[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Scald
move 2: Future Sight
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Teleport
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Regenerator
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 76 Def / 180 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Slowking's great special bulk, typing, and combination of Future Sight, Teleport, and Regenerator make it a decent specially defensive pivot in the metagame. It checks various dangerous threats such as Tapu Lele and Heatran, and it can easily set up advantageous situations for its teammates like Mega Lopunny and Weavile with Future Sight and Teleport. However, it is a specially bulky Water-type that cannot handle Ash-Greninja at all, and it's completely outclassed by Slowbro and Galarian Slowking in the Future Sight department. Its low Defense and Dark weakness leave it vulnerable to physical attackers like Mega Lopunny, Garchomp, and Pursuit users like Weavile and Tyranitar, even though all of these fear Scald. Thus, Slowking struggles to fit on teams, and it's almost entirely outclassed by other Water-types such as Slowbro, Toxapex, and Tapu Fini. Future Sight prevents Pokemon such as Toxapex, Clefable, and Kommo-o from switching in safely on Slowking's teammates like Mega Charizard Y and Mega Lopunny until it lands, often leading to checkmate situations. Teleport grants free switches in for Slowking's frail teammates like Weavile and Mega Medicham. Slack Off and Regenerator make it a good long-term check to threats like Heatran and Tapu Lele. Heavy-Duty Boots cancels entry hazard damage, letting it pivot more easily. The given EV spread lets it tank two Moonblasts from Choice Specs Tapu Lele from full health.
Slowking fits best on balance and bulky offense teams. Pokemon like Ash-Greninja, Mega Lopunny, Mega Charizard Y, and Weavile greatly appreciate Slowking's Future Sight support, which can let them overwhelm their checks like Toxapex, Kommo-o, and Clefable, as well as the free switch-in opportunities from Teleport. It being a Water-type that cannot check Ash-Greninja makes Pokemon such as Tapu Bulu, Kommo-o, and Amoonguss mandatory partners. Slowking is very vulnerable to Grass-types like Rillaboom, Serperior, and Kartana, so good checks to these like Corviknight, Zapdos, and Tangrowth make for good teammates. Good checks to Dark-types like Weavile, Hydreigon, Tyranitar, which can overwhelm or Pursuit trap Slowking, include Kommo-o, Corviknight, and Clefable. Pokemon such as Clefable, Mega Lopunny, and Ferrothorn appreciate Slowking checking Tapu Lele and Heatran. Amoonguss, Gliscor, and Ferrothorn can handle Electric-types for Slowking. Finally, Slowking is easily overwhelmed by physical attackers like Mega Lopunny, Mega Mawile, and Garchomp due to its mediocre physical bulk, but teammates like Corviknight and Landorus-T can handle these threats well.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dragon Tail and Toxic are usable options, the latter punishing common Slowking switch-ins such as Serperior and Tapu Koko, but they are hard to justify over its other moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pursuit**: Weavile, Tyranitar, and Mega Tyranitar can Pursuit trap Slowbro or nail it with stronger Dark-type STAB attacks. However, they fear Scald and so cannot switch in.
**Super Effective STAB Attacks**: Common Dark-, Grass-, and Electric-types like Hydreigon, Ash-Greninja, Rillaboom, Serperior, Tapu Koko, and Magnezone can threaten Slowking with their STAB moves. However, physical attackers like Rillaboom, Kartana, and Zeraora fear a burn from Scald and so struggle to switch in.
**Strong Physical Attackers**: Due to Slowking's mediocre physical bulk, powerful physical attackers like Mega Lopunny, Mega Mawile, and Garchomp easily overwhelm it, though they fear a burn from Scald and so cannot safely switch in on it.
**Status**: Slowking absolutely hates status, as paralysis can potentially stop it from pivoting or healing up with Slack Off, and the chip damage from poison or burn makes it much less effective at checking Heatran and Tapu Lele.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Dragon Master, 521275]]
- Quality checked by: [[adem, 529732], [Optify, 511832], [pannuracotta, 517892]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Scald
move 2: Future Sight
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Teleport
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Regenerator
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 76 Def / 180 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Slowking's great special bulk, typing, and combination of Future Sight, Teleport, and Regenerator make it a decent specially defensive pivot in the metagame. It checks various dangerous threats such as Tapu Lele and Heatran, and it can easily set up advantageous situations for its teammates like Mega Lopunny and Weavile with Future Sight and Teleport. However, it is a specially bulky Water-type that cannot handle Ash-Greninja at all, and it's completely outclassed by Slowbro and Galarian Slowking in the Future Sight department. Its low Defense and Dark weakness leave it vulnerable to physical attackers like Mega Lopunny, Garchomp, and Pursuit users like Weavile and Tyranitar, even though all of these fear Scald. Thus, Slowking struggles to fit on teams, and it's almost entirely outclassed by other Water-types such as Slowbro, Toxapex, and Tapu Fini. Future Sight prevents Pokemon such as Toxapex, Clefable, and Kommo-o from switching in safely on Slowking's teammates like Mega Charizard Y and Mega Lopunny until it lands, often leading to checkmate situations. Teleport grants free switches in for Slowking's frail teammates like Weavile and Mega Medicham. Slack Off and Regenerator make it a good long-term check to threats like Heatran and Tapu Lele. Heavy-Duty Boots cancels entry hazard damage, letting it pivot more easily. The given EV spread lets it tank two Moonblasts from Choice Specs Tapu Lele from full health.
Slowking fits best on balance and bulky offense teams. Pokemon like Ash-Greninja, Mega Lopunny, Mega Charizard Y, and Weavile greatly appreciate Slowking's Future Sight support, which can let them overwhelm their checks like Toxapex, Kommo-o, and Clefable, as well as the free switch-in opportunities from Teleport. It being a Water-type that cannot check Ash-Greninja makes Pokemon such as Tapu Bulu, Kommo-o, and Amoonguss mandatory partners. Slowking is very vulnerable to Grass-types like Rillaboom, Serperior, and Kartana, so good checks to these like Corviknight, Zapdos, and Tangrowth make for good teammates. Good checks to Dark-types like Weavile, Hydreigon, Tyranitar, which can overwhelm or Pursuit trap Slowking, include Kommo-o, Corviknight, and Clefable. Pokemon such as Clefable, Mega Lopunny, and Ferrothorn appreciate Slowking checking Tapu Lele and Heatran. Amoonguss, Gliscor, and Ferrothorn can handle Electric-types for Slowking. Finally, Slowking is easily overwhelmed by physical attackers like Mega Lopunny, Mega Mawile, and Garchomp due to its mediocre physical bulk, but teammates like Corviknight and Landorus-T can handle these threats well.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dragon Tail and Toxic are usable options, the latter punishing common Slowking switch-ins such as Serperior and Tapu Koko, but they are hard to justify over its other moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pursuit**: Weavile, Tyranitar, and Mega Tyranitar can Pursuit trap Slowbro or nail it with stronger Dark-type STAB attacks. However, they fear Scald and so cannot switch in.
**Super Effective STAB Attacks**: Common Dark-, Grass-, and Electric-types like Hydreigon, Ash-Greninja, Rillaboom, Serperior, Tapu Koko, and Magnezone can threaten Slowking with their STAB moves. However, physical attackers like Rillaboom, Kartana, and Zeraora fear a burn from Scald and so struggle to switch in.
**Strong Physical Attackers**: Due to Slowking's mediocre physical bulk, powerful physical attackers like Mega Lopunny, Mega Mawile, and Garchomp easily overwhelm it, though they fear a burn from Scald and so cannot safely switch in on it.
**Status**: Slowking absolutely hates status, as paralysis can potentially stop it from pivoting or healing up with Slack Off, and the chip damage from poison or burn makes it much less effective at checking Heatran and Tapu Lele.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Dragon Master, 521275]]
- Quality checked by: [[adem, 529732], [Optify, 511832], [pannuracotta, 517892]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
Last edited: