[OVERVIEW]
Snorlax is a defining Pokemon in Stadium OU thanks to its great power, impressive bulk, and wide movepool. Its massive base 160 HP makes it to be one of the most difficult Pokemon to break through, and in conjunction with its Normal typing — which is only weak to the nearly non-existent Fighting-type moves — means there’s almost nothing that can take it down easily without critical hits. This makes up for its horrendous base 30 Speed, which is tied for lowest in the tier with Slowbro. Despite not having any Speed to bank on, it can switch in consistently against metagame staples such as Chansey, opposing Snorlax, and even Tauros to a certain extent. Once in, it has numerous options, but no matter which options it's running Snorlax is able to apply consistent offensive pressure and support its team.
[SET]
name: Reflect + Rest
move 1:Body Slam
move 2:Reflect
move 3:Rest
move 4:Ice Beam / Earthquake
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Snorlax can get the most out of its great bulk with a Reflect + Rest set. Utilizing Reflect allows Snorlax to check the two most common physical attackers in the tier: Tauros and opposing Snorlax. After setting up Reflect, it can take a whopping six Body Slams from either before being KOed. When used in conjunction with Rest, Snorlax is able to stay healthy and prevent either of these threats from making much progress, all while throwing off powerful Body Slams that threaten much of the tier with good damage and paralysis for non-Normal-types. For reference, Body Slam can 2HKO Alakazam and 3HKO Chansey. Ice Beam is most commonly used as the final move, as the 10.1% freeze chance can potentially take down one of Snorlax's best checks in opposing Reflect Snorlax or Reflect Chansey. It also gives Snorlax a super effective coverage option for Rhydon and Golem, both of which resist Body Slam. Earthquake can be chosen over Ice Beam, allowing it to still hit Rhydon super effectively but with the added bonus of 2HKOing the Normal-immune Gengar. However, the loss of a freeze chance and the omnipresence of Reflect Snorlax make Ice Beam the preferred choice since they so often match up against each other.
Reflect Snorlax being so present in the metagame means it typically faces many road blocks attempting to shut it down. Opposing Reflect Snorlax and Reflect Chansey are able to take Body Slams without fear of paralysis, and—with the use of Rest and Soft-Boiled, respectively—can stay healthy to stall it out of PP, hence the usage of Ice Beam to attempt to deal with one of these by freezing it. Snorlax also tends to struggle with the exploitation of Rest, as a special attacker such as Exeggutor, Starmie, or Alakazam can threaten it by switching in as it uses Rest and then 4HKO it with their strong STAB Psychic, which can be improved with Special drops. Alakazam can notably 3HKO if it gets a Special drop. However, switching in has its own risk—as a wrong prediction can have a would-be check taking a Body Slam and possibly being paralyzed—which can make it much harder for it to check a Reflect Snorlax later. Gengar is a niche option as it’s immune to Body Slam and Ice Beam is only a possible 7HKO, meaning once the set is revealed, Gengar can check it while only worrying about being frozen. Cloyster is also a great Snorlax check, being 5HKOd by Body Slam and being immune to freeze. Clamp is potentially deadly, preventing Snorlax from using Rest and forcing it to switch or be whittled down. Porygon, while extremely niche, can also wall Snorlax. Its access to Reflect, Recover, and an immunity to Body Slam paralysis allows it to easily stall Snorlax out of PP while threatening an Ice Beam freeze. Tauros is typically walled by Snorlax once Reflect is up, but with critical hits it can ignore Reflect and take down Snorlax, meaning you should play carefully around it.
[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1:Body Slam
move 2:Substitute
move 3: Earthquake
move 4:Self-Destruct
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Substitute in Stadium blocking status moves allows Snorlax to run a very effective Substitute set. Its great HP allows its Substitute to survive Seismic Toss, and its great bulk give its Substitute a 52.3% chance to survive Tauros’s Body Slam, as well as a slim chance to survive opposing Snorlax’s Body Slam. It can find opportunities to set up Substitute thanks to the increased usage of Rest and the common Thunder Wave leaving many Pokemon paralyzed, potentially letting it set up for free. Once behind a Substitute, Snorlax can pressure the entire meta game with Body Slam, as well as Earthquake for additional super effective coverage on Gengar, Jolteon, and Rhydon. The last move slot is given to the immensely powerful Self-Destruct. Once Snorlax has reached low health and can no longer switch in, Self-Destruct looks to remove something before going down. The only Pokemon able to take this comfortably are the aforementioned Gengar, Rhydon, and Golem. Self-Destruct deals massive damage or even OHKOes any Pokemon that doesn’t resist it.
