OP by GrimoireGod
QC: WhiteDMist / Anty / TONE114
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / GatoDelFuegp
[OVERVIEW]
Armaldo is one of the few Rapid Spin users in the tier, and it is the best offensive one with a sky-high base Attack stat of 125, which can help it beat spinblockers. It also has a wide movepool with a lot of coverage options and multiple utility moves, such as Knock Off for Ghost-types. Additionally, Armaldo has Swift Swim, which can make it a cool rain sweeper that outspeeds and OHKOes most offensive Pokemon. While Armaldo does have a wide movepool, it has trouble deciding which move to pick over another, having a bad case of four-moveslot syndrome. Poliwrath's popularity is another problem, as it is capable of walling Armaldo without a Swords Dance boost. In addition, Armaldo's lackluster typing leaves it with only two resistances and a weakness to common Water-types. Armaldo has a low Speed stat and only has a non-STAB Aqua Jet to make up for it. Armaldo is also vulnerable to every entry hazard, which can make it difficult to consistently remove them.
[SET]
name: Offensive Support
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Earthquake / Toxic
item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rapid Spin gets rid of entry hazards on your side of the field, which is especially nice if you have Pokemon with weaknesses to Stealth Rock. Stone Edge helps deal with Sturdy or Focus Sash leads such as Dwebble and Whirlipede by allowing Armaldo to bring them to 1 HP and then use Rapid Spin to remove their entry hazards, KOing them in the process. However, Whirlipede can use Endeavor to bring Armaldo down to 1 HP as well. Rock Blast is a weaker yet more accurate Rock-type STAB move that allows Armaldo to defeat the aforementioned leads in one attack but prevents Armaldo from using Rapid Spin against them. However, it does avoid being brought down to 1 HP by Endeavor and gets around Substitute from Rotom-F, Ninetales, and Chatot, among others. Knock Off hits Ghost-types such as Misdreavus and Gourgeist that switch in to block a Rapid Spin and is generally a good move to use because it removes items from the foe. Earthquake allows Armaldo to defeat Steel-types such as Probopass and Pawniard that would otherwise get a safe switch against Armaldo, and it hits Fighting-types for more damage than any other move Armaldo carries. Toxic cripples Pokemon that can wall Armaldo, most notably Poliwrath and defensive Carracosta. X-Scissor can also be used in this moveslot as a secondary STAB attack that hits bulky Grass-types and Psychic-types such as Torterra and Grumpig for super effective damage, as well as Ground-types for neutral damage. However, Armaldo's Rock attacks already hit Psychic-types hard, and most Grass-types are already crippled by Knock Off. Stealth Rock can be used if you cannot fit it anywhere else in the team, as Armaldo actually hits a lot of common entry hazard removers for super effective damage; however, Armaldo already has four-moveslot syndrome.
Set Details
========
Maximized Attack EVs make Armaldo hit hard, and maximized Speed EVs allow it to outspeed most walls. A Jolly nature is used to outspeed Adamant Marowak and Golem so Armaldo can use Rapid Spin against them without having to worry about Speed ties. A lot of Pokemon such as Poliwrath and Roselia also use just enough Speed to outspeed invested base 45 Speed Pokemon without a boosting nature, so a Jolly nature allows Armaldo to outspeed those as well. Swift Swim is not particularly useful without rain support, but it can help against opposing rain teams. Leftovers grants Armaldo more longevity, allowing it to switch into entry hazards without getting worn down too much. However, Lum Berry is also good because it can get rid of a burn from Misdreavus once and allow Armaldo to hit Misdreavus with a Knock Off.
Usage Tips
========
Even with a Lum Berry, predicting a Ghost-type switching in to block a Rapid Spin is important, because they can still do a lot of damage with their STAB moves and most of them are not OHKOed by Knock Off. If the opponent has a Dwebble or Whirlipede, lead with Armaldo and use Rock Blast to limit the entry hazards they can set. Use Armaldo to get rid of entry hazards the foe has set up. Use Rapid Spin against Pokemon such as Roselia, non-Stone Edge Torterra, and Stoutland, which cannot harm Armaldo too much. If the opponent has a counter to Armaldo in their team, use Toxic as they switch in to cripple them. Do not play Armaldo as a tank, because its bulk is actually not that great and coupled with a weakness to all the entry hazards it is supposed to remove and a lack of reliable recovery, it usually can only check threats such as Stoutland once in the game. Do not be afraid to sack Armaldo to get off a Rapid Spin, because the teams that Armaldo is usually used on often rely on entry hazards to be removed to function properly, which is more important than keeping Armaldo around long-term.
Team Options
========
Offensive Pokemon weak to entry hazards such as Rotom-F and Dodrio appreciate Armaldo's Rapid Spin support, as well as Pokemon with Focus Sash such as Raichu. Jumpluff and Arbok are good teammates because Armaldo loathes Fighting-types. Pokemon such as Roselia and Poliwrath are also great teammates because Water-types are very popular in PU and they all check Armaldo. Pawniard can Pursuit trap Ghost-types if you are worried about them blocking Rapid Spin. Poliwrath has exceptional type synergy with Armaldo, covering all of Armaldo's weaknesses while Armaldo covers Poliwrath's Grass-type weakness.
[SET]
name: Rain Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Aqua Jet / X-Scissor
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance boosts Armaldo's attack, making it more capable of wallbreaking and sweeping. Stone Edge is Armaldo's most powerful STAB attack, although the accuracy is shaky. Earthquake OHKOes Probopass, generally has good coverage paired with Stone Edge, and can break through offensive Poliwrath variants after a Swords Dance boost with a little residual damage. Even in the rain Armaldo is not extremely fast, so Aqua Jet is used as a priority move that also gets an 1.5x power boost from the rain. X-Scissor hits the Grass-types such as Tangela that tend to annoy rain teams. Rapid Spin can remove entry hazards if you have teammates weak to them, although it doesn't fit as well as an attacking move on this set. Knock Off hits bulky Ghost-types such as Gourgeist-XL and Misdreavus hard and is generally a good utility attack to remove items. It is especially recommended to use Knock Off if you run Rapid Spin to defeat Ghost-types more easily.
Set Details
========
Maximized Attack and Speed EVs allow Armaldo to hit as hard and fast as possible. An Adamant nature is preferred for additional power, as Armaldo does not outspeed anything notable with the additional Speed from Jolly. Swift Swim is needed because it's the only reason Armaldo functions well in rain teams. Life Orb is the item of choice, as it makes Armaldo hit much harder, while Lum Berry protects Armaldo from status such as Volbeat's Thunder Wave and Misdreavus's Will-O-Wisp once.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure that rain is up as much as possible when Armaldo is in the field, as without rain this set is lackluster and easy to deal with. If the opponent has a Poliwrath that is not defensive and does not have Swift Swim, Armaldo can eliminate it by using Swords Dance as it switches in and KOing it with an Earthquake. This set works best mid- or late-game either to break walls or clean up the opposing team. Use Armaldo to defeat Grass-types such as Roselia and Tangela that trouble rain teams. However, it is recommended to avoid switching in as much as possible, as entry hazard damage and Life Orb recoil already wears Armaldo down fast enough and switching into a Sleep Powder is terrible.
Team Options
========
Rain setters such as Volbeat, Electrode, and Relicanth can provide Armaldo with rain to activate Swift Swim. Relicanth can also set up Stealth Rock for the team. At least one other Swift Swim user, such as Poliwrath, Golduck, Floatzel, or Carracosta, is mandatory because with only one, rain is not nearly as threatening. Poliwrath especially is a great teammate because it covers all of Armaldo's weaknesses while Armaldo covers Poliwrath's issues with Grass-types. Water-types without Swift Swim such as Swanna and Simipour can also benefit from the rain, as it boosts their Water-type STAB moves. Swanna can also make good use of Hydration in combination with Rest if rain is up. Entry hazard setters such as the aforementioned Relicanth as well as Stunfisk help Armaldo score some extra KOs, such as the guaranteed OHKO with Stone Edge against offensive Roselia. Spikes users such as Roselia and Quilladin are also very helpful, as they grant Armaldo a much higher chance to OHKO offensive Poliwrath with a Swords Dance-boosted Earthquake.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Life Orb-boosted Aerial Ace lets Armaldo lure in and 2HKO non-defensive variants of Poliwrath on the switch, provided that Stealth Rock or at least one layer of Spikes is up. Aqua Tail gets a 1.5x boost in rain, and it hits Machoke for neutral damage and Ground-types such as Marowak for super effective damage. Superpower does more damage than Earthquake and hits the same targets, but it lowers Attack and Defense after use. Rock Slide is an alternative to Stone Edge for better accuracy, but it loses out on significant power. The offensive support set can use HP investment over Speed because even with investment Armaldo is not outspeeding a lot, and its decent natural bulk allows it to make good use of HP EVs. A physically defensive set is an option to use Rapid Spin against Pokemon such as Stoutland and Ursaring, but it does worse against spinblockers and is much more passive than offensive sets. It also faces competition from other defensive entry hazard removers such as Avalugg, Pelipper, and Torkoal. Assault Vest might seem a viable option on Armaldo, but the Special Defense boost doesn't help it take any particular attack, and having to lose Stealth Rock and Toxic as well as Leftovers recovery is incredibly detrimental to a Pokemon that is susceptible to all entry hazards and weak to Stealth Rock. For this reason, that set is not recommended.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ghost-types**: Although they hate switching into a Knock Off, Ghost-types such as Misdreavus, Gourgeist-XL, and Dusknoir can block Armaldo's Rapid Spin, preventing it from doing its primary job. However, they do not take on the rain sweeper set particularly well.
**Fighting-types**: Poliwrath and Machoke can wall all Armaldo sets except lure sets with Aerial Ace and can set up a Rain Dance or Bulk Up on Armaldo. They have a slightly harder time walling the rain sweeper set but can still check it at the very least.
**Faster Pokemon**: Armaldo is easy to wear down because it often takes entry hazard damage, and coupled with its low Speed and potential Life Orb recoil, faster Pokemon such as Swanna, Pawniard, and Aurorus can usually revenge kill it quite easily. Opposing Swift Swim users such as Golduck and Poliwrath and fast Choice Scarf users such as Raichu and Simipour can also revenge kill Armaldo even in the rain. Faster special attackers are especially problematic because of Armaldo's low Special Defense.
**Status**: Armaldo is vulnerable to all kinds of status. Burn makes Armaldo very easy to wall, paralysis makes the rain sweeper set very easy to revenge kill, and Toxic makes both sets even easier to wear down.
QC: WhiteDMist / Anty / TONE114
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / GatoDelFuegp
[OVERVIEW]
Armaldo is one of the few Rapid Spin users in the tier, and it is the best offensive one with a sky-high base Attack stat of 125, which can help it beat spinblockers. It also has a wide movepool with a lot of coverage options and multiple utility moves, such as Knock Off for Ghost-types. Additionally, Armaldo has Swift Swim, which can make it a cool rain sweeper that outspeeds and OHKOes most offensive Pokemon. While Armaldo does have a wide movepool, it has trouble deciding which move to pick over another, having a bad case of four-moveslot syndrome. Poliwrath's popularity is another problem, as it is capable of walling Armaldo without a Swords Dance boost. In addition, Armaldo's lackluster typing leaves it with only two resistances and a weakness to common Water-types. Armaldo has a low Speed stat and only has a non-STAB Aqua Jet to make up for it. Armaldo is also vulnerable to every entry hazard, which can make it difficult to consistently remove them.
[SET]
name: Offensive Support
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Earthquake / Toxic
item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rapid Spin gets rid of entry hazards on your side of the field, which is especially nice if you have Pokemon with weaknesses to Stealth Rock. Stone Edge helps deal with Sturdy or Focus Sash leads such as Dwebble and Whirlipede by allowing Armaldo to bring them to 1 HP and then use Rapid Spin to remove their entry hazards, KOing them in the process. However, Whirlipede can use Endeavor to bring Armaldo down to 1 HP as well. Rock Blast is a weaker yet more accurate Rock-type STAB move that allows Armaldo to defeat the aforementioned leads in one attack but prevents Armaldo from using Rapid Spin against them. However, it does avoid being brought down to 1 HP by Endeavor and gets around Substitute from Rotom-F, Ninetales, and Chatot, among others. Knock Off hits Ghost-types such as Misdreavus and Gourgeist that switch in to block a Rapid Spin and is generally a good move to use because it removes items from the foe. Earthquake allows Armaldo to defeat Steel-types such as Probopass and Pawniard that would otherwise get a safe switch against Armaldo, and it hits Fighting-types for more damage than any other move Armaldo carries. Toxic cripples Pokemon that can wall Armaldo, most notably Poliwrath and defensive Carracosta. X-Scissor can also be used in this moveslot as a secondary STAB attack that hits bulky Grass-types and Psychic-types such as Torterra and Grumpig for super effective damage, as well as Ground-types for neutral damage. However, Armaldo's Rock attacks already hit Psychic-types hard, and most Grass-types are already crippled by Knock Off. Stealth Rock can be used if you cannot fit it anywhere else in the team, as Armaldo actually hits a lot of common entry hazard removers for super effective damage; however, Armaldo already has four-moveslot syndrome.
