Ding, Shatter, Charge! Mamoswine - MegaPelican

Guide

Mamoswine is one of the Pokemon I like to parade around for having no bad move options. Ice Fang and Earthquake are both fantastic and probably the better options for ranked play, but this set is the one I have the most fun with.

Swinub is able to put out some decent damage with Tackle and Ice Shard, but level 5 is where this Pokemon starts to get good. Icicle Crash has every effect listed on the side, but Mamoswine is also able to shatter it with Tackle and High Horsepower for additional damage and effects. It can shorten your burst range for more control, it deals additional damage and freezing when it ends, it makes your next attack a boosted attack, and it even increases the movement speed of other ally Pokemon in the immediate vicinity. But, most importantly for Mamoswine, it can be used at range. Having a projectile that slows and stuns massively increases Mamoswine's burst effectiveness and depletes enemy HP bars at a fast rate for a defender.

High Horsepower is a phenomenal move for closing distances, especially after Icicle Crash. It can push multiple enemies at once if positioned correctly, which invalidates their movesets for a good few seconds. When used in tandem with other attackers, this can be an absolute nightmare to deal with.

Mammoth Mash looks scarier than it actually is, but it's still a strong ult and quite difficult to deal with. It hits four times and displaces enemies on the fourth hit whilst also slowing them down, and with the additional universal unite move buffs tacked on, Mamoswine can be quite scary in the right circumstances. This is most effective in team fights when trying to secure an objective such as Zapdos or Drednaw, simply because Mamoswine cannot be stopped in the process.

The game plan with Mamoswine is simple: throw your large body at the opponents to stop them from playing the game. Use Icicle Crash and High Horsepower in tandem for maximum effect, freezing and displacing, especially where you find an enemy in a position you don't want them in. It's important to keep in mind that Mamoswine is not the team's primary source of damage, so running in on multiple enemies is not always the greatest idea, but that's where your teammates can support you. Mamoswine works best with attackers who can capitalize on his displacements and tack on additional damage from a relative distance, and for this reason pushing against goals with him is quite easy. When taking objectives, prioritize the enemies over the objective, because taking them away from the fight is far more important than trying to solo Drednaw by yourself. That said, you might find yourself struggling a little against enemies who can deal high damage at a distance, such as Cinderace and Decidueye, but thankfully having your amazing projectile makes those matchups far easier than they would be with the Ice Fang/Earthquake set.

For items, I think Score Shield is borderline mandatory because of Mamoswine's ability to run behind enemy lines and act as a giant meat shield. Focus Band is also necessary because of the additional survivability, because as a tank, you need your Mamoswine to survive for a while. The last item is up in the air, here are some good options:
- Muscle Band boosts Mamoswine's already decent damage and helps keep him going (especially with the boost from Icicle Crash), and makes him surprisingly good in 1v1s.
- Weakness Policy can also work since it does additional damage based on the damage he's taking, but I find Muscle Band to be more reliable in this case.
- Buddy Barrier is a universally fantastic item that grants a shield upon using Mammoth Mash, which keeps Mamoswine alive for even longer, and it's generally never a bad idea to have it on any Pokemon. With this vs Muscle Band, it's a case of whether you want more damage or more survivability, which can depend on both you and your team composition.
- I would also suggest Rocky Helmet for its additional damage capabilities, but I've been told that this item is more trouble than it's worth, and after using it myself I'm inclined to agree.