QC: Funbot28 / Hayburner / Theorymon
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / lotiasite
Boasting great physical bulk and access to Stealth Rock, Rhydon carves a niche in LGPE OU as a reliable Stealth Rock user. Its monstrous base 130 Attack stat combined with its great STAB coverage allows it to dish out solid damage on many of its switch-ins for another Pokemon to take care of late-game. However, Rhydon suffers from a middling base 45 Special Defense, making it difficult to switch into most special attackers like Mega Gengar, Mega Alakazam, and Clefable. Additionally, while Rhydon's typing does provide nifty resistances to Rock-, Normal-, Electric-, and Flying-type attacks, notably allowing it to check Zapdos, it leaves Rhydon weak to common coverage such as Ice-, Grass-, Water-, and Steel-type attacks, preventing it from switching directly into anything that may carry them such as Melmetal, Poliwrath, and Alolan Muk. Finally, Rhydon faces stiff competition from other Stealth Rock setters in the tier; Aerodactyl and Alolan Dugtrio both have a much higher Speed stat than Rhydon's poor base 40, allowing them to outspeed key threats such as Mew, Melmetal, and Mega Gyarados, while Nidoqueen can utilize Super Fang to whittle down bulkier threats and also has a significantly better matchup against Mega Venusaur.
[SET]
name: Bulky Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Toxic
item:
nature: Impish / Jolly
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Information
========
Stealth Rock is Rhydon's main niche in the metagame, allowing it to permanently cripple Pokemon weak to Rock-type attacks including Mega Beedrill and Mega Charizard X. Rock Slide and Earthquake hit everything in the tier for neutral or super effective damage and hit hard coming off Rhydon's high Attack stat. Toxic is able to cripple bulky switch-ins that may otherwise be able to switch into anything else on the set, such as Poliwrath and Mew. An Impish nature maximizes Rhydon's defensive potential, allowing it to take hits easier from the likes of Dragonite and Mega Beedrill. On the other hand, Jolly allows Rhydon to outspeed Alolan Muk, which has a chance to OHKO Rhydon with Mega Drain.
Usage Tips
========
Rhydon should attempt to get Stealth Rock on the field as soon as possible. Ideally, Rhydon should remain healthy in your party as a backup defensive check to foes like Zapdos. Its ability to come into Zapdos safely gives it time to set up Stealth Rock after forcing a switch. After Stealth Rock has been set up, Rhydon's enormous base 130 Attack stat and Rock typing allow it to switch directly into foes it beats and deal powerful neutral damage to switch-ins using its STAB Rock Slide and Earthquake. Toxic can be used on predicted switches to threats like Poliwrath that could otherwise force Rhydon out, effectively crippling them and allowing another team member to take care of it.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can threaten out Water-types such as Mega Venusaur and Zapdos help beat Rhydon's counters so that it can come in freely to set up Stealth Rock to help the team. In addition, the reverse is true for Water-type teammates, which appreciate Rhydon's ability to take down Zapdos so that they can switch in freely. Paralysis and burn spreaders like Melmetal and Mew help Rhydon either outspeed and dismantle a faster threat or survive certain hits from threats such as opposing Melmetal and Mega Gyarados. Mew in particular can check threats to Rhydon such as Starmie, Poliwrath, and Mega Venusaur.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dragon Tail is an option to force switches and deal chip damage in conjunction with Stealth Rock. Substitute is an option, allowing Rhydon to still attack or spread Toxic even when up against a potential check by using Substitute on a predicted switch. Thanks to Rhydon's solid physical bulk, it can potentially run Counter on a lead set to scare out physical attackers. However, Counter is fairly unreliable and requires Rhydon to sacrifice a moveslot for it, which is hard to justify. Finally, Megahorn is an option, as it deals more damage against Mew; however, Toxic cripples Mew more during a match and is useful against a wider variety of threats.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Due to Rhydon's low Special Defense and miserable 4x weakness to Water-type attacks, Rhydon is left vulnerable to Water-types such as Mega Gyarados, Starmie, Poliwrath, and Cloyster, which can all threaten it out easily or prevent it from setting up Stealth Rock.
**Mega Venusaur**: Mega Venusaur can switch into any of Rhydon's attacks and can OHKO it with Mega Drain or put a switch-in to sleep with Sleep Powder.
**Burn**: Burn spreaders such as Mew, Eevee-S, and Mega Charizard X can cripple Rhydon, preventing it from effectively dealing damage to switch-ins with its STAB moves.
**Super Effective Coverage Moves**: Common coverage moves like Earthquake used by Pokemon like Snorlax and Dragonite threaten Rhydon due to its many weaknesses to Ice-, Ground-, and Water-type attacks.
**Special Attackers**: Due to Rhydon's poor base 45 Special Defense, it is ultimately forced out by powerful special attackers like Starmie, Mega Gengar, Mew, and Mega Alakazam, which can all OHKO it, forcing it to switch out. Mega Alakazam and Mew can set up Calm Mind or Nasty Plot on the switch, and Starmie can spread status onto a switch-in with Thunder Wave. Mega Gengar, while fearing Earthquake, is extremely hard to switch into and counter reliably.
**Taunt**: Taunt users such as Mew and Aerodactyl outspeed and prevent Rhydon from setting up Stealth Rock, preventing it from fulfilling its niche on a team. However, Aerodactyl can also risk being OHKOed by Rhydon in return.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[MeepBard, 196075]]
- Quality checked by: [[Funbot28, 255984], [Hayburner, 291554], [Theorymon, 29010]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [lotiasite, 302985]]
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