[Overview]
<p>When most players look at Armaldo, they are instantly drawn to its excellent Attack stat and powerful STAB moves. These factors, coupled with its access to boosting moves such as Swords Dance and Rock Polish, enforce the idea that Armaldo is an offensive Pokemon. Others see Armaldo's decent defenses and support moves, such as Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, and come to the conclusion that Armaldo is a support Pokemon. Neither of these opinions would be incorrect. While Armaldo was gifted with a pair of wicked STABs, it has rather poor typing defensively. With resistances to Poison and Normal, two of the worst offensive types, Armaldo is forced to rely on its bulk to take an onslaught of neutral hits. A Bug / Rock typing also leaves Armaldo with crippling weaknesses to Water-, Rock-, and Steel-type moves. The Rock weakness is especially debilitating for a Pokemon that will often have to switch in to spin away opposing hazards. For a Pokemon that was otherwise blessed with excellent offensive prowess, its Speed is quite lackluster in comparison. But don't think that Armaldo won't be able to fulfill its goal; with the right team support, Armaldo can slice, claw, and spin your team to victory.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Earthquake
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Battle Armor / Swift Swim
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although Armaldo's claws are naturally sharp, a turn spent honing its swordsmanship can double its attacking power and allow it to lay waste to the opposing team. Armaldo rarely finds time to sweep through whole teams, but the gaping holes it leaves in most defensive cores can easily be taken advantage of by its teammates. Armaldo's STAB moves, X-Scissor and Stone Edge, are some of the best offensively typed moves in the tier, allowing Armaldo to break through defensive titans such as Claydol and Mandibuzz. Using Earthquake in the fourth slot patches up the coverage of Armaldo's moves. Earthquake is especially useful for hitting Fighting- and Steel-types harder than its STAB moves.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>In the last slot, Earthquake could be replaced with Rapid Spin to turn Armaldo into an offensive spinner, but it loses out on valuable coverage andspinning is often better done by its other sets. The choice of item is also flexible; whether you want the power of Life Orb or the durability of Leftovers is up to you. The EVs are standard for an offensive set like this one; Attack and Speed are maximized to provide the most destruction potential, while using a Jolly nature also helps Armaldo outspeed more threats. The extra EVs are placed in Defense as placing them in HP would cause damage taken from Stealth Rock to round up. While Armaldo is quite slow, it can easily double its Speed thanks to its ability Swift Swim, Volbeat and Uxie are both excellent Pokemon for setting up Rain for Armaldo. Entry hazard support in the form of Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes can help Armaldo achieve important KOs and wear down counters such as Dusknoir and Cofagrigus; Uxie and Scolipede are both excellent options for this task. Like most physical attackers, Armaldo does not appreciate statuses such as burn, therefore it is a wise idea to pair Armaldo with clerics such as Clefable. This set will easily remove troublesome bulky Pokemon, allowing sweepers such as Feraligatr and Klinklang more opportunities to succeed.</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Toxic / Knock Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Battle Armor
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Armaldo often takes the role of an offensive wallbreaker, it can accomplish support duties just as well. An excellent base Defense stat, as well as a handy defensive ability, makes Armaldo a shoo-in for a defensive wall. Like many Rock-types, Armaldo can learn Stealth Rock, one of the metagame's most important moves. However, Armaldo has access to an even rarer gem; having Rapid Spin places Armaldo among the few elite Pokemon in NU capable of removing hazards from their side of the field. The removal of hazards can be exceptionally useful to many teams, as NU contains numerous powerful attackers that are only hindered by hazards. Despite a lack of investment, Armaldo's Attack stat is high enough to take advantage of STAB Rock Blast. Rock Blast gets first preference on this set due to its ability to break Substitutes and increased accuracy when compared to Stone Edge. The last move is dedicated to crippling the opponent, relying on either Toxic to wear down the opposing team or Knock Off to remove items, especially the prevalent Eviolite.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This time, the EVs and item are used to bolster Armaldo's defensive capabilities. Maximum investment in HP and Defense mean Armaldo can easily take most physical hits while supporting the team. Access to Battle Armor removes the chance of critical hits, forcing opponents to struggle to find ways to wear down Armaldo. This set has difficulty against bulky Ghost-type Pokemon, such as Cofagrigus, as they can block Rapid Spin and take a pittance from Rock Blast. If they run Rest, then not even Toxic can remove them. As a result, strong Pursuit users such as Skuntank are recommended to remove Ghost-types so that Armaldo can spin freely. Armaldo's lack of resistances and common weaknesses mean that it can easily be worn down by Super effective attacks. Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Quagsire can switch into most of Armaldo's weaknesses and form a good defensive core with it. Once again, a cleric such as Clefable or Lanturn can help to relieve status ailments such as Toxic and Burn. Armaldo's ability to support the team is quite unique, and its teammates should reflect this. Moltres and Scyther love a hazard-free field, while having Stealth Rock up on the opponent's side allows them to net extra KOs.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Rapid Spin / Aqua Tail
item: Choice Band
ability: Battle Armor
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Sometimes Armaldo doesn't have the time to set up, so it's often better to hit hard right off the bat. The Choice Band set offers this alternative. Armaldo is an excellent wallbreaker, with powerful dual STABs that can easily break through defensive walls such as Mandibuzz, Sigilyph, and Claydol. X-Scissor and Stone Edge are the standard STAB moves that Armaldo will be using most of the time, but Stone Edge can be replaced with Rock Blast if you find yourself needing to break through Focus Sash and Substitute. Earthquake is the third move, completing EdgeQuake coverage. Armaldo can continue to support its team even with a Choice Band by using Rapid Spin in the last slot. Although it isn't going to be breaking walls anytime soon, the ability to remove entry hazards from your side of the field is sometimes too valuable to pass up. If you feel that Rapid Spin isn't required, Aqua Tail can be used to hit Pokemon such as Rhydon harder.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are standard fare for an offensive Pokemon such as Armaldo, but it can also run a more bulky set. A spread of 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe allows it maximum Attack power and bulk while still being able to outspeed uninvested Tangrowth. However, this spread does mean that Armaldo remains very slow and can sometimes be outsped by the walls that it is meant to defeat. The difference between Adamant and Jolly is normally irrelevant in such a slow Pokemon, but Jolly gives Armaldo the extra Speed to outspeed Adamant Aggron. Entry hazard and paralysis support from a Pokemon such as Uxie or Ferroseed can allow Armaldo to outspeed more threats and obtain more KOs. This set can punch some huge holes in defensive cores, such as those that utilize Tangrowth and Slowking's access to Regenerator, so teammates that are troubled by these cores, such as Klinklang and most Grass-types such as Leafeon, can sweep afterwards.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Armaldo has a plethora of boosting moves at its disposal, each of which can fulfill a specific role. Rock Polish boosts Armaldo's pathetic Speed, but even at +2, it finds itself unable to outspeed common Scarf holders and sorely missing Swords Dance's power boost. Curse is another option, allowing you to raise both Armaldo's defense and offense simultaneously. However, it doesn't pose an immediate threat and leaves Armaldo open to the numerous Special Attackers in the tier that can prey on its unboosted Special Defense stat. Lastly, Hone Claws can fix the accuracy of Stone Edge, but using Hone Claws is likely to cause even more frustration as you will be unable to KO Pokemon that could be KOed after a Swords Dance.</p>
<p>In terms of other attacking options, Armaldo has Superpower to put the hurt on Ferroseed and hit Steel-types harder than Earthquake. Unfortunately, the move comes with unsavory stat drops to Armaldo's best stats. Armaldo can also abuse Substitute to protect itself from status and weak attacks, but it is often too slow to activate Substitute before it is hit with crippling status.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Bulky Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus and Dusknoir are a perpetual thorn in Armaldo's side. Their typing allows them to block Armaldo's attempts at spinning while their exceptional bulk lets them take even a +2 Stone Edge and retaliate with a debilitating Will-O-Wisp. Fighting-types also make good switch-ins to Armaldo courtesy of their typing, which gives them resistance to Armaldo's STAB attacks. However, frailer Fighting-types such as Hitmonlee should be careful of switching in, as a Choice Band-boosted or +2 Earthquake can severely injure if not destroy them. When it comes to revenge killing Armaldo, the options vary depending on how much Speed Armaldo has. Priority is a good weapon against Armaldo, especially as it bypasses any Speed boosts that Armaldo may have obtained. Good priority attacks include Medicham's Bullet Punch and Feraligatr's Aqua Jet, both of which can hit Armaldo super effectively. Fast Choice Scarf users, such as Jynx and Galvantula, can outspeed even a +2 Armaldo and decimate it with their STAB attacks. However, be wary of Armaldo's powerful attacks as these Pokemon tend to be quite frail.</p>
<p>When most players look at Armaldo, they are instantly drawn to its excellent Attack stat and powerful STAB moves. These factors, coupled with its access to boosting moves such as Swords Dance and Rock Polish, enforce the idea that Armaldo is an offensive Pokemon. Others see Armaldo's decent defenses and support moves, such as Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, and come to the conclusion that Armaldo is a support Pokemon. Neither of these opinions would be incorrect. While Armaldo was gifted with a pair of wicked STABs, it has rather poor typing defensively. With resistances to Poison and Normal, two of the worst offensive types, Armaldo is forced to rely on its bulk to take an onslaught of neutral hits. A Bug / Rock typing also leaves Armaldo with crippling weaknesses to Water-, Rock-, and Steel-type moves. The Rock weakness is especially debilitating for a Pokemon that will often have to switch in to spin away opposing hazards. For a Pokemon that was otherwise blessed with excellent offensive prowess, its Speed is quite lackluster in comparison. But don't think that Armaldo won't be able to fulfill its goal; with the right team support, Armaldo can slice, claw, and spin your team to victory.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Earthquake
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Battle Armor / Swift Swim
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although Armaldo's claws are naturally sharp, a turn spent honing its swordsmanship can double its attacking power and allow it to lay waste to the opposing team. Armaldo rarely finds time to sweep through whole teams, but the gaping holes it leaves in most defensive cores can easily be taken advantage of by its teammates. Armaldo's STAB moves, X-Scissor and Stone Edge, are some of the best offensively typed moves in the tier, allowing Armaldo to break through defensive titans such as Claydol and Mandibuzz. Using Earthquake in the fourth slot patches up the coverage of Armaldo's moves. Earthquake is especially useful for hitting Fighting- and Steel-types harder than its STAB moves.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>In the last slot, Earthquake could be replaced with Rapid Spin to turn Armaldo into an offensive spinner, but it loses out on valuable coverage andspinning is often better done by its other sets. The choice of item is also flexible; whether you want the power of Life Orb or the durability of Leftovers is up to you. The EVs are standard for an offensive set like this one; Attack and Speed are maximized to provide the most destruction potential, while using a Jolly nature also helps Armaldo outspeed more threats. The extra EVs are placed in Defense as placing them in HP would cause damage taken from Stealth Rock to round up. While Armaldo is quite slow, it can easily double its Speed thanks to its ability Swift Swim, Volbeat and Uxie are both excellent Pokemon for setting up Rain for Armaldo. Entry hazard support in the form of Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes can help Armaldo achieve important KOs and wear down counters such as Dusknoir and Cofagrigus; Uxie and Scolipede are both excellent options for this task. Like most physical attackers, Armaldo does not appreciate statuses such as burn, therefore it is a wise idea to pair Armaldo with clerics such as Clefable. This set will easily remove troublesome bulky Pokemon, allowing sweepers such as Feraligatr and Klinklang more opportunities to succeed.</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Toxic / Knock Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Battle Armor
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Armaldo often takes the role of an offensive wallbreaker, it can accomplish support duties just as well. An excellent base Defense stat, as well as a handy defensive ability, makes Armaldo a shoo-in for a defensive wall. Like many Rock-types, Armaldo can learn Stealth Rock, one of the metagame's most important moves. However, Armaldo has access to an even rarer gem; having Rapid Spin places Armaldo among the few elite Pokemon in NU capable of removing hazards from their side of the field. The removal of hazards can be exceptionally useful to many teams, as NU contains numerous powerful attackers that are only hindered by hazards. Despite a lack of investment, Armaldo's Attack stat is high enough to take advantage of STAB Rock Blast. Rock Blast gets first preference on this set due to its ability to break Substitutes and increased accuracy when compared to Stone Edge. The last move is dedicated to crippling the opponent, relying on either Toxic to wear down the opposing team or Knock Off to remove items, especially the prevalent Eviolite.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This time, the EVs and item are used to bolster Armaldo's defensive capabilities. Maximum investment in HP and Defense mean Armaldo can easily take most physical hits while supporting the team. Access to Battle Armor removes the chance of critical hits, forcing opponents to struggle to find ways to wear down Armaldo. This set has difficulty against bulky Ghost-type Pokemon, such as Cofagrigus, as they can block Rapid Spin and take a pittance from Rock Blast. If they run Rest, then not even Toxic can remove them. As a result, strong Pursuit users such as Skuntank are recommended to remove Ghost-types so that Armaldo can spin freely. Armaldo's lack of resistances and common weaknesses mean that it can easily be worn down by Super effective attacks. Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Quagsire can switch into most of Armaldo's weaknesses and form a good defensive core with it. Once again, a cleric such as Clefable or Lanturn can help to relieve status ailments such as Toxic and Burn. Armaldo's ability to support the team is quite unique, and its teammates should reflect this. Moltres and Scyther love a hazard-free field, while having Stealth Rock up on the opponent's side allows them to net extra KOs.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Rapid Spin / Aqua Tail
item: Choice Band
ability: Battle Armor
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Sometimes Armaldo doesn't have the time to set up, so it's often better to hit hard right off the bat. The Choice Band set offers this alternative. Armaldo is an excellent wallbreaker, with powerful dual STABs that can easily break through defensive walls such as Mandibuzz, Sigilyph, and Claydol. X-Scissor and Stone Edge are the standard STAB moves that Armaldo will be using most of the time, but Stone Edge can be replaced with Rock Blast if you find yourself needing to break through Focus Sash and Substitute. Earthquake is the third move, completing EdgeQuake coverage. Armaldo can continue to support its team even with a Choice Band by using Rapid Spin in the last slot. Although it isn't going to be breaking walls anytime soon, the ability to remove entry hazards from your side of the field is sometimes too valuable to pass up. If you feel that Rapid Spin isn't required, Aqua Tail can be used to hit Pokemon such as Rhydon harder.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are standard fare for an offensive Pokemon such as Armaldo, but it can also run a more bulky set. A spread of 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe allows it maximum Attack power and bulk while still being able to outspeed uninvested Tangrowth. However, this spread does mean that Armaldo remains very slow and can sometimes be outsped by the walls that it is meant to defeat. The difference between Adamant and Jolly is normally irrelevant in such a slow Pokemon, but Jolly gives Armaldo the extra Speed to outspeed Adamant Aggron. Entry hazard and paralysis support from a Pokemon such as Uxie or Ferroseed can allow Armaldo to outspeed more threats and obtain more KOs. This set can punch some huge holes in defensive cores, such as those that utilize Tangrowth and Slowking's access to Regenerator, so teammates that are troubled by these cores, such as Klinklang and most Grass-types such as Leafeon, can sweep afterwards.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Armaldo has a plethora of boosting moves at its disposal, each of which can fulfill a specific role. Rock Polish boosts Armaldo's pathetic Speed, but even at +2, it finds itself unable to outspeed common Scarf holders and sorely missing Swords Dance's power boost. Curse is another option, allowing you to raise both Armaldo's defense and offense simultaneously. However, it doesn't pose an immediate threat and leaves Armaldo open to the numerous Special Attackers in the tier that can prey on its unboosted Special Defense stat. Lastly, Hone Claws can fix the accuracy of Stone Edge, but using Hone Claws is likely to cause even more frustration as you will be unable to KO Pokemon that could be KOed after a Swords Dance.</p>
<p>In terms of other attacking options, Armaldo has Superpower to put the hurt on Ferroseed and hit Steel-types harder than Earthquake. Unfortunately, the move comes with unsavory stat drops to Armaldo's best stats. Armaldo can also abuse Substitute to protect itself from status and weak attacks, but it is often too slow to activate Substitute before it is hit with crippling status.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Bulky Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus and Dusknoir are a perpetual thorn in Armaldo's side. Their typing allows them to block Armaldo's attempts at spinning while their exceptional bulk lets them take even a +2 Stone Edge and retaliate with a debilitating Will-O-Wisp. Fighting-types also make good switch-ins to Armaldo courtesy of their typing, which gives them resistance to Armaldo's STAB attacks. However, frailer Fighting-types such as Hitmonlee should be careful of switching in, as a Choice Band-boosted or +2 Earthquake can severely injure if not destroy them. When it comes to revenge killing Armaldo, the options vary depending on how much Speed Armaldo has. Priority is a good weapon against Armaldo, especially as it bypasses any Speed boosts that Armaldo may have obtained. Good priority attacks include Medicham's Bullet Punch and Feraligatr's Aqua Jet, both of which can hit Armaldo super effectively. Fast Choice Scarf users, such as Jynx and Galvantula, can outspeed even a +2 Armaldo and decimate it with their STAB attacks. However, be wary of Armaldo's powerful attacks as these Pokemon tend to be quite frail.</p>
