[OVERVIEW]
With one of the fastest natural Speed tiers in the metagame, Barraskewda is an excellent pick for a wallbreaker that can easily pivot out of its checks with Flip Turn, dealing decent chip damage to most Pokemon, and clean up late-game with its stronger attacks. On rain teams, Barraskewda turns into an incredibly powerful threat that is practically impossible to outspeed thanks to Swift Swim. However, Barraskewda suffers from the presence of common Water-resistant Regenerator Pokemon like Slowbro and Amoonguss that can shut it down and render its attempts at wallbreaking useless. Barraskewda is also quite frail and can be easily forced out, which can end up giving strong wallbreakers such as Basculegion-F and Hisuian Lilligant more opportunities to blow holes in Barraskewda's team. Thus, Barraskewda often relies on offensive partners to break through its checks and counters and defensive ones to restrict opposing wallbreakers from taking advantage of it.
[SET]
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: Liquidation
move 2: Flip Turn
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Aqua Jet / Crunch
item: Choice Band / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
tera type: Water / Fighting / Dark
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Flip Turn is one Barraskewda's most important moves, as it gives it the ability to pivot out of unfavorable matchups and deal noticeable damage at the same time, especially if rain is active. Close Combat is essential coverage to threaten common Water-resistant or -immune targets such as Cyclizar, Wo-Chien, Empoleon, and Volcanion. Aqua Jet enables Barraskewda to pick off fast sweepers such as Weak Armor Armarouge and Choice Scarf users such as Gardevoir and Krookodile after they are weakened. Crunch can serve as optional coverage to threaten some of Barraskewda's checks like Slowbro and Basculegion-F. Choice Band provides Barraskewda with much-needed offensive firepower that allows it to act as a more threatening wallbreaker. Heavy-Duty Boots can be used to keep Barraskewda from falling in range of strong priority moves like Bisharp's Sucker Punch, although the loss in power is very noticeable. A Jolly nature allows Barraskewda to outspeed key targets such as Cyclizar and Noivern. An Adamant nature trades off some of its Speed for damage and is preferred on rain teams, as Swift Swim already boosts Barraskewda's Speed to incredible levels. Tera Water boosts the power of Barraskewda's STAB moves, which is often all it needs to clean up a chipped opposition. Tera Fighting is used to power up Close Combat, enabling Barraskewda to deal more damage to Water-immune or -resistant foes like Volcanion and Blastoise while also giving it useful resistances to U-turn and Dark-type moves. Tera Dark boosts the power of Crunch, which can allow Barraskewda to pick off Psychic-type Pokemon like Slowbro and Reuniclus after some chip damage and give it resistances to key priority moves like Shadow Sneak from Mimikyu and Sucker Punch from Bisharp as well as an immunity to Thunder Wave from Prankster Thundurus.
Barraskewda finds itself at home in offense structures that can utilize its Speed and power to create holes that can be taken advantage of by its partners. It pairs well with special wallbreakers like Gengar, Gardevoir, and Psychic Thundurus that can capitalize on Flip Turn giving them safe entry points against physically defensive Pokemon like Slowbro, Chesnaught, and Amoonguss. On rain teams, Barraskewda synergizes well with other rain exploiters like Basculegion-F and Kingdra to overwhelm Water-resistant foes like Slowbro, Empoleon, and Salamence with brute force. Other pivots can form VoltTurn cores with Barraskewda that aim to accrue chip damage on the opposing team by safely switching in on each other's defensive checks, with strong options like Magnezone, Thundurus, and Slither Wing synergizing particularly well thanks to their ability to threaten defensive Water-types like Slowbro and Empoleon. Barraskewda appreciates the presence of defensive partners such as Hisuian Goodra, Empoleon, and Chesnaught that can keep wallbreakers like Basculegion-F, Volcanion, and Hisuian Lilligant from dealing too much damage after forcing Barraskewda out. Choice Band Barraskewda often relies on entry hazard removal options such as Cyclizar and Galarian Weezing to prevent strong priority moves like Bisharp's Sucker Punch and Conkeldurr's Mach Punch from picking it off after some entry hazard chip.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Barraskewda may opt for Psychic Fangs as a coverage move instead of Aqua Jet or Crunch to be able to threaten Amoonguss, Chesnaught, and Okidogi. Life Orb is an option over Choice Band and Heavy-Duty Boots that takes away Barraskewda's reliance on predictions while still enabling it to deal quite a bit of damage; however, the recoil damage combined with entry hazard and Rocky Helmet chip will wear it down very quickly. Mystic Water is a safer alternative on rain teams that still improves Barraskewda's ability to spam its STAB moves.
