Toxicroak (QC 2/3, written)

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PISTOLERO

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
Toxicroak


What's a Fairy?

Overview
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Toxicroak has lost a large amount of what made it such a solid OU Pokemon in BW. With rain no longer being permanent alongside the rise of Fairy-types and other new tier members to deal with Keldeo and Terrakion, Pokemon that Toxicroak checked very nicely last generation, as well as the legality of Swift Swim users on rain teams, means that it is harder for Toxicroak to find its place on teams in the sixth generation. However, Toxicroak has also gained a huge boost with the introducion of the Fairy-type, granting its Poison typing relevance and solid offensive potential. Overall, whilst Toxicroak has fallen out of OU, it is still a solid choice for teams that need priority, a Fighting-type and a rock solid answer to defensive Water- and Fairy-types, as well as a loose check to various other OU Pokemon.

Underrated
########
name: Underrated
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Swords Dance / Ice Punch
ability: Dry Skin
item: Life Orb / Black Sludge
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant

Moves
========

Gunk Shot had its accuracy buffed to 80 in XY and is Toxicroak's most powerful STAB move, which also has a 30% chance to poison. Drain Punch deals solid amounts of damage and gives Toxicroak a way to restore its HP lost due to Life Orb and other damage. Sucker Punch gives Toxicroak priority and a weapon to use against offensive teams that outspeed it. In the last moveslot, Swords Dance is generally better as it allows Toxicroak to set up on the things it walls and / or threatens out. If you don’t feel like setting up, Ice Punch lets Toxicroak beat up on Landorus-Therian and Gliscor.

Set Details
========

Life Orb Gunk Shot is very powerful (and actually hits this generation), 2HKOing defensive Mega Venusaur as an example. It also rips all variants of Clefable to shreds, and can catch unevolved Gardevoir, as well as dealing significant damage to everything that doesn't resist it. Drain Punch hits Steel-Types supereffectively, gives Toxicroak a means of gaining its health back alongside Dry Skin, and promptly OHKOes Bisharp, allowing Toxicroak to easily check it thanks to its resistance to Sucker Punch. Sucker Punch grants Toxicroak its own priority move, allowing it to take out faster opponents that have taken prior damage or are weak to it. Swords Dance allows Toxicroak to set up on the defensive Water-types that it walls, as well as the various other Pokemon that it threatens out, allowing its Sucker Punch to deal significant damage to faster opponents, and wallbreak against opposing defensive Pokemon. Ice Punch is also an option to nail Gliscor and Landorus-Therian, and also hits Garchomp if it tries to come in, but Landorus-Therian is relatively easy to wear down, and can be poisoned by Gunk Shot if it switches in on it, meaning that Swords Dance tends to be the superior option.

An Adamant nature can be used for more power, but Jolly is superior as Toxicroak is then guaranteed to outspeed Mega Heracross, and at worst speed tie with it pre-evo, and outspeed pre-evo Gardevoir and break its face. It also outspeeds Mamoswine, Gyarados, and once Gyarados starts using Crunch+Waterfall Toxicroak is going to have a field day with it. Finally, Jolly lets Toxicroak take on sand offense reasonably well as it outspeeds Adamant Drill (outside of sand of course), and Toxicroak is easily able to Drain Punch Tyranitar away.

Usage Tips
======

Toxicroak should use its Dry Skin ability to come in on opposing Water moves from the likes of Keldeo, Kingdra and Omastar, restoring its HP and often forcing the opponent out, due to a lot of Swift Swimmers and Keldeo being choice-locked. Toxicroak should also be used a s a check and pivot into Water-type Pokemon, as it is able to take things such as Stone Edge from Kabutops or Ice Beam from Omastar and OHKO them back, with any free turns obtained being used to hit the switchin or set up Swords Dance. Using the immunity to Scald to come in on bulky Water-types such as Alomomola and Suicune works very nicely as well, as neither Scald nor Toxic do anything to Toxicroak, whilst Toxicroak can set up Swords Dance all over them, easily taking weak Ice Beams or other potential coverage moves, and completely walling Calm Mind Suicune.

Team Options
========

Politoed and other things that go well on rain work nicely. Toxicroak benefits from the rain itself to continually restore its HP, and eats opposing rain teams, whose choice-locked Swift Swimmers are ruined as they can’t spam their Water moves anymore, and is also able to Drain Punch Ferrothorn for supereffective damage. Rain teams also deal with Sand Drill, with Toxicroak being able to Drain Punch Tyranitar whilst also living anything that isn’t Earthquake from +1 Mega Tyranitar. Toxicroak can also work on sand itself to deal with opposing rain teams, bulky waters and take on Keldeo. You can also take a couple of hits from Terrakion as you resist its dual STAB, and easily OHKO it back.

Anything walled or checked by bulky Waters appreciate Toxicroak’s ability to come in on them. Coming in on Azumarill’s moves apart from Play Rough works very nicely and you can’t get sniped by Aqua Jet, and Toxicroak is also a perfect check to Belly Drum variants as it is completely immune to Aqua Jet. Teams with weaknesses to things such as Keldeo, Azumarill, etc really appreciate Toxicroak’s ability to take them on.

Offensive teams that have trouble with Bisharp and Clefable appreciate Toxicroak being able to Drain Punch the former and Gunk Shot the latter for easy OHKOs. A Flying Spam check such as Raikou or Manectric is appreciated, and they both like Toxicroak’s ability to deal with Clefable, which walls them both. Checks to Ground-Types, such as Ferrothorn and Landorus-Therian, are very nice. Landorus can also take Specs Secret Sword from Keldeo quite nicely, allowing Toxicroak to pivot into Keldeo nicely.

Other Options
########

Substitute can protect Toxicroak from status and give it a shield against potential revenge killers. Taunt can also prevent status, whilst also stopping opposing Leech Seeds, Defogs, hazards or recovery. Bulk Up is an interesting option that allows Toxicroak to take a more defensive approach to increasing its stats, but works best alongside Substitute, which in turn limits Toxicroak's coverage significantly. Specially based sets with Sludge Bomb, Focus Blast,

Nasty Plot, Vacuum Wave, Dark Pulse, and Hidden Power can catch usual checks to Toxicroak off guard. Belch, Focus Blast / Vacuum Wave, Nasty Plot and Substitute with a Salac Berry can work quite nicely as Belch continues to function even if Toxicroak switches out.

Knock Off can be useful to deal significant damage to defensive Psychic-types at +2, but it means giving up valuable priority in Sucker Punch. Finally, Thunderpunch can be used to hit Water-types supereffectively and outspeed and OHKO Gyarados.

Checks & Counters:
########

**Flying-type Priority**: Talonflame and Mega Pinsir easily KO Toxicroak with Brave Bird and Quick Attack respectively.

**Ground-Types**: Landorus-Therian can easily switch in on anything that isn't Ice Punch, with Scarf variants outspeeding and easily OHKOing any variant with Earthquake. Gliscor completely walls any Toxicroak without Ice Punch, does not care about Gunk Shots chance to poison, and can also KO with Earthquake. Finally, Hippowdon can wall Toxicroak and OHKO it with Earthquake.

**Charizard**: Both variants of Charizard outspeed and easily OHKO Toxicroak with their Fire-type STAB. Charizard Y needs to watch out for +2 Sucker Punch after Stealth Rock, however.

**Mega Gardevoir**: Whilst Mega Gardevoir is outsped if it is not Mega Evolved, after Mega Evolving it can easily tank a Sucker Punch and deliver a swift OHKO with either Psyshock or Hyper Voice.

**Faster mons with supereffective moves**: Landorus-Incarnate, Extrasensory Greninja, Staraptor and others can all take a Sucker Punch and OHKO Toxicroak.

**Skarmory**: Skarmory walls Toxicroak and OHKOes it with Brave Bird or Counter, whilst whirlwinding away any attempts to set up with Swords Dance.

**fast Will-O-Wisp Mew**: Mew can burn Toxicroak whilst avoiding Sucker Punch with Softboiled, can Knock Off Toxicroak's item, and resists Drain Punch.

**Psyshock / Fire Blast Slowbro**: Slowbro with either move can wall Toxicroak and retaliate with an OHKO. Thunder Wave variants can somewhat cripple Toxicroak but are set up on to a degree.
 
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You forgot to mention the ability on the first set.

Perhaps, if Dry-Skin, you could make a section named Fire-types.
just my opinion :]

correct me if im wrong
 

alexwolf

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Aside from the Pokemon Toxicroak checks, mention how it's a solid sweeper and wallbreaker on rain teams.

SD > Ice Punch and should be slashed first. SD allows you to sweep against both offensive and defensive teams when certain Pokemon have been eliminated, some of which Toxicroak can even lure and weaken itself, such as Landorus-T, which is very easy to wear down if it gets poisoned by Gunk Shot as it switches in.

Mention teammates to check Ground-types, such as Landorus-T and Ferrothorn.

Remove Pursuit from OO.

Add Ground-types in checks and counters, almost all of them can check or counter Toxicroak (Lando-T, Gliscor, Hippowdon, Quagsire).

Mega Scizor doesn't wall Toxicroak, +2 Drain Punch 2HKOes even the bulkiest Mega Scizor sets.

Add Skarmory in checks and counters, it takes a +2 Drain Punch easily and OHKOes with Brave Bird / Counter.

Add Psyshock Slowbro and fast WoW Mew, if you are using Adamant for the latter. Also, Cresselia.

QC APPROVED 1 / 3
 
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tehy

Banned deucer.
Gardy and slowbro? What

...?

If slowbro doesn't have psyshock, but i don't see why it wouldn't and this is iffy as fuck. Voir, forget about it.
 

tehy

Banned deucer.
The first part's irrelevant as a check unless you double switch into it, the second is nice but this is still a subpar-ass check; you don't switch in well and barely do over 50% w/prio?

Edit:
232 SpA Pixilate Mega Gardevoir Hyper Voice vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Toxicroak: 319-376 (103.9 - 122.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
(319, 322, 327, 330, 334, 337, 342, 345, 349, 352, 357, 360, 364, 367, 372, 376)
 

boltsandbombers

i'm sorry mr. man
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I really hope that this analysis doesn't turn into a 3 page tehy argument... *cough* gourgeist *cough*

Edit: I can't say most Slowbro carry psyshock, but you should mention in usage tips that it's important to scout for its coverage move. If grass knot, you're safe. Psyshock and Fire blast both bop toxicroak, and they also commonly carry thunder wave which screws it over. And yeah, toxicroak cannot switch in on mega gardevoir, but dealing some damage in a tight situation with sucker punch is nice.
 
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He has a legitimate point though; most Slowbro carry Psyshock, and you don't switch into Mega Gardevoir unless its at 50% or you can get in for free.
 

tehy

Banned deucer.
I don't even understand what you are saying
Bottom line: you check it untransformed, i.e. almost never, since it transforms first chance it gets

Psyshock39.518%
Psychic18.755%
Fire Blast18.661%

Fire Blast 2hitkoes and you don't, so 75% of slowbro win even if you switch in for free. So, yea...

Don't want to argue? Suck it up then- you can't make blatantly bad assertions, defend them badly, then state you don't want to argue about it.
 

PISTOLERO

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
On Boltsandbombers' advice i am going to completely ignore the negative, boring user above me who as I have seen in many OU analyses seems to thrive on creating conflict, being extremely negative and arguing constantly. I would advise everyone else do the same to be honest.

From my experience and from having just asked in the OU room, Scald/Grass Knot/Thunder Wave/Slack Off is the Slowbro most commonly used now as it deals with Keldeo + Gyarados simultaneously. Notice that I SPECIFICALLY said you can check UNEVOLVED Gardevoir, and that you can deal with Slowbro WITHOUT Psyshock, although Thunder Wave is obviously infuriating. You can also CHECK it with Sucker Punch if it is WEAKENED (maybe it switched in on Lati@s's Psyshock earlier).

Could we please focus on the analysis itself? Avoiding a 2HKO from Keldeo mandates a huge amount of investment or Impish nature, which I think is kindof bad. It was good last gen alongside Substitute and Bulk Up etc thanks to permanent rain but now you really want your Poison move.

Also, what do you guys think of Poison Jab? It doesn't miss but i'm pretty sure it misses out on a couple of OHKOes and 2HKOs. Also, excuse any mistakes in my analysis writing, I'm used to writing Arceus analyses etc in the Ubers subforum which is why I paid no attention to the ability etc lmao.
 

tehy

Banned deucer.
On Boltsandbombers' advice i am going to completely ignore the negative, boring user above me who as I have seen in many OU analyses seems to thrive on creating conflict, being extremely negative and arguing constantly. I would advise everyone else do the same to be honest.
I post good stuff when it's necessary, bad stuff when it's necessary. Ad hominem is for weaklings, up your game plz.
From my experience and from having just asked in the OU room, Scald/Grass Knot/Thunder Wave/Slack Off is the Slowbro most commonly used now as it deals with Keldeo + Gyarados simultaneously. Notice that I SPECIFICALLY said you can check UNEVOLVED Gardevoir, and that you can deal with Slowbro WITHOUT Psyshock, although Thunder Wave is obviously infuriating. You can also CHECK it with Sucker Punch if it is WEAKENED (maybe it switched in on Lati@s's Psyshock earlier).
Still a really iffy check with sucker and unevolved mega garde is just garde who hasn't moved at all in the battle yet.

Could we please focus on the analysis itself? Avoiding a 2HKO from Keldeo mandates a huge amount of investment or Impish nature, which I think is kindof bad. It was good last gen alongside Substitute and Bulk Up etc thanks to permanent rain but now you really want your Poison move.
252 SpA Choice Specs Keldeo Secret Sword vs. 120 HP / 0+ Def Toxicroak: 134-158 (39.7 - 46.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
(134, 135, 137, 138, 140, 141, 144, 145, 147, 148, 150, 151, 153, 154, 156, 158)

252 SpA Choice Specs Keldeo Secret Sword vs. 204 HP / 0 Def Toxicroak: 147-174 (41 - 48.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
(147, 149, 150, 153, 154, 156, 158, 159, 161, 163, 165, 166, 168, 170, 171, 174)

The second is probably better overall.

Adamant sharp is really all you need in that range; maybe adamant mega hera, but other than that you lack the evs to take dual secrets.

Also, what do you guys think of Poison Jab? It doesn't miss but i'm pretty sure it misses out on a couple of OHKOes and 2HKOs. Also, excuse any mistakes in my analysis writing, I'm used to writing Arceus analyses etc in the Ubers subforum which is why I paid no attention to the ability etc lmao.
Not a big fan; gunk shot's your only real strong move and helps you muscle past some defensive stuff you really want to muscle past. Without it, you really lack a strong option to just click.

Also, takes on conk and kabu, espc. Kabu.
 
Toxicroak is not a check to Gardevoir, because Gard can outspeed and OHKO with Psyshock.

You need to make some mention of Doublade, while it is not common outside of stall, Toxicroak needs to be at +2 to 2HKO it with Sucker Punch, whereas Doublade does 48-57% back with Iron Head (Adamant 16 Attack EVs).
 

alexwolf

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Guys, stop this. Mega Gardevoir should be removed from the analysis, Toxicroak can at best win in a 1 v 1 scenario, which isn't worthy of mentioning. Also, Toxicroak beats and can set up on Psyshock-less Slowbro, that is obvious.
 
little thing, can't we just fuse 'Add Psyshock Slowbro and fast WoW Mew, if you are using Adamant for the latter. Also, Cresselia. ' To a section named bulky Psychic-types with these as examples?
 
Guys, stop this. Mega Gardevoir should be removed from the analysis, Toxicroak can at best win in a 1 v 1 scenario, which isn't worthy of mentioning. Also, Toxicroak beats and can set up on Psyshock-less Slowbro, that is obvious.
I thought Slowbro tend to carry Thunder Wave...
 
Atm since I'm on a phone I can't say much but I'm surprised that you even got one check without an overview. You need to actually write up an overview, so you may want to do that.
 

Valentine

Banned deucer.
ben gay mah nigga wanna pass your subsalac belch set?

1/3 the set listed is probably the only acceptable one; i like the one ben gay might post here also :]
 
lol idk if my set is good enough for a general set since i gave it a good amount of support but oh well here goes:

Toxicroak @ Salac Berry
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Substitute
- Nasty Plot
- Belch
- Focus Blast

i call it belchlorde *-*. this is just a specially based set with the added benefit of having sweeping potential rather than it just being able to wallbreak. how it works is that when you have the opportunity to set up, sub all the way down to 25% in which salac activates. from there you can decide to either kill off the mon or set up an np, depending on the situation. belch activates after you consume a berry, which is a base 120 spammable stab poison move. it also works even if you switch out, you just have to consume a berry. so what you have on your hands is a +2 toxicroak at +1 speed with the added utility of running substitute :o. of course this set is walled by a few mons such as lando, scor and gengar. a good partner for it would be thundurus as it can outspeed and threaten to ohko both of them with the approriate coverage. this set is designed to lategame sweep against offense(where most priority users would be dead by now) or early game wallbreak against more defensive teams.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/oususpecttest-145440249 this is the only replay i found of me using it, albeit being a tad dated. i paired it with sd mawile as it softens them up for croak to sweep with memento latios to help set up. support options lie in me using utility thundurus with scarfsharp, as they both can neutralize faster threats or assist against bulkier teams like the one shown in the replay. haven't used this set in a while so it could be revamped with better partners for the current meta, but croak is indeed a threat given the right support; due to the versatility it provides to a team both offensively and defensively.
 

aim

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Idk i feel that should be mentioned in oo if anything. It just sounds really situational. And with all the priority around. What do you think Jukain
 

Jukain

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yea while that does sound really cool i honestly just feel like it lacks the consistency espec with different priorities and how difficult it can be to set up vs offenses even with your normal toxicroak, oo makes sense
 
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