Mantine, The Kite Pokémon. While elegantly swimming in the sea, it ignores Remoraid that cling to its fins seeking food scraps.If it builds up enough speed swimming, it can fly over 300 feet out of the water from the surface of the ocean. Swimming freely in open seas, it may fly out of the water and over the waves if it builds up enough speed. As it majestically swims, it doesn't care if Remoraid attach to it for scavenging its leftovers. It swims elegantly, mindless of Remoraid hitching on to its broad fins. It has a docile nature. When the waves are calm, one may encounter a swarm of MANTINE swimming as if they are in flight.
Overview
Mantine was designed to be the specially defensive counterpart to Skarmory, but due to poor typing, stats, and movepool, it was unable to work effectively and thus dropped to the NU tier where it has dwelt ever since. Despite being weak to Stealth Rock and a variety of common types, Mantine can be used successfully in NU if you really feel like trying. Its Special Defense is gigantic, and special attackers will have trouble muscling through it. The main problem with Mantine is that although its Special Defense is amazing, it is mediocre at best in every other stat. Unfortunately, Mantine is not very good and is likely to stay that way, but does have niches in which it remains relatively competitive.
Abilities
Swift Swim: Doubles Mantine's Speed in rain, very useful if you're an offensive Mantine that either has Rain Dance or is on a Rain Dance team, as it outspeeds most everything in the tier at that point, and gives an extra boost to Hydro Pump.
Water Absorb: Heals up to 1/4 of Mantine's HP when hit by a Water move, good for switch-ins and for Mantine's bulkier sets (as he gets no good form of recovery).
Water Veil: Prevents burns, basically useless as Mantine can't run a Flame Orb set thanks to Trick not existing in its movepool.
Movesets
Checking in at Sirena Beach
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Scald
-Toxic / Hidden Power [Flying]
Item Attached: Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
This set takes advantage of Mantine's base 140 Special Defense and makes Mantine in to a very specially bulky wall. Rest is used as Mantine's only form of recovery, and Sleep Talk ensures that Mantine isn't stuck as a sitting duck (or at least as much of one). Scald is good STAB and has a chance to burn the opponent, leaving Mantine with a good threat to physical attackers who would blow Mantine off the face of the planet. Toxic can take care of other bulky Pokemon such as Alomomola and Lickilicky which would otherwise not be able to be stopped by Mantine. HP Flying can be used to hit Fighting types like Sawk and Grass types like Exeggutor harder. Water Absorb is used for extra recovery if oyu can switch in on a Water move.
Mantine-ing an air of dignity
-Rain Dance
-Hydro Pump
-Ice Beam
-Air Slash
Item Attached: Life Orb / Damp Rock
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
This set attempts to utilize Mantine as either a rain setter or a rain sweeper, although its sweeping capabilities are limited. Rain Dance is the staple move of this set, allowing for Mantine to double its speed and increase its power. Hydro Pump is strong STAB and will hurt anything that doesn't resist it thanks to rain. Ice Beam takes care of Flying and Grass types, and is a strong coverage move. Air Slash can not only make your opponent flinch, but gets STAB and is also useful for coverage. THe choice between the items is dependent on what you need Mantine to do. Life Orb allows Mantine to sweep better, while Damp Rock extends the time rain stays around, meaning less power but a longer amount of time that Mantine (or something else) gets to sweep.
Other Options
Agility, Blizzard, Hail, Mirror Coat, Protect, Signal Beam
Agility can be used to boost Mantine's speed, but Swift Swim is still the better option as it benefits Mantine's attacking power too.
Blizzard can be used over Ice Beam if for some reason you're using Mantine on a Hail Team, otherwise it's probably not worth it.
Hail probably isn't worth it, as hail got unbanned and Snover is a much better Pokemon to set it up, but if you can find some reason to use it, then good for you.
Mirror Coat can put Mantine's Special Defence to good use and cause decent damage if you're able to predict the use of Special moves
Protect can be used on the bulky set to help to determine what your opponent is planning on doing, but you'd either sacrifice recovery or coverage for it.
Signal Beam can be used to hit Exeggutor harder, but that's about it.
Double & Triple Battle Options
Mantine isn't commonly or even rarely used in Doubles and Triples due to there being much better options for all the roles he can fill (which aren't many).
Partners
Anything that can wall or draw in Electric attacks is an enormous benefit to Mantine, as well as a Rapid Spinner.
Countering Mantine
Gotta say, this isn't very difficult. Exploiting its 4x weakness to Electric attacks is probably the best way, so anything running an electric attack (even if it's special) can generally cripple Mantine in one go. Stealth Rock, or any rock move for that matter, hurts Mantine badly and reduces his effectiveness. Most physical attackers such as Golem, Cinccino, and Sawk can OHKO Mantine with Stone Edge or Rock Blast respectively. Bulky pokemon such as Alomomola or Lickilicky only have to worry about Toxic Mantine, otherwise they can stall Mantine out.
Locations in Games
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Trade from LeafGreen/Colosseum.
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Tanoby Ruins & Trainer Tower (FireRed)
Trade from LeafGreen/Colosseum (FireRed)
Colosseum/XD:
Snag from Miror B. Peon Ferma in Pyrite Hill (Colosseum) Trade from LeafGreen (XD)
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Evolve from Mantyke
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Route 41 (HeartGold)
Trade from Diamond, Pearl, Platinum or HeartGold (SoulSilver)
Black/White:
Undella Town (All Seasons, Surf), Undella Bay (Spring, Summer, Autumn - Surf)
Black 2/White 2:
Undella Bay (Spring, Summer, Autumn), Route 21
Animé Appearences
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Mantine has made a few appearances. In these, it has mostly been cameos but has noteably been used by Molly Hale, and by the Gym Leader Marlon
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Synopsis
Pictures
