[SET]
name: Stealth Rock Pivot
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Flip Turn
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Swampert's crucial resistances to Fire, Electric, and Rock, good mixed bulk, and access to a plethora of useful support moves such as Flip Turn and Stealth Rock make it a highly desirable backbone on a wide range of offensive archetypes. Its good matchups against common offensive Pokemon such as Aegislash, Zeraora, and Rotom-H give it many opportunities to get in and use these moves to create advantageous situations for its teammates. Additionally, Swampert's sturdiness even makes it a good user of Stealth Rock, as it can easily absorb hits from the likes of common Defoggers in Moltres and Rotom-W early-game and force them out in return, which is important for allowing its team to maintain offensive pressure. Earthquake is Swampert's best STAB move, dealing significant damage to common Pokemon such as Mega Manectric, Galarian Slowbro, and Tentacruel attempting to wear down or outlast Swampert. Toxic is useful for crippling defensive Pokemon such as Slowking and Tangrowth that may try to take advantage of Swampert's initial passivity, while also making it easier to keep up Stealth Rock against Defoggers that cannot be directly threatened otherwise, like Rotom-W and Mandibuzz. Maximum HP and Special Defense investment is used to maximize Swampert's effectiveness at pivoting into special attackers, like Salamence and Rotom-W. A Sassy nature allows Swampert to underspeed specially defensive Celesteela, absorbing Leech Seed before pivoting out to another teammate. 96 Defense EVs can be used to survive two Choice Band-boosted Thousand Arrows from Zygarde-10% at full health, but this comes at the cost of some special bulk.
Swampert should be used on offensive teams, where it can make the most out of its valuable defensive profile and provide coverage against threats such as Aegislash, Salamence, and Zeraora. Forcing switches against these Pokemon to net an incoming wall on the switch with Toxic, or set up Stealth Rock or Flip Turn for a fast-paced teammate to exploit. The list of Pokemon which appreciate this support include offensive Pokemon such as Urshifu-R and Choice Band Scizor, which are both prone to being capitalized on by these Pokemon and can also form VoltTurn cores with Swampert in return, pressuring Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Mega Altaria for it. However, it should be known that Swampert lacks reliable recovery in this role and is highly susceptible to being lured by coverage moves such as Zeraora's Grass Knot or worn down by repeated hits over the course of a game, making other defensive staples like Amoonguss and Rotom-W equally important in their ability to alleviate pressure on Swampert to switch into threats like Aegislash and Moltres. Additionally, Pokemon that can check Grass-types like Roserade and Skarmory are also beneficial for Swampert, as both Pokemon also have access to Spikes and can form a nice hazard stacking core with it, while appreciating Swampert's ability to pivot into Fire and Flying-types that threaten both Pokemon so greatly. Lastly, options for removing entry hazards such as Salamence, Moltres and Mandibuzz help keep Swampert healthy against opposing Spikes that could otherwise undermine most of Swampert's defensive value.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Yawn can be used over Toxic, as it has excellent synergy with Flip Turn and can force even more switches against passive walls for its teammates to take advantage of, but sacrifices most of Swampert's defensive matchups against Pokemon such as Rotom-W and Tangrowth without Toxic, while Roar allows Swampert to deal with potentially lethal wincons such as Substitute + Toxic Aegislash and Calm Mind Reuniclus in a pinch, but carries similar downsides in other matchups and makes Swampert less applicable overall. Similarly, Ice Beam can be used to lure in and more immediately weaken Salamence for a teammate like Urshifu-R to exploit, but suffers from a lack of relevant targets otherwise. A physically defensive spread can be used to weather hits from Cobalion and Zygarde-10% more effectively, but leaves Swampert more vulnerable to specially-oriented Pokemon such as Azelf and Salamence.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types and Grass-type Coverage**: Grass-types such as Amoonguss, Zarude, and Tangrowth are all immensely dangerous to Swampert, as they each pack have the bulk and longevity needed to pivot into Swampert and threaten it with 4x super effective STAB moves, although Tangrowth dislikes taking Toxic on the switch. Swampert also needs to fear potential Grass-type coverage from the likes of Nihilego and Zeraora as well, being unable to properly check the latter until Grass Knot is scouted for.
**Status and Knock Off**: Due to Swampert's lack of reliable recovery, methods of negating the effectiveness of its Leftovers like Knock Off from Zeraora or Toxic from Rotom-H severely cut into its longevity, limiting the amount of times Swampert can come into the Pokemon it is meant to check.
**Powerful Wallbreakers**: Swampert's middling long-term survivability makes it highly vulnerable to being overwhelmed by most powerful wallbreakers such as Urshifu-R, Choice Specs Primarina, and Life Orb Mienshao.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Arishem, 546157]]
- Quality checked by: [[Pubo, 535121], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]
name: Stealth Rock Pivot
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Flip Turn
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Swampert's crucial resistances to Fire, Electric, and Rock, good mixed bulk, and access to a plethora of useful support moves such as Flip Turn and Stealth Rock make it a highly desirable backbone on a wide range of offensive archetypes. Its good matchups against common offensive Pokemon such as Aegislash, Zeraora, and Rotom-H give it many opportunities to get in and use these moves to create advantageous situations for its teammates. Additionally, Swampert's sturdiness even makes it a good user of Stealth Rock, as it can easily absorb hits from the likes of common Defoggers in Moltres and Rotom-W early-game and force them out in return, which is important for allowing its team to maintain offensive pressure. Earthquake is Swampert's best STAB move, dealing significant damage to common Pokemon such as Mega Manectric, Galarian Slowbro, and Tentacruel attempting to wear down or outlast Swampert. Toxic is useful for crippling defensive Pokemon such as Slowking and Tangrowth that may try to take advantage of Swampert's initial passivity, while also making it easier to keep up Stealth Rock against Defoggers that cannot be directly threatened otherwise, like Rotom-W and Mandibuzz. Maximum HP and Special Defense investment is used to maximize Swampert's effectiveness at pivoting into special attackers, like Salamence and Rotom-W. A Sassy nature allows Swampert to underspeed specially defensive Celesteela, absorbing Leech Seed before pivoting out to another teammate. 96 Defense EVs can be used to survive two Choice Band-boosted Thousand Arrows from Zygarde-10% at full health, but this comes at the cost of some special bulk.
Swampert should be used on offensive teams, where it can make the most out of its valuable defensive profile and provide coverage against threats such as Aegislash, Salamence, and Zeraora. Forcing switches against these Pokemon to net an incoming wall on the switch with Toxic, or set up Stealth Rock or Flip Turn for a fast-paced teammate to exploit. The list of Pokemon which appreciate this support include offensive Pokemon such as Urshifu-R and Choice Band Scizor, which are both prone to being capitalized on by these Pokemon and can also form VoltTurn cores with Swampert in return, pressuring Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Mega Altaria for it. However, it should be known that Swampert lacks reliable recovery in this role and is highly susceptible to being lured by coverage moves such as Zeraora's Grass Knot or worn down by repeated hits over the course of a game, making other defensive staples like Amoonguss and Rotom-W equally important in their ability to alleviate pressure on Swampert to switch into threats like Aegislash and Moltres. Additionally, Pokemon that can check Grass-types like Roserade and Skarmory are also beneficial for Swampert, as both Pokemon also have access to Spikes and can form a nice hazard stacking core with it, while appreciating Swampert's ability to pivot into Fire and Flying-types that threaten both Pokemon so greatly. Lastly, options for removing entry hazards such as Salamence, Moltres and Mandibuzz help keep Swampert healthy against opposing Spikes that could otherwise undermine most of Swampert's defensive value.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Yawn can be used over Toxic, as it has excellent synergy with Flip Turn and can force even more switches against passive walls for its teammates to take advantage of, but sacrifices most of Swampert's defensive matchups against Pokemon such as Rotom-W and Tangrowth without Toxic, while Roar allows Swampert to deal with potentially lethal wincons such as Substitute + Toxic Aegislash and Calm Mind Reuniclus in a pinch, but carries similar downsides in other matchups and makes Swampert less applicable overall. Similarly, Ice Beam can be used to lure in and more immediately weaken Salamence for a teammate like Urshifu-R to exploit, but suffers from a lack of relevant targets otherwise. A physically defensive spread can be used to weather hits from Cobalion and Zygarde-10% more effectively, but leaves Swampert more vulnerable to specially-oriented Pokemon such as Azelf and Salamence.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types and Grass-type Coverage**: Grass-types such as Amoonguss, Zarude, and Tangrowth are all immensely dangerous to Swampert, as they each pack have the bulk and longevity needed to pivot into Swampert and threaten it with 4x super effective STAB moves, although Tangrowth dislikes taking Toxic on the switch. Swampert also needs to fear potential Grass-type coverage from the likes of Nihilego and Zeraora as well, being unable to properly check the latter until Grass Knot is scouted for.
**Status and Knock Off**: Due to Swampert's lack of reliable recovery, methods of negating the effectiveness of its Leftovers like Knock Off from Zeraora or Toxic from Rotom-H severely cut into its longevity, limiting the amount of times Swampert can come into the Pokemon it is meant to check.
**Powerful Wallbreakers**: Swampert's middling long-term survivability makes it highly vulnerable to being overwhelmed by most powerful wallbreakers such as Urshifu-R, Choice Specs Primarina, and Life Orb Mienshao.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Arishem, 546157]]
- Quality checked by: [[Pubo, 535121], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]
Last edited:
