[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 3 onwards
**Price Range**: 14 points
**Overview**: Nidoking is an excellent Pokemon due to its raw strength, fantastic role compression, and great typing. It can be one of the scariest wallbreakers in the format due to its good STAB moves, perfect coverage, and elite Sheer Force ability. Beyond this offensive prowess, Nidoking has access to serviceable bulk with a good typing to check some of the metagame's premier threats such as Tapu Koko and Zeraora, all while maintaining good utility moves such as Stealth Rock. Nidoking is not perfect, however, as its mediocre Speed and average bulk can hold it back from the upper echelons of the format.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wallbreaker**: With a Sheer Force and Life Orb boost, defensive switch-ins do not exist for a well-played Nidoking. These sets often use Substitute to attempt to minimize prediction, and its wide coverage movepool options can blow holes in the opposing team.
**Bulky Check**: Nidoking can put its decent natural bulk to work alongside its good typing to check some of the elite threats in the metagame. These sets can use its utility capabilities such as entry hazard setting along with a more defensive item to serve as a better check while not being passive due to its great attacking movepool and Sheer Force.
**Dedicated Lead**: Nidoking can often function as a good lead in poorer matchups for it, as it can get off entry hazards and large chip damage reliably when led with a Resistance Berry, Focus Sash, or Custap Berry dependent on the matchup.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Earth Power, Sludge Wave, Earthquake, Poison Jab
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Toxic Spikes, Taunt, Roar, Substitute, Toxic, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Ice Beam, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Surf, Rock Slide
Niche Moves
========
**Sucker Punch**: Nidoking can use Sucker Punch as a form of priority to pick off weakened foes that it does not outspeed.
**Physical Coverage**: Although special sets are typically stronger Nidoking may sometimes prefer the physical variants of its coverage pool to do increased damage to specially defensive foes or on more defensive sets that run Poison Point and do not receive the Sheer Force boost.
**Super Fang**: Super Fang can be used on bulkier sets for reliable damage against nearly all foes. This also can eliminate some need for prediction.
Common Items
========
**Life Orb**: Life Orb provides a huge damage boost to wallbreaking sets with virtually no downside due to how it interacts with Sheer Force.
**Pinch Berries**: On bulkier sets, pinch Berries such as Iapapa Berry are fantastic for maintaining longevity to check the foes Nidoking wishes to check, as it lack reliable recovery.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf can be used on wallbreaking sets to trade some power for Speed. This can easily catch foes that would normally threaten Nidoking off guard, and it can also allow Nidoking to function as more of a cleaner and revenge killer than normal.
**Resistance Berries**: Resistance Berries like Shuca Berry can be used for Nidoking to safely be a dedicated lead or lure a foe that would normally beat it and trade with its excellent coverage.
Niche Items
========
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash is used on dedicated lead sets to safely get up entry hazards or deal damage to the foe.
**Custap Berry**: Custap Berry is a more specific item to be used on lead sets to provide Nidoking an extra turn to attack or set up entry hazards despite its mediocre Speed.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet can be great on defensive sets to chip foes that commonly use contact moves.
**Air Balloon**: Air Balloon may be used as a way to circumvent Nidoking's Ground weakness and provide it safe opportunities to force progress that it otherwise would not have.
Draft Strategy
========
Nidoking is drafted as a strong complementary piece to early round picks, as it can support stars of its team by wallbreaking or serving as a utility piece. It is great fit on many drafts, as it boasts an excellent dual typing and can serve as a check to some of the most dangerous threats in the metagame.
**Reliable Pivots**: A well-positioned Nidoking can be one of the scariest offensive threats in the metagame, and thus, consistent pivots are a must. Pokemon such as Tornadus-T, Scizor, and Rotom-W all can bring it in safely a number of times throughout a match and have strong synergy.
**Speed Control**: Although it is a dangerous offensive weapon, Nidoking leaves something to be desired in terms of its Speed. Having fast teammates to cover for this weakness and serve as better revenge killers and cleaners such as Zeraora, Tapu Koko, and Greninja is welcomed.
**Z-Move Users**: Although it is an excellent offensive threat, Nidoking does not benefit from Z-Moves, as Sheer Force + Life Orb provides virtually the same damage to begin with. As a result, having good Z-Move users such as Kyurem-B, Kartana, and Latios is a necessity to use the mechanic to its fullest.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Despite having access to Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, Nidoking appreciates having teammates that can cover that role, allowing it to pack more offensively potent movesets. Additionally, it benefits a lot from having hazards up, as they can easily weaken foes into OHKO range. Hazard setters such as Skarmory, Uxie, and Metagross can all pair well with Nidoking.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Threats**: The main factor holding Nidoking back is its Speed, which leaves it prone to being easily revenge killed. Without a great way to boost its Speed beyond becoming a prediction-heavy Choice Scarf set, many foes such as Garchomp, Latios, and Zygarde can easily check it.
**Lures**: At first glance, there are not exactly many Pokemon that can defensively check Nidoking due to its strength and coverage. That being said, a well-placed resistance Berry on a foe can bait an expected super effective move and allow them to exploit Nidoking's plethora of defensive weaknesses.
**Bulky Walls**: Although not many Pokemon can check Nidoking, a handful such as Necrozma, Uxie, and Celesteela have the bulk and typings to trade with it. Beyond these Pokemon, an Assault Vest user with super effective coverage can often take a hit or two and win the exchange with Nidoking or force it out.
**Revenge Killers**: Although Nidoking may easily force offensive progress against walls and certain matchups, there are a plethora of foes that can revenge kill it afterwards. Its mediocre bulk and Speed can allow many offensive threats to threaten it, and Z-Move users can easily threaten KOs.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 3 onwards
**Price Range**: 14 points
**Overview**: Nidoking is an excellent Pokemon due to its raw strength, fantastic role compression, and great typing. It can be one of the scariest wallbreakers in the format due to its good STAB moves, perfect coverage, and elite Sheer Force ability. Beyond this offensive prowess, Nidoking has access to serviceable bulk with a good typing to check some of the metagame's premier threats such as Tapu Koko and Zeraora, all while maintaining good utility moves such as Stealth Rock. Nidoking is not perfect, however, as its mediocre Speed and average bulk can hold it back from the upper echelons of the format.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wallbreaker**: With a Sheer Force and Life Orb boost, defensive switch-ins do not exist for a well-played Nidoking. These sets often use Substitute to attempt to minimize prediction, and its wide coverage movepool options can blow holes in the opposing team.
**Bulky Check**: Nidoking can put its decent natural bulk to work alongside its good typing to check some of the elite threats in the metagame. These sets can use its utility capabilities such as entry hazard setting along with a more defensive item to serve as a better check while not being passive due to its great attacking movepool and Sheer Force.
**Dedicated Lead**: Nidoking can often function as a good lead in poorer matchups for it, as it can get off entry hazards and large chip damage reliably when led with a Resistance Berry, Focus Sash, or Custap Berry dependent on the matchup.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Earth Power, Sludge Wave, Earthquake, Poison Jab
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Toxic Spikes, Taunt, Roar, Substitute, Toxic, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Ice Beam, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Surf, Rock Slide
Niche Moves
========
**Sucker Punch**: Nidoking can use Sucker Punch as a form of priority to pick off weakened foes that it does not outspeed.
**Physical Coverage**: Although special sets are typically stronger Nidoking may sometimes prefer the physical variants of its coverage pool to do increased damage to specially defensive foes or on more defensive sets that run Poison Point and do not receive the Sheer Force boost.
**Super Fang**: Super Fang can be used on bulkier sets for reliable damage against nearly all foes. This also can eliminate some need for prediction.
Common Items
========
**Life Orb**: Life Orb provides a huge damage boost to wallbreaking sets with virtually no downside due to how it interacts with Sheer Force.
**Pinch Berries**: On bulkier sets, pinch Berries such as Iapapa Berry are fantastic for maintaining longevity to check the foes Nidoking wishes to check, as it lack reliable recovery.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf can be used on wallbreaking sets to trade some power for Speed. This can easily catch foes that would normally threaten Nidoking off guard, and it can also allow Nidoking to function as more of a cleaner and revenge killer than normal.
**Resistance Berries**: Resistance Berries like Shuca Berry can be used for Nidoking to safely be a dedicated lead or lure a foe that would normally beat it and trade with its excellent coverage.
Niche Items
========
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash is used on dedicated lead sets to safely get up entry hazards or deal damage to the foe.
**Custap Berry**: Custap Berry is a more specific item to be used on lead sets to provide Nidoking an extra turn to attack or set up entry hazards despite its mediocre Speed.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet can be great on defensive sets to chip foes that commonly use contact moves.
**Air Balloon**: Air Balloon may be used as a way to circumvent Nidoking's Ground weakness and provide it safe opportunities to force progress that it otherwise would not have.
Draft Strategy
========
Nidoking is drafted as a strong complementary piece to early round picks, as it can support stars of its team by wallbreaking or serving as a utility piece. It is great fit on many drafts, as it boasts an excellent dual typing and can serve as a check to some of the most dangerous threats in the metagame.
**Reliable Pivots**: A well-positioned Nidoking can be one of the scariest offensive threats in the metagame, and thus, consistent pivots are a must. Pokemon such as Tornadus-T, Scizor, and Rotom-W all can bring it in safely a number of times throughout a match and have strong synergy.
**Speed Control**: Although it is a dangerous offensive weapon, Nidoking leaves something to be desired in terms of its Speed. Having fast teammates to cover for this weakness and serve as better revenge killers and cleaners such as Zeraora, Tapu Koko, and Greninja is welcomed.
**Z-Move Users**: Although it is an excellent offensive threat, Nidoking does not benefit from Z-Moves, as Sheer Force + Life Orb provides virtually the same damage to begin with. As a result, having good Z-Move users such as Kyurem-B, Kartana, and Latios is a necessity to use the mechanic to its fullest.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Despite having access to Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, Nidoking appreciates having teammates that can cover that role, allowing it to pack more offensively potent movesets. Additionally, it benefits a lot from having hazards up, as they can easily weaken foes into OHKO range. Hazard setters such as Skarmory, Uxie, and Metagross can all pair well with Nidoking.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Threats**: The main factor holding Nidoking back is its Speed, which leaves it prone to being easily revenge killed. Without a great way to boost its Speed beyond becoming a prediction-heavy Choice Scarf set, many foes such as Garchomp, Latios, and Zygarde can easily check it.
**Lures**: At first glance, there are not exactly many Pokemon that can defensively check Nidoking due to its strength and coverage. That being said, a well-placed resistance Berry on a foe can bait an expected super effective move and allow them to exploit Nidoking's plethora of defensive weaknesses.
**Bulky Walls**: Although not many Pokemon can check Nidoking, a handful such as Necrozma, Uxie, and Celesteela have the bulk and typings to trade with it. Beyond these Pokemon, an Assault Vest user with super effective coverage can often take a hit or two and win the exchange with Nidoking or force it out.
**Revenge Killers**: Although Nidoking may easily force offensive progress against walls and certain matchups, there are a plethora of foes that can revenge kill it afterwards. Its mediocre bulk and Speed can allow many offensive threats to threaten it, and Z-Move users can easily threaten KOs.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
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