Mah head is big, but mah heart is biggah <3
[Overview]
<p>With incredible defenses, nine resists, and an immunity, Bastiodon appears to be a solid wall with decent support moves such as Stealth Rock, Roar, and Toxic. Unfortunately, he has two crippling 4x weaknesses to Fighting and Ground, both common physical attacking types that impede Bastiodon's monstrous base 168 Defense stat. Furthermore, his Speed and offenses are laughable, leaving stalling as the only thing this guy can pull off. That said, any assailant lacking Fighting- or Ground-type attacks will struggle to break this beast.</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Roar
move 3: Protect / Toxic
move 4: Rock Blast / Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: Sturdy
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set takes advantage of what Bastiodon does best: tanking hits while dishing out residual damage. Stealth Rock is his most noteworthy move, chipping away at the health of your opponent's switch-ins. Roar forces a switch, racking up the damage from entry hazards while disrupting your foe's momentum. Protect is highly recommended in the third slot, as it can scout out any surprise Fighting- or Ground-type attacks. If your team lacks Toxic support, however, Bastiodon is capable of providing it. The final move assures that Bastiodon isn't completely destroyed by Taunt. Rock Blast can break Substitutes, but Stone Edge is his strongest STAB attack though its accuracy is lower than Rock Blast's. With only base 52 Attack, however, neither will hurt much.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Sturdy is a wonderful ability for Bastiodon, as it allows him to survive an attack that would normally OHKO him. Leftovers is his item of choice, as any health regeneration goes a long way. Though his Defense is higher than his Special Defense, most physical attackers carry either Fighting- or Ground-type attacks. Therefore, a Careful nature and the given EVs maximize his already impressive Special Defense.</p>
<p>Bastiodon works best on stall-oriented teams, offering solid support with Stealth Rock, phazing, and a lengthy list of resistances. Wish passers, such as Alomomola, Audino, and Clefable, increase his lifespan and ensure that he will continue to plague your opponent's team. Audino and Clefable can also function as clerics, keeping him safe from harmful statuses, such as burn. As Bastiodon often causes switches through Roar spamming and sheer bulk, Spikes and Toxic Spikes support from the likes of Roselia, Ferroseed, Qwilfish, Accelgor, and Omastar greatly augments his usefulness. Finally, Pokemon that resist Fighting- and Ground-type attacks, such as Moltres, are always good to have on hand.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Curse boosts Bastiodon's Attack and Defense, but even after the boost, his Attack is pitiful. He has a wonderful physical and special movepool, but alas, his offenses fail to do it justice. Metal Burst is capable of taking out an opposing Pokemon, but only if Bastiodon nearly dies as well. Rock Polish boosts his Speed, but there's nothing for him to do with that boost. Taunt allows him to shut down other walls that attempt to set up. With Magic Coat and some brilliant prediction, he can bounce status back at the opponent. He is capable of setting up rain, sand, and sun, but only sand is of any use to him. Finally, Rest is his only healing move, but unless you're using a cleric, it will probably just leave him crippled for the rest of the battle.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Taunt puts a halt to anything Bastiodon is attempting. Common Taunt users, such as Whimsicott, Aerodactyl, and Gligar, can quickly shut him down. Powerful Fighting-types, such as Medicham, Gallade, Hitmonlee, and Primeape, run rampant in RU, and they can easily switch in on resisted Rock-type attacks and threaten to OHKO back with their STAB attacks. Rhydon and Sandslash have STAB Ground-type attacks to decimate Bastiodon and resist his STAB Rock attacks.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Soundproof keeps Bastiodon safe from moves such as Perish Song and Roar, but Sturdy is almost always more useful.</p>
