[OVERVIEW]
Mamoswine is a great wallbreaker in UU due to its offensive typing that allows it to muscle through common walls like Tangrowth and Chansey. Ice Shard also gives it a priority option to threaten many faster threats like Alakazam, Salamence, and Galarian Moltres. Knock Off provides great utility to punish common switch-ins such as Rotom-H, Rotom-W, and Skarmory. Unfortunately, Mamoswine has low defenses and a bad defensive typing, making it easy prey for common threats like Keldeo and Lycanroc-D. Without Thick Fat, it has virtually no defensive utility outside of switching into Electric-type attacks, and even then it cannot always check certain Electric-type threats, like Zeraora, which KOes Mamoswine with Close Combat after minimal chip damage. Other Ground-type wallbreakers offer better defensive utility, like Nidoqueen, which is able to check Zeraora much more easily. Mamoswine is also quite slow, having no chance to outspeed common threats like Jirachi and Lycanroc-D. It is also weak to common priority attacks from Pokemon like Azumarill and Scizor.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Ice Shard
move 3: Icicle Crash
move 4: Knock Off
item: Life Orb
ability: Thick Fat / Oblivious
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Ice Shard can threaten many faster threats like Galarian Moltres, Alakazam, and Zarude, and it can also OHKO offensive Salamence and Zygarde-10%. Knock Off is used to punish and cripple a switch-in such as Rotom-H, Rotom-W, or Skarmory, allowing Mamoswine or another teammate to break past it more easily later. Thick Fat offers good defensive utility against Kyurem and better protection against Rotom-H. Oblivious is also an option, as it blocks Intimidate to allow Mamoswine to retain its wallbreaking potential against Pokemon like Salamence and Incineroar. Life Orb is preferred, as it allows Mamoswine to safely 2HKO almost anything in the tier, including Celesteela and Chansey. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed unboosted Galarian Moltres and Timid Volcanion, but the loss in power significantly limits Mamoswine's breaking potential.
After Mamoswine breaks down the enemy team early-game, a cleaner like Gyarados or Nihilego can finish it off for a late-game sweep. A pivot like Zeraora or Rotom-W can lure in Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Amoonguss and then pivot to Mamoswine for a more favorable matchup. Teaming Mamoswine up with a special wallbreaker like Thundurus-T, Keldeo, or Alakazam will help the team break past Pokemon like Skarmory, Rotom-H, and Rotom-W, all of which Mamoswine struggles against. Skarmory in particular is difficult for Mamoswine to break through, and a teammate like Magnezone can help remove it from play entirely. Mamoswine is vulnerable to priority moves from Scizor, Conkeldurr, Crawdaunt, and Azumarill; Amoonguss can switch into most of these hits and threaten Crawdaunt and Azumarill with Giga Drain or Scizor with Spore. Amoonguss also helps against Zeraora and Rotom-W, which Mamoswine usually cannot stay in against, as they both threaten it with super effective attacks. Since Mamoswine is slow, it will need a teammate like Alakazam or Lycanroc-D to help deal with fast threats like Keldeo and Lycanroc-D.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Mamoswine can be used as a Stealth Rock setter, as Oblivious blocks Taunt from users like Grimmsnarl, but removing any of Mamoswine's four main moves severely limits its wallbreaking potential. Freeze-Dry is an option to OHKO Quagsire and nearly OHKO Gastrodon with Life Orb as well as better pressure Rotom-W. The utility offered by Knock Off is generally better, though, as it does nearly the same amount of damage as Freeze-Dry to Rotom-W, and Mamoswine can already nearly 2HKO Gastrodon and Quagsire with Earthquake. A Choice Scarf set allows Mamoswine to outspeed its typical fast checks like Zeraora and Lycanroc-D, but outspeeding them requires a Jolly nature, further reducing Mamoswine's breaking potential.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Skarmory**: Mamoswine struggles to break through Skarmory, which can force it out to freely set Spikes, use Roost, or chip Mamoswine's replacement with Whirlwind if entry hazards are down. It also potentially threatens Mamoswine with Body Press. Skarmory does need to be careful if it is significantly chipped, as Mamoswine could potentially KO it with two Icicle Crashes, and it dislikes Knock Off.
**Rotom-H and Rotom-W**: Both Rotom-W and Rotom-H are immune to Earthquake and resist Ice, making it difficult for Mamoswine to break through them. Additionally, both of these Pokemon can typically force Mamoswine out with STAB attacks or status moves, though they need to be wary of Knock Off on the switch.
**Faster Pokemon and Priority Users**: UU has many threats like Keldeo, Gyarados, and Lycanroc-D that are faster than Mamoswine and threaten to KO it with super effective attacks. Mamoswine is also weak to multiple priority attacks, allowing Choice Band Scizor to OHKO it with Bullet Punch and other priority users like Azumarill and Conkeldurr to KO it after minimal chip.
**Residual Damage**: Since Mamoswine typically needs Life Orb to be effective, it will get worn down quickly, especially if it has to switch into Stealth Rock or Spikes.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[BigFatMantis, 507497]]
- Quality checked by: [[Estarossa, 461329], [Twilight, 344575], [Hilomilo, 313384]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [Milak, 262594]]
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