[SET]
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Ice Punch / Thunder Punch
move 4: Bullet Punch
item: Assault Vest
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 200 Atk / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat's power and accuracy make it the optimal STAB attack, though the defensive stat drops cause Machamp to get quickly weakened by healthy Mega Blastoise and easily forced out after getting a KO. Knock Off annoys any Pokemon reliant on Leftovers and keeps Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Necrozma and Mismagius from safely switching in. Ice Punch provides good coverage without defensive drops like Close Combat and OHKOes Roserade and Noivern. Alternatively, Thunder Punch lets Machamp 2HKO Mega Blastoise without losing most of its HP in the process and catches Water-types that might try to check it such as Golisopod and Mantine. Bullet Punch is necessary to keep Gardevoir and Florges from being consistent answers to Machamp. It can also be handy against weakened sweepers, but it needs to be super effective or Guts boosted to deal much damage. Facade is an option if you want to improve Machamp's matchup against defensive teams, where it's likely to get statused, at the expense of coverage against offense. Guts-boosted Facade deals massive damage to Psychic-types that otherwise check Machamp like Cresselia and Slowbro.
Set Details
========
Assault Vest gives Machamp the special bulk to take almost any special attack that isn't a boosted or super effective Z-Move. This makes Machamp extremely difficult for offensive teams to take down without losing valuable Pokemon in the process. Guts works with Assault Vest to let Machamp switch into Water-types' Scald and become even more powerful if burned. It also makes Toxic, which common Pokemon like Registeel will send Machamp's way, much less of an issue. Maximum HP is necessary for checking special attackers such as Mega Blastoise as effectively as possible. 56 Speed EVs are enough to let Machamp outpace Mega Abomasnow.
Usage Tips
========
Against offensive teams, Machamp should try to switch in for free so it can take hits and KO back. Chances to switch in come from predicted switches to bulky Pokemon like Registeel and Milotic as well as to threatening special attackers such as Roserade and Ninetales. It makes for an excellent lead, as few Pokemon can immediately threaten it with an OHKO, it beats common Stealth Rock setters such as Registeel and Bronzong, and it can pick off suicide leads like Froslass and Archeops with Bullet Punch before they make more than one move. If it needs to switch in on something, it should switch in on a passive, status-reliant wall like Registeel or Milotic; inexperienced opponents might take your Machamp's lack of Flame Orb to mean it's using No Guard, so even if Machamp doesn't get statused on the switch, it might in subsequent turns. Another source of switch-in opportunities is Mega Blastoise if running Thunder Punch; only its Aura Sphere does much damage. Should an offensive foe let itself get KOed to hit Machamp hard, Machamp will likely be left too weak to check anything else. Thus, Machamp is often limited to forcing a trade; make the Pokemon it trades with a valuable team component like Mega Blastoise so the opponent will be at the greater disadvantage. Try to get Machamp burned or paralyzed as soon as possible against defensive teams so it can start wallbreaking. Toxic poison also works, but it takes Machamp down much faster. Machamp should prioritize eliminating Pokemon that keep teammates from sweeping, as it's unlikely to last long enough to win on its own.
Team Options
========
Cleaners like Raikou and Zygarde-10% love having Machamp to weaken Steel- or Water-types that can stop them. Stealth Rock setters that struggle against Mega Blastoise such as Metagross and Rhyperior benefit from Machamp weakening or KOing it. Choice Scarf Gardevoir can provide Healing Wish to make Machamp a threat all over again, outpaces the many offensive Pokemon that can revenge kill Machamp, and appreciates a Pokemon that punishes Steel-types so heavily. Machamp without Thunder Punch can't consistently answer Mega Blastoise, so consider pairing such Machamp with a Grass-type like Roserade or Shaymin. They enjoy weakened Steel-types and pressured Noivern to boot. Pretty much any aggressive team will find Assault Vest Machamp's ability to threaten offense and defense alike useful. It's quite self-sufficient and doesn't stack many weaknesses.
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Ice Punch / Thunder Punch
move 4: Bullet Punch
item: Assault Vest
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 200 Atk / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat's power and accuracy make it the optimal STAB attack, though the defensive stat drops cause Machamp to get quickly weakened by healthy Mega Blastoise and easily forced out after getting a KO. Knock Off annoys any Pokemon reliant on Leftovers and keeps Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Necrozma and Mismagius from safely switching in. Ice Punch provides good coverage without defensive drops like Close Combat and OHKOes Roserade and Noivern. Alternatively, Thunder Punch lets Machamp 2HKO Mega Blastoise without losing most of its HP in the process and catches Water-types that might try to check it such as Golisopod and Mantine. Bullet Punch is necessary to keep Gardevoir and Florges from being consistent answers to Machamp. It can also be handy against weakened sweepers, but it needs to be super effective or Guts boosted to deal much damage. Facade is an option if you want to improve Machamp's matchup against defensive teams, where it's likely to get statused, at the expense of coverage against offense. Guts-boosted Facade deals massive damage to Psychic-types that otherwise check Machamp like Cresselia and Slowbro.
Set Details
========
Assault Vest gives Machamp the special bulk to take almost any special attack that isn't a boosted or super effective Z-Move. This makes Machamp extremely difficult for offensive teams to take down without losing valuable Pokemon in the process. Guts works with Assault Vest to let Machamp switch into Water-types' Scald and become even more powerful if burned. It also makes Toxic, which common Pokemon like Registeel will send Machamp's way, much less of an issue. Maximum HP is necessary for checking special attackers such as Mega Blastoise as effectively as possible. 56 Speed EVs are enough to let Machamp outpace Mega Abomasnow.
Usage Tips
========
Against offensive teams, Machamp should try to switch in for free so it can take hits and KO back. Chances to switch in come from predicted switches to bulky Pokemon like Registeel and Milotic as well as to threatening special attackers such as Roserade and Ninetales. It makes for an excellent lead, as few Pokemon can immediately threaten it with an OHKO, it beats common Stealth Rock setters such as Registeel and Bronzong, and it can pick off suicide leads like Froslass and Archeops with Bullet Punch before they make more than one move. If it needs to switch in on something, it should switch in on a passive, status-reliant wall like Registeel or Milotic; inexperienced opponents might take your Machamp's lack of Flame Orb to mean it's using No Guard, so even if Machamp doesn't get statused on the switch, it might in subsequent turns. Another source of switch-in opportunities is Mega Blastoise if running Thunder Punch; only its Aura Sphere does much damage. Should an offensive foe let itself get KOed to hit Machamp hard, Machamp will likely be left too weak to check anything else. Thus, Machamp is often limited to forcing a trade; make the Pokemon it trades with a valuable team component like Mega Blastoise so the opponent will be at the greater disadvantage. Try to get Machamp burned or paralyzed as soon as possible against defensive teams so it can start wallbreaking. Toxic poison also works, but it takes Machamp down much faster. Machamp should prioritize eliminating Pokemon that keep teammates from sweeping, as it's unlikely to last long enough to win on its own.
Team Options
========
Cleaners like Raikou and Zygarde-10% love having Machamp to weaken Steel- or Water-types that can stop them. Stealth Rock setters that struggle against Mega Blastoise such as Metagross and Rhyperior benefit from Machamp weakening or KOing it. Choice Scarf Gardevoir can provide Healing Wish to make Machamp a threat all over again, outpaces the many offensive Pokemon that can revenge kill Machamp, and appreciates a Pokemon that punishes Steel-types so heavily. Machamp without Thunder Punch can't consistently answer Mega Blastoise, so consider pairing such Machamp with a Grass-type like Roserade or Shaymin. They enjoy weakened Steel-types and pressured Noivern to boot. Pretty much any aggressive team will find Assault Vest Machamp's ability to threaten offense and defense alike useful. It's quite self-sufficient and doesn't stack many weaknesses.
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