[OVERVIEW]
* Toxapex is a solid defensive pivot in the CAP metagame thanks to its combination of great bulk, two excellent forms of recovery, and a great defensive typing, meaning that it can fit on balance and bulky offensive teams alike.
* Thanks to its Poison / Water typing, combined with its great bulk and excellent recovery options, it's capable of consistently checking Pokemon like Volcarona, Weavile, and Mega Crucibelle.
* Notably, Toxapex is capable of scouting many Pokemon like Ash-Greninja and Volkraken while going unpunished thanks to Regenerator.
* Furthermore, it has access to useful utility moves like Scald, Haze, Toxic, Toxic Spikes, and Knock Off, which partially makes up for its lacking offensive presence.
* However, because of Arghonaut and its own influence on the metagame, Psychic-types like Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele are incredibly common, which can easily take advantage of it.
* To add onto that, it also competes with Arghonaut, which can check roughly the same Pokemon as Toxapex, provides Spikes, has access to Unaware, and can exert more offensive pressure thanks to its much higher Attack stat.
[SET]
name: Mixed Defensive Pivot
move 1: Scald
move 2: Recover
move 3: Haze
move 4: Toxic / Toxic Spikes / Knock Off
item: Black Sludge
ability: Regenerator
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Haze prevents Toxapex from being setup bait for sweepers such as Volcarona.
* Toxic is the preferred option to immediately cripple Pokemon like Tornadus-T, Arghonaut, Rotom-W, and Mega Alakazam.
* However, Toxic Spikes can be run too, because its bulk gives it many opportunities to set Toxic Spikes up on forced switches. It notably helps by putting significant pressure on grounded Pokemon like Tangrowth and Jumbao.
* Knock Off can cripple Pokemon that are reliant on their item, like Ferrothorn, Arghonaut, Krilowatt, and Leftovers Heatran. It can be run instead of Scald too.
* Baneful Bunker is also an option to punish Choice item users such as Landorus-T, Tapu Lele, and Greninja.
* Lastly, Toxic and Toxic Spikes can be run together to put more pressure on Defoggers like Tornadus-T, but means that Toxapex will have to give up on Haze.
Set Details
========
* The given Defense investment allow Toxapex to live a Zen Headbutt from Mega Medicham from full. It also eases Toxapex's matchup against Naviathan. The rest of the EVs are pooled into Special Defense to handle Greninja, Mega Diancie, and Volkraken better.
* Payapa Berry is an option that can be run to allow Toxapex to scout and cripple Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Lele, and Aurumoth with Toxic. If Payapa Berry is run, Toxapex should use 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD with a Calm nature as its spread. This notably allows it to live a High Jump Kick into Zen Headbutt from Mega Medicham.
Usage Tips
========
* Throughout a match, Toxapex's main objective should be to switch into Pokemon it can check like Mega Crucibelle and Ash-Greninja to try and make progress with Scald, Toxic, Toxic Spikes, or Knock Off.
* Against sweepers such as Volcarona and Hawlucha, Toxapex should use Haze and whittle them down with Scald and Toxic. If it gets low on HP, you should evaluate whether it's better to use Recover or utilize Regenerator to heal back up.
* If deemed necessary, Toxapex can afford take hits from Pokemon that threaten it like Mega Alakazam and Mega Latios to cripple them with Toxic, but make sure to carefully evaluate the risk vs reward of doing this first.
Team Options
========
* Toxapex is best run on balanced and bulky offensive teams, which benefit from its versatile utility.
* Steel-types like Celesteela and Magearna are some of the most important partners to Toxapex, because Psychic-types like Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele will always look to take advantage of it, which Celesteela and Magearna can defensively check. Magearna also resists Dark, which is especially useful when using Toxapex to scout Dark Pulse from Ash-Greninja.
* Grass-types such as Tangrowth, Jumbao, and Ferrothorn are incredibly valuable with Toxapex, because they are capable of checking Electric- and Ground-types like Tapu Koko, Krilowatt, and Garchomp, which are particularly bothersome for Toxapex. Additionally, Tangrowth can form a durable Regenerator core with Toxapex, while Ferrothorn can form a nice hazard stacking core.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* If running a Payapa Berry, it can be used with Gunk Shot and 64 Attack EVs to OHKO Tapu Lele.
* Rocky Helmet can be run on more physically defensive spreads to cripple Pokemon like Weavile and Kitsunoh.
* Shed Shell is also an option to escape Heatran's Magma Storm and Pursuit from Pokemon like Mega Tyranitar and Weavile.
* Icium Z can be run to neuter Hawlucha's boosts and heal back up to full, giving Toxapex a chance to comfortably fish for a burn with Scald, but Toxapex will usually not be able to afford to run it, because Z-Crystals are incredibly valuable on offensive Pokemon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Lele, Mega Latios, and Aurumoth are some of the best Pokemon that can consistently take advantage of Toxapex, they are easily crippled by Toxic or Toxic Spikes, though. Other Psychic-types like Reuniclus and Alakazam if it stays in its regular form aren't even bothered by Toxic or Toxic Spikes. Mega Medicham can also pressure Toxapex, but it is very susceptible to burns from Scald.
**Pajantom**: Pajantom is not bothered by anything Toxapex can throw at it at all thanks to Comatose and can trap and remove Toxapex with the combination of Spirit Shackle and Heal Block.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Caribolt, Krilowatt, and Cyclohm can take advantage of Toxapex and pressure it out with their powerful Electric-type moves. However, Tapu Koko must be wary of Toxic and Toxic Spikes, Caribolt must be wary of getting burned by Scald, and Krilowatt does not want to get crippled by Knock Off, which would mean that it'd be too weak to overpower Toxapex.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Colossoil can easily pressure Toxapex with their powerful STAB attacks. In Landorus-T and Garchomp's case, though, they're crippled by burns, so be wary of sending them directly into Toxapex. Although it's much more uncommon, Gliscor can take advantage of Toxapex really well, as it is not particularly bothered by Scald if its Toxic Orb has activated, and it can completely shut down Toxapex with Taunt or use it as bait with Swords Dance.
**Taunt**: Taunt users like Tornadus-T and Heatran can shut down Toxapex thanks to its general passivity.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Jordy, 395754]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
* Toxapex is a solid defensive pivot in the CAP metagame thanks to its combination of great bulk, two excellent forms of recovery, and a great defensive typing, meaning that it can fit on balance and bulky offensive teams alike.
* Thanks to its Poison / Water typing, combined with its great bulk and excellent recovery options, it's capable of consistently checking Pokemon like Volcarona, Weavile, and Mega Crucibelle.
* Notably, Toxapex is capable of scouting many Pokemon like Ash-Greninja and Volkraken while going unpunished thanks to Regenerator.
* Furthermore, it has access to useful utility moves like Scald, Haze, Toxic, Toxic Spikes, and Knock Off, which partially makes up for its lacking offensive presence.
* However, because of Arghonaut and its own influence on the metagame, Psychic-types like Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele are incredibly common, which can easily take advantage of it.
* To add onto that, it also competes with Arghonaut, which can check roughly the same Pokemon as Toxapex, provides Spikes, has access to Unaware, and can exert more offensive pressure thanks to its much higher Attack stat.
[SET]
name: Mixed Defensive Pivot
move 1: Scald
move 2: Recover
move 3: Haze
move 4: Toxic / Toxic Spikes / Knock Off
item: Black Sludge
ability: Regenerator
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Haze prevents Toxapex from being setup bait for sweepers such as Volcarona.
* Toxic is the preferred option to immediately cripple Pokemon like Tornadus-T, Arghonaut, Rotom-W, and Mega Alakazam.
* However, Toxic Spikes can be run too, because its bulk gives it many opportunities to set Toxic Spikes up on forced switches. It notably helps by putting significant pressure on grounded Pokemon like Tangrowth and Jumbao.
* Knock Off can cripple Pokemon that are reliant on their item, like Ferrothorn, Arghonaut, Krilowatt, and Leftovers Heatran. It can be run instead of Scald too.
* Baneful Bunker is also an option to punish Choice item users such as Landorus-T, Tapu Lele, and Greninja.
* Lastly, Toxic and Toxic Spikes can be run together to put more pressure on Defoggers like Tornadus-T, but means that Toxapex will have to give up on Haze.
Set Details
========
* The given Defense investment allow Toxapex to live a Zen Headbutt from Mega Medicham from full. It also eases Toxapex's matchup against Naviathan. The rest of the EVs are pooled into Special Defense to handle Greninja, Mega Diancie, and Volkraken better.
* Payapa Berry is an option that can be run to allow Toxapex to scout and cripple Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Lele, and Aurumoth with Toxic. If Payapa Berry is run, Toxapex should use 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD with a Calm nature as its spread. This notably allows it to live a High Jump Kick into Zen Headbutt from Mega Medicham.
Usage Tips
========
* Throughout a match, Toxapex's main objective should be to switch into Pokemon it can check like Mega Crucibelle and Ash-Greninja to try and make progress with Scald, Toxic, Toxic Spikes, or Knock Off.
* Against sweepers such as Volcarona and Hawlucha, Toxapex should use Haze and whittle them down with Scald and Toxic. If it gets low on HP, you should evaluate whether it's better to use Recover or utilize Regenerator to heal back up.
* If deemed necessary, Toxapex can afford take hits from Pokemon that threaten it like Mega Alakazam and Mega Latios to cripple them with Toxic, but make sure to carefully evaluate the risk vs reward of doing this first.
Team Options
========
* Toxapex is best run on balanced and bulky offensive teams, which benefit from its versatile utility.
* Steel-types like Celesteela and Magearna are some of the most important partners to Toxapex, because Psychic-types like Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele will always look to take advantage of it, which Celesteela and Magearna can defensively check. Magearna also resists Dark, which is especially useful when using Toxapex to scout Dark Pulse from Ash-Greninja.
* Grass-types such as Tangrowth, Jumbao, and Ferrothorn are incredibly valuable with Toxapex, because they are capable of checking Electric- and Ground-types like Tapu Koko, Krilowatt, and Garchomp, which are particularly bothersome for Toxapex. Additionally, Tangrowth can form a durable Regenerator core with Toxapex, while Ferrothorn can form a nice hazard stacking core.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* If running a Payapa Berry, it can be used with Gunk Shot and 64 Attack EVs to OHKO Tapu Lele.
* Rocky Helmet can be run on more physically defensive spreads to cripple Pokemon like Weavile and Kitsunoh.
* Shed Shell is also an option to escape Heatran's Magma Storm and Pursuit from Pokemon like Mega Tyranitar and Weavile.
* Icium Z can be run to neuter Hawlucha's boosts and heal back up to full, giving Toxapex a chance to comfortably fish for a burn with Scald, but Toxapex will usually not be able to afford to run it, because Z-Crystals are incredibly valuable on offensive Pokemon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Lele, Mega Latios, and Aurumoth are some of the best Pokemon that can consistently take advantage of Toxapex, they are easily crippled by Toxic or Toxic Spikes, though. Other Psychic-types like Reuniclus and Alakazam if it stays in its regular form aren't even bothered by Toxic or Toxic Spikes. Mega Medicham can also pressure Toxapex, but it is very susceptible to burns from Scald.
**Pajantom**: Pajantom is not bothered by anything Toxapex can throw at it at all thanks to Comatose and can trap and remove Toxapex with the combination of Spirit Shackle and Heal Block.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Caribolt, Krilowatt, and Cyclohm can take advantage of Toxapex and pressure it out with their powerful Electric-type moves. However, Tapu Koko must be wary of Toxic and Toxic Spikes, Caribolt must be wary of getting burned by Scald, and Krilowatt does not want to get crippled by Knock Off, which would mean that it'd be too weak to overpower Toxapex.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Colossoil can easily pressure Toxapex with their powerful STAB attacks. In Landorus-T and Garchomp's case, though, they're crippled by burns, so be wary of sending them directly into Toxapex. Although it's much more uncommon, Gliscor can take advantage of Toxapex really well, as it is not particularly bothered by Scald if its Toxic Orb has activated, and it can completely shut down Toxapex with Taunt or use it as bait with Swords Dance.
**Taunt**: Taunt users like Tornadus-T and Heatran can shut down Toxapex thanks to its general passivity.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Jordy, 395754]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
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