Musharna Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Calm Mind allows Musharna to take advantage of its great bulk and good matchup versus Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Victreebel, and Cryogonal to set up and break through opposing teams. Dazzling Gleam allows Musharna to hit Dark-types such as Skuntank and Absol, which would otherwise wall and Pursuit trap it. Set Details Maximum Defense and HP investment with a Bold nature allows Musharna to take on physical attackers as well as possible, avoiding a 2HKO from Kangaskhan's Double-Edge and an OHKO from +2 Lycanroc's Splintered Stormshards. Fairium Z allows Musharna to use a more powerful Twinkle Tackle capable of OHKOing Absol, Sableye, and Alolan Persian without chip damage or Calm Mind boosts. It also allows Musharna to take less damage from Knock Off from Pokemon such as Gurdurr, prevents Pokemon such as Rotom-F from using Trick to cripple it with a Choice Scarf, and allows Musharna to deal with Skuntank better, having a chance to OHKO Skuntank at +1 after Stealth Rock damage. A Colbur Berry can be run instead if another Pokemon is using a Z-Crystal to allow +1 Musharna to survive +2 Black Hole Eclipse from Alolan Persian and Choice Band-boosted Knock Off from Absol while giving Musharna a one-time buffer against Pursuit users such as Absol and Skuntank. Synchronize allows Musharna to punish Pokemon such as Mudsdale and Claydol for using Toxic against it. Usage Tips Calm Mind Musharna will often struggle early-game to break teams featuring Pokemon such as Bronzor, Metang, and Clefairy, due to their ability to Toxic stall Musharna without repercussions from Synchronize; Clefairy can also use Calm Mind itself to PP stall Musharna. Early- and mid-game, Musharna should instead be used to check Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Hitmonchan for its teammates if necessary; however, it should be wary of switching in too often due to the low PP of Moonlight, especially when entry hazards are present. Musharna should avoid setting up on Pokemon that carry Toxic such as Mudsdale and Regirock if possible, as it will need multiple turns to break through such Pokemon due to its low initial power. However, Synchronize will poison them back, which Musharna's teammates can potentially take advantage of. Furthermore, if Musharna's team features a cleric, Musharna can more freely do this. Musharna should also avoid trying to set up in hail due to the reduced healing from Moonlight. Musharna should instead prioritize setting up on targets such as Cryogonal, non-Toxic Hitmonchan, and Primeape that have already locked into a move due to their low damage output versus Musharna. If defensive checks to Musharna such as Metang and Toxic Audino or offensive checks such as Stoutland are still present, however, it is wiser for Musharna to either double switch, heal itself with Moonlight, or directly attack on the switch. If Musharna is running Fairium Z, it should prioritize using Twinkle Tackle against Pokemon such as Absol and Skuntank, as these Pokemon can otherwise Pursuit trap Musharna or cripple it with Choice Band-boosted Dark-type moves. The Z-Move allows Musharna to OHKO Absol without a Calm Mind boost and have a decent chance to OHKO Skuntank after one Calm Mind boost. If Musharna is instead running a Colbur Berry, Musharna can use it as an opportunity to stay in against Absol, although against Skuntank, it is wiser to use the Berry to reduce the damage from potential Pursuit while switching out unless Skuntank has been significantly chipped, as +1 Dazzling Gleam only 3HKOes Skuntank. Team Options Musharna fits mainly on balance teams that appreciate its ability to serve as a Fighting-type check, secondary answer to Pokemon such as Kangaskhan and Victreebel, and late-game wincon with Calm Mind. Entry hazard setters such as Regirock and Metang help check strong physical wallbreakers that Musharna can't deal with such as Dodrio and Stoutland, while Metang can also pressure Skuntank with Earthquake. Regirock can also help deal with Oricorio-E and Oricorio-G, which can use Calm Mind against Musharna and beat it if Musharna has spent some PP on its attacking moves earlier in the match. In return, Musharna is able to switch into and counter Gurdurr. Alolan Sandslash is able to provide entry hazard removal and help against hail teams, which Calm Mind Musharna struggles against due to its passivity and low Speed, its reduced healing from Moonlight during hail, and its inability to hit opposing Alolan Sandslash hard. In return, Musharna provides Alolan Sandslash with a strong Fighting-type answer, patching up the latter's weakness to Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Hitmonchan. Clerics make good partners for Musharna, as being poisoned can severely limit its effectiveness by putting it on a timer, and cleric support can allow it to potentially make use of Synchronize against multiple Pokemon in a single battle. Lurantis can help break through Pokemon such as Audino and Metang, which can Toxic stall Musharna while taking very little from any of Musharna's attacks. In return, Musharna helps Lurantis deal with Victreebel and Articuno. Lurantis can also provide entry hazard removal with Defog if the role compression is necessary. Lanturn is another option for a Heal Bell user that can help beat non-Taunt Oricorio-E and Oricorio-G while providing momentum for its team with Volt Switch, helping to bring Musharna in on Pokemon such as Hitmonchan. In return, Musharna can help deal with Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Kangaskhan, and Victreebel. Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Jellicent can help break through Steel-types such as Metang, Ferroseed, and Alolan Sandslash. In return, Musharna is able to check Victreebel and help break Sableye for Gurdurr. Strong wallbreakers such as Stoutland help break the opposing team and Musharna walls such as Audino early-game so that Musharna can act as a late-game wincon. In return, Musharna is able to swap into Pokemon that may attempt to revenge kill Stoutland such as Primeape and Kangaskhan, although it must watch out for U-turn from Primeape. Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Combusken can help to break the bulky Steel-types that Musharna struggles to break through like Ferroseed, Metang, and Bronzor. Gurdurr, in particular, can remove Eviolite from these Pokemon and hit the latter two super effectively with Knock Off while taking advantage of status such as Toxic poison due to Guts.

Moves Future Sight helps to overwhelm defensive checks to Musharna's teammates by combining with other attacks two turns later and generate momentum by forcing in Pokemon that resist it. Dazzling Gleam allows Musharna to hit Dark-type Pokemon such as Skuntank, Absol, and Alolan Persian, OHKOing the latter two, preventing them from easily Pursuit trapping Musharna or using it as setup bait. Healing Wish allows Musharna to sacrifice itself to fully restore a teammate and cure it of status, offering it another chance to sweep or break through the opposing team. Set Details 128 HP EVs allow Musharna to avoid a 2HKO from Gurdurr's Knock Off after damage from Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, while 92 Speed EVs allow Musharna to outspeed Gurdurr. Maximum Special Attack ensures that Musharna hits as hard as possible, letting it OHKO Gurdurr with Future Sight and 2HKO Gurdurr with Dazzling Gleam. Psychium Z turns Future Sight into a powerful Shattered Psyche once per match, allowing Musharna to immediately threaten Pokemon such as Mudsdale, Eelektross, Lanturn, and Victreebel, as well as OHKOing Pokemon such as Carracosta and Omastar, preventing them from using Musharna as setup bait and swapping out before Future Sight hits them. It also allows Musharna to beat Audino, which would otherwise wall it, with Shattered Psyche followed by Future Sight. Colbur Berry is an alternative option if another Pokemon is holding a Z-Crystal, allowing Musharna to stay in against Alolan Persian and Choice Band Absol and remove them with Dazzling Gleam and offering a one-time damage reduction when switching out against Pursuit users such as Absol and Skuntank. Synchronize is the ability of choice, allowing Musharna to punish Pokemon such as Oricorio-E, Mudsdale, and Regirock for using Toxic against it. Usage Tips Musharna should aim to use Future Sight to help break down the opposing team by combining it with other attacks to overwhelm their Pokemon, due to it allowing two attacks to hit in a single turn. This can also help Musharna's team gain momentum from the opponent swapping to Psychic switch-ins such as Ferroseed and Skuntank in order to absorb the Future Sight hit. Due to its Psychic typing and decent physical bulk, Musharna acts as a strong Fighting-type check and should be brought in on Pokemon such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr. It can also punish Primeape for locking into a move other than U-turn, but swapping Musharna into Primeape directly is risky due to said U-turn. As a Psychic-type, Musharna is weak to Pursuit trapping from Dark-type Pokemon such as Absol and Skuntank. If predicting the opponent to swap to Absol, it is often wiser to use Dazzling Gleam, as it will OHKO Absol; however, it is advisable to double switch if expecting Skuntank instead, as Dazzling Gleam does not 2HKO it. If Musharna is running a Colbur Berry, however, it can afford to stay in and can also beat Alolan Persian one-on-one. Musharna should prioritize staying healthy and conserving Moonlight PP in matchups where it is needed to check Pokemon such as Gurdurr due to it easily being worn down by chip damage from entry hazards and status. If running Psychium Z, Musharna should prioritize using Shattered Psyche against targets that would otherwise use it as setup bait such as Oricorio-E and Oricorio-G, as the move is capable of KOing them after Stealth Rock damage even if they have used Calm Mind. Other setup sweepers such as Carracosta and Turtonator are capable of using Shell Smash against Musharna, attacking once, and then either switching out before Future Sight hits or claiming a second KO and fainting, which Shattered Psyche can prevent. In matchups lacking these sort of Pokemon, or if Musharna's teammates adequately deal with them, Musharna can instead aim to use Shattered Psyche to remove Pokemon that might be problematic for its team such as Victreebel and Mudsdale. Musharna should avoid using Healing Wish until it is necessary in order to win the match by fully restoring a wincon such as Kangaskhan or Gurdurr. Healing Wish is particularly valuable when used directly after Future Sight, as it offers the recipient Pokemon a free switch in on the turn that Future Sight hits, granting valuable momentum for Musharna's team. If Musharna is no longer necessary, has run out of Moonlight PP, or cannot find opportunities to heal itself anymore, it can be brought in against status users such as Mudsdale and Regirock on a predicted use of Toxic to cripple them via Synchronize. Team Options Musharna fits mainly on bulky offense teams, where it acts as a strong Fighting-type check and can help its teammates break through the opposing team thanks to Future Sight. Entry hazards have great synergy with Future Sight, punishing the enemy for switching in Psychic-resistant Pokemon such as Metang and Skuntank on the turn that Future Sight hits. Stealth Rock users such as Mudsdale and Regirock fit nicely, helping to deal with Skuntank, which is one of Musharna's best checks, although Mudsdale must watch out for Acid Spray variants. They also help to deal with strong physical attackers that can overwhelm Musharna such as Choice Band Dodrio and Stoutland. Spikes setters such as Qwilfish and Ferroseed appreciate Musharna's ability to switch in on Psychic- and Fighting-type attacks from Pokemon such as Claydol and Gurdurr. Musharna can also act as a Knock Off sponge for Ferroseed, which does not appreciate losing its Eviolite. Kangaskhan pairs well with Future Sight Musharna, as Fake Out allows it to make opposing Pokemon flinch on the turn Future Sight hits. Future Sight also helps to punish common switch-ins to Kangaskhan such as Mudsdale, which is KOed by the combination of Double-Edge and Future Sight after one layer of Spikes; Regirock, which is 2HKOed by Earthquake after taking damage from Future Sight; and Gurdurr. Kangaskhan also greatly appreciates Musharna's Healing Wish due to the recoil damage from Double-Edge. Fighting-types such as Primeape, Hitmonchan, and Gurdurr punish Dark-types such as Absol and Skuntank for swapping in to absorb the Future Sight hit. In return, Future Sight helps them break past physically bulky Pokemon such as Mudsdale and Tangela, Poison-types such as Qwilfish and Victreebel, and Flying-types such as Oricorio-E and Oricorio-G. Hitmonchan can also provide entry hazard removal via Rapid Spin, while Gurdurr greatly appreciates the Healing Wish support provided by Musharna, giving it a second chance to sweep. Physical Skuntank sets can Pursuit trap consistent Future Sight switch-ins such as Bronzor and Metang, Ghost-types that can threaten Musharna such as Haunter, offensive Jellicent, and Oricorio-G, opposing Musharna with Calm Mind that may attempt to set up against Musharna, and threats that try to avoid getting hit by Future Sight. Skuntank also appreciates Future Sight hitting its switch-ins such as Regirock and Mudsdale and Musharna's ability to pivot into Fighting-types such as Gurdurr. Cryogonal and Alolan Sandslash can also offer Rapid Spin support to Musharna's team and appreciate Musharna being able to swap into Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Hitmonchan. In return, Cryogonal can help beat Oricorio-E and Oricorio-G, which can freely set up on Musharna with Calm Mind if Musharna isn't running or has expended Psychium Z.

Moves Dazzling Gleam offers Musharna a reliable attack that no Pokemon are immune to and OHKOes threatening Dark-types such as Absol and Alolan Persian after a Calm Mind boost. Stored Power is an option over Dazzling Gleam that allows Musharna to capitalize on its stat boosts to hit much harder and break through Pyukumuku and Calm Mind Clefairy, allowing it to serve as an effective stallbreaker against teams lacking Sableye. The move, however, leaves Musharna unable to harm Dark-type Pokemon such as Absol and Skuntank, which can Pursuit trap it or set up on it with Swords Dance. Set Details Leftovers offers Musharna a form of passive recovery, making it harder to wear down, allowing it easier setup opportunities, and making it need to use Rest less often. Synchronize is Musharna's ability of choice, allowing it to punish Pokemon that attempt to use Toxic on it such as Regirock and Mudsdale. Usage Tips Musharna is capable of setting up with Barrier against strong physical attackers such as Choice Band Stoutland and Dodrio and subsequently walling them. However, as Musharna will usually be forced to use Rest after doing this, it is better to try setting up on weaker Pokemon such as Hitmonchan or Pokemon such as Primeape and Stoutland Choice-locked into non-super effective moves in order to preserve HP. This is especially wise when strong special attackers such as Choice Specs Drampa and Aurorus are still present, as they will force Musharna out if it has not already used Calm Mind. Musharna should avoid attempting to set up on Pokemon capable of inflicting it with passive damage from Leech Seed, such as Ferroseed and Tangela, as this will make it harder for Musharna to set up and force it to use Rest more often than it would like. Musharna should also be wary of setting up on Knock Off users such as Gurdurr if the passive recovery from Leftovers will be necessary for it to set up further. As Musharna's only form of recovery is Rest, it should avoid taking unnecessary chip damage to make sure it can set up later in the match. Rest allows Musharna to break through bulkier teams reliant on Toxic stalling it with Pokemon such as Metang and Clefairy; however, you should be wary of the momentum loss created when it uses Rest, especially if it does not already have a significant number of boosts, as it will offer free turns for Pokemon such as Omastar and Zangoose to set up, break through it, and greatly threaten the rest of Musharna's team. Taunt users such as Oricorio-E, Jellicent, and Oricorio-G are capable of preventing Musharna from setting up or healing itself, and after they use Taunt, they can Toxic stall it, hit it with super effective coverage, or switch to a teammate that can break Musharna once it can't boost its defenses anymore. If Musharna has already boosted multiple times, however, it can greatly threaten them with Stored Power; therefore, it is vital that Musharna not reveal its set too early to prevent these Pokemon from immediately switching in to use Taunt on it. If Musharna is running Stored Power, it should avoid setting up when Dark-type Pokemon are present to prevent them from Pursuit trapping or setting up on it. If Musharna is running Dazzling Gleam instead, it should still be wary of Dark-type Pokemon, as it needs a Calm Mind boost to OHKO Pokemon such as Absol and Alolan Persian, while Choice Band Absol is capable of OHKOing Musharna with Knock Off if it hasn't used Barrier, and Alolan Persian is capable of OHKOing Musharna with +2 Black Hole Eclipse after it has used Calm Mind once. Musharna should therefore avoid setting up until these Pokemon have fainted or are in KO range of Dazzling Gleam, if possible. Team Options Barrier Musharna fits on bulky offense and balance teams that appreciate a solid late-game wincon with a strong matchup against offensive and defensive teams alike, due to its ability to quickly boost its defenses while being able to utilize Rest to prevent itself from being Toxic stalled. Teammates that can punish Pursuit trappers and other Dark-types are essential for Musharna, especially if it is running Stored Power. Bulkier setup sweepers such as Carracosta, Gurdurr, and Torterra can punish Pokemon such as Choice Band Absol and Skuntank for locking into Pursuit as well as set up on physical Defog Skuntank sets. If Musharna is running Dazzling Gleam, teammates that can deal with opposing Calm Mind users such as Oricorio-E, Oricorio-G, and Clefairy are essential, as these Calm Mind users wall it. Regirock is capable of beating the former two and setting Stealth Rock for Musharna's team, while offensive support Alolan Sandslash can beat Clefairy and Taunt versions of Oricorio-E and Oricorio-G, the latter two of which can beat Stored Power Musharna as well, and offer Rapid Spin support and assistance against hail teams. Strong physical wallbreakers such as Stoutland are capable of considerably weakening the opposing team so that Musharna has an easier time sweeping late-game. If Musharna is running Dazzling Gleam, other teammates that can break stall teams are helpful, as it will be unable to break through Pokemon such as Pyukumuku, Audino, and Articuno. Taunt Oricorio-E provides a Fighting-type check, which is a role Musharna can't perform well due to its lack of Moonlight, and can break through Pyukumuku. Substitute + Toxic Kangaskhan is another good option for a stallbreaker that can beat Audino, Articuno, and Carbink, although it cannot break through Pyukumuku due to Rest. Special setup sweepers such as Alolan Raichu and Turtonator can set up with Nasty Plot and Shell Smash faster than Musharna can with Calm Mind, allowing them to break through it; strong revenge killing options such as Choice Scarf Primeape and Dodrio therefore make for valuable teammates, preventing these Pokemon from sweeping the rest of Musharna's team after using it as setup fodder. Primeape can also bring Musharna in via U-turn on Pokemon such as Mudsdale, giving it opportunities to set up. Due to Musharna being shut down by Taunt users such as Qwilfish and Jellicent, Pokemon that can beat them such as Freeze-Dry Cryogonal also make for valuable partners, although Cryogonal must watch out for physical variants of Qwilfish. Cryogonal can also offer Defog or Rapid Spin support, allowing Musharna to set up more easily, while being able to beat Calm Mind variants of Oricorio-G and Oricorio-E that also annoy Musharna if running Frost Breath. Clerics such as Lanturn can allow Musharna to use Rest for emergency recovery more freely. Lanturn can also help Musharna against Oricorio-G and non-Taunt versions of Oricorio-E while being able to pivot Musharna in on Pokemon such as Clefairy and Audino.

