Sobi
Banned deucer.
[OVERVIEW]
**Water**:
Tentacruel's good defensive Water / Poison typing most notably allows it to resist Fairy and Fighting, both of which can have an easy time against Water, as well as Poison and Bug. Its high base 120 Special Defense, ability Liquid Ooze, and Grass neutrality allow it to switch into one of Water's biggest threats; Mega Venusaur. It also works well as a Clefable check, wearing it down with a combination of Acid Spray and Scald. In general, its great Special Defense stat allows it to switch into special attackers with relative ease. Furthermore, its base 100 Speed is above average for a rather defensive Pokemon. Despite Starmie being the more offensively suited option for a spinner, Tentacruel offers immense support as the superior defensive spinner and should definitely be considered should you be looking for one. Moreover, it functions as a good stallbreaker with Acid Spray, can set Toxic Spikes for its team, can reliably use Rapid Spin to remove entry hazards, and forces switches on setup sweepers such as CroCune and Calm Mind Clefable, therefore providing a large and unique set of roles among Water-types.
Unfortunately, Tentacruel is outsped by most Ground- and Psychic-types and hit super effectively by their STAB moves. Steel- and Flying-types are immune to Toxic Spikes, with the former walling Tentacruel and the most of the latter being able to hit it for good neutral damage. As a result of running no Special Attack investment, Tentacruel heavily relies on the foe's Special Defense drops from Acid Spray or other means to actually deal a decent amount of damage with its STAB moves. In addition, its below-average physical bulk prevents it from being able to face physical attackers without taking a lot of damage, and in most cases, it is simply setup fodder due to its inability to deal much damage back. It also lacks reliable recovery, meaning it is worn down very quickly and finds itself pressured to remove or set entry hazards, so team support is crucial.
[SET]
name: Defensive Spinner (Water)
move 1: Scald
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Acid Spray
move 4: Toxic Spikes
item: Black Sludge
ability: Liquid Ooze
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald, though weak without any Special Attack investment, allows Tentacruel to spread burns to the opposing team, forcing switches and dissuading physical attackers from switching in on it and setting up. Rapid Spin is an effective move thanks to Tentacruel's defensive typing and decent bulk, removing entry hazards for its team. Acid Spray forces switches and discourages setup sweepers, such as Calm Mind Clefable, from using Tentacruel as setup fodder. Toxic Spikes provides a great amount of support for your team, wearing down grounded foes and allowing a teammate to have an easier time breaking through the opposing team. Alternatively, in place of Acid Spray, Sludge Bomb can be used for a stronger Poison-type STAB move that lets Tentacruel threaten Serperior, which doesn't care about Scald and gets a Special Defense boost from Acid Spray, as well as OHKO Breloom. However, dropping Acid Spray prevents Tentacruel from being able to take on Clefable and Mega Venusaur.
Set Details
========
252 HP EVs, a Calm nature, and 240 Special Defense EVs allow Tentacruel to be as specially bulky as possible. 16 Speed EVs allow Tentacruel to outspeed Adamant Bisharp and hit it with Scald, hopefully burning it. An alternative spread of 252 HP / 148 SpD / 108 Spe can be used to allow Tentacruel to outspeed Jolly Breloom by one point and take it out with Sludge Bomb. Black Sludge is used to restore Tentacruel's HP gradually. Liquid Ooze allows Tentacruel to switch into Mega Venusaur and cause it to take damage as a result of using Giga Drain.
Usage Tips
========
Switching Tentacruel in on resisted attacks allows it to then remove entry hazards or set hazards of its own without getting worn down too much. Removing hazards should be the main priority if you feel your team will be greatly hindered by them. Setting a single layer of Toxic Spikes is more than enough; don't set more if you think the foe will start setting up. Use Acid Spray against setup sweepers to force switches, after which Tentacruel should either set hazards or switch to a counter. Don't be too careless when switching Tentacruel in, and don't let it get worn down too quickly, especially if you urgently need to remove hazards. Spreading burns with Scald is another good way to force switches and ease Tentacruel's matchup against physical attackers.
Team Options
========
Tentacruel fits well on balance and stall teams, alongside Quagsire and Alomomola. The former can help beat setup sweepers that take advantage of Tentacruel's passiveness, such as Bisharp, while the latter can keep Tentacruel healthy with Wish. Tentacruel pairs well with Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock, such as Volcanion and Gyarados. Rotom-W is a good partner thanks to its immunity to Ground and ability to help spread burns with Will-O-Wisp. Lanturn can keep Tentacruel free from status with Heal Bell and provides an Electric immunity, though it does exacerbate the Ground weakness. Swampert, on the other hand, can be a superior option for an Electric-immune teammate, as it provides Stealth Rock and is often physically defensive, being able to switch into physical attackers for Tentacruel. Tail Glow Manaphy and Belly Drum Azumarill can take advantage of the switches Tentacruel forces by setting up. Wallbreakers such as Crawdaunt and Keldeo also pair well with Tentacruel due to their ability to take advantage of Toxic Spikes. They also appreciate Tentacruel's Grass neutrality and ability to switch into Mega Venusaur. Mega Sharpedo can also take advantage of said hazard; it helps turn some of its 2HKOs into OHKOs and it can stall with Protect, causing the foe to take accumulating poison damage.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
**Water**:
Ice Beam hits Flying- and Dragon-types, though it's generally subpar coverage. Knock Off is an option to remove Togekiss's Choice Scarf, as well as Eviolite and other items; however, Tentacruel's current moves are quite necessary and forgoing one will cause Tentacruel to miss out on something important. Tentacruel can run a physically defensive set to take on Fighting-types like Keldeo and Breloom better, but it will have a hard time checking threatening special attackers like Serperior and Mega Charizard Y.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water**:
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Excadrill, Landorus, and Mega Garchomp all outspeed Tentacruel and can KO it with their STAB moves. Although most of them are 2HKOed by Scald, Quagsire and Mega Garchomp take little damage from it and can 2HKO and OHKO back, respectively.
**Psychic-types**: Defensive Psychic-types, such as Latias and Starmie, can easily take Tentacruel's STAB moves and remove entry hazards with Defog or Rapid Spin. Offensive Psychic-types, such as Hoopa-U, Latios, and Mega Medicham, all outspeed Tentacruel and can KO it with a Psychic-type STAB move, although Medicham would definitely not appreciate being burned by Scald.
**Electric-types**: Rotom-W, Thundurus, and Raikou have an easy time against Tentacruel; Rotom-W can easily cripple it with Will-O-Wisp and pivot out with Volt Switch, Thundurus OHKOes it with Thunderbolt, and Choice Specs Raikou has a good chance to OHKO Tentacruel, while Calm Mind Raikou can simply use Substitute and accumulate a couple of boosts with Calm Mind.
**Physical Attackers**: Physical attackers such as Mega Sharpedo and Dragonite can take advantage of Tentacruel's passiveness by using it as setup bait and hitting Tentacruel on its weaker Defense stat; however, they are greatly crippled by a Scald burn.
**Water**:
Tentacruel's good defensive Water / Poison typing most notably allows it to resist Fairy and Fighting, both of which can have an easy time against Water, as well as Poison and Bug. Its high base 120 Special Defense, ability Liquid Ooze, and Grass neutrality allow it to switch into one of Water's biggest threats; Mega Venusaur. It also works well as a Clefable check, wearing it down with a combination of Acid Spray and Scald. In general, its great Special Defense stat allows it to switch into special attackers with relative ease. Furthermore, its base 100 Speed is above average for a rather defensive Pokemon. Despite Starmie being the more offensively suited option for a spinner, Tentacruel offers immense support as the superior defensive spinner and should definitely be considered should you be looking for one. Moreover, it functions as a good stallbreaker with Acid Spray, can set Toxic Spikes for its team, can reliably use Rapid Spin to remove entry hazards, and forces switches on setup sweepers such as CroCune and Calm Mind Clefable, therefore providing a large and unique set of roles among Water-types.
Unfortunately, Tentacruel is outsped by most Ground- and Psychic-types and hit super effectively by their STAB moves. Steel- and Flying-types are immune to Toxic Spikes, with the former walling Tentacruel and the most of the latter being able to hit it for good neutral damage. As a result of running no Special Attack investment, Tentacruel heavily relies on the foe's Special Defense drops from Acid Spray or other means to actually deal a decent amount of damage with its STAB moves. In addition, its below-average physical bulk prevents it from being able to face physical attackers without taking a lot of damage, and in most cases, it is simply setup fodder due to its inability to deal much damage back. It also lacks reliable recovery, meaning it is worn down very quickly and finds itself pressured to remove or set entry hazards, so team support is crucial.
[SET]
name: Defensive Spinner (Water)
move 1: Scald
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Acid Spray
move 4: Toxic Spikes
item: Black Sludge
ability: Liquid Ooze
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald, though weak without any Special Attack investment, allows Tentacruel to spread burns to the opposing team, forcing switches and dissuading physical attackers from switching in on it and setting up. Rapid Spin is an effective move thanks to Tentacruel's defensive typing and decent bulk, removing entry hazards for its team. Acid Spray forces switches and discourages setup sweepers, such as Calm Mind Clefable, from using Tentacruel as setup fodder. Toxic Spikes provides a great amount of support for your team, wearing down grounded foes and allowing a teammate to have an easier time breaking through the opposing team. Alternatively, in place of Acid Spray, Sludge Bomb can be used for a stronger Poison-type STAB move that lets Tentacruel threaten Serperior, which doesn't care about Scald and gets a Special Defense boost from Acid Spray, as well as OHKO Breloom. However, dropping Acid Spray prevents Tentacruel from being able to take on Clefable and Mega Venusaur.
Set Details
========
252 HP EVs, a Calm nature, and 240 Special Defense EVs allow Tentacruel to be as specially bulky as possible. 16 Speed EVs allow Tentacruel to outspeed Adamant Bisharp and hit it with Scald, hopefully burning it. An alternative spread of 252 HP / 148 SpD / 108 Spe can be used to allow Tentacruel to outspeed Jolly Breloom by one point and take it out with Sludge Bomb. Black Sludge is used to restore Tentacruel's HP gradually. Liquid Ooze allows Tentacruel to switch into Mega Venusaur and cause it to take damage as a result of using Giga Drain.
Usage Tips
========
Switching Tentacruel in on resisted attacks allows it to then remove entry hazards or set hazards of its own without getting worn down too much. Removing hazards should be the main priority if you feel your team will be greatly hindered by them. Setting a single layer of Toxic Spikes is more than enough; don't set more if you think the foe will start setting up. Use Acid Spray against setup sweepers to force switches, after which Tentacruel should either set hazards or switch to a counter. Don't be too careless when switching Tentacruel in, and don't let it get worn down too quickly, especially if you urgently need to remove hazards. Spreading burns with Scald is another good way to force switches and ease Tentacruel's matchup against physical attackers.
Team Options
========
Tentacruel fits well on balance and stall teams, alongside Quagsire and Alomomola. The former can help beat setup sweepers that take advantage of Tentacruel's passiveness, such as Bisharp, while the latter can keep Tentacruel healthy with Wish. Tentacruel pairs well with Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock, such as Volcanion and Gyarados. Rotom-W is a good partner thanks to its immunity to Ground and ability to help spread burns with Will-O-Wisp. Lanturn can keep Tentacruel free from status with Heal Bell and provides an Electric immunity, though it does exacerbate the Ground weakness. Swampert, on the other hand, can be a superior option for an Electric-immune teammate, as it provides Stealth Rock and is often physically defensive, being able to switch into physical attackers for Tentacruel. Tail Glow Manaphy and Belly Drum Azumarill can take advantage of the switches Tentacruel forces by setting up. Wallbreakers such as Crawdaunt and Keldeo also pair well with Tentacruel due to their ability to take advantage of Toxic Spikes. They also appreciate Tentacruel's Grass neutrality and ability to switch into Mega Venusaur. Mega Sharpedo can also take advantage of said hazard; it helps turn some of its 2HKOs into OHKOs and it can stall with Protect, causing the foe to take accumulating poison damage.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
**Water**:
Ice Beam hits Flying- and Dragon-types, though it's generally subpar coverage. Knock Off is an option to remove Togekiss's Choice Scarf, as well as Eviolite and other items; however, Tentacruel's current moves are quite necessary and forgoing one will cause Tentacruel to miss out on something important. Tentacruel can run a physically defensive set to take on Fighting-types like Keldeo and Breloom better, but it will have a hard time checking threatening special attackers like Serperior and Mega Charizard Y.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water**:
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Excadrill, Landorus, and Mega Garchomp all outspeed Tentacruel and can KO it with their STAB moves. Although most of them are 2HKOed by Scald, Quagsire and Mega Garchomp take little damage from it and can 2HKO and OHKO back, respectively.
**Psychic-types**: Defensive Psychic-types, such as Latias and Starmie, can easily take Tentacruel's STAB moves and remove entry hazards with Defog or Rapid Spin. Offensive Psychic-types, such as Hoopa-U, Latios, and Mega Medicham, all outspeed Tentacruel and can KO it with a Psychic-type STAB move, although Medicham would definitely not appreciate being burned by Scald.
**Electric-types**: Rotom-W, Thundurus, and Raikou have an easy time against Tentacruel; Rotom-W can easily cripple it with Will-O-Wisp and pivot out with Volt Switch, Thundurus OHKOes it with Thunderbolt, and Choice Specs Raikou has a good chance to OHKO Tentacruel, while Calm Mind Raikou can simply use Substitute and accumulate a couple of boosts with Calm Mind.
**Physical Attackers**: Physical attackers such as Mega Sharpedo and Dragonite can take advantage of Tentacruel's passiveness by using it as setup bait and hitting Tentacruel on its weaker Defense stat; however, they are greatly crippled by a Scald burn.
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