took over from rubsomebacononit's previous analysis.
[OVERVIEW]
Avalugg is a Rapid Spinner with access to Recover, like Cryogonal, which increases its longevity, unlike Hitmonchan, Claydol and Kabutops which do not have access to recovery moves. Therefore, Avalugg should be played as a defensive spinner because of its incredible bulk, although its has high Attack. It has extremely high Defense that allows it to take attacks from physical attackers, such as Kangaskhan, Archeops, Scyther, and Tauros, even if uninvested. It has also a sort of offensive presence with 117 base Attack and 120 BP Avalanche, as well as defensive presence. It's one of the slowest Pokemon in the tier, though, which means that it will have to take at least one hit before spinning and struggles to deal with Ghost-types which act as spinblockers. Ice-type is bad as it gives Avalugg a weakness to Stealth Rock, making it more easier to OHKO or 2HKO, and unlike Cryogonal, it lacks an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, making it vulnerable to Spikes and Toxic Spikes; this further reduces its longevity because it is easily 2HKOed if Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes are up. Its typing makes it weak to Fire-, Fighting-, Steel-, and Rock-types, which are all very common in the tier. It also doesn't have any resistances other than Ice-type, and it's 2HKOed by Specs Aurorus after Stealth Rock damage and by Psychic Jynx. It gets walled by Ghost-types, such as Misdreavus, Gourgeist-XL, and Rotom, that carry Will-O-Wisp if it lacks Toxic.
[SET]
name: Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Recover
move 3: Avalanche
move 4: Toxic / Earthquake / Roar
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rapid Spin removes entry hazards providing to hazards control, which is useful for the team. Recover heals Avalugg's HP and damage taken from switching into entry hazards. Avalanche is Avalugg's main Ice-type attack and deals double damage when it is hit by an attack, and hits Grass-, Ground-, and Flying-types, such as Torterra, Claydol, and Archeops super effectively. Toxic allows Avalugg to hit Ghost-types, such as Misdreavus and Rotom, and walls such as Regirock and Quagsire, whereas Earthquake hits super effectively Fire- and Steel-types, such as Magmortar, Pyroar, Mawile, and Klinklang on the switch-in. Roar is also an option to force setup sweepers, such as Musharana, Klinklang and Mega Audino, out.
Set Details
========
252 EVs are given into Special Defense in order to maximize this stat alongside a Careful Nature. The rest of the EVs is given into HP to further increase its bulk. This will allow Avalugg to softcheck Lilligant and Vivillon when at +1 and it won't lose much resistances in the physical defensive side. This EVs spread check Normal-types and especially Fire Blast Tauros which could wear down easily a physical defensive variant of Avalugg. Sturdy is Avalugg's only relevant ability as it lets it tank at least one attack, although it isn't useful as avalugg will need to switch into entry hazards before using Rapid Spin. Leftovers provide additional recovery, while Rocky Helmet wears down physical attackers, such as Kangaskhan, Archeops, and Tauros, with some useful residual damage.
Usage Tips
========
Avalugg should focus on Rapid Spinning if entry hazards such as Stealth Rock is up, but it must be wary of spinblockers such as Mismagius, Rotom, and Gourgiest-S. If Avalugg has Toxic, predict a spinblocker switching in and use Toxic, but if Avalugg does not have Toxic, it should not stay in, as it will have no way of getting past them. Switch Avalugg into physical attackers such as Kangaskhan, Archeops, or Scyther, but don't try to switch it into special attackers because of its subpar special bulk even if boosted. Use Recover when Avalugg is weakened, especially if it has just switched into entry hazards, so you can stay alive for the rest of the match. You can play safe without double-switches if you have a check for everything in the opposing team, or you have to play more aggressively with Avalugg, as it attracts powerful special attackers' switch-ins. Don't switch into a status move, such as Toxic, or Will-O-Wisp, as it will cripple it for the rest of the game reducing its longevity. Use Rapid Spin when you need to remove entry hazards, especially if the opponent doesn't have any spinblocker. If there's a Ghost-type on the opposing team, you should switch in a Pokemon able to deal with or Pursuit trap them. Be wary of Taunt users, such as Mismagius, Samurott, and Misdreavus, as they can prevent Avalugg from using its recovery and utility moves.
