Hogg
grubbing in the ashes
QC: nv / dodmen / King UU
GP: P Squared / The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Sporting the second-highest Attack of any non-Mega Pokemon in the tier as well as above-average bulk, Conkeldurr is a fearsome attacker capable of threatening many Pokemon in the tier. Conkeldurr also has three excellent abilities to choose from, as well as a deep movepool with a surprisingly large amount of coverage. Its access to good priority in Mach Punch in particular helps set Conkeldurr apart from other Fighting-type Pokemon in the tier, as it helps bypass Conkeldurr's low Speed and hits many threats to offensive teams such as Sharpedo and Cobalion for super effective damage. However, Conkeldurr is held back by its low Speed; even with maximum investment, it is still slower than most defensive Pokemon. In addition, while its physical bulk is very respectable, it has a mediocre Special Defense that leaves it struggling to stomach attacks from the strong special attackers of the tier unless it carries an Assault Vest. Finally, it faces competition for a teamslot from the many other Fighting-type Pokemon in the tier. Machamp and Heracross in particular have similar wallbreaking potential to Conkeldurr while also sporting superior Speed and unique abilities and moves to set them apart.
[SET]
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Drain Punch
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Thunder Punch
move 4: Mach Punch
item: Assault Vest
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Drain Punch is Conkeldurr's primary STAB move, hitting neutral targets for decent damage despite its low Base Power while also keeping Conkeldurr healthy. Knock Off hits many of the Pokemon that resist Drain Punch hard, and it has the useful side effect of removing opposing items. Thunder Punch is a necessity in order to break through bulky Water-type Pokemon such as Milotic and Tentacruel. Mach Punch is useful priority for helping Conkeldurr pick off faster threats such as Mega Sharpedo, and it helps Conkeldurr bypass its low Speed stat. Ice Punch is another coverage option that can be useful for teams that struggle with Gligar or Salamence, although neither Pokemon appreciates switching into a Knock Off. Poison Jab can be used to surprise Fairy-types on the switch but is largely useless otherwise and comes at the cost of the ability to hit either bulky Water-type Pokemon or Psychic-type Pokemon.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack with an Adamant nature helps to make up for the lack of a boosting item and, thanks to Conkeldurr's impressive base Attack, allows it to hit hard even without a boost. Meanwhile, running maximum Special Defense along with an Assault Vest ensures that Conkeldurr can survive strong special attacks such as Hydreigon's Draco Meteor and Kyurem's Choice Specs-boosted Ice Beam. Guts is the preferred ability here, as it allows Conkeldurr to pivot into Scalds and status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, allowing Conkeldurr to work as a great check to bulky Water-type Pokemon and Pokemon that rely on status, such as Porygon2 and Sableye. An alternative EV spread of 240 Atk / 224 SpD / 44 Spe with an Adamant nature allows Conkeldurr to outspeed uninvested Pokemon with base 50 Speed such as Mega Aggron and Diancie.
Usage Tips
========
Conkeldurr is best used on offensive teams that appreciate its ability to pivot into many strong special attacks without ceding momentum. Because it is reliant on Drain Punch for recovery, it can struggle to consistently check strong special threats throughout a game, making it a poor choice for balanced or defensive teams. Conkeldurr serves as a great status absorber for offensive teams thanks to Guts, so try to bring it in on status-reliant Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Sableye. Between Guts and the increased bulk from Assault Vest, Conkeldurr is also one of the most reliable Scald switch-ins in the tier, easily coming in on attacks from Pokemon such as Empoleon, Tentacruel, and Milotic and threatening them with a Drain Punch or Thunder Punch.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that appreciate Conkeldurr's ability to consistently switch into Pokemon such as Sableye, Porygon2, and Milotic throughout a game make great partners. Examples of these include Gyarados, Salamence, and Mega Swampert. Physically defensive Swampert and Conkeldurr form a decent defensive backbone for many offensive teams, with Swampert handling the strong physical attackers that threaten Conkeldurr such as Mega Aerodactyl and physical Salamence and Conkeldurr switching into the bulky Water-type Pokemon and strong special attackers that Swampert struggles with. Conkeldurr also appreciates Pokemon that can handle strong Psychic- and Fairy-type special attackers, such as Metagross. Reuniclus in particular also forms a great duo with Conkeldurr, as it can stomach many strong physical attacks and can set up on most Psychic- or Fairy-type attackers with Calm Mind or support Conkeldurr with Trick Room to mitigate its low Speed, while Conkeldurr is a great switch-in to Sableye and Hydreigon, two major problems for Reuniclus.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Hammer Arm
move 2: Mach Punch
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Poison Jab / Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Iron Fist
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Iron Fist-boosted Hammer Arm, when boosted by a Choice Band and backed by Conkeldurr's impressive Attack, can power through even the bulkiest physical walls. Drain Punch is an option over Hammer Arm in order to give Conkeldurr some staying power, but it is significantly weaker. Mach Punch is also boosted by Iron Fist and is one of the strongest priority attacks in the tier, hitting even harder than Entei's Choice Band-boosted Extreme Speed. Knock Off is your best way of handling bulky Psychic-types such as Cresselia and Reuniclus as well as Ghost-types like Doublade. It has good all-around coverage with Hammer Arm and the useful effect of removing the opposing Pokemon's item, but it leaves Conkeldurr walled by Fairy-types. Poison Jab hits these same Fairy-type Pokemon hard despite the lack of an Iron Fist boost, doing more than 70% to physically defensive Sylveon and Florges. Ice Punch is also an option to hit the physical walls such as Gligar and physically defensive Salamence that want to switch in on a Hammer Arm hard enough to OHKO them. Thunder Punch is an option for Gyarados and Tentacruel, but Hammer Arm hits most other Water-types for comparable damage, and it otherwise provides poor coverage.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack with an Adamant nature is ideal, as this set's goal is to hit as hard as possible. Maximum Speed allows Conkeldurr to outspeed uninvested Pokemon with base 75 Speed such as Florges. Choice Band provides the wallbreaking power that this set craves. Iron Fist is the ability of choice, as it boosts both Hammer Arm and Mach Punch and provides much of the power behind this set. Guts is always an option for teams that struggle with status moves from the likes of Sableye, but the power difference is notable. A bulkier EV spread of 132 HP / 252 Atk / 124 Spe with an Adamant nature can help Conkeldurr survive hits from strong attackers such as Choice Band Krookodile, Mega Aerodactyl, and Life Orb Salamence while still outspeeding uninvested Pokemon with base 60 Speed such as Sylveon. A Jolly nature is an option, as it just outpaces uninvested Suicune and Gligar, but Conkeldurr misses the power provided by an Adamant nature.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Band Conkeldurr is best played as a wallbreaker, destroying otherwise "safe" switch-ins such as Suicune and Swampert with its powerful Hammer Arm. That said, do not underestimate the power of Choice Band-boosted Mach Punch, which can easily pick off weakened teams late-game. While Conkeldurr is bulky enough to tank a moderately strong attack, its low Speed means you should be wary about letting it take unnecessary damage by switching it in recklessly, as this set lacks any sort of recovery. The best way to play Conkeldurr is to bring it in early to punch holes in the opposing team and then hold it in reserve for late-game when its powerful Mach Punch can clean up.
Team Options
========
As this set is capable of surprising many physical walls such as Suicune and Swampert, Pokemon that appreciate their removal and can help clean up late-game, such as Mega Sharpedo and Cobalion, make great partners. Conkeldurr loves Stealth Rock support to help break down Pokemon that attempt to pivot around Conkeldurr's moves, making Swampert, Metagross, and other bulky Stealth Rock setters great partners. Depending on what coverage you are running, partners that can break down bulky Psychic- or Fairy-type Pokemon may be required. Examples include Hydreigon, Metagross, and Mega Beedrill. As Conkeldurr struggles to switch in safely, U-turn and Volt Switch support from the likes of Mega Beedrill and Hydreigon is always appreciated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bulk Up, alongside Guts and a bulky EV spread, enables Conkeldurr to dismantle many stall cores and pressure defensive teams, but such a set lacks immediate power and is less useful against more offensive teams. Sheer Force Conkeldurr with a Life Orb may seem like a great option to take advantage of Conkeldurr's impressive coverage, but it is very prediction reliant and generally outclassed by the Iron Fist set. Focus Punch is a tremendously powerful option alongside Iron Fist and a Choice Band, able to OHKO Pokemon like Suicune after Stealth Rock and to do tremendous damage even to Pokemon that resist it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Psychic-types**: Bulky Psychic-types such as Cresselia and Reuniclus are among the most reliable counters to Conkeldurr, with Cresselia even able to withstand a Choice Band-boosted Knock Off and recover off the damage with Moonlight while hitting back hard with STAB Psychic moves.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Doublade and Sableye can discourage Conkeldurr from spamming Choice Band-boosted Hammer Arms, though they must be cautious of taking a boosted Knock Off, and Sableye must always be wary of Guts Conkeldurr.
**Flying-types**: Bulky Flying-types such as Gligar, physically defensive Salamence, and physically defensive Crobat can consistently switch into any Conkeldurr lacking Ice Punch and Roost off any damage. Offensive Flying-types such as Mega Aerodactyl and Sky Plate Crobat struggle to switch in safely but menace Conkeldurr with the threat of a strong Wing Attack or Brave Bird.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Sylveon and Calm Mind Florges can switch into any Conkeldurr lacking Poison Jab and fire off powerful Hyper Voices or begin setting up on it.
GP: P Squared / The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Sporting the second-highest Attack of any non-Mega Pokemon in the tier as well as above-average bulk, Conkeldurr is a fearsome attacker capable of threatening many Pokemon in the tier. Conkeldurr also has three excellent abilities to choose from, as well as a deep movepool with a surprisingly large amount of coverage. Its access to good priority in Mach Punch in particular helps set Conkeldurr apart from other Fighting-type Pokemon in the tier, as it helps bypass Conkeldurr's low Speed and hits many threats to offensive teams such as Sharpedo and Cobalion for super effective damage. However, Conkeldurr is held back by its low Speed; even with maximum investment, it is still slower than most defensive Pokemon. In addition, while its physical bulk is very respectable, it has a mediocre Special Defense that leaves it struggling to stomach attacks from the strong special attackers of the tier unless it carries an Assault Vest. Finally, it faces competition for a teamslot from the many other Fighting-type Pokemon in the tier. Machamp and Heracross in particular have similar wallbreaking potential to Conkeldurr while also sporting superior Speed and unique abilities and moves to set them apart.
[SET]
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Drain Punch
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Thunder Punch
move 4: Mach Punch
item: Assault Vest
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Drain Punch is Conkeldurr's primary STAB move, hitting neutral targets for decent damage despite its low Base Power while also keeping Conkeldurr healthy. Knock Off hits many of the Pokemon that resist Drain Punch hard, and it has the useful side effect of removing opposing items. Thunder Punch is a necessity in order to break through bulky Water-type Pokemon such as Milotic and Tentacruel. Mach Punch is useful priority for helping Conkeldurr pick off faster threats such as Mega Sharpedo, and it helps Conkeldurr bypass its low Speed stat. Ice Punch is another coverage option that can be useful for teams that struggle with Gligar or Salamence, although neither Pokemon appreciates switching into a Knock Off. Poison Jab can be used to surprise Fairy-types on the switch but is largely useless otherwise and comes at the cost of the ability to hit either bulky Water-type Pokemon or Psychic-type Pokemon.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack with an Adamant nature helps to make up for the lack of a boosting item and, thanks to Conkeldurr's impressive base Attack, allows it to hit hard even without a boost. Meanwhile, running maximum Special Defense along with an Assault Vest ensures that Conkeldurr can survive strong special attacks such as Hydreigon's Draco Meteor and Kyurem's Choice Specs-boosted Ice Beam. Guts is the preferred ability here, as it allows Conkeldurr to pivot into Scalds and status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, allowing Conkeldurr to work as a great check to bulky Water-type Pokemon and Pokemon that rely on status, such as Porygon2 and Sableye. An alternative EV spread of 240 Atk / 224 SpD / 44 Spe with an Adamant nature allows Conkeldurr to outspeed uninvested Pokemon with base 50 Speed such as Mega Aggron and Diancie.
Usage Tips
========
Conkeldurr is best used on offensive teams that appreciate its ability to pivot into many strong special attacks without ceding momentum. Because it is reliant on Drain Punch for recovery, it can struggle to consistently check strong special threats throughout a game, making it a poor choice for balanced or defensive teams. Conkeldurr serves as a great status absorber for offensive teams thanks to Guts, so try to bring it in on status-reliant Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Sableye. Between Guts and the increased bulk from Assault Vest, Conkeldurr is also one of the most reliable Scald switch-ins in the tier, easily coming in on attacks from Pokemon such as Empoleon, Tentacruel, and Milotic and threatening them with a Drain Punch or Thunder Punch.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that appreciate Conkeldurr's ability to consistently switch into Pokemon such as Sableye, Porygon2, and Milotic throughout a game make great partners. Examples of these include Gyarados, Salamence, and Mega Swampert. Physically defensive Swampert and Conkeldurr form a decent defensive backbone for many offensive teams, with Swampert handling the strong physical attackers that threaten Conkeldurr such as Mega Aerodactyl and physical Salamence and Conkeldurr switching into the bulky Water-type Pokemon and strong special attackers that Swampert struggles with. Conkeldurr also appreciates Pokemon that can handle strong Psychic- and Fairy-type special attackers, such as Metagross. Reuniclus in particular also forms a great duo with Conkeldurr, as it can stomach many strong physical attacks and can set up on most Psychic- or Fairy-type attackers with Calm Mind or support Conkeldurr with Trick Room to mitigate its low Speed, while Conkeldurr is a great switch-in to Sableye and Hydreigon, two major problems for Reuniclus.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Hammer Arm
move 2: Mach Punch
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Poison Jab / Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Iron Fist
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Iron Fist-boosted Hammer Arm, when boosted by a Choice Band and backed by Conkeldurr's impressive Attack, can power through even the bulkiest physical walls. Drain Punch is an option over Hammer Arm in order to give Conkeldurr some staying power, but it is significantly weaker. Mach Punch is also boosted by Iron Fist and is one of the strongest priority attacks in the tier, hitting even harder than Entei's Choice Band-boosted Extreme Speed. Knock Off is your best way of handling bulky Psychic-types such as Cresselia and Reuniclus as well as Ghost-types like Doublade. It has good all-around coverage with Hammer Arm and the useful effect of removing the opposing Pokemon's item, but it leaves Conkeldurr walled by Fairy-types. Poison Jab hits these same Fairy-type Pokemon hard despite the lack of an Iron Fist boost, doing more than 70% to physically defensive Sylveon and Florges. Ice Punch is also an option to hit the physical walls such as Gligar and physically defensive Salamence that want to switch in on a Hammer Arm hard enough to OHKO them. Thunder Punch is an option for Gyarados and Tentacruel, but Hammer Arm hits most other Water-types for comparable damage, and it otherwise provides poor coverage.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack with an Adamant nature is ideal, as this set's goal is to hit as hard as possible. Maximum Speed allows Conkeldurr to outspeed uninvested Pokemon with base 75 Speed such as Florges. Choice Band provides the wallbreaking power that this set craves. Iron Fist is the ability of choice, as it boosts both Hammer Arm and Mach Punch and provides much of the power behind this set. Guts is always an option for teams that struggle with status moves from the likes of Sableye, but the power difference is notable. A bulkier EV spread of 132 HP / 252 Atk / 124 Spe with an Adamant nature can help Conkeldurr survive hits from strong attackers such as Choice Band Krookodile, Mega Aerodactyl, and Life Orb Salamence while still outspeeding uninvested Pokemon with base 60 Speed such as Sylveon. A Jolly nature is an option, as it just outpaces uninvested Suicune and Gligar, but Conkeldurr misses the power provided by an Adamant nature.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Band Conkeldurr is best played as a wallbreaker, destroying otherwise "safe" switch-ins such as Suicune and Swampert with its powerful Hammer Arm. That said, do not underestimate the power of Choice Band-boosted Mach Punch, which can easily pick off weakened teams late-game. While Conkeldurr is bulky enough to tank a moderately strong attack, its low Speed means you should be wary about letting it take unnecessary damage by switching it in recklessly, as this set lacks any sort of recovery. The best way to play Conkeldurr is to bring it in early to punch holes in the opposing team and then hold it in reserve for late-game when its powerful Mach Punch can clean up.
Team Options
========
As this set is capable of surprising many physical walls such as Suicune and Swampert, Pokemon that appreciate their removal and can help clean up late-game, such as Mega Sharpedo and Cobalion, make great partners. Conkeldurr loves Stealth Rock support to help break down Pokemon that attempt to pivot around Conkeldurr's moves, making Swampert, Metagross, and other bulky Stealth Rock setters great partners. Depending on what coverage you are running, partners that can break down bulky Psychic- or Fairy-type Pokemon may be required. Examples include Hydreigon, Metagross, and Mega Beedrill. As Conkeldurr struggles to switch in safely, U-turn and Volt Switch support from the likes of Mega Beedrill and Hydreigon is always appreciated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bulk Up, alongside Guts and a bulky EV spread, enables Conkeldurr to dismantle many stall cores and pressure defensive teams, but such a set lacks immediate power and is less useful against more offensive teams. Sheer Force Conkeldurr with a Life Orb may seem like a great option to take advantage of Conkeldurr's impressive coverage, but it is very prediction reliant and generally outclassed by the Iron Fist set. Focus Punch is a tremendously powerful option alongside Iron Fist and a Choice Band, able to OHKO Pokemon like Suicune after Stealth Rock and to do tremendous damage even to Pokemon that resist it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Psychic-types**: Bulky Psychic-types such as Cresselia and Reuniclus are among the most reliable counters to Conkeldurr, with Cresselia even able to withstand a Choice Band-boosted Knock Off and recover off the damage with Moonlight while hitting back hard with STAB Psychic moves.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Doublade and Sableye can discourage Conkeldurr from spamming Choice Band-boosted Hammer Arms, though they must be cautious of taking a boosted Knock Off, and Sableye must always be wary of Guts Conkeldurr.
**Flying-types**: Bulky Flying-types such as Gligar, physically defensive Salamence, and physically defensive Crobat can consistently switch into any Conkeldurr lacking Ice Punch and Roost off any damage. Offensive Flying-types such as Mega Aerodactyl and Sky Plate Crobat struggle to switch in safely but menace Conkeldurr with the threat of a strong Wing Attack or Brave Bird.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Sylveon and Calm Mind Florges can switch into any Conkeldurr lacking Poison Jab and fire off powerful Hyper Voices or begin setting up on it.
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