[OVERVIEW]
With the combination of Aurora Veil, Snow Warning, and a strong offensive profile, Abomasnow represents itself as ZU's sole viable snow setter and a threatening offensive tank. The defense boost in snow strengthens its defensive stats, tanking attacks like Glastrier's Close Combat and Lycanroc's Stone Edge. Abomasnow's snow pairs well with Beartic to form a deadly offensive core, enabling the latter's Slush Rush for formidable late-game sweeps. Aurora Veil is also invaluable support for teammates like Jolteon, Charizard, and Floatzel, allowing them to more easily wreak havoc into the opposition. Abomasnow itself can dish out powerful STAB attacks courtesy of its threatening offensive stats and coverage. Abomasnow, however, is hindered by its low speed and awful defensive typing, leaving it vulnerable to special attackers like Charizard and Magneton without the help of Terastalization. Without Heavy-Duty Boots, Abomasnow is very vulnerable to getting worn down by entry hazards. Abomasnow faces competition from other offensive Grass-types like Brute Bonnet and Virizion for their faster Speed and better defensive profiles, though Abomasnow stands out for its unique ability and offensive typing.
[SET]
Aurora Veil (Abomasnow) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
IVs: 0 Atk
Tera Type: Water
Modest Nature
- Aurora Veil
- Blizzard
- Giga Drain
- Earth Power
[SET COMMENTS]
Abomasnow is a chilling offensive tank courtesy to its immensely threatening STAB combination and Aurora Veil. Aurora Veil halves incoming damage, enabling support to teammates. Giga Drain provides consistent recovery for Abomasnow and hits Water-types like Lanturn and Poliwrath. Earth Power is Abomasnow's strongest option against Magneton and Tera Steel Poliwrath while also hitting Typhlosion. Heavy-Duty Boots is mandatory to maintain Abomasnow's longevity.
Abomasnow's Aurora Veil is able to support a plethora of offensive teammates; pivots like Floatzel and Jolteon appreciate it to better take damage from potential Choice Scarf users like opposing Floatzel and Hisuian Sneasel. Beartic particularly stands out as a partner, benefiting from the defense boost under snow and enabling its sweeping capabilities with Slush Rush. Abomasnow's plethora of defensive weaknesses leaves it vulnerable to U-turn users and Fire-types; defensive backbones like Lanturn, Mesprit, and Hisuian Qwilfish can provide support with their bulk and utility moves; Lanturn can provide paralysis support with Thunder Wave and the latter two can provide rack up residual damage with entry hazards. Abomasnow can, in return, pivot into weaker walls like Dipplin, Lanturn, and Sandslash to threaten them away with powerful STAB moves. Frailer attackers like Sneasel formes, Grafaiai, and Lycanroc appreciate Abomasnow leveraging its typing and decent bulk to pivot into Floatzel, an otherwise difficult matchup.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Focus Blast nails Orthworm and deals more damage to special walls and tanks like Snorlax and Glastrier, though its shaky accuracy makes it an inconsistent option. On more offensive teams, Eject Pack can make it a one-time pivot, while Icy Rock can be run to give Beartic more turns of snow for sweeping, though this exacerbates its vulnerability to residual damage. Certain Tera types can be considered at the expense of giving up its defense boost under snow. Tera Fire can turn the tables on Fire-types like Charizard and Oricorio, while also turning its weaknesses to U-turn into resistances, while Tera Poison turns its Fighting matchups around and gives it a Toxic immunity. Physical sets can surprise special walls like Snorlax and Cryogonal, though it struggles thanks to lacking a strong physical Ice-type STAB move and being less effective against the metagame overall.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Even with the defense boost under snow, Fire-types like Charizard, Oricorio, and Typhlosion can melt Abomasnow with their powerful STAB moves, and can pivot into its Grass-type STAB moves.
**Special Walls**: Despite Abomasnow's powerful STAB moves, special tanks like Snorlax, Articuno, and Cryogonal can stomach its attacks and reliably recover the damage off before chipping it away with their STAB moves; Snorlax is particularly dangerous with its Heat Crash.
**Steel-types**: Orthworm stands out as one of Abomasnow's most difficult matchups, resisting both of its STAB moves, being immune to Earth Power, and can retaliate with setting up entry hazards or Iron Defense. Other Steel-types like Magneton and Perrserker are similarly threatening but hate Earth Power.
**Revenge Killers**: Abomasnow's awful defensive typing and merely fine bulk leave it vulnerable to numerous attackers faster than it. Revenge killers and wallbreakers like Passimian, Virizion, and Grafaiai are just a few examples that can pick it off with some chip damage, even if they dislike switching into it.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sinnabyss.626095/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
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