Original analysis written by Kingler12345. This analysis, among others, had to be completed and submitted in a hurry for Smogon's new dex. The OP here has been fully changed to reflect QC's version of this, written by Goddess Briyella. Corkscrew has already QC checked this within the LC QC project and his changes have already been implemented, and prem and Goddess Briyella have already done QC checks on the forums, making this QC 3/3.
Overview
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- Good mixed bulk
- A must have for Sand-based strategy
- Is able to counter Vulpix, and Sun by extension
- Decent support movepool
Auto-Sun Counter
########
name: Auto-Sun Counter
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Slack Off
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Whirlwind
ability: Sand Stream
item: Eviolite
evs: 132 HP / 20 Atk / 132 Def / 180 SpD / 20 Spe
nature: Careful
Moves
========
- Earthquake is the obligatory STAB attack and it hits things for decent damage
- Slack Off provides reliable healing and assists greatly in walling enemies
- Stealth Rock is there to put pressure on the opposing team, especially with switching
- Whirlwind puts a stop to setup as well as can help to shuffle teams and force multiple opposing foes to take damage from Sand and Stealth Rock
Set Details
========
- Eviolite is the optimal item for providing more bulk, since Slack Off is already a continuous and reliable source of recovery and greatly outclasses the one-time use of Berry Juice
- Careful nature and the given EV spread allows Hippopotas to comfortably switch in on Vulpix, changing the weather in the process, and avoiding a 2HKO from Vulpix's Fire Blast or Energy Ball
- Enough physical bulk is there to still reliably tank neutral physical hits just as it always has been able to since BW
Usage Tips
========
- Hippopotas can comfortably switch in on standard Vulpix and threaten it with a OHKO from STAB Earthquake; if Vulpix uses Will-O-Wisp to burn Hippopotas, EQ is still a 2HKO
- If Vulpix opts to flee to avoid death, Hippopotas can heal off the damage it might have took on the switch-in by using Slack Off, and also has Stealth Rock, to limit Vulpix's longevity and Whirlwind to force a switch into something else
- Whirlwind can also be very useful for screwing up Pokemon who attempt to set up by boosting stats, putting up Substitutes, and/or using Baton Pass to pass these
- Sand Stream removes other weathers allows Rock-type teammates such as Lileep and Archen a 50% Special Defense increase and this can be very useful in battle, though the weather effect only lasts 5 turns this generation, it's not super bad though; in addition, if Hippopotas leads and comes out at the same time as Snover or Vulpix, Sand will be the dominant weather since Hippo is slower than both of them
Team Options
========
- Drilbur and Sandshrew can benefit greatly from Sand Stream with their Sand Rush ability effectively doubling their Speed and making them a lot more formidable
- Vullaby is an invaluable partner for Hippopotas, as it can help deal with the Chlorophyll sweepers that often accompany Vulpix; it resists Grass and its Overcoat ability blocks Sandstorm damage as well as Sleep Powder
- Lileep gets the 50% Special Defense boost provided by Sand Stream and can also recover health from the Water moves aimed at Hippopotas's weakness to them
- Munchlax patches up the Ice weakness compounded by the group of Pokemon described here in this segment, and can make use of Berry Juice and Recycle to stall or boost with Curse; Hippopotas can tank the Fighting-type attacks aimed at Munchlax as well
Other Options
########
- Stone Edge hits Flying-types hard
- Toxic stalling can work with STAB Earthquake (hits the two Poison-immune types, Steel and Poison, for super effective damage) and Slack Off
- Elemental fangs offer good coverage but are sort of weak and aren't very ideal
- Crunch hits Ghost-types hard (many have Levitate and can avoid EQ)
- Superpower offers great coverage but is hard to fit onto a set
- Curse can be used with Slack Off to set up
Checks & Counters
########
**Snover**: Hippo is weak to both of its STABs and it also replaces Sand with Hail, this is a very solid counter
**Natu**: Is immune to Earthquake and deflects both Stealth Rock and Whirlwind with Magic Bounce
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Flying-types and Levitate carriers can both sit their asses down in front of Hippopotas and not fear having to take direct damage
**Burn status**: Being burned is an annoyance to Hippopotas, and this is particularly problematic when the status is being threatened by a Scald user, as Hippopotas is also weak to Water
**Grass-types**: Grass-types usually resist, or are at worst neutral to, Earthquake and can easily KO Hippopotas with their STAB attacks.
Overview
########
- Good mixed bulk
- A must have for Sand-based strategy
- Is able to counter Vulpix, and Sun by extension
- Decent support movepool
Auto-Sun Counter
########
name: Auto-Sun Counter
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Slack Off
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Whirlwind
ability: Sand Stream
item: Eviolite
evs: 132 HP / 20 Atk / 132 Def / 180 SpD / 20 Spe
nature: Careful
Moves
========
- Earthquake is the obligatory STAB attack and it hits things for decent damage
- Slack Off provides reliable healing and assists greatly in walling enemies
- Stealth Rock is there to put pressure on the opposing team, especially with switching
- Whirlwind puts a stop to setup as well as can help to shuffle teams and force multiple opposing foes to take damage from Sand and Stealth Rock
Set Details
========
- Eviolite is the optimal item for providing more bulk, since Slack Off is already a continuous and reliable source of recovery and greatly outclasses the one-time use of Berry Juice
- Careful nature and the given EV spread allows Hippopotas to comfortably switch in on Vulpix, changing the weather in the process, and avoiding a 2HKO from Vulpix's Fire Blast or Energy Ball
- Enough physical bulk is there to still reliably tank neutral physical hits just as it always has been able to since BW
Usage Tips
========
- Hippopotas can comfortably switch in on standard Vulpix and threaten it with a OHKO from STAB Earthquake; if Vulpix uses Will-O-Wisp to burn Hippopotas, EQ is still a 2HKO
- If Vulpix opts to flee to avoid death, Hippopotas can heal off the damage it might have took on the switch-in by using Slack Off, and also has Stealth Rock, to limit Vulpix's longevity and Whirlwind to force a switch into something else
- Whirlwind can also be very useful for screwing up Pokemon who attempt to set up by boosting stats, putting up Substitutes, and/or using Baton Pass to pass these
- Sand Stream removes other weathers allows Rock-type teammates such as Lileep and Archen a 50% Special Defense increase and this can be very useful in battle, though the weather effect only lasts 5 turns this generation, it's not super bad though; in addition, if Hippopotas leads and comes out at the same time as Snover or Vulpix, Sand will be the dominant weather since Hippo is slower than both of them
Team Options
========
- Drilbur and Sandshrew can benefit greatly from Sand Stream with their Sand Rush ability effectively doubling their Speed and making them a lot more formidable
- Vullaby is an invaluable partner for Hippopotas, as it can help deal with the Chlorophyll sweepers that often accompany Vulpix; it resists Grass and its Overcoat ability blocks Sandstorm damage as well as Sleep Powder
- Lileep gets the 50% Special Defense boost provided by Sand Stream and can also recover health from the Water moves aimed at Hippopotas's weakness to them
- Munchlax patches up the Ice weakness compounded by the group of Pokemon described here in this segment, and can make use of Berry Juice and Recycle to stall or boost with Curse; Hippopotas can tank the Fighting-type attacks aimed at Munchlax as well
Other Options
########
- Stone Edge hits Flying-types hard
- Toxic stalling can work with STAB Earthquake (hits the two Poison-immune types, Steel and Poison, for super effective damage) and Slack Off
- Elemental fangs offer good coverage but are sort of weak and aren't very ideal
- Crunch hits Ghost-types hard (many have Levitate and can avoid EQ)
- Superpower offers great coverage but is hard to fit onto a set
- Curse can be used with Slack Off to set up
Checks & Counters
########
**Snover**: Hippo is weak to both of its STABs and it also replaces Sand with Hail, this is a very solid counter
**Natu**: Is immune to Earthquake and deflects both Stealth Rock and Whirlwind with Magic Bounce
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Flying-types and Levitate carriers can both sit their asses down in front of Hippopotas and not fear having to take direct damage
**Burn status**: Being burned is an annoyance to Hippopotas, and this is particularly problematic when the status is being threatened by a Scald user, as Hippopotas is also weak to Water
**Grass-types**: Grass-types usually resist, or are at worst neutral to, Earthquake and can easily KO Hippopotas with their STAB attacks.
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