth Rock users such as Swampert and Spikes users such as Froslass and Roserade make great partners. Cobalion is vulnerable to Fire-type moves and Scald, so bulky Pokemon that resist such moves, such as Suicune and Mega Blastoise, are solid teammates. Powerful special attackers such as Hydreigon and Mega Blastoise lure in the likes of Blissey and Umbreon, which Cobalion can easily set up on. As previously mentioned, it's a good idea to weaken Cobalion's counters before attempting a sweep, so powerful Choice Band users such as Heracross and Entei can be used to weaken bulky Ground-types such as Gligar, Swampert and Nidoqueen. Dark-types and Bug-types help take care of bulky Psychic-types such as Slowking and Cresselia, which are almost impossible for Cobalion to break through. Krookodile and Escavalier in particular can heavily weaken them with Pursuit to allow Cobalion to muscle past them later.

Moves Cobalion is one of the fastest users of Stealth Rock, making it an excellent choice to set it up for offensive teams. Close Combat is a high-powered STAB move. Volt Switch helps gain momentum for your team while allowing Cobalion to rack up some damage on Pokemon weak to Electric-type attacks, such as Mega Blastoise and Crobat. Iron Head is an alternative STAB move that does not lower Cobalion's defenses and provides useful coverage against Fairies, while hitting the likes of Mega Aerodactyl and Heracross harder. Taunt can be used instead of Iron Head to shut down setup sweepers, such as Cresselia and Reuniclus, and to prevent entry hazards from being set up on your side. Thunder Wave is also an option that Cobalion can use to offer useful team support. Set Details Maximum Speed and a Jolly nature allow Cobalion to maintain its crucial Speed tier, outspeeding the likes of Mienshao and Shaymin while Speed tying with Infernape and Virizion. Maximum Attack EVs are used to back up Cobalion's average Attack. Leftovers increases Cobalion's longevity, but Shuca Berry can be used instead to better check Earthquake Mega Aerodactyl. Shuca Berry also allows Cobalion to safely stay in on common switch-ins, such as Gligar, Swampert, and Nidoqueen, and use Taunt to prevent them from setting up their own entry hazards. An alternative spread of 248 HP / 28 Atk / 232 Spe with a Jolly nature is enough to outspeed Mienshao and builds on Cobalion's decent natural bulk, allowing it to take hits such as Hydreigon's Draco Meteor and Shaymin's Seed Flare better. It still OHKOes or 2HKOes frail offensive Pokemon such as Lucario, but Cobalion will be considerably weaker against defensive teams. For example, Cobalion now fails to 2HKO standard Florges with Iron Head when using this spread. Usage Tips This Cobalion plays as a fast support Pokemon. Aim to use it early-game in order to get entry hazards up and gain momentum for your team. With its great physical bulk and resistances, Cobalion should find plenty of opportunities to come in throughout the match. It checks a lot of common offensive Pokemon, such as Mega Aerodactyl, Lucario, Mega Beedrill, Kyurem, Mega Abomasnow, and Mega Sharpedo. Justified provides Cobalion with a free Attack boost when hit by a Dark-type move, so it is an excellent Knock Off absorber. Avoid using Close Combat unless it is absolutely necessary, as the resulting stat drops compromise Cobalion's good bulk and make it more susceptible to being revenge killed. Team Options Special sweepers, such as Hydreigon and Mega Sceptile, appreciate Cobalion's ability to deal with special walls, such as Blissey and Umbreon, while setting Stealth Rock to wear down their checks and counters. In general, sweepers that benefit from entry hazard support are great partners. Because Cobalion has poor Special Defense and weaknesses to common attacking types, bulky Pokemon that cover these weaknesses, such as Suicune, Mega Blastoise, and Cresselia, work well with it.

