Ping_Pong_Along
Bitches love underscores
QC [3/3]: atomicllamas / Sweep / -kal-
GP [2/2]: Snobalt / P Squared
:origin()/pre14/2223/th/pre/i/2011/168/8/f/fan_rotom_by_muted_colours-d3j76ep.png)
[OVERVIEW]
Rotom-S, while often overlooked, has an interesting niche as a check to several common threats, such as Durant, Scrafty, and Fletchinder; applies pressure to common walls, such as Alomomola and Jellicent; and has access to Will-O-Wisp to cripple bulky physical attackers such as Mega Steelix and Escavalier. An Electric / Flying typing gives Rotom-S five resistances and an immunity to Ground-type attacks, which allows it to safely switch in against Fighting- and Steel-types lacking a Rock- or Ice-type attack. Rotom-S's typing also grants it helpful immunities to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web. Electric / Flying type is also excellent offensively to check most Water-, Flying-, Fighting-, and Grass-types. Despite having a low base 50 HP, Rotom-S has solid physical bulk when invested, especially after the foe has suffered a burn from Will-O-Wisp, and passable special bulk even without investment. With a base 86 Speed, Rotom-S is quite fast for a defensive Pokemon, outspeeding maximum Speed Rhyperior, uninvested Qwilfish, and Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary. As a status spreader, Rotom-S has a unique typing that allows it to check common status absorbers, such as Sigilyph, Gurdurr, and Xatu.
Despite all the great things Rotom-S has going for it, its weakness to Stealth Rock wears it down quickly, which is only made worse by its lack of reliable recovery. Rotom-S may only have two weaknesses, but Ice-types such as Mega Abomasnow, Sneasel, and Mega Glalie are fairly common, while Rock-type attacks are somewhat common on Fighting-types, such as Stone Edge on Virizion. While Air Slash does well against Fighting-types, its lackluster 75 Base Power makes it difficult to break through bulky Grass-types, such as Amoonguss and Roselia, and it deals underwhelming damage against anything that it doesn't hit super effectively.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Air Slash
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Thunderbolt / Volt Switch
move 4: Pain Split / Volt Switch
item: Leftovers
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Air Slash hits common Fighting-types, always 2HKOing Scrafty, Gurdurr, and Gallade and sometimes OHKOing Virizion, Tangrowth, and Torterra. Will-O-Wisp cripples physical attackers and provides passive damage, which is helpful against common switch-ins such as Rhyperior, Seismitoad, and Flygon, as well as Poison- and Steel-types, such as Amoonguss, Escavalier, and Mega Steelix. Thunderbolt is Rotom-S's most powerful Electric-type attack with perfect accuracy and allows it to OHKO Fletchinder and 2HKO Sigilyph, Braviary, and Jellicent after Stealth Rock damage. In tandem with Will-O-Wisp, Rotom-S can also break past Alomomola. Because Rotom-S loses one-quarter of its health when switching into Stealth Rock, Pain Split helps keep it healthy throughout the match. Volt Switch can be used over Pain Split on balance teams to pick up momentum, although this makes Rotom-S far more reliant on Wish support. Volt Switch can alternatively be used over Thunderbolt, but it's noticeably weaker, and switching out against bulky Water-types, such as Jellicent and Alomomola, hurts Rotom-S's ability to break through them. Discharge can be used instead of Thunderbolt on balance teams for a higher chance to spread paralysis, but without any investment in Special Attack, Rotom-S often benefits more from the extra power of Thunderbolt.
Set Details
========
Running 248 EVs in HP maximizes Rotom-S's bulk and makes its HP a number not divisible by four, which slightly lowers the damage it takes from Stealth Rock. Full investment in Defense and a Bold nature round out Rotom-S's physical bulk, allowing it to switch into Durant, Fletchinder, and Scrafty. The remaining 8 EVs go into Special Attack to slightly improve Rotom-S's damage output. Leftovers increases Rotom-S's longevity and makes it far less reliant on recovery from Pain Split.
Usage Tips
========
Rotom-S is easily worn down, so try to avoid switching it into foes it does not outright counter. Durant, Gurdurr, Virizion, Scrafty, and Fletchinder are all high-priority threats worthy of preserving Rotom-S for. Virizion is especially dangerous because, after a Swords Dance boost, Stone Edge OHKOes Rotom-S after Stealth Rock damage. Against teams lacking these threats, you can bring Rotom-S in more often to spread burns and pressure Fighting-, Water-, and Grass-types. Particularly for stall teams, Rotom-S's Will-O-Wisp is great for wearing down threats that are immune to Toxic because of their typing, such as Amoonguss, Golbat, Mega Steelix, Escavalier, Bronzong, and Registeel. Be cautious of spamming Will-O-Wisp if the opponent has a Fire-type other than Fletchinder because this can give the foe a free switch. Rotom-S is immune to paralysis, so it can freely switch into Thunder Wave from the likes of Registeel, Qwilfish, and Uxie, Glare from Druddigon, and Stun Spore from Amoonguss.
Team Options
========
Rotom-S greatly appreciates Wish support because of its weakness to Stealth Rock and the unreliability of Pain Split, so Alomomola, Aromatisse, Audino, and Mega Audino make for solid partners. Alomomola also benefits from Rotom-S's ability to check Tangrowth, while Aromatisse and Audino help keep Rotom-S free of status conditions with Aromatherapy and Heal Bell, and so do Vileplume, Meloetta, Granbull, Togetic, and Uxie. In return, Rotom-S either checks or cripples Durant, Escavalier, and Mega Steelix, which the clerics struggle with. Entry hazard removal from Hitmontop, Flygon, or Togetic is vital for preventing Rotom-S from being worn down by Stealth Rock damage. Hitmontop is particularly noteworthy because it can safely switch into Rock-type attacks and check most Ice- and Rock-types. Other bulky Fighting-types such as Gurdurr, Poliwrath, and Hariyama pair well with Rotom-S as well. Gurdurr and RestTalk Poliwrath have the added benefit of being status absorbers, while Poliwrath and Hariyama can switch into Ice-type attacks safely, although Poliwrath has to be wary of Freeze-Dry. Mega Steelix and Bronzong are great partners for Rotom-S because, in addition to setting up Stealth Rock, they check Tyrantrum, Mega Abomasnow, and Mega Glalie. Bulky Water-types such as Alomomola, Jellicent, Slowking, and Poliwrath, in addition to being safe switch-ins to Ice-type attacks barring Freeze-Dry, help against common Fire- and Ground-type switch-ins, such as Emboar, Mega Camerupt, Mega Steelix, and Rhyperior.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Scarf can be used with Trick, Volt Switch, Air Slash, and Thunderbolt and an EV spread of 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe alongside a Timid nature to make Rotom-S function as an offensive pivot that tears apart Alomomola + Amoonguss cores, but this set is entirely walled by Mega Steelix. Toxic can be used over Pain Split to hit Fire-type switch-ins, such as Mega Camerupt, Delphox, Houndoom, and Emboar, although Pain Split is generally far more helpful for improving Rotom-S's longevity. Thunder Wave can be used to cripple fast threats and clear the way for a late-game cleaner. The move also pairs well with Air Slash for a paraflinch strategy, but giving up either Will-O-Wisp or Pain Split limits Rotom-S's ability to check Fighting- and Steel-types. Hidden Power Grass is an option to hit Seismitoad, Quagsire, Rhyperior, and Gastrodon for 4x damage, but this is generally better left to teammates because Rotom-S needs all of its moves, and Hidden Power Grass does very little to other foes. Hidden Power Water is another option that hits Mega Steelix, Rhyperior, Mega Camerupt, Delphox, Houndoom, and Emboar, though it has similar problems to Hidden Power Grass. Substitute can be used to avoid status conditions and synergizes well with Pain Split, but Rotom-S doesn't have room to run it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Houndoom, Mega Camerupt, and Delphox can switch into Will-O-Wisp and either 2HKO Rotom-S with Fire Blast or OHKO it after Stealth Rock damage. Mega Camerupt in particular can safely switch into any of Rotom-S's moves and proceed to deal massive damage, cripple a switch-in with Toxic, or set up Stealth Rock.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Jolteon, Magneton, Eelektross, and Rotom resist both of Rotom-S's STAB attacks and are far less crippled by Will-O-Wisp than physical attackers.
**Ice-types**: If Mega Glalie can avoid a burn when switching in, it can OHKO Rotom-S with Double-Edge or Return after Stealth Rock damage. Sneasel and Piloswine can 2HKO Rotom-S with Icicle Crash, although they too need to be wary of Will-O-Wisp. Jynx, while exceedingly rare, can OHKO Rotom-S with Ice Beam. Mixed Mega Abomasnow's Blizzard OHKOes Rotom-S, while Swords Dance Mega Abomasnow's Ice Shard has a chance to OHKO Rotom-S at +2 after Stealth Rock damage, but Mega Abomasnow has trouble switching in because it's 2HKOed by Air Slash after Stealth Rock damage, and Rotom-S is faster.
**Super Effective Attacks**: Ice- and Rock-type attacks greatly reduce Rotom-S's ability to switch in safely. Head Smash Tyrantrum easily OHKOes it. Stone Edge Virizion and Head Smash Scrafty are particularly dangerous for Rotom-S because it normally checks them; some other notable examples include Ice Beam from Samurott or Clawitzer and Stone Edge from Torterra, Hitmonlee, or Rhyperior.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Rotom-S's attacks have trouble dealing significant damage to specially bulky foes, such as Uxie and Meloetta, which can either set up Calm Mind or heal status conditions with Heal Bell, depending on the set. Substitute + Calm Mind Meloetta is particularly threatening because it doesn't fear a burn after Substitute and, even when it doesn't have any Calm Mind boosts or Special Defense investment, Thunderbolt can't break its Substitute. Roselia can heal for more damage than Rotom-S can deal and absorb burns thanks to Natural Cure. Amoonguss can switch into Air Slash as long as Stealth Rock isn't up and put Rotom-S to sleep with Spore. Both Roselia and Amoonguss have to beware of the flinch chance from Air Slash, though. RestTalk Escavalier can clear away a burn and set up with Swords Dance, taking very little from Rotom-S's attacks.
**Passive Damage**: Without a reliable form of recovery, Rotom-S is easily worn down by repeatedly taking damage from Stealth Rock, poison, and burn.
GP [2/2]: Snobalt / P Squared
:origin()/pre14/2223/th/pre/i/2011/168/8/f/fan_rotom_by_muted_colours-d3j76ep.png)
[OVERVIEW]
Rotom-S, while often overlooked, has an interesting niche as a check to several common threats, such as Durant, Scrafty, and Fletchinder; applies pressure to common walls, such as Alomomola and Jellicent; and has access to Will-O-Wisp to cripple bulky physical attackers such as Mega Steelix and Escavalier. An Electric / Flying typing gives Rotom-S five resistances and an immunity to Ground-type attacks, which allows it to safely switch in against Fighting- and Steel-types lacking a Rock- or Ice-type attack. Rotom-S's typing also grants it helpful immunities to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web. Electric / Flying type is also excellent offensively to check most Water-, Flying-, Fighting-, and Grass-types. Despite having a low base 50 HP, Rotom-S has solid physical bulk when invested, especially after the foe has suffered a burn from Will-O-Wisp, and passable special bulk even without investment. With a base 86 Speed, Rotom-S is quite fast for a defensive Pokemon, outspeeding maximum Speed Rhyperior, uninvested Qwilfish, and Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary. As a status spreader, Rotom-S has a unique typing that allows it to check common status absorbers, such as Sigilyph, Gurdurr, and Xatu.
Despite all the great things Rotom-S has going for it, its weakness to Stealth Rock wears it down quickly, which is only made worse by its lack of reliable recovery. Rotom-S may only have two weaknesses, but Ice-types such as Mega Abomasnow, Sneasel, and Mega Glalie are fairly common, while Rock-type attacks are somewhat common on Fighting-types, such as Stone Edge on Virizion. While Air Slash does well against Fighting-types, its lackluster 75 Base Power makes it difficult to break through bulky Grass-types, such as Amoonguss and Roselia, and it deals underwhelming damage against anything that it doesn't hit super effectively.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Air Slash
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Thunderbolt / Volt Switch
move 4: Pain Split / Volt Switch
item: Leftovers
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Air Slash hits common Fighting-types, always 2HKOing Scrafty, Gurdurr, and Gallade and sometimes OHKOing Virizion, Tangrowth, and Torterra. Will-O-Wisp cripples physical attackers and provides passive damage, which is helpful against common switch-ins such as Rhyperior, Seismitoad, and Flygon, as well as Poison- and Steel-types, such as Amoonguss, Escavalier, and Mega Steelix. Thunderbolt is Rotom-S's most powerful Electric-type attack with perfect accuracy and allows it to OHKO Fletchinder and 2HKO Sigilyph, Braviary, and Jellicent after Stealth Rock damage. In tandem with Will-O-Wisp, Rotom-S can also break past Alomomola. Because Rotom-S loses one-quarter of its health when switching into Stealth Rock, Pain Split helps keep it healthy throughout the match. Volt Switch can be used over Pain Split on balance teams to pick up momentum, although this makes Rotom-S far more reliant on Wish support. Volt Switch can alternatively be used over Thunderbolt, but it's noticeably weaker, and switching out against bulky Water-types, such as Jellicent and Alomomola, hurts Rotom-S's ability to break through them. Discharge can be used instead of Thunderbolt on balance teams for a higher chance to spread paralysis, but without any investment in Special Attack, Rotom-S often benefits more from the extra power of Thunderbolt.
Set Details
========
Running 248 EVs in HP maximizes Rotom-S's bulk and makes its HP a number not divisible by four, which slightly lowers the damage it takes from Stealth Rock. Full investment in Defense and a Bold nature round out Rotom-S's physical bulk, allowing it to switch into Durant, Fletchinder, and Scrafty. The remaining 8 EVs go into Special Attack to slightly improve Rotom-S's damage output. Leftovers increases Rotom-S's longevity and makes it far less reliant on recovery from Pain Split.
Usage Tips
========
Rotom-S is easily worn down, so try to avoid switching it into foes it does not outright counter. Durant, Gurdurr, Virizion, Scrafty, and Fletchinder are all high-priority threats worthy of preserving Rotom-S for. Virizion is especially dangerous because, after a Swords Dance boost, Stone Edge OHKOes Rotom-S after Stealth Rock damage. Against teams lacking these threats, you can bring Rotom-S in more often to spread burns and pressure Fighting-, Water-, and Grass-types. Particularly for stall teams, Rotom-S's Will-O-Wisp is great for wearing down threats that are immune to Toxic because of their typing, such as Amoonguss, Golbat, Mega Steelix, Escavalier, Bronzong, and Registeel. Be cautious of spamming Will-O-Wisp if the opponent has a Fire-type other than Fletchinder because this can give the foe a free switch. Rotom-S is immune to paralysis, so it can freely switch into Thunder Wave from the likes of Registeel, Qwilfish, and Uxie, Glare from Druddigon, and Stun Spore from Amoonguss.
Team Options
========
Rotom-S greatly appreciates Wish support because of its weakness to Stealth Rock and the unreliability of Pain Split, so Alomomola, Aromatisse, Audino, and Mega Audino make for solid partners. Alomomola also benefits from Rotom-S's ability to check Tangrowth, while Aromatisse and Audino help keep Rotom-S free of status conditions with Aromatherapy and Heal Bell, and so do Vileplume, Meloetta, Granbull, Togetic, and Uxie. In return, Rotom-S either checks or cripples Durant, Escavalier, and Mega Steelix, which the clerics struggle with. Entry hazard removal from Hitmontop, Flygon, or Togetic is vital for preventing Rotom-S from being worn down by Stealth Rock damage. Hitmontop is particularly noteworthy because it can safely switch into Rock-type attacks and check most Ice- and Rock-types. Other bulky Fighting-types such as Gurdurr, Poliwrath, and Hariyama pair well with Rotom-S as well. Gurdurr and RestTalk Poliwrath have the added benefit of being status absorbers, while Poliwrath and Hariyama can switch into Ice-type attacks safely, although Poliwrath has to be wary of Freeze-Dry. Mega Steelix and Bronzong are great partners for Rotom-S because, in addition to setting up Stealth Rock, they check Tyrantrum, Mega Abomasnow, and Mega Glalie. Bulky Water-types such as Alomomola, Jellicent, Slowking, and Poliwrath, in addition to being safe switch-ins to Ice-type attacks barring Freeze-Dry, help against common Fire- and Ground-type switch-ins, such as Emboar, Mega Camerupt, Mega Steelix, and Rhyperior.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Scarf can be used with Trick, Volt Switch, Air Slash, and Thunderbolt and an EV spread of 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe alongside a Timid nature to make Rotom-S function as an offensive pivot that tears apart Alomomola + Amoonguss cores, but this set is entirely walled by Mega Steelix. Toxic can be used over Pain Split to hit Fire-type switch-ins, such as Mega Camerupt, Delphox, Houndoom, and Emboar, although Pain Split is generally far more helpful for improving Rotom-S's longevity. Thunder Wave can be used to cripple fast threats and clear the way for a late-game cleaner. The move also pairs well with Air Slash for a paraflinch strategy, but giving up either Will-O-Wisp or Pain Split limits Rotom-S's ability to check Fighting- and Steel-types. Hidden Power Grass is an option to hit Seismitoad, Quagsire, Rhyperior, and Gastrodon for 4x damage, but this is generally better left to teammates because Rotom-S needs all of its moves, and Hidden Power Grass does very little to other foes. Hidden Power Water is another option that hits Mega Steelix, Rhyperior, Mega Camerupt, Delphox, Houndoom, and Emboar, though it has similar problems to Hidden Power Grass. Substitute can be used to avoid status conditions and synergizes well with Pain Split, but Rotom-S doesn't have room to run it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Houndoom, Mega Camerupt, and Delphox can switch into Will-O-Wisp and either 2HKO Rotom-S with Fire Blast or OHKO it after Stealth Rock damage. Mega Camerupt in particular can safely switch into any of Rotom-S's moves and proceed to deal massive damage, cripple a switch-in with Toxic, or set up Stealth Rock.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Jolteon, Magneton, Eelektross, and Rotom resist both of Rotom-S's STAB attacks and are far less crippled by Will-O-Wisp than physical attackers.
**Ice-types**: If Mega Glalie can avoid a burn when switching in, it can OHKO Rotom-S with Double-Edge or Return after Stealth Rock damage. Sneasel and Piloswine can 2HKO Rotom-S with Icicle Crash, although they too need to be wary of Will-O-Wisp. Jynx, while exceedingly rare, can OHKO Rotom-S with Ice Beam. Mixed Mega Abomasnow's Blizzard OHKOes Rotom-S, while Swords Dance Mega Abomasnow's Ice Shard has a chance to OHKO Rotom-S at +2 after Stealth Rock damage, but Mega Abomasnow has trouble switching in because it's 2HKOed by Air Slash after Stealth Rock damage, and Rotom-S is faster.
**Super Effective Attacks**: Ice- and Rock-type attacks greatly reduce Rotom-S's ability to switch in safely. Head Smash Tyrantrum easily OHKOes it. Stone Edge Virizion and Head Smash Scrafty are particularly dangerous for Rotom-S because it normally checks them; some other notable examples include Ice Beam from Samurott or Clawitzer and Stone Edge from Torterra, Hitmonlee, or Rhyperior.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Rotom-S's attacks have trouble dealing significant damage to specially bulky foes, such as Uxie and Meloetta, which can either set up Calm Mind or heal status conditions with Heal Bell, depending on the set. Substitute + Calm Mind Meloetta is particularly threatening because it doesn't fear a burn after Substitute and, even when it doesn't have any Calm Mind boosts or Special Defense investment, Thunderbolt can't break its Substitute. Roselia can heal for more damage than Rotom-S can deal and absorb burns thanks to Natural Cure. Amoonguss can switch into Air Slash as long as Stealth Rock isn't up and put Rotom-S to sleep with Spore. Both Roselia and Amoonguss have to beware of the flinch chance from Air Slash, though. RestTalk Escavalier can clear away a burn and set up with Swords Dance, taking very little from Rotom-S's attacks.
**Passive Damage**: Without a reliable form of recovery, Rotom-S is easily worn down by repeatedly taking damage from Stealth Rock, poison, and burn.
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