Cloyster Best Moveset and Build

Cloyster is one of the most fearsome attackers in the current competitive battling scene thanks to its Skill Link Ability and Shell Smash. Read on to find out the best build, the best moveset, basic information, stats and recommended partners for Cloyster in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP).

Cloyster Best Build and Moveset

Shell Smash Sweeper

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Cloyster	Skill Link	Focus Sash	・Icicle Spear ・Rock Blast ・Ice Shard ・Shell Smash
Nature / EVs	Adamant Atk 252 / 4 Sp.Def / 252 Spd
Final Stats	125 HP / 161 Atk / 200 Def / 66 Sp.Def / 122 Spd

Using Cloyster

Shell Smash gives Cloyster +2 Attack, Special Attack, and Speed at the cost of -1 Defense and Special Defense, with the latter easily covered by Focus Sash. This one move turns Cloyster into a powerful sweeper capable of KO'ing some of the most common Pokemon in the current metagame.

Cloyster's Skill Link Ability makes multi-hit moves such as Icicle Spear and Rock Blast always hit five times, making it a good choice to use against Pokemon who use Focus Sash or rely on Abilities such as Sturdy and Multiscale. Finally, Ice Shard lets it bypass the Speed of faster attackers thanks to its increased priority.

Skill Link Flinch

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Cloyster	Skill Link	Razor Fang	・Icicle Spear ・Rock Blast ・Ice Shard ・Shell Smash
Nature / EVs	Adamant Atk 252 / 4 Sp.Def / 252 Spd
Final Stats	125 HP / 161 Atk / 200 Def / 66 Sp.Def / 122 Spd

Using Cloyster

Since each hit from Icicle Spear and Rock Blast has a separate chance to trigger Razor Fang, Cloyster has a 40% chance to always cause flinching with its multi-hit moves! This allows it to beat defensive Pokemon that would otherwise check it, essentially preventing moving on their turn due to the high flinch rate chance.

Ice Shard is used to hit faster opponents when Cloyster still doesn't have its Shell Smash boosts. This build has a tougher time setting up Shell Smash, and it's best to take care of entry hazards and faster Pokemon before switching it in.

Cloyster Basic Information

Cloyster - Type

Cloyster Bivalve Pokemon
Type 1	Type 2

Cloyster Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage
Takes 0x damage	-

Cloyster Abilities

Cloyster Hidden Ability

Cloyster Base Stats

Cloyster Strengths and Weaknesses

A Powerful Attacker with Shell Smash

Shell Smash gives Cloyster a massive boost to its offenses and speed, allowing it to take on some of the most common Pokemon in the current metagame with its Ice-type STAB alone.

This makes it an invaluable part in both balanced and offensive teams as it's often used as a deterent against powerful setup sweepers such as Salamence, Garchomp, and even Breloom.

Skill Link Gives it Offensive Utility

Cloyster's Skill Link Ability makes all of its multi-hit moves hit five times. This means Icicle Spear and Rock Blast becomes an effective 125 Base Power move that can severely damage or even outright KO most Pokemon in the current metagame.

Since Cloyster primarily uses multi-hit moves, it has great offensive utility against Pokemon that rely on Abilities such as Sturdy and Multiscale, or held items such as Focus Sash.

Check it with Unaware Pokemon

Cloyster relies on Shell Smash's boost to become a powerful threat, but this gets shut down when facing against a Pokemon with the Unaware Ability. These Pokemon completely ignore Cloyster boosts, allowing them to take on weak and unboosted attacks and retaliate with

Pokemon	Description
Quagsire	Ranking：★★★★★ ・Resists Rock Blast and easily shrugs off unboosted Icicle Speer ・Can cripple Cloyster with burns from Scald or Toxic ・Reliable recovery with Recover
Clefable	Ranking：★★★★ ・Shrugs off unboosted Rock Blast and Icicle Spear and can retaliate with Thunderbolt ・Can cripple Cloyster with Thunder Wave Reliable recovery with Moonlight

Take Advantage of its Many Weaknesses

While Cloyster has a great offensive dual-typing, this also leaves it with weaknesses to the very common Fighting, Rock. Grass, and Electric-type moves. Special Attackers, in particular, can easily take out Cloyster due to its lower Special Defense.

Pokemon	Description
Lucario	Ranking：★★★★★ ・Resists all of Cloyster's attacks and can retaliate with STAB Close Combat ・Inner Focus gives it immunity to flinching ・Special attacking variants can take advantage of Cloyster's lower Special Defense with Vacuum Wave and Aura Sphere
Starmie	Ranking：★★★★★ ・Naturally outspeeds Cloyster and resists Icicle Spear and Ice Shard ・Can threaten and potentially KO Cloyster with Thunderbolt
Metagross	Ranking：★★★★ ・Resists both Icicle Spear and Rock Blast ・Can threaten Cloyster with STAB Meteor Mash or Hammer Arm

Best Natures for Cloyster

What are Natures?

Best Partners for Cloyster

Wobuffet

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Wobbuffet	Shadow Tag	Sitrus Berry	・Counter ・Mirror Coat ・Encore ・Destiny Bond
Nature / EVs	Bold 20 HP / Def 252 / 136 Sp.Def
Final Stats	268 HP / 121 Def / 108 Sp.Def / 52 Spd

Wobbuffet makes a great defensive switch in against physical attackers that Cloyster struggles against, particularly set up sweepers are they are susceptible to Encore. Wobbuffet can then bait them into attacking, blocking their escape with Shadow Tag, and retaliating with Counter or Mirror Coat

Blaziken

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Blaziken	Speed Boost	Focus Sash	・Blaze Kick ・Close Combat ・U-Turn ・Swords Dance
Nature / EVs	Adamant 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Final Stats	155 HP / 189 Atk / 91 Def / 90 Sp.Def / 132 Spd

Blaziken is a good offensive partner as it easily handles the Steel-type Pokemon that Cloyster struggles against. Lucario, in particular, struggles against Blaziken once it accumulates enough Speed Boosts.

Pokemon BDSP Related Guides

Tier List and Movesets for Competitive Battle

Strategies for Individual Pokemon

Competitive Pokemon Builds
Gyarados	Breloom	Gliscor
Scizor	Suicune	Latios
Garchomp	Gengar	Azumarill
Hippowdon	Mamoswine	Latias
Heatran	Blaziken	Wash Rotom
Metagross	Tyranitar	Dragonite
Togekiss	Cloyster	Salamence
Cresselia