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Is Slowbro or Slowking better across all gens/tiers in terms of usability and moveset? I don't see too many differences between the two besides Slowking having better SpD and Slowbro having better Def. An answer would be greatly appreciated!

by
Depends if you wanna have a specially defensive Pokémon or a physically defensive one. I want to say Slowbro is better but to be honest I’m not sure.
As of gen 8, Slowbro is better purely because slowking is u turn weak and doesn't have great defense, meaning it takes a lot from it. As for other gens, idk im a gen 8 player :P
I'm going to need you to give me some team details so I can see what fits your team best

1 Answer

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These 2 are both in the A tier on the recently updated OU viability rankings, so this is going to be quite hard.

It's pretty hard trying to compare both of them, since they technically do different things. Slowbro has an easier time switching into physical Attackers, while Slowking is better suited to coming in on Special ones.

I'd say go with Slowbro. It isn't as weak to U-turn and Knock Off, and it doesn't fold to Earthquake from the king of OU, Landorus-Therian. Slowking is supposed to check defensive Pokemon, however it takes an unnecessarily large amount of damage from a Toxapex Knock Off. It also struggles with Ferrothorn, since it can use Power Whip. Tornadus-Therian, a Pokemon Slowking is supposed to check, uses Knock Off on pretty much all sets, something it doesn't appreciate. Grassy Glide Rillaboom destroys it too. Landorus-Therian, Garchomp, or Hippowdon can block a Zapdos's Volt Switch for Slowbro. Slowking is still useful though, since it can switch into Nidoking.

Other options

Toxapex is a better overall defensive Water type since it has more well-rounded defenses. It isn't weak to Knock Off, resists U-turn, isn't weak to Grassy Glide or Power Whip. Its only major downsides is its lack of Future Sight to threaten itself, and its inability to come in on Earthquake.

Clefable is a Teleporter that resists both Knock Off and U-turn, and can hold Leftovers. It has a better defensive typing and also packs Wish. However, it lacks Scald, Future Sight, and Regenerator (although Wish kind of makes up for the loss of Regenerator)

Blissey is yet another Pokemon that can Teleport. It trades Regenerator, Future Sight, and Scald for the highest HP stat in the game, great Special Defense, Seismic Toss, and Stealth Rock.

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“ across all gens”
Slowbro is still historically better than Slowking
Yea but they still want more of an explanation
rather than
it just is
Slowbro's playstyle has pretty much always been the same. Switch into physical attacker, do damage.. It's always been a great bulky water and a solid pivot
Some of the examples in which you explained about Slowking's low Def don't favor Slowbro always. Neither one of them likes to have their Heavy Duty Boots knocked, rendering them pretty useless pivot. In case of Rillaboom neither of them likes to take a Wood Hammer.