[OVERVIEW]
Gourgeist-XL is one of the physically bulkiest Pokemon in NU, which is further augmented by its defensive typing, allowing it to easily wall the physical Fighting-, Ground-, and Water-types of the tier. This allows Gourgeist-XL to fend off the likes of Sawk, Rhydon, and physical Samurott, which are some of the biggest threats to slower balance teams. Gourgeist-XL's access to Will-O-Wisp and Synthesis also makes it very challenging to break for most physical attackers in general. However, common weaknesses to Fire, Ice, and Ghost render Gourgeist-XL vulnerable to many special attackers in the tier, such as Pyroar, Abomasnow, Xatu, and Mismagius, and it has mediocre offensive presence due to its unimpressive physical movepool and its Special Attack being too low to properly make use of its superior special movepool. Gourgeist-XL's recovery can be nerfed by Snow Warning, of which both users in Abomasnow and Aurorus can make for well-timed switch-ins into Synthesis and massively threaten it.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Synthesis
move 3: Foul Play
move 4: Rock Slide / Leech Seed
item: Colbur Berry / Leftovers
ability: Frisk
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Will-O-Wisp is important for crippling physical attackers while also adding on residual damage. Synthesis keeps Gourgeist-XL healthy, though be wary of hail and rain, which cut its recovery to a mere 25%. Foul Play is Gourgeist-XL's main attack, allowing it to hit setup sweepers such as Barbaracle, Swords Dance Samurott, Klinklang, and Sceptile for a lot of damage. Seed Bomb is a usable option over Foul Play to deal with Water- and Ground-types, such as Omastar, Kabutops, and Rhydon, much more quickly. Rock Slide hits Fire-, Flying-, and Ice-types, such as Charizard, Pyroar, Magmortar, Swellow, and Abomasnow, that want to switch into Gourgeist-XL, preventing it for being setup fodder for them. Leech Seed allows Gourgeist-XL to gain a small amount of recovery while putting pressure on switch-ins, as well as hindering bulky setup sweepers such as Musharna. Skill Swap is a very interesting tool against setup sweepers, as it can rob Gurdurr's Guts or pass on Insomnia onto RestTalk Pokemon such as Malamar and Mega Audino. It can even trip up certain switch-ins, such as Magic Bounce Xatu, Speed Boost Combusken, Scrappy Swellow, and Refrigerate Aurorus, making them easier to play around.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP and Defense investment grants Gourgeist-XL maximum physical bulk, improving its walling capability against the tier's physical attackers without the help of Leftovers. Colbur Berry weakens super effective Dark-type moves, which is crucial to allow Gourgeist-XL to properly wall Choice Band Sawk. If the team already has a check for Fighting-types, such as Pelipper or Weezing, Leftovers can be used instead. Frisk is generally the most useful ability, as it allows Gourgeist-XL to scout the foe's item, most notably identifying if the foe is wielding a Choice item or not. If you're using Skill Swap, Insomnia is the preferred ability, as it can be used to stop RestTalk Pokemon, such as Malamar and Mega Audino.
Usage Tips
========
Gourgeist-XL has an easy time switching into physical Fighting-, Ground-, and Water-types, such as Sawk, Rhydon, Samurott, and Barbaracle. Its modus operandi is to burn foes and keep itself healthy. However, it should be cautious about throwing out Will-O-Wisp to avoid giving free switches to certain Pokemon, such as Fire-types and especially Xatu, so it would be wise to either make double switches or try to hit them on the switch with an effective move. Gourgeist-XL can use its last attack to target switch-ins, usually consisting of special attackers that are weak to Rock, rely on their ability, or dislike getting their health worn down.
Team Options
========
Gourgeist-XL mainly fits on more passive and defensive teams, although it can also find its place on more balanced teams. Pokemon that resist Gourgeist-XL's weaknesses, primarily Fire, Ice, and Ghost, make for good teammates. Lanturn, Thick Fat Hariyama, and Assault Vest Magmortar resist Fire and Ice, but the former two share a Freeze-Dry and Flying weakness, respectively, with Gourgeist-XL, which should be covered with other teammates. Mega Audino and Skuntank can handle Gourgeist-XL's Ghost and Dark weaknesses, with the former providing Heal Bell support and the latter Pursuit trapping bothersome Ghost- and Psychic-types, notably Xatu. In return, Gourgeist-XL can fend off the Poison-, Steel-, and Ground-types that threaten them. Mega Audino also appreciates Gourgeist-XL luring in and KOing Fire-type setup sweepers, such as Ninetales and Charizard, with Rock Slide, as they would otherwise set up easily on Mega Audino. Gourgeist-XL makes for a good teammate for the Pokemon whose weaknesses it resists; the likes of Kangaskhan, Pyroar, Rhydon, Kabutops, and Archeops like Gourgeist-XL's ability to feasibly switch into most threatening physical attacks for them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Shadow Sneak can be used to ward off fast Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Rotom, Haunter, Jynx, and Mismagius, although it is not strong enough to OHKO any of them and definitely not enough to be used as a main attack. Access to moves such as Trick and Explosion is enough to consider a Choice Band set and catch foes off guard, but such a set still makes a lackluster attacker overall. Gourgeist-XL does not make for a bad setter of Trick Room due to its high physical bulk and access to Explosion, although Trick Room itself isn't a very consistent playstyle. Gourgeist-XL's special movepool has several interesting attacks such as superior STAB moves, Focus Blast, Psychic, and Fire Blast, but they are all rather weak due to Gourgeist-XL's poor Special Attack and are largely unnecessary.
Running Worry Seed is an alternative to Skill Swapping Insomnia onto foes such as Malamar and Mega Audino, and it does not require Gourgeist-XL to switch back out to retain the ability to prevent them from using Rest. However, Skill Swap has more usefulness overall, particularly against Xatu. Phantom Force is Gourgeist-XL's strongest Ghost-type attack and can be used to stall an extra turn of burn or Leech Seed damage. However, the charging turn can be exploited, particularly by dangerous Normal-types such as Pyroar and Swellow.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Pyroar, Charizard, Magmortar, and Combusken can switch into the majority of Gourgeist-XL's moves and KO it with super effective STAB Fire-type moves. Do note that Pyroar, Magmortar, and especially Charizard dislike taking Rock Slide on the switch, whereas Combusken's threat level to Gourgeist-XL's teammates is greatly reduced if it is hit by Skill Swap on the switch. None of them appreciate getting hit with Leech Seed on the switch either, as they can get pressured, especially if Stealth Rock is on their side of the field.
**Ghost-types**: Rotom, Haunter, and Mismagius can easily threaten Gourgeist-XL with their super effective STAB Ghost-type moves. They have a trickier time switching in safely due to their general physical fraility and lack of an immunity to Will-O-Wisp, but they can usually switch in directly at least once, even into Foul Play thanks to their low Attack stats. They must be cautious of the occasional Shadow Sneak, however.
**Ice-types**: Abomasnow, Jynx, and Aurorus have powerful STAB Ice-type moves that make short work of Gourgeist-XL, but they have issues switching in safely. The latter two dislike switching into any of Gourgeist-XL's damaging moves, and while Abomasnow resists Seed Bomb, it dislikes getting its Ice Shard weakened by a burn. Snow Warning from Aurorus and Abomasnow can help to greatly limit Gourgeist-XL's recovery.
**Xatu**: Xatu gives Gourgeist-XL a hard time, as its mere presence discourages Gourgeist-XL from using Will-O-Wisp lest it accidentally burn itself. Even then, Xatu usually has the upper hand against Gourgeist-XL due to Heat Wave, as well as its fast Roost temporarily nullifying Rock Slide's effectiveness. Skill Swap does allow Gourgeist-XL to fight back to an extent, enabling it to burn Xatu with Will-O-Wisp and whittle it down.
**Taunt Users**: Taunt disables Gourgeist-XL's method of recovery and crippling its foes, which can leave it very vulnerable. Weezing and Skuntank are two Taunt users that utterly shut Gourgeist-XL down, whereas other users such as Mismagius, Samurott, and Sawk usually use it to ensure Gourgeist-XL is not able to recover or burn them.
**Special Attackers**: While Gourgeist-XL has a great matchup against the majority of the physical attackers in the metagame, it doesn't have a stellar matchup against most of the special attackers in the tier. Gourgeist-XL takes substantial damage from neutral special STAB attacks, such as Swellow's Boomburst and Vileplume's Sludge Bomb, as well as super effective coverage moves, such as Ice Beam from Samurott and Mesprit and Flamethrower from Electivire and Weezing.
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