Stoutland Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Return is Stoutland's main STAB move, hitting anything that is not a Rock-, Steel-, or Ghost-type hard. Superpower hits the Rock- and Steel-types that Return does not deal much damage to. Pursuit allows Stoutland to revenge kill frailer, more offensive Pokemon under sand, such as Swellow, Salazzle, and Espeon. Crunch hits targets that Return and Superpower cannot break through, such as Metagross and Mismagius, harder than Pursuit. Facade allows Stoutland to be threatening even when it is burned, which would otherwise cripple it. Set Details The given EV spread, an Adamant nature, and a Choice Band maximize Stoutland's damage output while allowing it to outspeed nearly everything in RU under sand. A Jolly nature is unnecessary because Stoutland is only outsped by very fast and niche Choice Scarf users such as Noivern and Salazzle under sand. Sand Rush is the main reason to use Stoutland, as it allows it to revenge kill more offensive Pokemon and clean when sand is up. Usage Tips Stoutland can be used to both revenge kill opposing Pokemon and clean up, as with Sand Rush activated, it outspeeds everything in the tier unboosted. It can easily clean up once its checks, mainly Normal-resistant Pokemon, are worn down. Stoutland is very prediction reliant; even though Return is extremely powerful, Rock-, Steel-, and Ghost-types can switch into it at least once, if not more. As a result, go for Superpower or Crunch if predicting one of these Pokemon to switch in in order to severely weaken them. Use Pursuit to trap and revenge kill offensive Pokemon that Stoutland threatens, such as Swellow and Salazzle. Stoutland needs sand up in order effectively revenge kill; as a result, use sand turns wisely. Keep Gigalith healthy so it can set sand for Stoutland throughout the match, and try to switch into Stoutland safely if sand is up every chance you get. Team Options Gigalith is a mandatory partner for Stoutland; its ability, Sand Stream, activates Stoutland's ability and allows it to effectively revenge kill and clean. Gigalith also provides Stealth Rock for Stoutland, which it appreciates in order to wear down its checks. While Gigalith provides Stealth Rock for Stoutland, it also appreciates Spikes from Forretress and Roserade to further weaken its checks. Other Pursuit users, particularly ones that threaten Ghost-types such as Honchkrow and Sneasel, are good partners for Stoutland, as Ghost-types prevent Stoutland from spamming its STAB move. Furthermore, partners that threaten Rock- and Steel-types such as Bewear, Pangoro, and Metagross make for decent partners, as Stoutland fails to 2HKO many Rock- and Steel-types with Return. U-turn and Volt Switch users such as Mandibuzz, Swellow, and Raikou make for decent partners, as they give Stoutland free switches. Because Gigalith and Stoutland are both weak to Fighting-types, Pokemon that can deal with them such as Nidoqueen, Mandibuzz, Florges, and Gardevoir make good teammates.

Moves Return is Stoutland's most spammable STAB move and is extremely hard to switch into. Superpower allows Stoutland to hit Steel- and Rock-types such as Probopass and Golem, which resist Return. Crunch allows Stoutland to hit Ghost-types such as Misdreavus and Gourgeist-XL, which are immune to both Return and Superpower. Facade is used in the last slot so that Stoutland can take advantage of Toxic and Will-o-Wisp by acting as a status absorber. Set Details An Adamant nature along with maximum Attack investment and a Choice Band allows Stoutland to hit as hard as possible, while Life Orb allows Stoutland to spam its STAB moves without having to predict, at the cost of taking recoil after every attack. While sand is active, maximum Speed investment along with Sand Rush allows Stoutland to outspeed the entire unboosted PU metagame. Usage Tips Once sand has been set up, Stoutland should be brought in as soon as possible to take full advantage of sand turns. In order to keep sand present, make sure to keep Hippopotas alive as long as possible. Hippopotas can be sacrificed late-game, giving Stoutland a free switch in and a chance to sweep. Stoutland shouldn't be switched directly into strong attacks; instead, it should be brought in after a Pokemon has been KOed or on a double switch. Opponents may try to switch around Stoutland to waste turns of sand, so you can predict what Pokemon your opponent will switch in in order to limit this. Team Options Hippopotas is a mandatory partner for Stoutland, as it is the only Pokemon in PU that can provide Stoutland with sand thanks to its access to Sand Stream. Rock-types such as Relicanth can get a Special Defense boost from the sand, making them good partners on a sand team. Water- and Grass-types such as Floatzel and Roselia are important in taking on Hippopotas's checks, making it easier to keep it alive throughout the battle.

Moves Return is Stoutland's strongest and most spammable STAB move and is extremely difficult to switch into. Facade prevents Stoutland from being crippled by moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Toxic while even punishing the use of these moves by giving it an even stronger STAB move once inflicted by status. Superpower deals a lot of damage to Steel- and Rock-types such as Probopass and Golem. Crunch allows Stoutland to deal more damage to Solrock and Metang, both of which are strong checks to Stoutland. Pursuit is another option that allows Stoutland to deal a lot of damage to Pokemon that it threatens out, even KOing Pokemon such as Grumpig if they switch out. Set Details Scrappy allows Stoutland to hit Ghost-types such as Misdreavus and Gourgeist-XL with Normal-type moves. Maximum Attack investment along with a Choice Band and an Adamant nature are used to hit as hard as possible, while maximum Speed investment allows Stoutland to outspeed all relatively slow Pokemon such as Cacturne and Pawniard. Usage Tips Stoutland should mainly spam Return and Facade, although if the opponent has a Steel- or Rock-type such as Probopass, Stoutland can use Superpower in order to pick up a KO; however, be wary of locking Stoutland into a move that is resisted by another opposing Pokemon, as Stoutland can then be taken advantage of. Stoutland can be switched into status-inducing moves such as Toxic in order to boost the damage output of Facade, though the negatives sometimes outweigh the positives when it comes to the status infliction. Stoutland can be switched into weaker attacks such as Clefairy's Moonblast and defensive Roselia's Giga Drain, though it should be wary of being worn down. Be wary of using Superpower, as setup sweepers such as Huntail can take advantage of the Attack drop. Team Options Slower Pokemon with access to Volt Switch and U-turn such as Probopass and Pelipper can be used to get Stoutland into the field of play without having to take unnecessary damage. Sweepers such as Combusken and Jumpluff appreciate Stoutland's wallbreaking capabilities, as they make it easier for them to sweep. Healing Wish support from Pokemon such as Mr. Mime and Clefairy can be helpful to fully revive Stoutland after it has been worn down or severely weakened. Sticky Web support from Smeargle can slow down foes, making it easier for Stoutland to sweep through opposing teams. Knock Off users such as Leafeon can help to cripple checks like Vullaby and Tangela and remove Leftovers from Pokemon such as Mawile.

Moves Fake Out lets Stoutland deal chip damage to faster, frailer attackers that threaten it and its teammates, as well as slower, bulkier attackers that would otherwise survive a hit from it. Extreme Speed, when used in tandem with Fake Out, gives Stoutland a way to reliably revenge kill a plethora of Pokemon and has high priority and overall decent coverage. Superpower hits the Rock- and Steel-types that Fake Out and Extreme Speed can't, such as Terrakion, Tyranitar, and Heatran, super effectively; however, it's risky to use Superpower against Heatran because it commonly runs King's Shield, which can heavily weaken Stoutland. Rapid Spin clears entry hazards so that Stoutland's teammates have an easier time switching in, boosting the team's longevity, and it doesn't remove the entry hazards that Stoutland's teammates set, unlike Defog. Baton Pass is used to let Stoutland switch out of physical walls such as Landorus-T and Steel-types such as Mega Scizor. Fire Fang is an alternative option to Superpower, as it gives Stoutland a way to take care of Ferrothorn, Scizor, Mega Scizor, and Klefki, but it gives Stoutland a harder time dealing with Rock-types and Heatran. Recover can be used to restore lost health so that Stoutland can stay on the field and attack for longer. Set Details Maximum Attack and Speed EVs and an Adamant nature are used to let Stoutland hit as hard and move as fast as possible so that it can outspeed and KO Pokemon such as Ursaring more easily. An EV spread of 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 Spe can be used to let Stoutland have more bulk and enough Speed to let its Extreme Speed still hit first when it's facing Jolly Ursaring. Silk Scarf boosts Stoutland's Normal-type STAB moves even further to KO a bigger range of Pokemon. Scrappy lets Stoutland hit Ghost-types such as Gengar and Sableye with Fake Out and Extreme Speed, as well as hit Sableye super effectively with Superpower. Usage Tips Try to use Stoutland as a revenge killer, as it easily takes care of threatening foes with Fake Out + Extreme Speed. When Stoutland is facing a King's Shield user, try to use a status move if you're running one on Stoutland, or switch out to prevent Stoutland from being weakened. Don't use Stoutland against Scizor and Ferrothorn if you're running Superpower on it; both will survive two Superpowers, and the latter has Iron Barbs to inflict residual damage. Avoid Rocky Helmet, Rough Skin, and Iron Barbs damage to keep Stoutland healthy for as long as possible. Use Fake Out to deal chip damage to bulkier foes to help Stoutland and its teammates KO them more easily. Try not to switch Stoutland directly into attacks so that you don't risk it getting KOed. Try to use Rapid Spin on free turns generated by forced switches, and use Baton Pass to get away from King's Shield and Iron Barbs easily. Team Options Stoutland is a good fit on hyper offense, bulky offense, and balance teams. Landorus-T is a good teammate because it can take care of Fighting-types such as Mega Lopunny and Terrakion. Ghost-types such as Gengar and Sableye can be used instead of Landorus-T, but Mega Lopunny can KO them easily because of Scrappy. Pokemon that like Gengar and Mega Sableye gone, such as Terrakion and Gengar, enjoy Stoutland as a teammate because of its ability to easily KO both. Special attackers and Fire-type absorbers such as Keldeo and Heatran give Stoutland a way to switch out of Will-O-Wisp and Parting Shot. Pokemon that can take care of Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Heatran are good teammates; examples are Thundurus, Keldeo, and a Heatran of your own. Volt Switch, U-turn, and Parting Shot users such as Magnezone, Scizor, Mega Scizor, Sableye, and Weavile give Stoutland a way to switch into powerful attackers such as Keldeo and Terrakion. Entry hazard setters such as Garchomp and Klefki are good teammates because the switches that Stoutland forces makes the foes take a lot of residual damage. Klefki can also paralyze and tank hits from Terrakion and Mega Lopunny, which makes it a worthwhile teammate for Stoutland.

Return is one of the most spammable moves in the tier thanks to its high Base Power and lack of downsides. Superpower is Stoutland's primary coverage, which is able to hit Pokemon that resist Normal such as Klang and Mawile super effectively. Pursuit is also a strong option for hitting certain Pokemon like Beheeyem while they try to switch out, guaranteeing valuable chip damage. The last moveslot is flexible; Facade can be used as an alternate STAB move if Stoutland is poisoned or burned, but Fire Fang can be used as an answer to Bronzor. Stoutland prefers the utility of Intimidate due to the notable lack of Ghost-types in PU, but Scrappy can be useful for hitting the occasional Banette and Frillish with Return. Stoutland's Speed is just enough to outspeed every wall in PU, but it is just shy of beating most offensive threats with the most notable being Monferno. Because of this, walls such as Stunfisk make for good partners to switch to after it is forced out. Stoutland also loves entry hazards, since they make it even harder for foes to switch into its attacks, so hazard setters like Dwebble, Maractus, and Torterra also make for good partners. Other options for partners include faster offensive threats that are enabled by Stoutland's wallbreaking such as Golduck and Rock Polish Torterra.

Stoutland's ability Intimidate allows it to cripple opposing physical attackers, which means it can support its partner while dealing damage. Return is Stoutland's STAB move of choice, doing good damage to most offensive Pokemon, while Crunch hits Ghost-types such as Chandelure and Jellicent for super effective damage. Helping Hand lets Stoutland increase the power of a teammate's attack, which allows it to bypass its middling offenses when paired with a hard hitter such as Chandelure or Haxorus. Protect gives Stoutland the ability to avoid damage for a turn. The EVs and nature help Stoutland hit as hard as possible while retaining good bulk, and a Chople Berry allows Stoutland to withstand any Fighting-type attack and hit hard with Return. Thunder Wave is used so Stoutland can take a hit and slow down its opponent, which works well in conjunction with Intimidate to support an attacking partner. This helps immensely against Tailwind teams, removing their Speed boost. Fire Fang is an option over Crunch, attaining super effective coverage against Steel-types, but Stoutland will then lose out to the common Ghost-types, making it the inferior choice. A Life Orb allows Stoutland to hit much harder, nabbing 2HKOs on most opposing Pokemon, but Stoutland's weakness to common Fighting-type attacks means that it requires significant support to function without a Chople Berry. A Jolly nature with 252 Speed EVs is feasible, as Stoutland is then able to outrun Adamant Krookodile and opposing Modest Chandelure, but detracts greatly from its bulk and power. Stoutland's weakness to Fighting-type attacks and low Speed makes Tornadus an excellent partner, as it can eliminate opposing Fighting-types with its powerful Acrobatics while being able to set up Tailwind. This is extremely beneficial for Stoutland, as it gives a much needed boost to its Speed, meaning that it will be able to do much more damage. Chandelure also makes an excellent partner, benefiting from Intimidate due to its many weaknesses (most of which are to common physical attacks), and taking advantage of Stoutland's Helping Hand to boost the power of its Heat Wave to incredible levels. Archeops can take out any Fighting-type with its STAB Acrobatics, and can take advantage of Stoutland's Intimidate to cushion attacks against it, helping it to avoid being put into the range of Defeatist activation. Stoutland's Helping Hand can also boost the power of Archeops's Rock Slide, making it quite powerful. Amoonguss can easily take any Fighting-type attack and put an opponent to sleep with Spore, and any Psychic-type will also make a good teammate for Stoutland, eliminating most Fighting-types, as well as opposing Amoonguss, which easily weathers its assaults and uses Spore.

The main draw of Sand Rush Stoutland is that it is the only Sand Rush user that can hit Water-types super effectively while maintaining an excellent Speed stat, outrunning even Choice Scarf Garchomp and Speed tying with Choice Scarf Terrakion. In fact, it can OHKO 4/0 Ludicolo with Return after sandstorm damage, as well as 2HKO 252/140+ Suicune with Wild Charge. Remember to Crunch opponents such as Jellicent and Slowking, as Wild Charge and Life Orb recoil will take its toll very quickly. Ice Fang is an option over Crunch or Protect, as it can provide extra coverage against Dragon- and Grass-types, and has almost unresisted coverage with Wild Charge. Protect is useful on this set as well, as it stalls out Trick Room and Tailwind, racks up sandstorm damage, and avoids moves such as Mach Punch and a teammate's Earthquake. Do not attempt to equip Stoutland with recovery items; Life Orb is absolutely needed on this set for the OHKOs it provides. Although this is an offensive set, Thunder Wave can still be useful with Sand Rush, as it allows Stoutland's slower teammates to outspeed otherwise threatening Pokemon. Helping Hand can be used in a similar manner if you have a priority user such as Scizor. If you need more assurance against opposing weather starters, Fire Fang can be used for a surprise kill against Abomasnow, and to deal massive amounts of damage to Ferrothorn. Obviously, Sand Rush Stoutland needs sand active as much as possible. Hippowdon is typing-wise the better choice of the two fully evolved Sand Stream Pokemon, but Tyranitar is a good option as well. Claydol is able to use Ally Switch to avoid Ghost-type moves and take Fighting-type moves for Stoutland, but more importantly, it can reverse Trick Room, a field condition that would otherwise neuter Stoutland. Bronzong and Reuniclus are two other Trick Room users that don't take damage from sand, but they are slower and might not fit on a team full of speedy Pokemon. Gliscor greatly appreciates the removal of Water-types and can OHKO many Fighting-types with its powerful Acrobatics. As previously mentioned, Scizor makes a good partner to finish off weakened threats with its powerful Bullet Punch; it can also use Acrobatics against Fighting-types.

A supporting Stoutland is perhaps the most useful variant, as it can easily fit onto many teams. Intimidate and Thunder Wave make for an annoying combination, crippling just about anything as most Ground-types are physically based. Return is Stoutland's main STAB, and can 2HKO or heavily damage sweepers such as Thundurus and Kingdra. Crunch is mainly for Ghost-types, but Ice Fang is a good alternative coverage move. The third slot is reserved for supporting moves. Thunder Wave cripples anything that isn't inside Trick Room, can nab some paralysis hax, and can pave the way for more dangerous Pokemon on your team. Helping Hand does as the name suggests, multiplying the recipient's power by 1.5, though you'll have to be on your toes about the opponent Protecting on the boosted move. Protect is fairly obvious as it guards Stoutland from dangerous moves and allows it to recover more HP from Leftovers. On the subject of items, Sitrus Berry is the standard-issue recovery item of VGC, and coincidentally, maximum HP Stoutland's HP is divisible by 4, meaning it heals a little more than it normally would. If you don't want Fighting-type moves to make Stoutland run off with its tail between its legs, simply equip it with a Chople Berry. Keep in mind, however, that Stoutland will miss recovery. Fire-, Fighting-, and Flying-type Pokemon make good partners for Stoutland due to its issues with Rock-, Steel-, and Fighting-types. A Togekiss backed by Thunder Wave and Intimidate support can be a nightmare for anybody, especially if Togekiss has Aura Sphere. Chandelure appreciates both Thunder Wave and Helping Hand, and Rock Slide won't be as deadly to it with Intimidate support. Hitmontop deserves a special mention as it can form a double Intimidate combo with Stoutland, ensuring physical attacks will deal little damage. Latios absolutely adores Helping Hand, which boosts its Draco Meteor to obscene power levels, and it won't be easily checked by Dragon Claw or Sucker Punch after the opponent's Attack is taken down a notch.