SOMALIA got this pass quality control, so now I'm getting this through Copyediting. His thread can be found and locked here.
Fuck, I think.. I think.. I hope.. I'm done >xD If you notice any repeated phrases, please point them out...
======
STAMPS
QC: 2/2:
(uragg)
(Bluewind)
GP: 2/2:
(Fatecrashers)
(bugmaniacbob)
======
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/rampardos
======
[OVERVIEW]
<p>Rampardos is pretty much the definition of the term 'glass cannon'. The good news? He possesses the highest base Attack stat found outside of Ubers, powerful STAB Rock-type attacks, and an awesome movepool with access to useful boosting options. On the other hand, he also has a low Speed stat and shoddy defenses with weaknesses to several common attacking types, making him extremely vulnerable to four of the most common priority moves in UU (Aqua Jet, Bullet Punch, Mach Punch, and Vacuum Wave). It goes without saying, then, that the metagame has not been very kind to Rampardos at all, and he is often shunned in favor of his bulkier competitors, who are not so easily revenge killed. Still, if you're looking for power, and lots of it, then maybe Rampardos is the Pokemon for you.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Zen Headbutt
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With a beastly Attack stat, and below average Speed, it would seem that Rampardos was born to use a Choice Scarf. Thanks to his unholy combination of Speed and power, he's more than capable of revenge killing early- to mid-game, and sweeping through a weakened team late-game. Stone Edge is a powerful STAB move coming off Rampardos's base 165 Attack, and Earthquake is used with it to form the infamous "EdgeQuake" combo. Thanks to Mold Breaker, Rampardos is able to use Earthquake to hit common Levitators such as Rotom and Weezing super effectively, which is a massive plus in anyone's book. Fire Punch is for Torterra, which walls the rest of the set, while also being a more reliable move to use against defensive Grass-types. Finally, Zen Headbutt is in the last slot as it 2HKOes Hariyama and Hitmontop (without Intimidate).</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Head Smash is an option over Stone Edge, as its massive Base Power can be most useful in the direst of situations, and as a bonus it has the same shoddy accuracy as Stone Edge. The recoil, on the other hand, is utterly crippling. Ice Beam is not recommended here as it is really, really bad to get locked into a move running off Rampardos's uninvested Special Attack. Pursuit is not listed for the same reason, but it can be useful in trapping weakened foes. A Jolly nature is recommended because it is necessary for Rampardos to outspeed base 105s such as Scyther and Mismagius (he actually outspeeds up to base 110s, but those are practically non-existent in UU), whereas an Adamant nature will only outspeed up to base 95s. Still, the extra power can be useful, but keep in mind that revenge killers generally always want as much Speed as they can get.</p>
<p>Due to the fact that Rampardos will be switching in and out fairly often, Rapid Spin support would actually not be a bad idea. Since Rampardos will also be causing a lot of switches (to an offensive team at least), setting up entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field will also be good. Lots of Pokemon are capable of providing either form of support. Blastoise is one Pokemon who can pull off the Foresight + Rapid Spin trick, ensuring a successful Rapid Spin unless the opponent has two Ghost-types, while Torterra's good bulk makes it a reliable Stealth Rock user. A spinblocker of your own, such as Rotom or Mismagius, will also help keep those hazards where they should be. Rampardos is stopped cold by two main Pokemon, Tangrowth (even with Fire Punch) and Donphan. Because of this, Houndoom and Milotic make incredible offensive partners to use alongside Rampardos, the former being able to fry Tangrowth and the latter being able to swamp Donphan.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Stone Edge / Head Smash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Punch / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rampardos's massive Attack will certainly cause many switches, and he can take advantage of this with Substitute. Substitute will not only give the frail Rampardos what is effectively a second life, but also ease prediction greatly and block status. Stone Edge is a powerful STAB attack, and Head Smash even more so, and is able to outright OHKO even Physically Defensive Milotic with Life Orb. Unfortunately, the combination of Life Orb, Head Smash, and Substitute means that Rampardos is going to be losing health insanely fast, even if he isn't being attacked. Leftovers can remedy this somewhat, but not by much, given the damage output of Head Smash. Earthquake is the usual coverage move that hits almost every other Pokemon, while the final move takes care of the pesky Torterra.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are self-explanatory for a Substitute set; maximum Speed caps out the number of Pokemon that Rampardos will be able to set up on, and maximum Attack makes sure that the set-up is worth it. Focus Punch can be used here in conjunction with Substitute, being much more powerful than Earthquake and giving extremely similar coverage, but it will leave Rampardos with no good "safe" attack. Since this set will usually be forcing a lot of switches, entry hazards are easily worth their weight in gold with Substitute Rampardos on your team. Spikes in particular are a good option, especially considering that most of Rampardos's typical switch-ins are Ground-types. You'll also want Pokemon that will help lure out the things Rampardos can set up on, specifically Pokemon that'll switch out in fear of one of his moves. Paralysis support will also be useful in helping Rampardos set up on Pokemon that usually outspeed him, such as Ambipom and Sceptile. Finally, Wish users can help compensate for the immense residual damage that Rampardos will be taking; Leafeon is a good example of such a Pokemon.</p>
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Punch / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
nature: Adamant / Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rock Polish Rampardos throws the idea of revenge killing out the window, and goes in for a more direct late-game sweep. With a Rock Polish under his belt, Rampardos reaches 430 Speed, which outspeeds every unboosted Pokemon in UU, and then some. Combine this with his Life Orb-boosted base 165 Attack stat, and Rampardos becomes more than capable of sweeping through unprepared teams. Stone Edge is the STAB move of choice, packing astonishing power, while Earthquake is here to hit what Stone Edge doesn't for at least neutral damage (bar Shedinja). In the last slot, Rampardos has two equally promising options to nail Torterra with in Fire Punch and Ice Beam. While the first comes off Rampardos's insane Attack stat, Ice Beam is also surprisingly useful because it 2HKOes many problem Pokemon that will usually wall Rampardos, namely Donphan and Tangrowth, as well as OHKOing offensive Torterra. If you decide to run Ice Beam, a Naughty nature is preferred, so as not to lower Rampardos's Special Attack.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Lum Berry is an option over Life Orb to stop a one-time status attempt from ruining Rampardos's sweep, and it also allows him to set up on status-carrying support Pokemon such as Chansey and Registeel. It is worth noting, however, that without Life Orb's power boost, Ice Beam will miss out on many of its intended KOs, and thus become a far less appealing option. In general, the lack of power will also make Rampardos that much easier to wall. Zen Headbutt can be used in the final slot, but once again thanks to Life Orb, Rampardos doesn't need it to OHKO frailer Fighting-types.</p>
<p>Since Rampardos is trying to sweep, entry hazard support is much more appreciated here than anywhere else. Cloyster and Qwilfish are both able to set up Spikes, and are both solid options for the lead position. Dual screens from teammates, such as Uxie and Claydol, will be helpful for cushioning the blow from attacks while Rampardos sets up, and will also shelter Rampardos from priority moves while he sweeps. A brewing sandstorm will boost Rampardos's Special Defense, and make it easier for him to set up as well. Unfortunately, only Hippopotas can provide this kind of support in UU. Certain Choice Scarf users, such as Primeape, who are still faster than Rampardos even after he has set up, can also put a sudden halt to his fun. Running a Choice Scarf Moltres of your own is a good idea, as it can deal with such nuisances with its STAB Air Slash. Finally, a bulky Water-type, such as Milotic or Slowbro, to take the priority moves that Rampardos attracts would be good.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Punch / Zen Headbutt
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Despite all of Rampardos's raw power, he still has trouble busting through some of the bulkier Pokemon in UU. While the Rock Polish set aims for a clean sweep, this set plays like a wallbreaker; essentially, anything slower than a +2 Attack Rampardos is pretty much mincemeat. QuakeEdge forms the core of Rampardos's moveset once again, and in the last slot, the choice comes down to whether you want Rampardos to hit Grass- or Fighting-types harder.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb gives Rampardos the largest immediate boost in power without locking it into a single move, making it the item of choice. Since all Pokemon slower than Rampardos after his set-up is essentially dead, maximum Speed with a boosting nature is the way to go. Attack is maximized for obvious reasons and the remainder go into bulk.</p>
<p>Paralysis support would be ideal, and there are many options to provide it. Venusaur is an interesting choice, as it can pull off a double status set with both Sleep Powder and Stun Spore surprisingly well. Slowbro and Uxie are other fantastic Pokemon to spread paralysis round the other team. Uxie can easily switch into the Ground-type attacks aimed at Rampardos, while Slowbro can take any Fighting-, Water-, and Steel-type attacks. Of course, entry hazard support from teammates such as Omastar and Cloyster is always welcome to help Rampardos secure KOs on bulkier Pokemon, while sandstorm or dual screen support will help him immensely when attempting to set up.</p>
[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Head Smash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Fire Punch / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb
nature: Brave
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rampardos packs a preposterous amount of power and sports a low Speed stat, making him an ideal candidate for a Trick Room sweeper. Head Smash is the perfect STAB attack here; since Rampardos doesn't have to set up anything, he can handle the recoil, and appreciates the massive boost in power to make the most of Trick Room's short timer. Earthquake is here again as that good ol' reliable coverage move. But note that a resisted STAB Head Smash is still more powerful than a neutral Earthquake, which is useful to know should you require the extra kick. Substitute is incredibly useful because opponents will often try to stall out Trick Room's timer with creative switching and hit Rampardos when he's down; with a Substitute up, Rampardos can take advantage of said switches and stay threatening even after Trick Room has ended. Finally, Fire Punch and Ice Beam can be used to hit Torterra, who would otherwise wall the moveset.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Since this set is meant to function on a Trick Room, Speed is obviously minimized. The EVs are instead shifted into HP to cushion Head Smash's recoil a little. Attack is maximized as Rampardos wants to hit as hard as possible, and the remainder can go into either a defensive stat or Special Attack, depending on whether or not you opt for Ice Beam. Life Orb is recommended for the power boost it gives, which can be crucial in securing a KO. Even with Life Orb and Head Smash recoil, in addition to the occasional Substitute, he will usually still be able to survive for the entire duration of Trick Room. However, if you wish to preserve Rampardos, and keep him around for a second round of carnage, then Leftovers is an option.</p>
<p>Slowbro, Slowking, and Uxie are tried-and-true reliable Trick Room users that always manage to find their way onto Trick Room teams thanks in no small part to the their valuable resistances to many common Trick Room Pokemon weaknesses. Rampardos is no exception, and it appreciates being able to fall back on Slowbro / Slowking for Fighting- and Water-type attacks, or Uxie for Fighting- and Ground-type attacks. Uxie can also set up the ever-useful entry hazard that is Stealth Rock.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Rampardos always appreciates entry hazard support to gradually weaken the opposing team, which allows him to score some crucial KOs. As Rampardos generally only has trouble with bulkier Pokemon, Toxic Spikes are especially useful; Nidoqueen is able to set up these bad boys with ease, and it can also come in on Fighting-type attacks aimed at Rampardos with its bulk, or absorb crippling Thunder Waves. They do share weaknesses to Water- and Ground-type attacks though, so solid switch-ins to both of these (if you decide to go with Nidoqueen) will be crucial to your team's success as a whole. Uxie can reliably set up Stealth Rock, a great entry hazard to have on your opponent's side, while Qwilfish can set up Spikes.</p>
<p>Sandstorm support is nice, as it boosts Rampardos's Special Defense, allowing him to set up on more Pokemon. Unfortunately, Hippopotas is the only way of summoning an everlasting sandstorm in UU, and it is not very useful otherwise apart from being able to set up Stealth Rock. Finally, paralysis or Baton Pass support will help Rampardos immensely with his subpar Speed stat. Slowbro is a fine choice for paralysis, with its access to Thunder Wave, STAB Surf and Psychic to scare away Ground- and Fighting-types, and its resistances to Fighting, Water, and Steel. It does share a Grass-type weakness with Rampardos, however. Tangrowth can do the same with Stun Spore, and it also has access to an ever-useful sleep-inducing move in Sleep Powder. Weezing covers all of Rampardos's common weaknesses, and can threaten Grass-types with Flamethrower, as well as cripple opposing physical attackers with Will-O-Wisp.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Rampardos has a large special movepool, which grants him some pretty sweet coverage, but since his Attack stat is so disproportionately larger than his Special Attack, it is usually better to just go physical with the exception of Ice Beam (which gets many nifty KOs). Rock Slide can go over Stone Edge on all the sets for a more reliable STAB move, but the loss in power is very noticeable. ThunderPunch is an option for Water-types, but neutral STAB Stone Edge hits them just as hard, making that coverage move rather redundant. Superpower gets even better coverage with Stone Edge than Earthquake, and is also initially more powerful; however, Superpower's side effect lowers Rampardos's only good stat, which is a bit counterproductive in the long run. Brick Break offers the same coverage as Superpower, but it is much weaker with the ability to break through screens; which is situational, at best. Stealth Rock should only be resorted to if nothing else on your team can set it up. Roar can be used to scout out your opponent's counter and throw off their footing. Finally, Crunch can be used to hit Claydol, Uxie, and Slowbro for super effective damage, and is especially helpful to nail Claydol which resists QuakeEdge.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Despite being arguably the most powerful physical attacker in the game, Rampardos still cannot OHKO everything, and that's a problem for something as frail as he is. Bulky Fighting-types can usually take a hit and retaliate with their STAB moves. Defensive Hitmontop, in particular, is able to take even a Swords Dance-boosted Earthquake thanks to Intimidate, and dispatch Rampardos with Close Combat. Offensive variants can also switch in and easily dispose of Rampardos with a swift Mach Punch to the dome. Ground-types, such as Donphan, can usually take a hit, but most of them should be wary of Spikes when facing the Swords Dance variant. Attempting to bypass Rampardos's sheer firepower completely with a super effective priority move (and there a lot of them) is also a fine strategy to have. Finally, without a Speed boost, most offensive Pokemon will be able to outspeed Rampardos and take him out as well.</p>
======
Credits
Fuck, I think.. I think.. I hope.. I'm done >xD If you notice any repeated phrases, please point them out...
======
STAMPS
QC: 2/2:


GP: 2/2:


======

http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/rampardos
======
[OVERVIEW]
<p>Rampardos is pretty much the definition of the term 'glass cannon'. The good news? He possesses the highest base Attack stat found outside of Ubers, powerful STAB Rock-type attacks, and an awesome movepool with access to useful boosting options. On the other hand, he also has a low Speed stat and shoddy defenses with weaknesses to several common attacking types, making him extremely vulnerable to four of the most common priority moves in UU (Aqua Jet, Bullet Punch, Mach Punch, and Vacuum Wave). It goes without saying, then, that the metagame has not been very kind to Rampardos at all, and he is often shunned in favor of his bulkier competitors, who are not so easily revenge killed. Still, if you're looking for power, and lots of it, then maybe Rampardos is the Pokemon for you.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Zen Headbutt
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With a beastly Attack stat, and below average Speed, it would seem that Rampardos was born to use a Choice Scarf. Thanks to his unholy combination of Speed and power, he's more than capable of revenge killing early- to mid-game, and sweeping through a weakened team late-game. Stone Edge is a powerful STAB move coming off Rampardos's base 165 Attack, and Earthquake is used with it to form the infamous "EdgeQuake" combo. Thanks to Mold Breaker, Rampardos is able to use Earthquake to hit common Levitators such as Rotom and Weezing super effectively, which is a massive plus in anyone's book. Fire Punch is for Torterra, which walls the rest of the set, while also being a more reliable move to use against defensive Grass-types. Finally, Zen Headbutt is in the last slot as it 2HKOes Hariyama and Hitmontop (without Intimidate).</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Head Smash is an option over Stone Edge, as its massive Base Power can be most useful in the direst of situations, and as a bonus it has the same shoddy accuracy as Stone Edge. The recoil, on the other hand, is utterly crippling. Ice Beam is not recommended here as it is really, really bad to get locked into a move running off Rampardos's uninvested Special Attack. Pursuit is not listed for the same reason, but it can be useful in trapping weakened foes. A Jolly nature is recommended because it is necessary for Rampardos to outspeed base 105s such as Scyther and Mismagius (he actually outspeeds up to base 110s, but those are practically non-existent in UU), whereas an Adamant nature will only outspeed up to base 95s. Still, the extra power can be useful, but keep in mind that revenge killers generally always want as much Speed as they can get.</p>
<p>Due to the fact that Rampardos will be switching in and out fairly often, Rapid Spin support would actually not be a bad idea. Since Rampardos will also be causing a lot of switches (to an offensive team at least), setting up entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field will also be good. Lots of Pokemon are capable of providing either form of support. Blastoise is one Pokemon who can pull off the Foresight + Rapid Spin trick, ensuring a successful Rapid Spin unless the opponent has two Ghost-types, while Torterra's good bulk makes it a reliable Stealth Rock user. A spinblocker of your own, such as Rotom or Mismagius, will also help keep those hazards where they should be. Rampardos is stopped cold by two main Pokemon, Tangrowth (even with Fire Punch) and Donphan. Because of this, Houndoom and Milotic make incredible offensive partners to use alongside Rampardos, the former being able to fry Tangrowth and the latter being able to swamp Donphan.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Stone Edge / Head Smash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Punch / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rampardos's massive Attack will certainly cause many switches, and he can take advantage of this with Substitute. Substitute will not only give the frail Rampardos what is effectively a second life, but also ease prediction greatly and block status. Stone Edge is a powerful STAB attack, and Head Smash even more so, and is able to outright OHKO even Physically Defensive Milotic with Life Orb. Unfortunately, the combination of Life Orb, Head Smash, and Substitute means that Rampardos is going to be losing health insanely fast, even if he isn't being attacked. Leftovers can remedy this somewhat, but not by much, given the damage output of Head Smash. Earthquake is the usual coverage move that hits almost every other Pokemon, while the final move takes care of the pesky Torterra.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are self-explanatory for a Substitute set; maximum Speed caps out the number of Pokemon that Rampardos will be able to set up on, and maximum Attack makes sure that the set-up is worth it. Focus Punch can be used here in conjunction with Substitute, being much more powerful than Earthquake and giving extremely similar coverage, but it will leave Rampardos with no good "safe" attack. Since this set will usually be forcing a lot of switches, entry hazards are easily worth their weight in gold with Substitute Rampardos on your team. Spikes in particular are a good option, especially considering that most of Rampardos's typical switch-ins are Ground-types. You'll also want Pokemon that will help lure out the things Rampardos can set up on, specifically Pokemon that'll switch out in fear of one of his moves. Paralysis support will also be useful in helping Rampardos set up on Pokemon that usually outspeed him, such as Ambipom and Sceptile. Finally, Wish users can help compensate for the immense residual damage that Rampardos will be taking; Leafeon is a good example of such a Pokemon.</p>
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Punch / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
nature: Adamant / Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rock Polish Rampardos throws the idea of revenge killing out the window, and goes in for a more direct late-game sweep. With a Rock Polish under his belt, Rampardos reaches 430 Speed, which outspeeds every unboosted Pokemon in UU, and then some. Combine this with his Life Orb-boosted base 165 Attack stat, and Rampardos becomes more than capable of sweeping through unprepared teams. Stone Edge is the STAB move of choice, packing astonishing power, while Earthquake is here to hit what Stone Edge doesn't for at least neutral damage (bar Shedinja). In the last slot, Rampardos has two equally promising options to nail Torterra with in Fire Punch and Ice Beam. While the first comes off Rampardos's insane Attack stat, Ice Beam is also surprisingly useful because it 2HKOes many problem Pokemon that will usually wall Rampardos, namely Donphan and Tangrowth, as well as OHKOing offensive Torterra. If you decide to run Ice Beam, a Naughty nature is preferred, so as not to lower Rampardos's Special Attack.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Lum Berry is an option over Life Orb to stop a one-time status attempt from ruining Rampardos's sweep, and it also allows him to set up on status-carrying support Pokemon such as Chansey and Registeel. It is worth noting, however, that without Life Orb's power boost, Ice Beam will miss out on many of its intended KOs, and thus become a far less appealing option. In general, the lack of power will also make Rampardos that much easier to wall. Zen Headbutt can be used in the final slot, but once again thanks to Life Orb, Rampardos doesn't need it to OHKO frailer Fighting-types.</p>
<p>Since Rampardos is trying to sweep, entry hazard support is much more appreciated here than anywhere else. Cloyster and Qwilfish are both able to set up Spikes, and are both solid options for the lead position. Dual screens from teammates, such as Uxie and Claydol, will be helpful for cushioning the blow from attacks while Rampardos sets up, and will also shelter Rampardos from priority moves while he sweeps. A brewing sandstorm will boost Rampardos's Special Defense, and make it easier for him to set up as well. Unfortunately, only Hippopotas can provide this kind of support in UU. Certain Choice Scarf users, such as Primeape, who are still faster than Rampardos even after he has set up, can also put a sudden halt to his fun. Running a Choice Scarf Moltres of your own is a good idea, as it can deal with such nuisances with its STAB Air Slash. Finally, a bulky Water-type, such as Milotic or Slowbro, to take the priority moves that Rampardos attracts would be good.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Punch / Zen Headbutt
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Despite all of Rampardos's raw power, he still has trouble busting through some of the bulkier Pokemon in UU. While the Rock Polish set aims for a clean sweep, this set plays like a wallbreaker; essentially, anything slower than a +2 Attack Rampardos is pretty much mincemeat. QuakeEdge forms the core of Rampardos's moveset once again, and in the last slot, the choice comes down to whether you want Rampardos to hit Grass- or Fighting-types harder.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb gives Rampardos the largest immediate boost in power without locking it into a single move, making it the item of choice. Since all Pokemon slower than Rampardos after his set-up is essentially dead, maximum Speed with a boosting nature is the way to go. Attack is maximized for obvious reasons and the remainder go into bulk.</p>
<p>Paralysis support would be ideal, and there are many options to provide it. Venusaur is an interesting choice, as it can pull off a double status set with both Sleep Powder and Stun Spore surprisingly well. Slowbro and Uxie are other fantastic Pokemon to spread paralysis round the other team. Uxie can easily switch into the Ground-type attacks aimed at Rampardos, while Slowbro can take any Fighting-, Water-, and Steel-type attacks. Of course, entry hazard support from teammates such as Omastar and Cloyster is always welcome to help Rampardos secure KOs on bulkier Pokemon, while sandstorm or dual screen support will help him immensely when attempting to set up.</p>
[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Head Smash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Fire Punch / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb
nature: Brave
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rampardos packs a preposterous amount of power and sports a low Speed stat, making him an ideal candidate for a Trick Room sweeper. Head Smash is the perfect STAB attack here; since Rampardos doesn't have to set up anything, he can handle the recoil, and appreciates the massive boost in power to make the most of Trick Room's short timer. Earthquake is here again as that good ol' reliable coverage move. But note that a resisted STAB Head Smash is still more powerful than a neutral Earthquake, which is useful to know should you require the extra kick. Substitute is incredibly useful because opponents will often try to stall out Trick Room's timer with creative switching and hit Rampardos when he's down; with a Substitute up, Rampardos can take advantage of said switches and stay threatening even after Trick Room has ended. Finally, Fire Punch and Ice Beam can be used to hit Torterra, who would otherwise wall the moveset.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Since this set is meant to function on a Trick Room, Speed is obviously minimized. The EVs are instead shifted into HP to cushion Head Smash's recoil a little. Attack is maximized as Rampardos wants to hit as hard as possible, and the remainder can go into either a defensive stat or Special Attack, depending on whether or not you opt for Ice Beam. Life Orb is recommended for the power boost it gives, which can be crucial in securing a KO. Even with Life Orb and Head Smash recoil, in addition to the occasional Substitute, he will usually still be able to survive for the entire duration of Trick Room. However, if you wish to preserve Rampardos, and keep him around for a second round of carnage, then Leftovers is an option.</p>
<p>Slowbro, Slowking, and Uxie are tried-and-true reliable Trick Room users that always manage to find their way onto Trick Room teams thanks in no small part to the their valuable resistances to many common Trick Room Pokemon weaknesses. Rampardos is no exception, and it appreciates being able to fall back on Slowbro / Slowking for Fighting- and Water-type attacks, or Uxie for Fighting- and Ground-type attacks. Uxie can also set up the ever-useful entry hazard that is Stealth Rock.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Rampardos always appreciates entry hazard support to gradually weaken the opposing team, which allows him to score some crucial KOs. As Rampardos generally only has trouble with bulkier Pokemon, Toxic Spikes are especially useful; Nidoqueen is able to set up these bad boys with ease, and it can also come in on Fighting-type attacks aimed at Rampardos with its bulk, or absorb crippling Thunder Waves. They do share weaknesses to Water- and Ground-type attacks though, so solid switch-ins to both of these (if you decide to go with Nidoqueen) will be crucial to your team's success as a whole. Uxie can reliably set up Stealth Rock, a great entry hazard to have on your opponent's side, while Qwilfish can set up Spikes.</p>
<p>Sandstorm support is nice, as it boosts Rampardos's Special Defense, allowing him to set up on more Pokemon. Unfortunately, Hippopotas is the only way of summoning an everlasting sandstorm in UU, and it is not very useful otherwise apart from being able to set up Stealth Rock. Finally, paralysis or Baton Pass support will help Rampardos immensely with his subpar Speed stat. Slowbro is a fine choice for paralysis, with its access to Thunder Wave, STAB Surf and Psychic to scare away Ground- and Fighting-types, and its resistances to Fighting, Water, and Steel. It does share a Grass-type weakness with Rampardos, however. Tangrowth can do the same with Stun Spore, and it also has access to an ever-useful sleep-inducing move in Sleep Powder. Weezing covers all of Rampardos's common weaknesses, and can threaten Grass-types with Flamethrower, as well as cripple opposing physical attackers with Will-O-Wisp.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Rampardos has a large special movepool, which grants him some pretty sweet coverage, but since his Attack stat is so disproportionately larger than his Special Attack, it is usually better to just go physical with the exception of Ice Beam (which gets many nifty KOs). Rock Slide can go over Stone Edge on all the sets for a more reliable STAB move, but the loss in power is very noticeable. ThunderPunch is an option for Water-types, but neutral STAB Stone Edge hits them just as hard, making that coverage move rather redundant. Superpower gets even better coverage with Stone Edge than Earthquake, and is also initially more powerful; however, Superpower's side effect lowers Rampardos's only good stat, which is a bit counterproductive in the long run. Brick Break offers the same coverage as Superpower, but it is much weaker with the ability to break through screens; which is situational, at best. Stealth Rock should only be resorted to if nothing else on your team can set it up. Roar can be used to scout out your opponent's counter and throw off their footing. Finally, Crunch can be used to hit Claydol, Uxie, and Slowbro for super effective damage, and is especially helpful to nail Claydol which resists QuakeEdge.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Despite being arguably the most powerful physical attacker in the game, Rampardos still cannot OHKO everything, and that's a problem for something as frail as he is. Bulky Fighting-types can usually take a hit and retaliate with their STAB moves. Defensive Hitmontop, in particular, is able to take even a Swords Dance-boosted Earthquake thanks to Intimidate, and dispatch Rampardos with Close Combat. Offensive variants can also switch in and easily dispose of Rampardos with a swift Mach Punch to the dome. Ground-types, such as Donphan, can usually take a hit, but most of them should be wary of Spikes when facing the Swords Dance variant. Attempting to bypass Rampardos's sheer firepower completely with a super effective priority move (and there a lot of them) is also a fine strategy to have. Finally, without a Speed boost, most offensive Pokemon will be able to outspeed Rampardos and take him out as well.</p>
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Credits
- Quality Control - SOMALIA
- GP Check 1 - Fatecrashers
- GP Check 2 - bugmaniacbob
- Quick nit-pick (nature) - EonADS
- Quick nit-pick (evs) - YaM