[Overview]
<p>In a tier chock-full of Rock-types vying for play, Gigalith has some trouble carving a niche for itself. It lacks the bulk of Regirock, the versatility of Golem, and the raw power of Rampardos, so where does this hulking mass of crystals and sediment find its' place? Well, while not being the undisputed king of any given task, Gigalith's excellent combination of bulk and offensive presence makes it a fairly versatile jack-of-all-trades, allowing it to dutifully fulfill multiple roles for a team. Of course, with its mono-Rock typing comes all the pros and cons that all Rock-types experience: while sporting respectable bulk and serving as a decent check to the tier's powerful Flying-types, Gigalith suffers from weaknesses to several common attacking types, further compounded by a mediocre Special Defense and Speed.</p>
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Rock Blast
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Explosion
item: Leftovers / Normal Gem
ability: Sturdy
nature: Adamant
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With its undeniably high Attack stat, backed by above-average defenses, Gigalith makes a very effective offensive user of Stealth Rock. Sturdy reinforces Gigalith's ability to set up Stealth Rock, guaranteeing it can take one powerful attack and respond accordingly. Rock Blast offers Gigalith a useful STAB move, capable of breaking through frailer opponents' Substitutes, as well as breaking through Pokemon like Focus Sash Kadabra. Earthquake compliments Rock Blast very well, punishing Steel-types who try to switch in. Explosion allows Gigalith to get a powerful hit on anything that isn't immune or resistant to it, while also allowing a free switch to whatever is seen fit.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread is meant to maximize bulk and Attack, allowing Gigalith to shrug off attacks and hit back hard, with enough Speed investment to get the drop on uninvested Amoonguss and Duosion. However, by trading bulk for Speed and running a spread of 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe, Gigalith can outspeed Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Armaldo, and Vileplume. Additionally, its high Attack stat, access to Explosion, and low Speed make Gigalith one of the best users of Stealth Rock for Trick Room teams; if run on such a team, it would rather be running a spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD with a Brave nature and 0 Speed IVs. Leftovers are valuable to a player wishing to preserve Gigalith throughout a game, but Normal Gem is useful for more offensive teams wanting to deal damage fast and preserve momentum. In terms of alternative moves, Stone Edge is a viable STAB move to be used over Rock Blast for consistent damage. Superpower, like Earthquake, offers reasonable neutral coverage, and trades consistency for initial power and the ability to hit Normal-types hard. </p>
<p>Exeggutor comes readily to mind as an offensive partner for Gigalith, covering all its weaknesses, breaking through defensive cores that vex Gigalith, and in turn attracting special walls that Gigalith can safely manhandle. Ludicolo and Amoonguss also make respectable partners for Gigalith, threatening the Water- and Grass-types Gigalith has trouble with, and in turn relying on Gigalith to keep Pokemon like Swellow and Braviary in check. Skuntank can trap and KO Misdreavus, who shrugs off Gigalith's attacks and burns it with Will-O-Wisp, while also being able to wear down defensive Grass-types that may otherwise cause Gigalith trouble.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake / Superpower
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Explosion / Toxic
item: Choice Band
ability: Sturdy
nature: Adamant
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Gigalith's excellent Attack stat and respectable bulk allow it to make excellent use of a Choice Band, letting it overwhelm frailer switch-ins. Stone Edge is a powerful STAB move, making less dedicated defensive switch-ins cringe from the damage they take. Earthquake and Superpower both offer respectable coverage alongside Stone Edge, with Earthquake offering Gigalith consistency and the ability to hit Golurk and Poison-types for good damage, and Superpower allowing it to hit harder from the get-go, while also thrashing bulky Normal-types. Rock Blast, while offering little in terms of coverage, grants Gigalith the ability to break through Substitutes, which aids it in checking Pokemon such as Articuno and Bulk Up Braviary. Lastly, Explosion offers Gigalith an incredibly powerful attack to break down nearly any defensive Pokemon attempting to wall it, while also allowing a teammate a free switch, while Toxic offers a more safe option to cripple walls like Alomomola who try to sponge Gigalith's attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread optimizes Gigalith's ability to both give and take hits, with enough Speed to outpace uninvested Amoonguss, Bastiodon, and Duosion. However, additional Speed EVs can be used to outpace other slower Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Armaldo. An offensive Exeggutor—for example Choice Specs—makes an excellent partner to Gigalith, patching up all its weaknesses and breaking down bothersome walls such as Alomomola, and in exchange luring Fire- and Flying-type attacks for Gigalith to switch into. Choice Specs Altaria also makes an excellent partner for this set, being able to sponge attempts to burn Gigalith, who in turn can beat most Steel-types that resist Altaria's Dragon-type attacks. A Rapid Spin user such as Armaldo or Torkoal is also helpful for preserving Gigalith's Sturdy and allowing it the ability to take a powerful attack and hit back hard. Wish support from Pokemon such as Lickilicky and Audino is also useful for similar reasons.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>When taking into account Gigalith's limited movepool, very few options present themselves. Autotomize can allow Gigalith to double its Speed to attempt a sweep, though even with a boost it only reaches 326 Speed at best, which makes it highly susceptible to being outsped and beaten. In a similar vein, Curse can be used to make Gigalith a bulky sweeper, although the amount of common Pokemon that can break through it regardless make this a poor option. Lastly, the move Heavy Slam allows Gigalith a safe option to hit a variety of Pokemon for good damage, which makes it a satisfactory option on the Choice Band set, though more often than not it doesn't see use.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Bulky Ground-types are the best direct answer to Gigalith, resisting its STAB moves and being able to threaten him with their own STAB. Torterra is perhaps the best example, as it also resists Earthquake, and is capable of threatening Gigalith with either a Ground- or Grass-type attack. Fighting-types, such as Sawk and Gurdurr, also resist Gigalith's Rock-type attacks and can threaten it with their STAB, though they need to be careful of switching into the Choice Band set. Naturally bulky Pokemon such as Alomomola and Misdreavus also manage Gigalith quite well, and can threaten to burn it with Scald or Will-O-Wisp, respectively. Speaking of burns, status is Gigalith's worst fear, and being stricken with either burn or poison severely limits Gigalith. Hazards also trouble Gigalith, since it is vulnerable to every type of hazard and lacks any form of recovery to mitigate the damage it takes.</p>
<p>In a tier chock-full of Rock-types vying for play, Gigalith has some trouble carving a niche for itself. It lacks the bulk of Regirock, the versatility of Golem, and the raw power of Rampardos, so where does this hulking mass of crystals and sediment find its' place? Well, while not being the undisputed king of any given task, Gigalith's excellent combination of bulk and offensive presence makes it a fairly versatile jack-of-all-trades, allowing it to dutifully fulfill multiple roles for a team. Of course, with its mono-Rock typing comes all the pros and cons that all Rock-types experience: while sporting respectable bulk and serving as a decent check to the tier's powerful Flying-types, Gigalith suffers from weaknesses to several common attacking types, further compounded by a mediocre Special Defense and Speed.</p>
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Rock Blast
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Explosion
item: Leftovers / Normal Gem
ability: Sturdy
nature: Adamant
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With its undeniably high Attack stat, backed by above-average defenses, Gigalith makes a very effective offensive user of Stealth Rock. Sturdy reinforces Gigalith's ability to set up Stealth Rock, guaranteeing it can take one powerful attack and respond accordingly. Rock Blast offers Gigalith a useful STAB move, capable of breaking through frailer opponents' Substitutes, as well as breaking through Pokemon like Focus Sash Kadabra. Earthquake compliments Rock Blast very well, punishing Steel-types who try to switch in. Explosion allows Gigalith to get a powerful hit on anything that isn't immune or resistant to it, while also allowing a free switch to whatever is seen fit.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread is meant to maximize bulk and Attack, allowing Gigalith to shrug off attacks and hit back hard, with enough Speed investment to get the drop on uninvested Amoonguss and Duosion. However, by trading bulk for Speed and running a spread of 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe, Gigalith can outspeed Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Armaldo, and Vileplume. Additionally, its high Attack stat, access to Explosion, and low Speed make Gigalith one of the best users of Stealth Rock for Trick Room teams; if run on such a team, it would rather be running a spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD with a Brave nature and 0 Speed IVs. Leftovers are valuable to a player wishing to preserve Gigalith throughout a game, but Normal Gem is useful for more offensive teams wanting to deal damage fast and preserve momentum. In terms of alternative moves, Stone Edge is a viable STAB move to be used over Rock Blast for consistent damage. Superpower, like Earthquake, offers reasonable neutral coverage, and trades consistency for initial power and the ability to hit Normal-types hard. </p>
<p>Exeggutor comes readily to mind as an offensive partner for Gigalith, covering all its weaknesses, breaking through defensive cores that vex Gigalith, and in turn attracting special walls that Gigalith can safely manhandle. Ludicolo and Amoonguss also make respectable partners for Gigalith, threatening the Water- and Grass-types Gigalith has trouble with, and in turn relying on Gigalith to keep Pokemon like Swellow and Braviary in check. Skuntank can trap and KO Misdreavus, who shrugs off Gigalith's attacks and burns it with Will-O-Wisp, while also being able to wear down defensive Grass-types that may otherwise cause Gigalith trouble.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake / Superpower
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Explosion / Toxic
item: Choice Band
ability: Sturdy
nature: Adamant
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Gigalith's excellent Attack stat and respectable bulk allow it to make excellent use of a Choice Band, letting it overwhelm frailer switch-ins. Stone Edge is a powerful STAB move, making less dedicated defensive switch-ins cringe from the damage they take. Earthquake and Superpower both offer respectable coverage alongside Stone Edge, with Earthquake offering Gigalith consistency and the ability to hit Golurk and Poison-types for good damage, and Superpower allowing it to hit harder from the get-go, while also thrashing bulky Normal-types. Rock Blast, while offering little in terms of coverage, grants Gigalith the ability to break through Substitutes, which aids it in checking Pokemon such as Articuno and Bulk Up Braviary. Lastly, Explosion offers Gigalith an incredibly powerful attack to break down nearly any defensive Pokemon attempting to wall it, while also allowing a teammate a free switch, while Toxic offers a more safe option to cripple walls like Alomomola who try to sponge Gigalith's attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread optimizes Gigalith's ability to both give and take hits, with enough Speed to outpace uninvested Amoonguss, Bastiodon, and Duosion. However, additional Speed EVs can be used to outpace other slower Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Armaldo. An offensive Exeggutor—for example Choice Specs—makes an excellent partner to Gigalith, patching up all its weaknesses and breaking down bothersome walls such as Alomomola, and in exchange luring Fire- and Flying-type attacks for Gigalith to switch into. Choice Specs Altaria also makes an excellent partner for this set, being able to sponge attempts to burn Gigalith, who in turn can beat most Steel-types that resist Altaria's Dragon-type attacks. A Rapid Spin user such as Armaldo or Torkoal is also helpful for preserving Gigalith's Sturdy and allowing it the ability to take a powerful attack and hit back hard. Wish support from Pokemon such as Lickilicky and Audino is also useful for similar reasons.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>When taking into account Gigalith's limited movepool, very few options present themselves. Autotomize can allow Gigalith to double its Speed to attempt a sweep, though even with a boost it only reaches 326 Speed at best, which makes it highly susceptible to being outsped and beaten. In a similar vein, Curse can be used to make Gigalith a bulky sweeper, although the amount of common Pokemon that can break through it regardless make this a poor option. Lastly, the move Heavy Slam allows Gigalith a safe option to hit a variety of Pokemon for good damage, which makes it a satisfactory option on the Choice Band set, though more often than not it doesn't see use.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Bulky Ground-types are the best direct answer to Gigalith, resisting its STAB moves and being able to threaten him with their own STAB. Torterra is perhaps the best example, as it also resists Earthquake, and is capable of threatening Gigalith with either a Ground- or Grass-type attack. Fighting-types, such as Sawk and Gurdurr, also resist Gigalith's Rock-type attacks and can threaten it with their STAB, though they need to be careful of switching into the Choice Band set. Naturally bulky Pokemon such as Alomomola and Misdreavus also manage Gigalith quite well, and can threaten to burn it with Scald or Will-O-Wisp, respectively. Speaking of burns, status is Gigalith's worst fear, and being stricken with either burn or poison severely limits Gigalith. Hazards also trouble Gigalith, since it is vulnerable to every type of hazard and lacks any form of recovery to mitigate the damage it takes.</p>