Machamp
[Overview]
<p>Meet Machamp, a Pokemon who has always struck fear into the hearts of those who face it, so much so that it has been OU in some of the past generations, which goes to show how good it really it. Its main selling point nowadays is access to a perfect accuracy DynamicPunch, thanks to its great ability, No Guard. This, in combination with its massive base 130 Attack, means he is an absolute terror to face in battle. It's not all peaches for Machamp though, as his Speed is pretty low and he only has slightly above average bulk, which means he isn't necessarily built to last. Additionally, DynamicPunch has a measly 8 PP, which can be gone before you know it during extended battles. That said, if you don't keep this monster in mind when you build your team, you're sure to get absolutely wrecked.</p>
[SET]
name: SubChamp
move 1: Substitute
move 2: DynamicPunch
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: ThunderPunch / Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Already one of the most infuriating Pokemon to face, Substitute takes this to a whole different level by preventing easy revenge kills and forcing people to attack Machamp through confusion. DynamicPunch is the primary STAB option here, as the 100% confusion rate makes it exceedingly hard to play around. Stone Edge provides good coverage by hitting the Flying-types who resist its STAB, such as Zapdos and Crobat, super effectively; it also has the bonus of never missing due to No Guard. ThunderPunch is used almost exclusively for Slowbro and Suicune, as the former is a hard counter to Machamp and the latter can easily wear down all its PP due to Pressure. However, in order to actually get past either one, you might have to get a bit lucky in terms on confusion. Toxic is also usable, as it does a number on a lot of Machamp's usual checks and counters, such as Slowbro, Sableye, and Spiritomb.<p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given Speed EVs ensure Machamp outpaces 0 Speed Porygon2, Swampert and Empoleon, but more can be used to make sure you beat those who invest a bit as well. Attack is then maximized to do as much damage as possible, and the rest of the EVs are thrown into HP so that Machamp takes hits a bit better. Ice Punch is a usable move on this set, as it scores a good hit on Gligar and Nidoqueen, and is likely the only way you're breaking through them. Payback may also be used for coverage, as it hits faster Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Mismagius and Azelf for big damage.</p>
<p>Machamp appreciates being paired with Pokemon who can take Psychic- and Flying-type moves for it, such as Bronzong or Empoleon. Both of these can also set up Stealth Rock to help Machamp be even more dangerous. Additional entry hazard support is also quite useful to maximize Machamp's utility, as DynamicPunch's confusion rate will force a lot of switches, and in turn rack up more residual damage. Roserade makes en excellent partner, as it can lay down Spikes, absorb the Toxic Spikes that Machamp hates, and even heal any status Machamp incurs through the use of Aromatherapy. Pairing Machamp with a Pokemon who can take advantage of the chaos it tends to leave in its wake is usually a good idea. One such partner would be Swords Dance Cobalion, as they share many similar counters that are sure to be very weakened once Machamp does its job.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: DynamicPunch
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: ThunderPunch / Ice Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set works best on offensive teams looking for a bulky setup sweeper who can break other offensive teams. Bulk Up is the crux of the set, allowing Machamp to amplify its damage output and physical bulk at the same time. DynamicPunch is Machamp's choice of STAB; its primary draw on this set is that its confusion rate will allow Machamp to set up multiple Bulk Ups pretty easily. Stone Edge is a great coverage move, hitting the Flying-types that resist Machamp's STAB, such as Zapdos and Crobat, for super effective damage. ThunderPunch hits bulky Water-types hard and allows Machamp to conserve DynamicPunch PP against them. Ice Punch provides coverage on Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Gligar, all of which resist every other move on this set.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs simply maximize damage output while allowing Machamp to outpace 0 Speed Empoleon and Porygon2. The remainder gets thrown into HP to tank hits better. A more specially defensive EV spread can be used to set up on weaker special attackers, such as defensive Roserade and Porygon2, especially since Bulk Up will be boosting Machamp's Defense. It will also allow it to stay in on and kill Pokemon such as Chandelure who come in to revenge kill Machamp. Substitute can be used over Machamp's secondary coverage move, as it allows it it to avoid status and set up easily on most physical attackers. Payback hits faster Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Chandelure and Azelf, harder than anything else.</p>
<p>Like any Machamp set employing DynamicPunch, this set is bound to force many switches; therefore, you should pair it with an entry hazard setter to take advantage of this. Deoxys-D does well here, as it can come in to absorb the Psychic-type moves aimed at Machamp and use the opportunity to set up Spikes. Toxic Spikes ruin Bulk Up Machamp, so pairing it with a grounded Poison-type, such as Roserade, is a good idea. Roserade can also use Aromatherapy to get rid of any other status Machamp might incur. Steel-types also make excellent partners, as they can easily tank any Flying- and Psychic-type moves aimed at Machamp. As a bonus, most of them can also set Stealth Rock, which help Machamp rack up more damage through the switches it forces.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Because of Machamp's wide offensive movepool, many potential sets come to mind. However, most of these tend to be outclassed by other Pokemon. For example, a Choice Band set employing DynamicPunch, Stone Edge, ThunderPunch, and Ice Punch is feasible, but Heracross does it better thanks to its higher damage output, greater Speed, and awesome secondary STAB. In a similar vein, a Guts abuse set which uses Close Combat instead of DynamicPunch for STAB is also possible, but again, it is outclassed by Heracross. As a Pokemon who hits extraordinarily hard but has a middling Speed stat, a Choice Scarf set might seem like a good idea; however, even with this item attached, Machamp can't even outpace Timid Mismagius, making it a poor choice. A Rest + Sleep Talk set has been the standard for Machamp in past generations, but with the change in Sleep mechanics in BW, this set becomes underwhelming.</p>
<p>Machamp also possesses a variety of other moves it can use, such as Earthquake, which it can use to hit Nidoking and Nidoqueen much harder than Ice Punch. Fire Punch is also usable, but the only notable target would be Escavalier, who already loses to Machamp. Bullet Punch gives it some form of priority, but between its low Base Power and lack of STAB, its damage output will be disappointing. Knock Off can be used for support, especially since two of its greatest enemies, Dusclops and Gligar, are commonly seen carrying Eviolite. Surprisingly enough, Machamp also has access to Light Screen, which it can use as a buffer to special hits aimed at it or its teammates.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Because of its access to a 100% accurate DynamicPunch, countering Machamp is usually an uphill battle. That said, bulky Ghost-types, such as Dusclops and Spirtomb, make the best counters, as they are immune to DynamicPunch and can burn Machamp with Will-O-Wisp, effectively neutering it. Similarly, Sableye has little to fear from Machampas it has Prankster Will-O-Wisp to burn Machamp with. Bulky Psychic-types, such as Slowbro, Deoxys-D, and Mew, make good checks, but the latter two need to be careful of getting hit with Payback. Gligar resists Machamp's STAB, has enough bulk to work through confusion, and can Roost to heal off any damage it might incur; it needs to watch out for Ice Punch though. Faster, hard hitting Psychic-types, such as Azelf, make good checks due to the sheer damage they can do to Machamp. Crobat is a shaky check, but it does quadruple resist DynamicPunch and has STAB Brave Bird to hit back with. Nidoking and Nidoqueen resist all of Machamp's common moves and can hit back hard with Sheer Force boosted STAB moves, but they need to be wary of Ice Punch as well. Additionally, they can even lay down Toxic Spikes, which are sure to ruin any Machamp set. Zapdos resists DynamicPunch and has Pressure to deplete Machamp's PP very quickly, but it needs to be careful of switching into Stone Edge. Suicune works similarly in terms of Pressure, but it simply has enough bulk to take a couple DynamicPunches and is not weak to Stone Edge. Generally, if switching directly into Machamp is not an option, you can always resort to simply hitting it repeatedly with strong moves, which will eventually bring it down.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Machamp gets the ability Steadfast through the Dream World. While this ability is usually okay, Machamp's main claim to fame is his 100% accurate DynamicPunch, so you should stick to No Guard.</p>
