[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Flip Turn
move 2: Liquidation
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Close Combat / Drill Run
item: Choice Band
ability: Primordial Sea
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Barraskewda is a strong offensive pivot, revenge killer, and late-game cleaner with powerful rain-boosted STAB moves and an incredible Speed tier. Flip Turn is an especially deadly move as Barraskewda can pivot out while massively damaging non-Water-immune checks like Swampert. Barraskewda's other strong STAB moves in Liquidation and Aqua Jet mean that the opponent has to keep their Water-resistant Pokemon healthy so that their team isn't completely overwhelmed. Barraskewda's coverage moves are mostly used as insurance against Water Absorb users like Excadrill and Desolate Land users such as Heatran. Close Combat is the best coverage option due to its high Base Power and ability to hit Heatran and Ferrothorn hard. Drill Run is another option to hit Toxapex and bulky Heatran harder.
Barraskewda is often paired with special powerhouses like Sheer Force Tapu Lele, Psychic Surge Azelf, and specially offensive Genesect, which succeed versus Pokemon that check Barraskewda like Tapu Fini and Corviknight. The combination of their special prowess and Barraskewda's pivoting leads to deadly offensive cores. Barraskewda commonly finds itself on VoltTurn cores, synergizing well with Genesect, Landorus-T, and offensive Zapdos. Barraskewda also benefits from teammates that check Fire-types and cover its Desolate Land weakness like Nihilego and Garchomp, which can punish them by setting entry hazards. Since Barraskewda's main job as a pivot and revenge killer involves a lot of switching, it benefits from entry hazard removers and slow pivots. Defensive pivots such as Swampert and Landorus-T are able to preserve momentum and set up entry hazards. softening up foes. Dauntless Shield Mew and Intimidate Corviknight are great partners because of their physical bulk, reliable recovery, and Defog. On Barraskewda's own team, Pokemon like Tapu Fini offer Defog, while Magic Bounce users such as Blissey and Mew act as entry hazard deterrents with the option to run slow pivot moves such as Teleport, U-turn, and Volt Switch.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Scarf can be used to make Adamant Barraskewda faster than the entire unboosted metagame. However, using Choice Scarf instead of Choice Band severely limits Barraskewda's potential to KO, as it already outspeeds a majority of the format.
Psychic Fangs is another coverage option, but its uses are limited to only hitting Toxapex. However, it only has a small chance to 2HKO, and Prankster Recover immediately heals any significant damage.
Magic Guard + Life Orb sets, while significantly weaker, help solve Barraskewda's biggest issue of longevity by bypassing hazards and Rocky Helmet. It offers much less breaking power, but better sustainability if that is what your team needs.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Toxapex**: Toxapex is Barraskewda's worst nightmare, sporting sky-high physical bulk and a resistance to Water moves. Its chance to burn with Scald and access to Prankster healing and status-inducing moves mean it will usually come out on top.
**Water-immune Pokemon**: Desolate Land and abilities that grant Water immunity are able to completely sap Barraskewda's momentum.
**Bulky Water-type Checks**: Pokemon that resist Water and aren't weak to Barraskewda's coverage options, such as Tapu Fini, are almost always free to switch in and heal the damage done.
**Rocky Helmet Users**: One of Barraskewda's largest weaknesses is residual damage, and Rocky Helmet users such as Mew, Tapu Fini, Swampert, and Corviknight are able to punish Barraskewda for using Flip Turn. This damage racks up over the course of the game, making Barraskewda less of a threat.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[berry, 226455], [UT, 523866]
- Quality checked by: [[Thinkerino, 375662], [The Number Man, 475804]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [Kris,241023]]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Flip Turn
move 2: Liquidation
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Close Combat / Drill Run
item: Choice Band
ability: Primordial Sea
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Barraskewda is a strong offensive pivot, revenge killer, and late-game cleaner with powerful rain-boosted STAB moves and an incredible Speed tier. Flip Turn is an especially deadly move as Barraskewda can pivot out while massively damaging non-Water-immune checks like Swampert. Barraskewda's other strong STAB moves in Liquidation and Aqua Jet mean that the opponent has to keep their Water-resistant Pokemon healthy so that their team isn't completely overwhelmed. Barraskewda's coverage moves are mostly used as insurance against Water Absorb users like Excadrill and Desolate Land users such as Heatran. Close Combat is the best coverage option due to its high Base Power and ability to hit Heatran and Ferrothorn hard. Drill Run is another option to hit Toxapex and bulky Heatran harder.
Barraskewda is often paired with special powerhouses like Sheer Force Tapu Lele, Psychic Surge Azelf, and specially offensive Genesect, which succeed versus Pokemon that check Barraskewda like Tapu Fini and Corviknight. The combination of their special prowess and Barraskewda's pivoting leads to deadly offensive cores. Barraskewda commonly finds itself on VoltTurn cores, synergizing well with Genesect, Landorus-T, and offensive Zapdos. Barraskewda also benefits from teammates that check Fire-types and cover its Desolate Land weakness like Nihilego and Garchomp, which can punish them by setting entry hazards. Since Barraskewda's main job as a pivot and revenge killer involves a lot of switching, it benefits from entry hazard removers and slow pivots. Defensive pivots such as Swampert and Landorus-T are able to preserve momentum and set up entry hazards. softening up foes. Dauntless Shield Mew and Intimidate Corviknight are great partners because of their physical bulk, reliable recovery, and Defog. On Barraskewda's own team, Pokemon like Tapu Fini offer Defog, while Magic Bounce users such as Blissey and Mew act as entry hazard deterrents with the option to run slow pivot moves such as Teleport, U-turn, and Volt Switch.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Scarf can be used to make Adamant Barraskewda faster than the entire unboosted metagame. However, using Choice Scarf instead of Choice Band severely limits Barraskewda's potential to KO, as it already outspeeds a majority of the format.
Psychic Fangs is another coverage option, but its uses are limited to only hitting Toxapex. However, it only has a small chance to 2HKO, and Prankster Recover immediately heals any significant damage.
Magic Guard + Life Orb sets, while significantly weaker, help solve Barraskewda's biggest issue of longevity by bypassing hazards and Rocky Helmet. It offers much less breaking power, but better sustainability if that is what your team needs.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Toxapex**: Toxapex is Barraskewda's worst nightmare, sporting sky-high physical bulk and a resistance to Water moves. Its chance to burn with Scald and access to Prankster healing and status-inducing moves mean it will usually come out on top.
**Water-immune Pokemon**: Desolate Land and abilities that grant Water immunity are able to completely sap Barraskewda's momentum.
**Bulky Water-type Checks**: Pokemon that resist Water and aren't weak to Barraskewda's coverage options, such as Tapu Fini, are almost always free to switch in and heal the damage done.
**Rocky Helmet Users**: One of Barraskewda's largest weaknesses is residual damage, and Rocky Helmet users such as Mew, Tapu Fini, Swampert, and Corviknight are able to punish Barraskewda for using Flip Turn. This damage racks up over the course of the game, making Barraskewda less of a threat.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[berry, 226455], [UT, 523866]
- Quality checked by: [[Thinkerino, 375662], [The Number Man, 475804]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [Kris,241023]]
Last edited:
