Overview
########
Vigoroth's good bulk with Eviolite and its ability to set up with Bulk Up allow it to become an effective sweeper in the PU metagame. This is backed up by its access to a reliable recovery move in Slack Off, its good Speed stat, and its access to Taunt, allowing it to successfully stallbreak and set up on defensive Pokemon such as Tangela and Togetic. Despite this, its middling Attack requires it to obtain multiple boosts to break past stall teams, it is walled by common Pokemon, and it relies a lot on its Eviolite to take hits, especially because of its low Special Defense, so it can be easily revenge killed by faster special attackers.
Stallbreaker
########
name: Stallbreaker
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Return
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Taunt
ability: Vital Spirit
item: Eviolite
evs: 252 HP / 172 SpD / 86 Spe
nature: Careful
Moves
========
Bulk Up increases Vigoroth's Attack as well as its Defense, allowing it to deal heavy damage and possibly sweep, as well as set up on physical attackers more easily. Taunt prevents foes from using status, phazing, recovery, and setup moves; defensive Pokemon could defeat Taunt-lacking Vigoroth much more easily. Slack Off allows Vigoroth to recover lost health, allowing it to tank more hits. Return is its strongest STAB move and only attacking move on this set, so it is used even though it makes Vigoroth easy to wall. Substitute could be used instead of Taunt to protect Vigoroth from Scald burns, Body Slam paralyses, and having its item Knocked Off.
Set Details
========
84 Speed EVs allow Vigoroth to outspeed Timid Aurorus as well as other Pokemon, such as Barbaracle, Heatmor, Flareon, and Huntail. The remaining EVs go into HP and Special Defense to increase Vigoroth's special bulk as much as possible, as it cannot boost it with Bulk Up; a Careful nature further increases Vigoroth's special bulk. Eviolite increases Vigoroth's defenses even further, allowing it to stomach special hits and set up on physical attackers much more easily. 144 Speed EVs could be used to allow Vigoroth to outspeed Kricketune and Taunt it.
Usage Tips
========
Vigoroth should try to set up Bulk Up on defensive Pokemon that do not threaten it, such as Piloswine and Avalugg. However, be careful of defensive Pokemon such as Lickilicky, which might be carrying Knock Off or Dragon Tail. Taunt should be used in order to prevent foes from using status moves on Vigoroth, which limit Vigoroth's ability to slowly set up, and phazing moves, which ruin Vigoroth's sweep. Vigoroth should be wary of moves such as Body Slam and Scald, which may result in status but cannot be prevented by Taunt. Vigoroth should not set up if the opponent has a Ghost-type or bulky Rock- or Steel-type Pokemon, which completely wall it. However, with enough boosts, Vigoroth can break through less bulky examples, such as Aurorus, and with Toxic Spikes up, Vigoroth can stall out grounded Rock- and Ghost-types.
Team Options
========
Dark-types such as Mightyena and Sneasel make good partners, as they can beat the Ghost-types that wall Vigoroth, and the latter can trap them with Pursuit. Toxic Poliwrath can be used to bait Misdreavus, turning it into setup fodder for Vigoroth. Ground- and Fighting-types such as Piloswine and Poliwrath also make good partners, as they beat Rock- and Steel-types, which Vigoroth hates. Flying- and Psychic-types such as Swanna and Beheeyem can be paired with Vigoroth to beat Throh and Poliwrath, which threaten Vigoroth with their Fighting-type STAB move. Toxic Spikes support from Pokemon such as Garbodor and Roselia wears down opposing Pokemon as Vigoroth is setting up; this is effective because Vigoroth does not deal much damage before setting up, which may take a long time, and Vigoroth can keep the hazards up by Taunting Defog users. Garbodor and Roselia can also absorb Toxic Spikes, which otherwise prevent Vigoroth from sweeping.
Other Options
########
Body Slam can be used over Return to have a chance to paralyze the opponent, making Vigoroth more effective against offensive teams; however, this is counterproductive when using Toxic Spikes support. Earthquake hits Rock- and Steel-types, while Shadow Claw and Sucker Punch hit Ghost-types, all of which wall Vigoroth. Sucker Punch also grants Vigoroth a form of priority; however, it does not have a spare moveslot for these moves. Lastly, Toxic could be used over Bulk Up to wear down walls.
Checks & Counters
########
**Ghost-types**: While Gourgeist and Drifblim completely wall Vigoroth, many Ghost-types cannot do anything to it when Taunted. Offensive Misdreavus can outspeed Vigoroth and either set up a Nasty Plot or Taunt it, forcing Vigoroth to switch. Gourgeist-S can outspeed Vigoroth and burn it, while Haunter can Trick a Choice Scarf onto Vigoroth or use Substitute and try to wear Vigoroth down with Sludge Bomb.
**Rock-types**: Rock-type, such as Golem and Solrock, resist Return; however, they cannot do much back if either Vigoroth has either set up or Taunted them. Barbaracle can outspeed Vigoroth, set up a Shell Smash, and proceed to OHKO it.
**Steel-types**: Metang and Klang can wall Vigoroth but cannot do much in return if Taunted. Bastiodon can use Magic Coat to bounce back a Taunt and then set up Stealth Rock and phaze Vigoroth out with Roar.
**Throh**: Throh has the bulk to live boosted hits, can deal heavy damage to Vigoroth with STAB Storm Throw, which bypasses its Defense boosts; can phaze it out with Circle Throw, and can Knock Off its Eviolite.
**Status**: Burns ruin Vigoroth's ability to sweep. Scald burns from Pokemon such as Pelipper cannot be prevented by Taunt, while Gourgeist-S can outspeed Vigoroth and use Will-O-Wisp. A paralyzed Vigoroth is much easier to revenge kill, and although Vigoroth can outspeed and Taunt most Thunder Wave users, Volbeat and Meowstic-M can move before it due to Prankster. Toxic Spikes greatly wear Vigoroth down and can be set up before Vigoroth switches in, preventing its setters from being Taunted.
**Knock Off**: Vigoroth relies on its Eviolite in order to take special hits, and without Eviolite, special attackers such as Raichu can OHKO Vigoroth. Knock Off users such as Pelipper and Sneasel can either live a hit from Vigoroth or outspeed it, respectively.
**Circle Throw and Dragon Tail**: Poliwrath can take any hit from Vigoroth and phaze it out with Circle Throw, and Lickilicky can do the same with Dragon Tail. These moves cannot be prevented by Taunt and all of their common users can live a boosted hit from Vigoroth.
**Special Attackers**: Even with investment, Vigoroth has mediocre Special Defense, so strong special attackers, such as Beheeyem and Ninetales, can deal heavy damage to it. Special Fighting-type coverage moves, such as Focus Blast from Raichu and Heatmor, also deal heavy damage to Vigoroth.
Last edited:
