Alolan Marowak Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Flare Blitz is Alolan Marowak's strongest STAB move, hitting insanely hard with no recoil thanks to its Rock Head ability. Shadow Bone is a very spammable secondary STAB move, thanks to the limited number of Ghost-resistant Pokemon in RarelyUsed, with a nice chance of lowering the foe's Defense. Swords Dance allows Alolan Marowak to hit even harder. Low Kick allows it to heavily damage Pokemon that resist its STAB moves, such as Rhyperior, Snorlax, and Tyrantrum. Earthquake is a decent alternative to better check Pokemon such as Arcanine, Raikou, and Mega Ampharos. Set Details The given EV spread with an Adamant nature allows Alolan Marowak to be as sturdy and strong as possible. 44 Speed EVs allow Alolan Marowak to outpace and dent uninvested base 50 Speed Pokemon such as Registeel and Donphan. Thick Club boosts Alolan Marowak's Attack, allowing it to act as a powerful wallbreaker. Rock Head lets Alolan Marowak use Flare Blitz without taking recoil damage. An alternative EV spread of 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spe with a Jolly nature can be used to outpace uninvested Mandibuzz and Milotic. Usage Tips Before Alolan Marowak comes into battle, make sure that all entry hazards are removed, as they cut into its longevity. In spite of its passable bulk, Alolan Marowak cannot take repeated hits. In order to get Alolan Marowak safely into the battle, bring it in after a teammate has been knocked out, use a slow U-turn or Volt Switch user, or bring Alolan Marowak in on a threat whose attacks it resists or is immune to, such as Florges, Choice Band Snorlax, or Bewear locked into a Normal- or Fighting-type move. Alolan Marowak forces many switches. Use this to either set up Swords Dance or use a coverage move to get the jump on your opponent. Do not let Alolan Marowak get poisoned from Toxic or Toxic Spikes, as poison damage racks up and eats away at its bulk. Avoid letting Alolan Marowak lose its Thick Club to Knock Off or Trick users such as Mandibuzz, Gardevoir, and Espeon. Team Options Entry hazard removers are practically mandatory teammates to help support Alolan Marowak. Pokemon such as Mega Blastoise, Mandibuzz, Mantine, and Donphan are great at this role. Teammates that resist Knock Off such as Machamp, Bewear, and Florges are also helpful, as Alolan Marowak often forces the opponent to go for the move. Mega Evolutions such as Mega Blastoise and Mega Ampharos and Z-Move users such as Virizion and Barbaracle are also noteworthy, since they are immune to Trick and don't take as much damage from Knock Off. Grass-type partners such as Shaymin, Virizion, and Tsareena can help stomach STAB moves from Ground- and Water-types aimed at Alolan Marowak and pressure them in return. Slow pivots such as Mega Ampharos and Forretress can bring Alolan Marowak safely into battle. Fast pivots such as Raikou, Noivern, and Yanmega can force switches thanks to their raw power, which allows Alolan Marowak to come in to battle safely. Clerics such as Umbreon and Healing Wish users such as Shaymin and Gardevoir can help heal any damage and status conditions Alolan Marowak has obtained.

Moves Flare Blitz is a powerful STAB move, notably 2HKOing Hippowdon and Mega Aggron. Alternatively, Fire Punch can be used in conjunction with Lightning Rod to avoid recoil damage, however it is significantly weaker. Stealth Rock whittles away at opposing Pokemon whenever they switch in, with the number of switches Alolan Marowak can force as well as its ability to pressure removers like Empoleon and Rotom-H giving it more opportunities to set the entry hazard. Low Kick heavily damages Crawdaunt and OHKOes Hydreigon and Mega Sharpedo, which is notable given that all of these Pokemon resist Alolan Marowak's STAB combination. Bonemerang can be used instead to more reliably KO foes like Empoleon, Alolan Muk, and Diancie, and it also almost always OHKOes Mega Manectric even after Intimidate. Set Details 172 Speed EVs allow Alolan Marowak to outspeed uninvested base 65s and slower, such as Alomomola, bulky Scizor, Empoleon, and Hippowdon. Thick Club doubles Alolan Marowak's Attack, which turns it into an immensely powerful wallbreaker. Rock Head prevents Alolan Marowak from taking recoil damage when it uses Flare Blitz. Alternatively, Lightning Rod provides Alolan Marowak with an immunity to Electric-type moves, notably enabling it to block Volt Switch and serve as a solid offensive check to Pokemon like Mega Manectric, Rotom-H, and Zeraora lacking Knock Off. Usage Tips Unless absolutely necessary, refrain from switching Alolan Marowak in if entry hazards are up, as this limits its ability to tank resisted and weaker neutral attacks as well as wallbreak. Alolan Marowak should also avoid being poisoned by Toxic or Toxic Spikes, as this wears it down even faster. Try to set Stealth Rock as soon as possible, as doing so gives Alolan Marowak and its team an easier time pressuring the opposing team. Switching into Pokemon like Cobalion and Scizor can provide Alolan Marowak with a free opportunity to set Stealth Rock as they switch out. Take advantage of Lightning Rod by switching Alolan Marowak into Electric-types such as Mega Manectric and Rotom-H as its immunity to their STAB moves and resistance to their coverage moves often allows it to force them out and gives it a chance to attack. However, Alolan Marowak can easily be overworked as both a Stealth Rock user and a pivot into these threats, which can hinder its ability to effectively wallbreak. Because of its typing, Alolan Marowak can also switch into threats such as Florges and Infernape. Try to predict against teams with Pokemon like Hydreigon and Crawdaunt by either catching them off guard with Low Kick or double switching, as doing so takes a lot of pressure off of Alolan Marowak and can allow it to more reliably spam its STAB moves and break through opposing teams later on. Team Options Alolan Marowak generally fits on offensive and bulky offensive teams that appreciate having a powerful wallbreaker that can support the rest of the team by either setting Stealth Rock or pressuring defensive cores with its strong attacks. Due to Alolan Marowak's vulnerability to entry hazards, removers such as Hydreigon, Rotom-C, and Tsareena make for useful teammates. These examples are also capable of pressuring bulky Water- and Ground-types for Alolan Marowak while it threatens checks to them such as Florges, Rotom-H, and Amoonguss. Pokemon that can check Dark-types and sponge Knock Off such as Cobalion and Florges are valuable, as these are Alolan Marowak's primary weaknesses. Swords Dance Cobalion appreciates Alolan Marowak threatening Slowbro and wearing down physically bulky Pokemon such as Swampert, while Florges can mitigate Alolan Marowak's vulnerability to entry hazards and lack of reliable recovery with Wish, respectively. Pivots such as Scizor, Mega Manectric, and Hydreigon are useful teammates to have, as they give Alolan Marowak an easier time switching in and threatening teams. The former two also appreciate Alolan Marowak's ability to wear down bulky Ground-types, which they tend to struggle with. Late-game sweepers and cleaners such as Mega Altaria, Togekiss, and Calm Mind Latias have an easier time finishing teams off as a result of the pressure Alolan Marowak applies. These Pokemon can also exploit Choice-locked Krookodile, a common revenge killer, depending on what move it locks into.

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Moves Flare Blitz is Alolan Marowak's strongest attack at a whopping 120 Base Power with the drawback of some recoil. Shadow Bone, being the only physical Ghost-type attack available, is solid for providing secondary STAB coverage. Bonemerang deals with Fire- and Rock-types that resist Flare Blitz and provides good super effective coverage. Bonemerang's ability to hit twice is also useful for KOing frail Pokemon through Focus Sash or Sturdy. Perish Song forces defensive Pokemon to switch and closes out games when the opponent can no longer do so. It's also a good option against setup sweepers such as Extreme Evoboost Eevee, as they'll be forced to lose their boosts. Detect allows Alolan Marowak to shield itself while a partner eliminates a threat or switches for positioning. Set Details Thick Club is realistically Alolan Marowak's only item option, as doubling its Attack stat is too good to pass up. Lightning Rod provides support to Alolan Marowak's teammates by redirecting potentially unfriendly Electric-type moves. Alolan Marowak's EVs are quite customizable. The spread provided is a general recommendation. 252 HP and 68 Special Defense EVs prevent an OHKO from Modest Tapu Lele's Psychic Terrain-boosted Psychic, which is important given how common Tapu Lele is and Alolan Marowak's ability to OHKO it with Shadow Bone. The remaining EVs are dumped into Attack to maximize Alolan Marowak's damage output. Speed investment is very customizable, as Speed is valuable even just to speed creep opposing Alolan Marowak. For example, 52 Speed EVs let it outrun Alolan Muk, 140 EVs let it outpace Celesteela, and 212 EVs will let it outspeed Metagross. With Tailwind, 124 EVs can be used to beat Tapu Lele, while 164 EVs let it outrun Nihilego, and 188 EVs will let it outspeed Kartana and Alolan Ninetales. A Jolly nature and 252 Speed EVs maximizes its chances of outspeeding Alolan Muk and opposing Alolan Marowak. On a full Trick Room team, use a Brave nature, drop the 4 Speed EVs, and use 0 Speed IVs to minimize Speed. Usage Tips Alolan Marowak generally prefers being sent out mid- or late-game after speed control has taken effect and foes are weakened. This also helps it avoid Intimidate, since Intimidate users are often lead with, which keeps its damage output acceptable. Countering Celesteela also means Alolan Marowak must be kept healthy until late-game when it's often sent out. Avoid switching Alolan Marowak into attacks, as Flare Blitz alone easily whittles away its health. Speaking of which, try to finish off weakened foes without Flare Blitz if possible to avoid the unnecessary recoil. Make healthy use of Detect outside of Trick Room, as this enables the provision of risk-free Lightning Rod support. Team Options Trick Room users such as Porygon2 and Oranguru make good partners, as Alolan Marowak functions well under its effect. Hariyama can not only aid in setting up Trick Room with Fake Out but can beat Dark-types for Alolan Marowak as well. Electric-type Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Alolan Raichu, and Magnezone cannot attack as freely with single target moves due to Lightning Rod, but they can beat the Water-types that bully Alolan Marowak and use Discharge safely. Water-type Pokemon of your own such as Gyarados, Araquanid, and Milotic beat Ground- and Rock-types and are protected against super effective Electric-type attacks thanks to Lightning Rod. Flying-type Pokemon such as Celesteela and Aerodactyl likewise enjoy being defended against Electric moves, and both can also use Wide Guard, which is valuable to provide protection from spread attacks.

Flare Blitz is incredibly powerful, netting KOs on most super effective targets such as Metagross, Celesteela, Ferrothorn, Aegislash, and Amoonguss, even at -1 Shadow Bone provides coverage, threatens Cresselia, Tapu Lele, and Gothitelle, and is especially useful against Aegislash because Shadow Bone is a non-contact move, thus avoiding King's Shield Attack drop Low Kick allows Alolan Marowak to knock out Pokemon such as Tyranitar, Heatran, Kangaskhan, and Snorlax that might otherwise wall it Bonemerang nets KOs on Shuca Berry Heatran and also breaks Focus Sash. However, Low Kick is a better option in most cases An EV spread of 236 HP / 28 Atk / 4 Def / 236 SpD with a Sassy nature allows Alolan Marowak to still guarantee KOs on bulky Aegislash, Celesteela, and Metagross with Flare Blitz and survive maximum Attack Landorus-T's Earthquake, maximum Attack Tyranitar's Crunch, fully invested Aegislash's Shadow Ball, and Life Orb Tapu Lele's Psychic under Psychic Terrain. However, after taking these attacks, Alolan Marowak will likely faint due to Flare Blitz recoil or weather damage, so be careful Tapu Fini is almost a requirement for Alolan Marowak, as Misty Terrain prevents Amoonguss from completely neutering Alolan Marowak with Spore. Tapu Fini also threatens Incineroar, Landorus-T, and Scrafty, three of Alolan Marowak's least favorite matchups Alolan Marowak benefits enormously from Trick Room setters such as Cresselia and Porygon2, as they cover weaknesses to Landorus-T and allow Alolan Marowak to take advantage of its low Speed stat. Porygon2 can also Ally Switch Ghost moves and Z-Moves away from Alolan Marowak Bulkier Alolan Marowak sets especially love partnering with Landorus deterrents such as Porygon2 and Milotic, as much of their Attack investment has been traded for added bulk It is generally not a good idea to lead with Alolan Marowak, as having it hidden away from opponents provides extra pressure and dissuades them from using Electric-type attacks In general, Alolan Marowak should always be the third or fourth Pokemon you select, switching in only to redirect Electric moves, receive hefty Snorlax Returns, or resist Fairy, Ice, and Fire attacks. However, against Trick Room teams, Alolan Marowak can be led immediately to put pressure on Trick Room setters and sweepers from turn one. Because of Alolan Marowak's immunity to both Electric and Normal, as well as resisting Fairy and Fire, you can switch it safely into common Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Snorlax, Heatran, and Mega Charizard Y Take note that Mega Charizard Y still does hefty damage with sun-boosted Fire-type moves, especially if you are not running bulky Alolan Marowak Against the popular pairing of Zapdos and Landorus-T, it is generally not a good idea to switch Alolan Marowak in, as the opponent can freely click Earthquake. However, if you are setting up Trick Room on the same turn, Alolan Marowak can tank the Earthquake and begin pressuring both Landorus-T and Zapdos the following turn or sweeping. Alolan Marowak also matches up poorly against sand teams; however, with Trick Room up, Alolan Marowak can easily KO Tyranitar and Excadrill with Low Kick.

Moves Stealth Rock gradually chips away at foes residually upon entering the battle. Fire Punch is Alolan Marowak's STAB attack and hits Steel-, Ice-, and Grass-type Pokemon such as Celesteela, Alolan Ninetales, and Tapu Bulu for super effective damage. Flare Blitz is a more powerful alternative to Fire Punch that can 2HKO bulky foes such as Mega Venusaur and Chansey but can be worse in matchups such as Steel and Grass where Alolan Marowak values longevity. Shadow Bone is Alolan Marowak’s other STAB move that can be used to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Slowbro and Jellicent super effectively while hitting the vast majority of the metagame along with Pokemon that resist Fire such as Rotom-W neutrally. Earthquake hits Poison-, Fire-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Toxapex, Mega Charizard X, and Tyranitar for super effective damage. Set Details 228 Speed EVs along with a Jolly nature allow Alolan Marowak to outpace Mega Venusaur and most Mantine variants. Thick Club along with 252 Attack EVs maximize Alolan Marowak's Attack and allow it to serve as an effective wallbreaker. The remaining 24 EVs are placed into Alolan Marowak's HP in order to improve its poor bulk. Lightning Rod gifts Alolan Marowak with an Electric immunity along with the ability to effectively check threatening Electric-type Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Zapdos, and Magnezone while also blocking Volt Switch. Usage Tips Because Alolan Marowak is Ghost's premier physical wallbreaker, it should try to find as many opportunities as it can during a battle to switch in and punch holes in the opposing team. As a result of Alolan Marowak’s poor bulk, try to switch it into resisted attacks such as Celesteela’s Heavy Slam, as any strong attack may blow it away. Steer away from Knock Off users such as Mew, as Alolan Marowak will take an enormous amount of damage while losing its Thick Club along with its offensive prowess, hindering its ability to effectively wallbreak. In matchups such as Dragon where Alolan Marowak won’t be of much use due to its poor Speed, prioritize finding openings to get up Stealth Rock so that its teammates will benefit from it. Similarily, in matchups such as Poison, Grass, and Steel where Alolan Marowak’s wallbreaking prowess is valued, keep Alolan Marowak healthy throughout the game so it can come in multiple times and wallbreak. Try to preserve Flare Blitz for bulkier targets, as the recoil will unnecessarily wear Alolan Marowak down if it's used too liberally. Create opportunities to set Stealth Rock safely by forcing the foe into unfavorable positions. For example, Toxapex may want to switch out in order to avoid being threatened by Earthquake, giving Alolan Marowak an opportunity to lay down the entry hazard. Try to keep Stealth Rock off the field before sending Alolan Marowak in in order to prevent it from getting chipped. If threatening Electric-type Pokemon such as Tapu Koko are still present on the opposing side, make sure to keep Alolan Marowak healthy enough to effectively check them with Lightning Rod. Team Options The entire Ghost team appreciates Alolan Marowak's ability to break through defensive threats such as Toxapex, Celesteela, and Alolan Muk. Mega Sableye is an amazing partner for Alolan Marowak, as it can switch into a plethora of attacks for it, including Dark-type attacks such as Knock Off, while keeping entry hazards off of the field and therefore keeping Alolan Marowak healthy due to its amazing ability in Magic Bounce. Mimikyu is able to check Dark-type Pokemon such as Mega Sharpedo and Hydreigon for Marowak with Play Rough. In return, Alolan Marowak is able to set Stealth Rock for Mimikyu, chipping the opponent's team and thus allowing it to sweep more easily late-game while also beating Steel-type Pokemon such as Celesteela, Mega Scizor, and Ferrothorn that Mimikyu struggles to damage. Alolan Marowak appreciates Jellicent's ability to switch into and sponge Water-type attacks such as Suicune's Scald for it. In return, Alolan Marowak can switch into and check Electric-type Pokemon such as Tapu Koko for Jellicent. Decidueye is able to switch into Water- and Ground-type attacks such as Keldeo's Hydro Pump and Excadrill's Earthquake for Alolan Marowak while also using Defog to clear away hazards and thus keeping Alolan Marowak healthy by avoiding chip damage. Gengar and Blacephalon both appreciate Alolan Marowak's ability to set Stealth Rock and chip the opposing team down, allowing them to clean more efficiently. They are also able to check faster Pokemon that threaten Alolan Marowak such as Hydreigon with Focus Blast and Garchomp with Hidden Power Ice, respectively.

Moves Stealth Rock provides the team with entry hazards, wearing down the opposing team throughout the match so Alolan Marowak's teammates can sweep easier. Shadow Bone hits a lot of the metagame hard, as a lot of teams lack Ghost-resistant Pokemon. Notably, it can be used to hit Slowbro for super effective damage. Flare Blitz is a powerful Fire-type STAB move that hits Pokemon such as Venusaur, Chansey, and Celesteela hard; however, using it alongside Lightning Rod may wear down Alolan Marowak. Fire Punch is a safer Fire-type STAB option for Grass and Steel teams, since Marowak's durability is valued more throughout the course of the match. Earthquake allows Alolan Marowak to hit Electric-, Poison-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Alolan Golem, Alolan Muk, Toxapex, and Tyranitar for super effective damage. Set Details 228 Speed EVs alongside a Jolly nature allow Alolan Marowak to outspeed all 200 Speed Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Mantine, and slower variants of Mandibuzz. Maximum Attack investment allows Alolan Marowak to hit as hard as possible in conjunction with Thick Club. The remaining EVs are put into HP to maximize its bulk and to give Alolan Marowak an odd HP value so it can switch in on Stealth Rock more times. Lightning Rod grants Alolan Marowak an Electric immunity, allowing it to counter Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Zapdos, and Magnezone, as well as block Volt Switch. Usage Tips Alolan Marowak is a utility wallbreaker, so try and get it into battle as early as possible and switch it into resisted attacks or predicted Electric-type moves so that it essentially gets a free turn to set up Stealth Rock or dish out a powerful attack. It is very critical to keep Alolan Marowak healthy in Electric matchups, as it stops Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Zapdos from going for their Electric-type STAB moves, which includes Volt Switch. Alolan Marowak should be used to wallbreak in the early-game to punch holes in the opposing team. It should prioritize getting up Stealth Rock versus Dragon, Dark, and other Fire teams, as Alolan Marowak does not have the best offensive matchups and can enforce entry hazard pressure on these teams. Alolan Marowak is also a great Stealth Rock user, as it can spinblock and thus keep up Stealth Rock versus Bug teams. It can also threaten potential Defoggers such as Zapdos, Skarmory, and Mantine. Choice Scarf Latios will also have to make a decision between going for a sacrificial Defog in order to get rid of Stealth Rock or attacking Alolan Marowak. It is critical for Alolan Marowak to avoid Knock Off users, as it will lose its Thick Club, which will then cut Alolan Marowak's Attack stat in half. Use Flare Blitz only to break through walls that resist or do not take enough damage from Shadow Bone, such as Mandibuzz, Mega Venusaur, and Chansey, as this will wear down Alolan Marowak unnecessarily. Team Options Mega Charizard Y is a complementary teammate for Alolan Marowak, as it provides sun support with its ability Drought and can threaten Water- and Ground-types with Solar Beam. Mega Charizard Y appreciates Alolan Marowak as a teammate due to its ability in Lightning Rod, as it can switch into threatening Electric-type attacks for Mega Charizard Y. Mega Charizard X is also great teammate for Alolan Marowak, as it has a much easier time sweeping Dragon teams once Stealth Rock is up. Mega Charizard X also appreciates Alolan Marowak's ability to punch holes through the opposing team, weakening them for Mega Charizard X to sweep. Volcarona also can get rid of Dark-types that threaten Alolan Marowak with Bug Buzz, and it appreciates Alolan Marowak setting up Stealth Rock for it, allowing it to sweep more easily. Infernape is another great teammate that can threaten Dark- and Rock-types and faster Pokemon that would otherwise be able to get rid of Alolan Marowak like Excadrill, Heatran, and Tyranitar. Heatran is also a great teammate, as it is able to trap and eliminate physical walls with Magma Storm, and without the need to run Stealth Rock on Heatran, it is free to run Flash Cannon in order to get rid of Mega Diancie. Victini can also benefit from Alolan Marowak's wallbreaking capabilities, as it can get rid of Psychic-types, which can then free up a late-game Z-Celebrate sweep. Rotom-H provides a Ground-type immunity, can pivot with Volt Switch, and can provide Defog support to aid Alolan Marowak from taking damage from entry hazards. Rotom-H also provides dual screens support and, in conjunction with Alolan Marowak's Stealth Rock, allows teammates to sweep more easily. Volcanion is a great partner for Alolan Marowak, as it provides a Water immunity and is a special wallbreaker that complements Alolan Marowak as a physical wallbreaker. Alolan Marowak also complements Volcanion, as it provides an Electric immunity with Lightning Rod.