[OVERVIEW]
Abomasnow proves to be a powerful wallbreaker, as it has great offensive presence and a decent movepool. Its ability, Snow Warning, allows it to spam its powerful STAB, blizzard, consistently without having a chance to miss. Snow Warning also allows Abomasnow to break opposing sashes or sturdy, as well as constantly chip away at opposing non-ice mons and prevent foes from getting leftovers recovery. Abomasnow's vast movepool allows it to either be a Swords Dance set, a specs wallbreaker, or a mixed scarfer. Abomasnow's drawbacks include its mediocre speed stat, making it easily revenge killed, after it gets a KO. It is still relatively slow even as a Choice Scarf user. Its defensive typing makes it weak to several common types, such as fire, fighting, rock, and flying.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance / Mixed Breaker
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Wood Hammer
move 3: Earthquake / Ice Punch
move 4: Ice Shard / Blizzard
item: Grassium Z / Life Orb
ability: Snow Warning
nature: Adamant / Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Wood Hammer is its most powerful STAB option, alongside Grassium Z, allowing it to nuke a mon without suffering from recoil damage for that turn. Some mons that it nukes include Pyukumuku and a weakened Bronzor at +2. Earthquake is to provide coverage against foes that either resist or are not super-effected by Wood Hammer, such as Combusken, Mawile, and Silvally-Poison. It is superior to Ice Punch due to Ice Punch's low base power. Ice Punch hits foes such as Leafeon and Toucannon for super-effective damage. Ice Shard is to be used for priority and to clean already weakened mons or to just add additional damage when Abomasnow is not needed anymore. Some example includes Sawsbuck and Toucannon. Blizzard is an alternative to Ice Shard that hits mons like Gourgeist-Super and Altaria for super-effective damage. It is also Abomasnow's special STAB, that allows it to break through physical walls.
Set Details
========
A Naughty nature should be used when it runs Blizzard. A naughty nature should be used over lonely nature because of the current priority users doing psychical damage. Its ability, Snow Warning, allows Abomasnow to spam blizzard without having the fear of missing, as well as consistently chipping away at opposing non-ice foes, or preventing leftovers recovery. Grassium Z should be used if Abomasnow needs additional breaking power. It OHKOs foes such as Lickilicky after a Swords Dance. It also OHKOs Camerupt with Stealth Rocks up. Life Orb is Abomasnow's best way of getting maximum attack output, if it is not holding a Z Crystal. It has a very high chance to 2OHKO Lickilicky with Life Orb, while without it, it cannot. It also OHKOs Choice Band variants of Komala with Grass Hammer if it has Life Orb. It also increases the power of Ice Shard, which is important to pick off weakened foes.
Usage Tips
========
Abomasnow should be brought into battle in the beginning to force out and apply offensive pressure towards pokemon that sets up hazards, such as Golem or Sandslash. However, it needs to be careful for Golem's rock type moves. It should also be used early game to chip down foes, so its teammates can attempt to clean late game. Abomasnow should be brought in off pivots from Electivire or Silvally-Fighting, so it can come in safely on foes that it checks. Abomasnow should be also brought in through aggresive double switches to better position itself and make it all the more threatening. It can also be brought in against passive foes it forces out. Abomasnow should use Earthquake on predicted switches such as from Sandslash to Combusken to deal super-effective damage to the foe. Abomasnow should avoid switching in on attacks or when hazards are up, as it doesn’t have the best defensive typing. Thus, taking 25% from rocks. Abomasnow should use Swords Dance on passive foes such as Lickilicky and Gourgeist-Super to become more threatening. It needs to watch out for status moves that the two carry such as Toxic and Wil-O-Wisp, respectively.
Team Options
========
The classic volt-turn core pairs well with Abomasnow with partners such as Komala and Electivire to pivot around mons to allow Abomasnow to get in safely on things that it checks. Silvally-Water or Fighting forms also pairs up nicely with Abomasnow, due its ability to rid of hazards for Abomasnow and to provide a pivot for Abomasnow using its move Parting Shot. Ground and rock types such as Golem pair up exceptionally with Abomasnow for entry hazard support, since Abomasnow can pick off the KO against a weakened foe with Ice Shard. Additional chip damage also helps Abomasnow out a lot. Bulky water types such as the likes of Silvally-Water and Mareanie to check fire types such as Rapidash and Simisear. Late-game cleaners that appreciate Abomasnow weakening or getting rid of its checks are great teammates. Such mons include Z-Me First Pinsir and Shell Smash Crustle. Scarf variants of Pinsir and other scarf users, such as Electivire, appreciate Abomasnow breaking through foes, so they can clean up late game.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Blizzard
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Shadow Ball
item: Choice Specs
ability: Snow Warning
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Blizzard is Abomasnow's most powerful STAB that it can spam without any drawbacks, as it cannot miss under hail. When running Modest, it can 2OHKO the likes of Komala and Bouffalant because of added power from its Choice Specs. Giga Drain is Abomasnow's second STAB, allowing it to hit water and ground types like Golem, Silvally-Water, and Pyukumuku, as well as giving it back some decent recovery. Focus Blast is one of Abomasnow's coverage moves, used to hit normal and steel typings for super-effective damage. Some examples include Komala, Probopass, and Pawniard. Shadow Ball is another of Abomasnow's coverage moves, allowing it to hit Bronzor for super-effective damage. It also deals great damage towards thick fat Grumpig, since its ability allows it to take ice type moves better.
Set Details
========
252 evs in special attack and speed allow Abomasnow to be as threatening and fast as possible. A Modest nature can be used over a Timid nature to get better rolls verses Lickilicky to have a chance to 2OHKO it with Blizzard when stealth rocks up.
Usage Tips
========
With Choice Specs, Abomasnow can break through the opposing team, so it's best to use it early on within the game, so its teammates can clean up late game. Abomasnow's primary focus is to fire off Blizzard, but due to its low PP amount of 8, your opponent will try to staill it out through Protect or switching into resists. Thus, it should be played aggressively, especially against slower and fat teams, but cautiously against faster ones. Abomasnow should be brought in off pivots or aggressive double switches, to apply offensive pressure. Abomasnow only really needs to use Giga Drain against Water-types that switch in to Blizzard, such as Silvally-Water and Mareanie. Abomasnow should use secondary moves like Shadow Ball when predicting an opponent to switch from Golem to Bronzor, to deal damage effectively. Doubling on a predicted Bronzor, or bulky steel, switch-in is a better play to force switches. Abomasnow should avoid switching in on attacks or when hazards are up, as it doesn’t have the best defensive stats and typing.
Team Options
========
Set-up sweepers like Z-Mirror Move Swanna, Muk, and Z-Me First Pinsir appreciate Abomasnow breaking through its checks early game, so its teammates can have an easier time sweeping through the opponent's team late game. A fire type check such as Mareanie and Silvally-Water synergies well with Abomasnow due to them having access to Toxic Spikes and Defog respectively. Entry Hazard setters pair up well with Abomasnow, as Abomasnow forces a lot of foes out, and Abomasnow appreciate any sort of chip damage to have an easier time breaking down the opponent's team. Rapidash and other fire types are excellent partners, as they can break Bronzor and Metang, which both stops Abomasnow from spamming Blizzard. Also, Rapidash can pivot into fire-type attacks that threaten Abomasnow, while in return Abomasnow pressures the likes of Golem for Rapidash. Faster pokemon such as scarf Mr. Mime and Floatzel are great teammates, as they can usually take care of Abomasnow's offensive checks. Abomasnow pairs up with hail sweepers such as Beartic well, due to its ability Slush Rush, doubling its speed in hail. Abomasnow can break the physical foes for Beartic, while Beartic can break down the specially defensive foes.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Blizzard
move 2: Giga Drain / Energy Ball
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Earthquake
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Snow Warning
nature: Hasty
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Blizzard is Abomasnow's most powerful STAB that it can spam without any drawbacks, as it cannot miss under hail. It can outspeed and hit foes such as Leafeon and Silvally-Dragon for super-effective damage. Giga Drain is Abomasnow's second STAB, allowing it to hit water and ground types like Golem, Sandslash, Silvally-Water, and Pyukumuku, as well as giving it back some decent recovery. Energy Ball can be used over Giga Drain, since it has higher damage rolls asgainst bulky water types, but it makes Abomasnow unable to regain any health. Focus Blast allows Abomasnow to hit steel types for super-effective damage, as they resist both of Abomasnow's main STABs. An example would be Pawniard. Earthquake is another of Abomasnow's coverage moves, that allows it to hit poison types, that resists Abomasnow's STABs, for super-effective damage. Such mons include Mareanie, Muk, and Silvally-Poison.
Set Details
========
Notable foes that Abomasnow can outspeed with a Choice Scarf includes Pinsir, Leafeon, and Rotom-Fan. Unfortunately even with a Choice Scarf, Abomasnow's medicore speed stat prevents it from being able to outpace Floatzel by the likes of 1 point and by other foes such as Zebstrika. It also cannot outspeed other common scarfers such as Electivire and Pinsir.
Usage Tips
========
Bring Abomasnow in to revenge kill slower foes. Because of its scarf, it is able to outpace everything below 115 speed, so use it as a revenge killer. Abomasnow should be brought in to revenge kill foes that it can outspeed. You need to make sure your foe is at a low enough amount of HP that Blizzard or any of its moves can OHKO, because Abomasnow's bad defensive typing and stats make it very frail. Abomasnow should also put used early game to phase out common hazard setters such as Golem and Sandslash, and to also set up hail for sweepers such as Beartic that rely on hail. Abomasnow can also be used late game as a cleaner when opposing foes have been chipped enough for Abomasnow to clean.
Team Options
========
Abomasnow should also be paired with the likes of heavy hitters that appreciate Abomasnow getting rid of faster foes in the early game or clean up in the late game. Some examples include Pinsir and Simisear. Abomasnow can also be used as speed control in Hyper Offensive or Balance builds. Some good teammates include Swanna and Lickilicky, respectively. It also appreciates hazard setters to make its job easier as a late game cleaner. Some good mons that can fulfill this role includes Golem, Sandslash, and Shuckle. Abomasnow can be easily paired up with Beartic, as Abomasnow can set up hail, for Beartic to sweep. Abomasnow can break through defensive foes, while Beartic can break the specially defensive foes. Thus, they synergizes well together.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Growth can be used over Swords Dance on Abomasnow's first set, if running Blizzard, to make it more threatening as a mixed breaker. A sub seed set can be used to stall out foes with Leech Seed, Substitute, Blizzard, and Giga Drain. Unfortunately, Abomasnow lacks the bulk to be effective, as there are many foes that threaten Abomasnow and can break its sub. It is also outclassed by pokemon such as Jumpluff in doing so.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel Types**: Bronzor resists both of Abomasnow's main STABs, and completely walls most forms of Abomasnow, unless it carries Shadow Ball along with Choice Specs. This is why it relies on its teammates to rid of these mons before it can put in any sort of work. Other steel types such as Pawniard and Mawile also gives Abomasnow a hard time. Mawile gives the SD Abomasnow set a harder time, but the specs Abomasnow set can break Mawile.
**Fire Types**: Fire types such as Combusken, Rapidash, and Simisear can easily OHKO Abomasnow with Fire Blast and Flare Blitz, respectively. However, they need to watch out for Earthquake and scarf variants of Abomasnow.
**Residual Damage**: Due to its poor defensive typing, Abomasnow can be easily worn down through any forms of entry hazards, such as Stealth Rock. It also does not appreciate being status'd, as burning and poisoning it will make it worn down even further. On top of that, Life Orb and Wood Hammer both have recoil, chipping down Abomasnow's health even more.
**Faster Pokemon**: Abomasnow has a medicore speed stat of 60, making it unable to outspeed a lot of the current meta. Foes like Rapidash and Silvally-Fighting can OHKO it before Abomasnow can even damage them, so it should be paired with teammates that resist Fire and Fighting moves such as Mareanie.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[ImKoolKidz, 458054]]
- Quality checked by: [[5gen, 296755], [BloodAce, 435539], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
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