[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Energy Ball
move 4: U-turn / Psychic
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Quark Drive
nature: Timid
tera type: Grass
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Iron Moth's power, Speed tier, and U-turn allow it to function well as an offensive pivot. Energy Ball hits Gastrodon and Garganacl while U-turn allows Iron Moth to pivot out of bad matchups, such as Heatran, Toxapex, and Skeledirge. Alternatively, Psychic hits Toxapex, but it makes Iron Moth a significant momentum sink against Heatran and Mega Tyranitar. Heavy-Duty Boots allows Iron Moth to act as a pivot consistently without having to worry about entry hazard chip, which it is otherwise very vulnerable to. Tera Grass surprises Mega Swampert, Mega Tyranitar, Hippowdon, and Garchomp defensively before hitting them back with a powerful Energy Ball. Iron Moth fits well on VoltTurn offenses, specifically those including Tapu Koko, who is a natural partner for it. Tapu Koko can set Electric Terrain for Iron Moth in order to boost its Special Attack and benefits from Iron Moth bringing it in on Toxapex. Conversely, Tapu Koko can bring Iron Moth in on threats to it, such as Ferrothorn and Rillaboom. Iron Moth also benefits heavily from Future Sight support, as it prevents Toxapex from safely switching in while also applying some chip onto Heatran. Slowbro can pivot into threats to Iron Moth, such as Garchomp, Mega Lopunny, and Zamazenta, while Slowking helps out even more against Heatran. Entry hazard setters like Ferrothorn, Mega Diancie, Garchomp, and Landorus-T wear down Iron Moth's checks like Heatran, Garchomp, and Mega Tyranitar. Garchomp in particular pivots into Heatran relatively well. Powerful offensive threats like Dragapult, Zamazenta, Mega Lopunny, and Tapu Lele appreciate Iron Moth bringing them in safely on threats like Heatran, Toxapex, and Skeledirge while also being a decent wallbreaker in its own right. The former three can also use their good Speed tier to help out Iron Moth against more offensive builds.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Energy Ball
move 4: Psychic / Tera Blast / U-turn
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Quark Drive
nature: Timid
tera type: Grass / Ground
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Choice Specs Iron Moth is a prediction-reliant but extremely dangerous wallbreaker that can systematically break down defensive cores while still being useful against offense due to its decent Speed tier. Energy Ball hits threats such as Gastrodon, Garganacl, and Garchomp. Psychic hits Toxapex and Clodsire hard, while also having a decent chance of 2HKOing physically defensive Skeledirge. Iron Moth can also opt for Tera Blast + Tera Ground to hit Toxapex, Heatran, Skeledirge, and Clodsire all at once while removing its irritating Stealth Rock weakness. This makes Iron Moth very reliant on Terastallizing to break certain teams, however. Tera Grass should be used otherwise, as it still lessens Iron Moth's Stealth Rock weakness while also allowing it to potentially turn the tables on Garchomp, Mega Swampert, and Urshifu-R. U-turn can also be used to ease prediction and safely bring in teammates, but Iron Moth's Stealth Rock weakness makes this a risky proposition. Iron Moth needs very solid entry hazard control, so options such as Tornadus-T, Landorus-T, Cyclizar, and Great Tusk make for solid teammates; the former three can also bring Iron Moth in safely via pivoting. Tapu Koko is another great option, as Electric Terrain jacks up Iron Moth's power to titanic levels, cleanly 2HKOing Clodsire, Garchomp, and Skeledirge with Fire Blast after the Quark Drive boost. It also allows Iron Moth to deal sizable damage to physically defensive Toxapex with Fire Blast, potentially 2HKOing it after some chip. Heatran switch-ins such as Garchomp, Rotom-W, and Slowking are appreciated, as its presence makes it very hard for Iron Moth to safely use its STAB moves. The latter two can use pivot moves to bring Iron Moth in. Heatran can beat these with Tera Grass and Tera Blast, but Iron Moth will be able to use Sludge Wave on it if Terastallization is forced. Powerful anti-offense Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny, Dragapult, and Iron Valiant are good teammates, as they appreciate Iron Moth wearing down defensive cores while supporting Iron Moth against fast offenses that exploit its Speed tier.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sputnik, 475916]]
- Quality checked by: [[hidin, 589564], [Sulo, 528036]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Sulo, 528036]]
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