Sets
Standard Bulky Water
- Item Held
- Leftovers
- Nature
- Bold (+Defense, -Attack)
- Effort Points
- 240 Defense – 148 HP – 122 Special Attack
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hypnosis
- Recover
This set has been the standard for Milotic in Advance and remains
unchanged in D/P. With Hypnosis becoming 10% more accurate, Recover and
awesome tanking abilities, Milotic will really slow down your opponent’s team.
Surf is obviously here for STAB and Ice Beam is mainly for the Dragons. About
the EP spread and the nature now, the ones suggested above are the standard as
it allows you to survive Garchomp’s Earthquake after a Swords Dance and OHKOs
it with Ice Beam (assuming max IVs). However, they may be changed according to
your preference depending on what you want your Milotic to counter. Another
suggested spread is 252 HP – 252 Special Defense – 6 Special Attack with a
Calm Nature which makes Milotic a fine SpecsMence counter.
Mirror Coat
- Item Held
- Leftovers
- Nature
- Bold (+Defense, -Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 HP – 232 Defense – 26 Special Attack
- Surf
- Mirror Coat
- Ice Beam
- Recover
Much like the previous set, but functions differently. You have to try
to bring your Milotic in on a Will-O-Wisp/Toxic or just switch in on Toxic
Spikes to activate Marvel Scale. Then, you’ll have a huge Defense stat,
forcing your opponent to hit you with a Special Attack. Then, Milotic can
counter that hit with Mirror Coat and Recover off the damage. Sure, not as
reliable as the first set, but it can score an unexpected KO.
You may ask why not use Flame Orb instead of Leftovers and hope for a
status inducing move by the opponent. The reason is really simple. The passive
damage that Milotic will take each turn will eat its HP faster than you
thought giving it problems against powerful hits.
Sleep Talker
- Item Held
- Leftovers
- Nature
- Bold (+Defense, -Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 HP – 232 Defense – 26 Special Attack
- Surf
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Ice Beam
With Rest activating Marvel Scale, Milotic makes a great Physical
Wall. However you must be able to predict when you’ll need to use Rest as a
single mistake can get your Milotic knocked out.
Other Possible Options
Other than Surf and Ice Beam, Dragon Pulse and Hidden Power Electric are the
only useful Special moves Milotic can get, but their use is occasional at
best. Toxic is also a move that you should consider using over Ice Beam if
your team has no Salamence/Garchomp problems. Milotic can annoy with Confuse
Ray too if you want. Light Screen gives a nice Special Defense boost to the
rest of your team and Safeguard prevents status inducing moves. This is not
always good though as you’ll want to activate Marvel Scale most of the time.
Finally, Haze is an option but Vaporeon and Weezing are much better at it.
Counters
Metagross and Electivire’s Thunderpunch is probably the best way to take
Milotic down if it hasn’t activated Marvel Scale. A Zapdos with Sleep Talk is
also an awesome counter as it has no problem getting a Hypnosis too. Raikou
can Substitute to avoid Hypnosis, Calm Mind up easily and OHKO. Magnezone can
use Substitute and hit as well.
Charge Beam Cresselia makes a quite good counter. Blissey can wall Milotic
while waking up any Pokémon affected by Hypnosis with its Aromatherapy.
Empoleon and Starmie’s Grass Knot, Ludicolo’s Energy Ball, Abomasnow’s Wood
Hammer and even a Life Orb boosted Energy Ball/Thunderbolt by Gengar will do
the job. Finally, most Rest + Sleep Talk users won’t have many problems
against Milotic.
Opinion & Notes
Unfortunately, the generation jump gave Milotic a lot of new things to worry.
Physical Electric and Grass moves, Tyranitar’s Special Defense boost, Choice
Specs boosted Draco Meteor and Garchomp’s Life Orb boosted Earthquake are not
going to help Milotic walling whole teams as it did in Advance. Certainly, it
got a 10% boost in Hypnosis’ accuracy but compared to Slack Off that Slowbro
gained and to Stealth Rock and Avalanche that Swampert did, it’s not that
much. However, Milotic is still a pretty solid defensive option when used
correctly.
Note that Hypnosis and Mirror Coat cannot be used in the same set.