tondas
Life of the party
[OVERVIEW]
As one of only two viable users of Unaware, Pyukumuku is a solid choice on stall teams thanks to its great pure Water typing, high physical bulk, and unique combination of utility options. Pyukumuku distinguishes itself from Quagsire with its much higher special bulk and an effective niche in Block + Spite, which allows it to trap foes and beat them one-on-one with Toxic stalling or PP depletion. This trait is important for stall teams, as it allows Pyukumuku to eliminate or weaken specific threats such as Incineroar and Braviary early on. Access to an uncommon move in Soak also allows Pyukumuku to stand up to powerful threats like Passimian and Incineroar by taking away their STAB bonuses and can be used in conjunction with Toxic to whittle away at bulky Pokemon like Steelix and Garbodor that are usually immune to poison. However, Pyukumuku is incredibly passive due to its reliance on status moves, which makes it Taunt bait for the likes of Comfey and Golbat. Furthermore, the ubiquity of Xatu is very problematic for Pyukumuku, as Xatu can bounce back all of Pyukumuku's moves and potentially countertrap it with its own Block. Furthermore, Pyukumuku's main competitor in Quagsire is a lot less passive due to its ability to damage foes with Earthquake and use Curse to increase its damage output and physical bulk; it also boasts Scald to threaten physical attackers and has an immunity to Electric-type moves, which lets it block Volt Switch and disrupt momentum. Block Pyukumuku also competes with Block variants of Calm Mind Slowbro, which is a deadly late-game sweeper on stall teams thanks to its ability to trap foes, set up, and fire off boosted Scalds.
[SET]
name: Unaware Wall
move 1: Recover
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Block / Soak
move 4: Spite
item: Leftovers
ability: Unaware
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Recover is Pyukumuku's primary source of recovery, keeping it healthy and allowing it to be a consistent check to Pokemon like Incineroar and Sneasel. Toxic is Pyukumuku's only way of damaging foes reliably, discourages bulky Pokemon such as Dhelmise and Guzzlord from switching in, and can be used to quickly wear down Pokemon in general. Block traps passive Pokemon like Rhydon and Mega Audino in, facilitating Pyukumuku's ability to PP stall with Spite or wear down foes with Toxic. Soak enables Pyukumuku to badly poison Steel- and Poison-types like Silvally-Steel and Garbodor with Toxic while also removing STAB bonuses from powerful Pokemon like Rhydon and Absol, allowing it to much more easily check them. Spite is an effective tool for PP stalling especially when paired with Block to prevent foes from switching out.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP and Defense investment allows Pyukumuku to check physical sweepers such as Incineroar and Klinklang as well as possible. Leftovers gives Pyukumuku a form of passive recovery, keeping it healthy in conjunction with Recover. Unaware is crucial on Pyukumuku, as this allows it to completely ignore stat boosts from setup Pokemon like Braviary and Samurott.
Usage Tips
========
Use Recover generously to safely scout for any potential Z-Move and to keep Pyukumuku as healthy as possible, as this will allow it to check attackers much more easily when need be. With this in mind, Pyukumuku can safely pivot into multiple physical attackers and setup sweepers that can't easily break through it, including Braviary, Klinklang, Incineroar, and Assault Vest Hariyama. Pyukumuku can then throw off a Toxic or otherwise force them out. Keeping entry hazards off the field also helps negate any possible residual damage taken when switching in. Keep Pyukumuku away from Taunt users like Comfey and Golbat, as they shut down all of its options. Be mindful of a potential Toxic from passive Pokemon like Steelix and Slowbro, as it puts Pyukumuku on a timer and makes it difficult for Pyukumuku to stay in and wear down foes with Toxic itself. However, it's usually a safe idea to switch Pyukumuku into a possible paralysis or burn to make it immune to Toxic poison. Use Block when you feel like something that loses to Pyukumuku will stay in. For instance, leads like Rhydon and Piloswine may want to set up Stealth Rock, whereas weakened Pokemon such as Mega Audino could potentially stay in and use Wish. Pyukumuku can then stall them out with Toxic or slowly strip them of their move options with Spite. Alongside removing STAB bonuses from the target, use Soak to discourage Steel- and Poison-types such as Steelix and Garbodor from switching in. It can also be used to preserve PP on moves like Recover and Toxic if foes are already poisoned or Pyukumuku is relatively healthy.
Team Options
========
Pyukumuku's powerful defensive assets and extreme passiveness relegate it strictly to dedicated stall teams. Clerics like Mega Audino and Miltank are able to cure Pyukumuku of harmful status conditions with Heal Bell and can use their high special bulk to check Pokemon like Vanilluxe. In return, Pyukumuku can take on physical setup sweepers such as Klinklang and Braviary. Entry hazards from Pokemon like Steelix and Ferroseed wear down switch-ins, as Pyukumuku tends to force many switches. Garbodor and Weezing can set Toxic Spikes to poison switch-ins for Pyukumuku. On the other hand, Defoggers such as Golbat, Xatu, Articuno, and Silvally-Steel can remove entry hazards, reducing the pressure put on Pyukumuku due to its tendency to switch in and out frequently. Furthermore, Xatu can bounce back moves that are harmful to Pyukumuku like Taunt and Toxic, while Articuno pressures Grass-types like Sceptile and Whimsicott and offers cleric support with Heal Bell. Sneasel is able to outspeed and Pursuit trap various threats to stall teams such as Xatu, Mismagius, and Haunter while also providing offensive pressure for an archetype that struggles with general passivity.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Trading in Leftovers for Poisonium Z lets Pyukumuku use Toxic once while under the effect of Encore and on the turn Pyukumuku is afflicted by Taunt, letting it badly poison Taunt and Encore users like Comfey and Whimsicott. Z-Toxic also grants Pyukumuku +1 Defense when used, allowing it Pyukumuku to take on powerful physical attackers such as Life Orb Medicham without the need of Soak. This forfeits the passive recovery provided by Leftovers, however. Rest offers a secondary form of recovery that removes status from Pyukumuku and preserves PP on its other moves. However, this makes Pyukumuku more passive than usual and easier to exploit if it can't trap something with Block. Counter lessens Pyukumuku's passive nature by enabling it to surprise and eliminate strong physical attackers like Medicham and Gallade after they attack Pyukumuku. Protect grants Pyukumuku an extra turn of recovery from Leftovers and lets Pyukumuku more effectively PP and Toxic stall its foe while also letting Pyukumuku scout for coverage and Z-Moves. However, this is mostly outclassed by Pyukumuku's other options in Spite and Block, which are much more effective at Toxic and PP stalling. Taunt helps with PP stalling and allows Pyukumuku to win mirror matchups, but Taunt is otherwise hard to justify using due to Pyukumuku's miserable Speed, making it absurdly difficult to use effectively in other situations.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Taunt Users**: All of Pyukumuku's viable moves bar Counter are status moves, meaning that users of Taunt such as Vanilluxe, Comfey, Houndoom, and Golbat are able to completely shut Pyukumuku down. Additionally, Comfey and Houndoom can use this as valuable time to set up with Calm Mind or Nasty Plot.
**Xatu**: Due to Magic Bounce, Xatu is able to reflect anything Pyukumuku throws at it, granting it a full immunity to all of its moves other than Counter. Pivoting into Block allows Xatu to counter trap Pyukumuku and stall it out of its moves.
**Grass- and Electric-types**: Sceptile, Dhelmise, Rotom, and Heliolisk are all able to hit Pyukumuku hard with super effective STAB moves. The latter two can take advantage of Pyukumuku if it switches out by generating momentum with Volt Switch, with Heliolisk also being able to recover HP if it switches into Soak due to Dry Skin.
**Toxic**: Though poison from Toxic can be remedied with proper team support, users of Toxic such as Mega Audino and Steelix can cripple Pyukumuku and limit the amount of time it can stay on the field, as it has no way to heal off status outside of Rest.
**Powerful Wallbreakers**: Strong threats such as Life Orb Medicham and Guts Hariyama heavily pressure Pyukumuku if it's slightly chipped or it lacks Soak to deny them access to STAB-boosted attacks. Furthermore, since Pyukumuku lacks proper Special Defense investment, specially offensive wallbreakers like Guzzlord, Vanilluxe, and Magmortar are able to easily 2HKO it.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[tondas, 442732]]
- Earlier versions by: [[Martin, 173240]]
- Quality checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [allstarapology, 400292], [Eternally, 295647]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Martha, 384270], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
As one of only two viable users of Unaware, Pyukumuku is a solid choice on stall teams thanks to its great pure Water typing, high physical bulk, and unique combination of utility options. Pyukumuku distinguishes itself from Quagsire with its much higher special bulk and an effective niche in Block + Spite, which allows it to trap foes and beat them one-on-one with Toxic stalling or PP depletion. This trait is important for stall teams, as it allows Pyukumuku to eliminate or weaken specific threats such as Incineroar and Braviary early on. Access to an uncommon move in Soak also allows Pyukumuku to stand up to powerful threats like Passimian and Incineroar by taking away their STAB bonuses and can be used in conjunction with Toxic to whittle away at bulky Pokemon like Steelix and Garbodor that are usually immune to poison. However, Pyukumuku is incredibly passive due to its reliance on status moves, which makes it Taunt bait for the likes of Comfey and Golbat. Furthermore, the ubiquity of Xatu is very problematic for Pyukumuku, as Xatu can bounce back all of Pyukumuku's moves and potentially countertrap it with its own Block. Furthermore, Pyukumuku's main competitor in Quagsire is a lot less passive due to its ability to damage foes with Earthquake and use Curse to increase its damage output and physical bulk; it also boasts Scald to threaten physical attackers and has an immunity to Electric-type moves, which lets it block Volt Switch and disrupt momentum. Block Pyukumuku also competes with Block variants of Calm Mind Slowbro, which is a deadly late-game sweeper on stall teams thanks to its ability to trap foes, set up, and fire off boosted Scalds.
[SET]
name: Unaware Wall
move 1: Recover
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Block / Soak
move 4: Spite
item: Leftovers
ability: Unaware
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Recover is Pyukumuku's primary source of recovery, keeping it healthy and allowing it to be a consistent check to Pokemon like Incineroar and Sneasel. Toxic is Pyukumuku's only way of damaging foes reliably, discourages bulky Pokemon such as Dhelmise and Guzzlord from switching in, and can be used to quickly wear down Pokemon in general. Block traps passive Pokemon like Rhydon and Mega Audino in, facilitating Pyukumuku's ability to PP stall with Spite or wear down foes with Toxic. Soak enables Pyukumuku to badly poison Steel- and Poison-types like Silvally-Steel and Garbodor with Toxic while also removing STAB bonuses from powerful Pokemon like Rhydon and Absol, allowing it to much more easily check them. Spite is an effective tool for PP stalling especially when paired with Block to prevent foes from switching out.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP and Defense investment allows Pyukumuku to check physical sweepers such as Incineroar and Klinklang as well as possible. Leftovers gives Pyukumuku a form of passive recovery, keeping it healthy in conjunction with Recover. Unaware is crucial on Pyukumuku, as this allows it to completely ignore stat boosts from setup Pokemon like Braviary and Samurott.
Usage Tips
========
Use Recover generously to safely scout for any potential Z-Move and to keep Pyukumuku as healthy as possible, as this will allow it to check attackers much more easily when need be. With this in mind, Pyukumuku can safely pivot into multiple physical attackers and setup sweepers that can't easily break through it, including Braviary, Klinklang, Incineroar, and Assault Vest Hariyama. Pyukumuku can then throw off a Toxic or otherwise force them out. Keeping entry hazards off the field also helps negate any possible residual damage taken when switching in. Keep Pyukumuku away from Taunt users like Comfey and Golbat, as they shut down all of its options. Be mindful of a potential Toxic from passive Pokemon like Steelix and Slowbro, as it puts Pyukumuku on a timer and makes it difficult for Pyukumuku to stay in and wear down foes with Toxic itself. However, it's usually a safe idea to switch Pyukumuku into a possible paralysis or burn to make it immune to Toxic poison. Use Block when you feel like something that loses to Pyukumuku will stay in. For instance, leads like Rhydon and Piloswine may want to set up Stealth Rock, whereas weakened Pokemon such as Mega Audino could potentially stay in and use Wish. Pyukumuku can then stall them out with Toxic or slowly strip them of their move options with Spite. Alongside removing STAB bonuses from the target, use Soak to discourage Steel- and Poison-types such as Steelix and Garbodor from switching in. It can also be used to preserve PP on moves like Recover and Toxic if foes are already poisoned or Pyukumuku is relatively healthy.
Team Options
========
Pyukumuku's powerful defensive assets and extreme passiveness relegate it strictly to dedicated stall teams. Clerics like Mega Audino and Miltank are able to cure Pyukumuku of harmful status conditions with Heal Bell and can use their high special bulk to check Pokemon like Vanilluxe. In return, Pyukumuku can take on physical setup sweepers such as Klinklang and Braviary. Entry hazards from Pokemon like Steelix and Ferroseed wear down switch-ins, as Pyukumuku tends to force many switches. Garbodor and Weezing can set Toxic Spikes to poison switch-ins for Pyukumuku. On the other hand, Defoggers such as Golbat, Xatu, Articuno, and Silvally-Steel can remove entry hazards, reducing the pressure put on Pyukumuku due to its tendency to switch in and out frequently. Furthermore, Xatu can bounce back moves that are harmful to Pyukumuku like Taunt and Toxic, while Articuno pressures Grass-types like Sceptile and Whimsicott and offers cleric support with Heal Bell. Sneasel is able to outspeed and Pursuit trap various threats to stall teams such as Xatu, Mismagius, and Haunter while also providing offensive pressure for an archetype that struggles with general passivity.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Trading in Leftovers for Poisonium Z lets Pyukumuku use Toxic once while under the effect of Encore and on the turn Pyukumuku is afflicted by Taunt, letting it badly poison Taunt and Encore users like Comfey and Whimsicott. Z-Toxic also grants Pyukumuku +1 Defense when used, allowing it Pyukumuku to take on powerful physical attackers such as Life Orb Medicham without the need of Soak. This forfeits the passive recovery provided by Leftovers, however. Rest offers a secondary form of recovery that removes status from Pyukumuku and preserves PP on its other moves. However, this makes Pyukumuku more passive than usual and easier to exploit if it can't trap something with Block. Counter lessens Pyukumuku's passive nature by enabling it to surprise and eliminate strong physical attackers like Medicham and Gallade after they attack Pyukumuku. Protect grants Pyukumuku an extra turn of recovery from Leftovers and lets Pyukumuku more effectively PP and Toxic stall its foe while also letting Pyukumuku scout for coverage and Z-Moves. However, this is mostly outclassed by Pyukumuku's other options in Spite and Block, which are much more effective at Toxic and PP stalling. Taunt helps with PP stalling and allows Pyukumuku to win mirror matchups, but Taunt is otherwise hard to justify using due to Pyukumuku's miserable Speed, making it absurdly difficult to use effectively in other situations.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Taunt Users**: All of Pyukumuku's viable moves bar Counter are status moves, meaning that users of Taunt such as Vanilluxe, Comfey, Houndoom, and Golbat are able to completely shut Pyukumuku down. Additionally, Comfey and Houndoom can use this as valuable time to set up with Calm Mind or Nasty Plot.
**Xatu**: Due to Magic Bounce, Xatu is able to reflect anything Pyukumuku throws at it, granting it a full immunity to all of its moves other than Counter. Pivoting into Block allows Xatu to counter trap Pyukumuku and stall it out of its moves.
**Grass- and Electric-types**: Sceptile, Dhelmise, Rotom, and Heliolisk are all able to hit Pyukumuku hard with super effective STAB moves. The latter two can take advantage of Pyukumuku if it switches out by generating momentum with Volt Switch, with Heliolisk also being able to recover HP if it switches into Soak due to Dry Skin.
**Toxic**: Though poison from Toxic can be remedied with proper team support, users of Toxic such as Mega Audino and Steelix can cripple Pyukumuku and limit the amount of time it can stay on the field, as it has no way to heal off status outside of Rest.
**Powerful Wallbreakers**: Strong threats such as Life Orb Medicham and Guts Hariyama heavily pressure Pyukumuku if it's slightly chipped or it lacks Soak to deny them access to STAB-boosted attacks. Furthermore, since Pyukumuku lacks proper Special Defense investment, specially offensive wallbreakers like Guzzlord, Vanilluxe, and Magmortar are able to easily 2HKO it.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[tondas, 442732]]
- Earlier versions by: [[Martin, 173240]]
- Quality checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [allstarapology, 400292], [Eternally, 295647]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Martha, 384270], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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