[OVERVIEW]
Buzzwole is an excellent Pokemon in the metagame thanks to its stellar stats, ability, and typing letting it act as a multi-faceted tank. Thanks to its incredible Defense stat in tandem with its great defensive typing, Buzzwole can check common physical threats such as Weavile, Urshifu-R, Kartana, and Rillaboom. Additionally, Buzzwole’s high Attack stat alongside amazing coverage options make it a strong offensive presence in its own right, being able to directly threaten the various physical attackers it does well into while also boasting nice coverage against the likes of Landorus-T, Galarian Slowking, and Toxapex. This offensive prowess opens Buzzwole up to a variety of different offensive roles, acting as either an offensive tank, flexing its defensive presence while also being to dish out offense against the physical Pokemon it checks, or a strong Choice Band wallbreaker capable of stacking Attack boosts with Beast Boost to quickly become a behemoth. However, Buzzwole's low Special Defense stat makes it extremely exploitable by the various special attackers available in the tier. It easily gets 2HKOed by even neutral hits such as Dragapult's Shadow Ball and Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt. Additionally, Buzzwole's typing, while offering great resistances, gives it horrible weaknesses to types like Fairy, Fire, and a quadruple weakness to Flying which in tandem with its mediocre Speed, leaves it vulnerable to being easily overwhelmed by common Pokemon such as Tornadus-T, Tapu Lele, and Volcanion.
[SET]
Tank (Buzzwole) @ Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 104 Atk / 44 Def / 112 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Ice Punch
- Earthquake / Toxic
- Roost
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Tank Buzzwole is a formidable offensive threat that can simueltaniously wallbreak and act as a physically defensive stalwart against the majority of physical attackers available in the tier. Ice Punch is a great coverage option, hitting Flying- and Dragon-types like Landorus-T, Dragapult, Zapdos, and Dragonite that Buzzwole would otherwise struggle to directly damage. Earthquake targets Poison-types such as Galarian Slowking and Toxapex. Alternatively, Toxic gives Buzzwole an amazing utility option that lets it debilitate common Pokemon such as Tornadus-T, Slowbro, Rotom-W, and Zapdos that Buzzwole would otherwise be taken advantage by. 104 Attack EVs lets Buzzwole OHKO Garchomp with Ice Punch and 2HKO defensive Rotom-W with Close Combat. 112 Speed EVs lets Buzzwole outspeed Adamant Choice Band Tyranitar, which would otherwise 2HKO Buzzwole with Stone Edge. The rest of Buzzwole's EVs are invested into Defense as to better take hits from the likes of Melmetal and Tyranitar. Rocky Helmet bolsters Buzzwole's role as a defensive Pokemon, punishing non-Protective Pads Urshifu-R and Melmetal for using their multi-hit attacks. Alternatively, Heavy-Duty Boots avoids chip damage from entry hazards, greatly bolstering Buzzwole's longevity and making it less vulnerable to being overwhelmed by Melmetal, Urshifu-R, and Choice Band Weavile.
Team Options
========
Buzzwole fits best on bulky offense and balance teams as a consistent answer to physical threats such as Weavile and Kartana that would otherwise blaze through offensive teams. Specially defensive teammates such as Landorus-T and Heatran make for solid partners, helping greatly against special attackers such as Dragapult, Tapu Koko, Volcarona, and Tapu Lele that would otherwise obliterate Buzzwole. Additionally, these Pokemon both provide useful utility; the former boasts access to hazard control in both Stealth Rock and Defog alongside U-turn and Toxic, letting it maintain offensive momentum while quickly chipping down foes, while the latter can wittle Pokemon like Clefable and Volcarona with Magma Storm and Toxic. Setup sweepers such as Weavile, Garchomp, and Zeraora can capitalize off of Buzzwole beating the likes of Landorus-T and Toxapex to find strong opportunities to set up and sweep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bulk Up Buzzwole can act as a decent set-up cleaner, leveraging its great bulk and typing against the physically offensive Pokemon it checks to set up and sweep. This role is further helped by Beast Boost's snowball effect making it continuously stronger. However, Buzzwole often has a difficult time consistently setting up due to its poor special bulk leaving it vulnerable to very common Pokemon such as Dragapult, Heatran, Tornadus-T, and Clefable. As a result, it requires very strong support against these threats to properly function. Choice Scarf Buzzwole can act as a late-game cleaner, capitalizing off the boost in Speed given by Choice Scarf to more easily threaten offensive Pokemon. It can surprise Pokemon that would regularly outspeed Buzzwole such as Heatran, Zapdos, and Volcanion and threaten them with its great coverage moves in return. However, Buzzwole's Speed, while strong with Choice Scarf, is not enough to keep up with other Choice Scarf users like Tapu Lele as well as Speed-boosting sweepers such as Dragon Dance Dragapult and Blaziken, which can often spell doom for Buzzwole.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Attackers**: Buzzwole's pitiful Special Defense stat leaves it vulnerable to being overwhelmed by various common special attackers such as Dragapult, Tapu Koko, Volcarona, and Blacephalon.
**Fairy-types**: Clefable is an amazing check to Buzzwole, being able to switch into any of its moves and force it out with Moonblast. Additionally, Magic Guard means that Buzzwole crucially cannot debilitate Clefable with Toxic. Similarly, Tapu Fini's Misty Surge means that Buzzwole cannot Toxic it, and ultimately becomes either set-up fodder for Calm Mind sets or eviscerated by Choice Scarf sets. Tapu Lele, while more difficult to reliably bring in due to Earthquake's high damage, absolutely throttles Buzzwole with either of its STABs.
**Flying-types**: Pokemon like Tornadus-T, Zapdos, Dragonite, and Corviknight can all comfortably switch in on Close Combat or Earthquake and cleanly OHKO Buzzwole in return with their Flying-type STAB moves. However, barring Corviknight, all of these Pokemon must exercise caution switching into Ice Punch or Toxic. Additionally, Tornadus-T and Zapdos must rely on the inaccurate Hurricane to OHKO Buzzwole, leaving them open to take notable damage from Ice Punch.
**Psychic-types**: Slowbro is an excellent answer to Buzzwole, taking minimal damage from any of Buzzwole's attacks and in return, either using it as fodder to set up Future Sight or attempting to fish for burn with Scald. Other special attackers such as Victini and Latios can comfortably switch in on Close Combat and totally neuter Buzzwole with their respective STAB moves. However, these two have a difficult time switching into Buzzwole's coverage, with both being 2HKOed by Earthquake and Ice Punch, respectively.
**Residual Damage**: Buzzwole's main asset is its longevity against physical attackers, so any way to chip down at Buzzwole will generally weaken its defensive capabilities. Toxic users such as Landorus-T, Toxapex, Zeraora, and Garchomp can effectively ruin Buzzwole's longevity, making it much easier to overwhelm. Burn from the likes of Slowbro, Gastrodon, Toxapex, and Rotom-W can be especially dangerous, cutting into both Buzzwole's offensive and defensive capability, making it easier to switch into.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bt89.487308/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
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