[OVERVIEW]
-Arghonaut is an excellent wall, with its typing and good bulk, Arghonaut can stand up to some of the best special attacks in the tier such as Specs Volkraken, Specs
Ash-Greninja(Non Extrasensory variants), LO Sylcant, and Specs Blacephalon(depending on Arghonaut’s moveset).
-Arghonaut’s access to Unaware makes it a reliable counter to set up sweepers. Arghonaut hard stops set up Pokemon like Zygarde, Landorus-Therian (Non-Flyinium Z Strike), Bisharp; as well as a majority of the Megas such Mega Scizor, Mega Charizard X, and Mega Gyarados that all have the potential to sweep teams.
-It access to Unaware also allows it to phase out a variety of Pokemon also just as Cawmodore, Aurumoth, and Mega Mawile to name a few. Unaware also allows Arghonaut to phase out the majority of calm minders like Suicune and Naviathan.
-Arghonaut has access to a wide array of utility moves, such as Spikes, Circle Throw, and Recover making it more than a simple wall, but also reliable utility Pokemon as well.
-Arghonaut isn’t without flaw though, it typing also acts as a double-edged sword, namely its Fighting typing. Being part fighting gives Arghonaut a very common weakness to both Psychic and Flying-types, which are huge metagame thanks to Pokemon like Tapu Lele, Tomohawk, and Mega Medicham to name a few. Arghonaut also has a fairy weakness make it struggle against Pokemon like Mega Mawile, Tape Fini, and Clefable.
-Because of this common weakness and a relatively slow speed tier, Arghonaut’s absurdly large offensive movepool cannot be used very effectively, resulting in its current somewhat passive utility role in the meta.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Circle Throw
move 2: Spikes / Knock Off / Toxic
move 3: Scald / Knock Off / Earthquake
move 4: Recover
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
Nature: Careful Nature
Evs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
-Circle throw is used as Arghonaut’s predominant phazing move and is pretty self-explanatory, it used to phaze out boosted threats and nab chip damage, which works pretty well with spikes. Alternative Roar allows Arghonaut to phaze out things not hit by circle throw (ghost typing), as well as allowing Arghonaut to phaze Pokemon behind substitutes like SubSD Kartana out easier.
-Spikes work well on Arghonaut, as its decent bulk and typing allow it many opportunities to set them up, and they help a significant amount when it comes to wearing down various grounded Pokemon.
-Toxic, if needed can be used over Circle Throw or Spikes. Toxic can be used to immediately cripple levitating Pokemon, such as Zapdos, Tomohawk, and Latios that might come in on Arghonaut.
-Knock off is a great move for crippling Pokemon that may try to pivot into Arghonaut, such as leftovers Ferrothorn and choice specs Tapu Koko. Knock off is also a way of harassing ghosts types Like Gengar, Pajantom, and Blacephaleon that aren’t affected by circle throw.
-Scald is a reliable stab move with a decent chance to burn, that helps decrease the passiveness of Arghonaut. It’s ability to hit common Arghonaut switch-ins such as Tapu Bulu Kartana, and Mega Pinsir and potentially cripple them with a burn makes opponents think twice about bringing checks in so carefree. Not to mention on top of that, scald punishes Landorus-Therian for trying to set up rocks against Arghonaut.
-Earthquake can be used to hit mons that would check Arghonaut or presumably switch in for free against it such as Tapu Koko, Volkraken, Magearna, Mollux.
-Recover is good for Arghonaut’s longevity, giving it a reliable way to regain lost HP, all while letting it outlast the Pokemon it is supposed to check.
Set Details
========
-Max HP and Special Defense investment allow Arghonaut to reliably switch in on some of the best special attackers in the tier, such as Ash-Greninja, Specs Volkraken, Syclant, and Keldeo.
-A Mixed spread consisting of 252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SpD with a Careful nature can also be used alternatively. This spread allows Arghonaut to hit a few benchmarks. Max Atk Choice Band Zygarde Thousand Arrows is a guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery.
-Leftovers act as the most reliable and standard item to run on Arghonaut, allowing Arghonaut to gradually gain back health over time.
-Alternatively, Rocky Helmet can also be used as an option, to wear down physical attackers, notably punishing Pokemon that use U-turn like Mega Scizor, Syclant, and Ash-Greninja.
Usage Tips
========
-Arghonaut can switch in on Pokemon that get walled by it, then respond by either setting up a spike or recovering back that HP. Always try to keep Arghonaut at a responsible amount of health using recover so that it can always be an effective check to the Pokemon it is supposed to be.
-Circle Throw can shuffle the opponent's team and rack up chip damage.
-While doing this watch out for Ghost-types looking to come in freely on their Fighting-type immunity, allowing them to damage you in return, or grab momentum because of Arghonaut’s passiveness.
-If you can successfully predict the opponent to switch, using Circle Throw can phaze out the switch-in and rack up chip damage.
-How you play Arghonaut generally depends on the situation. While it is a great wall, if there is nothing to wall, Arghonaut should first intentionally be used to get up spikes. After getting up spikes Arghonaut should be kept in the back of your team for late game phazing to break a potential sweep. Only really needing to come in other than that to tank special and reset hazards the battlefield if they have been removed by your opponent.
-Also with Arghonaut being a pretty reactive Pokemon, it can forces a lot of switches early on in the game, this switches are usually the best times to uses your utility moves such as spikes and knock off so that they can have a more lasting impact on the battle. After doing so this is when you will find yourself spamming scald and circle throw for chip damage, only really recovering when deemed necessary.
-Arghonaut’s access to Unaware makes it a very important impact Pokemon in some games. While defensive Pokemon aren’t often considered high risk/cost Pokemon Arghonaut definitely isn’t one. Depending on how you play your Arghonaut can’t dramatically impact a game because of the multiple functions it has. If you say hypothetically switch in your Arghonaut to tank a special attack hit, and don’t heal it up, and later your opponent starts to set up a sweep, your Arghonaut might no be able to phase it out with low HP causing you to lose the battle.
-Because of situations like this Arghonaut can be described as a risk/cost Pokemon, meaning that in certain scenarios s a player must judge whether or not sacrificing Arghonaut is worth it and the impact it has on the long run of the game.
Team Options
========
-Due to Arghonaut’s movement towards a more passive support role, a transition that makes it weak to specific sets, Arghonaut fits best on bulky offensive or balance teams, with both archetypes providing ways to make up for its weakness.
-Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu both make for good partners thanks to their typing. Allowing them to cover Tapu Koko and non-Supersky strike Landorus Therian. Arghonaut especially appreciates the slight HP regeneration from Tapu Bulu’s Grassy Terrain, that paired with leftovers can work wonders on the battlefield, however, Arghonaut then needs to be careful of opposing Grass-type moves. Celesteela and Ferrothorn can hard and soft check Tapu Lele and counter the majority of all other psychic types respectively. While on the more offensive side of things Pursuit Colossoil and Tyranitar can trap for psychic types, even sometimes using Arghonaut as a lure. And last but not least Mega Scizor can be used as a pivot and as a means for providing a soft check for Mega Alakazam and Latios. Mega Scizor also forms a nice synergy with Arghonaut because Scizor can slow U-turn allowing Arghonaut to come in cleaning to set up hazards or phaze something out, all while acting as a cover for Mega Scizor’s weakness to Fire-type moves.Overall the main team options you are lacking are Pokemon that Deal with Flying-types, particularly Tomohawk. In this respect, Electric-types such as Zapdos and Krilowatt can prove to be helpful while also providing volt switch support to give opportunities for Arghonaut to come in safely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
-Gunk Shot is also an option as a coverage move on Arghonaut seeing has Arghonaut often prompts fairies to switch in, more specifically Tapu Lele.
-Payapa Berry can be used to allow to take super effect psychic hits better. Giving you more room for error if you switch it on a Pokemon and they unexpected have psychic coverage, or when phasing out a boosted psychic-type. This could be especially useful for Pokemon like Calm Mild Tapu Lele and Quiver Dance Aurumoth that still do heavy chunks of damage unboosted.
-Iapapa Berry is an option for those looking to use another one of Arghonaut's utility moves instead of Recover. Doing this while running Iapapa Berry allows Arghonaut some form of recovery. Alternatively, Iapapa can also be subbed out for leftovers on the defensive set, if you prefer burst recovery, helping with Arghonaut's passiveness on more offensive teams.
-If the threats mention above aren’t a major issue or your team isn’t in need of a Special Defensive wall, an alternative spread of Max HP and Defensive with bold nature can be used to give Arghonaut more physical bulk to take on the likes of Colossoil, Mega Lopunny, Zygarde. With a max HP and Def EVs, a Guts Max Attack Adamant Colossoil only has an 8% chance of 2HKO Arghonaut showing just how physically bulky it truly can be.
-An Offensive Technician set with Close Combat, Gunk Shot/Recover, Earthquake/Power-Up Punch, and Aqua Set is plausible for a surprise factor but is generally outclassed by other physical attackers with similar characteristics, namely Scizor.
-Bulk Up lets Arghonaut take advantage of switches in a different way, allowing it to boost itself. However, the time it takes for Arghonaut to set up is usually better spent stacking Spikes and Bulk up Arghonaut, in general, lacks the available moveslots to take on many threats and is particularly vulnerable to Toxic and utterly stopped by Tomohawk.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Flying-types**: Flying-types such as Tomohawk, Pelipper, Tornadus-Therian Mega Pinsir, and Flyinium Z Landorus-Therian all threaten Arghonaut with their flying stab moves. Mega Pinsir can annoy Arghonaut especially because of its ability to set up on your switch out and potentially sweep your team. Flyinium Z Landorus-Therian is also a nuisance because of the variety of sets it runs, often forcing Arghonaut to scout what it is, allowing Landorus-Therian more than less to get up hazards. Tomohawk also has the ability to stop Arghonaut’s hazard stacking with either Taunt or Rapid Spin.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Tapu Koko, Cyclohm, Zapdos, Krilowatt, Plasmanta, and all threaten Arghonaut with their electric stab moves. Zapdos is particularly pesky for Arghonaut to deal with because of its access to Defog. Zapdos is also impossible for Arghonaut to significantly cripple unlike the other electric types listed because of its ground immunity unless Arghonaut is running Toxic.
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types such as Tapu Lele, Mega Medicham, Latios, and Aurumoth all are capable of doing major damage to or OHKO Arghonaut under the correct circumstances, though most of them don’t appreciate being worn down by Arghonaut’s Spikes or a potential burn or Knock Off. Reuniclus while no longer commonly seen gets a special mention thanks to magic guard preventing it from getting worn down by either of those two things.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Magearna, Mega Diancie, Mega Mawile, and Mimikyu can all pressure Arghonaut, and are all capable of doing a major amount of damage or OHKOing it. Mimikyu, in particular, is pesky for Arghonaut because if not running Roar, Arghonaut can’t phase it out. Clefable can also be a nuisance because its stab Moonblast can deal a nice chunky to Arghonaut, often forcing the Arghonaut to switch out allowing the Clefable to get up hazards if it has them.
**Grass-Types and Pokemon with Grass-type Coverage**: Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu, Mega Venusaur, Kartana, and Tangrowth all take relatively no damage from any of Arghonaut’s stab attacks or coverage moves, and can easily set up on, deal major damage to, or even in some causes OHKO. While Pokemon that carry Grass-type coverage can almost always 2HKO Arghonaut. Heatran or Volcanion can still run Doom Bloom, which can do large amounts of damage to Arghonaut. With Mega Crucibelle Wood hammer also does a decent chunk of damage to Arghonaut, but it needs to be wary of Scald and Earthquake.
**Status**: Burn and more specifically Toxic can cripple Arghonaut’s longevity, drastically reducing its ability to wall.
-Arghonaut is an excellent wall, with its typing and good bulk, Arghonaut can stand up to some of the best special attacks in the tier such as Specs Volkraken, Specs
Ash-Greninja(Non Extrasensory variants), LO Sylcant, and Specs Blacephalon(depending on Arghonaut’s moveset).
-Arghonaut’s access to Unaware makes it a reliable counter to set up sweepers. Arghonaut hard stops set up Pokemon like Zygarde, Landorus-Therian (Non-Flyinium Z Strike), Bisharp; as well as a majority of the Megas such Mega Scizor, Mega Charizard X, and Mega Gyarados that all have the potential to sweep teams.
-It access to Unaware also allows it to phase out a variety of Pokemon also just as Cawmodore, Aurumoth, and Mega Mawile to name a few. Unaware also allows Arghonaut to phase out the majority of calm minders like Suicune and Naviathan.
-Arghonaut has access to a wide array of utility moves, such as Spikes, Circle Throw, and Recover making it more than a simple wall, but also reliable utility Pokemon as well.
-Arghonaut isn’t without flaw though, it typing also acts as a double-edged sword, namely its Fighting typing. Being part fighting gives Arghonaut a very common weakness to both Psychic and Flying-types, which are huge metagame thanks to Pokemon like Tapu Lele, Tomohawk, and Mega Medicham to name a few. Arghonaut also has a fairy weakness make it struggle against Pokemon like Mega Mawile, Tape Fini, and Clefable.
-Because of this common weakness and a relatively slow speed tier, Arghonaut’s absurdly large offensive movepool cannot be used very effectively, resulting in its current somewhat passive utility role in the meta.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Circle Throw
move 2: Spikes / Knock Off / Toxic
move 3: Scald / Knock Off / Earthquake
move 4: Recover
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
Nature: Careful Nature
Evs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
-Circle throw is used as Arghonaut’s predominant phazing move and is pretty self-explanatory, it used to phaze out boosted threats and nab chip damage, which works pretty well with spikes. Alternative Roar allows Arghonaut to phaze out things not hit by circle throw (ghost typing), as well as allowing Arghonaut to phaze Pokemon behind substitutes like SubSD Kartana out easier.
-Spikes work well on Arghonaut, as its decent bulk and typing allow it many opportunities to set them up, and they help a significant amount when it comes to wearing down various grounded Pokemon.
-Toxic, if needed can be used over Circle Throw or Spikes. Toxic can be used to immediately cripple levitating Pokemon, such as Zapdos, Tomohawk, and Latios that might come in on Arghonaut.
-Knock off is a great move for crippling Pokemon that may try to pivot into Arghonaut, such as leftovers Ferrothorn and choice specs Tapu Koko. Knock off is also a way of harassing ghosts types Like Gengar, Pajantom, and Blacephaleon that aren’t affected by circle throw.
-Scald is a reliable stab move with a decent chance to burn, that helps decrease the passiveness of Arghonaut. It’s ability to hit common Arghonaut switch-ins such as Tapu Bulu Kartana, and Mega Pinsir and potentially cripple them with a burn makes opponents think twice about bringing checks in so carefree. Not to mention on top of that, scald punishes Landorus-Therian for trying to set up rocks against Arghonaut.
-Earthquake can be used to hit mons that would check Arghonaut or presumably switch in for free against it such as Tapu Koko, Volkraken, Magearna, Mollux.
-Recover is good for Arghonaut’s longevity, giving it a reliable way to regain lost HP, all while letting it outlast the Pokemon it is supposed to check.
Set Details
========
-Max HP and Special Defense investment allow Arghonaut to reliably switch in on some of the best special attackers in the tier, such as Ash-Greninja, Specs Volkraken, Syclant, and Keldeo.
-A Mixed spread consisting of 252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SpD with a Careful nature can also be used alternatively. This spread allows Arghonaut to hit a few benchmarks. Max Atk Choice Band Zygarde Thousand Arrows is a guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery.
-Leftovers act as the most reliable and standard item to run on Arghonaut, allowing Arghonaut to gradually gain back health over time.
-Alternatively, Rocky Helmet can also be used as an option, to wear down physical attackers, notably punishing Pokemon that use U-turn like Mega Scizor, Syclant, and Ash-Greninja.
Usage Tips
========
-Arghonaut can switch in on Pokemon that get walled by it, then respond by either setting up a spike or recovering back that HP. Always try to keep Arghonaut at a responsible amount of health using recover so that it can always be an effective check to the Pokemon it is supposed to be.
-Circle Throw can shuffle the opponent's team and rack up chip damage.
-While doing this watch out for Ghost-types looking to come in freely on their Fighting-type immunity, allowing them to damage you in return, or grab momentum because of Arghonaut’s passiveness.
-If you can successfully predict the opponent to switch, using Circle Throw can phaze out the switch-in and rack up chip damage.
-How you play Arghonaut generally depends on the situation. While it is a great wall, if there is nothing to wall, Arghonaut should first intentionally be used to get up spikes. After getting up spikes Arghonaut should be kept in the back of your team for late game phazing to break a potential sweep. Only really needing to come in other than that to tank special and reset hazards the battlefield if they have been removed by your opponent.
-Also with Arghonaut being a pretty reactive Pokemon, it can forces a lot of switches early on in the game, this switches are usually the best times to uses your utility moves such as spikes and knock off so that they can have a more lasting impact on the battle. After doing so this is when you will find yourself spamming scald and circle throw for chip damage, only really recovering when deemed necessary.
-Arghonaut’s access to Unaware makes it a very important impact Pokemon in some games. While defensive Pokemon aren’t often considered high risk/cost Pokemon Arghonaut definitely isn’t one. Depending on how you play your Arghonaut can’t dramatically impact a game because of the multiple functions it has. If you say hypothetically switch in your Arghonaut to tank a special attack hit, and don’t heal it up, and later your opponent starts to set up a sweep, your Arghonaut might no be able to phase it out with low HP causing you to lose the battle.
-Because of situations like this Arghonaut can be described as a risk/cost Pokemon, meaning that in certain scenarios s a player must judge whether or not sacrificing Arghonaut is worth it and the impact it has on the long run of the game.
Team Options
========
-Due to Arghonaut’s movement towards a more passive support role, a transition that makes it weak to specific sets, Arghonaut fits best on bulky offensive or balance teams, with both archetypes providing ways to make up for its weakness.
-Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu both make for good partners thanks to their typing. Allowing them to cover Tapu Koko and non-Supersky strike Landorus Therian. Arghonaut especially appreciates the slight HP regeneration from Tapu Bulu’s Grassy Terrain, that paired with leftovers can work wonders on the battlefield, however, Arghonaut then needs to be careful of opposing Grass-type moves. Celesteela and Ferrothorn can hard and soft check Tapu Lele and counter the majority of all other psychic types respectively. While on the more offensive side of things Pursuit Colossoil and Tyranitar can trap for psychic types, even sometimes using Arghonaut as a lure. And last but not least Mega Scizor can be used as a pivot and as a means for providing a soft check for Mega Alakazam and Latios. Mega Scizor also forms a nice synergy with Arghonaut because Scizor can slow U-turn allowing Arghonaut to come in cleaning to set up hazards or phaze something out, all while acting as a cover for Mega Scizor’s weakness to Fire-type moves.Overall the main team options you are lacking are Pokemon that Deal with Flying-types, particularly Tomohawk. In this respect, Electric-types such as Zapdos and Krilowatt can prove to be helpful while also providing volt switch support to give opportunities for Arghonaut to come in safely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
-Gunk Shot is also an option as a coverage move on Arghonaut seeing has Arghonaut often prompts fairies to switch in, more specifically Tapu Lele.
-Payapa Berry can be used to allow to take super effect psychic hits better. Giving you more room for error if you switch it on a Pokemon and they unexpected have psychic coverage, or when phasing out a boosted psychic-type. This could be especially useful for Pokemon like Calm Mild Tapu Lele and Quiver Dance Aurumoth that still do heavy chunks of damage unboosted.
-Iapapa Berry is an option for those looking to use another one of Arghonaut's utility moves instead of Recover. Doing this while running Iapapa Berry allows Arghonaut some form of recovery. Alternatively, Iapapa can also be subbed out for leftovers on the defensive set, if you prefer burst recovery, helping with Arghonaut's passiveness on more offensive teams.
-If the threats mention above aren’t a major issue or your team isn’t in need of a Special Defensive wall, an alternative spread of Max HP and Defensive with bold nature can be used to give Arghonaut more physical bulk to take on the likes of Colossoil, Mega Lopunny, Zygarde. With a max HP and Def EVs, a Guts Max Attack Adamant Colossoil only has an 8% chance of 2HKO Arghonaut showing just how physically bulky it truly can be.
-An Offensive Technician set with Close Combat, Gunk Shot/Recover, Earthquake/Power-Up Punch, and Aqua Set is plausible for a surprise factor but is generally outclassed by other physical attackers with similar characteristics, namely Scizor.
-Bulk Up lets Arghonaut take advantage of switches in a different way, allowing it to boost itself. However, the time it takes for Arghonaut to set up is usually better spent stacking Spikes and Bulk up Arghonaut, in general, lacks the available moveslots to take on many threats and is particularly vulnerable to Toxic and utterly stopped by Tomohawk.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Flying-types**: Flying-types such as Tomohawk, Pelipper, Tornadus-Therian Mega Pinsir, and Flyinium Z Landorus-Therian all threaten Arghonaut with their flying stab moves. Mega Pinsir can annoy Arghonaut especially because of its ability to set up on your switch out and potentially sweep your team. Flyinium Z Landorus-Therian is also a nuisance because of the variety of sets it runs, often forcing Arghonaut to scout what it is, allowing Landorus-Therian more than less to get up hazards. Tomohawk also has the ability to stop Arghonaut’s hazard stacking with either Taunt or Rapid Spin.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Tapu Koko, Cyclohm, Zapdos, Krilowatt, Plasmanta, and all threaten Arghonaut with their electric stab moves. Zapdos is particularly pesky for Arghonaut to deal with because of its access to Defog. Zapdos is also impossible for Arghonaut to significantly cripple unlike the other electric types listed because of its ground immunity unless Arghonaut is running Toxic.
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types such as Tapu Lele, Mega Medicham, Latios, and Aurumoth all are capable of doing major damage to or OHKO Arghonaut under the correct circumstances, though most of them don’t appreciate being worn down by Arghonaut’s Spikes or a potential burn or Knock Off. Reuniclus while no longer commonly seen gets a special mention thanks to magic guard preventing it from getting worn down by either of those two things.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Magearna, Mega Diancie, Mega Mawile, and Mimikyu can all pressure Arghonaut, and are all capable of doing a major amount of damage or OHKOing it. Mimikyu, in particular, is pesky for Arghonaut because if not running Roar, Arghonaut can’t phase it out. Clefable can also be a nuisance because its stab Moonblast can deal a nice chunky to Arghonaut, often forcing the Arghonaut to switch out allowing the Clefable to get up hazards if it has them.
**Grass-Types and Pokemon with Grass-type Coverage**: Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu, Mega Venusaur, Kartana, and Tangrowth all take relatively no damage from any of Arghonaut’s stab attacks or coverage moves, and can easily set up on, deal major damage to, or even in some causes OHKO. While Pokemon that carry Grass-type coverage can almost always 2HKO Arghonaut. Heatran or Volcanion can still run Doom Bloom, which can do large amounts of damage to Arghonaut. With Mega Crucibelle Wood hammer also does a decent chunk of damage to Arghonaut, but it needs to be wary of Scald and Earthquake.
**Status**: Burn and more specifically Toxic can cripple Arghonaut’s longevity, drastically reducing its ability to wall.
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