[OVERVIEW]
Gifted with great mixed attacking stats and a boosting move in Swords Dance, Samurott is a versatile threat capable of being either a powerful wallbreaker with nuclear Hydro Pumps or one of the best sweepers in the metagame. Samurott also boasts a solid typing, defensively and offensively, backed by acceptable defenses for an offensive Pokemon, letting it check Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-types such as Pyroar, Rhydon, and Archeops. STAB priority in Aqua Jet is the cherry on top, allowing Samurott to clean weakened teams after a Swords Dance boost and revenge kill faster Pokemon throughout the game. Unfortunately, Samurott is relatively slow, leaving it outsped by most offensive Pokemon and, accordingly, overreliant on Aqua Jet and vulnerable to getting revenge killed. Moreover, Samurott is checked by common Grass- and Water-types types such as Vileplume, Ludicolo, Lanturn, and Poliwrath, in addition to physically bulky Pokemon such as Weezing and Garbodor if running the physical set and specially bulky Pokemon such as Hariyama and Mega Audino if running the special set.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Aqua Jet
move 3: Waterfall
move 4: Megahorn
item: Lum Berry / Wave Incense
ability: Torrent
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance enables Samurott to sweep, boosting its Attack stat to high levels. Aqua Jet makes up for Samurott's middling Speed and KOes many faster weakened threats at +2, and it can also be used throughout the game to revenge kill foes. Waterfall is a more powerful STAB move that breaks through slower, bulkier foes after a boost. Megahorn gives Samurott super effective coverage against Grass-types and hits Water-types neutrally. Knock Off is an option to hit the Gourgeist forms super effectively in addition to hitting Mantine and Pelipper neutrally, giving Samurott a better matchup against stall teams but leaving it with significantly less powerful coverage against other, generally more common Grass- and Water-types.
Set Details
========
Samurott packs a simple offensive EV spread, making Samurott as fast and strong as possible, with an Adamant nature giving it a much-appreciated boost in power. A Jolly nature is an option to outspeed neutral-natured Ludicolo and opposing Samurott, in addition to the various Pokemon that creep the base 70 Speed benchmark. 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 Spe can be used for more bulk, with enough Speed to outrun fully invested neutral-natured base 55 Speed Pokemon, such as Cacturne, Exeggutor, and Golurk. Lum Berry allows Samurott to set up without having to fear status ailments from the likes of Weezing and Scald users such as Prinplup. Wave Incense boosts the power of Samurott's Water-type STAB moves without recoil. Life Orb is useful for a stronger Megahorn, but the recoil severely hinders Samurott's longevity. Rindo Berry lets Samurott avoid being revenge killed by Lilligant and Ludicolo, which are oftentimes an offensive team's only response to a +2 Samurott. Similarly, Samurott can avoid being revenge killed by Electric-types, such as Rotom and Lanturn, by holding a Wacan Berry; however, this is somewhat less useful than Rindo Berry, as Samurott can KO weakened, faster Electric-types with Aqua Jet. Torrent makes it significantly easier for Samurott to sweep late-game thanks to the boost it gives to Samurott's Water-type STAB moves, as Samurott will often find itself below 33% health after it sets up.
Usage Tips
========
Samurott should typically be saved for late-game, only being used before then to revenge kill faster Pokemon such as Archeops, check Pokemon such as Rhydon, and possibly dish out a Megahorn or two to weaken checks such as Lanturn and Prinplup. However, Samurott is mostly useless if one of its counters, such Vileplume, the Gourgeist forms, or Poliwrath, is on the opposing team, so it should double switch to a teammate that threatens them to at least force them to take entry hazard damage. If necessary, Samurott can act as a check to the likes of Archeops and Pyroar, but it can only switch into them one time and is often left at such low HP that it probably won't be able to set up and sweep late-game; on the flip side, it can then use its Torrent-boosted STAB moves to wallbreak. Late-game, Samurott can set up a Swords Dance against a foe that can't do too much to it, such as Pyroar locked into a Fire-type move or even the likes of Hariyama and Archeops if Samurott is at high HP, often leaving it in Torrent range, and then it can proceed to sweep.
Team Options
========
Checks to Grass-types are important partners, with Fire-, Ice-, and Flying-types such as Pyroar, Aurorus, and Scyther covering them well; Garbodor is also a notable partner, as it not only walls Grass-types but can also set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes to get them into +2 Megahorn KO range. Grass- and Electric-types and Freeze-Dry users such as Torterra, Rotom, and Vanilluxe take care of the bulky Water-types that check Samurott. Ground- and Grass-types, such as Rhydon and Lilligant, are also nice partners for their ability to handle Electric-types. Fast Pokemon such as Archeops, Zebstrika, and Tauros cover Samurott's low Speed stat and improve its team's matchup against more offensive teams. Wallbreakers such as mixed Archeops, Aurorus, Mawile, and Beheeyem can weaken or even outright beat most walls standing in the way of Samurott's sweep with relative ease.
[SET]
name: Special Wallbreaker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Aqua Jet / Taunt
item: Life Orb
ability: Torrent
nature: Rash / Mild
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hydro Pump is Samurott's strongest viable Water-type STAB move and plows through anything that doesn't resist it. Ice Beam nails the Grass-types that resist Hydro Pump, such as Vileplume, Tangela, and the Gourgeist forms. Megahorn hits Lanturn on its lower Defense stat, OHKOes Ludicolo and Jynx, which can all wall Samurott otherwise, and hits most Water-types neutrally. Aqua Jet hits faster Pokemon such as Archeops and Pyroar, letting Samurott act as a decent check to them. Taunt prevents Pokemon such as Audino and Ferroseed from recovering health or using utility moves, allowing Samurott to beat them one-on-one. Knock Off hits most of Megahorn's targets neutrally, in addition to Mantine, and is able to remove Prinplup's Eviolite and Hariyama's Assault Vest; however, it's weaker than Megahorn, especially if the foe's item has already been removed, and doesn't hit Ludicolo and Cradily super effectively. Hidden Power Electric can work over Aqua Jet for Poliwrath, Mantine, Pelipper, and Prinplup, but this sacrifices Samurott's useful revenge killing utility.
Set Details
========
Samurott packs a simple offensive spread, making it as fast and strong as possible, with a Rash or Mild nature giving Samurott an extra boost in power in its special moves while not weakening its physical ones. Rash lets Samurott check physical attackers such as Rhydon and Archeops better, while Mild lets it handle special Fire-types better. Alternatively, a Naive or Hasty nature allows Samurott to outspeed Modest Ludicolo and opposing Samurott. Life Orb makes Samurott an extremely powerful wallbreaker by boosting all of Samurott's moves. Torrent makes Hydro Pump ridiculously powerful when under 33% HP.
Usage Tips
========
Samurott can come in on Rock- and Ground-types, preferably while they set up Stealth Rock, and slower, specially frail Pokemon such as Weezing and launch a powerful Hydro Pump. Even if the opponent has Grass-types such as Vileplume, Tangela, and the Gourgeist forms, Samurott doesn't have to predict with Ice Beam, as the combination of Hydro Pump and Ice Beam easily KOes them. However, it's best to nail Lanturn and, to a lesser extent, Ludicolo, Jynx, and Cradily switch-ins, with Megahorn, 3HKOing Lanturn, 2HKOing Cradily, and OHKOing Ludicolo and Jynx, as they can all easily shrug off Hydro Pump due to their resistance or immunity to the move. If the opponent has a hard counter to Samurott, such as Poliwrath or Mantine depending on its coverage, it's best to switch out to a teammate that threatens them and force them out to make them take entry hazard damage. Samurott can be used as a check to the likes of Archeops and Pyroar if necessary, nailing them with Aqua Jet or even using them as an opportunity to launch another attack if you predict the foe will switch, but Samurott will often be left with barely any HP.
Team Options
========
Grass- and Electric-types and Freeze-Dry users, such as Lilligant, Rotom, and Vanilluxe, beat the bulky Water-types that check Samurott, such as Lanturn, Poliwrath, and Mantine. While special Samurott has a good matchup against slower Grass-types thanks to its strong, Life Orb-boosted Ice Beam and Megahorn, it still wants partners to handle faster Grass-types such as Lilligant; Vileplume, Garbodor, and Fire-types make for decent partners in this regard. Pokemon such as Klinklang, Barbaracle, Zebstrika, Lilligant, and Pyroar can sweep teams after Samurott breaks down their walls, as Samurott can weaken or even outright beat the Grass- and Water-types and general bulky Pokemon that prevent them from sweeping. Though Samurott has the bulk to switch into weak and resisted hits, it really appreciates U-turn, Volt Switch, and Baton Pass support from the likes of Scyther, Rotom, and Mawile, whose common checks are handled by Samurott, in order to be able to come in unscathed.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Though the special set really appreciates its wide coverage, it can sometimes sacrifice a slot for another move. Substitute is an option to ease prediction and makes Samurott harder to revenge kill overall. Dragon Tail can be used on Spikes-stacking teams to weaken the opposing team and bring Samurott's checks into KO range. Superpower nails Ferroseed, though it doesn't hit anything else notable. Grass Knot hits opposing Samurott and Poliwrath, but Samurott has other options that, while not hitting those two as hard, allow it to handle them well enough in addition to several other important threats.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Faster Grass-types such as Lilligant and Servine take little damage from Aqua Jet and can easily KO Samurott. Bulky Grass-types such as Vileplume, Ferroseed, and the Gourgeist forms wall the Swords Dance set, but a lot of them have trouble dealing with the special set.
**Bulky Water-types**: Most bulky Water-types can take any two hits from both of Samurott's sets and retaliate with status move, a Scald burn, or a secondary STAB move. Quagsire and Lanturn in particular are very common counters to the physical and the special set, respectively, with the former ignoring any boosts due to Unaware, and Poliwrath and Mantine are general counters to both sets if Samurott doesn't pack the appropriate coverage move.
**Respective Bulky Pokemon**: Physically bulky Pokemon such as Weezing, Miltank, and Garbodor can take even boosted hits from the Swords Dance set and burn, paralyze, or KO Samurott with Rocky Helmet and Aftermath damage, respectively. Meanwhile, specially bulky Pokemon such as Hariyama and Audino are decent checks to the special set.
**Faster Pokemon That Can Take an Aqua Jet**: Due to Samurott's underwhelming Speed stat, a lot of Pokemon, such as Jynx and Tauros, can outspeed Samurott and take even a +2 Aqua Jet, revenge killing both sets with some prior damage.
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