[OVERVIEW]
Stoutland has a small niche in UU as a decent sand sweeper. Thanks to Sand Rush, it is capable of outspeeding the entire unboosted metagame under sand. Its solid Attack stat and great neutral coverage between its STAB and coverage moves allow it to hit most Pokemon in the tier hard, and its decent bulk allows it to take most priority hits and survive neutral hits from offensive Pokemon such as Mega Pidgeot and Hydreigon. However, Stoutland relies on sand support from Hippowdon and Gigalith to have its blistering Speed, meaning that outside of sand, Stoutland is not very useful. This also limits the types of team builds Stoutland is on. Its offensive Normal typing is merely average at best, resisted by common Pokemon such as Scizor and Doublade, so prediction is often necessary when playing with Stoutland. Defensively, its typing is not good either, providing it with no resistances or useful immunities and a weakness to Fighting, which is a common type, leaving it easily forced out by threats such as Cobalion and Infernape.
[SET]
name: Sand Rush
move 1: Return
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Facade / Pursuit
item: Choice Band
ability: Sand Rush
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Return is a strong STAB move that puts dents in most Pokemon that do not resist it, having a good chance of OHKOing threats such as Latias and Mega Pidgeot. Superpower hits Steel- and Rock-types such as Cobalion and Terrakion super effectively, OHKOing Cobalion after a slight amount of chip damage and always OHKOing Terrakion. Crunch hits Ghost-types, which are immune to Return and Superpower, super effectively, dealing good damage to Chandelure and Cofagrigus, but it doesn't 2HKO Doublade. Facade is useful when Stoutland is afflicted by status, as it's essentially a stronger Return. Pursuit is another option because it traps and heavily damages or OHKOes common Pokemon such as Latias, Mega Beedrill, and Chandelure. Fire Fang is also an option because it OHKOes Scizor and hits Klefki slightly harder than Superpower, but Facade and Pursuit are usually better options.
Set Details
========
252 Attack and Speed EVs give Stoutland as much Speed and power as it can get. Stoutland can afford to run an Adamant nature because Sand Rush makes it incredibly fast anyway, but this does leave Stoutland outsped by Choice Scarf Infernape, Terrakion, and Latias. Sand Rush gives Stoutland its niche, doubling its Speed in sand. Choice Band gives Stoutland a necessary increase in power, allowing it to 2HKO bulky threats such as Hippowdon and Rotom-W, although it needs Spikes support to 2HKO Hippowdon.
Usage Tips
========
Stoutland should only really be brought out when sand is up, as its middling Speed tier and lack of resistances make it unable to take too many hits. However, on the rare occasion that there are no Pokemon that outspeed Stoutland on the other team, you can just send it out without sand regardless. Return is pretty spammable, but the omnipresence of Steel-types makes prediction with Superpower necessary in almost every game. For example, Superpower 2HKOes Choice Band Scizor 100% of the time, which Return cannot do. You must also be very careful to not let Ghost-types in for free, since Doublade can use Stoutland as Swords Dance fodder and Cofagrigus uses Trick Room on it. Stoutland's bulk does allow it to take a couple of neutral hits from Pokemon such as Hydreigon and Mega Pidgeot, but try to keep it healthy so that it can actually do this.
Team Options
========
Stoutland only fits on sand balance teams because it is reliant on sand to have any niche in UU. Hippowdon and Gigalith are Stoutland's mandatory partners, providing key sand support, which is the only thing that makes Stoutland viable. They are also able to set up Stealth Rock to wear down Stoutland's defensive answers. Magneton is an amazing Stoutland partner because of its ability to trap and remove troublesome Steel-types such as Scizor and Klefki. In general, Pokemon that can deal with Steel-types, such as Infernape and Moltres, make for good teammates. VoltTurn users such as Scizor and Rotom-W are able to get Stoutland in safely to let it punch holes in the opposing team. Entry hazard setters such as Klefki and Tentacruel make for great teammates because of their ability to set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes to wear down defensive Pokemon such as Mega Aggron and Scizor that try to pivot into Stoutland. Fighting-type checks such as Starmie and Choice Scarf Latias can switch into common threats to Stoutland such as Cobalion and Infernape; they can also switch into Terrakion, but switching in is pretty shaky, since Stone Edge does a lot of damage if not outright OHKO them. Additionally, Choice Scarf Latias can heal up Stoutland when it is low with Healing Wish. Pokemon such as Tentacruel and Mantine can clear entry hazards, which really bother Stoutland and make it unable to take the neutral hits that it usually would be able to.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Choice Scarf Infernape and Terrakion under sand, but Adamant is extremely important to nab OHKOs on Pokemon such as Latias after Stealth Rock and Cobalion with Superpower 70% of the time. Play Rough and Psychic Fangs are mediocre options because Superpower is far more important and hits most relevant Fighting-types anyway. Howl with Normalium Z acts like Swords Dance and can allow Stoutland to become a more threatening wallbreaker. Fightinium Z is also an option, but Choice Band generally provides more consistent damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Doublade, Cofagrigus, and Chandelure can switch into Stoutland's Return and Superpower and proceed to set up on it with Swords Dance, Trick Room, and Calm Mind, respectively. However, they should watch out for Crunch, which OHKOes Chandelure, 2HKOes Cofagrigus, and 3HKOes Doublade.
**Rock- and Steel-types**: Rock- and Steel-types such as Terrakion, Mega Aerodactyl, and Cobalion are capable of easily tanking Return and retaliating with a strong STAB move; Cobalion and Terrakion have Fighting-type STAB moves to take Stoutland out, and Mega Aerodactyl can even set up on it with Hone Claws and recover off damage with a possible Roost. Mega Steelix and Mega Aggron have ridiculous physical bulk to shrug off even Superpower and set up Stealth Rock or just retaliate with a strong Heavy Slam; Mega Steelix even turns Stoutland's sand support against it to make its Heavy Slam and Earthquake stronger. Mega Steelix and Mega Aggron usually have Wish support as well to consistently switch into Stoutland.
**Choice Scarf Fighting-types**: Choice Scarf Fighting-types such as Infernape and Terrakion can outspeed and OHKO Stoutland with Close Combat before it can even hit them. However, they must be wary of Jolly variants of Stoutland, which outspeed both under sand and OHKO both with Return and Superpower, (AC) respectively.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Hippowdon, Alomomola, and Suicune are bulky enough to avoid the 2HKO from Stoutland's moves and can cripple it with status in return.
**Priority**: Priority users such as Scizor, Entei, and Zygarde-10% can hit Stoutland before it can move and can pick it off when weakened.
Stoutland has a small niche in UU as a decent sand sweeper. Thanks to Sand Rush, it is capable of outspeeding the entire unboosted metagame under sand. Its solid Attack stat and great neutral coverage between its STAB and coverage moves allow it to hit most Pokemon in the tier hard, and its decent bulk allows it to take most priority hits and survive neutral hits from offensive Pokemon such as Mega Pidgeot and Hydreigon. However, Stoutland relies on sand support from Hippowdon and Gigalith to have its blistering Speed, meaning that outside of sand, Stoutland is not very useful. This also limits the types of team builds Stoutland is on. Its offensive Normal typing is merely average at best, resisted by common Pokemon such as Scizor and Doublade, so prediction is often necessary when playing with Stoutland. Defensively, its typing is not good either, providing it with no resistances or useful immunities and a weakness to Fighting, which is a common type, leaving it easily forced out by threats such as Cobalion and Infernape.
[SET]
name: Sand Rush
move 1: Return
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Facade / Pursuit
item: Choice Band
ability: Sand Rush
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Return is a strong STAB move that puts dents in most Pokemon that do not resist it, having a good chance of OHKOing threats such as Latias and Mega Pidgeot. Superpower hits Steel- and Rock-types such as Cobalion and Terrakion super effectively, OHKOing Cobalion after a slight amount of chip damage and always OHKOing Terrakion. Crunch hits Ghost-types, which are immune to Return and Superpower, super effectively, dealing good damage to Chandelure and Cofagrigus, but it doesn't 2HKO Doublade. Facade is useful when Stoutland is afflicted by status, as it's essentially a stronger Return. Pursuit is another option because it traps and heavily damages or OHKOes common Pokemon such as Latias, Mega Beedrill, and Chandelure. Fire Fang is also an option because it OHKOes Scizor and hits Klefki slightly harder than Superpower, but Facade and Pursuit are usually better options.
Set Details
========
252 Attack and Speed EVs give Stoutland as much Speed and power as it can get. Stoutland can afford to run an Adamant nature because Sand Rush makes it incredibly fast anyway, but this does leave Stoutland outsped by Choice Scarf Infernape, Terrakion, and Latias. Sand Rush gives Stoutland its niche, doubling its Speed in sand. Choice Band gives Stoutland a necessary increase in power, allowing it to 2HKO bulky threats such as Hippowdon and Rotom-W, although it needs Spikes support to 2HKO Hippowdon.
Usage Tips
========
Stoutland should only really be brought out when sand is up, as its middling Speed tier and lack of resistances make it unable to take too many hits. However, on the rare occasion that there are no Pokemon that outspeed Stoutland on the other team, you can just send it out without sand regardless. Return is pretty spammable, but the omnipresence of Steel-types makes prediction with Superpower necessary in almost every game. For example, Superpower 2HKOes Choice Band Scizor 100% of the time, which Return cannot do. You must also be very careful to not let Ghost-types in for free, since Doublade can use Stoutland as Swords Dance fodder and Cofagrigus uses Trick Room on it. Stoutland's bulk does allow it to take a couple of neutral hits from Pokemon such as Hydreigon and Mega Pidgeot, but try to keep it healthy so that it can actually do this.
Team Options
========
Stoutland only fits on sand balance teams because it is reliant on sand to have any niche in UU. Hippowdon and Gigalith are Stoutland's mandatory partners, providing key sand support, which is the only thing that makes Stoutland viable. They are also able to set up Stealth Rock to wear down Stoutland's defensive answers. Magneton is an amazing Stoutland partner because of its ability to trap and remove troublesome Steel-types such as Scizor and Klefki. In general, Pokemon that can deal with Steel-types, such as Infernape and Moltres, make for good teammates. VoltTurn users such as Scizor and Rotom-W are able to get Stoutland in safely to let it punch holes in the opposing team. Entry hazard setters such as Klefki and Tentacruel make for great teammates because of their ability to set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes to wear down defensive Pokemon such as Mega Aggron and Scizor that try to pivot into Stoutland. Fighting-type checks such as Starmie and Choice Scarf Latias can switch into common threats to Stoutland such as Cobalion and Infernape; they can also switch into Terrakion, but switching in is pretty shaky, since Stone Edge does a lot of damage if not outright OHKO them. Additionally, Choice Scarf Latias can heal up Stoutland when it is low with Healing Wish. Pokemon such as Tentacruel and Mantine can clear entry hazards, which really bother Stoutland and make it unable to take the neutral hits that it usually would be able to.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Choice Scarf Infernape and Terrakion under sand, but Adamant is extremely important to nab OHKOs on Pokemon such as Latias after Stealth Rock and Cobalion with Superpower 70% of the time. Play Rough and Psychic Fangs are mediocre options because Superpower is far more important and hits most relevant Fighting-types anyway. Howl with Normalium Z acts like Swords Dance and can allow Stoutland to become a more threatening wallbreaker. Fightinium Z is also an option, but Choice Band generally provides more consistent damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Doublade, Cofagrigus, and Chandelure can switch into Stoutland's Return and Superpower and proceed to set up on it with Swords Dance, Trick Room, and Calm Mind, respectively. However, they should watch out for Crunch, which OHKOes Chandelure, 2HKOes Cofagrigus, and 3HKOes Doublade.
**Rock- and Steel-types**: Rock- and Steel-types such as Terrakion, Mega Aerodactyl, and Cobalion are capable of easily tanking Return and retaliating with a strong STAB move; Cobalion and Terrakion have Fighting-type STAB moves to take Stoutland out, and Mega Aerodactyl can even set up on it with Hone Claws and recover off damage with a possible Roost. Mega Steelix and Mega Aggron have ridiculous physical bulk to shrug off even Superpower and set up Stealth Rock or just retaliate with a strong Heavy Slam; Mega Steelix even turns Stoutland's sand support against it to make its Heavy Slam and Earthquake stronger. Mega Steelix and Mega Aggron usually have Wish support as well to consistently switch into Stoutland.
**Choice Scarf Fighting-types**: Choice Scarf Fighting-types such as Infernape and Terrakion can outspeed and OHKO Stoutland with Close Combat before it can even hit them. However, they must be wary of Jolly variants of Stoutland, which outspeed both under sand and OHKO both with Return and Superpower, (AC) respectively.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Hippowdon, Alomomola, and Suicune are bulky enough to avoid the 2HKO from Stoutland's moves and can cripple it with status in return.
**Priority**: Priority users such as Scizor, Entei, and Zygarde-10% can hit Stoutland before it can move and can pick it off when weakened.
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