Gen 5 Gastrodon (QC 2/2) (GP 1/1)

[Gamer1234556]

[OVERVIEW]
Gastrodon holds an important niche in BW OU as one of the most reliable counters to offensive rain teams. Not only does its ability Storm Drain grant it a Water immunity, but its typing makes it one of the most reliable defensive checks to Rotom-W and Thundurus-T, provided that the latter isn't running Grass Knot. Gastrodon is also deceptively difficult to switch into, as most Pokemon that can reliably switch into Scald are ruined by Toxic. Gastrodon can also check physical attackers like Tyranitar and Gliscor. Finally, Recover and immunity to sand give it an easy time staying healthy to check the Pokemon it is supposed to. With these traits, Gastrodon is often used on sand teams that need a reliable answer to offensive rain teams. However, Gastrodon is very passive, meaning that Grass-types such as Ferrothorn and Breloom can freely switch in and use it as setup fodder. Gastrodon's susceptibility to entry hazards is also problematic, preventing it from checking very strong physical attackers such as Dragonite. Its vulnerability to Toxic also hurts against Pokemon it can otherwise check that run the move, like Heatran and Keldeo. Finally, Gastrodon faces significant competition as an answer to rain teams with Jellicent and Seismitoad, as the former can better check Keldeo, spinblocks, and has a better matchup against Ferrothorn, while the latter does a better job checking Rotom-W with its access to Refresh and better supports its team, able to run Stealth Rock and Knock Off.

[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Recover
move 2: Scald
move 3: Ice Beam / Earthquake
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Ice Beam hits Dragon-types and Breloom hard, while Earthquake provides a better matchup against Heatran and Jirachi. Toxic puts Pokemon like Keldeo, Volcarona, and Latios on a timer.

Set Details
========
Maximum Defense investment and a Bold nature helps against attackers such as Tyranitar, Gliscor, and Keldeo, avoiding a 2HKO from the latter's Choice Specs-boosted Secret Sword.

Team Options
========
Gastrodon fits on sand teams that need a check to Water-types, like Keldeo and Starmie, and Thundurus-T. Tyranitar Pursuit traps Psychic-types like Alakazam and Reuniclus and sets sand up. Gastrodon particularly appreciates sand, which wears down Gastrodon's foes while it regains health. Skarmory can answer physical attackers like Dragonite, Excadrill, and Garchomp and Psychic-types like Latios and Alakazam, as well as setting up Spikes, while Gastrodon answers Pokemon like Keldeo and Thundurus-T for it. Ferrothorn is able to check Dragon-types, like Latios and Dragonite lacking Fire Punch, and spread residual damage with Knock Off and entry hazards. Gliscor is great to set Stealth Rock, remove Leftovers with Knock Off to give Gastrodon's Scald and Toxic more sticking power, and check very strong physical attackers like Garchomp and Terrakion. Alakazam and Reuniclus are fantastic partners, since they appreciate the residual damage and defensive backbone Gastrodon provides, with Alakazam doing excellent against the offensive teams Gastrodon can struggle against, while Reuniclus can act as a very potent wincon. A spinner like Excadrill is important, since entry hazards can easily put Gastrodon into 2HKO range of moves like Keldeo's Secret Sword, and Excadrill appreciates Gastrodon checking common rain Pokemon. Magnezone helps stop hazards by trapping Skarmory and Ferrothorn, preventing multiple layers of Spikes from going up. Heatran counters Grass-types like Celebi and Ferrothorn, spreads burns with Lava Plume, traps Pokemon with Magma Storm, and sets up Stealth Rock while appreciating Gastrodon answering Water-types. Celebi is a strong Keldeo and Tentacruel check and can absorb status for Gastrodon, while Gastrodon can reliably cover Thundurus-T.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An offensive variant can be used under rain, but Gastrodon's middling coverage and lack of power without a boost from Storm Drain makes this option very fringe. Clear Smog can be useful to completely blank setup attempts from Reuniclus and Latias. Substitute with 220 Speed EVs lets Gastrodon evade Toxic from defensive Politoed, which can't break the Substitute due to only running Scald as an attacking move. However, this is situational, and Politoed often runs Encore, making Substitute easily punishable. Protect can be useful to scout Choice-locked Pokemon and rack up Leftovers recovery. Since Gastrodon often takes on both physical and special attackers, Counter or Mirror Coat can be run to let it lure in attackers and take them out.

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

**Grass-types**: While it has to be wary of Scald burns, Ferrothorn can freely switch into Gastrodon and either set entry hazards up, remove its Leftovers with Knock Off, or KO it with Power Whip. Likewise, Breloom can switch into Scald if Toxic Orb was activated beforehand and force Gastrodon out, though it has to be wary of Ice Beam. Celebi can cure itself of status if it takes Scald or Toxic on the switch thanks to Natural Cure, takes minimal damage from Ice Beam, uses Gastrodon as an opportunity to set up Stealth Rock, and forces it out. Gastrodon also fears Grass-type coverage from Pokemon like Thundurus-T, Alakazam, and Keldeo.

**Residual Damage**: Gastrodon is susceptible to entry hazards, mainly Spikes, as well as status. It's particularly vulnerable to status given that the Pokemon it's meant to check, like Heatran, Rotom-W, and Tentacruel, often run Toxic or Will-O-Wisp, which cripple its longevity.

**Strong Attackers**: Faster threats such as Garchomp, Terrakion, Latios, and Kyurem-B can KO a weakened Gastrodon or force it out. Even Pokemon it should check, like Thundurus-T, can potentially muscle through Gastrodon with setup. However, all of these Pokemon must be careful when switching in due to Scald burns and Toxic crippling them.

**Bulky Setup Sweepers**: Bulky setup sweepers like Calm Mind Reuniclus, Substitute + Calm Mind Latias, Calm Mind Jirachi, Swords Dance Gliscor, and Substitute + Dragon Dance Dragonite may get easy setup on Gastrodon, depending on its third moveslot attack, due to their ability to nullify Toxic and take Scald.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Gamer1234556, 515642]]
- Quality checked by: [[Zokuru, 263906], [Ophion, 433215]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]

 

[Zokuru]

Good job man ! Just some little points :

• Add the information that Gastrodon is pretty hard to switch into, due to Scald + Toxic being a dangerous combinaison due to burn and poison being very strong statuts.
• Note that Nasty Plot Thundurus with Focus Blast can easily muscle through Gastrodon, and also note that the burn from Rotom is pretty annoying.
• Counter/mirror coat and Yawn can probably be listed as OO. The formers can be quite useful since Gastrodon is a Pokemon you want to hit as opposed to setup on, due to scald and toxic being quite threatening, allowing Counter/MCoat to get a surprise kill. Yawn is also quite nice, especially with EH up, as it forces the pokemon that comes on Gastrodon out, and prevent setup even more radically than Toxic, as well as going really well with Scald + Ice beam, allowing you to mess with Tentacruel coming to threaten spin / Toxic.
• I would add Celebi as a team option, they both complement each other defensively quite well, a la Swampert + Celebi in ADV, as well as being a deadly core against Rain. Also better handling Rotom, as Celebi can absorb the burn, and Gastrodon coming on Volt Switch threaten Toxic, making a WoW play hard to do if not on the switch, forcing Rotom into a difficult choice each time it comes, with lots of drawbacks with minimum benefits to gain.

Have a nice day :)

 

[Adeleine]

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[OVERVIEW]
Gastrodon holds an important niche in BW OU as one of the most reliable counters to offensive rain teams. Not only does its ability Storm Drain grant it an immunity to Water-type attacks, a Water immunity, but its typing makes it one of the most reliable defensive checks to Rotom-W and Thundurus-T, given provided that the latter isn't running Grass Knot. With the combination of Scald and Toxic, Gastrodon can be Gastrodon is also deceptively difficult to switch into, (AC) as most Pokemon that can reliably switch into Scald are ruined by Toxic. Gastrodon can also check physical attackers like Tyranitar and Gliscor. Finally, its access to Recover means that it has Recover gives it an easy time staying healthy to check the Pokemon it is supposed to. With these traits, Gastrodon is often used on sand teams that need a reliable answer to offensive rain teams. However, Gastrodon is very passive, meaning that Grass-types such as Ferrothorn and Breloom can freely switch in and use Gastrodon it as setup fodder. Gastrodon's susceptibility to entry hazards is also problematic, since it prevents preventing it from checking very strong physical attackers such as Dragonite. Its vulnerability to Toxic also makes it able to be crippled by hurts against Pokemon it can otherwise check that run the move, like Heatran and Keldeo. Finally, Gastrodon faces significant competition as an answer to rain teams with Jellicent and Seismitoad, as the former can better check Keldeo, spinblocks, and has a better matchup against Ferrothorn, (AC) while the latter does a better job checking Rotom-W with its access to Refresh and better supports its team, (AC) with its ability able to run Stealth Rock and Knock Off.

[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Recover
move 2: Scald
move 3: Ice Beam / Earthquake
move 4: (added colon) Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Ice Beam hits Dragon-types and Breloom hard, (AC) while Earthquake provides a better matchup against Heatran and Jirachi. Toxic can be used to put puts Pokemon like Keldeo, Volcarona, and Latios on a timer.

Set Details
========
Max Defense in tandem with a Bold nature maximizes Gastrodon's physical bulk so that it can better take on physical attackers such as Tyranitar and Gliscor. It also lets Gastrodon avoid being 2HKOed by Keldeo's Choice Specs-boosted Secret Sword from full health. Maximum Defense investment and a Bold nature helps against attackers such as Tyranitar, Gliscor, and Keldeo, avoiding a 2HKO from the latter's Choice Specs-boosted Secret Sword.

Team Options
========
Gastrodon fits on sand teams that need a Water-resistant Pokemon that can also check check to Water-types, like Keldeo and Starmie, and (so long as this makes sense) Thundurus-T. Tyranitar Pursuit traps Psychic-types like Alakazam and Reuniclus and sets sand up. Gastrodon particularly appreciates sand, as it which wears down Gastrodon's foes while it regains health while it can check Water-types like Keldeo and Starmie. Skarmory can answer physical attackers like Dragonite, Excadrill, and Garchomp and Psychic-types like Latios and Alakazam and set up Spikes Alakazam, as well as setting up Spikes, while Gastrodon answers Pokemon like Keldeo and Thundurus-T for it. Ferrothorn is able to check Dragon-types, (AC) like Latios and Dragonite lacking Fire Punch, (AC) and spread residual damage with Knock Off and the entry hazards it can set. While Gliscor shares Gastrodon's Ground typing, it's a good partner since it can entry hazards. Gliscor is great to (it's not clear what the possible disadvantage of them both being ground-types is: the mons don't share any type weaknesses. you can keep the point, though, if you specify why them both being ground could both be a disadvantage (is it them overlapping the same niche of electric immunity?)) set Stealth Rock, remove Leftovers with Knock Off to give Gastrodon's Scald and Toxic more sticking power, and check very strong physical attackers like Garchomp and Terrakion. Alakazam and Reuniclus are fantastic partners, (AC) since they appreciate the residual damage and defensive backbone Gastrodon provides, with Alakazam having a particularly good matchup doing excellent against the offensive teams Gastrodon can struggle against, (AC) while Reuniclus can act as a very potent wincon. Excadrill is a solid partner since it can spin entry hazards off the field, which is important since Gastrodon can be easily be put into KO range of moves like Keldeo's Secret Sword if they're up while it appreciates Gastrodon's ability to check A spinner like Excadrill is important, since entry hazards can easily put Gastrodon into KO range of moves like Keldeo's Secret Sword, and Excadrill appreciates Gastrodon checking (as long as this still makes sense) common rain Pokemon. Likewise, Magnezone traps Magnezone helps stop hazards by trapping Skarmory and Ferrothorn, preventing multiple layers of Spikes from going up. Heatran counters Grass-types like Celebi and Ferrothorn, spreads burns with Lava Plume, traps Pokemon with Magma Storm, and sets up Stealth Rock while appreciating Gastrodon answering Water-types. Celebi also makes for a decent partner with Gastrodon, as it adds is a strong Keldeo and Tentacruel check and can absorb status for Gastrodon, while Gastrodon can reliably cover Thundurus-T.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An offensive variant can be used under rain, but Gastrodon's middling coverage and lack of initial power (please either clarify why you used "initial" (eg specify "An offensive Curse variant") or remove "initial") makes this option very fringe. Clear Smog can be useful to completely blank setup attempts from Reuniclus and Latias. Substitute with 220 Speed EVs makes Gastrodon able to lets Gastrodon evade Toxic from defensive Politoed, who which can't break the Substitute due to only running Scald as an attacking move. However, this is situational, and Politoed often runs Encore, making Substitute easily punishable. Protect can be useful to scout Choice-locked Pokemon and rack up Leftovers recovery. Since Gastrodon often takes on both physical and special attackers, Counter or Mirror Coat can be run to lure the Pokemon hitting it let it lure in attackers and take them out.

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

**Grass-types**: While it has to be wary of Scald burns, Ferrothorn can freely switch into Gastrodon and either set entry hazards up, Knock Off Gastrodon's Leftovers, or force it out remove its Leftovers with Knock Off, or KO it with Power Whip. Likewise, Breloom can switch into Scald if Toxic Orb was activated beforehand and force Gastrodon out, though it has to be wary of Ice Beam. Celebi can cure itself of status should Gastrodon inflict it with status if it takes Scald or Toxic on the switch thanks to Natural Cure, takes minimal damage from Ice Beam, use it uses Gastrodon as an opportunity to set up Stealth Rock, and forces it out. Gastrodon also has to be wary of fears Grass-type coverage from Pokemon like Thundurus-T, Alakazam, and Keldeo.

**Residual Damage**: Gastrodon is susceptible to entry hazards, mainly Spikes, as well as status. It's particularly vulnerable to status given that the Pokemon it's meant to check, like Heatran, Rotom-W, and Tentacruel, often run status moves like Toxic and Toxic or (so long as removing "like" doesn't leave out important possibilities) Will-O-Wisp, which cripple its longevity.

**Strong Attackers**: Faster threats such as Garchomp, Terrakion, Latios, and Kyurem-B can take advantage of a weakened Gastrodon and KO it KO a weakened Gastrodon or force it out. Even Pokemon it should check, like Thundurus-T, can potentially muscle through Gastrodon should it run Nasty Plot. with setup. (if you want, you can add other possibilities, but there's no requirement) However, all of these Pokemon must be careful when switching in due to Scald burns and Toxic crippling them.

**Bulky Setup Sweepers**: Bulky setup sweepers like Calm Mind Reuniclus, Substitute + Calm Mind Latias, Calm Mind Jirachi, Swords Dance Gliscor, and Substitute + Dragon Dance Dragonite can all easily set up on Gastrodon should it lack the appropriate coverage move may get easy setup on Gastrodon, depending on its third moveslot attack, (I imagine this makes sense?) due to their ability to evade nullify Toxic and take its other attacks. Scald.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Gamer1234556, 515642]]
- Quality checked by: [[Zokuru, 263906], [Ophion, 433215]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]

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