[OVERVIEW]
Machamp's niche over other Fighting-types in the RU tier is its ability Guts, which can transform it into a powerful wallbreaker with Flame Orb, boasting over 590 Attack, while maintaining the flexibility to switch its moves and not worry about Toxic. Machamp's STAB move usefully threatens many of the tier's Stealth Rock setters, including Registeel, Rhyperior, and Gigalith, and the rest of its movepool allows it to either OHKO or 2HKO the remainder of the metagame. Even stall teams have little in the way of checks for Machamp, as Close Combat, Knock Off, and Facade can break through everything in conjunction with Machamp's Guts-boosted power and ability to switch moves. However, Machamp competes for a spot with Bewear and Pangoro, the tier's other premier Fighting-types, which both have access to Swords Dance along with better physical bulk in the former's case and a stronger Knock Off for the latter. In addition, without defensive investment, Machamp is fairly easy to revenge kill due to its poor Speed tier and lack of a STAB priority move, and it is worn down quickly thanks to residual damage stacking up from Flame Orb and pivoting into entry hazards.
[SET]
name: Guts Wallbreaker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Facade
move 4: Bullet Punch / Ice Punch
item: Flame Orb
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat is Machamp's most powerful STAB move, capable of decimating virtually any nonresistant target, and it can be spammed when Ghost-types are not present. Knock Off hits Ghost- and Psychic-types capable of switching into Machamp's STAB Close Combat, principally Doublade and Cresselia, along with removing items. Facade gives Machamp a strong alternative to Close Combat that will not lower its defenses, and it heavily damages common Fighting-resistant Pokemon(space)such as Moltres, Florges, and Araquanid. Priority Bullet Punch makes Machamp more useful versus offensively inclined teams and threatens faster offensive Fairy-types such as Gardevoir. Running Bullet Punch does, however, make it harder to get rid of Gligar, worsening the stall matchup. Ice Punch on Machamp patches up this problem and helps with its stallbreaking niche, as well as increasing Machamp's chance at OHKOing Nidoqueen and Dragalge.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Attack investment with an Adamant nature allows Machamp to hit as hard as possible while ensuring it will outspeed the plethora of defensive Pokemon in the tier. Flame Orb allows Machamp to safely trigger Guts to boost its Attack and Facade's Base Power, turning Machamp into a powerful wallbreaker. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed and obliterate Adamant Bewear and Pangoro, as well as easing the matchup versus Speed-invested Gligar, which might otherwise outspeed Machamp and get off critical Earthquake damage or Roost on an Ice Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Play Machamp aggressively, bringing it on double switches expecting the opponent to send in a Pokemon it threatens out, such as Registeel or Umbreon. Use Facade liberally, as it provides a high-Base Power move that comes without drawback and can 2HKO a majority of switch-ins along with one of Machamp's coverage moves. Be careful to preserve Close Combat PP against stall teams, as they will often attempt to Protect stall your team and pivot around in order to waste PP due to them lacking proper switch-ins to Machamp's Guts-boosted attacks. Be wary of leading with Machamp, as without Guts activated it will be significantly weaker on the first turn.
Team Options
========
Pokemon such as Doublade, Gardevoir, Moltres, and Comfey, whose ability to dent a team is hindered by the presence of Registeel or Umbreon, appreciate Machamp threatening these foes on a double switch. The same goes for Moltres and Comfey. Healing Wish or Lunar Dance users such as Shaymin, Gardevoir, and Cresselia are also good options, as they can bring a weakened Machamp back onto the field to give it a second go at breaking through teams that relied on wearing it down. Pokemon providing VoltTurn support, such as Gligar, Swellow, and Rotom-C, can get Machamp in for free to fire off a powerful attack. Rhyperior and Registeel can come in on Flying-types such as Moltres and Golbat, which easily switch into Machamp and force it out, and they also provide Stealth Rock support for your team. Nidoqueen appreciates Machamp weakening their shared check in Cresselia, and vice versa, while supporting the team by setting up Stealth Rock. Escavalier can come in on and often Pursuit trap faster Psychic-types and force out Fairy-types that threaten Machamp.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Machamp's niche in RU is as a Guts wallbreaker, and aside from that it does not have much going for it. A No Guard set with Dynamic Punch may sound appealing, but it is unreliable due to confusion's low self-hit chance, and the Guts set is much more efficient and reliable. Earthquake guarantees the OHKO on Nidoqueen after a Guts boost, unlike Ice Punch, and it deals more damage to Doublade as well. Heavy Slam gives Machamp the potential to OHKO Florges.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types such as Espeon, Cresselia, and Meloetta can outspeed Machamp and revenge kill it with their super effective STAB moves, though none appreciate switching in on a Knock Off or Facade. Cresselia also needs heavy Speed investment to outspeed Machamp.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Gardevoir, Slurpuff, and speedy Florges can come in on Machamp and OHKO it with their super effective STAB moves, though they have to beware Bullet Punch, and Florges is 2HKOed by Facade.
**Faster Wallbreakers**: A plethora of Pokemon in the tier can revenge kill Machamp, such as Salazzle, Decidueye, and Bruxish, as well as some of the Fighting-types Machamp competes with in Bewear and Pangoro.
**Residual Damage**: Residual damage from entry hazards, Rocky Helmet, and Flame Orb can put Machamp into the range where it can no longer switch
Machamp's niche over other Fighting-types in the RU tier is its ability Guts, which can transform it into a powerful wallbreaker with Flame Orb, boasting over 590 Attack, while maintaining the flexibility to switch its moves and not worry about Toxic. Machamp's STAB move usefully threatens many of the tier's Stealth Rock setters, including Registeel, Rhyperior, and Gigalith, and the rest of its movepool allows it to either OHKO or 2HKO the remainder of the metagame. Even stall teams have little in the way of checks for Machamp, as Close Combat, Knock Off, and Facade can break through everything in conjunction with Machamp's Guts-boosted power and ability to switch moves. However, Machamp competes for a spot with Bewear and Pangoro, the tier's other premier Fighting-types, which both have access to Swords Dance along with better physical bulk in the former's case and a stronger Knock Off for the latter. In addition, without defensive investment, Machamp is fairly easy to revenge kill due to its poor Speed tier and lack of a STAB priority move, and it is worn down quickly thanks to residual damage stacking up from Flame Orb and pivoting into entry hazards.
[SET]
name: Guts Wallbreaker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Facade
move 4: Bullet Punch / Ice Punch
item: Flame Orb
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat is Machamp's most powerful STAB move, capable of decimating virtually any nonresistant target, and it can be spammed when Ghost-types are not present. Knock Off hits Ghost- and Psychic-types capable of switching into Machamp's STAB Close Combat, principally Doublade and Cresselia, along with removing items. Facade gives Machamp a strong alternative to Close Combat that will not lower its defenses, and it heavily damages common Fighting-resistant Pokemon(space)such as Moltres, Florges, and Araquanid. Priority Bullet Punch makes Machamp more useful versus offensively inclined teams and threatens faster offensive Fairy-types such as Gardevoir. Running Bullet Punch does, however, make it harder to get rid of Gligar, worsening the stall matchup. Ice Punch on Machamp patches up this problem and helps with its stallbreaking niche, as well as increasing Machamp's chance at OHKOing Nidoqueen and Dragalge.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Attack investment with an Adamant nature allows Machamp to hit as hard as possible while ensuring it will outspeed the plethora of defensive Pokemon in the tier. Flame Orb allows Machamp to safely trigger Guts to boost its Attack and Facade's Base Power, turning Machamp into a powerful wallbreaker. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed and obliterate Adamant Bewear and Pangoro, as well as easing the matchup versus Speed-invested Gligar, which might otherwise outspeed Machamp and get off critical Earthquake damage or Roost on an Ice Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Play Machamp aggressively, bringing it on double switches expecting the opponent to send in a Pokemon it threatens out, such as Registeel or Umbreon. Use Facade liberally, as it provides a high-Base Power move that comes without drawback and can 2HKO a majority of switch-ins along with one of Machamp's coverage moves. Be careful to preserve Close Combat PP against stall teams, as they will often attempt to Protect stall your team and pivot around in order to waste PP due to them lacking proper switch-ins to Machamp's Guts-boosted attacks. Be wary of leading with Machamp, as without Guts activated it will be significantly weaker on the first turn.
Team Options
========
Pokemon such as Doublade, Gardevoir, Moltres, and Comfey, whose ability to dent a team is hindered by the presence of Registeel or Umbreon, appreciate Machamp threatening these foes on a double switch. The same goes for Moltres and Comfey. Healing Wish or Lunar Dance users such as Shaymin, Gardevoir, and Cresselia are also good options, as they can bring a weakened Machamp back onto the field to give it a second go at breaking through teams that relied on wearing it down. Pokemon providing VoltTurn support, such as Gligar, Swellow, and Rotom-C, can get Machamp in for free to fire off a powerful attack. Rhyperior and Registeel can come in on Flying-types such as Moltres and Golbat, which easily switch into Machamp and force it out, and they also provide Stealth Rock support for your team. Nidoqueen appreciates Machamp weakening their shared check in Cresselia, and vice versa, while supporting the team by setting up Stealth Rock. Escavalier can come in on and often Pursuit trap faster Psychic-types and force out Fairy-types that threaten Machamp.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Machamp's niche in RU is as a Guts wallbreaker, and aside from that it does not have much going for it. A No Guard set with Dynamic Punch may sound appealing, but it is unreliable due to confusion's low self-hit chance, and the Guts set is much more efficient and reliable. Earthquake guarantees the OHKO on Nidoqueen after a Guts boost, unlike Ice Punch, and it deals more damage to Doublade as well. Heavy Slam gives Machamp the potential to OHKO Florges.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types such as Espeon, Cresselia, and Meloetta can outspeed Machamp and revenge kill it with their super effective STAB moves, though none appreciate switching in on a Knock Off or Facade. Cresselia also needs heavy Speed investment to outspeed Machamp.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Gardevoir, Slurpuff, and speedy Florges can come in on Machamp and OHKO it with their super effective STAB moves, though they have to beware Bullet Punch, and Florges is 2HKOed by Facade.
**Faster Wallbreakers**: A plethora of Pokemon in the tier can revenge kill Machamp, such as Salazzle, Decidueye, and Bruxish, as well as some of the Fighting-types Machamp competes with in Bewear and Pangoro.
**Residual Damage**: Residual damage from entry hazards, Rocky Helmet, and Flame Orb can put Machamp into the range where it can no longer switch
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