[OVERVIEW]
Muk is a very viable Pokemon in the PU metagame due in no small part to its high Attack stat, good special bulk, and somewhat unique pure Poison typing. It's blessed with two fantastic STAB moves in Gunk Shot and Poison Jab, (RC) as well as access to the elemental punches and even a priority move with Shadow Sneak. This combination of a fairly wide movepool and its well-placed stats allows it to function well as a wallbreaker, special wall, late-game sweeper, or just a simple tank. Muk also happens to be a great check to some of the PU metagame's most prominent Pokemon, including Rotom-F, Cacturne, and Clefairy. Unfortunately for Muk, Poison is not the greatest offensive typing, as it is resisted by the very common Ground- and Rock-types, and Steel-types are immune to it. This requires anyone using Muk to predict more often than they might with other Pokemon, oftentimes forcing it to rely on its much weaker coverage moves in order to deal with its switch-ins. In addition, its low Speed stat lets it down considerably; Shadow Sneak may make up for this to an extent, but it doesn't do enough damage to revenge kill much outside of physically frail Pokemon that are weak to Ghost and Pokemon that are already weakened. Lastly, Muk lacks any form of reliable recovery, meaning it must rely on Rest or the support of its teammates if it wants to survive in longer battles.
[SET]
name: CroMuk
move 1: Curse
move 2: Poison Jab
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Black Sludge
ability: Sticky Hold
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Curse increases Muk's relatively low physical bulk and already impressive Attack stat. Poison Jab is preferred here because it has higher PP and accuracy than Gunk Shot. Rest is Muk's only form of recovery, but it lets Muk set up without worrying about being burned or paralyzed. Sleep Talk prevents Muk from being dead weight while asleep and allows Muk to switch in on sleep-inducing moves with minimal consequences.
Set Details
========
Maximum special bulk with a Careful nature makes setting up easier and helps Muk take on special attackers even in the early-game. Curse increases Defense anyway, so Special Defense investment is needed to ensure well-rounded bulk for easier sweeping. Black Sludge gives Muk passive recovery, reducing its reliance on Rest and increasing its overall durability. Sticky Hold is necessary to prevent Trick/Switcheroo, which could ruin sweeping chances. It also allows Muk to switch in on a few more threats, most notably Rotom-F.
Usage Tips
========
Muk is most effective late-game after its checks are gone, but it can be used throughout the battle as a special wall, switch-in to Trick/Switcheroo, or status absorber. It is particularly important to avoid setting up Curse until all your opponent's Steel-types have been KOed, as they're immune to Muk's only attacking move. Once its checks and counters are out of the way, the best time for Muk to set up is against a defensive Pokemon that doesn't carry Taunt or a super effective attack, such as Clefairy, Tangela, or Audino. Otherwise, it can also set up on special attackers like Roselia, Cryogonal, and the Rotom formes.
Team Options
========
The CroMuk set tends to work best on defensive or balanced teams. Offensive teams need to apply pressure on the opponent throughout the battle, and CroMuk can't do that until it sets up. Probopass is a common partner for its Magnet Pull ability, allowing it to trap and eliminate most Steel-types quite easily. Trapinch can play a similar role, but it trades quite a bit of bulk in order to trap a wider variety of Pokemon, including Rock-, Ground-, and Psychic-types, which also threaten Muk. Pursuit trappers such as Metang, Stoutland, and Dusknoir are also good options. Bulky Grass-types are great partners due to their advantage against Ground-types, especially Golem. Tangela is particularly helpful because its Sleep Powder can give Muk an opportunity to set up. This set would also be appreciated on teams that are weak to Rotom-F, as Muk is a great all-around check to it. Finally, due to Muk's Sticky Hold ability, it pairs well with most defensive Pokemon that would be crippled by Trick/Switcheroo, such as Audino, Clefairy, and Vullaby.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Shadow Sneak
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Poison Touch / Sticky Hold
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Since this set is intended to do as much damage as possible, Gunk Shot is the preferred STAB move for its power. Shadow Sneak helps Muk overcome its low Speed and allows it to act as a revenge killer, although it's a fairly weak move. Fire Punch deals with Steel-types primarily, since they're immune to Gunk Shot. Common threats such as Pawniard, Metang, and Mawile would all counter Muk otherwise. Ice Punch is similarly used to deal with Ground-types, giving Muk a way to discourage them from switching in. Golem, Gabite, and other physically-oriented (remove hyphen) Ground-types are especially threatening, so this move is needed to make sure Muk isn't Ground bait.
Set Details
========
Choice Band, maximum Attack EVs, and an Adamant nature are all used to maximize Muk's wallbreaking ability. The rest of the EVs are invested in HP to allow Muk to survive more hits while it's busy wallbreaking. The ability is really a toss-up depending on what your team needs. Poison Touch can be useful to spread the poison status with Muk's contact moves to its switch-ins that aren't Steel- or Poison-type. Sticky Hold allows it to switch in on a predicted Trick or Switcheroo, but not using Poison Touch may make it more difficult to wear down Muk's checks over the course of a battle.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Band Muk plays the role of a wallbreaker, blowing holes in the opponent's team. Unfortunately, Gunk Shot is fairly easy to switch in on due to Steel-, Rock-, and Ground-types being on nearly every team, so predicting which Pokemon your opponent will switch to will be a key part of the success of this set. Muk is bulky enough that it can check weaker special attackers like Zebstrika and force them out. This gives Muk the opportunity to wear down its own checks by hitting them when they switch in. Furthermore, it Muk thrives against certain defensive Pokemon like Clefairy and Audino, so they are the ideal Pokemon for Muk it to switch in on.
Team Options
========
Normal- or Flying-types like Stoutland, Dodrio, and Jumpluff all benefit from Muk as a teammate because they share checks. Pokemon like Golem, Stunfisk, and Metang are typically used to deal with these checks, but running Muk alongside a Normal- or Flying-type attacker places immense pressure on these checks throughout the battle, making it easier to wear them down. Grass-types such as Leafeon and Tangela are great partners because they can switch in on and eliminate Ground-types. Water-types like Politoed and Floatzel are good for similar reasons, and Muk helps Water-types them by beating the Grass-types that would otherwise check them. Trappers are also a good choice; Probopass and Trapinch can both trap Muk's checks and eliminate them. Similarly, Pursuit trappers such as Stoutland and Dodrio are effective because they deal with the Psychic- and Ghost-types that check Muk. In general, having a Psychic check is always a good idea. Murkrow is a good offensive partner for its type synergy and ability to clean up after Muk wears down the opponent's team. Pawniard and Mightyena are also worth considering for similar reasons.
[SET]
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Shadow Sneak
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Ice Punch
item: Assault Vest
ability: Poison Touch / Sticky Hold
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Gunk Shot is Muk's strongest move. It's a little inaccurate and has low PP, but the power is worth it. Shadow Sneak is reliable priority. It's fairly weak against targets that take neutral damage from it, but it can be a big threat to Psychic- and Ghost-types. Fire Punch is mainly used to hit Steel-types like Metang and Mawile super effectively. Ice Punch covers most Ground-types like Golem, Stunfisk, and Vibrava.
Set Details
========
The Assault Vest increases Muk's already high Special Defense, allowing it to take more hits and therefore stay alive survive longer to continue threatening the opponent's team. It also helps Muk act as a check to certain special attackers like Zebstrika and Floatzel. Maximum Attack EVs and an Adamant nature help Muk do as much damage as possible. The rest of the EVs are dumped in HP to increase its Muk's overall bulk and longevity. Poison Touch is generally the preferred ability so Muk has a chance to poison its switch-ins, but Sticky Hold can allow it to function as a switch-in to Trick or Switcheroo, and to a lesser extent, (AC) Knock Off. However, it's more difficult to wear down Muk's checks without the chance of poisoning them.
Usage Tips
========
Muk can be used throughout the battle to switch in on resisted attacks, as well as non-Psychic-type special attackers if necessary, and deal damage before being forced out. If using Sticky Hold, it can also act as a switch-in to Trick and Switcheroo for teammates that are very dependent upon their items or are just crippled by being given a Choice item. Since Gunk Shot has so many switch-ins in the PU tier, spamming Gunk Shot it early on in the battle isn't always the best strategy. However, once Muk's checks are have been eliminated, spamming Gunk Shot and Shadow Sneak can be an effective way of cleaning up. As a final note, if Muk is on your team to check a certain Pokemon such as Cacturne, be careful not to let it get too weak before that Pokemon is knocked out. Muk is very prone to being worn down over time, since it lacks recovery.
Team Options
========
The Assault Vest set tends to work best on bulky offensive or balanced teams that need a check to Grass-types, Clefairy, or just special attackers in general. Psychic-type checks, especially Dark-types like Vullaby, are appreciated on the team due to Muk's weakness to them. Muk can also switch in on Fairy and Fighting moves for Dark-types, so Cacturne, Pawniard, and Murkrow all appreciate Muk's presence. Ground-type checks are highly valued because most Ground-type attackers are physical, leaving Muk very vulnerable. As such, Flying-types or Levitate users such as Pelipper and Vibrava are ideal. Grass-types with STAB moves can also be very effective at switching in on and eliminating Ground-types. Since Fire Punch is Muk's only answer to Steel-types and it's not particularly strong, having a check to Steel-types is a good idea. Probopass can trap them with Magnet Pull and knock them out with Earth Power. Trapinch can do the same with Arena Trap and Earthquake and also acts as a check to Rock-types, yet another type Muk struggles with. Pursuit trappers like Stoutland, Dodrio, and Metang can remove Psychic- and Ghost-types from the opponent's team, both of which can be problematic for Muk. With Muk's lack of reliable recovery, having a cleric on the team is a good idea to keep it healthy. Audino's Wish and Heal Bell or Mr. Mime's Healing Wish are both solid options. Muk's resistance to Grass and nice special bulk make it a good partner for Water-types, particularly Seaking and Relicanth, since Grass is their most significant weakness.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Focus Punch is a powerful option that can hit Rock-types and a few Steel-types that try to switch in on Muk, but it's incredibly reliant on prediction and can easily give your opponent free turns, so it's not recommended. Giga Drain could let Muk function as a lure for Golem and Relicanth, but it's pitifully weak even though it's 4x super effective. Thunder Punch can be used to hit Water-types super effectively, but Muk usually doesn't have issues with them. Power-Up Punch might be worth considering on the Assault Vest set, but Muk generally wants more immediate power and will likely be switching out a lot, meaning you it lose your its Attack boosts. Memento is an option, but there's no room for a utility move on any of Muk's sets, and faster Pokemon like Jumpluff do this make use of it better.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Golem, Gabite, and Vibrava can switch in on any of Muk's moves except Ice Punch and then threaten it out with STAB Earthquake. Camerupt can even switch in on Ice Punch and threatens it with Earth Power or a potential burn from Lava Plume. Trapinch can trap Muk and KO it with Earthquake.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types such as Metang, Mawile, and Pawniard can all switch in on Gunk Shot and Ice Punch easily and can pose a huge threat to Muk with their strong physical attacks. Probopass can switch in on a Fire Punch too and do some damage with Earth Power or pivot out with Volt Switch to gain momentum. The CroMuk set is also completely walled by Steel-types.
**Rock-types**: Rock-types like Relicanth, Crustle, and Armaldo are all capable of switching in on Gunk Shot and scaring it out with their strong physical attacks. Solrock can switch in and burn Muk with Will-O-Wisp or 2HKO it with Zen Headbutt.
**Psychic-types**: Powerful Psychic-type attackers such as Beheeyem, Grumpig, Mr. Mime, and Kadabra can pose a huge threat to Muk, but they can't switch in on it. They should also be wary of Shadow Sneak, which can easily KO them if they've already taken some damage.
**Status**: Muk's Poison typing means it can't be poisoned, but all of Muk's sets other than CroMuk are severely crippled by the other status ailments, especially burn, as it halves its physical attacking power. Will-O-Wisp users such as Gourgeist and Misdreavus can tank a hit and burn Muk, making it much more manageable.
