Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV)

Cloyster Movesets and Best Builds

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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Cloyster Moveset

Cloyster Movesets in Other Games
Pokemon Scarlet LogoSV Pokemon SWSH LogoSWSH

This is a guide to movesets and best builds for using Cloyster in competitive play for the games Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV). Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Tera Type, and Held Items to use with Cloyster, as well as its strengths and weakness.

Cloyster - Related Guides
Pokemon SV - Cloyster Evolution and LearnsetEvolution and Learnset Pokemon SV - Cloyster MovesetMoveset for Ranked Battle Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV) - Cloyster Tera Raid Builds IconTera Raid Build

Cloyster Base Stats, Type, Ability and Weakness

Paldea #330 Type
Cloyster ImageCloyster
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Water Icon Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Ice Icon
Abilities
Shell Armor
Skill Link
Overcoat (Hidden)
Weak to:
(2x)
Pokemon Grass Type Icon Pokemon Electric Type Icon Pokemon Fighting Type Icon Pokemon Rock Type Icon
Damaged Normally
By:
(1x)
Pokemon Normal Type Icon Pokemon Fire Type Icon Pokemon Poison Type Icon Pokemon Ground Type Icon Pokemon Flying Type Icon Pokemon Psychic Type Icon Pokemon Bug Type Icon Pokemon Ghost Type Icon Pokemon Dragon Type Icon Pokemon Dark Type Icon Pokemon Steel Type Icon Pokemon Fairy Type Icon
Resists: (0.5x)
Pokemon Water Type Icon
(0.25x)
Pokemon Ice Type Icon

What is Type Effectiveness?

Ability Name Description
Shell Armor The user is protected from critical hits.
Skill Link Moves that hit 2-5 times will always strike 5 times.
Overcoat
(Hidden)
Protects the user from the effects of Weather and Powder Moves.

Base Stats

Base Stats
Lv. 50 Stats
Stat Value Rank
HP
50
629
Atk
95
248
Def
180
4
SpAtk
85
258
SpDef
45
678
Speed
70
382
Total
525
196
Explanation of Pokemon Stats
Stat Max 0Nat 0EV -Nat Min
HP 157 157 125 125 110
Atk 161 147 115 103 90
Def 255 232 200 180 166
SpAtk 150 137 105 94 81
SpDef 106 97 65 58 45
Spd 134 122 90 81 67
  • Max: Max IVs & EVs and a stat-boosting Nature
  • 0Nat: Max IVs & EVs and a neutral Nature
  • 0EV: Max IVs, 0 EVs, and a neutral Nature
  • -Nat: Max IVs, 0 EVs, and a stat-reducing Nature
  • Min: 0 IVs & EVs, and a stat-reducing Nature
Introduction to EVs, IVs, and Natures

Best Nature for Cloyster

Best Natures
Jolly
(+Spe, -Sp. Atk)
Adamant
(+Atk, -Sp. Atk)

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Cloyster

Build Name Recommendation
Shell Smash Cloyster ★★★★★

Shell Smash Cloyster Moveset & Best Build

Nature Jolly (+Spe, -Sp. Atk)
EV Spread 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values 125 HP / 161 Atk / 201 Def / 65 Sp. Def / 122 Spe
Ability Skill Link
Tera Type Pokemon Ice Type Icon
Held Item Focus Sash
Moveset Shell Smash
Icicle Spear
Rock Blast
Drill Run

This build utilizes Shell Smash to increase Cloyster's Attack and Sp. Attack to deal as much damage as possible with multi-hit moves. Skill Link allows Cloyster to always hit the maximum 5 times with its multi-hit moves. With one Shell Smash, Cloyster will be able to KO most Pokemon, even with neutral damage.

Focus Sash compensates for Cloyster's extremely low Special Defense, which is further reduced when using Shell Smash. Even against Pokemon that are naturally faster than Cloyster, Focus Sash allows you to tank a hit, then use Shell Smash which will even allow you to outspeed Choice Scarf Jolly Nature Dragapult, as well as deal large amounts of damage.

Key Damage Calculations

Attack Icon Pokemon SVDamage Dealt by Cloyster
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Mimikyu Image 163 HP|100 Def
Defensive EV Investment:
4 HP
Icicle Spear (After Shell Smash)
168 ~ 204 (128.2 ~ 155.7%)
Guaranteed OHKO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Corviknight Image 205 HP|172 Def
Defensive EV Investment:
252 HP, 252 Def
Icicle Spear (After Shell Smash)
125 ~ 150 (60.9 ~ 73.1%)
Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Hydreigon Image 167 HP|110 Def
No Defensive EV Investment
Icicle Spear
190 ~ 240 (113.7 ~ 143.7%)
Guaranteed OHKO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Dragapult Image 163 HP|95 Def
No Defensive EV Investment
Icicle Spear
240 ~ 280 (147.2 ~ 171.7%)
Guaranteed OHKO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Arcanine Image 165 HP|100 Def
No Defensive EV Investment
Rock Blast
150 ~ 180 (90.9 ~ 109%)
Guaranteed OHKO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Baxcalibur Image 190 HP|112 Def
No Defensive EV Investment
Rock Blast (After Shell Smash)
250 ~ 300 (131.5 ~ 157.8%)
Guaranteed OHKO
Defense Icon Pokemon SVDamage Received by Cloyster
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Mimikyu Image (Shadow Claw)
Final Attack Value (EV's):
156 Atk(+252 Atk)
Held Item: Life Orb
Tera Type: Pokemon Ghost Type Icon
53 ~ 64 (42.4 ~ 51.2%)
3.5% Chance to 2-Hit KO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Mimikyu Image (Shadow Sneak -1 Def from Shell Smash)
Final Attack Value (EV's):
156 Atk(+252 Atk)
Held Item: Life Orb
Tera Type: Pokemon Ghost Type Icon
47 ~ 57 (37.6 ~ 45.6%)
Guaranteed 3-Hit KO

Other Viable Moves

Liquidation Coverage move against Fire types especially when Terastallized to Ice
Ice Shard Ice type alternative with +1 priority

How to Use Cloyster Effectively

Set up with Shell Smash to Sweep

Cloyster's Shell Smash is its set up move that gives it +2 on Attack, Special Attack, and Speed, in exchange for lowering both it Defense and Special Defense. This allows you to become a very effective glass cannon sweeper, being able to take out the entire enemy team, but being very vulnerable at the same time.

How to Build a Team with Cloyster

Cloyster is a Glass Cannon, so you typically will want to use it last, when the enemy team already sustained damage from your other Pokemon. You can use hazard setters and utility pokemon to ensure a safe setup for Cloyster.

Alternatively, you can use Special Attackers to deal with pokemon with high Special Defense, since Cloyster is mainly a Physical Attacker.

Build Sample 1

Hazard Setter Utility Physical Sweeper
Hippowdon ImageHippowdon Cyclizar ImageCyclizar Cloyster ImageCloyster

With this team, you can setup hazards with Hippowdon and deal as much damage while you stall. Cyclizar can use Shed Tail to allow a safe switch in for Cloyster, with the decoy to allow a safe Shell Smash setup.

Build Sample 2

Hazard Setter Bulky Special Attacker Physical Sweeper
Glimmora ImageGlimmora Gholdengo ImageGholdengo Cloyster ImageCloyster

With this team, you can setup and remove hazards with Glimmora, then switch to Gholdengo to dish out heavy Special Attack based damage. Since Gholdengo is also relatively bulky, it can act as a pivot to change into Cloyster should you need a stronger Physical Attacker on the field.

Counters for Cloyster

Use Priority moves to KO Cloyster quickly

With a Shell Smash setup, Cloyster will be very hard to outspeed, and with Skill Link, Cloyster's multi hit moves will hit 5 times, putting most Pokemon within OHKO range.

Using Priority moves will allow you to go first despite Cloyster's massive speed boost. With its defenses down, you can knock it out pretty easily.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon Description
Scizor ImageScizor Ranking: ★★★★★
・Resists Ice type moves
・Can hit Cloyster with priority x2 STAB Bullet Punch
▶️ Scizor Best Movesets
Gholdengo ImageGholdengo Ranking: ★★★★★
・Can OHKO Cloyster with either Thunderbolt or Make it Rain
・Can survive Cloyster's multi-hit moves
▶️ Gholdengo Best Movesets
Lucario ImageLucario Ranking: ★★★★
・Can hit Cloyster with priority x2 STAB Vacuum Wave
・Resists Ice and Rock type moves

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Related Guides

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Movesets.png

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