[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Precipice Blades
move 3: Stone Edge / Heat Crash
move 4: Swords Dance / Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Drought
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Groudon's great Attack and Defense make it a physical tank capable of taking on dangerous physical attackers like Necrozma-DM, Zygarde-10%, Zeraora, and Zamazenta-C. Groudon is a good Stealth Rock setter thanks to its ability to pressure and force out common Defoggers like Ho-Oh and Tornadus-T. Despite having lower accuracy than Earthquake, Precipice Blades is noticeably stronger, allowing Groudon to nab more KOs, such as an OHKO on Victini and Zygarde-10% at +0 and Necrozma-DM and Zamazenta-C at +2, all while avoiding damage reduction from Grassy Terrain. Stone Edge targets Flying-types like Yveltal, Rayquaza, and Ho-Oh, while Heat Crash more directly pressures Corviknight. Swords Dance helps Groudon force out defensive Pokemon that can comfortably take its hits or clear its Stealth Rock, most notably Landorus-T and Magic Guard Clefable. Alternatively, Toxic cripples Landorus-T and other switch-ins like Tangrowth. 16 Speed EVs help Groudon outpace neutral natured Magnezone without a Speed donation, as well as Victini at -1.
Defensive Groudon is best used on bulky offense builds that can make use of sun. Fire-types are natural partners, thanks to Drought supercharging their attacks and their ability to cover for Groudon's Grass and Ice weaknesses. Victini is perhaps the best partner, using Groudon's sun and great Attack in combination with V-create to overwhelm even bulky Fire-resistant foes like Ho-Oh and Slowbro. Heatran is also notable thanks to its ability to take Fire-type attacks that Groudon teams tend to struggle against while also benefitting from Groudon's Speed donation and Stealth Rock to better act as a trapper. Defense receivers like Clefable, Alolan Persian, and Gastrodon act as secondary physical walls to make up for Groudon's lack of reliable recovery. The former two can provide pivoting and deal with physical threats that Groudon struggles against like Weavile, Kyurem-B, and Kartana, while Gastrodon can take on Kyurem-B and Choice Scarf Victini. Clefable and Gastrodon also absorb Scald and Knock Off that would cripple Groudon. Rotom-W, Landorus-T, and Corviknight appreciate Groudon's defensive donations to help clear away entry hazards. Ferrothorn, Tangrowth, and Buzzwole can also make use of these donations to help against special attackers.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Precipice Blades
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Heat Crash / Rock Polish
item: Leftovers / Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Drought
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Offensive Groudon forgoes its utility to become a fearsome wallbreaker. Thanks to its good natural bulk and defensive typing, Groudon finds ample opportunities to set up against common defensive Pokemon like Magic Guard Clefable and Tornadus-T. Precipice Blades is its preferred STAB attack to OHKO Zamazenta-C and defensive Necrozma-DM at +2. Stone Edge nails Flying-types like Ho-Oh, Rayquaza, and Tornadus-T and gives Groudon great neutral coverage. Boosted by sun, Heat Crash is the best option against Landorus-T, Skarmory, and Grass-types such as Ferrothorn and Tangrowth. Alternatively, Rock Polish patches up Groudon's mediocre Speed and turns it into a late-game cleaner. Depending on the team, Groudon can choose between several items. Leftovers helps it utilize its defensive stats, while Life Orb increases its damage output, allowing Groudon to OHKO Clefable and Slowbro with +2 Precipice Blades. Lum Berry is also viable to set up against foes that threaten to burn Groudon, such as Rotom-W and Gastrodon. Jolly is preferred on sets with Heat Crash to at least Speed tie with opposing Groudon and Zekrom, while Rock Polish variants prefer Adamant's Attack boost.
Offensive Groudon fits on offense teams that appreciate its wallbreaking capabilities. Choice Scarf Victini appreciates Groudon breaking through or weakening physical walls like Giratina, Gastrodon, and Slowking and benefits from its sun and hefty Attack donation. Defensive Water-types like Rotom-W and Slowking pair well with Groudon, as they can safely pivot it onto the field, take Scald from opposing Defensive Water-types, and switch into Fire-type attacks from opposing Victini and Heatran that take advantage of Groudon's sun. In return, Groudon gifts them defensive stats and takes on Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Dracozolt that they struggle against. Corviknight and Tornadus-T deal with Grass-types like Rillaboom and Kartana and provide Defog support. Answers to Ice-types, notably Weavile and Kyurem-B, are also necessary, making Ferrothorn and Clefable great teammates, as they also set entry hazards in Groudon's place.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Heat Rock is an option for sun teams, as Groudon is the only Drought user that isn't weak to Stealth Rock; however, Groudon only offers a meager Special Attack donation to Chlorophyll teammates like Venusaur. Defensive Groudon can opt to spread other status effects with Thunder Wave or Lava Plume. However, no Toxic or Swords Dance means physically bulky walls like Slowking and Gastrodon can comfortably deal with it. Dragon Tail and Roar are also options to deal with dangerous setup sweepers such as Espeon and Clefable, respectively. A bulkier set with Bulk Up and Substitute can surprise foes such as Landorus-T that struggle to break Substitute as Groudon sets up. While Groudon can run a specially defensive set, its vulnerability to common special attackers like Kyurem-W, Galarian Moltres, and Volcanion makes it outclassed.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Rillaboom, Kartana, and Dhelmise are strong enough to break through Groudon's sturdy Defense. Tangrowth can also beat defensive Groudon one-on-one thanks to its great physical bulk. However, none of them appreciate Heat Crash.
**Bulky Physical Walls**: Even with Swords Dance, Groudon struggles to break defensive stalwarts like Rotom-W and defensive Yveltal. Unaware Pokemon like Clefable, Quagsire, and Pyukumuku can even ignore its boosts altogether, with the former also usually having Aromatherapy to cure its Toxic.
**Strong Wallbreakers**: Groudon relies solely on Leftovers for recovery. As such, repeated attacks from the likes of Rayquaza, Urshifu-R, and Zygarde-10% can eventually wear it down. In particular, Ice-types like Kyurem-W and Weavile can hit it super effectively, while Fire-types such as Blacephalon and opposing Victini can use Groudon's sun to their advantage.
**Status Effects**: Burn and poison negate Leftovers, with the former completely gutting Groudon's offensive capabilities, while the latter can cut its sweep short. Lunala, Giratina, and most defensive Water-types can inflict a burn, while Landorus-T and Buzzwole sometimes carry Toxic.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[longhiep341, 500884]]
- Quality checked by: [[UT, 523866], [Tea Guzzler, 577920]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662], [Sulo, 528036]]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Precipice Blades
move 3: Stone Edge / Heat Crash
move 4: Swords Dance / Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Drought
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Groudon's great Attack and Defense make it a physical tank capable of taking on dangerous physical attackers like Necrozma-DM, Zygarde-10%, Zeraora, and Zamazenta-C. Groudon is a good Stealth Rock setter thanks to its ability to pressure and force out common Defoggers like Ho-Oh and Tornadus-T. Despite having lower accuracy than Earthquake, Precipice Blades is noticeably stronger, allowing Groudon to nab more KOs, such as an OHKO on Victini and Zygarde-10% at +0 and Necrozma-DM and Zamazenta-C at +2, all while avoiding damage reduction from Grassy Terrain. Stone Edge targets Flying-types like Yveltal, Rayquaza, and Ho-Oh, while Heat Crash more directly pressures Corviknight. Swords Dance helps Groudon force out defensive Pokemon that can comfortably take its hits or clear its Stealth Rock, most notably Landorus-T and Magic Guard Clefable. Alternatively, Toxic cripples Landorus-T and other switch-ins like Tangrowth. 16 Speed EVs help Groudon outpace neutral natured Magnezone without a Speed donation, as well as Victini at -1.
Defensive Groudon is best used on bulky offense builds that can make use of sun. Fire-types are natural partners, thanks to Drought supercharging their attacks and their ability to cover for Groudon's Grass and Ice weaknesses. Victini is perhaps the best partner, using Groudon's sun and great Attack in combination with V-create to overwhelm even bulky Fire-resistant foes like Ho-Oh and Slowbro. Heatran is also notable thanks to its ability to take Fire-type attacks that Groudon teams tend to struggle against while also benefitting from Groudon's Speed donation and Stealth Rock to better act as a trapper. Defense receivers like Clefable, Alolan Persian, and Gastrodon act as secondary physical walls to make up for Groudon's lack of reliable recovery. The former two can provide pivoting and deal with physical threats that Groudon struggles against like Weavile, Kyurem-B, and Kartana, while Gastrodon can take on Kyurem-B and Choice Scarf Victini. Clefable and Gastrodon also absorb Scald and Knock Off that would cripple Groudon. Rotom-W, Landorus-T, and Corviknight appreciate Groudon's defensive donations to help clear away entry hazards. Ferrothorn, Tangrowth, and Buzzwole can also make use of these donations to help against special attackers.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Precipice Blades
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Heat Crash / Rock Polish
item: Leftovers / Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Drought
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Offensive Groudon forgoes its utility to become a fearsome wallbreaker. Thanks to its good natural bulk and defensive typing, Groudon finds ample opportunities to set up against common defensive Pokemon like Magic Guard Clefable and Tornadus-T. Precipice Blades is its preferred STAB attack to OHKO Zamazenta-C and defensive Necrozma-DM at +2. Stone Edge nails Flying-types like Ho-Oh, Rayquaza, and Tornadus-T and gives Groudon great neutral coverage. Boosted by sun, Heat Crash is the best option against Landorus-T, Skarmory, and Grass-types such as Ferrothorn and Tangrowth. Alternatively, Rock Polish patches up Groudon's mediocre Speed and turns it into a late-game cleaner. Depending on the team, Groudon can choose between several items. Leftovers helps it utilize its defensive stats, while Life Orb increases its damage output, allowing Groudon to OHKO Clefable and Slowbro with +2 Precipice Blades. Lum Berry is also viable to set up against foes that threaten to burn Groudon, such as Rotom-W and Gastrodon. Jolly is preferred on sets with Heat Crash to at least Speed tie with opposing Groudon and Zekrom, while Rock Polish variants prefer Adamant's Attack boost.
Offensive Groudon fits on offense teams that appreciate its wallbreaking capabilities. Choice Scarf Victini appreciates Groudon breaking through or weakening physical walls like Giratina, Gastrodon, and Slowking and benefits from its sun and hefty Attack donation. Defensive Water-types like Rotom-W and Slowking pair well with Groudon, as they can safely pivot it onto the field, take Scald from opposing Defensive Water-types, and switch into Fire-type attacks from opposing Victini and Heatran that take advantage of Groudon's sun. In return, Groudon gifts them defensive stats and takes on Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Dracozolt that they struggle against. Corviknight and Tornadus-T deal with Grass-types like Rillaboom and Kartana and provide Defog support. Answers to Ice-types, notably Weavile and Kyurem-B, are also necessary, making Ferrothorn and Clefable great teammates, as they also set entry hazards in Groudon's place.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Heat Rock is an option for sun teams, as Groudon is the only Drought user that isn't weak to Stealth Rock; however, Groudon only offers a meager Special Attack donation to Chlorophyll teammates like Venusaur. Defensive Groudon can opt to spread other status effects with Thunder Wave or Lava Plume. However, no Toxic or Swords Dance means physically bulky walls like Slowking and Gastrodon can comfortably deal with it. Dragon Tail and Roar are also options to deal with dangerous setup sweepers such as Espeon and Clefable, respectively. A bulkier set with Bulk Up and Substitute can surprise foes such as Landorus-T that struggle to break Substitute as Groudon sets up. While Groudon can run a specially defensive set, its vulnerability to common special attackers like Kyurem-W, Galarian Moltres, and Volcanion makes it outclassed.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Rillaboom, Kartana, and Dhelmise are strong enough to break through Groudon's sturdy Defense. Tangrowth can also beat defensive Groudon one-on-one thanks to its great physical bulk. However, none of them appreciate Heat Crash.
**Bulky Physical Walls**: Even with Swords Dance, Groudon struggles to break defensive stalwarts like Rotom-W and defensive Yveltal. Unaware Pokemon like Clefable, Quagsire, and Pyukumuku can even ignore its boosts altogether, with the former also usually having Aromatherapy to cure its Toxic.
**Strong Wallbreakers**: Groudon relies solely on Leftovers for recovery. As such, repeated attacks from the likes of Rayquaza, Urshifu-R, and Zygarde-10% can eventually wear it down. In particular, Ice-types like Kyurem-W and Weavile can hit it super effectively, while Fire-types such as Blacephalon and opposing Victini can use Groudon's sun to their advantage.
**Status Effects**: Burn and poison negate Leftovers, with the former completely gutting Groudon's offensive capabilities, while the latter can cut its sweep short. Lunala, Giratina, and most defensive Water-types can inflict a burn, while Landorus-T and Buzzwole sometimes carry Toxic.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[longhiep341, 500884]]
- Quality checked by: [[UT, 523866], [Tea Guzzler, 577920]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662], [Sulo, 528036]]
Last edited:
