Cofagrigus Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Shadow Ball is Cofagrigus's main STAB move, with few strong Pokemon resisting it in the UU tier. Never-Ending Nightmare deals huge damage after a Nasty Plot boost to even the bulkiest of targets, provided that they do not resist Ghost. Hidden Power Fighting deals super effective damage to Dark- and Normal-types like Krookodile and Bewear that resist or are immune to Shadow Ball. Nasty Plot raises Cofagrigus's Special Attack by two stages, letting it do huge amounts of damage to foes. For four turns, Trick Room often makes Cofagrigus the fastest Pokemon on the field, which is perfect for a late-game sweep after a Nasty Plot boost or two. Set Details Maximum investment in HP improves Cofagrigus's overall bulk as much as possible. 252 Special Attack EVs along with a Quiet nature let it hit as hard as possible in its attempt to sweep late-game. The Quiet nature also couples with its 0 Speed IVs in hopes of making Cofagrigus the fastest Pokemon under Trick Room at all times. Ghostium Z allows Cofagrigus to break past bulkier targets like Primarina, Amoonguss, and Togekiss that may get in the way of its sweep, as well as reducing the Base Power of opposing Knock Off. Mummy lets Cofagrigus check Scizor, Flame Orb Heracross, and Dragon Dance Mega Altaria more effectively, as they largely rely on their abilities to deal damage. Usage Tips It is preferable to bring Cofagrigus in to clean up late-game after opposing dedicated special walls and Dark-types have been weakened to the point that they can no longer stand in the way of a sweep. Set up Nasty Plot and Trick Room against Pokemon such as Infernape, Cobalion, and Mienshao that deal minimal amounts of damage to Cofagrigus. Always keep an eye out for other setup opportunities such as a Latias or Choice Scarf Hydreigon using Draco Meteor and dropping its Special Attack by two stages. It is ideal to keep Cofagrigus healthy if aiming to sweep with it late-game. Cofagrigus can be used to check Pokemon like Scizor and Mega Aerodactyl in a pinch, but this should really only be done if sweeping later on is out of the question. Team Options Cofagrigus fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate its ability to clean late-game and act as a blanket check to physical attackers if need be. Fighting-types like Cobalion and Infernape are great partners, as they can threaten special walls like Blissey and Alolan Muk that halt any attempt at a Cofagrigus sweep while also checking Dark-types. Physical wallbreakers such as Terrakion and Crawdaunt can break through special walls to aid Cofagrigus in cleaning later on. Klefki can check Dark-types and set up Spikes to whittle down the opposing team; in return, Cofagrigus can block Rapid Spin attempts and pivot out. Blissey lures like Superpower Nidoking and Block Slowbro are much appreciated, as they can potentially eliminate one of Cofagrigus's most sturdy counters. Choice Scarf Hydreigon lures in the special walls that Cofagrigus hates so that the team's physical attackers can break past them; Hydreigon also lures opposing Draco Meteors, often presenting Cofagrigus with setup opportunities. Other U-turn users such as Gligar and Scizor can provide Cofagrigus with free switches into favorable positions, potentially leading to a sweep. Stealth Rock setters like Empoleon and Nihilego help ensure Cofagrigus OHKOs on Hydreigon and Krookodile with +2 Hidden Power Fighting, often providing the small amount of chip damage necessary to do so. Entry hazards can hinder Cofagrigus's ability to set up by whittling it down over time, so hazard removal options such as Tentacruel and Hydreigon pair nicely.

Moves Trick Room is used to support Cofagrigus's slower teammates like Hoopa, Dhelmise, Golurk, and Alolan Marowak by making up for their poor Speed and therefore turning them into potent offensive threats. Toxic Spikes puts pressure on tough matchups such as Fairy and Normal by poisoning grounded foes. Hex is Cofagrigus's only attacking move and allows it to do a lot of damage by taking advantage of the status induced by its Toxic Spikes. Memento allows Cofagrigus to support a teammate such as Alolan Marowak by lowering the opposing Pokemon's offensive stats and bringing said teammate in safely after setting Trick Room. Set Details Maximum HP and Defense investment along with a Relaxed nature makes Cofagrigus as physically bulky as possible and lets it comfortably switch into physical attackers such as Landorus-T, Alolan Muk, and Scizor while outspeeding foes such as Mega Sableye and Ferrothorn under Trick Room. Darkinium Z powers Memento up into Z-Memento, allowing Cofagrigus to support a worn-down teammate by restoring its health. Mummy is particularly useful for crippling ability-reliant Pokemon such as Mega Altaria, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Pinsir. Usage Tips Cofagrigus should use its good bulk to look for opportunities to set up Trick Room and Toxic Spikes throughout a match in order to support its teammates. It should generally try to switch in on physical attackers such as Mega Aerodactyl and defensive Pokemon such as Porygon2, as they all fail to 2HKO it. In matchups such as Fairy, Normal, Fighting, and Bug, Cofagrigus should take full advantage of Toxic Spikes by setting them early-game. This is also beneficial for using Toxic Spikes as a way to boost Hex's damage output. However, be wary of Taunt users such as Gliscor, Tapu Koko, and Mew that try to stop Cofagrigus from setting up Trick Room, and switch out to a teammate that can handle said Taunt user. As this set cannot properly take advantage of Trick Room itself, Z-Memento should be used after using Trick Room in order to preserve turns of Trick Room for Cofagrigus's teammates such as Alolan Marowak to take advantage of, and it notably helps if said teammate is significantly worn down. Cofagrigus should aim to cripple Pokemon that are reliant on their abilities to function using Mummy, namely Mega Altaria, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Pinsir, as well as other abilities such as Mimikyu's Disguise and Dragonite's Multiscale. Team Options Alolan Marowak is the main Pokemon to benefit from Trick Room on Trick Room Ghost teams. Using its low Speed and high damage output, it becomes a dangerous wallbreaker able to dismantle types such as Normal and Steel with Swords Dance. Hoopa's lackluster Speed makes it another potent Pokemon to take advantage of Cofagrigus's Trick Room while also being able to set up Trick Room itself if Cofagrigus ever fails to set it. Mega Sableye is able to check Dark-type Pokemon such as Hydreigon and Greninja that threaten Cofagrigus and switch in on Taunt users such as Crobat and Mew that prevent Cofagrigus from setting its Trick Room. Mimikyu's Fairy-type STAB move along with its ability in Disguise makes it a perfect check to Dark-type Pokemon such as Mega Sharpedo and Hydreigon that Cofagrigus dislikes dealing with. It is also able to serve as a secondary Trick Room setter that can support the team if Cofagrigus is ever unable to set it. Gengar and Blacephalon are faster offensive Ghost-type Pokemon that are able to revenge kill faster Pokemon for Cofagrigus such as Hydreigon, Tapu Koko, and Mega Charizard Y outside of Trick Room. They also appreciate Cofagrigus's Toxic Spikes that gradually wear the team down for them to sweep easier. Golurk provides Stealth Rock support, which helps it by chipping Pokemon that Cofagrigus forces out.

Moves Will-O-Wisp inflicts burns on opposing Pokemon, allowing Cofagrigus to cripple several physical attackers such as Mega Glalie and make itself much harder to take down. Hex is a strong Ghost-type move that takes advantage of Cofagrigus's ability to spread status, hitting hard against anything that doesn't resist it. Shadow Ball, however, is a more consistent STAB move, albeit sometimes weaker. Pain Split serves as a shaky yet usable form of recovery if Cofagrigus is weakened, healing its own HP and damaging opposing threats, which works well with Cofagrigus's low base HP. Haze prevents Cofagrigus from becoming setup fodder, resetting the stat boosts of setup sweepers. Toxic Spikes allows Cofagrigus to spread poison to the opposing team, although with Venusaur being relatively common, it must be used carefully. Knock Off allows Cofagrigus to remove items and cripple or weaken certain Pokemon, such as Togetic and Gurdurr. Set Details Maximum investment in HP and Defense along with a Bold nature maximizes Cofagrigus's physical bulk to allow it to effectively take on common physical attackers in the tier, such as Mega Glalie, Medicham, Escavalier, and Rhyperior. Leftovers serves as a form of passive recovery for Cofagrigus and allows it to take hits slightly more effectively. Usage Tips Cofagrigus should be used to switch into something it can check, such as Accelgor, Hitmonlee, Medicham, or Mega Glalie, and attempt to wall it. From there, it should be used to spread burns or use Toxic Spikes as a means of spreading crippling status. If Cofagrigus carries Knock Off, it is advised to use it to cripple opposing Pokemon by removing their items. When Cofagrigus's HP reaches a low point from a powerful attack, Pain Split should be used to restore it. Haze should also be used when necessary to prevent opposing Pokemon from using Cofagrigus as setup bait. Team Options Diancie is a very good teammate for Cofagrigus, since it has the sheer special bulk to deal with special attackers that Cofagrigus cannot and also has access to Stealth Rock. Thanks to its resistances, it can take on Dark-types such as Houndoom that trouble Cofagrigus, overall providing solid synergy with it. Mega Audino is also a viable candidate for this job, since it can pass a Wish to compensate for Cofagrigus's lack of reliable recovery. Other Wish users such as Alomomola are also useful to help keep Cofagrigus healthy. Steelix and Registeel also make for good teammates, since they can take on several of the threats that trouble Cofagrigus, such as Jolteon and, in the latter's case, Venusaur. Both can also set up Stealth Rock to utilize Cofagrigus's ability to force switches. In addition, Spikes is also a useful form of support. Qwilfish and Roselia can both lay down Spikes effectively.

Moves Trick Room allows slower Pokemon to move first, making it an excellent move in conjunction with Cofagrigus's low Speed. Shadow Ball is a consistent STAB move that also has a chance to lower the foe's Special Defense. Nasty Plot boosts Cofagrigus's Special Attack by two stages, making it a good sweeper under Trick Room. Hidden Power Fighting allows Cofagrigus to hit Dark-, and Normal-types for super effective damage. Will-O-Wisp is also an option, as it allows Cofagrigus to cripple physical attackers. Set Details Leftovers is the chosen item because it gives Cofagrigus a form of passive recovery. The given EVs allow Cofagrigus to have as much offensive power as possible while retaining some bulk. A Quiet nature and 0 Speed IVs are chosen to ensure Cofagrigus is as quick as possible under Trick Room. Usage Tips Cofagrigus should attempt to set Trick Room up as early as possible should it be attempting to support its teammates. However, should Cofagrigus be attempting to sweep, it should set up a Nasty Plot before using Trick Room, as that allows Cofagrigus to have four turns under Trick Room with a boost. Don't be afraid to sack Cofagrigus early on for the sake of letting your Trick Room sweepers have extra turns under Trick Room. However, should Cofagrigus be needed later on to set Trick Room, don't hesitate to preserve it. Team Options Trick Room sweepers, such as Choice Band Escavalier and Swords Dance Rhyperior, make for good teammates, as they take advantage of Trick Room. Cofagrigus thrives on Trick Room, making additional Trick Room setters, such as Reuniclus and Cresselia, good partners. Cofagrigus has issues getting past Dark-types, therefore, Pokemon that can deal with Dark-types, such as Aromatisse and Pangoro, make for good teammates. Cofagrigus can sweep more easily with entry hazard support, making entry hazard setters such as Forretress and Bronzong good teammates.

Moves Trick Room supports slow teammates by allowing them and Cofagrigus to move before faster foes. Will-O-Wisp neuters the damage output of physical attackers and inflicts residual damage. Shadow Ball is an offensive option that generally deals more damage than Night Shade; however, Night Shade's fixed damage is better against Dark-types and foes with high Special Defense. Ally Switch helps minimize the damage both Cofagrigus and its partner take by causing the foe's moves to mistarget. Protect shields Cofagrigus from a threat, allowing its partner to eliminate the threat or switch into a teammate with a more favorable matchup. Disable prevents a foe from using their most recently used move, which is especially potent against Choice-locked Pokemon. Set Details The given EV spread with a Relaxed nature allows Cofagrigus to, 93.7% of the time, survive Life Orb Bisharp's Knock Off as well as Aegislash's Shadow Ball. Mental Herb is used primarily to stop Taunt from preventing Cofagrigus from setting up Trick Room. If Taunt is unconcerning, Sitrus Berry can be used instead to improve Cofagrigus's longevity. Attack and Speed IVs of 0 are used to minimize both Foul Play and confusion damage and make Cofagrigus as fast as possible under Trick Room, respectively. Usage Tips Cofagrigus should mostly be used in the lead position alongside a Fake Out user in order to provide the greatest chance of setting up Trick Room. Will-O-Wisp is pretty spammable and should be used liberally. Shadow Ball or Night Shade should generally only be used to drop a foe into KO range for a partner or to break a Substitute. Frequent use of Ally Switch may be tempting, but it shouldn't be overly relied upon in case your opponent catches on and starts to predict its use. Team Options Hariyama and Scrafty can use Fake Out to help Cofagrigus set up Trick Room and, as Fighting-types, can handle Dark-types that threaten Cofagrigus. Fairy-types such as Sylveon, Mega Mawile, and Azumarill are also effective at dealing with Dark-types. Using a Dark-type of your own such as Scrafty, Tyranitar, or Bisharp can be worthwhile as well to help deal with opposing Ghost-types. Users of redirection moves, such as Rage Powder Amoonguss, can redirect super effective hits to help Cofagrigus set up Trick Room. Spread attackers that can take quick advantage of Trick Room's limited turns such as Mega Camerupt, Heatran, and Abomasnow also make for potent allies. Hariyama and Heatran are especially notable teammates, as their abilities, Guts and Flash Fire, respectively, are activated by Cofagrigus's Will-O-Wisp.

This set aims to set up Trick Room, and is very effective at this role. With Cofagrigus's low Speed, Trick Room is perfect for it. Shadow Ball provides Cofagrigus with a solid STAB move, in addition to hitting common Pokemon such as Jellicent and Chandelure for super effective damage. Will-O-Wisp neuters threats such as Scrafty and Bisharp, who threaten Cofagrigus with Dark-type moves. The last move is mainly filler, with Protect being used to allow your partner to KO a threat, or stall out an opposing team's Tailwind. Calm Mind boosts Cofagrigus's Special Defense and Special Attack to increasingly high levels, which, when coupled with its high Defense, will make it hard to KO. Hidden Power Fighting mitigates Cofagrigus's vulnerability to Dark-type enemies, including Scrafty, Hydreigon, and the 4x weak Bisharp. Mental Herb allows Cofagrigus to set up Trick Room with impunity, since most Pokemon cannot OHKO it, even when double targeted by both enemies. If you have Fake Out support, however, a Sitrus Berry would be best to increase Cofagrigus's longevity. Sassy and max Special Defense EVs are used to reinforce Cofagrigus's weaker Special Defense, leaving physical defense to be covered by Cofagrigus's impressive base 145 Defense. However, if using Calm Mind, some EVs should be diverted from Special Defense to Defense, as Calm Mind can be relied on to enhance Cofagrigus's Special Defense. Kasib and Colbur Berry are options to prevent Cofagrigus from getting OHKOed by Ghost- or Dark-type attacks. Anything that can ease Cofagrigus's job of setting up Trick Room is greatly appreciated. Good examples of such support include Scrafty's Fake Out and Amoonguss's Rage Powder. One of the few things that could (potentially) KO Cofagrigus is a Heat Wave / Water Spout combo from Chandelure and Jellicent, respectively. In addition to its role of providing Fake Out support, Scrafty can beat the aforementioned attack combo by OHKOing Chandelure or severely weakening Jellicent and its Water Spout with Crunch.

Its pure Ghost typing gives Cofagrigus an immunity to Fake Out. This, combined with Cofagrigus's immense bulk, almost guarantees that it will be able to set up Trick Room on turn one. Will-O-Wisp takes care of physical attackers that would normally pose a threat to Cofagrigus, most notably Tyranitar. Shadow Ball is Cofagrigus's best attacking move and does a decent amount of damage to Pokemon such as Latios and Cresselia. Protect can come in handy to avoid an obvious super effective attack while Cofagrigus's ally attacks or sets up. On the other hand, Hidden Power Fighting allows Cofagrigus to dent the Dark- and Steel-type Pokemon that give it trouble. A Sassy nature and maximum Special Defense EVs nearly even out Cofagrigus's defenses, allowing it to survive strong super effective attacks, such as Shadow Balls from Chandelure and Gengar. As Cofagrigus's only real strength is setting up Trick Room, any item that makes this easier is a viable option. Mental Herb is the best item for Cofagrigus, as it is an obvious target for Taunt. However, Spore and Sleep Powder also hamper its ability to set up Trick Room, making Lum Berry a viable option if you are afraid of Amoonguss, Breloom, or Venusaur ruining Cofagrigus's day. A Kasib or a Colbur Berry can be used to weaken Ghost- or Dark-type attacks, respectively, such as Choice Specs-boosted attacks from Chandelure or Hydreigon. A Sitrus Berry can also help Cofagrigus stick around for longer, especially if it has Fake Out support to stop incapacitating moves, such as Taunt and Spore. Finally, Hidden Power Fire and Ice are both good options to use in place of Hidden Power Fighting, depending on the needs of your team. Pokemon with Fake Out and the ability to hit Ghost-, Dark-, Normal-, and Steel-types super effectively, such as Scrafty and Hitmontop, are ideal partners for Cofagrigus. Follow Me and Rage Powder users can also aid Cofagrigus in setting up Trick Room by redirecting super effective attacks away from it. Lastly, Amoonguss is a great partner, as it has low Speed to work well in Trick Room, as well as the ability to reliably put foes to sleep with Spore.