[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Superpower / Toxic
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Custap Berry
ability: Sturdy
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Gigalith's sheer bulk, strength, and access to Stealth Rock make it a popular pick for balance teams and the like. Its typing means that physically offensive Normal-types like Persian, Furfrou, and Raticate struggle to take it down, whereas Pokemon with stronger coverage versus Gigalith like Pignite and Swalot will struggle to trade hits successfully. Stone Edge will deal more damage than Rock Blast on average, consistently 2HKOing Servine and Politoed, whereas Rock Blast is more consistent with its accuracy and the ability to break Substitute and Focus Sash on the likes of Swoobat and Butterfree. Earthquake pairs best with Gigalith's Rock-type coverage, especially versus foes like Swalot and Lairon. Superpower nails Krokorok and Lairon, especially useful given Earthquake lacks a chance to OHKO the latter. It is also Gigalith's strongest coverage move versus Vibrava, although Toxic is another option to punish Vibrava along with other checks like Gourgeist-L. Rocky Helmet is an alternative to Leftovers that chips at offensive pivots like Persian and Furfrou. Lastly, Custap Berry offers the chance for Gigalith to get an extra hit off when it's at low health, which also works as an emergency check to most sweepers if it is still at full health for Sturdy.
A staple on most cores, Gigalith pairs with special walls like Duosion, Dustox, and Klang. They deal with the strong special attackers that Gigalith is forced out by, whereas it can check physical attackers like Lairon and Persian. Specially offensive pivots like Electabuzz and Frogadier can position Gigalith on the field to set up Stealth Rock and fire off strong attacks. Poison-types like Ivysaur and Swalot make for good partners, as they can take on Grass-types like Servine and Simisage. In the same vein, teammates like Politoed and specially defensive Servine check offensive Water-types. A Grass-type that can comfortably switch into Earthquake, like Servine or Quilladin, is also a must. Servine specifically can dissuade Defog attempts from Vibrava, which is a Pokemon that gives Gigalith trouble.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heavy Slam / Toxic
item: Choice Band
ability: Sturdy
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Speed
[SET COMMENTS]
With the extra power from Choice Band and extra Speed investment, Gigalith makes for a dangerous wallbreaker. It can OHKO slower foes like Duosion and Swalot, and even potential switch-ins tend to be shoddy at best given the raw damage of Stone Edge. However, Gigalith is still slower than physical walls like Gourgeist-L and Meganium, so even with a stronger Superpower, it fails to get past these foes by itself. Heavy Slam offers good neutral coverage, 2HKOing Vibrava as an example. Toxic is an alternative to deal with the aforementioned Grass-type walls that Gigalith still struggles against.
Pivots like Electabuzz, Dustox, Frogadier, and Vibrava are all great teammates to position Gigalith on the field versus slower, vulnerable targets. Physical sweepers like Huntail and Klang are also great to have once Gigalith is able to break down opposing physical walls. Knock Off users like Servine, Ivysaur, and Persian are excellent to soften up Eviolite-reliant walls like Bronzor and Vibrava soften up for Gigalith; it can then OHKO these foes with Superpower. Special wallbreakers like Magmar and Swoobat are great to pivot into when Gigalith is forced out by a faster Grass-type.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Explosion, especially when paired with Custap Berry, is one way for Gigalith to trade massive damage when it's already at low HP. It is Gigalith's strongest coverage move versus Vibrava, which can come in handy to ensure Stealth Rock stays up, given Vibrava will likely want to come in and use Defog in the favorable matchup, only to get blown up. Custap Berry sets work great as leads so Gigalith can get up Stealth Rock before getting KOed, letting a teammate come in afterwards and threaten Defoggers like Vibrava and Dustox. Investing some EVs into Special Defense can improve Gigalith's matchups against Swoobat and Vanilluxe.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Marshtomp and Hippopotas are easily the best counters to Gigalith, even versus its Choice Band variant. Other Ground-types like Vibrava and Krokorok may deter Stone Edge, but they fear stronger coverage moves.
**Grass-types**: One of Gigalith's most common weaknesses, faster Grass-types like Servine and Ivysaur easily force it out. Physically defensive Grass-types like Gourgeist-L and Meganium are faster than Gigalith, and even ignoring the threat of Giga Drain, they can fish for a Stone Edge miss and recover with Synthesis and Leech Seed. Ivysaur and Meganium are particularly annoying, since they can deal with Toxic through their typing and Aromatherapy, respectively.
**Water-types**: Politoed and special variants of Huntail can take a hit from Gigalith and threaten great damage as well as potential burn with Scald from Politoed. Simipour and Frogadier have a harder time coming in safely but can threaten to OHKO with Hydro Pump.
**Special and Mixed Attackers**: Gigalith's bulk is only remarkable on the physical side, so any special attacker with strong coverage like Electabuzz or Magmar with Focus Blast is an issue. Even worse, physical attackers like Persian and Simisage can afford coverage like Water Pulse and Leaf Storm, respectively, to bypass Gigalith's great physical bulk.
**Bronzor**: Bronzor shrugs off Stone Edge, Toxic, and Earthquake. It doesn't fear much from Gigalith unless it's a specially defensive variant against the Choice Band set.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/s1nn0hc0nfirm3d.231074/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jett.226429/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Superpower / Toxic
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Custap Berry
ability: Sturdy
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Gigalith's sheer bulk, strength, and access to Stealth Rock make it a popular pick for balance teams and the like. Its typing means that physically offensive Normal-types like Persian, Furfrou, and Raticate struggle to take it down, whereas Pokemon with stronger coverage versus Gigalith like Pignite and Swalot will struggle to trade hits successfully. Stone Edge will deal more damage than Rock Blast on average, consistently 2HKOing Servine and Politoed, whereas Rock Blast is more consistent with its accuracy and the ability to break Substitute and Focus Sash on the likes of Swoobat and Butterfree. Earthquake pairs best with Gigalith's Rock-type coverage, especially versus foes like Swalot and Lairon. Superpower nails Krokorok and Lairon, especially useful given Earthquake lacks a chance to OHKO the latter. It is also Gigalith's strongest coverage move versus Vibrava, although Toxic is another option to punish Vibrava along with other checks like Gourgeist-L. Rocky Helmet is an alternative to Leftovers that chips at offensive pivots like Persian and Furfrou. Lastly, Custap Berry offers the chance for Gigalith to get an extra hit off when it's at low health, which also works as an emergency check to most sweepers if it is still at full health for Sturdy.
A staple on most cores, Gigalith pairs with special walls like Duosion, Dustox, and Klang. They deal with the strong special attackers that Gigalith is forced out by, whereas it can check physical attackers like Lairon and Persian. Specially offensive pivots like Electabuzz and Frogadier can position Gigalith on the field to set up Stealth Rock and fire off strong attacks. Poison-types like Ivysaur and Swalot make for good partners, as they can take on Grass-types like Servine and Simisage. In the same vein, teammates like Politoed and specially defensive Servine check offensive Water-types. A Grass-type that can comfortably switch into Earthquake, like Servine or Quilladin, is also a must. Servine specifically can dissuade Defog attempts from Vibrava, which is a Pokemon that gives Gigalith trouble.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heavy Slam / Toxic
item: Choice Band
ability: Sturdy
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Speed
[SET COMMENTS]
With the extra power from Choice Band and extra Speed investment, Gigalith makes for a dangerous wallbreaker. It can OHKO slower foes like Duosion and Swalot, and even potential switch-ins tend to be shoddy at best given the raw damage of Stone Edge. However, Gigalith is still slower than physical walls like Gourgeist-L and Meganium, so even with a stronger Superpower, it fails to get past these foes by itself. Heavy Slam offers good neutral coverage, 2HKOing Vibrava as an example. Toxic is an alternative to deal with the aforementioned Grass-type walls that Gigalith still struggles against.
Pivots like Electabuzz, Dustox, Frogadier, and Vibrava are all great teammates to position Gigalith on the field versus slower, vulnerable targets. Physical sweepers like Huntail and Klang are also great to have once Gigalith is able to break down opposing physical walls. Knock Off users like Servine, Ivysaur, and Persian are excellent to soften up Eviolite-reliant walls like Bronzor and Vibrava soften up for Gigalith; it can then OHKO these foes with Superpower. Special wallbreakers like Magmar and Swoobat are great to pivot into when Gigalith is forced out by a faster Grass-type.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Explosion, especially when paired with Custap Berry, is one way for Gigalith to trade massive damage when it's already at low HP. It is Gigalith's strongest coverage move versus Vibrava, which can come in handy to ensure Stealth Rock stays up, given Vibrava will likely want to come in and use Defog in the favorable matchup, only to get blown up. Custap Berry sets work great as leads so Gigalith can get up Stealth Rock before getting KOed, letting a teammate come in afterwards and threaten Defoggers like Vibrava and Dustox. Investing some EVs into Special Defense can improve Gigalith's matchups against Swoobat and Vanilluxe.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Marshtomp and Hippopotas are easily the best counters to Gigalith, even versus its Choice Band variant. Other Ground-types like Vibrava and Krokorok may deter Stone Edge, but they fear stronger coverage moves.
**Grass-types**: One of Gigalith's most common weaknesses, faster Grass-types like Servine and Ivysaur easily force it out. Physically defensive Grass-types like Gourgeist-L and Meganium are faster than Gigalith, and even ignoring the threat of Giga Drain, they can fish for a Stone Edge miss and recover with Synthesis and Leech Seed. Ivysaur and Meganium are particularly annoying, since they can deal with Toxic through their typing and Aromatherapy, respectively.
**Water-types**: Politoed and special variants of Huntail can take a hit from Gigalith and threaten great damage as well as potential burn with Scald from Politoed. Simipour and Frogadier have a harder time coming in safely but can threaten to OHKO with Hydro Pump.
**Special and Mixed Attackers**: Gigalith's bulk is only remarkable on the physical side, so any special attacker with strong coverage like Electabuzz or Magmar with Focus Blast is an issue. Even worse, physical attackers like Persian and Simisage can afford coverage like Water Pulse and Leaf Storm, respectively, to bypass Gigalith's great physical bulk.
**Bronzor**: Bronzor shrugs off Stone Edge, Toxic, and Earthquake. It doesn't fear much from Gigalith unless it's a specially defensive variant against the Choice Band set.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/s1nn0hc0nfirm3d.231074/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jett.226429/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
