RU Spotlight: Rotom-C

History

Rotom-C, or Mow Rotom, has always been the middle child of the Rotom family. It was never quite as good as Rotom-W or Rotom-H, but still a bit better than Rotom-F and Rotom-S (A Flying-type with Levitate? Game Freak, what were you thinking?) In the days of DPP, back when it was still a Ghost-type and all Rotom formes were in OU and listed as "Rotom-A," Rotom-C was used from time to time, but the Overheat and Hydro Pump sets were much more popular, due to better coverage and the ability to spam, respectively. It still had a niche, however, in countering Swampert and Tyranitar and having more power than Hydro Pump.

Then, when BW came around, a very peculiar change came about. The Rotom formes now shared the same typing as their signature move. This left Rotom-C as a Grass-type, and due to its loss of spinblocking and new weaknesses to Fire and Ice, it dropped to RU. Now, Rotom-C is tied with Sceptile as RU's greatest user of Leaf Storm and is (arguably) the greatest Volt Switch user in RU. Its limited, yet specific movepool allows it to take out many threats such as Rhydon, Slowking, and Feraligatr. Now, no longer having to compete with its brothers, it has become quite a big threat in RU.

Rotom-C's Qualities

Rotom-C's new Grass typing may not look too great, but in reality its unique typing combination brings some very useful resistances. Its resistances to common moves in the tier, such as Scald, Thunderbolt (or Thunder from Galvantula), and Giga Drain,give it the ability to switch in on many common RU Pokémon. Because of its typing, Rotom-C is an excellent Volt Switch user and pivot.

When it comes to offenses, its movepool is quite small. Its only viable offensive moves are Leaf Storm, Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, and Hidden Power Fire, but between these moves, Rotom-C is able to take down many threats in RU. Leaf Storm and Volt Switch work particularly well together, since Volt Switch is able to lure in Ground-types, which can then be easily disposed of by Leaf Storm. Its supporting movepool, however, is much better. It has access to moves such as Trick, Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, Pain Split, and Rain Dance. Rotom-C also has excellent stats. Its base 86 Speed is great in RU, since it basically gives Rotom-C a perfect Speed stat for using a Choice Scarf. Rotom-C also has great 50/107/107 defenses. Lastly, its base 105 Special Attack is also pretty great.

Playing with Rotom-C

Despite a somewhat limited movepool, Rotom-C has quite a few options. Its most widely seen set is its famed Choice Scarf set. The Choice Scarf set provides Rotom-C with the necessary speed for it to come in and out with Volt Switch. What differentiates Rotom-C from other Choice Volt Switch users is the fact that it is able to handle Ground-types with Leaf Storm,as even Steelix is usually 2HKOed by it. When using a Choice Specs on Rotom-C, you should usually use the same movepool that you would use on the Choice scarf set, but you ought to invest a few extra EVs in HP.

It may usually be an offensively-oriented Pokémon, but Rotom-C is able to provide great utility via supporting sets. Its main supporting set has many uses. It has the ability to spread burn, which is great for dealing with physical attackers, and has somewhat reliable recovery in Pain Split. Its typing brings great resistances and helps it defeat Pokémon like Kabutops and Feraligatr. Rotom-C's odd typing makes it a perfect Rain Dance user. Rain grants it a neutrality to Fire and a perfectly accurate Thunder (though in most cases Volt Switch would be more useful). Thunder Wave is usually the status move of choice, mostly for dealing with fast Choice Scarf users and the opponent's Swift Swim sweepers, but Will-O-Wisp is still a viable option. It's important to note that both of these sets still have the ability to decimate certain Pokémon with Leaf Storm and pivot with Volt Switch.

No matter what kind of team it is on, or what kind of set it's using, Rotom-C is an excellent pivot. It excels at this role all the time. When using Rotom-C,be sure to take full advantage of its Volt Switching abilities. If you do so, Rotom-C will be one of the most useful Pokémon on your team.

Playing Against Rotom-C

Rotom-C isn't a Pokémon that is easy to counter. Unlike other Choice item-using Volt Switch users, Ground-types such as Rhydon can easily be dealt via Leaf Storm. This makes Roselia and Amoonguss the best counters to the Choice Scarf set, due to their good special bulk, STAB-boosted, super effective Sludge Bomb, and resistances to both of Rotom-C's STAB moves. Also, Hidden Power Fire is almost useless against these two Grass-types, since, due to their aforementioned special bulk, it only has a possible chance to 4HKO them. Druddigon is a great counter due to its resistances to Rotm-C's STABs and the ability to wreck it with Outrage or Fire Punch. Clefable is able to take Rotom-C moves and then proceed to status it or chip off some of its health with Seismic Toss; however, in certain circumstances, Clefable can be threatened by Trick. Bulky Fire-types, such as Entei, are also able to handle its Scarf set quite well. Also, Manectric is a good check due to its Electric-type immunity, higher speed, and access to Overheat. Manetric is demolished by Leaf Storm, however. Stealth Rock can be a thorn in Rotom-C's side, due to it constantly switching in and out.

Its Choice Specs set hits a lot harder than its Scarf set, so many of the checks and counters mentioned above, especially the bulky Fire-types and Clefable, are no longer solid counters. Amoonguss, Roselia, and Druddigon however, are still able to handle it. Good checks to its support set are Fire-types, since they are immune to Will-O-Wisp and have a super effective STAB. To counter its Rain Dance set, you need to stop it from achieving its main goal, setting up rain. This could be done with Sunny Day users, Snover, and Pokémon that can OHKO Rotom-C, such as Entei and Typhlosion.

The main problem with countering any Rotom-C set is that it can just Volt Switch out to a Pokémon that can handle the threat better. An example is sending out Entei to take care of the frightening lawnmower. If the opponent predicts correctly, he could Volt Switch out to Qwilfish, a somewhat common Rotom-C partner. Another Rotom-C is a great check as well, due to it resisting both of its own STABs. Also, you can sacrifice your own Rotom-C to Leaf Storm, which can help one of your other Pokémon to set up or find a way to get rid of your opponent's Rotom-C. If you can manage to get rid of these Pokémon early in the match, then handling Rotom-C will become much easier.

Fitting Rotom-C on your team

Rotom-C, like almost every single Pokémon that has had a Spotlight (or Featured Pokémon) article, fits well on most teams. However, due to its weaknesses to the common Fire-type, it really appreciates bulky Water-types to Volt Switch with. Qwilfish is practically the perfect partner for Rotom-C, since both have near perfect synergy (Psychic-type is the exception). Qwilfish is also a great answer to Entei, who is usually sent to revenge kill it when it's at -2 Special Attack. Slowking is another good Water-type partner to Rotom-C due to its amazing ability: Regenerator! Lanturn is also good Water-type partner, since both can form a Volt Switch core.

Fire-types are also great partners, since they are able to get rid of pesky Grass-types, such as the aforementioned Roselia and Amoonguss. Also, Rotom-C is able to help Fire-types due to it being a big threat to Water-types, such as Slowking. Some examples of Fire-type partners are Entei, Magmortar, and Emboar.

Since Rotom-C forces a lot of switches, it really appreciates hazard support. This makes Qwilfish, who has access to Spike, an even better partner. Stealth Rock users such as Crustle, Rhydon, Smeargle, Ferroseed, and Golurk are also good partners, especially Crustle, Ferroseed, and Smeargle, since they can also lay Spikes. For the Rain Dance set to be effective, you obviously need a couple of Swift Swim sweepers to utilize rain to its full capacity. Good examples are Ludicolo, Omastar, Kabutops, and Seismitoad.

Get out There!

Rotom-C is one of the great Pokémon currently residing in RU. As always, RU is an awesome place that you need to check out, and when you do, be sure to give Rotom-C a try!

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