[OVERVIEW]
Hippowdon is one of the best physical walls in the tier, excelling thanks to its high base hp and defense as well as the difficult to break pure Ground typing. Out of all the tier’s physical walls such as Slowbro, Chesnaught, Cobalion and Amoonguss, Hippowdon has the best raw physical bulk. This bulk allows it to take neutral hits exceptionally well, making it a safe switch-in to unresisted moves like Cobalion’s Close Combat or Galarian Zapdos’s Brave Bird. And as it is taking these hits, it is wearing the opponent down through passive damage from the sand it summons. The many chances it gets to switch in give it plenty of opportunities to set up Stealth Rock. Hippowdon is the anchor for most balance teams in the tier, putting in work and making progress in basically every game. However, Hippowdon's reliance on taking neutral hits means it can struggle with particularly strong wallbreakers like Choice Band Okidogi or Galarian Zapdos, as well as being vulnerable to passive damage such as entry hazards.
[SET]
Physically Defensive (Hippowdon) @ Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Ghost / Dragon / Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock / Whirlwind
- Whirlwind / Stone Edge
- Slack Off
[SET COMMENTS]
[SET DETAILS]
Hippowdon’s strong base stats make it excel as a physical wall. The tier is full of threatening physical attackers, and Hippowdon handles most of them with ease, switching into attacks from Pokemon like Terrakion, Revavroom, Kleavor, Krookodile, Maushold and Bisharp. It can serve as a blanket physical wall and damages enemies in return through its plentiful passive damage. Rocky Helmet is the most common item due to its importance in dealing with Maushold; a Pokemon which can otherwise threaten to sweep teams on its own, while also providing chip damage vs physical attackers such as Cobalion and Kleavor. However, teams with other answers to maushold or that don’t need the passive damage can instead run Leftovers. Hippowdon's sand provides passive damage and helps disarm other weather teams by removing their weather. Hippowdon has two free move slots and 3 or 4 moves it wants to fit in them. Stealth Rock is the most common option, as Hippowdon makes a good setter due to its many chances to switch in and good matchup vs Cyclizar; the tier's best rapid spinner. Whirlwind is the most common move for that final slot, giving Hippowdon the option to force out setup sweepers or rack up chip damage against opponents trying to switch into Earthquake. Whirlwind is preferred over roar due to throat chop Bisharp blocking the latter move. Stone Edge is a coverage option to hit flying types trying to switch into the normally passive Hippowdon, allowing it to turn the tables on matchups like Rotom-Heat, Noivern and Moltres. Stone Edge also helps to break Air Balloons on pokemon such as Cobalion and Revavroom that try to turn Hippowdon into a setup opportunity. Tera Dragon helps vs Hippowdon's weaknesses to Grass and Water, being especially helpful vs Iron Leaves and rain teams. Tera Ghost is an all-around strong defensive type that also blocks rapid spin from Cyclizar and allows it to take on Cobalion no matter how many iron defense boosts it gets and beat other Fighting types like Conkeldurr and Slither-wing. Poison gives Hippowdon a resistance to Grass, Fairy and Fighting and makes it immune to toxic and absorb toxic spikes, being useful on teams that are otherwise weak to them.
Hippowdon is common on bulky offense and balance teams. However, Hippowdon’s weaknesses must be accounted for in team building, especially when considering the set it runs. Whirlwind Hippowdon needs to be paired with something that can handle Ground-ummune pokemon like Noivern, Moltres and Rotom-Heat well. Assault Vest Cyclizar and Rotom-Heat are two Pokémon that can safely switch into them. While Hippowdon is able to switch into strong Fighting-type attacks from pokemon like Cobalion and Mienshao when fully healthy, it loses this resilience with even just a little bit of chip damage. This is why Hippowdon should be paired with a more sturdy fighting resist such as Slowbro or Moltres. Hippowdon without Whirlwind may require extra support for physical setup sweepers. Choice Scarfers faster than Iron leaves, such as Mienshao, Terrakion, Gengar and Zoroark-hisui can all fill this role. Non-Stealth Rock Hippowdon should be paired with some other Stealth Rock setter such as Empoleon or Cobalion. , Hippowdon has a good matchup vs Cyclizar, but keeping hazards up often relies on out-damaging regenerator with passive damage and not giving Cyclizar the chance to use rapid spin. Once Cyclizar manages to knock off Hippowdon’s helmet, it becomes much harder to keep the hazards up. Using pivot moves or double switching is a good way to get Hippowdon in on the turn you expect your opponent to switch to Cyclizar and keep it from spinning. Switching Hippo in aggressively vs Cyclizar in the early game will help you keep hazards up, even if it gets knocked off in the process.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Sand stream is a strong ability, but certain teams such as ones with Pokémon running Synthesis or otherwise dislike passive sandstorm chip such as Alolan Muk or Suicune would prefer sand force, effectively giving Hippowdon no ability. Sand force also makes it easier to terrastalize Hippowdon since it doesn’t have to worry about its own sandstorm and has a better matchup vs other Hippowdons due to its stronger Earthquake. Hippowdon can also run varying amounts of special defense in order to better match up vs special attackers, but Hippowdon often relies on max physical bulk to take neutral physical attacks.
Checks and Counters
====
Ground immunities: Mono-Earthquake Hippowdon is unable to hit fliers at all, making pokemon like Rotom-heat, Moltres, Salamence and Noivern incredibly safe switch-ins to it.
Grass types: Hippowdon with Stone Edge can hit fliers, but can't do any real damage to Grass types such as Iron Leaves and Chesnaught. Iron Leaves is especially threatening due to its ability to set up on Hippowdon and sweep.
Special attackers: Hippowdon's low special defense and reliance on physical defense investment means it is vulnerable to special attacks even from non-invested attackers. Pokemon like Gengar and Gardevoir are attackers that Hippowdon does not want to switch in on, and bulky pokemon with decent special attacks such as Slowbro and Reuniclus are able to take Hippowdon's Earthquakes and threaten it in return.
Wallbreakers with hazard support: pokemon like Choice Band Okidogi, Terrakion or Mienshao can overcome Hippowdon's raw physical bulk with the help of chip damage such as hazard support. Okidogi's Close Combat is favored to 2hko Hippowdon from full with Stealth Rock up and guaranteed to 2hko with a single spike.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sneakyplanner.598717/
Quality checked by:
Rarelyme
fluff!!
Grammar checked by:
QC ready
Hippowdon is one of the best physical walls in the tier, excelling thanks to its high base hp and defense as well as the difficult to break pure Ground typing. Out of all the tier’s physical walls such as Slowbro, Chesnaught, Cobalion and Amoonguss, Hippowdon has the best raw physical bulk. This bulk allows it to take neutral hits exceptionally well, making it a safe switch-in to unresisted moves like Cobalion’s Close Combat or Galarian Zapdos’s Brave Bird. And as it is taking these hits, it is wearing the opponent down through passive damage from the sand it summons. The many chances it gets to switch in give it plenty of opportunities to set up Stealth Rock. Hippowdon is the anchor for most balance teams in the tier, putting in work and making progress in basically every game. However, Hippowdon's reliance on taking neutral hits means it can struggle with particularly strong wallbreakers like Choice Band Okidogi or Galarian Zapdos, as well as being vulnerable to passive damage such as entry hazards.
[SET]
Physically Defensive (Hippowdon) @ Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Ghost / Dragon / Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock / Whirlwind
- Whirlwind / Stone Edge
- Slack Off
[SET COMMENTS]
[SET DETAILS]
Hippowdon’s strong base stats make it excel as a physical wall. The tier is full of threatening physical attackers, and Hippowdon handles most of them with ease, switching into attacks from Pokemon like Terrakion, Revavroom, Kleavor, Krookodile, Maushold and Bisharp. It can serve as a blanket physical wall and damages enemies in return through its plentiful passive damage. Rocky Helmet is the most common item due to its importance in dealing with Maushold; a Pokemon which can otherwise threaten to sweep teams on its own, while also providing chip damage vs physical attackers such as Cobalion and Kleavor. However, teams with other answers to maushold or that don’t need the passive damage can instead run Leftovers. Hippowdon's sand provides passive damage and helps disarm other weather teams by removing their weather. Hippowdon has two free move slots and 3 or 4 moves it wants to fit in them. Stealth Rock is the most common option, as Hippowdon makes a good setter due to its many chances to switch in and good matchup vs Cyclizar; the tier's best rapid spinner. Whirlwind is the most common move for that final slot, giving Hippowdon the option to force out setup sweepers or rack up chip damage against opponents trying to switch into Earthquake. Whirlwind is preferred over roar due to throat chop Bisharp blocking the latter move. Stone Edge is a coverage option to hit flying types trying to switch into the normally passive Hippowdon, allowing it to turn the tables on matchups like Rotom-Heat, Noivern and Moltres. Stone Edge also helps to break Air Balloons on pokemon such as Cobalion and Revavroom that try to turn Hippowdon into a setup opportunity. Tera Dragon helps vs Hippowdon's weaknesses to Grass and Water, being especially helpful vs Iron Leaves and rain teams. Tera Ghost is an all-around strong defensive type that also blocks rapid spin from Cyclizar and allows it to take on Cobalion no matter how many iron defense boosts it gets and beat other Fighting types like Conkeldurr and Slither-wing. Poison gives Hippowdon a resistance to Grass, Fairy and Fighting and makes it immune to toxic and absorb toxic spikes, being useful on teams that are otherwise weak to them.
Hippowdon is common on bulky offense and balance teams. However, Hippowdon’s weaknesses must be accounted for in team building, especially when considering the set it runs. Whirlwind Hippowdon needs to be paired with something that can handle Ground-ummune pokemon like Noivern, Moltres and Rotom-Heat well. Assault Vest Cyclizar and Rotom-Heat are two Pokémon that can safely switch into them. While Hippowdon is able to switch into strong Fighting-type attacks from pokemon like Cobalion and Mienshao when fully healthy, it loses this resilience with even just a little bit of chip damage. This is why Hippowdon should be paired with a more sturdy fighting resist such as Slowbro or Moltres. Hippowdon without Whirlwind may require extra support for physical setup sweepers. Choice Scarfers faster than Iron leaves, such as Mienshao, Terrakion, Gengar and Zoroark-hisui can all fill this role. Non-Stealth Rock Hippowdon should be paired with some other Stealth Rock setter such as Empoleon or Cobalion. , Hippowdon has a good matchup vs Cyclizar, but keeping hazards up often relies on out-damaging regenerator with passive damage and not giving Cyclizar the chance to use rapid spin. Once Cyclizar manages to knock off Hippowdon’s helmet, it becomes much harder to keep the hazards up. Using pivot moves or double switching is a good way to get Hippowdon in on the turn you expect your opponent to switch to Cyclizar and keep it from spinning. Switching Hippo in aggressively vs Cyclizar in the early game will help you keep hazards up, even if it gets knocked off in the process.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Sand stream is a strong ability, but certain teams such as ones with Pokémon running Synthesis or otherwise dislike passive sandstorm chip such as Alolan Muk or Suicune would prefer sand force, effectively giving Hippowdon no ability. Sand force also makes it easier to terrastalize Hippowdon since it doesn’t have to worry about its own sandstorm and has a better matchup vs other Hippowdons due to its stronger Earthquake. Hippowdon can also run varying amounts of special defense in order to better match up vs special attackers, but Hippowdon often relies on max physical bulk to take neutral physical attacks.
Checks and Counters
====
Ground immunities: Mono-Earthquake Hippowdon is unable to hit fliers at all, making pokemon like Rotom-heat, Moltres, Salamence and Noivern incredibly safe switch-ins to it.
Grass types: Hippowdon with Stone Edge can hit fliers, but can't do any real damage to Grass types such as Iron Leaves and Chesnaught. Iron Leaves is especially threatening due to its ability to set up on Hippowdon and sweep.
Special attackers: Hippowdon's low special defense and reliance on physical defense investment means it is vulnerable to special attacks even from non-invested attackers. Pokemon like Gengar and Gardevoir are attackers that Hippowdon does not want to switch in on, and bulky pokemon with decent special attacks such as Slowbro and Reuniclus are able to take Hippowdon's Earthquakes and threaten it in return.
Wallbreakers with hazard support: pokemon like Choice Band Okidogi, Terrakion or Mienshao can overcome Hippowdon's raw physical bulk with the help of chip damage such as hazard support. Okidogi's Close Combat is favored to 2hko Hippowdon from full with Stealth Rock up and guaranteed to 2hko with a single spike.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sneakyplanner.598717/
Quality checked by:
Rarelyme
fluff!!
Grammar checked by:
QC ready
Last edited: