[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Slack Off
move 3: Flamethrower
move 4: Toxic
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Rocky Helmet
ability: Regenerator
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
ivs: 0 Atk
tera type: Water / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Galarain Slowbro is a premier defensive pivot thanks to its solid defensive typing, which checks Pokemon like Flamigo and both Paldean Tauros formes; strong physical bulk; wide movepool to deal with switch-ins; Regenerator to heal off residual damage; and Slack Off so it can stay on the field. Psyshock is occasionally used over Psychic because it hits specially defensive Pokemon like Gastrodon, Tera Poison Florges, and Snorlax harder. Flamethrower synergizes well with its other moves, letting it hit Steel-types that would usually come in on Galarian Slowbro like Alolan Sandslash and Levitate Bronzong, as well as Dark-types like Skuntank. Toxic is great at putting switch-ins like Mudsdale, Golurk, and Bellibolt on a timer. Thunder Wave is occasionally useful as a stopgap for faster sweepers like Trailblaze Paldean Tauros-W; however, this gives Ground-types like Golurk and Mudsdale free entry compared to Toxic. Surf is also an option that hits Ground- and Fire-types like Golurk and Delphox, which are otherwise annoying for Galarian Slowbro while being a solid midground option versus Dark-types like Bombirdier; however, it often struggles to fit this move in practice. Heavy-Duty Boots is the more consistent option to avoid taking troublesome damage from entry hazards, while Rocky Helmet punishes contact moves from Pokemon like Staraptor and Flamigo while deterring U-turn from Pokemon like Scyther. Tera Water and Tera Fairy are both useful for shedding its poor Ghost-, Dark-, and Ground-type weaknesses, letting Galarian Slowbro switch into Pokemon like Houndstone, Bombirdier, and Sandaconda; however, while Tera Water gives it a better matchup against Fire- and Water-types like Arcanine and Inteleon, Tera Fairy reverses its Dark weakness and lets it handle foes like Zoroark and Bombirdier while keeping its good matchup against Fighting-types like Flamigo and Pawmot.
Galarian Slowbro fits best on balance and bulky offense teams that appreciate its ability to pivot in and out of tier staples like Flamigo and Ambipom. While bulky, Galarian Slowbro appreciates a fellow physical wall to pivot to so it doesn't have to take every hit. Pokemon like Bellibolt, Milotic, and Wo-Chien are all solid options; Bellibolt and Milotic can bring Galarian Slowbro in with pivot moves to regain health, while Wo-Chien and Bellibolt can directly switch into Galarian Slowbro's poor matchups like Swords Dance Decidueye and Zoroark, respectively; Bellibolt specifically is a great switch-in to Knock Off, which Galarian Slowbro hates. In return, Galarian Slowbro can block Toxic for them, which all of these defensive Pokemon hate. Wallbreakers that are weak to Fighting-types like Zoroark and Duraludon also appreciate having a strong Fighting resistant teammate to fall back on. Specially defensive Pokemon like Florges and Scrafty can help Galarian Slowbro deal with the special attackers it struggles with like Inteleon and Delphox. Galarian Slowbro struggles with Dark-, Ground-, and Ghost-types like Scrafty, Mudsdale, and Golurk, so Pokemon that can come in on them like Grimmsnarl and Wo-Chien are heavily appreciated. Pokemon that threaten Steel-types and Gligar, such as Paldean Tauros-W, are also greatly appreciated, as due to their Toxic immunity, Galarian Slowbro struggles to make progress against them even when running Flamethrower, unless it is running Surf for Gligar.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hera.414072/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bella.567483/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/asa.400292/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny004.197240/
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