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The Three Musketeers is designed to finish Cresselia in around 10 turns with minimal stalling. The v2.1 strategy is roughly 2–3 turns faster than the earlier version.
It uses Mud Sport to reduce Thunderbolt damage and relies heavily on precise team stat tuning so the raid AI chooses the intended targets. Small EV or Speed differences can change targeting and turn order.
⚠️
Verify the team before starting
Check your teammates' stats before entering the raid. This strategy is built around target selection, damage caps, and exact timing. Do not mix in an unverified replacement and assume the 10-turn line still works.
⚙️ Mechanics and Theory Notes
🎯
Damage cap
Cresselia's 6★ super-effective damage cap is 4%. A normal-effective attack has a lower cap. Braviary and Bisharp calculations are built around hitting that cap consistently.
📉
Stat-drop timing
Multiple stat drops can shrug off together when the first stat-drop timer ends. The correct timing of Captivate and the other drops matters.
🧠
AI targeting
P2 Braviary's Special Defense EVs encourage Cresselia to target P1 Braviary. Gothitelle is similarly tuned so the AI targets P4 Gothitelle.
💧
Mud Sport
Milotic's Mud Sport reduces Thunderbolt damage. The updated line aims to keep Cresselia at +0 Special Attack when Empoleon arrives.
🔮
Psychic incentive
Cresselia keeps its Expert Belt because removing it makes Psychic relatively more attractive than Thunderbolt against Empoleon. Psychic can also reduce Empoleon's Special Defense.
🛡️
Crit protection
Safeguard and Lucky Chant are placed before the later damage phases. Keep those actions aligned with the turn table rather than replacing them with extra damage.
👥 Team Builds and Manual Stats
PokéPaste links are intentionally removed. These are the published build requirements available from the indexed strategy data. Ranges are preserved rather than replaced with invented exact values.
Captivate, screen, damage cap, and final Brine
P1 controls the opening with Hippowdon, sets Light Screen with Whimsicott, then transitions through Darmanitan, Braviary, Milotic, and Empoleon.
Slot 1
Hippowdon
@ White Herb
Ability: Sand StreamNature: +SpD, not −SpeIVs: 31 HP / 31 SpD / 27–31 SpeEVs: 20 SpD / 252 Spe / rest Def
Captivate ★
Turn 1 Captivate, then faint on turn 2. Its survival length is part of the opening timing.
Slot 2
Whimsicott
@ Light Clay
Ability / nature: FlexibleEVs: Avoid SpD
Light Screen ★
Turn 3 screen. Avoid Special Defense EVs so the team does not disturb the intended opening behavior.
Turn 5 damage-cap attacker. It does not need an offensive held item for the intended damage.
Slot 5
Milotic
@ Covert Cloak
Ability: CompetitiveNature: QuietIVs: 31 HP / 31 SpA / 31 SpD / 0–1 SpeEVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
BrineSafeguardMud Sport ★
Safeguard on turn 6, Mud Sport on turn 7. P1 Milotic can work for P2, but P2 needs Speed adjustment to outspeed Tyranitar at −2.
Slot 6
Empoleon
@ Choice Specs
Ability: CompetitiveNature: Modest / Mild / QuietIVs: 31 HP / 31 SpA / 31 SpDEVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Brine ★
Turns 8–10 finisher. The corrected cross-position spread is 232 SpA / 252 SpD / 20 Spe.
Fling, Sucker Punch, Braviary target setup, and Empoleon
P2 uses Poison Barb, the bulkiest Bisharp damage slot, Braviary's SpD targeting adjustment, Milotic, and the corrected Empoleon spread. Keep the supplied Speed and Special Defense requirements intact.
Turn 1
Weavile
@ Poison Barb
Nature: Adamant / LonelyIVs: 2–31 HP / 2–31 SpD / 31 Atk / 31 SpeEVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Fling
Opening Poison Barb Fling.
Turns 2 to 3
Bisharp
@ Life Orb
Ability: DefiantNature: Adamant / Lonely / BraveIVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 SpDEVs: 252 Atk / 252 SpD
Sucker Punch
Join the three-Bisharp damage sequence. Keep the damage cap and turn order in mind.
Gothitelle's build helps make P4 the intended target. Do not substitute a generic spread without rechecking the AI.
Turn 6 to 7
Jynx / Krookodile
@ Rowap Berry / Choice Band
Jynx nature: not −SpD and not +SpDJynx IVs/EVs: Any IV/EV spread in Atk, Def, SpA as allowed by the sourceKrookodile nature: Adamant / LonelyKrookodile IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 SpDKrookodile EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD
Lucky ChantAssurance
Jynx reinforces crit protection on turn 6; Krookodile supplies Assurance on turn 7.
Turns 8 to 10
Bisharp
@ Life Orb
Ability: DefiantNature: Adamant / Lonely / BraveIVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 SpDEVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD
Assurance
Final Assurance each turn. Keep the boss at the expected HP checkpoints.
Use the HP values as checkpoints, not as permission to ignore the team order. Damage caps, AI targeting, stat-drop timers, and the current field state all matter.
Turn 1
Initial stat control
Target: about 98%
P1Hippowdon→Captivate
P2Weavile→Fling
P3Alakazam→Safeguard
P4Xatu→Lucky Chant
Plan: Begin controlled setup. Hippowdon applies Captivate, Weavile throws Poison Barb, Alakazam protects against status, and Xatu provides Lucky Chant.
Turn 2
Bisharp enters
Target: about 85%
P1Hippowdon→Faints
P2Bisharp→Sucker Punch
P3Bisharp→Sucker Punch
P4Bisharp→Sucker Punch
Plan: The three Bisharp begin the damage-cap sequence.
Turn 3
Screen plus Bisharp
Target: about 72%
P1Whimsicott→Light Screen
P2Bisharp→Sucker Punch
P3Bisharp→Sucker Punch
P4Bisharp→Sucker Punch
Plan: Light Screen is established before the later special attackers arrive.
Turn 4
Transition to mixed damage
Target: about 63%
P1Darmanitan→Flare Blitz
P2Sharpedo→Assurance
P3Crobat→Acid Spray
P4Gengar→Hex
Plan: Acid Spray supports the special damage while the other three moves contribute to the checkpoint.
Turn 5
Braviary and Gothitelle
Target: about 45%
P1Braviary→Assurance
P2Braviary→Assurance
P3Gothitelle→Shadow Ball
P4Gothitelle→Shadow Ball
Damage cap: Braviary is tuned to hit the cap without an offensive held item. Gothitelle provides the special damage.
Turn 6
Milotic phase
Target: about 39%
P1Milotic→Safeguard
P2Milotic→Brine
P3Crawdaunt→Fling
P4Jynx→Lucky Chant
Plan: Milotic enters with Safeguard while P2 begins Brine. Crawdaunt provides Fling chip and Jynx reinforces crit protection.
Turn 7
Mud Sport and final SpA control
Target: about 33%
P1Milotic→Mud Sport
P2Milotic→Brine
P3Tyranitar→Captivate
P4Krookodile→Assurance
Correction: Mud Sport reduces Thunderbolt damage. Tyranitar's Captivate keeps Cresselia from reaching the undesirable +1 Special Attack state before Empoleon.
Turn 8
Empoleon finish begins
Target: about 22%
P1Empoleon→Brine
P2Empoleon→Brine
P3Crawdaunt→Assurance
P4Bisharp→Assurance
Finish: The two Empoleons enter for the final Brine sequence.
Turn 9
Continue the finish
Target: about 11%
P1Empoleon→Brine
P2Empoleon→Brine
P3Crawdaunt→Assurance
P4Bisharp→Assurance
Plan: Continue the same damage pattern and keep the team aligned with the 11% checkpoint.
Turn 10
Clear
Target: 0%
P1Empoleon→Brine
P2Empoleon→Brine
P3Crawdaunt→Assurance
P4Bisharp→Assurance
Clear: Final damage reaches the 0% checkpoint and ends the raid.
📝 Important v2.1 Notes
Speed and SpD tuning
P2 Braviary's SpD investment exists to encourage Cresselia to target P1 Braviary and KO it in two hits. P2 should avoid Speed EVs unless the player is prepared to verify the Speed order every link.
Milotic
P1 Milotic can be used for P2, but P2 needs enough Speed to outspeed Tyranitar at −2. Replacement leads can make Milotics die earlier than intended.
Empoleon correction
Use the documented correction of 232 SpA / 252 SpD / 20 Spe. The source notes only a very small overall damage loss.
Do not blindly substitute
A change in Speed, Special Defense, HP, or item can alter AI targeting and break the intended turn sequence.
🔁 Alternative Pokémon and Tested Ideas
PositionAlternativeNote
P2Haxorus → KrookodileListed as an alternative in the strategy ecosystem.
P1Heracross → ScolipedeRelated Cresselia listing; verify before mixing with v2.1.
P3Entei → ArcanineCS Hydreigon alternative is marked untested in the related listing.
P3Espeon → CresseliaRelated strategy lists 0 HP / 0 SpD IV requirements.
P3Honchkrow / SharpedoRelated alternatives; do not substitute without checking the current sequence.
P1Dusclops / Cofagrigus / SableyeSableye was discouraged in an earlier update because it was too bulky for the intended death timing.
Experimental ideas: Forum discussion also mentions Iron Ball P1 Milotic for Speed-order control, Tentacruel replacing Nidoking, and Toxic Orb versus Toxic. These are not automatically part of the main v2.1 line and should be treated as alternatives or tested ideas.
📚 Source and Version
Guide: Cresselia Raid Guide — The Three Musketeers v2.1
Strategy authors: Cadolz, RogueMaster (Phoebe), Th3Fastest, and OhKaibaBoy.
Current indexed strategy: 10-turn clear with Mud Sport used to reduce Thunderbolt damage and updated stat-drop handling reflected in the strategy.
Source note: The live forum page returned an access restriction during retrieval. This build uses indexed v2.1 material and publicly searchable author replies. Unsupported points are intentionally not invented.
Krookodile→Assurance