[OVERVIEW]
Pangoro has a high Attack stat, two powerful STAB types, and the coverage to hit the entire tier for at least neutral damage. These traits combined with its access to Swords Dance and several strong offensive abilities, namely Mold Breaker and Iron Fist, cause Pangoro to present itself as one of the most dangerous attackers and wallbreakers in the tier, one that is tremendously difficult to prevent from KOing at least one Pokemon. However, Pangoro is very slow, and while it's not very frail, it has a rather vulnerable defensive typing that gives it annoying weaknesses to Fighting, Flying, and Fairy. While Pangoro is a respectable Fighting-type wallbreaker with its own merits, it does face competition with various other Fighting-types such as Heracross, Emboar, and Virizion.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Drain Punch
move 4: Gunk Shot
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance bolsters Pangoro's Attack, making its attacks insanely hard to take. Knock Off is Pangoro's best and reliable attack, dealing massive damage and removing the foe's item. Drain Punch is Pangoro's secondary STAB attack, smashing Dark-types and bulky Steel-types but more importantly replenishing Pangoro's health, most notably healing off the damage it takes while setting up. Gunk Shot demolishes Fairy-types and Chesnaught while serving as enough of a deterrent for offensive Fairy-types that attempt to check Pangoro. Iron Head may be considered for reliable damage against bulkier Fairy-types, namely OHKOing Diancie while still being able to OHKO Florges after a Swords Dance boost. However, Pangoro can then have issues bypassing Chesnaught, and Iron Head doesn't OHKO Comfey on the switch-in.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment combined with an Adamant nature lends to Pangoro's sheer holepunching power. Lum Berry is used to grant Pangoro safer setup opportunities against status users such as bulky Water-types, Gligar, Porygon2, Snorlax, Bronzong, and bulky Rock-types not named Diancie. Life Orb may be used to give Pangoro even more power, although it may appreciate the safer setup opportunities, and the Life Orb recoil may sometimes get in the way of Pangoro taking attacks such as Golbat's Brave Bird and Gligar's Acrobatics. Pangoro wants full investment in Speed to outrun as many walls as it can, notably Florges, Cresselia, and Gligar, as well as Speed tie with opposing Pangoro at worst. Mold Breaker ignores Unaware from Pyukumuku and Quagsire, which is part of what makes Pangoro a fearsome wallbreaker. It's also situationally useful against other abilities such as Solid Rock and Sturdy. A Jolly nature's main use is to outrun Golbat, one of the few defensive Pokemon that can reliably halt Pangoro's sweep. Jolly Pangoro does outrun just a few more Pokemon, such as neutral-natured Emboar, Exploud, and opposing Pangoro, but those Pokemon are generally not worth giving up Adamant for.
Usage Tips
========
Pangoro should only prioritize using Swords Dance when up against slower, bulkier teams. Against faster, more offensive teams, Pangoro should just attack, as it hits many offensive Pokemon plenty hard without any boosts and it's likely that Pangoro would get forced out or revenge killed anyway if it attempts to set up. Pangoro's typing gives it a 4x Dark resistance and an immunity to Prankster, making bulky Dark-types such as Sableye and Umbreon the best opportunities for Pangoro to set up. Outside of that, Pangoro can make use of Drain Punch's recovery to ease the setup, taking a blow from slower Rock- and Normal-types such as Gigalith, bulky Rhyperior, non-Choice Band Snorlax, and Porygon2 while it uses Swords Dance, and then regain health with a super effective +2 Drain Punch.
Alternatively, Pangoro can use the sheer threat of its powerful Knock Off to scare out foes such as Bronzong, Dhelmise, and various Eviolite-dependent Pokemon such as Doublade, Porygon2, and Gligar to get a free Swords Dance. It should be noted that although Mold Breaker ignores Unaware, Pyukumuku's access to Counter means that it's ill-advised to be careless, as +2 Pangoro still cannot OHKO Pyukumuku. It's better to use Swords Dance a second time to OHKO Pyukumuku about 75% of the time with boosted Knock Off, even if Pangoro risk getting hit by Toxic should Lum Berry be consumed beforehand. Pangoro should also take care not to expend its Lum Berry before it gets to use Swords Dance, as it would otherwise lose its best method of safely setting up.
Team Options
========
Since Pangoro's best setup opportunities involve bulky Dark-types, it adores Pokemon that can help lure them into battle. Psychic-types such as Reuniclus, Cresselia, Espeon, Necrozma, Sigilyph, and Bruxish do a fine job of luring in these Dark-types; each of them also functions well as either a setup wincon with Calm Mind or Swords Dance or a helpful supporter with Magic Bounce, Stealth Rock, or Thunder Wave. While some of them can lure out Pokemon such as Bronzong and Dhelmise, they may also attract Escavalier, which is a threat. A special mention goes to Meloetta, whose access to U-turn makes it especially easy to unleash Pangoro onto the field.
Fast teammates help Pangoro deal with its lackluster offense matchup, particularly those with access to Volt Switch and U-turn to help get Pangoro safely into battle. Such examples include Jolteon, Heliolisk, Swellow, Noivern, Whimsicott, and Flygon. Whimsicott even has the option to offer Prankster Tailwind support. Froslass can set up Spikes, cripple the foe with Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave, and even play mindgames with them using Taunt and Destiny Bond, all of which can give Pangoro the edge it needs to overwhelm the opponent. Pangoro also benefits from Sticky Web provided by the likes of Galvantula and Shuckle to allow it to bust through more offensive Pokemon, although Pangoro would want a Jolly nature to truly make use of this, as Adamant Pangoro fails to outspeed -1 Virizion and Durant. Other Pokemon that can threaten offensive teams include Cloyster, Durant, Sharpedo, Salazzle, and Slurpuff. Most of these Pokemon can clean up after Pangoro has sufficiently broken through the opponent's team, while either offering some useful resistances or forming a core that helps to wear down each member's checks.
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Hammer Arm / Drain Punch
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Bullet Punch / Ice Punch
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Iron Fist
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is Pangoro's most spammable and drawback-free attack, providing a strong Dark-type STAB attack that removes the foe's item. Iron Fist-boosted Hammer Arm is incredibly powerful, decimating almost anything that doesn't resist for the comparatively minor cost of lowering Pangoro's Speed. Drain Punch is a more conservative Fighting-type STAB option, dealing respectable damage while providing some recovery and doesn't lower Pangoro's Speed. Gunk Shot utterly crushes any Fairy-type not named Diancie that dares to switch in and maims Chesnaught.
Bullet Punch may not be a particularly strong priority move, but it's the only one Pangoro has to deal with speedy foes, and it deals incredible damage to fast Fairy-types, OHKOing Gardevoir after Stealth Rock damage and having a high chance to OHKO Whimsicott after Stealth Rock and Spikes damage. Ice Punch can be used to 2HKO Golbat that tries to switch in and immediately deal with Gligar, particularly Acrobatics Gligar, while still covering Chesnaught. It should be noted that Pangoro can still overcome non-Acrobatics Gligar in the long run by removing its Eviolite beforehand and then spamming Hammer Arm to deny its Roost recovery.
Set Details
========
Pangoro favors a straightforward spread of maximum Attack and Speed investment alongside an Adamant nature, optimizing its offensive prowess. Choice Band lets Pangoro hit like a freight train off the bat, while Life Orb provides a smaller boost but allows Pangoro to switch moves. Iron Fist is chosen to boost Pangoro's various punch-based attacks. A Jolly nature can be used to allow Pangoro to make do on 2HKOing Golbat switch-ins, as Golbat can safely use a faster Roost against Adamant Pangoro's Ice Punch, with the side benefit of being able to outrun Pokemon such as Emboar, Exploud, and opposing Adamant Pangoro. Pangoro can fit on a Trick Room team, especially with its use of Hammer Arm. If so, simply shift Pangoro's EVs from Speed to HP, put the remaining EVs into Defense to take Stone Edges and Knock Offs just a little bit better, and set Pangoro's Speed IV to 0.
Usage Tips
========
Pangoro's powerful neutral coverage means it should have little trouble discerning the most effective attack to blast a massive hole in the opponent's team with; Knock Off is usually the most spammable attack due to its power and useful effect. Due to its role as a hit-and-run attacker, Pangoro doesn't have to worry unduly about its health in the long run and should simply concentrate on doing as much damage as it can. Pangoro is best used to threaten powerful blows on slower Pokemon that are weak to its attacks. Fortunately, due to Pangoro's impeccable coverage, almost no slower Pokemon are safe from Pangoro's immediate pressure.
Team Options
========
Pangoro's standard procedure is to come in on a slower Pokemon and use its sheer offensive presence to begin brutalizing the opponent's team, as many fast offensive teams struggle to switch into even resisted attacks. VoltTurn support is the most efficient way to facilitate this scenario while also helping Pangoro in the matchup against offense. Volt Switch users such as Jolteon, Heliolisk, and Rotom formes can bait in specially defensive Pokemon that are vulnerable to Pangoro's might, while U-turn users such as Swellow, Whimsicott, and Noivern lure in bulky Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon for Pangoro to crush.
Fast attackers such as Durant, Aerodactyl, Sharpedo, and Choice Scarf Gardevoir as well as setup sweepers such as Flygon, Salazzle, Bruxish, and Cloyster can take advantage of the carnage Pangoro leaves behind. Because Fairy-types can prove to be a nuisance due to them resisting both of Pangoro's STAB moves, Pokemon that can take advantage of Fairy-types, such as Escavalier, Nidoqueen, Salazzle, Roserade, Durant, Doublade, and Dragalge, make for great teammates. If used on a Trick Room team, Pangoro's goal remains largely the same, except it can OHKO most offensive Pokemon with any move it sees fit. Its teammates differ in the fact that they help to set up Trick Room, such as Porygon2, Slowking, Diancie, and Cofagrigus, as well as aid Pangoro in crushing teams, with options being Araquanid, Reuniclus, Dragalge, Rhyperior, and Wishiwashi.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Scrappy along with Superpower can be a perfectly viable choice for a powerful Fighting-type nuke for the Choice Band set, easing prediction against Ghost-types trying to predict a Choice-locked attack and not lowering Pangoro's Speed, which can be relevant if Pangoro is used on a Sticky Web team. However, few Ghost-types usually dare to attempt to check Pangoro in this manner, and Superpower's stat drops can make Pangoro a lot easier to revenge kill and pivot on. The Swords Dance set can make use of Substitute, as it can block status and ease prediction. However, Pangoro's Substitutes tend to break to most Scalds in the tier, and it forfeits important coverage against Fairy-types. Swords Dance Pangoro may also consider Icium Z with Ice Punch to OHKO Chesnaught and most importantly Golbat after a Swords Dance, although Pangoro needs to be Jolly to avoid retaliation from the latter in the form of Brave Bird or even Haze. However, Pangoro won't be able to stand up against Fairy-types as a result, and unboosted Jolly Subzero Slammer doesn't even OHKO physically defensive Gligar. Pangoro has access to Parting Shot, but Pangoro is slow, doesn't have a great defensive typing, and dislikes being forced out when it's not easy for it to get back in safely, plus its turn could be much better spent by doing damage to the foe. Alolan Persian and Silvally make better Parting Shot users anyway.
Bulk Up combined with Drain Punch may sound appealing, but a Defense boost doesn't really help, as the hits Pangoro doesn't mind taking are uninvested anyway, and Pangoro doesn't resist much, is weak to powerful attacks such as Close Combat and Brave Bird, and has special bulk that's nothing to write home about. Z-Me First boosts Pangoro's Speed by two stages, which may open up some sweeping opportunities. However, since a faster Pokemon would have already acted before Pangoro receives the effects of its Z-Move, Pangoro won't get to copy its foe's attack, which heavily cuts into this set's potential. There's also the fact that Pangoro would have to boost with both Z-Me First and Swords Dance to have a chance to sweep, as +2 Speed Pangoro alone isn't likely to sweep without any boost in power. Pangoro is one of the few Pokemon that can learn Power Trip, but it takes 5 stat boosts for Power Trip to only marginally outdamage Knock Off.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-type Pokemon**: Fighting-types tend to be the most solid answers to Pangoro, as they resist Pangoro's best attack while not being particularly weak to its other moves and retaliate for an easy KO. Heracross and Toxicroak receive special mention for resisting both of Pangoro's STAB moves, with Toxicroak also resisting Gunk Shot, while Kommo-o has respectable Defense and tanks all but a Choice Band-boosted Hammer Arm or Ice Punch. Other Fighting-types such as Emboar, Virizion, and Chesnaught can take Knock Off reasonably well but have to be very wary of Pangoro's other moves.
**Fairy-type Pokemon**: Most Fairy-types resist both of Pangoro's STAB moves and threaten massive damage if not a clean OHKO, making them effective checks. However, they have to be very cautious not to switch into Gunk Shot, while the faster ones have to be concerned about Bullet Punch. It should be noted that Diancie takes a lot from Iron Fist Hammer Arm, and while Gardevoir boasts a 4x resistance to Fighting, it does not resist Knock Off at all, so it must tread carefully. Bulkier Fairy-types such as Comfey and Florges do better at checking Choice Band Pangoro, while offensive Fairy-types such as Whimsicott and Gardevoir can take out Swords Dance Pangoro without too much hassle.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pangoro's exceptional neutral coverage as well as its access to Swords Dance and Mold Breaker mean there are no true counters to it. However, Pangoro does fall victim to a multitude of faster Pokemon. Flying-type attackers such as Honchkrow, Moltres, Noivern, and Yanmega are especially effective at taking down Pangoro, since they resist one of Pangoro's STAB attacks; Golbat deserves special attention, as it is one of the very few defensive Pokemon in the tier that can switch into and check Pangoro. Pangoro can also get beaten by Swellow's Choice Specs Boomburst, Roserade's Life Orb Leaf Storm, Durant's Superpower, and users of power-boosting items such as Choice Band, Choice Specs, and Z-Crystals. Faster Pokemon with Fairy coverage such as Dazzling Gleam Espeon, Play Rough Absol, and Moonblast from Speed-invested Florges and Cresselia can take down Pangoro with ease. It should be noted that Pangoro is just bulky enough to avoid an OHKO from all but the most powerful of neutral attacks, so if all else fails, clever pivoting into your checks may be your best bet at defeating Pangoro without losing a Pokemon.
Pangoro has a high Attack stat, two powerful STAB types, and the coverage to hit the entire tier for at least neutral damage. These traits combined with its access to Swords Dance and several strong offensive abilities, namely Mold Breaker and Iron Fist, cause Pangoro to present itself as one of the most dangerous attackers and wallbreakers in the tier, one that is tremendously difficult to prevent from KOing at least one Pokemon. However, Pangoro is very slow, and while it's not very frail, it has a rather vulnerable defensive typing that gives it annoying weaknesses to Fighting, Flying, and Fairy. While Pangoro is a respectable Fighting-type wallbreaker with its own merits, it does face competition with various other Fighting-types such as Heracross, Emboar, and Virizion.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Drain Punch
move 4: Gunk Shot
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance bolsters Pangoro's Attack, making its attacks insanely hard to take. Knock Off is Pangoro's best and reliable attack, dealing massive damage and removing the foe's item. Drain Punch is Pangoro's secondary STAB attack, smashing Dark-types and bulky Steel-types but more importantly replenishing Pangoro's health, most notably healing off the damage it takes while setting up. Gunk Shot demolishes Fairy-types and Chesnaught while serving as enough of a deterrent for offensive Fairy-types that attempt to check Pangoro. Iron Head may be considered for reliable damage against bulkier Fairy-types, namely OHKOing Diancie while still being able to OHKO Florges after a Swords Dance boost. However, Pangoro can then have issues bypassing Chesnaught, and Iron Head doesn't OHKO Comfey on the switch-in.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment combined with an Adamant nature lends to Pangoro's sheer holepunching power. Lum Berry is used to grant Pangoro safer setup opportunities against status users such as bulky Water-types, Gligar, Porygon2, Snorlax, Bronzong, and bulky Rock-types not named Diancie. Life Orb may be used to give Pangoro even more power, although it may appreciate the safer setup opportunities, and the Life Orb recoil may sometimes get in the way of Pangoro taking attacks such as Golbat's Brave Bird and Gligar's Acrobatics. Pangoro wants full investment in Speed to outrun as many walls as it can, notably Florges, Cresselia, and Gligar, as well as Speed tie with opposing Pangoro at worst. Mold Breaker ignores Unaware from Pyukumuku and Quagsire, which is part of what makes Pangoro a fearsome wallbreaker. It's also situationally useful against other abilities such as Solid Rock and Sturdy. A Jolly nature's main use is to outrun Golbat, one of the few defensive Pokemon that can reliably halt Pangoro's sweep. Jolly Pangoro does outrun just a few more Pokemon, such as neutral-natured Emboar, Exploud, and opposing Pangoro, but those Pokemon are generally not worth giving up Adamant for.
Usage Tips
========
Pangoro should only prioritize using Swords Dance when up against slower, bulkier teams. Against faster, more offensive teams, Pangoro should just attack, as it hits many offensive Pokemon plenty hard without any boosts and it's likely that Pangoro would get forced out or revenge killed anyway if it attempts to set up. Pangoro's typing gives it a 4x Dark resistance and an immunity to Prankster, making bulky Dark-types such as Sableye and Umbreon the best opportunities for Pangoro to set up. Outside of that, Pangoro can make use of Drain Punch's recovery to ease the setup, taking a blow from slower Rock- and Normal-types such as Gigalith, bulky Rhyperior, non-Choice Band Snorlax, and Porygon2 while it uses Swords Dance, and then regain health with a super effective +2 Drain Punch.
Alternatively, Pangoro can use the sheer threat of its powerful Knock Off to scare out foes such as Bronzong, Dhelmise, and various Eviolite-dependent Pokemon such as Doublade, Porygon2, and Gligar to get a free Swords Dance. It should be noted that although Mold Breaker ignores Unaware, Pyukumuku's access to Counter means that it's ill-advised to be careless, as +2 Pangoro still cannot OHKO Pyukumuku. It's better to use Swords Dance a second time to OHKO Pyukumuku about 75% of the time with boosted Knock Off, even if Pangoro risk getting hit by Toxic should Lum Berry be consumed beforehand. Pangoro should also take care not to expend its Lum Berry before it gets to use Swords Dance, as it would otherwise lose its best method of safely setting up.
Team Options
========
Since Pangoro's best setup opportunities involve bulky Dark-types, it adores Pokemon that can help lure them into battle. Psychic-types such as Reuniclus, Cresselia, Espeon, Necrozma, Sigilyph, and Bruxish do a fine job of luring in these Dark-types; each of them also functions well as either a setup wincon with Calm Mind or Swords Dance or a helpful supporter with Magic Bounce, Stealth Rock, or Thunder Wave. While some of them can lure out Pokemon such as Bronzong and Dhelmise, they may also attract Escavalier, which is a threat. A special mention goes to Meloetta, whose access to U-turn makes it especially easy to unleash Pangoro onto the field.
Fast teammates help Pangoro deal with its lackluster offense matchup, particularly those with access to Volt Switch and U-turn to help get Pangoro safely into battle. Such examples include Jolteon, Heliolisk, Swellow, Noivern, Whimsicott, and Flygon. Whimsicott even has the option to offer Prankster Tailwind support. Froslass can set up Spikes, cripple the foe with Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave, and even play mindgames with them using Taunt and Destiny Bond, all of which can give Pangoro the edge it needs to overwhelm the opponent. Pangoro also benefits from Sticky Web provided by the likes of Galvantula and Shuckle to allow it to bust through more offensive Pokemon, although Pangoro would want a Jolly nature to truly make use of this, as Adamant Pangoro fails to outspeed -1 Virizion and Durant. Other Pokemon that can threaten offensive teams include Cloyster, Durant, Sharpedo, Salazzle, and Slurpuff. Most of these Pokemon can clean up after Pangoro has sufficiently broken through the opponent's team, while either offering some useful resistances or forming a core that helps to wear down each member's checks.
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Hammer Arm / Drain Punch
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Bullet Punch / Ice Punch
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Iron Fist
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is Pangoro's most spammable and drawback-free attack, providing a strong Dark-type STAB attack that removes the foe's item. Iron Fist-boosted Hammer Arm is incredibly powerful, decimating almost anything that doesn't resist for the comparatively minor cost of lowering Pangoro's Speed. Drain Punch is a more conservative Fighting-type STAB option, dealing respectable damage while providing some recovery and doesn't lower Pangoro's Speed. Gunk Shot utterly crushes any Fairy-type not named Diancie that dares to switch in and maims Chesnaught.
Bullet Punch may not be a particularly strong priority move, but it's the only one Pangoro has to deal with speedy foes, and it deals incredible damage to fast Fairy-types, OHKOing Gardevoir after Stealth Rock damage and having a high chance to OHKO Whimsicott after Stealth Rock and Spikes damage. Ice Punch can be used to 2HKO Golbat that tries to switch in and immediately deal with Gligar, particularly Acrobatics Gligar, while still covering Chesnaught. It should be noted that Pangoro can still overcome non-Acrobatics Gligar in the long run by removing its Eviolite beforehand and then spamming Hammer Arm to deny its Roost recovery.
Set Details
========
Pangoro favors a straightforward spread of maximum Attack and Speed investment alongside an Adamant nature, optimizing its offensive prowess. Choice Band lets Pangoro hit like a freight train off the bat, while Life Orb provides a smaller boost but allows Pangoro to switch moves. Iron Fist is chosen to boost Pangoro's various punch-based attacks. A Jolly nature can be used to allow Pangoro to make do on 2HKOing Golbat switch-ins, as Golbat can safely use a faster Roost against Adamant Pangoro's Ice Punch, with the side benefit of being able to outrun Pokemon such as Emboar, Exploud, and opposing Adamant Pangoro. Pangoro can fit on a Trick Room team, especially with its use of Hammer Arm. If so, simply shift Pangoro's EVs from Speed to HP, put the remaining EVs into Defense to take Stone Edges and Knock Offs just a little bit better, and set Pangoro's Speed IV to 0.
Usage Tips
========
Pangoro's powerful neutral coverage means it should have little trouble discerning the most effective attack to blast a massive hole in the opponent's team with; Knock Off is usually the most spammable attack due to its power and useful effect. Due to its role as a hit-and-run attacker, Pangoro doesn't have to worry unduly about its health in the long run and should simply concentrate on doing as much damage as it can. Pangoro is best used to threaten powerful blows on slower Pokemon that are weak to its attacks. Fortunately, due to Pangoro's impeccable coverage, almost no slower Pokemon are safe from Pangoro's immediate pressure.
Team Options
========
Pangoro's standard procedure is to come in on a slower Pokemon and use its sheer offensive presence to begin brutalizing the opponent's team, as many fast offensive teams struggle to switch into even resisted attacks. VoltTurn support is the most efficient way to facilitate this scenario while also helping Pangoro in the matchup against offense. Volt Switch users such as Jolteon, Heliolisk, and Rotom formes can bait in specially defensive Pokemon that are vulnerable to Pangoro's might, while U-turn users such as Swellow, Whimsicott, and Noivern lure in bulky Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon for Pangoro to crush.
Fast attackers such as Durant, Aerodactyl, Sharpedo, and Choice Scarf Gardevoir as well as setup sweepers such as Flygon, Salazzle, Bruxish, and Cloyster can take advantage of the carnage Pangoro leaves behind. Because Fairy-types can prove to be a nuisance due to them resisting both of Pangoro's STAB moves, Pokemon that can take advantage of Fairy-types, such as Escavalier, Nidoqueen, Salazzle, Roserade, Durant, Doublade, and Dragalge, make for great teammates. If used on a Trick Room team, Pangoro's goal remains largely the same, except it can OHKO most offensive Pokemon with any move it sees fit. Its teammates differ in the fact that they help to set up Trick Room, such as Porygon2, Slowking, Diancie, and Cofagrigus, as well as aid Pangoro in crushing teams, with options being Araquanid, Reuniclus, Dragalge, Rhyperior, and Wishiwashi.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Scrappy along with Superpower can be a perfectly viable choice for a powerful Fighting-type nuke for the Choice Band set, easing prediction against Ghost-types trying to predict a Choice-locked attack and not lowering Pangoro's Speed, which can be relevant if Pangoro is used on a Sticky Web team. However, few Ghost-types usually dare to attempt to check Pangoro in this manner, and Superpower's stat drops can make Pangoro a lot easier to revenge kill and pivot on. The Swords Dance set can make use of Substitute, as it can block status and ease prediction. However, Pangoro's Substitutes tend to break to most Scalds in the tier, and it forfeits important coverage against Fairy-types. Swords Dance Pangoro may also consider Icium Z with Ice Punch to OHKO Chesnaught and most importantly Golbat after a Swords Dance, although Pangoro needs to be Jolly to avoid retaliation from the latter in the form of Brave Bird or even Haze. However, Pangoro won't be able to stand up against Fairy-types as a result, and unboosted Jolly Subzero Slammer doesn't even OHKO physically defensive Gligar. Pangoro has access to Parting Shot, but Pangoro is slow, doesn't have a great defensive typing, and dislikes being forced out when it's not easy for it to get back in safely, plus its turn could be much better spent by doing damage to the foe. Alolan Persian and Silvally make better Parting Shot users anyway.
Bulk Up combined with Drain Punch may sound appealing, but a Defense boost doesn't really help, as the hits Pangoro doesn't mind taking are uninvested anyway, and Pangoro doesn't resist much, is weak to powerful attacks such as Close Combat and Brave Bird, and has special bulk that's nothing to write home about. Z-Me First boosts Pangoro's Speed by two stages, which may open up some sweeping opportunities. However, since a faster Pokemon would have already acted before Pangoro receives the effects of its Z-Move, Pangoro won't get to copy its foe's attack, which heavily cuts into this set's potential. There's also the fact that Pangoro would have to boost with both Z-Me First and Swords Dance to have a chance to sweep, as +2 Speed Pangoro alone isn't likely to sweep without any boost in power. Pangoro is one of the few Pokemon that can learn Power Trip, but it takes 5 stat boosts for Power Trip to only marginally outdamage Knock Off.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-type Pokemon**: Fighting-types tend to be the most solid answers to Pangoro, as they resist Pangoro's best attack while not being particularly weak to its other moves and retaliate for an easy KO. Heracross and Toxicroak receive special mention for resisting both of Pangoro's STAB moves, with Toxicroak also resisting Gunk Shot, while Kommo-o has respectable Defense and tanks all but a Choice Band-boosted Hammer Arm or Ice Punch. Other Fighting-types such as Emboar, Virizion, and Chesnaught can take Knock Off reasonably well but have to be very wary of Pangoro's other moves.
**Fairy-type Pokemon**: Most Fairy-types resist both of Pangoro's STAB moves and threaten massive damage if not a clean OHKO, making them effective checks. However, they have to be very cautious not to switch into Gunk Shot, while the faster ones have to be concerned about Bullet Punch. It should be noted that Diancie takes a lot from Iron Fist Hammer Arm, and while Gardevoir boasts a 4x resistance to Fighting, it does not resist Knock Off at all, so it must tread carefully. Bulkier Fairy-types such as Comfey and Florges do better at checking Choice Band Pangoro, while offensive Fairy-types such as Whimsicott and Gardevoir can take out Swords Dance Pangoro without too much hassle.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pangoro's exceptional neutral coverage as well as its access to Swords Dance and Mold Breaker mean there are no true counters to it. However, Pangoro does fall victim to a multitude of faster Pokemon. Flying-type attackers such as Honchkrow, Moltres, Noivern, and Yanmega are especially effective at taking down Pangoro, since they resist one of Pangoro's STAB attacks; Golbat deserves special attention, as it is one of the very few defensive Pokemon in the tier that can switch into and check Pangoro. Pangoro can also get beaten by Swellow's Choice Specs Boomburst, Roserade's Life Orb Leaf Storm, Durant's Superpower, and users of power-boosting items such as Choice Band, Choice Specs, and Z-Crystals. Faster Pokemon with Fairy coverage such as Dazzling Gleam Espeon, Play Rough Absol, and Moonblast from Speed-invested Florges and Cresselia can take down Pangoro with ease. It should be noted that Pangoro is just bulky enough to avoid an OHKO from all but the most powerful of neutral attacks, so if all else fails, clever pivoting into your checks may be your best bet at defeating Pangoro without losing a Pokemon.
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