ADV 50 Analysis - Whiscash

    Whiscash
    Type: Water / Ground
    Stats: 110 | 78 | 73 | 76 | 71 | 60
    Abilities: Oblivious

    Introduction

    Whiscash is one of the best physical tanks in the tier, and is the best answer to Mixed Typhlosion out there, making it a common glue in the tier. It does have a few significant flaws though: it's spikes bait (Forretress, Cacturne, and Glalie all set up hazards on it quite easily), so some sort of Rapid Spin support is strongly recommended. Secondly, it lacks any form of reliable recovery beyond Protect or Rest, and is not immune to Toxic. And it is not very versatile: due to its average speed and attacking stats, an offensive set is out of the question, and it lacks any even mildly useful utility moves beyond the basics.

    Sets

    Physical Tank

    Whiscash @ Leftovers
    Ability: Oblivious
    EVs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 212 Def
    Relaxed Nature
    - Earthquake
    - Surf / Toxic
    - Ice Beam / Toxic
    - Protect

    Set Details

    Earthquake and Surf are Whiscash's STAB options, but Surf is not totally necessary - it most importantly does more damage to Sandslash, Forretress, and Armaldo - but if those Pokemon are already adequately handled by the team it finds itself on, it is a good option to consider dropping it for Toxic. Toxic is a great way to punish common switch-ins such as Meganium and Mantine, but be aware it will occasionally be blocked by Forretress or Venomoth. Earthquake is most crucial for enabling Whiscash to beat Muk that lack Giga Drain, as well as Electric-types such as Lanturn and Manectric. Ice Beam is primarily to enable Whiscash to handle Dragon Dance and mixed Altaria, but also does respectable damage to other Flying-types such as Scyther, Fearow, and Crobat, which Whiscash is also used to check. Furthermore, it does passable damage to Grass-types such as Vileplume and Meganium. Protect is strongly recommended for the Leftovers recovery it provides, letting it hang on for longer in tight games against teams built around physical pressure, and lets it scout Choice Band users such as Granbull, making them far easier to play around. Running the three attacks and Toxic together is another option worth noting, although is liable to being worn down far more quickly.

    The EVs are pretty simple: the Attack EVs guarantee an OHKO on Manectric with Earthquake with the rest of the EVs used to maximise its HP and then Defense, making it as good of a physical tank as possible. Simply maximising HP and Defense, with 4 EVs in Special Defense is an option too, as the OHKO on Manectric is far from vital to Whiscash's ability to function.

    Other Options

    The best option not already listed is Rest: it enables Whiscash to relieve itself of status and heal itself, but Whiscash is slow, making it hard to use sometimes, and a lot of common Pokemon will 3HKO it, making it hard to wake up. A RestTalk set is an option too, but limiting it to having two attacks (or one attack and Toxic) to work with doesn't get the most out of it. Both, however, are serious options that definitely merit some degree of serious consideration and possibly exploration.

    Alternative EV spreads on the tank set are possible. More speed and special defense to outspeed and avoid being OHKO'd by the Hidden Power Grass of Ampharos are possibility, but it requires a lot of EVs to make it happen, seriously eating into its ability to be an effective physical tank.

    Finally, Icy Wind and Rock Tomb lower the speed of the opponent, which can be useful. However, with their low BP and little investment behind them, they do very little damage. Icy Wind could help in making Whiscash a better check to Swords Dance Sandslash, and Rock Tomb 2HKOs Scyther (while Rock Slide comes close to OHKOing).

    Checks and Counters

    The best way to punish Whiscash is with Spikes: Forretress, Cacturne, and Glalie all set up Spikes quite confidently against Whiscash. Secondarily, Grass-types such as Meganium and Vileplume are excellent checks - Meganium is bulkier and recovers HP more reliably, but Vileplume is immune to Toxic. Venomoth is also Toxic-immune, and can beat Whiscash 1 on 1 if it carries Giga Drain, but it takes hefty damage from Earthquake. Mantine is an excellent check that can sit on Whiscash all day and retaliate with Toxic, but it doesn't love being poisoned in return. Calm Mind Heal Bell Chimecho and RestTalk Calm Mind Golduck set up comfortably against Whiscash. Swords Dance Scizor Morning Sun can set up against Whiscash too, but the low PP of Morning Sun means that it shouldn't be used to switch into Whiscash over the whole duration of the match. Bulky Crawdaunt can take Whiscash's attacks easily and can retaliate with Knock Off, invalidating Whiscash's leftovers, but it is vulnerable to Toxic and can easily be switched into, especially if Whiscash is paired with a Muk. Misdreavus is immune to Earthquake and takes Surf and Ice Beam easily, but dislikes Toxic. However, it often carries Hidden Power Grass, 2HKOing Whiscash. Muk can beat Whiscash head-on if it carries Giga Drain and Whiscash is switching in, and the Explosion set can trade with Whiscash, however all other variants of Muk lose consistently against Whiscash.

    Also notable is ways of luring Whiscash. Besides the aforementioned Muk, Golem, Electrode, Steelix, and Camerupt can all explode on Whiscash too; Steelix and Camerupt may choose instead however to lure it with Toxic. Aggron can also lure Whiscash with Toxic, as well as Kabutops, Armaldo, or SubToxic Manectric. Armaldo can also use Knock Off against Whiscash. Finally, Altaria and Manectric can catch Whiscash out if they carry Hidden Power Grass, though neither OHKOs.

    Analysis written by Disaster Area