[OVERVIEW]
Samurott is one of the best offensive Water-types in the NU tier. Thanks to its balanced attacking stats, it can effectively run physical, special, and mixed sets. Having access to near-perfect coverage with moves like Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, and Grass Knot, it rarely finds itself hard walled by any Pokemon. It also has access to Swords Dance and Aqua Jet, allowing it to perform as a sweeper, as well as another utility move in Taunt, which can give it the opportunity to break through Pokemon like Slowbro and Vaporeon by preventing them from recovering. It can also prevent status moves from the likes of Mega Audino and Stealth Rock from Pokemon like Druddigon. Samurott has quite a few checks, however, such as Heliolisk and Vaporeon, both of which tank Water-type moves with ease, preventing Samurott from spamming Hydro Pump and Liquidation. Heliolisk works especially well against Samurott, as it is faster and puts a stop to both the special and Swords Dance sets. Samurott is futher hindered by its mediocre Speed, meaning you'll have to keep it healthy so it can set up and sweep. This also makes it easy to revenge kill with Pokemon that are resistant to Aqua Jet, such as Sceptile and Whimsicott.
[SET]
name: Special Wallbreaker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Grass Knot
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Taunt / Aqua Jet / Knock Off
item: Life Orb
ability: Torrent
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hydro Pump gives Samurott a powerful STAB move that can easily break through Pokemon that don't resist it. Grass Knot is its main coverage move, allowing Samurott to hit Water-resistant foes like Seismitoad and Slowbro for more damage. Ice Beam provides additional coverage and consistent damage and is Samurott's main attack to hit the potent Heliolisk as well as various Grass-types like Sceptile and Whimsicott. Taunt can be run to prevent status and stop entry hazards from going up, effectively allowing Samurott to stay healthy longer. Another reason as to why Taunt is useful is to allow Samurott to beat Vaporeon one-on-one. Knock Off is an option over Taunt to remove items like Assault Vest on Slowbro and Eviolite on Type: Null. Aqua Jet can also be used over Taunt to give Samurott some kind of priority against faster Pokemon like Aerodactyl and Delphox. However, it is a bit weaker due to the lack of Attack investment. Finally, Surf can be run over Hydro Pump for a more consistent Water-type STAB move. However, it does worsen most matchups, as the power Hydro Pump gives off is irreplaceable.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs along with a Timid nature are run to make Samurott as fast and as powerful as possible. Life Orb effectively makes its attacks more powerful. Expert Belt can be used over Life Orb to deal decent damage with super effective hits while not taking recoil. Torrent is used to boost Samurott’s Water-type moves if it gets below 1/3rd of its HP. This can let Samurott pull off a clutch sweep with Aqua Jet.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure to play around Heliolisk effectively. It is Samurott's best counter, as it can be healed up by Water-type attacks. Try to avoid spamming Hydro Pump and Surf before Heliolisk and other Water-immune Pokemon like Seismitoad, which is susceptible to Grass Knot, are taken out. Instead, try using Ice Beam to catch Heliolisk on the switch. Try to take out all special walls such as Mega Audino and Type: Null before spamming moves with Samurott, as taking Life Orb damage just for the foe to soak up a hit and heal right up is not ideal. Thankfully, Samurott can prevent this in many ways, such as using Taunt on Audino to prevent Wish and getting rid of Type: Null's Eviolite with Knock Off. Knock Off can also hit Assault Vest users such as Slowbro and Slowking, allowing Samurott to muscle through them more easily. Be sure to Taunt Pokemon like Druddigon and Vaporeon to prevent entry hazards and status moves like Toxic. Vaporeon is also shut down by Taunt, as it prevents it from using Wish, effectively letting Samurott beat it one-on-one. Due to Samurott's low Speed stat, it's advised to send it in on Pokemon that are slower than it, like Diancie and Rhydon. This will allow it to get as much damage off as it can while taking less damage.
Team Options
========
Physical wallbreakers such as Incineroar and Medicham are great partners for Samurott, as they help break through special walls like Mega Audino and Cryogonal. Electric-types like Heliolisk also help Samurott, as they deal with the Water-types Samurott struggles with such as Assault Vest Slowbro and Vaporeon. Electric-resistant Pokemon such as Decidueye and Vileplume also make for good partners, as they can effectively deal with Samurott's biggest counter, Heliolisk. Grass-resistant Pokemon like Delphox and Incineroar can help weaken and even eliminate Grass-types such as Sceptile and Whimsicott, which resist Aqua Jet. Samurott can support physical Choice Scarf users such as Braviary and Passimian, as Samurott eliminates their checks. The same logic can also be applied to late-game sweepers like Comfey, as Samurott helps weaken its checks as well.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Liquidation
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Megahorn
item: Buginium Z / Waterium Z
ability: Torrent
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance gives Samurott the ability to break or sweep through teams effectively. Liquidation is the most powerful physical STAB move it has access to, allowing it to have consistent damage output throughout the match. Waterfall can be run over Liquidation for the flinch chance, although the extra power from Liquidation is nice to have. Aqua Jet is used for priority and helps with Samurott's low Speed stat. However, it can also make Samurott a potent revenge killer, being able to potentially OHKO Aerodactyl and Delphox. Lastly, Megahorn can target some of Samurott's easiest switch-ins such as Heliolisk and Slowbro, as well as being the strongest move to hit Vileplume with.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs along with a Jolly nature allow Samurott to be both as fast and as powerful as it can. Buginium Z is usually run to give Samurott the ability to OHKO Slowbro and Vileplume with a +2 Attack boost, but Waterium Z can be run as well for a consistent STAB Z-Move if you so wish. Lum Berry is also something to consider, as it can let Samurott easily beat Vaporeon one-on-one. Besides those three items, Rindo Berry and Wacan Berry are both options as well if Samurott is needed to take a Grass- or Electric-type hit. For example, it may be useful to take a Thunderbolt from Heliolisk if you need to hit it with a Megahorn. Torrent is used so Samurott's Water-type moves, specifically Aqua Jet, can do more at less than a third of its HP.
Usage Tips
========
Unless there is a clear opportunity early on, Samurott shouldn't try to sweep until late-game. Samurott will be better off if it waits until most Pokemon are chipped down to sweep. However, if there is an opportunity for Samurott to set up a Swords Dance and wallbreak, you should take that opportunity. A Swords Dance-boosted Liquidation is sure to do a ton of damage to anything that doesn't resist Water, and the foes that do resist it like Slowbro and Vaporeon are susceptible to Megahorn. Keep Samurott away from status moves like Will-O-Wisp from Incineroar and Toxic from Vaporeon, as they will ruin any chance Samurott had to sweep. If at all possible, try to get Samurott into Torrent range to maximize the power of its Water-type moves, specifically Aqua Jet, to help it sweep. Aqua Jet should be used to clean late-game to hit faster Pokemon that can KO Samurott. It can also be used throughout the match to simply KO weakened Pokemon.
Team Options
========
Consistent Heliolisk answers such as Decidueye and Togedemaru should be paired with Samurott, as they help eliminate one of its biggest threats. They can soak up Electric- and Normal-type STAB moves and almost always take every other coverage move with the exception of the rare Dark Pulse for Decidueye and Focus Blast in Togedemaru's case. Pokemon that deal with physical walls, such as Heliolisk and Vanilluxe, are welcomed. Not only do they easily eliminate some of Samurott's biggest checks, but they also help chip down the opposing team in general, making it easier for Samurott to sweep late-game. This makes Sneasel a good partner, as it can easily trap both of those Pokemon. Grass-resistant Pokemon such as Incineroar and Magmortar are helpful, as they can come in on some of Samurott's best checks like Sceptile and Whimsicott and use their Fire-type moves. Incineroar and Silvally-Steel are particularly good picks, as they can pivot around using U-turn or Parting Shot. Xatu can make a great partner for Samurott, as it can bounce back entry hazards and status, both of which can be detrimental to Samurott. Spikes and Toxic Spikes users such as Ferroseed and Garbodor can help chip down some of Samurott's bulkier checks like Seismitoad and Torterra, making it easier for Samurott to sweep late-game. Pokemon like Comfey and Heliolisk that enjoy the presence of a physical wallbreaker are great partners for Samurott, as it assists them in being able to clean or sweep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A mixed Choice Scarf set can be viable with Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, and Superpower. Use this if your team lacks a way to check faster foes, although the fact that Samurott cannot switch moves and doesn't have any sort of item power boost means it may come up short. Superpower is run to surprise Heliolisk with an OHKO so Samurott can consistently spam Hydro Pump. Life Orb can be run on the Swords Dance set to give a slight damage boost if you already have a Z-Move holder. Specifically, this allows Samurott to OHKO specially defensive Vileplume after Stealth Rock damage and simply gives Samurott some power without having to boost. Superpower is an option on both sets, as it helps Samurott deal with Heliolisk.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Heliolisk**: Heliolisk, regardless of whether Samurott is physical or special, is a good blanket check to Samurott. Immune to its Water-type attacks due to Dry Skin, Heliolisk prevents Samurott from spamming its STAB moves.
**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types such as Blastoise, Seismitoad, Pyukumuku, and Vaporeon are all problems for Samurott in some way. Blastoise has the ability to burn Samurott with Scald and potentially stall it out with Toxic, Seismitoad can completely block its Water-type moves, Pyukumuku completely invalidates both the physical and special sets due to Unaware and its lightness and low Base Power on Grass Knot, and Vaporeon is a general annoyance if Samurott is not running Taunt due to Toxic and Wish.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types like Sceptile and Whimsicott give Samurott trouble, as they are resistant to Aqua Jet, preventing Samurott from pulling off an effective sweep or clean until they are severely weakened. However, they are manageable thanks to Samurott's access to Megahorn and Ice Beam.
**Special Walls**: Specially defensive walls like Mega Audino and Type: Null can prove heavily harmful to special Samurott depending on its last move, as they can easily tank hits. While they are susceptible to Taunt and Knock Off, respectively, they will definitely prove difficult for special Samurott to deal with.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Yoshizilla315, 322194]]
- Quality checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [quziel, 297859], [banks, 379208]]
- Grammar checked by: [[martha, 384270], [, ]]
Samurott is one of the best offensive Water-types in the NU tier. Thanks to its balanced attacking stats, it can effectively run physical, special, and mixed sets. Having access to near-perfect coverage with moves like Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, and Grass Knot, it rarely finds itself hard walled by any Pokemon. It also has access to Swords Dance and Aqua Jet, allowing it to perform as a sweeper, as well as another utility move in Taunt, which can give it the opportunity to break through Pokemon like Slowbro and Vaporeon by preventing them from recovering. It can also prevent status moves from the likes of Mega Audino and Stealth Rock from Pokemon like Druddigon. Samurott has quite a few checks, however, such as Heliolisk and Vaporeon, both of which tank Water-type moves with ease, preventing Samurott from spamming Hydro Pump and Liquidation. Heliolisk works especially well against Samurott, as it is faster and puts a stop to both the special and Swords Dance sets. Samurott is futher hindered by its mediocre Speed, meaning you'll have to keep it healthy so it can set up and sweep. This also makes it easy to revenge kill with Pokemon that are resistant to Aqua Jet, such as Sceptile and Whimsicott.
[SET]
name: Special Wallbreaker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Grass Knot
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Taunt / Aqua Jet / Knock Off
item: Life Orb
ability: Torrent
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hydro Pump gives Samurott a powerful STAB move that can easily break through Pokemon that don't resist it. Grass Knot is its main coverage move, allowing Samurott to hit Water-resistant foes like Seismitoad and Slowbro for more damage. Ice Beam provides additional coverage and consistent damage and is Samurott's main attack to hit the potent Heliolisk as well as various Grass-types like Sceptile and Whimsicott. Taunt can be run to prevent status and stop entry hazards from going up, effectively allowing Samurott to stay healthy longer. Another reason as to why Taunt is useful is to allow Samurott to beat Vaporeon one-on-one. Knock Off is an option over Taunt to remove items like Assault Vest on Slowbro and Eviolite on Type: Null. Aqua Jet can also be used over Taunt to give Samurott some kind of priority against faster Pokemon like Aerodactyl and Delphox. However, it is a bit weaker due to the lack of Attack investment. Finally, Surf can be run over Hydro Pump for a more consistent Water-type STAB move. However, it does worsen most matchups, as the power Hydro Pump gives off is irreplaceable.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs along with a Timid nature are run to make Samurott as fast and as powerful as possible. Life Orb effectively makes its attacks more powerful. Expert Belt can be used over Life Orb to deal decent damage with super effective hits while not taking recoil. Torrent is used to boost Samurott’s Water-type moves if it gets below 1/3rd of its HP. This can let Samurott pull off a clutch sweep with Aqua Jet.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure to play around Heliolisk effectively. It is Samurott's best counter, as it can be healed up by Water-type attacks. Try to avoid spamming Hydro Pump and Surf before Heliolisk and other Water-immune Pokemon like Seismitoad, which is susceptible to Grass Knot, are taken out. Instead, try using Ice Beam to catch Heliolisk on the switch. Try to take out all special walls such as Mega Audino and Type: Null before spamming moves with Samurott, as taking Life Orb damage just for the foe to soak up a hit and heal right up is not ideal. Thankfully, Samurott can prevent this in many ways, such as using Taunt on Audino to prevent Wish and getting rid of Type: Null's Eviolite with Knock Off. Knock Off can also hit Assault Vest users such as Slowbro and Slowking, allowing Samurott to muscle through them more easily. Be sure to Taunt Pokemon like Druddigon and Vaporeon to prevent entry hazards and status moves like Toxic. Vaporeon is also shut down by Taunt, as it prevents it from using Wish, effectively letting Samurott beat it one-on-one. Due to Samurott's low Speed stat, it's advised to send it in on Pokemon that are slower than it, like Diancie and Rhydon. This will allow it to get as much damage off as it can while taking less damage.
Team Options
========
Physical wallbreakers such as Incineroar and Medicham are great partners for Samurott, as they help break through special walls like Mega Audino and Cryogonal. Electric-types like Heliolisk also help Samurott, as they deal with the Water-types Samurott struggles with such as Assault Vest Slowbro and Vaporeon. Electric-resistant Pokemon such as Decidueye and Vileplume also make for good partners, as they can effectively deal with Samurott's biggest counter, Heliolisk. Grass-resistant Pokemon like Delphox and Incineroar can help weaken and even eliminate Grass-types such as Sceptile and Whimsicott, which resist Aqua Jet. Samurott can support physical Choice Scarf users such as Braviary and Passimian, as Samurott eliminates their checks. The same logic can also be applied to late-game sweepers like Comfey, as Samurott helps weaken its checks as well.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Liquidation
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Megahorn
item: Buginium Z / Waterium Z
ability: Torrent
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance gives Samurott the ability to break or sweep through teams effectively. Liquidation is the most powerful physical STAB move it has access to, allowing it to have consistent damage output throughout the match. Waterfall can be run over Liquidation for the flinch chance, although the extra power from Liquidation is nice to have. Aqua Jet is used for priority and helps with Samurott's low Speed stat. However, it can also make Samurott a potent revenge killer, being able to potentially OHKO Aerodactyl and Delphox. Lastly, Megahorn can target some of Samurott's easiest switch-ins such as Heliolisk and Slowbro, as well as being the strongest move to hit Vileplume with.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs along with a Jolly nature allow Samurott to be both as fast and as powerful as it can. Buginium Z is usually run to give Samurott the ability to OHKO Slowbro and Vileplume with a +2 Attack boost, but Waterium Z can be run as well for a consistent STAB Z-Move if you so wish. Lum Berry is also something to consider, as it can let Samurott easily beat Vaporeon one-on-one. Besides those three items, Rindo Berry and Wacan Berry are both options as well if Samurott is needed to take a Grass- or Electric-type hit. For example, it may be useful to take a Thunderbolt from Heliolisk if you need to hit it with a Megahorn. Torrent is used so Samurott's Water-type moves, specifically Aqua Jet, can do more at less than a third of its HP.
Usage Tips
========
Unless there is a clear opportunity early on, Samurott shouldn't try to sweep until late-game. Samurott will be better off if it waits until most Pokemon are chipped down to sweep. However, if there is an opportunity for Samurott to set up a Swords Dance and wallbreak, you should take that opportunity. A Swords Dance-boosted Liquidation is sure to do a ton of damage to anything that doesn't resist Water, and the foes that do resist it like Slowbro and Vaporeon are susceptible to Megahorn. Keep Samurott away from status moves like Will-O-Wisp from Incineroar and Toxic from Vaporeon, as they will ruin any chance Samurott had to sweep. If at all possible, try to get Samurott into Torrent range to maximize the power of its Water-type moves, specifically Aqua Jet, to help it sweep. Aqua Jet should be used to clean late-game to hit faster Pokemon that can KO Samurott. It can also be used throughout the match to simply KO weakened Pokemon.
Team Options
========
Consistent Heliolisk answers such as Decidueye and Togedemaru should be paired with Samurott, as they help eliminate one of its biggest threats. They can soak up Electric- and Normal-type STAB moves and almost always take every other coverage move with the exception of the rare Dark Pulse for Decidueye and Focus Blast in Togedemaru's case. Pokemon that deal with physical walls, such as Heliolisk and Vanilluxe, are welcomed. Not only do they easily eliminate some of Samurott's biggest checks, but they also help chip down the opposing team in general, making it easier for Samurott to sweep late-game. This makes Sneasel a good partner, as it can easily trap both of those Pokemon. Grass-resistant Pokemon such as Incineroar and Magmortar are helpful, as they can come in on some of Samurott's best checks like Sceptile and Whimsicott and use their Fire-type moves. Incineroar and Silvally-Steel are particularly good picks, as they can pivot around using U-turn or Parting Shot. Xatu can make a great partner for Samurott, as it can bounce back entry hazards and status, both of which can be detrimental to Samurott. Spikes and Toxic Spikes users such as Ferroseed and Garbodor can help chip down some of Samurott's bulkier checks like Seismitoad and Torterra, making it easier for Samurott to sweep late-game. Pokemon like Comfey and Heliolisk that enjoy the presence of a physical wallbreaker are great partners for Samurott, as it assists them in being able to clean or sweep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A mixed Choice Scarf set can be viable with Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, and Superpower. Use this if your team lacks a way to check faster foes, although the fact that Samurott cannot switch moves and doesn't have any sort of item power boost means it may come up short. Superpower is run to surprise Heliolisk with an OHKO so Samurott can consistently spam Hydro Pump. Life Orb can be run on the Swords Dance set to give a slight damage boost if you already have a Z-Move holder. Specifically, this allows Samurott to OHKO specially defensive Vileplume after Stealth Rock damage and simply gives Samurott some power without having to boost. Superpower is an option on both sets, as it helps Samurott deal with Heliolisk.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Heliolisk**: Heliolisk, regardless of whether Samurott is physical or special, is a good blanket check to Samurott. Immune to its Water-type attacks due to Dry Skin, Heliolisk prevents Samurott from spamming its STAB moves.
**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types such as Blastoise, Seismitoad, Pyukumuku, and Vaporeon are all problems for Samurott in some way. Blastoise has the ability to burn Samurott with Scald and potentially stall it out with Toxic, Seismitoad can completely block its Water-type moves, Pyukumuku completely invalidates both the physical and special sets due to Unaware and its lightness and low Base Power on Grass Knot, and Vaporeon is a general annoyance if Samurott is not running Taunt due to Toxic and Wish.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types like Sceptile and Whimsicott give Samurott trouble, as they are resistant to Aqua Jet, preventing Samurott from pulling off an effective sweep or clean until they are severely weakened. However, they are manageable thanks to Samurott's access to Megahorn and Ice Beam.
**Special Walls**: Specially defensive walls like Mega Audino and Type: Null can prove heavily harmful to special Samurott depending on its last move, as they can easily tank hits. While they are susceptible to Taunt and Knock Off, respectively, they will definitely prove difficult for special Samurott to deal with.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Yoshizilla315, 322194]]
- Quality checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [quziel, 297859], [banks, 379208]]
- Grammar checked by: [[martha, 384270], [, ]]
Last edited: