[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 5-7 points
**Overview**: Chesnaught finds itself a niche as a bulky Spikes setter for a relatively low price point. It is largely held back by its Grass / Fighting typing and lack of pivoting, which leaves it vulnerable to several common offensive typings, including a 4x weakness to Flying. However, Chesnaught's reliable recovery, useful utility movepool, key resistances to both Ground and Rock, and immunities to common moves provided by its Bulletproof ability help justify its place in some drafts.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Utility**: With access to entry hazards in Spikes, disruption in Taunt and Roar, recovery in Synthesis and Pain Split, and item removal in Knock Off, Chesnaught can perform a support role for its team. Its typing allows it to act as a defensive switch-in to several common typings. However, it has to watch out for common coverage moves when attempting to switch in, even from physical threats that it should normally wall.
**Bulky Wallbreaker**: Chesnaught's typing matches well offensively against several Pokemon in the meta, allowing it to function as bulky wallbreaker. This ability is bolstered by access to a multitude of setup moves in Iron Defense, Curse, and Swords Dance, giving it different options to set up every game. It can combine this with healing moves like Synthesis and Leech Seed to become very difficult to remove. However, it is still largely held back by its typing and relatively low Special Defense.
**Suicide Lead**: Chesnaught can act as a decent sacrificial lead, as it has tools every lead Pokemon appreciates in Endure, Taunt, Endeavor, and Spikes. However, its middling Speed and lack of priority make it far from ideal for this role, and it is usually better off being used for other roles.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves** Body Press, Close Combat, Drain Punch, Hammer Arm, Low Kick, Seed Bomb, Wood Hammer
**Setup Moves**: Bulk Up, Curse, Iron Defense, Swords Dance, Trailblaze
**Utility Moves**: Brick Break, Endeavor, Knock Off, Pain Split, Rest, Roar, Spikes, Spiky Shield, Super Fang, Synthesis, Taunt
**Coverage**: Crunch, Dragon Claw, Earthquake, High Horsepower, Gyro Ball, Iron Head, Poison Jab, Rock Slide, Shadow Claw, Stone Edge, Thunder Punch, Zen Headbutt
Niche Moves
========
**Facade**: Chesnaught can fit Facade on some builds if it is expecting to get burned. This may throw off an opposing Pokemon trying to inflict status on it to neutralize it.
**Endure**: Endure allows Chesnaught to survive a hit and get off a final hurrah before fainting if used in conjunction with a Custap Berry. This allows it to overcome its middling Speed stat to get off an additional layer of Spikes, use Endeavor to neutralize an opposing threat, or even use Synthesis to reliably heal up. This combination particularly complements the suicide lead set.
**Rock Tomb**: Rock Tomb allows Chesnaught to achieve satisfactory speed control. Using Rock Tomb to make opposing switch-ins slower can allow it to stay in against Pokemon that would normally threaten it out.
Common Items
========
**Rocky Helmet**: Chesnaught's high Defense pairs really well with Rocky Helmet. This allows it to rack up constant passive damage while being able to stay relatively healthy through the use of Synthesis.
**Leftovers**: Chesnaught is expected to stay on the field for multiple turns during a battle, making it appreciate constant passive recovery through Leftovers. The use of Leftovers boosts its longevity, making it possible for it to get multiple layers of Spikes and perform its defensive role better.
**Sitrus Berry** Sitrus Berry should be used over Leftovers when Chesnaught is expected to endure a devastating hit more than once in a battle. Getting out of KO range from a powerful move allows it to threaten an opposing Pokemon out or bolster its Defense using Iron Defense, Bulk Up, or Curse to tank more hits.
**Resistance Berries**: Chesnaught's bulk makes it a great candidate for using common resistance Berries. This allows it to overcome its typing-based defensive drawbacks and protects it against common coverage moves. This also eliminates the need to scout for random coverage moves.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Items like Choice Band, Expert Belt, and type-specific damage-boosting items can help Chesnaught reach required damage thresholds, boosting its offensive ability. It is important to note that Body Press is also boosted by Choice Band, meaning Chesnaught can make use of Choice Band without sacrificing bulk.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Though Chesnaught takes resisted damage from Stealth Rock, it appreciates a Heavy-Duty Boots allowing it to switch into the field multiple times. It can also be used if the user is expecting the opponent to stack Spikes or Toxic Spikes.
**Custap Berry**:Custap Berry can be used in conjunction with Endure to overcome its low Speed and fire off one last attack.
**Weakness Policy**: Chesnaught can use its weaknesses to its advantage by carrying Weakness Policy to win duels it usually would not. This can also work on surprise lead sets, catching foes off-guard. However, this is still difficult to pull of viably thanks to Chesnaught's middling Special Defense and low Speed, which causes it to be easily revenge killed, making it usually only good for one KO.
**Eject Button**: Chesnaught's high bulk means it can usually absorb a strong move for its team and keep up momentum by getting to switch out for free.
**Mental Herb**: Chesnaught's utility sets are very prone to disruption from opposing Taunt and Encore, making Mental Herb particularly useful for brushing it off once.
Tera
========
Though there are usually better Tera Captains available at Chesnaught's price point, it is a decent secondary Tera user, as most of its defensive drawbacks come from its typing. It greatly appreciates Terastallizing into common defensive typings like Tera Fairy, Water, Dragon, and Steel. Tera can also be used to boost the power of Chesnaught's coverage moves. Tera Ghost can be used to block opposing Rapid Spin after setting up Spikes. Iron Defense sets become significantly more potent through the use of Tera, as they can become very difficult to take down after a smart defensive Terastallization.
Draft Strategy
========
Chesnaught should never be a Pokemon that draft is built around. It should at best be drafted as a support Pokemon to round out drafts with its specific resistances and utility options. Useful teammates to include alongside Chesnaught include:
**Setup Sweepers**: Setup sweepers appreciate Chesnaught's ability to wear down opposing defensive Pokemon through the use of Spikes, allowing them to fulfil their role better. Pokemon like Iron Boulder, Salamence, and Necrozma greatly benefit from its support.
**Fast Pivots**: Fast pivots can escape out of opposing super effective moves to bring Chesnaught in safely to resist them. Pivots that are weak to moves that it resists like like Iron Treads, Rotom-W, and Sneasler are good examples of this.
**Water-types**: Water-types cover most of Chesnaught's weaknesses by taking them at least neutrally. Bulky Water-types like Slowking and Rotom-W greatly complement it defensively. Offensive Water types like Greninja, Manaphy, and Palafin all appreciate Chesnaught's ability to clear opposing bulky Water-types andto tank incoming super effective moves.
Checks and Counters
========
**Special Wallbreakers**: Chesnaught's low Special Defense makes it very vulnerable to neutral and super effective special moves. Special wallbreakers like Enamorus, Raging Bolt, and Latios can all take advantage of its Special Defense and dish out massive damage. Usually, physical attackers like Hisuian Samurott and Palafin can also make use of their Special Attack—and in some cases, special Flying-type coverage—to exploit Chesnaught, making it unable to check them reliably.
**Opposing disruption**: Most of Chesnaught's utility comes from Spikes and Synthesis. Taunt and Encore users like Zarude, Landorus-T, and Tornadus-T can shut it down, rendering it a very passive Pokemon.
**Flying-types**: Chesnaught can do very little against opposing Flying-types, as they resist both of its STAB types and hit it super effectively. Common Flying-type Pokemon like Tornadus-T, Zapdos, and Moltres and can usually check it without any issues.
**Entry Hazards**: Chesnaught usually be absorbs Knock Off for its team, which means that opposing entry hazards can eventually wear it down after it loses its Heavy-Duty Boots. Entry hazards can also be used to punish non-Heavy-Duty Boots sets.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/amyayayy.560724/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 5-7 points
**Overview**: Chesnaught finds itself a niche as a bulky Spikes setter for a relatively low price point. It is largely held back by its Grass / Fighting typing and lack of pivoting, which leaves it vulnerable to several common offensive typings, including a 4x weakness to Flying. However, Chesnaught's reliable recovery, useful utility movepool, key resistances to both Ground and Rock, and immunities to common moves provided by its Bulletproof ability help justify its place in some drafts.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Utility**: With access to entry hazards in Spikes, disruption in Taunt and Roar, recovery in Synthesis and Pain Split, and item removal in Knock Off, Chesnaught can perform a support role for its team. Its typing allows it to act as a defensive switch-in to several common typings. However, it has to watch out for common coverage moves when attempting to switch in, even from physical threats that it should normally wall.
**Bulky Wallbreaker**: Chesnaught's typing matches well offensively against several Pokemon in the meta, allowing it to function as bulky wallbreaker. This ability is bolstered by access to a multitude of setup moves in Iron Defense, Curse, and Swords Dance, giving it different options to set up every game. It can combine this with healing moves like Synthesis and Leech Seed to become very difficult to remove. However, it is still largely held back by its typing and relatively low Special Defense.
**Suicide Lead**: Chesnaught can act as a decent sacrificial lead, as it has tools every lead Pokemon appreciates in Endure, Taunt, Endeavor, and Spikes. However, its middling Speed and lack of priority make it far from ideal for this role, and it is usually better off being used for other roles.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves** Body Press, Close Combat, Drain Punch, Hammer Arm, Low Kick, Seed Bomb, Wood Hammer
**Setup Moves**: Bulk Up, Curse, Iron Defense, Swords Dance, Trailblaze
**Utility Moves**: Brick Break, Endeavor, Knock Off, Pain Split, Rest, Roar, Spikes, Spiky Shield, Super Fang, Synthesis, Taunt
**Coverage**: Crunch, Dragon Claw, Earthquake, High Horsepower, Gyro Ball, Iron Head, Poison Jab, Rock Slide, Shadow Claw, Stone Edge, Thunder Punch, Zen Headbutt
Niche Moves
========
**Facade**: Chesnaught can fit Facade on some builds if it is expecting to get burned. This may throw off an opposing Pokemon trying to inflict status on it to neutralize it.
**Endure**: Endure allows Chesnaught to survive a hit and get off a final hurrah before fainting if used in conjunction with a Custap Berry. This allows it to overcome its middling Speed stat to get off an additional layer of Spikes, use Endeavor to neutralize an opposing threat, or even use Synthesis to reliably heal up. This combination particularly complements the suicide lead set.
**Rock Tomb**: Rock Tomb allows Chesnaught to achieve satisfactory speed control. Using Rock Tomb to make opposing switch-ins slower can allow it to stay in against Pokemon that would normally threaten it out.
Common Items
========
**Rocky Helmet**: Chesnaught's high Defense pairs really well with Rocky Helmet. This allows it to rack up constant passive damage while being able to stay relatively healthy through the use of Synthesis.
**Leftovers**: Chesnaught is expected to stay on the field for multiple turns during a battle, making it appreciate constant passive recovery through Leftovers. The use of Leftovers boosts its longevity, making it possible for it to get multiple layers of Spikes and perform its defensive role better.
**Sitrus Berry** Sitrus Berry should be used over Leftovers when Chesnaught is expected to endure a devastating hit more than once in a battle. Getting out of KO range from a powerful move allows it to threaten an opposing Pokemon out or bolster it
**Resistance Berries**: Chesnaught's bulk makes it a great candidate for using common resistance Berries. This allows it to overcome its typing-based defensive drawbacks and protects it against common coverage moves. This also eliminates the need to scout for random coverage moves.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Items like Choice Band, Expert Belt, and type-specific damage-boosting items can help Chesnaught reach required damage thresholds, boosting its offensive ability. It is important to note that Body Press is also boosted by Choice Band, meaning Chesnaught can make use of Choice Band without sacrificing bulk.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Though Chesnaught takes resisted damage from Stealth Rock, it appreciates a Heavy-Duty Boots allowing it to switch into the field multiple times. It can also be used if the user is expecting the opponent to stack Spikes or Toxic Spikes.
**Custap Berry**:Custap Berry can be used in conjunction with Endure to overcome its low Speed and fire off one last attack.
**Weakness Policy**: Chesnaught can use its weaknesses to its advantage by carrying Weakness Policy to win duels it usually would not. This can also work on surprise lead sets, catching foes off-guard. However, this is still difficult to pull of viably thanks to Chesnaught's middling Special Defense and low Speed, which causes it to be easily revenge killed, making it usually only good for one KO.
**Eject Button**: Chesnaught's high bulk means it can usually absorb a strong move for its team and keep up momentum by getting to switch out for free.
**Mental Herb**: Chesnaught's utility sets are very prone to disruption from opposing Taunt and Encore, making Mental Herb particularly useful for brushing it off once.
Tera
========
Though there are usually better Tera Captains available at Chesnaught's price point, it is a decent secondary Tera user, as most of its defensive drawbacks come from its typing. It greatly appreciates Terastallizing into common defensive typings like Tera Fairy, Water, Dragon, and Steel. Tera can also be used to boost the power of Chesnaught's coverage moves. Tera Ghost can be used to block opposing Rapid Spin after setting up Spikes. Iron Defense sets become significantly more potent through the use of Tera, as they can become very difficult to take down after a smart defensive Terastallization.
Draft Strategy
========
Chesnaught should never be a Pokemon that draft is built around. It should at best be drafted as a support Pokemon to round out drafts with its specific resistances and utility options. Useful teammates to include alongside Chesnaught include:
**Setup Sweepers**: Setup sweepers appreciate Chesnaught's ability to wear down opposing defensive Pokemon through the use of Spikes, allowing them to fulfil their role better. Pokemon like Iron Boulder, Salamence, and Necrozma greatly benefit from its support.
**Fast Pivots**: Fast pivots can escape out of opposing super effective moves to bring Chesnaught in safely to resist them. Pivots that are weak to moves that it resists like like Iron Treads, Rotom-W, and Sneasler are good examples of this.
**Water-types**: Water-types cover most of Chesnaught's weaknesses by taking them at least neutrally. Bulky Water-types like Slowking and Rotom-W greatly complement it defensively. Offensive Water types like Greninja, Manaphy, and Palafin all appreciate Chesnaught's ability to clear opposing bulky Water-types and
Checks and Counters
========
**Special Wallbreakers**: Chesnaught's low Special Defense makes it very vulnerable to neutral and super effective special moves. Special wallbreakers like Enamorus, Raging Bolt, and Latios can all take advantage of its Special Defense and dish out massive damage. Usually, physical attackers like Hisuian Samurott and Palafin can also make use of their Special Attack—and in some cases, special Flying-type coverage—to exploit Chesnaught, making it unable to check them reliably.
**Opposing disruption**: Most of Chesnaught's utility comes from Spikes and Synthesis. Taunt and Encore users like Zarude, Landorus-T, and Tornadus-T can shut it down, rendering it a very passive Pokemon.
**Flying-types**: Chesnaught can do very little against opposing Flying-types, as they resist both of its STAB types and hit it super effectively. Common Flying-type Pokemon like Tornadus-T, Zapdos, and Moltres and can usually check it without any issues.
**Entry Hazards**: Chesnaught usually be absorbs Knock Off for its team, which means that opposing entry hazards can eventually wear it down after it loses its Heavy-Duty Boots. Entry hazards can also be used to punish non-Heavy-Duty Boots sets.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/amyayayy.560724/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
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