[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Confide
move 4: Recover
item: Leftovers / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Gastrodon holds a niche in the AG metagame due to its water immunity, most notably letting it wall almost every Kyogre and Palkia set. It faces incredibly heavy competition from Blissey for this role, however, but Gastrodon has a few traits that let it carve out its own usage as a wall. Storm Drain is a great help to it, allowing it to never fear any Water-type attacks from Kyogre, while Blissey needs to hold Utility Umbrella to stave off Choice Specs Water Spouts. This ability gives Gastrodon the freedom to hold an item, giving it more longevity for itself which it needs. Scald is the only attacking move it carries, punishing would be switch ins like Zacian-C, Zygarde, and Zekrom with a potential burn. Toxic is for chipping down walls that can stand up to its weak attacking stats such as Kyurem-W and Yveltal. Confide is essential for beating Calm Mind Kyogre, which otherwise could boost to +6 special attack and special defense and stall out Gastrodon with Rest, and Recover is standard for longevity, being necessary for keeping Gastrodon around while taking hits. Leftovers is preferred for giving Gastrodon more passive recovery, but Heavy-Duty Boots is a viable item option as well to negate entry hazard chip and to not get poisoned by Toxic Spikes which is extremely important if they are on the field. Max Special Defense and Max HP with Calm Nature maximizes its special bulk, focusing everything on countering the special attacking Water-types and a few other special attackers like Lunala.
The main attraction of Gastrodon is countering Kyogre and Palkia, something that many teammates can benefit from. Groudon and Zygarde both dislike facing defensive Kyogre, and Gastrodon gives them some freedom to attack then switch into a solid counter against most defensive Kyogre sets. Groudon also is able to pressure status absorbing walls like Blissey and Eternatus which wall Gastrodon's pitiful damage output, something Zacian-C and other physical wallbreakers can help with as well. Defensive teammates such as Necrozma-DM and Ho-oh also have much less to fear with Gastrodon beside them to cover some of their biggest weaknesses. Gastrodon only covers a small amount of Pokemon defensively, however, and as such requires a good amount of support around it to make up for its weaknesses. Gastrodon can't switch into most physical attackers like Zacian-C, Zekrom, and Zygarde, making Necrozma-DM who walls the former two and Lunala who walls the latter two solid partners. Tyranitar is a very bulky wall that can check Calyrex-S and Yveltal, helping with some dangerous threats to Gastrodon. Ho-Oh can also work as a strong defensive pivot into Pokemon like Xerneas, and it also pressures Ferrothorn which is a big threat to Gastrodon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Gastrodon can use Earthquake in place of Toxic with a Sassy nature to apply more pressure on Zacian-C, Zekrom, and Eternatus, but the loss of utility is usually detrimental.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ferrothorn**: Ferrothorn is immune to Toxic and can OHKO Gastrodon with Power Whip or 3 or more Bullet Seed hits, making it a very safe switch in. It doesn't appreciate a Scald burn, but can still use Gastrodon as an opportunity to set Spikes as well as being able to freely Leech Seed and Knock Off items as it is forced to switch.
**Gothitelle**: Gothitelle can switch into Gastrodon without taking much damage from any hit and proceed to PP stall it with Rest, Taunt, and Cosmic Power. If Gastrodon is caught trapped with Shadow Tag it is essentially already KO'd, as there is no way for it to beat Gothitelle reliably.
**Status Absorbers**: Many common status absorbers such as Blissey, Eternatus, and Giratina don't fear any of the moves Gastrodon uses while threatening back with Toxic, extremely limiting its walling capabilities long term.
**Wallbreakers**: With average overall bulk, Gastrodon is susceptible to being broken by many common wallbreakers such as Marshadow, Xerneas, and Yveltal.
**Taunt**: Yveltal and Grimmsnarl can shut down Gastrodon's recovery and status options then slowly chip it with their strong STAB moves.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Fc, 511624]]
- Quality checked by: [[Rotten, 491896], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Confide
move 4: Recover
item: Leftovers / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Gastrodon holds a niche in the AG metagame due to its water immunity, most notably letting it wall almost every Kyogre and Palkia set. It faces incredibly heavy competition from Blissey for this role, however, but Gastrodon has a few traits that let it carve out its own usage as a wall. Storm Drain is a great help to it, allowing it to never fear any Water-type attacks from Kyogre, while Blissey needs to hold Utility Umbrella to stave off Choice Specs Water Spouts. This ability gives Gastrodon the freedom to hold an item, giving it more longevity for itself which it needs. Scald is the only attacking move it carries, punishing would be switch ins like Zacian-C, Zygarde, and Zekrom with a potential burn. Toxic is for chipping down walls that can stand up to its weak attacking stats such as Kyurem-W and Yveltal. Confide is essential for beating Calm Mind Kyogre, which otherwise could boost to +6 special attack and special defense and stall out Gastrodon with Rest, and Recover is standard for longevity, being necessary for keeping Gastrodon around while taking hits. Leftovers is preferred for giving Gastrodon more passive recovery, but Heavy-Duty Boots is a viable item option as well to negate entry hazard chip and to not get poisoned by Toxic Spikes which is extremely important if they are on the field. Max Special Defense and Max HP with Calm Nature maximizes its special bulk, focusing everything on countering the special attacking Water-types and a few other special attackers like Lunala.
The main attraction of Gastrodon is countering Kyogre and Palkia, something that many teammates can benefit from. Groudon and Zygarde both dislike facing defensive Kyogre, and Gastrodon gives them some freedom to attack then switch into a solid counter against most defensive Kyogre sets. Groudon also is able to pressure status absorbing walls like Blissey and Eternatus which wall Gastrodon's pitiful damage output, something Zacian-C and other physical wallbreakers can help with as well. Defensive teammates such as Necrozma-DM and Ho-oh also have much less to fear with Gastrodon beside them to cover some of their biggest weaknesses. Gastrodon only covers a small amount of Pokemon defensively, however, and as such requires a good amount of support around it to make up for its weaknesses. Gastrodon can't switch into most physical attackers like Zacian-C, Zekrom, and Zygarde, making Necrozma-DM who walls the former two and Lunala who walls the latter two solid partners. Tyranitar is a very bulky wall that can check Calyrex-S and Yveltal, helping with some dangerous threats to Gastrodon. Ho-Oh can also work as a strong defensive pivot into Pokemon like Xerneas, and it also pressures Ferrothorn which is a big threat to Gastrodon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Gastrodon can use Earthquake in place of Toxic with a Sassy nature to apply more pressure on Zacian-C, Zekrom, and Eternatus, but the loss of utility is usually detrimental.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ferrothorn**: Ferrothorn is immune to Toxic and can OHKO Gastrodon with Power Whip or 3 or more Bullet Seed hits, making it a very safe switch in. It doesn't appreciate a Scald burn, but can still use Gastrodon as an opportunity to set Spikes as well as being able to freely Leech Seed and Knock Off items as it is forced to switch.
**Gothitelle**: Gothitelle can switch into Gastrodon without taking much damage from any hit and proceed to PP stall it with Rest, Taunt, and Cosmic Power. If Gastrodon is caught trapped with Shadow Tag it is essentially already KO'd, as there is no way for it to beat Gothitelle reliably.
**Status Absorbers**: Many common status absorbers such as Blissey, Eternatus, and Giratina don't fear any of the moves Gastrodon uses while threatening back with Toxic, extremely limiting its walling capabilities long term.
**Wallbreakers**: With average overall bulk, Gastrodon is susceptible to being broken by many common wallbreakers such as Marshadow, Xerneas, and Yveltal.
**Taunt**: Yveltal and Grimmsnarl can shut down Gastrodon's recovery and status options then slowly chip it with their strong STAB moves.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Fc, 511624]]
- Quality checked by: [[Rotten, 491896], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
Last edited:
