Toxicroak (Placeholder)

STATUS: let's get it started in here


http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/toxicroak

[Overview]

• Toxicroak's acceptable defensive stats, combined with Bulk Up and the rapid recovery afforded by Dry Skin and Drain Punch, make it very hard to take down.
• Without a boost it's folding if it takes a hit.
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• Overall, Toxicroak isn't very different. The game around it, though, is far kinder to it, with Politoed everywhere.

[SET]
name: Bulky Toxicroak
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Taunt/Substitute
move 3: Drain Punch
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Leftovers
nature: Adamant
ability: Dry Skin
evs: 244 HP/252 Atk/12 Def

Set Description:

• Come in on something that you can set up on and set up. Taunt prevents most phazers from working. Substitute protects you from status.
• Once Toxicroak is set up, you can't kill it in the rain.
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• Speed investment isn't worth much; Toxicroak is plodding at best anyway

Additional Comments:

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Teammates and Counters:

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[SET]
name: BaitCroak
move 1: Cross Chop
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: X-Scissor
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly
ability: Dry Skin
evs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe

Set Description:

• Takes out enemy weather-inducers, which love to come in on Toxicroak
• Dry Skin sucks for this purpose, but is essential to keep the bluff up
• A little gimmicky, but used right will allow your real Rain sweepers to prosper
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Additional Comments:

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Teammates and Counters:

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[Team Options]

• Politoed is vital to set up rain. Without rain, Toxicroak is just an average Fighting-type.
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[Optional Changes]

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[Counters]

• Ninetales removes Toxicroak's beloved Rain and kills it dead with Special Fire attacks.
• For that matter, Tyranitar or Hippowdon will kill off Toxicroak, as well.
• Dragon Tail/Overhead Throw will work, if you can keep it from having another chance to set up.
• And, of course, Psychic attacks will brutalize Toxicroak.

[Dream World]

• Without Dry Skin, Toxicroak is nothing.
• Poison Hand isn't useful anyway; it keeps you from inflicting a better status like Burn or Sleep.

You should add a Swords Dance set on when you get the chance, it was very effective last generation and it sees a lot of use this gen as well. Good luck!

elDino said:

You should add a Swords Dance set on when you get the chance, it was very effective last generation and it sees a lot of use this gen as well. Good luck!

Click to expand...

Second this. Swords Dance/Drain Punch/Sucker Punch/Taunt worked wonderfully on my rain team. With a little modification, it can also counter rain teams as well.

Also, balloon. Lets you set up on way more things.

A Swords Dance set should be somewhere in the OP.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Substitute / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
nature: Adamant
ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Personally, I think that's the best set for a Toxicroak. Tyranitar can't just come in and shit all over it, because only ScarfTar is going to be out-speeding, and Drain Punch is a OHKO through and through. Hippowdon is 2HKOed by +2 Drain Punch, so you have a chance to beat it. A 252 HP | 252 Def Ninetales is 2HKOed by +0 Drain Punch with Stealth Rock down, and seeing as no one actually uses Defense EVs on a Ninetales, you'll be sure to 2HKO with Drain Punch. Should be mentioned that Roobushin's most common attacks (Drain Punch/Mach Punch/Payback or Stone Edge) are resisted by Toxicroak, and even with mediocre Defenses, Dry Skin and Leftovers are really helping out there.

Nasty Plot set deserves at least OC mention. Based on the last generation, something like

- Nasty Plot
- Vaccum Wave
- Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast or Sludge Bomb

Second the NP set. Very surprising to Toxicroak's physical counters and STAB NP boosted Vacuum Wave can revenge kill many annoying threats.

You could mention that Toxicroak's typing allows it to switch in on a few common attacks, namely Fighting, Bug, and (Stealth) Rock. He also resists Dark and Grass, so you could also mention that he has a nice defensive typing in general. Just a thought.

All right. I'll test NP/Swords Dance sets tomorrow and get to work on revising this once I'm comfortable with Croak in the post-banning metagame.

Also, going to note that Tyranitar's only a counter to Bulk Up Toxicroak if it hasn't set up yet. A +1/+1 or better Croak can survive Tyranitar's attacks and OHKO back with Drain Punch before leaving to bring something else in.

I just started playing PO on smogon's server and Toxicroak has been performing pretty well in this meta.

-immune to toxic
-absorbs toxic spikes
-water immunity, notable boiling water immunity
-loves the rain
-multiple priority options

I've been saving Toxicroak for late game sweeping once the dragons are gone unless there are toxic spikes on the field. This set has worked well:

Jolly with leftovers (252 Att, 252 Spd)
-substitue
-bulk up
-drain punch
-sucker punch

He lasts forever in the rain!

I plan on trying this mixed priority set to counter fast threats like Excadrill and Cloyster:

Rash with leftovers (252 Att, 252 Spd)
-substitute
-cheer up
-sucker punch
-vacuum wave

Same as with this thread. Closed.