Avalugg: Good or not?

[Nah]

So X and Y introduced us to just 2 new fully evolved Ice types: Aurorus and Avalugg. Avalugg's a bit of an interesting Pokemon. It has a stat spread of:
95 HP
117 Attack
184 Defense
44 Special Attack
48 Special Defense
28 Speed

It gets fun toys like Recover, Rapid Spin, Curse, Sturdy, and Own Tempo.

But it is also a Pokemon that slightly perplexes me. I'm not sure if the thing is worth it or not. On one hand, it has godly Defense and the much sought after Rapid Spin and Recover. On the other, it has a bad defensive typing (particulary since it can spin, but is weak to Stealth Rock) and absolutely awful Speed and Sp.Defense.

So, what do you all think? Is Avalugg a good addition to the metagame, or is it another Pokemon to throw into the depths of NU? Do its good points outweigh its flaws? Let's discuss Avalugg.

 

[Ársa]

252+ Atk Huge Power Mega Mawile Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 228-270 (57.8 - 68.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252 Atk Adaptability Mega Lucario Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 264-312 (67 - 79.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

+2 252+ Atk Aegislash-Blade Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 294-348 (74.6 - 88.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Choice Band Talonflame Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 218-258 (55.3 - 65.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recover

0 SpA Garchomp Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Avalugg: 242-286 (61.4 - 72.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

Basically, if you can use Avalugg as part of a solid defensive core, then it definitely has some merrit. However using it as a stand-alone physical wall is simply out of the question, because much of the physical metagame is able to 2HKO it with STAB SE moves.

The boon of Avalugg is that it walls Garchomp (not carrying Fire Blast) and Tyranitar HARD. And of course, access to Rapid Spin + Recover can maintain its longevity.

 

[Nolafus]

It's good, but heavily outclassed. I've used it before and there is hardly a physical move out there that can demolish it. I don't think it will go to NU, especially with access to Rapid Spin, but it definitely won't be OU. Physical walls such as Skarmory and Tangrowth outclass it because of their resistances. However, with access to that Rapid Spin, Avalugg did find a niche is being a defensive spinner. So, Avalugg is good, but not great.

 

[Sagakkan]

It would be a shame if people never used Avalugg, as he seems like he would be a stellar additio to a trick room team....I would think a nature that hinders Speed and raises one of the other stats would benefit him most......Curse seems like an excellent move for it. IMO Rapid Spin seems over-rated since there seems to be a dearth of people who really commit to entry hazards. I've never used Avalugg but it seems as though it could single-handedly counter the majority of physical category movesets, (i.e. Garchomp, Tyranitar, Aerodactyl)......it definitely is not to be taken lightly in double and triple battles. The moveset might depend on the context........unless it's on a trick room team, Avalanche seems like an excellent move to have. Curse and Recover in any case.......I have my own view about Rapid Spin, but it could come in handy. I happen to think Ice Fang might be worth investing in for Avalugg in spite of the 95% accuracy, particularly on a trick room team where Avalugg is likely to attack first.

 

[Aeroblast]

Simply put, Ice type on a defensive Pokemon rarely works. Fortunately for Avalugg, its defense stat is humongous and it has reliable recovery and a great support move in Rapid Spin. I don't think it'll make OU, though.

 

[champagnepapi]

It's not good; Ice is a horrible Physical Defensive typing, as it doesn't resist any of the big physical attacking types [it doesn't resist anything itself] and takes a chunk off of its health when it switches into SR, a very real possibility in competitive Pokemon, hurting its immediate ability to defend. Not only that, most of the common attacking types in OU, Fire, Steel [arguable, but more common now], Fighting and Rock are SE against it. Also it's special defense is obviously really bad. If this Pokemon had a different type then it might be worth using but Ice type is really the killer here since it's really only best as a wall.

 

[dreyko]

At first, i was a fan of Avalugg, but its mono ice typing makes it very vulnerable to many moves, which its high defense stat cannot compensate for.

Although, acess to rapid spin + recover can be useful, but again there are just better tanks & spinners out there.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

Avalugg, along with Aurorus, proves that GF still doesn't know how to make a proper Ice type. They really need to stop making them defensive-oriented and be more like sweepers, because they're the worst types defense wise. Shell Smash Cloyster, Jynx, Weavile, Froslass, and Cryogonal are the only Ice types who are able to utilize the archetype properly for their glass cannon status. Recover and its hidden ability, Sturdy, isn't enough to save Avalugg from fainting in battle, because Ice types are usually always doomed to being NU, which I find outrageous, because what's the point of having Ice types in the first place when no one is ever going to use them outside of their moves?

 

[trainer swil]

As much as I like it, probably a UU rapid spinner at best.

 

[Pendraflare]

Shell Smash Cloyster, Jynx, Weavile, Froslass, and Cryogonal are the only Ice types who are able to utilize the archetype properly for their glass cannon status.

You forgot Mamoswine :P

Anyway, how funny this is up, considering Serebii just put up Avalugg as their current PotW, as shown here: https://www.serebii.net/potw-xy/713.shtml That might give a bit more insight on this thing.

 

[halcyonic]

only good as a rapid spinner with reliable recovery. but arsa has already provided the calcs so yea, ru at best imo.

 

[Tide]

I find Avalugg to be a pretty interesting pokemon, but I agree pretty much with what everyone else has said. While it can spin and swallow some physical hits - its typing is anything but complimentary to the niche it's designed to fulfill. With Arsa showing some calculations comparing Avalugg to common OU threats, we know that Avalugg simply has no chance to be effective in that tier. So, if it won't see the light of OU...how would it fair in UU?

252 Atk Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 228-270 (57.8 - 68.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252 Atk Sheer Force Darmanitan Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 248-294 (62.9 - 74.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Arcanine Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 176-210 (44.6 - 53.2%) -- 0.4% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Heracross Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 194-230 (49.2 - 58.3%) -- 64.1% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

(We don't know really if Heracross' MegaEvolution will bring it up in tiers. Regardless, this is standard Heracross.)

252 Atk Life Orb Mienshao High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 250-296 (63.4 - 75.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252 Atk Life Orb Reckless Mienshao High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 299-354 (75.8 - 89.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

As we can see through these calculations, Avalugg is utterly smashed by the most common UU threats. It's apparent that just about every team you will find when UU laddering consists of one or more of these pokemon. With that, I don't think Avalugg will see UU either - and is most likely going to be decent in RU.

 

[Hikamaru]

Like the others said, Avalugg's only good niche is being a Rapid Spinner with access to reliable recovery but despite its strong Defense stat, its common weaknesses and terrible Sp. Defense hold it back. Pure Ice-types are usually almost entirely non-existent in OU due to Stealth Rock.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

You forgot Mamoswine :P

Mamoswine still falls under the defensive-oriented Ice types GF constantly makes (its HP is its second highest stat with decent/ok defense stats). I'm asking for Ice types who fall under the Glass Cannon category (good offense/speed, poor defenses).

Like the others said, Avalugg's only good niche is being a Rapid Spinner with access to reliable recovery but despite its strong Defense stat, its common weaknesses and terrible Sp. Defense hold it back. Pure Ice-types are usually almost entirely non-existent in OU due to Stealth Rock.

Any Ice type that isn't part Fighting, Ground, or Steel is entirely non-existent in OU due to both Stealth Rock.

 

[Nah]

Mamoswine still falls under the defensive-oriented Ice types GF constantly makes (its HP is its second highest stat with decent/ok defense stats). I'm asking for Ice types who fall under the Glass Cannon category (good offense/speed, poor defenses).

Mamoswine isn't what I'd call a defensive Pokemon either.

 

[Brane]

Mamoswine isn't what I'd call a defensive Pokemon either.

I'd agree here. Mamoswine is more of a counter to a lot of offensive threats because of the movepool it has, and it's typing. And it can also be used to set up rocks before it puts in a big hit. The other advantage it has is Thick Fat.

The general consensus I hear about Avalugg is that it has the worst defensive typing in the game in mono Ice. It has weaknesses to Fire, Fighting, Rock and Steel while only resisting itself. And with the dominance of Fire, Fighting and Steel type Physical attackers, it just doesn't survive long enough.

A lot of people have done calculations, and heaps of Pokemon have a guaranteed 2HKO on this, so it can very rarely switch in safely. It would have been more interesting with a beneficial ability similar to Fur Coat.

At the same time though, I wouldn't disregard it completely because a lot of people have had mass success with it.