Pokémon Gastrodon

[Giyu]

Gastrodon
Base Stats: 111 HP / 83 Atk / 68 Def / 92 SpA / 82 SpD / 39 Spe | BST: 475
Abilities: Sticky Hold / Storm Drain | HA: Sand Force
Notable Moves:

• Earthquake
• Earth Power
• Recover
• Clear Smog
• Spikes
• Stealth Rock
• Yawn
• Ice Beam
• Tera Blast

Movepool:
Level Up Moves

• [01] Harden
• [01] Mud-Slap
• [01] Recover
• [01] Water Gun
• [15] Water Pulse
• [20] Ancient Power
• [25] Body Slam
• [33] Muddy Water
• [39] Earth Power
• [46] Rain Dance
• [53] Memento

TMs

• [TM01] Take Down
• [TM05] Mud Slap
• [TM07] Protect
• [TM11] Water Pulse
• [TM22] Chilling Water
• [TM25] Façade
• [TM28] Bulldoze
• [TM34] Icy Wind
• [TM35] Mud Shot
• [TM36] Rock Tomb
• [TM47] Endure
• [TM50] Rain Dance
• [TM51] Sandstorm
• [TM52] Snowscape
• [TM55] Dig
• [TM66] Body Slam
• [TM70] Sleep Talk
• [TM76] Rock Blast
• [TM77] Waterfall
• [TM84] Stomping Tantrum
• [TM85] Rest
• [TM86] Rock Slide
• [TM90] Spikes
• [TM103] Substitute
• [TM110] Liquidation
• [TM116] Stealth Rock
• [TM123] Surf
• [TM128] Amnesia
• [TM130] Helping Hand
• [TM133] Earth Power
• [TM135] Ice Beam
• [TM142] Hydro Pump
• [TM143] Blizzard
• [TM148] Sludge Bomb
• [TM149] Earthquake
• [TM150] Stone Edge
• [TM152] Giga Impact
• [TM163] Hyper Beam
• [TM171] Tera Blast

Pros:

• Gastrodon boasts an incredible defensive typing which only has two weaknesses, Grass-type moves and the rare Freeze-Dry. Additionally, Gastrodon resists Poison-, Steel-, Rock-, and Fire-type moves while being immune to Electric-type moves.
• Gastrodon possesses a formidable HP stat of 111 which makes up for its lacking physical defense and mediocre special defense.
• Gastrodon has an excellent ability in Storm Drain which allows it to check a myriad of Water-types in the tier like Rotom-Wash, Quagsire, and Slowbro
• While Gastrodon doesn’t have the best offensive stats, it still has enough power and access to coverage that makes it far from being passive.
• Gastrodon’s movepool has an assortment of utility moves like Recover, Stealth Rock, Spikes, Yawn, and Clear Smog.

Cons:

• Despite Gastrodon only having one official weakness, Grass-type moves deal 4x super-effective damage.
• Gastrodon has disappointing defensive stats, especially its physical defense.
• Gastrodon lost Toxic and Scald this generation which were very valuable assets to its movepool.
• Taunt is detrimental to Gastrodon due to how reliant it is on using its utility.
• Gastrodon isn’t able to use everything it wants at the same time meaning it always lacks in a certain area.

Terastallise Potential:
Grass

• Changing into a Grass-type grants Gastrodon resistance to opposing Grass-type moves.
• Grass-type Tera Blast allows Gastrodon to effectively check the Water-types I mentioned earlier, as well opposing Gastrodon, Dondozo, and Palafin.

Steel

• Changing into a Steel-type allows Gastrodon to completely wall Iron Bundle and Cloyster, as well as gaining an immunity to Toxic.
• Steel-type Tera Blast may potentially be useful against Avalugg, Iron Valiant, and Chien-Pao

Potential Sets:

Defensive Utility
Gastrodon @ Leftovers / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Storm Drain
Tera Type: Grass / Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD OR 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed / Sassy Nature
- Earthquake / Earth Power
- Tera Blast / Ice Beam / Clear Smog
- Recover
- Stealth Rock / Spikes / Yawn

Defensive Gastrodon is able to blanket check a bunch of physical and special attackers due to its terastallise typings and coverage. Earthquake and Earth Power are interchangeable depending on what you want to target, for example, Earthquake would hit Tyranitar and Volcarona for more damage while Earth Power may be more useful for Torkoal and Pinkurchin. Tera Blast is nearly essential due to it basically checking the entirety of the tier’s Water-type roster although Ice Beam is great for Dragon-types like Garchomp, Dragonite, and Dragapult while Clear Smog is nice for removing stat boosts from Palafin, Gyarados, and Volcarona. Recover is self-explanatory, it is Gastrodon’s most efficient method of recovery. Stealth Rock and Spikes are also interchangeable depending on what your team needs, however, if your team already has entry hazards, Yawn is a great choice to punish setup sweepers or force them out.

 

[myself12]

In the abilities and pro section water absorb was listed instead of storm drain.

 

[Giyu]

In the abilities and pro section water absorb was listed instead of storm drain.

Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[STEELDRAGON]

Gastrodon stands out as less passive Clodsire that isn't weak to ground and can actually threaten dragon types. It should only really run special damaging moves to take advantage of its decent special attack. It is also one of the very few pokemon with Clear Smog which doesn't make it complete Taunt bait.

 

[Giyu]

Gastrodon stands out as less passive Clodsire that isn't weak to ground and can actually threaten dragon types. It should only really run special damaging moves to take advantage of its decent special attack. It is also one of the very few pokemon with Clear Smog which doesn't make it complete Taunt bait.

Only downfall of Clear Smog is that while it gets rid of Annihilape's Bulk Up boosts, it feeds Rage Fist.

 

[STEELDRAGON]

Only downfall of Clear Smog is that while it gets rid of Annihilape's Bulk Up boosts, it feeds Rage Fist.

Just had a Annilape almost sweep my team due to that. Rage fist is a pretty insane move, absolutely destroys most walls. Also Chilling Water boosts it Attack due to Defiant.

 

[Giyu]

Just had a Annilape almost sweep my team due to that. Rage fist is a pretty insane move, absolutely destroys most walls. Also Chilling Water boosts it Attack due to Defiant.

Yeah Gastrodon is definitely not an Annihilape answer lol

 

[Lugiafan234]

Not really an OU discussion but methinks I might put it on my doubles team.
My question is would this thing be able to answer both palafin and Dondozo?
I will need something with a water immunity at least.

 

[Giyu]

Not really an OU discussion but methinks I might put it on my doubles team.
My question is would this thing be able to answer both palafin and Dondozo?
I will need something with a water immunity at least.

Dondozo, yes but Palafin may stop it from using Recover with Taunt.

 

[STEELDRAGON]

Not really an OU discussion but methinks I might put it on my doubles team.
My question is would this thing be able to answer both palafin and Dondozo?
I will need something with a water immunity at least.

It checks them decently, but it needs Clear Smog. Rotom-W generally does better though. You could also try Toxicroak.

 

[Lugiafan234]

It checks them decently, but it needs Clear Smog. Rotom-W generally does better though. You could also try Toxicroak.

Haven't done the damage calcs but how well does rotom-w handle the water attacks without an outright immunity?
Allready got clear smog on Gastrodon. One other thing is that I'm building this as a sand team mixed with trick room from the looks of things.

 

[STEELDRAGON]

Haven't done the damage calcs but how well does rotom-w handle the water attacks without an outright immunity?
Allready got clear smog on Gastrodon. One other thing is that I'm building this as a sand team mixed with trick room from the looks of things.

Rotom-W has pretty decent bulk of 50/107/107, it's not nearly as good as taking hits as some other pokemon like Toxapex but on the flipside it does way more damage with it's Electric attacks. From what you said it looks like Gastrodon would be the better fit.