hissy fit
Overview
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Arbok possesses the powerful combination of Coil + STAB Gunk Shot, and it is not to be underestimated. It also has useful abilities that can help aid its setup, and it has coverage moves to hit what it needs to, which can make it dangerous fairly quickly against slower teams. However, Arbok can suffer from coverage issues due to its limited moveslots, and its low stats greatly let it down, making it hard for Arbok to boost safely. Its frailty before it sets up and average Speed means that its performance against offensive teams will be quite unsatisfactory.
Coil + Rest
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name: Coil + Rest
move 1: Coil
move 2: Rest
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Earthquake
ability: Shed Skin
item: Black Sludge
evs: 252 HP / 192 SpD / 64 Spe
nature: Careful
Moves
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Coil boosts Arbok's Attack, Defense, and accuracy. Rest + Shed Skin is a great combination that fully heals Arbok from damage and status, ocassionally for free. Gunk Shot is Arbok's strongest attack, and it is complemented by Coil very well due to its imperfect accuracy. Earthquake offers the best overall coverage, nailing Steel-, Rock-, and Poison-types and hitting most other Poison-resistant Pokemon neutrally. Aqua Tail is a possible option as it nails Rhydon and Archeops, but it would miss out on Steel-types such as Klinklang and Pawniard, and would mean Arbok is hard walled by Qwilfish, Dragalge, and Seismitoad.
Set Details
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The Speed investment allows Arbok to outrun Adamant max Speed Torterra, which also puts it ahead of Qwilfish, one of the fastest bulky Pokemon in the tier. A specially defensive spread is used for a marginally better matchup against offensive teams, while still maintaining a chokehold on slower, defensive teams.
Usage Tips
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Arbok can set up with ease on bulkier, slower teams, nabbing a Coil or two and going to town on the foe with boosted Gunk Shots. Shed Skin + Rest allows Arbok to set up safely against status users, such as Vileplume, Togetic, Miltank, and Granbull. It is much harder for Arbok to set up against more offensive teams, but Fighting- and Fairy-types can provide Arbok with the opportunity it needs to fire off boosted Gunk Shots, which can sting offensive teams.
Team Options
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A teammate that can tank special attacks for Arbok is greatly appreciated. Lanturn resists most of the tier's strongest special attacks, while the pink blobs Audino and Lickilicky can sponge them up as well. All three know Heal Bell to heal Arbok of status should Shed Skin fail to activate, while the latter two can provide Wish support to heal Arbok in case it is sent out with low health while asleep. Bulky Ground-types are a huge bother for Arbok, as they can plough through Arbok's boosts with their strong STAB attacks while resisting Gunk Shot; switch-ins to Ground-types, such as Mesprit, Cryogonal, and Ludicolo, can dispose of Ground-types, making them good partners for Arbok. Psychic-types, such as Xatu and Mesprit, are also dreaded by Arbok. Pursuit trappers, such as Liepard and Sneasel, can not only swiftly remove them, but they can KO Ghost-types, such as Mismagius and Rotom, while Arbok can set up against the Fighting-, Bug-, and Fairy-type Pokemon they lure in.
Other Options
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Arbok can opt for a more offensive spread that can afford more coverage or include Sucker Punch for priority. However, it doesn't provide much that the defensive spread does not; offensive Arbok finds fewer opportunities to set up due to its mediocre bulk and lack of Rest, and Arbok is basically forced to use Sucker Punch against almost every offensive threat before it easily gets KOed, meaning it isn't much more effective than the defensive spread. Arbok has access to Switcheroo, meaning a Choice Band set is something to consider. Arbok has Fire Fang to hit Ferroseed, but it isn't useful for much else. Seed Bomb is Arbok's best attack against Seismitoad and also hits Rhydon, but it has poor coverage alongside Gunk Shot. Arbok has access to Glare, but Arbok cannot spread paralysis very effectively due to its poor bulk before using Coil, and Arbok would make far better use of Coil's boost by simply attacking.
Checks & Counters
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**Psychic-types**: Psychic-type moves can easily do Arbok in, although Psyshock gets weaker with each use of Coil from Arbok. Uxie and Musharna can tank Arbok's hits easily and retaliate, while Xatu, Mesprit, and Jynx make short work of Arbok. The frailer Psychic-types should be wary of the occasional Sucker Punch.
**Strong special attackers**: Even with investment, Arbok does not take special attacks too well. Moves such as Hydro Pump, Fire Blast, and Psychic will do heavy damage to Arbok. Special attackers such as Mesprit, Magmortar, and Samurott can 2HKO or OHKO Arbok with little effort.
**Ground-types**: Because of their Poison-type resistance and super effective STAB moves, Ground-types such as Torterra, Rhydon, and Golurk have a great advantage over Arbok. The only instance where Arbok can have the upper hand is if the Ground-type is not offensively invested (such as Sandslash) and Arbok has amassed multiple Coil boosts. Earth Power Seismitoad handily beats Arbok, although the rare Seed Bomb does major damage.
**Anti-setup**: Encore and Trick can halt Arbok's attempts to set up and force it to abandon its current boosts, making them better answers than Taunt, which subjects the user to a powerful, possibly boosted Gunk Shot. Clear Smog, Roar, Whirlwind, and Haze can undo Arbok's boosts, which can take a toll on Gunk Shot's low PP. Arbok has no chance of beating Weezing with Clear Smog or Haze.
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