[SET]
Wall (Articuno) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Dragon / Steel
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Roost
- Freeze-Dry
- U-turn
- Haze / Roar
[SET COMMENTS]
Articuno's amazing bulk and reliable recovery make it a solid wall against special attackers like Tatsugiri, Venusaur, and Shaymin in spite of its bad typing, differentiating it from more popular walls like Milotic and Snorlax. Freeze-Dry has the best combination of coverage and power of any of Articuno's attacks, dealing good damage against foes like Cramorant and Palossand while deterring physical attackers like Rhydon and Bruxish from switching in. U-turn helps Articuno avoid conceding momentum, taking advantage of switch-ins like Paldean Tauros-F and Rotom-H, and its massive special bulk makes it a good defensive pivot against special attackers such as Florges and Alolan Ninetales. Haze or Roar shuts down setup sweepers like Quiver Dance Venomoth and Terastallized Tatsugiri; Haze doesn't force Articuno to take a hit, while Roar can rack up chip damage from entry hazards and further waste the HP of Substitute users like Uxie. Tera Dragon grants Articuno several new resistances so it can check Fire- and Electric-type special attackers like Delphox, Rotom-H, and Hisuian Electrode. Alternatively, Tera Steel improves Articuno's matchups against Alolan Ninetales and Hisuian Braviary, gives it a useful Toxic immunity for its responsibilities as a wall, and provides a Stealth Rock resistance that allows it to continue functioning as a defensive pivot even if it loses its item. However, the newfound weaknesses from Terastallizing can compromise some of Articuno's good matchups, as Tera Dragon makes it vulnerable to Tatsugiri and Ice-type move users like Alolan Ninetales and Milotic, while Tera Steel makes Articuno weak to Earth Power from Shaymin and Venusaur as well as STAB moves from bulky Ground-types like Mudsdale and Palossand.
Bulkier teams can rely on Articuno as a solid pivot and blanket check to special attackers. Physically defensive Pokemon like Mudsdale complement Articuno, appreciating that it can handle special attackers like Whimsicott and Shaymin for them while they answer physical attackers like Arcanine and Rhydon for it. Articuno's reliance on Freeze-Dry and passivity mean it invites in Fire-types, so it appreciates checks to them; Snorlax and Rhydon can answer specially offensive Fire-types like Rotom-H and Delphox, while Palossand and Cramorant can answer physically offensive ones like Arcanine and Paldean Tauros-F. Articuno can even bring these partners in to freely take advantage of its checks with U-turn. As a defensive pivot, Articuno excels at bringing in strong wallbreakers like Pawmot, Golurk, and Zoroark on other special walls, such as Porygon2 and Snorlax. Other wallbreakers like Paldean Tauros-F and Hariyama excel at breaking Alolan Sandslash, which Articuno invites in. Other pivots, including Rotom-H, Hisuian Decidueye, and Ambipom, can form VoltTurn cores with Articuno, forcing opponents using common defensive cores to continuously react to their low-risk pivot moves.
Wall (Articuno) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Dragon / Steel
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Roost
- Freeze-Dry
- U-turn
- Haze / Roar
[SET COMMENTS]
Articuno's amazing bulk and reliable recovery make it a solid wall against special attackers like Tatsugiri, Venusaur, and Shaymin in spite of its bad typing, differentiating it from more popular walls like Milotic and Snorlax. Freeze-Dry has the best combination of coverage and power of any of Articuno's attacks, dealing good damage against foes like Cramorant and Palossand while deterring physical attackers like Rhydon and Bruxish from switching in. U-turn helps Articuno avoid conceding momentum, taking advantage of switch-ins like Paldean Tauros-F and Rotom-H, and its massive special bulk makes it a good defensive pivot against special attackers such as Florges and Alolan Ninetales. Haze or Roar shuts down setup sweepers like Quiver Dance Venomoth and Terastallized Tatsugiri; Haze doesn't force Articuno to take a hit, while Roar can rack up chip damage from entry hazards and further waste the HP of Substitute users like Uxie. Tera Dragon grants Articuno several new resistances so it can check Fire- and Electric-type special attackers like Delphox, Rotom-H, and Hisuian Electrode. Alternatively, Tera Steel improves Articuno's matchups against Alolan Ninetales and Hisuian Braviary, gives it a useful Toxic immunity for its responsibilities as a wall, and provides a Stealth Rock resistance that allows it to continue functioning as a defensive pivot even if it loses its item. However, the newfound weaknesses from Terastallizing can compromise some of Articuno's good matchups, as Tera Dragon makes it vulnerable to Tatsugiri and Ice-type move users like Alolan Ninetales and Milotic, while Tera Steel makes Articuno weak to Earth Power from Shaymin and Venusaur as well as STAB moves from bulky Ground-types like Mudsdale and Palossand.
Bulkier teams can rely on Articuno as a solid pivot and blanket check to special attackers. Physically defensive Pokemon like Mudsdale complement Articuno, appreciating that it can handle special attackers like Whimsicott and Shaymin for them while they answer physical attackers like Arcanine and Rhydon for it. Articuno's reliance on Freeze-Dry and passivity mean it invites in Fire-types, so it appreciates checks to them; Snorlax and Rhydon can answer specially offensive Fire-types like Rotom-H and Delphox, while Palossand and Cramorant can answer physically offensive ones like Arcanine and Paldean Tauros-F. Articuno can even bring these partners in to freely take advantage of its checks with U-turn. As a defensive pivot, Articuno excels at bringing in strong wallbreakers like Pawmot, Golurk, and Zoroark on other special walls, such as Porygon2 and Snorlax. Other wallbreakers like Paldean Tauros-F and Hariyama excel at breaking Alolan Sandslash, which Articuno invites in. Other pivots, including Rotom-H, Hisuian Decidueye, and Ambipom, can form VoltTurn cores with Articuno, forcing opponents using common defensive cores to continuously react to their low-risk pivot moves.
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