shnen
שוני
[Overview]
<p>Mantine returns for the 5th generation, flying low again in NU. While his special bulk is equivalent to the physical bulk of his counterpart, Skarmory, Mantine’s typing lets him down, granting him weaknesses to Stealth Rock and a variety of common types. However, it does give him useful neutrality to Grass-type moves, making him an excellent switch into Gorebyss, and enabling him to hit Grass-types hard with a STAB Hidden Power Flying. In addition, he is granted a Fighting-type resistance and immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Mantine’s ability, Water Absorb, also allows him to switch in on Water-type moves and heal himself. Sadly, Mantine has poor HP and Defense stats, and no instant recovery outside of Rest, which means that he can easily be worn down. Mantine also competes with other defensive Water-types such as Frillish, so one must try and use his Spikes immunity and Grass-type neutrality well to set him apart from other bulky Water-types in the tier.</p>
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Scald
move 4: Hidden Power Flying / Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set takes advantage of Mantine’s fantastic special bulk, which allows makes him a good switch-in to nearly every special attacker lacking an Electric-type move. Rest, which allows Mantine to absorb status and is his only form of instant recovery, is a necessity on this set. Sleep Talk is used to prevent Mantine from becoming a sitting duck whilst asleep. Scald gives Mantine a solid STAB move with a nice burn rate, potentially crippling physical attackers attempting to hit him on his weaker defensive side. Mantine has a few options for the last slot: Hidden Power Flying smacks Grass-types harder than Ice Beam and usually breaks the Substitutes of 0/0 Jynx. It also hits Fighting-types such as Sawk and Throh fairly hard. On the other hand, Toxic cripples more defensively oriented Pokemon that may switch into Mantine, such as Alomomola or Lickilicky (lacking Heal Bell).</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>An alternate EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD lets Mantine take neutral physical hits much better and takes advantage of his good resistances to primarily physical types such as Ground and Fighting, but Mantine’s sub-par physical bulk generally makes it a lackluster choice. In addition, it leaves Mantine open to being KOed by special attacks such as Magmortar’s non-Life Orb Thunderbolt. When one thinks of teammates for Mantine, the most obvious partner that comes to mind is a Pokemon who is able to take Electric-type attacks. Ground-types such as Golem and Quagsire work very well in conjunction with Mantine, as they are immune to Electric-type attacks and resist Rock. Raichu also makes a great partner, getting a boost from Electric-type attacks thanks to his Lightningrod ability while Mantine covers his sole Ground-type weakness.</p>
<p>Mantine really appreciates Rapid Spin support due to his typing, which gives him a weakness to Stealth Rock. Cryogonal is perhaps one’s best bet, as it can take Thunderbolts aimed at Mantine with its fantastic Special Defense, while Mantine resists the Fire- and Fighting-type attacks that Cryogonal is weak to. However, it is not a wise idea to crowd your team with physically frail Pokemon with a weakness to Stealth Rock, so packing a physical wall is a good choice. Tangela in particular does a great job, resisting Electric-type attacks and boasting decent synergy with Mantine. Mantine really enjoys cleric support, waking him up early from his slumbers if needed. Heal Bell Misdreavus and Lickilicky can provide this for him. Aromatherapy Vileplume also makes a great partner, being able to tank Electric-type moves as well as healing Mantine from status.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Although Mantine actually has a surprisingly vast movepool, he lacks the stats to utilize most of it. Signal Beam can be used to hit Pokemon such as Mesprit and Absol on the switch a bit harder than Mantine’s other moves. Ice Beam can be used to hit the Dragon- and Flying-types that Hidden Power Flying misses out on, but Hidden Power Flying provides similar coverage without leaving Mantine walled by Water-types and Jynx. Mirror Coat works well with Mantine’s fantastic Special Defense, but it is foolish to run RestTalk with it, as Mantine will be doing nothing 66% of the time that he is asleep. Haze can be useful for Pokemon who try to set up on Mantine, but most Pokemon who boost their stats in NU can OHKO Mantine after a boost. Mantine can use Rain Dance in tandem with Swift Swim, but will find himself outclassed by more offensive Water-types. Finally, Mantine possesses a surprisingly wide physical movepool, but his dreadful base 40 Attack renders physical sets a complete joke.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>The most obvious way to go about beating Mantine is to exploit his 4x weakness to Electric-type moves. Common users of such moves include Rotom-S, Electabuzz and Raichu. In addition to this, Stone Edge is a widespread coverage move that is used by many physical attackers such as Sawk; in fact, many physical attackers are able to take Mantine out just with their STAB moves if he does not resist them. Substitute + Calm Mind Mesprit can easily come in set up a Substitute on Mantine, and threaten him with Thunderbolt or Psyshock. As mentioned, Jynx carrying Substitute can easily set up on Mantine lacking Hidden Power Flying; even if Mantine has Hidden Power Flying, Jynx can still set up if it uses Lovely Kiss and Mantine is unlucky with Sleep Talk.</p>
[Overview]
- Special Skarmory, so you'd think it'd be better than it is
- Massive special defense.
- Terrible typing really does it in
- Will become infinitely better when Slowking and Lanturn move up, as he is majorly outclassed by them.
- Lanturn is actually a decent partner with him though.
- Mantyke actually has 18% more bulk, and survives many more notable things such as LO magmortar thunderbolt and swellow's facade, but is so much set up fodder with his pitiful base 60 special attack. This comes down to personal preference really.
- SR weakness really hinders him.
- Lack of being able to do anything while walling stuff lets him down (e.g. lay down spikes, shuffle around your opponents team with whirlwind, etc.)
- No recovery apart from rest.
- Nonetheless, MANtine is a bro.
[Set]
Name: Restalk
Move 1: Rest
Move 2: Sleep Talk
Move 3: Scald
Move 4: Hidden Power Flying/Toxic
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP/ 4 Def/ 252 SpD
[Set Comments] - The Spread allows him to do what he's supposed to do, which is wall special hits with his great special defense.
- Rest is his only method of recovery aside from water absorb, and it allows him to continue to tank special hits for a long period of time, as well as making a great status absorber.
- Scald is primarily used for it's 30% burn rate, allowing Mantine potentially cripple the physical attackers that will inevitably be switching in to him.
- The last move depends on who you want to be aiming for: Hidden Power Flying hits Sawk and other fighting types hard, as well as hitting grass types such as roselia while preventing scolipede from setting up hazards (although they are hit hard by scald, and may be running Rock Slide anyway.), while toxic cripples more defensive mons like slowking and cryogonal.
[Additional Comments] - A physically defensive set is viable, allowing Mantine to have a much easier time taking neutral physical hits, and he is no longer 2hkoed by banded Sawk's close combat for example.
- Using Mantine practically requires someone to take electric attacks.
Lanturn makes an good partner due to Volt Absorb, and in addition she has Heal Bell to wake a resting Mantine up early. Mantine can also take Ground attacks aimed at Lanturn. Magneton is also a great partner, resisting both of Mantine's weaknesses as well as being supported by Mantine's ability to take Ground, Electric, and Fire-type attacks. Raichu can also come in on electric attacks used on Mantine and then either set up with Encore/Nasty plot or hit someone hard. - Rapid Spin support really helps Mantine due to his weakness to Stealth Rock, but unfortunately none of them have particularly good synergy with Mantine, as none of them resist electric, and the only one not weak to Rock-type attacks (and SR by extension) is Wartortle, who is another bulky water type, and shares Mantine's Electric weakness.
- Cryogonal is probably your best bet, as it can take thunderbolts aimed at Mantine with his great special defense, while Mantine resists the Fire- and Fighting-type attacks that he is weak to.
- However, it is not best to crowd your team with physically frail SR weak pokemon, so make sure you have pokemon to take physical hits well, Tangela does a good job, resisting Electric attacks and sharing good synergy with Mantine, as well as having regenerator to switch in to tank a hit aimed at Mantine and then switch out.
[Other Options] - Signal beam to hit mesprit (and other psychic types) and absol, but both are likely moving up, and he should not be staying in on either of them, as he risks being set up fodder/dieing anyway.
- Ice Beam could also be used to hit Grass-, Dragon- and Flying- types, but Hidden Power Flying provides similar coverage while not leaving him walled by water types, and there are no special dragons in the tier which is all Mantine would want to come in on.
- Mirror Coat works well with Mantine's great special defense, but Mantine cannot run Restalk with it, and so is left without reliable recovery meaning he cannot use it too much. It is a good option with cleric support however, and in the right circumstances can be game changing.
- Haze can also be used, but due to the lack of boosters how cannot get past Mantine in one shot / do not carry substitute in NU it is not particularly useful, although it can be good for Throh and Duosion.
[Checks and Counters] - Electric attack= gg for Mantine
- Magneton can set up a sub on him and then kill him.
- Lanturn can take both of his STAB moves, heal bell off a toxic, and kill him with an electric move.
- Strong physical attackers can take him out with strong STAB moves, or with Stone Edge which has a wide distribution.
- SubCm Mesprit sets up a sub on him easily and can then proceed to kill him off with thunderbolt or boost all the way to +6, although you should never let this happen of course.
[Dream World] - Water Veil is useless for Mantine as he is only going to be using special attacks and can rest off the burn , and most opponents have better things to be doing then sticking around and trying to burn Mantine anyway. Always go for Water Absorb when using Mantine.