Hitmontop
[Overview]
<p>Are you tired of entry hazards wearing down your Pokemon every time they switch in? With Intimidate and Foresight, Hitmontop is one of the most reliable users of Rapid Spin in the game. Are speedy sweepers wiping out your team while you watch helplessly? With Technician and a huge array of priority attacks, Hitmontop can take the fastest offensive Pokemon down before they get a chance to strike. It's not an incredible sweeper or an unbreakable wall, but Hitmontop is one of the most efficient Pokemon in UU; it can come onto the field and turn the tide of a match in just a couple of turns, whether it's by spinning away a stall team's Spikes or revenge killing a rampaging Mamoswine. Any team in need of powerful priority or Rapid Spin support should strongly consider Hitmontop.</p>
[SET]
name: Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Foresight / Toxic
move 3: Close Combat / Hi Jump Kick
move 4: Sucker Punch / Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With a resistance to Stealth Rock and solid defenses backed up by Intimidate, Hitmontop is undoubtedly one of the best Rapid Spin users in UU. Intimidate allows it to comfortably switch in on most physical attackers and spin away any hazards plaguing your team. Foresight prevents Ghost-types such as Mismagius and Dusclops from blocking Rapid Spin by removing their immunities to Normal- and Fighting-type moves. However, many teams choose not to carry a Ghost-type at all, rendering Foresight a waste of a slot, so Toxic is a viable alternative that has value in any match. Close Combat is Hitmontop's most reliable STAB move, and while it unfortunately causes a drop in Hitmontop's excellent defenses, Hitmontop will usually be moving last, so it can simply switch out before the opponent has a chance to prey on its reduced bulk. Hi Jump Kick is an interesting alternative, especially with Foresight; although it is usually too risky for a defensive Pokemon to use, the presence of Foresight reduces the danger somewhat by preventing Ghost-types from causing Hitmontop to crash. In the final slot, Sucker Punch is the best option to hit faster Psychic- and Ghost-types that try to attack. Stone Edge provides more reliable coverage, especially if Hitmontop lacks Foresight, as it prevents opposing Ghost- and Flying-types from setting up Substitutes for free.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Hitmontop can use Rest to stay healthy so it can continue supporting the team, but this is only worthwhile with Heal Bell or Aromatherapy support, as Hitmontop will rarely be able to stay in long enough to wake up on its own. Low Kick is a more conservative STAB option worth considering if Close Combat's defense drops and Hi Jump Kick's potential recoil take too much away from Hitmontop's ability to tank hits. Body Slam can go in the final slot to provide paralysis support if Hitmontop is using Foresight, as the combination of Fighting- and Normal-type attacks is unresisted once Ghost-types' immunities are removed. Pursuit is another option to consistently hit Ghost-types, especially frail ones that Hitmontop can force out after exposing them with Foresight.</p>
<p>With Intimidate and full investment in Defense, Hitmontop makes an excellent counter to some prominent physical threats. It is one of the very few safe switch-ins to Mamoswine, as even Choice Band-boosted Earthquake will never 2HKO, while the combination of Close Combat and Sucker Punch from Hitmontop will always take the mammoth down. Stoutland cannot 2HKO Hitmontop with any attack and falls to Close Combat after any residual damage. Hitmontop can also switch in on Weavile and Sawsbuck as they use Swords Dance, comfortably survive a boosted Ice Punch or Return, and OHKO back with Close Combat. Physical Sharpedo can barely scratch Hitmontop, although mixed sets will 2HKO with Hydro Pump. Intimidate also makes Hitmontop useful in late-game emergencies against nearly any physical attacker, including those it cannot beat one-on-one, such as Victini and Heracross. Hitmontop can come in and soften the blow with Intimidate, then switch to a counter that can better handle the weakened foe.</p>
<p>Hitmontop has a lot of trouble with powerful Flying-types. Stone Edge deals decent damage to Zapdos and Crobat as they switch in, but Zapdos can easily Roost off the damage and stall out Stone Edge's meager 8 PP with Pressure, while Choice Band Crobat can simply OHKO Hitmontop with Brave Bird. Rhyperior can wall Zapdos that rely on Heat Wave for coverage and is an excellent switch-in to any Crobat. Celebi and Mew love coming in on Hitmontop, as they can freely set up boosts and Baton Pass to a teammate or simply OHKO Hitmontop and begin sweeping. Mismagius with Taunt is also a problem; Taunt prevents Hitmontop from using Foresight, which leaves Mismagius free to set up with Nasty Plot or neuter Hitmontop with Will-O-Wisp. To counter this, Dark-types such as Houndoom, Weavile, and Honchkrow make great partners, as they can take out Psychic- and Ghost-types with Pursuit, and each also appreciates Hitmontop's ability to spin away Stealth Rock. Whether or not Hitmontop is using Rest, clerics such as Chansey and Celebi are also good teammates, as many Ghost-types will burn or poison Hitmontop as punishment for spinning against them.</p>
[SET]
name: TechniTop (Technician)
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Mach Punch
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Sucker Punch / Stone Edge / Bullet Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Hitmontop's average Attack and unimpressive Speed might suggest it would only be useful as a defensive Pokemon, but with access to a slew of priority attacks and Technician to boost their power, Hitmontop is an excellent revenge killer and a nightmare for offensive teams in general. With the combination of Fake Out and Mach Punch, Hitmontop can quickly KO the likes of Arcanine, Mamoswine, and even Raikou (after one round of Life Orb recoil) if Stealth Rock is up. Close Combat is a more powerful STAB attack to use against defensive Pokemon; with Stealth Rock on the field, it will always 2HKO Milotic and offensive Donphan and has an 80% chance to OHKO Chansey. There are several options for the last slot. Sucker Punch is usually the best choice, as it expands the list of Pokemon Hitmontop can revenge kill to include Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Victini (with Stealth Rock), Azelf, and Mismagius, although Pokemon with Substitute or Will-O-Wisp can easily play around it. Stone Edge OHKOes Victini, Zapdos, and Crobat as they switch in if Stealth Rock is up and deals solid damage to many Ghost-types; unfortunately, its shaky accuracy and low PP make it easy for opponents to stall out with Substitute or Roost if they manage to come in safely. Bullet Punch adds another priority attack to Hitmontop's arsenal, and while non-STAB Steel-type moves are usually unworthy of a moveslot, Hitmontop does appreciate the ability to reliably hit fast, frail Ghost-types such as Froslass and Mismagius before they can get a Substitute up.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Aerial Ace is another option in the last slot. It OHKOes Heracross and 2HKOes most Celebi while providing neutral coverage against every Pokemon in UU bar Zapdos, Rotom, and Rotom-S, and although a neutral Aerial Ace is no stronger than a resisted Close Combat, Aerial Ace doesn't lower Hitmontop's defenses. Pursuit is worth mentioning as Hitmontop's most reliable way to hurt Ghost- and Psychic-types; it also catches other frail Pokemon that switch out in fear of Mach Punch. Hi Jump Kick can replace Close Combat if you're feeling lucky, but Ghost-types are already good switch-ins to this set, so spamming it is very dangerous. Finally, Rapid Spin can go in either the third or fourth slot if you desperately need both Rapid Spin support and a powerful priority user and only have one spot available on your team. However, Hitmontop will need a much higher degree of team support with only three attacking moves; without a powerful STAB move it is helpless against physical walls, and without a coverage move it cannot touch Ghost-types.</p>
<p>Stealth Rock support is very important for this set, as many of its key KOs depend on the opposing Pokemon taking some residual damage first. Without Stealth Rock on the field, Arcanine and Raikou will both live through the Fake Out + Mach Punch combination, Victini will never fall to Fake Out + Sucker Punch, and Zapdos and Crobat both survive switching into Stone Edge. Many of these Pokemon can OHKO Hitmontop given an opportunity, so the ability to take them out before they get a chance to move is critical. Deoxys-D, Registeel, and Empoleon are all good Stealth Rock users; Deoxys-D has incredible bulk, a resistance to Psychic-type moves, access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes, and reliable recovery, while Registeel and Empoleon resist both of Hitmontop's weaknesses and can also handle many of the Ghost-types that give it trouble. Regardless of what coverage move Hitmontop is using, it will never be able to beat bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Slowbro, Dusclops, Mew, and defensive Mismagius. Houndoom can scare them off with the threat of Dark Pulse and weaken them with Pursuit, while a Mismagius of your own can force them out and use the free turn to set up with Nasty Plot.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Mach Punch
move 3: Revenge / Low Sweep
move 4: Aerial Ace / Stone Edge / Sucker Punch
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although it faces competition as a Bulk Up user from Heracross and Gallade, both of which boast higher Attack and Speed stats and useful secondary typings, Technician-boosted Mach Punch gives Hitmontop a major advantage. After a boost, Mach Punch deals heavy damage to any offensive Pokemon that doesn't resist it, allowing Hitmontop to sweep despite its low Speed and making it very difficult to revenge kill. Because Close Combat's defense-reducing side effect is counterproductive on this set, Revenge is the powerful STAB move of choice to use against defensive Pokemon, with 120 BP if the target tries to attack and 90 BP if they don't. Low Sweep is also an option in this slot; while it only has 90 BP with Technician, it lacks the negative priority of Revenge and can allow Hitmontop to outspeed an opponent it would normally lose to. In the final slot, Aerial Ace is the most reliable option, as it has perfect accuracy and gives Hitmontop neutral coverage on every Pokemon in UU except Zapdos, Rotom, and Rotom-S. Stone Edge has lower accuracy and PP than Aerial Ace, but it hits Flying-types hard and also provides good neutral coverage with Hitmontop's STAB, resisted only by Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Gallade, Medicham, Claydol, and Golurk. Sucker Punch gives Hitmontop another priority option to stop Ghost- and Psychic-types from revenge killing, but it leaves Hitmontop walled by any Pokemon that resists Fighting and carries Substitute.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Hi Jump Kick can go in the third slot, as it has significantly more power than Revenge or Low Sweep, but an untimely miss could easily ruin Hitmontop's sweep, so only use it if you have Pursuit support to eliminate Ghost-types and are willing to gamble on 90% accuracy. Leftovers is the preferred item for this set, as it gives Hitmontop a better chance of setting up and takes advantage of its excellent all-around bulk after a Bulk Up, but Life Orb's power boost makes Mach Punch a much more effective cleaning move, allowing Hitmontop to sweep through weakened opponents very easily late in the match. Black Belt is also viable as a compromise between power and bulk, since it boosts the power of Hitmontop's STAB attacks without causing recoil damage. When using Low Sweep, a spread of 84 HP / 252 Atk / 172 Spe makes Hitmontop faster than positive-natured base 100s after a Speed drop. This allows it to slow down foes such as Celebi and Zapdos on the switch and hit them with a coverage move before they can attack. This is very situational, however, and therefore rarely worth the cost of reducing Hitmontop's bulk.</p>
<p>Hitmontop will be unable to set up if the opponent has healthy Flying-types to throw at it. Choice Band Crobat will OHKO Hitmontop even after a Defense boost, so Rhyperior is a very helpful teammate, as it resists Brave Bird and has incredible physical bulk; it can also set up Stealth Rock to prevent the opponent's birds and bats from being quite so brave about switching in. Defensive Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Slowbro, Dusclops, and Mew also stop Hitmontop cold, as even after several boosts they can effortlessly brush off Aerial Ace and reply by crippling Hitmontop with a burn. Consequently, it's a good idea to pair Hitmontop with a powerful Pursuit user such as Houndoom or Weavile.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Hitmontop doesn't have too many other viable options. Brick Break is a consistent STAB attack with no drawbacks that can mess up teams that rely on dual screens, but its power is pathetic compared to Close Combat and Revenge. Triple Kick, Hitmontop's signature move, has the equivalent of 90 BP after Technician and can be useful to break Substitutes and Sturdy, but its 90% accuracy makes it an unreliable choice. Quick Attack and Feint round out Hitmontop's incredible array of priority attacks, but they offer no useful coverage next to Mach Punch and Bullet Punch. Earthquake (or Bulldoze with Technician) has mostly redundant coverage with Hitmontop's STAB attacks, but it does hit Nidoking and Nidoqueen hard. Agility boosts Hitmontop's pedestrian Speed, but base 95 Attack is too low to effectively sweep, so Hitmontop is better off using its powerful priority moves to beat faster foes. Finally, Counter can go on a defensive set, as Hitmontop is capable of surviving just about every unboosted physical attack in UU.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Defensive Ghost-types with Will-O-Wisp are solid counters to any offensive set, as Hitmontop's coverage moves will barely scratch them, especially after a burn. Cofagrigus gets a special mention, as Mummy further neuters Hitmontop by removing its Technician boost. Psychic-types such as Slowbro and Mew can also handle Hitmontop quite easily. Zapdos can take on any Hitmontop that doesn't carry Stone Edge, and even those that do must KO on the switch or Zapdos will simply stall its PP out with Substitute and Roost. Other powerful Flying-types such as Crobat must be careful switching in, but once on the field, they can OHKO Hitmontop with Brave Bird. Mismagius with Taunt can prevent Hitmontop from using Foresight, removing its ability to bypass spinblockers. Finally, Tricking Hitmontop a Choice item will drastically reduce its effectiveness in any role.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Hitmontop's Dream World ability is Steadfast, which raises its Speed when it flinches. This ability is almost completely useless, especially considering Hitmontop already has two of the best abilities in the game.</p>
