Community POTW #4

[jesusfreak94]

I feel the need to point out that Machamp is only outclassed by Conkeldurr as a Guts user, since Conk has recovery in Drain Punch, Mach Punch for priority, more power, and greater physical bulk. Machamp still has its own niche with No Guard DPunch's. Also, Machoke hardly has anything over Machamp. It's a little bit bulkier, but that 30 base point drop in attack really hurts, as well as the lower speed. Machoke fails to outspeed Blissey without ample speed investment, and even max attack Adamant Machoke only does 75.91% - 89.36% to 252/252 Blissey, only a 7.69% chance for a OHKO. That's gives Blissey enough time to poison you, set up Wish, whatever. On top of that, if you're running enough EVs for power and speed to beat Blissey, then you're missing out on having the bulk that sets Evo Stone Choke apart.

 

[supersx5]

In theory, you have a good set here. But the problem is, Burn reduces the Attack stat, so it would be better with a Toxic Orb. For EVs and Nature, use Adamant with 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 Def/SpDef. Also, Ice Punch offers more vital coverage than ThunderPunch, since it takes down Dragons, Bulky Grounds and Grass Types that would otherwise handle Machamp. Thunderpunch just covers Flying and Water, and Stone Edge already handles Flying.

with guts the burn lowering attack is negated

 

[TimmahX]

with guts the burn lowering attack is negated

Already been covered, like 4 times.

I decided to add a few more partners, since we can't have enough. It's rather vague for the most part. But I think I touched most areas in my first post.

- Anything with Hypnosis. Ninetails is very noteworthy since it has Hypnosis and Purgatory.
- Anything with Sleep Powder. Tangrowth also gets a handy boost for Power Whip and Leaf Storm, and has more firepower than most/all other Sleep Powder users.
- Anything with Toxic/Will-O-Wisp support to trigger Guts.

Though this isn't really Machamp's selling point, it can support other using Wide Guard. It also has Power Trick if you want to try tanking options, and it's newfound Attack isn't even that horrible and a few people have stated that bulky builds work well so maybe this will see some results. Not likely though.

 

[Ψosiden]

Anything with Hypnosis. Ninetails is very noteworthy since it has Hypnosis and Purgatory.

I mentioned ninetails as a counter on the last page

 

[Blue Harvest]

Ninetales is OHKOed by Dynamic Punch after Stealth Rocks, its not a counter. Not to mention Machamp commonly carries Lum Berry, so you're better off just OHKOing it with LO Drought Overheat.

 

[TimmahX]

Ninetales is OHKOed by Dynamic Punch after Stealth Rocks, its not a counter. Not to mention Machamp commonly carries Lum Berry, so you're better off just OHKOing it with LO Drought Overheat.

It works on Life Orb and Choice Band sets, Lum Berries aren't used on Guts sets so it works against those Machamps, provided it doesn't have sleep talk. And the Overheat thing works regardless of the situation, now that Ninetails will be gaining huge popularity in the competitive scene.

And yes Ψosiden, I restated the Ninetails thing because you brought up a valid point that I thought was worth reinforcing.

*Edit* If Hypnosis goes against No Guard without Lum Berry, the Dynamic Punch + Stealth Rock factor will be gone unless Trick Room is in effect, Ninetails is way faster than Machamp.

 

[Ekul the Sarcastic]

A 'counter' can switch in to something and reliably force it out or KO it (preferably while taking minimal damage in the process or being able to heal off damage).

Slowbro is a Machamp 'counter'- it takes puny damage from anything Machamp can do, even the rare Thunderpunch, it can heal off the damage with Slack Off and Regeneration, and KO with STAB Psychic.

Ninetales is not a Machamp counter if it's OHKOed by Dynamicpunch after Stealth Rock damage. Even if Ninetales survives (because you span rocks away), you only have a 50% chance of getting the Hypnosis in before the second Dynamicpunch easily KOs you, and that's reliant on Machamp not running Lum Berry.

So, let's get these figures straight. Ninetales counters Machamp if:

Ninetales has taken very little prior damage
No Stealth Rocks are up (or 3 layers of Spikes, but SR is more common)
Machamp does not have a Lum Berry or a Choice Scarf- keep in mind that nine out of the top ten most commonly used Machamp sets according to PO's stats use Lum Berry, and the other one uses Substitute
Ninetales doesn't hit itself in confusion when trying to Hypnosis Machamp

So the absolute best case scenario, if all the above is fulfilled, is that you've put his Machamp to sleep and had your incredibly important weather inducer reduced to below 75% and confused. That's not a good thing.

 

[Whereabouts Unknown]

Machamp@Leftovers
Ability: Guts
Adamant Nature (+Atk - Satk)
252 HP / 252 Special Defence / 4 Defence
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Low Kick
-Payback

Or if you have a Ghost trapper use Bulk up over Payback, but Heracross is better at bulking up. I suppose you'll want to pair this up with Steels type-wise. Sub / Calm Mind or Wish / Calm Mind Jirachi might work okay as a partner to this.

 

[Ψosiden]

A 'counter' can switch in to something and reliably force it out or KO it (preferably while taking minimal damage in the process or being able to heal off damage).

Slowbro is a Machamp 'counter'- it takes puny damage from anything Machamp can do, even the rare Thunderpunch, it can heal off the damage with Slack Off and Regeneration, and KO with STAB Psychic.

Ninetales is not a Machamp counter if it's OHKOed by Dynamicpunch after Stealth Rock damage. Even if Ninetales survives (because you span rocks away), you only have a 50% chance of getting the Hypnosis in before the second Dynamicpunch easily KOs you, and that's reliant on Machamp not running Lum Berry.

So, let's get these figures straight. Ninetales counters Machamp if:

Ninetales has taken very little prior damage
No Stealth Rocks are up (or 3 layers of Spikes, but SR is more common)
Machamp does not have a Lum Berry or a Choice Scarf- keep in mind that nine out of the top ten most commonly used Machamp sets according to PO's stats use Lum Berry, and the other one uses Substitute
Ninetales doesn't hit itself in confusion when trying to Hypnosis Machamp

So the absolute best case scenario, if all the above is fulfilled, is that you've put his Machamp to sleep and had your incredibly important weather inducer reduced to below 75% and confused. That's not a good thing.

OK, I probably didn't think it through properly, I'm new to competitive battling. Also, ninetails is more of a revenge killer than a counter, I misworded it Sorry

 

[Gamefreak]

Set:Choice Band
Machamp@Choice Band
Nature:Adamant
Ability:Guts
252HP/252Atk/4Spe
-Close Combat
-Thunder Punch/Bullet Punch
-Ice Punch
-Payback

Set:Sleep Talker
Machamp@Leftovers
Nature:Adamant
Ability:No Guard
252HP/252Atk/6Spe
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Stone Edge/Payback/Ice Punch
-Dynamic Punch

Set:Substitute
Machamp@Leftovers
Nature:Adamant
Ability:No Guard
252HP/252Atk/6Spe
-Substitute
-Payback
-Dynamic Punch
-Stone Edge

Other sets like Choice Scarf are somewhat viable, but I don't think they deserve a mention.

 

[#TWERKTEAM]

http://i30.*******.com/rkvq10.png
[SET]
name: SuperChamp
move 1: Focus Blast
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Hyper Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Elec
item: Choice Specs
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 6 Def / 252HP

Are you tired of Blissey walling your team and you don't want to resort to the usual Machamp set to handle it? Well look no further, this set is so good it's called SuperChamp. Dealing a hefty 44.5% - 52.4% to standard Blissey with one focus blast, meaning it can 2HKO if you get some nice damage rolls, and the look on your opponent's face when you 2HKO their Blissey with a Focus Blast from this dog is priceless. CurseTar can't even handle the girth of a Focus Blast from this beast, dealing a nice 101% - 119.8%, which is an OHKO! Focus Blast also OHKO's standard CBScizor with spikes (71.7% - 85.1%), but in case you don't have those up Fire Blast does a nice 192.4% - 227.4%, meaning it can OHKO two Scizors at the same time with SR damage! People normally try to use Gyarados to Intimidate Machamp, but this one's special and it doesn't mind Intimidate and OHKO's BulkyDD Gyarados with HP Elec after SR (86.5% - 102.7%)! Swampert can't even handle two Focus Blasts from him 52.4% - 62%! Hyper Beam rounds out the set so Dragonite and Gliscor don't wall you, doing 59.1% - 69.7% and 59.1% - 69.7% respectively to the most common set of each, MixNite and BritScor.
[SET COMMENTS]
tuff

 

[Blue Harvest]

Even though its obviously a joke set consider Payback somewhere on SpecsChamp. It 2HKOs pretty much any Rotom switch in and OHKOs Gengar.

... I'm not sure why I'm even rating this..

 

[windsong]

Add foresight to Specschamp cause it lets it hit Gengar with hyper beam!11!111!!1!!

 

[ASB]

Add foresight to Specschamp cause it lets it hit Gengar with hyper beam!11!111!!1!!

Foresight plus Choice Specs equals fail. For that matter, Choice Specs plus Machamp equals fail XD. Still, I guess nobody will expect it.
Might I suggest Mud-Slap? It does a whopping 25.6% - 30.2% to DS Magnezone and it hits Specially Defensive Wormadam (Who is extremely common this gen) for an unbelievably high 1.2% - 1.5%. You might want to put it in Other Options.

 

[:wub:disc]

i've barely seen any machamps this gen. it's slow and kinda bulky but not really so it can't really switch in against any powerhouses (i don't see how it would be useful against, say, a rain team as it can only switch in on natt and everything else kills it). also, like roobushin (which has also been declining in use from what i see), it has to deal with rankurus which it can't really get past unless you get insane dpunch hax.

also ice punch on everything. **** up gliscors, roob can't do that. bullet punch is OK but kinda not worth it now.

why would you pick a pokemon for POTW which didn't improve at all?

 

[#TWERKTEAM]

Foresight plus Choice Specs equals fail. For that matter, Choice Specs plus Machamp equals fail XD. Still, I guess nobody will expect it.
Might I suggest Mud-Slap? It does a whopping 25.6% - 30.2% to DS Magnezone and it hits Specially Defensive Wormadam (Who is extremely common this gen) for an unbelievably high 1.2% - 1.5%. You might want to put it in Other Options.

Ok there's no need to take a perfectly good joke and ruin it.

 

[ASB]

Ok there's no need to take a perfectly good joke and ruin it.

*hangs head in shame and slowly wanders away*

Anyway, I think that Machamp can only really be used to exploit No Guard now, since it's been outclassed. It got a pretty useless Dream World Ability as well. It's faster, but Roobushin gets Mach Punch and this poor guy doesn't. He's got higher Special defense and (dare I say) special attack than Roobushin, but the latter is never used and Roobushin gets Drain Punch to pad the former. Wow. GameFreak hates their older pokémon, they're gradually outclassing so many previous threats and making them obsolete.

 

[jesusfreak94]

Ok there's no need to take a perfectly good joke and ruin it.

Actually, he's kinda right about one thing: Mud Slap. This Machamp will do about 27.16%-33.33% damage to 4/0 Heatran, a solid 4HKO and possible 3HKO. And just watch your opponent recoil in horror as the accuracy drop makes their precious Fire Blast never hit! Also, perhaps Vacuum Wave would have some utility on this set? Excellent STAB priority.

Oh SpecsChamp. Now I've seen everything!

 

[#TWERKTEAM]

No Guard means their Fire Blast will hit anyway...

 

[Luxrayess]

http://i30.*******.com/rkvq10.png
[SET]
name: SuperChamp
move 1: Focus Blast
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Hyper Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Elec
item: Choice Specs
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 6 Def / 252HP

Are you tired of Blissey walling your team and you don't want to resort to the usual Machamp set to handle it? Well look no further, this set is so good it's called SuperChamp. Dealing a hefty 44.5% - 52.4% to standard Blissey with one focus blast, meaning it can 2HKO if you get some nice damage rolls, and the look on your opponent's face when you 2HKO their Blissey with a Focus Blast from this dog is priceless. CurseTar can't even handle the girth of a Focus Blast from this beast, dealing a nice 101% - 119.8%, which is an OHKO! Focus Blast also OHKO's standard CBScizor with spikes (71.7% - 85.1%), but in case you don't have those up Fire Blast does a nice 192.4% - 227.4%, meaning it can OHKO two Scizors at the same time with SR damage! People normally try to use Gyarados to Intimidate Machamp, but this one's special and it doesn't mind Intimidate and OHKO's BulkyDD Gyarados with HP Elec after SR (86.5% - 102.7%)! Swampert can't even handle two Focus Blasts from him 52.4% - 62%! Hyper Beam rounds out the set so Dragonite and Gliscor don't wall you, doing 59.1% - 69.7% and 59.1% - 69.7% respectively to the most common set of each, MixNite and BritScor.
[SET COMMENTS]
tuff

I laughed my head off when I saw Champ with his badboy Specs on. XD

I guess this mean's we've pretty much said everuthing there is to say about Champy here...