Weezing
Type: Poison
Stats: 65 HP / 90 Atk / 120 Def / 85 SpA / 70 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Levitate / Neutralizing Gas / Stench
Relevant Moves:
Acid Spray
Clear Smog
Fire Blast
Flamethrower
Gunk Shot
Haze
Pain Split
Sludge Bomb
Taunt
Thunderbolt
Toxic
Toxic Spikes
Will-O-Wisp
Pros:
- Weezing has access to two fantastic abilities that let it fulfil unique and powerful defensive roles. Levitate makes it immune to both Spikes and the Ground-type moves used by so much of the metagame, and it combines well with both its natural typing and various Tera types to hardwall many Pokemon- meanwhile, Neutralizing Gas can shut down Abilities such as Good As Gold, Purifying Salt, Regenerator, Embody Aspect, Supreme Overlord, Poison Heal, Guts, Libero, and many more.
- Weezing has solid physical bulk and access to Will-O-Wisp, letting it take hits well from physical attackers and threaten to totally ruin them.
- Unlike its Galarian counterpart, the Kantonian form is neutral to Steel and resists Poison. This notably makes it a better Sneasler/Okidogi switchin and a better Kingambit answer, and also lowers the maximum damage potential of threats like Zamazenta versus it.
- Weezing's bulk is only good, and it lacks reliable recovery. This can lead to it getting worn down, especially if Knocked Off.
- Its Special bulk is downright awful, but this shouldn't be too relevant to its role as a physical wall.
- Choosing between Weezing's Abilities can be difficult, as Levitate Weezing tends to check more Pokemon but lacks the uniquely useful interactions of Neutralizing Gas. Choosing four moves for a set is just as difficult.
- Unlike its Galarian counterpart, Kantionian Weezing has a worse Baxcalibur matchup, doesn't resist Knock Off, and doesn't have access to Defog to give itself a more defined role.
- If you face a Heatran, Weezing is all but useless. Gholdengo also gives Weezing serious issues.
- Steel can be used on Levitate Weezing, alongside Toxic, in order to take on the likes of Garchomp and Baxcalibur more reliably.
- Fire can provide a boost to Flamethrower, as well as a resistance to all of Ogerpon-Hearthflame's STABs, Kingambit's Iron Head, and Baxcalibur's Icicle Spear, but comes at the cost of various weaknesses and a necessity to run Heavy-Duty Boots. Due to the continued Ground weakness, this is best only used with Levitate.
- Fairy and Water are generally good neutral typings for Neutralizing Gas Weezing.
- Flying, Grass, and Bug are options on Neutralizing Gas Weezing to flip its Ground weakness into an immunity or resistance, although each come with several significant weaknesses of their own and two force Weezing to run Heavy-Duty Boots.
Sets
Levitate
Weezing @ Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Steel / Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Bomb / Flamethrower
- Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split / Protect / Toxic Spikes
- Haze / Clear Smog
Checks various Pokemon, including but not limited to Ogerpons, Baxcalibur, Garchomp, Great Tusk, Sneasler, Okidogi, SD Iron Valiant, and Bulky Kingambit. Toxic is vital to do anything of note to Baxcalibur thanks to its burn immunity. Toxic Spikes are probably not great right now with the large number of Poison-types you'll find on the ladder.
Neutralizing Gas
Weezing @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
Tera Type: Water / Fairy / Grass / Bug / Flying
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Bomb / Flamethrower
- Pain Split / Toxic Spikes
- Haze / Clear Smog
- Will-O-Wisp / Toxic
This set can more comfortably afford to run Will-O-Wisp, as Neutralizing Gas bypasses Thermal Exchange. Requires support against Ground-types- give Alomomola a call, maybe? You can also consider a fast spread in order to outspeed Kingambit and land a Will-O-Wisp and/or Haze before it can act.
Overall thoughts?
Kantonian Weezing is okay, and can probably function quite respectably on specific stall teams, but it's not really the first option for anything and is largely overshadowed by its Defogging counterpart. It's almost entirely unchanged from prior generations, and it'll almost certainly find a lower tier to thrive in as a result.
