QC: TONE114 / Raiza / galbia
GP: P Squared / The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Walrein is outclassed by Piloswine as a bulky Ice-type with Thick Fat, and by Pelipper and Poliwrath as a defensive Water-type, especially due to its lack of Scald. It also has a very shallow offensive movepool and mediocre Speed; however, it has an interesting support movepool with utility moves such as Roar, Encore, and Super Fang. Its otherwise poor defensive typing that leaves it weak to Fighting- and Rock-types, its weakness to Stealth Rock, and its lack of reliable recovery can make it very easy to wear down.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Roar
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Surf
move 4: Protect / Super Fang / Encore
item: Leftovers
ability: Thick Fat
nature: Calm
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Roar allows Walrein to phaze setup sweepers and other foes and rack up entry hazard damage on them. Toxic gets off turn-by-turn damage on a foe and can wear down walls. Surf is Walrein's best option for a Water-type STAB attack, as it doesn't get Scald, and allows Walrein to get some chip damage against a foe and check Ninetales and Rapidash. Ice Beam can be used instead of Surf to hit Grass- and Dragon-types, including Roselia and Fraxure, with the former being immune to Toxic. Protect can give Walrein a free turn to recover HP with Leftovers, as well as stall a foe with a status affliction. Super Fang can break down the foe by halving their health and put Pokemon in range of being revenge killed by a teammate. Encore can be used to lock a foe into a status move, an entry hazard, a weak move such as Rapid Spin, or a setup move such as Shell Smash from Barbaracle and Carracosta or Swords Dance from Pawniard.
Set Details
========
248 HP EVs allow Walrein to switch into Stealth Rock four times and, paired with 252 Special Defense EVs and a Calm nature, make it as specially bulky as possible. Leftovers gives Walrein a bit of recovery per turn. Thick Fat effectively gives Walrein a resistance to Fire-type moves and makes it scoff at Ice-type moves.
Usage Tips
========
Attempt not to switch Walrein in while Stealth Rock is on its side of the field. Keep Walrein away from damaging status ailments, as they can wear it down quicker. Walrein should use Toxic to shorten the longevity of setup sweepers and walls; Super Fang fulfills the same purpose. Switch Walrein into Water-, Ice-, and Fire-types, such as Simipour, Aurorus, and Torkoal.
Team Options
========
Walrein fits onto defensive teams well, as it needs Pokemon to switch into super effective and status moves for it, as well as a reliable entry hazard remover to keep it healthy, such as Armaldo, Pelipper, Vibrava, or Vullaby. Entry hazard setters, such as Quilladin, Roselia, Stunfisk, Probopass, and Clefairy, can allow Walrein to gain more damage on a foe when it uses Roar. Grass-types, such as Roselia and Tangela, can take on Rock-types, as well as handle opposing Grass-types. Ground-types, such as Golem, Stunfisk, Vibrava, Piloswine, and Torterra, can take on Electric- and Rock-types for Walrein, although they share a weakness to Grass-type moves. Clerics, such as Lickilicky and Misdreavus, can heal off status afflictions from Walrein. Wish support from Lickilicky and Hypno gives Walrein some recovery, although it can be difficult to directly switch Walrein in to receive the Wish.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Walrein can use a set revolving around Belly Drum as a late-game sweeper, although it needs a lot of support and lacks Speed, whereas Choice Specs can be used on a surprise set, although there isn't much reason to use it over faster Water-types such as Floatzel or Simipour, bar gaining STAB on its Ice-type moves. Walrein could also run an offensive Curse set with the moves Curse, Waterfall, Earthquake, and Avalanche, but it is brought down by faster Pokemon and status. Walrein could run a defensive Curse set as well, using the moves Curse, Rest, Sleep Talk, and Avalanche or Waterfall, although it's walled by common Pokemon such as Poliwrath and is crippled by Taunt.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: Poliwrath and Machoke, the premier Fighting-types in PU, both take on Walrein extremely well, as they can take any attack it throws at them and fire back with a Fighting-type STAB move. Poliwrath even gains recovery from Walrein's Water-type moves. Machoke can also switch into Toxic and gain a Guts boost, while Poliwrath can absorb it if it's running a RestTalk set.
**Electric-types**: Raichu, Zebstrika, Rotom-F, and other Electric-types can hit Walrein for super effective damage and gain momentum against it by using Volt Switch. Rotom-F, in particular, also resists Walrein's Ice Beam.
**Grass-types**: Roselia is the best counter for Walrein, as it takes little damage from Ice Beam and Surf, is immune to Toxic, and can use it to set up Spikes. Jumpluff, Leafeon, Torterra, and other physical Grass-types can hit Walrein for super effective damage with their Grass-type STAB moves, although they have to look out for an Ice Beam. Special Grass-types such as Tangela can take on Walrein as well, but they need it to be weakened to KO it.
**Residual Damage**: Due to its lack of recovery and its weakness to Stealth Rock, Walrein is extremely weak to residual damage from entry hazards and status.
**Taunt**: Misdreavus and Simipour can both cripple Walrein by using Taunt against it, and they also don't take much damage from its attacks. Misdreavus is able to set up on Walrein, but Floatzel can 2HKO Walrein with Grass Knot.
GP: P Squared / The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Walrein is outclassed by Piloswine as a bulky Ice-type with Thick Fat, and by Pelipper and Poliwrath as a defensive Water-type, especially due to its lack of Scald. It also has a very shallow offensive movepool and mediocre Speed; however, it has an interesting support movepool with utility moves such as Roar, Encore, and Super Fang. Its otherwise poor defensive typing that leaves it weak to Fighting- and Rock-types, its weakness to Stealth Rock, and its lack of reliable recovery can make it very easy to wear down.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Roar
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Surf
move 4: Protect / Super Fang / Encore
item: Leftovers
ability: Thick Fat
nature: Calm
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Roar allows Walrein to phaze setup sweepers and other foes and rack up entry hazard damage on them. Toxic gets off turn-by-turn damage on a foe and can wear down walls. Surf is Walrein's best option for a Water-type STAB attack, as it doesn't get Scald, and allows Walrein to get some chip damage against a foe and check Ninetales and Rapidash. Ice Beam can be used instead of Surf to hit Grass- and Dragon-types, including Roselia and Fraxure, with the former being immune to Toxic. Protect can give Walrein a free turn to recover HP with Leftovers, as well as stall a foe with a status affliction. Super Fang can break down the foe by halving their health and put Pokemon in range of being revenge killed by a teammate. Encore can be used to lock a foe into a status move, an entry hazard, a weak move such as Rapid Spin, or a setup move such as Shell Smash from Barbaracle and Carracosta or Swords Dance from Pawniard.
Set Details
========
248 HP EVs allow Walrein to switch into Stealth Rock four times and, paired with 252 Special Defense EVs and a Calm nature, make it as specially bulky as possible. Leftovers gives Walrein a bit of recovery per turn. Thick Fat effectively gives Walrein a resistance to Fire-type moves and makes it scoff at Ice-type moves.
Usage Tips
========
Attempt not to switch Walrein in while Stealth Rock is on its side of the field. Keep Walrein away from damaging status ailments, as they can wear it down quicker. Walrein should use Toxic to shorten the longevity of setup sweepers and walls; Super Fang fulfills the same purpose. Switch Walrein into Water-, Ice-, and Fire-types, such as Simipour, Aurorus, and Torkoal.
Team Options
========
Walrein fits onto defensive teams well, as it needs Pokemon to switch into super effective and status moves for it, as well as a reliable entry hazard remover to keep it healthy, such as Armaldo, Pelipper, Vibrava, or Vullaby. Entry hazard setters, such as Quilladin, Roselia, Stunfisk, Probopass, and Clefairy, can allow Walrein to gain more damage on a foe when it uses Roar. Grass-types, such as Roselia and Tangela, can take on Rock-types, as well as handle opposing Grass-types. Ground-types, such as Golem, Stunfisk, Vibrava, Piloswine, and Torterra, can take on Electric- and Rock-types for Walrein, although they share a weakness to Grass-type moves. Clerics, such as Lickilicky and Misdreavus, can heal off status afflictions from Walrein. Wish support from Lickilicky and Hypno gives Walrein some recovery, although it can be difficult to directly switch Walrein in to receive the Wish.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Walrein can use a set revolving around Belly Drum as a late-game sweeper, although it needs a lot of support and lacks Speed, whereas Choice Specs can be used on a surprise set, although there isn't much reason to use it over faster Water-types such as Floatzel or Simipour, bar gaining STAB on its Ice-type moves. Walrein could also run an offensive Curse set with the moves Curse, Waterfall, Earthquake, and Avalanche, but it is brought down by faster Pokemon and status. Walrein could run a defensive Curse set as well, using the moves Curse, Rest, Sleep Talk, and Avalanche or Waterfall, although it's walled by common Pokemon such as Poliwrath and is crippled by Taunt.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: Poliwrath and Machoke, the premier Fighting-types in PU, both take on Walrein extremely well, as they can take any attack it throws at them and fire back with a Fighting-type STAB move. Poliwrath even gains recovery from Walrein's Water-type moves. Machoke can also switch into Toxic and gain a Guts boost, while Poliwrath can absorb it if it's running a RestTalk set.
**Electric-types**: Raichu, Zebstrika, Rotom-F, and other Electric-types can hit Walrein for super effective damage and gain momentum against it by using Volt Switch. Rotom-F, in particular, also resists Walrein's Ice Beam.
**Grass-types**: Roselia is the best counter for Walrein, as it takes little damage from Ice Beam and Surf, is immune to Toxic, and can use it to set up Spikes. Jumpluff, Leafeon, Torterra, and other physical Grass-types can hit Walrein for super effective damage with their Grass-type STAB moves, although they have to look out for an Ice Beam. Special Grass-types such as Tangela can take on Walrein as well, but they need it to be weakened to KO it.
**Residual Damage**: Due to its lack of recovery and its weakness to Stealth Rock, Walrein is extremely weak to residual damage from entry hazards and status.
**Taunt**: Misdreavus and Simipour can both cripple Walrein by using Taunt against it, and they also don't take much damage from its attacks. Misdreavus is able to set up on Walrein, but Floatzel can 2HKO Walrein with Grass Knot.
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