OU The GOATed Hydrapple don't fall far from the tree (Nasty Plot Hydrapple)

alkazoth

alkazoth

is a Pre-Contributor
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Fickle Beam
move 3: Giga Drain
move 4: Earth Power
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
tera type: Fairy / Steel / Poison
ability: Regenerator
nature: Modest
evs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Hydrapple has incredible bulk, access to Nasty Plot, and Regenerator, making it a notable threat against balance and bulky offense playstyles. Nasty Plot allows it to muscle past bulkier walls like Gliscor, Corviknight, and Galarian Slowking, and thanks to its typing, it is able to set up on Pokemon like Hisuian Samurott, Ting-Lu, and Garganacl. Fickle Beam is a consistently strong Dragon-type STAB option that has a chance to double in power and therefore let Hydrapple OHKO threats like Zamazenta, Gliscor, and Moltres while keeping its Nasty Plot boosts, while Draco Meteor can be used to secure these OHKOes much more safely after a Nasty Plot boost, as well as others such as Ogerpon-W, Zapdos, and bulky Rillaboom. Earth Power gives Hydrapple a way to hit Galarian Slowking and Steel-types like Gholdengo and Kingambit super effectively. Heavy-Duty Boots is Hydrapple's preferred item to grant it resilience into entry hazards, since Hydrapple is a wallbreaker that is going to be repeatedly switching in throughout the course of a game to tank hits and maximize the value it gets out of Regenerator. However, Hydrapple has a myriad of niche items it can pick from such as Life Orb to amplify Hydrapple’s breaking power, letting it secure 2HKOs against Zapdos, Zamazenta, and Hatterene, as well as OHKOs against mixed Iron Valiant, Calm Mind Primarina, and Kyurem without setup. Rocky Helmet is another option to punish U-turn attempts from Pokemon it checks like Rillaboom, Ogerpon-W, and Landorus-T as well Flip Turn from Alomomola. The drawback of running these alternative item options is that they make Hydrapple vulnerable to entry hazard chip damage, which bleeds into Hydrapple's longevity, since its recovery is only limited to Regenerator and Giga Drain, and it needs to be healthy to set up. 12 EVs can be invested in either Speed to let Hydrapple outspeed Ting-Lu or in Special Defense to let it live Iron Valiant's Moonblast, with the rest invested in HP to let it stomach attacks from threats like Ogerpon-W, Great Tusk, and Zamazenta more easily. Tera Fairy is most commonly run to give Hydrapple an immunity to Dragon-type moves from Dragapult and Raging Bolt, while Tera Steel also gives it the ability to take Ice-type attacks from Pokemon like Kyurem, Weavile, and Meowscarada as well as a Toxic immunity. Tera Poison retains the Toxic immunity and Fairy resistance but trades its matchup into Ice-type attacks for a Fighting resistance, allowing it to take on the likes of Zamazenta and Iron Valiant.

Hydrapple acts as a wallbreaker on balance and bulky offense teams, being able to punch holes in opposing balance teams due to its ability to punish passivity and its great matchup into common balance picks like Alomomola, Great Tusk, Ting-Lu, and Garganacl. Defensive pivots such as Galarian Slowking, Alomomola, Moltres, and Corviknight help enable and defensively reinforce Hydrapple, taking on threats such as Great Tusk, Iron Valiant, Primarina, and Weavile. Galarian Slowking and Alomomola in particular are amazing partners for it, forming double Regenerator cores on balance teams to outlast all of the offensive threats that threaten them while boasting excellent defensive synergy. Moltres answers Great Tusk more reliably, being able to punish its Ice Spinner targeted toward Hydrapple with Flame Body, which would allow Hydrapple to avoid getting 2HKOed by it. Entry hazard setters like Gliscor and Ting-Lu are great partners because their hazards are essential for chipping foes into KO range for Hydrapple like Ogerpon-W and Assault Vest Iron Crown. Gliscor uses its combination of entry hazards and Knock Off to remove Heavy-Duty Boots from these Pokemon while baiting in Ogerpon-W for Hydrapple to respond to, causing it to take hazard chip every switch-in and putting it on a timer. Ting-Lu uses its gargantuan bulk to check Dragon-types like Dragapult, Raging Bolt, and Roaring Moon for Hydrapple. Hydrapple also pairs nicely with offensive teammates like Kingambit, Great Tusk, Cinderace, and Iron Crown. Kingambit greatly appreciates Hydrapple being able to scare off Great Tusk from staying in and benefits Hydrapple by being extremely good at switching into and annihilating Air Balloon Gholdengo, one of Hydrapple's better switch-ins. Great Tusk itself is a good teammate for it, being able to keep hazards off in case Hydrapple gets its Heavy-Duty Boots removed by common threats like Rillaboom, Hisuian Samurott, and Gliscor while also being great into its most common check in Galarian Slowking. Cinderace also keeps hazards off with Court Change, baits in Water- and Ground-types for Hydrapple to easily set up on, and reduces the need for Heavy-Duty Boots, giving Hydrapple more room to run a more powerful item to make progress like Life Orb, since its removal can't be blocked. Hydrapple also baits in Steel-types like Gholdengo and Corviknight for Cinderace to quickly dispose of. Assault Vest Iron Crown is able to switch into Pokemon like Iron Valiant, Kyurem, and Hatterene for Hydrapple, while Hydrapple matches up well into Hisuian Samurott and Ting-Lu, two Pokemon Iron Crown does not like taking on. Tinkaton and Hydrapple can also work in tandem with each other, since Tinkaton is a Pokemon that can set Stealth Rock and check Kyurem and Darkrai for Hydrapple, two special attackers that carry Ice-type moves to quickly dispose of Hydrapple, while Hydrapple is able to check Pokemon that can wall and threaten Tinkaton like Iron Treads, Tera Water Garganacl, and specially defensive Heatran. Rillaboom pairs decently well with Hydrapple on teams that take advantage of Grassy Terrain, powering up Hydrapple's already hard-hitting boosted Giga Drain while providing it with additional passive recovery every turn it is active. Hydrapple also finds a niche on sand teams as an answer to Water- and Grass-types that are able to consistently threaten Excadrill and Tyranitar, which are staples of this archetype. It sets itself apart from its competition for its role as a bulky Grass-type because, unlike Sinistcha and Chesnaught, Hydrapple has a much more notable offensive presence and greater longevity thanks to Regenerator.

[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/alkazoth.518682/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tidal.540289/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ausma.360720/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
 
Last edited:
A lot to cover here, but here's to the god apple

add remove highlight comment

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Fickle Beam
move 3: Giga Drain
move 4: Earth Power
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
tera type: Fairy / Steel / Poison
ability: Regenerator
nature: Modest
evs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
As the old saying goes, a Hydrapple a day keeps the balance teams away t Thanks to its incredible bulk, access to Nasty Plot, and Regenerator, making it ridiculously hard to punish with passive play, a detriment to many bulkier playstyles utilizing Pokemon like Alomomola and Garganacl. (I feel like this is very specific and doesn't properly reflect Hydrapple's place in the entirety of the metagame. what about bulky offense staples such as Landorus-T and H-Samu who struggle to break it offensively? In the overview at least I would be a bit more general about its place in the meta) Nasty Plot allows it to muscle past bulkier walls like Gliscor, Corviknight, and Galarian Slowking. (I'd also make mention of what it can set up on, since yeah, it can break through these with plot boosts but saying where apple can get them is important.) Fickle Beam is a consistently strong Dragon-type STAB option that has a chance to double in power and therefore let Hydrapple OHKO threats like Zamazenta, Gliscor, and Moltres while keeping its Nasty Plot boosts, although Draco Meteor can be used instead for more guaranteed immediate power. while Draco Meteor can be used to secure these OHKO's much more safely after a Nasty Plot boost, as well as others such as Garganacl after Stealth Rock. Giga Drain is chosen as its Grass-type STAB option due to its recovery, which is super helpful in interactions where Great Tusk decides to stay in on it. STAB move fluff, not really necessary Earth Power gives Hydrapple a way to hit Galarian Slowking and Steel-types like Gholdengo and Kingambit super effectively. Heavy-Duty Boots is the preferred item of choice to avoid hazard chip and give it more longevity, since Hydrapple is a breaker who is going to be repeatedly switching in throughout the course of a game to tank hits and maximise the value it gets out of Regenerator. However, Hydrapple has a myriad of niche items it can pick from such as Life Orb is an alternative item of choice that further to amplifies amplify Hydrapple’s breaking power, letting it secure 2HKOs against Zapdos, Zamazenta, Hatterene, and Tera Flying Roaring Moon as well as OHKOs against mixed Iron Valiant, Calm Mind Primarina, and Kyurem without setup. However, the downside to running it is it comes at the cost of Hydrapple’s longevity, being prone to entry hazard chip and recoil after using an attack. Rocky Helmet is another niche option to punish U-turn attempts from Pokemon it checks like Rillaboom, Ogerpon-W, and Landorus-T as well as punish Flip Turn from Alomomola, while Yache Berry is another fringe pick that lets it live Ice Spinner from a boosted Great Tusk or Dragonite, and Iron Treads and then fire back with a powerful super effective move, but just like with the aforementioned alternative item options, this comes at the cost of making Hydrapple vulnerable to entry hazard chip, which bleeds into Hydrapple's longevity and ability to switch in and set up. (I feel like the longevity part is fine to keep seperatel since hydrapple obviously has to be healthy to set up.) 12 EVs can be invested in either Speed to let Hydrapple outspeed Ting-Lu or in Special Defense to let it live Iron Valiant's Moonblast, with the rest invested in HP to let it stomach attacks from threats like Ogerpon-W, Great Tusk, and Zamazenta easier. 244 EVs also specifically hits 414 HP, which is divisible by 3, restoring the maximum amount of health from Regenerator and maximizing Hydrapple's longevity. Tera Fairy is most commonly run to give Hydrapple an immunity to better matchup against Dragon-type moves from Dragapult and Raging Bolt, flipping the matchup on its head and then firing back with Fickle Beam. while Tera Steel also gives it the ability to take Ice-type attacks from Pokemon like Kyurem, Weavile, and Meowscarada, as well as giving it a Toxic immunity. Tera Poison retains the Toxic immunity and Fairy-type resistance but trades its matchup into Ice-type attacks for a Fighting-type resistance, allowing it to take on the likes of Zamazenta and Iron Valiant.

Hydrapple acts as a wallbreaker on balance and bulky offense teams, being able to punch holes in opposing balance teams due to its ability to punish passivity and its great matchup into common balance picks like Alomomola, Great Tusk, Ting-Lu, and Garganacl. It leverages its bulk and defensive qualities to switch into common threats like Ogerpon-W, Landorus-T, and Hisuian Samurott. Alomomola is an amazing partner for it, forming a double Regenerator core on balance teams to outlast all of the offensive threats who threaten them. Alomomola is able to wall Ice-type moves from the likes of Weavile and Great Tusk, and Hydrapple is able to decapitate Pokemon who greatly threaten Alomomola like Ogerpon-W, Garganacl, and Rillaboom. Another Pokemon with Regenerator who fits with Hydrapple on balance teams is Galarian Slowking, being able to check Iron Valiant, special Kyurem sets, and Primarina for it, while Hydrapple is able to check Ground-types like Great Tusk and Gliscor. I feel as though this could be very easily simplified and reworded to something like "Defensive pivots such as Alomomola, Moltres, Corviknight, and Galarian Slowking help support Hydrapple, taking on threats such as..." and then talking about the regen cores + moltres being a better tusk answer too, and what Pokemon they check, as well as Corviknight being able to defog on top of that Kingambit is another teammate on balance teams who greatly appreciates Hydrapple being able to scare off Great Tusk from staying in, and benefits Hydrapple by being extremely good at switching into and annihilating Air Balloon Gholdengo, one of Hydrapple's better switch-ins. Great Tusk itself is a good teammate for it, being able to keep hazards off in case Hydrapple gets its Heavy-Duty Boots removed by common threats like Rillaboom, Hisuian Samurott, or Gliscor while also being great into its most common check in Galarian Slowking. Good, but I think this could be summed up by talking about offensive teammates, and listing some more that appreciate Hydrapple's presence while keeping the points of what they break for each other, something like "Hydrapple pairs nicely with offensive teammates like" and make mention of Cinderace specifically who can also effectively use Court Change to remove hazards and bait in Water- and Ground-types for it. Moltres also pairs nicely with it, providing a much sturdier answer to Great Tusk due to not being weak to Ice Spinner while also checking Pokemon who can wall or KO Hydrapple like Corviknight, Lokix, and Enamorus. In return, Hydrapple is able to take on completely and utterly obliterate very accurate but we have to keep the glazing to a minimum strong offensive Water-types like Ogerpon-W or Hisuian Samurott and defensive walls who check Moltres such as don’t really care about Moltres’s presence like Ting-Lu and Garganacl for it. see above paragraph in relation to defensive pivots. Tinkaton and Hydrapple can also work in tandem with each other, since Tinkaton is a Pokemon who can set Stealth Rock and check Kyurem and Darkrai for Hydrapple, two special attackers who carry Ice-type moves to quickly dispose of Dragon-types like Hydrapple, while Hydrapple is able to destroy Pokemon who can wall and threaten Tinkaton like Iron Treads, Tera Water Garganacl, and specially defensive Heatran. Hydrapple also finds a niche on sand teams as an answer to Water- and Grass-types who are able to consistently threaten Excadrill and Tyranitar, staples of this archetype. It sets itself apart from its competition for its role as a bulky Grass-type because unlike Sinistcha, its offensive presence is much more immediately threatening and can break bulky teams more easily, and unlike Chesnaught, Hydrapple has way more longevity due to its recovery being more suitable for this playstyle, having access to Regenerator to give itself multiple opportunities to break if it didn't succeed the first time instead of Synthesis, which is halved in effectiveness in sand. I feel like this is all unnecessary, you could just say "as well as its greater longevity thanks to Regenerator" since you already touch on the Rillaboom pairs decently well with Hydrapple on teams that abuse Grassy Terrain, powering up Hydrapple's already hard hitting boosted Giga Drain while providing it with additional passive recovery every turn it is active.

- move the Rillaboom Section above the Sand section, more important to highlight since sand is much more niche
- With hazard setters, make mention of Gliscor and Ting-Lu, with Gliscor using the combination of its hazards and Knock off to chip opponents while baiting in Wellspring while Ting-Lu checks opposing dragons and Dragapult for it
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Hydrapple, tThe baddest apple in the metagame, Hydrapple has incredible bulk, access to Nasty Plot, and Regenerator, making it a notable threat against balance and bulky offense playstyles. Just making this a cleaner read. S/O to the reference. Nasty Plot allows it to muscle past bulkier walls like Gliscor, Corviknight, and Galarian Slowking, and thanks to its typing, it is able to set up on Pokemon like Hisuian Samurott, Landorus-T, and Garganacl. I feel weird about a Landorus-T mention here, seeing as it can (and typically does) just U-turn out, and sometimes even Taunts before you can get a Nasty Plot off. I think another Ground-type would be better here; something like non-Toxic Gliscor or Ting-Lu? Fickle Beam is a consistently strong Dragon-type STAB option that has a chance to double in power and therefore let Hydrapple OHKO threats like Zamazenta, Gliscor, and Moltres while keeping its Nasty Plot boosts, while Draco Meteor can be used to secure these OHKO's much more safely after a Nasty Plot boost, as well as others such as Ogerpon-W, Zapdos, and bulky Rillaboom. Earth Power gives Hydrapple a way to hit Galarian Slowking and Steel-types like Gholdengo and Kingambit super effectively. Heavy-Duty Boots is the Hydrapple's preferred item of choice to grant it resilience into hazards avoid hazard chip and give it more longevity, since Hydrapple is a breaker wallbreaker who is going to be repeatedly switching in throughout the course of a game to tank hits and maximise the value it gets out of Regenerator. However, Hydrapple has a myriad of niche items it can pick from such as Life Orb to amplify Hydrapple’s breaking power, letting it secure 2HKOs against Zapdos, Zamazenta, and Hatterene, and Tera Flying Roaring Moon Roaring Moon is a really weird example because it's probably gonna win the 1v1. as well as OHKOs against mixed Iron Valiant, Calm Mind Primarina, and Kyurem without setup. Rocky Helmet is another option to punish U-turn attempts from Pokemon it checks like Rillaboom, Ogerpon-W, and Landorus-T as well as punish Flip Turn from Alomomola. The drawback of running these alternative item options is this comes at the cost of making Hydrapple vulnerable to entry hazard chip, which bleeds into Hydrapple's longevity since it needs to be healthy to set up. Recovery is also only limited to Regenerator and Giga Drain, the latter of which is matchup reliant and Regenerator forces it to not be on the field. 12 EVs can be invested in either Speed to let Hydrapple outspeed Ting-Lu or in Special Defense to let it live Iron Valiant's Moonblast, with the rest invested in HP to let it stomach attacks from threats like Ogerpon-W, Great Tusk, and Zamazenta easier. Tera Fairy is most commonly run to give Hydrapple an immunity to Dragon-type moves from Dragapult and Raging Bolt, while Tera Steel also gives it the ability to take Ice-type attacks from Pokemon like Kyurem, Weavile, and Meowscarada, as well as giving it a Toxic immunity. Tera Poison retains the Toxic immunity and Fairy-type resistance but trades its matchup into Ice-type attacks for a Fighting-type resistance, allowing it to take on the likes of Zamazenta and Iron Valiant.

Hydrapple acts as a wallbreaker on balance and bulky offense teams, being able to punch holes in opposing balance teams due to its ability to punish passivity and its great matchup into common balance picks like Alomomola, Great Tusk, Ting-Lu, and Garganacl. It leverages its bulk and defensive qualities to switch into common threats like Ogerpon-W, Landorus-T, and Hisuian Samurott. Defensive pivots such as Galarian Slowking, Alomomola, Moltres, and Corviknight help enable and defensively reinforce support Hydrapple, taking on threats such as Great Tusk, Iron Valiant, Primarina, and Weavile. Important to be clear here I think. Galarian Slowking and Alomomola particularly are amazing partners for it, forming double Regenerator cores on balance teams to outlast all of the offensive threats who threaten them while boasting excellent defensive synergy. Galarian Slowking can check special Kyurem sets and Fairy-type attacks from the likes of Iron Valiant, Primarina, and Hatterene, while Alomomola is able to wall Ice-type moves from the likes of Weavile and Great Tusk and also act as a sturdier Cinderace check, which would otherwise pivot around Hydrapple with U-turn. Hydrapple is able to decapitate Pokemon who greatly threaten both Pokemon like Ogerpon-W, Swords Dance Gliscor, Garganacl, and Rillaboom. Moltres answers Great Tusk more reliably, being able to threaten its Ice Spinner targeted toward Hydrapple with Flame Body, a burn on it for using Ice Spinner, which would allow Hydrapple to avoid getting 2HKOed by it, and checks various other Pokemon who can either revenge or wall Hydrapple like Corviknight, Lokix, and Enamorus. In return, Hydrapple is able to take on strong offensive Water-type attackers like Ogerpon-W and Hisuian Samurott and defensive Pokemon who check Moltres such as Ting-Lu and Garganacl for it. Corviknight also walls Great Tusk as well as acts as a backup check to either Kingambit or Ogerpon-W. Iron Defense + Body Press is able to boost up with Kingambit and eliminate it with Body Press, and if Corviknight decides to opt for Brave Bird, it can do massive damage to Ogerpon-W. Corviknight can also run Defog to clear hazards for Hydrapple, helping it greatly improve its longevity. Hazard setters like Gliscor and Ting-Lu are great partners due to both of them setting hazards that are essential for chipping foes into KO range for Hydrapple. like what Gliscor uses its combination of entry hazards and Knock Off to remove Heavy-Duty Boots from these Pokemon opponents while also baiting in Ogerpon-W for Hydrapple to respond to, causing it to take hazard chip every switch-in and putting it on a timer limiting its breaking opportunities. Ting-Lu uses its gargantuan bulk to check Dragon-types like Dragapult, Raging Bolt, and Roaring Moon for Hydrapple. Hydrapple also pairs nicely with offensive teammates like Kingambit, Great Tusk, Cinderace, and Iron Crown. Kingambit greatly appreciates Hydrapple being able to scare off Great Tusk from staying in, and benefits Hydrapple by being extremely good at switching into and annihilating Air Balloon Gholdengo, one of Hydrapple's better switch-ins. Great Tusk itself is a good teammate for it, being able to keep hazards off in case Hydrapple gets its Heavy-Duty Boots removed by common threats like Rillaboom, Hisuian Samurott, or Gliscor while also being great into its most common check in Galarian Slowking. Cinderace also keeps hazards off with Court Change and baits in Water- and Ground-types for Hydrapple to easily set up on. Cinderace also reduces the need for HDB which can let it afford a more powerful item to make progress with since its removal is more absolute. Hydrapple also baits in Steel-types like Kingambit and Gholdengo for Cinderace to quickly dispose of. Not really, and Hydrapple wins the 1v1 into Kingambit actually. Assault Vest Iron Crown is able to switch into Pokemon like Iron Valiant, Kyurem, and Hatterene for Hydrapple, while Hydrapple matches up well into Hisuian Samurott and Ting-Lu, two Pokemon Iron Crown does not like taking on. Tinkaton and Hydrapple can also work in tandem with each other, since Tinkaton is a Pokemon who can set Stealth Rock and check Kyurem and Darkrai for Hydrapple, two special attackers who carry Ice-type moves to quickly dispose of Dragon-types like Hydrapple, while Hydrapple is able to destroy check Pokemon who can wall and threaten Tinkaton like Iron Treads, Tera Water Garganacl, and specially defensive Heatran. Rillaboom pairs decently well with Hydrapple on teams that abuse Grassy Terrain, powering up Hydrapple's already hard hitting boosted Giga Drain while providing it with additional passive recovery every turn it is active. Hydrapple also finds a niche on sand teams as an answer to Water- and Grass-types who are able to consistently threaten Excadrill and Tyranitar, staples of this archetype. It sets itself apart from its competition for its role as a bulky Grass-type because unlike Sinistcha and Chesnaught, Hydrapple has a much more notable offensive presence and greater longevity thanks to Regenerator. I'll admit I'm not super sure how necessary this is but I'm not against keeping it.

I took a chainsaw to this entire allies section. The content is good imo but you are really wordy and it's difficult to read. The thing about sections like these is you need to be concise; explain the relationships at their core and any relevant intricacies, but much more than that damages reader retention.

QC 2/2
 
:pmd/hydrapple:

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Fickle Beam
move 3: Giga Drain
move 4: Earth Power
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
tera type: Fairy / Steel / Poison
ability: Regenerator
nature: Modest
evs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Hydrapple (RC) the baddest apple in the metagame (RC) has incredible bulk, access to Nasty Plot, and Regenerator, making it a notable threat against balance and bulky offense playstyles. Nasty Plot allows it to muscle past bulkier walls like Gliscor, Corviknight, and Galarian Slowking, and thanks to its typing, it is able to set up on Pokemon like Hisuian Samurott, Ting-Lu, and Garganacl. Fickle Beam is a consistently strong Dragon-type STAB option that has a chance to double in power and therefore let Hydrapple OHKO threats like Zamazenta, Gliscor, and Moltres while keeping its Nasty Plot boosts, while Draco Meteor can be used to secure these OHKO's OHKOes much more safely after a Nasty Plot boost, as well as others such as Ogerpon-W, Zapdos, and bulky Rillaboom. Earth Power gives Hydrapple a way to hit Galarian Slowking and Steel-types like Gholdengo and Kingambit super effectively. Heavy-Duty Boots is Hydrapple's preferred item to grant it resilience into entry hazards, (AC) since Hydrapple is a wallbreaker who that is going to be repeatedly switching in throughout the course of a game to tank hits and maximise maximize the value it gets out of Regenerator. However, Hydrapple has a myriad of niche items it can pick from such as Life Orb to amplify Hydrapple’s breaking power, letting it secure 2HKOs against Zapdos, Zamazenta, and Hatterene (RP), (AC) as well as OHKOs against mixed Iron Valiant, Calm Mind Primarina, and Kyurem without setup. Rocky Helmet is another option to punish U-turn attempts from Pokemon it checks like Rillaboom, Ogerpon-W, and Landorus-T as well as punish Flip Turn from Alomomola. The drawback of running these alternative item options is this comes at the cost of making that they make Hydrapple vulnerable to entry hazard chip damage, which bleeds into Hydrapple's longevity, (AC) since its recovery is only limited to Regenerator and Giga Drain, and it needs to be healthy to set up. 12 EVs can be invested in either Speed to let Hydrapple outspeed Ting-Lu or in Special Defense to let it live Iron Valiant's Moonblast, with the rest invested in HP to let it stomach attacks from threats like Ogerpon-W, Great Tusk, and Zamazenta easier more easily. Tera Fairy is most commonly run to give Hydrapple an immunity to Dragon-type moves from Dragapult and Raging Bolt, while Tera Steel also gives it the ability to take Ice-type attacks from Pokemon like Kyurem, Weavile, and Meowscarada (RC) as well as giving it a Toxic immunity. Tera Poison retains the Toxic immunity and Fairy-type Fairy resistance but trades its matchup into Ice-type attacks for a Fighting-type Fighting resistance, allowing it to take on the likes of Zamazenta and Iron Valiant.

Hydrapple acts as a wallbreaker on balance and bulky offense teams, being able to punch holes in opposing balance teams due to its ability to punish passivity and its great matchup into common balance picks like Alomomola, Great Tusk, Ting-Lu, and Garganacl. Defensive pivots such as Galarian Slowking, Alomomola, Moltres, and Corviknight help enable and defensively reinforce Hydrapple, taking on threats such as Great Tusk, Iron Valiant, Primarina, and Weavile. Galarian Slowking and Alomomola particularly in particular are amazing partners for it, forming double Regenerator cores on balance teams to outlast all of the offensive threats who that threaten them while boasting excellent defensive synergy. Moltres answers Great Tusk more reliably, being able to threaten punish its Ice Spinner targeted toward Hydrapple with Flame Body, which would allow Hydrapple to avoid getting 2HKOed by it. Hazard Entry hazard setters like Gliscor and Ting-Lu are great partners due to both of them setting because their hazards that are essential for chipping foes into KO range for Hydrapple like Ogerpon-W and Assault Vest Iron Crown. Gliscor uses its combination of entry hazards and Knock Off to remove Heavy-Duty Boots from these Pokemon while also baiting in Ogerpon-W for Hydrapple to respond to, causing it to take hazard chip every switch-in and putting it on a timer. Ting-Lu uses its gargantuan bulk to check Dragon-types like Dragapult, Raging Bolt, and Roaring Moon for Hydrapple. Hydrapple also pairs nicely with offensive teammates like Kingambit, Great Tusk, Cinderace, and Iron Crown. Kingambit greatly appreciates Hydrapple being able to scare off Great Tusk from staying in (RC) and benefits Hydrapple by being extremely good at switching into and annihilating Air Balloon Gholdengo, one of Hydrapple's better switch-ins. Great Tusk itself is a good teammate for it, being able to keep hazards off in case Hydrapple gets its Heavy-Duty Boots removed by common threats like Rillaboom, Hisuian Samurott, or and Gliscor while also being great into its most common check in Galarian Slowking. Cinderace also keeps hazards off with Court Change, (AC) and baits in Water- and Ground-types for Hydrapple to easily set up on, (AC) and reduces the need for Heavy-Duty Boots, giving Hydrapple more room to run a more powerful item to make progress like Life Orb, (AC) since its removal can't be blocked. Hydrapple also baits in Steel-types like Gholdengo and Corviknight for Cinderace to quickly dispose of. Assault Vest Iron Crown is able to switch into Pokemon like Iron Valiant, Kyurem, and Hatterene for Hydrapple, while Hydrapple matches up well into Hisuian Samurott and Ting-Lu, two Pokemon Iron Crown does not like taking on. Tinkaton and Hydrapple can also work in tandem with each other, since Tinkaton is a Pokemon who that can set Stealth Rock and check Kyurem and Darkrai for Hydrapple, two special attackers who that carry Ice-type moves to quickly dispose of Dragon-types like Hydrapple, while Hydrapple is able to check Pokemon who that can wall and threaten Tinkaton like Iron Treads, Tera Water Garganacl, and specially defensive Heatran. Rillaboom pairs decently well with Hydrapple on teams that abuse take advantage of Grassy Terrain, powering up Hydrapple's already hard hitting hard-hitting boosted Giga Drain while providing it with additional passive recovery every turn it is active. Hydrapple also finds a niche on sand teams as an answer to Water- and Grass-types who that are able to consistently threaten Excadrill and Tyranitar, which are staples of this archetype. It sets itself apart from its competition for its role as a bulky Grass-type because, (AC) unlike Sinistcha and Chesnaught, Hydrapple has a much more notable offensive presence and greater longevity thanks to Regenerator.

[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/alkazoth.518682/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tidal.540289/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ausma.360720/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/

GP Team done
 
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