Toxicroak - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

This is a strategy guide for using Toxicroak in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items to use with Toxicroak, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Toxicroak - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Toxicroak

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Toxicroak
Abilities
Dry Skin	Reduces HP if it is hot. Water Restore HP.
Anticipation	Senses a foe's dangerous moves.
Poison Touch (Hidden)	May poison targets when a Pokemon makes contact.'

Toxicroak Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage
Takes 0x damage	-

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

HP	Attack	Defense	Sp. Atk	Sp. Def	Speed
83	106	65	86	65	85

Best Nature for Toxicroak

Best Natures
Jolly (+Spd, -Sp.Atk)	Timid (+Spd, -Atk)

Singles Movesets for Toxicroak

Swords Dance Sweeper Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Jolly(+Spd, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	Def 4 / Atk 252 / Spd 252
Final Stat Values	HP 158 / Atk 158 / Def 86 / Sp.Def 85 / Spd 150
Ability	Dry Skin
Held Item	Life Orb
Moveset	・Swords Dance ・Gunk Shot ・Sucker Punch ・Drain Punch

Toxicroak is a formidable set-up sweeper that can catch teams off guard, and even check some of the most commonly used sweepers in the Metagame.

About Toxicroak's Moves

Thanks to its ability, Toxicroak has plenty of chances to set-up with Swords Dance, such as switching in to a Dracovish choice-locked into Fishous Rend.

Gunk Shot is Toxicroak's most powerful STAB move, and can easily KO a Bold Sylveon with full Defensive investment even wtihout using Swords Dance!

Drain Punch is its secondary STAB move that also provides respectable healing. Finally, Sucker Punch allows Toxicroak to hit faster Psychic and Ghost-type Pokemon for super effective damage and potentially KOing them after a Swords Dance boost.

About Toxicroak's EV Spread

This EV spread is pretty straightforward and meant to highlight Toxicroak's highest stats. 252 EVs on Attack and Speed ensures it hits hard and fast, while the remaining 4 Defense EVs allows it to take physical hits better.

About Toxicroak's Ability

Dry Skin is the best ability for this offensive set, allowing Toxicroak to absorb and heal off incoming Water-type moves at the cost of 25% more damage to Fire-type moves.

This gives Toxicroak plenty of chances to switch in on a Choice-locked Water-type move and set-up with Swords Dance.

About Toxicroak's Held Item

Life Orb is the preferred held item for this build, boosting the power of Toxicroak's moves by 30% at the cost of 10% of its maximum HP. This recoil damage is easily patched up by using Drain Punch though!

Other Viable Moves

Thunder Punch	A great alternative to Sucker Punch that allows Toxicroak to hit Flying and Water-type Pokemon for super effective damage.
Ice Punch	Another good alternative to Sucker Punch. This move allows Toxicroak to hit Ground, Grass, and Flying-type Pokemon for super effective damage.
Cross Chop	An alternative to Drain Punch with higher base power but with lower accuracy and no secondary healing effect.

Nasty Plot Sweeper Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid(+Spd, -Atk)
EV Spread	Def 4 / Sp.Atk 252 / Spd 252
Final Stat Values	HP 158 / Def 86 / Sp.Atk 138 / Sp.Def 85 / Spd 150
Ability	Dry Skin
Held Item	Life Orb
Moveset	・Nasty Plot ・Sludge Wave ・Focus Blast ・Vacuum Wave

Although Toxicroak has a lower special attack stat, it can function as a powerful special sweeper that can easily surprise opposing teams that are expecting the typical physical-oriented Toxicroak.

About Toxicroak's Moves

This set functions similar to the previous one, except Toxicroak fills the role of a special set-up sweeper with Nasty Plot.

Sludge Wave and Focus Blast are it's main STAB moves, and can hit a lot of Pokemon in the metagame for super effective damage. Vacuum Wave is its last attack, and is a STAB priority move that allows it to hit faster and frailer Pokemon and potentially KO them after a Nasty Plot boost.

About Toxicroak's EV Spread

This EV spread is pretty straightforward and meant to highlight Toxicroak's highest stats. 252 EVs on Sp.Atk and Speed ensures it hits hard and fast, while the remaining 4 Defense EVs allows it to take physical hits better.

About Toxicroak's Ability

Dry Skin is the best ability for this offensive set, allowing Toxicroak to absorb and heal off incoming Water-type moves at the cost of 25% more damage to Fire-type moves.

This gives Toxicroak plenty of chances to switch in on a Choice-locked Water-type move and set-up with Nasty Plot.

About Toxicroak's Held Item

Life Orb is the preferred held item for this build, boosting the power of Toxicroak's moves by 30% at the cost of 10% of its maximum HP.

Other Viable Moves

Shadow Ball	A great alternative to Vacuum Wave that allows Toxicroak to hit Ghost-type Pokemon that can otherwise wall it.
Venoshock	This is a situational move that becomes a 130 base power STAB move when Toxicroak uses it on a opposing Pokemon that's Poisoned.
Sludge Bomb	A weaker alternative to Sludge Wave, but is a better choice if you're using this set in Doubles as it doesn't hit Toxicroak's ally Pokemon.

Doubles Movesets for Toxicroak

Poison Touch Doubles Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Jolly(+Spd, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	Def 4 / Atk 252 / Spd 252
Final Stat Values	HP 158 / Atk 158 / Def 86 / Sp.Def 85 / Spd 150
Ability	Poison Touch
Held Item	King's Rock
Moveset	・Fake Out ・Sucker Punch ・Drain Punch ・Poison Jab

This Toxicroak build is an offensive supporter, functioning as a lead that annoys and cripples the opposing team with Poison and flinching.

About Toxicroak's Moves

Fake Out allows Toxicroak to scout moves and interrupt an opposing Pokemon that can pose a danger to your team. Drain Punch and Poison Jab are its main STAB moves, while Sucker Punch allows Toxicroak to hit faster and frailer Pokemon.

All of these moves are contact moves, which means they have the chance to activate Toxicroak's Poison Touch ability.

About Toxicroak's EV Spread

This EV spread is pretty straightforward and meant to highlight Toxicroak's highest stats. 252 EVs on Attack and Speed ensures it hits hard and fast, while the remaining 4 Defense EVs allows it to take physical hits better.

About Toxicroak's Ability

Poison Touch gives Toxicroak a 30% chance to inflict the Poison status effect when it hits an opponent with a contact move.

The 30% chance is applied before other factors, which means Toxicroak has two separate chances to inflict the Poison status effect if it uses another move with a chance to Poison.

This is the reason why we use Poison Jab instead of Gunk Shot; while the latter move is stronger, it doesn't make contact and thus cannot activate Poison Touch.

About Toxicroak's Held Item

This set uses the King's Rock held item, giving Toxicroak's moves a 10% chance to flinch. This can prove very troublesome to your opposing team, especially if the move inflicts Poison beforehand!

Other Viable Moves

Thunder Punch	A great alternative to Sucker Punch that allows Toxicroak to hit Flying and Water-type Pokemon for super effective damage.
Ice Punch	Another good alternative to Sucker Punch. This move allows Toxicroak to hit Ground, Grass, and Flying-type Pokemon for super effective damage.
Cross Chop	An alternative to Drain Punch with higher base power but with lower accuracy and no secondary healing effect.

How to Use Toxicroak Effectively

Utilize its Great Dual STAB Moves

What sets Toxicroak apart from other physical and special sweepers is its great dual Poison/Fighting STAB. It's currently the only Pokemon with this dual STAB, making it a great answer to the common Fairy, Grass, and Dark-type Pokemon that populate the metagame.

Make the Most out of Dry Skin

Toxicroak finds plenty of opportunities to switch in and set-up thanks to its Dry Skin ability. It can switch in to a Dracovish or Azumarill, or Urshifu Rapid-Strike locked to a Water-type move and set-up with impunity.

How to Build a Team with Toxicroak

Though it faces stiff competition from stronger and faster attackers, Toxicroak's unique dual typing and excellent utility in its ability allow it comfortably fit into many teams.

A Potent Sweeper in Rain

Toxicroak's Dry Skin ability makes it a great candidate for backup sweeper in the Rain. Thanks to its ability, Toxicroak regains 1/3 of its maximum HP at the end of a turn - essentially nullifying Life Orb damage when used in tandem with Drain Punch.

It's ability also makes it a great counter to Rain teams in general. Check out our article below to learn more about how to build a Weather Team.

How to Build a Weather Team

A Tricky Offensive Lead in Doubles

Toxicroak's access to Fake Out and utility moves such as Quick Guard make it a great offensive lead in doubles. It's excels in its niche as a tricky status-inflicting lead with Poison Touch and its contact moves.

Check out our guide below to learn how to build a Doubles Team.
How to Build a Doubles Team

Counters for Toxicroak

Weakness

Outspeed and Sweep

Though Toxicroak is relatively fast, there are faster Pokemon that take little damage from Sucker Punch and can easily knock it out.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Lucario	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Faster than Toxicroak with a Jolly Nature ・Immune to Poison-type moves ・Inner Focus ability grants it immunity to flinching ・Justified ability gives it a +1 Attack boost when hit by a Dark-type move. Moveset & Best Build for Lucario
Cinderace	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can KO Toxicroak with Pyro Ball or Zen Headbutt Moveset & Best Build for Cinderace

Wall it with a Sturdy Defensive Pokemon

Even with boosting moves, Toxicroak can't hope to get past especially sturdy defensive Pokemon!

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Corviknight	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Immune to Poison-type moves and the Poison status effect ・Bulk Up variants can easily KO Toxicroak with Brave Bird Moveset & Best Build for Corviknight
Amoonguss	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Takes litte damage from both Physical and Special Toxicroak ・Can stop a set-up with Spore ・Immunity to the Poison status means it can comfortably redirect Toxicroak's contact moves Moveset & Best Build for Amoonguss

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for Returning Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for Returning Pokemon
Mimikyu	Wash Rotom	Gyarados
Ferrothorn	Aegislash	Excadrill
Tyranitar	Hydreigon	Heat Rotom
Arcanine	Mamoswine	Toxapex
Togekiss	Cloyster	Durant
Snorlax	Charizard	Sylveon
Lucario	Hippowdon	Umbreon
Conkeldurr	Quagsire	Gastrodon
Lapras	Whimsicott	Rhyperior
Goodra	Haxorus	Glaceon
Mow Rotom	Type: Null	Gengar
Milotic	Gardevoir	Flygon
Chandelure	Lanturn	Torkoal
Bisharp	Seismitoad	Silvally
Butterfree	Primarina	Incineroar
Blastoise	Decidueye	Venusaur
Darmanitan	Alolan Ninetales	Gothitelle
Crawdaunt	Clefable	Reuniclus
Kommo-o	Terrakion	Cobalion
Virizion	Noivern	Fan Rotom
Toxicroak	Pelipper	Jellicent
Celebi	Clefairy	Hitmontop
Diggersby	Ditto	Raichu
Hawlucha	Shiftry	Tsareena
Ludicolo