BloodAce
Untier Connoisseur
[OVERVIEW]
Pawniard is a solid attacker due to its great offensive typing and decent Attack stat. Pawniard's access to Swords Dance and STAB Sucker Punch allows Pawniard to function as a threatening physical sweeper. Pawniard's good defensive typing lets it check threats such as Silvally-Ghost and Leafeon. Defiant allows Pawniard to support its teammates by deterring the use of Defog or Parting Shot from the likes of Silvally-Ghost in fear of giving Pawniard an Attack boost. This allows Pawniard to help keep hazards on the field for its team, giving it a place on offensive playstyles such as hazard stack or Sticky Web teams. Despite this, Pawniard's middling bulk and speed leave Pawniard overly reliant on Sucker Punch to handle faster attackers as well as limit its setup opportunities. Furthermore, Pawniard has a poor match-up against common Defog users such as Silvally-Fighting and Silvally-Water, limiting its effectiveness as a Defog deterrent. Common Pokemon such as Combusken can switch-in and scare Pawniard off.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Iron Head
item: Eviolite
ability: Defiant
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is Pawniard's primary STAB move which also has the added benefit of removing items, crippling Eviolite users such as Mareanie and Tangela. Sucker Punch enables Pawniard to clean weakened team once it has set up with Swords Dance. Iron Head allows Pawniard to hit Fairy-types such as Granbull for super effective damage and hits Dark- and Fighting-types such as Silvally-Dark and Machoke, which otherwise resist Knock Off and Sucker Punch for neutral damage.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment and an Adamant nature allow Pawniard to sweep as easily as possible, enabling it to guarantee a OHKO against Electivire after Stealth Rock damage at +2 with Sucker Punch that it can not attain with a Jolly nature. Defiant allows Pawniard to discourage the use of Defog or Parting Shot from the likes of Silvally-Ghost as well as giving Pawniard a +2 attack boost from Sticky Web. Life Orb can be used instead of Eviolite to increase Pawniard's power and allows Pawniard to more easily revenge kill Pokemon such as Chatot with Sucker Punch after Stealth Rock damage.
Usage Tips
========
Swords Dance can be used early to mid game to weaken defensive Pokemon such as Silvally-Ghost to make end-game sweeps easier for teammates such as Pinsir. Knock Off should be used to cripple defensive cores by removing items such as Eviolite and Leftovers from Pokemon such as Tangela, Mareanie, and Lickilicky. Sucker Punch can be used to pick off or force out weakened Choice Scarf users such as Electivire and Sawsbuck. Pawniard can switch-in to an expected Defog to gain a +2 boost from Defiant but must be wary of certain coverage moves from common Defog users such as Altaria's Flamethrower and Swanna's Scald who may predict Pawniard coming in. Pawniard must be careful of getting trapped by Magnet Pull trappers such as Golem-Alola and Probopass. Pawniard should double switch to avoid getting trapped by these Pokemon until they are sufficiently weakened.
Team Options
========
Entry-hazard setters such as Shuckle and Crustle make for solid partners due to their ability to slow down the opposing team with Sticky Web and wear down Pawniard's checks respectively. In return, Pawniard can deter Defog users from removing the entry hazards. Pokemon such as Life Orb Electivire who appreciate these entry hazards also make for good teammates since Pawniard can help keep entry hazards on the field. Life Orb Electivire can help Pawniard to break through Pokemon who give Pawniard issues such as Silvally-Water. Wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Beheeyem and Z-Mirror Move Swanna can be used to break through Pawniard's checks such as Silvally-Fighting. Fighting-type checks such as Mareanie can help check Pokemon that threaten Pawniard such as Combusken, Monferno, and Silvally-Fighting. Mareanie also has the benefit of providing Pawniard with Toxic Spike support, wearing down its checks even further.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Darkinium Z can be utilized instead of Eviolite to increase Pawniard's breaking capabilities but this leaves Pawniard with notably less bulk. This also uses up the teams Z Crystal, which limits teambuilding. Low Kick enables Pawniard to OHKO Probopass and 2HKO Golem-Alola but is situational otherwise. Taunt can be used to prevent the use of moves such as Will-O-Wisp from the likes of Gourgeist-XL and can also be used to prevent the use of Pyukumuku's Recover but Pawniard generally appreciates using other moves instead.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types and Fighting-type coverage**: Fighting-types such as Combusken, Silvally-Fighting, and Monferno can OHKO Pawniard with thier STAB moves. Monferno and Combusken resist both of Pawniard's STAB moves with Silvally-Fighting has the bulk to easily switch into Pawniard's attacks multiple times. Other pokemon such as Floatzel and Sawsbuck carry Fighting-type coverage in Focus Blast and Jump Kick respectively but need to watch out Sucker Punch after some chip damage.
**Faster Pokemon**: Faster Pokemon who can withstand +2 Sucker Punch such as Pinsir and Silvally-Dragon can revenge kill Pawniard after minimal chip damage. However, these Pokemon fail to revenge kill Pinsir if they have already taken too much prior damage, especially Pinsir who has a high chance of getting OHKOd by Pawniard at +2 after Stealth Rock damage.
**Will-O-Wisp**: Will-O-Wisp users such as Colbur Berry Gourgeist-XL can take a hit from Pawniard and cripple it with Will-O-Wisp. However, Gourgeist-XL needs to keep its Colbur Berry intact in order to handle Pawniard. Morning Sun Rapidash can also cripple Pawniard with a burn but it also can't switch-in safely.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Sandslash, Gabite, and Silvally-Ground can check Pawniard and threaten it with their STAB attacks. However, Gabite dislikes switching directly into Pawniard in fear of losing its Eviolite.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[BloodAce, 435539]]
- Quality checked by: [[Aaronboyer, 239454], [5gen, 296755], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
Pawniard is a solid attacker due to its great offensive typing and decent Attack stat. Pawniard's access to Swords Dance and STAB Sucker Punch allows Pawniard to function as a threatening physical sweeper. Pawniard's good defensive typing lets it check threats such as Silvally-Ghost and Leafeon. Defiant allows Pawniard to support its teammates by deterring the use of Defog or Parting Shot from the likes of Silvally-Ghost in fear of giving Pawniard an Attack boost. This allows Pawniard to help keep hazards on the field for its team, giving it a place on offensive playstyles such as hazard stack or Sticky Web teams. Despite this, Pawniard's middling bulk and speed leave Pawniard overly reliant on Sucker Punch to handle faster attackers as well as limit its setup opportunities. Furthermore, Pawniard has a poor match-up against common Defog users such as Silvally-Fighting and Silvally-Water, limiting its effectiveness as a Defog deterrent. Common Pokemon such as Combusken can switch-in and scare Pawniard off.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Iron Head
item: Eviolite
ability: Defiant
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is Pawniard's primary STAB move which also has the added benefit of removing items, crippling Eviolite users such as Mareanie and Tangela. Sucker Punch enables Pawniard to clean weakened team once it has set up with Swords Dance. Iron Head allows Pawniard to hit Fairy-types such as Granbull for super effective damage and hits Dark- and Fighting-types such as Silvally-Dark and Machoke, which otherwise resist Knock Off and Sucker Punch for neutral damage.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment and an Adamant nature allow Pawniard to sweep as easily as possible, enabling it to guarantee a OHKO against Electivire after Stealth Rock damage at +2 with Sucker Punch that it can not attain with a Jolly nature. Defiant allows Pawniard to discourage the use of Defog or Parting Shot from the likes of Silvally-Ghost as well as giving Pawniard a +2 attack boost from Sticky Web. Life Orb can be used instead of Eviolite to increase Pawniard's power and allows Pawniard to more easily revenge kill Pokemon such as Chatot with Sucker Punch after Stealth Rock damage.
Usage Tips
========
Swords Dance can be used early to mid game to weaken defensive Pokemon such as Silvally-Ghost to make end-game sweeps easier for teammates such as Pinsir. Knock Off should be used to cripple defensive cores by removing items such as Eviolite and Leftovers from Pokemon such as Tangela, Mareanie, and Lickilicky. Sucker Punch can be used to pick off or force out weakened Choice Scarf users such as Electivire and Sawsbuck. Pawniard can switch-in to an expected Defog to gain a +2 boost from Defiant but must be wary of certain coverage moves from common Defog users such as Altaria's Flamethrower and Swanna's Scald who may predict Pawniard coming in. Pawniard must be careful of getting trapped by Magnet Pull trappers such as Golem-Alola and Probopass. Pawniard should double switch to avoid getting trapped by these Pokemon until they are sufficiently weakened.
Team Options
========
Entry-hazard setters such as Shuckle and Crustle make for solid partners due to their ability to slow down the opposing team with Sticky Web and wear down Pawniard's checks respectively. In return, Pawniard can deter Defog users from removing the entry hazards. Pokemon such as Life Orb Electivire who appreciate these entry hazards also make for good teammates since Pawniard can help keep entry hazards on the field. Life Orb Electivire can help Pawniard to break through Pokemon who give Pawniard issues such as Silvally-Water. Wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Beheeyem and Z-Mirror Move Swanna can be used to break through Pawniard's checks such as Silvally-Fighting. Fighting-type checks such as Mareanie can help check Pokemon that threaten Pawniard such as Combusken, Monferno, and Silvally-Fighting. Mareanie also has the benefit of providing Pawniard with Toxic Spike support, wearing down its checks even further.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Darkinium Z can be utilized instead of Eviolite to increase Pawniard's breaking capabilities but this leaves Pawniard with notably less bulk. This also uses up the teams Z Crystal, which limits teambuilding. Low Kick enables Pawniard to OHKO Probopass and 2HKO Golem-Alola but is situational otherwise. Taunt can be used to prevent the use of moves such as Will-O-Wisp from the likes of Gourgeist-XL and can also be used to prevent the use of Pyukumuku's Recover but Pawniard generally appreciates using other moves instead.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types and Fighting-type coverage**: Fighting-types such as Combusken, Silvally-Fighting, and Monferno can OHKO Pawniard with thier STAB moves. Monferno and Combusken resist both of Pawniard's STAB moves with Silvally-Fighting has the bulk to easily switch into Pawniard's attacks multiple times. Other pokemon such as Floatzel and Sawsbuck carry Fighting-type coverage in Focus Blast and Jump Kick respectively but need to watch out Sucker Punch after some chip damage.
**Faster Pokemon**: Faster Pokemon who can withstand +2 Sucker Punch such as Pinsir and Silvally-Dragon can revenge kill Pawniard after minimal chip damage. However, these Pokemon fail to revenge kill Pinsir if they have already taken too much prior damage, especially Pinsir who has a high chance of getting OHKOd by Pawniard at +2 after Stealth Rock damage.
**Will-O-Wisp**: Will-O-Wisp users such as Colbur Berry Gourgeist-XL can take a hit from Pawniard and cripple it with Will-O-Wisp. However, Gourgeist-XL needs to keep its Colbur Berry intact in order to handle Pawniard. Morning Sun Rapidash can also cripple Pawniard with a burn but it also can't switch-in safely.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Sandslash, Gabite, and Silvally-Ground can check Pawniard and threaten it with their STAB attacks. However, Gabite dislikes switching directly into Pawniard in fear of losing its Eviolite.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[BloodAce, 435539]]
- Quality checked by: [[Aaronboyer, 239454], [5gen, 296755], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
Last edited: