[OVERVIEW]
Water
========
Mantine's amazing Special Defense along with its access to reliable recovery in the form of Roost makes it a specially defensive wall that is extremely easy to fit on Water teams. It gets access to other utility moves such as Defog and Toxic while also having one of the most spammable moves in the game, Scald, as a STAB move. Its typing provides a key neutrality to Grass-type moves and an immunity to Ground-type moves, something Water teams really appreciate due to their general lack of Pokemon that resist Ground-type moves. However, Mantine suffers from a 4x weakness to Electric-type moves and is very passive, often resulting in a huge loss of momentum whenever it comes in. It faces competition from Empoleon as a Defog user, as the latter can compress two roles on one teamslot due to its access to Stealth Rock. Furthermore, being weak to Stealth Rock makes it hard for Mantine to actually switch in repeatedly to use Defog. Finally, Mantine has a low Defense stat, forcing it to rely on teammates to take on physical wallbreakers.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Scald
move 2: Defog
move 3: Roost
move 4: Toxic / Haze
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald prevents Mantine from becoming complete setup bait for stallbreakers while also limiting physical attackers from switching in freely by threatening them with a chance to burn. Defog lets Mantine fulfill its role as an entry hazard remover, supporting the rest of the team. Reliable recovery in the form of Roost is incredibly important for Mantine, as it needs some sort of sustain to combat most special attackers. Furthermore, it lets Mantine remain healthy throughout the match to Defog away entry hazards. Toxic allows Mantine to hinder annoyances such as an opposing Mantine and Porygon2. However, Haze can be used instead of Toxic as a countermeasure against setup sweepers such as Volcarona and Mew.
Set Details
========
Leftovers gives Mantine residual recovery every turn, letting it perform its job as a specially defensive wall and Defog user more reliably. Water Absorb, although not particularly useful on a Water team, grants it an immunity to Water-type moves. The EVs and nature maximize Mantine's mixed bulk and allow it to take most weak physical hits while also letting it serve its role as a specially defensive sponge.
Usage Tips
========
Try switching Mantine in on the turn the foe goes for Stealth Rock in order to avoid taking unnecessary entry hazard damage. Mantine hates Toxic; even if it isn't guaranteed that the foe has Toxic, switching out to scout for it is usually the safer play because Mantine gets completely crippled when poisoned. Use Roost whenever possible when Mantine isn't at maximum HP because Mantine has to constantly switch in on Stealth Rock to Defog it away or on special attackers to wall them. If it isn't at maximum HP, it may become much harder for Mantine to perform its jobs. However, if Mantine has taken no damage, spamming Scald is a good play, as it limits the number of Pokemon that can switch in due to its chance to burn. Against foes like Volcarona, Mantine should be switched in immediately to prevent its teammates from taking unnecessary damage and to get rid of Stealth Rock. Although Mantine's typing grants it a plethora of resistances, it leaves it with a glaring 4x weakness to Electric-type moves. It should thus avoid staying in on Electric-types or even Pokemon that may carry Electric-type coverage. Against a potential setup sweeper, it is sometimes wiser to spam Haze in order to prevent it from setting up and hitting Mantine with a boosted hit instead of a regular one. This depends on the situation, however. If the foe can threaten Mantine with an unboosted hit and Mantine is needed to counter a Pokemon, then try switching into a more appropriate counter instead of risking Mantine.
Team Options
========
The utility that Mantine provides makes it easy to fit on most balance and stall teams, but it is generally a bit too passive for offensive Water teams. Swampert is one of the best partners for Mantine. It takes on most physical attackers, Electric-types, and Rock-types that threaten Mantine, while Mantine takes on special attackers and Grass-types wonderfully. Toxapex is another defensive wall that complements Mantine well by taking on physical attackers. Furthermore, the two can share their role as a Grass-type neutrality and prevent the other from being pressured and worn down too quickly. Mantine's 4x weakness to Electric-type attacks forces at least one immunity to them to be run alongside it. Lanturn and Quagsire are two Pokemon that work excellently in tandem with Mantine. Lanturn gets access to Heal Bell, which can save Mantine from status conditions like Toxic, while Quagsire can take on setup sweepers like Dragonite. Mantine also supports them, being able to take Grass-type moves. Wallbreakers like Manaphy, Greninja, and Mega Sharpedo can support Mantine greatly by being able to take out annoying stallbreakers or walls that it can't break through. Sap Sipper Azumarill can take Grass-type moves, relieving Mantine from its duty as a Grass-type neutrality while also taking on threats like Tapu Bulu. Another excellent physically defensive wall to take on physical attackers is Slowbro. It also appreciates Mantine's ability to take Grass-type moves, as it usually can't do much to most of them. Mega Slowbro functions even more effectively with Mantine due to its increased mixed bulk and decent offensive presence with Calm Mind. Alomomola supports Mantine by providing recovery in the form of Wish; this makes it much easier to bring Mantine in, especially when Stealth Rock is up. Tapu Fini is another excellent teammate for Mantine. The latter can take up the role of a Defog user, allowing Tapu Fini to run more of an offensive or stallbreaking set. Finally, Empoleon appreciates Mantine's immunity to Ground-type moves, and both can take the role of a Defog user, allowing one of them to run a different move over Defog.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Water
--------
Maximum Special Defense EVs can be used instead, but Mantine rarely needs them, as it takes on most special attackers with ease anyway, and they leave Mantine too vulnerable to common physical attacks.
Checks and Counters
===================
Water
--------
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Magnezone can easily KO Mantine with their STAB moves.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Physical wallbreakers such as Tapu Bulu and Mega Pinsir can threaten Mantine with their strong STAB moves.
**Stallbreakers**: Stallbreakers like Gliscor can use Taunt or Substitute to force Mantine to rely on its weak offensive moves and prevent it from using a recovery move.
**Toxic**: Toxic severely hinders Mantine, wearing it down very quickly and reducing its longevity greatly.
**Rock-types**: Rock-types like Terrakion and Tyranitar can KO Mantine with ease but need to watch out for Scald.
**Setup Sweepers**: Setup sweepers such as Bisharp, which can even prevent Mantine from Defogging safely through Defiant, can set up on Mantine and threaten sets lacking Haze with their sheer power.
Water
========
Mantine's amazing Special Defense along with its access to reliable recovery in the form of Roost makes it a specially defensive wall that is extremely easy to fit on Water teams. It gets access to other utility moves such as Defog and Toxic while also having one of the most spammable moves in the game, Scald, as a STAB move. Its typing provides a key neutrality to Grass-type moves and an immunity to Ground-type moves, something Water teams really appreciate due to their general lack of Pokemon that resist Ground-type moves. However, Mantine suffers from a 4x weakness to Electric-type moves and is very passive, often resulting in a huge loss of momentum whenever it comes in. It faces competition from Empoleon as a Defog user, as the latter can compress two roles on one teamslot due to its access to Stealth Rock. Furthermore, being weak to Stealth Rock makes it hard for Mantine to actually switch in repeatedly to use Defog. Finally, Mantine has a low Defense stat, forcing it to rely on teammates to take on physical wallbreakers.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Scald
move 2: Defog
move 3: Roost
move 4: Toxic / Haze
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald prevents Mantine from becoming complete setup bait for stallbreakers while also limiting physical attackers from switching in freely by threatening them with a chance to burn. Defog lets Mantine fulfill its role as an entry hazard remover, supporting the rest of the team. Reliable recovery in the form of Roost is incredibly important for Mantine, as it needs some sort of sustain to combat most special attackers. Furthermore, it lets Mantine remain healthy throughout the match to Defog away entry hazards. Toxic allows Mantine to hinder annoyances such as an opposing Mantine and Porygon2. However, Haze can be used instead of Toxic as a countermeasure against setup sweepers such as Volcarona and Mew.
Set Details
========
Leftovers gives Mantine residual recovery every turn, letting it perform its job as a specially defensive wall and Defog user more reliably. Water Absorb, although not particularly useful on a Water team, grants it an immunity to Water-type moves. The EVs and nature maximize Mantine's mixed bulk and allow it to take most weak physical hits while also letting it serve its role as a specially defensive sponge.
Usage Tips
========
Try switching Mantine in on the turn the foe goes for Stealth Rock in order to avoid taking unnecessary entry hazard damage. Mantine hates Toxic; even if it isn't guaranteed that the foe has Toxic, switching out to scout for it is usually the safer play because Mantine gets completely crippled when poisoned. Use Roost whenever possible when Mantine isn't at maximum HP because Mantine has to constantly switch in on Stealth Rock to Defog it away or on special attackers to wall them. If it isn't at maximum HP, it may become much harder for Mantine to perform its jobs. However, if Mantine has taken no damage, spamming Scald is a good play, as it limits the number of Pokemon that can switch in due to its chance to burn. Against foes like Volcarona, Mantine should be switched in immediately to prevent its teammates from taking unnecessary damage and to get rid of Stealth Rock. Although Mantine's typing grants it a plethora of resistances, it leaves it with a glaring 4x weakness to Electric-type moves. It should thus avoid staying in on Electric-types or even Pokemon that may carry Electric-type coverage. Against a potential setup sweeper, it is sometimes wiser to spam Haze in order to prevent it from setting up and hitting Mantine with a boosted hit instead of a regular one. This depends on the situation, however. If the foe can threaten Mantine with an unboosted hit and Mantine is needed to counter a Pokemon, then try switching into a more appropriate counter instead of risking Mantine.
Team Options
========
The utility that Mantine provides makes it easy to fit on most balance and stall teams, but it is generally a bit too passive for offensive Water teams. Swampert is one of the best partners for Mantine. It takes on most physical attackers, Electric-types, and Rock-types that threaten Mantine, while Mantine takes on special attackers and Grass-types wonderfully. Toxapex is another defensive wall that complements Mantine well by taking on physical attackers. Furthermore, the two can share their role as a Grass-type neutrality and prevent the other from being pressured and worn down too quickly. Mantine's 4x weakness to Electric-type attacks forces at least one immunity to them to be run alongside it. Lanturn and Quagsire are two Pokemon that work excellently in tandem with Mantine. Lanturn gets access to Heal Bell, which can save Mantine from status conditions like Toxic, while Quagsire can take on setup sweepers like Dragonite. Mantine also supports them, being able to take Grass-type moves. Wallbreakers like Manaphy, Greninja, and Mega Sharpedo can support Mantine greatly by being able to take out annoying stallbreakers or walls that it can't break through. Sap Sipper Azumarill can take Grass-type moves, relieving Mantine from its duty as a Grass-type neutrality while also taking on threats like Tapu Bulu. Another excellent physically defensive wall to take on physical attackers is Slowbro. It also appreciates Mantine's ability to take Grass-type moves, as it usually can't do much to most of them. Mega Slowbro functions even more effectively with Mantine due to its increased mixed bulk and decent offensive presence with Calm Mind. Alomomola supports Mantine by providing recovery in the form of Wish; this makes it much easier to bring Mantine in, especially when Stealth Rock is up. Tapu Fini is another excellent teammate for Mantine. The latter can take up the role of a Defog user, allowing Tapu Fini to run more of an offensive or stallbreaking set. Finally, Empoleon appreciates Mantine's immunity to Ground-type moves, and both can take the role of a Defog user, allowing one of them to run a different move over Defog.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Water
--------
Maximum Special Defense EVs can be used instead, but Mantine rarely needs them, as it takes on most special attackers with ease anyway, and they leave Mantine too vulnerable to common physical attacks.
Checks and Counters
===================
Water
--------
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Magnezone can easily KO Mantine with their STAB moves.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Physical wallbreakers such as Tapu Bulu and Mega Pinsir can threaten Mantine with their strong STAB moves.
**Stallbreakers**: Stallbreakers like Gliscor can use Taunt or Substitute to force Mantine to rely on its weak offensive moves and prevent it from using a recovery move.
**Toxic**: Toxic severely hinders Mantine, wearing it down very quickly and reducing its longevity greatly.
**Rock-types**: Rock-types like Terrakion and Tyranitar can KO Mantine with ease but need to watch out for Scald.
**Setup Sweepers**: Setup sweepers such as Bisharp, which can even prevent Mantine from Defogging safely through Defiant, can set up on Mantine and threaten sets lacking Haze with their sheer power.
Last edited:
