pannu
beyond the farthest stars
[SET]
name: Special Wall
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Toxic / Whirlwind
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Hippowdon is a special wall able to check common offensive Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Mega Diancie, and Magnezone. It does, however, face severe competition as a Ground-type from Gliscor, Gastrodon, and Landorus-T, which bring more defensive utility and offensive presence, making Hippowdon difficult to justify despite its better raw bulk. It's also quite a subpar Stealth Rock setter, as it loses to the most common removal options in the tier, notably Tapu Fini and Corviknight. Toxic lets it limit its passivity, punishing switch-ins such as Tangrowth, Slowbro, and Zapdos. Whirlwind is just as good to phaze Pokemon such as Gliscor, Landorus-T, Calm Mind Clefable, and Mega Scizor that try to take advantage of it. Whirlwind also racks up chip damage on the opposing team thanks to the Stealth Rock and sand Hippowdon provides. However, since both moves compete for one moveslot, Hippowdon will always be passive against a substantial number of Pokemon. Leftovers is the preferred item to help it check Tapu Koko and Magnezone. However, Heavy-Duty Boots can also be run to bypass Hippowdon's overbearing weakness to Toxic Spikes and Spikes. The Attack investment lets Hippowdon's Earthquake always OHKO Excadrill.
Pokemon that appreciate Hippowdon checking Electric-types, such as Corviknight, Skarmory, and Toxapex, make stellar defensive cores alongside it; in return, they can help cover its weakness to Grass- and Water-types such as Tangrowth, Rillaboom, Ash-Greninja, and Manaphy. Status severely cripples Hippowdon, as Toxic severely worsens its longevity, while burn makes it unable to threaten the likes of Toxapex and Galarian Slowking. Therefore, clerics like Chansey and Clefable make for good teammates; Chansey also appreciates Hippowdon freeing up its Stealth Rock moveslot. Corviknight, Mega Scizor, and Gliscor totally wall Hippowdon and remove its Stealth Rock or set up on it, so teammates that can handle these threats such as Heatran, Tapu Koko, Weavile, and Mega Latias are key to having Hippowdon function.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A physically defensive variant can theoretically be used, as it checks Zeraora, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Tyranitar. However, Hippowdon is strictly inferior to the other Ground-types in the tier at checking these. Ice Fang can threaten Landorus-T and Garchomp but Toxic and Whirlwind are more useful. Sand Force can also be run if your team dislikes the chip damage from sand, and it avoids powering up Mega Garchomp, but generally chipping down the opposing team is more worth it than not.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types Not Weak to Ground**: The likes of Corviknight, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor freely come in on Hippowdon, as it's unable to meaningfully damage them. This allows them to remove its entry hazard, set up their own, or use non-Whirlwind variants as setup fodder.
**Status**: Toxic from the likes of Heatran, Zeraora, and Toxapex completely removes any longevity Hippowdon has, letting the likes of Heatran, Zeraora, and Magnezone overpower it. Meanwhile, getting burnt by Slowbro, Galarian Slowking, or Toxapex makes it entirely passive.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Kartana, Tangrowth, Rillaboom, and Serperior can switch into Hippowdon and force it out with their STAB moves, Rillaboom is notable because its Grassy Terrain makes Hippowdon's Earthquake weaker, letting other teammates switch in.
**Water-types**: Both offensive and defensive Water-types pose a serious issue to Hippowdon. The likes of Slowbro, Rotom-W, and Tapu Fini threaten it with Scald and shrug off its Earthquake, while Greninja, Urshifu-R, and Manaphy can force it out with their powerful Water-type attacks, but they struggle to switch due to Earthquake.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[pannuracotta, 517892]]
- Quality checked by: [[adem, 529732], [Solaros & Lunaris, 471780]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
name: Special Wall
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Toxic / Whirlwind
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Hippowdon is a special wall able to check common offensive Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Mega Diancie, and Magnezone. It does, however, face severe competition as a Ground-type from Gliscor, Gastrodon, and Landorus-T, which bring more defensive utility and offensive presence, making Hippowdon difficult to justify despite its better raw bulk. It's also quite a subpar Stealth Rock setter, as it loses to the most common removal options in the tier, notably Tapu Fini and Corviknight. Toxic lets it limit its passivity, punishing switch-ins such as Tangrowth, Slowbro, and Zapdos. Whirlwind is just as good to phaze Pokemon such as Gliscor, Landorus-T, Calm Mind Clefable, and Mega Scizor that try to take advantage of it. Whirlwind also racks up chip damage on the opposing team thanks to the Stealth Rock and sand Hippowdon provides. However, since both moves compete for one moveslot, Hippowdon will always be passive against a substantial number of Pokemon. Leftovers is the preferred item to help it check Tapu Koko and Magnezone. However, Heavy-Duty Boots can also be run to bypass Hippowdon's overbearing weakness to Toxic Spikes and Spikes. The Attack investment lets Hippowdon's Earthquake always OHKO Excadrill.
Pokemon that appreciate Hippowdon checking Electric-types, such as Corviknight, Skarmory, and Toxapex, make stellar defensive cores alongside it; in return, they can help cover its weakness to Grass- and Water-types such as Tangrowth, Rillaboom, Ash-Greninja, and Manaphy. Status severely cripples Hippowdon, as Toxic severely worsens its longevity, while burn makes it unable to threaten the likes of Toxapex and Galarian Slowking. Therefore, clerics like Chansey and Clefable make for good teammates; Chansey also appreciates Hippowdon freeing up its Stealth Rock moveslot. Corviknight, Mega Scizor, and Gliscor totally wall Hippowdon and remove its Stealth Rock or set up on it, so teammates that can handle these threats such as Heatran, Tapu Koko, Weavile, and Mega Latias are key to having Hippowdon function.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A physically defensive variant can theoretically be used, as it checks Zeraora, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Tyranitar. However, Hippowdon is strictly inferior to the other Ground-types in the tier at checking these. Ice Fang can threaten Landorus-T and Garchomp but Toxic and Whirlwind are more useful. Sand Force can also be run if your team dislikes the chip damage from sand, and it avoids powering up Mega Garchomp, but generally chipping down the opposing team is more worth it than not.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types Not Weak to Ground**: The likes of Corviknight, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor freely come in on Hippowdon, as it's unable to meaningfully damage them. This allows them to remove its entry hazard, set up their own, or use non-Whirlwind variants as setup fodder.
**Status**: Toxic from the likes of Heatran, Zeraora, and Toxapex completely removes any longevity Hippowdon has, letting the likes of Heatran, Zeraora, and Magnezone overpower it. Meanwhile, getting burnt by Slowbro, Galarian Slowking, or Toxapex makes it entirely passive.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Kartana, Tangrowth, Rillaboom, and Serperior can switch into Hippowdon and force it out with their STAB moves, Rillaboom is notable because its Grassy Terrain makes Hippowdon's Earthquake weaker, letting other teammates switch in.
**Water-types**: Both offensive and defensive Water-types pose a serious issue to Hippowdon. The likes of Slowbro, Rotom-W, and Tapu Fini threaten it with Scald and shrug off its Earthquake, while Greninja, Urshifu-R, and Manaphy can force it out with their powerful Water-type attacks, but they struggle to switch due to Earthquake.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[pannuracotta, 517892]]
- Quality checked by: [[adem, 529732], [Solaros & Lunaris, 471780]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
Last edited: