Martin
A monoid in the category of endofunctors
Rotom-W is really not on the same level as the stuff in A+. In any decently built team, chances are you will have prepared for it without even trying. While the same applies to Garchomp, Rotom-W is only ever going to be running the same moves with literally 1 slight variation regarding its recovery. Beyond being naturally checked on teams and being INSANELY predictable, it is worn down really quickly due to its susceptibility to status and lack of reliable recovery. While I agree the utility of a slow Volt Switch and Will-O-Wisp is big, the low speed which makes it appealing is, in fact, a double-edged sword. I have often found much to be desired from Rotom-W's speed. While this can be fixed somewhat by creeping to benchmarks such as 44 speed, this comes at the price of losing momentum v.s. other Rotom-Ws' Volt Switches. This is completely detrimental to the Pokémon's success, and it means that it can be very easily played around using substitute. Rotom-W is one of those glue 'mons that can fit onto most archetypes due to its role covering a fair number of points while fulfiling its role rather well, but when compared to the more specific roles of the stuff in A+ it simply isn't on the same level as them. Finally, you can chuck as many calcs in our faces as you want, but the calcs you have given don't really help your cause either. Firstly, I would have never guessed that a STAB super effective base 110 attack would do a lot of damage to Pokémon who thrive either on their offensive stats or their physical defense. Also, the calc for Mamoswine is under the assumption that you don't get bopped by a Freeze Dry upon switch-in - which 2HKOs Rotom-W for the record, meaning it can't switch in on it. In addition, most of the defensive calcs you have given show Rotom taking hits which it is either blatantly obvious it will take well (Talonflame, Sand Rush Excadrill), won't be in a fit state to take by the point of the game it is at (itemless Azumarill (I assume that is Sitrus for Belly Drum, in which case it will most likely be boosting when you come in regardless), Pinsir Close Combat), under the assumption that they are not boosted (all), is not being boosted by an item (Azumarill, Landorus, Mold Breaker Excadrill), is no longer taken well after Stealth Rock and/or only a little prior damage (Mold Breaker Driller, Azumarill, Bisharp, Pinsir) or is based upon what is now a mostly (strong emphasis on that) irrelevant set (offensive Mold Breaker Excadrill, Choice Band Talonflame). There are probably more holes in your argument, but I'm too lazy to pick at them; however I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of the people that make posts in this thread agree with me when I say that Rotom-W should stay in A.Rotom-W A --> A+
This is my first time nominating something, so this probably won't be perfect. Rotom-W is for me definetly A+ rank material. With only one weakness and solid defenses, Rotom-W can tank hits from so many things. Grass is not the best offensive typing to say the least, and essentially the only Grass-types to look out for are Seprerior and Venusaur. You can easily Volt Switch away from Venusaur, and carrying a counter or hard check to Serperior is not that hard (Mega Venusaur, Heatran, and Tornadus-T to name a few).
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hydro Pump
- Pain Split
This is the basic defensive set, and is what I think is the best. Let me just list the S and A rank Pokemon I mean it walls (I've probably overlooked some): Azumarill, Heatran, Landorus-T, Bisharp, Talonflame, Tornadus-T, Gyarados (Not mega), Pinsir, Skarmory, Sand Rush Excadrill. That is quite a few Pokemon. My point here is that Rotom-W walls a ton of things, and there are almost no neutral hits that can OHKO it (A few exceptions like Specs Draco from Hydreigon, and Specs Hyper Beam from Sylveon). This little washing machine will as good as always get of something, if it's a Will-O-Wisp, a Volt Switch, or you can get your health back up with Pain Split. If you struggle with status like Toxic, easy enough, just run Rest or include a status absorber. With how often you Volt Switch, Toxic damage racking up probably won't be too much of a problem anyways. I am aware of that Rotom-W often can get worn down quickly by some powerful hits, but a Pain Split at the right time can quickly get you up to over 50 % HP, especially as Rotom-W has a low base HP. I don't really feel like Rotom-W needs any big amount of team support, you just need something that resists Grass and stops Earthquake from Mold Breaker Excadrill, and most teams fill these criterias already by simply having a Flying-type, as most Flying-types resist Grass. I don't feel like it really has that many big flaws, other than the fact that it could get worn down in not too many rounds if it has to take too many powerful hits, and does not get off a Pain Split or Rest. On the suspect ladder I have met it in actually like 40 % of all teams, and it is really anoying to deal with even though I have Mega Venusaur and Mold Breaker Excadrill to deal with it.
Volt Switch can be blocked by Ground-types but they often struggle if you predict the switch and go for Hydro Pump as shown by these calcs against Ground-types:
0 SpA Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Excadrill: 350-414 (96.9 - 114.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
0 SpA Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 8 SpD Landorus-T: 294-348 (76.9 - 91%) -- 25% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock (Defensive Landorus-T)
0 SpA Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-T: 296-350 (92.7 - 109.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock (Choice Scarf Landorus-T)
0 SpA Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 112 SpD Hippowdon: 282-332 (67.1 - 79%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 SpA Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Mamoswine: 372-440 (103.6 - 122.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
I don't really have anything else to add from my head, but I feel like I have kind of proven why Rotom-W should be A+. I don't really see what puts Rotom-W behind all the A+ Pokemon, and therefore I think it should rise to A+. To finish it off here are some defensive calcs:
252+ Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Earthquake vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 254-300 (83.8 - 99%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Huge Power Azumarill Play Rough vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 123-145 (40.5 - 47.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Landorus-T Superpower vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 97-115 (32 - 37.9%) -- 0.9% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 81-96 (26.7 - 31.6%) -- 33.2% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Bisharp Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 117-138 (38.6 - 45.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Mega Pinsir Close Combat vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 102-121 (33.6 - 39.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Rock Slide vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 83-99 (27.3 - 32.6%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery