[OVERVIEW]*Roost and a base 85 HP stat lets Mantine properly wall, sponge, and provide utility through its typing and bulk.
* It has decent utility with access to Defog, Haze, Scald, and Toxic, which can let it provide valuable team support
* An amazing base 140 Special Defense stat combined with decent HP makes it scarily specially bulky.
* It checks many common threats such as Pheromosa, Mega Charizard Y, and Heatran due to its great typing.
* It's 4x weak to Electric, a great offensive type in the metagame, which often prevents it from providing utility.
* It's weak to Stealth Rock, which limits its ability to switch in and what it can switch in to.
* It's a momentum sucker, as it is slow and when forced out an ally has to take the hit.
* It has bad Defense, which means that strong physical attackers can often break through it.
[SET]
name: Bulky Support
move 1: Scald
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog / Haze
move 4: Toxic / Air Slash
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Scald can help with Mantine's defense by burning the opponent. it provides good chip damage and lets Mantine spread burns and is Mantine's primary STAB move.
* Roost is mandatory for recovery, as it allows Mantine to properly wall and provide utility, otherwise it is worn down very quickly.
* Defog deals with entry hazards for the team and also lets Mantine come in more often later in the match and provide more utility.
* Air Slash deals with a lot of the Pokemon that Mantine can come in on such as Pheromosa and Keldeo, and it provides dual STAB coverage.
* Haze prevents it being setup fodder for the Pokemon it can't get past, such as Jirachi and Magearna
* Toxic allows Mantine to wear down opposing bulky Water-types
Set Details
========
* The EV spread allows for balanced bulk and helps Mantine tank strong physical hits like Greninja's Gunk Shot.
* Maximum Special Defense investment can be used, but the current EV spread is generally better because it allows Mantine to check a wider range of threats such as Pheromosa and Alolan Marowak, which can otherwise muscle past it.
* Maximum defense investment can be used as well, it maximizes Mantine's ability to take physical hits, as it already has great Special Defense, but Mantine often wants to switch into special attacks, which it can't do as well without a mixed EV spread.
* A Calm nature is put in to further boost Mantine's Special Defense.
* Leftovers is very helpful for extra healing at the end of each turn and greatly increases Mantine's longevity.
Usage Tips
========
* Avoid Electric-type moves, such as Hidden Power Electric from Volcanion and Thunderbolt from both Tapu Koko and Latios.
* Toxic is really bad for Mantine because it prevents it from functioning for long, so try not to let Mantine face Pokemon that commonly use Toxic.
* Mantine can have trouble Defogging because it is weak to Stealth Rock itself and most entry hazard setters can beat it one-on-one. It should ideally use Defog on something it can force out, like Alolan Marowak.
* Haze and Toxic are staples for Mantine, as they prevent it from becoming complete setup fodder. Mantine can often safely go for Toxic on a predicted switch, but if it is at lower health, it should use Roost.
* It is crucial that you keep Mantine healthy with Roost because even after one round of Stealth Rock damage, its utility is greatly mitigated. Generally, prioritize using Roost over another move.
Team Options
========
* Mantine works best on balance teams which need an answer to very strong special attackers, like Manaphy, Specs Greninja, and Keldeo.
* Lightning Rod Alolan Marowak is really good because it deals with Electric-type moves which threaten Mantine. It also has really good synergy type-wise due to Mantine taking Ground and Water attacks for it, and taking entry hazards of the field for it, which Alolan Marowak hates.
* Mantine synergizes with a lot of Pokemon commonly found on stall like Ferrothorn, Amoonguss, and Quagsire through typing and utility provided because they can absorb most attacks for each other. Bulky Grass-types deal quite well with threats like Rotom-W, and Mantine can take on Heatran for them in return.
* Pokemon that can deal with physical attackers that threaten Mantine, such as Mega Venusaur and Amoongus counter threats like Landorus-T quite well, and Mantine can deal with the Fire-types which force them out.
* Ground-types like Dugtrio, which can trap and KO threats, and Excadrill, which can clear entry hazards for Mantine, can absorb Electric-type moves for it easily and set up Stealth Rock, and Mantine absorbs the Water-type moves that threaten them.
* Clerics such as Chansey can remove Mantine's status, which is very helpful. Mantine can also provide Haze, as most clerics are susceptible to being set up on.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Rocky Helmet can be used to discourage Pokémon such as U-Turn Pheromosa from physically attacking you.
* Mantine could go offensive with a Swift Swim set, but it functions much better as a utility provider, as it simply doesn't have the raw power.
* SubToxic is a possible set, but it loses out on a lot of defensive utility, which is what Mantine should be providing.
* Other utility options such Mirror Coat can be run if they are useful for your team.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Electric-types, notably Tapu Koko and Thundurus, can easily threaten Mantine with their Electric-type STAB moves.
**Strong Attackers** Pokémon that carry super effective coverage or have sheer power such as Magearna running Volt Switch or Landorus-T using Supersonic Skystrike can easily KO Mantine, especially after Stealth Rock.
**Stealth Rock** Stealth Rock makes Mantine lose 1/4 of its health every time it tries to switch in, which makes it hard to provide utility.
**Grass-types** Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur, Amoonguss, and Ferrothorn can easily wall non-Air Slash Mantine, as most are immune to Toxic and resist Scald. Ferrothorn does not like to be burned, however.
**Residual Damage** Pokemon that use Toxic or Will-O-Wisp like Toxapex, Alolan Marowak, and opposing Mantine can greatly reduce Mantine's capabilities by reducing its longevity.
**Rock-types** Rock-types such as Tyranitar and Terrakion threaten Mantine with high-powered Rock-type STAB moves, though they must often be wary of Scald.
**Taunt** Taunt users such as Tornadus-T and Tapu Fini can easily shut Mantine down, preventing it from recovering, Defogging, or providing any utility.
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