What is a good moveset for Cloyster?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Cloyster, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for its pre-evolutions, if any, can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Cloyster Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gen V

Cloyster (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Shell Smash
- Razor Shell

Okay then, Focus Sash allows you to get up Shell Smash. Now you have Skill Link, which makes your STAB Icicle Spear and Rock Blast do a ton of damage while also breaking through Substitute, Sturdy, and Focus Sash. Razor Shell provides STAB, and also has a good chance of lowering the defense of the foe, which could be helpful for foes with defense boosts or resistances. Standard sweeping EVs.

Comments

I have one like that and a slightly different one that works pretty well,
Instead train both defenese fully and use a white herb
 White herb to counter the stat drops from shell smash and still get the speed and attack boosts!

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The jolly nature is a bad idea, if you want to use a Rock Blast, Shell smash and Razor Shell.
I'd use Adamant nature with EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Defense.
If you want use a proper Cloyster.

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No jolly is the best nature if u want to outspeed Deoxys Attack Forme

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Is spd special defense or speed?

Answer 2

Special Cloyster

Cloyster @ Focus Sash / White Herb

Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Shell Smash
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Electric] / Hidden Power [Grass] / Hidden Power [Fire]

This clam is famous in OU for its bulk and Shell Smash sweeping capabilities, and although Cloyster is kind of a nub Pokemon, that is no reason for me to not realize it is always used as a Physical Attacker, and try to make use of its less significant SAtk. It is not able to surprise the enemy by Shell Smashing, but it IS able to pull some shenanigans by being a special attacker, which can allow it to get around many of the things that give physical variants trouble, such as Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and mostly Steel types that can be found running Physically Defensive sets as a standard. Hydro Pump is STAB, Ice Beam is secondary STAB and they are pretty much Cloyster's special versions of Razor Shell and Icicle Spear. The last attacking option is usually a split between HP Grass or Electric for hitting bulky water types, Grass for things like Gadtrodon and Rorom-W, and Electric for Pokemon such as Gyarados and Skarmory better. However, should you decide that you already have buly waters coveted, Hidden Power Fire is an option for bringing down Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Magnezone, and the occasional Abomasnow. Another perk of Special Cloyster is that it can run Overcoat, meaning it can not be worn down by Sand, which would render any physical variant's Focus Sashes useless.

Comments

this is very late, but Ben, you're a wizard, I swear

Answer 3

Double/Triple Battle

Cloyster (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Shell Armor
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Surf
- Shell Smash
- Blizzard
- Hidden Power [Electric]

I'd say risk it. I don't usually support stat boosting in Double/Triple battles because it is so incredibly risky and is usually not going to be worth the risk. However, Shell Smash Cloyster might be worth the risk. Surf and Blizzard are STAB that hit multiple foes. HP Electric is coverage.

Answer 4

Cloyster @ Focus Sash
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Rock Blast
- Icicle Spear
- Razor Shell

1. Shell Smash - smash yo' shell off to sharply increase SpA, Atk, and Speed all in one turn.
2. Rock Blast - covers Fire, Flying, Bug, and Ice types.
3. Icicle Spear - covers Flying, Grass, Dragon, and Ground types.
4. Razor Shell - STAB.

Answer 5

Cloyster @ Zoom Lens
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Impish / Adamant Nature
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Pin Missile
- Razor Shell

So, let's start with the item. Since I'm one of those crazy people that doesn't run Shell Smash on a Cloyster, the next best thing is to fix some of the accuracy issues of the move I'm running. Next, you'd have to be crazy not to run Skill Link (then again, I'm not running Shell Smash), so here it is. The EVs focus on attack and defense, with a small HP boost, the stats you'll be using the most. Adamant and Impish natures both lower special attack, which you won't be using, and raise attack and defense respectively. Now, onto the moves. Icicle Spear is a STAB multi-hit. Rock Blast and Pin Missile are both 25 power multi-hits, so they become 125 power moves that bypass Sturdy and Focus Sash with Skill Link. Plus, they give coverage. Razor Shell is there for STAB, since there isn't a water type multi-hit, and also has a better chance to lower defense than Liquidation.

Answer 6

Gen 8 RU/UU/Ubers

Cloyster @ Focus Sash / Heavy-Duty Boots / King's Rock / White Herb
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature

• Shell Smash
• Spikes
• Icicle Spear
• Rock Blast / Liquidation

Shell Smash is pontetailly game-ending set up. Spikes is great team support and makes losing to Cloyster even easier. Icicle Spear is multi-hit STAB that has a wide range of targets. Thanks to Skill Link, it becomes a guaranteed 125 base power Ice move with 100% accuracy and the ability to break a Focus Sash or Substitute. If you opt for King's Rock as the item of choice, it will have a 50% flinch rate as well, which is simply crazy. Rock Blast is good, powerful coverage. Liquidation is STAB which is weaker than Icicle Spear but has a chance to drop Defense and it can dent Steel types.

Answer 7

Gen 8 SS Monotype Choice Scarf (Water)

Cloyster @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Spikes
- Ice Shard / Explosion / Pin Missile

This is a Choice Scarf set that Cloyster can use on Water teams in SS Monotype. This set can surprise Pokemon expecting a Shell Smash set. Icicle Spear hits 5 times thanks to Skill Link and is useful against Pokemon such as Dragonite and Dragapult. Rock Blast is useful against Pokemon such as Volcarona, Kyurem, Victini, and Volcanion. Spikes is used to set a hazard and takes advantages of your checks switching in. Ice Shard on a Scarf set might seem wierd, but Ice Shard is used for revenge killing weakened Pokemon who can outspeed Scarf Cloyster. Explosion can be used as a nuke move / last resort move. Pin Missile can be used to chip Pokemon such as Slowbro and Tyranitar, Pokemon who are on Psychic- and Dark- teams.

Answer 8

Gen IV Ingame

Cloyster (M) @ Leftovers / Whatever
Ability: Skill Link / Shell Armor
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD or 4 HP / 252 SpA/ 252 SpD
Careful / Calm Nature

• Rock Blast / Mud Shot / Whatever HP you can get with decent power
• Poison Jab / Surf / Whirlpool / Brine
• Spike Cannon / Signal Beam / Whirlpool
• Avalanche / Icicle Spear / Ice Shard / Ice Beam

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Looks a little messy, but here's how it works.

You can go physical with a Careful nature, and the first EV spread, Making use of Skill Link. Rock Blast is still beastly back in Gen IV, so you can work with that. Poison Jab is a great way to have a main attacking move ( You need those ingame ) That you can drain your PP on, Spike Cannon gives you great neutral hits on Those annoying Trainer battles, and Avalanch, Icicle Spear, or Ice Shard gives you whatever Ice coverage you want for him.
Special set uses either ability, although the second one is prefered, Calm Nature, and the second Ev spread. Mud Shot and HP [Anything] are your options for your first slot, not too bad. Surf is hard hitting STAB and that much needed transportation, although in HG / SS you might want Whirlpool if you already have a surf user, and Brine can be used for great strategies, but isn't the best choice might I add. Signal Beam is gotten from a move tutor, but if you can get it, it works well. While Whirlpool is there again if you want a surfer and a Whirlpooler. Last slot is Ice Beam, which is a stand alone boss move for ingame and competitive.

Answer 9

National Dex Monotype (Ice)

Cloyster @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Teleport

A defensive Cloyster that sets hazards while making sure you don't have hazards on your side. Spikes is for hazards that chip non flying types that aren't wearing Heavy Duty Boots. Rapid Spin allows you to clear away entry hazards on your side. Surf is used to chip opposing Pokemon. Teleport is to bring in a teammate safely.

Edit: Overcoat is used as the Ability to have Rapid Spin and Teleport. Overlooked that somehow. :P

Answer 10

Cloyster @ Focus Band
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Nature: Adamant
- Shell Smash: Raise Atk, SAtk, Spd
- Icicle Spear: 5 time hit with STAB
- Explosion: SACRIFICE!
- Poison Jab: Why not?

The idea is to initiate Shell Smash, got to 1HP and then use Icicle Spear and Poison Jab until…
EXPLOSION!

Comments

Focus Band only works 10% of the time, you should use Focus Sash.

Answer 11

Gen 9 NU Shell Smash

Cloyster @ White Herb
Ability: Skill Link
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shell Smash
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Drill Run

Cloyster dropped to NU, so here is a Shell Smash set it can use while you can use it in NU. Cloyster is scary for NU, as there aren't many Pokemon who can stop this thing once it sets up. Realistically, Tauros-Paldea-Aqua can stop Cloyster from throwing a bunch of projectiles at NU. Shell Smash boosting Cloyster's Attack and Speed stats make it a scary Pokemon with attacks most Pokemon don't like switching into. Icicle Spear is used for the Ice STAB since Skill Link makes it hit all 5 times, making it a scary move. Rock Blast is a nice coverage move to hit opposing Closyter, Avalugg and Fire-types such as Chandelure, Arcanine, Salazzle, and Delphox super effectively, hitting all 5 times due to Skill Link. Cloyster gained access a coverage move in Drill Run in Gen 9, allowing it to have a move to break past Steel-types such as Copperajah and Klefki, as well as hitting Pokemon such as Qwilfish and Overqwil super effectively. White Herb is used to get rid of the defense drops from Shell Smash, making Cloyster harder to revenge kill. With Tera Ground, Cloyster can send Copperajah, Klefki, and Qwilfish out of the Solar System with Drill Run after using Shell Smash. In addition to making Drill Run STAB, Tera Ground gives Cloyster an Electric immunity, which is useful to prevent Klefki and Thundurus from using Prankster Thunder Wave against you.

In conclusion: Cloyster is a scary Pokemon for NU, as not a lot of Pokemon can stop this once it gets off a Shell Smash, with its high defense stat helping with that. So, use Cloyster in NU while you still can.

Answer 12

Role: Tankster

Cloyster (M) @ Life Orb

Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Razor Shell
- Spike Cannon

Well, Trachy already did the Sweepster, this is the Tankster!
Metronome is rather Cheap, increasing your Power of your move every time you hit, meaning every hit, which is 5 times for every hit 2 to 5 move because of Skill Link.
Ice Spear for STAB
Rock Blast for Coverage
Spike Cannon For Reliability
And Razor Shell For STAB.

Comments

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Metronome does not gain power by every hit, but by how many TURNS in a row you use it. As such, it is once again a pathetic and quite useless item.

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Then Hydreigonrocks is about to lose some points for an answer that I so fooishly just trusted was correct...

Answer 13

Cloyster @ Wide Lens
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Def / 200 Atk / 58 Spe
Impish Nature
- Clamp / Razor Shell
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Spike Cannon

--Clamp or Razor Shell (I still can't decide-- Clamp keeps physical attackers from retreating, but Razor Shell has a 50% chance to cut Defense. Both are accurate with Wide Lens)
--Icicle Spear is STAB and hits Grass-types, as well as taking out Ground, Flying, and Dragon types
--Rock Blast defeats Freeze-Dry users as well as boosting coverage
--Spike Cannon is for non-Ghost, Rock, and Steel Pokemon that resist above attacks

The only problem one can face with this Cloyster Empoleon's crazy typing. Even then, Clamp removes a fixed amount of HP, so you're golden!

Answer 14

Tough Cloyster

Cloyster
Ability: Shell Armor / Skill Link / Overcoat
Ev: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful / Sassy Nature
- Ice Shard / Icicle Spear
- Razor Shell
- Rest
- Sleep Talk / Snore

Icicle Spear to run Skill Link, or Ice Shard for priority
Razor Shell for STAB
Rest for HP
Sleep Talk to hopefully use a STAB move while resting
Snore if you use Sassy nature

Use Sassy nature with Snore and Shell Armor/Overcoat
Use Careful nature with Sleep Talk, Icicle Spear and Skill Link

Answer 15

Role: Spiker

Cloyster (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Jolly Nature
- Shell Smash
- Spikes
- Toxic Spikes
- Icicle Spear

Set up with Shell Smash and Focus Sash cuz this thing is SO frail. Usually I skip Shell Smash and Toxic Spikes. Then spike 'em! Toxic Spikes while they set up, Spikes while they ALMOST OHKO you, now either Spikes or Icicle Spear if you can outspeed them.

Answer 16

Gen 8 RU/UU

Cloyster @ Life Orb / Heavy-Duty Boots / Focus Sash / White Herb
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid / Modest Nature

• Surf / Hydro Pump
• Ice Beam
• Shell Smash
• Spikes / Mud Shot

Surf is water STAB. Hydro Pump is stronger, but less accurate. Ice Beam is STAB and covers Grass types. Shell Smash is deadly set-up. Spikes softens the opposition. Mud Shot is decent coverage and it greatly reduces the amount of safe switch-ins with its Speed lowering effect.

Answer 17

Cloyster @ King's Rock
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 SpA / 6 SpD / 252 Spe
Calm Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Icicle Spear
- Shell Smash
- Rock Blast

After a lot of time behind the computer screen, I found out which Water move is best, Hydro Pump. It's a special move so the EV's work, then Shell Smash is a really good move for Cloyster because it can kinda balance out its horrifying defense with its other stats. King's Rock gives both Icicle spear and Rock Blast a high chance to flinch because of Skill Link making each move hit 5 times, each time having a 10% chance to flinch. Because Icicle Spear and Rock Blast add up every time, the five-times mean a whopping 375 power on each.