Rollum Movesets & Wettbewerbs-Sets

Moves Spikes and Toxic Spikes are mandatory on Whirlipede and every Spikes-stacking team, as they serve to pressure the enemy team by putting some damage on foes every time they switch in. Protect lets Whirlipede get a Speed Boost safely and then proceed to quickly set up layers of Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Endeavor is the best damaging move that Whirlipede can use, letting it bring an enemy to 1 HP if played well with Speed boost and Focus Sash. Set Details Maximum Speed and the Defense investment with a Jolly nature allows Whirlipede to set up Spikes as soon as possible and to stay alive as long as possible against physical attackers, especially against Rock Blast users. Speed Boost is one of the reasons why Whirlipede is used, as it makes it the fastest Spikes setter in the tier after it gets some boosts. Focus Sash lets Whirlipede take any hit without being OHKOed and set up more entry hazards or use Endeavor to take an enemy to 1 HP. Usage Tips Whirlipede's potential as a suicide lead can only be fully used in the early stages of a game. Laying down layers of Spikes and taking one of the opponent's Pokemon down to 1 HP from the start is really easy thanks to Endeavor and Focus Sash, so try to use this tactic as much as you can when using Whirlipede, but take care against Pokemon with Rock Blast, Knock Off, or status moves, as well as Ghost-types, as they can nullify your strategy most of the time. Always look to the opponent's team when you decide what you want to set up on the field first; for example, if the opponent has a Poison-type, you will want to set up your Spikes before Toxic Spikes, so that they will not be removed. Be careful against setup sweepers, especially if they carry Substitute, as Whirlipede's weak against them, having next to zero offensive presence. Whirlipede also relies a lot on using Protect on the first turn to set up layers of Spikes when against decently fast Taunt users and popular Choice Scarf users such as Sawsbuck and Simipour, which outspeed it at +2 but not at +3. Because Whirlipede is pretty slow without boosts, Protect should also used when Whirlipede is at 1 HP to gain another Speed boost after setting up a layer of Spikes, which allows it to become faster than every Taunt user and also scout if the opponent switches into a Ghost-type predicting your Endeavor. When Whirlipede is at 1 HP, also consider placing another layer of Spikes, if you feel you really need it and the opponent doesn't have a reliable way to get rid of them, because they could also switch out to a Ghost-type, making Endeavor useless. Team Options Whirlipede's strategy is supported well by a Stealth Rock setter such as Golem or Probopass to keep up the pressure on the opponent's team when against Pokemon with immunities to Ground and Poison. Defiant users such as Pawniard and Purugly are appreciated when using Whirlipede to pressure or even KO the enemy's Defog user while gaining a +2 Attack boost, which is always appreciated. Spinblockers such as Misdreavus and Dusknoir are also good teammates, as they can prevent your Spikes from being removed by the enemy spinner most of the time. Floatzel can be a good teammate because it effectively checks or even counters Rock- and Fire-types and can also make good use of Whirlipede's entry hazards to clean up the enemy team if using the Swift Swim set. Whirlipede appreciates Pokemon such as Taunt + Will-O-Wisp Misdreavus or Rotom-F, which can stall out walls such as Lickilicky, Gourgeist-XL, and Tangela. Sweepers such as Regice enjoy Spikes support to weaken their counters.