http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/trapinch
[Overview]
<p>Although Trapinch may seem like an inferior Dugtrio, he has a few advantages over the triple mole. Notably, Trapinch has higher Attack, and his low Speed makes him usable in Trick Room. Arena Trap is the main selling point for Trapinch, enabling him to trap the opposing Pokemon while threatening them with STAB Earthquake. Trapinch also, and thankfully, has an immunity to Electric-type attacks, which makes switching in a little easier. The main problem with Trapinch is the fact that he is quite litterly unable to take any kind of hit (outside of said Electric attacks). Because of this, Trapinch is very difficult to switch in, and doesn't last very long in battle.</p>
[SET]
name: UU Trick Room Trapper
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Bug Bite / Quick Attack
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Brave
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>To the common battler, Trapinch seems like a useless Pokemon who is essentially a waste of a team slot. However, he does have a niche in the UU metagame, albeit a very slight one: his low Speed and Arena Trap ability turn him into a good revenge killer when you have Trick Room set up. With a measly 22 Speed, nothing will outspeed Trapinch in Trick Room, unless it carries a priority move. Just beware when switching him in, as he is unable to take any kind of hit. Earthquake hits Registeel and Fire-types, though most Fire-types have priority (Arcanine with ExtremeSpeed, Blaziken with Vacuum Wave, and Houndoom with Sucker Punch). Crunch deals immense damage to Ghost- and Psychic-types, while Rock Slide is used to hit Flying-types who are immune to Earthquake. Bug Bite hits Dark- and Grass-types hard, and it also has the ability to steal an opposing Pokemon's Berry. Finally, Quick Attack may be used to finish off weakened foes, and brings some priority to the table which can be useful outside of Trick Room. Using a Choice Band gives Trapinch more power, though it doesn't score any notable KOs when compared to Life Orb. It cannot be stressed enough that Trapinch is extremely frail, so much so that he can't afford to take a single hit. Because of this, make sure you bring him in on an Electric-type attack or after a teammate has been KOed. An Exploding partner can manage to bring Trapinch in safely, too.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>0 Speed EVs and a Brave nature give Trapinch a grand total of 22 Speed, making him one of the slowest Pokemon in the (only Munchlax is slower). Max Attack EVs give Trapinch some much-needed power, while the rest of the EVs are placed into HP. Trapinch's defenses are so low that they aren't worth investing in.</p>
<p>Trick Room support is vital to Trapinch's success, making him faster than every Pokemon in UU when it's set up. Claydol and Solrock are both excellent choices to set up Trick Room, as they can provide Stealth Rock and dual screens, then Explode afterwards, granting Trapinch a safe switch-in. More bulky partners include Porygon2 and Slowbro, both of which have access to Trick Room and a reliable recovery move.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>As Trapinch is unable to survive any kind of hit, Pokemon who can switch into Grass-, Ice-, and Water-type attacks are recommended as teammates. Exeggutor can switch into Grass- and Water-types, while Slowbro and Slowking can switch into Water- and Ice-type attacks. Pokemon with the ability to hit Grass-, Ice-, and Water-types super effectively also make good partners. Fire-types can deal with Grass- and Ice-types, while Electric-types can deal with Water-types. In this vein, Camerupt and Ampharos both have poor Speed, good attacking stats, and have great type coverage, making them valuable partners under Trick Room.</p>
<p>Trapinch has trouble with priority moves, so using a Pokemon capable of switching in on common priority attacks is a good idea. Uxie, Mesprit, and Porygon2 are good choices; Uxie and Mesprit can set up Stealth Rock and dual screens, while Porygon2 has access to Recover. Dual screen support is also helpful due to Trapinch's frailness. Good Pokemon to set up screens include Claydol, Uxie, and Mesprit.</p>
<p>Trapinch needs Trick Room support to be effective, making Pokemon like Claydol and Solrock great teammates. These two are especially good as they can Explode, giving Trapinch a safe switch-in. Porygon2 and Slowbro are bulkier options who both have reliable recovery moves at their disposal. Finally, Pokemon who can take advantage of Trick Room are excellent partners; Rhyperior, Clamperl, and Camerupt are all great choices due to their low Speed and high attacking stats.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Trapinch has a very limited movepool, though there are a few options to consider. Substitute protects Trapinch from status, though if Trick Room is in effect, it's just wasting turns. Flail can be used late-game when Trapinch has been weakned by entry hazards or Life Orb recoil, hitting the opponent with a powerful Normal-type move with a Base Power of up to 200. Hyper Cutter is a viable ability, though using it forces Trapinch to lose the only thing that sets him apart from most other Ground-types: the ever-useful Arena Trap ability. An Adamant nature could be used with 252 Speed EVs and some Speed passing, though switching in Trapinch is extremely risky.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Bulky Ground-types such as Donphan and Torterra take little damage from any of Trapinch's attacks, while they can threaten him with Ice Shard and Wood Hammer, respectively. Weezing is immune to Earthquake, and can use Will-O-Wisp to cripple Trapinch or damage him with Flamethrower. Cloyster can switch in pretty easily thanks to its huge Defense, and can swiftly KO Trapinch with Ice Shard. Spiritomb can burn Trapinch with Will-O-Wisp, while Sucker Punch will KO him. Almost any Pokemon with a priority move and the ability to switch in safely can KO Trapinch with ease, since his defenses are so awful that he will fall to almost any kind of hit.</p>
