PISTOLERO
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
Toxicroak
What's a Fairy?
Overview
########
Toxicroak has lost a large amount of what made it such a solid OU Pokemon in BW. With rain no longer being permanent alongside the rise of Fairy-types and other new tier members to deal with Keldeo and Terrakion, Pokemon that Toxicroak checked very nicely last generation, as well as the legality of Swift Swim users on rain teams, means that it is harder for Toxicroak to find its place on teams in the sixth generation. However, Toxicroak has also gained a huge boost with the introducion of the Fairy-type, granting its Poison typing relevance and solid offensive potential. Overall, whilst Toxicroak has fallen out of OU, it is still a solid choice for teams that need priority, a Fighting-type and a rock solid answer to defensive Water- and Fairy-types, as well as a loose check to various other OU Pokemon.
Underrated
########
name: Underrated
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Swords Dance / Ice Punch
ability: Dry Skin
item: Life Orb / Black Sludge
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant
Moves
========
Gunk Shot had its accuracy buffed to 80 in XY and is Toxicroak's most powerful STAB move, which also has a 30% chance to poison. Drain Punch deals solid amounts of damage and gives Toxicroak a way to restore its HP lost due to Life Orb and other damage. Sucker Punch gives Toxicroak priority and a weapon to use against offensive teams that outspeed it. In the last moveslot, Swords Dance is generally better as it allows Toxicroak to set up on the things it walls and / or threatens out. If you don’t feel like setting up, Ice Punch lets Toxicroak beat up on Landorus-Therian and Gliscor.
Set Details
========
Life Orb Gunk Shot is very powerful (and actually hits this generation), 2HKOing defensive Mega Venusaur as an example. It also rips all variants of Clefable to shreds, and can catch unevolved Gardevoir, as well as dealing significant damage to everything that doesn't resist it. Drain Punch hits Steel-Types supereffectively, gives Toxicroak a means of gaining its health back alongside Dry Skin, and promptly OHKOes Bisharp, allowing Toxicroak to easily check it thanks to its resistance to Sucker Punch. Sucker Punch grants Toxicroak its own priority move, allowing it to take out faster opponents that have taken prior damage or are weak to it. Swords Dance allows Toxicroak to set up on the defensive Water-types that it walls, as well as the various other Pokemon that it threatens out, allowing its Sucker Punch to deal significant damage to faster opponents, and wallbreak against opposing defensive Pokemon. Ice Punch is also an option to nail Gliscor and Landorus-Therian, and also hits Garchomp if it tries to come in, but Landorus-Therian is relatively easy to wear down, and can be poisoned by Gunk Shot if it switches in on it, meaning that Swords Dance tends to be the superior option.
An Adamant nature can be used for more power, but Jolly is superior as Toxicroak is then guaranteed to outspeed Mega Heracross, and at worst speed tie with it pre-evo, and outspeed pre-evo Gardevoir and break its face. It also outspeeds Mamoswine, Gyarados, and once Gyarados starts using Crunch+Waterfall Toxicroak is going to have a field day with it. Finally, Jolly lets Toxicroak take on sand offense reasonably well as it outspeeds Adamant Drill (outside of sand of course), and Toxicroak is easily able to Drain Punch Tyranitar away.
Usage Tips
======
Toxicroak should use its Dry Skin ability to come in on opposing Water moves from the likes of Keldeo, Kingdra and Omastar, restoring its HP and often forcing the opponent out, due to a lot of Swift Swimmers and Keldeo being choice-locked. Toxicroak should also be used a s a check and pivot into Water-type Pokemon, as it is able to take things such as Stone Edge from Kabutops or Ice Beam from Omastar and OHKO them back, with any free turns obtained being used to hit the switchin or set up Swords Dance. Using the immunity to Scald to come in on bulky Water-types such as Alomomola and Suicune works very nicely as well, as neither Scald nor Toxic do anything to Toxicroak, whilst Toxicroak can set up Swords Dance all over them, easily taking weak Ice Beams or other potential coverage moves, and completely walling Calm Mind Suicune.
Team Options
========
Politoed and other things that go well on rain work nicely. Toxicroak benefits from the rain itself to continually restore its HP, and eats opposing rain teams, whose choice-locked Swift Swimmers are ruined as they can’t spam their Water moves anymore, and is also able to Drain Punch Ferrothorn for supereffective damage. Rain teams also deal with Sand Drill, with Toxicroak being able to Drain Punch Tyranitar whilst also living anything that isn’t Earthquake from +1 Mega Tyranitar. Toxicroak can also work on sand itself to deal with opposing rain teams, bulky waters and take on Keldeo. You can also take a couple of hits from Terrakion as you resist its dual STAB, and easily OHKO it back.
Anything walled or checked by bulky Waters appreciate Toxicroak’s ability to come in on them. Coming in on Azumarill’s moves apart from Play Rough works very nicely and you can’t get sniped by Aqua Jet, and Toxicroak is also a perfect check to Belly Drum variants as it is completely immune to Aqua Jet. Teams with weaknesses to things such as Keldeo, Azumarill, etc really appreciate Toxicroak’s ability to take them on.
Offensive teams that have trouble with Bisharp and Clefable appreciate Toxicroak being able to Drain Punch the former and Gunk Shot the latter for easy OHKOs. A Flying Spam check such as Raikou or Manectric is appreciated, and they both like Toxicroak’s ability to deal with Clefable, which walls them both. Checks to Ground-Types, such as Ferrothorn and Landorus-Therian, are very nice. Landorus can also take Specs Secret Sword from Keldeo quite nicely, allowing Toxicroak to pivot into Keldeo nicely.
Other Options
########
Substitute can protect Toxicroak from status and give it a shield against potential revenge killers. Taunt can also prevent status, whilst also stopping opposing Leech Seeds, Defogs, hazards or recovery. Bulk Up is an interesting option that allows Toxicroak to take a more defensive approach to increasing its stats, but works best alongside Substitute, which in turn limits Toxicroak's coverage significantly. Specially based sets with Sludge Bomb, Focus Blast,
Nasty Plot, Vacuum Wave, Dark Pulse, and Hidden Power can catch usual checks to Toxicroak off guard. Belch, Focus Blast / Vacuum Wave, Nasty Plot and Substitute with a Salac Berry can work quite nicely as Belch continues to function even if Toxicroak switches out.
Knock Off can be useful to deal significant damage to defensive Psychic-types at +2, but it means giving up valuable priority in Sucker Punch. Finally, Thunderpunch can be used to hit Water-types supereffectively and outspeed and OHKO Gyarados.
Checks & Counters:
########
**Flying-type Priority**: Talonflame and Mega Pinsir easily KO Toxicroak with Brave Bird and Quick Attack respectively.
**Ground-Types**: Landorus-Therian can easily switch in on anything that isn't Ice Punch, with Scarf variants outspeeding and easily OHKOing any variant with Earthquake. Gliscor completely walls any Toxicroak without Ice Punch, does not care about Gunk Shots chance to poison, and can also KO with Earthquake. Finally, Hippowdon can wall Toxicroak and OHKO it with Earthquake.
**Charizard**: Both variants of Charizard outspeed and easily OHKO Toxicroak with their Fire-type STAB. Charizard Y needs to watch out for +2 Sucker Punch after Stealth Rock, however.
**Mega Gardevoir**: Whilst Mega Gardevoir is outsped if it is not Mega Evolved, after Mega Evolving it can easily tank a Sucker Punch and deliver a swift OHKO with either Psyshock or Hyper Voice.
**Faster mons with supereffective moves**: Landorus-Incarnate, Extrasensory Greninja, Staraptor and others can all take a Sucker Punch and OHKO Toxicroak.
**Skarmory**: Skarmory walls Toxicroak and OHKOes it with Brave Bird or Counter, whilst whirlwinding away any attempts to set up with Swords Dance.
**fast Will-O-Wisp Mew**: Mew can burn Toxicroak whilst avoiding Sucker Punch with Softboiled, can Knock Off Toxicroak's item, and resists Drain Punch.
**Psyshock / Fire Blast Slowbro**: Slowbro with either move can wall Toxicroak and retaliate with an OHKO. Thunder Wave variants can somewhat cripple Toxicroak but are set up on to a degree.
What's a Fairy?
Overview
########
Toxicroak has lost a large amount of what made it such a solid OU Pokemon in BW. With rain no longer being permanent alongside the rise of Fairy-types and other new tier members to deal with Keldeo and Terrakion, Pokemon that Toxicroak checked very nicely last generation, as well as the legality of Swift Swim users on rain teams, means that it is harder for Toxicroak to find its place on teams in the sixth generation. However, Toxicroak has also gained a huge boost with the introducion of the Fairy-type, granting its Poison typing relevance and solid offensive potential. Overall, whilst Toxicroak has fallen out of OU, it is still a solid choice for teams that need priority, a Fighting-type and a rock solid answer to defensive Water- and Fairy-types, as well as a loose check to various other OU Pokemon.
Underrated
########
name: Underrated
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Swords Dance / Ice Punch
ability: Dry Skin
item: Life Orb / Black Sludge
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant
Moves
========
Gunk Shot had its accuracy buffed to 80 in XY and is Toxicroak's most powerful STAB move, which also has a 30% chance to poison. Drain Punch deals solid amounts of damage and gives Toxicroak a way to restore its HP lost due to Life Orb and other damage. Sucker Punch gives Toxicroak priority and a weapon to use against offensive teams that outspeed it. In the last moveslot, Swords Dance is generally better as it allows Toxicroak to set up on the things it walls and / or threatens out. If you don’t feel like setting up, Ice Punch lets Toxicroak beat up on Landorus-Therian and Gliscor.
Set Details
========
Life Orb Gunk Shot is very powerful (and actually hits this generation), 2HKOing defensive Mega Venusaur as an example. It also rips all variants of Clefable to shreds, and can catch unevolved Gardevoir, as well as dealing significant damage to everything that doesn't resist it. Drain Punch hits Steel-Types supereffectively, gives Toxicroak a means of gaining its health back alongside Dry Skin, and promptly OHKOes Bisharp, allowing Toxicroak to easily check it thanks to its resistance to Sucker Punch. Sucker Punch grants Toxicroak its own priority move, allowing it to take out faster opponents that have taken prior damage or are weak to it. Swords Dance allows Toxicroak to set up on the defensive Water-types that it walls, as well as the various other Pokemon that it threatens out, allowing its Sucker Punch to deal significant damage to faster opponents, and wallbreak against opposing defensive Pokemon. Ice Punch is also an option to nail Gliscor and Landorus-Therian, and also hits Garchomp if it tries to come in, but Landorus-Therian is relatively easy to wear down, and can be poisoned by Gunk Shot if it switches in on it, meaning that Swords Dance tends to be the superior option.
An Adamant nature can be used for more power, but Jolly is superior as Toxicroak is then guaranteed to outspeed Mega Heracross, and at worst speed tie with it pre-evo, and outspeed pre-evo Gardevoir and break its face. It also outspeeds Mamoswine, Gyarados, and once Gyarados starts using Crunch+Waterfall Toxicroak is going to have a field day with it. Finally, Jolly lets Toxicroak take on sand offense reasonably well as it outspeeds Adamant Drill (outside of sand of course), and Toxicroak is easily able to Drain Punch Tyranitar away.
Usage Tips
======
Toxicroak should use its Dry Skin ability to come in on opposing Water moves from the likes of Keldeo, Kingdra and Omastar, restoring its HP and often forcing the opponent out, due to a lot of Swift Swimmers and Keldeo being choice-locked. Toxicroak should also be used a s a check and pivot into Water-type Pokemon, as it is able to take things such as Stone Edge from Kabutops or Ice Beam from Omastar and OHKO them back, with any free turns obtained being used to hit the switchin or set up Swords Dance. Using the immunity to Scald to come in on bulky Water-types such as Alomomola and Suicune works very nicely as well, as neither Scald nor Toxic do anything to Toxicroak, whilst Toxicroak can set up Swords Dance all over them, easily taking weak Ice Beams or other potential coverage moves, and completely walling Calm Mind Suicune.
Team Options
========
Politoed and other things that go well on rain work nicely. Toxicroak benefits from the rain itself to continually restore its HP, and eats opposing rain teams, whose choice-locked Swift Swimmers are ruined as they can’t spam their Water moves anymore, and is also able to Drain Punch Ferrothorn for supereffective damage. Rain teams also deal with Sand Drill, with Toxicroak being able to Drain Punch Tyranitar whilst also living anything that isn’t Earthquake from +1 Mega Tyranitar. Toxicroak can also work on sand itself to deal with opposing rain teams, bulky waters and take on Keldeo. You can also take a couple of hits from Terrakion as you resist its dual STAB, and easily OHKO it back.
Anything walled or checked by bulky Waters appreciate Toxicroak’s ability to come in on them. Coming in on Azumarill’s moves apart from Play Rough works very nicely and you can’t get sniped by Aqua Jet, and Toxicroak is also a perfect check to Belly Drum variants as it is completely immune to Aqua Jet. Teams with weaknesses to things such as Keldeo, Azumarill, etc really appreciate Toxicroak’s ability to take them on.
Offensive teams that have trouble with Bisharp and Clefable appreciate Toxicroak being able to Drain Punch the former and Gunk Shot the latter for easy OHKOs. A Flying Spam check such as Raikou or Manectric is appreciated, and they both like Toxicroak’s ability to deal with Clefable, which walls them both. Checks to Ground-Types, such as Ferrothorn and Landorus-Therian, are very nice. Landorus can also take Specs Secret Sword from Keldeo quite nicely, allowing Toxicroak to pivot into Keldeo nicely.
Other Options
########
Substitute can protect Toxicroak from status and give it a shield against potential revenge killers. Taunt can also prevent status, whilst also stopping opposing Leech Seeds, Defogs, hazards or recovery. Bulk Up is an interesting option that allows Toxicroak to take a more defensive approach to increasing its stats, but works best alongside Substitute, which in turn limits Toxicroak's coverage significantly. Specially based sets with Sludge Bomb, Focus Blast,
Nasty Plot, Vacuum Wave, Dark Pulse, and Hidden Power can catch usual checks to Toxicroak off guard. Belch, Focus Blast / Vacuum Wave, Nasty Plot and Substitute with a Salac Berry can work quite nicely as Belch continues to function even if Toxicroak switches out.
Knock Off can be useful to deal significant damage to defensive Psychic-types at +2, but it means giving up valuable priority in Sucker Punch. Finally, Thunderpunch can be used to hit Water-types supereffectively and outspeed and OHKO Gyarados.
Checks & Counters:
########
**Flying-type Priority**: Talonflame and Mega Pinsir easily KO Toxicroak with Brave Bird and Quick Attack respectively.
**Ground-Types**: Landorus-Therian can easily switch in on anything that isn't Ice Punch, with Scarf variants outspeeding and easily OHKOing any variant with Earthquake. Gliscor completely walls any Toxicroak without Ice Punch, does not care about Gunk Shots chance to poison, and can also KO with Earthquake. Finally, Hippowdon can wall Toxicroak and OHKO it with Earthquake.
**Charizard**: Both variants of Charizard outspeed and easily OHKO Toxicroak with their Fire-type STAB. Charizard Y needs to watch out for +2 Sucker Punch after Stealth Rock, however.
**Mega Gardevoir**: Whilst Mega Gardevoir is outsped if it is not Mega Evolved, after Mega Evolving it can easily tank a Sucker Punch and deliver a swift OHKO with either Psyshock or Hyper Voice.
**Faster mons with supereffective moves**: Landorus-Incarnate, Extrasensory Greninja, Staraptor and others can all take a Sucker Punch and OHKO Toxicroak.
**Skarmory**: Skarmory walls Toxicroak and OHKOes it with Brave Bird or Counter, whilst whirlwinding away any attempts to set up with Swords Dance.
**fast Will-O-Wisp Mew**: Mew can burn Toxicroak whilst avoiding Sucker Punch with Softboiled, can Knock Off Toxicroak's item, and resists Drain Punch.
**Psyshock / Fire Blast Slowbro**: Slowbro with either move can wall Toxicroak and retaliate with an OHKO. Thunder Wave variants can somewhat cripple Toxicroak but are set up on to a degree.
Last edited: