Current Status: COMPLETED, first major proofreading completed
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/bronzong
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Changes:
[SET]
name: Standard Wall
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Explosion / Hypnosis
ability: Levitate
nature: Sassy
item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
evs: 252 HP / 86 Atk / 80 Def / 92 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bronzong is an excellent Stealth Rock user as well as an excellent wall to both physical and special attacks. With its above average defenses and plethora of resistances, Bronzong can set up Stealth Rock, and if running Hypnosis, also put its foes to sleep with ease. Despite its middling Attack, Bronzong's incredibly low Speed combined with STAB Gyro Ball, allow it to deal respectable damage to any sweeper. Fast sweepers, such as Weavile and Choice Scarf Gengar are OHKOed, while slower Pokemon, such as Tyranitar, are 2HKOed. Earthquake allows Bronzong to hit Pokémon that resist Gyro Ball - mainly Infernape, Magnezone, and Heatran (though none are OHKOed), who would otherwise be able to take on Bronzong with little difficulty.</p>
<p>Explosion is the preferred option as Bronzong's final attacking option over Hypnosis, which the benefits have been explained in the previous paragraph. Explosion allowa Bronzong to act as a check against any Pokémon which gives your team problems, because there are few Pokémon in OU which will not be KOed or severely crippled after being hit by, what is, for all intents and purposes, a 500 Base Power attack. Alternatively, Reflect or Light Screen can be used if you feel that your team could use the support. Lum Berry is also a decent option over Leftovers if you are using Bronzong as a lead, as it will allow Bronzong to deal with leads such as Roserade and Smeargle, who will attempt to put you to sleep, although both commonly carry Focus Sash for such scenarios. Charge Beam is also a fine choice for the last slot, as it hits Gyarados and a number of other Pokémon for super effective damage. Hidden Power Ice can also be used in the last spot to hit Salamence and Dragonite, though some Special Attack investment is needed to 2HKO them.</p>
<p>While Bronzong unarguably has one of the best defensive typings in the game, coupled with a useful immunity to Ground-type attacks with Levitate, it will have difficulty taking repeated hits due to the lack of a reliable recovery move in Bronzong's movepool. Pokémon such as Choice Band Scizor will enjoy coming into Bronzong's Gyro Ball and using U-turn to take away up to 50% of Bronzong's health, assuming it stays in to take the hit. The best solution available in keeping Bronzong healthy is to provide it with Wish support, which will restore half of Bronzong's health each time it receives the effects of the move. Vaporeon is a solid choice to provide Wish support for Bronzong, since both cover each other's weaknesses well. Bronzong takes Grass-types attacks directed at Vaporeon, which in turn takes Fire-type attacks directed at Bronzong with little difficulty. Blissey is also a solid option to consider as long as you have a solid check or counter to Fighting-types, most notably Lucario and Machamp, who can use Close Combat and DynamicPunch respectively.</p>
<p>Another large problem for Bronzong is that it is set-up bait for a multitude of Pokémon due to Bronzong's low offensive stats and lackluster coverage between Gyro Ball and Earthquake. Common examples of the Pokémon who will attempt to set up on Bronzong are Rotom-A, Skarmory, Forretress, and bulkier versions of Kingdra. Gyarados, while resisting Gyro Ball and being immune to Earthquake, can be checked through Explosion or Hypnosis. Rotom-A can pose as a big problem to a lot of offensive teams through Discharge, which can cripple some sweepers if it manages to land a paralysis, and Will-O-Wisp, which will cripple any physical sweeper without Guts, Rest,or Aromatherapy support. Skarmory and Forretress will take the opportunity to set up Spikes with ease. Kingdra can use Substitute to avoid getting KOed by Explosion and critical hits from Earthquake, which is the only way you can deal significant damage to Kingdra. Heatran is a great option to handle Rotom-A and the aforementioned Steel-types, as Fire Blast puts a large dent into anything that doesn't resist it. Heatran also gains a useful boost from Rotom-A's Will-O-Wisp if you manage to switch into it. Kingdra can be dealt with by bulkier defensive walls, such as Celebi, which takes a +1 Outrage like a pro, and can cripple Kingdra with Thunder Wave or deal a fair amount of damage with Grass Knot. Although being unable to switch into Rotom-A or Kingdra directly, Salamence will also prove to be a helpful asset for any team running Bronzong, as both the Dragon Dance and Classic MixMence sets are capable of ripping through both walls and offensive Pokémon who can give Bronzong trouble.</p>
<p>Lead Pokémon carrying Trick will also cause Bronzong a lot of grief, especially since they are increasing in popularity amongst a good portion of players. In most scenarios, it is best that Bronzong uses Stealth Rock first turn, as that will keep Salamence and Gyarados at bay later in the game. If you want Bronzong to avoid getting Tricked a Choice Scarf, you can run Protect to scout for potential Trick users or pair Bronzong with a Pokémon who would normally not mind having the benefits of Choice Scarf, such as a Heatran or Rotom-A, with the latter being the better solution of the two.</p>
[SET]
name: TrickZong
move 1: Trick
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Explosion / Stealth Rock
ability: Levitate
nature: Sassy
item: Macho Brace / Choice Band
evs: 252 HP / 84 Atk / 80 Def / 92 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is similar to the previous set, except Trick is being used instead of Hypnosis. However, while the sets are similar, they play entirely differently. Macho Brace cuts Bronzong's Speed by fifty percent, which in turn powers up Gyro Ball to extraordinary levels, now that Bronzong has a 31 Speed stat. More importantly, however, is Bronzong's ability to cripple incoming sweepers by robbing them of their item and shredding any speed advantage they ever had over your other team members. For example, Bronzong will tend to draw in sweepers switch-ins like Heatran or Gyarados, who anticipate a weak Gyro Ball. However, to their dismay, they will be forced to give up their held item in exchange for the rather limiting Macho Brace. Choice Band is also a decent option to cripple defensive, such as Swampert or Dusknoir, and also provides Bronzong with quite a bit of power. If you opt for Choice Band, you may want to just maximize Attack to make Bronzong a more offensive threat. The remaining portion of the set is identical to the previously discussed set.</p>
<p>The item Lagging Tail forces the holder to always move last and is a viable option over Macho Brace; however, it will not boost the power of Gyro Ball like Macho Brace will. Iron Ball is an interesting option, as you can Trick it onto something that previously had a Ground-type immunity, and make them vulnerable to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Ground-type attacks, although it does come at the cost of Bronzong's own Levitate being nullified while holding it.</p>
<p>This Bronzong set tends to work well on its own, requiring very little support from its teammates, since its objective is basically to cripple a Pokémon with either Macho Brace or Choice Band and then use either Gyro Ball or Explosion to hit the Pokémon it's currently up against or the switch-in, in order to cripple or kill yet another Pokémon. However, this set tends to do well with Pokémon that would benefit from the holes Bronzong can potentially create in an opposing team. If using Macho Brace, a slow sweeper, such as Life Orb Heatran, will work wonders for your team, since it will outspeed any Pokémon hindered by Macho Brace. In addition, Heatran is immune to the Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong. If using Choice Band, a sturdy set up sweeper, such as Dragon Dance Salamence, will work best, since it can set up with ease on Choiced Pokémon, assuming it avoids super effective moves. Obviously, it's even better if your set-up Pokémon either resists or is immune to the attack your opponent's Pokémon is locked into. </p>
[SET]
name: Screener
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Gyro Ball / Earthquake
move 4: Explosion
ability: Levitate
nature: Relaxed
item: Light Clay
evs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bronzong is arguably one of the best transition Pokémon in the game, able to come in on its multitude of resistances and force many Pokémon to switch out. This set is designed specifically to benefit the team by using every switch in to set up an 8 turn screen for the team. As far as attacks go, Gyro Ball will allow Bronzong to easily defeat fast opponents, such as Gengar and Yanmega, all of whom will struggle to do damage while the appropriate screen is in place. Earthquake is always a favorable option on Bronzong for nailing Heatran, Infernape, and Magnezone switch-ins. Explosion rounds out the set by allowing a teammate a free switch in after a screen is in place, while possibly KOing the opponent. Stealth Rock can be used in the third slot if you are in need of it, but generally an attacking move is the best option.</p>
<p>As with the previous set, this set requires very little support from its teammates. Instead, this Bronzong is geared towards providing a safer environment for other sweepers to set up, much more so than with the "TrickZong" set. Generally, any Pokémon with a good amount of initial bulk will appreciate the added protection Reflect and Light Screen provide. Kingdra gets a special mention, since it is only weak to Dragon-type attacks, while at the same time having a 4x resistance to the Fire-type attacks normally directed at Bronzong. Under the protection of Reflect and Light Screen, along with Substitute, Kingdra should have no difficulty getting two, or possibly more, Dragon Dances set up. Another plus for Kingdra is that the coverage provided by Water- and Dragon-type attacks is only resisted by Empoleon in OU.</p>
[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Explosion
move 4: Hypnosis / Reflect / Light Screen
ability: Levitate
nature: Relaxed
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
evs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The standard Bronzong is capable of setting up a variety of supporting moves and doing decent damage to many Pokémon with its attacking moves and good Attack stat. Usually, a supporting Bronzong is used as a leading Pokémon, as its excellent set of resistances and immunities mean it can easily set Stealth Rock or sleep an opponent with Hypnosis. Hypnosis' reliability can be an issue at times, as it will miss nearly as much as it hits. Because of this, you may opt to use another supporting move in place of Hypnosis. Reflect and Light Screen are both excellent choices, and will give your Trick Room sweepers more peace of mind against foes they cannot OHKO, as well as priority attacks. Gyro Ball is the reason this Bronzong is recommended to be as slow as possible; at a meager 63 Speed, Gyro Ball strikes at near-maximum power on common opposing leads, such as Weavile or Gengar. Not too much is capable of withstanding a couple of STAB boosted attacks with over 120 base power, even if Bronzong's Attack stat may leave a bit to be desired. Explosion will prove to be the most useful attacking choice in the final slot, unless you fear Magnezone to a great extent. That way, you will be able to hopefully KO on the opponent even if Bronzong's Attack stat may leave a bit to be desired. Explosion will prove to be the most useful attacking choice in the final slot, and then proceed to sweep under Trick Room.</p>
<p>There are various parts to Trick Room that are needed to make it successful, as this particular Bronzong set cannot be used haphazardly on a team without planning. In general, Trick Room teams are rather inferior to other themed teams used in OU, such as Rain Dance and Sandstorm teams, as there are no items to boost the duration of Trick Room, along with the small amount of Pokémon actually viable in Trick Room. However, there are specific guidelines that make Trick Room a worthwhile strategy to based your team off of.</p>
<p>The first requirement to having a solid Trick Room team is, of course, to use Pokémon that have access to Trick Room. Generally, you will want a Pokémon that is capable of taking hits and being able to restore its health so you can set up Trick Room at various times throughout a match. Bronzong fits this description due to its numerous resistances and immunities to common attacking types. However, a solid Trick Room team will usually want around 3-4 Pokémon who are at least somewhat dedicated to setting up Trick Room, as Trick Room only lasts for 4 turns and there is no item to extend the duration. Type wise, both Slowking and Slowbro make good partners to Bronzong, as both take Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong, who, in return, takes Grass-type attacks aimed at them. Other viable Trick Room users that pair well with Bronzong include Porygon2 and Dusknoir. Porygon2 can take on Magnezone well and it also counters Gyarados, Salamence (barring mixed versions), and Heatran with little difficulty. Dusknoir is great at spreading status through Will-O-Wisp and Confuse Ray, but does not have much use outside of that and Trick Room. Another interesting option to consider is Gardevoir. Although not as bulky as the previous two, Gardevoir does have access to Wish, which can help keep both Bronzong and sweepers on your team healthy.</p>
<p>The second requirement to having a successful Trick Room team is to use sweepers that, preferably, require no boosts, as any team bar stall needs a form of offense to take down the opposition. While one might be tempted to use Pokémon like Marowak and Clamperl whose only niches work in Trick Room, they are, unfortunately, extremely frail and will generally fail to support your team if Trick Room, for whatever reason, is unable to get set up. Good choices to consider for a solid Trick Room team include Azumarril, Rhyperior, and other slow sweepers with either a high Attack or Special Attack stat, such as Life Orb Magnezone and Life Orb Heatran, all, of course, with a Speed-lowering nature. Azumarril makes a great choice for Trick Room, since it reaches a fantastic 436 Attack stat, and also offers a form of priority to Trick Room through Aqua Jet, which is essential in preventing Swords Dance Scizor or Lucario from sweeping through your team, should Trick Room not be in effect. Additionally, Azumarril takes Fire-type attacks directed at Bronzong with ease. Rhyperior works in much the same way, except with different type coverage. With a Swords Dance boost or two, Rhyperior can be extremely deadly to any team you may be facing. Choice Band Rhyperior is capable of dealing immediate damage if you aren't willing to waste a turn to set up Swords Dance, although it should be noted that Rhyperior already reaches an Attack stat of 416 with a positive nature and no Attack boosts. Both Heatran and Magnezone are the best options available for a special sweeper in a Trick Room team, as both have access to a diverse movepool and a base 130 and 135 Special Attack stat respectively. Octillery is a worthwhile choice, although you will find Blissey walling you with ease.</p>
<p>If you want a truly dedicated Trick Room team, you may also want to consider a mixed sweeper, such as Tyranitar or Dragonite, so you are not completely hindered by stall. With Crunch, Thunderbolt, and Superpower, Tyranitar takes out every common Pokémon found in stall, bar Swampert, which shouldn't be a major problem due to its lack of a recovery move. Dragonite can fire off boosted Draco Meteors to hit Gyarados, Swampert, and Rotom-A, Fire Blast to hit Celebi, Forretress, and Skarmory, and Superpower to take care of Blissey.</p>
<p>This Bronzong set works best as a lead, since it isn't immediately threatened by any common lead, bar Heatran, who can be easily countered by the aforementioned Porygon2, Slowbro, or Slowking. Leads carrying Taunt will give you the most problems. Gyro Ball can hit Azelf and Aerodactyl, but Gliscor is, sadly, a 100% counter to this set. As such, it is generally recommended you first switch to a sweeper who is capable of immediately threatening Gliscor, such as Azumarril, then switch back to Bronzong either on the following turn or whenever the best opportunity arises.</p>
[SET]
name: ResTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Gyro Ball
move 4: Earthquake
ability: Levitate
nature: Sassy
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 62 Atk / 104 Def / 92 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Bronzong makes a fantastic wall with its ample resistances and many support moves, it does however lack a recovery move. This set remedies that problem. Rest and Sleep Talk allow Bronzong to become the status absorber of the team, while retaining its walling abilities. Rest and Sleep Talk are, obviously, the core moves of this set, allowing Bronzong to recover any damage and detrimental status it may have acquired. With its abysmal Speed, Gyro Ball can often function at maximum Base Power against sweepers like Choice Scarf Gengar. Earthquake gives Bronzong good type coverage when it is partnered with its STAB move, letting it hit Pokémon that resist Gyro Ball, namely Heatran. It should be noted that this set isn't perfect; Bronzong cannot inflict much damage to many of the common sleep inducers. These include Breloom, Yanmega, Milotic, Tangrowth, and other Bronzong.</p>
<p>The EVs are almost identical to the first moveset. However, if you feel like this Bronzong should be your counter to the OU Dragons, use Hidden Power Ice over Earthquake. You will need 24 EVs (which you can take from Defense) and add them to Special Attack to guarantee a 2HKO on Salamence and Dragonite (though Dragonite is only 2HKOed with Stealth Rock damage). Sassy is the preferred nature for this moveset, because, while Relaxed is also beneficial to Bronzong by lowering the amount of damage it takes from physical attacks, Sassy is much more helpful. For example, while Relaxed lowers the amount of damage taken from Breloom's Focus Punch, it is still a 2HKO, just as it is when using Sassy nature. Also, when using Sassy, Bronzong is able to survive SpecsMence's Fire Blast, where Relaxed is unable to do so.</p>
<p>This set is a bit trickier to use than the others, but nevertheless, it can work well given the proper team support. The first main obstacle in preventing the success of this set is being unable to deal with a large list of Pokémon in the OU metagame, most notably Dragon Dance Gyarados and bulky Swords Dance Scizor. Both of these Pokémon set up with ease on Bronzong, so a Pokémon who can reliably counter Gyarados and Scizor makes a good partner to Bronzong. Rotom-A is a good choice, as it has STAB Thunderbolt or Discharge to batter Gyarados and Will-O-Wisp to effectively cripple Scizor; Rotom-H, in particular, gets exclusive access to Overheat. Heatran will also force this set to switch out, so a Bulky Water-type, such as Suicune, will prove to be useful, as it can repeatedly switch into Heatran and threaten it with STAB Surf or Hydro Pump.</p>
<p>This set works well on a balanced team which requires a specific counter to Salamence and other such Pokémon that are effectively walled by Bronzong. Offensive teams will get slowed down to a great extent with this set. However, stall does not really benefit from Bronzong either, since it has no method of forcing the opponent to take damage from entry hazards that a stall team generally relies upon.</p>
[SET]
name: Torrential Zong
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Explosion
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Reflect / Hypnosis
ability: Levitate
nature: Impish
item: Damp Rock
evs: 252 HP / 128 Atk / 128 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Very rarely is a Pokémon perfectly suited to provide almost exactly what a particular style of team requires. Then again, not many Pokémon have the utility capacity that Bronzong possesses. The EVs are set to give Bronzong more physical bulkiness, as Rain Dance will allow it to survive most Fire Blasts and Flamethrowers, the most common special attacks thrown at it. 128 Attack EVs are given to give a boost to Explosion, allowing it to always OHKO 252 HP / 0 Def Snorlax, a common deterrent to Rain Dance teams.</p>
<p>Rain Dance teams require a few factors to be ultimately successful: extended Rain Dance turns, Stealth Rock, and a safe switch in for sweepers to allow them to wreak havoc. Bronzong sets up Rain Dance for 8 turns with Damp Rock, allows efficient switching in by Exploding (possibly on a counter), can lessen the threat of priority attacks with Reflect, and sets up Stealth Rock so Kingdra can get that guaranteed OHKO on Metagross and Kabutops can get that guaranteed OHKO on other Bronzong. Hypnosis's reliability is once again questionable, and generally the off chance of sleeping a threat is not worth the reliable protection Reflect affords.</p>
<p>The reason Gyro Ball and Hidden Power Ice are ignored here is that this Bronzong isn't supposed to be an attacker or last a long time, so these moves are unnecessary. The sole purpose of this Bronzong is to come in sometime in the early to middle parts of battle (note that it is not an effective lead), set up Stealth Rock, use Rain Dance, possibly set up Reflect or Hypnotize the opponent, and then Explode, leaving 6 turns of Rain for sweepers such as Kingdra, Ludicolo, Kabutops, or Omastar.</p>
<p>Since this Bronzong should only be used on a Rain Dance dedicated team, you should pair Bronzong with a Pokémon that benefits from active rain. Considerable sweepers that work well in the rain are Kingdra, Ludicolo, Kabutops, and Omastar. Note that all of the previously mentioned sweepers have access to Swift Swim. A Rain Dance team will also require at least 2-3 other Rain Dancers outside of Bronzong. Zapdos works well type-wise, with Bronzong covering Zapdos's weakness to Rock- and Ice-type attacks. Outside of Zapdos, other users of Rain Dance include Swampert and Scizor.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>As with most other Pokémon, Bronzong appreciates Stealth Rock support if it isn't the one to lay them down. Stealth Rock prevents Pokémon like Gyarados and Heatran from switching in too freely without any consequence. Although not necessary, Toxic Spikes allows Bronzong to stall out grounded Pokémon, such as Vaporeon, who can easily stall out Bronzong and use its impressive defenses to pass Wish to other Pokémon. Rapid Spin support somewhere on the team is useful if you don't want to become set-up fodder for Skarmory or Forretress, who will take any oppurtunity to lay down Spikes.</p>
<p>Bronzong is more of a wall than anything, meaning it does not need much support in the offensive department. If using Explosion, Bronzong can open holes on the team for other Pokémon to take advantage of. Infernape is a solid choice for complementing Bronzong offensively since it is one of the most versatile sweepers in the OU metagame with its ability to destroy nearly everything outside of Latias and Tentacruel after a Nasty Plot boost or two. In return, Bronzong handles Latias and Tentacruel with relative ease.</p>
<p>Defensively, Bronzong will have trouble taking Fire-type attacks, as most manage to OHKO Bronzong at full health. Heatran will usually cause the most trouble as it has a 4x resistance to Steel-type attacks and has a useful 130 base Special Attack to batter Bronzong with. Most Water-types can counter Heatran well, as most have a particularly high Special Defense and STAB Surf. Vaporeon gets a special mention for having access to Wish, allowing it to recover its own health as well as Bronzong's, since it lacks any form of recovery of its own. You'll also want to consider having a check to Gyarados, should you lack Explosion, as it can freely set up Dragon Dance against Bronzong. The same Vaporeon mentioned before can counter Gyarados with Hidden Power Electric, but Stealth Rock is needed to guarantee the KO.</p>
<p>Both Gyarados and Heatran share a common teammate in Scizor, which is not surprising due to its high overall usage in the OU metagame. Scizor has a relatively easy time countering Bronzong itself, since it can spam U-turn while taking up to half of Bronzong's health. As such, it is recommended that your team packs a useful counter to Scizor. Heatran is an excellent choice to handle Scizor as long as you avoid switching into a Superpower, as Heatran packs a 4x resistance to both Bug- and Steel-type attacks. It can also benefit from Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong through its ability Flash Fire. Other likely teammates you will encounter are Salamence and Latias, both held in check by Bronzong.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>A Calm Mind + Block set is somewhat viable, but you'll usually be Blocking your opponent's counter to Bronzong, such as Heatran or Infernape, neither of whom you'll be able to Calm Mind against. However, Bronzong does have a good special movepool, including Charge Beam, Psychic, and Grass Knot, the latter of which can be used for massive damage against Rhyperior, Hippowdon, and Swampert. Due to the Special Defense boost in Sandstorm, Gyro Ball is still a better option against Tyranitar. With its many resistances and above-average defenses, Bronzong can effectively use Toxic to stall opponents, though lack of recovery hurts. Note that Toxic can't be used on the "ResTalk" set due to coverage issues. Thanks to Magnet Pull, Bronzong fears Magnezone (and the lesser seen Probopass) if it doesn’t have Earthquake to stop it, and even that can be foiled by Magnet Rise, so using Shed Shell as your item can prove useful.</p>
<p>Heatproof is a decent ability to fool an opponent, though you wouldn't be able to switch into Earthquake, and any Fire-type attack will tip off an opponent that you are using Heatproof. Also, switching into Spikes will give away your ability because you would not take damage while using Levitate. Leftovers is usually the preferred item; however, Lum Berry is viable so Bronzong can take a Hypnosis from fast sleep inducers, recover from sleep, and hit back with its own Hypnosis.</p>
[EVs]
<p>The EVs listed for the Standard Wall and TrickZong sets may look a bit strange; however, they fully maximize Bronzong's potential. The HP is maximized because, not only does it help Bronzong's below average base HP get a boost, but it allows Bronzong to take four Seismic Tosses (with Leftovers recovery). The Attack EVs allow Bronzong to OHKO Choice Scarfed Gengar and Weavile and 2HKO Tyranitar with Gyro Ball. The Special Defense and Defense EVs maximize Bronzong's defenses, preventing it from be ing OHKOed by MixApe's Flamethrower or +Speed Nature Heatran's Fire Blast. They also allows Bronzong to survive a SpecsMence's Fire Blast.</p>
<p>Other sets use variations of the first EV spread, with either more offensive or defensive EVs depending on the style of the set. You'll want Bronzong's Speed to be as low as possible to increase the power of Gyro Ball, thus a -Speed nature along with a zero (or two in the case of Hidden Power Ice) Speed IV.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>With its many common resistances and only one weakness, Bronzong can make a fantastic support Pokémon. Its resistances to Rock-, Dragon-, Ice-, and Ground-type attacks make it a good counter against Pokémon like Weavile, Tyranitar, and Flygon, as it resists their STAB moves. Though Bronzong can take attacks like Salamence's Draco Meteor, it cannot take repeated powerful attacks due to lack of recovery. Because of this, it is recommended to have a Pokémon with Wish to help Bronzong recover HP.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Thanks to Magnet Pull, Bronzong fears Magnezone if it doesn’t have Earthquake to stop it, and even that can be foiled by Magnet Rise.</p>
<p>The Rotom formes are also great counters, as they resist Gyro Ball and are also immune to Explosion and Earthquake. Gyarados Intimidates and resists Gyro Ball, but can be Hypnotized or hit by Charge Beam. In fact, most bulky Water-types can switch in on Bronzong and slowly wear it down with Surf. Suicune is especially dangerous because it can get a Calm Mind sweep going if Bronzong is foolish enough to stay in. If Bronzong has Rest, it can outstall some Water-types though. Infernape can also switch in on a Gyro Ball and can finish off a weakened Bronzong. Heatran is in a similar boat, except it takes practically nothing from Gyro Ball thanks to its lower Speed, good defenses, and a 4x resistance to Steel-type attacks. It needs to be able to OHKO Bronzong or it will get slapped by an Earthquake, assuming Bronzong stays in. Moltres can come in on Bronzong pretty much regardless of what it uses, with the exception of Hypnosis and Explosion. Pressure will eat up two of Gyro Ball's precious 8 PP, and Moltres has STAB Fire-type attacks to hit back. Moltres also often carries Substitute to block any attempts at Hypnosis once it gets in. Charizard can use Bronzong as a way to set up a Belly Drum sweep, as it usually lacks anything to really damage Charizard with, aside from Explosion (and Charizard often packs Substitute). Interestingly enough, Bronzong's most common switch-ins will dislike being Tricked a Macho Brace or Choice Band, so one should always be prepared for that. Gastrodon makes an interesting counter with a resistance to Gyro Ball and Sticky Hold to prevent Trick.</p>
<p>Flamethrower Blissey can wear Bronzong down, assuming Bronzong doesn't have Explosion. Calm Mind Blissey is much the same, except that it can actually set up. Celebi can use Leech Seed and easily PP stall, as even Explosion won't OHKO Celebi. Even if Celebi doesn't have Leech Seed, most sets will have more PP than Bronzong does, so they will win a PP war if it comes down to that. Celebi could also Calm Mind up and either overpower Bronzong or Baton Pass out of there. Skarmory can come in on anything Bronzong does and set up Spikes. Skarmory does have to fear receiving a Choice Band from Trick, as this will essentially neuter its walling abilities. Celebi must also watch out for getting Tricked a Choice Band if it is being used as your Bronzong counter.</p>
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Updates:
The rest of the update will be completed in a timely, manageable manner. I appreciate everyone's patience so far!
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/bronzong
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Changes:
- Addition of team support options for each set
- Addition of Team Options section
- Revision and correction of any possible grammatical errors
- Team support options will be underlined
[SET]
name: Standard Wall
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Explosion / Hypnosis
ability: Levitate
nature: Sassy
item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
evs: 252 HP / 86 Atk / 80 Def / 92 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bronzong is an excellent Stealth Rock user as well as an excellent wall to both physical and special attacks. With its above average defenses and plethora of resistances, Bronzong can set up Stealth Rock, and if running Hypnosis, also put its foes to sleep with ease. Despite its middling Attack, Bronzong's incredibly low Speed combined with STAB Gyro Ball, allow it to deal respectable damage to any sweeper. Fast sweepers, such as Weavile and Choice Scarf Gengar are OHKOed, while slower Pokemon, such as Tyranitar, are 2HKOed. Earthquake allows Bronzong to hit Pokémon that resist Gyro Ball - mainly Infernape, Magnezone, and Heatran (though none are OHKOed), who would otherwise be able to take on Bronzong with little difficulty.</p>
<p>Explosion is the preferred option as Bronzong's final attacking option over Hypnosis, which the benefits have been explained in the previous paragraph. Explosion allowa Bronzong to act as a check against any Pokémon which gives your team problems, because there are few Pokémon in OU which will not be KOed or severely crippled after being hit by, what is, for all intents and purposes, a 500 Base Power attack. Alternatively, Reflect or Light Screen can be used if you feel that your team could use the support. Lum Berry is also a decent option over Leftovers if you are using Bronzong as a lead, as it will allow Bronzong to deal with leads such as Roserade and Smeargle, who will attempt to put you to sleep, although both commonly carry Focus Sash for such scenarios. Charge Beam is also a fine choice for the last slot, as it hits Gyarados and a number of other Pokémon for super effective damage. Hidden Power Ice can also be used in the last spot to hit Salamence and Dragonite, though some Special Attack investment is needed to 2HKO them.</p>
<p>While Bronzong unarguably has one of the best defensive typings in the game, coupled with a useful immunity to Ground-type attacks with Levitate, it will have difficulty taking repeated hits due to the lack of a reliable recovery move in Bronzong's movepool. Pokémon such as Choice Band Scizor will enjoy coming into Bronzong's Gyro Ball and using U-turn to take away up to 50% of Bronzong's health, assuming it stays in to take the hit. The best solution available in keeping Bronzong healthy is to provide it with Wish support, which will restore half of Bronzong's health each time it receives the effects of the move. Vaporeon is a solid choice to provide Wish support for Bronzong, since both cover each other's weaknesses well. Bronzong takes Grass-types attacks directed at Vaporeon, which in turn takes Fire-type attacks directed at Bronzong with little difficulty. Blissey is also a solid option to consider as long as you have a solid check or counter to Fighting-types, most notably Lucario and Machamp, who can use Close Combat and DynamicPunch respectively.</p>
<p>Another large problem for Bronzong is that it is set-up bait for a multitude of Pokémon due to Bronzong's low offensive stats and lackluster coverage between Gyro Ball and Earthquake. Common examples of the Pokémon who will attempt to set up on Bronzong are Rotom-A, Skarmory, Forretress, and bulkier versions of Kingdra. Gyarados, while resisting Gyro Ball and being immune to Earthquake, can be checked through Explosion or Hypnosis. Rotom-A can pose as a big problem to a lot of offensive teams through Discharge, which can cripple some sweepers if it manages to land a paralysis, and Will-O-Wisp, which will cripple any physical sweeper without Guts, Rest,or Aromatherapy support. Skarmory and Forretress will take the opportunity to set up Spikes with ease. Kingdra can use Substitute to avoid getting KOed by Explosion and critical hits from Earthquake, which is the only way you can deal significant damage to Kingdra. Heatran is a great option to handle Rotom-A and the aforementioned Steel-types, as Fire Blast puts a large dent into anything that doesn't resist it. Heatran also gains a useful boost from Rotom-A's Will-O-Wisp if you manage to switch into it. Kingdra can be dealt with by bulkier defensive walls, such as Celebi, which takes a +1 Outrage like a pro, and can cripple Kingdra with Thunder Wave or deal a fair amount of damage with Grass Knot. Although being unable to switch into Rotom-A or Kingdra directly, Salamence will also prove to be a helpful asset for any team running Bronzong, as both the Dragon Dance and Classic MixMence sets are capable of ripping through both walls and offensive Pokémon who can give Bronzong trouble.</p>
<p>Lead Pokémon carrying Trick will also cause Bronzong a lot of grief, especially since they are increasing in popularity amongst a good portion of players. In most scenarios, it is best that Bronzong uses Stealth Rock first turn, as that will keep Salamence and Gyarados at bay later in the game. If you want Bronzong to avoid getting Tricked a Choice Scarf, you can run Protect to scout for potential Trick users or pair Bronzong with a Pokémon who would normally not mind having the benefits of Choice Scarf, such as a Heatran or Rotom-A, with the latter being the better solution of the two.</p>
[SET]
name: TrickZong
move 1: Trick
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Explosion / Stealth Rock
ability: Levitate
nature: Sassy
item: Macho Brace / Choice Band
evs: 252 HP / 84 Atk / 80 Def / 92 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is similar to the previous set, except Trick is being used instead of Hypnosis. However, while the sets are similar, they play entirely differently. Macho Brace cuts Bronzong's Speed by fifty percent, which in turn powers up Gyro Ball to extraordinary levels, now that Bronzong has a 31 Speed stat. More importantly, however, is Bronzong's ability to cripple incoming sweepers by robbing them of their item and shredding any speed advantage they ever had over your other team members. For example, Bronzong will tend to draw in sweepers switch-ins like Heatran or Gyarados, who anticipate a weak Gyro Ball. However, to their dismay, they will be forced to give up their held item in exchange for the rather limiting Macho Brace. Choice Band is also a decent option to cripple defensive, such as Swampert or Dusknoir, and also provides Bronzong with quite a bit of power. If you opt for Choice Band, you may want to just maximize Attack to make Bronzong a more offensive threat. The remaining portion of the set is identical to the previously discussed set.</p>
<p>The item Lagging Tail forces the holder to always move last and is a viable option over Macho Brace; however, it will not boost the power of Gyro Ball like Macho Brace will. Iron Ball is an interesting option, as you can Trick it onto something that previously had a Ground-type immunity, and make them vulnerable to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Ground-type attacks, although it does come at the cost of Bronzong's own Levitate being nullified while holding it.</p>
<p>This Bronzong set tends to work well on its own, requiring very little support from its teammates, since its objective is basically to cripple a Pokémon with either Macho Brace or Choice Band and then use either Gyro Ball or Explosion to hit the Pokémon it's currently up against or the switch-in, in order to cripple or kill yet another Pokémon. However, this set tends to do well with Pokémon that would benefit from the holes Bronzong can potentially create in an opposing team. If using Macho Brace, a slow sweeper, such as Life Orb Heatran, will work wonders for your team, since it will outspeed any Pokémon hindered by Macho Brace. In addition, Heatran is immune to the Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong. If using Choice Band, a sturdy set up sweeper, such as Dragon Dance Salamence, will work best, since it can set up with ease on Choiced Pokémon, assuming it avoids super effective moves. Obviously, it's even better if your set-up Pokémon either resists or is immune to the attack your opponent's Pokémon is locked into. </p>
[SET]
name: Screener
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Gyro Ball / Earthquake
move 4: Explosion
ability: Levitate
nature: Relaxed
item: Light Clay
evs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bronzong is arguably one of the best transition Pokémon in the game, able to come in on its multitude of resistances and force many Pokémon to switch out. This set is designed specifically to benefit the team by using every switch in to set up an 8 turn screen for the team. As far as attacks go, Gyro Ball will allow Bronzong to easily defeat fast opponents, such as Gengar and Yanmega, all of whom will struggle to do damage while the appropriate screen is in place. Earthquake is always a favorable option on Bronzong for nailing Heatran, Infernape, and Magnezone switch-ins. Explosion rounds out the set by allowing a teammate a free switch in after a screen is in place, while possibly KOing the opponent. Stealth Rock can be used in the third slot if you are in need of it, but generally an attacking move is the best option.</p>
<p>As with the previous set, this set requires very little support from its teammates. Instead, this Bronzong is geared towards providing a safer environment for other sweepers to set up, much more so than with the "TrickZong" set. Generally, any Pokémon with a good amount of initial bulk will appreciate the added protection Reflect and Light Screen provide. Kingdra gets a special mention, since it is only weak to Dragon-type attacks, while at the same time having a 4x resistance to the Fire-type attacks normally directed at Bronzong. Under the protection of Reflect and Light Screen, along with Substitute, Kingdra should have no difficulty getting two, or possibly more, Dragon Dances set up. Another plus for Kingdra is that the coverage provided by Water- and Dragon-type attacks is only resisted by Empoleon in OU.</p>
[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Explosion
move 4: Hypnosis / Reflect / Light Screen
ability: Levitate
nature: Relaxed
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
evs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The standard Bronzong is capable of setting up a variety of supporting moves and doing decent damage to many Pokémon with its attacking moves and good Attack stat. Usually, a supporting Bronzong is used as a leading Pokémon, as its excellent set of resistances and immunities mean it can easily set Stealth Rock or sleep an opponent with Hypnosis. Hypnosis' reliability can be an issue at times, as it will miss nearly as much as it hits. Because of this, you may opt to use another supporting move in place of Hypnosis. Reflect and Light Screen are both excellent choices, and will give your Trick Room sweepers more peace of mind against foes they cannot OHKO, as well as priority attacks. Gyro Ball is the reason this Bronzong is recommended to be as slow as possible; at a meager 63 Speed, Gyro Ball strikes at near-maximum power on common opposing leads, such as Weavile or Gengar. Not too much is capable of withstanding a couple of STAB boosted attacks with over 120 base power, even if Bronzong's Attack stat may leave a bit to be desired. Explosion will prove to be the most useful attacking choice in the final slot, unless you fear Magnezone to a great extent. That way, you will be able to hopefully KO on the opponent even if Bronzong's Attack stat may leave a bit to be desired. Explosion will prove to be the most useful attacking choice in the final slot, and then proceed to sweep under Trick Room.</p>
<p>There are various parts to Trick Room that are needed to make it successful, as this particular Bronzong set cannot be used haphazardly on a team without planning. In general, Trick Room teams are rather inferior to other themed teams used in OU, such as Rain Dance and Sandstorm teams, as there are no items to boost the duration of Trick Room, along with the small amount of Pokémon actually viable in Trick Room. However, there are specific guidelines that make Trick Room a worthwhile strategy to based your team off of.</p>
<p>The first requirement to having a solid Trick Room team is, of course, to use Pokémon that have access to Trick Room. Generally, you will want a Pokémon that is capable of taking hits and being able to restore its health so you can set up Trick Room at various times throughout a match. Bronzong fits this description due to its numerous resistances and immunities to common attacking types. However, a solid Trick Room team will usually want around 3-4 Pokémon who are at least somewhat dedicated to setting up Trick Room, as Trick Room only lasts for 4 turns and there is no item to extend the duration. Type wise, both Slowking and Slowbro make good partners to Bronzong, as both take Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong, who, in return, takes Grass-type attacks aimed at them. Other viable Trick Room users that pair well with Bronzong include Porygon2 and Dusknoir. Porygon2 can take on Magnezone well and it also counters Gyarados, Salamence (barring mixed versions), and Heatran with little difficulty. Dusknoir is great at spreading status through Will-O-Wisp and Confuse Ray, but does not have much use outside of that and Trick Room. Another interesting option to consider is Gardevoir. Although not as bulky as the previous two, Gardevoir does have access to Wish, which can help keep both Bronzong and sweepers on your team healthy.</p>
<p>The second requirement to having a successful Trick Room team is to use sweepers that, preferably, require no boosts, as any team bar stall needs a form of offense to take down the opposition. While one might be tempted to use Pokémon like Marowak and Clamperl whose only niches work in Trick Room, they are, unfortunately, extremely frail and will generally fail to support your team if Trick Room, for whatever reason, is unable to get set up. Good choices to consider for a solid Trick Room team include Azumarril, Rhyperior, and other slow sweepers with either a high Attack or Special Attack stat, such as Life Orb Magnezone and Life Orb Heatran, all, of course, with a Speed-lowering nature. Azumarril makes a great choice for Trick Room, since it reaches a fantastic 436 Attack stat, and also offers a form of priority to Trick Room through Aqua Jet, which is essential in preventing Swords Dance Scizor or Lucario from sweeping through your team, should Trick Room not be in effect. Additionally, Azumarril takes Fire-type attacks directed at Bronzong with ease. Rhyperior works in much the same way, except with different type coverage. With a Swords Dance boost or two, Rhyperior can be extremely deadly to any team you may be facing. Choice Band Rhyperior is capable of dealing immediate damage if you aren't willing to waste a turn to set up Swords Dance, although it should be noted that Rhyperior already reaches an Attack stat of 416 with a positive nature and no Attack boosts. Both Heatran and Magnezone are the best options available for a special sweeper in a Trick Room team, as both have access to a diverse movepool and a base 130 and 135 Special Attack stat respectively. Octillery is a worthwhile choice, although you will find Blissey walling you with ease.</p>
<p>If you want a truly dedicated Trick Room team, you may also want to consider a mixed sweeper, such as Tyranitar or Dragonite, so you are not completely hindered by stall. With Crunch, Thunderbolt, and Superpower, Tyranitar takes out every common Pokémon found in stall, bar Swampert, which shouldn't be a major problem due to its lack of a recovery move. Dragonite can fire off boosted Draco Meteors to hit Gyarados, Swampert, and Rotom-A, Fire Blast to hit Celebi, Forretress, and Skarmory, and Superpower to take care of Blissey.</p>
<p>This Bronzong set works best as a lead, since it isn't immediately threatened by any common lead, bar Heatran, who can be easily countered by the aforementioned Porygon2, Slowbro, or Slowking. Leads carrying Taunt will give you the most problems. Gyro Ball can hit Azelf and Aerodactyl, but Gliscor is, sadly, a 100% counter to this set. As such, it is generally recommended you first switch to a sweeper who is capable of immediately threatening Gliscor, such as Azumarril, then switch back to Bronzong either on the following turn or whenever the best opportunity arises.</p>
[SET]
name: ResTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Gyro Ball
move 4: Earthquake
ability: Levitate
nature: Sassy
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 62 Atk / 104 Def / 92 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Bronzong makes a fantastic wall with its ample resistances and many support moves, it does however lack a recovery move. This set remedies that problem. Rest and Sleep Talk allow Bronzong to become the status absorber of the team, while retaining its walling abilities. Rest and Sleep Talk are, obviously, the core moves of this set, allowing Bronzong to recover any damage and detrimental status it may have acquired. With its abysmal Speed, Gyro Ball can often function at maximum Base Power against sweepers like Choice Scarf Gengar. Earthquake gives Bronzong good type coverage when it is partnered with its STAB move, letting it hit Pokémon that resist Gyro Ball, namely Heatran. It should be noted that this set isn't perfect; Bronzong cannot inflict much damage to many of the common sleep inducers. These include Breloom, Yanmega, Milotic, Tangrowth, and other Bronzong.</p>
<p>The EVs are almost identical to the first moveset. However, if you feel like this Bronzong should be your counter to the OU Dragons, use Hidden Power Ice over Earthquake. You will need 24 EVs (which you can take from Defense) and add them to Special Attack to guarantee a 2HKO on Salamence and Dragonite (though Dragonite is only 2HKOed with Stealth Rock damage). Sassy is the preferred nature for this moveset, because, while Relaxed is also beneficial to Bronzong by lowering the amount of damage it takes from physical attacks, Sassy is much more helpful. For example, while Relaxed lowers the amount of damage taken from Breloom's Focus Punch, it is still a 2HKO, just as it is when using Sassy nature. Also, when using Sassy, Bronzong is able to survive SpecsMence's Fire Blast, where Relaxed is unable to do so.</p>
<p>This set is a bit trickier to use than the others, but nevertheless, it can work well given the proper team support. The first main obstacle in preventing the success of this set is being unable to deal with a large list of Pokémon in the OU metagame, most notably Dragon Dance Gyarados and bulky Swords Dance Scizor. Both of these Pokémon set up with ease on Bronzong, so a Pokémon who can reliably counter Gyarados and Scizor makes a good partner to Bronzong. Rotom-A is a good choice, as it has STAB Thunderbolt or Discharge to batter Gyarados and Will-O-Wisp to effectively cripple Scizor; Rotom-H, in particular, gets exclusive access to Overheat. Heatran will also force this set to switch out, so a Bulky Water-type, such as Suicune, will prove to be useful, as it can repeatedly switch into Heatran and threaten it with STAB Surf or Hydro Pump.</p>
<p>This set works well on a balanced team which requires a specific counter to Salamence and other such Pokémon that are effectively walled by Bronzong. Offensive teams will get slowed down to a great extent with this set. However, stall does not really benefit from Bronzong either, since it has no method of forcing the opponent to take damage from entry hazards that a stall team generally relies upon.</p>
[SET]
name: Torrential Zong
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Explosion
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Reflect / Hypnosis
ability: Levitate
nature: Impish
item: Damp Rock
evs: 252 HP / 128 Atk / 128 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Very rarely is a Pokémon perfectly suited to provide almost exactly what a particular style of team requires. Then again, not many Pokémon have the utility capacity that Bronzong possesses. The EVs are set to give Bronzong more physical bulkiness, as Rain Dance will allow it to survive most Fire Blasts and Flamethrowers, the most common special attacks thrown at it. 128 Attack EVs are given to give a boost to Explosion, allowing it to always OHKO 252 HP / 0 Def Snorlax, a common deterrent to Rain Dance teams.</p>
<p>Rain Dance teams require a few factors to be ultimately successful: extended Rain Dance turns, Stealth Rock, and a safe switch in for sweepers to allow them to wreak havoc. Bronzong sets up Rain Dance for 8 turns with Damp Rock, allows efficient switching in by Exploding (possibly on a counter), can lessen the threat of priority attacks with Reflect, and sets up Stealth Rock so Kingdra can get that guaranteed OHKO on Metagross and Kabutops can get that guaranteed OHKO on other Bronzong. Hypnosis's reliability is once again questionable, and generally the off chance of sleeping a threat is not worth the reliable protection Reflect affords.</p>
<p>The reason Gyro Ball and Hidden Power Ice are ignored here is that this Bronzong isn't supposed to be an attacker or last a long time, so these moves are unnecessary. The sole purpose of this Bronzong is to come in sometime in the early to middle parts of battle (note that it is not an effective lead), set up Stealth Rock, use Rain Dance, possibly set up Reflect or Hypnotize the opponent, and then Explode, leaving 6 turns of Rain for sweepers such as Kingdra, Ludicolo, Kabutops, or Omastar.</p>
<p>Since this Bronzong should only be used on a Rain Dance dedicated team, you should pair Bronzong with a Pokémon that benefits from active rain. Considerable sweepers that work well in the rain are Kingdra, Ludicolo, Kabutops, and Omastar. Note that all of the previously mentioned sweepers have access to Swift Swim. A Rain Dance team will also require at least 2-3 other Rain Dancers outside of Bronzong. Zapdos works well type-wise, with Bronzong covering Zapdos's weakness to Rock- and Ice-type attacks. Outside of Zapdos, other users of Rain Dance include Swampert and Scizor.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>As with most other Pokémon, Bronzong appreciates Stealth Rock support if it isn't the one to lay them down. Stealth Rock prevents Pokémon like Gyarados and Heatran from switching in too freely without any consequence. Although not necessary, Toxic Spikes allows Bronzong to stall out grounded Pokémon, such as Vaporeon, who can easily stall out Bronzong and use its impressive defenses to pass Wish to other Pokémon. Rapid Spin support somewhere on the team is useful if you don't want to become set-up fodder for Skarmory or Forretress, who will take any oppurtunity to lay down Spikes.</p>
<p>Bronzong is more of a wall than anything, meaning it does not need much support in the offensive department. If using Explosion, Bronzong can open holes on the team for other Pokémon to take advantage of. Infernape is a solid choice for complementing Bronzong offensively since it is one of the most versatile sweepers in the OU metagame with its ability to destroy nearly everything outside of Latias and Tentacruel after a Nasty Plot boost or two. In return, Bronzong handles Latias and Tentacruel with relative ease.</p>
