Dpp machamp
Machamp is perhaps the most frustrating Pokemon to deal with in the tier. Machamp’s 100% accurate Dynamic Punch due to No Guard and plethora of strong coverage moves makes defensive counter play a gamble, as even very physically bulky Pokemon such as Zapdos, Skarmory, Jirachi, Celebi, Nidoqueen, and Hippowdon are vulnerable to confusion. Unlike other Fighting-types like Breloom and Infernape, Machamp’s access to Payback makes Ghost- and Psychic-types think twice about absorbing Dynamic Punch, as it OHKOes frailer ones such as Gengar and offensive Rotom-A and 2HKOes defensive Rotom-A, Starmie, and Latias. Options such as Ice Punch and Stone Edge are great to deter the Flying-types such as Gliscor, Zapdos, Dragonite, and Gyarados that often switch into Machamp. At full health, Machamp also is bulky enough to survive most attacks that don’t hit it super effectively. Thus, it is a fantastic Dragon Dance Tyranitar check, as +1 Tyranitar can’t OHKO it without a critical hit and has no hope to survive Dynamic Punch, even with a Chople Berry. As Machamp has excellent coverage with three moves, it can take advantage of its colorful support movepool; options such as Substitute, Bullet Punch, Bulk Up, and Encore are all excellent choices to help Machamp take advantage of free turns. Substitute and Bullet Punch help mitigate its slow speed, while Bulk Up and Encore help it defeat defensive Pokemon aiming to stomach its attacks. With paralysis support, Substitute makes Machamp truly terrifying, as foes need to hit Machamp twice to break through it.
That slow Speed and modest bulk do truly haunt Machamp, as they prevent Machamp from dominating the tier. While, with some investment, Machamp outspeeds slower walls such as Clefable, Skarmory, Hippowdon, Blissey, and Swampert, this limits its bulk further and it still fails to outspeed most of the metagame, especially defensive Rotom-A, who has a 100% accurate Will-O-Wisp to ruin Machamp with thanks to No Guard. While Machamp generally avoids getting OHKOed, many offensive Pokemon such as Heatran, Latias, Breloom, and Gengar outspeed and 2HKO it, as it lacks resistances and has average defensive stats. These Pokemon are deterred from taking on Machamp because Machamp is such a threat and can hit them very hard; however, if Machamp is chipped by residual damage such as sand, burn, Spikes, or poison, they can come in and KO Machamp without much trouble. Machamp also struggles to damage Ghost- and Psychic-types slower than it due to the power drop from Payback. This can be accomplished by using naturally slower Pokemon like Slowbro or by decreasing Speed IVs on Pokemon such as Rotom-A or Cresselia to take minimal damage. Machamp also has to be careful with Dynamic Punch’s 8 PP, as physically defensive Pokemon generally need three attacks to faint and it enjoys confusing foes so it can hit them hard with its coverage moves without taking damage in return. This lack of PP is exacerbated by Zapdos and Suicune, as Pressure eats into its PP very fast. These factors often force Machamp to be played very aggressively should it take damage or get low on PP—for example, predicting switches, spamming Substitute for full paralysis and potential confusion damage, and sacrificing it to eliminate a threat—as it is a slow, powerful wall breaker with middling durability.
[SET]
name: Substitute
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Dynamic Punch
move 3: Payback
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 128 HP / 252 Atk / 128 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute offers Machamp some major advantages if it forces a foe out such as Clefable or Tyranitar. The first is that it removes prediction: this is especially important in that Machamp has the tools to hit almost everything in the tier very hard, meaning foes such as Gengar and Rotom-A cannot take advantage of their immunity to absorb a hit and burn or KO Machamp. The second is that Substitute takes advantage of both confusion from Dynamic Punch and potential paralysis. If either prevent the foe from attacking, Machamp gets another free turn to hit the foe hard even if they switch out or faint. These advantages make Machamp one of the foremost paralysis partners in the tier.
Dynamic Punch is extremely strong, OHKOing many common Fighting-weak Pokemon in the tier such as Clefable, Tyranitar, Heatran, and Empoleon. It also generally 2HKOes bulkier targets neutral to it such as offensive Swampert, Bronzong, and Breloom. Payback complements Dynamic Punch very well& mdash;it has perfect coverage outside of Heracross and nails Ghost- and Psychic-types like Gengar, Rotom-A, and Cresselia trying to pivot into Dynamic Punch. Substitute works great with Payback, as it safely lets Machamp use Payback on faster threats if it doesn’t hit them on the switch. Ice Punch and Stone Edge close out its coverage by hurting Flying-types such as Zapdos and Gyarados. Ice Punch is generally preferred, as not only is it the best option for Gliscor and Dragonite, but also reliably hits Latias even if its paralyzed. It also is Machamp’s best option for Nidoqueen among these choices. Stone Edge, however, is Machamp’s best option for Gyarados, can’t miss due to No Guard, and is close to OHKOing Flying-types such as offensive versions of Zapdos, Gyarados, and Dragonite.
Set Details
========
Machamp should run maximum Attack or close to it to hit as hard as possible. The rest of the EVs are evenly split between HP and Speed to balance bulk and outpacing as much as it can. 128 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed uninvested Pokemon with base 70 Speed such as Skarmory, Metagross, and Breloom.
Machamp is free to focus more on its bulk or its Speed, but shouldn’t run less than 44 Speed EVs, as Machamp really needs to outspeed Clefable to pressure it best.
Usage Tips
========
Machamp prefers to use its HP to make Substitute and potentially trade with a dangerous threat such as Dragon Dance Tyranitar. As such, Machamp generally avoids switching in directly, especially early in the game before foes are paralyzed, to preserve HP unless it’s trying to answer Tyranitar. It’s best to switch in on predicted switches or sacrifices, as Machamp is at its best when it is out of KO range and has a free turn. Make sure to understand the implications of using Substitute: once Machamp loses a quarter of its health, especially with sand up, it becomes more difficult to be a utility check, as foes can take advantage of its modest bulk and just KO Machamp. Machamp is sometimes better off predicting a switch rather than using Subsitute, especially if most of the opponent’s team isn’t paralyzed or otherwise slower than Machamp. However, if it does outspeed the opposing team, Machamp using Substitute can be oppressive, as confusion coupled with paralysis gives foes only a 37.5% chance to hit Machamp, allowing it to keep the Substitute up to dish out more punishment. It can also fish for full paralysis in front on a foe it KOes to get a free Subsitute.
Team Options
========
Substitute Machamp generally is best alongside heavy paralysis support. There are two ways to go about this: more offensive paralysis support from Pokemon such as Thunder Wave Gyarados and Breloom or more defensive teammates based around Starmie, Zapdos, and Blissey. One of its best partners is Jirachi. Jirachi does a fantastic job spreading paralysis and wears down bulky Pokemon that can survive multiple Dynamic Punch such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Swampert. Jirachi has many different sets than can assist Machamp: bulkier sets based around Wish + Protect or Substitute both spread paralysis very effectively and can potentially clean up once Machamp batters down bulkier Pokemon. Mixed or Calm Mind sets can lure in and ruin bulky Pokemon such as Gyarados, Skarmory, and Rotom-A that check Machamp. Gyarados is a fantastic teammate, as Thunder Wave commonly targets premier Machamp checks such as Rotom-A, Latias, and Zapdos. Machamp in turn can heavily weaken Pokemon such as Metagross, Bronzong, and Jirachi that Thunder Wave Gyarados often lacks the coverage for. Breloom makes for a fantastic partner, as Swords Dance sets can synergistically weaken Fighting-resistant foes and sets with Spore can give Machamp an opening. Lead Breloom sets are particularly good partners for wresting momentum immediately. Other offensive paralysis users such as Azelf and Uxie are also helpful. On more defensive teams, Machamp makes for a fantastic wallbreaker alongside Starmie, Zapdos, defensive Jirachi, and Blissey. Not only do these Pokemon spread paralysis, but they also appreciate Machamp answering Dragon Dance Tyranitar. Starmie is also a great partner, as it clears entry hazards for Machamp. More niche defensive partners such as Celebi and Cresselia also can help Machamp.
Outside of spreading paralysis, Machamp has several other good partners. One of Machamp best offensive partners is Heatran, as it can both roast the bulkier Steel-types neutral to Fighting such as Skarmory and Jirachi while also gaining a Flash Fire boost from Will-O-Wisp aimed at Machamp. Defensive Heatran is also a strong answer to Zapdos. Choice Scarf Latias is also a good partner, as it can both disable foes with Trick or Thunder Wave and has Healing Wish to give Machamp a second chance. Machamp also handles Dragon Dance Tyranitar, one of the few Speed boosting foes Latias cannot check. Tyranitar also is great, as it can check Psychic- and Dark-types and its coverage can potentially weaken Machamp checks, but Machamp does not enjoy sand. More niche partners such as weather clear Pokemon such as Kingdra, Bronzong, and Ludicolo and trappers such as Magnezone and Magneton can also help Machamp.
[SET]
name: All Out Attacker
move 1: Dynamic Punch
move 2: Payback
move 3: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
move 4: Bullet Punch / Bulk Up
item: Lum Berry / Custap Berry / Focus Sash
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Machamp is one of the scariest anti-leads in the tier, as with Dynamic Punch, fantastic coverage, and just enough bulk, it can both threaten frail leads such as Azelf and Aerodactyl trying to get up Stealth Rock and harass walls such as Hippowdon and Swampert with confusion. Dynamic Punch easily OHKOes common leads such as Empoleon, Heatran, and Tyranitar while also being difficult to switch into. Payback is great for heavily damaging Latias, Rotom-A, and Gengar. Ice Punch completes its coverage by hitting Gliscor, Dragonite, and Zapdos hard. Stone Edge is another option to OHKO offensive Zapdos and is the strongest option against Gyarados.
Bullet Punch is fantastic for Machamp if it’s leading, as Bullet Punch finishes off Focus Sash users such as Azelf, Heatran, Empoleon, and Aerodactyl. However, Bulk Up is another great option for Machamp, as it can set up on bulkier leads such as Hippowdon and dish out a lot of damage. Bulk Up is also the preferred option if Machamp does not lead, as Machamp can leverage its bulk to set up and take on walls such as Skarmory, Jirachi, and Zapdos.
Set Details
========
Machamp can either be fast or bulky; it needs maximum Attack investment to hit as hard as possible. If it is leading, Machamp should generally be fast. This way, it can put pressure on Pokemon such as uninvested Metagross, Skarmory, Magnezone, and Swampert by confusing them with Dynamic Punch before they can act. However, Machamp is quite frail without investment, and appreciates some HP EVs to more easily survive attacks such as Metagross's Meteor Mash, Jirachi's Iron Head, and Zapdos's Thunderbolt. Machamp can also run a lot more HP EVs, but generally should not use less than 52 EVs so it can pressure minimum Speed Clefable, Tyranitar, and Empoleon.
The most prominent item on Machamp is Lum Berry, as it very frequently exposes itself to burn from Gengar and especially Rotom-A if it can't hit them on the switch with Payback. Lum Berry also prevents Breloom and Roserade from putting Machamp to sleep and Jirachi and Zapdos from paralyzing it. However, Focus Sash is fantastic in the lead spot to always allow Machamp to get one strong attack off, as leads such as Modest Choice Specs Latias and Heatran threaten to OHKO it. Machamp survives these as well as Explosion with a Focus Sash. Custap Berry is another strong option to get one last strong attack off if Machamp takes heavy damage either trading with a foe or using Bulk Up. Another option is to survive Modest Choice Specs Latias's Draco Meteor as well as Azelf's Explosion after a Bulk Up; an example EV spread is 248 HP / 48 Atk / 60 Def / 152 SpD.
Usage Tips
========
Especially at full health, Machamp is very threatening and often forces predictable responses. Whether this is sacrificing full health Pokemon to chip it or set up entry hazards, switching to a Ghost-, Psychic-, or Flying-type, or trying to pivot around to waste Dynamic Punch PP, Machamp can often make a lot of progress early in the game. How to make this progress largely depends on what kind of team the opponent has.
Against more offensive teams, Machamp can very often trade two-for-one. as Machamp defeats most leads common on offensive teams with the notable exceptions of Metagross and Gyarados and then can potentially force another sacrifice to take it out. In this case, Machamp should often just hit what is in front of it; blindly predicting Rotom-A or Gengar switching in can be devastating, but also is risky when a foe is likely trying to weaken Machamp for another attacker in the back. Mahcamp can also afford to use Dynamic Punch on certain leads that commonly have ways to mitigate its attacks, most notably against Azelf that can hold a Colbur Berry. If Machamp doesn't have bulk or has a Focus Sash, it should be careful against leads that can potentially outright OHKO it, such as Heatran, Choice Specs Zapdos, and Choice Band Dragonite.
Machamp can potentially be very effective against certain bulkier teams, especially if it has Bulk Up. Against leads common on defensive teams, such as Tyranitar and Hippowdon, Machamp can set up a Bulk Up. +1 Machamp easily 2HKOes specially defensive Hippowdon and has a good chance to 2HKO physically defensive Hippowdon if it hits itself in confusion, while only physically defensive Gyarados can switch into a +1 Machamp safely. Even without Bulk Up, some defensive teams do not have great Machamp switch-ins; physically defensive Skarmory is 3HKOed by Dynamic Punch and is often slower, while physically defensive Jirachi needs multiple Iron Head flinches to get past Machamp. Leverage this to weaken the opposing defensive core.
Team Options
========
Machamp operates relatively independently and can work with a number of different teammates; however, its teammates need to be able to take advantage of both the holes it creates against Pokemon like Skarmory and Hippowdon and hold off answers such as Rotom-A and bulky Psychic- and Flying-types. One of its best partners is utility Heatran, as Heatran very much appreciates Machamp threatening bulky Pokemon such as Clefable, Tyranitar, and Blissey, can switch in on bulky Pokemon that can potentially force Machamp to expend a lot of PP such as Skarmory, Jirachi, and defensive Zapdos, and can even get a Flash Fire boost against Rotom-A's Will-O-Wisp.
This partnership with Heatran, a fantastic Stealth Rock user and can also Explode on many special walls, makes Machamp a fantastic piece alongside more specially offensive teammates, both in and outside of the lead spot. Choiced Latias, Choiced Rotom-A, Gengar, and offensive Suicune are all excellent partners, as not only can Machamp switch into Clefable and Tyranitar to harass them, it also batters soft checks such as defensive Jirachi, specially defensive Hippowdon, and specially defensive Skarmory, Pokemon often used tasked with helping against special threats. Choice Specs Latias is a particularly good partner, as Machamp can heavily weaken Steel-types tasked with switching into Draco Meteor while Tyranitar is one of Machamp's best entry points, and it can absorb Breloom using Spore trying to disable Machamp with a Lum Berry. Being one of the best Tyranitar counters in the game helps out Latias, Rotom-A, and Gengar, especially Choice Scarf Rotom-A, who appreciates how Machamp takes on Dragon Dance Tyranitar. Offensive Lum Berry Suicune can open up Machamp checks such as defensive Reflect Latias, defensive Zapdos, and defensive Jirachi.
