[OVERVIEW]
With an interesting offensive typing and access to Swords Dance, Toxicroak can function as a decent, albeit relatively niche breaker on rain builds. Its STAB options coming off its high natural attack can help break through typical rain answers such as Empoleon, Hisuian Goodra and Chesnaught, while Sucker Punch can allow it to threaten faster threats like Mew and Gengar. Another major benefit of Toxicroak is its defensive profile when coupled with Tera Dark - when paired with Dry Skin it allows Toxicroak to wall Slowbro completely and check Basculegion-F more effectively, two typically annoying Pokemon for rain teams. Despite access to priority, vulnerability to being revenge killed remains one of Toxicroaks main issues. Unlike typical rain abusers like Barraskewda and Swift Swim Basculegion, Toxicroak has a very low natural speed, leaving it exposed to faster foes like Terrakion, Krookodile and Noivern who Sucker Punch do not threaten as immediately, as well as priority from opponents like Entei and Mimikyu. Its low bulk also makes it difficult for it to find opportunities to come in and break, even against Pokemon it would normally beat 1v1 such as Gastrodon and Hisuian Goodra.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Dark
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Toxicroak utilises Swords Dance coupled with its high Attack in order to become a threatening breaker, able to decompose bulkier teams effectively. Sucker Punch allows Toxicroak to circumvent its low speed by threatening faster foes such as Mew, Gengar and Jirachi, although it does need to be wary of using it on Gengar for fear of being hit by Will-O-Wisp. An Adamant nature is preferred due to its ability to help Toxicroak pick up OHKOs on foes like Suicune and Gastrodon after a Swords Dance, as well as securing a 2HKO on Quagsire after stealth rocks. Tera Dark is the tera of choice due to its ability to let it turn Slowbro and Basculegion-F into setup opportunties when coupled with Dry Skin, as well as boosting the power of its Sucker Punch to let it better threaten faster foes like Maushold and Noivern.
Toxicroak is almost exclusively found alongside the tiers premiere rain setter, Politoed. Politoed not only sets rain up which Toxicroak can utilise due to Dry Skin, but also can threaten bulky Ground-types like Palossand and Gligar that could otherwise prove problematic for Toxicroak to break through. Other teammates that can threaten these include Barraskewda and Basculegion who can not only force out these fatter Ground-types, but also pivot Toxicroak in on foes like Chesnaught, Empoleon and Hisuian Goodra to give it more opportunities to break. In exchange Toxicroak can break through these typical rain answers, as well as threatening kills on Gastrodon, Quagsire and Vaporeon who could also prove problematic. Due to Toxicroaks low bulk, switchins against faster attackers and priority are appreciated. Forretress fulfils such a role on the physical side, being able to answer Krookodile, Maushold and Mimikyu effectively, while Blissey can nullify special threats like Gengar and Noivern. Both can also set hazards in order to aid Toxicroaks breaking, notably guaranteeing Toxicroak the 2HKO on Quagsire and dissuading things from switching around in front of it. The weakness to the aforementioned Krookodile means Flying-types who can dissuade Ground-type attacks, such as Kilowattrel and Pivot Tornadus are great teammates, with both also helping to compensate for Toxicroaks low speed. In return Toxicroak can threaten Hisuian Goodra and Jirachi which could usually answer the Flying-types with relative ease.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
A Jolly nature may also be used, allowing Toxicroak to outpace foes like Choice Specs Gardevoir, Choice Band Kleavor and Gallade, although the significantly reduced damage output makes it generally unadvisable.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-types:** Offensive Ground-types moves like Krookodile and Torterras Earthquakes can prove threatening to Toxicroak, although neither can safely switch in against its own STAB combination. Defensively, Palossand and Gligar can both check Toxicroak, with both being very resilient to both Close Combat and Gunk Shot and able to threaten it out with their own Ground-type moves.
**Psychic-types:** Psychic-types like Mew, Gardevoir and Necrozma can all threaten Toxicroak with their strong STAB moves, although this issue can be helped by Tera Dark flipping the weakness to an immunity and boosting Sucker Punch damage into them.
**Revenge Killers:** Despite its access to priority, Toxicroak is vulnerable to quicker foes such as Krookodile and Terrakion who can take Sucker Punch well. It is also at risk from common priority moves, like Extreme Speed from Entei and Shadow Sneak from Mimikyu, although Tera Dark can help into the latter.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/medasus.632421/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
With an interesting offensive typing and access to Swords Dance, Toxicroak can function as a decent, albeit relatively niche breaker on rain builds. Its STAB options coming off its high natural attack can help break through typical rain answers such as Empoleon, Hisuian Goodra and Chesnaught, while Sucker Punch can allow it to threaten faster threats like Mew and Gengar. Another major benefit of Toxicroak is its defensive profile when coupled with Tera Dark - when paired with Dry Skin it allows Toxicroak to wall Slowbro completely and check Basculegion-F more effectively, two typically annoying Pokemon for rain teams. Despite access to priority, vulnerability to being revenge killed remains one of Toxicroaks main issues. Unlike typical rain abusers like Barraskewda and Swift Swim Basculegion, Toxicroak has a very low natural speed, leaving it exposed to faster foes like Terrakion, Krookodile and Noivern who Sucker Punch do not threaten as immediately, as well as priority from opponents like Entei and Mimikyu. Its low bulk also makes it difficult for it to find opportunities to come in and break, even against Pokemon it would normally beat 1v1 such as Gastrodon and Hisuian Goodra.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Dark
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Toxicroak utilises Swords Dance coupled with its high Attack in order to become a threatening breaker, able to decompose bulkier teams effectively. Sucker Punch allows Toxicroak to circumvent its low speed by threatening faster foes such as Mew, Gengar and Jirachi, although it does need to be wary of using it on Gengar for fear of being hit by Will-O-Wisp. An Adamant nature is preferred due to its ability to help Toxicroak pick up OHKOs on foes like Suicune and Gastrodon after a Swords Dance, as well as securing a 2HKO on Quagsire after stealth rocks. Tera Dark is the tera of choice due to its ability to let it turn Slowbro and Basculegion-F into setup opportunties when coupled with Dry Skin, as well as boosting the power of its Sucker Punch to let it better threaten faster foes like Maushold and Noivern.
Toxicroak is almost exclusively found alongside the tiers premiere rain setter, Politoed. Politoed not only sets rain up which Toxicroak can utilise due to Dry Skin, but also can threaten bulky Ground-types like Palossand and Gligar that could otherwise prove problematic for Toxicroak to break through. Other teammates that can threaten these include Barraskewda and Basculegion who can not only force out these fatter Ground-types, but also pivot Toxicroak in on foes like Chesnaught, Empoleon and Hisuian Goodra to give it more opportunities to break. In exchange Toxicroak can break through these typical rain answers, as well as threatening kills on Gastrodon, Quagsire and Vaporeon who could also prove problematic. Due to Toxicroaks low bulk, switchins against faster attackers and priority are appreciated. Forretress fulfils such a role on the physical side, being able to answer Krookodile, Maushold and Mimikyu effectively, while Blissey can nullify special threats like Gengar and Noivern. Both can also set hazards in order to aid Toxicroaks breaking, notably guaranteeing Toxicroak the 2HKO on Quagsire and dissuading things from switching around in front of it. The weakness to the aforementioned Krookodile means Flying-types who can dissuade Ground-type attacks, such as Kilowattrel and Pivot Tornadus are great teammates, with both also helping to compensate for Toxicroaks low speed. In return Toxicroak can threaten Hisuian Goodra and Jirachi which could usually answer the Flying-types with relative ease.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
A Jolly nature may also be used, allowing Toxicroak to outpace foes like Choice Specs Gardevoir, Choice Band Kleavor and Gallade, although the significantly reduced damage output makes it generally unadvisable.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-types:** Offensive Ground-types moves like Krookodile and Torterras Earthquakes can prove threatening to Toxicroak, although neither can safely switch in against its own STAB combination. Defensively, Palossand and Gligar can both check Toxicroak, with both being very resilient to both Close Combat and Gunk Shot and able to threaten it out with their own Ground-type moves.
**Psychic-types:** Psychic-types like Mew, Gardevoir and Necrozma can all threaten Toxicroak with their strong STAB moves, although this issue can be helped by Tera Dark flipping the weakness to an immunity and boosting Sucker Punch damage into them.
**Revenge Killers:** Despite its access to priority, Toxicroak is vulnerable to quicker foes such as Krookodile and Terrakion who can take Sucker Punch well. It is also at risk from common priority moves, like Extreme Speed from Entei and Shadow Sneak from Mimikyu, although Tera Dark can help into the latter.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/medasus.632421/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Last edited:
