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Pokémon Hippowdon

Your experiences with Hippowdon could be summarized with...

  • I've used it frequently, and it's never disappointed me. The special wall is my favorite set.

    Votes: 13 17.6%

  • I've used it frequently, and it's never disappointed me. The physical wall is my favorite set.

    Votes: 26 35.1%

  • I've used it frequently, and it often disappoints me

    Votes: 3 4.1%

  • I've never used it, but it's been used well against me.

    Votes: 17 23.0%

  • I've never used it, but it's been used very poorly against me.

    Votes: 4 5.4%

  • I've never used or seen it, but it looks pretty solid.

    Votes: 11 14.9%

  • I've never used or seen it, but it looks pretty terrible.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    74
  • Poll closed .
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And wow. I'm a bit surprised how the poll turned out. The analysis makes it seem like the Specially Defensive set is the best, but here the ratio is 5:11 (special v. physical). I really like the specially defensive set, because it can perform a very easy bait with Solar Beam, effectively locking it into a 60 BP move. But both are very good, as I've said.
Click to expand...

Guess the analysis is a bit outdated in that aspect. For most of the things mentioned in the analysis that Hippo is supposed to counter, full SpD isnt realy needed.

Regarding that Solar Beam thing there are 2 problems imo. 1. You have to switch Hippo in after Charizard has mega evolved, otherwise the sun will overwrite the sand again and your screwed. That means something else has to take the first hit before Hippo can go in. 2. A smart player isnt going to use Solar Beam. Fire Blast does more dmg in Sun and a lot more in sand. There is absolutely no reason to use Solarbeam here unless you bait it with a water type or something but then it becomes a prediction issue. At the end of the day Hippo doesnt make for a good Charizard Y counter, its a decent check but thats it.
 
Baharoth said:
Guess the analysis is a bit outdated in that aspect. For most of the things mentioned in the analysis that Hippo is supposed to counter, full SpD isnt realy needed.

Regarding that Solar Beam thing there are 2 problems imo. 1. You have to switch Hippo in after Charizard has mega evolved, otherwise the sun will overwrite the sand again and your screwed. That means something else has to take the first hit before Hippo can go in. 2. A smart player isnt going to use Solar Beam. Fire Blast does more dmg in Sun and a lot more in sand. There is absolutely no reason to use Solarbeam here unless you bait it with a water type or something but then it becomes a prediction issue. At the end of the day Hippo doesnt make for a good Charizard Y counter, its a decent check but thats it.
Click to expand...

252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Hippowdon: 186-219 (44.2 - 52.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
I think it still does well anyways.
 
Hippodown stall move which i prefer
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 224 HP / 252 Def / 32 Spd
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- toxic
- steath rock
- Slack Off
or for attacking
Hippowdon (M) Life Orb
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 att / 252 Def / 32 Spd
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- thunderfang
- Slack Off
 
all i can say is he's a pain in the ass
imo the spdef set is better as it can tank stuff from zard-y,thundurus and latios. but at the same time it can still wall stuff the physically defensive set walls but more use of slack off
 
I feel that a strong spread in terms of mixed bulk is a minor tweak on Masterclass' spread in Masterclass' Masterpiece
: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SDef Impish.

  • +2 252 Atk Aerilate Mega Pinsir Return vs. 252 HP / 120+ Def Hippowdon: 352-415 (83.8 - 98.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
  • +2 252 Atk Aerilate Mega Pinsir Return vs. 252 HP / 120+ Def Hippowdon: 352-415 (83.8 - 98.8%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
  • 252+ SpA Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 136 SpD Hippowdon: 177-208 (42.1 - 49.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
  • 252+ Atk Choice Band Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 120+ Def Hippowdon: 168-198 (40 - 47.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
Fully SDef sets fail to take advantage of Hippo's amazing physical bulk:

  • +2 252+ Atk Life Orb Bisharp Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Hippowdon: 382-450 (90.9 - 107.1%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO
  • +2 252+ Atk Life Orb Bisharp Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 112+ Def Hippowdon: 316-372 (75.2 - 88.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
  • 252+ Atk Huge Power Mega Mawile Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Hippowdon: 241-285 (57.3 - 67.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
  • 252+ Atk Huge Power Mega Mawile Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 112+ Def Hippowdon: 199-235 (47.3 - 55.9%) -- 23.4% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
 
I updated the thread to only include the mixed set, which is far better than either defensive set. I moved both to OO for now. The stupid poll makes no sense now, but whatever. Let's have more Hippo discussion! What other threats can it handle well? What are its shortcomings? How can you support it? Just some food for thought.

Actually lol this is funny. The poll actually closes in one hour. :P
I'll be sure to change it up a bit.
jk I can't even change the poll
 
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SDef Hippo is best Hippo

Anyway, I run it on my current stall team, and I'm never going back (Sorry Skarmory). For a Stall team, Sand Force > Sand Stream, as passive damage against your own members (especially Chansey) is a bad thing. In addition, it makes a great Tyranitar check, as its EQ is quite powerful in sand. Anyway, Hippo pairs wonderfully with Slowbro, or, if you prefer a more offensive route, Starmie. Starmie usage has dropped, for a reason, but it pairs excellently with Hippo, as it can Scald a lot of things that give Hippo trouble, like Mega Gyarados or Mamoswine, and Hippo picks off Aegislash and Mega Mantric and other things that give Starmie/Slowbro trouble. Zapdos works well with Hippo in dealing with Mega Scizor, Mega Pinsir, and other bulky attackers that can set up on Hippo, as well as picking off stuff like Ferrothorn and Skarmory that give Hippo trouble. Honestly, if you build well around Hippo, this thing will never let you down. Its greatest weakness is likely Keldeo, but Mega Venusaur patches that right up.
 
With the banning of Aegislash and the increase in usage of Pinsir and Mawile, physically defensive hippo has made a rebound and, at least to what I've seen, is much more viable than specially defensive or mixed defensive variants. Charizard-Y, while still good, isn't as uncounterable as it once was, and I think that's another reason specially defensive hippo isn't as good as it once was.

Also from what I've seen, sand teams w/ hippo are growing in popularity. Do you guys think I should slash smooth rock w/ lefties?

Anyways, just a normal bump. What mons does hippo wall well? What are its short-comings? What mons benefit from its support?
 
Aragorn the King said:
With the banning of Aegislash and the increase in usage of Pinsir and Mawile, physically defensive hippo has made a rebound and, at least to what I've seen, is much more viable than specially defensive or mixed defensive variants. Charizard-Y, while still good, isn't as uncounterable as it once was, and I think that's another reason specially defensive hippo isn't as good as it once was.

Also from what I've seen, sand teams w/ hippo are growing in popularity. Do you guys think I should slash smooth rock w/ lefties?

Anyways, just a normal bump. What mons does hippo wall well? What are its short-comings? What mons benefit from its support?
Click to expand...
Hippo's largest shortcoming is definitely its typing. It has all the fundamentals of a great defensive pokemon save for that. Strong defensive stat and a high hp stat rather than one or the other, reliable recovery, large array of utility, good offensive stat coupled with a high BP reliable STAB move allows it to maintain offensive presence without investment.

But oh god its typing. Mono-frickin'-ground. You get a poison resistance, a rock resistance and an electric immunity. In exchange you get a water, grass and ice weakness. It's entirely dependent on it's sheer defense alone to wall things rather than any resistances. MAYBE you're coming in on a STAB electric attack for free where you also benefit from a stealth rock resist and then stomach an HP ice. But almost every instance you're coming in on a strong attacker and hoping you're just pure beef enough to tank things. You also have no toxic or burn immunity and you're easily exploited by pokemon with ground immunities unless you're running lel ice fang.

He's kind of like a less bulky physical Chansey with offensive presence.
 
The fact Terrakion is gonna be coming back with a vengeance should be easy enough for resurgence of Hippowdon. One of the few Physically Defensive mons who can stomach a CB Close Combat (needs prior damage to come close for a 2HKO as SR isn't enough 75% of the time while factoring lefties). Course resisting his other STAB is just icing on the cake anyway. Hippowdon's only flaw is just that its just got massive bulk but often needs every little bit of HP it can get to be of help. He for example may be able to avoid the 2HKO, but he requires all of his health to do so. He is a great mon, but sadly when eople want sand teams, they prefer offensive minded ones which is all when and fine but Hippowdon misses some of that love.

Course I could talk about Hippowdon all day (as Fincennt should arguably know) so i'll keep it short: a stupidly underated mon that is every bit the caliber of OU yet is UU by usage and with great raw bulk he should still find a home (that is unless MegaCross and Mega Cham get even more popular than they are cause even he cant walls those two.....)
 
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