name: Defensive (Water)
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Flip Turn / Scald
move 4: Roar / Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Swampert's part-Ground typing grants it an invaluable immunity to Electric attacks, making it the premier Stealth Rock setter for Water teams. Stealth Rock can chip down foes for its teammates while breaking Sturdy on Pokemon such as Skarmory. Earthquake allows Swampert to significantly damage Electric-types such as Regieleki and Zeraora. Flip Turn allows Swampert to generate momentum for Water teams and safely bring in teammates. Alternatively, Scald can be used to fish for burns against Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and Urshifu-S; however, the momentum is more appreciated. Roar allows Swampert to force out physical setup sweepers such as Bulk Up Urshifu-S and Dragon Dance Dragonite. Toxic is an option over Roar, as it allows Swampert to cripple foes such as Zapdos, Rotom-W, and Mega Latias by putting them on a timer. Leftovers grants Swampert a form of passive recovery. Maximum HP and Defense investment alongside an Impish nature allows it to be as physically bulky as possible and better take on threats such as Urshifu-S, Zeraora, and Mega Scizor.
All of Swampert's teammates appreciate it granting the type an Electric immunity, setting Stealth Rock, and generating momentum by bringing them in safely with Flip Turn. Toxapex provides a Grass neutrality for Swampert and can take attacks such as Mega Venusaur's Giga Drain and Ferrothorn's Power Whip. Additionally, it can sponge attacks such as Latios's Draco Meteor and recover off damage thanks to Regenerator + Recover, form a hazard stacking core with Swampert with Toxic Spikes, cripple Flying-types like Zapdos with Toxic, OHKO Tapu Bulu with Sludge Bomb, and threaten Calm Mind Tapu Fini with Poison Jab. Tapu Fini provides a Dragon immunity; prevents Swampert from being vulnerable to status with Misty Terrain; stallbreaks with Taunt; and can break past Kyurem with Choice Scarf Moonblast, which otherwise destroys Swampert. Slowking provides a switch-in to powerful Psychic-type attacks such as Choice Specs Tapu Lele's Psychic and can sponge attacks with Regenerator. Greninja can take on Dragon- and Grass-types such as Dragonite and Celebi with Ice Beam, beat Fairy-type Pokemon such as Tapu Koko with Gunk Shot, and revenge kill foes with its Choice Scarf set. Urshifu-R can take on Kyurem, Mandibuzz, and Ferrothorn with Close Combat. Rotom-W can cripple physical attackers such as Mega Altaria with Will-O-Wisp, allowing it to phaze them with Roar more easily. Slowking, Greninja, Urshifu-R, and Rotom-W can all form some sort of momentum-grabbing core with Swampert due to their access to Teleport, U-turn, and Volt Switch. Rotom-W and Mantine can switch into Ground-type attacks from foes like Landorus-T and Sand Rush Excadrill and clear entry hazards with Defog. Mega Sharpedo can act as a late-game sweeper in matchups such as Psychic and Flying by breaking through threats such as Celebi, Deoxys-S, and Landorus.
[SET]
name: Swiftly Swimming (Water)
move 1: Waterfall
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
move 4: Flip Turn / Stealth Rock
item: Swampertite
ability: Torrent
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Mega Swampert is a blessing to rain teams by providing an Electric immunity, being able to set Stealth Rock, and using Swift Swim alongside Pelipper's rain. Rain-boosted Waterfall allows it to better take on Pokemon like Celesteela and Zapdos, especially thanks to the added flinching chance. Earthquake allows it to take on Electric-, Poison-, and Steel-type Pokemon such as Zeraora, Toxapex, and Melmetal. Ice Punch allows Mega Swampert to target Grass-, Flying-, and Dragon-type Pokemon such as Breloom, Dragonite, and Garchomp. Stone Edge is an alternative to nail Mantine, which otherwise walls Mega Swampert. Flip Turn allows Mega Swampert to generate momentum by pivoting on a predicted switch, allowing it to bring in a better teammate such as Greninja to take on the foe. Alternatively, Stealth Rock allows Mega Swampert to chip down Pokemon such as Rotom-W and Dragapult, in turn making them easier to revenge kill. Swift Swim doubles its Speed under rain, allowing it to outpace threats such as Volcarona after a Quiver Dance and Choice Scarf Excadrill. Maximum Speed and Attack investment alongside a Jolly nature allows it to outpace threats such as Adamant Tapu Bulu.
Pelipper is an essential teammate, as it sets rain for Mega Swampert, enabling Swift Swim and allowing it to act as a revenge killer and powerful wallbreaker. In addition to setting rain, Pelipper can also nuke Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur with Hurricane, utilize a defensive set with Heavy-Duty Boots to safely pivot in Mega Swampert with U-turn, provide a Ground immunity, and clear entry hazards with Defog. Urshifu-R forms a physical wallbreaking core with Mega Swampert, being able to break past Steel-, Dark-, Ice-, and Normal-type Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Mandibuzz, Kyurem, and Porygon2. In addition, Urshifu-R can form a pivoting core with Mega Swampert due to U-turn. Greninja can break past Water- and Flying-type Pokemon like opposing Swampert, Mantine, and Landorus with Grass Knot, Hidden Power Electric, and Ice Beam and set Toxic Spikes for Mega Swampert. Choice Scarf Tapu Fini prevents Mega Swampert from being vulnerable to status due to Misty Terrain, provides a Dragon immunity, and can revenge kill Dragon-type Pokemon such as Kyurem and Choice Specs Latios with Moonblast. Additionally, Choice Scarf Tapu Fini can cripple a defensive Pokemon such as Skarmory or Celesteela with Trick, allowing Mega Swampert to then beat them down with ease. Kingdra is a fellow Swift Swim user that can take advantage of Dragon-types and revenge kill them with Draco Meteor and Ice Beam while threatening Grass-type Pokemon such as Zarude with Hurricane. Kingdra can also break past physical walls such as Skarmory for Mega Swampert, and in return, Mega Swampert can break past special walls such as Blissey. Barraskewda is another Swift Swim user that can break down its shared checks with Mega Swampert such as Skarmory with its physical Water-type moves, take on Pokemon such as Kyurem with Close Combat, and pivot it in safely with Flip Turn. Manaphy can break past physical walls and checks to Mega Swampert such as Skarmory, Dragonite, and Mega Venusaur thanks to its wallbreaking potential with Tail Glow and great coverage moves. Additionally, thanks to its ability Hydration, it can absorb status for Mega Swampert then use Rest, effectively allowing it to act as a stallbreaker. One of Slowking and Toxapex are typically present on rain teams due to their ability Regenerator, allowing them to act as tanks while being able to pivot out with Teleport or Eject Button, respectively, safely bringing in Mega Swampert. Slowking eases the Psychic matchup, while Toxapex eases the Grass matchup and provides Toxic Spikes. Empoleon can alternatively be used because it can clear entry hazards with Defog, provides a resistance to Dragon- and Psychic-type attacks such as Draco Meteor and Psychic from Latios, and can act as the Stealth Rock setter.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Water
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On defensive Swampert, a Relaxed nature and 0 Speed IVs allow it to be as slow as possible when pivoting with Flip Turn against Pokemon such as Hippowdon, giving it the most opportunities to safely bring in its teammates. Toxic can be used over Stealth Rock on Mega Swampert, allowing it to nail checks such as Rotom-W and break them later in the match. Superpower can be used over Flip Turn on Mega Swampert to better check threats such as Ferrothorn and Zarude.
Checks and Counters
===================
Water
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**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur, Rillaboom, and Ferrothorn can OHKO Swampert with their STAB attacks and easily tank any attack it tries to throw at them. However, slower, frail Grass-type Pokemon such as Breloom can be handled with Ice Punch.
**Physical Walls**: Physical walls such as Skarmory and Mandibuzz can easily tank any attack Swampert has, but Mandibuzz needs to be careful of Toxic.
**Status**: Swampert does not appreciate being burned or poisoned, as the former reduces its damage output, while the latter limits its time in battle. While rare, Mega Swampert can also be paralyzed by Stun Spore users such as Whimsicott.
**Wallbreakers**: Pokemon such as Choice Band Urshifu, Choice Specs Latios, and Tapu Koko can threaten Swampert with their STAB attacks and coverage moves. However, rain allows it to outspeed a majority of wallbreakers and OHKO or severely dent them with its attacks.
**Opposing Weather Setters**: Since Mega Swampert relies on rain for its Speed with Swift Swim, opposing weather setters such as Tyranitar, Hippowdon, and Torkoal prevent it from doing its job. Mega Charizard Y and Alolan Ninetales in particular can also OHKO Mega Swampert with Solar Beam and Freeze-Dry. Since rain also increases the power of Waterfall, changing the weather from rain reduces its wallbreaking capacity; this is especially true with sun, since it reduces damage done by Water-type attacks.
**Revenge Killers**: Fast revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Latios and Choice Band Barraskewda can all outspeed and revenge kill Mega Swampert in rain. Other Pokemon such as Greninja can easily outspeed and OHKO it outside of rain.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[maroon, 305839]]
- Water analysis by: [[maroon, 305839]]
- Quality checked by: [[Maple, 473171], [Rotten, 491896]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
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