Spectrier, the Swift Horse Pokémon. It probes its surroundings with all its senses save one—it doesn’t use its sense of sight. Spectrier’s kicks are said to separate soul from body. As it dashes through the night, Spectrier absorbs the life-force of sleeping creatures. It craves silence and solitude.

Overview

As one of Calyrex’s possible mounts, Spectrier leaves nothing but destruction in its wake freed from its master. Base 145 Special Attack with Grim Neigh acting as Special Moxie alone spells a superb offensive threat. However, couple that with an amazing Base 130 Speed and now you have an offensive threat that few Pokémon can revenge KO in turn. And Spectrier applies so much pressure than a single misplay or free turn can end a battle outright as it escalates out of control.

However, Spectrier is very much a one trick pony. Its offensive movepool is so shallow that options like Mud Shot and Hyper Beam are given due consideration. These leaves Spectrier in a tough position against anything with sufficient special bulk that can resist its STAB. Furthermore, its Base 100 HP is belied by poor defenses leaving Spectrier with little defensive utility and necessitates getting KOs lest it get KO’d in turn. Furthermore, in unrestricted formats, there is little reason to use Spectrier over Calyrex-Shadow Rider who outclasses it in nearly every way.
Positives
Base 145 Special Attack in addition to a myriad of boosting options in Grim Neigh, Nasty Plot and Calm Mind enables Spectrier to vaporize most threats.
Base 130 Speed is incredible with few Pokémon able to match it without external boosting.
Good Support movepool befitting of a ghost type with options like Will-o-Wisp, and Taunt

Negatives
Shallow Offensive movepool. If the target resists Ghost and Dark, Spectrier has limited options. Poor Defenses makes it difficult to get Spectrier safely in and have difficulty taking more than.

Movesets

Enshadowed Equine

-Shadow Ball
-Dark Pulse
-Hyper Beam
-Nasty Plot
Ability: Grim Neigh
Item: Life Orb
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature

Spectrier functions as a dual revenge killer and late game sweeper with this set exercising its potent Special Attack and amazing Speed to take advantage of free switches to rip chunks out of the opposing team and in the late game capitalize on a weakened team to go for a sweep thanks to its natural snowballing potential with Grim Neigh. Shadow Ball is STAB of choice doing incredible damage. Dark Pulse is a drawbackless option to hit normal types while Hyper Beam has more power and answers Dark types but both are more here for their Dynamax utility. Nasty Plot rounds out the set, taking advantage of the pressure Spectrier provides to get a boost that can invalidate switch ins who are no longer able to take Shadow Ball or Dark Pulse after a boost.

DYNAMAX:
Spectrier loves Dynamaxing, its excellent base HP bolsters its defense to respectable heights. Additionally, Shadow Ball's sticking point of its lackluster Base Power is rectified thanks to Max Phantasm. Max Darkness enables pseudo boosting against Specially Defensive targets like Blissey, making it easier for Spectrier to break through, while Max Strike removes the recharge turn of Hyper Beam, turning it into a reliable option against Normal and Dark types.

EVs and Items:
Standard Sweeper array. Maximizing Special Attack and Speed to enable as much damage as possible with the most limited options to outspeed. Life Orb is recommended for overall extra power, though one can go for Choice Specs or Choice Scarf to emphasize wallbreaking or revenge killing. Focus Sash is a possibility if one wants to guarantee a Nasty Plot boost, but requires good entry hazard support.

Partners:
Tapu Lele may be exasperating a team's Ghost weakness, the utility it provides is unmatched. Psychic Surge blocking priority moves removes one of the biggest counterplays to Spectrier while Psyshock and Moonblast enable Tapu Lele to answer Blissey and the Dark types that otherwise both Spectrier.
Fighting types are greatly appreciated for their ability to threaten out and outright OHKO the Normal and Dark types that give Spectrier trouble. Blaziken and Galarian Zapdos stand out thanks to U-Turn, using their typing to lure in Psychic and Ghost types and then pivot out into an easy KO for Spectrier.
Lures to compromise/eliminate special walls like Blissey and Umbreon are also appreciated. Focus Punch Nidoking and Superpower Hydreigon are excellent examples of lures that can draw these targets in and take them out.

Other Options:
Substitute -take advantage of a switch to instead throw up a Substitute. Helps defend against priority, status and faster opponents. Mud Shot -doesn't have the recharge turn like Hyper Beam and hits Bisharp hard.

Unbridled Nightmare

-Substitute
-Dark Pulse
-Calm Mind
-Will-o-Wisp
Ability: Grim Neigh
Item: Leftovers
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature

This Spectrier set is dedicated to setting up before going for a sweep. Come in for free thanks to a slow pivot or KO on something Spectrier forces out. Go for the Substitute as they switch and start throwing up Calm Minds alongside Will-o-Wisp for physical attackers. Once enough boosts have been accrued, go on the offensive with Dark Pulse (being preferred over Shadow Ball as nothing is immune to Dark Pulse). This set excels on setting up against Blissey and other sponges that otherwise normally wall Spectrier.

DYNAMAX:
This set is an option for Dynamaxing, but not as a dedicated one. While yes, this Spectrier can snowball out of control as easily as the set above thanks to Grim Neigh, Mono-Attacking Dynamax sets are limited thanks to their lack of coverage, despite Max Darkness’s Special Defense drop synergizing well with Spectrier.

EVs and Items:
Max HP and Speed for a mix of bulk and to ensure that Spectrier goes first, protecting itself and can go on the offense with impunity. Leftovers is mandatory -they enable Spectrier to throw up multiple Substitutes, easing setup.

Partners:
Entry Hazard control is heavily recommended as Toxic Spikes or Sticky Web can end a potential Spectrier sweep before it begins. Mandibuzz stands out, able to check threats like Infiltrator Dragapult, provide item disruption (removing opposing Leftovers and Heavy Duty Boots to enable a sweep) and can act as a slow pivot with U-Turn.
Tapu Lele may be exasperating a team’s Ghost weakness, the utility it provides is unmatched. Psychic Surge blocking priority moves removes one of the biggest counterplays to Spectrier while Psyshock and Moonblast enable Tapu Lele to answer Blissey and the Dark types that otherwise both Spectrier.

Other Options:
Taunt -Shuts down opposing walls and setup sweepers
Disable -Some Pokémon only have one move to hit Ghost types. Disabling that move can force a switch and give more time to setup. Also can stop Blissey and the like from reusing their healing moves.
Hex -Synergizes well with Will-o-Wisp and STAB, but Spectrier gets completely walled by Normal types.

Countering Spectrier

Stopping Spectrier is very difficult. While it may be a one trick pony, Spectrier has enough power that with enough boosts it can burst through otherwise would be counters, and its subversive movepool is wide enough to invalidate other counters.

Faster Pokémon make the best checks to Spectrier, able to outspeed and stop it cold before it does too much damage. Dragapult stands out, thanks to having super effective STAB and Infiltrator which invalidates Substitute sets. Zeraora needs some chip damage, but can OHKO with Knock Off, which will also leave Spectrier without its item for the rest of the match. Same for Regieleki with Life Orb Thunderbolt or cripple with Thunder Wave. However, none of these Pokémon like switching into Spectrier, who can KO and/or maim them on the switch and Zeraora and Regieleki both lose hard to Substitute. Choice Scarf users like Hydreigon, and Kartana can also fill those role but again suffer from the inability to switch in freely.

Priority users also work well. Grimmsnarl has the bulk to take a +2 Shadow Ball or Dark Pulse and can easily setup Light Screen, Taunt, Thunder Wave or Trick Lagging Tail to cripple Spectrier. Bisharp’s Sucker Punch can easily OHKO Spectier, while Aegislash’s Shadow Sneak can pick off a dented one. Again these answers struggle against Will-o-Wisp and Substitute and for the most part don’t like switching in.

Normal and Dark types do offer Spectrier the most trouble, forcing it to boost repeatedly or utilize Hyper Beam/Dark Pulse to get through them. Blissey and Chansey stand out thanks to their absurd special bulk but are turned into setup fodder by Boosting/Substitute varients. Bulky Dark types like Umbreon and Mandibuzz fare similarly, able to tank even some boosted attacks, but struggle to break through the Substitutes and are crippled by Will-o-Wisp. Tyranitar is in a similar situation, but doesn’t have the recovery to bounce back from boosted attacks.

Anime Appearences

Spectrier has yet to make an appearance in the Pokémon anime # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics