[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Flip Turn
move 2: Liquidation
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Close Combat / Drill Run / Throat Chop / Ice Fang
item: Choice Band
ability: Primordial Sea
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Barraskewda is a strong offensive pivot, revenge killer, and late-game cleaner with powerful rain-boosted STAB moves, varied coverage, and incredible Speed tier. Flip Turn is an especially deadly move; Barraskewda can pivot out while massively damaging its checks that are not immune to Water like Zapdos. Barraskewda's other strong STAB moves in Liquidation and Aqua Jet mean that your opponent has to keep their Water-resistant Pokemon healthy so that their team isn't completely overwhelmed Barraskewda's coverage moves are mostly used as insurance against Water Absorb users like Palossand and Excadrill as well as Desolate Land users such as Heatran. Drill Run is able to OHKO Heatran, 2HKO Excadrill, and do large amounts of damage to physically defensive Toxapex that switch in. Throat Chop stops Boomburst or Hyper Voice users like Refrigerate Tapu Koko cold in their tracks and force out Ghost- and Psychic-types. Ice Fang punishes Grass-types trying to switch into Water-type attacks like Tapu Bulu. Finally, Close Combat threatens bulky Normal-types like Blissey and Porygon-2, and gives Barraskewda an offensive option against Ferrothorn.
Barraskewda is often paired with special powerhouses like Adaptability Tapu Koko, Psychic Surge Alakazam, and specially offensive Genesect, which succeed versus Pokemon that check Barraskewda like Tapu Fini, Slowbro, and Golisopod. The combination of those teammates' special prowess and Barraskewda's pivoting leads to deadly offensive cores. Barraskewda commonly finds itself on VoltTurn cores, synergizing well with Genesect, Landorus-T, and offensive Zapdos. Barraskewda also benefits from teammates that cover its Desolate Land weakness and from other Fire checks like Nihilego and Garchomp, which can punish them by setting entry hazards. Since Barraskewda's main job as a pivot and revenge killer involves a lot of switching, it benefits from entry hazard removers and slow pivots. Defensive pivots such as Swampert and Landorus-T are able to preserve momentum and set up entry hazards. softening up foes. Dauntless Shield Mew and Intimidate Zapdos are great partners because of their physical bulk, (comma) reliable recovery, Defog, and ability to scare out some of Barraskewda's sturdiest switch-ins in, Regenerator Tapu Fini and Golisopod. On Barraskewda's own team, Pokemon like Tapu Fini offer Defog, while Magic Bounce users such as Blissey, Mandibuzz, and Zapdos act as entry hazard deterrents with the option to run slow pivot moves such as Teleport, U-turn, and Volt Switch.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Scarf can be used to make Adamant Barraskewda faster than the entire unboosted metagame. However, using Choice Scarf instead of Choice Band severely limits Barraskewda's KO potential, as it already outspeeds a majority of the format.
Psychic Fangs is another coverage option, but its uses are limited to only hitting Toxapex. However, it only has a small chance to 2HKO, and Prankster Recover immediately heals any significant damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Toxapex**: Toxapex is Barraskewda's worst nightmare, sporting sky-high physical bulk and a natural Water resistance. Its chance to burn with Scald and access to Prankster healing and status-inducing moves mean it will usually come out on top.
**Water-immune Pokemon**: Desolate Land and Abilities that grant Water immunity are able to completely kill Barraskewda's momentum.
**Bulky Water Checks**: Bulky pokemon that resist Water as well as Barraskewda's coverage options, such as Tapu Fini and Golisopod, are almost always free to switch in and heal the damage done.
**Rocky Helmet Users**: One of Barraskewda's largest weaknesses is residual damage, and Rocky Helmet users such as Mew, Tapu Fini, Swampert, and Corviknight are able to punish Barraskewda for using Flip Turn. This damage racks up over the course of the game, making Barraskewda less of a threat.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[berry, 226455]]
- Quality checked by: [[Thinkerino, 375662], [The Number Man, 475804]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519]]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Flip Turn
move 2: Liquidation
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Close Combat / Drill Run / Throat Chop / Ice Fang
item: Choice Band
ability: Primordial Sea
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Barraskewda is a strong offensive pivot, revenge killer, and late-game cleaner with powerful rain-boosted STAB moves, varied coverage, and incredible Speed tier. Flip Turn is an especially deadly move; Barraskewda can pivot out while massively damaging its checks that are not immune to Water like Zapdos. Barraskewda's other strong STAB moves in Liquidation and Aqua Jet mean that your opponent has to keep their Water-resistant Pokemon healthy so that their team isn't completely overwhelmed Barraskewda's coverage moves are mostly used as insurance against Water Absorb users like Palossand and Excadrill as well as Desolate Land users such as Heatran. Drill Run is able to OHKO Heatran, 2HKO Excadrill, and do large amounts of damage to physically defensive Toxapex that switch in. Throat Chop stops Boomburst or Hyper Voice users like Refrigerate Tapu Koko cold in their tracks and force out Ghost- and Psychic-types. Ice Fang punishes Grass-types trying to switch into Water-type attacks like Tapu Bulu. Finally, Close Combat threatens bulky Normal-types like Blissey and Porygon-2, and gives Barraskewda an offensive option against Ferrothorn.
Barraskewda is often paired with special powerhouses like Adaptability Tapu Koko, Psychic Surge Alakazam, and specially offensive Genesect, which succeed versus Pokemon that check Barraskewda like Tapu Fini, Slowbro, and Golisopod. The combination of those teammates' special prowess and Barraskewda's pivoting leads to deadly offensive cores. Barraskewda commonly finds itself on VoltTurn cores, synergizing well with Genesect, Landorus-T, and offensive Zapdos. Barraskewda also benefits from teammates that cover its Desolate Land weakness and from other Fire checks like Nihilego and Garchomp, which can punish them by setting entry hazards. Since Barraskewda's main job as a pivot and revenge killer involves a lot of switching, it benefits from entry hazard removers and slow pivots. Defensive pivots such as Swampert and Landorus-T are able to preserve momentum and set up entry hazards. softening up foes. Dauntless Shield Mew and Intimidate Zapdos are great partners because of their physical bulk, (comma) reliable recovery, Defog, and ability to scare out some of Barraskewda's sturdiest switch-ins in, Regenerator Tapu Fini and Golisopod. On Barraskewda's own team, Pokemon like Tapu Fini offer Defog, while Magic Bounce users such as Blissey, Mandibuzz, and Zapdos act as entry hazard deterrents with the option to run slow pivot moves such as Teleport, U-turn, and Volt Switch.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Scarf can be used to make Adamant Barraskewda faster than the entire unboosted metagame. However, using Choice Scarf instead of Choice Band severely limits Barraskewda's KO potential, as it already outspeeds a majority of the format.
Psychic Fangs is another coverage option, but its uses are limited to only hitting Toxapex. However, it only has a small chance to 2HKO, and Prankster Recover immediately heals any significant damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Toxapex**: Toxapex is Barraskewda's worst nightmare, sporting sky-high physical bulk and a natural Water resistance. Its chance to burn with Scald and access to Prankster healing and status-inducing moves mean it will usually come out on top.
**Water-immune Pokemon**: Desolate Land and Abilities that grant Water immunity are able to completely kill Barraskewda's momentum.
**Bulky Water Checks**: Bulky pokemon that resist Water as well as Barraskewda's coverage options, such as Tapu Fini and Golisopod, are almost always free to switch in and heal the damage done.
**Rocky Helmet Users**: One of Barraskewda's largest weaknesses is residual damage, and Rocky Helmet users such as Mew, Tapu Fini, Swampert, and Corviknight are able to punish Barraskewda for using Flip Turn. This damage racks up over the course of the game, making Barraskewda less of a threat.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[berry, 226455]]
- Quality checked by: [[Thinkerino, 375662], [The Number Man, 475804]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519]]
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