[SET]
name: Hail Sweeper
move 1: Bolt Beak
move 2: Blizzard / Freeze-Dry
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Substitute
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
ability: Slush Rush
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Arctozolt acts as a very threatening wallbreaker and sweeper under hail due to its high-Base Power moves and amazing STAB combination, making it a great revenge killer, as well as making it very difficult for many teams to pivot. However, Arctozolt suffers from being easily revenge killed by Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Victini, and Kartana due to its poor defensive typing, mediocre bulk, and Speed tier that's easily outsped, especially outside of hail. Freeze-Dry can be used over Blizzard in order to heavily damage and KO Gastrodon and Mega Swampert, which would otherwise take Blizzard and KO Arctozolt with their Ground-type STAB move; however, Blizzard is a more consistent and threatening move due to its high Base Power, making it superior otherwise. Low Kick allows Arctozolt to bypass would-be checks like Magnezone, Ferrothorn, and Tyranitar. Substitute is great for taking advantage of Pokemon that get forced out by Arctozolt, such as Toxapex, Garchomp, and Corviknight, while also easing prediction by blocking status and abilities such as Landorus-T's Intimidate, making Arctozolt harder to pivot around. However, Substitute drains Arctozolt's HP and can waste hail turns, making it situational to use. Heavy-Duty Boots is the preferred item for Arctozolt, as it negates entry hazards, allowing Arctozolt to wreak havoc against the opposing team regardless of if hazards are on the field; however, Leftovers is a good alternative, as it can keep Arctozolt healthy throughout a match, although it necessitates hazard control as a result.
Alolan Ninetales is an absolute necessity for Arctozolt, since it provides hail while also providing utility, such as setting up Aurora Veil to make it less prone to revenge killing and easier for it to switch in and overwhelm the foe. Alolan Ninetales can use Freeze-Dry to help with Arctozolt's Gastrodon and Mega Swampert matchup, allowing Arctozolt to free up Blizzard. Alolan Ninetales can also support it by locking the foe into a move with Encore, allowing Arctozolt to pivot in safely. Mega Diancie is also a great partner for Arctozolt, since it sets up Stealth Rock for Arctozolt to make it harder to switch into and pivot around, and Mega Diancie's Magic Bounce deflects the foe's entry hazards, allowing Arctozolt to switch in multiple times and wreak havoc without the worry of taking hazard damage. If Arctozolt isn't using Heavy-Duty Boots, then Defoggers such as Corviknight are very useful for Arctozolt. Priority and Choice Scarf users such as Landorus-T, Mega Scizor, and Rillaboom can be annoying for Arctozolt to handle, so checks to them such as Landorus-T, Heatran, and Corviknight are great teammates for it. Pokemon that can bring Arctozolt in safely such as Landorus-T and Corviknight work as good teammates. Toxic support from Pokemon like Landorus-T and Heatran can be useful for Arctozolt, as it can ease up its worst matchups in Gastrodon and Mega Latias.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Arctozolt can use Freeze-Dry over Low Kick in order to make its matchup against Gastrodon and Mega Swampert easier, but it loses its ability to hit Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Melmetal hard, making them difficult to deal with. An Adamant nature can be used over Naive in order to boost the power of its Bolt Beak and Low Kick; however, it loses its ability to outspeed Pokemon such as Tyranitar and specially defensive Heatran without hail and Zeraora in hail.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Melmetal, and Mega Scizor can all take hits from Arctozolt and wear it down with their attacks. However, Ferrothorn cannot switch into Low Kick consistently, and Melmetal and Mega Scizor have to be wary of pivoting into Bolt Beak.
**Revenge Killers**: Arctozolt's Speed is very underwhelming when hail isn't active, so Pokemon such as Kartana, Heatran, and Mega Lopunny can revenge kill it fairly reliably. Choice Scarf users such as Landorus-T, Tapu Lele, and Victini can revenge kill even in hail. Additionally, Arctozolt can be revenge killed by priority if it isn't behind a Substitute due to its middling bulk, so priority users such as Ash-Greninja, Rillaboom, and Mega Lopunny can be troublesome for it.
**Opposing Weather**: Pelipper and Tyranitar can change the weather and remove hail, making Arctozolt much less threatening as a result and causing it to be outsped by other weather sweepers such as Mega Swampert and Excadrill; however, neither Pelipper or Tyranitar want to switch into Arctozolt, as they can get KOed or take significant damage.
**Mega Latias**: After a Calm Mind, Mega Latias can stall out Arctozolt's Blizzard with Roost, as well as stalling out Arctozolt's hail turns, as it cannot be 2HKOed after a Calm Mind. It cannot switch into Blizzard, however, especially with Stealth Rock up.
**Gastrodon**: Without Freeze-Dry, Gastrodon isn't threatened by any of Arctozolt's moves and can force it out and significantly damage it with Earthquake.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Zneon, 487629]]
- Quality checked by: [[The Dragon Master, 521275], [adem, 529732]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Kris, 241023]]
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