[OVERVIEW]
Amoonguss is a premier physical wall in NU, taking advantage of its typing to check powerful wallbreakers like Paldean Tauros-W, Basculegion-M, and Breloom, and, with Regenerator, it can scout out many wallbreakers like Flygon, Inteleon, and Torterra. Additionally, with access to Stun Spore and Toxic as well as with Sludge Bomb's high poison chance, Amoonguss spreads status quite easily, letting it even make progress against checks like Incineroar, Chandelure, and Scyther. One of the main issues with Amoonguss, though, is that it lets in Poison-types like Munkidori, Toxicroak, and Toxtricity very freely, and its inability to do much back to them turns it into a liability at times, since they can easily use it as setup fodder. What's more, Amoonguss's weakness to top threats like Alolan Ninetales, Chandelure, Kilowattrel, and Uxie also holds it back quite a bit, and many of the Pokemon that it'd like to check, such as Flamigo, Decidueye, Paldean Tauros-F, and Toxicroak often carry a second typing and STAB attack that invalidates Amoonguss's ability to switch in against them at all.
[SET]
name: The Impostor (Regenerator)
move 1: Sludge Bomb / Clear Smog
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Foul Play / Stomping Tantrum
move 4: Toxic / Stun Spore / Synthesis
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Rocky Helmet
ability: Regenerator
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 SpD
tera type: Water / Steel / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Sludge Bomb is preferred for its poison chance and higher Base Power than Clear Smog; however, Clear Smog can help Amoonguss against setup sweepers like Overqwil, Scrafty, and Flygon. Foul Play aids versus physical setup sweepers and wallbreakers like Cinccino, Flygon, and Decidueye. On the other hand, Stomping Tantrum can ensure that Amoonguss isn't walled and taken advantage of by Poison-types like Toxicroak, Alolan Muk, and Toxtricity. Toxic and Stun Spore let Amoonguss cripple setup sweepers like Incineroar, Paldean Tauros-F, Scyther, and Overqwil, while Synthesis provides a reliable source of healing so that Amoonguss doesn't have to rely solely on Giga Drain and Regenerator. Additionally, due to Stomping Tantrum clearing the Poison- and Steel-types immune to poison, it has great synergy with Toxic. Heavy-Duty Boots guarantees that Amoonguss's Regenerator isn't just rendered moot by entry hazards, but Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers like Paldean Tauros-W, Basculegion-M, and Breloom. Eject Button is also a useful item on Amoonguss, since Amoonguss can immediately recover health by switching out thanks to its Regenerator, and it can bring in a teammate safely on the field. This is largely appreciated by rain teams, which enjoy having their rain sweepers at high health. The given EV spread allows Amoonguss to survive a Bleakwind Storm from Tornadus. Tera Water lets Amoonguss take Ice- and Fire-type attacks from Alolan Ninetales, Avalugg, Inteleon, Chandelure, and Paldean Tauros-F. Tera Steel, though, lets it take a myriad of special attacks, including Inteleon's Ice Beam, Tornadus's Hurricane, Munkidori's Psychic, and Porygon-Z's Tri Attack. Alternatively, Tera Fairy is a great defensive typing that also maintains Amoonguss's Fighting resistance while making it better into Flygon, Heracross, and Scyther.
Opposing Poison-types like Toxicroak, Munkidori, and Toxtricity can be quite problematic for Amoonguss, since they easily switch into it and can use it as setup fodder. Because of this, Pokemon like Gligar, Bronzong, and Porygon2 make for good teammates. Common Fighting-weak Pokemon like Registeel, Incineroar, and Avalugg pair well with Amoonguss, as it can check Breloom, Paldean Tauros-W, and Heracross. Partners like Milotic, Vaporeon, and Goodra pair well with Amoonguss, handling dangerous Fire-types like Paldean Tauros-F, Incineroar, and Chandelure. On the other hand, offensive Water- and Ground-types like Inteleon, Basculegion-M, and Flygon pair well with Amoonguss, since they can capitalize on how it draws in these Fire-types. Amoonguss's ability to spread status like poison and paralysis with Sludge Bomb, Toxic, and Stun Spore onto Pokemon like Incineroar, Hisuian Typhlosion, and Munkidori is highly appreciated by slower wallbreakers like Chandelure and Heracross. Additionally, Hisuian Typhlosion and Chandelure can take advantage of the status ailments that Amoonguss inflicts on the opposing team with their Infernal Parade and Hex, respectively. Partners like Paldean Tauros-F, Chandelure, and Inteleon enjoy Amoonguss's Water and Grass resistances, letting it be a switch-in to Vaporeon, Paldean Tauros-W, and Breloom, and in the case of the former two, it can also check Flygon for them. Amoonguss sets lacking Heavy-Duty Boots can be easily overwhelmed by having to take both strong attacks from wallbreakers like Flygon and chip damage from entry hazards. To patch this issue, Amoonguss should be paired with hazard removal options like Tidy Up Cinccino, Defog Cramorant and Altaria, and Rapid Spin Avalugg.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Amoonguss can use Assault Vest to capitalize on its good resistances, letting it better handle attackers like Inteleon, Sylveon, and Diancie. However, in doing so, it won't be able to use Synthesis, making it entirely reliant on Regenerator for healing, and it can't spread status with Toxic and Stun Spore.
Checks and Counters
====
**Poison-types**: Amoonguss fails to do any meaningful damage to Dragalge, Overqwil, Toxicroak, Munkidori, and Toxtricity with solely its STAB moves, leaving the first to use it as a free switch-in and the latter four free to treat it as setup fodder. However, if Amoonguss carries Stomping Tantrum, it can mitigate their ability to capitalize on it.
**Fire-types**: Amoonguss can't touch Chandelure, Incineroar, and Hisuian Typhlosion too well, meaning they can switch in freely, though they must be cautious of being paralyzed or poisoned.
**Flying-types**: Tornadus, Kilowattrel, Scyther, and Galarian Articuno all can switch in on a Grass-type attack from Amoonguss and threaten it out with their powerful Flying-type attacks. However, they must be cautious of Amoonguss's Sludge Bomb, Stun Spore, and Toxic.
**Ice-types**: Alolan Ninetales, Avalugg, Beartic, and Alolan Sandslash all threaten Amoonguss with their Ice-type STAB moves. However, the former three loathe switching into it for fear of Sludge Bomb, Toxic, and Stun Spore, while the last dislikes taking a Stomping Tantrum. On top of that, Amoonguss commonly carries Ice-resistant Tera types like Water and Steel, meaning it can take on these threats itself if necessary.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/powerofmemes.583607/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rabia.336073/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hammer798.641404/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
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