Hitmonchan
[Overview]
<p>In a tier filled with powerful Fighting-types, Hitmonchan sometimes has trouble standing out. Hitmonlee and Medicham are faster and have more raw power, while Gallade has better stats across the board and can take down Ghost-types with Night Slash. Even Primeape, Poliwrath, and Hariyama have niches they can call their own, so what keeps Hitmonchan from fading into obscurity? It may be that manly skirt he's wearing, but it could also be his wide array of useful punching moves with Iron Fist to boost their power. Mach Punch, Drain Punch, Ice Punch, and ThunderPunch are just a few of the moves that Hitmonchan receives a boost to, giving him a unique combination of powerful STAB priority and excellent coverage that his competitors simply can't match. Rapid Spin and Agility further differentiate Hitmonchan from RU's other Fighting-types, making him less predictable than his rivals. In the end, this Jack(ie Chan) of all trades often remains outclassed; if you're searching for a wallbreaker, a sweeper, or a revenge killer, there's probably another Fighting-type that does it better. Still, Hitmonchan's versatility and unique advantages allow it to remain a contender, and there are few things more satisfying than seeing this underdog's Focus Punch connect.</p>
[SET]
name: SubPunch
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Mach Punch
item: Black Belt / Leftovers
ability: Iron Fist
nature: Adamant
evs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Set up a Substitute and let the beatings commence. With boosts from Iron Fist and Black Belt, Hitmonchan's Focus Punch is one of the most devastating attacks in RU, on par with Choice Band Aggron's Head Smash and Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Tri Attack. Mach Punch finishes off bulky foes that somehow manage to survive; the combination of Focus Punch and Mach Punch KOes every offensive Pokemon that doesn't resist Fighting, and all they can do in return is break Hitmonchan's Substitute. Ice Punch hits Flying-types hard, notably 2HKOing Gligar, and gives Hitmonchan neutral coverage against every common threat except Qwilfish and Slowking. However, note that a resisted Focus Punch deals significantly more damage than a neutral Ice Punch, so Focus Punch is still Hitmonchan's strongest option against Pokemon such as Uxie, Moltres, and Tangrowth. Mach Punch is one of the most powerful reliable priority moves in the tier after the boost from Iron Fist, so aside from helping to finish off Pokemon that Focus Punch can't OHKO, it also makes Hitmonchan a valuable revenge killer; with Black Belt, Mach Punch cleanly OHKOes Sharpedo and deals upwards of 80% to Porygon-Z and -1 Omastar.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Leftovers is an option over Black Belt, as it could help Hitmonchan last a bit longer and set up some additional Substitutes. However, the power drop takes away a few important KOs; Entei can survive an unboosted Focus Punch while breaking Hitmonchan's Substitute and then cripple Hitmonchan with ExtremeSpeed, whilst walls such as Alomomola that Hitmonchan would 2HKO with Black Belt become much harder to break without it. On a similar note, Hitmonchan can use Drain Punch over Focus Punch to replenish the HP he loses setting up Substitutes, while also providing him with a strong STAB move he can use even when he can't get a Substitute up. Of course, this comes at the cost of having only half as much power, making Hitmonchan much easier to switch in on and wall.</p>
<p>The listed EVs allow Hitmonchan to outspeed and OHKO Adamant Honchkrow with Ice Punch before it can strike back with Brave Bird. If you don't need Hitmonchan to take on Honchkrow, then switching to a spread of 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe gives him a little bit more bulk while still allowing him to outrun Jolly Crawdaunt, Timid Omastar, and most Uxie. You can go even slower than that, investing heavily in HP to prevent weak attacks such as Lanturn's Scald and Claydol's Earth Power from breaking Hitmonchan's Substitutes, but you should keep at least 76 Speed EVs to outspeed minimum Speed Gligar so it can't stall out Ice Punch with faster Roosts.</p>
<p>Bulky Ghost- and Psychic-types give Hitmonchan nightmares, so a powerful Dark-type with Pursuit such as Life Orb Krookodile makes a great partner. Stealth Rock support is also helpful to quickly wear down the Flying- and Bug-types that resist Focus Punch. Uxie is a reliable Stealth Rock user that can also use U-turn to send Hitmonchan in on a Pokemon he will force out, giving him a free turn to set up a Substitute.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Mach Punch / Substitute
item: Leftovers
ability: Iron Fist
nature: Adamant
evs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Even with Iron Fist boosting the power of his punches, Hitmonchan still seems to be an underdog compared to the other Fighting-types in RU. Cue training montage! Hitting the gym and putting some muscle on those spindly arms turns Hitmonchan into a surprisingly powerful and resilient attacker. Hitmonchan's decent Special Defense and powerful Drain Punch make Bulk Up a natural fit, and access to STAB Mach Punch distinguishes him from other Bulk Up users such as Gallade. Ice Punch has great coverage with Drain Punch, leaving the last moveslot open for Mach Punch. Substitute is also an option to protect Hitmonchan from status, but Mach Punch is his main advantage over Gallade.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The Speed EVs make Hitmonchan a point faster than Adamant Honchkrow, but investing more in HP is a fine alternative, especially if Hitmonchan is using Substitute in the last slot. Even with a Bulk Up boost, there are several Pokemon that can easily force Hitmonchan out, so it's best to not even try to set up until they're eliminated. Qwilfish and Slowking are at the top of the list, as they resist both Drain Punch and Ice Punch. Next comes Moltres, who can take a boosted Ice Punch and OHKO back with Air Slash, and Uxie, who simply shrugs off anything Hitmonchan throws at it. Galvantula scares away all four of these pesky foes, so the electric spider makes a great teammate. Cofagrigus and other bulky Ghost-types are also major problems for Hitmonchan, so bringing a powerful Pursuit user such as Krookodile is essential.</p>
[SET]
name: Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Foresight
move 3: Drain Punch
move 4: Ice Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: Iron Fist
nature: Adamant
evs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Hitmonchan may seem like a poor choice to provide Rapid Spin support compared to the other options in RU. Kabutops and Sandslash can use Swords Dance to scare away the opponent's spinblockers, and Claydol and Cryogonal are better pure supporters, so why would anyone use Hitmonchan? The answer is Foresight. Like Hitmontop in UU, Hitmonchan can use Foresight to guarantee that Rapid Spin hits, making him perhaps the most reliable spinner in RU. While it's true that Hitmonlee can do the same thing, Hitmonchan's higher Defense and more conservative playstyle give him an advantage over his Reckless brother when you absolutely need to get rid of those hazards. Drain Punch keeps Hitmonchan healthy and allows him to check some slower threats, while Ice Punch provides excellent coverage, but don't expect this Hitmonchan to score a lot of KOs; his sole purpose in life is to make sure your side of the battlefield is hazard-free.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The 216 Speed EVs allow Hitmonchan to outspeed and defeat Adamant Honchkrow, but you can certainly drop some Speed if you want Hitmonchan to have more bulk. 168 Speed EVs keeps Hitmonchan a step ahead of Jolly Crawdaunt and Bouffalant, allowing him to nail them both with a super effective Drain Punch before they can use their powerful STAB attacks, whereas 124 EVs is all Hitmonchan needs to beat Jolly Aggron. Of course, you can always forgo investing in Speed and Attack at all and play Hitmonchan as a purely defensive Pokemon, but his HP and Defense are both unimpressive even with significant investment, so don't expect him to be tanking powerful physical hits anytime soon. If you do decide to go a more defensive route, Toxic becomes a nice option over Ice Punch to wear down the bulky foes that Hitmonchan's arsenal of punches could never hope to break, especially defensive Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus.</p>
<p>Since this set's purpose is to provide Rapid Spin support, the best teammates are Pokemon that rely on that support to function. Moltres and Scyther are the most obvious candidates, as Stealth Rock strips them both of half their HP each time they switch in; with the pointed stones out of the way, they become two of the most dangerous Pokemon in the tier. Choice item users such as Entei and Galvantula also hate all forms of entry hazards since they lose the ability to switch in and out freely throughout the match. Bulky Ghost-types will routinely burn Hitmonchan as punishment for spinning against them, so cleric support is helpful. Lanturn is a great partner thanks to its access to Heal Bell and a resistance to Flying, and it can use Volt Switch liberally to scout the opposing team as long as Hitmonchan keeps the hazards away. Of course, virtually any team enjoys a field free of hazards, but yours should appreciate it more than most; otherwise, a more versatile spinner such as Sandslash or Claydol may be a better fit than the reliable but one-dimensional Hitmonchan.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>An all-out attacking set is certainly viable, with Drain Punch or Close Combat as the main STAB move, Mach Punch for priority, and Ice Punch and ThunderPunch for coverage. The main reason it's not listed is because Medicham, Hitmonlee, Gallade, and even Primeape all tend to be much better in that role thanks to their higher Attack and Speed stats. On the other hand, an Agility set is something none of them can do; with +2 Speed and the coverage provided by Ice Punch and ThunderPunch, Hitmonchan can be a nice late-game cleaner.</p>
<p>Stone Edge or ThunderPunch can go on any set to cover Pokemon such as Moltres and Slowking that Hitmonchan usually struggles to beat. Hi Jump Kick is Hitmonchan's most powerful STAB move that doesn't require an intact Substitute to use, but the risk of missing and robbing Hitmonchan of 50% of his HP isn't really worth the 8% power increase over Close Combat, so it's better left to Hitmonlee and Medicham. Earthquake hits Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Entei, and Lanturn super effectively, but its coverage is mostly redundant with Hitmonchan's STAB. Hitmonchan has access to Pursuit, but Ghost-types tend to switch in on Hitmonchan rather than out, and it's horribly weak without any sort of boost. Bullet Punch and Fake Out are alternative priority attacks, but Mach Punch has STAB and much better coverage, and Hitmonchan can't afford to waste a moveslot. Finally, Magic Coat is a gimmicky option that can bounce Cofagrigus's Will-O-Wisp or Uxie's Thunder Wave back at them, but Hitmonchan is usually better off just switching out instead.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Bulky Ghost-types are the most reliable counters; the only thing Cofagrigus and Dusknoir should ever fear from Hitmonchan is the rare Toxic. Qwilfish resists both Drain Punch and Ice Punch and neuters Hitmonchan with Intimidate simply by switching in. Slowking also resists the Fighting + Ice combination and can threaten Hitmonchan with STAB Psychic or Scald. However, both Water-types must be careful not to switch into ThunderPunch. Uxie's titanic Defense and resistance to Fighting make it nearly impossible for Hitmonchan to break through. Tangrowth is a safe switch-in despite being weak to Ice Punch, thanks to Regenerator and excellent physical bulk. Moltres and other fast Flying-types can usually revenge kill Hitmonchan with ease, but they must be careful not to switch in on a well-timed ThunderPunch or Stone Edge.</p>
