[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 8
**Price Range**: 1-2 points
**Overview**: Vigoroth is a decent low-point stick-on for the end of a team that can occasionally provide surprising utility in the forms of item removal with Knock Off, paralysis through Body Slam and Thunder Wave, and disruption with Roar, Yawn, and the coveted Encore. With Eviolite, its mediocre bulk can be bolstered to acceptable levels that allow it to sponge most attacks and heal back up through the use of Slack Off, but it's still vulnerable to decently strong attacks, especially since it does not resist any types. Vigoroth also has a middling Attack stat that leaves it quite passive, meaning it can become deadweight against teams that play around its predictable disruption.
Common Roles
========
**Utility**: With Eviolite equipped, Vigoroth can sponge moderately powerful attacks and heal them off with Slack Off while being able to annoy opposing Pokemon with disruptive options like Body Slam, Knock Off, and Yawn. Against setup sweepers and slower Pokemon, Vigoroth can use Taunt to shut down their desired options, Encore to lock them into a disadvantageous move, and Roar to prevent already-boosted threats from threatening the rest of its team.
**Setup Sweeper**: In certain matchups where the opponent lacks special firepower or stallbreaking methods, Vigoroth can use Bulk Up to accrue multiple boosts while tanking multiple attacks with the use of Eviolite and Slack Off and fire back with boosted STAB moves as well as coverage in Earthquake, Knock Off, and Drain Punch. Taunt can also be used to stop disruptive status moves from impeding Vigoroth's sweeping capabilities.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Body Slam, Facade, Double-Edge
**Setup Moves**: Bulk Up
**Utility Moves**: Slack Off, Encore, Taunt, Yawn, Knock Off, Thunder Wave, Substitute, Tickle, Scary Face, Bulldoze, Rock Tomb, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Earthquake, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Play Rough, Rock Slide, Gunk Shot, Poison Jab, Drain Punch, Hammer Arm, Seed Bomb, Thunder Punch, X-Scissor, Zen Headbutt, Aerial Ace
Niche Moves
========
**Tickle**: Tickle can be used to soften opposing Pokemon or negate setup sweepers' stat boosts for either Vigoroth itself or an offensive teammate to take advantage of.
**Scary Face**: Against a setup Pokemon that is accruing Speed boosts and threatening to sweep, Vigoroth can use Scary Face to lower their Speed beyond future boosting and ensure they cannot sweep the rest of the team.
**Bulldoze / Rock Tomb**: Similar to Scary Face, both Bulldoze and Rock Tomb can negate Speed boosts from setup Pokemon. While they do not have the harsh reduction of Scary Face, they can be used through Taunt while also dealing some damage.
**Counter**: Thanks to Vigoroth's middling bulk, most physical attackers are capable of dealing a sizable amount of damage to it without outright KOing it, allowing it to utilize Counter as a means of firing back high damage.
**Endeavor**: In the same vein as Counter, Endeavor can be used to punish attackers that fail to outright OHKO Vigoroth. This includes special attackers, though it lacks the means to immediately KO them.
Common Items
========
**Eviolite**: Due to Vigoroth's rather underwhelming base stats, it is imperative that it holds Eviolite in order to have usable bulk. Other items are not worth it due to its underwhelming offensive presence and their lack of value compared to Eviolite.
Tera
========
Vigoroth should not realistically be a Tera Captain due to the opportunity cost compared to high- or even low-tiered Captains. If it is still chosen to be so, Tera Fairy and Poison are generally good types that remove its weakness to Fighting, with Poison even allowing it to become an absorber of Toxic Spikes. Tera Water and Steel are also great defensive types that allow Vigoroth to take on a greater variety of threats. These types also tremendously help the viability of Bulk Up sets.
Draft Strategy
========
Vigoroth is usually drafted to round off an already-complete team, and it should not be built around nor fill any primary roles, since it is effectively a pure support Pokemon. That said, it appreciates teammates that can take advantage of the opportunities created by its utility and disruption. Vigoroth also benefits from both entry hazard control and support, as keeping hazards off the field gives it an easier time staying healthy, while setting hazards on the opposing side can work well with disruption and Knock Off.
Checks and Counters
========
**Knock Off**: If Eviolite is removed by Knock Off, Vigoroth's incredibly poor innate bulk gets exposed, and most attacks push it past the point of healing or outright KO it. Trick and Switcheroo can accomplish the same task while potentially even giving it a detrimental item, but most users usually prefer disrupting a higher-value target than Vigoroth itself.
**Entry Hazards**: With Eviolite being practically mandatory, Vigoroth cannot viably run Heavy-Duty Boots, so it is affected gravely by almost every entry hazard. Stealth Rock and both types of Spikes make its already-middling bulk even less reliable and can cause it to quickly burn through its limited Slack Off uses.
**Wallbreakers**: Strong attackers can usually KO Vigoroth in few hits if it chooses to sponge their attacks. Fighting-type STAB attacks from the likes of Great Tusk and Iron Valiant leave it no room to survive, while special mention goes toward STAB Knock Off users like Roaring Moon and Weavile for their ability to both hit hard and make it lose its precious Eviolite. Special attackers like Latios and Raging Bolt are also harder for Vigoroth to switch into due to its horrible innate special bulk that even Eviolite struggles to support.
**Taunt**: Vigoroth's relative passivity means that it relies on status moves to effectively handle most Pokemon. Taunt usually shuts down almost all of its disruption and recovery, meaning that it can become setup fodder or simply picked off easier.
**Status**: The likes of burn and poison severely cut into Vigoroth's bulk and force it to burn through more Slack Off uses, making it easier to take advantage of. Paralysis, while more bearable, gives breathing room to previously slower Pokemon that are scared of Encore; not to mention the chance of full paralysis blocking a vital disruptive move.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/furyy.529077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 8
**Price Range**: 1-2 points
**Overview**: Vigoroth is a decent low-point stick-on for the end of a team that can occasionally provide surprising utility in the forms of item removal with Knock Off, paralysis through Body Slam and Thunder Wave, and disruption with Roar, Yawn, and the coveted Encore. With Eviolite, its mediocre bulk can be bolstered to acceptable levels that allow it to sponge most attacks and heal back up through the use of Slack Off, but it's still vulnerable to decently strong attacks, especially since it does not resist any types. Vigoroth also has a middling Attack stat that leaves it quite passive, meaning it can become deadweight against teams that play around its predictable disruption.
Common Roles
========
**Utility**: With Eviolite equipped, Vigoroth can sponge moderately powerful attacks and heal them off with Slack Off while being able to annoy opposing Pokemon with disruptive options like Body Slam, Knock Off, and Yawn. Against setup sweepers and slower Pokemon, Vigoroth can use Taunt to shut down their desired options, Encore to lock them into a disadvantageous move, and Roar to prevent already-boosted threats from threatening the rest of its team.
**Setup Sweeper**: In certain matchups where the opponent lacks special firepower or stallbreaking methods, Vigoroth can use Bulk Up to accrue multiple boosts while tanking multiple attacks with the use of Eviolite and Slack Off and fire back with boosted STAB moves as well as coverage in Earthquake, Knock Off, and Drain Punch. Taunt can also be used to stop disruptive status moves from impeding Vigoroth's sweeping capabilities.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Body Slam, Facade, Double-Edge
**Setup Moves**: Bulk Up
**Utility Moves**: Slack Off, Encore, Taunt, Yawn, Knock Off, Thunder Wave, Substitute, Tickle, Scary Face, Bulldoze, Rock Tomb, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Earthquake, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Play Rough, Rock Slide, Gunk Shot, Poison Jab, Drain Punch, Hammer Arm, Seed Bomb, Thunder Punch, X-Scissor, Zen Headbutt, Aerial Ace
Niche Moves
========
**Tickle**: Tickle can be used to soften opposing Pokemon or negate setup sweepers' stat boosts for either Vigoroth itself or an offensive teammate to take advantage of.
**Scary Face**: Against a setup Pokemon that is accruing Speed boosts and threatening to sweep, Vigoroth can use Scary Face to lower their Speed beyond future boosting and ensure they cannot sweep the rest of the team.
**Bulldoze / Rock Tomb**: Similar to Scary Face, both Bulldoze and Rock Tomb can negate Speed boosts from setup Pokemon. While they do not have the harsh reduction of Scary Face, they can be used through Taunt while also dealing some damage.
**Counter**: Thanks to Vigoroth's middling bulk, most physical attackers are capable of dealing a sizable amount of damage to it without outright KOing it, allowing it to utilize Counter as a means of firing back high damage.
**Endeavor**: In the same vein as Counter, Endeavor can be used to punish attackers that fail to outright OHKO Vigoroth. This includes special attackers, though it lacks the means to immediately KO them.
Common Items
========
**Eviolite**: Due to Vigoroth's rather underwhelming base stats, it is imperative that it holds Eviolite in order to have usable bulk. Other items are not worth it due to its underwhelming offensive presence and their lack of value compared to Eviolite.
Tera
========
Vigoroth should not realistically be a Tera Captain due to the opportunity cost compared to high- or even low-tiered Captains. If it is still chosen to be so, Tera Fairy and Poison are generally good types that remove its weakness to Fighting, with Poison even allowing it to become an absorber of Toxic Spikes. Tera Water and Steel are also great defensive types that allow Vigoroth to take on a greater variety of threats. These types also tremendously help the viability of Bulk Up sets.
Draft Strategy
========
Vigoroth is usually drafted to round off an already-complete team, and it should not be built around nor fill any primary roles, since it is effectively a pure support Pokemon. That said, it appreciates teammates that can take advantage of the opportunities created by its utility and disruption. Vigoroth also benefits from both entry hazard control and support, as keeping hazards off the field gives it an easier time staying healthy, while setting hazards on the opposing side can work well with disruption and Knock Off.
Checks and Counters
========
**Knock Off**: If Eviolite is removed by Knock Off, Vigoroth's incredibly poor innate bulk gets exposed, and most attacks push it past the point of healing or outright KO it. Trick and Switcheroo can accomplish the same task while potentially even giving it a detrimental item, but most users usually prefer disrupting a higher-value target than Vigoroth itself.
**Entry Hazards**: With Eviolite being practically mandatory, Vigoroth cannot viably run Heavy-Duty Boots, so it is affected gravely by almost every entry hazard. Stealth Rock and both types of Spikes make its already-middling bulk even less reliable and can cause it to quickly burn through its limited Slack Off uses.
**Wallbreakers**: Strong attackers can usually KO Vigoroth in few hits if it chooses to sponge their attacks. Fighting-type STAB attacks from the likes of Great Tusk and Iron Valiant leave it no room to survive, while special mention goes toward STAB Knock Off users like Roaring Moon and Weavile for their ability to both hit hard and make it lose its precious Eviolite. Special attackers like Latios and Raging Bolt are also harder for Vigoroth to switch into due to its horrible innate special bulk that even Eviolite struggles to support.
**Taunt**: Vigoroth's relative passivity means that it relies on status moves to effectively handle most Pokemon. Taunt usually shuts down almost all of its disruption and recovery, meaning that it can become setup fodder or simply picked off easier.
**Status**: The likes of burn and poison severely cut into Vigoroth's bulk and force it to burn through more Slack Off uses, making it easier to take advantage of. Paralysis, while more bearable, gives breathing room to previously slower Pokemon that are scared of Encore; not to mention the chance of full paralysis blocking a vital disruptive move.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/furyy.529077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
