Overview
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- Great offensive typing makes it one of the most threatening special sweepers/wallbreakers in the tier.
- Good offensive stats with 114 SpA and 104 Spe.
- Although it has good speed, sadly it's slower than Pokemon such as Zoroark, Cobalion, Virizion, and Durant.
- Good movepool consisting of powerful dual STAB moves, Grass Knot, and Switcheroo.
- Weak to all kinds of hazards, and is heavily crippled by Sticky Web and Stealth Rock.
- c-c-c-c-ombo breaker since it broke the tradition of fire/fighting starters that lasted for 3 generations straight
- Average overall bulk.

Offensive Calm Mind
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name: Offensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Psyshock
move 4: Grass Knot
ability: Blaze
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
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- Calm Mind lets it boosts its special attack to ridiculous levels and makes it wallbreak everything not named Slowking.
- Fire Blast is a very strong STAB move.
- Psyshock can hit some Pokemon hard based on their defense and not SpD, these include Gallade, AV Druddigon, and Aromatisse.
- Grass Knot gives it good coverage, and makes it get past weakened Slowking, hurts Alomomola, and gives it a way of getting past Rock-types like Rhyperior, Tyrantrum and Regirock.

Set Details
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- Max speed to outspeed slower Pokemon like Yanmega, Drapion and Moltres.
- 252 SpA to dish out as much damage as possible.
- Nothing special, straightforward 252/252/4.

Usage Tips
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- Bring it out against a Pokemon that can't do much to it, like Aromatisse, Amoonguss, Tangrowth, and Cresselia, set-up and then use Fire Blast or Psychic/Psyshock depending on the situation.
- Works best mid-game to wallbreak for another sweeper to clean up.
- Grass Knot is primarily just to get past rock types in general (tyrantrum, regirock) but rhyperior especially.

Team Options
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- Defog/Rapid spin is mandatory, for this reason, Shiftry, Skuntank, Hitmontop and Gligar are good teammates.
- Shiftry and Skuntank especially for their ability to get rid of Slowking and Jellicent with Knock Off and Pursuit, respectively.
- Offensive Spiritomb has good synergy with Delphox, as it also beats Pokemon that Delphox struggles with.
- Dugtrio traps the faster Pokemon that threaten Delphox; Cobalion (stone edge), Zoroark, Heliolisk, Jolteon etc.
- Zoroark can disguise as Delphox and kill two of its main counters: Slowking and Jellicent. But Stealth Rock must be cleared, since Zoroark and Delphox take different damage from SR and can easily be distinguished.

Choice Specs
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name: Choice Specs
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Switcheroo
ability: Blaze
item: Choice Specs
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
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- Fire Blast is a nuke. Hits ridiculously hard from turn 1.
- Psychic is strong secondary STAB. Psyshock can be used as it can hit Gallade, non-physically defensive Aromatisse and AV Druddigon harder.
- Grass Knot for Rock-types in general but Rhyperior specifically.
- Switcheroo to cripple switch-ins, and for Pokemon like Cresselia and Slowking.

Set Details
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- Max speed to outspeed slower Pokemon like Yanmega, Drapion and Moltres.
- 252 SpA to dish out as much damage as possible.
- Nothing special, straightforward 252/252/4.
- Choice Specs makes it a lot more powerful than its other sets, so this makes Delphox a threatening wallbreaker.

Usage Tips
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- Be careful when giving Slowking Choice Specs, it can backfire.
- Bring out early game, nuke.
- Don't blindly use Switcheroo vs. offensive teams, it can often backfire.

Team Options
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Same as CM LO:
- Defog/Rapid spin is mandatory, for this reason, Shiftry, Skuntank, Hitmontop and Gligar are good teammates.
- Shiftry and Skuntank especially for their ability to get rid of Slowking and Jellicent with Knock Off and Pursuit, respectively.
- Offensive Spiritomb has good synergy with Delphox, as it also beats Pokemon that Delphox struggles with.
- Dugtrio traps the faster Pokemon that threaten Delphox; Cobalion (stone edge), Zoroark, Heliolisk, Jolteon etc.
- Zoroark can disguise as Delphox and kill two of its main counters: Slowking and Jellicent. But Stealth Rock must be cleared, since Zoroark and Delphox take different damage from SR and can easily be distinguished.

Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Switcheroo
ability: Blaze
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
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- Fire Blast for high base power STAB.
- Psychic is a strong, reliable secondary STAB. Psyshock can be used to hit Pokemon like Aromatisse, Gallade, and AV Druddigon harder.
- Grass Knot for Rhyperior and Rock-types in general.
- Switcheroo to crippled Pokemon who wouldn't like it.

Set Details
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- Max special attack to dish out as much damage as possible, with Timid max speed to outspeed as many threats as possible with Choice Scarf.
- Choice Scarf lets it outspeed the entire unboosted metagame.
- Because it's using Scarf, it's significantly weaker than the two other sets.

Usage Tips
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- Functions as a revenge-killer and late game cleaner.
- Can cripple walls by giving them Choice Scarf, therefore rendering them pretty much useless, and giving teammates an opportunity to shine with such Pokemon neutered.

Team Options
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- Like with the other sets, Defog/Rapid Spin support is necessary. Again, Shiftry, Hitmonlee, Skuntank, and Gligar are good teammates to Delphox and can do it easily.
- Pair it with strong, fast Pokemon that can punch holes in opponent's team and let Delphox clean up afterwards; Hitmonlee, CB/LO Druddigon, Zoroark.
- In fact, Zoroark is a good teammate because Delpox lures in Slowking and Jellicent, and Zoroark can easily disguise as Delphox and get rid of them. Be careful of Stealth Rock, since both Pokemon take different damage from it and its easy telling that its Zoroark based on Stealth Rock damage.


Other Options
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- A set with Magician can work in conjunction with Solar Beam and Power Herb to steal away a foe's item, but is mostly gimmicky and unreliable, and Grass Knot is usually a better option.
- Will-o-Wisp can be utilized to cripple some switch-ins, but it's not that good on an offensive Pokemon like Delphox.
- SubCM can let Delphox destroy Stall by easily setting up against Aromatisse, Roselia, Cresselia, and even Alomomola if they carry Scald, and proceed to sweep, but it loses out on coverage and needs a lot of set-up.


Checks & Counters
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**Bulky Waters**: Slowking is the best counter you'll get. Jellicent and Specially Defensive Alomomola.
**Bulky Pokemon**:  Specially Defensive Meloetta, Druddigon, Miltank, and Cradily, who can KO with Rock Slide after SR + LO damage.
**Faster Pokemon**: Speed Boost Sharpedo, Zoroark, Crunch Durant, Choice Scarf users, Sucker Punch.
**Hazards/Residual damage**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Sticky Web, all really, really hurt Delphox. Toxic damage also racks up rather quickly on Delphox.