[OVERVIEW]
Tangrowth is one of the few viable sleep inducers in Ubers. The combination of Regenerator, great physical bulk, and a decent defensive typing lets Tangrowth check many physical threats such as Zygarde, Groudon, and Necrozma-DM. As a trade-off, Tangrowth is extremely fragile specially. Its typing leaves it vulnerable to extremely common Ice-, Fire-, and Poison-type attacks, but even neutral special hits can bring it down, such as Eternatus's Dynamax Cannon and Calyrex-S's Astral Barrage. Also, after putting a foe to sleep, Tangrowth somewhat struggles to be useful, as it's very weak unless it hits super effectively.
[SET]
name: Sleeper
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Grass Knot
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Leech Seed / Synthesis
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Tangrowth's great bulk makes it a decent physical check to many threats in the tier, including Necrozma-DM, Groudon, and Zekrom. Sleep Powder is the main asset of this set, as sleep inducers are extremely rare in Ubers. Grass Knot hits the heavy foes found in the tier quite hard, and it gives Tangrowth a good chance to break Zygarde-C's Substitute. Knock Off severely hinders the effectiveness of switch-ins such as Yveltal, Ho-Oh, and Lunala. Leech Seed helps against bulky set-up sweepers like Coil Zygarde and Calm Mind Kyogre while also keeping Tangrowth healthy. It also discourages foes like specially defensive Necrozma-DM and defensive Groudon, which would use Tangrowth as a free opportunity to set up Stealth Rock. If your team has answers to those threats, Synthesis helps Tangrowth check dangerous threats such as Choice Band Marshadow. Rocky Helmet punishes contact moves such as Sunsteel Strike from Necrozma-DM and Bolt Strike from Zekrom. Leftovers can be chosen instead for the extra recovery, which ensures Tangrowth is not 2HKOed by a Close Combat from Choice Band Jolly Marshadow.
Tangrowth's miserable special bulk makes specially defensive teammates mandatory. Specially defensive Necrozma-DM is a solid blanket check to special attackers and offers Stealth Rock support. Blissey functions similarly, especially helping against Kyogre and Eternatus. Sweepers that take advantage of a sleeping foe like Dragon Dance Necrozma-DM, Dragon Dance Zygarde, and Bulk Up Marshadow make great teammates for Tangrowth. Dragon Dance + Dragon Tail Zygarde and Bulk Up Marshadow are great for beating Ferrothorn and Zarude, which completely wall Tangrowth. Groudon offers sun support, which improves Tangrowth's Synthesis while setting Stealth Rock and exploiting sleeping foes with Swords Dance. In return, Tangrowth walls Marshadow, which forces out Groudon with Spectral Thief. Furthermore, with a boosted Synthesis under the sun, Tangrowth can reliably check Marshadow without being overwhelmed. Finally, clerics stop status from overwhelming Tangrowth in conjunction with heavy wallbreakers like Choice Band Marshadow. The aforementioned Blissey does this well, while Xerneas is another option that is great against mixed attackers such as Draco Meteor Zekrom and Life Orb Draco Meteor Rayquaza.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Earthquake can be used to pressure Dragon Dance Zekrom; it also hits the rare Heatran quite hard on the switch. However, its utility remains relatively low, and it's at the cost of the often superior Knock Off.
Checks and Counters
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**Grass-types**: Zarude can use Tangrowth as setup fodder, and Ferrothorn can easily set up Spikes or Iron Defense on it.
**Fire-type Coverage**: Many Pokemon that Tangrowth usually checks can use super effective coverage moves. These include Weather Ball Zekrom alongside Groudon, Heat Crash Groudon, and the extremely rare Heat Wave Necrozma-DM.
**Super Effective Moves**: Despite its great physical bulk, Tangrowth may fall to super effective physical moves after chip damage, such as Icicle Crash from Galarian Darmanitan and Weavile's Triple Axel.
**Special Attackers**: Due to Tangrowth's miserable special bulk, special attackers force it out with ease. While it cannot switch in on a Knock Off, Calyrex-S, in particular, can OHKO Tangrowth with Astral Barrage, use Trick to cripple the incoming check, or use Aromatherapy, which cures a sleep induced by Tangrowth. While it doesn't like to be put to sleep, Eternatus deals a ton of damage to Tangrowth with Flamethrower or Sludge Bomb and doesn't take much from Tangrowth's attacks. Worst of all, Pressure easily depletes Leech Seed's PP, which can leave Tangrowth completely useless against it long-term.
**Clerics**: Blissey can easily set up Stealth Rock on Tangrowth, and it doesn't care much about sleep thanks to Natural Cure. Xerneas can run Sleep Talk and doesn't take much from Tangrowth's moves, and it either threatens Tangrowth with Moonblast or uses Aromatherapy to cure its sleep. Finally, Calyrex-S can easily OHKO with Astral Barrage. However, Blissey and Calyrex-S don't like to switch in on a Knock Off.
**Substitute Users**: Tangrowth relies a lot on Leech Seed and Sleep Powder to be effective. Behind a Substitute, Geomancy Xerneas and Dragon Dance Zekrom use Tangrowth as setup fodder.
**Heatran**: While it fears Earthquake and doesn't want to be put to sleep, Heatran easily OHKOes Tangrowth with Magma Storm. By forcing Tangrowth out, it is free to set up Stealth Rock.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Eledyr, 415367]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lasen, 273339], [SiTuM, 274590]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [dex, 277988]]
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