[OVERVIEW]
* Toxapex boasts amazing defensive stats alongside a Poison / Water typing, allowing it to easily take hits from many metagame threats such as Blaziken, Mimikyu, and Cloyster. However, it is also weak to other metagame threats including Garchomp, Tapu Lele, and Tapu Koko. Being weak to Ground-type attacks is a weakness that a lot of physical attackers can exploit.
* Access to reliable recovery in Recover and Z-Haze as well as the ability Regenerator allows Toxapex to have a lot of favorable one-on-one matchups while also freely pivoting to regain health.
* Toxapex is extremely passive. As a result, it struggles to fit on any playstyle outside of stall, but it can be paired with certain offensive Pokemon that offer good synergy such as Tapu Bulu.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Recover
move 2: Scald
move 3: Haze
move 4: Toxic / Toxic Spikes
item: Black Sludge / Icium Z
ability: Regenerator
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Recover provides Toxapex with longevity and allows it to stall out other Pokemon until they are burned via Scald or badly poisoned via Toxic.
* Scald is used for its burn utility and discourages threats such as Garchomp, Mega Metagross, and Celesteela from switching in at the risk of a burn.
* Haze prevents Pokemon from setting up while trying to take advantage of how passive Toxapex is. It can also freely switch in and use Haze against Mimikyu, Cloyster, and Flame Charge Mega Charizard Y.
* Toxic allows Toxapex to pressure anything that can't 2HKO it, as Toxapex can simply use Recover after each hit. Toxic Spikes works nicely alongside Haze for shutting down common Baton Pass chains, as Toxic Spikes can poison through Substitute, while nothing shuts down Haze.
Set Details
========
* Black Sludge provides Toxapex with passive recovery while also freeing up Leftovers for use on another Pokemon. Rocky Helmet is an option to chip away at physical attackers.
* 252 HP and 252 Defense EVs with a Bold nature make Toxapex as physically bulky as possible.
Usage Tips
========
* Toxapex should be used as a physically defensive pivot, taking advantage of how freely it can switch in against targets that cannot 2HKO it.
* Trying to get Toxic Spikes down as quickly as possible is important to put a timer on Baton Pass teams and bulkier Pokemon such as Porygon2.
* Pivot Toxapex into support Pokemon so Toxapex can take advantage of Regenerator, and use Recover accordingly to keep Toxapex out of KO range.
Team Options
========
* Stall partners that can deal with offensive Electric-, Psychic-, and Ground-type Pokemon such as Chansey, Gliscor, Celesteela, and Skarmory are greatly appreciated to patch up Toxapex's weaknesses.
* Tapu Bulu is a fantastic partner, providing Grassy Terrain to give Toxapex some more passive recovery while also reducing the damage of Earthquake. Toxapex comfortably covers all of Tapu Bulu's weaknesses, while Tapu Bulu does the same for Toxapex.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Infestation can be used as a means to trap and eliminate bulkier Pokemon with the combination of Recover and Toxic but is costly, as you're forced to replace either Scald, which then allows Ground-types to freely switch in, or Haze, which then makes Toxapex extreme setup fodder.
* Baneful Bunker lets Toxapex gain extra Black Sludge recovery, scout Choice-item users, play around Z-Moves, and stall out the effects of Terrains.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Tapu Fini**: Tapu Fini is an incredibly huge threat to Toxapex. Taunt completely shuts it down, and Misty Terrain makes Toxapex almost complete deadweight by making it unable to spread status conditions. When Toxapex is afflicted with Taunt, Tapu Fini can freely set up with Calm Mind or chip away at it with Nature's Madness.
**Ground-types**: When given a free opportunity to switch in, offensive Ground-types such as Garchomp, Landorus-T, Mamoswine, and Excadrill can all threaten Toxapex with a 2HKO and force it out, since Toxapex can't Recover back the damage that Earthquake deals to it.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Tapu Koko, Thundurus-T, Choice Specs Rotom-W, and Choice Specs Rotom-H can freely switch in against Toxapex and threaten to OHKO it.
**Psychic-types**: Tapu Lele gets a clean OHKO with Psychic, while Mega Metagross can check Toxapex and 2HKO it with Zen Headbutt.
**Taunt Users**: Pokemon that run Taunt such as Mega Gyarados, Tapu Fini, and Mega Gengar can completely shut down Toxapex, forcing it to continuously spam Scald and become setup fodder for specially based setup sweepers.
**Substitute Users**: Given how weak Toxapex's Scald is, breaking a Substitute often takes two to three hits, which often force out Toxapex as a result of being unable to status. Mega Gyarados is a prime example.[/hide]
Last edited: