[SET]
name: Physical Wall
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Whirlwind
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 8 Atk / 248 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Hippowdon's immense physical bulk and access to Slack Off let it consistently switch into threatening wallbreakers such as Excadrill, Choice Band Aegislash, Terrakion, and Bisharp. As a result, Hippowdon gets several opportunities in games to set Stealth Rock, fire off a reasonably strong Earthquake, or regain lost health with Slack Off so it can continue to check the opposition. Whirlwind rounds out Hippowdon's moveset and lets it prevent setup sweepers like Hawlucha, Snorlax, and Air Balloon Aegislash that Earthquake cannot deal with from taking advantage of it. Toxic is an alternative to Whirlwind to cripple possible switch-ins like Rotom-H, Mandibuzz, and Kommo-o. 8 Attack EVs ensure Hippowdon OHKOes bulkless Excadrill with Earthquake. Rocky Helmet is the preferred item so Hippowdon can punish Rapid Spin attempts from Excadrill, although Leftovers is a fine alternative that potentially helps delay Hippowdon's usage of Slack Off and prevents Hippowdon from being 2HKOed by Choice Band Terrakion's Close Combat and Conkeldurr's Facade into Close Combat.
Hippowdon is one of the defining components of sand balance teams and offers them a lot between supplying Stealth Rock and checking foes like Zeraora and Choice Band Aegislash. Sand Rush Excadrill is a great teammate that is enabled by Hippowdon's sand support to sweep late-game after a Swords Dance. Bulk Up Corviknight is a great Pokemon on these teams too, benefiting from Excadrill supplying entry hazard control so it can forgo Defog and providing a check to foes like Choice Specs Aegislash and Kyurem. Water-types like Dracovish, Primarina, and Seismitoad can give Hippowdon issues, so teammates like Ferrothorn, Zeraora, and Gastrodon, the latter of which can also deal with Rotom-H, are helpful. Hippowdon and other common sand team members struggle with Rotom-H; Terrakion and Dragapult help compensate for this, with Terrakion being able to pivot into it better thanks to the Special Defense boost from sand.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Quality checked by: [[Ruft, 295110], [Jordy, 395754]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
name: Physical Wall
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Whirlwind
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 8 Atk / 248 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Hippowdon's immense physical bulk and access to Slack Off let it consistently switch into threatening wallbreakers such as Excadrill, Choice Band Aegislash, Terrakion, and Bisharp. As a result, Hippowdon gets several opportunities in games to set Stealth Rock, fire off a reasonably strong Earthquake, or regain lost health with Slack Off so it can continue to check the opposition. Whirlwind rounds out Hippowdon's moveset and lets it prevent setup sweepers like Hawlucha, Snorlax, and Air Balloon Aegislash that Earthquake cannot deal with from taking advantage of it. Toxic is an alternative to Whirlwind to cripple possible switch-ins like Rotom-H, Mandibuzz, and Kommo-o. 8 Attack EVs ensure Hippowdon OHKOes bulkless Excadrill with Earthquake. Rocky Helmet is the preferred item so Hippowdon can punish Rapid Spin attempts from Excadrill, although Leftovers is a fine alternative that potentially helps delay Hippowdon's usage of Slack Off and prevents Hippowdon from being 2HKOed by Choice Band Terrakion's Close Combat and Conkeldurr's Facade into Close Combat.
Hippowdon is one of the defining components of sand balance teams and offers them a lot between supplying Stealth Rock and checking foes like Zeraora and Choice Band Aegislash. Sand Rush Excadrill is a great teammate that is enabled by Hippowdon's sand support to sweep late-game after a Swords Dance. Bulk Up Corviknight is a great Pokemon on these teams too, benefiting from Excadrill supplying entry hazard control so it can forgo Defog and providing a check to foes like Choice Specs Aegislash and Kyurem. Water-types like Dracovish, Primarina, and Seismitoad can give Hippowdon issues, so teammates like Ferrothorn, Zeraora, and Gastrodon, the latter of which can also deal with Rotom-H, are helpful. Hippowdon and other common sand team members struggle with Rotom-H; Terrakion and Dragapult help compensate for this, with Terrakion being able to pivot into it better thanks to the Special Defense boost from sand.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Quality checked by: [[Ruft, 295110], [Jordy, 395754]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
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