[OVERVIEW]
Tentacool makes a niche for itself as the best choice for the ever-coveted role of hazard control in PU. With access to good bulk, a wide variety of support options, and most importantly Rapid Spin, Tentacool finds itself as a top pick for many different kinds of teams. Tentacool also packs important resistances to common attacking types such as Water- and Fire-type, reliably absorbing those hits with its surprising Special Defense bulk. However, Tentacool is very passive on the topic of damage, can't reliably heal itself outside of the shaky and uncommon Rest, and its middling physical Defense leaves Tentacool vulnerable to wallbreakers such as Stoutland, Arbok, or even Torterra. The final irony of Tentacool is that it's a victim of its own success: Tentacool's Toxic Spikes are likely swept up by the common sight of an opposing Tentacool.
[SET]
name: Rapid Spinner
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Toxic Spikes
move 3: Scald
move 4: Knock Off / Sludge Bomb / Hidden Power [Electric] / Rest
item: Eviolite
ability: Liquid Ooze
nature: Calm
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Rapid Spin is the primary reason to use Tentacool, as it is extremely valuable in a tier with very few options for hazard control. Toxic Spikes add pressure to your opponent by poisoning most incoming Pokemon, especially key threats like Audino or Beheeyem, and Scald is the primary STAB option with a good chance to also apply a Burn on to Pokemon who can't be poisoned or you would prefer the Attack drop on, like Klang or Stoutland. The last moveslot can be a huge variety of options with the most common option being Knock Off to eliminate the valuable items of your opponent deliberating walls such as Klang and Audino. Sludge Bomb can be used as an alternative STAB option with a poison chance equal to Scald's burn chance, and Hidden Power [Electric] allows Tentacool to be a much more surefire counter to Water-types such as Swanna. Rest is the last recommended option since Tentacool cannot heal itself reliably any other way, but the difficulty of BW Sleep makes this option the least popular. This set also invests fully into Special Defense to maximize Tentacool's ability to tank Special hits but more investment into physical Defense is also a valid option to better checks certain physical threats such as Monferno.
Tentacool's hazard control prowess is appreciated by just about every Pokemon, but some that come into play a lot or are particularly weak to Stealth Rock,like Zebstrika or Articuno respectively, appreciate Tentacool's support more. Tentacool does appreciate help covering for its weaknesses to common types like Electric or Ground, so partners like Stunfisk or Torterra are excellent options that also cover Tentacool's weaknesses to Electric and Ground, respectively. Tentacool also cannot heal itself, so a partner such as Audino that can pass a Wish can go a long way if your gameplan is for longer games. Tentacool's passive nature also lets in many slow setup Pokemon such as Duosion or Scraggy, so a Pokemon that can deal with these kinds of sweepers such as Jumpluff is a good idea. Lastly, it is important to play Tentacool with an eye for keeping it around for as long as possible so it can Rapid Spin throughout the match.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Akir, 231726]]
- Quality checked by: [[name, id], [name, id]]
- Grammar checked by: [[name, id]]
Tentacool makes a niche for itself as the best choice for the ever-coveted role of hazard control in PU. With access to good bulk, a wide variety of support options, and most importantly Rapid Spin, Tentacool finds itself as a top pick for many different kinds of teams. Tentacool also packs important resistances to common attacking types such as Water- and Fire-type, reliably absorbing those hits with its surprising Special Defense bulk. However, Tentacool is very passive on the topic of damage, can't reliably heal itself outside of the shaky and uncommon Rest, and its middling physical Defense leaves Tentacool vulnerable to wallbreakers such as Stoutland, Arbok, or even Torterra. The final irony of Tentacool is that it's a victim of its own success: Tentacool's Toxic Spikes are likely swept up by the common sight of an opposing Tentacool.
[SET]
name: Rapid Spinner
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Toxic Spikes
move 3: Scald
move 4: Knock Off / Sludge Bomb / Hidden Power [Electric] / Rest
item: Eviolite
ability: Liquid Ooze
nature: Calm
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Rapid Spin is the primary reason to use Tentacool, as it is extremely valuable in a tier with very few options for hazard control. Toxic Spikes add pressure to your opponent by poisoning most incoming Pokemon, especially key threats like Audino or Beheeyem, and Scald is the primary STAB option with a good chance to also apply a Burn on to Pokemon who can't be poisoned or you would prefer the Attack drop on, like Klang or Stoutland. The last moveslot can be a huge variety of options with the most common option being Knock Off to eliminate the valuable items of your opponent deliberating walls such as Klang and Audino. Sludge Bomb can be used as an alternative STAB option with a poison chance equal to Scald's burn chance, and Hidden Power [Electric] allows Tentacool to be a much more surefire counter to Water-types such as Swanna. Rest is the last recommended option since Tentacool cannot heal itself reliably any other way, but the difficulty of BW Sleep makes this option the least popular. This set also invests fully into Special Defense to maximize Tentacool's ability to tank Special hits but more investment into physical Defense is also a valid option to better checks certain physical threats such as Monferno.
Tentacool's hazard control prowess is appreciated by just about every Pokemon, but some that come into play a lot or are particularly weak to Stealth Rock,like Zebstrika or Articuno respectively, appreciate Tentacool's support more. Tentacool does appreciate help covering for its weaknesses to common types like Electric or Ground, so partners like Stunfisk or Torterra are excellent options that also cover Tentacool's weaknesses to Electric and Ground, respectively. Tentacool also cannot heal itself, so a partner such as Audino that can pass a Wish can go a long way if your gameplan is for longer games. Tentacool's passive nature also lets in many slow setup Pokemon such as Duosion or Scraggy, so a Pokemon that can deal with these kinds of sweepers such as Jumpluff is a good idea. Lastly, it is important to play Tentacool with an eye for keeping it around for as long as possible so it can Rapid Spin throughout the match.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Akir, 231726]]
- Quality checked by: [[name, id], [name, id]]
- Grammar checked by: [[name, id]]
Last edited:
