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Machop

StatsBaseMin-MinMaxMax+
HP70N/A2326N/A
Atk8012141718
Def509111415
SpA359101314
SpD359101314
Spd359101314


SET 1
Name: Gutsy Sweeper
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Payback
move 4: Bullet Punch/Protect
item: Flame Orb/Toxic Orb
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 HP/196 Atk/118 Def

SET COMMENTS

Your standard Guts sweeper, but boy, does this one pack a wallop! As you will see in the damage calcs below, there aren't a whole lot of things this little guy doesn't KO. Close Combat is the strongest recoil-less attack in the game, barring Adaptability Last Resort or Flail, and with it, no living pokemon can stand before the mighty Machop. That is why we use Payback for the unliving. It's not the strongest attack you could have, especially since you have no STAB, but with your low speed and high defenses, it's likely that you'll survive long enough to hit with double the power. Ice Punch kills off Flyers, even Gligar. The last move is really your call. Bullet Punch is STAB-less, but a priority move none the less. Protect is great if you run Machop as a lead and don't want to risk being Hypnotized before your Orb can activate.

DAMAGE CALCS

vs. Onix: 139.13% - 160.87% (Close Combat, 252 HP/Def Onix)

vs. Bronzor: 84.00% - 100.00% (Close Combat, 252 HP/Def Bronzor)

vs. Gastly: 126.32% - 147.37% (Payback)

vs. Duskull: 76.19% - 85.71% (Payback, 252 HP Duskull)

vs. Gligar: 130.77% - 153.85% (Ice Punch, 252 HP/Def Gligar)

vs. Murkrow: 140.91% - 163.64% (Ice Punch)

SET 2
Name: Choice Band
move 1: Dynamicpunch/Close Combat
move 2: Payback/Bullet Punch
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Choice Band
ability: No Guard/Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 HP/196 Atk/118 Def

SET COMMENTS

Do you like dealing as much damage as you possibly can? Then this is the set for you. Since the primary focus here isn't boosting your attack through ability, the wise choice is to run No Guard, giving you a 150 base (with STAB) Confusion-inducing move, guaranteed to hit. Note that while YOUR attacks always hit the mark, your opponents' do too. No more relying on that 30% miss ratio for Hypnosis, which is why you have Sleep Talk. Machop makes a great status absorber, so feel free to switch it into Meowths, Murkrows, and Poliwags.

If you plan on leading with this, I'd highly recommend switching Dynamicpunch with CC and running Guts. Take advantage of an early Hypnosis to get a CB and Guts boost, increasing your attack by 125%.

SET 3
Name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Dynamicpunch
move 2: Payback
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Rock Slide/Fire Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: No Guard
nature: Jolly
evs: 236 Spd/196 Atk/38 Def/36 HP

SET COMMENTS

I've said before that Machop has pitiful speed, but it's really not that bad. With a positive nature and max EVs it hits 14, which means that with a Scarf your speed reaches 21, and you will outspeed any non-Scarfer. As such, No Guard over Guts; nothing running Scarf has Hypnosis, WoW, or ANY status move for that matter. Rock Slide/Fire Punch is filler. They both hit Bug for super effective damage, and Fire Punch deals SE damage to Bronzor. However, RS has an impressive 30% flinch rate that shouldn't be overlooked.

As for the EVs, after maxing attack and speed, you don't have enough to raise either defense or HP two points, but you can raise them both by one.

SET 4
Name: Bulk Up
move 1: Dynamicpunch/Close Combat
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Payback/Bullet Punch
move 4: Bulk Up
item: Oran Berry/Flame Orb
ability: No Guard/Guts
nature: Careful
evs: 196 HP/196 Atk/76 SpD/36 Def

SET COMMENTS

I'm fairly certain that GameFreak game designers don't play Little Cup, or they would've seen from the start what a HUGE mistake it was to give something with Machop's stats Bulk Up. At the start, you've got 17 attack, 12 in each defense, and 26 HP. Right there you're causing your opponent to sweat a bit. After a Bulk Up, you're now a physical tank that laughs at your opponents' pitiful attempts to stop you. Not only do you have extensive type coverage, you've got a priority move, Confusion, and the raw power of your awesome hairstyle.

Should you choose to run Guts instead of No Gaurd, change your item to Flame Orb and Dynamicpunch to Close Combat.

OTHER OPTIONS

SubPunching is an option, delivering a 225 BP attack from behind a 5 HP sub. If you don't see the merit of Confusion, Cross Chop is an excellent replacement over Dynamicpunch, giving you a STAB attack with a high critical hit ratio. Poison Jab is an interesting attack with a 30% chance of poison, but Ice Punch provides much better type coverage. Counter could be fun, especially since Machop has a respectable 50 defense base.

Machop would be right at home on a Trick Room team, with such a low speed and great, hard-hitting attacks. You can basically give any set (besides the Scarf) a Brave nature, 0 speed IVs, and you'll be good to go.

After some testing on shoddy, it has been discovered that running Coba berry will let you survive Murkrow's Pluck, taking roughly 60% damage. This could be a great option if you manage to switch in on a Sucker Punch, allowing you to KO with Ice Punch. Note that Drill Peck can OHKO through the berry, but won't always. Payapa Berry is also a good choice if you want to KO Abra with Payback.

EVs

Not much to say here. Both attack and HP max out at 196, leaving you free to invest in defenses. With the 118 points you have left, you can increase defense by 2 at a neutral nature, but special defense only by 1, which explains the point distribution on the Bulk Up set.

OPINION

Machop, get out of my dreams and onto my team. There's literally nothing wrong with this thing. Sure the speed could be higher, and I'd love a better special defense base as much as the next guy, but for all intents and purposes, Machop takes hits and deals them right back. The variety between his spreads, while not drastic at first look, is noticeable once you play with them, and any one of them allows a different kind of sweep. But even low speed finds a purpose in Payback.

COUNTERS

As with any Choice set, there will always be something ready to take advantage of the item. Ghosts can switch in freely on Dynamicpunch, but they are the only ones. Abra takes a minimum of 94% from the attack, and won't enjoy trying to Psychic through Confusion.

The only way to really kill Machop is revenge killing. Anything faster has a decent shot, particularly with a Flying or Psychic attack. Specs Abra is a nice revenge killer, as is Taillow. Although, if allowed to get Bulk Ups in, the little birdie will have a really hard time killing, even with Brave Bird.

For the Bulk Up set, be careful of Murkrow. It can switch in on a Bulk Up and OHKO with Pluck if you are holding Oran Berry. Koffing can switch in on a Close Combat with his Poison typing, and OHKO with Sludge Bomb combined with the burn damage from Flame Orb.