This should've been done a year ago but w/e.
Yes, I actually play the game despite being picked for a defensive role, how could you tell?
[SET]
name: Offensive Tank
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Earthquake / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Adamant
evs: 204 HP / 32 Atk / 160 Def / 112 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Buzzwole's unique typing gives it an important defensive role on more offensive teams, being able to safely switch into and repeatedly wall dangerous physical attackers such as Swords Dance Aegislash, Zarude, and Krookodile, while not being particularly passive. Thanks to its great Attack stat and additional coverage options in Ice Punch and Earthquake to threaten would be safe switch-ins such as Salamence and Galarian Slowbro, Buzzwole becomes excellent at providing these archetypes a safe backbone to fall back on without losing momentum as a result. Close Combat is Buzzwole's main STAB move of choice, notably 2HKOing even rather bulky walls such as Rotom-W and Celesteela after Stealth Rock. Ice Punch has great type synergy with Close Combat, threatening Pokemon such as Mega Altaria, Amoonguss, and Salamence, while enabling it to also check Dragon Dance variants of the latter locked into Outrage and Tapu Bulu in a pinch. Earthquake rounds out Buzzwole's coverage by allowing it to also hit Ghost-types like Aegislash and Chandelure super effectively, preventing them from being able to freely switch into it. Alternatively, Toxic can be used as a safer midground option against the likes of common bulky pivots in Moltres, physically defensive Tangrowth, and Slowking, but makes Buzzwole complete setup fodder for Aegislash and Galarian Slowbro. Roost gives Buzzwole some much need staying power, allowing it to heal off chip damage from repeated attacks, pivoting moves and entry hazards. Rocky Helmet is the main item on this set, further punishing U-turn attempts from Pokemon such as Urshifu-R lacking Protective Pads, Scizor, and Zarude, notably deterring the former from using Surging Strikes, while Heavy-Duty Boots can also be utilized to avoid being crippled by entry hazards and Sticky Web, preventing Buzzwole from being potentially overwhelmed in the mid-game. The given EV spread allows Buzzwole to outspeed offensive Aegislash, 2HKO bulky Leftovers variants with Earthquake after Stealth Rock, and raise its Attack with Beast Boost after knocking out a Pokemon.
Buzzwole fits best on bulky offense and balance teams which enjoy having its good offensive qualities and physical walling prowess against the plethora of Steel- and Dark-types in the tier, including the likes of offensive Scizor, Bisharp, and Krookodile. Since Buzzwole is very weak to special attackers such as Nihilego and Mega Altaria, and is threatened greatly by Future Sight while it is in effect, teammates such as Celesteela and Slowking which can absorb these attacks for it, make for good options, with both Pokemon appreciating Buzzwole's ability to handle threatening physical attackers such as Bulk Up Zarude and Choice Band Terrakion in return, making either combination immensely reliable at checking huge portions of the metagame as a result. Other Pokemon like Rotom-W, Rotom-H, and Rhyperior can also assist Buzzwole in this regard, dealing with problematic Fire- and Flying-types such as Moltres and Salamence, while providing additonal support for Buzzwole's offensive capabilities with Volt Switch pivoting in the case for the former two and Stealth Rock support with the latter. Grass-types like Amoonguss, Tangrowth, and Zarude can help Buzzwole out by absorbing status from the likes of Slowking and Zeraora, with the former two also providing additional backup against Taunt + Protective Pads variants of Urshifu-R attempting to wear down Buzzwole throughout the game. Lastly, other offensive teammates such as Aegislash and Azelf are some of the many examples of Pokemon which appreciate the ability to fall back on Buzzwole against the myriad of Steel and Dark-types that otherwise threaten them, both also being able to cripple and wear down some of Buzzwole's checks in Moltres and Slowking in return with King's Shield + Toxic or Knock Off, respectively.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Earthquake / Darkest Lariat
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Between its enormous Attack stat, great coverage, and decent Speed tier, Life Orb Buzzwole is one of the most dangerous wallbreakers in the tier, having next to no safe switch-ins barring Moltres and Galarian Weezing. Additionally, Buzzwole's solid physical bulk and ability to consistently switch into other threats such as Scizor and Zarude gives it many chances to fire off its attacks throughout a game. Ice Punch cleanly 2HKOes bulky Mega Altaria and physically defensive Amoonguss on the switch, while also OHKOing Salamence. Earthquake rounds out Buzzwole's coverage by hitting the Ghost and Poison-types that otherwise don't mind any of Buzzwole's attacks, like Aegislash, Galarian Slowbro, and Tentacruel. Alternatively, Darkest Lariat can be used over Earthquake to also hit Psychic-types such as Deoxys-D and Reuniclus while still retaining the super effective hit on Ghost-types such as Aegislash and Chandelure, although it should be wary of King's Shield or Flame Body from the latter two. An Adamant nature is preferred since Buzzwole already outspeeds many Pokemon that it threatens to KO with just maximum Speed investment, such as Rotom-W and Bisharp.
Life Orb Buzzwole fits best on offensive teams that appreciate its ability to destroy defensive cores while keeping plenty of important defensive utility against dangerous threats such as offensive Scizor and Mienshao. Pivots such as Rotom-W, Rotom-H, and Slowking can help Buzzwole get onto the field safely, as it does not want to risk being chipped while trying to switch in due its lower Speed against most faster Pokemon, otherwise being forced to Roost afterwards in order to stay healthy, thus risking the possibility of inviting in dangerous Pokemon such as Moltres and Amoonguss that the offensive teams Buzzwole thrives on cannot afford to reliably switch into. Slowking in particular stands out for its ability to check Fire- and Flying-types, also using Future Sight in order to further dissuade Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Galarian Weezing from attempting to switch in, easing the prediction game on Buzzwole and allowing it to more freely click Close Combat as a result. While Pokemon with access to Defog, such as Rotom-W, Salamence, and Volcanion, make for good teammates to consider as well, since damage from entry hazards can result in a similarly debilitating effect. Conversely, entry hazard support from the likes of Swampert and Roserade can also help out Buzzwole, notably allowing it to secure a 2HKO on physically defensive Tangrowth with Close Combat and an OHKO on offensive Aegislash with Earthquake. Lastly, powerful cleaners such as Swords Dance Scizor and Meteor Beam Nihilego appreciate Buzzwole's ability to soften up the opposition for them to more easily sweep late-game.
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Drain Punch / Close Combat
move 3: Thunder Punch / Ice Punch / Earthquake
move 4: Roost
item: Electrium Z / Icium Z / Rocky Helmet
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Bulk Up turns Buzzwole into a threatening setup sweeper against bulkier teams, taking advantage of the plethora of physical attackers in the tier such as Krookodile and Mienshao to become nearly unbreakable once faster special attackers are removed, while doubling as a mid-game threat that can utilize its expansive coverage options to lure in and take out certain walls such as Amoonguss with Subzero Slammer or Celesteela with Gigavolt Havoc after a boost, paving the way for another wincon such as Dragon Dance Mega Altaria if it cannot find opportunities to sweep itself. Drain Punch is Buzzwole's most reliable STAB move, giving Buzzwole a decently powerful attack to use after a few boosts without the side effects of a detrimental stat drop, while also giving it an extra source of recovery, but Close Combat is an option to threaten Swords Dance Scizor and Rhyperior attempting to overpower Buzzwole with brute force, although it can struggle to find much use otherwise. Thunder Punch is generally the best coverage move to pair with Buzzwole's Fighting STAB, allowing it to hit almost everything neutrally barring Amoonguss and Roserade, while also enabling it to take out Water- and Flying-types such as Slowking and Skarmory after a few boosts with Gigavolt Havoc. Whereas Ice Punch powered up into Subzero Slammer allows it to take on bulky Mega Altaria, Amoonguss, and Salamence, OHKOing the former two after a boost with entry hazards up and the latter on the switch. Earthquake can be used in the this slot to beat prevent Buzzwole from being walled by Aegislash and Galarian Slowbro, while still hitting Tentacruel super effectively, but misses out on Flying-types and other checks entirely, making it a worse coverage move overall. Additionally, Rocky Helmet can be considered over a Z-Crystal if the team already has another Z-move user, choosing to increase the amount of residual damage that Buzzwole can apply to other Pokemon clicking U-turn in an effort to wear it down instead. 112 Speed EVs allow Buzzwole to outspeed Modest Celesteela.
Bulk Up Buzzwole fits best on balance and semi-stall builds, since this set can risk sucking up momentum on other archetypes due to its lack of immediate power, providing teams with a solid answer to dangerous threats like Bulk Up Zarude, Life Orb Mienshao and Swords Dance Scizor. Additionally, said balance and semi-stall builds can often provide it with enough support against the Pokemon that Buzzwole chooses to be walled by depending on its coverage, allowing Buzzwole to focus on safely setting up and sweeping late-game. As such, Pokemon that can switch into or force out these special attackers like Slowking, or wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Primarina and offensive Moltres that are able to pressure these walls and break holes for Buzzwole to set up and sweep on the remaining opposition, both make for great teammates, appreciating the ability to fall back on Buzzwole against the likes of other Pokemon such as Zeraora and Choice Band Terrakion that would otherwise threaten them out in return. While other offensive Pokemon such as Mega Altaria and Zeraora appreciate Buzzwole's ability to remove certain walls like Amoonguss, being able to help out in a similar vein by weakening or crippling Pokemon such as physically defensive Hippowdon and physically defensive Tangrowth with their own attacks or Knock Off + Toxic in the latter's case, both otherwise being walls that Buzzwole is unable to get past without an unrealistic number of boosts, being annoyed by status in return, Mega Altaria can even use Heal Bell to prevent Buzzwole from being crippled by status, allowing it to stay in on and make more progress against certain walls such as Assault Vest Tangrowth without fearing status. Lastly, Knock Off users such as Scizor and Nihilego can lure in and remove Leftovers or Heavy-Duty Boots from Pokemon like Aegislash and Moltres, making it easier for Buzzwole to outlast or break past them in the late-game.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Protective Pads can be used over Rocky Helmet or Heavy-Duty Boots on the standard offensive set, as this allows Buzzwole to attack without the risk of being worn down by opposing Rocky Helmet users and especially Flame Body from Moltres, but will make Buzzwole more susceptible to getting overwhelmed by the residual damage from the likes of U-turn or entry hazards overtime. Leftovers can also be used to provide another type of safety net against U-turn and entry hazards, the passive recovery provided also preventing it from needing to use Roost as often, but only applies to long-term situations as opposed to being more immediately useful. Stone Edge can be used on offensive sets to lure in and OHKO Moltres, but is hard to justify over Buzzwole's other moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Flying-type Pokemon and coverage**: Faster Flying-types such as Moltres, Salamence, and Tornadus can outspeed and OHKO Buzzwole with STAB Hurricane, although the latter two should be wary of Buzzwole's coverage moves while trying to switch into it. Additionally, Buzzwole also needs to watch out for Flying-type coverage options in Dual Wingbeat from Pokemon that it is supposed to check like offensive Scizor.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Mega Altaria, Primarina, and Hatterene can usually take any one hit from Buzzwole in a pinch and threaten to KO it back with their STAB moves or use it as setup fodder in Hatterene's case. However, Mega Altaria cannot afford to switch into Ice Punch, while Primarina cannot take repeated hits from Buzzwole as effectively due to its significantly lower bulk and lack of instant recovery.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Chandelure and Jellicent can afford to pivot into either one of Close Combat or Ice Punch, outspeeding and threatening to KO Buzzwole, or crippling it with a Burn in the latter's case. However, Chandelure cannot afford to switch into either one of Earthquake or Darkest Lariat, while Jellicent also needs to be wary of switching into Toxic. Aegislash can be similarly troublesome for Buzzwole if it lacks the coverage needed to deal with it, King's Shield mindgames being especially annoying if Buzzwole is running Darkest Lariat.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Rotom-H and Volcanion can easily outspeed and revenge kill Buzzwole with their STAB attacks if given the proper entry to do so, being able to use setup moves as Buzzwole switches out.
**Future Sight**: Future Sight from the likes of Slowking, Galarian Slowbro, and Reuniclus will OHKO Buzzwole. While imminent, Buzzwole also cannot afford to switch into Pokemon like Urshifu-R and Choice Band Bisharp that it is otherwise tasked with handling.
**Special Attackers**: Due to Buzzwole's low Special Defense stat, powerful special attackers such as Keldeo, Mega Manectric, and Nidoking can all outspeed and easily threaten to KO Buzzwole, potentially using it as setup or free momentum as it switches.
**Status and Contact Effects**: Despite Buzzwole's impressive bulk, Pokemon like Zeraora and Krookodile which Buzzwole commonly switches into can often leave it crippled with a debilitating Toxic, forcing it to use Roost more in order to sustain itself. While other status and contact effects, such as poison from Amoonguss's Sludge Bomb and burn from Moltres's Flame Body, are able to neuter it similarly in the process.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Arishem, 546157]]
- Quality checked by: [[Pubo, 535121], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]
Yes, I actually play the game despite being picked for a defensive role, how could you tell?
[SET]
name: Offensive Tank
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Earthquake / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Adamant
evs: 204 HP / 32 Atk / 160 Def / 112 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Buzzwole's unique typing gives it an important defensive role on more offensive teams, being able to safely switch into and repeatedly wall dangerous physical attackers such as Swords Dance Aegislash, Zarude, and Krookodile, while not being particularly passive. Thanks to its great Attack stat and additional coverage options in Ice Punch and Earthquake to threaten would be safe switch-ins such as Salamence and Galarian Slowbro, Buzzwole becomes excellent at providing these archetypes a safe backbone to fall back on without losing momentum as a result. Close Combat is Buzzwole's main STAB move of choice, notably 2HKOing even rather bulky walls such as Rotom-W and Celesteela after Stealth Rock. Ice Punch has great type synergy with Close Combat, threatening Pokemon such as Mega Altaria, Amoonguss, and Salamence, while enabling it to also check Dragon Dance variants of the latter locked into Outrage and Tapu Bulu in a pinch. Earthquake rounds out Buzzwole's coverage by allowing it to also hit Ghost-types like Aegislash and Chandelure super effectively, preventing them from being able to freely switch into it. Alternatively, Toxic can be used as a safer midground option against the likes of common bulky pivots in Moltres, physically defensive Tangrowth, and Slowking, but makes Buzzwole complete setup fodder for Aegislash and Galarian Slowbro. Roost gives Buzzwole some much need staying power, allowing it to heal off chip damage from repeated attacks, pivoting moves and entry hazards. Rocky Helmet is the main item on this set, further punishing U-turn attempts from Pokemon such as Urshifu-R lacking Protective Pads, Scizor, and Zarude, notably deterring the former from using Surging Strikes, while Heavy-Duty Boots can also be utilized to avoid being crippled by entry hazards and Sticky Web, preventing Buzzwole from being potentially overwhelmed in the mid-game. The given EV spread allows Buzzwole to outspeed offensive Aegislash, 2HKO bulky Leftovers variants with Earthquake after Stealth Rock, and raise its Attack with Beast Boost after knocking out a Pokemon.
Buzzwole fits best on bulky offense and balance teams which enjoy having its good offensive qualities and physical walling prowess against the plethora of Steel- and Dark-types in the tier, including the likes of offensive Scizor, Bisharp, and Krookodile. Since Buzzwole is very weak to special attackers such as Nihilego and Mega Altaria, and is threatened greatly by Future Sight while it is in effect, teammates such as Celesteela and Slowking which can absorb these attacks for it, make for good options, with both Pokemon appreciating Buzzwole's ability to handle threatening physical attackers such as Bulk Up Zarude and Choice Band Terrakion in return, making either combination immensely reliable at checking huge portions of the metagame as a result. Other Pokemon like Rotom-W, Rotom-H, and Rhyperior can also assist Buzzwole in this regard, dealing with problematic Fire- and Flying-types such as Moltres and Salamence, while providing additonal support for Buzzwole's offensive capabilities with Volt Switch pivoting in the case for the former two and Stealth Rock support with the latter. Grass-types like Amoonguss, Tangrowth, and Zarude can help Buzzwole out by absorbing status from the likes of Slowking and Zeraora, with the former two also providing additional backup against Taunt + Protective Pads variants of Urshifu-R attempting to wear down Buzzwole throughout the game. Lastly, other offensive teammates such as Aegislash and Azelf are some of the many examples of Pokemon which appreciate the ability to fall back on Buzzwole against the myriad of Steel and Dark-types that otherwise threaten them, both also being able to cripple and wear down some of Buzzwole's checks in Moltres and Slowking in return with King's Shield + Toxic or Knock Off, respectively.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Earthquake / Darkest Lariat
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Between its enormous Attack stat, great coverage, and decent Speed tier, Life Orb Buzzwole is one of the most dangerous wallbreakers in the tier, having next to no safe switch-ins barring Moltres and Galarian Weezing. Additionally, Buzzwole's solid physical bulk and ability to consistently switch into other threats such as Scizor and Zarude gives it many chances to fire off its attacks throughout a game. Ice Punch cleanly 2HKOes bulky Mega Altaria and physically defensive Amoonguss on the switch, while also OHKOing Salamence. Earthquake rounds out Buzzwole's coverage by hitting the Ghost and Poison-types that otherwise don't mind any of Buzzwole's attacks, like Aegislash, Galarian Slowbro, and Tentacruel. Alternatively, Darkest Lariat can be used over Earthquake to also hit Psychic-types such as Deoxys-D and Reuniclus while still retaining the super effective hit on Ghost-types such as Aegislash and Chandelure, although it should be wary of King's Shield or Flame Body from the latter two. An Adamant nature is preferred since Buzzwole already outspeeds many Pokemon that it threatens to KO with just maximum Speed investment, such as Rotom-W and Bisharp.
Life Orb Buzzwole fits best on offensive teams that appreciate its ability to destroy defensive cores while keeping plenty of important defensive utility against dangerous threats such as offensive Scizor and Mienshao. Pivots such as Rotom-W, Rotom-H, and Slowking can help Buzzwole get onto the field safely, as it does not want to risk being chipped while trying to switch in due its lower Speed against most faster Pokemon, otherwise being forced to Roost afterwards in order to stay healthy, thus risking the possibility of inviting in dangerous Pokemon such as Moltres and Amoonguss that the offensive teams Buzzwole thrives on cannot afford to reliably switch into. Slowking in particular stands out for its ability to check Fire- and Flying-types, also using Future Sight in order to further dissuade Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Galarian Weezing from attempting to switch in, easing the prediction game on Buzzwole and allowing it to more freely click Close Combat as a result. While Pokemon with access to Defog, such as Rotom-W, Salamence, and Volcanion, make for good teammates to consider as well, since damage from entry hazards can result in a similarly debilitating effect. Conversely, entry hazard support from the likes of Swampert and Roserade can also help out Buzzwole, notably allowing it to secure a 2HKO on physically defensive Tangrowth with Close Combat and an OHKO on offensive Aegislash with Earthquake. Lastly, powerful cleaners such as Swords Dance Scizor and Meteor Beam Nihilego appreciate Buzzwole's ability to soften up the opposition for them to more easily sweep late-game.
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Drain Punch / Close Combat
move 3: Thunder Punch / Ice Punch / Earthquake
move 4: Roost
item: Electrium Z / Icium Z / Rocky Helmet
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Bulk Up turns Buzzwole into a threatening setup sweeper against bulkier teams, taking advantage of the plethora of physical attackers in the tier such as Krookodile and Mienshao to become nearly unbreakable once faster special attackers are removed, while doubling as a mid-game threat that can utilize its expansive coverage options to lure in and take out certain walls such as Amoonguss with Subzero Slammer or Celesteela with Gigavolt Havoc after a boost, paving the way for another wincon such as Dragon Dance Mega Altaria if it cannot find opportunities to sweep itself. Drain Punch is Buzzwole's most reliable STAB move, giving Buzzwole a decently powerful attack to use after a few boosts without the side effects of a detrimental stat drop, while also giving it an extra source of recovery, but Close Combat is an option to threaten Swords Dance Scizor and Rhyperior attempting to overpower Buzzwole with brute force, although it can struggle to find much use otherwise. Thunder Punch is generally the best coverage move to pair with Buzzwole's Fighting STAB, allowing it to hit almost everything neutrally barring Amoonguss and Roserade, while also enabling it to take out Water- and Flying-types such as Slowking and Skarmory after a few boosts with Gigavolt Havoc. Whereas Ice Punch powered up into Subzero Slammer allows it to take on bulky Mega Altaria, Amoonguss, and Salamence, OHKOing the former two after a boost with entry hazards up and the latter on the switch. Earthquake can be used in the this slot to beat prevent Buzzwole from being walled by Aegislash and Galarian Slowbro, while still hitting Tentacruel super effectively, but misses out on Flying-types and other checks entirely, making it a worse coverage move overall. Additionally, Rocky Helmet can be considered over a Z-Crystal if the team already has another Z-move user, choosing to increase the amount of residual damage that Buzzwole can apply to other Pokemon clicking U-turn in an effort to wear it down instead. 112 Speed EVs allow Buzzwole to outspeed Modest Celesteela.
Bulk Up Buzzwole fits best on balance and semi-stall builds, since this set can risk sucking up momentum on other archetypes due to its lack of immediate power, providing teams with a solid answer to dangerous threats like Bulk Up Zarude, Life Orb Mienshao and Swords Dance Scizor. Additionally, said balance and semi-stall builds can often provide it with enough support against the Pokemon that Buzzwole chooses to be walled by depending on its coverage, allowing Buzzwole to focus on safely setting up and sweeping late-game. As such, Pokemon that can switch into or force out these special attackers like Slowking, or wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Primarina and offensive Moltres that are able to pressure these walls and break holes for Buzzwole to set up and sweep on the remaining opposition, both make for great teammates, appreciating the ability to fall back on Buzzwole against the likes of other Pokemon such as Zeraora and Choice Band Terrakion that would otherwise threaten them out in return. While other offensive Pokemon such as Mega Altaria and Zeraora appreciate Buzzwole's ability to remove certain walls like Amoonguss, being able to help out in a similar vein by weakening or crippling Pokemon such as physically defensive Hippowdon and physically defensive Tangrowth with their own attacks or Knock Off + Toxic in the latter's case, both otherwise being walls that Buzzwole is unable to get past without an unrealistic number of boosts, being annoyed by status in return, Mega Altaria can even use Heal Bell to prevent Buzzwole from being crippled by status, allowing it to stay in on and make more progress against certain walls such as Assault Vest Tangrowth without fearing status. Lastly, Knock Off users such as Scizor and Nihilego can lure in and remove Leftovers or Heavy-Duty Boots from Pokemon like Aegislash and Moltres, making it easier for Buzzwole to outlast or break past them in the late-game.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Protective Pads can be used over Rocky Helmet or Heavy-Duty Boots on the standard offensive set, as this allows Buzzwole to attack without the risk of being worn down by opposing Rocky Helmet users and especially Flame Body from Moltres, but will make Buzzwole more susceptible to getting overwhelmed by the residual damage from the likes of U-turn or entry hazards overtime. Leftovers can also be used to provide another type of safety net against U-turn and entry hazards, the passive recovery provided also preventing it from needing to use Roost as often, but only applies to long-term situations as opposed to being more immediately useful. Stone Edge can be used on offensive sets to lure in and OHKO Moltres, but is hard to justify over Buzzwole's other moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Flying-type Pokemon and coverage**: Faster Flying-types such as Moltres, Salamence, and Tornadus can outspeed and OHKO Buzzwole with STAB Hurricane, although the latter two should be wary of Buzzwole's coverage moves while trying to switch into it. Additionally, Buzzwole also needs to watch out for Flying-type coverage options in Dual Wingbeat from Pokemon that it is supposed to check like offensive Scizor.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Mega Altaria, Primarina, and Hatterene can usually take any one hit from Buzzwole in a pinch and threaten to KO it back with their STAB moves or use it as setup fodder in Hatterene's case. However, Mega Altaria cannot afford to switch into Ice Punch, while Primarina cannot take repeated hits from Buzzwole as effectively due to its significantly lower bulk and lack of instant recovery.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Chandelure and Jellicent can afford to pivot into either one of Close Combat or Ice Punch, outspeeding and threatening to KO Buzzwole, or crippling it with a Burn in the latter's case. However, Chandelure cannot afford to switch into either one of Earthquake or Darkest Lariat, while Jellicent also needs to be wary of switching into Toxic. Aegislash can be similarly troublesome for Buzzwole if it lacks the coverage needed to deal with it, King's Shield mindgames being especially annoying if Buzzwole is running Darkest Lariat.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Rotom-H and Volcanion can easily outspeed and revenge kill Buzzwole with their STAB attacks if given the proper entry to do so, being able to use setup moves as Buzzwole switches out.
**Future Sight**: Future Sight from the likes of Slowking, Galarian Slowbro, and Reuniclus will OHKO Buzzwole. While imminent, Buzzwole also cannot afford to switch into Pokemon like Urshifu-R and Choice Band Bisharp that it is otherwise tasked with handling.
**Special Attackers**: Due to Buzzwole's low Special Defense stat, powerful special attackers such as Keldeo, Mega Manectric, and Nidoking can all outspeed and easily threaten to KO Buzzwole, potentially using it as setup or free momentum as it switches.
**Status and Contact Effects**: Despite Buzzwole's impressive bulk, Pokemon like Zeraora and Krookodile which Buzzwole commonly switches into can often leave it crippled with a debilitating Toxic, forcing it to use Roost more in order to sustain itself. While other status and contact effects, such as poison from Amoonguss's Sludge Bomb and burn from Moltres's Flame Body, are able to neuter it similarly in the process.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Arishem, 546157]]
- Quality checked by: [[Pubo, 535121], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]
Last edited:
