[OVERVIEW]Water
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Slowking has cemented itself as a staple on Water teams due to its impressive special bulk allowing it to switch into threats such as Nidoking and access to Teleport. With Future Sight and Teleport, Slowking can force progress against types like Water and Poison with Urshifu-R. Slowking also has extremely reliable recovery in Slack Off and Regenerator, allowing it to stay healthy throughout the match with ease. Slowking's Psychic typing allows it to stomach Psychic-type attacks such as Choice Specs Tapu Lele's Psychic with ease. While Slowking's special bulk is phenomenal, its physical bulk is lacking and allows physical wallbreakers and setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Dragapult and Bisharp to easily OHKO it. Slowing is also heavily reliant on Heavy-Duty Boots to act as a reliable pivot and can be worn down by entry hazards and Toxic Spikes if they are removed.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive Pivot (Water)
move 1: Future Sight
move 2: Scald
move 3: Slack Off
move 4: Teleport
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Regenerator
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
ivs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Scald can be used to fish for burns against Pokemon such as against Corviknight and deter physical attackers such as Bisharp from switching in. Slack Off, Regenerator, and Heavy-Duty Boots help Slowking with its longevity, as the former two provide recovery and the latter protects it from entry hazards like Toxic Spikes. Teleport + Future Sight is a potent combination that allows Slowking to safely bring in an offensive teammate and support them offensively by pressuring foes with an extra attack. Maximum HP and Special Defense investment maximizes Slowking's special bulk, allowing it to reliably switch into attacks like Choice Specs Latios's Draco Meteor and Nidoking's Earth Power or Thunderbolt. A Sassy nature alongside 0 Speed IVs allows Slowking to retain momentum against opposing Slowking with a slower Teleport.
Urshifu-R can take on Steel- and Dark-types for Slowking such as Ferrothorn, Corviknight, Bisharp, Tyranitar, and Mandibuzz. Urshifu-R and Slowking form a potent offensive core that can make progress against types such as Water and Poison by using Future Sight, bringing in Urshifu-R safely with Teleport, and forcing a Pokemon to switch into both its attacks and Future Sight. While not as good as Urshifu-R, Keldeo can outspeed threats such as Zarude. Swampert is an Electric immunity, can take on Electric-types such as Zeraora with Earthquake, and provides Stealth Rock, (spacing) which in tandem with Future Sight can wear down foes quickly. Toxapex can form a Regenerator core with Slowking, absorbing physical attacks such as Rillaboom's Grassy Glide and retaliating with Poison Jab. Choice Scarf Tapu Fini can take on Dark- and Dragon-types such as Zarude, Hydreigon, and Kyurem for Slowking. Additionally, it can cripple other walls by locking them into one attack with Trick or removing items such as Toxapex's Black Sludge with Knock Off. Crawdaunt can put in work against Psychic and Ghost teams, taking on opposing walls such as Slowbro and Galarian Corsola. Rotom-W can clear entry hazards with Defog, act as a revenge killer with Choice Scarf, and dent Choice Specs Zapdos. It can also use Trick to lock foes into an unfavorable move.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Water
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Ice Beam can be run over Scald to target Pokemon such as Dragonite and Substitute Hydreigon. Calm Mind Slowking can be used on stall Water teams to answer Kyurem; however, it is not worth using on any balance or offensive team.
Checks and Counters
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Water
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**Physical Wallbreakers and Setup Sweepers**: Zeraora, Bisharp, Tapu Bulu, Dragon Dance Dragapult, and Swords Dance Garchomp can easily break through Slowking due to its poor physical defense. However, none of these Pokemon can safely switch into Slowking because they fear being burned by Scald.
**Stallbreakers**: Stallbreakers such as Mew, Tapu Fini, and Tornadus-T can prevent Slowking from pivoting with Teleport or using Slack Off. They can also remove Slowking's Heavy-Duty Boots with Knock Off, forcing it to take chip damage from entry hazards whenever it tries to pivot into battle.
**Toxic**: Being poisoned by Toxic makes it more difficult for Slowking to switch into special attackers such as Tapu Lele and Nidoking and safely bring in a teammate with Teleport.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[maroon, 305839]]
- Water analysis by: [[maroon, 305839]]
- Quality checked by: [[mushamu, 362454], [Maple, 473171]]
- Grammar checked by: [[DC, 449990], [Estronic, 240732]]
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