The player character teams up with legendary Cobalion to become a supporting sync pair for ally physical attackers and to stand up to opponent physical attackers. As a free-to-play sync pair, it is relatively easy to unlock the entire sync grid to access Cobalion’s full potential. Sync pairs like Hilbert & Mightyena or Bea & Sirfetch’d will benefit from Cobalion’s Defense manipulation and easy access to maxed out critical-hit rate. Cobalion is in need of any Potion user or a sync pair to raise its own Sp. Def, such as Elio & Primarina.
The best Player and Cobalion sync grid builds are, Sync Level 2. Defense+ Defense-, and Enduring Tank.
Universal Upgrades
HP +20
Attack +10
Defense +15
Sp. Def +15
Speed +5
Rock Smash Move Gauge Refresh 3
Universal Recommended Lucky Skill
Defense Crush 2
Every build here uses Rock Smash instead of Sacred Sword because of its defense drop ability. Rock Smash Move Gauge Refresh 3 will return one bar to the move gauge 40% of the time after a successful attack.
The recommended lucky skill for all builds is Defense Crush 2, which will have a 20% chance of lowering an opponent’s Defense. Used with Rock Smash, which can also lower the target’s Defense, gives you two chances. Passive skill On a Roll 1 gives Rock Smash and Defense Crush 2 an additional chance, resulting in four individual checks to lower the opponent’s Defense. It will happen very, very rarely but there is a chance that one use of Rock Smash could lower the opponent’s Defense by -4!
Sync Grid Builds
Sync Level 2
Total Sync Orb Cost: 738
Total Energy Used: 59
Unique Upgrades:
HP +10
Attack +5
Defense +5
Sp. Def +5
Endurance
Quick Cure
Stalwart
Tighten Up 1
At sync level 2, there are plenty of passive skills for you to pick up to keep Cobalion up and healthy. If Cobalion enters the battlefield at full HP, Endurance will allow it to withstand one attack that would normally knock it out. Quick Cure will remove trapped, flinching, or confused conditions the first time it occurs in a battle. Stalwart and Tighten Up 1 will work together to improve Cobalion’s Sp. Def and keep it raised.
Each time Cobalion is hit by an attacking move, Tighten Up 1 has a 20% chance of raising its Sp. Def by +1 level. Stalwart will prevent Cobalion’s Sp. Def from being reduced. Since Endurance was picked up on Cobalion’s sync grid,
Defense+ Defense- Build (Sync Level 3/5)
Total Sync Orb Cost: 750
Total Energy Used: 60
Unique Upgrades:
Justice for All! Shielded Squad 1
Quick Cure
Rock Smash Ripple Effect 4
Stalwart
Unbending
Recommended Lucky Skill:
Endurance
Cobalion is all about manipulating both ally and opponent defenses. Stalwart and Unbending will prevent Cobalion’s Sp. Def and Defense from being lowered. Justice for All! Shielded Squad 1 will raise the Defense of every allied sync pair by +1 each time the player’s Trainer move is used.
Cobalion is unable to raise its own Sp. Def, so an ally will need to be able to raise it. Quick Cure prevents the first flinching, confused, or trapped condition from affecting Cobalion in the battle. Offensively, Rock Smash Ripple Effect 4 has a chance to lower the Defense stat of all opposing sync pairs whenever the target’s is successfully lowered. This means if the targeted opponent’s Defense is already at minimum, Ripple Effect 4 will not activate to affect other opponents.
Sometimes you may find opponents quickly reaching the minimum Defense of -6 or another ally may also have the ability to lower Defense. If you need Cobalion to withstand more attacks, Endurance might be a better lucky skill for you.
Enduring Tank Build (Sync Level 3/5)
Total Sync Orb Cost: 738
Total Energy Used: 59
Unique Upgrades:
Attack +5
Sp. Def +5
Endurance
Healthy Healing
Rock Smash Ripple Effect 4
Tighten Up 1
Focusing Cobalion as a damage sponge may be best in long battles against the same set of opponents. If it starts the battle at full health, Endurance will allow Cobalion to stay on the field with 1 HP if it is hit by a move that would knock it out. To keep it from using up Endurance, Healthy Healing will give Cobalion a small regeneration effect each time it attacks.
Rock Smash Ripple Effect 4 will also give the move a chance to lower all opponents’ Defense if the targeted opponent has its Defense lowered. Tighten Up 1 has a small chance to raise Cobalion’s Sp. Def by +1 whenever it is hit by an attacking move.