
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Giga Drain
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Sleep Powder
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Regenerator
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Tangrowth's immense physical bulk in conjunction with Regenerator makes it a very sturdy check to Pokemon such as Rillaboom, Kartana, Mega Lopunny, and Landorus-T without Flyinium Z. It also has access to useful utility moves such as Sleep Powder and Knock Off, which can punish Pokemon such as Heatran, Zapdos, and Kyurem that would switch in rather freely otherwise. Unfortunately, Tangrowth doesn't effectively deal with some very common physical attackers, such as Victini, Mega Scizor, and Weavile, and its terrible special bulk leaves it open to threats such as Kyurem, Tapu Lele, Life Orb Clefable, and Heatran. A lack of reliable recovery also leaves it open to very powerful physical wallbreakers such as Dragonium Z Garchomp, Mega Mawile, and Mega Medicham. Knock Off cripples common switch-ins such as Heatran and Zapdos. Hidden Power Ice is the preferred coverage move, dealing big damage to Landorus-T and Garchomp while also working together with Giga Drain to force Gliscor to spam Roost in order to avoid fainting. Hidden Power Fire can also be used, however, to force immediate damage onto Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Kartana, but losing pressure on the aforementioned Ground-types is very detrimental. Sleep Powder allows Tangrowth to put a foe out of commission completely, therefore giving a teammate a free switch in and punishing a threat such as Mega Latias, Corviknight, or Clefable. Rocky Helmet allows Tangrowth to chip down physical attackers such as Mega Lopunny, Mega Mawile, and Kartana, therefore making it less passive overall. A Relaxed nature is preferred, as Tangrowth uses both of its attacking stats and its Speed is already very low.
Tangrowth fits on balance teams that need a very sturdy check to physical attackers such as Mega Lopunny, Kartana, and Rillaboom. Ground-types work well with Tangrowth, as they appreciate Tangrowth taking on Water- and Grass-types like Rillaboom, Kartana, and Mega Swampert. They are capable of blocking Volt Switch from the likes of Tapu Koko and Magnezone, as Tangrowth is not a suitable check to any of these on its own. Examples such as Garchomp and Gliscor work well to check the aforementioned while also switching into Heatran. These Ground-types can also can set Stealth Rock, which is important for Tangrowth, as it allows its team to better pressure dangerous Fire-types such as Mega Charizard Y, Victini, and Heatran. Tangrowth's special bulk is meager, so having a very bulky specially defensive wall is recommended. Specially defensive Heatran pairs well with Tangrowth, as it can take on threats such as Zapdos, Life Orb Clefable, and Tapu Lele. Mega Tyranitar can also help Tangrowth out against Heatran, Reuniclus, and Mega Latias. Slowking can deal with threats such as Heatran and Tapu Lele. Tapu Fini also pairs well with Tangrowth due to it taking care of Ash-Greninja as well as Heatran, while Blissey can also act as a general sponge to Ash-Greninja, Kyurem, Tapu Koko, and Mega Charizard Y. These teammates appreciate Tangrowth taking care of dangerous physical attackers, such as Landorus-T, Gliscor, Mega Lopunny, and Rillaboom. Tangrowth needs good entry hazard removal on its side, as hazard damage can put it in range of some of the tier's stronger wallbreakers, such as Weavile and Swords Dance Mega Mawile. Zapdos, Tapu Fini, and Excadrill are all potentially good partners as a result. Additional checks to physical attackers Tangrowth can't deal with are also beneficial; Toxapex or Melmetal can take care of Weavile, while Corviknight can work with a revenge killer that can finish off Ground-types, such as Weavile or Ash-Greninja, to deal with Swords Dance variants of Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Gliscor. Teammates like Swords Dance Garchomp and Mega Mawile appreciate Sleep Powder giving them a setup opportunity.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Sludge Bomb can be used over Sleep Powder to hit opposing Grass-types such as Rillaboom, opposing Tangrowth, and Serperior, but most of them dislike Knock Off and Hidden Power Ice anyway or have a secondary typing that removes their weakness to the move. A set utilizing Infestation and Worry Seed can trap Gliscor and remove its Poison Heal. This also allows Tangrowth to more easily run Hidden Power Fire. Earthquake can be used over Sleep Powder to surprise Heatran, Tapu Koko, and Magnezone on the switch while allowing Tangrowth to more effectively check Excadrill. Stun Spore can also be used to push paralysis onto threats such as Mega Charizard Y, Heatran, and Corviknight. Rock Slide can be used over Sleep Powder, as it nails Mega Charizard Y, Moltres, and Volcarona as they switch in, but Tangrowth's other moves tend to be more consistently useful.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Mega Charizard Y easily breaks through Tangrowth and takes minimal damage from anything bar the extremely rare Rock Slide. Mega Charizard X, Heatran, Victini, and Moltres are threatening as well, but the latter three dislike Knock Off, and the former three have to be careful to not blunder into an Earthquake.
**Flying-types**: Flyinium Z Landorus-T can lure in and dispose of Tangrowth as it switches in, but it can't set up on it due to the threat of Hidden Power Ice. Hawlucha, Zapdos, and Mega Pinsir can also use their STAB moves to break through Tangrowth. Tangrowth also can't do much to defensive Flying-types like Corviknight and Zapdos except remove their item or potentially put them to sleep.
**Ice-types and Ice-type coverage**: Weavile and Kyurem are capable of busting through Tangrowth with their powerful STAB moves, although Weavile will take heavy damage due to Rocky Helmet if it uses Triple Axel on Tangrowth, and neither wants to eat Knock Off. Ice-type coverage from Slowbro and Mega Latias can also prove problematic.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Tangrowth's meager special bulk means that strong special attackers such as Mega Latios, Kyurem, and Tapu Lele can all break through it with relative ease, although they must watch out for Sleep Powder and coverage moves, and they should confirm that the Tangrowth is not a rarer Assault Vest variant. The lack of special bulk also leaves Tangrowth wide open to Future Sight from the likes of Slowbro and Slowking, which can prevent it from effectively dealing with physical attackers like Mega Lopunny and Tyranitar.
**Grass-types**: Mega Venusaur completely walls Tangrowth and can threaten it with Sludge Bomb. Amoonguss doesn't love taking Knock Off but also effortlessly forces out Tangrowth. Certain offensive Grass-types, such as Swords Dance Kartana and Serperior, are also capable of taking care of Tangrowth once they boost up.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye takes virtually no damage from any of Tangrowth's standard moves, denies progress-making by absorbing Knock Off and Sleep Powder, and proceeds to cripple it with a burn.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[SputnikGT, 475916]]
- Quality checked by: [[Guard, 360582], [Jordy, 395754], [Solaros & Lunaris, 471780], [Zneon, 487629]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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