NU Garbodor

uploaded: eternally

[OVERVIEW]

Garbodor's great defensive typing in Poison and decent bulk allow it to check threats such as Hitmonlee, Sceptile, and Whimsicott. In addition to this, Garbodor has access to valuable utility moves such as Spikes and Toxic Spikes, as well as a wide movepool with a lot of coverage moves that can surprise its typical checks and counters. Garbodor's ability Aftermath causes Pokemon that knock it out with a contact move to lose 25% of their HP, which can deal a lot of damage to physical attackers when combined with Rocky Helmet. In particular, its ability to lay entry hazards and tank hits nicely at the same time allows it to fit on offensive, defensive, and balanced teams alike. However, Garbodor's weaknesses to Ground and Psychic are prevalent in almost every game it will be in due to the high usage of Pokemon such as Delphox, Piloswine, (AC) and, in particular, Xatu, which completely shuts defensive Garbodor down. Garbodor's only decent bulk and lack of reliable recovery can also leave it prone to being worn down over the course of a match.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Toxic Spikes / Toxic
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Seed Bomb / Pain Split
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Aftermath
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Spikes wears down grounded Pokemon, especially with several layers up. Toxic Spikes complements Spikes well and aids in helping offensive Pokemon to break down their checks. Toxic can be used instead to cripple Pokemon such as Mismagius, Slowbro, and Rhydon on the switch. Gunk Shot is Garbodor's strongest STAB move and OHKOes or 2HKOes every Grass- and Fairy-type in the tier, barring physically defensive Mega Audino. Seed Bomb is mainly used to chip Rhydon on the switch, which otherwise sets up on on Garbodor basically for free, only really fearing Toxic, but it also hits other Pokemon like Gastrodon and Seismitoad hard. Pain Split can be used instead as a source of some type of recovery, but it's somewhat unreliable. Focus Blast can also be used to 3HKO Steelix on the switch. If you're running Focus Blast, Fightinium Z is an option to deal over half to Steelix on the switch.

Set Details
========

Maximum HP investment makes Garbodor as bulky as possible. 56 Speed EVs are used to outspeed Guts Hariyama, maximum Speed Modest Mega Audino, and Jolly Rhydon, and the rest of the EVs are put in Defense for additional bulk. Rocky Helmet chips away at U-turn users such as Braviary and physical attackers like Hitmonlee and works especially well with Aftermath. Black Sludge can be used instead if you want the passive recovery. An Impish nature is used to augment Garbodor's decent Defense stat.

Usage Tips
========

The best thing Garbodor can do early-game is lay up hazards, but if the opponent has a hard counter like Golbat that can remove entry hazards, double switching to a teammate that can handle it is recommended. Prioritize Spikes over Toxic Spikes if they also have a grounded Poison-type. It's not really worth leaving Garbodor in on Pokemon that can turn it into setup fodder, such as Rhydon and Steelix, to get a little bit of chip damage, so you should just switch out to a counter. If the opponent has a Xatu, you also might as well just double switch because there isn't anything Garbodor can do to it in the long run. Garbodor can be switched in on a lot of Fighting-types like Virizion and Hitmonlee to deal chip damage with Rocky Helmet, although this can lead to Garbodor getting worn down. However, Garbodor shouldn't really be used as a lead because it matches up poorly against common leads like Aurorus and Steelix.

Team Options
========

Garbodor dislikes hazard stacking teams because it is heavily pressured by common attackers on such teams like Choice Specs Sceptile when multiple layers of entry hazards are up. Defog users like Golbat make for good teammates in this case, as do Rapid Spin users such as Cryogonal and Hitmonlee. Golbat in particular can provide a Ground immunity, and Xatu also provides a Ground immunity while preventing hazards from going up altogether. Checks to Ground-types are greatly appreciated, so Grass-types, such as Rotom-C, and Sceptile, make for good teammates; In particular, Whimsicott makes Garbodor's team less vulnerable to Rock Polish Rhydon, since it isn't usually OHKOed by any move Rhydon commonly uses and OHKOes back with Giga Drain. VoltTurn users like Rotom-C and Whimsicott make for good teammates because defensive Pokemon get quickly worn down from switching into repeated Volt Switch and U-turn users with Spikes and Toxic Spikes up. Other offensive Pokemon that love Spikes and Toxic Spikes support, such as Rhydon and Emboar, pair well with Garbodor, since they appreciate multiple layers of hazards up to pressure their defensive counters. Wish users like Mega Audino and Vaporeon make for great teammates because of Garbodor's lack of recovery on this set. Psychic-type checks such as Houndoom and Absol are also appreciated, but they do leave Garbodor's team weak to Ground-types.

[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Toxic Spikes
move 4: Explosion
item: Poison Barb
ability: Jolly
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Gunk Shot, when boosted by Poison Barb, hits very hard, capable of 2HKOing Pokemon such as Xatu and Guzzlord and having a favorable chance of OHKOing standard Delphox. Spikes wears down grounded Pokemon such as Slowbro, Steelix, and Druddigon. Toxic Spikes is also very useful in helping Garbodor's teammates break defensive Pokemon such as Mega Audino, Vaporeon, and Slowbro by poisoning them, wearing them down. Explosion is an excellent lure to heavily damage typical Garbodor checks such as Golbat and Mesprit, and it also prevents Defog from Golbat. Seed Bomb can be used over Explosion to deal heavy damage to Pokemon such as Rhydon, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, while Drain Punch can be used to deal chip damage to Steelix and Rhydon and to give Garbodor a way of dealing decent damage to Klinklang.

Set Details
========

Maximum Speed and Attack investment allows Garbodor to hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Jolly nature is used to outspeed Xatu. Aftermath deals 25% damage to any Pokemon that KOes Garbodor with a contact move, which can KO or heavily weaken a Pokemon after they take a Gunk Shot. Weak Armor is also a worthwhile option that allows Garbodor to get Speed boosts when it gets hit, which can allow it to get up another layer of hazards.

Usage Tips
========

This Garbodor set is a very effective lure to Xatu, so you should try to 2HKO unsuspecting Xatu on the switch so that you can freely lay hazards. However, if there is no Xatu on the other team, laying entry hazards is the best thing you can do early-game. While offensive Garbodor is not very bulky, it can take hits such as Hitmonlee's High Jump Kick and Samurott's Hydro Pump if it really has to to get off extra damage. Overall, you should use offensive Garbodor as an effective lure to Pokemon that expect it to be defensive and are looking to switch in freely, like Guzzlord and Vikavolt. Additionally, try not to lead off with Garbodor, since it has a bad matchup against leads like Steelix and Rhydon.

Team Options
========

Pokemon that appreciate Xatu being lured and removed, such as Steelix and Seismitoad, make for good teammates. Even Pokemon that don't exactly struggle against Xatu but appreciate the freedom of being able to use Stealth Rock without worrying about Magic Bounce, like Piloswine and Rhydon, make for good teammates, and they also appreciate Garbodor's ability to soft check Grass- and Fighting-types. Offensive Pokemon that really appreciate multiple layers of entry hazards up to break past their counters, like Emboar, Rotom-C, Sceptile, and Whimsicott, make for good teammates. Garbodor itself appreciates Psychic-type checks; Guzzlord is one of the best partners for Garbodor because it appreciates hazards being up and also appreciates Garbodor's ability to check Fairy-types. Houndoom can also check Psychic-types, but it leaves Garbodor's team open to Ground-types. Ground-type checks such as Vikavolt, Slowbro, and Whimsicott are also good teammates because they can patch up Garbodor's weakness to Ground.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Haze can be used to remove boosts from setup sweepers; Z-Haze is also a blessing if you're using it because it gives Garbodor a one-time recovery option, and it also reduces damage from Knock Off. Clear Smog works similarly to Haze and deals some damage, but it doesn't hit through Substitute. Giga Drain with maximum investment in Special Attack 2HKOes Rhydon on the switch. Garbodor has other coverage moves like Psychic, Thunderbolt, and Drain Punch, but these are mediocre because they would require Garbodor to drop a key move, such as Explosion or Toxic Spikes, and are also very weak because of the lack of STAB and Garbodor's lackluster offensive stats.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Xatu**: Xatu is one of the hardest counters to Garbodor in the entire tier because of Magic Bounce bouncing back Spikes, Toxic, and Toxic Spikes, and the fact that it doesn't really fear anything from defensive Garbodor besides a possible Gunk Shot poison while heavily damaging it with Psychic in return. However, it must be wary of the offensive set, which can 2HKO Xatu with Gunk Shot.

**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Steelix, Rhydon, and Piloswine are capable of turning Garbodor into setup fodder in one way or another, whether it be for Stealth Rock or Swords Dance. However, Steelix doesn't really appreciate repeated Focus Blasts, and Piloswine and Rhydon dislike Seed Bomb and Focus Blast as well.

**Psychic-types**: Sigilyph is a pretty good counter to Garbodor, as while it can't stop Garbodor from laying up hazards, it doesn't care about Gunk Shot poison and has Roost to consistently check it throughout a match. Mesprit easily sets up Stealth Rock on Garbodor and threatens huge damage with Psychic, but it dislikes Toxic. Uxie is the same as Mesprit outside of the fact that it switches in more consistently than Mesprit does.

**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Mismagius and Rotom are problems for Garbodor to face because they resist Poison, are immune to Explosion, and turn it into setup fodder. Mismagius dislikes Toxic but doesn't fear anything else, sets up Nasty Plot, and OHKOes with a +2 Never-Ending Nightmare. Rotom can burn Garbodor with Will-O-Wisp and 2HKOes with Hex, but it also dislikes Toxic on the switch.

**Heavy Offensive Pressure**: Heavy offensive pressure from Pokemon such as Emboar, Hariyama, and Whimsicott is too much for Garbodor to handle. Emboar's Flare Blitz 2HKOes Garbodor, as does Choice Specs Whimsicott's Psychic, two Pokemon Garbodor would otherwise like to handle.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

etern

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Just nitpicking here, the last point in heavy offensive pressure could probably do with Specs Whimsicott over Rotom-C, since most teams should have a better check to Rotom than Garb. Honestly can't find anything wrong with this, great work and keep it up, 1/3.
 

Shadestep

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in Team Options, add that Golbat and Xatu are exceptionally good picks for Garbodor partners because they also help it out with a Ground immunity.
i'd move the part where you talk about Ground-type checks up a couple of bullet points, to the 2nd or 3rd bullet point.

in OO, i'd move up offensive Explosion up to the first or second bullet point, purely because of how popular Golbat is and how effective of a lure it really is.

nothing more, this is really good. QC 2/3
 
Whoops, I forgot this had a QC check. I will implement and write it up later today.

Edit: Apparently already implemented it, just gotta write it up.
 

quziel

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Yo, add an offensive set (preferably with toxic plate), as that lets you break xatu fairly well, and is imo the best set atm. Will check after you add that.
 

Punchshroom

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Nuked -> Replace that Hitmontop mention with Cryogonal. Replace the Aromatisse mention with Mega Audino.

Nuked -> Offensive Garbo needs a Jolly nature to actually outrun Xatu, one of the primary reasons to run that set in the first place.

Clear Smog works similarly to Haze and deals some damage, but it doesn't hit through Substitutes. Haze can be used to remove boosts from setup sweepers; Z-Haze is also a blessing if you're using it because it gives Garbodor a one-time recovery option.
If you're going to compare Clear Smog to Haze, mention Haze first. Also mention that Icium Z Garbodor takes reduced damage from Knock Off.

Garbodor has other coverage moves like Psychic, Thunderbolt, and Drain Punch but are mediocre because they would require Garbodor to drop a key move, such as Explosion or Toxic Spikes. If running Psychic, Modest with Max Special Attack can 2HKO physically defensive Golbat on the switch.
252+ SpA Garbodor Psychic vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Golbat: 112-132 (31.6 - 37.2%) -- 84.1% chance to 3HKO, guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock

I believe you ran your calc without giving Golbat Eviolite. In that respect, a bigger reason that those coverage moves are mediocre on Garbodor is because they aren't strong enough for their specific targets.

**Xatu**: Xatu is one of the hardest counters to Garbodor in the entire tier because of Magic Bounce bouncing back Spikes, Toxic, and Toxic Spikes, and the fact that it doesn't really fear anything from defensive Garbodor besides a possible Gunk Shot poison while heavily damaging it with Psychic in return. However, it must be wary of the offensive set, which can get 2HKOed by 2HKO Xatu with Gunk Shot.
Added a word to avoid contradiction and did a little sentence correction.

QC 3/3
 
Last edited:

Lumari

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remove
add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 1/2
[OVERVIEW]

Garbodor's great defensive typing in mono-Poison and decent bulk allows allow it to check threats such as Hitmonlee, Sceptile, and Whimsicott. In addition to this, Garbodor has access to valuable utility moves such as Spikes and Toxic Spikes, as well as a wide movepool with a lot of coverage moves, which can surprise its typical checks and counters. Garbodor's ability (RC) Aftermath (RC) deals 25% to the Pokemon that knocks knock it out with a contact move, which can deal a lot of damage to physical attackers when combined with Rocky Helmet. In particular, its ability to lay entry hazards and tank hits nicely at the same time allows it to fit on offensive, defensive, and balanced teams alike, making Garbodor fairly splashable. However, Garbodor's weaknesses to Ground and Psychic are prevalent in almost every game it will be in with the high usage of Pokemon such as Delphox, Piloswine and, in particular, Xatu, which completely shuts defensive Garbodor down. Garbodor's only decent bulk and lack of reliable recovery can also leave it prone to being worn down over the course of a match.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Toxic Spikes / Toxic
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Seed Bomb / Pain Split
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Aftermath
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Spikes is a fantastic entry hazard that wears down grounded Pokemon, especially with several layers up. Toxic Spikes compliments complements Spikes well and aids in helping offensive Pokemon to break down their checks. Toxic can be used instead to cripple Pokemon such as Mismagius, Slowbro, and Rhydon on the switch. Gunk Shot is Garbodor's strongest STAB move and OHKOes or 2HKOes every Grass- and Fairy-type in the tier, barring physically defensive Mega Audino. Seed Bomb is mainly used to chip Rhydon on the switch, which otherwise sets up on on it Garbodor basically for free, only really fearing Toxic, but it also hits other Pokemon like Gastrodon and Seismitoad hard. Pain Split can be used instead as a source of some type of recovery, but it's somewhat unreliable. Focus Blast can also be used to 3HKO Steelix on the switch. If you're running Focus Blast, (AC) Fightinium Z is a considerable an option to deal over half to Steelix on the switch.

Set Details
========

Maximum HP investment makes Garbodor as bulky as possible. 56 Speed EVs are used to outspeed Guts Hariyama, Max maximum Speed Modest Mega Audino, and Jolly Rhydon, and the rest are put in Defense for additional bulk. Rocky Helmet chips away at U-turn users such as Braviary and physical attackers like Hitmonlee and works especially well with Aftermath. Black Sludge can be used instead if you want the passive recovery. An Impish nature is used to augment Garbodor's decent Defense stat.

Usage Tips
========

The best thing Garbodor can do in the early game is lay up hazards, but if the opponent has a hard counter like Golbat that can remove entry hazards, (AC) double switching to a teammate that can handle it is recommended. Prioritize Spikes over Toxic Spikes if they also have a grounded Poison-type that can absorb Toxic Spikes. (optional) It's not really worth leaving Garbodor in on Pokemon that can turn it into setup fodder, such as Rhydon and Steelix, to get a little bit of chip damage, so you should just switch out to a counter. If the opponent has a Xatu, you also might as well just double switch because there isn't anything Garbodor can do to it in the long run. Garbodor can be switched in on a lot of Fighting-types like Virizion and Hitmonlee to deal chip damage with Rocky Helmet, although this can lead to Garbodor getting worn down. However, Garbodor shouldn't really be used as a lead because it matches up poorly against other leads like Aurorus and Steelix.

Team Options
========

Garbodor dislikes hazard stacking teams because Garbodor it is heavily pressured by common attackers on hazard stacking such teams like Choice Specs Sceptile when multiple layers of entry hazards are up. Defog users like Golbat make for good teammates in this case, as does Rapid Spin Cryogonal or Hitmonlee. Golbat in particular can provide a Ground immunity, and Xatu also provides a Ground immunity while preventing hazards from going up altogether. Checks to Ground-types are greatly appreciated, so Grass-types, such as the aforementioned Rotom-C, make for good teammates. Other Grass-types like Sceptile can deal with Ground-types. Whimsicott in particular makes Garbodor's team less vulnerable to Rock Polish Rhydon, (AC) since it isn't usually OHKOed by any move Rhydon commonly uses and OHKOes back with Giga Drain. Volt-Turn users like Rotom-C and Whimsicott make for good teammates because defensive Pokemon get quickly worn down from switching into repeated Volt Switch and U-turn uses with Spikes and Toxic Spikes up. Other offensive Pokemon that love Spikes and Toxic Spikes, such as Rhydon and Emboar, make for good teammates, pair well with Garbodor, since they appreciate multiple layers of hazards up to pressure their defensive counters. Wish users like Mega Audino and Vaporeon make for great teammates because of Garbodor's lack of recovery on this set. Psychic-type checks such as Houndoom and Absol are also appreciated, (AC) but it (they? or is it referring to anything in particular?) does leave Garbodor's team open to Ground-types.

[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Toxic Spikes
move 4: Explosion
item: Poison Barb
ability: Jolly
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Gunk Shot, when boosted by Poison Barb, hits very hard, capable of 2HKOing Pokemon such as Xatu (RC) and Guzzlord (RC) and has having a favorable chance of OHKOing standard Delphox. Spikes wears down grounded Pokemon such as Slowbro, Steelix, and Druddigon. Toxic Spikes is also very useful in helping Garbodor's teammates break defensive Pokemon such as Mega Audino, Vaporeon, and Slowbro by poisoning them, wearing them down. Explosion is an excellent lure to heavily damage typical Garbodor checks such as Golbat and Mesprit, and it also prevents Defog from Golbat. Seed Bomb can be used over Explosion to deal heavy damage to Pokemon such as Rhydon, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, while Drain Punch can be used and deals to deal chip damage to Steelix (RC) and Rhydon (RC) and also gives to give Garbodor a way of dealing decent damage to Klinklang.

Set Details
========

A standard offensive spread of maximum Speed and Attack allows Garbodor to hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Jolly nature is used to outspeed Xatu. (remove second period) Aftermath is a good ability that deals 25% to any Pokemon that KOs KOes Garbodor, which can KO or heavily weaken a Pokemon after they take a Gunk Shot. Weak Armor is also a considerable worthwhile (considerable != worth considering, only in the "significant" sense of the word) option that allows it Garbodor to get Speed boosts when it gets hit, which can allow it to get up another layer of hazards.

Usage Tips
========

This Garbodor set is a very effective lure to Xatu, so you should try to 2HKO unsuspecting Xatus Xatu on the switch (RC) so that you can freely lay hazards. However, if there is no Xatu on the other team, laying entry hazards is the best thing you can do in the early game. While offensive Garbodor is not very bulky, it can take hits such as Hitmonlee's High Jump Kick and Samurott's Hydro Pump if it really has to to get off extra damage. Overall, you should use offensive Garbodor as an effective lure to Pokemon that expect it to be defensive and are looking for a free switch-in, to switch in freely, like Guzzlord or and Vikavolt. Additionally, try not to lead off with Garbodor, since it has a bad matchup against other leads like Steelix and Rhydon.

Team Options
========

Pokemon that appreciate Xatu being lured and removed, such as Steelix and Seismitoad, make for good teammates. Even Pokemon that don't exactly struggle against Xatu (RC) but appreciate the freedom of being able to use Stealth Rock without worrying about Magic Bounce, like Piloswine and Rhydon, make for good teammates, and they also appreciate Garbodor's ability to soft check Grass- and Fighting-types. Offensive Pokemon that really appreciate multiple layers of entry hazards up to break past their counters, like Emboar, Rotom-C, Sceptile, and Whimsicott, make for good teammates. Garbodor itself appreciates Psychic-type checks; Guzzlord is one of the best partners for Garbodor because it appreciates hazards being up and also appreciates Garbodor's ability to check Fairy-types. Houndoom can also check Psychic-types, (AC) but it leaves Garbodor's team open to Ground-types. Ground-type checks such as Vikavolt, Slowbro, and Whimsicott are also good teammates because they can patch up Garbodor's weakness to Ground.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Haze can be used to remove boosts from setup sweepers; Z-Haze is also a blessing if you're using it because it gives Garbodor a one-time recovery option, and it also takes less reduces damage from Knock Off. Clear Smog works similarly to Haze and deals some damage, but it doesn't hit through Substitutes. Giga Drain with maximum investment in Special Attack 2HKOes Rhydon on the switch. Garbodor has other coverage moves like Psychic, Thunderbolt, and Drain Punch, (AC) but these are mediocre because they would require Garbodor to drop a key move, such as Explosion or Toxic Spikes, and are also very weak because of the lack of STAB and Garbodor's lackluster offensive stats.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Xatu**: Xatu is one of the hardest counters to Garbodor in the entire tier because of Magic Bounce bouncing back Spikes, Toxic, and Toxic Spikes, and the fact that it doesn't really fear anything from defensive Garbodor besides a possible Gunk Shot poison while heavily damaging it with Psychic in return. However, it must be wary of the offensive set, which can 2HKO with Gunk Shot.

**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Steelix, Rhydon, and Piloswine are capable of turning Garbodor into setup fodder in one way or another, whether it be for Stealth Rock or Swords Dance. Steelix doesn't really appreciate repeated Focus Blasts, and Piloswine and Rhydon dislike Seed Bomb and Focus Blast as well.

**Psychic-types**: Sigilyph is a pretty good counter to Garbodor, as while it can't stop Garbodor from laying up hazards, it doesn't care about Gunk Shot poisons poison and has Roost to consistently check it throughout a match. Mespirit Mesprit easily sets up Stealth Rock on Garbodor and threatens huge damage with Psychic, but it dislikes Toxic. Uxie is the same as Mespirit Mesprit outside of the fact that it switches in more consistently than Mespirit Mesprit does.

**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Mismagius and Rotom are problems for Garbodor to face because they resist Poison, are immune to Explosion, and turn it into setup fodder. Mismagius dislikes Toxic but doesn't fear anything else, sets up Nasty Plot, and OHKOes with a +2 Never-Ending Nightmare. Rotom can burn Garbodor with Will-O-Wisp and 2HKOes with Hex but it also dislikes Toxic on the switch.

**Heavy Offensive Pressure**: Heavy offensive pressure from Pokemon such as Emboar, Hariyama, and Whimsicott is too much for Garbodor to handle. Emboar's Flare Blitz 2HKOes Garbodor, as does Choice Specs Whimsicott's Psychic, two Pokemon Garbodor would otherwise like to handle.
 
Last edited:

autumn

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GP 2/2
add remove comments

[OVERVIEW]

Garbodor's great defensive typing in mono-Poison and decent bulk allow it to check threats such as Hitmonlee, Sceptile, and Whimsicott. In addition to this, Garbodor has access to valuable utility moves such as Spikes and Toxic Spikes, as well as a wide movepool with a lot of coverage moves, (RC) which that can surprise its typical checks and counters. Garbodor's ability Aftermath deals 25% to causes Pokemon that knock it out with a contact move to lose 25% of their HP, which can deal a lot of damage to physical attackers when combined with Rocky Helmet. In particular, its ability to lay entry hazards and tank hits nicely at the same time allows it to fit on offensive, defensive, and balanced teams alike. However, Garbodor's weaknesses to Ground and Psychic are prevalent in almost every game it will be in with due to the high usage of Pokemon such as Delphox, Piloswine, (AC) and, in particular, Xatu, which completely shuts defensive Garbodor down. Garbodor's only decent bulk and lack of reliable recovery can also leave it prone to being worn down over the course of a match.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Toxic Spikes / Toxic
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Seed Bomb / Pain Split
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Aftermath
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Spikes is a fantastic entry hazard that wears down grounded Pokemon, especially with several layers up. Toxic Spikes complements Spikes well and aids in helping offensive Pokemon to break down their checks. Toxic can be used instead to cripple Pokemon such as Mismagius, Slowbro, and Rhydon on the switch. Gunk Shot is Garbodor's strongest STAB move and OHKOes or 2HKOes every Grass- and Fairy-type in the tier, barring physically defensive Mega Audino. Seed Bomb is mainly used to chip Rhydon on the switch, which otherwise sets up on on Garbodor basically for free, only really fearing Toxic, but it also hits other Pokemon like Gastrodon and Seismitoad hard. Pain Split can be used instead as a source of some type of recovery, but it's somewhat unreliable. Focus Blast can also be used to 3HKO Steelix on the switch. If you're running Focus Blast, Fightinium Z is an option to deal over half to Steelix on the switch.

Set Details
========

Maximum HP investment makes Garbodor as bulky as possible. 56 Speed EVs are used to outspeed Guts Hariyama, maximum Speed Modest Mega Audino, and Jolly Rhydon, and the rest of the EVs are put in Defense for additional bulk. Rocky Helmet chips away at U-turn users such as Braviary and physical attackers like Hitmonlee and works especially well with Aftermath. Black Sludge can be used instead if you want the passive recovery. An Impish nature is used to augment Garbodor's decent Defense stat.

Usage Tips
========

The best thing Garbodor can do in the early-(AH)game is lay up hazards, but if the opponent has a hard counter like Golbat that can remove entry hazards, double switching to a teammate that can handle it is recommended. Prioritize Spikes over Toxic Spikes if they also have a grounded Poison-type. It's not really worth leaving Garbodor in on Pokemon that can turn it into setup fodder, such as Rhydon and Steelix, to get a little bit of chip damage, so you should just switch out to a counter. If the opponent has a Xatu, you also might as well just double switch because there isn't anything Garbodor can do to it in the long run. Garbodor can be switched in on a lot of Fighting-types like Virizion and Hitmonlee to deal chip damage with Rocky Helmet, although this can lead to Garbodor getting worn down. However, Garbodor shouldn't really be used as a lead because it matches up poorly against other common leads like Aurorus and Steelix.

Team Options
========

Garbodor dislikes hazard stacking teams because it is heavily pressured by common attackers on such teams like Choice Specs Sceptile when multiple layers of entry hazards are up. Defog users like Golbat make for good teammates in this case, as does Rapid Spin users such as Cryogonal or and Hitmonlee. Golbat in particular can provide a Ground immunity, and Xatu also provides a Ground immunity while preventing hazards from going up altogether. Checks to Ground-types are greatly appreciated, so Grass-types, such as the aforementioned Rotom-C, (where was this mentioned?) make for good teammates. Other Grass-types like Sceptile can deal with Ground-types. Whimsicott in particular makes Garbodor's team less vulnerable to Rock Polish Rhydon, since it isn't usually OHKOed by any move Rhydon commonly uses and OHKOes back with Giga Drain. Volt-Turn VoltTurn users like Rotom-C and Whimsicott make for good teammates because defensive Pokemon get quickly worn down from switching into repeated Volt Switch and U-turn users with Spikes and Toxic Spikes up. Other offensive Pokemon that love Spikes and Toxic Spikes support, such as Rhydon and Emboar, pair well with Garbodor, since they appreciate multiple layers of hazards up to pressure their defensive counters. Wish users like Mega Audino and Vaporeon make for great teammates because of Garbodor's lack of recovery on this set. Psychic-type checks such as Houndoom and Absol are also appreciated, but they do leave Garbodor's team weak to Ground-types.

[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Toxic Spikes
move 4: Explosion
item: Poison Barb
ability: Jolly
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Gunk Shot, when boosted by Poison Barb, hits very hard, capable of 2HKOing Pokemon such as Xatu and Guzzlord and having a favorable chance of OHKOing standard Delphox. Spikes wears down grounded Pokemon such as Slowbro, Steelix, and Druddigon. Toxic Spikes is also very useful in helping Garbodor's teammates break defensive Pokemon such as Mega Audino, Vaporeon, and Slowbro by poisoning them, wearing them down. Explosion is an excellent lure to heavily damage typical Garbodor checks such as Golbat and Mesprit, and it also prevents Defog from Golbat. Seed Bomb can be used over Explosion to deal heavy damage to Pokemon such as Rhydon, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, while Drain Punch can be used to deal chip damage to Steelix and Rhydon and to give Garbodor a way of dealing decent damage to Klinklang.

Set Details
========

A standard offensive spread of
Maximum Speed and Attack investment allows Garbodor to hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Jolly nature is used to outspeed Xatu. Aftermath deals 25% damage to any Pokemon that KOes Garbodor with a contact move, which can KO or heavily weaken a Pokemon after they take a Gunk Shot. Weak Armor is also a worthwhile option that allows Garbodor to get Speed boosts when it gets hit, which can allow it to get up another layer of hazards.

Usage Tips
========

This Garbodor set is a very effective lure to Xatu, so you should try to 2HKO unsuspecting Xatu on the switch so that you can freely lay hazards. However, if there is no Xatu on the other team, laying entry hazards is the best thing you can do in the early-(AH)game. While offensive Garbodor is not very bulky, it can take hits such as Hitmonlee's High Jump Kick and Samurott's Hydro Pump if it really has to to get off extra damage. Overall, you should use offensive Garbodor as an effective lure to Pokemon that expect it to be defensive and are looking to switch in freely, like Guzzlord and Vikavolt. Additionally, try not to lead off with Garbodor, since it has a bad matchup against other leads like Steelix and Rhydon.

Team Options
========

Pokemon that appreciate Xatu being lured and removed, such as Steelix and Seismitoad, make for good teammates. Even Pokemon that don't exactly struggle against Xatu but appreciate the freedom of being able to use Stealth Rock without worrying about Magic Bounce, like Piloswine and Rhydon, make for good teammates, and they also appreciate Garbodor's ability to soft check Grass- and Fighting-types. Offensive Pokemon that really appreciate multiple layers of entry hazards up to break past their counters, like Emboar, Rotom-C, Sceptile, and Whimsicott, make for good teammates. Garbodor itself appreciates Psychic-type checks; Guzzlord is one of the best partners for Garbodor because it appreciates hazards being up and also appreciates Garbodor's ability to check Fairy-types. Houndoom can also check Psychic-types, but it leaves Garbodor's team open to Ground-types. Ground-type checks such as Vikavolt, Slowbro, and Whimsicott are also good teammates because they can patch up Garbodor's weakness to Ground.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Haze can be used to remove boosts from setup sweepers; Z-Haze is also a blessing if you're using it because it gives Garbodor a one-time recovery option, and it also reduces damage from Knock Off. Clear Smog works similarly to Haze and deals some damage, but it doesn't hit through Substitutes. Giga Drain with maximum investment in Special Attack 2HKOes Rhydon on the switch. Garbodor has other coverage moves like Psychic, Thunderbolt, and Drain Punch, (AC) (keep comma but remove ac comment) but these are mediocre because they would require Garbodor to drop a key move, such as Explosion or Toxic Spikes, and are also very weak because of the lack of STAB and Garbodor's lackluster offensive stats.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Xatu**: Xatu is one of the hardest counters to Garbodor in the entire tier because of Magic Bounce bouncing back Spikes, Toxic, and Toxic Spikes, and the fact that it doesn't really fear anything from defensive Garbodor besides a possible Gunk Shot poison while heavily damaging it with Psychic in return. However, it must be wary of the offensive set, which can 2HKO Xatu with Gunk Shot.

**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Steelix, Rhydon, and Piloswine are capable of turning Garbodor into setup fodder in one way or another, whether it be for Stealth Rock or Swords Dance. However, Steelix doesn't really appreciate repeated Focus Blasts, and Piloswine and Rhydon dislike Seed Bomb and Focus Blast as well.

**Psychic-types**: Sigilyph is a pretty good counter to Garbodor, as while it can't stop Garbodor from laying up hazards, it doesn't care about Gunk Shot poison and has Roost to consistently check it throughout a match. Mesprit easily sets up Stealth Rock on Garbodor and threatens huge damage with Psychic, but it dislikes Toxic. Uxie is the same as Mesprit outside of the fact that it switches in more consistently than Mesprit does.

**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Mismagius and Rotom are problems for Garbodor to face because they resist Poison, are immune to Explosion, and turn it into setup fodder. Mismagius dislikes Toxic but doesn't fear anything else, sets up Nasty Plot, and OHKOes with a +2 Never-Ending Nightmare. Rotom can burn Garbodor with Will-O-Wisp and 2HKOes with Hex, (AC) but it also dislikes Toxic on the switch.

**Heavy Offensive Pressure**: Heavy offensive pressure from Pokemon such as Emboar, Hariyama, and Whimsicott is too much for Garbodor to handle. Emboar's Flare Blitz 2HKOes Garbodor, as does Choice Specs Whimsicott's Psychic, two Pokemon Garbodor would otherwise like to handle.
 

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