Overview
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+ HUGE MOVEPOOL with access to key moves such as Close Combat, Earthquake, Gunk Shot, Elemental Punches, U-turn, and Gunk Shot.
+ GOOD ABILITIES defiant helps against Sticky Web, Vital Spirit grants sleep immunity.
+ USEABLE ATTACK AND SPEED falls into 17 speed tier and 18 attack tier.
- 40/35/45 BULK make it very frail.
- Heavily Outclassed by Mienfoo as a Pivot.
Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Gunk Shot/Poison Jab
ability: Defiant
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 40 HP/ 196 ATK/ 76 DEF/ 244 SPE
nature: jolly
Moves
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- Close Combat is the primary stab move automatically grants Mankey with 120 STAB MOVE decimating anything that doesn't resist or have an eviolite.
- U-turn is the classical pivot move allowing Mankey to Fly in and out of the battlefield and can be used nicely to predict switches.
- Earthquake is primarily for Chinchou and Trubbish as other Steel Type pokemon get destroyed by Close Combat. After a knock off, even the bulkiest of chinchou and Trubbish are 2HKOed.
- Gunk Shot is used to hit Spritzee which would wall Mankey otherwise. With Knock off Support, the pink bird can barely take one.
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- EVs are standard for an offensive set, maxing Mankey speed and power while adding leftover evs into bulk
- Jolly nature boosts speed and doesn't sacrifice power any of Mankey's Attack
- Defiant is useful for switching in to defog or in sticky web to let Mankey hit like a mammoth.
- choice scarf is the item of choice maxing Mankey's viability with his massive move pool.
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- Mankey is best when it can come in freely and force a switch or make a kill. Sending him in haphazardly can be easily punishing.
- Try to use him late game. Despite Mankey's good attack using him when eviolites are knocked off and when opposition is weakned is when he can truly fly.
Team Options
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- KNOCK OFF. Knock off support is much needed allowing mankey to make swift KO's and weaken otherwalls.
- Use a good volt turn core. Prediction with u-turn can help you weaken the opposition much more easily. Adding a chinchou to take some hits, and a fletchling that can revenge is highly beneficial.
- HAZARDS. As for any choice user, hazards are exceptionally useful for weakening pokemon. A good user is dwebble which can set up stealth rocks, spikes, and can provide knock off support.
Pivot
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name: Physical + Utility
move 1: close combat
move 2: taunt
move 3: thief
move 4: u-turn
ability: Defiant
item: no item
evs: 116 HP/ 116 ATK/ 76 DEF/ 244 SPE
nature: jolly
Moves
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- Due to the Lack of a solid recovery, mankey must resort to his reliable close combat for stab which still hits things pretty hard.
- Taunt is great as a lead, stopping stealth rock and spikes. Also, against foongus and wynaut it can be very useful
- Even though Mankey doesn't have the highly buffed knock off, thief is still a great alternative. No item in conjunction with thief allow Mankey to come in on a knock off and steal a item. With thief, Mankey can realiably beat shell smashers before they shell smash 1v1 stealing their berry juice and dealing massive damage with CC.
- U-turn allows Mankey to function like mienfoo, switching on predictions and picking off weakened pokes.
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- The given spread gives Mankey a better 22 / 11 / 11 with no eviolite(which can be stolen). Speed is maxed out allowing mankey to taunt, and hit as fast as possible. The remainder is thrown into ATK.
- Defiant is the chosen ability, since it can help Mankey weaken walls alot more easier.
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- USE THIEF WISELY! don't just try to take an eviolite if its not gonna help you much in the long run. Using thief on sturdy walls even though it may mean sacking Mankey can be rewarding afterwards.
- FLY IN, FLY OUT. Mankey shouldn't be staying in for a while. Making u-turn all the more useful. After a close combat or taunt, quickly u-turn out and save Mankey for later.
- Use CLOSE COMBAT only when nessacary. After a -1 in both defenses the next move will most likely kill mankey. Using close combat after thief is a good idea allowing you to weaken the oppenent's defenses and then sending a devastating stab.
Team Options
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As stated before hazards are very useful as well as a good volturn core to maintain momentum. Since Mankey often struggles with other fighting types like timburr and croagunk, Trubbish is a good option to add to ward them off. Also, it can provide spikes as well.
Other Options
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- Unfortunately, Mankey doesn't really have any other options. It is usually outclassed by Mienfoo as a pivot giving only a scarf set to use his niche of having a wide move pool.
- A boosting set can work with Work Up but with Mankey's frail defenses it can't really work well.
- A Life Orb in conjuction with Defiant can make Mankey a deadly Wallbreaker.
Checks & Counters
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**Flying Types **: Scarf Doudou and Fletchling can easily come in and revenge kill Mankey.
**Fighting-types**: Timburr and Croagunk can come in on most of Mankey's moves bar Earthquake for the latter.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy types wall any set lacking Poison STAB. Cottonee, Spritzee, and Snubbull are primary examples.
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