Jynx, The Humanshape Pokémon. Its cries sound like human speech. However, it is impossible to tell what it is trying to say. It seductively wiggles its hips as it walks. It can cause people to dance in unison with it. A Jynx sashays rhythmically as if it were dancing. Its motions are so bouncingly alluring, people seeing it are compelled to shake their hips without noticing. It has several different cry patterns, each of which seems to have its own meaning. It rocks its body rhythmically. It appears to alter the rhythm depending on how it is feeling.
Overview
Jynx hasn't changed all that much in the generation shift. Her move-pool has remained much the same. Despite the additions of Grass Knot, Shadow Ball and Focus Blast, they take a back-seat to the moves she took with her from the 3rd generation. The only real changes she's had to deal with are the changes that have occurred around her. Stealth Rock takes a nasty jab at her Ice type and the new physical Pursuit is much more popular than the special Pursuit of the previous generation.
Jynx is an odd choice. Despite good offensive stats and a good move-pool, she's failed to get a foothold in the competitive battling environment. She's a very viable Pokémon, yet she lacks any noteworthy popularity. That lack of popularity gives her something of a niche however, since most teams don't prepare for the threat she presents, giving her an advantage over some of her more popular peers.
Trait
Forewarn: is the most interesting ability to take, mostly because the alternative isn't particularly useful. It reveals which of the opponent's moves is its strongest. At its most useless, it'll only confirm something that was already known, such as Thunderbolt on a Magnezone. At its most useful, it'll give away a great deal about the opponent's move-set, such as finding Draco Meteor on Salamence or Outrage on Garchomp.
Oblivious: makes Jynx immune to Attract and Captivate. Neither move is particularly popular, making this ability rather useless most of the time. Even when those moves are used, their effects are removed by switching, so it's an ability Jynx can manage without.
Move Sets
“Luna”
- Ice Beam
- Lovely Kiss
- Calm Mind
- Substitute
Item Attached: Leftovers
Ability: Forewarn
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
This move-set has proven to be the most popular application of Jynx's abilities, and has become known as “Luna” amongst most competitive battlers.
Much like most Calm Mind-Substitute strategies, the primary strategy is to set-up a Substitute and boost behind it. After a couple of Calm Mind boosts, the Substitute should be able to comfortably absorb a special hit or two, and most physically inclined opponents should be put off by the threat of boosted STAB Ice Beams. Lovely Kiss serves to shut-down any opposing threats, giving Jynx plenty of opportunity to execute its strategy.
The primary problem this move-set will run into is its use of only a single offensive move. Although Lovely Kiss will be able to shut down a counter, most teams have more than one Ice resistance, which can make sweeping a problem, particularly if both Ice resistances carry physical attacks.
Perish Trap
- Lovely Kiss
- Perish Song
- Mean Look
- Substitute
Item Attached: Leftovers
Ability: Forewarn
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
Perish-Trapping is a strategy that takes advantage of common habits players can full into. The sight of Jynx frequently brings in Blissey, or at the very least, another effective “Luna” Jynx counter. The ideal situation would be to trap them in Mean Look as they switch-in, put them to sleep with Lovely Kiss, throw up a Substitute and then activate Perish Song. Substitute helps wait out the three turns and acts as a defensive barrier in case the opponent wakes up before the Perish Song countdown.
Repeated use can be a bit more difficult, since the element of surprise is no longer available, but with experience the opportunity to execute it again is possible. Without the trapping element, Perish Song can be used as a means to scare off a stat-boosting opponent or finish off the opponent's last Pokémon (when switching-out isn't a possibility).
Choice / Special Sweeper
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Grass Knot / Focus Blast / Lovely Kiss
- Grass Knot / Focus Blast / Lovely Kiss
Item Attached: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf / Life Orb
Ability: Forewarn
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) / Modest (+SAtk, -Atk)
Straight-out offence isn't necessarily the best application of Jynx's abilities, but it's viable. Choice Specs gives an obvious power boost, whilst Choice Scarf can catch opponent's off-guard, and also affords Jynx the freedom to use Modest. Life Orb is unattractive, with a Stealth Rock weakness and Sandstorm exposure already chipping away at its HP, but it's usable for a straight-out sweeper move-set.
Ice Beam and Psychic provide her STAB options. Grass Knot has some useful coverage against water types. Focus Blast has some very useful coverage against Steel types, as well as Tyranitar and Blissey. The poor accuracy is unattractive however, so Hidden Power alternatives are worth consideration. Lovely Kiss is always useful, although it's better off on a Life Orb set, where she doesn't need to worry about being locked into a single move.
EVs and Nature:
You have little else to look at other than the standard 252/252 sweeper EV spread. Timid tends to be preferred, since Jynx usually prioritises speed over power. The Scarf set can get away with Modest, since Timid would just be excessive, but most other move-sets will want Timid to get that extra jump on Pokémon who linger in the 299-305 Speed area.
Other Options
Blizzard, Hidden Power [Fight / Ground / Fire], Shadow Ball, Taunt, Light Screen, Wish, Counter, Focus Sash.
If Jynx has some Abomasnow support, 100% accurate Blizzards are hard to pass up and a very good alternative to Ice Beam. The only worry is PP and the possibility of a weather change.
Focus Blast's main use is to deal with Steel types, but there's several Hidden Power alternatives for better accuracy and different type coverage. Fight is simply an 100% accurate replacement for Focus Blast, good for hitting some Steels, Tyranitar and Weavile. Ground gets a super-effective hit on Jirachi and Metagross where Fighting moves wouldn't, as well as getting a super-effective hit on Tyranitar (albeit, not 4x). Fire also gets a super-effective hit on Jirachi and Metagross, as well as Bronzong, and gets a super-effective hit on Weavile (again, not 4x).
Shadow Ball's main use is for hitting Psychic types, although most have a healthy fear of STAB Ice Beams (and the ones who don't can be caught by Grass Knot, barring an opposing Jynx).
Taunt can cause a few problems, by blocking attempts to heal or use Light Screen for example.
Light Screen can lend Jynx's team some support. Wish can do the same, as well as give her a healing option (especially when combined with Protect). Since Jynx is a rather offensively-oriented Pokémon, these tend not to be too useful.
Jynx is quite fragile, so she can benefit from the Counter-Sash strategy.
Countering Jynx
With resistances to both of its STAB moves, Metagross, Bronzong and Jirachi are effective counters. They're bulky enough to take a hit from a super-effective Hidden Power on the off-chance they come against one, and the same applies to a boosted Focus Blast. Metagross presents an additional threat with access to Pursuit, which can hunt down a switching Jynx. Heatran and Magnezone are effective as well, but have to worry about Hidden Power [Ground] and boosted Focus Blasts.
Weavile and Tyranitar both present Pursuit threats as well. Being Dark types, they're immune to Psychic moves, and with Weavile's resistance and Tyranitar's Sandstorm boost, they can both deal with Ice Beam. Super-effective Hidden Powers and Focus Blast can be problematic however.
Thick Fat Snorlax sponges up her attacks comfortable, barring Focus Blast. The same applies to Regice, although it doesn't have effective physical attacks to use against Jynx. Blissey sponges up pretty much any special attack thrown her way, and benefits from Natural Cure protection from Lovely Kiss.
Water types with decent Special Defence can handle most of its moves. Those with Roar can send away boosting “Luna” move-sets, and Water Pokémon with physical moves can comfortable knock down its Substitutes until it can't make anymore.
The main thing to look out for as a counter is Lovely Kiss. It'd obviously be ideal to draw it onto a Pokémon who can handle the status and activate the sleep clause, although a handful of the above counters run Sleep Talk move-sets, which can obviously pose a threat even when put to sleep. Aside from Lovely Kiss, Perish-Trap is a threat to any slower counter. If Jynx lands the Mean Look as they switch-in, then any slower counter can be caught by Lovely Kiss and the subsequent Perish Song stall.
Locations in Games
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Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Trade from FireRed/LeafGreen Colosseum/XD Trade from FireRed/LeafGreen Fire Red/Leaf Green Trade for Poliwhirl in Cerulean City Diamond/Pearl Evolve from Smoochum
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Animé Appearences
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Jynx has had many Animé Appearences, but unfortunately is now banned. First it was seperated from it's trainer, Santa, and got Ash & Co. to help get it back there. After that it was part of the Pokémon Stage Show. After that it was used by Elite Four member Prima and after that it was used by Nurse Joy in the Ice Cave to look after Brock. After that it was used in various contests
Episode 065: Holiday Hi-Jynx! |
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