6th Gen:
[OVERVIEW]
With a solid defensive typing to check Electric-, Flying-, Steel-, and Poison-types, such as Rotom, Archeops, Fletchinder, and Klinklang, and great mixed bulk, Stunfisk is a neat tank and one of the better Stealth Rock setters in the tier. Between an immunity to Volt Switch and the ability to punish U-turns with Static, Stunfisk is also an excellent tool against the common VoltTurn strategy. It's no sitting duck either, as the combination of Discharge and Static gives it a high chance to paralyze and severely cripple the foe. However, Stunfisk is easy to take advantage of. Stunfisk's lack of reliable recovery substantially hinders its defensive capabilities. Exploitable weaknesses to the very common Water-, Ground-, Ice-, and, especially, Grass-type attacks, against which Stunfisk can't do much of anything, don't help it at all either. As a Stealth Rock setter, Stunfisk also suffers from a bad matchup against all the common spinners, though this is remedied by its ability to threaten most Defoggers and Xatu.
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Discharge
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Static
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is invaluable support for any team, and Stunfisk is one of the better setters. Discharge is a decently powerful Electric-type STAB move and, together with Static, gives Stunfisk a high chance to paralyze the foe. Earth Power is Stunfisk's most powerful STAB move and hits the Electric-, Steel-, and Poison-types Stunfisk checks super effectively. Toxic punishes switch-ins and other walls that take little damage from Stunfisk's STAB moves, especially the Ground- and Grass-types that Stunfisk is otherwise helpless against. Yawn is great for forcing switches and pairs well with Stealth Rock due to this. Rest heals Stunfisk to full health but forces it to switch out and requires cleric support to use.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP and Defense EVs and a Bold nature let Stunfisk handle the Pokemon it checks and most physical attackers that can't hit it super effectively, notably letting it take Archeops's Earthquake and Scyther's U-turn better. A fully specially defensive spread, however, lets Stunfisk check special attackers, particularly Electric-types, significantly better. Static is Stunfisk's only useful ability and punishes contact moves, particularly U-turn. Leftovers gives Stunfisk much-needed longevity and is usually its only form of recovery.
Usage Tips
========
Send Stunfisk in on Pokemon it checks or counters, such as Fletchinder, Archeops, Rotom, and Klinklang, to prevent them from accomplishing much. Stunfisk can also be switched in against U-turn users such as Mesprit and Scyther throughout the game to punish them with Static. However, unless running Rest and cleric support, be careful around coverage moves, such as Archeops's Earthquake, or lure sets, such as Hex Rotom; avoid getting excessively worn down by U-turns; and generally play it safe with Stunfisk if there's a Pokemon it needs to check. Usually, Stunfisk should set up Stealth Rock as early as possible. After this, Stunfisk can spam Discharge against switch-ins to paralyze them. Use Toxic, though, against Ground- and Grass-type switch-ins and walls to wear them down gradually.
Team Options
========
Checks to Grass-, Water-, Ground-, and Ice-types are generally appreciated by Stunfisk. Grass-types, such as Vileplume, Ludicolo, Tangela, and Gourgeist, the latter of which can also spinblock, take care of Water-, Grass-, and Ground-types for Stunfisk while Stunfisk handles Flying-, Steel-, and Poison-types for them. Hariyama, Cryogonal, and Water-types, among others, can take on the Ice-types that threaten Stunfisk, with the former two also resisting Freeze-Dry. Stunfisk offers a Flying-, Steel-, and Electric-type resistance or immunity in return. Pokemon such as Garbodor, Ferroseed, and Cacturne form a solid entry hazard-stacking core and have decent synergy with Stunfisk.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An offensive Stealth Rock set is a reasonable option, as it makes Stunfisk significantly less passive, and makes use of its natural bulk and good coverage options, such as Sludge Bomb. However, its typing and low Speed make it more suited for defensive roles. A Choice Specs set works similarly well for offensive teams that already have a Stealth Rock setter and hits fairly hard. Pain Split can work as a form of recovery for the tank set, but it is very unreliable, especially because of Stunfisk's high HP stat. Scald is also a decent move in the defensive set, but it's rather weak and would only be useful for the burn chance.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types resist both of Stunfisk's STAB moves and hit it super effectively, with the only thing Stunfisk can do in return being Toxic or praying for Discharge paralysis. Torterra in particular is immune to paralysis and easily beats Stunfisk. Vileplume doesn't mind paralysis and is immune to Toxic.
**Ice- and Ground-types**: Most Ice- and Ground-types can safely switch into one, if not all, of Stunfisk's moves, though Ice-types typically hate getting paralyzed, and neither of them likes Toxic or Yawn. They can then immediately threaten it with their STAB moves. Cryogonal gets a special mention because it takes almost nothing from Stunfisk's moves and can spin Stealth Rock away.
**Water-types**: Water-types, such as Samurott and Swanna, can threaten Stunfisk out with their powerful Water-type STAB moves, but they fear switching into Discharge. Ludicolo and Quagsire get special mentions for their respective neutrality and immunity to Discharge, though the former hates being paralyzed.
**Rapid Spinners**: Kabutops, Claydol, Cryogonal, and Sandslash can all force Stunfisk out with their STAB moves and spin away Stealth Rock, with the latter three hard checking Stunfisk, though Kabutops can't directly switch in and can't OHKO with Waterfall.
**Super Effective Coverage**: Coverage moves, such as Archeops's Earthquake and Rotom's full-powered Hex, can do crippling damage to Stunfisk and keep it from switching in later in the match.
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