Slaking.....A sleeping giant?

[OnTheNextLevel]

Is Slaking's ability the only reason that people don't use it. I mean, it has a base stat total close to Mewtwo's (Mewtwo=680, Slaking=670). It was in OU in generation 4 now suddenly it's in NU. It just doesn't seem right to me. I can think of one way a person could use a Slaking in Gen 6 and it's called MEGA KANGASKHAN. On the turn that Slaking is "loafing around" couldn't Mega Kangaskhan attack FOR Slaking. Another possibility is Slaking using substitute so that it's not vulnerable while it's loafing around. All I'm saying is that it's attack and speed stats are way too high for it to just brushed off. It's speed stat is also nothing to sneeze at either. Can someone please give me a valid reason why Slaking isn't used more?

 

[cbd98]

Actually, Slaking was OU in Gen III, then UU in Gen IV, and now it is currently NU in Gen V. Slaking commonly acted as a revenge killer by switching in and then out very quickly but hitting the opponent hard enough to try and take it out. Obviously, Truant is an issue, and it keeps Slaking from ever performing at it's fullest or setting up a sweep. Also, with the release of Gen V, there are even more fighting types being pushed into the lower tiers which have the potential to hurt Slaking. There's even Focus Blast on many special attackers which hits Slaking's weak Special Defense. Because Slaking is mostly run with Choice sets and needs constant switching, it doesn't help that entry hazards are becoming even more common. Also, it doesn't benefit from any weather conditions, which have been taking over the current OU metagame. Overall, Slaking is a great Pokemon, and if it ever receives a Dream World ability or even a mega evolution without Truant, I'm sure people will begin to consider Slaking for their team.

 

[PlatinumDude]

To add to what cbd98 said, while Slaking has incredible stats everywhere but Special Defense, its Truant ability really holds it back from clean-sweeping teams. To elaborate, Truant forces the user to attack every other turn, and on the turn Truant takes effect, Slaking often ends up as setup bait. Setting up a Substitute won't do Slaking any favors, as the opponent can simply break it as Slaking sets it up. It's also extremely vulnerable to Protect users, who can use said move to block whatever Slaking throws at them; on the Truant turn, the Protect user can do as they please as Slaking switches out or somehow stays in. So it's mainly used as a hit-and-run attacker with Choice Band.

Slaking also does see some (gimmicky) use in doubles, by having a partner negate Truant with Gastro Acid or Mummy (note that Worry Seed, Entrainment or Simple Beam won't work). Skill Swap can also be used on Slaking.

 

[Sirfetch’d]

Yeah, unfortunately Slaking is really easy to counter. If you have a speedier Pokemon with Substitute or any Pokemon with Protect, Slaking can do nothing to you. Yes, he is powerful and can revenge kill easily, but the risk of using him is just too high. He can easily be set up on as well. I don't think he will ever receive a DW ability because of his strength or if he does it would likely send him to OU again or maybe even Ubers.

 

[KorpiklaaniVodka]

Actually, Slaking was OU in Gen III, then UU in Gen IV, and now it is currently NU in Gen V.

Slaking was actually BL in Gen 3 and NU in Gen 4.

Slaking is horrible unless it's used with Cofagrigus, and even then Slaking is forced to use Pursuit. However, when used with Cofagrigus, it can actually be surprisingly strong. Just be sure to remove Terrakion, Keldeo and other Fighting-types that Slaking's afraid of (I think it can take one Mach Punch from Breloom / Conkeldurr, but Return only OHKOes the former). That job can be done by Cofagrigus since it's immune to Fighting-type attacks. Slaking + Cofagrigus is even better in UU as there aren't as many Fighting-types Slaking has to worry about as in OU.

However, when not used in tandem with Cofagrigus, Choice Band Slaking requires perfect prediction to work (even in NU), and Life Orb hampers its phenomenal bulk. Yamask is absolutely horrible in NU, so Slaking is very afraid of Pokemon with Protect.
Maybe I'll make a gimmicky team that uses the Cofagrigus + Slaking duo in OU, and hopefully get a high ACRE (as I did with Dusknoir and Eelektross).