[SET]
name: Utility Swords Dance
move 1: Stealth Rock / Spikes
move 2: Swords Dance
move 3: Precipice Blades
move 4: Rock Tomb / Stone Edge
item: Red Orb
ability: Desolate Land
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 68 Def / 192 SpD or 248 HP / 112 Atk / 140 Def / 8 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
* Primal Groudon makes for one of the tier's best hazard setters due to its superb bulk, typing, and offensive prowess when combined with Swords Dance. It retains its ability to check powerful threats such as Zacian-C and Primal Kyogre, but can additionally maintain hazards against Ho-Oh, thus making it a staple for balance and bulky offense teams. These teams appreciate this variants's wallbreaking capabilites, forming strong offensive synergies with teammates such as Eternatus and Zacian-C, which the defensive variant lacks.
* Stealth Rock is typically preferred to threaten Flying- and Ice-types more, such as against Yveltal, Mega Salamence, and Chien Pao. However, Spikes can be used instead to break through defensive walls quicker, such as against Zygarde and Ferrothorn, especially if an alternative Stealth Rock user is present, which may be more ideal on fatter team structures that focus on hazard stacking.
* Rock Tomb serves as a reliable way of punishing Flying-types such as Yveltal and Mega Salamence on the switch, notably preventing the latter from safely setting up. The Speed drop can be combined with Precipice Blades to maintain offensive pressure, especially against predicted switch-ins such as defensive Arceus-Dark. Alternatively, Stone Edge matches up better against Giratina-O, defensive Ho-Oh, and the more niche Landorus-T, due to its immediate power, while still denying Mega Salamence safe setup if boosted. However, it loses out on slowing down other Pokemon for offensive pressure.
* The first EV spread allows Primal Groudon to avoid the OHKO from +3 Tera Fighting Zacian-C's Close Combat after Stealth Rock as base Groudon, with the rest being dumped into Special Defense to survive Life Orb Deoxys-A's Psycho Boost. The second EV spread is ideal for Stone Edge variants, being able to OHKO defensive Ho-Oh without any boosts, as well as 2HKOing Giratina-O at +2 after Stealth Rock. The rest of the EVs are used defensively, allowing Primal Groudon to survive +3 Tera Fighting Zacian-C's Close Combat, and avoid the 2HKO from offensive Primal Kyogre's Ice Beam, both after a layer of Spikes.
* Due to the popularity of defensive Overheat variants, Primal Groudon is able to punish reckless Defog attempts from Ho-Oh with ease, making this set especially powerful in the early-to-mid game. Swords Dance should be used on forced switches against Pokemon such as defensive Primal Kyogre or Necrozma-DM, allowing Primal Groudon to apply sudden offensive pressure while maintaining hazards for its team. However, if using Rock Tomb against Giratina-O, it is advised not to try and duel it due to Giratina-O's superior bulk and damage against Primal Groudon; it is best to switch out to preserve health, especially if a threat such as Zacian-C is present on the opposing team.
* Primal Groudon's efficacy as a wallbreaker and hazard setter, as well as its ability to remove Ho-Oh easily, is appreciated heavily by other offensive threats, such as Marshadow, Play Rough Zacian-C, and Eternatus, all three of which are able to threaten Giratina-O for Primal Groudon in return, as well as handling threats faster than Primal Groudon, such as Calm Mind Arceus formes. Dragon Dance Arceus-Ground alongside Primal Groudon can overwhelm their checks, such as Zygarde and the aforementioned Giratina-O, especially if Primal Groudon is using Stone Edge for the latter. Arceus-Ground can additionally maintain hazards set by Primal Groudon via Taunt, or serve as a check to opposing Primal Groudon with Recover, making it a strong option against opposing offense teams that Primal Groudon may not like due to its poor longevity.
