[OVERVIEW]
Hisuian Sliggoo is an outstanding tank thanks to its excellent offensive and defensive stats, typing, and movepool. Offensively, its STAB combination is rarely resisted, and the few comfortable enough to switch into its STAB moves, like Dusclops and Duosion, are threatened by Acid Spray's debuffs. Defensively, its typing and offensive stats allows it to check important Grass-, Water-, and Poison-types in the tier, like Thwackey, Quaxwell, and Koffing while still being immune to Toxic Spikes and resisting Stealth Rock. These traits allow it to be a threatening tank as an all-out attacker or RestTalk wall. However, Hisuian Sliggoo's Speed is very low, causing it to struggle against offensive and VoltTurn teams, with wallbreakers like Piloswine and Pignite can easily force it out. Despite its excellent bulk and lack of passivity, its lack of recovery outside of Rest, lack of pivoting, and vulnerability to residual damage makes it deceptively easy to wear down as a defensive check.
[SET]
All-Out Attacker (Hisuian Sliggoo) @ Eviolite
Ability: Gooey / Sap Sipper
EVs: 160 HP / 252 SpA / 96 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt / Ice Beam
- Acid Spray
[SET COMMENTS]
Hisuian Sliggoo's good power, excellent defensive typing, and bulk make it one of the most frightening tanks to face off against. Thunderbolt rattles Quaxwell that may consider weathering Draco Meteor, while Ice Beam threatens popular Grass-types like Ivysaur, Servine, and Thwackey. Acid Spray discourages walls like Dusclops, Dunsparce, and defensive Duosion from staying in on it, enabling it to continue threatening the metagame with its attacks. While all of Hisuian Sliggoo's abilities are situational, Gooey stands out for discouraging Thwackey and Fraxure from staying in on it, while Sap Sipper blocks Leech Seed users like Ivysaur and Servine. The Speed EVs enable it to outrun uninvested Piloswine.
Offensive Hisuian Sliggoo works best on balanced and bulky offensive teams, pairing up with teammates that appreciate its defensive and offensive profile. Water-types like Quaxwell and Frogadier pair well with it, with the former providing Rapid Spin support and a defensive answer against Fire-types and Piloswine, while the latter offering Spikes and Speed control, and both offering pivoting. Other hazard deterrents like Fletchinder and Hattrem not only ward off hazard set against Hisuian Sliggoo, but both offer status and a backbone against Fighting-types like Monferno and Pignite. Other wallbreakers or setup sweepers in need of Hisuian Sliggoo's wallbreaking capabilties, like Fraxure, Wartortle, and Thwackey, appreciate it from softening walls like Dusclops, Duosion, and Tinkatuff. Teammates like Piloswine and Wartotle appreciate Hisuian Sliggoo for taking on Grass-types like Thwackey, Ivysaur, and Servine, while physical walls like Koffing and Dusclops likewise appreciate it for taking on special attackers like Girafarig, Drakloak, and Wartortle. While Hisuian Sliggoo beats Tinkatuff in the long run, the combination of its typing, Knock Off, Encore, and Thunder Wave can frustrate its breaking capabilities, so checks to it like Gabite and Krokorok can not only force it out and set up Stealth Rock against it, but the latter can also use its own Knock Off to initiate progress.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Specs amps up its already notable power to even more dangerous heights, but being locked into a coverage move makes it much easier to switch around and loses much of its bulk. Curse sets running Iron Head turn Hisuian Sliggoo into a wincon, enhancing its already strong bulk and power while not really minding the Speed drops. However, these sets make it even more vulnerable to residual damage and even more passive, as it's easily forced out by the threat of Encore and Taunt users and having to choose between two coverage moves or going for RestTalk to sacrifice more matchups.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types and Fighting-type coverage**: Monferno, Scraggy, and Pignite are some of its most difficult matchups, with both needing just some chip damage to outright OHKO Hisuian Sliggoo with Close Combat, and both being able to comfortably pivot in on anything not Draco Meteor. While Raboot is not a Fighting-type itself and is frailer, it can use Libero to similarly threaten to OHKO Hisuian Sliggoo via High Jump Kick with some chip and pivot in on non-Draco Meteor moves. Monferno and Raboot can even capitalize on Hisuian Sliggoo switching out with their U-turns as they bring in another teammate to take on their Fighting-type moves.
**Ground-types**: While Piloswine and Gabite dislike switching into Hisuian Sliggoo's Flash Cannon and Draco Meteor respectively, both can significantly threaten it with their Ground-type STAB combination and set up Stealth Rock to capitalize on switches. Krokorok is notable for not being weak to any of Hisuian Sliggoo's standard moves and threatening it back with Knock Off and Earthquake.
**Residual Damage**: Despite Hisuian Sliggoo being immune to Toxic Spikes and resisting Stealth Rock, its lack of recovery outside of Rest combined with being tasked to switch into threats makes it very vulnerable to being worn down by repeated pivoting, burns, and hazard damage from Spikes. Phazers like Dragon Tail Drakloak and Roar Quilladin further whittle it down.
**Wallbreakers**: Should Hisuian Sliggoo be worn down enough, breakers like Fraxure, Stantler, and Choice Specs Drakloak can take advantage of its low Speed and pick if off with ease.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mirbro.451786/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
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