[OVERVIEW]
Mamoswine’s unique typing, granting it a nearly unresisted STAB combination, a neutrality to Stealth Rock, and an immunity to sand and hail, makes it a potent wallbreaker in DPP OU. Ice / Ground is only resisted by Bronzong, while Mamoswine’s base 130 Attack hits the many common Pokemon weak to these moves such as Jirachi, Tyranitar, Latias, Heatran, and Breloom really hard. Mamoswine also has strong priority in Ice Shard, allowing it to revenge kill Dragonite, Flygon, and Latias effectively. Mamoswine is a potent user of Substitute to make up for its mediocre Speed, as it is just fast enough to outspeed walls such as defensive Jirachi and Heatran, can make 101 HP Subtitutes and 2HKO Clefable, and Ice Shard threatens faster Pokemon weak to Ice enough to get it a free turn. Mamoswine also has an effective support movepool with options such as Knock Off and Stealth Rock.
Mamoswine unfortunately has a large list of problems in OU stemming from its lack of strong physical Ice-type moves, its mediocre Speed and the consequences of it, and a metagame very hostile to Ice-types. While Mamoswine has Ice Shard, its best physical Ice-type move otherwise is Ice Fang, which simply isn’t strong enough to threaten bulkier Pokemon immune to Ground such as Gyarados, Bronzong, Skarmory, Rotom-A, and Cresselia or even very bulky Pokemon weak to Ice such as Hippowdon, physically defensive Zapdos, and Celebi. Mamoswine has to rely on Blizzard in hail and its bad base 70 Special Attack to threaten these Pokemon. Mamoswine’s stats give it a conundrum, as its base 80 Speed stat forces heavy investment lest it get outsped by most of the metagame. However, its base 110 HP stat needs a lot of investment to reach 101 HP Substitutes, and Mamoswine always wants more power. Mamoswine is forced into this conundrum because of how hostile DPP OU is to its typing. Mamoswine has extremely common weaknesses to Steel, Fighting, Fire, and Water, and Grass while it is only immune to Electric and resistant to Poison. No amount of investment into Mamoswine’s defenses will save it from Jirachi, Scizor, Bronzong, Lucario, Infernape, Gyarados, Suicune, Swampert, Starmie, Heatran, Breloom, Machamp, and the huge amount of Pokemon with super effective coverage such as Tyranitar, Gengar, Latias, and Zapdos who all either can outspeed it or live one hit and remove it. On top of this, Mamoswine is grounded and despises poison, paralysis, and burn, making it easier to pick off. These flaws make Mamoswine niche in DPP OU, on the cusp of excellence but held back from being a staple of the tier.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Ice Shard
move 3: Ice Fang / Stone Edge / Knock Off
move 4: Substitute / Superpower
item: Leftovers / Life Orb / NeverMeltIce
ability: Oblivious
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is extremely strong, OHKOing offensive Jirachi, Shuca Berry Heatran, Tyranitar, and Metagross after Stealth Rock. It also generally 2HKOes most offensive Pokemon who don’t resist it such as offensive Swampert, Machamp, and Scizor. Ice Shard is strong enough to OHKO Dragonite and Flygon and 2HKO offensive Latias, Zapdos, and Breloom. Mamoswine is bulky enough to survive one boosted Extreme Speed from Dragonite and Breloom’s Mach Punch, letting it take on these Pokemon.
From here, Mamoswine’s options open up considerably. Ice Fang is Mamoswine’s best option to 2HKO defensive Latias, Zapdos after Stealth Rock, and frailer offensive Pokemon immune to Earthquake such as Gengar. However, Stone Edge is Mamoswine’s best move against Gyarados, who often tries to set up on it. Knock Off is another great choice, as it is Mamoswine’s best option against Skarmory, Bronzong, and defensive Rotom-A because it can’t hurt these Pokemon effectively. Removing their items not only helps Mamoswine wear them down, but also allows Magnezone to trap Skarmory if it has a Shed Shell.
Substitute helps Mamoswine take advantage of the free turns it generates, as opponents often switch to a faster Pokemon that can KO Mamoswine when it threatens a foe out. Substitute also helps against bulkier Pokemon such as defensive Rotom-A without Shadow Ball, as it can keep the Substitute and either threaten them out or PP stall it due to Ice Shard’s 48 PP. Another option is Superpower, as Superpower is Mamoswine’s best offensive option against Skarmory and Bronzong, but has redundant coverage with Earthquake. In general, Mamoswine uses Superpower and Stone Edge together on more offensive sets and Knock Off and Substitute with Leftovers.
Set Details
========
If Mamoswine isn’t using Substitute, it should always run maximum Attack and Speed EVs. With Substitute, Mamoswine can run 172 HP EVs to make 101 HP Substitutes to help against Clefable and Blissey. If it does this, one can run an EV spread of 172 HP / 144 Atk / 192 Spe with an Adamant nature, as this outspeeds Tyranitar and gives Mamoswine as much Attack as possible. However, this often isn’t necessary, as Mamoswine greatly threatens Clefable and Blissey anyway and is easily walled by other defensive Pokemon common alongside them. Mamoswine can run either an Adamant or a Jolly nature, as it both greatly appreciates the additional power on its Ice Shard or the extra Speed for neutral-natured Lucario, Heatran, defensive Latias, and Gyarados.
Mamoswine can use a couple of different items, as its sand immunity lets it hide its item effectively. With Substitute, Leftovers is an excellent option to make more Substitutes and potentially PP stall defensive Rotom-A. Mamoswine makes good use of Life Orb, as its immune to weather damage, is relatively frail anyway, and greatly appreciates the power boost especially on Ice Shard and Superpower. The residual damage unfortunately makes it easier for Pokemon like Dragonite and Breloom to pick it off. However, NeverMeltIce is great offensive option, as it powers up Ice Shard and Ice Fang. Choice Band also can work, as Choice Band Earthquake is insanely strong, OHKOing physically defensive Jirachi, but all of Mamoswine’s attacks either have coverage issues should it lock itself into them.
Usage Tips
========
Mamoswine struggles to get in the game, as it doesn’t have any important resistances besides Electric. Try to get Mamoswine on predicted switches, U-turn, or with a sacrifice on something it heavily threatens or forces out, such as Dragonite, slower Heatran, Tyranitar, or Rotom-A locked into Thunderbolt. Use this opportunity to either set up a Substitute or hit something very hard. Note that Mamoswine’s coverage options such as Stone Edge and Superpower are often unexpected, letting it hit Gyarados and offensive Bronzong respectively quite hard.
Mamoswine typically gets in the game fairly late, once defensive options have either been eliminated or worn down enough for Mamoswine to break through. However, with Knock Off, try to hit Skarmory fairly early before potentially revealing Magnezone as once it is revealed, Skarmory will almost never willingly lose its Shed Shell otherwise.
Team Options
========
One of Mamoswine most common partners is Magnezone, as various Steel-types like Jirachi, Skarmory, Scizor, and Bronzong are debilitating for Mamoswine. Magnet Rise Magnezone can trap all of these Pokemon, opening the way for Mamoswine. Another great partner is Choice Specs Latias, as not only does Latias switch into many of Mamoswine’s weaknesses and batter Steel-types to potentially trap with Magnezone, it also appreciates Mamoswine harassing special walls like Clefable and alleviating it in dealing with Electric-types. As Mamoswine really struggles in dealing with Pokemon that resist Earthquake, it appreciates strong offensive partners that can break down Hippowdon, Shed Shell Skarmory, and physically defensive Rotom-A with Shadow Ball. Fighting-types like Breloom, Bulk Up Machamp, and Hariyama are fantastic partners, as they can bust up bulkier Pokemon to the point that if Mamoswine is behind a Substitute, it can clean up effectively with powerful Earthquake and Ice Shard. Mamoswine helps significantly in dealing with Dragon Dance Dragonite and typically can survive one hit from +1 Tyranitar, helping out Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Rotom-A who potentially struggle with these Pokemon.
Mamoswine is also a potent partner to teams heavily built around paralysis, as outspeeding foes and attacking behind a Substitute is very effective against more offensive teams. Jirachi, Azelf, Gyarados, and lead Breloom are highly effective partners, as they can also potentially wear down Skarmory and other Steel-types for Mamoswine. Gyarados is particularly effective, as it often draws in Choiced Electric-type moves and covers most of Mamoswine’s weaknesses, while Mamoswine can alleviate Thunder Wave’s Gyarados’s inability to threaten Steel-types like Metagross once it has paralyzed them. Metagross, Bronzong, and Heatran are also highly effective with Explosion, as that typically opens up a wall that Mamoswine struggles to deal with and Ice Shard helps them not have to deal with boosted Dragonite’s Outrage.
[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Blizzard
move 3: Ice Shard
move 4: Substitute / Hail
item: NeverMeltIce
ability: Oblivious
nature: Naughty / Naive
evs: 196 Atk / 60 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Blizzard represents Mamoswine’s best Ice-type STAB, as the raw base power makes up for its lower Special Attack stat. It 2HKOes physically defensive Hippowdon, Latias, Zapdos, and Skarmory after hail damage, something no other move it has can do. Earthquake hits very hard, as Mamoswine doesn’t need much investment to get the most out of Blizzard. Ice Shard pairs very well with Blizzard, as the power of Blizzard often forces faster defensive Pokemon such as Latias to Recover, allowing Mamoswine to pick them off.
The last move is most commonly Substitute, as not only does Mamoswine’s threat level afford it opportunities to get a Substitute, but having a Substitute helps Mamoswine have another opportunity to use Blizzard should it miss outside of hail. Mamoswine can also set up Hail itself, as sand it ubiquitous in DPP OU and having perfectly accurate Blizzards without Abomasnow is very helpful, but Mamoswine sorely misses the pressure it applies with Substitute.
Set Details
========
Blizzard needs minimal investment alongside NeverMeltIce to 2HKO targets such as physically defensive Skarmory and Latias in hail, so Mamoswine is free to invest heavily in Attack and Speed to be as threatening as possible. Mamoswine can also use Leftovers alongside Substitute to make more Substitute, but either most forgo 2HKOing Skarmory or invest heavily in Special Attack.
Mamoswine can either lower its Defense or Special Defense. It most often lowers its Special Defense, as Mamoswine has enough physical bulk to survive attacks like Jirachi’s Iron Head after a Substitute and most priority such as Dragonite Extreme Speed, Scizor’s Bullet Punch, and Breloom’s Mach Punch. Both Naughty and Naive are useful, but having the extra power on Earthquake and Ice Shard is slightly more preferable alongside Blizzard.
Usage Tips
========
Mamoswine should generally wait for hail to be active, as Blizzard isn’t consistent enough to be used outside of hail repeatedly. Mamoswine typically picks and chooses its opportunities accordingly: it can come in early in the game to wallbreak if hail is up, but generally waits until fairly late in the game. Once in, try to set up a Substitute to deal with faster Pokemon and just wail away at foes—only very bulky Water-types and Bronzong can withstand Mamoswine repeated attacks behind a Substitute with 100% accurate Blizzard. Mamoswine should only use Blizzard sparingly outside of Hail; not only does Blizzard only have 8 PP and it’s 70% accurate, but Mamoswine typically needs to use it multiple times to take out bulky Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Skarmory, and Latias. These Pokemon can potentially PP stall it if Mamoswine isn’t careful.
Team Options
========
Mixed Mamoswine’s number one teammate is Abomasnow. Permanent hail is crucial to its success, as repeatedly relying on Blizzard’s 70% accuracy is a huge problem against defensive Pokemon it can’t OHKO. Most Abomasnow sets are helpful, as more defensive sets have the longevity to set up hail repeatedly while more offensive sets can help open up Steel-types neutral or immune to Ground such as Scizor, Bronzong, and Skarmory for Mamoswine. As Mamoswine and Abomasnow stack a lot of common weaknesses, the rest of the team must either be very offensive to mask those weakness or have enough defensive flexibilities to handle them.
Magnezone or Magneton are still very helpful, as specially defensive Skarmory is problematic, while Shed Shell Skarmory despises Hail and Blizzard. Other ways to punish Shed Shell Skarmory such as Fighting-types like Machamp, Breloom, and Hariyama as well as Substitute Jirachi are also helpful. Additionally, Mamoswine needs help against Steel-types such as Jirachi even if it has Magnezone support. Metagross is a fantastic teammate, as it has the flexibility to answer a lot of offensive Pokemon, handles Jirachi, and can potentially sweep with an Agility set after Mamoswine weakens other Pokemon. Other help against Fire-types and Breloom is highly helpful, so common teammates on Magnezone offense such as Uxie, Gyarados, and Latias are advised.
More defensive approaches often revolve around helping Abomasnow stay alive to set up hail repeatedly. Donphan and Starmie are great teammates for this. Earthquake Latias in particular is also an excellent partner to handle Choice Scarf or otherwise faster Heatran, as it can repeatedly use Fire Blast and Mamoswine cannot switch in or is forced out if it doesn’t have a Substitute. Other strong defensive partners such as Jirachi, Zapdos, and Gyarados make good teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Mamoswine makes for a decent Stealth Rock user, as with Focus Sash, Endeavor, and Ice Shard, it can threaten slower Pokemon after it sets up Stealth Rock and survives an attack at 1 HP due to Focus Sash. Mamoswine’s immunity to sand and hail means weather can’t pick it off. Unfortunately, such a set badly struggles to deal with Azelf and against other common leads such as Gyarados, Jirachi, and Machamp, and is overall not very effective beyond the lead slot, as it’s a frail Stealth Rock user vulnerable to Starmie. Mamoswine can also use Substitute or Endure alongside Liechi or Salac Berry to reach 1 HP and use Endeavor, but priority and faster Choice Scarf users are way too common for this to be effective. Mamoswine also has a host of other items, such as Muscle Band, Soft Sand, and various resistance berries such as Chople Berry for Gengar, Breloom, and Tyranitar; Passho Berry for Gyarados, Suicune, and Swampert; and Occa Berry for +1 Tyranitar Fire Punch and Heatran. Mamoswine can use a Choice Scarf, but its mediocre Speed stat and lack of strong physical Ice-types moves really hurt it. Mamoswine can also use Curse and Avalanche, but it’s typing simply isn’t meant for taking the hits needed to pull this off.
Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types**: Faster Steel-types or those that aren’t weak to Earthquake are fantastic checks. Levitate Bronzong is the best answer in the game to Mamoswine, as Mamoswine can’t hurt it effectively. Physical Mamoswine also struggles to damage Skarmory, but physically defensive Skarmory is 2HKOed by NeverMeltIce boosted Blizzard. Jirachi is faster and 2HKOes with Iron Head, having a 60% of preventing Mamoswine from doing anything. Scizor destroys Mamoswine with Bullet Punch. Beware that none of these Pokemon besides Bronzong want to take on Mamoswine behind a Substitute
**Water-types**: Most Water-types are not OHKOed by Earthquake and KO Mamoswine back. Gyarados, Swampert, Starmie, Suicune, Kingdra, Milotic, and Quagsire all threaten Mamoswine. Gyarados even potentially sets up on Mamoswine should it lack Stone Edge.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types often either outspeed Mamoswine, have super effective priority, or survive its attacks and OHKO it. Infernape and Lucario, while weak to Earthquake, easily dispatch Mamoswine and even have super effective priority. Breloom has to be careful of Ice Shard and Machamp can’t repeatedly take Earthquake, but they also defeat Mamoswine.
**Very Bulky Pokemon**: Especially without Blizzard, Mamoswine really struggles to deal with bulky Pokemon not hit super effectively by Earthquake. Skarmory, Bronzong, and Hippowdon are chief among these, but Rotom-A, Celebi, Uxie, Cresselia, and Abomasnow are a challenge for Mamoswine.
**Faster Pokemon**: Most faster Pokemon, as long as they’re not 4x weak to Ice Shard, can eliminate Mamoswine if they get in safely. Mamoswine struggles to beat Gengar and Azelf with Ice Shard, while most Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Latias, Jirachi, Metagross, Heatran, Tyranitar, Lucario, and Rotom-A can either OHKO Mamoswine or outdamage it.
**Residual Damage**: Mamoswine is grounded and vulnerable to all status. Mamoswine despises Toxic Spikes, while burn completely ruins it.
[CREDITS]
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