[OVERVIEW]
Blastoise distinguishes itself as one of NU's most durable spinners, allowing its team to retain entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field even after removing hazards on its own side. Blastoise's access to Refresh allows it to switch into and mitigate Toxic damage from Slowbro, Silvally-Steel, and Altaria without being worn down excessively itself. Its solid defensive stats and Water typing allow it to serve as a check to Fire-types such as Houndoom and switch into Stealth Rock users such as Rhydon, Steelix, and Piloswine. However, Blastoise's mediocre offensive stats mean that it is setup bait for sweepers such as Toxicroak and Sceptile. Blastoise's lack of access to any recovery beyond Leftovers and Z-Refresh means it is often easy to wear down through switching into Stealth Rock multiple times and taking enemy attacks.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Rapid Spin
move 4: Refresh
item: Leftovers / Normalium Z
ability: Torrent
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald allows Blastoise to threaten Fire-types with super effective damage, hits the majority of NU Stealth Rock users such as Rhydon and Steelix for super effective damage, and dissuades some foes from switching in due to its burn chance. Toxic allows Blastoise to wear down many of its switch-ins and is Blastoise's most effective way of wearing down bulky Water-types such as Slowbro and Vaporeon. Rapid Spin allows Blastoise to keep its side of the field free from entry hazards while retaining hazards on the opponent's side, supporting teammates such as Scyther. Refresh allows Blastoise to keep itself free of any status, allowing it to easily switch into Toxic from Pokemon such as Slowbro. When coupled with Normalium Z, Blastoise can use Z-Refresh to fully heal itself once.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP and Defense EVs with a Bold nature allow Blastoise to maximize its physical bulk, letting it switch into Pokemon such as Rhydon and Steelix more easily. Leftovers is Blastoise's main method of recovery, keeping it healthy throughout many switches into Stealth Rock. Normalium Z turns Refresh into a one-time 100% recovery move and minimizes Knock Off damage, allowing Blastoise to keep a form of recovery even after switching into Knock Off from foes such as Sneasel, albeit at the cost of more consistent recovery and the team's Z-Crystal.
Usage Tips
========
As Blastoise matches up well against most Stealth Rock setters, one should generally aim to bring it in on them, both to threaten them out and minimize Stealth Rock damage. The combination of Refresh and Toxic can help Blastoise to successfully badly poison Pokemon such as Slowbro and Vaporeon without worrying about being badly poisoned itself. Make sure that your team needs Rapid Spin support, as otherwise Blastoise is heavily outclassed by its competing Water-types such as Slowbro, while Defog support can often be found elsewhere. If using Leftovers, make sure that Blastoise is not hit by Knock Off early-game, as that will leave it especially prone to being worn down very quickly by enemy attacks and hazards. Given its 30% burn chance and decent power, Scald is a very safe move to use, as it can often get a burn off against a foe even if they resist it and will often still deal good chip damage. If using Normalium Z, Blastoise is more able to switch into Knock Off users such as Sneasel, although it needs to time its usage of Z-Refresh carefully, as it has no other recovery.
Team Options
========
Blastoise is somewhat unique in NU as a bulky Rapid Spinner and as such excels on teams that need entry hazard removal but want to use multiple hazards themselves. Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Garbodor both set up Spikes for Blastoise as well as switch into many of the Grass-types that threaten it. Pokemon that need hazard removal such as Sneasel, Scyther, Vivillon, and Incineroar greatly appreciate Blastoise's support, with many of them also serving as good switch-ins to Grass-types. Pokemon that can take on Grass-types, such as Golbat and Garbodor, help to cover up Blastoise's weakness to them, while Blastoise can often cover up defensive holes thanks to its stats and typing. Good answers to Toxicroak, such as Golbat, Slowbro, and Scyther, are needed when using Blastoise. As Blastoise is able to handle Pokemon such as Gigalith, Diancie, and Steelix, Pokemon that struggle with these such as Braviary and Incineroar can make great partners.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Calm Nature and an EV spread of 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpD can be run to allow Blastoise to switch into Slowbro more easily, giving it more opportunities to spin away entry hazards at the cost of taking more damage from Pokemon such as Gigalith and Steelix. Running 252 Special Attack and Speed EVs along with a Modest nature and Life Orb allows Blastoise to threaten opposing teams with its good special movepool, hitting Slowbro with Dark Pulse and Whimsicott with Ice Beam. This increase in offensive power also allows Blastoise to utilize Spikes support from teammates such as Garbodor and Ferroseed, but the lack of recovery and decrease in bulk leaves this set vulnerable to getting worn down significantly faster than other sets. Foresight allows Blastoise to use Rapid Spin against Ghost-types; however, giving up Refresh means Blastoise is significantly more vulnerable to Toxic, making it often not worth giving up. The combination of Rest and Sleep Talk offers Blastoise a long-term solution to being worn down, but it often cannot justify giving up Toxic, as this greatly reduces its ability to threaten common switch-ins. Haze, Roar, and Dragon Tail are suitable ways to prevent Blastoise from being setup bait for Pokemon such as Toxicroak and Braviary, although Blastoise would be forced to give up Refresh, making its matchup against Slowbro much worse.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Sceptile and Whimsicott generally take little damage from Scald and threaten Blastoise with super effective STAB attacks, making them generally good answers to it.
**Water-immune Pokemon**: Toxicroak takes next to nothing from anything Blastoise can do to it and threatens heavy damage with Gunk Shot, and it also threatens to set up on Blastoise with Swords Dance or Nasty Plot. Heliolisk fears nothing from Blastoise beyond Toxic, as Dry Skin heals Heliolisk if hit with Scald, and it threatens Blastoise with super effective Electric-type attacks.
**Ghost-types**: Unless using Foresight, Blastoise cannot use Rapid Spin against Ghost-types, nullifying its primary use on a team. Mismagius stands out, as it can use Taunt on Blastoise to prevent it from using Toxic and has the power to quickly wear Blastoise down, preventing it from spinning. Rotom can also hit Blastoise with super effective Electric-type attacks, quickly wearing it down.
**Strong Attackers**: As Blastoise only has access to Leftovers and Z-Refresh for recovery, it can be quickly worn down by attackers such as Vikavolt and Guzzlord that can pressure it enough that it does not have a chance to spin.
Blastoise distinguishes itself as one of NU's most durable spinners, allowing its team to retain entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field even after removing hazards on its own side. Blastoise's access to Refresh allows it to switch into and mitigate Toxic damage from Slowbro, Silvally-Steel, and Altaria without being worn down excessively itself. Its solid defensive stats and Water typing allow it to serve as a check to Fire-types such as Houndoom and switch into Stealth Rock users such as Rhydon, Steelix, and Piloswine. However, Blastoise's mediocre offensive stats mean that it is setup bait for sweepers such as Toxicroak and Sceptile. Blastoise's lack of access to any recovery beyond Leftovers and Z-Refresh means it is often easy to wear down through switching into Stealth Rock multiple times and taking enemy attacks.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Rapid Spin
move 4: Refresh
item: Leftovers / Normalium Z
ability: Torrent
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald allows Blastoise to threaten Fire-types with super effective damage, hits the majority of NU Stealth Rock users such as Rhydon and Steelix for super effective damage, and dissuades some foes from switching in due to its burn chance. Toxic allows Blastoise to wear down many of its switch-ins and is Blastoise's most effective way of wearing down bulky Water-types such as Slowbro and Vaporeon. Rapid Spin allows Blastoise to keep its side of the field free from entry hazards while retaining hazards on the opponent's side, supporting teammates such as Scyther. Refresh allows Blastoise to keep itself free of any status, allowing it to easily switch into Toxic from Pokemon such as Slowbro. When coupled with Normalium Z, Blastoise can use Z-Refresh to fully heal itself once.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP and Defense EVs with a Bold nature allow Blastoise to maximize its physical bulk, letting it switch into Pokemon such as Rhydon and Steelix more easily. Leftovers is Blastoise's main method of recovery, keeping it healthy throughout many switches into Stealth Rock. Normalium Z turns Refresh into a one-time 100% recovery move and minimizes Knock Off damage, allowing Blastoise to keep a form of recovery even after switching into Knock Off from foes such as Sneasel, albeit at the cost of more consistent recovery and the team's Z-Crystal.
Usage Tips
========
As Blastoise matches up well against most Stealth Rock setters, one should generally aim to bring it in on them, both to threaten them out and minimize Stealth Rock damage. The combination of Refresh and Toxic can help Blastoise to successfully badly poison Pokemon such as Slowbro and Vaporeon without worrying about being badly poisoned itself. Make sure that your team needs Rapid Spin support, as otherwise Blastoise is heavily outclassed by its competing Water-types such as Slowbro, while Defog support can often be found elsewhere. If using Leftovers, make sure that Blastoise is not hit by Knock Off early-game, as that will leave it especially prone to being worn down very quickly by enemy attacks and hazards. Given its 30% burn chance and decent power, Scald is a very safe move to use, as it can often get a burn off against a foe even if they resist it and will often still deal good chip damage. If using Normalium Z, Blastoise is more able to switch into Knock Off users such as Sneasel, although it needs to time its usage of Z-Refresh carefully, as it has no other recovery.
Team Options
========
Blastoise is somewhat unique in NU as a bulky Rapid Spinner and as such excels on teams that need entry hazard removal but want to use multiple hazards themselves. Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Garbodor both set up Spikes for Blastoise as well as switch into many of the Grass-types that threaten it. Pokemon that need hazard removal such as Sneasel, Scyther, Vivillon, and Incineroar greatly appreciate Blastoise's support, with many of them also serving as good switch-ins to Grass-types. Pokemon that can take on Grass-types, such as Golbat and Garbodor, help to cover up Blastoise's weakness to them, while Blastoise can often cover up defensive holes thanks to its stats and typing. Good answers to Toxicroak, such as Golbat, Slowbro, and Scyther, are needed when using Blastoise. As Blastoise is able to handle Pokemon such as Gigalith, Diancie, and Steelix, Pokemon that struggle with these such as Braviary and Incineroar can make great partners.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Calm Nature and an EV spread of 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpD can be run to allow Blastoise to switch into Slowbro more easily, giving it more opportunities to spin away entry hazards at the cost of taking more damage from Pokemon such as Gigalith and Steelix. Running 252 Special Attack and Speed EVs along with a Modest nature and Life Orb allows Blastoise to threaten opposing teams with its good special movepool, hitting Slowbro with Dark Pulse and Whimsicott with Ice Beam. This increase in offensive power also allows Blastoise to utilize Spikes support from teammates such as Garbodor and Ferroseed, but the lack of recovery and decrease in bulk leaves this set vulnerable to getting worn down significantly faster than other sets. Foresight allows Blastoise to use Rapid Spin against Ghost-types; however, giving up Refresh means Blastoise is significantly more vulnerable to Toxic, making it often not worth giving up. The combination of Rest and Sleep Talk offers Blastoise a long-term solution to being worn down, but it often cannot justify giving up Toxic, as this greatly reduces its ability to threaten common switch-ins. Haze, Roar, and Dragon Tail are suitable ways to prevent Blastoise from being setup bait for Pokemon such as Toxicroak and Braviary, although Blastoise would be forced to give up Refresh, making its matchup against Slowbro much worse.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Sceptile and Whimsicott generally take little damage from Scald and threaten Blastoise with super effective STAB attacks, making them generally good answers to it.
**Water-immune Pokemon**: Toxicroak takes next to nothing from anything Blastoise can do to it and threatens heavy damage with Gunk Shot, and it also threatens to set up on Blastoise with Swords Dance or Nasty Plot. Heliolisk fears nothing from Blastoise beyond Toxic, as Dry Skin heals Heliolisk if hit with Scald, and it threatens Blastoise with super effective Electric-type attacks.
**Ghost-types**: Unless using Foresight, Blastoise cannot use Rapid Spin against Ghost-types, nullifying its primary use on a team. Mismagius stands out, as it can use Taunt on Blastoise to prevent it from using Toxic and has the power to quickly wear Blastoise down, preventing it from spinning. Rotom can also hit Blastoise with super effective Electric-type attacks, quickly wearing it down.
**Strong Attackers**: As Blastoise only has access to Leftovers and Z-Refresh for recovery, it can be quickly worn down by attackers such as Vikavolt and Guzzlord that can pressure it enough that it does not have a chance to spin.
Last edited:
