by The new Ground/Grass-type Pokemon introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Toedscruel, is nerfed by the addition of its ability.
The new Ground/Grass type version of Tentacruel from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Toedscruel, is the fastest Spore user ever, but its ability hurts its effectiveness in battle. The new Pokémon has the same appearance as Tentacruel, except that the beak is replaced by a proboscis and the tentacles act more like legs. Toedscruel is not a jellyfish that has learned to walk on land; it’s a mushroom. That’s interesting Pokemon Scarlet and Violet changed Tentacruel from Water/Poison to Grass/Ground instead of Grass/Poison, but the moveset and stats make it very useful. But it would be even more useful if it didn’t have an ability at all.
Toedscruel is one of the few Pokémon capable of using Spore, a one hundred percent accurate status move that sends enemies into hibernation, allowing much weaker Pokémon to even take down legendaries if it hits. Spore can only be learned by these Pokémon besides Toedscruel: Paras, Parasect, Shroomish, Breloom, Foonguss, Amoonguss, Morelull, and Shiinotic. The average speed of these Pokémon is just under 34, with Breloom being the fastest at 70. Meanwhile, Toedscruel is sitting pretty with a speed of 100, making it the fastest by far. So there’s nothing stopping players from putting a select scarf on it and just sending everything to sleep, or so it seems.
TikTok user wolfeyvgc recently posted a video overview of Toedscruel’s ability, Mycelium Might, which is effectively a nerf intended to prevent players from breaking the game with an overwhelmed Pokémon. Its ability does this: The Pokemon always attacks after the opponent when it uses status moves, but the status moves ignore the target’s abilities. That means there’s no way for Toedscruel to move first when you use Spore, leaving it vulnerable to any attack that could hit and possibly kill it before it gets a chance. Pokemon made a quick Spore user and realized it enabled a Pokémon to sweep teams by sending everyone to sleep. So it nerfed Toedscruel by giving it Mycelium Might – making sure it can’t abuse Spore while giving it some form of Mold Breaker to make up for the useless ability.
If fans want a quick Spore user, they can still find Breloom in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. If they equip it with a select scarf, they have a Pokemon with 105 speed that can use Spore. Toedscruel’s speed with selected scarf is 150, and with the average base speed of all Pokémon at 66, if Toedscruel didn’t have Mycel, only Pokémon with Electric, Grass, or Overcoat or Goggles would be able to stand up to it.
While Toedscruel isn’t as good as it could be, the type is useful as it’s immune to electric and resistant to earth and rock, and it’s tied with Claydol for the earth type with the highest special defense. At least Mycelium Might, while weakening Toedscruel, allows it to put status effects on Pokemon with Safe Guard, Leaf Guard, and Misty Terrain.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is available for Nintendo Switch.
