Darkinium
the mighty nuaguunibi
[OVERVIEW]
Altaria is a solid pick on bulkier builds as a defensive Defogger and check to powerful threats such as Eelektross, Swanna, and Lilligant thanks to its good bulk, access to Roost, and Dragon / Flying typing. Altaria's also more durable than other entry hazard removers such as Silvally-Dragon, and its typing makes it immune to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web. Altaria also has Natural Cure, letting it act as a status sponge for its team and giving it an edge when facing other defensive Toxic users such as Regirock. However, Altaria is rather passive, inviting many wallbreakers such as Aggron and Stoutland in for free. Its overreliance on Toxic leaves it helpless against Pokemon such as Skuntank and Clefairy, and Taunt and Substitute users such as Oricorio-G and Alolan Sandslash can turn it into setup bait. Some teams may also prefer other hazard removers such as Hitmonchan and Skuntank their lesser passivity, ability to check faster foes with priority moves and Speed investment, and ability to check Pokemon such as Aurorus and Clefairy. Altaria's Stealth Rock weakness makes it easier to overwhelm when it's checking powerful wallbreakers such as Primeape and makes its job as a remover harder when it's switching into Stealth Rock. Altaria's 4x weakness to Ice leaves it helpless against many Ice-types such as Aurorus, Froslass, and Jynx, as well as foes that may carry Ice-type coverage such as Poliwrath and Mesprit. Additionally, Altaria fares poorly against certain hazard setters such as Clefairy, Aggron, and Froslass due to either being unable to touch them or being threatened out by their attacks. However, despite its shortcomings, Altaria's defensive utility and access to Defog are great strengths for bulkier teams looking to include it.
[SET]
name: Defensive Defog
move 1: Defog
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Dragon Pulse
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Defog lets Altaria support its team by removing entry hazards, and Altaria is a notably good user of the move thanks to its ability to switch into certain hazard setters such as Mesprit and Weezing. Toxic allows Altaria to chip away at bulkier foes such as Eelektross and Mesprit without relying on its mediocre offensive stats. It also puts a timer on attackers and sweepers such as Carracosta and Scyther. Dragon Pulse prevents Pokemon such as Qwilfish and Haunter from freely using Taunt and Substitute against Altaria while also helping to rack up chip damage overall. Roost keeps Altaria healthy, allowing it to remove hazards and check Pokemon such as Lilligant more comfortably throughout the game.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread with a Calm nature maximizes Altaria's special bulk, allowing it to comfortably wall threats such as Lilligant. 96 EVs are invested in Speed to outspeed Modest Jellicent, letting Altaria use Roost before it takes an attack. Leftovers grants Altaria passive recovery during the match. Natural Cure relieves Altaria of status, mainly Toxic poison, upon switching out, which improves its matchup against opposing bulky Toxic users such as Regirock. It also helps Altaria check threats such as Lanturn lacking Ice Beam.
Usage Tips
========
Altaria should generally be brought in against foes that it walls, such as Eelektross, and use the forced switch as an opportunity to Defog any entry hazards that are on your side of the field. If there are no hazards to remove or if they are of little concern, Altaria can instead focus on spreading Toxic poison throughout the opposing team to weaken them for late-game. Use Roost whenever Altaria's health begins to dwindle, as it otherwise may not be able to switch into Stealth Rock later in the game to use Defog. It will also have trouble checking threats such as Primeape and Lilligant if it's not at full health. If the opponent has a Pokemon that Altaria invites in for free, such as Aggron or Aurorus, double switching is a smart play, as said Pokemon can wreak havoc once on the field. Thanks to Altaria's Natural Cure and good matchup against certain Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and Thunder Wave users such as Regirock, Weezing, and Mesprit, Altaria can be used as a status sponge and pivot into said Pokemon for teammates.
Team Options
========
Due to Altaria's passive nature, it usually belongs on bulkier builds such as balance, bulky offense, and stall due to its ability to check otherwise troublesome threats such as Lilligant and Eelektross. Its passive nature also makes it undesirable on offensive or hyper offensive builds, which are often more momentum based. Pokemon susceptible to entry hazard chip damage such as Aurorus and Lanturn appreciate Altaria's Defog support increasing their longevity. The latter has decent defensive synergy with Altaria; Lanturn offers a check to Aurorus, while Altaria beats Eelektross and Grass-types such as Lilligant. Checks to Ice-types such as Froslass and Aurorus are greatly appreciated. Poliwrath and Lanturn can check Ice-types decently if they're wary of Freeze-Dry or secondary STAB attacks from Pokemon such as Abomasnow. They appreciate Altaria removing Spikes and Toxic Spikes in return; Poliwrath can also check Rock-types such as Aggron in exchange. Sturdier defensive answers to Ice-types also include Munchlax, Alolan Sandslash, and Assault Vest Crabominable, with the latter greatly appreciating Altaria's Defog due to its vulnerability to chip damage. Altaria's passiveness often invites many powerful physical attackers such as Aggron, Hitmonchan, and Alolan Sandslash in for little to no cost. Checks to such Pokemon are appreciated. Gurdurr does well at checking all three, as does Poliwrath. More defensive partners such as Sableye and Tangela accomplish a similar role and help whittle down the opposing team with status, Leech Seed, and Knock Off. In return, Altaria checks special attackers such as Swanna and removes Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Altaria likes a teammate to beat Clefairy, as it ignores Altaria's Toxic and Dragon Pulse and can repeatedly set Stealth Rock or set up with Calm Mind. Aggron and Alolan Sandslash beat it quite comfortably and appreciate Altaria's ability to check special attackers. Altaria synergizes well with typical stall picks such as Audino and Pyukumuku, as they appreciate its ability to remove hazards and check threats such as Kangaskhan and Aurorus. Natu or a secondary hazard remover such as Articuno or Skuntank can be used in addition to Altaria on such archetypes to give the team a better matchup against Spikes from the likes of Qwilfish and Froslass, which can otherwise annoy Altaria with Taunt.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A more physically defensive spread can ease Altaria's matchup against certain physical attackers such as Regirock and Primeape, notably allowing it to better switch into, Toxic stall, and remove the hazards of the former. However, this causes special attackers such as offensive Mesprit and +1 Lilligant to pressure Altaria more. Heal Bell is an option on bulkier archetypes that allows Altaria to function as a cleric. Altaria has a hard time finding room for it, though, and Audino already accomplishes the role of a cleric on similar archetypes. Haze and Roar give Altaria the upper hand against certain setup sweepers such as Gurdurr, Lilligant, and Pinsir. The latter is also useful for racking up entry hazard damage and annoying Substitute users. However, even when unboosted, said foes can carry coverage moves to beat Altaria regardless, such as Hidden Power Ice and Stone Edge. Flamethrower prevents certain Steel-types such as Alolan Dugtrio and Alolan Sandslash from switching into Altaria for free. However, it is otherwise poor coverage against foes such as Qwilfish and Poliwrath, which can be dangerous if they are carrying Taunt or Substitute. Hidden Power Ground functions similarly but hits certain Steel-types such as Togedemaru, Aggron, and Probopass harder and hits Qwilfish super effectively. However, it's extraordinarily weak and misses out on the ability to hit foes such as Mesprit entirely, especially if Altaria drops Toxic to make room for it. As a result, it is only passable on teams extremely weak to Aggron. Dragon Dance allows Altaria to sweep and wallbreak late-game; it can lure in its usual answers such as Aurorus, Aggron, and Clefairy and remove them with Earthquake and Iron Tail, and it can blast through unsuspecting foes with a Z-Move. Thanks to its multiple resistances and good bulk, it also has more opportunities to set up versus Pokemon such as Eelektross. Overall, though, such a set is quite weak and easy to revenge kill even after a boost.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ice-types and Ice-type Coverage**: Due to Altaria's 4x weakness to Ice, Pokemon such as Aurorus, Froslass, and Alolan Sandslash can all outspeed it and OHKO it with their respective Ice-type STAB moves, caring little for Toxic and Dragon Pulse. All of the above can also run entry hazards, making Altaria's job as a Defogger quite difficult, as they threaten it out. Alolan Sandslash can notably use Altaria as setup fodder for Substitute and Swords Dance. Hitmonchan, Ludicolo, and offensive Lanturn and Mesprit can threaten Altaria in a similar fashion with Ice Punch and Ice Beam. However, Altaria beats most of them if they are not carrying said coverage.
**Rock-types**: Pokemon such as Aggron, Lycanroc, Carracosta, and Omastar can all threaten Altaria with their super effective STAB attacks or, in Omastar's case, Ice Beam. The latter three can all set up on Altaria as well, only being annoyed by Toxic or chip from Dragon Pulse. Regirock can overwhelm Altaria between Toxic and Stone Edge, easing its ability to set Stealth Rock against it and pressure it later on.
**Clefairy**: Thanks to Magic Guard and its Fairy typing, Clefairy walls Altaria completely. It can set up Stealth Rock on it Altaria repeatedly and forces it to switch out to heal off Clefairy's Toxic with Natural Cure. Altaria is also complete setup bait for Clefairy using Calm Mind.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Pokemon such as Zangoose, Stoutland, and Choice Band Skuntank all pressure Altaria on its weaker physically defensive side. All three care little about Toxic as well, as the former two carry Facade and the latter is immune.
**Taunt and Substitute**: Due to Altaria's reliance on Toxic, Taunt users such as Sableye, Oricorio-G, and Qwilfish can shut it down almost completely, leaving it with only a weak Dragon Pulse. From there, they can set up stat boosts, set entry hazards, or wear it down with attacks. The former two even have recovery, making it impossible for Altaria to wear them down. Substitute users such as Alolan Dugtrio can also chip away at Altaria with Toxic or attacks or use it as setup bait, provided Altaria is not carrying coverage such as Flamethrower.
**Bulky Setup Sweepers**: Spiritomb, Type: Null, and Munchlax all capitalize on Altaria's passiveness and use it as bait for setting up with Calm Mind, Swords Dance, or Curse. They can all shrug off Altaria's Toxic, too, thanks to Rest.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Darkinium, 448296]]
- Quality checked by: [[jklioe, 424692], [allstarapology, 400292], [Akir, 231726]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
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