PU Avalugg

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bb skarm

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avalugg.gif


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QC: galbia / Magnemite / scorpdestroyer
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / fleurdyleurse
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Overview
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Avalugg's access to Rapid Spin allows it to support its team by only removing entry hazards on your side while not removing the hazards you have set up, unlike Defog. Avalugg's colossal Defense, along with its high HP stat, allows it to take almost any physical hit with ease, making it a decent check to physical attackers such as Bouffalant and Fire Blast-lacking Tauros. A high Attack stat also allows Avalugg to retaliate after being hit, and even without any Attack investment, Avalugg still deals decent damage. Avalugg's reliable recovery in Recover allows it to function as a tank and use Rapid Spin more often.

However, Avalugg's bad defensive typing in Ice grants it many weaknesses and only one resistance, making it vulnerable to many Pokemon. Avalugg's extremely low Speed also makes it very hard to use Rapid Spin effectively, as it usually has to take a hit first. Avalugg's Special Defense is also abysmal, and needs to be invested in to prevent Avalugg from being vulnerable to special attacks. Avalugg also lacks a reliable Ice-type STAB move has to rely on Avalanche, which requires the opponent to hit Avalugg for any decent damage to be done, for a STAB move. Avalugg's weakness to Stealth Rock detracts from its role as a spinner, and it also fails to get past Ghost-types that try to block Rapid Spin. All in all, Avalugg is the best spinner in the tier due to being the bulkiest one with actual offensive presence, and should seriously be considered for any hazard-weak team.

Rapid Spin
########
name: Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Recover
move 3: Avalanche
move 4: Earthquake / Roar
ability: Sturdy
item: Leftovers
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
nature: Careful

Moves
========

Rapid Spin removes hazards on your side of the field while preserving those that you have set on the opposing side of the field, unlike Defog. Recover gives Avalugg a form of recovery, which is ideal for a tank, allowing it to use Rapid Spin more often. Avalanche is Avalugg's main STAB attack, stopping it from being Taunt bait and allowing it to mess with opposing Pokemon that attempt to come in. Earthquake is a coverage move that hits Fire-, Rock-, and Steel-type Pokemon super effectively. Roar allows Avalugg to deal with set up sweepers, forcing them out. However, Toxic is an option in the last slot to cripple opposing walls, such as Pelipper.

Set Details
========

248 HP EVs maximize Avalugg's bulk, while minimizing the amount of damage Avalugg takes from Stealth Rock. 252 Special Defense EVs with a Careful nature patch up Avalugg's mediocre Special Defense. While all of Avalugg's abilities are relatively useless, Sturdy is the chosen ability, guaranteeing Avalugg one Rapid Spin. Leftovers is the chosen item to provide passive recovery. An Impish nature can be used to maintain Avalugg's high Defense. Maximum Defense investment is not recommended, as Avalugg will be taking only marginally less damage from physical attacks, while taking significantly more damage from special attacks.

However, an alternate spread of 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def with an Adamant nature and a moveset of Rapid Spin / Avalanche / Earthquake / Crunch or Recover is an option if you'd rather have Avalugg function as an offensive tank with Rapid Spin as a support option. This set could opt for Crunch over Recover to hit Ghost-type Pokemon that attempt to switch in.

Usage Tips
========

Avalugg is best used staying in and using Rapid Spin when it finds the opportunity, such as against physical attackers that can't do much damage to it. Avalugg is very bulky, but it should not be relied on to take hits. As such, keeping Avalugg healthy with Recover is key to using it properly, which allows it to use Rapid Spin more often. The best time to use Recover is when Avalugg is just above 50% of its health, to get the full benefit of it. Due to Avalugg's insanely high Defense stat, it can check most physical attackers that don't have a super effective STAB move. Lastly, be very careful when using Rapid Spin if the opponent has a Ghost-type, as Ghost-types are able to block Rapid Spin and can potentially burn Avalugg.

Team Options
========

Avalugg works best on teams that rely on entry hazards yet are weak to them, as Defog users are counterproductive on these teams. Pokemon that patch up Avalugg's weaknesses, such as Poliwrath, make for great partners. Pokemon that benefit from Avalugg's Rapid Spin support, such as Scyther, Dodrio, and Flareon, all make for great partners, and the latter has good defensive synergy with Avalugg. Clerics such as Lickilicky can remove poison and burns, which easily cripple Avalugg. In a similar vein, Poison-types such as Roselia can remove Toxic Spikes, which are usually a problem for Avalugg, while Fire-types such as Flareon can absorb Will-O-Wisp and break through Ghost-types with their STAB moves. Roselia and Flareon are also able to take strong special hits, which threaten Avalugg.

Other Options
########

While using an offensive tank set with three attacks and Recover seems appealing, the loss of Rapid Spin is very detrimental, as it is one of Avalugg's biggest niches. Mirror Coat with Sturdy is an option to gain surprise KOs on special attackers. Crunch is a good move for hitting Ghost-types that want to spinblock, but Avalugg can't find the space for it. Lastly, a physically defensive EV spread should not be considered, as Avalugg will only be taking about 10% less damage from physical attacks, while taking about 30% more damage from special attacks.

Checks & Counters
########

**Bulky Ghost-types**: Most bulky Ghost-types are a problem for Avalugg. Gourgeist-XL can tank any attack from Avalugg and burn it. Misdreavus can burn Avalugg or set up on it. Haunter can Trick its Choice Scarf to Avalugg, or take advantage of its low Special Defense. All Ghost-types also block Rapid Spin, which is one of Avalugg's main niches.

**Fighting-types**: Most Fighting-types can tank Avalugg's attacks and outlast it or wear it down. Physically defensive Poliwrath resists Avalanche, doesn't take much from Earthquake, and can hit Avalugg very hard. Substitute variants are immune to Toxic and can set up all over Avalugg.

**Taunt**: If Avalugg is hit by Taunt, it loses the ability to use Recover, Roar, and Toxic, which makes it harder to function as a wall and forces it to rely on Avalanche and Earthquake if it chooses to stay in; examples of Taunt users include Misdreavus and Murkrow.

**Status**: Like most walls, Avalugg is easily worn down by burn and poison. Toxic from Pokemon such as Pelipper is especially troublesome for Avalugg, due to its damage stacking up and eventually bringing Avalugg down. Burns from Pokemon such as Misdreavus reduce Avalugg's offensive presence and negate Leftovers recovery. Avalugg is also threatened by common Pokemon that it normally walls but occasionally carry Toxic, such as Piloswine. Toxic Spikes is also a problem, as it poisons Avalugg while it attempts to spin them away, which is counterproductive.

**Trick**: Trick users such as Rotom-F can easily cripple Avalugg with a Choice item, which will lock Avalugg into an undesired move such as Rapid Spin or Recover and will generally render it useless.

**Fire-types**: Even with Special Defense investment, most special Fire-types such as Ninetales can break through Avalugg. Powerful physical Fire-types such as Flareon can also heavily dent Avalugg despite its high base Defense. However, Earthquake does hit them very hard.
 
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This still needs a bit of work:

Overview: Points 1, 3, and 4 should be merged. Points 6, 7, and 8 should be merged too. Finally, points 2 and 9 should be together, if not merged. Add a point about how it should not be used s a dedicated spinner, but as a physical wall that happens to be able to spin if it gets a chance to. Make another point stating that it's not that great a spinner as it has trouble getting past most Ghost-types, such as Misdreaus, due to their tendncy to Burn it.

Moves: Tbh, I think Roar is the better option over Toxic, as the whole point of that last slot is to make it harder for opponent's to set up on Avalugg. Toxic can just be mentioned in Moves, I don't think it needs a slash.

Usage Tips: Avalugg's main priority to to maintain its health and if it sees a chance to spin, it should take it. Mention that it should play more carefully if your opponent has a Ghost-type, as Avalugg has trouble dealing with them and detests burns. This particular set should not be a tank, so use Recover judiciously.

Team Options: Make note that Flareon and other Fire-types are particularly good teammates as they absorb Will-O-Wisps for Avalugg, and can generally threaten Ghost-types with their STABs.

Other Options: Crunch. Don't mention an all-out-offense set without a reason. Instead, just mention any of the notable moves, what they hit, and why they are not on the main set.

Checks and Counters: Most bulky Ghost-types are number 1 counters, especially Misdreavus and the Dusknoir line. Gourgeist-XL can easily tank Avalanche and Crunch, and burn it, same with the Small forme to a lesser extent. Haunter cannot switch in, but it can threaten Avalugg with Trick, Destiny Bond, or prey on its lower Special Defense. You need to mention that burns also hinder Avalugg by negating its offensive presence and Leftovers recovery. Poliwrath should be listed second, along with Fighting-types in general. Fighting-types are effective as they pretty much can tank anything Avalugg throws their way and set up (Throh, Scraggy) or simply outlast it (Poliwrath). Fire-types are checks, but the cannot switch in due to Earthquake, so move them last and make a note of that.

QC team can chime in on this, but I think a proper tank set is worthwhile as well. Avalugg has good Atk and is more than bulky enough on the physical side to still tank attacks, and is much more threatening while still performing similar tasks. If not, then an EV spread of Adamant 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def should be mentioned in Set Details.
 
WhiteDMist said:
This still needs a bit of work:

Overview: Points 1, 3, and 4 should be merged. Points 6, 7, and 8 should be merged too. Finally, points 2 and 9 should be together, if not merged. Add a point about how it should not be used s a dedicated spinner, but as a physical wall that happens to be able to spin if it gets a chance to. Make another point stating that it's not that great a spinner as it has trouble getting past most Ghost-types, such as Misdreaus, due to their tendncy to Burn it.

Moves: Tbh, I think Roar is the better option over Toxic, as the whole point of that last slot is to make it harder for opponent's to set up on Avalugg. Toxic can just be mentioned in Moves, I don't think it needs a slash.

Usage Tips: Avalugg's main priority to to maintain its health and if it sees a chance to spin, it should take it. Mention that it should play more carefully if your opponent has a Ghost-type, as Avalugg has trouble dealing with them and detests burns. This particular set should not be a tank, so use Recover judiciously.

Team Options: Make note that Flareon and other Fire-types are particularly good teammates as they absorb Will-O-Wisps for Avalugg, and can generally threaten Ghost-types with their STABs.

Other Options: Crunch. Don't mention an all-out-offense set without a reason. Instead, just mention any of the notable moves, what they hit, and why they are not on the main set.

Checks and Counters: Most bulky Ghost-types are number 1 counters, especially Misdreavus and the Dusknoir line. Gourgeist-XL can easily tank Avalanche and Crunch, and burn it, same with the Small forme to a lesser extent. Haunter cannot switch in, but it can threaten Avalugg with Trick, Destiny Bond, or prey on its lower Special Defense. You need to mention that burns also hinder Avalugg by negating its offensive presence and Leftovers recovery. Poliwrath should be listed second, along with Fighting-types in general. Fighting-types are effective as they pretty much can tank anything Avalugg throws their way and set up (Throh, Scraggy) or simply outlast it (Poliwrath). Fire-types are checks, but the cannot switch in due to Earthquake, so move them last and make a note of that.

QC team can chime in on this, but I think a proper tank set is worthwhile as well. Avalugg has good Atk and is more than bulky enough on the physical side to still tank attacks, and is much more threatening while still performing similar tasks. If not, then an EV spread of Adamant 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def should be mentioned in Set Details.
Click to expand...

I just so happened to be online when you posted this! :) I added all of this in, so I guess it's ready for more input.

Anyways, I do have experience with a tank set, and I didn't include it because I wasn't sure what other QC members were going to think of it. Nonetheless, this is what I used:

Tank
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name: Tank
move 1: Avalanche
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Crunch / Rapid Spin
move 4: Recover
ability: Sturdy
item: Leftovers
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
nature: Adamant

This set hits just about everything for good damage bar Poliwrath, which you really just can't hit. I guess a Life Orb is an option, but I've never used it because it just detracts from it being a tank, especially if you've got Toxic on you. I used to run Rapid Spin as a utility move, but in that case, you wouldn't have very wide coverage. Would this be the set you wanted me to add?
 
Yes, with Rapid Spin as a slash with Crunch. I'll discuss with QC first about whether it should be on the analysis or not, so for now just keep it in Set Comments.
 
Make the HP EVs even, move the attack EV's to Defense, and mention an Impish nature in set details as it adds quite a bit of bulk
remove curse+gyro ball and iron defense from Oo
Solid job
1/3
 
mention physically defensive in oo and say why not to use it. it takes like 10% less from physical attacks but like 30% more from special ones, so be sure to warn against its use.

similarly, i wouldn't mention "terrible special defense" in the overview, as it's actually decently specially bulky when fully invested. you could still mention that its special bulk isn't amazing, but it isn't terrible.

252 Atk Life Orb Sneasel Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Avalugg: 161-192 (40.9 - 48.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery- yeah, it doesn't really check sneasel. however, you should really mention that it has absolutely ridiculous bulk, which lets it outright wall basically every physical attacker in PU without a strong super effective move. In particular, avalugg laughs at Piloswine, non-fire blast tauros, bouffalant, etc. also it's a hard counter to mega beedrill get rekt broken bee

despite its shortcomings as a spinner, avalugg is by far the best spinner in PU, and the only one with actual offensive presence. mention this in the overview.

remove the mention of musharna.

articuno is kinda mediocre and really stacks weaknesses, you could replace the mention of it with dodrio or really anything else that hates hazards.

emphasize in team options that avalugg is best used on teams that rely on their own hazards but also have hazard-weak pokemon, as defoggers give it competition otherwise.

**Taunt**: If Avalugg is hit by Taunt, which is very likely due to its low Speed, it loses the ability to use Rapid Spin or Recover, detracting from virtually any reason you would use it on a team. taunt doesn't affect rapid spin @_@

i'd just remove steel-types from c&c, the only relevant one is bastiodon and earthquake is a main move on the set.

in general, you could do to be waaay more specific in c&c, you don't even mention the fact that ghost types prevent avalugg from spinning, which is obvious but it's still really important! another example is your status point, you don't mention any users of it. mention common users such as pelipper, as well as surprise toxics from pokemon you comfortably wall otherwise such as piloswine. also, you could mention toxic spikes as they make it so much harder for avalugg to consistently spin. all of the sections of c&c should have a bit more content in general.

do this and i'll stamp :o
 
Magnemite said:
mention physically defensive in oo and say why not to use it. it takes like 10% less from physical attacks but like 30% more from special ones, so be sure to warn against its use.

similarly, i wouldn't mention "terrible special defense" in the overview, as it's actually decently specially bulky when fully invested. you could still mention that its special bulk isn't amazing, but it isn't terrible.

252 Atk Life Orb Sneasel Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Avalugg: 161-192 (40.9 - 48.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery- yeah, it doesn't really check sneasel. however, you should really mention that it has absolutely ridiculous bulk, which lets it outright wall basically every physical attacker in PU without a strong super effective move. In particular, avalugg laughs at Piloswine, non-fire blast tauros, bouffalant, etc. also it's a hard counter to mega beedrill get rekt broken bee

despite its shortcomings as a spinner, avalugg is by far the best spinner in PU, and the only one with actual offensive presence. mention this in the overview.

remove the mention of musharna.

articuno is kinda mediocre and really stacks weaknesses, you could replace the mention of it with dodrio or really anything else that hates hazards.

emphasize in team options that avalugg is best used on teams that rely on their own hazards but also have hazard-weak pokemon, as defoggers give it competition otherwise.

**Taunt**: If Avalugg is hit by Taunt, which is very likely due to its low Speed, it loses the ability to use Rapid Spin or Recover, detracting from virtually any reason you would use it on a team. taunt doesn't affect rapid spin @_@

i'd just remove steel-types from c&c, the only relevant one is bastiodon and earthquake is a main move on the set.

in general, you could do to be waaay more specific in c&c, you don't even mention the fact that ghost types prevent avalugg from spinning, which is obvious but it's still really important! another example is your status point, you don't mention any users of it. mention common users such as pelipper, as well as surprise toxics from pokemon you comfortably wall otherwise such as piloswine. also, you could mention toxic spikes as they make it so much harder for avalugg to consistently spin. all of the sections of c&c should have a bit more content in general.

do this and i'll stamp :o
Click to expand...