Moves Calm Mind lets Musharna beat strong special attackers such as Charizard, Pyroar, and Magmortar after some boosts and gives Musharna some offensive presence after even just one boost thanks to its solid Special Attack. Calm Mind can also be used against physical attackers that can't threaten Musharna back, such as Hitmonchan and Garbodor. Psyshock hits specially bulky Pokemon such as Magmortar and Hariyama as well as giving Musharna the significant upper hand versus other Calm Mind users such as Mega Audino and Xatu. Alternatively, Psychic can be used to hit physically bulky Pokemon such as Weezing and Vileplume harder unboosted. Moonlight is Musharna's best means of recovery, letting it set up with impunity against weaker attackers. Signal Beam lets Musharna hit most Dark-types such as Shiftry and Malamar for good damage as they switch in or if Musharna has accrued enough boosts to stop specially offensive threats such as Defog Skuntank; the move is especially useful with Colbur Berry so that Musharna can take an attack and strike back. Thunder Wave slows down the fast threats that Musharna is often faced with, can provide extra setup opportunities, and can provide extra turns of recovery when the foe is fully paralyzed. Heal Bell can be used to counteract Musharna's weakness to Toxic poison and to support its teammates, but its low PP makes it easy for checks such as Steelix to stall the move out, and it's generally best left to supportive sets. Set Details 240 HP EVs provide Musharna with a Leftovers number, while the remaining EVs and a Bold nature are used to maximize Musharna's physical bulk, letting it counter physical attackers such as Hitmonchan and Garbodor and giving it more opportunities to set up Calm Mind boosts, which eventually supplements Musharna's lower Special Defense. 16 Speed EVs can be used to let Musharna outspeed Steelix. Synchronize is the best ability for this set because it punishes opponents that attempt to inflict status on Musharna to stop a sweep, such as Mantine and Pelipper. Leftovers gives Musharna some passive recovery that turns some 2HKOs into 3HKOs, such as Swellow's Boomburst and Floatzel's Hydro Pump, and reduces Musharna's reliance on Moonlight to tank hits, making its meager 8 PP stretch further. Colbur Berry is another great option that lets Musharna deal with Knock Off from Hariyama more easily as well as lure in usual checks such as Shiftry and Malamar and beat them with Signal Beam. Usage Tips Early-game, Musharna should generally pivot into foes which cannot break it, such as Hitmonchan and Archeops, and proceed to fire off attacks. Alternatively, Musharna can be either used to lure in Dark-types such as Shiftry and Malamar and beat them with Signal Beam or conserved until late-game when its checks have been removed, taking setup opportunities when given but only if you feel it can sweep without any obstacles. A full-HP Skuntank, a Steelix known to have Toxic, and a number of other things can easily cut a sweep short. Musharna's HP should be conserved whenever possible so that it can switch into and avoid the 2HKO from strong physical attackers such as Archeops and Tauros before healing up with Moonlight. Musharna can easily get worn down throughout the course of a match, so keeping this in mind can be vital to your success. If Musharna runs Heal Bell or Thunder Wave, it has a stronger early-game presence that can be used to support its teammates at the cost of late-game utility. Team Options Fighting-types such as Hariyama, Primeape, and Hitmonchan are great for switching into and threatening the Dark-types that prevent Musharna from sweeping. This is important even if Musharna uses Signal Beam, as threats such as Skuntank can still get around it, and it relieves pressure on Musharna so that it can sweep more effectively. Similarly, Mega Audino is a good partner that can threaten most Dark-types and either provide Heal Bell support or act as a supplementary sweeper while also being able to pass Wishes and provide Musharna with more setup opportunities, in addition to being immune to Trick. Meanwhile, defensive threats that are weak to Fighting-type attacks, such as Ferroseed and Regice, highly appreciate Musharna's being a sturdy response to these attacks. Grounded Poison-types such as Garbodor and Skuntank are able to absorb Toxic Spikes, which also plagues Musharna, and are mandatory against teams that pack that entry hazard to ensure a late-game sweep. Pursuit trappers such as Skuntank and Liepard can deal with opposing Psychic- and Ghost-types that can either wall Musharna that lack Psyshock with their own Calm Mind boosts or hit it hard with status and super effective Hexes, such as Xatu and Mismagius.

