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Poison Point
- Enemies' contact moves have a 30% chance of poisoning them.
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Rivalry
- Move power depends on gender of the opponent.
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Level 100 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
81
|
- |
303 |
366 |
- |
| Atk |
92
|
198 |
220 |
283 |
311 |
| Def |
77
|
171 |
190 |
253 |
278 |
| SpA |
85
|
185 |
206 |
269 |
295 |
| SpD |
75
|
167 |
186 |
249 |
273 |
| Spe |
85
|
185 |
206 |
269 |
295 |
Overview
Thanks to its massive movepool and key resistances to Electric-, Fighting-, and Rock-type attacks, Nidoking is able to fulfill a role on nearly any team. Although it might seem outclassed by fellow wallbreaker Blaziken, Nidoking boasts the ability to single-handily dismantle the hugely popular Fire-Water-Grass core thanks to its diverse movepool. Nidoking's typing grants it immunities to both Thunder Wave and Toxic, allowing it to switch into the likes of Registeel and Chansey with ease, which is something Blaziken cannot do. If you need a Pokemon to break through walls, revenge kill, or sweep late-game, definitely consider Nidoking for a slot on your team, as it is certainly a force to be reckoned with in the UU metagame.
Nidoking's main attraction is its awesome type coverage, and this set abuses that coverage to the fullest, making it hard for the opponent to predict around it. The main advantage of using this set over a purely physical one is this set's ability to take care of Water- and Grass-type Pokemon with super effective assaults. The 80 Attack EVs guarantee an OHKO on Chansey with Superpower if it switches into Earth Power with Stealth Rock in play, while Pokemon such as Registeel can barely scratch Nidoking and are 2HKOed by STAB Earth Power. Ice Beam and Thunderbolt create the BoltBeam combo, which hits a good portion of the metagame for super effective damage and is only resisted by Magneton, Lanturn, and Shedinja in UU, the former two which are destroyed by Earth Power. This set is meant to be an effective wallbreaker, weakening and dismantling walls so that your late-game sweeper can sweep with ease.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
While Nidoking can easily take care of the previously mentioned walls, Nidoking is somewhat limited in breaking others because of the lack of power on the physical side. However, Nidoking makes up for that with its Speed, and with the given EVs, it outspeeds neutral natured base 80s. If you would like, you can transfer 44 Speed EVs to Attack, allowing Nidoking to effectively use Earthquake. This allows Nidoking to beat specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey and Clefable, and gives it a much easier time plowing through stall teams.
Since Nidoking can still be switched into and outsped by positive natured base 80 Pokemon, most notably Venusaur and Blaziken, defensive teammates are greatly appreciated to sponge hits for Nidoking. Venusaur is a great partner, as it can take incoming Water- and Grass-type attacks directed at Nidoking and incapacitate opposing Pokemon with Sleep Powder. Slowbro and Slowking are good teammates as well, as they can switch into Blaziken and other Fire-types with relative ease and threaten them with their Water-type STAB attacks. Entry hazards are extremely useful, as they can turn many potential 2HKOs into OHKOs for Nidoking. Uxie can set up Stealth Rock while crippling faster sweepers with Thunder Wave, allowing Nidoking to plow through the opponent's team later in the match. Nidoking attracts a lot of Ghost- and Psychic-types, so Spiritomb and Drapion are ideal partners, as they are unaffected by Psychic-type attacks and can proceed to trap and KO Ghost- and Psychic-types with Pursuit.
Nidoking fares well against most common leads, having access to both Taunt and Stealth Rock. This set focuses on setting up entry hazards while at the same time preventing slower leads from setting up any of their own. Steelix, Omastar, and Kabutops are all outsped and can be Taunted on the first turn, and then KOed by Earth Power the next; however, Kabutops usually carries Focus Sash and a priority move in Aqua Jet, so immediately attacking it with Earth Power is recommended. As mentioned above, Taunt is great not only for preventing the opposing team's entry hazards from being dispensed, but also for stopping status inducers both early- and mid-game, something most anti-leads do not have access to. Setting up Stealth Rock early in the match puts pressure on the opponent, and is a good method to reduce the presence of threats such as Moltres and Scyther. Earth Power is Nidoking's primary STAB move and enables it to effectively eliminate Omastar and Steelix leads. Ice Beam rounds off this set's coverage, boasting great synergy with Earth Power and hitting Grass-types that resist Nidoking's STAB attack for super effective damage. Toxic Spikes is an option to consider, although it is worth noting that Poison-types are quite common which would render Nidoking's Toxic Spiking attempts moot. Focus Sash allows Nidoking to deal with priority priority users such as Kabutops in a better manner and allows Nidoking to survive if you mispredict. For instance, if you Taunt Mesprit assuming it will use Stealth Rock only to be met with Psychic, you'll get a second chance to outplay your opponent.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Spiritomb is an ideal partner, as it can switch in on leads that Nidoking has problems with, most notably Ambipom and Uxie, and set up them or Pursuit them as they attempt to switch out. Compared to Drapion, Nidoking can set up Toxic Spikes with less pressure, thanks to its ability to deal with common spinners and Poison-types that would usually switch into it to absorb Toxic Spikes. A common example of a Rapid Spin user is Donphan, who can easily switch into Drapion and proceed to spin away the entry hazards or Earthquake Drapion to oblivion. Nidoking, however, has Ice Beam, which can easily 2HKO Donphan, and Earth Power, which can annihilate common Poison-types such as Toxicroak and Drapion.
This set focuses solely on Nidoking's huge special movepool. Earth Power starts off the set, scoring a KO on most Rock- and Steel-types who lack the special bulk to take an Earth Power. As stated previously, Ice Beam and Thunderbolt form the Boltbeam combo, pairing nicely and having good coverage with Earth Power, hitting a good portion of the metagame for super effective damage. The last slot features both Shadow Ball and Thunder, both of which have their advantages. Shadow Ball is a reliable means of destroying Levitators that are weak to Ghost-type moves, such as Rotom and Mismagius, while Thunder, despite its shaky accuracy, has a chance to KO Milotic if it switches into Earth Power.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Since this set only hits from the special side, having a teammate that can remove specially defensive walls before Nidoking attempts to sweep is useful. Blaziken is a good choice, capable of destroying both Chansey and Clefable, two common walls. Pokemon with Trick are good teammates as well, crippling Pokemon that prevent Nidoking from attempting a sweep. Dugtrio, despite sharing a lot of weaknesses with Nidoking, is another excellent teammate, trapping special walls thanks to its ability and finishing them off with its STAB Earthquake. A Timid nature allows Nidoking to outspeed positive nature base 80 Speed Pokemon that would normally switch in on Nidoking and attempt to finish it off, only to find themselves at the mercy of a STAB Earth Power or Ice Beam. Fire Blast is an option to consider as it can nail Venusaur, who would usually survive an Ice Beam, but apart from that it does not have many uses.
This set aims to take advantage of Nidoking's decent Attack stat and good physical movepool. Earthquake is Nidoking's primary attack, with the rest of the set offering great type coverage. As most people would expect Nidoking to carry Earth Power, this set a good way to lure and destroy special tanks and Registeel, who usually pack few Defense EVs. Stone Edge is for Flying-types such as Altaria and Moltres; Megahorn rips through Grass-types such as Tangrowth and Leafeon, as well as severely denting Uxie and Mesprit, both of which are immune to Nidoking's STAB attacks; and Sucker Punch is a somewhat reliable priority move for taking out faster threats such as Rotom and Mismagius, although it allows Substitute Mismagius and Rotom to set up on Nidoking if the opponent predicts well. The EVs are set to maximize Nidoking's Attack and Speed, allowing it to outspeed common base 80 Speed Pokemon such as Blaziken and Venusaur and proceed to destroy them with Earthquake.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
This set is focused on taking out weakened counters and sweeping, rather than weakening and taking out walls like the mixed sets. Superpower is definitely an option to consider, as it allows Nidoking to easily dispose of Chansey and Clefable, both of whom aren't OHKOed by Earthquake. Pursuit users such as Spiritomb and Drapion can take care of Pokemon with Levitate, as the majority of them are Ghost- and Psychic-types, allowing Nidoking to sweep with Earthquake late-game. Nidoking is an excellent recipient of Swords Dance boosts, as it outspeeds a good portion of the metagame with a Jolly nature and needs the boost in its power to expand the number of targets it can OHKO. Dealing with potential revenge killers before attempting a sweep is vital. Milotic and Tangrowth can take incoming hits well and retaliate with an attack or status. Nidoking benefits from Pokemon who can take attacks from opponents who try to revenge kill it, or Pokemon who can take a hit and KO back. Milotic, Steelix, and even Regirock are threats to Nidoking, since all three are able to take an Earthquake and KO back with Surf or Earthquake, respectively. Including a Tangrowth in your team can remedy this problem as it can take Surf and Earthquake all day, while also threatening the aforementioned Pokemon with its STAB Power Whip.
Other Options
You can utilize Nidoking's primary STAB with Sludge Bomb and Poison Jab, but the other moves listed in Nidoking's sets provide greater super effective coverage. Surf is another option, although Nidoking's Ground-type STAB paired with Ice Beam gives the same coverage, but it has its uses against Rhyperior. Dragon Pulse is another option, although with Altaria being the only common Dragon-type in UU, it is not worth running, and Ice Beam does more damage anyway. Aqua Tail's only benefit is that it can hit Moltres, which is not affected by Earthquake. Apart from that, it does not provide any good coverage and is outclassed by Earthquake. Fire Blast is a good choice on the Classic Mixed set as it can KO Venusaur, who would usually outspeed Nidoking before it can 2HKO with Ice Beam. Focus Punch, if used on the physical set, can OHKO Chansey, although it would require Nidoking to perhaps use Substitute to ensure it hits. Rivalry can provide a very welcome boost provided Nidoking is facing a male opponent, although Nidoking will have its offense dropped when facing a Pokemon of the opposite gender. However, a boosting item such as Life Orb does compensate for this somewhat. Overall, though, Poison Point is the safer ability.
Checks and Counters
Due to its massive movepool, countering Nidoking is by no means an easy task. The best way to "counter" it is to send in a generic wall, find out Nidoking's set and item, and work from there. Milotic is a good counter due to its impressive bulk and ability to sponge almost any attack that Nidoking is capable of throwing at it. Weezing is not weak to any of Nidoking's attacks and can cripple it with Will-O-Wisp, although it should watch out for Taunt variants. Chansey and Clefable can easily wall the special set and slowly finish it off with Seismic Toss, while the latter can actually use it as setup fodder for stacking up Calm Mind boosts. Physical sets are stopped cold by Donphan, which can easily take any of Nidoking's attacks and retaliate with STAB Earthquake. Any fast Pokemon that can use a super effective move can easily revenge kill Nidoking. Espeon is a good example, as it can Substitute to scout for Sucker Punch as well as OHKO Nidoking with STAB Psychic. Mismagius and Rotom in general aren't the best of counters, but they are immune to Nidoking's Ground-type STAB attack, and can Substitute on an incoming Sucker Punch or dismantle Nidoking with Will-O-Wisp. Positive Speed natured Venusaur can come in on various sets not running a Jolly or Timid nature and proceed to hit Nidoking with Leaf Storm or put it to sleep via Sleep Powder.
