[OVERVIEW]
Ground
========
Seismitoad's good defensive typing and immunity to Water-type moves make it a good bulky offensive check for threats to Ground in the metagame. The Water immunity granted by Seismitoad's ability Water Absorb gives Ground teams room to maneuver around threats such as Choice Specs Keldeo, and Seismitoad also serves as a hard check to dangerous sweepers such as Belly Drum Azumarill. Modest defenses combined with Assault Vest and a good defensive typing also offer Ground a bulky Ice-neutral Pokemon to switch into threats such as Greninja. Various offensive coverage options allow Seismitoad to threaten Water- and Fairy-types that threaten the team, most notably Azumarill. Access to Knock Off also lets Seismitoad cripple offensive and defensive cores to further support teammates. However, Seismitoad is somewhat passive with mediocre offensive stats and can be easily walled by defensive Pokemon such as Mantine and Zapdos. While fast enough to outspeed most walls, Seismitoad is slower than the majority of offensive threats it is meant to manage and is forced to endure damage whenever checking them. Even with an Assault Vest, Seismitoad is not bulky enough to switch into powerful special wallbreakers such as Latios consistently. A lack of reliable recovery also means Seismitoad can be difficult to keep healthy over a battle. Seismitoad also competes with Gastrodon as a Water-immune Pokemon on Ground, which has better defenses and reliable recovery to consistently check threats such as Keldeo and Greninja. However, Seismitoad is able to check Azumarill, which Gastrodon can't.
[SET]
name: Special Tank (Ground)
move 1: Scald
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Sludge Wave
move 4: Knock Off
item: Assault Vest
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Modest
evs: 116 HP / 252 SpA / 140 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Seismitoad’s most spammable STAB move and is good for fishing for burns in order to neutralize physical attackers such as Dragonite. Earth Power is a reliable Ground-type STAB attack useful for hitting Water-resistant targets such as Toxapex and Empoleon. Sludge Wave is Poison-type coverage necessary so that Seismitoad can check Azumarill after it has used Belly Drum. Knock Off is useful for crippling offensive and defensive Pokemon such as Latios and Chansey by removing items like Choice Scarf and Eviolite.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment with a Modest nature lets Seismitoad hit as hard as possible. 140 Speed EVs allow Seismitoad to outspeed all Azumarill sets, guaranteeing Seismitoad can check it. The remaining EVs go into HP to improve Seismitoad's bulk so that it can more reliably check threats. Assault Vest provides Seismitoad with the bulk necessary to tank attacks from powerful special attackers such as Kyurem-B. Water Absorb allows Seismitoad to absorb Water-type attacks for the team from threats such as Keldeo.
Usage Tips
========
Seismitoad should typically be switched in on special attackers that threaten the team, such as Greninja. Seismitoad's immunity to Water-type moves and neutrality to Ice-type moves provide opportunities to switch in against threats such as Volcanion and defensive Water-types such as Toxapex. Be careful to preserve Seismitoad in matchups where it is needed to check powerful Water-types that threaten the team such as Azumarill and Keldeo. Take care to avoid status, as without any recovery, both poison and burn reduce Seismitoad's longevity over a battle. Entry hazards will also greatly reduce Seismitoad's presence in a battle and how often it can pivot into and out of attacks. When damage output isn't a concern, prioritize spreading burns using Scald or removing items from defensive and offensive threats using Knock Off, such as Choice Scarf from Heracross and Eviolite from Porygon2.
Team Options
========
Every Pokemon on Ground appreciates Seismitoad's capacity to switch into powerful special attacks and sponge Water- and Ice-type moves. Hippowdon is an essential sand setter for Ground teams that also serves as a physical wall to complement Seismitoad's special bulk. It also serves as an effective entry hazard setter and phazer. Excadrill is a powerful sand sweeper and offensive check to threats that Seismitoad cannot manage such as Latios. Rapid Spin can also help Seismitoad avoid getting outsped by Azumarill due to Sticky Web in the Fairy matchup. Garchomp and Mamoswine are powerful physical wallbreakers that can threaten both the physical and special walls that Seismitoad cannot break such as Cradily, Zapdos, and Mantine. Mamoswine also offers a secondary Ice resist. Garchomp also serves as an effective setup sweeper that can break apart defensive cores using Swords Dance and a Z-Move. Landorus is an excellent special attacker that can break the many walls that threaten Seismitoad and Ground as a whole, such as Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn. Its access to Gravity also allows Seismitoad to put more offensive pressure on walls such as Zapdos. Dugtrio offers powerful offensive utility to Ground teams by trapping and removing threats such as Mega Diancie, Alolan Raichu, and Kyurem-B with its ability Arena Trap. Guaranteeing the removal of these Pokemon allows Seismitoad to be preserved to check other threats.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs (Ground)
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Sludge Wave
move 4: Scald / Grass Knot
item: Choice Specs
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hydro Pump is Seismitoad's strongest attack and should be used liberally to punish switch-ins such as Celesteela. Earth Power is a reliable Ground-type STAB attack for hitting targets that resist Hydro Pump such as Toxapex and Kyurem-B. Sludge Wave is mandatory coverage for hitting Azumarill and can KO it through Light Screen after it has used Belly Drum. Scald is a more reliable Water-type STAB move that has the additional benefit of potentially burning targets. Grass Knot is an option over Scald for hitting bulky Water-types such as Swampert and opposing Water-immune foes such as Gastrodon and opposing Seismitoad. Focus Blast is an option over Scald for hitting specific switch-ins such as Ferrothorn and Trace Porygon2. It also secures a 2HKO versus Chansey once Eviolite has been removed with Stealth Rock up.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment with Choice Specs gives Seismitoad the power to break through walls such as Skarmory. Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Seismitoad to outspeed all Azumarill sets as well as key defensive threats such as Gliscor and defensive Garchomp. The leftovers 4 EVs are invested in Special Defense to deny Download users Special Attack boosts. Water Absorb offers Seismitoad an immunity to Water-type attacks that lets it check threats to the team such as Kingdra and Azumarill.
Usage Tips
========
Seismitoad should be used as a wallbreaker to break through defensive threats to Ground such as Skarmory and Gliscor. Make use of Seismitoad's immunity to Water-type moves and neutrality to Ice-type moves to switch into Pokemon that rely on these attacks such as Volcanion and Toxapex, providing Seismitoad the opportunity to launch off powerful attacks. Take care to preserve Seismitoad's health and avoid excess damage from entry hazards or status in matchups where Water Absorb is needed to check Water-types threats as Azumarill or Keldeo. Be careful of Pokemon that can effectively run Grass-type coverage such as Grass Knot Tapu Koko. Use Scald instead of Hydro Pump when the latter's power is not necessary for the reliable accuracy and additional burn chance, which can pester defensive switch-ins such as Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn.
Team Options
========
Every Pokemon on Ground appreciates Seismitoad's ability to switch into Water-type attacks and break physical walls such as Skarmory for the team. Hippowdon is a bulky sand setter that can take pressure off of Seismitoad to manage offensive threats whilst wearing down its switch-ins with sand and Stealth Rock. Excadrill takes advantage of the holes Seismitoad punches in defensive cores to clean as a powerful sand sweeper whilst supporting Seismitoad in matchups it struggles in such as Dragon and Fairy. Landorus is a complementary special wallbreaker to Seismitoad that provides valuable Gravity support for exposing threats such as Celesteela and Rotom-W. Its access to Knock Off also lets Seismitoad apply more pressure on the Normal defensive core once their Eviolites have been removed. Dugtrio serves as an excellent trapper for Pokemon that check or wall Seismitoad such as Chansey and Celesteela, with Gravity support in the latter's case. It also appreciates Seismitoad's ability to weaken Pokemon into the range where Dugtrio can come in and trap them. Garchomp is a potent Z-Move sweeper that appreciates Seismitoad's ability to weaken physically defensive walls such as Skarmory and Hippowdon. In turn, Garchomp can break special walls that beat Seismitoad such as Zapdos. Mamoswine is another powerful physical wallbreaker that can threaten the Flying- and Dragon-types that wall Seismitoad such as Mega Latias, Mantine, and Zapdos.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ground
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Seismitoad can utilize a Leftovers set using a specially defensive EV spread, which can give it a bit more longevity and the option to run utility moves such as Toxic and Stealth Rock. However, without the extra bulk from Assault Vest, Seismitoad struggles to handle powerful special attackers. This set also cannot run the Special Attack investment necessary to check threats such as Azumarill with Sludge Wave.
Checks and Counters
===================
Ground
--------
**Defensive Water-types**: Bulky Water-types such as Mantine, Swampert, and Rotom-W typically wall Seismitoad by tanking its moves and threaten it in return with status or other attacks that chip away at Seismitoad's health.
**Grass-types**: Most relevant Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn are not threatened by Sludge Wave and can KO Seismitoad with STAB attacks, and those that don't tank it typically outspeed Seismitoad, such as Tapu Bulu and Breloom.
**Dragon-types**: Seismitoad is easily shut down by Dragon-types it cannot threaten with Ground-type moves such as Mega Latias, Dragonite, and Hydreigon, which use the opportunity to launch powerful attacks or set up.
**Wallbreakers**: Seismitoad struggles to eat hits from powerful wallbreakers such as Latios and Hydreigon and cannot consistently switch into their attacks.
**Walls**: Seismitoad isn’t strong enough to break most specially defensive walls in the tier such as Chansey and Mantine, only threatening to remove their items.
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