[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock / Iron Head
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Toxic / Iron Head
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Leftovers
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 180 SpD / 76 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
With significant investment into its bulk and Leftovers, Excadrill really comes into its own as a Stealth Rock setter, finding opportunities to block Volt Switch from the likes of Magearna and Tapu Koko and taking full advantage with Stealth Rock. On teams that can already fit in Stealth Rock handily, Excadrill can use Iron Head to hit Fairy-types like Tapu Bulu and Clefable and Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Gliscor. Earthquake slams the Electric-types and Steel-types like Tapu Koko, Magearna, and Jirachi that Excadrill likes to aggressively come into and also pressures entry hazard setters like Heatran and Toxapex. Toxic is great for catching irritating Defoggers like Zapdos, Landorus-T, and Tornadus-T and overall reduces Excadrill's passivity, as it can catch the likes of Mega Charizard Y and Serperior as they switch in. Rapid Spin is one of the main draws of Excadrill as a defensive piece, clearing opposing hazards while maintaining its team's own. Excadrill has the staying power to invalidate passive hazard setters like Clefable, lead Diancie, and Skarmory without Rocky Helmet.
Set Details
========
76 Speed EVs put Excadrill ahead of Modest Heatran, with the rest going into bulk to help Excadrill last against repeated resisted hits like Magearna's Fleur Cannon. Leftovers is crucial for this variant to function, improving Excadrill's longevity and letting it slowly heal off entry hazard damage and weak attacks while it stays on the field.
Usage Tips
========
The main draw of defensive Excadrill is its obvious good matchup against Volt Switch users like Assault Vest Magearna, Tapu Koko, and non-Heat Wave Zapdos, as it makes good use of its resistance to Fairy and neutrality to Ice to ensure that it can always comfortably come in. Part of Excadrill's intended role in longer games is to stick around, so you need to both watch for any sort of negation of Leftovers, either through burn or item removal, and be mindful of how much you send it in, especially if you're not pairing it with a Wish passer. Before Excadrill can comfortably spin away entry hazards, a teammate must remove Rocky Helmet from the likes of Landorus-T and Skarmory first with Knock Off. Excadrill has far from unlimited staying power, so your priority will be to cut the longevity of opposing hazard setters even shorter with status and chip damage; for example, catching opposing Landorus-T with Toxic early- or mid-game.
Team Options
========
This variant of Excadrill is suited for teams ranging from bulky offense to semi-stall with bulky teammates that can somewhat take the burden off of Excadrill defensively somewhat so it can focus on providing utility and blocking Volt Switch. Wish users like Chansey and Clefable enable less careful play with Excadrill, as it can negate accrued chip damage on Excadrill from repeated hits. Although Excadrill does have the Steel typing, it's still horrible at taking on Tapu Lele and Mega Alakazam, so pairing it with an answer to them like Magearna or Cresselia is quite important. Toxapex reduces the burden on Excadrill to come in and spin, since it absorbs Toxic Spikes, and it provides a good defensive answer to Fire-types like Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y. In return, Excadrill can quieten Volt Switch users to help Toxapex. Spikes are logical to pair with Excadrill, considering its method of entry hazard removal allows you to keep your hard-fought layers, so Skarmory makes for a good teammate; however, this does raise the issue of having two Steel-types on your team with neither of them solidly checking Tapu Lele or Mega Alakazam. Knock Off users like Tornadus-T and Clefable can remove opposing Rocky Helmets to aid Excadrill in spinning away hazards. Excadrill invites in Gliscor completely for free, so it must be paired with a counter to it, such as Ice Beam Mega Latias or Mega Slowbro. Tapu Fini appreciates Excadrill freeing up a moveslot for it by carrying hazard removal so that it can run other options like Calm Mind or Whirlpool; in return, it can provide a stop to dangerous Water-types like Ash-Greninja and Mega Gyarados and help against Mega Swampert. Both Mega Charizard formes can make for good teammates, as Mega Charizard X can forcefully drag down opposing Landorus-T, while Mega Charizard Y benefits from Excadrill's Volt Switch blocking and improves the team's matchup against opposing rain and offense teams.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/skypenguin.462413/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock / Iron Head
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Toxic / Iron Head
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Leftovers
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 180 SpD / 76 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
With significant investment into its bulk and Leftovers, Excadrill really comes into its own as a Stealth Rock setter, finding opportunities to block Volt Switch from the likes of Magearna and Tapu Koko and taking full advantage with Stealth Rock. On teams that can already fit in Stealth Rock handily, Excadrill can use Iron Head to hit Fairy-types like Tapu Bulu and Clefable and Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Gliscor. Earthquake slams the Electric-types and Steel-types like Tapu Koko, Magearna, and Jirachi that Excadrill likes to aggressively come into and also pressures entry hazard setters like Heatran and Toxapex. Toxic is great for catching irritating Defoggers like Zapdos, Landorus-T, and Tornadus-T and overall reduces Excadrill's passivity, as it can catch the likes of Mega Charizard Y and Serperior as they switch in. Rapid Spin is one of the main draws of Excadrill as a defensive piece, clearing opposing hazards while maintaining its team's own. Excadrill has the staying power to invalidate passive hazard setters like Clefable, lead Diancie, and Skarmory without Rocky Helmet.
Set Details
========
76 Speed EVs put Excadrill ahead of Modest Heatran, with the rest going into bulk to help Excadrill last against repeated resisted hits like Magearna's Fleur Cannon. Leftovers is crucial for this variant to function, improving Excadrill's longevity and letting it slowly heal off entry hazard damage and weak attacks while it stays on the field.
Usage Tips
========
The main draw of defensive Excadrill is its obvious good matchup against Volt Switch users like Assault Vest Magearna, Tapu Koko, and non-Heat Wave Zapdos, as it makes good use of its resistance to Fairy and neutrality to Ice to ensure that it can always comfortably come in. Part of Excadrill's intended role in longer games is to stick around, so you need to both watch for any sort of negation of Leftovers, either through burn or item removal, and be mindful of how much you send it in, especially if you're not pairing it with a Wish passer. Before Excadrill can comfortably spin away entry hazards, a teammate must remove Rocky Helmet from the likes of Landorus-T and Skarmory first with Knock Off. Excadrill has far from unlimited staying power, so your priority will be to cut the longevity of opposing hazard setters even shorter with status and chip damage; for example, catching opposing Landorus-T with Toxic early- or mid-game.
Team Options
========
This variant of Excadrill is suited for teams ranging from bulky offense to semi-stall with bulky teammates that can somewhat take the burden off of Excadrill defensively somewhat so it can focus on providing utility and blocking Volt Switch. Wish users like Chansey and Clefable enable less careful play with Excadrill, as it can negate accrued chip damage on Excadrill from repeated hits. Although Excadrill does have the Steel typing, it's still horrible at taking on Tapu Lele and Mega Alakazam, so pairing it with an answer to them like Magearna or Cresselia is quite important. Toxapex reduces the burden on Excadrill to come in and spin, since it absorbs Toxic Spikes, and it provides a good defensive answer to Fire-types like Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y. In return, Excadrill can quieten Volt Switch users to help Toxapex. Spikes are logical to pair with Excadrill, considering its method of entry hazard removal allows you to keep your hard-fought layers, so Skarmory makes for a good teammate; however, this does raise the issue of having two Steel-types on your team with neither of them solidly checking Tapu Lele or Mega Alakazam. Knock Off users like Tornadus-T and Clefable can remove opposing Rocky Helmets to aid Excadrill in spinning away hazards. Excadrill invites in Gliscor completely for free, so it must be paired with a counter to it, such as Ice Beam Mega Latias or Mega Slowbro. Tapu Fini appreciates Excadrill freeing up a moveslot for it by carrying hazard removal so that it can run other options like Calm Mind or Whirlpool; in return, it can provide a stop to dangerous Water-types like Ash-Greninja and Mega Gyarados and help against Mega Swampert. Both Mega Charizard formes can make for good teammates, as Mega Charizard X can forcefully drag down opposing Landorus-T, while Mega Charizard Y benefits from Excadrill's Volt Switch blocking and improves the team's matchup against opposing rain and offense teams.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/skypenguin.462413/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Last edited:
