In Cobblemon, battle items can significantly enhance a Cobblemon's performance, either by boosting stats, enhancing moves, or countering opponents' strategies. Selecting the right items for your team can give you the upper hand in battles, whether you're aiming to increase damage, recover HP, or disrupt the opponent’s setup. Here’s a guide on the top battle items in Cobblemon and how to use them effectively to maximize your team’s potential.
1. Leftovers
Effect: Recovers a small portion of the holder’s HP at the end of every turn.
Why It’s Effective: Leftovers are a staple in battles, providing passive recovery to Cobblemon each turn. This is especially useful for tanky or defensive Cobblemon that need to stay in the battle for extended periods to wear down opponents. The extra recovery makes it harder for opponents to KO your Cobblemon, allowing you to endure while dealing consistent damage.
Best Cobblemon to Use:
- Snorlax (Normal): Snorlax’s high HP and bulk make Leftovers ideal, as it can restore HP each turn and stay in the game longer.
- Toxapex (Water/Poison): Paired with moves like Recover, Leftovers help Toxapex tank hits and stay healthy throughout extended battles.
Strategic Use: Use Leftovers on Cobblemon that play defensively or rely on stalling tactics. Combining Leftovers with moves like Protect and Toxic can create an effective “stalling” strategy, slowly weakening opponents while keeping your Cobblemon healthy.
2. Choice Scarf
Effect: Boosts the holder’s Speed by 50% but locks it into using only one move until it switches out.
Why It’s Effective: Choice Scarf allows slower, high-powered Cobblemon to outspeed opponents, making it ideal for offensive setups. It’s perfect for revenge-killing faster Cobblemon or ensuring that your powerhouse can land hits before taking damage.
Best Cobblemon to Use:
- Garchomp (Dragon/Ground): Already fast and strong, the Choice Scarf allows Garchomp to outspeed even the fastest threats, turning it into an offensive powerhouse.
- Gengar (Ghost/Poison): Gengar’s high Special Attack and boosted Speed with Choice Scarf make it a potent sweeper, especially against weaker defensive opponents.
Strategic Use: Use Choice Scarf on Cobblemon with high attack stats or strong moves to make them even more threatening. Predict your opponent’s team well, as being locked into one move means you’ll need to switch strategically.
3. Focus Sash
Effect: Prevents the holder from being knocked out in one hit if it is at full HP, leaving it with 1 HP.
Why It’s Effective: Focus Sash is perfect for Cobblemon that are frail but need a chance to set up or counter with a powerful move. This item essentially guarantees that your Cobblemon will survive at least one attack, giving it a chance to retaliate or set up a critical move.
Best Cobblemon to Use:
- Alakazam (Psychic): With low Defense but high Special Attack, Focus Sash lets Alakazam survive long enough to launch a strong attack.
- Garchomp (Dragon/Ground): While often bulky, using Focus Sash on an offensive Garchomp can ensure it survives a super-effective hit to return with a powerful counter.
Strategic Use: Focus Sash works best on Cobblemon with a specific setup move, like Swords Dance or Stealth Rock, or on frail sweepers that need one turn to unleash high-damage attacks.
4. Life Orb
Effect: Increases the power of the holder’s moves by 30% at the cost of a small amount of HP each time it attacks.
Why It’s Effective: Life Orb provides a significant boost to a Cobblemon’s moves without locking it into one, like the Choice items do. It’s ideal for strong, offensive Cobblemon that can use high-damage moves to quickly eliminate opponents.
Best Cobblemon to Use:
- Gengar (Ghost/Poison): With Life Orb, Gengar’s moves become incredibly potent, allowing it to take down opponents quickly despite the recoil damage.
- Infernape (Fire/Fighting): This item gives Infernape a power boost on both Physical and Special moves, taking advantage of its wide movepool.
Strategic Use: Use Life Orb on Cobblemon that can deal high damage and don’t rely on long-term survivability. Combine it with healing moves or strategies that prevent taking additional damage to offset the recoil.
5. Assault Vest
Effect: Boosts the holder’s Special Defense by 50% but prevents the use of status moves.
Why It’s Effective: Assault Vest provides a massive Special Defense boost, allowing typically offensive Cobblemon to withstand Special attacks. It works well on Cobblemon with high HP or Defense that would benefit from increased Special bulk, making them more versatile.
Best Cobblemon to Use:
- Tyranitar (Rock/Dark): With Assault Vest, Tyranitar can withstand powerful Special moves, shoring up its Special Defense weaknesses.
- Goodra (Dragon): With naturally high Special Defense, Assault Vest turns Goodra into a Special wall, allowing it to deal damage while resisting Special moves.
Strategic Use: Use Assault Vest on Cobblemon that rely on offensive moves and can benefit from added bulk. Pair it with Physical attackers or Cobblemon with moves like Dragon Tail or Rock Slide that require staying power.
6. Rocky Helmet
Effect: Deals recoil damage to opponents that use Physical attacks against the holder.
Why It’s Effective: Rocky Helmet is an excellent choice for Cobblemon with high Defense or those that want to punish Physical attackers. Each time an opponent lands a contact move, they’ll take damage, which is ideal for wearing down physically aggressive Cobblemon.
Best Cobblemon to Use:
- Ferrothorn (Grass/Steel): Ferrothorn’s bulk and natural Defense make it ideal for absorbing Physical hits while Rocky Helmet punishes contact moves.
- Corviknight (Flying/Steel): With high Defense and access to moves like Roost, Corviknight can stay in battle while chipping away at opponents.
Strategic Use: Rocky Helmet pairs well with stalling strategies and Cobblemon that have high Defense. Combine it with entry hazards like Stealth Rock or Toxic Spikes to maximize chip damage.
7. Choice Band
Effect: Increases the holder’s Attack by 50% but locks it into using only one move until it switches out.
Why It’s Effective: Choice Band is ideal for Physical attackers who need an extra boost in power. By raising the Attack stat, it makes moves like Earthquake and Close Combat extremely dangerous, allowing Cobblemon to knock out opponents before they retaliate.
Best Cobblemon to Use:
- Excadrill (Ground/Steel): Excadrill’s high Attack combined with Choice Band makes its Ground-type moves incredibly powerful.
- Conkeldurr (Fighting): With already high Attack, Choice Band allows Conkeldurr to deal massive damage with each hit.
Strategic Use: Use Choice Band on Cobblemon that focus on one or two high-power moves. It’s best paired with Cobblemon that are easy to switch in and out so you can adapt to the opponent’s team.
8. Weakness Policy
Effect: Increases the holder’s Attack and Special Attack by two stages if it’s hit by a super-effective move.
Why It’s Effective: Weakness Policy is an item that can turn the tide of battle when activated. By boosting both offensive stats, it’s a fantastic choice for bulky Cobblemon that can survive a super-effective hit and retaliate with boosted power.
Best Cobblemon to Use:
- Dragonite (Dragon/Flying): With the ability Multiscale, Dragonite can tank a super-effective hit and unleash high-damage moves.
- Rhyperior (Ground/Rock): High Defense and HP make Rhyperior able to withstand a super-effective move, allowing it to strike back with a boosted Attack.
Strategic Use: Weakness Policy is best used on Cobblemon that can survive strong hits. It pairs well with Cobblemon that have access to recovery moves or abilities that mitigate damage.
Conclusion
Mastering the use of battle items in Cobblemon can give you a critical advantage in battles. Whether you’re boosting Speed with a Choice Scarf, increasing durability with Leftovers, or powering up attacks with Life Orb, the right item choice can define your team’s strategy. By understanding each item’s unique benefits, you can create a balanced and effective team ready to tackle any challenge. Experiment with different items to find the best combinations for your playstyle, and watch as your Cobblemon become stronger, faster, and more resilient in battle.