erisia
Innovative new design!
[OVERVIEW]
Don't use this Pokemon unless your team really can't afford to run separate Stealth Rock and entry hazard control options; its semi-unique ability to run both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin simultaneously is the only reason you should really consider using it. Claydol has a fairly good matchup against common Stealth Rock users such as Steelix and Rhydon and some entry hazard removers such as Golbat and Hitmontop. Furthermore, Claydol is mostly unaffected by entry hazards itself, making it easier to switch in than its counterparts against a team that has already set its entry hazards up. However, don't let this convince you that Claydol is always the best choice for a Stealth Rock or Rapid Spin user. Its lack of offensive presence prevents it from capitalizing on its admittedly good STAB coverage and movepool, and its multiple weaknesses and lack of recovery heavily detract from its defensive merit and make it easy to wear down. Furthermore, Claydol is extremely vulnerable to Ghost-types such as Mismagius and Spiritomb, which can switch into Rapid Spin and set up with relative ease or inflict heavy damage with their STAB attacks. Additionally, Claydol faces stiff competition from other Rapid Spin users such as Cryogonal, Hitmonlee, and Hitmontop and competes with Stealth Rock users such as Steelix, Rhydon, and Seismitoad that have fewer exploitable weaknesses.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Psychic / Psyshock
item: Expert Belt / Colbur Berry
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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You are only using Claydol because of Rapid Spin; it removes entry hazards such as Stealth Rock and Spikes on contact, letting Claydol's teammates enter battle more safely and avoid being worn down. Stealth Rock punishes foes that switch into battle with residual damage, hitting Rock-weak targets such as Vivillon particularly hard. Earth Power is a decently strong STAB attack that synergizes well with Stealth Rock and hits entry hazard setters such as Steelix and Rhydon on their weak side. It also deals good damage to certain Dark-types that might try to switch in otherwise, such as Houndoom and Skuntank. Psychic is an alternative STAB attack that hits Poison-types such as Golbat and Vileplume and Fighting-types such as Sawk for decent damage. Psyshock can be used to hit certain targets harder if they attempt to switch in, such Virizion and Cryogonal. Shadow Ball can also be used to mildly threaten Xatu and Ghost-types that may switch into Claydol, but it is difficult to justify a moveslot for due to its low strength and lack of utility outside of these targets.
Set Details
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Claydol needs maximum Special Attack investment to deal enough damage to the Pokemon it threatens and to avoid being too passive against offensive Pokemon in general that may otherwise switch into and set up on it. A Modest nature lets Claydol secure the 2HKO with Earth Power on specially defensive Rhydon. Speed investment is generally more useful than bulk for Claydol, since most offensive Pokemon will deal too much damage to it regardless via its many weaknesses. 252 Speed ensures that Claydol outspeeds the likes of Jolly Emboar and Adamant Barbaracle, giving it the opportunity to KO them if they are weakened. 136 EVs are necessary to outrun Jolly Rhydon, while 176 EVs let Claydol outspeed Adamant Emboar, if some extra bulk is preferred. An Expert Belt is usually necessary to give Claydol the power to KO foes with super effective STAB attacks. However, a Colbur Berry can be used to deal with Pursuit trappers such as Sneasel and Knock Off users such as Hitmonlee more easily. Alternatively, Leftovers gives Claydol some extra passive recovery to prevent it from being worn down quite so easily. Levitate lets Claydol avoid Spikes damage and lets it switch into Rhydon and Steelix more easily.
Usage Tips
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Claydol should only generally be used on a team that needs a Stealth Rock user and a Rapid Spin user in one teamslot. Claydol can make a decent lead against teams that run Steelix or Rhydon as their Stealth Rock users due to its ability to force them out and set up Stealth Rock itself, but it should steer clear of less favorable matchups such as against Seismitoad and Xatu. Switching Claydol into attackers can be risky due to its multiple weaknesses, but it does well against certain foes, such as Lycanroc and Hitmontop, that lack the coverage to hit it. In these circumstances, Claydol's bulk and resistances make it very easy to switch in even with heavy entry hazard presence. In the mid-game, Claydol should be brought in to remove entry hazards and get out, forcing out vulnerable targets such as Choice Band Emboar that it outspeeds. Claydol's attacks are very weak against neutral targets, so they should only be used if you are fairly certain that a vulnerable target will be switching in or staying on the battlefield. Otherwise, Claydol is often better off either spinning hazards away or simply double switching (the latter should almost always be done if the opponent is running a spinblocker and Claydol lacks Shadow Ball). Claydol without HP investment is also quite vulnerable to STAB Pursuit from the likes of Spiritomb, Sneasel, and Alolan Raticate, so it can double switch to lure these targets in for teammates to take advantage of.
Team Options
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Claydol fits best on offensive teams that appreciate the role compression it provides. Entry hazard-weak offensive Pokemon such as Vivillon, Accelgor, and Vanilluxe are often good partners as a result, boasting decent offensive synergy. Dark-types are particularly good partners, especially those with favorable matchups against Xatu and bulky Ghost-types such as Jellicent and Spiritomb. Houndoom and Sneasel are solid offensive partners that can capitalize on Rapid Spin support, while Scrafty can switch into strong Ghost-type attacks with ease. Physical attackers that appreciate Steelix and Rhydon being dealt with, such as Scyther, Tauros, and Ambipom, can also be good partners.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Ghostium Z with Shadow Ball is a decent option for luring some Ghost-types, particularly boasting a chance to OHKO Mismagius and 2HKO physically defensive Jellicent after Stealth Rock, but it has a high opportunity cost for little benefit otherwise. Ice Beam has good coverage with Earth Power and hits Xatu harder than any other move, but it does pitiful damage to most other relevant targets, such as Sceptile and Lilligant. Life Orb gives Claydol more offensive power against neutral targets and makes it slightly more difficult to switch into but makes it even easier to wear down. A Choice Scarf set with Earth Power / Psychic / Trick / Rapid Spin has some mild disruption value but utterly lacks the power to be an effective revenge killer, while a similar Choice Specs set is more difficult to bring in safely and has less value against offensive teams. Any other set that lacks Rapid Spin is done better by pretty much any other Psychic-type, with Uxie outclassing most defensive sets and Sigilyph and Mesprit outclassing most offensive sets due to their better stats, movepool options, and fewer weaknesses. Defensive sets are not worth using overall, as they give most setup sweepers a free switch in and still don't wall threats effectively enough to be worth using.
Checks and Counters
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**Xatu**: Xatu can switch into more or less anything that Claydol runs and Roost off the damage or set up in its face, in particular preventing Claydol from setting Stealth Rock up. While physically defensive sets mildly fear Shadow Ball, specially defensive sets can actually Roost off the damage.
**Ghost-type Pokemon**: Ghost-type Pokemon such as Mismagius, Rotom, and Spiritomb can switch into Rapid Spin with ease, preventing Claydol from doing its job. The former two are immune to Earth Power, while the latter is immune to Psychic and neutral to Shadow Ball. Jellicent and Mismagius also have sufficient bulk to shrug off Claydol's Shadow Ball and deal more damage back with their STAB attacks or hit switch-ins with a status move.
**Super Effective Attackers**: While Claydol's good defensive stats let it tank super effective coverage moves in a pinch, any attacker that boasts a super effective STAB attack, such as Sceptile, Rotom-C, Virizion, or Vanilluxe, can force Claydol out. Furthermore, coverage moves such as Knock Off from Hitmonlee make it difficult for Claydol to switch into many attackers, vastly reducing its utility.
**Setup sweepers**: Claydol cannot afford to run any moves that let it deal with setup sweepers in most circumstances, letting threats such as Meloetta, Virizion, and Sigilyph set up on it with very little risk.
**Pursuit**: Claydol is quite weak against targets neutral to Ground-type attacks, making it easy for potential Pursuit trappers such as Spiritomb, Sneasel, and Alolan Raticate to switch in and trap it. While Houndoom and Skuntank fear Earth Power, they can switch in easily when Claydol is using its utility moves to secure the trap.
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