[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 5-7 points
**Overview**: Mudsdale serves as a decent physical wall and low-budget Ground-type for teams on a tighter budget. With solid bulk, its Ground typing, and a great defensive ability in Stamina, it can withstand multiple physical attacks and either set Stealth Rock or fire back with attacks coming off of its great Attack stat. However, a lack of reliable recovery and utility options means Mudsdale can become stale in longer matches, and its mostly-good typing still invites in common specially offensive Water- and Grass-types. Common high- to mid-tier Ground-types like Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Ting-Lu also heavily outclass Mudsdale for their ability to bring far better offense and utility to a team while maintaining the capability to tank attacks.
Common Roles
========
**Physical Wall**: Utilizing its bulk in conjunction with Stamina, Mudsdale can become a ramping wall that can stave off physical attackers. It can wield Rocky Helmet to punish contact moves or Leftovers to keep itself healthy. Earthquake and Stealth Rock let Mudsdale actually make progress, while Body Press synergizes well with Stamina. Additional utility like Protect, Rest, and Roar help it perform other functions.
**Special Tank**: Donning an Assault Vest, Mudsdale can boost its already-decent special bulk to good levels that allow it to become a special sponge while still being able to rely on Stamina for physical attackers. Earthquake is practically mandatory to hit foes back, while the rest of the moveset can be filled out with coverage like Stone Edge, Close Combat, and Heavy Slam. With Assault Vest supplementing most of its needed Special Defense, sets using it can also afford to invest more into Attack—and in some cases, use an Adamant nature—to maintain an offensive presence.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Earthquake, High Horsepower
**Setup Moves**: Iron Defense, Curse
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Roar, Protect, Rest, Sleep Talk
**Coverage**: Body Press, Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Close Combat, Heavy Slam, Lash Out
Niche Moves
========
**Smack Down**: Smack Down can enable Mudsdale to hit the Ground-immune foes that aren't afraid of its coverage with Earthquake.
**Endure**: In conjunction with Custap Berry, Endure can allow Mudsdale to get off an attack or set Stealth Rock before being KOed.
**Endeavor**: Mudsdale's bulk can often let it survive to low health and heavily weaken opposing Pokemon with Endeavor as a last resort.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Usually the most reliable source of healing for Mudsdale, Leftovers can allow it to stay longer in the game and shrug off the smaller damage it takes throughout the game.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet pairs well with Stamina, as they both punish continuous attempts to break through Mudsdale or play around it with contact-making chip damage.
**Assault Vest**: With Assault Vest, Mudsdale's special bulk can be bolstered to great levels, allowing it to take on special attackers.
**Chesto Berry**: Chesto Berry can be used to let Mudsdale instantly heal up with Rest once so that Sleep Talk does not have to take up a valuable moveslot.
Niche Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry trades the long-term longevity of Leftovers for an immediate burst of healing that Mudsdale might appreciate more in certain matchups.
**Custap Berry**: Custap Berry can either be used on its own or with Endure to potentially give Mudsdale an additional chance to attack at low health.
**Resistance Berries**: Berries like Passho and Rindo Berry can give Mudsdale a one-time opportunity to tank a super effective hit so that it can fire back hard and stack Stamina boosts more easily.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots alleviates some of the chip damage Mudsdale might otherwise take from both types of Spikes; however, Stealth Rock damage can be healed off instantly with Leftovers.
**Choice Band**: Mudsdale can leverage its great Attack stat with a Choice Band to surprise walls or attackers that expect it to be a usual wall.
Tera
========
Mudsdale shouldn't be drafted with the intention of being made a Tera Captain, since it doesn't benefit as much compared to other more valuable Captains, especially due to its already-good typing. If it is still made a Tera Captain, Mudsdale can use Tera Fighting to further boost Body Press, Tera Ghost to spinblock for entry hazards set by itself or its team, or purely defensive types like Tera Water and Fairy to take on threats that it couldn't before. Tera Ground can also make Earthquake more potent on Choice Band sets, though this is more niche compared to other useful types.
Draft Strategy
========
Mudsdale's role mostly comes down to being a wall that other Pokemon can fall back on. Since it is usually only drafted as a decent substitute for higher-priced Ground types that were too expensive or already drafted, it should consequently not be built around, since it does not offer much else outside of its ability to tank attacks and set Stealth Rock. That said, other roles for the team can still help cover areas that Mudsdale struggles in.
**Specially Defensive Walls**: While Mudsdale is not exceptionally weak to special moves, it most often wants to be invested in its Defense to take physically offensive hits better and make Body Press stronger. Defensive pivots such as Uxie and Rotom-H can sponge special attacks and maintain momentum with their pivoting moves, letting Mudsdale come in to cover physical attacks at less cost.
**Fast Pivots**: Pokemon like Cinderace and Tornadus-T frequently pivot throughout games to avoid damage from incoming moves, so they appreciate Mudsdale as a wall to absorb the hits they draw in.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Mudsdale appreciates both entry hazard setting and removal, as Spikes setters like Hisuian Samurott and Ogerpon complement its ability to set Stealth Rock and force out physical attackers. Hazard removal from the likes of Tentacruel and Corviknight can clear the field of both types of Spikes that Mudsdale otherwise needs Heavy-Duty Boots for. Various Ghost-types like Gholdengo and Pecharunt can also spinblock to maintain hazards that are already set.
Checks and Counters
========
**Grass-types**: Grass-types like Rillaboom and Serperior can easily come in on Mudsdale's Earthquake while not fearing any of its potential coverage, and they can then hit it hard or use it as fodder for utility or setup moves.
**Water- and Ice-types**: Water- and Ice-types like Milotic and Kyurem threaten Mudsdale offensively with STAB super effective moves that it struggles to survive both initially and over time due to its lack of immediate healing. However, these Pokemon must be more wary of switching directly into its relatively-strong Earthquake and in the case of Ice-types, its multiple options for super effective coverage.
**Physical Walls**: Opposing walls like Landorus-T, Corviknight, and Slowbro that are not weak to Mudsdale's limited coverage can easily switch in on it and wear it down with repeated attacks.
**Status**: Mudsdale absolutely despises both poison and burn, as both reduce its already-unreliable longevity, and burn additionally makes it incredibly passive with its Attack halved.
**Chip Damage**: Mudsdale's lack of reliable recovery can become detrimental in games where it has to frequently switch in on and subsequently tank multiple attacks.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/furyy.529077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/addison0727.514695/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 5-7 points
**Overview**: Mudsdale serves as a decent physical wall and low-budget Ground-type for teams on a tighter budget. With solid bulk, its Ground typing, and a great defensive ability in Stamina, it can withstand multiple physical attacks and either set Stealth Rock or fire back with attacks coming off of its great Attack stat. However, a lack of reliable recovery and utility options means Mudsdale can become stale in longer matches, and its mostly-good typing still invites in common specially offensive Water- and Grass-types. Common high- to mid-tier Ground-types like Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Ting-Lu also heavily outclass Mudsdale for their ability to bring far better offense and utility to a team while maintaining the capability to tank attacks.
Common Roles
========
**Physical Wall**: Utilizing its bulk in conjunction with Stamina, Mudsdale can become a ramping wall that can stave off physical attackers. It can wield Rocky Helmet to punish contact moves or Leftovers to keep itself healthy. Earthquake and Stealth Rock let Mudsdale actually make progress, while Body Press synergizes well with Stamina. Additional utility like Protect, Rest, and Roar help it perform other functions.
**Special Tank**: Donning an Assault Vest, Mudsdale can boost its already-decent special bulk to good levels that allow it to become a special sponge while still being able to rely on Stamina for physical attackers. Earthquake is practically mandatory to hit foes back, while the rest of the moveset can be filled out with coverage like Stone Edge, Close Combat, and Heavy Slam. With Assault Vest supplementing most of its needed Special Defense, sets using it can also afford to invest more into Attack—and in some cases, use an Adamant nature—to maintain an offensive presence.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Earthquake, High Horsepower
**Setup Moves**: Iron Defense, Curse
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Roar, Protect, Rest, Sleep Talk
**Coverage**: Body Press, Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Close Combat, Heavy Slam, Lash Out
Niche Moves
========
**Smack Down**: Smack Down can enable Mudsdale to hit the Ground-immune foes that aren't afraid of its coverage with Earthquake.
**Endure**: In conjunction with Custap Berry, Endure can allow Mudsdale to get off an attack or set Stealth Rock before being KOed.
**Endeavor**: Mudsdale's bulk can often let it survive to low health and heavily weaken opposing Pokemon with Endeavor as a last resort.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Usually the most reliable source of healing for Mudsdale, Leftovers can allow it to stay longer in the game and shrug off the smaller damage it takes throughout the game.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet pairs well with Stamina, as they both punish continuous attempts to break through Mudsdale or play around it with contact-making chip damage.
**Assault Vest**: With Assault Vest, Mudsdale's special bulk can be bolstered to great levels, allowing it to take on special attackers.
**Chesto Berry**: Chesto Berry can be used to let Mudsdale instantly heal up with Rest once so that Sleep Talk does not have to take up a valuable moveslot.
Niche Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry trades the long-term longevity of Leftovers for an immediate burst of healing that Mudsdale might appreciate more in certain matchups.
**Custap Berry**: Custap Berry can either be used on its own or with Endure to potentially give Mudsdale an additional chance to attack at low health.
**Resistance Berries**: Berries like Passho and Rindo Berry can give Mudsdale a one-time opportunity to tank a super effective hit so that it can fire back hard and stack Stamina boosts more easily.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots alleviates some of the chip damage Mudsdale might otherwise take from both types of Spikes; however, Stealth Rock damage can be healed off instantly with Leftovers.
**Choice Band**: Mudsdale can leverage its great Attack stat with a Choice Band to surprise walls or attackers that expect it to be a usual wall.
Tera
========
Mudsdale shouldn't be drafted with the intention of being made a Tera Captain, since it doesn't benefit as much compared to other more valuable Captains, especially due to its already-good typing. If it is still made a Tera Captain, Mudsdale can use Tera Fighting to further boost Body Press, Tera Ghost to spinblock for entry hazards set by itself or its team, or purely defensive types like Tera Water and Fairy to take on threats that it couldn't before. Tera Ground can also make Earthquake more potent on Choice Band sets, though this is more niche compared to other useful types.
Draft Strategy
========
Mudsdale's role mostly comes down to being a wall that other Pokemon can fall back on. Since it is usually only drafted as a decent substitute for higher-priced Ground types that were too expensive or already drafted, it should consequently not be built around, since it does not offer much else outside of its ability to tank attacks and set Stealth Rock. That said, other roles for the team can still help cover areas that Mudsdale struggles in.
**Specially Defensive Walls**: While Mudsdale is not exceptionally weak to special moves, it most often wants to be invested in its Defense to take physically offensive hits better and make Body Press stronger. Defensive pivots such as Uxie and Rotom-H can sponge special attacks and maintain momentum with their pivoting moves, letting Mudsdale come in to cover physical attacks at less cost.
**Fast Pivots**: Pokemon like Cinderace and Tornadus-T frequently pivot throughout games to avoid damage from incoming moves, so they appreciate Mudsdale as a wall to absorb the hits they draw in.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Mudsdale appreciates both entry hazard setting and removal, as Spikes setters like Hisuian Samurott and Ogerpon complement its ability to set Stealth Rock and force out physical attackers. Hazard removal from the likes of Tentacruel and Corviknight can clear the field of both types of Spikes that Mudsdale otherwise needs Heavy-Duty Boots for. Various Ghost-types like Gholdengo and Pecharunt can also spinblock to maintain hazards that are already set.
Checks and Counters
========
**Grass-types**: Grass-types like Rillaboom and Serperior can easily come in on Mudsdale's Earthquake while not fearing any of its potential coverage, and they can then hit it hard or use it as fodder for utility or setup moves.
**Water- and Ice-types**: Water- and Ice-types like Milotic and Kyurem threaten Mudsdale offensively with STAB super effective moves that it struggles to survive both initially and over time due to its lack of immediate healing. However, these Pokemon must be more wary of switching directly into its relatively-strong Earthquake and in the case of Ice-types, its multiple options for super effective coverage.
**Physical Walls**: Opposing walls like Landorus-T, Corviknight, and Slowbro that are not weak to Mudsdale's limited coverage can easily switch in on it and wear it down with repeated attacks.
**Status**: Mudsdale absolutely despises both poison and burn, as both reduce its already-unreliable longevity, and burn additionally makes it incredibly passive with its Attack halved.
**Chip Damage**: Mudsdale's lack of reliable recovery can become detrimental in games where it has to frequently switch in on and subsequently tank multiple attacks.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/furyy.529077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/addison0727.514695/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
