Taking a bite out of crime
[Overview]
<p>Stoutland is the final evolution of the most recent addition to the Route 1 weak, common Normal-type family. Even so, this moustachioed mutt is no runt; Stoutland is a purebred, competitively viable Pokemon with good defenses, excellent Attack, a decent movepool, and two amazing abilities. Stoutland's major flaws boil down to the fact that it cannot do much of anything to Rock- and Steel-types outside of Dig, and it is weak to the common Fighting-type moves and will take massive damage from them even after Intimidate. This can be taken care of with proper teammates though, and Stoutland could add that little spark of personality your team needs without losing any competitive aspect.</p>
[SET]
name: Intimidating Supporter
move 1: Return
move 2: Crunch / Ice Fang
move 3: Thunder Wave / Helping Hand
move 4: Protect
item: Sitrus Berry / Chople Berry
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A supporting Stoutland is perhaps the most useful variant, as it can easily fit onto many teams. Intimidate and Thunder Wave make for an annoying combination, crippling just about anything since most Ground-types are physically based. Return is Stoutland's main STAB, and is able to 2HKO or heavily damage sweepers such as Thundurus and Kingdra. Crunch is mainly for Ghost-types, but if you feel they won't be troublesome and you need Ice-type coverage, Ice Fang is a good alternative. The third slot is reserved for supporting moves. Thunder Wave cripples anything that isn't inside Trick Room, can nab some paralysis hax, and can pave the way for more dangerous Pokemon on your team. Helping Hand does as the name suggests, multiplying the recipient's power by 1.5, though you'll have to be on your toes about the opponent Protecting on your boosted move. Protect is fairly obvious as it guards Stoutland from dangerous moves and allows it to recover more HP from Leftovers. On the subject of items, Sitrus Berry is the standard issue recovery item of VGC, and coincidentally, Stoutland has an HP divisible by 4 with max HP, meaning it heals a little more than it normally would. If you think Fighting-type moves will make Stoutland run off with its tail between its legs, simply equip it with a Chople Berry. Keep in mind, however, that Stoutland will miss recovery.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Fire-, Fighting-, and Flying-type Pokemon make good partners for Stoutland due to its issues with Rock-, Steel-, and Fighting-types. A Togekiss backed by Thunder Wave and Intimidate support can be a nightmare for anybody, especially if Togekiss has Aura Sphere. Chandelure appreciates both Thunder Wave and Helping Hand, and Rock Slide won't be as deadly to it with Intimidate support. Hitmontop deserves a special mention as it can form a double Intimidate combo with Stoutland, ensuring physical attacks will deal nebulous damage. Latios absolutely adores Helping Hand to boost its Draco Meteor to obscene levels of power, and it won't be easily checked by Dragon Claw or Sucker Punch after the opponent's Attack is taken down a notch.</p>
[SET]
name: Sand Rush
move 1: Return
move 2: Wild Charge
move 3: Crunch / Ice Fang
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Sand Rush
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The main draw of Sand Rush Stoutland is that it is the only Sand Rush user that can hit Water-types super effectively while maintaining an excellent Speed stat of 264, allowing it to outspeed even Choice Scarf Garchomp and Speed tying with Choice Scarf Terrakion. In fact, it can 2HKO 252 HP / 140 Def Relaxed Suicune and Return can OHKO 4 HP Ludicolo after sandstorm damage. Remember to Crunch opponents such as Jellicent and Slowking, since Wild Charge and Life Orb recoil will take its toll very quickly. Ice Fang is an option over Crunch or Protect, as it can provide extra coverage against Dragon- and Grass-types, as well as having almost unresisted super effective coverage with Wild Charge. Protect is even more useful on this set since it stalls out Trick Room and Tailwind, racks up sandstorm damage, avoids moves such as Mach Punch and a teammate's Earthquake. Life Orb is absolutely needed on this set for the OHKOs it provides, so attempting to equip Stoutland with recovery items will prove useless.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Although this is an offensive set, Thunder Wave can still be useful with Sand Rush, allowing your slower Pokemon to outspeed otherwise threatening Pokemon. Helping Hand can be used in a similar manner if you have a priority user such as Scizor. If you need more assurance against opposing weather starters, Fire Fang can be used for a surprise kill against Abomasnow, as well as dealing out massive amounts of damage to Ferrothorn.</p>
<p>Obviously, Sand Rush Stoutland needs sand active as much as possible. When it comes to typing, Hippowdon is the best choice, but of course Tyranitar is a good option as well. Claydol is able to use Ally Switch to avoid Ghost-type moves and take Fighting-type moves for Stoutland, but more importantly it can reverse Trick Room, a field condition that would otherwise neuter Stoutland. Bronzong and Reuniclus are two more Trick Room users that don't take damage from sand, though they are slower and might not be suitable for a team that relies on speedy Pokemon. Gliscor greatly appreciates the absence of Water-types and can OHKO many Fighting-types with its powerful Acrobatics. As previously mentioned, Scizor makes a good partner to finish off weakened threats with its powerful Bullet Punch and can also use Acrobatics against Fighting-types.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Remember the saying 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks'? Well, that applies to Stoutland's rather shallow movepool. Reversal is slightly gimmicky, but it's Stoutland's only good Fighting-type move. Focus Sash and Reversal can take care of pesky Steel- and Rock-types, though if you're using a sandstorm team, you probably have a whole menagerie of Earthquake users. Bite can be used over Crunch if you feel a potential paraflinch combination is worth more than a clean 2HKO on Latios. Yawn is always an annoying move, especially when Sleep Clause is not in effect, though the one turn it takes to actually work hampers its usefulness. Snarl can make Stoutland even sturdier, and lowering Special Attack is useful, considering powerful Surfs, Heat Waves, and Blizzards flying around the metagame. Choice Band can be used on the Sand Rush set, though it doesn't turn any notable 2HKOs into OHKOs. Normal Gem effectively provides the same boost as Choice Band, but for Return only and it gives the ability to change moves afterward. Lum Berry protects Stoutland from status, which can be useful to avoid sleep or on the Sand Rush set to avoid burns. If you don't like any of the options listed, Last Resort can be used as a, well, last resort. Using Last Resort effectively usually requires you to use a set of only Protect and Last Resort, which leaves you vulnerable to just about anything that resists Normal-type moves. Due to Item Clause, you may be hard-pressed to give Stoutland a Sitrus or Chople Berry. Leftovers is a good replacement, especially since max HP Stoutland attains a stat of 192, which is divisible by 16.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Being a Normal-type with no Fighting- nor Ground-type attacks, Rock-type Pokemon naturally pose problems for Stoutland. Terrakion will run circles around Stoutland if it can avoid being Intimidated or if it switches into a Crunch for the Justified boost as it can retaliate with its powerful Close Combat. Hitmontop can bypass Sand Rush and 2HKO Stoutland with Mach Punch or send Stoutland to the pound with Close Combat. With Guts activated, Conkeldurr doesn't mind an Attack drop and can use a combination of Drain Punch and Mach Punch to finish off Stoutland. Lucario resists both Crunch and Return and defeats Stoutland much like Conkeldurr with Close Combat and ExtremeSpeed, though it hates being paralyzed. Metagross and Heatran aren't bothered by Intimidate, usually don't care too much about paralysis, and can use powerful STAB moves such as Meteor Mash and Heat Wave to make short work of Stoutland. Trick Room against Sand Rush Stoutland makes it dead weight most of the time as it is forced to Protect stall Trick Room out and hope it isn't KOed before it can land a hit. Eviolite Porygon2 is probably the best Trick Room user to use against Stoutland, though you can probably set it up easily with any Trick Room user in front of Stoutland with the proper support. Under Trick Room's effects, Rhyperior and Hariyama are two of the best answers to Stoutland, especially if Hariyama is a Guts variant.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Stoutland receives Scrappy from the Dream World. Intimidate and Sand Rush are vastly superior to Scrappy simply because Stoutland usually uses Crunch to defeat Ghost-types anyway, and it is a fairly mediocre Pokemon without a boost to its defenses or Speed. It makes a Last Resort set more viable now that fewer Pokemon are immune to it, though.</p>
