[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 208 Def / 48 SpD
tera type: Dragon
[SET COMMENTS]
Hippowdon's natural mixed bulk and access to recovery allow it to be a useful defensive piece of sand balance teams, checking numerous threats such as Excadrill, Thundurus-T, and Okidogi. Hippowdon is also an effective Stealth Rock setter, especially due to its matchup against the most common entry hazard removal in Excadrill. Slack Off allows Hippowdon to reliably check foes such as Excadrill, Tyranitar, and Zapdos throughout a game. Stone Edge hits Flying-types such as Zapdos, Tornadus-T, and Thundurus-T and is Hippowdon's best way to hit Latios and Grass-types. Leftovers provides Hippowdon with a means of passive recovery and limits its reliance on Slack Off, but Rocky Helmet is an alternative option to chip down pivots such as Lokix and Scizor as well as other physical attackers like Okidogi and Hoopa-U. 208 Defense EVs with an Impish nature allow Hippowdon to avoid the 2HKO from Choice Band Tyranitar's Ice Punch and Choice Scarf Tera Dark Hoopa-U's Hyperspace Fury, while 48 EVs in Special Defense allow Hippowdon to avoid the 2HKO from Thundurus-T's Focus Blast and defensive Zapdos's Hurricane. Tera Dragon flips Hippowdon's matchup against Water-types such as Greninja, Quaquaval, and Keldeo while retaining a positive matchup against Zapdos and Thundurus-T, though it must still be wary of Greninja's Ice Beam. It also strengthens Hippowdon's response to Ogerpon-C. Tera Rock lets Hippowdon resist Flying-type moves from Zapdos and Nasty Plot Tornadus-T while boosting the power of Stone Edge and using the Special Defense boost from sand to better answer Enamorus-T and Latios. However, the granted weaknesses to Ground- and Fighting-types is very harmful. Hippowdon's base typing is useful, especially for blocking Volt Switch, and its defensive role largely means more offensive Pokemon will make better use of Terastallization, so it isn't desirable to Terastallize Hippowdon unless necessary to dispatch a key threat.
Hippowdon largely fits on sand balance teams, where its defensive presence makes it the preferred option to Tyranitar. Excadrill is an essential partner on sand teams, removing troublesome entry hazards that wear down Hippowdon while generally serving as a proactive breaker on the archetype to offset Hippowdon's passivity and take out foes like Greninja, Hoopa-U, and Tornadus-T. Slowking is a massive issue, being able to swap into Hippowdon and reset sand with Chilly Reception, so offensive threats such as Zarude and Serperior are essential teammates. These Grass-types in addition to Hydrapple all provide valuable checks to Water-types like Quaquaval, Keldeo, and Rotom-W and keep Hippowdon from being overwhelmed by the likes of Excadrill. Toxapex can cripple Slowking with Toxic and checks deadly threats to sand such as Greninja, Quaquaval, and Azumarill. Toxapex also serves as a backup check to Okidogi and can notably cripple it with Toxic after it has Terastallized into a Fairy-type to set up on Hippowdon with Bulk Up while potentially setting Toxic Spikes as a means to punish foes like Ogerpon-C. Latios, Volcanion, and Nasty Plot Tornadus-T serve as key progress makers on sand, being able to take out annoying foes such as Hydrapple, Azumarill, and Zarude. Assault Vest Tornadus-T can instead function in a more defensive role to handle foes like Latios, Hydrapple, and Serperior, enjoying Hippowdon’s ability to check Zapdos, Sandy Shocks, and Hisuian Arcanine, and provides item removal with Knock Off. Tinkaton enjoys Hippowdon opening up the Stealth Rock slot for another utility move in Encore or Thunder Wave and takes down foes such as Latios and Hoopa-U while switching into Mandibuzz.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/monky25.515132/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/estarossa.461329/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/twilight.344575/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 208 Def / 48 SpD
tera type: Dragon
[SET COMMENTS]
Hippowdon's natural mixed bulk and access to recovery allow it to be a useful defensive piece of sand balance teams, checking numerous threats such as Excadrill, Thundurus-T, and Okidogi. Hippowdon is also an effective Stealth Rock setter, especially due to its matchup against the most common entry hazard removal in Excadrill. Slack Off allows Hippowdon to reliably check foes such as Excadrill, Tyranitar, and Zapdos throughout a game. Stone Edge hits Flying-types such as Zapdos, Tornadus-T, and Thundurus-T and is Hippowdon's best way to hit Latios and Grass-types. Leftovers provides Hippowdon with a means of passive recovery and limits its reliance on Slack Off, but Rocky Helmet is an alternative option to chip down pivots such as Lokix and Scizor as well as other physical attackers like Okidogi and Hoopa-U. 208 Defense EVs with an Impish nature allow Hippowdon to avoid the 2HKO from Choice Band Tyranitar's Ice Punch and Choice Scarf Tera Dark Hoopa-U's Hyperspace Fury, while 48 EVs in Special Defense allow Hippowdon to avoid the 2HKO from Thundurus-T's Focus Blast and defensive Zapdos's Hurricane. Tera Dragon flips Hippowdon's matchup against Water-types such as Greninja, Quaquaval, and Keldeo while retaining a positive matchup against Zapdos and Thundurus-T, though it must still be wary of Greninja's Ice Beam. It also strengthens Hippowdon's response to Ogerpon-C. Tera Rock lets Hippowdon resist Flying-type moves from Zapdos and Nasty Plot Tornadus-T while boosting the power of Stone Edge and using the Special Defense boost from sand to better answer Enamorus-T and Latios. However, the granted weaknesses to Ground- and Fighting-types is very harmful. Hippowdon's base typing is useful, especially for blocking Volt Switch, and its defensive role largely means more offensive Pokemon will make better use of Terastallization, so it isn't desirable to Terastallize Hippowdon unless necessary to dispatch a key threat.
Hippowdon largely fits on sand balance teams, where its defensive presence makes it the preferred option to Tyranitar. Excadrill is an essential partner on sand teams, removing troublesome entry hazards that wear down Hippowdon while generally serving as a proactive breaker on the archetype to offset Hippowdon's passivity and take out foes like Greninja, Hoopa-U, and Tornadus-T. Slowking is a massive issue, being able to swap into Hippowdon and reset sand with Chilly Reception, so offensive threats such as Zarude and Serperior are essential teammates. These Grass-types in addition to Hydrapple all provide valuable checks to Water-types like Quaquaval, Keldeo, and Rotom-W and keep Hippowdon from being overwhelmed by the likes of Excadrill. Toxapex can cripple Slowking with Toxic and checks deadly threats to sand such as Greninja, Quaquaval, and Azumarill. Toxapex also serves as a backup check to Okidogi and can notably cripple it with Toxic after it has Terastallized into a Fairy-type to set up on Hippowdon with Bulk Up while potentially setting Toxic Spikes as a means to punish foes like Ogerpon-C. Latios, Volcanion, and Nasty Plot Tornadus-T serve as key progress makers on sand, being able to take out annoying foes such as Hydrapple, Azumarill, and Zarude. Assault Vest Tornadus-T can instead function in a more defensive role to handle foes like Latios, Hydrapple, and Serperior, enjoying Hippowdon’s ability to check Zapdos, Sandy Shocks, and Hisuian Arcanine, and provides item removal with Knock Off. Tinkaton enjoys Hippowdon opening up the Stealth Rock slot for another utility move in Encore or Thunder Wave and takes down foes such as Latios and Hoopa-U while switching into Mandibuzz.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/monky25.515132/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/estarossa.461329/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/twilight.344575/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
