Original analysis
Status: Uploaded! Great job Malfunction, there were hardly any errors for me to fix!
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[Overview]
<p>With its many common resistances and only one weakness, Bronzong can make a fantastic support Pokémon. Its resistances to Rock-, Dragon-, and Ice-type attacks, coupled with its immunity to Ground, make it a good counter against a lot of OU Pokemon, such as Flygon and Tyranitar. Unfortunately, though, Bronzong does not have access to any recovery moves outside of Rest; as such, it is recommended to have a Pokémon with Wish to help Bronzong recover lost HP.</p>
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Hidden Power Ice / Gyro Ball
move 3: Payback
move 4: Earthquake / Explosion / Hypnosis
item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
ability: Levitate
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 86 Atk / 80 Def / 92 SpD
ivs: 2 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bronzong is an excellent Stealth Rock user as well as an excellent wall to both physical and special attacks. With its above average defenses and plethora of resistances, Bronzong can set up Stealth Rock with ease, and despite its middling offensive power, it can deal respectable damage to common sweepers. Salamence takes up to 80% damage from Hidden Power Ice, while Gengar and Tyranitar are OHKOed and 2HKOed, respectively, by Gyro Ball. Payback allows Bronzong to deal some damage to common switch-ins to Bronzong, such as Starmie and Rotom-A. Earthquake allows Bronzong to hit Infernape, Magnezone, and Heatran, who otherwise laugh at it, and while Hypnosis can be used to possibly shut down an opposing Pokemon temporarily, Explosion allows Bronzong to act as a check against any Pokémon who gives your team problems.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>In the last slot, you can opt to use Reflect or Light Screen if you feel that your team could use the support. Lum Berry is also a decent option over Leftovers if you are using Bronzong as a lead to deal with other leads such as Roserade and Smeargle, who will attempt to put you to sleep. </p>
<p>Wish support from the likes of Vaporeon or Blissey is very useful due to Bronzong’s lack of a reliable instant recovery move. It allows Bronzong to take repeated U-turns from the likes of Scizor better, as well as generally stay alive longer. Lead Pokémon carrying Trick will also cause Bronzong a lot of grief, therefore you can run Protect if you want to avoid getting tricked a Choice Scarf.</p>
<p>Another large problem for Bronzong is that it is set-up bait for a multitude of Pokemon. Common examples are Forretress, Gyarados, Skarmory, defensive Rotom-A, and bulkier versions of Kingdra. Gyarados and Kingdra resist Gyro Ball, while Earthquake doesn’t affect Gyarados and does little damage to Kingdra. Skarmory and Forretress will take the opportunity to set up Spikes with ease. Heatran, therefore, makes a great partner option to deal with Rotom-A and the aforementioned Steel-types. Fire Blast will put a large dent into anyone who doesn't resist it. Celebi can deal with Kingdra thanks to its high Defense and Grass Knot to hit back, as well as Thunder Wave for non-Substitute versions. Although unable to switch into Rotom-A or Kingdra directly, Salamence can also be a helpful asset for any team running Bronzong, as he is capable of ripping through both walls and offensive Pokémon who can give Bronzong trouble.</p>
[SET]
name: Dual Screen
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Gyro Ball / Earthquake
move 4: Explosion
item: Light Clay
ability: Levitate
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bronzong is arguably one of the best transition Pokémon in the game, able to come in on its multitude of resistances and force many Pokémon to switch out. This set is designed specifically to benefit the team by using every switch-in to set up an 8-turn screen for Bronzong's team. As far as attacks go, Gyro Ball will allow Bronzong to defeat fast opponents, such as Gengar and Weavile, all of whom will struggle to do damage while the appropriate screen is in place. Earthquake is always a favorable option on Bronzong for nailing Heatran, Infernape, and Magnezone. Explosion rounds out the set by allowing a teammate a free switch-in after a screen is in place, while possibly KOing an opponent. Stealth Rock can be used in the third slot if you are in need of it, but generally an attacking move is the best option.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs listed allow Bronzong to effectively take hits from both sides of the attacking spectrum while also having the ability to deal heavy damage to common switch-ins. The Attack EVs give Bronzong a chance to OHKO 4 HP / 0 SpD Heatran and Magnezone with Earthquake even without Stealth Rock, especially since Bronzong can take on their attacks with Light Screen up. They also maximize the power of Explosion, which leaves a large dent on anything that doesn't resist it.</p>
<p>Unlike the previous set, this set requires very little support from its teammates. Instead, this Bronzong is geared towards providing a safer environment for other sweepers to set up. Generally, any Pokémon with a good amount of initial bulk will appreciate the added protection Reflect and Light Screen provide. Kingdra gets a special mention, since he is only weak to Dragon-type attacks, while at the same time having a 4x resistance to the Fire-type attacks normally directed at Bronzong. Under the protection of Reflect and Light Screen, along with Substitute, Kingdra should have no difficulty getting two, or possibly more, Dragon Dances.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Explosion
move 4: Earthquake
item: Macho Brace / Life Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Brave
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set focuses on Bronzong's acceptable base 89 Attack and incredible capabilities under Trick Room to perform the following jobs: sweeping late-game, checking offensive teams, and providing late-game Trick Room support.</p>
<p>Trick Room is the main move on this set. With Trick Room, Bronzong will outspeed the vast majority of OU; in the late-game, this can easily spell victory when the opponent's Pokemon are worn down. It is very important to count each move you make and to make a note that Trick Room's activation turn counts as a turn of Trick Room. Gyro Ball is amazing in conjunction with Trick Room, and Bronzong is the only Pokemon who can carry this combination with STAB. While Trick Room will make Bronzong "faster" than everything, Gyro Ball's Base Power will stay the same. Against an offensive team, Gyro Ball will often be packing 150 Base Power, and offensive teams will definitely have trouble facing a 150 Base Power STAB move with 100% accuracy, especially later in the game. Earthquake allows for some nice coverage and scores some handy OHKOs as well, particularly against Heatran, who may try to come in and hit Bronzong with a STAB Fire move, or Magnezone, who will come in to trap Bronzong. Explosion is very strong and allows Bronzong to take something out either just as Trick Room is ending or if Bronzong's job is done and another Trick Room sweeper must take up the mantle. If you're going to do this, make sure you won't need Bronzong again later in the match. The best time to use Explosion is on the opponent's last Pokemon. If Trick Room has not run out and the opponent only has one Pokemon left, you have most likely won the game since Bronzong has the "fastest" Explosion in OU under Trick Room.</p>
<p>The EVs for this set are very simple. 252 HP EVs max out Bronzong's poor base 67 HP; with its large number of resistances and one weakness, this makes it a very bulky sweeper. 252 Atk EVs make sweeping possible in the first place. The final 4 EVs are placed in Special Defense since Fire moves, its only weakness, are mostly special as opposed to physical. Minimum Speed IVs along with a Brave nature give Gyro Ball its fullest potential and allow Bronzong to move before as many Pokemon as possible during Trick Room.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The item choice is extremely important on this set, because the power of Bronzong's Gyro Ball is heavily influenced by which item it's holding. Macho Brace lets Bronzong hit 31 Speed, which means that any Pokemon with 185 Speed or higher is hit with a 150 Base Power Gyro Ball. Furthermore, Macho Brace is more powerful than Life Orb until about 288 Speed, where Life Orb begins to hit harder than Macho Brace, reaching full power at 377 Speed, at the cost of 10% HP per hit. Life Orb also powers up Bronzong's Earthquake and Explosion, giving them a lot more power. Macho Brace is the recommended choice because there are a lot of slow Pokemon in OU who can easily take a Life Orb Gyro Ball, but take a ton of damage from a Macho Brace Gyro Ball. For example, against a standard WishBliss, Life Orb Gyro Ball only does 31.5% - 37.1% due to having only 58 Base Power. With Macho Brace, Gyro Ball does 49.3% - 58.1%, packing 118 Base Power, which is just over double the Base Power of Life Orb's. Another example would be Tyranitar, who is one of the main Pokemon Bronzong counters. With Life Orb, many variants aren't OHKOed; some variants such as CurseTar take just over 50% from Gyro Ball. However, with Macho Brace, every variant can be OHKOed with Stealth Rock support, except those who rely on surviving with a Babiri Berry. In addition, it's much easier for Bronzong to come in and try its sweep again if it makes a mistake when using Macho Brace, as Life Orb damage will quickly take its toll.</p>
<p>Just as a note, it is important that you do not carry a lot of paralysis-spreaders on a team with this Bronzong. If the opponent is paralyzed, Bronzong's Gyro Ball becomes useless and hinders Bronzong's sweeping prowess. Another thing to keep in mind is that teammates do not need to run 0 Speed EVs and IVs with a hindering nature unless Bronzong is on a dedicated Trick Room team, in which case the supporting Trick Room set would be a better choice. The other Pokemon should be able to take decent advantage of Trick Room (though it is OK to run a Choice Scarf user if needed), but they should not be dedicated Trick Room sweepers because this Bronzong is not going to be setting it up repeatedly, as it is mostly used late-game, and not early-game like the supporting Trick Room set.</p>
<p>As for support that Bronzong does want, Stealth Rock is almost required when using this set. Without it, Gyro Ball misses out on many of its OHKOs and 2HKOs that it could have gotten with residual damage. Tyranitar and Heatran are good partners for setting up Stealth Rock because not only do they resist Bronzong's only weakness, but also they also work very well as backup under Trick Room if the situation allows it. Both of them also take out Rotom-A, who is a big pain for Bronzong since it can burn or Trick a Scarf onto it, which will take away any momentum. Heatran can also take out Scizor and Forretress, who can also pose large problems for Bronzong due to their Steel resistance and lack of weakness to Earthquake, unlike many of their fellow Steel-types. Tyranitar is very helpful against defensive variants of Zapdos, as they will cause Bronzong some PP problems with Pressure and Roost. Swampert is a big pain as well, as unlike Rotom-A, Swampert takes Gyro Ball very lightly, forcing Bronzong to use Explosion or to switch. Skarmory is similar to this, but is an even bigger threat due to his ability to stack Spikes. Choice Specs Kingdra is recommended as a teammate for this reason. Due to his 4x Fire resistance and considerable bulk, he can easily kill Swampert with Draco Meteor and perform a late-game sweep under Trick Room if needed. Kingdra also does a great job of luring out Skarmory and hitting him extremely hard with Surf or KOing him with Hydro Pump, as most people would switch Skarmory in thinking he's a Dragon Dancer. While it may be odd to suggest Specs Kingdra over Specs Salamence, the reason is simple: too many Pokemon will be "faster" than Salamence during Trick Room, meaning that he can't perform a late-game sweep nearly as well. Gliscor, while 2HKOed by Gyro Ball most of the time, is also a large pain for Bronzong if Trick Room is not yet up. He can just Taunt the Trick Room and Roost off any damage he takes. Kingdra once again works very well, but Vaporeon can also do the job quite well, while giving Bronzong the chance to set up a Trick Room sweep again with Wish.</p>
[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Explosion
move 4: Light Screen / Reflect / Hypnosis
item: Lum Berry / Leftovers
ability: Levitate
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bronzong is one of the most reliable users of Trick Room. Gyro Ball and Earthquake are standard fare for hitting Pokemon such as Gengar, Heatran, and Infernape, while Explosion is generally best for the last slot as it can punch holes in your opponent's team for your Trick Room sweepers to abuse. Other useful options include Reflect, Light Screen, and Stealth Rock. The screens give your Trick Room sweepers more peace of mind against foes they cannot OHKO, and can help against priority attacks. Stealth Rock can be used if you don’t have it anywhere else as it makes it harder to stall out Trick Room's turns through switching.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set works best as a lead, since it isn't immediately threatened by any common lead, bar Heatran and Taunt users, although Gyro Ball usually deals with the latter. Bronzong still needs other Pokemon to set up Trick Room for partners, though, as one user is not enough. Generally you’ll want 2-3 Trick Room users other than Bronzong. Type wise, both Slowking and Slowbro make good partners to Bronzong, as both take Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong, who, in return, takes Grass-type attacks aimed at them. Other viable Trick Room users who pair well with Bronzong include Porygon2 and Dusknoir. Porygon2 can take on Magnezone well and also counters Gyarados, Salamence (barring mixed versions), and Heatran with little difficulty. Dusknoir is great at spreading status through Will-O-Wisp and Confuse Ray, and has ThunderPunch to hit Gyarados. Gardevoir is another interesting option due to having access to Wish, which can help keep both Bronzong and sweepers on your team healthy.</p>
<p>Having Pokemon to take advantage of Trick Room is needed. In the physical department, Machamp, Metagross, Rhyperior, Scizor, Snorlax, Swampert, and Tyranitar are the best options. They all have high Attack, good bulk and are slow, making them effective in Trick Room conditions. Rhyperior, Snorlax, Swampert, and Tyranitar can also make great use of Bronzong luring in Fire-type attacks for an easy switch-in. For special sweeper partners, Empoleon, Heatran, Magnezone, and Vaporeon are solid options. With high Special Attack, below-average Speed, and in the case of Heatran and Vaporeon, a useful Fire-type resistance, they can make great use of Trick Room. On truly dedicated Trick Room teams, mixed sweepers such as Dragonite, Octillery, and Tyranitar can be useful additions to stop combinations such as “SkarmBliss” from annoying you, as well as having an easier time against stall. They all have a Fire-type resistance, taking advantage of Bronzong's tendency to lure Fire-type attacks.</p>
[SET]
name: Torrential Zong
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Explosion
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Reflect / Hypnosis
item: Damp Rock
ability: Levitate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Very rarely is a Pokémon perfectly suited to provide exactly what a particular style of team requires. Then again, not many Pokémon have the utility capacity that Bronzong possesses. The EVs are set to give Bronzong more physical bulk, as Rain Dance will allow it to survive most Fire Blasts and Flamethrowers, the most common special attacks thrown at it. 128 Attack EVs give a boost to Explosion, allowing it to always OHKO 252 HP / 0 Def Snorlax, a common deterrent to Rain Dance teams.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Rain Dance teams require a few factors to be ultimately successful: extended Rain Dance turns, Stealth Rock, and a safe switch-in for sweepers to allow them to wreak havoc. Bronzong sets up Rain Dance for 8 turns with Damp Rock, allows efficient switches by Exploding (possibly on a counter), can lessen the threat of priority attacks with Reflect, and sets up Stealth Rock so Kingdra can get that guaranteed OHKO on Metagross and Kabutops can get that guaranteed OHKO on other Bronzong. Hypnosis's reliability is once again questionable, and generally the off-chance of sleeping a threat is not worth the reliable protection Reflect affords.</p>
<p>The reason Gyro Ball and Hidden Power Ice are ignored here is that this Bronzong isn't supposed to be an attacker or last a long time. The sole purpose of this Bronzong is to come in sometime in the early to middle parts of battle (note that it is not an effective lead), set up Stealth Rock, use Rain Dance, possibly set up Reflect or Hypnotize the opponent, and then Explode, leaving 6 turns of Rain for sweepers such as Kingdra, Ludicolo, Kabutops, and Omastar.</p>
<p>Since this Bronzong should only be used on a dedicated Rain Dance team, you should pair Bronzong with Pokémon that benefit from active rain. Potential sweepers that work well in the rain are Kingdra, Ludicolo, Kabutops, and Omastar. Note that all of the previously mentioned sweepers have access to Swift Swim. A Rain Dance team will also require at least 2-3 other Rain Dancers outside of Bronzong. Zapdos works well type-wise, with Bronzong covering Zapdos's weakness to Rock- and Ice-type attacks. Outside of Zapdos, other users of Rain Dance include Swampert and Scizor.</p>
[SET]
name: TrickZong
move 1: Trick
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Explosion / Stealth Rock
item: Macho Brace / Choice Band
ability: Levitate
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 86 Atk / 80 Def / 92 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is similar to the first set, except Trick is being used instead of Hypnosis. However, while the sets are similar, they play entirely differently. Macho Brace cuts Bronzong's Speed by fifty percent, turning Gyro Ball into a deadly attack. More important, however, is Bronzong's ability to cripple sweepers such as Heatran or Gyarados by robbing them of their item and shredding any speed advantage they had. Choice Band is also a decent option to cripple defensive Pokemon, such as Swampert or Dusknoir, and also provides Bronzong with quite a bit of power. If you opt for Choice Band, you may want to maximize Attack to make Bronzong a more offensive threat. The remaining portion of the set is identical to the previously discussed set.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The item Lagging Tail forces the holder to always move last and is a viable option over Macho Brace; however, it will not boost the power of Gyro Ball like Macho Brace will. Iron Ball is an interesting option, as you can Trick it onto someone who previously had a Ground-type immunity, and make them vulnerable to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Ground-type attacks, although it does come at the cost of Bronzong's own Levitate being nullified while holding it.</p>
<p>This Bronzong set tends to work well on its own, requiring very little support from its teammates, since its objective is basically to cripple a Pokémon with either Macho Brace or Choice Band and then attack with either Gyro Ball or Explosion. However, this set does well with Pokémon who would benefit from the holes Bronzong can potentially create in an opposing team. If using Macho Brace, a slow sweeper, such as Life Orb Heatran, will work wonders for your team, since he will outspeed any Pokémon hindered by Macho Brace. In addition, Heatran is immune to the Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong. If using Choice Band, a sturdy set-up sweeper, such as Dragon Dance Salamence, will work best, since he can set up with ease on Choiced Pokémon, assuming he avoids super effective moves. Obviously, it's even better if your set-up Pokémon either resists or is immune to the attack your opponent's Pokémon is locked into.</p> <p>Defensively, Bronzong will have trouble taking Fire-type attacks, mainly from the likes of Heatran and Infernape. Most Water-types can counter them due to particularly high Special Defense and STAB Surf. Vaporeon gets a special mention for having access to Wish, allowing him to recover not only his own health, but also Bronzong’s. Vaporeon can also counter Gyarados, who causes Bronzong problems.</P>
[Team options]
<p>As with most other Pokémon, Bronzong appreciates Stealth Rock support if it isn't the one to lay them down, as it prevents Pokémon like Gyarados and Heatran from switching in too freely. Although not necessary, Toxic Spikes allows Bronzong to stall out grounded Pokémon, such as Vaporeon, who otherwiselaughs at it. Rapid Spin support somewhere on the team is useful if you don't want to become set-up fodder for Skarmory or Forretress, who will take any opportunity to lay down Spikes.</p>
<p>Bronzong is more of a wall than anything, meaning it does not need much support in the offensive department. If using Explosion, Bronzong can open holes on the team for other Pokémon to take advantage of. Heatran and Infernape are solid choices for complementing Bronzong offensively since they can hurt a lot of the metagame.</p>
<p>Defensively, Bronzong will have trouble taking Fire-type attacks, mainly from the likes of Heatran and Infernape. Most Water-types can counter them due to particularly high Special Defense and STAB Surf. Vaporeon gets a special mention for having access to Wish, allowing her to cover not only her health, but also Bronzong’s. Vaporeon can also counter Gyarados who causes Bronzong problemsas all it can do is Explode.</P>
<p>Both Gyarados and Heatran share a common teammate in Scizor, who can spam U-turn to weaken Bronzong. It is therefore recommended that your team packs a useful counter to Scizor. Heatran is an excellent choice to handle Scizor, but you need to watch out for Superpower. It can also benefit from Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong through its ability Flash Fire. Other likely teammates you will encounter are Salamence and Latias, both held in check by Bronzong.</p>
<p>The EVs listed for the Standard Wall and TrickZong sets may look a bit strange; however, they fully maximize Bronzong's potential. The HP is maximized because not only does it help Bronzong's below-average base HP get a boost, but also allows Bronzong to take four Seismic Tosses (with Leftovers recovery). The Attack EVs allow Bronzong to OHKO Choice Scarfed Gengar and Weavile and 2HKO Tyranitar with Gyro Ball. They also allow Bronzong to 2HKO most Starmie and Rotom-A after Stealth Rock damage. The Special Defense and Defense EVs maximize Bronzong's defenses, preventing it from being OHKOed by MixApe's Flamethrower or +Speed Nature Heatran's Fire Blast. They also allow Bronzong to survive a SpecsMence's Fire Blast.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>A Calm Mind + Block set is somewhat viable, but you'll usually be Blocking your opponent's counter to Bronzong, such as Heatran or Infernape, neither of whom you'll be able to Calm Mind against. However, Bronzong does have a good special movepool, including Charge Beam, Psychic, and Grass Knot, the third of which can be used for massive damage against Rhyperior, Hippowdon, and Swampert. Due to the Special Defense boost in Sandstorm, Gyro Ball is still a better option against Tyranitar, however. With its many resistances and above-average defenses, Bronzong can effectively use Toxic to stall opponents, though the lack of recovery hurts. You can also try using a Rest + Sleep Talk set to increase Bronzong's survivability, but generally there are better Pokemon for that role. Thanks to Magnet Pull, Bronzong fears Magnezone if it doesn’t have Earthquake to stop it, and even that can be foiled by Magnet Rise, so using Shed Shell as your item can prove useful.</p>
<p>Heatproof is a decent ability to fool an opponent, though you wouldn't be able to switch into Earthquake, and any Fire-type attack will tip off an opponent that you are using Heatproof. Also, switching into Spikes will give away your ability because you would not take damage while using Levitate. Leftovers is usually the preferred item; however, Lum Berry is viable so Bronzong can take a Hypnosis from faster sleep inducers, recover from sleep, and hit back with its own Hypnosis.</p>
<p>Other sets use variations of the first EV spread, with either more offensive or defensive EVs depending on the style of the set. You'll want Bronzong's Speed to be as low as possible to increase the power of Gyro Ball, thus a -Speed nature, along with a zero (or two in the case of Hidden Power Ice) Speed IV.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Thanks to Magnet Pull, Bronzong fears Magnezone if it doesn’t have Earthquake to stop it, and even that can be foiled by Magnet Rise.</p>
<p>The Rotom formes are also great counters, as they resist Gyro Ball and are also immune to Explosion and Earthquake. Gyarados Intimidates Bronzong and resists Gyro Ball, but can be Hypnotized or hit by Hidden Power Electric. In fact, most bulky Water-types can switch in on Bronzong and slowly wear it down with Surf. Suicune is especially dangerous because it can get a Calm Mind sweep going if Bronzong is foolish enough to stay in. If Bronzong has Rest, it can outstall some Water-types though. Infernape and Heatran can also switch in on a Gyro Ball and can finish off a weakened Bronzong. Moltres can come in on Bronzong regardless of what it uses, with the exception of Hypnosis and Explosion, and have STAB Fire-type attacks to hit back. Interestingly enough, Bronzong's most common switch-ins will dislike being Tricked a Macho Brace or Choice Band, so one should always be prepared for that. Gastrodon makes an interesting counter with a resistance to Gyro Ball and Sticky Hold to prevent Trick.</p>
<p>Flamethrower Blissey can wear Bronzong down, and has Protect to scout for Explosion. Celebi can use Leech Seed and easily PP stall Bronzong, as even Explosion won't OHKO. Even without Leech Seed, Celebi will usually come on top in a PP war thanks to the higher PP of most of its moves. Celebi could also Calm Mind up and either overpower Bronzong or Baton Pass out of there. It must watch out for getting Tricked a Choice Band though. Skarmory can come in on anything Bronzong does and set up Spikes. Skarmory does have to fear receiving a Choice Band from Trick, as this will essentially neuter its walling abilities.</p>
Status: Uploaded! Great job Malfunction, there were hardly any errors for me to fix!
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[Overview]
<p>With its many common resistances and only one weakness, Bronzong can make a fantastic support Pokémon. Its resistances to Rock-, Dragon-, and Ice-type attacks, coupled with its immunity to Ground, make it a good counter against a lot of OU Pokemon, such as Flygon and Tyranitar. Unfortunately, though, Bronzong does not have access to any recovery moves outside of Rest; as such, it is recommended to have a Pokémon with Wish to help Bronzong recover lost HP.</p>
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Hidden Power Ice / Gyro Ball
move 3: Payback
move 4: Earthquake / Explosion / Hypnosis
item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
ability: Levitate
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 86 Atk / 80 Def / 92 SpD
ivs: 2 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bronzong is an excellent Stealth Rock user as well as an excellent wall to both physical and special attacks. With its above average defenses and plethora of resistances, Bronzong can set up Stealth Rock with ease, and despite its middling offensive power, it can deal respectable damage to common sweepers. Salamence takes up to 80% damage from Hidden Power Ice, while Gengar and Tyranitar are OHKOed and 2HKOed, respectively, by Gyro Ball. Payback allows Bronzong to deal some damage to common switch-ins to Bronzong, such as Starmie and Rotom-A. Earthquake allows Bronzong to hit Infernape, Magnezone, and Heatran, who otherwise laugh at it, and while Hypnosis can be used to possibly shut down an opposing Pokemon temporarily, Explosion allows Bronzong to act as a check against any Pokémon who gives your team problems.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>In the last slot, you can opt to use Reflect or Light Screen if you feel that your team could use the support. Lum Berry is also a decent option over Leftovers if you are using Bronzong as a lead to deal with other leads such as Roserade and Smeargle, who will attempt to put you to sleep. </p>
<p>Wish support from the likes of Vaporeon or Blissey is very useful due to Bronzong’s lack of a reliable instant recovery move. It allows Bronzong to take repeated U-turns from the likes of Scizor better, as well as generally stay alive longer. Lead Pokémon carrying Trick will also cause Bronzong a lot of grief, therefore you can run Protect if you want to avoid getting tricked a Choice Scarf.</p>
<p>Another large problem for Bronzong is that it is set-up bait for a multitude of Pokemon. Common examples are Forretress, Gyarados, Skarmory, defensive Rotom-A, and bulkier versions of Kingdra. Gyarados and Kingdra resist Gyro Ball, while Earthquake doesn’t affect Gyarados and does little damage to Kingdra. Skarmory and Forretress will take the opportunity to set up Spikes with ease. Heatran, therefore, makes a great partner option to deal with Rotom-A and the aforementioned Steel-types. Fire Blast will put a large dent into anyone who doesn't resist it. Celebi can deal with Kingdra thanks to its high Defense and Grass Knot to hit back, as well as Thunder Wave for non-Substitute versions. Although unable to switch into Rotom-A or Kingdra directly, Salamence can also be a helpful asset for any team running Bronzong, as he is capable of ripping through both walls and offensive Pokémon who can give Bronzong trouble.</p>
[SET]
name: Dual Screen
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Gyro Ball / Earthquake
move 4: Explosion
item: Light Clay
ability: Levitate
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bronzong is arguably one of the best transition Pokémon in the game, able to come in on its multitude of resistances and force many Pokémon to switch out. This set is designed specifically to benefit the team by using every switch-in to set up an 8-turn screen for Bronzong's team. As far as attacks go, Gyro Ball will allow Bronzong to defeat fast opponents, such as Gengar and Weavile, all of whom will struggle to do damage while the appropriate screen is in place. Earthquake is always a favorable option on Bronzong for nailing Heatran, Infernape, and Magnezone. Explosion rounds out the set by allowing a teammate a free switch-in after a screen is in place, while possibly KOing an opponent. Stealth Rock can be used in the third slot if you are in need of it, but generally an attacking move is the best option.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs listed allow Bronzong to effectively take hits from both sides of the attacking spectrum while also having the ability to deal heavy damage to common switch-ins. The Attack EVs give Bronzong a chance to OHKO 4 HP / 0 SpD Heatran and Magnezone with Earthquake even without Stealth Rock, especially since Bronzong can take on their attacks with Light Screen up. They also maximize the power of Explosion, which leaves a large dent on anything that doesn't resist it.</p>
<p>Unlike the previous set, this set requires very little support from its teammates. Instead, this Bronzong is geared towards providing a safer environment for other sweepers to set up. Generally, any Pokémon with a good amount of initial bulk will appreciate the added protection Reflect and Light Screen provide. Kingdra gets a special mention, since he is only weak to Dragon-type attacks, while at the same time having a 4x resistance to the Fire-type attacks normally directed at Bronzong. Under the protection of Reflect and Light Screen, along with Substitute, Kingdra should have no difficulty getting two, or possibly more, Dragon Dances.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Explosion
move 4: Earthquake
item: Macho Brace / Life Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Brave
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set focuses on Bronzong's acceptable base 89 Attack and incredible capabilities under Trick Room to perform the following jobs: sweeping late-game, checking offensive teams, and providing late-game Trick Room support.</p>
<p>Trick Room is the main move on this set. With Trick Room, Bronzong will outspeed the vast majority of OU; in the late-game, this can easily spell victory when the opponent's Pokemon are worn down. It is very important to count each move you make and to make a note that Trick Room's activation turn counts as a turn of Trick Room. Gyro Ball is amazing in conjunction with Trick Room, and Bronzong is the only Pokemon who can carry this combination with STAB. While Trick Room will make Bronzong "faster" than everything, Gyro Ball's Base Power will stay the same. Against an offensive team, Gyro Ball will often be packing 150 Base Power, and offensive teams will definitely have trouble facing a 150 Base Power STAB move with 100% accuracy, especially later in the game. Earthquake allows for some nice coverage and scores some handy OHKOs as well, particularly against Heatran, who may try to come in and hit Bronzong with a STAB Fire move, or Magnezone, who will come in to trap Bronzong. Explosion is very strong and allows Bronzong to take something out either just as Trick Room is ending or if Bronzong's job is done and another Trick Room sweeper must take up the mantle. If you're going to do this, make sure you won't need Bronzong again later in the match. The best time to use Explosion is on the opponent's last Pokemon. If Trick Room has not run out and the opponent only has one Pokemon left, you have most likely won the game since Bronzong has the "fastest" Explosion in OU under Trick Room.</p>
<p>The EVs for this set are very simple. 252 HP EVs max out Bronzong's poor base 67 HP; with its large number of resistances and one weakness, this makes it a very bulky sweeper. 252 Atk EVs make sweeping possible in the first place. The final 4 EVs are placed in Special Defense since Fire moves, its only weakness, are mostly special as opposed to physical. Minimum Speed IVs along with a Brave nature give Gyro Ball its fullest potential and allow Bronzong to move before as many Pokemon as possible during Trick Room.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The item choice is extremely important on this set, because the power of Bronzong's Gyro Ball is heavily influenced by which item it's holding. Macho Brace lets Bronzong hit 31 Speed, which means that any Pokemon with 185 Speed or higher is hit with a 150 Base Power Gyro Ball. Furthermore, Macho Brace is more powerful than Life Orb until about 288 Speed, where Life Orb begins to hit harder than Macho Brace, reaching full power at 377 Speed, at the cost of 10% HP per hit. Life Orb also powers up Bronzong's Earthquake and Explosion, giving them a lot more power. Macho Brace is the recommended choice because there are a lot of slow Pokemon in OU who can easily take a Life Orb Gyro Ball, but take a ton of damage from a Macho Brace Gyro Ball. For example, against a standard WishBliss, Life Orb Gyro Ball only does 31.5% - 37.1% due to having only 58 Base Power. With Macho Brace, Gyro Ball does 49.3% - 58.1%, packing 118 Base Power, which is just over double the Base Power of Life Orb's. Another example would be Tyranitar, who is one of the main Pokemon Bronzong counters. With Life Orb, many variants aren't OHKOed; some variants such as CurseTar take just over 50% from Gyro Ball. However, with Macho Brace, every variant can be OHKOed with Stealth Rock support, except those who rely on surviving with a Babiri Berry. In addition, it's much easier for Bronzong to come in and try its sweep again if it makes a mistake when using Macho Brace, as Life Orb damage will quickly take its toll.</p>
<p>Just as a note, it is important that you do not carry a lot of paralysis-spreaders on a team with this Bronzong. If the opponent is paralyzed, Bronzong's Gyro Ball becomes useless and hinders Bronzong's sweeping prowess. Another thing to keep in mind is that teammates do not need to run 0 Speed EVs and IVs with a hindering nature unless Bronzong is on a dedicated Trick Room team, in which case the supporting Trick Room set would be a better choice. The other Pokemon should be able to take decent advantage of Trick Room (though it is OK to run a Choice Scarf user if needed), but they should not be dedicated Trick Room sweepers because this Bronzong is not going to be setting it up repeatedly, as it is mostly used late-game, and not early-game like the supporting Trick Room set.</p>
<p>As for support that Bronzong does want, Stealth Rock is almost required when using this set. Without it, Gyro Ball misses out on many of its OHKOs and 2HKOs that it could have gotten with residual damage. Tyranitar and Heatran are good partners for setting up Stealth Rock because not only do they resist Bronzong's only weakness, but also they also work very well as backup under Trick Room if the situation allows it. Both of them also take out Rotom-A, who is a big pain for Bronzong since it can burn or Trick a Scarf onto it, which will take away any momentum. Heatran can also take out Scizor and Forretress, who can also pose large problems for Bronzong due to their Steel resistance and lack of weakness to Earthquake, unlike many of their fellow Steel-types. Tyranitar is very helpful against defensive variants of Zapdos, as they will cause Bronzong some PP problems with Pressure and Roost. Swampert is a big pain as well, as unlike Rotom-A, Swampert takes Gyro Ball very lightly, forcing Bronzong to use Explosion or to switch. Skarmory is similar to this, but is an even bigger threat due to his ability to stack Spikes. Choice Specs Kingdra is recommended as a teammate for this reason. Due to his 4x Fire resistance and considerable bulk, he can easily kill Swampert with Draco Meteor and perform a late-game sweep under Trick Room if needed. Kingdra also does a great job of luring out Skarmory and hitting him extremely hard with Surf or KOing him with Hydro Pump, as most people would switch Skarmory in thinking he's a Dragon Dancer. While it may be odd to suggest Specs Kingdra over Specs Salamence, the reason is simple: too many Pokemon will be "faster" than Salamence during Trick Room, meaning that he can't perform a late-game sweep nearly as well. Gliscor, while 2HKOed by Gyro Ball most of the time, is also a large pain for Bronzong if Trick Room is not yet up. He can just Taunt the Trick Room and Roost off any damage he takes. Kingdra once again works very well, but Vaporeon can also do the job quite well, while giving Bronzong the chance to set up a Trick Room sweep again with Wish.</p>
[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Explosion
move 4: Light Screen / Reflect / Hypnosis
item: Lum Berry / Leftovers
ability: Levitate
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bronzong is one of the most reliable users of Trick Room. Gyro Ball and Earthquake are standard fare for hitting Pokemon such as Gengar, Heatran, and Infernape, while Explosion is generally best for the last slot as it can punch holes in your opponent's team for your Trick Room sweepers to abuse. Other useful options include Reflect, Light Screen, and Stealth Rock. The screens give your Trick Room sweepers more peace of mind against foes they cannot OHKO, and can help against priority attacks. Stealth Rock can be used if you don’t have it anywhere else as it makes it harder to stall out Trick Room's turns through switching.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set works best as a lead, since it isn't immediately threatened by any common lead, bar Heatran and Taunt users, although Gyro Ball usually deals with the latter. Bronzong still needs other Pokemon to set up Trick Room for partners, though, as one user is not enough. Generally you’ll want 2-3 Trick Room users other than Bronzong. Type wise, both Slowking and Slowbro make good partners to Bronzong, as both take Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong, who, in return, takes Grass-type attacks aimed at them. Other viable Trick Room users who pair well with Bronzong include Porygon2 and Dusknoir. Porygon2 can take on Magnezone well and also counters Gyarados, Salamence (barring mixed versions), and Heatran with little difficulty. Dusknoir is great at spreading status through Will-O-Wisp and Confuse Ray, and has ThunderPunch to hit Gyarados. Gardevoir is another interesting option due to having access to Wish, which can help keep both Bronzong and sweepers on your team healthy.</p>
<p>Having Pokemon to take advantage of Trick Room is needed. In the physical department, Machamp, Metagross, Rhyperior, Scizor, Snorlax, Swampert, and Tyranitar are the best options. They all have high Attack, good bulk and are slow, making them effective in Trick Room conditions. Rhyperior, Snorlax, Swampert, and Tyranitar can also make great use of Bronzong luring in Fire-type attacks for an easy switch-in. For special sweeper partners, Empoleon, Heatran, Magnezone, and Vaporeon are solid options. With high Special Attack, below-average Speed, and in the case of Heatran and Vaporeon, a useful Fire-type resistance, they can make great use of Trick Room. On truly dedicated Trick Room teams, mixed sweepers such as Dragonite, Octillery, and Tyranitar can be useful additions to stop combinations such as “SkarmBliss” from annoying you, as well as having an easier time against stall. They all have a Fire-type resistance, taking advantage of Bronzong's tendency to lure Fire-type attacks.</p>
[SET]
name: Torrential Zong
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Explosion
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Reflect / Hypnosis
item: Damp Rock
ability: Levitate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Very rarely is a Pokémon perfectly suited to provide exactly what a particular style of team requires. Then again, not many Pokémon have the utility capacity that Bronzong possesses. The EVs are set to give Bronzong more physical bulk, as Rain Dance will allow it to survive most Fire Blasts and Flamethrowers, the most common special attacks thrown at it. 128 Attack EVs give a boost to Explosion, allowing it to always OHKO 252 HP / 0 Def Snorlax, a common deterrent to Rain Dance teams.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Rain Dance teams require a few factors to be ultimately successful: extended Rain Dance turns, Stealth Rock, and a safe switch-in for sweepers to allow them to wreak havoc. Bronzong sets up Rain Dance for 8 turns with Damp Rock, allows efficient switches by Exploding (possibly on a counter), can lessen the threat of priority attacks with Reflect, and sets up Stealth Rock so Kingdra can get that guaranteed OHKO on Metagross and Kabutops can get that guaranteed OHKO on other Bronzong. Hypnosis's reliability is once again questionable, and generally the off-chance of sleeping a threat is not worth the reliable protection Reflect affords.</p>
<p>The reason Gyro Ball and Hidden Power Ice are ignored here is that this Bronzong isn't supposed to be an attacker or last a long time. The sole purpose of this Bronzong is to come in sometime in the early to middle parts of battle (note that it is not an effective lead), set up Stealth Rock, use Rain Dance, possibly set up Reflect or Hypnotize the opponent, and then Explode, leaving 6 turns of Rain for sweepers such as Kingdra, Ludicolo, Kabutops, and Omastar.</p>
<p>Since this Bronzong should only be used on a dedicated Rain Dance team, you should pair Bronzong with Pokémon that benefit from active rain. Potential sweepers that work well in the rain are Kingdra, Ludicolo, Kabutops, and Omastar. Note that all of the previously mentioned sweepers have access to Swift Swim. A Rain Dance team will also require at least 2-3 other Rain Dancers outside of Bronzong. Zapdos works well type-wise, with Bronzong covering Zapdos's weakness to Rock- and Ice-type attacks. Outside of Zapdos, other users of Rain Dance include Swampert and Scizor.</p>
[SET]
name: TrickZong
move 1: Trick
move 2: Gyro Ball
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Explosion / Stealth Rock
item: Macho Brace / Choice Band
ability: Levitate
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 86 Atk / 80 Def / 92 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is similar to the first set, except Trick is being used instead of Hypnosis. However, while the sets are similar, they play entirely differently. Macho Brace cuts Bronzong's Speed by fifty percent, turning Gyro Ball into a deadly attack. More important, however, is Bronzong's ability to cripple sweepers such as Heatran or Gyarados by robbing them of their item and shredding any speed advantage they had. Choice Band is also a decent option to cripple defensive Pokemon, such as Swampert or Dusknoir, and also provides Bronzong with quite a bit of power. If you opt for Choice Band, you may want to maximize Attack to make Bronzong a more offensive threat. The remaining portion of the set is identical to the previously discussed set.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The item Lagging Tail forces the holder to always move last and is a viable option over Macho Brace; however, it will not boost the power of Gyro Ball like Macho Brace will. Iron Ball is an interesting option, as you can Trick it onto someone who previously had a Ground-type immunity, and make them vulnerable to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Ground-type attacks, although it does come at the cost of Bronzong's own Levitate being nullified while holding it.</p>
<p>This Bronzong set tends to work well on its own, requiring very little support from its teammates, since its objective is basically to cripple a Pokémon with either Macho Brace or Choice Band and then attack with either Gyro Ball or Explosion. However, this set does well with Pokémon who would benefit from the holes Bronzong can potentially create in an opposing team. If using Macho Brace, a slow sweeper, such as Life Orb Heatran, will work wonders for your team, since he will outspeed any Pokémon hindered by Macho Brace. In addition, Heatran is immune to the Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong. If using Choice Band, a sturdy set-up sweeper, such as Dragon Dance Salamence, will work best, since he can set up with ease on Choiced Pokémon, assuming he avoids super effective moves. Obviously, it's even better if your set-up Pokémon either resists or is immune to the attack your opponent's Pokémon is locked into.</p> <p>Defensively, Bronzong will have trouble taking Fire-type attacks, mainly from the likes of Heatran and Infernape. Most Water-types can counter them due to particularly high Special Defense and STAB Surf. Vaporeon gets a special mention for having access to Wish, allowing him to recover not only his own health, but also Bronzong’s. Vaporeon can also counter Gyarados, who causes Bronzong problems.</P>
[Team options]
<p>As with most other Pokémon, Bronzong appreciates Stealth Rock support if it isn't the one to lay them down, as it prevents Pokémon like Gyarados and Heatran from switching in too freely. Although not necessary, Toxic Spikes allows Bronzong to stall out grounded Pokémon, such as Vaporeon, who otherwiselaughs at it. Rapid Spin support somewhere on the team is useful if you don't want to become set-up fodder for Skarmory or Forretress, who will take any opportunity to lay down Spikes.</p>
<p>Bronzong is more of a wall than anything, meaning it does not need much support in the offensive department. If using Explosion, Bronzong can open holes on the team for other Pokémon to take advantage of. Heatran and Infernape are solid choices for complementing Bronzong offensively since they can hurt a lot of the metagame.</p>
<p>Defensively, Bronzong will have trouble taking Fire-type attacks, mainly from the likes of Heatran and Infernape. Most Water-types can counter them due to particularly high Special Defense and STAB Surf. Vaporeon gets a special mention for having access to Wish, allowing her to cover not only her health, but also Bronzong’s. Vaporeon can also counter Gyarados who causes Bronzong problemsas all it can do is Explode.</P>
<p>Both Gyarados and Heatran share a common teammate in Scizor, who can spam U-turn to weaken Bronzong. It is therefore recommended that your team packs a useful counter to Scizor. Heatran is an excellent choice to handle Scizor, but you need to watch out for Superpower. It can also benefit from Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong through its ability Flash Fire. Other likely teammates you will encounter are Salamence and Latias, both held in check by Bronzong.</p>
<p>The EVs listed for the Standard Wall and TrickZong sets may look a bit strange; however, they fully maximize Bronzong's potential. The HP is maximized because not only does it help Bronzong's below-average base HP get a boost, but also allows Bronzong to take four Seismic Tosses (with Leftovers recovery). The Attack EVs allow Bronzong to OHKO Choice Scarfed Gengar and Weavile and 2HKO Tyranitar with Gyro Ball. They also allow Bronzong to 2HKO most Starmie and Rotom-A after Stealth Rock damage. The Special Defense and Defense EVs maximize Bronzong's defenses, preventing it from being OHKOed by MixApe's Flamethrower or +Speed Nature Heatran's Fire Blast. They also allow Bronzong to survive a SpecsMence's Fire Blast.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>A Calm Mind + Block set is somewhat viable, but you'll usually be Blocking your opponent's counter to Bronzong, such as Heatran or Infernape, neither of whom you'll be able to Calm Mind against. However, Bronzong does have a good special movepool, including Charge Beam, Psychic, and Grass Knot, the third of which can be used for massive damage against Rhyperior, Hippowdon, and Swampert. Due to the Special Defense boost in Sandstorm, Gyro Ball is still a better option against Tyranitar, however. With its many resistances and above-average defenses, Bronzong can effectively use Toxic to stall opponents, though the lack of recovery hurts. You can also try using a Rest + Sleep Talk set to increase Bronzong's survivability, but generally there are better Pokemon for that role. Thanks to Magnet Pull, Bronzong fears Magnezone if it doesn’t have Earthquake to stop it, and even that can be foiled by Magnet Rise, so using Shed Shell as your item can prove useful.</p>
<p>Heatproof is a decent ability to fool an opponent, though you wouldn't be able to switch into Earthquake, and any Fire-type attack will tip off an opponent that you are using Heatproof. Also, switching into Spikes will give away your ability because you would not take damage while using Levitate. Leftovers is usually the preferred item; however, Lum Berry is viable so Bronzong can take a Hypnosis from faster sleep inducers, recover from sleep, and hit back with its own Hypnosis.</p>
<p>Other sets use variations of the first EV spread, with either more offensive or defensive EVs depending on the style of the set. You'll want Bronzong's Speed to be as low as possible to increase the power of Gyro Ball, thus a -Speed nature, along with a zero (or two in the case of Hidden Power Ice) Speed IV.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Thanks to Magnet Pull, Bronzong fears Magnezone if it doesn’t have Earthquake to stop it, and even that can be foiled by Magnet Rise.</p>
<p>The Rotom formes are also great counters, as they resist Gyro Ball and are also immune to Explosion and Earthquake. Gyarados Intimidates Bronzong and resists Gyro Ball, but can be Hypnotized or hit by Hidden Power Electric. In fact, most bulky Water-types can switch in on Bronzong and slowly wear it down with Surf. Suicune is especially dangerous because it can get a Calm Mind sweep going if Bronzong is foolish enough to stay in. If Bronzong has Rest, it can outstall some Water-types though. Infernape and Heatran can also switch in on a Gyro Ball and can finish off a weakened Bronzong. Moltres can come in on Bronzong regardless of what it uses, with the exception of Hypnosis and Explosion, and have STAB Fire-type attacks to hit back. Interestingly enough, Bronzong's most common switch-ins will dislike being Tricked a Macho Brace or Choice Band, so one should always be prepared for that. Gastrodon makes an interesting counter with a resistance to Gyro Ball and Sticky Hold to prevent Trick.</p>
<p>Flamethrower Blissey can wear Bronzong down, and has Protect to scout for Explosion. Celebi can use Leech Seed and easily PP stall Bronzong, as even Explosion won't OHKO. Even without Leech Seed, Celebi will usually come on top in a PP war thanks to the higher PP of most of its moves. Celebi could also Calm Mind up and either overpower Bronzong or Baton Pass out of there. It must watch out for getting Tricked a Choice Band though. Skarmory can come in on anything Bronzong does and set up Spikes. Skarmory does have to fear receiving a Choice Band from Trick, as this will essentially neuter its walling abilities.</p>