[OVERVIEW]
Obstagoon is a top-tier wallbreaker in RU, it's nearly impossible to wall Obstagoon between it's extremely powerful Guts Facade, STAB Knock Off, and coverage; it also has utility moves in Switcheroo and Obstruct to mess with defensive answers. What makes Obstagoon especially dangerous as a wallbreaker is it's Speed tier, which allows it to immediately threaten many offensive Pokemon such as Togekiss, Xurkitreee, Roserade, and Nidoqueen. Obstagoon also has fairly good natural bulk, it's difficult to revenge kill when healthy without a super effective move, and a useful defensive typing, it can come in fairly freely against Umbreon, and check Reuniclus. Unfortunately, Obstagoon's weakness to U-turn and Fighting, relevant against common Pokemon like Flygon, Crobat, and Focus Blast Reuniclus, can make it difficult to use it's defensive qualities, and Obstagoon tends to not stay healthy for long between entry hazard damage and burn. Obstagoon is also fairly useless against hyper offense teams, as they tend to have multiple Pokemon capable of outspeeding and destroying it such as Sharpedo and Mimikyu, and it tends to have little breathing room to activate Flame Orb and fire off attacks against these teams.
[SET]
name: Guts Wallbreaker
move 1: Facade
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Switcheroo / Obstruct
item: Flame Orb
ability: Guts
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Close Combat importantly gives Obstagoon means to slam Cobalion and is it's strongest option against the likes of Registeel, Rhyperior, Stakataka, and Steelix. Switcheroo can cripple Pokemon such as Rhyperior, Diancie, and Steelix, and simultaneously steal Leftovers, which cancel out burn damage and gives Obstagoon more longevity, potentially allowing Obstagoon exponentially more wallbreaking opportunities. Alternatively, Obstruct allows Obstagoon to safely activate it's Flame Orb, prevent revenge killing from Golisopod's First Impression, scout the intentions of Choice-locked Pokemon like Gardevoir and Flygon, and can punish attacks from slower Pokemon such as Incineroar and Guzzlord with Defense drops.
Obstagoon is typically used as a wallbreaker for bulky offense and balance teams. U-turn users like Noivern, Flygon, and Crobat can pivot Obstagoon in against Pokemon such as Metagross, Togekiss, and Milotic. Crobat and Noivern can also check Fighting-types for Obstagoon. Hazard control is important, so that Obstagoon is not worn down even more quickly, this can be provided by Defog Crobat and Flygon, as well as Rapid Spin Starmie. Obstagoon's ability to muscle past bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Gastrodon can help teammates such as Swords Dance Cobalion and Choice Scarf Darmanitan. Water-types like Milotic, Vaporeon, Starmie, and Jellicent can assist Obstagoon against Steel- and Rock-types like Cobalion, Diancie, and Rhyperior. Milotic and Starmie can pivot Obstagoon in safely through Flip Turn and Teleport respectively, Vaporeon can help circumvent Obstagoon's lack of longevity with Wish support, and Jellicent gives more insurance against Cobalion by being a complete counter. Steel-types like Registeel and Steelix can check Fairy-types like Gardevoir and Mimikyu for Obstagoon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bulk Up allows Obstagoon to take advantage of defensive Pokemon like Vaporeon, Umbreon and Steelix, and makes it harder for physical attackers like Crobat and Flygon to revenge kill it, however, Switcheroo's potential to give Obstagoon leftovers tends to be more valuable, and Obstagoon is a capable wallbreaker without Bulk Up. Obstagoon can run it's STABs alongside Rest and Sleep Talk for more longevity, however, this leaves Obstagoon walled by one of the metagame's most common Pokemon, Cobalion, and Sleep Talk can be inconsistent. Parting Shot allows Obstagoon to pivot it's teammates in safely, but, Obstagoon is generally better off trying to wallbreak itself, and it's not a very effective pivot due to Flame Orb and entry hazards. Iron Tail allows Obstagoon to OHKO Diancie, but, hits nothing else notable.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Cobalion**: Cobalion is extremely common, can punish Obstagoon with Justified and potentially Rocky Helmet, and can easily outspeed and destroy it, however, Cobalion takes significant damage from Guts Close Combat, and is crippled badly by Switcheroo.
**Steel- and Rock-types**: Registeel, Rhyperior, and Steelix can all take Obstagoon's attacks and trade with it, or in Registeel's case if it's running Body Press OHKO it, however, they're all crippled terribly by Switcheroo, and Registeel is even 2HKOed by Guts Close Combat. Diancie is an especially good check, as it resists both Obstagoon's STABs and can KO it with Body Press, however, Diancie gets worn down quickly and is crippled horribly by Switcheroo.
**Faster Pokemon** Choice Scarf users like Gardevoir, Herarcross, and Darmanitan can all easily revenge kill Obstagoon. Mimikyu and Close Combat Sharpedo easily outpace and destroy Obstagoon as well. Golisopod can revenge kill Obstagoon with First Impression if it lacks Obstruct. U-turn users like Flygon and Crobat, while they may not be able to OHKO Obstagoon can chip it, to leave it in range of other attacks later.
**Galarian Weezing** Neutralizing Gas Galarian Weezing is only 3HKOed by Facade and can punish Obstagoon with Rocky Helmet, however, Galarian Weezing lacks recovery asides Pain Split, and Knock Off removing Rocky Helmet can reduce Galarian Weezing's efficacy against Obstagoon.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Yourwelcomethanku, 541847]]
- Quality checked by: [[GoldCat, 359771], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
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