Pokemon of the week #4 - Nidoking

Nidoking (Tier UU)

Abilities:

Poison Point
Enemies' contact moves have a 30% chance of Poisoning them.

Rivalry
Attack increases if foe is of the same gender; attack decreases if foe is of the opposite gender.


Statistics:

Statistics	Min-	Min	Max	Max+
HP 81	-	303	366	-
Atk 92	198	220	283	311
Def 77	171	190	253	278
SpA 85	185	206	269	295
SpD 75	167	186	249	273
Spe 85	185	206	269	295

1st Set: Banded Cannibal

Nature: Adamant

Moveset:
Earthquake
Stone Edge
Megahorn
Sucker Punch/Fire Punch

Recomended Ability: Poison Point
Recomended Item: Choice Band
Recomended Ev. Spread: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Earthquake is the main attack in this set due to stab. Stone Edge is there for flying type, and bug. Megahorn annialates any dark, grass or psychic type coming your way. Sucker Punch is there to destroy any speedy ghost like frosslass, rotom, or gengar if using in OU environment. Fire punch is an option for OU play as it destroys forretress and dents bronzong pretty badly.

2nd Set: Specs Cannibal

Nature: Modest

Moveset:
Earth Power
T-bolt
Ice Beam
Shadow Ball

Recomended Ability: Poison Point
Recomended Item: Choice Specs
Recomended Ev. Spread: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

This set is very fun to use and may catch many off guard. This sets main advantage is the ability to deal alot of damage to physical walls expecting a physical set, specially those with major weakness to these attacks. Earth Power is the main move in this set as its a stab. Both T-Bolt and Ice beam are there for extra type coverage. T-bolt hitting water and types harder, and Ice hitting dragon, grass, and ground, obviously both cover flying just as good. Shadow Ball is there to hit ghost and psychic type harder.

3rd Set: Mixed Cannibal (UU version)

Nature: Rash

Moveset:
Earthquake
Hidden Power Grass/Sucker Punch
T-Bolt
Ice Beam

With Nidokings extensive movepool Life Orb can atribute that extra kick nidoking needs to deal alot of damage, specially on switchins. Earthquake is here to deal more damage to those expecting a physical hit ex. hypno, grumpig. Hidden power grass hits lunatone, solrock and anyother levitating rock, sucker punch could also be an option. T-bolt deals alot of damage to any water type, and with life orb might 2ko every possible bulky water in uu. Ice beam covers those weak to it such as meganium, altaria, sandlash and any other poke switching in to try and ruin Nidokings day.

Recomended Ability: Poison Point
Recomended Item: Life Orb
Recomended Ev. Spread: 200 Atk / 252 SpA / 56 Spe

4th Set: Mixed Cannibal (OU version)

Nature: Naughty

Moveset:
Earthquake
Megahorn
Ice Beam
Fire Blast/T-bolt

Recomended Ability: Poison Point
Recomended Item: Choice Specs
Recomended Ev. Spread: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

This is the OU of mix nidoking. This set helps cover OU threats much more efficiently as it hits major threats much harder due to much more common OU orientated moves. Earthquake as always is the main stab attack in this set. Megahorn rips through cresselia and celebi. Ice beam hits Dragons and ground types pretty hard like donphan, gliscor, and hippowdon. Fire Blast is there for stell type such as Forretress, Skarmory, and Brozong; T-bolt is there if you detest gyarados and suicune much more then the latter.


Other Options:
Nidoking has a great movepool...and most of it was already listed above. Nidoking can set up Stealth Rock and Toxic spikes if needed, though there are better pokemon even in UU that do that better. Rivalry...Nidoking's 2nd ability...can give him a big boost if it fights against a male, but it drops Nidoking's attack if it fights a female. So without risking too much, you might wanna just stay with poision point.

Opinion:
Nidoking is an interesting pokemon. Few pokemon can say they have a better movepool then Nidoking, but Nidoking's problem is that its stats are only decent, while not having a really good stat anywhere. Nidoking could work in OU, but it lacks power compared to things like Infernape and Tyranitar. But, Nidoking is extremely scary in UU.

Counters:
Its hard to find a counter at first with Nidoking's large movepool, but once you do find out what set it is using it shouldnt be too difficult. Nidoking will usually have problems with bulky water types, like Suicune and Swampert in OU and Quaqsire and Gastrodon in UU. Gyrados too, but it has to watch out for thunderbolt. Megahorn could hurt, but Cresselia is a good counter.