[OVERVIEW]
Hitmonchan has the honor of being the worst fully evolved Fighting-type in a generation where most Fighting-types are terrible. Hitmonchan is an awful Pokemon with almost no redeeming qualities; It's much weaker than other physical attackers such as Fearow, Pinsir, and Machamp, and it lacks the Speed of the former and the bulk of the latter two to make any meaningful progress. Outspeeding and 2HKOing Porygon with Submission seems nice, but it is completely outclassed in this role by Machamp. Hitmonchan isn't even guaranteed to beat Porygon one-on-one, since Porygon can paralyze it and use Recover to heal the damage from Submission. Although Hitmonchan can KO Porygon if it hits enough Submissions in a row, the move's terrible accuracy along with the chance for full paralysis makes this unlikely to happen. Since Hitmonchan struggles to beat even the Fighting-weak Porygon, it should be no surprise that most of Hitmonchan's other matchups are awful too. Its terrible Special means it cannot effectively utilize its coverage at all, and it's so specially frail that Drowzee and Abra OHKOes it with Psychic; additionally, its 2HKOed by every Fire-type, Water-type, and Gastly. Agility seems like it's a redeeming quality, as no other Fighting-type has this move, but it does not make up for all of Hitmonchan's downsides. Despite not being a Fighting-type, Seaking outclasses Hitmonchan as a late-game Agility sweeper thanks to its bulk and decent Special.
[SET]
name: Agility... Sweeper?
move 1: Agility
move 2: Submission
move 3: Body Slam
move 4: Counter / Seismic Toss / Ice Punch
[SET COMMENTS]
Agility is the only reason you'd use Hitmonchan in the first place, since without Agility you might as well just use a better Fighting-type. Submission is Hitmonchan's strongest move, 3HKOing neutral targets such as Fearow, Dragonair, Rapidash and Seaking, and it has a chance to 2HKO frailer Pokemon such as Staryu and the Fighting-weak Porygon. However, almost all of these Pokemon are still capable of beating Hitmonchan one-on-one. Submission fails to 3HKO bulkier foes such as Arcanine, Machamp, and Nidoqueen. Body Slam hits Nidoqueen and Pinsir for neutral damage and can be used to fish for paralysis. Hitmonchan's fourth move is more flexible. Counter lets Hitmonchan beat Pinsir, but it's very unlikely that any other Pokemon will use a Normal- or Fighting-type move on it. Seismic Toss lets Hitmonchan hit Gastly, which otherwise walls Hitmonchan, and it's also Hitmonchan's strongest move against Nidoqueen. Ice Punch is another option to fish for freeze, but it comes off of Hitmonchan's abysmal base 35 Special.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gastlies.540559/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Hitmonchan has the honor of being the worst fully evolved Fighting-type in a generation where most Fighting-types are terrible. Hitmonchan is an awful Pokemon with almost no redeeming qualities; It's much weaker than other physical attackers such as Fearow, Pinsir, and Machamp, and it lacks the Speed of the former and the bulk of the latter two to make any meaningful progress. Outspeeding and 2HKOing Porygon with Submission seems nice, but it is completely outclassed in this role by Machamp. Hitmonchan isn't even guaranteed to beat Porygon one-on-one, since Porygon can paralyze it and use Recover to heal the damage from Submission. Although Hitmonchan can KO Porygon if it hits enough Submissions in a row, the move's terrible accuracy along with the chance for full paralysis makes this unlikely to happen. Since Hitmonchan struggles to beat even the Fighting-weak Porygon, it should be no surprise that most of Hitmonchan's other matchups are awful too. Its terrible Special means it cannot effectively utilize its coverage at all, and it's so specially frail that Drowzee and Abra OHKOes it with Psychic; additionally, its 2HKOed by every Fire-type, Water-type, and Gastly. Agility seems like it's a redeeming quality, as no other Fighting-type has this move, but it does not make up for all of Hitmonchan's downsides. Despite not being a Fighting-type, Seaking outclasses Hitmonchan as a late-game Agility sweeper thanks to its bulk and decent Special.
[SET]
name: Agility... Sweeper?
move 1: Agility
move 2: Submission
move 3: Body Slam
move 4: Counter / Seismic Toss / Ice Punch
[SET COMMENTS]
Agility is the only reason you'd use Hitmonchan in the first place, since without Agility you might as well just use a better Fighting-type. Submission is Hitmonchan's strongest move, 3HKOing neutral targets such as Fearow, Dragonair, Rapidash and Seaking, and it has a chance to 2HKO frailer Pokemon such as Staryu and the Fighting-weak Porygon. However, almost all of these Pokemon are still capable of beating Hitmonchan one-on-one. Submission fails to 3HKO bulkier foes such as Arcanine, Machamp, and Nidoqueen. Body Slam hits Nidoqueen and Pinsir for neutral damage and can be used to fish for paralysis. Hitmonchan's fourth move is more flexible. Counter lets Hitmonchan beat Pinsir, but it's very unlikely that any other Pokemon will use a Normal- or Fighting-type move on it. Seismic Toss lets Hitmonchan hit Gastly, which otherwise walls Hitmonchan, and it's also Hitmonchan's strongest move against Nidoqueen. Ice Punch is another option to fish for freeze, but it comes off of Hitmonchan's abysmal base 35 Special.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gastlies.540559/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Last edited:
