[OVERVIEW]
Hippowdon is one of the best physical walls in the tier, excelling thanks to its high base HP and Defense as well as the difficult to break pure Ground typing. Hippowdon has the best raw physical bulk compared to other physical walls such as Slowbro, Chesnaught, Cobalion, and Amoonguss. This bulk allows it to take neutral hits exceptionally well, making it a safe switch-in to unresisted moves like Cobalion’s Close Combat and Galarian Zapdos’s Brave Bird. As it is taking these hits, it is wearing foes down through passive damage from the sand it summons. It also has many chances to switch in, giving it plenty of opportunities to set up Stealth Rock. Hippowdon is the anchor for most balance teams in the tier, putting in work and making progress in basically every game. However, Hippowdon can struggle with particularly strong wallbreakers like Choice Band Okidogi or Galarian Zapdos because does not resist their STAB attacks and struggles to take them effectively, and it is also vulnerable to passive damage such as entry hazards.
[SET]
Physically Defensive (Hippowdon) @ Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Ghost / Dragon / Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock / Whirlwind
- Whirlwind / Stone Edge
- Slack Off
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===
The tier is full of threatening physical attackers, and Hippowdon handles most of them with ease, switching into attacks from Pokemon like Terrakion, Revavroom, Kleavor, Krookodile, Maushold, and Bisharp. Hippowdon's sand provides passive damage and helps disarm other weather teams by removing their weather. Stealth Rock is the most common option, as Hippowdon makes a good setter due to its many chances to switch in and good matchup against Cyclizar, the tier's best spinner. Whirlwind gives Hippowdon the option to force out setup sweepers or rack up chip damage against foes trying to switch into Earthquake. Whirlwind is preferred over Roar due to Throat Chop Bisharp blocking the latter move. Stone Edge is a coverage option to hit Flying-types trying to switch into the normally passive Hippowdon, allowing it to turn the tables on matchups like Rotom-H, Noivern, and Moltres. Stone Edge also helps to break Air Balloon on Pokemon such as Cobalion and Revavroom that try to turn Hippowdon into a setup opportunity. Rocky Helmet is the most common item due to its importance in dealing with Maushold, a Pokemon that can otherwise threaten to sweep teams on its own, while also providing chip damage against physical attackers such as Cobalion and Kleavor. However, teams with other answers to Maushold or that don’t need the passive damage can instead run Leftovers or Heavy-Duty Boots. Tera Ghost is an all-around strong defensive type that blocks Rapid Spin from Cyclizar, allows it to take on Cobalion even after a Swords Dance or Iron Defense, and beats other Fighting types like Conkeldurr and Slither Wing. Tera Dragon removes Hippowdon's weaknesses to Grass and Water, being especially helpful against rain teams. Tera Poison gives Hippowdon a resistance to Grass, Fairy, and Fighting and makes Hippowdon immune to Toxic and able to absorb Toxic Spikes, being useful on teams that are otherwise weak to them.
Hippowdon is common on bulky offense and balance teams. However, Hippowdon’s weaknesses must be accounted for in teambuilding, especially when considering the set it runs. Whirlwind Hippowdon needs to be paired with something that can handle Ground immune Pokemon like Noivern, Moltres, and Rotom-H well. Assault Vest Cyclizar and Rotom-H are two Pokemon that can safely switch into them. While Hippowdon is able to switch into strong Fighting-type attacks from Pokemon like Cobalion and Mienshao when fully healthy, it loses this resilience with even just a little bit of chip damage. Therefore, Hippowdon should be paired with a more sturdy Fighting resistant Pokemon such as Slowbro or Moltres. Hippowdon without Whirlwind may require extra support for physical setup sweepers. Choice Scarf users faster than Salamence, such as Mienshao, Terrakion, Gengar, and Hisuian Zoroark, can all fill this role. Non-Stealth Rock Hippowdon should be paired with another Stealth Rock setter such as Empoleon or Cobalion.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Certain teams such as ones with Pokemon running Synthesis or that have teammates that dislike passive sandstorm chip such as Alolan Muk and Suicune would prefer Sand Force, effectively giving it no ability. Sand Force also makes it easier to Terastallize Hippowdon, since it doesn’t have to worry about its own sandstorm and has a better matchup into other Hippowdon due to its stronger Earthquake. Hippowdon can also run varying amounts of Special Defense in order to better match up against special attackers — for example, 140 Special Defense EVs to survive two Photon Geysers from Necrozma — but Hippowdon often relies on maximum physical bulk to take neutral physical attacks.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Mono-Earthquake Hippowdon is unable to hit Ground-immune foes at all, making Rotom-H, Moltres, Salamence, and Noivern incredibly safe switch-ins to it.
**Grass-types**: Hippowdon with Stone Edge can hit Ground-immune foes but can't do any real damage to Grass-types such as Chesnaught.
**Special Attackers**: Hippowdon's low Special Defense and reliance on Defense investment means it is vulnerable to special attacks even from uninvested attackers. Pokemon like Gengar and Gardevoir are attackers that Hippowdon does not want to switch in on, and bulky Pokemon with decent special damage such as Slowbro and Reuniclus are able to take Hippowdon's Earthquakes and threaten it in return.
**Wallbreakers with Entry Hazard Support**: Pokemon like Choice Band Okidogi, Terrakion, and Mienshao can overcome Hippowdon's raw physical bulk with the help of chip damage such as hazard support. Okidogi's Close Combat is favored to 2HKO Hippowdon from full with Stealth Rock up and is guaranteed to 2HKO with a single layer of Spikes.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sneakyplanner.598717/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rarelyme.513635/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/fluff.614438/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Hippowdon is one of the best physical walls in the tier, excelling thanks to its high base HP and Defense as well as the difficult to break pure Ground typing. Hippowdon has the best raw physical bulk compared to other physical walls such as Slowbro, Chesnaught, Cobalion, and Amoonguss. This bulk allows it to take neutral hits exceptionally well, making it a safe switch-in to unresisted moves like Cobalion’s Close Combat and Galarian Zapdos’s Brave Bird. As it is taking these hits, it is wearing foes down through passive damage from the sand it summons. It also has many chances to switch in, giving it plenty of opportunities to set up Stealth Rock. Hippowdon is the anchor for most balance teams in the tier, putting in work and making progress in basically every game. However, Hippowdon can struggle with particularly strong wallbreakers like Choice Band Okidogi or Galarian Zapdos because does not resist their STAB attacks and struggles to take them effectively, and it is also vulnerable to passive damage such as entry hazards.
[SET]
Physically Defensive (Hippowdon) @ Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Ghost / Dragon / Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock / Whirlwind
- Whirlwind / Stone Edge
- Slack Off
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===
The tier is full of threatening physical attackers, and Hippowdon handles most of them with ease, switching into attacks from Pokemon like Terrakion, Revavroom, Kleavor, Krookodile, Maushold, and Bisharp. Hippowdon's sand provides passive damage and helps disarm other weather teams by removing their weather. Stealth Rock is the most common option, as Hippowdon makes a good setter due to its many chances to switch in and good matchup against Cyclizar, the tier's best spinner. Whirlwind gives Hippowdon the option to force out setup sweepers or rack up chip damage against foes trying to switch into Earthquake. Whirlwind is preferred over Roar due to Throat Chop Bisharp blocking the latter move. Stone Edge is a coverage option to hit Flying-types trying to switch into the normally passive Hippowdon, allowing it to turn the tables on matchups like Rotom-H, Noivern, and Moltres. Stone Edge also helps to break Air Balloon on Pokemon such as Cobalion and Revavroom that try to turn Hippowdon into a setup opportunity. Rocky Helmet is the most common item due to its importance in dealing with Maushold, a Pokemon that can otherwise threaten to sweep teams on its own, while also providing chip damage against physical attackers such as Cobalion and Kleavor. However, teams with other answers to Maushold or that don’t need the passive damage can instead run Leftovers or Heavy-Duty Boots. Tera Ghost is an all-around strong defensive type that blocks Rapid Spin from Cyclizar, allows it to take on Cobalion even after a Swords Dance or Iron Defense, and beats other Fighting types like Conkeldurr and Slither Wing. Tera Dragon removes Hippowdon's weaknesses to Grass and Water, being especially helpful against rain teams. Tera Poison gives Hippowdon a resistance to Grass, Fairy, and Fighting and makes Hippowdon immune to Toxic and able to absorb Toxic Spikes, being useful on teams that are otherwise weak to them.
Hippowdon is common on bulky offense and balance teams. However, Hippowdon’s weaknesses must be accounted for in teambuilding, especially when considering the set it runs. Whirlwind Hippowdon needs to be paired with something that can handle Ground immune Pokemon like Noivern, Moltres, and Rotom-H well. Assault Vest Cyclizar and Rotom-H are two Pokemon that can safely switch into them. While Hippowdon is able to switch into strong Fighting-type attacks from Pokemon like Cobalion and Mienshao when fully healthy, it loses this resilience with even just a little bit of chip damage. Therefore, Hippowdon should be paired with a more sturdy Fighting resistant Pokemon such as Slowbro or Moltres. Hippowdon without Whirlwind may require extra support for physical setup sweepers. Choice Scarf users faster than Salamence, such as Mienshao, Terrakion, Gengar, and Hisuian Zoroark, can all fill this role. Non-Stealth Rock Hippowdon should be paired with another Stealth Rock setter such as Empoleon or Cobalion.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Certain teams such as ones with Pokemon running Synthesis or that have teammates that dislike passive sandstorm chip such as Alolan Muk and Suicune would prefer Sand Force, effectively giving it no ability. Sand Force also makes it easier to Terastallize Hippowdon, since it doesn’t have to worry about its own sandstorm and has a better matchup into other Hippowdon due to its stronger Earthquake. Hippowdon can also run varying amounts of Special Defense in order to better match up against special attackers — for example, 140 Special Defense EVs to survive two Photon Geysers from Necrozma — but Hippowdon often relies on maximum physical bulk to take neutral physical attacks.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Mono-Earthquake Hippowdon is unable to hit Ground-immune foes at all, making Rotom-H, Moltres, Salamence, and Noivern incredibly safe switch-ins to it.
**Grass-types**: Hippowdon with Stone Edge can hit Ground-immune foes but can't do any real damage to Grass-types such as Chesnaught.
**Special Attackers**: Hippowdon's low Special Defense and reliance on Defense investment means it is vulnerable to special attacks even from uninvested attackers. Pokemon like Gengar and Gardevoir are attackers that Hippowdon does not want to switch in on, and bulky Pokemon with decent special damage such as Slowbro and Reuniclus are able to take Hippowdon's Earthquakes and threaten it in return.
**Wallbreakers with Entry Hazard Support**: Pokemon like Choice Band Okidogi, Terrakion, and Mienshao can overcome Hippowdon's raw physical bulk with the help of chip damage such as hazard support. Okidogi's Close Combat is favored to 2HKO Hippowdon from full with Stealth Rock up and is guaranteed to 2HKO with a single layer of Spikes.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sneakyplanner.598717/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rarelyme.513635/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/fluff.614438/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Last edited: