Taken over from @Magicxgame.
Overview
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Ferrothorn has high defenses on both sides along with fantastic defensive typing that grants it nine resistances and one immunity, allowing it to be one of the most capable walls in VGC. Ferrothorn's typing also gives it an immunity to Spore and Sleep Powder and is now able to take on Fairy-types. Reasonable Attack stat that allows Ferrothorn to hit with its high powered STAB moves in Gyro Ball and Power Whip, which OHKOes Rotom-W on the switch thanks to this, it does have to watch for a burn though. Horrid Fire-type weakness and Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame are common. Ferrothorn faces competition from Mega Mawile as a defensive Steel-type and from Amoonguss and Gourgeist as a bulky Grass-type.
Standard
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name: Standard
move 1: Power Whip
move 2: Gyro Ball / Thunder Wave / Substitute
move 3: Leech Seed
move 4: Protect
ability: Iron Barbs
item: Lum Berry
evs: 252 HP / 204 Atk / 52 SpD
IVs: 0 Spe
nature: Brave
Moves
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Power Whip is Ferrothorn's STAB option and KOes Rotom-W on a the switch in. Gyro Ball hits incredibly powerfully thanks to Ferrothorn's pitiful Speed; it does have unimpressive coverage, however. Thunder Wave is able to cripple the majority of the fast-paced metagame. As a side note, never run Thunder Wave alongside Gyro Ball because it halfs Gyro Ball's power. Substitute allows Ferrothorn to pull off SubSeed shenanigans and it works well because of Ferrothorn's solid resistances. Leech Seed slowly wears down the opponent and provides Ferrothorn a source of recovery and works well in tandem with Protect which can scout for moves and Leech Seed damage.
Set Details
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Usage Tips
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Team Options
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Other Options
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Overview
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Ferrothorn has high defenses on both sides along with fantastic defensive typing that grants it nine resistances and one immunity, allowing it to be one of the most capable walls in VGC. Ferrothorn's typing also gives it an immunity to Spore and Sleep Powder and is now able to take on Fairy-types. Reasonable Attack stat that allows Ferrothorn to hit with its high powered STAB moves in Gyro Ball and Power Whip, which OHKOes Rotom-W on the switch thanks to this, it does have to watch for a burn though. Horrid Fire-type weakness and Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame are common. Ferrothorn faces competition from Mega Mawile as a defensive Steel-type and from Amoonguss and Gourgeist as a bulky Grass-type.
Standard
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name: Standard
move 1: Power Whip
move 2: Gyro Ball / Thunder Wave / Substitute
move 3: Leech Seed
move 4: Protect
ability: Iron Barbs
item: Lum Berry
evs: 252 HP / 204 Atk / 52 SpD
IVs: 0 Spe
nature: Brave
Moves
========
Power Whip is Ferrothorn's STAB option and KOes Rotom-W on a the switch in. Gyro Ball hits incredibly powerfully thanks to Ferrothorn's pitiful Speed; it does have unimpressive coverage, however. Thunder Wave is able to cripple the majority of the fast-paced metagame. As a side note, never run Thunder Wave alongside Gyro Ball because it halfs Gyro Ball's power. Substitute allows Ferrothorn to pull off SubSeed shenanigans and it works well because of Ferrothorn's solid resistances. Leech Seed slowly wears down the opponent and provides Ferrothorn a source of recovery and works well in tandem with Protect which can scout for moves and Leech Seed damage.
Set Details
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- Maximum HP EV investment is needed to make full use of Ferrothorn's base 76 HP.
- 204 Attack EVs and a Brave nature allow it to OHKO Rotom-W with Power Whip.
- The rest of the Evs are dumped into Special Defense to patch up Ferrothorn's lower defensive side.
- 0 Speed IVs allow Ferrothorn to maximize Gyro Ball's power and underspeed other Pokemon when Trick Room is set.
- Iron Barbs is very useful ability to dissuade physical attackers from making contact with it, particularly Mega Kangaskhan.
- Lum Berry shields Ferrothorn from Rotom-W's Will-O-Wisp and allowing it to mitigate Smeargle's Dark Void once.
- Rocky Helmet is also useful to severely annoy physical attackers.
- Running more defensive spreads are viable and could be used with defensive EV allocation and a Sassy or Relaxed nature.
- Running 12 Speed EVs allow Ferrothorn to outspeed paralyzed base 100 Speed Pokemon when they are paralyzed.
Usage Tips
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- Ferrothorn should be sent out against Pokemon with STAB moves that Ferrothorn resists; such examples include Mega Kangaskhan's Return or a Choice-locked Draco Meteor.
- Ferrothorn's STAB combination is resisted by a plethora of Pokemon, thus making Leech Seed the preferred spamming option.
- Saving Ferrothorn for later in the match is advised because it can take advantage of the opponent being out of super effective moves and can be used almost as a win condition.
- Ferrothorn is really only killed via Fire-type moves; keep away at all costs!
Team Options
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- Ferrothorn appreciates Pokemon that resist its Fire-type weakness; Salamence and Gyarados are such examples and provide Intimidate support.
- Dragon-types such as Garchomp and the aforementioned Salamence appreciate Ferrothorn's Dragon- and Fairy-type resistances.
- Talonflame has fantastic synergy with Ferrothorn and Talonflame beats Fighting-types that threaten Ferrothorn.
- Politoed resists Fire-type moves and weakens the power of these moves via Drizzle.
- Rotom-W can also resist Fire-type moves but without Drizzle, instead using Will-O-Wisp to spread burns.
- Gothitelle makes for a good partner because it can trap Pokemon that lack a Fire-type move and make it difficult for them to break Ferrothorn.
- Trick Room support from the likes of Chandelure is able to allow Ferrothorn to go first thanks to its low Speed.
Other Options
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- Rocky Helmet stacks with Iron Barbs and punishes physical attackers a bunch, though Ferrothorn prefers a defensive item.
- Sitrus Berry could also be used as an additional method of healing.
- A set of Thunder Wave / Leech Seed / Iron Head / Protect with a spread of 252 HP / 132 Atk / 108 Def / 4 SpD / 12 Spe with a Leftovers. This is to OHKO Gardevoir with iron Head and live two Mega Mawile's Fire Fangs twice 13/16 of the time. Somewhat niche, but has its uses.
- Iron Head can be used for consistency, but Gyro Ball is all-around more powerful.
- Seed Bomb is more accurate than Power Whip but lacks power.
- Payback and Shadow Claw hits Ghost-types, such as Chandelure, Gourgeist, and Trevanant, but all can cripple them with Will-O-Wisp or, in Chandelure's case, OHKO it.
- Rest could be used for instant recovery and status relief, but it's a bit shaky.
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- **Super Effective Moves**: Fire-type moves and Pokemon such as Talonflame, Mega Charizard Y, Rotom-H, and Chandelure can easily OHKO Ferrothorn with their STAB moves. Fire-type coverage moves from the likes of Salamence and Hydreigon are also troublesome.
- **Steel-types**: Other Steel-types such as Aeigslash and Mawile don't mind Ferrothorn's STAB moves and omse can even set Substitutes to shield them from Leech Seed. Mawile can also hurt Ferrothorn's effectiveness via Intimidate.
- **Intimidate Pokemon**: Salamence, Scrafty, and Mega Manectric all lower Ferrothorn's Attack stat and carry super effective moves to expose of Ferrothorn with.
- **Will-O-Wisp**: Will-O-Wisp slowly wears down Ferrothorn and neuters its Attack. Such Pokemon that carry Will-O-Wisp include Gourgeist and Trevenant.
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