[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Return / Double-Edge
move 2: Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Toxic / Thunder Wave
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Forecast
nature: Adamant
evs: 92 HP / 240 Atk / 16 Def / 32 SpD / 128 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Castform boasts good stats and an offensive typing, which allow it to perform as a tank with great coverage. Castform sets itself apart from other bulky Normal-types, such as Noctowl, with its higher offensive stats and its ability in Forecast that allow Castform to answer weather-based teams more reliably. Return deals decent damage to the majority of the tier. Alternatively, Double-Edge can be used in order to threaten physical walls such as Koffing for more damage at the cost of recoil, which can put Castform in range of being KOed by Pokemon such as Choice Band Aipom. Hidden Power Grass covers Normal-resistant Pokemon such as Corsola and Rhyhorn, 2HKOing the former and OHKOing the latter. Toxic lets Castform threaten general physical walls such as Tropius and Lileep. Alternatively, Thunder Wave can cripple Pokemon such as Aipom and Gloom, making Castform a decent bulky paralysis user. Protect gives Castform a way of scouting Choice Band Pokemon such as Aipom and stalling weather turns. Castform also greatly benefits from the extra passive recovery from Leftovers that using Protect provides. Castform's EV spread allows it to survive a variety of Pokemon such as an OHKO from Choice Band Aipom, a 2HKO from Silk Scarf Ponyta and a 2HKO from Seaking under rain. The Speed investment allows Castform to outspeed base 45 Speed Pokemon like Flaaffy and Magnemite. The rest of Castform's EVs are put into Attack to make it as threatening as possible.
Castform fits on a variety of team styles such as balance, bulky offense, and general offense teams, as many teams appreciate the defensive attributes Castform provides combined with its offensive presence. Pokemon like Abra, Aipom, and Quilava appreciate Castform's ability to check Ponyta, with the latter additionally appreciating Castform as a partner to overwhelm Normal-resistant Pokemon like Corsola. Fast Pokemon such as Ponyta and Abra appreciate Castform spreading paralysis to make them much harder to revenge kill. Castform's Toxic wears down walls such as Tropius that otherwise wall physical wallbreakers such as Aipom. Castform itself does not appreciate taking status, so Heal Bell users such as Flaaffy and Mightyena make great partners. Fire-types such as Ponyta and Quilava appreciate Castform's ability to check Rain Dance Seaking, which can take advantage of them to set up. Other setup sweepers such as Beedrill appreciate Castform checking priority users such as Ponyta. While Castform is quite bulky, some physical wallbreakers like Doduo and Meditite can threaten to OHKO it. Pokemon like Koffing can check Meditite and potentially use it as offensive momentum, while Pokemon such as Rhyhorn can switch into Doduo locked into Double-Edge to start wallbreaking.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Castform is able to use a Choice Band to some effect, although such a set is largely outclassed by Pokemon such as Aipom and Doduo due to their better offensive stats and physical movepools. Castform can use Thunderbolt to hit Water-types such as Seaking harder on the switch. However, Castform fails to 2HKO Corsola without Hidden Power Grass, which makes this change usually not worth it. Ice Beam can be used on the tank set to threaten Pokemon such as Tropius and Lileep more directly. Alternatively, Fire Blast can be used to threaten physically defensive Gloom, Ariados, and Magnemite in addition to Tropius.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Castform is threatened by Pokemon such as Aipom and Doduo, and the latter can notably threaten Castform with an OHKO, although they cannot switch into Castform.
**Physical Walls**: Castform can struggle to deal meaningful damage versus Pokemon such as Koffing and Tropius, and it is forced out by status such as Will-O-Wisp and Toxic.
**Magnemite**: If Castform is not running Fire Blast, Magnemite is only 3HKOed by Castform, threatening it with a 2HKO or punishing it with Thunder Wave
**Rock-types**: Rock-types such as Anorith can use Castform as setup fodder due to not being immediately threatened by any of its moves. Additionally, Corsola is no longer 2HKOed by Hidden Power Grass after a boost from Calm Mind, and thus can continue to set up and threaten Castform with a boosted Surf.
**Status**: Status such as Will-O-Wisp from Koffing and Toxic from various physical walls can put Castform in KO range of Pokemon such as Choice Band Aipom, and a burn can completely ruin Castform's wallbreaking abilities.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/plznostep.595639/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
name: Tank
move 1: Return / Double-Edge
move 2: Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Toxic / Thunder Wave
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Forecast
nature: Adamant
evs: 92 HP / 240 Atk / 16 Def / 32 SpD / 128 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Castform boasts good stats and an offensive typing, which allow it to perform as a tank with great coverage. Castform sets itself apart from other bulky Normal-types, such as Noctowl, with its higher offensive stats and its ability in Forecast that allow Castform to answer weather-based teams more reliably. Return deals decent damage to the majority of the tier. Alternatively, Double-Edge can be used in order to threaten physical walls such as Koffing for more damage at the cost of recoil, which can put Castform in range of being KOed by Pokemon such as Choice Band Aipom. Hidden Power Grass covers Normal-resistant Pokemon such as Corsola and Rhyhorn, 2HKOing the former and OHKOing the latter. Toxic lets Castform threaten general physical walls such as Tropius and Lileep. Alternatively, Thunder Wave can cripple Pokemon such as Aipom and Gloom, making Castform a decent bulky paralysis user. Protect gives Castform a way of scouting Choice Band Pokemon such as Aipom and stalling weather turns. Castform also greatly benefits from the extra passive recovery from Leftovers that using Protect provides. Castform's EV spread allows it to survive a variety of Pokemon such as an OHKO from Choice Band Aipom, a 2HKO from Silk Scarf Ponyta and a 2HKO from Seaking under rain. The Speed investment allows Castform to outspeed base 45 Speed Pokemon like Flaaffy and Magnemite. The rest of Castform's EVs are put into Attack to make it as threatening as possible.
Castform fits on a variety of team styles such as balance, bulky offense, and general offense teams, as many teams appreciate the defensive attributes Castform provides combined with its offensive presence. Pokemon like Abra, Aipom, and Quilava appreciate Castform's ability to check Ponyta, with the latter additionally appreciating Castform as a partner to overwhelm Normal-resistant Pokemon like Corsola. Fast Pokemon such as Ponyta and Abra appreciate Castform spreading paralysis to make them much harder to revenge kill. Castform's Toxic wears down walls such as Tropius that otherwise wall physical wallbreakers such as Aipom. Castform itself does not appreciate taking status, so Heal Bell users such as Flaaffy and Mightyena make great partners. Fire-types such as Ponyta and Quilava appreciate Castform's ability to check Rain Dance Seaking, which can take advantage of them to set up. Other setup sweepers such as Beedrill appreciate Castform checking priority users such as Ponyta. While Castform is quite bulky, some physical wallbreakers like Doduo and Meditite can threaten to OHKO it. Pokemon like Koffing can check Meditite and potentially use it as offensive momentum, while Pokemon such as Rhyhorn can switch into Doduo locked into Double-Edge to start wallbreaking.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Castform is able to use a Choice Band to some effect, although such a set is largely outclassed by Pokemon such as Aipom and Doduo due to their better offensive stats and physical movepools. Castform can use Thunderbolt to hit Water-types such as Seaking harder on the switch. However, Castform fails to 2HKO Corsola without Hidden Power Grass, which makes this change usually not worth it. Ice Beam can be used on the tank set to threaten Pokemon such as Tropius and Lileep more directly. Alternatively, Fire Blast can be used to threaten physically defensive Gloom, Ariados, and Magnemite in addition to Tropius.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Castform is threatened by Pokemon such as Aipom and Doduo, and the latter can notably threaten Castform with an OHKO, although they cannot switch into Castform.
**Physical Walls**: Castform can struggle to deal meaningful damage versus Pokemon such as Koffing and Tropius, and it is forced out by status such as Will-O-Wisp and Toxic.
**Magnemite**: If Castform is not running Fire Blast, Magnemite is only 3HKOed by Castform, threatening it with a 2HKO or punishing it with Thunder Wave
**Rock-types**: Rock-types such as Anorith can use Castform as setup fodder due to not being immediately threatened by any of its moves. Additionally, Corsola is no longer 2HKOed by Hidden Power Grass after a boost from Calm Mind, and thus can continue to set up and threaten Castform with a boosted Surf.
**Status**: Status such as Will-O-Wisp from Koffing and Toxic from various physical walls can put Castform in KO range of Pokemon such as Choice Band Aipom, and a burn can completely ruin Castform's wallbreaking abilities.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/plznostep.595639/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Last edited:
