[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Spikes / Stealth Rock
move 2: Grav Apple
move 3: Anchor Shot / Knock Off
move 4: Strength Sap
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Iron Barbs
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Ferrothorn's excellent defensive typing, great stat spread, and wide utility movepool make it a premier entry hazard setter in STABmons. Grav Apple is the primary STAB move, offering consistent damage, allowing Ferrothorn to break through defensive Pokemon like Clefable and Sylveon with repeated Defense drops, and breaking Gyarados's Substitute. Anchor Shot can be used to trap foes like Hippowdon and Zeraora, with stat drops from Grav Apple and Strength Sap heavily helping Ferrothorn remove these targets from play. Knock Off is an alternative utility option that can be used to remove Leftovers and Heavy-Duty Boots from the likes of Heatran, Tornadus-T, and Rotom-H, cutting into their longevity and making them more vulnerable to Ferrothorn's hazards. Other viable utility options include Toxic, which further cripples switch-ins like Rotom-H but in return leaves Ferrothorn helpless against Steel-types like Corviknight and the aforementioned Heatran, and Aromatherapy, which is useful on defensive teams that benefit from Ferrothorn taking a cleric role. Ferrothorn fits best on balance teams, with defensive Water-types like Toxapex and Slowking offering fantastic type synergy, soaking up strong Fire- and Fighting-type attacks from Cinderace and Keldeo. Ferrothorn deals with threats like Zeraora and Rillaboom in return. Stealth Rock users like Tyranitar and Clefable form a strong hazard core with Ferrothorn, with the former heavily pressuring Rotom-H and also greatly appreciating the chip damage that Spikes provides, while the latter can reliably remove hazards and handle Fighting-types like Buzzwole, which Ferrothorn has trouble with. Wallbreakers like Thundurus-T, Reuniclus, and Aerodactyl make for good partners, profiting off Ferrothorn's hazards and ability to check faster revenge killers like Weavile and Zeraora.
[SET]
name: Cotton Guard
move 1: Cotton Guard
move 2: Body Press
move 3: Spikes / Anchor Shot
move 4: Strength Sap
item: Leftovers / Chople Berry
ability: Iron Barbs
nature: Bold / Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Cotton Guard turns Ferrothorn into a formidable wall, checking many of the tier's strongest setup sweepers including Excadrill, Dracozolt, and Gyarados. It also makes for a solid wincon thanks to Cotton Guard increasing the damage output of Body Press. Spikes synergizes excellently with this strategy, as Ferrothorn can use the threat of boosted Body Press to force out common entry hazard removers like Corviknight and Tornadus-T. Strength Sap allows Ferrothorn to further challenge physical attackers that may otherwise muscle through Cotton Guard boosts. Alternatively, Anchor Shot can be used instead of Spikes, trapping Pokemon like Hippowdon, Clefable, and opposing Ferrothorn that may otherwise exploit an unboosted Ferrothorn to set up hazards. Ferrothorn makes great use of Leftovers's passive recovery, notably using it to avoid a 2HKO from Aerodactyl's Brave Bird. Chople Berry can be run to let Ferrothorn lure in Fighting-types like Urshifu-R, Buzzwole, and Terrakion. Ferrothorn fits best on balance and offense teams that require a blanket check to physical attackers, and their offensive cores can make full use of Spikes chip damage and weaken foes into range of Body Press. VoltTurn Pokemon like Rotom-H and Thundurus-T are therefore great options, as are strong wallbreakers that can remove Heavy-Duty Boots, like Tyranitar and Weavile. Rapid Spin users are also appreciated for removing opposing hazards without removing Ferrothorn's Spikes, with Sylveon and Calm Mind Clefable being two particularly notable examples that also offer a Fighting resistance.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Greybaum, 407249]]
- Quality checked by: [[pannuracotta, 517892], [in the hills, 324242]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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