Articuno

Pressure + Defog gives Articuno a solid niche on defensive teams to PP stall entry hazard setters such as Hippowdon, making it a capable solo or primary Defogger. Alongside this, Pressure bleeds the PP of opposing hazard removers such as Salamence and Mandibuzz, which helps its teammates' hazards stay up, enables Spikes semi-stall playstyles, and lets Articuno dominate hazard control against opposing defensive teams. Heal Bell provides more crucial utility, and it works amazingly with Pressure, allowing Articuno to beat Toxic users such as Hippowdon one-on-one. Further still, Articuno is a crucial secondary check to Pokemon like Primarina, Salamence, Gyarados, and even Azelf against teams that use a Stealth Rock setter it counters, such as Hippowdon, Chansey, or Registeel. However, Articuno struggles with some other hazard setters in Nihilego, Cobalion, and Spikes + Iron Defense Skarmory. Its Stealth Rock weakness also makes it an unreliable Defogger against the more common Taunt variants of Stealth Rock Krookodile, given Knock Off and Articuno's reliance on Heavy-Duty Boots, although Krookodile still fears Freeze-Dry when using Taunt. Without a second hazard remover such as Flygon alongside Articuno, Spikes teams often rely on using the overwhelming threat of their own hazards to win the hazards war, forcing the opponent to remove these hazards instead of setting their own. Due to its typing, Articuno can also be exploited or set up on by threats like Scizor, Cobalion, and Nihilego, which only fear a freeze from repeated Freeze-Dry usage, mandating solid defensive support.