Swampert
[OVERVIEW]
Swampert is one of DPP OU's most emblematic Pokemon. Its unique Water / Ground typing gives it many desirable traits. It resists popular Rock-, Fire-, and Steel-type moves, it's immune to sand and Electric-type moves, and it's resistant to Stealth Rock. In addition, it can hit a wide variety of foes thanks to its access to Ground- and Water-type STAB moves with Ice-type coverage. However, Swampert is 4x weak to Grass-type moves, which several Pokemon carry specifically to target it. Despite this, it makes for an awesome offensive pivot that is able to check many prominent threats like Jirachi, Heatran, Metagross, Tyranitar, and Zapdos.
However, Swampert does not have access to a reliable form of recovery, so it tends to struggle long term against strong attackers like Machamp and Infernape. Some Pokemon that Swampert checks decently, like Zapdos, Heatran, Jirachi, and Rotom-A, can also run status moves like Toxic and Will-O-Wisp, which considerably hamper its durability. Swampert's low Speed and harsh Grass weakness can also be exploited by Breloom if it does not have adequate support or enough Speed investment, the latter of which comes at the cost of its bulk.
[SET]
name: Physically Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Waterfall
move 4: Ice Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Adamant
evs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=======
Thanks to its good typing, decent attacking stats, high natural bulk, and access to Stealth Rock, Swampert makes for a great lead and an exceptional mid-game threat. It's capable of taking on many popular threats with ease, such as Tyranitar and Zapdos, and it can serve as a great offensive pivot.
Due to these traits, Swampert can find plenty of opportunities to set up Stealth Rock. Earthquake is used in the second moveslot, as it is Swampert's best STAB move, hitting any foe that doesn't resist it for a decent chunk of damage. Waterfall combines excellently with Earthquake, allowing Swampert to hit Pokemon that are immune to Earthquake, such as Skarmory and Rotom-A. Ice Punch enables Swampert to hit Pokemon such as Flygon, Dragonite, Latias, and Breloom super effectively; however, Swampert must switch out on the next turn versus Breloom if it does not have enough Speed investment.
Set Details
=======
The HP EVs grant Swampert decent overall bulk, enabling it to take most resisted and neutral attacks reasonably well. An Adamant nature with maximum Attack investment allows Swampert to hit as hard as possible. 16 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed foes like Clefable and uninvested Tyranitar, but feel free to invest more Speed to outspeed Pokemon like Tyranitar, Scizor, Skarmory, Nidoqueen, and even Breloom. However, although Swampert's Waterfall can potentially cause Skarmory to flinch with greater Speed investment, it loses the opportunity to land Earthquake as Skarmory uses Roost. Leftovers grants Swampert passive recovery, which allows it to check Jirachi more effectively, since Leftovers largely offsets Iron Head's damage.
Usage Tips
=======
Switch into resisted moves like Iron Head, Stone Edge, and Thunderbolt to more safely set up Stealth Rock. Keep in mind that Pokemon like Tyranitar, Flygon, and Mamoswine can deal a significant amount of damage with their powerful STAB attacks, so don't overestimate Swampert's general bulk. This Swampert also works as a great early-game wallbreaker because it forces a lot of switches, and its coverage makes it pretty difficult for foes to switch in safely. However, Swampert requires prediction to wallbreak effectively because it's slow, and sweepers that carry Grass-type moves or strong STAB attacks such as Hydro Pump, Draco Meteor, and Close Combat can force it out, making you lose momentum. Waterfall is generally the preferred option to use if you expect your opponent to switch to something that covers Earthquake, such as Gengar or Rotom-A. However, depending on the matchup, Ice Punch is definitely worth considering, as it hits Grass- and Dragon-type switch-ins.
On top of that, offensive Swampert is a good asset to break through a Skarmory / Clefable core because it hits other Pokemon paired with them super effectively, such as Tyranitar, Heatran, Jirachi, and Gliscor. If Swampert is paired with paralysis support, you should try to keep it healthy, as it can potentially break through defensive cores late-game on crippled targets that cannot safely heal. If Swampert is in Torrent range, it becomes an immense threat; Skarmory struggles even more against it, especially when Swampert is paired with paralysis support and can employ a paraflinch strategy.
Team Options
=======
This Swampert is more effective on offensive teams that need a reliable pivot that conserves momentum. It has many viable teammates. Pokemon such as Latias and Heatran can be used to compensate for Swampert's 4x weakness to Grass-type moves and take on Celebi and Breloom, two of the biggest threats to it, though they must watch out for Thunder Wave and Spore. Also, Heatran needs to watch out for Fighting-type attacks from Breloom and even the rare Earth Power from Celebi. This is the reason why sleep absorbers such as Choice Specs Latias and Roserade make exceptional teammates. Moreover, Roserade can switch into most bulky Water-types with ease and set up Toxic Spikes on them, which further supports Swampert. An effective way to take advantage of Swampert's typing is to utilize a Fire / Water / Grass defensive core. Since Skarmory can check Swampert and find opportunities to set up Spikes, Magnezone also makes for a good partner, particularly if Swampert runs a lot of Speed, as it can easily switch into Skarmory, attempt to trap it with Magnet Pull, and proceed to KO it with a powerful Thunderbolt. Skarmory and Bronzong have perfect type synergy with Swampert. Skarmory can set up Spikes and switch into Grass-type attacks aimed at Swampert, while Swampert can switch into Electric- and Fire-type attacks aimed at Skarmory. Bronzong can set up Trick Room for Swampert, which allows it to get the jump on faster foes. Choice Scarf Rotom-A and Swampert pair nicely because Swampert usually does well versus Dragon Dance Tyranitar, which is the one setup sweeper Rotom-A cannot reliably cover; in return, Rotom-A can prevent Starmie from spinning, which Skarmory also appreciates. Swampert benefits a lot from paralysis support from teammates like Jirachi, Latias, and Zapdos, as it synergizes with Waterfall's 20% chance to flinch, and it helps to compensate for its lower Speed tier. Celebi also has access to Thunder Wave and can contribute to a Fire / Water / Grass core.
[SET]
name: Specially Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Earth Power
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Modest
evs: 240 HP / 252 SpA / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=======
Specially offensive Swampert is capable of taking on many popular threats, such as Tyranitar, Zapdos, Heatran, Jirachi, and Bronzong, with its access to STAB-boosted Hydro Pump and Earth Power. Many opponents expect Swampert to be a physical attacker, which makes it extremely good at luring and dealing massive damage to physical walls like Skarmory and Rotom-A.
This set aims to act as a solid utility counter and offensive pivot. It is excellent at forcing switches, which gives it many opportunities to set up Stealth Rock. Hydro Pump is the primary attacking move, as it punishes standard Skarmory extremely hard for a solid 2HKO, which stops Skarmory from setting up on Swampert while simultaneously allowing Swampert to threaten with Earth Power on a predicted Roost. It also deals solid damage to defensive Rotom-A, Bronzong, Bold Zapdos, and Bold Starmie. Surf is not worth considering due to its lower Base Power, missing crucial damage benchmarks against Gengar and Skarmory. Earth Power is a strong STAB move that threatens Metagross and Jirachi and provides great neutral coverage against Kingdra. Ice Beam provides excellent coverage and, in conjunction with Earth Power and Hydro Pump, enables Swampert to hit everything in DPP OU for neutral damage. Ice Beam can catch Celebi on the switch and force it to use Recover, which gives a teammate a free turn to switch in without fear of Thunder Wave. Also, Dragonite and Flygon are OHKOed by it, and offensive Latias is hit for a decent amount of damage.
Set Details
========
252 Special Attack EVs and a Modest nature are needed because Swampert's Special Attack is a bit lacking compared to other specially attacking Pokemon in DPP OU. 16 Speed EVs enable Swampert to outspeed uninvested Clefable and Tyranitar. The remaining EVs are placed into Swampert's HP to maximize its general bulk. Leftovers grants Swampert passive recovery, which allows it to check Jirachi more effectively, since Leftovers largely offsets Iron Head's damage. Feel free to Speed creep at the expense of HP, because it could be extremely useful to outspeed Skarmory, Scizor, Nidoqueen, and Breloom.
Usage Tips
========
Pivot into resisted Rock-, Fire-, and Electric-type attacks to find a good opportunity to set up Stealth Rock. Try to switch Swampert in as soon as possible. General bulk alone is not enough to eat powerful STAB moves like Choice Band Tyranitar's Crunch and +1 Dragonite's Outrage. This is why you should try to bring Swampert in on resisted attacks such as Stone Edge and Iron Head, or you will end up sacrificing it quickly. Swampert is incredibly effective at breaking through stall and balance teams thanks to its ability to lure most physical walls that expect a standard physical set. However, once you've revealed that Swampert is purely specially oriented, Clefable can wall it unless it is in Torrent's range. Typical Swampert checks like Rotom-A and Skarmory should be the main target to lure in with this set.
Specially offensive Swampert is excellent at forcing a lot of switches, which gives it many opportunities to fire off Hydro Pump. Do not try to overpredict with this Swampert. Hydro Pump is generally the safest option because many teams tend to lack solid Water-resistant Pokemon. The only reason you should consider to use Ice Beam on a predicted switch is if you are running a slower Swampert and you suspect that your opponent has a Breloom, Celebi, or Latias. Otherwise, it's better to scout with Hydro Pump early-game most of the time.
Team Options
========
As a bulky Water-type, Swampert works excellently alongside Grass- and Fire-types as part of a Fire / Water / Grass core. Roserade, in particular, works marvelously for its ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and status, which severely cripple Swampert, and set up its own entry hazards / Toxic Spikes, which Swampert supports by forcing switches. Similarly, other entry hazard supporters like Skarmory and Forretress also work well with Swampert; both Spikes users are 4x resistant to Grass and support Swampert's offensive pressure, while in return Swampert resists Fire- and Electric-type attacks. Physical sweepers, such as Swords Dance Lucario, Choice Band Tyranitar, Dragon Dance Dragonite, and offensive Trick Room Bronzong, benefit from Swampert's ability to heavily damage physical walls. Bronzong gets a special mention, as it can set up Trick Room for Swampert and has perfect typing synergy with it. Choice Scarf Rotom-A and Swampert are a great pair because Swampert checks Dragon Dance Tyranitar reasonably well, which is the one setup sweeper Choice Scarf Rotom-A cannot reliably revenge kill. If you are running less Speed, Sleep Talk + Choice Specs Latias is a decent answer to most Grass-type Pokemon, and it can absorb Breloom's Spore. Gyarados also gets a special mention, as it benefits from physical walls being worn down, while Swampert covers Gyarados's Electric- and Rock-type weaknesses.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Waterfall
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge / Superpower
move 4: Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Torrent
nature: Adamant
evs: 172 HP / 252 Atk / 84 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Choice Band Swampert epitomizes the idea of bulky offense, retaining natural bulk while cranking its Attack up to astronomical levels. Waterfall and Earthquake are used on this set to form a solid STAB-boosted duo that allows Swampert to hit many common DPP OU Pokemon for large amounts of damage. However, although Aqua Tail comes with more power than Waterfall and the ability to 2HKO specially defensive Skarmory, this option is not worth considering due to its lack of a flinch rate. Stone Edge is used in the third moveslot so that Swampert has a way to heavily damage the ever-present / common Gyarados, which will otherwise shrug off Swampert's attacks thanks to its typing and Intimidate; Stone Edge also hits Zapdos harder than Ice Punch, which is used in the final slot, enabling Swampert to OHKO Dragonite and Flygon. Ice Punch can also hit Celebi and Breloom on the switch, though Swampert must immediately switch out the next turn unless you determine that it will outspeed Breloom. Superpower can be used over Stone Edge, which gives Swampert good neutral coverage in tandem with its other moves. However, the Attack and Defense drops that come after using it will often force Swampert to switch out the next turn, which is an unattractive aspect. Also, Gyarados would become a perfect counter.
Set Details
========
The Speed EVs let Swampert outspeed Clefable, Tyranitar, Scizor, bulky Empoleon, and uninvested Skarmory, but you may want to invest a bit more to account for faster Skarmory. If you are willing to run a very fast Swampert, 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe is a great alternative spread to outspeed most Breloom and Rotom-A, hitting the latter with Waterfall before it uses Will-O-Wisp on Swampert. Attack is maximized with an Adamant nature and a Choice Band to give Swampert the maximum power it could possibly attain. The remaining EVs significantly boost Swampert's general bulk.
Usage Tips
========
Despite this set's massive power, you must have good prediction skills in order to use it effectively, as being locked into an undesirable move can shift the momentum in your opponent's favor. HP EVs alone are not enough for Swampert to take powerful STAB attacks repeatedly. Furthermore, there is no Leftovers to boost Swampert's durability, so it is even more fragile. Also, without Leftovers, Swampert will be especially more susceptible to Iron Head Jirachi. This Swampert set is an excellent early-game hard-hitter, since very few Pokemon can defend against its onslaught of powerful physical attacks. The fact that only a few Pokemon can take a STAB attack from Swampert makes it an excellent lure for bulky Pokemon. Do not hesitate to spam Waterfall to break bulky stall teams, since Pokemon like Skarmory and Rotom-A or any paralyzed Pokemon will struggle to restore their health against repeated Waterfall usage. Against more offensive teams, it can be useful to predict Ice-type weak Pokemon that tend to switch in Swampert, such as Breloom and Latias, and weaken them with a powerful Ice Punch. On the other hand, hitting predicted Gyarados, Abomasnow, or Dragonite switch-ins with Stone Edge is devastating if you manage to land it.
Team Options
========
As this Swampert will force a lot of switches, it is useful to provide it with entry hazard support. Swampert will also definitely need some defensive backbone, since its Choice lock means it will likely KO something and then be forced to switch. The two most common attacking types that are used on Swampert are Water and Grass. This makes any sort of Grass-type Pokemon an excellent teammate. Roserade makes for a decent option, as it can set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes while defending well against most Grass- and Water-type moves. Also, Roserade's Natural Cure supports Swampert by allowing it to absorb status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Sleep Powder. It can even absorb Toxic Spikes thanks to its Poison typing. Heatran is also a great choice, as it is able to consistently set up Stealth Rock and packs a 4x resistance to Grass-type moves that will otherwise OHKO Swampert. Skarmory can also provide Spikes support, while offensive Bronzong can set up Trick Room, and both have perfect type synergy with Swampert. Magnezone can also help Swampert break through defensive archetypes by trapping and removing Skarmory. Paralysis support helps Swampert sweep late-game, since otherwise, something faster can force it out more easily. Pokemon like Zapdos and Jirachi work quite well with Swampert because they both have access to Thunder Wave and resist Grass. Celebi spreads paralysis while tanking most Water- and Grass-type moves, resisting Breloom's dual STAB move combination, and forming a solid Fire / Water / Grass core with Heatran and Swampert. As far as offensive partners for this set go, Choice Scarf Flygon and Rotom-A make great teammates, as they are capable of revenge killing many dangerous Pokemon that will attempt to set up on Swampert, such as Dragon Dance Dragonite and Gyarados.
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Roar / Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Relaxed
evs: 240 HP / 216 Def / 52 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
This set aims to act as a solid utility counter and defensive pivot, taking advantage of Swampert's excellent typing and bulk. It is capable of taking on powerful Choice Band users like Tyranitar, Infernape, and Dragonite. In addition, it does very well versus Jirachi, Bronzong, and Metagross. Sadly, its lack of a reliable recovery move significantly hampers its tanking abilities.
Swampert can set up Stealth Rock well due to its bulk and powerful Earthquake to keep spinners like Starmie in check. With high Defense and resistance to popular attacking types like Rock and Fire, it can set up entry hazards under many circumstances. Earthquake is Swampert's best STAB move, hitting anything that doesn't resist it for a great portion of damage. Ice Beam is used in the third move slot to enable Swampert to OHKO Flygon, Gliscor, and Dragonite after Stealth Rock damage. It also allows it to hit Grass-type switch-ins, such as Breloom, for super effective damage, though Swampert must switch out on the next turn. Roar is the primary option in the final moveslot, as it can be used to scout the opposing team and rack up residual damage from Stealth Rock. Protect can be used as a scouting move and can also aid Swampert in blocking Explosion from Metagross and Azelf leads and giving Swampert an extra turn to restore its health with Leftovers.
As far as other options go, Swampert has a few choices. Stone Edge can be used in place of Ice Beam to dish out respectable damage to Gyarados and Dragonite. Hydro Pump and Surf can be used if you'd like a secondary STAB option for Swampert to use, which can be useful for wearing down foes like Skarmory and Bronzong, though you'd have worse coverage.
Set Details
========
240 HP EVs maximize Swampert's Leftovers recovery and minimize damage from entry hazards and status. Also, the HP investment with Leftovers allows Swampert to always survive Seismic Toss from Clefable and Blissey five times at full health and gives it more all-around bulk. 216 Defense EVs grant Swampert exceptional physical bulk, letting it take most resisted and neutral physical attacks with ease. The remaining Special Defense EVs are used to allow Swampert to take neutral and resisted special attacks, such as Dragonite's Draco Meteor and Heatran's Fire Blast, more easily. An alternate EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA can be used to maximize Swampert's physical bulk, but the extra Defense EVs don't accomplish anything specific, and the Special Defense investment is generally more useful.
Usage Tips
========
Swampert should be used as a defensive wall and entry hazard shuffler early-game. Swampert acts as a decent lead, as it can put Stealth Rock up reasonably well against popular leads such as Zapdos, Metagross, Heatran, and Hippowdon and frail Choice Scarf leads such as Infernape and Flygon, and it can usually dominate most offensive Pokemon when it has the type advantage. Since Swampert does not have a reliable recovery move, it's important to bring it into Rock-, Fire-, Electric-, and Steel-type attacks that it resists. Swampert finds plenty of opportunities to come in thanks to its Stealth Rock resistance and sand immunity, which is great for balance teams. Also, Swampert's Attack is high enough naturally to use Earthquake as a way to pressure opposing Starmie, which helps maintain Stealth Rock and forces it to use Recover, which can give Tyranitar or Rotom-A an opportunity to switch in without having to sustain damage from a Water-type attack.
Team Options
========
Swampert should be used on semi-stall and balance cores, as these are where its defensive abilities shine the most. Since Swampert can be successfully used on multiple types of teams, it has many viable teammates.
On balance cores, Pokemon such as Scizor and Heatran can be used to compensate for its 4x weakness to Grass-type moves. Both can take on Celebi and Shaymin, two of the biggest threats to Swampert, though they must watch out for Hidden Power Fire and Earth Power. Mixed Dragonite and Infernape can take advantage of the Stealth Rock that Swampert sets up by forcing the opponent to switch through offensive pressure, which hurts the opposing team and gives your team offensive momentum. Another solid way to play Swampert is to utilize a Fire / Water / Grass core with Pokemon such as Heatran and Roserade. This will force the opponent to switch multiple times due to defensive synergy, racking up more damage from entry hazards. On the other hand, Sleep Talk users such as Choice item Latias and Choice Band Dragonite also pair well with Swampert, as they are able to switch into Grass-type moves with ease and absorb Breloom's Spore and Roserade's Sleep Powder.
On more defensive teams, specially defensive Jirachi and Clefable make wonderful teammates for Swampert, because they can sponge special attacks that could otherwise spell doom for the mudfish Pokemon. They can also pass Wish to Swampert to keep it healthy, which can be a tremendous blessing because Swampert has no instant recovery move. Tyranitar is an excellent choice to consider thanks to its ability to shut down popular threats that appreciate taking advantage of this Swampert such as defensive Rotom-A, Starmie, Choice Specs Latias, and Celebi and punish them with its powerful STAB-boosted Dark-type attacks. In addition, it can summon sand with its Sand Stream, which helps rack up residual damage. On the other hand, since Swampert appreciates entry hazard stacking, a core with Skarmory and Rotom-A with Tyranitar in the back to trap Starmie makes for a solid defensive balance.
Physically defensive Swampert tends to struggle against stall teams because it does not hit hard enough to actually threaten pokemon like Skamory, Rotom-A, and Clefable. The aforementioned Pokemon can take advantage of its passivity to set up Spikes, status it, or remove its Leftovers with Knock Off. Therefore, playing Swampert alongside stallbreakers can help mitigate this weakness. Breloom makes for a great partner, as it can form a solid Fire / Water / Grass core, if also paired with Heatran, and it can take advantage of slow bulky Pokemon like Clefable and defensive Rotom-A. As mentioned, Heatran also makes a decent partner, due to its appropriate typing synergy, but also for the fact that it can break through defensive Pokemon with Choice Specs and Magma Storm sets. Substitute + Pain Split Gengar also works well with Swampert. In addition to its ability to switch into Breloom's Grass and Fighting combination and into Close Combat from Infernape and Lucario, it can take advantage of Clefable by setting up a Substitute on a move like Knock Off, which can put the opposing team in a very bad position.
Swampert also appreciates Rapid Spin support from Starmie, Tentacruel, and Forretress. Starmie is probably the best option because it is the most reliable spinner in DPP OU; it can check foes like Breloom, Taunt Gyarados, and Suicune, and wear down physical walls like Skarmory and Rotom-A. Swampert appreciates the support of other bulky Water- and Ground-types as well because they can act as emergency checks to Pokemon such as Flygon, Tyranitar, and Metagross, should Swampert go down to a powerful Choice Band-boosted Crunch from Tyranitar or a sneaky Grass-type attack.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Ice Bam
move 4: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Electric / Sleep Talk
item: Choice Specs
ability: Torrent
nature: Modest
evs: 172 HP / 252 SpA / 84 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Many people underestimate Swampert's Special Attack. Because of this, many would expect Swampert to be a bulky or Choice Band variant so it can catch foes like Skarmory, Clefable, Rotom-A, Latias, Metagross, and Breloom off guard with unexpected and powerful special attacks.
Hydro Pump, Swampert's primary attacking option, is a powerful STAB move that, when boosted by Choice Specs, becomes enormously dangerous. Surf is not worth considering as an alternative to Hydro Pump because it makes Swampert considerably weaker and potentially causes it to lose many crucial KOs like on physically defensive Skarmory. Earth Power is a solid secondary STAB attack, hitting Water- and Steel-types for a great chunk of damage. Ice Beam and Hidden Power Electric provide additional type coverage, dispatching most Grass- and Water-types that resist both STAB moves, such as Breloom and Gyarados. Hidden Power Grass can be used if you wish to catch opposing Swampert for an OHKO. Alternatively, Swampert can be a decent sleep absorber with Sleep Talk. However, be careful about that option, because most sleep inducers are Grass-types, so it's extremely risky for Swampert to switch into them.
Set Details
========
252 Special Attack EVs and a Modest nature raise Swampert's Special Attack to the highest possible level. The 84 Speed EVs allow Swampert to outspeed minimum Speed Skarmory, but feel free to invest as much Speed as you want, since most Skarmory tend to run a bit more Speed. The rest of the EVs are placed into Swampert's HP, thus retaining some bulk to take a few hits from foes like Jirachi and Metagross.
Usage Tips
========
This set's main selling points are its surprise value and ability to OHKO physically defensive Skarmory. Swampert makes for a decent wallbreaker, even as a lead. The fact that only a few Pokemon can take a STAB attack from Swampert makes it an excellent lure for bulky Pokemon that would use Swampert to set up entry hazards. Furthermore, Hydro Pump has a good chance to 2HKO Clefable, while Earth Power deals great damage to Water-type foes like Starmie and Kingdra.
This Swampert is an excellent early-game hard-hitter, since very few Pokemon can come into its combination of special STAB attacks, but you must have good prediction skills in order to use it successfully. A single incorrect prediction could be catastrophic when using this Swampert, so tread carefully. Identify the type of team you are facing before choosing which move you want to use. Against defensive teams, do not hesitate to spam Hydro Pump early-game, as this is the move that will usually hit the most common Swampert switch-ins like Skarmory and Rotom-A the hardest. Once you have revealed that Swampert is running Choice Specs, you should try to predict which resistance —Water, Ground, or Ice— your opponent will bring in and use the best move accordingly. For example, using Ice Beam against an incoming Latias or Celebi can quickly swing a match in your favor. Against more offensive teams, you do not need to predict as much, because Hydro Pump should deal a ton of damage most of the time. Still, be careful about which move Swampert locks itself into.
Swampert's bulk is not sufficient enough to take powerful STAB attacks repeatedly. Furthermore, Swampert is not running Leftovers to help it survive longer, so try to manage its health nicely.
Team Options
========
Since this Swampert's main purpose is to break through bulky threats, Pokemon that appreciate their removal make decent partners. Agility Metagross, Swords Dance Lucario, Dragon Dance Dragonite, and Gyarados are excellent options to consider because of Swampert's ability to lure and remove Skarmory, Rotom-A, and bulky Water-types. A Celebi of your own has strong typing synergy with Heatran and Swampert. Toxic Spikes also deserves a mention for working excellently with the balance nature of the core. Roserade is a particularly good user of Toxic Spikes, especially as a partner to Swampert due to its resistance to Water-, Electric-, and Grass-type attacks. Paralysis support works well to compensate for Swampert's lower Speed. Jirachi, Zapdos, and Latias make great options, as they resist Grass-type moves and can use Thunder Wave to spread paralysis. Offensive Trick Room Bronzong has great type synergy with Swampert, and the mudfish can use Trick Room to fire off powerful assaults while Bronzong weakens checks like Rotom-A and Gyarados.
Physical attackers that resist Hydro Pump or Earth Power, such as Dragonite and Gyarados, can set up on this Swampert with ease. Choice Scarf Rotom-A can come in while Dragonite and Gyarados attempt to set up and scare them away with Hidden Power Ice and Thunderbolt. The same goes for Flygon, which benefits from Swampert's ability to wear down bulkier foes. Flygon is able to revenge kill most of the sweepers that will try to set up on Choice-locked Swampert.
Bulky Water-types like Vaporeon, Suicune, and Milotic can give this set trouble. Celebi can switch into bulky Water-types, force them to switch out, and use Thunder Wave or U-turn against the switch. Breloom is a great stallbreaker that can counter bulky Water-types by threatening to put them to sleep or hitting them with a powerful Grass-type move. Zapdos can also scare away bulky Water-types. However, both Breloom and Zapdos need to be careful when switching in, as bulky Water-types almost always carry Ice-type coverage.
[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Focus Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Brave
evs: 112 HP / 216 Atk / 100 SpA / 80 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
It seems surprising to think that Swampert could pull off a mixed wallbreaker set when there are offensive behemoths available like Dragonite and Infernape. However, with its Ground typing negating the damage from sand and giving it an Electric-type immunity and a resistance to Stealth Rock, as well as its combined Water-, Ground-, and Ice-type coverage, Swampert can pose a major threat to typical defensive and balances cores. Earthquake is Swampert's best Ground-type STAB attack, as it benefits more from its high base Attack stat and it hits foes like Starmie, Tyranitar, and Clefable for high damage. Focus Punch guarantees OHKOs against Clefable, Blissey after Earthquake damage, and specially defensive Skarmory as it sets up Spikes or attempts to phaze Swampert with Whirlwind. Hydro Pump does a huge chunk of damage against Ground-immune Pokemon like Skarmory, Bronzong, and Rotom-A, while Ice Beam hits Ground-, Dragon-, and Grass-types super effectively.
Set Details
========
A Brave nature increases Swampert's Attack and preserves its good natural bulk. 216 Attack EVs make Swampert's Earthquake extremely powerful and also allow it to OHKO Clefable with Focus Punch. 100 Special Attack EVs give Swampert enough power to 2HKO defensive Rotom-A and Skarmory with Hydro Pump. 80 Speed EVs are used to outspeed uninvested Clefable. The remaining EVs are invested into HP to maximize Swampert's general bulk. Leftovers allows Swampert to check Jirachi significantly more effectively, since it largely offsets Iron Head's damage. An alternative spread with a lot more Speed EVs and a Naughty nature can be used to try to outpace foes such as Skarmory and Breloom, although the lack of bulk considerably hampers Swampert's survivability.
Usage Tips
========
Mixed attacking Swampert is meant to break through defensive cores, namely the common Nidoqueen / Skarmory / Clefable and Hippowdon / Skarmory / Clefable archetypes. They often pack Rotom-A or Tyranitar for entry hazard control and additional Fighting-type switch-ins such as Gliscor, Zapdos, and Starmie, which all have a really hard time defending against this Swampert. You need to pressure defensive teams as much as possible early-game before Spikes and Toxic Spikes are on the field, or your opponent will have an easier time dealing with Swampert. Swampert finds plenty of opportunities to pivot, so maintaining Stealth Rock will especially benefit it. Try to force as many switches as possible and punish them with good prediction. If Swampert is facing Clefable or Blissey, weaken them with Earthquake, and then use Focus Punch on the predicted Soft-Boiled.
Team Options
========
As a bulky Water-type, Swampert works nicely alongside Fire- and Grass-types as part of a Fire / Water / Grass core. Roserade, in particular, works marvelously for its ability to remove Toxic Spikes on entry, which severely cripples Swampert, and set up its own Spikes, which works well thanks to Swampert's ability to force switches. Other entry hazard supporters, such as Skarmory and Forretress, also work well with Swampert. Since Swampert is quite slow, paralysis support helps to find more opportunities to come in and land a free hit on crippled targets. Therefore, running teammates like Jirachi and Zapdos is effective, as they can both induce paralysis; in return, Swampert resists Fire- and Rock-type moves. Latias, especially a Choice Specs variant with Sleep Talk, is a great choice because it can switch into Breloom and absorb Spore while resisting Grass- and Fighting-type moves. Tyranitar and Swampert pair amazingly together, as Tyranitar benefits tremendously from Swampert's ability to lure in and wear down physical walls; in return, Tyranitar can KO Latias, Starmie, Celebi, and Rotom-A, which all otherwise give Swampert trouble. In addition, Tyranitar sets up sand, which helps wear down bulky Water-types.
Calm Mind Suicune, Kingdra, Gyarados, Empoleon, and Starmie can all pair nicely to form a Water-based offensive core, which works well because stall teams often do not pack a Water-resistant Pokemon. In particular, Swampert taking out defensive Rotom-A and weakening Skarmory can heavily benefit a Gyarados in the back. Water-types also synergize well together because they can weaken each other's counters; Swampert can even mitigate an Electric-type weakness and provides a crucial Rock-resistant Pokemon itself. However, beware of a potential compounded Grass-type weakness. Since this Swampert tends to break walls, sweepers such as Agility Metagross, Swords Dance Lucario, and Dragon Dance Dragonite are great teammates, as they have an easier time sweeping with bulky foes worn down. Bronzong also makes a decent partner to run alongside Swampert, since they both benefit from having Trick Room up; both Pokemon also have perfect type synergy.
[SET]
name: Curse
move 1: Curse
move 2: Rest
move 3: Earthquake / Waterfall
move 4: Ice Punch / Waterfall / Sleep Talk
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Careful
evs: 240 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
With access to Curse and a good physical movepool, Swampert can be a dangerous setup sweeper when used correctly. With only one type weakness, solid defensive stats, and a handful of resistances, Swampert can always find opportunities to set up.
Curse allows Swampert to boost both its Attack and Defense in one turn, and the Speed drop is usually inconsequential, as Swampert isn't exactly fast to begin with. Rest is used in the second moveslot to restore HP and cure status, significantly increasing Swampert's longevity. Earthquake is the primary option in the third moveslot, as it is a consistent STAB move that deals heavy damage to any foe that doesn't resist it. Waterfall is an alternative to hit Pokemon that are immune to Earthquake, such as Skarmory and Rotom-A. When running Earthquake, Ice Punch is a great choice in the last moveslot, enabling Swampert to dish out tremendous damage to threats such as Dragonite and Latias after just one Curse. A mono-attacking Curse set can be used with a move set of Curse, Waterfall, Rest, and Sleep Talk, which allows Swampert to retain its usefulness while asleep, but this gives it significantly worse coverage.
Set Details
========
240 HP EVs enable Swampert to survive Seismic Toss five times with the help of Leftovers. 252 Special Defense EVs and a Careful nature allow Swampert to take neutral and resisted special attacks very well. The remaining EVs are dumped into Defense, which helps Swampert to take a lot of powerful physical attacks after a few Curse boosts.
Usage Tips
========
It is generally better not to reveal Curse too early in the game. First, scout Swampert's counters, which generally are Grass-type Pokemon, Skarmory, foes with Grass-type attacks, Trick users, and Haze Milotic. Then, weaken them to the point where they can no longer switch into Swampert. Swampert should be able to find plenty of opportunities to set up on foes such as Tyranitar, Jirachi, and Zapdos. Bulky Water-types tend to struggle way more against this Swampert; even Dragon Dance Gyarados can lose to it if it does not have Taunt, and the same goes for Dragon Dance Kingdra, Starmie, and Suicune.
Team Options
========
Good teammates for this set include Pokemon that can switch into powerful special attacks such as Roserade's Leaf Storm, which would otherwise KO Swampert. Steel-type Pokemon, such as Heatran and Scizor, are great teammates for this Swampert, as they pack resistances to the special attacks Swampert doesn't want to take, such as Shaymin's Seed Flare and Dragonite's Draco Meteor. A Sleep Talk user such as Choice Band Dragonite or Choice Specs Latias can make for a decent partner, as they can absorb Breloom's Spore and retaliate with a powerful Choice item-boosted attack, but they must be careful of Substitute on the switch. In particular, Choice Specs Latias does not want to take Breloom's Focus Punch.
Jirachi gets a special mention thanks to its type synergy with Swampert and ability to spread paralysis, which supports Swampert's late-game sweep. Since Trick users will try to shut Swampert down, having something that can absorb it will support Swampert's sweep. Choice Scarf Tyranitar is a decent choice, since it is able to switch into Trick Rotom-A or Latias and trap them with Pursuit.
A Rapid Spin user, namely Starmie or Forretress, can get rid of Spikes that hamper Swampert's ability to set up. Starmie can wear down Breloom, Celebi, and Latias with Ice Beam, while Thunderbolt lets it beat Gyarados and wear down Suicune. Roserade makes a good partner for this set, as it can switch into bulky Water-types and Grass-type attacks, which may otherwise cause this set problems. In addition, it can set up Toxic Spikes, which allows Swampert to outstall potential counters while setting up. Other Water-types such as Gyarados and Suicune work well with this Swampert, since they double down on weakening their mutual checks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Swampert's movepool isn't particularly vast, so it doesn't have many other decent options to work with. Interestingly, Swampert learns both Counter and Mirror Coat. While these could potentially be used to nab a surprise KO on unsuspecting attackers, they will be a waste of a moveslot if you fail to predict correctly, and they lose their effectiveness after Swampert uses them once. Thus, you're often better off sticking to more reliable moves. Swampert can utilize a combination of Substitute + Focus Punch, as it creates 101 HP Substitutes, making it a fantastic Clefable counter; however, Substitute must replace valuable coverage. It's also possible to run Focus Punch instead of Stealth Rock on offensive sets, making Swampert better at wallbreaking at the expense of losing utility. Swampert can use Blizzard when paired with Abomasnow, but Tyranitar is so popular that it's unreliable. Refresh is a decent option because there are some teams that highly depend on status to deal with Swampert. For that same reason, Rest is another option, but this is generally undesirable because Swampert becomes setup fodder while asleep. Toxic is a great option on both offensive and defensive Swampert sets. It can be used over Stealth Rock on offensive sets to make it even more potent as a stallbreaker, hitting a huge target in Milotic; on defensive sets, it can hit Hippowdon and Zapdos. Finally, Swampert can provide good support on a Rain Dance team, as many Rain Dance teams struggle with Tyranitar, which Swampert checks well. However, Swampert almost always has more worthwhile options to use.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Swampert's best counters are Grass-type Pokemon. Celebi and Shaymin both can switch into most of Swampert's attacks and OHKO it back with Grass Knot, Seed Flare, and Leaf Storm. Breloom also beats Swampert, as it can either use Seed Bomb against Swampert for the OHKO or opt to use Spore and then set up a Substitute. Roserade can force Swampert out and set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes. All of these Pokemon must be wary of Swampert's Ice-type coverage, however. Abomasnow is not weak to Ice-type attacks and can maim Swampert with a STAB-boosted Wood Hammer.
**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types cause problems for Swampert, as they resist Waterfall and generally don't take that much damage from Earthquake. Suicune is able to set up Calm Mind on Swampert and deal heavy damage with Hydro Pump or Surf. Defensive Starmie is able to spin Swampert's Stealth Rock away and can wear it down with Surf while restoring its health. However, some defensive investment is needed to do this reliably, as Swampert's Earthquake is strong, and a critical hit can quickly swing the exchange in Swampert's favor. Taunt + Dragon Dance Gyarados sets up on Swampert, prevents it from using Roar, and shrugs off Swampert's Ice-type attacks. Milotic can use Recover and tank Swampert's attacks relatively well while retaliating nicely with Surf. Vaporeon with Toxic is a major thorn in Swampert's side, as it is able to outstall Swampert with Wish and use Protect once it statuses it. Vaporeon's Water Absorb can enable it to answer Choice item sets well, and offensive Vaporeon sets can massacre the opposing team with powerful Water-type attacks.
**Grass-type moves**: Unexpected Grass-type moves destroy Swampert, as its 4x Grass weakness means that any Grass-type move is going to hurt. Zapdos and Heatran can deal major damage to Swampert with Hidden Power Grass. Infernape, Latias, Starmie, and Jirachi make good use of Grass Knot, but they must also watch out for Earthquake and, in Latias's case, Ice Beam.
**Status**: Because Swampert has no form of reliable recovery, it detests status. As such, Rotom-A is a good check to Swampert because it is immune to Earthquake and is able to burn Swampert with Will-O-Wisp. Gengar can also burn Swampert; however, Gengar cannot take a Waterfall. Toxic users such as Jirachi, Heatran, and Zapdos can put Swampert on a timer and even use Protect to rack up poison damage. Toxic Spikes horribly cripples Swampert's longevity overall.
**Skarmory**: Unless running Hydro Pump, Swampert is vulnerable to Skarmory. Skarmory sets up Spikes on Swampert, as it is not able to hit Skarmory hard enough to deny the Spikes. Choice Band Swampert can induce flinches with Waterfall if it gets a little of luck, but most of the time, the armored bird can take advantage of Swampert and set up Spikes. Skarmory with Taunt is an even better counter, as it prevents Swampert from setting up its own Stealth Rock or phazing it before it can set up Spikes.
**Strong Attackers**: Strong attackers can overwhelm Swampert really quickly, since it doesn't have access to any form of reliable recovery. Pokemon like Machamp, Choice Band Infernape, mixed attacking Flygon, Lucario, and offensive Dragonite can hit Swampert considerably hard.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Emeral,72767]]
- Quality checked by: [[Excal,456373], [H-M-N-I-P,291057]]
- Grammar checked by: [[deetah,297659], [The Dutch Plumberjack,232216]]
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