[OVERVIEW]
Medicham is the most immediately threatening pokemon in Gen 3 OU, especially if it runs a Choice Band, its Focus Punch is amongst the strongest attacks in the tier. Even Medicham's common foes like Salamence, Skarmory and Gengar have to be wary of its power and excellent coverage. Medicham stands out as the only Fighting-type Pokémon with access to the move Shadow Ball, giving it a unique edge. Often found leading offensive teams, Medicham excels at punishing common Tyranitar lead strategies, forcing switches and dealing significant damage. Medicham has quite a lot of item variety, a rare trait in Gen 3 OU. Whether using a Choice Band for maximum damage, a Lum Berry to shrug off status, or a Salac Berry to boost its speed, Medicham can adapt to various situations and trade blows effectively. This adaptability makes Medicham one of the most dangerous leads to face.
[SET]
Name: All-Out Attacker
- Brick Break
- Shadow Ball
- Rock Slide / Substitute
- Focus Punch / Baton Pass
Item: Leftovers, Choice Band, Lum Berry, Salac Berry
Ability: Pure Power
Jolly / Adamant Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
The All-Out Attacker Medicham set stands as one of the most potent lead options in the Gen 3 OU metagame. Medicham is best utilized as a lead due to its inherent fragility and the advantages it offers at the beginning of a match. As a battle progresses, Medicham's value diminishes. Its low bulk makes it susceptible to being worn down by residual damage or powerful attacks, especially from faster threats. Once the initial momentum is lost, Medicham struggles to maintain its effectiveness. Its primary targets are Tyranitar and Zapdos lead teams, which are incredibly common in the tier. Medicham excels at exploiting these matchups, either by forcing favorable switches or trading blows directly. Against Tyranitar, Medicham's mere presence forces a retreat, often leading to a switch into a defensive Pokémon like Skarmory. Medicham excels as a Skarmory lure, exploiting the Skarmory’s neutrality to Fighting-type attacks and forcing huge damage on it. This creates an opportunity for Medicham's teammates to capitalize on Skarmory's weakened state, paving the way for late game set up sweepers such as Dragon Dance Salamence or Agility Metagross. By consistently threatening Skarmory, Medicham disrupts Skarmory’s ability to Spike freely and limits its effectiveness. Skarmory often uses Drill Peck to deal with Medicham however because of Baton Pass has to be very careful of Medicham pivoting into Magneton. This allows Medicham to unleash a devastating Focus Punch with relative ease. Zapdos frequently opts to trade blows with Medicham. To counter this, Medicham can equip a Salac Berry, allowing it to turn the tables. Thunderbolt can bring Medicham into Salac Berry range, enabling Medicham to 2HKO Zapdos or force it to switch. Salac Berry can’t be used with Baton Pass so these variants will usually choose to run 4 attacks or Substitute.
Even the most resilient defensive pivots, such as Salamence, are significantly threatened by Focus Punch, often unable to withstand its raw power over time. For maximum offensive pressure, a Choice Band further boosts Medicham's destructive capabilities, sacrificing some flexibility for unmatched power. Few Pokémon, even those with Fighting-type resistance, can safely switch into a Choice Band-boosted Focus Punch more than once at best.
Medicham's access to Shadow Ball adds another layer to its offensive prowess, making Ghost-types like Gengar wary of switching in. This further enhances its effectiveness as a Choice Band user. To mitigate Gengar's common Will-O-Wisp, Medicham often carries a Lum Berry. This allows it to absorb the status condition, and secure the KO with Shadow Ball. The Lum Berry also provides a one-time opportunity to pivot into slower Pokémon that spread status, such as Blissey's Thunder Wave, and Medicham's power allows it to capitalize on this opening effectively.
Team Options
========
In Gen 3 OU, Medicham is most commonly found on offense teams. Its a staple Pokemon on both Mixed Offense and Magneton team styles. Medicham often lures out Skarmory, a common defensive wall, and punishes it with powerful Fighting-type attacks or a pivot to Magneton. This forces Skarmory to take damage or be removed outright. Medicham's ability to draw out and damage Skarmory is a key part of its niche in Gen 3 OU, creating openings for a wide range of Pokémon to thrive and providing explosive power to the teams its found on
This is especially helpful for Pokemon like Dragon Dance Salamence, Gyarados and Tyranitar. When Medicham weakens Skarmory, these Pokémon can set up and sweep more easily, no longer having to worry about being walled.
Medicham's ability to lure and weaken Skarmory also benefits bulkier attackers like Metagross, Snorlax, and Celebi. They can come in and apply pressure, knowing that Medicham has already softened the opposing defenses. Additionally, Sub Pass Zapdos is an excellent teammate for Medicham. With its ability to use Baton Pass, Zapdos can pass along its Substitutes to Medicham or other teammates, allowing them to avoid status conditions and maintain offensive momentum. Zapdos can scout and create openings while Medicham capitalizes on the damage it inflicts on Skarmory and other foes.
Having a bulky Water-type teammate, such as Swampert or Suicune, is really important for Medicham, to help against threats like Salamence. These bulky Water-types absorb the powerful attacks aimed at Medicham from Salamence. They can also help mitigate damage from other threats, allowing Medicham to focus on its offensive role without worrying about being overwhelmed.
[SET]
Name: Reversal
- Endure / Substitute
- Reversal
- Bulk Up / Focus Punch / Rock Slide
- Shadow Ball
Item: Salac Berry
Ability: Pure Power
Jolly Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
This Medicham set operates as a late game cleaner, less about immediate offense and more about calculated setup. Its primary goal is to use its powerful Reversal attack, which becomes devastating as Medicham's health dwindles. However, this strategy is very vulnerable to Tyranitar's Sandstream. Therefore, weather clearing strategies are necessary for this set to function effectively; without it, the constant chip damage hinders Medicham's ability to reach the low HP required for Reversal.
Endure is often the way Medicham facilitates this strategy, serving as a crucial first step to survive an attack and ensure Medicham's HP drops into Reversal's optimal range. While Substitute can also facilitate this, its fragility against common attacks makes it a less reliable setup tool compared to Endure and is less reliable at getting Medicham to 1 HP. Focus Punch and Bulk Up are secondary options, capable of breaking through defensive walls or boosting Medicham's offensive presence when the opportunity arises, but they are not the immediate focus of this set's strategy. The emphasis is on surviving and setting up for a devastating Reversal, rather than overpowering its foes from the jump.
Team Options
========
Reversal Medicham requires careful team synergy, particularly with Dugtrio as a crucial partner. Dugtrio's ability to trap and eliminate Tyranitar is essential for clearing the weather effects of Sandstream, which can hinder Medicham's effectiveness. Additionally, teammates like Kingdra and Zapdos can also serve as weather clearers, utilizing their speed and offensive capabilities to maintain momentum and serve as a check to some of Medicham’s common foes like Salamence. However, these teams often adopt a fast-paced and frail approach, embodying a high-risk, high-reward style of play. While they can deliver significant damage quickly, their lack of bulk makes them vulnerable to being overwhelmed by more consistent strategies. This volatility means that while they can achieve explosive wins, they may also falter against more stable teams and is overall not the most consistent way to use Medicham.
Other Options
=============
Dedicated Bulk Up sets with 3 attacks or options like Recover and Baton Pass can be used. Bulk Up allows Medicham to simultaneously enhance its Attack and Defense, transforming it into a formidable sweeper capable of breaking through defensive walls and sustaining its offensive presence. Complementing this, some Medicham use Recover which provides Medicham with better longevity, ensuring it can maintain its offensive pressure over the course of a game.
For Choice Band sets, Hidden Power Bug is a surprisingly effective option, specifically to eliminate Celebi, a common switch-in that can otherwise annoy Medicham. White herb is a niche item choice Medicham can run to remove Salamence and Gyarados’s Intimidate and if faster hit them with a non-weakened Rock Slide.
Medicham can utilize Psychic as a STAB move, though it is generally less favored due to Medicham's primary focus on physical attacks. Thunder Punch and Ice Punch, while offering coverage against specific threats like Gyarados and Salamence, are classified as special attacks in Gen 3 and are often considered niche choices. Calm Mind also exists as a boosting option, but it is generally less effective than Bulk Up due to Medicham's lower Special Attack stat. Medicham however is the only Pokemon aside from Smeargle that can Baton Pass Bulk Up or Calm Mind boosts giving it a unique niche as a stat passer.
Checks and Counters
===================
Salamence: Salamence poses a huge threat to Medicham. Its high Speed and Attack stats, combined with the ability to set up with Dragon Dance, allow it to outspeed and OHKO Medicham with powerful STAB moves like Hidden Power Flying. Medicham's lack of bulk makes it vulnerable to even neutral attacks from Salamence, and Salamence’s Intimidate ability softens Medicham's own strong attacks.
Drill Peck Skarmory: Skarmory, with the move Drill Peck, is formidable to Medicham. Skarmory can withstand Medicham's attacks and retaliate with a super effective Drill Peck. Skarmory's high Defense stat also allows it to set up Spikes, weakening Medicham's teammates. It must however be careful because medicham is often paired with Magneton.
Gyarados: Gyarados, similar to Salamence, presents a significant challenge to Medicham. It also has access to Intimidate to weaken Medicham's blows and with Dragon Dance Gyarados can quickly boost its Speed and Attack outspeeding and overwhelming Medicham with strong physical attacks. The threat of a boosted Hidden Power Flying or Double Edge makes it a dangerous Pokemon for medicham to face.
Gengar: Gengar is immune to Medicham's STAB Fighting type moves and has access to Will o Wisp to weaken Medicham's attacks. Gengar has to be wary of Medicham’s Lum Berry sets as they use this dynamic to lure and eliminate it. Gengar also has access to Explosion and Destiny Bond which let it trade with Medicham.
Celebi: Celebi is another Pokémon that can effectively hinder Medicham. Celebi's high Defense and access to Recover allow it to withstand Medicham's attacks relatively well and annoy it with Leech Seed. Celebi can also threaten it with attacks like Psychic.
Zapdos: Zapdos, with Drill Peck, can pose a significant threat to Medicham. Zapdos's high Speed and access to Drill Peck allows it to hit Medicham for super effective damage. Zapdos can also utilize moves like Thunder Wave to cripple Medicham's speed, making it even more difficult for Medicham to operate.
Claydol: Claydol can act as a one time pivot into Medicham only fearing its coverage moves like Shadow Ball or the rare Hidden Power Bug and trade with Medicham via Explosion.
Status Moves (Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave): Status moves like Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave are highly effective against Medicham. Will-O-Wisp severely limits Medicham's physical damage output by burning it, while Thunder Wave cripples its speed, making it easier to outspeed and KO. These moves can significantly hinder Medicham's ability to sweep or set up, making them reliable ways of playing around Medicham’s power.
[CREDITS
Written by
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zpanther.590983/
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