QC Checks: Fiend, Nineage, Hilomilo
GP Checks: Fireflame479 , GatoDelFuego
[OVERVIEW]
Magby is a great offensive threat due to many good traits. Thanks to Magby's excellent Speed tier, it outspeeds threats such as Ponyta and Doduo. Magby's great attacking stats let it hit most of the metagame hard. It also has a decent movepool, with priority in the form of Mach Punch, reliable STAB attacks such as Fire Punch, and Belly Drum to help it sweep. Thanks to Vital Spirit, it is immune to sleep-inducing moves such as Foongus's Spore. Unfortunately, Magby is super frail and weak to Stealth Rock, causing it to get worn down quickly. It also faces competition from several offensive Fire-types, such as Ponyta, Houndour, and Larvesta, and it also has trouble setting up due to its frailty.
[SET]
name: Belly Drum
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Mach Punch
move 4: Return / Thunder Punch
item: Berry Juice
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
EVs: 236 Atk / 252 Spe
IVs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Belly Drum turns Magby into a deadly sweeper by maximizing its Attack stat. Fire Punch is a reliable STAB attack that does enough damage at +6 to justify not using Flare Blitz. Mach Punch hits Pokemon that Speed tie with or outspeed Magby, such as Elekid and Choice Scarf Pawniard. It also hits many other priority users firstthanks to Magby's Speed ; good examples of moves it outprioritizes include Pawniard's Sucker Punch and Doduo's Quick Attack. Return OHKOes Chinchou, Mareanie, and Ponyta at +6 and deals heavy damage to other Pokemon that resist Fire, such as Slowpoke. Thunder Punch hits other Water-types such as Slowpoke harder than Return but leaves Magby walled by Chinchou.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature and 252 Speed EVs let Magby reach 19 Speed, outspeeding threats such as Gastly and Snivy. 236 Attack EVs let Magby hit as hard as possible. 29 HP IVs make it to where Berry Juice will always activate after Magby uses Belly Drum. Berry Juice always heals Magby back to full HP whenever it uses Belly Drum. Vital Spirit prevents sleep, letting Magby switch into Foongus, since it's immune to Spore.
Usage Tips
========
Never switch Magby in on attacks, as Magby will usually faint, or come close to fainting and use its Berry Juice early. It should be brought in through the use of a slow U-turn or Volt Switch against Pokemon that can't threaten it, such as Spritzee or Foongus. This gives Magby setup opportunities. It is best to wear down all Pokemon before setting up. Use Belly Drum when opposing Magby counters such as Chinchou or Onix are weakened or defeated, which will let Magby have an easier time sweeping.
Team Options
========
Chinchou and Vullaby can bring Magby in with a slow Volt-Switch and U-turn, respectively. Stealth Rock is good for breaking Sturdy and Focus Sash. Notable Stealth Rock setters are Diglett, which traps Chinchou, and Ferroseed, which takes on Water-types. Other entry hazards are also a good idea; Ferroseed can set up Spikes, and Mareanie can set up Toxic Spikes. Pawniard and Alolan Grimer can Pursuit trap Ghost-types, which is useful for Mach Punch. A hazard remover such as Staryu is a must due to Stealth Rock chunking Magby's HP and Sticky Web rendering Magby almost useless. Sticky Web support lets Magby almost always outspeed grounded foes; an excellent choice is Surskit, which can reliably Sticky Web due to its high Speed. Knock Off support to remove Choice Scarf and Eviolite is also appreciated; Vullaby is a good choice, as it lures in Chinchou and removes its item, which is good for Thunder Punch Magby sets. Counters to bulky Water-types are also very important, such as Chinchou and Ferroseed. Diglett can trap Chinchou, Mareanie, and Alolan Grimer, which are big threats to Magby. Memento makes it much easier for Magby to set up; good users include Diglett, Alolan Grimer, and Cottonee, while Cottonee also has priority Memento due to Prankster. Chinchou and Vullaby can bring Magby in with a slow Volt-Switch and U-turn, respectively.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Cross Chop
move 3: Mach Punch
move 4: Return / Thunder Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
EVs: 236 Atk / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Flare Blitz is Magby's most powerful attack, hitting most Pokemon that don't resist it for good damage. Cross Chop hits Rock-types, such as Onix and Tirtouga, and Munchlax, which resists Fire because of Thick Fat. Mach Punch gives Magby priority and the ability to bypass Pawniard's Sucker Punch. Return hits Chinchou hard and provides decent neutral coverage. Thunder Punch hits other bulky Water-types, such as Mareanie and Slowpoke, and Archen harder.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature and 252 Speed EVs let Magby reach 19 Speed, outspeeding threats such as Vullaby and unboosted Scraggy. 236 Attack EVs let Magby hit as hard as possible when combined with a Life Orb. This lets Magby 2HKO Spritzee with Flare Blitz and Slowpoke with Thunder Punch, both after Stealth Rock damage. An HP IV of 0 reduces the damage Magby takes from Life Orb. Vital Spirit lets Magby safely switch into Foongus and other sleep-inducers.
Usage Tips
========
Magby will usually be spamming Flare Blitz, as it is by far Magby's most powerful attack. Be careful, though, as the recoil plus Life Orb damage wears Magby down very quickly. Don't switch Magby in on attacks, as it will usually take a large amount of damage. It should be brought in through the use of a slow U-turn or Volt Switch against Pokemon that can't do much to it, such as Spritzee. You should try to predict Magby's switch-ins and target them with super effective coverage moves.
Team Options
========
Corphish, Carvanha, Shellder, and Nasty Plot Vullaby appreciate bulky Water-types and Munchlax being weakened. An entry hazard remover such as Staryu is a must due to Stealth Rock hindering Magby's longevity and Sticky Web making it difficult to outpseed the opponent's team. Sticky Web support lets Magby outspeed most of the opponent's team; Surskit can set up Sticky Web well due to its ability to outspeed most foes. Knock Off support to remove Choice Scarf and Eviolite is always a good idea, while status absorbers or clerics such as Spritzee is another good idea, as most forms of status greatly hinder Magby. Counters to bulky Water-type such as Chinchou and Ferroseed is much appreciated. Stealth Rock is good for breaking Sturdy and Focus Sash. Notable users are Diglett, which traps Chinchou, Alolan Grimer, and Mareainie; and Ferroseed, which takes on Water-types. Chinchou and Vullaby are useful for bringing Magby in with a slow Volt Switch and U-turn, respectively.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flame Charge lets Magby outspeed all relevant Choice Scarf users after a boost, but this set doesn't hit very hard and gives up coverage. A mixed set with the moves Flare Blitz, Mach Punch, Thunder Punch, and Overheat is alright, but Cross Chop is usually preferred over Overheat. Overheat hits few Pokemon harder than Magby's other moves, with the only notable one being Hippopotas. An all-out special set can be used thanks to Magby's high Special Attack. The problem is that Magby has awful special coverage. Since Z-Crystals can't be removed by Knock Off, Z-Belly Drum sounds like an improvement over Berry Juice. Unfortunately the healing affect of Z-Belly Drum happens before the damage taken from Belly Drum, always leaving Magby heavily damaged after using it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Sturdy Users**: Sturdy lets some Pokemon like Tirtouga and Onix take any hit, allowing them to get healed by Berry Juice and KO Magby.
**Water-type Pokemon**: Water-type Pokemon such as Corphish can tank Magby's Mach Punch and KO it with their STAB moves. Chinchou and Slowpoke can take hits from Magby pretty well; although, Chinchou fears Return, while Slowpoke fears Thunder Punch.
**Faster Pokemon**: Anything faster than Magby, such as Diglett, Choice Scarf Chinchou, and Abra can KO it unless they are weak to Mach Punch. Diglett is especially dangerous due to Arena Trap.
GP Checks: Fireflame479 , GatoDelFuego
[OVERVIEW]
Magby is a great offensive threat due to many good traits. Thanks to Magby's excellent Speed tier, it outspeeds threats such as Ponyta and Doduo. Magby's great attacking stats let it hit most of the metagame hard. It also has a decent movepool, with priority in the form of Mach Punch, reliable STAB attacks such as Fire Punch, and Belly Drum to help it sweep. Thanks to Vital Spirit, it is immune to sleep-inducing moves such as Foongus's Spore. Unfortunately, Magby is super frail and weak to Stealth Rock, causing it to get worn down quickly. It also faces competition from several offensive Fire-types, such as Ponyta, Houndour, and Larvesta, and it also has trouble setting up due to its frailty.
[SET]
name: Belly Drum
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Mach Punch
move 4: Return / Thunder Punch
item: Berry Juice
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
EVs: 236 Atk / 252 Spe
IVs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Belly Drum turns Magby into a deadly sweeper by maximizing its Attack stat. Fire Punch is a reliable STAB attack that does enough damage at +6 to justify not using Flare Blitz. Mach Punch hits Pokemon that Speed tie with or outspeed Magby, such as Elekid and Choice Scarf Pawniard. It also hits many other priority users firstthanks to Magby's Speed ; good examples of moves it outprioritizes include Pawniard's Sucker Punch and Doduo's Quick Attack. Return OHKOes Chinchou, Mareanie, and Ponyta at +6 and deals heavy damage to other Pokemon that resist Fire, such as Slowpoke. Thunder Punch hits other Water-types such as Slowpoke harder than Return but leaves Magby walled by Chinchou.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature and 252 Speed EVs let Magby reach 19 Speed, outspeeding threats such as Gastly and Snivy. 236 Attack EVs let Magby hit as hard as possible. 29 HP IVs make it to where Berry Juice will always activate after Magby uses Belly Drum. Berry Juice always heals Magby back to full HP whenever it uses Belly Drum. Vital Spirit prevents sleep, letting Magby switch into Foongus, since it's immune to Spore.
Usage Tips
========
Never switch Magby in on attacks, as Magby will usually faint, or come close to fainting and use its Berry Juice early. It should be brought in through the use of a slow U-turn or Volt Switch against Pokemon that can't threaten it, such as Spritzee or Foongus. This gives Magby setup opportunities. It is best to wear down all Pokemon before setting up. Use Belly Drum when opposing Magby counters such as Chinchou or Onix are weakened or defeated, which will let Magby have an easier time sweeping.
Team Options
========
Chinchou and Vullaby can bring Magby in with a slow Volt-Switch and U-turn, respectively. Stealth Rock is good for breaking Sturdy and Focus Sash. Notable Stealth Rock setters are Diglett, which traps Chinchou, and Ferroseed, which takes on Water-types. Other entry hazards are also a good idea; Ferroseed can set up Spikes, and Mareanie can set up Toxic Spikes. Pawniard and Alolan Grimer can Pursuit trap Ghost-types, which is useful for Mach Punch. A hazard remover such as Staryu is a must due to Stealth Rock chunking Magby's HP and Sticky Web rendering Magby almost useless. Sticky Web support lets Magby almost always outspeed grounded foes; an excellent choice is Surskit, which can reliably Sticky Web due to its high Speed. Knock Off support to remove Choice Scarf and Eviolite is also appreciated; Vullaby is a good choice, as it lures in Chinchou and removes its item, which is good for Thunder Punch Magby sets. Counters to bulky Water-types are also very important, such as Chinchou and Ferroseed. Diglett can trap Chinchou, Mareanie, and Alolan Grimer, which are big threats to Magby. Memento makes it much easier for Magby to set up; good users include Diglett, Alolan Grimer, and Cottonee, while Cottonee also has priority Memento due to Prankster. Chinchou and Vullaby can bring Magby in with a slow Volt-Switch and U-turn, respectively.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Cross Chop
move 3: Mach Punch
move 4: Return / Thunder Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
EVs: 236 Atk / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Flare Blitz is Magby's most powerful attack, hitting most Pokemon that don't resist it for good damage. Cross Chop hits Rock-types, such as Onix and Tirtouga, and Munchlax, which resists Fire because of Thick Fat. Mach Punch gives Magby priority and the ability to bypass Pawniard's Sucker Punch. Return hits Chinchou hard and provides decent neutral coverage. Thunder Punch hits other bulky Water-types, such as Mareanie and Slowpoke, and Archen harder.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature and 252 Speed EVs let Magby reach 19 Speed, outspeeding threats such as Vullaby and unboosted Scraggy. 236 Attack EVs let Magby hit as hard as possible when combined with a Life Orb. This lets Magby 2HKO Spritzee with Flare Blitz and Slowpoke with Thunder Punch, both after Stealth Rock damage. An HP IV of 0 reduces the damage Magby takes from Life Orb. Vital Spirit lets Magby safely switch into Foongus and other sleep-inducers.
Usage Tips
========
Magby will usually be spamming Flare Blitz, as it is by far Magby's most powerful attack. Be careful, though, as the recoil plus Life Orb damage wears Magby down very quickly. Don't switch Magby in on attacks, as it will usually take a large amount of damage. It should be brought in through the use of a slow U-turn or Volt Switch against Pokemon that can't do much to it, such as Spritzee. You should try to predict Magby's switch-ins and target them with super effective coverage moves.
Team Options
========
Corphish, Carvanha, Shellder, and Nasty Plot Vullaby appreciate bulky Water-types and Munchlax being weakened. An entry hazard remover such as Staryu is a must due to Stealth Rock hindering Magby's longevity and Sticky Web making it difficult to outpseed the opponent's team. Sticky Web support lets Magby outspeed most of the opponent's team; Surskit can set up Sticky Web well due to its ability to outspeed most foes. Knock Off support to remove Choice Scarf and Eviolite is always a good idea, while status absorbers or clerics such as Spritzee is another good idea, as most forms of status greatly hinder Magby. Counters to bulky Water-type such as Chinchou and Ferroseed is much appreciated. Stealth Rock is good for breaking Sturdy and Focus Sash. Notable users are Diglett, which traps Chinchou, Alolan Grimer, and Mareainie; and Ferroseed, which takes on Water-types. Chinchou and Vullaby are useful for bringing Magby in with a slow Volt Switch and U-turn, respectively.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flame Charge lets Magby outspeed all relevant Choice Scarf users after a boost, but this set doesn't hit very hard and gives up coverage. A mixed set with the moves Flare Blitz, Mach Punch, Thunder Punch, and Overheat is alright, but Cross Chop is usually preferred over Overheat. Overheat hits few Pokemon harder than Magby's other moves, with the only notable one being Hippopotas. An all-out special set can be used thanks to Magby's high Special Attack. The problem is that Magby has awful special coverage. Since Z-Crystals can't be removed by Knock Off, Z-Belly Drum sounds like an improvement over Berry Juice. Unfortunately the healing affect of Z-Belly Drum happens before the damage taken from Belly Drum, always leaving Magby heavily damaged after using it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Sturdy Users**: Sturdy lets some Pokemon like Tirtouga and Onix take any hit, allowing them to get healed by Berry Juice and KO Magby.
**Water-type Pokemon**: Water-type Pokemon such as Corphish can tank Magby's Mach Punch and KO it with their STAB moves. Chinchou and Slowpoke can take hits from Magby pretty well; although, Chinchou fears Return, while Slowpoke fears Thunder Punch.
**Faster Pokemon**: Anything faster than Magby, such as Diglett, Choice Scarf Chinchou, and Abra can KO it unless they are weak to Mach Punch. Diglett is especially dangerous due to Arena Trap.
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