[SMOGON] [UU] Nidoking - Special Attacker (Wallbreaker)

[croissant]

Well while we're at it, might as well do Nidoking after Nidoqueen!



Type: Ground/Poison
Weaknesses: Ground (X2), Water (X2), Psychic (X2), Ice (X2)
Resistances: Fighting (X0,5), Bug (X0,5), Fairy (X0,5), Rock (X0,5), Poison (X0,25), Electric (X0)
Abilities: Poison Point - Rivalry - Sheer Force (Hidden Ability)
Poison Point: The opponent has a 30% chance of being induced with Poison when using an attack, that requires physical contact, against this Pokémon.
Rivalry: Attack & Special Attack is increased by 25% if the foe is of the same gender; Attack & Special Attack is decreased by 25% if the foe is of the opposite gender.
Hidden Ability: Sheer Force: Moves with a secondary effect are increased in power by 33% but lose their secondary effect.

Base stats: 81 HP / 102 Attack / 77 Defense / 85 Special Attack / 75 Special Defense / 85 Speed
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The set: Special Wallbreaker



Nidoking @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid / Naive Nature
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Sludge Wave
- Superpower/Flamethrower

This moveset uses Nidoking's combination of decent Special Attack, extremely wide movepool and good ability to get past walls. Earth Power and Sludge Wave are Nidoking's primary STAB moves, being able to hit a lot of very common Pokémon in UU such as Florges, Arcanine, Entei, M-Aggron and Sylveon. Ice Beam can hit a lot of the Pokémon that resists his STAB combination, the best example being Gligar. In the last slot, two options stand out; Superpower helps against special walls like Umbreon and Blissey, while Flamethrower hits Bronzong, who has been rising in popularity.
This moveset is also very viable in OU, but if you use it there, you should always go with Flamethrower in the last slot to hit Scizor and Ferrothorn.

Calcs

Offensive:

0 Atk Life Orb Nidoking Superpower vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Blissey: 413-489 (57.8 - 68.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Nidoking Sludge Wave vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Florges: 273-322 (75.8 - 89.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

0 Atk Life Orb Nidoking Superpower vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Umbreon: 211-250 (53.5 - 63.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Nidoking Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 240 SpD Filter Mega Aggron: 259-306 (75.2 - 88.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Defensive

It doesn't live much, because it has really poor defenses. I'll still throw in some calcs.

252+ Atk Mega Absol Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Nidoking: 238-282 (78.5 - 93%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

0 SpA Celebi Psychic vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Nidoking: 246-290 (81.1 - 95.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Good Partners

- Nidoking appreciates hazard support to take down walls with more ease.
- Volt-Turn cores are a nice way to bring in Nidoking in a safe situation, so Pokémon like Rotom, Scizor, Forretress, Gligar and others can pair well with him.
- Set-up sweepers such as CroCune and Calm Mind Cresselia appreciate walls being beaten by Nidoking.
- Physical wallbreakers like Machamp and Conkeldurr can help Nidoking by beating special walls.

Threats:

- Special Walls can stop Nidoking with ease, though Umbreon and Blissey need to be careful because of Superpower.
- Faster attackers can take advantage of Nidoking's poor bulk and KO it.

Other Options:

- Nidoking has coverage for days, so if your team needs it, it can run Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Megahorn, Sucker Punch, etc.
- Stealth Rock can be a decent option on offensive teams in need of a rocker.