[OVERVIEW]
Cramorant is one of the best users of Defog in ZU due to its access reliable recovery and solid defensive typing. This gives Cramorant a decent defensive profile, and its STAB moves apply pressure to much of the offensive metagame. It notably checks several prominent metagame threats, including Charizard, Hisuian Decidueye, and Typhlosion, and it matches up well against common Stealth Rock setters like Sandaconda, Palossand, and Orthworm. Cramorant also has a unique ability in Gulp Missile, which gives it a unique way to punish attackers. Cramorant's main shortcomings stem from its abysmal physical bulk, as it is generally incapable of switching into any powerful physical attackers. This also leaves it as an unsuitable answer to most of the tier's Fighting-types despite its favorable type matchup. Cramorant's 4x weakness to Electric is also inconvenient, as it is easily forced out by foes such as Jolteon, Magneton, and Lanturn.
[SET]
Defog (Cramorant) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Gulp Missile
Tera Type: Ground / Fairy / Dragon
EVs: 248 HP / 164 SpD / 96 Spe
Calm Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Surf
- Hurricane
[SET COMMENTS]
Cramorant is a fantastic user of Defog, as it finds many opportunities to switch in battle thanks to its nice defensive profile and perform its role. Surf allows Cramorant to activate Gulp Missile while also giving it a reliable and accurate STAB move that pressures common entry hazard setters like Sandaconda and Rhydon. Hurricane OHKOes Hisuian Decidueye, KOes Passimian after Spikes damage, and 2HKOes Floatzel while generally applying good pressure to most non-Flying-resistant offensive threats. Roost allows Cramorant to stay healthy throughout a match and reliably check what it is usually tasked with. 96 Speed EVs allow Cramorant to outspeed Adamant Sandslash and maximum Speed Dudunsparce. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Defense to handle foes such as Charizard and Typhlosion better. Tera Ground allows Cramorant to turn its Electric weakness into an immunity in an emergency, allowing it to check and block Volt Switch from Jolteon and Magneton. It also turns its Rock weakness into a resistance, which allows it to take on foes such as Lycanroc and Regirock in a pinch. Alternatively, Tera Fairy can be used to give Cramorant a highly useful defensive typing that allows it to turn the tables on attackers such as Clawitzer and Alolan Exeggutor while still removing its problematic Electric weakness. Finally, Tera Dragon allows Cramorant to turn its Electric weakness into a resistance while retaining its resistances to Water- and Fire-type attacks.
Cramorant fits well on many bulky offense and balance teams thanks to its ability to Defog, check relevant metagame threats, and force chip damage on foes with Gulp Missile. Entry hazard removal is paramount to the success of all sorts of teammates; fast pivots like Floatzel and Passimian, bulky teammates such as Dipplin and Porygon2, and strong wallbreakers like Typhlosion and Alolan Exeggutor all appreciate Cramorant clearing hazards for them so they can come into battle safely. Cramorant's physical bulk is very poor, and it should not be relied on as a switch-in to most of the tier's physical attackers. It therefore pairs well with physical walls such as Regirock, Palossand, Dipplin, and Weezing. The latter two work well in particular, as they can absorb Knock Off for Cramorant. Cramorant also requires a switch-in to the tier's Electric-types, as it is forced out by them and becomes an opportunity for them to gain momentum against it with Volt Switch. Ground-types such as Sandaconda, Sandslash, and Rhydon can block Volt Switch and help out versus Jolteon and Rotom. They don't prevent Magneton or Lanturn from pivoting, but additional specially defensive teammates such as Snorlax and Dudunsparce can help out with them. Gulp Missile is adept at chipping foes and potentially spreading paralysis. Strong wallbreakers such as Brute Bonnet, Magneton, Typhlosion, and Hisuian Decidueye appreciate the chip damage and the paralysis-spreading; physical attackers such as Brute Bonnet and Hisuian Decidueye also appreciate the Defense drop allowing them to pick off faster threats with priority, should they come in to attempt a revenge kill. Cramorant struggles to meaningfully pressure special walls such as Dudunsparce, Snorlax, and Porygon2, so teammates that can deal with them, such as Regirock, Orthworm, and Palossand, are good choices.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Brave Bird is an option for more consistent Flying-type STAB move that also takes advantage of Gulp Missile's Defense drops, but Cramorant doesn't appreciate the recoil damage, and many offensive threats are threatened more appreciably by Hurricane. A set with Endure over Roost and Custap Berry turns Cramorant into an effective anti-lead that can force significant damage on leads such as Lycanroc and Hisuian Avalugg while also keeping their entry hazards off. This set is much worse against teams without these specific threats, however, so it is niche overall. 140 Speed EVs let Cramorant outspeed Jolly Hisuian Decidueye, while 16 Defense EVs let it avoid a 2HKO from Scarf Passimian's Close Combat and Scarf Floatzel's Wave Crash. Cramorant really needs as much special bulk investment as possible to reliably check Charizard and Typhlosion, however.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Cramorant is forced out by every Electric-type in the tier. Magneton, Jolteon, Rotom, and Lanturn all force out Cramorant; The former three are capable of easily OHKOing it with STAB moves, and Magneton can even do so with Volt Switch, while the latter two have favorable rolls to do so. Lanturn does not OHKO Cramorant with Volt Switch, but Cramorant cannot hurt it at all with its standard movesets.
**Strong Physical Attackers**: Cramorant's bad physical bulk leaves it very vulnerable to strong physical attackers such as Qwilfish, Glastrier, Snorlax, and Sneasel, though they don't appreciate Gulp Missile's chip damage.
**Rock-types and Rock-type coverage**: Many of the tier's Rock-types threaten Cramorant, as they are either faster than it or take Surf comfortably. Lycanroc is faster than it and easily OHKOes Cramorant, while Naclstack and Regirock avoid a 2HKO from Surf and either threaten it or set up Stealth Rock. Foes such as Sandaconda and Passimian can also fit Rock-type coverage into their movesets, threatening to turn the tables on Cramorant.
**Special Walls**: Special walls such as Porygon2, Articuno, and Dudunsparce take Cramorant's attacks with ease; Porygon2 threatens it with status, while Articuno easily 2HKOes it with Freeze Dry. Dudunsparce is an especially problematic matchup, as Stealth Rock sets keep entry hazards up versus Cramorant consistently, while Coil and Calm Mind sets use it as setup fodder.
**Toxic**: Cramorant's longevity is ruined when it is badly poisoned. Common Pokemon such as Muk, Dudunsparce, and both Qwilfish formes are able to poison it. All but Muk are notable for their ability to set up entry hazards, preventing Cramorant from confidently removing hazards versus them.
**Knock Off**: Knock Off from the likes of Passimian, Grafaiai, Muk, and Gurdurr removes Cramorant's Heavy-Duty Boots, making it much worse at consistently entering battle to remove hazards and greatly reducing its ability to switch into Charizard and Typhlosion.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sputnik.475916/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Last edited:
