[OVERVIEW]
Houndstone establishes itself in NU as an incredibly reliable spinblocker and defensive presence, being able to prevent Rapid Spin from the likes of Tsareena and Avalugg, while taking on dangerous attackers such as Flamigo and Barraskewda effortlessly. Houndstone is able to utilise its switch in opportunities to generate progress via Night Shade, Roar, or Will-O-Wisp. Houndstone primarily struggles with its unreliable recovery options, as it has to either use the passive Rest or the unreliable Pain Split. Houndstone also struggles immensly with special attackers, as they can hit it on its weaker special defense for massive damage. Unless it is running Body Press, Houndstone struggles immensly with Dark types such as Incineroar and Scrafty, as they can Knock Off its item and potentially use it as setup fodder if it is not running Roar.
[SET]
name: Defensive Houndstone
move 1: Night Shade
move 2: Roar / Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Rest / Pain Split
move 4: Sleep Talk / Body Press
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Fluffy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
ivs: 0 Atk
tera type: Water / Fighting / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Night Shade allows Houndstone to deal consistent damage to foes. Roar allows Houndstone to phaze out setup sweepers while also gaining hazard damage for its team. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple physical attackers that otherwise might beat Houndstone such as Cinccino and Rhyperior. Rest can be used for a more reliable recovery option, with Sleep Talk allowing it to still exert pressure while it is asleep. Pain Split can be used free up a moveslot on Houndstone while also working exceptionally well on high HP targets such as Vaporeon and Copperajah. Body Press allows Houndstone to hit the common Dark-types such as Incineroar and Scrafty for big damage. Rocky Helmet can allow Houndstone to accrue chip damage on Pokemon such as Flygon and Flamigo, while Leftovers can help keep Houndstone healthy over the course of the game. Tera Water resists Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Basculegion-M and Barraskewda while also resisting Fire-type attacks from Incineroar and Infernape. Tera Fighting boosts the power of Body Press while also giving Houndstone a resistance to Dark-type attacks. Tera Fairy makes Houndstone immune to Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Flygon, allows Houndstone to resist Dark-type moves and still allow it to easily take on Fighting-types such as Paldean Tauros-W and Hariyama.
Houndstone primarily fits on bulky offense and balance teams, particularly spikestack teams, as they heavily appreciate its ability to check Pokemon such as Flamigo and Breloom, while also stopping Rapid Spin from Tsareena. Entry hazard setters such as Klefki, Rhyperior, and Gligar pair well with Houndstone, as they appreciate its reliability in keeping up hazards against teams that rely on Rapid Spin, while in return Houndstone appreciates the passive chip damage that checks such as Scrafty and Chandelure accrue when trying to switch in. Special walls such as Copperajah and Diancie pair extremely well with Houndstone, as they love its ability to check common physical attacks such as Flamigo and Paldean Tauros-W, while in return they can handle special attackers that Houndstone might struggle with such as Munkidori and Chandelure. Wish passers such as Vaporeon and Sylveon are great for Houndstone, as Houndstone can check powerful wallbreakers such as Choice Band Flamigo and Breloom they might otherwise struggle with, while their Wish's can help keep Houndstone healthy without having to click the unreliable Rest and Pain Split. Fighting-types such as Paldean Tauros-F, Scrafty, and Toxicroak can help take on Dark-types that Houndstone commonly struggles with, while in return, Houndstone can help with Pokemon such as Flamigo they can struggle against.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
An EV spread of 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe alongisde Poltergeist and Shadow Sneak can be used to turn Houndstone into a powerful wallbreaker that can still check offensive threats such as Flamigo. Protect can be used to allow Houndstone to gain even more Leftovers healing, though it typically struggles to fit this into its moveset. Assault Vest can be used to turn Houndstone into a decent special wall, though Houndstone thrives off its utility movepool and this set has no recovery options. Air Balloon alongside Thief can be used on Houndstone to allow it to steal an opponents item.
Checks and Counters
====
**Dark-types**: Dark-types such as Wo-Chien, Incineroar, and Scrafty are a pain for Houndstone to deal with, as they can Knock Off Houndstone's item and force it out for fear of setting up on it. However, they do have to be careful of Body Press, which can significantly damage them.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Incineroar, Paldean-Tauros-F, and Infernape can all hit Houndstone for large damage due to Fluffy doubling the power of Fire-type attacks, while they also can easily switch into Will-O-Wisp from it.
**Special attackers**: Special attackers such as Chandelure, Munkidori, and Raikou can all hit Houndstone for considerable damage on its weaker special side, while due to Houndstone's passivity, they are not immediately threatened in return.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user1.100/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.101/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Houndstone establishes itself in NU as an incredibly reliable spinblocker and defensive presence, being able to prevent Rapid Spin from the likes of Tsareena and Avalugg, while taking on dangerous attackers such as Flamigo and Barraskewda effortlessly. Houndstone is able to utilise its switch in opportunities to generate progress via Night Shade, Roar, or Will-O-Wisp. Houndstone primarily struggles with its unreliable recovery options, as it has to either use the passive Rest or the unreliable Pain Split. Houndstone also struggles immensly with special attackers, as they can hit it on its weaker special defense for massive damage. Unless it is running Body Press, Houndstone struggles immensly with Dark types such as Incineroar and Scrafty, as they can Knock Off its item and potentially use it as setup fodder if it is not running Roar.
[SET]
name: Defensive Houndstone
move 1: Night Shade
move 2: Roar / Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Rest / Pain Split
move 4: Sleep Talk / Body Press
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Fluffy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
ivs: 0 Atk
tera type: Water / Fighting / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Night Shade allows Houndstone to deal consistent damage to foes. Roar allows Houndstone to phaze out setup sweepers while also gaining hazard damage for its team. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple physical attackers that otherwise might beat Houndstone such as Cinccino and Rhyperior. Rest can be used for a more reliable recovery option, with Sleep Talk allowing it to still exert pressure while it is asleep. Pain Split can be used free up a moveslot on Houndstone while also working exceptionally well on high HP targets such as Vaporeon and Copperajah. Body Press allows Houndstone to hit the common Dark-types such as Incineroar and Scrafty for big damage. Rocky Helmet can allow Houndstone to accrue chip damage on Pokemon such as Flygon and Flamigo, while Leftovers can help keep Houndstone healthy over the course of the game. Tera Water resists Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Basculegion-M and Barraskewda while also resisting Fire-type attacks from Incineroar and Infernape. Tera Fighting boosts the power of Body Press while also giving Houndstone a resistance to Dark-type attacks. Tera Fairy makes Houndstone immune to Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Flygon, allows Houndstone to resist Dark-type moves and still allow it to easily take on Fighting-types such as Paldean Tauros-W and Hariyama.
Houndstone primarily fits on bulky offense and balance teams, particularly spikestack teams, as they heavily appreciate its ability to check Pokemon such as Flamigo and Breloom, while also stopping Rapid Spin from Tsareena. Entry hazard setters such as Klefki, Rhyperior, and Gligar pair well with Houndstone, as they appreciate its reliability in keeping up hazards against teams that rely on Rapid Spin, while in return Houndstone appreciates the passive chip damage that checks such as Scrafty and Chandelure accrue when trying to switch in. Special walls such as Copperajah and Diancie pair extremely well with Houndstone, as they love its ability to check common physical attacks such as Flamigo and Paldean Tauros-W, while in return they can handle special attackers that Houndstone might struggle with such as Munkidori and Chandelure. Wish passers such as Vaporeon and Sylveon are great for Houndstone, as Houndstone can check powerful wallbreakers such as Choice Band Flamigo and Breloom they might otherwise struggle with, while their Wish's can help keep Houndstone healthy without having to click the unreliable Rest and Pain Split. Fighting-types such as Paldean Tauros-F, Scrafty, and Toxicroak can help take on Dark-types that Houndstone commonly struggles with, while in return, Houndstone can help with Pokemon such as Flamigo they can struggle against.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
An EV spread of 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe alongisde Poltergeist and Shadow Sneak can be used to turn Houndstone into a powerful wallbreaker that can still check offensive threats such as Flamigo. Protect can be used to allow Houndstone to gain even more Leftovers healing, though it typically struggles to fit this into its moveset. Assault Vest can be used to turn Houndstone into a decent special wall, though Houndstone thrives off its utility movepool and this set has no recovery options. Air Balloon alongside Thief can be used on Houndstone to allow it to steal an opponents item.
Checks and Counters
====
**Dark-types**: Dark-types such as Wo-Chien, Incineroar, and Scrafty are a pain for Houndstone to deal with, as they can Knock Off Houndstone's item and force it out for fear of setting up on it. However, they do have to be careful of Body Press, which can significantly damage them.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Incineroar, Paldean-Tauros-F, and Infernape can all hit Houndstone for large damage due to Fluffy doubling the power of Fire-type attacks, while they also can easily switch into Will-O-Wisp from it.
**Special attackers**: Special attackers such as Chandelure, Munkidori, and Raikou can all hit Houndstone for considerable damage on its weaker special side, while due to Houndstone's passivity, they are not immediately threatened in return.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user1.100/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.101/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Last edited: