[OVERVIEW]
Pressure + Defog gives Articuno a solid niche on defensive teams to PP stall entry hazard setters such as Hippowdon, making it a capable solo or primary Defogger. Alongside this, Pressure bleeds the PP of opposing hazard removers such as Salamence and Mandibuzz, which helps its teammates' hazards stay up, enables Spikes semi-stall playstyles, and lets Articuno dominate hazard control against opposing defensive teams. Heal Bell provides more crucial utility, and it works amazingly with Pressure, allowing Articuno to beat Toxic users such as Hippowdon one-on-one. Further still, Articuno is a crucial secondary check to Pokemon like Primarina, Salamence, Gyarados, and even Azelf against teams that use a Stealth Rock setter it counters, such as Hippowdon, Chansey, or Registeel. However, Articuno struggles with some other hazard setters in Nihilego, Cobalion, and Spikes + Iron Defense Skarmory. Its Stealth Rock weakness also makes it an unreliable Defogger against the more common Taunt variants of Stealth Rock Krookodile, given Knock Off and Articuno's reliance on Heavy-Duty Boots, although Krookodile still fears Freeze-Dry when using Taunt. Without a second hazard remover such as Flygon alongside Articuno, Spikes teams often rely on using the overwhelming threat of their own hazards to win the hazards war, forcing the opponent to remove these hazards instead of setting their own. Due to its typing, Articuno can also be exploited or set up on by threats like Scizor, Cobalion, and Nihilego, which only fear a freeze from repeated Freeze-Dry usage, mandating solid defensive support.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Freeze-Dry
move 2: Defog
move 3: Heal Bell
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Pressure
nature: Calm
evs: 248 HP / 204 SpD / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Freeze-Dry lets Articuno threaten Pokemon such as Primarina, Amoonguss, and Zarude. Its 10% freeze chance is low at face value, but adds up over a long game versus threats like Scizor, which commonly switch into it, due to its high PP. Defog alongside Pressure lets Articuno beat entry hazard setters like Hippowdon and Chansey one-on-one, and even against teams with other setters, its defensive profile lets it Defog on Pokemon like Primarina and Amoonguss. With Heal Bell and Pressure, Articuno can safely PP stall any one Pokemon's Toxic while offering key cleric support to teammates, opening up superior move options on teammates such as Toxic on Umbreon and Stealth Rock on Chansey. 56 Speed EVs let Articuno outspeed Choice Specs Primarina, and high Special Defense investment with a Calm helps it check Pokemon such as Primarina and Salamence. Articuno can opt to run 204 Defense EVs instead with a Bold nature to improve its matchup versus Dragon Dance Gyarados and Salamence, but this should only be done on teams without Umbreon to handle them, as it lowers Articuno's ability to switch into Defog Salamence as reliably.
Articuno fits primarily on semi-stall and stall teams that appreciate a Defogger that beats Hippowdon solo while compressing Heal Bell support. Skarmory is a fantastic fit alongside it, checking Pokemon such as Conkeldurr and Swords Dance Scizor with Iron Defense. Skarmory values Articuno letting it run Spikes over Defog, as well as bleeding the PP of Defog users such as Salamence and Mandibuzz, helping its Spikes stay up more easily. Defensive wallbreakers such as Taunt Jellicent, Hex Chandelure, and Calm Mind Galarian Slowbro appreciate Articuno enabling Spikes Skarmory, helping them break through opposing teams. Jellicent, in particular, provides key defensive value as a check to threats such as Keldeo, Cobalion, and Scizor, and it appreciates Articuno clearing it of status it may pick up from Pokemon like Skarmory and Amoonguss, while Galarian Slowbro can double up as a late-game wincon and appreciates Articuno checking Hippowdon. On full stall teams, secondary Defog users such as Skarmory and Flygon cover entry hazard setters Articuno cannot beat. Iron Defense Skarmory can help beat Excadrill and opposing Skarmory, while Flygon can counter Nihilego and beat pivot Thundurus-T and opposing Skarmory. Primary special walls such as Umbreon and Chansey are important to check threats such as Moltres and Chandelure and not have Articuno overwhelmed by Salamence and Primarina. Umbreon can offer Wish support to Articuno and check threats such as Swords Dance + Knock Off Scizor, while Chansey can provide a Stealth Rock setter. Ground-types such as Hippowdon and Quagsire can check Pokemon such as non-Grass Knot Thundurus-T and Nihilego, and Rotom-H for Articuno. Hippowdon can also provide Stealth Rock support and a Hatterene answer with its Rocky Helmet sets, while Quagsire can reliably counter Pokemon like Swords Dance Cobalion and Scizor and Calm Mind Galarian Slowbro.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Haze is an option to check Pokemon such as Calm Mind + Rest Primarina and Calm Mind Galarian Slowbro, but Articuno can struggle to fit it over Heal Bell, which is required to beat Hippowdon. Articuno can be run on VoltTurn teams with U-turn over Heal Bell, letting it maintain momentum and generate switch-in opportunities for threats such as Diggersby and Chandelure while Defogging for them. Articuno also provides these teams a key switch-in to Primarina, which they struggle to fit when using Zarude as their Grass-type. Articuno can optionally run Heal Bell instead of U-turn on these structures to reliably Defog against Hippowdon and support teammates such as Scizor, letting it be more aggressive with switching into Slowking's Scald and attacking Moltres, but losing U-turn leaves Articuno much more passive.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Due to its low power and lack of coverage, Articuno can be setup fodder for Steel-types such as Scizor and Cobalion. In addition to this, Steel-types such as Cobalion, Excadrill, and Jirachi are Stealth Rock setters Articuno cannot beat. Celesteela takes little damage from Freeze-Dry despite not resisting it and can pressure Articuno heavily, and Iron Defense Skarmory can boost up against and beat Articuno to keep Spikes up. Skarmory must, however, be wary of Freeze-Dry damage due to its poor Special Defense, and non-Iron Defense variants are unable to keep Spikes up versus Articuno, since they can't threaten it enough with Body Press.
**Nihilego**: Nihilego can shrug off any damage Articuno can throw at it with its massive special bulk, reliably keeping Stealth Rock up against it, while forcing Articuno out with its Rock-type STAB moves. Nihilego can use the multiple free turns Articuno gives it to either debilitate key teammates with Knock Off + coverage or set up with Meteor Beam.
**Knock Off and Stealth Rock**: Articuno's 4x weakness to Stealth Rock leaves it uncomfortable against Krookodile, which can remove its Heavy-Duty Boots with Knock Off and potentially stop it from Defogging with Taunt and good prediction, but it must be wary of Freeze-Dry. Pokemon like Azelf and Tangrowth that Articuno can usually check are able to force it out with Knock Off if they are paired with an entry hazard setter that Articuno's team cannot beat.
**Electric-types**: Thundurus-T cannot switch into Articuno safely, given its Ice weakness, but can threaten Articuno with its Electric-type moves and Knock Off. Raikou also pressures Articuno with Thunderbolt. Rotom-H can shrug off anything Articuno can throw at it, but it can't directly harm Articuno without Nasty Plot due to its low Special Attack.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Estarossa, 461329]]
- Quality checked by: [[Monky25, 515132], [Mystras Leoxses, 530118]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Adeleine, 517429], [UT, 523866]]
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