(Pokemon of the Week is something that the DGN Elite Four is going to do on a weekly basis, where an Elite Four member posts an in-depth look at ways to competitively use certain Pokemon. The purpose of this is to stimulate interest in the metagame, so if you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.)
Notable Moves:
Rapid Spin
Spikes
Explosion
Gyro Ball
Volt Switch
Earthquake
Light Screen
Reflect
Stealth Rock (Egg move from Dwebble and Crustle)
Toxic Spikes (Egg move from Beedrill, Skorupi, and Drapion)
Overview:
Forretress, the bagworm Pokemon, is a dual bug/steel type introduced in Generation II GSC. Because Magnemite and Magneton were technically re-typed into an electric/steel type, Forretress is actually the first original steel type in the National Pokedex. True to what the steel type was made to do, Forretress was designed with a single focus in mind – tank physical hits like nothing else.
All one has to do is glance over the base stats and typing of this rock-hard walnut in order to see why it’s so hard to crack. 140 in physical defense is quite
monstrous, but it’s the coveted bug/steel typing that truly makes Forretress the stalwart that it is. This semi-unique typing is also shared by the likes of Scizor and Genesect, two incredibly dangerous Pokemon that can function in the ubers tier, because it has but one weakness: fire. With so many useful resistances that the bug and steel typing bring with it, it’s no surprise that Forretress has served trainers well in OU and ubers for so long.
However, a purely defensive Pokemon isn’t worth much if it doesn’t have the tools to support its purpose. Shuckle is about as defensive as you can possibly get, and yet it always seems to be in the lower tiers. What has made Forretress so valuable, on top of its base stats and typing, is the incredible amount of options it brings with it. In a meta-game so focused on entry hazards like Stealth Rock and Spikes, Forretress had the not oft-given Rapid Spin, which granted it the ability to remove those hazards. On top of that Forretress itself has the very same Stealth Rock and Spikes, along with even Toxic Spikes. This means that Forretress can not only remove hazards from your side of the field, but also set up your own hazards on your opponent’s side.
Indeed, very few Pokemon boast the ability to not only Rapid Spin, but also set up hazards. Forretress is the only Pokemon that has access to a whopping three entry hazard moves, which means Forretress can adapt to whatever your strategy happens to be. Forretress also boasts an incredibly unique movepool, with the ever useful Volt Switch and empowering Gyro Ball, to further increase its clout over other options.
Generation VI did make life more difficult for my favorite steel type, however. It's well-documented special defense is always present, but new issues have also arisen. The newly buffed Defog, which removes all hazards on both sides of the field, has made the use of Rapid Spin users, and entry hazard usage in general, decline. The unbanned Excadrill, along with OU mainstays such as Starmie and Tentacool, may give it competition for a team spot as well. But taking advantage of the unique traits that Forretress offers, along with proper team synergy, can make it an invaluable member of your team.
Viable Sets:
1.) "Buggy Tank"
Forretress@Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
Nature: Relaxed
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4 SpD
-Rapid Spin
-Stealth Rock
-Volt Switch
-Gyro Ball
- Many would agree that, in the competitive scene today, the likes of Spikes and Toxic Spikes are falling out of favor. They wouldn't be too far off either, mainly because of the new, nasty Defog, but one entry hazard has managed to hang on so far: Stealth Rock. Although Forretress has many options, Stealth Rock is by far the best of them in a majority of scenarios, mainly due to the omni-present fire and flying types that are so scary (Talonflame, Charizard, Dragonite, and Volcarona to name a few). Ditching all hazards but Stealth Rock clears up two slots that can make better use of Forretress' traits than Spikes and Toxic Spikes could. Remember: Rapid Spin is a near necessity for every Pokemon who gets it, as it's important to keep hazards off your side of the field.
- Remember when I said that Forrestress needs to have something that differentiates itself from other spinners like Tentacruel and Starmie? Forretress actually gets two moves that are very much to his advantage. The first one if the aforementioned Gyro Ball. Gyro Ball is a weird move in the way that the slower you are, the more damage you deal. The base power of Gyro Ball hits a whopping 150 if the the speed differential is big enough, and because Forretress' attack is fairly respectable, it means that Forretress has at least some method of damaging things that try to set up on him. Thus, you want Forretress to be as slow as possible for it to reach maximum effectiveness. Not only does Gyro Ball give you an effective means of punishing those who try to set up, but it also gives you a reliable method in general of dealing with powerful sweepers if necessary.
- The second move is something that really makes Forretress stand out from the rest of the spinners i, and that move is Volt Switch. Having a move that deals damage and switches out at the same time is something incredibly valuable, as it gives you tons of momentum if the opponent switches out. Picture this scenario: You send out Forretress to tank a hit from a physical attack that doesn't carry a fire move. The opponent, thinking that he/she can switch out into a sweeper to set up on Forretress, switches out to said Pokemon. But wait! You had Volt Switch, and you predicted the switch. Now, you get your choice of what you want to send out against this new sweeper to check or counter it. This is another perfect reason for Forretress to be so slow; a slow Volt Switch gives you extreme initiative.
- The EVs favor the extremes of Forretress' physical bulk, as it makes his niche that much more viable. It'll tank any physical hit that isn't fire no problem, but Forretress had no business staying in on a special sweeper; it'll be eliminated before you're able to lay down your first hazard.
2.) "The Tool Box"
Forretress@Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP, 252 SpD, 4 Def
-Rapid Spin
-Stealth Rock
-Spikes
-Toxic Spikes
- This is the set that has made Forretress so appealing in the past; the ability to adapt to you opponent by modulating entry hazards can give you an incredible advantage. Talonflame and Charizard running rampant? Prioritize Stealth Rock, and don't worry about Spikes or Toxic Spikes. Extreme stall team staring you in the face? Toxic Spikes might be the way to go over Stealth Rock. Although this set doesn't take full advantage of Forretress' unique move-pool, what it DOES do is give you the luxury of choice according to what you need per match. The Sassy Nature and EV spread are made in an attempt to patch up Forretress' lack-luster special defense, as his physical defense is large enough to not have to worry about further investment, and Rapid Spin is there as mandatory insurance against opposing entry hazards. If you get the opportunity, additional Spikes on top of your existing entry hazards can make life a head-ache for your opponent.
- Keep in mind that you sacrifice offensive presence for choice with this set. The options may over-flow, but Forretress' ability to hit anything at all dies hard. As such, you must be very careful to not allow strong sweepers to set-up their stat-boosting moves while you fiddle away with entry hazards, as it could very well cost you the match. Unless you can predict very well, this is the very reason why the above sets is recommended in today's meta-game.
Team Options:
1.) Chansey/Blissey
- What matches well with a physical tank? A special tank of course. The debate on whether or not Chansey is superior to Blissey due to Eviolite is still on-going, but that doesn't change the fact that old fashion dual-protection is something to be valued. If you're worried that Forretress can't take the incoming special hit before Volt Switching out, just switch to either Chansey or Blissey to take the hit like a champ. Not only will it wall the opposing sweeper, but it'll also give you a chance to take advantage of the pink blob's amazing support move-pool to aid your team.
2.) Houndoom
- Forretress' number one fear is fire. So what better way than to turn that weakness in your favor? Houndoom was one of the few blessed with a mega-evolution in Gen VI. Before you mega evolve, however, regular Houndoom possess the awesome ability Flash Fire. Flash Fire makes fire moves useless, and actually increases the power of your own fire moves in return. Simply switch Houndoom into the predicted fire move against Forretress, and you've got a super powered-up Houndoom on your hands.
-After evolving, Mega-Houndoom is one scary special sweeper, with a special attack and speed stat to back it up. On top of the Flash Fire boost, the tides could turn in your favor rather quickly.
- The same applies to Heatran, but as it's currently banned in our little League, I won't go in-depth to what it can offer.
3.) Politoed
-Weather received a nerf in Gen VI, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a viable strategy anymore. Politoed brings the unique ability Drizzle to the table, which sets up the weather rain. Forretress loves the rain, as its only weakness, fire, only does half the damage, making normal threats much less scary than they would normally be. It may take more skill these days to pull off weather, but rain will always be a friend to Forretress and its abilities.
Conclusion:
- Forretress is still a Pokemon with a place in the competitive game today. Some might question his validity in the presence of other spinners, but most of them fall into common categories that are easy to predict and play around. Forretress offers a very unique way of approaching the hazard/spinning portion of the competition, offering different varieties to take advantage of his moves and legendary utility. Although Magic Bounce users are a favorite anti-hazard strategy of mine, Forretress will always be my go-to option for the other side.
#205 - Forretress
Species: Bagworm Pokemon
Abilities: Sturdy, Overcoat (Hidden)
Height: 3'11
Weight: 277.3 lbs
Species: Bagworm Pokemon
Abilities: Sturdy, Overcoat (Hidden)
Height: 3'11
Weight: 277.3 lbs
Notable Moves:
Rapid Spin
Spikes
Explosion
Gyro Ball
Volt Switch
Earthquake
Light Screen
Reflect
Stealth Rock (Egg move from Dwebble and Crustle)
Toxic Spikes (Egg move from Beedrill, Skorupi, and Drapion)
Overview:
Forretress, the bagworm Pokemon, is a dual bug/steel type introduced in Generation II GSC. Because Magnemite and Magneton were technically re-typed into an electric/steel type, Forretress is actually the first original steel type in the National Pokedex. True to what the steel type was made to do, Forretress was designed with a single focus in mind – tank physical hits like nothing else.
All one has to do is glance over the base stats and typing of this rock-hard walnut in order to see why it’s so hard to crack. 140 in physical defense is quite
However, a purely defensive Pokemon isn’t worth much if it doesn’t have the tools to support its purpose. Shuckle is about as defensive as you can possibly get, and yet it always seems to be in the lower tiers. What has made Forretress so valuable, on top of its base stats and typing, is the incredible amount of options it brings with it. In a meta-game so focused on entry hazards like Stealth Rock and Spikes, Forretress had the not oft-given Rapid Spin, which granted it the ability to remove those hazards. On top of that Forretress itself has the very same Stealth Rock and Spikes, along with even Toxic Spikes. This means that Forretress can not only remove hazards from your side of the field, but also set up your own hazards on your opponent’s side.
Indeed, very few Pokemon boast the ability to not only Rapid Spin, but also set up hazards. Forretress is the only Pokemon that has access to a whopping three entry hazard moves, which means Forretress can adapt to whatever your strategy happens to be. Forretress also boasts an incredibly unique movepool, with the ever useful Volt Switch and empowering Gyro Ball, to further increase its clout over other options.
Generation VI did make life more difficult for my favorite steel type, however. It's well-documented special defense is always present, but new issues have also arisen. The newly buffed Defog, which removes all hazards on both sides of the field, has made the use of Rapid Spin users, and entry hazard usage in general, decline. The unbanned Excadrill, along with OU mainstays such as Starmie and Tentacool, may give it competition for a team spot as well. But taking advantage of the unique traits that Forretress offers, along with proper team synergy, can make it an invaluable member of your team.
Viable Sets:
1.) "Buggy Tank"
Forretress@Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
Nature: Relaxed
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4 SpD
-Rapid Spin
-Stealth Rock
-Volt Switch
-Gyro Ball
- Many would agree that, in the competitive scene today, the likes of Spikes and Toxic Spikes are falling out of favor. They wouldn't be too far off either, mainly because of the new, nasty Defog, but one entry hazard has managed to hang on so far: Stealth Rock. Although Forretress has many options, Stealth Rock is by far the best of them in a majority of scenarios, mainly due to the omni-present fire and flying types that are so scary (Talonflame, Charizard, Dragonite, and Volcarona to name a few). Ditching all hazards but Stealth Rock clears up two slots that can make better use of Forretress' traits than Spikes and Toxic Spikes could. Remember: Rapid Spin is a near necessity for every Pokemon who gets it, as it's important to keep hazards off your side of the field.
- Remember when I said that Forrestress needs to have something that differentiates itself from other spinners like Tentacruel and Starmie? Forretress actually gets two moves that are very much to his advantage. The first one if the aforementioned Gyro Ball. Gyro Ball is a weird move in the way that the slower you are, the more damage you deal. The base power of Gyro Ball hits a whopping 150 if the the speed differential is big enough, and because Forretress' attack is fairly respectable, it means that Forretress has at least some method of damaging things that try to set up on him. Thus, you want Forretress to be as slow as possible for it to reach maximum effectiveness. Not only does Gyro Ball give you an effective means of punishing those who try to set up, but it also gives you a reliable method in general of dealing with powerful sweepers if necessary.
- The second move is something that really makes Forretress stand out from the rest of the spinners i, and that move is Volt Switch. Having a move that deals damage and switches out at the same time is something incredibly valuable, as it gives you tons of momentum if the opponent switches out. Picture this scenario: You send out Forretress to tank a hit from a physical attack that doesn't carry a fire move. The opponent, thinking that he/she can switch out into a sweeper to set up on Forretress, switches out to said Pokemon. But wait! You had Volt Switch, and you predicted the switch. Now, you get your choice of what you want to send out against this new sweeper to check or counter it. This is another perfect reason for Forretress to be so slow; a slow Volt Switch gives you extreme initiative.
- The EVs favor the extremes of Forretress' physical bulk, as it makes his niche that much more viable. It'll tank any physical hit that isn't fire no problem, but Forretress had no business staying in on a special sweeper; it'll be eliminated before you're able to lay down your first hazard.
2.) "The Tool Box"
Forretress@Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP, 252 SpD, 4 Def
-Rapid Spin
-Stealth Rock
-Spikes
-Toxic Spikes
- This is the set that has made Forretress so appealing in the past; the ability to adapt to you opponent by modulating entry hazards can give you an incredible advantage. Talonflame and Charizard running rampant? Prioritize Stealth Rock, and don't worry about Spikes or Toxic Spikes. Extreme stall team staring you in the face? Toxic Spikes might be the way to go over Stealth Rock. Although this set doesn't take full advantage of Forretress' unique move-pool, what it DOES do is give you the luxury of choice according to what you need per match. The Sassy Nature and EV spread are made in an attempt to patch up Forretress' lack-luster special defense, as his physical defense is large enough to not have to worry about further investment, and Rapid Spin is there as mandatory insurance against opposing entry hazards. If you get the opportunity, additional Spikes on top of your existing entry hazards can make life a head-ache for your opponent.
- Keep in mind that you sacrifice offensive presence for choice with this set. The options may over-flow, but Forretress' ability to hit anything at all dies hard. As such, you must be very careful to not allow strong sweepers to set-up their stat-boosting moves while you fiddle away with entry hazards, as it could very well cost you the match. Unless you can predict very well, this is the very reason why the above sets is recommended in today's meta-game.
Team Options:
1.) Chansey/Blissey
- What matches well with a physical tank? A special tank of course. The debate on whether or not Chansey is superior to Blissey due to Eviolite is still on-going, but that doesn't change the fact that old fashion dual-protection is something to be valued. If you're worried that Forretress can't take the incoming special hit before Volt Switching out, just switch to either Chansey or Blissey to take the hit like a champ. Not only will it wall the opposing sweeper, but it'll also give you a chance to take advantage of the pink blob's amazing support move-pool to aid your team.
2.) Houndoom
- Forretress' number one fear is fire. So what better way than to turn that weakness in your favor? Houndoom was one of the few blessed with a mega-evolution in Gen VI. Before you mega evolve, however, regular Houndoom possess the awesome ability Flash Fire. Flash Fire makes fire moves useless, and actually increases the power of your own fire moves in return. Simply switch Houndoom into the predicted fire move against Forretress, and you've got a super powered-up Houndoom on your hands.
-After evolving, Mega-Houndoom is one scary special sweeper, with a special attack and speed stat to back it up. On top of the Flash Fire boost, the tides could turn in your favor rather quickly.
- The same applies to Heatran, but as it's currently banned in our little League, I won't go in-depth to what it can offer.
3.) Politoed
-Weather received a nerf in Gen VI, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a viable strategy anymore. Politoed brings the unique ability Drizzle to the table, which sets up the weather rain. Forretress loves the rain, as its only weakness, fire, only does half the damage, making normal threats much less scary than they would normally be. It may take more skill these days to pull off weather, but rain will always be a friend to Forretress and its abilities.
Conclusion:
- Forretress is still a Pokemon with a place in the competitive game today. Some might question his validity in the presence of other spinners, but most of them fall into common categories that are easy to predict and play around. Forretress offers a very unique way of approaching the hazard/spinning portion of the competition, offering different varieties to take advantage of his moves and legendary utility. Although Magic Bounce users are a favorite anti-hazard strategy of mine, Forretress will always be my go-to option for the other side.
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