Taken over from TheMantyke with permission from Laurel
QC R Inanimate / Biosci
GP Antemortem / Weebl
Overview
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Bulky Attacker
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name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Will-o-Wisp
move 4: Protect / Light Screen / Reflect
ability: Levitate
item: Sitrus Berry
evs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 60 SpAtk / 148 SpDef / 4 Spd
nature: Calm
Moves
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Set Details
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Usage Tips
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Team Options
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Other Options
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Checks & Counters
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- One of the best Pokemon in the format.
- Amazing typing, lots of useful resistances, great immunity, rare and easily accountable weakness.
- Answer to some of the format's other best Pokemon like Talonflame, non-mega Gyarados and can burn Mega Mawile and Mega Kang
- Two good STAB attacks allow it to hit multiple relevant targets for big damage
- Fantastic support movepool, especially with Will-o-Wisp
- Among the easiest Pokemon in the format to just slap on a team to patch up weaknesses and do work
- Low HP hinders reasonable defenses
- Walled by Grass-types
- Every competent team will have some plan for Rotom-W
Bulky Attacker
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name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Will-o-Wisp
move 4: Protect / Light Screen / Reflect
ability: Levitate
item: Sitrus Berry
evs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 60 SpAtk / 148 SpDef / 4 Spd
nature: Calm
Moves
========
- Thunderbolt is your reliable STAB
- Hydro Pump is your less reliable, more powerful secondary STAB
- Will-o-Wisp lets you incapacitate a Physical Attacker
- Protect gives the awesome utilities of Protect in doubles
- Rotom-W is bulky enough to the point where it can afford not to run Protect to some extent. Light Screen or Reflect can give you additional support if you find Protect not worth it.
Set Details
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- HP and Special Defense EV investment always allows you to always live 252 positive nature Mega Charizard Y's Solar Beam when at full health and get back to a comfortable health with your Sitrus Berry.
- Defense Investment allows you to always live Mega Mawile's Adamant Max Attack Play Rough
- The rest is invested in Special Attack. One point in speed due to level 50 investment leaving you with on free point.
- Speed creep is VERY HIGHLY recommended with Rotom-W just to win the Rotom-W mirror but how extreme you want to go with it is up to you. Detract from Special Attack first.
- If you're itching for more power, switching to Modest and taking your EVs out of Special Defense into Special Attack is perfectly viable.
Usage Tips
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- Bring Rotom-W in whenever and start spreading burns and damage.
- Does not necessarily need to come out at any particular part of the game, though reserving it for a switch in opportunity for one of your Pokemon vulnerable to Rotom-W's immunities is really useful and really easy.
- When in doubt, Burn. Your STAB moves and their targets are a bit predictable so you'll entice a few obvious switches. If you're hesitant, make the safer play and go for a burn.
Team Options
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- Not so much a question of what goes well with Rotom-W as what doesn't go well with Rotom-W. Most anything will appreciate it hanging around.
- Pokemon that enjoy the Flying, Ground, Water, Ice, and Fire resistances make great partners.
- Pokemon like Talonflame are welcomes for their ability to pick off the Grass-type Pokemon that give Rotom-W a headache (Amoonguss)
- Fake Out users like Mega Kangaskhan can give Rotom-W extra time to burn stuff
- Earthquake users love Rotom-W so they can spam it willy nilly. Garchomp and to some extent Krookodile like this.
Other Options
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- Volt Switch
- Choice Specs and Trick
- HP Ice
- Discharge
- Thunder Wave
- Shadow Ball
- Safety Goggles
Checks & Counters
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- Grass-type Pokemon: Specially oriented ones like Venusaur, Rotom-C and especially Amoonguss get the biggest nods here. That said, stuff like Ferrothorn can carry a Lum Berry and OHKO with Power Whip.
- Double Targetting- Great resistances, but only okay bulk to back it up. Smacking Rotom-W with big hits like Mega Kangaskhan's Return alongside your partner's strong attacks can land Rotom-W in trouble
- Specially Oriented Pokemon indifferent to your STAB attacks- Pokemon with good special bulk that don't mind Will-O-Wisp are decent answers. Stuff like Hydreigon and Gardevoir are alright. Goodra gets a special shoutout for being a hard counter to Rotom-W in a 1v1 situation.
- Fast and powerful Grass-type attacks- Mainly Charizard Y's Solar Beam, can OHKO Rotom-w if it doesn't invest to take the hit
- Mold Breaker Earthquake - Excadrill and Mega Gyarados
Overview
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Rotom-W is one of the best Pokemon in VGC due to its amazing Electric / Water typing and ability Levitate, which gives it resistances to Fire, Flying, Ice, Water, Steel, and an immunity to Ground. Rotom-W counters multiple threats in VGC, such as Talonflame and Gyarados, and can burn Mega Mawile and Mega Kangaskhan. Its Electric- and Water-type STAB moves allow Rotom-W to hit multiple targets for big damage. Rotom-W has a fantastic movepool, which includes the extremely useful Will-O-Wisp, and works well on different playstyles to patch up your team's weaknesses. Unfortunately, Rotom-W's low HP hinders its reasonable defenses, and it's walled by Grass-types, so every competent team will have a plan to deal with Rotom-W.
Bulky Attacker
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name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Protect / Light Screen / Reflect
ability: Levitate
item: Sitrus Berry
evs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 60 SpA / 148 SpD / 4 Spe
nature: Calm
Moves
========
Thunderbolt is a reliable STAB attack and hits opposing Water- and Flying-type Pokemon. Hydro Pump is less reliable due to its accuracy, but it's more powerful than Thunderbolt. Will-O-Wisp lets Rotom-W cripple physical attackers and do something to Grass-types that resist Thunderbolt and Hydro Pump. Protect confers decent utility upon Rotom-W by letting it scout and avoid getting hit by multi-hit attacks. Light Screen or Reflect can give Rotom-W's team additional support if Protect isn't worth it.
Set Details
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The given HP and Special Defense EVs allow Rotom-W to survive Mega Charizard Y's Solar Beam from full health, and Rotom-W can get back to a comfortable health range with its Sitrus Berry. The EVs in Defense allow Rotom-W to survive Mega Mawile's maximum Attack Play Rough. One point is invested in Speed because level 50 EV investment leaves Rotom-W with one free point. The rest of the EVs are invested in Special Attack to dish out harder hits with Thunderbolt and Hydro Pump. Speed creep is highly recommended with Rotom-W to win against opposing Rotom-W, but how much is up to you; when choosing how many extra EVs go to Speed, detract them from Special Attack first. If Rotom-W needs more power, switching to a Modest nature and taking EVs out of Special Defense to put into Special Attack is a viable option.
Usage Tips
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Rotom-W can switch in to start spreading burns with Will-O-Wisp and deal decent damage to any foe that doesn't resist its STAB moves. Rotom-W doesn't necessarily need to switch out at a particular part of the game, though reserving it to switch it into a move it resists is really useful. When in doubt, Rotom-W should use Will-O-Wisp, as its targets will likely predict a STAB move, so it'll entice obvious switches.
Team Options
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Most Pokemon appreciate Rotom-W's support. Talonflame makes a great partner, as its ability allows it to pick off Grass-type Pokemon that Rotom-W struggles with, such as Amoonguss. Fake Out users, such as Mega Kangaskhan, can give Rotom-W an extra turn to burn a foe. Earthquake users without Mold Breaker can spam Earthquake without having to worry about damaging Rotom-W. Pokemon that enjoy Rotom-W's resistances to Flying, Ground, Water, Ice, and Fire make great partners.
Other Options
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Volt Switch can be used to safely bring in allies on a predicted switch. Choice Specs and Trick can be used to heavily damage opposing Pokemon and to cripple foes by giving them a Choice item, respectively. Hidden Power Ice allows Rotom-W to hit Dragon-type Pokemon such as Salamence and Garchomp hard. Discharge has less power than Thunderbolt, but has a 30% chance to paralyze and hits every Pokemon on the field. Thunder Wave can be used to cripple fast offensive Pokemon. Safety Goggles makes Rotom-W immune to Rage Powder and Spore.
Checks & Counters
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**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Venusaur, Rotom-C, and Amoonguss can take Thunderbolt and Hydro Pump and then retaliate with their special Grass-type attacks; they don't mind Will-O-Wisp, either, as they are specially offensive. Pokemon that don't enjoy being burned, such as Ferrothorn, can carry a Lum Berry, however, and in Ferrothorn's case, OHKO Rotom-W with Power Whip.
**Double Targeting**: Rotom-W can be KOed if both foes attack it with big hits, such as Mega Kangaskhan's Return, in one turn. There is the risk, however, of Rotom-W going for Protect, wasting that turn and allowing Rotom-W's ally to do damage or set up.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Pokemon with good Special Defense that don't mind taking a Will-O-Wisp, such as Hydreigon and Gardevoir, can deal with Rotom-W well. Goodra is a reliable check to Rotom-W, as it resists Water and Electric and is a special attacker.
**Fast Grass-type Attacks**: Attacks such as Mega Charizard Y's Solar Beam can OHKO Rotom-W if it doesn't invest enough EVs in the respective defensive stat.
**Mold Breaker**: Pokemon such as Excadrill and Mega Gyarados can't switch in against Rotom-W but can check it because Mold Breaker ignores Levitate, which allows their Earthquake to easily OHKO Rotom-W.
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