Slowbro (BW2 Revamp) [QC 0/3]

[Scarfwynaut]

[Overview]

• Slowbro received Regnerator this generation, allowing to to passively heal
• Regenetator + solid defenses allow Slowbro to wall out many threats in the metagame
• a vast attack movepool which allows Slowbro to take on a variety of threats
• despite being a solid physical tank, its weak to the common Scizor, Tyranitar, and Breloom
• thanks to its Psychic-typing, Slowbro is weak to Pursuit
• outside of directly taking down threats, Slowbro provides very little team support
• Slowbro is set up bait for most special attackers
• in order for one to use Slowbro effectively you need to cover its weaknesses to common threats, and provide team support on other Pokemon

[SET]
name: Physical Tank
move 1: Scald
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Psychic / Thunder Wave
move 4: Slack Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA

[SET COMMENTS]

• Slowbro's best set which allows it to effectively counter and check many physical threats in the metagame
• Slowbro just has to switch into a threat it can take on and damage it with the appropriate move, Slowbro can do this without much worries thanks to Regenerator
• Scald is Slowbro's main STAB attack option, Scald can cripple opposing Pokemon with a burn. Scald is a great move to use on predicted switch ins as well, just for the chance to burn.
• With Ice Beam Slowbro can counter Dragon-types such such as Garchomp, Dragonite, and Salamence and Ground-types like physical Landorus, Landorus-T, and Gliscor.
• Psychic is a solid STAB attack which allows Slowbro to counter Toxicroak, Conkeldurr, Cloyster, and to more effectively combat Gyarados and Terrakion. With Psychic Slowbro can also check Keldeo, SubPunch Breloom, and Tentacruel
• Thunder Wave can be used to cripple opposing pokemon who think they can switch in for free, but you do lose coverage
• Slack Off is additional recovery so Slowbro can actively recovery damage if need be. Slack off is particular useful against U-Turn Pokemon, so you can recover the damage they did before they used U-Turn, and if Slowbro does get worn down by stronger hits like Mamoswine's Choice Band Earthquake.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

• The EVs maximize Slowbro's bulk so it can take on physical threats. More special attack EVs can be used to take on specific threats, for example 60 special attack EVs guarantee a 1HKO on Garchomp after rocks. Losing physical bulk is rarely worth the trade. Slowbro is already close to being 1HKOed and 2HKOed by Swords Dance and Choice Band Terrakion respectfully.
• Relaxed and 29 speed IVs can be used to make sure you never take full damage from Conkeldurr's payback, however such a set is rare and the speed loss is rarely worth it when facing Forretress, Amoonguss, and opposing Slowbro.
• Slowbro has a wide movepool, so there are plenty of moves to toy with, if you use other moves, use them over Psychic, as it not necessarily required to be effective, or Slack Off, as Slowbro already has recovery in Regenerator.
• Fire Blast and Flamethrower roast Ferrothorn, Forretress, and Scizor, however they are useless against other threats. Also those 3 are very effectively crippled by Scald and its burn, Slowbro has no business staying in on any of these Pokemon anyway.
• Toxic can be used to cripple opposing Pokemon, particularly special attackers switching in, Slowbro's listed options are generally superior though.
• Psyshock is an alternative to hit Gyarados and Terrakion in the sand harder, but does little else and makes Slowbro vulnerable to Conkeldurr.
• Stealth Rock is appreciates to weaken down threats, in particular hazard damage allows Slowbro to better counter Garchomp, Cloyster, and Dragonite
• Slowbro weak to Scizor and is complete set up bait to Swords Dance Scizor, a counter for it is required. Gliscor and Skarmory make excellent partners. Jellicent can be used for Scizor, but the overlapping Water-type makes it difficult to pair with. Fire Punch Jirachi is an excellent Scizor check if need be.
• A Rock-type resist helps in taking Stone Edges for Slowbro if need be, Tyranitar, Jirachi and Hippowdon all make excellent partners, they also counter or check opposing Tyranitar as well and set up rocks.
• Amoonguss makes an interesting partner for their dual regeneration ability, however such a core is completely devoid on team support outside of countering threats.
• Skarmory and Amoonguss make great partners also to counter Breloom (after a sleep sack of course)

[Other Options]

• Specs set: Surf / Fire Blast / Ice Beam or Psychic / Grass Knot, there are better Pokemon for the job
• Calm Mind can be used, but there are better options both in moves and Pokemon (I was thinking calm mind could be an AC option to just tag on if you want, thoughts?)
• Blizzard > Ice Beam on hail teams
• Trick Room on trick room teams
• Hidden Power Electric allows Slowbro to counter Gyarados and Cloyster better
• Yawn, Disable, Light Screen, Substitute, Foul Play, Icy Wind I guess

[Checks and Counters]

• Despite its wide movepool, Slowbro is still easily check and counted by common special and physical attackers
• Gastrodon, Celebi, Starmie, Vaporeon, Jellicent, Blissey, Chansey and Reunicles take every move fine
• Calm Mind Latias likes to get burned (what a freak)
• Rotom-W, Kyurem, Magnezone and Latios are not to worried about getting burned and take all Slowbro's moves fine
• Ferrothorn can come in and proceed to set up Spikes or Stealth Rock if Slowbro lacks Flamethrower or Fire Blast
• Jolteon, Thundurus-T, Alakazam, Gengar, Volcarona and Hydregion can't come in easily, but they all 1HKO
• Tyranitar and Scizor to massive damage with Crunch and U-Turn or Bug Bite respectively, and can trap and kill a weakened Slowbro with Pusuit
• Swords Dance Breloom threatens to 1HKO with bullet seed

[PK Gaming]

Thunder Wave needs to get a secondary slash with Psychic on the main set, it's part of the reason Slowbro is so annoying to deal with in OU. Thunder Wave ruins offensive checks like Lati@s, Dragons, Weavile and anything unfortunate enough to switch into that doesn't have any ability that negates its effects. Even Rotom-W doesn't like taking a Thunder Wave because it kills its Speed stat, and can cause it to get haxed down the line. It's too powerful of a move to be placed in AC.

You should look into testing Specs Slowbro in OU. In addition to being a check to Physical Attackers and having Regenerator, it hits like a truck and has Flamethrower to mess up Ferrothorn (but you probably want to use this thing on a rain team so...) Nothing really overshadows it imo, I think you should give it a chance. (I'll try it out on the ladder and get back to you).

small nitpick but

Calm Mind Latias likes to get burned (what a freak)

Nothing likes to get burned. A burn is an extra 12% damage per turn, effectively negating leftovers, forces it to recover more, and if Latias so happens to be in the sand, god help her soul.

[Scarfwynaut]

Added Thunder Wave next to Psychic, although I do feel that it is overall an inferior option, I will test it out. Odd as it might seem, it might also be worth slashing next to Slack Off as well.

I am going to try to put this in the nicest way I can: I think the specs set is an incredibly poor set for Slowbro that is just outclassed. The specs set is also directly opposed to the way I play, so I can't really test it out. If QC deems it to a worth while set, I am going to have to give up on this analysis, I don't have the experience or the belief in its usefulness to write about it.

[PK Gaming]

I don't want to hold you up SW. My thoughts on Specs are purely based on conjecture, so if you aren't really comfortable with writing it up, that's cool. There's no overwhelming NEED to have the Specs set up for Slowbro anyway, someone else can write it up if they feel strongly about it.


QC Approved 1/3

[jc104]

The set I see at the moment is fine. Could you add Trick as a slash to the Specs set in OO, and add offensive TR (not necessarily on a TR team) to OO too.


QC Approved 2

According to our new QC rules, you should wait 48 hours after PK Gaming's check, and then write the set up before receiving another approval. However, bearing in mind that the rules only came in after PKGaming's check, it would be good if you could wait for 48 hours after this one before posting your writeup. This should give enough time for any objections to be raised.

Also, I would like someone to look into Specs/OTR at some point, since, apart from anything, slowking currently has those sets and I can't see why Slowbro can't do them either.