Flutter Mane, the Paradox form of Misdreavus, is an absolute powerhouse of a Pokemon. It’s actually so good that it was banned not just in Pokemon Showdown, but in the first competitive wave of Scarlet and Violet. Of course, it’s not the only Paradox banned because of its capabilities rivaling those of a legendary. These are the weaknesses and best ways to counter Flutter Mane in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
All Flutter Mane Weaknesses in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Flutter Mane is a ghost and fairy-type Pokemon, so it’s weak to only ghost and steel attacks. With that said, you should also avoid using normal, fighting, bug, and dragon-type moves as they will either have no effect against it or be ineffective.
What makes this Pokemon extremely difficult to fight against is that it has an exceptionally high Sp. Attack, Sp. Defense, and Speed. This is something you do not want to use a Special attacker against. With the right build, a Flutter Mane can have 405 into its best stats, making it very tanky.
The one weakness it has aside from its types is that it has a very low physical Defense stat. If you have a Pokemon that can withstand Sp. Attacks or even using an item like a Focus Sash or Focus Band to prevent fainting is a must. Flutter Mane is one of the fastest Pokemon to come out of the ninth generation, so it’ll be hard to have priority over it unless you use moves like Shadow Sneak to wither its HP.
If you’re using an item like a Quick Claw, you still want to make sure your Pokemon has a strong Attack and Sp. Defense stat or else Flutter Mane can still take you down. It can use Calm Mind to increase its Sp. Defense and Sp. Attack stats, making it much more lethal. With moves like Draining Kiss, Flutter Mane can not only boost its stats but sweep teams and maintain high HP.
Some final things to note are that should there be any moves used like Sunny Day, Flutter Mane will become a nightmare to take down. If it’s not harsh sunlight, it can also be holding a Booster Energy to amplify its strongest stat by 30%. Should the latter happen, use a move like Thief, Trick, or Knock Off to get rid of its buff.
Of course, being one of the strongest Pokemon out of Gen 9, Flutter Mane can be extremely useful for raiding especially at 5-star difficulty and higher.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
