[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 1-2 points
**Overview**: Naclstack is a bulky Eviolite user with two overtuned characteristics that make it stand out above other low-tier Rock-types: Salt Cure and Purifying Salt. Where opposing teams can justify significant preparation for its evolution, Garganacl, which often leads to it being taken advantage of, Naclstack can make opponents question whether they should run a Covert Cloak on their Pokemon over a more useful item or bring a counter with an otherwise bad matchup just to deal with it. It can take advantage of passive or status-dependent foes to set up and slowly but surely burn through teams, although it has significantly more counters than it has positive matchups as a slow Rock-type, especially if the opponent decides to spend the resources to beat it.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Bulky Wall**: Salt Cure is Naclstack’s most important attack, dealing significant chip damage outside of foes with Covert Cloak, Magic Guard, or Substitute. With Iron Defense and Curse to boost its Defense, Recover to keep itself healthy, either Body Press or Earthquake to deal additional damage, and Protect to further stall Salt Cure turns, it can be a nuisance to opposing defensive cores and Pokemon without ways to recover their HP. Iron Defense and Body Press are its only realistic way of dealing meaningful damage, but if the opponent lacks a Ghost-type or multiple strong special attackers, it can potentially become a late-game sweeper.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Salt Cure
**Setup Moves**: Iron Defense
**Utility Moves**: Recover, Stealth Rock, Protect
**Coverage**: Body Press, Earthquake, Iron Head, Zen Headbutt
Niche Moves
========
**Curse**: If Naclstack's typical coverage is not enough, Curse can be used to power up Earthquake, Stone Edge, and other coverage to be less passive into foes that anticipated only Salt Cure and Body Press.
**Endure**: Custap Berry sets can pair with Endure to guarantee that Naclstack can set Stealth Rock or attack with Salt Cure before fainting without needing to rely on Sturdy.
**Rock Tomb / Bulldoze**: Although Rock Tomb and Bulldoze are pitifully weak coming from Naclstack, lowering a foe's Speed might benefit its teammates and prevent it from becoming setup fodder.
**Stone Edge**: Stone Edge is far stronger than Salt Cure against Fighting-resistant Pokemon on Curse + Body Press sets.
Common Items
========
**Eviolite**: Eviolite increases Naclstack’s defensive stats considerably, allowing it to take more hits than it otherwise would.
Niche Items
========
**Custap Berry**: Custap Berry allows Naclstack to go first within its priority bracket a single time, allowing it to set up Stealth Rock or use Salt Cure on a foe in tandem with Sturdy or Endure. This can allow it to become a usable entry hazard lead, forgoing most of its typical utility for hazards, although it lacks other common Sturdy lead options like Explosion and Endeavor.
Tera
========
Naclstack is a good low-tier Tera Captain and can work if there is not a better option, as its pure Rock typing is one of its biggest drawbacks. With an ability that prevents all status and resists Ghost, certain defensive Tera types can make it much more difficult to break with brute force. Tera Ghost gives it only one weakness from Dark-type moves, an immunity to its typical Fighting-type weakness, and the ability to counter opposing Iron Defense + Body Press users as well as Rapid Spin users. Tera Water, Poison, and Fairy all give Naclstack only two weaknesses while maintaining several resistances that may give it time to set up and become a strong answer to some top-tier threats that normally counter it. Tera Fighting can be used to boost Body Press damage significantly, making IronPress more viable.
Draft Strategy
========
Naclstack works best when providing support for otherwise self-sufficient teams that have plentiful offensive options. Certain team structures with pieces listed below can appreciate its very specific toolset, bringing full status immunity, a resistance to Ghost that transcends Terastallization, decent defensive bulk, and best of all, unique passive damage that requires its foes to relinquish better items to counter.
**Pivots**: Naclstack does best when it is allowed free switches on Pokemon that cannot answer it, so having offensive pivots like Primarina, Meowscarada, and Landorus-T that force in defensive walls can give it opportunities to use Salt Cure or set up Iron Defense or Curse.
**Wallbreakers / Sweepers**: Wallbreakers can take advantage of foes weakened by Naclstack's Salt Cure and force items other than Covert Cloak to be brought, like having Urshifu-R to force Rocky Helmet or Chi-Yu to force Assault Vest or resistance Berries.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Consistent entry hazard setters like Hisuian Samurott and Ting-Lu can force opponents into deciding between Heavy-Duty Boots and Covert Cloak on their Pokemon, leading to more opportunities for Naclstack to spread Salt Cure or force unnecessary items when it isn't brought.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Naclstack performs best when it isn't forced to take passive damage upon switch-in, so strong entry hazard removal options like Terapagos and Corviknight can keep it as healthy as possible.
**Knock Off Absorbers**: Naclstack loses a considerable amount of bulk if it loses its Eviolite, so having pivots like Iron Hands and Terrakion that freely switch in on Knock Off can be very beneficial.
**Knock Off Users**: Teammates like Roaring Moon and Tornadus-T can remove opposing Covert Cloaks and Leftovers with Knock Off, making Naclstack far more useful into would-be checks.
Checks and Counters
========
**Covert Cloak / Magic Guard**: Salt Cure is Naclstack’s primary way of dealing consistent damage, and both Covert Cloak and Magic Guard completely negate the effect, rendering Salt Cure as a very weak attack with no other benefit. Clefable and Reuniclus are likely the strongest counters due to their ability and thei typing naturally resisting Body Press.
**Substitute**: Substitutes are rarely broken by Salt Cure, potentially turning Naclstack into setup fodder.
**Defensive Ghost-types**: Naclstack’s best way to deal high direct damage is with Body Press after setting up with Iron Defense or Curse, so Ghost-types like Annihilape and Sinistcha force it to rely on Salt Cure chip or other weaker coverage.
**Taunt / Encore**: Naclstack is incredibly slow and cannot usually afford to run Mental Herb, so Taunt and Encore can easily stop it from setting up or healing.
**Special Wallbreakers**: Naclstack suffers against strong special attackers like Walking Wake and Enamorus that can outdamage its recovery, especially if they switch in before it can set up a Salt Cure.
**Entry Hazards**: As Naclstack ideally always holds Eviolite, Stealth Rock and Spikes can chip it down upon repeated switch-ins and reduce its ability to wall out foes, especially against pivots like Hisuian Samurott and Zapdos. The extra damage also forces it to lose momentum by spending more turns clicking Recover instead of spamming Salt Cure or Iron Defense.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/xand.614716/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scribble.356084/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 1-2 points
**Overview**: Naclstack is a bulky Eviolite user with two overtuned characteristics that make it stand out above other low-tier Rock-types: Salt Cure and Purifying Salt. Where opposing teams can justify significant preparation for its evolution, Garganacl, which often leads to it being taken advantage of, Naclstack can make opponents question whether they should run a Covert Cloak on their Pokemon over a more useful item or bring a counter with an otherwise bad matchup just to deal with it. It can take advantage of passive or status-dependent foes to set up and slowly but surely burn through teams, although it has significantly more counters than it has positive matchups as a slow Rock-type, especially if the opponent decides to spend the resources to beat it.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Bulky Wall**: Salt Cure is Naclstack’s most important attack, dealing significant chip damage outside of foes with Covert Cloak, Magic Guard, or Substitute. With Iron Defense and Curse to boost its Defense, Recover to keep itself healthy, either Body Press or Earthquake to deal additional damage, and Protect to further stall Salt Cure turns, it can be a nuisance to opposing defensive cores and Pokemon without ways to recover their HP. Iron Defense and Body Press are its only realistic way of dealing meaningful damage, but if the opponent lacks a Ghost-type or multiple strong special attackers, it can potentially become a late-game sweeper.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Salt Cure
**Setup Moves**: Iron Defense
**Utility Moves**: Recover, Stealth Rock, Protect
**Coverage**: Body Press, Earthquake, Iron Head, Zen Headbutt
Niche Moves
========
**Curse**: If Naclstack's typical coverage is not enough, Curse can be used to power up Earthquake, Stone Edge, and other coverage to be less passive into foes that anticipated only Salt Cure and Body Press.
**Endure**: Custap Berry sets can pair with Endure to guarantee that Naclstack can set Stealth Rock or attack with Salt Cure before fainting without needing to rely on Sturdy.
**Rock Tomb / Bulldoze**: Although Rock Tomb and Bulldoze are pitifully weak coming from Naclstack, lowering a foe's Speed might benefit its teammates and prevent it from becoming setup fodder.
**Stone Edge**: Stone Edge is far stronger than Salt Cure against Fighting-resistant Pokemon on Curse + Body Press sets.
Common Items
========
**Eviolite**: Eviolite increases Naclstack’s defensive stats considerably, allowing it to take more hits than it otherwise would.
Niche Items
========
**Custap Berry**: Custap Berry allows Naclstack to go first within its priority bracket a single time, allowing it to set up Stealth Rock or use Salt Cure on a foe in tandem with Sturdy or Endure. This can allow it to become a usable entry hazard lead, forgoing most of its typical utility for hazards, although it lacks other common Sturdy lead options like Explosion and Endeavor.
Tera
========
Naclstack is a good low-tier Tera Captain and can work if there is not a better option, as its pure Rock typing is one of its biggest drawbacks. With an ability that prevents all status and resists Ghost, certain defensive Tera types can make it much more difficult to break with brute force. Tera Ghost gives it only one weakness from Dark-type moves, an immunity to its typical Fighting-type weakness, and the ability to counter opposing Iron Defense + Body Press users as well as Rapid Spin users. Tera Water, Poison, and Fairy all give Naclstack only two weaknesses while maintaining several resistances that may give it time to set up and become a strong answer to some top-tier threats that normally counter it. Tera Fighting can be used to boost Body Press damage significantly, making IronPress more viable.
Draft Strategy
========
Naclstack works best when providing support for otherwise self-sufficient teams that have plentiful offensive options. Certain team structures with pieces listed below can appreciate its very specific toolset, bringing full status immunity, a resistance to Ghost that transcends Terastallization, decent defensive bulk, and best of all, unique passive damage that requires its foes to relinquish better items to counter.
**Pivots**: Naclstack does best when it is allowed free switches on Pokemon that cannot answer it, so having offensive pivots like Primarina, Meowscarada, and Landorus-T that force in defensive walls can give it opportunities to use Salt Cure or set up Iron Defense or Curse.
**Wallbreakers / Sweepers**: Wallbreakers can take advantage of foes weakened by Naclstack's Salt Cure and force items other than Covert Cloak to be brought, like having Urshifu-R to force Rocky Helmet or Chi-Yu to force Assault Vest or resistance Berries.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Consistent entry hazard setters like Hisuian Samurott and Ting-Lu can force opponents into deciding between Heavy-Duty Boots and Covert Cloak on their Pokemon, leading to more opportunities for Naclstack to spread Salt Cure or force unnecessary items when it isn't brought.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Naclstack performs best when it isn't forced to take passive damage upon switch-in, so strong entry hazard removal options like Terapagos and Corviknight can keep it as healthy as possible.
**Knock Off Absorbers**: Naclstack loses a considerable amount of bulk if it loses its Eviolite, so having pivots like Iron Hands and Terrakion that freely switch in on Knock Off can be very beneficial.
**Knock Off Users**: Teammates like Roaring Moon and Tornadus-T can remove opposing Covert Cloaks and Leftovers with Knock Off, making Naclstack far more useful into would-be checks.
Checks and Counters
========
**Covert Cloak / Magic Guard**: Salt Cure is Naclstack’s primary way of dealing consistent damage, and both Covert Cloak and Magic Guard completely negate the effect, rendering Salt Cure as a very weak attack with no other benefit. Clefable and Reuniclus are likely the strongest counters due to their ability and thei typing naturally resisting Body Press.
**Substitute**: Substitutes are rarely broken by Salt Cure, potentially turning Naclstack into setup fodder.
**Defensive Ghost-types**: Naclstack’s best way to deal high direct damage is with Body Press after setting up with Iron Defense or Curse, so Ghost-types like Annihilape and Sinistcha force it to rely on Salt Cure chip or other weaker coverage.
**Taunt / Encore**: Naclstack is incredibly slow and cannot usually afford to run Mental Herb, so Taunt and Encore can easily stop it from setting up or healing.
**Special Wallbreakers**: Naclstack suffers against strong special attackers like Walking Wake and Enamorus that can outdamage its recovery, especially if they switch in before it can set up a Salt Cure.
**Entry Hazards**: As Naclstack ideally always holds Eviolite, Stealth Rock and Spikes can chip it down upon repeated switch-ins and reduce its ability to wall out foes, especially against pivots like Hisuian Samurott and Zapdos. The extra damage also forces it to lose momentum by spending more turns clicking Recover instead of spamming Salt Cure or Iron Defense.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/xand.614716/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scribble.356084/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
