QC: Ark / pizza mosquito desu / Eyan
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
* The combination of Mantine's typing, amazing natural special bulk, and access to reliable recovery through Roost allows it to check the tier's top threats such as Keldeo and Hippowdon. These characteristics combined with Mantine's access to Defog allow it to act as a decent entry hazard remover.
* Due to Mantine's weakness to Stealth Rock, it is often outclassed by other Water-type entry hazard removers such as Tentacruel and Empoleon that do not share the same weakness.
* While Mantine's typing allows it to deal with top-tier threats such as Cobalion, Scizor, and Keldeo, the prevalence of threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Raikou makes it difficult for Mantine to do its job due to its weakness to Stealth Rock and a 4x weakness to Electric.
* Mantine's low Defense stat means powerful physical attackers such as Bisharp, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Sharpedo can severely weaken Mantine.
* Due to Mantine's passive nature, it often drains momentum.
[SET]
name: Bulky Support
move 1: Scald
move 2: Roost
move 3: Haze / Toxic / Air Slash
move 4: Defog / Haze
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Scald is essential for its STAB chip damage as well as the 30% chance of burn.
* Roost is crucial, since it provides Mantine with a form of reliable recovery.
* Haze can be used to prevent Mantine from being used as setup bait while also allowing it to beat setup sweepers such as Scizor.
* Toxic is an alternative that can be used to place bulkier Pokemon such as Swampert, Mandibuzz, and Slowbro or Pokemon that don't mind Scald such as Latias, Volcanion, and Gastrodon on a timer.
* Air Slash can used which allows Mantine to deal with Grass-types such as Amoonguss and Celebi and Fighting-types that do not care for Scald or its burns such as Toxicroak, Heracross, and Conkeldurr.
* Defog is used to remove entry hazards for the team.
Set Details
========
* The EV spread along with a Bold nature allows Mantine to tank physical hits such as a +2 All Out Pummeling from Cobalion and Sacred Fire from Entei after Stealth Rock.
* Alternatively, a 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpD EV spread alongside a Calm nature helps efficiently maximize Mantine's all-around bulk, allowing it to take special hits from strong special attackers such as Volcanion and Gengar while still having some physical bulk leftover to survive hits from physical attackers such as Scizor and Cobalion.
* Water Absorb is the ability of choice due to how useful a Water-type immunity is in a tier full of Water-types.
* Leftovers provides Mantine with passive recovery, which helps extend its longevity.
Usage Tips
========
* Mantine is able to fit on stall teams due to its ability to handle the tier's special and physical attackers such as Cobalion, Entei, and Volcanion well, while being able to still act as an entry hazard remover.
* Due to its typing, Mantine is able to switch into the tier's Water-, Fire-, and Ground-types such as Suicune, Infernape, and Hippowdon well.
* Mantine can also take advantage of the aforementioned Pokemon to Defog entry hazards away.
* Remember that Mantine can afford to switch in on anticipated Scalds due to Water Absorb.
* Due to Mantine's weakness to Stealth Rock, it is important to keep it as healthy as possible with Roost so it will be able to continue sponging hits or Defog entry hazards away.
* Try to avoid status conditions, since they limit Mantine's longevity.
* Scald is the most commonly used move Mantine will use, since it discourages physical attackers and Pokemon reliant on Leftovers such as Swampert, Bisharp, and Klefki from switching in. However, due to the nerf to the burn status, Toxic should also be considered over Scald on anticipated switches to Pokemon that do not mind burns such as Latias and Slowbro.
Team Options
========
* Fire-types such as Volcanion, Chandelure, and Infernape can take advantage of Grass-type switch ins, such as Celebi, Roserade, and Amoonguss, while Mantine can check Ground- and Water-types such as Swampert and Hippowdon that threaten them.
* Grass-types such as Decidueye and Amoonguss benefit from Mantine's ability to check the aforementioned Fire-types.
* Steel-types such as Scizor, Bisharp, and Cobalion can take advantage of the aforementioned Grass-types to set up, while Mantine is able to take any incoming Fire- or Ground-type attack.
* Ground-types such as Gliscor, Zygarde-10%, and Nidoqueen are able to cover Mantine's only weaknesses to Electric-types such as Raikou and Magneton and Rock-types such as Mega Aerodactyl.
* Pokemon that dislike entry hazard stacking such as Kyurem, Raikou, and Chandelure appreciate having entry hazards removed by Mantine.
* Physical attackers such as Zygarde-10%, Scizor, and Krookodile appreciate having Mantine to absorb any incoming Scalds.
* Clerics such as Blissey and Clefable can help remove status conditions for Mantine through Heal Bell.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Mirror Coat can be used to surprise Hidden Power Electric variants of Keldeo or Volcanion to knock them out.
* Signal Beam is used to lure in Celebi that can use Mantine as setup bait.
* Ice Beam can be used instead, allowing Mantine to deal with stallbreaker Gliscor, Dragon-types such as Hydreigon and Latias, and Grass-types such as Amoonguss and Celebi.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Raikou, Rotom-C, and Magneton all threaten Mantine with strong Electric-type STAB while also not minding the burn from Scald. Pokemon such as Latias, Infernape, and Starmie may carry Electric-type coverage that can also threaten Mantine.
**Grass-types**: Celebi, Amoonguss, and Roserade can wall non-Air Slash variants of Mantine while either being immune to or not minding Toxic. Tsareena and Decidueye must be careful of switching into Scald due to the threat of a burn, though.
**Rock-types**: While Rock-types such as Mega Aerodactyl and Gigalith are unable to switch in due to Scald, they are still able to threaten Mantine with Rock-type STAB attacks. Pokemon such as Krookodile and Cobalion may carry Rock-type coverage through Stone Edge that Mantine must be wary about.
**Setup Users**: If Mantine is not running Haze, set up users such as Reuniclus, Togekiss, and Toxicroak can take advantage of a Mantine to boost up due to its passive nature. Latias must be mindful of Toxic while physically offensive set up users such as Bisharp and Mega Absol must be careful of a Scald burn.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Blissey and Clefable do not mind the damage from Scald and can shrug of Toxic due to Heal Bell or Magic Guard.
**Passive Damage**: Passive damage from Stealth Rock and status conditions can slowly wear down Mantine, which will limit how often it can switch in to either remove entry hazards or sponge a hit.
**Taunt**: Taunt users such as Mandibuzz and Mew can completely shut down Mantine due to its reliance on its supportive moves.
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