Earthquake is Mamoswine's main form of attack, and puts massive holes in those bulky Water-types that attempt to switch in on it. Ice Shard is excellent on the big mammoth as it makes up for its fairly average Speed. It also destroys Dragons, and is a big help with Mamoswine's weakness to Grass. Stone Edge is mostly to hurt incoming Gyarados, and also puts a nice big hole in Heracross. Filler for the last slot. Ice Fang gives you a more powerful Ice attack than Ice Shard, which can prove helpful against some of the slower, bulkier Ground and Grass-types such as Hippowdon and Tangrowth. Blizzard can 2HKO Skarmory, although it's inaccurate without Hail support from Abomasnow, and you'll need a few Special Attack EVs and a neutral nature to do so.
Boost up Mamoswine's physical stats and attack accordingly. After a Curse or two Mamoswine will be going last most of the time, so Avalanche's negative priority will make little difference, and Ice Shard totally bypasses it. Stone Edge helps against Gyarados, but isn't as necessary here as Avalanche hits for 180 base power if Gyarados attacks, only 10% less than a super-effective Stone Edge.
Although Mamoswine's defenses are mediocre at best, its excellent HP does go some way to make up for this. Rest and Sleep Talk help keep it around to dish out some damage with its STAB moves. Avalanche for power or Ice Shard to make up for its low Speed. Leftovers works here as you're trying to keep Mamoswine alive, but you can use Life Orb for extra power and Rest and Sleep Talk help make up for the recoil damage. You'll generally want Avalanche over Ice Fang, as Ice Fang has only a minor power increase over a non-boosted Avalanche, but Avalanche has the potential to be nearly twice as powerful. You lose the chance to Freeze, though. Most of the Pokemon you'll be using an Ice move on are faster than Mamoswine, anyway, so you'll usually not notice the negative priority. A minor Speed investment lets Mamoswine outrun most Suicune, who takes up to 45% from a Life Orb Earthquake.
Mixed Mamoswine is often forgotten because of Mamoswine's incredibly high Attack. However, Mamoswine does have 70 base Special Attack and access to STAB Blizzard, which allow it to defeat many physical walls which would stop the standard physical sets cold. Earthquake and Ice Shard provide the basic physical coverage. With the listed EVs and Life Orb, Blizzard will almost always 2HKO standard Skarmory and Weezing, OHKO Tangrowth, Gliscor, and Donphan, and take a very large chunk out of Hippowdon. The attack in the last slot can vary, but generally Stone Edge is the best option as it's your only real way to hurt Gyarados, who would otherwise wall this set. It is also your most powerful option against Zapdos. It is strongly recommended you run this set in a Hail Team, which will boost Blizzard's accuracy to 100%. Blizzard can still be used outside of Hail but will only have 70% accuracy. The Hail damage also guarantees the 2HKO on Skarmory and Weezing with Blizzard. Other OptionsThere's a few other filler attacks for the Choice Band set. Peck may seem like a joke, but with a Choice Band it will OHKO Heracross and is mentioned for that reason alone (and because of Mamoswine's lack of a real stand out choice as a fourth move). Body Slam can be used for paralysis. Bite is your most powerful option against Cresselia and can score some useful flinches. Mamoswine shouldn't really be focusing on support, but it does have Stealth Rock, Light Screen, and Reflect if you want them. Choice Scarf is always an option, but a rather poor one on Mamoswine. It needs a Choice Band to ensure KOs on slower, bulkier Pokémon, while Ice Shard takes care of the faster ones well enough. NeverMeltIce is an option on the mixed set, if only to fool your opponent into thinking you're running the standard Choice Band set. With it Blizzard will always 2HKO Skarmory and Weezing with no Sp. Attack EVs, but only at the end of the second turn when Hail hits. 44 Special Attack EVs will ensure a 2HKO on the second strike, stopping your opponent from potentially Roosting or Pain Splitting away the damage. 96 EVs will ensure a 2HKO without Hail damage, but the accuracy of Blizzard will likely let you down in that situation. Hidden Power Fire will OHKO Forretress and potentially 3HKO Bronzong, but is generally a poor choice due to inferior coverage and the fact that even when it hits super effective, it's still weaker than neutral STAB Blizzard. EVsThe Choice Bander should always have max Attack. Speed should be 244 (192 EVs, Adamant) for Jolly Tyranitar, 254 (232 EVs, Adamant) for Modest Heatran, 270 (200 EVs, Jolly nature) for Adamant Heracross or 280 (236 EVs, Jolly nature) for Adamant / Modest Lucario. Any remaining EVs should go in HP. On the Curse set, you can either pour your EVs into Attack for more initial power, or into Special Defense to try and take hits on both sides. Lots of Attack is the recommended option. Mamoswine is one of the few Pokemon that gets the best defenses by splitting the EVs into both defenses before maxing HP. The HP given in the Curse is the ideal amount to use with max Attack (and the remaining EVs can be put into either defense as you see fit). The EVs on the mix set allow Mamoswine to outrun all non-Scarfed Modest Heatran and Jolly Tyranitar, the former of which is very threatening to a Hail based team where mixed Mamoswine would likely be seen. If using in standard OU, the speed can be dropped to 244 (192 EVs). Rest in Sp. Attack. OpinionOne of the most powerful Earthquakes in the game, backed up by a STAB Ice Shard makes Mamoswine an impressive physical attacker. It's also the only Ice-type to avoid taking damage from Sandstorm with neutrality to Stealth Rock and Stone Edge, which counts for something. It's not all good news though. Mamoswine's defenses are poor, and it has several common weaknesses and only a single immunity and resistance. This can make it difficult to switch in Mamoswine safely. However, once you get it in, its brutal attack power means your opponent will have to predict perfectly to avoid taking a lot of damage, especially from the Choice Band set. CountersBronzong shrugs off all its attacks and can take down Mamoswine with super effective Gyro Balls or Grass Knots. Skarmory does a good job of walling Mamoswine and can wear it down with either STAB move, but has to watch out for the mixed set. Skarmory also functions well against the Curse set as he can easily phaze Mamoswine with Whirlwind. Weezing takes little damage from Mamoswine's attacks and can either cripple Mamoswine with a burn or attack with Flamethrower / Fire Blast, but also has to watch out for the mixed set. Stone Edge hurts Gyarados, but Gyarados's immunity to Earthquake and neutrality to Ice makes it a good switch-in. Intimidate helps to soak up Mamoswine's hits, too. Mesprit, Uxie, and Cresselia are immune to Earthquake, take little damage from Ice Shard, and can pack Grass Knot or Energy Ball. |
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