Machamp also appreciates more physically offensive Pokemon who can further take advantage of the holes it creates. Two of the more prominent ones is Dragon Dance Gyarados and Metagross, as Gyarados appreciates Machamp weakening Skarmory, while Metagross can potentially disable Skarmory with Iron Ball. Scizor also helps against bulky Psychic-types and appreciates wearing down physical walls. In particular, these Pokemon also enjoy Magnezone support, as Magnezone can potentially trap Skarmory and other Steel-types such as Jirachi. Machamp is adept at taking advantage of Shed Shell Skarmory, as Skarmory really appreciates Leftovers to stave off its strong attacks and potential confusion damage.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Machamp can use Thunder Punch for its last slot on the all-out-attacker set, as it OHKOes the most common check on offensive teams to Machamp: Gyarados. It also 2HKOes defensive Gyarados and hits Skarmory as hard as Dynamic Punch without the PP issues. Another cool option on the all-out-attacker set is Encore, as Encore can lock slower walls such as Hippowdon, Swampert, and Skarmory into Stealth Rock or recovery moves should they use them, allowing Machamp to set up Bulk Up more easily without worrying about phazing. Machamp has some traditional sets, such as Rest + Sleep Talk, Choice Band, and Choice Scarf, that don't see much usage in modern DPP. Rest + Sleep Talk alleviates PP issues and helps keep it healthy, but struggles drastically with coverage because it has to choose between Payback and Ice Punch and Machamp isn't bulky enough even with full investment to survive the sleep turns. Choiced sets miss out on fully taking advantage of Machamp's great coverage, while even Choice Scarf Machamp is slower than Gengar. Machamp can also not use No Guard and use Guts instead, typically on all-out-attacker sets with Bulk Up. Dropping the utility of Dynamic Punch's confusion is a huge loss, but Guts affords Machamp a number of advantages: the biggest of these is that Machamp can use Custap Berry without being completely ruined by status outside of sleep. Machamp's +1 Payback boosted by Guts always OHKOes Rotom-A, who might be lured in by the prospect of ruining Machamp with Will-O-Wisp. Do note that Machamp faces heavy competition with Hariyama for this role, as while Hariyama is both slower and weaker than Machamp, it is bulkier enough to make a difference.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Ghost-types**: Physically defensive Rotom-A is perhaps the best common Machamp check. It cannot be confused by Dynamic Punch, comfortably survives Payback, outspeeds Machamp with minimal investment, and ruins it with Will-O-Wisp. However, Rotom-A has to be careful, as it takes heavy damage from Payback and can easily lose if hit on the switch with Payback or Machamp has a Lum Berry. Gengar can switch into a predicted Dynamic Punch and threaten to either KO a weakened Machamp or trade with Explosion or Destiny Bond, but is OHKOed by Payback. Despite its low usage, Spiritomb is one of the best Machamp checks in the tier, as it is both neutral to Payback and slower, weakening it further. Its Pressure also punishes predicted Dynamic Punch.
**Psychic-types**: Bulky Psychic-types take minimal damage from Dynamic Punch, but really don't enjoy being confused or taking Payback. Latias, Celebi, Slowbro, Uxie, and Cresselia can all at least paralyze it or make Machamp potentially use Payback for an easier switch. Slowbro is the best Machamp counter in the tier, as it is very physically bulky, Own Tempo prevents confusion, and it is slower than Machamp. Cresselia can underspeed Machamp by having almost minimum speed IVs, letting it take minimal damage from Payback. Latias sometimes carries Psychic to 2HKO Machamp and can set up Reflect, while Payback fails to 2HKO Celebi and Uxie. More offensive Psychic-types such as Jirachi, Azelf, and Metagross can potentially OHKO Machamp with Psychic or Zen Headbutt, despite these moves being rare on these Pokemon.
**Flying-types**: Zapdos, Gyarados, Skarmory, and Gliscor all can take repeated Dynamic Punch and retailiate. Gyarados and Zapdos are two of the best checks, as Machamp rarely carries Stone Edge and struggles to damage them. Gyarados is a fantastic check, as Intimidate weakens Machamp, offensive Gyarados 2HKOes Machamp, while defensive Gyarados can take repeated punishment from Machamp even while confused. Physically defensive Zapdos is only 3HKOed by Ice Punch, has Roost to heal off the damage, and at least 3HKOes Machamp with Thunderbolt. Skarmory 2HKOes with Brave Bird and is only 3HKOed by Dynamic Punch, while Gliscor walls all Machamp that don't have Ice Punch and can potentially OHKO with a Power Herb Sky Attack. All do not enjoy switching into Machamp with Stealth Rock and potential confusion, however.
**Poison-types**: Nidoqueen is a good check to Machamp, as it fails to 2HKO it with Ice Punch and Machamp despises being poisoned by Poison Point or Toxic Spikes. Crobat also takes little damage from Dynamic Punch, but is 2HKOed by Ice Punch. While poor checks to Machamp, Roserade, Tentacruel, and Qwilfish can set up Toxic Spikes, which completely ruins Machamp.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Even if they are neutral to Dynamic Punch, most bulky Pokemon can at least force Machamp to lose a lot of Dynamic Punch PP if Machamp can't hit them super effectively otherwise. Hippowdon, Metagross, Jirachi, Swampert, and Suicune all can take multiple hits from Dynamic Punch and can fight through confusion to chip Machamp. Physically defensive Hippowdon is one of the best checks for it, as it has recovery, is 4HKOed by Dynamic Punch, and sets up sand that slowly chips Machamp. Metagross, Swampert, and physically defensive Jirachi offensively threaten Machamp and can take multiple hits, while Suicune's Pressure eats into Machamp's PP very rapidly.
**Residual Damage**: Machamp is easily chipped, as it is sand vulnerable, hates status, and Toxic Spikes and Spikes ruin it. Machamp also really wants to carry a Lum Berry or Custap Berry, further exacerbating passive damage by forgoing Leftovers. Even using Substitute in sand helps offensive Pokemon KO a weakened Machamp.
**Extremely powerful Pokemon**: Machamp is modestly bulky and slow, meaning strong offensive Pokemon can potentially OHKO it. Choice Specs Latias, Choice Specs Heatran, Choice Band Dragonite, Choice Specs Empoleon, and Explosion outspeed and OHKO Machamp before it can do anything unless it has a Focus Sash or considerable bulk. As Machamp gets chipped, this list expands dramatically. However, these Pokemon need to be careful, as Machamp can hit them very hard should it live with a Focus Sash, activate Custap Berry, or have the bulky investment.
[CREDITS]
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Machamp is perhaps the most frustrating Pokemon to deal with in the tier. Machamp’s 100% accurate Dynamic Punch due to No Guard and plethora of strong coverage moves makes defensive counter play a gamble, as even very physically bulky Pokemon such as Zapdos, Skarmory, Jirachi, Celebi, Nidoqueen, and Hippowdon are vulnerable to confusion. Unlike other Fighting-types like Breloom and Infernape, Machamp’s access to Payback makes Ghost- and Psychic-types think twice about absorbing Dynamic Punch, as it OHKOes frailer ones such as Gengar and offensive Rotom-A and 2HKOes defensive Rotom-A, Starmie, and Latias. Options such as Ice Punch and Stone Edge are great to deter the Flying-types such as Gliscor, Zapdos, Dragonite, and Gyarados that often switch into Machamp. At full health, Machamp also is bulky enough to survive most attacks that don’t hit it super effectively. Thus, it is a fantastic Dragon Dance Tyranitar check, as +1 Tyranitar can’t OHKO it without a critical hit and has no hope to survive Dynamic Punch, even with a Chople Berry. As Machamp has excellent coverage with three moves, it can take advantage of its colorful support movepool; options such as Substitute, Bullet Punch, Bulk Up, and Encore are all excellent choices to help Machamp take advantage of free turns. Substitute and Bullet Punch help mitigate its slow speed, while Bulk Up and Encore help it defeat defensive Pokemon aiming to stomach its attacks. With paralysis support, Substitute makes Machamp truly terrifying, as foes need to hit Machamp twice to break through it.
That slow Speed and modest bulk do truly haunt Machamp, as they prevent Machamp from dominating the tier. While, with some investment, Machamp outspeeds slower walls such as Clefable, Skarmory, Hippowdon, Blissey, and Swampert, this limits its bulk further and it still fails to outspeed most of the metagame, especially defensive Rotom-A, who has a 100% accurate Will-O-Wisp to ruin Machamp with thanks to No Guard. While Machamp generally avoids getting OHKOed, many offensive Pokemon such as Heatran, Latias, Breloom, and Gengar outspeed and 2HKO it, as it lacks resistances and has average defensive stats. These Pokemon are deterred from taking on Machamp because Machamp is such a threat and can hit them very hard; however, if Machamp is chipped by residual damage such as sand, burn, Spikes, or poison, they can come in and KO Machamp without much trouble. Machamp also struggles to damage Ghost- and Psychic-types slower than it due to the power drop from Payback. This can be accomplished by using naturally slower Pokemon like Slowbro or by decreasing Speed IVs on Pokemon such as Rotom-A or Cresselia to take minimal damage. Machamp also has to be careful with Dynamic Punch’s 8 PP, as physically defensive Pokemon generally need three attacks to faint and it enjoys confusing foes so it can hit them hard with its coverage moves without taking damage in return. This lack of PP is exacerbated by Zapdos and Suicune, as Pressure eats into its PP very fast. These factors often force Machamp to be played very aggressively should it take damage or get low on PP—for example, predicting switches, spamming Substitute for full paralysis and potential confusion damage, and sacrificing it to eliminate a threat—as it is a slow, powerful wall breaker with middling durability.
[SET]
name: Substitute
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Dynamic Punch
move 3: Payback
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 128 HP / 252 Atk / 128 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute offers Machamp some major advantages if it forces a foe out such as Clefable or Tyranitar. The first is that it removes prediction: this is especially important in that Machamp has the tools to hit almost everything in the tier very hard, meaning foes such as Gengar and Rotom-A cannot take advantage of their immunity to absorb a hit and burn or KO Machamp. The second is that Substitute takes advantage of both confusion from Dynamic Punch and potential paralysis. If either prevent the foe from attacking, Machamp gets another free turn to hit the foe hard even if they switch out or faint. These advantages make Machamp one of the foremost paralysis partners in the tier.
Dynamic Punch is extremely strong, OHKOing many common Fighting-weak Pokemon in the tier such as Clefable, Tyranitar, Heatran, and Empoleon. It also generally 2HKOes bulkier targets neutral to it such as offensive Swampert, Bronzong, and Breloom. Payback complements Dynamic Punch very well& mdash;it has perfect coverage outside of Heracross and nails Ghost- and Psychic-types like Gengar, Rotom-A, and Cresselia trying to pivot into Dynamic Punch. Substitute works great with Payback, as it safely lets Machamp use Payback on faster threats if it doesn’t hit them on the switch. Ice Punch and Stone Edge close out its coverage by hurting Flying-types such as Zapdos and Gyarados. Ice Punch is generally preferred, as not only is it the best option for Gliscor and Dragonite, but also reliably hits Latias even if its paralyzed. It also is Machamp’s best option for Nidoqueen among these choices. Stone Edge, however, is Machamp’s best option for Gyarados, can’t miss due to No Guard, and is close to OHKOing Flying-types such as offensive versions of Zapdos, Gyarados, and Dragonite.
Set Details
========
Machamp should run maximum Attack or close to it to hit as hard as possible. The rest of the EVs are evenly split between HP and Speed to balance bulk and outpacing as much as it can. 128 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed uninvested Pokemon with base 70 Speed such as Skarmory, Metagross, and Breloom.
Machamp is free to focus more on its bulk or its Speed, but shouldn’t run less than 44 Speed EVs, as Machamp really needs to outspeed Clefable to pressure it best.
Usage Tips
========
Machamp prefers to use its HP to make Substitute and potentially trade with a dangerous threat such as Dragon Dance Tyranitar. As such, Machamp generally avoids switching in directly, especially early in the game before foes are paralyzed, to preserve HP unless it’s trying to answer Tyranitar. It’s best to switch in on predicted switches or sacrifices, as Machamp is at its best when it is out of KO range and has a free turn. Make sure to understand the implications of using Substitute: once Machamp loses a quarter of its health, especially with sand up, it becomes more difficult to be a utility check, as foes can take advantage of its modest bulk and just KO Machamp. Machamp is sometimes better off predicting a switch rather than using Subsitute, especially if most of the opponent’s team isn’t paralyzed or otherwise slower than Machamp. However, if it does outspeed the opposing team, Machamp using Substitute can be oppressive, as confusion coupled with paralysis gives foes only a 37.5% chance to hit Machamp, allowing it to keep the Substitute up to dish out more punishment. It can also fish for full paralysis in front on a foe it KOes to get a free Subsitute.
Team Options
========
Substitute Machamp generally is best alongside heavy paralysis support. There are two ways to go about this: more offensive paralysis support from Pokemon such as Thunder Wave Gyarados and Breloom or more defensive teammates based around Starmie, Zapdos, and Blissey. One of its best partners is Jirachi. Jirachi does a fantastic job spreading paralysis and wears down bulky Pokemon that can survive multiple Dynamic Punch such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Swampert. Jirachi has many different sets than can assist Machamp: bulkier sets based around Wish + Protect or Substitute both spread paralysis very effectively and can potentially clean up once Machamp batters down bulkier Pokemon. Mixed or Calm Mind sets can lure in and ruin bulky Pokemon such as Gyarados, Skarmory, and Rotom-A that check Machamp. Gyarados is a fantastic teammate, as Thunder Wave commonly targets premier Machamp checks such as Rotom-A, Latias, and Zapdos. Machamp in turn can heavily weaken Pokemon such as Metagross, Bronzong, and Jirachi that Thunder Wave Gyarados often lacks the coverage for. Breloom makes for a fantastic partner, as Swords Dance sets can synergistically weaken Fighting-resistant foes and sets with Spore can give Machamp an opening. Lead Breloom sets are particularly good partners for wresting momentum immediately. Other offensive paralysis users such as Azelf and Uxie are also helpful. On more defensive teams, Machamp makes for a fantastic wallbreaker alongside Starmie, Zapdos, defensive Jirachi, and Blissey. Not only do these Pokemon spread paralysis, but they also appreciate Machamp answering Dragon Dance Tyranitar. Starmie is also a great partner, as it clears entry hazards for Machamp. More niche defensive partners such as Celebi and Cresselia also can help Machamp.
Outside of spreading paralysis, Machamp has several other good partners. One of Machamp best offensive partners is Heatran, as it can both roast the bulkier Steel-types neutral to Fighting such as Skarmory and Jirachi while also gaining a Flash Fire boost from Will-O-Wisp aimed at Machamp. Defensive Heatran is also a strong answer to Zapdos. Choice Scarf Latias is also a good partner, as it can both disable foes with Trick or Thunder Wave and has Healing Wish to give Machamp a second chance. Machamp also handles Dragon Dance Tyranitar, one of the few Speed boosting foes Latias cannot check. Tyranitar also is great, as it can check Psychic- and Dark-types and its coverage can potentially weaken Machamp checks, but Machamp does not enjoy sand. More niche partners such as weather clear Pokemon such as Kingdra, Bronzong, and Ludicolo and trappers such as Magnezone and Magneton can also help Machamp.
[SET]
name: All Out Attacker
move 1: Dynamic Punch
move 2: Payback
move 3: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
move 4: Bullet Punch / Bulk Up
item: Lum Berry / Custap Berry / Focus Sash
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Machamp is one of the scariest anti-leads in the tier, as with Dynamic Punch, fantastic coverage, and just enough bulk, it can both threaten frail leads such as Azelf and Aerodactyl trying to get up Stealth Rock and harass walls such as Hippowdon and Swampert with confusion. Dynamic Punch easily OHKOes common leads such as Empoleon, Heatran, and Tyranitar while also being difficult to switch into. Payback is great for heavily damaging Latias, Rotom-A, and Gengar. Ice Punch completes its coverage by hitting Gliscor, Dragonite, and Zapdos hard. Stone Edge is another option to OHKO offensive Zapdos and is the strongest option against Gyarados.
Bullet Punch is fantastic for Machamp if it’s leading, as Bullet Punch finishes off Focus Sash users such as Azelf, Heatran, Empoleon, and Aerodactyl. However, Bulk Up is another great option for Machamp, as it can set up on bulkier leads such as Hippowdon and dish out a lot of damage. Bulk Up is also the preferred option if Machamp does not lead, as Machamp can leverage its bulk to set up and take on walls such as Skarmory, Jirachi, and Zapdos.
Set Details
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Machamp can either be fast or bulky; it needs maximum Attack investment to hit as hard as possible. If it is leading, Machamp should generally be fast. This way, it can put pressure on Pokemon such as uninvested Metagross, Skarmory, Magnezone, and Swampert by confusing them with Dynamic Punch before they can act. However, Machamp is quite frail without investment, and appreciates some HP EVs to more easily survive attacks such as Metagross's Meteor Mash, Jirachi's Iron Head, and Zapdos's Thunderbolt. Machamp can also run a lot more HP EVs, but generally should not use less than 52 EVs so it can pressure minimum Speed Clefable, Tyranitar, and Empoleon.
The most prominent item on Machamp is Lum Berry, as it very frequently exposes itself to burn from Gengar and especially Rotom-A if it can't hit them on the switch with Payback. Lum Berry also prevents Breloom and Roserade from putting Machamp to sleep and Jirachi and Zapdos from paralyzing it. However, Focus Sash is fantastic in the lead spot to always allow Machamp to get one strong attack off, as leads such as Modest Choice Specs Latias and Heatran threaten to OHKO it. Machamp survives these as well as Explosion with a Focus Sash. Custap Berry is another strong option to get one last strong attack off if Machamp takes heavy damage either trading with a foe or using Bulk Up. Another option is to survive Modest Choice Specs Latias's Draco Meteor as well as Azelf's Explosion after a Bulk Up; an example EV spread is 248 HP / 48 Atk / 60 Def / 152 SpD.
Usage Tips
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Especially at full health, Machamp is very threatening and often forces predictable responses. Whether this is sacrificing full health Pokemon to chip it or set up entry hazards, switching to a Ghost-, Psychic-, or Flying-type, or trying to pivot around to waste Dynamic Punch PP, Machamp can often make a lot of progress early in the game. How to make this progress largely depends on what kind of team the opponent has.
Against more offensive teams, Machamp can very often trade two-for-one. as Machamp defeats most leads common on offensive teams with the notable exceptions of Metagross and Gyarados and then can potentially force another sacrifice to take it out. In this case, Machamp should often just hit what is in front of it; blindly predicting Rotom-A or Gengar switching in can be devastating, but also is risky when a foe is likely trying to weaken Machamp for another attacker in the back. Mahcamp can also afford to use Dynamic Punch on certain leads that commonly have ways to mitigate its attacks, most notably against Azelf that can hold a Colbur Berry. If Machamp doesn't have bulk or has a Focus Sash, it should be careful against leads that can potentially outright OHKO it, such as Heatran, Choice Specs Zapdos, and Choice Band Dragonite.
Machamp can potentially be very effective against certain bulkier teams, especially if it has Bulk Up. Against leads common on defensive teams, such as Tyranitar and Hippowdon, Machamp can set up a Bulk Up. +1 Machamp easily 2HKOes specially defensive Hippowdon and has a good chance to 2HKO physically defensive Hippowdon if it hits itself in confusion, while only physically defensive Gyarados can switch into a +1 Machamp safely. Even without Bulk Up, some defensive teams do not have great Machamp switch-ins; physically defensive Skarmory is 3HKOed by Dynamic Punch and is often slower, while physically defensive Jirachi needs multiple Iron Head flinches to get past Machamp. Leverage this to weaken the opposing defensive core.
Team Options
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Machamp operates relatively independently and can work with a number of different teammates; however, its teammates need to be able to take advantage of both the holes it creates against Pokemon like Skarmory and Hippowdon and hold off answers such as Rotom-A and bulky Psychic- and Flying-types. One of its best partners is utility Heatran, as Heatran very much appreciates Machamp threatening bulky Pokemon such as Clefable, Tyranitar, and Blissey, can switch in on bulky Pokemon that can potentially force Machamp to expend a lot of PP such as Skarmory, Jirachi, and defensive Zapdos, and can even get a Flash Fire boost against Rotom-A's Will-O-Wisp.
This partnership with Heatran, a fantastic Stealth Rock user and can also Explode on many special walls, makes Machamp a fantastic piece alongside more specially offensive teammates, both in and outside of the lead spot. Choiced Latias, Choiced Rotom-A, Gengar, and offensive Suicune are all excellent partners, as not only can Machamp switch into Clefable and Tyranitar to harass them, it also batters soft checks such as defensive Jirachi, specially defensive Hippowdon, and specially defensive Skarmory, Pokemon often used tasked with helping against special threats. Choice Specs Latias is a particularly good partner, as Machamp can heavily weaken Steel-types tasked with switching into Draco Meteor while Tyranitar is one of Machamp's best entry points, and it can absorb Breloom using Spore trying to disable Machamp with a Lum Berry. Being one of the best Tyranitar counters in the game helps out Latias, Rotom-A, and Gengar, especially Choice Scarf Rotom-A, who appreciates how Machamp takes on Dragon Dance Tyranitar. Offensive Lum Berry Suicune can open up Machamp checks such as defensive Reflect Latias, defensive Zapdos, and defensive Jirachi.
Machamp also appreciates more physically offensive Pokemon who can further take advantage of the holes it creates. Two of the more prominent ones is Dragon Dance Gyarados and Metagross, as Gyarados appreciates Machamp weakening Skarmory, while Metagross can potentially disable Skarmory with Iron Ball. Scizor also helps against bulky Psychic-types and appreciates wearing down physical walls. In particular, these Pokemon also enjoy Magnezone support, as Magnezone can potentially trap Skarmory and other Steel-types such as Jirachi. Machamp is adept at taking advantage of Shed Shell Skarmory, as Skarmory really appreciates Leftovers to stave off its strong attacks and potential confusion damage.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Machamp can use Thunder Punch for its last slot on the all-out-attacker set, as it OHKOes the most common check on offensive teams to Machamp: Gyarados. It also 2HKOes defensive Gyarados and hits Skarmory as hard as Dynamic Punch without the PP issues. Another cool option on the all-out-attacker set is Encore, as Encore can lock slower walls such as Hippowdon, Swampert, and Skarmory into Stealth Rock or recovery moves should they use them, allowing Machamp to set up Bulk Up more easily without worrying about phazing. Machamp has some traditional sets, such as Rest + Sleep Talk, Choice Band, and Choice Scarf, that don't see much usage in modern DPP. Rest + Sleep Talk alleviates PP issues and helps keep it healthy, but struggles drastically with coverage because it has to choose between Payback and Ice Punch and Machamp isn't bulky enough even with full investment to survive the sleep turns. Choiced sets miss out on fully taking advantage of Machamp's great coverage, while even Choice Scarf Machamp is slower than Gengar. Machamp can also not use No Guard and use Guts instead, typically on all-out-attacker sets with Bulk Up. Dropping the utility of Dynamic Punch's confusion is a huge loss, but Guts affords Machamp a number of advantages: the biggest of these is that Machamp can use Custap Berry without being completely ruined by status outside of sleep. Machamp's +1 Payback boosted by Guts always OHKOes Rotom-A, who might be lured in by the prospect of ruining Machamp with Will-O-Wisp. Do note that Machamp faces heavy competition with Hariyama for this role, as while Hariyama is both slower and weaker than Machamp, it is bulkier enough to make a difference.
Checks and Counters
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**Bulky Ghost-types**: Physically defensive Rotom-A is perhaps the best common Machamp check. It cannot be confused by Dynamic Punch, comfortably survives Payback, outspeeds Machamp with minimal investment, and ruins it with Will-O-Wisp. However, Rotom-A has to be careful, as it takes heavy damage from Payback and can easily lose if hit on the switch with Payback or Machamp has a Lum Berry. Gengar can switch into a predicted Dynamic Punch and threaten to either KO a weakened Machamp or trade with Explosion or Destiny Bond, but is OHKOed by Payback. Despite its low usage, Spiritomb is one of the best Machamp checks in the tier, as it is both neutral to Payback and slower, weakening it further. Its Pressure also punishes predicted Dynamic Punch.
**Psychic-types**: Bulky Psychic-types take minimal damage from Dynamic Punch, but really don't enjoy being confused or taking Payback. Latias, Celebi, Slowbro, Uxie, and Cresselia can all at least paralyze it or make Machamp potentially use Payback for an easier switch. Slowbro is the best Machamp counter in the tier, as it is very physically bulky, Own Tempo prevents confusion, and it is slower than Machamp. Cresselia can underspeed Machamp by having almost minimum speed IVs, letting it take minimal damage from Payback. Latias sometimes carries Psychic to 2HKO Machamp and can set up Reflect, while Payback fails to 2HKO Celebi and Uxie. More offensive Psychic-types such as Jirachi, Azelf, and Metagross can potentially OHKO Machamp with Psychic or Zen Headbutt, despite these moves being rare on these Pokemon.
**Flying-types**: Zapdos, Gyarados, Skarmory, and Gliscor all can take repeated Dynamic Punch and retailiate. Gyarados and Zapdos are two of the best checks, as Machamp rarely carries Stone Edge and struggles to damage them. Gyarados is a fantastic check, as Intimidate weakens Machamp, offensive Gyarados 2HKOes Machamp, while defensive Gyarados can take repeated punishment from Machamp even while confused. Physically defensive Zapdos is only 3HKOed by Ice Punch, has Roost to heal off the damage, and at least 3HKOes Machamp with Thunderbolt. Skarmory 2HKOes with Brave Bird and is only 3HKOed by Dynamic Punch, while Gliscor walls all Machamp that don't have Ice Punch and can potentially OHKO with a Power Herb Sky Attack. All do not enjoy switching into Machamp with Stealth Rock and potential confusion, however.
**Poison-types**: Nidoqueen is a good check to Machamp, as it fails to 2HKO it with Ice Punch and Machamp despises being poisoned by Poison Point or Toxic Spikes. Crobat also takes little damage from Dynamic Punch, but is 2HKOed by Ice Punch. While poor checks to Machamp, Roserade, Tentacruel, and Qwilfish can set up Toxic Spikes, which completely ruins Machamp.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Even if they are neutral to Dynamic Punch, most bulky Pokemon can at least force Machamp to lose a lot of Dynamic Punch PP if Machamp can't hit them super effectively otherwise. Hippowdon, Metagross, Jirachi, Swampert, and Suicune all can take multiple hits from Dynamic Punch and can fight through confusion to chip Machamp. Physically defensive Hippowdon is one of the best checks for it, as it has recovery, is 4HKOed by Dynamic Punch, and sets up sand that slowly chips Machamp. Metagross, Swampert, and physically defensive Jirachi offensively threaten Machamp and can take multiple hits, while Suicune's Pressure eats into Machamp's PP very rapidly.
**Residual Damage**: Machamp is easily chipped, as it is sand vulnerable, hates status, and Toxic Spikes and Spikes ruin it. Machamp also really wants to carry a Lum Berry or Custap Berry, further exacerbating passive damage by forgoing Leftovers. Even using Substitute in sand helps offensive Pokemon KO a weakened Machamp.
**Extremely powerful Pokemon**: Machamp is modestly bulky and slow, meaning strong offensive Pokemon can potentially OHKO it. Choice Specs Latias, Choice Specs Heatran, Choice Band Dragonite, Choice Specs Empoleon, and Explosion outspeed and OHKO Machamp before it can do anything unless it has a Focus Sash or considerable bulk. As Machamp gets chipped, this list expands dramatically. However, these Pokemon need to be careful, as Machamp can hit them very hard should it live with a Focus Sash, activate Custap Berry, or have the bulky investment.
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