[OVERVIEW]
Toxapex is unlike its fellow contenders for the best Pokemon in the tier; what it lacks in set diversity and flashy options, it makes up with its sheer streamlined efficiency in soaking up attacks from huge threats and sinisterly tiring out the opposing team with its bag of tricks. Its defensive stats are gargantuan, and the longevity that it gets from Regenerator is absurd; babysitting threats like Ash-Greninja, Mega Charizard Y, and Volcarona is second nature to it. It's bulky enough to dare opposing pivots like Magearna and Rotom-W to tickle it with Volt Switch while it spreads status easier than hot butter. Being both the best Toxic Spikes setter and by far the most splashable Poison-type in the tier means that if you are interested in not losing to Toxic Spikes or would like to inflict them yourself, you typically have to go through Toxapex. It's very hard to justify not using this behemoth on anything south of offense. However, as many tricks as it may have, it is still just like your average starfish; it is very slow, can hardly lift an arm to deal any significant damage, and is stuck to the ground in ways that wallbreakers like Landorus-T, Mega Swampert, and Excadrill can appreciate. It isn't able to stop apex predators like Mega Alakazam, Swords Dance Gliscor, and defensive Heatran from finding easy entry on it, and there are plenty of other wallbreakers like Tapu Lele, Mega Medicham, and Kyurem-B that it needs to step aside from if they're able to get in unscathed. Lastly, although Toxapex has a plethora of useful options, it can only run four of them at once, so it can be difficult to fit everything you want on it.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Scald / Knock Off
move 2: Haze / Toxic / Knock Off
move 3: Toxic Spikes / Toxic / Baneful Bunker
move 4: Recover
item: Black Sludge / Shed Shell / Payapa Berry / Rocky Helmet
ability: Regenerator
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 220 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Scald is very beneficial for Toxapex because it lets it threaten more statuses than just poison, able to burn greedy Steel-types like Kartana, Mega Mawile, and Ferrothorn. If worsening Toxapex's ability to touch these Steel-types doesn't scare you off, then you might appreciate Knock Off as another potential option, which trades off status pressure to remove passive recovery directly, great for removing Leftovers from the likes of Heatran, Seismitoad, and Tapu Fini. Haze allows Toxapex to limit boosters like Volcarona, Reuniclus, Mega Scizor, and Kommo-o. Toxic is another quite direct self-defense mechanism, helping against many threats, including both Mega Charizard formes, non-Substitute Volcarona, Tornadus-T, and Mega Latias. Toxic Spikes are a huge draw of Toxapex, as they more or less punish offensive teams just for being too offensive to include their own Toxapex; in one turn, Toxapex can shut out grounded attackers like Mega Medicham, Mega Lopunny, Tapu Lele, and Tapu Koko, and the opponent better hope they get their Tapu Fini on the field before it's too late, as Toxic Spikes will activate before Misty Terrain does. Baneful Bunker is Toxapex's venomous take on Protect, useful for punishing contact attackers like Mega Medicham, Mega Lopunny, and U-turn Landorus-T, scouting Choice-locked foes, and racking up status damage. Recover bolsters Toxapex's longevity in direct one-on-ones and is—nearly—undroppable.
Set Details
========
36 Defense EVs are used to ensure Toxapex avoids the 2HKO from Kartana's Leaf Blade from full health, with the rest pooled into Special Defense to help its main jobs of answering threats like Mega Charizard Y and Ash-Greninja and eating Volt Switch from Rotom-W and Magearna. Black Sludge is the most consistent option; there is little else to say other than it gives Toxapex more free turns to use its utility moves instead of healing itself. Shed Shell is an entertaining option that should always be paired with Knock Off, which allows Toxapex to have a lasting impact on Magma Storm Heatran and Whirlpool Tapu Fini while avoiding being forcefully removed by the trapping effect. Payapa Berry works great with Toxic to force a limit on Mega Medicham and Tapu Lele. Rocky Helmet feels pretty luxurious, but punishing U-turn from Landorus-T and Mega Scizor and other attacks from Choice Scarf Kartana is quite appealing. A physically defensive spread of 252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SpD with a Bold nature is another great option for Toxapex that helps against physical attackers, with the Defense investment allowing it to survive Mega Medicham's Zen Headbutt from full health, while the Special Defense investment prevents Volcarona from 2HKOing it with Hidden Power Ground.
Usage Tips
========
It's pretty hard to go wrong with using Toxapex. Try to get Toxic Spikes on the field as early as possible against offensive teams. The gameplan is to lock out their biggest threats with the threat of status from the get-go and put pressure on their methods of entry hazard removal to eventually be able to choke them out with passive damage. It's perfectly fine to trade health to aggressively get a layer of Toxic Spikes if the opposing team has poor removal, with Toxapex taking attacks like Landorus-T's Earthquake, Rotom-W's Volt Switch, and Kyurem-B's Fusion Bolt from full health. If it's not running Shed Shell, do not let Toxapex's Water typing fool you into thinking it has any business dealing with an unscouted Heatran or Tapu Fini; the threat of Magma Storm or Whirlpool coupled with Taunt threatens to immediately remove an unsuspecting Toxapex from the game. When it's running Shed Shell, though, scout and avoid opposing Knock Off carefully if you are facing a team with a trapper.
Team Options
========
Toxapex fits on teams ranging from bulky offense to stall but mostly prefers teams on the bulkier side where its occasional passivity isn't as out of place. Ground-types like Gliscor, Excadrill, and Seismitoad can interrupt opposing Volt Switch and all appreciate Toxapex's handling of Ash-Greninja and Mega Charizard Y. On the topic of Excadrill, sand teams in general appreciate Toxapex due to how elite it is at handling Mega Charizard Y and Water-type threats, and Mega Tyranitar specifically can check Heatran, add to Toxapex's status chip damage with sand, and threaten Choice-locked attackers like Ash-Greninja and Tapu Lele with a heavy Pursuit. Celesteela forms quite a splendid partnership with Toxapex due to its proficiency at handling opposing Psychic- and Ground-types. Magearna is another option for a Psychic-type check that helps against Kyurem-B and also holds a useful resistance to Dark; together, Ash-Greninja is handled very well, as Toxapex can scout Dark Pulse before going right to Magearna. Slowbro forms a solid core with Toxapex despite doubling up on the Water typing. It specializes in handling physical threats like Mega Swampert, Mega Charizard X, and Mega Medicham, while Toxapex deals with Mega Charizard Y, Volcarona, and Ash-Greninja and clears opposing Toxic Spikes. Both Mega Latias and Mega Latios are good teammates thanks to their great matchup against offensive Ground-types and their shared resistances with Toxapex, allowing them to back it up defensively. Skarmory and Ferrothorn can lay down Spikes to harass Steel-types, with Skarmory helping against Mega Mawile and Kartana and Ferrothorn checking Electric-types like Tapu Koko. Cresselia and Reuniclus are examples of bulky Psychic-type setup sweepers that can rely on Toxic Spikes to outlast Dark-types. Additionally, Cresselia provides a rock-solid answer to Psychic-types like Tapu Lele and Mega Medicham. Chansey covers undesirable special attackers like Mega Alakazam, Mega Latios, and Tapu Koko and backs up the majority of Toxapex's matchups against special attackers. Tornadus-T can defensively check and threaten the likes of Landorus-T and Kartana and forms a Regenerator core with Toxapex, giving the team plentiful longevity.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Infestation allows Toxapex to trap greedy Pokemon like Chansey and Slowbro, spread chip damage to poison-immune Pokemon like Mega Mawile, and prevent opposing double switches thanks to the trapping effect. Block is a longer-term version that skips the chip damage in order to ensure that a passive adversary can be choked out over a long period of time. It can be coupled with Spite to improve its efficiency at this, allowing Toxapex to burn out opposing Toxapex and utility Clefable and live to tell the tale. Blizzard paired with Icium Z is an off-beat option to snipe Gliscor that additionally removes the need to fish for a Scald burn against Landorus-T and Garchomp. Gunk Shot with Poisonium Z is a similar idea that takes a heavy chunk out of each of the guardian deities, OHKOing each of them but Tapu Fini. Z-Liquidation is an option for Toxapex to hit Heatran, Volcarona, and Mega Tyranitar on their comparatively weaker Defense stat. Eject Button is an option for more offensive builds that mitigates Toxapex's drain on momentum by allowing it to reverse opposing pivot moves like U-turn, heal off the damage with Regenerator, and bring in a teammate for free. On stall teams, Toxapex can even afford to drop Recover to fit an extra utility move.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Psychic-types and Psychic-type Coverage**: Top of the pile is Mega Alakazam, which not only can punch through Toxapex with ease but also has Magic Guard before Mega Evolving and Trace to copy Toxapex's Regenerator after Mega Evolving, so there are very little circumstances where it is scared of switching into Toxapex directly. Mega Medicham and Tapu Lele are two absurdly strong wallbreakers that can OHKO Toxapex outright, though they don't have complete freedom in switching in due to Toxapex's threat of status with Scald, Toxic, and Toxic Spikes, and they can be put on a timer by Payapa Berry variants of Toxapex. Lower down on this list is Psychic Mega Latios, which can finish off Toxapex and isn't affected by Toxic Spikes, Psychium Z Future Sight Slowbro, and the uncommon Hoopa-U, which hardly even needs its Psychic typing to punch through Toxapex. Volcarona will sometimes run Psychic with Psychium Z to overcome Toxapex.
**Ground-types and Ground-type Coverage**: Swords Dance Gliscor is perhaps Toxapex's kryptonite; once its Toxic Orb is activated, it leisurely switches into Toxapex and milks it for setup opportunities relentlessly. Seismitoad can make Toxapex feel useless with its immunity to Scald and tendency to run either Refresh or Rest to clear status, and it can set Stealth Rock or pressure Toxapex with Earthquake. Landorus-T, Excadrill, Mega Swampert, and Garchomp are some more offensively inclined Ground-types that can bowl through Toxapex should they get a safe opportunity to switch in. On top of this, top physical attackers like Mega Charizard X and Mega Gyarados commonly carry Earthquake, allowing them to finish off or break through Toxapex. Both Protean Greninja and Kommo-o can make use of Groundium Z to clear out Toxapex immediately.
**Status Absorbers**: Magic Guard users like Reuniclus and Clefable find it very easy to get entry on Toxapex and can set up on it and pressure it with super effective attacks like Psyshock and Thunder. In Clefable's case, what it can often lack in breaking power, it will make up for in utility, using Toxapex as an opportunity to set up Stealth Rock, remove items, and either clear status with Heal Bell or spread its own with Thunder Wave. Manaphy in rain is another absurdly difficult Pokemon to deal with, as it can boost itself up rapidly with Tail Glow and threaten with rain-boosted Hydro Vortex and Psychic while Hydration + Rest handles any sort of counterplay from Toxapex. Although teams that use Tapu Fini—a grounded Pokemon afflicted by Toxic Spikes—as their Defogger are structurally weak to Toxapex, Misty Terrain allows a whole host of Pokemon like Mega Charizard X, Kartana, Garchomp, and Kyurem-B to switch directly into Toxapex completely safely without fear of burn or poison.
**Electric-types and Electric-type Coverage**: Tapu Koko is the most immediately threatening of the Electric-types, being able to instantly remove Toxapex with +1 Thunderbolt or an unboosted Electric-type Z-Move. Magnezone and Thundurus-T can both 2HKO Toxapex, and Choice Specs Magnezone and Electrium Z Thundurus-T fare even better, being able to nab an OHKO. Zapdos and Rotom-W are usually quite lame against Toxapex, but they can tack on Electrium Z to take it out by surprise. Calm Mind users like Magearna and Clefable make use of Thunderbolt and Thunder to threaten Toxapex, Kyurem-B is rarely seen without its handy Fusion Bolt to 2HKO Toxapex, and Choice Band Victini can throw off Bolt Strike for huge damage.
**Other Wallbreakers and Stallbreakers**: Magma Storm + Taunt Heatran and Whirlpool + Taunt Tapu Fini can remove Toxapex from the game and don't have much issue switching directly in. If the opponent doesn't scout for Shed Shell, which allows Toxapex to flip this matchup and escape the partial trapping effect, that's on them. Toxapex happens to be part of the long list of Pokemon that get turned inside out by +2 Mega Mawile, which can be especially scary with Thunder Punch; Toxapex can only fish for a Scald burn in desperation. Serperior can bulldoze through Toxapex with repeated boosts, able to stop status, recovery, and Haze attempts with Taunt. Tornadus-T can pepper Toxapex with Hurricane while stopping it from healing or striking back meaningfully with Taunt and having Flyinium Z for extra consistency in this one-on-one.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Toxapex is unlike its fellow contenders for the best Pokemon in the tier; what it lacks in set diversity and flashy options, it makes up with its sheer streamlined efficiency in soaking up attacks from huge threats and sinisterly tiring out the opposing team with its bag of tricks. Its defensive stats are gargantuan, and the longevity that it gets from Regenerator is absurd; babysitting threats like Ash-Greninja, Mega Charizard Y, and Volcarona is second nature to it. It's bulky enough to dare opposing pivots like Magearna and Rotom-W to tickle it with Volt Switch while it spreads status easier than hot butter. Being both the best Toxic Spikes setter and by far the most splashable Poison-type in the tier means that if you are interested in not losing to Toxic Spikes or would like to inflict them yourself, you typically have to go through Toxapex. It's very hard to justify not using this behemoth on anything south of offense. However, as many tricks as it may have, it is still just like your average starfish; it is very slow, can hardly lift an arm to deal any significant damage, and is stuck to the ground in ways that wallbreakers like Landorus-T, Mega Swampert, and Excadrill can appreciate. It isn't able to stop apex predators like Mega Alakazam, Swords Dance Gliscor, and defensive Heatran from finding easy entry on it, and there are plenty of other wallbreakers like Tapu Lele, Mega Medicham, and Kyurem-B that it needs to step aside from if they're able to get in unscathed. Lastly, although Toxapex has a plethora of useful options, it can only run four of them at once, so it can be difficult to fit everything you want on it.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Scald / Knock Off
move 2: Haze / Toxic / Knock Off
move 3: Toxic Spikes / Toxic / Baneful Bunker
move 4: Recover
item: Black Sludge / Shed Shell / Payapa Berry / Rocky Helmet
ability: Regenerator
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 220 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Scald is very beneficial for Toxapex because it lets it threaten more statuses than just poison, able to burn greedy Steel-types like Kartana, Mega Mawile, and Ferrothorn. If worsening Toxapex's ability to touch these Steel-types doesn't scare you off, then you might appreciate Knock Off as another potential option, which trades off status pressure to remove passive recovery directly, great for removing Leftovers from the likes of Heatran, Seismitoad, and Tapu Fini. Haze allows Toxapex to limit boosters like Volcarona, Reuniclus, Mega Scizor, and Kommo-o. Toxic is another quite direct self-defense mechanism, helping against many threats, including both Mega Charizard formes, non-Substitute Volcarona, Tornadus-T, and Mega Latias. Toxic Spikes are a huge draw of Toxapex, as they more or less punish offensive teams just for being too offensive to include their own Toxapex; in one turn, Toxapex can shut out grounded attackers like Mega Medicham, Mega Lopunny, Tapu Lele, and Tapu Koko, and the opponent better hope they get their Tapu Fini on the field before it's too late, as Toxic Spikes will activate before Misty Terrain does. Baneful Bunker is Toxapex's venomous take on Protect, useful for punishing contact attackers like Mega Medicham, Mega Lopunny, and U-turn Landorus-T, scouting Choice-locked foes, and racking up status damage. Recover bolsters Toxapex's longevity in direct one-on-ones and is—nearly—undroppable.
Set Details
========
36 Defense EVs are used to ensure Toxapex avoids the 2HKO from Kartana's Leaf Blade from full health, with the rest pooled into Special Defense to help its main jobs of answering threats like Mega Charizard Y and Ash-Greninja and eating Volt Switch from Rotom-W and Magearna. Black Sludge is the most consistent option; there is little else to say other than it gives Toxapex more free turns to use its utility moves instead of healing itself. Shed Shell is an entertaining option that should always be paired with Knock Off, which allows Toxapex to have a lasting impact on Magma Storm Heatran and Whirlpool Tapu Fini while avoiding being forcefully removed by the trapping effect. Payapa Berry works great with Toxic to force a limit on Mega Medicham and Tapu Lele. Rocky Helmet feels pretty luxurious, but punishing U-turn from Landorus-T and Mega Scizor and other attacks from Choice Scarf Kartana is quite appealing. A physically defensive spread of 252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SpD with a Bold nature is another great option for Toxapex that helps against physical attackers, with the Defense investment allowing it to survive Mega Medicham's Zen Headbutt from full health, while the Special Defense investment prevents Volcarona from 2HKOing it with Hidden Power Ground.
Usage Tips
========
It's pretty hard to go wrong with using Toxapex. Try to get Toxic Spikes on the field as early as possible against offensive teams. The gameplan is to lock out their biggest threats with the threat of status from the get-go and put pressure on their methods of entry hazard removal to eventually be able to choke them out with passive damage. It's perfectly fine to trade health to aggressively get a layer of Toxic Spikes if the opposing team has poor removal, with Toxapex taking attacks like Landorus-T's Earthquake, Rotom-W's Volt Switch, and Kyurem-B's Fusion Bolt from full health. If it's not running Shed Shell, do not let Toxapex's Water typing fool you into thinking it has any business dealing with an unscouted Heatran or Tapu Fini; the threat of Magma Storm or Whirlpool coupled with Taunt threatens to immediately remove an unsuspecting Toxapex from the game. When it's running Shed Shell, though, scout and avoid opposing Knock Off carefully if you are facing a team with a trapper.
Team Options
========
Toxapex fits on teams ranging from bulky offense to stall but mostly prefers teams on the bulkier side where its occasional passivity isn't as out of place. Ground-types like Gliscor, Excadrill, and Seismitoad can interrupt opposing Volt Switch and all appreciate Toxapex's handling of Ash-Greninja and Mega Charizard Y. On the topic of Excadrill, sand teams in general appreciate Toxapex due to how elite it is at handling Mega Charizard Y and Water-type threats, and Mega Tyranitar specifically can check Heatran, add to Toxapex's status chip damage with sand, and threaten Choice-locked attackers like Ash-Greninja and Tapu Lele with a heavy Pursuit. Celesteela forms quite a splendid partnership with Toxapex due to its proficiency at handling opposing Psychic- and Ground-types. Magearna is another option for a Psychic-type check that helps against Kyurem-B and also holds a useful resistance to Dark; together, Ash-Greninja is handled very well, as Toxapex can scout Dark Pulse before going right to Magearna. Slowbro forms a solid core with Toxapex despite doubling up on the Water typing. It specializes in handling physical threats like Mega Swampert, Mega Charizard X, and Mega Medicham, while Toxapex deals with Mega Charizard Y, Volcarona, and Ash-Greninja and clears opposing Toxic Spikes. Both Mega Latias and Mega Latios are good teammates thanks to their great matchup against offensive Ground-types and their shared resistances with Toxapex, allowing them to back it up defensively. Skarmory and Ferrothorn can lay down Spikes to harass Steel-types, with Skarmory helping against Mega Mawile and Kartana and Ferrothorn checking Electric-types like Tapu Koko. Cresselia and Reuniclus are examples of bulky Psychic-type setup sweepers that can rely on Toxic Spikes to outlast Dark-types. Additionally, Cresselia provides a rock-solid answer to Psychic-types like Tapu Lele and Mega Medicham. Chansey covers undesirable special attackers like Mega Alakazam, Mega Latios, and Tapu Koko and backs up the majority of Toxapex's matchups against special attackers. Tornadus-T can defensively check and threaten the likes of Landorus-T and Kartana and forms a Regenerator core with Toxapex, giving the team plentiful longevity.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Infestation allows Toxapex to trap greedy Pokemon like Chansey and Slowbro, spread chip damage to poison-immune Pokemon like Mega Mawile, and prevent opposing double switches thanks to the trapping effect. Block is a longer-term version that skips the chip damage in order to ensure that a passive adversary can be choked out over a long period of time. It can be coupled with Spite to improve its efficiency at this, allowing Toxapex to burn out opposing Toxapex and utility Clefable and live to tell the tale. Blizzard paired with Icium Z is an off-beat option to snipe Gliscor that additionally removes the need to fish for a Scald burn against Landorus-T and Garchomp. Gunk Shot with Poisonium Z is a similar idea that takes a heavy chunk out of each of the guardian deities, OHKOing each of them but Tapu Fini. Z-Liquidation is an option for Toxapex to hit Heatran, Volcarona, and Mega Tyranitar on their comparatively weaker Defense stat. Eject Button is an option for more offensive builds that mitigates Toxapex's drain on momentum by allowing it to reverse opposing pivot moves like U-turn, heal off the damage with Regenerator, and bring in a teammate for free. On stall teams, Toxapex can even afford to drop Recover to fit an extra utility move.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Psychic-types and Psychic-type Coverage**: Top of the pile is Mega Alakazam, which not only can punch through Toxapex with ease but also has Magic Guard before Mega Evolving and Trace to copy Toxapex's Regenerator after Mega Evolving, so there are very little circumstances where it is scared of switching into Toxapex directly. Mega Medicham and Tapu Lele are two absurdly strong wallbreakers that can OHKO Toxapex outright, though they don't have complete freedom in switching in due to Toxapex's threat of status with Scald, Toxic, and Toxic Spikes, and they can be put on a timer by Payapa Berry variants of Toxapex. Lower down on this list is Psychic Mega Latios, which can finish off Toxapex and isn't affected by Toxic Spikes, Psychium Z Future Sight Slowbro, and the uncommon Hoopa-U, which hardly even needs its Psychic typing to punch through Toxapex. Volcarona will sometimes run Psychic with Psychium Z to overcome Toxapex.
**Ground-types and Ground-type Coverage**: Swords Dance Gliscor is perhaps Toxapex's kryptonite; once its Toxic Orb is activated, it leisurely switches into Toxapex and milks it for setup opportunities relentlessly. Seismitoad can make Toxapex feel useless with its immunity to Scald and tendency to run either Refresh or Rest to clear status, and it can set Stealth Rock or pressure Toxapex with Earthquake. Landorus-T, Excadrill, Mega Swampert, and Garchomp are some more offensively inclined Ground-types that can bowl through Toxapex should they get a safe opportunity to switch in. On top of this, top physical attackers like Mega Charizard X and Mega Gyarados commonly carry Earthquake, allowing them to finish off or break through Toxapex. Both Protean Greninja and Kommo-o can make use of Groundium Z to clear out Toxapex immediately.
**Status Absorbers**: Magic Guard users like Reuniclus and Clefable find it very easy to get entry on Toxapex and can set up on it and pressure it with super effective attacks like Psyshock and Thunder. In Clefable's case, what it can often lack in breaking power, it will make up for in utility, using Toxapex as an opportunity to set up Stealth Rock, remove items, and either clear status with Heal Bell or spread its own with Thunder Wave. Manaphy in rain is another absurdly difficult Pokemon to deal with, as it can boost itself up rapidly with Tail Glow and threaten with rain-boosted Hydro Vortex and Psychic while Hydration + Rest handles any sort of counterplay from Toxapex. Although teams that use Tapu Fini—a grounded Pokemon afflicted by Toxic Spikes—as their Defogger are structurally weak to Toxapex, Misty Terrain allows a whole host of Pokemon like Mega Charizard X, Kartana, Garchomp, and Kyurem-B to switch directly into Toxapex completely safely without fear of burn or poison.
**Electric-types and Electric-type Coverage**: Tapu Koko is the most immediately threatening of the Electric-types, being able to instantly remove Toxapex with +1 Thunderbolt or an unboosted Electric-type Z-Move. Magnezone and Thundurus-T can both 2HKO Toxapex, and Choice Specs Magnezone and Electrium Z Thundurus-T fare even better, being able to nab an OHKO. Zapdos and Rotom-W are usually quite lame against Toxapex, but they can tack on Electrium Z to take it out by surprise. Calm Mind users like Magearna and Clefable make use of Thunderbolt and Thunder to threaten Toxapex, Kyurem-B is rarely seen without its handy Fusion Bolt to 2HKO Toxapex, and Choice Band Victini can throw off Bolt Strike for huge damage.
**Other Wallbreakers and Stallbreakers**: Magma Storm + Taunt Heatran and Whirlpool + Taunt Tapu Fini can remove Toxapex from the game and don't have much issue switching directly in. If the opponent doesn't scout for Shed Shell, which allows Toxapex to flip this matchup and escape the partial trapping effect, that's on them. Toxapex happens to be part of the long list of Pokemon that get turned inside out by +2 Mega Mawile, which can be especially scary with Thunder Punch; Toxapex can only fish for a Scald burn in desperation. Serperior can bulldoze through Toxapex with repeated boosts, able to stop status, recovery, and Haze attempts with Taunt. Tornadus-T can pepper Toxapex with Hurricane while stopping it from healing or striking back meaningfully with Taunt and having Flyinium Z for extra consistency in this one-on-one.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