Forgoing the use of Reflect and Rest means this set has much less defensive utility. It is unable to switch into Tauros or opposing Snorlax consistently, and opposing Reflect Snorlax tend to shut it down thanks to its massive physical bulk. Reflect Chansey doesn’t want to take a Self-Destruct, but it is able to consistently defend against Body Slam and Earthquake if it has used Reflect. The lack of Rest also means Snorlax is unable to remove paralysis. This set requires you to use Snorlax much more conservatively, as well as support it with Thunder Wave, making Pokemon like Alakazam, Starmie, Chansey, and Exeggutor good partners. With proper support, Snorlax can use its massive Attack to break holes in the opponent's team, while not fearing paralysis or a freeze if it can get behind a Substitute. It also possesses the potential to clean up late-game with paralysis support, often ending games with a Self-Destruct.
[SET]
name: Offensive Amnesia
move 1:Amnesia
move 2:Body Slam / Thunderbolt
move 3: Blizzard / Ice Beam
move 4:Self-Destruct / Rest
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Snorlax's incredible move pool also contains the generation defining Amnesia, which is able to boost its underwhelming base 60 Special 2 stages. It utilizes this boost offensively with its access to Blizzard and Thunderbolt. After 1 use of Amnesia it is able to 3HKO opposing Snorlax with Blizzard, as well as 2HKOing Tauros and Exeguttor, all near mandatory metagame threats.It also can 2HKO Starmie with a + 2 Thunderbolt, and will OHKO Cloyster at +4. Snorlax will normally run Body Slam over Thunderbolt, as the 30% paralysis chance on non-Normal types makes it much more self sufficient on top of 3HKOing Chansey. In the final move slot, either Self-Destruct or Rest can be used. Self Destruct allows Snorlax to take something down in an emergency, or after it has already broken a hole in the opposing team and is at low HP. Rest can be slotted in if you’re concern is longevity, taking the defensive boost offered from Amnesia and attempting to heal itself in the face of threats such as Alakazam, Starmie, and Exeguttor, who normally threaten an un- boosted Snorlax quite hard with there STAB Psychics.
However, running an Amnesia set does have its drawbacks. You will no longer reapply the paralysis Speed drop after using Amnesia, meaning you won’t be able to get the jump on other paralyzed threats like you would in cartridge OU. Additionally, the lack of move slots makes fitting this set difficult. If you chose to go without Rest, you may be whittled down and dispatched without doing much. While as going without Self-Destruct takes away it’s ability to do massive damage unboosted. Finally, this set requires much more support, as paralyzing and chipping the opposing team before hand is a must to get the most out of this set. One should look to spread paralysis, a bit of chip damage, and then try to cycle Snorlax in on a predicted Rest. This will give Snorlax the best chance to set up and tear the opponent apart.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1:Body Slam
move 2:Self-Destruct
move 3:Earthquake
move 4: Double-Edge / Counter
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Snorlax's great move pool and solid Attack stat allow it to work as a powerful all-out attacker. While similar to the Substitute set, forgoing the move allows Snorlax to add either an extra utility move in Counter or an immensely strong STAB attack in Double-Edge. With powerful STAB Body Slam's for both damage and paralysis and the strongest Self-Destruct in the game, Snorlax is very difficult to switch into. Earthquake is used for additional coverage, able to hit the few switch ins Snorlax has such as Rhydon, Golem, and Gengar while also allowing Snorlax to scout Chansey for Counter without fear. Counter on Snorlax is a high-risk, high-reward option. Allowing for brutal punishment on Tauros and opposing Snorlax. Using Counter against opposing Snorlax can force it to quickly Rest, thus opening up teammates to punish it. If used against a Tauros Body Slam, it will quickly knock Tauros into Body Slam KO range and will flat out KO in return if Tauros lands a critical hit. Double-Edge can be used for an extra power boost, helping land certain KO ranges that Body Slam cannot. Double-Edge will always 3HKO Tauros while Body Slam only has poor odds too accomplish the same. It can accomplish the same feat against Exeggutor, 98.9% of the time, While Body Slam once again, virtually never will.
This variant of Snorlax should be played aggressively, as the lack of Substitute hinders Snorlax's reliability in the late game as a cleaner. Also, the lack of Rest for recovery and Amnesia or Reflect for added defensive utility means Snorlax doesn't stick around very long. Using aggressive double switches and punishing the usage of Rest is key to get the most valuable opportunities to attack. Once Snorlax reaches low health, Self-Destruct can be carefully used to remove or severely damage a member of the opposing team, doing a minimum of 86.9% to Tauros and 75.5% to opposing Snorlax not using Reflect, and KOing other key targets such as Chansey from full health.
Despite the offensive prowess of a Snorlax with 4 attacking moves, this set tends to struggle against other Snorlax carrying Reflect and Rest. It simply can't make any progress even if you land a Counter, because once revealed the opponent can Rest and wear you down without fear. This Snorlax set also adds minimal defensive utility against Tauros. Tauros almost always using Substitute means using Counter against it is far from safe. With the correct prediction it is deadly, but predict wrong and Tauros can easily beat Snorlax one-on-one. Additionally, Counter is very reliant on surprise factor, and once revealed it will be very difficult to land it on your opponent. Double-Edge while powerful, will wear Snorlax down even faster due to recoil. However, the strength of Snorlax and the possibility to bulldoze your opponent allow this set to remain viable, although volatile.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Snorlax's incredible move pool means many of its sets have fringe but interesting options that can still benefit the trainer. The standard Relfect + Rest set, can choose to use either Self-Destruct or Hyper Beam over Ice Beam / Earthquake. Self-Destruct allows Snorlax to remain defensively solid against other Snorlax and Tauros, but also give it the option to take out a key target with a boom. Hyper Beam does now require a recharge turn every time it is used, but thanks to Snorlax's bulk bolstered by Reflect, Snorlax can use Hyper Beam to take out Chansey after just one Body Slam and typically handle the ensuing punish. Hyper Beam can also be used as a pseudo Self-Destruct late game dealing massive damage to your target before going down.
Headbutt is an interesting option on all of Snorlax's sets, as the surprisingly decent power, combined with a STAB boost and a 30% flinch rate allow it to break down paralyzed foes much easier. This can be potentially used on any set other than Reflect + Rest. Reflect also has usage alongside Amnesia. The combination of the two give Snorlax gargantuan bulk which it pairs commonly with Rest to become a nearly unbreakable wall. However in this case Snorlax is left with only one attacking move, almost always Ice Beam. This can make it difficult to break through teams due to freeze clause. As the damage just isn’t enough to break through Chansey and Starmie without freezing them.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Opposing Snorlax**: Snorlax being used on nearly every competitive team means it is often matched up against itself. Furthermore, Snorlax can have either a good, or a bad matchup depending on the set both are using. Being such a valuable Pokemon, understanding how Snorlax matches up with itself is key to using it effectively.
Reflect Snorlax is great against opposing Reflect Snorlax. This may sound strange, but Its immunity to Body Slam paralysis, and great Defense once Reflect is used allows Snorlax to stonewall itself while using Rest to stay healthy and draining precious PP. Ice Beam is often used to alleviate this stagnant tug-of-war, as landing a freeze is virtually a KO. Although this can leave Snorlax open to Gengar and Kabutops abuse due to not doing significant damage against them.
Reflect Snorlax will however have a good matchup with the physical attacking variants of Snorlax. Without any recovery these Snorlax are worn down quickly, while struggling to apply decent damage without using Self-Destruct or the prediction reliant Counter. However if Reflect Snorlax is asleep from using Rest or is forced to take multiple hits without Reflect it can still potentially lose one-on-one. Amnesia Snorlax has the ability to break through both of these variants, especially if it is able to get a boost before they switch in. Blizzard after one use of Amnesia will 3HKO 99.8% of the time, and after two uses it almost always 2HKOes. However, many Snorlax with Amnesia lack Rest, allowing them to be worn down easily by Body Slam.
**Cloyster**: Cloyster's immense base 180 Defense makes it one of the best checks to Snorlax. Snorlax almost never running Hyper Beam makes it even more difficult to break through, as Body Slam is only a 5HKO and Cloyster always carries Rest to keep it healthy in the face of Snorlax. Cloyster also applies great offensive pressure. Being able to 3HKO Snorlax with Blizzard after a small amount of chip damage, and using Clamp to shut it down altogether and maintain momentum if it switches out. Body Slam paralysis is quite annoying to Cloyster, and if it has been chipped too much a paralysis can allow Snorlax to break through. Very rarely Snorlax will use Thunderbolt on its Amnesia set, giving it a 3HKO on Clyster even if it can't use Amnesia to get a boost.
**Slowbro**: Slowbro is far from a perfect Snorlax check. However, access to Thunder Wave for reliable paralysis, and Amnesia to more easily break through Snorlax give Slowbro a unique niche against it. Slowbro is capable of switching in from full health, as Body Slam is only a potential 4HKO. It can use Thunder Wave to then paralyze Snorlax, and it can use Rest to remain healthy while fishing for full-paralysis. Once it has used Amnesia only once it can 2HKO Snorlax with Surf and minimal prior chip damage.
However, Slowbro is prone to be paralyzed by Body Slam and in Stadium using Amnesia no longer makes Slowbro faster. Making it a much less reliable check than in cartridge OU.
**Gengar**: Gengar being the only fully evolved Ghost type means it can potentially wall Sorlax better than any other Pokemon, depending on the set. Gengar being immune to the Normal type Body Slam and Self Destruct makes it unique, as instead of taking hits well, it completely ignores them. Gengar will look to abuse the very common Reflect Snorlax with Ice Beam as its coverage option. Coming off of Snorlax's less than impressive Special, it is entirely reliant on getting a freeze to take down Gengar. Ice Beam only manages to be a possible 7HKO, and Gengar often uses Rest to stay healthy through these assaults while aiming to get a critical hit and break through Snorlax.
However, Gengar can only stop Snorlax under perfect circumstances. Many variants of Snorlax use Earthquake, which ruins Gengar's ability to switch in, being 2HKOed. Thus Gengar must scout carefully and know the set before being able to switch in comfortably, as taking a stray Earthquake can absolutely ruin Gengar or force it to use Rest or use Explosion much sooner than preferred.
**Rock Types**: Depending on Snorlax's set, Rock Type Pokemon in Rhydon, Golem, and Kabutops can occasionally wall it. Snorlax's most common set; containing Reflect; will cycle between its last chosen move. If it is Earthquake, none of the aforementioned can check it. If it is Ice Beam, Kabutops makes for a great check; only fearing being Frozen by Ice Beam. It can retaliate by using Substitute and Rest to stay healthy, while ignoring the Defense boost of Reflect with Slash. It doesn’t 3HKO, but all it needs is one Surf Critical hit to get the job done.
If Snorlax has chosen either Self-Destruct or Hyper Beam as it’s last move, all 3 of the above can reliably check it. Golem and Rhydon can set up Substitutes and fish for a Critical hit with Earthquake while only fearing a Body Slam paralysis; if they go without Rest. However in order to efficiently use the Rocks to check Snorlax, it’s set must first be scouted.
**Starmie/Egg**: While Starmie and Exeggutor are by no means incredible checks to Snorlax, they can occasionally fill this roll, or at the very least be a real thorn in Snorlax's side. They both possess paralysis, as well as strong STAB Psychics and Recovery. They also posses enough physical bulk to always take at least 2 Body Slams for Starmie, and at least 3 For Exeguttor.
**Revenge killers**: Due to Snorlax's atrocious base 30 Speed, it is very easily revenge killed if it is chipped down enough. Since just about everything outspeeds it, it needs to be very careful to manage its HP, as switching out at low HP is also not a great option. Alakazam, Starmie, Exeguttor, And Zapdos are all solid options, as they don’t have to be concerned with the very likely Reflect Snorlax will have up. Tauros on the other hand, can simply go for a critical hit if the situation is dire.
[CREDITS]
Written by: [[Ctown6, 509438]]
Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
Snorlax is a defining Pokemon in Stadium OU thanks to its great power, impressive bulk, and wide movepool. Its massive base 160 HP makes it to be one of the most difficult Pokemon to break through, and in conjunction with its Normal typing — which is only weak to the nearly non-existent Fighting-type moves — means there’s almost nothing that can take it down easily without critical hits. This makes up for its horrendous base 30 Speed, which is tied for lowest in the tier with Slowbro. Despite not having any Speed to bank on, it can switch in consistently against metagame staples such as Chansey, opposing Snorlax, and even Tauros to a certain extent. Once in, it has numerous options, but no matter which options it's running Snorlax is able to apply consistent offensive pressure and support its team.
[SET]
name: Reflect + Rest
move 1:Body Slam
move 2:Reflect
move 3:Rest
move 4:Ice Beam / Earthquake
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Snorlax can get the most out of its great bulk with a Reflect + Rest set. Utilizing Reflect allows Snorlax to check the two most common physical attackers in the tier: Tauros and opposing Snorlax. After setting up Reflect, it can take a whopping six Body Slams from either before being KOed. When used in conjunction with Rest, Snorlax is able to stay healthy and prevent either of these threats from making much progress, all while throwing off powerful Body Slams that threaten much of the tier with good damage and paralysis for non-Normal-types. For reference, Body Slam can 2HKO Alakazam and 3HKO Chansey. Ice Beam is most commonly used as the final move, as the 10.1% freeze chance can potentially take down one of Snorlax's best checks in opposing Reflect Snorlax or Reflect Chansey. It also gives Snorlax a super effective coverage option for Rhydon and Golem, both of which resist Body Slam. Earthquake can be chosen over Ice Beam, allowing it to still hit Rhydon super effectively but with the added bonus of 2HKOing the Normal-immune Gengar. However, the loss of a freeze chance and the omnipresence of Reflect Snorlax make Ice Beam the preferred choice since they so often match up against each other.
Reflect Snorlax being so present in the metagame means it typically faces many road blocks attempting to shut it down. Opposing Reflect Snorlax and Reflect Chansey are able to take Body Slams without fear of paralysis, and—with the use of Rest and Soft-Boiled, respectively—can stay healthy to stall it out of PP, hence the usage of Ice Beam to attempt to deal with one of these by freezing it. Snorlax also tends to struggle with the exploitation of Rest, as a special attacker such as Exeggutor, Starmie, or Alakazam can threaten it by switching in as it uses Rest and then 4HKO it with their strong STAB Psychic, which can be improved with Special drops. Alakazam can notably 3HKO if it gets a Special drop. However, switching in has its own risk—as a wrong prediction can have a would-be check taking a Body Slam and possibly being paralyzed—which can make it much harder for it to check a Reflect Snorlax later. Gengar is a niche option as it’s immune to Body Slam and Ice Beam is only a possible 7HKO, meaning once the set is revealed, Gengar can check it while only worrying about being frozen. Cloyster is also a great Snorlax check, being 5HKOd by Body Slam and being immune to freeze. Clamp is potentially deadly, preventing Snorlax from using Rest and forcing it to switch or be whittled down. Porygon, while extremely niche, can also wall Snorlax. Its access to Reflect, Recover, and an immunity to Body Slam paralysis allows it to easily stall Snorlax out of PP while threatening an Ice Beam freeze. Tauros is typically walled by Snorlax once Reflect is up, but with critical hits it can ignore Reflect and take down Snorlax, meaning you should play carefully around it.
[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1:Body Slam
move 2:Substitute
move 3: Earthquake
move 4:Self-Destruct
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Substitute in Stadium blocking status moves allows Snorlax to run a very effective Substitute set. Its great HP allows its Substitute to survive Seismic Toss, and its great bulk give its Substitute a 52.3% chance to survive Tauros’s Body Slam, as well as a slim chance to survive opposing Snorlax’s Body Slam. It can find opportunities to set up Substitute thanks to the increased usage of Rest and the common Thunder Wave leaving many Pokemon paralyzed, potentially letting it set up for free. Once behind a Substitute, Snorlax can pressure the entire meta game with Body Slam, as well as Earthquake for additional super effective coverage on Gengar, Jolteon, and Rhydon. The last move slot is given to the immensely powerful Self-Destruct. Once Snorlax has reached low health and can no longer switch in, Self-Destruct looks to remove something before going down. The only Pokemon able to take this comfortably are the aforementioned Gengar, Rhydon, and Golem. Self-Destruct deals massive damage or even OHKOes any Pokemon that doesn’t resist it.
Forgoing the use of Reflect and Rest means this set has much less defensive utility. It is unable to switch into Tauros or opposing Snorlax consistently, and opposing Reflect Snorlax tend to shut it down thanks to its massive physical bulk. Reflect Chansey doesn’t want to take a Self-Destruct, but it is able to consistently defend against Body Slam and Earthquake if it has used Reflect. The lack of Rest also means Snorlax is unable to remove paralysis. This set requires you to use Snorlax much more conservatively, as well as support it with Thunder Wave, making Pokemon like Alakazam, Starmie, Chansey, and Exeggutor good partners. With proper support, Snorlax can use its massive Attack to break holes in the opponent's team, while not fearing paralysis or a freeze if it can get behind a Substitute. It also possesses the potential to clean up late-game with paralysis support, often ending games with a Self-Destruct.
[SET]
name: Offensive Amnesia
move 1:Amnesia
move 2:Body Slam / Thunderbolt
move 3: Blizzard / Ice Beam
move 4:Self-Destruct / Rest
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Snorlax's incredible move pool also contains the generation defining Amnesia, which is able to boost its underwhelming base 60 Special 2 stages. It utilizes this boost offensively with its access to Blizzard and Thunderbolt. After 1 use of Amnesia it is able to 3HKO opposing Snorlax with Blizzard, as well as 2HKOing Tauros and Exeguttor, all near mandatory metagame threats.It also can 2HKO Starmie with a + 2 Thunderbolt, and will OHKO Cloyster at +4. Snorlax will normally run Body Slam over Thunderbolt, as the 30% paralysis chance on non-Normal types makes it much more self sufficient on top of 3HKOing Chansey. In the final move slot, either Self-Destruct or Rest can be used. Self Destruct allows Snorlax to take something down in an emergency, or after it has already broken a hole in the opposing team and is at low HP. Rest can be slotted in if you’re concern is longevity, taking the defensive boost offered from Amnesia and attempting to heal itself in the face of threats such as Alakazam, Starmie, and Exeguttor, who normally threaten an un- boosted Snorlax quite hard with there STAB Psychics.
However, running an Amnesia set does have its drawbacks. You will no longer reapply the paralysis Speed drop after using Amnesia, meaning you won’t be able to get the jump on other paralyzed threats like you would in cartridge OU. Additionally, the lack of move slots makes fitting this set difficult. If you chose to go without Rest, you may be whittled down and dispatched without doing much. While as going without Self-Destruct takes away it’s ability to do massive damage unboosted. Finally, this set requires much more support, as paralyzing and chipping the opposing team before hand is a must to get the most out of this set. One should look to spread paralysis, a bit of chip damage, and then try to cycle Snorlax in on a predicted Rest. This will give Snorlax the best chance to set up and tear the opponent apart.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1:Body Slam
move 2:Self-Destruct
move 3:Earthquake
move 4: Double-Edge / Counter
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Snorlax's great move pool and solid Attack stat allow it to work as a powerful all-out attacker. While similar to the Substitute set, forgoing the move allows Snorlax to add either an extra utility move in Counter or an immensely strong STAB attack in Double-Edge. With powerful STAB Body Slam's for both damage and paralysis and the strongest Self-Destruct in the game, Snorlax is very difficult to switch into. Earthquake is used for additional coverage, able to hit the few switch ins Snorlax has such as Rhydon, Golem, and Gengar while also allowing Snorlax to scout Chansey for Counter without fear. Counter on Snorlax is a high-risk, high-reward option. Allowing for brutal punishment on Tauros and opposing Snorlax. Using Counter against opposing Snorlax can force it to quickly Rest, thus opening up teammates to punish it. If used against a Tauros Body Slam, it will quickly knock Tauros into Body Slam KO range and will flat out KO in return if Tauros lands a critical hit. Double-Edge can be used for an extra power boost, helping land certain KO ranges that Body Slam cannot. Double-Edge will always 3HKO Tauros while Body Slam only has poor odds too accomplish the same. It can accomplish the same feat against Exeggutor, 98.9% of the time, While Body Slam once again, virtually never will.
This variant of Snorlax should be played aggressively, as the lack of Substitute hinders Snorlax's reliability in the late game as a cleaner. Also, the lack of Rest for recovery and Amnesia or Reflect for added defensive utility means Snorlax doesn't stick around very long. Using aggressive double switches and punishing the usage of Rest is key to get the most valuable opportunities to attack. Once Snorlax reaches low health, Self-Destruct can be carefully used to remove or severely damage a member of the opposing team, doing a minimum of 86.9% to Tauros and 75.5% to opposing Snorlax not using Reflect, and KOing other key targets such as Chansey from full health.
Despite the offensive prowess of a Snorlax with 4 attacking moves, this set tends to struggle against other Snorlax carrying Reflect and Rest. It simply can't make any progress even if you land a Counter, because once revealed the opponent can Rest and wear you down without fear. This Snorlax set also adds minimal defensive utility against Tauros. Tauros almost always using Substitute means using Counter against it is far from safe. With the correct prediction it is deadly, but predict wrong and Tauros can easily beat Snorlax one-on-one. Additionally, Counter is very reliant on surprise factor, and once revealed it will be very difficult to land it on your opponent. Double-Edge while powerful, will wear Snorlax down even faster due to recoil. However, the strength of Snorlax and the possibility to bulldoze your opponent allow this set to remain viable, although volatile.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Snorlax's incredible move pool means many of its sets have fringe but interesting options that can still benefit the trainer. The standard Relfect + Rest set, can choose to use either Self-Destruct or Hyper Beam over Ice Beam / Earthquake. Self-Destruct allows Snorlax to remain defensively solid against other Snorlax and Tauros, but also give it the option to take out a key target with a boom. Hyper Beam does now require a recharge turn every time it is used, but thanks to Snorlax's bulk bolstered by Reflect, Snorlax can use Hyper Beam to take out Chansey after just one Body Slam and typically handle the ensuing punish. Hyper Beam can also be used as a pseudo Self-Destruct late game dealing massive damage to your target before going down.
Headbutt is an interesting option on all of Snorlax's sets, as the surprisingly decent power, combined with a STAB boost and a 30% flinch rate allow it to break down paralyzed foes much easier. This can be potentially used on any set other than Reflect + Rest. Reflect also has usage alongside Amnesia. The combination of the two give Snorlax gargantuan bulk which it pairs commonly with Rest to become a nearly unbreakable wall. However in this case Snorlax is left with only one attacking move, almost always Ice Beam. This can make it difficult to break through teams due to freeze clause. As the damage just isn’t enough to break through Chansey and Starmie without freezing them.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Opposing Snorlax**: Snorlax being used on nearly every competitive team means it is often matched up against itself. Furthermore, Snorlax can have either a good, or a bad matchup depending on the set both are using. Being such a valuable Pokemon, understanding how Snorlax matches up with itself is key to using it effectively.
Reflect Snorlax is great against opposing Reflect Snorlax. This may sound strange, but Its immunity to Body Slam paralysis, and great Defense once Reflect is used allows Snorlax to stonewall itself while using Rest to stay healthy and draining precious PP. Ice Beam is often used to alleviate this stagnant tug-of-war, as landing a freeze is virtually a KO. Although this can leave Snorlax open to Gengar and Kabutops abuse due to not doing significant damage against them.
Reflect Snorlax will however have a good matchup with the physical attacking variants of Snorlax. Without any recovery these Snorlax are worn down quickly, while struggling to apply decent damage without using Self-Destruct or the prediction reliant Counter. However if Reflect Snorlax is asleep from using Rest or is forced to take multiple hits without Reflect it can still potentially lose one-on-one. Amnesia Snorlax has the ability to break through both of these variants, especially if it is able to get a boost before they switch in. Blizzard after one use of Amnesia will 3HKO 99.8% of the time, and after two uses it almost always 2HKOes. However, many Snorlax with Amnesia lack Rest, allowing them to be worn down easily by Body Slam.
**Cloyster**: Cloyster's immense base 180 Defense makes it one of the best checks to Snorlax. Snorlax almost never running Hyper Beam makes it even more difficult to break through, as Body Slam is only a 5HKO and Cloyster always carries Rest to keep it healthy in the face of Snorlax. Cloyster also applies great offensive pressure. Being able to 3HKO Snorlax with Blizzard after a small amount of chip damage, and using Clamp to shut it down altogether and maintain momentum if it switches out. Body Slam paralysis is quite annoying to Cloyster, and if it has been chipped too much a paralysis can allow Snorlax to break through. Very rarely Snorlax will use Thunderbolt on its Amnesia set, giving it a 3HKO on Clyster even if it can't use Amnesia to get a boost.
**Slowbro**: Slowbro is far from a perfect Snorlax check. However, access to Thunder Wave for reliable paralysis, and Amnesia to more easily break through Snorlax give Slowbro a unique niche against it. Slowbro is capable of switching in from full health, as Body Slam is only a potential 4HKO. It can use Thunder Wave to then paralyze Snorlax, and it can use Rest to remain healthy while fishing for full-paralysis. Once it has used Amnesia only once it can 2HKO Snorlax with Surf and minimal prior chip damage.
However, Slowbro is prone to be paralyzed by Body Slam and in Stadium using Amnesia no longer makes Slowbro faster. Making it a much less reliable check than in cartridge OU.
**Gengar**: Gengar being the only fully evolved Ghost type means it can potentially wall Sorlax better than any other Pokemon, depending on the set. Gengar being immune to the Normal type Body Slam and Self Destruct makes it unique, as instead of taking hits well, it completely ignores them. Gengar will look to abuse the very common Reflect Snorlax with Ice Beam as its coverage option. Coming off of Snorlax's less than impressive Special, it is entirely reliant on getting a freeze to take down Gengar. Ice Beam only manages to be a possible 7HKO, and Gengar often uses Rest to stay healthy through these assaults while aiming to get a critical hit and break through Snorlax.
However, Gengar can only stop Snorlax under perfect circumstances. Many variants of Snorlax use Earthquake, which ruins Gengar's ability to switch in, being 2HKOed. Thus Gengar must scout carefully and know the set before being able to switch in comfortably, as taking a stray Earthquake can absolutely ruin Gengar or force it to use Rest or use Explosion much sooner than preferred.
**Rock Types**: Depending on Snorlax's set, Rock Type Pokemon in Rhydon, Golem, and Kabutops can occasionally wall it. Snorlax's most common set; containing Reflect; will cycle between its last chosen move. If it is Earthquake, none of the aforementioned can check it. If it is Ice Beam, Kabutops makes for a great check; only fearing being Frozen by Ice Beam. It can retaliate by using Substitute and Rest to stay healthy, while ignoring the Defense boost of Reflect with Slash. It doesn’t 3HKO, but all it needs is one Surf Critical hit to get the job done.
If Snorlax has chosen either Self-Destruct or Hyper Beam as it’s last move, all 3 of the above can reliably check it. Golem and Rhydon can set up Substitutes and fish for a Critical hit with Earthquake while only fearing a Body Slam paralysis; if they go without Rest. However in order to efficiently use the Rocks to check Snorlax, it’s set must first be scouted.
**Starmie/Egg**: While Starmie and Exeggutor are by no means incredible checks to Snorlax, they can occasionally fill this roll, or at the very least be a real thorn in Snorlax's side. They both possess paralysis, as well as strong STAB Psychics and Recovery. They also posses enough physical bulk to always take at least 2 Body Slams for Starmie, and at least 3 For Exeguttor.
**Revenge killers**: Due to Snorlax's atrocious base 30 Speed, it is very easily revenge killed if it is chipped down enough. Since just about everything outspeeds it, it needs to be very careful to manage its HP, as switching out at low HP is also not a great option. Alakazam, Starmie, Exeguttor, And Zapdos are all solid options, as they don’t have to be concerned with the very likely Reflect Snorlax will have up. Tauros on the other hand, can simply go for a critical hit if the situation is dire.
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Written by: [[Ctown6, 509438]]
Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
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