[SET]
name: Bulky Pivot
move 1: Stealth Rock / Sludge Bomb
move 2: Lava Plume
move 3: Thunder / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Recover
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 SpA
ivs: 0 Atk
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Mollux can be valuable for its role compression on specific teams due to its good matchup against defensive Steel-types, ability to set Stealth Rock, immunity to Toxic and Will-O-Wisp, and its unique status as a Fire-type that checks Tapu Fini and Urshifu-R. However, the upsides end there; Mollux is outclassed by and loses to other common Fire-type utility Pokemon like Astrolotl and Heatran because of its passivity and vulnerability to Knock Off. If Stealth Rock is covered elsewhere on Mollux's team, Sludge Bomb can be run instead, as it greatly appreciates the expanded coverage. However, this also decreases the range of roles Mollux can compress into a single team slot, thereby defeating much of the reason to use it in the first place. Thunder is Mollux's preferred coverage to meaningfully pressure Heatran, 2HKO Toxapex, and threaten Water-types like Slowbro and Urshifu-R that Dry Skin lets it beat, but Sludge Bomb can be run to spread poison and for a better matchup against foes like Clefable and Astrolotl. The EVs let Mollux live two Close Combats from Urshifu-R after it pivots with U-turn once, and the rest are invested in Special Attack to reduce its passivity.
Sturdy Ground-type answers are crucial on any team with Mollux. Physical walls like Buzzwole and Slowbro are effective in this role, also taking pressure off of Mollux to answer Urshifu-R; additionally, Corviknight, Equilibra, and Landorus-T all simultaneously provide a Ground-type immunity and reliable entry hazard removal with Defog and Rapid Spin, as Mollux is highly ineffective if it loses its item and Stealth Rock is up. Teammates such as Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Colbur Berry Slowbro can absorb Knock Off, preserving Mollux's Heavy-Duty Boots. If Mollux is lucky, it can burn a greedy Ground-type foe switching in with Lava Plume; Electric-type teammates like Zeraora and Tapu Koko greatly appreciate this, also benefiting from Mollux's good matchup into Ferrothorn. Mollux is often unreliable due to having a large number of hard matchups, so make sure to pair it with consistent, versatile win conditions like Weavile or Calm Mind Clefable that can always pull their weight.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Mollux can run Calm Mind over Stealth Rock, usually running a faster and physically bulkier EV spread alongside it; this allows Mollux to outrun Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Buzzwole to fish for Lava Plume burns or KO them outright. This gives Mollux a reason to be used, but it still struggles to differentiate itself from other bulky Calm Mind sweepers like Clefable and Tapu Fini and requires much more team support. Thunder Wave can be run over Thunder to more reliably punish foes like Dragapult and Galarian Slowking, but having Lava Plume as its only remaining attack is often undesirable. Mollux also has a niche on rain teams due to Dry Skin, and can run a Calm Mind or three attacks set with Black Sludge to boost both its power and longevity; still, this set can be difficult to justify over more consistent wallbreakers or defensive options.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-types**: Any relevant Ground-type in the metagame can OHKO Mollux with its STAB Ground-type attack. However, the only Ground-type that can switch in safely is Colossoil, using Guts to get around Lava Plume's burn chance.
**Heatran and Astrolotl**: Mollux can only damage Heatran with its unreliable Thunder and gets easily forced out by Earth Power. Mollux can do decent damage to Astrolotl with Sluge Bomb and potentially poison it, but it still gets forced out by Stomping Tantrum or locked into an undesirable move with Encore.
**Knock Off**: Mollux wants to switch into foes like Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Weavile throughout a match, but it often gets its Heavy-Duty Boots removed in the process and is rendered incapable of checking them.
**Special Walls**: Both Slowking and Galarian Slowking can set Future Sight on Mollux and don't fear any of its attacks. Specially defensive variants of Toxapex can switch into Mollux freely and remove its item. Blissey stonewalls Mollux and can paralyze it or use the opportunity to steal momentum with Teleport.
**Strong Wallbreakers**: Tapu Lele, Pajantom, and Galarian Zapdos can force Mollux out with their STAB attacks or Stomping Tantrum in the case of Galarian Zapdos. Pajantom is especially effective because it can safely switch in on any of Mollux's attacks without fear of status due to Comatose. Rock-type wallbreakers like Tyranitar, Stratagem, and Nihilego can do much the same.
**Future Sight**: Pokemon that Mollux normally answers like Urshifu-R and Tapu Fini can easily break past it when backed by a Future Sight from Slowbro, Slowking, or Galarian Slowking.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[spoo, 251944]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lasen, 273339], [quziel, 297859]]
- Grammar checked by: [[dex, 277988]]
name: Bulky Pivot
move 1: Stealth Rock / Sludge Bomb
move 2: Lava Plume
move 3: Thunder / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Recover
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 SpA
ivs: 0 Atk
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Mollux can be valuable for its role compression on specific teams due to its good matchup against defensive Steel-types, ability to set Stealth Rock, immunity to Toxic and Will-O-Wisp, and its unique status as a Fire-type that checks Tapu Fini and Urshifu-R. However, the upsides end there; Mollux is outclassed by and loses to other common Fire-type utility Pokemon like Astrolotl and Heatran because of its passivity and vulnerability to Knock Off. If Stealth Rock is covered elsewhere on Mollux's team, Sludge Bomb can be run instead, as it greatly appreciates the expanded coverage. However, this also decreases the range of roles Mollux can compress into a single team slot, thereby defeating much of the reason to use it in the first place. Thunder is Mollux's preferred coverage to meaningfully pressure Heatran, 2HKO Toxapex, and threaten Water-types like Slowbro and Urshifu-R that Dry Skin lets it beat, but Sludge Bomb can be run to spread poison and for a better matchup against foes like Clefable and Astrolotl. The EVs let Mollux live two Close Combats from Urshifu-R after it pivots with U-turn once, and the rest are invested in Special Attack to reduce its passivity.
Sturdy Ground-type answers are crucial on any team with Mollux. Physical walls like Buzzwole and Slowbro are effective in this role, also taking pressure off of Mollux to answer Urshifu-R; additionally, Corviknight, Equilibra, and Landorus-T all simultaneously provide a Ground-type immunity and reliable entry hazard removal with Defog and Rapid Spin, as Mollux is highly ineffective if it loses its item and Stealth Rock is up. Teammates such as Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Colbur Berry Slowbro can absorb Knock Off, preserving Mollux's Heavy-Duty Boots. If Mollux is lucky, it can burn a greedy Ground-type foe switching in with Lava Plume; Electric-type teammates like Zeraora and Tapu Koko greatly appreciate this, also benefiting from Mollux's good matchup into Ferrothorn. Mollux is often unreliable due to having a large number of hard matchups, so make sure to pair it with consistent, versatile win conditions like Weavile or Calm Mind Clefable that can always pull their weight.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Mollux can run Calm Mind over Stealth Rock, usually running a faster and physically bulkier EV spread alongside it; this allows Mollux to outrun Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Buzzwole to fish for Lava Plume burns or KO them outright. This gives Mollux a reason to be used, but it still struggles to differentiate itself from other bulky Calm Mind sweepers like Clefable and Tapu Fini and requires much more team support. Thunder Wave can be run over Thunder to more reliably punish foes like Dragapult and Galarian Slowking, but having Lava Plume as its only remaining attack is often undesirable. Mollux also has a niche on rain teams due to Dry Skin, and can run a Calm Mind or three attacks set with Black Sludge to boost both its power and longevity; still, this set can be difficult to justify over more consistent wallbreakers or defensive options.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-types**: Any relevant Ground-type in the metagame can OHKO Mollux with its STAB Ground-type attack. However, the only Ground-type that can switch in safely is Colossoil, using Guts to get around Lava Plume's burn chance.
**Heatran and Astrolotl**: Mollux can only damage Heatran with its unreliable Thunder and gets easily forced out by Earth Power. Mollux can do decent damage to Astrolotl with Sluge Bomb and potentially poison it, but it still gets forced out by Stomping Tantrum or locked into an undesirable move with Encore.
**Knock Off**: Mollux wants to switch into foes like Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Weavile throughout a match, but it often gets its Heavy-Duty Boots removed in the process and is rendered incapable of checking them.
**Special Walls**: Both Slowking and Galarian Slowking can set Future Sight on Mollux and don't fear any of its attacks. Specially defensive variants of Toxapex can switch into Mollux freely and remove its item. Blissey stonewalls Mollux and can paralyze it or use the opportunity to steal momentum with Teleport.
**Strong Wallbreakers**: Tapu Lele, Pajantom, and Galarian Zapdos can force Mollux out with their STAB attacks or Stomping Tantrum in the case of Galarian Zapdos. Pajantom is especially effective because it can safely switch in on any of Mollux's attacks without fear of status due to Comatose. Rock-type wallbreakers like Tyranitar, Stratagem, and Nihilego can do much the same.
**Future Sight**: Pokemon that Mollux normally answers like Urshifu-R and Tapu Fini can easily break past it when backed by a Future Sight from Slowbro, Slowking, or Galarian Slowking.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[spoo, 251944]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lasen, 273339], [quziel, 297859]]
- Grammar checked by: [[dex, 277988]]
Last edited:
