AAA Desoland Moth [QC 0/2]

[Gimmicky]

[SET]
[Desolate Land] (Iron Moth) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe or 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fiery Dance / Flamethrower
- Solar Beam / Toxic Spikes / Sludge Wave
- U-turn
- Morning Sun

[SET COMMENTS]
Iron Moth functions as a great offensive pivot, leveraging its solid typing bolstered by Desolate Land, high Special Attack, solid bulk and Speed, and deep coverage movepool to soft check powerful threats like Zapdos, Gholdengo, and Moltres. Fiery Dance is usually the preferred Fire-type move, potentially turning Iron Moth into a dangerous set-up sweeper, but bulky variants can opt for Flamethrower for more consistent damage overall. Solar Beam is the preferred second move, immediately threatening checks like Manaphy and Swampert; Toxic Spikes allows Iron Moth to wear down bulky foes like Roaring Moon and Manaphy over time, while Sludge Wave is a powerful secondary STAB move that threatens Zapdos, Scream Tail, and Primarina. U-turn allows Iron Moth to pivot out of disadvantageous matchups like Well-Baked Body Steel-types, incoming Primordial Sea users, and Swampert if lacking Solar Beam. An offensive spread is usually preferred, especially if running coverage moves, but alternatively a set with maximum HP and Speed can be used to be a more effective switch-in to foes like Zapdos and Primarina.

Iron Moth finds itself best suited to balance or bulky offense teams that highly appreciate the combination of defensive utility and offensive firepower it brings. Offensive pivots like Meowscarada, Roaring Moon, and Slither Wing are especially great teammates, forming a potent VoltTurn core with Iron Moth. Roaring Moon is an especially great teammate, threatening Psychic-types like Deoxys-S, Azelf, and Iron Crown while acting as a secondary check to Zapdos, who can otherwise come in on Iron Moth's Fire-type moves for free; Iron Moth, meanwhile, threatens the Steel-types that Roaring Moon can struggle to make progress against. Iron Moth is incredibly vulnerable to Knock Off and, if its item gets removed, entry hazards, making Great Tusk or Corviknight amazing teammates. Even with specialized coverage, Iron Moth struggles to make progress against special walls like Swampert, Meloetta, and Chansey, meaning teammates that can handle these like Chien-Pao, Roaring Moon, and Zamazenta are near mandatory; these teammates also greatly appreciate Toxic Spikes wearing down checks like Great Tusk and physically defensive Manaphy.

[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gimmicky.540420/
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/

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Iron Moth has a deep movepool it can dig into suit the needs of its team. Toxic is an option over Toxic Spices to directly threaten enemies with debilitating status, but Toxic Spikes is usually preferred for its ability to status multiple foes.

Energy Ball is an option over Solar Beam on Desolate Land sets, but the consistency of Energy Ball is usually outweighed by the powerful damage of Solar Beam.

Both Iron Moth sets can look into it's movepool for options like Psychic for opposing Iron Moth and Pecharunt or, for Desolate Land, Dazzling Gleam to hit Roaring Moon on the switch-in, but these moves are either too risky to click or don't provide enough value compared to the suggested moves.

Iron Moth can consider dropping a coverage move for Toxic to threaten checks like Swampert or Blissey, but this is usually less useful than a third attacking move.

Checks and Counters
===================

Primordial Sea users: Primordial Sea users like Ogerpon-W, Archaludon, and Zapdos threaten Iron Moth (especially Desolate Land sets) for many of the same reasons; Ogerpon-W forces it out with Water-type STAB and the threat of a Swords Dance, Archaludon forces it out with Earthquake, while Zapdos forces it out with Weather Ball or it's STAB moves. All-out-Attacking sets struggle less into Primordial Sea users.

Roaring Moon: Roaring Moon is particularly apt at switching into and OHKOing Iron Moth, forcing it out.

RegenVest users: Similar to Blissey, RegenVest users like Swampert and Meloetta effortlessly sponge Iron Moth's hits while threatening it hard in return.

Blissey: Blissey can cripple Iron Moth with debilitating paralysis while effortlessly sponging hits even after a Fiery Dance boost or two. Magic Guard sets are especially scary, as even Toxic can't wear them down into range of a powerful attack.

Faster Attackers: Revenge Killers like Chien-Pao and Zamazenta can outspeed and cleanly OHKO Iron Moth, forcing it out.


[CREDITS] note: this should be for OO, C&C, and overview; sets without those do not need this
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gimmicky.540420/
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/

 

[cat]

a gimmicky set

a what set

 

[UT]

Other Options
=============

Iron Moth has a deep movepool it can dig into suit the needs of its team. Toxic is an option over Toxic Spices to directly threaten enemies with debilitating status, but Toxic Spikes is usually preferred for its ability to status multiple foes.

Solar Beam is an option over Energy Ball on Desolate Land sets, but the consistency of Energy Ball is almost always preferred as opposing Primordial Sea users can cancel out your Solar Beam, leaving you helpless.

Both Iron Moth sets can look into it's movepool for options like Psychic for opposing Iron Moth and Pecharunt or Bug Buzz to hit Roaring Moon and opposing Psychic-types in one moveslot, but these moves are either too risky to click or don't provide enough value compared to the suggested moves.

All-out-Attacking Iron Moth can consider dropping a coverage move for Toxic to threaten checks like Swampert or Blissey, but this is usually less useful than a third attacking move.

Power Herb + Meteor Beam is an option to lure in and eliminate Zapdos, but this is a gimmicky set that loses out on the utility of a real item as well as sacrificing a moveslot to an otherwise useless move.

Either Flame Charge or a Choice Scarf may be considered to boost Speed, but the boosted Speed is usually not worth the loss of either a coverage move or an item.

>:(

Primordial Sea users:

>:(

[CREDITS] note: this should be for OO, C&C, and overview; sets without those do not need this

>:(

Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/[/hide]

>:(

 

[Glory]

add remove comment

Copyedit

[SET]
[Desolate Land] (Iron Moth) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe or 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe bulky sucks
Timid Nature
- Fiery Dance / Flamethrower
- Toxic Spikes / Energy Ball / Discharge I really really dislike these slashes. I heavily object to tspikes being the first slash (if it were up to me it would be OO), Energy Ball is worse than Solar Beam because it does so much less damage to manaphy, and discharge should not be here. Personally I would make this Toxic / Solar Beam and if any third move, probably dazzling gleam
- U-turn
- Morning Sun

[SET COMMENTS]
Iron Moth functions as a great offensive pivot and hazard setter, leveraging it's remove apostrophe defensively stout typing, I think this makes it seem a lot sturdier than it is, and also specifying typing doesn't include desolate land high Special Attack, solid bulk and Speed, and deep coverage movepool to offensively or defensively soft check powerful threats like Zapdos, Gholdengo, and Moltres. Fiery Dance is usually the preferred Fire-type move, potentially turning Iron Moth into a dangerous set-up sweeper, but bulky variants can opt for Flamethrower for more consistent damage overall. Toxic Spikes is the preferred second move, putting opposing offensive teams on a timer while wearing down checks like Primarina and non-Magic Guard Roaring Moon and Blissey; Energy Ball is an option for the offensive spread to more directly threaten foes like Manaphy and especially Swampert, while Discharge is an option to threaten Moltres and Well-Baked Body Corviknight while still smacking Manaphy plenty hard. I said my thoughts on these moves above. I don't want to make sweeping changes without discussing with the other QC U-Turn allows Iron Moth to pivot out of disadvantageous matchups like Well-Baked Body Steel-types, incoming Primordial Sea users, and Swampert if lacking Energy Ball, while Morning Sun allows Iron Moth to heal off stray hits. Dex info An offensive spread is usually preferred, especially if running coverage moves, but alternatively a set with maximum HP and Speed can be used to be a more effective switch-in to foes like Zapdos and Primarina. see above

Iron Moth finds itself best suited to balance or bulky offense teams that highly appreciate the combination of defensive utility and offensive firepower it brings. Offensive pivots like Meowscarada, Zapdos, and Barraskewda who told skewda he was part of the team, also Zapdos isn't a very good partner (at least in the sinve of a voltturn core) since the main things it's uturning on are: roaring moon, swampert, and heatran are especially great teammates, forming a potent VoltTurn core with Iron Moth. RegenVest Roaring Moon mention moon in the prior list too is an especially great teammate, threatening Psychic-types like Deoxys-S, Azelf, and Iron Crown while acting as a secondary check to Zapdos, who can otherwise come in on Iron Moth's Fire-type moves for free; Iron Moth, meanwhile, threatens the Steel-types that Roaring Moon struggles can struggle to make progress against. Water weak teammates like Cinderace and Iron Treads appreciate the presence of Iron Moth, as it effectively has a Water immunity thanks to Desolate Land, helping shore up their weakness. the primary waters are manaphy and swampert which moth does not switch into, and I really don't think this sentence is particularly helpful either Iron Moth is incredibly vulnerable to Knock Off and, if its item gets removed, entry hazards, making Great Tusk or Corviknight amazing teammates. Even with specialized coverage, Iron Moth struggles to make progress against special walls like Swampert, Meloetta, and Chansey, meaning teammates that can handle these like Ogerpon-W woger is one of two mons you mention?!?! not moon, not pao, not ceru, but woger????? and Zamazenta are near mandatory; these teammates also greatly appreciate Toxic Spikes wearing down checks like Great Tusk and physically defensive Manaphy.

[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gimmicky.540420/
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/

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Iron Moth has a deep movepool it can dig into suit the needs of its team. Toxic is an option over Toxic Spices to directly threaten enemies with debilitating status, but Toxic Spikes is usually preferred for its ability to status multiple foes.

Solar Beam is an option over Energy Ball on Desolate Land sets, but the consistency of Energy Ball is almost always preferred as opposing Primordial Sea users can cancel out your Solar Beam, leaving you helpless. I already said that I think solar beam is better, like, teams with a primsea aren't going to be going to pert or whatever as their primary moth check so the last point is pretty pointless.

Both Iron Moth sets can look into it's movepool for options like Psychic for opposing Iron Moth and Pecharunt or Bug Buzz to hit Roaring Moon and opposing Psychic-types in one moveslot, but these moves are either too risky to click or don't provide enough value compared to the suggested moves.

All-out-Attacking Iron Moth can consider dropping a coverage move for Toxic to threaten checks like Swampert or Blissey, but this is usually less useful than a third attacking move.

Power Herb + Meteor Beam is an option to lure in and eliminate Zapdos, but this is a gimmicky set that loses out on the utility of a real item as well as sacrificing a moveslot to an otherwise useless move.

Either Flame Charge or a Choice Scarf may be considered to boost Speed, but the boosted Speed is usually not worth the loss of either a coverage move or an item. why do you do this to me.

Checks and Counters
===================

Primordial Sea users: Primordial Sea users like Ogerpon-W, Archaludon, and Zapdos threaten Iron Moth (especially Desolate Land sets) for many of the same reasons; Ogerpon-W forces it out with Water-type STAB and the threat of a Swords Dance, Archaludon forces it out with Earthquake, while Zapdos forces it out with Weather Ball or it's STAB moves. All-out-Attacking sets struggle less into Primordial Sea users.

Blissey: Blissey can cripple Iron Moth with debilitating paralysis while effortlessly sponging hits even after a Fiery Dance boost or two. Magic Guard sets are especially scary, as even Toxic can't wear them down into range of a powerful attack.

RegenVest users: Similar to Blissey, RegenVest users like Swampert and Meloetta effortlessly sponge Iron Moth's hits while threatening it hard in return. why is blissey mentioned before regenvests ffs

Faster Attackers: Revenge Killers like Barraskewda, Roaring Moon, and Choice Scarf Latios can outspeed and cleanly OHKO Iron Moth, forcing it out. so scarf latios and skewda are more important to mention than pao, zama, and meow...

[CREDITS] note: this should be for OO, C&C, and overview; sets without those do not need this
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gimmicky.540420/
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/[/hide]

the general idea is there but the specifics are way too rough for me to stamp as is.