PU Hippopotas

Darnell

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QC: Magnemite / galbia / scorpdestroyer
GP: frenzyplant / Legitimate Username

Overview
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  • Is a cute Hippo ◕‿‿◕
  • It has decent Defensive, Attack and HP stat
  • Its ability makes a Sandstorm slowly withering down Pokemon besides Ground, Rock and Steel types. Also great partner with Stoutland due to Sand Rush
  • Has access to tons of support moves (Toxic, Stealth Rock, Whirlwind and Yawn)
  • Not fully evolved so can use Eviolite to raise Defenses
  • Has reliable recovery
  • Has poor Special Defense and Speed
  • Has a lack of offensive moves and coverage
  • Very predictable
  • Dislikes Knock Off as it relies on Smooth Rock for longer Sand or Eviolite for the much needed bulk

Physically Defensive
########
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Slack Off
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Whirlwind / Toxic
ability: Sand Stream
item: Smooth Rock
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
nature: Impish

Moves
========
  • Stealth Rock is always something that can be useful on the opposing side. Making sure the opposing Pokemon are withering down in health every time they switch in.
  • Slack Off is reliable recovery and makes sure that Hippopotas is kept at a good amount of HP so it can be useful later/stall out opponents.
  • Earthquake is the only attack that Hippopotas needs; with its power of 100 and STAB for Hippopotas it can easily finish of opponents rather than wasting PP trying to stall.
  • Whirlwind is another option incase you want to avoid Pokemon trying to set up against you and is also effective with hazards on the opposing side forcing the opponent to keep switching.
  • Toxic is prefect with Hippopotas' defenses allowing it to take hits and recover of the damage with Slack Off while your opponents Pokemon dies from being badly poisoned.
Set Details
========
  • Smooth Rock is for the extra turns of Sand which can be beneficial when buffeting Pokemon or supporting the rest of the team such as Stoutland.
  • Impish and 252 Def EVs are to maximize the Defensive stat to take those Physical hits.
  • 252 HP is to ensure that the bulk has risen even more and take more hits both physically and specially.
  • Sand Stream is to support the team(Stoutland) and help in starting to wear out the opponents health from entry hazard and sand damage.
Usage Tips
========
  • It isn't too useful on its own. Hippopotas acts as support from getting up Sand and Stealth Rock and switching out to bring in Sand later on; sacking it end game is fine for cleaning up
  • You want to tank hits and set up Stealth Rock to support your team and cripple the opponents when they switch in.
  • Stall them by getting up hazards and proceed to Whirlwind while using Slack Off from time to time
  • The combination of Sand and Entry hazards and still being able to hit with Earthquake from time to time should be enough to eventually wear down the opponent.
  • You want to keep it healthy when switching out so you can bring it in again later on.
  • It can take special hits but to a certain extent; be smart when bringing it in against certain Pokemon.
Team Options
========
  • Stoutland is a great team mate; pretty much mandatory. Without it Hippopotas is pretty much pointless and outclassed by other Pokemon. Hippopotas automatically brings in Sand on the switch allowing Sand Rush to be activated and proving to be a great late game cleaner.
  • Grass type Pokemon such as Roselia can resist Water type moves and hit Grass type Pokemon with their super effective poison type moves. Roselia can set up hazards such as Spikes and Toxic Spikes; unfortunately they still have a problem with Ice types.
  • Toxic Spikes users such as Garbodor and Roselia incase you went with Whirlwind over Toxic and you need some some of status to wear down the opponent
  • Spin-blockers such as Misdreavus can avoid Rapid Spin from Avalugg and the hazards being cleared, not to mention Frillish is a Water type so it can resist Ice and Water; two weaknesses which threaten Hippopotas
  • Water types such as Poliwrath can take Water and Ice type attacks and fire back with by either attacking them or stalling them out.
  • Specially Defensive Pokemon like Lickilicky and Regice can take hits from the special attacking side which Hippopotas lacks and fire back with their own moves. Lickilicky has access to Heal Bell being able to cure Hippopotas incase it may have taken a status earlier on in the battle.
Other Options
########
  • Specially Defensive
  • Yawn
  • Eviolite
Checks & Counters
########

**Water Types**: Pokemon such as Poliwrath and Mantine don't like to take a Toxic but they can come in on an Earthquake easily and send a super effective Scald to Hippopotas; doing a decent amount of damage and potentially crippling it with a burn too.

**Grass Types**: Pokemon such as Roselia, Serperior and Tangela can take an Earthquake with ease(Roselia can even take a Toxic) and hit Hippopotas with a super effective Giga Drain which means they also recover the health lost from switching in.

**Ice Types**: Avalugg and Glaceon can take take hits and fire back with super effective special Ice types moves however you'll have to be more cautious when using Ice types due towards the Stealth Rock damage.

**Haunter**: Due to Haunter being a Poison Type and having the ability Levitate, Hippopotas can't touch it with Earthquake or Toxic; basically giving it a free switch-in to fire of Shadow Ball against it or another member of your team.

**Faster Taunt users**: Pokemon such as Misdreavus which cripple Hippopotas by stopping it from setting up Stealth Rock or using Toxic and then proceeding to fire of their own attacks.


Overview
########
Hippopotas has access to a wide range of support moves, including reliable recovery in Slack Off, and works as a great setter and support Pokemon for sand teams due to its ability Sand Stream. The unfortunate thing about using Hippopotas is that sand teams rely on it too much, and it is very predictable in which set it is running due to its lack of versatility, so the opponent is most likely going to know what attacks are coming and be able to play around that. It doesn't enjoy taking a Knock Off, as it lacks bulk due to relying on Smooth Rock for the extra sand turns. Hippopotas lacks good Special Defense and Speed stats, so it can't take hits from the special side.

Physically Defensive
########
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Slack Off
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Whirlwind
ability: Sand Stream
item: Smooth Rock
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
nature: Impish

Moves
========
Stealth Rock is a standard entry hazard, which, when combined with the sand, can slowly wear down opposing Pokemon when they switch in. Slack Off provides reliable recovery in order to ensure that Hippopotas is kept at a reasonable amount of health so that it can come in to set up sand later on in the battle. Earthquake is the only attack that Hippopotas needs; it can wear down Pokemon such as Carracosta, Bastiodon, and Metang with Earthquake as well as hit frail Pokemon such as Sneasel and Kadabra on the switch. Whirlwind is used to prevent Pokemon from setting up on Hippopotas. Toxic is an option over Whirlwind if you don't find Pokemon trying to set up too much of an issue and would rather wear down bulky opponents such as Tangela and Misdreavus.

Set Details
========
Smooth Rock is the ideal item for Hippopotas because although it is built for taking hits, its main objective is to get up sand in order to support sweepers such as Stoutland, and the extra turns of sand can allow Stoutland to stay in longer rather than be forced to switch. An Impish nature and EVs in HP and Defense ensure that Hippopotas has got as much physical bulk as possible. Sand Stream's sand is used to support the team and to wear down opposing Pokemon to the point where sweepers such as Stoutland can perform a late-game sweep.

Usage Tips
========
Hippopotas isn't very useful on its own. It supports its team by getting up sand and then switching out in order to bring the sand back later on in the battle. Sacrificing Hippopotas near the end of a battle is fine if you're certain that last amount of sand is enough for a Pokemon to clean up. Hippopotas should only use support moves when necessary, such as when predicting a switch; switch out otherwise. Use Stealth Rock to cripple foes as they switch in; however, you should also try to outplay the opponent and double switch so as to not waste sand turns. Hippopotas can take special hits but only to a certain extent; play around the opposing team and be smart when bringing it in on certain Pokemon. Hippopotas should be switched out as soon as possible, as this allows you to get the maximum number of sand turns for your teammates. Earthquake should only be used to finish off weakened opponents and to hit frail Pokemon as they switch in.

Whirlwind is used for threatening opponents that plan on setting up, and Slack Off is for when Hippopotas is low on HP and you need it to set up sand later in the battle. Keeping Hippopotas healthy is essential so that it can be brought in later on to take a hit and get sand up again.

Team Options
========
Having Stoutland as a teammate is pretty much mandatory, as without it, Hippopotas is outclassed by other Pokemon. Grass-type Pokemon such as Roselia resist Water- and Grass type moves. Roselia can also hit Grass-types with Sludge Bomb and set up entry hazards such as Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Garbodor works as another great partner for getting up hazards, which can be beneficial later on for stalling. Spinblockers such as Misdreavus can prevent your team's hazards from getting removed by Rapid Spin users such as Avalugg.

Water-type Pokemon such as Poliwrath can take Water- and Ice-type attacks and force foes to either switch out or take a hard hit. Lickilicky is a great specially defensive partner, as it can take hits from the special side, something that Hippopotas can't do, as well as deal damage on its own with Body Slam, Knock Off, or even Dragon Tail, forcing more switches. Lickilicky also has access to Heal Bell and Wish, which can be used for supporting the whole team rather than just Hippopotas.

Other Options
########
A specially defensive spread of 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def is an option for Hippopotas due to it already having a decent Defense stat. This spread allows Hippopotas to survive a special hit or two before fainting rather than just getting OHKOed like it normally would. Yawn is another option for preventing opposing Pokemon from setting up and forcing the opponent to switch, allowing you to gain momentum by double switching. You can use an Eviolite as the item instead of Smooth Rock, as while the extra turns of sand are nice you might decide that you would rather it have the extra bulk in order for it to better take hits and stall.

Checks & Counters
########

**Water-types**: Water-type Pokemon such as Poliwrath and Mantine don't like to take a Toxic, but they can easily come in on an Earthquake and hit back with Scald, doing a decent amount of damage and potentially crippling Hippopotas with a burn.

**Grass-types**: Grass-type Pokemon such as Roselia, Serperior, and Tangela can take an Earthquake with ease, while Roselia can take a Toxic too due to its Poison typing. They can also KO Hippopotas with a super effective Giga Drain, which means they will also gain back any damage that was taken upon switching in. Since Hippopotas can't even touch it, Roselia can set up hazards too.

**Ice-types**: Ice-type Pokemon such as Avalugg and Glaceon can take an Earthquake and fire back with super effective STAB moves; Avalugg has access to Rapid Spin for removing Stealth Rock, while Glaceon has access to Heal Bell for removing status. However, Ice-types have to be more cautious when switching in due to their weakness to Stealth Rock.

**Haunter**: Due to Haunter being a Poison-type and having the ability Levitate, Hippopotas can't touch it with either Earthquake or Toxic and gives it a free switch-in to fire off a Shadow Ball. The only way Haunter is taking damage from Hippopotas is from Stealth Rock or the sand.

**Faster Taunt users**: Pokemon such as Misdreavus can cripple Hippopotas by stopping it from setting up Stealth Rock or using Toxic with Taunt and then proceeding to fire off their own attacks, eventually making it faint.

**Knock Off users**: Pokemon with access to Knock Off, such as Scyther, Lickilicky, and Purugly can Knock Off Hippopotas's Smooth Rock, lowering the number of sand turns that Hippopotas's teammates have to sweep before Hippopotas needs to be brought in again.

**Entry Hazards**: Entry hazards limit the number of times that Hippopotas can switch in to set up sand and come back in later on.

**Other Weather Teams**: Other weather teams can stop Hippopotas from supporting its own team with sand. When facing Hippopotas, try to preserve your own weather setter until Hippopotas has fainted.
 
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Darnell

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Alright, here's some input (not qc)
"Ability makes a Sandstorm raising Special Defense" This doesnt affect ground types, sandstorm only raises special defense of rock types.
"The 4 SpD combined with the Sand Stream and Eviolite allows it to take special hits better than Hippopotas normally would even with its poor SpD base" Really not necessary IMO.
Mention in team options that lickilicky has heal bell to cure hippopotas of crippling status conditions.
My sincerest apologizes :) The changes have been made; thank you.

I'll leave this up for another 10 minutes before any more comments before I go into QC.
 
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Anty

let's drop
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I did mention this in the pu chat however i will mention it more here. You need to stress on stoutland. Pretty much sole reason small hippo is viable is due to stoutland. Other wise it has no obvious niche over pokes like golem or torterra. I also think smooth rock should have a slash for item, having an extra few sand turns to work with can be clutch. Whirlwind should definitely be used as hippo is just set up fodder to stuff like sub cm swoobat, heal bell mush, sub plot missy and more, i would rather slash toxic with eq and have ww as a main slot. Maybe add a bit in spdef for a bench mark of some kind: 24 lets it live a specs raichu surf, 68 prevents it from being 2hko'd by lo zeb hp water. Other wise there isnt much else to aim for.

I dont think it is too relevant, but maybe add cloud nine golduck under c&c
 

Darnell

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I did mention this in the pu chat however i will mention it more here. You need to stress on stoutland. Pretty much sole reason small hippo is viable is due to stoutland. Other wise it has no obvious niche over pokes like golem or torterra. I also think smooth rock should have a slash for item, having an extra few sand turns to work with can be clutch. Whirlwind should definitely be used as hippo is just set up fodder to stuff like sub cm swoobat, heal bell mush, sub plot missy and more, i would rather slash toxic with eq and have ww as a main slot. Maybe add a bit in spdef for a bench mark of some kind: 24 lets it live a specs raichu surf, 68 prevents it from being 2hko'd by lo zeb hp water. Other wise there isnt much else to aim for.

I dont think it is too relevant, but maybe add cloud nine golduck under c&c
Thanks for that Anty; some changes have been made as we discussed on Showdown :)

Going into QC now!
 

Cynara

Banned deucer.
Not really QC, I'm not exactly sure, but with sand stream Steel and rock types get a SP def boost in the sand, Should you mention Bastidon and aurorus as they appericate the special defense boost from sand, Idk just a thought
 

Darnell

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Not really QC, I'm not exactly sure, but with sand stream Steel and rock types get a SP def boost in the sand, Should you mention Bastidon and aurorus as they appericate the special defense boost from sand, Idk just a thought
Done Cran :)
 
meh I wouldn't use bastiodon on sand, sand teams are always offensive and bastiodon is the epitome of non-offensive. Aurorus isn't really that good and its defensive typing is so bad that I don't know how much the boost would actually benefit it.

Some of the mons you have mentioned are kinda weird, Frillish, Regice, Walrein, and Golduck really aren't relevant at all, while victreebel is only good on sun so I wouldn't mention it as a partner.

Also, make sure to stress that stoutland is mandatory as a partner, without it Hippopotas is a pretty big waste of a teamslot.
 

Darnell

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meh I wouldn't use bastiodon on sand, sand teams are always offensive and bastiodon is the epitome of non-offensive. Aurorus isn't really that good and its defensive typing is so bad that I don't know how much the boost would actually benefit it.

Some of the mons you have mentioned are kinda weird, Frillish, Regice, Walrein, and Golduck really aren't relevant at all, while victreebel is only good on sun so I wouldn't mention it as a partner.

Also, make sure to stress that stoutland is mandatory as a partner, without it Hippopotas is a pretty big waste of a teamslot.
Changes made :) Thank you Magnemite although I'm not sure how much more I can stress Stoutland, haha!

I did make some changes but I have mentioned it in the Overview, Set Details AND Team Options now
 
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Ares

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FYI Manemite, Sand Semi-Stall is actually pretty good along with Toxic spikes. So I could see sand stall getting a mention.

Darnell definitely give Tspikes a big mention in team options.
 
Considering the fact that toxic isn't the main slash, I wouldn't talk about it as much in usage tips.

Wartortle's scald does like zero damage so I wouldn't mention it in C&C, also Glalie is a dedicated lead so I wouldn't mention that either.

mention stoutland more

I honestly can't see anything in OO being useful except maybe yawn, so I would just remove everything else except maybe specially defensive.

In usage tips, stress that Hippopotas isn't all that useful on its own, if it gets sr up and keeps sand up for most of the battle then it has done its job. Also mention that sacking it late game to get sand up for the rest of the battle is usually a good idea and that it usually won't need to come in more than a few times per battle.

If you find a way to make it so that "Is a cute Hippo ◕‿‿◕" gets into the final analysis and gets on-site I will love you forever.

QC 1/3
 

Darnell

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Considering the fact that toxic isn't the main slash, I wouldn't talk about it as much in usage tips.

Wartortle's scald does like zero damage so I wouldn't mention it in C&C, also Glalie is a dedicated lead so I wouldn't mention that either.

mention stoutland more

I honestly can't see anything in OO being useful except maybe yawn, so I would just remove everything else except maybe specially defensive.

In usage tips, stress that Hippopotas isn't all that useful on its own, if it gets sr up and keeps sand up for most of the battle then it has done its job. Also mention that sacking it late game to get sand up for the rest of the battle is usually a good idea and that it usually won't need to come in more than a few times per battle.

If you find a way to make it so that "Is a cute Hippo ◕‿‿◕" gets into the final analysis and gets on-site I will love you forever.

QC 1/3
Thank you Magnemite ^_^ This has been done and ready for 2nd QC

If you find a way to make it so that "Is a cute Hippo ◕‿‿◕" gets into the final analysis and gets on-site I will love you forever.
◕‿‿◕
 
To be honest I wouldn't bother even with slashing eviolite as that belongs to OO or set details at best. In my experience (and i have used sand A LOT) Hippopotas can switch in into some of stou land checks quite easily even with smooth rock and isn't that bulky with eviolite anyway.
Put it into set details only or oo to your discrection
Very good job
2/3
 
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Darnell

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To be honest I wouldn't bother even with slashing eviolite as that belongs to OO set details at worst. In my experience (and i have used sand A LOT)Hippopotas can switch in into some of stout land checks quite easily even with smooth rock and isn't that bulky with evil anyway.
Put it into set details only or oo to your discrection
Very good job
2/3
Thank you galbia :) Now I can start my first ever write up :o
 

scorpdestroyer

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Overview:
- emphasize that it should ONLY be used on sand teams
- overview is full of irrelevant info:
- don't need to mention its good stats because hippo isn't using them much and they aren't that outstanding either
- Cut the mention of Eviolite.
- Also cut the mention of support for Ground-, Rock- and Steel-types. If you're going to mention stuff that benefit from sand, mention relevant ones, otherwise cut it completely and leave it to Team Options
- Don't need to list all its support moves because they will be explained later, besides, Hippo shouldn't need to use that many of its support moves in a game
- as for the cons, it needs to be expanded. Hippo has a lot of flaws which need to be emphasized: sand teams rely heavily on it, not very good bulk because it needs Smooth Rock. cut the mention of Eviolite as well.

Set:
- galbia and I agreed on irc to shift Toxic to Moves and take it off the set, because Whirlwind is pretty important

Moves:
- Talk about the stuff EQ does: wear down bulky Rock- and Steel-types for teammates, do good damage to frailer stuff switching in such as Sneasel
- Toxic is to wear down bulky opponents like Tangela, Misdreavus, etc for the teammates, not to stall them out.

Usage Tips:
- Hippopotas shouldn't be using its support moves much, only when necessary. Cut all the blabbering about Whirlwinding when you predict a switch; if you predict a switch, doubling out is almost always a better option to not waste sand turns.
- Mention to switch Hippo out as soon as possible so that you get the maximum sand turns
- Mention when to use the other moves: Earthquake if you predict frail stuff that can be KOed coming in, SR when you want to wear stuff down from early game, WW when opponents threaten to set up, Slack Off if you're low on HP and you need Hippo to switch into hazards / more attacks to set up sand. Otherwise, switch.

Other Options:
- Yawn's main perk over Whirlwind is not to keep spamming it lol, you generally don't want to stay in too long with Hippo, so cut that. Its main draw is being able to gain momentum by double switching while also preventing setup.

Checks and Counters:
- This section should also focus on checks that hinder Hippo's sand-setting abilities and not just things that KO Hippo outright.
- Add Knock Off here, because it removes Smooth Rock and limits the sand turns
- Add entry hazards; they limit Hippo's switches and wear it down
- Add opposing weather teams for obvious reasons
 

scorpdestroyer

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Overview:
- Like I said don't mention the decent Defense, HP and Attack because they aren't notable and are not the reason to use Hippo

Moves:
- Don't mention EQ's base power, nor mention "rather than wasting the PP on stalling with its other moves"; the former is just fluff while the latter isn't a reason to run EQ
- Whirlwind is mainly for phazing out opponents that try and set up on you, and not to rack up damage
- Toxic: Pokemon trying to sweep --> Pokemon trying to set up (WW doesn't stop sweeps, it stops setup)

Usage Tips:
- Cut the last sentence of the first paragraph here, you forgot to remove this earlier
- When talking about the support moves, emphasize that they should only be used when necessary and Hippo should switch out otherwise, before going on to elaborate about them. Otherwise, it's pretty much a repitition from Moves.
 

frenzyplant

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1/2 :)

add remove (comments)

Overview
########
Hippopotas is great support for the sand teams only. It has access to a wide range of support moves, including reliable recovery in Slack Off, and works as a great partner setter and support Pokemon for sand teams due to its ability Sand Stream. It has reliable recovery with the move Slack Off. Its' ability is the main reason of why Hippopotas should ever be on your team. Sand Stream is meant to be used efficiently and effectively with team mates such as Stoutland due to its Sand Rush ability. (remove line breaks) The unfortunate thing about using Hippopotas is that sand teams rely too much on it, (comma) and it is very predictable in which set it is running due to its lack of versatility, so the opponent is most likely going to know what attacks are coming and play around that. It doesn't enjoy taking a Knock Off, (comma) as it has a lack of bulk from relying on the Smooth Rock for the extra sand turns. Hippopotas lacks Special Defense and Speed, so and because of that it can't take hits from the special side.

Physically Defensive
########
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Slack Off
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Whirlwind
ability: Sand Stream
item: Smooth Rock
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
nature: Impish

Moves
========
Stealth Rock is a standard entry hazard combined with the sand to slowly wear down opposing Pokemon make your opponent wither down in damage when they switch in. Slack Off is the provides reliable recovery that you want, to ensure Hippopotas is kept at a reasonable amount of HP to the point where so that it can come in to set up sand later on in the battle. Earthquake is the only attack Hippopotas needs; it can wear down Pokemon such as Carracosta, Bastiodon, and or Metang with Earthquake as well as and allows it to hit frail Pokemon such as Sneasel and Kadabra on the switch. Whirlwind is to avoid prevent Pokemon from setting up on Hippopotas against you. Toxic is another option incase over Whirlwind if you don't find Pokemon trying to set up too much of an issue and you would rather wear down bulky opponents such as Tangela, Misdreavus, (comma) and Musharna.

Set Details
========
Smooth Rock is the ideal item for Hippopotas because although it is built on for taking hits, (comma) the its main objective is to get up sand to support sweepers such as Stoutland, (comma) and the extra turns of sand can really be useful for that allowing Stoutland to stay in longer rather than being forced to switch. The Impish nature and EVs in HP and Defense is to ensure that Hippopotas has got the most physical bulk possible therefore taking hits from the physical side even though it isn't using the Eviolite. Sand Stream's sand ability is used to support the team and to wear down opposing Pokemon for the opponents Pokemon to eventually get low on health throughout the battle to the point where Stoutland or any other sweepers such as Stoutland can perform a late-game sweep.

Usage Tips
========
Hippopotas isn't very useful on its own. It acts as a great support for supports its team by getting up sand and then switching out to bring the sand in later on in the battle. Sacking Sacrificing Hippopotas near the end of a battle is fine if you're certain that last amount of sand is enough for a Pokemon to clean up. (*) With the Use Stealth Rock you want to cripple opponents foes when they switch in; yet however, also outplay the opponentm and double switch to not waste sand turns. (%) Hippopotas wants to be switched out as soon as possible, (comma) as it this allows you to get the maximum amount of sand turns for your teammates the team mates. Earthquake is going to should only be used to finish weakened opponents near the end of their health and hitting and to hit frail Pokemon when they switch in.

When using support moves, Hippopotas should only use them support moves when necessary, (comma) such as when predicting a switch; (semicolon) from the opponent or switch out otherwise. (<- move sentence to *) Stealth Rock is for wearing Pokemon down from early in the game. Whirlwind is for threatening opponents that plan on setting up, (comma) and Slack Off is for if Hippopotas is low on HP and you need it to switch into hazards and attacks to set up sand later in the battle. Keeping Hippopotas healthy is essential when it switches out so that it can be brought in later on to take a hit and get the sand up again. It can take special hits but only to a certain extent; play around the opposing team and be smart when bringing it in on certain Pokemon. (<- move sentences to %)

Team Options
========
When making a Sand team with Hippopotas, you'll want to think of Stoutland who benefits extremely well from Sand. It's Stoutland as a teammate is pretty much mandatory, (comma) as without it Hippopotas is outclassed by other Pokemon. The fact that Hippopotas can automatically bring in Sand on the switch is too beneficial to pass of for Stoutlands' Sand Rush ability. Grass-type (dash) Pokemon such as Roselia can resist Water- (dash) and Grass-type (dash) moves; two weaknesses which are common in the tier. Roselia can also hit Grass types with Sludge Bomb and set up entry hazards such as Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Garbodor works as another great partner in getting up hazards, (comma) too which can be beneficial later for Hippopotas when stalling. Spinblockers (remove dash) such as Misdreavus can avoid your team's (apostrophe) hazards getting removed from by Rapid Spin users such as Avalugg.

Water-type (dash) Pokemon such as Poliwrath can take Water- (dash) type and Ice-type (dash) attacks and force foes to either switch out or take a hard hit. which can cause a problem to Hippopotas. They'll either want to be forced to switch out hopefully taking more entry hazard damage or take a hard hit. Lickilicky is a great specially defensive partner, (comma) as it can take hits from the special side, (semicolon to comma) something with Hippopotas lacks, and do damage of its own with Body Slam, Knock Off, (comma) or even Dragon Tail, (comma) forcing more switches. Lickilicky also has access to Heal Bell and Wish, (comma) which can be used for supporting the whole team rather than just Hippopotas.

Other Options
########
A specially defensive spread of 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def is an option on Hippopotas due to it already having a decent Defense stat. This spread allows Hippopotas to set is built on taking special hits not exceptionally well but to the point of where you can live a special hit or two before fainting rather than just getting OHKOed like you it normally would. Yawn is another option as it to prevent Pokemon from setting up and to forces the opponent to switch, allowing out due to them not wanting to fall asleep. It allows you to gain momentum by double switching and also preventing Pokemon setting up. You can use Eviolite as an item instead of Smooth Rock, as although the extra turns of sand are nice you might decide that you would rather have the bulk instead to take hits and stall Pokemon.

Checks & Counters
########

**Water-types**: Water-type Pokemon such as Poliwrath and Mantine don't like to take a Toxic, (comma) but they can easily come in on an Earthquake and hit back with a Scald to Hippopotas, (semicolon to comma) doing a decent amount of damage and potentially crippling it Hippopotas with a burn too.

**Grass-types**: Grass-type Pokemon such as Roselia, Serperior, (comma) and Tangela can take an Earthquake with ease, (comma) while Roselia alone can take a Toxic too due to its Poison typing. (period) and They can also KO hit Hippopotas with a super effective Giga Drain, (comma) which means not only will they make Hippopotas faint but they will also gain back the HP damage that was taken when switching in. Since Hippopotas can't touch it Roselia, it Roselia can use that chance to set up hazards too if you don't switch out.

**Ice-types**: Ice-type (dash) Pokemon such as Avalugg and Glaceon can take Earthquake and fire back with super effective STAB moves; not to mention Avalugg has access to Rapid Spin to remove those hazards Stealth Rock, and Glaceon has access to Heal Bell to remove status. They fire back with super effective Ice types moves However, (comma) Ice-type have to be more cautious when coming in due towards the Stealth Rock that may have been set up earlier and the damage they take from it.

**Haunter**: Due to Haunter being a Poison-type and having the ability Levitate, Hippopotas can't touch it with Earthquake or Toxic; basically giving and gives it a free switch-in to fire off Shadow Ball against it or another member of your team. The only way Haunter is taking damage from Hippopotas is from the Stealth Rock or the sand.

**Faster Taunt users**: Pokemon such as Misdreavus which similar to Haunter, also has the ability Levitate and can cripple Hippopotas by stopping it from setting up Stealth Rock or using Toxic with Taunt as well as and then proceeding to fire off their own attacks, (comma) eventually making it faint.

**Knock Off users**: Pokemon with access to Knock Off, (comma) such as Scyther, Lickylicky, (comma) and Purugly, (comma) can Knock Off Hippopotas' Smooth Rock, lowering with lowers the amount number of turns of sand the Hippopotas's teammates (remove space) are going to have to sweep before having to bring in Hippopotas again.

**Entry Hazards**: Entry hazards limit the amount number of turns times that Hippopotas can switch in to set up the sand and to then come back in later on.

**Opposing Weather Teams**: Opposing weather teams stop avoid Hippopotas from supporting its team with sand having Sand to support the team. The objective is to When facing opposing weather teams, try to and preserve Hippopotas until the opposing weather setter has fainted.
 

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Overview
########
Hippopotas is great support for the sand teams only. It has access to a wide range of support moves, including reliable recovery in Slack Off, and works as a great partner setter and support Pokemon for sand teams due to its ability Sand Stream. It has reliable recovery with the move Slack Off. Its' ability is the main reason of why Hippopotas should ever be on your team. Sand Stream is meant to be used efficiently and effectively with team mates such as Stoutland due to its Sand Rush ability. (remove line breaks) The unfortunate thing about using Hippopotas is that sand teams rely too much on it, (comma) and it is very predictable in which set it is running due to its lack of versatility, so the opponent is most likely going to know what attacks are coming and play around that. It doesn't enjoy taking a Knock Off, (comma) as it has a lack of bulk from relying on the Smooth Rock for the extra sand turns. Hippopotas lacks Special Defense and Speed, so and because of that it can't take hits from the special side.

Physically Defensive
########
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Slack Off
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Whirlwind
ability: Sand Stream
item: Smooth Rock
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
nature: Impish

Moves
========
Stealth Rock is a standard entry hazard combined with the sand to slowly wear down opposing Pokemon make your opponent wither down in damage when they switch in. Slack Off is the provides reliable recovery that you want, to ensure Hippopotas is kept at a reasonable amount of HP to the point where so that it can come in to set up sand later on in the battle. Earthquake is the only attack Hippopotas needs; it can wear down Pokemon such as Carracosta, Bastiodon, and or Metang with Earthquake as well as and allows it to hit frail Pokemon such as Sneasel and Kadabra on the switch. Whirlwind is to avoid prevent Pokemon from setting up on Hippopotas against you. Toxic is another option incase over Whirlwind if you don't find Pokemon trying to set up too much of an issue and you would rather wear down bulky opponents such as Tangela, Misdreavus, (comma) and Musharna.

Set Details
========
Smooth Rock is the ideal item for Hippopotas because although it is built on for taking hits, (comma) the its main objective is to get up sand to support sweepers such as Stoutland, (comma) and the extra turns of sand can really be useful for that allowing Stoutland to stay in longer rather than being forced to switch. The Impish nature and EVs in HP and Defense is to ensure that Hippopotas has got the most physical bulk possible therefore taking hits from the physical side even though it isn't using the Eviolite. Sand Stream's sand ability is used to support the team and to wear down opposing Pokemon for the opponents Pokemon to eventually get low on health throughout the battle to the point where Stoutland or any other sweepers such as Stoutland can perform a late-game sweep.

Usage Tips
========
Hippopotas isn't very useful on its own. It acts as a great support for supports its team by getting up sand and then switching out to bring the sand in later on in the battle. Sacking Sacrificing Hippopotas near the end of a battle is fine if you're certain that last amount of sand is enough for a Pokemon to clean up. (*) With the Use Stealth Rock you want to cripple opponents foes when they switch in; yet however, also outplay the opponentm and double switch to not waste sand turns. (%) Hippopotas wants to be switched out as soon as possible, (comma) as it this allows you to get the maximum amount of sand turns for your teammates the team mates. Earthquake is going to should only be used to finish weakened opponents near the end of their health and hitting and to hit frail Pokemon when they switch in.

When using support moves, Hippopotas should only use them support moves when necessary, (comma) such as when predicting a switch; (semicolon) from the opponent or switch out otherwise. (<- move sentence to *) Stealth Rock is for wearing Pokemon down from early in the game. Whirlwind is for threatening opponents that plan on setting up, (comma) and Slack Off is for if Hippopotas is low on HP and you need it to switch into hazards and attacks to set up sand later in the battle. Keeping Hippopotas healthy is essential when it switches out so that it can be brought in later on to take a hit and get the sand up again. It can take special hits but only to a certain extent; play around the opposing team and be smart when bringing it in on certain Pokemon. (<- move sentences to %)

Team Options
========
When making a Sand team with Hippopotas, you'll want to think of Stoutland who benefits extremely well from Sand. It's Stoutland as a teammate is pretty much mandatory, (comma) as without it Hippopotas is outclassed by other Pokemon. The fact that Hippopotas can automatically bring in Sand on the switch is too beneficial to pass of for Stoutlands' Sand Rush ability. Grass-type (dash) Pokemon such as Roselia can resist Water- (dash) and Grass-type (dash) moves; two weaknesses which are common in the tier. Roselia can also hit Grass types with Sludge Bomb and set up entry hazards such as Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Garbodor works as another great partner in getting up hazards, (comma) too which can be beneficial later for Hippopotas when stalling. Spinblockers (remove dash) such as Misdreavus can avoid your team's (apostrophe) hazards getting removed from by Rapid Spin users such as Avalugg.

Water-type (dash) Pokemon such as Poliwrath can take Water- (dash) type and Ice-type (dash) attacks and force foes to either switch out or take a hard hit. which can cause a problem to Hippopotas. They'll either want to be forced to switch out hopefully taking more entry hazard damage or take a hard hit. Lickilicky is a great specially defensive partner, (comma) as it can take hits from the special side, (semicolon to comma) something with Hippopotas lacks, and do damage of its own with Body Slam, Knock Off, (comma) or even Dragon Tail, (comma) forcing more switches. Lickilicky also has access to Heal Bell and Wish, (comma) which can be used for supporting the whole team rather than just Hippopotas.

Other Options
########
A specially defensive spread of 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def is an option on Hippopotas due to it already having a decent Defense stat. This spread allows Hippopotas to set is built on taking special hits not exceptionally well but to the point of where you can live a special hit or two before fainting rather than just getting OHKOed like you it normally would. Yawn is another option as it to prevent Pokemon from setting up and to forces the opponent to switch, allowing out due to them not wanting to fall asleep. It allows you to gain momentum by double switching and also preventing Pokemon setting up. You can use Eviolite as an item instead of Smooth Rock, as although the extra turns of sand are nice you might decide that you would rather have the bulk instead to take hits and stall Pokemon.

Checks & Counters
########

**Water-types**: Water-type Pokemon such as Poliwrath and Mantine don't like to take a Toxic, (comma) but they can easily come in on an Earthquake and hit back with a Scald to Hippopotas, (semicolon to comma) doing a decent amount of damage and potentially crippling it Hippopotas with a burn too.

**Grass-types**: Grass-type Pokemon such as Roselia, Serperior, (comma) and Tangela can take an Earthquake with ease, (comma) while Roselia alone can take a Toxic too due to its Poison typing. (period) and They can also KO hit Hippopotas with a super effective Giga Drain, (comma) which means not only will they make Hippopotas faint but they will also gain back the HP damage that was taken when switching in. Since Hippopotas can't touch it Roselia, it Roselia can use that chance to set up hazards too if you don't switch out.

**Ice-types**: Ice-type (dash) Pokemon such as Avalugg and Glaceon can take Earthquake and fire back with super effective STAB moves; not to mention Avalugg has access to Rapid Spin to remove those hazards Stealth Rock, and Glaceon has access to Heal Bell to remove status. They fire back with super effective Ice types moves However, (comma) Ice-type have to be more cautious when coming in due towards the Stealth Rock that may have been set up earlier and the damage they take from it.

**Haunter**: Due to Haunter being a Poison-type and having the ability Levitate, Hippopotas can't touch it with Earthquake or Toxic; basically giving and gives it a free switch-in to fire off Shadow Ball against it or another member of your team. The only way Haunter is taking damage from Hippopotas is from the Stealth Rock or the sand.

**Faster Taunt users**: Pokemon such as Misdreavus which similar to Haunter, also has the ability Levitate and can cripple Hippopotas by stopping it from setting up Stealth Rock or using Toxic with Taunt as well as and then proceeding to fire off their own attacks, (comma) eventually making it faint.

**Knock Off users**: Pokemon with access to Knock Off, (comma) such as Scyther, Lickylicky, (comma) and Purugly, (comma) can Knock Off Hippopotas' Smooth Rock, lowering with lowers the amount number of turns of sand the Hippopotas's teammates (remove space) are going to have to sweep before having to bring in Hippopotas again.

**Entry Hazards**: Entry hazards limit the amount number of turns times that Hippopotas can switch in to set up the sand and to then come back in later on.

**Opposing Weather Teams**: Opposing weather teams stop avoid Hippopotas from supporting its team with sand having Sand to support the team. The objective is to When facing opposing weather teams, try to and preserve Hippopotas until the opposing weather setter has fainted.
Thanks frenzy ^_^ Ready for 2nd GP!
 

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Overview
########
Hippopotas has access to a wide range of support moves, including reliable recovery in Slack Off, and works as a great setter and support Pokemon for sand teams due to its ability Sand Stream.for sand teams. The unfortunate thing about using Hippopotas is that sand teams rely on it too much on it, and it is very predictable in which set it is running due to its lack of versatility, so the opponent is most likely going to know what attacks are coming and be able to play around that. It doesn't enjoy taking a Knock Off, as it has a lack of lacks bulk from due to relying on Smooth Rock for the extra sand turns. Hippopotas lacks good Special Defense and Speed stats, so it can't take hits from the special side.

Physically Defensive
########
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Slack Off
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Whirlwind
ability: Sand Stream
item: Smooth Rock
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
nature: Impish

Moves
========
Stealth Rock is a standard entry hazard, which, when combined with the sand, can to slowly wear down opposing Pokemon when they switch in. Slack Off provides reliable recovery, in order to ensure that Hippopotas is kept at a reasonable amount of HP health so that it can come in to set up sand later on in the battle. Earthquake is the only attack that Hippopotas needs; it can wear down Pokemon such as Carracosta, Bastiodon, and Metang with Earthquake as well as hit frail Pokemon such as Sneasel and Kadabra on the switch. Whirlwind is used to prevent Pokemon from setting up on Hippopotas. Toxic is an option over Whirlwind if you don't find Pokemon trying to set up too much of an issue and you would rather wear down bulky opponents such as Tangela, Misdreavus, and Musharna.

Set Details
========
Smooth Rock is the ideal item for Hippopotas because, although it is built for taking hits, its main objective is to get up sand in order to support sweepers such as Stoutland, and the extra turns of sand can allow Stoutland to stay in longer rather than be forced to switch. The An Impish nature and EVs in HP and Defense ensure that Hippopotas has got the most as much physical bulk as possible. Sand Stream's sand is used to support the team and to wear down opposing Pokemon to the point where sweepers such as Stoutland can perform a late-game sweep.

Usage Tips
========
Hippopotas isn't very useful on its own. It supports its team by getting up sand and then switching out in order to bring the sand in back later on in the battle. Sacrificing Hippopotas near the end of a battle is fine if you're certain that last amount of sand is enough for a Pokemon to clean up. Hippopotas should only use support moves when necessary, such as when predicting a switch; switch out otherwise. Use Stealth Rock to cripple foes when as they switch in; however, you should also try to outplay the opponent and double switch so as to not waste sand turns. It Hippopotas can take special hits but only to a certain extent; play around the opposing team and be smart when bringing it in on certain Pokemon. Hippopotas wants to should be switched out as soon as possible, as this allows you to get the maximum amount number of sand turns for your teammates. Earthquake should only be used to finish off weakened opponents and to hit frail Pokemon when as they switch in.

Whirlwind is used for threatening opponents that plan on setting up, and Slack Off is for if when Hippopotas is low on HP and you need it to set up sand later in the battle. Keeping Hippopotas healthy is essential so that it can be brought in later on to take a hit and get the sand up again.

Team Options
========
Having Stoutland as a teammate is pretty much mandatory, as without it, Hippopotas is outclassed by other Pokemon. Grass-type Pokemon such as Roselia resist Water- and Grass type moves. Roselia can also hit Grass-types with Sludge Bomb and set up entry hazards such as Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Garbodor works as another great partner in for getting up hazards, which can be beneficial later on for stalling. Spinblockers such as Misdreavus can avoid prevent your team's hazards from getting removed by Rapid Spin users such as Avalugg.

Water-type Pokemon such as Poliwrath can take Water- and Ice-type attacks and force foes to either switch out or take a hard hit. Lickilicky is a great specially defensive partner, as it can take hits from the special side, something that Hippopotas lacks can't do, and do as well as deal damage of on its own with Body Slam, Knock Off, or even Dragon Tail, forcing more switches. Lickilicky also has access to Heal Bell and Wish, which can be used for supporting the whole team rather than just Hippopotas.

Other Options
########
A specially defensive spread of 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def is an option on for Hippopotas due to it already having a decent Defense stat. This spread allows Hippopotas to live survive a special hit or two before fainting rather than just getting OHKOed like it normally would. Yawn is another option to prevent for preventing opposing Pokemon from setting up and to force forcing the opponent to switch, allowing you to gain momentum by double switching. You can use an Eviolite as an the item instead of Smooth Rock, as although while the extra turns of sand are nice you might decide that you would rather it have the extra bulk instead in order for it to better take hits and stall.

Checks & Counters
########
**Water-types**: Water-type Pokemon such as Poliwrath and Mantine don't like to take a Toxic, but they can easily come in on an Earthquake and hit back with Scald, doing a decent amount of damage and potentially crippling Hippopotas with a burn.

**Grass-types**: Grass-type Pokemon such as Roselia, Serperior, and Tangela can take an Earthquake with ease, while Roselia can take a Toxic too due to its Poison typing. They can also KO Hippopotas with a super effective Giga Drain, which means they will also gain back the any damage that was taken when upon switching in. Since Hippopotas can't even touch it, Roselia can set up hazards too.

**Ice-types**: Ice-type Pokemon such as Avalugg and Glaceon can take an Earthquake and fire back with super effective STAB moves; Avalugg has access to Rapid Spin to remove those for removing Stealth Rock, and while Glaceon has access to Heal Bell to remove for removing status. However, Ice-types have to be more cautious when coming switching in due to their weakness to Stealth Rock.

**Haunter**: Due to Haunter being a Poison-type and having the ability Levitate, Hippopotas can't touch it with either Earthquake or Toxic and gives it a free switch-in to fire off a Shadow Ball. The only way Haunter is taking damage from Hippopotas is from Stealth Rock or the sand.

**Faster Taunt users**: Pokemon such as Misdreavus can cripple Hippopotas by stopping it from setting up Stealth Rock or using Toxic with Taunt as well as and then proceeding to fire off their own attacks, eventually making it faint.

**Knock Off users**: Pokemon with access to Knock Off, such as Scyther, Lickylicky Lickilicky, and Purugly, can Knock Off Hippopotas' Hippopotas's Smooth Rock, lowering the number of turns of sand turns that. Hippopotas's teammates have to sweep before having to bring in Hippopotas needs to be brought in again.

**Entry Hazards**: Entry hazards limit the number of times that Hippopotas can switch in to set up the sand and come back in later on.

**Opposing Other Weather Teams**: Opposing Other weather teams can stop Hippopotas from supporting its own team with sand. When facing opposing weather teams Hippopotas, try to preserve Hippopotas your own weather setter until the opposing weather setter Hippopotas has fainted.

GP approved 2/2
 
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