#90 + #91: Shellder and Cloyster

Hope you aren't allergic to sea food, as we're plumbing the depths of the ocean for Shellder and Cloyster...

Shellder surprises me with very good physical defence (base 100), before letting me down with dreadful HP (30) and even worse special defence (25). It also lacks any kind of attacking threat, boasting 65 physical, 45 special and 40 speed. Disappointing. As far as abilities go, you get shell armour (prevents being hit by a critical), skill link (multi-hit attacks always hit for the maximum, making them relevant), and the hidden ability, overcoat (prevents weather damage, as well as incoming powder and spore moves). As far as typing goes, you get pure water, which isn't awful, to be honest.

Coupling this with the theme and the appearance of Cloyster makes me feel dirty...

When it comes to moves, remember both your limitations (no special defence and no real damage output) and your future typing including ice (seems familiar, Seel...). You get tackle as an initial move, whilst withdraw grants a one stage boost to defence, and supersonic can confuse the foe. Icicle spear is an example of a move that will get STAB later on (if/when you evolve) and also takes advantage of skill link, hitting five times as base 25 physical ice, which is awesome: total base 125 as a sash breaker (too bad your attack sucks). Protect prevents damage for a turn, whilst leer decreases the foe's defence by a stage. Clamp is a decent shout as a water physical base 35, which traps the foe for several turns (unless they rapid spin out) and prevents them from fleeing, forcing them to take damage (this is great to trap in a physical threat when you have no special defence). Ice shard is a pretty safe bet as a move if you want to inflict damage on a foe as it has priority (and again will get STAB when you evolve), but it is rather weak (base 40).

Razor shell is pretty good, as it has base 75 and a 50% chance of lowering the foe's defence by a stage (it's water physical, by the way). Aurora beam is a base 65 ice special that can lower the foe's attack by a stage. Whirlpool is basically a special version of clamp (but it isn't such a cool, unique-ish move). Brine is an odd one as it has base 65 (special water), but doubles in power when the foe is below 50% HP, and iron defence boosts your defence two stages, which is great if you want no physical attacks incoming. Ice beam is a nice powerful ice special (if you couldn't tell) with a chance to freeze, shell smash drops both defences by a stage but increases attack, special attack and speed by two stages, and the final levelling move is hydro pump, which has a little more power than surf, and a lot less accuracy.

Hooray for the standard set of TM moves like toxic, hail, rain dance, rest and substitute for offering some varied utility here! You can also take blizzard if you want a less accurate but more powerful version of ice beam (read a worse version of ice beam), along with hidden power (if you get the right one then that could be great) and facade. Payback may be a consideration if you get hit by a physical attack (basically that won't utterly destroy you) considering your speed is basically that of a milk float with square wheels. Don't take explosion. You're now left with round, dive and surf, and I've already said that surf is a safe bet for most water types.

If you have decided that having a Shellder or Cloyster in your life is majorly important, you can breed in icicle spear from a Shellder (huh?), as well as taking rock blast (base 25 and fires several times, 5 with skill link). Take down kind of sucks due to massive recoil (high base physical normal at 90 with 85 accuracy if you really must know), and twineedle is a double hitting bug move. Tutoring only offers icy wind, iron defence, snore and water pulse (which may be useful if you can get the confusion).

Using a water stone grants you Cloyster. Cloyster has incredible defence (180) and 95 attack, 85 special attack (similarly viable), 50 HP (a real let down), 70 speed (not too bad for a wall) and 45 special defence (also heartbreakingly awful). You keep the same abilities (great if you have skill link, as I really like that one), and you gain ice-type to add to water, making icicle spear and ice shard much more useful with STAB.

Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Did they really think these ones through?

You'll have wanted to have got all the good moves Shellder offered before evolving, since the move set is basically destroyed and re-written for Cloyster: spike cannon (base 20 normal physical and hitting for 2-5 turns, or 5 with skill link), spikes (an entry hazard) and icicle crash (base 85, 90 accuracy ice physical with a good flinch chance) all come in, but at lower levels than is really acceptable if you wanted anything from before, so go to the relearner or breed on icicle spear if that's the only one you wanted...

Hyper beam, giga impact, frost breath and poison jab are added to the TM list, and signal beam to the tutor list, but that's your lot for additions. Really, I'm still gutted that the levels for the new level list are so low, preventing you from easily getting all the moves both Pokemon in the family offer...

Despite the awesome defence, you're kinda scuppered as soon as they wheel out a special attacker, or even moreso on a mixed attacker or something which just carries a decent special move that you're not prepared for. This is a real shame, since you get decent mixed attack and the amazing defence, as well as a cool ability and some nice moves. Why they had to ruin this one, I'm not sure, but it's not going to be the top of anyone's wishlist...

(All artwork presented by Ken Sugimori, taken from the Bulbapedia image archives)