Slither Wing Movesets & Competitive Sets

Packing solid bulk and a surprisingly adept defensive typing that resists STAB moves from common offensive Pokemon such as Kingambit, Zamazenta, Great Tusk, Rillaboom, Hisuian Samurott, and Darkrai, Slither Wing serves as a specific but effective defensive pivot thanks to its ability to check many common threats in one teamslot. First Impression can revenge kill many important targets such as Ogerpon-W, Darkrai, and Weavile. U-Turn allows Slither Wing to maintain momentum while forcing out Pokemon that it can switch in on, such as Darkrai, Ogerpon-W, Rillaboom, and Hisuian Samurott. Morning Sun allows Slither Wing to stay healthy throughout a match, allowing it to check the previously mentioned Pokemon long-term. Lastly, Will-O-Wisp allow Slither Wing to cripple Pokemon it can't directly threaten, such as Great Tusk, Dragonite, Zamazenta, and Kingambit. 8 Speed EVs allow Slither Wing to outspeed Adamant Kingambit, while the 28 Attack EVs guarantees the OHKO on Darkrai with First Impression. Tera Steel is the Tera type of choice, allowing Slither Wing to check important threats it otherwise couldn't such as Latios. Tera Dragon is another solid option, giving a strong neutral defensive type that gives resistances to Ogerpon-W's STAB combination while granting a Fire resistance from foes like Cinderace. Defensive Slither Wing functions best on bulky offense teams, using its good bulk, recovery, and U-turn to provide free switch-ins to its frailer teammates like Darkrai, Iron Valiant, Dragapult and Ogerpon-W. Slither Wing struggles against Moltres and Zapdos, the former punishing U-turn with Flame Body and absorbing Will-O-Wisp, and the latter doing the same with Static. Hard-hitting wallbreakers that can punish these two Pokemon switching in to either set up or wallbreak like Ogerpon-W, Ogerpon-C, Kyurem, and Raging Bolt make for good partners. Gholdengo is also another common roadblock for Slither Wing thanks to its typing, which lets it shrug off Slither Wing’s STAB combination, and Good As Gold, which makes it immune to all status moves, so strong Dark-types that can punish a Gholdengo switch like Darkrai, Hisuian Samurott, and Weavile are also effective partners. Slither Wing forms strong defensive cores with Pokemon like Moltres and Galarian Slowking that can take on offensive threats it cannot handle such as Iron Valiant, Kyurem, Gholdengo, and Primarina. Slither Wing, in return, provides a solid switch-in to the Dark-Types like Kingambit, Hisuian Samurott, Lokix, and Weavile that force out Galarian Slowking as well as being a strong soft check to Ogerpon-W, which greatly threatens these defensive cores. Entry hazard setters such as Ting-Lu, Gliscor, and Landorus-T also make for good partners, as their hazards punish switches forced by First Impression.

With an excellent Attack stat, STAB-boosted First Impression, and the momentum-generating U-turn complemented by Close Combat, Slither Wing establishes itself as an excellent choice on sun teams as a pivot and revenge killer. All of this while being a solid special tank with Assault Vest, allowing it to tank hits from faster special attackers such as Darkrai, offensive Gholdengo, and Glimmora more comfortably so that teammates can be pivoted in safely; the item also helps Slither Wing survive even OHKOs from moves such as Iron Moth’s sun-boosted Fiery Dance, opposing Walking Wake’s sun-boosted Draco Meteor, and Moonblast from Iron Valiant and Enamorus. With First Impression, Slither Wing can OHKO Darkrai, Ogerpon-W, and Weavile as well as pick off other chipped threats like Kyurem and Walking Wake. In sun, Close Combat lets Slither Wing 2HKO Great Tusk and Raging Bolt while also OHKOing Kyurem and Garganacl. U-turn allows it to generate momentum from predicted switches against foes that it threatens, such as Ting-Lu, forcing significant chip damage in the process, particularly against switchins like Galarian Weezing and Landorus-T. Earthquake is a safe option that hits Ground-weak Pokemon such as Galarian Slowking, Gholdengo without Air Balloon, and Iron Treads, without any drawbacks; however, it fails to threaten Corviknight and Air Balloon Gholdengo and loses out on various damage rolls, such as an OHKO on Iron Treads. Flare Blitz in sun enables OHKOs on Corviknight and Gholdengo at the cost of recoil damage that adds up over time, hurting Slither Wing's longevity as a pivot. Temper Flare is therefore a similar coverage option with the lack of drawback, and works well with its Close Combat after failing to hit incoming Ghost-types, particularly Gholdengo. Tera Steel allows Slither Wing to resist various Fairy- and Psychic-type moves that normally threaten it, such as Moonblast from Iron Valiant and Enamorus and Psyshock from Iron Crown. Tera Steel also reduces Stealth Rock damage, enhancing Slither Wing's ability to pivot further. Tera Fire is also a similar option against the Fairy-types, but also boosts its Fire coverage and prevents it from getting burned by foes like Moltres and Cinderace at the cost of being weak to Stealth Rock. Slither Wing is almost exclusively found on sun teams that appreciate its ability to pivot, revenge kill foes that have been chipped, and threaten difficult matchups such as Garganacl and Galarian Slowking. Furthermore, Slither Wing appreciates Pokemon that benefit from sun and can capitalize on the momentum it generates while covering foes Slither Wing cannot threaten, such as Dragonite and Moltres. Torkoal provides Stealth Rock and entry hazard removal, so Slither Wing can pivot more consistently. Alternatively, Ninetales is a faster partner that offers excellent utility in Encore and Healing Wish and appreciates the slower pivoting Slither Wing provides to give it safe entry. Walking Wake loves the pivoting Slither Wing provides and appreciates its ability to take care of Walking Wake’s checks, such as Ogerpon-W and Blissey, via First Impression. In turn, Walking Wake's sheer power obliterates Gliscor, Moltres, and Landorus-T, which Slither Wing would otherwise struggle to dent. Like Torkoal, Great Tusk spins away entry hazards that threaten Slither Wing and provides a solid check to many Dragonite sets after Slither Wing breaks Multiscale with U-turn. On a similar vein, Hatterene denies most hazards, except Spikes from Hisuian Samurott, which is a foe that Slither Wing threatens. Raging Bolt is a good teammate as either a secondary pivot or setup sweeper. Raging Bolt complements Slither Wing by threatening Moltres, which could cripple it with a burn.