[OVERVIEW]
Ferrothorn finds its role in doubles as a great, hard-to-take-down pivot that can also take strong resisted moves and recovering the lost HP due to its access to Leech Seed. Its Grass / Steel typing also renders Ferrothorn a huge threat that can also close out games with its high-Base Power moves and proficiency chipping foes with Leech Seed. This is especially useful when Fire- and Fighting-type Pokemon have been eliminated, as Ferrothorn is able to check many common threats in the metagame such as the Tapu group, Steel-types barring Heatran, Psychic-type spam, Tyranitar, and rain teams in general. Its Grass typing also makes it a valuable check against Electric-types, setting it apart from other bulky Steel-types such as Celesteela. Ferrothorn is also handy versus bulky offensive teams, as it absorbs most hits they dish out. Ferrothorn has some offensive presence as well, thanks to a decent base 94 Attack stat and a typing that lets it hit common threats like Tapu Fini, Kyurem-B, Tyranitar, and Tapu Lele super effectively. However, its typing makes it 4x weak to Fire, rendering it almost deadweight when an opposing Fire-type Pokemon is out on field. Ferrothorn's base 20 Speed makes it one of the slowest Pokemon in the tier, which has drawbacks such as draining momentum but also brings good aspects with high Gyro Ball Base Power and high Speed under Trick Room.
[SET]
name: Tanky Pivot
move 1: Gyro Ball
move 2: Power Whip
move 3: Leech Seed
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Iron Barbs
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 76 Atk / 32 Def / 148 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Gyro Ball is the main STAB attack, often boasting high Base Power due to Ferrothorn's low Speed, giving it decent damage output against all fast foes that don't resist Steel. Power Whip is Ferrothorn's secondary STAB move that gets the 2HKO on Pokemon that it should eliminate or hits super effectively like Milotic and Tapu Fini. It's also used to hit Steel-resistant or slow Pokemon like Mega Swampert and Pelipper that don't mind Gyro Ball too much. Leech Seed offers chip damage and sustainability at the same time. Protect is an essential move in doubles for shielding the Pokemon while its partner removes a threat for it, protecting Ferrothorn from potential double targeting, and scouting the foe's sets. It's particularly good on Ferrothorn too because if it manages to hit a foe with Leech Seed, the recovery it provides stacks with Leftovers, resulting in a lot more longevity.
Set Details
========
Giving Ferrothorn 252 HP EVs grants it more health, which pairs well with its already high defenses. The 32 Defense EVs allow it to survive two Double-Edges from 60 Attack Mega Salamence with Leftovers recovery. 76 Attack EVs let it OHKO fast Tapu Lele variants even at -1, and the remaining points are dumped in Special Defense for more general bulk. They also stack recovery with Leech Seed and increase Protect's effectiveness. Iron Barbs is used over Anticipation because it damages foes that make contact and discourages U-turn. It also breaks Focus Sash on Pokemon like Deoxys-A and accumulates chip damage alongside Leech Seed, which is Ferrothorn's main way of handling or checking certain threats. 0 Speed IVs provide Ferrothorn with minimal Speed, boosting the Base Power of Gyro Ball and enabling it to move faster under Trick Room. An Iapapa Berry may be used over Leftovers if instant recovery is valued more than the passive kind, along with the spread of 252 HP / 76 Atk / 104 Def / 76 SpD, which is tailored for the instant recovery to hit the mentioned benchmarks.
Usage Tips
========
In addition to its good pivot potential, Ferrothorn is good at regaining that lost health with Leech Seed, as the opponent is likely to switch out their Pokemon to something that can hit Ferrothorn decently, giving it chip damage and recovery combined with Leftovers. Ferrothorn can also close out games, since its bulk makes it hard to take down without either neutral double targeting or super effective hits, and it can replenish its HP with Leech Seed. This particular aspect highlights its aftorementioned pivoting capacity, as it can go on and off the field to take resisted hits without risking losing too much health. If you manage to take its counters out, it can passively win the battle with chip damage and Protect. Even before late-game, Ferrothorn can use Leech Seed on a predicted switch on a resistant foe to get chip damage and the recovery it provides. It's also good to use Protect with Ferrothorn to get another turn of Leech Seed recovery, but you should beware of losing too much momentum while doing so. However, still remain prudent of losing too much health this way, especially when Ferrothorn is your main check to specific threats on the opposing team, namely rain sweepers like Mega Swampert or powerful offensive Pokemon like Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele, as you want it to remain healthy in order to be able to switch in or take their attacks efficiently.
Team Options
========
Ferrothorn greatly improves a team's matchup against rain teams by resisting Kingdra and Mega Swampert's rain-boosted STAB attacks, which is notable when teambuilding if you are weak to the archetype. Ferrothorn appreciates teammates that can handle the Fire-types it dislikes facing, such as Heatran, Mega Charizard Y, and Volcanion. Checks to these include Landorus-T due to its Speed tier, outspeeding Fire-types when running a Choice Scarf and removing them with Earthquake or Rock Slide, or a Dragon-type that resists Fire, such as Zygarde. Those roles can be performed by Water-types like Tapu Fini, Milotic, Araquanid, and Rotom-W as well, giving Ferrothorn a place in a Fire / Water / Grass core on a team provided you have a Fire-type. Ferrothorn offers its own Fairy-type teammates such as Mega Gardevoir and Tapu Lele a switch-in to Steel-type attacks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Stealth Rock can be used if a team is mostly weak to Mega Charizard Y or to break the Focus Sash of Pokemon such as Deoxys-A. Knock Off is a potential move to add if removing a foe's item is prioritized. An alternative set featuring Curse and Misty Seed, with Tapu Fini as a teammate, as the Special Defense boost increases its bulk is a potential option, helping it take hits better, which can increase Ferrothorn's chances of becoming a late-game cleaner after Fire-types or strong special attackers have been dealt with because it can be too bulky for the rest of their team to take down. Note that this is a bit harder to pull off, and Curse usually takes a valuable moveslot, making it somewhat niche. Chople Berry may be used to unexpectedly survive a Fighting-type attack such as Tapu Lele's Focus Blast and dish damage back or just set Leech Seed to cripple the foe. Thunder Wave isn't traditionally the best fourth move, but it can be considered as well for speed control, as it's unexpected and can cripple a fast threat. However, it weakens Ferrothorn's own Gyro Ball and can be prevented by an opposing Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Ferrothorn doesn't really have much in its set to deal with Fire-types, such as Heatran, Mega Charizard Y, Volcarona, and Volcanion, as they OHKO it with their STAB moves. Fire-types can also drain momentum, as they almost always force a switch unless Ferrothorn's partner can check them.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types like Scrafty or Fighting-type coverage moves, such as Landorus-T and Deoxys-A's Superpower, can cause heavy damage to Ferrothorn, even if they are rare to come by.
**Steel-types**: Aside from using Leech Seed, Ferrothorn doesn't dent most Steel-types such as Mega Metagross and Celesteela, which can even carry Flamethrower to beat Ferrothorn.
**Substitute**: Substitute, generally used by faster Pokemon, blocks Leech Seed; this stops Ferrothorn from regaining HP. Pokemon that resist both of Ferrothorn's STAB moves, such as Aegislash and Celesteela, are key threats to it.
**Intimidate** Intimidate from Salamence and Landorus-T cuts Ferrothorn's Attack, meaning it loses its offensive presence and can only chip down foes with Leech Seed.
-----------------
[OVERVIEW]
Name: Utility
Move 1: Gyro Ball
Move 2: Power Whip
Move 3: Leech Seed
Move 4: Protect
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
Nature: Relaxed
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Atk / 32 Def / 148 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
Usage Tips
Team Options
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
Checks and Counters
Fire types Ferrothron doesnt really have much in his set to deal with fire types such as Heatran, Charizard-Y, Volcarona, Volcanion and they mostly OHKO it with stab moves. Can also be a momentum drainer if a fire type is switched in against it, as a switch becomes rather needed unless the partner is able to do something about it
Fighting types or moves can cause heavily damage to Ferrothorn, namely Terrakion, Scrafty who have STAB Fighting type moves or Superpower Landorus and Deoxys-A.
Steel types Mostly because they wall Ferrothorn from using pretty much all its moves except leech seed, such as Metagross-Mega and Aegislash
Substitute Considering it blocks seeds and the opponent is generally faster, meaning they can set it up quick, it blocks Ferrothron's main move and source of sustain. This is even worst when the pokemon that subbed resists both Stabs like Aegislash, Celesteela
Intimidate cuts Ferrothorn's attack, making it not do much on the field aside from sapping HP at each turns end. Notable examples would be Salamence, Landorus, Scrafty
===================
- Ferrothorn has high defensive stats with a typing that allows it to have few weaknesses, making it a great defensive backbone for most teams.
- Steel/Grass typing allow it to act as a check to many common threats in the meta, such as the tapus, Steel types barring heatran, psychic spam, rain teams in general.
- It's ability Iron Barbs also punishes physical attackers that target it, especially on a resisted hit or a switch in.
- Still does great offensively thanks to a decent base 94 attack stat and typing that hits common types like fairy, water in the meta. Gyro Ball gains power from its low speed stat and Power whip's base 120 damage give Ferrothorn another reliable attack as well
- Ferrothorn has access to leech seed which can wither down oppoenents slowly healing Ferrothorn at the same time and stacking up with leftovers while abusing protect. Leech seed also allows it to become a potential win condition after it's checks have been taken out in the late game.
- However it's typing makes it x4 weak to fire, rendering it almost dead weight when an opposing fire pokemon is out on field, which is harmful since you are pretty much forced to switch it out. fire is a very common type in the tier, with the presence of Heatran and Charizard-Mega-Y/sun teams.
- It's reliance on leech seed makes can also vulnerable to becoming a momentum drainer in many situations where it isn't in a position to do much to either of the opponent's pokemon on the feild, which can lead to them potentially taking a substitute or a free attack/set up
- Ferrothorn 's base 20 speed makes it one of the slowest pokemon in the tier, which should be kept in mind
- It also is generally used as a pivot to better take Water and Psychic-type moves, leaving it somewhat easily whittled over time. However the recovery from leftovers and leech seed slightly helps alleviate this problem
Name: Utility
Move 1: Gyro Ball
Move 2: Power Whip
Move 3: Leech Seed
Move 4: Protect
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
Nature: Relaxed
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Atk / 32 Def / 148 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
- Gyro Ball is more used, as it's often highly boosted in power due to the slowness of ferrothorn, giving it decent damage against all fast foes that don't resist Steel
- Power Whip is Ferrothorn's second stab move. Power Whip gets the 2HKO on pokemon that it should or hits super effectively like Milotic, Tapu Fini
- Leech seed is the move you will find yourself clicking the most, as Ferrothorn is better off with sustain rather than attacking, and benefits from the sapped HP a lot more since it's job is to check pokemon while chip damaging them.
- Protect is an essential move in doubles for many reasons, like shielding the pokemon while its partner removes a threat for it, blocking a potential double target on it and could also be used to scout what the opponent uses. It's particularly good on Ferrothorn too because if you manage to set seeds, the recovery it provides stacks with leftovers gives Ferrothorn a lot more longevity.
Set Details
- 252 HP gives Ferrothorn more health as its defenses are already high.
- Survives 2 60 Atk Salamence-Mega double edges with leftovers recovery
- 76 Atk are used to OHKO fast Tapu lele variants even after an intimidate
- Rest is a dump in SpD. Leftovers allows it to hit many important benchmarks, and was used to make the EVs mentioned earlier. The passive recovery stacks with leech seed, and makes Protect better.
- Iron Barbs is the ability of choice because combined with Ferrothorn's bulk it punishes resisted or weak contact physical attacks that Ferrothorn switches in to, can break the occasional focus sash like on a deoxys-A superpower and generally discourages u-turns. It also helps inflict chip damage, alongside leech seed, which is often Ferrothorn's way of handling or checking certain threats.
Usage Tips
- Ferrothorn is generally added to the team when it is lacking a solid defensive backbone. It's typing gives the squad many useful resistances, and thus a switch in to many threats.
- Ferrothorn can also be a late game win condition, since it's bulk makes it hard to take down without either neutral double targetting, or super effective hits, and it can replenish with seeds. Therefore if you manage to take its counters out, it can passively win the battle with chip damage and Protect.
- Even when it isnt late game, Ferrothorn can still click Leech Seed on a predicted switch on a resistant foe to get chip damage and the recovery it provides. It's also good to protect on ferrothorn to get that recovery even if it isnt late game yet but beware of losing too much momentum while doing so.
- Ferrothorn is somewhat of the team's defensive backbone, usually, so dont be afraid of switching it in on strong moves like a psycho boost to protect its teammates. However, still remain prudent of losing too much health this way, so that Ferrothorn can continue sponging hits for the team, bringing us back to how important gaining recovery is.
Team Options
- Ferrothron appreciates teammates that can handle the fire types it dislikes facing, such as Heatran, Charizard-Mega-Y, Volcanion. Those include Landorus-T for its ability to generally outspeed with scarf and either rockslide/Earthquake threats away, or a dragon type that resists fire, such as earth power hydreigon. Those roles can be performed by Water types as well, like Tapu Fini, Milotic, Araquanid, Rotom-Wash etc
- Ferrothorn also improves a team's match up vs rain comps by resisting Kingdra and Ludicolo's STAB attacks which is notable when teambuilding if you are rain weak.
- In general Ferrothorn appreciates Fire and Water type teammates as well, which is the Fire/Water/Grass core's essence, since the three types synergize fantastically both offensively and defensively.
- Ferrothorn also helps out Dragon type teammates by threatening fairies on the feild to be generally ohkoed (tapu lele, tapu fini, sylveon..) and offers its own fairy teammates a switch in from steel types while appreciating the fact that they cover its fighting weakness
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
- The rare Stealth Rock variant can be used when a team is mostly Charizard weak, or to disable sashes like deoxys-a.
- Knock off is a potential move to add if knocking off the opponent's item is prioritized.
- An alternative set featuring Curse and Misty Seed (accounting that you have Tapu Fini as teammate) as the SpDef boost increases its bulk on both physical and special sides, helping it take hits better, which can increase Ferrothorn's chances of becoming a late game win condition for example, after fire types or strong special attackers have been dealt with, leaving it too bulky for the rest of their team to take down. Note that this is a bit harder to pull off tho, and curse usually takes a valuable move slot making it somewhat niche
- Item wise, Chople Berry may be used to unexpectedly live a hit and dish damage back or just set seeds to cripple the opponent.
- Thunderwave can be considered as well for speed control, as its unexpected and can cripple a fast threat. It does not work well with Gyro Ball though
Checks and Counters
Fire types Ferrothron doesnt really have much in his set to deal with fire types such as Heatran, Charizard-Y, Volcarona, Volcanion and they mostly OHKO it with stab moves. Can also be a momentum drainer if a fire type is switched in against it, as a switch becomes rather needed unless the partner is able to do something about it
Fighting types or moves can cause heavily damage to Ferrothorn, namely Terrakion, Scrafty who have STAB Fighting type moves or Superpower Landorus and Deoxys-A.
Steel types Mostly because they wall Ferrothorn from using pretty much all its moves except leech seed, such as Metagross-Mega and Aegislash
Substitute Considering it blocks seeds and the opponent is generally faster, meaning they can set it up quick, it blocks Ferrothron's main move and source of sustain. This is even worst when the pokemon that subbed resists both Stabs like Aegislash, Celesteela
Intimidate cuts Ferrothorn's attack, making it not do much on the field aside from sapping HP at each turns end. Notable examples would be Salamence, Landorus, Scrafty
===================
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