Notes: Mareanie is a decent Defensive wall and Pivot that serves well as a hazard stacker and Haze user. Scald functions as the main counter to taunt users, occasionally managing to cripple them with a burn. Knock off is another option as it would majorly impact the opposing team's bulk (for the most part). Haze helps to manage opposing pokemon that are known for setting up. This includes Combusken, Monferno, Gurdurr, and others. What good is a haze if it doesn't have any bulk, though? From a Gurdurr at +2 Atk, Mareanie gets a 4HKO from Drain Punch without eviolite. In terms of physical bulk, this pokemon does the job, taking hits and then crippling the sweepers. Recover helps this pokemon keep it's HP up, and stall out poisoned pokemon. Toxic Spikes is its means of hazard set-up and allows Mareanie to stall out various pokemon until the Poison eventually takes the KO. It's Regenerator ability also helps to make this mon very pesky, as it can switch out with barely any worries, even with pursuit trappers (not including Mareanie at very low HP). Toxic, however, is suggested over Toxic Spikes most of the time as poison types that can remove Toxic Spikes on the switch on are more and more common. These, for the most part, include Roselia, Grimer-A, and opposing Mareanie.
Checks and Counters: Powerful super-effective Special attackers will tend to either OHKO or come close to OHKOing Mareanie. The main offenders being Electabuzz and Kadabra, both either OHKOing or sometimes OHKOing Mareanie with their respective super-effective moves. Pokemon that run ground type moves are also considered a threat to Mareanie, as they can either cripple or KO with a boosted Earthquake (Mainly Gabite/Fraxure). Taunt users also pose a huge problem as 3 out of the 4 moves Mareanie uses are non-attacking, leaving Mareanie open to possible taunt.
Other Options: Toxic is also an option over Toxic Spikes as it doesn't require the need to set-up and play around defog/ rapid spin and opposing poison types (not including Haunter), but has more trouble spreading poison to the opposing team, and even harder if the opposing team has a Heal Hell cleric.
