Pokémon Tangrowth

[Vrin]

Tangrowth

Base Stats

100 HP / 100 Atk / 125 Def / 110 SpA / 50 SpD / 50 Spe​

Abilities

• Chlorophyll: If Sunny Day is active, this Pokemon's Speed is doubled.
• Leaf Guard: If Sunny Day is active, this Pokemon cannot be statused and Rest will fail for it.
• Regenerator: This Pokemon restores 1/3 of its maximum HP, rounded down, when it switches out.

Learnset

All Moves

Level Up Moves:
- [01] Block
- [01] Absorb
- [01] Bind
- [01] Stun Spore
- [01] Growth
- [12] Mega Drain
- [16] Vine Whip
- [20] Poison Powder
- [24] Ancient Power
- [28] Knock Off
- [32] Giga Drain
- [36] Sleep Powder
- [40] Slam
- [44] Tickle
- [48] Power Whip
- [52] Ingrain
- [56] Grassy Terrain

Egg Moves:
- Confusion
- Endeavor
- Flail
- Leech Seed
- Nature Power
- Rage Powder

TMs:
- [TM08] Hyper Beam
- [TM09] Giga Impact
- [TM11] Solar Beam
- [TM12] Solar Blade
- [TM18] Reflect
- [TM21] Rest
- [TM22] Rock Slide
- [TM23] Thief
- [TM24] Snore
- [TM25] Protect
- [TM28] Giga Drain
- [TM31] Attract
- [TM34] Sunny Day
- [TM39] Facade
- [TM43] Brick Break
- [TM48] Rock Tomb
- [TM50] Bullet Seed
- [TM57] Payback
- [TM59] Fling
- [TM60] Power Swap
- [TM76] Round
- [TM81] Bulldoze
- [TM88] Grassy Terrain
- [TM97] Brutal Swing
- [TM98] Stomping Tantrum

TRs:
- [TR00] Swords Dance
- [TR01] Body Slam
- [TR10] Earthquake
- [TR17] Amnesia
- [TR20] Substitute
- [TR22] Sludge Bomb
- [TR26] Endure
- [TR27] Sleep Talk
- [TR57] Poison Jab
- [TR59] Seed Bomb
- [TR64] Focus Blast
- [TR65] Energy Ball
- [TR71] Leaf Storm
- [TR72] Power Whip
- [TR77] Grass Knot

Armor Tutors:
- Grassy Glide

Transfer Only:
- Rock Smash
- Cut
- Strength
- Bullet Seed
- Endure
- Mud-Slap
- Headbutt

New Moves

• Solar Blade
• Brutal Swing
• Grassy Glide [70 power Physical Grass-type attack; +1 Priority under Grassy Terrain.]

Notable Moves

• Giga Drain
• Leaf Storm
• Power Whip
• Knock Off
• Sleep Powder
• Earthquake
• Sludge Bomb
• Leech Seed
• Synthesis
• Toxic
• Stun Spore
• Rock Slide

Overview

• Tangrowth boasts high HP and very high Defense, with a defensive typing that gives it resistances to STAB attacks from Pokemon such as Zeraora, Excadrill, Azumarill, Kingdra, and Urshifu-Rapid-Strike.
• Tangrowth's movepool has many coverage options which, when combined with its decent base 100 Attack and 110 Special Attack, allow it to threaten many Pokemon with super effective attacks even when uninvested.
• It has no shortage of utility options, either. Knock Off can cripple switchins that would otherwise seek to exploit Tangrowth, such as Corviknight and Clefable. Sleep Powder and Leech Seed are additional options which can surprise potential switchins.
• Regenerator is a fantastic ability that makes it easy to keep Tangrowth healthy and repeatedly check threats throughout a match without needing to spend turns using recovery moves.
• However, Tangrowth relies on a fine-tuned moveset to deter switchins with threatening super effective moves or utility options. Pokemon that Tangrowth does not hit super effectively and does not threaten with Knock Off can exploit its presence. This passivity problem is exaggerated by the removal of Hidden Power severely limiting Tangrowth's coverage options.
• Tangrowth is also vulnerable to passive damage, as Toxic significantly hurts its staying power, burns (frequently incurred from switching into Scalds) lower its damage output and increase the pressure on it, and hazards negate some of the beneficial effects of Regenerator and making relying on switching to heal a liability.
• Though Grass comes with useful resistances, it also comes with weaknesses to common moves such as U-Turn and Acrobatics and coverage types such as Poison and Fire.

Potential Movesets

Physically Defensive

Tangrowth @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Giga Drain / Power Whip
- Knock Off
- Sludge Bomb / Stun Spore / Earthquake
- Sleep Powder / Stun Spore / Leech Seed / Rock Slide

This set takes maximum advantage of Tangrowth's stellar physical defenses and relevant resistances to make a defensive pivot set with utility options. Rocky Helmet is a very useful item for punishing pivoting moves such as U-Turn and Flip Turn and contact attacks such as Plasma Fists and Close Combat. It is particularly relevant against Urshifu-Rapid-Strike's Surging Strikes, which trigger Rocky Helmet three times, and could also be used to break Talonflame's Gale Wings. A physically defensive spread makes Tangrowth as sturdy as possible against physical attackers, in particular minimizing the damage it takes from attacks such as U-Turn and Poison Jab that would otherwise massively hurt it. Moreover, maximum physical defenses helps with checking Urshifu, as Choice Band Urshifu deals a massive amount of damage to uninvested Tangrowth; with the physical defense investment, however, Tangrowth can switch into Urshifu to scout out the move and then switch out into a resist, healing off most of the damage with Regenerator.

Tangrowth has a variety of options for its movepool. A Grass move and Knock Off are both mandatory due to the former being Tangrowth's only STAB and the latter being an exceptionally effective utility option at crippling Pokemon such as Corviknight. Knock Off is also useful in preventing Dragapult from effortlessly exploiting Tangroth. Tangrowth's remaining slots, however, present more options due to its wide coverage and utility movepool. Sludge Bomb threatens Fairies and other Grass types, which is particularly relevant when paired with a powder move, as Grass types are immune to these effects. Leech Seed can get some incidental recovery for Tangrowth and its teammates, though it can be exploited by Magic Guard Clefable and opposing Grass types. Earthquake is effective against certain Steel types such as Aegislash and Magearna, though unfortunately, many common Steels such as Corviknight and Ferrothorn are either neutral or immune to Ground. Earthquake can also dissuade Cinderace from switching in. Sleep Powder and Stun Spore are useful moves for Tangrowth to threaten set-up sweepers that try to exploit Tangrowth's passivity, though their accuracy can be problematic. Rock Slide is particularly relevant for dissuading Volcarona and Talonflame from switching into and setting up on Tangrowth, though this is often prediction-reliant. This set fits on teams looking for a durable check to Pokemon such as Zeraora, Excadrill, and offensive Water types; it should be paired with Pokemon that take advantage of its pivoting potential and provide switchins to Fire- and Flying-types, such as Rotom-Heat. It is also recommended to pair Tangrowth with status absorbers such as Magic Guard Clefable and hazard removers such as Corviknight, as these sources of passive damage can negate the effectiveness of Regenerator. These Pokemon can also help compensate for Tangrowth's low Special Defense stat.

Assault Vest

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain / Power Whip
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Sludge Bomb / Rock Slide

This set utilizes Assault Vest to patch up Tangrowth's underwhelming Special Defense stat and help Tangrowth check Pokemon such as Alakazam, Magearna, and Kingdra. Giga Drain is still the move useful Grass STAB due to its 100% accuracy and healing effect, but Power Whip is particularly relevant as an alternative here as it helps with Calm Mind sweepers such as Primarina. Knock Off is once again a fantastic utility option; alongside its item removal, it is relevant in this set for enabling Tangrowth to scare out Alakazam and Dragapult. Earthquake is important for Tangrowth to serve as an effective check to Magearna. Sludge Bomb is the most effective option at dealing with opposing Fairy types such as Clefable that might try and exploit Tangrowth's passivity to pass a Wish or set hazards; it can also help against opposing Tangrowths. Rock Slide serves to deter Volcarona and Talonflame from setting up on Tangrowth, though this is a prediction-reliant strategy. This Tangrowth set fares much better than a physically defensive option against special attackers, but gives up effectiveness versus powerful physical threats such as Urshifu-Single-Strike, so it should be paired with teammates such as Toxapex that can switch into physical threats. Assault Vest Tangrowth is also particularly vulnerable to getting Knocked Off, since its Special Defense stat is naturally somewhat low, even with full investment. This Tangrowth set can also get worn down by repeated U-Turns due to its lower bulk and Grass typing, so it pairs well with Pokemon that punish U-Turn, such as Rocky Helmet Hippowdon or Kommo-O. This Tangrowth set is probably less generally useful than the physically defensive one, due to the aforementioned vulnerabilities and lack of utility options, but fits on teams that want a sturdy check to Water, Ground, and Electric attacks while also desiring to patch up a weakness to special attackers such as Alakazam and Primarina.