Taken over from GOAO
QC: Rowan
GP: GatoDelFuego / TDP
[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to an excellent defensive ability in Stamina as well as good defensive stats, Mudbray is one of the best defensive Pokemon in Little Cup. It also has an incredible base 100 Attack stat as well as excellent physical coverage, allowing it to run a viable offensive set as well. Even with no investment, it still reaches an impressive 17 Attack, meaning defensive sets are still not passive at all. Additionally, even though it is slow, it can reach 14 Speed without a Jolly nature, meaning it can run a Choice Scarf set to catch its opponents off guard.
However, Mudbray lacks reliable recovery outside of Rest, meaning that it is prone to being worn down over time. Without a Choice Scarf, Mudbray will also usually be outsped by offensive Pokemon, which sometimes means it struggles to switch into them without being forced to use Rest immediately, thus losing your team momentum. Lastly, since Mudbray doesn't fulfill a specific role, it is sometimes difficult to fit on a team.
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rest
move 3: Sleep Talk
move 4: Heavy Slam
item: Eviolite
ability: Stamina
nature: Careful
evs: 116 HP / 116 Atk / 36 Def / 236 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is Mudbray's best STAB move and deals good damage to its foes. Rest heals Mudbray to full HP and removes any status ailments it might have, greatly increasing its longevity and allowing to wall threats multiple times throughout a match. Sleep Talk allows Mudbray to attack during the two turns of sleep that are caused by Rest, meaning it is not completely passive during that time. Since Mudbray is one of the heaviest Pokemon in Little Cup, Heavy Slam deals great damage, notably 2HKOing Spritzee and Snubbull and its Steel typing provides excellent neutral coverage alongside Earthquake. Alternatively, Rock Slide also gives Mudbray good neutral coverage, as it hits the Flying- and Bug-types that can switch into Earthquake super effectively, OHKOing Doduo, Choice Scarf Rufflet, and Dewpider after Stealth Rock.
Set Details
========
Eviolite raises Mudbray's bulk to incredible levels and thus increases its longevity in combination with Rest. Stamina allows Mudbray to wall many physical attackers, such as Pawniard, Timburr, and Mienfoo, as the ability gives it a Defense boost each time it gets hit. The Special Defense and HP investment in combination with a Careful nature efficiently raises Mudbray's bulk with an Eviolite and allow it to nearly always avoid the 2HKO from Magnemite's Flash Cannon. 116 Attack EVs give Mudbray a good chance to OHKO offensive Mienfoo after Stealth Rock and allow it to OHKO non-Eviolite Mareanie with Earthquake, as well as 2HKO Spritzee with Heavy Slam. The leftover EVs are put into Defense to raise it by one point and hit another Eviolite number.
Usage Tips
========
Mudbray should usually be switched in when an opposing physical attacker is predicted to go for a weaker move. For example, Mienfoo going for Drain Punch instead of High Jump Kick, or Timburr going for Mach Punch. It will usually take the hit quite well while getting a Defense boost in the progress thanks to Stamina. This boost can allow it to wall the physical attacker further. Be careful of staying in and using Rest against special attackers. Many of them will be able to 3HKO Mudbray, meaning that the duration of the sleep that Rest causes is too long to wall them. Don't be afraid of using Earthquake a lot. Thanks to Mudbray's high Attack stat, it will significantly hurt any foe that does not resist or is immune to it. Rest should be used when Mudbray is running low on HP to recover all of its health. While Mudbray is sleeping, Sleep Talk should be used to potentially hit the foe hard. Keep in mind that every time Mudbray uses Rest, it can use Sleep Talk exactly twice. After that, it will wake up, and a different move should be used.
Team Options
========
Checks for Grass-types such as Vullaby, Doduo, and Foongus are all great teammates for Mudbray, as it greatly fears their super effective STAB moves. Pokemon that can check Water-types, such as the aforementioned Foongus as well as Ferroseed and Chinchou, are also greatly appreciated. Phazers such as Munchlax and Mareanie help Mudbray remove bulky setup sweepers, such as Timburr and Calm Mind Spritzee, which are able to set up on it. Fairy-types such as Spritzee and Snubbul appreciate Mudbray checking Steel-, Fire-, and Poison-types.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Heavy Slam
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Close Combat
item: Berry Juice
ability: Stamina
nature: Adamant
evs: 116 HP / 196 Atk / 36 Def / 156 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is Mudbray's strongest move. Heavy Slam deals good damage thanks to Mudbray's weight and provides excellent neutral coverage with Earthquake, and it notably 2HKOes Spritzee, Snubbull, and Cottonee, all of which can take Earthquake with ease. Rock Slide hits the Bug- and Flying-types that can switch into Earthquake super effectively, OHKOing Larvesta and Doduo as well as 2HKOing Rufflet after Stealth Rock and non-Eviolite variants of Vullaby. Close Combat hits certain Pokemon that take any of Mudbray's other moves, such as Munchlax and Ferroseed, super effectively, 2HKOing both of them.
Set Details
========
Stamina is the ability of choice because it allows Mudbray to take hits from certain physical attackers such as bulky Mienfoo and Ferroseed. Berry Juice is used because it can give Mudbray as second chance at wallbreaking after it drops below half HP. It can also aid in acquiring Stamina boosts, as it can get one or two boosts and then be healed up completely, keeping the boosts and making it harder for foes to knock it out. 196 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature maximize Mudbray's Attack, allowing it to hit as hard as possible, while 116 HP and 36 Defense EVs allow Mudbray to take hits from weaker physical attackers such as bulky Mienfoo consistently. 156 Speed EVs give Mudbray 13 Speed, outspeeding threats such as Timburr, Skrelp, and Alolan Grimer.
Usage Tips
========
Most of the time, Earthquake should be used. Thanks to Mudbray's high Attack stat, it hits incredibly hard against anything that doesn't resist or is immune to it. When a switch is predicted, don't be afraid to use the appropriate coverage moves. Mudbray hits hard even with coverage moves, meaning that it is difficult to stay in even if it is not using Earthquake. Since Berry Juice is quite important to extend Mudbray's longevity, switching into a potential Knock Off is usually not recommended.
Team Options
========
Foongus is an excellent partner for Mudbray, as it can beat both Water- and Grass-types, all of which threaten Mudbray. Other Snivy checks such as Vullaby and Rufflet are also good partners, since Snivy is easily able to KO Mudbray and get a boost in the progress. Pokemon that can take out Flying-types such as Pursuit Pawniard and Chinchou help Mudbray, as they can allow it to use Earthquake more freely. Fairy-types like Spritzee and Snubbul appreciate Mudbray taking out Fire-, Ground-, and Poison-types. Calm Mind Spritzee especially has a chance to win after Mudbray takes out its counters. Specially defensive Pokemon such as Munchlax work well with Mudbray, since the latter's high Defense allows it to check the physically offensive Pokemon that threaten the specially defensive Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Heavy Slam
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Close Combat
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Stamina
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 36 HP / 196 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake reaches incredible power with Mudbray's high Attack stat and STAB. Heavy Slam deals really nice damage because of how heavy Mudbray is and has great neutral coverage in combination with Earthquake, notably 2HKOing Spritzee, Snubbull, and Cottonee, which can all take Earthquake with ease. Rock Slide hits the Bug- and Flying-types that can switch into Earthquake super effectively, OHKOing Larvesta and Doduo and 2HKOing non-Eviolite variants of Vullaby as well as Rufflet after Stealth Rock. Close Combat 2HKOes Munchlax and Ferroseed, both of which take any of Mudbray's other moves well.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf in combination with 236 Speed EVs allow Mudbray to hit 21 Speed, thus outspeeding the every unboosted Pokemon in Little Cup. 196 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature allow Mudbray to hit as hard as possible, notably reliably OHKOing Life Orb Staryu after Stealth Rock. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed opposing 14 Speed Choice Scarf users, such as Modest Magnemite and Adamant Scraggy. The leftover EVs are placed into HP and Defense to raise both by one point. Stamina is the ability of choice to reliably take hits from weaker physical attackers such as bulky Mienfoo and Ferroseed.
Usage Tips
========
Since Choice Scarf Mudbray is uncommon, your opponent will usually not expect it. Use this to your advantage by not revealing that Mudbray has a Choice Scarf too early in the match. Mudbray can be used to revenge kill Pokemon such as Chinchou and Ferroseed, though if the former is holding a Choice Scarf it will outspeed and potentially KO Mudbray. Be careful of locking Mudbray into Earthquake if the opponent still has a Ground-immune Pokemon remaining. They will easily be able to come in and set up or do significant damage to Mudbray or one of its teammates. This set can also be used as a lure for Staryu and Snivy. Staryu is 2HKOed by Earthquake, while Heavy Slam does the same to Snivy and, since they expect to outspeed and OHKO Mudbray, they will often switch in. Thanks to the Choice Scarf, Mudbray can surprise them and knock them out.
Team Options
========
Checks to Flying-types help Mudbray, as they can often come in when Mudbray is locked into Earthquake. Pursuit Pawniard is especially good, as it can not only check Flying-types but also trap other Ground-immune Pokemon such as Gastly and Bronzor. Foongus is an excellent partner for Mudbray, as it can take on the Water- and Grass-types that threaten Mudbray. Entry hazard setters such as Ferroseed can use Stealth Rock or Spikes to break the foe's Sturdy, allowing Mudbray's Earthquake to get knock outs more easily. Fairy-types appreciate Mudbray's ability to KO Fire-, Ground-, and Poison-types. Calm Mind Spritzee in particular appreciates Mudbray taking out its counters so that it can potentially sweep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A spread of 116 HP / 196 Atk / 36 Def / 156 SpD is usable on the defensive and wallbreaking sets if you want a more powerful but still bulky Mudbray. However, the added bulk this spread gives rarely comes into play, and it is thus usually inferior to the listed spread. Bulldoze or Rock Tomb can be used on any set to lower the Speed of foes, but the low power is very noticeable. Superpower is an option over Close Combat if you prefer the Attack drop compared to the Special Defense drop. Toxic can be used to cripple bulky switch-ins, but Mudbray does enough damage to 2HKO them most of the time instead.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Snivy can switch into Mudbray and take any of its moves and proceed to OHKO with Leaf Storm, getting a Special Attack boost in the progress. Foongus can take Mudbray's hits well, though it is usually 2HKOed by Earthquake after Stealth Rock by an offensive set. Lastly, Cottonee can take any of Mudbray's moves except for Heavy Slam with ease.
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Since most of Mudbray's damage comes from its STAB Earthquake, Pokemon that are immune to it can take significantly less damage from Mudbray. Though Flying-types are hit super effectively by Rock Slide, defensive Vullaby is not 2HKOed by it, and Bronzor only has a small chance to be 2HKOed by Close Combat after Stealth Rock.
**Water-types**: Powerful Water-types like Chinchou and Staryu can 2HKO even defensive Mudbray with a super effective STAB move while outspeeding it.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Since Stamina doesn't influence their damage, powerful special attackers such as Abra, Gastly, and special Carvanha can break through Mudbray with relative ease.
QC: Rowan
GP: GatoDelFuego / TDP
[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to an excellent defensive ability in Stamina as well as good defensive stats, Mudbray is one of the best defensive Pokemon in Little Cup. It also has an incredible base 100 Attack stat as well as excellent physical coverage, allowing it to run a viable offensive set as well. Even with no investment, it still reaches an impressive 17 Attack, meaning defensive sets are still not passive at all. Additionally, even though it is slow, it can reach 14 Speed without a Jolly nature, meaning it can run a Choice Scarf set to catch its opponents off guard.
However, Mudbray lacks reliable recovery outside of Rest, meaning that it is prone to being worn down over time. Without a Choice Scarf, Mudbray will also usually be outsped by offensive Pokemon, which sometimes means it struggles to switch into them without being forced to use Rest immediately, thus losing your team momentum. Lastly, since Mudbray doesn't fulfill a specific role, it is sometimes difficult to fit on a team.
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rest
move 3: Sleep Talk
move 4: Heavy Slam
item: Eviolite
ability: Stamina
nature: Careful
evs: 116 HP / 116 Atk / 36 Def / 236 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is Mudbray's best STAB move and deals good damage to its foes. Rest heals Mudbray to full HP and removes any status ailments it might have, greatly increasing its longevity and allowing to wall threats multiple times throughout a match. Sleep Talk allows Mudbray to attack during the two turns of sleep that are caused by Rest, meaning it is not completely passive during that time. Since Mudbray is one of the heaviest Pokemon in Little Cup, Heavy Slam deals great damage, notably 2HKOing Spritzee and Snubbull and its Steel typing provides excellent neutral coverage alongside Earthquake. Alternatively, Rock Slide also gives Mudbray good neutral coverage, as it hits the Flying- and Bug-types that can switch into Earthquake super effectively, OHKOing Doduo, Choice Scarf Rufflet, and Dewpider after Stealth Rock.
Set Details
========
Eviolite raises Mudbray's bulk to incredible levels and thus increases its longevity in combination with Rest. Stamina allows Mudbray to wall many physical attackers, such as Pawniard, Timburr, and Mienfoo, as the ability gives it a Defense boost each time it gets hit. The Special Defense and HP investment in combination with a Careful nature efficiently raises Mudbray's bulk with an Eviolite and allow it to nearly always avoid the 2HKO from Magnemite's Flash Cannon. 116 Attack EVs give Mudbray a good chance to OHKO offensive Mienfoo after Stealth Rock and allow it to OHKO non-Eviolite Mareanie with Earthquake, as well as 2HKO Spritzee with Heavy Slam. The leftover EVs are put into Defense to raise it by one point and hit another Eviolite number.
Usage Tips
========
Mudbray should usually be switched in when an opposing physical attacker is predicted to go for a weaker move. For example, Mienfoo going for Drain Punch instead of High Jump Kick, or Timburr going for Mach Punch. It will usually take the hit quite well while getting a Defense boost in the progress thanks to Stamina. This boost can allow it to wall the physical attacker further. Be careful of staying in and using Rest against special attackers. Many of them will be able to 3HKO Mudbray, meaning that the duration of the sleep that Rest causes is too long to wall them. Don't be afraid of using Earthquake a lot. Thanks to Mudbray's high Attack stat, it will significantly hurt any foe that does not resist or is immune to it. Rest should be used when Mudbray is running low on HP to recover all of its health. While Mudbray is sleeping, Sleep Talk should be used to potentially hit the foe hard. Keep in mind that every time Mudbray uses Rest, it can use Sleep Talk exactly twice. After that, it will wake up, and a different move should be used.
Team Options
========
Checks for Grass-types such as Vullaby, Doduo, and Foongus are all great teammates for Mudbray, as it greatly fears their super effective STAB moves. Pokemon that can check Water-types, such as the aforementioned Foongus as well as Ferroseed and Chinchou, are also greatly appreciated. Phazers such as Munchlax and Mareanie help Mudbray remove bulky setup sweepers, such as Timburr and Calm Mind Spritzee, which are able to set up on it. Fairy-types such as Spritzee and Snubbul appreciate Mudbray checking Steel-, Fire-, and Poison-types.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Heavy Slam
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Close Combat
item: Berry Juice
ability: Stamina
nature: Adamant
evs: 116 HP / 196 Atk / 36 Def / 156 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is Mudbray's strongest move. Heavy Slam deals good damage thanks to Mudbray's weight and provides excellent neutral coverage with Earthquake, and it notably 2HKOes Spritzee, Snubbull, and Cottonee, all of which can take Earthquake with ease. Rock Slide hits the Bug- and Flying-types that can switch into Earthquake super effectively, OHKOing Larvesta and Doduo as well as 2HKOing Rufflet after Stealth Rock and non-Eviolite variants of Vullaby. Close Combat hits certain Pokemon that take any of Mudbray's other moves, such as Munchlax and Ferroseed, super effectively, 2HKOing both of them.
Set Details
========
Stamina is the ability of choice because it allows Mudbray to take hits from certain physical attackers such as bulky Mienfoo and Ferroseed. Berry Juice is used because it can give Mudbray as second chance at wallbreaking after it drops below half HP. It can also aid in acquiring Stamina boosts, as it can get one or two boosts and then be healed up completely, keeping the boosts and making it harder for foes to knock it out. 196 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature maximize Mudbray's Attack, allowing it to hit as hard as possible, while 116 HP and 36 Defense EVs allow Mudbray to take hits from weaker physical attackers such as bulky Mienfoo consistently. 156 Speed EVs give Mudbray 13 Speed, outspeeding threats such as Timburr, Skrelp, and Alolan Grimer.
Usage Tips
========
Most of the time, Earthquake should be used. Thanks to Mudbray's high Attack stat, it hits incredibly hard against anything that doesn't resist or is immune to it. When a switch is predicted, don't be afraid to use the appropriate coverage moves. Mudbray hits hard even with coverage moves, meaning that it is difficult to stay in even if it is not using Earthquake. Since Berry Juice is quite important to extend Mudbray's longevity, switching into a potential Knock Off is usually not recommended.
Team Options
========
Foongus is an excellent partner for Mudbray, as it can beat both Water- and Grass-types, all of which threaten Mudbray. Other Snivy checks such as Vullaby and Rufflet are also good partners, since Snivy is easily able to KO Mudbray and get a boost in the progress. Pokemon that can take out Flying-types such as Pursuit Pawniard and Chinchou help Mudbray, as they can allow it to use Earthquake more freely. Fairy-types like Spritzee and Snubbul appreciate Mudbray taking out Fire-, Ground-, and Poison-types. Calm Mind Spritzee especially has a chance to win after Mudbray takes out its counters. Specially defensive Pokemon such as Munchlax work well with Mudbray, since the latter's high Defense allows it to check the physically offensive Pokemon that threaten the specially defensive Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Heavy Slam
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Close Combat
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Stamina
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 36 HP / 196 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake reaches incredible power with Mudbray's high Attack stat and STAB. Heavy Slam deals really nice damage because of how heavy Mudbray is and has great neutral coverage in combination with Earthquake, notably 2HKOing Spritzee, Snubbull, and Cottonee, which can all take Earthquake with ease. Rock Slide hits the Bug- and Flying-types that can switch into Earthquake super effectively, OHKOing Larvesta and Doduo and 2HKOing non-Eviolite variants of Vullaby as well as Rufflet after Stealth Rock. Close Combat 2HKOes Munchlax and Ferroseed, both of which take any of Mudbray's other moves well.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf in combination with 236 Speed EVs allow Mudbray to hit 21 Speed, thus outspeeding the every unboosted Pokemon in Little Cup. 196 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature allow Mudbray to hit as hard as possible, notably reliably OHKOing Life Orb Staryu after Stealth Rock. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed opposing 14 Speed Choice Scarf users, such as Modest Magnemite and Adamant Scraggy. The leftover EVs are placed into HP and Defense to raise both by one point. Stamina is the ability of choice to reliably take hits from weaker physical attackers such as bulky Mienfoo and Ferroseed.
Usage Tips
========
Since Choice Scarf Mudbray is uncommon, your opponent will usually not expect it. Use this to your advantage by not revealing that Mudbray has a Choice Scarf too early in the match. Mudbray can be used to revenge kill Pokemon such as Chinchou and Ferroseed, though if the former is holding a Choice Scarf it will outspeed and potentially KO Mudbray. Be careful of locking Mudbray into Earthquake if the opponent still has a Ground-immune Pokemon remaining. They will easily be able to come in and set up or do significant damage to Mudbray or one of its teammates. This set can also be used as a lure for Staryu and Snivy. Staryu is 2HKOed by Earthquake, while Heavy Slam does the same to Snivy and, since they expect to outspeed and OHKO Mudbray, they will often switch in. Thanks to the Choice Scarf, Mudbray can surprise them and knock them out.
Team Options
========
Checks to Flying-types help Mudbray, as they can often come in when Mudbray is locked into Earthquake. Pursuit Pawniard is especially good, as it can not only check Flying-types but also trap other Ground-immune Pokemon such as Gastly and Bronzor. Foongus is an excellent partner for Mudbray, as it can take on the Water- and Grass-types that threaten Mudbray. Entry hazard setters such as Ferroseed can use Stealth Rock or Spikes to break the foe's Sturdy, allowing Mudbray's Earthquake to get knock outs more easily. Fairy-types appreciate Mudbray's ability to KO Fire-, Ground-, and Poison-types. Calm Mind Spritzee in particular appreciates Mudbray taking out its counters so that it can potentially sweep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A spread of 116 HP / 196 Atk / 36 Def / 156 SpD is usable on the defensive and wallbreaking sets if you want a more powerful but still bulky Mudbray. However, the added bulk this spread gives rarely comes into play, and it is thus usually inferior to the listed spread. Bulldoze or Rock Tomb can be used on any set to lower the Speed of foes, but the low power is very noticeable. Superpower is an option over Close Combat if you prefer the Attack drop compared to the Special Defense drop. Toxic can be used to cripple bulky switch-ins, but Mudbray does enough damage to 2HKO them most of the time instead.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Snivy can switch into Mudbray and take any of its moves and proceed to OHKO with Leaf Storm, getting a Special Attack boost in the progress. Foongus can take Mudbray's hits well, though it is usually 2HKOed by Earthquake after Stealth Rock by an offensive set. Lastly, Cottonee can take any of Mudbray's moves except for Heavy Slam with ease.
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Since most of Mudbray's damage comes from its STAB Earthquake, Pokemon that are immune to it can take significantly less damage from Mudbray. Though Flying-types are hit super effectively by Rock Slide, defensive Vullaby is not 2HKOed by it, and Bronzor only has a small chance to be 2HKOed by Close Combat after Stealth Rock.
**Water-types**: Powerful Water-types like Chinchou and Staryu can 2HKO even defensive Mudbray with a super effective STAB move while outspeeding it.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Since Stamina doesn't influence their damage, powerful special attackers such as Abra, Gastly, and special Carvanha can break through Mudbray with relative ease.
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