QC: Dundies /
GP:
[OVERVIEW]
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Dynamic Punch / Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Bullet Punch
item: Eviolite
ability: No Guard / Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 52 Def / 44 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Set Details
========
========
Team Options
========
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Dynamic Punch / Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Eviolite
ability: No Guard / Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 52 Def / 44 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Set Details
========
Usage Tips
========
Team Options
========
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
===================
**Gourgeist-Super**: Gourgeist-Super's massive physical bulk and immunity to Fighting STAB lets it withstand anything Machoke has to throw at it, while remaining healthy due to Synthesis and Leech Seed.
**Flying-types**: Most Flying-types resist Close Combat and take Knock Off rather well, especially Jumpluff, Vullaby, and Swanna, but they must fear coverage options such as Ice and Thunder Punch. On the offensive side, every Flying-type bar Vullaby can threaten to heavily damage or OHKO Machoke with their STAB.
**Poison-types**: Arbok can switch with impunity into Machoke except when its running the rare Earthquake, and proceed to set up with Coil to threaten the opposing team. Swalot and Dustox are much more niche, but the former takes everything Earthquake as well or better than Arbok and the latter is used solely for being a Machoke counter.
**Clefairy**: Calm Mind Clefairy is a solid check to both of Machoke's sets, using its Eviolite boosted Bulk and resistances to its STAB and Knock Off, but must fear Dynamic Punch Confusion and coverage options like Poison Jab or Heavy Slam.
**Psychic-types**: Leftovers Grumpig and Focus Sash Kadabra, while not the safest switch-ins due to their weakness to Knock Off, can revenge kill Machoke very well, and threaten to turn momentum around because of their movepools and good stats. Colbur Grumpig however is a much more reliable switch in and LO kadabra doesn't have to fear losing its safety line.
**Hard Hitters**: Machoke's slow Speed and lack of resistances means many strong Pokemon in PU such as Stoutland or Floatzel can threaten to 2HKO it. However 1 v 1 Machoke can best most of the tier's dangerous Pokemon.
GP:
[OVERVIEW]
- One of the few viable Fighting-types in PU, and with that STAB it carries Knock Off to compliment with great neutral coverage between the two, leaving few reliable switch ins. Ice Punch further improves the coverage and Bullet Punch adds priority.
- Dangerous wallbreaker
- Access to two useful abilities in No Guard and Guts, the former gives it a 100% accurate Dynamic Punch and the latter makes it a wonderful status absorber.
- High attack stat and great defenses when boosted by an Eviolite that allow it to check dangerous Pokemon like Golem and Pawniard.
- A poor speed stat leaves the majority of Pokemon able to outspeed it
- Lacks recovery outside of Rest, and reliant on Eviolite to be a good blanket check to the tier. For example, if Machoke gets hit with Knock Off by Pawniard then the next time Machoke needs to come in on Pawniard a +2 Iron Head will proceed to KO with little prior damage.
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Dynamic Punch / Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Bullet Punch
item: Eviolite
ability: No Guard / Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 52 Def / 44 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Dynamic Punch together with No Guard gives Machoke a reliable STAB that deals high damage and will always cause confusion. If you run Guts, Close Combat is a viable alternative that deals more damage, but at the cost of lowering your defenses.
- Knock Off gives Machoke coverage against Ghost- and Psychic-types like Misdreavus or Grumpig, and additionally can take away the opposing teams' items.
- Ice Punch is for wearing down or picking off Grass-types such as Gourgeist-Super, Roselia, Jumpluff and Quilladin, as well as Flying-types such as Vullaby and Altaria.
- Bullet Punch allows Machoke to overcome its low speed to revenge kill or finish off weakened opposing Pokemon.
Set Details
========
- Max Attack and an Adamant nature lets Machoke hit as hard as possible.
- The rest of the EVs are put into HP and both Defenses to maximize overall bulk alongside Eviolite's boosts.
- No Guard is the first slash because Dynamic Punch can generate free turns for its team and itself to help beat its checks. Guts can be ran to absorb status and increase its damage output drastically.
========
- Machoke should use its natural bulk to find switch ins on most defensive Pokemon to set up wallbreaking opportunities against Balance and Stall.
- Liberal use of Knock Off and Dynamic Punch can heavily annoy the opposing team, either crippling their Pokemon's offensive capabilities or creating free turns through Confusion.
- When applicable using Bullet Punch to revenge kill weakened Pokemon, especially fast and frail ones that otherwise would be standing in the way of a slower sweeper on your team. If Machoke is weakened or not needed anymore it can be sacrificed to break a Focus Sash held by Kadabra or Sturdy users like Golem.
- Machoke lacks many resistances but the aforementioned natural bulk can make it a check to many Pokemon, Bouffalant or Cryogonal being a few, as well as win 1 v 1 against many of the tiers hard hitters like floatzel or Stoutland.
- Caution should be taken when switching Machoke into strong neutral attacks, as it is prone to being worn down.
- Guts can be ran to take advantage of status such as Will-o-Wisp from Gourgeist-Super or Misdreavus and check more Pokemon at the cost of losing Dynamic Punch's Confusion.
Team Options
========
- Machoke appreciates hazard support from Metang and Stunfisk, the former especially because it can Pursuit trap Psychic-types and counter Roselia and most Flying-types. Quilladin and Roselia can provide Spikes to wear down Grounded checks, Roselia can also spread Poison with Toxic Spikes to help weaken Gourgeist-Super.
- Checks to some of the best Machoke checks are great to have. Zebstrika has Sap Sipper and overheat to take advantage of Roselia or Gourgeist-Super and can use its typing to switch into Swanna or Vullaby and proceed to clear them out of the way or gain momentum with Volt Switch.
- Substitute Toxic Bouffalant switches in safely into Roselia and can lure Gourgeist-Super and Vullaby for Machoke. It also forms a wallbreaking duo which can be hard for defensive teams to handle.
- Duosion or Clefairy can form a tight core against defensive teams, Machoke paves the way by eliminating Steel types for them to begin attempts to sweep with Calm Mind, and the former can check Poison-types that annoy Machoke and the latter counters Vullaby. They both can absorb status and counter Gourgiest-Super as well.
- Monferno and Machoke can use their common checks to their advantage by wearing them down for each other. Colbur Grumpig is one they both fear but together can effectively break while Gourgeist-Super and Swanna are leaning towards Machoke and Monferno respectively who can fall if played against well.
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Dynamic Punch / Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Eviolite
ability: No Guard / Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 52 Def / 44 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Dynamic Punch is a strong reliable STAB in conjunction with No Guard that can disrupt the opposing team heavily with a 100% Confusion chance. This lets Machoke get off Rests or burn sleep turns where it might not or finish off its checks when weakened and fall prey to Confusion. Close Combat can be ran over Dynamic Punch with Guts as the ability to take advantage of Rest turns with twice the power but lowered defenses will make it difficult to stay in.
- Knock Off is to achieve well-rounded coverage with Dynamic Punch, examples being hitting Grumpig and Roselia hard, and removing items of the opposing team.
- Rest and Sleep Talk form a semi-reliable recovery option for Machoke, leaving him with 2/3rds chance to choose an attack while asleep.
Set Details
========
- Similar to the All-Out Attacker set the EVs are meant to maximize damage output with 252 EVs in attack and an adamant nature, while having the rest in bulk to have high defenses with Eviolite and make sure of its good HP stat.
- No Guard is once again the first slash for the use of Dynamic Punch, but Guts has more merit on this set for gaining a Choice Band level boost to its Attack while asleep.
- A more defensive version of this set with 248 hp / 140 def / 120 spdef as the EVs greatly decreases the power but turns Machoke into a much bulkier, more survival oriented tank. This increased bulk notably lets it solidly check Regice, Rotom-Frost, and Golem as well as many other Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
- Can absorb status and take a lot of stray hits well for a team.
- Machoke can be brought in on defensive Pokemon such as Probopass, Stunfisk, Audino and put pressure on the opposing team with its power and bulk, with added durability because of Rest.
- Rest and Sleep Talk give Machoke the ability to tackle more offensive Pokemon in a much safer manner than the All-Out Attacker set, because it has the opportunity to rest on the switches, making it reliable for checking threats such as Relicanth or Rotom-frost, especially with the more defensive spread.
- Confusion administered by Dynamic Punch can give Machoke free opportunities to heal up.
- Machoke can be used effectively at any point in the game but its advised to get it in as soon as possible to be most efficient.
Team Options
========
- Electric-types like Zebstrika and Electabuzz go well with Machoke as they can switch into Flying-types and threaten to KO them with their STAB, as well as pivot back into Machoke to put it in position to use Rest.
- Thunder-Wave Grumpig or Metang supply much need checks to Psychic-types in the form of speed control or Pursuit Trapping.
- Machoke can be bait for Spike users so hazard removal from the likes of Vullaby or Cryogonal is recommended.
- Steel-types support Machoke well by checking Flying- and Psychic-types who are very dangerous to it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- Cross Chop can be ran over Close Combat when using Guts to have a safer but slightly weaker STAB.
- A Choice Band can be used over Eviolite on the All-Out Attacker set to be much harder to switch into, but being locked into moves takes away from the great coverage of the set.
- Heavy Slam or Poison Jab can replace Ice Punch to be able to take down Clefairy. To the same effect Earthquake can be ran for Arbok, and Thunder Punch for Swanna.
- Bulk Up gives Machoke a way to boost its already good Defense and Attack stats and pose a greater threat to Stall teams.
- Encore discourages Pokemon like Clefairy or Arbok from gaining Calm Mind or Coil boosts safely on Machoke.
- Toxic lets Machoke wear down durable checks like Gourgeist-Super and Swanna in a low-risk manner.
===================
**Gourgeist-Super**: Gourgeist-Super's massive physical bulk and immunity to Fighting STAB lets it withstand anything Machoke has to throw at it, while remaining healthy due to Synthesis and Leech Seed.
**Flying-types**: Most Flying-types resist Close Combat and take Knock Off rather well, especially Jumpluff, Vullaby, and Swanna, but they must fear coverage options such as Ice and Thunder Punch. On the offensive side, every Flying-type bar Vullaby can threaten to heavily damage or OHKO Machoke with their STAB.
**Poison-types**: Arbok can switch with impunity into Machoke except when its running the rare Earthquake, and proceed to set up with Coil to threaten the opposing team. Swalot and Dustox are much more niche, but the former takes everything Earthquake as well or better than Arbok and the latter is used solely for being a Machoke counter.
**Clefairy**: Calm Mind Clefairy is a solid check to both of Machoke's sets, using its Eviolite boosted Bulk and resistances to its STAB and Knock Off, but must fear Dynamic Punch Confusion and coverage options like Poison Jab or Heavy Slam.
**Psychic-types**: Leftovers Grumpig and Focus Sash Kadabra, while not the safest switch-ins due to their weakness to Knock Off, can revenge kill Machoke very well, and threaten to turn momentum around because of their movepools and good stats. Colbur Grumpig however is a much more reliable switch in and LO kadabra doesn't have to fear losing its safety line.
**Hard Hitters**: Machoke's slow Speed and lack of resistances means many strong Pokemon in PU such as Stoutland or Floatzel can threaten to 2HKO it. However 1 v 1 Machoke can best most of the tier's dangerous Pokemon.
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