[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 hazard control which is a role that is difficult to find given most tend to be unreliable. Great Tusk also excels at being able to exert strong offensive pressure which alongside Booster Energy and its wide coverage options makes it a constant threat to your opponent’s team. And 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 tier can threaten to win the game on the spot. And while its Special Defense can be considered one of its weak points, it does have the base stats and tools to be able to work around it and often doesn’t need to worry much in most cases.
[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 its ability to pressure opposing entry hazard setters and find opportunities to spin. As well, it can utilize other moves such as Knock Off and Taunt to facilitate the effectiveness of entry 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 is a good natural Attack to hit back against these offensive threats. And in such extreme cases, it can use Roar to phase out Pokemon that are difficult to handle.
**Setup Sweeper**: In the mid- to late-game, Great Tusk can clean up the game, either using 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.
**Wallbreaker**: Great Tusk can maximize its offensive potential to break through defensive cores in the early-game. By using its strong coverage options alongside items such as Choice Band or 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, Rapid Spin
**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.
**Throat Chop**: Throat Chop is an alternative for Dark-type coverage for Great Tusk to secure KOs against Pokemon that utilize Colbur Berry for Knock Off.
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 come in the mid- to late-game as a potent cleaner.
**Leftovers**: Leftovers give Great Tusk longevity that allows it to consistently switch into attacks and can be crucial in ensuring its survival.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet capitalizes on Great Tusk’s physical bulk which allows it to better punish strong physical attackers.
Niche Items
========
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest allows Great Tusk to check Special Attackers which would normally be its one weak point.
**Resistance Berry**: Resistance Berries can allow Great Tusk to check its counters that would normally be difficult to handle.
**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 need to worry about wasting Booster Energy and can let 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 STABs by unleashing its attacks and immediately pivoting out into its other partners.
**Clear Amulet**: Clear Amulet prevents debuffs from Intimidate and Parting Shot that would normally weaken its Attack.
Tera
========
Normally, Great Tusk isn’t reliant on Terastalization due to its already good typing and can take away the opportunity of utilizing Terastalization 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 its Terastalizing being negligible. In terms of useful Tera types, Tera Fairy and Ghost are good on offensive sets focused on its set up 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 speed 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 alongside benefiting from Great Tusk's breaking power.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: By having different means of setting up Stealth Rock, it releases the burden of Great Tusk on having to be the mandatory setter. These include Pokemon such as Mesprit, Glimmora, and Metagross can be versatile in support.
**Win Conditions**: While Great Tusk can be a strong win condition, oftentimes you want it either to pave that path for your other win conditions or have it healthy for defensively checking threats. Good win conditions include Roaring Moon, Dragonite, and Iron Crown that are able to find good opportunities to set up and ability to finish the game.
Checks and Counters
========
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Ground-immune Pokemon often are able to resist Great Tusk’s Fighting coverage and switch in effortlessly, making it difficult for Great Tusk to spam its STABs 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 coverage and Rapid Spin which are its common moves. Gholdengo, Rotom, and Pecharunt can be annoying especially paired with Air Balloon to be immune to its Ground coverage, effectively hard walling its STABs. Tera Ghost also needs to be kept in mind given how common of a Tera type its used to block entry hazards and by proxy can be difficult for Great Tusk to play around.
**Special Attackers**: Great Tusk has poor Special Defense, meaning it will take 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.
[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/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
**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 hazard control which is a role that is difficult to find given most tend to be unreliable. Great Tusk also excels at being able to exert strong offensive pressure which alongside Booster Energy and its wide coverage options makes it a constant threat to your opponent’s team. And 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 tier can threaten to win the game on the spot. And while its Special Defense can be considered one of its weak points, it does have the base stats and tools to be able to work around it and often doesn’t need to worry much in most cases.
[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 its ability to pressure opposing entry hazard setters and find opportunities to spin. As well, it can utilize other moves such as Knock Off and Taunt to facilitate the effectiveness of entry 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 is a good natural Attack to hit back against these offensive threats. And in such extreme cases, it can use Roar to phase out Pokemon that are difficult to handle.
**Setup Sweeper**: In the mid- to late-game, Great Tusk can clean up the game, either using 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.
**Wallbreaker**: Great Tusk can maximize its offensive potential to break through defensive cores in the early-game. By using its strong coverage options alongside items such as Choice Band or 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, Rapid Spin
**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.
**Throat Chop**: Throat Chop is an alternative for Dark-type coverage for Great Tusk to secure KOs against Pokemon that utilize Colbur Berry for Knock Off.
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 come in the mid- to late-game as a potent cleaner.
**Leftovers**: Leftovers give Great Tusk longevity that allows it to consistently switch into attacks and can be crucial in ensuring its survival.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet capitalizes on Great Tusk’s physical bulk which allows it to better punish strong physical attackers.
Niche Items
========
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest allows Great Tusk to check Special Attackers which would normally be its one weak point.
**Resistance Berry**: Resistance Berries can allow Great Tusk to check its counters that would normally be difficult to handle.
**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 need to worry about wasting Booster Energy and can let 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 STABs by unleashing its attacks and immediately pivoting out into its other partners.
**Clear Amulet**: Clear Amulet prevents debuffs from Intimidate and Parting Shot that would normally weaken its Attack.
Tera
========
Normally, Great Tusk isn’t reliant on Terastalization due to its already good typing and can take away the opportunity of utilizing Terastalization 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 its Terastalizing being negligible. In terms of useful Tera types, Tera Fairy and Ghost are good on offensive sets focused on its set up 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 speed 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 alongside benefiting from Great Tusk's breaking power.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: By having different means of setting up Stealth Rock, it releases the burden of Great Tusk on having to be the mandatory setter. These include Pokemon such as Mesprit, Glimmora, and Metagross can be versatile in support.
**Win Conditions**: While Great Tusk can be a strong win condition, oftentimes you want it either to pave that path for your other win conditions or have it healthy for defensively checking threats. Good win conditions include Roaring Moon, Dragonite, and Iron Crown that are able to find good opportunities to set up and ability to finish the game.
Checks and Counters
========
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Ground-immune Pokemon often are able to resist Great Tusk’s Fighting coverage and switch in effortlessly, making it difficult for Great Tusk to spam its STABs 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 coverage and Rapid Spin which are its common moves. Gholdengo, Rotom, and Pecharunt can be annoying especially paired with Air Balloon to be immune to its Ground coverage, effectively hard walling its STABs. Tera Ghost also needs to be kept in mind given how common of a Tera type its used to block entry hazards and by proxy can be difficult for Great Tusk to play around.
**Special Attackers**: Great Tusk has poor Special Defense, meaning it will take 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.
[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/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
Last edited:
