Slowking, The Royal Pokémon. A combination of toxins and the shock of evolving has increased Shellder’s intelligence to the point that Shellder now controls Slowking. While chanting strange spells, this Pokémon combines its internal toxins with what it’s eaten, creating strange potions.
Overview
Slowking follows up on the rest of its family with a new Galarian form in Crown Tundra, continuing the Psychic/Poison approach from Slowbro. However, unlike Slowbro, Galarian Slowking sticks much closer to its Kantonian variant in terms of stat distribution which makes them much more directly comparable. Aside from a very slight optimization in Galarian Slowking's Special Attack, the differences largely lie in the utility offered between Water-typing and Poison-typing of each respective form, as well as the movepool differences between them. Of course, there is also an ability difference between them thanks to Galarian Slowking's unique ability, Curious Medicine, but this ability is useless in Singles and Slowking itself is not very notable in Doubles so this is unfortunately a minor difference. At the end of the day, both Slowking forms are very similar in what they can do, and depending on which format you may be looking at this is two variations of the same very good Pokemon.
Positives
Both forms of Slowking have the same 95/80/110 defensive stat spread, which makes for a solid specially focused tank with different advantages in resistances against Water- or Fairy-types, respectively.
Both forms boast a very diverse movepool that includes Fire coverage, reliable recovery, and in the case of Galarian Slowking, maintaining access to the Water-type moves that Kantonian Slowking offers.
As briefly noted, both Slowking forms have access to Regenerator which is a fantastic ability for increasing longevity and opening numerous pivoting options.
For some metagames, Future Sight is a very powerful tool that both Slowking forms utilize to great effect.
Negatives
While far fewer in number, Galarian Slowking's weaknesses are equally annoying since Dark-, Ground-, and Ghost-type moves are fairly common.
Despite Regenerator being an incredible ability, the biggest downfall for the Slowkings is well, they're very slow. Base 30 Speed means that Slowking is almost always moving after the foe, which can be a problem when trying to tank repeated hits and can't find a safe opportunity to switch.
Movesets
Hexpert Yadoking Moment
- Sludge Bomb
- Future Sight
- Slack Off / Flamethrower
- Scald
Item Attached: Heavy-Duty Boots / Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
Galarian Slowking's unique typing makes it slightly more broadly useful, though otherwise you're looking at a very similar Pokemon to Kantonian Slowking but with a new set of resistances and weaknesses. Being a Poison-type means that Galarian Slowking will want Sludge Bomb as a STAB move which offers a similarly high poison chance as Scald has for burns. However, Galarian Slowking still has access to Scald despite not being a Water-type so you can still utilize this tool for the burns. This is particularly useful at deterring Ground-types from easily switching in, as they otherwise pose an issue to Galarian Slowking if they come in. Future Sight accomplishes the same thing for Galarian Slowking as it does for Kantonian Slowking, the only differences is Galarian Slowking's 10 point advantage in Special Attack making it hit slightly harder. Slack Off provides recovery which is always useful for a bulky pivot, though Galarian Slowking can also choose to run Flamethrower or even Fire Blast if taking a more offensive route as listed above.
EVs and Items
Similar to Kantonian Slowking, the item choice for Galarian Slowking will follow the exact same logic. Heavy-Duty Boots for longer 6v6 battles, Black Sludge for ranked battles on Battle Stadium. Galarian Slowking has a stronger argument for a more offensive stat spread due to its slightly higher Special Attack and slightly bigger movepool, though otherwise you can't go wrong with a bulkier defensive spread.Partners
Wallbreakers such as Urshifu (both forms) are good teammates to consider since the pressure of Future Sight and their powerful signature moves can be a problem even for bulkier foes.
Both forms of Slowking appreciate teammates that can deal with Dark-types, a weakness to Knock Off in particular is a major problem even if Regenerator is a factor. The aforementioned Urshifu forms are both good for this role, though Fairy-types such as Tapu Fini and Clefable are also considerations here.
Galarian Slowking is better at dealing with Fairy-types such as Clefable and Tapu Koko, as well as threatening Tapu Fini more directly than its Kantonian cousin.
Other Options
Assault Vest is a solid item consideration for either Slowking form, as further complements their great Special Defense while synergizing well with Regenerator. However, Heavy-Duty Boots will likely still be more useful in a longer 6v6 battle so this is more notable in Battle Stadium metagames.
Calm Mind sets are an option for either Slowking form, though there are usually better Calm Mind users due to its very low Speed. This is a strong consideration if using Galarian Slowking in Battle Stadium though.
Ice Beam is another useful coverage move that both Slowking forms have access to, though it's somewhat redundant with Flamethrower unless you specifically need to hit Landorus-Therian harder and Scald isn't enough for you.
Countering Slowking
In metagames where Future Sight Slowking is an annoyance, the most direct answers are going to be Dark-types and Substitute. Dark-types in particular such as Mandibuzz or Bisharp can usually threaten further with Knock Off, which can turn Slowking's presence into a liability, though even those without Knock Off such as Hydreigon, Single Strike Urshifu, or Galarian Moltres can put a damper on either Slowking's day. That said, Knock Off isn't exclusive to just Dark-types, threats such as Rillaboom, Ferrothorn, Tornadus-Therian, Landorus-Therian, and Tangrowth also have access to Knock Off which can further annoy Slowking (though Kantonian Slowking fears the listed Grass-types regardless, likewise Galarian Slowking with Landorus-Therian).
Ghost-types such as Dragapult and Mimikyu can further pressure either Slowking, though they don't have the same Psychic immunity to prevent Future Sight from being an annoyance. Spectrier and Gengar are also notable Ghost-type threats to keep in mind, depending on the metagame, though Gengar does not want to be caught getting hit by Future Sight if it can help it.
Steel-types that aren't also 4x weak to Fire-types are also notable against Slowkings, the likes of Celesteela, Metagross, Heatran, Corviknight, and Magnezone can all be an annoyance for Slowking that Fire-type coverage may not deal with efficiently on its own. Excadrill is notably annoying for Galarian Slowking due to it being Poison-type, though Scald burns are still a concern there too.
Slowking, The Royal Pokémon.Miraculously, this former Slowpoke's latent intelligence was drawn out when Shellder poison raced through its brain. Slowking can solve any problem presented to it, but no one can understand a thing Slowking says.
Overview
Positives
Both forms of Slowking have the same 95/80/110 defensive stat spread, which makes for a solid specially focused tank with different advantages in resistances against Water- or Fairy-types, respectively.
Kantonian Slowking has access to Teleport if you're not playing in ranked battle metagames, giving it a useful pivoting tool that synergizes well with Regenerator.
Both forms boast a very diverse movepool that includes Fire coverage, reliable recovery
As briefly noted, both Slowking forms have access to Regenerator which is a fantastic ability for increasing longevity and opening numerous pivoting options.
For some metagames, Future Sight is a very powerful tool that both Slowking forms utilize to great effect.
Negatives
Kantonian Slowking suffers from a large amount of common weaknesses despite its equally large list of resistances. Weaknesses to Dark, Ghost, Electric, and Grass are very annoying, and even a Bug-type weakness is annoying when U-turn exists.
Despite Regenerator being an incredible ability, the biggest downfall for the Slowkings is well, they're very slow. Base 30 Speed means that Slowking is almost always moving after the foe, which can be a problem when trying to tank repeated hits and can't find a safe opportunity to switch.
Movesets
Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
- Scald
- Future Sight
- Slack Off
- Teleport / Flamethrower
Item Attached: Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
Truthfully, Kantonian Slowking is not going to see a lot of play in ranked battle metagames, but it has a very useful niche in longer drawn-out 6v6 battles where it also has access to Teleport. Scald is the obvious go-to STAB for any defensive Water-type, even if the burn nerf makes it less obnoxious against Special Attackers it still offers unmatched support with its burn rate. Future Sight is an interesting move in recent generations due to its high power and delayed attack offering great synergy with powerful wallbreakers. Having to tank a teammate's hit and also the delayed Future Sight can be very annoying for many foes, and Teleport pairs well with this to offer further synergy to the strategy. The negative priority option pairs well with Regenerator, so Slowking can safely bring in a teammate while also recovering some of the damage taking right after switching. Slack Off offers a more direct recovery option though, for situations where Slowking needs to take multiple hits or stall turns for Future Sight to activate. If you are playing on ranked battles though, then Teleport is not legal and must be substituted for something like Flamethrower or a Psychic-type STAB.
EVs & Items
The item choice's value depends great on which metagame you're using Slowking in, though Heavy-Duty Boots will often be preferred in the metagames where Slowking shines. Heavy-Duty Boots are not broadly useful on most things in ranked battles so if you're intent on using Slowking in ranked battles, use Leftovers instead. Regenerator is just one of the best abilities for a defensive Pokemon so this is a pretty obvious choice, and a physically defensive spread is the best way to round out Slowking's overall bulk as its physical bulk is not very impressive without investment. However, in some metagames you may prefer to hone in on the specially defensive route since its Special Defense is a very valuable asset.
Other Options
Assault Vest is a solid item consideration for either Slowking form, as further complements their great Special Defense while synergizing well with Regenerator. However, Heavy-Duty Boots will likely still be more useful in a longer 6v6 battle so this is more notable in Battle Stadium metagames.
Calm Mind sets are an option for either Slowking form, though there are usually better Calm Mind users due to its very low Speed. This is a strong consideration if using Galarian Slowking in Battle Stadium though.
Ice Beam is another useful coverage move that both Slowking forms have access to, though it's somewhat redundant with Flamethrower unless you specifically need to hit Landorus-Therian harder and Scald isn't enough for you.
Eerie Spell is Galarian Slowking's signature move and it has interesting PP stalling potential in Battle Stadium when paired with a Pressure user. However, it's not very easy to take advantage of this so you are probably better off with Psychic, Psyshock, or Future Sight if you want a Psychic STAB.
Partners
Wallbreakers such as Urshifu (both forms) are good teammates to consider since the pressure of Future Sight and their powerful signature moves can be a problem even for bulkier foes.
Both forms of Slowking appreciate teammates that can deal with Dark-types, a weakness to Knock Off in particular is a major problem even if Regenerator is a factor. The aforementioned Urshifu forms are both good for this role, though Fairy-types such as Tapu Fini and Clefable are also considerations here.
Kantonian Slowking is better for teams that struggle with Water-type threats such as Keldeo or Rapid Strike Urshifu as it resists their Water-type STABs, while threatening switches with Future Sight.
Checks & Counters
In metagames where Future Sight Slowking is an annoyance, the most direct answers are going to be Dark-types and Substitute. Dark-types in particular such as Mandibuzz or Bisharp can usually threaten further with Knock Off, which can turn Slowking's presence into a liability, though even those without Knock Off such as Hydreigon, Single Strike Urshifu, or Galarian Moltres can put a damper on either Slowking's day. That said, Knock Off isn't exclusive to just Dark-types, threats such as Rillaboom, Ferrothorn, Tornadus-Therian, Landorus-Therian, and Tangrowth also have access to Knock Off which can further annoy Slowking (though Kantonian Slowking fears the listed Grass-types regardless, likewise Galarian Slowking with Landorus-Therian).
Ghost-types such as Dragapult and Mimikyu can further pressure either Slowking, though they don't have the same Psychic immunity to prevent Future Sight from being an annoyance. Spectrier and Gengar are also notable Ghost-type threats to keep in mind, depending on the metagame, though Gengar does not want to be caught getting hit by Future Sight if it can help it.
Steel-types that aren't also 4x weak to Fire-types are also notable against Slowkings, the likes of Celesteela, Metagross, Heatran, Corviknight, and Magnezone can all be an annoyance for Slowking that Fire-type coverage may not deal with efficiently on its own. Excadrill is notably annoying for Galarian Slowking due to it being Poison-type, though Scald burns are still a concern there too.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Evolve Slowpoke
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Trade from LeafGreen
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Evolve Slowpoke (FireRed)
Trade from LeafGreen (FireRed)
Colosseum/XD:
Trade from LeafGreen
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Evolve Slowpoke (Pearl/Platinum)
Trade from Pearl/Platinum/HeartGold/SoulSilver (Diamond)
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Evolve Slowpoke
Black/White:
Abundant Shrine
Black 2/White 2:
Evolve Slowpoke
X/Y:
Evolve Slowpoke
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Evolve Slowpoke
Sun/Moon:
Evolve Slowpoke
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Kala'e Bay
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in Game
Sword/Shield:
Evolve Slowpoke (Galarian Form)
Dynamax Adventure (Kantonian Form)
Animé Appearences
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Slowking has made a few appearances in the anime. Most of these have been cameos. |
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