qc: Tricking / H&mBerkeley / Corporal Levi
gp: Lemonade. / Haund
[OVERVIEW]
Pawniard has been a titan of the LC metagame for almost the entirety of Generation 6, and it's not hard to see why. Pawniard's STAB Knock Off, backed by a sky-high base 85 Attack and a decent base 60 Speed, gives it nearly unrivaled offensive presence. On top of this, Pawniard has access to one of the strongest unboosted priority attacks in the metagame in Sucker Punch, allowing it to revenge kill many offensive threats. Pawniard's powerful Dark-type STAB attacks are complemented by its Steel typing, giving it nearly flawless coverage in LC. Not only is Pawniard's Dark / Steel typing phenomenal offensively, but it's also great defensively, giving Pawniard lots of useful resistances that, in tandem with its good bulk, let it check threatening Pokemon such as Vullaby and Shellder. Defiant is the icing on the cake, letting Pawniard punish users of moves such as Defog and Sticky Web, as well as Intimidate users, by boosting its Attack by 2 stages every time one of its stats is lowered. However, Pawniard's nasty quadruple weakness to the most common attacking type in LC, Fighting, as well as weaknesses to other common attacking types in Ground and Fire, can easily force it out. Pawniard also suffers from a lack of reliable recovery, leaving it prone to being worn down over the course of a match.
[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Stealth Rock / Swords Dance / Brick Break
item: Eviolite
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 116 SpD / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is a powerful and reliable STAB attack that has the secondary effect of removing the opponent's item, allowing Pawniard to cripple switch-ins that utilize Eviolite and Berry Juice. Iron Head is a strong secondary STAB attack that has great neutral coverage with Knock Off. Sucker Punch is an extremely powerful priority attack that lets Pawniard revenge kill threats such as Fletchling and force others such as Gastly play mindgames. Stealth Rock is an amazing move that does chip damage when the opponent switches, and Pawniard makes for an excellent Stealth Rock setter thanks to the number of switches it forces. Swords Dance lets Pawniard take advantage of the numerous switches it forces by doubling its Attack, turning Pawniard into a fearsome wallbreaker and sweeper. Finally, Brick Break hits every Pokemon that resists Pawniard's STAB combination for super effective damage, most notably other Pawniard.
Set Details
========
This set takes advantage of Pawniard's naturally high Attack and decent bulk, making it a formidable threat both offensively and defensively. The given EV Spread gives Pawniard decent 21 / 14 / 12 bulk, which, when combined with the 50% boost to Pawniard's defenses granted by Eviolite, allows it to survive weaker Fighting-type attacks, such as Timburr's Mach Punch, Croagunk's Vacuum Wave, and the odd Hidden Power Fighting from the likes of Foongus. The EV spread maximizes Pawniard's Speed, allowing it to outspeed threats such as non-Choice Scarf Magnemite and fast Fletchling, in addition to Speed tying with threats such as Dwebble and Hidden Power Fire Snivy. If these are not a concern, an Adamant nature can be used for additional power; the extra point in Attack allows Pawniard to 2HKO bulky Pokemon such as Foongus and offensive Porygon after Stealth Rock damage with the combination of Knock Off and Iron Head. The remaining EVs are placed into Attack to ensure that Pawniard hits as hard as possible. Defiant is an excellent ability for Pawniard, allowing it to further punish Pokemon that it already checks such as Snubbull and Vullaby by boosting its Attack by 2 stages every time one of its stats is lowered. If running Brick Break, an EV spread of 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe with a Jolly nature can be used to guarantee the OHKO on opposing Pawniard.
Usage Tips
========
This Pawniard set combines great offensive presence, a good typing, and decent bulk to make a fantastic offensive pivot. Use Knock Off liberally, particularly in the earlier stages of a match, as it will soften up the opponent's team greatly by removing Eviolites and Berry Juices. The threat of Pawniard's extremely powerful Knock Off forces countless switches; take advantage of the free turns Pawniard gives to set up Stealth Rock or Swords Dance. Pawniard's great defensive typing and solid bulk make it an excellent switch-in to powerful threats such as Vullaby; use this to your advantage to fire off powerful Knock Offs as the foe is forced to switch. Watch out for Pokemon such as Foongus that are normally forced out by Pawniard staying or coming in on it, as they most likely will be running Hidden Power Fighting in an attempt to catch Pawniard off guard. If facing faster Pokemon that are OHKOed by Pawniard's Sucker Punch, such as Gastly, take care when using the move, as these Pokemon often carry Substitute, allowing them to bypass Sucker Punch. Finally, take advantage of Pawniard's excellent ability, Defiant, which deters the use of Sticky Web and Memento with the threat of Pawniard switching in, having its Attack boosted, and wreaking havoc on the typically frail offensive teams that make use of these moves; however, do not be reckless with Pawniard, as these teams often carry multiple checks to it. Furthermore, many Defog users also carry coverage to hit Pawniard super effectively, such as Archen's Earthquake.
Team Options
========
When using Pawniard, an answer to Fighting-types is mandatory, as its 4x weakness to Fighting means it will often be forced out by the likes of Mienfoo and Timburr. Good examples of reliable Fighting-type switch-ins are Fairy- or Fire-types such as Snubbull and Larvesta. Other more offensive Fighting-type checks such Abra and Fletchling also work. Finally, Gothita can trap and eliminate Fighting-types for Pawniard, allowing it to more easily wreak havoc on the opposing team. Switch-ins to Fire-types are also useful; good examples include bulky Water-types such as RestTalk Skrelp and Eviolite Staryu. A switch-in to Ground-types such as Drilbur is also a good idea; Grass-types such as Snivy and Pumpkaboo work well in this role. Late-game cleaners such as Swords Dance Fletchling and Dragon Dance Scraggy greatly appreciate the Knock Off support Pawniard provides, as it allows them to sweep much more easily once their checks have their Eviolites removed. Finally, Pawniard is an excellent addition to hazard-stacking teams, as Pawniard both enjoys the additional 2HKOes that entry hazards provide and is able to help keep them on the field by discouraging the use of Defog. On hazard-stacking teams, Ghost-types such as Drifloon also make good teammates, as they can prevent the use of Rapid Spin.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Swords Dance / Low Sweep
item: Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
ivs: 9 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
With fully invested Attack and a Life Orb, Pawniard's Knock Off is ridiculously powerful, giving it the ability to 2HKO almost everything that does not resist the move. Iron Head provides complementary coverage to Knock Off, 2HKOing the common Fighting- and Fairy-types that resist Dark. Sucker Punch provides Pawniard with a very strong priority attack and allows it to 2HKO a slightly weakened Mienfoo if it switches into Iron Head. Swords Dance boosts Pawniard's power to ludicrous levels, while Low Sweep OHKOes opposing Pawniard and helps versus Mienfoo and Ponyta thanks to its secondary effect of dropping the foe's Speed. Alternatively, Substitute can be used to take advantage of free turns, to help ease prediction, and to block status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximize Pawniard's Attack and Speed to ensure that it hits as hard and as fast as possible, with the remaining EVs used to marginally increase Pawniard's bulk. A Jolly nature Speed ties Dwebble and opposing Pawniard and allows Pawniard to outspeed all variants of Berry Juice Magnemite and Fletchling, while an Adamant nature forgoes these Speed benchmarks to make Pawniard even more powerful. Life Orb is the item of choice, as it boosts Pawniard's damage output significantly while allowing it to freely switch moves, unlike Choice items. 9 HP IVs are run so that Pawniard reaches 19 HP, which lets it take only 1 HP of damage from Life Orb recoil. Defiant punishes users of moves such as Defog, Sticky Web, and Memento as well as Intimidate users by boosting Pawniard's Attack through the roof.
Usage Tips
========
Without Eviolite, Pawniard is relatively frail and easily worn down, so do not switch it recklessly into opposing Pokemon; instead, use slow pivots or predicted double switches to bring it in safely. When Pawniard is in play, spam Knock Off as much as possible; the move's great power and useful side effect aid in breaking down opposing teams. This Pawniard set tends to switch in and out a lot, so avoid taking too many powerful neutral hits. Use the threat of Defiant to your advantage to punish users of Intimidate, Sticky Web, Defog, and Memento. Fast, frail Pokemon such as Gastly often run Substitute to get around Sucker Punch, so do not mindlessly use the move against these Pokemon. Pawniard works exceptionally well on Sticky Web teams in particular, as it has the raw power to take full advantage of the Speed control provided by Sticky Web coupled with the ability to deter the use of Defog.
Team Options
========
A switch-in to Fighting-types, such as Snubbull, is necessary to help mitigate Pawniard's 4x weakness to Fighting-type attacks. In addition, checks to Fire-types and Drilbur such as Skrelp and Drifloon, respectively, are also worthwhile. Slow pivots such as Chinchou and Mienfoo can be useful to help Pawniard get in unscathed while appreciating Pawniard's ridiculous wallbreaking capability. Gothita makes for a good teammate, as it can trap and eliminate Pokemon such as Mienfoo and Timburr that give Pawniard a hard time. Setup sweepers such as Scraggy are also good partners, as they appreciate Pawniard's ability to break down walls such as Spritzee. Finally, entry hazard setters such as Dwebble work well with Pawniard, as the support they provide helps Pawniard get additional KOes, while Pawniard can deter the use of Defog thanks to Defiant.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Pursuit / Sucker Punch
move 4: Brick Break / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is Pawniard's primary STAB attack, boasting good power, excellent coverage, and the ability to remove the foe's item. Iron Head gets great coverage with Knock Off, and its 30% flinch chance works well in tandem with Choice Scarf. Pursuit puts Pokemon weak to Dark, such as Abra, Gastly, and Gothita, into a checkmate position, and it can also be used to trap other threats such as Fletchling. Sucker Punch allows Pawniard to revenge kill Pokemon that it does not outspeed even with a Choice Scarf, such as Shell Smash Omanyte. Brick Break rounds out Pawniard's coverage by hitting super -effectively the Pokemon that resist Pawniard's STAB attacks, namely Houndour, Carvanha, and other Pawniard. Stealth Rock is a viable option to capitalize on forced switches; however, Pawniard will be forced out after using the move.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximizes Pawniard's Attack and Speed, with the remaining EVs put into its' defenses to slightly increase bulk. A Jolly nature lets Pawniard hit 24 Speed with the Speed boost provided by Choice Scarf, allowing it to revenge kill threats such as Adamant Tirtouga after a Shell Smash and Choice Scarf Magnemite. Choice Scarf is the item of choice, allowing Pawniard to serve as an effective revenge killer and Puruit trapper. Defiant works well with Choice Scarf, allowing Pawniard wreak havoc on Sticky Web teams in addition to pressuring Memento, Intimidate, and Defog users.
Usage Tips
========
Pawniard serves as both an effective revenge killer and as a good means of softening up the opponent's team by spamming Knock Off. This set makes Pawniard relatively frail, however, so try to avoid directly switching it in a lot; instead bring it in via a slow pivot or to revenge kill the foe after one of your Pokemon faints. Pawniard can also take advantage of Iron Head's 30% flinch chance combined with the Speed boost provided by Choice Scarf to net you free turns. Use Pursuit to put Pokemon such as Abra and Gastly into a checkmate position; however, do not switch in Pawniard freely on these Pokemon, as they often carry Hidden Power Fighting. If Pawniard manages to grab a Defiant boost, it can make an potent lategame cleaner; try to predict if the opponent uses Defog or Memento.
Team Options
========
Switch-ins to Fighting-types, such as Spritzee and Larvesta, are recommended, as this set can easily lose momentum when it is locked into Knock Off. Checks to Fire- and Ground-types, such as Chinchou and Drifloon, are also good ideas. Bulky Water-types such as Staryu and Slowpoke work particularly well as teammates, as they check both Fire- and Ground-types well and deal decently well with Fighting-types. Entry hazard setters such as Dwebble help Pawniard get additional 2HKOs and OHKOs, while Pawniard discourages the use of Defog thanks to Defiant.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Thunder Wave cripples common switch-ins such as Mienfoo and Ponyta, but Pawnaird struggles to find a moveslot for it. In addition, if running Thunder Wave, be careful if the opponent has a Timburr, as being paralyzed by Thunder Wave will boost Timburr's Attack thanks to Guts. Berry Juice can be used to provide Pawniard with extra longevity; however, it significantly reduces Pawniard's bulk and makes it less able to switch in on Pokemon that carry Knock Off, such as Vullaby. Psycho Cut can be used to hit Fighting-types super effectively, but Iron Head usually deals enough damage. Rock Tomb can be used to 2HKO Ponyta and Larvesta without fear of being outsped or activating Flame Body. Rock Polish can be used to turn Pawniard into a late-game cleaner. Taunt turns Pawniard into an extremely effective stallbreaker when combined with its powerful Knock Off, but many bulkier teams carry Pokemon such as Mienfoo that can outright OHKO Pawniard. Lun Berry can be used to help Pawniard deal with Foongus and burn spreaders, most notably Drifloon, more reliably, but it is useless outside of this. Finally, while Power-Up Punch may look appealing, as it hits other Pawniard for super effective damage while simultaneously boosting Pawniard's Attack, it is never worth the moveslot because it is extremely weak, barely 2HKOing other Pawniard, and it is completely outclassed by Swords Dance as an option for boosting Pawniard's Attack.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: LC's common Fighting-types all resist Knock Off and can switch into Pawnird and OHKO\ it with their STAB attacks. Mienfoo naturally outspeeds Pawniard, Timburr and Croagunk have access to STAB priority in Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave, respectively, and Scraggy can use Pawniard as setup fodder. However, all these Pokemon are 2HKOed by Iron Head after losing their Eviolite to Knock Off, limiting the number of times they can switch in, and bothMach Punch and Vacuum Wave from Timburr and Croagunk, respectively, fail to OHKO Eviolite Pawniard from full health.
**Fire-types**: Ponyta and Larvesta make for excellent counters to Pawniard. Ponyta outspeeds Pawniard, and both can either OHKO it with their powerful STAB Flare Blitzes or cripple it with a burn from Will-O-Wisp or Flame Body. However, both of them are weak to Stealth Rock and neither resists Knock Off, allowing Pawniard to deal large amounts of damage with a little luck. Larvesta is also outsped by Pawniard and 2HKOed by the Life Orb set unless Flame Body activates.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types can threaten Pawniard with their powerful STAB Earthquakes. Drilbur can outspeed Pawniard and OHKO it, while Hippopotas is bulky enough to avoid being 2HKOed by all Pawniard sets short of Adamant Life Orb Pawniard. Diglett and the more niche Trapinch posess Arena Trap, allowing them to all but guarantee Pawniard's removal. None of these Pokemon except Hippopotas can switch into Pawniard safely, however, and non-Focus Sash variants of Diglett are OHKOed by Sucker Punch.
**Fighting coverage**: Hidden Power Fighting is commonly run on Pokemon such as Foongus that Pawniard normally counters, allowing them to 2HKO or even OHKO it on the switch.
**Status**: Paralysis cripples Pawniard, as many of the Pokemon it checks are slower than it, while burns from Will-O-Wisp and Flame Body users such as Ponyta drastically reduce Pawniard's damage output.
**Sticky Hold users**: Pokemon such as Trubbish and Shellos with access to Sticky Hold can reliably switch into most Pawniard sets. Shellos can threaten Pawniard with a Scald burn or a super effective Earth Power, while Trubbish outspeeds Pawniard and can either hit it with a 4x effective Drain Punch or set up Spikes on it. However, both will always take extra damage from Knock Off, making them vulnerable to Swords Dance and Life Orb Pawniard.
gp: Lemonade. / Haund
[OVERVIEW]
Pawniard has been a titan of the LC metagame for almost the entirety of Generation 6, and it's not hard to see why. Pawniard's STAB Knock Off, backed by a sky-high base 85 Attack and a decent base 60 Speed, gives it nearly unrivaled offensive presence. On top of this, Pawniard has access to one of the strongest unboosted priority attacks in the metagame in Sucker Punch, allowing it to revenge kill many offensive threats. Pawniard's powerful Dark-type STAB attacks are complemented by its Steel typing, giving it nearly flawless coverage in LC. Not only is Pawniard's Dark / Steel typing phenomenal offensively, but it's also great defensively, giving Pawniard lots of useful resistances that, in tandem with its good bulk, let it check threatening Pokemon such as Vullaby and Shellder. Defiant is the icing on the cake, letting Pawniard punish users of moves such as Defog and Sticky Web, as well as Intimidate users, by boosting its Attack by 2 stages every time one of its stats is lowered. However, Pawniard's nasty quadruple weakness to the most common attacking type in LC, Fighting, as well as weaknesses to other common attacking types in Ground and Fire, can easily force it out. Pawniard also suffers from a lack of reliable recovery, leaving it prone to being worn down over the course of a match.
[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Stealth Rock / Swords Dance / Brick Break
item: Eviolite
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 116 SpD / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is a powerful and reliable STAB attack that has the secondary effect of removing the opponent's item, allowing Pawniard to cripple switch-ins that utilize Eviolite and Berry Juice. Iron Head is a strong secondary STAB attack that has great neutral coverage with Knock Off. Sucker Punch is an extremely powerful priority attack that lets Pawniard revenge kill threats such as Fletchling and force others such as Gastly play mindgames. Stealth Rock is an amazing move that does chip damage when the opponent switches, and Pawniard makes for an excellent Stealth Rock setter thanks to the number of switches it forces. Swords Dance lets Pawniard take advantage of the numerous switches it forces by doubling its Attack, turning Pawniard into a fearsome wallbreaker and sweeper. Finally, Brick Break hits every Pokemon that resists Pawniard's STAB combination for super effective damage, most notably other Pawniard.
Set Details
========
This set takes advantage of Pawniard's naturally high Attack and decent bulk, making it a formidable threat both offensively and defensively. The given EV Spread gives Pawniard decent 21 / 14 / 12 bulk, which, when combined with the 50% boost to Pawniard's defenses granted by Eviolite, allows it to survive weaker Fighting-type attacks, such as Timburr's Mach Punch, Croagunk's Vacuum Wave, and the odd Hidden Power Fighting from the likes of Foongus. The EV spread maximizes Pawniard's Speed, allowing it to outspeed threats such as non-Choice Scarf Magnemite and fast Fletchling, in addition to Speed tying with threats such as Dwebble and Hidden Power Fire Snivy. If these are not a concern, an Adamant nature can be used for additional power; the extra point in Attack allows Pawniard to 2HKO bulky Pokemon such as Foongus and offensive Porygon after Stealth Rock damage with the combination of Knock Off and Iron Head. The remaining EVs are placed into Attack to ensure that Pawniard hits as hard as possible. Defiant is an excellent ability for Pawniard, allowing it to further punish Pokemon that it already checks such as Snubbull and Vullaby by boosting its Attack by 2 stages every time one of its stats is lowered. If running Brick Break, an EV spread of 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe with a Jolly nature can be used to guarantee the OHKO on opposing Pawniard.
Usage Tips
========
This Pawniard set combines great offensive presence, a good typing, and decent bulk to make a fantastic offensive pivot. Use Knock Off liberally, particularly in the earlier stages of a match, as it will soften up the opponent's team greatly by removing Eviolites and Berry Juices. The threat of Pawniard's extremely powerful Knock Off forces countless switches; take advantage of the free turns Pawniard gives to set up Stealth Rock or Swords Dance. Pawniard's great defensive typing and solid bulk make it an excellent switch-in to powerful threats such as Vullaby; use this to your advantage to fire off powerful Knock Offs as the foe is forced to switch. Watch out for Pokemon such as Foongus that are normally forced out by Pawniard staying or coming in on it, as they most likely will be running Hidden Power Fighting in an attempt to catch Pawniard off guard. If facing faster Pokemon that are OHKOed by Pawniard's Sucker Punch, such as Gastly, take care when using the move, as these Pokemon often carry Substitute, allowing them to bypass Sucker Punch. Finally, take advantage of Pawniard's excellent ability, Defiant, which deters the use of Sticky Web and Memento with the threat of Pawniard switching in, having its Attack boosted, and wreaking havoc on the typically frail offensive teams that make use of these moves; however, do not be reckless with Pawniard, as these teams often carry multiple checks to it. Furthermore, many Defog users also carry coverage to hit Pawniard super effectively, such as Archen's Earthquake.
Team Options
========
When using Pawniard, an answer to Fighting-types is mandatory, as its 4x weakness to Fighting means it will often be forced out by the likes of Mienfoo and Timburr. Good examples of reliable Fighting-type switch-ins are Fairy- or Fire-types such as Snubbull and Larvesta. Other more offensive Fighting-type checks such Abra and Fletchling also work. Finally, Gothita can trap and eliminate Fighting-types for Pawniard, allowing it to more easily wreak havoc on the opposing team. Switch-ins to Fire-types are also useful; good examples include bulky Water-types such as RestTalk Skrelp and Eviolite Staryu. A switch-in to Ground-types such as Drilbur is also a good idea; Grass-types such as Snivy and Pumpkaboo work well in this role. Late-game cleaners such as Swords Dance Fletchling and Dragon Dance Scraggy greatly appreciate the Knock Off support Pawniard provides, as it allows them to sweep much more easily once their checks have their Eviolites removed. Finally, Pawniard is an excellent addition to hazard-stacking teams, as Pawniard both enjoys the additional 2HKOes that entry hazards provide and is able to help keep them on the field by discouraging the use of Defog. On hazard-stacking teams, Ghost-types such as Drifloon also make good teammates, as they can prevent the use of Rapid Spin.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Swords Dance / Low Sweep
item: Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
ivs: 9 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
With fully invested Attack and a Life Orb, Pawniard's Knock Off is ridiculously powerful, giving it the ability to 2HKO almost everything that does not resist the move. Iron Head provides complementary coverage to Knock Off, 2HKOing the common Fighting- and Fairy-types that resist Dark. Sucker Punch provides Pawniard with a very strong priority attack and allows it to 2HKO a slightly weakened Mienfoo if it switches into Iron Head. Swords Dance boosts Pawniard's power to ludicrous levels, while Low Sweep OHKOes opposing Pawniard and helps versus Mienfoo and Ponyta thanks to its secondary effect of dropping the foe's Speed. Alternatively, Substitute can be used to take advantage of free turns, to help ease prediction, and to block status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximize Pawniard's Attack and Speed to ensure that it hits as hard and as fast as possible, with the remaining EVs used to marginally increase Pawniard's bulk. A Jolly nature Speed ties Dwebble and opposing Pawniard and allows Pawniard to outspeed all variants of Berry Juice Magnemite and Fletchling, while an Adamant nature forgoes these Speed benchmarks to make Pawniard even more powerful. Life Orb is the item of choice, as it boosts Pawniard's damage output significantly while allowing it to freely switch moves, unlike Choice items. 9 HP IVs are run so that Pawniard reaches 19 HP, which lets it take only 1 HP of damage from Life Orb recoil. Defiant punishes users of moves such as Defog, Sticky Web, and Memento as well as Intimidate users by boosting Pawniard's Attack through the roof.
Usage Tips
========
Without Eviolite, Pawniard is relatively frail and easily worn down, so do not switch it recklessly into opposing Pokemon; instead, use slow pivots or predicted double switches to bring it in safely. When Pawniard is in play, spam Knock Off as much as possible; the move's great power and useful side effect aid in breaking down opposing teams. This Pawniard set tends to switch in and out a lot, so avoid taking too many powerful neutral hits. Use the threat of Defiant to your advantage to punish users of Intimidate, Sticky Web, Defog, and Memento. Fast, frail Pokemon such as Gastly often run Substitute to get around Sucker Punch, so do not mindlessly use the move against these Pokemon. Pawniard works exceptionally well on Sticky Web teams in particular, as it has the raw power to take full advantage of the Speed control provided by Sticky Web coupled with the ability to deter the use of Defog.
Team Options
========
A switch-in to Fighting-types, such as Snubbull, is necessary to help mitigate Pawniard's 4x weakness to Fighting-type attacks. In addition, checks to Fire-types and Drilbur such as Skrelp and Drifloon, respectively, are also worthwhile. Slow pivots such as Chinchou and Mienfoo can be useful to help Pawniard get in unscathed while appreciating Pawniard's ridiculous wallbreaking capability. Gothita makes for a good teammate, as it can trap and eliminate Pokemon such as Mienfoo and Timburr that give Pawniard a hard time. Setup sweepers such as Scraggy are also good partners, as they appreciate Pawniard's ability to break down walls such as Spritzee. Finally, entry hazard setters such as Dwebble work well with Pawniard, as the support they provide helps Pawniard get additional KOes, while Pawniard can deter the use of Defog thanks to Defiant.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Pursuit / Sucker Punch
move 4: Brick Break / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is Pawniard's primary STAB attack, boasting good power, excellent coverage, and the ability to remove the foe's item. Iron Head gets great coverage with Knock Off, and its 30% flinch chance works well in tandem with Choice Scarf. Pursuit puts Pokemon weak to Dark, such as Abra, Gastly, and Gothita, into a checkmate position, and it can also be used to trap other threats such as Fletchling. Sucker Punch allows Pawniard to revenge kill Pokemon that it does not outspeed even with a Choice Scarf, such as Shell Smash Omanyte. Brick Break rounds out Pawniard's coverage by hitting super -effectively the Pokemon that resist Pawniard's STAB attacks, namely Houndour, Carvanha, and other Pawniard. Stealth Rock is a viable option to capitalize on forced switches; however, Pawniard will be forced out after using the move.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximizes Pawniard's Attack and Speed, with the remaining EVs put into its' defenses to slightly increase bulk. A Jolly nature lets Pawniard hit 24 Speed with the Speed boost provided by Choice Scarf, allowing it to revenge kill threats such as Adamant Tirtouga after a Shell Smash and Choice Scarf Magnemite. Choice Scarf is the item of choice, allowing Pawniard to serve as an effective revenge killer and Puruit trapper. Defiant works well with Choice Scarf, allowing Pawniard wreak havoc on Sticky Web teams in addition to pressuring Memento, Intimidate, and Defog users.
Usage Tips
========
Pawniard serves as both an effective revenge killer and as a good means of softening up the opponent's team by spamming Knock Off. This set makes Pawniard relatively frail, however, so try to avoid directly switching it in a lot; instead bring it in via a slow pivot or to revenge kill the foe after one of your Pokemon faints. Pawniard can also take advantage of Iron Head's 30% flinch chance combined with the Speed boost provided by Choice Scarf to net you free turns. Use Pursuit to put Pokemon such as Abra and Gastly into a checkmate position; however, do not switch in Pawniard freely on these Pokemon, as they often carry Hidden Power Fighting. If Pawniard manages to grab a Defiant boost, it can make an potent lategame cleaner; try to predict if the opponent uses Defog or Memento.
Team Options
========
Switch-ins to Fighting-types, such as Spritzee and Larvesta, are recommended, as this set can easily lose momentum when it is locked into Knock Off. Checks to Fire- and Ground-types, such as Chinchou and Drifloon, are also good ideas. Bulky Water-types such as Staryu and Slowpoke work particularly well as teammates, as they check both Fire- and Ground-types well and deal decently well with Fighting-types. Entry hazard setters such as Dwebble help Pawniard get additional 2HKOs and OHKOs, while Pawniard discourages the use of Defog thanks to Defiant.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Thunder Wave cripples common switch-ins such as Mienfoo and Ponyta, but Pawnaird struggles to find a moveslot for it. In addition, if running Thunder Wave, be careful if the opponent has a Timburr, as being paralyzed by Thunder Wave will boost Timburr's Attack thanks to Guts. Berry Juice can be used to provide Pawniard with extra longevity; however, it significantly reduces Pawniard's bulk and makes it less able to switch in on Pokemon that carry Knock Off, such as Vullaby. Psycho Cut can be used to hit Fighting-types super effectively, but Iron Head usually deals enough damage. Rock Tomb can be used to 2HKO Ponyta and Larvesta without fear of being outsped or activating Flame Body. Rock Polish can be used to turn Pawniard into a late-game cleaner. Taunt turns Pawniard into an extremely effective stallbreaker when combined with its powerful Knock Off, but many bulkier teams carry Pokemon such as Mienfoo that can outright OHKO Pawniard. Lun Berry can be used to help Pawniard deal with Foongus and burn spreaders, most notably Drifloon, more reliably, but it is useless outside of this. Finally, while Power-Up Punch may look appealing, as it hits other Pawniard for super effective damage while simultaneously boosting Pawniard's Attack, it is never worth the moveslot because it is extremely weak, barely 2HKOing other Pawniard, and it is completely outclassed by Swords Dance as an option for boosting Pawniard's Attack.
Checks and Counters
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**Fighting-types**: LC's common Fighting-types all resist Knock Off and can switch into Pawnird and OHKO\ it with their STAB attacks. Mienfoo naturally outspeeds Pawniard, Timburr and Croagunk have access to STAB priority in Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave, respectively, and Scraggy can use Pawniard as setup fodder. However, all these Pokemon are 2HKOed by Iron Head after losing their Eviolite to Knock Off, limiting the number of times they can switch in, and bothMach Punch and Vacuum Wave from Timburr and Croagunk, respectively, fail to OHKO Eviolite Pawniard from full health.
**Fire-types**: Ponyta and Larvesta make for excellent counters to Pawniard. Ponyta outspeeds Pawniard, and both can either OHKO it with their powerful STAB Flare Blitzes or cripple it with a burn from Will-O-Wisp or Flame Body. However, both of them are weak to Stealth Rock and neither resists Knock Off, allowing Pawniard to deal large amounts of damage with a little luck. Larvesta is also outsped by Pawniard and 2HKOed by the Life Orb set unless Flame Body activates.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types can threaten Pawniard with their powerful STAB Earthquakes. Drilbur can outspeed Pawniard and OHKO it, while Hippopotas is bulky enough to avoid being 2HKOed by all Pawniard sets short of Adamant Life Orb Pawniard. Diglett and the more niche Trapinch posess Arena Trap, allowing them to all but guarantee Pawniard's removal. None of these Pokemon except Hippopotas can switch into Pawniard safely, however, and non-Focus Sash variants of Diglett are OHKOed by Sucker Punch.
**Fighting coverage**: Hidden Power Fighting is commonly run on Pokemon such as Foongus that Pawniard normally counters, allowing them to 2HKO or even OHKO it on the switch.
**Status**: Paralysis cripples Pawniard, as many of the Pokemon it checks are slower than it, while burns from Will-O-Wisp and Flame Body users such as Ponyta drastically reduce Pawniard's damage output.
**Sticky Hold users**: Pokemon such as Trubbish and Shellos with access to Sticky Hold can reliably switch into most Pawniard sets. Shellos can threaten Pawniard with a Scald burn or a super effective Earth Power, while Trubbish outspeeds Pawniard and can either hit it with a 4x effective Drain Punch or set up Spikes on it. However, both will always take extra damage from Knock Off, making them vulnerable to Swords Dance and Life Orb Pawniard.
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