taken over from tj's analysis
[OVERVIEW]
- Wormadam-Trash finds a small niche in its fantastic defensive typing, which grants it key resistances to Ice-, Psychic-, and Normal-type attacks from offensive threats like Jynx, Mesprit, and Stoutland.
- It's most notably one of the only safe switch-ins to Choice Specs Aurorus in the tier, which is a huge boon for defensive teams.
- Thanks to its useful defensive qualities, Wormadam-Trash can find multiple opportunities to set up Stealth Rock or fire off a Toxic. As a user of Stealth Rock, Wormadam-Trash also matches up well against Pokemon like defensive Mesprit, Aurorus, Clefairy, and Regirock, able to take all of their attacks with ease while threatening the latter three with a super effective STAB move.
- However, Wormadam-Trash lacks any sort of offensive presence elsewhere, making it extremely passive and susceptible to setup Pokemon such as Gurdurr, Alolan Sandslash, and Carracosta.
- While being a great defensive typing overall, Bug / Steel compounds a 4x weakness to Fire-type moves which makes Wormadam-Trash able to be OHKOed by Pokemon like Combusken and Ninetales. Pokemon such as Lilligant frequently carry Fire-type coverage in Hidden Power Fire, (hp fire isn't as common as hp rock / ice, i'd say. either use a different example or don't say 'frequently'.) as do Pokemon like Eelektross in the form of Flamethrower.
- A lack of reliable recovery makes Wormadam-Trash a faulty blanket check to the aforementioned Ice- and Psychic-types if weakened, thereby mandating team support in the form of Wish passers like Audino.
- Wormadam-Trash faces competition with other users of Stealth Rock such as Aggron and Alolan Sandslash due to their higher offensive pressure and utility in Taunt and Knock Off, thus making them less passive. (meh, i feel like comparing it to offensive stealth rock users is sort of unfair. comparing it to other defensive users of stealth rock like mesprit and regirock feels more appropriate.)
- You sort of touch on it in your point about it mandating Wish support, but I feel like directly mentioning that it's not exactly the easiest thing to fit onto multiple teams given its passivity and whatnot would be nice.
- Also touching on its susceptibility to Taunt somewhere would be good.
[SET]
name: Defensive Utility
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Protect
move 4: Iron Head
item: Leftovers
ability: Overcoat
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Stealth Rock is an important entry hazard for any team, and Wormadam-Trash has an easy time setting it up thanks to its ability to take on entry hazard leads like Mesprit and Aurorus.
- Toxic is Wormadam-Trash's most consistent form of damage, enabling it to put foes such as Regirock and Poliwrath on a timer. (also doesn't allow setup sweepers to freely switch in.)
- Protect has multiple uses, which include gaining residual recovery in Leftovers, wearing at foes with Toxic, and scouting for Choiced Pokemon like Pyroar (rip) and Alolan Exeggutor.
- Iron Head is Wormadam-Trash's most consistent form of damage output against foes like Aurorus and Clefairy.
- Gyro Ball with 0 Speed IVs is usually a stronger option thanks to Wormadam-Trash's abysmal Speed, but this is not recommended due to its low PP count and inability to 2HKO Clefairy. (it's also slightly less consistent overall.)
Set Details
========
- Maximum HP and Special Defense EVs with a Careful nature ensures that Wormadam-Trash is able to check Pokemon like Aurorus, Mesprit, and Clefairy (idk, i feel like replacing this with another special attacker that's slightly more common would be better, maybe like specs froslass, though that's optional.) as best as possible.
- Leftovers provides Wormadam-Trash with a source of passive recovery, helping it stay healthy throughout a match.
- Overcoat grants Wormadam-Trash an immunity to powder-based moves like Lilligant's Sleep Powder, and also negates hail's chip damage, improving Wormadam-Trash's ability to check Aurorus and Abomasnow. (move the bit about hail damage first imo, minor but it's important when you consider that it's one of the best ways of dealing with aurorus.)
Usage Tips
========
- Wormadam-Trash is an effective Stealth Rock lead (not really a 'lead' in a lot of cases so much as just a setter.) due to its ability to take on opposing Stealth Rock users such as Aurorus, Mesprit, and Clefairy with its high special bulk and resistances to their moves. This makes it a powerful opportunity for Wormadam-Trash to set up Stealth Rock or fire off a Toxic if it forces these Pokemon out.
- A lack of reliable recovery means that switches should be planned carefully, as keeping Wormadam-Trash at high health allows it to check threats like Choice Specs Aurorus and Mesprit as best as possible.
- Protect can be used to scout for Choice-locked Pokemon like Stoutland and Primeape, while also providing residual recovery with Leftovers. It should be used sparingly in the face of setup sweepers however, as they can use this is an opportunity to set up.
- Even as a special wall, Wormadam-Trash can take advantage of Pokemon such as Swords Dance Abomasnow and Choice-locked Stoutland thanks to the plethora of resistances provided by its Bug / Steel typing.
Team Options
========
- Wormadam-Trash's specific role compression as a user of Stealth Rock allows it fit onto bulkier teams that appreciate a reliable switch-in to Choice Specs Aurorus.
- Answers to Fire-types are mandatory due to its 4x weakness to the type. Lanturn, Poliwrath, and Qwilfish are able to blanket check Pyroar (rip) and Combusken should the former lack Z-Solar Beam. Lanturn is additionally able to heal off status conditions with Heal Bell, or use Protect to scout for Bloom Doom variants of Pyroar. (rip)
- Audino and Mesprit are able to provide healing support through Wish and Healing Wish, respectively. Audino can also use Heal Bell to cure Wormadam-Trash of any status condition.
- Pokemon such as Weezing and Qwilfish are able to set up Toxic Spikes, enabling Wormadam-Trash to more easily wear down opponents. These Pokemon also serve as checks to physically offensive threats such as Gurdurr and Skuntank while Wormadam-Trash can take on Psychic-types such as Mesprit in return. Both of these examples are also able to use Haze to clear stat boosts, as Wormadam-Trash's passive nature often turns it into setup fodder.
- Spinblockers like Oricorio-G and Spiritomb are able to switch into Rapid Spin in order to preserve Stealth Rock, while Spiritomb can also burn users of Rapid Spin such as Hitmonchan with Will-O-Wisp. The former is able to outspeed and Taunt users of Defog such as Altaria and Lurantis.
- Late-game sweepers such as Primeape, (more of a cleaner than the other two.) Scyther, (has wack synergy with wormadam.) and Omastar greatly appreciate Wormadam-Trash being able to preemptively soften bulkier teams with Stealth Rock and status.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- Running a physically defensive spread enables Wormadam-Trash to more easily check physical attackers such as Stoutland and Scyther, but this sacrifices its ability to consistently check Choice Specs Aurorus and offensive Mesprit, often defeating the purpose of running Wormadam-Trash in the first place. Such a set also competes with Tangela, which possesses utility in Knock Off and recovery in Synthesis and Regenerator. (doesn't check all the same threats, though.)
- RestTalk sets grant Wormadam-Trash a semi-reliable form of recovery. However, this trades of the utility of Stealth Rock and makes it even more passive, which can invite setup sweepers to take advantage of Wormadam-Trash.
- Hidden Power Fighting does a decent amount of damage to Aggron and Alolan Sandslash, but is otherwise hard to fit onto sets. (remove this.)
- Anticipation can be utilized to scout for Hidden Power Fire or Fire-type coverage, but this means that Wormadam-Trash is no longer immune to Sleep Powder and can be damaged by hail, which is counter-intuitive to its ability to switch into Aurorus. Protect is often an efficient way to scout for moves, anyway. (remove this, this just sounds a bit too subpar when compared to overcoat.)
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-type Attacks**: Wormadam-Trash has a deadly 4x weakness to Fire-type attacks, allowing for Pokemon like Combusken and Turtonator to OHKO it or turn it into setup fodder. Lilligant occasionally runs Hidden Power Fire for coverage, and while Protect can be used to scout for such a move, this can also be utilized as setup time for Quiver Dance. Flamethrower from Eelektross and Fire Blast from specially offensive Skuntank
(mention smth like silvally-dragon's flamethrower, it's more common.) are also able to hit Wormadam-Trash super effectively.
**Taunt Users**: Wormadam-Trash is incredibly passive and reliant on status moves to function, so users of Taunt such as Sableye, Oricorio-G, and Alolan Persian are able to shut down most of its options.
**Setup Sweepers**: Gurdurr, Omastar, and Alolan Raichu are all able to take advantage of Wormadam-Trash due to its passive nature and turn it into setup fodder. While none of these Pokemon appreciate being worn down by Toxic, Gurdurr can take advantage of being poisoned due to Guts.
**Strong Physical Attackers**: Without proper investment, Wormadam-Trash finds itself 2HKOed by the likes of Aggron, Primeape, and Absol.
(cb aggron fucks your shit regardless, and even jolly rocks will 2HKO you after rocks if you take a slight amount of chip.)
**Pokemon Immune to Toxic**: Wormadam-Trash is highly dependent on afflicting opponents with status in order to rack up damage, so Pokemon such as Aggron and Skuntank are able to come in and fire off an attack or remove Stealth Rock with Defog.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[tondas, 442732]]
- Quality checked by: [[,], [,], [,]]
- Grammar checked by: [[<username1>, <userid1>], [<username2>, <username2>]]
