taken over from BigWigs
[OVERVIEW]
In a metagame plagued with Colossoil, Krilowatt, and numerous Fairy-types, Ferrothorn stands out as a solid defensive Pokemon to take these threats on thanks to its Grass / Steel typing, Iron Barbs, and good mixed bulk. Ferrothorn's capabilities extend beyond simply tanking hits for the team, as it has several great utility moves to take advantage of, including Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Leech Seed. Ferrothorn can even function as a decent status absorber, as it's immune to both powder moves and poison, and doesn't mind being paralyzed.
However, Ferrothorn lacks viable recovery options outside of Leech Seed and Leftovers, which can leave it susceptible to being worn down over the course of a battle. Though its typing grants it a whopping nine resistances as well as an immunity, it's left with two fairly significant weaknesses to Fire and Fighting, which are problematic with threats such as Mollux, Volkraken, and Tomohawk being so common. Lastly, Ferrothorn's passive nature can render it setup bait for some dangerous setup sweepers such as Cawmodore, which doesn't take much damage from Gyro Ball or Power Whip and is immune to Thunder Wave due to Volt Absorb.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Stealth Rock / Spikes
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Gyro Ball / Power Whip
move 4: Power Whip / Protect / Thunder Wave / Toxic
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Iron Barbs
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 192 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Ferrothorn is a reliable setter of Stealth Rock thanks to its bulk and defensive typing, giving it several opportunities throughout the match to set up the entry hazard. Spikes can also be used in place of or in addition to Stealth Rock, allowing Ferrothorn to capitalize on free turns even further. Leech Seed provides Ferrothorn with a way to wear down defensive Pokemon and grants chip damage against switch-ins. Gyro Ball is Ferrothorn's primary method of dishing out damage, as it capitalizes on its low Speed and is helpful for handling Fairy-types, among other faster Pokemon. Power Whip allows Ferrothorn to check Water- and Ground-types much more easily, such as Azumarill, Manaphy, and Colossoil. It also prevents Pokemon like Mega Gyarados from using it as setup fodder. Protect grants Ferrothorn extra turns of Leftovers and Leech Seed recovery. It can also be used to scout for Hidden Power Fire from foes such as Mega Diancie and Kyurem-B. Thunder Wave allows Ferrothorn to cripple switch-ins such as Mollux, both Mega Charizard formes, and Heatran. It's useful to prevent boosting Pokemon from using Ferrothorn as setup bait, as long as they aren't immune to the move or carrying Substitute. Toxic can wear down switch-ins such as Pyroak, Cyclohm, and Zapdos. All three of these Pokemon tend to run Fire-type attacks and can heavily threaten Ferrothorn as a result, so putting them on a timer is helpful.
Set Details
========
252 HP EVs and 192 Special Defense EVs give Ferrothorn enough special bulk to avoid the 2HKO from Life Orb Kyurem-B's Ice Beam after Stealth Rock damage. The remaining investment and a Relaxed nature go towards Ferrothorn's physical bulk, allowing it to take on physical attackers such as Colossoil more easily. A Relaxed nature also lowers Ferrothorn's Speed, making its Gyro Ball even stronger. An EV spread of 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD can be be used to capitalize more on Ferrothorn's physical bulk, avoiding the 2HKO from Adamant Life Orb Excadrill's Earthquake, while still maintaining many of its capabilities as a mixed wall. Leftovers is the preferred item in most cases, providing Ferrothorn with passive recovery and added longevity so that it has more opportunities to perform its supporting duties throughout the match. At the cost of longevity, Rocky Helmet allows Ferrothorn to punish users of contact moves more aggressively, racking up serious residual damage on them in tandem with Iron Barbs. Shed Shell is also an option, allowing Ferrothorn to escape from trappers like Magnezone. It's a bit less consistently useful than the other two options, though, as it's useless against teams that don't run a trapper.
Usage Tips
========
Switch into Pokemon that Ferrothorn can wall, which are usually ones with resisted STAB types such as Krilowatt, Azumarill, and Mega Altaria, or passive Pokemon that Ferrothorn can absorb status from such as Chansey, and set up entry hazards. Try to scout for potential Fire-type coverage moves such as Hidden Power Fire and Fire Blast before switching Ferrothorn in on a special or mixed attacker, as it risks being severely damaged by these moves. If your opponent has a Colossoil, there's a chance it could try to bounce back entry hazards with Rebound. Leech Seed can be used to safely scout for Rebound, as Ferrothorn is immune to Leech Seed, or you can simply opt to damage Colossoil heavily with Power Whip or Gyro Ball.
Team Options
========
Wish users such as Clefable, Chansey, and Alomomola can greatly extend Ferrothorn's longevity. Fairy-types, especially Fire-resistant ones like Azumarill and Mega Diancie, are able to beat Fighting-type Pokemon and Cyclohm for Ferrothorn. Fire-types can also cover Ferrothorn's weakness to Fire and threaten Pokemon like Mega Scizor that might use Ferrothorn as setup bait. Several setup sweepers fall nicely into this category, such as Mega Charizard X and Talonflame, as they appreciate entry hazards wearing down bulky walls, which Ferrothorn can easily provide. Heatran is a more defensive option that can absorb Fire-type moves with Flash Fire. Ferrothorn, in turn, can cover Water-type attacks aimed at these Pokemon. Water-types, such as Slowbro, Rotom-W, and Arghonaut, have good defensive synergy with Ferrothorn, as they can take Fire-type attacks easily while Ferrothorn can tank Electric- and Grass-type attacks aimed at them. Cyclohm can handle several Pokemon Ferrothorn despises, such as Fire-types, Tomohawk, Cawmodore, and Keldeo, and provides Heal Bell support for the team. Mega Sableye can bounce back Will-O-Wisp and check the Fighting-types that Ferrothorn hates; in return, Ferrothorn can check Fairy-types for Mega Sableye. Mega Sableye also acts as a spinblocker to help ensure that Ferrothorn's entry hazards stay set up.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Knock Off can cripple Pokemon by removing their item, but Ferrothorn has trouble finding a slot for the move. Bulldoze can help Ferrothorn lure and take on Heatran, Magnezone, Mollux, and Plasmanta, hitting them for 4x super effective damage, but again, it's usually not worth the slot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-type Pokemon and Fire-type coverage**: Ferrothorn's typing makes it incredibly weak to Fire-type Pokemon, leaving it easily forced out by the likes of Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Mollux, Heatran, Pyroak, and Volkraken. Fire-type coverage from Pokemon such as Mega Altaria, Clefable, Serperior, and Stratagem also poses a severe threat to Ferrothorn.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types such as Tomohawk, Mega Lopunny, Mega Medicham, Mega Heracross, Keldeo, and Revenankh can all threaten Ferrothorn with their strong STAB moves. They can have some trouble switching in to Ferrothorn's status moves and STAB attacks, however, and Mega Lopunny and Mega Medicham need to be cautious of Protect when using High Jump Kick.
**Grass-types**: Pokemon such as Pyroak and Mega Venusaur can switch in on Leech Seed and strike back with super effective STAB or coverage moves.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye discourages the use of utility moves thanks to Magic Bounce and can stall out Ferrothorn with Will-O-Wisp and Recover.
**Taunt Users**: Taunt shuts Ferrothorn down, as it won't be able to use Leech Seed, set up entry hazards, or inflict status on the foe.
**Setup Sweepers**: Setup sweepers such as Cawmodore, Talonflame, Mega Scizor, and Aurumoth can use Ferrothorn as setup fodder due to its passive nature. Cawmodore can easily set up Belly Drum and take out Ferrothorn with a +6 Acrobatics or Drain Punch, as it resists Ferrothorn's STAB moves and doesn't fear Thunder Wave thanks to Volt Absorb. All Talonflame variants pose a threat to Ferrothorn; bulkier variants can Taunt Ferrothorn and wear it down with Will-O-Wisp or set up with Bulk Up while healing off damage with Roost, and offensive variants can opt to simply KO it with Flare Blitz, though Talonflame does take massive recoil damage in the process. Mega Scizor can easily set up Swords Dance on Ferrothorn while healing off damage with Roost. Aurumoth has several potential setup methods and can KO Ferrothorn with a boosted Overheat, Focus Blast, or Close Combat, while only truly fearing Ferrothorn's Thunder Wave.
**Magnezone**: Magnezone can trap and remove Ferrothorn with Hidden Power Fire if Ferrothorn is not running Shed Shell.
[OVERVIEW]
In a metagame plagued with Colossoil, Krilowatt, and numerous Fairy-types, Ferrothorn stands out as a solid defensive Pokemon to take these threats on thanks to its Grass / Steel typing, Iron Barbs, and good mixed bulk. Ferrothorn's capabilities extend beyond simply tanking hits for the team, as it has several great utility moves to take advantage of, including Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Leech Seed. Ferrothorn can even function as a decent status absorber, as it's immune to both powder moves and poison, and doesn't mind being paralyzed.
However, Ferrothorn lacks viable recovery options outside of Leech Seed and Leftovers, which can leave it susceptible to being worn down over the course of a battle. Though its typing grants it a whopping nine resistances as well as an immunity, it's left with two fairly significant weaknesses to Fire and Fighting, which are problematic with threats such as Mollux, Volkraken, and Tomohawk being so common. Lastly, Ferrothorn's passive nature can render it setup bait for some dangerous setup sweepers such as Cawmodore, which doesn't take much damage from Gyro Ball or Power Whip and is immune to Thunder Wave due to Volt Absorb.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Stealth Rock / Spikes
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Gyro Ball / Power Whip
move 4: Power Whip / Protect / Thunder Wave / Toxic
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Iron Barbs
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 192 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Ferrothorn is a reliable setter of Stealth Rock thanks to its bulk and defensive typing, giving it several opportunities throughout the match to set up the entry hazard. Spikes can also be used in place of or in addition to Stealth Rock, allowing Ferrothorn to capitalize on free turns even further. Leech Seed provides Ferrothorn with a way to wear down defensive Pokemon and grants chip damage against switch-ins. Gyro Ball is Ferrothorn's primary method of dishing out damage, as it capitalizes on its low Speed and is helpful for handling Fairy-types, among other faster Pokemon. Power Whip allows Ferrothorn to check Water- and Ground-types much more easily, such as Azumarill, Manaphy, and Colossoil. It also prevents Pokemon like Mega Gyarados from using it as setup fodder. Protect grants Ferrothorn extra turns of Leftovers and Leech Seed recovery. It can also be used to scout for Hidden Power Fire from foes such as Mega Diancie and Kyurem-B. Thunder Wave allows Ferrothorn to cripple switch-ins such as Mollux, both Mega Charizard formes, and Heatran. It's useful to prevent boosting Pokemon from using Ferrothorn as setup bait, as long as they aren't immune to the move or carrying Substitute. Toxic can wear down switch-ins such as Pyroak, Cyclohm, and Zapdos. All three of these Pokemon tend to run Fire-type attacks and can heavily threaten Ferrothorn as a result, so putting them on a timer is helpful.
Set Details
========
252 HP EVs and 192 Special Defense EVs give Ferrothorn enough special bulk to avoid the 2HKO from Life Orb Kyurem-B's Ice Beam after Stealth Rock damage. The remaining investment and a Relaxed nature go towards Ferrothorn's physical bulk, allowing it to take on physical attackers such as Colossoil more easily. A Relaxed nature also lowers Ferrothorn's Speed, making its Gyro Ball even stronger. An EV spread of 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD can be be used to capitalize more on Ferrothorn's physical bulk, avoiding the 2HKO from Adamant Life Orb Excadrill's Earthquake, while still maintaining many of its capabilities as a mixed wall. Leftovers is the preferred item in most cases, providing Ferrothorn with passive recovery and added longevity so that it has more opportunities to perform its supporting duties throughout the match. At the cost of longevity, Rocky Helmet allows Ferrothorn to punish users of contact moves more aggressively, racking up serious residual damage on them in tandem with Iron Barbs. Shed Shell is also an option, allowing Ferrothorn to escape from trappers like Magnezone. It's a bit less consistently useful than the other two options, though, as it's useless against teams that don't run a trapper.
Usage Tips
========
Switch into Pokemon that Ferrothorn can wall, which are usually ones with resisted STAB types such as Krilowatt, Azumarill, and Mega Altaria, or passive Pokemon that Ferrothorn can absorb status from such as Chansey, and set up entry hazards. Try to scout for potential Fire-type coverage moves such as Hidden Power Fire and Fire Blast before switching Ferrothorn in on a special or mixed attacker, as it risks being severely damaged by these moves. If your opponent has a Colossoil, there's a chance it could try to bounce back entry hazards with Rebound. Leech Seed can be used to safely scout for Rebound, as Ferrothorn is immune to Leech Seed, or you can simply opt to damage Colossoil heavily with Power Whip or Gyro Ball.
Team Options
========
Wish users such as Clefable, Chansey, and Alomomola can greatly extend Ferrothorn's longevity. Fairy-types, especially Fire-resistant ones like Azumarill and Mega Diancie, are able to beat Fighting-type Pokemon and Cyclohm for Ferrothorn. Fire-types can also cover Ferrothorn's weakness to Fire and threaten Pokemon like Mega Scizor that might use Ferrothorn as setup bait. Several setup sweepers fall nicely into this category, such as Mega Charizard X and Talonflame, as they appreciate entry hazards wearing down bulky walls, which Ferrothorn can easily provide. Heatran is a more defensive option that can absorb Fire-type moves with Flash Fire. Ferrothorn, in turn, can cover Water-type attacks aimed at these Pokemon. Water-types, such as Slowbro, Rotom-W, and Arghonaut, have good defensive synergy with Ferrothorn, as they can take Fire-type attacks easily while Ferrothorn can tank Electric- and Grass-type attacks aimed at them. Cyclohm can handle several Pokemon Ferrothorn despises, such as Fire-types, Tomohawk, Cawmodore, and Keldeo, and provides Heal Bell support for the team. Mega Sableye can bounce back Will-O-Wisp and check the Fighting-types that Ferrothorn hates; in return, Ferrothorn can check Fairy-types for Mega Sableye. Mega Sableye also acts as a spinblocker to help ensure that Ferrothorn's entry hazards stay set up.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Knock Off can cripple Pokemon by removing their item, but Ferrothorn has trouble finding a slot for the move. Bulldoze can help Ferrothorn lure and take on Heatran, Magnezone, Mollux, and Plasmanta, hitting them for 4x super effective damage, but again, it's usually not worth the slot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-type Pokemon and Fire-type coverage**: Ferrothorn's typing makes it incredibly weak to Fire-type Pokemon, leaving it easily forced out by the likes of Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Mollux, Heatran, Pyroak, and Volkraken. Fire-type coverage from Pokemon such as Mega Altaria, Clefable, Serperior, and Stratagem also poses a severe threat to Ferrothorn.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types such as Tomohawk, Mega Lopunny, Mega Medicham, Mega Heracross, Keldeo, and Revenankh can all threaten Ferrothorn with their strong STAB moves. They can have some trouble switching in to Ferrothorn's status moves and STAB attacks, however, and Mega Lopunny and Mega Medicham need to be cautious of Protect when using High Jump Kick.
**Grass-types**: Pokemon such as Pyroak and Mega Venusaur can switch in on Leech Seed and strike back with super effective STAB or coverage moves.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye discourages the use of utility moves thanks to Magic Bounce and can stall out Ferrothorn with Will-O-Wisp and Recover.
**Taunt Users**: Taunt shuts Ferrothorn down, as it won't be able to use Leech Seed, set up entry hazards, or inflict status on the foe.
**Setup Sweepers**: Setup sweepers such as Cawmodore, Talonflame, Mega Scizor, and Aurumoth can use Ferrothorn as setup fodder due to its passive nature. Cawmodore can easily set up Belly Drum and take out Ferrothorn with a +6 Acrobatics or Drain Punch, as it resists Ferrothorn's STAB moves and doesn't fear Thunder Wave thanks to Volt Absorb. All Talonflame variants pose a threat to Ferrothorn; bulkier variants can Taunt Ferrothorn and wear it down with Will-O-Wisp or set up with Bulk Up while healing off damage with Roost, and offensive variants can opt to simply KO it with Flare Blitz, though Talonflame does take massive recoil damage in the process. Mega Scizor can easily set up Swords Dance on Ferrothorn while healing off damage with Roost. Aurumoth has several potential setup methods and can KO Ferrothorn with a boosted Overheat, Focus Blast, or Close Combat, while only truly fearing Ferrothorn's Thunder Wave.
**Magnezone**: Magnezone can trap and remove Ferrothorn with Hidden Power Fire if Ferrothorn is not running Shed Shell.
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