[OVERVIEW]
Groudon's titanic physical bulk, strong support movepool that includes Will-O-Wisp, Stealth Rock, and Spikes, and good defensive typing make it a solid physically defensive option against common threats like Zacian-C and Koraidon; it is also able to run Stealth Rock and Spikes on the same set, offering good role compression. It is no slouch offensively either, as even defensive sets can put out solid damage with its great base Attack and Precipice Blades, which wallbreaking sets take even further with Swords Dance. However, Groudon often struggles to find a niche on teams, as it is often left on the sidelines in favor of Arceus-Ground, which has recovery and better special bulk, Landorus-T and Gliscor, which have better abilities and typing and U-turn, and Ting-Lu, which can better check Miraidon. Offensive sets, while still immensely powerful, compete heavily with Koraidon and Arceus-Ground, which boast better Speed, Taunt, in Arceus-Ground's case, Recover, and in Koraidon's case, better power. Groudon can still find a niche with its excellent bulk, ability to run both Stealth Rock and Spikes on the same set, and damage output, but that niche is often dependent on the team already using a different Arceus forme and Koraidon being too busy to run Swords Dance.
[SET]
Defensive (Groudon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Tera Type: Fairy / Water
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Precipice Blades / Earthquake
- Stealth Rock / Protect
- Will-O-Wisp / Roar
[SET COMMENTS]
Precipice Blades versus Earthquake is the eternal question between power and accuracy; Precipice Blades picks up the OHKO on Miraidon and Zacian-C, the latter of which Groudon is often tasked with checking, while Earthquake still does solid damage without missing. Stealth Rock is the most common choice in the third moveslot, as it lets Groudon set both Stealth Rock and Spikes for its team. Protect is a viable option if a teammate already provides Stealth Rock, as it helps make up for Groudon's lack of reliable recovery and scout common Choice item users like Miraidon and Koraidon. Will-O-Wisp cripples the physical threats Groudon is tasked with handling like Koraidon and Zacian-C while also annoying any non-burn-immune foe looking to switch in, while Roar has excellent synergy with Stealth Rock and Spikes and can remove a dangerous setup sweeper like Calm Mind Arceus-Ground in an emergency. 16 Speed EVs get the jump on uninvested Landorus-T, letting Groudon land a Will-O-Wisp or extra layer of hazards, as well as uninvested Kyogre. Tera Fairy's Dragon immunity can block Koraidon from getting a Speed boost with Scale Shot and potentially lets Groudon snipe Miraidon going for the KO, while Tera Water is an overall excellent defensive type that specifically checks Zacian-C's Behemoth Blade and Calyrex-I's Glacial Lance.
Groudon's ability to set both Stealth Rock and Spikes in a single teamslot makes it well suited for offensive teammates like Koraidon, Miraidon, and Zacian-C, as they are often able to break through their checks with that extra chip damage. Groudon also pairs well with offensive Arceus formes, as it can provide some of the extra physical bulk they often do instead. Special attackers, chiefly Miraidon and Kyogre, can easily overwhelm Groudon, making specially defensive teammates in Ho-Oh and Arceus-Fairy excellent options; it is worth mentioning that Groudon teams often struggle into Miraidon, as Groudon is a Ground-type that does not answer Miraidon. Speaking of Ho-Oh, this Groudon set is literally unable to touch it, making a consistent answer like Arceus-Water necessary. Groudon can also struggle into a few specific physical attackers, chiefly Calyrex-I and Zacian-C long-term, so secondary answers to them like a revenge killer or Kyogre in Calyrex-I's case are strongly recommended.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ut.523866/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/taka.595062/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lasen.273339/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
[SET]
Swords Dance (Groudon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
Tera Type: Fairy / Ground / Fire
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Precipice Blades
- Stone Edge
- Substitute / Heat Crash
[SET COMMENTS]
Precipice Blades is chosen over Earthquake for its better power, namely OHKOing offensive variants of Arceus and having a good chance to OHKO 252 HP / 0 Def variants after a Swords Dance. Stone Edge is mandatory to hit Ho-Oh and other Ground-immune Pokemon like Gliscor and Giratina-O. Speaking of Gliscor, Substitute in conjunction with 44 Speed EVs lets Groudon turn Gliscor into setup fodder, blocking Toxic and taking next to no damage from U-turn. If Gliscor is not a concern, Heat Crash is a perfectly accurate option that also provides coverage for Tera Steel Giratina, Tera Grass Ho-Oh, Orthworm, and Corviknight. Tera Fairy lets Groudon check Koraidon and Miraidon in a pinch, Tera Ground lets +2 Precipice Blades secure the OHKO against even physically defensive Arceus, and Tera Fire can block an expected Will-O-Wisp and power up Heat Crash if used.
Swords Dance Groudon is an excellent wallbreaker, so it pairs very well with Koraidon and Zacian-C, as they can go to town once Groudon weakens or removes their shared checks. Groudon loves to be brought in on foes it can set up on like Gliscor, Clodsire, and Necrozma-DM, so pivots like Koraidon are very much appreciated. Groudon is still quite slow and vulnerable to revenge killers, especially specially offensive ones like Miraidon and Kyogre, so specially defensive teammates like Arceus-Fairy are welcome. Spikes setters like Deoxys-S help Groudon secure OHKOes against defensive Arceus formes. Miraidon is an excellent teammate to pressure Kyogre and Arceus-Water and appreciates Power Herb-free Solar Beam and Groudon pressuring Arceus-Ground.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ut.523866/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/taka.595062/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lasen.273339/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Defensive Groudon can consider a few other item choices, such as Rocky Helmet to punish U-turn, but it generally prefers the recovery from Leftovers. Offensive Groudon can consider more or even maximum Speed investment to get the jump on Kyogre, other Groudon, and Necrozma-DM, but it generally prefers the extra bulk to trade hits more reliably.
Checks and Counters
====
**Defensive Arceus Formes**: Physically defensive Arceus-Water, -Fairy, and -Ground can more or less wall Groudon forever and cripple it with Will-O-Wisp.
**Opposing Spikes Users**: Groudon is reliant on Leftovers to have any form of recovery and relies on its bulk to check threats or set up, so opposing Spikes users like Gliscor dramatically reduce its effectiveness.
**Calyrex-I**: Calyrex-I can take any one hit and KO back with Glacial Lance; Groudon's best option is often Will-O-Wisp, but that can be ruined by an untimely Tera Fire. Calyrex-I still has to be wary of Groudon's Tera Water.
**Special Attackers**: Special attackers in general, and especially Kyogre, can take advantage of Groudon's weaker Special Defense and force it out. Most, however, do not appreciate switching into Precipice Blades.
**Ho-Oh and Gliscor**: Defensive Groudon sets are often utterly unable to touch Ho-Oh and Gliscor, so once the set is scouted, they can freely switch in to recover HP or set hazards. Offensive sets can effectively deal with them, though, so they cannot switch in freely.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ut.523866/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/taka.595062/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lasen.273339/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Groudon's titanic physical bulk, strong support movepool that includes Will-O-Wisp, Stealth Rock, and Spikes, and good defensive typing make it a solid physically defensive option against common threats like Zacian-C and Koraidon; it is also able to run Stealth Rock and Spikes on the same set, offering good role compression. It is no slouch offensively either, as even defensive sets can put out solid damage with its great base Attack and Precipice Blades, which wallbreaking sets take even further with Swords Dance. However, Groudon often struggles to find a niche on teams, as it is often left on the sidelines in favor of Arceus-Ground, which has recovery and better special bulk, Landorus-T and Gliscor, which have better abilities and typing and U-turn, and Ting-Lu, which can better check Miraidon. Offensive sets, while still immensely powerful, compete heavily with Koraidon and Arceus-Ground, which boast better Speed, Taunt, in Arceus-Ground's case, Recover, and in Koraidon's case, better power. Groudon can still find a niche with its excellent bulk, ability to run both Stealth Rock and Spikes on the same set, and damage output, but that niche is often dependent on the team already using a different Arceus forme and Koraidon being too busy to run Swords Dance.
[SET]
Defensive (Groudon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Tera Type: Fairy / Water
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Precipice Blades / Earthquake
- Stealth Rock / Protect
- Will-O-Wisp / Roar
[SET COMMENTS]
Precipice Blades versus Earthquake is the eternal question between power and accuracy; Precipice Blades picks up the OHKO on Miraidon and Zacian-C, the latter of which Groudon is often tasked with checking, while Earthquake still does solid damage without missing. Stealth Rock is the most common choice in the third moveslot, as it lets Groudon set both Stealth Rock and Spikes for its team. Protect is a viable option if a teammate already provides Stealth Rock, as it helps make up for Groudon's lack of reliable recovery and scout common Choice item users like Miraidon and Koraidon. Will-O-Wisp cripples the physical threats Groudon is tasked with handling like Koraidon and Zacian-C while also annoying any non-burn-immune foe looking to switch in, while Roar has excellent synergy with Stealth Rock and Spikes and can remove a dangerous setup sweeper like Calm Mind Arceus-Ground in an emergency. 16 Speed EVs get the jump on uninvested Landorus-T, letting Groudon land a Will-O-Wisp or extra layer of hazards, as well as uninvested Kyogre. Tera Fairy's Dragon immunity can block Koraidon from getting a Speed boost with Scale Shot and potentially lets Groudon snipe Miraidon going for the KO, while Tera Water is an overall excellent defensive type that specifically checks Zacian-C's Behemoth Blade and Calyrex-I's Glacial Lance.
Groudon's ability to set both Stealth Rock and Spikes in a single teamslot makes it well suited for offensive teammates like Koraidon, Miraidon, and Zacian-C, as they are often able to break through their checks with that extra chip damage. Groudon also pairs well with offensive Arceus formes, as it can provide some of the extra physical bulk they often do instead. Special attackers, chiefly Miraidon and Kyogre, can easily overwhelm Groudon, making specially defensive teammates in Ho-Oh and Arceus-Fairy excellent options; it is worth mentioning that Groudon teams often struggle into Miraidon, as Groudon is a Ground-type that does not answer Miraidon. Speaking of Ho-Oh, this Groudon set is literally unable to touch it, making a consistent answer like Arceus-Water necessary. Groudon can also struggle into a few specific physical attackers, chiefly Calyrex-I and Zacian-C long-term, so secondary answers to them like a revenge killer or Kyogre in Calyrex-I's case are strongly recommended.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ut.523866/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/taka.595062/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lasen.273339/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
[SET]
Swords Dance (Groudon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
Tera Type: Fairy / Ground / Fire
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Precipice Blades
- Stone Edge
- Substitute / Heat Crash
[SET COMMENTS]
Precipice Blades is chosen over Earthquake for its better power, namely OHKOing offensive variants of Arceus and having a good chance to OHKO 252 HP / 0 Def variants after a Swords Dance. Stone Edge is mandatory to hit Ho-Oh and other Ground-immune Pokemon like Gliscor and Giratina-O. Speaking of Gliscor, Substitute in conjunction with 44 Speed EVs lets Groudon turn Gliscor into setup fodder, blocking Toxic and taking next to no damage from U-turn. If Gliscor is not a concern, Heat Crash is a perfectly accurate option that also provides coverage for Tera Steel Giratina, Tera Grass Ho-Oh, Orthworm, and Corviknight. Tera Fairy lets Groudon check Koraidon and Miraidon in a pinch, Tera Ground lets +2 Precipice Blades secure the OHKO against even physically defensive Arceus, and Tera Fire can block an expected Will-O-Wisp and power up Heat Crash if used.
Swords Dance Groudon is an excellent wallbreaker, so it pairs very well with Koraidon and Zacian-C, as they can go to town once Groudon weakens or removes their shared checks. Groudon loves to be brought in on foes it can set up on like Gliscor, Clodsire, and Necrozma-DM, so pivots like Koraidon are very much appreciated. Groudon is still quite slow and vulnerable to revenge killers, especially specially offensive ones like Miraidon and Kyogre, so specially defensive teammates like Arceus-Fairy are welcome. Spikes setters like Deoxys-S help Groudon secure OHKOes against defensive Arceus formes. Miraidon is an excellent teammate to pressure Kyogre and Arceus-Water and appreciates Power Herb-free Solar Beam and Groudon pressuring Arceus-Ground.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ut.523866/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/taka.595062/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lasen.273339/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Defensive Groudon can consider a few other item choices, such as Rocky Helmet to punish U-turn, but it generally prefers the recovery from Leftovers. Offensive Groudon can consider more or even maximum Speed investment to get the jump on Kyogre, other Groudon, and Necrozma-DM, but it generally prefers the extra bulk to trade hits more reliably.
Checks and Counters
====
**Defensive Arceus Formes**: Physically defensive Arceus-Water, -Fairy, and -Ground can more or less wall Groudon forever and cripple it with Will-O-Wisp.
**Opposing Spikes Users**: Groudon is reliant on Leftovers to have any form of recovery and relies on its bulk to check threats or set up, so opposing Spikes users like Gliscor dramatically reduce its effectiveness.
**Calyrex-I**: Calyrex-I can take any one hit and KO back with Glacial Lance; Groudon's best option is often Will-O-Wisp, but that can be ruined by an untimely Tera Fire. Calyrex-I still has to be wary of Groudon's Tera Water.
**Special Attackers**: Special attackers in general, and especially Kyogre, can take advantage of Groudon's weaker Special Defense and force it out. Most, however, do not appreciate switching into Precipice Blades.
**Ho-Oh and Gliscor**: Defensive Groudon sets are often utterly unable to touch Ho-Oh and Gliscor, so once the set is scouted, they can freely switch in to recover HP or set hazards. Offensive sets can effectively deal with them, though, so they cannot switch in freely.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ut.523866/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/taka.595062/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lasen.273339/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Last edited:
