[OVERVIEW]
Flying
========
Mantine is a great special wall on balance and stall Flying teams thanks to its high Special Defense stat and its excellent Water typing allowing it to take Ice-type moves neutrally, taking pressure off Pokemon such as Celesteela that would otherwise need to deal with them. Its ability Water Absorb also makes it a great counter to heavy-hitting Water-type Pokemon such as Kingdra and Keldeo. Its utility moves in Roost and Defog allow it to take pressure off teammates such as Zapdos by absorbing neutral hits for them and allowing Zapdos to run Substitute and Toxic rather than Defog. Furthermore, the option to use Toxic or Haze allows Mantine to cripple opposing Pokemon, limiting their switches, and prevent setup Pokemon such as Volcarona from beating the team. Access to a spammable move in Scald as well makes Mantine very dangerous to even physical Pokemon trying to take advantage of its lack of physical bulk such as Scizor and Mega Gallade, as it has a chance to burn and cripple them. However, Mantine's 4x weakness to Electric-type moves is detrimental to Flying-type teams, as it does not help in the matchup against Electric, and Pokemon such as Keldeo can act as lures with Hidden Power Electric. Mantine's mediocre Defense stat also means it is forced out by strong physical attackers such as Mega Lopunny, leaving it pressured while Defogging. Mantine is extremely passive and offers little to the team in terms of offense, so it is dead weight on more balanced and offensive teams outside of Scald.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Defog
move 2: Scald
move 3: Roost
move 4: Haze
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Defog is massively important on Flying-type teams, and as a bulky Pokemon with high sustainability, Mantine puts it to good use. Unfortunately, as Mantine has little offensive presence, choosing to Defog can allow physical attackers to grab momentum, as Pokemon such as Bisharp can come in and gain a boost from it, and Mega Pinsir can start setting up and force Mantine out. Scald is the most spammable offensive move that Mantine has, enabling it to threaten physical attackers with a burn and preventing it from becoming bait for stallbreakers and Taunt users. Roost is necessary on Mantine, as it gives it more longevity in battle and can let it completely shut down special attackers such as Greninja and Mega Charizard Y. Haze is used to stop Mantine from becoming setup fodder, with Mantine having the ability to take a boosted Z-Move from Volcarona and remove its boosts. Mantine can also live a hit from Z-Celebrate Victini and can outspeed Z-Belly Drum Azumarill and can Haze both of them. Toxic is an option to cripple Pokemon that are unable to hit Mantine for much damage as well as bulkier Pokemon that Scald has little effect versus such as other Water-type Pokemon and other bulkier Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Mandibuzz. However, Haze is a better option in general, as it has more use on balanced Flying teams, being able to shut down threats that can boost their stats.
Set Details
========
Leftovers allows Mantine to stay at high health each turn; this helps when using Haze against potential setup sweepers and lets it switch into Stealth Rock more often over time, allowing it to Defog more efficiently. Even though Mantine already resists Water-type attacks, Water Absorb allows Mantine to take on Water-type Pokemon that are looking to hit other Pokemon on the team for heavy damage such as Keldeo and Kingdra. 160 Special Defense EVs and maximum EVs in HP allow Mantine to act as a great mixed wall, having a gigantic Special Defense stat and taking physical attacks from Pokemon that struggle with to hit it for super effective damage such as Scizor fairly well too. This also prevents it from being completely trapped by Pursuit trappers like Alolan Muk. 96 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed Azumarill and remove its boosts with Haze; 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD should be the EV spread if using Toxic, as Mantine does not need the Speed.
Usage Tips
========
Make good use of Haze when facing Pokemon such as Volcarona and Mew, as they are not powerful enough to overwhelm Mantine, so switching into them and using Haze is the best option to not let them get out of hand. Although Mew can OHKO Mantine at +2 with a Z-Move, Mantine at least stops Mew from being able to raise its Speed as well, making it easier to revenge kill. Make use of Water Absorb; do not let the rest of your team take unnecessary damage when Mantine can indefinitely check opposing Water-types. Mantine's great Water typing also lets it take hits from Pokemon with Ice-type coverage, meaning Pokemon such as Greninja and Latios find it much harder to break Flying-type teams. Try to keep Mantine healthy so that it can Defog periodically throughout the battle, as its teammates, such as Mega Charizard Y, rely on Stealth Rock being removed. Know when to use Toxic and when to use Scald; burning a Pokemon such as Porygon2 will be less beneficial for your team than using Toxic, whereas getting a Scald burn on physical attackers such as Terrakion and Tapu Bulu is much more beneficial to cripple them throughout the match. Mantine wants to avoid status, as it can be easily worn down with hazard damage and Toxic over time. If you are not using Toxic, be aware that Mantine loses one-on-one to other walls that can viably run Toxic. Do not try to beat Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Mandibuzz without Toxic, as they can status and stall out Mantine easily. Pick the correct times to use Defog, as Defogging whilst in the face of setup Pokemon or heavy hitters can result in losing multiple Pokemon. Mantine should also not Defog while Bisharp is out or if the opponent has the ability to switch Bisharp in. Try to get a Defog off while Mantine is in on a Pokemon it completely shuts down such as Mega Charizard Y or Greninja. Similarly, take advantage of Stealth Rock setters that Mantine beats; Pokemon such as Skarmory and Hippowdon are easily checked by Mantine, and switching in on them right away allows it to Defog without taking unnecessary hazard damage.
Team Options
========
Mantine is a great Defogger and switch-in to Ice-type attacks, making it a great teammate for most Flying-type Pokemon. Landorus and Landorus-T are both good offensive checks to Electric-type Pokemon. Both offer a huge amount of offensive pressure, forcing out a lot of Pokemon that threaten Mantine with their STAB Earth Power and Earthquake. Landorus-T also works as a check to physical attackers with Intimidate and its great bulk. Zapdos is a good teammate for Mantine, as it can deal with Water-types that Mantine cannot do much against, such as Toxapex, and offers super effective STAB attacks as well as Substitute and Toxic to beat bulkier Pokemon that could Toxic stall Mantine. Zapdos also has the ability to deal with most Electric-type Pokemon, such as opposing Defog Zapdos and Tapu Koko. Skarmory acts as a polar opposite to Mantine, being a great physical wall that can take on Pokemon that scare Mantine out with Rock-type attacks as well as act as another form of entry hazard removal to take pressure off of Mantine. Celesteela is a mixed wall that works well with Mantine, as it threatens all Rock-type Pokemon other than Stakataka with Heavy Slam and has Leech Seed to wear down bulky Pokemon. Gliscor is a good stallbreaker on Flying-type teams, able to shut down Pokemon that rely on recovery with Taunt and whittle down bulky Pokemon that can usually take on Mantine such as Chansey. As Mantine struggles to deal with walls if it isn't running Toxic, Dragonite pairs well with it to offer great wallbreaking power, being able to deal with Chansey and Toxapex. Dragonite also appreciates Mantine's Defog, keeping its Multiscale intact. Mega Charizard Y is another great wallbreaker with its very high Special Attack, and it can help break walls that Mantine cannot touch such as Porygon2. Mantine can also Defog well for Mega Charizard Y to safely come in. Mega Aerodactyl can Pursuit trap Pokemon that would usually threaten Mantine such as Victini.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flying
--------
* Mantine has no other options.
Checks and Counters
===================
Flying
--------
**Electric-types**: Most offensive Electric-type Pokemon OHKO Mantine with their STAB attacks, forcing it to switch out, and Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Zapdos are very common on top-tier teams. Some special attackers such as Keldeo also run Hidden Power Electric to lure in Mantine and OHKO it.
**Rock-types**: Pokemon such as Mega Diancie, Tyranitar, and Terrakion are very threatening to Mantine and scare it out, forcing other Pokemon on your team to take damage. However, Rock-type Pokemon such as Terrakion and Tyranitar do not switch into Mantine, as they fear being burned by Scald.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: The likes of Dragonite and Kyurem-B find it really easy to force out Mantine, as Mantine cannot risk taking a hit from these Pokemon due to its underwhelming Defense stat.
**Setup Sweepers**: Although Mantine has Haze for special attackers trying to set up, it cannot deal with them all. Calm Mind + Thunderbolt Mega Latios can easily set up on and deal with Mantine, as can physical attackers such as Mega Pinsir, Garchomp, and Bisharp, with the latter also being able to come in on Defog and get an automatic boost. However, physical attackers do risk being burned when trying to set up on Mantine.
**Walls**: Mantine loses one-on-one versus the walls of the tier. A couple of examples include Chansey and Mandibuzz. This is because Mantine cannot really afford to run Toxic, whereas Pokemon such as Mandibuzz, Chansey, and Porygon2 are able to make use of it, and Chansey also has access to Heal Bell, while Mandibuzz gets Taunt in its arsenal.
Flying
========
Mantine is a great special wall on balance and stall Flying teams thanks to its high Special Defense stat and its excellent Water typing allowing it to take Ice-type moves neutrally, taking pressure off Pokemon such as Celesteela that would otherwise need to deal with them. Its ability Water Absorb also makes it a great counter to heavy-hitting Water-type Pokemon such as Kingdra and Keldeo. Its utility moves in Roost and Defog allow it to take pressure off teammates such as Zapdos by absorbing neutral hits for them and allowing Zapdos to run Substitute and Toxic rather than Defog. Furthermore, the option to use Toxic or Haze allows Mantine to cripple opposing Pokemon, limiting their switches, and prevent setup Pokemon such as Volcarona from beating the team. Access to a spammable move in Scald as well makes Mantine very dangerous to even physical Pokemon trying to take advantage of its lack of physical bulk such as Scizor and Mega Gallade, as it has a chance to burn and cripple them. However, Mantine's 4x weakness to Electric-type moves is detrimental to Flying-type teams, as it does not help in the matchup against Electric, and Pokemon such as Keldeo can act as lures with Hidden Power Electric. Mantine's mediocre Defense stat also means it is forced out by strong physical attackers such as Mega Lopunny, leaving it pressured while Defogging. Mantine is extremely passive and offers little to the team in terms of offense, so it is dead weight on more balanced and offensive teams outside of Scald.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Defog
move 2: Scald
move 3: Roost
move 4: Haze
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Defog is massively important on Flying-type teams, and as a bulky Pokemon with high sustainability, Mantine puts it to good use. Unfortunately, as Mantine has little offensive presence, choosing to Defog can allow physical attackers to grab momentum, as Pokemon such as Bisharp can come in and gain a boost from it, and Mega Pinsir can start setting up and force Mantine out. Scald is the most spammable offensive move that Mantine has, enabling it to threaten physical attackers with a burn and preventing it from becoming bait for stallbreakers and Taunt users. Roost is necessary on Mantine, as it gives it more longevity in battle and can let it completely shut down special attackers such as Greninja and Mega Charizard Y. Haze is used to stop Mantine from becoming setup fodder, with Mantine having the ability to take a boosted Z-Move from Volcarona and remove its boosts. Mantine can also live a hit from Z-Celebrate Victini and can outspeed Z-Belly Drum Azumarill and can Haze both of them. Toxic is an option to cripple Pokemon that are unable to hit Mantine for much damage as well as bulkier Pokemon that Scald has little effect versus such as other Water-type Pokemon and other bulkier Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Mandibuzz. However, Haze is a better option in general, as it has more use on balanced Flying teams, being able to shut down threats that can boost their stats.
Set Details
========
Leftovers allows Mantine to stay at high health each turn; this helps when using Haze against potential setup sweepers and lets it switch into Stealth Rock more often over time, allowing it to Defog more efficiently. Even though Mantine already resists Water-type attacks, Water Absorb allows Mantine to take on Water-type Pokemon that are looking to hit other Pokemon on the team for heavy damage such as Keldeo and Kingdra. 160 Special Defense EVs and maximum EVs in HP allow Mantine to act as a great mixed wall, having a gigantic Special Defense stat and taking physical attacks from Pokemon that struggle with to hit it for super effective damage such as Scizor fairly well too. This also prevents it from being completely trapped by Pursuit trappers like Alolan Muk. 96 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed Azumarill and remove its boosts with Haze; 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD should be the EV spread if using Toxic, as Mantine does not need the Speed.
Usage Tips
========
Make good use of Haze when facing Pokemon such as Volcarona and Mew, as they are not powerful enough to overwhelm Mantine, so switching into them and using Haze is the best option to not let them get out of hand. Although Mew can OHKO Mantine at +2 with a Z-Move, Mantine at least stops Mew from being able to raise its Speed as well, making it easier to revenge kill. Make use of Water Absorb; do not let the rest of your team take unnecessary damage when Mantine can indefinitely check opposing Water-types. Mantine's great Water typing also lets it take hits from Pokemon with Ice-type coverage, meaning Pokemon such as Greninja and Latios find it much harder to break Flying-type teams. Try to keep Mantine healthy so that it can Defog periodically throughout the battle, as its teammates, such as Mega Charizard Y, rely on Stealth Rock being removed. Know when to use Toxic and when to use Scald; burning a Pokemon such as Porygon2 will be less beneficial for your team than using Toxic, whereas getting a Scald burn on physical attackers such as Terrakion and Tapu Bulu is much more beneficial to cripple them throughout the match. Mantine wants to avoid status, as it can be easily worn down with hazard damage and Toxic over time. If you are not using Toxic, be aware that Mantine loses one-on-one to other walls that can viably run Toxic. Do not try to beat Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Mandibuzz without Toxic, as they can status and stall out Mantine easily. Pick the correct times to use Defog, as Defogging whilst in the face of setup Pokemon or heavy hitters can result in losing multiple Pokemon. Mantine should also not Defog while Bisharp is out or if the opponent has the ability to switch Bisharp in. Try to get a Defog off while Mantine is in on a Pokemon it completely shuts down such as Mega Charizard Y or Greninja. Similarly, take advantage of Stealth Rock setters that Mantine beats; Pokemon such as Skarmory and Hippowdon are easily checked by Mantine, and switching in on them right away allows it to Defog without taking unnecessary hazard damage.
Team Options
========
Mantine is a great Defogger and switch-in to Ice-type attacks, making it a great teammate for most Flying-type Pokemon. Landorus and Landorus-T are both good offensive checks to Electric-type Pokemon. Both offer a huge amount of offensive pressure, forcing out a lot of Pokemon that threaten Mantine with their STAB Earth Power and Earthquake. Landorus-T also works as a check to physical attackers with Intimidate and its great bulk. Zapdos is a good teammate for Mantine, as it can deal with Water-types that Mantine cannot do much against, such as Toxapex, and offers super effective STAB attacks as well as Substitute and Toxic to beat bulkier Pokemon that could Toxic stall Mantine. Zapdos also has the ability to deal with most Electric-type Pokemon, such as opposing Defog Zapdos and Tapu Koko. Skarmory acts as a polar opposite to Mantine, being a great physical wall that can take on Pokemon that scare Mantine out with Rock-type attacks as well as act as another form of entry hazard removal to take pressure off of Mantine. Celesteela is a mixed wall that works well with Mantine, as it threatens all Rock-type Pokemon other than Stakataka with Heavy Slam and has Leech Seed to wear down bulky Pokemon. Gliscor is a good stallbreaker on Flying-type teams, able to shut down Pokemon that rely on recovery with Taunt and whittle down bulky Pokemon that can usually take on Mantine such as Chansey. As Mantine struggles to deal with walls if it isn't running Toxic, Dragonite pairs well with it to offer great wallbreaking power, being able to deal with Chansey and Toxapex. Dragonite also appreciates Mantine's Defog
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flying
--------
* Mantine has no other options.
Checks and Counters
===================
Flying
--------
**Electric-types**: Most offensive Electric-type Pokemon OHKO Mantine with their STAB attacks, forcing it to switch out, and Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Zapdos are very common on top-tier teams. Some special attackers such as Keldeo also run Hidden Power Electric to lure in Mantine and OHKO it.
**Rock-types**: Pokemon such as Mega Diancie, Tyranitar, and Terrakion are very threatening to Mantine and scare it out, forcing other Pokemon on your team to take damage. However, Rock-type Pokemon such as Terrakion and Tyranitar do not switch into Mantine, as they fear being burned by Scald.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: The likes of Dragonite and Kyurem-B find it really easy to force out Mantine, as Mantine cannot risk taking a hit from these Pokemon due to its underwhelming Defense stat.
**Setup Sweepers**: Although Mantine has Haze for special attackers trying to set up, it cannot deal with them all. Calm Mind + Thunderbolt Mega Latios can easily set up on and deal with Mantine, as can physical attackers such as Mega Pinsir, Garchomp, and Bisharp, with the latter also being able to come in on Defog and get an automatic boost. However, physical attackers do risk being burned when trying to set up on Mantine.
**Walls**: Mantine loses one-on-one versus the walls of the tier. A couple of examples include Chansey and Mandibuzz. This is because Mantine cannot really afford to run Toxic, whereas Pokemon such as Mandibuzz, Chansey, and Porygon2 are able to make use of it, and Chansey also has access to Heal Bell, while Mandibuzz gets Taunt in its arsenal.
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