TJ
Banned deucer.
[OVERVIEW]
Prinplup's solid pure Water-typing, solid defenses further augmented by Eviolite, along with access to Defog and Stealth Rock grant it a small niche in the PU metagame, capable of removing entry hazards and checking physical attackers like Lycanroc and Archeops. While it competes with other, reliable Defog users for a team slot, Prinplup can be used over them because it has favorable matchups against many common Stealth Rock users, such as Regirock and Palossand, which not only give it opportunities to switch-in but also allow it to remove entry hazards with ease. On the downside, Prinplup's passive nature, and lack of reliable recovery means it often drains momentum and invites in Pokemon such as Eelectross, which can take advantage of it by threatening it or walling it completely. Having to rely on Scald to exert pressure also means that Prinplup is Taunt bait and set up bait for Pokemon like Sableye, Weezing, Jynx, and Clefairy. Unfortunately, Prinplup faces competition from other Defog users like Altaria, which can deal with Fire-types like Pyroar, has an immunity to Toxic Spikes, and has access to reliable recovery and Natural Cure. Whats more, Prinplup's Water-typing leaves it weak to common Grass- and Electric-types such as Ferroseed, Lilligant, Lanturn, and Eelektross. Finally, Prinplup is extremely reliant on Eviolite and loses much of its usefulness if its hit by Knock Off, meaning it can struggle to check some of the more powerful offensive threats like Carracosta, that it is usually tasked to handle.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Defog
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Scald
move 4: Toxic
item: Eviolite
ability: Torrent
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Defog provides Prinplup with the utility of keeping entry hazards off of the field for its teammates. Stealth Rock wears down opposing Pokemon with residual damage and breaks potential Focus Sashes and Sturdy. Despite being weak, Scald has a 30% chance to burn a foe, which can cripple physical attackers on a switch-in. Toxic puts any Pokemon that's not immune to it on a timer and stops them from setting up. This coupled with Stealth Rock is really useful for wearing down Pokemon such as Eelektross, Gastrodon, Liligant that would otherwise come in freely on a Scald.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in HP and Defense, with a Bold nature, maximizes Prinplup's physical bulk. Eviolite further augments Prinplup's defenses, allowing it to tank most physical hits with ease. Torrent allows Prinplup to use a stronger Scald when its low on health.
Usage Tips
========
Prinplup should focus on pivoting on resisted physical attacks from Pokemon like Kabutops with its physical bulk in order to set up Stealth Rock, Defog, and weaken the opposing team with Scald or Toxic. On the turn Prinplup forces physical attackers out, such as Lycanroc, it can use Stealth Rock and switch out afterward if need be. Note that Prinplup shouldn't be switched in repeatedly, as it lacks recovery and is easily worn down between entry hazards, status, and powerful attacks. Likewise, try to avoid switching Prinplup in on Knock Off users such as Absol because Prinplup relies on Eviolite to tank hits. Prinplup should use the opportunity to Defog on Stealth Rock users like Aggron because it can tank hits well and force it out; however, be aware that Prinplup should be healthy, especially if it's a team's only means of removing entry hazards. Lastly, be wary of Defiant users such as Primeape as it can punish Prinplup on a predicted Defog.
Team Options
========
Prinplup can fit onto defensive teams due to its synergy with other defensive walls such as Ferroseed. Grass-types such as Lurantis, Abomasnow, and Liligant also make for great partners because they can take on the opposing Grass-types that threaten Prinplup. In return, Prinplup can handle Fire-types like Pyroar for them. Lanturn is an ideal partner, as, thanks to Volt Absorb, it can check Electric-types such as Zebstrika and Manetric for Prinplup. Lanturn can also tank special attacks in general with ease, thanks to its superior special defense. Lanturn also provides Heal Bell support if Prinplup gets crippled by Toxic, while Prinplup checks physical attackers like Archeops. Prinplup makes for a decent teammate to Pokemon that struggle against entry hazards such as Magmortar, Pyroar, and Archeops. Unfortunately, Prinplup is extremely vulnerable to Taunt users like Weezing, so pairing it with an offensive Mesprit is ideal. Wish support is important, as this mitigates Prinplup's lack of reliable recovery, while also preserving its longevity. Audino, in particular, can pass big Wishes, provide Heal Bell support, and blanket check special attackers for Prinplup. Lastly, while not mandatory, a secondary entry hazard user such as Skuntank or Hitmonchan can be used, since Prinplup isn't very reliable.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Specially defensive set is a useable option, which allows Prinplup to take on special attackers like Pyroar better, but its outclassed by Lanturn. Ice Beam is also an option that can be used to hit Pokemon like Altaria, Drampa, and Lilligant, but it's weak, and Prinplup has trouble fitting this into its moveset. Yawn is a viable alternative over Toxic because it can force out set up sweepers, but Toxic is better because it deals damage. While unorthodox, Rest can be used to give Prinplup a form of semi-reliable recovery, but without any Heal Bell support, it's basically a sitting duck, and it has trouble fitting this on over other moves, as well.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Abomasnow, Liligant, and Lurantis hit Prinlup super effectively with their Grass-type STAB moves and thus beat it as it can't do much in return. Furthermore, Liligant is able to use it as setup fodder with Sleep Powder and Quiver Dance. Ferroseed is also extremely annoying for Prinplup, as it is immune to Toxic, resists Scald, wears down Prinplup with Leech Seed, and keeps hazards up against it.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Lanturn and Eelektross can take any hit from Prinplup and easily threaten it out with their respective Electric-type moves. The former also generate momentum with Volt Switch if Prinplup opts to switch out.
**Residual damage**: Toxic and entry hazards can wear down Prinplup because it lacks reliable recovery, preventing it from switching in on threats and setting up Stealth Rock or using Defog.
**Taunt**: Taunt users such as Weezing can prevent Prinplup from using utility moves such as Toxic, Stealth Rocks, and Defog, which severely limits its utility
**Special attackers**: Due to prinplup's mediocre special bulk, strong special attackers such as Choice Specs Pyroar, and Drampa can muscle through it quite effectively.
**Knock Off**: Knock Off users such as Gurdurr can remove Prinplup's Eviolite, which severely reduces its bulk, which makes it tougher for it to handle offensive threats that it would usually be able to deal with.
Prinplup's solid pure Water-typing, solid defenses further augmented by Eviolite, along with access to Defog and Stealth Rock grant it a small niche in the PU metagame, capable of removing entry hazards and checking physical attackers like Lycanroc and Archeops. While it competes with other, reliable Defog users for a team slot, Prinplup can be used over them because it has favorable matchups against many common Stealth Rock users, such as Regirock and Palossand, which not only give it opportunities to switch-in but also allow it to remove entry hazards with ease. On the downside, Prinplup's passive nature, and lack of reliable recovery means it often drains momentum and invites in Pokemon such as Eelectross, which can take advantage of it by threatening it or walling it completely. Having to rely on Scald to exert pressure also means that Prinplup is Taunt bait and set up bait for Pokemon like Sableye, Weezing, Jynx, and Clefairy. Unfortunately, Prinplup faces competition from other Defog users like Altaria, which can deal with Fire-types like Pyroar, has an immunity to Toxic Spikes, and has access to reliable recovery and Natural Cure. Whats more, Prinplup's Water-typing leaves it weak to common Grass- and Electric-types such as Ferroseed, Lilligant, Lanturn, and Eelektross. Finally, Prinplup is extremely reliant on Eviolite and loses much of its usefulness if its hit by Knock Off, meaning it can struggle to check some of the more powerful offensive threats like Carracosta, that it is usually tasked to handle.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Defog
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Scald
move 4: Toxic
item: Eviolite
ability: Torrent
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Defog provides Prinplup with the utility of keeping entry hazards off of the field for its teammates. Stealth Rock wears down opposing Pokemon with residual damage and breaks potential Focus Sashes and Sturdy. Despite being weak, Scald has a 30% chance to burn a foe, which can cripple physical attackers on a switch-in. Toxic puts any Pokemon that's not immune to it on a timer and stops them from setting up. This coupled with Stealth Rock is really useful for wearing down Pokemon such as Eelektross, Gastrodon, Liligant that would otherwise come in freely on a Scald.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in HP and Defense, with a Bold nature, maximizes Prinplup's physical bulk. Eviolite further augments Prinplup's defenses, allowing it to tank most physical hits with ease. Torrent allows Prinplup to use a stronger Scald when its low on health.
Usage Tips
========
Prinplup should focus on pivoting on resisted physical attacks from Pokemon like Kabutops with its physical bulk in order to set up Stealth Rock, Defog, and weaken the opposing team with Scald or Toxic. On the turn Prinplup forces physical attackers out, such as Lycanroc, it can use Stealth Rock and switch out afterward if need be. Note that Prinplup shouldn't be switched in repeatedly, as it lacks recovery and is easily worn down between entry hazards, status, and powerful attacks. Likewise, try to avoid switching Prinplup in on Knock Off users such as Absol because Prinplup relies on Eviolite to tank hits. Prinplup should use the opportunity to Defog on Stealth Rock users like Aggron because it can tank hits well and force it out; however, be aware that Prinplup should be healthy, especially if it's a team's only means of removing entry hazards. Lastly, be wary of Defiant users such as Primeape as it can punish Prinplup on a predicted Defog.
Team Options
========
Prinplup can fit onto defensive teams due to its synergy with other defensive walls such as Ferroseed. Grass-types such as Lurantis, Abomasnow, and Liligant also make for great partners because they can take on the opposing Grass-types that threaten Prinplup. In return, Prinplup can handle Fire-types like Pyroar for them. Lanturn is an ideal partner, as, thanks to Volt Absorb, it can check Electric-types such as Zebstrika and Manetric for Prinplup. Lanturn can also tank special attacks in general with ease, thanks to its superior special defense. Lanturn also provides Heal Bell support if Prinplup gets crippled by Toxic, while Prinplup checks physical attackers like Archeops. Prinplup makes for a decent teammate to Pokemon that struggle against entry hazards such as Magmortar, Pyroar, and Archeops. Unfortunately, Prinplup is extremely vulnerable to Taunt users like Weezing, so pairing it with an offensive Mesprit is ideal. Wish support is important, as this mitigates Prinplup's lack of reliable recovery, while also preserving its longevity. Audino, in particular, can pass big Wishes, provide Heal Bell support, and blanket check special attackers for Prinplup. Lastly, while not mandatory, a secondary entry hazard user such as Skuntank or Hitmonchan can be used, since Prinplup isn't very reliable.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Specially defensive set is a useable option, which allows Prinplup to take on special attackers like Pyroar better, but its outclassed by Lanturn. Ice Beam is also an option that can be used to hit Pokemon like Altaria, Drampa, and Lilligant, but it's weak, and Prinplup has trouble fitting this into its moveset. Yawn is a viable alternative over Toxic because it can force out set up sweepers, but Toxic is better because it deals damage. While unorthodox, Rest can be used to give Prinplup a form of semi-reliable recovery, but without any Heal Bell support, it's basically a sitting duck, and it has trouble fitting this on over other moves, as well.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Abomasnow, Liligant, and Lurantis hit Prinlup super effectively with their Grass-type STAB moves and thus beat it as it can't do much in return. Furthermore, Liligant is able to use it as setup fodder with Sleep Powder and Quiver Dance. Ferroseed is also extremely annoying for Prinplup, as it is immune to Toxic, resists Scald, wears down Prinplup with Leech Seed, and keeps hazards up against it.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Lanturn and Eelektross can take any hit from Prinplup and easily threaten it out with their respective Electric-type moves. The former also generate momentum with Volt Switch if Prinplup opts to switch out.
**Residual damage**: Toxic and entry hazards can wear down Prinplup because it lacks reliable recovery, preventing it from switching in on threats and setting up Stealth Rock or using Defog.
**Taunt**: Taunt users such as Weezing can prevent Prinplup from using utility moves such as Toxic, Stealth Rocks, and Defog, which severely limits its utility
**Special attackers**: Due to prinplup's mediocre special bulk, strong special attackers such as Choice Specs Pyroar, and Drampa can muscle through it quite effectively.
**Knock Off**: Knock Off users such as Gurdurr can remove Prinplup's Eviolite, which severely reduces its bulk, which makes it tougher for it to handle offensive threats that it would usually be able to deal with.
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