What makes Bastiodon a "bad" Pokemon?

metroidmania

I was just looking at its defensive stats a moment ago, and compared to some of the more popular walls such as Weezing and Dusknoir, it has better stats in HP, defense, and special defense. Unlike Shuckle it doesn't have virtually no HP.
Sure it has terrible attack stats, but couldn't it play some kind of supportive role (i.e. Stealth Rock?) Clue me in. (And, no, this has not been done on D/P Analyses.)
 
its 4x weak to ground and fighting, 2 very common attack types, which makes it easy to kill and not a good wall
 
metroidmania said:
I was just looking at its defensive stats a moment ago, and compared to some of the more popular walls such as Weezing and Dusknoir, it has better stats in HP, defense, and special defense. Unlike Shuckle it doesn't have virtually no HP.
Sure it has terrible attack stats, but couldn't it play some kind of supportive role (i.e. Stealth Rock?) Clue me in. (And, no, this has not been done on D/P Analyses.)
Click to expand...

Weezing and Dusknoir are not 4X weak to Fighting and Ground.
 
Defensive Pokemon are defined this generation more by their resistances than by base stats. Bastiodon's defense, for example, looks far less impressive when it takes 4x effective hits from Fighting or Ground Pokemon. When you consider how many big physical threats carry Earthquake or Close Combat now, it is difficult to see exactly what Bastiodon can wall. Weezing, by contrast, has immunity to Earthquake and resists Close Combat.
 
Horrible typing and inability to attack.

I'm interested in testing some kind of block/taunt/metal burst set but i'm afraid it will just be burn bait...or worse, Gyarados could taunt, and DD up while you struggle yourself to death.
 
Well with it's defenses, you can send it in against something that doesn't have a fighting or ground move and get in a Stealth Rock. Or give it Focus Sash and Metal Burst against something that does use a fighting or ground move.
 
The reason why Bastiodon is a bad poke is because of that nasty 4x weakness to ground and fighting. Nearly every physical sweeper has a fighting or ground attack, and the attack needed to 1HKO or 2HKO bastiodon.

On the special side, Bastiodon doesn't resist too much, and even if sandstorm is up, he boasts no healing moves except for rest, which is just asking for someone to set up on you.

In addition, Bastiodon is very slow, and can't do much except Stealth rock or toxic. In conclusion, he is inferior to aggron in all regards except for his special defense.

Bah, beaten to it.
 
I see, I see. It's typing is pretty terrible. Metal Burst does seem like a decent attack though, and Bastiodon should be able to land a Stealth Rock or two before being forced to switch out.
But its typing is terrible, that's true.
 
Earlier I was thinking about the Metal Burst/Block/Taunt/Rest set, but I'm just not sure how practical that could be. Now I'm considering putting Roar on a Bastiodon for situations where Spikes/Toxic Spikes/Stealth Rock has already been laid down on the opponent's field. If the opponent Pokémon doesn't have a way to deal with Bastiodon, it'll have to switch out. Whatever comes in will probably be hurt by the spikes. On the same turn, use Roar, forcing another switch.

The effectiveness of this strategy depends on how many of the opponent's Pokémon can effectively deal with Bastiodon. It also depends on luck, because eventually they are going to stop switching and you'll end up Raoring in something that can KO you. I think the set I'd use would look like this:

Bastiodon @ Leftovers/Lagging Tail
Roar
Metal Burst
Stealth Rock
Protect

Protect is here to scout for deadly attacks and status moves as well as to lock in Choice item users.
 
It's funny. The best defensive type combined with (one of) the best offensive types, and you get the shittiest typing combo in the game.
 
I think Bastiodon, if it does go down, will go down in one or two hits, so leftovers won't help, and it's so slow that lagging tail won't help. (What would it use?)
The set looks nice though, I think it could be pulled off. Do you think Bastiodon could possible be used in the OU environment despite it's Rock/Steel type?
 
It's not just that it has 4x weaknesses to Fighting and Ground. It also has a piss-poor attack stat, which makes it hard for it to actually do something.
 
Aamto12 said:
It's funny. The best defensive type combined with (one of) the best offensive types, and you get the shittiest typing combo in the game.
Click to expand...

You must be forgetting Magcargo, who has even worse typing. Let's hope for an evolution of Magcargo with Water Absorb and Levitate for abilities! :)

(Well, if I remember correctly, the Pokedex does say that Magcargo evaporates water, so Water Absorb might work)
 
Surgo said:
It's not just that it has 4x weaknesses to Fighting and Ground. It also has a piss-poor attack stat, which makes it hard for it to actually do something.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that was the other issue. Aggron has the same typing, but at least has an attack stat and attacks to actually defend itself. Bastiodon however fears Taunt users greatly.

Earlier I was thinking about the Metal Burst/Block/Taunt/Rest set, but I'm just not sure how practical that could be. Now I'm considering putting Roar on a Bastiodon for situations where Spikes/Toxic Spikes/Stealth Rock has already been laid down on the opponent's field. If the opponent Pokémon doesn't have a way to deal with Bastiodon, it'll have to switch out. Whatever comes in will probably be hurt by the spikes. On the same turn, use Roar, forcing another switch.

The effectiveness of this strategy depends on how many of the opponent's Pokémon can effectively deal with Bastiodon. It also depends on luck, because eventually they are going to stop switching and you'll end up Raoring in something that can KO you. I think the set I'd use would look like this:

Bastiodon @ Leftovers/Lagging Tail
Roar
Metal Burst
Stealth Rock
Protect

Protect is here to scout for deadly attacks and status moves as well as to lock in Choice item users.
Click to expand...

But as for the moveset that Footnote mentioned, I would probably replace Roar with Substitute. As I said before, against something that doesn't have a fighting or ground move, Bastiodon should be ok. Get in the sub, then you can set up a Stealth Rock or whatever else you want to.
 
Then why is it that Probopass, with almost identical stats and the same typing, it placed at borderline? (I would guess the Magnet Pull ability? But trapping in what?)
 
Probopass can trap Skarmory and use electric moves to destroy it in much the same way that Magneton/Magnezone does. Basically, Probopass actually has attack moves. Bastiodon is like another variation of Wobbuffet.
 
In addition to everything already mentioned, Bastiodon is out classed by Probopass, who has the same (unfortunate) typing but a much more useful trait, a usable Special Attack score, and a movepool that includes Explosion, Thunder Wave, and Magnet Rise.
 
metroidmania said:
Then why is it that Probopass, with almost identical stats and the same typing, it placed at borderline? (I would guess the Magnet Pull ability? But trapping in what?)
Click to expand...

Skarmory, and possibly even Empoleon and Steelix (with Magnet Rise, Earth Power, and Thunderbolt).
 
The funny part is reading the wikipedia article on Bastiodon (I was checking its type), and finding out that yes, Bastiodon IS a great asset to its team.

XD
 
Probopass has a 75 Sp Attack stat, which isn't awful. It also has a decent special movepool to work with (Earth Power, Discharge, Zap Cannon, Thunderbolt, Flash Cannon).

The reason I like Probopass (although I'm sure this is not the reason it's BL) is it makes a decent support Pokémon in Doubles. It has Gravity, and if you get a Nosepass from XD, it can have Helping Hand, too.
 
sarunibi said:
Well with it's defenses, you can send it in against something that doesn't have a fighting or ground move and get in a Stealth Rock. Or give it Focus Sash and Metal Burst against something that does use a fighting or ground move.
Click to expand...
Even that is counterable. If you don't have a spin-blocker, Hitmontop can switch in, spin away the rocks then Close Combat/Mach Punch for the 1-2HKO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top