[OVERVIEW]
The only viable Arena Trap user in PU, Trapinch boasts the ability to trap and remove a variety of common threats in the PU metagame from Zebstrika to Probopass. Trapinch's main niche is as a supportive Pokemon on offensive teams, removing defensive Pokemon such as Muk, Audino, and Chinchou so that offense has an easier time breaking down those teams. However, Trapinch can also be used to support defensive teams, removing offensive threats such as Ninetales, Grumpig, and Kadabra, which some defensive teams can struggle to handle. Unfortunately, Trapinch's low defensive stats means that it relies on heavy Special Defense investment in order to combat specially based threats, and thus it is vulnerable to most physical attackers. Trapinch is also one of the slowest Pokemon in PU, second only to Munchlax, so it will essentially always be moving second.
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Sleep Talk
move 4: Rest
item: Eviolite
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 232 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=======
Earthquake is Trapinch's most powerful STAB move, used to deal damage to any Pokemon it is attempting to trap. Toxic is used to wear down defensive Pokemon such as Audino, which would otherwise be able to easily heal off any damage taken from Earthquake with Wish. Rest gives Trapinch a reliable means of recovery, while Sleep Talk prevents Trapinch from being passive while asleep.
Set Details
======
Arena Trap allows Trapinch to trap and remove a variety of Electric-, Steel-, Poison-, and Psychic-types such as Zebstrika, Probopass, Muk, and Grumpig. Maximum HP investment and 232 Special Defense EVs minimize the chance that Chinchou will 3HKO Trapinch with Scald, meaning that Trapinch is able to trap and remove Chinchou from the field. The remaining EVs are put into Defense, allowing Trapinch to avoid the OHKO from Rapidash's Flame Plate-boosted Flare Blitz after Stealth Rock while also optimizing the chances to avoid the OHKO from offensive Mawile's Play Rough. The combination of Rest and Sleep Talk means that Trapinch can often stay healthy enough to trap multiple Pokemon per game if necessary.
Usage Tips
=======
Bring Trapinch in on a Pokemon that it can wall, and proceed to trap and knock out the foe with the combination of Toxic and Earthquake. Trapinch can check some more powerful Pokemon such as Mr. Mime, but Trapinch won't be able to defeat it via Rest + Sleep Talk, so just knock it out with Earthquake. Try to use Trapinch to trap Pokemon as early as possible to maximize the matchup advantage gained by your team. Trapinch is a reliable counter to Chinchou, being able to switch in and block Volt Switch and avoiding the 3HKO from Scald. Don't let Curse Muk or Coil Arbok get too many boosts before attempting to trap them. After a few boosts Curse Muk can effectively wall Trapinch, while Arbok can 2HKO it with Earthquake.
Team Options
=======
Trapinch is used as a dedicated support Pokemon and as such doesn't really require any support, since its role will be similar in every game. Muk is one of the Pokemon that most appreciates Trapinch's trapping, as the removal of Pokemon such as Probopass, Grumpig, and Arbok helps to facilitate a Muk sweep, while in return Muk deals with powerful special attackers such as Cacturne, Floatzel, and Articuno. VoltTurn Pokemon such as Ninjask, Rotom-F, and Zebstrika appreciate the removal of Probopass, Chinchou, and Audino while also luring in those Pokemon, giving Trapinch switch initiative. Chatot appreciates the removal of Soundproof Pokemon such as Mr. Mime and Electrode as well as defensive walls such as Probopass and Audino. Floatzel appreciates Trapinch taking care of Chinchou, Audino, and Muk. Jumpluff appreciates the removal of Sap Sipper Zebstrika as well as Probopass while checking a number of Water- and Grass-types in return. Vullaby is a defensive Pokemon that appreciates Trapinch's support, dealing with powerful attackers such as Stoutland and Leafeon while appreciating the removal of Electric-types as well as Mr. Mime.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
3 attacks (Earthquake, Crunch or Superpower, and Quick Attack) + Toxic is a viable set, since the additional coverage allows Trapinch to hit a wider range of Pokemon. Superpower OHKOes Air Balloon Probopass and Pawniard, with the former being immune to Earthquake and the latter avoiding the OHKO from Earthquake. Crunch hits Ghost-types such as Misdreavus and Drifblim. Quick Attack can be a nice boon on Rest variants, allowing Trapinch to trap and chip away at weakened Pokemon such as Ninetales and Mr. Mime, although it will have to rely on a cleric to wake it from its sleep. Sand Attack can be used on Rest variants to lower the accuracy of the opposing Pokemon, potentially enabling Trapinch to outlast them with Rest.
Checks and Counters
===================
While there are numerous Pokemon that are able to defeat Trapinch, its Arena Trap ability allows it to choose its matchups, making it tough to truly check or counter.
**Revenge Killers**: Leafeon, Floatzel, and Stoutland are just a few of a plethora of offensive Pokemon that are able to outspeed and OHKO Trapinch with their STAB moves.
**Defensive Pokemon**: The likes of Tangela, Avalugg, and Quilladin possess the physical bulk to take any hit that Trapinch can throw at them. In return, they OHKO Trapinch with their STAB moves. Bronzor is also a hard counter, being immune to Trapinch's STAB move as well as Toxic. It is also able to switch out as it pleases thanks to its Levitate ability.
**Defensive Setup Sweepers**: Since they are unaffected by Toxic and take little damage from Earthquake, Clefairy and Duosion easily take advantage of Trapinch and use it as setup fodder.
The only viable Arena Trap user in PU, Trapinch boasts the ability to trap and remove a variety of common threats in the PU metagame from Zebstrika to Probopass. Trapinch's main niche is as a supportive Pokemon on offensive teams, removing defensive Pokemon such as Muk, Audino, and Chinchou so that offense has an easier time breaking down those teams. However, Trapinch can also be used to support defensive teams, removing offensive threats such as Ninetales, Grumpig, and Kadabra, which some defensive teams can struggle to handle. Unfortunately, Trapinch's low defensive stats means that it relies on heavy Special Defense investment in order to combat specially based threats, and thus it is vulnerable to most physical attackers. Trapinch is also one of the slowest Pokemon in PU, second only to Munchlax, so it will essentially always be moving second.
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Sleep Talk
move 4: Rest
item: Eviolite
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 232 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=======
Earthquake is Trapinch's most powerful STAB move, used to deal damage to any Pokemon it is attempting to trap. Toxic is used to wear down defensive Pokemon such as Audino, which would otherwise be able to easily heal off any damage taken from Earthquake with Wish. Rest gives Trapinch a reliable means of recovery, while Sleep Talk prevents Trapinch from being passive while asleep.
Set Details
======
Arena Trap allows Trapinch to trap and remove a variety of Electric-, Steel-, Poison-, and Psychic-types such as Zebstrika, Probopass, Muk, and Grumpig. Maximum HP investment and 232 Special Defense EVs minimize the chance that Chinchou will 3HKO Trapinch with Scald, meaning that Trapinch is able to trap and remove Chinchou from the field. The remaining EVs are put into Defense, allowing Trapinch to avoid the OHKO from Rapidash's Flame Plate-boosted Flare Blitz after Stealth Rock while also optimizing the chances to avoid the OHKO from offensive Mawile's Play Rough. The combination of Rest and Sleep Talk means that Trapinch can often stay healthy enough to trap multiple Pokemon per game if necessary.
Usage Tips
=======
Bring Trapinch in on a Pokemon that it can wall, and proceed to trap and knock out the foe with the combination of Toxic and Earthquake. Trapinch can check some more powerful Pokemon such as Mr. Mime, but Trapinch won't be able to defeat it via Rest + Sleep Talk, so just knock it out with Earthquake. Try to use Trapinch to trap Pokemon as early as possible to maximize the matchup advantage gained by your team. Trapinch is a reliable counter to Chinchou, being able to switch in and block Volt Switch and avoiding the 3HKO from Scald. Don't let Curse Muk or Coil Arbok get too many boosts before attempting to trap them. After a few boosts Curse Muk can effectively wall Trapinch, while Arbok can 2HKO it with Earthquake.
Team Options
=======
Trapinch is used as a dedicated support Pokemon and as such doesn't really require any support, since its role will be similar in every game. Muk is one of the Pokemon that most appreciates Trapinch's trapping, as the removal of Pokemon such as Probopass, Grumpig, and Arbok helps to facilitate a Muk sweep, while in return Muk deals with powerful special attackers such as Cacturne, Floatzel, and Articuno. VoltTurn Pokemon such as Ninjask, Rotom-F, and Zebstrika appreciate the removal of Probopass, Chinchou, and Audino while also luring in those Pokemon, giving Trapinch switch initiative. Chatot appreciates the removal of Soundproof Pokemon such as Mr. Mime and Electrode as well as defensive walls such as Probopass and Audino. Floatzel appreciates Trapinch taking care of Chinchou, Audino, and Muk. Jumpluff appreciates the removal of Sap Sipper Zebstrika as well as Probopass while checking a number of Water- and Grass-types in return. Vullaby is a defensive Pokemon that appreciates Trapinch's support, dealing with powerful attackers such as Stoutland and Leafeon while appreciating the removal of Electric-types as well as Mr. Mime.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
3 attacks (Earthquake, Crunch or Superpower, and Quick Attack) + Toxic is a viable set, since the additional coverage allows Trapinch to hit a wider range of Pokemon. Superpower OHKOes Air Balloon Probopass and Pawniard, with the former being immune to Earthquake and the latter avoiding the OHKO from Earthquake. Crunch hits Ghost-types such as Misdreavus and Drifblim. Quick Attack can be a nice boon on Rest variants, allowing Trapinch to trap and chip away at weakened Pokemon such as Ninetales and Mr. Mime, although it will have to rely on a cleric to wake it from its sleep. Sand Attack can be used on Rest variants to lower the accuracy of the opposing Pokemon, potentially enabling Trapinch to outlast them with Rest.
Checks and Counters
===================
While there are numerous Pokemon that are able to defeat Trapinch, its Arena Trap ability allows it to choose its matchups, making it tough to truly check or counter.
**Revenge Killers**: Leafeon, Floatzel, and Stoutland are just a few of a plethora of offensive Pokemon that are able to outspeed and OHKO Trapinch with their STAB moves.
**Defensive Pokemon**: The likes of Tangela, Avalugg, and Quilladin possess the physical bulk to take any hit that Trapinch can throw at them. In return, they OHKO Trapinch with their STAB moves. Bronzor is also a hard counter, being immune to Trapinch's STAB move as well as Toxic. It is also able to switch out as it pleases thanks to its Levitate ability.
**Defensive Setup Sweepers**: Since they are unaffected by Toxic and take little damage from Earthquake, Clefairy and Duosion easily take advantage of Trapinch and use it as setup fodder.
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