My, what a large movepool you have: Mawile Discussion

AndrewRogue

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-dp/303.shtml

HP 50/Atk 85/Def 85/SpA 55/SpD 55/Spd 50

Abilities
Hyper Cutter: Mawile's attack can't be lowered. Nope.
Intimidate: Drops the opponent's attack when Mawile comes in. Yep.

Notable Physical Movepool (+ Indicates STAB)

Bite
Faint Attack
Crunch
Sucker Punch
+Iron Head
Focus Punch
Return/Frustration
Brick Break
Payback
Rock Slide
Poison Fang
Ice Fang
Fire Fang
Thunder Fang
Punishment
Thunder Punch (3rd Generation)
Ice Punch (3rd Generation)
Counter (3rd Generation)

A wide variety of type coverages and gimmicks. Sadly, despite the array of options, Mawile lacks any real money attacks (Stone Edge, Earthquake, etc). This problem is further amplified by the fact that Mawile doesn't have a great attack stat to begin with and... well. You wonder what you can do with it. Boltbeam? Sucker Punch for low HP kills? Counter for a single kill?

(At least somewhat, and I use that loosely) Notable Special Movepool (+ Indicates STAB)

Spit Up
Ice Beam
Shadow Ball
Flamethrower
Sludge Bomb
Fire Blast
Focus Blast
Dark Pulse
Grass Knot
+Flash Cannon

See above, except replace not too great attack stat with God awful special attack. Which is really a shame, given the nice type representation.

Notable Support Movepool

Fake Tears
Baton Pass
Iron Defense
Stockpile
Swallow
Toxic
Sunny Day
Taunt
Protect
Rain Dance
Double Team (if it ever becomes legal again)
Sandstorm
Torment
Rest
Endure
Swords Dance
Captivate
Sleep Talk
Swagger
Substitute
Psych Up
Tickle
Sing (3rd Generation)

Again. Massive and glorious options. Baton Pass alongside any number of boosts including subs, weather changing, taunting, Rest-Talk (...hahaha), tormenting, stat reduction, toxic-ing (although actually succeeding is another matter), etc.

Analysis

Mawile wishes it got an evolution. Really bad. Its move pool is awesome, but it doesn't have the stats to do much of anything except sit there and die. A real shame, considering it has a rather unique typing (the only other pure steel being Regi) and its so darn cute. It... can at least sort of hang around in UU and is prolly just too good for NU, but anywhere else it is way out of its league. It can probably force the occasional switch between Intimidate, Tickle and Captivate, but that requires a lot of set-up.

Sets (I apologize for these in advance. I'm really out of practice.)

Mawile@Leftovers
252 HP, 126 Def, 126 SpDef
+Def, -SpAtt

-Baton Pass
-Swords Dance
-Iron Defense/Stockpile/Substitute
-Filler

Its a Baton Passer. Fear it. Yeeeeeeeeeeeah.

Mawile@Focus Sash/Chesto Berry
252 HP, 252 SpDef
+SpDef, -SpAtt

-Counter
-Rest
-Filler
-Filler

Revenge Killer against physical attackers. Can also work as a lead I guess. If you're crazy, you can try a rest variant to try and get one more use, but Focus Sash is prolly a better bet.

Mawile@Whatever
252 HP, 126 Def, 126 SpDef
+Def, -SpAtt

-Tickle
-Captivate
-Filler
-Filler

...yeah. Swap it in against problem sweepers, knock their stats down with Intimidate and Tickle/Captivate and force them to hop back out. You can combine this with the Counter set I guess. Best used with Spikes/Stealth Rock support.

...yeah. I'll try to think of something that at least pretends to be viable, but in the meanwhile uh... thoughts? Obvious awesomeness I somehow missed?
 
Intimidate + Steel Typing isn't too bad for switching into CBers. Has a bit of an inferiority complex to most Steel or Rock Pokes in OU but has a cool spot in UU (and some BP teams).

I like the aforementioned Baton Passer, its probably the best thing it can do:

Mawile @ Leftovers
- Swords Dance
- Taunt / Filler
- Baton Pass
- Iron Head

With Iron Head added to the mix it actually has a decent STAB attack at the very least. Taunt's probably lost some use with the lack of PHazers but if they start to be prominent then its an obvious choice.
 
I had a Mawile back in Advance that I used on a Double Battle team full of inaccurate attacks. I used it and a Masquerain for Intimidate and Sweet Scent. They covered each other's weaknesses pretty well. Except Fire, but I usually had Rain Dance going. Back then the best attack I had for it was Mega Kick, which became perfectly accurate after a single Sweet Scent. That was a fun team. Not very good, though...

I'm really glad it got Iron Head this generation. I like the Baton Pass set you've got up there, too. I doubt it'll ever see much use outside UU or NU in Single Battles, but I'll bet there's a great undiscovered use for it in 2v2.

For the ultimate in gambling (and probably stupidity), you could try something like this:

Mawile @ Focus Sash and Hyper Cutter
Swagger
Psych Up
Punishment
Iron Head/Baton Pass

Let's say you're up against a Gyarados, for instance. Its Intimidate is blocked by Hyper Cutter. On the first turn, it Dragon Dances and you use Swagger. Now Punishment's power against this Gyarados is 131. Probably not enough to KO it in a hit. Use Psych Up to steal its 3 levels of Attack and 1 level of Speed. Meanwhile it'll use Earthquake, most likely. Either it'll be confused or Focus Sash will save you. On the third round, hit it with Punishment. There is a 25% chance that Gyarados will not hurt itself either round, in which case you are completely hosed. There's a 75% chance that you'll end up with a pumped-up Mawile and a KOed Gyarados. Of course, a pumped-up Mawile is probably only a mild virtue.

Of course, if the Gyarados just Earthquakes you instead of using Dragon Dance, then this plan won't really work.

No Sandstorm damage helps with this set, but it's a shame nothing's immune to Stealth Rock. I guess we'll see how prevalent it is.
 
If one were to use Mawile, one should probably take advantage of Taunt+Baton Pass, because otherwise it's outclassed by Registeel (did I just say something was outclassed by Registeel?).
 
I would generally use Gliscor for Taunt + BP, really.

It does get Sucker Punch, which might work out. Swords Dance/Sucker Punch/Baton Pass/Iron Head? Seems a bit situational, but it is Mawile ._.
 
Sableye is much cooler than this but w/e

Mawile gets the funniest physical movepool, however. I just can't imagine this thing using Punishment.

It can surprise many opponents if used correctly
 
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