Machamp Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Close Combat's power and accuracy make it the optimal STAB attack, though the defensive stat drops cause Machamp to get quickly weakened by healthy Mega Blastoise and easily forced out after getting a KO. Knock Off annoys any Pokemon reliant on Leftovers and keeps Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Necrozma and Mismagius from safely switching in. Ice Punch provides good coverage without defensive drops like Close Combat and OHKOes Roserade and Noivern. Alternatively, Thunder Punch lets Machamp 2HKO Mega Blastoise without losing most of its HP in the process and catches Water-types that might try to check it such as Golisopod and Mantine. Bullet Punch is necessary to keep Gardevoir and Florges from being consistent answers to Machamp. It can also be handy against weakened sweepers, but it needs to be super effective or Guts boosted to deal much damage. Facade is an option if you want to improve Machamp's matchup against defensive teams, where it's likely to get statused, at the expense of coverage against offense. Guts-boosted Facade deals massive damage to Psychic-types that otherwise check Machamp like Cresselia and Slowbro. Set Details Assault Vest gives Machamp the special bulk to take almost any special attack that isn't a boosted or super effective Z-Move. This makes Machamp extremely difficult for offensive teams to take down without losing valuable Pokemon in the process. Guts works with Assault Vest to let Machamp switch into Water-types' Scald and become even more powerful if burned. It also makes Toxic, which common Pokemon like Registeel will send Machamp's way, much less of an issue. Maximum HP is necessary for checking special attackers such as Mega Blastoise as effectively as possible. 56 Speed EVs are enough to let Machamp outpace Mega Abomasnow. Usage Tips Against offensive teams, Machamp should try to switch in for free so it can take hits and KO back. Chances to switch in come from predicted switches to bulky Pokemon like Registeel and Milotic as well as to threatening special attackers such as Roserade and Ninetales. It makes for an excellent lead, as few Pokemon can immediately threaten it with an OHKO and it beats common Stealth Rock setters such as Registeel and Bronzong. If it needs to switch in on something, it should switch in on a passive, status-reliant wall like Registeel or Milotic; inexperienced opponents might take your Machamp's lack of Flame Orb to mean it's using No Guard, so even if Machamp doesn't get statused on the switch, it might in subsequent turns. Another source of switch-in opportunities is Mega Blastoise if running Thunder Punch; only its Aura Sphere does much damage. Should an offensive foe let itself get KOed to hit Machamp hard, Machamp will likely be left too weak to check anything else. Thus, Machamp is often limited to forcing a trade; make the Pokemon it trades with a valuable team component like Mega Blastoise so the opponent will be at the greater disadvantage. Try to get Machamp burned or paralyzed as soon as possible against defensive teams so it can start wallbreaking. Toxic poison also works, but it takes Machamp down much faster. Machamp should prioritize eliminating Pokemon that keep teammates from sweeping, as it's unlikely to last long enough to win on its own. Team Options Cleaners like Raikou and Zygarde-10% love having Machamp to weaken Steel- or Water-types that can stop them. Stealth Rock setters that struggle against Mega Blastoise such as Metagross and Rhyperior benefit from Machamp weakening or KOing it. Choice Scarf Gardevoir can provide Healing Wish to make Machamp a threat all over again, outpaces the many offensive Pokemon that can revenge kill Machamp, and appreciates a Pokemon that punishes Steel-types so heavily. Machamp without Thunder Punch can't consistently answer Mega Blastoise, so consider pairing such Machamp with a Grass-type like Roserade or Shaymin. They enjoy weakened Steel-types and pressured Noivern to boot. Pretty much any aggressive team will find Assault Vest Machamp's ability to threaten offense and defense alike useful. It's quite self-sufficient and doesn't stack many weaknesses.

Moves Close Combat is Machamp's most powerful STAB move, capable of decimating virtually any nonresistant target, and it can be spammed when Ghost-types are not present. Knock Off hits Ghost- and Psychic-types capable of switching into Machamp's STAB Close Combat, principally Mismagius, Slowbro, and Cresselia, along with removing items. Facade gives Machamp a strong alternative to Close Combat that will not lower its defenses, and it heavily damages common Fighting-resistant Pokemon such as Noivern, Florges, and Araquanid. Priority Bullet Punch makes Machamp more useful versus offensively inclined teams and threatens faster offensive Fairy-types such as Gardevoir. Set Details Maximum Speed and Attack investment with an Adamant nature allows Machamp to hit as hard as possible while ensuring it will outspeed the plethora of defensive Pokemon in the tier. Flame Orb allows Machamp to safely trigger Guts to boost its Attack and Facade's Base Power, turning Machamp into a powerful wallbreaker. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed and obliterate Adamant Bewear and Pangoro. Usage Tips Play Machamp aggressively, bringing it on double switches expecting the opponent to send in a Pokemon it threatens out, such as Registeel or Umbreon. Use Facade liberally, as it provides a high-Base Power move that comes without drawback and can 2HKO a majority of switch-ins along with one of Machamp's coverage moves. Be careful to preserve Close Combat PP against stall teams, as they will often attempt to Protect stall your team and pivot around in order to waste PP due to them lacking proper switch-ins to Machamp's Guts-boosted attacks. Be wary of leading with Machamp, as without Guts activated it will be significantly weaker on the first turn. Team Options Pokemon such as Mismagius, Gardevoir, and Espeon, whose ability to dent a team is hindered by the presence of Registeel or Umbreon, appreciate Machamp threatening these foes on a double switch. Healing Wish or Lunar Dance users such as Shaymin, Gardevoir, and Cresselia are also good options, as they can bring a weakened Machamp back onto the field to give it a second go at breaking through teams that relied on wearing it down. Pokemon providing VoltTurn support, such as Raikou, Swellow, and Mega Ampharos, can get Machamp in for free to fire off a powerful attack. Rhyperior and Registeel can come in on Flying-types such as Noivern and Golbat, which can force Machamp out if they find a way in, and they also provide Stealth Rock support for your team. Nidoqueen appreciates Machamp weakening their shared check in Cresselia, and vice versa, while supporting the team by setting up Stealth Rock. Escavalier can come in on and often Pursuit trap faster Psychic-types and force out Fairy-types that threaten Machamp.

Moves Dynamic Punch is what sets Choice Band Machamp apart from Conkeldurr and Heracross. Knock Off hits bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types super effectively and removes the items of its usual switch-ins. Heavy Slam OHKOes both defensive Florges and defensive Sylveon. Stone Edge OHKOes Crobat, a common switch-in to Machamp. Bullet Punch can be useful to pick off weakened threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Slurpuff. Set Details Running an Adamant nature and 252 Attack EVs ensures that Machamp hits as hard as possible. 252 Speed EVs allow Machamp to outspeed all uninvested base 85 Speed Pokemon, such as Suicune, Gligar, and Cresselia. No Guard pairs excellently with Dynamic Punch, allowing it to create setup and wallbreaking opportunities for its team with guaranteed confusion. Usage Tips Choice Band Machamp is best used as physical wallbreaker, capable of 2HKOing Pokemon such as Suicune and Milotic. Machamp should usually opt to use its Fighting-type STAB moves when the opposing team lacks a Ghost-type, as predicting incorrectly and locking into Heavy Slam and Stone Edge can be risky. Unfortunately, Choice Band Machamp cannot sponge many hits from other wallbreakers and will fall to most Choice Band-boosted STAB hits and most Flying- and Psychic-type attacks. Therefore, avoid using Choice Band Machamp as a tank, and instead attempt to bring it into the field with the appropriate pivot support or double switching. Team Options Machamp appreciates U-turn and Volt Switch support, making Pokemon such as Forretress, Hydreigon, and Crobat ideal partners. Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Hydreigon appreciate having their checks weakened or eliminated through confusion. Machamp also pairs well with bulky Steel-types, such as Metagross and Empoleon, which can both set up Stealth Rock and take attacks from Crobat and Mega Aeroadactyl.

Moves Dynamic Punch is Machamp's best STAB move when used alongside No Guard. Knock Off is an ideal coverage move to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types super effectively while also removing the items of switch-ins such as Crobat, Milotic, and Gligar. Heavy Slam is a useful move to hit Florges, Sylveon, and Whimsicott hard. Stone Edge hits Crobat and other Flying-types hard as they switch in. Bullet Punch can be used over either of these moves to KO weakened threats and Focus Sash users such as Aerodactyl and Froslass. Ice Punch is also an option to KO Gligar after its Eviolite has been removed. Set Details Assault Vest Machamp can absorb special attacks fairly well from Pokemon like Hydreigon and Mega Sceptile. 172 HP EVs grant Machamp some much-needed bulk, allowing it to sponge hits from Pokemon such as Hydreigon when used alongside Assault Vest. 84 Speed EVs are used to outspeed all uninvested base 65 Speed Pokemon, including Vaporeon, Umbreon, and Chesnaught. An Adamant nature and 252 Attack EVs allow Machamp to hit as hard as possible as a physical wallbreaker. No Guard allows Machamp to use Dynamic Punch and get the 100% confusion, which can stop Pokemon such as Suicune, Sylveon, and Cresselia from healing. Usage Tips Machamp should attempt to remove items from its checks on the switch before hitting them with Dynamic Punch to try to prevent recovery. It can be switched in on special attackers such as Hydreigon to begin wearing down the opposing team. With Dynamic Punch, Machamp does not necessarily have to predict switch-ins, and the move can generally be used safely as long as the opponent doesn't have Sableye, Jellicent, or Doublade. Team Options Machamp works best on bulky offensive teams that need a pivot into Hydreigon's Draco Meteor and Mega Blastoise's Hydro Pump. Machamp should be paired with Pokemon such as Krookodile and Hydreigon that can take advantage of a confused Cresselia and Reuniclus. It especially appreciates entry hazard support; good partners that can use Stealth Rock include Krookodile, Metagross, and Nidoqueen.

This set works best on offensive teams looking for a bulky setup sweeper who can break other offensive teams. Bulk Up is the crux of the set, allowing Machamp to amplify its damage output and physical bulk at the same time. Dynamic Punch is Machamp's choice of STAB; its primary draw on this set is that its confusion rate will allow Machamp to set up multiple Bulk Ups pretty easily. Stone Edge is a great coverage move, hitting the Flying-types that resist Machamp's STAB, such as Zapdos and Crobat, for super effective damage. Thunder Punch hits bulky Water-types hard and allows Machamp to conserve Dynamic Punch PP against them. Ice Punch provides coverage on Nidoking and Nidoqueen, while also significantly damaging Gligar. The given EVs simply maximize damage output while allowing Machamp to outpace 0 Speed Empoleon and Porygon2. The remainder gets thrown into HP to tank hits better. A more specially defensive EV spread can be used to set up on weaker special attackers, such as defensive Roserade and Porygon2, especially since Bulk Up will be boosting Machamp's Defense. It will also allow it to stay in on and kill Pokemon such as Raikou who come in to revenge kill Machamp. Substitute can be used over Machamp's secondary coverage move, as it allows it to avoid status and set up easily on most physical attackers. Payback hits faster Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Mismagius and Azelf, harder than anything else. Like any Machamp set employing Dynamic Punch, this set is bound to force many switches; therefore, you should pair it with an entry hazard setter to take advantage of this. Toxic Spikes ruin Bulk Up Machamp, so pairing it with a grounded Poison-type, such as Roserade, is a good idea. Roserade can also use Aromatherapy to get rid of any other status Machamp might incur. Steel-types also make excellent partners, as they can easily tank any Flying- and Psychic-type moves aimed at Machamp. As a bonus, most of them can also set Stealth Rock, which help Machamp rack up more damage through the switches it forces.

Already one of the most infuriating Pokemon to face, Substitute takes this to a whole different level by preventing easy revenge kills and forcing people to attack Machamp through confusion. Dynamic Punch is the primary STAB option here, as the 100% confusion rate makes it exceedingly hard to play around. Stone Edge provides good coverage by hitting the Flying-types who resist its STAB, such as Zapdos and Crobat, super effectively; it also has the bonus of never missing due to No Guard. Thunder Punch is used almost exclusively for Slowbro and Suicune, as the former is a hard counter to Machamp and the latter can easily wear down all its PP due to Pressure. However, in order to actually get past either one, you might have to get a bit lucky in terms on confusion. Toxic is also usable, as it does a number on a lot of Machamp's usual checks and counters, such as Slowbro, Sableye, and Spiritomb. The given Speed EVs ensure Machamp outpaces 0 Speed Porygon2, Swampert, and Empoleon, but more can be used to make sure you beat those who invest a bit as well. Attack is then maximized to do as much damage as possible, and the rest of the EVs are thrown into HP so that Machamp takes hits a bit better. Ice Punch is a usable move on this set, as it scores a good hit on Gligar and Nidoqueen, and is likely the only way you're breaking through them. Payback may also be used for coverage, as it hits faster Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Mismagius and Azelf, for big damage. Machamp appreciates being paired with Pokemon who can take Psychic- and Flying-type moves for it, such as Bronzong or Empoleon. Both of these can also set up Stealth Rock to help Machamp be even more dangerous. Additional entry hazard support is also quite useful to maximize Machamp's utility, as Dynamic Punch's confusion rate will force a lot of switches, and in turn rack up more residual damage. Roserade makes an excellent partner, as it can lay down Spikes, absorb the Toxic Spikes that Machamp hates, and even heal any status Machamp incurs through the use of Aromatherapy. Pairing Machamp with a Pokemon who can take advantage of the chaos it tends to leave in its wake is usually a good idea. One such partner would be Swords Dance Cobalion, as they share many similar counters that are sure to be very weakened once Machamp does its job.

Please do not use Machamp. 52 Speed EVs allows Machamp to outspeed uninvested Tyranitar.

Set Description One of Machamp's greatest strengths and defining advantages over OU's other Fighting-types is its ability to run an HP-invested Bulk Up set to punish the switches it forces, mitigate Salamence's Intimidate, and break through or trade against attempts at defensive counterplay. After a single boost, Cross Chop 2HKOes physical walls like defensive Swampert with ease, and triggering a Guts boost stacks with this to the point that Machamp has a roll to OHKO even Skarmory and defensive Jirachi at +1. The Defense boost that Bulk Up provides makes Machamp more scary, with a Hidden Power Flying from unboosted Salamence or even Choice Band Aerodactyl not being enough to revenge kill it from full. This also lets Machamp set up in the face of foes like Snorlax and Tyranitar without fear of being punished by its foe staying in. Rock Slide is mandatory to hit Flying-types like Salamence and Zapdos, notably OHKOing both Charizard and Moltres attempting to switch in on a Cross Chop. Hidden Power Ghost is Machamp's strongest option against Gengar, with a single Bulk Up boost enough to guarantee an OHKO, alongside letting Machamp muscle through Psychic-types like Celebi, Claydol, and Starmie. However, Celebi is typically bulky enough to survive even a boosted Hidden Power Ghost and threaten Machamp in return with a powerful Psychic or even just a stifling Leech Seed, so Hidden Power Bug is an option to OHKO Celebi at +1 at the expense of no longer immediately threatening Gengar. Maximum Speed EVs allow Machamp to outrun Milotic, uninvested Suicune, and bulkier variants of Tyranitar and Metagross. However, Machamp's investments are very customizable, with bulky spreads finding setup opportunities more easily. For example, Machamp can invest 128 EVs in HP—taking from Special Defense and Speed EVs—to accentuate its bulk, notably avoiding a 2HKO from Tyranitar's Earthquake while still outrunning uninvested Metagross and Skarmory. Machamp can also opt to run a spread of 96 HP / 236 Atk / 4 SpD / 172 Spe, with this Speed tier giving it the jump on Claydol; the given bulk EVs prevent Machamp from being 2HKOed by mixed Salamence. Its bulk can be increased even further with a 248 HP / 92 Atk / 40 SpD / 128 Spe spread, avoiding the 2HKO from Claydol's Psychic after sand chip damage, though this leads to a noticeable drop in Machamp's wallbreaking power. Team Options Machamp excels on teams where its breaking prowess can be utilized by teammates that appreciate their checks being removed. Dragon Dance Salamence therefore forms one of Machamp's strongest pairings as a sweeper that benefits greatly from the weakening of physically defensive pieces like Swampert, Suicune, and Skarmory. In return, Salamence threatens and finds setup opportunities against Celebi brought in to answer Machamp or Choice Band-locked Dugtrio after a revenge kill on weakened Machamp. Other physical threats like Metagross, Dragon Dance Tyranitar, and Snorlax are also enabled by Machamp's beatdown on these defensive Pokemon, with the former two punishing Aerodactyl's Hidden Power Flying and the latter having a positive matchup against Zapdos and Starmie. Aerodactyl and more niche physical sweepers like Gyarados can find value in being paired with a wallbreaker as strong as Machamp. It is not as if Machamp may only be paired with physical attackers, as its being a direct answer to Blissey that removes phazers such as Skarmory and Zapdos can make special attackers like Celebi, Suicune, and Endeavor Swampert more immediately threatening. Raikou in particular finds a place on these mixed offense playstyles as a check to both Zapdos and Gengar that is made much more potent by damage to its own checks being forced, and this slots in excellently with Machamp's trait as a slow, bulky wallbreaker that invites these faster attackers in to try and handle it. Meanwhile, Celebi provides a switch-in against Gengar or a healthy Swampert that might force out Machamp, also doubling up on pressure against Skarmory to give Machamp an even easier time in breaking bulky structures. Zapdos can provide key support for Machamp on these more specially offensive team structures, with a Substitute + Baton Pass set enabling Machamp to be brought in safely on Zapdos's checks and counters such as Blissey, Snorlax, Registeel, and Tyranitar; even uncommon Zapdos checks like Regice and Steelix are weak to Machamp's Cross Chop. Machamp can in turn pressure and trade with Celebi, Claydol, and opposing Zapdos, supporting offensive teammates that appreciate their removal such as Zapdos, Raikou, Suicune, Snorlax, Jirachi, and offensive Swampert. The raw power of Machamp and its ability to break through common Steel-types like Skarmory and Forretress mean that it enables trade-heavy physical offense to succeed without Magneton. Machamp's wallbreaking prowess and ability to trade its own HP let it thrive on spikeless offense, able to break without needing additional support. Machamp itself is weak to Spikes, though, limiting its ability to check Pokemon like Tyranitar and Snorlax, so Rapid Spin support is an option to improve its longevity and give it more opportunities to set up. Starmie in particular can fulfill a supplementary offensive role or conversely act as a defensive check to Salamence in a pinch, while Claydol's access to Explosion lets it eliminate threats like Zapdos or Dragon Dance-boosted Salamence. Other Explosion users like Registeel can also fulfill this role while being a sturdier switch-in against special threats, and both Registeel's and Starmie's Thunder Wave makes excellent support for a slow wallbreaker like Machamp.

Set Description With a Choice Band equipped, Machamp forfeits its ability to boost for enough immediate power to 2HKO almost any Pokemon in the tier, and switching in on a status-inflicting move gives Guts Machamp the highest possible unboosted Attack stat achievable in OU. Cross Chop's high crit chance makes it terrifying to switch into even for Pokemon that resist it, with two resisted hits enough to put offensive Zapdos in range of sand chip damage. Rock Slide provides a more direct way to hit these Flying-types, while a predicted switch can enable Machamp to throw off Focus Punches eclipsed only in power by Choice Band Medicham. Hidden Power Ghost rounds out this Machamp set with completely unresisted coverage, OHKOing even defensive Gengar from full HP, though Hidden Power Bug is an alternative that sacrifices the ability to hit Gengar and other Ghost-types in favor of a clean OHKO against any Celebi set. As Machamp intends to maximize its wallbreaking power, an Adamant nature is optimal with maximized Attack and Speed investments. This is crucial for outspeeding Milotic, making Machamp immensely threatening for bulkier teams, while it also lets Machamp outrun more bulk-invested variants of Tyranitar and Metagross. Attack investment should not be sacrificed on a set focused exclusively on the raw power of Machamp, but lower Speed investment can be considered to improve Machamp's ability to act as a defensive check; even a marginal drop in Speed to 20 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Def / 216 Spe lets Machamp survive any attack from a +1 Adamant Tyranitar up to and including a Double-Edge, with this spread still outspeeding Milotic. 84 HP / 252 Atk / 172 Spe is a greedier spread that enables Machamp to outrun Claydol while letting it switch in on Tyranitar's Earthquake, though this set is slower than most Speed-invested Tyranitar and Metagross. Team Options A Choice Band-boosted Machamp is one of the scariest wallbreakers in OU, and it is best paired with teammates that can take advantage of this. Dragon Dance sweepers like Salamence and Tyranitar become much more deadly when Swampert or Skarmory has already been taken below half by a Cross Chop, and these sweepers are notably not so hampered by opposing Salamence's Intimidate when it has been chunked beyond repair by one of Machamp's attacks. Metagross and Snorlax similarly appreciate being paired with a wallbreaker that punches holes for them to widen, while they can in turn lure in and KO Pokemon like Zapdos and Gengar, respectively, to make Machamp even more free to attack without fear. Unlike Bulk Up variants of Machamp, the Choice Band set provides very limited defensive utility due to its vulnerability to both Spikes and sand, particularly with its proclivity to soak status-causing moves to activate Guts. This gives Machamp more synergy with pivots like Celebi, Zapdos, and even Vaporeon that can bring it in safely with Baton Pass, punishing specially defensive walls like Blissey, Snorlax, and Registeel. In turn, these Pokemon mitigate some of the issues that arise with being locked into a Fighting-type STAB move, with Celebi in particular handling Gengar, Zapdos, and Starmie. Entry hazard removal is also important to support a grounded, sand-vulnerable wallbreaker like Machamp, and Starmie provides this with the added benefit of Thunder Wave to slow down Zapdos and Jolteon, further removing this form of offensive counterplay to Machamp. Sturdier defensive support can be found in Pokemon like Blissey that can near-endlessly switch in on special hits from Zapdos, Moltres, and Gengar, having the option to even support Machamp with Wish to vastly improve its longevity. Jirachi provides a more well-rounded Wish user that takes little from a Choice Band-locked Aerodactyl or Salamence attempting to KO Machamp with Hidden Power Flying while also soaking Celebi's Psychic with ease and walling Starmie and Zapdos. These Pokemon in turn give Machamp an entry point by inviting in Tyranitar, though a shared weakness to Charizard makes a teammate able to handle it like Starmie or Suicune all the more valuable.

Machamp has pretty decent defensive stats to accompany its mammoth Attack and Fighting STAB; this set aims to take advantage of this bulk by using it for longevity and allowing Machamp to act as a mixed wall, rather than simply using it to allow Machamp the leeway to switch in and set up a sweep. This Machamp, thanks to Rest and Sleep Talk, is an excellent Snorlax check, being able to Rest off Double-Edges on the switch, force Snorlax to switch out with the threat of Cross Chop, and be constantly available thanks to Sleep Talk. Sleep Talk also allows Machamp to get around one of its biggest downfalls by conserving Cross Chop PP via PP-free uses of the move with Sleep Talk turns. Curse rounds out the set by allowing Machamp to match Snorlax's Curses and to allow it to Curse up and sweep when Fighting-resisting Pokemon have been cleared out of the way. This Machamp set does not have the coverage options that other sets have, and as such, having Cross Chop as its only attacking move means that it will be unable to touch Ghost-types and will either be beaten or outstalled by Fighting-type resisting Psychic- and Flying-types as well. Still, once these Pokemon are defeated, this Machamp set absolutely ravages opposing teams and cannot be killed very easily in return. RestTalk Machamp is not a purely offensive being; in fact, it's more defensive than offensive by virtue of the many things that wall it. It's bulky enough to avoid being 3HKOed by the big 3 mixed attackers: Tyranitar, Nidoking, and Dragonite without Hidden Power Flying (which is most Dragonite). Furthermore, it scares them out with the threat of a Curse-based setup, and manages to, unlike other mixed walls, force Snorlax to switch out by virtue of STAB Cross Chop (and beats last-Pokemon CurseLax to boot). While this set struggles to get past any Fighting-type resisting Pokemon (and is therefore less offensive than other variants), this Machamp can brutalize those few teams that fail to use a Fighting resist because it not only has the ability to set up with Curse and KO walls such as Skarmory with a critical hit Cross Chop, but also the ability to stick around with Rest and Sleep Talk unlike sweeping Machamp sets. Still, though it has incredible offensive setup potential by virtue of its longevity, this Machamp's main selling point is its aforementioned defensive virtues, as a single Ghost-type will render it useless, and any Fighting-type resist should be able to beat it fairly easily. While Sleep Talk does help Cross Chop's PP problems to an extent, it still only has a paltry 8 PP, making it fairly easy to stall out, and it also still has a very unreliable 80% accuracy. Because of this, Machamp usually needs to use a couple of Curses before it begins firing off Cross Chops so that it has enough power to minimize its Cross Chop PP consumption and also to minimize the impact of misses by being able to KO most Pokemon in a single hit. However, Machamp can't start Cursing while Fighting-immune Ghosts or Fighting-resisting special attackers such as Exeggutor or Zapdos are on the field; these foes will either threaten Machamp into switching out or stall Machamp out of Cross Chops. Because of this, this Machamp set appreciates Pursuit support much more than other sets that have coverage moves specifically for beating these threats. Tyranitar, as always, is an excellent partner, being able to Pursuit trap Ghosts and Exeggutor while also being able to chip away at Zapdos. Houndoom also traps Exeggutor and Ghost-types with Pursuit, and Umbreon shines against Exeggutor but can struggle to Pursuit trap Ghost-types because it fails to KO them with Pursuit before Perish trap manages to kill it. Using Explosion with Cloyster, Exeggutor, and Steelix to bait and kill the likes of Starmie and Zapdos is also solid support to wipe out Machamp's checks and clear its way for a sweep. Having paralysis support from the likes of Stun Spore Exeggutor and Body Slam Snorlax is, as with all Machamp sets, very valuable, as Skarmory can safely switch in and match Machamp's Curses otherwise, and Umbreon can switch in on a predicted Curse and Charm Machamp's Attack down to effectively waste any Cross Chops to follow. Additionally, Rapid Spin support is very handy for this Machamp, as it is very slow and lacks good resistances. It normally walls the big 3 mixed attackers because it fails to be 3HKOed by any of them, but it is outsped by all of them and there is no guarantee that it will be able to take Spikes damage on top of two Nidoking Earthquakes or Dragonite Double-Edges as it switches in. Having Spikes cleared means that Machamp is also guaranteed to avoid being 2HKOed by Snorlax's Double-Edge if it manages to mispredict and switch into it, thereby giving Machamp the leeway to switch in and deter Snorlax from setting up.

Machamp is one of GSC's deadliest attacking threats, mostly thanks to its 358 Attack-backed STAB Cross Chop. Cross Chop is not only an incredibly useful Fighting-type STAB move, which is super effective or at least neutral against most of GSC's big players, but it also has a 20% critical hit rate after factoring accuracy, adding to its already devastating strength. Curse is what really allows this Machamp set to shine, as after a Curse boost, Cross Chop is able to OHKO even the vaunted Skarmory with a critical hit. As a pure physical attacker, being able to kill Skarmory, much less in one hit, is an impressive feat indeed. Furthermore, even though it's a Curse sweeper, Charm Umbreon and Growl Miltank can't just switch in to stall it thanks to its super effective Fighting-type STAB. A few teams fail to carry a Fighting resist; for these teams, Skarmory is often all they have to attempt to wall Machamp, and Skarmory will die if it gets hit by a boosted critical hit Cross Chop, forcing the team to crumble shortly thereafter. Of course, there are several common Fighting-type resisting Pokemon that can step in to serve as more capable Machamp walls. Even then, though, Machamp gets a slew of coverage moves to handle them. Rock Slide 2HKOs the ever-present Zapdos after a Curse boost, whereas the choice of Hidden Power is able to 2HKO other defensive threats. An unboosted Hidden Power Bug 2HKOs the common Exeggutor. An unboosted Hidden Power Ghost on the other hand is able to 2HKO the Ghost-types on average while still retaining the ability to 3HKO Exeggutor. Hidden Power Bug is usually preferred because Exeggutor directly forces Machamp to switch out with its STAB Psychic whereas Ghost-types still take a lot of damage from Curse-boosted Rock Slides and can't threaten direct damage to Machamp to force it out easily. Regardless of which Hidden Power is chosen, they both also give Machamp some recourse against its number one check: Starmie. Starmie without Reflect are 2HKOed by Hidden Power after a Curse boost, and Reflect variants are 2HKOed after three Curse boosts, which are easily obtainable without taking too much damage from Surf if Machamp Curses on the turns that Starmie switches in and uses Reflect. Thanks to the combination of Curse and Hidden Power, in addition to the fact that Starmie's Surf only 4HKOes Machamp, Starmie needs to run Psychic to consistently scare Machamp into switching out with the threat of the 2HKO, and even then Machamp can still kill a weakened Starmie (62-73% health) with a Curse-boosted Hidden Power while being able to tank a single STAB Psychic with plenty of health to spare. Even considering all of this, though, Machamp could simply rely on its team to clear out Starmie for it and instead use Fire Blast in the last slot, which handily 3HKOes Exeggutor and allows Machamp to easily KO Skarmory without burning through precious Cross Chop PP attempting to score the critical hit. Machamp's ability to tank hits, especially STAB Water-type attacks, constitutes one of its main selling points over the similar Swords Dance Marowak (the other being the raw wallbreaking potential of a boosted critical hit Cross Chop). However, while Machamp has an easier time setting up because of its ability to take hits, it shouldn't be switching into attacks very often, as if it does, its lack of resistances or a recovery move means that it will simply be worn down without being able to use that extra bulk to set up. Because of this, it needs to be played similarly to Marowak in that it needs to be switched in judiciously on predicted non-attacking turns on the opponent's part, preferably on predicted switches to Snorlax to nab a free turn to set up Curses or predict switches to Exeggutor as the opponent will undoubtedly switch out to avoid taking the possible STAB Cross Chop. However, while Machamp isn't immediately forced out by anything with an attacking move and a modicum of Defense the way Marowak is, it does rely on a much less accurate, less reliable, and more PP-starved STAB move than Marowak does. Indeed, as often as Cross Chop can win games by breaking key walls with timely critical hits, it can also disappoint with untimely misses, forcing Machamp to become worn down without accomplishing anything on the offensive, even if played perfectly. Curse sweeping Machamp, much like Swords Dance Marowak, loves plenty of support to help it get in position to break walls. Paralysis is first and foremost the biggest assistance to this Machamp. A paralyzed Skarmory is unable to use Curse after switching in on Machamp's Curse, rendering it unable to stall out Machamp's Cross Chop PP as it attempts to score a critical hit. Furthermore, paralyzed Umbreon cannot switch in on a turn that Machamp uses Curse to neutralize Machamp by setting its Attack stage to -1; Machamp can't afford to waste Cross Chops on turns when its Attack stage is so low, as even against Umbreon, which takes super effective damage, a -1 Cross Chop fails to 2HKO without a critical hit. In general, paralysis is great even against the foes Machamp is supposed to set up against and beat; it prevents Machamp from being worn down every turn that it chooses to attack, and can transform the possible Cross Chop miss from a potential sweep-ender to a minor inconvenience. Some of the better paralysis-spreading partners for Machamp include Stun Spore Exeggutor, Thunder Wave Starmie, Thunder Wave Zapdos, and Body Slam Snorlax. Other support that is appreciated by Machamp includes Pokemon that can bait its counters to switch into Explosions. Cloyster is probably the best at this, as it can bait Starmie in to spin away its Spikes, only to subsequently Explode on it and free up Machamp to rampage. Exeggutor and Steelix often end up catching foes such as Zapdos and Suicune that can otherwise wear Machamp down with their STAB special attacks. Machamp usually beats these foes if it Curses on the turn that they switch in, but it takes a lot of damage in the process, so being rid of the likes of Zapdos and Suicune beforehand is a great help to Machamp's sweeping efforts. Further support includes Pursuit users. Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Houndoom are all adept at catching Exeggutor, which otherwise causes Machamp problems by forcing it out with STAB Psychic. They are also all good at forcing Ghost-types to take residual damage to put them in +1 Rock Slide 2HKO range if Machamp opts for Hidden Power Bug over Hidden Power Ghost. Furthermore, Tyranitar can severely weaken Zapdos with Pursuits on the switch out, whereas Umbreon can use the combination of Toxic and Pursuit to force Starmie into +1 Hidden Power OHKO range before it can switch in to combat Machamp. Finally, Rapid Spin support from Starmie can be a great help to give Machamp more leeway to predict opportunities to switch in. However, it's not absolutely necessary for Machamp, as it can often restore the health lost to Spikes with Leftovers as it stays in to set up, whereas other heavy-hitters such as Marowak and Rhydon need Rapid Spin support much more because they are usually limited to using one attack before being forced to switch out. While this Machamp is well-tailored to take on its most common checks, there are still a few things it will struggle mightily to get past. Nidoking resists everything it has except for the weak Hidden Power Ghost, although its offensive nature means that it lacks a recovery move itself, and its moderate attacking stats mean that it won't be able to do much damage to Machamp in return, thereby allowing Machamp to set up fairly safely against Nidoking unless it has yet to use Lovely Kiss. Heracross poses a bigger problem to Machamp; it resists Cross Chop and can either Curse up alongside Machamp or wear it down with Seismic Toss. A +2 Rock Slide will 3HKO an unboosted Heracross, though, as will an unboosted Fire Blast should Machamp be using it, so Seismic Toss will not KO Machamp in time if it Curses on the switch unless Heracross gets lucky and consistently hits Rest and Seismic Toss with Sleep Talk at critical moments. Muk is probably the toughest thing for Machamp to deal with, as it resists Cross Chop, Curses up alongside Machamp, and can dish out heavy damage in return with Sludge Bomb. However, Muk is usually on a suicide mission and often uses Explosion to take itself out of commission, thereby effectively dealing with itself to allow Machamp an opportunity to sweep. These threats are far less common and effective as Machamp checks than the likes of Zapdos and Exeggutor, and as a result, using moves such as Earthquake and Fire Blast to deal with these threats is rare and generally not worth the trouble.

This Machamp gives up the ability to set up with Curse in return for more coverage. While being able to set up Curse is helpful for beating the likes of Suicune and weakened Starmie, in most cases Machamp doesn't even need to set up to threaten major damage against most threats, and the extra moveslot gives Machamp another coverage move to help it beat what it normally couldn't. Cross Chop is the obvious STAB move, running off of Machamp's ludicrous Attack stat, having a high critical hit rate for breaking walls, and having a great STAB typing for hitting half of most teams for super effective damage. However, not having Curse to boost its power means that Machamp must waste a lot of Cross Chop's PP looking for the critical hit if it's beating Suicune or Skarmory with it. Rock Slide is another non-negotiable moveslot, as it guarantees a 3HKO on Zapdos, something that otherwise walls Machamp entirely. The other two moveslots ultimately depend on what threats you want Machamp to be able to handle. Earthquake is an excellent move that isn't usually considered a good coverage move alongside Fighting STAB. However, it does hit Poison- and Ghost-type switch-ins hard, and it's a 100% accurate 100 Base Power move that helps to preserve Cross Chop's PP against Ground-weak foes and that ensures low-health foes can be finished off. Body Slam could also be used to paralyze Starmie switch-ins, which otherwise walls Machamp completely and is very adept at avoiding paralysis. The last moveslot depends further on what Machamp wants to be able to hurt. Fire Blast is an excellent coverage move, as it preserves Cross Chops against Steel-types (most notably Skarmory), and can also be used to handily 3HKO Exeggutor and to 3HKO Heracross on average. Using one of the Hidden Powers in this slot is also an option; Hidden Power Bug 2HKOs Exeggutor switch-ins, whereas Hidden Power Ghost can 2HKO Ghost-types if Earthquake is foregone for Body Slam. If Body Slam is used as the third move, using Hidden Power in the last slot allows Machamp to both paralyze and KO Starmie on its own, which other sets cannot accomplish. As always, Cross Chop can be very annoying with its unreliable accuracy and meager 8 PP. However, Machamp sporting Earthquake and Fire Blast can preserve its Cross Chop PP in many situations, including against Steel-types and Raikou, and Earthquake also allows Machamp to finish off low-health foes with a reliable 100% accurate move that, unlike Hidden Power, is actually strong enough to ensure reasonable KOs. As a result, all-out attacking Machamp isn't as dependent on the use of Cross Chop as other Machamp variants are, although it is still just as likely to miss against Snorlax in a critical moment to lead to Machamp being KOed by Double-Edge as it is to score the timely critical hit to KO Suicune. Also, like the Curse sweeper, this Machamp needs to be played cautiously to ensure it doesn't take too much damage on the switch in. All-out attacking Machamp is more of a hit-and-run type of Pokemon than it is a set-up-and-sweep Pokemon, so it isn't as desperate to be at full health to ensure it can set up. Regardless, it's still slow and doesn't have any resistances to common attacks, so it can be quite an easy task to wear down Machamp before it can break anything if one isn't judicious about when Machamp is switched in. This means no switching Machamp directly into Snorlax's STAB moves, but rather switching Machamp into predicted Snorlax switch-ins. This Machamp, while less impactful on offense, is more self-sufficient and therefore doesn't require as much support to ensure some kind of setup. Its goal is simply to come in, hit something, switch out, then repeat until the opponent's team is dented enough to go for the kill. Still, Machamp's low Speed means that paralysis support from Stun Spore Exeggutor, Thunder Wave Starmie, and Body Slam Snorlax is still extremely appreciated so that Machamp, upon switching in, might be able to force walls such as Zapdos and Suicune to take two hits upon switching in, thereby vastly improving Machamp's ability to KO these walls or to force the opponent to either predict around Machamp or sacrifice a Pokemon to get their wall in safely. Paralysis support also allows Machamp to outspeed Umbreon to prevent it from switching in on a predicted non-Cross Chop turn and subsequently neutralizing Machamp with Charm. In addition, using Explosions to take out Machamp's walls is probably more important for this set than it is for the Curse sweeper, as this Machamp can't just use Curse to muscle its way past threats that resist its attacks. In particular, using Cloyster or even Steelix to Explode on Starmie is key to allowing Machamp to do relevant damage to other Pokemon, especially if it forgoes Body Slam for broader coverage against other threats. Steelix and Exeggutor can help Machamp out by targeting Suicune and Zapdos with Explosion, as they otherwise make life difficult for all-out attacking Machamp. Pursuit support from Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Houndoom also helps Machamp immensely against Exeggutor, and Tyranitar has the added bonus of being able to chip away at Zapdos. Umbreon is a poor partner for the all-out attacking Machamp set, as it doesn't do enough to Starmie with Pursuit on the switch out to ensure it will be KOed by an unboosted Hidden Power as it switches back into Machamp, not to mention that all-out attacking Machamp might not even be carrying Hidden Power. This set also appreciates Rapid Spin support a lot more than Curse Machamp does, as this Machamp is more of a hit-and-run Pokemon and is therefore not likely to get a lot of Leftovers recovery to restore health lost to Spikes. Having its own Spikes to aid in getting kills is also more appreciated by all-out attacking Machamp, as it's a much more opportunistic killer than the Machamp that sets up with Curse, and Spikes makes it much more likely that walls switching into all-out attacking Machamp are either put into KO range, or are limited to the Spikes-immune Zapdos and Skarmory to ease prediction.

STAB Low Kick may seem unassuming, but its 30.1% flinch rate in RBY makes Machamp excellent at bullying paralyzed Pokemon, making up for its mediocre defensive stats. Thanks to this, Machamp can potentially 2HKO a paralyzed Chansey — a very common sight in RBY OU — before it can muster a response. Alternatively, Submission can be used for more power, allowing Machamp to 2HKO Snorlax, Rhydon, and Tauros, albeit at the cost of significant recoil. Body Slam lets Machamp be a little more self-sufficient, paralyzing potential switch-ins to turn the tables on them. Hyper Beam is Machamp's strongest Normal-type attack, allowing it to KO Pokemon that otherwise shrug off its STAB move. Alakazam is a noteworthy target, as it can end up being 2HKOed switching in if it's paralyzed by Body Slam first. Finally, Earthquake ensures Machamp isn't completely helpless against Gengar, 2HKOing it and Jolteon. Machamp has a wide offensive movepool, allowing it to fine-tune itself to fit a team. Using both Submission and Low Kick can let Machamp 2HKO Tauros, allowing it to more cleanly win a one-on-one interaction. Fire Blast deals up to 34.6% to Exeggutor with a high burn rate that can ruin its Explosion. Counter can be effective with Machamp's stat line, allowing it to switch in on a Hyper Beam and score a guaranteed OHKO on Pokemon like Tauros and Snorlax. This also applies when switching into Snorlax's Body Slam and Chansey's Seismic Toss; both Pokemon will often switch out in response, allowing Machamp to severely damage the switch-in. Since Machamp struggles a bit against Reflect Chansey, Karate Chop can be a serviceable option, being what's effectively a 100-Base Power Normal-type move that ignores Reflect thanks to its near-guaranteed critical hit rate. Unfortunately, Machamp's Speed leaves Karate Chop short of the 99.6% cap, making it a tad inconsistent. Finally, Rock Slide can be used for better matchups against Articuno and Zapdos, but it falls short of 2HKOing the latter, which makes it questionable.