[overview]
**Draft Order**: Late round 5 onwards
**Price Range**: 7-8 points
**Overview**: Torterra is a mid- to late-round pick that can serve in both defensive and offensive roles on teams looking to round out their rosters. Defensively, it offers its valuable Ground typing, access to Stealth Rock, and solid bulk to effectively check Ground- and Rock-types. Offensively, it can use a setup sweeper set with Shell Smash, its high Base Power STAB moves, and often Terastallization to clean up opposing teams. However, Torterra is greatly held back by its few resistances, common weaknesses with a severe one to Ice, and poor Speed.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Sweeper**: Often paired with Terastallization, this set takes advantage of Shell Smash and Torterra's solid natural survivability to boost its Speed and offenses to threatening levels once it finds an opening.
**Defensive Utility**: Torterra commonly uses its solid bulk and access to Stealth Rock to wall certain foes, especially Ground- and Rock-types, and set up entry hazards. Recovery moves like Leech Seed, Synthesis, and Giga Drain can increase its longevity, and its STAB moves like Wood Hammer, Earthquake, and Scorching Sands have high Base Power or can burn, preventing Torterra from becoming passive.
**Bulky Attacker**: In this role, Torterra uses its respectable Attack and high Base Power STAB moves like Earthquake, Headlong Rush, and Wood Hammer to withstand attacks and hit back harder. This can lure in foes expecting to take advantage of defensive Torterra's passivity, and this set can also normally fit Stealth Rock into one of its moveslots, giving it some extra utility.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Earthquake, Bullet Seed, Wood Hammer, Headlong Rush, Giga Drain
**Setup Moves**: Shell Smash, Iron Defense, Curse, Trailblaze, Swords Dance
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Roar, Light Screen, Reflect
**Coverage**: Stone Edge, Rock Blast, Rock Slide, Body Press, Superpower, Crunch, Heavy Slam, Iron Head, Outrage, Zen Headbutt, Tera Blast
Niche Moves
========
**Bulldoze / Rock Tomb**: Bulldoze can be used on utility sets to slow down some switch-ins and leave them vulnerable to Torterra or its teammates. Rock Tomb does the same thing, trading some damage from its lack of STAB for the ability to hit Flying-type switch-ins.
**Grassy Glide**: When paired with or facing Rillaboom, Torterra gains its only source of priority in Grassy Glide. On these sets, Torterra should also run Stomping Tantrum over Earthquake to avoid the Base Power drop caused by Grassy Terrain.
**Smack Down**: Torterra can use Smack Down to pressure Flying-types and Levitate users otherwise weak to Ground, like Skarmory and Bronzong. However, Torterra is slow and weak to Flying, meaning that this is only useful when the foe it's pressuring is passive. Pokemon like Zapdos and Latios laugh at Smack Down, as they outspeed and outdamage Torterra.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: On defensive and bulky sets, Leftovers provides much-appreciated recovery, often stacking with Leech Seed to sustain Torterra for a long time.
**Loaded Dice**: Loaded Dice should be used alongside Bullet Seed and Rock Blast to make them consistent and powerful moves. This is most common on Shell Smash sets, and it is also sometimes seen on bulky attacker sets.
**Resistance Berries**: Ubiquitous in Draft, Torterra benefits from resistance Berries letting it survive dangerous Ice- and Fire-type moves and gain a critical turn to set up Shell Smash.
Niche Items
========
**Weakness Policy**: Torterra is bulky enough that it can often survive a super effective attack, allowing it to make use of Weakness Policy. This can be paired with Shell Smash sets to boost its offenses to near-unwallable levels. It can also be used on non-Shell Smash sets that ambush specific threats or boost Torterra's defenses through means like Iron Defense and Curse.
**White Herb**: White Herb can be used on Shell Smash sets to restore the resulting stat drops, reducing Torterra's vulnerability to Pokemon that can outspeed it or survive its boosted attacks.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Torterra isn't particularly vulnerable to entry hazards, but Heavy-Duty Boots can be necessary to avoid being worn down against opposing teams that stack Spikes and Toxic Spikes.
**Rocky Helmet**: When walling physical attackers, Torterra can punish their contact moves with Rocky Helmet chip damage and compensate for lacking Leftovers with recovery from Leech Seed and Synthesis.
Tera
========
Torterra appreciates Terastallization very much, as it struggles with having common weaknesses and few resistances as a defensive Pokemon and enjoys the additional coverage and setup opportunities on offensive sets, but it should be a secondary Tera Captain if chosen as one. It can run a variety of Tera types, from Tera Ice and Fire to threaten the Flying- and Ice-types that give it trouble to Tera Steel and Water to improve its defensive typing. It can also run a STAB Tera type to boost its already-powerful STAB moves and adopt an almost entirely different profile of weaknesses and resistances.
Draft Strategy
========
Torterra is mainly drafted for its bulk and Stealth Rock utility alongside the constant threat of its Shell Smash set. It is especially good on drafts weak to Ground- and Rock-types, where it can check them for its team. However, Torterra lacks some of the defensive appeal held by other Pokemon that share its types, as it is a Grass-type that does not resist Water and a Ground-type that does not resist Poison.
**Ground- and Rock-weak Teammates**: Torterra does best when it can support teammates by switching into Ground- and Rock-type moves and exploiting the foes that used them. Partners like Heatran, Raging Bolt, and Zapdos appreciate this.
**Other Entry Hazard Setters**: Torterra can often comfortably run Stealth Rock, but other entry hazard setters are appreciated, as it is slow and may not be able to get Stealth Rock up against certain threats. It can also support hazard-setting teammates that may want to run other moves by taking pressure off of them. Additional hazards like Spikes and Toxic Spikes can also help Torterra as a setup sweeper, as they indicate which foes may be holding Mirror Herb or Choice Scarf over Heavy-Duty Boots and punish them accordingly. Teammates that can set up hazards well alongside Torterra include Skarmory, Iron Treads, Sandy Shocks, and Qwilfish.
**Flying- and Ice-type Checks**: Torterra is normally forced out by Flying- and Ice-types, so Pokemon that can switch in and exploit them in return are necessary to not lose excess momentum. This can include Iron Boulder, Rotom-W, and Gholdengo.
**Status Absorbers**: As a bulky physical attacker, Torterra suffers when dealing with status conditions like poison and burn that render it ineffective. Pokemon that are immune to or ignore these conditions, like Gholdengo and Galarian Slowking, give it some breathing room.
Checks and Counters
========
**Flying- and Ice-types**: Common Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Zapdos resist or are immune to Torterra's STAB combination, and they threaten to OHKO it with powerful super effective moves like Hurricane. Meanwhile, even the weakest Ice-types and coverage moves severely threaten Torterra, and although it can hit Ice-types with moves like Body Press and Stone Edge as they switch in, it is often forced out by the mere threat of an Ice Beam or Ice Spinner.
**Mirror Herb and Speed-boosting Items**: Torterra's Shell Smash set can be more effective on paper than in practice; the threat of it often leads to opponents equipping their Pokemon with Mirror Herb, letting foes counter-sweep if Shell Smash is used at the wrong time. Additionally, Torterra's low base Speed means that opposing Choice Scarf and Speed Booster Energy users will often outspeed it, even at +2. When Torterra is a setup sweeper, careful scouting and Knock Off usage should be carried out by its teammates to ensure that foes do not carry these items.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hacker.387847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/stupidflandrs48.633500/
**Draft Order**: Late round 5 onwards
**Price Range**: 7-8 points
**Overview**: Torterra is a mid- to late-round pick that can serve in both defensive and offensive roles on teams looking to round out their rosters. Defensively, it offers its valuable Ground typing, access to Stealth Rock, and solid bulk to effectively check Ground- and Rock-types. Offensively, it can use a setup sweeper set with Shell Smash, its high Base Power STAB moves, and often Terastallization to clean up opposing teams. However, Torterra is greatly held back by its few resistances, common weaknesses with a severe one to Ice, and poor Speed.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Sweeper**: Often paired with Terastallization, this set takes advantage of Shell Smash and Torterra's solid natural survivability to boost its Speed and offenses to threatening levels once it finds an opening.
**Defensive Utility**: Torterra commonly uses its solid bulk and access to Stealth Rock to wall certain foes, especially Ground- and Rock-types, and set up entry hazards. Recovery moves like Leech Seed, Synthesis, and Giga Drain can increase its longevity, and its STAB moves like Wood Hammer, Earthquake, and Scorching Sands have high Base Power or can burn, preventing Torterra from becoming passive.
**Bulky Attacker**: In this role, Torterra uses its respectable Attack and high Base Power STAB moves like Earthquake, Headlong Rush, and Wood Hammer to withstand attacks and hit back harder. This can lure in foes expecting to take advantage of defensive Torterra's passivity, and this set can also normally fit Stealth Rock into one of its moveslots, giving it some extra utility.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Earthquake, Bullet Seed, Wood Hammer, Headlong Rush, Giga Drain
**Setup Moves**: Shell Smash, Iron Defense, Curse, Trailblaze, Swords Dance
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Roar, Light Screen, Reflect
**Coverage**: Stone Edge, Rock Blast, Rock Slide, Body Press, Superpower, Crunch, Heavy Slam, Iron Head, Outrage, Zen Headbutt, Tera Blast
Niche Moves
========
**Bulldoze / Rock Tomb**: Bulldoze can be used on utility sets to slow down some switch-ins and leave them vulnerable to Torterra or its teammates. Rock Tomb does the same thing, trading some damage from its lack of STAB for the ability to hit Flying-type switch-ins.
**Grassy Glide**: When paired with or facing Rillaboom, Torterra gains its only source of priority in Grassy Glide. On these sets, Torterra should also run Stomping Tantrum over Earthquake to avoid the Base Power drop caused by Grassy Terrain.
**Smack Down**: Torterra can use Smack Down to pressure Flying-types and Levitate users otherwise weak to Ground, like Skarmory and Bronzong. However, Torterra is slow and weak to Flying, meaning that this is only useful when the foe it's pressuring is passive. Pokemon like Zapdos and Latios laugh at Smack Down, as they outspeed and outdamage Torterra.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: On defensive and bulky sets, Leftovers provides much-appreciated recovery, often stacking with Leech Seed to sustain Torterra for a long time.
**Loaded Dice**: Loaded Dice should be used alongside Bullet Seed and Rock Blast to make them consistent and powerful moves. This is most common on Shell Smash sets, and it is also sometimes seen on bulky attacker sets.
**Resistance Berries**: Ubiquitous in Draft, Torterra benefits from resistance Berries letting it survive dangerous Ice- and Fire-type moves and gain a critical turn to set up Shell Smash.
Niche Items
========
**Weakness Policy**: Torterra is bulky enough that it can often survive a super effective attack, allowing it to make use of Weakness Policy. This can be paired with Shell Smash sets to boost its offenses to near-unwallable levels. It can also be used on non-Shell Smash sets that ambush specific threats or boost Torterra's defenses through means like Iron Defense and Curse.
**White Herb**: White Herb can be used on Shell Smash sets to restore the resulting stat drops, reducing Torterra's vulnerability to Pokemon that can outspeed it or survive its boosted attacks.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Torterra isn't particularly vulnerable to entry hazards, but Heavy-Duty Boots can be necessary to avoid being worn down against opposing teams that stack Spikes and Toxic Spikes.
**Rocky Helmet**: When walling physical attackers, Torterra can punish their contact moves with Rocky Helmet chip damage and compensate for lacking Leftovers with recovery from Leech Seed and Synthesis.
Tera
========
Torterra appreciates Terastallization very much, as it struggles with having common weaknesses and few resistances as a defensive Pokemon and enjoys the additional coverage and setup opportunities on offensive sets, but it should be a secondary Tera Captain if chosen as one. It can run a variety of Tera types, from Tera Ice and Fire to threaten the Flying- and Ice-types that give it trouble to Tera Steel and Water to improve its defensive typing. It can also run a STAB Tera type to boost its already-powerful STAB moves and adopt an almost entirely different profile of weaknesses and resistances.
Draft Strategy
========
Torterra is mainly drafted for its bulk and Stealth Rock utility alongside the constant threat of its Shell Smash set. It is especially good on drafts weak to Ground- and Rock-types, where it can check them for its team. However, Torterra lacks some of the defensive appeal held by other Pokemon that share its types, as it is a Grass-type that does not resist Water and a Ground-type that does not resist Poison.
**Ground- and Rock-weak Teammates**: Torterra does best when it can support teammates by switching into Ground- and Rock-type moves and exploiting the foes that used them. Partners like Heatran, Raging Bolt, and Zapdos appreciate this.
**Other Entry Hazard Setters**: Torterra can often comfortably run Stealth Rock, but other entry hazard setters are appreciated, as it is slow and may not be able to get Stealth Rock up against certain threats. It can also support hazard-setting teammates that may want to run other moves by taking pressure off of them. Additional hazards like Spikes and Toxic Spikes can also help Torterra as a setup sweeper, as they indicate which foes may be holding Mirror Herb or Choice Scarf over Heavy-Duty Boots and punish them accordingly. Teammates that can set up hazards well alongside Torterra include Skarmory, Iron Treads, Sandy Shocks, and Qwilfish.
**Flying- and Ice-type Checks**: Torterra is normally forced out by Flying- and Ice-types, so Pokemon that can switch in and exploit them in return are necessary to not lose excess momentum. This can include Iron Boulder, Rotom-W, and Gholdengo.
**Status Absorbers**: As a bulky physical attacker, Torterra suffers when dealing with status conditions like poison and burn that render it ineffective. Pokemon that are immune to or ignore these conditions, like Gholdengo and Galarian Slowking, give it some breathing room.
Checks and Counters
========
**Flying- and Ice-types**: Common Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Zapdos resist or are immune to Torterra's STAB combination, and they threaten to OHKO it with powerful super effective moves like Hurricane. Meanwhile, even the weakest Ice-types and coverage moves severely threaten Torterra, and although it can hit Ice-types with moves like Body Press and Stone Edge as they switch in, it is often forced out by the mere threat of an Ice Beam or Ice Spinner.
**Mirror Herb and Speed-boosting Items**: Torterra's Shell Smash set can be more effective on paper than in practice; the threat of it often leads to opponents equipping their Pokemon with Mirror Herb, letting foes counter-sweep if Shell Smash is used at the wrong time. Additionally, Torterra's low base Speed means that opposing Choice Scarf and Speed Booster Energy users will often outspeed it, even at +2. When Torterra is a setup sweeper, careful scouting and Knock Off usage should be carried out by its teammates to ensure that foes do not carry these items.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hacker.387847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/stupidflandrs48.633500/
Last edited:
