[OVERVIEW]
Nidoqueen seemingly has everything going for it as a defensive Pokemon. Nidoqueen's typing and sheer bulk let it serve as an excellent pivot into the tier's Pokemon like Skuntank, Regirock, and Hitmonchan. Nidoqueen has a bevy of utility tools at its disposal, it's a great hazard setter with both Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, and it has Taunt and Roar to shut down opposing defensive Pokemon. Even offensive Pokemon struggle to switch into Nidoqueen, as it boasts amazing offensive coverage with a combination of Earthquake or Earth Power and Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, and Stone Edge. Despite its amazing coverage, Nidoqueen is offensively quite weak, meaning bulky attackers like Slowking, Cradily, and Articuno can easily shrug off attacks and threaten Nidoqueen back with super-effective coverage. Nidoqueen is most often seen on bulky offenses due to its amazing role compression, and it appreciates powerful teammates like Tauros and Medicham to compensate for its poor attacking stats.
[SET]
name: Defensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Taunt / Toxic Spikes / Roar
item: Black Sludge
ability: Poison Point
nature: Calm / Bold
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD or 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
Ice Beam lets Nidoqueen hit Flying- and Grass-types like Drifblim and Vileplume, respectively, making it great coverage with Earth Power. Taunt allows Nidoqueen to shut down opposing defensive Pokemon like Cradily and Dusclops. Toxic Spikes can rack up damage against the opposition and Nidoqueen can offensively threaten Poison-types attempting to absorb them. Roar can phaze setup sweepers like Drifblim and Slowking, while also shuffling foes around if Nidoqueen forces a switch against Pokemon it beats like Hitmonchan and Manectric. Nidoqueen has a lot of room for customization. It can use Earthquake and an appropriate nature to hit specially bulky Pokemon like Hitmonchan and opposing Nidoqueen. Thunderbolt can hit Water-types like Slowking and Poliwrath.
Set Details
A specially defensive EV spread lets Nidoqueen better take on the likes of Manectric, Magneton, and Haunter reliably. Dusclops pairs well with this spread as it serves as a physical wall and can block Rapid Spin for Nidoqueen's hazards. A physically defensive EV spread lets Nidoqueen take on more of the dominant threats of the metagame, such as Hitmonchan, Skuntank, Tauros, and Regirock, even inflicting Poison Point on contact attackers. Nidoqueen must be cautious about the relatively safe entry it grants to opposing bulky Water-types, but a timely Roar or Toxic can wear them down before they can even threaten Nidoqueen.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
List some options for the Pokemon user that are plausible but not always recommended due to either being not consistent enough or too outclassed by other Pokemon in the metagame.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Insert Counterplay Here**: Describe the counterplay / check / counter.
**Insert Counterplay Here**: Describe the counterplay / check / counter.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user1.100/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.101/
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/
Nidoqueen seemingly has everything going for it as a defensive Pokemon. Nidoqueen's typing and sheer bulk let it serve as an excellent pivot into the tier's Pokemon like Skuntank, Regirock, and Hitmonchan. Nidoqueen has a bevy of utility tools at its disposal, it's a great hazard setter with both Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, and it has Taunt and Roar to shut down opposing defensive Pokemon. Even offensive Pokemon struggle to switch into Nidoqueen, as it boasts amazing offensive coverage with a combination of Earthquake or Earth Power and Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, and Stone Edge. Despite its amazing coverage, Nidoqueen is offensively quite weak, meaning bulky attackers like Slowking, Cradily, and Articuno can easily shrug off attacks and threaten Nidoqueen back with super-effective coverage. Nidoqueen is most often seen on bulky offenses due to its amazing role compression, and it appreciates powerful teammates like Tauros and Medicham to compensate for its poor attacking stats.
[SET]
name: Defensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Taunt / Toxic Spikes / Roar
item: Black Sludge
ability: Poison Point
nature: Calm / Bold
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD or 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
Ice Beam lets Nidoqueen hit Flying- and Grass-types like Drifblim and Vileplume, respectively, making it great coverage with Earth Power. Taunt allows Nidoqueen to shut down opposing defensive Pokemon like Cradily and Dusclops. Toxic Spikes can rack up damage against the opposition and Nidoqueen can offensively threaten Poison-types attempting to absorb them. Roar can phaze setup sweepers like Drifblim and Slowking, while also shuffling foes around if Nidoqueen forces a switch against Pokemon it beats like Hitmonchan and Manectric. Nidoqueen has a lot of room for customization. It can use Earthquake and an appropriate nature to hit specially bulky Pokemon like Hitmonchan and opposing Nidoqueen. Thunderbolt can hit Water-types like Slowking and Poliwrath.
Set Details
A specially defensive EV spread lets Nidoqueen better take on the likes of Manectric, Magneton, and Haunter reliably. Dusclops pairs well with this spread as it serves as a physical wall and can block Rapid Spin for Nidoqueen's hazards. A physically defensive EV spread lets Nidoqueen take on more of the dominant threats of the metagame, such as Hitmonchan, Skuntank, Tauros, and Regirock, even inflicting Poison Point on contact attackers. Nidoqueen must be cautious about the relatively safe entry it grants to opposing bulky Water-types, but a timely Roar or Toxic can wear them down before they can even threaten Nidoqueen.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
List some options for the Pokemon user that are plausible but not always recommended due to either being not consistent enough or too outclassed by other Pokemon in the metagame.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Insert Counterplay Here**: Describe the counterplay / check / counter.
**Insert Counterplay Here**: Describe the counterplay / check / counter.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user1.100/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.101/
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: