Defensive Mandibuzz
Mandibuzz @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 136 Def / 108 SpD / 16 Spe
Tera Type: Steel / Fairy
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Defog / U-turn
- Toxic / U-Turn
- Roost
Mandibuzz's main appeal is that it is the only Pokemon that can afford to run Defog, while also being the bulkiest Flying Type in the tier, letting it Defog comfortably against the common physical Stealth Rock setters. Foul Play lets it threaten out Pokemon like Metagross, Swords Dance Excadrill and Ogerpon, and Weakness Policy Iron Crown. Defog lets it remove hazards for its teammates, especially against threats like defensive Kommo-o, Excadrill, and Metagross. Roost keeps it healthy throughout a match, allowing it to repeatedly come in and remove hazards. Toxic is a nice way to alleviate its passivity a bit, threatening opposing fat Pokemon like Slowking and Rotom-Wash and set up sweepers like Nasty Plot Hydrapple U-turn is an alternative to either Defog or Toxic, and allows it to act as a slow pivot to maintain momentum and bring in frailer more offensive teammates. Heavy-Duty Boots keeps away the pesky damage from entry hazards, and the given Speed investment allows it to outspeed Azumarill and Ursaluna. Tera Steel helps it keep mons like Ogerpon-C at bay and replaces its weaknesses to Ice, Fairy, and Rock with resistances while being neutral to Electric and gaining a Dragon resistance, the later two being key for emergency Toxic against the popular Latios while also shielding you from opposing Toxic. Tera Fairy lets it counter Dragon types like Latios and Kommo-o much more reliably, especially if it chooses to carry Toxic.
Mandibuzz has its downsides, most importantly its passivity outside of Toxic and Foul Play, so sweepers who are not afraid of Toxic or Foul Play, like Calm Mind Latios and Taunt/Substitute Kommo-o can simply stay in on it and set up. Because of those traits it is best used on defensively inclined playstyles, like stall or balance. On stall, it enjoys Pokemon with Unaware like Skeledirge checking set up sweepers it can't handle well, and on balance/bulky offense it is a good partner for more offensive Pokemon, like Iron Crown or Latios, resisting some of the attacks that would be aimed at it, or acting as a good slow pivot for Volt-turn cores. It also has a bit of choosing moves, as if it chooses to run U-turn over Defog, it will be in need of hazard removal support from the likes of Excadrill, while if it chooses to run U-turn over Toxic, it will struggle against walls like Skeledirge and opposing Mandibuzz, as well as loose its ability to deter set up. However if it chooses not to run U-turn at all it will be a momentum sink for offensive teams.
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/goombatower69.647932/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/melt-gibson.617840/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/
Grammar checked by:
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Mandibuzz @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 136 Def / 108 SpD / 16 Spe
Tera Type: Steel / Fairy
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Defog / U-turn
- Toxic / U-Turn
- Roost
Mandibuzz's main appeal is that it is the only Pokemon that can afford to run Defog, while also being the bulkiest Flying Type in the tier, letting it Defog comfortably against the common physical Stealth Rock setters. Foul Play lets it threaten out Pokemon like Metagross, Swords Dance Excadrill and Ogerpon, and Weakness Policy Iron Crown. Defog lets it remove hazards for its teammates, especially against threats like defensive Kommo-o, Excadrill, and Metagross. Roost keeps it healthy throughout a match, allowing it to repeatedly come in and remove hazards. Toxic is a nice way to alleviate its passivity a bit, threatening opposing fat Pokemon like Slowking and Rotom-Wash and set up sweepers like Nasty Plot Hydrapple U-turn is an alternative to either Defog or Toxic, and allows it to act as a slow pivot to maintain momentum and bring in frailer more offensive teammates. Heavy-Duty Boots keeps away the pesky damage from entry hazards, and the given Speed investment allows it to outspeed Azumarill and Ursaluna. Tera Steel helps it keep mons like Ogerpon-C at bay and replaces its weaknesses to Ice, Fairy, and Rock with resistances while being neutral to Electric and gaining a Dragon resistance, the later two being key for emergency Toxic against the popular Latios while also shielding you from opposing Toxic. Tera Fairy lets it counter Dragon types like Latios and Kommo-o much more reliably, especially if it chooses to carry Toxic.
Mandibuzz has its downsides, most importantly its passivity outside of Toxic and Foul Play, so sweepers who are not afraid of Toxic or Foul Play, like Calm Mind Latios and Taunt/Substitute Kommo-o can simply stay in on it and set up. Because of those traits it is best used on defensively inclined playstyles, like stall or balance. On stall, it enjoys Pokemon with Unaware like Skeledirge checking set up sweepers it can't handle well, and on balance/bulky offense it is a good partner for more offensive Pokemon, like Iron Crown or Latios, resisting some of the attacks that would be aimed at it, or acting as a good slow pivot for Volt-turn cores. It also has a bit of choosing moves, as if it chooses to run U-turn over Defog, it will be in need of hazard removal support from the likes of Excadrill, while if it chooses to run U-turn over Toxic, it will struggle against walls like Skeledirge and opposing Mandibuzz, as well as loose its ability to deter set up. However if it chooses not to run U-turn at all it will be a momentum sink for offensive teams.
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/goombatower69.647932/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/melt-gibson.617840/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/
Last edited: