[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 3 onwards
**Price Range**: 8-9 points
**Tera Price Range**: 15-16 points
**Overview**: Hydrapple is a strong defensive tank with good mixed bulk, an amazing ability in Regenerator, and solid Special Attack along with anti-setup in Yawn and Dragon Tail that allows it to not be passive against its foes. With Terastalization, it can also be a powerful bulky win condition for your draft, or become even better at checking threats to your draft. However, Hydrapple has notable weaknesses if not Terastalized, in particular to Bug, which can make it a huge momentum sink against U-Turn users, meaning it often wants to Terastallize as soon as possible.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Tank**: Hydrapple can consistently switch into and check Pokemon that aren't carrying strong super effective moves against it while healing off the damage with Recover and Regenerator. Its high Special Attack, combined with high Base Power moves and access to a phazing move in Dragon Tail, also allows it to avoid being setup bait for opposing sweepers, though it has to watch out for common coverage moves that are able to hit it for large damage.
**Bulky Win Condition**: Hydrapple can use Nasty Plot alongside its strong STAB moves to act as a wallbreaker, utilizing its natural bulk to avoid OHKOs while striking back for big damage. This is exceptionally powerful when paired with Terastalization, as it can make Hydrapple much more difficult to KO while giving it necessary coverage to beat would-be checks. Alternatively, it can run Curse to take advantage of Body Press while making itself harder to KO, and allowing it to utilize its physical coverage moves or to run a mixed set.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Fickle Beam, Draco Meteor, Energy Ball, Giga Drain, Leaf Storm, Grass Knot
**Setup Moves**: Nasty Plot
**Utility Moves**: Recover, Dragon Tail, Yawn, Infestation
**Coverage**: Earth Power, Hydro Pump, Pollen Puff, Body Press, Tera Blast
Niche Moves
========
**Syrup Bomb**: Syrup Bomb can be used as a way to cripple Speed-boosting setup Pokemon or just as a form of speed control, making it easier for Hydrapple's teammates to offensively check opposing threats.
**Dragon Breath / Body Slam**: These moves can be used as a way to try and spread paralysis on opposing Pokemon. Dragon Breath hits harder due to STAB and coming off Hydrapple's higher Special Attack, while Body Slam can be used as an alternative to hit Fairy-type Pokemon.
**Curse**: Hydrapple can run Curse as an alternate setup option, allowing it to make use of its physical coverage moves such as Gyro Ball and Earthquake, or boost its Body Press while simultaneously becoming harder to KO.
**Sucker Punch**: Sucker Punch can be used to help deal with weakened attackers or as a coverage option for Curse sets.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: As Hydrapple wants to switch in multiple times throughout the game, Heavy-Duty Boots gives it more longevity and helps maximize recovery from Regenerator.
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest is used to make Hydrapple into a very bulky special tank, allowing it to safely check many strong special attackers while not having to worry about its HP thanks to Regenerator. However, running Assault Vest makes Hydrapple more vulnerable to entry hazards, demanding more support from its teammates.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: In matchups with few opposing entry hazards in play, Leftovers can be run to give Hydrapple extra longevity throughout the match.
**Resistance Berries**: Hydrapple can utilize resistance Berries alongside its good bulk and offensive options to lure and eliminate opposing threats, being especially effective against opposing Dragon-type Pokemon as well as Water-type Pokemon that frequently have Ice-type coverage.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet can be used to punish a large variety of physical attackers that use contact moves, as well as in combination with Sticky Hold to punish Knock Off users.
**Eject Button / Eject Pack**: Hydrapple's good bulk and Regenerator let it use Eject Button as a one-time way to pivot into another teammate, allowing it to regain momentum safely. Alternatively, Eject Pack can be used alongside moves such as Leaf Storm or Draco Meteor to give it a more controlled way to pivot out while doing good damage in the process.
**Red Card**: Red Card can be used as a one-time check to dangerous attackers, especially those reliant on consumable items such as Booster Energy, due to Hydrapple's bulk enabling it to survive at least one hit.
**Choice Specs**: With Hydrapple's good natural bulk and Regenerator, it can run Choice Specs to make use of its moderately high Special Attack and high base power moves to act as a tanky wallbreaker in matchups that do not have good checks to either of its STABs.
Tera
========
Hydrapple works best when it is made one of your Tera Captains. Both its defensive and more offensively-oriented sets can utilize Tera to great effect, mainly by giving it a better defensive profile. This allows Hydrapple to effectively wall most threats in the metagame, or allow it to easily take hits while firing off moderately powerful attacks. Good Tera types include Tera Fairy, Steel, and Water, with the choice depending on which specific threats you need it to check. An offensive Tera type such as Tera Fire or Electric can also be used to give Hydrapple coverage for certain Pokemon that would normally be able to wall it.
Draft Strategy
========
Hydrapple can act as a good defensive tank that can check both physical and special attackers for your draft and act as a phazer to check setup sweepers or assist entry hazard-stacking drafts. Hydrapple greatly appreciates having access to Terastalization, as it allows it to check a much wider variety of threats, so it should be paired with high-tier Pokemon that do not rely on Tera. If it's not able to Tera, it has major weaknesses to Ice, Bug and Fairy, so it should be drafted alongside Pokemon that can check these types.
**Fast Offensive Pokemon**: Strong and fast wallbreakers that do not rely on Terastalization such as Iron Valiant, Roaring Moon and Darkrai are good pairings for Hydrapple, as they cover for its very low base Speed, while Hydrapple can repeatedly pivot into attacks aimed at these Pokemon thanks to its good bulk and Regenerator.
**Steel-type Pokemon**: Steel-type Pokemon cover all of Hydrapple's weaknesses, while Hydrapple itself resists Ground and is neutral to Fire and Fighting, forming an effective defensive core. Pokemon such as Scizor, Metagross, and Tinkaton can work well alongside it, as they also provide some form of utility to the draft to compensate for Hydrapple's lack of utility options.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Hydrapple can be highly vulnerable to entry hazards if it's not running Heavy-Duty Boots or if its item is removed, so having Pokemon such as Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Corviknight that can reliably remove hazards is very helpful to assist Hydrapple in staying healthy.
**Entry Hazard Support**: Having teammates that can reliably set entry hazards such as Hisuian Samurott, Ting-Lu, and Gliscor is greatly helpful to get chip damage on the Pokemon Hydrapple checks, making it easier for it to reliably deal with them and punishing repeated switches. Hydrapple can also utilize Dragon Tail to get more value out of entry hazards by forcing switches. Gholdengo deserves special mention here, as, though it is not able to set entry hazards itself, it ensures that your hazards will not be removed and has great defensive synergy with Hydrapple.
Checks and Counters
========
**Strong Wallbreakers**: While Hydrapple has great mixed bulk, certain powerful wallbreakers that can hit it for neutral damage regardless of its Tera type can usually muscle past it. Pokemon such as Chi-Yu, Gouging Fire and Urshifu-Rapid-Strike can generally break through it, as their STAB combinations can already hit Hydrapple for at least neutral damage, and they cannot be resisted by any single Tera type.
**Ice-type Pokemon and Coverage Moves**: Hydrapple has a crippling weakness to Ice when not Terastalized, making it extremely vulnerable to Ice-type attackers such as Weavile and Kyurem, as well as Pokemon that can carry strong Ice-type coverage such as Greninja and Darkrai.
**Strong U-turn Users**: As Hydrapple has a weakness to U-turn if it's not Terastalized, strong U-turn users can be problematic for it, as they force it to activate its Tera early in order to not take massive damage, or switch out manually and lose momentum in the process.
**Entry Hazards**: Opposing entry hazards are very detrimental to Hydrapple if it's not carrying Heavy-Duty Boots, as they make Regenerator a less effective recovery option, and can put it in range of wallbreakers. Toxic Spikes in particular are very threatening, as the damage from poison adds up very quickly, greatly hurting Hydrapple's ability to properly check opposing attackers.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/vmnunes.613460/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
**Draft Order**: Round 3 onwards
**Price Range**: 8-9 points
**Tera Price Range**: 15-16 points
**Overview**: Hydrapple is a strong defensive tank with good mixed bulk, an amazing ability in Regenerator, and solid Special Attack along with anti-setup in Yawn and Dragon Tail that allows it to not be passive against its foes. With Terastalization, it can also be a powerful bulky win condition for your draft, or become even better at checking threats to your draft. However, Hydrapple has notable weaknesses if not Terastalized, in particular to Bug, which can make it a huge momentum sink against U-Turn users, meaning it often wants to Terastallize as soon as possible.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Tank**: Hydrapple can consistently switch into and check Pokemon that aren't carrying strong super effective moves against it while healing off the damage with Recover and Regenerator. Its high Special Attack, combined with high Base Power moves and access to a phazing move in Dragon Tail, also allows it to avoid being setup bait for opposing sweepers, though it has to watch out for common coverage moves that are able to hit it for large damage.
**Bulky Win Condition**: Hydrapple can use Nasty Plot alongside its strong STAB moves to act as a wallbreaker, utilizing its natural bulk to avoid OHKOs while striking back for big damage. This is exceptionally powerful when paired with Terastalization, as it can make Hydrapple much more difficult to KO while giving it necessary coverage to beat would-be checks. Alternatively, it can run Curse to take advantage of Body Press while making itself harder to KO, and allowing it to utilize its physical coverage moves or to run a mixed set.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Fickle Beam, Draco Meteor, Energy Ball, Giga Drain, Leaf Storm, Grass Knot
**Setup Moves**: Nasty Plot
**Utility Moves**: Recover, Dragon Tail, Yawn, Infestation
**Coverage**: Earth Power, Hydro Pump, Pollen Puff, Body Press, Tera Blast
Niche Moves
========
**Syrup Bomb**: Syrup Bomb can be used as a way to cripple Speed-boosting setup Pokemon or just as a form of speed control, making it easier for Hydrapple's teammates to offensively check opposing threats.
**Dragon Breath / Body Slam**: These moves can be used as a way to try and spread paralysis on opposing Pokemon. Dragon Breath hits harder due to STAB and coming off Hydrapple's higher Special Attack, while Body Slam can be used as an alternative to hit Fairy-type Pokemon.
**Curse**: Hydrapple can run Curse as an alternate setup option, allowing it to make use of its physical coverage moves such as Gyro Ball and Earthquake, or boost its Body Press while simultaneously becoming harder to KO.
**Sucker Punch**: Sucker Punch can be used to help deal with weakened attackers or as a coverage option for Curse sets.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: As Hydrapple wants to switch in multiple times throughout the game, Heavy-Duty Boots gives it more longevity and helps maximize recovery from Regenerator.
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest is used to make Hydrapple into a very bulky special tank, allowing it to safely check many strong special attackers while not having to worry about its HP thanks to Regenerator. However, running Assault Vest makes Hydrapple more vulnerable to entry hazards, demanding more support from its teammates.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: In matchups with few opposing entry hazards in play, Leftovers can be run to give Hydrapple extra longevity throughout the match.
**Resistance Berries**: Hydrapple can utilize resistance Berries alongside its good bulk and offensive options to lure and eliminate opposing threats, being especially effective against opposing Dragon-type Pokemon as well as Water-type Pokemon that frequently have Ice-type coverage.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet can be used to punish a large variety of physical attackers that use contact moves, as well as in combination with Sticky Hold to punish Knock Off users.
**Eject Button / Eject Pack**: Hydrapple's good bulk and Regenerator let it use Eject Button as a one-time way to pivot into another teammate, allowing it to regain momentum safely. Alternatively, Eject Pack can be used alongside moves such as Leaf Storm or Draco Meteor to give it a more controlled way to pivot out while doing good damage in the process.
**Red Card**: Red Card can be used as a one-time check to dangerous attackers, especially those reliant on consumable items such as Booster Energy, due to Hydrapple's bulk enabling it to survive at least one hit.
**Choice Specs**: With Hydrapple's good natural bulk and Regenerator, it can run Choice Specs to make use of its moderately high Special Attack and high base power moves to act as a tanky wallbreaker in matchups that do not have good checks to either of its STABs.
Tera
========
Hydrapple works best when it is made one of your Tera Captains. Both its defensive and more offensively-oriented sets can utilize Tera to great effect, mainly by giving it a better defensive profile. This allows Hydrapple to effectively wall most threats in the metagame, or allow it to easily take hits while firing off moderately powerful attacks. Good Tera types include Tera Fairy, Steel, and Water, with the choice depending on which specific threats you need it to check. An offensive Tera type such as Tera Fire or Electric can also be used to give Hydrapple coverage for certain Pokemon that would normally be able to wall it.
Draft Strategy
========
Hydrapple can act as a good defensive tank that can check both physical and special attackers for your draft and act as a phazer to check setup sweepers or assist entry hazard-stacking drafts. Hydrapple greatly appreciates having access to Terastalization, as it allows it to check a much wider variety of threats, so it should be paired with high-tier Pokemon that do not rely on Tera. If it's not able to Tera, it has major weaknesses to Ice, Bug and Fairy, so it should be drafted alongside Pokemon that can check these types.
**Fast Offensive Pokemon**: Strong and fast wallbreakers that do not rely on Terastalization such as Iron Valiant, Roaring Moon and Darkrai are good pairings for Hydrapple, as they cover for its very low base Speed, while Hydrapple can repeatedly pivot into attacks aimed at these Pokemon thanks to its good bulk and Regenerator.
**Steel-type Pokemon**: Steel-type Pokemon cover all of Hydrapple's weaknesses, while Hydrapple itself resists Ground and is neutral to Fire and Fighting, forming an effective defensive core. Pokemon such as Scizor, Metagross, and Tinkaton can work well alongside it, as they also provide some form of utility to the draft to compensate for Hydrapple's lack of utility options.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Hydrapple can be highly vulnerable to entry hazards if it's not running Heavy-Duty Boots or if its item is removed, so having Pokemon such as Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Corviknight that can reliably remove hazards is very helpful to assist Hydrapple in staying healthy.
**Entry Hazard Support**: Having teammates that can reliably set entry hazards such as Hisuian Samurott, Ting-Lu, and Gliscor is greatly helpful to get chip damage on the Pokemon Hydrapple checks, making it easier for it to reliably deal with them and punishing repeated switches. Hydrapple can also utilize Dragon Tail to get more value out of entry hazards by forcing switches. Gholdengo deserves special mention here, as, though it is not able to set entry hazards itself, it ensures that your hazards will not be removed and has great defensive synergy with Hydrapple.
Checks and Counters
========
**Strong Wallbreakers**: While Hydrapple has great mixed bulk, certain powerful wallbreakers that can hit it for neutral damage regardless of its Tera type can usually muscle past it. Pokemon such as Chi-Yu, Gouging Fire and Urshifu-Rapid-Strike can generally break through it, as their STAB combinations can already hit Hydrapple for at least neutral damage, and they cannot be resisted by any single Tera type.
**Ice-type Pokemon and Coverage Moves**: Hydrapple has a crippling weakness to Ice when not Terastalized, making it extremely vulnerable to Ice-type attackers such as Weavile and Kyurem, as well as Pokemon that can carry strong Ice-type coverage such as Greninja and Darkrai.
**Strong U-turn Users**: As Hydrapple has a weakness to U-turn if it's not Terastalized, strong U-turn users can be problematic for it, as they force it to activate its Tera early in order to not take massive damage, or switch out manually and lose momentum in the process.
**Entry Hazards**: Opposing entry hazards are very detrimental to Hydrapple if it's not carrying Heavy-Duty Boots, as they make Regenerator a less effective recovery option, and can put it in range of wallbreakers. Toxic Spikes in particular are very threatening, as the damage from poison adds up very quickly, greatly hurting Hydrapple's ability to properly check opposing attackers.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/vmnunes.613460/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
Last edited:
