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.