[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price Range**: 10-11 points
**Overview**: Clodsire is a good specially defensive wall, thanks to its solid stats and defensive typing. It also has two great abilities in Water Absorb, which covers its weakness to Water, and Unaware, which allows it to check setup sweepers. Clodsire also brings utility to the team. However, it has poor matchups against many physical wallbreakers, thanks to its poor physical bulk and crippling weaknesses to Ground and Ice. It also has poor offensive stats and is thus vulnerable to foes using Taunt, Substitute, and other stallbreaking strategies.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Unaware Wall**: Clodsire can handle most special setup sweepers that cannot hit it with super effective STAB moves, thanks to Unaware. It also has the ability to set up entry hazards and use utility moves, such as Toxic and Haze, in the face of foes trying to boost. However, even with Unaware, Clodsire remains vulnerable to moves like Taunt, Encore, and Substitute, enabling even special sweepers to muscle past it.
**Defensive Utility**: Utilizing its great special bulk, Clodsire can support its teammates in numerous ways, including setting entry hazards and statusing opposing Pokemon with Toxic or Yawn. Water Absorb allows Clodsire to switch into certain Water-type Pokemon, like Keldeo and Walking Wake. Despite Clodsire's poor Defense, it can also check some physical attackers that cannot hit it super effectively thanks to its great HP.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Earthquake, Poison Jab, High Horsepower, Stomping Tantrum, Gunk Shot
**Setup Moves**: Curse, Amnesia
**Utility Moves**: Haze, Recover, Protect, Spikes, Stealth Rock, Toxic, Toxic Spikes, Yawn, Bulldoze
**Coverage**: Heavy Slam, Iron Head, Liquidation, Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Waterfall, Megahorn, Body Press, Low Kick
Niche Moves
========
**Counter**: Counter can be used to improve Clodsire's matchup against physical attackers and is especially effective with a Focus Sash or resistance Berry. With Counter, Clodsire can effectively lure and surprise Pokemon that would otherwise give your team problems.
**Endure**: Endure is typically used in tandem with Custap Berry, which enables Clodsire to make progress where it normally could not. For example, by using Endure against a Pokemon like Weavile that would normally OHKO it, Clodsire can set up entry hazards, inflict a status condition, use Haze, or KO with a direct attack if the foe is chipped down enough.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots is useful in matchups where entry hazards are likely to stay up on your side of the field. This ensures Clodsire can properly check the Pokemon it is supposed to.
**Black Sludge / Leftovers**: These items provide Clodsire with passive recovery, which greatly improves Clodsire's longevity. If Clodsire is your Tera Captain, it should use Leftovers. Otherwise, Black Sludge is its go-to to punish Trick users.
Niche Items
========
**Mental Herb**: Mental Herb prevents Taunt from affecting Clodsire once, meaning it can set entry hazards or status foes much more freely.
**Covert Cloak**: Clodsire appreciates Covert Cloak preventing harmful secondary effects from moves, like Special Defense drops, flinches from certain attacks, and the passive damage from Garganacl's Salt Cure.
**Resistance Berries**: Certain Berries, such as Yache, Payapa, and Shuca Berry, can be useful to take a super effective attack from a Pokemon your team might not have answers to otherwise.
**Custap Berry**: Especially when combined with Endure, Custap Berry allows Clodsire to circumvent its awful Speed when at low HP.
Tera
========
It is not generally recommended to make Clodsire your Tera Captain, as it does not bring much offensive prowess to the table. However, as a secondary Tera Captain or in leagues without a Tera restriction, Clodsire can utilize Tera to turn the tables on certain Pokemon that would otherwise be problematic for a team, such as Iron Bundle, Latios, and Landorus with Tera Fire, Dark, and Flying, respectively.
Draft Strategy
========
Clodsire should not be the focus of a draft , but rather a strong supporting pieced with its utility and defensive profile. Being a grounded Poison-type, it resists Fairy and absorbs Toxic Spikes, both excellent traits on bulkier teams. However, Clodsire has a few key flaws that should be addressed when drafting with it in mind.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Clodsire has poor Defense .Although this can somewhat be alleviated with investment thanks to its great HP, you should still draft a physically bulky Pokemon, such as Corviknight, Gouging Fire, or Sinistcha.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Without Heavy-Duty Boots, Clodsire becomes vulnerable to chip damage from hazards. Hence, Pokemon that can reliably clear hazards off the field, like Cyclizar and Corviknight, are greatly appreciated. Spinners in particular are valuable, since Clodsire likes to make progress via hazards.
**Wincons**: Regardless of its moveset, Clodsire is vulnerable to being overwhelmed by opposing offensive threats, which makes fast wincons such as Iron Valiant, Ogerpon-W, and Latios valuable teammates.
Checks and Counters
========
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Clodsire's poor Defense means that strong physical wallbreakers and physical attackers that can threaten it for super effective damage generally force it out.
**Poison-immune Pokemon**: Clodsire's poor attacking stats make it reliant on Toxic to deal damage. Hence, any Pokemon that are immune to Toxic generally do well against it, although most Poison- and Steel-types must be wary of Clodsire's Earthquake.
**Stallbreaking**: Due to Clodsire's poor Attack, it can be quite passive, making it weak to moves such as Taunt and Encore, which can stop it from making progress through status moves. Substitute enables opposing Pokemon to ignore Clodsire's main form of damage in Toxic, and Stored Power enables special sweepers to muscle past it in spite of Unaware.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/boingk.586482/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/vmnunes.613460/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/abriel.473082/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
**Draft Order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price Range**: 10-11 points
**Overview**: Clodsire is a good specially defensive wall, thanks to its solid stats and defensive typing. It also has two great abilities in Water Absorb, which covers its weakness to Water, and Unaware, which allows it to check setup sweepers. Clodsire also brings utility to the team. However, it has poor matchups against many physical wallbreakers, thanks to its poor physical bulk and crippling weaknesses to Ground and Ice. It also has poor offensive stats and is thus vulnerable to foes using Taunt, Substitute, and other stallbreaking strategies.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Unaware Wall**: Clodsire can handle most special setup sweepers that cannot hit it with super effective STAB moves, thanks to Unaware. It also has the ability to set up entry hazards and use utility moves, such as Toxic and Haze, in the face of foes trying to boost. However, even with Unaware, Clodsire remains vulnerable to moves like Taunt, Encore, and Substitute, enabling even special sweepers to muscle past it.
**Defensive Utility**: Utilizing its great special bulk, Clodsire can support its teammates in numerous ways, including setting entry hazards and statusing opposing Pokemon with Toxic or Yawn. Water Absorb allows Clodsire to switch into certain Water-type Pokemon, like Keldeo and Walking Wake. Despite Clodsire's poor Defense, it can also check some physical attackers that cannot hit it super effectively thanks to its great HP.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Earthquake, Poison Jab, High Horsepower, Stomping Tantrum, Gunk Shot
**Setup Moves**: Curse, Amnesia
**Utility Moves**: Haze, Recover, Protect, Spikes, Stealth Rock, Toxic, Toxic Spikes, Yawn, Bulldoze
**Coverage**: Heavy Slam, Iron Head, Liquidation, Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Waterfall, Megahorn, Body Press, Low Kick
Niche Moves
========
**Counter**: Counter can be used to improve Clodsire's matchup against physical attackers and is especially effective with a Focus Sash or resistance Berry. With Counter, Clodsire can effectively lure and surprise Pokemon that would otherwise give your team problems.
**Endure**: Endure is typically used in tandem with Custap Berry, which enables Clodsire to make progress where it normally could not. For example, by using Endure against a Pokemon like Weavile that would normally OHKO it, Clodsire can set up entry hazards, inflict a status condition, use Haze, or KO with a direct attack if the foe is chipped down enough.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots is useful in matchups where entry hazards are likely to stay up on your side of the field. This ensures Clodsire can properly check the Pokemon it is supposed to.
**Black Sludge / Leftovers**: These items provide Clodsire with passive recovery, which greatly improves Clodsire's longevity. If Clodsire is your Tera Captain, it should use Leftovers. Otherwise, Black Sludge is its go-to to punish Trick users.
Niche Items
========
**Mental Herb**: Mental Herb prevents Taunt from affecting Clodsire once, meaning it can set entry hazards or status foes much more freely.
**Covert Cloak**: Clodsire appreciates Covert Cloak preventing harmful secondary effects from moves, like Special Defense drops, flinches from certain attacks, and the passive damage from Garganacl's Salt Cure.
**Resistance Berries**: Certain Berries, such as Yache, Payapa, and Shuca Berry, can be useful to take a super effective attack from a Pokemon your team might not have answers to otherwise.
**Custap Berry**: Especially when combined with Endure, Custap Berry allows Clodsire to circumvent its awful Speed when at low HP.
Tera
========
It is not generally recommended to make Clodsire your Tera Captain, as it does not bring much offensive prowess to the table. However, as a secondary Tera Captain or in leagues without a Tera restriction, Clodsire can utilize Tera to turn the tables on certain Pokemon that would otherwise be problematic for a team, such as Iron Bundle, Latios, and Landorus with Tera Fire, Dark, and Flying, respectively.
Draft Strategy
========
Clodsire should not be the focus of a draft , but rather a strong supporting pieced with its utility and defensive profile. Being a grounded Poison-type, it resists Fairy and absorbs Toxic Spikes, both excellent traits on bulkier teams. However, Clodsire has a few key flaws that should be addressed when drafting with it in mind.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Clodsire has poor Defense .Although this can somewhat be alleviated with investment thanks to its great HP, you should still draft a physically bulky Pokemon, such as Corviknight, Gouging Fire, or Sinistcha.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Without Heavy-Duty Boots, Clodsire becomes vulnerable to chip damage from hazards. Hence, Pokemon that can reliably clear hazards off the field, like Cyclizar and Corviknight, are greatly appreciated. Spinners in particular are valuable, since Clodsire likes to make progress via hazards.
**Wincons**: Regardless of its moveset, Clodsire is vulnerable to being overwhelmed by opposing offensive threats, which makes fast wincons such as Iron Valiant, Ogerpon-W, and Latios valuable teammates.
Checks and Counters
========
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Clodsire's poor Defense means that strong physical wallbreakers and physical attackers that can threaten it for super effective damage generally force it out.
**Poison-immune Pokemon**: Clodsire's poor attacking stats make it reliant on Toxic to deal damage. Hence, any Pokemon that are immune to Toxic generally do well against it, although most Poison- and Steel-types must be wary of Clodsire's Earthquake.
**Stallbreaking**: Due to Clodsire's poor Attack, it can be quite passive, making it weak to moves such as Taunt and Encore, which can stop it from making progress through status moves. Substitute enables opposing Pokemon to ignore Clodsire's main form of damage in Toxic, and Stored Power enables special sweepers to muscle past it in spite of Unaware.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/boingk.586482/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/vmnunes.613460/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/abriel.473082/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Attachments
Last edited:
