[SET]
name: Physical Wallbreaker
move 1: Double Edge / Return
move 2: Quick Attack
move 3: Aerial Ace
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting / Steel Wing
item: Choice Band
ability: Keen Eye
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Pidgeotto stands out as a great physical wallbreaker thanks to its great STAB moves in Double-Edge and Aerial Ace, which can 2HKO common walls such as Dustox, Delcatty, and Bayleef, and it's good speed tier outpacing Pokemon such as Butterfree, Castform, and Chinchou. Pidgeotto faces competition from another Normal / Flying type, Taillow, who has a better Speed and a useful ability in Guts. However, Pidgeotto has better attack and bulk. It avoids OHKOs from walls such as Dustox and Delcatty after Double-Edge recoil, as well as outright OHKOs from powerful attacks: Double-Edge from non-Choice Band Aipom and Castform, for example, and Aerial Ace from Choice Band Delibird. Return can be used over Double-Edge to help Pidgeotto stay healthy, but it will be harder to get targets into KO range. STAB Quick Attack revenge kills faster Pokemon such as Aipom, Elekid, and Delibird. Hidden Power Fighting can threaten Pokemon that don't mind Pidgeotto's STAB combination such as Rhyhorn, bulky Magnemite, and specially defensive Lileep. Steel Wing can be used to ease prediction versus Shuppet, or if you are using Hidden Power Flying over Aerial Ace for the power. Here, Steel Wing lets Pidgeotto still threaten Rock-types like specially defensive Lileep and Nosepass. However, without a super effective Hidden Power, Pidgeotto cannot threaten to 2HKO Steel-Types such as bulky Magnemite.
Pidgeotto fits very well on balance and offense teams as a wallbreaker. It can remove Pokemon such as Delcatty, Dustox, and Bayleef, which can open up teammates such as Elekid, Staryu, and Rhyhorn. Pidgeotto appreciates Spikes support from Snorunt and Pineco, which helps chip Pokemon like Elekid and Aipom into Quick Attack range over time. Spikes also allows Pidgeotto to 2HKO Pokemon it normally can't like bulky Rhyhorn. Special walls such as Chinchou and Delcatty are excellent checks to faster special attackers such as Elekid and Staryu, with Delcatty also offering cleric support if Pidgeotto gets burned by Pokemon such as Koffing. Rock-Types such as Rhyhorn and Nosepass can switch into Aipom and Taillow's STAB moves as they try to revenge kill Pidgeotto. Nosepass has the added benefit of trapping bulky Magnemite, a common Pidgeotto check. Also, Pidgeotto's Grass resistance also helps Rock-Types versus Pokemon such as Bayleef and Butterfree. Special attackers such as Elekid and Spoink can remove physical walls such as Rhyhorn, bulky Magnemite, and Koffing, which allows Pidgeotto to use its STAB moves without being punished.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Ground can be used to OHKO Magnemite and hit Shuppet, unlike Hidden Power Fighting. However, Hidden Power Ground cannot hit Lileep for significant damage, which can be problematic for Pidgeotto. Hidden Power Flying hits harder than Aerial Ace, but Pidgeotto must then use Steel Wing as coverage, meaning it cannot threaten Pokemon such as bulky Magnemite for a 2HKO.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physical Walls**: Physical walls such as Koffing can switch into Pidgeotto locked into the wrong move and force it out. Most notably, bulky Rhyhorn, physically defensive Lileep, and Nosepass are not fazed by Pidgeotto's STAB combination or 2HKOed by its coverage, significantly reducing Pidgeotto's offensive presence. Lileep also has Recover to continuously counter Pidgeotto, while Rhyhorn can be problematic for Pidgeotto's team if Pidgeotto gives it a free turn of setup. Physically bulky Steel-Types such as bulky Magnemite and Aron don't mind Pidgeotto's STAB combination either, but they must be wary of a super effective Hidden Power.
**Electric-Types**: Some Electric-Types such as Elekid outspeed Pidgeotto and can OHKO it with Thunderbolt; others such as Chinchou can come in and KO Pidgeotto if it's is locked into Aerial Ace. Magnemite resists both STAB types and threatens Pidgeotto with Thunderbolt, although it must be wary of a super effective Hidden Power.
**Shuppet**: Shuppet is immune to Double-Edge and Hidden Power Fighting, letting it completely stop Pidgeotto with a good prediction
**Faster Attackers**: Faster attackers such as Aipom, Elekid, Tailow, and Staryu can all outspeed Pidgeotto and threaten it with strong attacks, although they must be careful to avoid getting chipped down into Quick Attack range.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[plznostep, 595639]]
- Quality checked by: [[BP, 272450], [Gangsta Spongebob, 535530]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Adeleine, 517429]]
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