[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price Range**: 8-9 points
**Overview**: Garganacl is a solid defensive Pokemon that can force opponents to make difficult decisions in the teambuilder. Its defensive stats alongside Purifying Salt means it is difficult for foes to break through without damage-boosting items or moves, and playing the long game to wear it down is difficult because of Salt Cure and Recover. Garganacl can also be a setup sweeper, since its defensive stats and Recover alongside Curse or Iron Defense and Body Press means teams can have difficulty getting it off the field. However, its awful defensive typing and the ability to negate all of the passive damage of Salt Cure with a single item means that in many games, its impact is much lower than expected.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wall**: Using its great defensive stats and reliable recovery, Garganacl is a great wall that can dish out damage with Salt Cure and set Stealth Rock while staying healthy with Recover.
**Setup Sweeper**: Whether using IronPress or Curse, Garganacl can quickly become a problem for teams not prepared for Salt Cure's residual damage alongside its longevity and boosted moves.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Salt Cure, Rock Slide, Stone Edge
**Setup Moves**: Curse, Iron Defense
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Recover, Substitute, Protect
**Coverage**: Earthquake, Body Press, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Avalanche, Hammer Arm, Heavy Slam, Zen Headbutt, Thunder Punch
Niche Moves
========
**Bulldoze / Rock Tomb**: While Bulldoze and Rock Slide deal less damage than Garganacl's other coverage options, lowering a foe's Speed can be very useful for teammates.
**Block**: Against passive foes, Block can allow Garganacl to deal with the target or set up freely without needing to worry about it switching to a more threatening Pokemon.
**Endure**: Endure can be used to ensure the activation of items like Red Card and Custap Berry.
**Explosions**: Explosion is a useful option to maintain momentum on sets that are more focused around setting entry hazards for teammates than its defensive duties.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Since Garganacl is usually on the field for many turns consecutively, Leftovers allows it to get a little extra out of each turn, helping it wall foes and drag out games for Salt Cure damage.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Avoiding entry hazard damage can mean the difference between Garganacl being able to switch into an attack or not, making them a solid Leftovers alternative.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet is a solid choice for punishing physical attackers and foes using contact moves.
Niche Items
========
**Custap Berry**: Custap Berry is a solid pick on sets utilizing Endure to get off a last minute Salt Cure or Explosion that foes may not expect.
**Red Card**: Thanks to its solid defensive profile, Garganacl can take most non-super effective attacks and trigger Red Card to force the foe out. Endure is also an option to guarantee a foe is forced out.
**Resistance Berries**: Generally, Garganacl should not be taking super effective hits, but if necessary, resistance Berries can allow it to get off a crucial Salt Cure when a foe thinks they can KO it.
**Mental Herb**: Since Garganacl is prone to disruption, Mental Herb can help it avoid letting foes get free setup turns in the case of Encore or losing access to recovery in the case of Taunt.
**Eject Button**: Garganacl can be a real momentum hog, so Eject Button allows it to switch in and then get out without risking a teammate taking damage.
Tera
========
For a low-tier Pokemon, Garganacl is a Tera hog. It often benefits from ditching its awful Rock typing for a better defensive type like Tera Fairy, Water, and Steel; however, this means planning to Tera an cheap Pokemon many games and not Terastallizing a higher-tier Pokemon. When using Terastallization, Garganacl becomes an ever stronger wall and more threatening setup sweeper that can take advantage of foes it normally would not be able to check. Tera Fighting is a solid option on IronPress sets if aiming to sweep, while Tera Ghost leaves it weak to only one type; however, Curse sets cannot use Tera Ghost, so plan carefully.
Draft Strategy
========
Garganacl's ability to be either physically or specially defensive, but not outstanding at either, means it pairs well with teammates that can cover the defense it is not investing in. It also makes a great partner for entry hazard-focused drafts, since opponents are forced to choose between using Heavy-Duty Boots or Covert Cloak on their Pokemon.
**Defensive Pivots**: Pokemon like Slowking, Corviknight, and Mandibuzz that can scout the sets foes are running and bring Garganacl into the right matchups help it survive throughout a game and maximize its impact while also taking defensive pressure off of it.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Since Garganacl can force foes into using a sub-optimal item like Covert Cloak, having strong entry hazard support from Pokemon like Ting-Lu, Hisuian Samurott, and Glimmora can punish them for not running Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Knock Off Users**: Since Garganacl's best move is negated by Covert Cloak, Knock Off users like Meowscarada, Weavile, and Roaring Moon can help ensure foes are taking every bit of Salt Cure damage possible.
**Sweepers**: Between forcing an awkward item and passive damage from Salt Cure, Garganacl can wear down an opponent's team for sweepers like Greninja and Sneasler to come in and clean up.
Checks and Counters
========
**Covert Cloak / Magic Guard**: Covert Cloak negates all Salt Cure damage and makes it extremely difficult for Garganacl to make progress, as it relies on Salt Cure to keep up damage on foes while it is recovering or trying to set up its own boosts. Magic Guard also fills a similar role by denying the passive damage of Salt Cure.
**Substitute**: Much like Covert Cloak, Substitute prevents Salt Cure's secondary effect from being applied, allowing foes to be completely safe to set up in front of many Garganacl sets.
**Wallbreakers**: Garganacl's defensive stats are solid, but Pokemon like Ogerpon, Enamorus, and both Urshifu formes can still break through it.
**Disruption**: Moves like Encore and Taunt can cripple Garganacl, as it needs access to its full moveset to function well and relies on many status moves such as Recover.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/termnal.404799
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276
**Draft Order**: Round 5 onwards
**Price Range**: 8-9 points
**Overview**: Garganacl is a solid defensive Pokemon that can force opponents to make difficult decisions in the teambuilder. Its defensive stats alongside Purifying Salt means it is difficult for foes to break through without damage-boosting items or moves, and playing the long game to wear it down is difficult because of Salt Cure and Recover. Garganacl can also be a setup sweeper, since its defensive stats and Recover alongside Curse or Iron Defense and Body Press means teams can have difficulty getting it off the field. However, its awful defensive typing and the ability to negate all of the passive damage of Salt Cure with a single item means that in many games, its impact is much lower than expected.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wall**: Using its great defensive stats and reliable recovery, Garganacl is a great wall that can dish out damage with Salt Cure and set Stealth Rock while staying healthy with Recover.
**Setup Sweeper**: Whether using IronPress or Curse, Garganacl can quickly become a problem for teams not prepared for Salt Cure's residual damage alongside its longevity and boosted moves.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Salt Cure, Rock Slide, Stone Edge
**Setup Moves**: Curse, Iron Defense
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Recover, Substitute, Protect
**Coverage**: Earthquake, Body Press, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Avalanche, Hammer Arm, Heavy Slam, Zen Headbutt, Thunder Punch
Niche Moves
========
**Bulldoze / Rock Tomb**: While Bulldoze and Rock Slide deal less damage than Garganacl's other coverage options, lowering a foe's Speed can be very useful for teammates.
**Block**: Against passive foes, Block can allow Garganacl to deal with the target or set up freely without needing to worry about it switching to a more threatening Pokemon.
**Endure**: Endure can be used to ensure the activation of items like Red Card and Custap Berry.
**Explosions**: Explosion is a useful option to maintain momentum on sets that are more focused around setting entry hazards for teammates than its defensive duties.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Since Garganacl is usually on the field for many turns consecutively, Leftovers allows it to get a little extra out of each turn, helping it wall foes and drag out games for Salt Cure damage.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Avoiding entry hazard damage can mean the difference between Garganacl being able to switch into an attack or not, making them a solid Leftovers alternative.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet is a solid choice for punishing physical attackers and foes using contact moves.
Niche Items
========
**Custap Berry**: Custap Berry is a solid pick on sets utilizing Endure to get off a last minute Salt Cure or Explosion that foes may not expect.
**Red Card**: Thanks to its solid defensive profile, Garganacl can take most non-super effective attacks and trigger Red Card to force the foe out. Endure is also an option to guarantee a foe is forced out.
**Resistance Berries**: Generally, Garganacl should not be taking super effective hits, but if necessary, resistance Berries can allow it to get off a crucial Salt Cure when a foe thinks they can KO it.
**Mental Herb**: Since Garganacl is prone to disruption, Mental Herb can help it avoid letting foes get free setup turns in the case of Encore or losing access to recovery in the case of Taunt.
**Eject Button**: Garganacl can be a real momentum hog, so Eject Button allows it to switch in and then get out without risking a teammate taking damage.
Tera
========
For a low-tier Pokemon, Garganacl is a Tera hog. It often benefits from ditching its awful Rock typing for a better defensive type like Tera Fairy, Water, and Steel; however, this means planning to Tera an cheap Pokemon many games and not Terastallizing a higher-tier Pokemon. When using Terastallization, Garganacl becomes an ever stronger wall and more threatening setup sweeper that can take advantage of foes it normally would not be able to check. Tera Fighting is a solid option on IronPress sets if aiming to sweep, while Tera Ghost leaves it weak to only one type; however, Curse sets cannot use Tera Ghost, so plan carefully.
Draft Strategy
========
Garganacl's ability to be either physically or specially defensive, but not outstanding at either, means it pairs well with teammates that can cover the defense it is not investing in. It also makes a great partner for entry hazard-focused drafts, since opponents are forced to choose between using Heavy-Duty Boots or Covert Cloak on their Pokemon.
**Defensive Pivots**: Pokemon like Slowking, Corviknight, and Mandibuzz that can scout the sets foes are running and bring Garganacl into the right matchups help it survive throughout a game and maximize its impact while also taking defensive pressure off of it.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Since Garganacl can force foes into using a sub-optimal item like Covert Cloak, having strong entry hazard support from Pokemon like Ting-Lu, Hisuian Samurott, and Glimmora can punish them for not running Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Knock Off Users**: Since Garganacl's best move is negated by Covert Cloak, Knock Off users like Meowscarada, Weavile, and Roaring Moon can help ensure foes are taking every bit of Salt Cure damage possible.
**Sweepers**: Between forcing an awkward item and passive damage from Salt Cure, Garganacl can wear down an opponent's team for sweepers like Greninja and Sneasler to come in and clean up.
Checks and Counters
========
**Covert Cloak / Magic Guard**: Covert Cloak negates all Salt Cure damage and makes it extremely difficult for Garganacl to make progress, as it relies on Salt Cure to keep up damage on foes while it is recovering or trying to set up its own boosts. Magic Guard also fills a similar role by denying the passive damage of Salt Cure.
**Substitute**: Much like Covert Cloak, Substitute prevents Salt Cure's secondary effect from being applied, allowing foes to be completely safe to set up in front of many Garganacl sets.
**Wallbreakers**: Garganacl's defensive stats are solid, but Pokemon like Ogerpon, Enamorus, and both Urshifu formes can still break through it.
**Disruption**: Moves like Encore and Taunt can cripple Garganacl, as it needs access to its full moveset to function well and relies on many status moves such as Recover.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/termnal.404799
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276
Last edited:
