[SET]
name: Physical Wall
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earth Power / Scorching Sands
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Shore Up
item: Colbur Berry / Rocky Helmet
ability: Water Compaction
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Palossand's solid bulk, great typing, and instant recovery make it a great physical wall. Its Ghost / Ground typing lets it switch into common physical threats, including Sawk, Lycanroc-N, and multiple Silvally formes. Its raw bulk also allows it to handle neutral hits well, weathering attacks from Klinklang, Rapidash, Rhydon, and more. This makes it easy for it to come in and set up entry hazards while also using Shore Up to retain its longevity. Colbur Berry makes Palossand a premier Knock Off absorber, notably letting it hard counter Sawk and Gurdurr. Rocky Helmet's chip damage makes Palossand a better check to Klinklang, as well as U-turn pivots like Uxie and the Silvally formes. Scorching Sands can be run alongside Rocky Helmet to get a burn chance, as the extra damage from the item compensates for Scorching Sands's lower power.
A variety of teams use Palossand to complete defensive cores, ranging from bulky offense to semi-stall. Defensive partners including Articuno, Appletun, and Rapidash absorb attacks from Grass-, Water-, and Ice-types, respectively. These teammates also appreciate Palossand's ability to handle hits from Rock- and Electric-types. Clerics like Miltank and Alcremie can also heal Palossand from Toxic and enjoy Palossand checking Klinklang and Lycanroc-N. Knock Off users like Sawk, Thwackey, and Gurdurr put on offensive pressure versus walls like Altaria and Articuno which Palossand is forced out by. Offensive pivots including Morpeko, Unfezant, and the Silvally formes love being able to switch out safely and bring out Palossand to defend their team against wallbreakers like Sawk and Manectric.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic can be used over Stealth Rock to put Pokemon that wall Palossand, such as Appletun, Cramorant, and non-Aromatherapy Alcremie, on a timer. This forces teams to pair Palossand with another Stealth Rock setter, though, making Palossand less easy to fit onto defensive cores. Palossand can run different items, with Kasib Berry surprising Rotom and Leftovers making Palossand less reliant on Shore Up for recovery. Unfortunately, these items only have very situational uses, whereas Colbur Berry and Rocky Helmet are more versatile.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types:** Palossand's weakness and lack of coverage for Grass-types give it a hard time. Tangela, Thwackey, and Appletun can switch into Earth Power and directly threaten it. The Gourgeist formes do the same, but do fear Shadow Ball.
**Ice-types:** While Froslass and Jynx cannot switch into Palossand's Shadow Ball, they both are massive threats to Palossand once they safely enter. Piloswine isn't as inherently powerful, and should be weary of a Scorching Sands burn, but it can safely switch into variants without it. Articuno can directly switch into it and use Freeze-Dry and Defog to mitigate Palossand's progress.
**Special Wallbreakers:** In general, special attackers can excel at threatening Palossand. Common special wallbreakers like Rotom, Poliwrath, and Exeggutor threaten to deal large amounts of damage to Palossand, often forcing Palossand to either switch out or get KOed.
**Special Walls:** Without super effective coverage, Palossand has a difficult time getting past most specially defensive Pokemon. It doesn't have any way to break past walls that can wear it down through Toxic, like Miltank, Altaria, and Clefairy.
**Dark-types:** Even with Palossand holding a Colbur Berry, it still gets threatened out by Dark-types like Silvally-Dark, Thievul, and Shiftry. Without Colbur Berry, then Palosand also struggles to check Skuntank and Morpeko.
**Water-types:** Despite having Water Compaction, Palossand has a poor matchup versus most of the metagame's Water-types, like Poliwrath, Silvally-Water, and Cramorant.
name: Physical Wall
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earth Power / Scorching Sands
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Shore Up
item: Colbur Berry / Rocky Helmet
ability: Water Compaction
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Palossand's solid bulk, great typing, and instant recovery make it a great physical wall. Its Ghost / Ground typing lets it switch into common physical threats, including Sawk, Lycanroc-N, and multiple Silvally formes. Its raw bulk also allows it to handle neutral hits well, weathering attacks from Klinklang, Rapidash, Rhydon, and more. This makes it easy for it to come in and set up entry hazards while also using Shore Up to retain its longevity. Colbur Berry makes Palossand a premier Knock Off absorber, notably letting it hard counter Sawk and Gurdurr. Rocky Helmet's chip damage makes Palossand a better check to Klinklang, as well as U-turn pivots like Uxie and the Silvally formes. Scorching Sands can be run alongside Rocky Helmet to get a burn chance, as the extra damage from the item compensates for Scorching Sands's lower power.
A variety of teams use Palossand to complete defensive cores, ranging from bulky offense to semi-stall. Defensive partners including Articuno, Appletun, and Rapidash absorb attacks from Grass-, Water-, and Ice-types, respectively. These teammates also appreciate Palossand's ability to handle hits from Rock- and Electric-types. Clerics like Miltank and Alcremie can also heal Palossand from Toxic and enjoy Palossand checking Klinklang and Lycanroc-N. Knock Off users like Sawk, Thwackey, and Gurdurr put on offensive pressure versus walls like Altaria and Articuno which Palossand is forced out by. Offensive pivots including Morpeko, Unfezant, and the Silvally formes love being able to switch out safely and bring out Palossand to defend their team against wallbreakers like Sawk and Manectric.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic can be used over Stealth Rock to put Pokemon that wall Palossand, such as Appletun, Cramorant, and non-Aromatherapy Alcremie, on a timer. This forces teams to pair Palossand with another Stealth Rock setter, though, making Palossand less easy to fit onto defensive cores. Palossand can run different items, with Kasib Berry surprising Rotom and Leftovers making Palossand less reliant on Shore Up for recovery. Unfortunately, these items only have very situational uses, whereas Colbur Berry and Rocky Helmet are more versatile.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types:** Palossand's weakness and lack of coverage for Grass-types give it a hard time. Tangela, Thwackey, and Appletun can switch into Earth Power and directly threaten it. The Gourgeist formes do the same, but do fear Shadow Ball.
**Ice-types:** While Froslass and Jynx cannot switch into Palossand's Shadow Ball, they both are massive threats to Palossand once they safely enter. Piloswine isn't as inherently powerful, and should be weary of a Scorching Sands burn, but it can safely switch into variants without it. Articuno can directly switch into it and use Freeze-Dry and Defog to mitigate Palossand's progress.
**Special Wallbreakers:** In general, special attackers can excel at threatening Palossand. Common special wallbreakers like Rotom, Poliwrath, and Exeggutor threaten to deal large amounts of damage to Palossand, often forcing Palossand to either switch out or get KOed.
**Special Walls:** Without super effective coverage, Palossand has a difficult time getting past most specially defensive Pokemon. It doesn't have any way to break past walls that can wear it down through Toxic, like Miltank, Altaria, and Clefairy.
**Dark-types:** Even with Palossand holding a Colbur Berry, it still gets threatened out by Dark-types like Silvally-Dark, Thievul, and Shiftry. Without Colbur Berry, then Palosand also struggles to check Skuntank and Morpeko.
**Water-types:** Despite having Water Compaction, Palossand has a poor matchup versus most of the metagame's Water-types, like Poliwrath, Silvally-Water, and Cramorant.
Last edited:
