[OVERVIEW]
Houndstone establishes itself in NU as an incredibly reliable spinblocker and defensive presence, being able to prevent Rapid Spin from the likes of Tsareena while taking on dangerous attackers such as Flamigo and Barraskewda effortlessly. Houndstone is able to utilize its switch-in opportunities to generate progress via Night Shade, Roar, or Will-O-Wisp. Houndstone primarily struggles with its unreliable recovery options, as it has to either use the passive Rest or the inconsistent Pain Split. Houndstone also struggles immensely with special attackers like Munkidori and Diancie, as they can take advantage of its weaker Special Defense for massive damage. Unless it is running Body Press, Houndstone is vunerable to Dark-types such as Incineroar and Scrafty, which can use Knock Off to remove its item and potentially use it as setup fodder if it is not running Roar.
[SET]
name: Defensive GhostDog
move 1: Night Shade
move 2: Roar / Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Rest / Pain Split / Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Sleep Talk / Body Press
item: Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
ability: Fluffy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
ivs: 0 Atk
tera type: Water / Fighting / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Roar allows Houndstone to phaze setup sweepers such as Flygon and Scyther while also causing entry hazard damage against a new foe. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple physical attackers that otherwise might beat Houndstone such as Drednaw and Rhyperior. Houndstone can use the combination of RestTalk, allowing it to consistently handle foes such as Flygon, Rhyperior, and Barraskewda. Pain Split can be used to free up a moveslot on Houndstone while also working exceptionally well on high-HP targets such as Vaporeon and Copperajah. Body Press allows Houndstone to hit common Dark-types such as Incineroar and Scrafty for big damage. Rocky Helmet deals chip damage against Pokemon such as Flygon and Flamigo, Heavy-Duty Boots allows Houndstone to ignore entry hazards to take on Pokemon such as Scyther more easily, and Leftovers can help keep Houndstone healthy over the course of the game. Tera Water lets Houndstone resist Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Basculegion-M and Barraskewda while also resisting Fire-type attacks from Incineroar and Infernape. Tera Fighting boosts the power of Body Press while also giving Houndstone a Dark resistance that helps it against Overqwil and Scrafty. Tera Fairy makes Houndstone immune to Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Flygon, allows it to resist Dark-type moves, and still lets it easily take on Fighting-types such as Paldean Tauros-W, Flamigo, and Hariyama.
Houndstone primarily fits on bulky offense and balance teams, particularly Spike stack teams, as they heavily appreciate its ability to check Pokemon such as Flamigo and Breloom while also stopping Rapid Spin from Tsareena. Entry hazard setters such as Klefki, Rhyperior, and Gligar pair well with Houndstone because they appreciate its reliability in keeping up hazards against teams that rely on Rapid Spin. In return, Houndstone appreciates the passive chip damage against checks such as Flamigo and Flygon. Hazard removal options such as Tsareena and Cramorant are heavily appreciated by Houndstone, as they can allow Rocky Helmet or Leftovers variants to stay healthy over the course of a game. Special walls such as Copperajah and Diancie pair extremely well with Houndstone, as they love its ability to check common physical attackers such as Flamigo and Paldean Tauros-W. They can then handle special attackers that Houndstone might struggle with such as Munkidori and Chandelure. Due to Fluffy doubling the power of Fire-type attacks, Houndstone can immensely struggle against Pokemon such as Chandelure and Incineroar. Therefore, Fire-resistant Pokemon such as Diancie, Altaria, and Incineroar are especially appreciated. Wish passers such as Vaporeon and Sylveon are great for Houndstone. Wish can help keep Houndstone healthy without having to use unreliable Rest or Pain Split, and Houndstone can check powerful wallbreakers the wish passers might otherwise struggle with such as Choice Band Flamigo and Breloom. Fighting-types such as Paldean Tauros-F, Scrafty, and Toxicroak can help take on Dark-types that Houndstone commonly struggles with like Overqwil and Wo-Chien, and in return, Houndstone can help with Pokemon they can struggle against such as Flamigo.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
An EV spread of 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe alongside Poltergeist and Shadow Sneak can be used to turn Houndstone into a powerful wallbreaker that can still check offensive threats such as Flamigo. Protect can be used to allow Houndstone to gain even more Leftovers healing, though this may not fit into its moveset. Assault Vest can be used to turn Houndstone into a decent special wall, though it thrives off its utility movepool, and this set has no recovery options. Air Balloon alongside Thief can be used on Houndstone to allow it to steal a foe's item. Tera Poison can be used to prevent Houndstone from being poisoned from the likes of Overqwil and Amoonguss while giving it a Fairy resistance to check Sylveon.
Checks and Counters
====
**Dark-types**: Dark-types such as Wo-Chien, Incineroar, and Scrafty are a pain for Houndstone to deal with, as they can use Knock Off to remove it's item. Additionally, the latter two force Houndstone out for fear of being set up on. However, they do have to be careful of Body Press, which can significantly damage them.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Incineroar, Paldean Tauros-F, Chandelure, and Infernape can all hit Houndstone for large damage due to Fluffy doubling the power of Fire-type attacks. They can also easily switch into Will-O-Wisp from Houndstone, with Chandelure in particular getting a Flash Fire boost from it.
**Special Attackers**: Special attackers such as Chandelure, Munkidori, and Raikou can all hit Houndstone for considerable damage on its weaker special side, and due to Houndstone's passivity, and they are not immediately threatened in return.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/heatranator.647728/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hammer798.641404/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pika134.609709/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/waffledogefern.712558/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Houndstone establishes itself in NU as an incredibly reliable spinblocker and defensive presence, being able to prevent Rapid Spin from the likes of Tsareena while taking on dangerous attackers such as Flamigo and Barraskewda effortlessly. Houndstone is able to utilize its switch-in opportunities to generate progress via Night Shade, Roar, or Will-O-Wisp. Houndstone primarily struggles with its unreliable recovery options, as it has to either use the passive Rest or the inconsistent Pain Split. Houndstone also struggles immensely with special attackers like Munkidori and Diancie, as they can take advantage of its weaker Special Defense for massive damage. Unless it is running Body Press, Houndstone is vunerable to Dark-types such as Incineroar and Scrafty, which can use Knock Off to remove its item and potentially use it as setup fodder if it is not running Roar.
[SET]
name: Defensive GhostDog
move 1: Night Shade
move 2: Roar / Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Rest / Pain Split / Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Sleep Talk / Body Press
item: Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
ability: Fluffy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
ivs: 0 Atk
tera type: Water / Fighting / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Roar allows Houndstone to phaze setup sweepers such as Flygon and Scyther while also causing entry hazard damage against a new foe. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple physical attackers that otherwise might beat Houndstone such as Drednaw and Rhyperior. Houndstone can use the combination of RestTalk, allowing it to consistently handle foes such as Flygon, Rhyperior, and Barraskewda. Pain Split can be used to free up a moveslot on Houndstone while also working exceptionally well on high-HP targets such as Vaporeon and Copperajah. Body Press allows Houndstone to hit common Dark-types such as Incineroar and Scrafty for big damage. Rocky Helmet deals chip damage against Pokemon such as Flygon and Flamigo, Heavy-Duty Boots allows Houndstone to ignore entry hazards to take on Pokemon such as Scyther more easily, and Leftovers can help keep Houndstone healthy over the course of the game. Tera Water lets Houndstone resist Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Basculegion-M and Barraskewda while also resisting Fire-type attacks from Incineroar and Infernape. Tera Fighting boosts the power of Body Press while also giving Houndstone a Dark resistance that helps it against Overqwil and Scrafty. Tera Fairy makes Houndstone immune to Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Flygon, allows it to resist Dark-type moves, and still lets it easily take on Fighting-types such as Paldean Tauros-W, Flamigo, and Hariyama.
Houndstone primarily fits on bulky offense and balance teams, particularly Spike stack teams, as they heavily appreciate its ability to check Pokemon such as Flamigo and Breloom while also stopping Rapid Spin from Tsareena. Entry hazard setters such as Klefki, Rhyperior, and Gligar pair well with Houndstone because they appreciate its reliability in keeping up hazards against teams that rely on Rapid Spin. In return, Houndstone appreciates the passive chip damage against checks such as Flamigo and Flygon. Hazard removal options such as Tsareena and Cramorant are heavily appreciated by Houndstone, as they can allow Rocky Helmet or Leftovers variants to stay healthy over the course of a game. Special walls such as Copperajah and Diancie pair extremely well with Houndstone, as they love its ability to check common physical attackers such as Flamigo and Paldean Tauros-W. They can then handle special attackers that Houndstone might struggle with such as Munkidori and Chandelure. Due to Fluffy doubling the power of Fire-type attacks, Houndstone can immensely struggle against Pokemon such as Chandelure and Incineroar. Therefore, Fire-resistant Pokemon such as Diancie, Altaria, and Incineroar are especially appreciated. Wish passers such as Vaporeon and Sylveon are great for Houndstone. Wish can help keep Houndstone healthy without having to use unreliable Rest or Pain Split, and Houndstone can check powerful wallbreakers the wish passers might otherwise struggle with such as Choice Band Flamigo and Breloom. Fighting-types such as Paldean Tauros-F, Scrafty, and Toxicroak can help take on Dark-types that Houndstone commonly struggles with like Overqwil and Wo-Chien, and in return, Houndstone can help with Pokemon they can struggle against such as Flamigo.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
An EV spread of 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe alongside Poltergeist and Shadow Sneak can be used to turn Houndstone into a powerful wallbreaker that can still check offensive threats such as Flamigo. Protect can be used to allow Houndstone to gain even more Leftovers healing, though this may not fit into its moveset. Assault Vest can be used to turn Houndstone into a decent special wall, though it thrives off its utility movepool, and this set has no recovery options. Air Balloon alongside Thief can be used on Houndstone to allow it to steal a foe's item. Tera Poison can be used to prevent Houndstone from being poisoned from the likes of Overqwil and Amoonguss while giving it a Fairy resistance to check Sylveon.
Checks and Counters
====
**Dark-types**: Dark-types such as Wo-Chien, Incineroar, and Scrafty are a pain for Houndstone to deal with, as they can use Knock Off to remove it's item. Additionally, the latter two force Houndstone out for fear of being set up on. However, they do have to be careful of Body Press, which can significantly damage them.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Incineroar, Paldean Tauros-F, Chandelure, and Infernape can all hit Houndstone for large damage due to Fluffy doubling the power of Fire-type attacks. They can also easily switch into Will-O-Wisp from Houndstone, with Chandelure in particular getting a Flash Fire boost from it.
**Special Attackers**: Special attackers such as Chandelure, Munkidori, and Raikou can all hit Houndstone for considerable damage on its weaker special side, and due to Houndstone's passivity, and they are not immediately threatened in return.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/heatranator.647728/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hammer798.641404/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pika134.609709/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/waffledogefern.712558/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Last edited:
