Nineage
Pugnacious.
[OVERVIEW]
Croagunk's unique typing and ability let it compress a variety of roles into a single team slot and serve as a fantastic glue Pokemon for offensive teams. Due to its typing, Croagunk has resistances to the common Fighting- and Dark-type moves, and due to its Dry Skin ability, it has a pseudo-immunity to Water. With these resistances, Croagunk becomes one of the few Pokemon in Little Cup with the ability to check all of the Pokemon that rely on these types, such as Chinchou, Mienfoo, Timburr, Pawniard, and Carvanha. Croagunk's typing is helpful offensively as well, as the only relevant Pokemon that resist its STAB coverage are Ghost-types, which it can hit with Knock Off, and other Poison-types. Additionally, Croagunk's wide movepool and acceptable all-around base stats allow it to customize its moveset and thus fit on a wide variety of teams. Access to Knock Off and various forms of priority, including Sucker Punch and Vacuum Wave, further improve Croagunk's ability to support its teammates. However, Croagunk's typing gives it weaknesses to the common Flying- and Ground-type moves and a susceptibility to being trapped and KOed by Diglett. Additionally, Croagunk's Speed is quite low, which leaves it susceptible to being revenge killed by a large portion of the metagame, though its access to priority somewhat remedies this.
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Vacuum Wave
item: Eviolite / Berry Juice
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Modest
evs: 52 HP / 116 Def / 188 SpA / 116 SpD / 36 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nasty Plot allows Croagunk to boost its Special Attack and punch holes into opposing teams, and it gets many setup opportunities due to its myriad of resistances. Thief can be used over Nasty Plot, which reduces Croagunk's wallbreaking potential but gives it more utility, as it lets Croagunk remove defensive items from foes after Croagunk takes a Knock Off or has consumed its Berry Juice. Sludge Bomb is Croagunk's primary STAB move, 2HKOing most of the Pokemon in the metagame that don't resist it after a Nasty Plot boost. It also has a decent chance to poison foes, which can help wear them down to the point where Croagunk can pick them off with Vacuum Wave. Focus Blast is a much more powerful but less reliable STAB move, which Croagunk can use in situations where it needs to deal more damage, securing a good chance to OHKO Timburr after a Nasty Plot boost. It also has terrific coverage alongside Sludge Bomb. Shadow Ball is an option in the third slot to keep this Croagunk set from being walled by Ghost-types such as Honedge and Gastly, but it gives Croagunk worse overall coverage, as it then lacks a powerful Fighting-type STAB move. Vacuum Wave gives Croagunk a STAB priority move that it can use to threaten revenge killers that can take advantage of its low Speed. Most notably, it does significant damage to Diglett, which would otherwise trap and remove Croagunk, though Diglett must have taken some prior damage to be KOed even if Croagunk is at +2.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread coupled with a Modest nature maximizes Croagunk's Special Attack, giving it maximum wallbreaking potential. The remaining EVs give Croagunk optimal bulk alongside Eviolite by giving it even-numbered stats in both defenses, which allow it to take a myriad of hits while setting up, most notably avoiding the 2HKO from Choice Scarf Mienfoo's High Jump Kick with an Eviolite. A point is also invested into Speed, to allow Croagunk to outpace most defensive foes, specifically RestTalk Mudbray. An alternate EV spread of 52 HP / 116 Def / 188 SpA / 36 SpD / 116 Spe can be used to give Croagunk enough Speed to reliably outspeed bulky foes such as Timburr, but it does not allow Croagunk to hit even-numbered defenses, which costs it significant bulk. While an Eviolite is generally used to give Croagunk maximum bulk, Berry Juice is also an option for an item, reducing Croagunk's bulk but allowing it to take more hits over the course of the match, thus giving it more opportunities to set up Nasty Plot. However, as Croagunk frequently is hit by Knock Off early-game, it often appreciates the initial bulk provided by Eviolite more than the HP boost provided by Berry Juice. Dry Skin is Croagunk's most useful ability because it gives it a pseudo-immunity to Water-type moves, allowing it to reliably check many Water-type Pokemon such as Corphish and Mareanie.
Usage Tips
========
Croagunk should be brought in to check Pokemon that can't deal significant damage to it, such as Timburr, Mienfoo, Corphish, and Chinchou. After coming in, Croagunk will usually force a foe out. Against balanced and bulky offensive teams, it is generally better to either switch Croagunk out or attack early-game, as if Croagunk sets up, it will often be forced out immediately by the foe that comes in. Against slower-paced teams, hyper offensive teams, and balanced and bulky offense teams that have been worn down significantly, Croagunk can use Nasty Plot to begin punching holes in the opponent's team. Although this Croagunk set can be used as a glue Pokemon and switch directly into attacks that threaten its team, keep in mind that the lack of any kind of recovery means that it will get worn down quite easily, so bringing Croagunk in without it taking a hit is ideal when possible. Keep in mind that even with Eviolite, Croagunk is not especially bulky, so avoid allowing it to take super effective or powerful neutral hits while it is still needed in a match.
Team Options
========
This Croagunk set works well on teams that appreciate its resistances but don't rely on it as the sole check to all of the Pokemon it can check, which gives it more leeway to set up. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Onix, Dwebble, and Omanyte is helpful due to the switches Croagunk forces and allows it to secure more KOs with Vacuum Wave. Pursuit support from the likes of Alolan Grimer and Pawniard is useful to trap Abra and Ghost-types, which force Croagunk out, and to wear down faster foes to the point where they can be picked off with Vacuum Wave. Ground-types are especially problematic for this set, so teammates that can switch in on Ground-types, most notably Snivy and Pumpkaboo, make good partners. Flying-types can also shut this set down, so checks to these Pokemon, such as Onix and Omanyte, fit well alongside Croagunk, and Croagunk can take on the Fighting- and Grass-types that threaten them. Knock Off support is useful to help Croagunk secure more KOs. Mienfoo and Timburr both provide this support well and synergize decently offensively with Croagunk too, as they are able to form an offensive Fighting-type core.
[SET]
name: Mixed Utility
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Vacuum Wave
move 4: Drain Punch / Sucker Punch
item: Eviolite
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Quiet
evs: 132 HP / 28 Atk / 116 Def / 108 SpA / 116 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is a terrific support move that allows Croagunk to pressure switch-ins and support its team by removing its foes' defensive items. Sludge Bomb is generally Croagunk's most useful STAB move and comes with a nifty poison chance that can help Croagunk wear down foes. Vacuum Wave allows Croagunk to pick off weakened faster foes, as well as deal with certain threats such as Carvanha and Pawniard without taking any damage. Drain Punch is a secondary STAB move that has fantastic coverage alongside Sludge Bomb and gives Croagunk a way to recover its health while dealing damage to Steel-types that can take a Vacuum Wave like Ferroseed. Sucker Punch is an alternative that lets Croagunk heavily damage faster threats that don't mind Vacuum Wave, such as Abra and Gastly, before it can be KOed.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread coupled with a Quiet nature aims to optimize Croagunk's defensive stats by giving it even numbers in both defenses to maximize the Eviolite boost while maintaining offensive presence on both sides of the spectrum. An Eviolite further enhances Croagunk's bulk and pairs well with Drain Punch to give Croagunk longevity. Dry Skin is the optimal ability for this set because it allows Croagunk to take on Water-types such as Carvanha, Corphish, and Mareanie.
Usage Tips
========
Croagunk should be used as a glue Pokemon and brought in against the Pokemon that it checks, such as Fighting-types, Water-types, and Dark-types that don't carry coverage to beat it, most notably Mienfoo, Timburr, Corphish, Pawniard, and non-Psychic Staryu variants. Because Croagunk is used as a glue Pokemon, it should not be expected to deal high amounts of damage or repeatedly take powerful hits it doesn't resist. Instead, it should be preserved and switched in and out of battle, recovering HP with Drain Punch as needed, to deal with the threats it needs to check on an opposing team; specifically, it should be kept around for Fighting-, Dark-, and Water-types that its team can't deal with. Opposing setup sweepers such as Scraggy and Shellder fit this bill as well: Croagunk should be preserved while these Pokemon exist on the foe's team so it can revenge kill them with Vacuum Wave. If the opposing team has a Diglett, play cautiously with Croagunk to prevent it from getting trapped, potentially leaving your team open to a Pokemon that Croagunk checks. Opposing pivots such as Mienfoo and Chinchou, which Croagunk can check, become more threatening when paired with Diglett because they can bring Croagunk in and pivot into Diglett, so keep this in mind. Throughout a match, Croagunk tends to force switches because it checks such a variety of Pokemon. Use these switches, especially early-game, to use Knock Off and weaken the opposing team by removing defensive items.
Team Options
========
This Croagunk set needs little support to perform its role, so it should be fit onto teams that need it rather than built around. It fits well onto teams that are weak to Fighting-, Dark-, or Water-type Pokemon and need a Pokemon that can compress resistances to these types into a teamslot. That said, Psychic- and Ground-types present Croagunk with a variety of issues and need to be dealt with by teammates. Pursuit trappers, such as Alolan Grimer and Pawniard, make good choices as partners to deal with the former, while Grass-types, such as Snivy and Pumpkaboo-XL, make good choices to deal with the latter. Flying-types can easily revenge kill Croagunk as well, making checks to them such as Onix and Omanyte good partners. In terms of the support Croagunk provides, Pokemon that are weak to Fighting, such as Ferroseed, or Poison, such as Snubbull, pair well with Croagunk defensively. In return, Ferroseed can check Psychic-types and some Ground-types for Croagunk, and Snubbull can take on Pokemon that threaten Croagunk with physical attacks thanks to Intimidate. Offensively, Croagunk forms valuable Fighting-type cores with Scraggy and Mienfoo, as they can wear down and use Knock Off on each other's checks. Finally, as Croagunk is one of the better Knock Off users in the metagame, setup sweepers that appreciate its support make good partners. Bulk Up Timburr, Omanyte, and Shellder are all examples of Pokemon with decent synergy with Croagunk, but most setup sweepers in the metagame can take advantage of the Knock Off support that this Croagunk set provides.
[SET]
name: Physical Support
move 1: Drain Punch
move 2: Gunk Shot
move 3: Knock Off / Thief / Bulk Up
move 4: Sucker Punch / Bulk Up
item: Eviolite
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Adamant
evs: 52 HP / 188 Atk / 116 Def / 116 SpD / 36 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Drain Punch is a reliable STAB move that has the beneficial side effect of providing Croagunk with some recovery and hits the Dark-types that Croagunk checks, such as Pawniard and Carvanha, for good damage. Gunk Shot provides excellent STAB coverage alongside Drain Punch and deals much more damage, but it is less reliable due to its miss chance and does not provide Croagunk with recovery. Poison Jab can be used over Gunk Shot as a more reliable alternative, as it has higher accuracy, but the drop in power makes it more difficult for Croagunk to check Fairy-types. The final two moveslots can be customized depending on what support Croagunk needs to provide for its team. Knock Off is an excellent utility move that provides great coverage alongside Croagunk's STAB moves and removes defensive items from foes to make them easier for Croagunk to deal with. Thief provides the same good coverage and utility in removing items as Knock Off, potentially giving Croagunk a defensive item and helping it while hurting the foe, but it requires Croagunk to have been hit by Knock Off to have maximum effect. Bulk Up can be used to allow Croagunk to take advantage of the switches it forces to set up, making it simultaneously harder to switch into and more difficult to take out physically. Sucker Punch gives Croagunk a decently powerful form of priority, allowing it to not be completely helpless against faster revenge killers, especially Abra and Doduo, which can easily OHKO it.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximizes Croagunk's Attack to allow it to hit as hard as possible while investing enough EVs into both defenses to optimize Croagunk's bulk in conjunction with Eviolite. The final EV points are put into Speed to allow Croagunk to outspeed Spritzee and Ferroseed. An Eviolite maximizes Croagunk's bulk and pairs well with Drain Punch, allowing Croagunk to take little damage from opposing attacks and heal itself somewhat with Drain Punch. Finally, Dry Skin is Croagunk's best ability because it enables it to check Pokemon that rely on Water-type moves.
Usage Tips
========
This Croagunk makes for a fantastic glue Pokemon and should be directly switched into the myriad of Pokemon it checks, including Mienfoo, Timburr, Chinchou, and Cottonee. After being switched in, Croagunk can take advantage of its wide coverage to pressure the opposing team. Croagunk should be kept healthy as long as it is needed to check foes. Avoid allowing it to take super effective or powerful neutral hits, as Croagunk's defenses are mediocre even when boosted by Eviolite. Additionally, Drain Punch should be used as much as possible to keep Croagunk's health up. Be wary of Pokemon such as Ponyta that can burn Croagunk, drastically lowering its effectiveness for a match. Knock Off should be used often to weaken foes by removing their defensive items and to put pressure on opposing teams by threatening to remove said items. Because Croagunk has only mediocre Attack and Sucker Punch does not get boosted by STAB, it does not hit particularly hard. For this reason, it should usually be used as a way to pick off weakened and faster foes, not as a reliable method of dealing damage. Be especially wary of opposing Diglett, which can come in after Croagunk secures a KO, trap it, and remove it from the match, allowing a foe that Croagunk checks such as Bulk Up Timburr to sweep. Sucker Punch is not a reliable way of dealing with Diglett, as it frequently runs Substitute, forcing Croagunk into mind games, and it only takes out Diglett if it is severely weakened. Croagunk should use Bulk Up on a predicted switch to surprise an incoming foe that will become unable to KO it after it has a Defense boost.
Team Options
========
This Croagunk set works best on offensive teams that can make use of a non-passive Pokemon with its set of resistances and specifically appreciate a strong Sucker Punch user that can take on opposing Gastly and Abra. Pokemon that are weak to Fighting, such as Pawniard and Carvanha, appreciate Croagunk's ability to take on the likes of Mienfoo and especially Timburr, and thus make good partners. Pokemon weak to Dark-types, such as Pumpkaboo-XL and Gastly, and Pokemon weak to Water-types, such as Mudbray, can make good use the resistances provided by Croagunk as well. Dark-types form a potent core with Croagunk offensively and defensively. Alolan Grimer and Pawniard both can Pursuit trap the Ghost- and Psychic-types that give Croagunk some trouble, and Alolan Grimer forms a Poison-type core offensively as well. Vullaby also pairs well with Croagunk, as they share very good defensive synergy, together resisting a large portion of each other's weaknesses. Pokemon that can take out Ground-types also make good teammates, as Croagunk tends to bring these Pokemon in. Snivy and Z-Trick-or-Treat Pumpkaboo-S are especially notable for their ability to use opposing Ground-types as setup bait, but most other Water- and Grass-types also fill this role well. Rock-types such as Onix and Omanyte pair well with Croagunk because they can check Fire- and Flying-types that can significantly damage it, and they can set up entry hazards to allow Croagunk to more efficiently wear down opposing teams.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Life Orb set is somewhat viable, as its unexpected power can be used as a lure, but the lack of bulk means Croagunk will nearly always be revenged killed very quickly, and the Life Orb will often be revealed due to Croagunk's tendency to be hit by Knock Off. Both Fightinium Z and Poisonium Z are options on the Nasty Plot set to give Croagunk one high-power attack to break through a would-be check, but it costs Croagunk significant defensive capabilities. Earthquake is an option to hit the likes of opposing Croagunk and Mareanie, which otherwise wall Croagunk, but has mostly redundant coverage with its Fighting-type moves otherwise, and neither of these Pokemon threaten Croagunk much offensively while taking acceptable damage from Knock Off. Croagunk gets several other priority options, such as Bullet Punch and Fake Out, which can be mixed onto the above sets, but they tend to be less consistently useful than the moves listed above. Substitute can be used to give Croagunk free turns against foes such as Ferroseed and Foongus and can even be paired with Focus Punch to deal more damage than any of Croagunk's other STAB moves. However, running one or both of these moves causes Croagunk to lose valuable coverage. Croagunk gets several alternative Poison-type STAB moves, such as Sludge Wave and Venoshock. However, the former does not get significantly better rolls than Sludge Bomb and has a much lower poison chance, and Venoshock should only be used with Toxic Spikes support. Finally, Croagunk can bluff Dry Skin and run Poison Touch as its ability, as the poison chance can wear down foes. However, this turns Croagunk into a much worse check to opposing Water-types.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Poison-types**: Poison-types are among the only Pokemon that resist both of Croagunk's types, with the other being Ghost-types, which are weak to Knock Off. This means that Pokemon such as Salandit, Mareanie, and opposing Croagunk can all come in on Croagunk and wear it down, though they can't do very much damage due to Croagunk's resistances, except for the odd Hidden Power Psychic Skrelp.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types, such as Mudbray and Hippopotas, don't take significant damage from Croagunk's moves and can easily KO it with their STAB attacks. Additionally, Diglett, although it can't switch in, can trap and remove Croagunk thanks to Arena Trap.
**Ghost-types**: Although Croagunk generally carries Knock Off or Thief to hit Ghost-types, the Nasty Plot set has no such coverage, which means that Ghost-types such as Gastly and Pumpkaboo-XL check it well. Additionally, Honedge, though uncommon, walls the Nasty Plot set completely. The rare Shadow Ball on the Nasty Plot set can hit all of these Pokemon, however.
**Super Effective Attacks**: Due to Croagunk's low natural bulk, it is prone to being KOed by most super effective attacks. Flying-type attacks from the likes of Vullaby and Doduo, Psychic-type attacks from Abra, and Fire-type attacks, which Croagunk has a pseudo-weakness to due to Dry Skin, are all problematic.
Croagunk's unique typing and ability let it compress a variety of roles into a single team slot and serve as a fantastic glue Pokemon for offensive teams. Due to its typing, Croagunk has resistances to the common Fighting- and Dark-type moves, and due to its Dry Skin ability, it has a pseudo-immunity to Water. With these resistances, Croagunk becomes one of the few Pokemon in Little Cup with the ability to check all of the Pokemon that rely on these types, such as Chinchou, Mienfoo, Timburr, Pawniard, and Carvanha. Croagunk's typing is helpful offensively as well, as the only relevant Pokemon that resist its STAB coverage are Ghost-types, which it can hit with Knock Off, and other Poison-types. Additionally, Croagunk's wide movepool and acceptable all-around base stats allow it to customize its moveset and thus fit on a wide variety of teams. Access to Knock Off and various forms of priority, including Sucker Punch and Vacuum Wave, further improve Croagunk's ability to support its teammates. However, Croagunk's typing gives it weaknesses to the common Flying- and Ground-type moves and a susceptibility to being trapped and KOed by Diglett. Additionally, Croagunk's Speed is quite low, which leaves it susceptible to being revenge killed by a large portion of the metagame, though its access to priority somewhat remedies this.
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Vacuum Wave
item: Eviolite / Berry Juice
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Modest
evs: 52 HP / 116 Def / 188 SpA / 116 SpD / 36 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nasty Plot allows Croagunk to boost its Special Attack and punch holes into opposing teams, and it gets many setup opportunities due to its myriad of resistances. Thief can be used over Nasty Plot, which reduces Croagunk's wallbreaking potential but gives it more utility, as it lets Croagunk remove defensive items from foes after Croagunk takes a Knock Off or has consumed its Berry Juice. Sludge Bomb is Croagunk's primary STAB move, 2HKOing most of the Pokemon in the metagame that don't resist it after a Nasty Plot boost. It also has a decent chance to poison foes, which can help wear them down to the point where Croagunk can pick them off with Vacuum Wave. Focus Blast is a much more powerful but less reliable STAB move, which Croagunk can use in situations where it needs to deal more damage, securing a good chance to OHKO Timburr after a Nasty Plot boost. It also has terrific coverage alongside Sludge Bomb. Shadow Ball is an option in the third slot to keep this Croagunk set from being walled by Ghost-types such as Honedge and Gastly, but it gives Croagunk worse overall coverage, as it then lacks a powerful Fighting-type STAB move. Vacuum Wave gives Croagunk a STAB priority move that it can use to threaten revenge killers that can take advantage of its low Speed. Most notably, it does significant damage to Diglett, which would otherwise trap and remove Croagunk, though Diglett must have taken some prior damage to be KOed even if Croagunk is at +2.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread coupled with a Modest nature maximizes Croagunk's Special Attack, giving it maximum wallbreaking potential. The remaining EVs give Croagunk optimal bulk alongside Eviolite by giving it even-numbered stats in both defenses, which allow it to take a myriad of hits while setting up, most notably avoiding the 2HKO from Choice Scarf Mienfoo's High Jump Kick with an Eviolite. A point is also invested into Speed, to allow Croagunk to outpace most defensive foes, specifically RestTalk Mudbray. An alternate EV spread of 52 HP / 116 Def / 188 SpA / 36 SpD / 116 Spe can be used to give Croagunk enough Speed to reliably outspeed bulky foes such as Timburr, but it does not allow Croagunk to hit even-numbered defenses, which costs it significant bulk. While an Eviolite is generally used to give Croagunk maximum bulk, Berry Juice is also an option for an item, reducing Croagunk's bulk but allowing it to take more hits over the course of the match, thus giving it more opportunities to set up Nasty Plot. However, as Croagunk frequently is hit by Knock Off early-game, it often appreciates the initial bulk provided by Eviolite more than the HP boost provided by Berry Juice. Dry Skin is Croagunk's most useful ability because it gives it a pseudo-immunity to Water-type moves, allowing it to reliably check many Water-type Pokemon such as Corphish and Mareanie.
Usage Tips
========
Croagunk should be brought in to check Pokemon that can't deal significant damage to it, such as Timburr, Mienfoo, Corphish, and Chinchou. After coming in, Croagunk will usually force a foe out. Against balanced and bulky offensive teams, it is generally better to either switch Croagunk out or attack early-game, as if Croagunk sets up, it will often be forced out immediately by the foe that comes in. Against slower-paced teams, hyper offensive teams, and balanced and bulky offense teams that have been worn down significantly, Croagunk can use Nasty Plot to begin punching holes in the opponent's team. Although this Croagunk set can be used as a glue Pokemon and switch directly into attacks that threaten its team, keep in mind that the lack of any kind of recovery means that it will get worn down quite easily, so bringing Croagunk in without it taking a hit is ideal when possible. Keep in mind that even with Eviolite, Croagunk is not especially bulky, so avoid allowing it to take super effective or powerful neutral hits while it is still needed in a match.
Team Options
========
This Croagunk set works well on teams that appreciate its resistances but don't rely on it as the sole check to all of the Pokemon it can check, which gives it more leeway to set up. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Onix, Dwebble, and Omanyte is helpful due to the switches Croagunk forces and allows it to secure more KOs with Vacuum Wave. Pursuit support from the likes of Alolan Grimer and Pawniard is useful to trap Abra and Ghost-types, which force Croagunk out, and to wear down faster foes to the point where they can be picked off with Vacuum Wave. Ground-types are especially problematic for this set, so teammates that can switch in on Ground-types, most notably Snivy and Pumpkaboo, make good partners. Flying-types can also shut this set down, so checks to these Pokemon, such as Onix and Omanyte, fit well alongside Croagunk, and Croagunk can take on the Fighting- and Grass-types that threaten them. Knock Off support is useful to help Croagunk secure more KOs. Mienfoo and Timburr both provide this support well and synergize decently offensively with Croagunk too, as they are able to form an offensive Fighting-type core.
[SET]
name: Mixed Utility
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Vacuum Wave
move 4: Drain Punch / Sucker Punch
item: Eviolite
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Quiet
evs: 132 HP / 28 Atk / 116 Def / 108 SpA / 116 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is a terrific support move that allows Croagunk to pressure switch-ins and support its team by removing its foes' defensive items. Sludge Bomb is generally Croagunk's most useful STAB move and comes with a nifty poison chance that can help Croagunk wear down foes. Vacuum Wave allows Croagunk to pick off weakened faster foes, as well as deal with certain threats such as Carvanha and Pawniard without taking any damage. Drain Punch is a secondary STAB move that has fantastic coverage alongside Sludge Bomb and gives Croagunk a way to recover its health while dealing damage to Steel-types that can take a Vacuum Wave like Ferroseed. Sucker Punch is an alternative that lets Croagunk heavily damage faster threats that don't mind Vacuum Wave, such as Abra and Gastly, before it can be KOed.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread coupled with a Quiet nature aims to optimize Croagunk's defensive stats by giving it even numbers in both defenses to maximize the Eviolite boost while maintaining offensive presence on both sides of the spectrum. An Eviolite further enhances Croagunk's bulk and pairs well with Drain Punch to give Croagunk longevity. Dry Skin is the optimal ability for this set because it allows Croagunk to take on Water-types such as Carvanha, Corphish, and Mareanie.
Usage Tips
========
Croagunk should be used as a glue Pokemon and brought in against the Pokemon that it checks, such as Fighting-types, Water-types, and Dark-types that don't carry coverage to beat it, most notably Mienfoo, Timburr, Corphish, Pawniard, and non-Psychic Staryu variants. Because Croagunk is used as a glue Pokemon, it should not be expected to deal high amounts of damage or repeatedly take powerful hits it doesn't resist. Instead, it should be preserved and switched in and out of battle, recovering HP with Drain Punch as needed, to deal with the threats it needs to check on an opposing team; specifically, it should be kept around for Fighting-, Dark-, and Water-types that its team can't deal with. Opposing setup sweepers such as Scraggy and Shellder fit this bill as well: Croagunk should be preserved while these Pokemon exist on the foe's team so it can revenge kill them with Vacuum Wave. If the opposing team has a Diglett, play cautiously with Croagunk to prevent it from getting trapped, potentially leaving your team open to a Pokemon that Croagunk checks. Opposing pivots such as Mienfoo and Chinchou, which Croagunk can check, become more threatening when paired with Diglett because they can bring Croagunk in and pivot into Diglett, so keep this in mind. Throughout a match, Croagunk tends to force switches because it checks such a variety of Pokemon. Use these switches, especially early-game, to use Knock Off and weaken the opposing team by removing defensive items.
Team Options
========
This Croagunk set needs little support to perform its role, so it should be fit onto teams that need it rather than built around. It fits well onto teams that are weak to Fighting-, Dark-, or Water-type Pokemon and need a Pokemon that can compress resistances to these types into a teamslot. That said, Psychic- and Ground-types present Croagunk with a variety of issues and need to be dealt with by teammates. Pursuit trappers, such as Alolan Grimer and Pawniard, make good choices as partners to deal with the former, while Grass-types, such as Snivy and Pumpkaboo-XL, make good choices to deal with the latter. Flying-types can easily revenge kill Croagunk as well, making checks to them such as Onix and Omanyte good partners. In terms of the support Croagunk provides, Pokemon that are weak to Fighting, such as Ferroseed, or Poison, such as Snubbull, pair well with Croagunk defensively. In return, Ferroseed can check Psychic-types and some Ground-types for Croagunk, and Snubbull can take on Pokemon that threaten Croagunk with physical attacks thanks to Intimidate. Offensively, Croagunk forms valuable Fighting-type cores with Scraggy and Mienfoo, as they can wear down and use Knock Off on each other's checks. Finally, as Croagunk is one of the better Knock Off users in the metagame, setup sweepers that appreciate its support make good partners. Bulk Up Timburr, Omanyte, and Shellder are all examples of Pokemon with decent synergy with Croagunk, but most setup sweepers in the metagame can take advantage of the Knock Off support that this Croagunk set provides.
[SET]
name: Physical Support
move 1: Drain Punch
move 2: Gunk Shot
move 3: Knock Off / Thief / Bulk Up
move 4: Sucker Punch / Bulk Up
item: Eviolite
ability: Dry Skin
nature: Adamant
evs: 52 HP / 188 Atk / 116 Def / 116 SpD / 36 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Drain Punch is a reliable STAB move that has the beneficial side effect of providing Croagunk with some recovery and hits the Dark-types that Croagunk checks, such as Pawniard and Carvanha, for good damage. Gunk Shot provides excellent STAB coverage alongside Drain Punch and deals much more damage, but it is less reliable due to its miss chance and does not provide Croagunk with recovery. Poison Jab can be used over Gunk Shot as a more reliable alternative, as it has higher accuracy, but the drop in power makes it more difficult for Croagunk to check Fairy-types. The final two moveslots can be customized depending on what support Croagunk needs to provide for its team. Knock Off is an excellent utility move that provides great coverage alongside Croagunk's STAB moves and removes defensive items from foes to make them easier for Croagunk to deal with. Thief provides the same good coverage and utility in removing items as Knock Off, potentially giving Croagunk a defensive item and helping it while hurting the foe, but it requires Croagunk to have been hit by Knock Off to have maximum effect. Bulk Up can be used to allow Croagunk to take advantage of the switches it forces to set up, making it simultaneously harder to switch into and more difficult to take out physically. Sucker Punch gives Croagunk a decently powerful form of priority, allowing it to not be completely helpless against faster revenge killers, especially Abra and Doduo, which can easily OHKO it.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximizes Croagunk's Attack to allow it to hit as hard as possible while investing enough EVs into both defenses to optimize Croagunk's bulk in conjunction with Eviolite. The final EV points are put into Speed to allow Croagunk to outspeed Spritzee and Ferroseed. An Eviolite maximizes Croagunk's bulk and pairs well with Drain Punch, allowing Croagunk to take little damage from opposing attacks and heal itself somewhat with Drain Punch. Finally, Dry Skin is Croagunk's best ability because it enables it to check Pokemon that rely on Water-type moves.
Usage Tips
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This Croagunk makes for a fantastic glue Pokemon and should be directly switched into the myriad of Pokemon it checks, including Mienfoo, Timburr, Chinchou, and Cottonee. After being switched in, Croagunk can take advantage of its wide coverage to pressure the opposing team. Croagunk should be kept healthy as long as it is needed to check foes. Avoid allowing it to take super effective or powerful neutral hits, as Croagunk's defenses are mediocre even when boosted by Eviolite. Additionally, Drain Punch should be used as much as possible to keep Croagunk's health up. Be wary of Pokemon such as Ponyta that can burn Croagunk, drastically lowering its effectiveness for a match. Knock Off should be used often to weaken foes by removing their defensive items and to put pressure on opposing teams by threatening to remove said items. Because Croagunk has only mediocre Attack and Sucker Punch does not get boosted by STAB, it does not hit particularly hard. For this reason, it should usually be used as a way to pick off weakened and faster foes, not as a reliable method of dealing damage. Be especially wary of opposing Diglett, which can come in after Croagunk secures a KO, trap it, and remove it from the match, allowing a foe that Croagunk checks such as Bulk Up Timburr to sweep. Sucker Punch is not a reliable way of dealing with Diglett, as it frequently runs Substitute, forcing Croagunk into mind games, and it only takes out Diglett if it is severely weakened. Croagunk should use Bulk Up on a predicted switch to surprise an incoming foe that will become unable to KO it after it has a Defense boost.
Team Options
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This Croagunk set works best on offensive teams that can make use of a non-passive Pokemon with its set of resistances and specifically appreciate a strong Sucker Punch user that can take on opposing Gastly and Abra. Pokemon that are weak to Fighting, such as Pawniard and Carvanha, appreciate Croagunk's ability to take on the likes of Mienfoo and especially Timburr, and thus make good partners. Pokemon weak to Dark-types, such as Pumpkaboo-XL and Gastly, and Pokemon weak to Water-types, such as Mudbray, can make good use the resistances provided by Croagunk as well. Dark-types form a potent core with Croagunk offensively and defensively. Alolan Grimer and Pawniard both can Pursuit trap the Ghost- and Psychic-types that give Croagunk some trouble, and Alolan Grimer forms a Poison-type core offensively as well. Vullaby also pairs well with Croagunk, as they share very good defensive synergy, together resisting a large portion of each other's weaknesses. Pokemon that can take out Ground-types also make good teammates, as Croagunk tends to bring these Pokemon in. Snivy and Z-Trick-or-Treat Pumpkaboo-S are especially notable for their ability to use opposing Ground-types as setup bait, but most other Water- and Grass-types also fill this role well. Rock-types such as Onix and Omanyte pair well with Croagunk because they can check Fire- and Flying-types that can significantly damage it, and they can set up entry hazards to allow Croagunk to more efficiently wear down opposing teams.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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A Life Orb set is somewhat viable, as its unexpected power can be used as a lure, but the lack of bulk means Croagunk will nearly always be revenged killed very quickly, and the Life Orb will often be revealed due to Croagunk's tendency to be hit by Knock Off. Both Fightinium Z and Poisonium Z are options on the Nasty Plot set to give Croagunk one high-power attack to break through a would-be check, but it costs Croagunk significant defensive capabilities. Earthquake is an option to hit the likes of opposing Croagunk and Mareanie, which otherwise wall Croagunk, but has mostly redundant coverage with its Fighting-type moves otherwise, and neither of these Pokemon threaten Croagunk much offensively while taking acceptable damage from Knock Off. Croagunk gets several other priority options, such as Bullet Punch and Fake Out, which can be mixed onto the above sets, but they tend to be less consistently useful than the moves listed above. Substitute can be used to give Croagunk free turns against foes such as Ferroseed and Foongus and can even be paired with Focus Punch to deal more damage than any of Croagunk's other STAB moves. However, running one or both of these moves causes Croagunk to lose valuable coverage. Croagunk gets several alternative Poison-type STAB moves, such as Sludge Wave and Venoshock. However, the former does not get significantly better rolls than Sludge Bomb and has a much lower poison chance, and Venoshock should only be used with Toxic Spikes support. Finally, Croagunk can bluff Dry Skin and run Poison Touch as its ability, as the poison chance can wear down foes. However, this turns Croagunk into a much worse check to opposing Water-types.
Checks and Counters
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**Poison-types**: Poison-types are among the only Pokemon that resist both of Croagunk's types, with the other being Ghost-types, which are weak to Knock Off. This means that Pokemon such as Salandit, Mareanie, and opposing Croagunk can all come in on Croagunk and wear it down, though they can't do very much damage due to Croagunk's resistances, except for the odd Hidden Power Psychic Skrelp.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types, such as Mudbray and Hippopotas, don't take significant damage from Croagunk's moves and can easily KO it with their STAB attacks. Additionally, Diglett, although it can't switch in, can trap and remove Croagunk thanks to Arena Trap.
**Ghost-types**: Although Croagunk generally carries Knock Off or Thief to hit Ghost-types, the Nasty Plot set has no such coverage, which means that Ghost-types such as Gastly and Pumpkaboo-XL check it well. Additionally, Honedge, though uncommon, walls the Nasty Plot set completely. The rare Shadow Ball on the Nasty Plot set can hit all of these Pokemon, however.
**Super Effective Attacks**: Due to Croagunk's low natural bulk, it is prone to being KOed by most super effective attacks. Flying-type attacks from the likes of Vullaby and Doduo, Psychic-type attacks from Abra, and Fire-type attacks, which Croagunk has a pseudo-weakness to due to Dry Skin, are all problematic.
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