Set Details
========
Maximized Attack EVs make Armaldo hit hard, and maximized Speed EVs allow it to outspeed most walls. A Jolly nature is used to outspeed Adamant Marowak and Golem so Armaldo can use Rapid Spin against them without having to worry about Speed ties. A lot of Pokemon such as Poliwrath and Roselia also use just enough Speed to outspeed invested base 45 Speed Pokemon without a boosting nature, so a Jolly nature allows Armaldo to outspeed those as well. Swift Swim is not particularly useful without rain support, but it can help against opposing rain teams. Leftovers grants Armaldo more longevity, allowing it to switch into entry hazards without getting worn down too much. However, Lum Berry is also good because it can get rid of a burn from Misdreavus once and allow Armaldo to hit Misdreavus with a Knock Off.
Usage Tips
========
Even with a Lum Berry, predicting a Ghost-type switching in to block a Rapid Spin is important, because they can still do a lot of damage with their STAB moves and most of them are not OHKOed by Knock Off. If the opponent has a Dwebble or Whirlipede, lead with Armaldo and use Rock Blast to limit the entry hazards they can set. Use Armaldo to get rid of entry hazards the foe has set up. Use Rapid Spin against Pokemon such as Roselia, non-Stone Edge Torterra, and Stoutland, which cannot harm Armaldo too much. If the opponent has a counter to Armaldo in their team, use Toxic as they switch in to cripple them. Do not play Armaldo as a tank, because its bulk is actually not that great and coupled with a weakness to all the entry hazards it is supposed to remove and a lack of reliable recovery, it usually can only check threats such as Stoutland once in the game. Do not be afraid to sack Armaldo to get off a Rapid Spin, because the teams that Armaldo is usually used on often rely on entry hazards to be removed to function properly, which is more important than keeping Armaldo around long-term.
Team Options
========
Offensive Pokemon weak to entry hazards such as Rotom-F and Dodrio appreciate Armaldo's Rapid Spin support, as well as Pokemon with Focus Sash such as Raichu. Jumpluff and Arbok are good teammates because Armaldo loathes Fighting-types. Pokemon such as Roselia and Poliwrath are also great teammates because Water-types are very popular in PU and they all check Armaldo. Pawniard can Pursuit trap Ghost-types if you are worried about them blocking Rapid Spin. Poliwrath has exceptional type synergy with Armaldo, covering all of Armaldo's weaknesses while Armaldo covers Poliwrath's Grass-type weakness.
[SET]
name: Rain Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Aqua Jet / X-Scissor
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance boosts Armaldo's attack, making it more capable of wallbreaking and sweeping. Stone Edge is Armaldo's most powerful STAB attack, although the accuracy is shaky. Earthquake OHKOes Probopass, generally has good coverage paired with Stone Edge, and can break through offensive Poliwrath variants after a Swords Dance boost with a little residual damage. Even in the rain Armaldo is not extremely fast, so Aqua Jet is used as a priority move that also gets an 1.5x power boost from the rain. X-Scissor hits the Grass-types such as Tangela that tend to annoy rain teams. Rapid Spin can remove entry hazards if you have teammates weak to them, although it doesn't fit as well as an attacking move on this set. Knock Off hits bulky Ghost-types such as Gourgeist-XL and Misdreavus hard and is generally a good utility attack to remove items. It is especially recommended to use Knock Off if you run Rapid Spin to defeat Ghost-types more easily.
Set Details
========
Maximized Attack and Speed EVs allow Armaldo to hit as hard and fast as possible. An Adamant nature is preferred for additional power, as Armaldo does not outspeed anything notable with the additional Speed from Jolly. Swift Swim is needed because it's the only reason Armaldo functions well in rain teams. Life Orb is the item of choice, as it makes Armaldo hit much harder, while Lum Berry protects Armaldo from status such as Volbeat's Thunder Wave and Misdreavus's Will-O-Wisp once.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure that rain is up as much as possible when Armaldo is in the field, as without rain this set is lackluster and easy to deal with. If the opponent has a Poliwrath that is not defensive and does not have Swift Swim, Armaldo can eliminate it by using Swords Dance as it switches in and KOing it with an Earthquake. This set works best mid- or late-game either to break walls or clean up the opposing team. Use Armaldo to defeat Grass-types such as Roselia and Tangela that trouble rain teams. However, it is recommended to avoid switching in as much as possible, as entry hazard damage and Life Orb recoil already wears Armaldo down fast enough and switching into a Sleep Powder is terrible.
Team Options
========
Rain setters such as Volbeat, Electrode, and Relicanth can provide Armaldo with rain to activate Swift Swim. Relicanth can also set up Stealth Rock for the team. At least one other Swift Swim user, such as Poliwrath, Golduck, Floatzel, or Carracosta, is mandatory because with only one, rain is not nearly as threatening. Poliwrath especially is a great teammate because it covers all of Armaldo's weaknesses while Armaldo covers Poliwrath's issues with Grass-types. Water-types without Swift Swim such as Swanna and Simipour can also benefit from the rain, as it boosts their Water-type STAB moves. Swanna can also make good use of Hydration in combination with Rest if rain is up. Entry hazard setters such as the aforementioned Relicanth as well as Stunfisk help Armaldo score some extra KOs, such as the guaranteed OHKO with Stone Edge against offensive Roselia. Spikes users such as Roselia and Quilladin are also very helpful, as they grant Armaldo a much higher chance to OHKO offensive Poliwrath with a Swords Dance-boosted Earthquake.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Life Orb-boosted Aerial Ace lets Armaldo lure in and 2HKO non-defensive variants of Poliwrath on the switch, provided that Stealth Rock or at least one layer of Spikes is up. Aqua Tail gets a 1.5x boost in rain, and it hits Machoke for neutral damage and Ground-types such as Marowak for super effective damage. Superpower does more damage than Earthquake and hits the same targets, but it lowers Attack and Defense after use. Rock Slide is an alternative to Stone Edge for better accuracy, but it loses out on significant power. The offensive support set can use HP investment over Speed because even with investment Armaldo is not outspeeding a lot, and its decent natural bulk allows it to make good use of HP EVs. A physically defensive set is an option to use Rapid Spin against Pokemon such as Stoutland and Ursaring, but it does worse against spinblockers and is much more passive than offensive sets. It also faces competition from other defensive entry hazard removers such as Avalugg, Pelipper, and Torkoal. Assault Vest might seem a viable option on Armaldo, but the Special Defense boost doesn't help it take any particular attack, and having to lose Stealth Rock and Toxic as well as Leftovers recovery is incredibly detrimental to a Pokemon that is susceptible to all entry hazards and weak to Stealth Rock. For this reason, that set is not recommended.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ghost-types**: Although they hate switching into a Knock Off, Ghost-types such as Misdreavus, Gourgeist-XL, and Dusknoir can block Armaldo's Rapid Spin, preventing it from doing its primary job. However, they do not take on the rain sweeper set particularly well.
**Fighting-types**: Poliwrath and Machoke can wall all Armaldo sets except lure sets with Aerial Ace and can set up a Rain Dance or Bulk Up on Armaldo. They have a slightly harder time walling the rain sweeper set but can still check it at the very least.
**Faster Pokemon**: Armaldo is easy to wear down because it often takes entry hazard damage, and coupled with its low Speed and potential Life Orb recoil, faster Pokemon such as Swanna, Pawniard, and Aurorus can usually revenge kill it quite easily. Opposing Swift Swim users such as Golduck and Poliwrath and fast Choice Scarf users such as Raichu and Simipour can also revenge kill Armaldo even in the rain. Faster special attackers are especially problematic because of Armaldo's low Special Defense.
**Status**: Armaldo is vulnerable to all kinds of status. Burn makes Armaldo very easy to wall, paralysis makes the rain sweeper set very easy to revenge kill, and Toxic makes both sets even easier to wear down.
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