Machamp (Analysis)

Snorlaxe

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Machamp

/noguard

---------

[Overview]

<p>Thanks to its tremendous Attack stat and decent overall bulk, Machamp is an effective, powerful physical attacker. Thanks to its ability No Guard, Machamp's STAB DynamicPunch is 100% accurate, giving it a 100 Base Power STAB move that is guaranteed to cause confusion and has no drawbacks (aside from the fact that Ghost-types are immune to it). Though No Guard is a fantastic ability, Guts is by no means a bad option, despite the fact that Conkeldurr is usually the better choice for a Guts user. Machamp also has a good physical movepool that allows it to smack several common Pokemon hard. Even a simple DynamicPunch + Payback combination can deal massive damage to opposing Pokemon, so switching in on Machamp is quite a difficult task.</p>

<p>Despite all of the above factors, there are some downsides to using Machamp. Its poor Speed and only decent bulk really let Machamp down, as even powerful neutral hits will almost always 2HKO it. Additionally, Machamp almost always runs No Guard as its ability; while it is fantastic, it does leave Machamp vulnerable to burns, which will cripple it, rendering it near-useless. Despite this, Machamp is an astronomically powerful threat that should not be underestimated.</p>

[SET]
name: Attacking Lead
move 1: DynamicPunch
move 2: Payback
move 3: Bullet Punch
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
item: Lum Berry
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 240 HP / 248 Atk / 16 SpD / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With a 100% accurate STAB DynamicPunch, high Attack stat, and good physical movepool, Machamp can smash through almost any common Pokemon when played in the lead slot. Indeed, most Pokemon risk being 2HKOed by Machamp, so switching in on it is a difficult task. Many common leads are KOed right off the bat by Machamp, while others lose a large chunk of their health.</p>

<p>DynamicPunch, 100% accurate thanks to No Guard, is guaranteed to confuse the opposing Pokemon, and has 150 Base Power when factoring in STAB; this makes it Machamp's attack of choice. Payback is used to hit Ghost- and Psychic-type foes such as Gengar and Latias, while Bullet Punch helps pick off weakened Focus Sash leads like Aerodactyl. In the final moveslot, there are two viable options to choose from. Ice Punch can be used to pulverize Dragon-types such as Salamence, while also dealing respectable damage to the ever-annoying Gliscor, but Stone Edge hits Pokemon like Gyarados harder. Ultimately, the choice boils down to which group of Pokemon you would rather have Machamp crush.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>While this set's EV spread may seem complicated at first glance, they serve a specific purpose. 240 HP and 16 Special Defense EVs ensure that maximum Special Attack Naive Azelf leads won't OHKO Machamp with Psychic, while Machamp can beat Azelf through a combination of Payback and Bullet Punch. 4 Speed EVs let Machamp outspeed minimum Speed Blissey, though this is rather inconsequential considering Blissey can't really do much to harm Machamp. The remaining EVs are dumped into Attack, while an Adamant nature is used so that Machamp hits as hard as possible. Lum Berry is used so that status, especially burn, won't cripple Machamp; it is particularly useful for absorbing rogue sleep moves, such as Breloom's Spore, that could otherwise be troublesome for Machamp's teammates.</p>

<p>Since Machamp typically creates such large holes in the opposing team, you should pair it with Pokemon who appreciate and benefit from said holes. Examples include Pokemon such as Mixed Salamence, who can clean up after Machamp goes down. Heatran is also an excellent teammate, as it can switch in on several Pokemon who threaten Machamp and toast them with its STAB Fire Blast. Additionally, Heatran can set up Stealth Rock, which greatly benefits Machamp and its teammates. Since Machamp is capable of wrecking the ever-present Ferrothorn with its super effective DynamicPunch, Pokemon who benefit from Ferrothorn's removal are effective teammates. Examples include special attackers such as Choice Specs Latios, who can spam Draco Meteor unimpeded with opposing Steel-types removed. Opposing Lum Berry leads who can take a DynamicPunch from Machamp and hit back hard will be able to beat it; however, Machamp users typically pack teammates to deal with such Pokemon, so be wary. Truth be told, not much team support is needed for this Machamp set, due to its stand-alone nature. Simply pack teammates capable of taking on Pokemon who trouble Machamp, and you should be golden.</p>

[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: DynamicPunch
move 3: Payback
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 128 HP / 252 Atk / 128 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Due to Machamp's natural power and knack for forcing switches, a Substitute set is a natural choice. While many players rely on a solitary Pokemon on their team to tackle Machamp, if Machamp manages to successfully get a Substitute up, the opponent will immediately be put in a very tough spot. With a Substitute, Machamp is protected from status and untimely critical hits; when you combine this with Machamp's powerful STAB DynamicPunch, you'll find that many players will have to sacrifice a Pokemon in order to take on this set. While this set is by no means untouchable, it is very tough to take on, and requires smart playing and good prediction skills to get around it. The attacks on this set largely serve the same purpose as they did on the first set. DynamicPunch and Stone Edge form a good attacking combination, while Payback smashes Ghost-types, such as Gengar and Chandelure, who are immune to Machamp's DynamicPunch. However, one must keep in mind that Payback no longer doubles in power on the switch; this makes Machamp's Substitute even more valuable, protecting him from the aforementioned Ghost-types for a turn.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Ice Punch can be used over Stone Edge if Gliscor proves to be a large threat to your team, but Stone Edge is otherwise preferred due to its higher Base Power and critical hit rate. 128 HP EVs allow Machamp to have better overall bulk, while 128 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed 0 Speed Skarmory. 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature allow Machamp to hit like a ton of bricks. In order to create its valuable Substitutes, Machamp must sacrifice 25% of its health. This health sacrifice can add up over time, so in order to alleviate this, Leftovers is used to slowly restore Machamp's HP. While some players may use Lum Berry, this is largely redundant, as Machamp's Substitute already blocks harmful status moves such as Hypnosis and Thunder Wave.</p>

<p>Skarmory's natural bulk and great defensive typing allow it to switch in easily against Machamp. It doesn't particularly mind the confusion from DynamicPunch, and can set up dangerous layers of Spikes. In order to deal with Skarmory, a Fire-type teammate is recommended. Chandelure is a great choice, as it can singe Skarmory with a powerful STAB Fire Blast. Due to Substitute's HP draining effect, residual damage should be minimized. For this reason, Spikes severely hurt Machamp, especially multiple layers. Thus, a Rapid Spinner is an excellent teammate; Starmie is especially good for fulfilling the role, as it can weaken physically defensive Pokemon—who might otherwise trouble Machampwith its powerful STAB Hydro Pump. While not necessary, paralysis support helps this set as it makes Machamp's abysmal Speed stat a nonissue. Celebi can provide this, as can Ferrothorn; both Pokemon provide excellent defensive synergy with Machamp, but Celebi is probably the better choice as it can use Hidden Power Fire to strike Skarmory switch-ins.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Machamp has a relatively shallow movepool, so there aren't too many other things that it can feasibly do. A RestTalking set could be useful, but Machamp's only decent bulk hampers it in this regard, as many powerful attackers this generation will be able to KO it with little trouble. Bulk Up is a useful boosting move that raises both Machamp's Attack and Defense; however, Conkeldurr almost completely outclasses Machamp as a Bulk Up user due to the former's higher Attack and better durability. Machamp's only advantage is its 100% accurate DynamicPunch, but Conkeldurr can still hold its own thanks to its ability, Guts, and STAB Drain Punch. Choice Band can be utilized to abuse an extremely powerful STAB Close Combat, but it severely limits Machamp's diversity as an attacker.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Reuniclus is a great Machamp counter since it takes little damage from DynamicPunch, is slower (and is therefore not badly hurt by Payback), and can set up multiple Calm Mind boosts or simply KO with Psychic. Any Ghost-type who can switch in on DynamicPunch and burn Machamp with Will-O-Wisp will severely cripple it; Jellicent can do this quite well. Though it is reasonably uncommon, Slowbro absolutely crushes Machamp, as it is not hurt by Payback and can heavily damage the Superpower Pokemon through Psychic. Chandelure can switch in on DynamicPunch for free thanks to its Ghost typing, then smash Machamp with its extremely powerful STAB Overheat. Due to DynamicPunch's 100% confusion rate, countering Machamp is quite frustrating; however, it isn't overly difficult. Simply hammer away at it with a Pokemon who resists Fighting, and Machamp will eventually fall.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Machamp's Dream World ability is Steadfast, which raises its Speed each time it is flinched. This ability is useless on Machamp, however, as it is still quite slow even at +1 Speed. Additionally, one of the reasons why Machamp is so good to begin with is because of the 100% accurate DynamicPunch provided by No Guard.</p>
 
Slowbro usually runs Regeneration and not Own Tempo now, so it usually isn't immune to confusion. It still does a good job of countering Machamp, it just isn't the ironclad safe bet it used to be.
 
Also, Magic Guard Rankurusu makes a great teammate. It soaks status, sets up on Machamp's counters, offers Champ an easy switch-in on its weaknesses, and can even set up Trick Room. Machamp enjoys a free switch-in on all of the major users of Pursuit.
 

Limewire

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It should be noted that lead Machamps can have trouble with Shaymin-S leads (Air Slash from a Modest nature does 75.6% - 88.7% and can flinch).

Deoxys-A leads could also be troublesome if they carry a Psychic-type move, although Bullet Punch will hurt.
 

Snorlaxe

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is a Top Contributor Alumnus
@fireburn - thanks!

@a man in black - yeah, rankurusu is a good teammate for basically any fighting-type in general. i'll add something about that in team options.

@limewire - i don't think it's neccessary to mention shaymin seeing as it is almost definitely going to be banned (and to an extent, deoxys-a). if they don't get banned, however, then i'll absolutely add something about them.

one more QC stamp!
 
I was thinking about Champ at work today.

Machamp has a love-and-hate relationship with most other fighting types as teammates. In particular, Terakion, Roopushin, and to some extent Nageki, Toxicroak, and Lucario. Almost all of them are more versatile or have a smaller list of counters than Machamp, due to greater bulk/speed/movepool, secondary typing, etc. What's more, because of their ubiquity, Machamp is no longer the metagame beater he was in Gen4, because it's impossible to get anywhere without some sort of defense against slow, outrageously hard-hitting fighting types with fighting/rock/Payback coverage.

What Machamp does do that none of those can compete with is that it muscles through its counters. Nothing that isn't a ghost likes taking Dynamicpunch, and between raw power and confusion it does a good job of wallbreaking people's Terakion/Roopushin counter, opening up the possibility of a sweep with one of the two later on.

That was a really longwinded way of saying that Machamp breaks physical walls for other physical sweepers, huh.
 
I have a few edits:
[SET COMMENTS]

<p> With Machamp's 100% accurate STAB DynamicPunch, high Attack stat, and good physical movepool, it can smash through almost any common Pokemon when played in the lead slot. Indeed, few Pokemon risk not being 2HKOed by Machamp, so switching in on it is a difficult task. Many common leads are KOed right off the bat by Machamp, while others lose a large chunk of their health.</p>
 
Bulk Up set? Dynamicpunch / Ice Punch / Payback / Bulk Up @ Lum can still make a lot of noise. Just make sure to pursuit SpecsLatios or he will ruin your fun very quickly!
 

jrrrrrrr

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I only have a couple of things to add:

- Not even a mention of Cross Chop? I know the confusion from Dynamicpunch is cool and all, but Cross Chop has a high crit chance with the same base power and same PP. It's won me quite a few matches (although those were in DP).

- Scary Face and Light Screen should be mentioned in OO. Scary Face forces switches and makes Latios/Mence think twice about coming in. Light Screen gives you a chance against Psychic types and prevents you from becoming setup fodder for Reuniclus. You set up LS, they Trick Room. Now you go last for that Payback and you won't be OHKOd.

- Surely there is a better EV spread for the Substitute set than 128 HP / 252 Atk / 128 Spe? That EV spread is inexplicably aimed at outpacing 0 Speed Skarmory, who isn't a Machamp counter in the first place.
 
I don't think an additional 12.5% crit chance could ever be worth more than a 100% confusion chance, especially when that 100% confusion chance means a 50% chance of the opponent failing to attack and allowing you to attack again, giving you the same total damage output as a crit regardless.

I mean, sure, there might be some extremely rare situations where the crit chance might be more useful, such as if you were facing a Pokemon with Own Tempo, if Machamp was going to die to residual damage the next turn, or if the opponent switched something in to take the DynamicPunch and then immediately switched it out for some reason, then in all of those situations, the 12.5% crit chance of Cross Chop would be preferred if it actually happened, but overall... it really isn't worth any mention at all.
 
I can't get a list of Champs moves, well new ones that is, so from what I know why not make a scarf set? I've had a wonderful expierence with it and it is a wonderful revenge killer

name: Scarf
move 1: Ice Punch
move 2: Cross Chop/ DynamicPunch
move 3: Payback
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

It's just a rough thing untill I figure out what I put on mine, and do speed calcs to throw more into hp and such. It really is good with the ability to revenge kill really fast pokes, I think it outspeeds base 115 no+ speed? So modest starmie is waiting to get killed, and people who bring in something to outspeed it end up being slower and killed. Just my thought.


I don't think an additional 12.5% crit chance could ever be worth more than a 100% confusion chance
It's actually in Domain 3, meaning it's a 25% chance for a crit :3 and I'd take crit over fusion any day.
 

Sprocket

P(n) = 1 - (1 - P(1))^n
It's just a rough thing untill I figure out what I put on mine, and do speed calcs to throw more into hp and such. It really is good with the ability to revenge kill really fast pokes, I think it outspeeds base 115 no+ speed?
According to my calculations (and feel free to doublecheck and correct):

With an Adamant nature and max speed-EV investment, Machamp maxes out at 209 speed without a Choice Scarf, 313 speed with a Choice Scarf. That's enough to outspeed the following:

  • All Neutral-nature base 130 speed Pokemon with no speed-EV investment
  • All Neutral-nature base 106 speed Pokemon with max speed-EV investment
  • All Positive-nature base 92 speed Pokemon with max speed-EV investment

It will speed tie with:
  • All neutral-nature base 107 speed Pokemon with max speed-EV investment
  • All positive-nature base 93 speed Pokemon with max speed-EV investment

It will lose out to:
  • All Neutral-nature base 108 speed Pokemon with max speed-EV investment.
  • All Positive-nature base 94 speed Pokemon with max speed-EV investment

Which means it will always move slower than Starmie unless it does not use max speed EVs.

With a Jolly nature, Machamp moves at a "blistering" 229 Speed without a Choice Scarf, 343 Speed with a Choice Scarf. That changes the speed tiers to:

Outspeed:
  • All Neutral-nature base 120 speed Pokemon with max speed-EV investment.
  • All Positive-nature base 106 speed Pokemon with max speed-EV investment.

Lose out to:
  • All Neutral-nature base 123 speed Pokemon with max speed-EV investment.
  • All Positive-nature base 107 speed Pokemon with max speed-EV investment.

Only a Modest-nature Starmie could be outsped. Timid Starmie would still always outspeed.


And of course it's worth noting, if you outspeed your opponent, you lose the double damage component of Payback.
 
Only a Modest-nature Starmie could be outsped. Timid Starmie would still always outspeed.



And of course it's worth noting, if you outspeed your opponent, you lose the double damage component of Payback.
True, however you could possibly pick thunder punch over it for starm? I assume starmie would be one of the few threats that happen to be psychic, except maybe alakazam but that's still very weak, like a majority of psychic types are. Either way you end up being really fast and really powerful.
 

Sprocket

P(n) = 1 - (1 - P(1))^n
So if I'm understanding you correctly, you're picturing this?

name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Cross Chop / DynamicPunch
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Payback / ThunderPunch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

It could be fun, but I don't know if it's worth including in the main analysis.
 
If you ever EVER use Cross Chop use fucking guts... Theres no reason to ever cross chop unless you want guts! Stick with Dynamicpunch otherwise.
 
If you ever EVER use Cross Chop use fucking guts... Theres no reason to ever cross chop unless you want guts! Stick with Dynamicpunch otherwise.
the point of guts would be?
So if I'm understanding you correctly, you're picturing this?

name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Cross Chop / DynamicPunch
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Payback / ThunderPunch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

It could be fun, but I don't know if it's worth including in the main analysis.
I've use it on multiple sets, it works wonders for me. Although I use Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Cross Chop, Stone Edge.

There's no reason to use Cross Chop with Guts either, as Close Combat is almost always better.
True, but I like the crit ratio ;3

I'd also like to note that Starm works quite well with this set, natural cure takes a status ,kinda, and hits back with high speed.
 
I'd like to mention that Payback is vastly inferior to Ice Punch on the Substitute set. Now that Payback has been nerfed, it only does double damage if Machamp is slower, and Ghost types that are faster than it are, the vast majority of the time, incredibly frail, meaning Stone Edge does enough to them anyway. The rest are slower than it, making Payback 100 power, which is equal to stone edge and doesn't have the higher crit chance. Ice punch is great for hitting Dragons and ground types hard, especially if Sand Veil garchomp is annoying.
 
I'd like to mention that Payback is vastly inferior to Ice Punch on the Substitute set. Now that Payback has been nerfed, it only does double damage if Machamp is slower, and Ghost types that are faster than it are, the vast majority of the time, incredibly frail, meaning Stone Edge does enough to them anyway. The rest are slower than it, making Payback 100 power, which is equal to stone edge and doesn't have the higher crit chance. Ice punch is great for hitting Dragons and ground types hard, especially if Sand Veil garchomp is annoying.
Deoxys-D, Mew, and Uxie strike me as exceptions to this, albeit relatively uncommon ones.
 
Making some unofficial GP changes; will edit this when done.

Edit:

[Overview]

<p>Thanks to its tremendous Attack stat and decent overall bulk, Machamp is an effective, powerful physical attacker. Thanks to its No Guard abilityability No Guard, Machamp's STAB DynamicPunch is 100% accurate. This gives Machamp a 100 Base Power STAB move that is guareanteed to cause confusion and has no drawbacks (aside from the fact that Ghost-types are immune to it). Though No Guard is a fantastic ability, Guts its by no means a bad option, despite the fact that RoobushinConkeldurr is usually the better choice for a Guts user. Machamp also has a good physical movepool that allows it to smack several common Pokemon hard. Even a simple DynamicPunch + Payback offensive combination can deal massive damage to opposing Pokemon, so switching in on Machamp is quite a difficult task.</p>

<p>Despite all of the above factors, there existare some downsides to using Machamp. Its poor Speed and only- decent bulk really let Machamp down, as even powerful neutral hits will almost always 2HKO the superpower Pokemonit. Additionally, Machamp almost always runs No Guard as its ability; while No Guardit is fantastic, it does leave Machamp vulnerable to burns, which will literally cripple it to the point where it is on the verge of being cripple it, rendering it near-useless. Despite this, Machamp is an astronomically powerful threat who should not be underestimated.</p>

[SET]
name: Attacking Lead
move 1: DynamicPunch
move 2: Payback
move 3: Bullet Punch
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
item: Lum Berry
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 240 HP / 248 Atk / 16 SpD / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Machamp'sWith a 100% accurate STAB DynamicPunch, high Attack stat, and good physical movepool, Machamp can smash through almost any common Pokemon when played in the lead slot. Indeed, fewmost Pokemon risk not being 2HKOed by Machamp, so switching in on it is a difficult task. Many common leads are KOed right off the bat by Machamp, while others lose a large chunk of their health.</p>

<p>DynamicPunch is 100% accurate thanks to No Guard, is guareanteed to confuse the opposing Pokemon, and has 150 Base Power when factoring in STAB; this makes it Machamp's surefire attack of choice. Payback is used to hit Ghost- and Psychic-type foes such as Gengar and Latias, while Bullet Punch helps at picking off weakened Focus Sash leads like Aerodactyl. In the final moveslot, there are two viable options to choose from. Ice Punch can be used to pulverize Dragon-types such as Salamence, as well aswhile also dealing respectable damage to the ever-annoying Gliscor, but Stone Edge hits Pokemon like Gyarados harder. Ultimately, the choice boils down to which group of Pokemon you would rather have Machamp crush.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>While this set's EV spread may seem complicated at first glance, they serve a specific purpose. 240 HP and 16 Special Defense EVs ensure that maximum Special Attack Naive Azelf leads won't OHKO Machamp with Psychic, while Machamp can beat Azelf through a combination of Payback and Bullet Punch. 4 Speed EVs let Machamp outspeed minimum Speed Blissey, though this is rather inconsequential considering Blissey can't really do much to harm Machamp. The remaining EVs are dumped into Attack, while an Adamant nature is used so that Machamp hits as hard as it possibly cane. Lum Berry is used so that status, especially burn, won't cripple Machamp; it is particularly useful for absorbing rouge sleep moves, such as Breloom's Spore, that could otherwise be troublesome for Machamp's teammates.</p>

<p>Since Machamp typically creates such large holes in the opposing team, you should pair it with Pokemon who appreciate and benefit from said holes. Examples include Pokemon such as Mixed Salamence, who can clean up after Machamp goes down. Heatran is also an excellent teammate for Machamp, as it can switch in on several Pokemon who threaten itMachamp and toast them with its STAB Fire Blast. Additionally, Heatran can set up Stealth Rock, which greatly benefits Machamp and its teammates. Since Machamp is capable of wrecking the ever-present NattoreiFerrothorn with its super effective DynamicPunch, Pokemon who benefit from NattoreiFerrothorn's removal are effective teammates. Examples include special attackers such as Choice Specs Latias, who can sweep unimpeded with opposing Steel-types removed. Opposing Lum Berry leads who can take a DynamicPunch from Machamp and hit back hard will be able to beat it; however, Machamp users typically pack teammates to deal with such Pokemon, so be wary. Truth be told, not much team support is needed for this Machamp set is needed, due to its stand-alone nature. Simply pack teammates capable of taking on Pokemon who trouble Machamp, and you should be golden.</p>

[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: DynamicPunch
move 3: Payback
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 128 HP / 252 Atk / 128 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Due to Machamp's natural power and knack for forcing switches, a Substitute set is a natural choice. While many players rely on a solitary Pokemon on their team to tackle Machamp, if Machamp manages to successfully get a Substitute up, the opponent will immediately be put in a very tough spot. With a Substitute, Machamp is protected from status and untimely critical hits; when you combine this with Machamp's powerful STAB DynamicPunch, you'll find that many players will have to sacrifice a Pokemon in order to take on this set. While this set is by no means untouchable, it is very tough to take on, and requires smart playing and good prediction skills to get around it. The attacks on this set largely serve the same purpose as they did on the first set. DynamicPunch and Stone Edge form a good attacking combination, while Payback smashes Ghost-types, such as Gengar and Shandera, who are immune to Machamp's DynamicPunch.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Ice Punch can be used over Stone Edge if Gliscor proves to be a large threat to your team, but Stone Edge is otherwise betterpreferred due to its higher Base Power and critical hit rate. 128 HP EVs allow Machamp to have better overall bulk, while 128 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed 0 Speed Skarmory. 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature allow Machamp to hit like a ton of bricks. In order to create its valuable Substitutes, Machamp must sacrifice 25% of its health. This health sacrifice can add up over time, so in order to alleviate this, Leftovers is used to slowly restore Machamp's HP. While some players may use Lum Berry, this is largely redundant, as Machamp's Substitute already blocks harmful status moves such as Hypnosis and Thunder Wave.</p>

<p>Its natural bulk and great defensive typing allow Skarmory to easily switch in on Machamp. It doesn't particularly mind the confusion from DynamicPunch, and can set up dangerous layers of Spikes. In order to deal with Skarmory, a Fire-type teammate is recommended. Speed Boost Blaziken is a great choice, as it can singe Skarmory with Fire Blast while obtaining a stat boost in the process. Due to Substitute's HP draining effect, the residual damage done to Machamp should try toshould be minimized. For this reason, Spikes severely hurt Machamp, especially multiple layers. AThus, a Rapin Spinner is an excellent teammate for this reason; Starmie is especially good for fulfilling the role, as it can weaken physically defensive Pokemon, who might otherwise trouble Machamp, with its powerful STAB Hydro Pump. While not neccessary, paralysis support helps this set as it makes Machamp's abysmal Speed stat a nonissue. Celebi can provide this, as can Nattorei; both Pokemon synergize wellFerrothorn; both Pokemon provide excellent defensive synergy with Machamp defensively, but Celebi is probably the better choice as it can use Hidden Power Fire to strike Skarmory switch-ins.</p>

[Team Options]

<p>While Machamp doesn't require much team support to be effective, certain forms of support allow it to be a tremendous force to be reckoned with. Fire-types are excellent teammates since they can wreck opposing Skarmory, who loves switching in ona very common switch-in to Machamp. Heatran is especially good, as it can absorb Will-O-Wisp directed at Machamp, gaining a Flash Fire boost in the process. Like all offensive Pokemon, Stealth Rock support allows Machamp to secure several key KOs on important Pokemon. NattoreiFerrothorn is a good choice for setting this up; additionally, NattoreiFerrothorn is capable of dispensing Spikes, which make Machamp's job even easier. Since Machamp is quite capable of creating gigantic holes in the opposing team, utilizing Pokemon who can take advantage of said holes would be to your advantage. Mixed Salamence can crush weakened teams thanks to its immense power and type coverage, while Choice Specs Latios can smash opposing Pokemon with his powerful STAB Draco Meteor.</p>

<p>Rankureuniclusu is an excellent teammate for Machamp, as it can absorb Will-O-Wisp thanks to its ability Magic Guard ability. Rankur. Reuniclusu can also get past Machamp's counters with relative ease, making the two Pokemon an excellent offensive pair similar to that of the popular Roobushin + RankurConkeldurr + Reuniclusu combination. Due to Machamp's poor Speed stat, paralysis support can be employed, though it is by no meansnot neccessary. While Machamp is by no means a frail Pokemon, it certainly isn't the bulkiest of contenders, so having a teammate who can get him in safely is very helpful. Choice Band Scizor can do this quite well thanks to its powerful STAB U-turn; however, keep in mind that both Machamp and Scizor are quite vulerable to being afflicted with a burned, so if you decide to use the two together, pack a Pokemon who can absorb Will-O-Wisp. Since Machamp lacks a reliable recovery move of its own, Wish support can be useful. Chansey is a great choice to provide this, capable of restoring almost all of Machamp's lost health with a single Wish.</p>

[Optional Changes]

<p>Machamp has a relatively shallow movepool, so there aren't too many other things that it can feasibly do. A RestTalking set could be useful, but Machamp's only decent bulk hampers it in this regard, as many powerful attackers this generation will be able to KO it with little ptroublem. Bulk Up is a useful boosting move that raises both Machamp's Attack and Defense; however, RoobushinConkeldurr almost completely outclasses Machamp as a Bulk Up user due to the former's higher Attack and better durability. Machamp's only advantage is its 100% accurate DynamicPunch, but RoobushinConkeldurr can still hold its own thanks to its Guts abillity Guts and STAB Drain Punch. Choice Band can be utilized to abuse an extremely powerful STAB Close Combat, but Choice Bandit severely limits Machamp's diversity as an attacker.</p>

[Counters]

<p>Rankureuniclusu is a great Machamp counter since it takes little damage from DynamicPunch, is slower (and is therefore not badly hurt by Payback), and can set up multiple Calm Mind boosts or simply KO with Psychic. Any Ghost-type who can switch in on DynamicPunch and burn Machamp with Will-O-Wisp will severely cripple it; Burungeru can do this quite well. Though it is reasonably uncommon, Slowbro absolutely crushes Machamp, as it is not hurt by Payback and can heavily damage the Superpower Pokemon through Psychic. Shandera can switch in on DynamicPunch for free thanks to its Ghost typing, then smash Machamp with its extremely powerful STAB Overheat. Due to DynamicPunch's 100% confusion rate, countering Machamp is quite frustrating; however, it isn't overly difficult. Simply hammer away at it with a Pokemon who resists Fighting, and Machamp will eventually fall.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Machamp's Dream World ability is Steadfast, which raises its Speed each time it is flinched. This ability is literally useless on Machamp, however, as it is still quite slow even at +1 Speed. Additionally, one of the reasons why Machamp is so good to begin with is because of its 100% accurate DynamicPunch. This is only made possible through its ability No Guard ability; if Machamp utilizes Steadfast, it loses out on No Guard.</p>


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Also, you mention Speed Boost Blaziken. Now that it's gone, that should be changed.
 

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