Slaking

A strong special attack like Draco Meteor or something will put Slaking out early. My point is that this gen, we have Pokemon who are just as powerful, if not more (better STAB) than Slaking with no drawbacks. Plus, the power isn't as godly when you consider your only STAB is Normal, which is generally not a very good attacking type at all.


I'd argue that Normal is probably the second best stab to attack with after Dragon and Water. It is really only resisted by Rock, Steel, and an immunity by Ghost.

Draco Meteor technically does have a downside of -2 SAtk but the users are often so strong that it still does have damage and boosted Draco Meteors will often 1-2 hit ko most thing, even things that resist that unless they'tre super bulky. And yes, a strong special attack will put Slaking out (Darkrai, Gengar, Latios, Heatran, and Shaymin-S if it starts flinch haxing you and I'm not sure if Mummy would work on Air Slash). It needs a bit more support than most Pokemon. That is why Team Viewer is such a gift to see if they have something that threatens Slaking so it is known if they have Latios, Hippowdon, Skarmory, Darkrai, etc. While this is a fun strategy, I doubt that most people would see it coming since few would likely use it. But once certain threats are gone, it could viably work.


I can see Borderline Uber maybe from Regigigas w/o Slow Start, who can also run a Bulk Up set (but sorely misses Taunt to stop the phazing from physical walls), only better because of its incredible Spike in special defense and the newly improved 75 BP Drain Punch it can learn. The power increase makes it so that even a behemoth like Slaking is no longer a big deal (again, assuming no Truant).
Um...Regigigas doesn't learn Bulk Up and never has. It does now learn a Protect clone Wide Guard (that protects all team mate partners which would make it really good in double/triples) since it never learned the Original Protect. Regigias also does not have the same physical bulk as Slaking or a recovery move and it's ability is arguably worse for an attacker than Truant (unless facing Sub/Protect). I like Regigigas but it is horrible in singles unless you're running a Status set with Thunderwave/Toxic/Confuse Ray and the like with some coverage moves and try stalling down time (which now that it does have a Protect becomes MUCH easier and it will have to be tried out again but Phazers suck if they're still alive).

Then again, all this talk of Bulk Up reminds me of Roopushin, who has all of the things Slaking and Regigigas could have used to begin with, sans speed, and still manages to keep itself out of possible Uber discussions. Hmm.
Roopushin's Drain Punch is strong but not as good as a Slack Off and is less physically defensive in comparison to Slaking. Actually, Slaking has better Special Defensive capabilities due to higher hp since Slaking and Roopushin have the same sucky special defense base stat. Normal has less weaknesses (only to fighting) while Roopushin has to deal with Psychic and Flying (Shaymin-S and Psychic types like Rankurusu). Slaking is also technically faster and does not need to rely on Mach Punch to hit faster foes and if this strategy works, Slaking is much better than Roopushin because of the better stab power, bulk, and Slack Off. I love Roopushin. But in this case, Slaking is better and if Slaking never had Truant, it would have been Uber because of 100 base speed (outspeed the common uber mark), has ridiculous surviveability and bulk with Bulk Up and Slack Off, 160 base attack, etc. Plus Slaking has SUCKER PUNCH (assuming without Truant) in Ubers which smacks things, punches, useable special attack, etc. Truant was their way of giving it balance, if only just a little too much, especially for OU.

Roopushin loses against Slaking with Bulk Up and Mach Punch doesn't 2 hit ko. Actually after Bulk Up, Roopushin's Drain Punch wouldn't 2 hit ko either without a boost of it's own while an unboosted Frustration 2 hit koes most Roopushins unless they Bulk Up but with Spikes it would still die to Frustration. Roopushin can't take Air Slashes or Psychics either so a strong one does massive damage to it as well

You're slightly wrong about the power increase making things like Slaking (if this is successfully pulled off) no longer a "big deal". They hit hard. But few things have the Bulk of Slaking which once Truant is gone will DESTROY teams without a powerful special attacker or phazer or Terakion left. An unboosted Frustration 2 hit koes Doryuzu with Stealth Rock, despite the resist and 4x rock resist but once Doryuzu has Swords Dance. Slaking can take a +2 Earthquake and beat the crap out of Balloon Doryuzu which says something. Doryuzu needs Life Orb to beat Slaking and since most don't, Slaking can 2 hit ko with a resisted move. After Bulk Up, Slaking can survive Life Orb Blaziken Hi Jump Kick and pretty much everything that is physically weaker. After Bulk Up, Slaking ohkoes Garchomp while even before Bulk Up, Choice Scarf Outrage couldn't 2 hit ko and after Bulk Up it becomes set up bait.

Again, if and only if, the Mummy strategy is pulled off, Slaking is far superior to pretty much every Pokemon and the only physical thing that is koing is going to be Terakion with stab Close Combat and being able to easily survive +1 Frustration with only slightly less than half health because of resist while Slaking needs Bulk Up to avoid being ohkoed by Close Combat while Terakion is faster. Lucario if there isn't triple layer of spikes will also beat it but Slaking wins with Spikes and a Bulk Up before Lucario came in. But otherwise, nothing physical koes.

Oh, and, Slaking survives a max SAtk Blaziken Life Orb Fireblast which deals 72.11% damage. The special attacks that ko Slaking have to be either super effective from base 130+ base SAtk and Life Orb or mega powerful stab with 130+ base SAtk. It is ridiculous. And it isn't inconceviable that this strategy can work once phazers are gone. With Team support, Slaking will rip people apart.
 
No, it can still use it on itself. It protects your side of the field from multi-target moves, regardless if you're playing singles, doubles, or triples.

Basically, in singles, it's a worse Protect since it doesn't work on everything.
 

SJCrew

Believer, going on a journey...
is a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
Um...Regigigas doesn't learn Bulk Up and never has.
Hm...you're right. I suppose that if it actually did learn Bulk Up, everyone and their mother would have been using it in UU by this point.

Also, I'd just like to point out that even if Slaking survives Special/super effective physical attacks with a sliver of HP, it's still a sliver of HP. :/ Really, this strategy is rather gimmicky and can't compare to simply using the best offensive threats we have now and going to town with them. I see room for some fun when our 4th Gen Ubers are banned, but at this point, I don't see why you'd go out of your way to use Slaking when you can just use Pokemon that are similarly powerful, but don't have shitty abilities.
 
Hm...you're right. I suppose that if it actually did learn Bulk Up, everyone and their mother would have been using it in UU by this point.

Also, I'd just like to point out that even if Slaking survives Special/super effective physical attacks with a sliver of HP, it's still a sliver of HP. :/ Really, this strategy is rather gimmicky and can't compare to simply using the best offensive threats we have now and going to town with them. I see room for some fun when our 4th Gen Ubers are banned, but at this point, I don't see why you'd go out of your way to use Slaking when you can just use Pokemon that are similarly powerful, but don't have shitty abilities.
With 200 SDef, it needs to be a really strong special attack from said 4th gen Ubers from the most part to get it down that low unless it's Gengar or Kyurem or other REALLY strong special attackers or in weather. It can't be something weak like Vaporeon or less (lol Vaporeon as a weak special attacker? Slaking makes it so that it can easily Slack off Vaporeon's Surfs, is faster, and will Bulk Up every time it tries to Protect).

This isn't the most gimmicky strategy in the world to be honest. They're are other far, far more gimmicky things one can do and it seems to me that this one is one of the most viable ones and can be used for the most part at least somewhat fairly relaibly. Although I agree, 4th gen Ubers Manaphy, Shaymin-S, Darkrai, Latios, and Deoxys-A need to be banned again because they are far too powerful, and Inconsistent (which is consistently annoying) needs an ability clause. Once they are gone, I can see this being pretty dangerous, able to knock out Multi-Scale, Technician, Levitate (not that that one matters), Guts, etc as well as being pretty bulky. And it only really takes one Bulk Up to turn this thing into something insanely strong once Truant is negated. But yeah, they're are some other things that are equal to or better but this strategy is pretty fun to pull off if you're able and sweep people with the "Terrible" Slaking.
 
Slaking
Why dosen't anyone care for this dude?

150/160/100/95/65/100
Ability: Traunt
Normal
It becomes a little more apparent why when you make his ability really big instead of his stat spread, LOL.

I'm a little confused as to why Slaking is... actually being discussed... :0 It's stat spread is great and its ability makes it near-useless, which is stuff we've known since it came out in Gen 3. Granted, there are those few new things now that can be used to fix Truant, (Desukan with Mummy, Skill Swap in Doubles, Aianto's Make Friends) but it still takes too much babysitting in Singles to even consider using there. :0 Personally, I don't even think Make Friends+Truant Aianto is that good.... >___> Am I wrong? Did I miss something? What's up with this?
 
Personally, I don't even think Make Friends+Truant Aianto is that good.... >___> Am I wrong? Did I miss something? What's up with this?
Aianto used Make Friends!
Opponent's ability became Truant!
Opponent attacked Aianto!
Aianto uses its Escape Button

Go, Shandera/Dugtrio!

Shandera/Dugtrio used Protect!
---
Shandera/Dugtrio used Calm Mind/Claw Sharpen!

...

Unfortunately, Shandera/Dugtrio still can't sweep very well even with max boosts.
 
Aianto used Make Friends!
Opponent's ability became Truant!
Opponent attacked Aianto!
Aianto uses its Escape Button

Go, Shandera/Dugtrio!

Shandera/Dugtrio used Protect!
---
Shandera/Dugtrio used Calm Mind/Claw Sharpen!

...

Unfortunately, Shandera/Dugtrio still can't sweep very well even with max boosts.
Shadow Tag Shandera isn't released yet, and I suspect they will ban Shadow Tag, if not then ban the Pokemon altogether.
 
It becomes a little more apparent why when you make his ability really big instead of his stat spread, LOL.

I'm a little confused as to why Slaking is... actually being discussed... :0 It's stat spread is great and its ability makes it near-useless, which is stuff we've known since it came out in Gen 3. Granted, there are those few new things now that can be used to fix Truant, (Desukan with Mummy, Skill Swap in Doubles, Aianto's Make Friends) but it still takes too much babysitting in Singles to even consider using there. :0 Personally, I don't even think Make Friends+Truant Aianto is that good.... >___> Am I wrong? Did I miss something? What's up with this?
We were discussing the Desukan/Escape Button Strategy.
Escape Button: If it is held by a Pokemon when it is hit by an attack, the Pokemon can escape battle and switch places with a Team Member.

Desukan holding Escape Button
Opponent hits Desukan with contact move. Their ability becomes Mummy.
Desukan bounce to Slaking (unless it's an Inconsistent User with Sub/Protect or really just Protect. This is one of the weaker links)
Slaking threatens opponent
Opponent switches out, gets Pursuited
Slaking's ability becomes Mummy
Slaking Bulk Ups, throws a Frustration rampage, and Slacks Off when needed.

Make sure to get rid of Phazers before attempting. But once Truant is gone, this thing is a monster.

It is much less babysitting than all the other gimmicky ways to get rid of Truant in singles.

Slaking's is INSANELY bulky with Slack Off and only a REALLY powerful special attack (or Close Combats from Terakion) is going to threaten him. He is able to 2 hit ko most Pokes after 1 Bulk Up while they do little damage that couldn't be Slacked Off. Unfortunately, he looses his speed investing in defenses but he still has 240 and most people are going to assume he is much less bulky than he really is.
 
Aianto used Make Friends!
Opponent's ability became Truant!
Opponent attacked Aianto!
Aianto uses its Escape Button

Go, Shandera/Dugtrio!

Shandera/Dugtrio used Protect!
---
Shandera/Dugtrio used Calm Mind/Claw Sharpen!

...

Unfortunately, Shandera/Dugtrio still can't sweep very well even with max boosts.
And what if your opponent doesn't attack you? :\ Then they just switch out on the Truant turn, and all you've accomplished is showing what your Aianto's strategy is. And even then, there's what you said. They can still be walled by Chansey/Blissey or Bronzong, respectively.
 

breh

強いだね
Desukan holding Escape Button
Opponent hits Desukan with contact move. Their ability becomes Mummy.
Desukan bounce to Slaking (unless it's an Inconsistent User with Sub/Protect or really just Protect. This is one of the weaker links)
Slaking threatens opponent
Opponent switches out, gets Pursuited
Slaking's ability becomes Mummy
Slaking Bulk Ups, throws a Frustration rampage, and Slacks Off when needed.
Count the number of bolded moves. That's right, there are 4. you can't touch steel types.

If you guys had read my previous posts instead of arguing about my terrible logic (which was not the main point) you would have understood that slaking essentially has only 3 moveslots. That's a really big handicap for any pokemon in general; basically since pursuit is useless (IMO; there are no physical ghost or psychic types that are commonly used) and you ahve to run return, you have a few options - run EQ and slack off/bulk up (get walled by gengar and skarm but probably best option), run both slack off and bulk up (and get walled by every steel type and its mother), or run some odd coverage move+EQ (you get walled by skarm still).

those 3 movepools really limit Slaking's options. Basically while it would love to just be able to run return/eq/bulk up/slack off, it simply can't due to pursuit. without pursuit the strategy is very reliant on your opponent's stupidity.

Oh and I notice a recurring theme of "walled by skarm" in my comments.

@Truant Aianto: While unrelated it was effing hilarious to just troll these kinds of users with my old TR team, which had a volt change user (voltolos) and u-turn scizor; I just switched back and forth with them and it was soooo funny (well usually volt change ohkoed but not the point)

Otherwise you could just switch too. anything with shed shell works too (especially forry)
 
Yeah, that does limit Slaking's usefulness, but in such a situation, I would set up the rest of my team to take out Skarmory and Gengar first. Easier said than done, though...
 
Count the number of bolded moves. That's right, there are 4. you can't touch steel types.

If you guys had read my previous posts instead of arguing about my terrible logic (which was not the main point) you would have understood that slaking essentially has only 3 moveslots. That's a really big handicap for any pokemon in general; basically since pursuit is useless (IMO; there are no physical ghost or psychic types that are commonly used) and you ahve to run return, you have a few options - run EQ and slack off/bulk up (get walled by gengar and skarm but probably best option), run both slack off and bulk up (and get walled by every steel type and its mother), or run some odd coverage move+EQ (you get walled by skarm still).

those 3 movepools really limit Slaking's options. Basically while it would love to just be able to run return/eq/bulk up/slack off, it simply can't due to pursuit. without pursuit the strategy is very reliant on your opponent's stupidity.

Oh and I notice a recurring theme of "walled by skarm" in my comments. /QUOTE]

No duh it is walled by Skarmory and Hippowdon. That is why you make sure you take them out before attempting (team viewer is really useful to know if the opponent has them to plan accordingly). They're even worse than Latios and his ilk because they can make Slaking near useless and utter set up bait for Protect/Substitute Pokemon instead of just killing him.

IT DOES NOT NEED EARTHQUAKE (except against Terakion, the one Pokemon Earthquake would have been helpful for). After 1 Bulk Up, Frustration 2 hit koes Tyranitar with Stealth Rock, Forretress without Counter can't do anything except Spike (and unless they remove Slaking it's not going to do anything, hence why you kill phazers first), 2 hit koes Choice Band Scizor (who can't do much of anything to Slaking with Slack Off, Mummy knocking out Technician, etc), 1 hit koes Lucario with Spikes Damage, etc. Most steels are set up on by Slaking. After 1 Bulk Up, Pursuit can ko Shandera with Stealth Rock.

So the only Pokes Earthquake would really help for is against Heatran, Terakion, Cobalon, Choice Band Metagross, maybe Lucario without Spikes, and maybe Nattorei (trap and kill it as well with Magnezone or something). And Nattorei would be tough since it is only neutral, has the Iron Thorns, Leech Seed, etc. Along with Skarmory/Hippowdon, remove it. Everything else is handled by Frustration and most Ghosts are either fragile or can't do anything to Slaking (excepting Gengar who is threatens with Disable, Destiny Bond, and Focus Blast, but Earthquake wouldn't hit that anyways). Any other steels can't do anything to Slaking.

Mummy can transfer to anything that hits the carrier with a contact move. That is what Pursuit is for and switching Desukan into a weak physical attack and bounce out to Slaking or the opponent attacking it.
 

SJCrew

Believer, going on a journey...
is a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
With 200 SDef, it needs to be a really strong special attack from said 4th gen Ubers from the most part to get it down that low unless it's Gengar or Kyurem or other REALLY strong special attackers or in weather. It can't be something weak like Vaporeon or less (lol Vaporeon as a weak special attacker? Slaking makes it so that it can easily Slack off Vaporeon's Surfs, is faster, and will Bulk Up every time it tries to Protect).
Oh wow, I actually had to double back a few pages to see what spread you were using. Slaking is bulky, but you are severely underestimating how badly he's gimped by walls and special attackers. Being set up on by Skarm and Nattorei is pretty bad, on top of being phazed by Skarm. Nattorei can't do much besides Leech Seed and watch you Bulk Up, but it gets to be a problem when they send this guy in after the fact:

Latios Specs Draco Meteor: 91.8% - 108.2%

So basically, you just wasted your time. If Skarm Roars, this scenario doesn't occur at all; you get no setup and you're stuck with Truant again. What about being Burned by Ghosts? Toxic from walls? CM Jirachi? LO Heatran? You have a lot of things to prepare for and all you're really saying is "Slaking can survive that, counter what counters him." And say you happened to be at full health AND survived the Meteor. Guess what? He's getting revenged! All of that work for nothing.

Team Viewer doesn't help you actually get rid of the things that beat Slaking, you really have to focus your entire team around this one strategy that you only get one shot at and has so many ways to get gimped. It still doesn't stand to reason why you'd use this over something good like Roopushin, who doesn't have to deal with this shit in the first place and is enough of a powerhouse to KO the things Slaking would, not to mention with a way, way better STAB (it's Fighting, need I say more?) and good abilities, both making him stronger, and the other helping him deal with status by turning it into power.

Slaking has raw power, but he's basically operating off of one move, one strategy, and one shot. There's no flexibility here whatsoever. It might be the best he can do sure, but it's still not good enough to compete in this meta. :/
 
All the above is true. Burn is annoying but it's better than Toxic (which utterly destroys this if it goes into a long drawn out battle with a defensive Ghost or Nattorei or REALLY defensive steel) since it can be Slacked Off and it only sets you back one Bulk Up. The special attacker thing is worse in that regard. If only Slaking had Guts. It's a monkey.

Yes Roopushin is better overall against Nattorei, Cobalon, Terakion. And man Slaking wishes for Guts. But it survives similar things for the most part but without the Slack Off and Slaking's attacks have much higher power as well and is bulkier. The main advantage is Roopushin's ability>Slaking's (lol understatement) and that you have to resort to multi-poke strategy to fix that that can be ruined by Whirlwind/Roar.

Although without Roar (lol Hippowdon without Roar, is that even possible unless it's running the Curse Set?) +1 Frustration is a 2 hit ko unless it has a defence boost as well.

It depends on what Calm Mind Jirachi is facing Slaking. If it's the speed variant, Slaking can win since +1 Frustration can 2 hit ko (252 Hp/178 Spd/80 SAtk). Unless defense is invested, Slaking can kill it with one Bulk Up if given the chance. Roopushin would die to Psychic while Jirachi wouldn't 2 hit ko Slaking after Calm Mind.

Dang that Latios/Kyurem/Gengar/Darkrai. They are the most common things that threaten Slaking. Especially the first two because those are 100% guarantees while Gengar/Darkrai (if it doesn't sleep you) are like 60 (not very good either but better than 100).

I love how you mention "all you're saying is Slaking can survive that, counter what counters it". It is no more than what some other people do to justify broken and otherwise not broken but still mega strong overcentralizing things, not that Slaking is obviously in any means broken and the only way it could work is by doing stuff like this after their phazers are gone, like Inconsistent/BL Ubers (which should be banned)/Doryuzu, etc. A lot of people (myself especially except I at least check numbers) play the theory game without much experience although I educate myself on what's good and not and what the games like currently. Of course one could say that ("Kyurem's weak to Mach/Bullet Punch and is weak to Stealth Rock, he obviously sucks and is UU, maybe even NU" "Inconsistent is countered by Clear Smog and Haze so it's all good" and what not, "Latios isn't broken, he's weak to Pursuit", "Shaymin-S is countered by a whole bunch of things like any Choice Scarfer and 4X resist so suck it up if it haxes you almost consistently"). Still, Slaking looks pretty optimistic compared to some gimmick things and if anything, will utterly destroy people through sheer surprise (look at warstories where teams containing freaking Beedril, Flareon, Luvdisc, Anorith, etc, not all on same team but the teams had all NU and UFE, beat standard OU teams. Admittedly, not quite intelligent players but still).

Not every team is going to have Latios (surprisingly, since it's so dang good and broken). Desukan can be offered as Sleep bait (since you're using it more to somewhat wall physical attacks and spread Mummy but not much else) to Darkrai although something strong is still going to be needed to take Darkrai out. Darkrai is surprisingly bulky since the only Mach Punches that are going to ko are Technician Life Orb ones from Hitmontop and Breloom. Actually, Hitmontop would be REALLY helpful on a Slaking team taking out Darkrai, Latios, Heatran, Terakion, Nattorei, etc with his slew of priority Sucker and Mach Punches. It would destroy Nattorei with Close Combat and it would need a lot of defense to survive. Thunderwave is less of an issue because Hitmontop already has useable, but really low average speed really only outrunning Skarmory and Scizor and really slow things, and you have priority. You're probably already running Wish (restoring Desukan and trapper hps) so it would keep Hitmontop pretty healthy.

If you're powerful, flexibility doesn't matter. Just ask Kyogre, Zekrom, Reshiram, Scizor, Garchomp, Okonosu, Kyurem, any Choice User since they have no choice, etc. It's obvious what they're going to throw at you but considering how insanely strong Frustration is, it is still hard to come in on. The Uber examples are not quite relevant but they have small movepools and are still terrifying because it doesn't matter, they're so powerful and their movepool just wide enough to smash right through you anyway through sheer force. At least Slaking hits Ghosts but outside of Gengar and Shandera, they couldn't really do much to him in the long run anyway except maybe Toxic or Powershare. Ghosts aren't that common generally either so that is helpful.

But I must say, I love debate conversations (unless it is someone suggesting we let Ho-Oh and Rayquaza be OU which is a wtf moment). I'm glad you're such a good sport about this and I agree with much of what you're saying.

And yes, this is a gimmick-ier strategy but it is variety and don't we all want variety? Getting swept by Slaking (while not fun because getting swept by anything is never fun) is at least more interesting than repeatedly running into Doryuzu's, Rain Dances, BL Ubers (the only thing Borderline about them is that the others were too strong to consistently work in general, but they are way to powerful for the rest of Pokemon), and Inconsistent abusers. It can get much gimmickier and some people still manage to pull things off. Most of the time if Skarmory and Hippowdon are dead, people won't have another phazer unless they build a team around wracking up Spikes and other damage so in most cases killing Skarmory and Hippowdon helps. Hitmontop takes Darkrai, Latios, Gengar, Shandera, Heatran, Cobalon, Terakion, Nattorei (aka major Slaking threats) and kills them if weakened. Slaking always wants Spikes support so running a Spiker of your own is useful as well, probably Nattorei since it really is one of the best spikers and special defensive OU steel. Desukan takes fighting hits.

Desukan/Slaking/Nattorei/Hitmontop/Something/Something seems like a pretty good basis for this gimmick team.
 
Would using gastro acid on your own Slaking in a double battle work? If so Slaking would do quite a bit of damage if you don't have to worry about traunt?
 
He wasn't banned from NU (or considered for banning by the people who played it) in 4th gen, so I doubt that. Medicham, magmortar, slowking, espeon and miltank were the mons that were looked at for banhammering
 

lmitchell0012

Wi-Fi Blacklisted
They were kind enough to give pretty much every other pokemon (except the levitators) a DW ability but they didn't give shit to this guy! He deserves better.
 
Team preview kill this whole idea, basically when your opponent see you have Desukan and Slaking on the same team he will know what you are going to do and switch out the mummy pokemon.
 

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