Pokemon Scarlet and Violetintroduce a host of interesting new creatures, and some of them are quite competitively viable despite not initially appearing so. This is the case with Orthworm which looks like a goofy worm but has a few tricks up its sleeves. In many ways, it does everything Steelix is known for better, as it has great defensive capabilities.
Orthworm is one of the Titans encountered inPokemon Scarlet and Violet. These creatures have grown bigger and stronger because of all the Herba Mystica they have eaten. Other Titan Pokemon include Klawf the Stony Cliff Titan, and Bombirdier the Open Sky Titan.
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Orthworm May Threaten Steelix’s Niche
For players who need a defensive Steel-type Pokemon, it is hard to go wrong with Steelix. It is a Steel/Ground dual-type that has a startlingly high base Defense stat of 200, making it a hard Pokemon to take down. Thanks to its typing, it is also immune to Poison-type and Electric-type moves. InPokemon X and Y, Steelix received a Mega Evolution that made it even more competitive, raising its base Defense stat to a whopping 230.Mega Evolutions do not make a return inScarlet and Violet, however.
Steelix isn’t available yet inScarlet and Violet, though that doesn’t mean players don’t have options to fill the same niche. One of the best choices isOrthworm, which is a pure Steel-type. On the surface, Orthworm seems inferior to Steelix, as it has a slightly lower base Defense stat of 145, and its typing only grants it immunity to Poison-types. However, it excels thanks to its Ability and its moves which can be wielded to make it incredibly difficult to knock out.
For players who want to take down Steelix, one of the best strategies is to use a strong Ground-type move like Earthquake, as it deals 2x damage. In theory, the same strategy should apply to Orthworm, as it is 2x weak to Ground-type moves. Things are turned on their head thanks to Orthworm’s signature Ability called Earth Eater. Not only does thisAbility make it immune to Ground-type moves, but its HP is also restored by a quarter. Orthworm can further protect itself with the move Shed Tail. Using this move, Orthworm sacrifices half its HP to put up a Substitute and swap out with a different Pokemon in the same turn. Used correctly, Shed Tail can be used to protect Orthworm while safely bringing in another Pokemon. Furthermore, with a held Item like a Berry, Orthworm can restore some of the HP it loses.
Orthworm in Scarlet and Violet
Scarlet and Violetplace the spotlight on Orthworm during the Path of Legends storyline which involves players facing the Titans andcollecting Herba Mystica for Arven. The Herba Mystica helps Arven heal a friend of his that is severely ill, and it also gives the player’s ridable legendary more abilities. When players encounter Orthworm as a Titan, players have to chase it around a bit before there is a final showdown. Once Orthworm is defeated, players can return to the East Province and catch the Titan.
Although Mega Evolutions do not make a return, players can still power up their Pokemon through Terastallization. Giving Orthworm a Steel Tera-type will make its Steel-type moves even stronger. If Steelix makes it to Paldea whenScarlet and Violetare linked to Pokemon Home, it will also benefit from Terastallization.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare available on Nintendo Switch.
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