Machamp
<p>No Guard Dynamicpunch GG.</p>
Machamp returns to OU as frustrating as ever, though it quite possibly faces competition from many other things for the role of a Fighting-type.
Code:
[B]Machamp[/B]
[B]#68[/B]
[B] Fighting-type[/B]
[B]Base HP: [/B]90
[B]Base Attack:[/B] 130
[B]Base Defense:[/B] 80
[B]Base Special Attack:[/B] 65
[B]Base Special Defense:[/B] 85
[B]Base Speed: [/B]55
[B]Abilities:[/B]
[B]Guts[/B]: Attack raises to 1.5 times when induced with a status (BURN, PARALYZE, SLEEP, POISON, FREEZE). BURN’s effect of lowering Attack is not applied.
[B]No Guard[/B]: The accuracy of all moves known by all Pokémon on the field raises to 100%
[B]Hidden Ability[/B] [I](Not Available)[/I]:
[B]Steadfast[/B]: Speed raises by one level every time the Pokémon flinches.
[B]Level Up Moves:[/B]
- Wide Guard
- Low Kick
- Leer
- Focus Energy
- Karate Chop
7 - Focus Energy
10 - Karate Chop
13 - Low Sweep
19 - Foresight
22 - Seismic Toss
25 - Revenge
32 - Vital Throw
36 - Submission
40 - Wake-up Slap
44 - Cross Chop
51 - Scary Face
[B]55 -Dynamicpunch[/B]
[B]TM & HM Moves:[/B]
TM06 Toxic
TM08 Bulk Up
TM10 Hidden Power
TM11Sunny Day
TM15 Hyper Beam
TM16 Light Screen
TM17 Protect
TM18 Rain Dance
TM21 Frustration
TM23 Smack Down
TM26 Earthquake
TM27 Return
TM28 Dig
TM31 Brick Break
TM32 Double Team
TM35 Flamethrower
TM38 Fire Blast
TM39 Rock Tomb
TM42 Facade
TM44 Rest
TM45 Attract
TM46 Thief
TM47 Low Sweep
TM48 Round
TM52 Focus Blast
TM56 Fling
TM59 Incinerate
[B]TM66 Payback[/B]
TM67 Retaliate
TM68 Giga Impact
[B]TM71 Stone Edge[/B]
TM78 Bulldoze
TM80 Rock Slide
TM83 Work Up
TM84 Poison Jab
TM87 Swagger
[B]TM90 Substitute[/B]
TM94 Rock Smash
HM04 Strength
[B]Egg Moves[/B]
Meditate
Rolling Kick
Encore
Smellingsalt
Counter
[B]Close Combat[/B]
Fire Punch
Thunderpunch
[B]Ice Punch[/B]
[B]Bullet Punch[/B]
Power Trick
Heavy Slam
Knock Off
Tickle
[B]Gen 4 Only Moves:[/B]
Focus Punch - Gen IV TM01
Secret Power - Gen IV TM43
Endure - Gen IV TM58
Captivate - Gen IV TM78
[B]Sleep Talk[/B] - Gen IV TM82
Natural Gift - Gen IV TM83
Vacuum Wave - Move Tutor - PtHGSS
Helping Hand - Move Tutor - PtHGSS
Snore - Move Tutor - PtHGSS
Mud-slap - Move Tutor - PtHGSS
Superpower - Move Tutor - PtHGSS
Magic Coat - Move Tutor - HGSS
Role Play - Move Tutor - HGSS
Headbutt - Move Tutor - HGSSThere is pretty much nothing new in Machamp's arsenal this generation, though it definitely has enough to compete.
[At a Glance]
- No Guard - Pretty good ability by itself, but with Machamp it's monstrous. You have a 100% accuracy 100 Base Power STAB move that will always confuse the opponent in Dynamicpunch. While this is Machamp's main draw, it also can now use a perfect accuracy Stone Edge. The one big drawback is that any attack will hit it, which can be crucial.
- Guts - Another good ability which Machamp can use nicely. You're not going to be using Dynamicpunch in this situation, but you have access to STAB Close Combat, so you're good.
- Steadfast - Not a very good Dream World ability, you really shouldn't be using it considering you have so many better options.
- Decent offensive movepool - Dynamicpunch is definitely the main draw here, but it does have access to Close Combat as well, and coverage moves in the elemental punches. Priority in Bullet Punch also helps. Among other options are Stone Edge and Payback to compliment Machamp's Fighting STAB.
- Fairly slow and defensively weak - It has _decent_ bulk, but it's never going to stand up to many of the more powerful hits in OU, meaning that it will either be on the field for a short time or be taking advantage of Substitute.
However, what really changed Machamp and ultimately caused its fall to UU was the metagame that surrounds it right now. OU has had a massive power creep, and Machamp often falls prey to faster Pokemon which prey on its bulk, and by faster Pokemon I mean at least half the tier. However not many of these can switch into Machamp because of the ever present threat of Dynamicpunch, which is a good thing. The bad news is that a lot of these can switch in on a lot of Machamp's other attacks that don't cause confusion and OHKO Machamp, especially with the advent of weather abusers and their STAB Fire / Water attacks.
Machamp really wishes it had more to separate itself, but it just doesn't have the same qualities that the other Fighting-types in OU have. Terrakion is amazingly fast, amazing STABs, Swords Dance AND Rock Polish. Scrafty has good coverage and excellent bulk to boost up with and sweep with Dragon Dance or Bulk Up. Perhaps the most obvious, though, is Conkeldurr, which everyone thought was outclassed by Machamp early on but has proved to be that much better thanks to higher Attack, overall bulk, and STAB priority. Besides those mentioned, the list really does go on for a while, but you get the point - most of the Fighting-types in OU do a specific niche which Machamp cannot fill or can't really fill as well as its peers, which is what sent it down a tier.
Moving past what's bad about our muscular friend, it still works nicely in OU when it's given the right support. There are just about two really good sets that Machamp can run - 4 Attacks and Substitute.
Lead Attacker:
Machamp @ Lum Berry
Adamant | 240 HP / 248 Atk / 16 SpD / 4 Spe
- Dynamicpunch
- Bullet Punch
- Ice Punch / Stone Edge
- Payback
Hits incredibly hard right off the bat, and can set a huge amount of offensive pressure on the opponent. Smashes through anything weak to its STAB, and it can get through quite a bit of other stuff too if it gets confusion hax, which by the way is 50 / 50. Very frustrating indeed. STAB is obvious, while Bullet Punch gives it priority to take out some physically weak threats as low health, such as Terrakion and Gengar. Ice Punch is a great option to 2HKO Dragon-types and break Dragonite's Multiscale while also getting an excellent hit on Gliscor, who tanks this set nicely otherwise. Stone Edge can hit sun abusers and Ninetales really hard though, so that's an option, especially with perfect accuracy. Payback hits Psychic-types hard, though the Payback nerf this gen hurts it (it doesn't double in power when a Pokemon switches into it). Thus, you can run something else in that moveslot if you would really like to, namely Thunderpunch and Earthquake to get harder hits on Jellicent / Gyarados and Toxicroak. Substitute is also an option, but that's better suited for...
Substitute + 3 Attacks:
Machamp @ Leftovers
Adamant | 128 HP / 252 Atk / 128 Spe
- Dynamicpunch
- Substitute
- Stone Edge
- Payback
Taking advantage of the switches Machamp can easily cause, you can just as easily run a set around Substitute so that the opponent has to send in a Pokemon to be slaughtered to break the Sub. Dynamicpunch is incredible when you have a free turn to use it, nothing new there. Stone Edge gets a solid hit on Ghost-types if you feel pained to use Payback, and it also hits Flying-types not named Skarmory hard, namely Gyarados. Volcarona and Ninetales are also hit super effectively, which is a big plus. You can use Ice Punch in that slot to nail Gliscor and Dragon-types, but you can usually work around them otherwise. Payback scores a solid hit on Ghost-types, usually one or two-shotting Gengar and Chandelure while also scoring decent damage on Jellicent even if you don't outspeed. Celebi is also "outslowed" and hit for double damage, which is a big plus.
You can run a few other sets two, namely Choice and RestTalk, but they aren't the best options, considering they're either unviable or outclassed by different Machamp spreads or other Pokemon.
I just realized he's flexing his pecs if you look hard enough 0_o
ok so yeah, discuss Machamp in all of its glory.
