What makes a Pokemon a good mixed wall?

Question

As a follow-up on my previous question about walls, I want to know how to find good mixed walls (eg. is Articuno viable?). It is not this question, as I'm trying to find qualities that make some Pokemon better than others at mixed walling.

Comments

It can take multiple hits from both special and physical attacks.

Answer 1

To understand what makes a good Mixed Wall, I'll first define it.

>A mixed wall has excellent stats in both Sp. Def and Def. This allows it to take both Physical and Special attacks consistently over a game. This means that it can deal with a variety of different attacks. Unfortunately, there are only a few walls that can fit this category.

Basically, to sum it up, the Pokemon must have good base stats in both Sp. Def and Def. This means that they must have atleast 100 base Sp. Def / Def. Many of them also have decent base HP (it usually varies around 70 ~ 100).

Now, obviously, stats alone cannot define a mixed wall. It also matters about typing, movepool, and more. For example, Articuno does have the stats and potential, but its typing is awful. Its combination makes it 4x weak to Stealth Rock (a common entry hazard). This means that it will be taking about 50% of its health per switch-in. This is not what you want on a mixed wall. Articuno has better offensive typing, so it works better as a sweeper.

Examples of good mixed walls include Ferrothorn (great typing with little weaknesses and a lot of resistances / defensive stats to compliment it), Umbreon (pure Dark-typing with only 3 weaknesses and 3 resistances / excellent HP, Def, and Sp. Def), and Hippowdon (pure Ground-typing / good HP and Def and decent Sp. Def / reliable recovery in the form of Slack Off).

Hope I helped!

EDIT:

Although Articuno has a high Sp. Def stat that distinguishes it from many other Flying-types, Articuno has 4 weaknesses to some of the most common types (Rock, Fire, Electric, and Steel).

This alone is a big problem because it means that it takes 4x to Stealth Rock.

Here I'll quote from my friend, who introduced me to competitive battling (he explained this same problem to me):

While it is very bulky and quite strong, it is incredibly difficult to fit on a team due to its 4x weakness to Stealth Rock and mediocre synergy with many entry hazard removers.

Articuno's best sets combine both its offensive typing and its great defenses, which allows it to run a SubRoost set with Hurricane and Ice Beam / Freeze-Dry or even an Agility set.

This means that you could run a Mixed Wall set, but you're not maximizing its full potential.

Comments

but articuno is one of the most specially defensive flying types..

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^ That is true in a way, but stats alone cannot define a mixed wall.

It depends on its movepool and typing. I should have made this a little more clearer in my writing, but I'll restate it here.

Articuno has 4 weaknesses to some of the most common types (Rock, Fire, Electric, and Steel). This alone is a big problem because it means that it takes 4x to Stealth Rock.

Here I'll quote from a friend of mine, who explained this very same problem to me (when he introduced me to competitive battling):
> While it is very bulky and quite strong, it is incredibly difficult to fit on a team due to its 4x weakness to Stealth Rock and    mediocre with many entry hazard removers.  

Articuno also has a 2x Weakness to Fire, 2x Weakness to Electric, and 2x Weakness to Steel (all of which are common types).
It also faces alot of competition with other Mixed Walls and defensive Ice-types (even in its respective tier).

Now, Articuno's best sets combine both of its Offenses and its Defenses because it has great offensive typing and great defense stats. This allows it to run a SubRoost set with Hurricane / Toxic and Ice Beam / Freeze Dry or even an Agility sweeper set. This means that Articuno could run a Mixed Wall set, but you're not maximizing its full potential.

I'll have to add this to my answer, but, for now, I hope this helped you understand why Articuno isn't as good as a Mixed Wall.

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Defensive and Ice-type in the same sentence… never thought I'd see the day.

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Walrien, Mamoswine / Piloswine, and Avalugg all want to have a word with you. :P

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Technically, normal types are the worst type defensively. They're ranked #18 in defense and special defense.

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But they have one weakness to a type easily covered. Ice-types, on the other hand, have weaknesses to four of the most common attacks in the game: Rock, Fire, Steel and Fighting.

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ground is probably more common than steel or rock.

Answer 2

1-EXTREMELY high defensive stats
A Pokemon with very high defences can be a very good mixed wall. Some examples of this are mega venusaur, mega latias, suicune, umbreon, and (debatably) ferrothorn.

2-Very good in one defensive stat, with a way to boost the other
self explanatory, If you've used one of these before, you know what I mean. Some examples are mega slowbro(calm mind), heatran(will-o-wisp), rotom-wash(will-o-wisp), snorlax(curse), dusclops(will-o-wisp), and swampert, aka the bane of my existence in uu(f*cking scald!)

I'll edit more in if someone has another idea.