Pokémon Toxapex

[pokefreak77]

I feel like baneful bunker has its uses in the current meta seeing how there are a lot of choice spam volt turn teams running around.
However, it does seem to be the least viable move when you need stuff like haze/toxic because you're very passive.

Anywho, this mon is great. It reminds me of how everyone would just shove lando-t or rotom on a team in oras because of how much they check.

 

[Anartya]

Pex loses to substitute + setup move

Baneful Bunker can poison even through substitute, provided it's a contact move being used on it.
And with terrain and rain everywhere, stalling it wouldn't be a bad idea.

It also can do something against u-turn, along with passive recovery. It's a viable option, along with infestation.

 

[Colonel M]

Pex loses to substitute + setup move

Haze.

Enough of that nonsense please.

 

[Peef Rimgar]

Everyone here is saying Baneful Bunker is bad, but it saved me once against a team spamming U-Turn and even prevented a Rapid Spin from happening. I think it does have some uses against Pokémon with contact-making support attacks (U-Turn, Rapid Spin, Knock Off) who wouldn´t care about a Scald burn (special attackers don´t care about the attack drop; defensive Pokémon can compensate the burn damage with leftovers).

The problem is if something doesn't care about a burn it still cares less about PSN status.

Pex loses to substitute + setup move

Baneful Bunker can poison even through substitute, provided it's a contact move being used on it.
And with terrain and rain everywhere, stalling it wouldn't be a bad idea.

It also can do something against u-turn, along with passive recovery. It's a viable option, along with infestation.

If something subs on you you do not want Toxapex out lol

U-Turn mons can turn on you all day as far as im concerned just predict the switchin

 

[Mister Fig]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned that this thing gets Venoshock. That combined with Baneful Bunker and Merciless will allow this thing to seriously dent many Pokemon. I'm not sure if it would be that viable, but it could probably work well with Salazzle and Toxic Spikes.
Never mind, someone already mentioned everything I said.
Purple Haze (Toxapex) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Merciless
EVs: 252 HP / 196 SPa / 60 SPd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Venoshock
- Recover
- Baneful Bunker
- Scald

 

[Edgar81539]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned that this thing gets Venoshock. That combined with Baneful Bunker and Merciless will allow this thing to seriously dent many Pokemon. I'm not sure if it would be that viable, but it could probably work well with Salazzle and Toxic Spikes.
Never mind, someone already mentioned everything I said.
Purple Haze (Toxapex) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Merciless
EVs: 252 HP / 196 SPa / 60 SPd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Venoshock
- Recover
- Baneful Bunker
- Scald

Running Merciless takes away from everything that makes Toxapex good. It's just a gimmicky usage for what should be using Regenerator to check every non-electric/ground attackers on the format.

 

[Goodstyle]

I don't understand people that think this thing should be banned. He's basically a different flavour of Amoongus, with better typing and defenses but no spore and even worse offenses. Hell, Scald is far worse than ever now because of the burn nerf, so it's not like the burn is really wrecking defensive mons that switch into him.

 

[Favna]

Huh.. first message ever after just reading and reading a lot. So I had this battle earlier with Toxapex vs Toxapex and seriously this thing is a major bulk annoyance. Admittedly I could have just forfeited instead of pp stalled it out until struggle wars - but I wanted to have this battle replay so.. yeah...

Battle replay: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-481019357
Stalling starts on turn 45 and the first struggle is used on turn 119

Toxapex set used:

Toxapex (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Merciless
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe (This should be 4 SpD - I derped on the teambuilder)
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Recover
- Haze
- Baneful Bunker

I chose to run Haze over anything else to prevent setting up sets such as Mimikyu setting up swords dance which happened in this battle as well twice. Furthermore I prefer Merciless over Regenerator at least for now because of how nicely it goes together with Baneful Bunker and I want Toxapex to at least get some damage out because without ensured critical hits this thing is completely just a staller - pretty evident from this video as well because opposing toxapex got burned so I couldn't poison it anymore. A series of crit scalds + poison would've been the end of opposing toxapex. The rest should be pretty self explanatory.

 

[Peef Rimgar]

Huh.. first message ever after just reading and reading a lot. So I had this battle earlier with Toxapex vs Toxapex and seriously this thing is a major bulk annoyance. Admittedly I could have just forfeited instead of pp stalled it out until struggle wars - but I wanted to have this battle replay so.. yeah...

Battle replay: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-481019357
Stalling starts on turn 45 and the first struggle is used on turn 119

Toxapex set used:

Toxapex (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Merciless
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe (This should be 4 SpD - I derped on the teambuilder)
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Recover
- Haze
- Baneful Bunker

I chose to run Haze over anything else to prevent setting up sets such as Mimikyu setting up swords dance which happened in this battle as well twice. Furthermore I prefer Merciless over Regenerator at least for now because of how nicely it goes together with Baneful Bunker and I want Toxapex to at least get some damage out because without ensured critical hits this thing is completely just a staller - pretty evident from this video as well because opposing toxapex got burned so I couldn't poison it anymore. A series of crit scalds + poison would've been the end of opposing toxapex. The rest should be pretty self explanatory.

Aight look Regenerator is one of if not the best defensive abilities in this game. Stop running a gimmick in its place. Merciless would be really cute on an offensive mon for Tspikes teams but Toxapex is meant to be a wall. Anything but that application is a waste of a great mon.

 

[Favna]

Aight look Regenerator is one of if not the best defensive abilities in this game. Stop running a gimmick in its place. Merciless would be really cute on an offensive mon for Tspikes teams but Toxapex is meant to be a wall. Anything but that application is a waste of a great mon.

That is true. I'll try running it with Regenerator. At least my current team has a huge problem with earthquake so I have to do some patching for that anyway.

 

[MKL122788]

Honestly, I cannot imagine Merciless working as well as people think it can. Generally, for a team, you want the build that either patches up a huge weakness, or is an incredibly consistent performer at what it does.

I think the Scald/Toxic/Recover/Haze setup is the only one worth having. It allows it to perform against setup. It allows it to perform as a status spreader/wall/general pain in the you know what.

The only argument, to me, is what fits best for your team in terms of EVs and nature. 252 HP EVs is basically a given, so it comes down to Calm vs. Bold. All into one defense, the other or a mix of both.

This pokemon has a very clear role, is extremely good at that role, and the gimmick sets will never measure up.

 

[kurocookie]

opposing toxapex got burned so I couldn't poison it anymore. A series of crit scalds + poison would've been the end of opposing toxapex.

Because Toxapex can be poisoned if it's not burned?

Also, idk why people are arguing over this, Baneful Bunker is just a protect, you should never use it for the poison. It's like king's shield you use it for the stance change not the stat drops. If you need to poison something use t.spikes or toxic. If you need a protect (and not poison) use Baneful Bunk. That's literally it. Nothing else to add.

About the ability, I think merciless is too situational and i don't it's that worth, over regenerator imo.

 

[Durengardnit]

Toxapex set used:

Toxapex (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Merciless
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe (This should be 4 SpD - I derped on the teambuilder)
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Recover
- Haze
- Baneful Bunker

I have exactly the same Toxapex set, but with Regenerator. I can recommend Tapu Bulu as a partner.

 

[Pushinguplilacs]

I've been running a specially defensive set and holy god. Not even xurkitree can two hit it reliably. Especially with screens support (which I feel is gonna be very common for a while)

This thing is a monster with its access toregenerator, reliable recovery, burns, etc it just never dies. It very easily can stall out anything that can't 2 hit it reliably.

Can anything one shot it?

 

[nyttyn]

black sludge is strictly superior to leftovers as it causes damage to trick users instead of healing them, which is a relevant concern.

there's absolutely no reason to run leftovers in light of that, however small an advantage it may be.

 

[BENDIEZ]

Scald, Recover and Haze is going to be non negotiable if using Toxapex on Stall. For the last move, Toxic or Toxic Spikes are the two best options. Sludge Bomb sounds decent, though that non existent sp.atk stat makes SB not extremely useful and regular poison is not the best utility. Does good damage to non sp.def Tapu Bulu. Though Band variants will do massive damage with Wood Hammer.

Baneful Bunker is not great of a move IMO. Merciless is LOL JUNK on a Pokemon with such trash Sp.Atk.

 

[Guthriego]

I agree that this guy is a beast defensively. and he is everywhere in the meta.
I ve been using this beast gastrodon set to check a bunch of stuff.
Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 112 HP / 84 Def / 168 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Toxic
- Recover
- Clear Smog
Altough the electric immunity is key in checking the electric Topu, my team is weak to tspikes. should I convert to our lord toxapex(absorb dem spikes)?

 

[Hiddenfreezer]

Rocky Helmet, Recover, Regenerator
I just like this thing in the metagame providing excellent resistence...

Also Ferrothorn/Toxapex cover iirc each other weaknesses perfectly, which is to put it bluntly amazing!

 

[TheTMTrainerEffect]

This pokemon is going to be a staple in a lot of comps. It seems like an absolutely great pivot or tank and covers everything Ferrothorn doesn't. Not to mention this mon's stats are flexable enough to run SpD and Def builds. It packs enough utility to be useful in almost any comp, as well.

Building on the OP's build, because it's what I was using yesterday.

Toxapex @ Black Sludge / Rocky Helmet / Shed Shell
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def or SpD / 4 Spe
IVs: 0 Attack
Bold or Calm Nature
- Scald / Venom Drench
- Recover
- Haze
- Toxic / Baneful Bunker / Toxic Spikes

Just more options that all work. I love the flexability of this mon.
Venom Drench for SpA Pokemon.
Shed Shell to prevent the obvious.

 

[Siggu]

This pokemon is going to be a staple in a lot of comps. It seems like an absolutely great pivot or tank and covers everything Ferrothorn doesn't. Not to mention this mon's stats are flexable enough to run SpD and Def builds. It packs enough utility to be useful in almost any comp, as well.

Building on the OP's build, because it's what I was using yesterday.

Toxapex @ Black Sludge / Rocky Helmet / Shed Shell
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def or SpD / 4 Spe
IVs: 0 Attack
Bold or Calm Nature
- Scald / Venom Drench
- Recover
- Haze
- Toxic / Baneful Bunker / Toxic Spikes

Just more options that all work. I love the flexability of this mon.
Venom Drench for SpA Pokemon.
Shed Shell to prevent the obvious.

While I already find Venom Drench questionable, you'd totally not want to run it over Scald, because Taunt and dealing with physical attackers.

 

[TheTMTrainerEffect]

While I already find Venom Drench questionable, you'd totally not want to run it over Scald, because Taunt and dealing with physical attackers.

True. I'm not the greatest at making builds, but it's worth noting that running Venom Drench still helps deal with physical attackers (and, with my bad RNG, it sometimes was even more consistent than Scald). The Taunt complaint is totally valid, though. I found Venom Drench niche enough to be good enough when you are not dealing with Steel type physical attackers (ofc). Shed Shell also helps with taunt.

Scald will be better 9/10 times unless you're running something very niche.

Edit: The reason why I say Scald gets replaced it because the other 3 abilities are far too important, and Scald is the only time you don't lose everything (you still have a way to deal with physical attackers by using Venom Drench).

 

[Captain Awesome]

black sludge is strictly superior to leftovers as it causes damage to trick users instead of healing them, which is a relevant concern.

there's absolutely no reason to run leftovers in light of that, however small an advantage it may be.

if there is a small advantage, then there IS a reason to run leftovers

 

[Peef Rimgar]

if there is a small advantage, then there IS a reason to run leftovers

You completely lost sight of what they said lmao. Black Sludge has a small and usually inconsequential advantage, but there's still no reason not to use it over lefties

 

[Pushinguplilacs]

You completely lost sight of what they said lmao. Black Sludge has a small and usually inconsequential advantage, but there's still no reason not to use it over lefties

And in vgc you won't get item claused.

Regardless, I see a lot of baneful bunker on sets and I just...don't understand why? It might be cool in vgc but if we are talking strictly smogon singles there's a lot of reasons not to use baneful bunker. For one, the main things that are killing this, especially right now from my personal experience. Are earthquakes, electric moves and the occasional psychic moves. Almost all of which do not make contact with the exception of the occasional tapu koko wild charge. Even with that said, depending on your set, you can usually live one of those moves, toxic, and then regenerator switch out to a better answer.

Baneful bunker fans please give me insight as to why you run that over toxic.

 

[Diancie]

Because Toxapex can be poisoned if it's not burned?

Salazzle can poison it right? I believe the ability Corrosion can poison Steel/Poison types.