Checks and Counters
====
**Water-types**: Defensive Water-type Pokemon such as Slowbro and Suicune can easily come in on Barraskewda's STAB moves and proceed to take advantage of it by setting up or firing off a Scald. Thus, their presence on the opposing team can drastically dampen Barraskewda's ability to break walls. In addition, strong Water-types like Basculegion-F and Volcanion can turn Barraskewda into a wallbreaking opportunity.
**Grass-types**: Defensive Grass-types like Chesnaught and Amoonguss take little damage from Barraskewda's attacks, easily heal up and at the same time deal decent chip damage to it by way of Rocky Helmet, thus decreasing Barraskewda's longevity at a cheap cost. Wo-Chien is able to shrug off most attacks from Barraskewda and its Water-type partners that utilize rain and strike back with Knock Off or Foul Play. Hisuian Lilligant can also take advantage of Barraskewda by using it as setup fodder.
**Choice Scarf users**: The common presence of Choice Scarf users that can outspeed and capitalize on Barraskewda such as Gardevoir and Galarian Zapdos hinders its reliability as a fast pivot. Gardevoir in particular is incredibly threatening for rain teams due to its ability, Trace, copying the effects of Barraskewda's Swift Swim.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sir-tetris.655207/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/fluff.614438/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/milak.262594/
With one of the fastest natural Speed tiers in the metagame, Barraskewda is an excellent pick for a wallbreaker that can easily pivot out of its checks with Flip Turn, dealing decent chip damage to most Pokemon, and clean up late-game with its stronger attacks. On rain teams, Barraskewda turns into an incredibly powerful threat that is practically impossible to outspeed thanks to Swift Swim. However, Barraskewda suffers from the presence of common Water-resistant Regenerator Pokemon like Slowbro and Amoonguss that can shut it down and render its attempts at wallbreaking useless. Barraskewda is also quite frail and can be easily forced out, which can end up giving strong wallbreakers such as Basculegion-F and Hisuian Lilligant more opportunities to blow holes in Barraskewda's team. Thus, Barraskewda often relies on offensive partners to break through its checks and counters and defensive ones to restrict opposing wallbreakers from taking advantage of it.
[SET]
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: Liquidation
move 2: Flip Turn
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Aqua Jet / Crunch
item: Choice Band / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
tera type: Water / Fighting / Dark
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Flip Turn is one Barraskewda's most important moves, as it gives it the ability to pivot out of unfavorable matchups and deal noticeable damage at the same time, especially if rain is active. Close Combat is essential coverage to threaten common Water-resistant or -immune targets such as Cyclizar, Wo-Chien, Empoleon, and Volcanion. Aqua Jet enables Barraskewda to pick off fast sweepers such as Weak Armor Armarouge and Choice Scarf users such as Gardevoir and Krookodile after they are weakened. Crunch can serve as optional coverage to threaten some of Barraskewda's checks like Slowbro and Basculegion-F. Choice Band provides Barraskewda with much-needed offensive firepower that allows it to act as a more threatening wallbreaker. Heavy-Duty Boots can be used to keep Barraskewda from falling in range of strong priority moves like Bisharp's Sucker Punch, although the loss in power is very noticeable. A Jolly nature allows Barraskewda to outspeed key targets such as Cyclizar and Noivern. An Adamant nature trades off some of its Speed for damage and is preferred on rain teams, as Swift Swim already boosts Barraskewda's Speed to incredible levels. Tera Water boosts the power of Barraskewda's STAB moves, which is often all it needs to clean up a chipped opposition. Tera Fighting is used to power up Close Combat, enabling Barraskewda to deal more damage to Water-immune or -resistant foes like Volcanion and Blastoise while also giving it useful resistances to U-turn and Dark-type moves. Tera Dark boosts the power of Crunch, which can allow Barraskewda to pick off Psychic-type Pokemon like Slowbro and Reuniclus after some chip damage and give it resistances to key priority moves like Shadow Sneak from Mimikyu and Sucker Punch from Bisharp as well as an immunity to Thunder Wave from Prankster Thundurus.
Barraskewda finds itself at home in offense structures that can utilize its Speed and power to create holes that can be taken advantage of by its partners. It pairs well with special wallbreakers like Gengar, Gardevoir, and Psychic Thundurus that can capitalize on Flip Turn giving them safe entry points against physically defensive Pokemon like Slowbro, Chesnaught, and Amoonguss. On rain teams, Barraskewda synergizes well with other rain exploiters like Basculegion-F and Kingdra to overwhelm Water-resistant foes like Slowbro, Empoleon, and Salamence with brute force. Other pivots can form VoltTurn cores with Barraskewda that aim to accrue chip damage on the opposing team by safely switching in on each other's defensive checks, with strong options like Magnezone, Thundurus, and Slither Wing synergizing particularly well thanks to their ability to threaten defensive Water-types like Slowbro and Empoleon. Barraskewda appreciates the presence of defensive partners such as Hisuian Goodra, Empoleon, and Chesnaught that can keep wallbreakers like Basculegion-F, Volcanion, and Hisuian Lilligant from dealing too much damage after forcing Barraskewda out. Choice Band Barraskewda often relies on entry hazard removal options such as Cyclizar and Galarian Weezing to prevent strong priority moves like Bisharp's Sucker Punch and Conkeldurr's Mach Punch from picking it off after some entry hazard chip.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Barraskewda may opt for Psychic Fangs as a coverage move instead of Aqua Jet or Crunch to be able to threaten Amoonguss, Chesnaught, and Okidogi. Life Orb is an option over Choice Band and Heavy-Duty Boots that takes away Barraskewda's reliance on predictions while still enabling it to deal quite a bit of damage; however, the recoil damage combined with entry hazard and Rocky Helmet chip will wear it down very quickly. Mystic Water is a safer alternative on rain teams that still improves Barraskewda's ability to spam its STAB moves.
Checks and Counters
====
**Water-types**: Defensive Water-type Pokemon such as Slowbro and Suicune can easily come in on Barraskewda's STAB moves and proceed to take advantage of it by setting up or firing off a Scald. Thus, their presence on the opposing team can drastically dampen Barraskewda's ability to break walls. In addition, strong Water-types like Basculegion-F and Volcanion can turn Barraskewda into a wallbreaking opportunity.
**Grass-types**: Defensive Grass-types like Chesnaught and Amoonguss take little damage from Barraskewda's attacks, easily heal up and at the same time deal decent chip damage to it by way of Rocky Helmet, thus decreasing Barraskewda's longevity at a cheap cost. Wo-Chien is able to shrug off most attacks from Barraskewda and its Water-type partners that utilize rain and strike back with Knock Off or Foul Play. Hisuian Lilligant can also take advantage of Barraskewda by using it as setup fodder.
**Choice Scarf users**: The common presence of Choice Scarf users that can outspeed and capitalize on Barraskewda such as Gardevoir and Galarian Zapdos hinders its reliability as a fast pivot. Gardevoir in particular is incredibly threatening for rain teams due to its ability, Trace, copying the effects of Barraskewda's Swift Swim.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sir-tetris.655207/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/fluff.614438/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/milak.262594/
Last edited:
