Xayah
San Bwanna
QC: Hilomilo / OP / Nineage
GP: Omicron / Fireflame
[OVERVIEW]
Wooper's incredible defensive typing in combination with Water Absorb as well as its access to reliable recovery makes it one of the most consistent counters to some of the common Water- and Electric-types in the tier, such as Staryu, Chinchou, and Magnemite, and allows Wooper to consistently wall these threats throughout the game. It also has access to interesting support options such as Yawn, Encore, and Haze. However, Wooper's low offensive stats mean that it can often be setup bait. Its bulk is also low for a defensive Pokemon, especially on the special side, meaning that powerful wallbreakers such as Life Orb Doduo and Abra will easily be able to break it. In addition, both of Wooper's STAB moves are resisted by Grass-types, which also threaten it with a 4x super effective STAB move, meaning that it is easily countered by common Pokemon such as Pumpkaboo-XL and Foongus. Its weakness to Grass also means it has to be very careful of Grass-type coverage on certain Pokemon such as Ponyta and Clamperl that it would otherwise be able to check.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Recover
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Yawn / Encore
item: Eviolite
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Sassy
evs: 76 HP / 236 Def / 156 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Wooper's main STAB move and has a good chance to cripple a physical attacker like Mienfoo or Doduo with a burn. Recover gives Wooper reliable recovery, thus greatly increasing its longevity. Earthquake is a more powerful, secondary STAB move that hits the Water-types that Wooper checks neutrally. It also hits Electric-types like Chinchou and Magnemite very hard, meaning that Wooper is a reliable answer to them, while also heavily damaging Steel-types like Pawniard. Yawn forces Pokemon that are trying to set up on Wooper to switch out or fall asleep, preventing their sweep. Encore can lock a foe into a status move, potentially giving one of Wooper's teammates a setup opportunity while also potentially preventing foes from setting up on Wooper if you predict correctly. However, due to Wooper's low Speed, it will usually move after its foe, meaning that good prediction is required in order to lock foes into the right move.
Set Details
========
The Defense and HP EVs in combination with an Eviolite significantly raise Wooper's physical bulk and hit an Eviolite number, thus maximizing its physical bulk. They also allow Wooper to nearly always avoid the 2HKO from offensive Vullaby's Brave Bird and the OHKO from Shellder's Icicle Spear after a Shell Smash. The Special Defense EVs with a boosting nature raise Wooper's special bulk a lot and also hit an Eviolite number, maximizing its special bulk. It also notably allows Wooper to nearly always take the rare Hidden Power Grass from Chinchou as well as two Psychics from Elekid. Water Absorb allows Wooper to completely counter certain Water-types such as Chinchou and Staryu. Unaware may seem appealing in order to check setup sweepers, but due to Wooper's lackluster bulk, it can't check setup sweepers if its Eviolite is removed by Knock Off and will never be able to beat strong setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Doduo and Bulk Up Rufflet. A Sassy nature is used to raise Wooper's Special Defense and not lower the power of Scald or Earthquake, and Wooper is so slow that the drop in Speed will almost never matter.
Usage Tips
========
Always switch Wooper into Water-types it counters, like Chinchou, Skrelp, and Mareanie. Aside from stopping them in their tracks, Wooper will be able to get some of its HP back if it's hit by a Water-type move and also use Recover if it needs to. Also, don't be afraid to switch Wooper into other Pokemon it can take on, such as Magnemite or Ponyta, as they will usually be forced to switch out, allowing Wooper to Recover or potentially cripple a switch-in with a Scald burn. In addition, Wooper can sap momentum from an opponent by switching into Volt Switch from Pokemon like Magnemite and Chinchou. Be wary of Grass-type coverage on certain threats that Wooper would otherwise be able to wall, such as Elekid's Hidden Power Grass or Ponyta's Bloom Doom or Solar Beam. Wooper relies on its Eviolite to take as many hits as it possibly can, and losing it will significantly cripple it; as such, avoid switching into Knock Off users such as Pawniard and Alolan Grimer. Avoid using Scald if the opponent has a Guts user like Timburr, as it will become a significant threat to your team if it gets burned. Yawn can be used on a predicted switch, as it will immediately force the opponent to switch again. This is especially useful if Wooper's team has set up entry hazards, as it will wear down the foe. When Wooper is in against a setup sweeper, it should always use its choice of Yawn or Encore, as it can otherwise easily be set up on. Afterwards, it should usually switch out, since it is unable to significantly threaten common setup sweepers like Nasty Plot Vullaby, while both Yawn and Encore can potentially give a free turn to an ally.
Team Options
========
Wooper should only be used on slower teams, since it can sap a lot of momentum, and even then only on teams that absolutely need a check to Water- and Electric-types, as Wooper is unable to do much else. Pokemon such as Corphish and Archen appreciate Wooper taking on the Water- and Electric-types that check them throughout the game. Pokemon that can take Knock Off like Snubbull and Mienfoo are appreciated, as Wooper hates losing its Eviolite. Pokemon such as Foongus, Vullaby, and Ponyta can switch into the Grass-types that Wooper fears. Foongus also appreciates Wooper checking Fire-types, Vullaby appreciates Wooper countering Electric-types, and Ponyta appreciates Wooper taking on Water-types. Since Wooper tends to switch in a lot, entry hazard removers such as Staryu and Vullaby are good teammates. Similarly, entry hazard setters such as Ferroseed and Onix work well with Wooper, as it forces a lot of switches from opposing Water- and Electric-types. Clerics such as Spritzee and the aforementioned Snubbull can remove status such as burn and poison from Wooper, increasing its longevity.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An Unaware set is an option to wall common setup sweepers such as Nasty Plot Vullaby and Bulk Up Timburr, but Wooper can't do much to them other than force them out with Yawn, and if its Eviolite is removed by Knock Off, it is usually unable to continue walling the setup sweeper. Waterfall is an option over Scald as a STAB move that comes off of Wooper's higher Attack stat, but the burn chance from Scald is very important to cripple physical attackers, and due to Wooper's low Speed, it is unable to utilize Waterfall's flinch chance. Wooper can utilize a Curse set with Waterfall, Earthquake, and Recover, but this is heavily outclassed by other bulky setup sweepers such as Timburr and Munchlax, does not boost Wooper's lower Special Defense, and is easily walled by most Grass-types. Toxic is an option over Yawn or Encore to allow Wooper to potentially stall out its foe, but the damage doesn't ramp up very quickly due to Little Cup's low HP stats, and the opponent can simply switch out to reset the timer, making it an inferior choice. Similarly, Haze is an option to prevent Wooper from being setup bait, but it is usually outclassed by Yawn, as the latter also forces a switch, which can rack up entry hazard damage on the opponent's team; however, Haze can bypass Substitute. Ice Beam and Ice Punch are both options to hit Grass-types, but Wooper struggles to find room for them, as it would have to give up Scald's chance to burn, Earthquake's ability to hit the Electric- and Water-types it checks, Recover's longevity, or the ability to avoid being setup bait with Yawn and Encore. They should generally be used over either Earthquake or Scald, but Scald's burn chance and Earthquake's ability to dent the Electric-types Wooper wants to counter are usually preferred.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Pumpkaboo-XL, Snivy, and Foongus can all take any hit from Wooper and hit back hard with a 4x effective STAB move.
**Wallbreakers**: Powerful attackers such as Life Orb Doduo and Abra will easily be able to break through Wooper's relatively low defenses.
**Knock Off**: If Wooper loses its Eviolite, it becomes quite frail, meaning it will be easily broken through. Pokemon such as Pawniard and Alolan Grimer always carry Knock Off, which removes Wooper's Eviolite.
**Status**: Burn and poison both can significantly reduce Wooper's longevity and will force it to use Recover more often than it wants to.
GP: Omicron / Fireflame
[OVERVIEW]
Wooper's incredible defensive typing in combination with Water Absorb as well as its access to reliable recovery makes it one of the most consistent counters to some of the common Water- and Electric-types in the tier, such as Staryu, Chinchou, and Magnemite, and allows Wooper to consistently wall these threats throughout the game. It also has access to interesting support options such as Yawn, Encore, and Haze. However, Wooper's low offensive stats mean that it can often be setup bait. Its bulk is also low for a defensive Pokemon, especially on the special side, meaning that powerful wallbreakers such as Life Orb Doduo and Abra will easily be able to break it. In addition, both of Wooper's STAB moves are resisted by Grass-types, which also threaten it with a 4x super effective STAB move, meaning that it is easily countered by common Pokemon such as Pumpkaboo-XL and Foongus. Its weakness to Grass also means it has to be very careful of Grass-type coverage on certain Pokemon such as Ponyta and Clamperl that it would otherwise be able to check.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Recover
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Yawn / Encore
item: Eviolite
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Sassy
evs: 76 HP / 236 Def / 156 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Wooper's main STAB move and has a good chance to cripple a physical attacker like Mienfoo or Doduo with a burn. Recover gives Wooper reliable recovery, thus greatly increasing its longevity. Earthquake is a more powerful, secondary STAB move that hits the Water-types that Wooper checks neutrally. It also hits Electric-types like Chinchou and Magnemite very hard, meaning that Wooper is a reliable answer to them, while also heavily damaging Steel-types like Pawniard. Yawn forces Pokemon that are trying to set up on Wooper to switch out or fall asleep, preventing their sweep. Encore can lock a foe into a status move, potentially giving one of Wooper's teammates a setup opportunity while also potentially preventing foes from setting up on Wooper if you predict correctly. However, due to Wooper's low Speed, it will usually move after its foe, meaning that good prediction is required in order to lock foes into the right move.
Set Details
========
The Defense and HP EVs in combination with an Eviolite significantly raise Wooper's physical bulk and hit an Eviolite number, thus maximizing its physical bulk. They also allow Wooper to nearly always avoid the 2HKO from offensive Vullaby's Brave Bird and the OHKO from Shellder's Icicle Spear after a Shell Smash. The Special Defense EVs with a boosting nature raise Wooper's special bulk a lot and also hit an Eviolite number, maximizing its special bulk. It also notably allows Wooper to nearly always take the rare Hidden Power Grass from Chinchou as well as two Psychics from Elekid. Water Absorb allows Wooper to completely counter certain Water-types such as Chinchou and Staryu. Unaware may seem appealing in order to check setup sweepers, but due to Wooper's lackluster bulk, it can't check setup sweepers if its Eviolite is removed by Knock Off and will never be able to beat strong setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Doduo and Bulk Up Rufflet. A Sassy nature is used to raise Wooper's Special Defense and not lower the power of Scald or Earthquake, and Wooper is so slow that the drop in Speed will almost never matter.
Usage Tips
========
Always switch Wooper into Water-types it counters, like Chinchou, Skrelp, and Mareanie. Aside from stopping them in their tracks, Wooper will be able to get some of its HP back if it's hit by a Water-type move and also use Recover if it needs to. Also, don't be afraid to switch Wooper into other Pokemon it can take on, such as Magnemite or Ponyta, as they will usually be forced to switch out, allowing Wooper to Recover or potentially cripple a switch-in with a Scald burn. In addition, Wooper can sap momentum from an opponent by switching into Volt Switch from Pokemon like Magnemite and Chinchou. Be wary of Grass-type coverage on certain threats that Wooper would otherwise be able to wall, such as Elekid's Hidden Power Grass or Ponyta's Bloom Doom or Solar Beam. Wooper relies on its Eviolite to take as many hits as it possibly can, and losing it will significantly cripple it; as such, avoid switching into Knock Off users such as Pawniard and Alolan Grimer. Avoid using Scald if the opponent has a Guts user like Timburr, as it will become a significant threat to your team if it gets burned. Yawn can be used on a predicted switch, as it will immediately force the opponent to switch again. This is especially useful if Wooper's team has set up entry hazards, as it will wear down the foe. When Wooper is in against a setup sweeper, it should always use its choice of Yawn or Encore, as it can otherwise easily be set up on. Afterwards, it should usually switch out, since it is unable to significantly threaten common setup sweepers like Nasty Plot Vullaby, while both Yawn and Encore can potentially give a free turn to an ally.
Team Options
========
Wooper should only be used on slower teams, since it can sap a lot of momentum, and even then only on teams that absolutely need a check to Water- and Electric-types, as Wooper is unable to do much else. Pokemon such as Corphish and Archen appreciate Wooper taking on the Water- and Electric-types that check them throughout the game. Pokemon that can take Knock Off like Snubbull and Mienfoo are appreciated, as Wooper hates losing its Eviolite. Pokemon such as Foongus, Vullaby, and Ponyta can switch into the Grass-types that Wooper fears. Foongus also appreciates Wooper checking Fire-types, Vullaby appreciates Wooper countering Electric-types, and Ponyta appreciates Wooper taking on Water-types. Since Wooper tends to switch in a lot, entry hazard removers such as Staryu and Vullaby are good teammates. Similarly, entry hazard setters such as Ferroseed and Onix work well with Wooper, as it forces a lot of switches from opposing Water- and Electric-types. Clerics such as Spritzee and the aforementioned Snubbull can remove status such as burn and poison from Wooper, increasing its longevity.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An Unaware set is an option to wall common setup sweepers such as Nasty Plot Vullaby and Bulk Up Timburr, but Wooper can't do much to them other than force them out with Yawn, and if its Eviolite is removed by Knock Off, it is usually unable to continue walling the setup sweeper. Waterfall is an option over Scald as a STAB move that comes off of Wooper's higher Attack stat, but the burn chance from Scald is very important to cripple physical attackers, and due to Wooper's low Speed, it is unable to utilize Waterfall's flinch chance. Wooper can utilize a Curse set with Waterfall, Earthquake, and Recover, but this is heavily outclassed by other bulky setup sweepers such as Timburr and Munchlax, does not boost Wooper's lower Special Defense, and is easily walled by most Grass-types. Toxic is an option over Yawn or Encore to allow Wooper to potentially stall out its foe, but the damage doesn't ramp up very quickly due to Little Cup's low HP stats, and the opponent can simply switch out to reset the timer, making it an inferior choice. Similarly, Haze is an option to prevent Wooper from being setup bait, but it is usually outclassed by Yawn, as the latter also forces a switch, which can rack up entry hazard damage on the opponent's team; however, Haze can bypass Substitute. Ice Beam and Ice Punch are both options to hit Grass-types, but Wooper struggles to find room for them, as it would have to give up Scald's chance to burn, Earthquake's ability to hit the Electric- and Water-types it checks, Recover's longevity, or the ability to avoid being setup bait with Yawn and Encore. They should generally be used over either Earthquake or Scald, but Scald's burn chance and Earthquake's ability to dent the Electric-types Wooper wants to counter are usually preferred.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Pumpkaboo-XL, Snivy, and Foongus can all take any hit from Wooper and hit back hard with a 4x effective STAB move.
**Wallbreakers**: Powerful attackers such as Life Orb Doduo and Abra will easily be able to break through Wooper's relatively low defenses.
**Knock Off**: If Wooper loses its Eviolite, it becomes quite frail, meaning it will be easily broken through. Pokemon such as Pawniard and Alolan Grimer always carry Knock Off, which removes Wooper's Eviolite.
**Status**: Burn and poison both can significantly reduce Wooper's longevity and will force it to use Recover more often than it wants to.
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