Moves Calm Mind both boosts Musharna's Special Attack and Special Defense and raises the Base Power of Stored Power, rapidly increasing Musharna's offensive capability. Barrier makes Musharna almost impenetrable to physical attacks and also increases the Base Power of Stored Power, meaning that Musharna can inflict reasonable damage even without using Calm Mind if it is too pressured to do so. Moonlight gives Musharna a recovery option to help it succeed against Pokemon that can still deal significant damage to it after a few boosts, such as Choice Band Scyther, and it generally gives Musharna an easier time initially setting up boosts. Stored Power can hit anywhere between 20 and 360 Base Power depending on the number of boosts Musharna has. This can get scary pretty quickly if your opponent is not well equipped to deal with it, OHKOing almost any non-Dark-type after Musharna has maximized its Special Attack stat. Set Details 240 HP EVs give Musharna a Leftovers number, while the remaining EVs and a Bold nature are used to make it as physically bulky as possible, letting it beat physical attackers such as Hitmonchan and Garbodor and set up Calm Mind boosts more easily, which eventually fix Musharna's lower Special Defense. While this is generally the most effective approach, as Calm Mind increases Musharna's Special Attack at the same time as it patches up its special bulk, a specially defensive spread can be used instead to let Musharna switch into special attackers such as Floatzel and Swellow more easily, with Barrier fixing Musharna's Defense as physical attackers switch in. 16 Speed EVs can be used to outspeed Steelix and grab an extra Calm Mind before it uses Toxic, potentially allowing Musharna to beat Steelix 1v1 with Stored Power. This can be useful if you have a Healing Wish user that can give Musharna another chance at a full sweep later in the match. Synchronize is the best ability for this set because it punishes foes that attempt to inflict status on Musharna to stop a sweep, such as Mantine and Pelipper. Leftovers gives Musharna some passive recovery so that it can rely less on Moonlight to stay healthy, making its pitiful 8 PP stretch further. Usage Tips This set should be played as a dedicated wincon, not being brought in until it has a high probability to sweep the opponent's team. As this set lacks other useful support options, such as Heal Bell, or a coverage move such as Signal Beam, and it has no immediately powerful STAB attack to hit Fighting- and Poison-types with, it is generally much worse as a pivot, only being able to heal up with Moonlight or force something out with Barrier and then switch out, giving the opponent momentum. Removing Dark-types, Toxic Spikes, and any potential Toxic users on the opposing team is key to ensuring a clean sweep with Stored Power. However, it is possible to beat Dark-type Pokemon that Musharna cannot damage through means of passive damage such as Life Orb recoil, poison, and burn. Given the ease with which Musharna can boost its defensive stats, setting up on a Dark-type that is equipped with a Life Orb and either weakened or afflicted with damaging status can be plausible. Barrier should be used against physical attackers or when the opponent is likely to switch in a physical threat such as Choice Band Scyther to stop Musharna, while Calm Mind should be used when the opponent is likely to bring in a special attacker, such as Aurorus or a rival Calm Mind user, or just when Musharna has free turns in general. Moonlight should be used when Musharna is in range of being KOed by a surprise critical hit and a subsequent follow-up attack, to minimize the risk of critical hits disrupting Musharna's sweep. However, if Moonlight's PP is running low, it can be worth the risk to wait for longer before healing if Musharna's health would not fall below 50% after an attack. Generally speaking, Stored Power should only be used when it's strong enough to OHKO a foe to avoid giving it more turns to potentially land a critical hit; this means that Musharna should usually secure one or two Calm Minds regardless of how many Barrier boosts it has before attempting a KO. Going all the way to +6 Defense, Special Attack, and Special Defense is generally unnecessary unless Musharna is your last Pokemon and the opponent has a dedicated Pokemon that resists Psychic-type attacks, such as Metang, due to Stored Power's ridiculous Base Power. Team Options For the most part, Dark-types absolutely have to be removed before Musharna can sweep. Fighting- and Bug-types such as Primeape, Hariyama, Scyther, and Pinsir can inflict heavy damage to most Dark-types, especially if they run Earthquake to deal with Skuntank reliably. Using a second Psychic-type with Signal Beam and Hidden Power Ground, such as Calm Mind Mesprit or Choice Specs Beheeyem, can be useful for luring in Dark-types such as Skuntank and securing the KO with their boosted coverage moves, with Explosion Shiftry also being a good lure for Skuntank in particular. This set is also extremely vulnerable to Toxic poison, so using grounded Poison-types such as Vileplume and Skuntank, potentially in combination with a reliable Defog user such as Pelipper, is important for removing the threat of Toxic Spikes. Heal Bell and Healing Wish users also greatly benefit Musharna by removing status after the fact and giving Musharna more chances to sweep, with Mega Audino being a good choice for either role due to its ability to take on Dark-types with its Fairy typing.

While this set might seem similar to the support set, this set focuses more on obtaining a win condition by playing the role of a bulky boosting sweeper. Musharna can slowly gain boosts on many physical attackers that can't 2HKO it such as most Fighting-type Pokemon that it counters, as well as almost any defensive Pokemon that isn't a Steel-type that carries Toxic. One of the main perks of this set is that even though it is more of a sweeper, Musharna is also easily capable of functioning as a physical wall of sorts, being able to support the team in a variety of ways in the process. After a single Calm Mind boost, Musharna's Special Defense becomes extraordinarily high, making it nearly impossible to 2HKO under most circumstances. Moonlight allows Musharna to pivot against threats that it can wall, and can be used to heal up any damage taken while setting up, or give it more opportunities to set up throughout the course of the match. Psychic is the primary STAB move, and easily has overwhelming damage output after several boosts. Heal Bell is the primary filler of choice, as it allows Musharna to support its teammates and itself. The latter is especially important in allowing Musharna to function as a stallbreaker against more defensive teams, and helps prevents its sweep from being cut short from annoying status ailments. However, Baton Pass provides excellent momentum with Musharna's low Speed, and can even give a teammate a temporary advantage by passing Calm Mind boosts. Signal Beam is Musharna's main coverage move, allowing it to hit Dark- and Psychic-types that aren't troubled by Psychic. The given EV spread as usual gives Musharna a Leftovers number, giving it as much physical bulk as possible while the rest is dumped into Special Defense. A more offensive spread with more Special Attack investment can be used, but the problem with this is that the lack of defensive investment makes it much easier for physical attackers to break through Musharna. Likewise, Musharna can opt to run more Special Defense investment to set up more easily on special attackers such as Charizard and Eelektross, but that detracts from its ability to function as a mixed wall, and is largely unnecessary as Musharna is already boosting its Special Defense. As far as other move options go, it should be noted first of all that Musharna will have to forgo other important options, such as the ability to hit Dark-types, or to heal the team of status. Thunder Wave is nice to cripple Pokemon before Musharna attempts a sweep, and helps it better support its offensive teammates. Reflect lets it set up on a lot more physical attackers, like Skuntank and Golurk that Musharna tends to lure, while also helping Musharna escape from Skuntank's Pursuit much more reliably. Psyshock and Stored Power are neat alternatives over Psychic. The former hits special walls harder and allows Musharna to win any Calm Mind war, but is overall weaker than Psychic and more common walls in this metagame tend to be physically defensive anyways. The latter becomes more powerful than Psychic after two Calm Mind boosts, but Musharna doesn't usually have much time to get greedy with Calm Mind against more offensive teams. Hidden Power Ground can provide coverage against Skuntank, Metang, and Bastiodon. Even though Musharna can make good use of its coverage moves, its abysmal Speed still leaves it vulnerable to Dark- and Steel-type counters such as Skuntank, Zweilous, and Metang. Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Sawk remain as the top suggestions for teammates as a result, as they can easily take advantage of them while also making Musharna's job easier against most special walls that can cripple it if it doesn't use Heal Bell. Ground-type Pokemon such as Golem, Piloswine, and Golurk are also good partners, as they are able to bust through most of these checks and set up Stealth Rock to provide more team support. Musharna also appreciates hazard support, as most of its checks are grounded and Musharna has a tendency of forcing many Pokemon out. Garbodor and Roselia are both solid examples of supporters that can set up Spikes.

On paper, Choice Specs Musharna seems underwhelming, incapable of either pulling off dedicated sweeps or having the ability to keep itself alive with Moonlight. This set, however, should focus mostly on Musharna's power and ability to break through lots of Pokemon with its immediate offensive presence. This set requires a good amount of prediction to be useful, as locking itself in to an unfavorable coverage move or Psychic against a Dark- or Steel-type can leave it easily forced out. Signal Beam is the safest coverage move for this set, as it can hit Dark- and Psychic-types that its Psychic STAB doesn't cover well. Baton Pass can let Musharna escape from Skuntank switch-ins without taking any damage from potential trapping, while Hidden Power Ground can be used to 2HKO Skuntank and Steel-types. Trick gives this set a unique twist, allowing Musharna to cripple special walls or other common switch-ins, such as Skuntank and Golurk, very well. Sleep Talk can let Musharna also play the role of a sleep absorber, sponging the status from the likes of Tangela. The EV spread increases Musharna's effectiveness as a tank, maximizing its offensive prowess while investing the rest into its bulk. Moonlight can find a place on the set, and especially shares some synergy with Trick, as Musharna can easily switch moves and heal anytime after Tricking Choice Specs. Psyshock can give Musharna a better matchup against Lickilicky, Audino, and Regice, but it's still generally less effective in a metagame with most defensive Pokemon like Misdreavus or Tangela being physically bulky. Shadow Ball can be used to hit Golurk and Misdreavus harder, but it provides redundant coverage with Signal Beam, in fact missing out on Dark-types, which are the biggest obstacle of this set anyways. This set especially appreciates support from its teammates, so that Musharna doesn't have to risk locking itself in to Signal Beam to hit Dark-types. Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Sawk are the most reliable options in this role, as both can usually switch safely into the likes of Skuntank or Liepard and easily threaten with their STAB moves. Ground-types are solid teammates as well, as they can switch in and hit Skuntank hard with Earthquake. Colbur Berry Golurk can also help by luring Skuntank as well as by switching into and threatening Audino and Lickilicky. Destiny Bond lures such as Gardevoir and Haunter are good teammates that can remove common Dark-type switches so that Musharna can safely proceed to spam Psychic.

In a metagame where most common Pokemon are fast and frail, support pivot Musharna has a niche as a Pokemon able to utilize its bulk to find many opportunities to support its team. Musharna is able to switch into and safely cripple a lot of offensive Pokemon that fail to 2HKO it, including every common Fighting-type and nearly every defensive Pokemon. The ability to heal with Moonlight is the most important part of the set, as it allows Musharna to continuously perform its role of countering threats, giving it more opportunities to spread status or attack when necessary. A status move is also necessary to keep Musharna from being used as setup fodder. Toxic is the most reliable option, as it cripples both defensive and offensive Pokemon alike. Yawn is a fantastic move to use alongside Baton Pass to give Musharna the opportunity to gain a lot of momentum for more offensively oriented teams. If the opponent decides to switch out of Yawn, you'll always have the upper hand as you Baton Pass into an appropriate check, and if they decide to stay in, an opposing Pokemon will be crippled for the rest of the match. Thunder Wave is also a good option to cripple opposing Skuntank as they try to switch in and Pursuit trap Musharna, and it has added utility of slowing down faster foes. Baton Pass is used to provide momentum for the team, and it is particularly useful against Dark-types and Golurk as they attempt to switch into Psychic or Thunder Wave, respectively. It also works very well with Musharna's low Speed, which gives it a lot of opportunities to bring offensive teammates that might have trouble switching in otherwise. Heal Bell can be used instead to let Musharna act as a cleric, but Baton Pass is far more valuable for more offensive teams. However, it can be especially helpful against walls that rely on status to cripple Musharna, as they are then crippled in return by Synchronize. Psychic is Musharna's primary STAB move, dealing respectable damage overall and preventing Musharna from becoming Taunt bait. 240 HP EVs give Musharna a Leftovers number to reduce passive damage, while the rest goes to its overall bulk. The selected moves provide Musharna the most effective form of consistently supporting its teammates, but there are other alternatives that can be useful in certain situations. Reflect is unique in the fact that it allows Musharna to bypass any of the physical attackers that can reliably break through it, such as Dark-types, Golurk, and Skuntank, allowing it to either safely switch out or retaliate. The same applies to special attackers such as Shiftry or Charizard if using Light Screen. Both moves can also be used to help teammates set up. Pokemon that can lure or reliably threaten Dark- and Steel-types are especially good partners, as said Dark- and Steel-types are often common obstacles that can safely switch into Musharna and dismantle it with Pursuit or Toxic, respectively. Fighting-types such as Sawk and Gurdurr are excellent examples, as they can easily threaten essentially all of those obstacles, while also being able to take advantage of the likes of Audino and other Heal Bell users that don't particularly mind Musharna's plethora of opportunities to use Thunder Wave. Musharna can also form part of a Psychic / Fighting / Dark core that focuses on eliminating each other's checks. Haunter is also a good teammate to consider, as it can take advantage of free Baton Pass switch-ins with its excellent offensive prowess, break down offensive teams with the help of Thunder Wave support, and lure and eliminate several of Musharna's checks with Destiny Bond.

This set takes a different offensive approach to Musharna, taking advantage of its ability to sweep the fast, frail offensive metagame with Trick Room and Life Orb-boosted attacks. While Beheeyem might appear to pull off a set like this much more effectively due to its significantly higher offensive presence and utility with Analytic, Musharna stands out due to its notably superior bulk. This allows Musharna to find a lot more setup opportunities and heal much more reliably than Beheeyem, while still possessing enough power to break through most offensive Pokemon with the help of Life Orb. Psychic is the consistent STAB move that can hit most Pokemon quite hard, easily OHKOing most offensive Pokemon with some hazard support. Signal Beam is Musharna's best coverage move, as it hits Dark- and Psychic-types that don't take much damage from Psychic. Moonlight is one of the best filler moves on this set, healing Life Orb recoil and other damage. Hidden Power Ground aims to gain a solid 2HKO on Skuntank and Metang, while also OHKOing Bastiodon and Probopass. The EVs maximize Musharna's combination of power and bulk, and the IVs grant it a maximum Hidden Power Ground with the lowest Speed possible. If you do not wish to use Hidden Power Ground, simply use a 0 Speed IV instead. Leftovers can provide recovery, but this also comes at the cost of significantly cutting the set's damage output overall. Similarly, TwistedSpoon could be used to boost the power of Musharna's STAB move without necessitating Life Orb recoil. Psyshock can hit Audino and Regice harder, but generally less enticing overall in a more physically oriented metagame. Baton Pass is good for momentum, but is generally less effective if Musharna has activated Trick Room already. This set doesn't require as much support as most of Musharna's other sets, as it sports powerful offensive presence with solid coverage, allowing Musharna to threaten its checks much more efficiently. Nonetheless, Fighting-types remain as the best partners to enable a late-game Musharna sweep, which can also pair up with a Dark-type to make an effective core towards supporting one another. Bulky wallbreakers such as Gurdurr, Choice Band Lickilicky, and Eelektross can provide good backup under Trick Room, while also sharing good offensive synergy with Musharna. This set is much more vulnerable to passive damage between Life Orb damage and entry hazards, and due to the lack of defensive investment, Musharna becomes easier to wear down before it can have an opportunity to heal with Moonlight. As such, Pokemon that can help keep entry hazards away from the field are especially helpful; Choice Band Sawk for example can OHKO most of the common Stealth Rock users thanks to Mold Breaker. A safer alternative is a Rapid Spin user, notably Wartortle, as it can threaten Golurk with Scald and bypass other Ghost-types with Foresight to guarantee a Rapid Spin.