Bronzong Movesets & Competitive Sets

Heavy Slam gives Bronzong some offensive presence, being able to hit Fairy-types like Tapu Bulu and Clefable. Iron Head is usually weaker than Heavy Slam, but it always breaks Kyurem's Substitute, preventing Bronzong from getting Pressure stalled. Body Press allows Bronzong to hit Steel-type Pokemon like Bisharp and Excadrill super effectively. Toxic punishes Pokemon like Mantine and Landorus-T that comfortably tank Bronzong's other moves. Toxic can also set offensive Pokemon like Dragonite and Garchomp on a timer, limiting their chances to break through Bronzong and its teammates. Levitate provides Bronzong with a Ground immunity and lets it take on foes such as Sand Rush Excadrill and Dragonite. A Colbur Berry can be used over Leftovers, letting Bronzong absorb a hit from threats like Bisharp and Weavile and punish them in return. However, forgoing Leftovers lessens oits longevity. All of Bronzong's teammates appreciate it setting Stealth Rock, but it lets Victini in particular net KOes more easily. Bronzong can also switch in on Ground-type moves like Garchomp's Earthquake for it. Victini in return can threaten Steel-types that Bronzong struggles with, like Celesteela or Aegislash. Other offensive Pokemon like Latios and Tapu Lele greatly appreciate Stealth Rock. Tapu Lele can beat troublesome Dark-types like Crawdaunt and Hydreigon. Latios's STAB Draco Meteor and Psyshock let it tear apart cores of Pokemon like Toxapex, Amoonguss, and Drapion on Poison as well as Pelipper, Toxapex, and Swampert on Water. Galarian Slowking forms a good defensive core with Bronzong, soaking up special attacks from the likes of Tapu Koko, Aegislash, and Heatran. Slowbro also works well defensively with Bronzong. Slowbro's Water typing lets it switch into Water- and Fire-types moves from Pokemon like Barraskewda and Victini. Bronzong can then beat Pokemon like Tapu Bulu or Kyurem for Slowbro. Mew makes up for Bronzong's passivity, as it can break through defensive cores on types like Steel, Water, and Flying with the combination of Taunt + Knock Off. Calm Mind Hatterene appreciates Bronzong weakening opposing Pokemon with Stealth Rock and Toxic, giving it an easier time late-game. Nasty Plot Celebi can beat Water- and Ground-types that Bronzong is unable to dent. Bronzong helps Celebi by switching in on Poison- and Flying-type moves from Pokemon like Nihilego and Zapdos.

Moves Stealth Rock damages foes when they switch in, and Bronzong is a very reliable setter of it thanks to its great bulk. Toxic is used to wear down opposing Pokemon and allows Bronzong to cripple Pokemon that would otherwise wall it, such as Alomomola. With Gyro Ball, Bronzong can take advantage of its low Speed and threaten faster Pokemon, such as Mega Altaria and Mega Aerodactyl, more easily. Heavy Slam can be used instead, which deals more damage to Pokemon like Sylveon and has more PP. However, it's usually much weaker than Gyro Ball, notably against Pokemon like Mamoswine and Hydreigon. Psywave allows Bronzong to hit Pokemon that would normally check it, such as Doublade and Cobalion, for a considerable amount of damage. Protect is another option that can provide an extra turn of Leftovers recovery and scout for moves and Choice-locked Pokemon. It also works well with Toxic, as foes take additional turns of damage. Set Details 252 HP and Special Defense EVs with a Sassy nature maximize Bronzong's defensive capabilities, allowing it to switch into Pokemon like Latias and Mega Pidgeot more easily. Additionally, Bronzong's Sassy nature and 0 Speed IVs decrease its Speed to make Gyro Ball stronger. Levitate grants Bronzong the opportunity to check Ground-types, such as Mamoswine and Nidoking, which its typing wouldn't normally allow it to. Leftovers provides Bronzong with a form of passive recovery, increasing its longevity. Usage Tips Bronzong should be used as a pivot throughout the match. Take advantage of the amount of Pokemon Bronzong checks and use any given opportunity to set up Stealth Rock. However, keep in mind that it lacks reliable recovery and can get worn down pretty quickly. Be careful using Protect when there are Pokemon on the opposing team that can use Bronzong as setup bait, such as Doublade and Cobalion. Furthermore, be wary of Pursuit users like Krookodile, since they can weaken Bronzong severely. Use Psywave to chip Pokemon that would normally check Bronzong, such as Scizor and Cobalion. Team Options Bronzong fits best on balanced teams that can take advantage of its resistances and access to Stealth Rock. Pokemon that appreciate Bronzong's ability to switch into a variety of threats pair well with it. Suicune appreciates Bronzong's ability to switch into almost any variant of Latias, as well as Grass-types such as Celebi. Fighting-types such as Infernape and Chesnaught take advantage of Bronzong's ability to check Fairy- and Flying-types such as Mega Altaria, Togekiss, and Mega Pidgeot, which are otherwise troublesome for them. Because it lacks reliable recovery, Wish support from Pokemon like Sylveon and Alomomola is valuable to increase Bronzong's longevity. Dark-types such as Hydreigon and Mega Sharpedo can force Bronzong out with their STAB moves. As such, Pokemon that can check them like the aforementioned Sylveon, Mega Altaria, and Choice Scarf Infernape make great partners. Pokemon that can sponge attacks from Fire-types and force them out, such as Suicune and Hydreigon, pair well with Bronzong. Suicune is also a particularly good teammate because its attempts to sweep are eased by Bronzong's ability to weaken the opposing team by setting up Stealth Rock and badly poisoning foes. Pokemon such as Tentacruel and Rotom-H also make good partners, as Bronzong struggles with Steel-types. Pokemon that can take advantage of Stealth Rock, such as Mamoswine and Choice Band Terrakion, also pair well with Bronzong.

Moves Trick Room grants Bronzong and its slow teammates speed control by reversing the turn order. Gyro Ball is often Bronzong's strongest STAB move, being mostly chosen as a means of dealing good neutral damage against fast foes, but it notably allows Bronzong to OHKO Tapu Lele. Hypnosis sends the foe to sleep and, while usually inaccurate, is aided by the accuracy boost gained from Z-Trick Room. It allows Bronzong to put pressure on the opponent by shutting down key threats. Protect allows Bronzong to shield itself while an ally KOes a threat or switches into a more appropriate partner, such as a Trick Room sweeper. Stealth Rock can be used over Protect to give Bronzong another opportunity to be productive and punish the defensive switches that usually accompany Trick Room counterplay. Set Details Psychium Z allows for the use of Z-Trick Room, which boosts accuracy, notably making Hypnosis 80% accurate. Heatproof is the primary ability thanks to it granting a 50% reduction in Fire damage, which is valuable given the prevalence of Fire-types such as Mega Charizard Y and Incineroar. That said, Levitate can also be useful if immunity to the STAB moves of Ground-type attackers such as Landorus-T is preferred. Keep in mind, however, that this will not shield Bronzong from Zygarde's Thousand Arrows. The EVs prevent Mega Charizard Y's Overheat in Sun from OHKOing Heatproof Bronzong, with the remaining EVs dumped into Defense. If Bronzong is using Levitate instead, a spread of 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 SpD and a Sassy Nature should be used to ensure Bronzong's ability to take Mega Charizard Y's Heat Wave in Sun. Speed is minimized to move quicker under Trick Room and to increase Gyro Ball's Speed-dependent damage. Usage Tips It's recommended that Bronzong be put in the lead position to be able to set Trick Room as soon as possible and to provide an easy way for it to get onto the field with the proper support. Such support comes in the form of Fake Out, redirection such as Rage Powder, and Intimidate, each of which improves its chances of successfully using Trick Room. Don't be overly concerned about Taunt on the first turn, as Z-Trick Room bypasses Taunt. After Trick Room is set up, your goal should be to bring out the Trick Room sweeper with the highest damage output to make use of it, using Hypnosis to provide safer opportunities for them to switch in where necessary. Bronzong's Hypnosis putting pressure onto your opponent makes it a priority target, particularly given the accuracy loss associated with switching, so taking countermeasures such as keeping Tapu Bulu or Tapu Lele in the back to remove Electric and Misty Terrain is reasonable. That said, Hypnosis's accuracy still isn't perfect after an accuracy boost, so avoid putting yourself into situations where it missing will cost you the battle. If you think Bronzong can set Trick Room again in the late-game and don't immediately require the benefits that Z-Trick Room grants, you may opt to save it for later in the match. When you do so, avoid switching Bronzong back in directly to attacks, as it lacks a form of recovery and needs all the bulk it can to maximize its chances of setting up Trick Room again. Team Options In order to make proper use of Hypnosis, Electric Terrain and Misty Terrain must be kept off the field, making Tapu Bulu an almost mandatory partner. It reducing the damage of Ground-type attacks and providing recovery, which Bronzong otherwise lacks, are nice bonuses as well. Tapu Lele can equally remove Electric and Misty Terrain, should you prefer it, though it has less natural synergy with Bronzong. Support to aid Bronzong in setting up Trick Room is also essential to ensure this occurs successfully. Fake Out users such as Incineroar and Scrafty are prime candidates for this, as they can cause flinches against the foe most hindersome to Trick Room's setup. Scrafty can also eliminate Dark-types in addition to softening physical blows through Intimidate. Redirection from users such as Rage Powder Amoonguss can provide another means of more safely setting up Trick Room. On dedicated Trick Room teams, having at least one more Trick Room setter is often important to ensure the field condition remains active for the entire match. Trick Room Diancie and Stakataka are a good partners for Levitate Bronzong, as they can threaten Fire-types and enjoy having a Ground-type switch-in. The high damage output of spread attackers like Diancie is also great for capitalizing off Trick Room's limited turns. Mega Camerupt is an excellent example of this, and it also does a good job at handling Fire-types with Earth Power. Earthquake users such as Landorus-T also deal spread damage, eliminating threatening Fire-types quite freely alongside Levitate Bronzong thanks to its Ground immunity. Landorus-T can also pivot out with U-turn on the turn Trick Room is used to bring out a more appropriate sweeper and, like Scrafty, can Intimidate both foes.

Moves Bronzong is one of the most reliable Stealth Rock users in the tier, being able to use its excellent defenses and multiple resistances to come in and set it up with ease. Gyro Ball is powered up greatly by Bronzong's terrible Speed, taking a good chunk out of most Pokemon that don't resist it. Iron Head can be used as an alternative option to conserve PP, especially against SubRoost Kyurem, and hit slow Pokemon such as Aromatisse and Mega Abomasnow harder; however, it is far weaker than Gyro Ball against faster Pokemon. Toxic helps to cripple many sweepers and walls and goes well with Bronzong's defensive nature, while Earthquake hits Steel- and Fire-types that resist its STAB moves, such as Empoleon and Entei. Protect can be used instead of Earthquake to garner a much-appreciated free turn of Leftovers recovery and let poison damage build. However, this leaves Bronzong completely helpless against Steel-types. Set Details Maximum HP and Special Defense make Bronzong an immensely sturdy special sponge, equipping it to take on some of the most threatening special attackers in the tier such as Kyurem, Nidoqueen, and Shaymin. A Sassy nature combined with 0 Speed IVs powers up Gyro Ball as much as possible. A Careful nature should be run if Iron Head is used. Leftovers is a must for longevity, as Bronzong lacks a reliable recovery move. Bronzong can use a physically defensive set instead with a spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD and a Relaxed nature to better counter physical attackers such as Mega Aerodactyl. Whichever one you use depends on your team's requirements, though Bronzong can usually take on the aforementioned Pokemon well enough even without investment. Usage Tips Bronzong is one of the most reliable Stealth Rock users in the tier, so take advantage of its excellent defenses and multiple resistances to switch it in and set it up with ease. Thanks to Levitate and its Stealth Rock resistance, it can switch in multiple times throughout the match, making it an excellent defensive pivot for balanced teams. With its great bulk, it makes for an excellent counter to many of the tier's top threats such as Mega Aerodactyl, Kyurem, Shaymin, Nidoqueen, and Mega Abomasnow. Be careful of switching it in recklessly though, as with no reliable recovery Bronzong is not going to like repeatedly taking even resisted hits too often. Team Options Common sweepers that benefit from Stealth Rock support, such as Mega Aerodactyl, are great partners. Bronzong has no reliable recovery, so Wish users make for excellent teammates. Physically defensive Aromatisse and Vaporeon in particular have excellent defensive synergy with Bronzong and can pass it massive Wishes thanks to their huge HP stats. Knock Off absorbers such as Mega Blastoise and Chesnaught are also appreciated by Bronzong, which is severely crippled by the move. A particularly good teammate for Bronzong is Tentacruel; it and Bronzong complement each other perfectly, resisting each other's weaknesses and being able to set up Stealth Rock, spin, and set up Toxic Spikes between them.

Moves Gyro Ball is ridiculously powerful when backed up by the Attack investment, Brave nature, and Macho Brace. With Macho Brace and 0 Speed IVs, Bronzong hits 31 Speed, which means that anything with a Speed stat of 185 or over is smashed with a 150 Base Power STAB move. Trick Room allows Bronzong to outspeed the vast majority of the metagame and wreak havoc on offensive teams in particular, making it an excellent late-game cleaner. Earthquake does huge damage to the Fire-types and Steel-types that resist Gyro Ball, while Stealth Rock can be used to provide team support if required. Explosion is used to go out with a bang once Bronzong's job is done, hopefully taking something down with it in the process. Set Details Maximum HP provides Bronzong with decent overall bulk, while maximum Attack is needed to hit as hard as possible. The Brave nature, 0 Speed IVs, and Macho Brace power up Gyro Ball to ridiculous levels. Mental Herb can be used to prevent Taunt users from ruining Bronzong's day, while Leftovers is an option for increased longevity. Usage Tips Trick Room Bronzong can be played as a suicide lead of sorts to set up Stealth Rock and Trick Room quickly and then explode in order to bring your slow sweepers in safely. It finds plenty of opportunities to come in and provide support with its excellent bulk and resistances. Bronzong can also be used as a sweeping tool late-game against weakened teams with Gyro Ball's immense power. Even though this set is offensively oriented, Bronzong still has excellent bulk with the HP investment and can therefore be used to check threats that could potentially be dangerous to your team without Bronzong, such as Mega Aerodactyl, Nidoqueen, and Kyurem. Team Options This Bronzong doesn't need much support itself; instead, it can provide excellent support for dedicated Trick Room teams. Hence, slow sweepers that benefit from Trick Room support, such as Mega Abomasnow, Mega Camerupt, Escavalier, and Mega Ampharos, make for great teammates. Bronzong has no reliable recovery, so Wish users such as Aromatisse and Vaporeon can be used to continuously replenish Bronzong's health so that it can switch in to set up Trick Room multiple times in the match. Bronzong appreciates Knock Off absorbers such as Mega Blastoise and Chesnaught, as it is severely crippled by the move.

Moves Bronzong is a great Stealth Rock user, being able to set it up versus numerous Pokemon in the tier, including very common Defog users such as Latias and Arceus-Water. Gyro Ball is its most powerful STAB move because of its very low Speed; it is a great way to deal a decent amount of damage to faster Pokemon such as Xerneas. Gyro Ball can also punish Darkrai switch-ins and always OHKOes Mega Diancie. Toxic is used to cripple dangerous switch-ins such as Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon. Toxic can also hit support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ghost and Arceus-Water, as well as Latias that come in to Defog. Protect is used to scout, for example against Choice Band Ho-Oh. It also carries added utility in its ability to stall out a poisoned Pokemon and safely recover some HP from Leftovers. Trick Room can also be used to greatly annoy offensive teams with proper team support. Finally, Skill Swap is an option if setting up Stealth Rock against Mega Sableye is a must for Bronzong's team. Set Details Maximum EVs in HP and Special Defense with a Sassy nature are used to let Bronzong check Xerneas and other special attackers such as Mega Diancie, Latias, Latios, and Shaymin. Leftovers is used for passive recovery. 0 IVs in Speed with a negative nature is a must to ensure optimum power for Gyro Ball. Running 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD with a Brave nature is another option; it ensures that Bronzong always survives any one hit from Xerneas and can OHKO it with Gyro Ball. Usage Tips Using Bronzong is quite simple. Switch it in against a Pokemon it checks or counters and set up Stealth Rock or Trick Room or spam Toxic if you predict a counter such as Ho-Oh to switch in. If you are facing Xerneas, don't forget that Bronzong lacks recovery so you need it healthy, which means you should limit the number of times Bronzong switches in. Be careful about taking a Will-O-Wisp from a support Arceus forme, such as Arceus-Rock or Arceus-Grass. In games where Bronzong is needed to check Geomancy Xerneas or repeatedly set Stealth Rock against a team with anti-hazard support, it might be advantageous for your opponent to allow their support Arceus to be inflicted with Toxic in exchange for crippling Bronzong with a burn. If you have cleric support, taking a Will-O-Wisp isn't as big of a deal. If you are using Trick Room against offense, you can set up against Mega Salamence and Extreme Killer Arceus without Shadow Claw or Shadow Force. Finally, if you are using Skill Swap, Bronzong can catch Mega Sableye on the switch and set up Stealth Rock against it. You can also use Skill Swap in niche situations such as predicting Ho-Oh switching in and taking Regenerator, taking Aerilate from Refresh Mega Salamence, and escaping Mega Gengar by taking away its Shadow Tag on the switch. Team Options Bronzong should be paired with a solid Ho-Oh check such as Arceus-Rock, Arceus-Water, or Tyranitar, as well as Pokemon that check Primal Groudon, such as Latias. Using Bronzong gives your Primal Groudon more freedom in its set options. For example, you can now use an offensive Primal Groudon set with Swords Dance to break stall, as Bronzong releases it from its Stealth Rock duties. If you want to use Trick Room Bronzong, you need to pair it with Pokemon that take advantage of this condition, such Swords Dance or Eruption Primal Groudon and Dialga.

Moves Trick Room is a requirement on this set, as setting it is Bronzong's only viable role in VGC16. Gyro Ball lets Bronzong hit Xerneas hard, especially after it has a Geomancy boost, and it also does respectable damage to other fast targets such as Crobat and Mega Salamence. Skill Swap is great for weather control and for giving your Primal Groudon Levitate, removing its single weakness under harsh sunlight. Hypnosis is another option to put foes to sleep and helps give Bronzong some offensive presence if Gyro Ball isn't doing much damage, but it has shaky accuracy unless you use it under Gravity. Gravity lets Bronzong pair well with Primal Groudon, helping it fire off perfectly accurate Precipice Blades that hit opposing Levitate users and Flying-types. It also increases the accuracy of Dark Void. Safeguard is also an option if your team struggles with status ailments (especially sleep), as it pairs well with Lum Berry to nullify Dark Void. Lastly, if you don't have a Primal Groudon on your team or otherwise don't need Gravity support, Protect is never a bad choice to avoid Fake Out and other moves. Set Details Lum Berry allows Bronzong to set up Trick Room while ignoring the threat of Dark Void, and it also helps it avoid random burns and Swaggers. Mental Herb is also an option to allow Bronzong to function without having to worry about Taunt or Encore, but the most popular users of those moves, Crobat, Thundurus, Whimsicott, and Raichu, are easily dispatched with Gyro Ball or Bronzong's common partners, such as Primal Groudon. A Sassy nature and 0 Speed IVs give it minimum Speed to take maximum advantage of Trick Room and to increase Gyro Ball's Base Power. The HP and Special Defense EVs allow Bronzong to survive two Moonblasts from a +2 Timid Xerneas, an Overheat from Life Orb Mega Rayquaza, or a full-strength Water Spout from Modest Kyogre, with the rest placed in Defense for added overall bulk. Levitate lets Bronzong dodge Ground-type attacks such as the common Precipice Blades, and it can be passed to a partner if Bronzong has Skill Swap. Usage Tips Bronzong can work well as a lead when supported by a partner with Fake Out or redirection to help get Trick Room up safely, and it can put immediate pressure onto an opponent who leads with Xerneas and Smeargle. If you don't lead with Bronzong, its high number of resistances allow it to easily switch in, and it also lets you decide whether you even want to have Trick Room as your game plan, as it may turn out that your opponent is able to take advantage of your Trick Room if you set it up too early. Gravity is best used with Primal Groudon so it can start firing off Precipice Blades more safely, and it also makes Bronzong's own Hypnosis far more accurate so it can keep up the pressure. If your opponent isn't being aggressive enough, Hypnosis can be used to put foes to sleep and buy free turns for your teammates or as a last-ditch effort outside of Gravity. Either use Skill Swap to make your own Primal Groudon harder to knock out by giving it Levitate, or use it preemptively if you predict that your opponent will be switching in their own Primal Kyogre or Mega Rayquaza. If you are facing a Cresselia that also has Skill Swap, however, it will move after Bronzong under Trick Room and will undo your weather changes. Bronzong can't do much damage to slower targets such as Cresselia and Amoonguss, so it must rely on its teammates to KO them instead. Bronzong can do a surprising amount of damage to fast or frail targets like Xerneas, Mewtwo, and Crobat, so it isn't as passive as some other support Pokemon. Team Options Bronzong pairs excellently with Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, as they both usually want a teammate with speed control, and Bronzong appreciates their offensive presence. Primal Groudon loves the Gravity support, as it lets it use Precipice Blades with impunity, and it also appreciates being Skill Swapped Levitate. Primal Kyogre likes the additional Xerneas check that Bronzong provides as well as weather control from Skill Swap, and Bronzong enjoys the heavy rain to make it immune to Primal Groudon's Fire STAB moves. Bronzong also works well on the common and popular Xerneas + Groudon teams, as it can help make the mirror matchup easier. A teammate with Fake Out is recommended to help Bronzong set up Trick Room, such as Mega Kangaskhan or Smeargle. Smeargle can also use Follow Me to redirect Ghost-type attacks away from Bronzong, and it appreciates the accuracy boost that Gravity provides. Mega Salamence is also a good teammate, since the pair don't share any weaknesses and resist most attacks that the other is weak to. Mega Salamence is also good at dealing damage to opposing Primals, which Bronzong struggles with, and Bronzong helps check Xerneas for Mega Salamence. Bronzong also has difficulty with Dark-types such as Weavile and Yveltal, so having a teammate that can deal with them is also recommended, such as Mega Mawile or Xerneas.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Bronzong's main job is to set up Stealth Rock. Its wonderful defensive typing allows it many opportunities to switch into battle, such as against Snorlax, Rhyperior, Flygon, Tornadus, or Shaymin. Because of its great bulk and only having one weakness, it's so difficult to KO that it can easily put Stealth Rock on the field. Gyro Ball is a staple on Bronzong, as its low Speed stat often makes Gyro Ball's Base Power 150. It allows Bronzong to 2HKO dangerous threats such as Flygon, Heracross, and Krookodile. Toxic is great for crippling walls such as Blastoise, Hitmontop, Porygon2, and Slowbro. It also prevents bulky setup Pokemon, such as Calm Mind Slowbro, from setting up on Bronzong. Thanks to Bronzong's immunity to Toxic, it can win many stall wars while taking little damage in return. Finally, Earthquake rounds off Bronzong's moveset, as it allows Bronzong to hit Fire- and Electric-types such as Arcanine and Raikou for super effective damage. A Relaxed nature and 0 Speed IVs allow Bronzong to maximize Gyro Ball's power. A physically defensive spread is preferable so that Bronzong can take as many hits as possible from physical attackers, such as Rhyperior, Flygon, and Krookodile, but a specially defensive spread of 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD with Sassy nature can be used to take special hits better from common Pokemon such as Raikou, Porygon-Z, Roserade, and Yanmega. Bronzong can also utilize an attacking spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD with a Brave nature, and Explosion instead of Toxic on more offensive teams. This set deals significantly more damage than other sets and Explosion ensures that Pokemon such as Kingdra can't use Bronzong as setup bait, which is invaluable for offensive teams. Heatproof may seem tempting to use because Bronzong becomes neutral to Fire-type attacks, but it's generally inferior to Levitate as it allows Bronzong to be immune, rather than weak, to Ground-type moves and avoid Spikes damage. Heavy Metal should never be used because Bronzong's other abilities give it more defensive utility. Hidden Power Ice is an option to hit Gligar and other Flying-types for some heavy damage while still being able to 2HKO Flygon. Protect can be used instead of Toxic to scout Fire-types using a Choice item, and it provides Bronzong with a little extra health from Leftovers. As Bronzong lacks reliable recovery, a Wish passer such as Umbreon or Togekiss is recommended to extend its longevity. Bronzong pairs very well with bulky Water-type Pokemon, such as Slowbro, Slowking, Suicune, and Swampert. They can take Fire-type attacks aimed at Bronzong, while Bronzong can take Grass-type attacks aimed at them. Slowking, Suicune, and Swampert are also notable for their ability to phaze, as Bronzong's weak offensive presence allows Pokemon to set up on it. Swampert can also check SubRoost Zapdos, which Bronzong struggles to damage.

This set focuses on setting up dual screens so that Bronzong's teammates can set up and sweep much more easily. Light Clay is a mandatory item for Bronzong because it allows Reflect or Light Screen to stay up an extra three turns, which can be crucial in some situations. An uninvested STAB Gyro Ball coming from Bronzong still packs quite a punch, as it can do significant damage to Flygon, Virizion, and Yanmega. Earthquake is the ideal choice in the last slot, as it hits Electric-, Fire-, and Steel-types such as Cobalion, Raikou, and Victini exceptionally hard. However, Stealth Rock can also be used in that slot if Bronzong's team lacks a Pokemon that carries it, but it is hard to find the time to set up both screens and Stealth Rock, and the lack of Earthquake means that Bronzong is defenseless against Electric-, Fire-, and Steel-type Pokemon. A Relaxed nature and 0 Speed IVs are used again to maximize Bronzong's Gyro Ball damage output. A physically defensive spread is the preferred spread as the Pokemon Bronzong traditionally walls, such as Krookodile, Rhyperior, and Flygon, are physical attackers; however, because this set is focused on setting up protective screens rather than walling, a specially defensive spread of 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD with a Sassy nature would be about as effective. Bronzong can also use a more offensive set of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD with a Brave nature and Explosion in the last moveslot. It has the bulk to set up even without defensive investment, and it can use Explosion to give a sweeper a free switch into battle, while at the same time dealing significant damage to the opponent. Hypnosis seems appealing, but the 60% accuracy can be unreliable. You may even opt to use Toxic, as walls such as Blastoise, Mew, and Porygon2 may try to stall out your screens. Dual screen Bronzong should be paired with many powerful setup sweepers, as the screens give them the opportunity they need to start sweeping. Nasty Plot Azelf, Dragon Dance Kingdra, Nasty Plot or Swords Dance Mew, Swords Dance Weavile, Dragon Dance Scrafty, or even a Pokemon from lower tiers such as Shell Smash Omastar or Dragon Dance Feraligatr can get crucial turns needed to set up from Bronzong's dual screens.

There are generally only three commonly used Steel-types in the Uber tier: Ferrothorn, Jirachi, and Arceus-Steel. Dialga is neutral to Dragon-type attacks, so it is left out in the list. Bronzong has an Earthquake immunity thanks to Levitate, which allows it to completely wall many threats that the other Steel-types can only dream of achieving. It also makes an excellent user of Stealth Rock, which greatly limits the life span of offensive behemoths, such as Ho-Oh, Rayquaza, and Shaymin-S. Bronzong completely walls Shaymin-S, and and is capable of walling Rayquaza if the dragon decides to drop a Fire-type attack. Toxic can be used to take out bulky Pokemon such as Lugia and Arceus-Ground who can't touch Bronzong in return. Keep in mind that Bronzong needs Toxic to bring down bulky sweepers such as Calm Mind Recover Arceus and Groudon. Gyro Ball is Bronzong's most powerful attack and is thus the preferred attacking option. Due to Bronzong's low Speed, Gyro Ball can 2HKO Mewtwo and Darkrai after Stealth Rock damage. However, if you really hate Heatran, or want to at least prevent Dialga from coming in for free, Earthquake can be used instead. It also wrecks the occasional Magnezone coming in to trap and eliminate Bronzong. Momentum is a very important thing to have in Ubers, and Bronzong can keep a team's momentum by setting up dual screens, which also soften the blows Bronzong has to swallow. For example, with Reflect, Bronzong can easily wall Extreme Killer Arceus, and Light Screen gives Bronzong a chance to survive a Blue Flare from Choice Scarf Reshiram in the sun! Leftovers is the standard item on defensive Pokemon. However, Light Clay can be used to prolong the effects of the dual screens, which will help most offensive teams. The EV spread and Sassy nature maximize Bronzong's special bulk, helping it deal with the special attacks which are ubiquitous in Ubers. However, a physically defensive EV spread and a Relaxed nature can be used to deal with most Swords Dance Arceus formes, as well as any Groudon and Rayquaza lacking a Fire-type move. Trick Room can also be used on this set over a screen move. Wish support from the likes of Chansey or Blissey is very useful due to Bronzong's lack of a reliable instant recovery move. With Wish support, Bronzong can stay alive much longer and take repeated hits. Bronzong is very vulnerable to Trick users, so Giratina-O makes a great partner because it is immune to the move. Kyogre is a staple on rain teams, where Bronzong generally find its home in. The two have excellent defensive synergy as well; Bronzong resists Grass-type attacks and checks Arceus-Grass for Kyogre, while Kyogre drowns any Fire-type and brings torrential rain to the field. Ho-Oh might be a decent partner for Bronzong as it absorbs Fire-type attacks easily, but Bronzong prefers to play in the rain. Palkia makes a good teammate as well because it resists Fire-type attacks, while Bronzong in return soaks up Dragon-type assaults and provides dual screen support. Tentacruel can survive Fire-type attacks easily and provide Toxic Spikes support. Bronzong helps take out Arceus-Ground and Groudon for it, making it a good teammate as well. Bronzong's aforementioned resistances give it plenty of opportunities to come in and set up dual screens. It can brave Earthquake, Ice Beam, Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor, and even Seed Flare with little worry and use that time to set up both screens. With dual screen support, frail sweepers such as Rayquaza and Lucario can clean late-game easily. For example, Rayquaza can survive a Spacial Rend from Palkia, set up Swords Dance, and KO Palkia the next turn, a feat it normally cannot achieve. If Reflect is up, Lucario can actually survive an Earthquake from Groudon, nearly KOing back if it has two Swords Dance boosts under its belt. Groudon is also a decent candidate to make use of screens support too, as even Choice Specs Kyogre's Ice Beam will fail to OHKO Groudon with Light Screen support, while a +2 Earthquake will OHKO any Kyogre variant.

Just like in OU, Bronzong is one of the most reliable users of Trick Room. Gyro Ball is standard fare, as it provides STAB coverage and can nearly OHKO Darkrai or Mewtwo. Other speedy Pokemon in Ubers are easily eliminated by Bronzong. Explosion can still be used to tear holes in the opponent's team despite the nerf, also allowing a Trick Room sweeper to switch in for free. However, if you don't have a Stealth Rock user, Bronzong itself can run Stealth Rock over Explosion. Earthquake can 2HKO Dialga and finishes Heatran in one hit. Using Life Orb gives Bronzong some decent firepower. Unlike a normal support set, this Bronzong aims for a more offensive approach and as such, having dedicated Trick Room sweepers are a key to Bronzong's success. While most Ubers are bulky, Bronzong has that auspicious typing and isn't vulnerable to hazards at all which allows it to set up Trick Room easily. Trick Room sweepers such as Victini, Dialga, Kyogre, and Reshiram will appreciate Bronzong's support, as Bronzong can even give them a free switch in through Explosion. Stallbreakers such as Rayquaza and Zekrom are very useful, because defensive teams are the bane of Trick Room teams. The latter also smashes Kyogre to bits, making it a good teammate. If you really hate Ho-Oh, Rock Slide can be used to OHKO the rainbow turkey. Dialga and Palkia make awesome partners not only because of their sheer power, but also because they are the main users of Trick Room in Ubers. Palkia also boasts a 4x resistance to Fire-type attacks, which is Bronzong's only weakness. Dialga can lure in and smash Blissey with Outrage, paving the way for special attackers to sweep under Trick Room.

Bronzong's Steel typing, its Levitate ability, low Speed, access to Gyro Ball, and good defenses help it to distinguish itself as an exceptionally useful Trick Room supporter. Trick Room is the crux of the set, setting up the distorted dimensions for itself and the team, enabling it to outspeed the majority of the VGC metagame when Trick Room is in play. Gyro Ball is a reliable and very powerful move that usually has a massive Base Power due to Bronzong's low Speed, and is capable of OHKOing frailer threats such as Gengar and Terrakion. Imprison enables Bronzong to stop opposing Trick Room teams and, when used in conjunction with Protect, prevent the opponent's access to the staple move of doubles. Light Screen temporarily increases the team's Special Defense, easing the damage taken from common spread moves such as Surf and Heat Wave. Lastly, Bronzong has the ability to use Explosion in order to get a teammate in safely. If one does not want this robot to have its death hastened, then you can use Protect, a staple move in Doubles that has many uses. Bronzong likes to have a Mental Herb to get through Taunt and not be deemed worthless by Whimsicott's Encore; however, if you have a method for dealing with Whimsicott and are running Bronzong on a rain team, then a Sitrus Berry is recommended to maximize Bronzong's longevity. Lastly, an Occa Berry enables Bronzong to take one sun-boosted Heat Wave from Ninetales and then proceed to set up Trick Room. Bronzong's low HP stat prevents it from surviving a STAB Surf from the likes of Drizzle Politoed, and also prevents it from living a STAB Heat Wave from Fire-types such as Ninetales without the help of an Occa Berry. Bronzong likes Fake Out support to stop these moves for one turn so that it can set up its Trick Room, and later set up Light Screen to help itself and its teammate set up. Hariyama sets itself apart from the crowd of Pokemon that can use Fake Out, thanks to its Guts ability and massive Attack stat that allows it to apply pressure to the opponent, while Bronzong aids itself and the team. If this cannot be achieved, another Trick Room user that can withstand these moves, such as Jellicent, is recommended. Lickilicky deserves a special mention as it prevents the STAB Water-type moves from being boosted by Drizzle, thanks to its ability, Cloud Nine, therefore making them much more bearable. Bronzong's supporting ability not only lies in using Trick Room, but having the ability to stop it. Bronzong enjoys partners that can apply pressure to the other team that appreciate the removal of Trick Room. Garchomp stands out among these Pokemon due to its ability to eliminate Chandelure, one of Bronzong's most threatening enemies. In return, Bronzong can OHKO opposing Ice-types that try to freeze Garchomp. Should Bronzong want to more heavily damage these Ice-types the alternative spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD can be used to swap Bronzong's Special Defense for a damage boost in its moves.

This is Bronzong's best—and most commonly seen—set. Thanks to Bronzong's excellent defensive typing and great ability in Levitate, it can wall the majority of the physical attackers in the tier. Stealth Rock is a staple move because Bronzong's bulk lets it set it up easily. Gyro Ball is Bronzong's STAB move of choice; it hits most foes hard due to Bronzong's terrible Speed stat. Earthquake is useful to hit Excadrill, while Hidden Power Ice eliminates Dragon-types, Breloom, and Gliscor. If taking down the aforementioned threats is not a priority to your team, feel free to use Toxic to cripple switch-ins. Lastly, Light Screen can discourage powerful special attackers, such as Keldeo, from switching in and setting up on Bronzong. A fully defensive EV spread with maximum HP lets Bronzong make use of its excellent set of resistances and immunities. Leftovers is the item of choice as it increases Bronzong's overall longevity. Shed Shell is a fine choice if you are worried about Bronzong being trapped by Chandelure, but this is not recommended because Bronzong lacks a reliable recovery move outside of Rest, and hence needs all the recovery it can get. Anything that can switch into Fire-type attacks, Bronzong's only weakness, makes a good partner for it. Politoed can switch into nearly all Fire-type moves because of its resistance to them, Drizzle, and good special bulk. Additionally, it can summon rain, which mitigates Bronzong's weakness to Fire moves. As Bronzong makes a great check to Excadrill, Garchomp, and Dragonite, teammates that appreciate the removal of these Pokemon make for good partners. Some notable examples include Volcarona and Manaphy.

Set Details Bronzong enables bulky Trick Room sweepers by consistently setting Trick Room and supporting them with boosts and disruption. Its excellent typing and ability prevent it from being KOed by common high-power moves such as Metagross's Meteor Mash, Latios's Draco Meteor, Earthquake, Explosion, and Self-Destruct. This support-oriented Bronzong often uses Iron Head as its only attack due to a high flinch rate and the STAB boost. Psychic is an alternative attack that is not damped by Intimidate's Attack drops and deals with common Iron Head-resistant foes such as Zapdos, Gyarados, and Infernape. Swagger acts as both a boosting and disruption tool. It boosts the Attack of teammates carrying Lum Berry or Persim Berry so that they can achieve OHKOs. It disrupts opposing special attackers by confusing them in exchange for a useless Attack boost, and it can be used with risk against physical attackers. The final support move depends on the held item. Substitute with Leftovers ensures Bronzong can take at least one hit after Trick Room expires so that it can set Trick Room again. Rest and Chesto Berry prolong Bronzong's presence, so it can continue supporting its team and can win favorable late-game scenarios solo. Light Screen reduces damage from many special attacks such as Thunderbolt that neutrally hit Bronzong and its common partners. Alternative moves include Reflect to bolster the team's physical bulk, Safeguard to prevent status effects, Rock Slide for its flinch chance against both foes, and Skill Swap to give Levitate to teammates that are weak to Ground. Leftovers passively prolongs Bronzong's board presence and has excellent synergy with Substitute and damage-free turns caused by Iron Head's flinches and confusion self-hits. Chesto Berry allows instant full-HP healing from Rest, frees the valuable Lum Berry for teammates, and stops Dark Void and Hypnosis from preventing Trick Room setup. Occa Berry allows Bronzong to survive Typhlosion's Eruption and Sun-boosted Fire-type Heat Wave. The given EVs ensure Bronzong survives Adamant Choice Band Metagross's Explosion and Infernape's Overheat. A minimum Speed IV and a negative-Speed nature are used so that Bronzong almost always moves first when Trick Room is set up. Teambuilding Bronzong has positive or neutral matchups against the three top-tier Pokemon in the format: Latios, Cresselia, and Metagross. It appreciates teammates that resist Fire, Electric, and Water and deal meaningful damage. Most slow, bulky Pokemon benefit from Bronzong setting Trick Room for them. Rhyperior is Bronzong's strongest partner. It moves before most Pokemon when Trick Room is active, moves after Bronzong under Trick Room so that it can receive Swagger's Attack boost right before it attacks, does not hit Bronzong with Earthquake due to Levitate, resists Fire, and OHKOes common Bronzong checks such as Heatran, Zapdos, and Gyarados. Snorlax shares similar traits to Rhyperior, and while it doesn't has as much synergy with Bronzong as Rhyperior does, it has fewer polarizing matchups. *A level 1 Smeargle both enables Bronzong to set Trick Room safely and becomes a massive threat once Trick Room is set. While Latios does not work well under Trick Room, it has excellent type synergy with Bronzong. Togekiss and Hariyama both apply board pressure with Air Slash flinches and Guts-boosted attacks respectively, and enable Trick Room setting using Follow Me or Fake Out, respectively. Taunt makes Bronzong almost useless by shutting down its incredible support moves. Trick + Choice Scarf disables Bronzong by locking Bronzong into Trick Room the turn it sets the field condition up and preventing move swapping in later parts of the battle. Fire-types both resist Iron Head and 2HKO Bronzong with STAB Fire-type moves. The most common, Heatran, can block Swagger with Substitute. Electric- and Water-types such as Zapdos, Gyarados, and Suicune resist Iron Head and can wear down Bronzong with strong STAB attacks.

Bronzong is a solid Trick Room setter, as its typing and bulk make it difficult to OHKO, and it has several utility options with which to make itself useful. While Bronzong excels as a Trick Room setter, its lack of offensive pressure means it faces competition from other Steel-types, such as Metagross and Jirachi, that offer either significant damage or more consistent utility outside of Trick Room. Bronzong's main role is as a Trick Room setter, enabling the likes of Rhyperior and Eruption Heatran to become threatening sweepers. Under Trick Room, Bronzong uses Gyro Ball, which OHKOes maximum Speed Tyranitar and 3HKOes Latias, or Stealth Rock which chips away at foes that want to switch around to burn Trick Room turns. Bronzong runs Earthquake to 2HKO Heatran, and put opposing Metagross in the range of Rhyperior's Earthquake. Bronzong is also an adequate Rain Dance user, enabling Kingdra and Ludicolo while also masking its Fire-type weakness. As a Trick Room rain setter, it also enables Clamperl, albeit less effectively than Dusclops due to not having Helping Hand. Occa Berry covers Bronzong's sole Fire-type weakness, letting it set up Trick Room while surviving a Choice Specs Rotom-H Overheat or taking a Heatran's Heat Wave better. Other options include Lum Berry, with which Bronzong avoids being paralyzed, thus letting it set up Trick Room; Macho Brace, which makes Gyro Ball hit slightly harder or move before slower Pokemon such as Clamperl; and Leftovers, which lets it recover a little as it stays on the field. The EV spread maximizes Bronzong's HP, lets it OHKO 252 Speed Tyranitar with Gyro Ball, and puts the rest in Special Defense to take hits such as Kingdra's Muddy Water better. Bronzong can also maximize its Attack instead, giving its moves greater firepower. However, Bronzong's coverage remains underwhelming and as such it can also forego Attack investment to maximize its Special Defense instead, letting it take two subsequent Choice Specs Rotom-H Overheat with Occa Berry. Bronzong fails to threaten most Steel-types, so slow Fire-types such as Camerupt, Heatran, and the honorary Fire-type Rotom-H function well under Trick Room and eradicate the likes of Metagross, Jirachi, and opposing Bronzong. Similarly, Ground-type attackers such as Rhyperior synergize well, as they can freely use Earthquake and deal with Steel-types for Bronzong. Fighting-type attackers with Fake Out such as Hariyama and Hitmontop generate free turns for Bronzong to set up Trick Room and KO Heatran. Teammates with Electric- or Rock-type coverage such as Rotom-A, Tyranitar, and Hariyama also help deal with Gyarados. When using Rain Dance Bronzong, it prefers to be paired with Swift Swim sweepers like Kingdra and Ludicolo or, on teams with Trick Room also, Clamperl. Lastly, teams with Bronzong often dedicate themselves to the full Trick Room archetype, meaning it benefits from additional setters such as Cresselia.