sleid
vagabond
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Head Smash
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heavy Slam
item: Eviolite
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Lairon is a threatening cleaner with access to Rock Polish to let it outspeed the entire unboosted tier, a powerful Rock-type STAB move in Head Smash, and a solid defensive profile. Head Smash comes with no drawback with Lairon's Rock Head ability and OHKOes most offensive targets like Simisage, Frogadier, and Sawsbuck. Superpower is coverage against Pokemon that resist Head Smash like Scraggy, Klang, and opposing Lairon. Heavy Slam is coverage to OHKO Carbink and heavily damage Vibrava, and it is also a solid midground move against most switch-ins.
Lairon does well on balance and offense teams looking for an endgame cleaner. Wallbreakers like Krokorok, Pignite, and Scraggy are all appreciated by Lairon, since they can help it get through physical walls that stifle it like Vibrava and Bronzor. Entry hazard setters like Marshtomp, Quilladin, and Whirlipede are appreciated for helping put foes into KO ranges; for example, physically defensive Swalot goes from being 3HKOed to being 2HKOed after Stealth Rock, and Electabuzz goes from being 2HKOed to being OHKOed after Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes. Lairon likes being paired with teammates that can switch into common Choice Scarf users like Frogadier and Simipour, since it fails to outspeed some of them even after a Rock Polish, so Meganium, Dustox, and Servine make great partners. Lairon also does very well on offensive teams looking for a check to Persian and Furfrou for frailer teammates like Pikachu, Butterfree, and Swoobat.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hone Claws is an option to provide Lairon better KO ranges and give Head Smash perfect accuracy, although it's not a very viable option because it takes an extra turn of setup and makes Lairon drop an important coverage slot. Running a Jolly nature is an option to ensure Lairon outspeeds the likes of Swoobat and other Pokemon that prefer to creep the 179 benchmark at +2. However, a Jolly nature generally isn't worth the loss in power.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bronzor**: All of Lairon's sets are completely walled by Bronzor and get chipped down by Psywave.
**Bulky Ground-types**: Vibrava can shrug off hits from Lairon, remove its Stealth Rock, and threaten it back with STAB Earthquake. Marshstomp and Hippopotas can also take hits easily and set up their own Stealth Rock. However, they all have to be wary of Lairon carrying Toxic.
**Fast Revenge Killers**: Lairon has a hard time, outside of its Rock Polish set, dealing with revenge killers like Krokorok and Simipour, which can OHKO it. Electabuzz, Magmar, and Vanilluxe typically carry coverage moves that also OHKO Lairon. Even its Rock Polish set struggles to avoid being revenge killed by most Choice Scarf users, as well as Swoobat that carry Hidden Power Ground.
**Bulky Attackers**: A good portion of the tier, such as Pignite, Politoed, and Dragon Dance Scraggy, can switch in on Lairon once and threaten to revenge kill it with a super effective move.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jett.226429/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Head Smash
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heavy Slam
item: Eviolite
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Lairon is a threatening cleaner with access to Rock Polish to let it outspeed the entire unboosted tier, a powerful Rock-type STAB move in Head Smash, and a solid defensive profile. Head Smash comes with no drawback with Lairon's Rock Head ability and OHKOes most offensive targets like Simisage, Frogadier, and Sawsbuck. Superpower is coverage against Pokemon that resist Head Smash like Scraggy, Klang, and opposing Lairon. Heavy Slam is coverage to OHKO Carbink and heavily damage Vibrava, and it is also a solid midground move against most switch-ins.
Lairon does well on balance and offense teams looking for an endgame cleaner. Wallbreakers like Krokorok, Pignite, and Scraggy are all appreciated by Lairon, since they can help it get through physical walls that stifle it like Vibrava and Bronzor. Entry hazard setters like Marshtomp, Quilladin, and Whirlipede are appreciated for helping put foes into KO ranges; for example, physically defensive Swalot goes from being 3HKOed to being 2HKOed after Stealth Rock, and Electabuzz goes from being 2HKOed to being OHKOed after Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes. Lairon likes being paired with teammates that can switch into common Choice Scarf users like Frogadier and Simipour, since it fails to outspeed some of them even after a Rock Polish, so Meganium, Dustox, and Servine make great partners. Lairon also does very well on offensive teams looking for a check to Persian and Furfrou for frailer teammates like Pikachu, Butterfree, and Swoobat.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hone Claws is an option to provide Lairon better KO ranges and give Head Smash perfect accuracy, although it's not a very viable option because it takes an extra turn of setup and makes Lairon drop an important coverage slot. Running a Jolly nature is an option to ensure Lairon outspeeds the likes of Swoobat and other Pokemon that prefer to creep the 179 benchmark at +2. However, a Jolly nature generally isn't worth the loss in power.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bronzor**: All of Lairon's sets are completely walled by Bronzor and get chipped down by Psywave.
**Bulky Ground-types**: Vibrava can shrug off hits from Lairon, remove its Stealth Rock, and threaten it back with STAB Earthquake. Marshstomp and Hippopotas can also take hits easily and set up their own Stealth Rock. However, they all have to be wary of Lairon carrying Toxic.
**Fast Revenge Killers**: Lairon has a hard time, outside of its Rock Polish set, dealing with revenge killers like Krokorok and Simipour, which can OHKO it. Electabuzz, Magmar, and Vanilluxe typically carry coverage moves that also OHKO Lairon. Even its Rock Polish set struggles to avoid being revenge killed by most Choice Scarf users, as well as Swoobat that carry Hidden Power Ground.
**Bulky Attackers**: A good portion of the tier, such as Pignite, Politoed, and Dragon Dance Scraggy, can switch in on Lairon once and threaten to revenge kill it with a super effective move.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jett.226429/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited: