amcheck, you know how it works
ADD REMOVE COMMENTS
ADD REMOVE COMMENTS
[OVERVIEW]
Mandibuzz has several impressive defensive qualities, such as its good defensive typing, fantastic Speed tier for a support Pokemon, exceptional defensive stats, and utility movepool that allow it to check a multitude of threats, including Hoopa-Unbound Hoopa-U, Kartana, and Excadrill. It's because of this that Because of this, (more concise) Mandibuzz functions as an effective mixed wall on stall and balanced teams. Mandibuzz's favorable matchups against several Stealth Rock setters also allow it to switch into the battlefield as the hazard is being set and immediately Defog it away, which allows it to perform quite consistently in its role. Unfortunately, Mandibuzz has a Stealth Rock weakness, which hurts it as a defensive Pokemon, and is also hurt by the prevalence of fairies Fairy-types in the metagame, such as Clefable, Tapu Lele, and Magearna. Due to this, Mandibuzz can become deadweight against common Pokemon such as Magnezone, Tapu Fini, Mega Sableye, and Tapu Koko. Mandibuzz is also hard to fit on teams that aren't defensively-oriented, as its mediocre offenses and tendency to sap momentum keep it from being close to an offensive threat.
[SET]
name: Defensive Utility
move 1: Foul Play
move 2: Defog
move 3: Roost
move 4: Taunt / Toxic / Knock Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Overcoat
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 136 Def / 108 SpD / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Foul Play makes up for Mandibuzz's lack of power, as it uses the opponent's foe's (opponent = other player) Attack stat to calculate damage. This allows Mandibuzz to deal sufficient damage to powerful physical physically-attacking threats such as Mega Metagross, Alolan Marowak, (AC) and Mega Charizard X. Defog allows Mandibuzz to clear both sides of the field of hazards, thus preventing its teammates from taking residual damage. Roost is very important, as it provides Mandibuzz with reliable recovery and allows it to sustain itself throughout the match. Taunt allows Mandibuzz to shut down common defensive Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Chansey, as well as keep slower set up setup sweepers like Zygarde and Mega Scizor from setting up. Toxic is an alternative over Taunt, as it allows Mandibuzz to cripple offensive and defensive Pokemon alike by putting them on a timer. Knock Off is another option that is useful for removing the items of foes, such as Chansey's Eviolite or Tangrowth's Assault Vest.
Set Details
========
248 EVs invested in HP allow Mandibuzz to be as bulky as possible and switch into Stealth Rock four times, while 136 EVs invested in Defense with an Impish nature and 108 EVs invested in Special Defense allow Mandibuzz to tank physical and special hits alike, such as Mega Metagross's Meteor Mash, Kartana's Smart Strike, Hoopa-Unbound's Hoopa-U's Focus Blast, (AC) (serial comma) and any of Gengar's STAB attacks. 16 Speed EVs are important, as they allow Mandibuzz to outpace almost every defensive Pokemon in the tier, as well as speed Speed tie and pressure most Mega Venusaur sets. Overcoat is the preferred ability, as it allows Mandibuzz to switch into powder moves from the likes of Amoonguss and Tangrowth. Leftovers provide Mandibuzz with precious passive recovery at the end of every turn.
Usage Tips
========
Mandibuzz's ability to take at least one hit more often than not allows it to reliably pivot and scout out the moves of foes. Its bulk and typing should be put to good use to switch Mandibuzz into resisted attacks or neutral coverage. From here, Mandibuzz can use either Foul Play or Toxic alongside Taunt to wear down its opponent foe. Mandibuzz can also use Taunt alongside Defog to remove entry hazards set from the likes of Alolan Marowak and Ferrothorn and prevent them from setting any up again. Mandibuzz can also make use of forcing Pokemon like Gengar and Jirachi out to use Defog. Knock Off can be used when predicting switches into defensive Pokemon or Pokemon that aren't threatened by Mandibuzz, such as Chansey, Tapu Koko, (AC) and Tapu Lele. It is also useful when scouting a holder of a Z Crystal Z-crystal. It should be noted that Foul Play is a rather easy move to play around due to the tier's multitude of Dark-resistant Pokemon, meaning that Mandibuzz should be careful when using the move so not to create setup opportunities for opponents foes.
Team Options
========
Reliable switch-ins to Fairy-type attacks, such as Skarmory, bulky Excadrill, and Celesteela are able to tank hits from the likes of Magearna and Clefable that Mandibuzz hates taking. Switch-ins to Electric-type attacks, such as Alolan Marowak and Landorus-Therian Landorus-T, are also very appreciated by Mandibuzz. Pokemon that are weak to entry hazards, such as Volcarona, Tornadus-Therian Tornadus-T, and Charizard (I'm assuming you don't mean regular Charizard here, you should change this to Mega Charizard X/Y) all appreciate Mandibuzz's ability to remove hazards with Defog. Because Defog removes your own team's entry hazards, Pokemon that can consistently set them up throughout a match also make for good partners. Examples of these Pokemon include Ferrothorn and Landorus-Therian Landorus-T. Lastly, due to how heavily status can compromise Mandibuzz's tanking capabilities, it heavily greatly (sounds a little repetitive with heavily twice) appreciates cleric support from the likes of Chansey and Togekiss.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Whirlwind is an option that allows Mandibuzz to phase phaze threatening set up setup sweepers. However, this usually isn't as valuable of a utility option compared to Defog and Taunt due to the latter option's ability to shut down offensive and defensive Pokemon alike. Mandibuzz can use Brave Bird to do more damage to common Pokemon in Buzzwole and Tapu Bulu, though the lack of Foul Play often renders Mandibuzz useless against big threats in Mega Metagross and Excadrill. U-turn is an option to lure in one of Mandibuzz's checks and bring in a Pokemon that beats them, though this is at the cost of important utility moves in either Taunt or Defog, which Mandibuzz often relies on as its niche. Rocky Helmet can help Mandibuzz punish physical attackers, though this usually isn't as valuable as the passive recovery leftovers Leftovers provides you with. Mandibuzz can function as either a primary special or physical wall with the proper investment, though usually does better with mixed defenses due to competition other Dark- or Flying-type walls in Mega Sableye and Celesteela give Mandibuzz.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye is capable of using its impressive typing, Magic Bounce ability, (AC) and bulk to reliably switch in on any attack Mandibuzz has in its arsenal and use it as set up setup fodder.
**Fairy-types**: Common Fairy-types in Magearna and Tapu Lele take almost no damage from Foul Play and are able to threaten Mandibuzz with their super effective STAB attacks. Tapu Koko in particular resists Foul Play and Brave Bird and is able to either OHKO or severely weaken Mandibuzz with either Thunderbolt or Dazzling Gleam. Tapu Fini is also particularly threatening, as it doesn't take much from Foul Play and threatens Mandibuzz with Misty Terrain boosted STAB Moonblast (misty terrain doesn't boost moonblast?) or Taunt.
**Powerful Special Attackers**: Several common Special Attackers special attackers are able to threaten Mandibuzz out, given its primary investment is in Defense. Examples include Mega Charizard Y, Greninja, (AC) and Volcarona.
**Residual Damage**: Mandibuzz is vulnerable to all relevant forms of status in the metagame, as Poison poison will put it on a timer and Burn burn will negate Leftover Leftovers. Stealth Rock is particularly troubling, as it takes away roughly one fourth of Mandibuzz's maximum HP.
**Rock-types**: Terrakion's Justified ability allows it to switch into Mandibuzz's Foul Play to receive an Attack boost, and OHKO Mandibuzz with Stone Edge, while other Rock-types such as Tyranitar and Nihilego take minimal damage from Foul Play and threaten Mandibuzz with they their super effective STAB attacks.
**Taunt Users**: Due to its reliance on Status status moves, Mandibuzz is easily shut down by common Taunt users such as Heatran and Tapu Fini.
Mandibuzz has several impressive defensive qualities, such as its good defensive typing, fantastic Speed tier for a support Pokemon, exceptional defensive stats, and utility movepool that allow it to check a multitude of threats, including Hoopa-Unbound Hoopa-U, Kartana, and Excadrill. It's because of this that Because of this, (more concise) Mandibuzz functions as an effective mixed wall on stall and balanced teams. Mandibuzz's favorable matchups against several Stealth Rock setters also allow it to switch into the battlefield as the hazard is being set and immediately Defog it away, which allows it to perform quite consistently in its role. Unfortunately, Mandibuzz has a Stealth Rock weakness, which hurts it as a defensive Pokemon, and is also hurt by the prevalence of fairies Fairy-types in the metagame, such as Clefable, Tapu Lele, and Magearna. Due to this, Mandibuzz can become deadweight against common Pokemon such as Magnezone, Tapu Fini, Mega Sableye, and Tapu Koko. Mandibuzz is also hard to fit on teams that aren't defensively-oriented, as its mediocre offenses and tendency to sap momentum keep it from being close to an offensive threat.
[SET]
name: Defensive Utility
move 1: Foul Play
move 2: Defog
move 3: Roost
move 4: Taunt / Toxic / Knock Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Overcoat
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 136 Def / 108 SpD / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Foul Play makes up for Mandibuzz's lack of power, as it uses the opponent's foe's (opponent = other player) Attack stat to calculate damage. This allows Mandibuzz to deal sufficient damage to powerful physical physically-attacking threats such as Mega Metagross, Alolan Marowak, (AC) and Mega Charizard X. Defog allows Mandibuzz to clear both sides of the field of hazards, thus preventing its teammates from taking residual damage. Roost is very important, as it provides Mandibuzz with reliable recovery and allows it to sustain itself throughout the match. Taunt allows Mandibuzz to shut down common defensive Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Chansey, as well as keep slower set up setup sweepers like Zygarde and Mega Scizor from setting up. Toxic is an alternative over Taunt, as it allows Mandibuzz to cripple offensive and defensive Pokemon alike by putting them on a timer. Knock Off is another option that is useful for removing the items of foes, such as Chansey's Eviolite or Tangrowth's Assault Vest.
Set Details
========
248 EVs invested in HP allow Mandibuzz to be as bulky as possible and switch into Stealth Rock four times, while 136 EVs invested in Defense with an Impish nature and 108 EVs invested in Special Defense allow Mandibuzz to tank physical and special hits alike, such as Mega Metagross's Meteor Mash, Kartana's Smart Strike, Hoopa-Unbound's Hoopa-U's Focus Blast, (AC) (serial comma) and any of Gengar's STAB attacks. 16 Speed EVs are important, as they allow Mandibuzz to outpace almost every defensive Pokemon in the tier, as well as speed Speed tie and pressure most Mega Venusaur sets. Overcoat is the preferred ability, as it allows Mandibuzz to switch into powder moves from the likes of Amoonguss and Tangrowth. Leftovers provide Mandibuzz with precious passive recovery at the end of every turn.
Usage Tips
========
Mandibuzz's ability to take at least one hit more often than not allows it to reliably pivot and scout out the moves of foes. Its bulk and typing should be put to good use to switch Mandibuzz into resisted attacks or neutral coverage. From here, Mandibuzz can use either Foul Play or Toxic alongside Taunt to wear down its opponent foe. Mandibuzz can also use Taunt alongside Defog to remove entry hazards set from the likes of Alolan Marowak and Ferrothorn and prevent them from setting any up again. Mandibuzz can also make use of forcing Pokemon like Gengar and Jirachi out to use Defog. Knock Off can be used when predicting switches into defensive Pokemon or Pokemon that aren't threatened by Mandibuzz, such as Chansey, Tapu Koko, (AC) and Tapu Lele. It is also useful when scouting a holder of a Z Crystal Z-crystal. It should be noted that Foul Play is a rather easy move to play around due to the tier's multitude of Dark-resistant Pokemon, meaning that Mandibuzz should be careful when using the move so not to create setup opportunities for opponents foes.
Team Options
========
Reliable switch-ins to Fairy-type attacks, such as Skarmory, bulky Excadrill, and Celesteela are able to tank hits from the likes of Magearna and Clefable that Mandibuzz hates taking. Switch-ins to Electric-type attacks, such as Alolan Marowak and Landorus-Therian Landorus-T, are also very appreciated by Mandibuzz. Pokemon that are weak to entry hazards, such as Volcarona, Tornadus-Therian Tornadus-T, and Charizard (I'm assuming you don't mean regular Charizard here, you should change this to Mega Charizard X/Y) all appreciate Mandibuzz's ability to remove hazards with Defog. Because Defog removes your own team's entry hazards, Pokemon that can consistently set them up throughout a match also make for good partners. Examples of these Pokemon include Ferrothorn and Landorus-Therian Landorus-T. Lastly, due to how heavily status can compromise Mandibuzz's tanking capabilities, it heavily greatly (sounds a little repetitive with heavily twice) appreciates cleric support from the likes of Chansey and Togekiss.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Whirlwind is an option that allows Mandibuzz to phase phaze threatening set up setup sweepers. However, this usually isn't as valuable of a utility option compared to Defog and Taunt due to the latter option's ability to shut down offensive and defensive Pokemon alike. Mandibuzz can use Brave Bird to do more damage to common Pokemon in Buzzwole and Tapu Bulu, though the lack of Foul Play often renders Mandibuzz useless against big threats in Mega Metagross and Excadrill. U-turn is an option to lure in one of Mandibuzz's checks and bring in a Pokemon that beats them, though this is at the cost of important utility moves in either Taunt or Defog, which Mandibuzz often relies on as its niche. Rocky Helmet can help Mandibuzz punish physical attackers, though this usually isn't as valuable as the passive recovery leftovers Leftovers provides you with. Mandibuzz can function as either a primary special or physical wall with the proper investment, though usually does better with mixed defenses due to competition other Dark- or Flying-type walls in Mega Sableye and Celesteela give Mandibuzz.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye is capable of using its impressive typing, Magic Bounce ability, (AC) and bulk to reliably switch in on any attack Mandibuzz has in its arsenal and use it as set up setup fodder.
**Fairy-types**: Common Fairy-types in Magearna and Tapu Lele take almost no damage from Foul Play and are able to threaten Mandibuzz with their super effective STAB attacks. Tapu Koko in particular resists Foul Play and Brave Bird and is able to either OHKO or severely weaken Mandibuzz with either Thunderbolt or Dazzling Gleam. Tapu Fini is also particularly threatening, as it doesn't take much from Foul Play and threatens Mandibuzz with Misty Terrain boosted STAB Moonblast (misty terrain doesn't boost moonblast?) or Taunt.
**Powerful Special Attackers**: Several common Special Attackers special attackers are able to threaten Mandibuzz out, given its primary investment is in Defense. Examples include Mega Charizard Y, Greninja, (AC) and Volcarona.
**Residual Damage**: Mandibuzz is vulnerable to all relevant forms of status in the metagame, as Poison poison will put it on a timer and Burn burn will negate Leftover Leftovers. Stealth Rock is particularly troubling, as it takes away roughly one fourth of Mandibuzz's maximum HP.
**Rock-types**: Terrakion's Justified ability allows it to switch into Mandibuzz's Foul Play to receive an Attack boost, and OHKO Mandibuzz with Stone Edge, while other Rock-types such as Tyranitar and Nihilego take minimal damage from Foul Play and threaten Mandibuzz with they their super effective STAB attacks.
**Taunt Users**: Due to its reliance on Status status moves, Mandibuzz is easily shut down by common Taunt users such as Heatran and Tapu Fini.
Last edited:
