[OVERVIEW]
Choice Specs Toxtricity is arguably RU's most threatening immediate attacker thanks to its Punk Rock-boosted Boomburst, which has very few consistent switch-ins. Pokemon with the typing or special bulk to take Boomburst, like Stakataka and Porygon2, are vulnerable to Toxtricity's coverage or lose momentum to Volt Switch. Though slow, Toxtricity poses a massive early-game threat to offensive teams, as staples like Noivern and Zarude cannot immediately OHKO it and fear getting OHKOed in return. Its resistances let it even switch into and punish Cobalion, Roserade, and Raikou once or twice, especially if they go for utility moves. Once Toxtricity has taken some damage, however, it becomes much less of a threat, as its low Speed and bulk will make it easy for many Pokemon to pick off. Its vulnerability to Stealth Rock and Spikes worsens this issue, especially in a metagame full of pivots using Heavy-Duty Boots, which incentivizes conventional offensive teams to forgo entry hazard removal. It faces competition from RU's other top Electric-types, Raikou and Xurkitree; the former's naturally high Speed lets it remain a threat to offense all game long, while the latter can use Choice Scarf to similarly threaten offense or Heavy-Duty Boots to wallbreak like Toxtricity without fearing entry hazards. Both Electric-types are always faster than offensive Togekiss, which can overcome weakened Toxtricity with Air Slash flinches.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Boomburst
move 2: Overdrive
move 3: Volt Switch
move 4: Sludge Bomb / Snarl
item: Choice Specs
ability: Punk Rock
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Punk Rock Toxtricity's Boomburst has obscene power and coverage, OHKOing or 2HKOing most Pokemon and even 3HKOing Steelix and Rhyperior. Overdrive is a consistent Electric-type attack that punishes Boomburst switch-ins like Stakataka and Diancie. Volt Switch lets Toxtricity bring a threatening teammate in against relatively consistent checks like Porygon2 and Registeel. Sludge Bomb can poison bulky switch-ins, 2HKOes Alolan Marowak, OHKOes Trace Gardevoir, and always OHKOes Zarude, which has a 75% chance of withstanding Modest Boomburst. Snarl catches the occasional Golurk along with OHKOing Alolan Marowak. Toxtricity's Speed tier isn't crowded, so it can get away with a Modest nature. Running a Timid nature is advantageous against other Toxtricity, though it makes Pokemon harder to OHKO with Boomburst.
Proactive teams using offensive pivots like Noivern and Volt Switch Cobalion are best at giving Toxtricity chances to freely attack and compensating for its poor Speed. Zarude and Mienshao are U-turn users that pivot on switch-ins like Cobalion, Togekiss, and Galarian Weezing, which healthy Toxtricity is then free to exploit. They form a VoltTurn core with Toxtricity as well, giving defensive teams a miserable time. Other Fighting-types like Heracross punish bulky Normal- and Steel-types for switching into Boomburst. Toxtricity is a very self-sufficient attacker once it's made it into the battle, so its team doesn't need to give it much specific support; just have a plan for when common threats switch in to revenge kill it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Shift Gear set using Boomburst, Overdrive, Drain Punch, and Life Orb or Throat Spray with maximum Special Attack and Speed investment and a Mild or Hasty nature can be a nasty surprise sweeper that beats and sets up on Porygon2. With so many other sweepers and Choice Scarf users available, including Sharpedo, Cloyster, Mimikyu, Xurkitree, and Heracross, dedicating Toxtricity to the role is usually unnecessary and a waste of its power.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Entry Hazards and Offensive Pressure**: Offensive teams often won't have a solid switch-in to Toxtricity beyond a one-time check like Steelix or Rhyperior; they bank on trading damage with it or wearing it down with Stealth Rock and Spikes until it's in KO range of faster Pokemon. Toxtricity's unremarkable bulk means this won't take long. Most aggressive teams will also give Toxtricity very few opportunities to directly switch in.
**Ghost-types**: The presence of a Ghost-type forces Toxtricity to think twice about spamming Boomburst, limiting how much damage it can get out of its attack opportunities. Golurk and Lightning Rod Alolan Marowak are even immune to Electric, meaning Toxtricity has to risk using the generally mediocre Snarl or Sludge Bomb. Colbur Berry Dhelmise can take a hit from Toxtricity pretty well. Ghost-types generally work well with Ground-types by maximizing the number of predictions Toxtricity has to make.
**Porygon2**: Punk Rock halves damage taken from sound-based moves, making Trace Porygon2 a very reliable switch-in to Toxtricity, albeit one wide open to Volt Switch.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Snorlax and Registeel can stand up to Toxtricity's attacks for a while, though they lose momentum to Volt Switch and are easily pressured. Diancie and Stakataka can switch into Boomburst but hate Electric-type attacks. Rhyperior, Steelix, and Assault Vest Reuniclus can switch into Boomburst once and threaten to KO in return.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [EonX, 91480]]
- Quality checked by: [[zizalith, 410251], [Expulso, 202058]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
Choice Specs Toxtricity is arguably RU's most threatening immediate attacker thanks to its Punk Rock-boosted Boomburst, which has very few consistent switch-ins. Pokemon with the typing or special bulk to take Boomburst, like Stakataka and Porygon2, are vulnerable to Toxtricity's coverage or lose momentum to Volt Switch. Though slow, Toxtricity poses a massive early-game threat to offensive teams, as staples like Noivern and Zarude cannot immediately OHKO it and fear getting OHKOed in return. Its resistances let it even switch into and punish Cobalion, Roserade, and Raikou once or twice, especially if they go for utility moves. Once Toxtricity has taken some damage, however, it becomes much less of a threat, as its low Speed and bulk will make it easy for many Pokemon to pick off. Its vulnerability to Stealth Rock and Spikes worsens this issue, especially in a metagame full of pivots using Heavy-Duty Boots, which incentivizes conventional offensive teams to forgo entry hazard removal. It faces competition from RU's other top Electric-types, Raikou and Xurkitree; the former's naturally high Speed lets it remain a threat to offense all game long, while the latter can use Choice Scarf to similarly threaten offense or Heavy-Duty Boots to wallbreak like Toxtricity without fearing entry hazards. Both Electric-types are always faster than offensive Togekiss, which can overcome weakened Toxtricity with Air Slash flinches.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Boomburst
move 2: Overdrive
move 3: Volt Switch
move 4: Sludge Bomb / Snarl
item: Choice Specs
ability: Punk Rock
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Punk Rock Toxtricity's Boomburst has obscene power and coverage, OHKOing or 2HKOing most Pokemon and even 3HKOing Steelix and Rhyperior. Overdrive is a consistent Electric-type attack that punishes Boomburst switch-ins like Stakataka and Diancie. Volt Switch lets Toxtricity bring a threatening teammate in against relatively consistent checks like Porygon2 and Registeel. Sludge Bomb can poison bulky switch-ins, 2HKOes Alolan Marowak, OHKOes Trace Gardevoir, and always OHKOes Zarude, which has a 75% chance of withstanding Modest Boomburst. Snarl catches the occasional Golurk along with OHKOing Alolan Marowak. Toxtricity's Speed tier isn't crowded, so it can get away with a Modest nature. Running a Timid nature is advantageous against other Toxtricity, though it makes Pokemon harder to OHKO with Boomburst.
Proactive teams using offensive pivots like Noivern and Volt Switch Cobalion are best at giving Toxtricity chances to freely attack and compensating for its poor Speed. Zarude and Mienshao are U-turn users that pivot on switch-ins like Cobalion, Togekiss, and Galarian Weezing, which healthy Toxtricity is then free to exploit. They form a VoltTurn core with Toxtricity as well, giving defensive teams a miserable time. Other Fighting-types like Heracross punish bulky Normal- and Steel-types for switching into Boomburst. Toxtricity is a very self-sufficient attacker once it's made it into the battle, so its team doesn't need to give it much specific support; just have a plan for when common threats switch in to revenge kill it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Shift Gear set using Boomburst, Overdrive, Drain Punch, and Life Orb or Throat Spray with maximum Special Attack and Speed investment and a Mild or Hasty nature can be a nasty surprise sweeper that beats and sets up on Porygon2. With so many other sweepers and Choice Scarf users available, including Sharpedo, Cloyster, Mimikyu, Xurkitree, and Heracross, dedicating Toxtricity to the role is usually unnecessary and a waste of its power.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Entry Hazards and Offensive Pressure**: Offensive teams often won't have a solid switch-in to Toxtricity beyond a one-time check like Steelix or Rhyperior; they bank on trading damage with it or wearing it down with Stealth Rock and Spikes until it's in KO range of faster Pokemon. Toxtricity's unremarkable bulk means this won't take long. Most aggressive teams will also give Toxtricity very few opportunities to directly switch in.
**Ghost-types**: The presence of a Ghost-type forces Toxtricity to think twice about spamming Boomburst, limiting how much damage it can get out of its attack opportunities. Golurk and Lightning Rod Alolan Marowak are even immune to Electric, meaning Toxtricity has to risk using the generally mediocre Snarl or Sludge Bomb. Colbur Berry Dhelmise can take a hit from Toxtricity pretty well. Ghost-types generally work well with Ground-types by maximizing the number of predictions Toxtricity has to make.
**Porygon2**: Punk Rock halves damage taken from sound-based moves, making Trace Porygon2 a very reliable switch-in to Toxtricity, albeit one wide open to Volt Switch.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Snorlax and Registeel can stand up to Toxtricity's attacks for a while, though they lose momentum to Volt Switch and are easily pressured. Diancie and Stakataka can switch into Boomburst but hate Electric-type attacks. Rhyperior, Steelix, and Assault Vest Reuniclus can switch into Boomburst once and threaten to KO in return.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [EonX, 91480]]
- Quality checked by: [[zizalith, 410251], [Expulso, 202058]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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