[OVERVIEW]
While Gible faces heavy competition from other Dragon-types for an offensive role, it has several unique qualities that let it differentiate itself from its brethren. Gible's nearly unresisted STAB combination is backed up by a decent base 70 Attack, and it has a good ability in Rough Skin, which helps wear down physical attackers. However Gible has fairly low Speed and only average defenses, which isn't helped by its lack of reliable recovery and 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks. Gible's Ground typing also provides little defensive synergy with its Dragon typing. Gible should not be the first choice for an offensive Dragon-type, but it has good utility in the form of Stealth Rock and Rough Skin.
[SET]
name: Bulky Offensive
move 1: Stealth Rock / Rock Tomb
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Claw
move 4: Toxic / Roar / Rock Tomb / Iron Tail
item: Eviolite
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Adamant
evs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 156 Def / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock allows Gible to support its team, but Rock Tomb can be used if Stealth Rock support is not needed. Rock Tomb allows Gible to hit Flying-types harder than Dragon Claw can, and the move also provides support by slowing down foes. Earthquake and Dragon Claw form a nearly unresisted STAB combination, and Earthquake deals heavy damage even on neutral hits. The last moveslot has several options depending on what the team needs. Toxic allows Gible to cripple bulky foes that it cannot otherwise break through, Roar prevents Gible from being set up on and synergizes well with entry hazard support, and Iron Tail is a decent coverage option for hitting Fairy-types harder than Earthquake.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack EVs with an Adamant nature allow Gible to hit as hard as possible with its STAB moves. The given defensive EVs allow Gible to avoid multiple 2HKOs and OHKOs from threats such as Spritzee, Snubbull, and Pawniard with Eviolite factored in. The remaining EVs let Gible hit 11 Speed, allowing it to outspeed foes such as defensive Porygon and standard Timburr. Rough Skin can help Gible wear down physical attackers.
Usage Tips
========
Gible has several useful resistances and decent bulk, so it can switch into many neutral or resisted attacks. However its defenses aren't stellar and it lacks recovery, so be cautious about repeatedly switching in without Wish support. Once Gible is in, it becomes a matter of picking a STAB move to use, as only two Pokemon in LC resist both, Cottonee and Bronzor. Coverage moves can be used to hit predicted switch-ins but are fairly weak against neutral targets. Keep Gible's low Speed in mind with regards to its HP and the possibility of a foe's Ice-type coverage move.
Team Options
========
Bulky Water-types take devastating Ice attacks well. Chinchou can use Volt Switch to get Gible in safely, while Skrelp also resists Fairy-type attacks and threatens to KO Fairy-types with its Poison-type STAB moves. Steel-types such as Magnemite and Ferroseed resist all of Gible's weaknesses, while Gible resists and can threaten Fire-types. Ferroseed in particular provides additional entry hazard support, which can be useful if Gible is running Roar. Fire-types also resist both Fairy- and Ice-type moves and can easily break through Ferroseed, which has enough bulk to wall Gible. Gible also appreciates Wish support from Pokemon such as Spritzee, as it lacks reliable recovery of its own.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hone Claws is Gible's only boosting option, which also lets it use Dragon Rush and Stone Edge more effectively, but Gible is a bit slow and lacks recovery to use it effectively. Outrage is a much more powerful alternative to Dragon Claw but leaves Gible very prone to being revenge killed, and is better suited on more powerful Dragon-types such as Tyrunt. Similarly, Stone Edge can be run instead of Rock Tomb, but Rock Tomb possibly lets Gible attack twice due to its secondary effect and also somewhat cripples switch-ins. Fire Blast can be run in order to hit Ferroseed and Cottonee super effectively, but Gible is let down by its atrocious Special Attack. A fully defensive set with Eviolite can be run in order to let Gible use Rough Skin more effectively, but Gible is reliant on Rest for recovery. Gible can also choose to hold Life Orb and run a faster offensive set, but due to Gible's low Speed and mediocre defenses, it is very prone to being killed quickly, although it can be effective with speed control. Gible can also hold Choice Scarf in order to make up for its low Speed, but this set lacks power and is easily walled. Berry Juice can be used for one-time recovery, but Eviolite is ultimately more useful for making Gible's defenses passable.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Both Snubbull and Spritzee are able to take any of Gible's attacks bar Iron Tail due to their general bulk and threaten todeal heavy damage back with their STAB moves. Cottonee is especially threatening because it resists both of Gible's STAB moves and threatens to deal massive damage with Dazzling Gleam.
**Ice-types**: Because of Gible's 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks, virtually all Ice-types threaten to KO it with their STAB moves; most outspeed Gible as well, although Rock Tomb hits them very hard.
**Ice-type Attacks**: Even without STAB, an Ice-type move can hurt Gible severely if not outright OHKO it. Common Pokemon with Ice-type coverage moves include Porygon, Staryu, and Chinchou.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Bulky foes are usually able to take Gible's attacks, as base 70 Attack isn't overwhelming. Examples include Ferroseed, Slowpoke, and Porygon, which can all repeatedly take Gible's attacks and threaten it back. However, most bulky Pokemon do not appreciate Toxic.
While Gible faces heavy competition from other Dragon-types for an offensive role, it has several unique qualities that let it differentiate itself from its brethren. Gible's nearly unresisted STAB combination is backed up by a decent base 70 Attack, and it has a good ability in Rough Skin, which helps wear down physical attackers. However Gible has fairly low Speed and only average defenses, which isn't helped by its lack of reliable recovery and 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks. Gible's Ground typing also provides little defensive synergy with its Dragon typing. Gible should not be the first choice for an offensive Dragon-type, but it has good utility in the form of Stealth Rock and Rough Skin.
[SET]
name: Bulky Offensive
move 1: Stealth Rock / Rock Tomb
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Claw
move 4: Toxic / Roar / Rock Tomb / Iron Tail
item: Eviolite
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Adamant
evs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 156 Def / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock allows Gible to support its team, but Rock Tomb can be used if Stealth Rock support is not needed. Rock Tomb allows Gible to hit Flying-types harder than Dragon Claw can, and the move also provides support by slowing down foes. Earthquake and Dragon Claw form a nearly unresisted STAB combination, and Earthquake deals heavy damage even on neutral hits. The last moveslot has several options depending on what the team needs. Toxic allows Gible to cripple bulky foes that it cannot otherwise break through, Roar prevents Gible from being set up on and synergizes well with entry hazard support, and Iron Tail is a decent coverage option for hitting Fairy-types harder than Earthquake.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack EVs with an Adamant nature allow Gible to hit as hard as possible with its STAB moves. The given defensive EVs allow Gible to avoid multiple 2HKOs and OHKOs from threats such as Spritzee, Snubbull, and Pawniard with Eviolite factored in. The remaining EVs let Gible hit 11 Speed, allowing it to outspeed foes such as defensive Porygon and standard Timburr. Rough Skin can help Gible wear down physical attackers.
Usage Tips
========
Gible has several useful resistances and decent bulk, so it can switch into many neutral or resisted attacks. However its defenses aren't stellar and it lacks recovery, so be cautious about repeatedly switching in without Wish support. Once Gible is in, it becomes a matter of picking a STAB move to use, as only two Pokemon in LC resist both, Cottonee and Bronzor. Coverage moves can be used to hit predicted switch-ins but are fairly weak against neutral targets. Keep Gible's low Speed in mind with regards to its HP and the possibility of a foe's Ice-type coverage move.
Team Options
========
Bulky Water-types take devastating Ice attacks well. Chinchou can use Volt Switch to get Gible in safely, while Skrelp also resists Fairy-type attacks and threatens to KO Fairy-types with its Poison-type STAB moves. Steel-types such as Magnemite and Ferroseed resist all of Gible's weaknesses, while Gible resists and can threaten Fire-types. Ferroseed in particular provides additional entry hazard support, which can be useful if Gible is running Roar. Fire-types also resist both Fairy- and Ice-type moves and can easily break through Ferroseed, which has enough bulk to wall Gible. Gible also appreciates Wish support from Pokemon such as Spritzee, as it lacks reliable recovery of its own.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hone Claws is Gible's only boosting option, which also lets it use Dragon Rush and Stone Edge more effectively, but Gible is a bit slow and lacks recovery to use it effectively. Outrage is a much more powerful alternative to Dragon Claw but leaves Gible very prone to being revenge killed, and is better suited on more powerful Dragon-types such as Tyrunt. Similarly, Stone Edge can be run instead of Rock Tomb, but Rock Tomb possibly lets Gible attack twice due to its secondary effect and also somewhat cripples switch-ins. Fire Blast can be run in order to hit Ferroseed and Cottonee super effectively, but Gible is let down by its atrocious Special Attack. A fully defensive set with Eviolite can be run in order to let Gible use Rough Skin more effectively, but Gible is reliant on Rest for recovery. Gible can also choose to hold Life Orb and run a faster offensive set, but due to Gible's low Speed and mediocre defenses, it is very prone to being killed quickly, although it can be effective with speed control. Gible can also hold Choice Scarf in order to make up for its low Speed, but this set lacks power and is easily walled. Berry Juice can be used for one-time recovery, but Eviolite is ultimately more useful for making Gible's defenses passable.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Both Snubbull and Spritzee are able to take any of Gible's attacks bar Iron Tail due to their general bulk and threaten todeal heavy damage back with their STAB moves. Cottonee is especially threatening because it resists both of Gible's STAB moves and threatens to deal massive damage with Dazzling Gleam.
**Ice-types**: Because of Gible's 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks, virtually all Ice-types threaten to KO it with their STAB moves; most outspeed Gible as well, although Rock Tomb hits them very hard.
**Ice-type Attacks**: Even without STAB, an Ice-type move can hurt Gible severely if not outright OHKO it. Common Pokemon with Ice-type coverage moves include Porygon, Staryu, and Chinchou.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Bulky foes are usually able to take Gible's attacks, as base 70 Attack isn't overwhelming. Examples include Ferroseed, Slowpoke, and Porygon, which can all repeatedly take Gible's attacks and threaten it back. However, most bulky Pokemon do not appreciate Toxic.
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