[OVERVIEW]
In spite of all that has been developed to counteract its presence, Toxapex still endures as a splashable metagame staple in SS OU. Blessed with absurd defenses and Regenerator, Toxapex can soft check just about anything and threatens item removal with Knock Off, status in Toxic and Scald, and the removal of stat boosts with Haze. This titanic bulk also means that Toxapex can pivot into an extensive amount of Pokemon and scout them, easing prediction against threats like Blaziken, Choice Specs Dragapult, Blacephalon, and Choice Band Tyranitar. As the metagame has developed, countermeasures have been mounted against the living bunker: Future Sight from the likes of Slowbro, Galarian Slowking, and Tapu Lele paired with strong attackers are common tactics to try and break through Toxapex. However, much like the animal it takes its inspiration from, it adapts to the environment around it, most notably reinventing itself as a Light Screen pivot to halve damage from Future Sight and allowing it to effectively wall Future Sight chains by staying in and healing just before the attack hits. In spite of all these incredible traits, Toxapex still has its flaws. Compared to other Regenerator users, Toxapex suffers from a severe case of four-moveslot syndrome that can make it very passive, often finding itself treated as set up fodder by the likes of Swords Dance Kartana, Calm Mind Clefable, and Substitute Volcarona, as it struggles to fit Scald and Haze together in the modern metagame. Additionally, its typing is both a blessing and a curse; while checking or flat out countering physical attackers like Urshifu-R and Blaziken is a large boon, it is prone to being overwhelmed by the attackers it is supposed to check by virtue of the common Future Sight support these breakers often are paired with. This passivity also means most Toxapex sets are free entry points for strong offensive Ground-types like Excadrill and Garchomp. The choice of what Toxapex has to run on a given team is quite the conundrum, and every moveset Toxapex runs has some hole it can't effectively cover without the help of its teammates.
[SET]
name: The Pex
move 1: Light Screen / Knock Off / Scald
move 2: Knock Off / Scald / Poison Jab
move 3: Toxic / Haze
move 4: Recover
item: Shed Shell / Rocky Helmet / Black Sludge
ability: Regenerator
nature: Impish / Bold / Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Toxapex has an extensive movepool and a lot of different choices it can pick and choose from. Light Screen is excellent support for both itself and its teammates, halving the damage from the ubiquitous Future Sight and allowing Toxapex to come in on special attackers such as Volcanion and Blacephalon effectively. Knock Off is a fantastic move that allows Toxapex's teammates some much needed reprieve by removing items from the likes of Urshifu-R, Dragapult, and Landorus-T. Scald is Toxapex's best immediate damaging option, chipping away at the health of Water-weak Pokemon and can critically punish switches with burns, potentially crippling physical attackers like Rillaboom and Garchomp while also ensuring Ferrothorn and Corviknight can't come in on Toxapex risklessly. Poison Jab is necessary on some structures to ensure that Toxapex isn't setup fodder for Calm Mind Tapu Fini. Toxic is an enticing move for Toxapex, as it will put common pivots like Landorus-T, Zapdos and Tornadus-T on a timer and has inherent synergy with Knock Off, removing items on Pokemon that are immune to Toxic or putting problematic Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Volcarona on a timer. Haze is an alternative that lets Toxapex remove boosts and PP stall setup sweepers like Volcarona. The only mandatory move Toxapex has is Recover; it is reliant on the move to stay healthy in longer matches. The choice of nature will mostly depend on what moves Toxapex is running; Impish means Knock Off and Poison Jab will hit a bit harder, Bold means that Scald will deal a bit more damage, and a Relaxed nature will mean Toxapex isn't picking and choosing between natures that hamper its attacking stats and can allow it to scout Pokemon that are otherwise slower than it like Slowbro and Slowking. The item Toxapex chooses is extremely important, as every single one has different advantages. Shed Shell means that Toxapex won't be trapped by Magma Storm Heatran and allows it to cripple Heatran's longevity with Knock Off or wear it down with Scald before switching out. Rocky Helmet will deal significant damage to attackers like Urshifu-R and Weavile that are reliant on contact moves and can punish pivoting moves like U-turn with heavy chip damage. Finally, Black Sludge gives Toxapex even more longevity and allows it to punish foes with Trick like Blacephalon and Tapu Fini.
Team Options
========
Toxapex fits on an extensive number of teams and forms synergistic defensive cores with a large amount of Pokemon. Tornadus-T pairs well with Toxapex, forming a potent Regenerator core that can check Kartana, Rillaboom, and Ferrothorn, all of which Toxapex can otherwise struggle to do anything noteworthy to without Scald. Toxapex will, in return, check strong wallbreakers like Blaziken and Weavile that can threaten to break through Tornadus-T. Corviknight and Zapdos similarly pair well with Toxapex, and all three Flying-Types provide consistent hazard removal with Defog, which Toxapex appreciates. The aforementioned Flying-types also check bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Garchomp, which Toxapex can't realistically manage on its own. Clefable is another utility piece that works well with Toxapex and can allow Toxapex to keep its item, since Clefable is a good Knock Off absorber. Toxapex synergizes incredibly well with bulky Ground-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Gastrodon, since they scare out and check some of Toxapex's worst matchups like Tapu Koko, Magma Storm Heatran, and Zapdos. A final teammate to consider is Blissey, as Blissey counters Pokemon that Toxapex can't realistically manage on its own such as Choice Specs Volcanion, Blacephalon, and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Baneful Bunker can appear to be an enticing way for Toxapex to punish contact moves such as U-turn and Knock Off and scout coverage moves, but this is often redundant, as Toxapex is already a dedicated physical sponge, so it should only really be considered on teams weak to some specific wallbreakers with contact moves like Victini and Rillaboom. A rare albeit potent item Toxapex can choose to run is Payapa Berry, allowing it to survive a STAB Psychic or Psyshock from Tapu Lele and remove its item with Knock Off or status it with Toxic. Toxapex can run Block + Spite with Knock Off and Recover, allowing it to trap and PP stall common switch-ins like Ferrothorn and Clefable while still being able to pivot in and remove items effectively. Finally, Toxapex can choose to run Toxic Spikes, which will critically force status on grounded targets such as Tapu Fini, Garchomp, Arctozolt, and Tyranitar.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Future Sight**: If there's one continuous fact that will always plague Toxapex's viability in the tier, it is the prevalence of Future Sight + breakers. In spite of Toxapex being a dedicated utility piece that can set Light Screen, it is prone to being overwhelmed by the likes of Tapu Lele, Galarian Slowking and Slowbro using Future Sight and pivoting to the physical or special attackers they enable. Even Pokemon that Toxapex has a beneficial type matchup against such as Blaziken and Urshifu-R will have good odds of breaking through Toxapex once it has to come in and check them if there's a Future Sight ready.
**Magma Storm Heatran**: Heatran is synonymous with ruining Toxapex that can't afford to run Shed Shell, seeing as Magma Storm + Earth Power will trap and KO Toxapex with little to no effort. However, this matchup changes if Toxapex chooses to run Shed Shell, as it can come in and soft check Heatran, while Heatran has to respect Knock Off removing its Leftovers.
**Strong choice item Attackers**: Some threats in SS can circumvent Toxapex's incredible bulk with their own immense physical or special attacks. Choice Band Tyranitar can threaten to 2HKO Toxapex with both of its STAB moves in Crunch and Stone Edge, but Tyranitar is uncomfortable switching directly into Toxapex, as it has to contend with Toxapex using Scald or Toxic to cripple it or put it on a timer, respectively. Similar to Tyranitar, Choice Band Grass-types such as Kartana and Rillaboom can quickly overwhelm Toxapex with their strong STAB moves, but they too have to respect Toxapex using moves such as Scald and Knock Off to neuter their ability to threaten it. The rare Galarian-Zapdos can pull similar stunts, with its Brave Bird threatening a clean 2HKO on Toxapex. A final mention goes to strong Choice Specs attackers such as Blacephalon and Volcanion, Blacephalon's Shadow Ball will cleanly 2HKO Toxapex, as will Volcanion's Earth Power. In the case of Blacephalon, it can also use Trick on Toxapex as Toxapex switches in, crippling it for the remainder of the game. These Pokemon have to respect Toxapex's utility options , as both hate having their Choice Specs removed with Knock Off and struggle to break through Toxapex should it set Light Screen. Pokemon with access to Trick such as Blacephalon have to ensure that the Toxapex isn't using an item such as Black Sludge, which will cripple the Trick user much like Trick hampers Toxapex.
**Choice Specs Tapu Lele**: No special attacker in OU without setup hits Toxapex as hard as Choice Specs Tapu Lele. Its Psychic will OHKO Toxapex. and given that Toxapex is one of the best leads in the tier, it often does this in the beginning of the game, and there is very little Toxapex can do about it. An option some Toxapex choose to run to match Tapu Lele is Payapa Berry, allowing Toxapex to survive one Psychic or Psyshock and remove Tapu Lele's Choice Specs with Knock Off or status it with Toxic. However, this then comes with the caveat that Toxapex has just given a Tapu Lele the choice in picking whatever move it wants for the rest of the game if it has removed Tapu Lele's Choice Specs or that Tapu Lele will still be a formidable wallbreaker in spite of it being put on a timer from Toxapex using Toxic.
**Arctozolt**: Arctozolt is one of few physical attackers that will often bust straight through Toxapex with its Bolt Beak, and given how Arctozolt will always be paired with hail and Stealth Rock, it will just about always force a KO should the Toxapex be forced to stay in. Arctozolt does, however, have to respect Toxapex having the ability to set Toxic Spikes, giving it less room to come in and attack it, or run Baneful Bunker to punish Bolt Beak, since it is a contact move. Moves such as Baneful Bunker are rare, however, should Toxapex reveal it early, Arctozolt will quite readily be able to play around it. Arctozolt can also circumvent these mindgames by running Substitute + Freeze-Dry to scout Toxapex attempting to stay in, and Freeze-Dry is also a good option that can catch the Ground-types that Toxapex is often paired with.
**Strong Electric-types**: Zapdos and Tapu Koko are immensely threatening to Toxapex, can scare it out with their strong STAB Thunderbolts, and can use Toxapex to create momentum with Volt Switch. However, both of them hate getting statused by Toxic and have to play with that in mind before switching in.
**Offensive Ground-types**: Pokemon like Garchomp and Landorus-T are incredibly threatening for Toxapex, as Toxapex's only real way to manage them is to attempt to burn them with Scald or connect Toxic before they begin setting up or threaten to 2HKO it with their STAB Moves.
In spite of all that has been developed to counteract its presence, Toxapex still endures as a splashable metagame staple in SS OU. Blessed with absurd defenses and Regenerator, Toxapex can soft check just about anything and threatens item removal with Knock Off, status in Toxic and Scald, and the removal of stat boosts with Haze. This titanic bulk also means that Toxapex can pivot into an extensive amount of Pokemon and scout them, easing prediction against threats like Blaziken, Choice Specs Dragapult, Blacephalon, and Choice Band Tyranitar. As the metagame has developed, countermeasures have been mounted against the living bunker: Future Sight from the likes of Slowbro, Galarian Slowking, and Tapu Lele paired with strong attackers are common tactics to try and break through Toxapex. However, much like the animal it takes its inspiration from, it adapts to the environment around it, most notably reinventing itself as a Light Screen pivot to halve damage from Future Sight and allowing it to effectively wall Future Sight chains by staying in and healing just before the attack hits. In spite of all these incredible traits, Toxapex still has its flaws. Compared to other Regenerator users, Toxapex suffers from a severe case of four-moveslot syndrome that can make it very passive, often finding itself treated as set up fodder by the likes of Swords Dance Kartana, Calm Mind Clefable, and Substitute Volcarona, as it struggles to fit Scald and Haze together in the modern metagame. Additionally, its typing is both a blessing and a curse; while checking or flat out countering physical attackers like Urshifu-R and Blaziken is a large boon, it is prone to being overwhelmed by the attackers it is supposed to check by virtue of the common Future Sight support these breakers often are paired with. This passivity also means most Toxapex sets are free entry points for strong offensive Ground-types like Excadrill and Garchomp. The choice of what Toxapex has to run on a given team is quite the conundrum, and every moveset Toxapex runs has some hole it can't effectively cover without the help of its teammates.
[SET]
name: The Pex
move 1: Light Screen / Knock Off / Scald
move 2: Knock Off / Scald / Poison Jab
move 3: Toxic / Haze
move 4: Recover
item: Shed Shell / Rocky Helmet / Black Sludge
ability: Regenerator
nature: Impish / Bold / Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Toxapex has an extensive movepool and a lot of different choices it can pick and choose from. Light Screen is excellent support for both itself and its teammates, halving the damage from the ubiquitous Future Sight and allowing Toxapex to come in on special attackers such as Volcanion and Blacephalon effectively. Knock Off is a fantastic move that allows Toxapex's teammates some much needed reprieve by removing items from the likes of Urshifu-R, Dragapult, and Landorus-T. Scald is Toxapex's best immediate damaging option, chipping away at the health of Water-weak Pokemon and can critically punish switches with burns, potentially crippling physical attackers like Rillaboom and Garchomp while also ensuring Ferrothorn and Corviknight can't come in on Toxapex risklessly. Poison Jab is necessary on some structures to ensure that Toxapex isn't setup fodder for Calm Mind Tapu Fini. Toxic is an enticing move for Toxapex, as it will put common pivots like Landorus-T, Zapdos and Tornadus-T on a timer and has inherent synergy with Knock Off, removing items on Pokemon that are immune to Toxic or putting problematic Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Volcarona on a timer. Haze is an alternative that lets Toxapex remove boosts and PP stall setup sweepers like Volcarona. The only mandatory move Toxapex has is Recover; it is reliant on the move to stay healthy in longer matches. The choice of nature will mostly depend on what moves Toxapex is running; Impish means Knock Off and Poison Jab will hit a bit harder, Bold means that Scald will deal a bit more damage, and a Relaxed nature will mean Toxapex isn't picking and choosing between natures that hamper its attacking stats and can allow it to scout Pokemon that are otherwise slower than it like Slowbro and Slowking. The item Toxapex chooses is extremely important, as every single one has different advantages. Shed Shell means that Toxapex won't be trapped by Magma Storm Heatran and allows it to cripple Heatran's longevity with Knock Off or wear it down with Scald before switching out. Rocky Helmet will deal significant damage to attackers like Urshifu-R and Weavile that are reliant on contact moves and can punish pivoting moves like U-turn with heavy chip damage. Finally, Black Sludge gives Toxapex even more longevity and allows it to punish foes with Trick like Blacephalon and Tapu Fini.
Team Options
========
Toxapex fits on an extensive number of teams and forms synergistic defensive cores with a large amount of Pokemon. Tornadus-T pairs well with Toxapex, forming a potent Regenerator core that can check Kartana, Rillaboom, and Ferrothorn, all of which Toxapex can otherwise struggle to do anything noteworthy to without Scald. Toxapex will, in return, check strong wallbreakers like Blaziken and Weavile that can threaten to break through Tornadus-T. Corviknight and Zapdos similarly pair well with Toxapex, and all three Flying-Types provide consistent hazard removal with Defog, which Toxapex appreciates. The aforementioned Flying-types also check bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Garchomp, which Toxapex can't realistically manage on its own. Clefable is another utility piece that works well with Toxapex and can allow Toxapex to keep its item, since Clefable is a good Knock Off absorber. Toxapex synergizes incredibly well with bulky Ground-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Gastrodon, since they scare out and check some of Toxapex's worst matchups like Tapu Koko, Magma Storm Heatran, and Zapdos. A final teammate to consider is Blissey, as Blissey counters Pokemon that Toxapex can't realistically manage on its own such as Choice Specs Volcanion, Blacephalon, and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Baneful Bunker can appear to be an enticing way for Toxapex to punish contact moves such as U-turn and Knock Off and scout coverage moves, but this is often redundant, as Toxapex is already a dedicated physical sponge, so it should only really be considered on teams weak to some specific wallbreakers with contact moves like Victini and Rillaboom. A rare albeit potent item Toxapex can choose to run is Payapa Berry, allowing it to survive a STAB Psychic or Psyshock from Tapu Lele and remove its item with Knock Off or status it with Toxic. Toxapex can run Block + Spite with Knock Off and Recover, allowing it to trap and PP stall common switch-ins like Ferrothorn and Clefable while still being able to pivot in and remove items effectively. Finally, Toxapex can choose to run Toxic Spikes, which will critically force status on grounded targets such as Tapu Fini, Garchomp, Arctozolt, and Tyranitar.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Future Sight**: If there's one continuous fact that will always plague Toxapex's viability in the tier, it is the prevalence of Future Sight + breakers. In spite of Toxapex being a dedicated utility piece that can set Light Screen, it is prone to being overwhelmed by the likes of Tapu Lele, Galarian Slowking and Slowbro using Future Sight and pivoting to the physical or special attackers they enable. Even Pokemon that Toxapex has a beneficial type matchup against such as Blaziken and Urshifu-R will have good odds of breaking through Toxapex once it has to come in and check them if there's a Future Sight ready.
**Magma Storm Heatran**: Heatran is synonymous with ruining Toxapex that can't afford to run Shed Shell, seeing as Magma Storm + Earth Power will trap and KO Toxapex with little to no effort. However, this matchup changes if Toxapex chooses to run Shed Shell, as it can come in and soft check Heatran, while Heatran has to respect Knock Off removing its Leftovers.
**Strong choice item Attackers**: Some threats in SS can circumvent Toxapex's incredible bulk with their own immense physical or special attacks. Choice Band Tyranitar can threaten to 2HKO Toxapex with both of its STAB moves in Crunch and Stone Edge, but Tyranitar is uncomfortable switching directly into Toxapex, as it has to contend with Toxapex using Scald or Toxic to cripple it or put it on a timer, respectively. Similar to Tyranitar, Choice Band Grass-types such as Kartana and Rillaboom can quickly overwhelm Toxapex with their strong STAB moves, but they too have to respect Toxapex using moves such as Scald and Knock Off to neuter their ability to threaten it. The rare Galarian-Zapdos can pull similar stunts, with its Brave Bird threatening a clean 2HKO on Toxapex. A final mention goes to strong Choice Specs attackers such as Blacephalon and Volcanion, Blacephalon's Shadow Ball will cleanly 2HKO Toxapex, as will Volcanion's Earth Power. In the case of Blacephalon, it can also use Trick on Toxapex as Toxapex switches in, crippling it for the remainder of the game. These Pokemon have to respect Toxapex's utility options , as both hate having their Choice Specs removed with Knock Off and struggle to break through Toxapex should it set Light Screen. Pokemon with access to Trick such as Blacephalon have to ensure that the Toxapex isn't using an item such as Black Sludge, which will cripple the Trick user much like Trick hampers Toxapex.
**Choice Specs Tapu Lele**: No special attacker in OU without setup hits Toxapex as hard as Choice Specs Tapu Lele. Its Psychic will OHKO Toxapex. and given that Toxapex is one of the best leads in the tier, it often does this in the beginning of the game, and there is very little Toxapex can do about it. An option some Toxapex choose to run to match Tapu Lele is Payapa Berry, allowing Toxapex to survive one Psychic or Psyshock and remove Tapu Lele's Choice Specs with Knock Off or status it with Toxic. However, this then comes with the caveat that Toxapex has just given a Tapu Lele the choice in picking whatever move it wants for the rest of the game if it has removed Tapu Lele's Choice Specs or that Tapu Lele will still be a formidable wallbreaker in spite of it being put on a timer from Toxapex using Toxic.
**Arctozolt**: Arctozolt is one of few physical attackers that will often bust straight through Toxapex with its Bolt Beak, and given how Arctozolt will always be paired with hail and Stealth Rock, it will just about always force a KO should the Toxapex be forced to stay in. Arctozolt does, however, have to respect Toxapex having the ability to set Toxic Spikes, giving it less room to come in and attack it, or run Baneful Bunker to punish Bolt Beak, since it is a contact move. Moves such as Baneful Bunker are rare, however, should Toxapex reveal it early, Arctozolt will quite readily be able to play around it. Arctozolt can also circumvent these mindgames by running Substitute + Freeze-Dry to scout Toxapex attempting to stay in, and Freeze-Dry is also a good option that can catch the Ground-types that Toxapex is often paired with.
**Strong Electric-types**: Zapdos and Tapu Koko are immensely threatening to Toxapex, can scare it out with their strong STAB Thunderbolts, and can use Toxapex to create momentum with Volt Switch. However, both of them hate getting statused by Toxic and have to play with that in mind before switching in.
**Offensive Ground-types**: Pokemon like Garchomp and Landorus-T are incredibly threatening for Toxapex, as Toxapex's only real way to manage them is to attempt to burn them with Scald or connect Toxic before they begin setting up or threaten to 2HKO it with their STAB Moves.
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