0184 Azumarill

Bubble is a very good move for PvP and also takes advantage of STAB with Azumarill. Generating 3.67 EPT (Energy Per Turn) and dealing out 2.33 DPT (Damage Per Turn) results in a very balanced move that performs well above average.

Ice Beam gives Azumarill excellent coverage and flexibility to deal with a wide range of Pokemon, including Grass types that can give Azumarill trouble. Ice Beam also has the perk of requiring the least amount of energy (55) among Azumarill's charge moves. Hydro Pump is a good finishing move and also can threaten KOs due to its high base power of 130 plus STAB. While the 75 energy required is quite steep, Azumarill's excellent bulk gives it the time needed to build up energy. 

This more diverse moveset lets Azumarill check Pokemon by utilizing the less common Fairy typing. Play Rough isn't a very notable charge move stat-wise, but does take advantage of STAB and costs less energy (60) than Hydro Pump. The strength of this set comes mostly from playing Azumarill's two least expensive Charge Moves. Some popular Great League picks such as Medicham and Sableye also get shut down by Play Rough.

This combination eschews Azumarill's Ice Beam in favor of its two expensive STAB Charge Moves. The goal of this set is the same as the first; wide coverage, though this set concedes to Ice-types in favor of winning the mirror matchup. As Azumarill is one of the most utilized Pokemon in the Great League, this set recognizes the importance of countering itself with Play Rough. Play Rough and Ice Beam share overlapping coverage against Altaria, while Hydro Pump allows it to take down a variety of Steel-types that would otherwise threaten it. As noted above, Azumarill has the bulk to build energy for these higher costing moves, so combining these two can give you a strong pair against the open field.

Azumarill boasts incredible bulk, really solid typing, and impressive coverage. It can fit in fairly easily on teams, serving as an invaluable backbone due to how many threats it is able to sponge and cover. For these reasons, Azumarill has remained a stalwart option in Great League ever since the birth of PvP. The introduction of Candy XL further improved Azumarill's already superb tankiness.

However, balance changes and the introduction of sturdy counters such as Lanturn, Zap Cannon Registeel, and Toxapex have pushed Azumarill from being a dominant force to being more of a metagame counterpick. Furthermore, although Azumarill's coverage is impressive, the moveset itself is rather clumsy. The combination of expensive energy costs and Bubble's low DPT and long duration can make winning certain matchups difficult, especially while shields are in play. Sableye and Medicham are tougher opponents than Azumarill would like to admit despite its superior bulk and advantageous typing.

Since Tapu Fini's introduction, Azumarill has faced some competition in the bulky Water/Fairy role. Tapu Fini is less bulky, but its damage output is more consistent. Its Moonblast is also extremely threatening to anything that doesn't resist it. Nonethless, Tapu Fini isn't strong enough to relegate Azumarill into being an inferior option.

Azumarill's potential is limited to the Great League. Even XL Azumarill is nowhere near 2500.

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