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 benefits from STAB and has both strong damage and energy generation. Acid is a terrible move and nothing should use it.

The debuff chance, solid DPE, and (relatively) low cost of Scald make the move mandatory on Tentacruel. From here, a case can be made for multiple of Tentacruel's charged moves: Acid Spray is recommended (particularly in GL) for its lesser energy cost, which helps to bait shields and enable large farm downs. Blizzard allows Tentacruel to super effectively threaten Flying and Dragon types which would otherwise beat it, particularly Giratina-A. Sludge Wave doesn't offer any additional coverage, but costs less energy than other options, hits hard with STAB, and improves matchups against Water-type opponents such as Feraligatr and Poliwrath. Hydro Pump is too expensive and is redundant compared to Scald.