Top Support Moves in Cobblemon

Support moves are the backbone of any successful Cobblemon team. They provide utility, control, and disruption, enabling your team to perform at its best. From setting hazards to spreading status effects, mastering support moves can give you the edge you need to dominate battles. This guide highlights the most impactful support moves every Cobblemon trainer should know and explains how to use them effectively.

What Are Support Moves?

Support moves are non-damaging moves that enhance your team's capabilities, disrupt your opponent's strategy, or control the battlefield. These moves can:

• Boost your Cobblemon’s stats.
• Inflict status conditions on opponents.
• Manipulate the battle environment with hazards or weather effects.
• Heal or protect teammates.

Essential Support Moves and How to Use Them

1. Stealth Rock

• Effect: Sets a hazard that deals damage to opponents switching in, based on their type's resistance to Rock.
• Why It’s Crucial: Stealth Rock punishes frequent switching and wears down key threats like Flying- or Fire-types.
• Best Users:
  • Ferrothorn: Combines hazard setting with excellent bulk.
  • Garchomp: Adds offensive pressure to its hazard-setting role.

2. Defog

• Effect: Removes hazards like Stealth Rock, Spikes, and screens from both sides of the field.
• Why It’s Crucial: Clears hazards to protect your team from chip damage and removes enemy Light Screen or Reflect.
• Best Users:
  • Mandibuzz: Reliable bulk for hazard removal.
  • Togekiss: Offers defensive utility with Defog and healing.

3. Toxic

• Effect: Badly poisons the opponent, dealing increasing damage each turn.
• Why It’s Crucial: Toxic is the perfect tool for breaking down defensive Cobblemon and stalling opponents.
• Best Users:
  • Toxapex: Spreads Toxic while walling physical threats.
  • Umbreon: Uses Toxic in combination with Wish to stall opponents.

4. Thunder Wave

• Effect: Paralyzes the target, reducing their Speed by 75% and giving them a 25% chance to fail to act each turn.
• Why It’s Crucial: Thunder Wave disrupts fast attackers and sweepers, giving slower teammates a chance to shine.
• Best Users:
  • Togekiss: Paralyzes opponents and flinches them with Air Slash.
  • Rotom-Wash: Spreads paralysis while pivoting.

5. Will-O-Wisp

• Effect: Burns the target, halving their Attack and dealing residual damage each turn.
• Why It’s Crucial: Will-O-Wisp shuts down physical attackers and punishes switch-ins.
• Best Users:
  • Rotom-Wash: Burns threats while maintaining utility.
  • Talonflame: Uses Flame Body or Will-O-Wisp to punish contact moves.

6. Tailwind

• Effect: Doubles the Speed of your team for four turns.
• Why It’s Crucial: Tailwind enables slower Cobblemon to outspeed threats, creating a temporary but decisive advantage.
• Best Users:
  • Whimsicott: Uses Prankster to guarantee priority Tailwind.
  • Togekiss: Combines Tailwind with status moves to disrupt opponents.

7. Rapid Spin

• Effect: Removes hazards from your side of the field and increases the user’s Speed by one stage.
• Why It’s Crucial: Clears hazards without removing your own, and the Speed boost gives offensive utility.
• Best Users:
  • Excadrill: Offensive hazard removal with strong moves like Earthquake.
  • Tsareena: Combines hazard removal with status resistance via Queenly Majesty.

8. Light Screen and Reflect

• Effect: Halves the damage taken from Special (Light Screen) or Physical (Reflect) attacks for five turns.
• Why It’s Crucial: Dual screens provide valuable damage mitigation, enabling your Cobblemon to survive longer or set up.
• Best Users:
  • Grimmsnarl: Uses Prankster to set screens before the opponent can act.
  • Klefki: Combines dual screens with status moves like Thunder Wave.

9. Protect

• Effect: Blocks all damage and effects for one turn.
• Why It’s Crucial: Protect allows you to scout opponents’ moves, stall for residual damage, or gain recovery.
• Best Users:
  • Ferrothorn: Combines Protect with Leech Seed for sustainability.
  • Toxapex: Stalls with Protect while spreading status effects.

10. Toxic Spikes

• Effect: Sets a hazard that poisons grounded opponents upon switching in.
• Why It’s Crucial: Toxic Spikes wear down entire teams, particularly against stall-heavy opponents.
• Best Users:
  • Toxapex: Provides excellent synergy with defensive cores.
  • Roserade: Combines Toxic Spikes with offensive pressure.

Strategies for Using Support Moves Effectively

1. Time Your Hazards

Set hazards early to chip opponents and discourage frequent switching. If your opponent has Defog or Rapid Spin, predict their removal attempts to maintain pressure.

2. Disrupt Opponents with Status

Use moves like Thunder Wave or Will-O-Wisp to cripple sweepers and physical attackers. Combining status effects with hazards maximizes residual damage.

3. Prioritize Hazard Removal

Protect your team from hazards, especially if you have Cobblemon vulnerable to Stealth Rock. Use Defog or Rapid Spin strategically to maintain your team's mobility.

4. Pair Screens with Setup Sweepers

Dual screens are particularly effective for enabling sweepers to safely set up moves like Swords Dance or Dragon Dance.

5. Use Protect for Scouting

Protect not only delays damage but also helps you read your opponent’s strategy. Use it to bait out moves or identify Choice item users.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Overusing Support Moves

Spamming support moves without advancing your strategy can waste turns and allow your opponent to capitalize.

• Solution: Use support moves with a clear objective, like enabling a setup or breaking momentum.

2. Ignoring Synergy

Support moves are most effective when they complement your team’s strengths and cover weaknesses.

• Solution: Ensure your support moves align with your team’s playstyle.

3. Misjudging Timing

Using moves like Protect or hazards at the wrong time can leave you vulnerable.

• Solution: Anticipate your opponent’s plays and adjust your timing accordingly.

Sample Team Featuring Key Support Moves

1. Ferrothorn (Hazard Setter)

• Moves: Stealth Rock, Leech Seed, Protect, Gyro Ball
• Role: Provides hazards and sustains itself with Leech Seed.

2. Toxapex (Status Spreader)

• Moves: Toxic, Scald, Recover, Haze
• Role: Neutralizes threats and stalls with status.

3. Mandibuzz (Hazard Remover)

• Moves: Defog, Foul Play, Roost, Taunt
• Role: Clears hazards and disrupts setup sweepers.

4. Whimsicott (Speed Support)

• Moves: Tailwind, Encore, Moonblast, U-turn
• Role: Speeds up teammates and locks opponents into unfavorable moves.

5. Grimmsnarl (Dual Screens)

• Moves: Reflect, Light Screen, Spirit Break, Thunder Wave
• Role: Mitigates damage and disrupts fast threats.

6. Dragapult (Cleaner)

• Moves: Draco Meteor, Shadow Ball, U-turn, Flamethrower
• Role: Takes advantage of support moves to clean up late-game.

Conclusion

Support moves are essential for creating versatile and effective Cobblemon teams. By incorporating moves like Stealth Rock, Defog, and Thunder Wave into your strategy, you can control the battlefield, disrupt opponents, and enhance your team's performance. Experiment with different combinations and adjust based on your playstyle to dominate the competition.