Ok I did all that @_@ Please look at this :O
 
looks good, just a couple things:

remove pdef from set details, as it's in oo already

mention just how little it boosts its physical defense, it only takes like 10% less damage or even less than that with such a spread.

nice job with c&c, although i'm not too sure you need to mention the dusknoir line as they're pretty bad. also mention a few specific taunt users, such as taunt np misdreavus.

do this and QC 2/3
 
Overview:
- Avalugg isn't exactly a staple on hazard-reliant teams, so just remove this part
- Don't need to mention its stats because they'll already be listed. Just mention it has some form of offensive presence, has incredible physical bulk, and can thus function as a good tank.

Set Details:
- Mention the reason for not using 252 Def here as well
- Don't say the tank set "would" opt for Crunch -- makes it sound like it would use it all the time instead of Recover. "could" is a better word.

Team Options:
- Mention some Pokemon that can take special hits, eg. Roselia, Flareon (you already mentioned them but you could add that they take special hits for Avalugg)

Checks and Counters:
- Fire-types: Physical ones aren't the only ones that smack Avalugg so fix that.

These shouldn't be too difficult to implement I hope, so I'll just stamp. QC 3/3
 
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Overview
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Avalugg's access to Rapid Spin allows it support its team by removing entry hazards while still keeping the ones that have already been set by your team, whereas Defog removes hazards from both sides of the field. Avalugg's colossal Defense stat coupled with a good HP stat allow it to take almost any physical hit with ease, making it a decent check to physical attackers such as Bouffalant and non-Fire Blast Tauros. A high Attack stat also allows Avalugg to defend itself from opponents, and even uninvested, Avalugg still deals decent damage. Avalugg's reliable recovery in Recover allows it to function as a tank and use Rapid Spin more often.

However, Avalugg has multiple flaws that hold it back from doing its role as effectively as it could. (contentless, generic transitional sentence) Avalugg's bad defensive typing in Ice grants it many weaknesses and only one resistance, making it very easy to find vulnerable spots. Avalugg's extremely low Speed also makes it very hard to use Rapid Spin as effectively, as it risks being hit in the same turn usually has to take a hit first. Avalugg's Special Defense is also abysmal, (RC) and needs to be invested in to prevent Avalugg from being vulnerable on the special side to special attacks. Avalugg also lacks a reliable Ice-type STAB move and relies on Avalanche, which relies on requires (less repetitive) the opponent to hit it Avalugg for any decent damage to be done. Avalugg's weakness to Stealth Rock detracts from its role as a spinner, and it also fails to get past Ghost-types who that try to block Rapid Spin. All in all, Avalugg is the best spinner in the tier due to being the bulkiest one with actual offensive presence, and it should seriously be considered for any hazard-weak team. (tbh I'm really close to deleting the second part as a 'contentless, generic closure', but I'm leaving it in for now because you're adding new information in the first part; just be prepared in case the second checker deletes it anyway)

Rapid Spin
########
name: Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Recover
move 3: Avalanche
move 4: Earthquake / Roar
ability: Sturdy
item: Leftovers
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
nature: Careful

Moves
========

Rapid Spin is the main move on the set, and removes hazards on your side of the field while preserving those that you have set on the opposing side of the field, unlike Defog. Recover recovers up to half of Avalugg's health, which is ideal for a tank, and allows allowing it to use Rapid Spin more often. Avalanche is Avalugg's main STAB attack, which stops it from being Taunt bait and allows it to mess with opposing Pokemon who that attempt to come in. Earthquake is a coverage move against Fire-, Rock-, and Steel-type Pokemon. Roar is an ideal move against Pokemon who that attempt to set up boosts, as it can force them out. However, Toxic is an option in the last slot to cripple opposing walls, such as opposing Avalugg.

Set Details
========

248 HP EVs maximize Avalugg's bulk, (RC) and give it a Stealth Rock number, while (tbh you can also keep the SR number part and remove the following, but both is kinda redundant) minimizing the amount of damage Avalugg will take from Stealth Rock by exactly 1%. 252 Special Defense EVs with a Careful nature patch up Avalugg's mediocre Special Defense. While all of Avalugg's abilities are relatively useless, Sturdy is the chosen ability in the case of the hazard being Sticky Web, as Avalugg will be guaranteed one Rapid Spin. Leftovers is the chosen ability item to provide passive recovery. An Impish nature can be used to maintain Avalugg's high physical defenses on both sides. (or something like that, I'm not 100% sure what you mean because you state multiple times that Avalugg's Defense is absurdly high even without investment. In any case, there's no spectrum) Maximum Defense EVs are investment is not recommended, (AC) as you'll Avalugg will be taking only marginally any less damage on the physical side from physical attacks, and will take while taking significantly more damage on the special side from special attacks.

However, an alternate spread of 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def with an Adamant nature with and a moveset of Rapid Spin / Avalanche / Earthquake / Crunch or Recover is an option if you'd rather have Avalugg function as an offensive tank with Rapid Spin as a support option. This set could opt for Crunch over Recover to hit Ghost-type Pokemon that attempt to switch in.

Usage Tips
========

Avalugg is best used staying in and using Rapid Spin when it finds the oppurtunity opportunity, such as against physical attackers that can't do much to it. Avalugg is very bulky, but it should not be relied on to take many hits. (comma to period) As such, keeping Avalugg health with Recover is key to using it properly, so it can use Rapid Spin more often. The best time to use Recover is when Avalugg is just above half health, to get the full benefit of it. Due to Avalugg's insanely high Defense, it can check most physical attackers that don't have a super effective STAB move that can hit it. Lastly, Avalugg should play be very carefully when using Rapid Spin if the opponent has a Ghost-type, as they can block Rapid Spin and potentially burn it Avalugg.

Team Options
========

Avalugg works best on teams that rely on entry hazards yet are weak to them, as a Defog user would be counterproductive on these teams. Pokemon that patch up Avalugg's weaknesses such as Poliwrath make for great partners. Pokemon who that benefit from Avalugg's Rapid Spin support such as Scyther, Dodrio, and Flareon all make great partners, and the latter has good defensive synergy with Avalugg. Clerics such as Lickilicky can remove poison and burns, which easily cripple Avalugg. In a similar vein, Poison-types such as Roselia can remove Toxic Spikes, which are usually a problem for Avalugg, (AC) while Flareon and Fire-types such as Flareon can absorb Will-O-Wisp and can break through Ghost-types with their STABs. Roselia and Flareon are also able to take stronger special hits that threaten Avalugg.

Other Options
########

While using an offensive tank set with three attacks and Recover seems appealing, the loss of Rapid Spin is very detrimental, and as it is one of Avalugg's biggest niches. Mirror Coat with Sturdy is an option to gain some surprisingly satisfying surprise KOs on special attackers. Crunch is a good move for hitting Ghost-types who that want to spinblock, but Avalugg can't find the space for it. Lastly, a physically defensive EV spread should not be considered, as Avalugg will only be taking about 10% less damage from physical attacks, while taking about 30% more from special attacks.

Checks & Counters
########

**Bulky Ghost-types**: Most bulky Ghost-types are a problem for Avalugg. Gourgeist-XL can tank any attack from Avalugg and burn it. Misdreavus can burn Avalugg or set up on it. Haunter can Trick its Choice Scarf to Avalugg, (RC) or take advantage of its low Special Defense stat. All Ghost-types also block Rapid Spin, which is one of Avalugg's main niches.

**Fighting-types**: Most Fighting-types can tank Avalugg's attacks and outlast it or wear it down. Physically defensive Poliwrath, namely physically defensive variants, resists Avalanche, don't doesn't take much from Earthquake, and can hit Avalugg very hard. Substitute variants are immune to Toxic and can set up all over Avalugg.

**Taunt**: If Avalugg is hit by Taunt, which is very likely due to its low Speed, it loses the ability to use Recover, Roar, and Toxic, which makes it harder to function as a wall and forces it to rely on Avalanche and Earthquake if it chooses to stay in. Users such as Taunt Misdreavus and Murkrow threaten it.

**Status**: Like most walls, Avalugg will be easily worn down by a burn or poison. Toxic from Pokemon such as Pelipper in particular is more of a problem is especially troublesome for Avalugg due to it stacking up and eventually bringing Avalugg down. Burns from Pokemon such as Misdreavus can reduce Avalugg's offensive presence and negates Leftovers recovery. Avalugg is also threatened by common Pokemon that surprisingly carry Toxic that it would otherwise normally walls but occasionally carry Toxic, such as Piloswine. Toxic Spikes is also a problem, (AC) as it poisons Avalugg while it attempts to spin them away, which is counterproductive.

**Trick**: Trick users such as Rotom-F can easily will cripple Avalugg with tricking it a Choice item, which will lock Avalugg in an undesired move such as Rapid Spin or Recover, (RC) and will generally render it useless.

**Fire-types**: Even with Special Defense investment, most special Fire-types such as Ninetales can break through Avalugg. Powerful physical Fire-types such as Flareon can also still majorly heavily ('majorly' is too informal for analyses) dent Avalugg, in spite of its high base Defense. However, Earthquake does hit them very hard.
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GP 1/2
 
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hi
Overview
########

Avalugg's access to Rapid Spin allows it to support its team by only removing entry hazards on your side while still keepnot removing the ones that have already beenzards you have set by your teamup, unlike Defog. Avalugg's colossal Defense stat coupled, along with a goodits high HP stat, allows it to take almost any physical hit with ease, making it a decent check to physical attackers such as Bouffalant and non-Fire Blast-lacking Tauros. A high Attack stat also allows Avalugg to defend itself from opponentsretaliate after being hit, and even without any Attack investment, Avalugg still deals decent damage. Avalugg's reliable recovery in Recover allows it to function as a tank and use Rapid Spin more often.

However, Avalugg's bad defensive typing in Ice grants it many weaknesses and only one resistance, making it vulnery easyable to find vulnerable spotsmany Pokemon. Avalugg's extremely low Speed also makes it very hard to use Rapid Spin as effectively, as it usually has to take a hit first. Avalugg's Special Defense is also abysmal, and needs to be invested in to prevent Avalugg from being vulnerable to special attacks. Avalugg also lacks a reliable Ice-type STAB move andhas to reliesy on Avalanche, which requires the opponent to hit Avalugg for any decent damage to be done, for a STAB move. Avalugg's weakness to Stealth Rock detracts from its role as a spinner, and it also fails to get past Ghost-types that try to block Rapid Spin. All in all, Avalugg is the best spinner in the tier due to being the bulkiest one with actual offensive presence, and it should seriously be considered for any hazard-weak team.

Rapid Spin
########
name: Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Recover
move 3: Avalanche
move 4: Earthquake / Roar
ability: Sturdy
item: Leftovers
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
nature: Careful

Moves
========

Rapid Spin removes hazards on your side of the field while preserving those that you have set on the opposing side of the field, unlike Defog. Recover recogivers up to halfAvalugg a form of Avalugg's healthrecovery, which is ideal for a tank, allowing it to use Rapid Spin more often. Avalanche is Avalugg's main STAB attack, which stopsping it from being Taunt bait and allowsing it to mess with opposing Pokemon that attempt to come in. Earthquake is a coverage move againstthat hits Fire-, Rock-, and Steel-type Pokemon super effectively. Roar is an iallows Avalugg to deal move against Pokemon withat attempt to set up boostsweepers, as it can forceing them out. However, Toxic is an option in the last slot to cripple opposing walls, such as opposing Avalugg.

Set Details
========

248 HP EVs maximize Avalugg's bulk, while minimizing the amount of damage Avalugg will takes from Stealth Rock. 252 Special Defense EVs with a Careful nature patch up Avalugg's mediocre Special Defense. While all of Avalugg's abilities are relatively useless, Sturdy is the chosen ability in the case of the hazard b, guaranteeing Sticky Web, as Avalugg will be guaranteed one Rapid Spin. Leftovers is the chosen item to provide passive recovery. An Impish nature can be used to maintain Avalugg's high physical dDefense. Maximum Defense investment is not recommended, as Avalugg will be taking only marginally less damage from physical attacks, while taking significantly more damage from special attacks.

However, an alternate spread of 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def with an Adamant nature and a moveset of Rapid Spin / Avalanche / Earthquake / Crunch or Recover is an option if you'd rather have Avalugg function as an offensive tank with Rapid Spin as a support option. This set could opt for Crunch over Recover to hit Ghost-type Pokemon that attempt to switch in.

Usage Tips
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Avalugg is best used staying in and using Rapid Spin when it finds the opportunity, such as against physical attackers that can't do much damage to it. Avalugg is very bulky, but it should not be relied on to take many hits. As such, keeping Avalugg healthy with Recover is key to using it properly, sowhich allows it canto use Rapid Spin more often. The best time to use Recover is when Avalugg is just above hal50% of its health, to get the full benefit of it. Due to Avalugg's insanely high Defense stat, it can check most physical attackers that don't have a super effective STAB move. Lastly, be very carefully when using Rapid Spin if the opponent has a Ghost-type, as they canGhost-types are able to block Rapid Spin and can potentially burn Avalugg.

Team Options
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Avalugg works best on teams that rely on entry hazards yet are weak to them, as a Defog user would bs are counterproductive on these teams. Pokemon that patch up Avalugg's weaknesses, such as Poliwrath, make for great partners. Pokemon that benefit from Avalugg's Rapid Spin support, such as Scyther, Dodrio, and Flareon, all make for great partners, and the latter has good defensive synergy with Avalugg. Clerics such as Lickilicky can remove poison and burns, which easily cripple Avalugg. In a similar vein, Poison-types such as Roselia can remove Toxic Spikes, which are usually a problem for Avalugg, while Fire-types such as Flareon can absorb Will-O-Wisp and break through Ghost-types with their STAB moves. Roselia and Flareon are also able to take stronger special hits that, which threaten Avalugg.

Other Options
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While using an offensive tank set with three attacks and Recover seems appealing, the loss of Rapid Spin is very detrimental, as it is one of Avalugg's biggest niches. Mirror Coat with Sturdy is an option to gain surprise KOs on special attackers. Crunch is a good move for hitting Ghost-types that want to spinblock, but Avalugg can't find the space for it. Lastly, a physically defensive EV spread should not be considered, as Avalugg will only be taking about 10% less damage from physical attacks, while taking about 30% more damage from special attacks.

Checks & Counters
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**Bulky Ghost-types**: Most bulky Ghost-types are a problem for Avalugg. Gourgeist-XL can tank any attack from Avalugg and burn it. Misdreavus can burn Avalugg or set up on it. Haunter can Trick its Choice Scarf to Avalugg, or take advantage of its low Special Defense. All Ghost-types also block Rapid Spin, which is one of Avalugg's main niches.

**Fighting-types**: Most Fighting-types can tank Avalugg's attacks and outlast it or wear it down. Physically defensive Poliwrath resists Avalanche, doesn't take much from Earthquake, and can hit Avalugg very hard. Substitute variants are immune to Toxic and can set up all over Avalugg.

**Taunt**: If Avalugg is hit by Taunt, it loses the ability to use Recover, Roar, and Toxic, which makes it harder to function as a wall and forces it to rely on Avalanche and Earthquake if it chooses to stay in. U; examples of Taunt users such asinclude Misdreavus and Murkrow threaten it.


**Status**: Like most walls, Avalugg will isbe easily worn down by a burn orand poison. Toxic from Pokemon such as Pelipper is especially troublesome for Avalugg, due to its damage stacking up and eventually bringing Avalugg down. Burns from Pokemon such as Misdreavus reduce Avalugg's offensive presence and negate Leftovers recovery. Avalugg is also threatened by common Pokemon that it normally walls but occasionally carry Toxic, such as Piloswine. Toxic Spikes is also a problem, as it poisons Avalugg while it attempts to spin them away, which is counterproductive.

**Trick**: Trick users such as Rotom-F can easily cripple Avalugg with a Choice item, which will lock Avalugg into an undesired move such as Rapid Spin or Recover and will generally render it useless.

**Fire-types**: Even with Special Defense investment, most special Fire-types such as Ninetales can break through Avalugg. Powerful physical Fire-types such as Flareon can also heavily dent Avalugg, in despite of its high base Defense. However, Earthquake does hit them very hard.
GP 2/2
 
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Lol forgot this but remove avalugg and pls mention at least another Toxic target in moves (pelipper, poliwrath, and other setup sweepers/bulky Pokémon that wall avalugg come to to mind) n_n
 
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