[SET]
Offensive Pivot (Ambipom) @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Protective Pads / Silk Scarf
Ability: Technician
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Triple Axel / Double-Edge / Double Hit
[SET COMMENTS]
Ambipom is a capable offensive pivot that can create momentum as an anti-offense lead, or it can revenge kill foes and clean up late-game with its Technician-boosted Fake Out and impressive Speed tier. Opposing sweepers, other revenge killers, and fast pivots such as Shift Gear Toxtricity, Choice Scarf Staraptor, and Kilowattrel, whose Speed tiers make them otherwise hard to deal with, can be picked off or forced out by using Fake Out. U-turn allows Ambipom to escape after dealing Fake Out chip or maintain pressure on an anticipated switch. Knock Off serves as coverage for Ghost-types such as Decidueye and Golurk while also making progress by removing key items like Heavy-Duty Boots from users such as Bombirdier and Eviolite from foes such as Hisuian Qwilfish. Triple Axel provides Technician-boosted coverage for potential switch-ins, being most effective against Gligar and Altaria. Alternatively, Double-Edge provides a more accurate and STAB-boosted option that has a chance to OHKO frailer offensive Pokemon—Tatsugiri and Salazzle being two examples. Double Hit is another STAB-boosted option that trades accuracy and some power for longevity, especially when paired with Protective Pads. Because of its frequent pivoting, Ambipom often uses Heavy-Duty Boots for greater longevity throughout games, avoiding chip damage from entry hazards. Protective Pads guards Ambipom from contact effects like Flame Body burns and Rocky Helmet chip damage, which are most inhibiting to sets with Triple Axel and Double Hit. Silk Scarf and Tera Normal achieve a similar effect for Ambipom, improving key Fake Out rolls in a pinch by consistently 2HKOing Inteleon and Salazzle, whose high Speed can mandate trading Pokemon for Fake Out hits. Tera Normal or Silk Scarf Double-Edge and Double Hit also have respectable damage outputs, OHKOing Tatsugiri and Zoroark. When used together, Ambipom gains legitimate wallbreaking potential: Tera Normal Silk Scarf Double-Edge has a favorable roll to 2HKO Galarian Slowbro and Bellibolt, the two best physical walls in the tier.
Ambipom is well suited for bulky or fast offense and balance teams susceptible to fast threats and opposing setup. Sweepers such as Dragon Dance Scrafty and Calm Mind Scream Tail that have fewer chances to set up may be picked off by speed control or trade damage with bulkier Pokemon like Goodra and Meloetta. Thus, Ambipom's ability to apply pressure after they faint and prevent counter sweeps is a helpful addition. Entry hazard users like Gastrodon and Gligar also synergize with Ambipom, taking advantage of Knock Off removing Heavy-Duty Boots to wear down susceptible foes—removal options like Alolan Sandslash and Defog Scyther rely on Heavy-Duty Boots to switch in several times. Hazards also allow Ambipom to wear down teams by repeated switching and enable Silk Scarf sets to break through chipped switch-ins like Assault Vest Galarian Slowbro, which it 2HKOes with Stealth Rock up. Unfortunately, without Protective Pads, Ambipom is very susceptible to contact abilities like Static and Flame Body, and it struggles to break common physical walls like Bellibolt and defensive Galarian Slowbro that it cannot consistently 2HKO after Terastallizing without Silk Scarf. As such, it benefits from wallbreakers such as Toxtricity and Golurk that clear through these checks. Ambipom also appreciates bulky teammates with recovery such as Milotic and Florges, allowing a safe switch in after using U-turn. Finally, variants of Ambipom not using Heavy-Duty Boots are easily worn down by opposing hazards and appreciate removal from teammates like Coalossal and Altaria, which in turn appreciate Ambipon providing more opportunities for them to be brought in on favorable matchups and remove hazards or make progress with other utility moves.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bleahey.641532/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hera.414072/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bella.567483/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Offensive Pivot (Ambipom) @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Protective Pads / Silk Scarf
Ability: Technician
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Triple Axel / Double-Edge / Double Hit
[SET COMMENTS]
Ambipom is a capable offensive pivot that can create momentum as an anti-offense lead, or it can revenge kill foes and clean up late-game with its Technician-boosted Fake Out and impressive Speed tier. Opposing sweepers, other revenge killers, and fast pivots such as Shift Gear Toxtricity, Choice Scarf Staraptor, and Kilowattrel, whose Speed tiers make them otherwise hard to deal with, can be picked off or forced out by using Fake Out. U-turn allows Ambipom to escape after dealing Fake Out chip or maintain pressure on an anticipated switch. Knock Off serves as coverage for Ghost-types such as Decidueye and Golurk while also making progress by removing key items like Heavy-Duty Boots from users such as Bombirdier and Eviolite from foes such as Hisuian Qwilfish. Triple Axel provides Technician-boosted coverage for potential switch-ins, being most effective against Gligar and Altaria. Alternatively, Double-Edge provides a more accurate and STAB-boosted option that has a chance to OHKO frailer offensive Pokemon—Tatsugiri and Salazzle being two examples. Double Hit is another STAB-boosted option that trades accuracy and some power for longevity, especially when paired with Protective Pads. Because of its frequent pivoting, Ambipom often uses Heavy-Duty Boots for greater longevity throughout games, avoiding chip damage from entry hazards. Protective Pads guards Ambipom from contact effects like Flame Body burns and Rocky Helmet chip damage, which are most inhibiting to sets with Triple Axel and Double Hit. Silk Scarf and Tera Normal achieve a similar effect for Ambipom, improving key Fake Out rolls in a pinch by consistently 2HKOing Inteleon and Salazzle, whose high Speed can mandate trading Pokemon for Fake Out hits. Tera Normal or Silk Scarf Double-Edge and Double Hit also have respectable damage outputs, OHKOing Tatsugiri and Zoroark. When used together, Ambipom gains legitimate wallbreaking potential: Tera Normal Silk Scarf Double-Edge has a favorable roll to 2HKO Galarian Slowbro and Bellibolt, the two best physical walls in the tier.
Ambipom is well suited for bulky or fast offense and balance teams susceptible to fast threats and opposing setup. Sweepers such as Dragon Dance Scrafty and Calm Mind Scream Tail that have fewer chances to set up may be picked off by speed control or trade damage with bulkier Pokemon like Goodra and Meloetta. Thus, Ambipom's ability to apply pressure after they faint and prevent counter sweeps is a helpful addition. Entry hazard users like Gastrodon and Gligar also synergize with Ambipom, taking advantage of Knock Off removing Heavy-Duty Boots to wear down susceptible foes—removal options like Alolan Sandslash and Defog Scyther rely on Heavy-Duty Boots to switch in several times. Hazards also allow Ambipom to wear down teams by repeated switching and enable Silk Scarf sets to break through chipped switch-ins like Assault Vest Galarian Slowbro, which it 2HKOes with Stealth Rock up. Unfortunately, without Protective Pads, Ambipom is very susceptible to contact abilities like Static and Flame Body, and it struggles to break common physical walls like Bellibolt and defensive Galarian Slowbro that it cannot consistently 2HKO after Terastallizing without Silk Scarf. As such, it benefits from wallbreakers such as Toxtricity and Golurk that clear through these checks. Ambipom also appreciates bulky teammates with recovery such as Milotic and Florges, allowing a safe switch in after using U-turn. Finally, variants of Ambipom not using Heavy-Duty Boots are easily worn down by opposing hazards and appreciate removal from teammates like Coalossal and Altaria, which in turn appreciate Ambipon providing more opportunities for them to be brought in on favorable matchups and remove hazards or make progress with other utility moves.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bleahey.641532/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hera.414072/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bella.567483/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Last edited:
