Community POTW #013

[Serebii]

Time for the next one, and we have another common VGC Pokémon

It's Gastrodon! It's a really bulky Pokémon and can be a real pain

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/423.shtml

Go nuts

 

[ampfire101]

Sweet! Okay I've actually had some use with Gastrodon in VGC, I used it to win a premiers competition in Ashtabula, OH at the beginning of the season with a team of Salmence, Celesteela, Gastrodon, Porygon2, Arcanine, and Tapu Bulu. Gastrodon's use has diminished over the season however as people are finding more answers to it (I realized this at my next premiers tournament in Green, OH where I played Ashton Cox and got whooped by Power Whip AV Goodra…), but Gastrodon still has its uses. The set I used was

Gastrodon
-Toxic
-Stockpile
-Recover
-Scald
Ability: Storm Drain
Item: Normalium Z
Nature: Relaxed
EVs: 252 HP, 116 Def, 140 SpD
IVs: 0 Atk, 0 Spe
So the basic idea behind this set was to have a Trick Room counter since my Porygon2 didn't have it, and for Gastrodon and Porygon2 to work as Toxic stallers. The set is pretty simple, minimum attack and speed, max HP and even defenses with SpD being one point higher so opposing Porygon2 wouldn't get the SpA Download boost. I had seen Z-Stockpile used in London Internationals and wanted to give it a try so I gave it the Normalium Z, plus Stockpile helped its defenses from their meager 116 Defense and 117 Special Defense. Scald is in case I get taunted and that burn chance is pretty nice, Recover is to heal off any lost health, and Toxic is to whittle opponents down. Nowadays I know Gastrodon is used much differently, mostly being seen along Electric types and such and as a water option for standard teams. Now Tapu Fini has taken the rise as the choice Water type for most teams, but don't count out Gastrodon! Gastrodon was used a lot more two years ago when it had access to Earth Power to act as a nice option on Trick Room teams, and I think I remember the senior champ in Dallas regionals winning by trying to revive this with Groundium Z Gastrodon with Mud Bomb if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Mestorn]

Gutting Gastrodon

Gastrodon is an amazing bulky water pokémon that shuts down a myriad of threats. Most water types, and any electric type lacking HP Grass/Energy Ball find Gastrodon to be an insurmountable wall. Everything else though... can give Gastrodon serious problems.

Obviously, anything with a grass move has a quick ticket to OHKO the sea slug, as the quad weakness is too crippling. This + Grassnium Z means that Gastrodon can no longer comfortably wall Fire types the way it used to. Most fully evolved Fire types have Solar Beam, so that plus Grassnium Z means a surprise Bloom Doom for Gastrodon, though most fire types cannot come in safely. As expected many Grass types are Gastrodon's kryptonite, resisting both of its stabs and able to OHKO it with ease, though the ability to survive an Ice Beam on the switch in is a must to be a true counter (i.e. Mega Venasaur, Ferrothorn, Tangrowth, etc.). Additionally, Gastrodon's lackluster Physical defense leaves it vulnerable to most physical sweepers: Salamence, Dragonite, Azumarill, Garchomp, Medicham, Absol, Conkeldurr, etc. All of these can either punch through Gastrodon, or boost up and muscle through its defenses. Gastrodon's special defense, while significantly better, does not exactly make Gastrodon proof against the stronger special attackers like Latias, Hydreigon, Chandelure, etc. who can quickly 1-3HKO the offending slug. Gastrodon's slow speed does it no favors outside of trick room, as it must take a hit before doing anything.

As with any tank, Toxic and Taunt. Taunt is down right crippling, preventing Gastrodon from recovering, buffing and/or debuffing. Toxic is horrific to Gastrodon as well, ruining its tanking ability lest it carries Rest (and since it has access to recover, that is almost certainly no).

As most Gastrodons carry Storm Drain, their own ability can be used against them. (Mega) Alakazam, Gardevoir and Porygon 2 can Trace Storm Drain to buff their SATK, and quickly OHKO with a boosted STAB move/Energy Ball (or stall it out in the case of Porygon 2). Skill Swap, though niche, can be used to similar effect.

 

[greenspiny]

Gastrodon is flexible tank known for its anti-rain capabilities. It packs 6 resistances / immunities and just 1 weakness, and is unaffected by the Water and Electric attacks of Drizzle teams. With access to a decent STAB combo and Recover, it can be a real pain for opponents during a match.

However, Gastrodon's bulk is only "good", and it can be 2HKO'd by strong unresisted attacks. Toxic and any Grass move will also cripple Gastrodon.

Gastrodon - Leftovers
Sassy Nature - Storm Drain
252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Sp.D
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Recover

Walls many special attackers. Scald is your main STAB option, scaring physical attackers and potentially boosted by Storm Drain. Toxic cripples enemies including grass types who would like to switch in on Gastrodon, and Earthquake covers the poison and steel types immune to it. Scald + Earthquake gives mixed coverage.

Grass types immune to Toxic like Ferrothorn, Amoongus, and Venusaur counter this set, especially the latter two as they don't mind burn. Strong physical attackers and Magic Guard users are also troublesome.

 

[Aduro]

One of the really nice things about Gastrodon is that it works so well in Sand Teams. It provides protection for rock and ground types with storm drain. Or you can bluff storm drain and hit hard with sand force (although you'll usually want storm drain, especially since gastrodon likes to run scald and fully defensive EVs than earth power).

In terms of speed, its pretty nice for trick room, at minimum speed relaxed nature it is slower than a torkoal with a modest nature, 31 IVs and no speed investment. And it can be slower than Golisopod, Araquanid, Vikavolt and Guzzlord at min speed.

 

[Karxrida]

I dunno about Doubles, but in Singles Gastrodon doesn't really add anything to Sand; Sand is offensive while Gastro is a momentum sap. Also, Storm Drain is the cornerstone of Gastrodon's niche, why would you replace it with Sand Force? It's too slow and lacks the power to abuse it anyway. Not even OO material.

Not really a Doubles guy but Gastrodon's power issues make me question its usefulness on TR.

 

[Aduro]

I dunno about Doubles, but in Singles Gastrodon doesn't really add anything to Sand; Sand is offensive while Gastro is a momentum sap. Also, Storm Drain is the cornerstone of Gastrodon's niche, why would you replace it with Sand Force? It's too slow and lacks the power to abuse it anyway. Not even OO material.

Not really a Doubles guy but Gastrodon's power issues make me question its usefulness on TR.

I meant in doubles sand teams. And Sand Force isn't an option I'd really reccoment much, but if you have gastrodon in the front the other guy isn't going to user waterfall anyway so it might be worth a try.
The upside of trick room gastrodon is that it can get recovers off more quickly to prevent 2HKOs, and hopefully give your other mon time to kill whatever is trying to grass knot it.

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

I think Muddy Water is a pretty solid option in doubles, hitting both opponents at once without hitting your teammate. It's better than Surf that way and pretty much nothing likes having its accuracy reduced.

 

[BlazingRagnarok]

I think Muddy Water is a pretty solid option in doubles, hitting both opponents at once without hitting your teammate. It's better than Surf that way and pretty much nothing likes having its accuracy reduced.

Sure, if you don't mind using a move with the accuracy of Fire Blast. Goodra, at least, can use it for lack of better options, but Gastrodon is different. Counting the spread-move damage drop, scald deals more to a single target. Since Gastrodon usually accompanies water-weak partners, surf isn't really an option, but muddy water definitely puts things in the hands of the RNG.

 

[Aduro]

Sure, if you don't mind using a move with the accuracy of Fire Blast. Goodra, at least, can use it for lack of better options, but Gastrodon is different. Counting the spread-move damage drop, scald deals more to a single target. Since Gastrodon usually accompanies water-weak partners, surf isn't really an option, but muddy water definitely puts things in the hands of the RNG.

Scald isnt really about doing damage on defensive sets. In most sets Gastrodon has little to no special attack investment and can't even OHKO Darmanitan with no defense investment. Scald really just there so it can try and get burns and do something if the other guy has taunt.

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

Scald isnt really about doing damage on defensive sets. In most sets Gastrodon has little to no special attack investment and can't even OHKO Darmanitan with no defense investment. Scald really just there so it can try and get burns and do something if the other guy has taunt.

This basically. Fishing for a burn damage, which is a 30% probability and only useful on physical attackers, is also relying on luck. At least the accuracy drop can hit both targets and hurts both special and physical attackers, even though it only lasts until they switch. But on the upside it also works on those that are already afflicted with status. My opinion, if you're relying on a 30% probability to cripple a single target, you might as well go with Fissure instead, which is more crippling if it hits than a burn. And you can boost up Fissure effectiveness with a Zoom Lens to get 36% accuracy.

 

[Aduro]

. My opinion, if you're relying on a 30% probability to cripple a single target, you might as well go with Fissure instead, which is more crippling if it hits than a burn. And you can boost up Fissure effectiveness with a Zoom Lens to get 36% accuracy.

Wide Lens in the one that increases accuracy. And accuracy and evasion changes don't effect OHKO moves (except No Guard, mind reader and Lock-On which work by bypassing accuracy completely rather than by changing stats).

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

I thought Wide Lens was 10% accuracy boost and Zoom Lens 20%, but Zoom Lens works only if you move last, which is pretty much always for Gastrodon. I didn't know OHKO moves are not affected by them though