Pokemon of the Week DP: Rampardos
Sets
Scarfpardos
- Item Held
- Choice Scarf
- Nature
- Adamant (+Attack, -Special Attack) / Jolly (+Speed, - Special Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 Attack - 252 Speed - 6 Special Defense
We have a beast here, with a base Attack stat of 165, able to hit 429 with Jolly nature and a base Speed of 58, stopping at 236 with Jolly nature. Obviously, the first set that one would think would be the Choice Scarf based one. The STAB boosted Stone Edge will obviously be your main offensive move and it will deal impressive amounts of damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Earthquake offers the usual type coverage and works with Rampardos' ability, Mold Breaker, preventing Levitate users like Gengar from avoiding the move. Even though Head Smash is quite the high risk move, it's a great way of finishing off the likes of Milotic and Suicune if they're already weakened. As for the last move, it's mostly a filler. Choose Pursuit if you think you can catch some Pokémon off guard or Crunch for hitting Claydol and Dusknoir.
As far as the nature goes, both Adamant and Jolly are viable. Adamant packs a better hit to anything while Jolly lets you outrun those +Speed natured base 110 Pokémon like Gengar.
Choice Bander
- Item Held
- Choice Band
- Nature
- Jolly (+Speed, -Special Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 Attack - 252 Speed - 6 Special Defense
A Choice Band Rampardos is definitely a really heavy hitter. Expect to be outrun by nearly everything though. The moves work just like as in the Choice Scarf set, with Focus Punch being an option now as it can hit some Pokémon really hard on the switch. Of course, Rampardos' Speed won't help at all your attempt to sweep so Adamant nature is not an option here.
Rock Polish Rampardos
- Item Held
- Focus Sash
- Nature
- Adamant (+Attack, -Special Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 Attack - 252 Speed - 6 Special Defense
With such a pathetic Speed stat and a move like Rock Polish in its movepool, it is just obvious that a Rampardos user should use it. Rock Polish once, enduring any hit with your Focus Sash and getting ready to sweep. The moves work as described in the previous movesets. Just be sure to blow away any Spikes / Stealth Rock before switching Rampardos in. Losing your Focus Sash may be lethal.
Swords Dancer
- Item Held
- Focus Sash
- Nature
- Jolly (+Speed, -Special Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 Attack - 252 Speed - 6 Special Defense
Get yourself a skilled Baton Passer like Jolteon or Ninjask to pass some Speed boosts to Rampardos, then pull off a Swords Dance while standing on 1 HP and start sweeping. The most difficult set to use but the most powerful one once it sets up. Of course, once again, Rapid Spin support is essential.
Other Possible Options
Endeavor is probably the best move for Rampardos not mentioned in the sets. In a Focus Sash using set, like the Rock Polish one, if you cannot beat the Pokémon your opponent sent out, just lower its HP to 1, as it did to yours. Avalanche on the Physical side and Ice Beam on the Special one can be used for taking down threats like Garchomp and Torterra. Finally, Natural Gift with a Liechi Berry can grant you a Grass-type attack with a base damage of 80 for hitting Swampert and Hippowdon.
Counters
Defensive Ground-type Pokémon are the best way to go for countering this beast. Hippowdon is certainly the most effective counter out there, taking easily hits from Rampardos and healing itself with Slack Off. Rhyperior, Swampert and Skarmory can also take hits and strike back, either directly or indirectly (via Stealth Rock). Torterra can counter a Rampardos lacking the Ice-type move. Claydol can show up against a non-Choice Band Rampardos as well.
Opinion & Notes
Although its Attack stat is stellar, Rampardos stands in the BorderLine tier, unable to move up due to its awful Speed. Of course, Snorlax is slow too, but it isn't as fragile as Rampardos is. A base stat of 60 in Defense and 50 in Special Defense mean it will be going to down by any powerful move. Of course, let's not forget the great Mold Breaker, an ability cancelling other abilities. That means Gengar and Bronzong are weak to its Earthquake instead of immune to it. Even though, Rampardos is not the Pokémon that will satnd out much. You may get some lucky sweeps if you manage to set up, but that will rarely happen.
←Pokemon of the Week DP: Machamp - Pokemon of the Week DP: Manectric→
killiam @ 28/06/2008 at 05:25:18 am
awesome. it's just cool as.
ExplorerAce @ 25/07/2008 at 08:45:45 pm
@high…
I don't think Rampardos is a UU pokemon. Its stats are far too high to be used in the UU environtment. Even though it's speed is a letdown, Choice Scarf and Rock Polish put it's speed high enough to compete.
no longer @ high…
Also, on top of baton passing in Speed boosts or Agilitys, you could also send in T-tar and Hippowdon before Rampardos and make it less fragile in Special Defence.
high @ 24/06/2008 at 12:11:05 am
this is a great UU poke but there are still far better choice scarfers(if that is a word) out there. however, i would have still liked to see a pokemon that other websites haven't used as their PFTW. with that said, thanks fror the update.
Q: when will u update