ZU Hitmontop [QC 1/2]

[missangelic]

[OVERVIEW]
Hitmontop's uncommon access to Rapid Spin, offensive output with Technician-Boosted Triple Axel, and great matchups spinblockers such as Spiritomb make it a welcome addition to offensive teams looking to keep entry hazards off, and it's less passive than its primary competitior, Sandslash. Hitmontop's utility doesn't end at Rapid Spin, as it has Technician boosted Mach Punch or Bullet Punch for finishing off faster threats like Jolteon, Minior, Lycanroc, and Sneasel. However, Hitmontop's lack of recovery leaves it unfortunately worn down by repeated attacks and residual damage. Despite Hitmontop's offensive potency, it competes for spots on teams with Sandslash, one of the most popular role compressors in the tier, and top Fighting-types like Passimian and Hisuian Sneasel.

[SET]
Rapid Spin (Hitmontop) @ Protective Pads
Ability: Technician
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Close Combat
- Triple Axel
- Bullet Punch / Mach Punch

[SET COMMENTS]
Hitmontop is a solid offensive entry hazard remover for its uncommon access to Rapid Spin, solid matchups against spinblockers such as Spiritomb, and high threat level from Close Combat and Technician-boosted Triple Axel. Triple Axel plays multiple roles on Hitmontop's set by threatening checks like Whimsicott and Trevenant, pressuring Ice-weak physically defensive Pokemon like Dipplin and Sandslash, and complementing Close Combat. Mach Punch is important offensive utility to make up for Hitmontop's middling Speed, finishing off weakened sweepers, and threaten faster Fighting-weak Pokemon like Sneasel, Lycanroc, and Beartic. Both Mach Punch and Triple Axel benefit from Hitmontop's Technician powering them up, giving Hitmontop enough power to generally OHKO weakened Minior with the former and assuredly KO Virizion with the latter, respectively. Running 176 Speed EVs lets Hitmontop outspeed neutral-natured variants of Abomasnow, Clawitzer, and Farigiraf, and +1 Hitmontop will outspeed Charizard and Shaymin. With Tera Steel, Hitmontop can better shrug off Psychic-, Fairy-, and Flying-type attacks from special attackers like Mesprit, Whimsicott, and Oricorio-P, and it also boosts Bullet Punch.

As an offensive spinner, Hitmontop's entry hazard removal is appreciated by more offensive teams that want to keep hazards off for threats such as non-boots Jolteon, Clawitzer, Sneasel, Whimsicott, Basculin and Glastrier. Snow teams in particular appreciate Hitmontop as a more offenisve hazard remover than Sandslash. Similarly, Hitmontop is a good fit as the hazard remover for Sticky Web teams anchored by Vikavolt, which can threaten Mesprit and Weezing as well as draw in Snorlax for Hitmontop. As Hitmontop can be quite threatening against walls like Regirock and Snorlax if it's given a free switch against them, it pairs nicely with pivots like Jolteon, Mesprit, and Rotom-C that tend to draw them in. Hitmontop differentiates itself from Sandslash, the other prominent spinner in the tier, with its better matchups against Grass-types, something that Grass-weak Pokemon like Basculin, Lanturn, and Regirock enjoy. Whimsicott can put Hitmontop on the back foot by outspeeding it and threatening it with STAB Moonblast, so Hitmontop should be paired with teammates like Muk, Snorlax, and Oricorio-F that can switch into Whimsicott until it's safely in range of being KOed by Bullet Punch. Mesprit is another threat that can bother Hitmontop, making Steel-types that answer it, such as Perrserker and Magneton, good partners to Hitmontop. Weezing is a major pain for Hitmontop, making switch-ins to it, such as Mesprit, important partners for Hitmontop.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Fake Out benefits from Technician, although Hitmontop struggles to fit it over its other priority moves without becoming less consistent as a revenge killer. Alternative items like Assault Vest and Heavy-Duty Boots can be valid options with solid item removal support to get rid of Rocky Helmets from users like Mesprit and Weezing.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Weezing**: Although Weezing doesn't stop Hitmontop from removing entry hazards, it can comfortably wall its attacks, threaten debilitating burns with Will-O-Wisp, and keep itself healthy with Pain Split.

**Residual Damage**: Hitmontop is worn down quickly by Spikes and Toxic Spikes due to not holding Heavy-Duty Boots, and it almost never runs any recovery. If Hitmontop loses its Protective Pads, it's liable to being worn down by Rocky Helmet users like Mesprit, which carries Knock Off.

**Whimsicott and Tera Fairy Users**: Although Hitmontop has Bullet Punch to threaten many Fairy-types, particularly the frail Whimsicott, it's often not strong enough to OHKO them. Whimsicott outspeeds Hitmontop, resists Mach Punch, and can threaten an OHKO with Moonblast if it's holding a Choice Specs. Similarly, Tera Fairy users like Snorlax, Jolteon, and Arboliva can use the offensive and defensive benefits of the Fairy typing to improve their matchups against Hitmontop.

**Flying-types**: If Hitmontop can't outspeed Flying-types and take them out with Triple Axel, then it can be left in a vulnerable position due to only having a potentially resisted priority move. Charizard can neuter Hitmontop with a burn from Will-O-Wisp if it doesn't just take it out with STAB Hurricane, and Oricorio-F can be similarly threatening.

**Sableye**: Hitmontop struggles to use Rapid Spin or even Close Combat if Sableye can switch in and lock it into these moves with Encore, and Sableye can also threaten to burn Hitmontop.

[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/yo-cho.610452/

Grammar checked by:

 

[missangelic]

Ready for QC

 

[yo cho]

QC 1/2

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[OVERVIEW]
Hitmontop's uncommon access to Rapid Spin, fantastic offensive output with Technician-Boosted Triple Axel, and a great matchup into spinblockers such as Spiritomb and Trevenant I feel like this does a better job at highlighting Hitmontop's strenghts and decent offensive matchups against entry hazard setters like Regirock, Perrserker, and Orthworm While this statement is not untrue, Perrserker and especcially Orthworm are quite uncommon, and you're disregarding the most common stealth rock setter, Mesprit make it a welcome addition to offensive teams looking to keep hazards off with a less passive alternative to Sandslash. Hitmontop's utility doesn't end at Rapid Spin, as it has Technician boosted Mach Punch or Bullet Punch STAB Mach Punch for finishing off faster threats weakened fast attackers like Jolteon, setup sweepers like Minior, and Fighting-weak faster threats like Lycanroc, Sneasel and Basculin. Seperating these into three groups seems unnecessary However, Hitmontop's lack of recovery leaves it unfortunately worn down by repeated attacks and residual damage. The latter is especially painful for Hitmontop, as Rocky Helmet users like Mesprit, Sandslash, and Weezing can quickly deplete Hitmontop's limited health, and these Pokemon frequently set up hazards. Protective pads To make matters worse for Hitmontop, it competes for spots on teams with Sandslash, one of the most popular role compressors in the tier, and top Fighting-types like Passimian and Hisuian Sneasel. I feel this last sentence paints HItmontop in a very negative light while not pointing out the several upsides it has to Sandslash as a spinner and should maybe be rewritten

[SET]
Rapid Spin (Hitmontop) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Technician
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 200 HP / 252 Atk / 56 Spe
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe I don't know what 56 speed is for but it is certainly too little. 176 outspeeds modest Clawitzer, Abomasnow, Farigaraf and Charizard after a Rapid Spin.
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Close Combat
- Triple Axel
- Bullet Punch / Mach Punch Largely depends on your team but I'd say bullet punch is more popular now for hitting Whimsicott, OTR Tomb, Beartic after tera and a bunch of tera fairy guys such as Jolteon and Mesprit. Both should be displayed on the sample set

[SET COMMENTS]
Hitmontop is a decent offensive entry hazard remover for its uncommon access to Rapid Spin, solid matchup into spin blockers such as Spiritomb and Trevenant, and great overall damage thanks to technician boosted Triple Axel and Close Combat. helpful Fighting typing for taking on hazard setters like Regirock and Orthworm. Triple Axel plays multiple roles on Hitmontop's set as an important way to threaten Whimsicott and Trevenant, a powerful coverage move against Ice-weak physically defensive Pokemon like Dipplin and Sandslash, and Hitmontop's most complementary move for its Fighting-type STAB moves. Mach Punch is important offensive utility to make up for Hitmontop's middling Speed, finish off weakened sweepers, and threaten faster Fighting-weak Pokemon like Sneasel, Lycanroc, and Beartic. Both Mach Punch and Triple Axel benefit from Hitmontop's Technician powering them up, giving Hitmontop enough power to generally OHKO weakened Minior with the former and assuredly KO Virizion with the latter, respectively. As Hitmontop lacks any recovery, it should generally stick to running Heavy-Duty Boots to be less liable at being overwhelmed by residual damage from entry hazards, particularly Spikes. Hitmontop should generally maximize its Attack and bulk to function as an offensive and reliable spinner, but 56 Speed EVs help it get the jump on slower attackers like Modest Alolan Exeggutor, uninvested Sandaconda, and Vikavolt. Write a paragraph about using protective pads and the aforementioned 176 speed EVs speed tier With Tera Steel, Hitmontop can better shrug off Psychic-, Fairy-, and Flying-type attacks from special attackers like Mesprit, Whimsicott, and Oricorio-P, while also boosting Bullet Punch.

As an offensive spinner, Hitmontop's entry hazard removal is appreciated by more offensive hazard-centric Offensive teams generally aren't hazard centric as most of the tspike users and Sandslash the only spiker don't fit them teams that want to keep hazards off for threats such as non-boots Jolteon, Clawitzer, Sneasel, Whimsicott, Basculin and Glastrier. fit removal and still keep up their own hazards. The way you are wording this makes it sound like Hitmontop is an alternative to defoggers on offensive teams, but the truth just aren't any good defoggers As Hitmontop can be quite threatening against walls like Regirock and Snorlax if it's given a free switch against them, it pairs nicely with pivots like Jolteon, Mesprit, and Rotom-C Clawitzer Clawitzer is not a pivot that tend to draw them in. Hitmontop differentiates itself from Sandslash, the other prominent spinner in the tier, with its better matchups against Grass-types, something that Grass-weak Pokemon like Basculin, Lanturn, and Regirock enjoy. Vikavolt often appreciates Hitmontop's services on the Sticky Web teams it anchors; it can threaten Flying-types, while Hitmontop pressures Rock-types in return. Well the only flying types you really see in the tier are Charizard, Oricorio-pau and Minior which all beat Vikavolt. The only common rock type is Regirock. Vikavolt and Hitmontop is indeed a cool core but this section should be rewritten with more of an emphasis on Vikavolt's good matchup against Mesprit and Weezing, how it forces in Snorlax for Hitmontop, and how Hitmontop is a solid webs abuser. Whimsicott often puts Hitmontop on the back foot by outspeeding it and threatening it with STAB Moonblast, so Hitmontop depends on teammates like Muk, Snorlax, and Oricorio-F that can switch into Whimsicott safely. Maybe... Not if you're bullet punch, and even if you are mach punch whimsicott can't safely come in until you've revealed it Mesprit is another threat that can bother Hitmontop, making Steel-types that answer it, such as Perrserker and Magneton, good partners to Hitmontop. Orthworm is one such Steel-type, and it appreciates that Hitmontop's Rapid Spin doesn't remove the hazards that it often stacks. Orthworm is a very bad pokemon in general and it especially does not fit on the momentum heavy offensive teams which hitmontop goes on. If you were to use Orthworm, you would probably pair it with Sandslash for removal. Weezing is a major pain for Hitmontop, making switch-ins to it like Mesprit and Naclstack Same as Orthworm, doesn't fit on offensive structures important partners for Hitmontop. Knock Off users like Muk and Sandslash can draw in Rocky Helmet users like Weezing and Mesprit and remove their Rocky Helmets with Knock Off to relieve Hitmontop of its potential to greatly damage itself against them. Pads

I think you should write a sentence or two about Hitmontop on Snow teams, as Snow teams heavily prefer it to Sandslash for how much better it is at spinning.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Hitmontop has a handful of priority moves, including ones that benefit from Technician, like Bullet Punch and Fake Out, although Hitmontop struggles to fit any them over Mach Punch or Triple Axel without becoming less consistent. Bullet Punch can be powered up further by Tera Steel, and it's useful as a super effective coverage move against Minior, Whimsicott, and Froslass as well as Tera Fairy sweepers like Mesprit, Jolteon, and Mismagius. Fake Out can enhance Hitmontop's ability to chip down foes and finish off faster, Fighting-resistant Pokemon like Hisuian Sneasel, Charizard, and Oricorio-F. However, Hitmontop prefers running Mach Punch for a stronger attack against sweepers like Jolteon, Beartic, and Sneasel. An Assault Vest can grant Hitmontop some extra special bulk for tanking attacks from frailer or Ice-weak special attackers like Jolteon or Shaymin so that Hitmontop can avoid being KOed and KO them in retaliation. Thief benefits from Technician, offers some item control utility against Rocky Helmet users like Weezing, and is a decent coverage move against Mesprit. However, it's generally not as useful as Triple Axel at pressuring important threats like Whimsicott, Dipplin, and Vikavolt.

I think this should be rewritten while excluding Bullet punch as it is on par with Mach punch as an option. Different item options like Assault Vest, Boots, Choice Band and Wide lens can be mentioned but it should be noted that you should only try to use these with solid item removal support, probably 2 or more knock off users on the team.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Weezing**: Although Weezing doesn't stop Hitmontop from removing entry hazards, it can comfortably wall its attacks, threaten debilitating burns with Will-O-Wisp, and keep itself healthy with Pain Split.

**Residual Damage**: Hitmontop can take upwards of 50% of its health in damage from using Triple Axel against Rocky Helmet users like Mesprit, Weezing, and Sandslash, all three of which tend to be physically bulky. If Hitmontop loses its Heavy-Duty Boots, it's liable to being worn down by entry hazards, particularly Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

I think this should be rewritten with Protective Pads being the primary item in mind. You can mention how being knocked off presents an issue and its vulnerable to toxic spikes and spikes

**Whimsicott and Tera Fairy Users**: Whimsicott outspeeds Hitmontop, resists Mach Punch, and can threaten an OHKO with Moonblast if it's holding a Choice Specs. Similarly, Tera Fairy users like Snorlax, Jolteon, and Mismagius can use the offensive and defensive benefits of the Fairy typing to improve their matchups against Hitmontop. However, Whimsicott and physically frail Tera Fairy users like Mismagius must be wary of Hitmontop's Triple Axel dealing major damage to them.

Similarly to the previous paragraph, this should be rewritten with Bullet punch being considered the primary option in my opinion. Also get rid of Mismagius as it moved up since your original post was made.

**Flying-types**: If Hitmontop can't outspeed Flying-types and take them out with Triple Axel, then it can be left in a vulnerable position due to only having a resisted Mach Punch. Charizard can neuter Hitmontop with a burn from Will-O-Wisp if it doesn't just take it out with STAB Hurricane, and Oricorio-F can be similarly threatening.

**Ghost-types**: Even if they don't take out Hitmontop themselves, most Ghost-types will thwart Hitmontop in its goals of using Rapid Spin or easily spamming Close Combat. Spiritomb can threaten Hitmontop with Psyshock or further hinder it with Will-O-Wisp. Mismagius risks being OHKOed by Triple Axel, but it outspeeds Hitmontop and can threaten it for major damage with Dazzling Gleam.

Every ghost type other than Sableye gets either 2HKOed or OHKOed by Hitmontop, and even Sableye is susceptible to dying to Triple Axel into Bullet Punch after a little chip. I think Hitmontop's matchup into ghost types is one of its greatest upsides.



[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Quality checked by:


Grammar checked by:

 

[missangelic]

Implemented with what was discussed on Discord