[OVERVIEW]
Fighting
========
Toxicroak is one of the few viable answers to Toxapex on Fighting-type teams and can use Dry Skin to set up on it with Swords Dance, which lets it gain the upper hand against Poison and Water teams. Aside from this, Toxicroak's unique typing and coverage makes it a secondary wincon in the Fairy matchup alongside Cobalion and provides priority in the form of Sucker Punch, which is greatly appreciated in the Ghost, Psychic, and Electric matchups. However, Toxicroak's Speed is quite lackluster, as it finds itself unable to outspeed and remove threats such as Tapu Lele, Kyurem, and Mimikyu without Thunder Wave support from Cobalion. Furthermore, Toxicroak's Attack is mediocre, needing a Swords Dance boost to threaten most Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance (Fighting)
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake / Thunder Punch
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Sucker Punch / Drain Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Earthquake allows Toxicroak to take on Steel- and Poison-types such as Heatran and Toxapex. Thunder Punch can be considered to hit Water- and Flying-types such as Slowbro and Celesteela and immediately threaten Mantine and Pelipper, but it fails to OHKO Toxapex at +2. Gunk Shot deals with Fairy-types like Tapu Bulu and Azumarill and removes physically defensive Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Pelipper, and Amoonguss at +2. Sucker Punch allows Toxicroak to pick off faster but frail Pokemon like Alolan Raichu, Barraskewda, Dragapult, and Latias, which are problematic for Fighting teams, and lets it clean through Ghost and Psychic teams late-game. Drain Punch lets Toxicroak threaten Steel-types like Ferrothorn and damage Celesteela while also improving its longevity. Dry Skin allows Toxicroak to check Water-types like Mantine and Toxapex, improving the Water matchup.
Cobalion is a fantastic teammate for Toxicroak, as it provides entry hazards to chip Toxicroak's targets and spreads paralysis for it. Cobalion also provides a Psychic-type neutrality and can check threats such as Tapu Lele to a certain extent. Choice Scarf Terrakion threatens Fire- and Flying-types such as Cinderace and Thundurus-T and provides a fast revenge killer. Keldeo removes physically defensive Pokemon such as Skarmory, Galarian Corsola, and Hippowdon while also threatening Ground-types for Toxicroak. Galarian Zapdos provides a Ground immunity and can provide further revenge killing or wallbreaking capabilities with a Choice Scarf or Choice Band. Alternatively, Hawlucha can be considered as the Ground-immune partner, as it greatly benefits from Toxicroak removing Toxapex and defensive Pokemon and can sweep Psychic, Water, and Electric teams late-game. Choice Scarf Buzzwole is an excellent Ground-resistant partner that can sweep weakened Ground, Dragon, and Psychic teams due to Beast Boost. A dual screens setter such as Virizion enables Toxicroak to set up multiple Swords Dances more easily.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fighting
--------
An Adamant nature allows Toxicroak to guarantee the OHKO on Toxapex, Ferrothorn, and Galarian Weezing, but the reduced Speed makes it vulnerable to Gyarados, Tapu Bulu, Mamoswine, and Heatran. Poison Jab may be used over Gunk Shot for better accuracy, but the power drop means Toxicroak fails to OHKO Rotom-W, Pelipper, and Amoonguss at +2. Substitute pressures Water and Poison teams better, as it allows Toxicroak to safely take Future Sight from Slowking and Earth Power from Nidoking, but the reduced coverage is detrimental to Toxicroak's effectiveness in other matchups.
Checks and Counters
===================
Fighting
--------
**Physically Defensive Walls**: Physically defensive Pokemon such as Corviknight, Hippowdon, and Galarian Corsola take negligible damage from Toxicroak’s attacks and threaten it with an OHKO or status.
**Revenge Killers**: Faster Pokemon like Garchomp, Crobat, Galarian Darmanitan, and Kyurem outspeed Toxicroak and OHKO it with a super effective move.
**Tapu Lele**: Psychic Terrain from Tapu Lele prevents Toxicroak from checking it with Sucker Punch; Tapu Lele also outspeeds Toxicroak and OHKOes it and generally threatens Fighting teams.
**Status**: Paralysis reduces Toxicroak's ability to threaten Water, Fairy, and Grass teams. Although Toxicroak cannot be burned by Scald, it hates Will-O-Wisp from Galarian Corsola, Rotom-W, and Spectrier, as it will be unable to deal any meaningful damage afterwards.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[fish sticks cat, 542526]]
- Quality checked by: [[Felines, 290520], [DugZa, 473171]]
- Grammar checked by: [[DC, 449990], [Finland, 517429]]
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