[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Stealth Rock / Volt Switch
move 2: Knock Off / Rapid Spin / Volt Switch
move 3: Iron Head / Volt Switch
move 4: Earthquake
item: Leftovers / Assault Vest
ability: Quark Drive
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 48 SpD / 208 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Iron Treads is a staple on defensive teams due to its coveted Ground typing, its versatility, and its ability to soft check dangerous threats such as Aegislash and Tyranitar. Iron Head provides more damage output against Clefable and Enamorus. Knock Off complements Iron Treads's coverage by removing items from switch-ins such as Buzzwole, Skarmory, and Celesteela. Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin may be run on the same set, but it is ill-advised, as running both means Iron Treads will struggle to fit all of its other moves. Without Iron Head, it struggles to pressure Calm Mind Clefable, and without Volt Switch, it severely lacks the ability to generate momentum. Assault Vest can be run over Leftovers to provide additional insurance against special attackers like Enamorus and Hydreigon in exchange for recovery. Maximum HP investment ensures Iron Treads is as bulky as possible, while 208 Speed EVs and a Jolly nature allow it to outspeed Base 100 Speed Pokemon such as Victini. The remaining 48 EVs are invested into Special Defense to help it pivot more easily into special attackers. Defensive Iron Treads acts as a Swiss army knife for bulkier teams due to its variable utility options. Offensive Pokemon that are weak to entry hazards such as Choice Band Hisuian Arcanine, Mega Aerodactyl, and Choice Specs Blacephalon appreciate Iron Treads’s Rapid Spin support. Iron Treads also acts as a middle ground switch-in to Pokemon like Clefable, Mega Tyranitar, and some Tapu Fini variants, which benefits Pokemon like Hydreigon, Salamence, Blacephalon, and Latios. Iron Treads can form robust defensive cores with Water-types such as Tapu Fini and Slowbro and Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur; the former two can handle Fire- and Fighting-type attacks, while the latter can take on Ground-types such as Gastrodon. Mega Venusaur and Tangrowth can take Knock Offs for Iron Treads, allowing it to preserve Leftovers for the later stages of the game. In return, Iron Treads facilitates entry for these defensive Pokemon via Volt Switch. Skarmory, Celesteela, and Buzzwole can prove to be long-term nuisances for Iron Treads, even though they don’t appreciate losing their items to Knock Off. As such, Pokemon that can exploit their presence such as Tapu Fini, Skeledirge, and Hisuian Arcanine make for excellent partners. Finally, Wish support from Clefable provides Iron Treads with recovery and enables it to stay healthy in the long run.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Iron Head / Stealth Rock
move 4: Earthquake
item: Leftovers / Booster Energy
ability: Quark Drive
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Offensive Iron Treads leverages its excellent defensive typing in tandem with decent coverage to function as a lead or an early- or mid-game hazard setter for more fast-paced teams. While offensive Iron Treads does compete with lead and offensive Rapid Spin Excadrill, Iron Treads boasts greater longevity and Speed over Excadrill despite sacrificing power. Knock Off is necessary for removing Leftovers or Heavy-Duty Boots from defensive Pokemon to wear them down for itself and its teammates. Iron Head is an option to hit specific Pokemon such as Clefable, Enamorus, and Hydreigon, but a dedicated lead set can be run with both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin if Iron Treads' teammates require entry hazard support. Iron Treads’s item can help double down on these advantages, with Leftovers providing passive recovery to mitigate hazard chip and Booster Energy allowing it to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, most importantly offensive Pokemon such as Cinderace, Zeraora, and Iron Moth. Maximum Attack and Speed investment provides Iron Treads with sufficient power and Speed to function as an early-game offensive pivot. A Jolly nature is crucial for outrunning dangerous threats such as Thundurus-T, Sandy Shocks, Jirachi, and Z-Celebrate Victini while also ensuring Iron Treads receives a Speed boost when using Booster Energy. Iron Treads finds itself on bulky offense and even hyper offense teams thanks to its consistency as an offensive spinner. As such, it appreciates offensive partners that can carry its momentum to overwhelm opposing teams. Deadly setup sweepers such as Bisharp, Swords Dance Aegislash, and Iron Hands, or wallbreakers like Latios, Enamorus, and Mega Heracross exploit Iron Treads's ability to clear hazards and remove crucial defensive items from their checks, such as Leftovers on specially defensive Celesteela. Offensive Iron Treads invites in physically bulky Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Slowbro, Quagsire, Skarmory, Celesteela, and Buzzwole, which could lead to a loss in momentum. Partners such as Iron Moth, Enamorus, Serperior, and Latios can either put pressure on these walls or punish them outright for switching in. In exchange, they appreciate Iron Treads forcing progress against specially defensive Pokemon such as Aegislash, Blissey, Chansey and Galarian Slowking. Galarian Slowking can provide Future Sight and Teleport support, which benefits both Iron Treads and the offensive structures it finds itself on. Offensive Spikes users like Meowscarada form an excellent hazard-stacking core with Iron Treads that can further pressure defensive Pokemon and allow Iron Treads to be conserved as a midgame Stealth Rock setter or spinner.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/velcroc.391284/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/arishem.546157/
Grammar checked by:
user link here
Last edited:
