When I first saw this guys image in the demo datamining I knew I wanted it for my sun team. Now seeing the stats and ability and new move I am sold. Yes reginirator is great if you want him to but a pure stall, but it also has recover, plus you can give it black sludge, and a protect move so its naturally going to be healing a lot.
This New ability and move has some great implications. its actually pretty good that its stats is so low because auto crit is insane. While Toxic spikes is more reliable with defog looking to come back, plus rapid spinners, it will be hard to use reliably. The protect one while it only does it to physical moves will be my choice.
Changed Tentracruel's stats to be Toxapex's.
0 SpA Tentacruel Venoshock (130 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clefable on a critical hit: 198-234 (50.2 - 59.3%) -- 76.2% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Even with that base 53 SpA.
Yea, Merciless is niche but good (if you can maintain poison, but that's probably quite doable). Regenerator though is absurdly good, so it's probably better.
As soon as i saw it had that protect move and veno shock I was sold on using veno shock. you just confirm the damage numbers I was imagining.
Veno shock
BanefulBunker
Recover/Toxic/Toxic Spikes
Surf
Not sure if we can discuss team combos but I was thinking with its incredibly low special attack, you can team him with Polisand quite easily for a free Defence boost for the sand ghost with little damage taken, plus it can heal it off.
Also I was planning on using an Alolan Ninetails already... and a Double screen on this guy means he will be taking like zero damage