
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam / Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Toxic / Refresh
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 136 Def / 120 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its solid bulk and mono Water typing, Wartortle functions exceptionally well as a bulky attacker. This allows it to threaten Rock- and Ground-types, cementing it as one of the best answers to Anorith, Onix, and Rhyhorn. Surf threatens the aforementioned Rock- and Ground-types and can be powered up by Torrent to heavily damage bulkier Pokemon like Ariados, Castform, and Mightyena. Ice Beam allows Wartortle to threaten Tropius and physically defensive Gloom. Alternatively, Hidden Power Grass can 2HKO bulky Clamperl and Corsola, which threaten Wartortle. Toxic allows Wartortle to threaten other Water-types such as Seaking, Chinchou, and Wartortle. Refresh maintains Wartortle's staying power, curing status from Pokemon such as Mightyena and Koffing. Protect is required to fully use Wartortle's defensive capabilities, as it allows Wartortle to scout against Choice Band users such as Aipom, Doduo, and Anorith and rack up passive recovery from Leftovers. Wartortle's HP and Defense investment ensures it can force a trade with Choice Band Aipom if it uses Double-Edge; Wartortle wins the matchup if Aipoms opts to go for Return instead. Wartortle's Special Attack investment allows it to always 3HKO max HP Mightyena with no Special Defense investment.
Bulky offense and balanced teams greatly appreciate Wartortle's ability to trade with Aipom and check Rock- and Ground-types. However, Wartortle is unable to do both of these jobs simultaneously. For this reason, Wartortle appreciates other physically defensive Pokemon, such as Onix, Mightyena, and Koffing, as teammates. Onix pairs exceptionally well with Wartortle, as it can wall Aipom and threaten Anorith with Rock Slide, while Onix appreciates Wartortle coming in on opposing Water-types. Mightyena threatens and removes specially defensive Gloom, which otherwise completely walls Wartortle. Moreover, Fire-types such as Ponyta and Quilava can also check Grass-types like Gloom and Sunflora. These Fire-types also appreciate Wartortle as a dedicated Rock- and Ground-type check, (AC) as it can stomach hits from Onix and Rhyhorn. Physical wallbreakers, including Aipom, Doduo, Volbeat, and Anorith, can threaten and remove specially defensive Pokemon that Wartortle struggles with, such as Porygon, Gloom, Delcatty, and Noctowl. Wartortle also struggles with faster special attackers like Seaking, Flaaffy, and Voltorb, so specially defensive Pokemon like Delcatty, Porygon, and Gloom pair well with it. Delcatty and Wartortle pair exceptionally well together, as Delcatty can pass Wish to Wartortle, improving its overall longevity. Additionally, Wartortle can switch into Rock-types such as Onix and Rhyhorn, which Delcatty lures in. If Wartortle lacks Refresh, then Heal Bell users, most notably Delcatty and Mightyena, pair well with it.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/queez.229690/
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