Taking over Swampert since SOMALIA has left. Thanks Rising_Dusk and Bloo!
This is being written up at this very moment :)
QC: 1/3 PK Gaming, 2/3 wilson46, Delta 2777
GP: 1/2 Aeron Ee1, 2/2 BMB
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<p>Swampert is just another one of those Pokemon that has slowly decayed through the generations. Its good bulk, great typing, and well-rounded offensive stats could only bring it so far this generation, as it has become a rather mediocre Pokemon. It does have some advantageous qualities though. It is perhaps the best check to Tyranitar in the game, as it can easily take even a Choice Band-boosted Crunch. It is also a viable Stealth Rock user, as it can find many turns to set up against the omnipresent Tyranitar, and also against other threats such as Gliscor without Taunt. However, the release of Ferrothorn has perhaps been Swampert's main downfall, as it has the ability to set up on any of Swampert's moves, bar Superpower. This, along with the introduction of even stronger attackers such as Excadrill and Haxorus means that Swampert now has a more difficult job to do than ever, and it often cannot compete with other physical walls such as Hippowdon, Gliscor, and Quagsire.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Scald / Superpower / Roar
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Relaxed
evs: 240 HP / 216 Def / 52 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is Swampert's bread-and-butter defensive set, and it allows it to counter a few top-tier threats, such as Tyranitar, without much difficulty. It is easily able to utilize Stealth Rock, perhaps the best move in the game, to great effect as well. After switching in on the omnipresent Ground-types that plague OU, it is able to either attack with its greatSTAB attacks, or set up Stealth Rock, as stated before. STAB Earthquake is a major boon to almost any Pokemon, and this is no different for Swampert. When backed up with Ice Beam to hit the Flying-types that are immune to Earthquake, Swampert is able to hit the majority of the tier for respectable damage. Ice Beam also comes with the added benefit of doing huge damage to Dragon-types such as Salamence, Dragonite after switching into Stealth Rock, and some damage to Latios and Latias.</p>
<p>The last slot can be abused in many ways, as Swampert has a lot of good options to take advantage of. Scald is the primary choice, as it comes with a neat burn chance, which can be used to cripple the typical Ferrothorn switch-in. It also helps by adding residual damage onto Pokemon such as Rotom-W and Skarmory, which are both common switch-ins to Swampert. Superpower gives Swampert the opportunity to do huge damage to Ferrothorn as it switches in, and is able to 2HKO specially defensive variants. Superpower can also be used to do damage to Blissey that will try to switch into Toxic Swampert, although its main boon is still that it can do huge damage to Ferrothorn. The last option for the set is Roar. This allows Swampert to act as a reliable phazer, and it can take advantage of the Stealth Rock that it lays down.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs for this set mean that Swampert has great mixed bulk. Most of the EVs are put into Swampert's Defense, as this helps it against the attackers it most commonly switches into. There is some investment into Special Defense, though, as this helps Swampert to take resisted special hits such as Heatran's Fire Blast, for example, more efficiently.</p>
<p>Swampert can also choose to run a variety of offensive moves on this set. Stone Edge can be used to hit Flying-types with Swampert's higher attacking stat. Ice Beam, however, comes with the advantage of hitting all Dragon-types for super effective damage, and this outweighs Stone Edge's extra damage potential. Swampert can also choose to run a fully physical set, by utilizing Stone Edge along with either Waterfall or Superpower in the last slot. Hammer Arm could be chosen over Superpower, but Hammer Arm is less powerful, and it lacks Superpower's perfect accuracy.</p>
<p>The main reason that Swampert has dropped in effectiveness this generation is that it is easily countered by many of the top Pokemon in the metagame, most notably Ferrothorn. As Ferrothorn will find itself able to switch in and out of Swampert all day long, you should be prepared to pack a strong counter to it, as well as possibly a Rapid Spinner to get rid of the Spikes that Ferrothorn will be able to set up with ease. Magnezone is perhaps the best counter to Ferrothorn, as a SubCharge set will allow it to trap and then break through Ferrothorn easily, and then take down another Pokemon afterward. Fire-types can help here, and Heatran is a good example of such a Pokemon. It must watch out for the rain that is often paired with Ferrothorn, though, and as such, a strong Fighting-type is just as effective. Conkeldurr and Scrafty are both great teammates for Swampert.</p>
<p>Swampert is also crippled by Rotom-W, as it can smack Swampert with a STAB Hydro Pump, or burn it with Will-O-Wisp. As such, either Latios or Latias are great teammates, as they resist both of Rotom-W's STAB attacks, while not minding Trick. Latias can also help as it has great Special Defense, and it can make a good core when combined with Swampert, as they can both take on Pokemon that threaten the other. Finally, Swampert should be used with other defensive Pokemon, as it will lose momentum when utilized on a more offensive team. Pokemon that can set up other hazards such as Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Forretress are all excellent options.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Waterfall / Aqua Tail
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
move 4: Superpower
item: Choice Band
ability: Torrent
nature: Adamant
evs: 172 HP / 252 Atk / 84 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While the last set is meant to act as defensive tank, this set aims to deal out huge amounts of damage. Swampert's base 110 Attack stat is often overlooked, and this set definitely takes advantage of that fact. The surprise value of this set nets it many surprise KOs, including one on Ferrothorn, Swampert's number one counter. What's more, with rain support, Swampert's Waterfall does heaps of damage, and it easily 2HKOes Skarmory with the boost. Waterfall is only one of Swampert's two excellent STAB attacks though, and Earthquake is used to abuse Swampert's Ground-type STAB, which it does to great effect. Ice Punch is on the set as it deals great damage to Grass- and Dragon-types—the former of which resists both of Swampert's two STAB attacks. It also provides excellent coverage with the other two moves. Finally, Superpower is listed last as it has a good chance to OHKO standard Ferrothorn.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Swampert can also utilize Aqua Tail for its first move. This cements a 2HKO on specially defensive Skarmory without rain, while also offering a high chance to OHKO physically defensive Skarmory in the rain with a bit of prior damage. Waterfall is preferred for its consistency though, as a miss could sometimes throw away a definite chance of winning. Stone Edge can be utilized to hit Flying-types that don't mind Ice Punch, such as Gyarados, but on the whole Ice Punch outclasses it as it has better coverage.</p>
<p>The EVs chosen give Swampert maximum offensive potential, and its Attack stat is boosted to great levels with a Choice Band. Swampert must run 84 Speed EVs so it can outrun minimum Speed Skarmory, meaning that it can KO a weakened one before it uses Roost. The rest of the EVs are put into Swampert's HP stat, so that it can maximize its still remarkable bulk. Another spread that can be used, however, is one that maximizes HP, but outrunning most Skarmory is definitely recommended.</p>
<p>Grass-types are obviously a problem for Swampert, and defensive variants do better against Swampert. Pokemon such as Breloom can take huge damage from a Waterfall in the rain, so Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Celebi, and Shaymin are better prepared to counter Swampert. However, if they are struck by an Ice Punch, this will put a massive dent in all of them. If they do come in on the correct move, however, they can begin to set up Spikes, Nasty Plot, or just spam STAB Seed Flares, respectively. Pokemon that can deal with Grass-types are great teammates for Swampert. Scizor is perhaps the best example, as a STAB U-turn or Bug Bite will severely damage any of those Pokemon, while Ferrothorn can be removed with Superpower. Skarmory is another good check to Swampert, as without rain support, physically defensive Skarmory can wall Swampert to no end. Magnezone can take care of this, and it also deals with the aforementioned Ferrothorn. Finally, as stated many times throughout, rain is very kind to Swampert, and as such, Politoed is a fantastic teammate.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Swampert doesn't have many other viable options that it can use this generation. A RestTalk set is somewhat viable, but with the changes to the sleep mechanics, a set that uses Swampert's only form of recovery is not particularly effective any more. A CounterCoat set could be fun to use, as Swampert has a tremendous HP stat. If it takes more than half its health from one attack, chances are it will be able to OHKO back. The last possible move for Swampert to use is Yawn; however, it is outclassed by Roar on the whole.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>This is what has made Swampert drop so much from its previous position in the last generation. The advent of Ferrothorn, a Pokemon that was practically designed to counter Swampert, has made it particularly easy to beat. STAB Power Whip will dispose of Swampert easily, and while Swampert can hit back with Superpower, it is often not enough to do any real damage. Other Grass-types are effective too, with Celebi perhaps the best option. It can set up Nasty Plot as Swampert switches out, or perhaps use Thunder Wave on the switch-in. Skarmory can set up Spikes on almost any set, although rain-boosted Waterfalls hurt a lot. Bulky Water-types such as Jellicent are good, and Jellicent can burn Swampert with Will-O-Wisp or Scald, and it can also stop Swampert from setting up Stealth Rock with Taunt. Rotom-W is another example of a counter, as it is immune to Earthquake and resistant to Waterfall, while it can hit back hard with Hydro Pump or just burn Swampert with Will-O-Wisp.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Swampert receives the ability Damp from the Dream World, although it is virtually useless in BW thanks to the absence of Explosion in the tier. Imagine what it would be like in DPP though...</p>
