Homer Simpson has nothing on Slowking's doughnut eating ability.
Overview
========
With the devastating power possessed by special attackers such as Landorus and Mega Charizard Y, the need for Pokemon with good Special Defense has steadily increased. Coupled with Assault Vest and a good offensive movepool, Slowking is able to take on some of the most destructive special wallbreakers in the game and come out victorious. Its access to Regenerator, large offensive movepool, and base 100 Special Attack only strengthen its case as an Assault Vest user.
However, the Dark type's resurgence in attacking power has caused many issues for Slowking. Psychic, an already mediocre defensive typing, received another nerf this generation with Knock Off's Base Power increase. Fearsome attackers such as Bisharp, Conkeldurr, and Landorus all have access to this move, making Slowking's life considerably more difficult. Because of Slowking's low physical bulk, Slowbro is generally a more popular option. However, Slowking's high Special Defense serves it well against very strong special attackers, something Slowbro can't say. While keeping Slowking away from physical attackers may require a good bit of work, Slowking's ability to take special hits is definitely worthy of note.
Assault Vest
########
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Scald
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Dragon Tail / Psychic
move 4: Power Gem / Ice Beam
ability: Regenerator
item: Assault Vest
evs: 248 HP / 164 SpA / 96 SpD
nature: Quiet
Moves
========
Scald is Slowking's best STAB move and is used to deter physical switch-ins. With the given EV spread, Slowking can absorb any of Landorus's attacks and have more than a 50% chance to KO it with Scald. Fire Blast allows Slowking take down Ferrothorn and Skarmory with relative ease and always KO Bisharp that lack investment in bulk. Dragon Tail is recommended to stop special setup sweepers such as Manaphy. The EV spread and Assault Vest allow Slowking to survive a +6 Energy Ball from Manaphy and force it out. Psychic is the best way to hit Mega Venusaur, which is commonly physically defensive, and allows Slowking to easily take down Keldeo. Power Gem allows Slowking to KO Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame in almost any situation. Thundurus is hit hard by Power Gem as well and never survives two hits. Alternatively, Ice Beam is a very solid way to deal with the Dragons in OU and hits Gliscor and Landorus harder than Scald.
Set Details
========
With the EV spread presented, Slowking avoids a 2HKO from Mega Charizard Y's Solar Beam. The Special Attack investment allows Power Gem to knock out Talonflame and Charizard Y while also knocking out Bisharp with Fire Blast. A Quiet nature allows Slowking to use special attacks without losing out on Dragon Tail damage. As Slowking's Speed isn't really useful to begin with, the little bit of Speed that is lost is negligible.
Usage Tips
========
Slowking's bulk allows it to maneuver in and out on just about any special attacker. Its special bulk and good movepool allow it to be a very useful defensive pivot, applying pressure to the majority of the opponent's team. It can also scout most special attackers due to this major special bulk and regain a lot of health with Regenerator by pivoting in and out as a scout. However, when playing against Mega Charizard Y, it is advised that you be wary of using Slowking as a check, as Solar Beam can still take a great deal of its health.
Slowking does have the ability to take on some mixed attackers, but leaving Slowking in on any physical attack should be done rarely. Bisharp is an especially large nuisance, as it is able to OHKO Slowking with Knock Off or trap Slowking with Pursuit.
Team Options
========
Slowking appreciates Pokemon that can cover its Electric-, Bug-, and Dark-type weaknesses. Electric-type and Bug-type Pokemon that can use Volt Switch or U-turn can constantly check Slowking, ruining any chance of your team maintaining momentum. As such, Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur and Amoonguss, which can absorb these attacks with relative ease, make for great teammates.
Chesnaught has near-perfect type synergy with Slowking, as it resists Dark and Electric and is immune to Shadow Ball thanks to Bulletproof. Chesnaught's physical bulk coupled with Slowking's special bulk makes them even more compatible. Conkeldurr resists Dark-type attacks and is bulky enough to take many physical hits that would bother Slowking. Due to Slowking's Psychic resistance and special bulk, the benefits are mutual.
Lastly, Slowking resists Sylveon's Steel-type weakness, while Sylveon can easily shoulder Dark- and Bug-type attacks. As Slowking can only heal by switching and cannot get rid of status, Sylveon's cleric support is much appreciated.
Specially Defensive
########
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Psyshock
move 3: Thunder Wave
move 4: Slack Off
ability: Regenerator
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 212 SpD
nature: Calm
Moves
========
Scald is perhaps Slowking's most spammable move, allowing it to keep physical attackers from coming in safely. Thunder Wave gives Slowking the ability to support the team by lowering the Speed of many common switch-ins, such as Latias and Venusaur. Between Scald and Thunder Wave, Slowking becomes incredibly difficult to switch in to. Psyshock allows Slowking to take on Keldeo and win in almost every situation, even against the rarer Substitute + Calm Mind Keldeo. Slowking can also dent CroCune with Psyshock.
Set Details
========
The EV spread allows Slowking to survive two Sacred Swords from +2 Keldeo while maximizing its special bulk. Using Leftovers instead of Assault Vest allows Slowking to use support moves such as Thunder Wave and Slack Off.
Usage Tips
========
The only challenge this set can present is getting Slowking on the field safely. It has great special bulk, but it has an issue with the plethora of Knock Off users. Once in, Slowking can immediately apply offensive pressure through Scald and Thunder Wave. Psyshock cannot be spammed as easily on most occasions and should be reserved for hitting things currently on the field as opposed to threatening switch-ins.
Team Options
========
With Thunder Wave, Slowking allows slower wallbreakers to become devastating sweepers. In particular, Mega Gardevoir and Mega Heracross appreciate the Thunder Wave support on levitating Pokemon and Flying-types which are not affected by Sticky Web. The burn support from Scald is also useful for Gardevoir due to its lower physical bulk.
On more defensive teams, Gliscor is a fantastic teammate, as it can take advantage of slower Pokemon and hit Electric-types with Toxic. While Slowking can take Ice- and Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Keldeo, Gliscor is able to absorb the Electric-, Bug-, and Grass-type attacks that bother Slowking. Pokemon that can do a great deal of damage to Slowking, such as Scizor, fear Gliscor's speedy Taunt set. Assault Vest Tornadus-T is a good partner for Slowking, as it takes care of a few stallbreakers Slowking can't cover, such as Landorus, unboosted Mega Gyarados, and Mega Heracross.
Other Options
########
Slowking does have the movepool to perform a few other roles. Slowking can use Trick Room effectively and beat Talonflame while doing so. Its ability to absorb Fire-type moves allows it to work well with Mega Abomasnow; however, Slowking is slightly outclassed by Slowbro if it isn't running Nasty Plot. Slowking also has access to Trick, as well as a base 100 Special Attack, so a Choice Specs set is an option. Slowking can also run Thunder Wave and Dragon Tail to parashuffle foes.
Checks & Counters
########
**Electric-types**: Electric-type attacks are generally unkind to Slowking. Rotom-W can pivot in and out of Slowking with relative ease and is not bothered by anything Slowking does. Other Volt Switch users, such as Mega Ampharos and Mega Manectric, fear little Slowking does and can steal momentum with Volt Switch.
**Dark-types**: Dark-type attacks are a constant issue for Slowking, as it rarely survives any physical Dark-type hits. In addition, any Knock Offs that it does survive will remove its Assault Vest, making Pokemon such as Landorus that Slowking would normally counter difficult matchups. Slowking is also vulnerable to being Pursuit trapped by Bisharp and Tyranitar; this is perhaps the easiest way to get rid of Slowking.
**Strong Physical Attackers**: Many prominent physical attackers, such as Mega Scizor, Azumarill, Mega Heracross, and many others, can force out or KO Slowking.
Overview
========
With the devastating power possessed by special attackers such as Landorus and Mega Charizard Y, the need for Pokemon with good Special Defense has steadily increased. Coupled with Assault Vest and a good offensive movepool, Slowking is able to take on some of the most destructive special wallbreakers in the game and come out victorious. Its access to Regenerator, large offensive movepool, and base 100 Special Attack only strengthen its case as an Assault Vest user.
However, the Dark type's resurgence in attacking power has caused many issues for Slowking. Psychic, an already mediocre defensive typing, received another nerf this generation with Knock Off's Base Power increase. Fearsome attackers such as Bisharp, Conkeldurr, and Landorus all have access to this move, making Slowking's life considerably more difficult. Because of Slowking's low physical bulk, Slowbro is generally a more popular option. However, Slowking's high Special Defense serves it well against very strong special attackers, something Slowbro can't say. While keeping Slowking away from physical attackers may require a good bit of work, Slowking's ability to take special hits is definitely worthy of note.
Assault Vest
########
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Scald
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Dragon Tail / Psychic
move 4: Power Gem / Ice Beam
ability: Regenerator
item: Assault Vest
evs: 248 HP / 164 SpA / 96 SpD
nature: Quiet
Moves
========
Scald is Slowking's best STAB move and is used to deter physical switch-ins. With the given EV spread, Slowking can absorb any of Landorus's attacks and have more than a 50% chance to KO it with Scald. Fire Blast allows Slowking take down Ferrothorn and Skarmory with relative ease and always KO Bisharp that lack investment in bulk. Dragon Tail is recommended to stop special setup sweepers such as Manaphy. The EV spread and Assault Vest allow Slowking to survive a +6 Energy Ball from Manaphy and force it out. Psychic is the best way to hit Mega Venusaur, which is commonly physically defensive, and allows Slowking to easily take down Keldeo. Power Gem allows Slowking to KO Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame in almost any situation. Thundurus is hit hard by Power Gem as well and never survives two hits. Alternatively, Ice Beam is a very solid way to deal with the Dragons in OU and hits Gliscor and Landorus harder than Scald.
Set Details
========
With the EV spread presented, Slowking avoids a 2HKO from Mega Charizard Y's Solar Beam. The Special Attack investment allows Power Gem to knock out Talonflame and Charizard Y while also knocking out Bisharp with Fire Blast. A Quiet nature allows Slowking to use special attacks without losing out on Dragon Tail damage. As Slowking's Speed isn't really useful to begin with, the little bit of Speed that is lost is negligible.
Usage Tips
========
Slowking's bulk allows it to maneuver in and out on just about any special attacker. Its special bulk and good movepool allow it to be a very useful defensive pivot, applying pressure to the majority of the opponent's team. It can also scout most special attackers due to this major special bulk and regain a lot of health with Regenerator by pivoting in and out as a scout. However, when playing against Mega Charizard Y, it is advised that you be wary of using Slowking as a check, as Solar Beam can still take a great deal of its health.
Slowking does have the ability to take on some mixed attackers, but leaving Slowking in on any physical attack should be done rarely. Bisharp is an especially large nuisance, as it is able to OHKO Slowking with Knock Off or trap Slowking with Pursuit.
Team Options
========
Slowking appreciates Pokemon that can cover its Electric-, Bug-, and Dark-type weaknesses. Electric-type and Bug-type Pokemon that can use Volt Switch or U-turn can constantly check Slowking, ruining any chance of your team maintaining momentum. As such, Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur and Amoonguss, which can absorb these attacks with relative ease, make for great teammates.
Chesnaught has near-perfect type synergy with Slowking, as it resists Dark and Electric and is immune to Shadow Ball thanks to Bulletproof. Chesnaught's physical bulk coupled with Slowking's special bulk makes them even more compatible. Conkeldurr resists Dark-type attacks and is bulky enough to take many physical hits that would bother Slowking. Due to Slowking's Psychic resistance and special bulk, the benefits are mutual.
Lastly, Slowking resists Sylveon's Steel-type weakness, while Sylveon can easily shoulder Dark- and Bug-type attacks. As Slowking can only heal by switching and cannot get rid of status, Sylveon's cleric support is much appreciated.
Specially Defensive
########
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Psyshock
move 3: Thunder Wave
move 4: Slack Off
ability: Regenerator
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 212 SpD
nature: Calm
Moves
========
Scald is perhaps Slowking's most spammable move, allowing it to keep physical attackers from coming in safely. Thunder Wave gives Slowking the ability to support the team by lowering the Speed of many common switch-ins, such as Latias and Venusaur. Between Scald and Thunder Wave, Slowking becomes incredibly difficult to switch in to. Psyshock allows Slowking to take on Keldeo and win in almost every situation, even against the rarer Substitute + Calm Mind Keldeo. Slowking can also dent CroCune with Psyshock.
Set Details
========
The EV spread allows Slowking to survive two Sacred Swords from +2 Keldeo while maximizing its special bulk. Using Leftovers instead of Assault Vest allows Slowking to use support moves such as Thunder Wave and Slack Off.
Usage Tips
========
The only challenge this set can present is getting Slowking on the field safely. It has great special bulk, but it has an issue with the plethora of Knock Off users. Once in, Slowking can immediately apply offensive pressure through Scald and Thunder Wave. Psyshock cannot be spammed as easily on most occasions and should be reserved for hitting things currently on the field as opposed to threatening switch-ins.
Team Options
========
With Thunder Wave, Slowking allows slower wallbreakers to become devastating sweepers. In particular, Mega Gardevoir and Mega Heracross appreciate the Thunder Wave support on levitating Pokemon and Flying-types which are not affected by Sticky Web. The burn support from Scald is also useful for Gardevoir due to its lower physical bulk.
On more defensive teams, Gliscor is a fantastic teammate, as it can take advantage of slower Pokemon and hit Electric-types with Toxic. While Slowking can take Ice- and Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Keldeo, Gliscor is able to absorb the Electric-, Bug-, and Grass-type attacks that bother Slowking. Pokemon that can do a great deal of damage to Slowking, such as Scizor, fear Gliscor's speedy Taunt set. Assault Vest Tornadus-T is a good partner for Slowking, as it takes care of a few stallbreakers Slowking can't cover, such as Landorus, unboosted Mega Gyarados, and Mega Heracross.
Other Options
########
Slowking does have the movepool to perform a few other roles. Slowking can use Trick Room effectively and beat Talonflame while doing so. Its ability to absorb Fire-type moves allows it to work well with Mega Abomasnow; however, Slowking is slightly outclassed by Slowbro if it isn't running Nasty Plot. Slowking also has access to Trick, as well as a base 100 Special Attack, so a Choice Specs set is an option. Slowking can also run Thunder Wave and Dragon Tail to parashuffle foes.
Checks & Counters
########
**Electric-types**: Electric-type attacks are generally unkind to Slowking. Rotom-W can pivot in and out of Slowking with relative ease and is not bothered by anything Slowking does. Other Volt Switch users, such as Mega Ampharos and Mega Manectric, fear little Slowking does and can steal momentum with Volt Switch.
**Dark-types**: Dark-type attacks are a constant issue for Slowking, as it rarely survives any physical Dark-type hits. In addition, any Knock Offs that it does survive will remove its Assault Vest, making Pokemon such as Landorus that Slowking would normally counter difficult matchups. Slowking is also vulnerable to being Pursuit trapped by Bisharp and Tyranitar; this is perhaps the easiest way to get rid of Slowking.
**Strong Physical Attackers**: Many prominent physical attackers, such as Mega Scizor, Azumarill, Mega Heracross, and many others, can force out or KO Slowking.
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