Team Options
========
Avalugg finds a place only in fat defensive teams. Psychic-types, such as Musharna and Xatu are able to deal with Fighting-types for Avalugg. Xatu, in particular can switch into Fighting-types with ease. Xatu and Avalugg complement each other and maintain hazards control in bulkier teams thanks to Magic Bounce. Fairy-types such as Granbull and Poison-types such as Garbodor and Roselia are able to take Fighting-type attacks as well. Additionally, the former has Heal Bell to cure status while the latter two can remove Toxic Spikes for Avalugg so it doesn't get worn down by Poison damage. Dark-types, such as Liepard, Skuntank, and Shiftry, are great for dealing with Ghost-types, with the former ones additionally being able to provide Pursuit support. Fire-types, such as Ninetales, and bulky Water-types, such as Lanturn, greatly appreciate hazard removal support and are able to take Fire-type attacks. Furthermore, the former can set up with Nasty Plot while the latter is able to cripple Avalugg's switchins with Scald.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Mirror Coat allows Avalugg to punish Special Attackers, but it is very situational and unreliable. This would work well in tandem with Sturdy because you will resist a special attack for sure if you are at full health. It is unpredictable though and can seldom get a free kill. A defensive set with 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def and an Impish Nature can be used to take slightly less damage from physical attacks, but it is overkill and Avalugg would be better with taking less damage from special attacks and softchecking some special threats such as Lilligant, as well. Curse, alongside Ice- and Ground-type coverage and its reliable recovery move, allows Avalugg to get past physically oriented teams. Choice Band Avalugg can deal a lot of damage thanks to its respectable base attack, its STAB move and its good neutral coverage. It lacks a good STAB, though and it's very slow. Moreover, the loss of Recover further reduces its longevity.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types, such as Sawk can easily 2HKO with a Choice Band Close Combat. Hariyama has Thick Fat, allowing it to take Avalanche more easily. Avalugg is Gurdurr's set up fodder as it can easily set up Bulk Up and can take a Toxic thanks to Guts. However, Gurdurr must be wary of Roar.
**Residual Damage**: Avalugg is worn down by status such as burns and poison combined with entry hazard damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes, and its low Speed stat means that it will often need to take at least one hit, making it easier to wear down.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types, such as Magmortar and Pyroar can take advantage of Avalugg's poor Special Defense and can KO with their Fire-type moves if entry hazards are on the field. However, they must be wary of Earthquake and Toxic when switching in.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types, such as Gourgeist-S and Rotom, are immune to Rapid Spin and can cripple it Will-O-Wisp. Moreover, the former can wear Avalugg down with Leech Seed while the latter can cripple it with Trick. However, they must both watch out for Toxic on the switch.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types, such as Ferroseed and Mawile, are immune to Toxic and can cripple Avalugg with Toxic. Ferroseed can also wear Avalugg down with Leech Seed. However, Mawile has to watch out for Earthquake.
**Special attackers**: powerful special attackers, such as Samurott, Pyroar, Magmortar, Jynx, and Lilligant, can easily deal with Avalugg that isn't bulky enough to check them.
[OVERVIEW]
Avalugg is a Rapid Spinner with access to Recover, like Cryogonal, which increases its longevity, unlike Hitmonchan, Claydol and Kabutops which do not have access to recovery moves. Therefore, Avalugg should be played as a defensive spinner because of its incredible bulk, although its has high Attack. It has extremely high Defense that allows it to take attacks from physical attackers, such as Kangaskhan, Archeops, Scyther, and Tauros, even if uninvested. It has also a sort of offensive presence with 117 base Attack and 120 BP Avalanche, as well as defensive presence. It's one of the slowest Pokemon in the tier, though, which means that it will have to take at least one hit before spinning and struggles to deal with Ghost-types which act as spinblockers. Ice-type is bad as it gives Avalugg a weakness to Stealth Rock, making it more easier to OHKO or 2HKO, and unlike Cryogonal, it lacks an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, making it vulnerable to Spikes and Toxic Spikes; this further reduces its longevity because it is easily 2HKOed if Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes are up. Its typing makes it weak to Fire-, Fighting-, Steel-, and Rock-types, which are all very common in the tier. It also doesn't have any resistances other than Ice-type, and it's 2HKOed by Specs Aurorus after Stealth Rock damage and by Psychic Jynx. It gets walled by Ghost-types, such as Misdreavus, Gourgeist-XL, and Rotom, that carry Will-O-Wisp if it lacks Toxic.
[SET]
name: Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Recover
move 3: Avalanche
move 4: Toxic / Earthquake / Roar
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rapid Spin removes entry hazards providing to hazards control, which is useful for the team. Recover heals Avalugg's HP and damage taken from switching into entry hazards. Avalanche is Avalugg's main Ice-type attack and deals double damage when it is hit by an attack, and hits Grass-, Ground-, and Flying-types, such as Torterra, Claydol, and Archeops super effectively. Toxic allows Avalugg to hit Ghost-types, such as Misdreavus and Rotom, and walls such as Regirock and Quagsire, whereas Earthquake hits super effectively Fire- and Steel-types, such as Magmortar, Pyroar, Mawile, and Klinklang on the switch-in. Roar is also an option to force setup sweepers, such as Musharana, Klinklang and Mega Audino, out.
Set Details
========
252 EVs are given into Special Defense in order to maximize this stat alongside a Careful Nature. The rest of the EVs is given into HP to further increase its bulk. This will allow Avalugg to softcheck Lilligant and Vivillon when at +1 and it won't lose much resistances in the physical defensive side. This EVs spread check Normal-types and especially Fire Blast Tauros which could wear down easily a physical defensive variant of Avalugg. Sturdy is Avalugg's only relevant ability as it lets it tank at least one attack, although it isn't useful as avalugg will need to switch into entry hazards before using Rapid Spin. Leftovers provide additional recovery, while Rocky Helmet wears down physical attackers, such as Kangaskhan, Archeops, and Tauros, with some useful residual damage.
Usage Tips
========
Avalugg should focus on Rapid Spinning if entry hazards such as Stealth Rock is up, but it must be wary of spinblockers such as Mismagius, Rotom, and Gourgiest-S. If Avalugg has Toxic, predict a spinblocker switching in and use Toxic, but if Avalugg does not have Toxic, it should not stay in, as it will have no way of getting past them. Switch Avalugg into physical attackers such as Kangaskhan, Archeops, or Scyther, but don't try to switch it into special attackers because of its subpar special bulk even if boosted. Use Recover when Avalugg is weakened, especially if it has just switched into entry hazards, so you can stay alive for the rest of the match. You can play safe without double-switches if you have a check for everything in the opposing team, or you have to play more aggressively with Avalugg, as it attracts powerful special attackers' switch-ins. Don't switch into a status move, such as Toxic, or Will-O-Wisp, as it will cripple it for the rest of the game reducing its longevity. Use Rapid Spin when you need to remove entry hazards, especially if the opponent doesn't have any spinblocker. If there's a Ghost-type on the opposing team, you should switch in a Pokemon able to deal with or Pursuit trap them. Be wary of Taunt users, such as Mismagius, Samurott, and Misdreavus, as they can prevent Avalugg from using its recovery and utility moves.
Team Options
========
Avalugg finds a place only in fat defensive teams. Psychic-types, such as Musharna and Xatu are able to deal with Fighting-types for Avalugg. Xatu, in particular can switch into Fighting-types with ease. Xatu and Avalugg complement each other and maintain hazards control in bulkier teams thanks to Magic Bounce. Fairy-types such as Granbull and Poison-types such as Garbodor and Roselia are able to take Fighting-type attacks as well. Additionally, the former has Heal Bell to cure status while the latter two can remove Toxic Spikes for Avalugg so it doesn't get worn down by Poison damage. Dark-types, such as Liepard, Skuntank, and Shiftry, are great for dealing with Ghost-types, with the former ones additionally being able to provide Pursuit support. Fire-types, such as Ninetales, and bulky Water-types, such as Lanturn, greatly appreciate hazard removal support and are able to take Fire-type attacks. Furthermore, the former can set up with Nasty Plot while the latter is able to cripple Avalugg's switchins with Scald.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Mirror Coat allows Avalugg to punish Special Attackers, but it is very situational and unreliable. This would work well in tandem with Sturdy because you will resist a special attack for sure if you are at full health. It is unpredictable though and can seldom get a free kill. A defensive set with 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def and an Impish Nature can be used to take slightly less damage from physical attacks, but it is overkill and Avalugg would be better with taking less damage from special attacks and softchecking some special threats such as Lilligant, as well. Curse, alongside Ice- and Ground-type coverage and its reliable recovery move, allows Avalugg to get past physically oriented teams. Choice Band Avalugg can deal a lot of damage thanks to its respectable base attack, its STAB move and its good neutral coverage. It lacks a good STAB, though and it's very slow. Moreover, the loss of Recover further reduces its longevity.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types, such as Sawk can easily 2HKO with a Choice Band Close Combat. Hariyama has Thick Fat, allowing it to take Avalanche more easily. Avalugg is Gurdurr's set up fodder as it can easily set up Bulk Up and can take a Toxic thanks to Guts. However, Gurdurr must be wary of Roar.
**Residual Damage**: Avalugg is worn down by status such as burns and poison combined with entry hazard damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes, and its low Speed stat means that it will often need to take at least one hit, making it easier to wear down.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types, such as Magmortar and Pyroar can take advantage of Avalugg's poor Special Defense and can KO with their Fire-type moves if entry hazards are on the field. However, they must be wary of Earthquake and Toxic when switching in.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types, such as Gourgeist-S and Rotom, are immune to Rapid Spin and can cripple it Will-O-Wisp. Moreover, the former can wear Avalugg down with Leech Seed while the latter can cripple it with Trick. However, they must both watch out for Toxic on the switch.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types, such as Ferroseed and Mawile, are immune to Toxic and can cripple Avalugg with Toxic. Ferroseed can also wear Avalugg down with Leech Seed. However, Mawile has to watch out for Earthquake.
**Special attackers**: powerful special attackers, such as Samurott, Pyroar, Magmortar, Jynx, and Lilligant, can easily deal with Avalugg that isn't bulky enough to check them.
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