[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Nasty Plot / Knock Off
move 4: Toxic
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Corrosion
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Salazzle's amazing STAB combination, blistering Speed, access to Nasty Plot, and trademark ability in Corrosion combine to make it one of RU's defining special attackers. Its lethal STAB combination is only able to be handled by a select few Pokemon, all of which besides Immunity Snorlax are highly susceptible to a debilitating Toxic. Knock Off is useful to remove held items from Salazzle's switch-ins, making them easier to chip down. If Knock Off is not desired, Nasty Plot can instead be used to leverage Salazzle's amazing STAB combo to wallbreak more effectively. Early-game, Salazzle can spread Toxic against switch-ins to wear them down. Heavy-Duty Boots is chosen as the item of choice to remove Salazzle's Stealth Rock weakness, allowing it to come in and out of battle more easily, as well as not being affected by Sticky Web. A Timid nature is chosen in order to outspeed many of RU's offensive threats, such as Alolan Raichu, Virizion, and Galvantula. However, Salazzle has to watch out for coverage moves on revenge killers chosen specifically for it, such as Earthquake on Passimian and Rillaboom.
Any Ground-type move will immediately take out Salazzle, so teammates that can handle them, such as Vileplume, Weezing, and Virizion, work well with Salazzle. However, these Pokemon all double down on Psychic weaknesses, mandating Psychic-, Dark-, and Steel-type teammates such as Xatu, Scrafty, Steelix, and Copperajah. The aforementioned Xatu works especially well with Salazzle, as it has great type synergy and can bring Salazzle into battle safely with Teleport or U-turn. Salazzle also appreciates teammates that can handle Water-types, such as Drampa, Jellicent, and Vileplume. Due to Salazzle's abysmal bulk, U-turn and Volt Switch support from the likes of Silvally-Dark, Rillaboom, and Alolan Raichu can be used to bait in traditional VoltTurn answers such as Vileplume and Steelix to give Salazzle easy entry onto the battlefield. In the event Salazzle gets its Heavy-Duty Boots removed, hazard removal support from Xatu, Defog Silvally, and Claydol can help.
[SET]
name: Toxic + Protect
move 1: Flamethrower
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Protect
move 4: Substitute
item: Black Sludge
ability: Corrosion
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
As a more defensive take on Salazzle, this set forgoes Nasty Plot's power to focus on its ability to spread poison with ease and wear down its checks through a brutal cycle of Substitute and Protect. This set is much more easily able to beat traditional Salazzle answers, such as Gastrodon, Jellicent, Claydol, and Coalossal, by alternating between Protect and Substitute until the enemy faints from Toxic damage. If they switch out to reset Toxic damage, Salazzle will most likely be behind a Substitute, and it will be able to fire off another uncontested Toxic. Black Sludge is the item of choice to offset Substitute damage and rack up recovery along with Protect. HP investment is used over Special Attack in order to make Salazzle's Substitutes a bit harder to break, as this set aims to stick around a long time, not to wallbreak.
Rock Blast from Rhydon and Coalossal instantly invalidate this set, so physically defensive Teammates that can handle them, such as Mudsdale and your own Rhydon, are much appreciated. Salazzle also suffers from a Stealth Rock weakness, so hazard removal support from Xatu, Silvally, or Claydol is much needed. Teammates that can deal with fast Pokemon that run Earthquake, such as from Choice Scarf Passimian and Rillaboom, are also useful, so Grass-types such as Vileplume, Virizion, and Decidueye can take those two on well. Salazzle also appreciates Dark-types like Scrafty, Malamar, and Silvally-Dark that can take on Choice Scarf Indeedee. Those Dark-types also help with Xatu, which can't be inflicted by Toxic due to Magic Bounce and doesn't mind Flamethrower. Pokemon that appreciate Salazzle's ability to wear down Jellicent with this set, such as Bewear and Toxicroak, also make great teammates.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Mavis, 469610]]
- Quality checked by: [[aVocado, 56549], [Averardo, 409096]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
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