[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 3-5 Points
**Overview**: Arboliva is a relatively bulky Normal- and Grass-type Pokemon with access to multiple health-restoring tools for itself and its teammates. It boasts high Special Attack, strong STAB options, and two useful utility abilities in Harvest and Seed Sower, which sets it apart from other similarly priced Grass-types. Despite its versatility, Arboliva has some drawbacks: it is physically frail without investment, it has several common type weaknesses, it gets outsped by most foes, and it cannot set up offensively, leaving it vulnerable to foes that can boost Special Defense or resist its STAB and coverage moves.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Utility / Support**: Arboliva offers strong team support tools, such as Strength Sap to weaken physical attackers, Harvest to stay healthy against many neutral attacks with Sitrus Berries, and Leech Seed to chip away at bulkier foes while pivoting or setting up Substitute. It can also use Light Screen, Reflect, and Memento to set the stage for allies to set up and sweep to end games.
**Wallbreaker**: Arboliva can deal significant damage with its STAB moves and coverage options like Earth Power and Alluring Voice, particularly when paired with Choice Specs, Life Orb, or Throat Spray. Its low Speed and Seed Sower enable it to take hits and boost its Grass-type moves on the same turn while sustaining itself with healing.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Hyper Voice, Tera Blast, Energy Ball, Giga Drain, Leaf Storm, Grass Knot
**Utility Moves**: Encore, Leech Seed, Strength Sap, Memento, Reflect, Light Screen, Substitute
**Coverage**: Earth Power, Alluring Voice, Pollen Puff
Niche Moves
========
**Endure**: Arboliva can guarantee a Seed Sower activation without getting knocked out or ensure a Custap Berry activation on the next turn with Endure.
**Mirror Coat**: Against foes that Arboliva may struggle to damage directly, Mirror Coat can deal double the damage taken back at the attacker.
Common Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry paired with Harvest allows Arboliva to keep itself healthy while dealing damage or disrupting foes further. It can also be used alongside Seed Sower to allow Arboliva multiple chances to live attacks and set up Grassy Terrain.
**Damage-boosting Items**: Choice Specs and Life Orb both allow Arboliva to deal maximum damage to foes that may expect more supportive or disruptive sets, breaking through teams without strong resistances.
**Leftovers**: With Leftovers and Grassy Terrain, Arboliva heals a significant amount per turn, making it difficult to remove without opposing setup and acting as a more consistent but less immediate alternative to Sitrus Berry.
Niche Items
========
**Throat Spray**: Arboliva’s only real way of boosting its Special Attack without being locked in is by using Throat Spray in tandem with either Hyper Voice or Alluring Voice, allowing it to deal damage equivalent to using Choice Specs with the freedom to use multiple attacks or support options.
**Assault Vest**: Arboliva has just enough coverage to consistently use Assault Vest to allow it to absorb multiple special attacks, while Seed Sower both boosts its STAB moves and gives it passive recovery alongside Giga Drain.
**Custap Berry**: Arboliva has defensive bulk and options to consistently survive attacks while being knocked to low HP, allowing it to catch foes off-guard with a strong priority attack on the following turn that can be potentially repeated thanks to Harvest and either Protect, Endure, or good luck.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: If Arboliva is used as a defensive pivot, it can utilize Heavy-Duty Boots to avoid taking repeated entry hazard damage if its team does not have a strong form of hazard removal otherwise.
**Eject Button**: On expected attacks, Arboliva can switch in, set Grassy Terrain, and immediately switch out with Eject Button to gain positive momentum and potentially give a teammate room to set up.
Tera
========
Arboliva is a strong option as a cheap secondary Tera captain, as it can use Tera Blast as a reliable STAB move both before and after it Terastallizes, and it appreciates the offensive and defensive flexibility. Tera Normal can let Arboliva blow holes in teams with a limited amount of Normal-resistant Pokemon. Its own Terrain can be combined with Tera Steel, Poison, and Fire to allow temporary resistance to Earthquake alongside a better defensive profile. Tera Ground and Fairy can also flip some of its weaknesses into resistances while boosting the damage of its coverage options without needing Tera Blast.
Draft Strategy
========
Arboliva provides Terrain, defensive utility, and reasonable Special Attack for teams on a budget looking to fill multiple roles. The bulk and typing can occasionally be utilized for Ground-weak teammates and Unburden users, although it is not something that should be regularly relied upon. It works best as an occasional check to specific foes, allowing it to weaken them and open up opportunities for its teammates to shine.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Grass-resistant Pokemon**: Arboliva’s dual STAB moves are resisted by most Steel-types, and specially defensive foes are relatively unbothered, leaving it with Earth Power and Leech Seed to prevent itself from being setup fodder. Foes like Corviknight, Zapdos, and Scizor take minimal damage and threaten with super effective coverage in return.
**Knock Off Users**: Arboliva typically relies heavily on its item, especially with Harvest sets, so Knock Off from foes like Iron Treads and Hisuian Samurott can heavily reduce its effectiveness.
**Taunt / Encore**: Most of Arboliva's usefulness relies on using status moves, so Taunt and Encore from foes like Rillaboom and Scream Tail can force it to switch out.
**U-turn**: If Arboliva switches in on U-turn, it takes super effective damage while losing momentum and letting the opponent easily put themselves in a better position.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/xand.614716/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 3-5 Points
**Overview**: Arboliva is a relatively bulky Normal- and Grass-type Pokemon with access to multiple health-restoring tools for itself and its teammates. It boasts high Special Attack, strong STAB options, and two useful utility abilities in Harvest and Seed Sower, which sets it apart from other similarly priced Grass-types. Despite its versatility, Arboliva has some drawbacks: it is physically frail without investment, it has several common type weaknesses, it gets outsped by most foes, and it cannot set up offensively, leaving it vulnerable to foes that can boost Special Defense or resist its STAB and coverage moves.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Utility / Support**: Arboliva offers strong team support tools, such as Strength Sap to weaken physical attackers, Harvest to stay healthy against many neutral attacks with Sitrus Berries, and Leech Seed to chip away at bulkier foes while pivoting or setting up Substitute. It can also use Light Screen, Reflect, and Memento to set the stage for allies to set up and sweep to end games.
**Wallbreaker**: Arboliva can deal significant damage with its STAB moves and coverage options like Earth Power and Alluring Voice, particularly when paired with Choice Specs, Life Orb, or Throat Spray. Its low Speed and Seed Sower enable it to take hits and boost its Grass-type moves on the same turn while sustaining itself with healing.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Hyper Voice, Tera Blast, Energy Ball, Giga Drain, Leaf Storm, Grass Knot
**Utility Moves**: Encore, Leech Seed, Strength Sap, Memento, Reflect, Light Screen, Substitute
**Coverage**: Earth Power, Alluring Voice, Pollen Puff
Niche Moves
========
**Endure**: Arboliva can guarantee a Seed Sower activation without getting knocked out or ensure a Custap Berry activation on the next turn with Endure.
**Mirror Coat**: Against foes that Arboliva may struggle to damage directly, Mirror Coat can deal double the damage taken back at the attacker.
Common Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry paired with Harvest allows Arboliva to keep itself healthy while dealing damage or disrupting foes further. It can also be used alongside Seed Sower to allow Arboliva multiple chances to live attacks and set up Grassy Terrain.
**Damage-boosting Items**: Choice Specs and Life Orb both allow Arboliva to deal maximum damage to foes that may expect more supportive or disruptive sets, breaking through teams without strong resistances.
**Leftovers**: With Leftovers and Grassy Terrain, Arboliva heals a significant amount per turn, making it difficult to remove without opposing setup and acting as a more consistent but less immediate alternative to Sitrus Berry.
Niche Items
========
**Throat Spray**: Arboliva’s only real way of boosting its Special Attack without being locked in is by using Throat Spray in tandem with either Hyper Voice or Alluring Voice, allowing it to deal damage equivalent to using Choice Specs with the freedom to use multiple attacks or support options.
**Assault Vest**: Arboliva has just enough coverage to consistently use Assault Vest to allow it to absorb multiple special attacks, while Seed Sower both boosts its STAB moves and gives it passive recovery alongside Giga Drain.
**Custap Berry**: Arboliva has defensive bulk and options to consistently survive attacks while being knocked to low HP, allowing it to catch foes off-guard with a strong priority attack on the following turn that can be potentially repeated thanks to Harvest and either Protect, Endure, or good luck.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: If Arboliva is used as a defensive pivot, it can utilize Heavy-Duty Boots to avoid taking repeated entry hazard damage if its team does not have a strong form of hazard removal otherwise.
**Eject Button**: On expected attacks, Arboliva can switch in, set Grassy Terrain, and immediately switch out with Eject Button to gain positive momentum and potentially give a teammate room to set up.
Tera
========
Arboliva is a strong option as a cheap secondary Tera captain, as it can use Tera Blast as a reliable STAB move both before and after it Terastallizes, and it appreciates the offensive and defensive flexibility. Tera Normal can let Arboliva blow holes in teams with a limited amount of Normal-resistant Pokemon. Its own Terrain can be combined with Tera Steel, Poison, and Fire to allow temporary resistance to Earthquake alongside a better defensive profile. Tera Ground and Fairy can also flip some of its weaknesses into resistances while boosting the damage of its coverage options without needing Tera Blast.
Draft Strategy
========
Arboliva provides Terrain, defensive utility, and reasonable Special Attack for teams on a budget looking to fill multiple roles. The bulk and typing can occasionally be utilized for Ground-weak teammates and Unburden users, although it is not something that should be regularly relied upon. It works best as an occasional check to specific foes, allowing it to weaken them and open up opportunities for its teammates to shine.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Grass-resistant Pokemon**: Arboliva’s dual STAB moves are resisted by most Steel-types, and specially defensive foes are relatively unbothered, leaving it with Earth Power and Leech Seed to prevent itself from being setup fodder. Foes like Corviknight, Zapdos, and Scizor take minimal damage and threaten with super effective coverage in return.
**Knock Off Users**: Arboliva typically relies heavily on its item, especially with Harvest sets, so Knock Off from foes like Iron Treads and Hisuian Samurott can heavily reduce its effectiveness.
**Taunt / Encore**: Most of Arboliva's usefulness relies on using status moves, so Taunt and Encore from foes like Rillaboom and Scream Tail can force it to switch out.
**U-turn**: If Arboliva switches in on U-turn, it takes super effective damage while losing momentum and letting the opponent easily put themselves in a better position.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/xand.614716/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
