[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 2 points
**Overview**: Bastiodon is an excellent emergency button against the powerful setup threats in the metagame. The Iron Wall™ can use Heavy-Duty Boots alongside Sturdy to serve as a one time check to a surprisingly large amount of Pokemon. It can threaten foes with the combination of Iron Defense, Body Press, and a sizable Defense stat. That being said, its typing leaves much to be desired when it comes to taking multiple hits over the course of the game.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Emergency Button**: Oh no! The opponent has somehow managed to set up their Kingambit with five Supreme Overlord boosts to +6! It's still at full HP and has Terastallized into a Fairy-type! No fear, Bastiodon is here to survive with the combination of Heavy-Duty Boots and Sturdy and fire back a Counter to neutralize the threat, saving the day. Metal Burst can also be used when it is expected to cover for special attacking threats.
**Physical Wall**: While Bastiodon's Steel Rock typing isn't amazing, it's still decent enough to check many physical attackers that may not afford or have access to Ground- or Fighting-type coverage. It can also punish U-turn and Knock Off with Rocky Helmet, phaze setup threats with Roar, and get up Stealth Rock.
**IronPress**: One of Bastiodon's greatest tools is Body Press alongside its great Defense stat. It often opts for Iron Defense to boost its power and bulk simultaneously.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Stone Edge, Rock Blast, Heavy Slam, Iron Head
**Setup Moves**: Iron Defense, Curse
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Counter, Metal Burst, Roar
**Coverage**: Body Press, Foul Play, Earthquake, Fire Blast, Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Avalanche
Niche Moves
========
**Block**: Block can be used to prey on passive Pokemon, forcing them to sit there and watch while Bastiodon boosts to the moon with Iron Defense and starts using Body Pressing against the opposing team.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots keeps Sturdy intact. This is the main allure to using Bastiodon in the first place.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet is useful when Bastiodon is planning on taking multiple physical hits over the course of the game, allowing it to spread some chip damage around.
Niche Items
========
**Custap Berry**: Sturdy + Custap Berry is so intelligent and powerful, allowing for a priority move to be used after surviving a big hit at 1 HP.
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is useful if Bastiodon values passive recovery over the course of multiple turns, especially on a set designed to set up and sweep with IronPress.
**Red Card**: Red Card can be used against Booster Energy Pokemon, forcing them out. It can also be a way to delete a randomly forced in Pokemon via Counter or Metal Burst.
Tera
========
Bastiodon is one of the better low cost Tera Captains, making it a great pair with another top tier Tera user. It can use Tera Fighting to power up its Body Press while simultaneously removing its crippling weaknesses to Ground, Fighting, and Water. As usual on bulky Pokemon, Tera Fairy, Water, and Steel are also options. Tera Ghost can help it come out on top in Body Press mirrors.
Draft Strategy
========
Bastiodon is perhaps the most cost efficient everything-check in the tier, but you'd be an absolute fool to rely on it every game. If you draft it, you should have a good plan to deal with the powerful Fairy types that usually are checked by a draft's Steel Type, as Bastiodon is unable to switch into Pokemon like Enamorus and Iron Valiant.
**A Normal Team That Does Not Rely On Bastiodon**: Bastiodon's a great Pokemon, but it does not fulfill any major roles to a team. If you are bringing Bastiodon to every game, you need to seek professional help to get rid of this addiction. A little fun on the weekends is cool, but don't make it a habit.
Checks and Counters
========
**Most Pokemon**: Bastiodon is mostly just good for hitting that game saving Metal Burst, Foul Play, or Body Press, which is limited to one use per game. It cannot be combined with other coupons, but it is very good at doing that one thing.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/king-l5.440126/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sablolol.466715/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 2 points
**Overview**: Bastiodon is an excellent emergency button against the powerful setup threats in the metagame. The Iron Wall™ can use Heavy-Duty Boots alongside Sturdy to serve as a one time check to a surprisingly large amount of Pokemon. It can threaten foes with the combination of Iron Defense, Body Press, and a sizable Defense stat. That being said, its typing leaves much to be desired when it comes to taking multiple hits over the course of the game.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Emergency Button**: Oh no! The opponent has somehow managed to set up their Kingambit with five Supreme Overlord boosts to +6! It's still at full HP and has Terastallized into a Fairy-type! No fear, Bastiodon is here to survive with the combination of Heavy-Duty Boots and Sturdy and fire back a Counter to neutralize the threat, saving the day. Metal Burst can also be used when it is expected to cover for special attacking threats.
**Physical Wall**: While Bastiodon's Steel Rock typing isn't amazing, it's still decent enough to check many physical attackers that may not afford or have access to Ground- or Fighting-type coverage. It can also punish U-turn and Knock Off with Rocky Helmet, phaze setup threats with Roar, and get up Stealth Rock.
**IronPress**: One of Bastiodon's greatest tools is Body Press alongside its great Defense stat. It often opts for Iron Defense to boost its power and bulk simultaneously.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Stone Edge, Rock Blast, Heavy Slam, Iron Head
**Setup Moves**: Iron Defense, Curse
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Counter, Metal Burst, Roar
**Coverage**: Body Press, Foul Play, Earthquake, Fire Blast, Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Avalanche
Niche Moves
========
**Block**: Block can be used to prey on passive Pokemon, forcing them to sit there and watch while Bastiodon boosts to the moon with Iron Defense and starts using Body Pressing against the opposing team.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots keeps Sturdy intact. This is the main allure to using Bastiodon in the first place.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet is useful when Bastiodon is planning on taking multiple physical hits over the course of the game, allowing it to spread some chip damage around.
Niche Items
========
**Custap Berry**: Sturdy + Custap Berry is so intelligent and powerful, allowing for a priority move to be used after surviving a big hit at 1 HP.
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is useful if Bastiodon values passive recovery over the course of multiple turns, especially on a set designed to set up and sweep with IronPress.
**Red Card**: Red Card can be used against Booster Energy Pokemon, forcing them out. It can also be a way to delete a randomly forced in Pokemon via Counter or Metal Burst.
Tera
========
Bastiodon is one of the better low cost Tera Captains, making it a great pair with another top tier Tera user. It can use Tera Fighting to power up its Body Press while simultaneously removing its crippling weaknesses to Ground, Fighting, and Water. As usual on bulky Pokemon, Tera Fairy, Water, and Steel are also options. Tera Ghost can help it come out on top in Body Press mirrors.
Draft Strategy
========
Bastiodon is perhaps the most cost efficient everything-check in the tier, but you'd be an absolute fool to rely on it every game. If you draft it, you should have a good plan to deal with the powerful Fairy types that usually are checked by a draft's Steel Type, as Bastiodon is unable to switch into Pokemon like Enamorus and Iron Valiant.
**A Normal Team That Does Not Rely On Bastiodon**: Bastiodon's a great Pokemon, but it does not fulfill any major roles to a team. If you are bringing Bastiodon to every game, you need to seek professional help to get rid of this addiction. A little fun on the weekends is cool, but don't make it a habit.
Checks and Counters
========
**Most Pokemon**: Bastiodon is mostly just good for hitting that game saving Metal Burst, Foul Play, or Body Press, which is limited to one use per game. It cannot be combined with other coupons, but it is very good at doing that one thing.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/king-l5.440126/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sablolol.466715/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
