Tentacruel [QC: 2/3]

[brokenwings]

QC: shrang / Fireburn

Overview
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+Unique typing
+Can both set Toxic Spikes and spin, giving it a niche
+Decent special bulk and speed stats
-Poor physical defenses, exploitable weaknesses
-No real recovery, also hates status
-Doesn't really check anything specific, niche revolves mostly around spin and Toxic Spikes
-Kyogre nerf and the prevalence of ground types (Primal Groudon especially) really hurt it


SET NAME
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name: Support
move 1:Rapid Spin
move 2:Scald
move 3:Toxic Spikes
move 4:Knock Off / Toxic
ability: Rain Dish
item: Black Sludge
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
nature: Calm

Moves
========

• Rapid Spin gives Tentacruel its niche on hazard stacking teams, removing your opponent's hazards while keeping your own
• Toxic Spikes to wear down switches and put pressure on the opposing team
• Scald for STAB and burn chance
• Toxic can be used to catch levitating and flying Pokemon off-guard, most notably Giratina-O and Lati@s who can switch in and defog for free otherwise.
• Knock Off is a great spammable move to hit switchins with, knocking off Lati's Soul Dew or a random Life Orb / Leftovers can be huge.

Set Details
========

• Tentacruel has no recovery whatsoever, so Black Sludge / Leftovers are required.
• 252 EVs in HP and Special Defense increase its decent special bulk and lets it switch into things like scarfed or cleric Xerneas, some Kyogre, Palkia, Dialga, etc.

Usage Tips
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• Be proactive in seeking out opportunities to spin and set hazards.
• Bring Tentacruel in on double-switches against Pokemon that can't do much to it.
• Don't let entry hazards accumulate, and try to keep Tentacruel as healthy as possible and free of status moves.
• Use on teams that appreciate hazard removal and Toxic Spikes.

Team Options
========

• Ground immunities and Pokemon that can switch into Primal Groudon are needed, Lugia and Giratina-O are great for this as they can switch into PDon and rack up Toxic Spike damage with phazing moves.
• Lugia and Ho-oh really shine with spin support, and they both synergize very well with Tentacruel defensively.
• Pokemon that can check Ho-oh, such as Rockceus and Mega Diancie are good as Tentacruel can barely hurt it despite being a water type.
• Mewtwo and Lati@s checks - Ghostceus, Darkceus, Yveltal, Scarfed Jirachi
• Checks to Geomancy Xerneas, especially Aromatherapy sets - Primal Groudon, Ho-oh, Scizor, Jirachi could all work
• Checks to strong physical attackers like E-Killer, Mega Salamence, and Kangaskhan - stuff like Ghostceus, Giratina-O, and defensive Yveltal all work and have good synergy
• Ground types for Zekrom - Primal Groudon and Groundceus are good, the latter providing a Primal Groudon check as well
• Clerics are great, as Tentacruel hates burns and paralysis is annoying
• Kangaskhan can wear teams down very well with Fake-Out + Toxic Spike damage

Other Options
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• Haze could be used to discourage things that might try setting up on you, such as certain Arceus forms or Aromatherapy Geo-Xern.
• Protect can be used to get more passive recovery and residual damage and scout potential choice users, but is overall less useful due to how uncommon those are now, as well as the lack of rain to abuse for additional recovery.
• Icy Wind/Ice Beam

Checks & Counters
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• PRIMAL GROUDON and offensive Ground-types in general
• Lati@s
• Mewtwo
• Zekrom
• Strong physical attackers that don't fear burn or tspikes (stuff like Ho-oh and refresh Mega Mence)
• Ghost-types like Mega Sableye, Giratina-O, and Ghostceus can all potentially spinblock you and keep your hazards from staying up. Toxic and Scald burns help with this, however.

 

[shrang]

Tentacruel really isn't anything special, but Toxic Spikes are always nice, especially when Poisonceus usage dropped like a rock due to Primal Don (although the primary Defoggers don't care about them any more, namely Lati@s). On the topic of P Donner tho, Tentacruel really hates that thing. Psyshock Xern is quite rare from what I've seen, although now they've started using Aromatherapy which fucks up your attempt to Toxic it. Maybe mention Haze in OO?

Otherwise, qc 1/3

 

[brokenwings]

Tentacruel really isn't anything special, but Toxic Spikes are always nice, especially when Poisonceus usage dropped like a rock due to Primal Don (although the primary Defoggers don't care about them any more, namely Lati@s). On the topic of P Donner tho, Tentacruel really hates that thing. Psyshock Xern is quite rare from what I've seen, although now they've started using Aromatherapy which fucks up your attempt to Toxic it. Maybe mention Haze in OO?

Otherwise, qc 1/3

Added, thanks!

 

[Fireburn]

Emphasize Lugia and Ho-Oh as teammates because this spins.

QC Approved 2/3

 

[brokenwings]

Emphasize Lugia and Ho-Oh as teammates because this spins.

QC Approved 2/3

Done, thanks.

 

[Hack]

Okay the set needs some restructuring before we can move on, I disagree with previous QC checks.

Knock Off is imo almost mandatory due to prevalence of Lati@s- being able to prevent their inevitable switch ins do whatever the fuck they want vs you (defog or cm basically) is just too good of an opportunity to pass up on. It can also help against wallbreakers such as Ho-oh or Rayquaza thinking they can get something going when switching in. In general a great move to throw around.

Protect sucks. Choice users have declined, your main switch ins (Latis) doesn't care about ts, and while pdon does, you might just give it a free turn to SR. And no rain to be seen which you can abuse rain dish and stuff either.

Toxic is luxury, it's better to use Knock Off.

Scald, TS, Spin are mandatory because yeah.

Set should be:

Toxic Spikes
Scald
Knock Off
Rapid Spin

with mentions for more situational alternatives like Haze, Toxic, Ice Beam/Icy Wind. Protect to OO. Just make sure to emphazise how this mon absolutely checks nothing in the current metagame, and its niche purely revolves around spinning and ofc toxic spikes.

 

[brokenwings]

Okay the set needs some restructuring before we can move on, I disagree with previous QC checks.

Knock Off is imo almost mandatory due to prevalence of Lati@s- being able to prevent their inevitable switch ins do whatever the fuck they want vs you (defog or cm basically) is just too good of an opportunity to pass up on. It can also help against wallbreakers such as Ho-oh or Rayquaza thinking they can get something going when switching in. In general a great move to throw around.

Protect sucks. Choice users have declined, your main switch ins (Latis) doesn't care about ts, and while pdon does, you might just give it a free turn to SR. And no rain to be seen which you can abuse rain dish and stuff either.

Toxic is luxury, it's better to use Knock Off.

Scald, TS, Spin are mandatory because yeah.

Set should be:

Toxic Spikes
Scald
Knock Off
Rapid Spin

with mentions for more situational alternatives like Haze, Toxic, Ice Beam/Icy Wind. Protect to OO. Just make sure to emphazise how this mon absolutely checks nothing in the current metagame, and its niche purely revolves around spinning and ofc toxic spikes.

Good points, to be honest it completely slipped my mind how useful Knock Off is against the Latis, so my bad there. I still kinda feel like Toxic is good enough to be slashed with Knock Off because it can be pretty nice against Gira-O / Defog Arceus / ground immune switchins in general, but I'll remove it if you guys disagree. I agree that Protect has pretty much lost its value now and I'll move it to OO and add everything else you mentioned. I'll look over this again tomorrow and add anything I may have missed. Thanks for the detailed feedback.



Edit: Due to my laptop being sent out for repairs, it might be a few more days before I can write this up and make all of the changes that I need to. Sorry if this causes any issues, please bare with me.

 

[dice]

toxic spikes are not good enough of a niche on balance to justify a useless pokemon!

rejected 1/3

 

[Fireburn]

Rescinding previous approval for similar reasons as dice, tspikes is not worth being a mediocre spinner + checking zilch

QC Rejected 2/3

 

[Inspirited]

It just cant find any way to get what it wants to do done for the team.
QC Rejected 3/3