Analysis
Quagsire, despite his derpy appearance and clueless demeanor, is the bane of most setup sweepers’ existence and the premier physical wall in the tier. At first glance, Quagsire seems relatively unassuming with above average Defense and Hp counteracted by a 4x weakness to grass paired with relatively few valuable resistances. Quagsire players cannot afford to be caught off-guard by even a single choice banded attack, lest they lose coveted switch-in potential. In a meta where Serperior is widely lauded as only slightly less powerful than mega-Rayquaza, it’s easy to unwittingly write Quagsire off. This innocent mistake, either in the teambuilder or in a game proper, can have disastrous consequences as you slowly watch your physical sweepers melt into oblivion before your very eyes.
This is due in large part to Quagsire’s ability: Unaware. For those in the dark, Unaware allows Quagsire to ignore its opponent’s stat stages when taking or receiving damage, rendering moves like swords dance and bulk up useless. Due to the absence of strong physical grass types, Quagsire is nigh-impossible to physically break through; none of the most popular physical sweepers can land a guaranteed 2hko STAB without a choice band. Access to recover and incredible support moves such as toxic, stealth rocks, and scald ensure easy punishes against anyone who unknowingly allows a free switch-in. Leftovers help keep Quagsire at full HP by keeping it above the crucial 50% threshold and rocky helmet provides valuable chip damage (and a nasty surprise for unwitting opponents). In short, be heedless of Quagsire at your own peril.
Written by Typhon