Carbink Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves STAB Moonblast allows Carbink to deal super effective damage to Drampa. Moonblast also ensures that Carbink isn't Taunt bait or setup fodder for Sableye. Alternatively, Rock Slide is Carbink's most reliable Rock-type move and hits Flying-, Fire-, Bug-, and Ice-types harder than Moonblast. For example, it 2HKOes the Fire-types that Carbink beats like Simisear without any Attack investment. Furthermore, Rock Slide prevents Oricorio-G from setting up on Carbink with Substitute and Calm Mind and breaks Jynx's Substitute reliably, which Moonblast is unable to do, while also preventing Articuno from PP stalling with Substitute. Toxic allows Carbink to cripple switch-ins such as Lanturn, Lurantis, and the plethora of offensive Pokemon that can take advantage of it. Rest is Carbink's only recovery option and allows Carbink to reliably check foes such as Drampa throughout the match. Protect can be used over Rest for an extra turn of Leftovers recovery, scouting against Choice-locked Pokemon, and reducing the damage of incoming Z-Moves. Additionally, using Protect in tandem with Toxic enables Carbink to stall out its foes. Set Details Maximum HP and Special Defense investment with a Calm or Careful nature ensures that Carbink can take on special wallbreakers such as Simisear and Drampa. A Careful nature should be used with Rock Slide to maximize its damage. Leftovers maximizes longevity by granting Carbink passive recovery and pairs well with Protect if running it. Clear Body enables Carbink to block Parting Shot and avoid stat drops from moves such as Drampa's Focus Blast. Sturdy also has usefulness in almost guaranteeing Carbink Stealth Rock by surviving a strong hit, but few attacks are capable of OHKOing Carbink to begin with. Usage Tips Carbink should set up Stealth Rock and blanket check powerful special attackers throughout the match, using Toxic against setup sweepers in order to cut their sweep short. If Stealth Rock has already been set, Carbink can use the switches it forces by virtue of its typing and defenses to whittle down its foes with Toxic or its STAB moves. Carbink should mostly be used to counter special attackers such as Drampa and Musharna, but Carbink can also check physical attackers such as Kangaskhan and Dodrio because of its high Defense and resistances. Carbink should be wary of Taunt users, as it's slow, and Taunt prevents it from using Toxic and Stealth Rock. Lastly, when Carbink is low on health make sure to use Rest so it can consistently check special attackers like Drampa and Simisear. Carbink should use Protect to scout Choice-locked Pokemon like Jellicent and wear down checks in tandem with Toxic. Team Options Carbink almost exclusively fits on stall teams due to its ability to check many of the tier's prominent special wallbreakers; thus, pairing Carbink with bulky Pokemon such as Bronzor, Sableye, Altaria, and Tangela is ideal, as they all appreciate a bulky special wall that can check Drampa. Additionally, clerics such as Audino and Lanturn can help remove any status conditions such as sleep on Carbink with Heal Bell. Carbink is susceptible to entry hazards, so Defoggers like Skuntank and Altaria are recommended. Skuntank, in particular, is great at absorbing Toxic Spikes, which can be a hinderance for stall teams. Lastly, Ground- and Steel-type checks such as Gastrodon make for good teammates because Carbink has no way to threaten the former other than with Toxic and is often helpless against the latter.

Moves Trick Room allows slower teammates such as Crabominable to move before faster Pokemon such as Floatzel and Primeape. Stealth Rock is a solid way of weakening foes upon switching in, making it easier for teammates such as Wishiwashi to break through the opposing team. Stealth Rock also breaks potential Sturdy and Focus Sash from Pokemon such as Golem and Leavanny, which greatly helps Trick Room teams, since they rely on limited turns and cannot afford to waste them dealing with a Pokemon with Focus Sash or Sturdy. Explosion allows Carbink to prevent Defog and Rapid Spin while giving teammates the opportunity to come in safely afterward. Magic Coat bounces back certain non-damaging moves such as Lovely Kiss and Taunt, which would otherwise prevent Carbink from fulfilling its job, as well as entry hazards such as Toxic Spikes. Set Details Minimal Speed investment allows Carbink to move before the opposing Pokemon under Trick Room and set up Stealth Rock. Sturdy alongside Mental Herb makes it almost impossible for a foe to stop Carbink from setting up Trick Room and helps setting up both Stealth Rock and Trick Room effectively. Usage Tips Carbink functions best as a suicide lead on Trick Room teams. Since the opponent will usually lead with a check to Carbink, it should always set up Trick Room before using Stealth Rock. Carbink should then use Explosion to preserve Trick Room turns and get a teammate like Marowak in for free. However, if you play against a Pokemon with access to Encore such as Liepard, Carbink should set up Trick Room and hard switch so it doesn't waste a turn of Trick Room. Carbink should also use Magic Coat to reflect incoming entry hazards like Regirock's Stealth Rock and status moves that would prevent Carbink from setting up Trick Room or Stealth Rock successfully like Qwilfish's Taunt. Team Options Carbink works great on Trick Room teams, as it can almost always set up Trick Room; thus, slow wallbreakers such as Crabominable, Marowak, Wishiwashi, and Guts Ursaring are ideal because they can wallbreak comfortably without being outsped by faster Pokemon such as Primeape and Jynx. Since Carbink ends up being sacrificed after using Explosion, other Trick Room setters such as Beheeyem, Musharna, and Audino are appreciated so you can get up Trick Room again later on in the match. While not mandatory, fast cleaners such as Floatzel and Choice Scarf Primeape are recommended for when Trick Room has expired because they have better chances to clean late-game once the aforementioned wallbreakers have removed their checks. Strong priority users like Kecleon that can overcome the archetype's low Speed stat during times Trick Room is no longer active are great for Trick Room teams, too.

Moves Sunny Day summons harsh sunlight, a boon for Fire-types and Chlorophyll Pokemon. Stealth Rock breaks Sturdy and Focus Sashes, and helps offensively inclined teammates net KOs with greater ease. Explosion allows Carbink to put a dent in something once it has set up both sun and Stealth Rock. Magic Coat lets Carbink bounce back status, entry hazards, and most notably, Taunt, which would otherwise render it a lot less useful. Set Details Maximum HP evens out Carbink's overall bulk, and maximum Speed lets it get up Stealth Rock and sun as fast as possible. Sturdy ensures that Carbink can summon weather or set up Stealth Rock even against opponents that would otherwise KO it, with the exception of Mold Breaker Pokemon. Heat Rock extends the duration of the sunlight to eight turns, allowing teammates to take advantage of it for as long as possible. Usage Tips Carbink functions well as a lead, though it can be brought in any time your team needs sun support. Carbink should always set up Stealth Rock first and explode after setting up both sunlight and Stealth Rock so as not to waste precious weather turns. If Carbink only has the opportunity to set up one thing before fainting, it should prioritize summoning the sun, unless teammates capable of taking advantage of it have fainted. If there is an important Pokemon such as Stoutland on the other team that Carbink checks, you should try to keep it alive for later on in the match. Magic Coat should be used if you predict that the foe will use Taunt or set up an entry hazard. Team Options This set should only be used on dedicated weather teams. Pokemon that can take advantage of sun with their abilities and/or moves such as Weepinbell, Leafeon, Sawsbuck, and Ninetales are good teammates, as they have the potential to sweep with sun support. Carbink wants to be backed by a teammate that can summon sunlight later on the match such as Volbeat; Volbeat in particular can also use Encore to deal with the setup sweepers that try to use Carbink as setup bait.

Moves Calm Mind compensates for Carbink's naturally lacking Special Attack and increases its special bulk. Moonblast is a STAB move with decent enough coverage that will do good damage after several uses of Calm Mind. Rest is Carbink's sole means of recovery and also removes status, while Sleep Talk allows Carbink to continue to boost its stats or attack while sleeping. Set Details HP and Defense are maximized to increase Carbink's physical bulk, as Calm Mind covers its Special Defense. Clear Body prevents Carbink's stats from being lowered, meaning that it won't be subject to the odd drop from a foe's attack or ability. Leftovers gives Carbink passive recovery, which increases its longevity. Usage Tips Send in Carbink against a Pokemon that doesn't threaten it such as Ursaring or Dodrio so that it can set up. Due to its poor Speed, regardless of the boosts it might have accumulated, Carbink generally shouldn't stay in when faced with a foe with a type advantage such as Floatzel, Tangela, or Golem. When Carbink has been worn down sufficiently, use Rest to restore health and then use Sleep Talk over the course of the two following turns. It is safest for Carbink to attempt to set up once its checks and counters have been worn down or outright KOed by teammates. Team Options Teammates capable of dealing with Water-, Grass-, and Ground-types are ideal. For example, Tangela can dispatch most Water- and Ground-types, and Flareon can dispose of Grass-types. Toxic Spikes support from a Pokemon such as Roselia means that passive damage is inflicted on the opponent while Carbink sets up, and helps it beat other sweepers such as Bouffalant.