[OVERVIEW]
* Mandibuzz has good defensive stats and a unique typing that makes it a great switch-in to common Z-Moves. Its access to Roost solidifies its bulk, making it a great defensive Pokemon that rivals Porygon2's defensive capabilities.
* It has great supporting moves, namely Taunt, Snarl, Knock Off, and Tailwind, and is immune to Earthquake, making it a good partner for Garchomp and other Earthquake users.
* The combination of Taunt and Roost makes Mandibuzz a good pick to stifle Celesteela and Porygon2. These two Pokemon are notoriously hard to KO, and Mandibuzz prevents them from recovering HP, allowing teammates to KO them at their leisure.
* While Foul Play offsets its mediocre attacking stats, it can still become dead weight at times, especially in front of common Electric- Fairy-type Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Tailwind Support
move 1: Tailwind
move 2: Roost
move 3: Taunt / Snarl / Knock Off
move 4: Foul Play
item: Misty Seed / Psychic Seed / Sitrus Berry
ability: Overcoat
nature: Calm / Careful
evs: 252 HP / 244 SpD / 12 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Tailwind is a great Speed control option, as it doubles Mandibuzz's and its ally's Speed. This is useful for checking faster Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Garchomp, and Kartana.
* Roost allows Mandibuzz to stay on the field long enough to set up more than one Tailwind per match.
* Taunt prevents Trick Room, which would counteract Tailwind, and it prevents stalling options such as Celesteela's Substitute and Leech Seed, Porygon2's Recover, and Toxic. It can also be used to stop the opponent from using Protect or boosting moves such as Calm Mind. Bear in mind that this does not stop Z-Moves such as Extreme Evoboost.
* Foul Play threatens physically offensive Pokemon such as Metagross, Kartana, and Garchomp, and in general, it is the most offensive move Mandibuzz should be using. Note that against Alolan Marowak, Foul Play is a 3HKO because its damage is unaffected by Thick Club.
* Snarl augments Mandibuzz's Special Defense and cripples special attackers such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Koko. It also helps limit Porygon2's damage output.
* Knock Off helps check Figy Berry Snorlax and Alolan Muk and cripples Alolan Marowak and Porygon2. It also provides valuable information as to what Pokemon holds what item, which is important for best-of-three environments.
Set Details
========
* Mandibuzz can work with several different items.
* Sitrus Berry is for general health recovery and helps it survive being double targeted.
* Misty Seed can be replaced by the other Terrain seeds depending on which guardian deity is on your team. Misty Seed and Psychic Seed are recommended, as they boost Mandibuzz's Special Defense, allowing it to take 3 Life Orb Thunderbolts from Tapu Koko outside of Electric Terrain, and they make Modest Tapu Lele's Moonblast a 2HKO.
* The EV spread maximizes Mandibuzz's Special Defense, and allows it to outspeed Adamant Pheromosa under Tailwind.
* Be sure to use a Careful nature when using Knock Off. Use a Calm nature when using either Snarl or Foul Play to reduce the damage of other Foul Play and confusion damage.
* Overcoat allows Mandibuzz to tank Gigalith's Stone Edge 88% of the time without being KO'd by Sandstorm damage afterwards. To survive Gigalith's Stone Edge 100% of the time, use at least 20 Defense EVs.
* Electric Seed and Grassy Seed could be used instead of Misty Seed and Psychic Seed when using Tapu Koko or Tapu Bulu, respectively. However, the Special Defense boost is often more useful because many of Mandibuzz's weaknesses are against special moves such as Ice Beam and Moonblast.
* When using Sitrus Berry, use an EV spread of 244 HP / 252 SpD / 12 Spe to make an even HP number to avoid surprise Nature's Madness or Super Fang KOs.
Usage Tips
========
* Mandibuzz makes an excellent switch-in against Shattered Psyche and Tectonic Rage, so not leading with Mandibuzz when Krookodile, Garchomp, or Tapu Lele is on the opponent's team is often a good idea.
* Because Mandibuzz essentially gets a free Special Defense boost when paired up with Tapu Lele or Tapu Fini when using the respective Seeds, it may be tempting to keep Mandibuzz in to retain that boost. However, once Mandibuzz has successfully used Taunt and Tailwind, it lacks offensive pressure and can become dead weight. Take into account how well you're using your Tailwind turns and switch or stay in accordingly, and don't become overly concerned with the Seed boosts.
* When not using a recovery item such as Sitrus Berry, look for opportunities to use Roost in order to keep Mandibuzz healthy. You may predict a foe's double Protect to stall out Tailwind turns, for example, which is an excellent opportunity to regain health.
* Mandibuzz can take down Porygon2 and some Celesteela sets in a late-game one-on-one with a combination of Taunt, Foul Play, and Roost, especially if Download gives Porygon2 an Attack boost, so this is a possible win condition to play into. Note that Porygon2 can easily freeze Mandibuzz if it is allowed to fire off too many Ice Beams.
* Mandibuzz's Snarl and Overcoat also help check the Torkoal and Lilligant lead combination, given Mandibuzz's immunity to Sleep Powder, Tailwind to match Lilligant's Chlorophyll, and Snarl to weaken Eruption.
Team Options
========
* Tapu Fini and Tapu Lele are excellent partners, mostly because of their Terrains activating Misty Seed and Psychic Seed, respectively. They also appreciate Tailwind to help them outspeed Pokemon such as Garchomp and Kartana.
* Garchomp and Mudsdale can use Earthquake freely alongside Mandibuzz, which is a relatively rare quality to have in VGC17. Mudsdale doesn't make as much use of Tailwind as Garchomp does, but it can outspeed troublesome Pokemon such as defensive Arcanine with some minor Speed investment. Krookodile is another prominent Earthquake user and offers Intimidate support, but it shares many weaknesses with Mandibuzz.
* Offensive Arcanine offers Intimidate support and loves being able to outspeed and OHKO the likes of Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Pheromosa with Inferno Overdrive or Flare Blitz. Defensive Flamethrower Arcanine also enjoys being able to outspeed Kartana under Tailwind, but it does not apply as much offensive pressure.
* Kartana and Alolan Ninetales appreciate the fact that Tailwind allows them to bypass awkward Speed ties. Alolan Ninetales in particular offers Aurora Veil support to make Mandibuzz even more defensive, and Overcoat negates hail damage.
* Nihilego always appreciates an Earthquake and Psychic switch-in, and Tailwind allows it to outspeed and OHKO Tapu Koko and helps Nihilego deal with Garchomp and Kartana depending on the type of Hidden Power it's using.
* Metagross, like Nihilego, enjoys an Earthquake switch-in as well as a good Ghost- and Dark-type switch-in. Metagross is also a prominent Earthquake user, so Mandibuzz allows some freedom of movement as well as Tailwind support.
* Alolan Muk enjoys a switch-in to Tectonic Rage given that it is the most common move used to OHKO it because of its bulk and Gluttony recovery. It can also outspeed Modest Tapu Lele under Tailwind with some minor Speed investment, which helps Mandibuzz avoid deadly Moonblasts.
* Alolan Marowak offers Mandibuzz protection from Tapu Koko and other Electric-types thanks to Lighting Rod, and can OHKO various threats to Mandibuzz such as Vikavolt, Tapu Lele, and Alolan Ninetales.
* In general, when using Mandibuzz, it is important to note your team's Speed stats and tweak their Speed accordingly to get the most out of Tailwind. Hitting a raw Speed stat of 116 outspeeds Adamant Choice Scarf Garchomp and Modest Choice Scarf Tapu Lele. 102 Speed outpaces neutral-natured Pheromosa and Tapu Koko. 89 Speed outspeeds Kartana and Alolan Ninetales. Finally, 86 Speed outspeeds Timid Nihilego and Jolly Garchomp. These are examples of useful Speed numbers to hit, but you should evaluate your team's weaknesses to determine what Pokemon needs to hit what Speed stat. Additionally, you should try not to go too far out of your way to hit certain Speed stats if it compromises too much of that Pokemon's offensive or defensive stats.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Whirlwind works like Taunt against Trick Room and stat-boosting strategies, except instead of preventing these moves, they phase out the Pokemon after it has its boosts . This is especially useful against Eevee (Extreme Evoboost cannot be Taunted) and Palossand (which boosts with Smeargle's Water Shuriken, which also cannot be Taunted). However, using Whirlwind over Taunt worsens Mandibuzz's matchup against Porygon2 and Celesteela.
* Fake Tears can increase the damage output of Mandibuzz's partner. It is a good idea to EV Mandibuzz to outspeed the Pokemon using a special move, so that Mandibuzz uses Fake Tears first, allowing the attacker to take immediate advantage of the stat drops. The only problem with using Fake Tears is finding a moveslot for it.
* Toxic improves Mandibuzz's matchup against other Mandibuzz and Porygon2 and easily allows Mandibuzz to Toxic stall Pokemon that can only 3HKO it. Note that Tapu Fini, especially on your own team, mostly prevents Toxic from being used, so it is best to use Toxic when using Tapu Lele as a partner.
* Leftovers is another option to consider, restoring Mandibuzz's health over time. It can allow Mandibuzz to forgo using Roost in favor of setting up Tailwind, for example. While in most situations it is outclassed by Sitrus Berry, it is a good item in its own right.
* Iapapa Berry can be used in the same vein as Sitrus Berry except for the fact that it heals at 25% health instead of half health. Even though Iapapa Berry heals more HP, in practice, Sitrus Berry is more useful to avoid double-target KOs because it activates at half health.
* Kee Berry and Maranga Berry can be used similarly to Misty Seed and Psychic Seed, boosting Mandibuzz's defenses after getting hit. While this is useful if you don't have a guardian deity on your team, the requirement of being hit first makes these berries inherently less useful than instantly receiving the boost upon entering a Terrain.
* A Bold or Impish nature could be used to tank more physical attacks, but a Careful or Calm nature is recommended. Mandibuzz will most likely be taking more Thunderbolts and Moonblasts than super effective physical attacks, meaning investing in its Special Defense is more useful.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Tapu Koko, Vikavolt, Xurkitree, and Magnezone all threaten to either wound or OHKO Mandibuzz with boosted and unboosted Thunderbolts. Vikavolt stands out, as it can use String Shot or Electroweb to combat Tailwind's Speed control, and it can use Bug Buzz to hit Mandibuzz after it uses Roost, as Roost removes its Flying typing.
**Fairy-types**: Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, and Primarina can take chunks out of Mandibuzz's HP with Moonblast. While Tapu Fini can be Taunted before it can set up Calm Mind, if it does manage to set up, Mandibuzz without Snarl or Whirlwind is powerless against it.
**Rock-types**: Gigalith, Aerodactyl, and Nihilego can chunk Mandibuzz with Stone Edge, Rock Slide, and Power Gem, respectively, or OHKO it outright with Continental Crush. Aerodactyl in particular can use Taunt to stop Tailwind and Roost or match Mandibuzz's Tailwind with its own Tailwind.
**Ice-types**: Alolan Ninetales and Vanilluxe can't OHKO Mandibuzz, but they can casually throw out Blizzards to chunk Mandibuzz lacking Snarl. Alolan Sandslash works just as well with Icicle Crash, especially with Slush Rush matching Tailwind's Speed boost.
**Taunt**: Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, and Tapu Koko, in addition to threatening Mandibuzz with their STAB options, can Taunt Mandibuzz to prevent it from using Roost and Tailwind, and they take little damage from Foul Play. Mimikyu can also threaten Mandibuzz with Play Rough and Taunt in addition to setting up Trick Room against Tailwind.
**Toxic**: As with any defensive Pokemon, Toxic is a death sentence for Mandibuzz. Porygon2 and Gastrodon are the most common users of Toxic, and even if Mandibuzz can Taunt them before they can move, any Mandibuzz lacking Taunt or otherwise unable to Taunt can be effectively shut down with Toxic. Other Pokemon who can find room in their movesets to tack on Toxic, such as Goodra and Araquanid, can easily surprise and cripple Mandibuzz. Fishing for regular poison with moves such as Sludge Bomb and Poison Jab isn't a bad way for Pokemon to pass an otherwise uneventful turn, especially since Mandibuzz does not receive protection from status in Misty Terrain despite being able to activate Misty Seed upon entering it.
* Mandibuzz has good defensive stats and a unique typing that makes it a great switch-in to common Z-Moves. Its access to Roost solidifies its bulk, making it a great defensive Pokemon that rivals Porygon2's defensive capabilities.
* It has great supporting moves, namely Taunt, Snarl, Knock Off, and Tailwind, and is immune to Earthquake, making it a good partner for Garchomp and other Earthquake users.
* The combination of Taunt and Roost makes Mandibuzz a good pick to stifle Celesteela and Porygon2. These two Pokemon are notoriously hard to KO, and Mandibuzz prevents them from recovering HP, allowing teammates to KO them at their leisure.
* While Foul Play offsets its mediocre attacking stats, it can still become dead weight at times, especially in front of common Electric- Fairy-type Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Tailwind Support
move 1: Tailwind
move 2: Roost
move 3: Taunt / Snarl / Knock Off
move 4: Foul Play
item: Misty Seed / Psychic Seed / Sitrus Berry
ability: Overcoat
nature: Calm / Careful
evs: 252 HP / 244 SpD / 12 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Tailwind is a great Speed control option, as it doubles Mandibuzz's and its ally's Speed. This is useful for checking faster Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Garchomp, and Kartana.
* Roost allows Mandibuzz to stay on the field long enough to set up more than one Tailwind per match.
* Taunt prevents Trick Room, which would counteract Tailwind, and it prevents stalling options such as Celesteela's Substitute and Leech Seed, Porygon2's Recover, and Toxic. It can also be used to stop the opponent from using Protect or boosting moves such as Calm Mind. Bear in mind that this does not stop Z-Moves such as Extreme Evoboost.
* Foul Play threatens physically offensive Pokemon such as Metagross, Kartana, and Garchomp, and in general, it is the most offensive move Mandibuzz should be using. Note that against Alolan Marowak, Foul Play is a 3HKO because its damage is unaffected by Thick Club.
* Snarl augments Mandibuzz's Special Defense and cripples special attackers such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Koko. It also helps limit Porygon2's damage output.
* Knock Off helps check Figy Berry Snorlax and Alolan Muk and cripples Alolan Marowak and Porygon2. It also provides valuable information as to what Pokemon holds what item, which is important for best-of-three environments.
Set Details
========
* Mandibuzz can work with several different items.
* Sitrus Berry is for general health recovery and helps it survive being double targeted.
* Misty Seed can be replaced by the other Terrain seeds depending on which guardian deity is on your team. Misty Seed and Psychic Seed are recommended, as they boost Mandibuzz's Special Defense, allowing it to take 3 Life Orb Thunderbolts from Tapu Koko outside of Electric Terrain, and they make Modest Tapu Lele's Moonblast a 2HKO.
* The EV spread maximizes Mandibuzz's Special Defense, and allows it to outspeed Adamant Pheromosa under Tailwind.
* Be sure to use a Careful nature when using Knock Off. Use a Calm nature when using either Snarl or Foul Play to reduce the damage of other Foul Play and confusion damage.
* Overcoat allows Mandibuzz to tank Gigalith's Stone Edge 88% of the time without being KO'd by Sandstorm damage afterwards. To survive Gigalith's Stone Edge 100% of the time, use at least 20 Defense EVs.
* Electric Seed and Grassy Seed could be used instead of Misty Seed and Psychic Seed when using Tapu Koko or Tapu Bulu, respectively. However, the Special Defense boost is often more useful because many of Mandibuzz's weaknesses are against special moves such as Ice Beam and Moonblast.
* When using Sitrus Berry, use an EV spread of 244 HP / 252 SpD / 12 Spe to make an even HP number to avoid surprise Nature's Madness or Super Fang KOs.
Usage Tips
========
* Mandibuzz makes an excellent switch-in against Shattered Psyche and Tectonic Rage, so not leading with Mandibuzz when Krookodile, Garchomp, or Tapu Lele is on the opponent's team is often a good idea.
* Because Mandibuzz essentially gets a free Special Defense boost when paired up with Tapu Lele or Tapu Fini when using the respective Seeds, it may be tempting to keep Mandibuzz in to retain that boost. However, once Mandibuzz has successfully used Taunt and Tailwind, it lacks offensive pressure and can become dead weight. Take into account how well you're using your Tailwind turns and switch or stay in accordingly, and don't become overly concerned with the Seed boosts.
* When not using a recovery item such as Sitrus Berry, look for opportunities to use Roost in order to keep Mandibuzz healthy. You may predict a foe's double Protect to stall out Tailwind turns, for example, which is an excellent opportunity to regain health.
* Mandibuzz can take down Porygon2 and some Celesteela sets in a late-game one-on-one with a combination of Taunt, Foul Play, and Roost, especially if Download gives Porygon2 an Attack boost, so this is a possible win condition to play into. Note that Porygon2 can easily freeze Mandibuzz if it is allowed to fire off too many Ice Beams.
* Mandibuzz's Snarl and Overcoat also help check the Torkoal and Lilligant lead combination, given Mandibuzz's immunity to Sleep Powder, Tailwind to match Lilligant's Chlorophyll, and Snarl to weaken Eruption.
Team Options
========
* Tapu Fini and Tapu Lele are excellent partners, mostly because of their Terrains activating Misty Seed and Psychic Seed, respectively. They also appreciate Tailwind to help them outspeed Pokemon such as Garchomp and Kartana.
* Garchomp and Mudsdale can use Earthquake freely alongside Mandibuzz, which is a relatively rare quality to have in VGC17. Mudsdale doesn't make as much use of Tailwind as Garchomp does, but it can outspeed troublesome Pokemon such as defensive Arcanine with some minor Speed investment. Krookodile is another prominent Earthquake user and offers Intimidate support, but it shares many weaknesses with Mandibuzz.
* Offensive Arcanine offers Intimidate support and loves being able to outspeed and OHKO the likes of Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Pheromosa with Inferno Overdrive or Flare Blitz. Defensive Flamethrower Arcanine also enjoys being able to outspeed Kartana under Tailwind, but it does not apply as much offensive pressure.
* Kartana and Alolan Ninetales appreciate the fact that Tailwind allows them to bypass awkward Speed ties. Alolan Ninetales in particular offers Aurora Veil support to make Mandibuzz even more defensive, and Overcoat negates hail damage.
* Nihilego always appreciates an Earthquake and Psychic switch-in, and Tailwind allows it to outspeed and OHKO Tapu Koko and helps Nihilego deal with Garchomp and Kartana depending on the type of Hidden Power it's using.
* Metagross, like Nihilego, enjoys an Earthquake switch-in as well as a good Ghost- and Dark-type switch-in. Metagross is also a prominent Earthquake user, so Mandibuzz allows some freedom of movement as well as Tailwind support.
* Alolan Muk enjoys a switch-in to Tectonic Rage given that it is the most common move used to OHKO it because of its bulk and Gluttony recovery. It can also outspeed Modest Tapu Lele under Tailwind with some minor Speed investment, which helps Mandibuzz avoid deadly Moonblasts.
* Alolan Marowak offers Mandibuzz protection from Tapu Koko and other Electric-types thanks to Lighting Rod, and can OHKO various threats to Mandibuzz such as Vikavolt, Tapu Lele, and Alolan Ninetales.
* In general, when using Mandibuzz, it is important to note your team's Speed stats and tweak their Speed accordingly to get the most out of Tailwind. Hitting a raw Speed stat of 116 outspeeds Adamant Choice Scarf Garchomp and Modest Choice Scarf Tapu Lele. 102 Speed outpaces neutral-natured Pheromosa and Tapu Koko. 89 Speed outspeeds Kartana and Alolan Ninetales. Finally, 86 Speed outspeeds Timid Nihilego and Jolly Garchomp. These are examples of useful Speed numbers to hit, but you should evaluate your team's weaknesses to determine what Pokemon needs to hit what Speed stat. Additionally, you should try not to go too far out of your way to hit certain Speed stats if it compromises too much of that Pokemon's offensive or defensive stats.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Whirlwind works like Taunt against Trick Room and stat-boosting strategies, except instead of preventing these moves, they phase out the Pokemon after it has its boosts . This is especially useful against Eevee (Extreme Evoboost cannot be Taunted) and Palossand (which boosts with Smeargle's Water Shuriken, which also cannot be Taunted). However, using Whirlwind over Taunt worsens Mandibuzz's matchup against Porygon2 and Celesteela.
* Fake Tears can increase the damage output of Mandibuzz's partner. It is a good idea to EV Mandibuzz to outspeed the Pokemon using a special move, so that Mandibuzz uses Fake Tears first, allowing the attacker to take immediate advantage of the stat drops. The only problem with using Fake Tears is finding a moveslot for it.
* Toxic improves Mandibuzz's matchup against other Mandibuzz and Porygon2 and easily allows Mandibuzz to Toxic stall Pokemon that can only 3HKO it. Note that Tapu Fini, especially on your own team, mostly prevents Toxic from being used, so it is best to use Toxic when using Tapu Lele as a partner.
* Leftovers is another option to consider, restoring Mandibuzz's health over time. It can allow Mandibuzz to forgo using Roost in favor of setting up Tailwind, for example. While in most situations it is outclassed by Sitrus Berry, it is a good item in its own right.
* Iapapa Berry can be used in the same vein as Sitrus Berry except for the fact that it heals at 25% health instead of half health. Even though Iapapa Berry heals more HP, in practice, Sitrus Berry is more useful to avoid double-target KOs because it activates at half health.
* Kee Berry and Maranga Berry can be used similarly to Misty Seed and Psychic Seed, boosting Mandibuzz's defenses after getting hit. While this is useful if you don't have a guardian deity on your team, the requirement of being hit first makes these berries inherently less useful than instantly receiving the boost upon entering a Terrain.
* A Bold or Impish nature could be used to tank more physical attacks, but a Careful or Calm nature is recommended. Mandibuzz will most likely be taking more Thunderbolts and Moonblasts than super effective physical attacks, meaning investing in its Special Defense is more useful.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Tapu Koko, Vikavolt, Xurkitree, and Magnezone all threaten to either wound or OHKO Mandibuzz with boosted and unboosted Thunderbolts. Vikavolt stands out, as it can use String Shot or Electroweb to combat Tailwind's Speed control, and it can use Bug Buzz to hit Mandibuzz after it uses Roost, as Roost removes its Flying typing.
**Fairy-types**: Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, and Primarina can take chunks out of Mandibuzz's HP with Moonblast. While Tapu Fini can be Taunted before it can set up Calm Mind, if it does manage to set up, Mandibuzz without Snarl or Whirlwind is powerless against it.
**Rock-types**: Gigalith, Aerodactyl, and Nihilego can chunk Mandibuzz with Stone Edge, Rock Slide, and Power Gem, respectively, or OHKO it outright with Continental Crush. Aerodactyl in particular can use Taunt to stop Tailwind and Roost or match Mandibuzz's Tailwind with its own Tailwind.
**Ice-types**: Alolan Ninetales and Vanilluxe can't OHKO Mandibuzz, but they can casually throw out Blizzards to chunk Mandibuzz lacking Snarl. Alolan Sandslash works just as well with Icicle Crash, especially with Slush Rush matching Tailwind's Speed boost.
**Taunt**: Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, and Tapu Koko, in addition to threatening Mandibuzz with their STAB options, can Taunt Mandibuzz to prevent it from using Roost and Tailwind, and they take little damage from Foul Play. Mimikyu can also threaten Mandibuzz with Play Rough and Taunt in addition to setting up Trick Room against Tailwind.
**Toxic**: As with any defensive Pokemon, Toxic is a death sentence for Mandibuzz. Porygon2 and Gastrodon are the most common users of Toxic, and even if Mandibuzz can Taunt them before they can move, any Mandibuzz lacking Taunt or otherwise unable to Taunt can be effectively shut down with Toxic. Other Pokemon who can find room in their movesets to tack on Toxic, such as Goodra and Araquanid, can easily surprise and cripple Mandibuzz. Fishing for regular poison with moves such as Sludge Bomb and Poison Jab isn't a bad way for Pokemon to pass an otherwise uneventful turn, especially since Mandibuzz does not receive protection from status in Misty Terrain despite being able to activate Misty Seed upon entering it.
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