[SET]
name: Physical Defensive
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Barb Barrage
move 3: Flip Turn
move 4: Pain Split / Taunt / Thunder Wave / Toxic
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
tera type: Ground / Ghost
[SET COMMENTS]
Physically defensive Qwilfish functions as a competent Spikes setter and physical wall because of its typing, which allows it to come onto the field against Florges and Paldean Tauros-W, and utility. Flip Turn allows Qwilfish to act as a slow pivot, giving teammates safe entry points. Pain Split is Qwilfish's primary form of recovery and is a great utility move, as Pokemon that switch into it, like Galarian Slowbro and Gastrodon, can't passively recover without allowing Qwilfish to do so as well. Taunt gives Qwilfish the ability to prevent opposing entry hazard setters, like Coalossal and Gastrodon, from establishing their own hazards and stops slower setup sweepers like Scrafty and Galarian Slowbro from taking advantage of it. Thunder Wave can be used to hinder setup sweepers like Decidueye and Scyther. Toxic guarantees a poison on a Pokemon like Mudsdale and Gastrodon and doubles the damage of Barb Barrage. Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers, pivot attempts from the likes of Ambipom, Bombirdier, and Paldean Tauros-W, and Rapid Spin users like Alolan Sandslash and Tatsugiri. 16 Speed EVs allows Qwilfish to outpace Adamant Golurk. Tera Ground gives Qwilfish a key immunity to Electric, helping against Bellibolt, Kilowattrel, and Rotom-H Volt Switch cores. Tera Ground does allow Paldean Tauros-W to break through it easier, however, and limits the overall defensive utility provided by the natural Water / Poison typing. Tera Ghost provides a valuable immunity to Rapid Spin, enabling hazard stacking structures further.
Qwilfish is a valuable asset for balance and bulky offense teams looking for an entry hazard setter and temporary defensive answer to many of the physical sweepers in the metagame. Spikes Qwilfish partners well with many Stealth Rock setters, like Coalossal, Gligar, and Palossand, as Qwilfish appreciates a sturdy teammate that can take Electric- and Ground-type attacks for it so it can stack Spikes more freely. Hazard stacking relies on Knock Off users to remove Heavy-Duty Boots, which makes Bombirdier, Gligar, and Wo-Chien notable teammates; not only are they good Knock Off absorbers, they also resist or are immune to Ground. Bombirdier and Wo-Chien are reliable defensive pivots into Decidueye as well, providing great coverage for most of the top threats in the metagame. Qwilfish is a great defensive presence, as it does well into some of the best physical attackers in the metagame, like Arcanine and Paldean Tauros-W, which opens up the rest of the team significantly. Offensive teammates like Scrafty, Toxtricity, and Zoroark can be potent late-game cleaners after Qwilfish wears down physical wallbreakers. Mid-game wallbreakers like Decidueye and Golurk, which also function as spinblockers, appreciate Qwilfish for giving them a reliable defensive answer to their checks, notably Paldean Tauros-F and Paldean Tauros-W, respectively, and safe entry points provided by Flip Turn. Tatsugiri is a difficult matchup for Qwilfish teams, as it threatens strong STAB attacks, often getting an opportunity to spin as Qwilfish is forced out. Teammates that can match up well into Tatsugiri, like Florges and Scream Tail, can mitigate the relatively safe entry it has against Qwilfish.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bella.567483/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/asa.400292/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
name: Physical Defensive
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Barb Barrage
move 3: Flip Turn
move 4: Pain Split / Taunt / Thunder Wave / Toxic
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
tera type: Ground / Ghost
[SET COMMENTS]
Physically defensive Qwilfish functions as a competent Spikes setter and physical wall because of its typing, which allows it to come onto the field against Florges and Paldean Tauros-W, and utility. Flip Turn allows Qwilfish to act as a slow pivot, giving teammates safe entry points. Pain Split is Qwilfish's primary form of recovery and is a great utility move, as Pokemon that switch into it, like Galarian Slowbro and Gastrodon, can't passively recover without allowing Qwilfish to do so as well. Taunt gives Qwilfish the ability to prevent opposing entry hazard setters, like Coalossal and Gastrodon, from establishing their own hazards and stops slower setup sweepers like Scrafty and Galarian Slowbro from taking advantage of it. Thunder Wave can be used to hinder setup sweepers like Decidueye and Scyther. Toxic guarantees a poison on a Pokemon like Mudsdale and Gastrodon and doubles the damage of Barb Barrage. Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers, pivot attempts from the likes of Ambipom, Bombirdier, and Paldean Tauros-W, and Rapid Spin users like Alolan Sandslash and Tatsugiri. 16 Speed EVs allows Qwilfish to outpace Adamant Golurk. Tera Ground gives Qwilfish a key immunity to Electric, helping against Bellibolt, Kilowattrel, and Rotom-H Volt Switch cores. Tera Ground does allow Paldean Tauros-W to break through it easier, however, and limits the overall defensive utility provided by the natural Water / Poison typing. Tera Ghost provides a valuable immunity to Rapid Spin, enabling hazard stacking structures further.
Qwilfish is a valuable asset for balance and bulky offense teams looking for an entry hazard setter and temporary defensive answer to many of the physical sweepers in the metagame. Spikes Qwilfish partners well with many Stealth Rock setters, like Coalossal, Gligar, and Palossand, as Qwilfish appreciates a sturdy teammate that can take Electric- and Ground-type attacks for it so it can stack Spikes more freely. Hazard stacking relies on Knock Off users to remove Heavy-Duty Boots, which makes Bombirdier, Gligar, and Wo-Chien notable teammates; not only are they good Knock Off absorbers, they also resist or are immune to Ground. Bombirdier and Wo-Chien are reliable defensive pivots into Decidueye as well, providing great coverage for most of the top threats in the metagame. Qwilfish is a great defensive presence, as it does well into some of the best physical attackers in the metagame, like Arcanine and Paldean Tauros-W, which opens up the rest of the team significantly. Offensive teammates like Scrafty, Toxtricity, and Zoroark can be potent late-game cleaners after Qwilfish wears down physical wallbreakers. Mid-game wallbreakers like Decidueye and Golurk, which also function as spinblockers, appreciate Qwilfish for giving them a reliable defensive answer to their checks, notably Paldean Tauros-F and Paldean Tauros-W, respectively, and safe entry points provided by Flip Turn. Tatsugiri is a difficult matchup for Qwilfish teams, as it threatens strong STAB attacks, often getting an opportunity to spin as Qwilfish is forced out. Teammates that can match up well into Tatsugiri, like Florges and Scream Tail, can mitigate the relatively safe entry it has against Qwilfish.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bella.567483/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/asa.400292/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Last edited:
