[OVERVIEW]
Slaking boasts a fantastic Attack stat that puts even the Ubers metagame to shame. It has a good base 100 Speed stat too, allowing it to outspeed some key threats and force them out with its strong attacks. Unfortunately, Slaking's amazing power can only be tapped into every other turn due to its ability, Truant. Thus, Slaking has to rely heavily on proper predictions to punch through teams most effectively and is forced to use a Choice Band set, seeing how it's almost always forced to switch out after firing off just a single devastating attack regardless of its effectiveness. The opportunity cost of adding Slaking to a team is also extremely large, as it allows dangerous sweepers to come in for free every other turn. Moreover, due to how important role compression and momentum is in Ubers, you're often hard pressed to fit Slaking outside of extremely specific builds, and even then it's hard to justify the team slot it occupies.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Double-Edge
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Focus Punch / Earthquake
move 4: Hyper Beam / Earthquake
item: Choice Band
ability: Truant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Double-Edge is extremely strong and allows Slaking to grab important OHKOs on Pokemon such as Latios, maximum HP Latias, and lead Mewtwo. It also consistently 2HKOes defensive Groudon and Kyogre, whereas Slaking avoids a 2HKO and OHKO, respectively, from these foes. Shadow Ball provides coverage against rare Rock- and Ghost-types such as Regirock and Dusclops while also dealing larger amounts of damage to the plethora of Psychic-types that Ubers is riddled with. Notably, it has a good chance to OHKO maximum HP Latias, 2HKOes defensive Lugia, and deals good damage to Metagross. Focus Punch is the strongest move Slaking has to hit Steel-types, dealing more than 50% to Skarmory and Forretress and OHKOing Snorlax. Hyper Beam blows away the opponent's dedicated walls such as defensive Latias and Ho-Oh but prevents Slaking from switching out upon landing, making this a high-risk, high-reward move that is best utilized later in the game to pave the way for your cleaners. Earthquake is an option if you don't want to rely on Focus Punch's predictive nature but still wish to hit Steel-types like Metagross, Jirachi, and Forretress. The trade-off is being hard walled by Skarmory and Forretress. A Jolly nature is used to outspeed neutral nature Latios and Latias, common leads that are often extremely valuable.
Team Options
========
Magneton is, by and large, Slaking's best teammate and almost mandatory, being able to trap all the Steel-types that resist Slaking's Normal-type attacks and KO them or chip them to the point that they can no longer take its attacks. Slaking fits best on offensive builds due to its hit-and-run nature. It forms an excellent double-Normal core with Snorlax, with both of them sharing checks they can overwhelm with their strong STAB moves. Deoxys-A is another great partner, cleaning up teams after Slaking has sufficiently damaged its checks with Extreme Speed. It also patches up the weakness to Substitute users that Slaking enables on its Truant turns, namely Groudon, Kyogre, and Heracross. Because of how threatening opposing Deoxys-A can be to team structures utilizing Slaking as their wallbreaker, Pursuit Metagross is a way to mitigate the impact it will have against your team. Slaking's Special Defense leaves much to be desired, leaving it extremely vulnerable to an OHKO from Kyogre. Your own Kyogre, Latios, and Latias all answer it quite well without giving up any momentum. Spikes support from Forretress and Skarmory is also appreciated, chipping at Slaking's checks so that it can OHKO them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An Adamant nature provides more firepower but comes at the cost of being outsped by neutral nature Latios and Latias, which can 2HKO Slaking with ease, as well as maximum Speed base 90 Speed foes such as Kyogre, which can OHKO with Hydro Pump or even Surf, so it's generally not preferred.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Lugia**: Lugia has enough bulk to stomach any hit Slaking throws its way and either recover the damage off or set up Reflect to take the next hit better.
**Skarmory**: Skarmory is capable of taking most hits from Slaking and setting up Spikes in front of it or phazing it with Whirlwind, but it must be wary of Focus Punch.
**Ho-Oh**: Defensive Ho-Oh can take any hit not named Hyper Beam and threaten to incapacitate Slaking with Sacred Fire, but it will still take a huge chunk from any Normal-type move Slaking opts to use.
**Protect and Substitute Users**: Truant will trigger even if the hit doesn't make direct contact, so Protect is a very easy way to both scout Slaking's move and telegraph a switch from its side. Substitute users like SubSalac Groudon, Kyogre, and Heracross all can take advantage of the free turn to set up their Substitute and can continuously do so in front of Slaking without being bothered much.
**Ghost-types**: Gengar and Dusclops can switch in on most of Slaking's attacks and take no damage due to being immune to Normal- and Fighting-type moves, but they both don't want to come in on a Shadow Ball.
**Revenge Killers**: Due to Truant, a lot of strong Pokemon can take advantage of the free turn to switch in without being scared to take a hit, namely Deoxys-A and Kyogre, which can both OHKO Slaking.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Lasen, 273339]]
- Quality checked by: [[Inspirited, 127823], [SuperEpicAmpharos, 306959]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [DC, 449990]]
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