[OVERVIEW]
Mantine's excellent typing and ability allow it to check many of NU's most prominent threats such as Samurott, Steelix, Pyroar, and Hariyama. Thanks to Water Absorb, Mantine also has a niche as one of the only Pokemon immune to Water in the tier and as an excellent Scald absorber. Although a weakness to Stealth Rock hinders it, Mantine's astounding defensive typing, ability to beat most Stealth Rock users, and high Special Defense stat let it act as a fairly reliable Defogger. However, Mantine's low Special Attack stat and reliance on Scald burns to inflict damage don't let it build momentum for its team. Low Defense combined with a lack of reliable recovery hurts Mantine's longevity and makes it difficult to repeatably check strong physical attackers throughout a battle. Although Mantine's typing covers a plethora of threats throughout NU, a 4x weakness to Electric makes Mantine a liability versus Volt Switch users such as Rotom and Lanturn, which gives up more momentum in a match. Mantine can be worn down very quickly due to its weakness to Stealth Rock, vulnerability to status, and lack of reliable recovery. Pelipper gives Mantine a run for its money, as it has the same typing, superior physical bulk, and access to roost and U-turn that allows it to keep up momentum and fit on a wider range of teams. Despite these traits, Mantine separates itself from Pelipper with much higher Special Defense and an immunity to Water.
[SET]
name: Mixed Defensive Defog
move 1: Defog
move 2: Scald
move 3: Air Slash
move 4: Toxic / Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Defog provides useful team support by keeping entry hazards off the field. Scald is Mantine's most spammable offensive move and can also burn common switch-ins such as Ferroseed and Lanturn. Scald is generally good for warding off powerful physical attackers that prey on Mantine's low Defense stat, as getting a burn on Pokemon like Klinklang or Samurott makes them much easier to deal with. Air Slash is used for super effective coverage versus Grass- and Fighting-types and helps to make sure Mantine isn't total setup bait for Pokemon like Samurott and Sceptile. Toxic is used to status bulkier Pokemon that don't take much damage from Mantine's dual STAB moves such as Lanturn, Pelipper, and Musharna. Protect can also be used to increase Mantine's longevity, as Mantine relies solely on Leftovers to recover health. Protect also has good synergy with Scald, as Protect + Scald can effectively wear down opposing Pokemon.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP investment increases Mantine's overall bulk, and 16 Special Defense EVs along with a Calm nature hit a jump point, which allows Mantine to take special attacks better with minimal investment. The rest of the EVs are thrown into Defense to allow Mantine to better take on strong physical attackers such as Sawk, Hariyama, and Swords Dance Samurott and Sceptile. Leftovers is the item of choice to increase Mantine's longevity throughout the battle, and Water Absorb is the best ability for Mantine, as it adds another useful immunity and can provide Mantine with recovery.
Usage Tips
========
Unless your opponent has a Water-immune Pokemon, it is usually fairly safe to spam Scald, as even Pokemon that resist it such as Lanturn don't appreciate a burn. Due to its lack of reliable recovery and weakness to Stealth Rock, avoid letting Mantine take unnecessary damage throughout a battle. Be cautious of status moves from Pokemon Mantine typically switches into such as Toxic from Steelix or Thunder Wave from Xatu. Similarly, Mantine must beware of a surprise Hidden Power Electric. Pokemon that Mantine can normally wall such as Combusken and Samurott will often run Hidden Power Electric to cripple Mantine. Knock Off users also pose a threat, as Mantine completely relies on Leftovers for recovery.
Team Options
========
Due to its Defog support and excellent defensive typing and stats, Mantine finds itself in the heart of many solid cores in NU. Steelix is a terrific partner for Mantine, as the two cover each other's weaknesses well, and provide both entry hazard support with Stealth Rock and hazard removal with Defog. Hariyama pairs great with these two, as it helps check Fire-types that can break through Mantine such as Magmortar. Due to its low Defense, Mantine shouldn't have your team's sole Fighting resistance. Pairing Mantine up with another Pokemon that resists Fighting such as Vileplume creates a strong defensive backbone for teams. Wish passers such as Mega Audino are also great partners for Mantine, as passing a Wish to Mantine aids its longevity throughout a match. Mega Audino can also use Heal Bell to remove any status inflicted upon Mantine. Similarly, status absorbers such as Malamar, Gurdurr, and Clefairy are good partners for Mantine, as they can easily switch in on any Toxic, Wil-O-Wisp, or Thunder Wave directed at Mantine. Ground-types such as Rhydon and Piloswine work well with Mantine, as they can cover Mantine's 4x weakness to Electric and stop opponents from Volt Switching around freely. Teammates that appreciate hazard control such as Jynx, Sawk, Archeops, and Scyther also work well with Mantine, as Mantine can reliably keep hazards off the field for them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
With its usable base 80 Special Attack stat and solid dual STAB moves, Mantine can make good use of Choice Specs. This set faces heavy competition from Samurott as a specially offensive Water-type, though, as Samurott is more powerful, is not locked into one move, and has access to priority in Aqua Jet. Many Pokemon that switch in on Mantine such as Rotom, Lanturn, and opposing Mantine cannot properly deal with it once it is behind a Substitute, so a Substitute + Toxic set can work excellently. This set is often not as effective as defensive Mantine, as it loses bulk and cannot Defog as effectively. Mantine can go an even more offensive route by running a Rain Dance + Swift Swim set, as STAB Life Orb-boosted Hydro Pump in the rain can 2HKO most Pokemon that don't resist it, and Air Slash allows Mantine to beat Grass-types that typically check offensive Water-types. This set is often overlooked because it loses out on one of Mantine's greatest strengths in Defog. A Chesto Berry + Rest set can be used to help alleviate Mantine's struggle with status and give Mantine a semi-reliable form of recovery outside of Leftovers. This set is oftentimes overshadowed by Leftovers Mantine, as not being able to Toxic bulkier Pokemon such as Pelipper and Musharna makes Mantine even more of a defect to momentum, and Mantine truly needs Leftovers to keep it alive as long as possible and Defog efficiently.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Electric-type Pokemon such as Lanturn and Rotom really threaten Mantine, as they can do massive damage with STAB 4x super effective Thunderbolts and Volt Switches. Electric-types also steal momentum from Mantine with Volt Switch, as Mantine is forced out every time. Lanturn in particular should be noted as a counter to Mantine, as it can switch in on any of Mantine's attacks with ease, Heal Bell off any Scald burn or Toxic Mantine goes for, and do massive damage with its Electric STAB moves.
**Passive Damage**: Due to its lack of reliable recovery, weakness to Stealth Rock, and reliance on Leftovers, Mantine is very susceptible to passive damage from sources like Stealth Rock and status.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Incredibly bulky Pokemon such as Malamar and Mega Audino can be troublesome, as they both use Mantine as setup bait and don't care about getting burned or poisoned due to RestTalk and Heal Bell.
**Freeze-Dry Pokemon**: Pokemon that carry Freeze-Dry such as Aurorus, Lapras, and Articuno greatly threaten Mantine, as the move is 4x super effective against it and will do massive damage.
Mantine's excellent typing and ability allow it to check many of NU's most prominent threats such as Samurott, Steelix, Pyroar, and Hariyama. Thanks to Water Absorb, Mantine also has a niche as one of the only Pokemon immune to Water in the tier and as an excellent Scald absorber. Although a weakness to Stealth Rock hinders it, Mantine's astounding defensive typing, ability to beat most Stealth Rock users, and high Special Defense stat let it act as a fairly reliable Defogger. However, Mantine's low Special Attack stat and reliance on Scald burns to inflict damage don't let it build momentum for its team. Low Defense combined with a lack of reliable recovery hurts Mantine's longevity and makes it difficult to repeatably check strong physical attackers throughout a battle. Although Mantine's typing covers a plethora of threats throughout NU, a 4x weakness to Electric makes Mantine a liability versus Volt Switch users such as Rotom and Lanturn, which gives up more momentum in a match. Mantine can be worn down very quickly due to its weakness to Stealth Rock, vulnerability to status, and lack of reliable recovery. Pelipper gives Mantine a run for its money, as it has the same typing, superior physical bulk, and access to roost and U-turn that allows it to keep up momentum and fit on a wider range of teams. Despite these traits, Mantine separates itself from Pelipper with much higher Special Defense and an immunity to Water.
[SET]
name: Mixed Defensive Defog
move 1: Defog
move 2: Scald
move 3: Air Slash
move 4: Toxic / Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Defog provides useful team support by keeping entry hazards off the field. Scald is Mantine's most spammable offensive move and can also burn common switch-ins such as Ferroseed and Lanturn. Scald is generally good for warding off powerful physical attackers that prey on Mantine's low Defense stat, as getting a burn on Pokemon like Klinklang or Samurott makes them much easier to deal with. Air Slash is used for super effective coverage versus Grass- and Fighting-types and helps to make sure Mantine isn't total setup bait for Pokemon like Samurott and Sceptile. Toxic is used to status bulkier Pokemon that don't take much damage from Mantine's dual STAB moves such as Lanturn, Pelipper, and Musharna. Protect can also be used to increase Mantine's longevity, as Mantine relies solely on Leftovers to recover health. Protect also has good synergy with Scald, as Protect + Scald can effectively wear down opposing Pokemon.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP investment increases Mantine's overall bulk, and 16 Special Defense EVs along with a Calm nature hit a jump point, which allows Mantine to take special attacks better with minimal investment. The rest of the EVs are thrown into Defense to allow Mantine to better take on strong physical attackers such as Sawk, Hariyama, and Swords Dance Samurott and Sceptile. Leftovers is the item of choice to increase Mantine's longevity throughout the battle, and Water Absorb is the best ability for Mantine, as it adds another useful immunity and can provide Mantine with recovery.
Usage Tips
========
Unless your opponent has a Water-immune Pokemon, it is usually fairly safe to spam Scald, as even Pokemon that resist it such as Lanturn don't appreciate a burn. Due to its lack of reliable recovery and weakness to Stealth Rock, avoid letting Mantine take unnecessary damage throughout a battle. Be cautious of status moves from Pokemon Mantine typically switches into such as Toxic from Steelix or Thunder Wave from Xatu. Similarly, Mantine must beware of a surprise Hidden Power Electric. Pokemon that Mantine can normally wall such as Combusken and Samurott will often run Hidden Power Electric to cripple Mantine. Knock Off users also pose a threat, as Mantine completely relies on Leftovers for recovery.
Team Options
========
Due to its Defog support and excellent defensive typing and stats, Mantine finds itself in the heart of many solid cores in NU. Steelix is a terrific partner for Mantine, as the two cover each other's weaknesses well, and provide both entry hazard support with Stealth Rock and hazard removal with Defog. Hariyama pairs great with these two, as it helps check Fire-types that can break through Mantine such as Magmortar. Due to its low Defense, Mantine shouldn't have your team's sole Fighting resistance. Pairing Mantine up with another Pokemon that resists Fighting such as Vileplume creates a strong defensive backbone for teams. Wish passers such as Mega Audino are also great partners for Mantine, as passing a Wish to Mantine aids its longevity throughout a match. Mega Audino can also use Heal Bell to remove any status inflicted upon Mantine. Similarly, status absorbers such as Malamar, Gurdurr, and Clefairy are good partners for Mantine, as they can easily switch in on any Toxic, Wil-O-Wisp, or Thunder Wave directed at Mantine. Ground-types such as Rhydon and Piloswine work well with Mantine, as they can cover Mantine's 4x weakness to Electric and stop opponents from Volt Switching around freely. Teammates that appreciate hazard control such as Jynx, Sawk, Archeops, and Scyther also work well with Mantine, as Mantine can reliably keep hazards off the field for them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
With its usable base 80 Special Attack stat and solid dual STAB moves, Mantine can make good use of Choice Specs. This set faces heavy competition from Samurott as a specially offensive Water-type, though, as Samurott is more powerful, is not locked into one move, and has access to priority in Aqua Jet. Many Pokemon that switch in on Mantine such as Rotom, Lanturn, and opposing Mantine cannot properly deal with it once it is behind a Substitute, so a Substitute + Toxic set can work excellently. This set is often not as effective as defensive Mantine, as it loses bulk and cannot Defog as effectively. Mantine can go an even more offensive route by running a Rain Dance + Swift Swim set, as STAB Life Orb-boosted Hydro Pump in the rain can 2HKO most Pokemon that don't resist it, and Air Slash allows Mantine to beat Grass-types that typically check offensive Water-types. This set is often overlooked because it loses out on one of Mantine's greatest strengths in Defog. A Chesto Berry + Rest set can be used to help alleviate Mantine's struggle with status and give Mantine a semi-reliable form of recovery outside of Leftovers. This set is oftentimes overshadowed by Leftovers Mantine, as not being able to Toxic bulkier Pokemon such as Pelipper and Musharna makes Mantine even more of a defect to momentum, and Mantine truly needs Leftovers to keep it alive as long as possible and Defog efficiently.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Electric-type Pokemon such as Lanturn and Rotom really threaten Mantine, as they can do massive damage with STAB 4x super effective Thunderbolts and Volt Switches. Electric-types also steal momentum from Mantine with Volt Switch, as Mantine is forced out every time. Lanturn in particular should be noted as a counter to Mantine, as it can switch in on any of Mantine's attacks with ease, Heal Bell off any Scald burn or Toxic Mantine goes for, and do massive damage with its Electric STAB moves.
**Passive Damage**: Due to its lack of reliable recovery, weakness to Stealth Rock, and reliance on Leftovers, Mantine is very susceptible to passive damage from sources like Stealth Rock and status.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Incredibly bulky Pokemon such as Malamar and Mega Audino can be troublesome, as they both use Mantine as setup bait and don't care about getting burned or poisoned due to RestTalk and Heal Bell.
**Freeze-Dry Pokemon**: Pokemon that carry Freeze-Dry such as Aurorus, Lapras, and Articuno greatly threaten Mantine, as the move is 4x super effective against it and will do massive damage.
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