Sudowoodo (Update)

[Overview]

<p>Since its introduction, Sudowoodo has always been shunned in favor of more powerful alternatives. Pure Rock typing is surprisingly poor defensively, and as an offensive Pokemon, Sudowoodo is overshadowed by the likes of Rhyperior, Kabutops, and Aggron, who which boast superior stats and useful secondary STAB moves. Luckily, Sudowoodo does have one big advantage over its rivals in the form of Wood Hammer, which lets it turn the tables on Water- and Ground-types that counter other Rock-types. Explosion and Sucker Punch also help set Sudowoodo apart, making it a very dangerous Pokemon from when behind a Substitute. Overall, Sudowoodo still lacks the power and Speed necessary to be a top threat, but when played well it can be a powerful force that is sure to blow punch some holes in your opponent's team.</p>

[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Wood Hammer
move 3: Low Kick / Earthquake
move 4: Explosion / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With a solid 100 base Attack and plenty of powerful physical moves, Sudowoodo can be a dangerous offensive force. While its terrible Speed and poor defensive typing prevent it from sweeping through teams, it excels as a wallbreaker that very few Pokemon can safely switch in on. Sudowoodo's STAB Stone Edge makes it an immediate threat to allows it to immediately threaten the abundant Fire-, Flying-, and Bug-types in UU. Wood Hammer is Sudowoodo's secret weapon that sets it apart from other Rock-types; whereas Rhyperior and Aggron are forced to retreat at the first sign of a bulky Water-type, Sudowoodo Wood Hammer actually has a chance to OHKO Milotic after Stealth Rock damage, giving Sudowoodo a unique niche. Low Kick puts a big dent in the heavy Steel-type walls that resist Rock and Grass, while Earthquake hits the same Steel-types nearly as hard and has more consistent power against other targets. In the last slot, Explosion essentially guarantees Sudowoodo will KO at least one opposing Pokemon per match, but the priority of Sucker Punch provides can be very useful to overcome Sudowoodo's abysmal Speed.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs are standard for a physical attacker. With 252 Speed EVs, Sudowoodo outspeeds base 60 Speed Pokemon that do not invest in Speed, such as Weezing and Clefable. Since Sudowoodo will mostly be operating as a hit-and-run attacker, Choice Band is the ideal item for this set. With a Choice Band equipped, Sudowoodo has the power to OHKO would-be counters such as Venusaur and Azumarill as they switch in, while common physical walls like Weezing, Slowbro, Steelix, and Donphan are all outsped and 2HKOed. However, if you opt for Sucker Punch in the last slot, Life Orb becomes the superior item, as locking a Pokemon into Sucker Punch is never wise.</p>

<p>Sudowoodo's wallbreaking ability makes it a great teammate for any physical sweeper that struggles to beat bulky Water- and Ground-types. However, defensive Grass- and Fighting-types such as Tangrowth, Torterra, and Hitmontop counter Sudowoodo very effectively; thus, another Pokemon will be required to deal with them. Blaziken can tear through teams once Milotic or Slowbro is KOed, and easily defeats Grass-types with STAB Fire Blast or Flare Blitz, making it an ideal partner. Moltres can also switch in freely on Grass- or Fighting-type attacks and force their users out with Air Slash. As an offensive Pokemon, Sudowoodo appreciates entry hazard support, particularly support; Spikes are particularly effective, weakening Sudowoodo's to weaken its grounded counters. Omastar and Cloyster are the most reliable Spikers in UU, but both share unfortunate weaknesses to Grass- and Fighting-type attacks with Sudowoodo. Qwilfish and Cacturne have slightly better synergy with Sudowoodo; Qwilfish resists Fighting and can use Explosion to give an offensive team early momentum, while Cacturne resists Grass and thrives in Sandstorm sandstorm, which also boosts Sudowoodo's mediocre Special Defense.</p>

[SET]
name: SubPunch
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Wood Hammer / Explosion / Sucker Punch
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With Substitute, Sudowoodo can take advantage of a switch to ease prediction and guarantee a powerful hit on whatever the opponent brings in. This makes Sudowoodo an excellent lure for popular walls such as Milotic and Registeel, which are easily crippled by Sudowoodo's powerful super effective attacks. By weakening or removing these defensive threats, Sudowoodo can pave the way for a teammate to successfully sweep through the opposing team.</p>

<p>Focus Punch is an excellent attack to use when behind a Substitute, and together with STAB Stone Edge, it provides near-perfect coverage. Sudowoodo has several options for its third attack. Wood Hammer is usually the best choice, as it cripples Water- and Ground-types such as Milotic and Rhyperior without any drawbacks. It also helps differentiate Sudowoodo from Golem, which otherwise performs this set better in nearly every way. Explosion is useful to guarantee Sudowoodo takes down the Pokemon it lures in, in; this is especially useful against Grass-types like Tangrowth that it would otherwise struggle with. Finally, if you wish to use Sudowoodo as a more traditional SubPuncher, Sucker Punch is a good option in the last slot thanks to its priority bypassing Sudowoodo's terrible Speed and its wonderful offensive synergy with Substitute and Focus Punch.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Life Orb is the best item if Sudowoodo is being used as a lure, as the power boost ensures Sudowoodo's attacks will cripple the opponent's switch-in. For a more conservative SubPunch set with Sucker Punch, Leftovers is the superior choice to help recover the HP lost by setting up Substitutes. The given EV spread makes Sudowoodo faster than Weezing and Clefable that do not invest in Speed, along with the multitude of base 50 Speed walls, while also allowing Sudowoodo to set up five Substitutes if it carries Leftovers.</p>

<p>As this set's purpose is to remove a troublesome wall that Sudowoodo can lure in, it works best with sweepers that can dominate once their primary counter is out of commission. With the opponent's bulky Water-type down, Blaziken and Moltres become very difficult to stop. A crippled Registeel or Steelix gives Swellow a free pass to wreak havoc, while Exploding on Venusaur or Tangrowth allows Kabutops and Torterra to walk all over your opponent's team.</p>

[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Wood Hammer / Earthquake / Low Kick
move 4: Toxic / Explosion
item: Leftovers
ability: Rock Head
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Sudowoodo doesn't have the best defensive typing, but it does sport solid Defense and handy resistances to Normal-, Fire-, and Flying-type attacks, giving it plenty of opportunities to come in and set up Stealth Rock. Even without any investment in Attack, Stone Edge is still a powerful STAB move that prevents opponents opposing Pokemon from setting up on Sudowoodo. Wood Hammer provides great complementary coverage and prevents Water- and Ground-types from switching in freely, but it does leave Sudowoodo walled by Toxicroak and Steel-types, so Earthquake and Low Kick are both acceptable replacements. The last slot is reserved for further support; Toxic is a great catch-all move to gradually wear down the opposing team foes, while Explosion allows Sudowoodo to take an enemy down with it when its job is done.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The listed given EVs capitalize on Sudowoodo's respectable physical bulk, allowing it to survive all but the most powerful super effective attacks. Sudowoodo is typically quite vulnerable to special attacks, so Sandstorm sandstorm support from Hippopotas can be very helpful. A spread of 252 HP / 16 Def / 240 SpD with an Impish nature will maximize Sudowoodo's overall defenses in Sandstorm sandstorm, allowing it to take hits from physical and special attackers alike while wearing down the opposing team with Stealth Rock and Toxic. Grass- and Fighting-types will still pose a problem for Sudowoodo, especially those with a Poison subtype or Guts, which render Toxic useless. Moltres can handle most of the Pokemon Sudowoodo fears, and is a very capable staller with the SubRoost combination, although it doesn't particularly enjoy Sandstorm sandstorm. Gligar is often overlooked, but it can use Aerial Ace to deal with Grass- and Fighting-types and is very effective on a Sandstorm sandstorm team. Cacturne also appreciates Sandstorm sandstorm, and can add additional entry hazards in the form of Spikes; it also resists the Grass-, Water-, and Ground-type moves that Sudowoodo fears.</p>

[Team Options]

<p>Bulky Fighting- and Grass-types are Sudowoodo's greatest fear, so having teammates that can deal with them is a top priority. Moltres and Scyther can both switch in on most of Sudowoodo's counters and KO them with super effective STAB moves. Swellow is another good option, although it has more difficulty switching in. Venusaur has excellent defensive synergy with Sudowoodo and is a great Pokemon for nearly any team. Many of these the aforementioned teammates have a major weakness to Stealth Rock, so a Rapid Spinner such as Donphan or Hitmontop is recommended. Entry hazards of your own can help Sudowoodo and its teammates achieve additional KOs; Uxie can reliably set up Stealth Rock, and can absorb any Fighting- and Ground-type attacks aimed at Sudowoodo. Pinsir has good synergy with Sudowoodo and can set up Stealth Rock or be act as a late-game sweeper with Choice Scarf. Spikes support is also helpful, especially since many of Sudowoodo's counters are grounded. Cacturne and Qwilfish are both capable Spikers that fit work well on teams with alongside Sudowoodo. Sandstorm support from Hippopotas is always useful, especially for support-oriented sets, as it patches up Sudowoodo's weak poor Special Defense stat. Trick Room turns Sudowoodo into a speed demon, although it will have a hard time competing with the likes of Rhyperior and Marowak for a spot on such teams.</p>

[Optional Changes]

<p>Rock Polish is a tempting option to boost Sudowoodo's Speed and attempt a sweep; unfortunately, Sudowoodo is so slow that even after a boost it will still be outsped by most common revenge killers, and its typing leaves it weak to many popular priority attacks. Hammer Arm can work as an alternative Fighting-type move that hits many Normal-types harder than Low Kick, notably OHKOing Kangaskhan with a Choice Band, but Sudowoodo will miss Low Kick's extra power against Registeel and Steelix. Double-Edge is a drawback-free 120 Base Power move, but the great power and coverage of Sudowoodo's main options makes it unnecessary. Sudowoodo also has access to the elemental punches; Ice Punch can be useful to surprise Torterra, but otherwise, their low base power Base Power makes them useless. Rock Slide can be used in place of Stone Edge if you prefer its increased accuracy and PP over Stone Edge's higher power. Magic Coat is an interesting move that can reflect status effects, but it is very situational and requires excellent prediction to use effectively. Sudowoodo learns Calm Mind, but with a ridiculously low Special Attack stat and a nonexistant special movepool, it's nothing more than a joke option.</p>

[Counters]

<p>Hitmontop and Hariyama are excellent counters; with great physical defense and a resistance to Stone Edge, they take little damage from any of Sudowoodo's attacks and can strike back with STAB Close Combat. Bulky Grass-types, such as Torterra and Tangrowth, can usually switch in freely and and force Sudowoodo out with their STAB attacks, although they must watch out for Explosion and the rare Ice Punch. Unless it has Substitute, Sudowoodo is easily revenge killed by nearly any special attacker, but switching in requires good prediction.</p>

[Overview]

<p>Since its introduction, Sudowoodo has always been shunned in favor of more powerful alternatives. Pure Rock typing is surprisingly poor defensively, and as an offensive Pokemon, Sudowoodo is overshadowed by the likes of Rhyperior, Kabutops, and Aggron, all of which boast superior stats and useful secondary STAB moves. Luckily, Sudowoodo does have one big advantage over its rivals in the form of Wood Hammer, which lets it turn the tables on Water- and Ground-types that counter other Rock-types. Explosion and Sucker Punch also help set Sudowoodo apart, making it a very dangerous Pokemon when behind a Substitute. Overall, Sudowoodo still lacks the power and Speed necessary to be a top threat, but when played well it can be a powerful force that is sure to punch some holes in your opponent's team.</p>

[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Wood Hammer
move 3: Low Kick / Earthquake
move 4: Explosion / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With a solid base 100 Attack and plenty of powerful physical moves, Sudowoodo can be a dangerous offensive force. While its terrible Speed and poor defensive typing prevent it from sweeping teams, it excels as a wallbreaker that very few Pokemon can safely switch in on. Sudowoodo's STAB Stone Edge allows it to immediately threaten the abundant Fire-, Flying-, and Bug-types in UU. Wood Hammer is Sudowoodo's secret weapon that sets it apart from other Rock-types; whereas Rhyperior and Aggron are forced to retreat at the first sign of a bulky Water-type, Wood Hammer gives Sudowoodo a chance to OHKO Milotic after Stealth Rock damage. Low Kick puts a big dent in the heavy Steel-type walls that resist Rock and Grass, while Earthquake hits the same Steel-types nearly as hard and has more consistent power against other targets. In the last slot, Explosion essentially guarantees Sudowoodo will KO at least one opposing Pokemon per match, but the priority Sucker Punch provides can be very useful to overcome Sudowoodo's abysmal Speed.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs are standard for a physical attacker. With 252 Speed EVs, Sudowoodo outspeeds base 60 Speed Pokemon that do not invest in Speed, such as Weezing and Clefable. Since Sudowoodo will mostly be operating as a hit-and-run attacker, Choice Band is the ideal item for this set. With a Choice Band equipped, Sudowoodo has the power to OHKO would-be checks such as Venusaur and Azumarill as they switch in, while common physical walls like Weezing, Slowbro, Steelix, and Donphan are all outsped and 2HKOed by the appropriate move. However, if you opt for Sucker Punch in the last slot, Life Orb becomes the superior item, as locking a Pokemon into Sucker Punch is never wise.</p>

<p>Sudowoodo's wallbreaking ability makes it a great teammate for any physical sweeper that struggles to beat bulky Water- and Ground-types. However, defensive Grass- and Fighting-types such as Tangrowth, Torterra, and Hitmontop counter Sudowoodo very effectively; thus, another Pokemon will be required to deal with them. Blaziken can tear through teams once their Milotic or Slowbro is KOed, and easily defeats Grass-types with STAB Fire Blast or Flare Blitz, making it an ideal partner. Moltres and Scyther can also switch in freely on Grass- and Fighting-type attacks and force their users out with STAB Flying-type attacks. As an offensive Pokemon, Sudowoodo appreciates entry hazard support; Spikes are particularly effective, weakening Sudowoodo's grounded counters. Omastar and Cloyster are the most reliable Spikers in UU, but both share unfortunate weaknesses to Grass- and Fighting-type attacks with Sudowoodo. Qwilfish and Cacturne have slightly better synergy with Sudowoodo; Qwilfish resists Fighting-type attacks and can use Explosion to give an offensive team early momentum, while Cacturne resists Grass-type attacks and thrives in sandstorm, which also boosts Sudowoodo's mediocre Special Defense.</p>

[SET]
name: SubPunch
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Wood Hammer / Explosion / Sucker Punch
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With Substitute, Sudowoodo can take advantage of a switch to ease prediction and guarantee a powerful hit on whatever Pokemon the opponent brings in. This makes Sudowoodo an excellent lure for popular walls such as Milotic and Registeel, which are both easily crippled by Sudowoodo's powerful super effective attacks. By weakening or removing these defensive threats, Sudowoodo can pave the way for a teammate to sweep.</p>

<p>Focus Punch is an excellent attack to use when behind a Substitute, and together with STAB Stone Edge, it provides near-perfect coverage. Sudowoodo has several options for its third attack. Wood Hammer is usually the best choice, as it cripples Water- and Ground-types such as Milotic and Rhyperior without any drawbacks. It also helps differentiate Sudowoodo from Golem, which otherwise performs this set better in nearly every way. Explosion guarantees Sudowoodo will take down the Pokemon it lures in; this is especially useful against Grass-types like Tangrowth that it would otherwise struggle with. Finally, if you wish to use Sudowoodo as a more traditional SubPuncher, Sucker Punch is a good option in the last slot thanks to its priority and wonderful offensive synergy with Substitute and Focus Punch.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Life Orb is the best item if Sudowoodo is being used as a lure, as the power boost ensures Sudowoodo's attacks will cripple the opponent's switch-in. For a more conservative SubPunch set with Sucker Punch, Leftovers is the superior choice to help recover the HP lost by setting up Substitutes. The given EV spread makes Sudowoodo faster than Weezing and Clefable that do not invest in Speed, along with the multitude of base 50 Speed walls, while also allowing Sudowoodo to set up five Substitutes if it carries Leftovers.</p>

<p>As this set's purpose is to remove a troublesome wall that Sudowoodo can lure in, it works best with sweepers that can dominate once their primary counters are out of commission. For example, with the opponent's bulky Water-type down, Blaziken and Moltres become very difficult to stop. Likewise, a crippled Registeel or Steelix gives Swellow a free pass to wreak havoc, while Exploding on Venusaur or Tangrowth allows Kabutops and Torterra to walk all over your opponent's team.</p>

[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Wood Hammer / Earthquake / Low Kick
move 4: Toxic / Explosion
item: Leftovers
ability: Rock Head
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Sudowoodo doesn't have the best defensive typing, but it does sport solid Defense and handy resistances to Normal-, Fire-, and Flying-type attacks, giving it plenty of opportunities to come in and set up Stealth Rock. Even without any investment in Attack, Stone Edge is still a powerful STAB move that prevents opposing Pokemon from setting up on Sudowoodo. Wood Hammer provides great complementary coverage and prevents Water- and Ground-types from switching in freely, but it does leave Sudowoodo walled by Toxicroak and Steel-types, so Earthquake and Low Kick are both acceptable replacements. The last slot is reserved for further support; Toxic is a great catch-all move to gradually wear down Sudowoodo's foes, while Explosion allows Sudowoodo to take an enemy down with it when its job is done.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The given EVs capitalize on Sudowoodo's respectable physical bulk, allowing it to survive all but the most powerful super effective attacks. Sudowoodo is typically quite vulnerable to special attacks, so sandstorm support from Hippopotas can be very helpful. A spread of 252 HP / 16 Def / 240 SpD with an Impish nature will maximize Sudowoodo's overall defenses in sandstorm, allowing it to take hits from physical and special attackers alike while wearing down the opposing team with Stealth Rock and Toxic. Grass- and Fighting-types will still pose a problem for Sudowoodo, especially those with a Poison subtype or Guts, both of which render Toxic useless. Moltres can handle most of the Pokemon Sudowoodo fears and is a very capable staller with the SubRoost combination, although it doesn't particularly enjoy sandstorm. Gligar is often overlooked, but it can use Aerial Ace to deal with Grass- and Fighting-types and is very effective on a sandstorm team. Cacturne also appreciates sandstorm and can add additional entry hazards in the form of Spikes; it also resists the Grass-, Water-, and Ground-type moves that Sudowoodo hates.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Rock Polish is a tempting option for boosting Sudowoodo's Speed and attempting a sweep; unfortunately, Sudowoodo is so slow that even after a boost it will still be outsped by most common revenge killers, and its typing leaves it weak to many popular priority attacks. Hammer Arm can work as an alternative Fighting-type move that hits many Normal-types harder than Low Kick, most notably OHKOing Kangaskhan with a Choice Band, but Sudowoodo will miss Low Kick's extra power against Registeel and Steelix. Double-Edge is a drawback-free 120 Base Power move, but the great power and coverage of Sudowoodo's main options makes it unnecessary. Sudowoodo also has access to the elemental punches; Ice Punch can be useful for surprising Torterra, but otherwise, their low Base Power makes them useless. Rock Slide can be used in place of Stone Edge if you prefer its increased accuracy and PP over Stone Edge's higher power. Magic Coat is an interesting move that can reflect status effects, but it is very situational and requires excellent prediction to use effectively. Sudowoodo learns Calm Mind, but with a ridiculously low Special Attack stat and a nonexistent special movepool, it's nothing more than a joke option.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Hitmontop and Hariyama are excellent counters; with great physical Defense and a resistance to Stone Edge, they take little damage from any of Sudowoodo's attacks and can strike back with STAB Close Combat. Bulky Grass-types, such as Torterra and Tangrowth, can usually switch in freely and and force Sudowoodo out with their STAB attacks, although they must watch out for Explosion and the rare Ice Punch. Unless it has Substitute, Sudowoodo is easily revenge killed by nearly any special attacker, but switching in requires good prediction.</p>