Solrock (QC 3/3)
 

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SUN ROCK THINGIE

[Overview]

• Unique typing for a Rock-type, only shared with its cousin, Lunatone
• contains many attributes to separate itself from other Rock-types
• great switch-in to the many normal and flying types in the tier
• weakness to bug-type moves, notably u-turn, limit its effectiveness against common bird-types that use u-turn, such as Swellow or Braviary
• Good dual screener that can set up rocks
• decent Trick room setter
• mediocre stats, highest one is 95 base attack, lowers its effectiveness
• not a great pokemon in the metagame, but fulfills many notable niches

[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
name 2: Morning Sun
name 3: Will-O-Wisp
name 4: Rock Slide
item: Leftovers
ability: Levitate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

• access to Will-O-Wisp, levitate, psychic-typing (therefore not giving it a fighting weakness), decent base speed, and RECOVERY separates Solrock a lot from other Rock-types
• able to take many physical attacks, especially in conjunction with Will-O-Wisp
• levitate allows Solrock to not get worn down by Spikes
• can recover off repeated attacks from the likes of Kangaskhan
• 70 base speed allows it to burn Golurk before it can hit Solrock with shadow punch
• can avoid getting 2hkod by even the monster, Zangoose
• spread burns very well throughout the match and has much better survivability than Golem or Regirock
• good switch-in to normal, flying, and rock-types as none can really do much to it without a super-effective coverage move
• stealth rock is a necessity to most teams, and solrock has multiple times to set them up during the match
• will-o-wisp is a great, rare status move to have on a physically defensive Pokemon
• it also burns the common absols and skuntanks that think they can easily pursuit trap solrock
• morning sun is great for recovery so it can switch-in repeatedly throughout the match
• rock slide whittles down its opponent and so it isn't taunt bait
  

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

• Zen headbutt can be used over Rock Slide to hit Fighting and Poison-types, such as Amoonguss or Gurdurr
• rocky helmet can be used to wear down physical attackers, such as Cinccino or Swellow, and the lack of leftovers doesn't hurt that much since Solrock has Morning Sun for recovery
• partners that can take on water and grass-type attacks such as Amoonguss work weel as they have good defensive synergy
• something that can tank special attacks is good since most special attackers can easily break through Solrock so Mantine or Regice are good fits
• something that can easily take on Gurdurr such as Garbodor is helpful since gurdurr dgaf about burn and sets up on Solrock easily
• be wary about switching Solrock into Swellow or Braviary as U-turn does a hefty chunk
• you can run 160 speed to outspeed SubBU Braviary so you can burn it before it sets up a substitute and proceeds to sweep through your team
• toxic can be used over WoW if you prefer toxic, even though will-o-wisp is one of its main niches over another Rock-type such as Regirock
• a specially defensive spread can be used since WoW already cripples physical attackers enough but most special attackers can break through it anyways

[SET]
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Explosion
item: Light Clay
ability: Levitate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

• Choosing Solrock over another Dual Screener such as Gardevoir may seem odd, but Solrock's main advantage is SR, which sweepers on hyper offensive teams love
• it can also go out with a boom and has a decent speed when invested
• can set up screens against many pokemon such as Golem or Kangaskhan
• Light Screen and Reflect are self-explanatory for a dual screens set as they allow Solrock's teammates to have an easier time setting up or breaking through the other team
• Use explosion carefully since that will be Solrock's last time setting up screens
• explosion allows solrock to bring in one of its teammates safely while also denting the opponent

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

• max speed allows it to outspeed many pokemon such as Absol or neutral Samurott/Ludicolo allowing it to get off a BOOM, screens, or SR before it goes down
• Morning Sun or an attack can be used over explosion if you want to preserve Solrock throughout the match
• same can be said for SR if you already have a SR user
• try setting up SR before you start screening so you won't be wasting a turn of screens by using SR
• good teammates are ones that can take advantage of its screens such as Linoone or Fraxure
• Ampharos is also a good partner as it can also set up screens against special attackers that can knock out Solrock
• please do not use a normal gem, it needs light clay for screens to stay up for a long time

[Other Options]

• Trick Room + BOOM + SR
• A baton pass set can be used but is generally outclassed by other speed passers such as Ninjask or Agility Gorebyss
• a cb set maybe?
• Psyche Up to stop pokemon such as Musharna, Braviary, or Fraxure setting up on it (works well with Morning Sun too), but it's not as effective as it seems
• has a good special movepool, but Lunatone outclasses it as a special attacker
• can set up Sunny Day
• gravity !
• offensive LO + morning sun + 3 attacks set

[Checks and Counters]

• Special Water-types such as Ludicolo or Samurott can easily destroy Solrock; Gorebyss can even easily set up against Solrock
• Grass-types such as Amoonguss or Eggy have no problem with Solrock as neither of them mind the burn, be wary of Zen Headbutt when using Amoonguss though
• Skuntank can Taunt and trap Solrock but can't switch into Will-O-Wisp directly
• Absol can threaten Solrock out with a possible Lum Berry to not worry about Will-O-Wisp
• Birds such as Swellow and Braviary can continually U-turn against Solrock and force it out with a teammate
• Gurdurr can set up on Solrock all day as it doesn't care about getting burned due to Guts
• Misdreavus can Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, or Shadow Ball to take care of Solrock
• Haunter can SubDisable solrock's only attacking move and KO it with Shadow Ball
• Fraxure can set up on Solrock with Taunt but can't switch in because of the risk of getting burned

ctrl-f Psych Up -----> no results. This should at least be in OO, maybe even in AC of the first set. Being able to completely stop Braviary and Musharna (along with some other stat-boosters) is so amazing, especially when you have recovery to go along with it. I'm not sure about move legalities since it gets Psych Up from Gen 3, but it still needs a mention somewhere. I'll give this a full look over soon-ish.

Psych Up is actually a 5th gen TM so it access it on any of its sets, like Dingo said it should be in either Other Options or AC of the first set. I'm not really too sure where it should go as all of Solrock's moves are pretty important for it in its first set. Remove Stone Edge from the set and move it to AC. Since this is just an accuracy thing it's not really important enough to keep it in the main set and Rock Slide's PP is vastly superior and works better for a defensive set anyways. If you can, try to find some situations where Stone Edge would be preferred over Rock Slide. If you can't you should just remove mention of it at all.

I think the name of the first set should be called Physically Defensive since that is really its main role; to take advantage of Will-O-Wisp, Morning Sun, and its unique typing to tank physical threats such as Emboar.

Add in for Other Options a Life Orb 3 Attacks + Morning Sun set that takes advantage of its good coverage, base 70 Speed, and access to recovery. Its main downfall being that it's not all that powerful and doesn't take advantage of its main defensive niche.

k implemented above stuff

Fraxure generally runs taunt (which he will use fearing WoW) and is not setting up it's defence, I don't think he should be mentionned in the psych up point.

I'm actually not so sure about mentioning psych up at all since solrock is not killing gurdurr even with a crit while gurdurr will completely wreck solrock and the rest of your team if he get's one. You'll have to pray for WoW to kill him before he gets a crit which might take a while. Mushy is also OHKO'ing you at +6 if it gets a crit, while solrock doesn't even have a boosted rock slide to damage it and isn't doing much through burn either. Even SubBU brav can pp stall you, best you can get is a burn or a crit on a roost turn.

Maybe make a mention of Baton Pass on the dual screens set?

psych up is in OO which basically fits what you pointed out - it's marginally useful (or at least plausibly, at first) but after further inspection, it doesn't quite turn out to be as effective as it should.

otherwise i'm ok with the rest of this.


QC Approved 1/3

Mention in the Overview that Solrock counters Zebraiken.


QC Approved 3/3

Thanks guys. Will get started writing this weekend!

is this still being worked on? It's been sitting here for quite awhile.

this is being reassigned