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[OVERVIEW]
* Thanks to Dry Skin, Toxicroak is immune to Water moves, letting it wall Pokemon locked into Water-type attacks. This, coupled with the passive healing Toxicroak receives under Rain, lets Toxicroak be an adequate check to Water teams.
* Access to Poison-type STAB, as well as a neutrality to Fairy-type attacks lets it check and dispatch of threats like Azumarill and Tapu Bulu.
* Sucker Punch allows it to check certain Ghost- and Psychic-types that other Fighting-types might struggle with, such as Gengar or Latios.
* Toxicroak suffers from mediocre Speed and Attack, making it reliant on Sucker Punch and relatively nonthreatening without any Swords Dance boosts.
* Although it has a fair share of resistances, it has poor bulk that makes it difficult to switch in.
* It struggles to fit all the coverage it desires on one set, and finds itself walled by various threats depending on its set as a result.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Ice Punch / Swords Dance / Knock Off
item: Life Orb
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Gunk Shot deals massive damage, especially if backed by a Swords Dance boost, and deals the most damage in general, although it is especially effective against Fairy-types and Grass-types, such as Azumarill, Tapu Fini, or Mega Venusaur.
* Drain Punch allows Toxicroak to hit Steel-types like Ferrothorn super effectively and can alleviate the recoil caused by Life Orb, giving Toxicroak more longevity.
* Sucker Punch lets Toxicroak revenge kill, and discourages Psychic-types and Ghost-types like Gengar, Latios, or Alakazam from attempting to revenge kill Toxicroak. If it can get a Swords Dance boost, it's possible to sweep through a weakened team with this move.
* Ice Punch is necessary to address Ground-types, particularly Landorus-T, which resists Toxicroak's STAB attacks.
* Swords Dance lets Toxicroak take advantage of a setup opportunity to increase its power, letting it potentially sweep or break through a defensive core.
* Knock Off is used to cripple potential switch ins such as Doublade, Skarmory, or Toxapex. It is Toxicroak's best means of hitting bulky Ghost- or Psychic-types such as Jellicent, Mew, and Slowbro, but it has redundant coverage with Sucker Punch and only useful for crippling switch ins and breaking through a few slower threats.
Set Details
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* A Life Orb is given to increase Toxicroak's damage output.
* Dry Skin gives Toxicroak an immunity to Water-type moves and causes them to heal Toxicroak by upon being hit by one. It also makes it so Toxicroak recovers a bit of health every turn when it's raining. However, it makes Toxicroak more vulnerable to Fire moves and causes it to lose health if it's sunny.
* A Jolly nature and maximum Attack and Speed lets Toxicroak hit as hard and as fast as possible.
Usage Tips
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* Toxicroak is effective at dismantling certain defensive cores, but it is easily checked. Early on in a game, use Gunk Shot and Knock Off if it has it to wear down and cripple defensive checks such as Landorus-T, either by removing its item or by poisoning it.
* At the same time, don't use Gunk Shot too much in the early game if you need it for later, as it only has 8 PP.
* Having Toxicroak on a team makes an opponent warier of using Water-type moves for fear of turning over momentum. This can be used to the Toxicroak player's advantage to play more aggressively with Water-weak Pokemon.
* Attempt to set up Swords Dances on predicted switches, such as after coming in on a Water-type move or against a Pokemon Toxicroak threatens out, like Azumarill.
* Sucker Punch can pick off faster threats but be wary of status moves. If an opponent sends a Gengar out against Toxicroak, it is likely that they will try to outplay the Sucker Punch with Substitute or Will-O-Wisp.
Team Options
========
* Terrakion is among the best teammates for Toxicroak, as it appreciates Toxicroak's ability to switch in on Water-type attacks and it can switch in on Fire attacks aimed at Toxicroak. It can also set up Stealth Rock, making it easier for Toxicroak to break through defensive cores or sweep with Sucker Punch.
* Infernape has similar defensive synergy, with a weakness to Water and a resistance to Fire and it can also set up Stealth Rock.
* Buzzwole can easily switch in on Ground attacks aimed at Toxicroak, and can use defensive Ground types like Landorus-T or Hippowdon as setup fodder.
* Keldeo can switch in on Fire moves, check Ground types, and appreciates Toxicroak's ability to muscle through Grass types like Mega Venusaur and check faster Psychic types with Sucker Punch.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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* Earthquake can be used to defeat Poison types, mainly Toxapex, Nidoqueen, or Tentacruel. It requires Swords Dance to break through Toxapex, which costs two moveslots and is usually best left to a teammate.
* Nasty Plot turns Toxicroak into a special sweeper, but its Special Attack is lower and its special moves are weaker, although it does have a stronger Fighting STAB in Focus Blast and can surprise physical walls.
* Taunt can be used to prevent status moves like Will-O-Wisp or healing moves like Recover, but Toxicroak is too slow to prevent entry hazards from going up most of the time, and its poor bulk makes it a gamble to use. It's also worthless against Mega Sableye.
* A Lum Berry can be used to heal from a status condition once, but it's difficult to justify giving up Life Orb.
* Substitute can be used with Black Sludge to take advantage of the free turns given by Water-type attacks and dodge status, but Toxicroak lacks the power to really capitalize on it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Ground-Types**: Ground-types resist Gunk Shot and can hit back hard with STAB Ground attacks. Landorus-T in particular resists Toxicroak's STAB attacks and can lower its Attack with Intimidate, and only fears Ice Punch. Hippowdon easily takes a boosted Drain Punch or Ice Punch and can set up Stealth Rock with little fear, phaze Toxicroak out with Whirlwind, or simply attack. Garchomp can take Drain Punch well if running a defensive set, all the while inflicting a great deal of recoil damage. Similarly to Landorus-T, it fears Ice Punch.
**Ghost-Types**: Although Toxicroak can take out faster Ghost types with Sucker Punch, it struggles with bulky Ghost types, especially those that can use Will-O-Wisp on it, since Ghost types resist Toxicroak's STAB moves. Mega Sableye takes little from all of Toxicroak's attacks, even if boosted, and can burn it with Will-O-Wisp. Jellicent can cripple Toxicroak with Will-O-Wisp, although it takes significant damage from Knock Off, or Sucker Punch if it attempts to attack. Gengar can outplay Toxicroak's Sucker Punch and burn it with Will-O-Wisp or set up a Substitute, although it can't take Knock Off and even takes a lot from Ice Punch. Doublade is immune to both of Toxicroak's STABs and can withstand any of its attacks, even if boosted, while it can hit back hard with Iron Head, although Knock Off can cripple it.
**Poison-Types**: Poison types typically resist Toxicroak's STAB attacks and can wall Toxicroak. Toxapex doesn't care much about anything Toxicroak can do to it besides Earthquake and Knock Off, and it can reset Toxicroak's Attack boosts with Haze, walling it indefinitely. However, it cannot poison or Scald Toxicroak, meaning that all Toxapex can do is set up Toxic Spikes and let Toxicroak be worn down by Life Orb recoil. Nidoqueen and Nidoking have a favourable matchup against Toxicroak lacking Ice Punch, as they can easily knock it out with Earth Power or set up entry hazards. Crobat and Golbat withstand Fighting and Poison moves easily and can hit back with Brave Bird, but Crobat can be picked off with Sucker Punch, Golbat can be Knocked Off, and they both hate Ice Punch.
**Steel-Types not weak to Fighting**: The mediocre power of Drain Punch makes it difficult to break through Steel-types with good physical bulk and that are not weak to Fighting. Skarmory is an excellent physical wall that is immune to Gunk Shot and takes Drain Punch very well, and can easily set up hazards or retaliate with Brave Bird or Counter. Mega Scizor is similarly bulky and can take Drain Punches while Roosting or retaliating with Bullet Punch. Forretress is bulky enough to take little from even boosted Drain Punches and can set up hazards as it pleases. Other Steel-types not weak to Fighting like Celesteela, Magearna, Scizor, and Klefki can act as checks to Toxicroak but typically aren't bulky enough to withstand multiple Drain Punches.
**Revenge Killers**: Toxicroak's low speed leaves it easily revenge killed, especially by Pokemon resistant to Sucker Punch. Revenge killers like Tapu Koko, Terrakion, Hydreigon, and Greninja can stomach a boosted Sucker Punch and knock out Toxicroak with the right move.
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