[SET]
name: Defensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Toxic / Whirlwind
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Hippowdon's good bulk and solid typing allow it to act as a sturdy check to most of the metagame's most prominent physical attackers, such as Mega Lopunny, both Tyranitar formes, Mega Mawile, Excadrill, and Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Hippowdon's access to some decent utility moves in Whirlwind and Toxic also allows it to support its team in a meaningful way once it gets in, and it can set Stealth Rock for its team. Hippowdon is generally not a great choice in the metagame, however, mostly due to its extreme passivity and inability to threaten any standard Defoggers outside of catching Zapdos with Toxic, therefore making it a poor Stealth Rock setter. Toxic allows Hippowdon to cripple threats such as Mega Latias, Zapdos, and Slowbro. Whirlwind is also viable, however, as it allows Hippowdon to rack up entry hazard damage on its opponent while also momentarily dispatching Pokemon that Hippowdon can't do much to, such as Gliscor, Corviknight, and Mega Scizor. Rocky Helmet is preferred to allow Hippowdon to punish certain physical attackers, with Mega Mawile and Mega Lopunny being prime targets. Sand Stream is the preferred ability to summon Sandstorm and allow Hippowdon to push more residual damage onto the opposition, wearing down Tapu Fini over time.
Hippowdon functions best on balance teams that need a sturdy check to Pokemon such as Mega Tyranitar, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Mawile that can also set Stealth Rock. Bulky Water-types work well with Hippowdon, as they can check multiple threats that Hippowdon struggles with. Toxapex and Tapu Fini are good examples, with both checking Ash-Greninja, Toxapex checking the likes of Weavile, Calm Mind Clefable, and Mega Charizard Y, and Tapu Fini checking Heatran and Hydreigon. Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain can also protect Hippowdon from status, although keep in mind that Hippowdon will not be able to spread its own status with the Terrain up. Grass-resists are also very helpful to Hippowdon, so options such as Mega Scizor, Corviknight, and Zapdos are very helpful, as they check Pokemon such as Rillaboom and Kartana. Mega Scizor also checks a plethora of additional threats that threaten Hippowdon, such as Kyurem, Mega Latios, Mega Latias, Clefable, Tapu Lele, and Weavile. Sand Rush Excadrill can also be run with Hippowdon to act as a late game sweeper or hazard remover if it's running Rapid Spin. Pokemon that appreciate Mega Lopunny being slowly worn down and eventually removed are good partners, with options such as Swords Dance Kartana and Tapu Koko, as they are potentially revenge killed by the aforementioned threats. Hippowdon is often tasked with checking many Physical attackers on the opposing team, but it can't really do that much to certain ones, such as Garchomp, Gliscor, and Landorus-T. Having a form of speed control that can deal with them, such as Ash-Greninja, Weavile, and Mega Latias can help Hippowdon out in this regard.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ice Fang pressures Gliscor and also hits Garchomp and Landorus-T, but it makes Hippowdon ridiculously passive in any other matchup.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Hippowdon is mowed down by several of the tiers best Water-types. Ash-Greninja, Manaphy, Mega Gyarados, and Rotom-W threaten to deal enormous damage to Hippowdon with their STAB moves. Defensive Water-types aren't a good matchup either; Slowbro can threaten a Scald burn while also applying pressure via Future Sight, while Tapu Fini blocks Hippowdon from spreading status with Misty Terrain and proceeds to remove the Stealth Rock it has set with Defog.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Rillaboom, Kartana, and Ferrothorn present problems for Hippowdon. Rillaboom's Grassy Terrain weakens Hippowdon's Earthquake, and it forces it out with the threat of its powerful Grass STAB. It's the same story with Kartana, and Ferrothorn can use Hippowdon as a free avenue to set up Spikes.
**Ice-types**: Kyurem and Weavile are capable of threatening Hippowdon with their powerful Ice-STAB moves, although Weavile will take enormous damage if it uses Triple Axel into a Rocky Helmet Hippowdon.
**Strong Special attackers**: Hippowdon's special bulk is rather poor, and it is therefore threatened by hard hitting Special attackers. Heatran, Tapu Lele, and Mega Charizard Y are all capable of breaking through Hippowdon without much issue. This also allows Future Sight from the likes of Slowbro and Slowking to apply enormous pressure onto it, as it will be incapable of safely dealing with threats such as Excadrill, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Mawile should Future Sight be in the picture.
**Poison Immune Flying-types**: Gliscor and Corviknight deserve special mention for Hippowdon, as Toxic variants are completely helpless against them. Gliscor can then use Hippowdon as set up fodder, while Corviknight can Defog its hazards away. Hippowdon can rectify this issue by running Whirlwind, but it still doesn't actually force any real damage onto them. Gliscor also has to watch out for the rare Ice Fang.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[SputnikGT, 475916]]
- Quality checked by: [[Guardsweeper, 360582], [username2, userid2]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]
name: Defensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Toxic / Whirlwind
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Hippowdon's good bulk and solid typing allow it to act as a sturdy check to most of the metagame's most prominent physical attackers, such as Mega Lopunny, both Tyranitar formes, Mega Mawile, Excadrill, and Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Hippowdon's access to some decent utility moves in Whirlwind and Toxic also allows it to support its team in a meaningful way once it gets in, and it can set Stealth Rock for its team. Hippowdon is generally not a great choice in the metagame, however, mostly due to its extreme passivity and inability to threaten any standard Defoggers outside of catching Zapdos with Toxic, therefore making it a poor Stealth Rock setter. Toxic allows Hippowdon to cripple threats such as Mega Latias, Zapdos, and Slowbro. Whirlwind is also viable, however, as it allows Hippowdon to rack up entry hazard damage on its opponent while also momentarily dispatching Pokemon that Hippowdon can't do much to, such as Gliscor, Corviknight, and Mega Scizor. Rocky Helmet is preferred to allow Hippowdon to punish certain physical attackers, with Mega Mawile and Mega Lopunny being prime targets. Sand Stream is the preferred ability to summon Sandstorm and allow Hippowdon to push more residual damage onto the opposition, wearing down Tapu Fini over time.
Hippowdon functions best on balance teams that need a sturdy check to Pokemon such as Mega Tyranitar, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Mawile that can also set Stealth Rock. Bulky Water-types work well with Hippowdon, as they can check multiple threats that Hippowdon struggles with. Toxapex and Tapu Fini are good examples, with both checking Ash-Greninja, Toxapex checking the likes of Weavile, Calm Mind Clefable, and Mega Charizard Y, and Tapu Fini checking Heatran and Hydreigon. Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain can also protect Hippowdon from status, although keep in mind that Hippowdon will not be able to spread its own status with the Terrain up. Grass-resists are also very helpful to Hippowdon, so options such as Mega Scizor, Corviknight, and Zapdos are very helpful, as they check Pokemon such as Rillaboom and Kartana. Mega Scizor also checks a plethora of additional threats that threaten Hippowdon, such as Kyurem, Mega Latios, Mega Latias, Clefable, Tapu Lele, and Weavile. Sand Rush Excadrill can also be run with Hippowdon to act as a late game sweeper or hazard remover if it's running Rapid Spin. Pokemon that appreciate Mega Lopunny being slowly worn down and eventually removed are good partners, with options such as Swords Dance Kartana and Tapu Koko, as they are potentially revenge killed by the aforementioned threats. Hippowdon is often tasked with checking many Physical attackers on the opposing team, but it can't really do that much to certain ones, such as Garchomp, Gliscor, and Landorus-T. Having a form of speed control that can deal with them, such as Ash-Greninja, Weavile, and Mega Latias can help Hippowdon out in this regard.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ice Fang pressures Gliscor and also hits Garchomp and Landorus-T, but it makes Hippowdon ridiculously passive in any other matchup.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Hippowdon is mowed down by several of the tiers best Water-types. Ash-Greninja, Manaphy, Mega Gyarados, and Rotom-W threaten to deal enormous damage to Hippowdon with their STAB moves. Defensive Water-types aren't a good matchup either; Slowbro can threaten a Scald burn while also applying pressure via Future Sight, while Tapu Fini blocks Hippowdon from spreading status with Misty Terrain and proceeds to remove the Stealth Rock it has set with Defog.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Rillaboom, Kartana, and Ferrothorn present problems for Hippowdon. Rillaboom's Grassy Terrain weakens Hippowdon's Earthquake, and it forces it out with the threat of its powerful Grass STAB. It's the same story with Kartana, and Ferrothorn can use Hippowdon as a free avenue to set up Spikes.
**Ice-types**: Kyurem and Weavile are capable of threatening Hippowdon with their powerful Ice-STAB moves, although Weavile will take enormous damage if it uses Triple Axel into a Rocky Helmet Hippowdon.
**Strong Special attackers**: Hippowdon's special bulk is rather poor, and it is therefore threatened by hard hitting Special attackers. Heatran, Tapu Lele, and Mega Charizard Y are all capable of breaking through Hippowdon without much issue. This also allows Future Sight from the likes of Slowbro and Slowking to apply enormous pressure onto it, as it will be incapable of safely dealing with threats such as Excadrill, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Mawile should Future Sight be in the picture.
**Poison Immune Flying-types**: Gliscor and Corviknight deserve special mention for Hippowdon, as Toxic variants are completely helpless against them. Gliscor can then use Hippowdon as set up fodder, while Corviknight can Defog its hazards away. Hippowdon can rectify this issue by running Whirlwind, but it still doesn't actually force any real damage onto them. Gliscor also has to watch out for the rare Ice Fang.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[SputnikGT, 475916]]
- Quality checked by: [[Guardsweeper, 360582], [username2, userid2]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]
Last edited:
