How GOOD was Toxicroak ACTUALLY? - History of Toxicroak in Competitive Pokemon (Gens 4-7)

Thank you so much to Skillshare for sponsoring this video!

Toxicroak is today’s Pokemon for our competitive history series! Join False Swipe Gaming in this brief overview of Toxicroak in competitive Pokemon!

FULL RESEARCH SOURCES HERE

Timestamps
0:00 - Intro
0:50 - DPP/Gen 4
3:49 - Gen 4 VGC
5:36 - BW/Gen 5
8:16 - Gen 5 VGC
9:22 - XY/Gen 6
10:59 - SM/Gen 7
12:22 - Gen 7 VGC
17:10 - Outro

The Official False Swipe Gaming Twitter:

Directed by Kellen

Written By
Kevin aka BKC

Edited By
Connor Nguyen aka CDK

VFX Intro By
Ryan Gonzales

Sound Designed by
Lloyd Ea

Game Capture Artist:
DarkMusician

DISCLAIMERS ON FORMATS COVERED:
Notice I said POPULAR formats, meaning a format where there is a significant amount of people who compete in it for tournaments and so on and so forth.

For the record, I do not care what rules or formats people play their battles by nor am I saying these formats are the only formats that should be played. The way you play Pokemon is between you and your opponent. I just like examining popular tournament formats.

Songs Used (List of ALL Songs used for this series. Some may or may not make it into the video):

My Twitter:

Resources and Historical References

Smogon University:

Maikiri

Aaron Cybertron Zheng:

Pokeaim

Pokemon Battle Historia:

Nintendo Cup 2000 Team Construction:

Nintendo Cup 2000 Tier List:

Pokemon Japanese Battle Wiki:

Sprites From:

[beebobber]

Toxicroak: I’m RU
*starts raining outside*
Toxicroak: I’m OU now

[beydey]

"They're putting chemicals in the water, that turn the fricking frogs viable in VGC !"

[starbolt]

Kyogre: “how could you possibly be a threat to me, I’m The mighty Kyogre.” Toxicroak: “wouldn’t you like to know,
weather boy”

[johnwilliams]

Politoed's drizzle is introduced
Toxicroak: You know I'm something of a weather man myself

[catgirlghost]

Toxicroak: I’m just not that powerful.
Gen 8 OU: focused around rain, fairys, Dragapult who gets stomped by sucker punch.
Toxicroak: 𝘾𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙗𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙖 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨

[jwanie]

I like how Toxicroak became more viable in a format that allowed legendaries lol

[EteamProductions]

5:43 "Toxicroak introduced itself as something of a rain expert itself" I love this script

[mcdonnell-douglasdc-]

I find it interesting how in Gen 5, a frog Pokemon's ability to summon rain helped to bring another frog to OU viability.

[morganwithaneevee]

So basically, Toxicroak has always been an anti-meta pick. When the meta was built around Toxicroak's strengths, it excelled, but it lacked the presence to personally influence the meta.

[nightshrine]

Remember how Groagunk would literally stab Brock's ass like 3, 4 times every episode in Gen 4

*Ah.. the good times*

[kriblar]

*me in the middle of watching “how good was Magneton actually”*

“ooh new video”

[sarasaland]

I love how Emboar and Samurott didn’t even need a joke pick like Quagsire to interrupt their video.

[HMZeroTwo]

Competitive players with Dry Skin Toxicroak when it starts raining:


_"Oh yeah, it's all coming together."_

[TazTheYellow]

How OVERSHADOWED was Toxicroak by its pre-evolution ACTUALLY?


Lemme put it like this. Croagunk got into Pokken. *TWICE.*

[jacobdyingextraordinaire]

Toxicroak when it starts to rain: “It’s gaming time.”

[SpiritBomb]

"So you're UU?"
Toxicroak: "yes, but actually no."

[darklightning]

1:51 That running animation is hilarious.

[codename]

Fun fact: Not counting transformations, Toxicroak has the highest Attack stat of any Poison Type.

Edit: Since this comment was made, Sneasler's Attack overcame Toxicroak's in spades.

[shotgunchicken]

Base Kyogre seeing Toxicroak: GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!!!

[rejvaik]

*Poison/ Fighting*

"The wonderful thing is I'm the only one"