In spite of all that has been developed to counteract its presence, Toxapex still endures as a splashable metagame staple in SS OU. Being blessed with absurd Defenses and Regenerator, Toxapex can soft-check just about anything and threaten item removal with Knock Off, status in Toxic or Scald's burn chance, or remove stat raises 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 coming off of the likes of Slowbro, Slowking-Galar, and Tapu Lele paired with strong attackers are common tools to try and break through Toxapex. Yet much like the animal it takes its inspiration from, its body measures the extreme salinity it lives in and adapts, most notably reinventing itself as a Light Screen pivot to halve damage from Future Sight allowing it to effectively wall Future Sight chains by staying in and Recovering just before the attack hits. In spite of all these incredible traits, Toxapex still has its flaws. When compared to other Regenerator users, Toxapex suffers from a severe case of 4MSS 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. And its typing is both a blessing and a curse: While checking or flat out countering physical attackers like Urshifu-R or Blaziken is a large boon, it still lies privy 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 from strong offensive Ground-types like Excadrill and Garchomp. The picking and choosing in 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. Overall Toxapex is an incredibly consistent Pokemon as long as its weaknesses are sufficiently covered by 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 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 Scald's burn chance, 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 set up fodder for Calm Mind Tapu Fini. Toxic is an enticing move for Toxapex as it will put common Pivots like Landorus-Therian, Zapdos and Tornadus-Therian on a timer and has inherent synergy with Knock Off, removing items on Pokemon that are immune to Toxic or putting problematic Pokemon on a timer, such as Tapu Lele or Volcarona. Haze is an alternative that lets Toxapex remove boosts and PP stall setup sweepers like Volcarona. The only mandatory move Toxapex has is Recover, Toxapex 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 who are otherwise slower than it like Slowbro and Slowking. The items Toxapex chooses are extremely important as every single one has a different utility point. 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 Contact based attackers like Urshifu-R and Weavile 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 Pokemon 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 which Toxapex can otherwise struggle to do anything noteworthy to without Scald. Toxapex will also 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 3 Flying-Types provide consistent hazard removal with Defog which Toxapex appreciates. The aforementioned Flying-types also check bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-Therian 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. Finally Toxapex synergizes incredibly well with bulky ground types like Landorus-Therian, Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Gastrodon since they scare out and check some of Toxapexes worst match ups like Tapu Koko, Magma Storm Heatran and opposing Zapdos. A final mention 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, however this is often a redundancy as Toxapex is already a dedicated physical sponge, thus 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/ 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 SS 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, Slowking-Galar, and Slowbro setting Future Sight and going to the physical attackers or special attackers they enable. Even Pokemon that Toxapex has a beneficial type match up against such as Blaziken or 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 hovering overhead.
Magma Storm Heatran: Heatran is synonymous with ruining Toxapexes 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 match up changes if Toxapex chooses to run Shed Shell, as it can come in and soft check Heatran as Heatran has to respect Knock Off removing its Leftovers.
Strong Choiced 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 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. Similarly to Tyranitar Choice Banded Grass-types such as Kartana or Rillaboom can quickly overwhelm Toxapex with their strong STAB moves, but they too have to respect Toxapex using moves such as Scald or Knock Off to neuter their ability to threaten it. The rare Zapdos-Galar 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, Blacephalons Shadow Ball will cleanly 2HKO Toxapex as will Volcanions boosted 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 Toxapexes utility options though, as both hate having their Choice Specs removed with Knock Off and struggle to break through Toxapex should it set Light Screen. And 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 pre-amp hits Toxapex as hard as Choice Specs Tapu Lele. Its Psychic will OHKO Toxapex often off of lead given Pex being one of the best leads in the tier and there is very little Toxapex can do to effectively match it. A tech option some Toxapexes choose to run to match this is Payapa Berry allowing Toxapex to survive one Psychic/ Psyshock and removing Tapu Lele's Choice Specs with Knock Off or statusing it with Toxic, but this then comes with the caviat that Toxapex has just given a Tapu Lele the choice in picking whatever move it wants for the rest of the game if its' removed Lele's Choice Specs and 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 signature move 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 Toxapex running Baneful Bunker to punish Bolt Beak being a contact move. Moves such as Baneful Bunker are however rare, and should Toxapex reveal it early ArctozoIt will quite readily be able to play around it. Arctozolt can also circumvent these mind games by running Substitute + Freeze-Dry to scout Toxapex attempting to stay in, and Freeze-Dry is also a good midground option that can threaten the Ground-types that Toxapex is often paired with.
Strong Electric Types: Zapdos and Tapu Koko are immensely threatening to Toxapex and can scare it out with their strong STAB Thunderbolts and can also use Toxapex as a pivot point with Volt Switch. Both of them do however 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 STABs.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cyberacc.185125/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/slowpoke-fan.617219/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
[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 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 Scald's burn chance, 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 set up fodder for Calm Mind Tapu Fini. Toxic is an enticing move for Toxapex as it will put common Pivots like Landorus-Therian, Zapdos and Tornadus-Therian on a timer and has inherent synergy with Knock Off, removing items on Pokemon that are immune to Toxic or putting problematic Pokemon on a timer, such as Tapu Lele or Volcarona. Haze is an alternative that lets Toxapex remove boosts and PP stall setup sweepers like Volcarona. The only mandatory move Toxapex has is Recover, Toxapex 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 who are otherwise slower than it like Slowbro and Slowking. The items Toxapex chooses are extremely important as every single one has a different utility point. 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 Contact based attackers like Urshifu-R and Weavile 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 Pokemon 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 which Toxapex can otherwise struggle to do anything noteworthy to without Scald. Toxapex will also 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 3 Flying-Types provide consistent hazard removal with Defog which Toxapex appreciates. The aforementioned Flying-types also check bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-Therian 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. Finally Toxapex synergizes incredibly well with bulky ground types like Landorus-Therian, Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Gastrodon since they scare out and check some of Toxapexes worst match ups like Tapu Koko, Magma Storm Heatran and opposing Zapdos. A final mention 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, however this is often a redundancy as Toxapex is already a dedicated physical sponge, thus 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/ 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 SS 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, Slowking-Galar, and Slowbro setting Future Sight and going to the physical attackers or special attackers they enable. Even Pokemon that Toxapex has a beneficial type match up against such as Blaziken or 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 hovering overhead.
Magma Storm Heatran: Heatran is synonymous with ruining Toxapexes 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 match up changes if Toxapex chooses to run Shed Shell, as it can come in and soft check Heatran as Heatran has to respect Knock Off removing its Leftovers.
Strong Choiced 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 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. Similarly to Tyranitar Choice Banded Grass-types such as Kartana or Rillaboom can quickly overwhelm Toxapex with their strong STAB moves, but they too have to respect Toxapex using moves such as Scald or Knock Off to neuter their ability to threaten it. The rare Zapdos-Galar 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, Blacephalons Shadow Ball will cleanly 2HKO Toxapex as will Volcanions boosted 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 Toxapexes utility options though, as both hate having their Choice Specs removed with Knock Off and struggle to break through Toxapex should it set Light Screen. And 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 pre-amp hits Toxapex as hard as Choice Specs Tapu Lele. Its Psychic will OHKO Toxapex often off of lead given Pex being one of the best leads in the tier and there is very little Toxapex can do to effectively match it. A tech option some Toxapexes choose to run to match this is Payapa Berry allowing Toxapex to survive one Psychic/ Psyshock and removing Tapu Lele's Choice Specs with Knock Off or statusing it with Toxic, but this then comes with the caviat that Toxapex has just given a Tapu Lele the choice in picking whatever move it wants for the rest of the game if its' removed Lele's Choice Specs and 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 signature move 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 Toxapex running Baneful Bunker to punish Bolt Beak being a contact move. Moves such as Baneful Bunker are however rare, and should Toxapex reveal it early ArctozoIt will quite readily be able to play around it. Arctozolt can also circumvent these mind games by running Substitute + Freeze-Dry to scout Toxapex attempting to stay in, and Freeze-Dry is also a good midground option that can threaten the Ground-types that Toxapex is often paired with.
Strong Electric Types: Zapdos and Tapu Koko are immensely threatening to Toxapex and can scare it out with their strong STAB Thunderbolts and can also use Toxapex as a pivot point with Volt Switch. Both of them do however 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 STABs.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cyberacc.185125/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/slowpoke-fan.617219/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
