Marowak Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Double-Edge has great coverage alongside Bonemerang, hitting Pokemon such as Swanna and Altaria. Knock Off rounds out Marowak's coverage, hitting the likes of Bronzor and Dusclops for significant damage. Swords Dance is the preferred last move, as Trick Room teams need to get as much out of their limited turns as they can. Fire Punch, on the other hand, provides a harder hit on Pokemon such as Torterra and Simisage. Set Details A Brave Nature and 0 Speed IVs make Marowak as slow as possible so it goes first under Trick Room. Rock Head is the preferred ability so Marowak takes no recoil from using Double-Edge. Usage Tips Marowak should look to wallbreak and sweep once Trick Room is up. When facing bulkier teams it can set up with Swords Dance against forced switches, while aggressive pivoting can get it in safely against offensive teams and give it opportunities to set up. Marowak should look to maximize the number of turns that it has under Trick Room. Attempting to get Marowak in after sacrificing one of your Trick Room setters is usually the best way to do this. Marowak should attempt to set up with Swords Dance on Pokemon that don't immediately threaten it, such as Electivire, or after a teammate has used Memento to get it in safely. Opponents may try to switch around Pokemon resistant or immune to Ground as a way to deal with Marowak; consider using Swords Dance again if this happens, as even resisted hits will break walls at that point. Marowak should do its best to conserve its health, as it can use its bulk to survive hits from the likes of Bouffalant, Furfrou, and Poliwrath and retaliate after Trick Room has run out. Team Options Standard Trick Room setters such as Carbink, Dusknoir, and Chimecho make for excellent teammates. All three have ways of getting Marowak in safely through Memento, Healing Wish, or, in Carbink's case, Explosion. The Memento Pokemon also can give Marowak an opportunity to set up Swords Dance safely, and Dusknoir can even use Z-Memento to heal Marowak. Other dedicated Trick Room wallbreakers like Wishiwashi, Toucannon, Rampardos, and Camerupt are good teammates, as they complement Marowak well and aid it in breaking down the opponent's team. Offensive Trick Room setters such as Beheeyem and Exeggutor can aid Marowak in its wallbreaking while also setting Trick Room for it.

Moves Stone Edge provides good coverage alongside Bonemerang, hitting Flying-types such as Swanna, Altaria, and Rotom-S, all of which are prominent Defog users in ZU. Knock Off is usually the preferred third move for its utility, and it hits targets such as Bronzor super effectively. Alternatively, Fire Punch allows Marowak to nail bulky Grass-types such as Torterra, Leafeon, and Gourgeist-XL, notably dealing more damage to Gourgeist-XL compared to Knock Off, as it often runs Colbur Berry. Double-Edge can be used to bypass Stone Edge's accuracy when targeting foes immune or resistant to Bonemerang, but it otherwise doesn't hit anything particularly notable, and Marowak really needs its other moves to perform its role successfully. Set Details Thick Club is required to double Marowak's otherwise mediocre Attack stat. An Adamant nature is usually preferred for maximal damage output, but a Jolly nature is viable if you are uncomfortable with Marowak Speed tying with Adamant Golem, Crustle, and opposing Marowak. Battle Armor is the best ability on this set, as Marowak has no use for its other abilities with this moveset. Rock Head should be used if Marowak is running Double-Edge, however. Usage Tips Marowak should look to set up Stealth Rock against opposing entry hazard setters, such as Mareanie and Mawile, as it forces them out with its powerful attacks. Leading with Marowak is often a decent option to get Stealth Rock up early and proceed to wallbreak quickly. Marowak's excellent matchup against Golem, one of ZU's most common leads, is also beneficial. Its ability to threaten common Pokemon such as Komala, Golem, and Mareanie allows it to excel as a wallbreaker against bulkier teams. Common Defog users such as Silvally-Water, Swanna, and Silvally-Dragon force Marowak out if they get in safely, so try to predict and hit them with the appropriate coverage move as they switch in. Great care must be taken when bringing Marowak in, as it is crippled by status moves and Knock Off. Bring Marowak in through Volt Switch or U-turn to circumvent this, or utilize double switching to get it in safely. Marowak can be played recklessly against offensive teams after it has set up Stealth Rock, as it will likely not get too many opportunities to put in work afterwards. On the other hand, Marowak should be played conservatively against defensive teams, as it is very threatening to them. Team Options Marowak fits best on balanced teams that need some wallbreaking power as well as Stealth Rock support and a soft check to Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Electivire and Golem. Offensive cleaners such as Combusken, Z-Rain Dance Swanna, and Rock Polish Torterra benefit from Marowak's wallbreaking and Stealth Rock support. The former two work especially well, as they threaten the bulky Grass-types that Marowak struggles with. Marowak can be tough to get into battle safely, and it therefore appreciates VoltTurn partners such as Electivire, Rotom-S, and Komala. Pokemon that can take advantage of Grass-types, such as Swanna, Simisear, and Rapidash, are all great partners, as Marowak greatly struggles with them. Pokemon that threaten Water-types, such as Electivire, Raichu, and Simisage, similarly make for good teammates. Bulkier Pokemon such as Gourgeist-XL, Silvally-Water, and Silvally-Poison work well with Marowak, as its poor Speed means that many offensive Pokemon can threaten to revenge kill it.

Moves Bonemerang breaks through Sturdy, Focus Sash, and Substitute, which is useful against Pokemon like Golem and Probopass. Knock Off hits bulky Ghost-type Pokemon such as Gourgeist formes harder, cripples several Eviolite users, and is safe to use if you cannot predict what the opponent is about to do. Double-Edge is a good midground option, as it has a high Base Power and hits Pokemon that do not resist it extremely hard. Stone Edge should only be used over Double-Edge along with Stealth Rock, as without it, Marowak misses out on many important KOs with Stone Edge. Stealth Rock is a great entry hazard, and Marowak threatens several Defog users with Stone Edge or Double-Edge after Stealth Rock is set up. Substitute allows Marowak to take advantage of the switches it forces, and Substitute keeps it safe from faster Pokemon and gives it a buffer against moves such as Knock Off and Will-O-Wisp. Earthquake can be used for a more accurate Ground-type STAB move, but it doesn't break through Substitutes or Sturdy. Set Details Rock Head is the best ability to use if Marowak is running Double-Edge, as it prevents recoil damage, but Battle Armor should be used if Stone Edge is run. Thick Club doubles Marowak's Attack. Maximum Attack EVs and an Adamant nature maximize Marowak's offensive power. 252 Speed EVs are invested to Speed tie maximum Speed Golem, and also to allow Marowak to outspeed uninvested Pokemon that have base 65 to 70 Speed, such as Roselia and Pelipper. Usage Tips This set is good to use in the lead position when predicting a Pokemon with Sturdy to come in, such as Golem, as Marowak can stop them from setting up Stealth Rock by threatening them with Bonemerang. Stealth Rock should be used when running Stone Edge, as it helps to achieve KOs on bulky Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock, such as Pelipper and Avalugg. However, Substitute is useful when predicting a switch, as it will allow Marowak to avoid burns and item removal. When you predict one of Marowak's checks or counters will come in, use Knock Off, which will cripple that Pokemon by removing its item and prove useful later in the game. Watch out when the foe has access to Trick, Switcheroo, or Knock Off, as removing Marowak's Thick Club will nullify its usefulness. Marowak can switch into Choice-locked Electric-types and prevent them from using Electric-type moves, most notably Volt Switch, giving Marowak a free turn, as it forces the opponent to switch. Marowak should be wary of the coverage moves that Electric-types generally carry, however. Team Options Sticky Web support is quite useful, as it lowers the foe's Speed, allowing Marowak to outspeed and put the hurt on a lot more Pokemon. Examples of Sticky Web users include Leavanny and Smeargle. Thunder Wave support is also quite handy, as Marowak can outspeed any paralyzed Pokemon in the tier, despite its low Speed. Fire-types, which can absorb Will-O-Wisp, especially those with Flash Fire, such as Ninetales and Rapidash, make for good partners, as Marowak is really hampered by it. Guts users such as Ursaring and Luxray can also absorb burns well. Teammates that can get rid of Grass-types which threaten Marowak are really useful too, such as Articuno. Pokemon that beat offensive Water- and Ice-types are good teammates, such as Rotom-F and offensive Tangela, as these threaten Marowak. Trick Room users, such as Carbink, allow Marowak to move first without having to risk an incoming burn from a faster Pokemon. If you're using a Trick Room team, Marowak is a great choice because of its low Speed stat, but make sure Marowak is Brave-natured with no Speed investment and 0 Speed IVs.

Marowak has a ridiculously high Attack stat when holding Thick Club, but there's still something lacking for it to sweep: its Speed. What's the solution? That's right, Trick Room! With Trick Room up, Marowak is very hard to stop. It becomes the bane of hyper offense teams everywhere, capable of OHKOing all of the common Pokemon found on them. It's excellent base 110 Defense stat means that even priority from the likes of Entei and Absol won't be enough to take it down. Earthquake is the main STAB of choice and it can dent almost anything that isn't resistant or immune to it. Double-Edge works very well thanks to Rock Head and, thanks to its high Base Power, is a good move to use when there are still Pokemon immune to Earthquake. Fire Punch lets Marowak annihilate the likes of Ferroseed and Rotom-C, making them wish that they had never chosen to come face to face with this monster. The last slot is mostly a filler, so Stone Edge is the preferred move in order to add to Marowak's good coverage. Swords Dance is also an option, however, as it boosts Marowak's frightening Attack stat even further, enabling it to destroy anything that comes in its path. 252 Attack EVs allow Marowak to hit as hard as possible, and the remaining EVs are placed into HP to give it some bulk. Rock Head negates the recoil that Double-Edge causes. As for move options, Knock Off and Toxic are potential candidates to replace Stone Edge, as they can cripple common switch-ins, such as Alomomola and Quagsire. Any Pokemon with Trick Room is a great partner for Marowak. Slowking and Uxie deserve special mentions, however, as both are able to set up Trick Room and cripple Marowak's biggest counter: Tangrowth. Slowking can outright KO it with with Fire Blast. Uxie, on the other hand, can cripple it with Trick and set up dual screens, or use Memento in order to let Marowak set up more easily if it is running Swords Dance.

Outside of Trick Room, this is Marowak's best set. It works especially well with paralysis support; not only will paralysis support let Marowak outspeed its prey, but it will also let Marowak have a much better chance of keeping its Substitute intact. Substitute is very useful, easing prediction and allowing Marowak to become much more threatening. The combination of Earthquake and Double-Edge provide excellent coverage, destroying most of the RU tier thanks to Marowak's phenomenal Attack stat when holding a Thick Club. Fire Punch rounds off the set by adding to the coverage provided by the combination of Earthquake and Double-Edge, allowing Marowak to wreak havoc on opposing Grass-types, especially Ferroseed. Swords Dance is an option over Fire Punch, however, as it lets Marowak boost its sky high Attack stat to even higher levels. 252 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature allow Marowak to power through the opposition very easily, and 44 Speed EVs let it outrun uninvested Hariyama and Eelektross. The remaining EVs are placed into HP for additional bulk. Stone Edge can be used over Fire Punch, but it means that Tangrowth will have an even easier time switching in. Great partners for this set are Slowking, Uxie, and Tangrowth, as they can all provide support and tank hits for Marowak. Slowking and Uxie can also set up Trick Room for additional support; Uxie can also utilize Reflect and Light Screen in order to let Marowak set up a Substitute more easily. They can also destroy, or in Uxie's case, cripple, Marowak's biggest counter: Tangrowth. Slowking and Uxie can both spread paralysis around, while Tangrowth can utilize Sleep Power to incapacitate an enemy.

Marowak's low Speed and signature item allow it to distinguish itself as an exceptionally talented Trick Room attacker. Earthquake and Rock Slide are the bread and butter of the set, not only achieving great coverage, but also hitting multiple Pokemon at once. The third moveslot is dependent on the team's needs. Fire Punch enables Marowak to OHKO Ferrothorn outside of rainy weather, and grants perfect coverage, but leaves Marowak with a fairly weak move to use against the opposition when it has a partner vulnerable to Ground-type moves. Bonemerang fixes this problem; by providing Marowak with a powerful move that does not hit its partners and hits Ferrothorn for the same damage as Fire Punch in the rain. Lastly, Marowak's immense power virtually forces its opponents to use Protect. This makes Swords Dance a fine option, as it is an excellent way to take advantage of a predicted free turn; nothing will be able to take Marowak's attacks after a boost. If you find prediction too difficult, then you may opt to use Detect, a staple move in doubles that protects the user, scouts, stalls, and allows Marowak's partner to use a spread move that would otherwise hit Marowak. Marowak requires Trick Room support to be able to maim its opponents, so partners that can twist the dimensions are appreciated. Cresselia, Musharna, and Bronzong make fine partners as their bulk and typing allow Trick Room to be set up with ease. All three deserve a special mention as their abilities allow them to avoid the tremors Marowak produces, while Musharna can also boost the power of Earthquake with Helping Hand. Marowak's ability, Lightning Rod, allows it to absorb Electric-type attacks from its enemies. This makes Pokemon such as Jellicent and Gyarados great partners as they no longer have to fear being hit by Electric-type moves—barring Discharge. The former is capable of setting up Trick Room for Marowak and discourages the use of Surf, while the latter not only avoids Earthquake, but also increases Marowak's physical bulk with its fabulous ability, Intimidate. Speaking of Intimidate, Marowak cannot bear to be hit with it, as it cuts Marowak's Attack stat. Due to the fast paced nature of the VGC metagame, chances are Marowak will be unable to switch out to remove the stat drop. This makes Amoonguss a good partner for Marowak, as it is capable of sending the opponent's Pokemon to sleep, making it easier for Marowak to switch and remove the stat drop. Amoonguss is also capable of utilizing Rage Powder to lure in all Water-type moves not named Surf. Lastly, Marowak loves Gravity support if it can be provided along with Trick Room, as it enables Marowak to now nab Levitating Pokemon and Flying-types with Earthquake. However, it is far from necessary and can be a burden, as it forces Marowak's partners to Protect or have the Telepathy ability. Marowak receives the ability Battle Armor from Dream World, which prevents critical hits. Since Marowak's bulk is by no means impressive and it already has a fantastic ability in Lightning Rod, there should be no reason to use Battle Armor.

With Thick Club doubling Marowak's Attack stat, the only thing stopping him from absolutely destroying the competition is his poor Speed and low defenses. In order to wreak havoc on the other team, Marowak needs some support from his teammates. The most effective form of support is paralysis. With a majority of the opposing team paralyzed, Marowak is free to come in on opponents who pose little threat to him, such as support Pokemon like Chansey or Registeel, set up a Substitute, and proceed to OHKO the opposition with the appropriate move. Earthquake is Marowak's strongest move when factoring in STAB, and is a force to be reckoned with. Double-Edge makes an appearance on this set thanks to its high Base Power and great coverage alongside Earthquake; as an added bonus, Marowak suffers no recoil from using it thanks to his Rock Head ability. The last slot is mostly filler. Fire Punch allows Marowak to hit Torterra and Tangrowth super effectively, which is very useful as defensive versions of both avoid a 2HKO from Double-Edge. Thunder Punch can also be useful as an opening move to scout for counters, and hits most Flying-types coming in to sponge an Earthquake for heavy damage. When using Marowak, the main goal is to come in on someone who you can force out, such as Registeel or Steelix, and set up Substitute as they switch. It should be noted that Marowak should not be revealed until late-game when the majority of the opposing team is KOed or paralyzed. This is important as it allows him to easily pick off foes without having to constantly switch out as the opponent reveals their Marowak counters. With the lack of Leftovers and no form of recovery available to him, Marowak cannot afford to switch out very often. Substitute is the first move you should use because it allows Marowak to scout the opponent's supposed Marowak counters while blocking him from status conditions and priority moves. Once safely behind a Substitute, Marowak is free to wreak havoc upon the opponent with the appropriate moves. Running Jolly is a must for this set, as otherwise Marowak has nothing to separate himself from the likes of Rhyperior. With Jolly, Marowak is able to outpace and 2HKO 8 Speed Milotic, something his competition cannot boast. Adamant may be tempting for the higher damage output, but Jolly already ensures the necessary KOs mentioned and Adamant offers no other notable ones. Stone Edge can be used in the last slot to give Marowak the awesome EdgeQuake combination and a stronger means to hit Rotom and Mismagius, but isn't recommended because Marowak cannot afford to miss. Double-Edge hits many of the Pokemon Stone Edge does for more damage and retains perfect accuracy. Stone Edge may seem tempting to guarantee the kill on Pokemon like Moltres and Articuno, but they are already KOed by Double-Edge/Thunder Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Focus Punch can be used in the last slot as well, but Fighting and Ground have a lot of overlapping coverage, and Earthquake will be hitting Pokemon for OHKOs and 2HKOs anyway. Focus Punch also requires Marowak to be behind a Substitute, which is not always possible, especially with his low defenses and Speed. However, the ability to OHKO Chansey, Clefable, and Kangaskhan can be welcome. Swords Dance can be used on this set in the last slot as well. At +2 Attack, Marowak has no trouble OHKOing most of the UU tier (bar Rotom and Mismagius if using Earthquake and Double-Edge, or Torterra and Claydol if using EdgeQuake) but it is incredibly difficult to accomplish without paralysis support or Trick Room, as Marowak is slow and will very rarely get more than one free turn to set up. As previously stated, this set thrives on paralysis support. Good teammates to provide said paralysis include Slowbro, Chansey, and Registeel. Slowbro draws Electric attacks which Marowak can switch on for free, and in return Slowbro sponges Water- and Ice-type attacks aimed at Marowak. Chansey and Registeel take special attacks like champs and can easily absorb the Grass-, Water-, and Ice-type attacks that Marowak will encounter. The lack of any form of recovery really hurts this set's effectiveness, so Marowak usually only has one shot to deal massive damage or remove a problem Pokemon; however, this can be remedied with a Wish passing partner such as Clefable, who can also provide Heal Bell support in case Marowak gets burned or poisoned. U-turn abusers such as Scyther, Ambipom, and Swellow make good partners to Marowak as they can lure out the Steel-types who he can easily set up on.

Marowak's Thick Club-boosted Earthquake is one of the strongest attacks in the tier, 2HKOing every neutral target as well as Sceptile, and OHKOing Starmie. Hidden Power Rock covers Pokemon immune to Earthquake like Zapdos, Gyarados, and Gengar, though Marowak can use Ancient Power to make room for Hidden Power Ghost instead. Hidden Power Ghost OHKOes Gengar. Swords Dance boosts Marowak's Attack to an astronomical 1136, allowing its Earthquake to OHKO Sceptile and physically defensive Snorlax. 124 Speed EVs allows Marowak to outrun Swampert without any Speed investment. The remaining EVs are spent on maximizing its Attack and dumped into HP to patch up its middling bulk. Gyarados and Suicune make natural partners for Marowak, as its Lightning Rod makes it easier for them to set up Dragon Dance and Calm Mind, respectively. Marowak does not enjoy facing special attackers like Sceptile, Gengar, and Starmie, so pairing it with a special wall like Snorlax that can stand up to these threats is very appreciated. Raikou and Zapdos work well with Marowak, as they can pressure Water-types, while Marowak threatens Steelix and Snorlax for them in return. Notably, Lightning Rod does not draw allies' Electric-type moves in ADV Doubles, making this a safe pairing.