[Guide] Winotinger

[Pocket]

Winotinger

Type: Fairy/Fighting

Ability: Magic Guard/Inner Focus

HP: 110

Attack: 80

Defense: 85

Special Attack: 105

Special Defense: 85

Speed: 85

Overview

Winotinger is an extremely versatile Pokemon. Stat wise, Winotinger is nothing to write home about, but its upsides certainly make up for it. Winotinger gets access to an impressive offensive movepool: Moonblast, Aura Sphere, Hidden Power Ground, Dark Pulse, Thunerbolt, and Psycho Cut are all viable coverage options. However, what's more impressive is it's supportive movepool that can be used, like Taunt, Toxic and Thunder Wave. These options give Winotinger a surprising amount of versatility. Despite this, Winotinger has its issues. It has major 4MSS. The big bunny needs to run both STABs and Calm Mind/Nasty Plot to make it more offensively threatening, but it wants access to coverage moves as well as supportive moves. Without coverage moves, Winotinger is completely shut down by Antarki and Chimaconda (who can sweep a team if you let it set up), and without supportive moves, it loses a part of it's niche. That being said, many teams could use a Winotinger as a sweeper or stallbreaker. It's definitely a Jackdeary of All Trades.


Defensive Calm Mind

Winotinger @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Aura Sphere
- Thunder Wave/Toxic/Taunt

This set allows Winotinger to act as a supportive Pokemon while also serving as the team's win condition. From the amount of options available for the fourth slot, you see how versatile Winotinger really is. Moonblast and Aura Sphere are both easy choices: They provide almost perfect neutral coverage, only missing out on Poison-types, Antarki and Chimaconda. Due to Winotinger's typing and ability, it can force out many defensive Pokemon to set up. This gives it ample oppurtunity to either set up or cripple the opposition. Thunder Wave is the best option, crippling many of it's checks like Chimaconda, and helps Winotinger support the team. Toxic is also an option, which allows Winotinger to cripple another bulky sweeper like Syrentide-M that may want to switch in on it. Finally, Taunt allows Winotinger to become a fantastic stallbreaker. Perfect for teams weak to stall.

Offensive Nasty Plot

Winotinger @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid/Naive Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Moonblast
- Aura Sphere
- Hidden Power Ground

This set is designed for 1 thing and 1 thing only: Set up and sweep. Moonblast and Aura Sphere are there for a great STAB combination. They hit hard, they hit reliably, and they hit most things for neutral damage. Everything else in the game is hit for super effective damage by Hidden Power Ground. Nasty Plot is chosen for better damage, but if you feel like Calm Mind suits your playstyle better, go for it. 

Choice

Winotinger @ Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Aura Sphere
- Hidden Power Ground
- Trick

Everyone expects Winotinger to use a boosting move, so utilizing Choice items is a fantastic way to catch your opponent off guard. There aren't many choices in this set, since the combination of Moonblast, Aura Sphere and Hidden Power Ground covers everything in the metagame. This great neutral coverage is why Choice items are so great on Winotinger. Trick is standard for Choice users: It's great for crippling opposing walls. The choice between Choice Specs and Choice Scarf is crucial. Choice Specs is great for teams who struggle with fat walls disrupting their sweepers, and Choice Scarf is great if you already have a wallbreaker. This set needs to be played carefully. Choice Specs is great if you want to force something you check out to another Pokemon (which if played right, can do some obscene damage). Choice Scarf needs to be played as a revenge killer or as a cleaner. These sets are less flexible than Defensive CM and Offensive Nasty Plot, but provide a much more specific use as well. Use them wisely. 

Life Orb

Winotinger @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Moonblast
- Aura Sphere
- Hidden Power Ground
- Thunderbolt/Dark Pulse

This set is played extremely similar to the Choice Specs set. However, this set trades power and sustainability for the ability to switch moves and the extra coverage against the remaining threats that Winotinger's standard moves don't. Moonblast, Aura Sphere, and Hidden Power Ground remain: They're the best special attacking moves for Winotinger. They provide the best coverage, no questions asked. Thunderbolt allows you to hit Gyarados and Pajay super effectively. Alternatively, if you want to run Winotinger as a lure, Dark Pulse can catch out incoming Antarki that want to come in on a Moonblast or Aura Sphere. 

Baton Pass
Winotinger @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Moonblast
- Aura Sphere/Substitute
- Nasty Plot/Calm Mind
- Baton Pass

Winotinger gets access to two awesome boosting options in Calm Mind and Nasty Plot, making it a decent Baton Passer. The purpose of the set is to set up boosts to pass to a teammate. If you want, you can add Substitute into the mix to make your sweeper of choice even harder to take down, but typically it's better to just run double STAB for the solid coverage it provides. The choice between Calm Mind and Nasty Plot is a tough one. If you don't want to take any risks against special attackers disrupting the sweep, it's best to take Calm Mind for the added resistance. However, if you're confident that your receiver is bulky enough to take a few hits, and especially if it receives a Substitute from the drunk Easter bunny itself, then go for it. It's really up to your judgement.

Team Options

Winotinger struggles to outspeed a large portion of offensive Pokemon that it can destroy with it's powerful attacks unless running a Choice Scarf. Chimaconda is a great partner, which can clean up a sweep and support Winotinger through its ability Petrify. Dunseraph is another great partner, who can support it through Thunder Wave, as well as wall the main threats to the set, Antarki and Chimaconda. Winotinger is commonly revenge killed by threats like S-51A-M, Tracton and Nucleon. Choice Scarf Laissure and Archilles-M kill these Pokemon cleanly. Winotinger loves access to Wish since it doesn't get access to reliable recovery, so teammates like Luxelong, Vaporeon and Sylveon are appreciated. Winotinger really hates Poison-types, and absolutely loves entry hazards. Both Laissure and Gliscor are perfect for this. Laissure can both run a defensively oriented set with Stealth Rock and Intimidate, run a wallbreaking/revenge killing set with Choice Band or Choice Scarf, or can sweep in it's own right with Swords Dance. Gliscor is another great option, laughing at the physical attacks aimed at Winotinger by the likes of Tracton and Inflagetah. 

Counters

Without Hidden Power Ground, both Antarki and Chimaconda can come in on Winotinger and disrupt its sweep. Antarki is immune to Aura Sphere and resists Moonblast. It can set up Substitute or Calm Mind in it's face thanks to Prankster, and proceed to launch off powerful Fire Blasts and Shadow Balls. Alternatively, it might cripple Winotinger with Toxic or Thunder Wave. Chimaconda is capable of slowing down Winotinger due to Petrify, and resists both STABs, which is a major issue for the Calm Mind set. Alternatively, it can set up Special Attack boosts virtually for free with the Contrary set, which ruins the purpose of the Calm Mind set. There are also a myriad of Pokemon who can destroy Winotinger. Inflagateh can't hit it for super effective damage, but it's so powerful that Winotinger can't Thunder Wave or use Hidden Power Ground on it in time to kill it, even if using a Choice Scarf. Tracton can use Winotinger as bait for a cleanup late game as long as it doesn't have any Calm Mind boosts up. Brainoar is unfazed by Winotinger's coverage options, and makes quick work of it's teammates (namely Chimaconda).