Machamp
/noguard
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[Overview]
<p>Thanks to its tremendous Attack stat and decent overall bulk, Machamp is an effective, powerful physical attacker. Thanks to its ability No Guard, Machamp's STAB DynamicPunch is 100% accurate, giving it a 100 Base Power STAB move that is guaranteed to cause confusion and has no drawbacks (aside from the fact that Ghost-types are immune to it). Though No Guard is a fantastic ability, Guts is by no means a bad option, despite the fact that Conkeldurr is usually the better choice for a Guts user. Machamp also has a good physical movepool that allows it to smack several common Pokemon hard. Even a simple DynamicPunch + Payback combination can deal massive damage to opposing Pokemon, so switching in on Machamp is quite a difficult task.</p>
<p>Despite all of the above factors, there are some downsides to using Machamp. Its poor Speed and only decent bulk really let Machamp down, as even powerful neutral hits will almost always 2HKO it. Additionally, Machamp almost always runs No Guard as its ability; while it is fantastic, it does leave Machamp vulnerable to burns, which will cripple it, rendering it near-useless. Despite this, Machamp is an astronomically powerful threat that should not be underestimated.</p>
[SET]
name: Attacking Lead
move 1: DynamicPunch
move 2: Payback
move 3: Bullet Punch
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
item: Lum Berry
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 240 HP / 248 Atk / 16 SpD / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With a 100% accurate STAB DynamicPunch, high Attack stat, and good physical movepool, Machamp can smash through almost any common Pokemon when played in the lead slot. Indeed, most Pokemon risk being 2HKOed by Machamp, so switching in on it is a difficult task. Many common leads are KOed right off the bat by Machamp, while others lose a large chunk of their health.</p>
<p>DynamicPunch, 100% accurate thanks to No Guard, is guaranteed to confuse the opposing Pokemon, and has 150 Base Power when factoring in STAB; this makes it Machamp's attack of choice. Payback is used to hit Ghost- and Psychic-type foes such as Gengar and Latias, while Bullet Punch helps pick off weakened Focus Sash leads like Aerodactyl. In the final moveslot, there are two viable options to choose from. Ice Punch can be used to pulverize Dragon-types such as Salamence, while also dealing respectable damage to the ever-annoying Gliscor, but Stone Edge hits Pokemon like Gyarados harder. Ultimately, the choice boils down to which group of Pokemon you would rather have Machamp crush.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>While this set's EV spread may seem complicated at first glance, they serve a specific purpose. 240 HP and 16 Special Defense EVs ensure that maximum Special Attack Naive Azelf leads won't OHKO Machamp with Psychic, while Machamp can beat Azelf through a combination of Payback and Bullet Punch. 4 Speed EVs let Machamp outspeed minimum Speed Blissey, though this is rather inconsequential considering Blissey can't really do much to harm Machamp. The remaining EVs are dumped into Attack, while an Adamant nature is used so that Machamp hits as hard as possible. Lum Berry is used so that status, especially burn, won't cripple Machamp; it is particularly useful for absorbing rogue sleep moves, such as Breloom's Spore, that could otherwise be troublesome for Machamp's teammates.</p>
<p>Since Machamp typically creates such large holes in the opposing team, you should pair it with Pokemon who appreciate and benefit from said holes. Examples include Pokemon such as Mixed Salamence, who can clean up after Machamp goes down. Heatran is also an excellent teammate, as it can switch in on several Pokemon who threaten Machamp and toast them with its STAB Fire Blast. Additionally, Heatran can set up Stealth Rock, which greatly benefits Machamp and its teammates. Since Machamp is capable of wrecking the ever-present Ferrothorn with its super effective DynamicPunch, Pokemon who benefit from Ferrothorn's removal are effective teammates. Examples include special attackers such as Choice Specs Latios, who can spam Draco Meteor unimpeded with opposing Steel-types removed. Opposing Lum Berry leads who can take a DynamicPunch from Machamp and hit back hard will be able to beat it; however, Machamp users typically pack teammates to deal with such Pokemon, so be wary. Truth be told, not much team support is needed for this Machamp set, due to its stand-alone nature. Simply pack teammates capable of taking on Pokemon who trouble Machamp, and you should be golden.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: DynamicPunch
move 3: Payback
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 128 HP / 252 Atk / 128 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Due to Machamp's natural power and knack for forcing switches, a Substitute set is a natural choice. While many players rely on a solitary Pokemon on their team to tackle Machamp, if Machamp manages to successfully get a Substitute up, the opponent will immediately be put in a very tough spot. With a Substitute, Machamp is protected from status and untimely critical hits; when you combine this with Machamp's powerful STAB DynamicPunch, you'll find that many players will have to sacrifice a Pokemon in order to take on this set. While this set is by no means untouchable, it is very tough to take on, and requires smart playing and good prediction skills to get around it. The attacks on this set largely serve the same purpose as they did on the first set. DynamicPunch and Stone Edge form a good attacking combination, while Payback smashes Ghost-types, such as Gengar and Chandelure, who are immune to Machamp's DynamicPunch. However, one must keep in mind that Payback no longer doubles in power on the switch; this makes Machamp's Substitute even more valuable, protecting him from the aforementioned Ghost-types for a turn.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ice Punch can be used over Stone Edge if Gliscor proves to be a large threat to your team, but Stone Edge is otherwise preferred due to its higher Base Power and critical hit rate. 128 HP EVs allow Machamp to have better overall bulk, while 128 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed 0 Speed Skarmory. 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature allow Machamp to hit like a ton of bricks. In order to create its valuable Substitutes, Machamp must sacrifice 25% of its health. This health sacrifice can add up over time, so in order to alleviate this, Leftovers is used to slowly restore Machamp's HP. While some players may use Lum Berry, this is largely redundant, as Machamp's Substitute already blocks harmful status moves such as Hypnosis and Thunder Wave.</p>
<p>Skarmory's natural bulk and great defensive typing allow it to switch in easily against Machamp. It doesn't particularly mind the confusion from DynamicPunch, and can set up dangerous layers of Spikes. In order to deal with Skarmory, a Fire-type teammate is recommended. Chandelure is a great choice, as it can singe Skarmory with a powerful STAB Fire Blast. Due to Substitute's HP draining effect, residual damage should be minimized. For this reason, Spikes severely hurt Machamp, especially multiple layers. Thus, a Rapid Spinner is an excellent teammate; Starmie is especially good for fulfilling the role, as it can weaken physically defensive Pokemon—who might otherwise trouble Machamp—with its powerful STAB Hydro Pump. While not necessary, paralysis support helps this set as it makes Machamp's abysmal Speed stat a nonissue. Celebi can provide this, as can Ferrothorn; both Pokemon provide excellent defensive synergy with Machamp, but Celebi is probably the better choice as it can use Hidden Power Fire to strike Skarmory switch-ins.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Machamp has a relatively shallow movepool, so there aren't too many other things that it can feasibly do. A RestTalking set could be useful, but Machamp's only decent bulk hampers it in this regard, as many powerful attackers this generation will be able to KO it with little trouble. Bulk Up is a useful boosting move that raises both Machamp's Attack and Defense; however, Conkeldurr almost completely outclasses Machamp as a Bulk Up user due to the former's higher Attack and better durability. Machamp's only advantage is its 100% accurate DynamicPunch, but Conkeldurr can still hold its own thanks to its ability, Guts, and STAB Drain Punch. Choice Band can be utilized to abuse an extremely powerful STAB Close Combat, but it severely limits Machamp's diversity as an attacker.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Reuniclus is a great Machamp counter since it takes little damage from DynamicPunch, is slower (and is therefore not badly hurt by Payback), and can set up multiple Calm Mind boosts or simply KO with Psychic. Any Ghost-type who can switch in on DynamicPunch and burn Machamp with Will-O-Wisp will severely cripple it; Jellicent can do this quite well. Though it is reasonably uncommon, Slowbro absolutely crushes Machamp, as it is not hurt by Payback and can heavily damage the Superpower Pokemon through Psychic. Chandelure can switch in on DynamicPunch for free thanks to its Ghost typing, then smash Machamp with its extremely powerful STAB Overheat. Due to DynamicPunch's 100% confusion rate, countering Machamp is quite frustrating; however, it isn't overly difficult. Simply hammer away at it with a Pokemon who resists Fighting, and Machamp will eventually fall.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Machamp's Dream World ability is Steadfast, which raises its Speed each time it is flinched. This ability is useless on Machamp, however, as it is still quite slow even at +1 Speed. Additionally, one of the reasons why Machamp is so good to begin with is because of the 100% accurate DynamicPunch provided by No Guard.</p>
