Medicham (QC 3/3) [GP 2/2]

cim

happiness is such hard work
is a Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
so anyone in irc may have noticed me hyping medicham's specific niche in UU as a heracross cleaner, so i thought i'd draft a small UU analysis for him

[Overview]

<p>Medicham's most notable quality is its great ability, Pure Power, which doubles its otherwise pitiful Attack stat to a monstrous 480. Combine that with a 130 Base Power STAB in Hi Jump Kick and you have a seriously threatening Pokemon on your hands. Its secondary STAB move, Psycho Cut, has decent coverage with Fighting and does not contact the opponent, preventing abilities such as Mummy and Flame Body from triggering. Medicham is most notable for being able to deal serious damage to all of Heracross's counters, meaning it partners well with one of the best Pokemon in UU. Unfortunately, while Medicham has a great Attack stat, the rest of its stats are nothing to write home about; its base 80 Speed and defensive typing are disappointing to say the least. For these reasons, many of its potential sets are outclassed by Heracross and Mienshao, but Medicham still has a niche as a powerful wallbreaker that can rip huge holes in teams if you manage to bring it in safely.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Hi Jump Kick
move 2: Psycho Cut
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Trick / ThunderPunch
item: Choice Band
ability: Pure Power
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Medicham's best and only viable set in UU uses a Choice Band to boost its high Attack to a ludicrous 720 with an Adamant nature. This gives Medicham the power to break through almost every Pokemon in UU with the right attack. Hi Jump Kick has the most damage potential of any move Medicham carries; at 130 Base Power before STAB, it does heavy damage even to Pokemon that resist it. One needs to be extremely careful about the recoil, however, as an untimely Ghost-type or Protect will send Medicham crashing down. Psycho Cut is a safer move to spam, since Dark types aren't going to be risking coming in on Hi Jump Kick, and a lot of common responses to Fighting-types take heavy damage from it. Most notably, it 2HKOes offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus, and since Psycho Cut does not make contact, Medicham doesn't have to worry about Mummy. Psycho Cut also scores an OHKO on Chandelure and Mismagius, two other threatening Ghost-types, as well as Crobat, which 4x resists Hi Jump Kick.</p>

<p>Medicham's last two slots are for coverage against other Fighting resists, many of which give trouble to other Fighting-types such as Heracross. Ice Punch scores an OHKO on Flying-types, including Gligar, Xatu, and all but the bulkiest of Zapdos after Stealth Rock. A well-predicted Ice Punch can clear the way for a Heracross sweep quite easily, turning the tide of a battle. The last attack is largely personal preference. Trick cripples the Psychic-types that wall Medicham, such as Slowbro and Mew. ThunderPunch 2HKOes Slowbro, but between Regenerator and the dangers of a Choice locked Electric-type attack, it's not always as effective as it could be.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Here are just a few calculations that demonstrate Medicham's offensive prowess and ability to clean up Heracross's checks.</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hi Jump Kick vs. 252/252+ Bronzong: 81.95 - 96.74%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/136+ Cofagrigus 42.5 - 50.62%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/4 Cofagrigus: 51.87 - 61.25%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/252+ Nidoqueen 94.27 - 111.45%</li>
<li>-1 Psycho Cut vs. 252/236+ Qwilfish 80.83 - 95.2%</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 252/252+ Eviolite Gligar 92.21 - 108.98%</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 248/236+ Zapdos 69.45 - 81.98%</li>
<li>ThunderPunch vs. 248/244+ Slowbro 56.99 - 67.17%</li>
</ul>

<p>The main choice to make is between an Adamant and Jolly nature. Adamant boosts Medicham's Attack to extraordinary levels, securing KOs on a multitude of slower threats, but Jolly lets Medicham outrun neutral natured Heracross, Kingdra, Nidoking, and Roserade, as well as Chandelure running Hidden Power Fighting. You can run Bullet Punch effectively in the last slot, as it does 35% minimum to Heracross while dispatching Froslass, but since Bullet Punch is illegal with Psycho Cut, using it forces you to run Zen Headbutt. This wouldn't be so bad except Zen Headbutt is a contact move, so you instantly lose to Cofagrigus.</p>

<p>The main support Medicham needs is entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock. Entry hazards push many Pokemon into KO range, and Stealth Rock limits the amount of times Flying-types can tank a Hi Jump Kick. Cobalion is a good Stealth Rock setter and has access to Volt Switch, which can help bring Medicham in safely. Empoleon synergizes perfectly with Medicham and can support it by setting up Stealth Rock, burning foes with Scald, and providing free switch-in opportunities with Yawn. Uxie can set up Stealth Rock, U-turn as a Dark type switches in to bring in Medicham for free, and spread paralysis to slow down the opposition; however, the two share common weaknesses. Unlike many Pokemon reliant on hazards, Medicham doesn't require spinblocking support, since Rapid Spin is a great opportunity to bring Medicham in.</p>

<p>Medicham does not have an easy time switching in, so anything that can help patch that weakness is a blessing for it. U-turn, Volt Switch, Baton Passing Substitute, dual screens, and double switching are all great ways to bring Medicham in. Psychic-types and to a lesser extent Ghost-types are huge thorns in Medicham's side, so Pursuit support from the likes of Snorlax and Houndoom is much appreciated. Both of these Pokemon resist Ghost, which is Medicham's most major weakness. Houndoom can also come in for free on support Mew and immediately threaten it with a powerful Pursuit. Unfortunately, neither Pokemon can handle all of Mew's best sets, so using multiple Pokemon to beat all of Mew's common sets is recommended.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Medicham's stats and typing don't allow it to do much else. Choice Scarf works just fine if you need a fast Fighting-type that beats Crobat and Gligar. However, Choice Scarf Medicham is outclassed by Heracross, which can sweep more easily; Mienshao, which is faster and has Regenerator; and Flygon, which has more opportunities to switch in. You could try a Life Orb if you'd like to switch attacks, but it misses out on some key KOs. Fake Out and / or Bullet Punch can be used to give Medicham priority for emergencies. It's important to note that Bullet Punch and Psycho Cut are illegal together, so if you opt to run Bullet Punch, you are stuck with Zen Headbutt for STAB, which makes physical contact with Pokemon such as Cofagrigius. Other options include Bulk Up, Drain Punch, and Recover, but Medicham is simply too frail to take advantage of these moves.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Sableye is Medicham's worst nightmare, as it is immune to both of Medicham's STAB attacks. It can survive any one hit from Medicham and cripple it with Will-O-Wisp, which prevents Medicham from doing much of anything. Sableye sometimes even packs its own Trick, so Tricking it a Choice Band doesn't always work. Bulky Psychic-types, such as Cresselia, Uxie, Xatu, and Mew, take little from either of Medicham's STABs. All of them can be EVed to outspeed Choice Band versions, but none like to be Tricked a Choice Band. Xatu also hates elemental punches. Mew can potentially be 2HKOed by Choice Band Hi Jump Kick, but it would have to be very poorly EVed to both be outsped and fall in two hits. The common support Mew can burn Medicham with Will-O-Wisp and then Recover off the damage.</p>

<p>Other than the above Pokemon, Medicham doesn't have any traditional "counters" that can switch into everything it has, but it can be played around with checks. Cofagrigus is a good start, as if Medicham doesn't predict and use Psycho Cut, its ability will be changed to Mummy, and it will become worthless until it switches out. Dusclops can avoid 2HKOs from all of Medicham's attacks thanks to Eviolite. Froslass and Golurk aren't too bulky, but they are immune to Hi Jump Kick. Froslass resists Ice Punch and outspeeds Medicham, while Golurk is immune to ThunderPunch. Chandelure works in a similar vein but usually has to risk losing a Speed tie with Medicham. Bronzong can take any attack other than Hi Jump Kick and KO with Gyro Ball.</p>

<p>Once Medicham locks itself into a move, it is a lot less threatening, as numerous Pokemon can take one of Medicham's attacks, outspeed, and KO with a neutral STAB attack. Additionally, Medicham isn't easy to bring in, so continuous offensive volleys will prevent your opponent from doing so.</p>
 

kokoloko

what matters is our plan!
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QC agreed not to give Medicham an analysis. Why did you not go through the standard process of reserving stuff on the index and then working on it?
 

cim

happiness is such hard work
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Sheer ignorance; I thought I read all the stickies and I didn't see anything about having to put something in the index first. Not even the Index thread says you need to post there. Though I guess it's implied, I just assumed that it was for people to reserve popular Pokemon, which Medicham isn't...

I think an argument can clearly be made for Medicham to have an analysis. He has a viable set that multiple people could vouch for. It's not outstanding, obviously, but it can do a specific job better than anything else in UU at the moment. Look at Gallade - he has a UU Choice Bander set when excluding his Special Defense stat and the possibility of hitting a few Psychics, it's clearly outclassed.
 

Seven Deadly Sins

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I've used it (on the team I built with cim) and it was incredible. I can definitely vouch for the set, and would urge UU's team not to just ignore it off-hand.

It's one of those Pokemon where if you can get it in safely it just tears huge holes in teams. It's tough to get in, but when used right it's incredibly effective, especially if you can use it to open the way for Heracross.
 

kokoloko

what matters is our plan!
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
cim, I'd rather have you use the time to write about a Pokemon that's actually relevant in the current meta, but since you've already done like 70% of the work, I'll allow this.

Slash Jolly, mention Drain Punch in OO, and expand the teammates section. Looks good otherwise but I'll hold off on approving this until other QC members have a look.
 

cim

happiness is such hard work
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Alright, I slashed in Jolly, but I'm not entirely sure what it's for. Bisharp and Honchkrow both have Sucker Punch, and the only other thing it beats is HP Fighting Timid Chandelure. I'm sure I'm missing something though.
 

kokoloko

what matters is our plan!
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Neutral Heracross / Kingdra / Meloetta / Rotom-A / Nidoking / Roserade / Porygon-Z. Mostly the first two since they run Adamant quite often on their boosting sets.

Also, Psycho Cut not activating Mummy is really cool lol
 

PK Gaming

Persona 5
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Looks good

qc approved (2/3)

don't forget to mention that mew is hard to remove (2/3 sets aren't switching out of houndoom or snorlax on average)
 

Jukain

!_!
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[Overview]
<skip line>
<
p>Medicham's most notable quality is its great ability &mdash;Pure Power, &mdash;which doubles its otherwise pitiful Attack stat to, reaching a monstrous 480. Combine that with thea 130 Base Power STAB in Hi Jump Kick, and you have a seriously threatening Pokemon oin your hands. Its secondary STAB, move&mdash;Psycho Cut, &mdash;has goodecent coverage with Fighting and, most notably, does not contact the opponent, preventing abilities such as Mummy or Flame Body from triggering. Medicham is most notable in UU for being able to deal serious damage to all of Heracross's counters, aidmeaning in a sweept partners well with one of the best Pokemon in UU. Unfortunately, while Medicham has a great Attack stat, the rest of its stats are nothing to write home about, and; its base 80 Speed and defensive typing are disappointing to say the least. For these reasons, many of its potential sets are outclassed by Heracross and Mienshao, but Medicham still has a niche as a powerful wallbreaker that rips huge holes in teams if you manage to bring it in safely.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Hi Jump Kick
move 2: Psycho Cut
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Trick / ThunderPunch
item: Choice Band
ability: Pure Power
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Medicham's best and only viable set in UU takuses advantage of Choice Band to boost its greathigh Attack to a ludicrous 720 with an Adamant nature. This allowgives Medicham to have the power to break through nearlyalmost every Pokemon in UU with the right attack, provided you bring it in safely. Hi Jump Kick has the most damage potential of any move Medicham carries - &mdash;at 130 Base Power before STAB, it does heavy damage to even to Pokemon that resist it. One needs to be extremely careful about the recoil, however, as an untimely Ghost type or Protect will send Medicham crashing down. Psycho Cut is a safer move to spam, since Dark types aren't going to be risking coming in on Hi Jump Kick, and a lot of common responses to Fighting types take heavy damage from it. Most notably, it 2HKOs OTRoffensive Trick Room Cofagrigius, and since Psycho Cut does not make contact, Medicham idoesn't crippled bhave to worry about Mummy. Psycho Cut also scores a clean OHKO on Chandelure and Mismagius, two other threatening Ghost types, as well as Crobat, which 4Xx resists Hi Jump Kick.</p>

<p>Medicham's last two slots are for greater coverage against other Fighting resists, many of which give trouble to other Fighting types likesuch as Heracross. Ice Punch scores an OHKO on Flying -types, including Gligar, Xatu, and all but the bulkiest of Zapdos after Stealth Rock. A well -predicted Ice Punch can clear the way for a Heracross sweep quite easily, turning the tides of a battle. The last attack is largely personal preference. Trick will cripples the Psychic types that can wall Medicham, includingsuch as Slowbro and Mew. ThunderPunch gets a clean 2HKO ones Slowbro, but between Regenerator and the dangers of a Choice locked Electric-type attack, it's not as effective as it could be. </p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Here are just a few calculations that demonstrate Medicham's offensive prowess and ability to clean up Heracross's checks.</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hi Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Bronzong: 81.95 - 96.74% -- 18.75% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252 HP / 136+ Cofagrigus: 42.5 - 50.62% -- 53.91% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252 HP / 4 Cofagrigus: 51.87 - 61.25% -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Nidoqueen: 94.27 - 111.45% -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>-1 Psycho Cut vs. 252 HP / 236+ Def Qwilfish: 80.83 - 95.2% -- 50% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Eviolite Gligar: 92.21 - 108.98% -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 248 HP / 236+ Def Zapdos: 69.45 - 81.98% -- 56.25% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>ThunderPunch vs. 248 HP / 244+ Def Slowbro: 56.99 - 67.17% -- guaranteed 2HKO</li>
</ul>
fixed up the format to comply with the standard
<p>EVing Medicham is quite simple - max Attack and Speed, with a point in Special Defense to prevent Download users from boosting their Special Attack. The main choice to make is between an Adamant orand Jolly nature. Adamant boosts Medicham's attack to extraordinary levels, securing KOs on a multitude of slower threats, but Jolly lets Medicham beatoutrun neutral natured Heracross, Kingdra, Nidoking, and Roserade, as well as any Chandelure running Hidden Power Fighting. You can choose to run Bullet Punch on this Medichameffectively in the last slot, as it does 35% minimum to a -0 Heracross while takdispatching care of Froslass, but since Bullet Punch is illegal with Psycho Cut, you're forced to run Zen Headbutt. This wouldn't be so bad except that Zen Headbutt is a contact move, so you instantly lose to Mummy Cofagrigius. </p>

<p>The main support this Medicham needs is in entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock. ThiEntry hazards pushes many Pokemon into KO range with a single switch in, and Stealth Rock really beatlimits the times up Flying -types that try tocan tank a Hi Jump Kick. Cobalion is a good Stealth Rock supporetter withand has access to Volt Switch, which can order to help bring Medicham in safely, though its typing is a bit redundant. Empoleon resists all of. Empoleon synergizes perfectly with Medicham's weaknesses and is a greatcan supporter for Medicham, provid it by setting up Stealth Rock, burn support froming foes with Scald, and potential doublroviding free switch-in opportunities with Yawn. Uxie can set up Stealth Rock and, U-Tturn out ofas a Dark type switches in to brainght into Medicham, and it also learns Thunder Wave for free, spread paralysis to help slow down the opposition, but; however, the two do share common weaknesses. Unlike a lot ofmany Pokemon reliant on hazards, Medicham doesn't require spin blocking support, since Rapid Spin is a great opportunity to bring Medicham into battle.</p>

<p>Medicham does not have an easy time switching into battle, so anything that can help patch that weakness is a blessing for Medicham. U-Tturns, Volt Switches, Baton Passing SubPasstitutes, dual screen support, orand double switchesing are all great ways to bring Medicham into play. Psychic-types and to a lesser extent Ghost-types are huge thorns in Medicham's side, so Pursuit support from the likes of Snorlax or Houndoom is much appreciated. Both of these Pokemon resist Ghost, which is Medicham's most mainjor weakness, and. Houndoom can also come in for free on Ssupport Mew and immediately threaten it with a powerful Pursuit. Unfortunately, neither Pokemon can handle all of Mew's best sets, so Mew is goingusing multiple Pokemon to beat a problem for any Medicham. ll of Mew's common sets is recommended.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Medicham's stats and typing don't allow it to play many other rolesdo much else. Choice Scarf works just fine if you need a fast Fighting type that still beats Crobat and Gligar. Yet, the sHowever, Choice Scarf setMedicham is outclassed by Moxie Heracross, whoich can sweeps better; more easily, Mienshao, who has aich is faster Speed and has Regenerator; or, and Flygon, whoich has more opportunities to switch in. You could try a Life Orb if you'd like to switch attacks, but you jusit misses out on some key KOs that way. Fake Out and / or Bullet Punch can be used to give Medicham some priority for emergencies, but Bullet Punch and Psycho Cut are illegal together, so you'll always lose to Cofagrigius. Other options include Bulk Up, Drain Punch, and/or Recover, but Medicham is simply too frail to take advantage of these moves, especially when Hi Jump Kick hits way harder.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Sabeleye is Medicham's worst nightmare, since the Prankster Ghosas it is immune to both of hiMedicham's STAB attacks. It can survives any one hit from Medicham and then burns with a prioritycripple it with Will-oO-Wisp, which preventings Medicham from doing much of anything. Sabeleye can even sometimes packs its own Trick, so givTricking it a Choice Band doesn't always work. Bulky Psychic -types, likesuch as Cresselia, Uxie, Xatu, and Mew resist both STAB at, tacks and are generalittly safe to bring in onfrom either of Medicham's STABs. All of them can be EVed to outspeed Choice Band versions, but none of them like to be Tricked that much, a Choice Band. Xatu also hates elemental punches. Mew can potentially be 2HKOed by CB Hi Jump Kick, but it would have to be very poorly EVed in order to both losbe outhe speed race and fall in two hits. The common Ssupport mMew can burn Medicham with Will-oO-wisp and then Recover off the damage.</p>

<p>Other than the above Pokemon, Medicham doesn't have any traditional "counters" that can switch in onto everything it has, but it can be played around with checks. Cofagrigius is a good start, as if Medicham doesn't predict and use Psycho Cut, its ability will gainbe changed to Mummy and become worthless until it switches out. Other bulky gGhosts like-types such as Dusclops and Golurk work similarly - it's best to bring them in on Hi Jump Kick. Froslass isn't too bulky, but it resists both immune to Hi Jump Kick and, resists Ice Punch while, and outspeedings Medicham. Chandelure works in a similar vein but usually onlyhas to risk losing a Speed ties with Medicham. Bronzong can take any attack except Hi Jump Kick and KO with Gyro Ball. </p>

<p>Once you figure out what attack Medicham is spamming, it is a lot less threatening, as numerous Pokemon can outspeed Medicham and KO with a neutral STAB attack.</p>

[Overview]

<p>Medicham's most notable quality is its great ability&mdash;Pure Power&mdash;which doubles its otherwise pitiful Attack stat, reaching a monstrous 480. Combine that with a 130 Base Power STAB in Hi Jump Kick and you have a seriously threatening Pokemon in your hands. Its secondary STAB move&mdash;Psycho Cut&mdash;has decent coverage with Fighting and, most notably, does not contact the opponent, preventing abilities such as Mummy or Flame Body from triggering. Medicham is most notable for being able to deal serious damage to all of Heracross's counters, meaning it partners well with one of the best Pokemon in UU. Unfortunately, while Medicham has a great Attack stat, the rest of its stats are nothing to write home about; its base 80 Speed and defensive typing are disappointing to say the least. For these reasons, many of its potential sets are outclassed by Heracross and Mienshao, but Medicham still has a niche as a powerful wallbreaker that rips huge holes in teams if you manage to bring it in safely.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Hi Jump Kick
move 2: Psycho Cut
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Trick / ThunderPunch
item: Choice Band
ability: Pure Power
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Medicham's best and only viable set in UU uses a Choice Band to boost its high Attack to a ludicrous 720 with an Adamant nature. This gives Medicham the power to break through almost every Pokemon in UU with the right attack. Hi Jump Kick has the most damage potential of any move Medicham carries&mdash;at 130 Base Power before STAB, it does heavy damage even to Pokemon that resist it. One needs to be extremely careful about the recoil, however, as an untimely Ghost type or Protect will send Medicham crashing down. Psycho Cut is a safer move to spam, since Dark types aren't going to be risking coming in on Hi Jump Kick, and a lot of common responses to Fighting types take heavy damage from it. Most notably, it 2HKOs offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus, and since Psycho Cut does not make contact, Medicham doesn't have to worry about Mummy. Psycho Cut also scores an OHKO on Chandelure and Mismagius, two other threatening Ghost types, as well as Crobat, which 4x resists Hi Jump Kick.</p>

<p>Medicham's last two slots are for coverage against other Fighting resists, many of which give trouble to other Fighting types such as Heracross. Ice Punch scores an OHKO on Flying-types, including Gligar, Xatu, and all but the bulkiest of Zapdos after Stealth Rock. A well-predicted Ice Punch can clear the way for a Heracross sweep quite easily, turning the tides of a battle. The last attack is largely personal preference. Trick cripples the Psychic types that wall Medicham, such as Slowbro and Mew. ThunderPunch 2HKOes Slowbro, but between Regenerator and the dangers of a Choice locked Electric-type attack, it's not as effective as it could be.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Here are just a few calculations that demonstrate Medicham's offensive prowess and ability to clean up Heracross's checks.</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hi Jump Kick vs. 252/252+ Bronzong: 81.95 - 96.74%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/136+ Cofagrigus 42.5 - 50.62%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/4 Cofagrigus: 51.87 - 61.25%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/252+ Nidoqueen 94.27 - 111.45%</li>
<li>-1 Psycho Cut vs. 252/236+ Qwilfish 80.83 - 95.2%</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 252/252+ Eviolite Gligar 92.21 - 108.98%</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 248/236+ Zapdos 69.45 - 81.98%</li>
<li>ThunderPunch vs. 248/244+ Slowbro 56.99 - 67.17%</li>
</ul>

<p>The main choice to make is between an Adamant and Jolly nature. Adamant boosts Medicham's attack to extraordinary levels, securing KOs on a multitude of slower threats, but Jolly lets Medicham outrun neutral natured Heracross, Kingdra, Nidoking, and Roserade, as well as Chandelure running Hidden Power Fighting. You can run Bullet Punch effectively in the last slot, as it does 35% minimum to a Heracross while dispatching Froslass, but since Bullet Punch is illegal with Psycho Cut, you're forced to run Zen Headbutt. This wouldn't be so bad except that Zen Headbutt is a contact move, so you instantly lose to Cofagrigus. </p>

<p>The main support Medicham needs is entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock. Entry hazards push many Pokemon into KO range, and Stealth Rock limits the times Flying-types can tank a Hi Jump Kick. Cobalion is a good Stealth Rock setter and has access to Volt Switch, which can help bring Medicham in safely. Empoleon synergizes perfectly with Medicham and can support it by setting up Stealth Rock, burning foes with Scald, and providing free switch-in opportunities with Yawn. Uxie can set up Stealth Rock, U-turn as a Dark type switches in to bring in Medicham for free, spread paralysis to slow down the opposition; however, the two share common weaknesses. Unlike many Pokemon reliant on hazards, Medicham doesn't require spinblocking support, since Rapid Spin is a great opportunity to bring Medicham in.</p>

<p>Medicham does not have an easy time switching in, so anything that can help patch that weakness is a blessing for Medicham. U-turn, Volt Switch, Baton Passing Substitute, dual screens, and double switching are all great ways to bring Medicham in. Psychic-types and to a lesser extent Ghost-types are huge thorns in Medicham's side, so Pursuit support from the likes of Snorlax or Houndoom is much appreciated. Both of these Pokemon resist Ghost, which is Medicham's most major weakness. Houndoom can also come in for free on support Mew and immediately threaten it with a powerful Pursuit. Unfortunately, neither Pokemon can handle all of Mew's best sets, so using multiple Pokemon to beat all of Mew's common sets is recommended.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Medicham's stats and typing don't allow it to do much else. Choice Scarf works just fine if you need a fast Fighting type that beats Crobat and Gligar. However, Choice Scarf Medicham is outclassed by Heracross, which can sweep more easily, Mienshao, which is faster and has Regenerator, and Flygon, which has more opportunities to switch in. You could try a Life Orb if you'd like to switch attacks, but it misses out on some key KOs. Fake Out and / or Bullet Punch can be used to give Medicham priority for emergencies. Other options include Bulk Up, Drain Punch, and Recover, but Medicham is simply too frail to take advantage of these moves.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Sabeleye is Medicham's worst nightmare, as it is immune to both of Medicham's STAB attacks. It can survive any one hit from Medicham and cripple it with Will-O-Wisp, which prevents Medicham from doing much of anything. Sabeleye can even pack its own Trick, so Tricking it a Choice Band doesn't always work. Bulky Psychic-types, such as Cresselia, Uxie, Xatu, and Mew, take little from either of Medicham's STABs. All of them can be EVed to outspeed Choice Band versions, but none like to be Tricked a Choice Band. Xatu also hates elemental punches. Mew can potentially be 2HKOed by CB Hi Jump Kick, but it would have to be very poorly EVed to both be outsped and fall in two hits. The common support Mew can burn Medicham with Will-O-wisp and then Recover off the damage.</p>

<p>Other than the above Pokemon, Medicham doesn't have any traditional "counters" that can switch into everything it has, but it can be played around with checks. Cofagrigus is a good start, as if Medicham doesn't predict and use Psycho Cut, its ability will be changed to Mummy and become worthless until it switches out. Other bulky Ghost-types such as Dusclops and Golurk work similarly. Froslass isn't too bulky, but it is immune to Hi Jump Kick, resists Ice Punch, and outspeeds Medicham. Chandelure works in a similar vein but usually has to risk losing a Speed tie with Medicham. Bronzong can take any attack except Hi Jump Kick and KO with Gyro Ball.</p>

<p>Once you figure out what attack Medicham is spamming, it is a lot less threatening, as numerous Pokemon can outspeed Medicham and KO with a neutral STAB attack.</p>

I'm not so sure about this last really short paragraph. It's quite awkward and IMO isn't enough of a separate point for its own paragraph. You should either fit it in with the two paragraphs or phrase it more elegantly with finality. I think you should do the former, but it's up to you.

The main issues were some awkward bits and missed standards, the latter of which I assume has to do with what you alluded to in the OP. Just some advice for next time!
 

cim

happiness is such hard work
is a Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
I implemented everything but removing the mention of Bullet Punch and Psycho Cut being illegal together - that's a really important limitation.
 

cim

happiness is such hard work
is a Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
bump because this has been waiting for G/P for about two weeks now?
 
GP check. Good job on writing this. Only two comments about things I saw more than once: Sableye>Sabeleye and be sure to remember the hyphen in things like X-type and X-types (though it isn't needed for things like X typing).
Additions in Blue
Subtractions in Red
Comments in Purple

[Overview]

<p>Medicham's most notable quality is its great ability&mdash;Pure Power&mdash;which doubles its otherwise pitiful Attack stat, reaching to a monstrous 480. Combine that with a 130 Base Power STAB in Hi Jump Kick and you have a seriously threatening Pokemon in on your hands. Its secondary STAB move&mdash;Psycho Cut&mdash;has decent coverage with Fighting and, most notably, does not contact the opponent, preventing abilities such as Mummy or and Flame Body from triggering. Medicham is most notable for being able to can also (I'm suggesting this change because you already said its most notable quality was its great Attack but, if you want to change that part above or can think of a better rephrasing, feel free to use that instead) deal serious damage to all of Heracross's counters, meaning it partners well with one of the best Pokemon in UU. Unfortunately, while Medicham has a great Attack stat, the rest of its stats are nothing to write home about; its base 80 Speed and defensive typing are disappointing to say the least. For these reasons, many of its potential sets are outclassed by Heracross and Mienshao, but Medicham still has a niche as a powerful wallbreaker that rips can rip huge holes in teams if you manage to bring it in safely.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Hi Jump Kick
move 2: Psycho Cut
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Trick / ThunderPunch
item: Choice Band
ability: Pure Power
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Medicham's best and only viable set in UU uses a Choice Band to boost its high Attack to a ludicrous 720 with an Adamant nature. This gives Medicham the power to break through almost every Pokemon in UU with the right attack. Hi Jump Kick has the most damage potential of any move Medicham carries&mdash; (change to semicolon) at 130 Base Power before STAB, it does heavy damage even to Pokemon that resist it. One needs to be extremely careful about the recoil, however, as an untimely Ghost type (add a hyphen between Ghost and type) or Protect will send Medicham crashing down. Psycho Cut is a safer move to spam, since Dark types aren't going to be risking coming in on Hi Jump Kick, and a lot of common responses to Fighting types (add hyphen between Fighting and types) take heavy damage from it. Most notably, it 2HKOs 2HKOes offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus, and since Psycho Cut does not make contact, Medicham doesn't have to worry about Mummy. Psycho Cut also scores an OHKO on Chandelure and Mismagius, two other threatening Ghost types (add hyphen between Ghost and types), as well as Crobat, which 4x resists Hi Jump Kick.</p>

<p>Medicham's last two slots are for coverage against other Fighting resists, many of which give trouble to other Fighting types (add hyphen between Fighting and types) such as Heracross. Ice Punch scores an OHKO on Flying-types, including Gligar, Xatu, and all but the bulkiest of Zapdos after Stealth Rock. A well-predicted Ice Punch can clear the way for a Heracross sweep quite easily, turning the tides tide of a battle. The last attack is largely personal preference. Trick cripples the Psychic types (add hyphen between Psychic and types) that wall Medicham, such as Slowbro and Mew. ThunderPunch 2HKOes Slowbro, but between Regenerator and the dangers of a Choice locked Electric-type attack, it's not as effective as it could be.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Here are just a few calculations that demonstrate Medicham's offensive prowess and ability to clean up Heracross's checks.</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hi Jump Kick vs. 252/252+ Bronzong: 81.95 - 96.74%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/136+ Cofagrigus 42.5 - 50.62%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/4 Cofagrigus: 51.87 - 61.25%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/252+ Nidoqueen 94.27 - 111.45%</li>
<li>-1 Psycho Cut vs. 252/236+ Qwilfish 80.83 - 95.2%</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 252/252+ Eviolite Gligar 92.21 - 108.98%</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 248/236+ Zapdos 69.45 - 81.98%</li>
<li>ThunderPunch vs. 248/244+ Slowbro 56.99 - 67.17%</li>
</ul>

<p>The main choice to make is between an Adamant and Jolly nature. Adamant boosts Medicham's attack Attack to extraordinary levels, securing KOs on a multitude of slower threats (not going to say you have to if you think it messes with the flow of the sentence, but it might be a good idea to give some examples here), but Jolly lets Medicham outrun neutral natured Heracross, Kingdra, Nidoking, and Roserade, as well as Chandelure running Hidden Power Fighting. You can run Bullet Punch effectively in the last slot, as it does 35% minimum to a Heracross while dispatching Froslass, but since Bullet Punch is illegal with Psycho Cut, you're forced using it forces you to run Zen Headbutt. This wouldn't be so bad except that Zen Headbutt is a contact move, so you instantly lose to Cofagrigus. </p>

<p>The main support Medicham needs is entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock. Entry hazards push many Pokemon into KO range, and Stealth Rock limits the times Flying-types can tank a Hi Jump Kick. Cobalion is a good Stealth Rock setter and has access to Volt Switch, which can help bring Medicham in safely. Empoleon synergizes perfectly with Medicham and can support it by setting up Stealth Rock, burning foes with Scald, and providing free switch-in opportunities with Yawn. Uxie can set up Stealth Rock, U-turn as a Dark type switches in to bring in Medicham for free, and spread paralysis to slow down the opposition; however, the two share common weaknesses. Unlike many Pokemon reliant on hazards, Medicham doesn't require spinblocking support, since Rapid Spin is a great opportunity to bring Medicham in.</p>

<p>Medicham does not have an easy time switching in, so anything that can help patch that weakness is a blessing for Medicham it. U-turn, Volt Switch, Baton Passing Substitute, dual screens, and double switching are all great ways to bring Medicham in. Psychic-types and to a lesser extent Ghost-types are huge thorns in Medicham's side, so Pursuit support from the likes of Snorlax or and Houndoom is much appreciated. Both of these Pokemon resist Ghost, which is Medicham's most major weakness. Houndoom can also come in for free on support Mew and immediately threaten it with a powerful Pursuit. Unfortunately, neither Pokemon can handle all of Mew's best sets, so using multiple Pokemon to beat all of Mew's common sets is recommended.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Medicham's stats and typing don't allow it to do much else. Choice Scarf works just fine if you need a fast Fighting type (add hyphen between Fighting and type) that beats Crobat and Gligar. However, Choice Scarf Medicham is outclassed by Heracross, which can sweep more easily, Mienshao, which is faster and has Regenerator, and Flygon, which has more opportunities to switch in. You could try a Life Orb if you'd like to switch attacks, but it misses out on some key KOs. Fake Out and / or Bullet Punch can be used to give Medicham priority for emergencies. It's important to note that Bullet Punch and Psycho Cut are illegal together, so if you opt to run Bullet Punch, you are stuck with Zen Headbutt for STAB, which does make makes physical contact with Pokemon such as Cofagrigius. Other options include Bulk Up, Drain Punch, and Recover, but Medicham is simply too frail to take advantage of these moves.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Sabeleye Sableye is Medicham's worst nightmare, as it is immune to both of Medicham's STAB attacks. It can survive any one hit from Medicham and cripple it with Will-O-Wisp, which prevents Medicham from doing much of anything. Sabeleye Sableye can sometimes even pack packs its own Trick, so Tricking it a Choice Band doesn't always work. Bulky Psychic-types, such as Cresselia, Uxie, Xatu, and Mew, take little from either of Medicham's STABs. All of them can be EVed to outspeed Choice Band versions, but none like to be Tricked a Choice Band. Xatu also hates elemental punches. Mew can potentially be 2HKOed by CB Choice Band Hi Jump Kick, but it would have to be very poorly EVed to both be outsped and fall in two hits. The common support Mew can burn Medicham with Will-O-wisp Will-O-Wisp and then Recover off the damage.</p>

<p>Other than the above Pokemon, Medicham doesn't have any traditional "counters" that can switch into everything it has, but it can be played around with checks. Cofagrigus is a good start, as if Medicham doesn't predict and use Psycho Cut, its ability will be changed to Mummy and (add comma) it will become worthless until it switches out. Other bulky Ghost-types such as Dusclops and Golurk work similarly can avoid 2HKOs from all of Medicham's attacks (the reason I'm suggesting these changes is that Golurk (unlike Dusclops and Cofagrigus) can only really safely switch in on Hi Jump Kick (and ThunderPunch but that's a secondary slash) since the standard UU spread is 2HKOed by Psycho Cut and OHKOed by Ice Punch and that Dusclops seems like it functions a little differently from Cofagrigus, trading the ability to take away its ability for the ability to only be 3HKOed by all its attacks if the damage calculator I used is accurate; if the bit about Dusclops vs. Cofagrigus isn't accurate feel free to leave "works similarly" as is, though Golurk should probably be mentioned in a separate sentence if you want to include it). Froslass isn't too bulky, but it is immune to Hi Jump Kick, resists Ice Punch, and outspeeds Medicham. Chandelure works in a similar vein but usually has to risk losing a Speed tie with Medicham. Bronzong can take any attack except other than Hi Jump Kick and KO with Gyro Ball.</p>

<p>Once you figure out what attack Medicham is spamming Medicham locks itself into a move, it is a lot less threatening, as numerous Pokemon can take one of Medicham's attacks, (I think this is what you mean as the connection between knowing what move Medicham is using and taking it out; if not though, this should probably be cleared up a little bit) outspeed (add comma) Medicham and KO with a neutral STAB attack. Additionally, Medicham isn't easy to bring in, so continuous offensive volleys will help discourage Medicham from coming in prevent your opponent from doing so.</p>


[gp]1/2[/gp]
 

cim

happiness is such hard work
is a Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Added the check, thanks! I rewrote the Froslass / Golurk part to make it a bit clearer.
 

Nix_Hex

Uangaana kasuttortunga!
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Researcher Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
[Overview]

<p>Medicham's most notable quality is its great ability&mdash;, Pure Power&mdash;, which doubles its otherwise pitiful Attack stat to a monstrous 480. Combine that with a 130 Base Power STAB in Hi Jump Kick and you have a seriously threatening Pokemon on your hands. Its secondary STAB move&mdash;, Psycho Cut&mdash;, has decent coverage with Fighting and does not contact the opponent, preventing abilities such as Mummy and Flame Body from triggering. Medicham is most notable for being able to deal serious damage to all of Heracross's counters, meaning it partners well with one of the best Pokemon in UU. Unfortunately, while Medicham has a great Attack stat, the rest of its stats are nothing to write home about; its base 80 Speed and defensive typing are disappointing to say the least. For these reasons, many of its potential sets are outclassed by Heracross and Mienshao, but Medicham still has a niche as a powerful wallbreaker that can rip huge holes in teams if you manage to bring it in safely.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Hi Jump Kick
move 2: Psycho Cut
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Trick / ThunderPunch
item: Choice Band
ability: Pure Power
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Medicham's best and only viable set in UU uses a Choice Band to boost its high Attack to a ludicrous 720 with an Adamant nature. This gives Medicham the power to break through almost every Pokemon in UU with the right attack. Hi Jump Kick has the most damage potential of any move Medicham carries; at 130 Base Power before STAB, it does heavy damage even to Pokemon that resist it. One needs to be extremely careful about the recoil, however, as an untimely Ghost-type or Protect will send Medicham crashing down. Psycho Cut is a safer move to spam, since Dark types aren't going to be risking coming in on Hi Jump Kick, and a lot of common responses to Fighting-types take heavy damage from it. Most notably, it 2HKOes offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus, and since Psycho Cut does not make contact, Medicham doesn't have to worry about Mummy. Psycho Cut also scores an OHKO on Chandelure and Mismagius, two other threatening Ghost-types, as well as Crobat, which 4x resists Hi Jump Kick.</p>

<p>Medicham's last two slots are for coverage against other Fighting resists, many of which give trouble to other Fighting-types such as Heracross. Ice Punch scores an OHKO on Flying-types, including Gligar, Xatu, and all but the bulkiest of Zapdos after Stealth Rock. A well-predicted Ice Punch can clear the way for a Heracross sweep quite easily, turning the tide of a battle. The last attack is largely personal preference. Trick cripples the Psychic-types that wall Medicham, such as Slowbro and Mew. ThunderPunch 2HKOes Slowbro, but between Regenerator and the dangers of a Choice locked Electric-type attack, it's not always as effective as it could be.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Here are just a few calculations that demonstrate Medicham's offensive prowess and ability to clean up Heracross's checks.</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hi Jump Kick vs. 252/252+ Bronzong: 81.95 - 96.74%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/136+ Cofagrigus 42.5 - 50.62%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/4 Cofagrigus: 51.87 - 61.25%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/252+ Nidoqueen 94.27 - 111.45%</li>
<li>-1 Psycho Cut vs. 252/236+ Qwilfish 80.83 - 95.2%</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 252/252+ Eviolite Gligar 92.21 - 108.98%</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 248/236+ Zapdos 69.45 - 81.98%</li>
<li>ThunderPunch vs. 248/244+ Slowbro 56.99 - 67.17%</li>
</ul>

<p>The main choice to make is between an Adamant and Jolly nature. Adamant boosts Medicham's Attack to extraordinary levels, securing KOs on a multitude of slower threats, but Jolly lets Medicham outrun neutral natured Heracross, Kingdra, Nidoking, and Roserade, as well as Chandelure running Hidden Power Fighting. You can run Bullet Punch effectively in the last slot, as it does 35% minimum to Heracross while dispatching Froslass, but since Bullet Punch is illegal with Psycho Cut, using it forces you to run Zen Headbutt. This wouldn't be so bad except Zen Headbutt is a contact move, so you instantly lose to Cofagrigus. </p>

<p>The main support Medicham needs is entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock. Entry hazards push many Pokemon into KO range, and Stealth Rock limits the amount of times Flying-types can tank a Hi Jump Kick. Cobalion is a good Stealth Rock setter and has access to Volt Switch, which can help bring Medicham in safely. Empoleon synergizes perfectly with Medicham and can support it by setting up Stealth Rock, burning foes with Scald, and providing free switch-in opportunities with Yawn. Uxie can set up Stealth Rock, U-turn as a Dark type switches in to bring in Medicham for free, and spread paralysis to slow down the opposition; however, the two share common weaknesses. Unlike many Pokemon reliant on hazards, Medicham doesn't require spinblocking support, since Rapid Spin is a great opportunity to bring Medicham in.</p>

<p>Medicham does not have an easy time switching in, so anything that can help patch that weakness is a blessing for it. U-turn, Volt Switch, Baton Passing Substitute, dual screens, and double switching are all great ways to bring Medicham in. Psychic-types and to a lesser extent Ghost-types are huge thorns in Medicham's side, so Pursuit support from the likes of Snorlax and Houndoom is much appreciated. Both of these Pokemon resist Ghost, which is Medicham's most major weakness. Houndoom can also come in for free on support Mew and immediately threaten it with a powerful Pursuit. Unfortunately, neither Pokemon can handle all of Mew's best sets, so using multiple Pokemon to beat all of Mew's common sets is recommended.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Medicham's stats and typing don't allow it to do much else. Choice Scarf works just fine if you need a fast Fighting-type that beats Crobat and Gligar. However, Choice Scarf Medicham is outclassed by Heracross, which can sweep more easily,; Mienshao, which is faster and has Regenerator,; and Flygon, which has more opportunities to switch in. You could try a Life Orb if you'd like to switch attacks, but it misses out on some key KOs. Fake Out and / or Bullet Punch can be used to give Medicham priority for emergencies. It's important to note that Bullet Punch and Psycho Cut are illegal together, so if you opt to run Bullet Punch, you are stuck with Zen Headbutt for STAB, which makes physical contact with Pokemon such as Cofagrigius. Other options include Bulk Up, Drain Punch, and Recover, but Medicham is simply too frail to take advantage of these moves.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Sableye is Medicham's worst nightmare, as it is immune to both of Medicham's STAB attacks. It can survive any one hit from Medicham and cripple it with Will-O-Wisp, which prevents Medicham from doing much of anything. Sableye sometimes even packs its own Trick, so Tricking it a Choice Band doesn't always work. Bulky Psychic-types, such as Cresselia, Uxie, Xatu, and Mew, take little from either of Medicham's STABs. All of them can be EVed to outspeed Choice Band versions, but none like to be Tricked a Choice Band. Xatu also hates elemental punches. Mew can potentially be 2HKOed by Choice Band Hi Jump Kick, but it would have to be very poorly EVed to both be outsped and fall in two hits. The common support Mew can burn Medicham with Will-O-Wisp and then Recover off the damage.</p>

<p>Other than the above Pokemon, Medicham doesn't have any traditional "counters" that can switch into everything it has, but it can be played around with checks. Cofagrigus is a good start, as if Medicham doesn't predict and use Psycho Cut, its ability will be changed to Mummy, and it will become worthless until it switches out. Dusclops can avoid 2HKOs from all of Medicham's attacks thanks to Eviolite. Froslass and Golurk aren't too bulky, but they are immune to Hi Jump Kick. Froslass resists Ice Punch and outspeeds Medicham, while Golurk is immune to ThunderPunch. Chandelure works in a similar vein but usually has to risk losing a Speed tie with Medicham. Bronzong can take any attack other than Hi Jump Kick and KO with Gyro Ball.</p>

<p>Once Medicham locks itself into a move, it is a lot less threatening, as numerous Pokemon can take one of Medicham's attacks, outspeed, and KO with a neutral STAB attack. Additionally, Medicham isn't easy to bring in, so continuous offensive volleys will prevent your opponent from doing so.</p>

[Overview]

<p>Medicham's most notable quality is its great ability, Pure Power, which doubles its otherwise pitiful Attack stat to a monstrous 480. Combine that with a 130 Base Power STAB in Hi Jump Kick and you have a seriously threatening Pokemon on your hands. Its secondary STAB move, Psycho Cut, has decent coverage with Fighting and does not contact the opponent, preventing abilities such as Mummy and Flame Body from triggering. Medicham is most notable for being able to deal serious damage to all of Heracross's counters, meaning it partners well with one of the best Pokemon in UU. Unfortunately, while Medicham has a great Attack stat, the rest of its stats are nothing to write home about; its base 80 Speed and defensive typing are disappointing to say the least. For these reasons, many of its potential sets are outclassed by Heracross and Mienshao, but Medicham still has a niche as a powerful wallbreaker that can rip huge holes in teams if you manage to bring it in safely.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Hi Jump Kick
move 2: Psycho Cut
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Trick / ThunderPunch
item: Choice Band
ability: Pure Power
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Medicham's best and only viable set in UU uses a Choice Band to boost its high Attack to a ludicrous 720 with an Adamant nature. This gives Medicham the power to break through almost every Pokemon in UU with the right attack. Hi Jump Kick has the most damage potential of any move Medicham carries; at 130 Base Power before STAB, it does heavy damage even to Pokemon that resist it. One needs to be extremely careful about the recoil, however, as an untimely Ghost-type or Protect will send Medicham crashing down. Psycho Cut is a safer move to spam, since Dark types aren't going to be risking coming in on Hi Jump Kick, and a lot of common responses to Fighting-types take heavy damage from it. Most notably, it 2HKOes offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus, and since Psycho Cut does not make contact, Medicham doesn't have to worry about Mummy. Psycho Cut also scores an OHKO on Chandelure and Mismagius, two other threatening Ghost-types, as well as Crobat, which 4x resists Hi Jump Kick.</p>

<p>Medicham's last two slots are for coverage against other Fighting resists, many of which give trouble to other Fighting-types such as Heracross. Ice Punch scores an OHKO on Flying-types, including Gligar, Xatu, and all but the bulkiest of Zapdos after Stealth Rock. A well-predicted Ice Punch can clear the way for a Heracross sweep quite easily, turning the tide of a battle. The last attack is largely personal preference. Trick cripples the Psychic-types that wall Medicham, such as Slowbro and Mew. ThunderPunch 2HKOes Slowbro, but between Regenerator and the dangers of a Choice locked Electric-type attack, it's not always as effective as it could be.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Here are just a few calculations that demonstrate Medicham's offensive prowess and ability to clean up Heracross's checks.</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hi Jump Kick vs. 252/252+ Bronzong: 81.95 - 96.74%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/136+ Cofagrigus 42.5 - 50.62%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/4 Cofagrigus: 51.87 - 61.25%</li>
<li>Psycho Cut vs. 252/252+ Nidoqueen 94.27 - 111.45%</li>
<li>-1 Psycho Cut vs. 252/236+ Qwilfish 80.83 - 95.2%</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 252/252+ Eviolite Gligar 92.21 - 108.98%</li>
<li>Ice Punch vs. 248/236+ Zapdos 69.45 - 81.98%</li>
<li>ThunderPunch vs. 248/244+ Slowbro 56.99 - 67.17%</li>
</ul>

<p>The main choice to make is between an Adamant and Jolly nature. Adamant boosts Medicham's Attack to extraordinary levels, securing KOs on a multitude of slower threats, but Jolly lets Medicham outrun neutral natured Heracross, Kingdra, Nidoking, and Roserade, as well as Chandelure running Hidden Power Fighting. You can run Bullet Punch effectively in the last slot, as it does 35% minimum to Heracross while dispatching Froslass, but since Bullet Punch is illegal with Psycho Cut, using it forces you to run Zen Headbutt. This wouldn't be so bad except Zen Headbutt is a contact move, so you instantly lose to Cofagrigus.</p>

<p>The main support Medicham needs is entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock. Entry hazards push many Pokemon into KO range, and Stealth Rock limits the amount of times Flying-types can tank a Hi Jump Kick. Cobalion is a good Stealth Rock setter and has access to Volt Switch, which can help bring Medicham in safely. Empoleon synergizes perfectly with Medicham and can support it by setting up Stealth Rock, burning foes with Scald, and providing free switch-in opportunities with Yawn. Uxie can set up Stealth Rock, U-turn as a Dark type switches in to bring in Medicham for free, and spread paralysis to slow down the opposition; however, the two share common weaknesses. Unlike many Pokemon reliant on hazards, Medicham doesn't require spinblocking support, since Rapid Spin is a great opportunity to bring Medicham in.</p>

<p>Medicham does not have an easy time switching in, so anything that can help patch that weakness is a blessing for it. U-turn, Volt Switch, Baton Passing Substitute, dual screens, and double switching are all great ways to bring Medicham in. Psychic-types and to a lesser extent Ghost-types are huge thorns in Medicham's side, so Pursuit support from the likes of Snorlax and Houndoom is much appreciated. Both of these Pokemon resist Ghost, which is Medicham's most major weakness. Houndoom can also come in for free on support Mew and immediately threaten it with a powerful Pursuit. Unfortunately, neither Pokemon can handle all of Mew's best sets, so using multiple Pokemon to beat all of Mew's common sets is recommended.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Medicham's stats and typing don't allow it to do much else. Choice Scarf works just fine if you need a fast Fighting-type that beats Crobat and Gligar. However, Choice Scarf Medicham is outclassed by Heracross, which can sweep more easily; Mienshao, which is faster and has Regenerator; and Flygon, which has more opportunities to switch in. You could try a Life Orb if you'd like to switch attacks, but it misses out on some key KOs. Fake Out and / or Bullet Punch can be used to give Medicham priority for emergencies. It's important to note that Bullet Punch and Psycho Cut are illegal together, so if you opt to run Bullet Punch, you are stuck with Zen Headbutt for STAB, which makes physical contact with Pokemon such as Cofagrigius. Other options include Bulk Up, Drain Punch, and Recover, but Medicham is simply too frail to take advantage of these moves.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Sableye is Medicham's worst nightmare, as it is immune to both of Medicham's STAB attacks. It can survive any one hit from Medicham and cripple it with Will-O-Wisp, which prevents Medicham from doing much of anything. Sableye sometimes even packs its own Trick, so Tricking it a Choice Band doesn't always work. Bulky Psychic-types, such as Cresselia, Uxie, Xatu, and Mew, take little from either of Medicham's STABs. All of them can be EVed to outspeed Choice Band versions, but none like to be Tricked a Choice Band. Xatu also hates elemental punches. Mew can potentially be 2HKOed by Choice Band Hi Jump Kick, but it would have to be very poorly EVed to both be outsped and fall in two hits. The common support Mew can burn Medicham with Will-O-Wisp and then Recover off the damage.</p>

<p>Other than the above Pokemon, Medicham doesn't have any traditional "counters" that can switch into everything it has, but it can be played around with checks. Cofagrigus is a good start, as if Medicham doesn't predict and use Psycho Cut, its ability will be changed to Mummy, and it will become worthless until it switches out. Dusclops can avoid 2HKOs from all of Medicham's attacks thanks to Eviolite. Froslass and Golurk aren't too bulky, but they are immune to Hi Jump Kick. Froslass resists Ice Punch and outspeeds Medicham, while Golurk is immune to ThunderPunch. Chandelure works in a similar vein but usually has to risk losing a Speed tie with Medicham. Bronzong can take any attack other than Hi Jump Kick and KO with Gyro Ball.</p>

<p>Once Medicham locks itself into a move, it is a lot less threatening, as numerous Pokemon can take one of Medicham's attacks, outspeed, and KO with a neutral STAB attack. Additionally, Medicham isn't easy to bring in, so continuous offensive volleys will prevent your opponent from doing so.</p>

You made this job way too easy. Great analysis, interesting read, etc.

GP Approved 2/2
 

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