Tentacruel's good Water / Poison defensive typing, which allows it to check threats such as Infernape and Scizor while absorbing Toxic Spikes, and access to Rapid Spin are what really set it apart from other Water-types in the tier. Additionally, good utility options in Toxic Spikes, Haze, and Knock Off give it the ability to support different playstyles and archetypes, and a good Speed tier also lets Tentacruel outspeed and heavily chip down threats to balance such as Mamoswine and Nidoking before going down without much investment. However, its subpar physical bulk and a lack of recovery outside of Z-Haze leave it hard pressed to check threats such as Scizor and Cobalion over the course of a game and reliant on teammates to serve as primary checks. Tentacruel’s weakness to a common offensive typing in Ground, which most Stealth Rock setters have, makes it more risky to remove entry hazards, even if they are forced out by Tentacruel’s Scald. Tentacruel also faces competition from Starmie as a spinner due to the fact Starmie has a much higher offensive presence and can switch into common Stealth Rock users such as Hippowdon and Swampert reliably. Tentacruel’s low damage output leaves it open to becoming setup fodder for bulky users, such as Reuniclus and Latias, even though Haze will deny their boosts if need be.