[Overview]
<p>Given that Wormadam is already such an atrocious Pokemon, its 'trash' forme certainly does not bode well for its viability. However, Wormadam-S is arguably the most viable of the three Wormadam formes, and it can hold its own defensively in a metagame infested with Normal- and Psychic-types. Granted, its defensive stats are mediocre at best, and the lack of recovery severely hurts. Wormadam-S is a welcome sign for the top threats Gorebyss and Magmortar, but its niche ability to shut out other common offensive threats should not be ignored. With proper support, Wormadam-S is fully capable of shutting out an entire team unprepared to take down its metallic hide.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive Worm
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Gyro Ball / Iron Head
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Anticipation
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Wormadam-S's Bug / Steel typing is incredibly useful in its ability to combat common NU threats. As the only fully evolved Steel-type that does not take super effective damage from Ground- and Fighting-type attacks, Wormadam can act as a physical sponge while retaining its ability to resist special hits. Stealth Rock is an incredible support move, and Wormadam can reliably set it up. Given that Wormadam hates Fire-types, Stealth Rock helps to keep them on a tight leash. Toxic is Wormadam's main method of dealing damage, as only a few Pokemon can effectively damage Wormadam quickly enough to avoid it. Toxic helps against defensive walls that try to outstall Wormadam by capitalizing on its lack of recovery. Gyro Ball is its strongest STAB, and packs quite a punch when coupled with a Speed decreasing nature. However, its low PP is rather undesirable for a defensive Pokemon, and Iron Head is an option that provides higher PP and more reliable damage against slower foes. Finally, Protect has good synergy with Toxic, and provides more Leftovers recovery. As Wormadam has little viable options, it appreciates the extra utility in scouting Hidden Power Fire and Choice items.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs emphasize its physical Defense, while the minimum Speed powers up Gyro Ball. Of course, a specially defensive spread with a Sassy nature is just as viable. A physically defensive spread is the preferred option for taking Tauros' Earthquake, Absol's Superpower, and other neutral physical moves, but a specially defensive spread may be helpful for checking Jynx and Mesprit. As Overcoat is illegal with Stealth Rock, Anticipation is the preferred ability. Since Wormadam-S has a single weakness, Anticipation is surprisingly useful to scout the opponent's moveset—just remember that Anticipation does not warn against a super effective Hidden Power. Bug Bite is an alternative STAB move over Protect for conserving Gyro Ball's PP, and it scores super effective damage on Mesprit, Duosion, and Leafeon. Its downside is its low Base Power and the fact that it sees only situational use.</p>
<p>Wormadam checks a wide variety of sweepers, but is very vulnerable to Magmortar and Gorebyss—two omnipresent offensive juggernauts of NU. As a result, teammates that help check these two monsters are appreciated. Flareon is able to take on Magmortar, tank special hits, and pass Wish to Wormadam-S for recovery. Quagsire can check Magmortar without Hidden Power Grass, while Wormadam-S can easily switch in to Grass-types, such as Leafeon, that tend to plague Quagsire. Specially defensive Lickilicky and bulky Calm Mind Jynx fare well against Gorebyss, and are also good teammates: Lickilicky can pass wish to Wormadam-S, while Jynx appreciates Wormadam-S taking on faster Normal-type physical attackers. Since Gorebyss and Magmortar are both weak to Toxic Spikes, Garbodor is another great teammate. It can switch in on Poison-types, namely Weezing and Muk, that Wormadam cannot damage and can set up Toxic Spikes. In return, Wormadam can switch into Psychic-types that threaten Garbodor, such as Mesprit, with relative ease.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>You know Wormadam-S is severely lacking in options when Protect is listed as a main move in the main set. It has access to Sucker Punch, which can finish off a weakened offensive Pokemon. Since Wormadam will often use a Speed-decreasing nature for Gyro Ball anyway, special options such as Flash Cannon and Signal Beam are relatively more viable. Wormadam-S also has access to Rain Dance and Sunny Day, though there are better Pokemon for such jobs, namely Mesprit and Volbeat. Nature Power can paralyze Magmortar and Gorebyss switch-ins, but does little outside of that. Finally, Endeavor wraps up its puny movepool, and Wormadam isn't even able to make full use of such a gimmicky move thanks to its low speed.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Fire-types are mortal enemies to Wormadam-S. Not only do they resist Gyro Ball, but they can always OHKO back with their STAB move. Magmortar and Camerupt, for example, can switch in with impunity and immediately threaten the opposition. Even without STAB, any Fire-type coverage should have no problem with Wormadam: for example, Weezing walls Wormadam-S, and can roast it with Flamethrower. Since Wormadam's main source of damage is Toxic, bulky Poison- and Steel-types rarely have trouble with Wormadam. Muk can set up Curse, while Arbok can use Coil for a sweeping opportunity. As a defensive Pokemon, Wormadam-S's biggest flaw is its lack of recovery and its nonexistent offense. Against anything with bulk and recovery, Wormadam's best shot is PP stalling. For example, Altaria and Vileplume are thoroughly walled, but Wormadam-S is unable to do anything back because of their bulk. In fact, with Heal Bell and Aromatherapy, respectively, they are able to remove the Toxic status that Wormadam-S spreads. Similarly, Quagsire and Misdreavus take little from Gyro Ball and burn Wormadam-S, although Quagsire does not like Toxic. Even without these counters, powerful neutral attacks, such as Golem's Earthquake, should wear down Wormadam-S quite easily as it does not have a recovery move.</p>
<p>Given that Wormadam is already such an atrocious Pokemon, its 'trash' forme certainly does not bode well for its viability. However, Wormadam-S is arguably the most viable of the three Wormadam formes, and it can hold its own defensively in a metagame infested with Normal- and Psychic-types. Granted, its defensive stats are mediocre at best, and the lack of recovery severely hurts. Wormadam-S is a welcome sign for the top threats Gorebyss and Magmortar, but its niche ability to shut out other common offensive threats should not be ignored. With proper support, Wormadam-S is fully capable of shutting out an entire team unprepared to take down its metallic hide.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive Worm
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Gyro Ball / Iron Head
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Anticipation
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Wormadam-S's Bug / Steel typing is incredibly useful in its ability to combat common NU threats. As the only fully evolved Steel-type that does not take super effective damage from Ground- and Fighting-type attacks, Wormadam can act as a physical sponge while retaining its ability to resist special hits. Stealth Rock is an incredible support move, and Wormadam can reliably set it up. Given that Wormadam hates Fire-types, Stealth Rock helps to keep them on a tight leash. Toxic is Wormadam's main method of dealing damage, as only a few Pokemon can effectively damage Wormadam quickly enough to avoid it. Toxic helps against defensive walls that try to outstall Wormadam by capitalizing on its lack of recovery. Gyro Ball is its strongest STAB, and packs quite a punch when coupled with a Speed decreasing nature. However, its low PP is rather undesirable for a defensive Pokemon, and Iron Head is an option that provides higher PP and more reliable damage against slower foes. Finally, Protect has good synergy with Toxic, and provides more Leftovers recovery. As Wormadam has little viable options, it appreciates the extra utility in scouting Hidden Power Fire and Choice items.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs emphasize its physical Defense, while the minimum Speed powers up Gyro Ball. Of course, a specially defensive spread with a Sassy nature is just as viable. A physically defensive spread is the preferred option for taking Tauros' Earthquake, Absol's Superpower, and other neutral physical moves, but a specially defensive spread may be helpful for checking Jynx and Mesprit. As Overcoat is illegal with Stealth Rock, Anticipation is the preferred ability. Since Wormadam-S has a single weakness, Anticipation is surprisingly useful to scout the opponent's moveset—just remember that Anticipation does not warn against a super effective Hidden Power. Bug Bite is an alternative STAB move over Protect for conserving Gyro Ball's PP, and it scores super effective damage on Mesprit, Duosion, and Leafeon. Its downside is its low Base Power and the fact that it sees only situational use.</p>
<p>Wormadam checks a wide variety of sweepers, but is very vulnerable to Magmortar and Gorebyss—two omnipresent offensive juggernauts of NU. As a result, teammates that help check these two monsters are appreciated. Flareon is able to take on Magmortar, tank special hits, and pass Wish to Wormadam-S for recovery. Quagsire can check Magmortar without Hidden Power Grass, while Wormadam-S can easily switch in to Grass-types, such as Leafeon, that tend to plague Quagsire. Specially defensive Lickilicky and bulky Calm Mind Jynx fare well against Gorebyss, and are also good teammates: Lickilicky can pass wish to Wormadam-S, while Jynx appreciates Wormadam-S taking on faster Normal-type physical attackers. Since Gorebyss and Magmortar are both weak to Toxic Spikes, Garbodor is another great teammate. It can switch in on Poison-types, namely Weezing and Muk, that Wormadam cannot damage and can set up Toxic Spikes. In return, Wormadam can switch into Psychic-types that threaten Garbodor, such as Mesprit, with relative ease.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>You know Wormadam-S is severely lacking in options when Protect is listed as a main move in the main set. It has access to Sucker Punch, which can finish off a weakened offensive Pokemon. Since Wormadam will often use a Speed-decreasing nature for Gyro Ball anyway, special options such as Flash Cannon and Signal Beam are relatively more viable. Wormadam-S also has access to Rain Dance and Sunny Day, though there are better Pokemon for such jobs, namely Mesprit and Volbeat. Nature Power can paralyze Magmortar and Gorebyss switch-ins, but does little outside of that. Finally, Endeavor wraps up its puny movepool, and Wormadam isn't even able to make full use of such a gimmicky move thanks to its low speed.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Fire-types are mortal enemies to Wormadam-S. Not only do they resist Gyro Ball, but they can always OHKO back with their STAB move. Magmortar and Camerupt, for example, can switch in with impunity and immediately threaten the opposition. Even without STAB, any Fire-type coverage should have no problem with Wormadam: for example, Weezing walls Wormadam-S, and can roast it with Flamethrower. Since Wormadam's main source of damage is Toxic, bulky Poison- and Steel-types rarely have trouble with Wormadam. Muk can set up Curse, while Arbok can use Coil for a sweeping opportunity. As a defensive Pokemon, Wormadam-S's biggest flaw is its lack of recovery and its nonexistent offense. Against anything with bulk and recovery, Wormadam's best shot is PP stalling. For example, Altaria and Vileplume are thoroughly walled, but Wormadam-S is unable to do anything back because of their bulk. In fact, with Heal Bell and Aromatherapy, respectively, they are able to remove the Toxic status that Wormadam-S spreads. Similarly, Quagsire and Misdreavus take little from Gyro Ball and burn Wormadam-S, although Quagsire does not like Toxic. Even without these counters, powerful neutral attacks, such as Golem's Earthquake, should wear down Wormadam-S quite easily as it does not have a recovery move.</p>