<p>Defensively, Bronzong will have trouble taking Fire-type attacks, as most manage to OHKO Bronzong at full health. Heatran will usually cause the most trouble as it has a 4x resistance to Steel-type attacks and has a useful 130 base Special Attack to batter Bronzong with. Most Water-types can counter Heatran well, as most have a particularly high Special Defense and STAB Surf. Vaporeon gets a special mention for having access to Wish, allowing it to recover its own health as well as Bronzong's, since it lacks any form of recovery of its own. You'll also want to consider having a check to Gyarados, should you lack Explosion, as it can freely set up Dragon Dance against Bronzong. The same Vaporeon mentioned before can counter Gyarados with Hidden Power Electric, but Stealth Rock is needed to guarantee the KO.</p>
<p>Both Gyarados and Heatran share a common teammate in Scizor, which is not surprising due to its high overall usage in the OU metagame. Scizor has a relatively easy time countering Bronzong itself, since it can spam U-turn while taking up to half of Bronzong's health. As such, it is recommended that your team packs a useful counter to Scizor. Heatran is an excellent choice to handle Scizor as long as you avoid switching into a Superpower, as Heatran packs a 4x resistance to both Bug- and Steel-type attacks. It can also benefit from Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong through its ability Flash Fire. Other likely teammates you will encounter are Salamence and Latias, both held in check by Bronzong.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>A Calm Mind + Block set is somewhat viable, but you'll usually be Blocking your opponent's counter to Bronzong, such as Heatran or Infernape, neither of whom you'll be able to Calm Mind against. However, Bronzong does have a good special movepool, including Charge Beam, Psychic, and Grass Knot, the latter of which can be used for massive damage against Rhyperior, Hippowdon, and Swampert. Due to the Special Defense boost in Sandstorm, Gyro Ball is still a better option against Tyranitar. With its many resistances and above-average defenses, Bronzong can effectively use Toxic to stall opponents, though lack of recovery hurts. Note that Toxic can't be used on the "ResTalk" set due to coverage issues. Thanks to Magnet Pull, Bronzong fears Magnezone (and the lesser seen Probopass) if it doesn’t have Earthquake to stop it, and even that can be foiled by Magnet Rise, so using Shed Shell as your item can prove useful.</p>
<p>Heatproof is a decent ability to fool an opponent, though you wouldn't be able to switch into Earthquake, and any Fire-type attack will tip off an opponent that you are using Heatproof. Also, switching into Spikes will give away your ability because you would not take damage while using Levitate. Leftovers is usually the preferred item; however, Lum Berry is viable so Bronzong can take a Hypnosis from fast sleep inducers, recover from sleep, and hit back with its own Hypnosis.</p>
[EVs]
<p>The EVs listed for the Standard Wall and TrickZong sets may look a bit strange; however, they fully maximize Bronzong's potential. The HP is maximized because, not only does it help Bronzong's below average base HP get a boost, but it allows Bronzong to take four Seismic Tosses (with Leftovers recovery). The Attack EVs allow Bronzong to OHKO Choice Scarfed Gengar and Weavile and 2HKO Tyranitar with Gyro Ball. The Special Defense and Defense EVs maximize Bronzong's defenses, preventing it from be ing OHKOed by MixApe's Flamethrower or +Speed Nature Heatran's Fire Blast. They also allows Bronzong to survive a SpecsMence's Fire Blast.</p>
<p>Other sets use variations of the first EV spread, with either more offensive or defensive EVs depending on the style of the set. You'll want Bronzong's Speed to be as low as possible to increase the power of Gyro Ball, thus a -Speed nature along with a zero (or two in the case of Hidden Power Ice) Speed IV.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>With its many common resistances and only one weakness, Bronzong can make a fantastic support Pokémon. Its resistances to Rock-, Dragon-, Ice-, and Ground-type attacks make it a good counter against Pokémon like Weavile, Tyranitar, and Flygon, as it resists their STAB moves. Though Bronzong can take attacks like Salamence's Draco Meteor, it cannot take repeated powerful attacks due to lack of recovery. Because of this, it is recommended to have a Pokémon with Wish to help Bronzong recover HP.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Thanks to Magnet Pull, Bronzong fears Magnezone if it doesn’t have Earthquake to stop it, and even that can be foiled by Magnet Rise.</p>
<p>The Rotom formes are also great counters, as they resist Gyro Ball and are also immune to Explosion and Earthquake. Gyarados Intimidates and resists Gyro Ball, but can be Hypnotized or hit by Charge Beam. In fact, most bulky Water-types can switch in on Bronzong and slowly wear it down with Surf. Suicune is especially dangerous because it can get a Calm Mind sweep going if Bronzong is foolish enough to stay in. If Bronzong has Rest, it can outstall some Water-types though. Infernape can also switch in on a Gyro Ball and can finish off a weakened Bronzong. Heatran is in a similar boat, except it takes practically nothing from Gyro Ball thanks to its lower Speed, good defenses, and a 4x resistance to Steel-type attacks. It needs to be able to OHKO Bronzong or it will get slapped by an Earthquake, assuming Bronzong stays in. Moltres can come in on Bronzong pretty much regardless of what it uses, with the exception of Hypnosis and Explosion. Pressure will eat up two of Gyro Ball's precious 8 PP, and Moltres has STAB Fire-type attacks to hit back. Moltres also often carries Substitute to block any attempts at Hypnosis once it gets in. Charizard can use Bronzong as a way to set up a Belly Drum sweep, as it usually lacks anything to really damage Charizard with, aside from Explosion (and Charizard often packs Substitute). Interestingly enough, Bronzong's most common switch-ins will dislike being Tricked a Macho Brace or Choice Band, so one should always be prepared for that. Gastrodon makes an interesting counter with a resistance to Gyro Ball and Sticky Hold to prevent Trick.</p>
<p>Flamethrower Blissey can wear Bronzong down, assuming Bronzong doesn't have Explosion. Calm Mind Blissey is much the same, except that it can actually set up. Celebi can use Leech Seed and easily PP stall, as even Explosion won't OHKO Celebi. Even if Celebi doesn't have Leech Seed, most sets will have more PP than Bronzong does, so they will win a PP war if it comes down to that. Celebi could also Calm Mind up and either overpower Bronzong or Baton Pass out of there. Skarmory can come in on anything Bronzong does and set up Spikes. Skarmory does have to fear receiving a Choice Band from Trick, as this will essentially neuter its walling abilities. Celebi must also watch out for getting Tricked a Choice Band if it is being used as your Bronzong counter.</p>
____________
Updates:
- 7/4/2009 - No changes have taken place, analysis was directly copied from website for further evaluation and a place to perform edits
- 7/4/2009 - Team options for "Standard Wall" set added
- 7/6/2009 - Team options for "TrickZong" and "Dual Screener" sets added
- 7/6/2009 - Team options for "Trick Room" and "Torrential Zong" sets added
- 7/7/2009 - Team options for "RestTalk" Bronzong added
- 7/7/2009 - Team Options section added
- 7/7/2009 - Preliminary draft completed
- 7/8/2009 - Bojangles and supermarth64's changes have been implemented
- 7/15/2009 - Secondary revision of the analysis completed
The rest of the update will be completed in a timely, manageable manner. I appreciate everyone's patience so far!
