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[OVERVIEW]
Gigalith possesses great overall bulk at impressive 85 / 130 / 80 bulk. Sand Stream further boosts its Special Defense by 50% due to its Rock typing. Its base 135 Attack stat provides it with a solid amount of offensive presence despite it primarily being a defensive Pokemon. While rather shallow as a whole, Gigalith's movepool contains support options such as Stealth Rock and Toxic to go along nicely with its fantastic EdgeQuake coverage. Due to its bulk and typing, Gigalith offers balance teams a solid check to threats like Mega Pidgeot, Nasty Plot Togekiss, Chandelure, and Nihilego. However, Rock is rather mediocre typing defensively, leaving Gigalith weak to common attacking types such as Water, Fighting, and Ground. Due to its reliance on Toxic to handle bulkier foes, Gigalith often opens a big weakness to opposing Gliscor by commonly handing it free turns. Given its vulnerability to all entry hazards and lack of reliable recovery, Gigalith is easily worn down throughout a match. Gigalith also finds itself annoyed by status conditions, specifically poison and burns, as they severely limit its longevity and effectiveness. Lastly, Gigalith has a horrendous base 25 Speed stat, leaving it outsped by nearly the entire metagame.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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Stone Edge provides Gigalith with a powerful STAB move that can threaten common targets like Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Pidgeot, notably guaranteeing the OHKO on Mega Aerodactyl, making it preferable to other STAB options like Rock Slide and Rock Blast. Earthquake possesses good overall coverage with Stone Edge, notably hitting Steel-types like Cobalion and Klefki super effectively. Stealth Rock is essential for every competitive team, racking up entry hazard damage on foes as they switch in. Toxic lets Gigalith pressure bulky Water-types such as Rotom-W, Swampert, and Seismitoad, which otherwise wall and take advantage of it.
Set Details
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Maximum investment in HP and Special Defense along with a Careful nature improves Gigalith's special bulk as much as possible to help it take on Pokemon like Chandelure, Nihilego, and Raikou. A similar EV spread with an Impish nature can take advantage of Gigalith's fantastic Defense stat and improve its matchup against physical attackers like Mega Aerodactyl and Entei, though a more specially bulky spread is generally preferable. Sand Stream sets up sand, further bolstering Gigalith's Special Defense stat for five turns. Leftovers provides Gigalith with passive recovery, which is its only form of recovery outside of Wish support. Smooth Rock is an option to increase the number of sand turns, but Gigalith gets worn down even more quickly without Leftovers' passive recovery.
Usage Tips
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Send in Gigalith early-game to set up Stealth Rock and spread Toxic poison on foes to help whittle them down for teammates. Switch Gigalith into Pokemon such as Mega Pidgeot, Togekiss, and Chandelure that it fares well against and can take advantage of. However, if Gigalith is paired with a Sand Rush sweeper like Stoutland, keep it healthy enough to set up sand multiple times throughout a match. Heal up Gigalith with a teammate's Wish if it finds itself too weak to properly function as a wall, since it lacks any form of reliable recovery to complement its fantastic bulk.
Team Options
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Gigalith fits best on balance teams that appreciate its great bulk and ability to reliably set up Stealth Rock and spread Toxic poison. Gigalith's ability to set up sand with Sand Stream makes Sand Rush Stoutland an outstanding partner, letting it outspeed the vast majority of the UU metagame. Grass-types like Celebi and Amoonguss pair nicely with Gigalith, offering nice checks to the Water-types that threaten it. In return, Gigalith can take on offensive Flying-types like Togekiss, Mega Pidgeot, and Crobat that threaten them. Water-types like Rotom-W and Mantine make for solid teammates, being able to switch into the Water-, Ground-, and Steel-type moves that hit Gigalith super effectively. Heal Bell users such as Sylveon and Togekiss are great partners, alleviating Gigalith of any annoying status conditions inflicted by Pokemon like Swampert and Rotom-W. Sylveon doubles down as a potential Wish passer to help keep Gigalith healthy, also appreciating its ability to absorb Poison- and Fire-type moves. Due to Gigalith being easily worn down and vulnerable to every entry hazard, Defog users such as Latias and the aforementioned Togekiss and Mantine make for excellent partners. Given that Gigalith hands Gliscor free turns in one-on-one situations, checks to it are an absolute necessity; examples include Suicune and Aqua Tail Mega Aerodactyl. Bulky Swords Dance Scizor is another huge threat to Gigalith, making its answers like Cobalion and Infernape solid teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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A Choice Band set with Stone Edge, Earthquake, Superpower, and Explosion can take advantage of Gigalith's massive Attack stat, but this variant often finds itself worn down quickly and too vulnerable to burns. Rock Blast has better accuracy and PP than Stone Edge, but it makes Gigalith more passive than it would prefer in most situations.
Checks and Counters
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**Water-types**: Water-types such as Suicune, Rotom-W, and Mega Blastoise fear little from Gigalith outside of Toxic and threaten it with their Water-type STAB moves.
**Gliscor**: Gliscor completely shuts down Gigalith and can proceed to take advantage of it, setting up either Subsitute, Stealth Rock, or Swords Dance.
**Steel-Types**: Mega Steelix and bulky Swords Dance Scizor can perform their roles in front of Gigalith and scare it out. Mega Steelix also receives an Attack boost from the sand Gigalith sets up upon switching in.
**Status**: Toxic poison and burns hinder Gigalith's longevity and overall effectiveness, helping to wear it down more easily over time.
**Grass-types**: Mega Sceptile, Celebi, and Amoonguss can all defeat Gigalith one-on-one, forcing it out in most situations.
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