[OVERVIEW]
Blastoise is one of the most centralizing and defensively potent Pokemon in RBY NU. Its role in checking several of the tier's primary offensive threats, such as Seadra, Golem, Moltres, Arcanine, Charizard, and opposing Blastoise, is essential for the majority of teams to function. In addition, it is especially notable for absorbing Fire Spin from Rapidash, Ninetales, and the aforementioned Charizard, punishing misses extremely effectively. Blastoise is also a legitimate offensive threat, with its combination of STAB Water-type attacks and Ice-type coverage being hard for much of the tier to take reliably, being resisted only by Water-types.
However, Blastoise's mediocre Speed leaves it outrun by numerous offensive threats like Mr. Mime, Electrode, Nidoking, Kabutops, and all viable Fire Spin users. Electrode and Mr. Mime are especially problematic,with their powerful Thunderbolts often forcing Blastoise to switch out and lose momentum. In addition, it struggles to break through opposing Blastoise, meaning that the opponent will usually have a very safe switch-in to Blastoise.Blastoise's reliance on Rest can let strong attackers such as Charizard, Nidoking, Pinsir, and Fearow exploit it, especially since its Speed makes it hard to threaten foes after waking up. This lets dangerous Swords Dance users like Charizard, Kabutops, Kingler, and Pinsir set up for free. Finally, Porygon hard counters Blastoise due to its immunity to Body Slam paralysis, Recover, Thunder Wave, and ability to either 3HKO Blastoise with Thunderbolt or whittle it down with Psychic.
[SET]
name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Surf / Hydro Pump
move 2: Ice Beam / Blizzard
move 3: Body Slam / Toxic
move 4: Rest
[SET COMMENTS]
Surf 2HKOes notable Ground- and Fire-types like Nidoking, Charizard, Arcanine, Ninetales, and Rapidash, while Golem is OHKOed. Alternatively, Hydro Pump sacrifices accuracy for power, securing a 2HKO on Moltres, a possible 2HKO versus Kabutops, and a guaranteed 3HKO against Clefable. Ice Beam grants Blastoise unresisted coverage, except versus opposing Water-types. Most notably, it always 2HKOes Exeggcute and helps break through opposing Blastoise more easily due to freeze. As another option, Blizzard sacrifices PP and a bit of accuracy for more damage, notably confirming the 2HKOs on Dragonair and the niche Weepinbell. Body Slam spreads paralysis, punishing switch-ins while mitigating Blastoise's mediocre Speed, while also dealing solid damage to opposing Water-types like Seadra and Poliwhirl. Alternatively, Toxic is the best response to partial trapping from the likes of Pinsir and Dragonair. In addition to this, if the opponent has already slept a teammate, Toxic acts as an effective stop to Amnesia Poliwhirl, forcing it out due to chip damage before it can set up and break through Blastoise. A poisoned Poliwhirl—or other target—is also less effective at absorbing partial-trapping moves, letting teammates like Rapidash, Ninetales, Pinsir, and Dragonair chip it much more. Finally, Rest complements Blastoise's bulk with the longevity and status healing to consistently switch into Fire-types, opposing Blastoise, and Seadra. Rest is best used versus the aforementioned Fire- and Water-types, as they are largely unable to immediately threaten Blastoise—outside of Charizard, which typically switches out due to the threat of STAB Surf, paralysis, or Toxic.
Blastoise has a few other possible options, though they are rare due to the valued consistency of the main set. Seismic Toss is the most enticing, being Blastoise's strongest attack versus opposing Blastoise, consistently 4HKOing it. If it's used on the turn the opposing Blastoise uses Rest, then your Blastoise is poised to KO if it wins a Speed tie on the foe's wakeup turn. Reflect or Withdraw boosts Blastoise's already fantastic Defense, with a +2 Blastoise taking less than 43% from even a +2 Kingler's Hyper Beam. Reflect gives a large boost immediately, but Withdraw has higher potential long-term, including in regards to PP stall. However, both fail to solve Blastoise's susceptibility to Thunderbolt, thus letting potent special attackers like Electrode and Mr. Mime switch in freely. Slash users such as Charizard, Kabutops, and Pinsir also ignore both moves. Earthquake is Blastoise's strongest attack versus Electrode and the rare Gastly, 2HKOing the former and having a 59% chance to OHKO the latter. Lastly, Counter allows Blastoise to switch in on potent physical attackers like Raticate and Charizard and deal vast sums of damage. It is also relevant versus Fire-type mixed attackers like Charizard and Arcanine, letting Blastoise switch into their Normal-type attacks to force them out and nail any switch-ins. However, most of the best targets for Counter have options to avoid it like Drill Peck or Thunderbolt. In addition, using it removes the surprise factor, which often leaves it useless after the first attempt.
Blastoise should be preserved throughout the early- and mid-game, as it can consistently halt momentum from the foe's primary offensive threats like Moltres and Seadra. In addition to this, losing Blastoise can make it much trickier to contest opposing Blastoise, as it will check many of your own threats. Due to this, the Blastoise mirror match will happen quite frequently and will often influence the course of an entire game. Blastoise can either fish for freeze with Ice Beam or eventually force a Rest with Body Slam or Toxic.
Blastoise pairs well with Pokemon that can prevent matchups with opposing Blastoise, such as Electrode and Mr. Mime, which both 2HKO with Thunderbolt with minor chip damage. While niche, Gastly is surprisingly notable for this role as well, freely pivoting in on Body Slam while threatening a 2HKO with Thunderbolt after minor chip damage. Blastoise also pairs well with Fire- and Ground-types like Arcanine, Golem, and Moltres due to it effectively handling opposing Blastoise, Kabutops, Seadra, and Poliwhirl, which they can struggle with. Fire-types also decrease the pressure on Blastoise to constantly switch into the likes of Moltres. If paired with multiple Fire Spin users, Toxic Blastoise is preferred, as Toxic helps them more consistently check Water- and Fire-types. Blastoise also finds its way onto teams with multiple other Water-types like Kabutops and Poliwhirl, which makes teams incredibly strong defensively versus offensive teams that wield multiple Fire-types, as well as keeping good matchups versus other teams with multiple Water-types. This dichotomy of Fire-types and Water-types drives offense in RBY NU, although Electrode and Mr. Mime can exploit it offensively. Golem is especially notable as a Blastoise partner due to this, since it completely stonewallsElectrode, which Blastoise despises, while checking Mr. Mime. Alternatively, Exeggcute also checks Electrode and Mr. Mime, though it doesn't completely negate Electrode in the same way that Golem does. Other options for the role of checking Mr. Mime include Drowzee, Clefable, Arcanine, and Ninetales. In addition, Blastoise synergises with offensive Pokemon susceptible to Golem like Fearow, Electrode, and Scyther, checking Golem for them to wreak havoc more consistently. Finally, Blastoise pairs well with Porygon, as it hard counters opposing Blastoise and therefore decreases the defensive pressure on Blastoise, letting it focus on performing other duties like checking Fire-types. In addition to this, Conversion Porygon checks Mr. Mime, which threatens Blastoise with hefty damage.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[pac, 520967]]
- Quality checked by: [[May, 236353], [Volk, 530877]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]
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