Introduction
Clodsire distinguishes itself in the January 2025 metagame as a flexible defensive option thanks to its Poison/Ground typing and high Special bulk with 130 base HP and 100 Sp. Def stats. Its choice of abilities between Unaware, Poison Point, and Water Absorb let it function well in different situations, For example, stopping setup sweepers, punishing physical hits, and absorbing common water attacks respectively.
Uses
Clodsire plays mainly as a defensive wall, making progress with Toxic/Poison Jab, setting up hazards with either Spikes, Toxic Spikes, or Stealth Rock while staying alive with the reliable Recover. In January 25's metagame, it can work in a variety of useful niches depending on its ability and EVs: Unaware allows Clodsire to contest powerful setup sweepers such as Growth Shiftry and CM Comfey, Poison Point provides a way to punish physical hits, such as U-Turns, especially when paired with physical Defence investment and the Rocky Helmet item; last but not least, Water Absorb provides a Water immunity, which is extremely valuable considering Crawdaunt's influence and high usage rate in the tier. All these attributes allow this poisonous blob Pokemon to work well and find synergies on many team archetypes, ranging from slower, bulkier teams to faster ones that appreciate a bulky glue.
Flaws
Despite its power and usefulness, Clodsire is somewhat passive with its tied-for-lowest Speed stat of 20 and lack of immediate threat of big damage, getting outsped by everyone barring Torkoal under normal circumstances. In addition to this, Clodsire can't fulfill all of its different niches simultaneously, is vulnerable to strong Physical attacks, and is weak to Ground, Psychic, Ice, and Water, unless it uses Water Absorb. Overall, Clodsire is a strong, but not unbreakable, defensive Pokemon that requires careful team planning and coordination to make the most out of its attributes and type synergies.
Written by Beps