[OVERVIEW]
The incredible power of Armor Cannon makes Armarouge a terrifying foe in the RarelyUsed tier, often threatening a KO whenever it enters the field. With its excellent STAB combination that hits most of the metagame, Weak Armor to outspeed everything, and the physical bulk to make use of it, Armarouge can serve as both a wallbreaker and sweeper, depending on what its team needs. Armarouge is unique among the Psychic-types in the tier due to its ability to threaten Steel-types like Jirachi, Magnezone and Registeel with super effective STAB Armor Cannon. Combined with the fact that very few Pokemon wish to switch into Armarouge's attacks, it is very capable at dismantling opposing cores and enabling its teammates to win the game. Armarouge's drawbacks however, are evident: its base 75 Speed is lower than much of the tier, allowing many Pokemon like Basculegion-F, Gengar, and Salamence to outspeed it prior to Weak Armor's activation, and its ability at taking Special Attacks is poor. Its weakness to Stealth Rock and the combined Defence drops from both Weak Armor and Armor Cannon can cause damage to add up quickly, resulting in Armarouge being unable to survive subsequent attacks from revenge killers or bulky Pokemon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Meteor Beam, alongside a Power Herb, can compress setup with a coverage option to hit Fire-types like Volcanion and opposing Armarouge into a single moveslot, with the drawback that this combination is one-time use and effectively limits Armarouge to three moveslots for the remainder of the game. Armarouge can effectively use Choice Specs for immediate power that can OKHO Cyclizar after Stealth Rock, or 2HKO specially defensive Empoleon, additionally allowing it to use Trick to cripple the few walls who are able to switch into its attacks. Flash Fire can be used with Choice Specs, enabling absolutely nuclear Armor Cannons if positioned correctly, but using Flash Fire means that Gardevoir can Trace it to become immune. Iron Defense can offset the penalty of Weak Armor or give Armarouge the additional bulk to set up additional Calm Minds, all while further boosting Stored Power. Focus Blast can be used to hit opposing Pokemon like Hisuian Goodra and Umbreon, but dropping Energy Ball leaves Armarouge weaker against Water-types like Slowbro. Destiny Bond allows Armarouge to get a surprise KO on a Pokemon that is bulky enough to survive its hits.
Checks and Counters
====
**Special Walls**: Chansey, Umbreon and Hisuian Goodra are all able to comfortably survive Armarouge's attacks, and either heal off the damage or deal huge damage in return. With boosts from Calm Mind or Weakness Policy, Armarouge can use Psyshock to answer Chansey, particularly if its Eviolite has been removed, but the latter two Pokemon either resist or are immune to Psyshock, meaning Armarouge has to brute force its way through their high Special Defence.
**Special Attackers**: Special Attackers like Azelf, Noivern, and Hisuian Zoroark not only target Armarouge's weaker Special Defence, but fail to activate Weak Armour, meaning that Armarouge does not gain the crucial Speed advantage on the next turn. Even attacks from weaker Pokemon like Draco Meteor Cyclizar or Sludge Bomb Amoonguss pose a threat.
**Priority**: Armarouge's use of Weak Armor leaves it vulnerable to the many forms of physical priority moves in the tier, such as Slither Wing's First Impression, Mimikyu's Shadow Sneak, or Aqua Jet from Barraskewda and Crawdaunt. Even resisted moves like Conkeldurr's Mach Punch can deal significant damage after Defence drops from Weak Armor or Armor Cannon, meaning that even if Armarouge Terastallizes it isn't safe. Endure sets are safe from First Impression, but unless Armarouge is used in Psychic Terrain, Pokemon like Bisharp or Entei are extremely effective at revenge killing.
**Residual Damage**: In taking hits to activate Weak Armor, particularly with Endure, Armarouge's health often drops very low, which leaves it susceptible to fainting when exposed to chip damage from poison or Hippowdon's Sandstorm.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/machjacob.555741/
Quality checked by:
Grammar checked by:
The incredible power of Armor Cannon makes Armarouge a terrifying foe in the RarelyUsed tier, often threatening a KO whenever it enters the field. With its excellent STAB combination that hits most of the metagame, Weak Armor to outspeed everything, and the physical bulk to make use of it, Armarouge can serve as both a wallbreaker and sweeper, depending on what its team needs. Armarouge is unique among the Psychic-types in the tier due to its ability to threaten Steel-types like Jirachi, Magnezone and Registeel with super effective STAB Armor Cannon. Combined with the fact that very few Pokemon wish to switch into Armarouge's attacks, it is very capable at dismantling opposing cores and enabling its teammates to win the game. Armarouge's drawbacks however, are evident: its base 75 Speed is lower than much of the tier, allowing many Pokemon like Basculegion-F, Gengar, and Salamence to outspeed it prior to Weak Armor's activation, and its ability at taking Special Attacks is poor. Its weakness to Stealth Rock and the combined Defence drops from both Weak Armor and Armor Cannon can cause damage to add up quickly, resulting in Armarouge being unable to survive subsequent attacks from revenge killers or bulky Pokemon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Meteor Beam, alongside a Power Herb, can compress setup with a coverage option to hit Fire-types like Volcanion and opposing Armarouge into a single moveslot, with the drawback that this combination is one-time use and effectively limits Armarouge to three moveslots for the remainder of the game. Armarouge can effectively use Choice Specs for immediate power that can OKHO Cyclizar after Stealth Rock, or 2HKO specially defensive Empoleon, additionally allowing it to use Trick to cripple the few walls who are able to switch into its attacks. Flash Fire can be used with Choice Specs, enabling absolutely nuclear Armor Cannons if positioned correctly, but using Flash Fire means that Gardevoir can Trace it to become immune. Iron Defense can offset the penalty of Weak Armor or give Armarouge the additional bulk to set up additional Calm Minds, all while further boosting Stored Power. Focus Blast can be used to hit opposing Pokemon like Hisuian Goodra and Umbreon, but dropping Energy Ball leaves Armarouge weaker against Water-types like Slowbro. Destiny Bond allows Armarouge to get a surprise KO on a Pokemon that is bulky enough to survive its hits.
Checks and Counters
====
**Special Walls**: Chansey, Umbreon and Hisuian Goodra are all able to comfortably survive Armarouge's attacks, and either heal off the damage or deal huge damage in return. With boosts from Calm Mind or Weakness Policy, Armarouge can use Psyshock to answer Chansey, particularly if its Eviolite has been removed, but the latter two Pokemon either resist or are immune to Psyshock, meaning Armarouge has to brute force its way through their high Special Defence.
**Special Attackers**: Special Attackers like Azelf, Noivern, and Hisuian Zoroark not only target Armarouge's weaker Special Defence, but fail to activate Weak Armour, meaning that Armarouge does not gain the crucial Speed advantage on the next turn. Even attacks from weaker Pokemon like Draco Meteor Cyclizar or Sludge Bomb Amoonguss pose a threat.
**Priority**: Armarouge's use of Weak Armor leaves it vulnerable to the many forms of physical priority moves in the tier, such as Slither Wing's First Impression, Mimikyu's Shadow Sneak, or Aqua Jet from Barraskewda and Crawdaunt. Even resisted moves like Conkeldurr's Mach Punch can deal significant damage after Defence drops from Weak Armor or Armor Cannon, meaning that even if Armarouge Terastallizes it isn't safe. Endure sets are safe from First Impression, but unless Armarouge is used in Psychic Terrain, Pokemon like Bisharp or Entei are extremely effective at revenge killing.
**Residual Damage**: In taking hits to activate Weak Armor, particularly with Endure, Armarouge's health often drops very low, which leaves it susceptible to fainting when exposed to chip damage from poison or Hippowdon's Sandstorm.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/machjacob.555741/
Quality checked by:
Grammar checked by:
