Taking this from Colonel M (I'm going to try not to change too much of his original writing, though) nm I pretty much completely rewrote it lol
old version by colonel m
Overview
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Ferrothorn's stellar Grass / Steel typing grants it resistances to many common attacks, such as Thunderbolt, Stone Edge, and Waterfall, which it can stomach comfortably thanks to its high defenses. Its ability, Iron Barbs, is great for deterring physical attackers that rely on contact moves, as the recoil damage it causes can pile up quickly. Ferrothorn's movepool is also spectacular, including excellent support options such as Stealth Rock and Leech Seed as well as two very strong STAB moves in Power Whip and Gyro Ball. Although Ferrothorn can threaten most of its common switch-ins with the appropriate move, it struggles to find room for many of its potential move options, and it suffers from a 4x weakness to Fire-type attacks and the loss of its Ghost- and Dark-type resistances. It also lacks a reliable recovery move, meaning that it can be easy to wear down over the course of a match. Nevertheless, Ferrothorn's immense utility and ability to check prominent threats such as Gyarados and Azumarill make it a solid Pokemon in OU.
Utility
########
name: Utility
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Power Whip
move 4: Protect / Gyro Ball / Knock Off
ability: Iron Barbs
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
nature: Impish / Relaxed
Moves
========
Ferrothorn is a very reliable user of Stealth Rock, as its typing and bulk can force many Pokemon to switch out. Leech Seed is extremely valuable, giving Ferrothorn a much-needed source of recovery as well as a great phazing tool against Pokemon that attempt to set up on it. Power Whip's very high Base Power compensates for the lack of Attack investment, and it allows Ferrothorn to beat many Water- and Ground-types. Protect allows Ferrothorn to recover more health from Leftovers and Leech Seed as well as to scout for potential coverage moves, such as Fire Blast from Tyranitar and Garchomp and Superpower from Azumarill. Gyro Ball is another powerful STAB move that uses Ferrothorn's ridiculously low Speed to its advantage, allowing it to check Pokemon such as Dragonite, Kyurem-B, and some variants of Mawile more easily. Unfortunately, its low PP is a potential issue. Knock Off is an alternative attacking option in the last slot that pesters switch-ins by robbing them of their items, and it deals a solid amount of damage to Aegislash in particular.
Two other moves can be used. Running Spikes instead of Stealth Rock is viable if Ferrothorn is already paired with a Stealth Rock user. Thunder Wave is great for crippling switch-ins that rely on their Speed, such as Charizard. It should be noted that Thunder Wave should never be used alongside Gyro Ball, as the Speed drop from paralysis drastically lowers Gyro Ball's power.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread allows Ferrothorn to fare well against both physically and specially based opponents. Specifically, an investment of 168 Special Defense EVs allows Ferrothorn to survive two Ice Beams from Manaphy after a Tail Glow. However, Ferrothorn's EV spread can easily be tailored to account for any individual threats it needs to check. For example, a spread of 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 SpD gives Ferrothorn a much easier time against Ground-types, such as Excadrill, Diggersby, and Mamoswine. A Relaxed nature and a Speed IV of 0 should be used with Gyro Ball to increase its damage output.
Leftovers is the preferred item, as Ferrothorn greatly appreciates the recovery it provides. However, Rocky Helmet can be used to punish users of contact moves even more than usual. Speaking of contact moves, Iron Barbs is the only ability worth considering—Anticipation is generally only useful to scout for Fire-type coverage moves, which can already be accomplished by Protect.
Usage Tips
========
Ferrothorn should initially be switched in on a Pokemon that does not threaten it, such as a Water-type or Chansey, and proceed to set up Stealth Rock. Afterwards, it can serve as a utility counter to most Water-types, some Electric-types, and many other select Pokemon such as Kyurem-B if it has the appropriate move. Generally, throwing out a Leech Seed is a safe option; most teams lack a Pokemon immune to the move, and Ferrothorn will lose some HP when it switches in most of the time. Aside from this, using Ferrothorn effectively depends on the moves it's running. For example, Protect can be used to scout an opposing Greninja's moveset for Hidden Power Fire.
Team Options
========
An important thing to keep in mind about Ferrothorn is that it excels on teams that take advantage of weather. An immunity to sandstorm damage and the ability to counter Water-types make Ferrothorn a great fit on sand teams, where Hippowdon is a fantastic teammate. Hippowdon can check the Fire- and Fighting-types that Ferrothorn struggles against, and it can also use Stealth Rock, which frees up a moveslot for Ferrothorn. Similarly, rain partially alleviates Ferrothorn's crippling Fire-type weakness, and rain teams often struggle against the Water- and Electric-types that Ferrothorn checks with ease. Thus, Politoed is another good partner for Ferrothorn. Bisharp and Defiant Thundurus can capitalize on the use of Defog, which Ferrothorn's entry hazards often force. Landorus-T works similarly to Hippowdon, checking Fire- and Fighting-types. Gyarados and Azumarill also work well in this regard. Finally, Fairy-types such as Clefable and Sylveon check Fighting-types, and the latter can assist Ferrothorn with Wish and Heal Bell.
Other Options
########
Bulldoze hits Heatran and Magnezone hard, but it will not OHKO either of them. Iron Head is a Steel-type STAB option that complements Thunder Wave decently. Toxic can be used to punish bulky switch-ins, such as Volcarona, Zapdos, and Mandibuzz. Curse is a decent boosting option, as Ferrothorn has high Special Defense and is immune to Toxic. A Choice Band set can be used, but such a set is gimmicky and wastes Ferrothorn's potential as a support Pokemon.
Checks & Counters
########
**Fire-types**: Ferrothorn's STAB moves are resisted by Fire-types such as Charizard, Heatran, Talonflame, Volcarona, and Entei, all of which can OHKO Ferrothorn with a STAB move of their choice. Talonflame and Mega Charizard X must be wary, as using Flare Blitz against Ferrothorn will cause them to take massive amounts of recoil damage.
**Fighting-types**: Many Fighting-types have difficulty switching into Ferrothorn, and the majority of them hate taking Iron Barbs damage, but they are easily capable of KOing Ferrothorn. Conkeldurr isn't terribly bothered by Iron Barbs, as it can recover any lost HP with Drain Punch. It also enjoys switching into the odd Thunder Wave, which activates Guts. Lucario and Terrakion can switch into Knock Off and receive an Attack boost thanks to Justified. Lucario also resists both of Ferrothorn's STAB moves.
**Physical Walls**: Like most defensive Pokemon, Ferrothorn is easy to wall. Skarmory takes insignificant damage from Ferrothorn's STAB moves, blocks Leech Seed with Taunt, and can remove Stealth Rock or Spikes with Defog and then set up its own entry hazards. Mandibuzz works similarly with the combination of Taunt and Defog. Zapdos can use Defog too, and it can also use Heat Wave to KO Ferrothorn. Mega Venusaur needs Hidden Power Fire to damage Ferrothorn, but it can easily switch into any of Ferrothorn's moves and force it out.
**Magnezone**: Magnezone traps Ferrothorn with Magnet Pull and KOes it with Hidden Power Fire.
old version by colonel m
Overview
########
Ferrothorn's stellar Grass / Steel typing grants it resistances to many common attacks, such as Thunderbolt, Stone Edge, and Waterfall, which it can stomach comfortably thanks to its high defenses. Its ability, Iron Barbs, is great for deterring physical attackers that rely on contact moves, as the recoil damage it causes can pile up quickly. Ferrothorn's movepool is also spectacular, including excellent support options such as Stealth Rock and Leech Seed as well as two very strong STAB moves in Power Whip and Gyro Ball. Although Ferrothorn can threaten most of its common switch-ins with the appropriate move, it struggles to find room for many of its potential move options, and it suffers from a 4x weakness to Fire-type attacks and the loss of its Ghost- and Dark-type resistances. It also lacks a reliable recovery move, meaning that it can be easy to wear down over the course of a match. Nevertheless, Ferrothorn's immense utility and ability to check prominent threats such as Gyarados and Azumarill make it a solid Pokemon in OU.
Utility
########
name: Utility
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Power Whip
move 4: Protect / Gyro Ball / Knock Off
ability: Iron Barbs
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
nature: Impish / Relaxed
Moves
========
Ferrothorn is a very reliable user of Stealth Rock, as its typing and bulk can force many Pokemon to switch out. Leech Seed is extremely valuable, giving Ferrothorn a much-needed source of recovery as well as a great phazing tool against Pokemon that attempt to set up on it. Power Whip's very high Base Power compensates for the lack of Attack investment, and it allows Ferrothorn to beat many Water- and Ground-types. Protect allows Ferrothorn to recover more health from Leftovers and Leech Seed as well as to scout for potential coverage moves, such as Fire Blast from Tyranitar and Garchomp and Superpower from Azumarill. Gyro Ball is another powerful STAB move that uses Ferrothorn's ridiculously low Speed to its advantage, allowing it to check Pokemon such as Dragonite, Kyurem-B, and some variants of Mawile more easily. Unfortunately, its low PP is a potential issue. Knock Off is an alternative attacking option in the last slot that pesters switch-ins by robbing them of their items, and it deals a solid amount of damage to Aegislash in particular.
Two other moves can be used. Running Spikes instead of Stealth Rock is viable if Ferrothorn is already paired with a Stealth Rock user. Thunder Wave is great for crippling switch-ins that rely on their Speed, such as Charizard. It should be noted that Thunder Wave should never be used alongside Gyro Ball, as the Speed drop from paralysis drastically lowers Gyro Ball's power.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread allows Ferrothorn to fare well against both physically and specially based opponents. Specifically, an investment of 168 Special Defense EVs allows Ferrothorn to survive two Ice Beams from Manaphy after a Tail Glow. However, Ferrothorn's EV spread can easily be tailored to account for any individual threats it needs to check. For example, a spread of 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 SpD gives Ferrothorn a much easier time against Ground-types, such as Excadrill, Diggersby, and Mamoswine. A Relaxed nature and a Speed IV of 0 should be used with Gyro Ball to increase its damage output.
Leftovers is the preferred item, as Ferrothorn greatly appreciates the recovery it provides. However, Rocky Helmet can be used to punish users of contact moves even more than usual. Speaking of contact moves, Iron Barbs is the only ability worth considering—Anticipation is generally only useful to scout for Fire-type coverage moves, which can already be accomplished by Protect.
Usage Tips
========
Ferrothorn should initially be switched in on a Pokemon that does not threaten it, such as a Water-type or Chansey, and proceed to set up Stealth Rock. Afterwards, it can serve as a utility counter to most Water-types, some Electric-types, and many other select Pokemon such as Kyurem-B if it has the appropriate move. Generally, throwing out a Leech Seed is a safe option; most teams lack a Pokemon immune to the move, and Ferrothorn will lose some HP when it switches in most of the time. Aside from this, using Ferrothorn effectively depends on the moves it's running. For example, Protect can be used to scout an opposing Greninja's moveset for Hidden Power Fire.
Team Options
========
An important thing to keep in mind about Ferrothorn is that it excels on teams that take advantage of weather. An immunity to sandstorm damage and the ability to counter Water-types make Ferrothorn a great fit on sand teams, where Hippowdon is a fantastic teammate. Hippowdon can check the Fire- and Fighting-types that Ferrothorn struggles against, and it can also use Stealth Rock, which frees up a moveslot for Ferrothorn. Similarly, rain partially alleviates Ferrothorn's crippling Fire-type weakness, and rain teams often struggle against the Water- and Electric-types that Ferrothorn checks with ease. Thus, Politoed is another good partner for Ferrothorn. Bisharp and Defiant Thundurus can capitalize on the use of Defog, which Ferrothorn's entry hazards often force. Landorus-T works similarly to Hippowdon, checking Fire- and Fighting-types. Gyarados and Azumarill also work well in this regard. Finally, Fairy-types such as Clefable and Sylveon check Fighting-types, and the latter can assist Ferrothorn with Wish and Heal Bell.
Other Options
########
Bulldoze hits Heatran and Magnezone hard, but it will not OHKO either of them. Iron Head is a Steel-type STAB option that complements Thunder Wave decently. Toxic can be used to punish bulky switch-ins, such as Volcarona, Zapdos, and Mandibuzz. Curse is a decent boosting option, as Ferrothorn has high Special Defense and is immune to Toxic. A Choice Band set can be used, but such a set is gimmicky and wastes Ferrothorn's potential as a support Pokemon.
Checks & Counters
########
**Fire-types**: Ferrothorn's STAB moves are resisted by Fire-types such as Charizard, Heatran, Talonflame, Volcarona, and Entei, all of which can OHKO Ferrothorn with a STAB move of their choice. Talonflame and Mega Charizard X must be wary, as using Flare Blitz against Ferrothorn will cause them to take massive amounts of recoil damage.
**Fighting-types**: Many Fighting-types have difficulty switching into Ferrothorn, and the majority of them hate taking Iron Barbs damage, but they are easily capable of KOing Ferrothorn. Conkeldurr isn't terribly bothered by Iron Barbs, as it can recover any lost HP with Drain Punch. It also enjoys switching into the odd Thunder Wave, which activates Guts. Lucario and Terrakion can switch into Knock Off and receive an Attack boost thanks to Justified. Lucario also resists both of Ferrothorn's STAB moves.
**Physical Walls**: Like most defensive Pokemon, Ferrothorn is easy to wall. Skarmory takes insignificant damage from Ferrothorn's STAB moves, blocks Leech Seed with Taunt, and can remove Stealth Rock or Spikes with Defog and then set up its own entry hazards. Mandibuzz works similarly with the combination of Taunt and Defog. Zapdos can use Defog too, and it can also use Heat Wave to KO Ferrothorn. Mega Venusaur needs Hidden Power Fire to damage Ferrothorn, but it can easily switch into any of Ferrothorn's moves and force it out.
**Magnezone**: Magnezone traps Ferrothorn with Magnet Pull and KOes it with Hidden Power Fire.
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