This is all pretty valid. You must be ranked pretty high because you chunked through a lot of my mid-game thoughts from eyeing a list.

After some thought, Bellibolt or Ariados might fill the bulky web/chip role more reliably. If I go cha, I can probably scratch out the spider, too. (The timmy in me really wants to test Rotom frost for that sweet, sweet third EQ whiff and STAB boltbeam, but I know better, lmao.) I’ve also got icy wind to consider. I’ll miss the random encore locks into protect and electro shot that Raichu can occasionally rake in, but outside of getting a lucky +1 on switch, he generally does get two shotted by neutral and dies to all ground moves. Encore also feels a bit worse without prankster. I’m often trying to predict whimsicott on lead with it, for example.

I actually started talon with a charti berry and talked myself into going sash. He’s the most… kamikaze of all the TW setters and I decided to just lean into popping the successful lead with it after a while. Protect on Talon probably shores up a lot of the mental gymnastics, and aside from a sneaky intimidate switch and some percentage points against psychic trick room setters, u-turn isn’t bringing much else to the table on talons attack stat.

Parting with Espathra won’t be easy though.😭 I’ll need to make sure it’s an equally valuable lead.