[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Scald
move 2: Thunder Wave / Future Sight
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Teleport
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Regenerator
nature: Sassy
evs: 248 HP / 52 Def / 208 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its great special bulk, good defensive typing, and access to Regenerator, Slowking can consistently pivot into and check several dangerous special attackers such as Choice Specs Primarina, offensive Moltres, and Defog Salamence. This is very useful for easing the burden on its team to play around these threats throughout the game. Scald, besides being a STAB attack, has a burn chance to stop Dark-types such as Bisharp and Krookodile from getting too comfortable in attempting to Pursuit trap Slowking. It also potentially cripples other Pokemon like Scizor and Aegislash, which may try to exploit its passivity. Thunder Wave expands its defensive versatility against Pokemon like Alakazam and Galarian Moltres, which may try to set up on it. Crippling them saves Slowking from constantly relying on bringing another teammate in against them, which requires Teleport to do safely; and thus risking a foe attack. Future Sight can be used in conjunction with Teleport to build up momentum for its offensive teammates like Melmetal and Zeraora, and create advantageous scenarios for them by pressuring their usual checks such as physically defensive Tangrowth and Buzzwole. Heavy-Duty Boots lets it pivot without damage from entry hazards. The given EV spread allows Slowking to survive a Knock Off from non-Choice Band Krookodile while maximizing its special bulk and HP gained from Regenerator. A Sassy nature and 0 Speed IVs maximize the odds of Teleport going last in mirror matches. A physically defensive spread can be used to help Slowking's team pivot around Melmetal and Urshifu-R more effectively, but Slowking's weakness to Pursuit and common coverage moves from these Pokemon, like Thunder Punch and U-Turn, prevent it from doing this consistently.
Slowking easily bringing in strong wallbreakers and scouting the Pokemon it can switch into is highly important to various forms of offense and bulky offense. Wallbreakers such as Melmetal, Urshifu-R, and Bisharp enjoy the free entry from Teleport making up for their defensive shortcomings, in addition to Future Sight dissuading checks like Amoonguss and Buzzwole from switching in. Similarly grateful are the late-game cleaners commonly supporting these Pokemon like Dragon Dance Mega Altaria, Swords Dance Scizor, and Bulk Up Zeraora. Slowking is very weak to Dark- and Bug-type attackers in Scizor, Zarude and Krookodile, so Pokemon that can cover them like Skarmory, Buzzwole, and Galarian Weezing make for good choices, and they appreciate Slowking's ability to switch into Fire-, Flying-, and Psychic-type attacks respectively. Skarmory is especially notable, as its Spikes and phazing combine with Slowking's Future Sight to rack up chip damage on Pokemon that need to stay healthy, like Melmetal and Swampert. Amoonguss and Tangrowth can form nice Regenerator cores with Slowking and provide coverage against Electric- and Grass-types such as Zeraora, Mega Manectric, and Tapu Bulu. Fire-types like Moltres and Rotom-H can threaten Grass-types while appreciating Slowking switching into Water-types like Primarina and Keldeo. Finally, Slowking's initial passivity may leave it susceptible to getting overwhelmed by some of the Pokemon it is supposed to check, so a backup defensive teammate like Rotom-H that can take advantage of the moves Slowking forces Pokemon to lock into, such as Hurricane from Moltres or Moonblast from Primarina, can help.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Colbur Berry allows Slowking to pivot out of Dark-types while also patching up its vulnerability to Pursuit and Knock Off, but it is very matchup reliant overall, and letting hazards undermine its pivoting capabilities is generally not a worthwhile trade-off. Toxic can be used to cripple other support Pokemon and walls like Rotom-W and Assault Vest Reuniclus, but it is hard to fit due to the importance of Slowking's other moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Zarude resists Scald, easily OHKOes Slowking with Power Whip, and can even heal off status with Jungle Healing. Galarian Moltres can set up on non-Thunder Wave Slowking and rip through it with +2 Fiery Wrath. Bisharp and Krookodile can even Pursuit trap Slowking in addition to threatening it with STAB Knock Off, although both should be wary of a potential Scald burn.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types like Amoonguss, Tangrowth and Roserade can often come in on Slowking to make progress because Slowking can't directly threaten them with anything, barring Thunder Wave on Roserade. Most notably, these Grass-types scare it with the possibility of landing Sleep moves on it, poisoning it with Sludge Bomb, or using Knock Off in Tangrowth's case. Roserade can also freely set up Spikes or 2HKO Slowking with Life Orb Giga Drain. However, none of these Pokemon barring Assault Vest Tangrowth should be taking Future Sight.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Zeraora and Mega Manectric threaten Slowking with their respective STAB moves or break it down with pivoting moves. However, both fear Scald burns when switching into it.
**Bug-types**: While they must be careful around Scald, Bug-types such as Scizor, Buzzwole and Mega Beedrill can threaten to OHKO Slowking with their STAB moves if given the opportunity. Scizor and Mega Beedrill running U-turn even allows them to pivot out as Slowking switches to preserve momentum, while their access to Pursuit means that they can also land significant damage as it switches.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Pokemon like Dragon Dance Mega Altaria and Salamence can take advantage of Slowking's mediocre Defense stat to overpower it with boosted attacks, while others such as offensive Scizor, Bisharp and Tapu Bulu, can even do so without needing to set up. However, none of these Pokemon appreciate a burn from Scald or paralysis from Thunder Wave.
**Aegislash**: Aegislash is easily able to threaten Slowking with Ghost-type STAB moves or use it as setup fodder, with Scald unable to break a Substitute from Substitute + Toxic sets. The more offensive variants of Aegislash such as Spell Tag and Swords Dance need to watch out for a burn or Thunder Wave while trying to take advantage of Slowking, however.
**Passive Damage**: Even with Regenerator, Toxic forces Slowking to use Slack Off more and is also common on Pokemon that it checks or tries to gain momentum on, like Hippowdon and defensive Moltres. Knock Off users like Nihilego, Tangrowth and Deoxys-D can limit the number of Pokemon Slowking can switch into regularly with hazards up.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Arishem, 546157]]
- Quality checked by: [[Niadev, 282732], [Pubo, 535121]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Scald
move 2: Thunder Wave / Future Sight
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Teleport
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Regenerator
nature: Sassy
evs: 248 HP / 52 Def / 208 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its great special bulk, good defensive typing, and access to Regenerator, Slowking can consistently pivot into and check several dangerous special attackers such as Choice Specs Primarina, offensive Moltres, and Defog Salamence. This is very useful for easing the burden on its team to play around these threats throughout the game. Scald, besides being a STAB attack, has a burn chance to stop Dark-types such as Bisharp and Krookodile from getting too comfortable in attempting to Pursuit trap Slowking. It also potentially cripples other Pokemon like Scizor and Aegislash, which may try to exploit its passivity. Thunder Wave expands its defensive versatility against Pokemon like Alakazam and Galarian Moltres, which may try to set up on it. Crippling them saves Slowking from constantly relying on bringing another teammate in against them, which requires Teleport to do safely; and thus risking a foe attack. Future Sight can be used in conjunction with Teleport to build up momentum for its offensive teammates like Melmetal and Zeraora, and create advantageous scenarios for them by pressuring their usual checks such as physically defensive Tangrowth and Buzzwole. Heavy-Duty Boots lets it pivot without damage from entry hazards. The given EV spread allows Slowking to survive a Knock Off from non-Choice Band Krookodile while maximizing its special bulk and HP gained from Regenerator. A Sassy nature and 0 Speed IVs maximize the odds of Teleport going last in mirror matches. A physically defensive spread can be used to help Slowking's team pivot around Melmetal and Urshifu-R more effectively, but Slowking's weakness to Pursuit and common coverage moves from these Pokemon, like Thunder Punch and U-Turn, prevent it from doing this consistently.
Slowking easily bringing in strong wallbreakers and scouting the Pokemon it can switch into is highly important to various forms of offense and bulky offense. Wallbreakers such as Melmetal, Urshifu-R, and Bisharp enjoy the free entry from Teleport making up for their defensive shortcomings, in addition to Future Sight dissuading checks like Amoonguss and Buzzwole from switching in. Similarly grateful are the late-game cleaners commonly supporting these Pokemon like Dragon Dance Mega Altaria, Swords Dance Scizor, and Bulk Up Zeraora. Slowking is very weak to Dark- and Bug-type attackers in Scizor, Zarude and Krookodile, so Pokemon that can cover them like Skarmory, Buzzwole, and Galarian Weezing make for good choices, and they appreciate Slowking's ability to switch into Fire-, Flying-, and Psychic-type attacks respectively. Skarmory is especially notable, as its Spikes and phazing combine with Slowking's Future Sight to rack up chip damage on Pokemon that need to stay healthy, like Melmetal and Swampert. Amoonguss and Tangrowth can form nice Regenerator cores with Slowking and provide coverage against Electric- and Grass-types such as Zeraora, Mega Manectric, and Tapu Bulu. Fire-types like Moltres and Rotom-H can threaten Grass-types while appreciating Slowking switching into Water-types like Primarina and Keldeo. Finally, Slowking's initial passivity may leave it susceptible to getting overwhelmed by some of the Pokemon it is supposed to check, so a backup defensive teammate like Rotom-H that can take advantage of the moves Slowking forces Pokemon to lock into, such as Hurricane from Moltres or Moonblast from Primarina, can help.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Colbur Berry allows Slowking to pivot out of Dark-types while also patching up its vulnerability to Pursuit and Knock Off, but it is very matchup reliant overall, and letting hazards undermine its pivoting capabilities is generally not a worthwhile trade-off. Toxic can be used to cripple other support Pokemon and walls like Rotom-W and Assault Vest Reuniclus, but it is hard to fit due to the importance of Slowking's other moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Zarude resists Scald, easily OHKOes Slowking with Power Whip, and can even heal off status with Jungle Healing. Galarian Moltres can set up on non-Thunder Wave Slowking and rip through it with +2 Fiery Wrath. Bisharp and Krookodile can even Pursuit trap Slowking in addition to threatening it with STAB Knock Off, although both should be wary of a potential Scald burn.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types like Amoonguss, Tangrowth and Roserade can often come in on Slowking to make progress because Slowking can't directly threaten them with anything, barring Thunder Wave on Roserade. Most notably, these Grass-types scare it with the possibility of landing Sleep moves on it, poisoning it with Sludge Bomb, or using Knock Off in Tangrowth's case. Roserade can also freely set up Spikes or 2HKO Slowking with Life Orb Giga Drain. However, none of these Pokemon barring Assault Vest Tangrowth should be taking Future Sight.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Zeraora and Mega Manectric threaten Slowking with their respective STAB moves or break it down with pivoting moves. However, both fear Scald burns when switching into it.
**Bug-types**: While they must be careful around Scald, Bug-types such as Scizor, Buzzwole and Mega Beedrill can threaten to OHKO Slowking with their STAB moves if given the opportunity. Scizor and Mega Beedrill running U-turn even allows them to pivot out as Slowking switches to preserve momentum, while their access to Pursuit means that they can also land significant damage as it switches.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Pokemon like Dragon Dance Mega Altaria and Salamence can take advantage of Slowking's mediocre Defense stat to overpower it with boosted attacks, while others such as offensive Scizor, Bisharp and Tapu Bulu, can even do so without needing to set up. However, none of these Pokemon appreciate a burn from Scald or paralysis from Thunder Wave.
**Aegislash**: Aegislash is easily able to threaten Slowking with Ghost-type STAB moves or use it as setup fodder, with Scald unable to break a Substitute from Substitute + Toxic sets. The more offensive variants of Aegislash such as Spell Tag and Swords Dance need to watch out for a burn or Thunder Wave while trying to take advantage of Slowking, however.
**Passive Damage**: Even with Regenerator, Toxic forces Slowking to use Slack Off more and is also common on Pokemon that it checks or tries to gain momentum on, like Hippowdon and defensive Moltres. Knock Off users like Nihilego, Tangrowth and Deoxys-D can limit the number of Pokemon Slowking can switch into regularly with hazards up.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Arishem, 546157]]
- Quality checked by: [[Niadev, 282732], [Pubo, 535121]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
Last edited:
