[OVERVIEW]
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- A nice offensive typing allow Articuno to hit almost everything neutrally besides Steel Types
- Access to Freeze-Dry allows Articuno to hit Water Types like Slowbro and Blastoise who usually resist Ice Type moves
- A good bulk allowing it to take weaker or resisted attacks very well, especially special attacks
- A very poor defensive typing makes it take heavy damage from Stealth Rocks and leaves it open to many top tier threats such as Incineroar, Diancie, and Steelix
- Above average speed leaves it outsped by many of its offensive threats such as Heliolisk, Delphox, and Houndoom
- Faces competition from Vanilluxe and Sneasel as Ice Types, outperforming Articuno with power. It also faces competition from Cryogonal as it is faster, can remove hazards, and can still Recover
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name: Offensive Pivot
move1: Freeze-Dry
move2: Hurricane (how can you miss a hurricane)
move3: U-Turn
move4: Roost / Hidden Power Ground
Item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpDef / 252 Spe
Moves
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- Freeze Dry is Ice STAB and gives Articuno super effective damage on Water Types such as Slowbro, Gastrodon, and Vaporeon
- Hurricane is Flying STAB and hits Pokemon who usually shrug off Ice moves such as Thick Fat Hariyama, Piloswine, and Milktank
- U-Turn lets Articuno pivot out of its checks and Rock and Steel Types and allows it to gain momentum
- Hidden Power Ground hits all of Articuno's weaknesses for super effective damage
- Roost allows Articuno to get a good chunk of its HP back
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- 252 Special Attack makes Articuno's special moves hit harder
- 252 Speed and a Timid Nature allow it to outspeed Xatu, Adamant Toxicroak, and Golbat
- Life Orb is for adding more power to Articuno's moves
- Choice Specs offers even more power and can land OHKOs on Silvally-Water, Slowbro, and Braviary with hazard support, but it leaves Articuno locked into a single move and using Roost is almost useless
- Pressure along with Substitute allows to PP Stall the opponent, running low PP moves such as Fire Blast and Stone Edge dry
Usage Tips
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- Articuno's nice uninvested special bulk allows it to switch in on neutral special attacks and can scare out Water and Grass Types with Freeze-Dry, this can be used to get a free Roost
- U-Turn is most useful on specially defensive Pokemon such as Mega Audino, Assault Vest Magmortar, and Gigalith in sand,
- While it has a great offensive typing, Articuno can't secure many OHKOes or even 2HKOes early game
- Having Stealth Rocks off the field is almost required to use Articuno effectively, and Life Orb recoil can aid in Articuno being taken out
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- Teammates who can keep Stealth Rocks off the field for Articuno like Blastoise, Xatu, and Silvally
- Rain support from teammates like Liepard and Ludicolo who can help Articuno a lot by making Hurricane never miss and weakening Fire Type attacks
- Ground Type teammates such as Sandslash and Rhydon who can handle Articuno's Steel, Electric, and Rock weaknesses and Articuno can switch into the Water and Grass types that usually beat Ground Types
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- Ice Beam offers more power than Freeze-Dry and even has a freeze chance, but doesn't cover Water Types
- Blizzard along with teammates who can set up hail such as Vanilluxe and Aurorus be run over Ice Beam, but isn't as trustworthy outside of hail
- The Substitute + Roost set with max HP and SpDef EVs along with Leftovers can let Articuno stall the opponent's PP out with Pressure.
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**Rock Types**: Deal 4x damage to Articuno, best idea is to U-Turn out of any Rock Type, Articuno also loses 50% everytime it switches into Rocks
**Steel Types**: Klinklang and Silvally-Steel resist both of Articuno's STAB while also dealing super effective damage and usually an OHKO back
**Specially Defensive Walls**: Mega Audino, Diancie, and Assualt Vest Magmortar can take almost anything Articuno can throw out and can usually attack back with super effective damage or Toxic
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