Hippowdon - The Heavyweight Pokémon
X Flavor Text - "It brandishes its gaping mouth in a display of fearsome strength. It raises vast quantities of sand while attacking."
Y Flavor Text - "It blasts internally stored sand from ports on its body to create a towering twister for attack."
Pokédex Number - #450 (National) | #049 (Coastal)
Type -
Abilities:
Sand Stream: Sand Stream summons a sandstorm in battle as soon as a Pokémon with Sand Stream enters the battle. Its effects almost are the same as Sandstorm's; the only difference is that instead of lasting for five turns, it lasts for the whole battle until a different weather condition replaces it. If a Pokémon with Sand Stream is sent out in the same turn as another Pokémon whose Ability causes a different weather condition, the slower Pokémon's Ability will override the faster Pokémon's Ability. The sandstorm will last only for five turns instead. This can be extended to eight turns if the Pokémon is holding a Smooth Rock.
Sand Force (Hidden): Sand Force raises the power of Rock-, Ground-, and Steel-type moves by 30% while a Sandstorm is in effect. It also gives the user immunity to damage from Sandstorm.
Notable Moves (Bold indicates STAB):
Ice Fang (Start)
Earthquake (Lvl 40, TM 26)
Toxic (TM 06)
Stone Edge (TM 71)
Whirlwind (Breed w/ Shiftry)
Body Slam (Breed w/ Torkoal, Spheal, Sealeo, Walrein, Purugly)
Curse (Breed w/ Torkoal, Bidoof, Bibarel
Slack Off (Breed w/ Skakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking, Chimchar, Monferno, Infernape)
Stealth Rock (Transfer)
General Analysis:
Oh... poor Hippowdon. There has been almost been a year of Gen VI OU, and this guy still has no thread. Why has it taken this long for an A Ranked Pokemon to get its own thread? My honest opinion is its general anonymity. The Hippo is #100 in terms of general usage, and #54 in terms of 1760 usage, and this is, in my opinion, not enough for a pokemon with such a fantastic walling capability. With its monstrous HP stat, great defense, and fair special defense, it's able to be an amazing mixed wall that can also serve as utility for the team and hit reasonably hard.
Movesets:
Hippowdon @ Leftovers / Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream / Sand Force
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Stone Edge / Toxic / Whirlwind
Set Description:
Earthquake is a very useful because it disallows other Pokemon from using the Hippo as setup fodder. Stealth Rock is also very useful because it pressures the opponent into switching less frequently and quickly handicaps powerful Pokemon like Pinsir, Talonflame, and Charizard. Slack Off is the most useful move, as it gives the beast reliable recovery! The last move is a wild card: Toxic allows the Hippo to handle Levitating or Flying-type defensive Pokemon, Whirlwind spreads hazard damage throughout the team and can prematurely end a sweep, and Stone Edge is useful for killing Charizard-Y, Pinsir, and Talonflame. Overall the set is very useful because it can check/counter common physical and special attackers such as Thundurus, Mega Charizard Y, Aegislash, Deoxys-S, Gengar, Pinsir, Talonflame, and Excadrill. Sand Stream is generally the preferred ability because it nullifies the opponent's Leftovers and provides gradual HP loss on pokemon without Leftovers. Sand Force, however, is the preferred ability if you happen to be running a team with Leftovers on Pokemon not immune to Sandstorm. Sand also hurts the recovery from Synthesis, Moonlight, and Morning Sun; so if you run Venusaur or Cresselia it is definitely the better ability. Sand Stream also gets rid of Charizard-Y's Drought, which allows it to handle it much easier.
Ability: Sand Stream / Sand Force
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Stone Edge / Toxic / Whirlwind
Set Description:
Earthquake is a very useful because it disallows other Pokemon from using the Hippo as setup fodder. Stealth Rock is also very useful because it pressures the opponent into switching less frequently and quickly handicaps powerful Pokemon like Pinsir, Talonflame, and Charizard. Slack Off is the most useful move, as it gives the beast reliable recovery! The last move is a wild card: Toxic allows the Hippo to handle Levitating or Flying-type defensive Pokemon, Whirlwind spreads hazard damage throughout the team and can prematurely end a sweep, and Stone Edge is useful for killing Charizard-Y, Pinsir, and Talonflame. Overall the set is very useful because it can check/counter common physical and special attackers such as Thundurus, Mega Charizard Y, Aegislash, Deoxys-S, Gengar, Pinsir, Talonflame, and Excadrill. Sand Stream is generally the preferred ability because it nullifies the opponent's Leftovers and provides gradual HP loss on pokemon without Leftovers. Sand Force, however, is the preferred ability if you happen to be running a team with Leftovers on Pokemon not immune to Sandstorm. Sand also hurts the recovery from Synthesis, Moonlight, and Morning Sun; so if you run Venusaur or Cresselia it is definitely the better ability. Sand Stream also gets rid of Charizard-Y's Drought, which allows it to handle it much easier.
• 112 Base attack is pretty phenomenal for a defensive pokemon and it's not too shabby for an offensive one. Curse or Banded sets could work, with EdgeQuake coverage + Ice Fang + a Filler.
Overall, Hippowdon is a phenomenal mixed wall that can handle many viable Pokemon. Hippowdon is often passed over because of its absence from the list of OU Pokemon, however Hippowdon is a great defensive Pokemon when used correctly. Seriously, just use it! People are not overselling it at all on the OU Viability list. It may be shocking how this went from B+ rank to A rank in two weeks, but what's more astonishing is that it was ever as low as B+.
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