[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Sludge Bomb / Toxic
move 3: Baton Pass
move 4: Protect / Signal Beam / Giga Drain
item: Leftovers
ability: Swarm
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
ivs: 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Ariados sets itself apart by being the best defensive pivot available in the tier. When combined with its great defensive typing and superb stats for the tier, Ariados becomes a staple for many teams, checking physical attackers such as Meditite, Mightyena, and Beedrill. Psychic threatens Poison-types such as Beedrill, Koffing, and opposing Ariados. Sludge Bomb hits most Pokemon hard with neutral damage, and Poison-resistant Pokemon such as Rhyhorn and Onix dislike being poisoned by it. Toxic threatens bulky Pokemon such as Castform and Noctowl that hate status on the switch-in. Baton Pass acts as a pivoting move, allowing frail offensive Pokemon such as Meditite, Abra, and Elekid to find entry more commonly due to Ariados's low Speed. Protect gives Ariados extra Leftovers recovery and allows it to scout Choice-locked Pokemon such as Aipom and Meditite. Alternatively, Signal Beam pressures Mightyena more immediately. Giga Drain threatens Rock-types such as Rhyhorn, Corsola, and Onix on the switch in while also giving Ariados some recovery. A Relaxed nature makes Ariados more offensively threatening as a mixed attacker while 20 Speed IVs is used in order to underspeed Pokemon like Koffing, keeping frail teammates like Abra safer. Ariados can also lower its Speed IVs to 0 to pivot more slowly than opposing pivot Ariados, or it will at least speed tie with them.
Ariados's flexibility allows it to fit on offense and balance teams alike, as they can appreciate a slow pivot to support Pokemon that struggle to find entry. Frail offensive Pokemon such as Ponyta, Meditite, Abra, and Elekid benefit from the addition of a pivot like Ariados giving them more opportunities to come in safely to wallbreak. Ponyta notably checks Fire-types such as Quilava and Magby, which threaten Ariados. Abra threatens to OHKO Ariados, so Pokemon such as Mightyena and Drowzee are good partners to help check Abra. Clamperl and Cubone are amazing teammates, as they appreciate Ariados bringing them in to break teams, while both punish Rock-type and Fire-type switch-ins into Ariados. Both also appreciate Ariados checking Gloom. Other Pokemon that punish these switch-ins, such as Seaking, Wartortle, and Cubone, are also good partners for Ariados. Ariados is not bulky on the special side, so special walls such as Noctowl, Drowzee, and Porygon can accommodate this weakness. Delcatty can make a great partner to cover Ariados's mediocre special bulk while forming a Baton Pass core on offensive teams. Ariados is walled by Corsola, as Giga Drain is unable to 2HKO it, and used as set up fodder. As a result, Pokemon such as Clamperl and Gloom are great to punish Corsola trying to set up.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/plznostep.595639/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Sludge Bomb / Toxic
move 3: Baton Pass
move 4: Protect / Signal Beam / Giga Drain
item: Leftovers
ability: Swarm
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
ivs: 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Ariados sets itself apart by being the best defensive pivot available in the tier. When combined with its great defensive typing and superb stats for the tier, Ariados becomes a staple for many teams, checking physical attackers such as Meditite, Mightyena, and Beedrill. Psychic threatens Poison-types such as Beedrill, Koffing, and opposing Ariados. Sludge Bomb hits most Pokemon hard with neutral damage, and Poison-resistant Pokemon such as Rhyhorn and Onix dislike being poisoned by it. Toxic threatens bulky Pokemon such as Castform and Noctowl that hate status on the switch-in. Baton Pass acts as a pivoting move, allowing frail offensive Pokemon such as Meditite, Abra, and Elekid to find entry more commonly due to Ariados's low Speed. Protect gives Ariados extra Leftovers recovery and allows it to scout Choice-locked Pokemon such as Aipom and Meditite. Alternatively, Signal Beam pressures Mightyena more immediately. Giga Drain threatens Rock-types such as Rhyhorn, Corsola, and Onix on the switch in while also giving Ariados some recovery. A Relaxed nature makes Ariados more offensively threatening as a mixed attacker while 20 Speed IVs is used in order to underspeed Pokemon like Koffing, keeping frail teammates like Abra safer. Ariados can also lower its Speed IVs to 0 to pivot more slowly than opposing pivot Ariados, or it will at least speed tie with them.
Ariados's flexibility allows it to fit on offense and balance teams alike, as they can appreciate a slow pivot to support Pokemon that struggle to find entry. Frail offensive Pokemon such as Ponyta, Meditite, Abra, and Elekid benefit from the addition of a pivot like Ariados giving them more opportunities to come in safely to wallbreak. Ponyta notably checks Fire-types such as Quilava and Magby, which threaten Ariados. Abra threatens to OHKO Ariados, so Pokemon such as Mightyena and Drowzee are good partners to help check Abra. Clamperl and Cubone are amazing teammates, as they appreciate Ariados bringing them in to break teams, while both punish Rock-type and Fire-type switch-ins into Ariados. Both also appreciate Ariados checking Gloom. Other Pokemon that punish these switch-ins, such as Seaking, Wartortle, and Cubone, are also good partners for Ariados. Ariados is not bulky on the special side, so special walls such as Noctowl, Drowzee, and Porygon can accommodate this weakness. Delcatty can make a great partner to cover Ariados's mediocre special bulk while forming a Baton Pass core on offensive teams. Ariados is walled by Corsola, as Giga Drain is unable to 2HKO it, and used as set up fodder. As a result, Pokemon such as Clamperl and Gloom are great to punish Corsola trying to set up.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/plznostep.595639/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
Last edited: