Amaroq
Cover me.
Swampert
QC: [3/3]
GP: [2/2]
[OVERVIEW]
Swampert has been a strong defensive Pokemon for years, as its defensive stat spread makes it quite durable and its Water / Ground typing provides several useful resistances and an immunity while only having one weakness. Swampert's bulk and typing allow it to check many prominent Pokemon in the UU metagame, such as Mega Aerodactyl, Raikou, Mamoswine, and Krookodile. It also possesses useful utility options like Stealth Rock and Roar, which allow it to make use of the opportunities its bulk creates to support its team. Additionally, 110 / 85 attacking stats, a good movepool, and access to Scald mean defensive sets aren't totally passive. However, Swampert lacks reliable recovery and can be worn down throughout a match, and Grass-types like Celebi and Mega Sceptile resist both of Swampert's STAB moves and can take advantage of its quadruple weakness to their STAB moves.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Scald
move 4: Roar / Toxic / Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
ability: Torrent
nature: Relaxed
evs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock provides entry hazard damage, while Earthquake is a powerful, reliable STAB option. Scald is the secondary STAB move and has a 30% chance to burn, which helps Swampert exert pressure upon many of the tier's physical attackers. Roar lets Swampert phaze opposing Pokemon and accumulate Stealth Rock damage, while Toxic cripples foes like Latias, Hydreigon, Mega Sceptile, and Primarina on the switch and provides more residual damage. Ice Beam prevents Gliscor from setting up and hits Grass-types and the Dragon-types that are immune or resistant to Ground-type attacks, such as Latias, Hydreigon, and Mega Sceptile.
Set Details
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240 HP EVs maximize Leftovers recovery, 252 Defense EVs allow Swampert to take physical attacks as well as possible, and the remaining EVs provide Swampert with a little more special bulk. Leftovers is mandatory because Swampert has no other viable source of recovery. Torrent is the primary ability because Swampert is prone to being worn down throughout a match and can take advantage of this to fire off boosted Scalds. An alternative EV spread of 240 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpD with a Sassy nature lets Swampert take on specially offensive Pokemon like Mega Blastoise, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Starmie more effectively.
Usage Tips
========
Swampert serves as an effective defensive pivot, phazer, and shuffler. Decent mixed attacking stats let it take on Fire-types that try to inflict burn like Entei and Arcanine. Swampert should focus on tanking neutral or resisted physical hits and threatening the opponent's team back and can pivot into dangerous physical attackers like Mega Aerodactyl, Mamoswine, Krookodile, Scizor, and Mega Sharpedo and set up Stealth Rock, force them out with Roar, or strike back with Scald or Earthquake.
Team Options
========
Swampert fits well on bulky offense and balance teams. Offensive teams benefit from the role compression it offers and its ability to check a lot of common threats. In exchange, offensive teams keep the tempo of the match high enough to prevent the opponent from taking advantage of Swampert's lack of reliable recovery to overload it. Balance teams can circumvent Swampert's lack of longevity through Wish and cleric support. Good partners take advantage of Grass-types or benefit from Swampert's set of resistances. Scizor, Mega Beedrill, Mega Pidgeot, Togekiss, Infernape, and Crobat can all pressure Grass-types with their super effective STAB moves, while Dragon-types like Latias, Hydreigon, and Mega Sceptile can all switch in on Grass-type attacks aimed at Swampert and either set up with Calm Mind or fire off powerful STAB attacks. Fast Mega Evolutions like Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill, and Mega Pidgeot can KO or force out most Grass-types and benefit from Swampert's ability to set up Stealth Rock. Alolan Muk makes a good partner because it can switch in on many of the special attackers that trouble Swampert, such as Celebi, Latias, and Mega Sceptile, and either trap them with Pursuit or KO them with a super effective STAB attack. Swampert benefits from Wish and cleric support from Pokemon like Blissey and Sylveon and needs this type of support when used on bulkier teams. Swampert synergizes well with Fairy-types like Sylveon, Klefki, and Togekiss because it resists Fire-, Poison-, and Steel-type attacks, and most Fairy-types are specially bulky, can take on Ground-immune Dragon-types like Latias and Hydreigon, or can provide Swampert with Wish and cleric support. Additionally, Swampert appreciates Steel-type teammates because it resists Fire-type attacks and Steel-types resist Grass-type attacks. Of the Steel-types available in UU, Scizor, in particular, makes a good teammate because its typing synergizes very well with Swampert's and it can provide entry hazard control with Defog. Like Scizor, Forretress possesses a typing that complements Swampert's defensively and has access to utility moves that Swampert benefits from (in this case, Rapid Spin, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes). Swampert is vulnerable to residual damage from Spikes and Toxic Spikes, so Pokemon that can remove hazards from the field through Defog or Rapid Spin, such as the aforementioned Scizor and Forretress, Crobat, Tentacruel, and Togekiss, make good partners. Grounded Poison-types like Nidoqueen and Alolan Muk can absorb Toxic Spikes and thus extend Swampert's longevity. Other Water-types like Empoleon and Tentacruel also complement Swampert well because Swampert can switch in on Electric-type attacks aimed at them. Finally, partners like Raikou, Celebi, Latias, and Toxicroak can set up on the bulky Water-types that wall Swampert.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Protect helps scout and patches up Swampert's lack of reliable recovery to some extent by giving it extra turns of Leftovers recovery. Mirror Coat is a nice surprise for special attackers that think they can break Swampert, while Counter can do the same thing to physical attackers. A Choice Band set can work because Swampert has good offensive typing, an expansive attacking movepool, and solid bulk even without investment, but it's outclassed by common physical attackers, and Swampert's Speed holds it back. Rest + Sleep Talk can give Swampert semi-reliable recovery, but it comes at the cost of Swampert's utility options. Damp can be used to prevent Explosion or Self-Destruct, but few Pokemon besides Azelf run either of those moves and Swampert doesn't match up particularly well against Azelf anyway. Curse sets can be used, but they take a long time to set up and Swampert lacks reliable recovery.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types can switch into Swampert's STAB attacks with impunity and prey upon its quadruple weakness. Celebi, in particular, can force Swampert out and take the opportunity to set up a Nasty Plot. Mega Sceptile can switch into Swampert freely and recover from any damage it takes in the process with Giga Drain or fire off a powerful Leaf Storm or Dragon Pulse. Tsareena can switch in without much risk and remove Swampert's Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin. Decidueye fears Scald burns, but it can set up on Swampert and force it out if it comes in on something other than Scald or avoids the burn.
**Bulky Water-types**: Swampert can't break bulky Water-types, and they can threaten it back with Scald. Many bulky Water-types also have recovery and can wear Swampert down. Mantine is immune to both Earthquake and Scald and can use Defog to remove Stealth Rock and Toxic or a STAB move to wear Swampert down. Suicune can use Rest to heal what little damage it takes from Earthquake and pressure Swampert down with Scald.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types like Latias, Hydreigon, and Mega Sceptile resist Scald and resist or are immune to Earthquake, allowing them to switch into Swampert with little difficulty. Latias takes very little damage even from Ice Beam and can KO Swampert with powerful Draco Meteors. It also has access to Defog to remove Swampert's Stealth Rock. Like Latias, Hydreigon can come in on any of Swampert's STAB moves (although it takes a bit more from Ice Beam than Latias does) and threaten it out with powerful STAB moves. Mega Sceptile also switches into any Swampert without Ice-type coverage with near impunity and forces Swampert out with the threat of its super effective Grass-type STAB moves.
**Toxic and Burn**: Status that causes residual damage and nullifies Swampert's Leftovers recovery allows Swampert to be worn down very quickly.
**Wallbreakers**: Strong wallbreakers that can hit Swampert neutrally, such as Primarina, Starmie, and Hydreigon, can pressure Swampert heavily because it lacks reliable recovery and its defensive stats are good, but not amazing.
**Knock Off**: Swampert depends heavily upon Leftovers to recover HP. Pokemon with access to Knock Off like Krookodile and Weavile can remove Swampert's item and thus drastically reduce its staying power.
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