Slowking (Analysis)

[yee]

I dont understand why Psychic is preferred over Fire Blast on the utility set. It's hardly a good counter to Machamp or Conkeldurr, and most cases where you would aim for Terrakion or Virizion you may as well be using Scald. If you're using Slowking on a Rain team weak to Toxicroak Psychic makes plenty of sense, but on other teams its more important for Slowking to be able to keep Ferrothorn from coming in. It's also nice for Forretress and Skarmory setting up hazards.

 

[SJCrew]

You just named two good reasons right there. Even without Flamethrower, Scald can still burn Ferrothorn. You can use Flamethrower if your team isn't too worried about Conkeldurr, but there's no real logic for one over the other, since they're both pretty useful (though I'd argue Slowking isn't doing its job if it can't at least check Fighting types).

 

[BurningMan]

How about Psyshock on the TR Sweeper Set, it allows you break through Blissey/Jellicent/gastrodon/Virzion and also hits the Dragon/Flying types neutral. It may not deserve a slash in the move set, but i think a it should be mentioned in AC (unless you can give me a reason why its total garbage).

Edit: Meh i calced on blissey and it wasn`t a 2HKO on 252/252+ without SR and a layer of Spikes, but still it allows you to hit Jelli, Gastrodon and Virzion all of them are common anti rain pokes.

 

[JockeMS]

Just a little nitpick. It's SpA, not Sp. Att (Trick Room set).

 

[Blue_Tornado]

Uh, you do know Slowbro and Slowking don't learn Dragon Tail, right?

 

[JockeMS]

Slowking is able to learn Dragon Tail.

 

[Blue_Tornado]

I actually checked before posting that, just to be sure. Apparently I missed it somehow -_-

 

[SJCrew]

How about Psyshock on the TR Sweeper Set, it allows you break through Blissey/Jellicent/gastrodon/Virzion and also hits the Dragon/Flying types neutral. It may not deserve a slash in the move set, but i think a it should be mentioned in AC (unless you can give me a reason why its total garbage).

Edit: Meh i calced on blissey and it wasn`t a 2HKO on 252/252+ without SR and a layer of Spikes, but still it allows you to hit Jelli, Gastrodon and Virzion all of them are common anti rain pokes.

Psyshock could be good if you use it with Nasty Plot, but as a standalone, it doesn't break anything. I could write that up in OO, but I can't say it's an optimal choice. Need to figure out what to do with this.

 

[Iconic]

this looks good

QC Approved 2/3

 

[wilson46]

QC APPROVED (3/3)

 

[sirndpt]

amateur gp check!

remove add comments

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[Overview]

<p>Slowking serves has an interesting role niche as a mixed tank in the Black and White BW OU metagame as a mixed tank, but it often falls short of a place on many teams for a few good reasons. To start with For starters, its mediocre Defense, abysmal Speed, and Pursuit weakness make its life extremely uncomfortable in a tier where some of the most dominant physical powerhouses, namely Tyranitar and Scizor, prey on these attributes. It also faces direct competition from its physically defensive cousin Slowbro, who is often preferred for its greater physical Defense and consequent ability to counter many of the game's powerful Fighting-types.</p>

<p>Fans of the king may rejoice, however, for what it lacks in raw defensive capability, it makes up for in general utility. With Nasty Plot, Slowking establishes itself footing as a very competent sweeping aid is there a more common word/phrase "sweeping aid" can be replaced with? i don't really understand what you're trying to get at, and even a viable veritable threat all its own under the effects of Trick Room. Its potent solid Special Defense also makes it a valuable candidate for absorbing a stray Hydro Pump, or Draco Meteor or two, without fear of being worn down over the course of a match due to its extremely useful ability, Regenerator. While it may not find its a home on many conventional teams, the eccentric but effective nature of the king's abilities give it a silent spot unique niche in the already populous OU metagame.</p>

[SET]

name: Tank
move 1: Scald
move 2: Psychic / Flamethrower
move 3: Dragon Tail / Toxic
move 4: Slack Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpD

[(remove space)SET COMMENTS]

<p>In a metagame where auto-weather is both active and dominant, Slowking's defensive prowess is a blessing. Its Water and Fire resistances work in tandem with Regenerator, allowing it to switch in on common weather starters Ninetales and Politoed without fear of being worn down. The Water resistance is particularly crucial here, as Politoed is by far the most more common of the two by far. Infernape, another problematic Pokemon for many teams have trouble dealing with, is also countered consummately; factoring in Leftovers recovery, even a Nasty Plot-boosted Grass Knot from its Nasty Plot set misses the will never 2HKO on Slowking, assuming max damage and Leftovers recovery 1) don't you always assume max damage? 2) lefties recovery - i'm gonna assume you mean the 2ko. Be on the lookout for U-turn though, since it allows Infernape free damage and an instant ticket out of the match-up, which could spell doom for Slowking when if Infernape is paired with a Pursuit user.</p>

<p>As a mixed wall, Slowking also carries a great burden on its shoulders, being as it is expected to switch in on a wide range of potent physical and special attackers, and scare them off. Its important Fighting resistance, along with a glaring Pursuit weakness and modest Defense stat, means Slowking can't invest as much in its Special Defense as it'd might like to. The current EV spread makes this compromises by giving it enough Special Defense to switch in on specs? scarf? defensive? Politoed's Rain-boosted Hydro Pumps and recover the damage, while at the same time blocking letting it wall powerful STAB Fighting-type attacks from the likes of Conkeldurr and Choice Band Terrakion, who may opt to use a powerful Fighting-type attack right away. Subsequent switch-ins are punishable It may not always be safe for the king to switch in, though; Terrakion's X-Scissor or Stone Edge will wreck Slowking, and a Conkeldurr at +1 will easily win the match-up.</p>

<p>Scald is the STAB attack of choice, used mainly for its burn rate, which helps ward off potential counters like Tyranitar. Psychic is also a very important move for Slowking, giving it a chance to counter Fighting-types such as Machamp, Conkeldurr, and Toxicroak, whereas Flamethrower would mainly be used to combat Scizor, Ferrothorn, and other Grass-types switching in. Dragon Tail allows lets Slowking to play a very solid battle of attrition by that's not what attrition means >.> force out anything it can't beat immediately, and negating the setup opportunities of phazing set-up Pokemon like Reuniclus or non-Substitute Latias in a clutch situation. Enemy bulky Water-types, especially those carrying Water-immune abilities, will hate taking a Toxic, as it hinders their longevity. This applies more specifically especially to Gastrodon, Vaporeon, and Jellicent, which otherwise wall Slowking perpetually.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>More than anything else, Slowking would appreciates bulky offensive/defensive partners to cover for take care of the threats it can't handle. For example, it is absolutely useless in the face of a Calm Mind Latias with Substitute, since Dragon Tail doesn't deal enough damage to break its Substitutes. Ironically, its greatest nemeses, Scizor and Tyranitar, come in handy here, since they're two of the best Latias counters available; in return, and Slowking can shield incoming absorb Fire or Fighting attacks aimed at them in return. In this regard, Slowking is also an ideal partner for Ferrothorn, walling as it walls both of its two major Ferrothorn's weaknesses with impunity. This is a one-sided partnership, however, since Ferrothorn won't be of any help in countering the likes of Celebi and Thundurus, despite resisting their main STAB moves.</p>

<p>Hail teams benefit heavily from its presence, being a perpetual switch-in ability to switch in to Politoed and Ninetales, not to mention the exceedingly dangerous Infernape. Slowking can also run be used alongside a defensive core of Skarmory and Blissey in order to augment supplement its weakness to Infernape and other mixed attackers. Ice Beam can be used to check the likes of Dragonite and Salamence, while Yawn more or less functions in the same way Dragon Tail does, except but is limited by Sleep Clause and status-immune targets.</p>

[SET]

name: Defensive Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Scald
move 3: Psyshock
move 4: Ice Beam / Fire Blast / Slack Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 180 Def / 76 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>As mentioned previously, there isn't a whole lot in the standard metagame that Slowking can do better than Slowbro. Thankfully, this set houses boasts one of its few major selling points as the main attraction one of Slowking's greatest selling points over its cousin: Nasty Plot. Unlike Calm Mind, this move allows Slowking to boost its Special Attack to dangerous levels fairly twice as quickly, wherein enabling it would to use its respectable defenses to survive powerful hits from sweepers and KO in return, or overcome walls that would attempt to impede its progress. Thundurus, for example, cannot OHKO with Thunder unless it has a Life Orb, nor can it KO with a Life Orb Thunderbolt, and will receive heavy retaliation from any one of Slowking's boosted attacks. Nasty Plot Celebi also has trouble dealing with Slowking, as a +2 Ice Beam or Fire Blast will OHKO with some prior damage, and while an unboosted Giga Drain can barely deal half its HP in damage barely takes away half Slowking's HP. Even Swords Dance Virizion, which targets Slowbro's weaker Defense stat, fails to OHKO with Leaf Blade, and takes an easy one-hit is easily OHKOed from by Psyshock.</p>

<p>Defensive Pokemon have an especially hard time stopping Slowking, since they lack the means to KO it right away. +2 Psyshock readily handily 2HKOs Blissey, while defensive Celebi are is slain by a boosted Ice Beam or Fire Blast. and Ferrothorn suffers a similar fate to Celebi, however, only it can survive even a boosted attack in Rain and deal heavy damage with Power Whip. </p>

<p>One keynote aspect of this set's effectiveness is the ability Regenerator is key to this set's effectiveness: while Slowking may not be able to sweep an entire team in one sitting, Regenerator gives it multiple chances to switch in and set up by recovering 33% of its health as it switches. This makes it impossible for Slowking to wither even to a full four layers of entry hazards, since they can only deal a maximum 37% of its HP in damage, whereas Slowking will always maintain at least 39% of its health each time it switches out. just my opinion, but i don't think it's necessary to provide that much detail on what's really just a small side point (feel free to keep it though if you judge it useful).</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>This type of Slowking is at its best in Rain, but for different reasons than one might expect: – Slowking and Politoed share many of the same enemies, and whom Slowking can effectively lure them out and defeat them by tanking their hits and retaliating with a KO. The boost from Rain also allows helps Slowking to plow through bulky offensive Pokemon much more easily, such as Reuniclus, which would normally attempt to can otherwise stall Slowking out with consecutive Calm Minds. Focus Blast is an alternative coverage option to deal more damage to both Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, but an untimely miss will be the end of the king.</p>

<p>The EVs on this set are only slightly different from its standard tank set: with a slight increase in SpDef EVs, which allows Slowking to survive some really powerful more special attacks while maintaining most of its physical survivability.</p>

[SET]

name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Surf
move 3: Focus Blast / Fire Blast
move 4: Nasty Plot / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb
ability: Regenerator
nature: Quiet
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Slowking is no slouch as a Trick Room sweeper, and once again comparable to Slowbro in all but the move Nasty Plot. Rather than absorbing blows and striking back with even greater force, this type of Slowking would rather gets the jump on the its opponent by turning its speed against them it and promptly proceeds to KOing all in its path with a its boosted sweep moves. Unlike Slowking's other sets, an all-out Trick Room sweeper requires the use of Surf for its higher base power of Surf. while the rest of Its other moveslots can be are dedicated to coverage: Fire Blast is secures a guaranteed OHKO on even the bulkiest of Ferrothorn and Scizor in neutral weather, whereas Focus Blast would mainly be used with Tyranitar in mind, whose Special Defense stat is through the roof while Sand Storm is active, and hits Tyranitar, who often runs many Special Defense EVs invests heavily in Special Defense to temper the damage of even shrug off all but the most powerful Surfs in OU. It also retains coverage against Ferrothorn if Fire Blast is not being used. Slowking may often struggle to find two turns to both set up Trick Room and Nasty Plot for a sweep; if so, Ice Beam can use used instead for coverage against Dragons.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Though decent as a standalone, the support this type of Slowking offers for Trick Room teams is a very crucial element in the way it plays. Its typing, bulk, and Regenerator allow it many switch-ins, and a full-on dedicated Trick Room team would really appreciate the lingering field effect. In addition to supporting its team with Trick Room, Slowking also has the option of going running a more defensive build to stay in the game longer and cover its teammates' weaknesses more effectively; in this case, the standard tank spread would be desired, with a Sassy nature and 0 Speed IVs, and Slack Off replacing Nasty Plot. </p>

[Other Options]

<p>Slowking can run an effective Choice Specs set with the help of Regenerator, but it is hampered by the loss of Trick being incompatible with Regenerator with its new ability. Seismic Toss, an otherwise great option, is unfortunately also illegal with Regenerator. Calm Mind sets are entirely outclassed by Slowbro, who has a much higher base Defense to work with. Thunder Wave is an inferior option on sets that employ the use of Scald, since it denies Slowking the chance to burn some of its common physical enemies. Grass Knot is only useful in defeating Gastrodon, whereas Swampert and Quagsire already take a decent amount of damage from a Rain-boosted Scald, with an additional burn chance.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Unless burned switching in, Tyranitar wreaks havoc on all Slowking sets. Defensive variants 2HKO effortlessly with Crunch as a +2 Scald barely dents manages over half its HP in damage, and Choice Band variants can trap it with Pursuit. Choice Scarf Tyranitar is also a worthy response good counter, but its Crunch is weaker and does not OHKO, and without HP investment, a boosted Scald can take it out after Stealth Rock damage. Scrafty can also switch in on Slowking and boost without fear unless Rain is active, in which case it would risks being KOed by a +2 Scald. Scizor and the less common Escavalier are also forerunners among Slowking counters. Like Tyranitar, their Choice Band sets can trap it with Pursuit, while Scizor's U-turn can OHKO or steal free momentum as it switches out. However, both also fear the Scald's burn chance from Scald, in addition to as well as a possible Flamethrower or Fire Blast.</p>

<p>Slowking's Defense is much weaker than its Special Defense, so it generally has more problems dealing with physical powerhouses. Choice Band Haxorus, for instance, can oh? 2h?KO it with Outrage after Stealth Rock damage. Ferrothorn can also dent it severely with Power Whip, or set up entry hazards if it isn't packing a Fire-type move. Electric- and Grass-types, such as Virizion and Thundurus, also make good checks to Slowking if it's not at full health or hasn't boosted. Keep an eye especially on Rotom-W and Celebi, as both are very common in standard play, with the latter using Slowking as a free setup opportunity should it lack Ice Beam or Fire Blast. Hydregion can also threaten Slowking with Dark Pulse.</p>

 

[RaikouLover]

Came accross this jolly ol' character. Lets get one thing straight, Slowking is not inferior to Slowbro. He is different and that is that. Slowking is not a wall, Slowbro is BARELY a wall. I understand this set has already been approved, but I think its description is ignoring what it really is supposed to be doing:

name: Tank
move 1: Dragon Tail
move 2: Scald / Psychic
move 3: Flamethrower / Fire Blast
move 4: Slack Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpD

Dragon Tail is unquestionably the most important reason for using Slowking when you have Slowbro available. It is not "just for phazing" - it opens him up to an entire different echelon of usability. Slowking becomes a VERY potent member on your entry-hazard / stall team because of his movepool and mixed capabilities. Which leads me to point number two: Why the fuck are you using psychic over fire move? Scald's small chance of burning Ferrothorn is not an excuse for cleanly 2HKOing him, removing his threat of coming in to begin with. Hell, it OHKOs Scizor and Forretress and cleanly 2HKOs Skarmory as well. We put HP Fire on every water pokemon but merely slash it on the one that is blessed to have a move like Flamethrower????

Psychic has no use at all in this slot; Slowking is NOT a Machamp counter. Hell, Slowbro is hardly a Machamp counter without Own Tempo. Slowking also doesn't need Psychic to deal with Conkeldurr - Dragon Tail's negative priority reduces payback to 50 base power and Regenerator / Slack Off are enough to heal off the damage. Psychic's real use should be an aspect that people haven't noticed yet: Slowking is a good player on sun teams. He can switch into Fire and Water moves and retaliate with now usable Fire Moves. Ferrothorn? Skarmory? Fire Blast is now a clean OHKO in the sun. Psychic / Fire Blast is amazing psuedo double-STAB coverage since you won't be using Scald anyway. And if your scared of Tyranitar - a layer of spikes and SR and your thinking cap is enough to Dragon Tail his ass off the field.

I can't stress enough how useful this set has been for me personally - not because Slowking is "kind of" a mixed wall in the same vein as Milotic -_- (FAIL), but because he has Fire Move + taunt immune phazing, something that your semi-stall should drool over. Nothing on a stall team can really deal with him too well (short of the random CB Tyranitar :)), and the fire move prevents any spikers from doing their jobs in front of him. Having sturdy balanced defenses and a cool anti-stall ability are just perks.

So yeah, I'd go ahead and consider those changes - redescribe that set and remove Ferrothorn from the list of counters since Slowking shits on Ferrothorn unless its raining (like I said, hes pretty good on sun).

 

[Pocket]

I feel like you're underestimating the utility of Scald, RaikouLover. It also seems like your experience is heavily based on Slowking's usage in a Sun Team, which would effectively make Fire Blast and Psychic the more useful option over Scald.

The only change that's really necessary is perhaps removing Toxic in the main set and mention it in the AC instead, since DTail is indeed a big advantage it has over Slowbro.

 

[RaikouLover]

No, Scald is fine. Psychic is O_o. Why it is even slashed 1st over Flamethrower is what I don't get. Fire Move is 100 million times more useful

 

[Nix_Hex]

Jesus sirndpt, your gp check is more colorful than Calm_Pokemaster's!

SJCrew, Go ahead and implement sirndpt's amateur check, but make these further edits under set comments of the Tank set:

Hide

In a metagame where auto-weather is both active and dominant, Slowking's defensive prowess is a blessing. Its Water and Fire resistances work in tandem with Regenerator, allowing it to switch in on common weather starters Ninetales and Politoed without fear of being worn down. The Water resistance is particularly, crucial here,(keep this comma) as Politoed is by far the most more common of the two by far.
.....
<p>Scald is the STAB attack of choice, used mainly for its burn rate, which helps ward off potential counters like such as Tyranitar.

so, stamping sirndpt's check with my edits on top.

[GP 1/2]

EDIT: Also, make it so that Slowking's sprite is above the overview.

 

[silentdirg3]

@RaikouLover, so are you saying scald over psychic? And if so, why?

 

[SJCrew]

There are a few of these changes I'd like to dispute, if I may. First, changing 'silent spot' to 'unique niche' doesn't make any sense to me. You already say that once at the beginning of the overview, but adding it to the end in place of a term that already works is just unnecessary and redundant. I'd rather not change that unless really necessary.

that's not what attrition means >.>

This is incorrect.

a wearing down or weakening of resistance, especially as a result of continuous pressure or harassment

This is exactly what Dragon Tail does to a lot of its common switch-ins. They take damage from Dragon Tail + SR or any other hazards and are forced to switch out before they can do anything. If your Scizor or Tyranitar is not alive by the time Slowking is, the battle of attrition is won.

absorb

This is just an incorrect translation. 'Absorb' means something entirely different in Pokemon unless it's combined with 'blows': immunity. Shield is the appropriate term here.

Skarmory and Blissey in order to supplement

I definitely screwed up here, but supplement doesn't work either. Changing it to 'alleviate'.

Thankfully, this set boasts as the main attraction one of Slowking's greatest selling points over its cousin: Nasty Plot.

I really don't think there's anything wrong with 'houses' and I tried to avoid turning to tried and true terminology that appears on many other Smogon analyses. We really could use a bit more variety in our writing style. I will not change this.

 

[iDunno]

tbh, I find a LOT of sirndpt's changes to be very subjective and some of them do more harm than good...

 

[sirndpt]

SJCrew, you definitely make some very good points.

I pictured 'attrition' as more of two Pokemon directly slogging it out sort of like a CM war, but I can see where you're coming from.

re. boasts vs houses and iDunno's point in general, sorry, I've noticed too that I tend to make lots more subjective changes than most other GPers - it's completely up to you both as the writer of this analysis and a more senior forum member whether or not to implement my changes.

my bad and apologies again about the sloppy wording wrt 'absorb'. I'm not too sure about the phrase "shield incoming Fire or Fighting attacks aimed at them" though - perhaps "shield them from incoming attacks"? but once again, it's entirely your decision, and sorry for the extra work / any offense caused. :/

 

[SJCrew]

perhaps "shield them from incoming attacks"/

I like this. Changing.

This is ready for the second gp check btw

 

[RaikouLover]

Psychic is OO option is what I'm saying. The Psychic / Fire Blast slashes are if you use him in sun, which he is actually very good. I don't understand where Psychic is any use other than that. Machamp you can't counter without Own Tempo, and Conkeldurr doesn't threaten you at all and you can just Dragon Tail him away. Other than those two, what is the point? Flamethrower hits your biggest nemesis Ferrothorn for a clean 2HKO and you outspeed! Hitting Scizor switch ins, Forry, Skarm, Celebi, etc. are added cool bonuses.

 

[SJCrew]

You make a convincing argument for first slash but OO really won't do. Scald doesn't even 2HKO Terrakion in the Sandstorm and being an absolute non-threat to Fighting-types is not entirely compensated for by Dragon Tail, especially when you're up against something like Toxicroak and can't even break its Sub. Threatening to kill is 5x better than just phazing them out all the time and with the set I have listed, you can do both in the event that one or the other is not appropriate for the situation. I say this in the analysis several times: threatening Fighting-types is important.

 

[New World Order]

Amateur GP Check

This means take it out (I've crossed out a lot of punctuation marks, so don't miss them :P)
This means add it in
This is a mistake I found amusing, as it changes your intended meaning completely

Hide

[Overview]

<p>Slowking has an interesting niche as a mixed tank in the BW OU metagame,.However, it often falls short of a place on many teams for a few good reasons. For starters, due to its mediocre Defense, abysmal Speed, and Pursuit weakness. All which make life extremely uncomfortable in a tier where some of the most dominantted by physical powerhouses, namely Tyranitar and Scizor, prey on these attributes. It also faces direct competition from its physically defensive cousin Slowbro, who is often preferred for its ability to counter many of the game's powerful Fighting-types.</p>

<p>Fans of the king may rejoice, however, for what it lacks in raw defensive capability, it makes up for in general utility. With Nasty Plot, Slowking establishes itself as a very competent sweeping aid, and even a veritable threat all its own under Trick Room, poses itself as a veritable threat. Its solid Special Defense and extremely useful ability, Regenerator, also makes it a valuable candidate for absorbing a stray Hydro Pump or Draco Meteor, without fear of being worn down over the course of a match due to its extremely useful ability, Regenerator. While it may not find a home on many conventional teams, the eccentric but effective nature of the king's abilities earn it a silent spot within the populous OU metagame.</p>

[SET]

name: Tank
move 1: Scald
move 2: Psychic / Flamethrower
move 3: Dragon Tail
move 4: Slack Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>In a metagame where auto-weather is dominant dominates, Slowking's defensive prowess is a blessing. Its Water and Fire resistances work in tandem with Regenerator, allowing allow it to switch in on common weather starters, namely Ninetales and Politoed, without fear of being worn down thanks to Regenerator. The Water resistance is particularly crucial here as Politoed is by far the more common of the two. Infernape, another problematic Pokemon for many teams, is also countered consummately; factoring in Leftovers recovery, even a Nasty Plot-boosted Grass Knot fails to 2HKO Slowking ,. Be on the lookout for U-turn though, since as it allows gives Infernape free damage and an instant ticket out of the match-up, which could spell doom for Slowking if Infernape is paired with a Pursuit user.</p>

<p>As a mixed wall, Slowking carries a great burden on its shoulders, as it is expected to switch in and scare off on a wide range of potent physical and special attackers and scare them off. Its important Fighting resistance, along with a glaring Pursuit weakness and, modest Defense stat, means Slowking can't invest as much in its Special Defense as it might like to. The current EV spread is a compromises by, giving it enough Special Defense to switch in on Specs Politoed's Rain-boosted Hydro Pumps and recover the damage this implies Hydro Pump heals Slowking :P, while at the same time letting it wall powerful STAB Fighting-type attacks from the likes of Conkeldurr and Choice Band Terrakion. It may not always be safe for the king to switch in, though;: Terrakion's X-Scissor or Stone Edge will wreck Slowking, and a Conkeldurr at +1 will easily win the match-up.</p>

<p>Scald is the STAB attack of choiceyou missed a space here, "choicefor" isn't a word :Pfor because of its burn rate, which helps ward off potential counters like such as Tyranitar. Psychic is also a very important move for Slowking, givinges it a chance to counter Fighting-types such as Machamp, Conkeldurr, and Toxicroak, whereas Flamethrower would is mainly be used to combat Scizor, Ferrothorn, and other "this implies Scizor is a grass type :P Grass-types switching in. Dragon Tail lets Slowking force out anything it can't beat immediately, and phazinges set-up Pokemon like Reuniclus or Latias in a clutch situation. Enemy bulky Water-types, especially those carrying Water-immune abilities, will hate taking a Toxic, as it hinders their longevity. This applies especially to Gastrodon, Vaporeon, and Jellicent, which who otherwise perpetually wall Slowking perpetually.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>More than anything else, Slowking appreciates bulky partners to take care of the threats it can't handle. For example, it is absolutely useless in the face of a Calm Mind Latias with Substitute, since Dragon Tail doesn't deal enough damage to break its Latias' Substitutes. Ironically, its greatest nemeses, Scizor and Tyranitar, come in handy here, since they're two of the best Latias counters; in return, Slowking can shield them from incoming Fire- or Fighting-type attacks. In this regard, Slowking is also an ideal partner for Ferrothorn, as it walls both of Ferrothorn's weaknesses with impunity. However, Tthis is a one-sided partnership, however, since as Ferrothorn won't be of any help in countering the likes of Celebi and Raikou, despite resisting their main STAB moves.</p>

<p>Hail teams benefit heavily from its ability to switch in tointo Politoed and Ninetales, not to mention the exceedingly dangerous Infernape. Slowking can also be used alongside a defensive core of Skarmory and Blissey in order to alleviate its the teandem's weakness to Infernape and other mixed attackers. Ice Beam can be used to check the likes of Dragonite and Salamence, while Yawn more or less functions in the same way as Dragon Tail does, but is limited by has limited use due to Sleep Clause and status-immune targets.</p>

[SET]

name: Defensive Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Scald
move 3: Psyshock
move 4: Ice Beam / Fire Blast / Slack Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 180 Def / 76 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>As mentioned previously, there isn't a whole lot in the standard metagame that Slowking can do better than Slowbro in the standard metagame. Thankfully, this set houses features as the main attraction one of Slowking's greatest selling points over its cousin as the main attraction: Nasty Plot. Unlike Calm Mind, this move allows Slowking to boost its Special Attack to dangerous levels twice as quickly, enabling it to use its respectable defenses to survive powerful hits from sweepers and KO in return, or overcome walls that would attempt to otherwise impede its progress. Zapdos, for example, cannot Slowbro cannot be OHKOed by non Life Orb with Thunder unless it has a Life Orb, nor can it KO with a or Life Orb Thunderbolt from Zapdos, and will receive heavy retaliation from any one of Slowking's boosted attacks[/s] This implies that Slowking's attacks are pokemon/ people :P can retaliate with one of its boosted attacks. Nasty Plot Celebi also has trouble dealing with Slowking, as a +2 Ice Beam or Fire Blast will OHKO with some prior damage, while an unboosted Giga Drain barely takes away half Slowking's HP. Even Swords Dance Virizion, whichwho targets Slowbro's weaker Defense stat, fails to OHKO with Leaf Blade, and is easily OHKOed by Psyshock.

<p>Defensive Pokemon have an especially hard time stopping Slowking, since they lack the means to KO it right away. +2 Psyshock handily 2HKOs Blissey, while +2 Ice Beam or Fire Blast slays defensive Celebi is slain by a boosted Ice Beam or Fire Blast. Ferrothorn, however, can survive a boosted attack in Rain and deal heavy damage with Power Whip. Regenerator is also key to this set's effectiveness: while Slowking may not be able to sweep an entire team in one sitting, Regenerator gives it multiple chances to switch in and set up by recovering 33% of its health as it switches[/s]on each switch. </p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>This type of Slowking is at its best in Rain, but for different reasons than one might expect: Slowking and Politoed share many of the same enemies common checks, whom Slowking can effectively lure out and defeat. The boost from Rain also helps Slowking plow through bulky offensive Pokemon such as Reuniclus, which who can otherwise stall Slowking out with consecutive Calm Minds. Focus Blast is an alternative coverage option to deal more damage to both Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, but an untimely miss will be the end of the king.</p>

<p>The EVs on this set are only slightly different from that of its standard tank set: a slight increase in SpD EVs allows Slowking to survive more special attacks while maintaining most of its physical survivability.</p>

[SET]

name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Surf
move 3: Focus Blast / Fire Blast
move 4: Nasty Plot / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb
ability: Regenerator
nature: Quiet
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Slowking is no slouch as a Trick Room sweeper, and is once again comparable to Slowbro in all but the move Nasty Plot. Rather than absorbing blows and striking back with even greater force, this type of Slowking gets the jump on its opponent by turning its this implies Slowking turns its own speed against itself the opponent's speed against it themself and promptly proceeds to KO all in its path with its the appropriate boosted moves. Unlike Slowking's other sets, an all-out Trick Room sweeper requires the higher base power of Surf. Its other moveslots are dedicated to coverage: Fire Blast secures a guaranteed OHKO on even the bulkiest of Ferrothorn and Scizor in neutral weather, whereas Focus Blast hits Tyranitar, who often invests heavily in Special Defense to shrug off all but the most powerful Surfs in OU. It Focus Blast also retains coverage against Ferrothorn if Fire Blast is not being used. Slowking may struggle to find two turns to both set up both Trick Room and Nasty Plot for a sweep; if so, Ice Beam can use used instead for coverage against Dragons.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Though decent as a standalone, the support this type of Slowking offers for Trick Room teams is a very crucial element in the way it plays. Its typing, bulk, and Regenerator allow it many switch-ins, and a dedicated Trick Room team would really appreciate the lingering field effect. In addition to supporting its team with Trick Room, Slowking also has the option of running a more defensive build to stay in the game longer and cover its teammates' weaknesses more effectively; in this case, the standard tank spread would be desired[/s] desireable, with a Sassy nature and 0 Speed IVs, and Slack Off replacing Nasty Plot. </p>

[Other Options]

<p>Slowking can run an effective Choice Specs set, but is hampered by Trick being incompatible with Regenerator. Seismic Toss, another otherwise great option, is unfortunately also illegal with Regenerator. Calm Mind sets are entirely outclassed by Slowbro, who has a much higher base Defense to work with. Thunder Wave is an inferior option on sets that employ the use of Scald, since it denies Slowking the chance to burn some of its common physical enemies. Grass Knot is only useful in defeating Gastrodon, as Swampert and Quagsire already take a decent amount of damage from a Rain-boosted Scald, with an additional burn chance.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Unless burned switching in, Tyranitar wreaks havoc on all Slowking sets. Defensive variants 2HKO effortlessly with Crunch as a +2 Scald barely dents, and Choice Band variants can trap with Pursuit. Choice Scarf Tyranitar is also a good counter, but its Crunch is weaker and does not OHKO, and without HP investment, whereas a boosted Scald can take it out after Stealth Rock damage. Scrafty can also switch in on Slowking and boost without fear unless Rain is active, in which case it Scrafty risks being KOed by a +2 Scald. Scizor and the less common Escavalier are also forerunners among Slowking counters. Like Tyranitar, their Choice Band sets can trap it with Pursuit, while Scizor's U-turn can OHKO or steal momentum as it Slowking switches out. However, both fear Scald's burn chance in addition to as well as Flamethrower or Fire Blast.</p>

<p>Slowking's Defense is much weaker than its Special Defense, so it generally has more problems dealing with physical powerhouses. Choice Band Haxorus, for instance, can KO it with Outrage after Stealth Rock damage. Ferrothorn can also dent it severely with Power Whip, or set up entry hazards if it Slowking isn't packing a Fire-type move. Electric- and Grass-types, such as Virizion and Zapdos, also make good checks to Slowking if it's as long as Slowking is not at full health or hasn't boosted. Keep an eye especially on out for Rotom-W and Celebi especially, as both are very common in standard play, with the latter using Slowking as a free setup opportunity should it lack Ice Beam or Fire Blast. Hydregion can also threaten Slowking with Dark Pulse.</p>

 

[Shame That]

Amateur GP check! :D

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[Overview]

<p>Slowking has an interesting niche as a mixed tank in the BW OU metagame, but it often falls short of a place on many teams for a few good reasons. For starters, its mediocre Defense, abysmal Speed, and Pursuit weakness make its life extremely uncomfortable in a tier where some of the most dominant physical powerhouses, namely Tyranitar and Scizor, prey on these attributes. It also faces direct competition from its physically defensive cousin Slowbro, who is often preferred for its ability to counter many of the game's powerful Fighting-types.</p>

<p>Fans of the king may rejoice, however, for what it lacks in raw defensive capability, it makes up for in general utility. With Nasty Plot, Slowking establishes itself as a very competent sweeping aid, and even a veritable threat all its own under Trick Room. Its solid Special Defense also makes it a valuable candidate for absorbing a stray Hydro Pump or Draco Meteor, without fear of being worn down over the course of a match due to its extremely useful ability, Regenerator. While it may not find a home on many conventional teams, the eccentric but effective nature of the king's abilities earn it a silent spot in the populous OU metagame.</p>

[SET]

name: Tank
move 1: Scald
move 2: Psychic / Flamethrower
move 3: Dragon Tail
move 4: Slack Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>In a metagame where auto-weather is dominant, Slowking's defensive prowess is a blessing. Its Water and Fire resistances work in tandem with Regenerator, allowing it to switch in on the common weather starters Ninetales and Politoed without fear of being worn down. The Water resistance is particularly crucial here as Politoed is by far the more common of the two. Infernape, another problematic Pokemon for many teams, is also countered consummately; factoring in Leftovers recovery, even a Nasty Plot-boosted Grass Knot does not 2HKO Slowking[remove comma]. Be on the lookout for U-turn though, since it allows Infernape free damage a free shot and an instant ticket out of the match-up, which could spell doom for Slowking if Infernape is paired with a Pursuit user.</p>

<p>As a mixed wall, Slowking carries a great burden on its shoulders, as it is expected to switch in on a wide range of potent physical and special attackers and to scare them off. Its important Fighting resistance, along with a glaring Pursuit weakness and modest Defense stat, means Slowking can't invest as much in its Special Defense as it might like to. The current EV spread compromises by giving it enough Special Defense to switch in on Specs Politoed's Rain-boosted Hydro Pumps and recover the damage, while at the same time letting it wall powerful STAB Fighting-type attacks from the likes of Conkeldurr and Choice Band Terrakion. It may not always be safe for the king to switch in, though; Terrakion's X-Scissor or Stone Edge will wreck Slowking, and a Conkeldurr at +1 will easily win the match-up.</p>

<p>Scald is the STAB attack of choice [insert space] for its burn rate, which helps ward off potential counters like Tyranitar. Psychic is also a very important move for Slowking, giving it a chance to counter Fighting-types such as Machamp, Conkeldurr, and Toxicroak, whereas Flamethrower would mainly be used to combat Scizor, Ferrothorn, and other Grass-types switching trying to switch in. Dragon Tail lets Slowking force out anything it can't beat immediately, and phazing set-up Pokemon like Reuniclus or Latias in a clutch situation. Enemy bulky Water-types, especially those carrying Water-immune abilities, will hate taking a Toxic, as it hinders their longevity. This applies especially to Gastrodon, Vaporeon, and Jellicent, which otherwise wall Slowking perpetually.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>More than anything else, Slowking appreciates bulky partners to take care of the threats it can't handle. For example, it is absolutely useless in the face of a Calm Mind Latias with Substitute, since Dragon Tail doesn't deal enough damage to break its Substitutes. Ironically, its greatest nemeses, Scizor and Tyranitar, come in handy here, since they're two of the best Latias counters; in return, Slowking can shield them from incoming Fire- or Fighting-type attacks. In this regard, Slowking is also an ideal partner for Ferrothorn, as it walls both of Ferrothorn's weaknesses with impunity. This is a one-sided partnership, however, since Ferrothorn won't be of any help in countering the likes of Celebi and Raikou, despite resisting their main STAB moves.</p>

<p>Hail teams benefit heavily from its ability to switch in to Politoed and Ninetales, not to mention the exceedingly dangerous Infernape. Slowking can also be used alongside a defensive core of Skarmory and Blissey in order to alleviate its weakness to Infernape and other mixed attackers. Ice Beam can be used to check the likes of Dragonite and Salamence, while Yawn more or less functions in the same way Dragon Tail does, but is limited by Sleep Clause and status-immune targets.</p>

[SET]

name: Defensive Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Scald
move 3: Psyshock
move 4: Ice Beam / Fire Blast / Slack Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Regenerator
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 180 Def / 76 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>As mentioned previously, there isn't a whole lot in the standard metagame that Slowking can do better than Slowbro. Thankfully, this set houses as the main attraction utilizes (no need to make it too complicated) one of Slowking's greatest selling points over its cousin: Nasty Plot. Unlike Calm Mind, this move allows Slowking to boost its Special Attack to dangerous levels twice as quickly, enabling it to use its respectable defenses to survive powerful hits from sweepers and KO in return, or overcome walls that would attempt to impede its progress. Zapdos, for example, cannot OHKO with Thunder unless it has a Life Orb, nor can it KO with a Life Orb Thunderbolt, and will receive heavy retaliation from any one of Slowking's boosted attacks. Nasty Plot Celebi also has trouble dealing with Slowking, as a +2 Ice Beam or Fire Blast will OHKO with some prior damage, while an unboosted Giga Drain barely takes away half Slowking's HP. Even Swords Dance Virizion, which targets Slowbro's weaker Defense stat, fails to OHKO with Leaf Blade, and is easily OHKOed by Psyshock.

<p>Defensive Pokemon have an especially hard time stopping Slowking, since they lack the means to KO it right away. +2 Psyshock handily 2HKOs Blissey, while defensive Celebi is slain by a boosted Ice Beam or Fire Blast. Ferrothorn, however, can survive a boosted attack in Rain and deal heavy damage with Power Whip. Regenerator is also key to this set's effectiveness: while Slowking may not be able to sweep an entire team in one sitting, Regenerator gives it multiple chances to switch in and set up by recovering 33% of its health as it switches. </p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>This type of Slowking is at its best in Rain, but for different reasons than one might expect: Slowking and Politoed share many of the same enemies, whom Slowking can effectively lure out and defeat. The boost from provided by Rain also helps Slowking plow through bulky offensive Pokemon such as Reuniclus, which can otherwise stall Slowking out with consecutive Calm Minds. Focus Blast is an alternative coverage option to deal more damage to both Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, but an untimely miss will be the end of the king.</p>

<p>The EVs on this set are only slightly different from its standard tank set: a slight increase in SpD EVs allows Slowking to survive more special attacks while maintaining most of its physical survivability.</p>

[SET]

name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Surf
move 3: Focus Blast / Fire Blast
move 4: Nasty Plot / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb
ability: Regenerator
nature: Quiet
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Slowking is no slouch as a Trick Room sweeper, and once again comparable to Slowbro in all but the move Nasty Plot. Rather than absorbing blows and striking back with even greater force, this type of Slowking gets the jump on its opponent by turning its their speed against it them and promptly proceeds to KO all in its path with its boosted moves. Unlike Slowking's other sets, an all-out Trick Room sweeper requires the higher base power of Surf. Its other moveslots are dedicated to coverage: Fire Blast secures a guaranteed OHKO on even the bulkiest of Ferrothorn and Scizor in neutral weather, whereas Focus Blast hits Tyranitar, who often invests heavily in Special Defense to shrug off all but the most powerful Surfs in OU. It also retains coverage against Ferrothorn if Fire Blast is not being used. Slowking may struggle to find two turns to both set up Trick Room and Nasty Plot for a sweep; if so, Ice Beam can use used instead for coverage against Dragons.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Though decent as a standalone, the support this type of Slowking offers for Trick Room teams is a very crucial element in the way it plays. Its typing, bulk, and an ability in Regenerator allow it many switch-ins, and a dedicated Trick Room team would really appreciate the lingering field effect. In addition to supporting its team with Trick Room, Slowking also has the option of running a more defensive build to stay in the game longer and cover its teammates' weaknesses more effectively; in this case, the standard tank spread would be desired, with a Sassy nature and, 0 Speed IVs, and Slack Off replacing Nasty Plot. </p>

[Other Options]

<p>Slowking can run an effective Choice Specs set, but is hampered by Trick being incompatible with Regenerator. Seismic Toss, an otherwise great option, is unfortunately also illegal with Regenerator. Calm Mind sets are entirely outclassed by Slowbro, who has a much higher base Defense to work with. Thunder Wave is an inferior option on sets that employ the use of Scald, since it denies Slowking the chance to burn some of its common physical enemies. Grass Knot is only useful in defeating Gastrodon, as Swampert and Quagsire lacking Water Absorb (I know, but cover everything, right?) already take a decent amount of damage from a Rain-boosted Scald, with an additional burn chance.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Unless burned switching in, Tyranitar wreaks havoc on all Slowking sets. Defensive variants 2HKO the king effortlessly with Crunch as a +2 Scald barely dents Tyranitar, and Choice Band variants can trap king with Pursuit. Choice Scarf Tyranitar is also a good counter, but its Crunch is weaker and does not OHKO, and without HP investment, a boosted Scald can take it out after Stealth Rock damage. Scrafty can also switch in on Slowking and boost without fear unless Rain is active, in which case it risks being KOed by a +2 Scald. Scizor and the less common Escavalier are also forerunners among Slowking counters. Like Tyranitar, their Choice Band sets can trap it with Pursuit, while Scizor's U-turn can OHKO or steal momentum as it switches out. However, both fear Scald's burn chance in addition to Flamethrower or Fire Blast.</p>

<p>Slowking's Defense is much weaker than its Special Defense, so it generally has more problems dealing with physical powerhouses. Choice Band Haxorus, for instance, can KO it with Outrage after Stealth Rock damage. Ferrothorn can also dent it severely with Power Whip, or set up entry hazards if it isn't packing a Fire-type move. Electric- and Grass-types, such as Virizion and Zapdos, also make good checks to Slowking if it's not at full health or hasn't boosted. Keep an eye especially on Rotom-W and Celebi, as both are very common in standard play, with the latter using Slowking as a free setup opportunity should it lack Ice Beam or Fire Blast. Hydregion can also threaten Slowking with Dark Pulse.</p>

 

[SJCrew]

Both my eyes and my head hurt. Are these two separate checks or are you guys working off of each other? If it's the latter, I'll just put in Shame's right away.