Akir
A true villain!
[OVERVIEW]
Trevenant's combination of a high Attack stat and access to STAB Wood Hammer makes it one of the strongest dedicated wallbreakers in PU. Additionally, its strong array of unique coverage options such as Earthquake and Rock Slide, which is largely unique to Trevenant, lets it take on common Grass checks such as Mawile and Altaria. This ability to 2HKO common Grass switch-ins gives Trevenant a unique niche of being able to possibly break through its, and all other Grass attackers, own common counters. Access to Natural Cure also gives Trevenant an additional niche over other Grass attackers and walls such as Leafeon and Gourgeist-XL. However, Trevenant's low Speed and competition from more competent Grass-types such as Leafeon, which is faster and has setup options, and Gourgeist-XL, which is bulkier overall, keep Trevenant from standing out on its own in both an offensive and defensive light.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Wood Hammer
move 2: Shadow Claw
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Earthquake / Trick
item: Choice Band
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Adamant
evs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Trevenant's Wood Hammer is chosen as the primary STAB option, as it is the most powerful Grass-type attack in the tier. Shadow Claw provides a secondary attack that hits walls such as Gourgeist-XL; however, it should be noted that locking into a Ghost move in PU can be detrimental, as PU has a large number of strong Normal-types that would take advantage of this. Rock Slide hits Flying-type Pokemon such as Vullaby and Fire-type Pokemon such as Rapidash, 2HKOing all of them. The last slot is quite customizable, but the recommended move is Earthquake for 2HKOing defensive Mawile even after an Intimidate. Other options include Trick to cripple any walls that may switch in; however, by giving the Choice Band away, Trevenant forfeits its ability to 2HKO many common Grass switch-ins such as Vullaby. Horn Leech is also an option for healing, since Trevenant can get worn down quickly through switching in and Wood Hammer recoil. Due to the lack in power, however, it is not recommended that Horn Leech replaces Wood Hammer; instead, it should work as a secondary and weaker Grass option if used at all.
Set Details
========
The Speed EVs are set to always outspeed Adamant maximum Speed Mawile, which can force Trevenant out otherwise with a strong Knock Off. Trevenant can run 252 Speed to outspeed neutral-natured Cacturne; however, this is not recommended due to Cacturne's ability to OHKO it with Sucker Punch, which nullifies any Speed that Trevenant has. The leftover EVs are put into HP for some additional bulk, as Trevenant's natural bulk is fairly respectable. Choice Band is the item of choice to make Trevenant as strong as possible in conjunction with the Attack EVs and Adamant nature, which guarantees the 2HKO on many threats and switch-ins such as Vullaby and defensive Mawile. Natural Cure is used to heal off any burns so Trevenant is not crippled by them while also letting it act as a general status absorber for the rest of the team.
Usage Tips
========
Trevenant is heavily reliant on the player's ability to properly predict their opponent. If predicted correctly, Trevenant has the ability to 2HKO most of the common Grass switch-ins PU has to offer. If the player predicts incorrectly, then whatever move Trevevant locks itself into is usually an easy switch-in for a Pokemon that either resists or is immune to the move. For example, locking into Shadow Claw gives a free switch for Stoutland, and locking into Wood Hammer gives a free switch for Vullaby. It is exceedingly important to predict often and predict well in order for Trevenant to succeed. Bring Trevenant in in the earlier parts of the game to soften the opposing team with its wallbreaking ability, but always be prepared to switch it back out. Additionally, thanks to Trevenant's decent natural bulk, coming in on resisted moves like an Earth Power from Stunfisk is also acceptable. Trevenant can also switch in on a Scald if necessary, as Natural Cure will get rid of the possible burn. Using Trevenant as a status absorber is a decent option for taking a Toxic or Thunder Wave for a partner while also affording a relatively free switch for Trevenant by simply healing the affliction on the switch.
Team Options
========
Trevenant's primary niche is its ability to weaken common Grass switch-ins, so a great partner for Trevenant is another Grass sweeper such as Leafeon or Jumpluff that appreciates this. Monferno and Pawniard are also notable options if you do not want to stack Grass-types, as they also appreciate targets such as Vullaby out of the way to ease their own sweep. Partners that can give Trevenant a free switch through U-turn or Volt Switch also work well, and choices such as Rotom-F and Monferno can succeed in this role. Additionally, while Trevenant is strong on its own, it still requires Stealth Rock on the field to solidify the 2HKO on some notable threats such as Vullaby. Thus, choices such as Metang and Mawile are good partners for both providing Stealth Rock and patching up some type weaknesses Trevenant has. Defensive partners can consist of choices such as Mawile, which can switch in on Flying and Dark attacks, and Altaria, which can switch in on Fire attacks. Having defensive partners for Trevenant is advised because Trevenant has to switch in and out on a regular basis, making reliable teammates to absorb the attack meant for Trevenant a strong asset to the team.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Offensive Trick Room sets are also a possibility thanks to Trevenant's low Speed and high Attack and damage output, but they can face competition from Gourgeist-XL, which has Explosion and priority in the form of Shadow Sneak. These options allow Gourgeist-XL to support the team more and work outside of Trick Room, though it is ultimately notably weaker than Trevenant.
Gimmick sets that utilize Harvest are also particularly tempting and popular, but they are usually not consistent enough to be worth the team slot. Lum Berry can be used to absorb status for Trevenant's teammates and possibly let it heal for free with Rest, but Trevenant is not bulky enough to consistently pull this strategy off and is eclipsed by Gourgeist-XL in almost all defensive sets. Another notable Harvest set of Sitrus Berry with Substitute and Leech Seed is also possible, but this is not advised because many threats in PU, such as Quilladin and Substitute Bouffalant, are largely unaffected by it and in a worst case scenario can use it as a setup opportunity.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Grass-types:** Walls such as Quilladin and defensive Tangela can switch in freely against Trevenant, only fearing Trick.
**Sap Sipper Bouffalant:** Bouffalant is immune to both of Trevenant's STAB options, forcing it to lock into Earthquake or Rock Slide, and can also Pursuit trap Trevenant. However Bouffalant can struggle to do much damage back, and Earthquake and Rock Slide both can break Bouffalant's Substitute.
**Flying-types:** Threats such as Dodrio can outspeed Trevenant and OHKO it with Brave Bird. On the other hand, walls such as Altaria and Vullaby can come in and wall a Trevenant that is locked into a resisted move. No Flying-types can safely switch in to Trevenant, though, as none appreciate getting hit by Rock Slide.
**Dark-types:** Threats such as Pawniard and Cacturne can force Trevenant out by threatening to outspeed and OHKO it. However, Trevenant can OHKO Pawniard with Earthquake and Cacturne with Wood Hammer after Stealth Rock.
**Fire-types:** Monferno, Ninetales, Rapidash, Combusken, and Simisear can all outspeed Trevenant and OHKO it with a STAB Fire move. None of these threats can freely switch in due to taking high damage from even a resisted Wood Hammer and the threat of a predicted Rock Slide or Earthquake, though Rapidash has the ability to heal off the damage taken.
Trevenant's combination of a high Attack stat and access to STAB Wood Hammer makes it one of the strongest dedicated wallbreakers in PU. Additionally, its strong array of unique coverage options such as Earthquake and Rock Slide, which is largely unique to Trevenant, lets it take on common Grass checks such as Mawile and Altaria. This ability to 2HKO common Grass switch-ins gives Trevenant a unique niche of being able to possibly break through its, and all other Grass attackers, own common counters. Access to Natural Cure also gives Trevenant an additional niche over other Grass attackers and walls such as Leafeon and Gourgeist-XL. However, Trevenant's low Speed and competition from more competent Grass-types such as Leafeon, which is faster and has setup options, and Gourgeist-XL, which is bulkier overall, keep Trevenant from standing out on its own in both an offensive and defensive light.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Wood Hammer
move 2: Shadow Claw
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Earthquake / Trick
item: Choice Band
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Adamant
evs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Trevenant's Wood Hammer is chosen as the primary STAB option, as it is the most powerful Grass-type attack in the tier. Shadow Claw provides a secondary attack that hits walls such as Gourgeist-XL; however, it should be noted that locking into a Ghost move in PU can be detrimental, as PU has a large number of strong Normal-types that would take advantage of this. Rock Slide hits Flying-type Pokemon such as Vullaby and Fire-type Pokemon such as Rapidash, 2HKOing all of them. The last slot is quite customizable, but the recommended move is Earthquake for 2HKOing defensive Mawile even after an Intimidate. Other options include Trick to cripple any walls that may switch in; however, by giving the Choice Band away, Trevenant forfeits its ability to 2HKO many common Grass switch-ins such as Vullaby. Horn Leech is also an option for healing, since Trevenant can get worn down quickly through switching in and Wood Hammer recoil. Due to the lack in power, however, it is not recommended that Horn Leech replaces Wood Hammer; instead, it should work as a secondary and weaker Grass option if used at all.
Set Details
========
The Speed EVs are set to always outspeed Adamant maximum Speed Mawile, which can force Trevenant out otherwise with a strong Knock Off. Trevenant can run 252 Speed to outspeed neutral-natured Cacturne; however, this is not recommended due to Cacturne's ability to OHKO it with Sucker Punch, which nullifies any Speed that Trevenant has. The leftover EVs are put into HP for some additional bulk, as Trevenant's natural bulk is fairly respectable. Choice Band is the item of choice to make Trevenant as strong as possible in conjunction with the Attack EVs and Adamant nature, which guarantees the 2HKO on many threats and switch-ins such as Vullaby and defensive Mawile. Natural Cure is used to heal off any burns so Trevenant is not crippled by them while also letting it act as a general status absorber for the rest of the team.
Usage Tips
========
Trevenant is heavily reliant on the player's ability to properly predict their opponent. If predicted correctly, Trevenant has the ability to 2HKO most of the common Grass switch-ins PU has to offer. If the player predicts incorrectly, then whatever move Trevevant locks itself into is usually an easy switch-in for a Pokemon that either resists or is immune to the move. For example, locking into Shadow Claw gives a free switch for Stoutland, and locking into Wood Hammer gives a free switch for Vullaby. It is exceedingly important to predict often and predict well in order for Trevenant to succeed. Bring Trevenant in in the earlier parts of the game to soften the opposing team with its wallbreaking ability, but always be prepared to switch it back out. Additionally, thanks to Trevenant's decent natural bulk, coming in on resisted moves like an Earth Power from Stunfisk is also acceptable. Trevenant can also switch in on a Scald if necessary, as Natural Cure will get rid of the possible burn. Using Trevenant as a status absorber is a decent option for taking a Toxic or Thunder Wave for a partner while also affording a relatively free switch for Trevenant by simply healing the affliction on the switch.
Team Options
========
Trevenant's primary niche is its ability to weaken common Grass switch-ins, so a great partner for Trevenant is another Grass sweeper such as Leafeon or Jumpluff that appreciates this. Monferno and Pawniard are also notable options if you do not want to stack Grass-types, as they also appreciate targets such as Vullaby out of the way to ease their own sweep. Partners that can give Trevenant a free switch through U-turn or Volt Switch also work well, and choices such as Rotom-F and Monferno can succeed in this role. Additionally, while Trevenant is strong on its own, it still requires Stealth Rock on the field to solidify the 2HKO on some notable threats such as Vullaby. Thus, choices such as Metang and Mawile are good partners for both providing Stealth Rock and patching up some type weaknesses Trevenant has. Defensive partners can consist of choices such as Mawile, which can switch in on Flying and Dark attacks, and Altaria, which can switch in on Fire attacks. Having defensive partners for Trevenant is advised because Trevenant has to switch in and out on a regular basis, making reliable teammates to absorb the attack meant for Trevenant a strong asset to the team.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Offensive Trick Room sets are also a possibility thanks to Trevenant's low Speed and high Attack and damage output, but they can face competition from Gourgeist-XL, which has Explosion and priority in the form of Shadow Sneak. These options allow Gourgeist-XL to support the team more and work outside of Trick Room, though it is ultimately notably weaker than Trevenant.
Gimmick sets that utilize Harvest are also particularly tempting and popular, but they are usually not consistent enough to be worth the team slot. Lum Berry can be used to absorb status for Trevenant's teammates and possibly let it heal for free with Rest, but Trevenant is not bulky enough to consistently pull this strategy off and is eclipsed by Gourgeist-XL in almost all defensive sets. Another notable Harvest set of Sitrus Berry with Substitute and Leech Seed is also possible, but this is not advised because many threats in PU, such as Quilladin and Substitute Bouffalant, are largely unaffected by it and in a worst case scenario can use it as a setup opportunity.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Grass-types:** Walls such as Quilladin and defensive Tangela can switch in freely against Trevenant, only fearing Trick.
**Sap Sipper Bouffalant:** Bouffalant is immune to both of Trevenant's STAB options, forcing it to lock into Earthquake or Rock Slide, and can also Pursuit trap Trevenant. However Bouffalant can struggle to do much damage back, and Earthquake and Rock Slide both can break Bouffalant's Substitute.
**Flying-types:** Threats such as Dodrio can outspeed Trevenant and OHKO it with Brave Bird. On the other hand, walls such as Altaria and Vullaby can come in and wall a Trevenant that is locked into a resisted move. No Flying-types can safely switch in to Trevenant, though, as none appreciate getting hit by Rock Slide.
**Dark-types:** Threats such as Pawniard and Cacturne can force Trevenant out by threatening to outspeed and OHKO it. However, Trevenant can OHKO Pawniard with Earthquake and Cacturne with Wood Hammer after Stealth Rock.
**Fire-types:** Monferno, Ninetales, Rapidash, Combusken, and Simisear can all outspeed Trevenant and OHKO it with a STAB Fire move. None of these threats can freely switch in due to taking high damage from even a resisted Wood Hammer and the threat of a predicted Rock Slide or Earthquake, though Rapidash has the ability to heal off the damage taken.
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