|
-
Oblivious
- Grants immunity to infatuation and Captivate.
-
Snow Cloak
- Evasion increases 25% in hail.
-
Thick Fat
- Fire- and Ice-type damage is reduced by 50%.
|
Level 100 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
100
|
- |
341 |
404 |
- |
| Atk |
100
|
212 |
236 |
299 |
328 |
| Def |
80
|
176 |
196 |
259 |
284 |
| SpA |
60
|
140 |
156 |
219 |
240 |
| SpD |
60
|
140 |
156 |
219 |
240 |
| Spe |
50
|
122 |
136 |
199 |
218 |
Overview
Piloswine has always been one of the most underrated Pokemon in NU, consistently being much lower on the usage stats than it should be. Piloswine is one of the best offensive Stealth Rock users in NU, with its unique offensive typing that is nearly unresisted in the tier. With a solid base 100 Attack, Piloswine is strong enough to deal significant damage to threats such as Swellow and Zangoose. Piloswine is also amazingly bulky once Eviolite is factored in, with defenses rivaling that of Tangela! Additionally, Thick Fat is a very useful ability on Piloswine, allowing it to resist the famous BoltBeam combination. Unfortunately base 50 Speed is quite slow, so nearly every offensive threat has the potential to outspeed Piloswine; however, Ice Shard alleviates this.
This is Piloswine's best set in the current metagame, as it capitalizes on Piloswine's offensive and defensive capabilities very well. Stealth Rock is the crux of the set because it allows Piloswine to support the team. With Piloswine's natural bulk, it is capable of setting up Stealth Rock on just about any Pokemon in NU. Earthquake is Piloswine's strongest STAB attack, damaging Pokemon such as Ampharos, Garbodor, and Carracosta harder than any other move on the set. Icicle Spear is generally preferred over Icicle Crash because of the potential power that it has, dealing more damage to threats such as Golem and Vileplume, as well as for breaking Sturdy, Substitute, and Focus Sash. However, Icicle Crash can be used for more reliable damage. Ice Shard gives Piloswine a very valuable priority move, allowing it to revenge kill fast yet frail threats, such as Jumpluff and Swellow. Ice Shard can also be used to KO Altaria, a major threat in the metagame. Eviolite is an amazing item on Piloswine, giving it immense bulk that is almost unsurpassed in the tier, and allows it to check many physical threats such as Golem with ease.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Piloswine is gifted because it is both strong and bulky. An Adamant nature maximizes Piloswine's power whilst remaining bulky enough to check physical threats in the metagame. Piloswine has cemented itself as one of the premier leads in the tier, as it is able to easily defeat the many common Rock-types that run rampant in NU, such as Golem, Regirock, Armaldo, and even non-offensive Probopass! Wallbreakers such as Sawk and Golurk are amazing teammates for Piloswine, as they can take advantage of Stealth Rock and do massive damage to Pokemon that Piloswine would struggle to damage, such as Musharna. Speaking of Musharna, it is also a great teammate for Piloswine, as it is capable of beating many of Piloswine's counters, such as Simipour, Ludicolo, and Samurott lacking Megahorn. Ludicolo is also a good teammate for Piloswine as it is capable of sweeping if special walls such as Lickilicky are severely weakened. Piloswine's unique typing also allows it to take on the common Choice Scarf Electric-type Pokemon in the tier with ease. Pokemon such as Rotom-S and Zebstrika will fall at the hands of Piloswine, clearing a sweep for Swellow, Samurott, or Gorebyss. Piloswine's poor defensive typing can be used to its advantage, as many opponents believe they will be able to OHKO it with a super effective move, only to be OHKOed in return when they fail to do so. Toxic is an option that can be used instead of Stealth Rock, but should only be considered if there is another Pokemon to set the mighty hazard. Toxic allows Piloswine to touch Pokemon that would otherwise hard counter it such as Alomomola.
Unlike the tank set, offensive Piloswine is designed to hit as hard and fast as possible. Yet again, Earthquake is Piloswine's most powerful move, dealing ridiculous amounts of damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Ice Shard is crucial to this set as it hits really hard, OHKOing threats such as Rotom-S with a little bit of prior damage. Icicle Spear is a great move for defeating the many Pokemon in NU that use Substitute. Icicle Spear can also OHKO many threats that Icicle Crash would not, such as Golem and Amoonguss. However, the more conservative player ought to use Icicle Crash, because the consistent damage can be useful late-game when you can't afford a two or three hit Icicle Spear (the accuracy is a huge letdown though). Stealth Rock is the primary option in the last slot as Piloswine doesn't need coverage outside of its STABs, and it allows Piloswine to support the team even when it cannot contribute offensively. However, if there already is a Pokemon with Stealth Rock on your team, then Stone Edge becomes the best option in the last slot, allowing Piloswine to hit Rotom-F, the only common Pokemon in NU able to wall its STAB combination. Stone Edge is also Piloswine's most powerful option against Armaldo and many other Bug-types, although Piloswine's Ice STAB hits them hard enough.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
This set maximizes Piloswine's Attack and Speed in order to make sweeping easier. Life Orb is preferred as it allows Piloswine to use Ice Shard to KO threats that switch-in and barely survive its other STAB moves, which makes it much more of an offensive threat compared to the Choice Band set. In addition, Life Orb goes better with Stealth Rock, as Choice-locked Stealth Rock is incredibly easy to take advantage of. Choice Band is still a viable option if you hate recoil though. This set makes a cool anti-lead because it can potentially OHKO Golem with Icicle Spear through Sturdy, a feat few other Pokemon can accomplish. Superpower can be used to hit Normal-types harder, although the only notable ones where the damage is significant are Lickilicky and Miltank. Gurdurr makes an amazing teammate to this variant of Piloswine, because Piloswine can remove one of the best Gurdurr counters—Tangela—from the match with ease. Braviary and Ludicolo are also good partners for Piloswine, as Piloswine can defeat many potential counters to the pair, primarily Rock- and Flying-types, respectively.
Other Options
Although Piloswine's best options are outlined above, it still has many tricks up its sleeve that it can potentially take advantage of. Piloswine can use Body Slam to attempt to paralyze the opposing team, although it is quite weak and won't KO anything. The most interesting combination that Piloswine has access to is Endeavor + Stealth Rock + Priority in Ice Shard. This combination is quite rare and can be taken advantage of to remove a Pokemon from the match with ease. However, it is generally outclassed by the tank set which accomplishes the same goal without dying in the process. Piloswine also has Curse, but does not make a good booster because its Special Defense is adequate at best, and poor defensive typing only amplifies this issue. Piloswine can also use Roar and RestTalk, but with the many problems that combination has this generation it is not worth it. Rather, partnering Piloswine with a Wish user would make healing much more reliable. Piloswine is also slow enough to be used on a Trick Room team, but there are many more powerful Pokemon such as Ursaring that should be used instead. Interestingly, Piloswine has access to both Reflect and Light Screen, but does not make a good dual screens user as it must give up its Eviolite to use Light Clay, and there are many better Pokemon for the job.
Checks and Counters
Alomomola is the best counter to Piloswine in NU, fearing nothing but the very rare Toxic. In return, Alomomola can hit Piloswine with a super effective Waterfall or Scald, slowly chipping away at Piloswine's HP. Samurott, particularly special attacking variants, can defeat Piloswine with ease, using its STAB super effective Surfs. Other specially based Water-types, such as Simipour, Mantine, and Ludicolo can also remove Piloswine from the match with ease. Gurdurr can easily take on Piloswine, healing its lost HP back with Drain Punch. Musharna can also switch-in on the Tank set and boost with ease, healing with Moonlight when needed. Choice Band Sawk can switch in on the Tank set and OHKO with Close Combat; however, while it can revenge kill the offensive set, it cannot switch in. Misdreavus is immune to Earthquake and can Will-O-Wisp Piloswine and weaken it slowly with Shadow Ball, fearing nothing. Tangela, despite its Ice-type weakness, can take on the Tank set, using Giga Drain and Sleep Powder to defeat it. Eelektross is an interesting counter, as it is not defensive and can not deal significant damage back. Thanks to its Spikes and Ground-type immunity, it can switch in on Piloswine repeatedly during the match, and wear it down with Superpower or Giga Drain. Piloswine is easy to wear down, but can be challenging to check and beat one-on-one.
