BT89
go on, take everything
[OVERVIEW]
Rhydon is a usable Stealth Rock setter courtesy of its good bulk with Eviolite and great offensive presence, letting it heavily pressure common forms of entry hazard prevention like Xatu and Dhelmise. Rhydon's good bulk with Eviolite makes it a strong check towards Salazzle and Aerodactyl. In addition to this, Rhydon's great Attack combined with Swords Dance and decent enough Speed let it break through defensive Pokemon like Vaporeon, Snorlax, and Weezing. However, Rhydon falls short defensively because of its typing, poor special bulk, and reliance on Eviolite. Its 4x weaknesses to Water and Grass are incredibly problematic, as NU is filled with fantastic Water- and Grass-types alike. Furthermore, Rhydon's a poor Volt Switch deterrent because Rotom-C and Heliolisk both OHKO it with super effective coverage moves, and many other Pokemon Rhydon would like to check like Xatu, Salazzle, and Drapion exploit its type weaknesses or vulnerability to Knock Off. Stakataka and Mudsdale are almost always better options because of their superior defensive typings. Both of these Pokemon also can afford to lose their items to Knock Off.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 4: Swords Dance / Heat Crash
item: Eviolite
ability: Reckless
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
========
Stone Edge offers more consistent power for 2HKOing Alolan Exeggutor and Dhelmise, but Rock Blast is an alternate with better accuracy and the ability to break through Substitute Braviary and Salazzle. Swords Dance lets Rhydon 2HKO physically defensive Pokemon like Mudsdale, Guzzlord, and Weezing. Alternatively, Heat Crash allows Rhydon to lure in and nail Grass-types, OHKOing Rotom-C and Tsareena and 2HKOing Vileplume. The latter is an especially important target, as it is capable of surviving an Earthquake at +2. Offensive EVs let Rhydon consistently outrun and OHKO defensive foes like Vaporeon, Sylveon, and Weezing after a Swords Dance boost.
Due to Rhydon's lack of reliable recovery, Wish support from the likes of Sylveon and Togedemaru makes it a more consistent check towards Pokemon like Snorlax. The former has access to Heal Bell to prevent status from Pokemon like Mudsdale, Talonflame, and Weezing from wearing it down, while the latter is able to check Rotom-C and Heliolisk. Grass-types like Rotom-C, Dhelmise, Decidueye, and Tsareena can handle the Water-, Ground-, and Grass-type attacks that Rhydon can't handle while appreciating it coming in on Flying- and Fire-type coverage attacks. Late-game cleaners like Salazzle and Toxicroak appreciate Rhydon weakening or KOing checks like Quagsire and Weezing.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Rhydon can run Rock Polish + Swords Dance, fixing its relatively poor Speed to become a scary sweeper. However, this set faces competition from Stakataka as a Rock-type sweeper. Megahorn OHKOes Starmie and Alolan Exeggutor on the switch, but it otherwise overlaps in coverage with the more accurate Heat Crash.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Decidueye, Alolan Exeggutor, and Dhelmise can switch in on a predicted Earthquake and threaten to OHKO Rhydon. Vileplume operates as a good check to Swords Dance variants, not fainting to +2 Earthquake, and in return it OHKOes with Giga Drain. However, Heat Crash Rhydon is able to effectively lure these threats in, 2HKOing all of the aforementioned Pokemon except Alolan Exeggutor.
**Water-types**: Bulky Water-types, namely Vaporeon and Quagsire, can switch into Rhydon and heavily threaten it with Scald. More offensively-oriented Water-types like Starmie and Inteleon, while not able to directly switch in, can easily OHKO Rhydon.
**Fighting-types**: Passimian and Toxicroak, while unable to switch in directly, can 2HKO Rhydon with Close Combat and Low Kick, respectively.
**Residual Damage**: Due to Rhydon's lack of reliable recovery, burn, poison, and entry hazards wear it down well. Burns from Talonflame and Weezing are exceptionally dangerous due to lowering Rhydon's Attack, making it much harder for it to break through defensive Pokemon like Vileplume and Vaporeon.
**Item Removal**: Due to Rhydon's reliance on Eviolite for bulk, it is quite susceptible to item removal, especially from Pokemon it otherwise checks well like Salazzle and Drapion.
**Super Effective Coverage**: Pokemon like Drapion, Tauros, and Aerodactyl can lure in and heavily damage Rhydon with their coverage attacks, making it a worse check to them than it otherwise would be.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[BT89, 487308]]
- Quality checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [Togkey, 400664]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Adeleine, 517429], [Rabia, 336073]]
Rhydon is a usable Stealth Rock setter courtesy of its good bulk with Eviolite and great offensive presence, letting it heavily pressure common forms of entry hazard prevention like Xatu and Dhelmise. Rhydon's good bulk with Eviolite makes it a strong check towards Salazzle and Aerodactyl. In addition to this, Rhydon's great Attack combined with Swords Dance and decent enough Speed let it break through defensive Pokemon like Vaporeon, Snorlax, and Weezing. However, Rhydon falls short defensively because of its typing, poor special bulk, and reliance on Eviolite. Its 4x weaknesses to Water and Grass are incredibly problematic, as NU is filled with fantastic Water- and Grass-types alike. Furthermore, Rhydon's a poor Volt Switch deterrent because Rotom-C and Heliolisk both OHKO it with super effective coverage moves, and many other Pokemon Rhydon would like to check like Xatu, Salazzle, and Drapion exploit its type weaknesses or vulnerability to Knock Off. Stakataka and Mudsdale are almost always better options because of their superior defensive typings. Both of these Pokemon also can afford to lose their items to Knock Off.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 4: Swords Dance / Heat Crash
item: Eviolite
ability: Reckless
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
========
Stone Edge offers more consistent power for 2HKOing Alolan Exeggutor and Dhelmise, but Rock Blast is an alternate with better accuracy and the ability to break through Substitute Braviary and Salazzle. Swords Dance lets Rhydon 2HKO physically defensive Pokemon like Mudsdale, Guzzlord, and Weezing. Alternatively, Heat Crash allows Rhydon to lure in and nail Grass-types, OHKOing Rotom-C and Tsareena and 2HKOing Vileplume. The latter is an especially important target, as it is capable of surviving an Earthquake at +2. Offensive EVs let Rhydon consistently outrun and OHKO defensive foes like Vaporeon, Sylveon, and Weezing after a Swords Dance boost.
Due to Rhydon's lack of reliable recovery, Wish support from the likes of Sylveon and Togedemaru makes it a more consistent check towards Pokemon like Snorlax. The former has access to Heal Bell to prevent status from Pokemon like Mudsdale, Talonflame, and Weezing from wearing it down, while the latter is able to check Rotom-C and Heliolisk. Grass-types like Rotom-C, Dhelmise, Decidueye, and Tsareena can handle the Water-, Ground-, and Grass-type attacks that Rhydon can't handle while appreciating it coming in on Flying- and Fire-type coverage attacks. Late-game cleaners like Salazzle and Toxicroak appreciate Rhydon weakening or KOing checks like Quagsire and Weezing.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Rhydon can run Rock Polish + Swords Dance, fixing its relatively poor Speed to become a scary sweeper. However, this set faces competition from Stakataka as a Rock-type sweeper. Megahorn OHKOes Starmie and Alolan Exeggutor on the switch, but it otherwise overlaps in coverage with the more accurate Heat Crash.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Decidueye, Alolan Exeggutor, and Dhelmise can switch in on a predicted Earthquake and threaten to OHKO Rhydon. Vileplume operates as a good check to Swords Dance variants, not fainting to +2 Earthquake, and in return it OHKOes with Giga Drain. However, Heat Crash Rhydon is able to effectively lure these threats in, 2HKOing all of the aforementioned Pokemon except Alolan Exeggutor.
**Water-types**: Bulky Water-types, namely Vaporeon and Quagsire, can switch into Rhydon and heavily threaten it with Scald. More offensively-oriented Water-types like Starmie and Inteleon, while not able to directly switch in, can easily OHKO Rhydon.
**Fighting-types**: Passimian and Toxicroak, while unable to switch in directly, can 2HKO Rhydon with Close Combat and Low Kick, respectively.
**Residual Damage**: Due to Rhydon's lack of reliable recovery, burn, poison, and entry hazards wear it down well. Burns from Talonflame and Weezing are exceptionally dangerous due to lowering Rhydon's Attack, making it much harder for it to break through defensive Pokemon like Vileplume and Vaporeon.
**Item Removal**: Due to Rhydon's reliance on Eviolite for bulk, it is quite susceptible to item removal, especially from Pokemon it otherwise checks well like Salazzle and Drapion.
**Super Effective Coverage**: Pokemon like Drapion, Tauros, and Aerodactyl can lure in and heavily damage Rhydon with their coverage attacks, making it a worse check to them than it otherwise would be.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[BT89, 487308]]
- Quality checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [Togkey, 400664]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Adeleine, 517429], [Rabia, 336073]]
Last edited by a moderator: