[OVERVIEW]
With its decent physical bulk when invested, an amazing ability in Unaware, and access to reliable recovery, Quagsire can help stop some of the most dangerous setup sweepers in the tier. Its physical bulk also allows it to naturally handle even more threats such as Zygarde locked into Thousand Arrows and Landorus-T. Furthermore, it has a useful defensive typing that can help it take on threats, namely most Electric-types lacking Grass-type coverage such as Mega Manectric and non-Grass Knot Tapu Koko. However, Quagsire has very poor special bulk and is therefore left completely vulnerable to almost every somewhat threatening special attacker in the tier such as Tapu Lele, both Greninja formes, and Keldeo. Also, its general passivity and predictability force it to rely on equally passive teammates that can support and benefit from it. While it boasts good physical bulk, relatively powerful physical attackers can simply break through Quagsire. Mega Mawile, Mega Medicham, and Hoopa-U all possess the immediate power to 2HKO Quagsire though its defenses. Lastly, Quagsire may find itself outclassed by Pokemon such as Toxapex and Unaware Clefable, which have better special bulk and can still take on most threats that Quagsire can.
[SET]
name: Unaware Wall
move 1: Scald
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Recover
move 4: Toxic / Curse
item: Leftovers
ability: Unaware
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
While weak, Scald has a useful 30% burn chance, which helps to wear down checks and further wall physical attackers. Earthquake is used for a decently powerful and consistent STAB move. Toxic lets Quagsire outlast both Pokemon it is supposed to be checking and Pokemon that check it. Toxic is particularly important for beating Roost Mega Charizard X and is helpful for beating and wearing down Landorus-T. Other Pokemon that threaten Quagsire such as Tangrowth can be poisoned upon switching in, which helps beat them in the long term. Recover is crucial and is what allows Quagsire to stay healthy and consistently wall and check what it needs to. Curse can be used over Toxic, as it helps Quagsire take on a select few physical attackers that it could potentially struggle with such as Alolan Marowak and Earth Plate Landorus-T.
Set Details
========
A straightforward EV spread of maximum HP and Defense investment with a Relaxed nature allows Quagsire to properly wall the physical attackers it needs to while retaining what power Scald has, as Quagsire's Speed is negligible anyways. Unaware is the only viable ability on Quagsire, as it is what allows Quagsire to wall most physical setup sweepers. Leftovers further helps with longevity and allows Quagsire to avoid important 2HKOs from Pokemon such as Adamant Landorus-T.
Usage Tips
========
Keeping Quagsire healthy with Recover or Wish passing is the most important aspect of using Quagsire. Allowing it to get weakened, get statused, have its item removed, or switch into more than one layer of entry hazards will severely hinder its ability to check threats such as Adamant Landorus-T. Generally, bring Quagsire in on something it walls and use Scald or Toxic to cripple or weaken the foe or potential switch-ins. Be cautious of double switches, as Quagsire alone cannot retaliate against powerful wallbreakers if caught off guard. Quagsire's passivity and predictability make it relatively easy to play around, so pay attention to how your opponent reacts to Quagsire and the rest of the team early-game. Be cautious of Z-Moves, which can either take Quagsire out or weaken it enough for other sweepers on the opponent's team. Proactively using Recover on common Z-Move users potentially wastes the opponent's Z-Move early. Use Curse to more reliably beat Pokemon such as offensive Z-Move Landorus-T and check Magic Guard Clefable and Swords Dance Alolan Marowak, which are very large nuisances to the passive teams on which Quagsire is found. Simply use Curse when Quagsire is healthy enough to take a subsequent attack after it has boosted, then recover off any damage.
Team Options
========
Chansey is a very good teammate for Quagsire, as it walls every special attacker in the tier bar some Tapu Lele variants, Choice Specs Hoopa-U, and other special setup sweepers with access to Psyshock. Additionally, with access to Natural Cure and Heal Bell, Chansey can act as a status absorber for Quagsire. Skarmory keeps entry hazards off the field for Quagsire, can take Grass-type attacks directed at Quagsire, and further walls physical attackers in general. It notably takes on Mega Pinsir and Tapu Bulu, which Quagsire alone cannot handle. Mega Sableye bounces back hazards and generally annoys the opposing team by crippling it with Will-O-Wisp and removing items. Dugtrio reliably traps dangerous stallbreakers such as Hoopa-U, Tapu Lele not holding a Shed Shell, and Z-Move Kartana, which Quagsire and its team can otherwise struggle to take down. Tangrowth holding an Assault Vest can stomach many attacks in general and checks potential stallbreakers such as Serperior and certain Tapu Bulu sets. Tangrowth also serves as a countermeasure to situational lures such as Grass Knot Tapu Koko and shrugs off damage it takes with Regenerator.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ice Beam can be used over another attacking move, as Scald is enough to deter attackers such as Heatran and Marowak, and Earthquake + Toxic can still effectively wear down the opposing team. This gives Quagsire a better matchup versus Zygarde, especially Substitute + Coil variants, and hits Landorus-T and Garchomp for more damage than Scald. Using Waterfall alongside Curse sounds like a good idea at first, but lacking any means of statusing Pokemon that can easily come in on Quagsire makes them more difficult to beat. Lastly, Encore can be used over Toxic as another option to deter setup sweepers with Substitute like Substitute + Coil Zygarde, but again, not having Toxic may work against the team.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types and Grass-type Moves**: Because Quagsire has a 4x weakness to Grass-type moves, it is easily OHKOed by basically any Pokemon with the appropriate move. Tangrowth and Amoonguss both completely wall and threaten to OHKO Quagsire and, even if statused, are hard to wear down due to their Regenerator abilities. The opponent often loses nothing by simply threatening Quagsire and double switching out, putting your team behind in momentum. Mega Venusaur, Serperior, and Tapu Bulu all greatly threaten Quagsire, though it can wear all of them down with burns or poison should they choose to switch in. Serperior and Tapu Bulu in particular pose as potentially dangerous stallbreakers if left unchecked and free to set up. Lures such as Bloom Doom Heatran and Grass Knot Tapu Koko can also catch Quagsire off guard and OHKO it; scouting for such moves is key to not letting Quagsire be unnecessarily KOed.
**Special Attackers**: Almost every special attacker in the tier threatens to 2HKO Quagsire due to its poor special bulk. Most non-Electric-types such as Greninja, Tapu Lele, Mega Charizard Y, Gengar, Keldeo, and Hoopa-U are able to do huge amounts of damage to Quagsire despite not necessarily having super effective coverage moves to hit it with. Quagsire is also unable to status or damage these threats in a one-on-one situation due to its very low Speed tier and is nearly always forced out by them.
**Powerful Physical Wallbreakers**: Very strong physical attackers such as Mega Medicham, Mega Pinsir, Mega Mawile, and Hoopa-U can easily 2HKO Quagsire despite its physical bulk and is thus not able to check these threats. Powerful attacks such as Choice Band Zygarde's Outrage and some Z-Moves into coverage, such as Landorus-T's Supersonic Skystrike into Earthquake, threaten to 2HKO Quagsire as well.
With its decent physical bulk when invested, an amazing ability in Unaware, and access to reliable recovery, Quagsire can help stop some of the most dangerous setup sweepers in the tier. Its physical bulk also allows it to naturally handle even more threats such as Zygarde locked into Thousand Arrows and Landorus-T. Furthermore, it has a useful defensive typing that can help it take on threats, namely most Electric-types lacking Grass-type coverage such as Mega Manectric and non-Grass Knot Tapu Koko. However, Quagsire has very poor special bulk and is therefore left completely vulnerable to almost every somewhat threatening special attacker in the tier such as Tapu Lele, both Greninja formes, and Keldeo. Also, its general passivity and predictability force it to rely on equally passive teammates that can support and benefit from it. While it boasts good physical bulk, relatively powerful physical attackers can simply break through Quagsire. Mega Mawile, Mega Medicham, and Hoopa-U all possess the immediate power to 2HKO Quagsire though its defenses. Lastly, Quagsire may find itself outclassed by Pokemon such as Toxapex and Unaware Clefable, which have better special bulk and can still take on most threats that Quagsire can.
[SET]
name: Unaware Wall
move 1: Scald
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Recover
move 4: Toxic / Curse
item: Leftovers
ability: Unaware
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
While weak, Scald has a useful 30% burn chance, which helps to wear down checks and further wall physical attackers. Earthquake is used for a decently powerful and consistent STAB move. Toxic lets Quagsire outlast both Pokemon it is supposed to be checking and Pokemon that check it. Toxic is particularly important for beating Roost Mega Charizard X and is helpful for beating and wearing down Landorus-T. Other Pokemon that threaten Quagsire such as Tangrowth can be poisoned upon switching in, which helps beat them in the long term. Recover is crucial and is what allows Quagsire to stay healthy and consistently wall and check what it needs to. Curse can be used over Toxic, as it helps Quagsire take on a select few physical attackers that it could potentially struggle with such as Alolan Marowak and Earth Plate Landorus-T.
Set Details
========
A straightforward EV spread of maximum HP and Defense investment with a Relaxed nature allows Quagsire to properly wall the physical attackers it needs to while retaining what power Scald has, as Quagsire's Speed is negligible anyways. Unaware is the only viable ability on Quagsire, as it is what allows Quagsire to wall most physical setup sweepers. Leftovers further helps with longevity and allows Quagsire to avoid important 2HKOs from Pokemon such as Adamant Landorus-T.
Usage Tips
========
Keeping Quagsire healthy with Recover or Wish passing is the most important aspect of using Quagsire. Allowing it to get weakened, get statused, have its item removed, or switch into more than one layer of entry hazards will severely hinder its ability to check threats such as Adamant Landorus-T. Generally, bring Quagsire in on something it walls and use Scald or Toxic to cripple or weaken the foe or potential switch-ins. Be cautious of double switches, as Quagsire alone cannot retaliate against powerful wallbreakers if caught off guard. Quagsire's passivity and predictability make it relatively easy to play around, so pay attention to how your opponent reacts to Quagsire and the rest of the team early-game. Be cautious of Z-Moves, which can either take Quagsire out or weaken it enough for other sweepers on the opponent's team. Proactively using Recover on common Z-Move users potentially wastes the opponent's Z-Move early. Use Curse to more reliably beat Pokemon such as offensive Z-Move Landorus-T and check Magic Guard Clefable and Swords Dance Alolan Marowak, which are very large nuisances to the passive teams on which Quagsire is found. Simply use Curse when Quagsire is healthy enough to take a subsequent attack after it has boosted, then recover off any damage.
Team Options
========
Chansey is a very good teammate for Quagsire, as it walls every special attacker in the tier bar some Tapu Lele variants, Choice Specs Hoopa-U, and other special setup sweepers with access to Psyshock. Additionally, with access to Natural Cure and Heal Bell, Chansey can act as a status absorber for Quagsire. Skarmory keeps entry hazards off the field for Quagsire, can take Grass-type attacks directed at Quagsire, and further walls physical attackers in general. It notably takes on Mega Pinsir and Tapu Bulu, which Quagsire alone cannot handle. Mega Sableye bounces back hazards and generally annoys the opposing team by crippling it with Will-O-Wisp and removing items. Dugtrio reliably traps dangerous stallbreakers such as Hoopa-U, Tapu Lele not holding a Shed Shell, and Z-Move Kartana, which Quagsire and its team can otherwise struggle to take down. Tangrowth holding an Assault Vest can stomach many attacks in general and checks potential stallbreakers such as Serperior and certain Tapu Bulu sets. Tangrowth also serves as a countermeasure to situational lures such as Grass Knot Tapu Koko and shrugs off damage it takes with Regenerator.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ice Beam can be used over another attacking move, as Scald is enough to deter attackers such as Heatran and Marowak, and Earthquake + Toxic can still effectively wear down the opposing team. This gives Quagsire a better matchup versus Zygarde, especially Substitute + Coil variants, and hits Landorus-T and Garchomp for more damage than Scald. Using Waterfall alongside Curse sounds like a good idea at first, but lacking any means of statusing Pokemon that can easily come in on Quagsire makes them more difficult to beat. Lastly, Encore can be used over Toxic as another option to deter setup sweepers with Substitute like Substitute + Coil Zygarde, but again, not having Toxic may work against the team.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types and Grass-type Moves**: Because Quagsire has a 4x weakness to Grass-type moves, it is easily OHKOed by basically any Pokemon with the appropriate move. Tangrowth and Amoonguss both completely wall and threaten to OHKO Quagsire and, even if statused, are hard to wear down due to their Regenerator abilities. The opponent often loses nothing by simply threatening Quagsire and double switching out, putting your team behind in momentum. Mega Venusaur, Serperior, and Tapu Bulu all greatly threaten Quagsire, though it can wear all of them down with burns or poison should they choose to switch in. Serperior and Tapu Bulu in particular pose as potentially dangerous stallbreakers if left unchecked and free to set up. Lures such as Bloom Doom Heatran and Grass Knot Tapu Koko can also catch Quagsire off guard and OHKO it; scouting for such moves is key to not letting Quagsire be unnecessarily KOed.
**Special Attackers**: Almost every special attacker in the tier threatens to 2HKO Quagsire due to its poor special bulk. Most non-Electric-types such as Greninja, Tapu Lele, Mega Charizard Y, Gengar, Keldeo, and Hoopa-U are able to do huge amounts of damage to Quagsire despite not necessarily having super effective coverage moves to hit it with. Quagsire is also unable to status or damage these threats in a one-on-one situation due to its very low Speed tier and is nearly always forced out by them.
**Powerful Physical Wallbreakers**: Very strong physical attackers such as Mega Medicham, Mega Pinsir, Mega Mawile, and Hoopa-U can easily 2HKO Quagsire despite its physical bulk and is thus not able to check these threats. Powerful attacks such as Choice Band Zygarde's Outrage and some Z-Moves into coverage, such as Landorus-T's Supersonic Skystrike into Earthquake, threaten to 2HKO Quagsire as well.
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