[OVERVIEW]
In a time where Mewtwo ravaged the RBY Ubers landscape and players desperately searched for a good check to it, Slowbro came to answer the call. Slowbro's Amnesia set, known as "TobyBro" and first created by Wintermute in the early 2000s, is the best check to non-Thunderbolt Mewtwo in the tier while being a very strong Pokemon in its own right. Amnesia, along with a great typing and excellent bulk, gives Slowbro immense sweeping potential. A boosted Surf is capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing almost everything in the tier, and even resistant foes are 3HKOed. Amnesia also helps Slowbro patch up its Electric weakness, since Special is used for both offense and defense. Slowbro can even use Thunder Wave to fix its miserable Speed, and it can also reapply the foe's Speed drops from paralysis by using Amnesia.
However, Slowbro will take very heavy damage from a critical hit Thunderbolt regardless of boosts, forcing it to use Rest earlier, and many Electric-type Pokemon have very high critical hit rates courtesy of their high Speed. Slowbro's abysmal Speed, while mitigated by Thunder Wave, can give it trouble as it tries to boost against faster threats while also necessitating some amount of paralysis support from teammates. Slowbro is also very one-dimensional and predictable; however, it will always be one of the most dangerous sweepers, no matter how much the opponent might know it is coming.
[SET]
name: TobyBro (Amnesia)
move 1: Surf
move 2: Amnesia
move 3: Rest
move 4: Thunder Wave
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Surf is very strong after a few Amnesia boosts, achieving things like a high chance to 2HKO Chansey at +6 and 2HKOs on Mew, Mewtwo, and Snorlax at +4. Amnesia is what makes this set threatening, letting Slowbro become very bulky and very powerful. Thunder Wave allows Slowbro to patch up its awful Speed and more effectively threaten faster Pokemon. This is amplified by the threat of Amnesia reapplying paralysis Speed drops. Slowbro can also use paralysis to have a chance at beating its checks, like Light Screen Chansey and Starmie. Rest allows Slowbro to stick around for much longer and ensures that a single critical hit cannot end its sweep. It also protects Slowbro from chip damage, which is likely to accumulate while switching in and boosting with Amnesia. However, a sleeping Slowbro is very easy to take advantage of, and many opponents will use it as a chance to switch in their Explosion user or Thunderbolt Mewtwo.
When using Slowbro, it is very important to scout your opponent's team for Electric-type coverage, especially Thunderbolt on Chansey or Mewtwo. However, Chansey very rarely uses Thunderbolt in Ubers, meaning it is usually safe to set up against. Slowbro is very good at setting up against and paralyzing Mewtwo, as it takes very little damage from Mewtwo's attacks even after it has boosted, unless Mewtwo reveals Thunderbolt or gets a critical hit. Either can force Slowbro to repeatedly use Rest and allow Mewtwo to win the interaction with some luck. Slowbro itself is a very good paralysis absorber, since its pitiful Speed means it is not affected much by it. Amnesia reapplying paralysis Speed drops means even a paralyzed Slowbro can outspeed most foes after a few uses of the move. The most common way to remove Slowbro is with Explosion, so users such as Snorlax, Golem, Mew, Exeggutor, and Gengar should be watched carefully. Slowbro should be used with a good absorber of the move, such as Jynx, Rhydon, or your own Golem or Gengar. Absorbing Explosion with these Pokemon requires good prediction on when the foe is about to use the move to switch them in at the right time. Predicting wrong can result in Slowbro getting KOed or the opponent gaining momentum. Alternatively, you can choose to not reveal your Slowbro until later in the game, after the rest of your team has already dealt with opposing Explosion users.
Slowbro especially appreciates Rhydon and Golem as Explosion absorbers, since they are immune to the Electric-type moves that give Slowbro so much trouble. However, Rhydon and Slowbro are both very slow, so using them together requires extra care. If your chosen strategy is to deal with Explosion users before revealing Slowbro, other Pokemon that attract the move such as Chansey, Mew, and Mewtwo can be used. Slowbro can struggle to beat certain checks such as Exeggutor and Lapras, so Pokemon that can deal with them, such as BoltBeam Chansey, are appreciated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Slowbro has the option of forgoing Thunder Wave to run any one of the following options. Withdraw is a very strong option to bolster Slowbro's Defense and allow it to take Explosions, removing a prime option for dealing with it. Withdraw also allows Slowbro to reapply paralysis Speed drops more easily. Its massive 61 PP, combined with Rest, allows Slowbro to PP stall almost any Pokemon it needs to, such as opposing Thunder Wave Slowbro. The Defense boost also lets Slowbro counter Snorlax and Mew, which would otherwise be able to hit Slowbro for decent damage. However, Withdraw Slowbro can be very passive, and teams can take advantage of that with faster threats that Slowbro cannot outspeed without Thunder Wave. Reflect is also an option, as an instant +2 in Defense can be crucial in certain situations, such as Snorlax and Tauros needing instant walling as opposed to permitting multiple turns of setup. However, lower PP, an inability to reapply Speed drops, and an inability to boost past +2 make Reflect less desirable.
Slowbro can also run two attacks, Surf and either Ice Beam or Psychic. Ice Beam prevents Exeggutor from checking Slowbro and can freeze Mewtwo, Chansey, and opposing Slowbro. On the other hand, Psychic allows Slowbro to hit Lapras and pressure Mewtwo, Starmie, and Light Screen Chansey with Special drops. However, running two attacks makes Slowbro more reliant on paralysis support from teammates to be able to outspeed and threaten certain Pokemon like Tauros and Mew. Two attacks Slowbro also gets PP stalled by Thunder Wave Slowbro. Toxic is a niche option to win mirrors against Withdraw Slowbro, since using Rest does not reset the bad poison timer. Also, Toxic can allow Slowbro to effectively pressure and even remove Light Screen Chansey, which otherwise walls it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Zapdos, Jolteon, and Electrode all carry Thunderbolt, which can stop Slowbro from setting up easily. All three of these Pokemon also have good critical hit rates, and a critical hit Thunderbolt from any of them will OHKO Slowbro outright. However, none of them can switch into a boosted attack, and all three are devastated by paralysis.
**Electric-type coverage**: Non-Electric types like Starmie, Gengar, and Mewtwo can all run Thunderbolt to pressure Slowbro. All three have good critical hit rates, and a critical Thunderbolt can ruin Slowbro. Chansey can also run Thunderbolt, but it is less common; it also has a mediocre critical hit rate, meaning it struggles to pressure Slowbro after it has set up.
**Water-resistant Pokemon**: Exeggutor and Lapras avoid the 2HKO from +6 Surf and can put Slowbro to sleep with Sleep Powder and Sing, respectively. Lapras also carries Thunderbolt and can deal heavy damage with a critical hit. However, +6 Ice Beam OHKOes Exeggutor, while +2 Ice Beam 2HKOes it, and +4 Psychic 2HKOes Lapras, meaning you must scout for these moves before using these Pokemon to check Slowbro. In a similar vein, Victreebel and Cloyster avoid the OHKO from +6 Surf and can remove Slowbro with Wrap + Razor Leaf or Clamp + Explosion, respectively. However, a single miss of their partial trapping moves can spell doom for either.
**Light Screen Chansey**: Slowbro cannot 3HKO Chansey after Light Screen with +6 Surf, and it will eventually PP stall Slowbro. However, Slowbro can win the interaction if it gets lucky with a few paralysis turns. Slowbro carrying Toxic also does not fear Light Screen Chansey.
**Slowbro**: Depending on the set, Slowbro can be checked by its other sets. Thunder Wave beats two attacks sets, Withdraw beats any set besides Toxic, and Toxic always beats every other set.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[LTG, 473639]]
- Quality checked by: [[Caetano93, 394051], [Oiseau Bleu, 431020]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [Muk, 33374]]
In a time where Mewtwo ravaged the RBY Ubers landscape and players desperately searched for a good check to it, Slowbro came to answer the call. Slowbro's Amnesia set, known as "TobyBro" and first created by Wintermute in the early 2000s, is the best check to non-Thunderbolt Mewtwo in the tier while being a very strong Pokemon in its own right. Amnesia, along with a great typing and excellent bulk, gives Slowbro immense sweeping potential. A boosted Surf is capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing almost everything in the tier, and even resistant foes are 3HKOed. Amnesia also helps Slowbro patch up its Electric weakness, since Special is used for both offense and defense. Slowbro can even use Thunder Wave to fix its miserable Speed, and it can also reapply the foe's Speed drops from paralysis by using Amnesia.
However, Slowbro will take very heavy damage from a critical hit Thunderbolt regardless of boosts, forcing it to use Rest earlier, and many Electric-type Pokemon have very high critical hit rates courtesy of their high Speed. Slowbro's abysmal Speed, while mitigated by Thunder Wave, can give it trouble as it tries to boost against faster threats while also necessitating some amount of paralysis support from teammates. Slowbro is also very one-dimensional and predictable; however, it will always be one of the most dangerous sweepers, no matter how much the opponent might know it is coming.
[SET]
name: TobyBro (Amnesia)
move 1: Surf
move 2: Amnesia
move 3: Rest
move 4: Thunder Wave
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Surf is very strong after a few Amnesia boosts, achieving things like a high chance to 2HKO Chansey at +6 and 2HKOs on Mew, Mewtwo, and Snorlax at +4. Amnesia is what makes this set threatening, letting Slowbro become very bulky and very powerful. Thunder Wave allows Slowbro to patch up its awful Speed and more effectively threaten faster Pokemon. This is amplified by the threat of Amnesia reapplying paralysis Speed drops. Slowbro can also use paralysis to have a chance at beating its checks, like Light Screen Chansey and Starmie. Rest allows Slowbro to stick around for much longer and ensures that a single critical hit cannot end its sweep. It also protects Slowbro from chip damage, which is likely to accumulate while switching in and boosting with Amnesia. However, a sleeping Slowbro is very easy to take advantage of, and many opponents will use it as a chance to switch in their Explosion user or Thunderbolt Mewtwo.
When using Slowbro, it is very important to scout your opponent's team for Electric-type coverage, especially Thunderbolt on Chansey or Mewtwo. However, Chansey very rarely uses Thunderbolt in Ubers, meaning it is usually safe to set up against. Slowbro is very good at setting up against and paralyzing Mewtwo, as it takes very little damage from Mewtwo's attacks even after it has boosted, unless Mewtwo reveals Thunderbolt or gets a critical hit. Either can force Slowbro to repeatedly use Rest and allow Mewtwo to win the interaction with some luck. Slowbro itself is a very good paralysis absorber, since its pitiful Speed means it is not affected much by it. Amnesia reapplying paralysis Speed drops means even a paralyzed Slowbro can outspeed most foes after a few uses of the move. The most common way to remove Slowbro is with Explosion, so users such as Snorlax, Golem, Mew, Exeggutor, and Gengar should be watched carefully. Slowbro should be used with a good absorber of the move, such as Jynx, Rhydon, or your own Golem or Gengar. Absorbing Explosion with these Pokemon requires good prediction on when the foe is about to use the move to switch them in at the right time. Predicting wrong can result in Slowbro getting KOed or the opponent gaining momentum. Alternatively, you can choose to not reveal your Slowbro until later in the game, after the rest of your team has already dealt with opposing Explosion users.
Slowbro especially appreciates Rhydon and Golem as Explosion absorbers, since they are immune to the Electric-type moves that give Slowbro so much trouble. However, Rhydon and Slowbro are both very slow, so using them together requires extra care. If your chosen strategy is to deal with Explosion users before revealing Slowbro, other Pokemon that attract the move such as Chansey, Mew, and Mewtwo can be used. Slowbro can struggle to beat certain checks such as Exeggutor and Lapras, so Pokemon that can deal with them, such as BoltBeam Chansey, are appreciated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Slowbro has the option of forgoing Thunder Wave to run any one of the following options. Withdraw is a very strong option to bolster Slowbro's Defense and allow it to take Explosions, removing a prime option for dealing with it. Withdraw also allows Slowbro to reapply paralysis Speed drops more easily. Its massive 61 PP, combined with Rest, allows Slowbro to PP stall almost any Pokemon it needs to, such as opposing Thunder Wave Slowbro. The Defense boost also lets Slowbro counter Snorlax and Mew, which would otherwise be able to hit Slowbro for decent damage. However, Withdraw Slowbro can be very passive, and teams can take advantage of that with faster threats that Slowbro cannot outspeed without Thunder Wave. Reflect is also an option, as an instant +2 in Defense can be crucial in certain situations, such as Snorlax and Tauros needing instant walling as opposed to permitting multiple turns of setup. However, lower PP, an inability to reapply Speed drops, and an inability to boost past +2 make Reflect less desirable.
Slowbro can also run two attacks, Surf and either Ice Beam or Psychic. Ice Beam prevents Exeggutor from checking Slowbro and can freeze Mewtwo, Chansey, and opposing Slowbro. On the other hand, Psychic allows Slowbro to hit Lapras and pressure Mewtwo, Starmie, and Light Screen Chansey with Special drops. However, running two attacks makes Slowbro more reliant on paralysis support from teammates to be able to outspeed and threaten certain Pokemon like Tauros and Mew. Two attacks Slowbro also gets PP stalled by Thunder Wave Slowbro. Toxic is a niche option to win mirrors against Withdraw Slowbro, since using Rest does not reset the bad poison timer. Also, Toxic can allow Slowbro to effectively pressure and even remove Light Screen Chansey, which otherwise walls it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Zapdos, Jolteon, and Electrode all carry Thunderbolt, which can stop Slowbro from setting up easily. All three of these Pokemon also have good critical hit rates, and a critical hit Thunderbolt from any of them will OHKO Slowbro outright. However, none of them can switch into a boosted attack, and all three are devastated by paralysis.
**Electric-type coverage**: Non-Electric types like Starmie, Gengar, and Mewtwo can all run Thunderbolt to pressure Slowbro. All three have good critical hit rates, and a critical Thunderbolt can ruin Slowbro. Chansey can also run Thunderbolt, but it is less common; it also has a mediocre critical hit rate, meaning it struggles to pressure Slowbro after it has set up.
**Water-resistant Pokemon**: Exeggutor and Lapras avoid the 2HKO from +6 Surf and can put Slowbro to sleep with Sleep Powder and Sing, respectively. Lapras also carries Thunderbolt and can deal heavy damage with a critical hit. However, +6 Ice Beam OHKOes Exeggutor, while +2 Ice Beam 2HKOes it, and +4 Psychic 2HKOes Lapras, meaning you must scout for these moves before using these Pokemon to check Slowbro. In a similar vein, Victreebel and Cloyster avoid the OHKO from +6 Surf and can remove Slowbro with Wrap + Razor Leaf or Clamp + Explosion, respectively. However, a single miss of their partial trapping moves can spell doom for either.
**Light Screen Chansey**: Slowbro cannot 3HKO Chansey after Light Screen with +6 Surf, and it will eventually PP stall Slowbro. However, Slowbro can win the interaction if it gets lucky with a few paralysis turns. Slowbro carrying Toxic also does not fear Light Screen Chansey.
**Slowbro**: Depending on the set, Slowbro can be checked by its other sets. Thunder Wave beats two attacks sets, Withdraw beats any set besides Toxic, and Toxic always beats every other set.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[LTG, 473639]]
- Quality checked by: [[Caetano93, 394051], [Oiseau Bleu, 431020]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [Muk, 33374]]
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