[Overview]
Buzzwole is a physical wall that compresses checking many incredibly dangerous Pokemon such as Groudon, Zygarde, Necrozma-DM, Yveltal, Weavile, Marshadow, and even Zekrom more loosely. Its massive HP and Defense stats take even boosted attacks well, giving it the incredible and rare ability to survive any hit Marshadow throws out, and its Fighting typing lets it absorb Knock Off so its teammates' items can stay intact. Buzzwole pairs nicely with a lot of common defensive Pokemon that are weak to these setup sweepers, such as the omnipresent Yveltal + Necrozma-DM + Eternatus core, giving it great team value. However, its incredibly low Special Defense and susceptibility to status make it a prime target of options its targets can run specifically to beat it, limiting its consistency in certain matchups. Draco Meteor Zekrom, Groudon with Fire-type coverage, and Toxic Zygarde, for example, can all capitalize on these weaknesses extremely well.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Drain Punch / Leech Life
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Rocky Helmet
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 152 Def / 104 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set focuses exclusively on checking dangerous physical wallbreakers and setup sweepers. Bulk Up lets Buzzwole set up alongside sweepers like Groudon, Zygarde, and Zekrom while giving it some extra firepower as well. Ice Punch Zygarde particularly hard, crucial for checking Coil sets more reliably, while also nailing the aforementioned Groudon and Zekrom. It's also a solid damaging move against Marshadow, letting Buzzwole slowly chip it down. Drain Punch and Leech Life both provide healing and are decently strong STAB moves, and they are the main way Buzzwole can pressure a lot of Pokemon. Drain Punch threatens Pokemon like Ferrothorn, while Leech Life strengthens its matchup against Calyrex-I, having a chance to OHKO it after two Bulk Ups. Roost, combined with Heavy-Duty Boots, gives Buzzwole the longevity it needs, with Heavy-Duty Boots importantly protecting against Toxic Spikes. Rocky Helmet is especially helpful for chipping threats like Zekrom, Marshadow, and Necrozma-DM. The Speed EVs let Buzzwole outspeed both paralyzed Calyrex-S and maximum Speed Calyrex-I. An alternative EV spread with maximum HP and Defense helps on teams that are weak to Zekrom, improving the matchup against it once it has boosted.
With Buzzwole being able to check a ton of threats such as Groudon, Marshadow, Zygarde, and Urshifu-S, defensive cores that are unable to beat those Pokemon greatly appreciate it. These physical wallbreakers heavily dent the core of Yveltal + Necrozma-DM + Eternatus or Blissey; Buzzwole can be the defensive pivot they need to beat those Pokemon. Meanwhile, they check the strong special attackers in the metagame for it, such as Kyogre by Blissey or Eternatus, Calyrex-S by Yveltal, and Xerneas by Necrozma-DM. Life Orb Eternatus commonly has to switch into unwanted Knock Offs from Yveltal, so having Buzzwole to absorb Knock Off gives it more freedom to offensively pressure teams without worrying about losing its item. Groudon and Haban Berry Zekrom can check and bait in opposing Zekrom, respectively, removing one of the few physical attackers that can slowly overwhelm Buzzwole given the right circumstances. Due to Buzzwole's susceptibility to status, clerics like Blissey and Choice item Calyrex-S with Aromatherapy are good teammates for helping it stick around and check foes like Toxic Zygarde more reliably.
[SET]
name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Choice Band
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Adamant
evs: 152 HP / 172 Atk / 80 Def / 104 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Bulky attacker Buzzwole uses its massive Attack stat and strong coverage options to wallbreak while still having the bulk to soft check physical threats. Close Combat deals the most damage, 2HKOing even bulky neutral targets like specially defensive Necrozma-DM with a Choice Band, and sometimes even without it. Ice Punch catches Eternatus and Landorus-T while also pressuring targets like Groudon and Zekrom without lowering its Defense. Rock Slide is good for heavily damaging or OHKOing Ho-Oh, which can switch into Buzzwole's other options easily and force it out with Sacred Fire. Roost is required for longevity, even finding a use with Choice Band due to Buzzwole's tendency to switch into Yveltal's Knock Off. Heavy-Duty Boots gives Buzzwole a bit more staying power in long games, as well as freedom of move choice, which is especially helpful for Roost, while Choice Band's power is incredible, allowing for a guaranteed OHKO on targets like Ho-Oh and physically defensive Ferrothorn. The given EV spread allows Buzzwole to outspeed a paralyzed Calyrex-S and maximum Speed Calyrex-I. The defensive investment allows it to survive two Adamant Choice Band Spectral Thiefs from Marshadow. A maximum Attack spread that forgoes the Defense investment can also be used to improve damage rolls against Pokemon like Necrozma-DM and Groudon, but the chance to be 2HKOed by Marshadow is a big tradeoff.
With minimal bulk investment and no way to boost its Defense, this set requires defensive support against offensive threats that it soft checks. Zekrom and Marshadow are two important threats that have the power to break through offensive Buzzwole, so partners like Xerneas and Haban Berry Eternatus can lift some of the pressure off Buzzwole and form a core that has multiple offensive soft checks to these Pokemon. Pokemon that can force damage onto opposing Buzzwole are greatly appreciated, as Buzzwole is a very solid answer to itself, making Groudon with Fire-type coverage and Draco Meteor Zekrom good partners also. Choice Band Rock Slide is a good surprise for Ho-Oh, which teammates like Xerneas and Calyrex-S appreciate being eliminated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Stone Edge is a very niche option on the defensive set, but it has the upside of surprising and OHKOing Ho-Oh, one of Buzzwole's sturdiest checks, after a Bulk Up. However, the listed coverage options are more reliable and broadly useful. Toxic with Power-Up Punch as the boosting option lets Buzzwole spread status against walls like Lunala while maintaining an offensive presence, but Buzzwole is less effective defensively without Bulk Up to boost Defense. An Occa Berry allows Buzzwole to survive a hit from Groudon carrying Fire-type coverage or Weather Ball Zekrom in sun, but it can't OHKO either Pokemon, so it's a very temporary solution to bigger problem. Darkest Lariat can be used to threaten Lunala and OHKO Calyrex-S on the bulky attacking set, but, as Buzzwole is slower than both, it's a risky option to use aside from catching a switch-in.
Checks and Counters
====
**Special Attackers**: Buzzwole's incredibly low Special Defense leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attacker in the tier. Calyrex-S, Eternatus, Kyogre, Xerneas, and Lunala are some of the most common special Pokemon, all of which take little damage from any of Buzzwole's attacks and can threaten it back with their strong special attacks.
**Fire-type Attacks**: Ho-Oh and Reshiram are the premier Fire-types, easily taking advantage of Buzzwole's Fire weakness. Fire-type coverage options are also deadly, letting Eternatus and sometimes Groudon easily break through it.
**Defensive Ghost-types**: Lunala and Giratina incredibly effectively wall Buzzwole, taking minimal damage from any hit and threatening it with status, leaving Buzzwole much less effective at its job.
**Toxic**: Buzzwole is very reliant on sticking around to beat a lot of its checks, making getting hit with Toxic incredibly detrimental. Pokemon like defensive Yveltal and Dragon Dance Zygarde can both bait it in and cripple it with Toxic.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Fc, 511624]]
- Quality checked by: [[Minority, 222996], [Manaphy, 50695]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [dex, 277988]]
Buzzwole is a physical wall that compresses checking many incredibly dangerous Pokemon such as Groudon, Zygarde, Necrozma-DM, Yveltal, Weavile, Marshadow, and even Zekrom more loosely. Its massive HP and Defense stats take even boosted attacks well, giving it the incredible and rare ability to survive any hit Marshadow throws out, and its Fighting typing lets it absorb Knock Off so its teammates' items can stay intact. Buzzwole pairs nicely with a lot of common defensive Pokemon that are weak to these setup sweepers, such as the omnipresent Yveltal + Necrozma-DM + Eternatus core, giving it great team value. However, its incredibly low Special Defense and susceptibility to status make it a prime target of options its targets can run specifically to beat it, limiting its consistency in certain matchups. Draco Meteor Zekrom, Groudon with Fire-type coverage, and Toxic Zygarde, for example, can all capitalize on these weaknesses extremely well.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Drain Punch / Leech Life
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Rocky Helmet
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 152 Def / 104 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set focuses exclusively on checking dangerous physical wallbreakers and setup sweepers. Bulk Up lets Buzzwole set up alongside sweepers like Groudon, Zygarde, and Zekrom while giving it some extra firepower as well. Ice Punch Zygarde particularly hard, crucial for checking Coil sets more reliably, while also nailing the aforementioned Groudon and Zekrom. It's also a solid damaging move against Marshadow, letting Buzzwole slowly chip it down. Drain Punch and Leech Life both provide healing and are decently strong STAB moves, and they are the main way Buzzwole can pressure a lot of Pokemon. Drain Punch threatens Pokemon like Ferrothorn, while Leech Life strengthens its matchup against Calyrex-I, having a chance to OHKO it after two Bulk Ups. Roost, combined with Heavy-Duty Boots, gives Buzzwole the longevity it needs, with Heavy-Duty Boots importantly protecting against Toxic Spikes. Rocky Helmet is especially helpful for chipping threats like Zekrom, Marshadow, and Necrozma-DM. The Speed EVs let Buzzwole outspeed both paralyzed Calyrex-S and maximum Speed Calyrex-I. An alternative EV spread with maximum HP and Defense helps on teams that are weak to Zekrom, improving the matchup against it once it has boosted.
With Buzzwole being able to check a ton of threats such as Groudon, Marshadow, Zygarde, and Urshifu-S, defensive cores that are unable to beat those Pokemon greatly appreciate it. These physical wallbreakers heavily dent the core of Yveltal + Necrozma-DM + Eternatus or Blissey; Buzzwole can be the defensive pivot they need to beat those Pokemon. Meanwhile, they check the strong special attackers in the metagame for it, such as Kyogre by Blissey or Eternatus, Calyrex-S by Yveltal, and Xerneas by Necrozma-DM. Life Orb Eternatus commonly has to switch into unwanted Knock Offs from Yveltal, so having Buzzwole to absorb Knock Off gives it more freedom to offensively pressure teams without worrying about losing its item. Groudon and Haban Berry Zekrom can check and bait in opposing Zekrom, respectively, removing one of the few physical attackers that can slowly overwhelm Buzzwole given the right circumstances. Due to Buzzwole's susceptibility to status, clerics like Blissey and Choice item Calyrex-S with Aromatherapy are good teammates for helping it stick around and check foes like Toxic Zygarde more reliably.
[SET]
name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Choice Band
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Adamant
evs: 152 HP / 172 Atk / 80 Def / 104 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Bulky attacker Buzzwole uses its massive Attack stat and strong coverage options to wallbreak while still having the bulk to soft check physical threats. Close Combat deals the most damage, 2HKOing even bulky neutral targets like specially defensive Necrozma-DM with a Choice Band, and sometimes even without it. Ice Punch catches Eternatus and Landorus-T while also pressuring targets like Groudon and Zekrom without lowering its Defense. Rock Slide is good for heavily damaging or OHKOing Ho-Oh, which can switch into Buzzwole's other options easily and force it out with Sacred Fire. Roost is required for longevity, even finding a use with Choice Band due to Buzzwole's tendency to switch into Yveltal's Knock Off. Heavy-Duty Boots gives Buzzwole a bit more staying power in long games, as well as freedom of move choice, which is especially helpful for Roost, while Choice Band's power is incredible, allowing for a guaranteed OHKO on targets like Ho-Oh and physically defensive Ferrothorn. The given EV spread allows Buzzwole to outspeed a paralyzed Calyrex-S and maximum Speed Calyrex-I. The defensive investment allows it to survive two Adamant Choice Band Spectral Thiefs from Marshadow. A maximum Attack spread that forgoes the Defense investment can also be used to improve damage rolls against Pokemon like Necrozma-DM and Groudon, but the chance to be 2HKOed by Marshadow is a big tradeoff.
With minimal bulk investment and no way to boost its Defense, this set requires defensive support against offensive threats that it soft checks. Zekrom and Marshadow are two important threats that have the power to break through offensive Buzzwole, so partners like Xerneas and Haban Berry Eternatus can lift some of the pressure off Buzzwole and form a core that has multiple offensive soft checks to these Pokemon. Pokemon that can force damage onto opposing Buzzwole are greatly appreciated, as Buzzwole is a very solid answer to itself, making Groudon with Fire-type coverage and Draco Meteor Zekrom good partners also. Choice Band Rock Slide is a good surprise for Ho-Oh, which teammates like Xerneas and Calyrex-S appreciate being eliminated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Stone Edge is a very niche option on the defensive set, but it has the upside of surprising and OHKOing Ho-Oh, one of Buzzwole's sturdiest checks, after a Bulk Up. However, the listed coverage options are more reliable and broadly useful. Toxic with Power-Up Punch as the boosting option lets Buzzwole spread status against walls like Lunala while maintaining an offensive presence, but Buzzwole is less effective defensively without Bulk Up to boost Defense. An Occa Berry allows Buzzwole to survive a hit from Groudon carrying Fire-type coverage or Weather Ball Zekrom in sun, but it can't OHKO either Pokemon, so it's a very temporary solution to bigger problem. Darkest Lariat can be used to threaten Lunala and OHKO Calyrex-S on the bulky attacking set, but, as Buzzwole is slower than both, it's a risky option to use aside from catching a switch-in.
Checks and Counters
====
**Special Attackers**: Buzzwole's incredibly low Special Defense leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attacker in the tier. Calyrex-S, Eternatus, Kyogre, Xerneas, and Lunala are some of the most common special Pokemon, all of which take little damage from any of Buzzwole's attacks and can threaten it back with their strong special attacks.
**Fire-type Attacks**: Ho-Oh and Reshiram are the premier Fire-types, easily taking advantage of Buzzwole's Fire weakness. Fire-type coverage options are also deadly, letting Eternatus and sometimes Groudon easily break through it.
**Defensive Ghost-types**: Lunala and Giratina incredibly effectively wall Buzzwole, taking minimal damage from any hit and threatening it with status, leaving Buzzwole much less effective at its job.
**Toxic**: Buzzwole is very reliant on sticking around to beat a lot of its checks, making getting hit with Toxic incredibly detrimental. Pokemon like defensive Yveltal and Dragon Dance Zygarde can both bait it in and cripple it with Toxic.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Fc, 511624]]
- Quality checked by: [[Minority, 222996], [Manaphy, 50695]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [dex, 277988]]
Last edited: