[OVERVIEW]
- Claydol, having access to both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, makes it a decent offensive utility pokemon that is able to set hazards while at the same time, remove the hazards on its side as well.
- Having access to the ability Levitate gives Claydol an edge over other hazard removers, since it is unaffected by Spikes and takes little damage from Stealth Rock.
- Claydol's dual STAB in Ground/Psychic is near unresisted in the tier so it is able to have a nice matchup against common forms of hazard setters and removers, such as Regirock, Weezing, Probopass, and Skuntank.
- Unfortunately, Claydol has middling offensive stats so it ends up being quite passive and it is unable to capitalize on its good dual STAB that hits most Pokemon in the tier.
- It struggles to check the Pokemon it is supposed to check. Fighting-type Pokemon in the tier like Primeape and Hitmonchan have coverage to deal with Claydol, reducing the quality of its utility.
- Also, Claydol can easily be shut down by status, especially Toxic from common Stealth Rock users like Regirock and Clefairy and with a lack of recovery, this cripples Claydol's longevity.
- Claydol may possess good bulk, but it is offset by its terrible HP stat, which means it's unable to make good use of its natural bulk.
- Its Ground/Psychic typing may be good offensively but gives Claydol a plethora of weaknesses to common typings in the tier like Grass, Bug, Water, Ice and Dark.
- Ghost-types, such as Spiritomb and Haunter give Claydol a lot of trouble since they are able to switch in on Rapid Spin and inflict super-effective damage with their STAB attacks.
- Furthermore, Claydol faces strong competition from Rapid Spin users like Hitmonchan, who possesses a better offensive presence and a better defensive typing.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Psychic / Psyshock
item: Colbur Berry
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Claydol's main niche is found in Rapid Spin. It is able to remove hazards like Stealth Rock and Spikes and gives better opportunities for its teammates to enter the field safely.
- Stealth Rock is used to punish switchins to Claydol with constant residual damage and also allows teammates to have a better chance of wallbreaking and sweeping.
- Earth Power is one of Claydol's strong dual STABs, able to hit Pokemon like Aurorus, Regirock and Pyroar for super-effective damage. Earth Power also allows Claydol to hit opposing Dark-types such as Skuntank and Absol.
- Psychic is an alternative Psychic STAB option that is able to hit physically defensive pokemon like Weezing for super-effective damage and managing to OHKO it.
- Psyshock is the other option for Claydol's Psychic STAB, instead hitting specially defensive pokemon like Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Eelektross for more damage than Psychic.
Set Details
========
- Maximum Special Attack investment allows Claydol to do as much damage as it can or it will be too passive and it will fail to check the Pokemon it needs to offensively.
- Maximum Speed investment allows Claydol to outspeed slower pokemon that it checks such as Assault Vest Hitmonchan, max Speed Adamant Aggron and Aurorus.
- A Modest is preferred so Claydol has that extra boost towards its Special Attack and Modest allows Claydol to have a high chance of OHKOing Aurorus with Earth Power after Stealth Rock but running Modest forces it speed tie with Adamant Kingler and Adamant Absol, which both check Claydol.
Usage Tips
========
- Claydol has a good matchup against common Stealth Rock users like Regirock and Aggron so it is able to force them out and then Claydol is able to set up its own Stealth Rock or remove hazards on its side using Rapid Spin.
- Switching in Claydol is difficult because of its multiple weaknesses but switching it in on Pokemon that are unable to do much to it, like Lycanroc, is very beneficial. Claydol can force the switch and do its job of either setting up hazards or removing them.
- Claydol does possess good bulk so it can be brought in on resisted hits, set up Stealth Rock then swap out into a teammate that has a favorable matchup.
- Claydol, most of the time, should be switching out when it removes hazards or sets hazards up. The only time it should stay in is if an opposing Pokemon is being switched in and Claydol is able to hit them with a super-effective attack.
- Always swap out against Ghost-types, such as Spiritomb and Sableye, because they are immune to Rapid Spin and you won't be dealing too much damage with your neutral attacks.
Team Options
========
- Claydol fits on offensive-orientated teams that appreciate having hazard setting and removal on one teamslot. Wallbreakers that appreciate the removal of Stealth Rock, like Pyroar and Zangoose, are good partners for Claydol. Claydol removes the hazards that reduce the longevity of these wallbreakers and they appreciate not having hazards on the field so they have a better time coming in and wallbreaking through the opposing team. They also appreciate the chip damage that Claydol provides in Stealth Rock so they have a better time in securing OHKOs against opposing Pokemon.
- Pairing Claydol with Dark-types like Skuntank and Spiritomb is beneficial, since they are able to check the offensive Ghost-types in the tier like Haunter and Oricorio-Sensu and this allows Claydol an easier time to utilize Rapid Spin to remove hazards.
- Pokemon that are weak to Rock, like Pinsir, appreciate the help of Claydol, which resists Rock and removes Stealth Rock, which these Pokemon are weak to. Pinsir, in particular, can check the Dark-types in the tier, like Absol and Alolan Raticate, which Pursuit trap Claydol.
- Fighting-type Pokemon in the tier run coverage that cripples Claydol, so having some Fighting-type checks like Clefairy and Mesprit help Claydol alleviate that issue and increases its longevity. Mesprit, in particular, gives Claydol Healing Wish support so it stays healthy throughout the game so it is able to carry out its job to get hazards on the field or remove them.
- Claydol appreciates having Dark-type checks, such as Gurdurr and Clefairy, dealing with one of its many weaknesses. These two Pokemon in particular, appreciate Claydol's chip damage from Stealth Rock and when they are able to set up, they can deal more damage and secure more OHKOs against opposing Pokemon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- Expert Belt can be run over Colbur Berry so Claydol's super-effective attacks are able to do more damage, since its offensive presence isn't too strong. However, without running Colbur Berry, it is more vulnerable to Dark-type moves and gets easily shut down by Pursuit from Skuntank and Spiritomb.
- Running Shadow Ball with Ghostium Z is an alternative option over Earth Power, which allows Claydol a better matchup against the Ghost-type Pokemon that check it in the tier, like Oricorio-Sensu and Silvally-Ghost. However, Shadow Ball only has a use for hitting opposing Ghost Pokemon and Earth Power has more utility in the tier, allowing Claydol to hit opposing Fire, Rock, and Steel-type Pokemon for super-effective damage, such as Pyroar, Regirock, and Alolan Sandslash. Furthermore, this takes up a Z Crystal spot that could be used on other stronger attackers.
- Claydol is able to also run Life Orb over Colbur Berry in order to boost its damage output and it is able to deal more damage to neutral targets. Unfortunately, running Life Orb makes Claydol easier to wear down.
- Claydol can also utilize a Choice Scarf with Trick, which is able to disrupt Pokemon that like holding their item, particularly Eviolite users like Clefairy and Type: Null, but Claydol lacks power to function as a revenge killer and it's outclassed by other Choice Scarf users, which tend to have a better Speed tier and offensive presence.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ghost-type Pokemon**: Ghost-types like Oricorio-Sensu, Gourgeist-XL and Spiritomb are able to switch into Rapid Spin with not much difficulty, preventing Claydol from carrying out its job of removing hazards. These Ghost-types also threaten Claydol with their super-effective attacks.
**Dark-type Pokemon**: Dark-type Pokemon, such as Spiritomb and Shiftry, easily switch into Claydol's attacks, especially its Psychic-type attacks and force it out, allowing them to set up easily. Furthermore, Pursuit trappers like Absol and the aforementioned Spiritomb are able to deal a lot of damage to Claydol when it switches out.
**Super-effective Attackers**: Claydol is weak to a lot of common typings, unable to take hits from STAB super-effective attackers such as Floatzel, Lilligant, Oricorio-G, and Absol. Even coverage super-effective attacks, especially Knock Off from Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Eelektross, makes Claydol switching in quite difficult and this lowers its utility.
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. Wallbreakers that appreciate the removal of Stealth Rock, like Pyroar and Zangoose, are good partners for Claydol. Claydol removes the hazards that reduce the longevity of these wallbreakers and they appreciate not having hazards on the field so they have a better time coming in and wallbreaking through the opposing team. They also appreciate the chip damage that Claydol provides in Stealth Rock so they have a better time in securing OHKOs against opposing Pokemon.