**artwork is mine**
With its decent defensive typing, good mixed bulk, and access to Recover, Gastrodon is a good defensive Pokemon that can check some of RU's most prominent offensive threats such as Zygarde-10%, Mega Blastoise, Metagross, and Noivern. Gastrodon's Storm Drain ability also gives it even more defensive presence, allowing it to come in against Water-type moves like Scald and check offensive Water-types like Barbaracle. While Gastrodon's defensive typing leaves it with only one weakness, Grass is an omnipresent offensive type in RU, meaning Pokemon like Virizion, Roserade, and Shaymin can easily take it out. Its inability to deal with status conditions and vulnerability to all forms of entry hazards mean that Gastrodon can be easily overwhelmed. In fact, most of the Water-types Gastrodon would like to check like Milotic and Slowbro often carry Toxic to cripple it. Gastrodon is also rather passive, since it usually relies on Toxic for most of its damage output, meaning common wallbreakers like Machamp and Drapion can easily threaten it out of battle. Its main competition comes from Slowbro, which is less passive passive, has a Fighting resistance, and has arguably a better defensive ability in Regenerator.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Recover
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Toxic / Scald
item: Leftovers
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Careful
evs: 56 HP / 16 Atk / 252 Def / 184 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Recover allows Gastrodon to stay healthy throughout the match. Earthquake allows Gastrodon to hit Raikou, Salazzle, and Dragalge very hard. Ice Beam can OHKO Zygarde-10%, Noivern after Stealth Rock damage, and a weakened Flygon, as well as dealing important chip damage to a potential Grass-type that attempts to switch into it such as Virizion, Roserade, or Shaymin. Toxic can cripple common switch-ins such as Slowbro, Goodra, and Florges. Scald is a decent option that can spread burns to physically offensive Pokemon like Metagross and Tyrantrum.
Set Details
========
With the given EV spread and a Careful nature, Gastrodon is 4HKOed by Mega Blastoise's Dark Pulse and only 2HKOed by +2 Barbaracle's Continental Crush and Choice Band Zygarde-10%'s Outrage and Thousand Arrows after Stealth Rock. 16 Attack EVs guarantee that Barbaracle will be OHKOed after Spikes or Stealth Rock damage and a Shell Smash Defense drop. Storm Drain gives Gastrodon a Water immunity and a Special Attack boost if it is hit by a Water-type move.
Usage Tips
========
Gastrodon should aim to use its resistances and immunities to pivot into Pokemon like Mega Blastoise, Metagross, Barbaracle, Arcanine, Raikou, and Noivern so it gets an opportunity to use Toxic, an attack, or Recover. Thanks to Storm Drain, Gastrodon can easily take a Scald from Milotic, Slowbro, and Mantine; however, be cautious about these Pokemon going for Toxic if they expect Gastrodon to directly switch into them. Gastrodon should use Toxic on bulky switch-ins like Mega Blastoise, Goodra, and Florges. If running Scald, use it to potentially burn any physical attackers like Metagross, Barbaracle, and Tyrantrum if they decide to stay in on Gastrodon. Be careful with using Scald if the opposing team has Machamp, as it can use its Guts ability to gain a boost in power from a Scald burn. Gastrodon should also be cautious of using Scald against bulky Pokemon like Slowbro, Milotic, and Porygon2, since Gastrodon would rather poison these targets than accidentally burn them. Gastrodon should use Recover whenever it can, ideally by forcing a switch against a Pokemon like Salazzle or Raikou. Be aware of any Grass-types the opponent may have on their team, as they can easily pivot into any of Gastrodon's STAB moves and proceed to threaten it out. Roserade is noteworthy, as it is immune to Toxic. Gastrodon also has to worry about Grass-type coverage from Pokemon such as Ninetales and Yanmega as well as Hidden Power Grass from Raikou and Salazzle. These Pokemon do need to be cautious of switching into Ice Beam or Earthquake, however. If threatened with Toxic, pivot Gastodon out and replace it with a status-immune Pokemon.
Team Options
========
Gastrodon's immunity to Scald is a big sigh of relief for physically offensive Pokemon like Zygarde-10%, Metagross, and Flygon. Its Water immunity in general can be beneficial to Pokemon like Rhyperior, Arcanine, and Lycanroc-D. A check to Grass-types is mandatory when using Gastrodon, so offensive checks like Noivern, Ninetales, and Salazzle as well as defensive checks like Registeel, Goodra, and Dragalge synergize extremely well with it. Salazzle and Dragalge can also directly switch into Toxic and absorb Toxic Spikes for Gastrodon. Although niche, Golbat makes a decent partner for Gastrodon, since it can remove entry hazards with Defog and switch into Grass-type attacks for Gastrodon. Other hazard removers like Forretress, Tsareena, and Mega Blastoise appreciate Gastrodon checking Pokemon that threaten them out such as Salazzle, Raikou, and Arcanine. A cleric or Healing Wish user such as Florges or Shaymin can help cure Gastrodon of status and recover its HP. Pokemon like Noivern, Gardevoir, and Swellow appreciate Gastrodon's ability to soft check Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon that resist their STAB moves. In return, all of these Pokemon can threaten out status absorbers like Machamp for Gastrodon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Yawn can be used to force switches against setup sweepers like Barbaracle. Clear Smog could also be useful for combating setup sweepers such as Raikou and Barbaracle. Gastrodon can potentially pull off an offensive set with Life Orb or Choice Specs, but it fails to take out common defensive cores with its poor offensive movepool, only adequate offenses, and poor speed. Rindo Berry is another option to allow Gastrodon to deal with Hidden Power Grass variants of Salazzle and Raikou much better, as well as potentially KOing a Grass-type like Mega Sceptile with Ice Beam.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Because of its nasty 4x weakness to Grass, Gastrodon is forced out of battle by Pokemon like Virizion, Roserade, Shaymin, and Mega Sceptile. Roserade and Shaymin are not thwarted by Toxic thanks to their Poison typing and Natural Cure, respectively. Virizion does need to be cautious about directly switching into Toxic or Scald, however. Grass-types also need to be cautious about switching into Ice Beam. Gastrodon also needs to worry about foes with Grass-type coverage like Ninetales, Hidden Power Grass Salazzle, and Yanmega.
**Residual Damage**: Gastrodon takes damage from all entry hazards and is especially vulnerable to Toxic, which can wear it down to where it can be KOed before it can use Recover.
**Strong Wallbreakers**: Powerful wallbreakers such as Machamp, Curse Snorlax, and Goodra can easily overwhelm Gastrodon with their powerful offenses. Machamp, in particular, can use status conditions from Gastrodon to activate its Guts. Snorlax also doesn't mind Toxic or Scald because it can stomach any hit Gastrodon goes for and proceed to set up or use Rest in front of it.
**Status-resistant Pokemon**: Bulky Pokemon that can deal with status conditions such as Taunt Mandibuzz, Refresh Milotic, and Registeel can easily pivot into Toxic and force Gastrodon out of battle with Taunt or their own Toxic.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[JustoonSmitts, 239732]]
- Quality checked by: [[zizalith, 410251], [phantom, 1800300], [MrAldo, 227521]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Fireflame479, 231476], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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