Gliscor, with its excellent Ground/Flying type combination, only has two weaknesses defensively: Water and Ice. Yet, it boasts three resistances and two immunities.
Its base stats are also outstanding, and its [Poison Heal] ability, combined with the [Toxic Orb] item, grants Gliscor incredible sustainability.
[Toxic Orb: A mysterious orb that releases poison upon contact. When a Pokémon holds it, it becomes badly poisoned.]
[Poison Heal: When poisoned, HP will not decrease; instead, it will increase.]
With such an ability combination, no Pokémon is more suited for the Substitute, Protect, Toxic strategy than Gliscor.
As long as it can successfully inflict Toxic on the opponent, Substitute and Protect can indefinitely stall for time under the effect of Poison Heal, until the opponent is poisoned to defeat.
Although real-life Pokémon battles are somewhat different from the games, Gliscor, with its flying ability, can easily use Toxic first and kite the opponent by flying.
Coupled with [Spikes], [Stealth Rock], [Toxic Spikes], and [Taunt], there's no dirtiest, only dirtier.
Even more terrifying is that there's no four-move limit in reality.
This means that while using the Substitute, Protect, Toxic strategy, Gliscor can also learn moves like [Swords Dance], [Earthquake], and [Agility], allowing it to use Swords Dance first and deliver a powerful blow to the opponent.
If the opponent's Pokémon team doesn't have a specific Pokémon to counter Gliscor, then once they encounter Gliscor, there's probably no solution except to surrender at light speed.
In a brief moment, Kawaki already had an idea in his mind.
The young boy in front of him looked at him expectantly and asked, "How is it, boss?"
Kawaki didn't answer immediately, but instead asked, "How do you and Gliscor usually battle?"
The young boy cautiously replied, "We use Cross Poison and Fire Fang for an all-out offense?"
Kawaki felt a bit speechless. He pondered for a moment, then spoke:
"I do have a strategy here that's suitable for Gliscor, but it requires specific moves to be used. My Breeding House just happens to teach them. Here, do you want to learn?"
The young boy followed his gaze and saw many teachable moves listed on the signboard.
"Odor Sleuth, Protect, Sleep Powder, Swords Dance—" He murmured the names listed there.
"To be precise, it's Toxic, Protect, and Swords Dance, three moves." Kawaki grinned and said, "However, this strategy isn't free."
Trainers asking Breeders to help devise training plans for Pokémon always come with a fee, so if someone comes to him for help devising a strategy, it certainly can't be free either.
"No problem!" The young boy readily agreed. He knew the ropes!
"Three moves, plus that strategy, will cost you a total of 40,000 alliance coins!" Kawaki calculated the bill, then looked up and asked, "What's your name?"
"Xiao An!"
"Alright, Xiao An, you can leave your Gliscor at the Breeding House for now. Teaching the moves will take about a day. During this time, you can explore the town or stay at the inn," Kawaki said.
"I'll stay here for a day!" Xiao An quickly said. He still wanted to learn the strategy from the boss!
After he paid the move learning fee and accommodation fee, Kawaki had Bewear lead Gliscor to the backyard.
Xiao An, meanwhile, stood in front of the counter, looking at Kawaki with excitement and anticipation.
"Boss, can you teach me now?"
"Of course." Kawaki nodded, "I call this strategy 'Substitute, Protect, Toxic'."
"Substitute, Protect, Toxic?"
"Substitute, Protect, and Toxic."
Xiao An listened, half-understanding.
"In battle, you can first use Toxic to badly poison the opponent. Then, even if you do nothing, as long as you stall for enough time—"
"Then the opponent will lose their ability to battle due to poisoning!" Xiao An's eyes lit up.
"Exactly." Kawaki smiled, "Substitute and Protect can keep Gliscor safe. Of course, this strategy isn't complete yet; it's still missing a few support-type moves."
"What moves?!" Xiao An quickly pressed.
"Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Stealth Rock, Taunt, Earthquake, Swords Dance, Roost—" Kawaki recalled and recited the names of these moves.
"If I'm not mistaken, your Gliscor's ability should be Poison Heal. With this ability, if you have the Toxic Orb item, then it can continuously heal itself during battle, using this to maintain sustainability."
"But even if you don't have a Toxic Orb, you can use the move Roost as an alternative."
"This way, the opponent constantly loses HP due to Toxic, while your Gliscor can recover HP with its Poison Heal ability and Roost, plus the support of Substitute and Protect—"
"Infinite recovery!" Xiao An felt as if his eyes had suddenly opened, and a new door was slowly opening for him.
Genius, this strategy is too genius! It's practically invincible!
He couldn't wait to try it out now!
However, Xiao An still managed to calm himself down.
He recalled the other moves Kawaki had just mentioned and couldn't help but ask, "What's the purpose of Toxic Spikes, Stealth Rock, and those other moves?"
"Do you know the effects of Toxic Spikes, Spikes, and Stealth Rock?" Kawaki smiled slightly.
"Toxic Spikes—" Xiao An carefully recalled, and suddenly realized that these three moves all seemed to involve scattering Toxic Spikes on the battlefield, or covering it with Stealth Rock, to inflict status conditions and damage on the opponent's next Pokémon that switches in.
"If these three moves are used, then as long as the opponent chooses to switch Pokémon, they will definitely have to pay a corresponding price," Kawaki said.
The poison damage from Toxic Spikes, the damage from Stealth Rock, plus the damage from Spikes—who could withstand a combo like that?
At this moment, Xiao An finally understood the meaning of these words.
Substitute, Protect, Toxic plus infinite recovery from Poison Heal and Roost, plus the interference from Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Stealth Rock—
What a disgusting strategy! This thought couldn't help but pop into Xiao An's mind.
But then, an unprecedented excitement followed, making his whole body tremble uncontrollably.
If his Gliscor could learn this strategy, who would be their opponent in battle?
This money was well spent! This thought couldn't help but pop into Xiao An's mind.
Mom, I'm about to become a Pokémon Master!
Xiao An began to imagine himself sweeping through six Pokémon with just one Gliscor. From now on, who would dare call them big idiots!
Looking at the child's expression, Kawaki shook his head helplessly.
Although this strategy sounds invincible, it's not without countermeasures. One Taunt can directly break this so-called Substitute, Protect, Toxic strategy.
But the main point of this tactic is its unexpectedness and ability to annoy. If encountered without prior knowledge or preparation, unless the strength gap between the two sides is too large, there's no other choice but to be helpless.
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