[OVERVIEW]
Alolan Marowak's solid offensive presence, decent bulk with investment, access to Rock Head, and low Speed make it a force to be reckoned with under Trick Room. In addition to this, Alolan Marowak can also serve as an offensive Stealth Rock setter, using its advantageous matchup against common removers like Empoleon and Florges to more easily keep the entry hazard up. Despite not being perfect defensively, its typing combined with Lightning Rod provides it with key resistances and immunities, notably allowing it keep threats like Infernape, Cobalion, and Zeraora in check. Despite this, however, Alolan Marowak's defensive presence is still lackluster due to its vulnerability to all entry hazards, only decent bulk, and weaknesses to prominent types like Dark, Water, and Ground. The typing disadvantages are notable, as they limit Alolan Marowak's ability to switch into certain checks, prevent it from comfortably using Swords Dance, and leave it vulnerable to Pursuit trapping. Trick Room teams are inconsistent and mediocre, which further limits its use, and it is easily outpaced by many offensive and even some defensive threats outside of Trick Room. Alolan Marowak also faces extreme competition from Terrakion and Heracross as a wallbreaker as well as from Cobalion and Mamoswine as an offensive Stealth Rock setter, as these examples are all faster and have greater defensive presence while still having good offensive presence.
[SET]
name: Trick Room Wallbreaker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Shadow Bone
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Low Kick / Bonemerang
item: Thick Club
ability: Rock Head
nature: Brave
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Even unboosted, Flare Blitz 2HKOes physically bulky Pokemon like Hippowdon and Mega Aggron, and it also has a really high chance to 2HKO Gligar. Thanks to Rock Head, Flare Blitz is also rather spammable. Shadow Bone pairs excellently with Flare Blitz because of its ability to pressure Water-types such as Slowbro, Jellicent, Starmie, and Primarina as well as other Fire-resistant Pokemon like Mega Altaria and Mega Aerodactyl. Low Kick provides Alolan Marowak with super effective coverage for Hydreigon as well as Crawdaunt and Mega Sharpedo, all of which resist its STAB combination. It also reliably OHKOes Stakataka. Bonemerang is another option that more reliably deals with Pokemon like Volcanion, Tentacruel, and Diancie while also having a higher chance than Flare Blitz to OHKO Mega Manectric even after Intimidate, though Flare Blitz can easily power through a lot of Bonemerang's targets after they take a bit of prior damage.
Set Details
========
Thick Club doubles Alolan Marowak's Attack, which turns it into an immediately threatening wallbreaker without always needing to use Swords Dance. Rock Head enables Alolan Marowak to spam Flare Blitz without taking recoil damage.
Usage Tips
========
As Alolan Marowak lacks the bulk necessary for taking repeated hits, it should mainly switch in after a teammate has been KOed or whenever it expects a foe that it can offensively check like Scizor or Cobalion to come in. However, refrain from switching Alolan Marowak in and out of play if entry hazards are up, as they cut into its only meager bulk and limit its ability to take weaker attacks, sponge priority moves, and reliably use Swords Dance. Flare Blitz is the move Alolan Marowak should use most, as it is insanely strong and shreds through most neutral targets as well as certain frailer Fire-type checks like Nihilego. If the opposing team has multiple checks to Fire-types, Alolan Marowak should instead aim to break through them with Shadow Bone and Swords Dance. Predicting switches and capitalizing on them by either setting up or responding with the appropriate coverage move is paramount, as doing so allows Alolan Marowak and its team to preserve as much momentum as possible while keeping the opposing team consistently pressured for as long as Trick Room is up. If Alolan Marowak isn't particularly useful after it puts massive holes in the opposing team, don't be afraid to sacrifice it to generate momentum for a Trick Room setter if Trick Room ends or for another teammate.
Team Options
========
Alolan Marowak should mostly be used on full Trick Room teams due to its inability to support itself by setting up its own Trick Room or reliably wallbreak outside of it. Thus, Trick Room setters such as Uxie, Cresselia, and Diancie are necessary teammates, and all come with their own advantages: Uxie offers an immunity to Ground-type moves and can support Alolan Marowak by setting Stealth Rock, bouncing back opposing entry hazards with Magic Coat, and generating momentum with either Memento or U-turn, the former of which can also give Alolan Marowak an easier time setting up; Cresselia is also immune to Ground-type moves and can give Alolan Marowak another chance to break with Lunar Dance; and Diancie can set Stealth Rock while instantly generating momentum with Explosion, deal decent damage to physically bulky Pokemon with Moonblast, and keep Hydreigon firmly in check. Additional Trick Room attackers like Stakataka, Crawdaunt, and Reuniclus are also important, as they can wear down each other's checks and potentially pave the way for Alolan Marowak to finish weakened teams off. Stakataka and Reuniclus also serve as offensive Trick Room setters that can take advantage of Alolan Marowak removing Cobalion and Scizor. Despite seeming like odd picks for Trick Room teams, late-game sweepers and cleaners like Cobalion and Scizor make for great partners, as they really appreciate Alolan Marowak's wallbreaking capabilities and can provide Trick Room teams with a means of keeping faster foes and Taunt users in check.
[SET]
name: Offensive Wallbreaker
move 1: Shadow Bone
move 2: Fire Punch / Flare Blitz
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Low Kick / Bonemerang
item: Thick Club
ability: Lightning Rod / Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Punch is decently powerful and hits Grass- and Steel-types like Amoonguss, Klefki, and Cobalion hard. Alternatively, Flare Blitz is much more powerful than Fire Punch, notably 2HKOing Hippowdon and Mega Aggron. However, it can only reliably be used with Rock Head, meaning that Alolan Marowak forfeits the ability to freely switch into Electric-type moves. Stealth Rock whittles away at opposing Pokemon whenever they switch in, with the number of switches Alolan Marowak can force as well as its ability to pressure removers like Empoleon and Rotom-H giving it more opportunities to set the entry hazard. Low Kick heavily damages Crawdaunt and OHKOes Hydreigon and Mega Sharpedo, which is notable given that all of these Pokemon resist Alolan Marowak's STAB combination. Bonemerang can be used instead to more reliably KO foes like Empoleon, Alolan Muk, and Diancie, and it also almost always OHKOes Mega Manectric even after Intimidate.
Set Details
========
164 Speed EVs allow Alolan Marowak to outspeed uninvested base 65s and slower, such as Alomomola, Defog Scizor, Empoleon, and Hippowdon. Thick Club doubles Alolan Marowak's Attack, which turns it into an immensely powerful wallbreaker. Lightning Rod provides Alolan Marowak with an immunity to Electric-type moves, notably enabling it to block Volt Switch and serve as a solid offensive check to Pokemon like Mega Manectric as well as Zeraora without Knock Off and non-Trick variants of Rotom-H and Rotom-C. Alternatively, Rock Head can be used to prevent Alolan Marowak from taking recoil damage when it uses Flare Blitz.
Usage Tips
========
Unless absolutely necessary, refrain from switching Alolan Marowak in if entry hazards are up, as this limits its ability to tank resisted and weaker neutral attacks as well as wallbreak. Alolan Marowak should also avoid being poisoned by Toxic or Toxic Spikes, as this wears it down even faster. Try to set Stealth Rock as soon as possible, as doing so gives Alolan Marowak and its team an easier time pressuring the opposing team. Switching into Pokemon like Cobalion and Mega Manectric can provide Alolan Marowak with a free opportunity to set Stealth Rock as they switch out. Take advantage of Lightning Rod by switching Alolan Marowak into Electric-types such as Mega Manectric, Rotom-H, and Magneton, as its immunity to their STAB moves and resistance to their coverage moves often allows it to force them out and gives it a chance to attack. Because of its typing, Alolan Marowak can also switch into threats such as Florges and Infernape. Try to predict against teams with Pokemon like Hydreigon and Crawdaunt by either catching them off guard with Low Kick or double switching, as doing so takes a lot of pressure off of Alolan Marowak and can allow it to more reliably spam its STAB moves and break through opposing teams later on.
Team Options
========
Alolan Marowak generally fits on offensive and bulky offensive teams that appreciate having a powerful wallbreaker that can support the rest of the team by either setting Stealth Rock or pressuring defensive cores with its strong attacks. Due to Alolan Marowak's vulnerability to entry hazards, removers such as Hydreigon, Rotom-C, and Tsareena make for useful teammates. These examples are also capable of pressuring bulky Water- and Ground-types for Alolan Marowak while it threatens checks to them such as Florges, non-Trick Rotom-H, and Amoonguss. Pokemon that can check Dark-types and sponge Knock Off such as Cobalion and Florges are valuable, as these are Alolan Marowak's primary weaknesses. Swords Dance Cobalion appreciates Alolan Marowak threatening Slowbro and wearing down physically bulky Pokemon such as Swampert, while Florges can mitigate Alolan Marowak's vulnerability to entry hazards and lack of reliable recovery with Defog and Wish, respectively. Pivots such as Scizor, Mega Manectric, and Hydreigon are useful teammates to have, as they give Alolan Marowak an easier time switching in and threatening teams. The former two also appreciate Alolan Marowak's ability to wear down bulky Ground-types, which they tend to struggle with. Late-game sweepers and cleaners such as Kommo-o, Mega Sharpedo, and Calm Mind Latias have an easier time finishing teams off as a result of the pressure Alolan Marowak applies. These Pokemon can also exploit Choice-locked Krookodile, a common revenge killer, depending on what move it locks into.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Knock Off is a good utility option that cripples defensive Pokemon by removing their item, giving Alolan Marowak and its teammates an easier time muscling through Pokemon that are reliant on their item for longevity or bulk such as Swampert and Gligar; however, Knock Off doesn't threaten much that isn't already threatened by Alolan Marowak's STAB moves. Substitute allows Alolan Marowak to exploit Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Rotom-C as well as avoid being Pursuit trapped once, though this makes wearing it down easier. Alolan Marowak also has a hard time finding room for it, and it would much rather have coverage for Hydreigon in most cases.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Dark-types**: Hydreigon resists Alolan Marowak's STAB combination and can easily force it out with the prospect of Dark Pulse. Krookodile can take any one unboosted attack thanks to Intimidate and OHKO Alolan Marowak with its STAB moves as well as Pursuit trap it. Crawdaunt and Mega Sharpedo can force Alolan Marowak out and take advantage of this by using Swords Dance and having Speed Boost activate, respectively, with the former also threatening to pick Alolan Marowak off with Aqua Jet through Trick Room. It should be noted that these examples can't always switch in because of Low Kick and can struggle with revenge killing Alolan Marowak if it is under Trick Room.
**Pursuit**: Pursuit trappers like Scizor, Krookodile, and Mega Aerodactyl are capable of trapping Alolan Marowak if Trick Room isn't up, which allows them to either KO or heavily damage it.
**Revenge Killers**: Outside of Trick Room, Alolan Marowak can easily be revenge killed by a host of offensive threats such as Mamoswine, Primarina, Nihilego, and Gengar. Even certain defensive Pokemon like Suicune and Tentacruel can outpace and KO Alolan Marowak.
**Chip Damage**: Due to its vulnerability to entry hazards and Toxic poison as well as it being relied on to block Volt Switch throughout the match and soft check Pokemon like Scizor, Alolan Marowak is easy to wear down and put into range of even resisted attacks such as Infernape's Overheat.
**Bulky Water- and Ground-types**: Although they struggle with stomaching boosted attacks, bulky Water- and Ground-types like Suicune, Alomomola, Swampert, and Hippowdon heavily damage Alolan Marowak with their STAB moves and can prevent it from reliably setting up against them. Quagsire is another notable roadblock, as it isn't 2HKOed by Shadow Bone and ignores stat changes thanks to Unaware.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[allstarapology, 400292]]
- Quality checked by: [[Nuked, 382658], [Amane Misa, 312356], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [martha, 384270]]
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