Community POTW #99

[Ilan]

It's DW ability is pretty much useless. Saybleye will cripple it with will-o-wisp anyway, so you may as well just run Crunch.

....Unless hitting Spiritomb with super power is really that important.

Not so useless you are using band remmember? so return might hit dusclops or something much harder but sand rush is so much better in OU and it is his only viable niche there.

in Ru you can use both intimidate and scrappy in OU only sand rush!

choice band set is the best in OU.. stoutland got superpower with BW2 which made him more awesome he was before now being able to beat terrakion and other steel types.

[Ocosn]

HEY BULLDOG!
Nature: Adamant / Jolly
Ability: Scrappy
EV's: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
IV's: 31 / 31 / 31 / 31 / 31 / 31
-Retaliate
-Superpower
-Pursuit / Wild Charge / Fire Fang / Ice Fang
-Pursuit / Wild Charge / Fire Fang / Ice Fang
Item: Choice Scarf / Choice Band / Life Orb

This set is for revenge killing.
Scrappy makes sure that no Ghost types can come in and resist your Retaliate.

STAB Retaliate will do massive initial damage.
Superpower clears out any Rock or Steel types who resist your STAB.

Pursuit should shatter glass cannons on the switch.
Wild Charge for Bulky water Pokemon.
Fire Fang for weaker Steel types (On the Life Orb set).
Ice Fang for hitting threats like Gligar and Altaria.

[jesusfreak94]

I'm actually expecting Stoutland to drop to NU before long. There's a reason that it's usage is so far below the RU cutoff point. It's not so much that he's a bad Pokemon, just that he has very little to differentiate himself from Pokemon like Bouffalant. Stoutland has a decent base 100 Atk stat and pretty nice 85 / 90 / 90 bulk, but it's easily overshadowed by Bouffalant's base 110 Atk stat, more powerful STAB, and considerably better 95 / 95 / 95 bulk. Stat wise, Stoutland only has a little extra speed to its name, and even then base 80 isn't that great. Scrappy is an OK ability, but it's not all that useful when you already have Crunch, bar hitting Spiritomb with Superpower (which is admittedly pretty cool).

I think where Stoutland's real talents lie are in its other ability, Intimidate. When uninvested, it gives Stoutland the equivalent of uninvested 85 / 144 physical bulk, and a physically defensive spread would have about the Def stat of a physically defensive Deoxys-D, but with far more HP. Stoutland also has a decent little support movepool to work with with moves like Thunder Wave, Toxic, Roar, Yawn, Sunny Day, and Rain Dance. This would also give it the ability to be a decent offensive tank, able to switch into a number of physically offensive Pokemon. An Stoutland with no investment whatsoever actually survives Jolly Scarf Sawk's Close Combat most of the time after Intimidate, which is pretty good for an offensive Pokemon.

Of course, this is just for RU (and soon, NU). If you're using Stoutland in OU, you should be running it in the Sand with Sand Rush, but that goes without saying.

[Rayofquazar]

Stoutland is a very lucky pokemon! Let me set things straight! I always like to compare stoutland, to fellow normal types Tauros, Miltank and Bouffalant! They all share the same BST and a 40 in special attack! While miltank is the best diffensively and as a support pokemon, the other three competes for the best offesively! Tauros has the best ATT/SPD ratio, but it is the frailest of the bunch. Bouffalant might seem slow, but it can take a hit better than the others. Stoutland, at first glance, seems inferior to the other offensive two (Even in the way you get it!! You get tauros miltank and bouffalant immediately while you need to raise a helpless lillipup to evolve twice to get it!) it has a major trick up it's sleeve that makes it the star player leaving the others litteraly in it's dust. With 100 ATT, stoutland is not as strong as tauros and bouffalant and with 80 speed even miltank outspeeds it! Defenses are decent but bouffalant is better at taking hits! Do not be fooled however, with sand rush, stoutland not only outspeed these three but it outspeeds every unboosted pokemon except speed deoxys! Not only sand rush doubles it speed but makes it immune to sandstorm! Ok! See! Stoutland is OU while the others are NOT... EVEN THOUGH I PREFER TAUROS BUT WHATEVER!

In my oppinion, sand rush is the only reason to use stoutland in any team. Scrappy is not that good! Let's imagine this scenario... Stoutland is your last pokemon, the opponent sends out gengar! OK, you say, my scrappy return will KO it! But BAM!!! Gengar outspeeds and put a substitute! Then it disables return! Then it focus blasts you to death or simply tries for a sludge bomb! Sand rush, will makes you outspeed gengar KO with crunch and destroy any hope of a sash with sandstorm recoil! Simple!
For the same reasons and more this time, don't bother with intimidate as lowering opponent's attack is not that safe anymore with defiants running among us, plus, stoutland is not made to tank! So nothing can be more rewarding than outspeeding the entire metagame and hit for a good amount of damage! I guess this can be used outside of sandstorm to soften opponent blows but again you are so exposed to special attacks!

Stoutlands movepool is very good too! It is nothing short of amazing! But stoutland really needs little about it! Choice band is a very good item, life orb is too! pick your favorite! Return is a staple, crunch is for gengar and other psychic and ghosts. Ice fang is for dragons, Fire fang for grass, ice and most importantly steel! Superpower covers steels but force a switch of sorts. Sad that stoutland cannot learn earthquake! Stoutland is not the best user of roar so don't bother with it!

[DizzyCobraMew]

Dog the bounty hunter
Adamant
EV's 252 attack, 252 speed, 4 HP
Scrappy / Sand Rush
Item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
Return
Super power/Reversal
Ice fang/Fire Fang
Yawn / Protect

Sand rush I don't recommend unless you think you'll go against a bunch of sandstorm teams to surprise them, scrappy huts ghosts and is an awesome surprise for anything not expecting it, life orb for more power with super power, focus sash to help with reversal and that you get more power with it the rest of the moves are for coverage

[Grassmaster411]

Finnaly. I have waited so long for the POTW to be something I had.

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT!

EV's:
242 atk
242 speed
4 Hp

Nature: (Nature that raises attack or speed without lowering the other)

Item: Silk Scarf

Ability: Sand Rush

Moves:
Retaliate
Return
Crunch
Wild Charge/Fire Fang/Ice Fang

This set is very self-explanitory. Set up sandstorm before using him, and he will outspeed everything. I have not met any pokemon that is faster than a stoutland in sand. This makes revenge killing easy, especially with retaliate. I use the silk scarf because it boosts Stoutlands best moves, and makes revenge killing all the more easier. Stoutland is perfect for sand teams, and can take out many pokemon that counter sand teams.

Retaliate KO's just about everything. I literally KO'ed a lucario, a terrakion, and 2 KO'd a ferrothorn. It is sick how powerful it is. Especially with the silk scarf. Return lets you attack without using up Retaliates few PP and is a good backup move, like surf is for Kyogre. Crunch deals damage to ghosts, which are immune to Stoutlands previous attacks. It also does well against the odd psychic. The last move is up to you. Wild Charge takes out bulky waters, aside from water/ground pokemon. It is also much more powerful than the other two moves. But it does have the recoil. Fire Fang deals with steels, which are usually good against Stoutlands other moves. Finally, Ice Fang can surprise dragons, like garchomp.


And now, more puns

Sandland.

Stoutswag

Stoutsand

I wag my tail back and forth, I wag my tail back and forth...

Scuirrel!

Shih-tzu! Bless you.

Canine punishment.

[Kraleck]

Stoutland's usefulness comes mainly from synergizing Stoutland with its Allies and Partners:
-Sand Rush Stoutland appreciates having Sand Stream Hippowdon around and can be a real pain for Excadrill if it's Jolly Stout' against Adamant Exca'
-Scrappy Stoutland is a definitive Revenge-KO Pokemon with Retaliate and can wreck Sableye and Spiritomb's natural lack of Weaknesses with Superpower (more often used on the bulkier Spiritomb)
-Intimidate Stoutland makes many Battles more survivable (even if slightly) for Pokemon with lower Defense compared to their Sp.Def like Cryogonal, Mantine, Mr. Mime, Kecleon, Hypno, Gallade, the Hitmon-trio, Flareon, Slowking, Grumpig, Roserade, Mismagius, Jellicent, Ninetales, Tentacruel, Muk, Venusaur, Politoed, Ludicolo, Stunfisk, Dewgong, Jynx...need I continue? There are so many Pokemon that appreciate coming in on an Attack debuffed Physical Attacker (especially because it can force a switch).

Stoutland's lackluster Stats aren't that lackluster. Stoutland's Attack ties Dusknoir, Flygon, Zebstrika, Throh, Sawsbuck, Klinklang, Tauros, Rapidash, and Sandslash, so it isn't too worthy of asking for more with that kind of company. Speed isn't the best, but Sand Rush cranks it into overdrive. Intimidate, as jesusfreak94 pointed out, raises your bulk in a small, yet significant way, allowing your Defense to be pseudo-buffed.

[deoxysdude94]

Here's my set, I like to use this one:

Stoutland@Expert Belt
252 atk 252 speed 4 hp
Jolly Nature
Intimidate

Return
Crunch
Wild Charge
Ice Fang

Return for STAB, crunch for ghosts, and ice+electric for extra coverage.

My opinion: While this may not have the best stats, it was still a good idea competitively. It has flaws, but it's still good. Under the right hands, this thing can do very well. Plus, it amazing in-game, it's helpful with beating the game.

[StreetFlare]

I've used Intimidate (see my prior set) in doubles tournaments before alongside a physically defensive SubPunch Scrafty on a Beat Up Terrakion team (what can I say, I still lack weather-sources, and cannot be bothered training a Larvitar at the moment). The results are quite amusing when Fighting types find themselves no longer capable of smashing Scrafty's substitute with Close Combat, while Stoutland boosted by Tailwind can quite easily flatten most non-Ghost threats with Retaliate boosted by Normal Gem - I've used it against Latios and Cresselia, and aside for the fact that Scrafty was quite happily Crunching Cresselia, Stoutland then outsped and one-hit Latios. It also backs up the nature of the Shiny Stoutland I use - Lonely. Lonely nature + Intimidate drop often averages out to standard defense.

[Zachmac]

-Scrappy Stoutland is a definitive Revenge-KO Pokemon with Retaliate and can wreck Sableye and Spiritomb's natural lack of Weaknesses with Superpower (more often used on the bulkier Spiritomb)

Saybleye will always Will-o-Wisp Stoutland before it uses retaliate, so it's only for Spiritomb.

[Kraleck]

Saybleye will always Will-o-Wisp Stoutland before it uses retaliate, so it's only for Spiritomb.

Very true, though you may run into the occasional Prankster Sableye without WoW or a non-Prankster Sableye (both quite rare, but possible). Even then, I mentioned long ago that Stoutland has an issue with getting Burned, so I mentioned Fire Types as likely allies. Furthermore, Sableye would fear switching into Stoutland and Stoutland would, likewise, fear staying to face Sableye - Sableye is relatively fragile and Stoutland can't outrun a Prankster's Status Moves.

Sableye is not a hard-counter because it can't get in safely on a Stoutland that's already there (except as a KO replacement), but it does severely cripple Stoutland and prevent it from getting in safely itself. Stoutland VS Sableye is more about entry timing than actually facing each other outright...

[Ilan]

Very true, though you may run into the occasional Prankster Sableye without WoW or a non-Prankster Sableye (both quite rare, but possible). Even then, I mentioned long ago that Stoutland has an issue with getting Burned, so I mentioned Fire Types as likely allies. Furthermore, Sableye would fear switching into Stoutland and Stoutland would, likewise, fear staying to face Sableye - Sableye is relatively fragile and Stoutland can't outrun a Prankster's Status Moves.

Sableye is not a hard-counter because it can't get in safely on a Stoutland that's already there (except as a KO replacement), but it does severely cripple Stoutland and prevent it from getting in safely itself. Stoutland VS Sableye is more about entry timing than actually facing each other outright...

Only extreame noobs don't use prankster sableye.
stoutland shouldn't run scrafty outside of RU and sableye is UU.. ok maybe in UU

[philzone]

Very true, though you may run into the occasional Prankster Sableye without WoW or a non-Prankster Sableye (both quite rare, but possible). Even then, I mentioned long ago that Stoutland has an issue with getting Burned, so I mentioned Fire Types as likely allies. Furthermore, Sableye would fear switching into Stoutland and Stoutland would, likewise, fear staying to face Sableye - Sableye is relatively fragile and Stoutland can't outrun a Prankster's Status Moves.

Sableye is not a hard-counter because it can't get in safely on a Stoutland that's already there (except as a KO replacement), but it does severely cripple Stoutland and prevent it from getting in safely itself. Stoutland VS Sableye is more about entry timing than actually facing each other outright...

Most Sableye run Will-o-wisp. that is its main niche.

[sbktdreed]

Sand Rush w/ Muscle Band/Scope Lens/Life Orb/White Herb/Fighting Gem
Adamant w/ 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 6 Defense/Sp Defense
Facade/Return
Crunch
Wild Charge/Fire Fang/Ice Fang
Superpower

Partners:
Sandstorm-users if Sand Rush is used.

Countering:
Defensive pokemon with fighting-type moves like Superpower Donphan, Hammer Arm Metagross/Rhyperior, Tangrowth, Scrafty, Throh, Hitmontop, and Brick Break Golem/Armaldo/Sandslash/Drapion/Kabutops.
Flame Body/Will-o-wisp-users

[Blue Harvest]

You need to run Jolly to outrun Choice Scarf Terrakion, which is the main reason to use Stoutland over something like Scarf Garchomp, Scarf Landorus, Scarf Terrakion, or Sandslash. If you run Jolly however you lose some crucial power, for example you no longer OHKO Latios, Volcarona, Thundurus T etc.

Neither nature option is very good, which is in part why Stoutland isn't very good. Boosted Return / Superpower / electric has decent coverage in OU though so I guess its usable if Scarf Terrakion or Sandslash don't fit well.

[philzone]

Sand Rush w/ Muscle Band/Scope Lens/Life Orb/White Herb/Fighting Gem
Adamant w/ 252 Attack, 84 Defense, 84 Sp Defense, 90 Speed
Facade/Return
Crunch
Wild Charge/Thunder Fang/Fire Fang
Superpower

Partners:
Sandstorm-users if Sand Rush is used.

Countering:
Defensive pokemon with fighting-type moves like Superpower Aggron/Donphan, Defiant Bisharp, Hammer Arm Metagross/Rhyperior, Tangrowth, Sky Uppercut Gliscor, Scrafty, Focus Blast Slowbro, Blastoise, Pinsir, Feraligatr, and Brick Break Golem/Armaldo/Kingler/Sandslash/Drapion/Kabutops.
Flame Body/Will-o-wisp-users
Ferrothorn
Dusknoir

Aggron and bisharp are normally destroyed by superpower. Kingler falls to wild charge. So does blastoise and feraligatr
Throh looks like a good counter, since it is very bulky and can hit back with guts boosted storm throw/superpower. Priority users, like technitop can destroy it. On second thought, intimidate ruins it, so look towards hitmontop again.

[Ilan]

Sand Rush w/ Muscle Band/Scope Lens/Life Orb/White Herb/Fighting Gem
Adamant w/ 252 Attack, 84 Defense, 84 Sp Defense, 90 Speed
Facade/Return
Crunch
Wild Charge/Thunder Fang/Fire Fang
Superpower

Partners:
Sandstorm-users if Sand Rush is used.

Countering:
Defensive pokemon with fighting-type moves like Superpower Aggron/Donphan, Defiant Bisharp, Hammer Arm Metagross/Rhyperior, Tangrowth, Sky Uppercut Gliscor, Scrafty, Focus Blast Slowbro, Blastoise, Pinsir, Feraligatr, and Brick Break Golem/Armaldo/Kingler/Sandslash/Drapion/Kabutops.
Flame Body/Will-o-wisp-users
Ferrothorn
Dusknoir

Those are not couters.. couter is one which can switch into stoutland and beat it moves or pokemons which can't really do it (I think throh is 2HKOed by band adamant return) dusknoir is hit hard by cruch etc. you are also listing things that no one uses.. sky uppercut gliscor I am not even sure he gets the move (but he doesn't use it anyway so.. slowbro never uses focus blast.. and is hit hard by wild charge pinsir is 2HKOed by return.
just going to "top defense stats list" and just listing is not bringing true counters..

Give me 1 reason why to use thunder fang over wild charge and why not using choice band or 252 speed your sets are always really weird.

[philzone]

Those are not couters.. couter is one which can switch into stoutland and beat it moves or pokemons which can't really do it (I think throh is 2HKOed by band adamant return) dusknoir is hit hard by cruch etc. you are also listing things that no one uses.. sky uppercut gliscor I am not even sure he gets the move (but he doesn't use it anyway so.. slowbro never uses focus blast.. and is hit hard by wild charge pinsir is 2HKOed by return.
just going to "top defense stats list" and just listing is not bringing true counters..

Give me 1 reason why to use thunder fang over wild charge and why not using choice band or 252 speed your sets are always really weird.

Am afraid gliscor does get sky uppercut. Lv45 in bw2. Still not a counter though, due to ice fang.

Thought throh would be a counter, though.

[Ilan]

Am afraid gliscor does get sky uppercut. Lv45 in bw2. Darn. Thought throh would be a counter

A neutral Earthquake is just a little bit weaker than SE sky uppercut anyway.. 150 BP vs. 170 BP
(really just learn how to calculate the base power of the moves (base power= power of the move*SE/resistance*STAB)
STAB= 1.5 if it is the same type or 1 if not
SE= *2 if weak *4 if double weak
resistance the same way but with 0.5 and 0.25

And it is not a counter since some stoutlands carry ice fang which (almost 100% sure) 2HKOes.

[philzone]

A neutral Earthquake is just a little bit weaker than SE sky uppercut anyway.. 150 BP vs. 170 BP
(really just learn how to calculate the base power of the moves (base power= power of the move*SE/resistance*STAB)
STAB= 1.5 if it is the same type or 1 if not
SE= *2 if weak *4 if double weak
resistance the same way but with 0.5 and 0.25

And it is not a counter since some stoutlands carry ice fang which (almost 100% sure) 2HKOes.

Wasn't saying that it was a counter. Was just saying that it could learn it. Plus, I do know about STAB and weakness/resistance modifiers.

I think I wasn't clear with my last post. Was hoping that throh could counter. It is 3HKOed with choice band, and 252 attack, using return and throh with 252 def and hp (but that is rarely used)