QC checks: col49 Spirit Arifeen Omicron
[OVERVIEW]
Gigalith's access to Sand Stream, which boosts its Special Defense by 50%, makes it an extremely durable Pokemon with its base 85 / 130 / 80 bulk. Sand Stream is the biggest factor in making Gigalith a good Pokemon, as it makes Stoutland an incredible threat, removes sun, hinders moves such as Synthesis and Moonlight, and provides chip damage that can be an annoyance to the opponent (but to the user as well). Gigalith's movepool is also diverse enough with access to moves such as Stealth Rock, making it one of the most effective users of it, along with Stone Edge, Rock Blast, and Earthquake. In addition, with its Rock typing and incredible defenses, Gigalith makes for a good check against a number of threats such as Swellow, Salazzle, Dragalge, Stoutland, and Moltres. All that said, its typing also gives it a weakness to the common Water- and Ground-types in the tier such as Slowbro, Milotic, Gligar, Rhyperior, and Flygon. Additionally, Gigalith is pitifully slow, has no recovery outside of Leftovers, and has to compete with other Rock-types in the tier, including Rhyperior, which can be more hard hitting, and Diancie, which has more utility with its Fairy typing and access to Heal Bell.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is almost mandatory on any team, and running it is essential for this set, as its usefulness is too good to pass up on. Stone Edge provides the necessary STAB move of choice, although Rock Blast is another option to consider that is more accurate and has more PP while being weaker most of the time, making it miss out on crucial 2HKOs that Stone Edge would get, with the biggest example being Shaymin. Earthquake provides good coverage and hits Pokemon that would otherwise check Gigalith, such as Nidoqueen. Toxic is used in the final slot to cripple bulky switch-ins such as Slowbro, preventing it from setting up, as well as Milotic, Mantine, and Gligar. Protect can be used over Earthquake or Toxic for the passive 6% recovery from Leftovers while scouting for moves or Choice-locked Pokemon, but keep in mind that it wastes sand turns, and giving up Earthquake or Toxic might not be worth it.
Set Details
========
The EV spread is straightforward with all points invested into HP and Special Defense with a Careful nature to make Gigalith able to check the Pokemon that it needs to. However, Impish with the same EV spread can be used to make Gigalith take hits from the likes of Honchkrow and Stoutland a lot better while giving up some Special Defense. Leftovers is Gigalith's only form of recovery, so it needs it. Despite this, Smooth Rock is an option for sand-oriented teams, and it can make Stoutland's life easier by prolonging sand turns.
Usage Tips
========
Use Gigalith to set up Stealth Rock early in the game, and then try to keep it alive to potentially check Pokemon like Swellow and Salazzle later. Use Toxic to cripple bulky switch-ins such as Slowbro and Gligar. Additionally, if you have Stoutland, then consider keeping Gigalith to set up sand in preparation for Stoutland's sweep.
Team Options
========
Stoutland is the most obvious choice for a partner, as it greatly benefits from sand doubling its Speed. Grass-types in general have good synergy with Gigalith, making Pokemon like Shaymin, Venusaur, Roserade, and Chesnaught good partners. The latter two can also set up Spikes. Keep in mind, however, that sand being present will hinder Synthesis's healing ability. Also, Dhelmise can double as a spinblocker for Gigalith, switching into the likes of Donphan. Additionally, bulky Water-types such as Slowbro, Milotic, and Mantine make for good teammates despite the shared Grass weakness for their ability to switch into and check Pokemon such as Donphan, Flygon, and Doublade. Gligar makes for a decent partner also, since it has Sand Veil, which increases evasion in sand, while offering Defog support and protection against opposing Fighting- and Ground-types such as Pangoro, Heracross, Virizion, and the aforementioned Flygon and Donphan. Finally, Calm Mind Reuniclus can also be another good Fighting-type switch-in that isn't bothered by sand thanks to Magic Guard and can set up against Gigalith's common switch-ins such as bulky Water-types and Ground-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Gigalith can run an offensive Choice Band set, but it is mostly outclassed in that role by Rhyperior and Tyrantrum. A set consisting of Curse alongside Rest, Stone Edge or Rock Blast, and Sleep Talk can be utilized, but a Curse set can be pulled off better by the likes of Snorlax. Explosion with possibly a Normal Gem is an option that can be used to retain momentum while going out with a bang to bring another Pokemon in safely, but it's a waste of Gigalith's bulk on balance teams and its ability to check multiple threats.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Donphan, Flygon, and Rhyperior have super effective STAB moves that can often 2HKO Gigalith easily. Nidoqueen can also 2HKO with Earth Power but has to be afraid of Gigalith's own Earthquake. Gligar can Defog to get rid of Stealth Rock and has STAB Earthquake to weaken Gigalith.
**Water-types**: Milotic, Slowbro, Slowking, and Blastoise can all tank Gigalith's hits and fire off super effective Scalds to weaken it. Despite that, they are all susceptible to Toxic and don't like getting badly poisoned.
**Grass-types**: Virizion and Chesnaught can easily switch in and exploit Gigalith's weaknesses. Shaymin, Venusaur, and Roserade can hurt Gigalith, but it can easily survive a hit or two and hit them back hard. Offensive Dhelmise can survive two Stone Edges from Gigalith without Stealth Rock and has a chance to OHKO back with Power Whip.
**Bronzong and Reuniclus**: Both of these Pokemon don't care about Toxic while easily being able to switch into and set up on Gigalith, provided Reuniclus is using its bulky Calm Mind set.
**Steel-types**: Pokemon like Escavalier, Durant, and Doublade are all immune to Toxic and can threaten Gigalith with super effective STAB moves, but they can take a lot of damage from Gigalith's Rock-type STAB or Earthquake.
[OVERVIEW]
Gigalith's access to Sand Stream, which boosts its Special Defense by 50%, makes it an extremely durable Pokemon with its base 85 / 130 / 80 bulk. Sand Stream is the biggest factor in making Gigalith a good Pokemon, as it makes Stoutland an incredible threat, removes sun, hinders moves such as Synthesis and Moonlight, and provides chip damage that can be an annoyance to the opponent (but to the user as well). Gigalith's movepool is also diverse enough with access to moves such as Stealth Rock, making it one of the most effective users of it, along with Stone Edge, Rock Blast, and Earthquake. In addition, with its Rock typing and incredible defenses, Gigalith makes for a good check against a number of threats such as Swellow, Salazzle, Dragalge, Stoutland, and Moltres. All that said, its typing also gives it a weakness to the common Water- and Ground-types in the tier such as Slowbro, Milotic, Gligar, Rhyperior, and Flygon. Additionally, Gigalith is pitifully slow, has no recovery outside of Leftovers, and has to compete with other Rock-types in the tier, including Rhyperior, which can be more hard hitting, and Diancie, which has more utility with its Fairy typing and access to Heal Bell.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is almost mandatory on any team, and running it is essential for this set, as its usefulness is too good to pass up on. Stone Edge provides the necessary STAB move of choice, although Rock Blast is another option to consider that is more accurate and has more PP while being weaker most of the time, making it miss out on crucial 2HKOs that Stone Edge would get, with the biggest example being Shaymin. Earthquake provides good coverage and hits Pokemon that would otherwise check Gigalith, such as Nidoqueen. Toxic is used in the final slot to cripple bulky switch-ins such as Slowbro, preventing it from setting up, as well as Milotic, Mantine, and Gligar. Protect can be used over Earthquake or Toxic for the passive 6% recovery from Leftovers while scouting for moves or Choice-locked Pokemon, but keep in mind that it wastes sand turns, and giving up Earthquake or Toxic might not be worth it.
Set Details
========
The EV spread is straightforward with all points invested into HP and Special Defense with a Careful nature to make Gigalith able to check the Pokemon that it needs to. However, Impish with the same EV spread can be used to make Gigalith take hits from the likes of Honchkrow and Stoutland a lot better while giving up some Special Defense. Leftovers is Gigalith's only form of recovery, so it needs it. Despite this, Smooth Rock is an option for sand-oriented teams, and it can make Stoutland's life easier by prolonging sand turns.
Usage Tips
========
Use Gigalith to set up Stealth Rock early in the game, and then try to keep it alive to potentially check Pokemon like Swellow and Salazzle later. Use Toxic to cripple bulky switch-ins such as Slowbro and Gligar. Additionally, if you have Stoutland, then consider keeping Gigalith to set up sand in preparation for Stoutland's sweep.
Team Options
========
Stoutland is the most obvious choice for a partner, as it greatly benefits from sand doubling its Speed. Grass-types in general have good synergy with Gigalith, making Pokemon like Shaymin, Venusaur, Roserade, and Chesnaught good partners. The latter two can also set up Spikes. Keep in mind, however, that sand being present will hinder Synthesis's healing ability. Also, Dhelmise can double as a spinblocker for Gigalith, switching into the likes of Donphan. Additionally, bulky Water-types such as Slowbro, Milotic, and Mantine make for good teammates despite the shared Grass weakness for their ability to switch into and check Pokemon such as Donphan, Flygon, and Doublade. Gligar makes for a decent partner also, since it has Sand Veil, which increases evasion in sand, while offering Defog support and protection against opposing Fighting- and Ground-types such as Pangoro, Heracross, Virizion, and the aforementioned Flygon and Donphan. Finally, Calm Mind Reuniclus can also be another good Fighting-type switch-in that isn't bothered by sand thanks to Magic Guard and can set up against Gigalith's common switch-ins such as bulky Water-types and Ground-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Gigalith can run an offensive Choice Band set, but it is mostly outclassed in that role by Rhyperior and Tyrantrum. A set consisting of Curse alongside Rest, Stone Edge or Rock Blast, and Sleep Talk can be utilized, but a Curse set can be pulled off better by the likes of Snorlax. Explosion with possibly a Normal Gem is an option that can be used to retain momentum while going out with a bang to bring another Pokemon in safely, but it's a waste of Gigalith's bulk on balance teams and its ability to check multiple threats.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Donphan, Flygon, and Rhyperior have super effective STAB moves that can often 2HKO Gigalith easily. Nidoqueen can also 2HKO with Earth Power but has to be afraid of Gigalith's own Earthquake. Gligar can Defog to get rid of Stealth Rock and has STAB Earthquake to weaken Gigalith.
**Water-types**: Milotic, Slowbro, Slowking, and Blastoise can all tank Gigalith's hits and fire off super effective Scalds to weaken it. Despite that, they are all susceptible to Toxic and don't like getting badly poisoned.
**Grass-types**: Virizion and Chesnaught can easily switch in and exploit Gigalith's weaknesses. Shaymin, Venusaur, and Roserade can hurt Gigalith, but it can easily survive a hit or two and hit them back hard. Offensive Dhelmise can survive two Stone Edges from Gigalith without Stealth Rock and has a chance to OHKO back with Power Whip.
**Bronzong and Reuniclus**: Both of these Pokemon don't care about Toxic while easily being able to switch into and set up on Gigalith, provided Reuniclus is using its bulky Calm Mind set.
**Steel-types**: Pokemon like Escavalier, Durant, and Doublade are all immune to Toxic and can threaten Gigalith with super effective STAB moves, but they can take a lot of damage from Gigalith's Rock-type STAB or Earthquake.
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