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Solid Rock
- Reduces damage from super effective hits by 25%.
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Sturdy
- If the wielder is at full HP, it will survive any attack. OHKO moves will fail.
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Swift Swim
- Speed doubles in rain.
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Level 100 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
74
|
- |
289 |
352 |
- |
| Atk |
108
|
226 |
252 |
315 |
346 |
| Def |
133
|
271 |
302 |
365 |
401 |
| SpA |
83
|
181 |
202 |
265 |
291 |
| SpD |
65
|
149 |
166 |
229 |
251 |
| Spe |
32
|
90 |
100 |
163 |
179 |
Overview
Balanced attacking stats, decent STAB coverage, access to Shell Smash, and two usable abilities in Sturdy and Solid Rock turn Carracosta into a potent sweeper. With these abilities, a stellar base 133 Defense stat, and great physical coverage, Carracosta easily sets itself apart from Omastar as a Shell Smash user and Kabutops as a Choice Band user. It's not all good news for Carracosta, though; its vulnerability to the common Fighting-, Ground-, Electric-, and Grass-type attacks hampers its ability to sweep completely, even with Solid Rock. The fossil is also painfully slow; even though Shell Smash helps remedy this to an extent, he is still easily outsped. Despite these drawbacks, Carracosta is still a great Pokemon and is a good choice for any team that needs a powerful and reliable sweeper.
This set is self-explanatory; come in on a resisted attack or non-damaging move, use Shell Smash, and tear your opponent's team apart with Carracosta's great coverage. Waterfall is the obligatory STAB move of choice, as it not only deals massive damage, but also has a pretty useful chance to flinch. Stone Edge complements Waterfall beautifully, because it provides a way to hit Pokemon that resist Waterfall, such as Roserade, for neutral damage. In the last slot, Carracosta can either use Aqua Jet for priority to check faster threats, such as Choice Scarf Flygon and Krookodile, as it is still relatively slow even after a Shell Smash boost, or use Earthquake to hit Empoleon and Ferroseed, both of which resist its STAB combination. White Herb negates the defense drops that Shell Smash causes and pairs very well with Solid Rock, allowing Carracosta to maintain its bulk.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The EV spread gives Carracosta the ability to outspeed positive base 100 Speed Pokemon after a Shell Smash. Carracosta can run Surf or Hydro Pump instead of Waterfall, since its base 83 Special Attack is nothing to scoff at, especially after a Shell Smash boost. However, a special Water-type attack does not offer much coverage outside of what Waterfall already hits, and splitting the EVs for a mixed set removes some of Carracosta's potency. Crunch can be used in the last slot if one is desperate to get super-effective damage on Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Mismagius, but it only has 10 more Base Power than STAB Stone Edge against targets hit super effectively, so it isn't really worth it.
Even after a Shell Smash boost, Carracosta is still outrun by faster Pokemon. Therefore, Carracosta needs support to work properly. Uxie and Cresselia pair well with Carracosta, sporting an immunity to Ground- and Fighting-type attacks, as well as the ability to provide dual screen and paralysis support. Entry hazards make the armored turtle's job much easier; pairing Carracosta with a hazard setter, such as Froslass or Roserade, will greatly facilitate a Carracosta sweep. Hippopotas also makes a decent partner, as the sandstorm it summons boosts Carracosta's Special Defense and provides residual damage on the foe.
Using a Choice Band turns Carracosta into a powerful physical sweeper without having to set up. Waterfall deals massive damage, but since this set doesn't use Shell Smash to boost Carracosta's Attack, Aqua Tail can be used, as it hits harder than Waterfall, at the cost of a little accuracy. Stone Edge gives Carracosta a great STAB option, and when combined with Waterfall, gives a combination that only Empoleon and Ferroseed resist. In the third slot, Earthquake hits Steel-types such as Empoleon while Crunch nails Psychic- and Ghost-types, such as Uxie, hard. Aqua Jet is a great move for this set, providing Carracosta with a priority attack to nail faster Pokemon, such as Arcanine and Krookodile. Solid Rock is the ability of choice here as it gives Carracosta more chances to switch in. Wish, Aromatherapy, and Rapid Spin support all help keep Carracosta healthy, and your own entry hazards make it easier for Carracosta to KO its opponent.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Sturdy can be used over Solid Rock to guarantee at least one hit if Carracosta is at full health. However, Solid Rock lets Carracosta switch in more easily and benefits Carracosta more than Sturdy in the long run. Solid Rock, along with Carracosta's better coverage and higher Defense stat, is what sets it apart from Kabutops. Rock Slide can be used over Stone Edge if you prefer higher accuracy, but the loss in power means that Carracosta loses out on certain KOs. Body Slam provides excellent type coverage alongside its Water-type STAB, and its decent paralysis rate is helpful too.
Because Carracosta is so slow, Pokemon that can spread paralysis are greatly appreciated. Ferroseed is a perfect example, as it can use Thunder Wave to spread paralysis, it can set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and it has access to Leech Seed, helping Carracosta to restore its health. Registeel can cripple opponents with Thunder Wave, switch into Grass-type attacks aimed at Carracosta, and set up Stealth Rock to weaken the opponent. Status absorbers, such as Clefable, also work well, as they can switch into Will-O-Wisp. Bronzong can set up Stealth Rock, cripple an opponent with Hypnosis, and set up Trick Room to remedy Carracosta's poor Speed. Froslass and Roserade are decent teammates as well; Froslass can set up Spikes, while Roserade can set up Toxic Spikes and cripple an opponent with Sleep Power.
Other Options
A special set consisting of Ice Beam, Focus Blast, Hidden Power, and Surf or Hydro Pump is plausible, but Omastar outclasses Carracosta at this due to its higher Special Attack stat, and Carracosta is more threatening as a physical attacker. Bulldoze and Smack Down are both interesting options that each have unique benefits, but both are situational, and therefore should be avoided, unless it offers important team support. Carracosta also has a decent support movepool at its disposal, including Knock Off, Rain Dance, and Toxic. However, Carracosta's common weaknesses, and lack of recovery prevent a defensive or supportive set from being truly viable.
Checks and Counters
There are several simple ways to easily prevent Carracosta's onslaught. Bulky Grass-types, such as Ferroseed and Tangrowth, can come in and hit Carracosta with their super effective STAB attacks. Bulky Water-types, particularly Suicune and Slowbro, can easily handle most Carracosta. Slowbro does need to watch out for the rare Crunch, however. Speedy Special attackers can easily beat Carracosta, especially if previous attacks or entry hazards have broken Sturdy. Zapdos and Sceptile are great examples of quick, powerful sweepers who easily OHKO Carracosta. Phazers with Roar or Dragon Tail check the Shell Smash set and break Sturdy if hazards are up. Finally, defensive Pokemon, such as Weezing, Dusclops, and Cofagrigus can cripple Carracosta with Will-O-Wisp. Sableye gets a special mention due to its priority Will-O-Wisp and its ability to Taunt Carracosta, preventing it from using Shell Smash; however, Sableye must be wary of Aqua Jet.
