LGPE OU Nidoking

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McCoolDude

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Nidoking_XY.gif

WILDCARD

[OVERVIEW]

Nidoking's amazing typing lets it check prominent Pokemon such as Zapdos and Alolan Muk, gives a helpful Stealth Rock resistance, and makes it immune to both Toxic and Thunder Wave. Unfortunately, Nidoqueen shares these traits and outclasses it defensively, and Alolan Dugtrio overshadows it in terms of Speed and therefore often in offensive presence. Nidoking therefore acts as a versatile midground choice with greater power than both, greater Speed than Nidoqueen, and a better movepool and tanking ability than Alolan Dugtrio. Its reduced bulk compared to Nidoqueen gives Nidoking a worse matchup against many common metagame threats such as Alolan Dugtrio, Melmetal, and Mega Charizard X, but its range of attacking options and solid power make it near impossible to consistently switch into. Due to its increased offensive capability, it is less prone than Nidoqueen to being exploited by Pokemon like Cloyster and Gyarados, which can use Nidoqueen for a somewhat free turn. Before its set is properly scouted, many major metagame threats risk heavy damage from one of Nidoking's coverage options or being hamstrung by its perfectly accurate Toxic.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Toxic / Megahorn
move 4: Stealth Rock / Toxic / Thunderbolt
item: No Item
nature: Adamant / Naughty

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Earthquake is a spammable STAB option, hitting almost any grounded target hard and punishing Zapdos's Roost attempts. Ice Punch does great damage to Flying- and Grass-types, such as Zapdos, Dragonite, and Alolan Exeggutor, that can handle Earthquake. Toxic is a good midground option when you are unsure of the opponent's switch-in and a reliable means of threatening Mew, which can easily shrug off Earthquake. Alternatively, Megahorn can be used to catch certain switch-ins, KOing a weakened Mew, usually OHKOing Starmie, and 2HKOing Mega Gyarados. Stealth Rock provides invaluable support for any team not packing another setter and aids Nidoking in breaking targets such as Zapdos and Melmetal, while Toxic or Thunderbolt can be opted for instead if they are not already being run. Thunderbolt with a Naughty nature takes advantage of Gyarados that are hesitant to Mega Evolve and become vulnerable to Earthquake and Megahorn, usually OHKOing it after Stealth Rock, and can also OHKO Cloyster, which otherwise uses Nidoking as setup fodder. Adamant is the preferred nature for Nidoking when not running Thunderbolt, notably giving it extremely favorable odds to 2HKO Melmetal on the switch with Earthquake.


Usage Tips
========

Nidoking is best used as a wallbreaker that can be adapted to any strategy and soften defensive backbones for its teammates. Its true strength comes from its unpredictable coverage, often in the form of moves not listed on its main set that are specifically tailored for luring in and taking out Pokemon your team struggles with. As a result, it's generally best to not reveal information about your set until it is necessary. Nidoking outspeeds many Pokemon that would try to come in to scare it out or set Stealth Rock. In those cases, predicting is unnecessary, as Nidoking can simply hit them the next turn. If running Stealth Rock, Nidoking should be played more conservatively until it successfully sets up the entry hazard; if not, it can be used more recklessly, but it should still be preserved if needed to answer Zapdos. Setting Stealth Rock against Zapdos is ideal, as it is unable to significantly punish Nidoking for doing so. Nidoking can be brought in fairly safely versus Pokemon such as Zapdos, Alolan Muk, and Electrode, as they rarely carry moves that can significantly threaten it. While it can be tempting to sacrifice a heavily weakened Nidoking, its decent Speed tier, resistance to Stealth Rock, and powerful Earthquake mean that it can still be valuable for revenge killing tanks like Rhydon and Melmetal.


Team Options
========

Mega Beedrill and Zapdos are amazing partners for Nidoking, luring in and pivoting on Pokemon such as Melmetal, Rhydon, and Nidoqueen that Nidoking can then heavily threaten with Earthquake. Mew appreciates Nidoking as a partner that can absorb Toxic for it, making its defensive roles easier to perform, while Nidoking appreciates U-turn granting it safe entry against Mew's switch-ins such as Alolan Muk and Zapdos. Mew can also soft check threats like Starmie and Alolan Dugtrio. Pokemon such as Starmie and Poliwrath greatly benefit from Nidoking freely switching into every move from Zapdos bar Drill Peck and dishing out strong attacks. Starmie also has synergy with Nidoking, switching into Alolan Dugtrio and opposing Poliwrath, while Poliwrath can provide a valuable switch-in for Mega Gyarados if Nidoking needs to be preserved. Melmetal makes for a great teammate, as it can handle Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Alakazam. In return, Nidoking can be switched into Zapdos that attempt to check Melmetal. Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Alakazam also appreciate Nidoking's support in weakening foes into range of their attacks and crippling Mew with Toxic.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Superpower pressures Nidoking to switch out after use, but it KOes Snorlax after Earthquake, OHKOes Alolan Sandslash, OHKOes Eevee-S after Stealth Rock damage, and deals significant damage to Mega Gyarados. Surf guarantees an OHKO on Rhydon and Golem, which can otherwise take a hit and hit hard in return. Ice Beam is a slightly weaker alternative to Ice Punch that more reliably KOes Alolan Exeggutor after Stealth Rock damage and Sandslash after Earthquake. Substitute's HP cost can hinder Nidoking's ability to repeatedly switch into the likes of Zapdos and Alolan Muk, and the move can come at the cost of coverage, but it greatly eases the prediction typically required to handle Nidoking's switch-ins. Dragon Tail is hard to fit, but with good prediction, it can chip down and rack up Stealth Rock damage on switch-ins such as Starmie, Gyarados, and Mew. A Jolly or Naive nature can be used to guarantee that Nidoking outspeeds uncommon Jolly or Timid variants of Mega Gyarados and Mega Venusaur, but the power decrease is significant and decreases Nidoking's potential as a wallbreaker in most matchups.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Mew**: Mew is able to switch into any Nidoking set and threaten it out with Psychic or Scald. However, it must be wary of a potential Toxic when switching in or Megahorn if it is weakened.

**Mega Gyarados**: Though Nidoking can potentially OHKO Gyarados with Thunderbolt if it switches in before Mega Evolving, Mega Gyarados can stomach Nidoking's Earthquake and Ice Punch and threaten an OHKO with Waterfall.

**Bulky Water-types**: Starmie is capable of switching in on Earthquake or Ice Punch and recovering off the damage while heavily threatening Nidoking with its STAB moves, although it must be wary of switching into Megahorn. Poliwrath, Mega Blastoise, and Vaporeon have even less immediate fear of Nidoking, but they lack recovery and can be outsped, making them more vulnerable to fainting to repeated hits.

**Fast Revenge Killers**: Though Nidoking's coverage largely lacks safe switch-ins, its middling Speed tier allows it to be easily revenge killed by fast attackers like Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Alakazam, and Alolan Dugtrio.

**Mega Venusaur**: Mega Venusaur cannot switch in and safely handle Nidoking on-on-one, but if given safe entry, such as from Zapdos's U-turn, it can beat Nidoking while remaining relatively healthy overall.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[McCoolDude, 469684]]
- Quality checked by: [[Eve, 375272] , [Vengeance417, 198446] , [Lilburr, 481709]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
 
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Eve

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[OVERVIEW]


View attachment 248657

WILDCARD

Nidoking's amazing typing lets it check prominent Pokemon such as Zapdos and Alolan Muk, and makes it immune to both Toxic and Thunder Wave. Unfortunately, these traits are not unique to it- Nidoking is outclassed defensively as a Ground-type in this meta by its female counterpart, Nidoqueen, and is overshadowed in terms of raw power and Speed by Alolan Dugtrio. but still manages to carve a niche for itself using its decent mixed attacking stats and vast movepool with its higher speed tier. Nidoking therefore acts as a versatile midground choice between the two, with a greater offensive presence than Nidoqueen and a better movepool and defensive presence than Alolan Dugtrio. The reduced bulk compared to Nidoqueen gives it a worse matchup to many common meta threats, such as? but its range of attacking options makes it near impossible to consistently switch into. Before its set is properly scouted, many major meta threats risk heavy damage from one of Nidoking's coverage options or being hamstrung by its perfectly-accurate Toxic.
This didn't quite have enough information for new players and felt somewhat reliant on reading Nidoqueen's analysis for the reader to understand what Nidoking does, which is undesirable

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker/Stealth Rock
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Ice Beam/Ice Punch
move 3: Thunderbolt/Thunder Punch
move 4: Stealth Rock/Surf/Superpower/Toxic/Stealth Rock/Fire Blast
nature: Naive/Jolly
I haven't used Nidoking too much so I'll trust you on these being correctly slashed- however, Superpower seems pretty niche given only one mentioned target that doesn't want to switch in anyway, making it more worthy of being an Other Option. Also moved Stealth Rock to the front seeing as that option is extremely valuable for any team

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Earthquake is Nidoking's strongest a spammable STAB option, and it hits hitting almost any grounded target extremely hard. Next, Nidoking generally prefers to carry is a great user of BoltBeam coverage, but has several options available for it.; The physical options are more powerful against Mega Gyarados and Flying-types like Zapdos and Dragonite, while Ice Beam and Thunderbolt are slightly more powerful overall and better break Pokemon like Rhydon and Cloyster. Ice Punch hits most earthquake-immune targets harder than Ice Beam would, with the exception of a bold-natured Zapdos, while Ice Beam can hit Rhydon and Sandslash harder without allowing a flying-type in for free. Thunderbolt hits opposing Cloyster significantly harder, who might attempt to use Nidoking as setup bait, and Thunder Punch hits opposing Gyarados harder, who might come in to dodge an earthquake and threaten Nidoking out with a waterfall OHKO. Finally, The last move can be any number of options: Stealth Rock provides invaluable support for any team not packing another setter, Surf allows Nidoking to lure and OHKO opposing Rhydon and Golem, Superpower will allow Nidoking to 2HKO Snorlax with Earthquake into Superpower,now an OO Toxic is perfect accuracy and can punish both Mew and Zapdos switch-ins simultaneously, Stealth Rock will allow Nidoking to fulfill a Stealth Rock setter role (though it is generally outclassed in this by other options in the meta), and Fire Blast will allow for a 2HKO versus Melmetal (though risks getting zero damage). A speed-increasing nature is generally recommended to prevent being outsped by Mega Gyarados. Naive is recommended if running a mixed set as Nidoking will rarely survive a strong special hit anyway, but stands reasonable odds for many of the physical attacks in the meta. If you choose a fully-physical set, Jolly becomes the preferred nature.
too many words mostly

Usage Tips
========

Nidoking is able to be adapted to any number of strategies and its true strength comes from its unpredictable coverage. As such, it's generally best to not reveal too much information about your set until it is necessary. Often, Nidoking outspeeds the things that would try to come in to scare it out or abuse a Stealth Rock setup turn. In those cases, it is tempting to go for a big outplay, but it is better to guarantee the lure works (by waiting for the slower pokemon to actually come in, then hitting them the next turn) than to reveal it too soon and lose the opportunity. Nidoking can generally be brought in safely versus Zapdos, Chansey and Electrode, as they rarely carry moves that can significantly threaten it. While it can be tempting to use a heavily-weakened Nidoking as a sacrifice, Nidoking's reasonable speed tier, resistance to rocks, and access to a strong EQ means that it can often be used as a late-game revenge killer for tanks like Rhydon and Melmetal.
This seems to cover everything, other QC members feel free to disagree ofc

Team Options
========

Zapdos appreciates Nidoking's ability to lure and remove Rhydon from play, as it can struggle to find useful turns without this accomplished. Teams relying on Mew's bulk enjoy having a toxic-immune option to switch into that has a bit more offensive presence than Nidoqueen. Nidoking can also help support teams using Starmie or Poliwrath, by switching into every move Zapdos commonly carries (bar drill peck) and dishing out punishment to the opposing team Explain how these Water-types also help Nidoking by taking on things it loses to, give examples like Starmie being able to offensively check Alolan Dugtrio and Poliwrath taking on Gyarados .
List some Pokemon that help Nidoking fulfil its roles and not have to get destroyed by its main checks

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Taunt can be run to stop a speed-crept Mew from Recovering as well as stopping slower Stealth Rock users, but this is generally not the best use of Nidoking's moveslots. Megahorn can be used to heavily punish Starmie and Mew, but due the lowered Accuracy and fact that these Pokemon commonly carry reliable recovery, it is generally not worth using. Move Superpower mention here

Checks and Counters
===================

Mew: Mew is able to switch into any Nidoking set and threaten it out with Psychic/Scald. Nidoking's best option to punish Mew switching in is Toxic.

Fast revenge killers: Though Nidoking's coverage largely prevents safe switch-ins, its middling speed tier allows it to be easily revenge killed by fast attackers like Starmie, Mega Alakazam, and Alolan Dugtrio.

Maybe mention bulky Water-types seeing as they're pretty decent makeshift checks despite their Electric weakness? Or something else, this just feels fairly empty and there's definitely more checks

[CREDITS]
- [McCoolDude, 469684]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
Feel free to question me on any of these suggestions! After this is implemented, you're QC 1/3
 
In OO, I’d mention that Superpower is also able to OHKO Eevee-S after Stealth Rock, which is pretty crucial since this will allow Nidoking to prevent any of Eevee-S’s signature moves from going off.

Other than that, I like what I see here. Nice work, 2/3.
 
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Lily

wouldn't that be fine, dear
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[OVERVIEW]


View attachment 248657you may wanna put this guy above the overview so it's easier for eve when she's uploading :p

WILDCARD

Nidoking's amazing typing lets it check prominent Pokemon such as Zapdos and Alolan Muk, and makes it immune to both Toxic and Thunder Wave. also worth mentioning that it resists rocks = gets more opportunities to come in on these mons and break Unfortunately, these traits are not unique to it - Nidoking is outclassed defensively by its female counterpart, Nidoqueen, and is overshadowed in terms of raw power and Speed by Alolan Dugtrio. Nidoking therefore acts as a versatile midground choice between the two, with a greater offensive presence than Nidoqueen and a better movepool and defensive presence than Alolan Dugtrio. The reduced bulk compared to Nidoqueen gives it a worse matchup to many common meta threats, such as Alolan Dugtrio, Melmetal, and Charizard X, but its range of attacking options makes it near impossible to consistently switch into. include examples of stuff that it's better off against thanks to its ability to run offensive moves + better speed tier - dragonite, mega gyarados etc. Before its set is properly scouted, many major meta threats risk heavy damage from one of Nidoking's coverage options or being hamstrung by its perfectly-accurate Toxic.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Ice Beam/Ice Punch Ice Beam / Ice Punch
move 3: Thunderbolt/Thunder Punch Thunderbolt / Thunder Punch
move 4: Stealth Rock/Surf/Toxic/Fire Blast Stealth Rock / Surf / Toxic / Fire Blast
item: No Item
nature: Naive/Jolly Naive / Jolly

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Earthquake is a spammable STAB option, hitting almost any grounded target extremely hard. probably overselling it a bit :p Nidoking is a great user of BoltBeam coverage; The physical options are more powerful against Mega Gyarados and Mega Venusaur, while Ice Beam and Thunderbolt are slightly more powerful overall and better break pokemon like Rhydon and cloyster Cloyster. The last move can be any number of options: Stealth Rock provides invaluable support for any team not packing another setter, Surf allows Nidoking to lure and OHKO opposing Rhydon and Golem, Toxic is perfect accuracy and can punish both Mew and Zapdos switch-ins simultaneously, (zapdos is not a nidoking switch in, it's the other way around :P) and Fire Blast will allow for a 2HKO versus Melmetal. A speed-increasing nature is generally recommended to prevent being outsped by Mega Gyarados. Naive is recommended if running a mixed set as Nidoking will rarely survive a strong special hit anyway, but stands reasonable odds for many of the physical attacks in the meta. If you choose a fully-physical set, Jolly becomes the preferred nature.


Usage Tips
========

Nidoking is able to be adapted to any number of strategies and its true strength comes from its unpredictable coverage. As such, it's generally best to not reveal too much information about your set until it is necessary. Often, Nidoking outspeeds the things that would try to come in to scare it out or abuse a Stealth Rock setup turn. In those cases, it is tempting to go for a big outplay, but it is better to guarantee the lure works (by waiting for the slower pokemon to actually come in, then hitting them the next turn) than to reveal it too soon and lose the opportunity. think you should just reword this to say that predicting is often unnecessary with nidoking bc most of the mons that come in on it are slower and will just get slapped afterwards, "big outplay" isn't -too- clear

would mention that it's best to try to get nidoking in early so that it can rip holes in opposing teams for partners like agility dnite, or so it can get rocks up / get an early toxic on mew


Nidoking can generally be brought in safely versus Zapdos, Chansey and Electrode, as they rarely carry moves that can significantly threaten it. While it can be tempting to use a heavily-weakened Nidoking as a sacrifice, Nidoking's reasonable speed Speed tier, resistance to rocks Stealth Rock, and access to a strong EQ Earthquake means that it can often be used as a late-game revenge killer for tanks like Rhydon and Melmetal.

Team Options
========

Zapdos appreciates Nidoking's ability to lure and remove Rhydon from play, as it can struggle to find useful turns without this accomplished. Teams relying on Mew's bulk enjoy having a toxic-immune option to switch into that has a bit more offensive presence than Nidoqueen. Mew appreciates Nidoking as a partner as Nidoking can absorb Toxic for it, making it easier for Mew to perform its defensive roles. Nidoking can also help support teams using Starmie or Poliwrath, by switching into every move Zapdos commonly carries (bar drill peck) (Nidoking only takes around 30% from Drill Peck so it's pretty much still free, especially bc it means you get to nail something next turn) and dishing out punishment to the opposing team. Starmie also provides synergy for Nidoking by switching in for Alolan Dugtrio and Opposing Poliwrath, while Poliwrath can provide a valuable switch-in for opposing Mega Gyarados. Nidoking usually appreciates the presence of Chansey, as Chansey is able to consistently pivot in on special attackers and use teleport to bring Nidoking into a more favorable matchup, while Nidoking can absorb Toxic for Chansey.

agility dnite mention!! it loves that nidoking can blast through common checks like melm, rhydon, mew (poisoning it at least) and is also a ground immune for it

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Taunt can be run to stop a speed-crept Mew from Recovering as well as stopping slower Stealth Rock users, but this is generally not the best use of Nidoking's moveslots. Megahorn can be used to heavily punish Starmie and Mew, but due the lowered accuracy and fact that these Pokemon commonly carry reliable recovery, it is generally not worth using. Superpower is an option, as it allows Nidoking to beat Snorlax more easily with Earthquake into Superpower, as well as allowing Nidoking to OHKO Eevee-S after Stealth Rock damage and prevent any of its powerful signature moves from going off. also worth nothing that superpower does an absolute ton to mega gyarados

Checks and Counters
===================

**Mew**: Mew is able to switch into any Nidoking set and threaten it out with Psychic/Scald Psychic, Scald, or Earthquake. Nidoking's best option to punish Mew switching in is Toxic. would probably reword this to "However, Mew must be wary of a potential Toxic when switching in."

**
Mega Gyarados**: Though Nidoking can deal heavy damage if Gyarados attempts to switch in before it enters its mega form Mega Evolves, once it has mega evolved, Mega Gyarados can easily stomach any of Nidoking's attacks and threaten an OHKO with waterfall. Waterfall.

**
Bulky Waters Water-types**: Starmie is capable of switching in most of Nidoking's coverage and recovering off the damage, despite its weakness to thunderbolt Thunderbolt and Thunder Punch. It also heavily pressures Nidoking with Scald or Psychic.

**Fast revenge killers**: Though Nidoking's coverage largely prevents safe switch-ins, its middling speed tier allows it to be easily revenge killed by fast attackers like Starmie, Mega Alakazam, and Alolan Dugtrio.

add mega venu here, it's not particularly common but nidoking can't 2hko it with anything even after rocks and it can heal itself back up with leech/mega drain and stuff, so it's a decent check

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [McCoolDude, 469684]
- Quality checked by: [[Eve, 375272] , [Vengeance417, 198446] , [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
QC 3/3 :D
 
Last edited:
Per your permission, Amateur checking after the third QC. Will be going off of what Lily said as we discussed. Also if it seems sparse I ended up saying less than I expected, cuz I forgot to go off of what Lily said at first, and she covered a lot of shit that I was thinking of.

Nidoking's amazing typing lets it check prominent Pokemon such as Zapdos and Alolan Muk, and makes it immune to both Toxic and Thunder Wave. also worth mentioning that it resists rocks = gets more opportunities to come in on these mons and break Unfortunately, these traits are not unique to it - Nidoking is outclassed defensively by its female counterpart, Nidoqueen, and is overshadowed in terms of raw power Alolan Duggy certainly is more viable, but it's due to its speed, saying Duggy overshadows Nidoking in raw power is misleading, as NIdoking has more attack, way more coverage, and waaay more special attack and Speed by Alolan Dugtrio. Nidoking therefore acts as a versatile midground choice between the two, with a greater offensive presence than Nidoqueen and a better movepool and defensive presence than Alolan Dugtrio. The reduced bulk compared to Nidoqueen gives it a worse matchup to many common meta threats, such as Alolan Dugtrio, Melmetal, and Charizard X nitpick, but Nidoqueen very rarely has the edge in the zard x MU, they both comfortably live eq after rocks, and then Nidoking is able to retaliate harder with its better attacking stats, but its range of attacking options makes it near impossible to consistently switch into. include examples of stuff that it's better off against thanks to its ability to run offensive moves + better speed tier - dragonite, mega gyarados etc. Before its set is properly scouted, many major meta threats risk heavy damage from one of Nidoking's coverage options or being hamstrung by its perfectly-accurate Toxic.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Ice Beam/Ice Punch Ice Beam / Ice Punch
move 3: Thunderbolt/Thunder Punch Thunderbolt / Thunder Punch
move 4: Stealth Rock/Surf/Toxic/Fire Blast Stealth Rock / Surf / Toxic / Fire Blast
item: No Item

nature: Naive/Jolly Naive / Jolly

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Earthquake is a spammable STAB option, hitting almost any grounded target extremely hard. probably overselling it a bit :p Agreed :p Nidoking is a great user of BoltBeam coverage; The physical options are more powerful against Mega Gyarados and Mega Venusaur, while Ice Beam and Thunderbolt are slightly more powerful overall and better break pokemon like Rhydon and cloyster Cloyster. The last move can be any number of options: Stealth Rock provides invaluable support for any team not packing another setter, Surf allows Nidoking to lure and OHKO opposing Rhydon and Golem, Toxic is perfect accuracy and can punish both Mew and Zapdos switch-ins simultaneously, (zapdos is not a nidoking switch in, it's the other way around :P) and Fire Blast will allow for a 2HKO versus Melmetal. A speed-increasing nature is generally recommended to prevent being outsped by Mega Gyarados. Naive is recommended if running a mixed set as Nidoking will rarely survive a strong special hit anyway, but stands reasonable odds for many of the physical attacks in the meta. If you choose a fully-physical set, Jolly becomes the preferred nature.


Usage Tips
========

Nidoking is able to be adapted to any number of strategies and its true strength comes from its unpredictable coverage. As such, it's generally best to not reveal too much information about your set until it is necessary. Often, Nidoking outspeeds the things that would try to come in to scare it out or abuse a Stealth Rock setup turn. In those cases, it is tempting to go for a big outplay, but it is better to guarantee the lure works (by waiting for the slower pokemon to actually come in, then hitting them the next turn) than to reveal it too soon and lose the opportunity. think you should just reword this to say that predicting is often unnecessary with nidoking bc most of the mons that come in on it are slower and will just get slapped afterwards, "big outplay" isn't -too- clear

would mention that it's best to try to get nidoking in early so that it can rip holes in opposing teams for partners like agility dnite, or so it can get rocks up / get an early toxic on mew


Nidoking can generally be brought in safely versus Zapdos, Chansey and Electrode, as they rarely carry moves that can significantly threaten it. While it can be tempting to use a heavily-weakened Nidoking as a sacrifice, Nidoking's reasonable speed Speed tier, resistance to rocks Stealth Rock, and access to a strong EQ Earthquake means that it can often be used as a late-game revenge killer for tanks like Rhydon and Melmetal.

Team Options
========

Zapdos appreciates Nidoking's ability to lure and remove Rhydon from play, as it can struggle to find useful turns without this accomplished. Teams relying on Mew's bulk enjoy having a toxic-immune option to switch into that has a bit more offensive presence than Nidoqueen. Mew appreciates Nidoking as a partner as Nidoking can absorb Toxic for it, making it easier for Mew to perform its defensive roles. Nidoking can also help support teams using Starmie or Poliwrath, by switching into every move Zapdos commonly carries (bar drill peck) (Nidoking only takes around 30% from Drill Peck so it's pretty much still free, especially bc it means you get to nail something next turn) and dishing out punishment to the opposing team. Starmie also provides synergy for Nidoking by switching in for Alolan Dugtrio and Opposing Poliwrath, while Poliwrath can provide a valuable switch-in for opposing Mega Gyarados. Nidoking usually appreciates the presence of Chansey, as Chansey is able to consistently pivot in on special attackers and use teleport to bring Nidoking into a more favorable matchup, while Nidoking can absorb Toxic for Chansey.

agility dnite mention!! it loves that nidoking can blast through common checks like melm, rhydon, mew (poisoning it at least) and is also a ground immune for it

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Taunt can be run to stop a speed-crept Mew The only mew that Nidoking outspeeds is -speed mew, which I didn't know existed, but even so "speed crept Mew" could be clarified to -speed mew imo from Recovering as well as stopping slower Stealth Rock users, but this is generally not the best use of Nidoking's moveslotsAlso mention that as a poison type, it is in a bad position to be taunting the common rockers(Sandslash, Rhydon, Mew). Megahorn can be used to heavily punish Starmie and Mew, but due the lowered accuracy and fact that these Pokemon commonly carry reliable recovery, it is generally not worth using. Superpower is an option, as it allows Nidoking to beat Snorlax more easily with Earthquake into Superpower, as well as allowing Nidoking to OHKO Eevee-S after Stealth Rock damage and prevent any of its powerful signature moves from going off. also worth nothing that superpower does an absolute ton to mega gyarados

Checks and Counters
===================

**Mew**: Mew is able to switch into any Nidoking set and threaten it out with Psychic/Scald Psychic, Scald, or Earthquake. Nidoking's best option to punish Mew switching in is Toxic. would probably reword this to "However, Mew must be wary of a potential Toxic when switching in."

**
Mega Gyarados**: Though Nidoking can deal heavy damage if Gyarados attempts to switch in before it enters its mega form Mega Evolves, once it has mega evolved, Mega Gyarados can easily stomach any of Nidoking's attacks and threaten an OHKO with waterfall. Waterfall.

**
Bulky Waters Water-types**: This section is called bulky water types, not Starmie. Might be worth either changing the section title to Starmie or referencing at least 1 other bulky water. Starmie is capable of switching in most of Nidoking's coverage and recovering off the damage, despite its weakness to thunderbolt Thunderbolt and Thunder Punch. It also heavily pressures Nidoking with Scald or Psychic.

**Fast revenge killers**: Though Nidoking's coverage largely prevents safe switch-ins, its middling speed tier allows it to be easily revenge killed by fast attackers like Starmie, Mega Alakazam, and Alolan Dugtrio.

add mega venu here, it's not particularly common but nidoking can't 2hko it with anything even after rocks and it can heal itself back up with leech/mega drain and stuff, so it's a decent check
 
i have little experience with nidoking but
~ why is +speed the preferred nature? the reason given is m-gyara which almost never runs +speed, neither does dnite or m-venu, and neutral nidoking outspeeds jolly eevee-s to whatever extent that is relevant. i think nidoking already outspeeds what it needs to with a neutral speed nature, with the exception of slow mew which is always a gamble anyway unless you are like running a mew specifically iv'ed to scout opposing defensive mew speed ivs. (edit: and adamant hitmonlee)

~ i disagree with not at least slashing megahorn, it is the by far best option vs m-gyara, with a +attack nature it almost guarantees ohko on starmie after rocks so the fact that starmie has recovery is irrelevant, and it does enough to pressure mew to not need to run toxic, and to ensure that defensive mew lacking psychic cannot safely switch in and burn it. unlike on rhydon megahorn doesnt require risky predictions and in some cases is the most spammable move. it also pairs well with surf to preserve coverage against both grass types that resist eq and some waters.

~ is thunder punch for base form gyara? 2x super effective thunder punch has the same power as a neutral earthquake, ice beam/punch is better coverage for most flying types, and the main water type(s) that u want to damage physically are weak to megahorn.
idk about the slashes overall, idk that electric type coverage is anywhere near mandatory esp on megahorn sets, ice coverage is prob too important most of the time for grounds (sandslash-k/goldon) + dnite but might not be necessary on surf sets, nidoking has much more set flexibility than is indicated.
disagree with fire blast mention, +attack eq usually 2hkos melmetal after rocks anyway so if thats a priority running adamant/naughty is far preferable to using an entire moveslot on a pokemon that already has "4mss".
idk if thunder is worth a mention for the paralysis chance to semi-deter mew from switching in (there could only be room for megahorn + electric coverage together if you drop rocks) and for any other pokemon that you dont rly have the right coverage move for on a given set? but losing the guaranteed ohko on cloyster after rocks is significant since thats prob the most important target for thunderbolt (that isnt covered just as well by eq + megahorn). maybe rock slide has some viability? to cover all flying types when paired with megahorn and also base pinsir but the loss of surf/ice beam for sandslash-k and rhydon is prob almost never worth it
while dropping sr is possible nidoking is still a reasonably reliable rocks setter and the moves shouldnt be slashed in a way that implies that any of nidoking's coverage options other than electric and ice require dropping stealth rock.

~ disagree with adding m-venu to checks and counters, it is easily 2hkoed by eq after switching into any attack other than thunder(bolt), it is slower (unless it is +speed lol), and mega drain does not even 2hko and does not recover enough in most cases to avoid the 2hko after switching in. m-venu can 1v1 okay but it cannot rly switchin.
 
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i know it is already qc checked, but there are things that really dont make sense. the reason given for +speed is outspeeding m-gyara, but m-gyara's analysis does not even have jolly slashed, and this doesnt even specify that +speed is solely needed for jolly gyara. +attack should be at least slashed if not standard so fire blast is not really helpful for melmetal. the threat of megahorn (or i guess superpower, but megahorn has better coverage / is much harder to switch into) is essential for the m-gyara matchup, as otherwise m-gyara is mega evolving every time and taking minimal damage. if megahorn is not mentioned, thunder punch is literally useless bc earthquake does the same damage after it mega evolves, and on the switch thunderbolt usually ohko's base form gyara after rocks. currently megahorn and superpower are both mentioned in other options but neither one mentions by far their most important target, m-gyara.
the analysis talks about concealing nidoking's coverage moves, but it has the types of the first two coverage moves fixed so there isnt anything to conceal, except for the last moveslot ie the possibility of surf or toxic, since even if fire blast were viable the question of concealing it isnt rly relevant since melmetal is taking a lot from eq anyway. what u want to be able to do is for example if gyarados doesnt know whether you are running thunder(bolt) or megahorn, it has to guess whether to mega evolve.
eve said they arent too familiar with nidoking but like most of these arent really subjective issues and its hard to understand how they were not addressed by qc

edit ~ i actually think deemphasizing stealth rock eg not having it slashed first is probably fine. not only does it really want the extra moveslot but one of nidokings best features is being able to get good damage off on a wide range of pokemon, and it wants to have the option to sacrifice itself to get off that damage which it cannot do if it is the team's rocks setter. nidoking having to switch out of m-gyara bc it hasnt set rocks yet, instead of doing 50-65% (depending on nature) with megahorn/superpower before being ko'ed by waterfall, rly sucks.
 
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Eve

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Alright, with McCool's blessing I performed a significant overhaul on this analysis based on some realisations and juoean's great feedback. Here's what I did:

  • +Speed natures are primarily for speed creeping non-standard Mega Gyarados variants and have a significant cost on breaking potential, so they have been moved to OO. This increase in power makes a lot of coverage fairly redundant:
  • As a result, EQ has better odds of 2HKOing Melmetal after Stealth Rock than Fire Blast- this makes the move beyond niche as anything it can cover is better covered by another option, and thus it is removed entirely.
  • Surf only covers one Pokemon (Rhydon and Golem are the same Pokemon when it really comes down to it) which doesn't switch in anyway and needs to be very healthy to take EQ, so I've put it in OO.
  • Thunder Punch has always been pretty bad as it only really hits regular Gyarados, and Naughty natured Thunderbolt typically OHKOs that after Stealth Rock. Thunderbolt also nails Cloyster which is really nice. I've removed Thunder Punch as a result.
  • Megahorn's list of targets is more than valuable enough for me to consider it worthy of a slash on the main set, and as such there it is despite its suboptimal accuracy (Pokemon in other gens rely on Stone Edge all the time, right?)
  • The slashes have been reworked to capture the main ways Nidoking is used: 2 attacks rocks+toxic (my fave, having used and built with the mon a bit more now), eq ip megahorn rocks/toxic, eq ip tbolt rocks/toxic, and 4 attacks. I think this is fairly comprehensive.
  • I've removed Taunt from OO as no Mew is ever slower than Nidoking and slower rockers can just opt to kill or maim Nidoking for clicking it. Far too high risk and low reward for an entire moveslot.
  • Modified Usage Tips slightly, kept the same base content but elaborated a bit more.
  • Modified Team Options as there were things that definitely warranted mention such as Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl.
  • Added other Water-types to Checks & Counters as well as Mega Aerodactyl.
That was a lot! Let's go to GP.

Edit: also fixed the part where it said Dugtrio was stronger than Nidoking because that is factually incorrect oops
 

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[OVERVIEW]

Nidoking's amazing typing lets it check prominent Pokemon such as Zapdos and Alolan Muk, adds gives a helpful Stealth Rock resistance, and makes it immune to both Toxic and Thunder Wave. Unfortunately, these traits are not unique to it - Nidoking is outclassed defensively by its female counterpart, Nidoqueen, and is overshadowed Nidoqueen shares these traits, outclassing it defensively, and Alolan Dugtrio overshadows it in terms of Speed and therefore often in offensive presence. Nidoking therefore acts as a versatile midground choice between the two(RC), with greater offensive power than both(RC), with greater Speed than Nidoqueen, and a better movepool and tanking ability than Alolan Dugtrio(RP). The(AC), and greater offensive power than both. Its reduced bulk compared to Nidoqueen gives it Nidoking a worse matchup to against many common meta threats in the metagame, such as Alolan Dugtrio, Melmetal, and Mega Charizard X, but its range of attacking options and solid power makes it near(AH)-impossible to consistently switch into. Due to its its increased offensive capability, it can be less prone to being abused by pokemon is less prone than Nidoqueen to being exploited by Pokemon like Cloyster and Gyarados, who which can use Nidoqueen for a somewhat free turn. Before its set is properly scouted, many major metagame threats risk heavy damage from one of Nidoking's coverage options or being hamstrung by its perfectly-accurate Toxic.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Toxic / Megahorn / Thunderbolt
move 4: Stealth Rock / Toxic / Thunderbolt
item: No Item
nature: Adamant / Naughty

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Earthquake is a spammable STAB option, hitting almost any grounded target hard and punishing Zapdos's Roost attempts. Ice Punch does great damage to Flying(AH)- and Grass-types, such as Zapdos, Dragonite, and Alolan Exeggutor, that can handle Earthquake. Toxic is a good midground option when you are unsure of the opponent's switch(AH)-in and a reliable means of threatening Mew, which can easily shrug off its Earthquake. Alternatively, Megahorn can be used to catch switchins, as it is capable of certain switch-ins(AC), KOing a weakened Mew, usually OHKOing Starmie, and 2HKOing Mega Gyarados. Thunderbolt ran with a Naughty nature takes advantage of Gyarados users who that are hesitant to Mega Evolve and become vulnerable to Earthquake and Megahorn, usually OHKOing it after Stealth Rock, and can also OHKO Cloyster(AC), which can otherwise uses Nidoking as setup fodder. Stealth Rock provides invaluable support for any team not packing another setter and can aids Nidoking in breaking targets such as Zapdos and Melmetal, while Toxic or Thunderbolt can be opted for instead if not being ran in the third slot. they are not already being run. Adamant is the preferred nature for Nidoking when not running Thunderbolt in order to maximize its offensive presence, notably giving it extremely favourable (American spelling) odds to 2HKO Melmetal on switchin the switch in with Earthquake.


Usage Tips
========

Nidoking is best used as a breaker that is able to can be adapted to any number of strategies opposing strategy and softens defensive backbones for its teammates. Its true strength comes from its unpredictable coverage, often in the form of its Other Options specifically moves not listed on the main set that are tailored for luring in Pokemon your team struggles with. As such, it's generally best to not reveal too much information about your set until it is necessary. Nidoking outspeeds many Pokemon that would try to come in to scare it out or abuse a turn taken to set up set Stealth Rock. In those cases(AC), predicting is unnecessary, as Nidoking can simply hit them the next turn. If running Stealth Rock, Nidoking should be played more conservatively until it successfully sets them up&emdash; otherwise, them; if not, it can be used more recklessly(AC), but should still be preserved if needed to answer Zapdos. Nidoking can be brought in fairly safely versus Pokemon such as Zapdos, Alolan Muk, and Electrode, as they rarely carry moves that can significantly threaten it. While it can be tempting to use sacrifice a heavily-weakened Nidoking as a sacrifice, its decent Speed tier, resistance to Stealth Rock, and powerful Earthquake means that it can be valuable for revenge killing tanks like Rhydon and Melmetal.



Team Options
========

Mega Beedrill and Zapdos are amazing partners for Nidoking, luring in and pivoting on Pokemon such as Melmetal, Rhydon, and Nidoqueen that Nidoking can then heavily threaten with Earthquake. Mew appreciates Nidoking as a partner that can absorb Toxic for it, making it easier for Mew to perform its defensive roles easier to perform, while Nidoking appreciates Mew's ability to grant U-turn granting it safe entry against Mew switch(AH)-ins such as Alolan Muk with U-Turn. Mew can also act as a soft check for soft check threats to Nidoking like Starmie and Alolan Dugtrio. Pokemon such as Starmie or and Poliwrath greatly benefit from Nidoking switching into every move Zapdos commonly carries for free (bar drill peck) freely switching into all Zapdos moves bar Drill Peck and dishing out strong attacks to the opposing team. Starmie also provides synergy for Nidoking by has synergy with Nidoking, switching in for into Alolan Dugtrio and opposing Poliwrath, while Poliwrath can provide a valuable switch-in for opposing Mega Gyarados if Nidoking needs to be preserved. Melmetal makes for a great teammate, capable of handling as it can handle Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Alakazam for Nidoking. In return, Nidoking can be double-switched into Zapdos attempting that attempt to check Melmetal. Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Alakazam can also appreciate Nidoking's support in weakening several members of the opposing team foes into range of their attacks and landing a Toxic on Mew. crippling Mew with Toxic.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Superpower has the drawback of dropping Nidoking's stats and pressuring it pressures Nidoking to switch out, but it KOes Snorlax after Earthquake, OHKOes Alolan Sandslash, OHKOes Eevee-S after Stealth Rock damage, and deals significant damage to Mega Gyarados. Surf can guarantee guarantees an OHKO on Rhydon and Golem(AC), which can otherwise take a hit and hit hard in return. Ice Beam is a slightly weaker alternative to Ice Punch that KOes Alolan Sandslash after Earthquake. Substitute's HP cost can hinder Nidoking's ability to repeatedly switch into the likes of Zapdos and Alolan Muk(AC), and the move can come at the cost of coverage, but it greatly eases the prediction typically required to handle Nidoking's switch(AH)-ins. Dragon Tail is hard to fit, but with good prediction(AC), it can be used to punish switchins chip down and rack up Stealth Rock damage on switch-ins such as Starmie, Gyarados, and Mew with significant damage when paired with Stealth Rock. A Jolly or Naive nature can be used to guarantee that Nidoking outspeeds uncommon Jolly or Timid variants of Mega Gyarados and Mega Venusaur that run a Jolly or Timid nature, but the power decrease is significant and decreases Nidoking's overall potential as a breaker in most matchups.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Mew**: Mew is able to switch into any Nidoking set and threaten it out with Psychic/Scald. Psychic or Scald. However, Mew must be wary of a potential Toxic when switching in, or a Megahorn if it is weakened.

**Mega Gyarados**: Though Nidoking can potentially OHKO Gyarados with Thunderbolt if Gyarados attempts to switch in before it Mega Evolves, it switches in before Mega Evolving, Mega Gyarados can stomach Nidoking's Earthquake and Ice Punch and threaten an OHKO with Waterfall.

**Bulky Water-types**: Starmie is capable of switching in on Earthquake or Ice Punch and recovering off the damage while heavily threatening Nidoking with its STABs, STAB moves, although it must be wary of switching into Megahorn. Poliwrath, Mega Blastoise, and Vaporeon fear Nidoking even less immediately, have even less immediate fear of Nidoking, but they lack recovery and can be outsped(AC), making them more vulnerable to fainting to repeated hits.

Fast revenge killers: **Fast Revenge Killers**: Though Nidoking's coverage largely prevents lacks safe switch-ins, its middling Speed (capitalization) tier allows it to be easily revenge killed by fast attackers like Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Alakazam, and Alolan Dugtrio.

Mega Venusaur: Mega Venusaur cannot switch-in and safely 1v1 Nidoking, switch in and safely handle Nidoking one-on-one, but if given safe entry (From Zapdos's U-Turn, for example), it can 1v1(AC), such as from Zapdos's U-turn, it can beat Nidoking one-on-one while remaining relatively healthy overall.

[CREDITS]
- [[McCoolDude, 469684]] (added missing brackets)
- Quality checked by: [[Eve, 375272] , [Vengeance417, 198446] , [Lilburr, 481709]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
 
i think its rly good now (mostly better than what i suggested in the ways that it differs) ~ a few smol details

~ in oo at ice beam, you accidentally wrote to ko alolan sandslash after earthquake, rather than (kantonian) sandslash. also, ice beam is just as good against alolan exeggutor (adamant ice beam does a bit less than ice punch while naughty does a bit more, only naughty ice beam guarantees ohko after rocks), where ice punch is rly missed is dragonite, where ice beam is only 75% to ohko after rocks if naughty and 6% if adamant, and if dragonite does survive and set agility you cannot outpace roost recovery (and obv are almost ohkoed back by eq at any point). so ice punch vs ice beam is more about dragonite vs sandslash-k, as well as ice punch being stronger 'generally' / if it hits something other than its intended target. (i think it can go either way at whether ice beam should be slashed, but i mean for how its described.) naughty is preferred if running ice beam bc of dragonite, but adamant is possible if that is not a big concern, and adamant eq + ice beam still always kos sandslash-k after rocks and often does without
~ thunderbolt also can be used with either adamant or naughty, it ohkos cloyster after rocks either way but loses the chance to ohko base gyara after rocks with adamant, and ofc doing less damage generally eg against a m-gyara on the turn of mega evolution if u 'mispredict'. (and oo surf can generally be run with adamant, tho adamant surf is not quite guaranteed (87.5%) to ohko golem without stealth rock, but adamant surf does always ohko rhydon, and the reduced damage isnt important for "other targets" ie sandlsash-k. tbc surf is mostly abt keeping rocks off the field but i agree with it in oo, bc there are almost always better pokemon to bring into nidoking after a ko or from zapdos's u-turn, and its not rly a good matchup for goldon to set rocks anyway).

~ idt megahorn should be run together with toxic, their targets are too similar assuming that u have ice (punch) for dragonite, and megahorn also has the feature of typically being a good move when u are unsure of the switch-in, toxic being better for m-aero and slightly better for poliwrath, megahorn being better for m-venu, but idk that any of these are likely to switch in directly except for maybe poliwrath, and megahorn is also much better after switching into muk-a, still doing good damage to it if it doesnt switch out. unless people disagree, maybe remove toxic from being slashed in the fourth moveslot as a way of indicating that.
i also really dont like eq / ice / tbolt / sr bc it lacks anything for mew, so in my opinion the third slot could just be toxic / megahorn (ie the move for mew and starmie switchins, with other advantages/disadvantages), and the fourth slot stealth rock / thunderbolt, but idk if people think that is too limiting.
~ idk about dragon tail in oo since nidoking has access to coverage moves for whatever it wants, eg id rather just hit mew with megahorn or even toxic than try to get chip with dragon tail that it can recover off later anyway.

~ i do still think it should be noted that if nidoking does run stealth rock, it will not wallbreak as well, since its bulk isnt great and will take significant damage on the turn it sets rocks, except against zapdos or on a predicted switch (but if the opponent has identified nidoking as the teams rock setter it will usually attack rather than trying to switch if nidoking hasnt set rocks yet), and particularly against m-gyara for megahorn (or superpower) sets. its not dugtrio-a frail, but it is definitely a factor when considering whether to run stealth rock on nidoking or on a teammate.
~ (adamant) taunt nidoking can usually beat m-venu 1v1 by preventing leech seed, and can prevent dragonite or cloyster from setting up if you lack the appropriate coverage move, so it could maybeee have a place on a set like eq / megahorn / surf / taunt (adamant), which is otherwise vulnerable to setup sweepers esp since it lacks toxic, and has surf for goldon, megahorn for mew that eg might try to set rocks in front of it predicting a switch, while it can usually taunt nidoqueen and sometimes sandslash-k without being koed by eq if it mispredicts, tho nidoqueen is prob switching out rather than sacking itself to set rocks, and can esp taunt clefable (and still having pretty good coverage even without ice punch/beam, with megahorn for exeggutor forms, and taunt for zapdos). i think its fine to remove it tho since surf is already questionable, and this isnt worth going into since its too specific a set for an analysis and since it is the only set i can see taunt as really being worth running. (tbh i kind of feel that way about surf too, it rly messes up nidokings coverage, superpower can semi-replace thunderbolt since it covers m-gyara and at least does enough to cloyster that it cannot come back in on rocks a second time, so it doesnt require any changes to the rest of the moveset (most likely eq / ice / superpower / toxic). surf provides no coverage so it either leaves a significant coverage gap or needs the rest of the moveslot specifically tailored around it such as the weird-looking suggested taunt set.
 
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[OVERVIEW]
Nidoking's amazing typing lets it check prominent Pokemon such as Zapdos and Alolan Muk, gives a helpful Stealth Rock resistance, and makes it immune to both Toxic and Thunder Wave. Unfortunately, Nidoqueen shares these traits, outclassing it defensively, and Alolan Dugtrio overshadows it in terms of Speed and therefore often in offensive presence. Nidoking therefore acts as a versatile midground choice with greater offensive power than both, greater Speed than Nidoqueen, and a better movepool and tanking ability than Alolan Dugtrio, (RC) and greater offensive power than both. Its reduced bulk compared to Nidoqueen gives Nidoking a worse matchup against many common metagame threats, (RC) such as Alolan Dugtrio, Melmetal, and Mega Charizard X, but its range of attacking options and solid power makes it near-impossible to consistently switch into. Due to its increased offensive capability, it is less prone than Nidoqueen to being exploited by Pokemon like Cloyster and Gyarados, which can use Nidoqueen for a somewhat free turn. Before its set is properly scouted, many major metagame threats risk heavy damage from one of Nidoking's coverage options or being hamstrung by its perfectly-accurate Toxic.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Toxic / Megahorn
move 4: Stealth Rock / Toxic / Thunderbolt
item: No Item
nature: Adamant / Naughty

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Earthquake is a spammable STAB option, hitting almost any grounded target hard and punishing Zapdos's Roost attempts. Ice Punch does great damage to Flying- and Grass-types, such as Zapdos, Dragonite, and Alolan Exeggutor, that can handle Earthquake. Toxic is a good midground option when you are unsure of the opponent's switch-in and a reliable means of threatening Mew, which can easily shrug off Earthquake. Alternatively, Megahorn can be used to catch certain switch-ins, KOing a weakened Mew, usually OHKOing Starmie, and 2HKOing Mega Gyarados. Stealth Rock provides invaluable support for any team not packing another setter and aids Nidoking in breaking targets such as Zapdos and Melmetal, while Toxic or Thunderbolt can be opted for instead if they are not already being run. Thunderbolt with a Naughty nature takes advantage of Gyarados that are hesitant to Mega Evolve and become vulnerable to Earthquake and Megahorn, usually OHKOing it after Stealth Rock, and can also OHKO Cloyster, which otherwise uses Nidoking as setup fodder. Adamant is the preferred nature for Nidoking when not running Thunderbolt, (spacing) notably giving it extremely favorable odds to 2HKO Melmetal on the switch in with Earthquake.


Usage Tips
========

Nidoking is best used as a breaker that can be adapted to any strategy and softens defensive backbones for its teammates. Its true strength comes from its unpredictable coverage, often in the form of moves not listed on its main set that are specifically tailored for luring in Pokemon your team struggles with. As such, it's generally best to not reveal information about your set until it is necessary. Nidoking outspeeds many Pokemon that would try to come in to scare it out or set Stealth Rock. In those cases, predicting is unnecessary, as Nidoking can simply hit them the next turn. If running Stealth Rock, Nidoking should be played more conservatively until it successfully sets them; if not, it can be used more recklessly, but it should still be preserved if needed to answer Zapdos. Setting up Stealth Rock against Zapdos is ideal, (AC) as it is unable to significantly punish Nidoking for doing so. Nidoking can be brought in fairly safely versus Pokemon such as Zapdos, Alolan Muk, and Electrode, as they rarely carry moves that can significantly threaten it. While it can be tempting to sacrifice a heavily-weakened Nidoking, its decent Speed tier, resistance to Stealth Rock, and powerful Earthquake mean that it can still be valuable for revenge killing tanks like Rhydon and Melmetal.


Team Options
========

Mega Beedrill and Zapdos are amazing partners for Nidoking, luring in and pivoting on Pokemon such as Melmetal, Rhydon, and Nidoqueen that Nidoking can then heavily threaten with Earthquake. Mew appreciates Nidoking as a partner that can absorb Toxic for it, making its defensive roles easier to perform, while Nidoking appreciates U-turn granting it safe entry against Mew's switch-ins such as Alolan Muk and Zapdos. Mew can also soft-check threats like Starmie and Alolan Dugtrio. Pokemon such as Starmie and Poliwrath greatly benefit from Nidoking freely switching into every Zapdos move from Zapdos bar Drill Peck and dishing out strong attacks. Starmie also has synergy with Nidoking, switching into Alolan Dugtrio and opposing Poliwrath, while Poliwrath can provide a valuable switch-in for Mega Gyarados if Nidoking needs to be preserved. Melmetal makes for a great teammate, as it can handle Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Alakazam. In return, Nidoking can be double-switched (RH) into Zapdos that attempt to check Melmetal. Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Alakazam also appreciate Nidoking's support in weakening foes into range of their attacks and crippling Mew with Toxic.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Superpower pressures Nidoking to switch out, but it KOes Snorlax after Earthquake, OHKOes Alolan Sandslash, OHKOes Eevee-S after Stealth Rock damage, and deals significant damage to Mega Gyarados. Surf guarantees an OHKO on Rhydon and Golem, which can otherwise take a hit and hit hard in return. Ice Beam is a slightly weaker alternative to Ice Punch that more reliably KOes Alolan Exeggutor after Stealth Rock damage and Sandslash after Earthquake. Substitute's HP cost can hinder Nidoking's ability to repeatedly switch into the likes of Zapdos and Alolan Muk, and the move can come at the cost of coverage, but it greatly eases the prediction typically required to handle Nidoking's switch-ins. Dragon Tail is hard to fit, but with good prediction, it can chip down and rack up Stealth Rock damage on switch-ins switch-ins such as Starmie, Gyarados, and Mew. A Jolly or Naive nature can be used to guarantee that Nidoking outspeeds uncommon Jolly or Timid variants of Mega Gyarados and Mega Venusaur, but the power decrease is significant and decreases Nidoking's potential as a breaker in most matchups.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Mew**: Mew is able to switch into any Nidoking set and threaten it out with Psychic or Scald. However, Mew must be wary of a potential Toxic when switching in, (RC) or Megahorn if it is weakened.

**Mega Gyarados**: Though Nidoking can potentially OHKO Gyarados with Thunderbolt if it switches in before Mega Evolving, Mega Gyarados can stomach Nidoking's Earthquake and Ice Punch and threaten an OHKO with Waterfall.

**Bulky Water-types**: Starmie is capable of switching in on Earthquake or Ice Punch and recovering off the damage while heavily threatening Nidoking with its STAB moves, although it must be wary of switching into Megahorn. Poliwrath, Mega Blastoise, and Vaporeon have even less immediate fear of Nidoking, but they lack recovery and can be outsped, making them more vulnerable to fainting to repeated hits.

**Fast Revenge Killers**: Though Nidoking's coverage largely lacks safe switch-ins, its middling Speed tier allows it to be easily revenge killed by fast attackers like Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Alakazam, and Alolan Dugtrio.

**Mega Venusaur**: Mega Venusaur cannot switch in and safely handle Nidoking on-on-one, but if given safe entry, such as from Zapdos's U-turn, for example), (RC) it can beat Nidoking one-on-one while remaining relatively healthy overall.

[CREDITS]
- [[McCoolDude, 469684]]
- Quality checked by: [[Eve, 375272] , [Vengeance417, 198446] , [Lilburr, 481709]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
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[OVERVIEW]

Nidoking's amazing typing lets it check prominent Pokemon such as Zapdos and Alolan Muk, gives a helpful Stealth Rock resistance, and makes it immune to both Toxic and Thunder Wave. Unfortunately, Nidoqueen shares these traits, outclassing and outclasses it defensively, and Alolan Dugtrio overshadows it in terms of Speed and therefore often in offensive presence. Nidoking therefore acts as a versatile midground choice with greater offensive power presence (or just power) than both, greater Speed than Nidoqueen, and a better movepool and tanking ability than Alolan Dugtrio. Its reduced bulk compared to Nidoqueen gives Nidoking a worse matchup against many common metagame threats such as Alolan Dugtrio, Melmetal, and Mega Charizard X, but its range of attacking options and solid power makes make it near impossible (RH) to consistently switch into. Due to its increased offensive capability, it is less prone than Nidoqueen to being exploited by Pokemon like Cloyster and Gyarados, which can use Nidoqueen for a somewhat free turn. Before its set is properly scouted, many major metagame threats risk heavy damage from one of Nidoking's coverage options or being hamstrung by its perfectly accurate (RH) Toxic.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Toxic / Megahorn
move 4: Stealth Rock / Toxic / Thunderbolt
item: No Item
nature: Adamant / Naughty

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Earthquake is a spammable STAB option, hitting almost any grounded target hard and punishing Zapdos's Roost attempts. Ice Punch does great damage to Flying- and Grass-types, such as Zapdos, Dragonite, and Alolan Exeggutor, that can handle Earthquake. Toxic is a good midground option when you are unsure of the opponent's switch-in and a reliable means of threatening Mew, which can easily shrug off Earthquake. Alternatively, Megahorn can be used to catch certain switch-ins, KOing a weakened Mew, usually OHKOing Starmie, and 2HKOing Mega Gyarados. Stealth Rock provides invaluable support for any team not packing another setter and aids Nidoking in breaking targets such as Zapdos and Melmetal, while Toxic or Thunderbolt can be opted for instead if they are not already being run. Thunderbolt with a Naughty nature takes advantage of Gyarados that are hesitant to Mega Evolve and become vulnerable to Earthquake and Megahorn, usually OHKOing it after Stealth Rock, and can also OHKO Cloyster, which otherwise uses Nidoking as setup fodder. Adamant is the preferred nature for Nidoking when not running Thunderbolt, notably giving it extremely favorable odds to 2HKO Melmetal on the switch with Earthquake.


Usage Tips
========

Nidoking is best used as a wallbreaker that can be adapted to any strategy and softens soften defensive backbones for its teammates. Its true strength comes from its unpredictable coverage, often in the form of moves not listed on its main set that are specifically tailored for luring in and taking out Pokemon your team struggles with. As such a result, it's generally best to not reveal information about your set until it is necessary. Nidoking outspeeds many Pokemon that would try to come in to scare it out or set Stealth Rock. In those cases, predicting is unnecessary, as Nidoking can simply hit them the next turn. If running Stealth Rock, Nidoking should be played more conservatively until it successfully sets them up the entry hazard; if not, it can be used more recklessly, but it should still be preserved if needed to answer Zapdos. Setting Stealth Rock against Zapdos is ideal, as it is unable to significantly punish Nidoking for doing so. Nidoking can be brought in fairly safely versus Pokemon such as Zapdos, Alolan Muk, and Electrode, as they rarely carry moves that can significantly threaten it. While it can be tempting to sacrifice a heavily (RH) weakened Nidoking, its decent Speed tier, resistance to Stealth Rock, and powerful Earthquake mean that it can still be valuable for revenge killing tanks like Rhydon and Melmetal.


Team Options
========

Mega Beedrill and Zapdos are amazing partners for Nidoking, luring in and pivoting on Pokemon such as Melmetal, Rhydon, and Nidoqueen that Nidoking can then heavily threaten with Earthquake. Mew appreciates Nidoking as a partner that can absorb Toxic for it, making its defensive roles easier to perform, while Nidoking appreciates U-turn granting it safe entry against Mew's switch-ins such as Alolan Muk and Zapdos. Mew can also soft check (RH) threats like Starmie and Alolan Dugtrio. Pokemon such as Starmie and Poliwrath greatly benefit from Nidoking freely switching into every move from Zapdos bar Drill Peck and dishing out strong attacks. Starmie also has synergy with Nidoking, switching into Alolan Dugtrio and opposing Poliwrath, while Poliwrath can provide a valuable switch-in for Mega Gyarados if Nidoking needs to be preserved. Melmetal makes for a great teammate, as it can handle Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Alakazam. In return, Nidoking can be switched into Zapdos that attempt to check Melmetal. Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Alakazam also appreciate Nidoking's support in weakening foes into range of their attacks and crippling Mew with Toxic.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Superpower pressures Nidoking to switch out after use, but it KOes Snorlax after Earthquake, OHKOes Alolan Sandslash, OHKOes Eevee-S after Stealth Rock damage, and deals significant damage to Mega Gyarados. Surf guarantees an OHKO on Rhydon and Golem, which can otherwise take a hit and hit hard in return. Ice Beam is a slightly weaker alternative to Ice Punch that more reliably KOes Alolan Exeggutor after Stealth Rock damage and Sandslash after Earthquake. Substitute's HP cost can hinder Nidoking's ability to repeatedly switch into the likes of Zapdos and Alolan Muk, and the move can come at the cost of coverage, but it greatly eases the prediction typically required to handle Nidoking's switch-ins. Dragon Tail is hard to fit, but with good prediction, it can chip down and rack up Stealth Rock damage on switch-ins such as Starmie, Gyarados, and Mew. A Jolly or Naive nature can be used to guarantee that Nidoking outspeeds uncommon Jolly or Timid variants of Mega Gyarados and Mega Venusaur, but the power decrease is significant and decreases Nidoking's potential as a wallbreaker in most matchups.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Mew**: Mew is able to switch into any Nidoking set and threaten it out with Psychic or Scald. However, Mew it must be wary of a potential Toxic when switching in or Megahorn if it is weakened.

**Mega Gyarados**: Though Nidoking can potentially OHKO Gyarados with Thunderbolt if it switches in before Mega Evolving, Mega Gyarados can stomach Nidoking's Earthquake and Ice Punch and threaten an OHKO with Waterfall.

**Bulky Water-types**: Starmie is capable of switching in on Earthquake or Ice Punch and recovering off the damage while heavily threatening Nidoking with its STAB moves, although it must be wary of switching into Megahorn. Poliwrath, Mega Blastoise, and Vaporeon have even less immediate fear of Nidoking, but they lack recovery and can be outsped, making them more vulnerable to fainting to repeated hits.

**Fast Revenge Killers**: Though Nidoking's coverage largely lacks safe switch-ins, its middling Speed tier allows it to be easily revenge killed by fast attackers like Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Alakazam, and Alolan Dugtrio.

**Mega Venusaur**: Mega Venusaur cannot switch in and safely handle Nidoking on-on-one, but if given safe entry, such as from Zapdos's U-turn, it can beat Nidoking while remaining relatively healthy overall.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[McCoolDude, 469684]]
- Quality checked by: [[Eve, 375272] , [Vengeance417, 198446] , [Lilburr, 481709]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732], [, ]]
 
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