[Overview]
<p>Snorlax's main use in OU is to stop common sun sweepers, such as Volcarona. Thick Fat and great special bulk allow Snorlax to deal with numerous special attackers. Snorlax is unique in being able to take hits well while still being able to hit quite hard. Snorlax can also Pursuit trap, which is always useful. It must be understood, however, that none of this equates to Snorlax being an amazing Pokemon; it simply has a niche. While, in previous generations, fewer Pokemon could hit it hard, this generation shifted the metagame toward a more offensive one filled with threatening Fighting-types. The current metagame is too fast-paced for the once god-like CurseLax to achieve much of anything, and the prevalence of rain allows any Pokemon with a powerful Water STAB to rip Snorlax apart. Common sweepers, such as Dragonite, Latias, and Keldeo, can exploit Snorlax's abysmal Speed. Despite these disadvantages, Snorlax can do one thing well, and that is check sun teams, which is truly a rare ability.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Return / Double-Edge
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Superpower / Wild Charge
item: Choice Band
ability: Thick Fat
nature: Adamant
evs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The main goal of this set is to function as what one might call a "utility check." With Choice Band-boosted attacks and high special bulk, Snorlax can combat sun teams effectively, boasting the ability to defeat Xatu, Volcarona, Venusaur, and Dugtrio—a common sun team core. With its great special bulk, Snorlax can also check Pokemon such as Latios and Latias that rely on special attacks to deal damage.</p>
<p>Pursuit is perhaps the crux of the set. Snorlax has excellent match-ups versus numerous Pursuit-weak Pokemon such as Gengar, Latios, Starmie, and Celebi; none of these Pokemon can do much of anything to Snorlax, while Snorlax can easily switch in and OHKO them. Pursuit also helps in wearing down unsuspecting weather inducers, such as Politoed, Ninetales, and Abomasnow, that cannot do much damage back to Snorlax. Return is preferred for Snorlax's STAB due to its lack of recoil, but Double-Edge can 2HKO standard Landorus-T after Intimidate and Stealth Rock, physically defensive Donphan, 252 HP Latias after Stealth Rock, and standard Terrakion, making it a viable option. The remaining coverage moves are mainly to hit Steel-types. Fire Punch hits Ferrothorn, Forretress, Jirachi, and Scizor hard, provided that you can conceal that Snorlax runs Fire Punch until you have an opportunity to KO those Pokemon. The final move should be chosen based on what Pokemon you can afford to have wall Snorlax. Superpower is by far preferred, OHKOing Heatran, Tyranitar, Blissey, and Chansey. However, Wild Charge hits Tentacruel, Jellicent, Vaporeon, Slowbro, Politoed, and Skarmory hard. Keep in mind, however, that Skarmory can easily outspeed Snorlax and Roost to recover its HP while preventing Wild Charge from hitting it super effectively.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs provided enable Snorlax to survive two Draco Meteors from Latios or a Focus Blast from Modest Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus at full health. An alternative EV spread with 40 HP EVs and 40 Defense EVs allows Snorlax to survive a Crunch from Choice Band Tyranitar; other EV spreads that sacrifice power for more bulk are also usable. Earthquake is a viable alternative to Superpower because of its lack of stat drops, but inferior coverage and the prevalence of Ground-immune Pokemon in OU makes it easily set up on. Selfdestruct hits frighteningly hard, doing ridiculous damage to even the bulkiest of Pokemon. Sadly, it is illegal with Pursuit, but Selfdestruct is so insanely powerful that it is definitely worth consideration. Body Slam can spread paralysis, but the power drop from Return is significant.</p>
<p>If Double-Edge is used, Wish support is vital for Snorlax's survival. Jirachi can not only provide that support but also set up Stealth Rock, spread paralysis, tank Dragon-type attacks, and lift some of the burden of taking special attacks off of Snorlax. Latias can also provide Wish support and has an immunity to Ground-type attacks as well as resistances to Water, Fighting, and Fire, which are the few types that aren't covered between Jirachi and Snorlax. A solid answer for Fighting-types is also necessary. Specially defensive Celebi can wall Keldeo and can consistently switch into non-Nasty Plot Thundurus-T, while Landorus-T provides a better response to Terrakion and can also deal with Scizor. Both of these Pokemon can set up Stealth Rock and have a slow U-turn, which is useful for bringing Snorlax in safely; Celebi can even provide paralysis support. Entry hazards are of great help to Snorlax on the opposing team's side of the field, and problematic for Snorlax should they be set up against it. The best partner to set up Spikes is Roserade because it can combat Keldeo, Rotom-W, and other Water-types very effectively. Taking rain-boosted STAB Water-type attacks is difficult for Snorlax, and Roserade can do so with ease. Ferrothorn and Skarmory are also usable, but Skarmory cannot withstand special Water-type attacks, and neither can handle Keldeo. Rapid Spin support is also important to allow Snorlax to tank the attacks it is EVed to survive. Starmie, Tentacruel, and Forretress are the most effective spinners; choose the one that best complements your team's synergy. It is also best to have a Pokemon that can take the repeated physical blows that will wear down Snorlax; Skarmory and Jellicent can help mitigate the threat of physical attackers. As with all Pokemon in OU, it is best to have Snorlax in a weather that benefits it. Snorlax can patch up some common weaknesses of sun teams and enjoys the boost to Fire Punch, but Snorlax is also usable in rain, although Fire Punch's effectiveness will be diminished.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Two classic sets have all but disappeared from today's metagame: the famed CurseLax, and RestTalk Whirlwind. Neither of these sets are able to keep up with the fast-paced nature of BW OU. An attacking set with Expert Belt, Lum Berry, Chople Berry, or Leftovers over Choice Band can be viable, but the main issue of such a set is the power decrease; without Choice Band, Snorlax is too weak to be effective. A gimmicky set with Stockpile, Belly Drum, and ChestoRest has the potential to make Snorlax into a dangerous bulky sweeper, but is incredibly unrealistic to pull off. A set of Protect, Whirlwind, Body Slam, and Refresh is usable to spread paralysis and scout while staying free of status conditions. Three moves worthy of consideration are Fire Blast, which exploits Skarmory's and Forretress's low Special Defense; Counter, which can hit unwary physical attackers back hard; and Rock Slide, which can OHKO even bulky Volcarona.</p>
<p>It must be emphasized that under no circumstances should one use Immunity or Gluttony over Thick Fat; Thick Fat is key to Snorlax's success. Without Thick Fat, Snorlax loses its main selling point as a check to sun teams, its only real niche in OU.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>One of the best ways to deal with Snorlax is to pack a powerful Fighting-type such as Terrakion, Keldeo, Breloom, or Conkeldurr. Terrakion is preferred because it resists Snorlax's STAB, but all of them can at least threaten Snorlax once they manage to switch in. Snorlax can also be worn down through residual damage. Status is the best way of doing so, particularly Toxic and burn—Rotom-W, Jellicent, and Tentacruel are your best bets for inflicting such conditions. Entry hazards and Leech Seed also limit the amount of time Snorlax will be able to spend in action. Rain-boosted STAB Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Keldeo and Rotom-W are your best bets for 2HKOing Snorlax with a special move. Hammering Snorlax with strong physical attacks from Pokemon such as Landorus-T will also do the trick.</p>
<p>There are bulkier, more reliable counters for Snorlax. The most prominent of these is Skarmory, who cannot be 2HKOed by any move besides Wild Charge and can set up Spikes or stall with Roost. Another good counter is Jellicent, who also cannot be 2HKOed by any move besides Wild Charge and is immune to Normal-type attacks. Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Gliscor are other Pokemon that work nicely, all of which are able to set up Stealth Rock and potentially inflict Snorlax with status. Snorlax is also vulnerable to being set up on by bulky setup sweepers, such as Latias and Dragonite. Overall, Snorlax isn't a difficult Pokemon to counter by any means, so it shouldn't be much trouble unless one is horrifically under-prepared for it.</p>
<p>Snorlax's main use in OU is to stop common sun sweepers, such as Volcarona. Thick Fat and great special bulk allow Snorlax to deal with numerous special attackers. Snorlax is unique in being able to take hits well while still being able to hit quite hard. Snorlax can also Pursuit trap, which is always useful. It must be understood, however, that none of this equates to Snorlax being an amazing Pokemon; it simply has a niche. While, in previous generations, fewer Pokemon could hit it hard, this generation shifted the metagame toward a more offensive one filled with threatening Fighting-types. The current metagame is too fast-paced for the once god-like CurseLax to achieve much of anything, and the prevalence of rain allows any Pokemon with a powerful Water STAB to rip Snorlax apart. Common sweepers, such as Dragonite, Latias, and Keldeo, can exploit Snorlax's abysmal Speed. Despite these disadvantages, Snorlax can do one thing well, and that is check sun teams, which is truly a rare ability.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Return / Double-Edge
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Superpower / Wild Charge
item: Choice Band
ability: Thick Fat
nature: Adamant
evs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The main goal of this set is to function as what one might call a "utility check." With Choice Band-boosted attacks and high special bulk, Snorlax can combat sun teams effectively, boasting the ability to defeat Xatu, Volcarona, Venusaur, and Dugtrio—a common sun team core. With its great special bulk, Snorlax can also check Pokemon such as Latios and Latias that rely on special attacks to deal damage.</p>
<p>Pursuit is perhaps the crux of the set. Snorlax has excellent match-ups versus numerous Pursuit-weak Pokemon such as Gengar, Latios, Starmie, and Celebi; none of these Pokemon can do much of anything to Snorlax, while Snorlax can easily switch in and OHKO them. Pursuit also helps in wearing down unsuspecting weather inducers, such as Politoed, Ninetales, and Abomasnow, that cannot do much damage back to Snorlax. Return is preferred for Snorlax's STAB due to its lack of recoil, but Double-Edge can 2HKO standard Landorus-T after Intimidate and Stealth Rock, physically defensive Donphan, 252 HP Latias after Stealth Rock, and standard Terrakion, making it a viable option. The remaining coverage moves are mainly to hit Steel-types. Fire Punch hits Ferrothorn, Forretress, Jirachi, and Scizor hard, provided that you can conceal that Snorlax runs Fire Punch until you have an opportunity to KO those Pokemon. The final move should be chosen based on what Pokemon you can afford to have wall Snorlax. Superpower is by far preferred, OHKOing Heatran, Tyranitar, Blissey, and Chansey. However, Wild Charge hits Tentacruel, Jellicent, Vaporeon, Slowbro, Politoed, and Skarmory hard. Keep in mind, however, that Skarmory can easily outspeed Snorlax and Roost to recover its HP while preventing Wild Charge from hitting it super effectively.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs provided enable Snorlax to survive two Draco Meteors from Latios or a Focus Blast from Modest Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus at full health. An alternative EV spread with 40 HP EVs and 40 Defense EVs allows Snorlax to survive a Crunch from Choice Band Tyranitar; other EV spreads that sacrifice power for more bulk are also usable. Earthquake is a viable alternative to Superpower because of its lack of stat drops, but inferior coverage and the prevalence of Ground-immune Pokemon in OU makes it easily set up on. Selfdestruct hits frighteningly hard, doing ridiculous damage to even the bulkiest of Pokemon. Sadly, it is illegal with Pursuit, but Selfdestruct is so insanely powerful that it is definitely worth consideration. Body Slam can spread paralysis, but the power drop from Return is significant.</p>
<p>If Double-Edge is used, Wish support is vital for Snorlax's survival. Jirachi can not only provide that support but also set up Stealth Rock, spread paralysis, tank Dragon-type attacks, and lift some of the burden of taking special attacks off of Snorlax. Latias can also provide Wish support and has an immunity to Ground-type attacks as well as resistances to Water, Fighting, and Fire, which are the few types that aren't covered between Jirachi and Snorlax. A solid answer for Fighting-types is also necessary. Specially defensive Celebi can wall Keldeo and can consistently switch into non-Nasty Plot Thundurus-T, while Landorus-T provides a better response to Terrakion and can also deal with Scizor. Both of these Pokemon can set up Stealth Rock and have a slow U-turn, which is useful for bringing Snorlax in safely; Celebi can even provide paralysis support. Entry hazards are of great help to Snorlax on the opposing team's side of the field, and problematic for Snorlax should they be set up against it. The best partner to set up Spikes is Roserade because it can combat Keldeo, Rotom-W, and other Water-types very effectively. Taking rain-boosted STAB Water-type attacks is difficult for Snorlax, and Roserade can do so with ease. Ferrothorn and Skarmory are also usable, but Skarmory cannot withstand special Water-type attacks, and neither can handle Keldeo. Rapid Spin support is also important to allow Snorlax to tank the attacks it is EVed to survive. Starmie, Tentacruel, and Forretress are the most effective spinners; choose the one that best complements your team's synergy. It is also best to have a Pokemon that can take the repeated physical blows that will wear down Snorlax; Skarmory and Jellicent can help mitigate the threat of physical attackers. As with all Pokemon in OU, it is best to have Snorlax in a weather that benefits it. Snorlax can patch up some common weaknesses of sun teams and enjoys the boost to Fire Punch, but Snorlax is also usable in rain, although Fire Punch's effectiveness will be diminished.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Two classic sets have all but disappeared from today's metagame: the famed CurseLax, and RestTalk Whirlwind. Neither of these sets are able to keep up with the fast-paced nature of BW OU. An attacking set with Expert Belt, Lum Berry, Chople Berry, or Leftovers over Choice Band can be viable, but the main issue of such a set is the power decrease; without Choice Band, Snorlax is too weak to be effective. A gimmicky set with Stockpile, Belly Drum, and ChestoRest has the potential to make Snorlax into a dangerous bulky sweeper, but is incredibly unrealistic to pull off. A set of Protect, Whirlwind, Body Slam, and Refresh is usable to spread paralysis and scout while staying free of status conditions. Three moves worthy of consideration are Fire Blast, which exploits Skarmory's and Forretress's low Special Defense; Counter, which can hit unwary physical attackers back hard; and Rock Slide, which can OHKO even bulky Volcarona.</p>
<p>It must be emphasized that under no circumstances should one use Immunity or Gluttony over Thick Fat; Thick Fat is key to Snorlax's success. Without Thick Fat, Snorlax loses its main selling point as a check to sun teams, its only real niche in OU.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>One of the best ways to deal with Snorlax is to pack a powerful Fighting-type such as Terrakion, Keldeo, Breloom, or Conkeldurr. Terrakion is preferred because it resists Snorlax's STAB, but all of them can at least threaten Snorlax once they manage to switch in. Snorlax can also be worn down through residual damage. Status is the best way of doing so, particularly Toxic and burn—Rotom-W, Jellicent, and Tentacruel are your best bets for inflicting such conditions. Entry hazards and Leech Seed also limit the amount of time Snorlax will be able to spend in action. Rain-boosted STAB Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Keldeo and Rotom-W are your best bets for 2HKOing Snorlax with a special move. Hammering Snorlax with strong physical attacks from Pokemon such as Landorus-T will also do the trick.</p>
<p>There are bulkier, more reliable counters for Snorlax. The most prominent of these is Skarmory, who cannot be 2HKOed by any move besides Wild Charge and can set up Spikes or stall with Roost. Another good counter is Jellicent, who also cannot be 2HKOed by any move besides Wild Charge and is immune to Normal-type attacks. Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Gliscor are other Pokemon that work nicely, all of which are able to set up Stealth Rock and potentially inflict Snorlax with status. Snorlax is also vulnerable to being set up on by bulky setup sweepers, such as Latias and Dragonite. Overall, Snorlax isn't a difficult Pokemon to counter by any means, so it shouldn't be much trouble unless one is horrifically under-prepared for it.</p>
