Munchlax
Status: Written, ready for GP checks
QC Checks: Nails, Aerrow
GP Checks: none
[Overview]
<p>Munchlax stands out in Little Cup thanks to
its great stats and
an incredible movepool. With great HP and Special Defense and
abilitybeing able to reach 19 Attack, it can truly be a force with Little Cup, with an option to hit almost any Pokemon
for super effective damage to go with it. However, it's not all great for Munchlax. The popularity of Fighting-types greatly hurts its viability, meaning it will have to switch out a lot more often and risk
having the likes of something like Scraggy or Timburr setting up. Despite that, Munchlax remains
as a quite
the viable choice in Little Cup and is something
all teams need a team needs an answer for.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Tank
move 1: Return
move 2: Earthquake / Focus Punch
move 3: Fire Punch / Ice Punch
move 4: Pursuit / Ice Punch
item: Eviolite
ability: Thick Fat
nature: Adamant
evs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set combines Munchlax's best traits, making
it become for a hard-hitting special tank. Return is Munchlax's
best choice for STAB, as it hits quite hard and has no drawbacks. The second slot has two choices, both for different purposes. Earthquake is the main move
here, as it is a reliable choice for
hitting Steel-types like Pawniard and Magnemite
for super effective damage. Focus Punch hits the same, along with KOing a predicted switch to Scraggy, which is the reason
for why it is listed. It is less reliable
overall but being able to hit Scraggy and prevent it from setting up is a great help.</p>
<p>The last two moves also have choices. Fire Punch is a solid option, hitting Bronzor and Ferroseed super effectively while being a backup move for other Steel-types. Pursuit is the typical choice in the fourth slot, hitting Ghost
-types for super effective damage super-effectively. It allows a KO on weakened threats in general, as well as Gastly and Abra. Misdreavus lacking Will-O-Wisp and Nasty Plot can also be trapped.
Don't This shouldn't be used to try to trap Frillish, however, as it almost always uses Will-O-Wisp, which
just cripples Munchlax. An alternative move, depending on team needs, is Ice Punch. Ice Punch always is a 2
HKO on Gligar, which would be the only reason to use it, but Gligar beats Munchlax lacking the move.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>
(remove space)Munchlax can run extra bulk in either a Careful nature or extra HP, though this set is more of an attacker and likes the boost there. Make sure
to not end up with 32 HP, as that makes Munchlax take more damage from entry hazards and weather.</p>
<p>As for teammates, Pokemon to help face Fighting-types are a huge help. A Ghost-type like Misdreavus or Duskull can handle most Fighting-types, though neither can handle Scraggy. Timburr and Mienfoo are Pokemon that help against Scraggy, being able to launch super effective Drain Punches at it. Gligar also pairs well with Munchlax, making a good physical tank to go with Munchlax's special tanking abilities.</p>
[SET]
name: Rest
move 1: Return
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Eviolite
ability: Thick Fat
nature: Careful / Adamant
evs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With Rest and Sleep Talk, Munchlax gains survivability
at the cost of in return for reduced coverage. With this, Munchlax becomes more of a special wall, though it still can hit hard enough to be a threat. Return, Rest, and Sleep Talk are the obvious moves on this set, providing
a STAB
move and
recovery healing. The best coverage move for this set is Fire Punch, hitting Steel-types that resist Normal as well
while still as doing some damage to Ghosts.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Munchlax can run either a Careful or Adamant nature on this set. With Careful, Munchlax can take hits a bit more easily, but Adamant allows it to hit harder. Both are viable options, and
the nature depend
s on what Munchlax needs to defeat. Running max HP instead of max Attack with a Careful nature is another option, as Munchlax will need to
be able to take more attacks here than on the last set.</p>
<p>The previous set's recommended teammates are still useful here, and due to the lesser coverage, other teammates are quite welcome.
(hmmm I'm not sure if you should reference other move sets) Frillish resists both Return and Fire Punch, meaning teammates need to pick up the slack. Chinchou is a good option to check Frillish, resisting Scald and
using has Electric-type attacks. Carvanha can help with Ghost-types in general, which
cause are problems for this
set. Tentacool can set up Toxic Spikes, which this Munchlax likes to help stall out opponents, making it a solid teammate as well.</p>
[SET]
name: Stockpile + Whirlwind
move 1: Stockpile
move 2: Whirlwind
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Eviolite
ability: Thick Fat
nature: Impish
evs: 236 HP / 196 Def / 76 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is a pure
defensive support stalling set for Munchlax, and despite being completely stopped by Taunt
, it can stall well with team support. Stockpile means Munchlax can
, at best, only be 3HKOed only be 3KOed by
most Fighting-type
attacks, making it able to safely use Rest and Sleep Talk. Whirlwind lets Munchlax phaze, and lacks its negative priority when used by Sleep Talk. However, Munchlax's low speed rarely lets it go first anyway.</p>
(You're probably going to have to be more descriptive here)
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Entry hazards are
basically a necessity on this set, as Munchlax
cannot fails to do any damage on its own. Ferroseed is a good choice to set up Spikes and Stealth Rock, while Tentacool can set up Toxic Spikes. Hail can also rack up additional damage,
which means that meaning Snover is a good teammate as well. On top of that,
Pokemon teammates that can take on Fighting-types and levitating Ghosts help, like the aforementioned Carvanha, Scraggy, Timburr, and Misdreavus.</p>
(You're probably going to have to be more descriptive here too)
[Other Options]
<p>Thanks to
its a gigantic movepool, Munchlax has a mulititude of other options to consider. Seed Bomb and ThunderPunch can both hit Frillish, and
the former also KOes Seed Bomb helps with Wooper, but both have lackluster coverage and Frillish still wins. SelfDestruct can be used as a suicide
attacking move, and gets STAB, but isn't nearly as powerful since it doesn't
halve half the opponent's
Defense anymore. Super
power can be used to hit Steels and Scraggy, but doesn't KO Scraggy like Focus Punch does and lowers
Munchlax's own Attack and Defense. Zen Headbutt hits Fighting-types, which is useful, and also is capable of OHKOing Gastly. Munchlax also has a huge special movepool, but its horrible Special Attack stat makes those
moves worthless.</p>
<p>Munchlax has a few other non-attacking options as well. Recycle and Oran Berry can let Munchlax heal repeatedly, which can help against special attackers that try to stay in. Substitute could work with Focus Punch to ease prediction, and
the move combination it is good
against any for Scraggy that wants to come in. Counter can get a surprise KO on a Fighting-type, but
Munchlax will have it has trouble doing much else afterward.
A Curse
+ Rest set raises could raise its Attack and Defense, but
Munchlax it would either be stuck without a coverage move or without Sleep Talk, meaning it would be easily beaten. Lastly, using Munchlax in Trick Room is a good option with its low
Speed and high Attack. In that case, a Life Orb would be a viable item choice
instead of Eviolite and .</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Despite its good stats,
many Pokemon can take on Munchlax if they happen to carry the right move. Munchlax has plenty of Pokemon able to take it on barring the right move. Basically any Fighting-type can give Munchlax problems unless it is running Zen Headbutt, and even then Meditite and Scraggy are
still good
checks to it.
It should be noted that Scraggy
still has to watch out for a possible Focus Punch, however. Misdreavus with Eviolite works if it has either Will-O-Wisp or Nasty Plot, as Munchlax
will either
get crippled or KOed, respectively. Frillish can
just burn Munchlax, making it quite reliable here.</p>
<p>The rare Litwick is immune to Normal and Fire, but can't take an Earthquake
, and . It gets Will-O-Wisp to burn Munchlax as well. Rock-types, although rare, resist both of those types, but take heavy damage from Earthquake
if they do not possess without a second type
that resists Ground. Lileep makes a good check
as long as Munchlax doesn't have barring Focus Punch. Gligar doesn't resist Return but takes little damage
because of its from Eviolite. Ice Punch
2HKOes it, however, so it needs to be careful. Toxic and burn cripples any set lacking
Rest, meaning it is good to deal with the tank set. Lastly, Taunt users easily beat the Stockpile set, forcing it to switch out.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Munchlax gets Gluttony from the Dream World. If it was released along with pinch berries, it would be much too slow to use this, making it a poor option which is completely outclassed by Thick Fat and the added resistances it provides.</p>