PU Vigoroth

[tondas]

[OVERVIEW]

Vigoroth's good bulk, solid Speed tier, and access to Taunt and Bulk Up allow it to act as both a stallbreaker and setup sweeper. Reliable recovery in Slack Off is a key asset that, alongside Bulk Up, allows Vigoroth to effectively break through several defensive checks such as Pyukumuku and Weezing. Additionally, Vigoroth's typing, while not great, complements its respectable defenses, having only a weakness to Fighting. Vital Spirit is also a helpful ability that allows Vigoroth to absorb sleep-inducing moves from the likes of Jynx, Lilligant, and Smeargle. Unfortunately, Vigoroth will often find itself naturally walled by Ghost-type Pokemon such as Spiritomb and Oricorio-G, as it struggles to drop a move for coverage. Additionally, Sableye and Froslass often carry Taunt, meaning that Vigoroth can't beat these Pokemon through PP stalling. Vigoroth is considerably weak unboosted, as its base 80 Attack stat pales in comparison to other Normal-types in the tier such as Zangoose and Kangaskhan; these are both notable examples, as they can immediately pressure Ghost-types with Knock Off and Scrappy, respectively. Because of this and the aforementioned limited coverage opportunities, Vigoroth often struggles versus offensive teams. Vigoroth is heavily reliant on Eviolite and setting up with Bulk Up to function, meaning that it can't afford to have passive recovery in Leftovers. Furthermore, losing Eviolite to Knock Off or losing access to its setup and recovery opportunities to Trick makes it nigh useless, as it can become setup fodder. Finally, Vigoroth faces competition from Type: Null, as it can perform Vigoroth's role as a bulky Normal-type setup sweeper similarly, along with having much higher stats in general and access to Swords Dance for immediate offensive pressure.

[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Taunt / Substitute
move 3: Return / Facade
move 4: Slack Off
item: Eviolite
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Bulk Up is a useful setup move that boosts Vigoroth's Attack and Defense, giving it the functionality of a setup sweeper. Taunt disrupts opposing setup sweepers, clerics, and passive Pokemon like Musharna and Clefairy, giving Vigoroth an easier time setting up. Substitute can be used in place of Taunt to shield Vigoroth from status and weaker moves like Scald, which can otherwise cripple Vigoroth should it lack Facade. Return is Vigoroth's main damaging move with high Base Power, PP, and general reliability due to Taunt and Substitute being able to block Will-O-Wisp. Alternatively, one can opt to run Facade to bait Will-O-Wisp late-game for increased damage output versus Pokemon like Weezing and Rotom-S, but this is dependent on being afflicted with status and is otherwise a weaker alternative to Return. Slack Off provides Vigoroth with a form of reliable recovery that helps keep it healthy throughout the match, pairing well with Bulk Up's Defense boosts.

Set Details
========

A specially defensive EV spread aids Vigoroth in taking on special attackers. Most notably, it improves Vigoroth's matchup versus Lilligant and Jynx, the two most prominent sleep inducers. This also allows Vigoroth's Substitute to not be broken by weaker special attacks such as Weezing's Sludge Bomb and Clefairy's Moonblast. 16 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature allow Vigoroth to reach the 242 Speed benchmark, which lets it outpace non-Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Abomasnow, Aurorus, and Omastar. Vital Spirit is the only ability Vigoroth can have, but it's helpful for nullifying sleep-based moves like Sleep Powder and Lovely Kiss. Eviolite augments Vigoroth's defensive capabilities with a 50% boost to both of its defensive stats.

Usage Tips
========

Vigoroth is best used late-game as a bulky setup sweeper versus physical attackers and walls, as those lacking specially offensive power, Knock Off, or a fast Toxic will find themselves unable to break Vigoroth should it get enough boosts. Vigoroth can also function well early-game, being able to pivot into passive Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Clefairy using a recovery move and force them out with Taunt or Substitute. Despite it being a seemingly one-sided matchup, Vigoroth is perfectly capable of beating certain Ghost-type Pokemon like Gourgeist-XL, Choice Scarf Haunter lacking Trick, and Calm Mind Spiritomb by means of PP stalling through restricting moves with Taunt. Users of Pursuit are still vital to Vigoroth's success, as this is a more consistent form of dealing with Ghost-type Pokemon. Be wary of Knock Off and Trick users like Eelektross and Mesprit, as Vigoroth's defensive capabilities with be severely hampered if it loses Eviolite. Vigoroth absolutely hates Toxic poison, so predicting when a foe will use Toxic and playing around it carefully helps Vigoroth stay healthy. Certain users of Toxic like Alolan Dugtrio and Oricorio-E outpace Vigoroth before it can use Taunt or Substitute, so it's best to switch out in these matchups avoid being badly poisoned. Taunt and Substitute are useful scouting tools versus slower threats that can potentially carry Toxic such as Lanturn and Regirock. As mentioned previously, Vigoroth can perform well even with a poor type matchup, so do not be afraid to set up on Steel- and Rock-types such as Regirock and Mawile, as they can both be beaten with setup and either Taunt or Substitute.

Team Options
========

Vigoroth appreciates Pursuit trappers such as Spiritomb and Skuntank being able to remove specific Ghost-types like Calm Mind Oricorio-G and Sableye, as Vigoroth has no way of beating them through means of PP stalling without getting KOed or PP stalled first. Spiritomb in particular can also check Fighting-types with its typing and access to Will-O-Wisp, while Skuntank also possesses the ability to remove Toxic Spikes by switching in, as well as removing Stealth Rock and Spikes with Defog. Pokemon that take on Fighting-types, such as Mesprit and Weezing, are essential, as their removal gives Vigoroth a much easier time setting up. These two are notable examples, as the former can set up Stealth Rock and get Vigoroth on the field safely with U-turn or restore its HP and status with Healing Wish, while the latter can provide support through Toxic Spikes, wearing down foes in the several turns it takes for Vigoroth to set up, and is also useful for sponging Knock Off. Weezing can also cripple Fighting-types such as Hitmonchan with Will-O-Wisp. Fairy-types like Clefairy and Silvally-Fairy can not only take on Fighting-types but can additionally take on Sableye, a Ghost-type that can use Taunt to dispose of Vigoroth; Clefairy in particular is also an excellent absorber of status. As Vigoroth dislikes the presence of Toxic Spikes, entry hazard removers such as Silvally-Water and Skuntank benefit it greatly. Clerics such as Lanturn and Granbull are capable of healing any status ailment that would otherwise cripple Vigoroth, and they allow it to freely run Return. Even though Vigoroth has the ability to take on a select few Steel- and Rock-types, it still appreciates powerful Fighting- and Ground- types like Hitmonchan and Golurk being able to soften them for late-game sweep. Finally, as Vigoroth is a potent stallbreaker, the removal or weakening of Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Weezing is appreciated by late-game cleaners such as Primeape, Kingler, and Jynx.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vigoroth can forego its STAB attack for a specific coverage move; Night Slash powers through Ghost-type checks like Golurk and Misdreavus, while Ice Punch and Earthquake deal massive damage to Pokemon like Oricorio-G and Aggron, respectively. However, Normal-type coverage alongside Bulk Up and Taunt or Substitute is normally enough to deal with most of these Pokemon, making some of these options wholly unnecessary. Double-Edge is a stronger STAB move than Return and can do considerable damage with Attack boosts, but the high recoil cutting into its bulk and a reduction of PP from 32 to 24 makes this a questionable choice. Body Slam is another STAB option that gives Vigoroth a chance to paralyze foes, though the higher Base Power of Return is usually more ideal, and the drop in power is noticeable when Vigoroth has multiple boosts. Lastly, a fully defensive set utilizing Toxic and Seismic Toss gives Vigoroth a much easier time handling Ghost-types and bulky Steel- and Rock-types, although this set forgoes Bulk Up, restricting Vigoroth from being a late-game sweeper as well as its ability to check more powerful physical attackers with Bulk Up's defense boosts.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Oricorio-G and Sableye naturally wall Vigoroth, as it usually only runs Normal-type moves. In particular, Oricorio-G can use Vigoroth as setup fodder for Substitute and Calm Mind or cripple Vigoroth with Toxic, depending on its set. Do note, however, that Vigoroth does not struggle versus a small handful of Ghost-types like Calm Mind Spiritomb and Gourgeist-XL, as they both have limited move choices when afflicted with Taunt and can be PP stalled and forced to use Struggle in the long run.

**Fighting-types**: Though they must be careful about taking a boosted attack, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape, Hitmonchan, and Combusken can threaten to hit Vigoroth hard with their super effective STAB moves. Gurdurr can even remove Vigoroth's Eviolite with Knock Off and use Bulk Up itself.

**Status**: Users of Toxic like Alolan Persian and Togedemaru outspeed Vigoroth before it can use Taunt or Substitute and put it on a timer, which is detrimental to its ability to set up and heal itself continuously. Pokemon that can burn Vigoroth when it switches in like Lanturn and Weezing can cut its attacking power in half, though Facade can circumvent this.

**Taunt Users**: Taunt users like Sableye and Oricorio-E strip Vigoroth of both its ability to set up and its ability to recover health, making it rather easy to wear down. However, Vigoroth can outspeed certain Taunt users such as Weezing and Probopass and use Taunt on them first.

**Knock Off**: Vigoroth absolutely needs its Eviolite to maintain its bulk, and losing it to Knock Off users like Eelektross and Tangela will leave it vulnerable to weaker attacks, turning multiple 3HKOs into 2HKOs.

**Strong Special Attackers**: Because Vigoroth lacks good ways of adding onto its special bulk, specially offensive wallbreakers such as Aurorus and Drampa are capable of 2HKOing it with relative ease.

 

[K. Roolest Shark]

**Strong Special Attackers**: Vigoroth has a bad base Special Defense stat of 55, special attackers such as Jynx and offensive Mesprit variants both are capable of easily killing Vigoroth.

 

[tondas]

Ready for QC. Temporarily put it back in WIP because this had a few issues that I hadn't touched upon.

 

[Darkinium]

amchecking, implement what you like, leave what you don't :)

View attachment 102803
[OVERVIEW]

• Vigoroth's good bulk and solid speed tier coupled with access to Taunt and Bulk Up allows it to act as a stallbreaker and setup sweeper in one.
• Vigoroth has a decent defensive typing in Normal, which only leaves it with one weakness to fighting, albeit providing no useful resistances.
• Vital Spirit is a helpful ability that allows Vigoroth to absorb sleep-inducing moves from the likes of Jynx, Lilligant and Smeargle.
• Unfortunately, Vigoroth suffers from four-moveslot syndrome, as it has a hard time running helpful coverage to hit steel- and ghost- types, as doing so requires it to forego a crucial status move. I dunno about mentioning coverage or 4MSS, as Viggy isn't really trying to break said mons on its own anyways.
• Vigoroth unboosted is considerably weak, as its base 80 attack stat pales in comparison to other Normal- types in the tier such as Stoutland and Kangaskhan. Because of this and the aforementioned limited coverage opportunities, Vigoroth often struggles versus offensive teams.
• Lastly, Vigoroth faces competition from Type: Null and Munchlax as a late-game win condition, as the former boasts better stats and more offensive pressure with Swords Dance while the latter sports far better special defense and has useful utility in Thick Fat. However, both of these lack Taunt and a reliable form of recovery, giving Vigoroth a unique distinction.

I'd definitely mention its reliance on Eviolite and weakness to Knock Off, as well as a more explicit mention of its weakness to Fighting-types.

[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Taunt / Substitute
move 3: Return / Facade
move 4: Slack Off
item: Eviolite
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

• Bulk Up is a useful setup move that makes Vigoroth both stronger and sturdier, and can be used multiple times to pressure frail Pokemon and physical attackers alike.
• Taunt disrupts setup sweepers, clerics and phazers, as well as giving Vigoroth an easier time setting up on passive Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Clefairy. Substitute can be used in place of Taunt to shield Vigoroth from status and weaker moves such as Scald and Clear Smog, all of which are an annoyance to it.
• Return is Vigoroth's main damaging move with its high base power and PP. Alternatively, one can opt to run Facade on non-substitute sets to punish users of Will-O-Wisp such as Weezing.
• Slack Off provides Vigoroth with a form of reliable recovery that helps keep it healthy throughout the match, and it pairs well with Bulk Up's defense boosts.

Set Details
========

• A specially defensive spread aids Vigoroth in taking on special attackers; most notably, it improves its match-up versus Lilligant and Jynx, the two most prominent sleep inducers. This also allows Vigoroth's Substitutes to not be broken by weaker special attacks such as Weezing's Sludge Bomb and Clefairy's Moonblast.
• 16 Speed with a Jolly nature allows Vigoroth to outspeed Pokemon up to max speed base 60's, including Abomasnow, Aurorus and Toucannon. I'd remove or replace the Toucannon mention, it isn't very relevant.
• Vital Spirit is the only ability Vigoroth can have, but it's helpful for nullifying sleep-based moves. Such as?
• Eviolite augments Vigoroth's defensive capabilities with a 50% boost to both of its defense stats.

Usage Tips
========

• Try to avoid setting up until any and all Ghost- type Pokemon from the opponent's team are eliminated, as Vigoroth normally has no way of damaging them.
• Be wary of users of Knock Off and Trick, as losing its Eviolite will greatly water down Vigoroth's defensive capabilities. Substitute or double switching into a Pokemon with an irremovable item can be used to scout for such moves.
• Even with a poor type match-up, do not be afraid to set up on steel- and rock- types such as Regirock and Bronzor, as they can both be beaten with Taunt and setup.
• Early-game, Vigoroth can pivot into passive Pokemon and force them out with Taunt or Substitute. If your opponent's Vigoroth check includes a ghost- type, double switching into a Pursuit user can eliminate one of Vigoroth's greatest counters.
• If one chooses to run Facade, use this to punish users of Will-O-Wisp and to break past defensive checks such as Gastrodon and Weezing.
• Vigoroth is best suited for late-game as a bulky wincon versus physical attackers and walls. Examples?

As Viggy is a bulky wincon that usually sets up over multiple turns, mention to avoid Toxic at all costs.

Team Options
========

• Vigoroth appreciates Ghost- type removal from Pursuit trappers such as Skuntank and Spiritomb, as Vigoroth has no way of damaging them. Spiritomb in particular can also check Fighting- types with its own typing and access to Will-O-Wisp.
• Pokemon that take on Fighting- types such as Mesprit and Weezing are essential, as their removal gives Vigoroth a much easier time setting up. Mesprit is notable as it can get Vigoroth on the field safely with U-Turn or restore its HP and status with Healing Wish. Fairy- types like Clefairy and Mr. Mime can not only take on Fighting- types but can also beat Spiritomb, a Ghost- type that doesn't particularly care about being Pursuit trapped.
• As it dislikes the presence of Toxic Spikes, hazard removers such as Altaria and Skuntank benefit Vigoroth greatly.
• Clerics such as Altaria and Granbull are capable of healing any status ailment that would otherwise cripple Vigoroth, and it allows it to freely run Return. I dunno about Granbull here, given its low viability. Something like Lanturn or Lurantis might be better. Also, if Viggy gets statused while setting up, you then have to either put up with that status condition or switch out and lose your boosts, but it's up to you if you want to keep the Heal Bell point.
• Even though Vigoroth has the ability to take on a select few Steel- and Rock- types, it still appreciates powerful Fighting- and Ground- types such as Hitmonchan and Golurk being able to soften them for late-game. Hmm, from my experience with Viggy it doesn't really need support beat in said mons thanks to Taunt, but again, keep that point if you like.

Toxic Spikes allow you to stall out foes as you setup. Another big perk I've found is that, in tandem with Taunt, you can actually stall out slower poisoned Ghost-types, such as Palossand and Spiritomb. Weezing also checks Fighting-types.

Mention hazard removal to get Toxic Spikes off the field, especially if there are two layers up.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

• Vigoroth has an expansive offensive movepool including Ice Punch, Earthquake, Sucker Punch and Play Rough which can be used to lure specific threats. However, as mentioned before, Vigoroth struggles to find room to run these moves, as dropping Taunt or Bulk Up greatly limits its capabilities as a stallbreaker and late-game cleaner. Additionally, it will find itself outclassed by Normal- types that can perform a fully offensive role better, such as Zangoose and Ursaring.
• Amnesia can be ran to offer some much-needed padding to Vigoroth's lesser defense stat, but sacrificing Bulk Up or Taunt cuts directly into increasing bulk.
• Double-Edge is a stronger STAB move than Return and can do considerable damage with Attack boosts, but the high recoil can be a nuisance for it.
• Body Slam is another STAB option that gives Vigoroth a chance to Paralyze opponents, though the higher base power of Return is usually more ideal, and the drop in power is noticable when Vigoroth has multiple boosts.
• Encore can be used to lock slow, bulkier Pokemon into unfavorable moves.
• A physically defensive EV spread grants Vigoroth the ability to better check physical attackers before setting up. However, this comes at the cost of being a less reliable check to Lilligant and Jynx, and Vigoroth's Special Defense stat is pitiful without any investment.
• Alternatively, a fully defensive set utilizing Toxic and Seismic Toss gives Vigoroth a much easier time handling Ghost- and bulky Steel-and Rock- types, although this set is rather ineffective as a late-game wincon due to a lack of stat-boosting moves and Taunt. That set usually carries Slack Off, Toxic, Seismic Toss and Taunt, so I'd scrap the part about Taunt and just mention no BU.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ghost-Types**: With only Normal- type coverage, Ghost- types such as Oricorio-G and Haunter completely wall Vigoroth. In particular, Oricorio-G can use this as an opportunity to set up Substitute, Calm Mind, or pivot out with U-Turn on a predicted switch. I'd acknowledge CroTomb doing the same, if Viggy is carrying Sub over Taunt.

**Fighting-Types**: Fighting- types such as Primeape and Gurdurr can easily pressure it with their super-effective STAB. The likes of Gurdurr can remove its Eviolite with Knock Off.

**Status**: Toxic is detrimental to Vigoroth's ability to set up and heal itself continuously, while burns will cut its attacking power in half, provided it's not running Facade.

**Taunt**": Taunt users such as Archeops and Pyroar shut down Vigoroth's recovery option as well as bulk up, ultimately making it quite easy to wear down.

**Strong Special Attackers**: Because Vigoroth lacks good ways of adding on to its special bulk, Specially offensive wallbreakers such as Drampa and Magmortar are capable of 2HKO'ing it with relative ease.

Give Knock Off a section.

EDIT: Don't forget to remove mentions of Altaria.

 

[K. Roolest Shark]

"Vital Spirit is the only ability Vigoroth can have, but it's helpful for nullifying sleep-based moves. Such as?"
Lovely Kiss and Hypnosis, it blocks both moves from nearly nullifying it.

 

[ManOfMany]

Tonda Gossa! implement Darkinium's AM check, as he covered pretty much everything I wanted to say. When you are done with that, you can give yourself a 1/3

 

[tondas]

Implemented.

 

[yogi]

View attachment 102803
[OVERVIEW]

• Vigoroth's good bulk and solid speed tier coupled with access to Taunt and Bulk Up allows it to act as a stallbreaker and setup sweeper in one.
• Vigoroth has a decent defensive typing in Normal, which only leaves it with one weakness to fighting, albeit providing no useful resistances. (i was talking to allstar about this and i'm in the mindset that normal isnt actually a good defensive typing. offering no resistances and only one immunity isnt really the definition of a defensive typing. the reason why it works with the likes of miltank and vigoroth (although miltank has abilities to add to this) is because of the natural bulk they both have in conjunction with having only one weakness. basically i'd say complementary typing and explain what i've just said) (i also believe eviolite needs a mention somewhere)
• mention reliable recovery please, slack off is great
• Vital Spirit is a helpful ability that allows Vigoroth to absorb sleep-inducing moves from the likes of Jynx, Lilligant and Smeargle.
• Unfortunately, Vigoroth suffers from four-moveslot syndrome, as it has a hard time running helpful coverage to hit steel- and rock- types for neutral damage and ghost- types at all, as doing so requires it to forego a crucial status move. (i understand where you're coming from but i'd be more inclined to have this point if you had any mention of these coverage moves in either the set or moves section, which you don't. vigoroth actually beats a large majority of steel- and rock-types regardless thanks to taunt + bulk up)
• Vigoroth unboosted is considerably weak, as its base 80 attack stat pales in comparison to other Normal- types in the tier such as Stoutland and Kangaskhan. Because of this and the aforementioned limited coverage opportunities, Vigoroth often struggles versus offensive teams. (if you're going to mention those two users, you may as well mention that scrappy is a massive selling point over vigoroth)
• Vigoroth is heavily reliant on Eviolite to keep relatively decent defenses, meaning that it doesn't have passive recovery in Leftovers and losing it to Knock Off or Trick impairs its ability to take hits. (if it's tricked it doesn't impair its ability to take hits, it basically makes it completely useless, because it cannot use any of its utility moves without generating free turns for the opponent)
• Lastly, Vigoroth faces competition from Type: Null and Munchlax as a late-game win condition, as the former boasts better stats and more offensive pressure with Swords Dance while the latter sports far better special defense and has useful utility in Thick Fat. However, both of these lack Taunt and a reliable form of recovery, giving Vigoroth a unique distinction. (this part is untrue. vigoroth, as you've said, acts as a stallbreaker. neither type: null or munchlax function like that. reliable recovery and taunt are enough to separate any niche they may share in my honest opinion)

[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Taunt / Substitute
move 3: Return / Facade
move 4: Slack Off
item: Eviolite
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

• Bulk Up is a useful setup move that makes Vigoroth both stronger and sturdier, and can be used multiple times to pressure frail Pokemon and physical attackers alike. (i'm not quite understanding what you're trying to say? just say it allows it increased bulk while also functioning as a set up sweeper)
• Taunt disrupts setup sweepers, clerics and phazers (remove this almost nothing phazes with whirlwind or roar in our tier anyhow), as well as giving Vigoroth an easier time setting up on passive Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Clefairy. Substitute can be used in place of Taunt to shield Vigoroth from status and weaker moves such as Scald and Clear Smog, all of which are an annoyance to it. (untrue about scald because the facade sets benefit from being burned)
• Return is Vigoroth's main damaging move with its high base power and PP. Alternatively, one can opt to run Facade on non-substitute sets to punish users of Will-O-Wisp such as Weezing. (split these two points and expand on both a little. return is way more reliable, especially with taunt blocking status. facade can be used to bait status late-game for increased damage output)
• Slack Off provides Vigoroth with a form of reliable recovery that helps keep it healthy throughout the match, and it pairs well with Bulk Up's defense boosts.

Set Details
========

• A specially defensive spread aids Vigoroth in taking on special attackers; most notably, it improves its match-up versus Lilligant and Jynx, the two most prominent sleep inducers. This also allows Vigoroth's Substitutes to not be broken by weaker special attacks such as Weezing's Sludge Bomb and Clefairy's Moonblast.
• 16 Speed with a Jolly nature allows Vigoroth to outspeed Pokemon up to max speed base 60's, including Abomasnow, Aurorus and Torterra. (the way you've phrased this is incorrect. currently it implies that all three are base 60 speed, when it's actually only true for one of them)
• Vital Spirit is the only ability Vigoroth can have, but it's helpful for nullifying sleep-based moves like Sleep Powder and Lovely Kiss.
• Eviolite augments Vigoroth's defensive capabilities with a 50% boost to both of its defense stats.

Usage Tips
========

• Try to avoid setting up until any and all Ghost- type Pokemon from the opponent's team are eliminated, as Vigoroth normally has no way of damaging them. (okay. i have massive issues with this. on the surface this seems like a no-brainer right? because normal moves cannot hit ghost-types. however, if you think about it more in-depth you'll actually see that vigoroth beats a lot of ghost-types one-on-one if its using taunt. for example, taunting gourgeist-xl or calm mind spiritomb will allow you to simultaneously set up with bulk up and pp stall them out of their only attacking move. the same can be said about choice scarf users like oricorio-g and haunter (lacking trick), meaning, in actuality, ghost-types aren't the end all of vigoroth and can actually be abused by it instead)
• Be wary of users of Knock Off and Trick, as losing its Eviolite will greatly water down Vigoroth's defensive capabilities. Substitute or double switching into a Pokemon with an irremovable item can be used to scout for such moves. (give examples of common pokemon carrying these, especially for trick and switcheroo)
• Vigoroth absolutely hates being hit with Toxic, so knowing beforehand for an incoming Toxic helps Vigoroth stay relatively healthy. As mentioned previously, Substitute is a useful scouting tool. (this needs expanded and situations need to be applied. what is going to toxic it? mention taunt and substitute. what is faster that can avoid taunt? (togedemaru for example))
• Even with a poor type match-up, do not be afraid to set up on steel- and rock- types such as Regirock and Bronzor, as they can both be beaten with Taunt and setup. (i 100% agree with regirock but having to constantly heal from bronzor's psywaves can actually prove to be troublesome, especially if you've already used some of your recovery moves' pp) (substitute also allows it to beat non-curse regirock) (i'd like ferroseed as a mention too because it's such a common normal-type check/resist that having one that abuses it as heavily as vigoroth does is great)
• Early-game, Vigoroth can pivot into passive Pokemon and force them out with Taunt or Substitute. If your opponent's Vigoroth check includes a ghost- type, double switching into a Pursuit user can eliminate one of Vigoroth's greatest counters. (again this is quite vague. i'd recommend expanding and including examples of said pokemon. also, like mentioned above, ghost-type pokemon aren't always a counter to vigoroth)
• If one chooses to run Facade, use this to punish users of Will-O-Wisp and to break past defensive checks such as Gastrodon and Weezing. (taunt already breaks through gastrodon and weezing, and so does substitute) (you're really running facade if you want the extra power or to have a will-o-wisp absorber)
• Vigoroth is best suited for late-game as a bulky wincon versus physical attackers and walls, as those lacking specially offensive power, Knock Off or a fast Toxic will find itself unable to break Vigoroth should it get enough boosts. (this point should be moved to the top as it's summing up the point of vigoroth. expand a little too)

Team Options
========

• Vigoroth appreciates Ghost- type removal from Pursuit trappers such as Skuntank and Spiritomb, as Vigoroth has no way of damaging them. Spiritomb in particular can also check Fighting- types with its own typing and access to Will-O-Wisp. (mention ghost-types that actually beat vigoroth, like calm mind oricorio-g or life orb haunter) (i'd also say it has no way of directly harming them, but we've already established it can beat some. as long as clarity on which ghost-types it cannot beat is discussed, this should be fine)
• Pokemon that take on Fighting- types such as Mesprit and Weezing are essential, as their removal gives Vigoroth a much easier time setting up. Mesprit is notable as it can get Vigoroth on the field safely with U-Turn or restore its HP and status with Healing Wish. Fairy- types like Clefairy and Mr. Mime can not only take on Fighting- types but can also beat Spiritomb, a Ghost- type that doesn't particularly care about being Pursuit trapped. (weezing can offer toxic spikes support to cripple fighting-type pokemon and chip away at rock-types too) (mr. mime struggles so much against the standard spiritomb set and thus shouldn't be mention. it takes way too much from sucker punch, especially if it's black glasses)
• As it dislikes the presence of Toxic Spikes, hazard removers such as Silvally-Fairy and Skuntank benefit Vigoroth greatly. (skuntank being able to absorb them without using defog is also fantastic)
• Clerics such as Lanturn and Clefairy are capable of healing any status ailment that would otherwise cripple Vigoroth, and it allows it to freely run Return. (clefairy doesn't really run heal bell on its main sets, so i'd change that. you could, instead, talk about clefairy being a fantastic status absorber thanks to magic guard)
• Additional support from Toxic Spikes from the likes of Weezing and Roselia assist Vigoroth in wearing down opponents in the several turns it takes to set up, and can even be used to beat slower Ghost- types like Palossand and Spiritomb. (remove this section and just talk about weezing's use of toxic spikes in the previously mentioned section. you'd never use roselia and vigoroth on the same team because the synergy is non-existent)
• Even though Vigoroth has the ability to take on a select few Steel- and Rock- types, it still appreciates powerful Fighting- and Ground- types such as Hitmonchan and Golurk being able to soften them for late-game.

absolutely zero mention of how vigoroth supports any of these pokemon.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

• Vigoroth has an expansive offensive movepool including Ice Punch, Earthquake, Sucker Punch and Play Rough which can be used to lure specific threats. However, as mentioned before, Vigoroth struggles to find room to run these moves, as dropping Taunt or Bulk Up greatly limits its capabilities as a stallbreaker and late-game cleaner. Additionally, it will find itself outclassed by Normal- types that can perform a fully offensive role better, such as Zangoose and Ursaring. (it also doesn't really need them because of return/facade + taunt/substitute being able to break down or stall common checks that are hit by these moves)
• Amnesia can be ran to offer some much-needed padding to Vigoroth's lesser defense stat, but sacrificing Bulk Up or Taunt cuts directly into increasing bulk. (just say special defense) (to be honest i'd be inclined to not even include this)
• Double-Edge is a stronger STAB move than Return and can do considerable damage with Attack boosts, but the high recoil can be a nuisance for it. (also has lower pp too, which can be a factor)
• Body Slam is another STAB option that gives Vigoroth a chance to Paralyze opponents, though the higher base power of Return is usually more ideal, and the drop in power is noticeable when Vigoroth has multiple boosts.
• Encore can be used to lock slow, bulkier Pokemon into unfavorable moves. (but... taunt and substitute are almost always way better)
• A physically defensive EV spread grants Vigoroth the ability to better check physical attackers before setting up. However, this comes at the cost of being a less reliable check to Lilligant and Jynx, and Vigoroth's Special Defense stat is pitiful without any investment.
• Alternatively, a fully defensive set utilizing Toxic and Seismic Toss gives Vigoroth a much easier time handling Ghost- and bulky Steel-and Rock- types, although this set is rather ineffective as a late-game wincon due to a lack of Bulk Up. (well, it wouldn't be a late-game set. it also faces extreme competition from miltank)

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ghost-Types**: With only Normal- type coverage, Ghost- types such as Oricorio-G and Haunter completely wall Vigoroth. In particular, Oricorio-G can use this as an opportunity to set up Substitute, Calm Mind, or pivot out with U-Turn on a predicted switch. Crotomb variants of Spiritomb can do the same as well should Vigoroth choose to run Substitute. (talk about how it can beat several of these ghost-types however)

**Fighting-Types**: Fighting- types such as Primeape and Gurdurr can easily pressure it with their super-effective STAB. The likes of Gurdurr can remove its Eviolite with Knock Off. (primeape and other fighting-type pokemon like hitmonchan do not appreciate switching into a return though)

**Status**: Toxic is detrimental to Vigoroth's ability to set up and heal itself continuously, while burns will cut its attacking power in half, provided it's not running Facade. (give some examples please)

**Taunt**: Taunt users such as Archeops and Pyroar shut down Vigoroth's recovery option as well as bulk up, ultimately making it quite easy to wear down. (both struggle severely if vigoroth has set up, especially pyroar as it cannot and doesn't want to take a hit from even a neutral vigoroth)

**Knock Off**: Vigoroth absolutely needs its Eviolite to maintain bulk, and losing it will make it vulnerable to lesser special attackers, as it will no longer be able to avoid the 2HKO from certain attackers. (examples of knock off users please)

**Strong Special Attackers**: Because Vigoroth lacks good ways of adding on to its special bulk, Specially offensive wallbreakers such as Drampa and Magmortar are capable of 2HKO'ing it with relative ease.

This needs to be smoothened out during the write-up stage. QC 2/3.

 

[asa]

implement the above and remove palossand and miltank mentions.

 

[SergioRules]

**Ghost-Types**: With only Normal- type coverage, Ghost- types such as Oricorio-G and Haunter completely wall Vigoroth. In particular, Oricorio-G can use this as an opportunity to set up Substitute, Calm Mind, or pivot out with U-Turn on a predicted switch. However, Vigoroth is perfectly capable of beating a small handful of Ghost- types like Spiritomb and Gourgeist-XL, as they both have limited move choices when afflicted with Taunt and can be PP stalled and forced to Struggle in the long run.

Just a little thing but Taunt doesn’t really force them to struggle, just forces them to switch out unless it’s last mon obviously. Also Vigoroth doesn’t technically beat any ghost type bc it can’t damage them and most ghosts carry other coverage and force it to waste Slack Offs. Though I’m sure qc can fix this in third check.

e: nvm just saw that check 2 told you to put this in but I still wouldn’t use the term “beat” because the only time Vig really beats a ghost is if it’s the last mon
e2: I’m obv not on qc so listen to them not me but you know, just an idea

 

[tondas]

Hi sorry this took me so long, not only was I putting this off for other things of importance but I just wasn't satisfied with the effort I put into this and I ended up rewriting most of this. Consider this written.

 

[asa]

h

 

[asa]

View attachment 102803
[OVERVIEW]

Vigoroth's good bulk and solid speed tier coupled with access to Taunt and Bulk Up allows it to act as a stallbreaker and setup sweeper in one. Access to reliable recovery in Slack Off is a key asset that allows Vigoroth to effectively break through several defensive checks such as Ferroseed and Weezing alongside Bulk Up. Additionally, its typing, while not great, compliments its respectable defenses with only one weakness to Fighting. Vital Spirit is also a helpful ability that allows Vigoroth to absorb sleep-inducing moves from the likes of Jynx, Lilligant and Smeargle. Unfortunately, Vigoroth will often find itself naturally walled by Ghost-type Pokemon such as Sableye and Misdreavus, as they can outspeed and Taunt Vigoroth, and it struggles to drop a move for coverage. Vigoroth unboosted is considerably weak, as its base 80 attack stat pales in comparison to other Normal-types in the tier such as Stoutland (replace this with zangoose for safety reasons.) and Kangaskhan; these are both notable examples, as they can immediately pressure Ghost-types with Scrappy. (mention coverage in the case of zangoose when you replace the mention of stoutland.) Because of this and the aforementioned limited coverage opportunities, Vigoroth often struggles versus offensive teams. Finally, Vigoroth is heavily reliant on Eviolite and setup to function, meaning that it doesn't have passive recovery in Leftovers and losing Eviolite to Knock Off or even its setup and recovery opportunities to Trick makes it nigh useless as it finds itself becoming setup fodder. (something about how type: null can perform a role similar to this more consistently due to its better bulk and higher attack.)

[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Taunt / Substitute
move 3: Return / Facade
move 4: Slack Off
item: Eviolite
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Bulk Up is a useful setup move that boosts Vigoroth's physical attack and defense, giving it the functionality of a setup sweeper. Taunt disrupts setup sweepers, clerics and passive Pokemon, giving Vigoroth an easier time setting up on Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Clefairy. Substitute can be used in place of Taunt to shield Vigoroth from status as well as from weaker moves that annoy it such as Clear Smog (too uncommon, drop this mention.) and Scald should it lack Facade. Return is Vigoroth's main damaging move with its high base power, PP and general reliability due to Taunt and Substitute being able to block Will'O'Wisp. Alternatively, one can opt to run Facade to bait Will'O'Wisp late-game for increased damage output versus Pokemon like Weezing and Rotom-S. (something about how it is reliant on vigoroth being statused and is weaker otherwise, which prevents it from being as consistent as return.) Slack Off provides Vigoroth with a form of reliable recovery that helps keep it healthy throughout the match, and it pairs well with Bulk Up's defense boosts.

Set Details
========

A specially defensive EV spread aids Vigoroth in taking on special attackers; most notably, it improves its match-up versus Lilligant and Jynx, the two most prominent sleep inducers. This also allows Vigoroth's Substitutes to not be broken by weaker special attacks such as Weezing's Sludge Bomb and Clefairy's Moonblast. 16 Speed with a Jolly nature allows Vigoroth to reach the 242 speed benchmark, which lets it outpace Pokemon including Abomasnow, Defensive Mesprit, and Torterra. Vital Spirit is the only ability Vigoroth can have, but it's helpful for nullifying sleep-based moves like Sleep Powder and Lovely Kiss. Eviolite augments Vigoroth's defensive capabilities with a 50% boost to both of its defense stats.

Usage Tips
========

Vigoroth is best suited for late-game as a bulky wincon versus physical attackers and walls, as those lacking specially offensive power, Knock Off or a fast Toxic will find themselves unable to break Vigoroth should it get enough boosts. Vigoroth can also function well early-game, being able to pivot into passive Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Carbink and force them out with Taunt or Substitute. (mention that you're mainly switching in on pyukumuku using recover, since you don't wanna switch in on toxic.) Despite a seemingly one-sided match-up, Vigoroth is perfectly capable of beating certain Ghost-type Pokemon like Gourgeist-XL, Choice Scarf Haunter lacking Trick, and Calm Mind Spiritomb by means of PP stalling through restricting moves with Taunt. Be wary of users of Knock Off and Trick like Eelektross and Mesprit, respectively, as losing its Eviolite will greatly water down Vigoroth's defensive capabilities. Vigoroth absolutely hates being hit with Toxic, so knowing beforehand for an incoming Toxic helps Vigoroth stay healthy. Certain users of Toxic like Alolan Dugtrio and Oricorio-E outpace Taunt and Substitute and so it's best to switch out to avoid being statused. Taunt and Substitute are useful scouting tools versus slower threats that can potentially carry Toxic such as Lanturn and Cradily. As mentioned previously, Vigoroth can perform well even with a poor type match-up, so do not be afraid to set up on Steel- and Rock-types such as Regirock and Ferroseed, as they can both be beaten with Taunt and setup, as well as Substitute if Regirock is not carrying Curse. (there absolutely needs to be something about having ghosts removed prior to attempting to set up and sweep, even if you can pp stall certain ghosts, since pp stalling them shouldn't be your only method of dealing with them.)

Team Options
========

Vigoroth appreciates Pursuit trappers such as Spiritomb and Skuntank being able to remove specific Ghost-types like Calm Mind Oricorio-G and Sableye, as Vigoroth has no way of beating them through means of PP stalling without getting KO'd or PP stalled first. Spiritomb in particular can also check Fighting-types with its own typing and access to Will-O-Wisp. (mention skuntank absorbing tspikes and removing hazards with defog.) Pokemon that take on Fighting-types such as Mesprit and Weezing are essential, as their removal gives Vigoroth a much easier time setting up. These two are notable examples, as the former can get Vigoroth on the field safely with U-Turn or restore its HP and status with Healing Wish, while the latter can provide support through Toxic Spikes, wearing down opponents in the several turns it takes for Vigoroth to set up, and is also useful for sponging Knock Off. Fairy-types like Clefairy and Silvally-Fairy can not only take on Fighting-types but can additonally take on Sableye, a Ghost-type that and can Taunt and dispose of Vigoroth; Clefairy in particular is also an excellent absorber of status. As it dislikes the presence of Toxic Spikes, hazard removers such as Silvally-Water and Skuntank benefit Vigoroth greatly. Clerics such as Lanturn and Granbull are capable of healing any status ailment that would otherwise cripple Vigoroth, and it allows it to freely run Return. Even though Vigoroth has the ability to take on a select few Steel- and Rock- types, it still appreciates powerful Fighting- and Ground- types like Hitmonchan and Golurk being able to soften them for late-game. Finally, as Vigoroth is a potent stallbreaker, the removal or weakening of Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Weezing are appreciated by late-game cleaners such as Primeape, Carracosta and Jynx. (mention kingler here.)

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vigoroth can forego STAB for a specific coverage move; Night Slash powers through Ghost-type checks like Golurk and Misdreavus, while Ice Punch and Earthquake deal massive damage to Pokemon like Oricorio-G and Aggron, respectively. However, Normal-type coverage alongside Bulk Up, Taunt or Substitute is normally enough to deal with most of these Pokemon, making some of these options wholly unnecessary. Double-Edge is a stronger STAB move than Return and can do considerable damage with Attack boosts, but the high recoil cutting into its bulk and a reduction of PP from 32 to 24 makes this a questionable choice. Body Slam is another STAB option that gives Vigoroth a chance to Paralyze opponents, though the higher base power of Return is usually more ideal, and the drop in power is noticeable when Vigoroth has multiple boosts. Encore can be used to lock slow, bulkier Pokemon into unfavorable moves, but Taunt and Substitute are more consistent and reliable in most situations, making this a rather inferior choice. (remove encore.) A physically defensive EV spread grants Vigoroth the ability to better check physical attackers before setting up. However, this comes at the cost of being a less reliable check to Lilligant and Jynx, and Vigoroth's Special Defense stat is pitiful without any investment. Lastly, a fully defensive set utilizing Toxic and Seismic Toss gives Vigoroth a much easier time handling Ghost- and bulky Steel- and Rock-types, although this set trades off Bulk Up, restricting Vigoroth from being a late-game win condition as well as its ability to check more powerful physical attackers with Bulk Up's defense boosts.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ghost-Types**: Ghost-types such as Oricorio-G and Sableye naturally wall Vigoroth as it only usually runs Normal- type coverage. In particular, Oricorio-G can use this as an opportunity to set up Substitute, Calm Mind, or cripple Vigoroth with Toxic, depending on its set. Do note, however, that Vigoroth does not struggle versus a small handful of Ghost-types like Calm Mind Spiritomb and Gourgeist-XL, as they both have limited move choices when Taunted and can be PP stalled and forced to Struggle in the long run.

**Fighting-Types**: Though they must be careful about taking a boosted attack, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape, Hitmonchan and Combusken can threaten to hit Vigoroth hard with their super-effective STAB moves. The likes of Gurdurr can even remove its Eviolite with Knock Off. (gurdurr also sets up alongside you and has a better chance of coming out on top.)

**Status**: Users of Toxic like Alolan Persian and Todegemaru outspeed Vigoroth's Taunt or Substitute and put it on a permanent timer, which is detrimental to its ability to set up and heal itself continuously. Pokemon that can burn Vigoroth switching in like Gastrodon (rip) and Weezing can cut its attacking power in half, though Facade can circumvent this.

**Fast Taunt**: Faster Taunt users like Sableye and Oricorio-E strip Vigoroth of both setup and recovery, making it rather easy to wear down. The former can outstall Vigoroth with its immunity to Normal-type attacks while the latter can threaten to put Vigoroth on a timer with Toxic and keep itself healthy with Roost, though it must be cautious about taking boosted damage from Return. (make this more about taunt in general.)

**Knock Off**: Vigoroth absolutely needs its Eviolite to maintain bulk, and losing it to Knock Off users like Eelektross and Kingler (kingler's usually not gonna use knock off against vig, imo.) will leave it vulnerable to weaker attacks, turning multiple 3HKO's into 2HKO's.

**Strong Special Attackers**: Because Vigoroth lacks good ways of adding on to its special bulk, specially offensive wallbreakers such as Aurorus and Drampa are capable of 2HKO'ing it with relative ease.

implement this and tag me when you're done, want to see how this looks after changes.

 

[tondas]

allstarapology this is done, also holy moly grats on mod <3

 

[asa]

overview:

the way the overview mentions ghost-types walling vigoroth makes it sound like they all have access to taunt. reword it to say that those two examples in particular are annoying because of taunt allowing them to shut vigoroth down.

usage tips:

curse regirock is not common enough to warrant a mention.

team options:

mention that mesprit also sets stealth rock + weezing cripples physical attackers with will-o-wisp in the bit where you talk about it + weezing as fighting checks.

other options:

remove the physically defensive set, vigoroth without special defense is just kinda. eh. bulk up increasing your defense in tandem with the decent special bulk make it annoying to take down if it boosts, but with just defense, it's not as difficult.

looked this over a couple of times and it seems fine now. good work, 3/3.

 

[tondas]

GP time

 

[JALMONT]

whats good my man hitting u with some comments. in general your writing was pretty good especially the tone of the entire analysis which was formal as it should be. my main critique is that you should be wary about overloading some of your sentences. while i don't think you had any run-on sentences, there were a couple points in which they came close. at the very least, i would consider them to have too much information, and as a result lacked a clear focus, and were thus not as effective as they could have been.

for instance: " Vigoroth is heavily reliant on Eviolite and setup to function, meaning that it doesn't have passive recovery in Leftovers and losing Eviolite to Knock Off or even its setup and recovery opportunities to Trick makes it nigh useless as it finds itself becoming setup fodder."

The issue for me here is that you are trying to combine an aspect of vigoroth (its reliance on Eviolite) with another aspect that is not obviously related immediately to an uninformed reader. It's especially an issue because Eviolite is new information where as we've already read about Vigoroth's need to setup. So what results is you have two trains of thought, one focusing on Eviolite and how its presence means it can't hold Leftovers and that it becomes useful without the item, while the other focuses on Vigorth's need to setup to be useful and that a Tricked sloth becomes setup fodder. I wouldn't call this a run on because it does relate in some way (a tricked sloth doesn't have an eviolite), but the way it reads to me ,the uninformed reader, it lacks a focus which means I'm not sure which information is important. I think by sticking to talking about Eviolite, you will really get across your point regarding the item, rather than obscuring it

A second point is that I would consider the way in which you present information. This isn't something super important but I just found that there are some cases in which information could be presented in a way that flows better. For instance, in the intro, you talk about how Vigoroth's base 80 stat is weak to other normal pokemon who can also do other stuff like pressure ghosts before branching back into vigorth's need for eviolite before ending with a comparison to type: null. I think the flow is better if you put the comparisons to other pokemon together. Less likely for the reader to get confused when you jump from comparison to item back to comparison. Not super important but something to think about.

The last point that I have which is just a general thought and something that I'm not sure you can or would want to change is that the analysis does get repetitive in parts. That just might be the nature of analyses in general, but I get the same information in various parts e.g. Vigoroth can beat certain ghost types through pressure stalling. I'm not sure what you can do about it, but yeah. Maybe it's better to just put in something brief in the intro/set details and then really expand on that in the relevant section so you avoid repeating info so much.

formatted edits w/ comments

[OVERVIEW]

Vigoroth's good bulk and solid sSpeed tier coupled with access to Taunt and Bulk Up allows it to act as a stallbreaker and setup sweeper in one. Access to reliable recovery in Slack Off is a key asset that allowongside Bulk Up helps Vigoroth to effectively break through several of its defensive checks, such as Ferroseed and Weezing alongside Bulk Up. Additionally, Vigoroth's typing, while not great, compliments its respectable defenses with only one weakness to Fighting. Vital Spirit is also a helpful ability that allows Vigoroth to absorb sleep-inducing moves from the likes of Jynx, Lilligant, and Smeargle. Unfortunately, Vigoroth will often find itself naturally walled by Ghost-type Pokemon such as Spiritomb and Oricorio-G, as it struggles to drop a movfind space for a coverage move. (I changed this to what I thought you were trying to say, correct me if I misinterpreted) Sableye and Misdreavus additionally carry Taunt, meaning that Vigoroth can't beat these Pokemon through PP stalling. Vigoroth uUnboosted Vigoroth is considerably weak, as its base 80 aAttack stat pales in comparison to other Normal-types in the tier such as Zangoose and Kangaskhan; t. These two are bothalso notable examples, as they canare able to immediately pressure Ghost-types with Knock Off or Scrappy. Because of this and the aforementioned limited coverage opportunities, Vigoroth often struggles versus offensive teams. Vigoroth is heavily reliant on Eviolite and setup to function, meaning that it doesn't have passive recovery in Leftovers and that losing Eviolite to Knock Off or even its setup and recovery opportunities to Trick makes it nigh useless as it finds itself becominges setup fodder. (this sentence seems to have a confused focus so I edited it so that it focuses on vigoroth’s reliance on eviolite. see my comment outside of the edit) Finally, Vigoroth faces competition from Type: Null, as it can perform Vigoroth's role as a bulky Normal-type setup sweeper similarly, along with having much higher natustats in general stats and access to Swords Dance for immediate offensive pressure.

[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Taunt / Substitute
move 3: Return / Facade
move 4: Slack Off
item: Eviolite
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Bulk Up is a useful setup move that boosts Vigoroth's physical aAttack and dDefense, giving it the functionality of a setup sweeper. Taunt disrupts opposing setup sweepers, clerics, and other passive Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Clefairy, giving Vigoroth an easier time setting up on Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Clefairy. Substitute can be used in place of Taunt to shield Vigoroth from status as well as from weaker moves like Scald, a move that can otherwise cripple Vigoroth should it lack Facade. Return is Vigoroth's main damaging move with its high base power, PP, and general reliability over Facade due to Taunt and Substitute being able to block Will'O'-O-Wisp. this change makes it clear as to what return is being compared to here and the relevance of blocking will o wisp Alternatively, one can opt to run Facade to bait Will'O'-O-Wisp late-game for increased damage output versus Pokemon like Weezing and Rotom-S, but this is dependent on being afflicted with status and is otherwise a weaker alternative to Return. Slack Off provides Vigoroth with a form of reliable recovery that helps keep it healthy throughout the match, and it pairsing well with Bulk Up's dDefense boosts.

Set Details
========

A specially defensive EV spread aids Vigoroth in taking on special attackers; m. Most notably, it improves its match-up versus Lilligant and Jynx, the two most prominent sleep-inducers. This also allows Vigoroth's Substitutes to not be broken by weaker special attacks such as Weezing's Sludge Bomb and Clefairy's Moonblast. 16 Speed with a Jolly nature allows Vigoroth to reach the 242 sSpeed benchmark, which lets it outpace Pokemon including Abomasnow, Ddefensive Mesprit, and Torterra. Vital Spirit is the only ability Vigoroth can have, but and it's helpful for nullifying sleep-based moves like Sleep Powder and Lovely Kiss. Eviolite augments Vigoroth's defensive capabilities with a 50% boost to both of its defensive stats.

Usage Tips
========

Vigoroth is best suited for the late-game as a bulky wincon versus physical attackers and walls, as those lacking specially offensive power, Knock Off, or a fast Toxic will find themselves unable to break Vigoroth should it get enough boosts. Vigoroth can also function well in the early-game, being able to pivot into passive Pokemon using a recovery move like Pyukumuku and Clefairy using a recovery move and force them out with Taunt or Substitute. Despite a seemingly one-sided match-up, Vigoroth is perfectly capable of beating certain Ghost-type Pokemon like Gourgeist-XL, Choice Scarf Haunter lacking Trick, and Calm Mind Spiritomb by means of PP stalling through restricting moves with Taunt. I didn't understand what “stalling through restricting moves with Taunt” meant at first and I think it would be more clear to just delete that phrase and keep it as “PP stalling with Taunt UHowever, users of Pursuit are still vital to Vigoroth's success, as this isey are a more consistent form of dealing with Ghost-type Pokemon. Be wary of users of Knock Off and Trick like Eelektross and Mesprit, respectively, as losing its Eviolite will greatly water doweaken Vigoroth's defensive capabilities. Vigoroth absolutely hates being hit with Toxic, so knowing beforehand for an incoming Toxic helps Vigoroth stay healthy. I don’t understand what you’re trying to say in the latter half here. Are you trying to say something like “Vigoroth absolutely hates being hit with Toxic because it prevents Vigoroth from staying healthy”? Certain users of Toxic like Alolan Dugtrio and Oricorio-E outpace Taunt and Substitute and, so it's best to switch out to avoid being statused. Taunt and Substitute are useful scouting tools versus slower threats that can potentially carry Toxic, such as Lanturn and Cradily. As mentioned previously, Vigoroth can perform well even with a poor type match-up, so do not be afraid to set up on Steel- and Rock-types such as Regirock and Ferroseed, as they can both be beaten with setup and either Taunt or Substitute.

Team Options
========

Vigoroth appreciates Pursuit trappers such as Spiritomb and Skuntank being able towhich can remove specific Ghost-types like Calm Mind Oricorio-G and Sableye, as Vigoroth has no way of beating them through means of PP stalling I would delete “through means of PP stalling” as I think it’s a specific detail that isn’t super relevant. The point is that vigoroth has no way of beating them period. You should leave it thought if you feel it conveys important information without getting KOed or PP stalled first. Spiritomb in particular can also check Fighting-types with its own typing and access to Will-O-Wisp, while Skuntank also possesses the ability to remove Toxic Spikes by switching in, as well as removing Stealth Rock and Spikes with Defog. You can probably condense Skuntank’s portion by saying something like “Skuntank possesses the ability to remove entry hazards via its Poison typing and use of Defog” or something of that nature Pokemon that take on Fighting-types, such as Mesprit and Weezing, are essential for Vigoroth, as their removal gives Vigoroth a much easier time setting up. These two are notable examples, as the former canMesprit can also set up Stealth Rock and get Vigoroth on the field safely with U-Tturn or restore its HP and status with Healing Wish, while the latter cWeezing can sponge Knock Off and provide support through Toxic Spikes, helping to wearing down opponentfoes in the several turns it takes for Vigoroth to set up, and is also useful for sponging Knock Off. Weezing can also cripple Fighting-types, such as Hitmonchan, with Will-O-Wisp. Fairy-types like Clefairy and Silvally-Fairy can not only take on both Fighting-types but can additonally take on Sableye, a Ghost-type that and can Taunt and dispose of Vigoroth;. Clefairy in particular is also an excellent absorber of status. As Vigoroth dislikes the presence of Toxic Spikes, hazard removers such as Silvally-Water and Skuntank benefit Vigoroth greatly. Clerics such as Lanturn and Granbull are capable of healing any status ailment that would otherwise cripple Vigoroth, and it allowsing it to freely run Return. Even though Vigoroth has the ability to take on a select few Steel- and Rock- types, it still appreciates powerful Fighting- and Ground-types like Hitmonchan and Golurk being able to soften them up for the late-game. Finally, as Vigoroth is a potent stallbreaker, the removal or weakening of Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Weezing are appreciated by late-game cleaners, such as Primeape, Kingler, and Jynx.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vigoroth can forego STAB for a specific coverage move; The wording implies that you’d be choosing coverage over return/façade and not one of taunt/substitute, Is that true? Night Slash powers through Ghost-type checks like Golurk and Misdreavus, while Ice Punch and Earthquake deal massive damage to Pokemon like Oricorio-G and Aggron, respectively. I think what move is for what pokemon is obvious (as it is when it was used elsewhere) and so I think you could take it out and the flow would improve. That said, definitely not necessary so your call However, Normal-type coverage alongside Bulk Up, Taunt, or Substitute do you mean ‘and’ here? Otherwise it sounds like you only one of these moves. Perhaps "a combination of <those three moves>" would be better is normally enough to deal with most of these Pokemon, making some of these options wholly unnecessary. Double-Edge is a stronger STAB move than Return and can do considerable damage with Attack boosts, but theits high recoil cutting into its bulk and a reduction ofed PP from 32 to 24 makes thisit a questionable choice. Body Slam is another STAB option that gives Vigoroth a chance to Pparalyze opponents, though the higher base power of Return is usually more ideal, and the drop in power is noticeable when Vigoroth has multiple boosts. Lastly, a fully defensive set utilizing Toxic and Seismic Toss gives Vigoroth a much easier time handling Ghost- and bulky Steel- and Rock-types, although. However, this set trades offlacks Bulk Up, restricting Vigoroth from being a late-game win condition as well as limiting its ability to check more powerful physical attackers with Bulk Up's dDefense boosts.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ghost-Types**: Ghost-types such as Oricorio-G and Sableye naturally wall Vigoroth as it only usually runs Normal-type cmoverages. In particular, Oricorio-G can use this as an opportunity to uset up Substitute, Calm Mind, or cripple Vigoroth with Toxic, depending on its set. Do note, however, that Vigoroth does not struggle versus a small handful of Ghost-types like Calm Mind Spiritomb and Gourgeist-XL, as they both have limited move choices when Taunted and can be PP stalled and forced to Struggle in the long run.

**Fighting-Types**: Though they must be careful about taking a boosted attack, Fighting-type Pokemon, such as Primeape, Hitmonchan and Combusken, can threaten to hit Vigoroth hard with their super-effective STAB moves. The likes of Gurdurr can even remove Vigoroth's Eviolite with Knock Off or use Bulk Up itself.

**Status**: Users of Toxic like Alolan Persian and Todegedemaru outspeed Vigoroth's Taunt or Substitute and put it on a permanent timer, which is detrimental to its ability to set up and heal itself continuously. Pokemon that can burn Vigoroth when it switchinges in like Lanturn and Weezing can cut its attacking power in half, though Facade can circumvent this.

**Taunt**: Taunt users like Sableye and Oricorio-E strip Vigoroth of its ability to both setup and recovery health, making it rather easy to wear down, though. However, Vigoroth can outspeed certain Taunt users such as Weezing and Probopass and Taunt them first.

**Knock Off**: Vigoroth absolutely needs its Eviolite to maintain its bulk, and losing it to Knock Off users like Eelektross and Tangela will leave it vulnerable to weaker attacks, turning multiple 3HKOs into 2HKOs.

**Strong Special Attackers**: Because Vigoroth lacks good ways of adding on to its special bulk, specially offensive wallbreakers, such as Aurorus and Drampa, are capable of 2HKO'ing it with relative ease.

I wrote kind of a lot and so lmk if i'm not super clear in places. if u need me to expand on anything just lmk as well and i will happily do so. hope this helps u out my guy

 

[tondas]

good stuff my man, I implemented the majority of this

 

[Aaronboyer]

This is another AM GP Check, only Implement if you want
ADD REMOVE (COMMENTS)

AM GP Check

[OVERVIEW]

Vigoroth's good bulk and solid Speed tier coupled with access to Taunt and Bulk Up allow it to act as both a stallbreaker and setup sweeper in one. Access to reliable recovery in Slack Off is a key asset that, alongside Bulk Up, allows Vigoroth to effectively break through several defensive checks such as Ferroseed and Weezing. Additionally, Vigoroth's typing, while not great, compliments complements its respectable defenses with only one weakness to Fighting. Vital Spirit is also a helpful ability that allows Vigoroth to absorb sleep-inducing moves from the likes of Jynx, Lilligant,(AC) and Smeargle. Unfortunately, Vigoroth will often find itself naturally walled by Ghost-type Pokemon such as Spiritomb and Oricorio-G, as it struggles to drop a move for coverage. Additionally,(AC) Sableye and Misdreavus additionally carry Taunt, meaning that Vigoroth can't beat these Pokemon through PP stalling. Vigoroth unboosted is considerably weak, as its base 80 attack stat pales in comparison to other Normal-types in the tier such as Zangoose and Kangaskhan; these are both notable examples, as they can immediately pressure Ghost-types with Knock Off or Scrappy. Because of this and the aforementioned limited coverage opportunities, Vigoroth often struggles versus offensive teams. Vigoroth is heavily reliant on Eviolite and setup setting up with Bulk Up to function, meaning that it doesn't have access to passive recovery in Leftovers and losing Eviolite to Knock Off or even its setup and recovery opportunities to Trick makes it nigh useless as it finds itself becoming setup fodder. Finally, Vigoroth faces competition from Type: Null, as it can perform Vigoroth's role as a bulky Normal-type setup sweeper similarly, along with having much higher stats in general and access to Swords Dance for immediate offensive pressure.

[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Taunt / Substitute
move 3: Return / Facade
move 4: Slack Off
item: Eviolite
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Bulk Up is a useful setup move that boosts Vigoroth's Attack and Defense, giving it the functionality of a setup sweeper. Taunt disrupts opposing setup sweepers, clerics, and passive Pokemon like Ferroseed and Clefairy, giving Vigoroth an easier time setting up. Substitute can be used in place of Taunt to shield Vigoroth from status as well as from weaker moves like Scald, a move that can otherwise cripple Vigoroth should it lack Facade. Return is Vigoroth's main damaging move with its high base power, PP and general reliability due to Taunt and Substitute being able to block Will-O-Wisp. Alternatively, one can opt to run Facade to bait Will-O-Wisp late-game for increased damage output versus Pokemon like Weezing and Rotom-S, but this is dependent on being afflicted with status and is otherwise a weaker alternative to Return. Slack Off provides Vigoroth with a form of reliable recovery that helps keep it healthy throughout the match, pairing well with Bulk Up's Defense boosts.

Set Details
========

A specially defensive EV spread aids Vigoroth in taking on special attackers. Most notably, it improves its matchup versus Lilligant and Jynx, the two most prominent sleep inducers. This also allows Vigoroth's Substitutes to not be broken by weaker special attacks such as Weezing's Sludge Bomb and Clefairy's Moonblast. 16 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature allows Vigoroth to reach the 242 Speed benchmark, which lets it outpace Pokemon including Abomasnow, defensive Mesprit, and Torterra. Vital Spirit is the only ability Vigoroth can have, but it's helpful for nullifying sleep-based moves like Sleep Powder and Lovely Kiss. Eviolite augments Vigoroth's defensive capabilities with a 50% boost to both of its defensive stats.

Usage Tips
========

Vigoroth is best suited for the late-game as a bulky wincon versus physical attackers and walls, as those lacking specially offensive power, Knock Off or a fast Toxic will find themselves unable to break Vigoroth should it get enough boosts. Vigoroth can also function well early-game, being able to pivot into passive Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Clefairy using a recovery move and force them out with Taunt or Substitute. Despite a seemingly one-sided match-up, Vigoroth is perfectly capable of beating certain Ghost-type Pokemon like Gourgeist-XL, Choice Scarf Haunter lacking Trick, and Calm Mind Spiritomb by means of PP stalling through restricting moves with Taunt. Users of Pursuit are still vital to Vigoroth's success, as this is a more consistent form of dealing with Ghost-type Pokemon. Be wary of users of Knock Off and Trick like Eelektross and Mesprit, respectively, as losing its Eviolite will greatly water down Vigoroth's defensive capabilities. Vigoroth absolutely hates being hit with Toxic, so knowing beforehand for an incoming Toxic helps Vigoroth stay healthy. Certain users of Toxic like Alolan Dugtrio and Oricorio-E outpace Taunt and Substitute and so it's best to switch out to avoid being statused induced with status. Taunt and Substitute are useful scouting tools versus slower threats that can potentially carry Toxic such as Lanturn and Cradily. As mentioned previously, Vigoroth can perform well even with a poor type match-up, so do not be afraid to set up on Steel- and Rock-types such as Regirock and Ferroseed, as they can both be beaten with setup and either Taunt or Substitute.

Team Options
========

Vigoroth appreciates Pursuit trappers such as Spiritomb and Skuntank being able to remove specific Ghost-types like Calm Mind Oricorio-G and Sableye, as Vigoroth has no way of beating them through means of PP stalling without getting KOed or PP stalled first. Spiritomb,(AC) in particular,(AC) can also check Fighting-types with its own typing and access to Will-O-Wisp, while Skuntank also possesses the ability to remove Toxic Spikes by switching in, as well as removing Stealth Rock and Spikes with Defog. Pokemon that take on Fighting-types such as Mesprit and Weezing are essential, as their removal gives Vigoroth a much easier time setting up. These two are notable examples, as the former can set up Stealth Rock and get Vigoroth on the field safely with U-Turn or restore its HP and status with Healing Wish, while the latter can provide support through Toxic Spikes, wearing down opponents in the several turns it takes for Vigoroth to set up, and is also useful for sponging Knock Off. Weezing can also cripple Fighting-types such as Hitmonchan with Will-O-Wisp. Fairy-types like Clefairy and Silvally-Fairy can not only take on Fighting-types but can additonally additionally take on Sableye, a Ghost-type that and can Taunt and dispose of Vigoroth; Clefairy,(AC) in particular,(AC) is also an excellent absorber of status. As it dislikes the presence of Toxic Spikes, hazard removers such as Silvally-Water and Skuntank benefit Vigoroth greatly. Clerics such as Lanturn and Granbull are capable of healing any status ailment that would otherwise cripple Vigoroth, and it allows it to freely run Return. Even though Vigoroth has the ability to take on a select few Steel- and Rock- types, it still appreciates powerful Fighting- and Ground- types like Hitmonchan and Golurk being able to soften them for late-game. Finally, as Vigoroth is a potent stallbreaker, the removal or weakening of Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Weezing are appreciated by late-game cleaners such as Primeape, Kingler, and Jynx.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vigoroth can forego STAB for a specific coverage move; Night Slash powers through Ghost-type checks like Golurk and Misdreavus, while Ice Punch and Earthquake deal massive damage to Pokemon like Oricorio-G and Aggron, respectively. However, Normal-type coverage alongside Bulk Up, Taunt or Substitute is normally enough to deal with most of these Pokemon, making some of these options wholly unnecessary. Double-Edge is a stronger STAB move than Return and can do considerable damage with Attack boosts, but the high recoil cutting into its bulk and a reduction of PP from 32 to 24 makes this a questionable choice. Body Slam is another STAB option that gives Vigoroth a chance to Paralyze paralyze opponents, though the higher base power of Return is usually more ideal, and the drop in power is noticeable when Vigoroth has multiple boosts. Lastly, a fully defensive set utilizing Toxic and Seismic Toss gives Vigoroth a much easier time handling Ghost- and bulky Steel- and Rock-types, although this set trades off Bulk Up, restricting Vigoroth from being a late-game win condition as well as its ability to check more powerful physical attackers with Bulk Up's defense boosts.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ghost-Types**: Ghost-types such as Oricorio-G and Sableye naturally wall Vigoroth as it only usually runs Normal-type moves. In particular, Oricorio-G can use this as an opportunity to use Substitute, Calm Mind, or cripple Vigoroth with Toxic, depending on its set. Do note, however, that Vigoroth does not struggle versus a small handful of Ghost-types like Calm Mind Spiritomb and Gourgeist-XL, as they both have limited move choices when Taunted and can be PP stalled and forced to Struggle in the long run.

**Fighting-Types**: Though they must be careful about taking a boosted attack, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape, Hitmonchan and Combusken can threaten to hit Vigoroth hard with their super-effective STAB moves. The likes of Gurdurr can even remove Vigoroth's Eviolite with Knock Off or use Bulk Up itself.

**Status**: Users of Toxic like Alolan Persian and Togedemaru outspeed Vigoroth's Taunt or Substitute and put it on a permanent timer, which is detrimental to its ability to set up and heal itself continuously. Pokemon that can burn Vigoroth when it switches in like Lanturn and Weezing can cut its attacking power in half, though Facade can circumvent this.

**Taunt**: Taunt users like Sableye and Oricorio-E strip Vigoroth of both its ability to set up and recover health, making it rather easy to wear down. However, Vigoroth can outspeed certain Taunt users such as Weezing and Probopass and Taunt them first.

**Knock Off**: Vigoroth absolutely needs its Eviolite to maintain its bulk, and losing it to Knock Off users like Eelektross and Tangela will leave it vulnerable to weaker attacks, turning multiple 3HKOs into 2HKOs.

**Strong Special Attackers**: Because Vigoroth lacks good ways of adding on to its special bulk, specially offensive wallbreakers such as Aurorus and Drampa are capable of 2HKO'ing 2HKOing it with relative ease.

Don't Stop Aye! Also how did you get Sawsbuck done so fast!?!? lol

 

[tondas]

did most if not all of this

 

[tondas]

Updated with recent rises/drops, kept stuff like Omastar and Aromatisse out because they seem risky at this point in time.

 

[A Cake Wearing A Hat]

add remove comments

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Good Vigoroth's good bulk and a, (AC) solid Speed tier coupled with, (AC) and access to Taunt and Bulk Up allows Vigoroth allow it to act as both a stallbreaker and setup sweeper. Access to reliable Reliable recovery in Slack Off is a key asset that, alongside Bulk Up, allows Vigoroth to effectively break through several defensive checks such as Pyukumuku and Weezing. Additionally, Vigoroth's typing, while not great, complements its respectable defenses with only one, (AC) having solely a weakness to Fighting. Vital Spirit is also a helpful ability that allows Vigoroth to absorb sleep-inducing moves from the likes of Jynx, Lilligant, and Smeargle. Unfortunately, Vigoroth will often find itself naturally walled by Ghost-type Pokemon such as Spiritomb and Oricorio-G, as it struggles to drop a move for coverage. Additionally, Sableye and Froslass often carry Taunt, meaning that Vigoroth can't beat these Pokemon through PP stalling. Vigoroth unboosted is considerably weak when unboosted, as its base 80 attack Attack stat pales in comparison to other Normal-types in the tier such as Zangoose and Kangaskhan; these are both notable examples, as they can immediately pressure Ghost-types with Knock Off or and Scrappy, (AC) respectively. Because of this and the aforementioned limited coverage opportunities, Vigoroth often struggles versus offensive teams. Vigoroth is heavily reliant on Eviolite and setting up with Bulk Up to function, meaning that it doesn't have access to cannot afford to have passive recovery in Leftovers. Furthermore, losing Eviolite to Knock Off or even losing access to its setup and recovery opportunities to Trick makes it nigh useless, (AC) as it finds itself becoming can become setup fodder. Finally, Vigoroth faces competition from Type: Null, as it can perform Vigoroth's role as a bulky Normal-type setup sweeper similarly, along with having much higher stats in general and access to Swords Dance for immediate offensive pressure.

[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Taunt / Substitute
move 3: Return / Facade
move 4: Slack Off
item: Eviolite
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Bulk Up is a useful setup move that boosts Vigoroth's Attack and Defense, giving it the functionality of a setup sweeper. Taunt disrupts opposing setup sweepers, clerics, and passive Pokemon like Musharna and Clefairy, giving Vigoroth an easier time setting up. Substitute can be used in place of Taunt to shield Vigoroth from status as well as from weaker moves like Scald, (RC) a move that can otherwise cripple Vigoroth should it lack Facade. Return is Vigoroth's main damaging move with its high base power, PP and high Base Power, high PP, and general reliability due to Taunt and Substitute being able to block Will-O-Wisp. Alternatively, one can opt to run Facade to bait Will-O-Wisp late-game for increased damage output versus Pokemon like Weezing and Rotom-S, but this is dependent on being afflicted with status and is otherwise a weaker alternative to Return. Slack Off provides Vigoroth with a form of reliable recovery that helps keep it healthy throughout the match, pairing well with Bulk Up's Defense boosts.

Set Details
========

A specially defensive EV spread aids Vigoroth in taking on special attackers. Most notably, it improves its matchup versus Lilligant and Jynx, the two most prominent sleep inducers. This also allows Vigoroth's Substitutes Substitute to not be broken by weaker special attacks such as Weezing's Sludge Bomb and Clefairy's Moonblast. 16 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature allows allow (EVs allow) Vigoroth to reach the 242 Speed benchmark, which lets it outpace Pokemon including such as Abomasnow, defensive Mesprit, and Torterra. Vital Spirit is the only ability Vigoroth can have, but it's helpful for nullifying sleep-based moves like Sleep Powder and Lovely Kiss. Eviolite augments Vigoroth's defensive capabilities with a 50% boost to both of its defensive stats.

Usage Tips
========

Vigoroth is best suited for the late-game as a bulky wincon used late-game as a bulky setup sweeper versus physical attackers and walls, as those lacking specially offensive power, Knock Off, (AC) or a fast Toxic will find themselves unable to break Vigoroth should it get enough boosts. Vigoroth can also function well early-game, being able to pivot into passive Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Clefairy using a recovery move and force them out with Taunt or Substitute. Despite it being a seemingly one-sided match-up matchup, Vigoroth is perfectly capable of beating certain Ghost-type Pokemon like Gourgeist-XL, Choice Scarf Haunter lacking Trick, and Calm Mind Spiritomb by means of PP stalling through restricting moves with Taunt. Users of Pursuit are still vital to Vigoroth's success, as this is a more consistent form of dealing with Ghost-type Pokemon. (this sentence seems like it isn't much of a usage tip, as compared to just a team option. up to you though) Be wary of users of Knock Off and Trick like Eelektross and Mesprit, as losing its Eviolite will greatly water down Vigoroth's defensive capabilities will be severely hampered if it loses its Eviolite. Vigoroth absolutely hates being hit with Toxic Toxic poison, so knowing beforehand for an incoming Toxic predicting when a foe will use Toxic and playing around it carefully helps Vigoroth stay healthy. Certain users of Toxic like Alolan Dugtrio and Oricorio-E outpace Taunt and Substitute and, (AC) so it's best to switch out in these matchups to avoid being induced with status badly poisoned. Taunt and Substitute are useful scouting tools versus slower threats that can potentially carry Toxic such as Lanturn and Regirock. As mentioned previously, Vigoroth can perform well even with a poor type match-up matchup, so do not be afraid to set up on Steel- and Rock-types such as Regirock and Mawile, as they can both be beaten with setup and either Taunt or Substitute.

Team Options
========

Vigoroth appreciates Pursuit trappers such as Spiritomb and Skuntank being able to remove specific Ghost-types like Calm Mind Oricorio-G and Sableye, as Vigoroth has no way of beating them through means of PP stalling without getting KOed or PP stalled first. Spiritomb in particular can also check Fighting-types with its own typing and access to Will-O-Wisp, while Skuntank also possesses the ability to remove Toxic Spikes by switching in, as well as removing Stealth Rock and Spikes with Defog. Pokemon that take on Fighting-types, (AC) such as Mesprit and Weezing, (AC) are essential, as their removal gives Vigoroth a much easier time setting up. These two are notable examples, as the former can set up Stealth Rock and get Vigoroth on the field safely with U-Turn U-turn or restore its HP and status with Healing Wish, while the latter can provide support through Toxic Spikes, wearing down opponents in the several turns it takes for Vigoroth to set up, and is also useful for sponging Knock Off. Weezing can also cripple Fighting-types such as Hitmonchan with Will-O-Wisp. Fairy-types like Clefairy and Silvally-Fairy can not only take on Fighting-types but can additionally take on Sableye, a Ghost-type that and can Taunt and use Taunt to dispose of Vigoroth; Clefairy in particular is also an excellent absorber of status. As it Vigoroth dislikes the presence of Toxic Spikes, hazard removers such as Silvally-Water and Skuntank benefit Vigoroth it greatly. Clerics such as Lanturn and Granbull are capable of healing any status ailment that would otherwise cripple Vigoroth, and it allows they allow it to freely run Return. Even though Vigoroth has the ability to take on a select few Steel- and Rock- types Rock-types, it still appreciates powerful Fighting- and Ground- types like Hitmonchan and Golurk being able to soften them for late-game sweep. Finally, as Vigoroth is a potent stallbreaker, the removal or weakening of Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Weezing are is appreciated by late-game cleaners such as Primeape, Kingler, and Jynx.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vigoroth can forego its STAB attack for a specific coverage move; Night Slash powers through Ghost-type checks like Golurk and Misdreavus, while Ice Punch and Earthquake deal massive damage to Pokemon like Oricorio-G and Aggron, respectively. However, Normal-type coverage alongside Bulk Up, (RC) and Taunt or Substitute is normally enough to deal with most of these Pokemon, making some of these options wholly unnecessary. Double-Edge is a stronger STAB move than Return and can do considerable damage with Attack boosts, but the high recoil cutting into its bulk and a reduction of PP from 32 to 24 makes this a questionable choice. Body Slam is another STAB option that gives Vigoroth a chance to paralyze opponents, though the higher base power Base Power of Return is usually more ideal, and the drop in power is noticeable when Vigoroth has multiple boosts. Lastly, a fully defensive set utilizing Toxic and Seismic Toss gives Vigoroth a much easier time handling Ghost-types and bulky Steel- and Rock-types, although this set trades off Bulk Up, restricting Vigoroth from being a late-game win condition sweeper as well as its ability to check more powerful physical attackers with Bulk Up's defense boosts.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ghost-Types Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Oricorio-G and Sableye naturally wall Vigoroth, (AC) as it only usually runs Normal-type moves. In particular, Oricorio-G can use this as an opportunity to use Substitute, use Calm Mind, or cripple Vigoroth with Toxic, depending on its set. Do note, however, that Vigoroth does not struggle versus a small handful of Ghost-types like Calm Mind Spiritomb and Gourgeist-XL, as they both have limited move choices when Taunted and can be PP stalled and forced to Struggle in the long run.

**Fighting-Types Fighting-types**: Though they must be careful about taking a boosted attack, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape, Hitmonchan, (AC) and Combusken can threaten to hit Vigoroth hard with their super-effective super effective STAB moves. The likes of Gurdurr can even remove Vigoroth's Eviolite with Knock Off or and use Bulk Up itself.

**Status**: Users of Toxic like Alolan Persian and Togedemaru outspeed Vigoroth's Vigoroth before it can use Taunt or Substitute and put it on a permanent timer, which is detrimental to its ability to set up and heal itself continuously. Pokemon that can burn Vigoroth when it switches in like Lanturn and Weezing can cut its attacking power in half, though Facade can circumvent this.

**Taunt Users**: Taunt users like Sableye and Oricorio-E strip Vigoroth of both its ability to set up and its ability to recover health, making it rather easy to wear down. However, Vigoroth can outspeed certain Taunt users such as Weezing and Probopass and Taunt them first.

**Knock Off**: Vigoroth absolutely needs its Eviolite to maintain its bulk, and losing it to Knock Off users like Eelektross and Tangela will leave it vulnerable to weaker attacks, turning multiple 3HKOs into 2HKOs.

**Strong Special Attackers**: Because Vigoroth lacks good ways of adding on to onto its special bulk, specially offensive wallbreakers such as Aurorus and Drampa are capable of 2HKOing it with relative ease.

1/2

 

[tondas]

this is ready for the second check

 

[Fireflame]

Remove Add Comments (AC)= add comma (RC)= remove comma (AH)= add hyphen (RH)= remove hyphen

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Vigoroth's good bulk, solid Speed tier, and access to Taunt and Bulk Up allow it to act as both a stallbreaker and setup sweeper. Reliable recovery in Slack Off is a key asset that, alongside Bulk Up, allows Vigoroth to effectively break through several defensive checks such as Pyukumuku and Weezing. Additionally, Vigoroth's typing, while not great, complements its respectable defenses, having solely only a weakness to Fighting. Vital Spirit is also a helpful ability that allows Vigoroth to absorb sleep-inducing moves from the likes of Jynx, Lilligant, and Smeargle. Unfortunately, Vigoroth will often find itself naturally walled by Ghost-type Pokemon such as Spiritomb and Oricorio-G, as it struggles to drop a move for coverage. Additionally, Sableye and Froslass often carry Taunt, meaning that Vigoroth can't beat these Pokemon through PP stalling. Vigoroth is considerably weak unboosted, as its base 80 Attack stat pales in comparison to other Normal-types in the tier such as Zangoose and Kangaskhan; these are both notable examples, as they can immediately pressure Ghost-types with Knock Off and Scrappy, respectively. Because of this and the aforementioned limited coverage opportunities, Vigoroth often struggles versus offensive teams. Vigoroth is heavily reliant on Eviolite and setting up with Bulk Up to function, meaning that it can't afford to have passive recovery in Leftovers. Furthermore, losing Eviolite to Knock Off or losing access to its setup and recovery opportunities to Trick makes it nigh useless, as it can become setup fodder. Finally, Vigoroth faces competition from Type: Null, as it can perform Vigoroth's role as a bulky Normal-type setup sweeper similarly, along with having much higher stats in general and access to Swords Dance for immediate offensive pressure.

[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Taunt / Substitute
move 3: Return / Facade
move 4: Slack Off
item: Eviolite
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Bulk Up is a useful setup move that boosts Vigoroth's Attack and Defense, giving it the functionality of a setup sweeper. Taunt disrupts opposing setup sweepers, clerics, and passive Pokemon like Musharna and Clefairy, giving Vigoroth an easier time setting up. Substitute can be used in place of Taunt to shield Vigoroth from status as well as from and weaker moves like Scald,(AC) which can otherwise cripple Vigoroth should it lack Facade. Return is Vigoroth's main damaging move with high Base Power, PP, and general reliability due to Taunt and Substitute being able to block Will-O-Wisp. Alternatively, one can opt to run Facade to bait Will-O-Wisp late-game for increased damage output versus Pokemon like Weezing and Rotom-S, but this is dependent on being afflicted with status and is otherwise a weaker alternative to Return. Slack Off provides Vigoroth with a form of reliable recovery that helps keep it healthy throughout the match, pairing well with Bulk Up's Defense boosts.

Set Details
========

A specially defensive EV spread aids Vigoroth in taking on special attackers. Most notably, it improves its Vigoroth's matchup versus Lilligant and Jynx, the two most prominent sleep inducers. This also allows Vigoroth's Substitute to not be broken by weaker special attacks such as Weezing's Sludge Bomb and Clefairy's Moonblast. 16 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature allow Vigoroth to reach the 242 Speed benchmark, which lets it outpace non-Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Abomasnow, Aurorus, and Omastar. Vital Spirit is the only ability Vigoroth can have, but it's helpful for nullifying sleep-based moves like Sleep Powder and Lovely Kiss. Eviolite augments Vigoroth's defensive capabilities with a 50% boost to both of its defensive stats.

Usage Tips
========

Vigoroth is best used late-game as a bulky setup sweeper versus physical attackers and walls, as those lacking specially offensive power, Knock Off, or a fast Toxic will find themselves unable to break Vigoroth should it get enough boosts. Vigoroth can also function well early-game, being able to pivot into passive Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Clefairy using a recovery move and force them out with Taunt or Substitute. Despite it being a seemingly one-sided matchup, Vigoroth is perfectly capable of beating certain Ghost-type Pokemon like Gourgeist-XL, Choice Scarf Haunter lacking Trick, and Calm Mind Spiritomb by means of PP stalling through restricting moves with Taunt. Users of Pursuit are still vital to Vigoroth's success, as this is a more consistent form of dealing with Ghost-type Pokemon. Be wary of users of Knock Off and Trick users like Eelektross and Mesprit, as Vigoroth's defensive capabilities with be severely hampered if it loses Eviolite. Vigoroth absolutely hates Toxic poison, so predicting when a foe will use Toxic and playing around it carefully helps Vigoroth stay healthy. Certain users of Toxic like Alolan Dugtrio and Oricorio-E outpace Vigoroth before it can use (they outspeed Vigoroth not the moves) Taunt and or Substitute, so it's best to switch out in these matchups avoid being badly poisoned. Taunt and Substitute are useful scouting tools versus slower threats that can potentially carry Toxic such as Lanturn and Regirock. As mentioned previously, Vigoroth can perform well even with a poor type matchup, so do not be afraid to set up on Steel- and Rock-types such as Regirock and Mawile, as they can both be beaten with setup and either Taunt or Substitute.

Team Options
========

Vigoroth appreciates Pursuit trappers such as Spiritomb and Skuntank being able to remove specific Ghost-types like Calm Mind Oricorio-G and Sableye, as Vigoroth has no way of beating them through means of PP stalling without getting KOed or PP stalled first. Spiritomb in particular can also check Fighting-types with its own typing and access to Will-O-Wisp, while Skuntank also possesses the ability to remove Toxic Spikes by switching in, as well as removing Stealth Rock and Spikes with Defog. Pokemon that take on Fighting-types, such as Mesprit and Weezing, are essential, as their removal gives Vigoroth a much easier time setting up. These two are notable examples, as the former can set up Stealth Rock and get Vigoroth on the field safely with U-turn or restore its HP and status with Healing Wish, while the latter can provide support through Toxic Spikes, wearing down opponents foes in the several turns it takes for Vigoroth to set up, and is also useful for sponging Knock Off. Weezing can also cripple Fighting-types such as Hitmonchan with Will-O-Wisp. Fairy-types like Clefairy and Silvally-Fairy can not only take on Fighting-types but can additionally take on Sableye, a Ghost-type that can use Taunt to dispose of Vigoroth; Clefairy in particular is also an excellent absorber of status. As Vigoroth dislikes the presence of Toxic Spikes, entry hazard removers such as Silvally-Water and Skuntank benefit it greatly. Clerics such as Lanturn and Granbull are capable of healing any status ailment that would otherwise cripple Vigoroth, and they allow it to freely run Return. Even though Vigoroth has the ability to take on a select few Steel- and Rock-types, it still appreciates powerful Fighting- and Ground- types like Hitmonchan and Golurk being able to soften them for a late-game sweep. Finally, as Vigoroth is a potent stallbreaker, the removal or weakening of Pokemon like Pyukumuku and Weezing is appreciated by late-game cleaners such as Primeape, Kingler, and Jynx.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vigoroth can forego its STAB attack for a specific coverage move; Night Slash powers through Ghost-type checks like Golurk and Misdreavus, while Ice Punch and Earthquake deal massive damage to Pokemon like Oricorio-G and Aggron, respectively. However, Normal-type coverage alongside Bulk Up and Taunt or Substitute is normally enough to deal with most of these Pokemon, making some of these options wholly unnecessary. Double-Edge is a stronger STAB move than Return and can do considerable damage with Attack boosts, but the high recoil cutting into its bulk and a reduction of PP from 32 to 24 makes this a questionable choice. Body Slam is another STAB option that gives Vigoroth a chance to paralyze opponents foes, though the higher Base Power of Return is usually more ideal, and the drop in power is noticeable when Vigoroth has multiple boosts. Lastly, a fully defensive set utilizing Toxic and Seismic Toss gives Vigoroth a much easier time handling Ghost-types and bulky Steel- and Rock-types, although this set trades off forgoes Bulk Up, restricting Vigoroth from being a late-game sweeper as well as its ability to check more powerful physical attackers with Bulk Up's defense boosts.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Oricorio-G and Sableye naturally wall Vigoroth, as it usually only usually runs Normal-type moves. In particular, Oricorio-G can use this as an opportunity to use Vigoroth as setup fodder for Substitute,(RC) and Calm Mind,(RC) or cripple Vigoroth with Toxic, depending on its set. Do note, however, that Vigoroth does not struggle versus a small handful of Ghost-types like Calm Mind Spiritomb and Gourgeist-XL, as they both have limited move choices when Taunted afflicted with Taunt and can be PP stalled and forced to use Struggle in the long run.

**Fighting-types**: Though they must be careful about taking a boosted attack, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape, Hitmonchan, and Combusken can threaten to hit Vigoroth hard with their super effective STAB moves. Gurdurr can even remove Vigoroth's Eviolite with Knock Off and use Bulk Up itself.

**Status**: Users of Toxic like Alolan Persian and Togedemaru outspeed Vigoroth before it can use Taunt or Substitute and put it on a permanent (not necessarily. Heal Bell and other moves can remove) timer, which is detrimental to its ability to set up and heal itself continuously. Pokemon that can burn Vigoroth when it switches in like Lanturn and Weezing can cut its attacking power in half, though Facade can circumvent this.

**Taunt Users**: Taunt users like Sableye and Oricorio-E strip Vigoroth of both its ability to set up and its ability to recover health, making it rather easy to wear down. However, Vigoroth can outspeed certain Taunt users such as Weezing and Probopass and use Taunt on them first.

**Knock Off**: Vigoroth absolutely needs its Eviolite to maintain its bulk, and losing it to Knock Off users like Eelektross and Tangela will leave it vulnerable to weaker attacks, turning multiple 3HKOs into 2HKOs.

**Strong Special Attackers**: Because Vigoroth lacks good ways of adding onto its special bulk, specially offensive wallbreakers such as Aurorus and Drampa are capable of 2HKOing it with relative ease.

GP 4/2 2/2

 

[tondas]

This is ready for upload. Technically my first successful analysis since I started this about a month before Crustle, so I'm glad I managed to pull through. Thanks, everyone.