[OVERVIEW]
An excellent typing, a plethora of utility moves such as Toxic, Yawn, and Stealth Rock, and good matchups against the tier's entry hazard removers like Excadrill, Tentacruel, and Mandibuzz make Swampert a solid hazard setter. Good matchups against top threats like Jirachi, Krookodile, and Lycanroc-D contribute to Swampert's great defensive utility. Flip Turn also lets it be a slow pivot, limiting its passivity, making progress against walls such as Chansey, and bringing in slower teammates like Conkeldurr to wallbreak. However, many of the tier's threats hinder Swampert. Grass-types like Tangrowth and Zarude threaten to OHKO it, while powerful wallbreakers like Conkeldurr and Azumarill take advantage of its lack of reliable recovery to break through it. Swampert is also very vulnerable to status and Knock Off, especially from Pokemon it should check like Excadrill and Nihilego, which make it much less effective as a tank. Swampert also competes for a team slot with fellow hazard setter Ground-types Excadrill and Krookodile, which keep up offensive pressure more consistently.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Flip Turn
move 3: Toxic / Yawn
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Earthquake deals massive damage to entry hazard removers like Excadrill and Tentacruel. Flip Turn makes progress against foes like Zarude and Salamence while also bringing in teammates like Conkeldurr and Azumarill safely. Toxic cripples walls such as Tangrowth that force out Swampert. Yawn instead can shut down offensive powerhouses that may threaten Swampert's teammates and force switches, allowing Swampert to generate even more momentum. 112 Special Defense EVs allow Swampert to tank powerful special hits from foes like Thundurus-T and Salamence, while 144 Defense EVs prevent Swampert from getting 2HKOed by Excadrill and Zygarde-10%. A Sassy nature is used so that Swampert can underspeed defensive Celesteela.
Slow wallbreakers, such as Conkeldurr and Mamoswine, greatly appreciate Yawn crippling enemies and Flip Turn giving them safe entry against Pokemon like Hydreigon and Amoonguss to wallbreak. Offensive pivots such as Thundurus-T, Azelf, and Zarude form VoltTurn cores with Swampert while also overwhelming foes that Swampert can't handle, such as Roserade and Hydreigon. Tapu Bulu gives Swampert much-appreciated additional recovery through Grassy Terrain. In turn, Swampert can help deal with Poison-types such as Nidoking, Nihilego, and Tentacruel, which threaten Tapu Bulu. Wish recovery from clerics such as Umbreon and Jirachi is also great for its longevity. Swampert greatly appreciates Pokemon like Skarmory and Moltres that can check the Grass-types that it fears so much. The former also forms an entry hazard stacking core with Swampert, while the latter forms a VoltTurn core with it. Entry hazard removers like Tentacruel, Excadrill, and Mandibuzz stop Spikes from punishing Swampert's longevity.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Choice Band set with Liquidation, Earthquake, Ice Punch, and Flip Turn takes advantage of Swampert's solid Attack while also dealing with the Dragon- and Grass-types of the tier more effectively. Ice Beam can be used on the defensive set for a similar purpose, but this forces Swampert to sacrifice one of its utility moves. Scald can potentially burn foes like Skarmory that Swampert otherwise struggles against, but it is hard to slot into Swampert's moveset over its other utility moves. High Horsepower is a good alternative to Earthquake if Swampert is being run alongside Tapu Bulu, since Grassy Surge weakens Earthquake, but is an inferior pick otherwise. A physically defensive EV spread with a Relaxed nature allows Swampert to tank powerful physical attacks from foes like Mamoswine, Lycanroc-D, and Excadrill, but it makes Swampert more vulnerable to powerful special attackers like Thundurus and Azelf.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types and Grass-type Coverage**: Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Zarude, Tangrowth, and Tapu Bulu can easily scare Swampert out with their 4x super effective STAB moves, though the latter two do not like the potential of being inflicted by Toxic. Swampert similarly fears Grass-type coverage, leaving it unable to deal with Gyarados's Power Whip and properly check Thundurus-T until it scouts for Grass Knot.
**Dragon-types**: Salamence and Hydreigon both either resist or are immune to Swampert's STAB moves and can force it out, though Swampert can cripple these Pokemon with Toxic.
**Toxic**: Pokemon like Excadrill and Rotom-H that struggle to deal with Swampert otherwise can use Toxic to cripple it, drastically worsening its longevity.
**Powerful Wallbreakers**: Thanks to Swampert's lack of reliable recovery, Pokemon like Conkeldurr, Choice Specs Primarina, and Azumarill can overwhelm it and take it out easily.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[StarFalcon555, 540058]]
- Quality checked by: [[Monky25, 515132], [Mystras Leoxses, 530118], [Hilomilo, 313384]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [Astra, 240732]]
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