Tentacruel

Tentacruel is typically an overlooked Pokemon in the normal games. But in GO, it's a defensive powerhouse, and Niantic’s CEO John Hanke’s favorite. For this very reason, we cannot rate it too low.

… Just kidding, we here at GamePress base our ratings solely on actual performance! Tentacruel is somewhat bulky, but its offensive ability leaves much to be desired. On defense, it’s stuck with either 1-bar charge moves, which are terrible when Tentacruel becomes demotivated, or Acid Spray/Scald, which are objectively not great despite being 3-bar moves. On the bright side, it resists Fighting, which at least slightly annoys Machamp.

Best PvE Offensive Moveset

• Poison Jab and Acid are almost exactly the same; they have the same duration but different DPS and EPS.

• Hydro Pump is optimal for the raw power and STAB, while Sludge Wave creates a full Poison-type moveset.

• Blizzard is a solid move, but there are better candidates for Ice-type offense.

• Scald is a downgrade. 

• Acid Spray is a terrible move in raids.

Best PvE Defensive Moveset

• Poison Jab is only slightly better than Acid for the damage; both are usable.

• Scald is the best Charge Move for defense due to its greater usage frequency as a 2-bar move. 

• Hydro Pump, Sludge Wave, and Blizzard all take a very long time to access, and Tentacruel might faint before then. 

• Acid Spray is meant for PvP. 

Poison Jab and Acid both benefit from STAB, but the former is superior.

Due to the large amounts of energy needed for Tentacruel's charge moves, Acid Spray is recommended for its lesser energy cost, which helps to bait shields in addition to its debuff utility. Sludge Wave doesn't offer any additional coverage, but costs less energy than other options and hits hard with STAB. Hydro Pump can deal massive damage with STAB, and is more preferable against neutral opponents. Blizzard can be elected for coverage against popular Dragons and Flying-types. The addition of Scald following the September 2022 update gives Tentacruel a slightly cheaper option than other available Charge Move options, but its damage threat is not as high.