http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/amoonguss
[Overview]
<p>Amoonguss enjoys its membership to the illustrious Spore club, giving it a niche of no overlap in the UU metagame. Although slow, Amoonguss's bulk allows it to take hits and spread status. Furthermore, it has a nice Fighting-type resistance, so it can tank the many hits flying around the tier. Another nice point is it can absorb Toxic Spikes for its teammates, but is not decimated by Earthquake like Nidoking and Nidoqueen are. Unfortunately, Amoonguss is weak to common Ice- and Fire-type moves, and without reliable recovery or Leech Seed, it can fall rather quickly. It also has rather mediocre offenses and weak moves, and can't put offensive pressure on most opponents. As such, Amoonguss should best be used for its access to Spore, among other things.</p>
[SET]
name: Double Status
move 1: Spore
move 2: Stun Spore / Toxic
move 3: Clear Smog
move 4: Giga Drain / Synthesis
item: Leftovers
ability: Effect Spore
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set takes advantage of Spore and its ability to force switches. One can utilize the sleep-inducing move in many ways; the most obvious strategy is to switch Amoonguss into an nonthreatening Pokemon and fire off a Spore. This can put either that Pokemon or a switch-in to sleep, allowing one to status the expected switch to a Pokemon awake. Another method is to Spore an opponent and switch in a frail sweeper; unless one is incredibly unlucky and the opponent wakes up, the sweeper will enter the fray unharmed. Stun Spore is useful in the second slot to hit an offensive switch-in after the slept opponent flees, but Toxic cripples some defensive Pokemon that may otherwise wall Amoonguss's efforts to no end. Clear Smog fills the third slot, preventing this mushroom Pokemon from becoming set-up fodder to the likes of CroCune, which doesn't care about status. Giga Drain finds itself in the last slot, which provides modest healing with Amoonguss's 85 base Special Attack, and stops Taunt from crippling it.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs maximize physical bulk, allowing Amoonguss to take various Fighting-type moves, as well as other weak attacks; for example, an Ice Shard from a Life Orb Weavile holding barely 3HKOes, not factoring in Leftovers. Speaking of the apple core, Leftovers gives Amoonguss much needed passive recovery, thus increasing its longevity. Instead of Giga Drain, one can use Synthesis to heal at least 33%; this is slightly more viable than in OU because weather is not the main focus of the UU metagame.</p>
<p>Many Pokemon enjoy Amoonguss's support, especially because this mushroom is bulkier than the other Grass- / Poison-type, Roserade, and thus can tank more hits. Slowbro is especially notable: the hermit crab can absorb Fire- and Ice-type attacks directed at Amoonguss, while the latter can sponge the Electric- and Grass-type moves directed at Slowbro. Furthermore, Amoonguss absorbs Toxic Spikes, which are detrimental to Slowbro's function. Because Steel- and Poison-type Pokemon wall Amoonguss to no end, partners that relish easy KOs on those typings are great. Dugtrio, for example, traps the majority of Steel- and Poison-type Pokemon and eliminates them with Earthquake. Donphan can scare them off to get a free opportunity to Rapid Spin. Slow but powerful Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Bisharp enjoy Stun Spore's paralysis support. Entry hazards also benefit one's own team, as Spore and Stun Spore or Toxic easily force switches.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Alternative EVs spreads are useful for certain roles. A specially defensive investment allows Amoonguss to brush off many attacks, but is not as useful as physical bulk due to the prevalence of physical attackers. Amoonguss has a rather small movepool, but it does have a few other viable options. Growth boosts Amooguss's decent 85 base Special Attack and Attack, but its offensive movepool is rather lacking to make use of the boosts. In addition, this choice leaves little investment for Amoonguss's bulk, which is rather wasteful in lieu of its great typing. Venoshock is an interesting option to hit poisoned opponents for 130 Base Power, but poison is a rather poor offensive typing. Grass Knot will hit most of UU harder than Giga Drain, but does not provide recovery. Various Hidden Power types serve different purposes, each situationally useful: Hidden Power Fighting OHKOes offensive Aggron and dents Bisharp, while Hidden Power Fire nails Escavalier and Ferroseed. Rest heals Amoonguss completely, but leaves it asleep instead of the opponent.</p>
<p>There is another role Amoonguss is exceptional at: that of a weather supporter. With access to both Sunny Day and Rain Dance, Amoonguss sets up weather beneficial to it and its team; Sunny Day beefs up Synthesis's recovery to 66%, while rain removes the mushroom's Fire-type weakness. Spore is especially great, as it can both provide an opportunity for Amoonguss to set up and cripple the opponent for a sweeper to switch in safely.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>After using Spore, Amoonguss is easily walled by Poison-types such as Weezing. Weezing can retaliate with Flamethrower and scare Amoonguss off. Steel-types also stop Amoonguss after Sleep Clause activates. Most Steel-types, such as Registeel, do not mind paralysis and take middling damage from Giga Drain. Escavalier is notable, as it can Swords Dance in Amoonguss's face as long as the mushroom doesn't have Hidden Power Fire. RestTalkers such as Suicune and Milotic easily absorb status and heal off Giga Drain's pathetic damage. Bulky users of Taunt such as Deoxys-D halt Amoonguss without Toxic, taking little damage from 85 base Special Attack. Strong super effective moves still KO Amoonguss: Ice Punches from Weavile, Flare Blitzes from Arcanine, or Psyshocks from Azelf all destroy the mushroom.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Amoonguss is blessed with Regenerator from the Dream World, instantly elevating it to the status of amazing. Because Effect Spore is rather random, possibly giving an opponent an unfavorable status, Regenerator is preferred. It easily recovers health, which is useful since Amoonguss has no recovery moves outside of the unreliable Synthesis. This makes it an exceptional weather supporter, as switching out after setting the weather keeps its health high at all times.</p>
