www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/hitmontop
[OVERVIEW]
<p>Hitmontop is the most used of the three "Hitmons". He has quite a few unique niches in the UU metagame, namely as a stellar Rapid Spinner and one of the few solid counters for Absol and Rock-types such as Rhyperior.</p>
<p>Hitmontop's HP stat is rather low; however, with the help of Intimidate and great defenses, he is still quite bulky. With STAB Close Combat or Revenge, Technician Fake Out and Mach Punch, and Bulk Up, Hitmontop is not just capable of serving as a bulky Rapid Spin user; he is also a very effective sweeper and revenge killer. If you carry Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock, or just want a Pokemon to absorb Rock-type attacks and revenge kill, Hitmontop is definitely a good choice for your team.</p>
[SET]
name: Rapid Spin + Foresight
move 1: Foresight
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Stone Edge / Rest / Sucker Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 144 Atk / 96 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Hitmontop is one of the most reliable users of Rapid Spin in UU, making him a good choice for a team in need of entry hazard removal. Due to Spiritomb’s incredible bulk and ability to block Rapid Spin, he is commonly used on teams who rely on residual damage to defeat the opponent. Since Hitmontop can use Foresight, he is one of the better ways around Spiritomb. Foresight nullifies Spiritomb's Ghost typing and lets Hitmontop hit him with Rapid Spin or a super effective STAB Close Combat. Foresight also allows Hitmontop to use Rapid Spin reliably against Pokemon such as Rotom or Mismagius. With Intimidate, Hitmontop will get many chances to safely switch into Stealth Rock users such as Steelix and spin away the hazards.<p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are very specific on this set, but can be modified to fit your team's need. 252 HP and 96 Defense with an Impish nature allows Hitmontop to survive a +1 Superpower from Absol, while 144 Attack EVs gives Hitmontop the ability to 2HKO certain Pokemon, such as Registeel, Rhyperior, and Drapion. Hitmontop can also use max Attack EVs with Adamant to OHKO Spiritomb after a Foresight or run max Defense to take physical attacks more comfortably. Special Defense EVs help if you want Hitmontop to handle Shadow Ball from Mismagius and Rotom better. The 16 Speed EVs allow him to outpace Adamant Rhyperior.</p>
<p>Hitmontop achieves excellent two-move coverage with Close Combat and either Sucker Punch or Stone Edge for coverage. The combination of Close Combat and Sucker Punch is unresisted except for Toxicroak, and Sucker Punch allows Hitmontop to revenge kill effectively. However, Stone Edge is a nice attack to hit common Flying-types super effectively, such as Altaria and Moltres. Rest can be used in the last slot as well. Because Hitmontop is often burned or poisoned in the process of Rapid Spinning, and he can take a lot of damage from switching into entry hazards and attacks, he definitely appreciates the full recovery. A cleric such as Chansey, Altaria, or Leafeon is recommended if you choose to use Rest. Close Combat is preferred over other Fighting-type moves because of its high power, perfect accuracy, and the fact that Hitmontop is usually slow enough to go second against harder-hitting foes, meaning the drop in defenses does not impact Hitmontop that much.</p>
<p>Pokemon with 4x weaknesses to Stealth Rock rely on Hitmontop to clear the field before they enter battle. Without Hitmontop's Rapid Spin support, Pokemon such as Charizard, Moltres, and Scyther will often start the battle with 50% HP. With Hitmontop on their team, however, they can freely switch in and cause some serious harm to your opponent..</p>
[SET]
name: TechniTop
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Close Combat / Revenge
move 3: Mach Punch
move 4: Bullet Punch / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With Technician and a whole slew of priority attacks, Hitmontop becomes one of the best revenge killers in the UU metagame. Basically, Hitmontop switches into a Pokemon that he can KO and uses Fake Out to cause the opponent to flinch and deal damage. After Fake Out, the opponent's Pokemon should be in KO range for Mach Punch. Close Combat or Revenge are more powerful STAB attacks, both of which carry various advantages and setbacks. Close Combat can dent physically bulky Pokemon, such as Steelix, for more immediate power; however, Revenge has 90 Base Power because of Technician, or 120 Base Power if used after being hit by a direct attack, making it a very nice option when compared to Close Combat, which lowers Hitmontop's useful and above-average defenses. Keep in mind that Revenge has negative priority, making you attack last. Bullet Punch is there so Hitmontop can revenge kill Ghost-types and Pokemon that resist Mach Punch more effectively. However, Stone Edge is still a viable option to hit Pokemon such as Charizard and Moltres who would otherwise wall this set.</p>
<p>After all of your opponent's Pokemon are weakened and their counters are removed, Hitmontop can utilize his strong priority attacks and proceed to sweep in the late game.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This offensively oriented Hitmontop is very easily walled by Pokemon such as Weezing, Spiritomb, Slowbro, and any other defensive Poison-, Ghost-, or Psychic-type. Blaziken is a great Pokemon for getting rid of Spiritomb, because not only can Blaziken catch Spiritomb with a Fire Blast on the switch, he can also switch into Will-O-Wisp or Dark Pulse with ease. Blaziken can also lure and 2HKO Slowbro as well. Unfortunately, the dual weakness to Flying-type attacks is a bad thing in the UU metagame because of Scyther's strong Aerial Ace and Moltres's strong Air Slash. There are a few handy ways of keeping Scyther out of the field and limiting the damage it wreaks on your team. Bulky Pokemon such as Regirock on Rhyperior can use Stealth Rock and limit his ability to switch in. Venusaur, Fighting-types, and Psychic-types are decent Scyther lures, and all can take Scyther out with the correct attack, but these plans are not foolproof by any means, so keeping a Scyther counter (such as nearly any Rock- or Steel-type) is ideal. Moltres is also hampered by Stealth Rock, and carrying a bulky Water-type such as Milotic or Azumarill can make switching into its attacks easier.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Revenge / Mach Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Hitmontop can use Bulk Up to increase its already high Attack and decent Defense, making it very tough to take down. With Hitmontop's defenses so high, it would be a shame to waste them with Close Combat;luckily, Hitmontop has Technician to utilize the move Revenge to its fullest potential.</p>
<p>The strategy starts by scouting your opponent's counters, and then weakening them with strong STAB attacks. If your opponent either does not have a good counter, or has a counter that relies on physical attacks, you can proceed to Bulk Up right away. With a couple of Bulk Ups, Hitmontop can sweep the opposing team with Revenge for STAB, Sucker Punch for coverage and priority, and Stone Edge to hit Flying-type Pokemon. If you wish, you may use Mach Punch instead of Revenge, even though it isn't nearly as powerful or reliable.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Pokemon such as Magmortar help pave the way for this Hitmontop set, because it’s main counter is none other than Slowbro. Uxie is tough as well, but Pokemon such as Absol can Pursuit Uxie into oblivion. A Choice Scarf Absol or Drapion can be of use as well to trap and KO Alakazam, who will be a prime revenge killer for Hitmontop. Weezing and Spiritomb also put Bulk Up Hitmontop between a rock and a hard place, making Hitmontop either switch out and lose its boosts, or stay in to get burned. Absol is a nice lure for these Pokemon, as he can Swords Dance on their switch-in and 1-2HKO them with Psycho Cut and Night Slash, respectively.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Hitmontop can use many other sets effectively, but most of his other offensive sets are outclassed by other Fighting-types. A Choice Scarf set may seem like a good option with Hitmontop's very impressive movepool; however, this set is almost always done better by Hitmonlee, due to Hitmontop's much weaker Attack stat. A fast Technician boosted Pursuit is always nice, though.</p>
