Cloyster - Best Moveset & Build | Pokemon Sword Shield

Last Updated: August 21, 2022 10:59 PM

Find out how to breed Cloyster in Pokemon Sword and Shield! Learn about the best competitive Cloyster movesets, best builds, best nature, counters and the breeding process!!!

Table of Contents

Best Moveset & Build
Best Moves
Best Items
Best Nature And EVs
Counters
Competitive Breeding Process

Location & Stats

Competitive Build

Cloyster Best Moveset & Build

Total Base Stats	525
Type

Standard Shell Smash Build

Best Nature	Best Item
Adamant (Atk.↑ / Sp. Atk↓)	Focus Sash
Best Ability
Skill Link Multi-hitting moves always hit the maximum number of times.
Best Moveset
Shell Smash / Rock Blast / Icicle Spear / Liquidation ▼Check Move Info Here
Best EV Spread
Attack 252, Speed 252, HP 4

Devastating Shell Smash User

When a Cloyster uses Shell Smash, its defensive stats will be drastically lowered, so there's no need for additional investment there - place all your EVs in Speed & Attack. The remainder should go in HP.

Skill Link Deals Massive Damage

The ability Skill Link allows moves like Icicle Spear and Rock Blast to hit the maximum 5 times every time. This means that Icicle Spear has an effective power of 125 (before STAB!). Multi-attack moves are particularly strong against Substitute and Mimikyu's Disguise.

Use a Focus Sash or Lum Berry

The two main options for Cloyster are the Focus Sash, to prevent being one shot, and the Lum Berry, which causes it cure a status condition. This can be useful for clearing Paralysis or a Burn.

Consider King's Rock vs Tanks

If you're seeing a lot of tanks in the meta, a King's Rock might be a good alternative item. Since flinch chance is calculated on every individual hit, you'll effectively have a 40% chance of causing a flinch using Icicle Spear or Rock Blast. If you get one flinch, you should be able to finish them off the next turn (assuming Shell Smash buffs).

Watch Out For Sandstorm If Using Focus Sash

Sandstorm will deal damage at the end of the turn, potentially finishing off your Cloyster that just survived thanks to a Focus Sash. Be careful when facing Pokemon that might Dynamax and use Max Rockfall.

Use A Different Nature For Hydro Pump

When dealing with physical tanks, Hydro Pump is a good ability to have due to its high damage output. If you run Hydro Pump, make sure to change your nature to one that doesn't lower Sp. Atk!

Other Natures	Naughty (Atk↑ / Sp.Def↓) Naive (Speed↑ / Sp.Def↓)

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Cloyster - Best Moves

Standard Shell Smash Build

Recommended Moves

Move/Type	Reason
Icicle Spear	Hits 2-5 times (always 5 with Skill Link). Must have.
Rock Blast	Hits 2-5 times (always 5 with Skill Link). Good coverage move.
Liquidation	Strong STAB water move. useful to have vs Rock types.
Shell Smash	Lowers Defense and Sp.Def by 1 stage, but increases Atk, Sp.Atk, and Speed by 2 stages. A must on all builds.

Other Viable Moves

Move/Type	Reason
Hydro Pump	Alternative to Liquidation, useful vs. physical tanks that stack defense.

Cloyster - Best Items to Hold

Item	Traits
Focus Sash	Survive with 1 HP if a move would otherwise one-hit you. Useful since Shell Smash drops your defenses.
Lum Berry	Cures a status condition. Useful for preventing a burn or paralysis to keep your sweep going.

Check Out Battle Item Locations Here!

Cloyster - Base Nature And EVs

Cloyster - Recommended Natures

Nature	Traits
Adamant	Atk↑ / Sp.Atk↓ Focus on increasing your speed so that you can knock off your opponent's items first.
Jolly	Speed↑ / Sp.Atk↓ Focuses on dealing more damage and being a greater threat.
Naughty	Atk↑ / Sp.Def↓ For variants running Hydro Pump.
Naive	Speed↑ / Sp.Def↓ For variants running Hydro Pump.

Which Nature Would You Recommend?

Recommended Base Point (EV) Allocation

Physical Attacker Cloyster

Stat	Base Point
Attack	252 points (max)
Speed	252 points (max)
HP	4 points

Cloyster doesn't need EVs in Defenses, since they'll be dropped by Shell Smash anyway. Focus on Attack, Speed, and HP.

Cloyster Counters

Recommended Pokemon To Counter Cloyster

Pokemon	Explanation
Wash Rotom	Pros - Electric moves are super effective - Resists Water and Ice moves Cons - Can't switch easily if Cloyster has Shell Smashed already
Ferrothorn	Pros - High defensive stats - Can boost defenses with Curse - Power whip can one shot Cons - Loses to King's Rock builds
Tyranitar	Pros - Rock moves are super effective - Can summon a Sandstorm and deal with Focus Sash Cons - Weak to Water moves
Excadrill	Pros - Rock moves are super effective - Can summon a Sandstorm and deal with Focus Sash Cons - Weak to Water moves
Corviknight	Pros - Can survive with Iron Defense - Max Steelspike can do damage and boost defense at the same time Cons - Can't outsustain Hydro Pump

How To Play Against Cloyster

Use Rock Moves

Cloyster's rock weakness is one of the best ways to take it out. Dynamaxing and using Max Rockfall will summon a Sandstorm and take it out if its using a Focus Sash. Just be careful for Liquidation and Hydro Pump.

Burn or Paralyze It

Using Thunder Wave or Will-o-Wisp is a good way to shut down Cloyster. However, some variants run a Lum Berry, which will cure a status condition, so be careful.

Use A Priority Move

Cloyster becomes very frail after Shell Smash, so priorit moves are effective at finishing it off (especially if is hanging on at 1 life due to a Focus Sash).

Cloyster - Competitive Breeding Process

Breeding Process Flow Chart

1	Catch a Shellder in East Lake Axewell (in the grass or fishing)
2	Hatch Eggs until you get a High IV Shellder
3	Breed that Shellder until you get one with an Adamant Nature and the Skill Link ability.
4	Put 252 EVs in Attack and Speed
5	Max out its Dynamax Level
6	Teach it Shell Smash, Icicle Spear, Rock Blast, and Liquidation
7	Equip a Focus Sash