approved by dodmen
QC Checks: - / - / -
GP Checks: -
[OVERVIEW]
* Nidoqueen is one of the most solid entry hazard setters in the tier thanks to its amazing defensive and offensive typing, great coverage options and a dangerous Special Attack stat, which combined with Life Orb and Sheer Force, can turn Nidoqueen into a dangerous wallbreaker.
* Its offensive typing allows it to threaten tier staples, such as Clefable, Cobalion, and Raikou, while its defensive typing gives it an important immunity to Electric and solid resistances to Fighting, Fairy, and Bug.
* Nidoqueen's defensive typing gives it common weaknesses, though, notably the Ground-, Water-, and Psychic-type weaknesses.
* Nidoqueen's only niche over its male counterpart, Nidoking, is its bulk, but it's slower and has less coverage options.
[SET]
name: Offensive Entry Hazard Setter
move 1: Stealth Rock / Toxic Spikes
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Ice Beam / Fire Blast / Thunderbolt
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Modest
evs: 128 HP / 252 SpA / 128 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock, a need on any competitive team, can wear down opposing squads when their Pokemon switch out, and it's easily set by Nidoqueen thanks to its great defensive typing and threatening coverage moves, which can force some Pokemon out.
* Toxic Spikes, while not being a need, can be used over Stealth Rock if the team already has a Stealth Rock setter, as it can be used to wear down grounded foes.
* Sludge Wave is Nidoqueen's main STAB, as it hits Fairy- and Grass-types such as Clefable, Primarina, and Celebi hard, while doing a lot of damage to Pokemon which take neutral damage to it, such as Keldeo and Amoonguss.
* Earth Power is another powerful STAB that hits Steel- and Fire-types for super-effective damage, while hitting Ground-types neutrally, helping Nidoqueen to hit them if it lacks Ice Beam.
* The last slot is always spent in a coverage option, and most of the time Ice Beam is the best pick, since it hits Pokemon which resist its STABs, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Gliscor, and does more damage to Amoonguss and Hippowdon.
* Fire Blast is a great option as well, since it hits Scizor, Magnet Rise Klefki, Bronzong, and Amoonguss.
* Thunderbolt can be used to hit Water-types harder, as it OHKOes Keldeo and 2HKOes +1 Slowbro, but it doesn't offer much more than that.
Set Details
========
* Life Orb combined with Sheer Force give Nidoqueen a lot of raw power, allowing it to 2HKO or OHKO all the tier.
* A Modest nature with maximum Special Attack investment ensures that Nidoqueen is hitting as hard as possible.
* The Speed investment allows Nidoqueen to outspeed Modest Primarina and Adamant Bewear, while the rest of the EVs are invested into HP to give it some bulk.
* An alternative EV spread of 44 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe can be used to outspeed Timid Primarina, Taunt Gliscor, and Adamant Bisharp, but the loss of bulk doesn't benefit Nidoqueen.
Usage Tips
========
* Nidoqueen is extremely scary when used correctly, so playing smartly around your opponent with it while finding opportunities to switch-in is optimal.
* Thanks to its great defensive typing, Nidoqueen finds lots of switch-in opportunities, most of them are against Clefable, Amoonguss, and Choice locked Raikou.
* Even if Nidoqueen has very few switch-ins, it can take advantage of predictions to grab some KOs, which is extremely important.
Team Options
========
* Pursuit trappers such as Mega Absol, Choice Scarf Krookodile, and Mega Aerodactyl can trap Psychic-types that threaten Nidoqueen, such as Reuniclus and Latias.
* Water- and Flying-types appreciate Nidoqueen's immunity to Electric, and they can help it against Ground-types.
* Fighting-types such as Bewear and Keldeo appreciate Nidoqueen's ability of defeating Fairy-types.
* Grass-types such as Celebi and Tsareena appreciate Nidoqueen's wallbreaking capabilities and can cover her weakness to Ground- and Water-types.
* Strong wallbreakers benefit from the hazard support provided by Nidoqueen.
[SET]
name: Defensive Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock / Toxic Spikes
move 2: Roar / Ice Beam / Toxic Spikes
move 3: Earthquake / Poison Jab
move 4: Fire Blast
item: Black Sludge
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 236 Def / 24 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock is an essential move in any kind of team, and it is effectively set by Nidoqueen since it has a great defensive typing and decent offensive presence, setting Stealth Rock and threatening Pokemon such as Raikou, Cobalion, and Terrakion.
* Toxic Spikes is set as well as Stealth Rock, but it should be used over Stealth Rock if the team already has a Stealth Rock setter.
* Roar gives Nidoqueen a form to deal with dangerous setup sweepers, such as Clefable, Cobalion, and even Slowbro if needed.
* Ice Beam can be used over Roar to hit Gliscor, Krookodile, and Mega Aerodactyl harder.
* Earthquake is used to hit Pokemon such as Calm Mind Raikou and Calm Mind Chandelure harder than Earth Power does.
* Poison Jab is an option over Earthquake since it hits Calm Mind Clefable harder than Sludge Wave and still hits Raikou for decent damage.
* Fire Blast gives Nidoqueen a reliable coverage to defeat Scizor and Forretress, which can threaten semi stall archetypes without an answer to them.
Set Details
========
* Sheer Force gives more power to Nidoqueen's secondary effect attacks, allowing Poison Jab to 2HKO Clefable or Fire Blast to OHKO Scizor, for example.
* Black Sludge gives Nidoqueen a passive form of recovery that can hurt Switcheroo or Trick users.
* The given EV spread allows Nidoqueen to tank hits from strong physical attackers while OHKOing bulky Scizor from max HP with Fire Blast.
Usage Tips
========
* Since this set focuses on Nidoqueen's defensive side, it should be used as a defensive pivot, forcing Fighting-types such as Cobalion and Terrakion to switch out.
* Nidoqueen finds many opportunities to switch in and set Stealth Rock, mainly against the aforementioned Fighting-types, Choice locked Raikou, and passive Pokemon such as Clefable.
* Use Roar to phaze threats such as Swords Dance Cobalion and Hone Claws Mega Aerodactyl effectively.
Team Options
========
* Since this set fits best on semi stall and stall archetypes, Wish passers and clerics such as Alomomola, Clefable, and Blissey are strongly recommended to prolong Nidoqueen's longevity.
* Grass-types such as Chesnaught and defensive Celebi can take Water- and Ground-type attacks quite well, while Nidoqueen provides them a resistance to Fighting.
* Water-types, such as the aforementioned Alomomola, Suicune, and Mantine, have useful resistances and immunities that can help Nidoqueen. Alomomola and Suicune, for example, resist Water and Ice, while Mantine is immune to Water and Ground, and they're all well supported by Nidoqueen thanks to her immunity to Electric.
* Pursuit trappers that fit on semi stall or stall archetypes, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Absol, can remove threats such as Latias and Life Orb Gengar.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Focus Blast hits Blissey, Snorlax, Shuca Berry Cobalion, and Shuca Berry Empoleon, but it doesn't have enough utility outside of that.
* Nidoqueen doesn't have more options for coverage moves or other sets, and while it has a great Attack stat, it can't abuse of it correctly due to the lack of secondary effect moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dedicated Special Walls**: Bulky special walls such as Bronzong, Blissey, and even Cresselia can take any hit from Nidoqueen thanks to their high Special Defense stat.
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types such as Latias, Celebi, and Gardevoir can threaten Nidoqueen with their strong STABs, but they can't switch into Nidoqueen reliably.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Gliscor, Krookodile, Hippowdon, and Zygarde-10% can OHKO Nidoqueen with Earthquake or Thousand Arrows, while resisting Sludge Wave, however, they fear Ice Beam and some of them are frail enough to be OHKOed by Earth Power.
**Water-types**: Water-types such as Suicune, Mega Blastoise, and Keldeo can threaten Nidoqueen by unleashing their Water-type STABs or just pressuring it defensively. Most of them, as stated above, can't switch into any of Nidoqueen's STABs.
QC Checks: - / - / -
GP Checks: -
[OVERVIEW]
* Nidoqueen is one of the most solid entry hazard setters in the tier thanks to its amazing defensive and offensive typing, great coverage options and a dangerous Special Attack stat, which combined with Life Orb and Sheer Force, can turn Nidoqueen into a dangerous wallbreaker.
* Its offensive typing allows it to threaten tier staples, such as Clefable, Cobalion, and Raikou, while its defensive typing gives it an important immunity to Electric and solid resistances to Fighting, Fairy, and Bug.
* Nidoqueen's defensive typing gives it common weaknesses, though, notably the Ground-, Water-, and Psychic-type weaknesses.
* Nidoqueen's only niche over its male counterpart, Nidoking, is its bulk, but it's slower and has less coverage options.
[SET]
name: Offensive Entry Hazard Setter
move 1: Stealth Rock / Toxic Spikes
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Ice Beam / Fire Blast / Thunderbolt
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Modest
evs: 128 HP / 252 SpA / 128 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock, a need on any competitive team, can wear down opposing squads when their Pokemon switch out, and it's easily set by Nidoqueen thanks to its great defensive typing and threatening coverage moves, which can force some Pokemon out.
* Toxic Spikes, while not being a need, can be used over Stealth Rock if the team already has a Stealth Rock setter, as it can be used to wear down grounded foes.
* Sludge Wave is Nidoqueen's main STAB, as it hits Fairy- and Grass-types such as Clefable, Primarina, and Celebi hard, while doing a lot of damage to Pokemon which take neutral damage to it, such as Keldeo and Amoonguss.
* Earth Power is another powerful STAB that hits Steel- and Fire-types for super-effective damage, while hitting Ground-types neutrally, helping Nidoqueen to hit them if it lacks Ice Beam.
* The last slot is always spent in a coverage option, and most of the time Ice Beam is the best pick, since it hits Pokemon which resist its STABs, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Gliscor, and does more damage to Amoonguss and Hippowdon.
* Fire Blast is a great option as well, since it hits Scizor, Magnet Rise Klefki, Bronzong, and Amoonguss.
* Thunderbolt can be used to hit Water-types harder, as it OHKOes Keldeo and 2HKOes +1 Slowbro, but it doesn't offer much more than that.
Set Details
========
* Life Orb combined with Sheer Force give Nidoqueen a lot of raw power, allowing it to 2HKO or OHKO all the tier.
* A Modest nature with maximum Special Attack investment ensures that Nidoqueen is hitting as hard as possible.
* The Speed investment allows Nidoqueen to outspeed Modest Primarina and Adamant Bewear, while the rest of the EVs are invested into HP to give it some bulk.
* An alternative EV spread of 44 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe can be used to outspeed Timid Primarina, Taunt Gliscor, and Adamant Bisharp, but the loss of bulk doesn't benefit Nidoqueen.
Usage Tips
========
* Nidoqueen is extremely scary when used correctly, so playing smartly around your opponent with it while finding opportunities to switch-in is optimal.
* Thanks to its great defensive typing, Nidoqueen finds lots of switch-in opportunities, most of them are against Clefable, Amoonguss, and Choice locked Raikou.
* Even if Nidoqueen has very few switch-ins, it can take advantage of predictions to grab some KOs, which is extremely important.
Team Options
========
* Pursuit trappers such as Mega Absol, Choice Scarf Krookodile, and Mega Aerodactyl can trap Psychic-types that threaten Nidoqueen, such as Reuniclus and Latias.
* Water- and Flying-types appreciate Nidoqueen's immunity to Electric, and they can help it against Ground-types.
* Fighting-types such as Bewear and Keldeo appreciate Nidoqueen's ability of defeating Fairy-types.
* Grass-types such as Celebi and Tsareena appreciate Nidoqueen's wallbreaking capabilities and can cover her weakness to Ground- and Water-types.
* Strong wallbreakers benefit from the hazard support provided by Nidoqueen.
[SET]
name: Defensive Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock / Toxic Spikes
move 2: Roar / Ice Beam / Toxic Spikes
move 3: Earthquake / Poison Jab
move 4: Fire Blast
item: Black Sludge
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 236 Def / 24 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock is an essential move in any kind of team, and it is effectively set by Nidoqueen since it has a great defensive typing and decent offensive presence, setting Stealth Rock and threatening Pokemon such as Raikou, Cobalion, and Terrakion.
* Toxic Spikes is set as well as Stealth Rock, but it should be used over Stealth Rock if the team already has a Stealth Rock setter.
* Roar gives Nidoqueen a form to deal with dangerous setup sweepers, such as Clefable, Cobalion, and even Slowbro if needed.
* Ice Beam can be used over Roar to hit Gliscor, Krookodile, and Mega Aerodactyl harder.
* Earthquake is used to hit Pokemon such as Calm Mind Raikou and Calm Mind Chandelure harder than Earth Power does.
* Poison Jab is an option over Earthquake since it hits Calm Mind Clefable harder than Sludge Wave and still hits Raikou for decent damage.
* Fire Blast gives Nidoqueen a reliable coverage to defeat Scizor and Forretress, which can threaten semi stall archetypes without an answer to them.
Set Details
========
* Sheer Force gives more power to Nidoqueen's secondary effect attacks, allowing Poison Jab to 2HKO Clefable or Fire Blast to OHKO Scizor, for example.
* Black Sludge gives Nidoqueen a passive form of recovery that can hurt Switcheroo or Trick users.
* The given EV spread allows Nidoqueen to tank hits from strong physical attackers while OHKOing bulky Scizor from max HP with Fire Blast.
Usage Tips
========
* Since this set focuses on Nidoqueen's defensive side, it should be used as a defensive pivot, forcing Fighting-types such as Cobalion and Terrakion to switch out.
* Nidoqueen finds many opportunities to switch in and set Stealth Rock, mainly against the aforementioned Fighting-types, Choice locked Raikou, and passive Pokemon such as Clefable.
* Use Roar to phaze threats such as Swords Dance Cobalion and Hone Claws Mega Aerodactyl effectively.
Team Options
========
* Since this set fits best on semi stall and stall archetypes, Wish passers and clerics such as Alomomola, Clefable, and Blissey are strongly recommended to prolong Nidoqueen's longevity.
* Grass-types such as Chesnaught and defensive Celebi can take Water- and Ground-type attacks quite well, while Nidoqueen provides them a resistance to Fighting.
* Water-types, such as the aforementioned Alomomola, Suicune, and Mantine, have useful resistances and immunities that can help Nidoqueen. Alomomola and Suicune, for example, resist Water and Ice, while Mantine is immune to Water and Ground, and they're all well supported by Nidoqueen thanks to her immunity to Electric.
* Pursuit trappers that fit on semi stall or stall archetypes, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Absol, can remove threats such as Latias and Life Orb Gengar.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Focus Blast hits Blissey, Snorlax, Shuca Berry Cobalion, and Shuca Berry Empoleon, but it doesn't have enough utility outside of that.
* Nidoqueen doesn't have more options for coverage moves or other sets, and while it has a great Attack stat, it can't abuse of it correctly due to the lack of secondary effect moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dedicated Special Walls**: Bulky special walls such as Bronzong, Blissey, and even Cresselia can take any hit from Nidoqueen thanks to their high Special Defense stat.
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types such as Latias, Celebi, and Gardevoir can threaten Nidoqueen with their strong STABs, but they can't switch into Nidoqueen reliably.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Gliscor, Krookodile, Hippowdon, and Zygarde-10% can OHKO Nidoqueen with Earthquake or Thousand Arrows, while resisting Sludge Wave, however, they fear Ice Beam and some of them are frail enough to be OHKOed by Earth Power.
**Water-types**: Water-types such as Suicune, Mega Blastoise, and Keldeo can threaten Nidoqueen by unleashing their Water-type STABs or just pressuring it defensively. Most of them, as stated above, can't switch into any of Nidoqueen's STABs.
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