<p>With a pretty solid base Attack stat, and more importantly, the ability to switch into many common threats, Hitmontop can run a Choice Band set effectively. With Intimidate, Hitmontop can come in on physical attackers like Rhyperior, Drapion, and even Absol, and from there it will definitely find an opportunity to hit something hard with a STAB Close Combat.</p>
<p>Toxic can work on the Rapid Spin set, but with Foresight, Hitmontop has a better way to hit Ghost-types than merely with Toxic, as most of them will Rest it off anyway. Endeavor and Mach Punch could work out nicely together, but with priority omnipresent, and Snover and Hippopotas somewhat present, odds are it won't work too well. The same applies to a Reversal set, though Hitmonlee does that better in any case.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Hitmontop’s worst enemy among opponents are bulky Psychics, as they can shrug off almost any attack Hitmontop has to offer. Also, offensive bulky Psychics such as Slowbro and Slowking immediately threaten Hitmontop with Psychic, while more defensively-minded Psychics (no pun intended) such as Claydol, Uxie, and Mesprit, can set up once Hitmontop switches out.</p>
<p>Hitmontop also has trouble with bulky Poison-types. Weezing absolutely walls it, due to its typing, high defense, and access to Will-o-wisp. Nidoqueen also hinders Hitmontop with its own great defenses and its Poison Point ability. Additionally, Nidoqueen can force out Hitmontop with its wide pool of attacking moves, and can set up Toxic Spikes once the top is gone. Venusaur gives problems to Hitmontop as well, with access to good typing and defenses, access to Sleep Powder, and setting up on the switch.</p>
<p>Finally, Ghost-types, namely Mismagius, Rotom, and Spiritomb, can also create headaches for Hitmontop. Due to their typing, they block Rapid Spin and Hitmontop’s Fighting moves, and only through the use of Foresight can this be circumvented. However, the UU Ghosts also have access to moves like Will-o-Wisp, Trick, and Taunt (for Foresight), allowing them to cripple Hitmontop at their own leisure.</p>
[OVERVIEW]
<p>Hitmontop is the most used of the three "Hitmons". He has quite a few unique niches in the UU metagame, namely as a stellar Rapid Spinner and one of the few solid counters for Absol and Rock-types such as Rhyperior.</p>
<p>Hitmontop's HP stat is rather low; however, with the help of Intimidate and great defenses, he is still quite bulky. With STAB Close Combat or Revenge, Technician Fake Out and Mach Punch, and Bulk Up, Hitmontop is not just capable of serving as a bulky Rapid Spin user; he is also a very effective sweeper and revenge killer. If you carry Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock, or just want a Pokemon to absorb Rock-type attacks and revenge kill, Hitmontop is definitely a good choice for your team.</p>
[SET]
name: Rapid Spin + Foresight
move 1: Foresight
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Stone Edge / Rest / Sucker Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 144 Atk / 96 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Hitmontop is one of the most reliable users of Rapid Spin in UU, making him a good choice for a team in need of entry hazard removal. Due to Spiritomb’s incredible bulk and ability to block Rapid Spin, he is commonly used on teams who rely on residual damage to defeat the opponent. Since Hitmontop can use Foresight, he is one of the better ways around Spiritomb. Foresight nullifies Spiritomb's Ghost typing and lets Hitmontop hit him with Rapid Spin or a super effective STAB Close Combat. Foresight also allows Hitmontop to use Rapid Spin reliably against Pokemon such as Rotom or Mismagius. With Intimidate, Hitmontop will get many chances to safely switch into Stealth Rock users such as Steelix and spin away the hazards.<p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are very specific on this set, but can be modified to fit your team's need. 252 HP and 96 Defense with an Impish nature allows Hitmontop to survive a +1 Superpower from Absol, while 144 Attack EVs gives Hitmontop the ability to 2HKO certain Pokemon, such as Registeel, Rhyperior, and Drapion. Hitmontop can also use max Attack EVs with Adamant to OHKO Spiritomb after a Foresight or run max Defense to take physical attacks more comfortably. Special Defense EVs help if you want Hitmontop to handle Shadow Ball from Mismagius and Rotom better. The 16 Speed EVs allow him to outpace Adamant Rhyperior.</p>
<p>Hitmontop achieves excellent two-move coverage with Close Combat and either Sucker Punch or Stone Edge for coverage. The combination of Close Combat and Sucker Punch is unresisted except for Toxicroak, and Sucker Punch allows Hitmontop to revenge kill effectively. However, Stone Edge is a nice attack to hit common Flying-types super effectively, such as Altaria and Moltres. Rest can be used in the last slot as well. Because Hitmontop is often burned or poisoned in the process of Rapid Spinning, and he can take a lot of damage from switching into entry hazards and attacks, he definitely appreciates the full recovery. A cleric such as Chansey, Altaria, or Leafeon is recommended if you choose to use Rest. Close Combat is preferred over other Fighting-type moves because of its high power, perfect accuracy, and the fact that Hitmontop is usually slow enough to go second against harder-hitting foes, meaning the drop in defenses does not impact Hitmontop that much.</p>
<p>Pokemon with 4x weaknesses to Stealth Rock rely on Hitmontop to clear the field before they enter battle. Without Hitmontop's Rapid Spin support, Pokemon such as Charizard, Moltres, and Scyther will often start the battle with 50% HP. With Hitmontop on their team, however, they can freely switch in and cause some serious harm to your opponent..</p>
[SET]
name: TechniTop
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Close Combat / Revenge
move 3: Mach Punch
move 4: Bullet Punch / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With Technician and a whole slew of priority attacks, Hitmontop becomes one of the best revenge killers in the UU metagame. Basically, Hitmontop switches into a Pokemon that he can KO and uses Fake Out to cause the opponent to flinch and deal damage. After Fake Out, the opponent's Pokemon should be in KO range for Mach Punch. Close Combat or Revenge are more powerful STAB attacks, both of which carry various advantages and setbacks. Close Combat can dent physically bulky Pokemon, such as Steelix, for more immediate power; however, Revenge has 90 Base Power because of Technician, or 120 Base Power if used after being hit by a direct attack, making it a very nice option when compared to Close Combat, which lowers Hitmontop's useful and above-average defenses. Keep in mind that Revenge has negative priority, making you attack last. Bullet Punch is there so Hitmontop can revenge kill Ghost-types and Pokemon that resist Mach Punch more effectively. However, Stone Edge is still a viable option to hit Pokemon such as Charizard and Moltres who would otherwise wall this set.</p>
<p>After all of your opponent's Pokemon are weakened and their counters are removed, Hitmontop can utilize his strong priority attacks and proceed to sweep in the late game.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This offensively oriented Hitmontop is very easily walled by Pokemon such as Weezing, Spiritomb, Slowbro, and any other defensive Poison-, Ghost-, or Psychic-type. Blaziken is a great Pokemon for getting rid of Spiritomb, because not only can Blaziken catch Spiritomb with a Fire Blast on the switch, he can also switch into Will-O-Wisp or Dark Pulse with ease. Blaziken can also lure and 2HKO Slowbro as well. Unfortunately, the dual weakness to Flying-type attacks is a bad thing in the UU metagame because of Scyther's strong Aerial Ace and Moltres's strong Air Slash. There are a few handy ways of keeping Scyther out of the field and limiting the damage it wreaks on your team. Bulky Pokemon such as Regirock on Rhyperior can use Stealth Rock and limit his ability to switch in. Venusaur, Fighting-types, and Psychic-types are decent Scyther lures, and all can take Scyther out with the correct attack, but these plans are not foolproof by any means, so keeping a Scyther counter (such as nearly any Rock- or Steel-type) is ideal. Moltres is also hampered by Stealth Rock, and carrying a bulky Water-type such as Milotic or Azumarill can make switching into its attacks easier.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Revenge / Mach Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Hitmontop can use Bulk Up to increase its already high Attack and decent Defense, making it very tough to take down. With Hitmontop's defenses so high, it would be a shame to waste them with Close Combat;luckily, Hitmontop has Technician to utilize the move Revenge to its fullest potential.</p>
<p>The strategy starts by scouting your opponent's counters, and then weakening them with strong STAB attacks. If your opponent either does not have a good counter, or has a counter that relies on physical attacks, you can proceed to Bulk Up right away. With a couple of Bulk Ups, Hitmontop can sweep the opposing team with Revenge for STAB, Sucker Punch for coverage and priority, and Stone Edge to hit Flying-type Pokemon. If you wish, you may use Mach Punch instead of Revenge, even though it isn't nearly as powerful or reliable.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Pokemon such as Magmortar help pave the way for this Hitmontop set, because it’s main counter is none other than Slowbro. Uxie is tough as well, but Pokemon such as Absol can Pursuit Uxie into oblivion. A Choice Scarf Absol or Drapion can be of use as well to trap and KO Alakazam, who will be a prime revenge killer for Hitmontop. Weezing and Spiritomb also put Bulk Up Hitmontop between a rock and a hard place, making Hitmontop either switch out and lose its boosts, or stay in to get burned. Absol is a nice lure for these Pokemon, as he can Swords Dance on their switch-in and 1-2HKO them with Psycho Cut and Night Slash, respectively.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Hitmontop can use many other sets effectively, but most of his other offensive sets are outclassed by other Fighting-types. A Choice Scarf set may seem like a good option with Hitmontop's very impressive movepool; however, this set is almost always done better by Hitmonlee, due to Hitmontop's much weaker Attack stat. A fast Technician boosted Pursuit is always nice, though.</p>
<p>With a pretty solid base Attack stat, and more importantly, the ability to switch into many common threats, Hitmontop can run a Choice Band set effectively. With Intimidate, Hitmontop can come in on physical attackers like Rhyperior, Drapion, and even Absol, and from there it will definitely find an opportunity to hit something hard with a STAB Close Combat.</p>
<p>Toxic can work on the Rapid Spin set, but with Foresight, Hitmontop has a better way to hit Ghost-types than merely with Toxic, as most of them will Rest it off anyway. Endeavor and Mach Punch could work out nicely together, but with priority omnipresent, and Snover and Hippopotas somewhat present, odds are it won't work too well. The same applies to a Reversal set, though Hitmonlee does that better in any case.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Hitmontop’s worst enemy among opponents are bulky Psychics, as they can shrug off almost any attack Hitmontop has to offer. Also, offensive bulky Psychics such as Slowbro and Slowking immediately threaten Hitmontop with Psychic, while more defensively-minded Psychics (no pun intended) such as Claydol, Uxie, and Mesprit, can set up once Hitmontop switches out.</p>
<p>Hitmontop also has trouble with bulky Poison-types. Weezing absolutely walls it, due to its typing, high defense, and access to Will-o-wisp. Nidoqueen also hinders Hitmontop with its own great defenses and its Poison Point ability. Additionally, Nidoqueen can force out Hitmontop with its wide pool of attacking moves, and can set up Toxic Spikes once the top is gone. Venusaur gives problems to Hitmontop as well, with access to good typing and defenses, access to Sleep Powder, and setting up on the switch.</p>
<p>Finally, Ghost-types, namely Mismagius, Rotom, and Spiritomb, can also create headaches for Hitmontop. Due to their typing, they block Rapid Spin and Hitmontop’s Fighting moves, and only through the use of Foresight can this be circumvented. However, the UU Ghosts also have access to moves like Will-o-Wisp, Trick, and Taunt (for Foresight), allowing them to cripple Hitmontop at their own leisure.</p>
