[overview]
**Draft order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price range**: 9-11 points
**Overview**: Alomomola is one of the bulkiest walls in the format. It's held up by its fabulous HP, strong defensive typing, and Regenerator, all allowing it to sponge hits and pivot out into a teammate with ease. It's one of a handful of walls that can be equally effective at both physically and specially defensive roles, albeit the latter requires Assault Vest. Alomomola's other unique selling point is its combination of Wish + Flip Turn, allowing it to act as a reliable support for other teammates. However, it has very limited flexibility and can be incredibly passive, making it prone to setup sweepers using it as fodder. These downsides mean Alomomola does not fit all kinds of drafts, but it can be a vital part of many defensive backbones.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wall**: Alomomola has the ability to safely switch into most Pokemon that aren't carrying super effective STAB moves against it. It's able to safely take these hits and heal the damage off thanks to its access to both Wish and Regenerator. This set is able to act as sponge for teammates (rc) while also passing an emergency Wish if needed.
**Assault Vest pivot**: Since it has access to Flip Turn, wielding an Assault Vest allows Alomomola to switch into special attackers that can otherwise 2HKO it and pivot out safely into an attacker. While Alomomola does have a rather shallow offensive movepool, Assault Vest sets will tend to carry Mirror Coat in an attempt to punish the special attackers that try to KO it.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Flip Turn, Liquidation, Scald, Aqua Jet
**Setup moves**: Calm Mind
**Utility moves**: Whirlpool, Wish, Mirror Coat, Alluring Voice
**Coverage**: Acrobatics, Play Rough, Zen Headbutt, Ice Beam
Niche Moves
========
**Icy Wind**: In scenarios where Alomomola wants to try inhibit a faster foe, Icy Wind may be used instead of Ice Beam. Incoming teammates can take advantage of the foe's lowered Speed.
**Healing Wish**: While usually outclassed by Wish, Healing Wish can provide Alomomola with the ability to heal a teammate while also giving the player an effectively free switch. It can pair well with setup Pokemon that may need to come in multiple times per game.
**Field effects**: Alomomola has a wide range of field effects in its arsenal, with moves such as Light Screen, Rain Dance, and Misty Terrain all being examples of what it can run to help support its teammates.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Since Alomomola is expected to switch in multiple times throughout the game, Heavy-Duty Boots gives it more longevity by allowing it to fully utilize Regenerator.
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest is used in matchups where Alomomola is required to take on special attackers and does not need to be reliant on Wish to check them.
**Rocky Helmet**: In the event that Alomomola has to punish pivot spam, Rocky Helmet can be used to pressure the foe into not using U-turn in order to avoid chip damage on their pivots. It also has the added benefit of punishing any contact moves in general.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers can be used as an alternative to Heavy-Duty Boots against teams with weaker entry hazard setters.
**Eject Button**: Alomomola can take heavy hits from strong attackers, and it can use Eject Button to provide a safe switch into a revenge killer, allowing the player to regain momentum safely.
Tera
========
Alomomola should not normally be a Tera Captain; it tends to have the bulk it needs as is, and it's very rare that gaining extra defensive resistances will help. In the event that you do make it a Tera Captain, Tera types such as Fairy, Steel, and Ground are all valuable options for their strong defensive profiles. It won't benefit offensively from Tera, as it is simply too weak.
Draft Strategy
========
Alomomola can be a solid fit on a lot of different styles of drafts, so long as they're able to aptly punish setup users. It can be an especially great pairing for the following kinds of Pokemon and drafts.
**Frail wallbreakers**: Alomomola can act a sponge and a safe pivot for frail wallbreakers that tend to be vulnerable to opposing speed control and priority moves. It's also able to help heal them up if they take too much damage, increasing their effectiveness across the whole game. Examples of this include Chi-Yu, Sneasler, and Meowscarada.
**Tanks**: Thanks to Wish, Alomomola makes for a great teammate alongside fatter Pokemon that lack recovery. It's able to act as a crutch for these Pokemon, allowing for them to be played more aggressively. Examples include Iron Hands and Landorus-T, but Alomomola's support can be equally applicable to the likes of Ting-Lu and Tyranitar, which are now able to run offensive investment much more safely, as their longevity is less prioritized with investment when Wish support is available.
**Checks to Grass- and Electric-types**: Since it only has 2 weaknesses, Alomomola can serve as a blanket check for many opposing offensive Pokemon. While it cannot take on every Pokemon, it excels at its role alongside teammates that can switch into and pressure Grass- and Electric-type Pokemon. Examples of this can range from Weavile and Landorus-T, which can offensively check them, to Raging Bolt and Latias, which can use them as free setup opportunities.
Checks and Counters
========
**Encore and Taunt**: Due to its relative passiveness, Alomomola is incredibly susceptible to both Encore and Taunt. Either can be used against Alomomola by a variety of Pokemon, from offensive setup threats like Ogerpon-W to bulky pivots such as Corviknight. This can provide the foe with free turns of setup or recovery, as Alomomola cannot damage them. While Alomomola can use Flip Turn to pivot out against most of these, it becomes restricted to a fat pivot rather than a support Pokemon.
**Substitute**: In a similar vein to Encore and Taunt, Alomomola tends to be incredibly susceptible to the foe using Substitute. Its inability to hit very hard means that opposing setup threats are able to use Substitute followed by setup move relatively freely, without fearing the incoming threat that Alomomola can pivot out via Flip Turn into.
**Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type Pokemon**: Alomomola is unable to threaten any of these types effectively. Water-type Pokemon can use it as a free setup opportunity, Electric-type Pokemon can force it out safely and regain momentum, and Grass-type Pokemon are able to do both. What makes this even worse is that physical attackers can run Covert Cloak to avoid burns from Scald, making Alomomola even more of a dead weight.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/abriel.473082/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
**Draft order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price range**: 9-11 points
**Overview**: Alomomola is one of the bulkiest walls in the format. It's held up by its fabulous HP, strong defensive typing, and Regenerator, all allowing it to sponge hits and pivot out into a teammate with ease. It's one of a handful of walls that can be equally effective at both physically and specially defensive roles, albeit the latter requires Assault Vest. Alomomola's other unique selling point is its combination of Wish + Flip Turn, allowing it to act as a reliable support for other teammates. However, it has very limited flexibility and can be incredibly passive, making it prone to setup sweepers using it as fodder. These downsides mean Alomomola does not fit all kinds of drafts, but it can be a vital part of many defensive backbones.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wall**: Alomomola has the ability to safely switch into most Pokemon that aren't carrying super effective STAB moves against it. It's able to safely take these hits and heal the damage off thanks to its access to both Wish and Regenerator. This set is able to act as sponge for teammates (rc) while also passing an emergency Wish if needed.
**Assault Vest pivot**: Since it has access to Flip Turn, wielding an Assault Vest allows Alomomola to switch into special attackers that can otherwise 2HKO it and pivot out safely into an attacker. While Alomomola does have a rather shallow offensive movepool, Assault Vest sets will tend to carry Mirror Coat in an attempt to punish the special attackers that try to KO it.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Flip Turn, Liquidation, Scald, Aqua Jet
**Setup moves**: Calm Mind
**Utility moves**: Whirlpool, Wish, Mirror Coat, Alluring Voice
**Coverage**: Acrobatics, Play Rough, Zen Headbutt, Ice Beam
Niche Moves
========
**Icy Wind**: In scenarios where Alomomola wants to try inhibit a faster foe, Icy Wind may be used instead of Ice Beam. Incoming teammates can take advantage of the foe's lowered Speed.
**Healing Wish**: While usually outclassed by Wish, Healing Wish can provide Alomomola with the ability to heal a teammate while also giving the player an effectively free switch. It can pair well with setup Pokemon that may need to come in multiple times per game.
**Field effects**: Alomomola has a wide range of field effects in its arsenal, with moves such as Light Screen, Rain Dance, and Misty Terrain all being examples of what it can run to help support its teammates.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Since Alomomola is expected to switch in multiple times throughout the game, Heavy-Duty Boots gives it more longevity by allowing it to fully utilize Regenerator.
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest is used in matchups where Alomomola is required to take on special attackers and does not need to be reliant on Wish to check them.
**Rocky Helmet**: In the event that Alomomola has to punish pivot spam, Rocky Helmet can be used to pressure the foe into not using U-turn in order to avoid chip damage on their pivots. It also has the added benefit of punishing any contact moves in general.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers can be used as an alternative to Heavy-Duty Boots against teams with weaker entry hazard setters.
**Eject Button**: Alomomola can take heavy hits from strong attackers, and it can use Eject Button to provide a safe switch into a revenge killer, allowing the player to regain momentum safely.
Tera
========
Alomomola should not normally be a Tera Captain; it tends to have the bulk it needs as is, and it's very rare that gaining extra defensive resistances will help. In the event that you do make it a Tera Captain, Tera types such as Fairy, Steel, and Ground are all valuable options for their strong defensive profiles. It won't benefit offensively from Tera, as it is simply too weak.
Draft Strategy
========
Alomomola can be a solid fit on a lot of different styles of drafts, so long as they're able to aptly punish setup users. It can be an especially great pairing for the following kinds of Pokemon and drafts.
**Frail wallbreakers**: Alomomola can act a sponge and a safe pivot for frail wallbreakers that tend to be vulnerable to opposing speed control and priority moves. It's also able to help heal them up if they take too much damage, increasing their effectiveness across the whole game. Examples of this include Chi-Yu, Sneasler, and Meowscarada.
**Tanks**: Thanks to Wish, Alomomola makes for a great teammate alongside fatter Pokemon that lack recovery. It's able to act as a crutch for these Pokemon, allowing for them to be played more aggressively. Examples include Iron Hands and Landorus-T, but Alomomola's support can be equally applicable to the likes of Ting-Lu and Tyranitar, which are now able to run offensive investment much more safely, as their longevity is less prioritized with investment when Wish support is available.
**Checks to Grass- and Electric-types**: Since it only has 2 weaknesses, Alomomola can serve as a blanket check for many opposing offensive Pokemon. While it cannot take on every Pokemon, it excels at its role alongside teammates that can switch into and pressure Grass- and Electric-type Pokemon. Examples of this can range from Weavile and Landorus-T, which can offensively check them, to Raging Bolt and Latias, which can use them as free setup opportunities.
Checks and Counters
========
**Encore and Taunt**: Due to its relative passiveness, Alomomola is incredibly susceptible to both Encore and Taunt. Either can be used against Alomomola by a variety of Pokemon, from offensive setup threats like Ogerpon-W to bulky pivots such as Corviknight. This can provide the foe with free turns of setup or recovery, as Alomomola cannot damage them. While Alomomola can use Flip Turn to pivot out against most of these, it becomes restricted to a fat pivot rather than a support Pokemon.
**Substitute**: In a similar vein to Encore and Taunt, Alomomola tends to be incredibly susceptible to the foe using Substitute. Its inability to hit very hard means that opposing setup threats are able to use Substitute followed by setup move relatively freely, without fearing the incoming threat that Alomomola can pivot out via Flip Turn into.
**Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type Pokemon**: Alomomola is unable to threaten any of these types effectively. Water-type Pokemon can use it as a free setup opportunity, Electric-type Pokemon can force it out safely and regain momentum, and Grass-type Pokemon are able to do both. What makes this even worse is that physical attackers can run Covert Cloak to avoid burns from Scald, making Alomomola even more of a dead weight.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/abriel.473082/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
Last edited:
