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Tentacruel
[Overview]
Tentacruel is a valuable lead in Ubers. It's able to set Toxic Spikes on nearly any lead, ensuring its user valuable chip damage on threats such as Groudon, Mewtwo, and Palkia. Its solid Speed tier enables it to outpace leads like Tyranitar and Giratina-O, and its high Special Defense lets it take attacks like Life Orb Rayquaza’s Draco Meteor and Shaymin-S's Seed Flare. Lastly, it boasts effective hazard control. Its Poison typing enables it to remove Toxic Spikes upon entry to the field, and it can clear Spikes and Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin in some circumstances.
Unfortunately, Tentacruel has little use outside of leading. Its poor Defense and weak defensive typing hamper its ability to check anything, while its Special Attack is too low to be an effective offensive presence. Additionally, it lacks the durability of Forretress as a Rapid Spin user, making it occasionally challenging to keep Tentacruel useful over long games. Another point against it as a Rapid Spin user is its susceptibility to Giratina-O, which consistently forces it out with the threat of coverage such as Earthquake, Outrage, and Thunder while blocking its ability to use Rapid Spin with its Ghost typing.
[SET]
name: Lead
move 1: Toxic Spikes
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Icy Wind
move 4: Hydro Pump
item: Lum Berry / Focus Sash
ability: Clear Body
nature: Timid
evs: 132 HP / 160 SpA / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Toxic Spikes is invaluable in a tier with numerous grounded threats such as Kabutops, Garchomp, and Kyogre, and Tentacruel has the right combination of Speed, bulk, and resistances to be able to set entry hazards in nearly any game. Rapid Spin augments Tentacruel's usefulness as a lead, enabling it to ward off hazards from leads such as Deoxys-S, Tyranitar, and Cloyster. Icy Wind's Speed drops further increase Tentacruel's utility, decreasing its passivity versus ambitious setup sweepers and heftily damaging Rayquaza and Shaymin-S. Lastly, Hydro Pump is Tentacruel's strongest STAB move, threatening leads such as Forretress, Scizor, and Tyranitar. Tentacruel can opt for a Lum Berry to set Toxic Spikes on Darkrai's Dark Void, whereas a Focus Sash guarantees Toxic Spikes versus Deoxys-A leads and prevents Life Orb Rayquaza and Groudon's Earthquakes from OHKOing it.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
Tentacruel's Speed investment ensures that it outpaces all lead Rayquaza. 160 Special Attack EVs let Tentacruel 2HKO uninvested Tyranitar leads with Hydro Pump. 132 HP EVs make Forretress's Payback a 4HKO while also preventing Jolly lead Tyranitar from KOing Tentacruel with Payback and two rounds of sand damage. An alternate EV spread with 52 Def / 240 SpA / 216 Spe and Ice Beam over Icy Wind is viable. This lets Tentacruel 3HKO 0 HP / 0 SpD Giratina-O while also OHKOing Shaymin-S and Naive Rayquaza. The Defense investment gives Forretress's Payback only a 1.9% chance to 3HKO, while Jolly Tyranitar's Payback still won't KO after 2 rounds of sand damage. Generally, more defensive teams will appreciate the former spread, as Tentacruel can appreciate the longevity more HP provides and Icy Wind has defensive utility. Some offense teams will tend to benefit from the latter spread's ability to actively damage threats while having a more realistic shot of using Rapid Spin versus teams with Giratina-O, but it should be noted that Icy Wind tends to outclass Ice Beam; Speed drops are incredibly useful for building momentum and also helping to decrease Tentacruel's passivity in a different way. Lastly, Clear Body is chosen over Liquid Ooze because it prevents Froslass from lowering Tentacruel's Speed with Icy Wind.
Good teammates for Tentacruel tend to take advantage of Toxic Spikes. Powerful offensive partners include Dialga, Palkia, Giratina-O, and Ho-Oh. They tend to frighten off Levitate users, Flying, and Steel types, which are immune to Toxic Spikes, and lure in checks susceptible to them. Giratina-O in particular is able to block Rapid Spin, ensuring that Tentacruel's Toxic Spikes remain up for the whole game versus some teams. Ho-Oh also deserves a special mention, as Tentacruel's fast Rapid Spin can mitigate its 4x Stealth Rock weakness. Other Stealth Rock-weak offensive Pokemon that appreciate Rapid Spin include Rayquaza, Shaymin-S, and Salamence. On defensive teams, Lugia is a valuable partner; Toxic Spikes help it Pressure stall more effectively, and Rapid Spin can mitigate its Stealth Rock weakness. Other stall-oriented Pokemon that benefit from Toxic Spikes support include Stalltwo, Ludicolo, Heatran, Gliscor, and Giratina. Lastly, Pokemon that do not appreciate residual damage from Toxic Spikes make good Tentacruel teammates, given its ability to absorb them simply by switching in. These include Choice Specs Kyogre, Choice Scarf Palkia, and Rock Polish Groudon.
Tentacruel's largest purpose is setting Toxic Spikes. Therefore, this should be the move its user clicks first in most scenarios. Whether Tentacruel sets one or two layers, however, depends on its user's prediction of the opponent's team and one's own team. If one's opponent leads Rayquaza or Deoxys-S, for instance, one can assume the opponent's team is offense. Conversely, a more defensive team is to be expected when the opponent leads a Pokemon like Forretress or Scizor. Assuming one's own team is not especially passive, it makes sense to only set one layer of Toxic Spikes versus offensive teams; the opponent's Pokemon will not be in play long enough for Toxic damage to accumulate to any sizable amount. If one's own team lacks much of a way to directly damage the foe, however, it's more rational to set two layers of Toxic Spikes versus offensive teams. If the Tentacruel user is running a passive team and anticipates the same from their opponent, it's logical to strive for two layers of Toxic Spikes versus their lead, and also potentially keep Tentacruel healthy so it can absorb Toxic Spikes the opponent may set or clear away other entry hazards with Rapid Spin.
[Other Options]
Though generally inferior to Clear Body, Liquid Ooze can be used to wall the gimmicky Jumpluff. Tentacruel can attempt to run a specially defensive set with Black Sludge outside of the lead slot, but the only things this has over Forretress are its ability to clear the field of Toxic Spikes without needing to click Rapid Spin and its higher Speed tier. Knock Off could be used over Icy Wind or Ice Beam; this would forfeit Tentacruel's ability to harm threats like Giratina-O, but it could catch switch-ins like Latios by surprise. Running Toxic over Icy Wind or Ice Beam leaves Tentacruel with no way to damage Rayquaza, but the chip damage it would generate on Giratina-O could eventually facilitate a Rapid Spin in long games. Mimic could theoretically be run over Rapid Spin to enable Tentacruel to set Stealth Rock in addition to Toxic Spikes versus Tyranitar leads, but this would only work if opponent sets Stealth Rock instead of first clicking Payback.
[Checks and Counters]
Psycho Boost Deoxys-S and lead Mewtwo can use Taunt on Tentacruel and nearly OHKO even bulky variants. Only Focus Sash Tentacruel can stand up to Psycho Boost Deoxys-A, but even that matchup is effectively a losing battle. Mew will either Speed tie with or outpace Tentacruel and fire off a fast Taunt before U-turning to a Pokemon Tentacruel may not want to fight. Froslass can use Taunt on Tentacruel and set up a layer of Spikes on it, but its next teammate will be forced to contend with a fully healthy Tentacruel. Metagross can OHKO Lum Berry Tentacruel with Earthquake and pick off Focus Sash variants with a follow-up Bullet Punch, but it cannot stop Tentacruel from securing a layer of Toxic Spikes. Giratina-O and Rayquaza are in the same position, but Rayquaza must be mindful of Ice Beam. Forretress, Kabutops, and Cloyster can use Rapid Spin to clear Tentacruel's Toxic Spikes off the field, minimizing its contribution to a game. Qwilfish absorbs Tentacruel's Toxic Spikes yet is unable to do much of anything back to it besides potentially threatening Explosion. Opposing Tentacruel will stalemate one's own Tentacruel by rendering its Toxic Spikes useless and consistently threatening Rapid Spin.
[Overview]
Tentacruel is a valuable lead in Ubers. It's able to set Toxic Spikes on nearly any lead, ensuring its user valuable chip damage on threats such as Groudon, Mewtwo, and Palkia. Its solid Speed tier enables it to outpace leads like Tyranitar and Giratina-O, and its high Special Defense lets it take attacks like Life Orb Rayquaza’s Draco Meteor and Shaymin-S's Seed Flare. Lastly, it boasts effective hazard control. Its Poison typing enables it to remove Toxic Spikes upon entry to the field, and it can clear Spikes and Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin in some circumstances.
Unfortunately, Tentacruel has little use outside of leading. Its poor Defense and weak defensive typing hamper its ability to check anything, while its Special Attack is too low to be an effective offensive presence. Additionally, it lacks the durability of Forretress as a Rapid Spin user, making it occasionally challenging to keep Tentacruel useful over long games. Another point against it as a Rapid Spin user is its susceptibility to Giratina-O, which consistently forces it out with the threat of coverage such as Earthquake, Outrage, and Thunder while blocking its ability to use Rapid Spin with its Ghost typing.
[SET]
name: Lead
move 1: Toxic Spikes
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Icy Wind
move 4: Hydro Pump
item: Lum Berry / Focus Sash
ability: Clear Body
nature: Timid
evs: 132 HP / 160 SpA / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Toxic Spikes is invaluable in a tier with numerous grounded threats such as Kabutops, Garchomp, and Kyogre, and Tentacruel has the right combination of Speed, bulk, and resistances to be able to set entry hazards in nearly any game. Rapid Spin augments Tentacruel's usefulness as a lead, enabling it to ward off hazards from leads such as Deoxys-S, Tyranitar, and Cloyster. Icy Wind's Speed drops further increase Tentacruel's utility, decreasing its passivity versus ambitious setup sweepers and heftily damaging Rayquaza and Shaymin-S. Lastly, Hydro Pump is Tentacruel's strongest STAB move, threatening leads such as Forretress, Scizor, and Tyranitar. Tentacruel can opt for a Lum Berry to set Toxic Spikes on Darkrai's Dark Void, whereas a Focus Sash guarantees Toxic Spikes versus Deoxys-A leads and prevents Life Orb Rayquaza and Groudon's Earthquakes from OHKOing it.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
Tentacruel's Speed investment ensures that it outpaces all lead Rayquaza. 160 Special Attack EVs let Tentacruel 2HKO uninvested Tyranitar leads with Hydro Pump. 132 HP EVs make Forretress's Payback a 4HKO while also preventing Jolly lead Tyranitar from KOing Tentacruel with Payback and two rounds of sand damage. An alternate EV spread with 52 Def / 240 SpA / 216 Spe and Ice Beam over Icy Wind is viable. This lets Tentacruel 3HKO 0 HP / 0 SpD Giratina-O while also OHKOing Shaymin-S and Naive Rayquaza. The Defense investment gives Forretress's Payback only a 1.9% chance to 3HKO, while Jolly Tyranitar's Payback still won't KO after 2 rounds of sand damage. Generally, more defensive teams will appreciate the former spread, as Tentacruel can appreciate the longevity more HP provides and Icy Wind has defensive utility. Some offense teams will tend to benefit from the latter spread's ability to actively damage threats while having a more realistic shot of using Rapid Spin versus teams with Giratina-O, but it should be noted that Icy Wind tends to outclass Ice Beam; Speed drops are incredibly useful for building momentum and also helping to decrease Tentacruel's passivity in a different way. Lastly, Clear Body is chosen over Liquid Ooze because it prevents Froslass from lowering Tentacruel's Speed with Icy Wind.
Good teammates for Tentacruel tend to take advantage of Toxic Spikes. Powerful offensive partners include Dialga, Palkia, Giratina-O, and Ho-Oh. They tend to frighten off Levitate users, Flying, and Steel types, which are immune to Toxic Spikes, and lure in checks susceptible to them. Giratina-O in particular is able to block Rapid Spin, ensuring that Tentacruel's Toxic Spikes remain up for the whole game versus some teams. Ho-Oh also deserves a special mention, as Tentacruel's fast Rapid Spin can mitigate its 4x Stealth Rock weakness. Other Stealth Rock-weak offensive Pokemon that appreciate Rapid Spin include Rayquaza, Shaymin-S, and Salamence. On defensive teams, Lugia is a valuable partner; Toxic Spikes help it Pressure stall more effectively, and Rapid Spin can mitigate its Stealth Rock weakness. Other stall-oriented Pokemon that benefit from Toxic Spikes support include Stalltwo, Ludicolo, Heatran, Gliscor, and Giratina. Lastly, Pokemon that do not appreciate residual damage from Toxic Spikes make good Tentacruel teammates, given its ability to absorb them simply by switching in. These include Choice Specs Kyogre, Choice Scarf Palkia, and Rock Polish Groudon.
Tentacruel's largest purpose is setting Toxic Spikes. Therefore, this should be the move its user clicks first in most scenarios. Whether Tentacruel sets one or two layers, however, depends on its user's prediction of the opponent's team and one's own team. If one's opponent leads Rayquaza or Deoxys-S, for instance, one can assume the opponent's team is offense. Conversely, a more defensive team is to be expected when the opponent leads a Pokemon like Forretress or Scizor. Assuming one's own team is not especially passive, it makes sense to only set one layer of Toxic Spikes versus offensive teams; the opponent's Pokemon will not be in play long enough for Toxic damage to accumulate to any sizable amount. If one's own team lacks much of a way to directly damage the foe, however, it's more rational to set two layers of Toxic Spikes versus offensive teams. If the Tentacruel user is running a passive team and anticipates the same from their opponent, it's logical to strive for two layers of Toxic Spikes versus their lead, and also potentially keep Tentacruel healthy so it can absorb Toxic Spikes the opponent may set or clear away other entry hazards with Rapid Spin.
[Other Options]
Though generally inferior to Clear Body, Liquid Ooze can be used to wall the gimmicky Jumpluff. Tentacruel can attempt to run a specially defensive set with Black Sludge outside of the lead slot, but the only things this has over Forretress are its ability to clear the field of Toxic Spikes without needing to click Rapid Spin and its higher Speed tier. Knock Off could be used over Icy Wind or Ice Beam; this would forfeit Tentacruel's ability to harm threats like Giratina-O, but it could catch switch-ins like Latios by surprise. Running Toxic over Icy Wind or Ice Beam leaves Tentacruel with no way to damage Rayquaza, but the chip damage it would generate on Giratina-O could eventually facilitate a Rapid Spin in long games. Mimic could theoretically be run over Rapid Spin to enable Tentacruel to set Stealth Rock in addition to Toxic Spikes versus Tyranitar leads, but this would only work if opponent sets Stealth Rock instead of first clicking Payback.
[Checks and Counters]
Psycho Boost Deoxys-S and lead Mewtwo can use Taunt on Tentacruel and nearly OHKO even bulky variants. Only Focus Sash Tentacruel can stand up to Psycho Boost Deoxys-A, but even that matchup is effectively a losing battle. Mew will either Speed tie with or outpace Tentacruel and fire off a fast Taunt before U-turning to a Pokemon Tentacruel may not want to fight. Froslass can use Taunt on Tentacruel and set up a layer of Spikes on it, but its next teammate will be forced to contend with a fully healthy Tentacruel. Metagross can OHKO Lum Berry Tentacruel with Earthquake and pick off Focus Sash variants with a follow-up Bullet Punch, but it cannot stop Tentacruel from securing a layer of Toxic Spikes. Giratina-O and Rayquaza are in the same position, but Rayquaza must be mindful of Ice Beam. Forretress, Kabutops, and Cloyster can use Rapid Spin to clear Tentacruel's Toxic Spikes off the field, minimizing its contribution to a game. Qwilfish absorbs Tentacruel's Toxic Spikes yet is unable to do much of anything back to it besides potentially threatening Explosion. Opposing Tentacruel will stalemate one's own Tentacruel by rendering its Toxic Spikes useless and consistently threatening Rapid Spin.
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