[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to its typing, Smokomodo serves as a soft check to many dangerous threats like Heatran, Magearna, and Tapu Koko. Its typing also allows it to hit almost the entire metagame for neutral damage, which, alongside Morning Sun and Toxic, turns Smokomodo into a decent balance breaker capable of dismantling many common balance cores such as Heatran + Tangrowth. However, Smokomodo has to rely on Toxic to threaten Pokemon like Rotom-W, Mega Latios, and Mega Latias, which easily counter it otherwise. Smokomodo's Ground weakness means that it is also easily forced out by Ground-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor and needs to watch out for coverage from the likes of Heatran, Tangrowth, and Arghonaut. On top of that, its average bulk allows some Magearna sets to overwhelm it with their Z-Move or coverage moves even despite its typing advantage. Furthermore, despite the good coverage of Smokomodo's STAB moves, many threats like Tornadus-T and Volkraken can easily take advantage of one of them and then force it out, making it very prediction reliant. Lastly, because of Smokomodo's middling speed and bulk, many faster offensive threats like Pajantom, Mega Diancie, and Mega Alakazam are capable of easily forcing it out.
[SET]
name: Balance Breaker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Morning Sun
item: Iapapa Berry
ability: Blaze
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Toxic cripples most Pokemon that wouldn't take much damage from Smokomodo's other moves such as Rotom-W, Arghonaut, and Mega Latios. Morning Sun allows Smokomodo to avoid being worn down by weak or resisted moves such as Chansey's Seismic Toss and Heatran's Magma Storm as well as recover health lost from entry hazards damage and Flare Blitz recoil. Taunt is an option over Toxic to shut down walls like Chansey by preventing them from recovering their health.
Set Details
========
Iapapa Berry is the preferred item, as it can pull Smokomodo out of low HP after using Flare Blitz or taking a hit without losing momentum by using Morning Sun. Metronome is an alternative choice that works well with the relatively spammable nature of Smokomodo's STAB moves.
Usage Tips
========
Smokomodo should switch in against threats that can't deal much damage to it like Tapu Koko, Celesteela, defensive Jumbao, and Zapdos. It should also attempt to check Magearna, although it needs to be careful, as Magearna's powerful attacks can easily overwhelm it over time, especially with help from entry hazards. Toxic and Taunt should be used against incoming checks like Arghonaut, Rotom-W, and Mega Latios to cripple them or prevent them from healing. Taunt should also be used to shut down passive Pokemon like Chansey and Zapdos more easily. As long as the opponent has Pokemon capable of playing around Smokomodo, always choose which move to use carefully, as picking the wrong one can let dangerous threats like Volkraken and offensive Tornadus-T in very easily. If the opponent has a healthy Rocky Helmet Tornadus-T, cripple it with Toxic. Then, consider double switching to a teammate that can handle it instead of trying to attack it directly the next time it switches in, as the damage from Rocky Helmet combined with Flare Blitz recoil wears down Smokomodo too quickly, while Tornadus-T will regain its health when it switches out thanks to Regenerator.
Team Options
========
Levitate users can take advantage of the Ground-type moves that Smokomodo tends to bait, so Rotom-W and Mega Latios are good teammates. Flying-types like Tornadus-T also work well for the same reason, and they also appreciate Smokomodo checking Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zapdos. Weavile can help Smokomodo by removing Mega Latios and Tornadus-T with Pursuit. Additionally, it can also remove Arghonaut's Leftovers, making it easier to break for Smokomodo. Electric-types like Krilowatt and Tapu Koko are able to take advantage of Tornadus-T and Arghonaut, making them good options to pair with Smokomodo. Grass-types like Jumbao and Necturna can take advantage of the Ground- and Water-type moves that Smokomodo tends to attract, such as Choice Scarf Volkraken's Hydro Pump and Garchomp's Earthquake, and appreciate its ability to check Heatran and Celesteela. Ferrothorn might only resist Water-type moves, but it can set up entry hazards to make it easier for Smokomodo to break walls. Arghonaut and Ash-Greninja are other Spikes setters that complement Smokomodo, as the first one provides your team with a valuable Water-type resistance, while the latter appreciates Smokomodo checking Grass-type like Tangrowth and wearing down Arghonaut with Toxic.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Technician can be used alongside Hidden Power Ice in order to lure in and take out Ground-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor, although it doesn't do much besides that. Smokomodo can also act as a Stealth Rock setter, but it has a bad matchup against common entry hazard removers such as Tornadus-T and Rotom-W. Additionally, using any of these options means giving up either Toxic or Taunt, which significantly worsens Smokomodo's ability to threaten passive Pokemon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Mega Latios, Mega Latias, and Rotom-W take little damage from any of Smokomodo's attacks and scare it out with their super effective moves, although they must be wary of Toxic. Rocky Helmet Tornadus-T can take a Flare Blitz relatively well while Smokomodo is worn down very quickly by Rocky Helmet damage and Flare Blitz recoil. Offensive sets can't take Flare Blitz very well, but once they are in, they can still threaten Smokomodo with their powerful Hurricane.
**Water-types**: Arghonaut can tank most of Smokomodo's moves and deals heavy damage with Earthquake; however, it can be crippled by Toxic, and Taunt can prevent it from freely using Recover and allows Smokomodo to overwhelm it over time. Choice Scarf Volkraken is capable of switching into Flare Blitz but needs to watch out for Earthquake. Ash-Greninja can force Smokomodo out, but it can't switch in directly.
**Ground-types**: Gliscor and Landorus-T avoid the 2HKO from Flare Blitz and always OHKO after Flare Blitz recoil, although the lack of recovery from the latter means it can only switch in once. Garchomp doesn't like taking an Earthquake, but it outspeeds Smokomodo, forcing it out immediately. However, all three need to watch for the rare Technician-boosted Hidden Power Ice.
**Other Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon like Krilowatt, Mega Crucibelle, Mega Diancie, and Mega Alakazam can force out Smokomodo thanks to their superior speed, although most of them will require some previous damage in order to KO.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Mx, 298148]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jordy, 395754], [Jho, 208105], [snake_rattler, 227784]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
[/hide]
Thanks to its typing, Smokomodo serves as a soft check to many dangerous threats like Heatran, Magearna, and Tapu Koko. Its typing also allows it to hit almost the entire metagame for neutral damage, which, alongside Morning Sun and Toxic, turns Smokomodo into a decent balance breaker capable of dismantling many common balance cores such as Heatran + Tangrowth. However, Smokomodo has to rely on Toxic to threaten Pokemon like Rotom-W, Mega Latios, and Mega Latias, which easily counter it otherwise. Smokomodo's Ground weakness means that it is also easily forced out by Ground-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor and needs to watch out for coverage from the likes of Heatran, Tangrowth, and Arghonaut. On top of that, its average bulk allows some Magearna sets to overwhelm it with their Z-Move or coverage moves even despite its typing advantage. Furthermore, despite the good coverage of Smokomodo's STAB moves, many threats like Tornadus-T and Volkraken can easily take advantage of one of them and then force it out, making it very prediction reliant. Lastly, because of Smokomodo's middling speed and bulk, many faster offensive threats like Pajantom, Mega Diancie, and Mega Alakazam are capable of easily forcing it out.
[SET]
name: Balance Breaker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Morning Sun
item: Iapapa Berry
ability: Blaze
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Toxic cripples most Pokemon that wouldn't take much damage from Smokomodo's other moves such as Rotom-W, Arghonaut, and Mega Latios. Morning Sun allows Smokomodo to avoid being worn down by weak or resisted moves such as Chansey's Seismic Toss and Heatran's Magma Storm as well as recover health lost from entry hazards damage and Flare Blitz recoil. Taunt is an option over Toxic to shut down walls like Chansey by preventing them from recovering their health.
Set Details
========
Iapapa Berry is the preferred item, as it can pull Smokomodo out of low HP after using Flare Blitz or taking a hit without losing momentum by using Morning Sun. Metronome is an alternative choice that works well with the relatively spammable nature of Smokomodo's STAB moves.
Usage Tips
========
Smokomodo should switch in against threats that can't deal much damage to it like Tapu Koko, Celesteela, defensive Jumbao, and Zapdos. It should also attempt to check Magearna, although it needs to be careful, as Magearna's powerful attacks can easily overwhelm it over time, especially with help from entry hazards. Toxic and Taunt should be used against incoming checks like Arghonaut, Rotom-W, and Mega Latios to cripple them or prevent them from healing. Taunt should also be used to shut down passive Pokemon like Chansey and Zapdos more easily. As long as the opponent has Pokemon capable of playing around Smokomodo, always choose which move to use carefully, as picking the wrong one can let dangerous threats like Volkraken and offensive Tornadus-T in very easily. If the opponent has a healthy Rocky Helmet Tornadus-T, cripple it with Toxic. Then, consider double switching to a teammate that can handle it instead of trying to attack it directly the next time it switches in, as the damage from Rocky Helmet combined with Flare Blitz recoil wears down Smokomodo too quickly, while Tornadus-T will regain its health when it switches out thanks to Regenerator.
Team Options
========
Levitate users can take advantage of the Ground-type moves that Smokomodo tends to bait, so Rotom-W and Mega Latios are good teammates. Flying-types like Tornadus-T also work well for the same reason, and they also appreciate Smokomodo checking Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zapdos. Weavile can help Smokomodo by removing Mega Latios and Tornadus-T with Pursuit. Additionally, it can also remove Arghonaut's Leftovers, making it easier to break for Smokomodo. Electric-types like Krilowatt and Tapu Koko are able to take advantage of Tornadus-T and Arghonaut, making them good options to pair with Smokomodo. Grass-types like Jumbao and Necturna can take advantage of the Ground- and Water-type moves that Smokomodo tends to attract, such as Choice Scarf Volkraken's Hydro Pump and Garchomp's Earthquake, and appreciate its ability to check Heatran and Celesteela. Ferrothorn might only resist Water-type moves, but it can set up entry hazards to make it easier for Smokomodo to break walls. Arghonaut and Ash-Greninja are other Spikes setters that complement Smokomodo, as the first one provides your team with a valuable Water-type resistance, while the latter appreciates Smokomodo checking Grass-type like Tangrowth and wearing down Arghonaut with Toxic.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Technician can be used alongside Hidden Power Ice in order to lure in and take out Ground-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor, although it doesn't do much besides that. Smokomodo can also act as a Stealth Rock setter, but it has a bad matchup against common entry hazard removers such as Tornadus-T and Rotom-W. Additionally, using any of these options means giving up either Toxic or Taunt, which significantly worsens Smokomodo's ability to threaten passive Pokemon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Mega Latios, Mega Latias, and Rotom-W take little damage from any of Smokomodo's attacks and scare it out with their super effective moves, although they must be wary of Toxic. Rocky Helmet Tornadus-T can take a Flare Blitz relatively well while Smokomodo is worn down very quickly by Rocky Helmet damage and Flare Blitz recoil. Offensive sets can't take Flare Blitz very well, but once they are in, they can still threaten Smokomodo with their powerful Hurricane.
**Water-types**: Arghonaut can tank most of Smokomodo's moves and deals heavy damage with Earthquake; however, it can be crippled by Toxic, and Taunt can prevent it from freely using Recover and allows Smokomodo to overwhelm it over time. Choice Scarf Volkraken is capable of switching into Flare Blitz but needs to watch out for Earthquake. Ash-Greninja can force Smokomodo out, but it can't switch in directly.
**Ground-types**: Gliscor and Landorus-T avoid the 2HKO from Flare Blitz and always OHKO after Flare Blitz recoil, although the lack of recovery from the latter means it can only switch in once. Garchomp doesn't like taking an Earthquake, but it outspeeds Smokomodo, forcing it out immediately. However, all three need to watch for the rare Technician-boosted Hidden Power Ice.
**Other Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon like Krilowatt, Mega Crucibelle, Mega Diancie, and Mega Alakazam can force out Smokomodo thanks to their superior speed, although most of them will require some previous damage in order to KO.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Mx, 298148]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jordy, 395754], [Jho, 208105], [snake_rattler, 227784]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
[/hide]
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