Statistics
|
Stat |
| HP |
80
|
363 |
| Atk |
70
|
238 |
| Def |
65
|
228 |
| SpA |
80
|
258 |
| SpD |
120
|
338 |
| Spe |
100
|
298 |
This is the standard sweeping set for Tentacruel and has been renowned for messing up any kind of team. Substitute is a great protection against Thunder Wave, and the only special attacks that will break a Substitute in one hit are Thunderbolt and Psychic. After stalling any possible counters into Resting with Sludge Bomb on the switch-ins, Dance up and take over. It won't be hard to with a 298 Speed and both physical and elemental STAB.
Other Options
Rest if you have a Heal Beller. Hydro Pump has superior base power to Surf, but iffy accuracy. Tentacruel also makes a great Rapid Spinner; the two most popular Spikers, Cloyster and Forretress, can't do a thing to Tentacruel head-to-head, so watch as your opponent is frustrated when his Spiking technique just doesn't work out! Just remember that Rapid Spin and Swords Dance cannot go on the same moveset.
Opinion
Tentacruel is a great sweeper. Not as much as it used to be since everyone is now trying hard to counter it, but it can still beat down a team late in a game. Poison and Water attacks complement each other very well. Don't forget to think about countering Tentacruel when making a team.
Counters
Zapdos is a pretty sturdy counter. The standard Zapdos has Rest and Sleep Talk, so it can take repeated smacks and Rest and Sleep Talk out Drill Pecks and super-effective Thunderbolts. Raikou is also a good counter due to its sturdiness, Speed, and tendency to be a Sleep Talker—even the Raikous without Sleep Talk have Reflect, which will subdue Tentacruel's Swords Dance attempts. Gengar can also make a decent counter—it's 4x resistant to Sludge Bomb and has a powerful Thunderbolt—just don't let it take too many Surfs or Hydro Pumps. Surprisingly, some of the best Tentacruel counters are in underused. Quagsire is an awesome counter—it's not weak to Surf, but has a STAB Earthquake and is resistant to Sludge Bomb. Qwilfish is awesome too. It has the same typing as Tentacruel and can Curse away, nullifying Tentacruel's Swords Dancing while putting Qwilfish in the advantage with boosted Defense and Attack. Muk is also good with its high Special Defense, HP, resistance to Sludge Bomb, and tendency to carry Curse.
