[OVERVIEW]
Normal
========
* Bewear's niche on Normal teams resides on its mix of power, coverage and bulk as a wallbreaker, coupled with the ability Fluffy, which allows it to take halved damage from contact attacks.
* It also has valuable and incredibly powerful Fighting-type STAB when equipped with a Choice Band, moreso than Mega Lopunny, turning it into one of the best assets Normal has to overcome the troublesome Rock and Steel matchups.
* Bewear's typing is extremely good offensively; Normal/Fighting has perfect neutral coverage outside of Ghost-types, most of them which it can hit hard with Shadow Claw.
* Unfortunately, no reliable recovery options reduces its effectiveness as a physical sponge.
* Furthermore, Bewear's typing isn't good defensively either; Normal/Fighting suffers from Psychic, Flying, Fairy and Fighting weaknesses, plus the Fire one from Fluffy's drawback, which are all rampant offensive types in the metagame.
* While Bewear has more than enough physical bulk in tandem with Fluffy to alleviate most contact hits, its special bulk is rather lacking; that leaves it very vulnerable to special attackers.
* Even though it is viable on its own right, Bewear faces huge competition from Diggersby as a wallbreaker; in trade for the bulk, the latter hits harder, is faster, and has better coverage options overall.
* It also has low speed, meaning it has to take a hit from faster offensive threats such as Terrakion, Bisharp and Greninja to be able to retaliate back.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker (Normal)
move 1: Hammer Arm
move 2: Return
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Shadow Claw / Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Fluffy
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Hammer Arm is Bewear's best option for a Fighting-type STAB. It is able to hit bulky Ice-, Normal-, Rock-, Steel- and Dark- types such as Avalugg, Chansey, Tyranitar, Skarmory and Mandibuzz hard, the latter two due to its speed drop.
* Return is Bewear's most spammable STAB, being able to dish hard amounts of damage to anything that doesn't resist it, such as Seismitoad and Mega Venusaur.
* Earthquake adds, albeit redundant, additional coverage, being Bewear's best way to hit Mega-Sableye and Torkoal, as well as Toxapex without contact.
* Shadow Claw, while weak, rounds out Bewear's coverage, by adding a way to damage Ghost-types, such as Mimikyu and Jellicent, for supereffective damage.
* Ice Punch is a good coverage move in general that nets OHKOes versus proeminent threats such as Landorus-Therian, Salamence and Dragonite.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Attack investment with an Adamant nature makes Bewear hit as hard as possible.
* Maximum Speed investment lets Bewear outspeed most walls such as Mega Venusaur, allowing it to tear through them. It also allows Bewear to outpace some offensive threats such as Belly Drum Azumarill.
* Fluffy hands Bewear its niche as a bulkier wallbreaker, being able to tank weaker and resisted physical hits with ease, extending switch-in opportunities.
* Choice Band heightens Bewear's power to the limits, handing many 2HKOes and OHKOes it wouldn't normally get, turning it into a full-fledged wallbreaker.
Usage Tips
========
* As this Bewear set plays as a wallbreaker, it's fundamental to bring it early-game to soften down the opposing team with its high-powered, mostly unresisted STABs.
* If there's Ghost-types on the opposing side, try to eliminate them with teammates such as Porygon-Z or Meloetta first, or predict with either Shadow Claw or a coverage move, given Bewear hates being locked into anything other than its STABs.
* Bewear's ability, Fluffy, makes it easier to be brought into the field than Diggersby and Mega Lopunny, since it can take most physical contact hits better, such as Jirachi's Iron Head and Alolan Muk's Poison Jab. It also lets it beat most threats to Normal teams in an one-vs-one scenario, such as Terrakion, Bisharp, Ferrothorn and Weavile, at full health. Be aware, though, that it gains an additional Fire weakness.
* Even though it has good 120/80/60 bulk and Fluffy to alleviate damage from most physical hits as a wallbreaker, Bewear still struggles to take strong non-contact physical hits and special hits alike, such as Mamoswine's Icicle Crash, Excadrill's Earthquake and Keldeo's Scald, so it's generally better to be brought in unscathed, with U-Turn from Staraptor and Mega Pidgeot or double switching.
* Avoid status aliments such as Toxic, Paralysis and Burn, since they can cripple Bewear's job harshly by racking down its health, halving its already subpar Speed or making its excellent attack stat useless, respectively.
Team Options
========
* Specially oriented wallbreakers such as Meloetta and Mega Pidgeot are usually its best teammates. Bewear's power to wreck down most mixed and special walls such as Chansey, Tyranitar and Zapdos is much appreciated for said Pokémons, while Meloetta and Mega Pidgeot can break through most physical walls that threaten Bewear, such as Mega Sableye, Mega Slowbro and Hippowdon.
* Together, the defensive core of Chansey + Porygon2 is a great backup for Bewear by switching into special and physical hits, respectively, when Bewear tends to be locked into a bad move. It also offers Bewear support in the form of Stealth Rock, Toxic and Thunder Wave, for it to get key OHKOes and 2HKOes it wouldn't normally get, such as the OHKO on Avalugg and the 2HKO on Hippowdon, and outspeed threats it wouldn't outspeed, like Bisharp and Meloetta, respectively.
* Staraptor is an excellent partner for Bewear. Defensive sets helps Bewear to be brought in safely with its slow momentum, removes hazards to preserve Bewear's health and synergizes well defensively by providing a Fighting-type neutrality altogether with a Ground immunity; in return, Bewear resists Rock-type moves thrown at it. Choice Scarf Staraptor also appreciates Bewear's power to weaken down or outright kill threathening walls that block it, such as Porygon2, Skarmory and Celesteela, paving the way for Staraptor to clean the opposing team.
* Porygon-Z pairs extremely well with Bewear; it appreciates Bewear's ability to break down most special walls in the metagame such as Chansey, Tyranitar and Ferrothorn early-game with its high-powered STABs, easing Porygon-Z's way to sweep with Z-Conversion. Porygon-Z also aids against Psychic-, Ghost-, Flying- and Fighting- type Pokémon that Bewear struggles to beat, with a Ghost typing, STAB Shadow Ball after converting and BoltBeam coverage.
* Mega Lopunny, albeit having redundant coverage and same typing, appreciates Bewear's sheer power to break through physical walls such as Skarmory, Toxapex and Mega Venusaur. Mega Lopunny can also beat Mega Sableye, Ghost-types and faster offensive Pokémon for Bewear, such as Tapu Koko and Mimikyu.
* Ditto checks set-up sweepers that can abuse Bewear's locked move such as Salamence, Porygon-Z and Mega Scizor. It also offers a good form of speed control with a Choice Scarf for the team.
* On more offensive teams, Smeargle acts as another good partner for Bewear with its access to both Stealth Rock and Sticky Web, which allows Bewear to net more kills and outspeed more threats. Smeargle also has access to Spore and Nuzzle to cripple a threat from the opposing team.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Normal
--------
* A Substitute + Bulk Up set can be used as a win condition on more defensive Normal teams; however, it faces competition for the slot with the premier Porygon-Z, that takes less turns to get going, is more powerful right off the bat and gets more coverage options such as Shadow Ball and BoltBeam.
* Likewise, Swords Dance + 3 Attacks with Fightinium-Z is an alternative option on hyper offensive teams that use Sticky Web from Smeargle; however, the set is often outclassed by Diggersby, which has better speed, a more reliable STAB on Earthquake and priority on the form of Quick Attack to pick weakened targets.
* Superpower may seem appealing as a STAB due to its higher base power, but it ceases Bewear's main point of usage: its bulk. It also can't beat Skarmory, Mandibuzz and Staraptor, while allowing Mega Scizor to set-up due to the Attack and Defense drops.
Checks and Counters
===================
Normal
--------
**Mega Slowbro**: Mega Slowbro usually avoids the 2HKO from everything Bewear throws at it, besides the very small chance the subpar Double-Edge has to do such thing after Stealth Rock, and can proceed to burn it with Scald or just outright use Bewear as setup fodder.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye cannot be 2HKOed by any of Bewear's moves, even with a Choice Band, and can proceed to either Knock Off its Choice Band, half its Attack with Will-o-Wisp or just outright Recover on it.
**Powerful Fighting-types**: Fighting-types that can hit hard in the physical side and use special attacks, such as Choice Band Terrakion and Choice Specs Keldeo, can bypass even Fluffy's increase in bulk and take Bewear out easily.
**Super Effective Coverage**: Although most of them fear taking a Choice Banded Double-Edge or Return, Psychic-, Flying- and Fairy-types can easily dispatch Bewear with their STAB super-effective moves, such as Mew's Psychic, Togekiss's Air Slash and Mega Gardevoir's Hyper Voice.
**Fire-types**: Due to Fluffy's drawback, Bewear is technically weak against Fire. Although few would like to take an Earthquake or Return, Fire-types such as Victini and Mega Charizard Y can easily take Bewear out with their STAB moves.
**Bulky Ghost-types**: Bewear can't hit Ghost-types with its STABs, leaving only the weak Shadow Claw as a mean of reliable damage against them. Bulky Ghost-types such as Gourgeist-XL, Cofagrigus can, however, avoid the 2HKO from Shadow Claw and wall Bewear to no end or cripple it with Will-O-Wisp or Leech Seed.
**Revenge Killers**: Due to Bewear's low speed, faster Pokémons such as Greninja, Terrakion and Staraptor can proceed to kill it after prior damage.
Normal
========
* Bewear's niche on Normal teams resides on its mix of power, coverage and bulk as a wallbreaker, coupled with the ability Fluffy, which allows it to take halved damage from contact attacks.
* It also has valuable and incredibly powerful Fighting-type STAB when equipped with a Choice Band, moreso than Mega Lopunny, turning it into one of the best assets Normal has to overcome the troublesome Rock and Steel matchups.
* Bewear's typing is extremely good offensively; Normal/Fighting has perfect neutral coverage outside of Ghost-types, most of them which it can hit hard with Shadow Claw.
* Unfortunately, no reliable recovery options reduces its effectiveness as a physical sponge.
* Furthermore, Bewear's typing isn't good defensively either; Normal/Fighting suffers from Psychic, Flying, Fairy and Fighting weaknesses, plus the Fire one from Fluffy's drawback, which are all rampant offensive types in the metagame.
* While Bewear has more than enough physical bulk in tandem with Fluffy to alleviate most contact hits, its special bulk is rather lacking; that leaves it very vulnerable to special attackers.
* Even though it is viable on its own right, Bewear faces huge competition from Diggersby as a wallbreaker; in trade for the bulk, the latter hits harder, is faster, and has better coverage options overall.
* It also has low speed, meaning it has to take a hit from faster offensive threats such as Terrakion, Bisharp and Greninja to be able to retaliate back.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker (Normal)
move 1: Hammer Arm
move 2: Return
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Shadow Claw / Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Fluffy
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Hammer Arm is Bewear's best option for a Fighting-type STAB. It is able to hit bulky Ice-, Normal-, Rock-, Steel- and Dark- types such as Avalugg, Chansey, Tyranitar, Skarmory and Mandibuzz hard, the latter two due to its speed drop.
* Return is Bewear's most spammable STAB, being able to dish hard amounts of damage to anything that doesn't resist it, such as Seismitoad and Mega Venusaur.
* Earthquake adds, albeit redundant, additional coverage, being Bewear's best way to hit Mega-Sableye and Torkoal, as well as Toxapex without contact.
* Shadow Claw, while weak, rounds out Bewear's coverage, by adding a way to damage Ghost-types, such as Mimikyu and Jellicent, for supereffective damage.
* Ice Punch is a good coverage move in general that nets OHKOes versus proeminent threats such as Landorus-Therian, Salamence and Dragonite.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Attack investment with an Adamant nature makes Bewear hit as hard as possible.
* Maximum Speed investment lets Bewear outspeed most walls such as Mega Venusaur, allowing it to tear through them. It also allows Bewear to outpace some offensive threats such as Belly Drum Azumarill.
* Fluffy hands Bewear its niche as a bulkier wallbreaker, being able to tank weaker and resisted physical hits with ease, extending switch-in opportunities.
* Choice Band heightens Bewear's power to the limits, handing many 2HKOes and OHKOes it wouldn't normally get, turning it into a full-fledged wallbreaker.
Usage Tips
========
* As this Bewear set plays as a wallbreaker, it's fundamental to bring it early-game to soften down the opposing team with its high-powered, mostly unresisted STABs.
* If there's Ghost-types on the opposing side, try to eliminate them with teammates such as Porygon-Z or Meloetta first, or predict with either Shadow Claw or a coverage move, given Bewear hates being locked into anything other than its STABs.
* Bewear's ability, Fluffy, makes it easier to be brought into the field than Diggersby and Mega Lopunny, since it can take most physical contact hits better, such as Jirachi's Iron Head and Alolan Muk's Poison Jab. It also lets it beat most threats to Normal teams in an one-vs-one scenario, such as Terrakion, Bisharp, Ferrothorn and Weavile, at full health. Be aware, though, that it gains an additional Fire weakness.
* Even though it has good 120/80/60 bulk and Fluffy to alleviate damage from most physical hits as a wallbreaker, Bewear still struggles to take strong non-contact physical hits and special hits alike, such as Mamoswine's Icicle Crash, Excadrill's Earthquake and Keldeo's Scald, so it's generally better to be brought in unscathed, with U-Turn from Staraptor and Mega Pidgeot or double switching.
* Avoid status aliments such as Toxic, Paralysis and Burn, since they can cripple Bewear's job harshly by racking down its health, halving its already subpar Speed or making its excellent attack stat useless, respectively.
Team Options
========
* Specially oriented wallbreakers such as Meloetta and Mega Pidgeot are usually its best teammates. Bewear's power to wreck down most mixed and special walls such as Chansey, Tyranitar and Zapdos is much appreciated for said Pokémons, while Meloetta and Mega Pidgeot can break through most physical walls that threaten Bewear, such as Mega Sableye, Mega Slowbro and Hippowdon.
* Together, the defensive core of Chansey + Porygon2 is a great backup for Bewear by switching into special and physical hits, respectively, when Bewear tends to be locked into a bad move. It also offers Bewear support in the form of Stealth Rock, Toxic and Thunder Wave, for it to get key OHKOes and 2HKOes it wouldn't normally get, such as the OHKO on Avalugg and the 2HKO on Hippowdon, and outspeed threats it wouldn't outspeed, like Bisharp and Meloetta, respectively.
* Staraptor is an excellent partner for Bewear. Defensive sets helps Bewear to be brought in safely with its slow momentum, removes hazards to preserve Bewear's health and synergizes well defensively by providing a Fighting-type neutrality altogether with a Ground immunity; in return, Bewear resists Rock-type moves thrown at it. Choice Scarf Staraptor also appreciates Bewear's power to weaken down or outright kill threathening walls that block it, such as Porygon2, Skarmory and Celesteela, paving the way for Staraptor to clean the opposing team.
* Porygon-Z pairs extremely well with Bewear; it appreciates Bewear's ability to break down most special walls in the metagame such as Chansey, Tyranitar and Ferrothorn early-game with its high-powered STABs, easing Porygon-Z's way to sweep with Z-Conversion. Porygon-Z also aids against Psychic-, Ghost-, Flying- and Fighting- type Pokémon that Bewear struggles to beat, with a Ghost typing, STAB Shadow Ball after converting and BoltBeam coverage.
* Mega Lopunny, albeit having redundant coverage and same typing, appreciates Bewear's sheer power to break through physical walls such as Skarmory, Toxapex and Mega Venusaur. Mega Lopunny can also beat Mega Sableye, Ghost-types and faster offensive Pokémon for Bewear, such as Tapu Koko and Mimikyu.
* Ditto checks set-up sweepers that can abuse Bewear's locked move such as Salamence, Porygon-Z and Mega Scizor. It also offers a good form of speed control with a Choice Scarf for the team.
* On more offensive teams, Smeargle acts as another good partner for Bewear with its access to both Stealth Rock and Sticky Web, which allows Bewear to net more kills and outspeed more threats. Smeargle also has access to Spore and Nuzzle to cripple a threat from the opposing team.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Normal
--------
* A Substitute + Bulk Up set can be used as a win condition on more defensive Normal teams; however, it faces competition for the slot with the premier Porygon-Z, that takes less turns to get going, is more powerful right off the bat and gets more coverage options such as Shadow Ball and BoltBeam.
* Likewise, Swords Dance + 3 Attacks with Fightinium-Z is an alternative option on hyper offensive teams that use Sticky Web from Smeargle; however, the set is often outclassed by Diggersby, which has better speed, a more reliable STAB on Earthquake and priority on the form of Quick Attack to pick weakened targets.
* Superpower may seem appealing as a STAB due to its higher base power, but it ceases Bewear's main point of usage: its bulk. It also can't beat Skarmory, Mandibuzz and Staraptor, while allowing Mega Scizor to set-up due to the Attack and Defense drops.
Checks and Counters
===================
Normal
--------
**Mega Slowbro**: Mega Slowbro usually avoids the 2HKO from everything Bewear throws at it, besides the very small chance the subpar Double-Edge has to do such thing after Stealth Rock, and can proceed to burn it with Scald or just outright use Bewear as setup fodder.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye cannot be 2HKOed by any of Bewear's moves, even with a Choice Band, and can proceed to either Knock Off its Choice Band, half its Attack with Will-o-Wisp or just outright Recover on it.
**Powerful Fighting-types**: Fighting-types that can hit hard in the physical side and use special attacks, such as Choice Band Terrakion and Choice Specs Keldeo, can bypass even Fluffy's increase in bulk and take Bewear out easily.
**Super Effective Coverage**: Although most of them fear taking a Choice Banded Double-Edge or Return, Psychic-, Flying- and Fairy-types can easily dispatch Bewear with their STAB super-effective moves, such as Mew's Psychic, Togekiss's Air Slash and Mega Gardevoir's Hyper Voice.
**Fire-types**: Due to Fluffy's drawback, Bewear is technically weak against Fire. Although few would like to take an Earthquake or Return, Fire-types such as Victini and Mega Charizard Y can easily take Bewear out with their STAB moves.
**Bulky Ghost-types**: Bewear can't hit Ghost-types with its STABs, leaving only the weak Shadow Claw as a mean of reliable damage against them. Bulky Ghost-types such as Gourgeist-XL, Cofagrigus can, however, avoid the 2HKO from Shadow Claw and wall Bewear to no end or cripple it with Will-O-Wisp or Leech Seed.
**Revenge Killers**: Due to Bewear's low speed, faster Pokémons such as Greninja, Terrakion and Staraptor can proceed to kill it after prior damage.
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