Moves Stealth Rock lets Cobalion pressure the other side of the field by breaking potential Focus Sashes on Pokemon such as Gengar and Breloom and getting chip damage. This offensive pressure is appreciated by an offensive type like Fighting. Iron Head is a STAB move and gives Cobalion coverage against Fairy-types such as Mega Gardevoir and Mega Diancie, which Fighting teams struggle against. Thunder Wave allows it to cripple faster threats such as Choice Scarf Latios, Kyurem-B, and Hoopa-U. Taunt lets it stop setup sweepers such as Gyarados and Belly Drum Azumarill from setting up, prevents defensive walls such as Porygon2 and Skarmory from recovering, and prevents entry hazards from being set up on your side. Cobalion notably is able to outspeed and Taunt leads like Mew, Skarmory, and Swampert as well as Speed tie with Galvantula to prevent entry hazards from being set up. The move also prevents status from Pokemon like Chansey, Rotom-W, and Mew. Volt Switch can be used to pick up momentum, which is useful on offensive types like Fighting. Set Details 76 Attack EVs are given to OHKO Mega Gardevoir with Iron Head after Stealth Rock. Maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature is used to maintain Cobalion's fantastic Speed tier, letting it tie with leads such as Galvantula and Infernape while outspeeding Pokemon like Mega Gardevoir and Mew. The rest of the EVs are put into HP, giving Cobalion decent bulk and letting it survive hits such as Hyper Voice from Mega Gardevoir and Earth Power from Mega Diancie. Leftovers is the item of choice, as it increases Cobalion's longevity because it has no access to reliable recovery. Usage Tips Cobalion can be used as a dedicated lead against other leads such as Galvantula, Skarmory, Mew, Forretress, and Tyranitar, which tend to set up entry hazards. Cobalion can keep these Pokemon from using their utility moves, as it's able to outspeed and Taunt them. It can also use that to take advantage of defensive Pokemon with Taunt and Thunder Wave. Cobalion should try to set up Stealth Rock as soon as possible if there is no Pokemon trying to set up entry hazards. It should also try to spread status with Thunder Wave early-game to support its team. Depending on the matchup, this can also be very crucial in paralyzing a threat that tends to switch in to Cobalion to check it. Cobalion should use Volt Switch as a way to gain momentum on predicted switches or any Pokemon that it can't beat such as Zapdos and Mega Charizard Y. Cobalion can be very useful as a pivot because it can switch in and out of attacks, which will be helpful in bringing out its teammates safely. Thunder Wave should be used to cripple faster threats like Choice Scarf Latios, Kyurem-B, and Hoopa-U. Cobalion should stay as healthy as possible in a match in order to check certain threats such as Mega Diancie and Latios; however, it needs to be at full health to do so, so you also should try to keep Cobalion from taking too much damage. Team Options Terrakion checks the Fire- and Flying-types that threaten Cobalion with its STAB Stone Edge and acts as a great late-game cleaner in general. Breloom pairs well with Cobalion, since it can check bulky Water- and Ground-types like Hippowdon, Gastrodon, Swampert, and Lanturn, as well as spreading status with Spore. It can be considered a dedicated anti-lead in some matchups where leading with Cobalion is unsafe, such as against Flying-type teams with Mega Charizard Y or Landorus-T, Fire-type teams, and Ground-type teams. Heracross has the ability to sweep through Psychic-type teams that Cobalion struggles against with its STAB Megahorn. It also acts as a status absorber for Cobalion with its ability Guts. Hawlucha deals with opposing Fighting-types with its STAB Acrobatics, as well as being able to switch into predicted Ground-type attacks. It appreciates Cobalion's support in Thunder Wave and Stealth Rock letting it set up and sweep easier. Both Mega Medicham and Mega Gallade also pair well with Cobalion; with their powerful Psychic-type STAB attacks, they can check threats like Mega Venusaur as well as opposing Fighting-types. Mega Medicham deserves a special mention due to having priority in Fake Out and Bullet Punch, which lets it pick off weakened Pokemon or check threats such as Mega Diancie and Mega Gardevoir after Fake Out damage. Mega Gallade can sweep unprepared teams with its access to Swords Dance. It can also hit Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokemon with Knock Off or Shadow Sneak. Infernape is a good partner to Cobalion as well because it has a vast movepool with access to moves like Gunk Shot, Fire Blast, Close Combat, and Grass Knot. Fire Blast and Close Combat give it coverage to beat Steel-types, all of which wall Cobalion, while Grass Knot surprises Pokemon such as Gastrodon and Slowbro and 2HKOes them.

Cobalion's best use is for its attacking power. It has great coverage against common threats, but it can sometimes fall short if not given the right support. In the fast-paced metagame of VGC 2011, where every move counts, it may not always be in your best interest to run it. However, if you're feeling bold, Cobalion is a nice high risk, high reward Pokemon. Cobalion has a fairly decent movepool that beats a lot of VGC Pokemon. Stone Edge makes both Thundurus and Tornadus worry, but its accuracy can be a pain at times. Close Combat is for those who like power, and is the preferred move because hitting hard is important in VGC. However, Sacred Sword is a totally viable option, and it gets a nice boost from Fighting Gem. Iron Head provides another STAB move, and it gives coverage against Pokemon who resist Rock- and Fighting-type moves. Cobalion's bulk is helpful for taking many of the attacks that come its way in the doubles environment. Although it isn't the strongest Pokemon out there, if played right it can be extremely deadly. With a Fighting Gem boost, Cobalion does tons of damage to even those who resist it. Close Combat with a Fighting Gem boost is insanely powerful. However, the drops in Defense and Special Defense can be a major drawback. If you're one of those players who doesn't like to switch around very much, it may be in your best interest to run Sacred Sword. You miss out on a lot of the sheer power, but in return, Cobalion stays around to take a few more hits. A Jolly nature is preferred, as it brings Cobalion up to 176 Speed, enough to outspeed Timid Hydreigon. However, an Adamant nature allows Cobalion to hit harder and gain KOs it would lose out on with a Jolly nature. With a Jolly nature and Fighting Gem, Cobalion outspeeds and OHKOs non-Chople Berry Hydreigon and other frail Pokemon. Another important thing to note is that if you're looking for someone to handle Bisharp on your team, Cobalion is your Pokemon. With its high defenses, Cobalion shrugs off Bisharp's strongest STAB attacks, and can beat it back with its powerful STAB Fighting moves.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.