GASTRODON
QC Checks: Fireburn, Sweep, Edgar
GP Checks: Redew,
Overview
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Don't let Gastrodon's size fool you; it has one of the best abilities for Ubers. Storm Drain gives Gastrodon the ability to switch into any Water-type attack, take no damage, and get a
nice little Special Attack boost. While its main role is countering Kyogre, Gastrodon can function in other ways too. It can
(remove line break)
scare Kyogre out and use Toxic on the Pokemon that switches in
after it scares Kyogre out (reworded because 'scare Kyogre out' is countering Kyogre and you're talking about other jobs here), and
it can use Mirror Coat to bounce back special attacks for huge amounts of damage. Gastrodon loves spreading status with Scald and Toxic,
(RC) but hates opposing clerics. Due to Gastrodon's Water / Ground typing, it boasts only one weakness,
(AC) to Grass-type attacks,
(AC) and an immunity to Electric-type attacks.
(period) While its offensive stats are quite tame, once it gets a +1 Special Attack boost, it can hit surprisingly hard. Gastrodon is mainly used on stall teams that require a check to
the fearsome Kyogre, although it is also viable on balanced teams as a wall.
name: Special Wall
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move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Clear Smog / Mirror Coat
move 4: Recover
ability: Storm Drain
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD
nature: Calm
Moves
========
Scald is a mandatory STAB move that hits quite hard with a +1 Special Attack boost. The chance of burn is also very nice, considering the amount of physical attackers that switch in on Gastrodon. Scald can also defrost Gastrodon if it gets frozen by
a Kyogre's Ice Beam, which would otherwise render it helpless. Toxic is great for annoying and hindering Pokemon that try
and to come in or set up on Gastrodon;
(SC) Toxic is also it is especially good at crippling and pressuring Calm Mind Arceus variants that aren't carrying Refresh
. Clear Smog is used to deal with Calm Mind Kyogre sets and other setup sweepers. Mirror Coat can be used as an alternative to Clear Smog , as it deals huge amounts of damage back to most special attackers that hardly inflict any damage to Gastrodon, such as Kyogre, Palkia, and some Calm Mind Arceus formes. Recover is Gastrodon's most reliable recovery move,
(RC) and can be used on the turn Kyogre switches out to maximize your chances of walling special attackers. Most of these moves punish the opponent for using Kyogre recklessly and will help with crippling and punching a hole in the opposing team.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP EVs should always be used to take advantage of Gastrodon's large bulk and maximize the amount of damage it can take. 120 Defense EVs allow Gastrodon to avoid the 2HKO from
support Groudon,
(RC) and Low Kick Blaziken,
and as well as (you don't avoid 'Low Kick Blaziken', which was what you were saying here) the OHKO from +2 Life Orb Jolly Extreme Speed Arceus. 136 Special Defense EVs still allow Gastrodon to check Choice Specs Ice Beam Kyogre and wall other special attackers
if it has to. A Calm nature is used to further increase Gastrodon's Special Defense. Storm Drain is the obvious choice of ability, as it provides a Water-type immunity and raises Gastrodon's
(unbold apostrophe) Special Attack by
+1 one stage if hit by a Water-type attack. An EV spread of 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD can also be used, as it allows
you Gastrodon to take
even less damage from special attacks and maximize
s the its walling capacity of Gastrodon, although this also
means renders it
is highly prone to Mega Mewtwo Y's Psystrike and physical attacks.
Usage Tips
========
Switch in on Kyogre's attacks if you don't want serious damage done to your team. Gastrodon is extremely predictable, so change your switch-ins to Water-type attacks to keep your opponent from
predicting and outplaying
and predicting (right order) you. Gastrodon is a Pokemon that absolutely hates
entry hazards, especially Toxic Spikes. Try to keep hazards off your side of the field as much as you can to
limit the punishment for switching Gastrodon in prevent Gastrodon from being worn down. Scout for any Grass-type moves you think the opponent might have, as Grass-type attacks are Gastrodon's only weakness.
Team Options
========
Cleric
s are support is highly appreciated by Gastrodon, as status can severely hinder
this Pokemon's its walling ability. Xerneas is a good cleric that works well with Gastrodon. Fire- or Flying-type Pokemon such as Ho-Oh are good teammates, as they cover Gastrodon's Grass-type weakness. Defoggers are also highly appreciated, as they remove
entry hazards so Gastrodon can switch into Water
- and Electric-type attacks
freely without cost. Giratina formes are very good partners, as Giratina can wall physical
attacks attackers which that Gastrodon doesn't like. If
you aren't Gastrodon isn't running Clear Smog, Zekrom should be considered to handle
the Calm Mind RestTalk Kyogre
that you might face, as Gastrodon cannot reliably PP stall
them it. Ferrothorn, Dialga, Arceus-Grass, and physically bulky
Fairies work well checking opposing Zekrom, as one wrong prediction could be costly.
Other Options
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Earth Power can be used as an alternative to Scald, as it hits surprisingly hard with a boost from Storm Drain;
(SC) however, Earthquake is also an option, as a Storm Drain boost is never guaranteed. Ice Beam can be used to hit Shaymin-S on the switch, as well as making other switch-ins such as Rayquaza think twice about switching in or setting up on Gastrodon. Yawn can also be considered for
spreading more status and (forcing switches is effectively what you'll be doing, not to mention you can't 'spread sleep' due to Sleep Clause) forcing switches
.
Checks and Counters
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**Arceus-Grass**: Arceus-Grass is a perfect counter to Gastrodon, as all run either Judgment or Grass Knot, both of which Gastrodon hate
s. The only thing Gastrodon can do to Arceus-Grass is Toxic it on the switch-in.
**Shaymin-S**: Shaymin-S is also a great counter to Gastrodon if it isn't carrying Ice Beam. Although it hates Toxic, Shaymin-S can easily
use Seed Flare
and to either OHKO Gastrodon or hit something that switches into it for lots of damage
.
**Ferrothorn**: Gastrodon is completely walled by Ferrothorn, as Toxic does not affect it;
(SC) and moreover, (no causal link here/doesn't have anything to do with walling) some Ferrothorn also carry Power Whip.
**Toxic Palkia**: Only Palkia that carry Toxic are a threat to Gastrodon, as any other move can be reflected with Mirror Coat
and to usually OHKO Palkia. Toxic is useless against Toxic Palkia, as they always carry Rest,
(RC) and sometimes Sleep Talk.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh does not care about Toxic due to Regenerator, and Gastrodon's Scald only does up to 30% on the 248 HP variants, while Ho-Oh can OHKO with Brave Bird.
**Groudon**: Groudon brings in the sun, which Gastrodon hates, as it weakens Scald. The most you can hope for is burning or poisoning it on the switch with Scald or Toxic
, respectively.
**Clerics**: Gastrodon's Toxic and Scald
burns can be made completely irrelevant due to cleric Pokemon healing their teammates
,; (should be semicolon, don't just c/p everything ^_^) this proves annoying,
(AC) as one of Gastrodon's secondary roles is to spread status and cripple teams with Toxic and Burn.
**Gothitelle**: Gothitelle can trap Gastrodon using Shadow Tag and set up on it if
you don't Gastrodon doesn't run Clear Smog, which will eventually lead to Gothitelle taking out more Pokemon. Gothitelle is unaffected by Toxic due to it carrying Rest.
