Is Forretress Good?

Situationally yes. In competitive SV Singles, Forretress is a solid RU-tier utility Pokémon thanks to its unmatched role compression. It can simultaneously set Stealth Rock and Spikes, remove hazards with Rapid Spin, and act as a slow pivot with Volt Switch, though its extreme vulnerability to Fire-types holds it back.

Forretress is an elite utility tool for hazard management, provided you can cover its massive special frailty and Fire weakness.

Rating 7/10 · Tier RU (Smogon SV) · Role : Hazard Setter / Physical Wall / Slow Pivot

Strengths

• Incredible role compression (Stealth Rock, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Rapid Spin).
• Sturdy guarantees it survives at least one hit to set up hazards or attack.
• Volt Switch provides a slow pivot to bring frail sweepers in safely.
• Massive physical Defense makes it a reliable check to physical attackers.

Weaknesses

• Crippling 4x weakness to Fire-type attacks.
• Very low Special Defense makes it easy prey for special attackers.
• Highly predictable and relatively passive, giving setup sweepers free turns.
• Lacks reliable recovery outside of Leftovers.

In the current SV competitive landscape, Forretress sits comfortably in the RU tier with a healthy 9.3% usage rate. It is the definition of a utility wall. Instead of sweeping teams, its primary job is to control the flow of the game through entry hazards and momentum.

What makes Forretress valuable is its elite role compression. Finding a single Pokémon that can set Stealth Rock, lay down Spikes, and clear enemy hazards with Rapid Spin is incredibly rare. This frees up moveslots and team slots for your offensive threats.

However, this utility comes at the cost of momentum if misplayed. Forretress is inherently passive. While its physical Defense is massive, its Special Defense is abysmal. If you lock it in against a special attacker, it will be forced out immediately or knocked out.

A standard Forretress set revolves around its utility movepool. Stealth Rock and Spikes are its bread and butter, punishing enemy switches and breaking Focus Sashes. Toxic Spikes are a viable alternative if your team struggles against bulky stall builds.

For hazard removal, Rapid Spin is mandatory. Unlike Defog, Rapid Spin keeps your own hazards on the opponent's side of the field while clearing yours. It also boosts Forretress's Speed, though its base Speed is so low that this buff rarely matters.

Offense and Momentum

To avoid being complete setup bait, Forretress relies on Body Press or Gyro Ball. Body Press calculates damage using its massive Defense stat instead of Attack, allowing it to hit surprisingly hard. Gyro Ball punishes fast offensive threats by scaling damage based on the speed difference.

Volt Switch is the glue that holds the set together. Because Forretress is extremely slow, it will almost always take a hit before using Volt Switch. This creates a "slow pivot," allowing you to bring in a frail teammate safely without them taking damage on the switch. Thunder Wave can also be slotted in for crucial speed control against faster threats.

When it comes to abilities, Sturdy is overwhelmingly the best choice. It guarantees that Forretress will survive any single attack from full HP, which is vital for guaranteeing at least one layer of hazards against aggressive leads. Overcoat has niche uses to ignore powder moves and weather damage, but giving up the safety net of Sturdy is rarely worth it.

Item choice heavily dictates Forretress's specific role. Leftovers is the standard for defensive sets, providing the passive recovery it desperately lacks. Heavy-Duty Boots are excellent for dedicated Rapid Spin sets, ensuring Forretress doesn't take hazard damage when switching in to clear the field.

Punishing Physical Attackers

If you want to punish physical attackers, the Rocky Helmet is a fantastic option. Combined with its high Defense, Forretress can switch into contact moves and chip down physical threats effortlessly.

For a dedicated suicide lead, the Custap Berry paired with Sturdy is a lethal combination. Once knocked down to 1 HP (surviving via Sturdy), the Custap Berry activates, giving Forretress priority on its next move. This allows it to set a second layer of hazards or fire off a fast Volt Switch before going down. Alternatively, an Eject Button can be used to absorb one hit and immediately pivot to a counter.

Forretress thrives when paired with teammates that cover its glaring weaknesses and capitalize on its slow pivoting. It is a staple on Rain teams. Politoed is a perfect partner, as the rain halves the damage of Fire-type attacks, effectively neutralizing Forretress's biggest threat.

Offensive Water-types like Barraskewda, Basculegion, and Basculegion-F benefit massively from Forretress. These Pokémon are incredibly powerful but frail. Forretress can absorb physical hits aimed at them, set up hazards to secure their KO thresholds, and use a slow Volt Switch to bring them onto the field completely unscathed.

• Entei: A fantastic offensive partner. Entei forces out the Fire-types that threaten Forretress, while heavily appreciating the Spikes and Stealth Rock Forretress sets up to wear down its defensive checks.
• Politoed & Barraskewda: Rain setters and abusers that protect Forretress from Fire moves while capitalizing on its slow pivoting.

Despite its physical bulk, Forretress has highly exploitable weaknesses. Its 4x weakness to Fire is its most obvious flaw. Any Fire-type attack, even from a physical attacker, will likely OHKO it if Sturdy is broken. Entei, for example, uses Forretress as complete setup bait or outright destroys it with Sacred Fire.

Special attackers in the RU tier also give it major trouble. Suicune and Slowbro can comfortably switch into Forretress, ignore its weak attacks, and either set up Calm Mind or burn it with Scald. Yanmega can blast through its low Special Defense with powerful Bug Buzz or Air Slash attacks, ignoring its physical bulk entirely.

The Spinblocker Problem

Ghost-types are a massive headache for Forretress. Gengar completely blocks Rapid Spin since it is a Normal-type move. When Gengar switches in, Forretress is denied its hazard clearing and is immediately forced out by Gengar's powerful special attacks. If the opponent has a Ghost-type, relying on Forretress for hazard removal becomes a risky guessing game.

Do not use Forretress if your team is built around fast-paced hyper offense. Outside of a dedicated Custap Berry suicide lead, Forretress kills offensive momentum. Its passivity allows dangerous setup sweepers to get a free Swords Dance or Nasty Plot if you mispredict.

You should also avoid Forretress if your team already struggles heavily against Fire-types or lacks a solid special sponge. If you need reliable hazard removal but cannot afford the momentum loss or the Ghost-type spinblock vulnerability, look for alternative hazard setters.

If you need a physical wall that isn't completely passive and can actually threaten Ghost-types, consider a bulky Ground-type hazard setter instead. They offer Electric immunities and better offensive presence, even if they lack the specific Rapid Spin utility.