[Overview]
<p>You may be asking "why would I use Amoonguss?" Like so many other overlooked Pokemon doomed to a permanent home in the depths of your PC storage system, this mushroom is one of those mediocre dull-as-dishwater Pokemon with no special traits or redeeming features, right? Wrong! What you've stumbled upon is actually a hidden gem. You might have been led to believe that Amoonguss's average looking stats, awful Grass / Poison typing, and small movepool are the traits of a bad Pokemon, but first impressions tell lies when they're high on shrooms. Amoonguss is astonishingly bulky, and thanks to its massive HP stat, can actually sponge hits much better than its middling defensive stats let on. Its Grass / Poison typing gives it useful resistances to Water-, Electric-, Grass-, and Fighting-type moves plus a handy neutrality to Bug, which is quite useful for a Grass-type in a tier full of Bug-type moves. A small but concise movepool gives Amoonguss the tools it needs to make itself useful while it sits there taking hits; Spore, the legendary 100% accurate sleep move, is foremost on the list of options. With the threat of sleep looming over its foes' heads, Amoonguss can hold its ground against a significant chunk of the RU metagame, countering threats that could otherwise force it out. Once sleep clause has been activated, Amoonguss becomes much easier to deal with, but does not become setup fodder for stat boosters. The reason for this is Clear Smog, a nifty new Poison-type move that resets the target's stat modifiers, just like a mini Haze.</p>
<p>While Amoonguss is a proficient team supporter, you can't throw it onto just any kind of team; Amoonguss is vulnerable to many popular RU threats, and works best as part of a defensive core that both appreciates the unique support it offers, and patches up its unfortunately abundant weaknesses. If you intend to glue together an offensive team with Amoonguss, a team with no other bulky or defensive Pokemon that will rely on the mushroom to save the day when hits must be taken, pick something else. Amoonguss is not a catch-all bulky wall. Moreover, you may find yourself struggling to craft a good EV spread for Amoonguss; we're going to fix this problem in the next section.</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Spore
move 2: Clear Smog
move 3: Giga Drain / Synthesis
move 4: Stun Spore / Hidden Power Fire
item: Leftovers
ability: Effect Spore
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 56 SpA / 200 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is what Amoonguss does best. All of the mushroom's best traits are combined into one set, with a bit of mixing and matching required. Spore and Clear Smog are non-negotiable, as these two moves form the basis of Amoonguss's support capabilities. Though slashed in the same slot, using both Giga Drain and Synthesis on the same set (forgoing the options in the fourth slot to do so) boosts Amoonguss's recovery by a substantial margin. If you must choose only one, Giga Drain is generally superior as it is Amoonguss's strongest move, and provides crucial coverage. Stun Spore bestows upon Amoonguss the tried-and-true Double Powder strategy, and is an excellent response to fast, frail threats that think it safe to switch into Amoonguss once sleep clause has been activated. Alternatively, Hidden Power Fire is an excellent coverage move for the Steel-types that shrug off Ammonguss's STAB moves, and will no doubt come as a nasty shock for the Ferroseed and Durant that see Amoonguss as setup fodder.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread has been carefully blended by yours truly. It imparts Amoonguss a delicious balance of bulk and power, garnished with Leftovers to aid recovery. 56 Special Attack EVs give Amoonguss's attacks just enough punch to pose a surprisingly effective offensive threat. Backed by Stealth Rock support, it can 2HKO a number of foes with the appropriate move; Clear Smog 2HKOes Lilligant through its Special Defense boosts, forces Archeops into Defeatist range, 2HKOes any Snover running an offensive spread, and deals almost 50% to Tangrowth, who cannot use Leech Seed on Amoonguss due to Amoonguss's Grass typing.</p>
<p>Amoonguss provides support for your team, but asks for little in return. It's fairly self-sustaining, and doesn't need a ridiculous list of conditions to be met in order to function properly. That being said, Amoonguss is most effective as part of a defensive core. Omastar is one of Amoonguss's best partners; the pair cover each other's weaknesses perfectly, and provide both status and entry hazard support for your team. Slowking is another good choice, as Amoonguss covers its Electric and Grass weaknesses, while Slowking tanks the Psychic-, Ice-, and Fire-type attacks that trouble Amoonguss. Frustratingly, an immunity to Poison blocks the effects of Clear Smog, allowing dangerous Steel-types such as Durant and Klinklang to freely set up on Amoonguss. Due to this, Magneton is quite helpful for its ability to trap these threats with its Magnet Pull ability, securing a swift KO on both aforementioned Pokemon with either Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Finally, one of Amoonguss's best supportive traits is its ability to absorb Toxic Spikes. When not using the Levitating Claydol or Cryogonal as your Rapid Spinner, Toxic Spikes can pose a detrimental threat to your team, which makes the ability to harmlessly absorb them invaluable.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>It's natural for your opponent to assume that you're running a standard Amoonguss set. Why subject them and yourself to boring and predictable? Get creative! Amoonguss has a few good options it can use instead of Hidden Power Fire, namely Hidden Power Rock and Hidden Power Ice. The Fire- and Flying-types that resist Amoonguss's STABs such as Moltres and Honchkrow are both weak to Rock-type moves; therefore, the former option greatly lessens their ability to force Amoonguss out. Alternatively, Hidden Power Ice provides the same coverage on Grass-types that Hidden Power Fire does, but also offers a 4x super effective hit on Gligar, who could otherwise Taunt Amoonguss and proceed to either set up Stealth Rock in its face or start Swords Dancing.</p>
<p>Rain Dance is a viable option for Amoonguss, who naturally provides powerful support for rain teams. On top of its standard coverage, Amoonguss resists the Grass- and Electric-type attacks that plague your Water-type sweepers, but must give up Synthesis to do so, as the move is severely hampered by rainy weather. One last option that requires mention is Gastro Acid. Though disgusting in execution, this move can prove itself a gamebreaker when used correctly. Take for example that Choice Band Medicham that keeps switching into your Amoonguss and forcing it out with a powerful Psycho Cut; it's not so scary without its ability. How about a Honchkrow that's lost its Moxie? Your Steel-type can easily wall that. That Vital Spirit Primeape won't be laughing off Spore for very much longer thanks to Gastro Acid. This move's utility is almost endless, and squeezing it onto Amoonguss's moveset is almost always a good idea.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Amoonguss is a formidable fungus, but there several ways to fry it. Both common variants of Honchkrow give Amoonguss nightmares; the Moxie set blocks Spore with Substitute and retaliates with Brave Bird, which OHKOes without fail. Wallbreaker Honchkrow is perhaps a better response, as the sleep immunity that Insomnia provides allows it to switch into the mushroom directly. To a lesser extent, other hard-hitting Flying-types such as Swellow also threaten Amoonguss. Entei is another good check, as it takes pitiful damage from Amoonguss's attacks, and can OHKO with a powerful Choice Band-boosted Flare Blitz. Generally, blocking or preventing Spore makes Amoonguss much easier to deal with, and there are several ways to do so. Sleep clause can be abused to this end, and sacrificing a party member of lesser importance to slumberland is an effective workaround of the mushroom's best asset. Taunt and Substitute are also good choices that are widely available, and are commonly used by Pokemon such as Gligar and Mandibuzz. Snover is perhaps the most annoying check available. The hailstorm summoned by its Snow Warning ability negates Amoonguss's Leftovers recovery, as well as blotting out Synthesis, which only heals 25% in said weather. A powerful Blizzard will 2HKO the mushroom, but you're not leaving it out in those conditions anyway. If you're feeling particularly devious, you can Trick a Choice item onto Amoonguss: without the ability to switch moves, it becomes extremely easy to wall.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>The Dream World has bestowed upon Amoonguss one of the best abilities a bulky pivot could ask for; Regenerator is exactly what it needs. Though Effect Spore can be useful, it has been known to activate at inopportune moments. Thanks to Regenerator, Amoonguss no longer has to rely solely on Giga Drain and Synthesis for healing, and may not need to use the latter at all. Interestingly, it also paves the way for a faster, more aggressive style of play. Amoonguss can now switch in, take a hit, threaten a Spore or use Clear Smog to foil a stat booster, then switch back out without worrying about its health being whittled down by repeated hits, entry hazards, or residual damage.</p>
