earl
(EVIOLITE COMPATIBLE)
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Apple Acid
move 2: Recover
move 3: Leech Seed
move 4: Dragon Pulse
item: Leftovers
ability: Thick Fat
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Appletun functions as a mediocre physical wall in OU by virtue of its decent bulk and access to Recover. With a Grass / Dragon typing alongside Thick Fat, Appletun can counter or check a wide range of Pokemon such as Barraskweda, Excadrill, Rotom-W, and Rotom-H. It also counters Dracovish under most circumstances. Unfortunately, Appletun's low offensive presence and nonexistent coverage offer a free switch in for a wide range of bulkier Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Clefable, and Corviknight. Apple Acid's continual Special Defense drops partially alleviate Appletun's passivity. Leech Seed, when paired with Leftovers and Recover keeps Appletun very healthy, which is essential to keep it out of 2HKO range from attacks such as a rain-boosted Fishious Rend. Dragon Pulse is mostly filler, as Appletun has a barren movepool, but it is helpful for threatening opposing offensive Pokemon attempting to take advantage of it such as Dragapult and Hydreigon or for finishing off bulkier targets weakened by Apple Acid. The given EVs maximize Defense, as Appletun needs as much physical bulk as possible to always handle Dracovish and Excadrill. Thick Fat's added resistances far outweigh the potential Berry benefits of Ripen, Appletun's resistance to Fire allows it to handle Fire-types like Cinderace and Rotom-H while taking much less from Dracovish's Ice Fang.
Appletun functions best on balance teams that would appreciate a defensive Grass-type that handles Ground-types and Dracovish. Appletun and Toxapex work especially well with each other, with Toxapex handling Galarian Darmanitan and Gyarados, while Appletun switches into Ground- and Electric-types alongside Dracovish. Specially defensive Ferrothorn also has decent synergy with Appletun, as they have very little defensive overlap and cover a fair share of each other's weaknesses, with Appletun handling Pokemon such as Rotom-H for Ferrothorn. Corviknight also has good synergy with Appletun, resisting Flying- and Dragon-type attacks, while Appletun can switch into the Fire- and Electric-type attacks from Pokemon such as Cinderace that threaten Corviknight.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[<leonard (from big bang theory)>, <295686>]]
- Quality checked by: [[<Jordy>, <395754>], [<lyd>, <303291>]]
- Grammar checked by: [[<deetah>, <297659>]]
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