Pokémon Orthworm

[1BluLizard]

Base Stats: 70 / 85 / 145 / 60 / 55 / 65
Abilities: Earth Eater / Sand Veil
Notable Moves:
- Body Press
- Stealth Rock
- Coil
- Curse
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Iron Head
- Spikes
-Shed Tail

Full Movepool

Level-Up:
1: Tackle
1: Wrap
1: Harden
7: Mud-Slap
12: Smack Down
16: Bulldoze
21: Iron Head
26: Take Down
30: Dig
34: Sandstorm
38: Iron Defense
43: Iron Tail
47: Earthquake
52: Shed Tail

TM:
1: Take Down
5: Mud Slap
7: Protect
25: Facade
28: Bulldoze
35: Mud Shot
36: Rock Tomb
47: Endure
51: Sandstorm
55: Dig
66: Body Slam
70: Sleep Talk
76: Rock Blast
84: Stomping Tantrum
89: Body Press
90: Spikes
93: Flash Cannon
99: Iron Head
103: Substitute
104: Iron Defense
116: Stealth Rock
121: Heavy Slam
130: Helping Hand
133: Earth Power
149: Earthquake
152: Giga Impact
163: Hyper Beam
170: Steel Beam
171: Tera Blast

New Ability: Earth Eater - This Pokemon heals 1/4 of its max HP when hit by Ground moves; Ground immunity.

Pros:
- Great physical defense 145
- Good defensive typing with great ability that turns a weakness to an immunity
- Can set Stealth Rock and Spikes
- Body Press and Heavy Slam are strong moves not only based on its low attack stat
- Curse and Coil both raise defense and attack, making all its attacks stronger

Cons:
- Overall low stats except for defense, leaving it slow and weak offensively and (special) defensively
- Very low coverage not counting Terastalizing, only Ground, Fighting, Rock, and Normal
- Its moves lack power except for body press

Terastalize Potential: While it can use tera types like fighting or water to lose weaknesses, steel is already a really good type, and beyond STAB body press, terastalizing Orthworm will not give it a big enough boost to make it worth it.

Potential Sets:
Hazard Setter
Orthworm @ Leftovers
Ability: Earth Eater
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Iron Head/Heavy Slam/Shed Tail
- Body Press

This set allows Orthworm to set hazards freely with high HP EVs and very high defense, while still exerting pressure if it needs to with Body Press, and 8 Atk EVs for Iron Head/Heavy Slam. Body Press and high defense also lets Orthworm beat some strong threats such as Kingambit and Chien-Pao. Earth Eater makes it even harder to take out by removing a common weakness, and lets it switch in and even heal up on mons like Iron Treads. Shed Tail could work because the goal is not for Orthworm to deal damage, especially if its put in a position immediately where it cannot or does not want to set up hazards, but if it sets up hazards it probably will not have enough HP left to use it.

Curse/Coil Tank
Orthworm @ Leftovers
Ability: Earth Eater
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Curse/Coil
- Body Press
- Iron Head/Heavy Slam
- Rest/Stealth Rock

This set boosts Orthworm's already high defense so it can use extremely powerful body presses, while also boosting its lower attack. Rest lets it heal up and shrug off status conditions, or stealth rock can give it utility if setting up does not work. Its biggest weakness is lack of special defense.


Overall: Orthworm seems like it could have some usage as a wall, but overall its lack of stats beyond special defense are rather unimpressive. Having access to hazards and good defense gives it some usage, and body press saves it offensively because it lets it fire off strong fighting type attacks, although because this is not STAB it is not amazing. Maybe its defensive capabilities are a lot better than they seem, though, and it will be be viable. Its access to Shed Tail could also end up making it a good substitute passer, but its low defense and inability to recover beyond Rest or switching in on a ground type move make it difficult to use. However, if successful, Shed Tail pairs very well with any offensive mon that likes having a free substitute.

 

[lydian]

you know this thing gets shed tail, right?

@ below, that's fair enough, i'd just edit to say something about it, even if it is telling people why you think it's bad, because it's a pretty nuts move, and since orthworm is slow, you're getting something in without taking damage and with a sub up if you can use it, so i think even if it does turn out to be bad (haven't tested it yet) i think it'd be at least good to explain why!

 

[1BluLizard]

Yeah, I just didn't think that would be that good on it. I can change it though to add that

 

[Eeveeto]

I think that in HO teams with broken set-up abussers, this Mon is better at using Shed Tail than Cyclizar, even though it would only do it once per battle. It's very bulky and quite slow, with 2 immunities too. It can therefore take a hit, use Shed Tail and the Sub will be untouched when the set-up sweeper is sent. Should work especially well with something like DD Dragonite or Gyarados (does Iron Jugulis have Attack and DD?), which are resistant to the worm's weaknesses and if lucky, might even boost twice before the Sub is broken.
Cyclizar allows switching for free many times, but his subs are often broken the same turn.
Orthworm can only use the move once (twice at most) , but his Sub is maintained next turn and has potential to be devastating with the right set-up Mon.

 

[Some random freak]

I've been using this on a sun team and it's been great at patching up the Ground and Rock weaknesses that annoy such teams. If you pull off a Shed tail and pass to something like Flutter Mane or Scovillain it's usually GG.

 

[Kalalokki]

Earth Eater only heals by 25%, just like Water and Volt Absorb for example.

 

[1BluLizard]

Earth Eater only heals by 25%, just like Water and Volt Absorb for example.

Oh, in showdown its put down as 33%, and I've used it and it does heal 33%, so I guess thats a mistake on showdown.

I reached out to coders and they're gonna fix that, 25% is correct in the games - kala

 

[Shmirko]

I have concluded that one of the better tera typings for this Pokémon is Poison, since you don't sacrifice the fairy resistance and poison immunity and you are able to wall a majority of the common Iron Valiant sets. At the end of the day the need for using your tera on Orthworm really depends on matchup, but in the right circumstances it can come in clutch

 

[1BluLizard]

In playing more with Orthworm, one thing that I have noticed is that berries seem to be a pretty good item for it if the goal is to shed tail to something like a setup sweeper. With something like a sitrus berry, even when it is hit down to 25%, it will still then be able to use shed tail, and unless Orthworm is staying in Leftovers will probably not provide as much utility since when it switches back in it will not last long. I do not know if this will end up being better than leftovers or other items, but it seems to benefit strategies around shed tail a lot.

 

[earl]

I’ve seen way too many of these grinding to hit 1550. Basically a free win whenever I face it, it’s massively overrated. While a slow shed tail is cool in theory, unlike other pivoting moves it can whiff if you just hit the worm hard enough. It’s also comically passive. Not worth the slot on a team whatsoever imo, cyclizar is a much better shed tail user

 

[furyofyuriy]

I have concluded that one of the better tera typings for this Pokémon is Poison, since you don't sacrifice the fairy resistance and poison immunity and you are able to wall a majority of the common Iron Valiant sets. At the end of the day the need for using your tera on Orthworm really depends on matchup, but in the right circumstances it can come in clutch

I would also like to add Electric Tera type too the list. While it does require you to give up immunities, the upside is that thanks to Earth eater, it has 0 weaknesses. A single coil or curse with a pinch berry makes this thing very fascinating. Would it be ideal to use this, probably not, but it is worth looking into.

 

[Sharpam]

I’ve seen way too many of these grinding to hit 1550. Basically a free win whenever I face it, it’s massively overrated. While a slow shed tail is cool in theory, unlike other pivoting moves it can whiff if you just hit the worm hard enough. It’s also comically passive. Not worth the slot on a team whatsoever imo, cyclizar is a much better shed tail user

Who's staying in on a hard hitting special attacker? Probably not very good players. Idk about overrated, I don't listen to that kind of noise bc competitive Pokemon absolutely loves to become a... Harmonious echo chamber. But like most Pokémon, it's at the mercy of the decision making. If you pace yourself for the setup, a free sub is dangerous as we all know.

And that's not including anything that simply doesn't win against it. For me the reason it floats (barely) above the threshold to combat today's power creep is Body Press. It's not like it's a game breaker on its own but it is absolutely a game changer since its release. It prevents it from being a one-trick pony which is crucial.

And don't even try to undersell Earth Eater. Maybe the overall mon is overrated or something, but there is no amount of hype that would make Earth Eater overrated. I think Orthy boi has at least two viable roles that would vary in viability depending on who exactly is around that it wants to try and check/counter. We'll see as these rapid developments in the meta settle a bit

 

[Zennistrad]

Iron Tail might be worth using over Iron Head if you're running a Coil set, since the low accuracy of the move is practically non-relevant once you've gotten a single Coil off.

I can't rightly see this mon being OU material, though.

 

[BolTingBlazie]

Iron Tail might be worth using over Iron Head if you're running a Coil set, since the low accuracy of the move is practically non-relevant once you've gotten a single Coil off.

I can't rightly see this mon being OU material, though.

However if Cyclizar gets banned I can see people using bulky orth as a replacement to do the same game ending crap with mutliscale dragonite. This could maybe bring up a case to banning shed tail if they have not been discussing it already, but we will have to see once Cyclizar is gone.

See if it didn't have shed tail though I honestly would not see it as OU material in any stretch.

 

[STEELDRAGON]

Literally the only reason someone should run Orthoworm is Shed Tail, even though Cyclizar is arguably a better user due to regenerator. Earth Eater is a really underrated ability and allows it to check a lot of Pokémon that it wouldn't otherwise be able to. Rock Tomb deserves a mention since it can help make its switchins a little more manageable. Why does this thing not have Dragon Tail?

Overall it's a decent Pokémon but suffers from serious flaws and I don't see it lasting in OU for much longer.

 

[Ezra Koenig Worshipper]

Since Cyclizar is probably getting banned at some point, what's this thing's best set as a shed tail support? would max speed+scarf be a good idea to get shed tail off as fast as possible? should it run max bulk and pass off slow shed tails? what other moves should it run?

 

[furyofyuriy]

Since Cyclizar is probably getting banned at some point, what's this thing's best set as a shed tail support? would max speed+scarf be a good idea to get shed tail off as fast as possible? should it run max bulk and pass off slow shed tails? what other moves should it run?

Whats good about Orthworm is that it gives slow passes rather than fast. A slow pass allows whatever comes in too set up behind protection without risk of the sub breaking the turn it switches in. The reason it is good on Cyclizar is because thanks to regenerator, it can spam the move. But the worm really only needs to get it off once and act as a ground move deterrent. A scarf on this mon would be a waste of an item honestly because even with it there are many non scarf mons that can outspeed it

 

[Ezra Koenig Worshipper]

Whats good about Orthworm is that it gives slow passes rather than fast. A slow pass allows whatever comes in too set up behind protection without risk of the sub breaking the turn it switches in. The reason it is good on Cyclizar is because thanks to regenerator, it can spam the move. But the worm really only needs to get it off once and act as a ground move deterrent. A scarf on this mon would be a waste of an item honestly because even with it there are many non scarf mons that can outspeed it

got it. id imagine you'd wanna run physically defensive evs. what moves should it use outside of shed tail?

 

[furyofyuriy]

got it. id imagine you'd wanna run physically defensive evs. what moves should it use outside of shed tail?

When in doubt, Body Press + Iron defense is always solid because it can actually deal good damage. If you don't want Iron defense you can throw in stealth rocks or spikes just to be annoying. Last move should either be a steel move like Heavy Slam or Iron head

 

[STEELDRAGON]

Orthworm has gotten a considerable boost now due to the recent bans. It is now the only pokemon with the coveted Shed Tail and 2 of its most common counters are gone. The 2 most viable sets that I have found for it is a physically defensive set with a Sitrus Berry and surprisingly Choice Scarf. The number one thing Orthworm should focus doing is to pass the substitute or its kind of outclassed by Corviknight. I haven't found to be a good hazard setter or trying to set up with Coil.

 

[McGrrr]

I've been running a gimmicky set that's funny when it works. Rest Talk solves a lot of the problems that Orthworm has as a Shed Passer, while Metal Burst is a catch all for so much stuff.

Orthworm @ Leftovers
Ability: Earth Eater
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Shed Tail
- Spikes / Metal Burst
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

 

[Blanca Weiss]

I've been running a gimmicky set that's funny when it works. Rest Talk solves a lot of the problems that Orthworm has as a Shed Passer, while Metal Burst is a catch all for so much stuff.

Orthworm @ Leftovers
Ability: Earth Eater
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Shed Tail
- Metal Burst
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

While very gimmicky but for this particular set you may want to run minimum speed as Metal Burst does not have decreased priority.

 

[Prussia123]

I know Maushold is UU, but could Orthworm's Shed Tail help it enough to make it useful on OU teams? I would think so, considering Maushold enjoys additional Tidy Ups. Of course, you would have to KO any Rock, Steel, or Ghost-types on the opposing team first.

 

[McGrrr]

I know Maushold is UU, but could Orthworm's Shed Tail help it enough to make it useful on OU teams? I would think so, considering Maushold enjoys additional Tidy Ups. Of course, you would have to KO any Rock, Steel, or Ghost-types on the opposing team first.

Rocky Helmet exists.

 

[AnandOza]

Definitely would be fun to Tidy Up your own Shed Tail.