Overview
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Piloswine's great bulk with Eviolite and useful defensive typing make it one of the best and most reliable Stealth Rock setters in PU. It is also a great check to threats such as Rotom-F and Aurorus, and its strong STAB moves and priority let it function very well on offensive and more defensive teams alike. However, Piloswine is weak to several common types, namely Water, Grass, and Fighting, and its lack of recovery means that it is easily worn down.
Standard
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name: Standard
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Shard
move 4: Icicle Spear / Toxic
ability: Thick Fat
item: Eviolite
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
nature: Adamant
Moves
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Stealth Rock is invaluable to every team, and Piloswine is one of the best setters of it in PU. Earthquake is a strong STAB move, while Ice Shard is useful priority for picking off weakened threats and Pokemon such as Jumpluff. Icicle Spear is a relatively strong Ice-type STAB move that breaks through Substitute, Focus Sash, and Sturdy. Alternatively, Toxic cripples defensive switch-ins as Piloswine is relatively easy to wall. Examples include Avalugg, Pelipper, and Tangela.
Set Details
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Eviolite is the obvious item of choice for Piloswine, making it quite bulky. The spread is standard for a slow and bulky physical attacker like Piloswine. Thick Fat gives Piloswine a handy resistance to Ice and a neutrality to Fire.
Usage Tips
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Piloswine is a tank, not a wall. Don't expect it to live forever. If you need it to wall something later on in the match, try not to let it take excess hits. Come in on something Piloswine walls, such as an Electric-type, Ice-type, or a weak physical attacker, and set up Stealth Rock, as it is Piloswine's most important job. Ice Shard is useful to pick off weakened Pokemon later in the game and lets Piloswine be useful even if it is very low on health.
Team Options
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Piloswine fits best on bulky offense and balance teams. Wish users such as Lickilicky are helpful as teammates because Piloswine is worn down easily. Pokemon such as Gourgeist and Tangela that can switch into Water- and Grass-types make for useful partners. Similarly, Pokemon that can switch in on or beat Fighting-types, such as Pelipper or Roselia, are helpful partners. Poliwrath can switch into most Knock Off users as well as Water-types, while Pokemon such as Ursaring and Throh can absorb status aimed at Piloswine.
Other Options
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While its standard spread is by far the most effective, Piloswine can also use a more defensive one. Icicle Crash can be used over Icicle Spear, but its inaccuracy and lack of utility compared to Icicle Spear make it a subpar choice. Finally, Roar is a decent option to rack up entry hazard damage and scout for advantageous matchups.
Checks & Counters
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**Physical Walls**: Physical walls such as Poliwrath, Pelipper, Prinplup, and Avalugg can easily take Piloswine's attacks, though they dislike Toxic. The latter three can also remove Piloswine's Stealth Rock, and the former two can also hit Piloswine decently hard in return. Tangela, despite being weak to Ice, is actually a solid answer to Piloswine because it is very physically bulky and can easily heal off damage with Regenerator and Giga Drain.
**Status**: Because it lacks recovery, Piloswine is easily worn down by status from Pokemon such as Misdreavus, Gourgeist-XL, and Pelipper.
**Offensive Type Advantage**: Piloswine's typing, while very useful, also gives it weaknesses to quite a few common attacking types and Pokemon; examples include Simipour, Poliwrath, Throh, Tangela, and Basculin.
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