[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 1 onwards
**Price Range**: 19 points
**Overview**: In terms of role compression, Great Tusk is excellent for its ability to be versatile in any given matchup. It is primarily used for its ability to control entry hazards, which is a role that is difficult to find given most Pokemon tend to be unreliable. Great Tusk also excels at being able to exert strong offensive pressure, which, alongside Booster Energy and its wide coverage, makes it a constant threat to your opponent's team. Finally, its bulk allows it to check strong physical threats, which can be difficult to handle given how easy it is for most Pokemon in the format can threaten to win the game on the spot. That said, Great Tusk can struggle taking special attacks due to it not having good Special Defense, so it's often pressured by strong special attackers or by Pokemon running special coverage moves to hit its weak point.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Offensive Utility**: Great Tusk's utility lies in its ability to control entry hazards. By using Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, it is able to control the field due to its ability to pressure opposing hazard setters and find opportunities to spin. Additionally, it can utilize other moves such as Knock Off and Taunt to facilitate the effectiveness of hazards.
**Tank**: With its amazing bulk, Great Tusk can be built to take on strong offensive threats that would normally be difficult to check. It doesn't have to worry about compromising its offensive potential, since it has good natural Attack to hit these offensive threats back. In extreme cases, it can use Roar to phaze Pokemon that are difficult to handle.
**Setup Sweeper**: Mid- or late-game, Great Tusk can clean up opposing teams, using either Rapid Spin or Booster Energy to immediately gain Speed. It can utilize Bulk Up to bolster its offense even further, though oftentimes it can win the game through its strong Attack and coverage. When using Booster Energy for Speed, keep in mind that Great Tusk is lacking in any attacking power due to the need to run maximum Speed and bulk, meaning that it's reliant on either Bulk Up or a very weakened opposing team to effectively win the game.
**Wallbreaker**: Great Tusk can maximize its offensive potential to break through defensive cores early-game. By using its strong coverage options alongside items such as Choice Band and Booster Energy to bolster its Attack, it can heavily weaken these bulky Pokemon for its teammates that struggle to get past them.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Headlong Rush, Earthquake, Close Combat, Body Press
**Setup Moves**: Bulk Up
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Taunt, Roar, Knock Off, Rapid Spin, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Head Smash, Heavy Slam, Ice Spinner, Megahorn, Play Rough, Stone Edge, Temper Flame, Supercell Slam, Zen Headbutt
Niche Moves
========
**Substitute**: Substitute can be useful for catching a pivot to scout for information and providing a safeguard against attacks.
**Bulldoze / Rock Tomb**: These moves can useful for speed control against faster Pokemon and preventing setup sweepers from accumulating Speed boosts to win the game on the spot.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots allows Great Tusk to function well against entry hazards, which it will often need to come in and remove.
**Booster Energy**: Booster Energy can be used to either give Great Tusk a brief but strong boost to its offensive capabilities or enable it to clean mid- or late-game.
**Leftovers**: Leftovers give Great Tusk longevity that allows it to consistently switch into attacks, which can be crucial in ensuring its survival.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet capitalizes on Great Tusk's physical bulk to better punish strong physical attackers.
Niche Items
========
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest allows Great Tusk to check special attackers, which would normally be its main weak point.
**Resistance Berry**: Resistance Berries can allow Great Tusk to check counters that would normally be difficult to handle. Examples include Roseli Berry for Moonblast Iron Valiant and Coba Berry for Hurricane Zapdos.
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry is good for fast-paced games where Great Tusk needs to check immediate threats.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf serves an alternative option for Speed that doesn't make Great Tusk worry about wasting Booster Energy and can let it outspeed immediate threats.
**Choice Band**: Choice Band maximizes Great Tusk's offensive output to break through sturdy walls.
**Eject Pack**: Eject Pack takes advantage of Great Tusk's strongest STAB moves by unleashing its attacks and immediately pivoting out to its other partners.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry can be useful on Great Tusk to protect from any status affliction that could prevent it from setting up.
Tera
========
Great Tusk isn't reliant on Terastallization due to its already good typing, and using it can take away the opportunity of utilizing Terastallization on a more useful Pokemon. That said, it does see experimentation due to its ability to be flexible with its sets and the cost of it Terastallizing being negligible. In terms of useful Tera types, Tera Fairy, Electric, and Ghost are good on offensive sets focused on its setup capabilities, while Tera Steel, Poison, and Water can help against its weaknesses and provide more defensive utility.
Draft Strategy
========
Great Tusk is usually a high priority to get early in the drafting phase for its ability to compress roles. It is a great starting point that allows you to flesh out your draft and cover what you need.
**Fast Pokemon**: Having good fast options means not relying on Booster Energy and Rapid Spin for speed control on Great Tusk. Pokemon such as Darkrai, Roaring Moon, and Greninja have great Speed which, alongside benefiting from Great Tusk's wallbreaking power, can allow them to clean up the remaining Pokemon on the opposing team.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Employing different means of setting up Stealth Rock releases Great Tusk's burden of having to be the mandatory setter. Examples of other hazard setters include Pokemon such as Mesprit, Glimmora, and Metagross, which can be versatile in support for their ability to provide other utility outside of hazards.
**Setup Sweeper**: While Great Tusk can be a strong wincon due to its ability to setup, oftentimes you want it either act as a wallbreaker or have it healthy for defensively checking threats. Therefore, having good setup sweepers like Roaring Moon, Dragonite, and Iron Crown can be beneficial for capitalizing on Great Tusk's wallbreaking and ability to find setup opportunities.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Since Special Defense is Great Tusk's weakest point, having Pokemon that are able to sponge special attacks will help with having a good defensive core. Pokemon such as Latias, Fezandipidi, and Jirachi have good typing and bulk to make good defensive partners alongside Great Tusk.
Checks and Counters
========
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Ground-immune Pokemon often are able to resist Great Tusk's Fighting-type coverage and switch in effortlessly, making it difficult for Great Tusk to spam its STAB moves without potentially letting them in for free. It needs to be wary of Pokemon such as Zapdos, Tornadus-T, and Latias in order to not let them gain momentum.
**Ghost-type Pokemon**: Ghost-type Pokemon can switch into Great Tusk's Fighting-type coverage and Rapid Spin, which are its common moves. Rotom, Gholdengo, and Pecharunt can be annoying, especially if the latter two use Air Balloon to effectively hard wall its STAB moves. They can also utilize Colbur Berry to weaken the power of Knock Off, which is often Great Tusk's only mean of hitting Ghost-types. Tera Ghost also needs to be kept in mind given how commonly it's used as a Tera type to block Rapin Spin and, by proxy, how difficult it can be for Great Tusk to play around.
**Special Attackers**: Great Tusk takes severe damage from special attacks. Tornadus-T, Iron Valiant, Enamorus are among the plethora of strong special attackers that Great Tusk needs to be wary of, given it's often slower. It also needs to keep in mind of surprise mixed attackers that utilize strong special coverage to target its weak point, such as Draco Meteor Garchomp and Steel Beam Iron Treads.
**Status Conditions**: Status conditions can be detrimental to Great Tusk's ability to function. A burn weakens its offensive capability, and poison can gradually weaken it over time, affecting its ability to tank attacks. Great Tusk also needs to be wary of abilities that activate on contact such as Flame Body, Static, and Poison Point due to it often using Close Combat and Knock Off to attack.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sablolol.466715/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/abriel.473082/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/princess-autumn.564960/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hacker.387847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
**Draft Order**: Round 1 onwards
**Price Range**: 19 points
**Overview**: In terms of role compression, Great Tusk is excellent for its ability to be versatile in any given matchup. It is primarily used for its ability to control entry hazards, which is a role that is difficult to find given most Pokemon tend to be unreliable. Great Tusk also excels at being able to exert strong offensive pressure, which, alongside Booster Energy and its wide coverage, makes it a constant threat to your opponent's team. Finally, its bulk allows it to check strong physical threats, which can be difficult to handle given how easy it is for most Pokemon in the format can threaten to win the game on the spot. That said, Great Tusk can struggle taking special attacks due to it not having good Special Defense, so it's often pressured by strong special attackers or by Pokemon running special coverage moves to hit its weak point.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Offensive Utility**: Great Tusk's utility lies in its ability to control entry hazards. By using Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, it is able to control the field due to its ability to pressure opposing hazard setters and find opportunities to spin. Additionally, it can utilize other moves such as Knock Off and Taunt to facilitate the effectiveness of hazards.
**Tank**: With its amazing bulk, Great Tusk can be built to take on strong offensive threats that would normally be difficult to check. It doesn't have to worry about compromising its offensive potential, since it has good natural Attack to hit these offensive threats back. In extreme cases, it can use Roar to phaze Pokemon that are difficult to handle.
**Setup Sweeper**: Mid- or late-game, Great Tusk can clean up opposing teams, using either Rapid Spin or Booster Energy to immediately gain Speed. It can utilize Bulk Up to bolster its offense even further, though oftentimes it can win the game through its strong Attack and coverage. When using Booster Energy for Speed, keep in mind that Great Tusk is lacking in any attacking power due to the need to run maximum Speed and bulk, meaning that it's reliant on either Bulk Up or a very weakened opposing team to effectively win the game.
**Wallbreaker**: Great Tusk can maximize its offensive potential to break through defensive cores early-game. By using its strong coverage options alongside items such as Choice Band and Booster Energy to bolster its Attack, it can heavily weaken these bulky Pokemon for its teammates that struggle to get past them.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Headlong Rush, Earthquake, Close Combat, Body Press
**Setup Moves**: Bulk Up
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Taunt, Roar, Knock Off, Rapid Spin, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Head Smash, Heavy Slam, Ice Spinner, Megahorn, Play Rough, Stone Edge, Temper Flame, Supercell Slam, Zen Headbutt
Niche Moves
========
**Substitute**: Substitute can be useful for catching a pivot to scout for information and providing a safeguard against attacks.
**Bulldoze / Rock Tomb**: These moves can useful for speed control against faster Pokemon and preventing setup sweepers from accumulating Speed boosts to win the game on the spot.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots allows Great Tusk to function well against entry hazards, which it will often need to come in and remove.
**Booster Energy**: Booster Energy can be used to either give Great Tusk a brief but strong boost to its offensive capabilities or enable it to clean mid- or late-game.
**Leftovers**: Leftovers give Great Tusk longevity that allows it to consistently switch into attacks, which can be crucial in ensuring its survival.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet capitalizes on Great Tusk's physical bulk to better punish strong physical attackers.
Niche Items
========
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest allows Great Tusk to check special attackers, which would normally be its main weak point.
**Resistance Berry**: Resistance Berries can allow Great Tusk to check counters that would normally be difficult to handle. Examples include Roseli Berry for Moonblast Iron Valiant and Coba Berry for Hurricane Zapdos.
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry is good for fast-paced games where Great Tusk needs to check immediate threats.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf serves an alternative option for Speed that doesn't make Great Tusk worry about wasting Booster Energy and can let it outspeed immediate threats.
**Choice Band**: Choice Band maximizes Great Tusk's offensive output to break through sturdy walls.
**Eject Pack**: Eject Pack takes advantage of Great Tusk's strongest STAB moves by unleashing its attacks and immediately pivoting out to its other partners.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry can be useful on Great Tusk to protect from any status affliction that could prevent it from setting up.
Tera
========
Great Tusk isn't reliant on Terastallization due to its already good typing, and using it can take away the opportunity of utilizing Terastallization on a more useful Pokemon. That said, it does see experimentation due to its ability to be flexible with its sets and the cost of it Terastallizing being negligible. In terms of useful Tera types, Tera Fairy, Electric, and Ghost are good on offensive sets focused on its setup capabilities, while Tera Steel, Poison, and Water can help against its weaknesses and provide more defensive utility.
Draft Strategy
========
Great Tusk is usually a high priority to get early in the drafting phase for its ability to compress roles. It is a great starting point that allows you to flesh out your draft and cover what you need.
**Fast Pokemon**: Having good fast options means not relying on Booster Energy and Rapid Spin for speed control on Great Tusk. Pokemon such as Darkrai, Roaring Moon, and Greninja have great Speed which, alongside benefiting from Great Tusk's wallbreaking power, can allow them to clean up the remaining Pokemon on the opposing team.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Employing different means of setting up Stealth Rock releases Great Tusk's burden of having to be the mandatory setter. Examples of other hazard setters include Pokemon such as Mesprit, Glimmora, and Metagross, which can be versatile in support for their ability to provide other utility outside of hazards.
**Setup Sweeper**: While Great Tusk can be a strong wincon due to its ability to setup, oftentimes you want it either act as a wallbreaker or have it healthy for defensively checking threats. Therefore, having good setup sweepers like Roaring Moon, Dragonite, and Iron Crown can be beneficial for capitalizing on Great Tusk's wallbreaking and ability to find setup opportunities.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Since Special Defense is Great Tusk's weakest point, having Pokemon that are able to sponge special attacks will help with having a good defensive core. Pokemon such as Latias, Fezandipidi, and Jirachi have good typing and bulk to make good defensive partners alongside Great Tusk.
Checks and Counters
========
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Ground-immune Pokemon often are able to resist Great Tusk's Fighting-type coverage and switch in effortlessly, making it difficult for Great Tusk to spam its STAB moves without potentially letting them in for free. It needs to be wary of Pokemon such as Zapdos, Tornadus-T, and Latias in order to not let them gain momentum.
**Ghost-type Pokemon**: Ghost-type Pokemon can switch into Great Tusk's Fighting-type coverage and Rapid Spin, which are its common moves. Rotom, Gholdengo, and Pecharunt can be annoying, especially if the latter two use Air Balloon to effectively hard wall its STAB moves. They can also utilize Colbur Berry to weaken the power of Knock Off, which is often Great Tusk's only mean of hitting Ghost-types. Tera Ghost also needs to be kept in mind given how commonly it's used as a Tera type to block Rapin Spin and, by proxy, how difficult it can be for Great Tusk to play around.
**Special Attackers**: Great Tusk takes severe damage from special attacks. Tornadus-T, Iron Valiant, Enamorus are among the plethora of strong special attackers that Great Tusk needs to be wary of, given it's often slower. It also needs to keep in mind of surprise mixed attackers that utilize strong special coverage to target its weak point, such as Draco Meteor Garchomp and Steel Beam Iron Treads.
**Status Conditions**: Status conditions can be detrimental to Great Tusk's ability to function. A burn weakens its offensive capability, and poison can gradually weaken it over time, affecting its ability to tank attacks. Great Tusk also needs to be wary of abilities that activate on contact such as Flame Body, Static, and Poison Point due to it often using Close Combat and Knock Off to attack.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sablolol.466715/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/abriel.473082/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/princess-autumn.564960/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hacker.387847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