* However, Primal Groudon is still weak to Ground-types such as Zygarde, Arceus-Ground, and opposing Primal Groudon, meaning sufficient checks to all of them such as defensive Primal Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and Tera Fairy Zygarde are all great teammates, with them all appreciating Primal Groudon handling opposing Primal Kyogre in return. Ferrothorn can ease the pressure of off Primal Groudon in checking Primal Kyogre and Arceus-Water, supporting Primal Groudon via Knock Off and Spikes, and being a solid answer to special utility Giratina-O. In return, Primal Groudon beats opposing Steel-types such as Necrozma-DM and Zacian-C that may try to use Ferrothorn as setup fodder.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sami.604820/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/unfuuny.538620/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bumboclaat.523420/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.104/
name: Utility Swords Dance
move 1: Stealth Rock / Spikes
move 2: Swords Dance
move 3: Precipice Blades
move 4: Rock Tomb / Stone Edge
item: Red Orb
ability: Desolate Land
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 68 Def / 192 SpD or 248 HP / 112 Atk / 140 Def / 8 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
* Primal Groudon makes for one of the tier's best hazard setters due to its superb bulk, typing, and offensive prowess when combined with Swords Dance. It retains its ability to check powerful threats such as Zacian-C and Primal Kyogre, but can additionally maintain hazards against Ho-Oh, thus making it a staple for balance and bulky offense teams. These teams appreciate this variants's wallbreaking capabilites, forming strong offensive synergies with teammates such as Eternatus and Zacian-C, which the defensive variant lacks.
* Stealth Rock is typically preferred to threaten Flying- and Ice-types more, such as against Yveltal, Mega Salamence, and Chien Pao. However, Spikes can be used instead to break through defensive walls quicker, such as against Zygarde and Ferrothorn, especially if an alternative Stealth Rock user is present, which may be more ideal on fatter team structures that focus on hazard stacking.
* Rock Tomb serves as a reliable way of punishing Flying-types such as Yveltal and Mega Salamence on the switch, notably preventing the latter from safely setting up. The Speed drop can be combined with Precipice Blades to maintain offensive pressure, especially against predicted switch-ins such as defensive Arceus-Dark. Alternatively, Stone Edge matches up better against Giratina-O, defensive Ho-Oh, and the more niche Landorus-T, due to its immediate power, while still denying Mega Salamence safe setup if boosted. However, it loses out on slowing down other Pokemon for offensive pressure.
* The first EV spread allows Primal Groudon to avoid the OHKO from +3 Tera Fighting Zacian-C's Close Combat after Stealth Rock as base Groudon, with the rest being dumped into Special Defense to survive Life Orb Deoxys-A's Psycho Boost. The second EV spread is ideal for Stone Edge variants, being able to OHKO defensive Ho-Oh without any boosts, as well as 2HKOing Giratina-O at +2 after Stealth Rock. The rest of the EVs are used defensively, allowing Primal Groudon to survive +3 Tera Fighting Zacian-C's Close Combat, and avoid the 2HKO from offensive Primal Kyogre's Ice Beam, both after a layer of Spikes.
* Due to the popularity of defensive Overheat variants, Primal Groudon is able to punish reckless Defog attempts from Ho-Oh with ease, making this set especially powerful in the early-to-mid game. Swords Dance should be used on forced switches against Pokemon such as defensive Primal Kyogre or Necrozma-DM, allowing Primal Groudon to apply sudden offensive pressure while maintaining hazards for its team. However, if using Rock Tomb against Giratina-O, it is advised not to try and duel it due to Giratina-O's superior bulk and damage against Primal Groudon; it is best to switch out to preserve health, especially if a threat such as Zacian-C is present on the opposing team.
* Primal Groudon's efficacy as a wallbreaker and hazard setter, as well as its ability to remove Ho-Oh easily, is appreciated heavily by other offensive threats, such as Marshadow, Play Rough Zacian-C, and Eternatus, all three of which are able to threaten Giratina-O for Primal Groudon in return, as well as handling threats faster than Primal Groudon, such as Calm Mind Arceus formes. Dragon Dance Arceus-Ground alongside Primal Groudon can overwhelm their checks, such as Zygarde and the aforementioned Giratina-O, especially if Primal Groudon is using Stone Edge for the latter. Arceus-Ground can additionally maintain hazards set by Primal Groudon via Taunt, or serve as a check to opposing Primal Groudon with Recover, making it a strong option against opposing offense teams that Primal Groudon may not like due to its poor longevity.
* However, Primal Groudon is still weak to Ground-types such as Zygarde, Arceus-Ground, and opposing Primal Groudon, meaning sufficient checks to all of them such as defensive Primal Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and Tera Fairy Zygarde are all great teammates, with them all appreciating Primal Groudon handling opposing Primal Kyogre in return. Ferrothorn can ease the pressure of off Primal Groudon in checking Primal Kyogre and Arceus-Water, supporting Primal Groudon via Knock Off and Spikes, and being a solid answer to special utility Giratina-O. In return, Primal Groudon beats opposing Steel-types such as Necrozma-DM and Zacian-C that may try to use Ferrothorn as setup fodder.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sami.604820/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/unfuuny.538620/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bumboclaat.523420/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.104/
Last edited:
