[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price Range**: 12-13 points
**Overview**: While it may look underwhelming at first glance, Swampert is a great utility Pokemon that can be added to many teams. It has solid offensive coverage, great natural bulk, and a wide variety of utility options. It also serves as a solid slow pivot that can enable its teammates. Its main downsides are its lack of recovery options as well as its major weakness to Grass, which many foes can exploit with Grass-type coverage. Swampert can work very well as a supporting piece for many high-tier threats, making it a valuable pickup.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Pivot**: Swampert's great natural bulk allows it to effectively switch in on many Pokemon. It has many valuable utility moves, such as Stealth Rock, Knock Off, and Yawn, which allow it to effectively weaken foes and enable its teammates. With Flip Turn, it can also pivot on its incoming checks, such as Grass-types, to position its teammates better.
**Wallbreaker**: Swampert can utilize its high Attack along with a Choice Band or other damage-boosting item to deal massive damage to its foes. Flip Turn is a very spammable move on this set, as it deals large damage even to Pokemon that resist it while bringing in teammates that can handle the foe better. Swampert prefers to utilize bulky sets in most matchups, but this set can be very threatening against the right team.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Earthquake, High Horsepower, Liquidation, Flip Turn, Hydro Pump, Surf, Earth Power
**Setup Moves**: Curse
**Utility Moves**: Knock Off, Roar, Stealth Rock, Rest, Yawn
**Coverage**: Ice Punch, Avalanche, Ice Beam, Poison Jab, Sludge Wave, Hammer Arm, Low Kick, Stone Edge, Rock Slide
Niche Moves
========
**Brick Break**: Brick Break is a valuable move to have in matchups against common dual screens users, such as Klefki and Grimmsnarl.
**Endeavor**: Swampert has great bulk, meaning it can often take many hits. Endeavor can be used to weaken Pokemon it cannot normally check once it has already been weakened.
**Counter / Mirror Coat**: Swampert can use either Counter or Mirror Coat to beat wallbreakers that it would normally struggle against. Either move can be used alongside Focus Sash or Rindo Berry to avoid an OHKO and further catch foes off guard.
**Endure**: Endure can be used with Endeavor to deal massive damage to a foe or with Rocky Helmet to deal additional damage against a physical attacker that would otherwise KO Swampert.
**Rock Tomb**: While most Pokemon still outspeed Swampert after a Rock Tomb, it can use it to pivot into teammates that can then outspeed foes or prevent them from setting up with Speed-boosting moves.
**Whirlpool**: Whirlpool can be used to trap and weaken foes that would otherwise wall Swampert. It can be combined with Protect to deal additional damage.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is nice to have, since Swampert does not have any consistent recovery options. It can typically be used over Heavy-Duty Boots, since Swampert takes little damage from Stealth Rock, and it is most often used early-game.
**Rocky Helmet**: Swampert's great physical bulk allows it to punish many physical attackers and pivots with Rocky Helmet.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: While Swampert typically prefers Leftovers, Heavy-Duty Boots can be useful in matchups against Spikes and Toxic Spikes.
**Rindo Berry**: Swampert's massive weakness to Grass means foes will often run Grass-type coverage to attack Swampert. Rindo Berry allows it to take the hit and potentially revenge kill the attacker.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Swampert has great Attack, meaning it can utilize damage-boosting items such as Choice Band to become a solid wallbreaker. Other items, such as Mystic Water and Soft Sand, can be used to hit certain damage thresholds while avoiding Swampert being Choice locked.
**Assault Vest**: With great coverage along with Flip Turn, Swampert can become a specially defensive monster with an Assault Vest, allowing it to take hits from most of the meta's key special wallbreakers.
**Chesto Berry**: Swampert's only method of recovery is Rest, so Chesto Berry can be used to quickly heal up one time without any drawbacks.
**Eject Button**: Eject Button is a way for Swampert to punish pivots and weaker attackers by positioning a strong teammate against them.
**Red Card**: Swampert can often take hits from Pokemon even after they set up, so Red Card is a great option for forcing them out. It can be used alongside Roar to ensure foes do not set up further.
Tera
========
With an already good type combination and a lack of setup options, Swampert should never be considered as a Tera Captain. It does a better job using its utility moves and pivoting to better position a teammate with Tera. If made a Tera Captain, Swampert benefits the most from defensive Tera types, specifically ones that patch up its Grass weakness such as Tera Poison and Steel.
Draft Strategy
========
Swampert can provide utility options that are valued by nearly every team. However, it is not a team's centerpiece and cannot win games on its own. It should specifically be picked to help support and enable its higher-tiered (AH) teammates.
**Wallbreakers**: Swampert can use Stealth Rock and Knock Off to enable its offensive teammates. Pokemon such as Iron Valiant, Meowscarada, and Chi-Yu greatly appreciate extra chip damage as well as its slow pivoting to get them on the field safely.
**Grass-resistant Pokemon**: Swampert's large weakness to Grass means foes will often run Grass-type coverage against it. Pairing Swampert with solid Grass-resistant Pokemon, such as Gholdengo, Tornadus-T, and Corviknight, forces opponents to make harder decisions on what moves they will use.
**Ice-resistant Pokemon**: Water-type Pokemon are nice to have for their ability to resist strong Ice-type attackers such as Baxcalibur and Weavile. Since Swampert's typing makes it neutral to Ice, it is often useful to pair it with an additional Water-type such as Greninja or a Fire- or Steel-type Pokemon such as Gholdengo or Cinderace.
Checks and Counters
========
**Chip Damage**: Swampert's only recovery options are Rest and items such as Leftovers, meaning it has very little longevity in most cases. Pivots, entry hazards, status effects, and wallbreakers are able to chip it down over time, making it much less useful over the course of the match.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types resist both of Swampert's STAB types and deal super effective damage to it, forcing it out. Swampert often struggles in matchups against offensive Grass-types such as Meowscarada, Ogerpon formes, and Serperior.
**Grass-type Coverage**: Many Pokemon can have Grass-type coverage moves, meaning Swampert has to scout or be very careful even around Pokemon it can typically beat, such as Infernape, Iron Moth, and Glimmora.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/abriel.473082/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
**Draft Order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price Range**: 12-13 points
**Overview**: While it may look underwhelming at first glance, Swampert is a great utility Pokemon that can be added to many teams. It has solid offensive coverage, great natural bulk, and a wide variety of utility options. It also serves as a solid slow pivot that can enable its teammates. Its main downsides are its lack of recovery options as well as its major weakness to Grass, which many foes can exploit with Grass-type coverage. Swampert can work very well as a supporting piece for many high-tier threats, making it a valuable pickup.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Pivot**: Swampert's great natural bulk allows it to effectively switch in on many Pokemon. It has many valuable utility moves, such as Stealth Rock, Knock Off, and Yawn, which allow it to effectively weaken foes and enable its teammates. With Flip Turn, it can also pivot on its incoming checks, such as Grass-types, to position its teammates better.
**Wallbreaker**: Swampert can utilize its high Attack along with a Choice Band or other damage-boosting item to deal massive damage to its foes. Flip Turn is a very spammable move on this set, as it deals large damage even to Pokemon that resist it while bringing in teammates that can handle the foe better. Swampert prefers to utilize bulky sets in most matchups, but this set can be very threatening against the right team.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Earthquake, High Horsepower, Liquidation, Flip Turn, Hydro Pump, Surf, Earth Power
**Setup Moves**: Curse
**Utility Moves**: Knock Off, Roar, Stealth Rock, Rest, Yawn
**Coverage**: Ice Punch, Avalanche, Ice Beam, Poison Jab, Sludge Wave, Hammer Arm, Low Kick, Stone Edge, Rock Slide
Niche Moves
========
**Brick Break**: Brick Break is a valuable move to have in matchups against common dual screens users, such as Klefki and Grimmsnarl.
**Endeavor**: Swampert has great bulk, meaning it can often take many hits. Endeavor can be used to weaken Pokemon it cannot normally check once it has already been weakened.
**Counter / Mirror Coat**: Swampert can use either Counter or Mirror Coat to beat wallbreakers that it would normally struggle against. Either move can be used alongside Focus Sash or Rindo Berry to avoid an OHKO and further catch foes off guard.
**Endure**: Endure can be used with Endeavor to deal massive damage to a foe or with Rocky Helmet to deal additional damage against a physical attacker that would otherwise KO Swampert.
**Rock Tomb**: While most Pokemon still outspeed Swampert after a Rock Tomb, it can use it to pivot into teammates that can then outspeed foes or prevent them from setting up with Speed-boosting moves.
**Whirlpool**: Whirlpool can be used to trap and weaken foes that would otherwise wall Swampert. It can be combined with Protect to deal additional damage.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is nice to have, since Swampert does not have any consistent recovery options. It can typically be used over Heavy-Duty Boots, since Swampert takes little damage from Stealth Rock, and it is most often used early-game.
**Rocky Helmet**: Swampert's great physical bulk allows it to punish many physical attackers and pivots with Rocky Helmet.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: While Swampert typically prefers Leftovers, Heavy-Duty Boots can be useful in matchups against Spikes and Toxic Spikes.
**Rindo Berry**: Swampert's massive weakness to Grass means foes will often run Grass-type coverage to attack Swampert. Rindo Berry allows it to take the hit and potentially revenge kill the attacker.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Swampert has great Attack, meaning it can utilize damage-boosting items such as Choice Band to become a solid wallbreaker. Other items, such as Mystic Water and Soft Sand, can be used to hit certain damage thresholds while avoiding Swampert being Choice locked.
**Assault Vest**: With great coverage along with Flip Turn, Swampert can become a specially defensive monster with an Assault Vest, allowing it to take hits from most of the meta's key special wallbreakers.
**Chesto Berry**: Swampert's only method of recovery is Rest, so Chesto Berry can be used to quickly heal up one time without any drawbacks.
**Eject Button**: Eject Button is a way for Swampert to punish pivots and weaker attackers by positioning a strong teammate against them.
**Red Card**: Swampert can often take hits from Pokemon even after they set up, so Red Card is a great option for forcing them out. It can be used alongside Roar to ensure foes do not set up further.
Tera
========
With an already good type combination and a lack of setup options, Swampert should never be considered as a Tera Captain. It does a better job using its utility moves and pivoting to better position a teammate with Tera. If made a Tera Captain, Swampert benefits the most from defensive Tera types, specifically ones that patch up its Grass weakness such as Tera Poison and Steel.
Draft Strategy
========
Swampert can provide utility options that are valued by nearly every team. However, it is not a team's centerpiece and cannot win games on its own. It should specifically be picked to help support and enable its higher-tiered (AH) teammates.
**Wallbreakers**: Swampert can use Stealth Rock and Knock Off to enable its offensive teammates. Pokemon such as Iron Valiant, Meowscarada, and Chi-Yu greatly appreciate extra chip damage as well as its slow pivoting to get them on the field safely.
**Grass-resistant Pokemon**: Swampert's large weakness to Grass means foes will often run Grass-type coverage against it. Pairing Swampert with solid Grass-resistant Pokemon, such as Gholdengo, Tornadus-T, and Corviknight, forces opponents to make harder decisions on what moves they will use.
**Ice-resistant Pokemon**: Water-type Pokemon are nice to have for their ability to resist strong Ice-type attackers such as Baxcalibur and Weavile. Since Swampert's typing makes it neutral to Ice, it is often useful to pair it with an additional Water-type such as Greninja or a Fire- or Steel-type Pokemon such as Gholdengo or Cinderace.
Checks and Counters
========
**Chip Damage**: Swampert's only recovery options are Rest and items such as Leftovers, meaning it has very little longevity in most cases. Pivots, entry hazards, status effects, and wallbreakers are able to chip it down over time, making it much less useful over the course of the match.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types resist both of Swampert's STAB types and deal super effective damage to it, forcing it out. Swampert often struggles in matchups against offensive Grass-types such as Meowscarada, Ogerpon formes, and Serperior.
**Grass-type Coverage**: Many Pokemon can have Grass-type coverage moves, meaning Swampert has to scout or be very careful even around Pokemon it can typically beat, such as Infernape, Iron Moth, and Glimmora.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/abriel.473082/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
