[OVERVIEW]
Quagsire is the second-best Water / Ground type Pokemon in the format after Swampert. With worse stats and fewer tools in its movepool to handle Skarmory and mixed attackers, it relies on Water Absorb to carve out its niche: the compression of much of the same physical walling that Swampert offers with the ability to better switch into powerful STAB Water-type attacks uniquely enables Quagsire to patch the weaknesses of slower TSS teams.
[SET]
name: Curse + Rest
move 1: Rest
move 2: Curse
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Quagsire switches into Swampert, Milotic, and Starmie to nullify the progress they aim to make with Water-type STAB moves. It is also strong against non-Ice Beam Suicune, making it a valuable counter to Sleep Talk variants. Against Roar Suicune with Spikes down, however, it will eventually be worn down if the player is not careful. Rest allows it to absorb Toxic from Swampert, Milotic, Rest Zapdos, Hidden Power Fire Magneton, and even defensive Jirachi sets, while Curse enables it to set up and threaten progress after Skarmory has been KOed. Earthquake offers a strong STAB attack and a means of pressuring the grounded backbone Pokemon Quagsire is tasked directly with countering, as well as their common partner in Blissey. Ice Beam allows it to wear down Zapdos, Celebi, Flygon, and Skarmory, which halt its momentum, and keep physical attacking Salamence sets at bay.
With its Water / Ground typing, Quagsire is able to comfortably tank physical attacks from Metagross, Tyranitar, Aerodactyl, and Salamence, just as Swampert does. However, without Protect and with worse stats, it struggles to pivot in on powerful, often Choice Band-boosted, attacks or KO any of them from comparable HP ranges. 40 Special Defense EVs allow Quagsire to tank Hidden Power Grass from maximum Special Attack Tyranitar, and more investment can be considered to better tank attacks like Ice Beam from Blissey and Swampert; however, as Quagsire is desired for bringing physical bulk, it is important to keep heavy investment in Defense.
Team Options
========
Quagsire is not a direct substitute for Swampert. It lacks a strong STAB attack that hits Skarmory, and it struggles to make progress against certain other important Pokemon in the tier due to lacking breaking power. As a result, Quagsire is best supported by Spikes and a means of stifling the opponent's Spikes, making Pokemon like Skarmory, Forretress, Magneton, Starmie, and Claydol good teammates. Claydol in particular is desirable for its support in checking many of the same physical attackers as Quagsire while offering more special bulk against the mixed attackers of the tier. Bulky attacking Tyranitar has strong synergy with Quagsire, as its sand helps Quagsire make progress against defensive Celebi, Zapdos, and Water-type Pokemon, while Quagsire all but nullifies its premier counter in Swampert. Physical Tyranitar also switches in on Celebi and Zapdos, while Pursuit Tyranitar can trap Gengar, which counters Quagsire. Blissey offers defensive utility against special and mixed attackers, brings cleric support with Wish or Aromatherapy, and can use Thunder Wave to slow down physical threats. In return, Quagsire is able to handle Sleep Talk Suicune for Tyranitar and Blissey. Metagross is similar to Tyranitar in its usefulness to Quagsire, as it is able to switch into Celebi, draw in bulky Water-type Pokemon, and trade with Zapdos and sometimes Celebi. One must also take care when playing against opposing mixed Metagross, since even Psychic threatens to 2HKO Quagsire lacking significant Special Defense investment.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Rock allows Quagsire to win against Rest Zapdos and Skarmory in a last-Pokemon scenario where it cannot be phazed at the cost of general utility against Salamence, Celebi, Flygon, and Claydol. Hidden Power Ghost can better pressure Claydol and Gengar, among others, at the cost of better damage against Skarmory. Damp is an option to better set up against Explosion users that will now struggle to break through Quagsire, but it becomes a gimmicky alternative to a Curse + Rest Swampert set that trades higher stats for the ability to better take on only physical Metagross and some sets of Gengar. Similarly, it can use Protect instead of Rest to improve the matchup against Aerodactyl and Roar Suicune with Spikes down, but it becomes worse against Toxic users and Blissey. It is also possible to drop Ice Beam for STAB Surf to better pressure Skarmory or Toxic for a better matchup against other Earthquake switch-ins, but Surf comes at the hefty cost of no longer handling Salamence, and Toxic increases Quagsire's dependence on Pursuit support while leaving it unable to pressure Skarmory. Lastly, Curse can be dropped for Surf or Toxic, but then Quagsire finds it more difficult to pressure Milotic and Suicune and directly force the opponent to respond (unless it's particularly easy to make up for without going out of your way).
Checks and Counters
===================
**Spikes Shufflers**: Barring an Ice Beam freeze, Skarmory switches in on Quagsire and makes progress against the whole team. Roar Suicune can hamper Quagsire teams with Spikes down. Bulky Rest Zapdos variants with Roar can also stall out Ice Beam with Pressure and rack up damage against Quagsire's partners.
**Grass-types and Grass-type Coverage**: Quagsire's low Special Defense stat leaves it unable to absorb the majority of Hidden Power Grasses and Giga Drains intended to hit its better-endowed alternative in Swampert. Its low offensive presence and limited coverage often allow many of these Pokemon to comfortably switch in or stay in. The list includes Zapdos, Celebi, Gengar, Salamence, Moltres, Charizard, Tyranitar, Metagross, and other less common users of Grass-type coverage like Venusaur, Sceptile, and some offensive Suicune. Breloom does not enjoy switching into Ice Beam, but it is never KOed by it either, barring a critical hit.
**Taunt Gengar**: Non-Grass-type coverage Gengar can absorb several Ice Beams and threaten Quagsire back with Grass-type coverage, but Taunt sets need only avoid a freeze to beat Quagsire. Ice Punch is able to outdamage Quagsire's Ice Beam out of sand in the rare scenario that both Pokemon come without Tyranitar, and with Quagsire at less than full HP, Taunt Gengar is able to beat it one-on-one either way. Without Taunt or Grass-type coverage, however, Quagsire forces Gengar to use Explosion to break through it.
[CREDITS]
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zac.517019/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/shitrock-enjoyer.600071/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lumari.232216/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny.197240/
Quagsire is the second-best Water / Ground type Pokemon in the format after Swampert. With worse stats and fewer tools in its movepool to handle Skarmory and mixed attackers, it relies on Water Absorb to carve out its niche: the compression of much of the same physical walling that Swampert offers with the ability to better switch into powerful STAB Water-type attacks uniquely enables Quagsire to patch the weaknesses of slower TSS teams.
[SET]
name: Curse + Rest
move 1: Rest
move 2: Curse
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Quagsire switches into Swampert, Milotic, and Starmie to nullify the progress they aim to make with Water-type STAB moves. It is also strong against non-Ice Beam Suicune, making it a valuable counter to Sleep Talk variants. Against Roar Suicune with Spikes down, however, it will eventually be worn down if the player is not careful. Rest allows it to absorb Toxic from Swampert, Milotic, Rest Zapdos, Hidden Power Fire Magneton, and even defensive Jirachi sets, while Curse enables it to set up and threaten progress after Skarmory has been KOed. Earthquake offers a strong STAB attack and a means of pressuring the grounded backbone Pokemon Quagsire is tasked directly with countering, as well as their common partner in Blissey. Ice Beam allows it to wear down Zapdos, Celebi, Flygon, and Skarmory, which halt its momentum, and keep physical attacking Salamence sets at bay.
With its Water / Ground typing, Quagsire is able to comfortably tank physical attacks from Metagross, Tyranitar, Aerodactyl, and Salamence, just as Swampert does. However, without Protect and with worse stats, it struggles to pivot in on powerful, often Choice Band-boosted, attacks or KO any of them from comparable HP ranges. 40 Special Defense EVs allow Quagsire to tank Hidden Power Grass from maximum Special Attack Tyranitar, and more investment can be considered to better tank attacks like Ice Beam from Blissey and Swampert; however, as Quagsire is desired for bringing physical bulk, it is important to keep heavy investment in Defense.
Team Options
========
Quagsire is not a direct substitute for Swampert. It lacks a strong STAB attack that hits Skarmory, and it struggles to make progress against certain other important Pokemon in the tier due to lacking breaking power. As a result, Quagsire is best supported by Spikes and a means of stifling the opponent's Spikes, making Pokemon like Skarmory, Forretress, Magneton, Starmie, and Claydol good teammates. Claydol in particular is desirable for its support in checking many of the same physical attackers as Quagsire while offering more special bulk against the mixed attackers of the tier. Bulky attacking Tyranitar has strong synergy with Quagsire, as its sand helps Quagsire make progress against defensive Celebi, Zapdos, and Water-type Pokemon, while Quagsire all but nullifies its premier counter in Swampert. Physical Tyranitar also switches in on Celebi and Zapdos, while Pursuit Tyranitar can trap Gengar, which counters Quagsire. Blissey offers defensive utility against special and mixed attackers, brings cleric support with Wish or Aromatherapy, and can use Thunder Wave to slow down physical threats. In return, Quagsire is able to handle Sleep Talk Suicune for Tyranitar and Blissey. Metagross is similar to Tyranitar in its usefulness to Quagsire, as it is able to switch into Celebi, draw in bulky Water-type Pokemon, and trade with Zapdos and sometimes Celebi. One must also take care when playing against opposing mixed Metagross, since even Psychic threatens to 2HKO Quagsire lacking significant Special Defense investment.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Rock allows Quagsire to win against Rest Zapdos and Skarmory in a last-Pokemon scenario where it cannot be phazed at the cost of general utility against Salamence, Celebi, Flygon, and Claydol. Hidden Power Ghost can better pressure Claydol and Gengar, among others, at the cost of better damage against Skarmory. Damp is an option to better set up against Explosion users that will now struggle to break through Quagsire, but it becomes a gimmicky alternative to a Curse + Rest Swampert set that trades higher stats for the ability to better take on only physical Metagross and some sets of Gengar. Similarly, it can use Protect instead of Rest to improve the matchup against Aerodactyl and Roar Suicune with Spikes down, but it becomes worse against Toxic users and Blissey. It is also possible to drop Ice Beam for STAB Surf to better pressure Skarmory or Toxic for a better matchup against other Earthquake switch-ins, but Surf comes at the hefty cost of no longer handling Salamence, and Toxic increases Quagsire's dependence on Pursuit support while leaving it unable to pressure Skarmory. Lastly, Curse can be dropped for Surf or Toxic, but then Quagsire finds it more difficult to pressure Milotic and Suicune and directly force the opponent to respond (unless it's particularly easy to make up for without going out of your way).
Checks and Counters
===================
**Spikes Shufflers**: Barring an Ice Beam freeze, Skarmory switches in on Quagsire and makes progress against the whole team. Roar Suicune can hamper Quagsire teams with Spikes down. Bulky Rest Zapdos variants with Roar can also stall out Ice Beam with Pressure and rack up damage against Quagsire's partners.
**Grass-types and Grass-type Coverage**: Quagsire's low Special Defense stat leaves it unable to absorb the majority of Hidden Power Grasses and Giga Drains intended to hit its better-endowed alternative in Swampert. Its low offensive presence and limited coverage often allow many of these Pokemon to comfortably switch in or stay in. The list includes Zapdos, Celebi, Gengar, Salamence, Moltres, Charizard, Tyranitar, Metagross, and other less common users of Grass-type coverage like Venusaur, Sceptile, and some offensive Suicune. Breloom does not enjoy switching into Ice Beam, but it is never KOed by it either, barring a critical hit.
**Taunt Gengar**: Non-Grass-type coverage Gengar can absorb several Ice Beams and threaten Quagsire back with Grass-type coverage, but Taunt sets need only avoid a freeze to beat Quagsire. Ice Punch is able to outdamage Quagsire's Ice Beam out of sand in the rare scenario that both Pokemon come without Tyranitar, and with Quagsire at less than full HP, Taunt Gengar is able to beat it one-on-one either way. Without Taunt or Grass-type coverage, however, Quagsire forces Gengar to use Explosion to break through it.
[CREDITS]
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zac.517019/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/shitrock-enjoyer.600071/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lumari.232216/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny.197240/
Last edited:
