Mankey Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Close Combat is Mankey's most powerful STAB move and 2HKOes most threats it hits neutrally, but it lowers Mankey's defenses after each use. Gunk Shot is used against Fairy-types that resist Close Combat, and it OHKOes Cottonee and Snubbull while 2HKOing Spritzee after Stealth Rock. U-turn allows Mankey to scout the foe and provide momentum for the team, which is great with a Choice Scarf. Earthquake is able to 2HKO Croagunk and Mareanie, both of which resist Mankey's other moves. Ice Punch is an alternative option to hit Foongus and Pumpkaboo super effectively, although it is not very strong. Set Details 196 Attack and Speed EVs are used to maximize Mankey's offensive capabilities. A Jolly nature and Choice Scarf allow Mankey to hit 25 Speed, outspeeding all Choice Scarf users up to 16 Speed like Pawniard and Bunnelby. An Adamant nature can also be run, however, as it allows Mankey to achieve certain 2HKOes more consistently, such as with Close Combat against Timburr and with Gunk Shot against Spritzee. The remaining EVs are put into HP and Defense to take less damage from priority attacks. Defiant allows Mankey to get a +2 Attack boost when affected by Sticky Web, Defog, and Intimidate. Usage Tips Bring Mankey in safely via a slow U-turn or Volt Switch or after a KO, as it is very frail and can't afford to take a hit. Once Mankey is in, use it as a revenge killer or cleaner with its Choice Scarf-boosted Speed and high-powered moves. Predict well, and don't get locked into a move the foe is immune to, such as Close Combat on a Ghost-type or Gunk Shot on a Steel-type, as that makes Mankey's team lose all momentum. U-turn is usually a safe option that switches Mankey out after dealing some damage, which is great for scouting and gaining momentum. If you predict that the foe is going to use Defog, you can switch Mankey in to get an Attack boost, making Mankey very dangerous. This is very risky, however, as most Defoggers such as Vullaby are Flying-types and can OHKO Mankey. Team Options U-turn and Volt Switch users such as Chinchou, Magnemite, and Mienfoo can bring in Mankey safely while creating a VoltTurn core with it. Electric- and Rock-types such as Magnemite and Onix can deal with Flying-types that can threaten Mankey. Entry hazards from the likes of Ferroseed and Onix weaken the opponent's Pokemon upon switching in so that Mankey has an easier time KOing them. Diglett can trap and KO opposing Poison-types, while Mudbray can switch into and KO them. Pursuit trappers such as Alolan Grimer and Pawniard can help remove Abra and Gastly from the field, which can revenge kill Mankey. Knock Off users such as Timburr and Vullaby can help remove Eviolite and Berry Juice from the foe, making them easier to deal with, as well as hit Ghost-types that wall Mankey super effectively.

Moves Close Combat is Mankey's STAB move of choice, sporting 120 Base Power. U-turn allows Mankey to pivot out of unfavorable matchups and scout, as its damage output can determine whether the foe is running Eviolite or Berry Juice. Earthquake is primarily for hitting Poison-types, such as Trubbish, that can otherwise wall Mankey; it also smacks Chinchou for super effective damage. Gunk Shot hits Fairy-types that resist Mankey's STAB, notably Snubbull, Cottonee, and Spritzee, for super effective damage. Ice Punch provides Mankey with a means of hitting Foongus, which shrugs off Mankey's other attacks. Set Details The EVs are primarily centered on maximizing Mankey's Attack and Speed and enhancing its capabilities as a physical attacker; the remaining EVs are invested in HP and Defense to boost Mankey's bulk. An Adamant nature allows Mankey to 2HKO both Timburr and Spritzee with Close Combat and Gunk Shot, respectively, and have a decent chance to KO Trubbish after Stealth Rock damage. A Jolly nature can be utilized instead, boosting Mankey's Speed to 17, which allows it to Speed creep Choice Scarf Bunnelby and Modest Choice Scarf Chinchou. Defiant turns Mankey's fear of Sticky Web into something it appreciates, capitalizing on Sticky Web's Speed drop and gaining a +2 Attack boost; it also deters foes from attempting to Defog, which also boosts Mankey's Attack by two stages. Choice Scarf lets Mankey outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in Little Cup and still hit 17 Speed when Sticky Web is in play. Usage Tips Due to Mankey's frailty, one should be cautious when switching it in, as most moves it doesn't resist will put a large dent in it. Mankey functions best as a late-game cleaner, so bringing it in by slowly pivoting, or simply sacrificing a Pokemon, is preferred. Team Options Slow pivots, such as Mienfoo and Chinchou, can allow Mankey to switch in safely so it can proceed to threaten the foe with a powerful attack. Knock Off support from the likes of Pawniard and Mienfoo softens up opposing walls, enhancing Mankey's cleaning and revenge killing capabilities. Entry hazard support from the likes of Archen, Tirtouga, and Ferroseed is quite beneficial, as it whittles down the health of Mankey's switch-ins, eventually allowing Mankey to capitalize on their low HP and KO them with one of its coverage moves. Also, opponents will usually attempt to Defog away entry hazards, at which point Mankey can switch in and gain a +2 Attack boost thanks to Defiant. Pokemon that can handle Fairy-, Poison-, and Flying-types have good synergy with Mankey, as they clear away the Pokemon that resist its STAB attack. Tirtouga, Archen, and Ferroseed make great teammates, as the former two can handle Poison- and Flying-types, while the latter can handle Poison- and Fairy-types.

This set is the only set Mankey can run without being outclassed by Mienfoo, which sports better offenses and defenses. With high Speed and Attack, Mankey can effectively run a Choice Scarf set. Close Combat is Mankey's most reliable STAB move and hits everything that doesn't resist it hard. Unfortunately, as Close Combat lowers Mankey's already terrible defenses, it is more prone to getting OHKOed by almost every move it does not resist. U-turn is a great scouting move that can instantly gain momentum for your team. Punishment hits Psychic- and Ghost-types that can switch into Close Combats with impunity, such as Natu and Misdreavus, for a good amount of damage. In fact, Punishment is the only move Mankey threatens Misdreavus with, and as Misdreavus is very common in the current LC metagame, Punishment is an important move to have. Final Gambit is a very gimmicky move that allows Mankey to score a quick KO on an opposing Pokemon. However, Final Gambit is only effective when Mankey is at or near full health. Alternatively, Ice Punch provides coverage against Flying- and Grass-types and also has a chance to freeze the opponent. The EV spread maximizes Mankey's Attack and Speed, which, in turn, maximizes its sweeping capabilities. A Jolly nature gives Mankey enough Speed to outrun Modest Choice Scarf Chinchou and Adamant Choice Scarf Mienfoo. An Adamant nature increases Mankey's Attack, allowing it to OHKO Omanyte and Munchlax with Close Combat after Stealth Rock damage. Mankey has three excellent abilities, all of which are viable. Vital Spirit is an amazing ability, as it prevents sleep inducers, such as Shroomish, from putting Mankey to sleep. Defiant is helpful against Intimidate users and Feather Dance Natu, as it gives Mankey a free Attack boost. However, there are not many Intimidate users in the LC metagame, so its use is situational. Anger Point boosts Mankey's Attack to +6 when hit by a critical hit, but most of the time, Mankey won't survive one. In terms of alternative moves, Rock Slide is an option over Final Gambit or Ice Punch for super effective coverage against Fire- and Bug-types, such as Shelmet and Larvesta. Because Beat Up is a multi-hit move, it can be used over Punishment to beat Pokemon that carry Substitute, such as Misdreavus. Mankey needs a lot of team support in order to be able to sweep. Dwebble and Ferroseed are excellent teammates, as they can set up Spikes and Stealth Rock, which give Mankey OHKOs on certain Pokemon. For example, Mankey is able to OHKO Ferroseed and Lileep with Close Combat after 3 layers of Spikes damage. Mankey can be paired with a Volt Switch user such as Chinchou to form the famous and effective VoltTurn combo, which helps keep offensive momentum, especially when entry hazards have been laid on the opposing side of the field. As Mankey is affected by all forms of entry hazards, Rapid Spin or Magic Bounce users, such as Drilbur, Staryu, and Natu, make for good teammates, as they can prevent entry hazards from being set up. Misdreavus is a huge threat to Mankey, so Pokemon that can take it on, such as Vullaby, are very helpful, as Misdreavus is extremely common in LC. Dual screens support from the likes of Natu is needed, as Mankey possesses terrible defenses. Bronzor with Hidden Power Ice is a great teammate, as it can set up dual screens and Stealth Rock and can also take on Vullaby.