Great Tusk
VGC Guide
Great Tusk is the most well-rounded physical attacker on sun teams: Protosynthesis boosts 131 Attack to effective 170 in harsh sunlight, Rapid Spin removes hazards while raising Speed +1 in Gen 9. With 115 HP and 131 Defense, Great Tusk survives hits to continue outputting; Earthquake spread hits both opponents simultaneously, creating comprehensive physical pressure.
Rapid Spin: Speed Boost & Hazard Removal
Generation 9 upgraded Rapid Spin: after using Rapid Spin, the user’s Speed rises by +1 in addition to clearing hazards. Great Tusk at base 87 Speed reaches +1 after spinning, combined with Protosynthesis activating in sunlight creates dual Speed and Attack boosts. After Rapid Spin, Great Tusk can outspeed many more opponents, dramatically improving its output tempo.
Earthquake Spread: Ground/Fighting Dual STAB Pressure
Earthquake hits both opponents simultaneously in doubles with 0.75 spread modifier — still enormous damage at effective 170 Attack. Ground coverage hits Electric, Fire, Steel, and Poison types, making Great Tusk a core answer to Electric Terrain and sun teams alike. Close Combat adds Fighting STAB; Ice Punch covers Dragon, Flying, and Grass threats, leaving nearly no safe pivot into Great Tusk’s moveset.
EV Spreads
Team Partners
Koraidon’s Orichalcum Pulse auto-activates Great Tusk’s Protosynthesis, freeing the item slot from Booster Energy. Great Tusk’s Earthquake spread eliminates Electric and Steel threats; Grass types that wall Koraidon can be handled by Great Tusk’s Ice Punch, creating strong mutual coverage.
Incineroar’s Intimidate lowers opposing Attack, protecting Great Tusk during Rapid Spin turns. Parting Shot enables safe pivoting after hazard removal; together they create a smooth front-back rotation that maintains both offensive and defensive tempo.
Tornadus’ Tailwind combined with Rapid Spin’s +1 Speed creates compounding Speed advantages for Great Tusk. Tailwind + Spin speed stacking means Great Tusk after both boosts can outspeed nearly every threat, maximizing Earthquake spread impact.
Flutter Mane’s Protosynthesis also activates in sunlight, creating a dual Protosynthesis core. Flutter Mane handles special targets that Great Tusk’s physical offense can’t break through easily; Great Tusk clears hazards to protect Flutter Mane’s entry.
How to Counter Great Tusk
Water moves hit Ground-type Great Tusk for ×2 damage. Kyogre’s Origin Pulse spread or Surf threatens Great Tusk seriously. When sun is overridden by Kyogre’s rain, Great Tusk loses both Protosynthesis and faces Water weakness simultaneously — doubly vulnerable.
Grass moves deal ×2 damage to Ground-type Great Tusk. Rillaboom’s Grassy Surge or spread Grass moves from Venusaur threaten Great Tusk directly. Grassy Terrain overrides sunlight while also countering Great Tusk — making it a multi-purpose counter to sun team structures.
Ice moves hit Great Tusk for ×2 damage from its Ground typing. Freeze-Dry or Blizzard spread can deal massive damage. High-speed Ice-type Pokémon can KO Great Tusk before its Rapid Spin Speed boost activates, removing the hazard removal utility entirely.
Fighting-type Great Tusk’s Fairy and Psychic weaknesses mean Flutter Mane or Cresselia can safely stand against its Close Combat. Psychic coverage in opponent’s team makes switching in Great Tusk’s fighting moves risky, requiring scouting for coverage moves.