Vanilluxe, The Snowstorm Pokémon. Swallowing large amounts of water, they make snow clouds inside their bodies and attack their foes with violent blizzards.If both heads get angry simultaneously, this Pokémon expels a blizzard, burying everything in snow.

Overview

Like most ice types, Vanilluxe’s stats are pretty good overall. The problem comes with its movepool being mediocre at best. It has barely any coverage outside ice type moves, but it does have Autotomize, which is a good set up move. Outside of this, Vanilluxe is outclassed by fellow NU pokemon Jynx due to its higher offensive stats and the ever so frustrating Lovely Kiss.

Abilities

Ice Body: When there is hail, Vanilluxe’s hp is restored by 1/16 of its maximum health. Due to hail being banned in NU, this ability is not quite useful unless you or your opponent manages to get hail up.
Weak Armor: When hit with a physical attack, Vanilluxe’s defense is lowered by one stage and its speed is raised by one stage. Due to Autotomize being a huge redeeming quality on Vanilluxe, having this ability is excessive as it makes Vanilluxe now really easy to take out.

Movesets

Pokemon Battles a la mode

- Autotomize
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power Ground
- Flash Cannon
Item Attached: Life Orb / Icicle Plate
Ability: Ice Body
EVs and Nature:
IVs: 30 SpA / 30 SpD
EVs: 78 HP / 252 SpA / 180 SpD
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)

Even though it has a bad movepool, Vanilluxe does have ways of being a threat. Ice Beam acts as a normal stab move against grass, ground or flying types. HP ground adds good coverage, doing good damage to what ice beam can’t like fire and steel types. Flash Cannon takes care of other ice types like Jynx and Piloswine. The true quality that can make Vanilluxe a threat is Autotomize. By raising its speed by 2 stages, Vanilluxe can quickly become an excellent special sweeper. With its pretty good bulk, Vanilluxe should be able to take a hit from a fighting or fire type move. Lastly, even though hail is basically non existent in NU, Ice Body is a better choice over Weak Armor because Vanilluxe needs to be able to take hits while it boosts. Having defense drops makes this counter-productive.

Other Options

Substitute, Blizzard, Avalanche, Hail, Protect, Water Pulse, Ice Shard
Substitute creates a fake for Vanilluxe to hide behind until enough damage is put on it before Vanilluxe no longer can. This move works great with Autotomize because it allows it to set up while not taking damage.
Blizzard is a stronger stab ice type move than Ice Beam. It trades higher power for lower accuracy.
Avalanche does double stab ice type damage after being hit the same turn. Only recommended on a set without Autotomize because it utilizes being slower than its opponent.
Hail creates a steady stream of damage every turn for 5 turns to any Pokemon that is not an ice type. This move is good for Vanilluxe because of its ability but normally not worth the turn setting it up as it can be better used getting up speed boosts.
Protect provides full immunity from any damage for an entire turn. This move is good for scouting out opponents.
Water Pulse adds to Vanilluxe’s coverage by being able to damage fire, rock and ground types differently.
Ice Shard allows Vanilluxe to attack an opponent swifty with priority and STAB. This is a physical move however and its Atk stat is lower than its SpA stat.

Double & Triple Battle Options

Vanilluxe has good use in singles with Automize but that can also be used in doubles / triples. With Blizzard, it can attack multiple enemies at once with a powerful STAB.

Partners

Vanilluxe can’t really afford to set up Hail but another Pokemon that can would be a worthy partner as it restores Vanilluxe’s health by 1/16 every turn it is up.

Countering Vanilluxe

It’s really easy to counter Vanilluxe. Most fighting types can cleanly OHKO it, and specially defensive walls like Audino and Munchlax can take many hits from Vanilluxe. Also thanks to the ability Thick Fat, Miltank can do good damage while taking little damage from ice type moves. Lastly, priority is also a big problem for Vanilluxe. Since both Mach Punch and Bullet Punch ignore speed with its +1 priority, slower fighting and steel types can still do good damage.

Pre-Evolution Corner - Vanillite (Little Cup)

Prepare to get creamed

-Ice Beam/Blizzard
-Flash Cannon
-Water Pulse
-Hidden Power Fighting/Hidden Power Grass
Item Attached: Choice Scarf
Ability: Ice Body
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 68HP / 36 Def / 236 Sp. Atk / 164 Spe
Timid Nature: (+Spe, -Atk)

Having to tolerate seeing Vanillite everyday I’m on Serebii, I have a bit of a soft spot for the little ice cream cone, even though it’s not one a very strong competitive pokemon. It’s decent Sp. Atk doesn't save it from its very poor speed, but it can have some use. Ice Beam is a solid STAB move, and is reliable. Blizzard is much more powerful, but make sure you have Hail support, or else you’ll be dealing with many misses in your future. Flash Cannon does good damage to Rock-Types, like Tirtouga. Water Pulse is great for taking down Fire-Types like Houndour. Hidden Power is more to your choice. HP Fighting is better for taking down Steel-Types like Ferroseed, but HP Grass is good for bulky Water-Types. Choice Scarf lets you outspeed every non-speed boosted pokemon in LC. Ice Body is the most useful in this case, due to Hail support being very tempting. The EV’s and nature give Vanillite 14 speed (21 with Scarf), and 16 Special Attack, which isn’t terrible by any means. Ice-Type just isn’t a super strong offensive type, not being Super-Effective against many types, and isn’t resistant to any type, but Ice. For what it’s worth though, Vanillite can do something at least.

Someone Put Metal Sprinkles in my Sundae

--Autotomize
-Ice Beam / Blizzard
-Hidden Power Fighting / Grass
-Substitute / Flash Cannon / Water Pulse
Item Attached: Life Orb / Focus Sash
Ability: Weak Armor / Ice Body
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 236 Sp. Atk / 244 Spe
Modest Nature (+Sp. Atk, -Atk) / Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)

Now sweeping with Vanillite would be something unheard of, but it has the addition of Autotomize in it’s movepool, its very possible to do so. Autotomize doubles your poor speed into a monster speed stat. Ice Beam is still a reliable STAB move, and Blizzard is more powerful, but should be used with Snover. Hidden Powers are still the same, depends on what your team needs to get rid of. Substitute is a good move, to screw over Suker Punch users like Murkrow, and it gives Vanillite a bit of survivability. All the other moves mentioned in the Choice Scarf set can all be used in the Autotomize set. Life Orb puts Vanillite’s even more out there, at the cost of your health. Life Orb synergizes well with Ice Body. Focus Sash lets you live for at least one Autotomize or one last attack. EV’s max out your Sp. Atk and Speed. Modest Nature is usually better than Timid, since you outspeed 19 speed pokemon with Choice Scarf, but not 20 speed pokemon with Choice Scarf (the total of about 3 pokemon that no one uses). You can actually be destroyed by a little ice cream, so don’t be discouraged. Just remember to pack priority, or bulky Water-Types like Specially Defensive Chinchou, and you’ll be fine.

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in game

FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in game

Colosseum/XD:
Not in game

Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Not in game

HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Not in game

Black/White:
Evolve Vanillish

Black 2/White 2:
Giant Chasm, Dragonspiral Tower (Winter)

Animé Appearences

Vanilluxe has made a few appearances. In its main one, it was used by Georgia and helped fend off a growth of moss from Ferroseed # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics 742 Crisis at Ferroseed Research Ferroseed Research Institute! Iris and Vanilluxe!! Pics 860 Thawing an Icy Panic! Vanillite Panic! Left Cold by a Whiteout!! Pics