Taking this over from shinyskarmory.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3458066
[Overview]
<p>While there is no shortage of Grass-types in RU, Torterra has some unique attributes that help it stand out from the crowd. Torterra has a very useful secondary Ground typing, access to a plethora of boosting moves, respectable 95 / 105 / 85 defenses, an above-average base 109 Attack stat, as well as an expansive support movepool. With access to moves such as Stealth Rock and Leech Seed, Torterra can take on a variety of roles for a team. However, Torterra does have its drawbacks. A poor Special Attack stat prevents Torterra from going mixed, making it fairly predictable offensively, and a low base Speed means that Torterra is easily forced out. Despite its faults, it can still get the job done as either an offensive menace or a reliable wall.</p>
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Life Orb
ability: Overgrow
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>After a Rock Polish, Torterra can reach up to 422 Speed, which is enough to outspeed a large portion of the metagame. Coupled with its base 109 Attack stat, powerful dual STAB moves, and an immunity to Thunder Wave, this makes Torterra a formidable physical sweeper. Earthquake is a powerful and reliable primary STAB move. The choice between Wood Hammer and Seed Bomb as Torterra's secondary STAB move is a rather difficult one, however. Wood Hammer offers more power, but its recoil damage will wear Torterra down very quickly, especially when compounded by Life Orb's recoil. Seed Bomb is recoil-free, but is significantly weaker than Wood Hammer. For example, unlike Wood Hammer, Seed Bomb has no chance of OHKOing physically defensive Claydol. Stone Edge completes the EdgeQuake combination. When combined with Torterra's Grass-type STAB move, Stone Edge gives nearly perfect neutral coverage, barring obscure Pokemon such as Bronzor.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs generate maximum Attack and Speed to increase Torterra's potency as a sweeper. A Jolly nature may seem tempting on such a slow Pokemon, but Jolly Torterra outspeeds nothing of real significance. Life Orb is the preferred item, as this set lacks any way to boost its power. Superpower is a decent alternative to Stone Edge, but the Attack and Defense drops will hamper Torterra's ability to sweep while making it more prone to being revenge killed. Rock Slide is also worth consideration for its greater accuracy over Stone Edge, but Torterra needs all the power it can get on non-STAB attacks. Synthesis can be used over Stone Edge to heal off Life Orb and Wood Hammer recoil, but without Stone Edge, Torterra is walled by Flying-types, especially Moltres, who also 4x resists Grass-type attacks in addition to being immune to Earthquake.</p>
<p>Even with the Life Orb boost, Torterra has very little hope of taking down the bulkier walls in RU, such as Tangrowth and Gligar. As such, Moltres makes a great offensive partner, because it can dispose of said Grass-type physical walls, and lures Rock- and Electric-type moves for Torterra to freely switch in on. Slowking makes a good partner to this set as well, as it can easily tank most special attacks aimed at Torterra, while Torterra can use Slowking's Electric-type weakness for switch-in opportunities. Furthermore, Slowking can provide paralysis support with Thunder Wave to give Torterra an opportunity to boost. Entry hazards are also key to wearing down grounded switch-ins; Toxic Spikes in particular wear down Tangrowth and Cofagrigus, both of which stop Torterra in its tracks. Not only is Qwilfish an excellent user of Toxic Spikes, it also synergizes well with Torterra.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
move 4: Superpower
item: Choice Band
ability: Overgrow
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set trades Speed for the ability to hit extremely hard right off the bat, as proven by this set's ability to OHKO or 2HKO most of the RU metagame. Torterra's raw power combined with its bulk and resistance to Stealth Rock make it an excellent user of Choice Band. This set is fairly simple to use: predict the opponent's switch-in and click the appropriate attack. The EdgeQuake combo provides solid overall power and nearly unresisted coverage. Wood Hammer and Seed Bomb present another choice between recoil damage and reduced power, though Wood Hammer is generally the better option on this set as Torterra doesn't have to worry about Life Orb recoil. Although Superpower is mostly filler, it can hit Ferroseed and Steel-types holding Air Balloon harder than anything else in Torterra's arsenal.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given Speed EVs let Torterra outpace uninvested base 80 Speed Pokemon, most notably Mandibuzz. Maximum Attack EVs allow Torterra to do massive damage to its opponents, and the rest are put into HP for a little more bulk. Crunch is an option on this set, but it offers no additional coverage, as Torterra already has the appropriate coverage moves to beat any target Crunch would deal with. For instance, Claydol and Rotom are dealt with by Wood Hammer and Stone Edge, respectively.</p>
<p>This set suffers from an unfortunate lack of Speed, so it rarely takes out more than one or two Pokemon before being eliminated or forced to switch. Support such as paralysis, or even Trick Room, can be used to remedy Torterra's lack of Speed. Uxie can provide both, along with additional support such as dual screens. Choice Band Torterra relishes Spikes support, because with 3 layers of Spikes and Stealth Rock, Torterra can muscle past even physically defensive Tangrowth, 2HKOing it with Stone Edge. A good Spikes user to pair up with Torterra is Qwilfish due to the excellent type synergy the two share.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Tank
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Synthesis / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With a good defensive typing, great defensive stats, and access to reliable recovery, Torterra makes an obvious choice for a tank. This set is focused more on longevity and reliability rather than an immediate sweep. Earthquake and Rock Slide provide reliable EdgeQuake coverage, while a choice between Wood Hammer and Seed Bomb is required. Seed Bomb is generally better paired with Substitute, while Wood Hammer is usually better with Synthesis to offset the massive recoil. Synthesis allows Torterra to heal itself as it forces a switch, while Substitute prevents Torterra from being revenge killed. Leftovers should generally be used with Substitute. Life Orb is still an option in this case, but Wish support would be required to prevent Torterra from being rapidly worn down.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>212 Speed EVs enable Torterra to outrun base 80 Speed Pokemon, Attack is maximized, and the rest are put into bulk. Leftovers is a viable option to help Torterra survive even longer even if Substitute is not used, but Torterra will sorely miss the power provided to it by Life Orb. Depending on personal preference, Torterra's nature can also be changed to a more defensive ones such as Calm or Impish, but at the cost of power.</p>
<p>Torterra appreciates a partner to tank special attacks and Ice-type attacks for it, letting it stay alive for longer. Slowking is a good choice for such a role thanks to its impressive special bulk. Toxic Spikes and paralysis support are both great tools that allow this set to play a more stall-oriented or offensive role, respectively. Toxic Spikes in particular have great synergy with Substitute Torterra, as they allow Torterra to Toxic stall slower opponents. Lanturn and Qwilfish can provide paralysis and Toxic Spikes support, respectively, while also sharing excellent type synergy with Torterra.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Stone Edge / Superpower
item: Life Orb
ability: Overgrow
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Torterra becomes ridiculously powerful after a Swords Dance, reaching an Attack stat of 696. Combined with Torterra's powerful STAB moves and type coverage, this set can leave gaping holes in the opponent's team after a boost. Setting up Swords Dance shouldn't be difficult due to Torterra's large number of resistances, and the number of Pokemon it can force out, examples of which include Claydol and Sandslash. However, this Torterra suffers from a lack of Speed, which prevents it from sweeping effectively without heavy team support. Instead, this Torterra should function as more of a wallbreaker, punching holes in opposing Pokemon so faster sweepers can clean up later. Earthquake and Seed Bomb serve as powerful dual STAB moves, while the last moveslot depends on what your teams needs to beat. Stone Edge is used to hit Flying-types that resist both of Torterra's STAB moves, while Superpower takes care of Ferroseed and Steel-types holding Air Balloon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Wood Hammer is a much more powerful option over Seed Bomb, but is not recommended as Wood Hammer's recoil increases with the damage dealt. Bulldoze is also an option to slow opponents down to Torterra's level, but it is highly situational, and Torterra will miss Earthquake's power.</p>
<p>Paralysis support can make up for Torterra's terrible Speed, making Lanturn and Uxie great teammates. In the same vein, Torterra can be an effective sweeper under Trick Room; be sure to run 0 Speed IVs and a Speed-hindering nature when doing so. Such a set would also allow Torterra to invest more in bulk while being able to outspeed foes. The ideal candidate for setting up Trick Room is Slowking, as it shares great synergy with Torterra.</p>
<p>Entry hazard support is also useful, punishing any opponent attempting to take one of Torterra's attacks. Qwilfish gets a special mention, as it sets up entry hazards easily and shares good defensive synergy with Torterra. Swords Dance Torterra can be extremely deadly behind dual screens, so it would be wise to pair it with Pokemon that can set up Reflect and Light Screen. Fast dual screen users such as Swoobat can keep the momentum in your favor, while sturdier choices, such as Clefable, are also worth considering due to their ability to set up screens multiple times.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Seed Bomb
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Synthesis
item: Leftovers
ability: Overgrow
nature: Impish
evs: 212 HP / 252 Def / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set capitalizes on Torterra's great mixed bulk and excellent defensive typing that grants it a wide array of resistances and an immunity. Stealth Rock enables this set to support the team, and thanks to the switches Torterra forces, setting it up shouldn't be a problem. Stealth Rock also punishes some of Torterra's common switch-ins, such as Moltres and Cryogonal. Earthquake and Seed Bomb provide dual STAB and make setting up on Torterra a difficult task for most sweepers, while Synthesis and Leftovers help improve Torterra's walling capabilities.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>With 212 HP EVs, Torterra has maximum Leftovers recovery, while 44 Speed EVs give Torterra the ability to outspeed Omastar. The rest is put in Defense to maximize Torterra's physical bulk. The EVs also ensure that Torterra will never be 2HKOed by Life Orb Rotom's Shadow Ball, assuming Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery. Because this Torterra is prime setup bait for sweepers such as Moltres and Lilligant, Roar can be used over any of the four listed moves to prevent this, while also racking up residual damage. In terms of coverage, Seed Bomb can be replaced by Stone Edge, but this gives Water-types such as Quagsire the opportunity to switch in and set up on Torterra.</p>
<p>This variant of Torterra functions best in a Fire / Water / Grass core, as its weaknesses and resistances complement that of the core. It also provides team support in Stealth Rock, which is useful for just about any team. For instance, a core of Torterra, Lanturn, and Moltres could see Torterra and Lanturn providing Stealth Rock and paralysis support to aid a Moltres sweep. The three share excellent type synergy so they can often get safe switch-ins to perform their roles.</p>
[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Earthquake / Seed Bomb
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set sacrifices Torterra's impressive attacking power for the ability to gradually wear down opponents such as Dusknoir and Gligar, who wall any of Toterra's offensive sets. The set is hampered somewhat by Torterra's lack of Speed, leaving it overshadowed by other SubSeed users such as Sceptile, but Torterra differentiates itself with its superior bulk and offensive typing, which enables it to set up on more foes. Although Torterra barely misses out on the coveted 101 HP Substitute mark, it can still produce very bulky Substitutes, which when combined with Torterra's strong attacks, will ward off most setup sweepers. Earthquake and Stone Edge fill out Torterra's offensive coverage. The former is powerful STAB, while the latter hits Flying-types and Pokemon with Sap Sipper, most notably Sawsbuck, who resist Earthquake.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>As this set is designed to stall slower walls out rather than hit them hard, defensive and Speed EVs are preferred. The given EV spread grants Torterra maximum Leftovers recovery and the ability to outspeed neutral natured base 80 Speed Pokemon. The Shell Armor ability isn't very useful as critical hits won't be much of a problem, thanks to Substitute, but Overgrow will be completely useless if one chooses Earthquake over Seed Bomb. Protect is an option over Substitute or an attack for an additional turn of Leech Seed recovery. Despite Torterra's impressive bulk, its Substitutes can still be broken, and unlike Substitute, Protect can be used even when under 25% HP. Protect also allows Torterra to scout for surprise Hidden Powers or coverage moves and defend itself against faster opponents.</p>
<p>Grass-types will always give this set problems. They resist or are immune to every one of Torterra's attacks bar Stone Edge, which won't do much damage to bulkier Grass-types, such as Tangrowth and opposing Torterra. Accelgor can beat Grass-types with its Bug-type STAB attacks while also providing useful support such as Spikes and Encore. Paralysis support from the likes of Lanturn and Slowking is also a good idea, as it will enable Torterra to get the jump on some opponents and Substitute up on them. Toxic Spikes support from Qwilfish is also recommended. Toxic poison allows Torterra to stall out opponents more quickly, and also wear down Pokemon immune to Leech Seed, such as Tangrowth.</p>
[SET]
name: Curse
move 1: Curse
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Wood Hammer / Stone Edge
move 4: Synthesis
item: Leftovers
ability: Shell Armor
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With decent Special Defense and low Speed, Torterra is a perfect candidate to utilize Curse. Curse enables Torterra to boost its solid Attack and Defense, while the Speed drops won't matter, as Torterra is already fairly slow. Torterra also has Synthesis recovery and Shell Armor to help rack up boosts and sweep late-game. This Torterra should look to begin boosting late-game, or when all of the opponent's phazers have been eliminated. Then, set up Curses and heal with Synthesis when necessary. Shell Armor is a massive bonus for this set; once it gets going, it will often have to take an onslaught of attacks, but none of them will penetrate Torterra's defenses with a critical hit thanks to Shell Armor. Wood Hammer is more reliable than Stone Edge, but it also has recoil damage that will make it harder for Torterra to perform its job as a bulky attacker.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This Torterra is extremely prone to status. If burned, Torterra becomes essentially useless, while Toxic makes Torterra's job incredibly difficult. For this reason, Substitute can be used to block status, perhaps replacing Synthesis. Alternatively, you can use a cleric or status absorber, such as Clefable, who has Magic Guard to make for a great status sponge. Dual screen support, paralysis support, or an Encore user such as Accelgor, who can lock an opposing Pokemon into an Electric-type attack, can all help Torterra set up. Rock Slide is also a viable option over Stone Edge, but at the cost of power.</p>
<p>Despite this Torterra's ability to shrug off most neutral attacks, its weaknesses can still be exploited, especially with the Speed drops. Therefore, this set should always be paired with Pokemon who can take strong Ice-, Fire-, and Flying-type attacks. Lanturn fills this role nicely with its impressive special bulk and ability to cure Torterra of status with Heal Bell. Lanturn can also burn opponents with Scald, making this set even more difficult to break through.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>A double boosting set with Rock Polish and Swords Dance in an option, but Torterra will sorely miss the coverage Stone Edge provides. A mono-attacking RestTalk set with Roar is possible, but it isn't very effective and is severely hampered by BW's sleep mechanics. Torterra can also use Stockpile or Amnesia to increase its defenses, but its low Speed means it will often get hit before it can set up. Furthermore, both moves are illegal with Shell Armor. Dual screens are also an option on Torterra, but such a set is outclassed by the faster, bulkier Uxie. Crunch is useful for OHKOing Claydol and offensive Rotom, but has few other uses.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Tangrowth and Gligar are the worst enemies of any Torterra; even after a Swords Dance boost, Stone Edge fails to 2HKO either of them. Tangrowth can easily PP stall Torterra out, while Gligar can retaliate with a 4x super effective Ice Fang. Weezing is another great answer to Torterra. Weezing is immune to Earthquake, resists Wood Hammer, and is never OHKOed by +2 Stone Edge. Weezing also has access to Flamethrower and Will-O-Wisp to force Torterra to switch. Substitute Honchkrow and Moltres can give Torterra problems as Torterra only has Stone Edge to hit them with. Thanks to Stone Edge's low accuracy, these Flying-types will be able to KO Torterra while maintaining their Substitute should it miss. Sigilyph doesn't fear Torterra's non-STAB Stone Edge after a Cosmic Power boost, and it can cripple Torterra by burning it with the combination of Flame Orb + Psycho Shift. Even at +2, Torterra is still outsped by Choice Scarf Typhlosion, who easily OHKOes Torterra with Eruption. Jynx and Glaceon both outspeed unboosted Torterra and will look to exploit Torterra's 4x weakness with their Ice-type STAB moves.</p>
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3458066

[Overview]
<p>While there is no shortage of Grass-types in RU, Torterra has some unique attributes that help it stand out from the crowd. Torterra has a very useful secondary Ground typing, access to a plethora of boosting moves, respectable 95 / 105 / 85 defenses, an above-average base 109 Attack stat, as well as an expansive support movepool. With access to moves such as Stealth Rock and Leech Seed, Torterra can take on a variety of roles for a team. However, Torterra does have its drawbacks. A poor Special Attack stat prevents Torterra from going mixed, making it fairly predictable offensively, and a low base Speed means that Torterra is easily forced out. Despite its faults, it can still get the job done as either an offensive menace or a reliable wall.</p>
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Life Orb
ability: Overgrow
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>After a Rock Polish, Torterra can reach up to 422 Speed, which is enough to outspeed a large portion of the metagame. Coupled with its base 109 Attack stat, powerful dual STAB moves, and an immunity to Thunder Wave, this makes Torterra a formidable physical sweeper. Earthquake is a powerful and reliable primary STAB move. The choice between Wood Hammer and Seed Bomb as Torterra's secondary STAB move is a rather difficult one, however. Wood Hammer offers more power, but its recoil damage will wear Torterra down very quickly, especially when compounded by Life Orb's recoil. Seed Bomb is recoil-free, but is significantly weaker than Wood Hammer. For example, unlike Wood Hammer, Seed Bomb has no chance of OHKOing physically defensive Claydol. Stone Edge completes the EdgeQuake combination. When combined with Torterra's Grass-type STAB move, Stone Edge gives nearly perfect neutral coverage, barring obscure Pokemon such as Bronzor.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs generate maximum Attack and Speed to increase Torterra's potency as a sweeper. A Jolly nature may seem tempting on such a slow Pokemon, but Jolly Torterra outspeeds nothing of real significance. Life Orb is the preferred item, as this set lacks any way to boost its power. Superpower is a decent alternative to Stone Edge, but the Attack and Defense drops will hamper Torterra's ability to sweep while making it more prone to being revenge killed. Rock Slide is also worth consideration for its greater accuracy over Stone Edge, but Torterra needs all the power it can get on non-STAB attacks. Synthesis can be used over Stone Edge to heal off Life Orb and Wood Hammer recoil, but without Stone Edge, Torterra is walled by Flying-types, especially Moltres, who also 4x resists Grass-type attacks in addition to being immune to Earthquake.</p>
<p>Even with the Life Orb boost, Torterra has very little hope of taking down the bulkier walls in RU, such as Tangrowth and Gligar. As such, Moltres makes a great offensive partner, because it can dispose of said Grass-type physical walls, and lures Rock- and Electric-type moves for Torterra to freely switch in on. Slowking makes a good partner to this set as well, as it can easily tank most special attacks aimed at Torterra, while Torterra can use Slowking's Electric-type weakness for switch-in opportunities. Furthermore, Slowking can provide paralysis support with Thunder Wave to give Torterra an opportunity to boost. Entry hazards are also key to wearing down grounded switch-ins; Toxic Spikes in particular wear down Tangrowth and Cofagrigus, both of which stop Torterra in its tracks. Not only is Qwilfish an excellent user of Toxic Spikes, it also synergizes well with Torterra.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
move 4: Superpower
item: Choice Band
ability: Overgrow
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set trades Speed for the ability to hit extremely hard right off the bat, as proven by this set's ability to OHKO or 2HKO most of the RU metagame. Torterra's raw power combined with its bulk and resistance to Stealth Rock make it an excellent user of Choice Band. This set is fairly simple to use: predict the opponent's switch-in and click the appropriate attack. The EdgeQuake combo provides solid overall power and nearly unresisted coverage. Wood Hammer and Seed Bomb present another choice between recoil damage and reduced power, though Wood Hammer is generally the better option on this set as Torterra doesn't have to worry about Life Orb recoil. Although Superpower is mostly filler, it can hit Ferroseed and Steel-types holding Air Balloon harder than anything else in Torterra's arsenal.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given Speed EVs let Torterra outpace uninvested base 80 Speed Pokemon, most notably Mandibuzz. Maximum Attack EVs allow Torterra to do massive damage to its opponents, and the rest are put into HP for a little more bulk. Crunch is an option on this set, but it offers no additional coverage, as Torterra already has the appropriate coverage moves to beat any target Crunch would deal with. For instance, Claydol and Rotom are dealt with by Wood Hammer and Stone Edge, respectively.</p>
<p>This set suffers from an unfortunate lack of Speed, so it rarely takes out more than one or two Pokemon before being eliminated or forced to switch. Support such as paralysis, or even Trick Room, can be used to remedy Torterra's lack of Speed. Uxie can provide both, along with additional support such as dual screens. Choice Band Torterra relishes Spikes support, because with 3 layers of Spikes and Stealth Rock, Torterra can muscle past even physically defensive Tangrowth, 2HKOing it with Stone Edge. A good Spikes user to pair up with Torterra is Qwilfish due to the excellent type synergy the two share.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Tank
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Synthesis / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With a good defensive typing, great defensive stats, and access to reliable recovery, Torterra makes an obvious choice for a tank. This set is focused more on longevity and reliability rather than an immediate sweep. Earthquake and Rock Slide provide reliable EdgeQuake coverage, while a choice between Wood Hammer and Seed Bomb is required. Seed Bomb is generally better paired with Substitute, while Wood Hammer is usually better with Synthesis to offset the massive recoil. Synthesis allows Torterra to heal itself as it forces a switch, while Substitute prevents Torterra from being revenge killed. Leftovers should generally be used with Substitute. Life Orb is still an option in this case, but Wish support would be required to prevent Torterra from being rapidly worn down.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>212 Speed EVs enable Torterra to outrun base 80 Speed Pokemon, Attack is maximized, and the rest are put into bulk. Leftovers is a viable option to help Torterra survive even longer even if Substitute is not used, but Torterra will sorely miss the power provided to it by Life Orb. Depending on personal preference, Torterra's nature can also be changed to a more defensive ones such as Calm or Impish, but at the cost of power.</p>
<p>Torterra appreciates a partner to tank special attacks and Ice-type attacks for it, letting it stay alive for longer. Slowking is a good choice for such a role thanks to its impressive special bulk. Toxic Spikes and paralysis support are both great tools that allow this set to play a more stall-oriented or offensive role, respectively. Toxic Spikes in particular have great synergy with Substitute Torterra, as they allow Torterra to Toxic stall slower opponents. Lanturn and Qwilfish can provide paralysis and Toxic Spikes support, respectively, while also sharing excellent type synergy with Torterra.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Stone Edge / Superpower
item: Life Orb
ability: Overgrow
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Torterra becomes ridiculously powerful after a Swords Dance, reaching an Attack stat of 696. Combined with Torterra's powerful STAB moves and type coverage, this set can leave gaping holes in the opponent's team after a boost. Setting up Swords Dance shouldn't be difficult due to Torterra's large number of resistances, and the number of Pokemon it can force out, examples of which include Claydol and Sandslash. However, this Torterra suffers from a lack of Speed, which prevents it from sweeping effectively without heavy team support. Instead, this Torterra should function as more of a wallbreaker, punching holes in opposing Pokemon so faster sweepers can clean up later. Earthquake and Seed Bomb serve as powerful dual STAB moves, while the last moveslot depends on what your teams needs to beat. Stone Edge is used to hit Flying-types that resist both of Torterra's STAB moves, while Superpower takes care of Ferroseed and Steel-types holding Air Balloon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Wood Hammer is a much more powerful option over Seed Bomb, but is not recommended as Wood Hammer's recoil increases with the damage dealt. Bulldoze is also an option to slow opponents down to Torterra's level, but it is highly situational, and Torterra will miss Earthquake's power.</p>
<p>Paralysis support can make up for Torterra's terrible Speed, making Lanturn and Uxie great teammates. In the same vein, Torterra can be an effective sweeper under Trick Room; be sure to run 0 Speed IVs and a Speed-hindering nature when doing so. Such a set would also allow Torterra to invest more in bulk while being able to outspeed foes. The ideal candidate for setting up Trick Room is Slowking, as it shares great synergy with Torterra.</p>
<p>Entry hazard support is also useful, punishing any opponent attempting to take one of Torterra's attacks. Qwilfish gets a special mention, as it sets up entry hazards easily and shares good defensive synergy with Torterra. Swords Dance Torterra can be extremely deadly behind dual screens, so it would be wise to pair it with Pokemon that can set up Reflect and Light Screen. Fast dual screen users such as Swoobat can keep the momentum in your favor, while sturdier choices, such as Clefable, are also worth considering due to their ability to set up screens multiple times.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Seed Bomb
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Synthesis
item: Leftovers
ability: Overgrow
nature: Impish
evs: 212 HP / 252 Def / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set capitalizes on Torterra's great mixed bulk and excellent defensive typing that grants it a wide array of resistances and an immunity. Stealth Rock enables this set to support the team, and thanks to the switches Torterra forces, setting it up shouldn't be a problem. Stealth Rock also punishes some of Torterra's common switch-ins, such as Moltres and Cryogonal. Earthquake and Seed Bomb provide dual STAB and make setting up on Torterra a difficult task for most sweepers, while Synthesis and Leftovers help improve Torterra's walling capabilities.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>With 212 HP EVs, Torterra has maximum Leftovers recovery, while 44 Speed EVs give Torterra the ability to outspeed Omastar. The rest is put in Defense to maximize Torterra's physical bulk. The EVs also ensure that Torterra will never be 2HKOed by Life Orb Rotom's Shadow Ball, assuming Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery. Because this Torterra is prime setup bait for sweepers such as Moltres and Lilligant, Roar can be used over any of the four listed moves to prevent this, while also racking up residual damage. In terms of coverage, Seed Bomb can be replaced by Stone Edge, but this gives Water-types such as Quagsire the opportunity to switch in and set up on Torterra.</p>
<p>This variant of Torterra functions best in a Fire / Water / Grass core, as its weaknesses and resistances complement that of the core. It also provides team support in Stealth Rock, which is useful for just about any team. For instance, a core of Torterra, Lanturn, and Moltres could see Torterra and Lanturn providing Stealth Rock and paralysis support to aid a Moltres sweep. The three share excellent type synergy so they can often get safe switch-ins to perform their roles.</p>
[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Earthquake / Seed Bomb
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set sacrifices Torterra's impressive attacking power for the ability to gradually wear down opponents such as Dusknoir and Gligar, who wall any of Toterra's offensive sets. The set is hampered somewhat by Torterra's lack of Speed, leaving it overshadowed by other SubSeed users such as Sceptile, but Torterra differentiates itself with its superior bulk and offensive typing, which enables it to set up on more foes. Although Torterra barely misses out on the coveted 101 HP Substitute mark, it can still produce very bulky Substitutes, which when combined with Torterra's strong attacks, will ward off most setup sweepers. Earthquake and Stone Edge fill out Torterra's offensive coverage. The former is powerful STAB, while the latter hits Flying-types and Pokemon with Sap Sipper, most notably Sawsbuck, who resist Earthquake.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>As this set is designed to stall slower walls out rather than hit them hard, defensive and Speed EVs are preferred. The given EV spread grants Torterra maximum Leftovers recovery and the ability to outspeed neutral natured base 80 Speed Pokemon. The Shell Armor ability isn't very useful as critical hits won't be much of a problem, thanks to Substitute, but Overgrow will be completely useless if one chooses Earthquake over Seed Bomb. Protect is an option over Substitute or an attack for an additional turn of Leech Seed recovery. Despite Torterra's impressive bulk, its Substitutes can still be broken, and unlike Substitute, Protect can be used even when under 25% HP. Protect also allows Torterra to scout for surprise Hidden Powers or coverage moves and defend itself against faster opponents.</p>
<p>Grass-types will always give this set problems. They resist or are immune to every one of Torterra's attacks bar Stone Edge, which won't do much damage to bulkier Grass-types, such as Tangrowth and opposing Torterra. Accelgor can beat Grass-types with its Bug-type STAB attacks while also providing useful support such as Spikes and Encore. Paralysis support from the likes of Lanturn and Slowking is also a good idea, as it will enable Torterra to get the jump on some opponents and Substitute up on them. Toxic Spikes support from Qwilfish is also recommended. Toxic poison allows Torterra to stall out opponents more quickly, and also wear down Pokemon immune to Leech Seed, such as Tangrowth.</p>
[SET]
name: Curse
move 1: Curse
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Wood Hammer / Stone Edge
move 4: Synthesis
item: Leftovers
ability: Shell Armor
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With decent Special Defense and low Speed, Torterra is a perfect candidate to utilize Curse. Curse enables Torterra to boost its solid Attack and Defense, while the Speed drops won't matter, as Torterra is already fairly slow. Torterra also has Synthesis recovery and Shell Armor to help rack up boosts and sweep late-game. This Torterra should look to begin boosting late-game, or when all of the opponent's phazers have been eliminated. Then, set up Curses and heal with Synthesis when necessary. Shell Armor is a massive bonus for this set; once it gets going, it will often have to take an onslaught of attacks, but none of them will penetrate Torterra's defenses with a critical hit thanks to Shell Armor. Wood Hammer is more reliable than Stone Edge, but it also has recoil damage that will make it harder for Torterra to perform its job as a bulky attacker.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This Torterra is extremely prone to status. If burned, Torterra becomes essentially useless, while Toxic makes Torterra's job incredibly difficult. For this reason, Substitute can be used to block status, perhaps replacing Synthesis. Alternatively, you can use a cleric or status absorber, such as Clefable, who has Magic Guard to make for a great status sponge. Dual screen support, paralysis support, or an Encore user such as Accelgor, who can lock an opposing Pokemon into an Electric-type attack, can all help Torterra set up. Rock Slide is also a viable option over Stone Edge, but at the cost of power.</p>
<p>Despite this Torterra's ability to shrug off most neutral attacks, its weaknesses can still be exploited, especially with the Speed drops. Therefore, this set should always be paired with Pokemon who can take strong Ice-, Fire-, and Flying-type attacks. Lanturn fills this role nicely with its impressive special bulk and ability to cure Torterra of status with Heal Bell. Lanturn can also burn opponents with Scald, making this set even more difficult to break through.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>A double boosting set with Rock Polish and Swords Dance in an option, but Torterra will sorely miss the coverage Stone Edge provides. A mono-attacking RestTalk set with Roar is possible, but it isn't very effective and is severely hampered by BW's sleep mechanics. Torterra can also use Stockpile or Amnesia to increase its defenses, but its low Speed means it will often get hit before it can set up. Furthermore, both moves are illegal with Shell Armor. Dual screens are also an option on Torterra, but such a set is outclassed by the faster, bulkier Uxie. Crunch is useful for OHKOing Claydol and offensive Rotom, but has few other uses.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Tangrowth and Gligar are the worst enemies of any Torterra; even after a Swords Dance boost, Stone Edge fails to 2HKO either of them. Tangrowth can easily PP stall Torterra out, while Gligar can retaliate with a 4x super effective Ice Fang. Weezing is another great answer to Torterra. Weezing is immune to Earthquake, resists Wood Hammer, and is never OHKOed by +2 Stone Edge. Weezing also has access to Flamethrower and Will-O-Wisp to force Torterra to switch. Substitute Honchkrow and Moltres can give Torterra problems as Torterra only has Stone Edge to hit them with. Thanks to Stone Edge's low accuracy, these Flying-types will be able to KO Torterra while maintaining their Substitute should it miss. Sigilyph doesn't fear Torterra's non-STAB Stone Edge after a Cosmic Power boost, and it can cripple Torterra by burning it with the combination of Flame Orb + Psycho Shift. Even at +2, Torterra is still outsped by Choice Scarf Typhlosion, who easily OHKOes Torterra with Eruption. Jynx and Glaceon both outspeed unboosted Torterra and will look to exploit Torterra's 4x weakness with their Ice-type STAB moves.</p>