Overview
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- Great, unique defensive typing allowing it to check dangerous mons such as Mega Altaria and Keldeo
- Amazing Special Defence
- A lot of resistances
- Good speed for a wall
- Amazing support movepool, including Rapid Spin, Knock Off and Scald
- Access to Acid Spray allows it to check Calm Mind sweepers such as Clefable
- Poor Defense
- Mediocre special attack meaning it is easy to set up on
- No reliable recovery
- Weakness to Electric, Psychic and Ground, all fairly common types
Specially Defensive
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name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Acid Spray
move 4: Knock Off / Sludge Bomb / Toxic Spikes
ability: Liquid Ooze
item: Black Sludge
evs: 240 HP / 252 SpD / 16 Spe
nature: Calm
Moves
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- Scald is Tentacruels primary STAB, with a nice chance to burn, discouraging physical attackers from switching in
- Rapid Spin clears hazards from its side of the field
- Acid Spray allows it to check Calm Mind sweepers by constantly lowering their Special Defense
- Knock Off allows it to criple switch ins while doing decent damage to Gengar
- Sludge Bomb provides a secondary STAB, allowing it to knock out Clefable after several Acid Spray drops
- Toxic Spikes provides team support by wearing away the opponent. It also allows Tentacruel to become a threat against defensive teams
Set Details
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- Max Special Defense and HP EV's, as well as a calm nature are used to allow Tentacruel to check special attackers
- 16 Speed EV's allows Tentacruel to outspeed max base 70's such as Bisharp
- Black Sludge is used for passive recovery, whilst punishing any trick users
- Liquid Ooze is its most relevant ability, discouraging Giga Drains from Mega Venusaur and Mega Sceptile
- 92 Special Attack EV's allow Tentacruel to beat bulky Mega-altaria with Sludge Bomb, however results in a loss of bulk
- Rain Dish can be used on a rain team or to check other rain teams, as Tentacruel is a good answer to sweepers such as Omaster and Ludicolo
Usage Tips
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- Switch Tentacruel in on weaker or resisted special hits. It is a prime switch in to special attackers such as Mega-Altaria. Try to avoid physical ones as Tentacruel has a low physical defense
- When in, Scald should be its main attack, to fish for burns, or cripple the opponent with Knock Off
- If hazards are present on Tentacruels side of the field, Rapid Spin should be used, unless the opponent has a Ghost-type, then going for Knock Off or Scald should be used on a predicted switch
- Toxic Spikes should be set up when necessary, but be weary if they opponent has a Venusaur or Mage-Sableye
- Tentacruel should be switched into bulky Calm Mind sweepers, such as Clefable, in order to spam Acid Spray, to lower the opponents Special Defense and then finish it off with Sludge Bomb
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- Due to its passive nature, Tentacruel fits in better with defensively based teams
- Wish passers, such as Chansey, are appreciated as Tentacruel has no reliable recovery
- Dark-type Pokemon, such as Mega Sableye, can be used in order to check Psychic-types, whilst Tentacruel beats Fairy-types. These two make a good anti-hazard core as Mega Sableye can spinblock or bounce back opposing hazards, and beat setter such as Ferrothorn, Tyrantiar and Landorus-T, whilst Tentacruel can Rapid Spin and beat Heatran and Clefable.
- Grass types, such as Celebi and Chesnaught, resist both Ground and Electric, in response, Tentacruel resists Poison and Fire
- Gliscor make a good partner, as it is immune to Ground and Electric and can take physical hits, whilst Tentacruel resists Ice and Water
Other Options
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- Toxic allows it to threaten opposing walls if Toxic Spikes arent set up
- Haze prevents pokes setting up in its face
- Ice Beam hits Chesnaught and Dragon-types
- Rain dance + rain dish
- Magic Coat to block hazards
- A physically defensive spread can be used to check Pokemon such as Azumarril and Keldeo more easily
Checks & Counters
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**Psychic-Types**: Psychic-Type Pokemon, such as Latios and Mega Metagross, can outspeed and OHKO Tentacruel with their Psychic-type STAB moves, however the former dislikes Knock Off and thee latter fears a Scald. Mega Latias can Substitute to block a status then freely set up Calm Minds on Tentacruel, whilst Gothitelle can trap and KO it.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye can Spinblock Tentacruel, take any coverage, then burn or whittle it down with Shadow Ball. However, Mega Sableye gets warn down by a Scald burn or weakened heavily by Acid Spray, and with Heal Bell support, Tentacruel can last a lot longer.
**Electric-Types**: Electric-type Pokemon, such as Thundurus and Mega Manectric, can switch in, live any hit and retaliate back with their super effective STAB, but they dislike taking too many Scalds. Rotom-W resists Scald and takes little from Sludge Bomb, so can freely switch in and either burn Tentacruel, or pivot out with Volt Switch.
**Physical Attackers**: Due to its poor physical defense, many strong attackers, such as Mega Herracross and Mega Aerodactyl, can OHKO Tentacruel, however cannot switch in due to fear of a Scald burn. Conkeldurr is bulky enough to live any hit, gets a Guts boost from status, and can cripple Tentacruel with Knock Off.
**Set Up Sweepers**: Bulky set up sweepers, such as Dragonite, can use Tentacruel as set up fodder, whilst can take a Scald burn with Lum Berry. Mega Gyarados's Substitutes are not broken by Tentacruel so it can use it as set up fodder, whilst Mega Charzard-X and specially defensive Talonflame do not fear a burn.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Defensive Pokemon, such as Mega Venusaur and Mew, can switch in and whittle Tentacruel down with status or attacks, whilst not caring much if burnt.
**Ground-Types**: Although they heavily dislike taking Scald's, Ground-type Pokemon, such as Landorus and Excadrill, can threaten Tentacruel with their Ground-type STAB move. Speccially Defensive Gliscor has enough bulk to avoid the 3HKO most of the time, and it doesnt get affected by status if its Toxic Orb has activated.
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