[OVERVIEW]
Gligar brings a unique set of defensive and support utility that gives it a valuable niche in offensive teams. It has a great defensive profile thanks to its solid Eviolite-boosted bulk, its immunity to Earthquake and Volt Switch, and the absence of viable Ice-type Pokemon in the tier. These properties make Gligar a great switch-in to many common wallbreakers such as Galarian Zapdos, Slither Wing, and Terrakion. Gligar's defensive profile coupled with its access to Toxic and its own immunity to poison thanks to its Immunity ability lets it safely switch into and threaten many of RU's walls such as Hippowdon, Umbreon, and Fezandipiti safely. From there, Gligar can proceed to lay down any entry hazard and grab momentum back through U-turn to give safe entry points to its team's wallbreakers. However, Gligar suffers from low special bulk even with Eviolite, meaning that special attackers such as Gardevoir, Gengar, and Empoleon can easily overwhelm it. Gligar's overreliance on Eviolite to handle strong attackers can be taken advantage by threats Gligar would want to check, such as Krookodile, Galarian Zapdos, and Mienshao, that carry Knock Off. This is further exacerbated by Gligar not having access to a recovery move, meaning that it can only take a limited amount of hits before getting KOed. Gligar's low Attack stat and absence of anti-setup tools like phazing means it cannot prevent many of the setup sweepers strong against the offense archetypes Gligar wants to support, such as Gyarados and Lum Berry Salamence, from getting out of hand by itself.
[SET]
Utility (Gligar) @ Eviolite
Ability: Immunity
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Def / 36 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spikes / Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- U-turn / Knock Off
[SET COMMENTS]
Spikes is valuable for offense teams when trying to break through the many walls susceptible to them, such as Slowbro, Wo-Chien, and Registeel. Spikes is meant to be combined with a Stealth Rock setter such as Jirachi, Krookodile, or Necrozma. However, if no Stealth Rock setter can find its place in Gligar's team, then Gligar can also set Stealth Rock itself. Toxic partially fixes Gligar's passivity by crippling a wide variety of walls and attackers alike, such as Slowbro, Umbreon, Talonflame, and Slither Wing. U-turn lets Gligar act as a slow pivot to give safe entry points to its teammates. Knock Off can be used to remove Leftovers and Heavy-Duty Boots from defensive Pokemon from the likes of Noivern, Slowbro, and Jirachi and Choice Scarf from offensive threats such as Galarian Zapdos, Krookodile, and Gardevoir for Gligar's offensive teammates to have an easier time pressuring the enemy team. Immunity is a valuable ability that allows Gligar to safely switch into Toxic users such as Umbreon, Amoonguss, and Fezandipiti. 36 Special Defense EVs allow Gligar to take Choice Specs Hisuian Goodra's Draco Meteor and Timid Armarouge's Armor Cannon after a Calm Mind boost from full health. 16 Speed EVs are for outspeeding Adamant Crawdaunt. Tera Water helps Gligar safely switch into the likes of Barraskewda, Empoleon, and Slowbro, but it should only be used as a last resort, as Tera is much more valuable for the offensive teammates Gligar supports.
Gligar fits well into bulky offense teams looking for a Spikes or Stealth Rock setter able to switch into a wide variety of Pokemon. As such, frail attackers such as Crawdaunt, Hisuian Zoroark, and Barraskewda and slow wallbreakers such as Volcanion, Armarouge, and Hisuian Goodra all enjoy the safe entry points Gligar provides. Choice Specs Hisuian Goodra in particular is a great wallbreaker to pair Gligar with, being able to take on the special attacks targeted at Gligar thanks to its massive special bulk. Offensive Stealth Rock setters such as Terrakion, Azelf, and Krookodile appreciate the safe entry points Gligar provides and allow it to run Spikes. Volt Switch attackers such as Kilowattrel, Magnezone, and Raikou can form a VoltTurn core with Gligar and threaten Water-type Pokemon targeting Gligar such as Slowbro, Volcanion, and Suicune, while Gligar provides a Ground immunity for the latter two. Assault Vest Cyclizar can switch into the special attacks targeted at Gligar, clear hazards, and forms a pivoting core with Gligar. Jirachi can similarly switch into resisted special attacks, set Stealth Rock, and pivot with U-turn. Because Gligar struggles against setup sweepers, teammates able to combat them such as Roar Empoleon, Bisharp, and Mimikyu are important to have. Since Gligar hates losing its Eviolite, Knock Off absorbers such as Terrakion, Galarian Zapdos, and Slowbro are appreciated. It is possible to run Gligar in more balanced builds if paired with a Wish passer such as Jirachi, Umbreon, or Vaporeon to make up for its lack of recovery.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Toxic Spikes can be used on specialized teams running the likes of Hex Gengar and Suicune.
Checks and Counters
====
**Special Attackers**: Gligar's low Special Defense, Speed, and lack of recovery mean it is easily overwhelmed by even moderately strong special attacks such as Choice Scarf Gengar's Shadow Ball and Noivern's Draco Meteor.
**Water-types**: Water-type Pokemon such as Empoleon, Suicune, Slowbro, and Volcanion threaten huge damage or an outright OHKO on Gligar. However, the last three fear switching on Gligar due to Toxic crippling them.
**Knock Off**: Gligar loses much of its resilience upon losing its Eviolite from certain Pokemon it wants to check such as Krookodile and Galarian Zapdos, greatly limiting the number of times Gligar can absorb hits and generate momentum for its team.
**Setup Sweepers**: Setup sweepers resilient to Earthquake and Toxic, such as Taunt Gyarados and Lum Berry Salamence, can use Gligar as setup fodder. Gligar also does not have the durability and offensive pressure needed to KO some offensive setup sweepers such as Bisharp and Feraligatr before being taken down itself. Similarly, Gligar has no way of dealing with bulky setup sweepers resilient to Toxic such as Substitute Suicune, Magic Guard Reuniclus, and Tera Poison Slowbro.
**Levitate Galarian Weezing**: Levitate Galarian Weezing is immune to Toxic and Earthquake, can Defog away the entry hazards Gligar sets, can burn it with Will-O-Wisp, and can even punish Gligar for using U-turn with Rocky Helmet.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/fluff.614438/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sir-tetris.655207/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/machjacob.555741/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Gligar brings a unique set of defensive and support utility that gives it a valuable niche in offensive teams. It has a great defensive profile thanks to its solid Eviolite-boosted bulk, its immunity to Earthquake and Volt Switch, and the absence of viable Ice-type Pokemon in the tier. These properties make Gligar a great switch-in to many common wallbreakers such as Galarian Zapdos, Slither Wing, and Terrakion. Gligar's defensive profile coupled with its access to Toxic and its own immunity to poison thanks to its Immunity ability lets it safely switch into and threaten many of RU's walls such as Hippowdon, Umbreon, and Fezandipiti safely. From there, Gligar can proceed to lay down any entry hazard and grab momentum back through U-turn to give safe entry points to its team's wallbreakers. However, Gligar suffers from low special bulk even with Eviolite, meaning that special attackers such as Gardevoir, Gengar, and Empoleon can easily overwhelm it. Gligar's overreliance on Eviolite to handle strong attackers can be taken advantage by threats Gligar would want to check, such as Krookodile, Galarian Zapdos, and Mienshao, that carry Knock Off. This is further exacerbated by Gligar not having access to a recovery move, meaning that it can only take a limited amount of hits before getting KOed. Gligar's low Attack stat and absence of anti-setup tools like phazing means it cannot prevent many of the setup sweepers strong against the offense archetypes Gligar wants to support, such as Gyarados and Lum Berry Salamence, from getting out of hand by itself.
[SET]
Utility (Gligar) @ Eviolite
Ability: Immunity
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Def / 36 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spikes / Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- U-turn / Knock Off
[SET COMMENTS]
Spikes is valuable for offense teams when trying to break through the many walls susceptible to them, such as Slowbro, Wo-Chien, and Registeel. Spikes is meant to be combined with a Stealth Rock setter such as Jirachi, Krookodile, or Necrozma. However, if no Stealth Rock setter can find its place in Gligar's team, then Gligar can also set Stealth Rock itself. Toxic partially fixes Gligar's passivity by crippling a wide variety of walls and attackers alike, such as Slowbro, Umbreon, Talonflame, and Slither Wing. U-turn lets Gligar act as a slow pivot to give safe entry points to its teammates. Knock Off can be used to remove Leftovers and Heavy-Duty Boots from defensive Pokemon from the likes of Noivern, Slowbro, and Jirachi and Choice Scarf from offensive threats such as Galarian Zapdos, Krookodile, and Gardevoir for Gligar's offensive teammates to have an easier time pressuring the enemy team. Immunity is a valuable ability that allows Gligar to safely switch into Toxic users such as Umbreon, Amoonguss, and Fezandipiti. 36 Special Defense EVs allow Gligar to take Choice Specs Hisuian Goodra's Draco Meteor and Timid Armarouge's Armor Cannon after a Calm Mind boost from full health. 16 Speed EVs are for outspeeding Adamant Crawdaunt. Tera Water helps Gligar safely switch into the likes of Barraskewda, Empoleon, and Slowbro, but it should only be used as a last resort, as Tera is much more valuable for the offensive teammates Gligar supports.
Gligar fits well into bulky offense teams looking for a Spikes or Stealth Rock setter able to switch into a wide variety of Pokemon. As such, frail attackers such as Crawdaunt, Hisuian Zoroark, and Barraskewda and slow wallbreakers such as Volcanion, Armarouge, and Hisuian Goodra all enjoy the safe entry points Gligar provides. Choice Specs Hisuian Goodra in particular is a great wallbreaker to pair Gligar with, being able to take on the special attacks targeted at Gligar thanks to its massive special bulk. Offensive Stealth Rock setters such as Terrakion, Azelf, and Krookodile appreciate the safe entry points Gligar provides and allow it to run Spikes. Volt Switch attackers such as Kilowattrel, Magnezone, and Raikou can form a VoltTurn core with Gligar and threaten Water-type Pokemon targeting Gligar such as Slowbro, Volcanion, and Suicune, while Gligar provides a Ground immunity for the latter two. Assault Vest Cyclizar can switch into the special attacks targeted at Gligar, clear hazards, and forms a pivoting core with Gligar. Jirachi can similarly switch into resisted special attacks, set Stealth Rock, and pivot with U-turn. Because Gligar struggles against setup sweepers, teammates able to combat them such as Roar Empoleon, Bisharp, and Mimikyu are important to have. Since Gligar hates losing its Eviolite, Knock Off absorbers such as Terrakion, Galarian Zapdos, and Slowbro are appreciated. It is possible to run Gligar in more balanced builds if paired with a Wish passer such as Jirachi, Umbreon, or Vaporeon to make up for its lack of recovery.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Toxic Spikes can be used on specialized teams running the likes of Hex Gengar and Suicune.
Checks and Counters
====
**Special Attackers**: Gligar's low Special Defense, Speed, and lack of recovery mean it is easily overwhelmed by even moderately strong special attacks such as Choice Scarf Gengar's Shadow Ball and Noivern's Draco Meteor.
**Water-types**: Water-type Pokemon such as Empoleon, Suicune, Slowbro, and Volcanion threaten huge damage or an outright OHKO on Gligar. However, the last three fear switching on Gligar due to Toxic crippling them.
**Knock Off**: Gligar loses much of its resilience upon losing its Eviolite from certain Pokemon it wants to check such as Krookodile and Galarian Zapdos, greatly limiting the number of times Gligar can absorb hits and generate momentum for its team.
**Setup Sweepers**: Setup sweepers resilient to Earthquake and Toxic, such as Taunt Gyarados and Lum Berry Salamence, can use Gligar as setup fodder. Gligar also does not have the durability and offensive pressure needed to KO some offensive setup sweepers such as Bisharp and Feraligatr before being taken down itself. Similarly, Gligar has no way of dealing with bulky setup sweepers resilient to Toxic such as Substitute Suicune, Magic Guard Reuniclus, and Tera Poison Slowbro.
**Levitate Galarian Weezing**: Levitate Galarian Weezing is immune to Toxic and Earthquake, can Defog away the entry hazards Gligar sets, can burn it with Will-O-Wisp, and can even punish Gligar for using U-turn with Rocky Helmet.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/fluff.614438/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sir-tetris.655207/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/machjacob.555741/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Last edited:
