Medicham Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves High Jump Kick smashes and OHKOes key targets like Heatran, Ferrothorn, Mega Tyranitar, and Kyurem-B and deals huge damage to neutral targets like Magearna, Rotom-Wash, Manaphy, and Mega Scizor. Fake Out helps Mega Medicham wear down and pick off faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam and Mega Swampert under the rain as well as boosted sweepers like Mega Charizard X, Volcarona, and Gyarados. Ice Punch complements High Jump Kick and breaks through Mega Latias and Flying-types like Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Zapdos. Bullet Punch threatens Mega Diancie, which otherwise forces Mega Medicham out; it also pairs well with Fake Out, enabling Mega Medicham to more effectively finish off the aforementioned faster targets that are put within KO range by Fake Out. Zen Headbutt threatens Toxapex with an OHKO and hits neutral targets like Clefable hard. Lastly, Thunder Punch is Mega Medicham's strongest option against Slowbro and should mainly be used if it is paired with Tapu Koko because a boosted Thunder Punch threatens Slowbro with a 2HKO. Set Details A Jolly nature is recommended to Speed tie with Mega Charizard Y and outspeed Kyurem-B and Tapu Lele. An Adamant nature is an option for maximizing Mega Medicham's damage output, letting it OHKO defensive Landorus-T with Ice Punch after Stealth Rock and 2HKO Tapu Fini with Zen Headbutt. Telepathy is Medicham's preferred pre-Mega ability for its situational use to prevent Ditto from copying its damage output in a pinch. Medicham has no use of Telepathy otherwise, since it will regain Pure Power anyway after Mega Evolving. Usage Tips The main goal for Mega Medicham is to bring it onto the field safely to wreak havoc against the opposing team. Due to its frailty, Mega Medicham cannot afford to come in against strong neutral attacks. Therefore, it is best to bring Mega Medicham in via aggressive switches, pivot support from U-turn and Volt Switch, or after a teammate has fainted. If Mega Medicham is up against boosted sweepers like Mega Charizard X and Gyarados, it can switch in repeatedly via smart sacrifices and use Fake Out to wear them down and eventually pick them off, preventing them from finishing off the rest of Mega Medicham's team. It is important to keep in mind that Ferrothorn and Heatran, both of which are prime victims of High Jump Kick, occasionally run Protect; therefore, it is a good idea to scout for the move on these two so that Mega Medicham can reduce the risk of mistiming High Jump Kick and take them down. If Mega Medicham has Thunder Punch, try to send it in after Tapu Koko sets up Electric Terrain in order to weaken bulky teams that have Pokemon like Mega Sableye, Clefable, and Slowbro, the latter of which it threatens with a 2HKO. Team Options Mega Medicham finds its home on hyper offense, offense, and bulky offense teams, which capitalize on its wallbreaking capabilities so that its teammates can clean up later in the game. Pivot support from Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, Zapdos, Rotom-Wash, and Magearna synergizes perfectly with Mega Medicham, setting the stage for it to cause havoc. Additionally, Magearna reliably handles Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele, while the others remove entry hazards with Defog. Zapdos also has the benefit of taking on Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Choice Scarf Landorus-T, baiting in Chansey and Mega Tyranitar for Mega Medicham to take down and punishing opposing U-turn with Static. Tapu Koko pairs well for similar reasons and summons Electric Terrain to boost the power of Thunder Punch, allowing Mega Medicham to plow through Slowbro, which otherwise solidly answers it. Kyurem-B clears a path for Mega Medicham by smashing through Flying-type answers like Zapdos and Tornadus-T, while Mega Medicham, in return, steamrolls Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Magearna. Tapu Lele summons Psychic Terrain to boost the power of Mega Medicham's Zen Headbutt and protect it from priority moves like Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch, and together, they overwhelm each other's defensive answers. Keep in mind that Mega Medicham is unable to use Fake Out and Bullet Punch against grounded targets while Psychic Terrain is active. Hawlucha also forms a solid core with Mega Medicham despite adding up on the Fighting typing, with Mega Medicham softening shared Fairy-type answers like Clefable and Tapu Fini, paving a way for Hawlucha to clean up late-game. Ash-Greninja sets up Spikes to further enable both it and Mega Medicham's wallbreaking capabilities, and it handles bulky Psychic-types that Mega Medicham struggles against, like Slowbro, Cresselia, and Reuniclus. Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain pairs beautifully with Mega Medicham, protecting it from attempted status ailments like Toxic or Scald burns from Toxapex and paralysis from Zapdos's Static. Volcarona enjoys Mega Medicham's ability to break past Chansey, Toxapex, and Heatran, paving the way for Volcarona to sweep late-game. Weavile traps and eliminates bulky Psychic-types like Slowbro, Cresselia, and Reuniclus with Pursuit, removing a major obstacle for Mega Medicham to wallbreak. Offensive Grass-types like Kartana, Serperior, and Tapu Bulu also pair well with Mega Medicham, as they can smash through defensive answers like Slowbro and Cresselia and overwhelm each other's shared checks like Tornadus-T. Choice Scarf variants of Kartana provide a solid cleaning option against faster targets like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Koko, and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, while Choice Band and Swords Dance sets work together with Mega Medicham in heavily pressuring bulky structures. Serperior provides paralysis support with Glare, letting Mega Medicham threaten faster checks like Tornadus-T. Additionally, both Kartana and Serperior provide Knock Off support to remove items like Leftovers from Clefable and Rocky Helmet from Skarmory, allowing Mega Medicham to break through them more easily.

Moves High Jump Kick is Medicham's main STAB move and can 2HKO the majority of the tier, including Fighting-resistant Pokemon such as Florges, offensive Nidoqueen, and Necrozma after Stealth Rock. Zen Headbutt acts as a secondary STAB option to deal with Ghost-types that are immune to High Jump Kick like Alolan Marowak and Mismagius. Thunder Punch is Medicham's best coverage option, hitting the likes of Slowbro and Mantine for super effective damage. Ice Punch can also be used to OHKO Noivern. Bullet Punch is a great priority option to KO Gardevoir after some chip damage, as well as finish off faster Pokemon should they take a huge hit from Medicham's other moves. Set Details Pure Power boosts Medicham's Attack stat to stellar levels and is essential for its wallbreaking capabilities. Life Orb further boosts the power of Medicham's moves and turns a lot of rolls into guaranteed OHKOs or 2HKOs. Maximum Speed and Attack investment is crucial to make Medicham harder to revenge kill and hit as hard as possible. Jolly is the nature of choice to outspeed the likes of Necrozma and Mega Blastoise. Usage Tips When playing with Medicham, it should get as many opportunities to get safely into the field as possible by pivoting, double switching, or switching in after one of its partners is KOed by a slower opposing Pokemon. Medicham can put in work against both resilient and offensive builds due to its amazing power and decent Speed tier, so don't be afraid of punching holes with High Jump Kick or Zen Headbutt, since Medicham can usually hit the switch-in hard and KO it with another hit or with priority Bullet Punch. Be aware of Pokemon that usually run Protect, such as Bronzong and Registeel, which can force mind games against Medicham due to High Jump Kick's recoil damage upon failure. Team Options Faster Pokemon that can act as cleaners like Salazzle, Swellow, Zygarde-10%, and Choice Scarf Gardevoir greatly appreciate Medicham's ability to weaken and remove defensive threats from play so they can sweep easier. Volt Switch and U-turn support is a great way of bringing Medicham safely into the field to use its power effectively. The likes of Flygon, Rotom-Mow, and Raikou can fill this role and provide speed control or entry hazard removal. Since most of the Pokemon capable of resisting Medicham's STAB combination are Ghost- and Psychic-types, Pursuit trapping can be a great choice to deal with Pokemon such as Cresselia and Slowbro. Drapion and Escavalier can offer great offensive presence alongside Medicham and beat the few threats that Medicham has problems breaking through. Special attackers like Gardevoir and Espeon are nice teammates for Medicham that can overcome shared checks with coverage options such as Thunderbolt and Shadow Ball, luring out and KOing these Pokemon so Medicham can wallbreak more efficiently.

Moves Fake Out is important to break Sturdy and Multiscale from Pokemon like Magnezone and non-Choice Scarf or Protect Dragonite. High Jump Kick takes care of Steel- and Normal-type Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Genesect, Porygon2, non-Choice Scarf Porygon-Z, Meloetta, Donphan, Kommo-o, and Seperior. Zen Headbutt allows Mega Medicham to take on Mega Venusaur, Volcarona, and bulky Mega Charizard Y. Ice Punch takes care of most Flying- and Dragon-types like Landorus-T and Zygarde. Poison Jab can be used over Ice Punch for Fairy-types like Tapu Bulu, bulky Tapu Fini, Primarina, and Whimsicott and to turn the matchup against Mega Gardevoir into a coinflip with a Speed tie. Thunder Punch with an Adamant nature enables Mega Medicham to force mind games against Mega Gyarados or beat Flyinium Z variants. Rock Tomb can be used over Zen Headbutt for hitting bulky Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, and Volcarona. Set Details Having 252 Attack EVs and Pure Power turn Mega Medicham into a powerful attacker, as it can take care of walls like Porygon2 and Pokemon like non-Choice Scarf Landorus-T and non-Choice Scarf Porygon-Z. Having 252 Speed EVs along with a Jolly nature makes Mega Medicham able to outpace Pokemon like Vivillon, Landorus-T, Kommo-o, and non-Choice Scarf Genesect. An Adamant nature can be used to be able to take care of Zapdos, offensive Mega Metagross, and Zygarde. Mega Medicham can also almost always KO Primarina with Fake Out followed by Poison Jab. However, Mega Medicham will fail to outspeed faster Pokemon like Vivillon and Genesect. Usage Tips Avoid using Fake Out against Tapu Lele, which is immune due to Psychic Terrain. If Mega Medicham is not running Ice Punch, it cannot beat Landorus-T, so you should be careful about sending it out if a teammate does not pressure it. Only send Mega Medicham in on Pokemon like Primarina, Zapdos, and Zygarde-C if you are running an Adamant nature, as Mega Medicham only can reliably beat them with Adamant. If Mega Medicham does not have a Jolly nature, be careful around Normalium Z Porygon-Z and Vivillon, as these all outpace and OHKO it. When facing Serperior, be sure to Fake Out turn one to scout for Protect. If Serperior does not use Protect turn one, then use Ice Punch, as the chip damage from Fake Out will be enough to knock Serperior out. If Serperior does use Protect turn one, use High Jump Kick to avoid losing half of Mega Medicham's health to crash damage and have it taken care of by Leaf Storm. Avoid walls like Mega Sableye, Deoxys-S, and Clefable because all of them can slowly wear Mega Medicham down and take care of it. If the opponent has a fast Pokemon like Greninja or a common Choice Scarf user like Porygon-Z, Genesect, or Jirachi, avoid picking Mega Medicham, as it will be unable to take care of these Pokemon. Team Options Pokemon like Porygon-Z and Meloetta can take care of offensive Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y for Mega Medicham. In return, Mega Medicham can take on Steel-types like Heatran, Genesect, and Ferrothorn for them. Stallbreakers like Tapu Fini, Primarina, and Zapdos are needed to help with Clefable and non-Metal Burst Mega Sableye. In return, Mega Medicham can take on Mega Venusaur and Tapu Lele. Groundium Z Garchomp and Landorus-T help with troubling Pokemon like non-Ice Punch bulky Mega Metagross, Mega Pinsir, and Mega Blaziken. In return, Mega Medicham can take on Genesect and Kommo-o for them. Fire-type Pokemon like Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y and Incineroar are good to pair with Mega Medicham because they can care of Steel-types that can deal with High Jump Kick like Choice Scarf Jirachi, Magearna, Aegislash, and bulky Mega Metagross that Mega Medicham struggles with. In return, Mega Medicham can take care of troubling Pokemon like Tapu Fini, Primarina, Landorus-T, and Zygarde-C for them.

Moves High Jump Kick is Medicham's main and most spammable move, hitting the hardest. Zen Headbutt hits Poison-types that resist High Jump Kick as well as Fighting-types super effectively. Bullet Punch acts as a priority attack due to Medicham's lack of Speed, targeting Pokemon like Mega Glalie, Sneasel, and Aerodactyl, as well as hitting Diancie 4x super effectively. It also targets weakened Choice Scarf users like opposing Medicham and Hitmonlee. Thunder Punch hits Pokemon like Sigilyph and Alomomola. Set Details Life Orb is used to enhance Medicham's power and be able to switch moves. A Jolly nature allows it to Speed tie base 80s like Venusaur. 252 Attack and Speed EVs are used to maximize offensive pressure. Pure Power is the obvious ability choice, doubling Medicham's Attack. Usage Tips Avoid spamming High Jump Kick with Ghost-types and Protect users on opposing teams. Do not switch Medicham in on even a neutral attack from an offensive Pokemon. Make sure that Medicham's attack will KO if it is up against a Pokemon that can inflict status. Use Bullet Punch on weaker Pokemon to finish them off and on faster foes like Sneasel and Aerodactyl. You can bluff a Choice Scarf set before Medicham attacks. However, you still have to predict well, as most Pokemon outspeed Medicham and can do a lot of damage to it; for example, use Thunder Punch on a Sigilyph switch-in. Team Options Pokemon that check Flying-types like Fletchinder are helpful, such as Diancie and Rhyperior. Faster Pokemon are good partners, as they can help deal with fast threats like Virizion and Flygon. Running a Heal Bell user or a Wish passer like Alomomola or Aromatisse can be helpful. A Fairy-type to check Spiritomb and a Dark-type to help against Ghost-type Pokemon like Jellicent and Cofagrigus is also beneficial.

Moves High Jump Kick allows Medicham to break through a variety of walls and do plenty of damage on neutral hits. Zen Headbutt hits Poison-types that resist High Jump Kick like Venusaur and is safer to use when there is a Ghost-type present. Thunder Punch hits Pokemon like Sigilyph and Slowking that resist both of Medicham's STAB attacks as well as other bulky Pokemon like Jellicent. Trick allows you to cripple opposing bulky checks and counters as they switch in, such as Slowking, Spiritomb, Alomomola, and Sigilyph. Set Details A Choice Scarf allows Medicham to act as a revenge killer and outspeed a variety of Pokemon that would normally give it trouble. Pure Power is the best ability on Medicham, doubling its Attack stat. Jolly allows Medicham to tie with positive-natured base 80s like Venusaur. Maximum Attack and Speed EVs are used for maximum damage output and speed. Usage Tips Use High Jump Kick when opponents lack Ghost-types, as Medicham takes recoil from missing it; expanding on this, only use it when needed, as the consequences of missing are very unfortunate. Do not normally bring in Medicham on strong attackers, not even on a predicted resisted attack, due to its lack of bulk. Avoid paralysis and burns the most, as they cripple Medicham a lot. Watch out for Protect users like Registeel when using High Jump Kick. If an opponent has a Pokemon like Sigilyph or Slowbro, it is important to predict the right time to use Thunder Punch. Team Options Dark-type Pokemon such as Sneasel work well with Medicham, Pursuit trapping bulky Psychic-types that check it. Fairy-types like Diancie help with Spiritomb, as well as provide cleric support, as Medicham is vulnerable to status, and, in Diancie's case, check Fletchinder. Grass-types like Venusaur help remove threats like Protect Alomomola that can make using High Jump Kick risky. Pokemon like Registeel and Rhyperior can also check Fletchinder and set up Stealth Rock, which is beneficial for whittling down opposing Pokemon.

Set Description Fake Out breaks Sturdy and Multiscale against Pokemon such as Aggron, Magnezone, and Dragonite; next to that, it gives Mega Medicham just that little bit of damage to get KOs with its stronger attacks. High Jump Kick KOs Pokemon like Heatran, Meloetta, and Manaphy after a Fake Out. Giga Impact helps against bulky Volcarona, non-Choice Scarf Victini, and Mega Gardevoir. Bulk Up is useful against bulky variants of Mega Metagross, as well as Mega Aggron and Rhyperior. Poison Jab OHKOes Mega Gardevoir and Whimsicott. Endure gets around Pokemon that use recharge moves like Greninja, Mega Lopunny, and Porygon-Z. It can also be used for those with Endure + Custap Berry like offensive Manaphy. Zen Headbutt deals with Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Mega Heracross. Ice Punch is there for those weak to Ice, like non-Choice Scarf Dragonite and Landorus-T. Thunder Punch gives Mega Medicham a better Mega Gyarados matchup. EVs Maximum Speed with a Jolly nature is so that Mega Medicham outspeeds non-Choice Scarf Genesect and can Speed tie Manaphy, Mega Gardevoir, and other Mega Medicham. The four leftover EVs are put into Special Defense so that Download from Genesect gives an Attack boost instead of Special Attack. An Adamant nature can be run for more firepower, which helps against Volcarona, fast Mega Metagross, and Victini when using Giga Impact. Usage Tips Using Mega Medicham is pretty straightforward; you always use Fake Out the first turn, followed by the strongest move possible. By using Fake Out, you can estimate the foe's HP and defensive EVs, which is helpful for Pokemon that run different sets. Greninja is an example; while Torrent Greninja runs Defense EVs, Choice Specs Greninja does not; knowing its set helps you decide whether to use an attack or Endure.

Moves Mega Medicham's High Jump Kick is one of the most powerful attacks in the metagame, dealing massive damage to any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Zen Headbutt functions as Mega Medicham's secondary STAB move, blowing past other Fighting-types and providing crucial coverage against Ghost-, Flying-, and Poison-types. Fake Out allows Medicham to Mega Evolve safely as well as deal chip damage the first turn after it switches in. It also allows Mega Medicham to revenge kill frailer threats, such as Syclant and Talonflame, and can act as an emergency check to setup sweepers in conjunction with Bullet Punch. Bullet Punch is the preferred option in the last moveslot, as it gives Mega Medicham access to powerful dual priority and helps against offensive threats. Furthermore, it allows Mega Medicham to OHKO Mega Diancie. Alternatively, Ice Punch can be used to get past bulky Ground-types, such as Hippowdon, Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor, OHKOing all but the first. Ice Punch also allows Mega Medicham to heavily damage Latias, Latios, and Mega Altaria. Set Details Pure Power doubles Mega Medicham's Attack, making it a fearsome attacker. The given EV spread and an Adamant nature maximize Attack and Speed to help Mega Medicham in its role as a wallbreaker. A Jolly nature can be used to capitalize on Mega Medicham's base 100 Speed and, at the very least, Speed tie with other base 100 Speed Pokemon, such as Charizard, Manaphy, Jirachi, and Mega Gardevoir. Usage Tips Be careful when using High Jump Kick if there is a Ghost-type on the opposing team or the foe is a potential Protect user, such as Heatran, Ferrothorn, Jirachi, or Chansey. If Mega Medicham outspeeds the opposing Pokemon, it's generally better to use one of its STAB moves over Fake Out, especially if there is a Rough Skin or Iron Barbs user on the opposing team. Use Mega Medicham to soften up walls early- and mid-game, and then clean up weakened Pokemon with Fake Out and Bullet Punch. Team Options Fairy-types, such as Clefable and Sylveon, make for excellent teammates, as they can check Slowbro. In return, Mega Medicham can remove Poison- and Steel-types for them. Clefable in particular can heal Mega Medicham with Wish, set up Stealth Rock, and paralyze foes to aid Mega Medicham's sweep. Volt Switch and U-turn users can help bring Medicham in safely to launch its STAB moves or get chip damage and safely Mega Evolve with Fake Out. Rotom-W, Colossoil, and Scizor work well in this role; Rotom-W handles Talonflame, Colossoil can Pursuit trap bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types, and Scizor can remove Fairy- and Psychic-types. Speed control from Sticky Web, Tailwind, and paralysis spreaders allows Mega Medicham to handle faster Pokemon such as Keldeo, Mega Manectric, Mega Metagross, Mega Lopunny, Tornadus-T, and Serperior, all of which Mega Medicham has a chance to OHKO after a single round of Stealth Rock damage. Necturna is the most prominent setter of Sticky Web and can spread burns to help soften up the opposing team. Fidgit is the best setter of Tailwind due to Persistent and can support Mega Medicham with its valuable support moves, such as Spikes, Stealth Rock, Toxic Spikes, Wish, Encore, and Rapid Spin. Talonflame can also set up Tailwind and can clean up teams that Mega Medicham has weakened. Both Thundurus and Klefki can spread paralysis with Prankster Thunder Wave. Thundurus also checks Flying-types that may threaten Mega Medicham, and Klefki can check Fairy-types that Mega Medicham attracts. Other paralysis spreaders such as Clefable, Serperior, and Slowbro also make for capable teammates. Pokemon that can punish Talonflame, such as Garchomp and Cyclohm, are greatly appreciated, as it can revenge kill Mega Medicham easily. Pokemon such as Stratagem and Cawmodore can capitalize on Mega Medicham's ability to remove walls such as Chansey and Tomohawk. Lastly, fast attackers such as Talonflame and Syclant can clean up teams that have been weakened by Mega Medicham.

Medicham's best and only viable set in UU uses a Choice Band to boost its high Attack to a ludicrous 720 with an Adamant nature. This gives Medicham the power to break through almost every Pokemon in UU with the right attack. High Jump Kick has the most damage potential of any move Medicham carries; at 130 Base Power before STAB, it does heavy damage even to Pokemon that resist it. One needs to be extremely careful about the recoil, however, as an untimely Ghost-type or Protect will send Medicham crashing down. Psycho Cut is a safer move to spam, since Dark types aren't going to be risking coming in on High Jump Kick, and a lot of common responses to Fighting-types take heavy damage from it. Most notably, it 2HKOes offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus, and since Psycho Cut does not make contact, Medicham doesn't have to worry about Mummy. Psycho Cut also scores an OHKO on Mismagius, as well as Crobat, which 4x resists High Jump Kick. Medicham's last two slots are for coverage against other Fighting resists, many of which give trouble to other Fighting-types such as Heracross. Ice Punch scores an OHKO on Flying-types, including Gligar, Xatu, and all but the bulkiest of Zapdos after Stealth Rock. A well-predicted Ice Punch can clear the way for a Heracross sweep quite easily, turning the tide of a battle. The last attack is largely personal preference. Trick cripples the Psychic-types that wall Medicham, such as Slowbro and Mew. Thunder Punch 2HKOes Slowbro, but between Regenerator and the dangers of a Choice locked Electric-type attack, it's not always as effective as it could be. Here are just a few calculations that demonstrate Medicham's offensive prowess and ability to clean up Heracross's checks. High Jump Kick vs. 252/252+ Bronzong: 81.95 - 96.74% Psycho Cut vs. 252/136+ Cofagrigus 42.5 - 50.62% Psycho Cut vs. 252/4 Cofagrigus: 51.87 - 61.25% Psycho Cut vs. 252/252+ Nidoqueen 94.27 - 111.45% -1 Psycho Cut vs. 252/236+ Qwilfish 80.83 - 95.2% Ice Punch vs. 252/252+ Eviolite Gligar 92.21 - 108.98% Ice Punch vs. 248/236+ Zapdos 69.45 - 81.98% Thunder Punch vs. 248/244+ Slowbro 56.99 - 67.17% The main choice to make is between an Adamant and Jolly nature. Adamant boosts Medicham's Attack to extraordinary levels, securing KOs on a multitude of slower threats, but Jolly lets Medicham outrun neutral natured Heracross, Kingdra, Nidoking, and Roserade. You can run Bullet Punch effectively in the last slot, as it does 35% minimum to Heracross while dispatching Weavile, but since Bullet Punch is illegal with Psycho Cut, using it forces you to run Zen Headbutt. This wouldn't be so bad except Zen Headbutt is a contact move, so you instantly lose to Cofagrigus. The main support Medicham needs is entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock. Entry hazards push many Pokemon into KO range, and Stealth Rock limits the amount of times Flying-types can tank a High Jump Kick. Cobalion is a good Stealth Rock setter and has access to Volt Switch, which can help bring Medicham in safely. Empoleon synergizes perfectly with Medicham and can support it by setting up Stealth Rock, burning foes with Scald, and providing free switch-in opportunities with Yawn. Uxie can set up Stealth Rock, U-turn as a Dark type switches in to bring in Medicham for free, and spread paralysis to slow down the opposition; however, the two share common weaknesses. Unlike many Pokemon reliant on hazards, Medicham doesn't require spinblocking support, since Rapid Spin is a great opportunity to bring Medicham in. Medicham does not have an easy time switching in, so anything that can help patch that weakness is a blessing for it. U-turn, Volt Switch, Baton Passing Substitute, dual screens, and double switching are all great ways to bring Medicham in. Psychic-types and to a lesser extent Ghost-types are huge thorns in Medicham's side, so Pursuit support from the likes of Snorlax and Houndoom is much appreciated. Both of these Pokemon resist Ghost, which is Medicham's most major weakness. Houndoom can also come in for free on support Mew and immediately threaten it with a powerful Pursuit. Unfortunately, neither Pokemon can handle all of Mew's best sets, so using multiple Pokemon to beat all of Mew's common sets is recommended.

While Choice item users are few and far between, Medicham fills the role exceptionally. One of the reasons for this is the fact that Medicham gains Trick, which means it can potentially cripple another Pokemon for the rest of the match. Medicham hits 198 Speed with a Choice Scarf and an Adamant nature, and 218 with Jolly, which remedies its Speed problem. Likewise, a Choice Band can be used, as Pure Power in conjunction with a Choice Band means total devastation if played right. Drain Punch is the reliable STAB attack for this set, as it not only heals Medicham after every use, but it also hits light Pokemon, such as Rotom-W, for solid damage. However, Low Kick can be used as it hits heavier Pokemon such as Terrakion and Metagross harder than Drain Punch, though beware of lighter Pokemon if locked into Low Kick. Again, the choice of Psychic-type STAB attack is between reliability and power. Psycho Cut is more accurate than Zen Headbutt, but Zen Headbutt works great with a Choice Scarf as Medicham can make use of the flinch rate even more so due to an increase in Speed. The third moveslot is another personal preference. Ice Punch hits Dragon- and Flying-type Pokemon; however, Rock Slide gives Medicham a spread attack that keeps good coverage with its Fighting-type STAB. Trick can screw over defensive Pokemon such as Cresselia and Musharna. The EVs given for this set are standard for a physical attacker. However, they are important, as they allow Medicham to hit as hard and as fast as possible. The choice of nature is dependent on the item; with a Choice Scarf, an Adamant nature is preferred as it allows Medicham to retain as much power as possible while still outspeeding common VGC Pokemon such as Latios and Weavile. However, if one decides to use a Choice Band, Jolly is the main nature, as Choice Band will provide more than enough power for Medicham to forgo an Attack-boosting nature. Like the non-Choice set, Medicham can change its moveset to tailor to one's needs. Hi Jump Kick is usable for its sheer power, but be wary of Protect and Ghost-type Pokemon, as Medicham can't switch attacks while using a Choice item. To make matters worse, because most players double Protect expecting a Fake Out, using Hi Jump Kick on the first turn usually results in disastrous consequences. ThunderPunch can also work on this set, though Ice Punch and Rock Slide work better in most situations. The first thing one should notice while observing this set is that it has no way of protecting itself. As such, this set needs more support than the non-Choice set. Follow Me from Togekiss and Lucario, Rage Powder from Jumpluff and Amoonguss, and Fake Out support all work, as they buy Medicham time to use its attacks or to Trick its Choice item onto another Pokemon. Aside from that, Pokemon that can clear the field of Flying- and Ghost-type Pokemon make great partners. Dark-type Pokemon, such as Honchkrow and Houndoom, make great teammates, as they can use their Dark-type STAB attacks to clear Ghost-types, as well as having priority in Sucker Punch to remove threats to Choice Scarf Medicham. Electric-type Pokemon, such as the Rotom formes and Zapdos, clear Flying-type Pokemon from the field, while Medicham's Fighting-type STAB clears Rock-types.

This set showcases Medicham's Pure Power ability, and even though it has no coverage moves, its STAB moves alone are enough to cause problems for your opponent. Fake Out helps teammates by making a Pokemon useless for one turn, which can be crucial as the battle wears on. The choice of Psychic-type STAB move is one of power or accuracy; Psycho Cut is reliable, only slightly weaker than Zen Headbutt, and also has an increased critical hit rate. However, Zen Headbutt has a nice flinch rate, which Medicham can take advantage of thanks to its decent Speed. If you thought the choice of Psychic-type STAB was hard, picking a Fighting-type STAB move can be even harder. However, each attack plays a different role for Medicham. Drain Punch works great alongside Life Orb as it heals Medicham after use, which can help to cancel out Life Orb recoil. Low Kick is another great STAB option, hitting the heavier Pokemon in the VGC 2012 metagame, such as Tyranitar and Metagross, quite effectively. If one likes a high-risk, high-reward strategy, Hi Jump Kick is a perfect move to use. Even though it has a costly 50% recoil if it misses (or hits a Pokemon that has used Protect), a Base Power of 130 is hard to ignore, especially as it is considerably more powerful than both Low Kick and Drain Punch. Detect rounds off the set, allowing Medicham to stay in the fight for longer, as well as being effective even if the opponent uses Imprison. The EVs provided give Medicham as much Speed as possible. The Attack EVs give Medicham as much power as is possible, making it deadly alongside Pure Power. While most base 80 Speed Pokemon use a neutral Speed nature, Medicham uses Jolly to outspeed all neutral-natured base 92 Speed Pokemon and below, which includes key Pokemon such as Krookodile, Rotom-A, and Toxicroak. However, if one is looking for more power, an Adamant nature can still work, as Medicham will still Speed tie with other neutral-natured base 80 Speed Pokemon. After reading about how powerful Medicham is with Pure Power, you probably need some evidence of how powerful Medicham really is. Therefore, the calcs below showcase Medicham against common VGC 2012 threats. All of the calcs below are with Medicham using a Jolly nature and a Life Orb: Low Kick vs. 252/0 Metagross 68.4% - 80.8% Hi Jump Kick vs. 252/0 Metagross 73.6% - 86.8% Drain Punch vs. 252/0 Togekiss 54.5% - 64.4% Hi Jump Kick vs. 252/0 Togekiss 93.9% - 110.7% Drain Punch vs. 252/0 Politoed 64.1% - 75.3% Hi Jump Kick vs. 252/0 Politoed 110.4% - 130.5% Low Kick vs. 4/0 Garchomp 60.6% - 71.5% Hi Jump Kick vs. 4/0 Garchomp 98% - 115.6% Drain Punch vs. 252/0 Rotom-W 60.5% - 71.4% Hi Jump Kick vs. 252/0 Rotom-W 104.6% - 123.4% Zen Headbutt vs. 140/0 Zapdos 66.6% - 78.7% While the moves provided give Medicham the ideal moveset, they are changeable due to the immense number of coverage moves Medicham has. Ice Punch hits Flying-type Pokemon that resist Medicham's Fighting-type STAB move, such as Zapdos and Togekiss. It also has the added bonus of hitting Dragon-type Pokemon, such as Garchomp and Haxorus, for super effective damage. ThunderPunch not only nails Flying-type Pokemon, but also hits Water-type Pokemon such as Politoed and Jellicent, the latter being especially important as it is immune to Medicham's Fighting-type STAB attacks. Finally, Rock Slide is an option as it, again, hits Flying-type Pokemon, while it also gives Medicham a spread attack to use; however, it hits weaker than the elemental punches when spread attack mechanics are factored in. Medicham has problems against two types of Pokemon: Ghost and Flying. As such, Pokemon that can get rid of Ghost- and Flying-type Pokemon make great teammates. Dark-type Pokemon such as Hydreigon and Krookodile can get rid of Ghost-types, while Medicham clears Fighting-type Pokemon that give them trouble. Likewise, Electric-type Pokemon also make great partners, so Rotom-W, Rotom-H, and Zapdos can all work out fine. Also, as Fake Out is prone to making the opponent double Protect, Pokemon with Substitute make great partners, as they can use Substitute while the opponent blocks the Fake Out.

Medicham's amazing Attack, coupled with its decent Speed, make it a potent sweeper in UU. With the boost Life Orb provides, a quite extensive list of what High Jump Kick 2HKOes is created. Defensive threats, such as Milotic, will be 2HKOed if they attempt to come in on a High Jump Kick; for example, 248 HP / 252 Def Bold Milotic takes 55.2% - 65.1% damage. Low Kick is a safer option over High Jump Kick, as it has the same or greater Base Power as High Jump Kick when used against bulky Pokemon like Torterra and Donphan. However, the inconsistency in its Base Power can make more of a liability for Medicham than an asset, since Medicham will lose OHKOs that High Jump Kick would have scored against lighter Pokemon, such as Lanturn. Zen Headbutt deals with Pokemon that resist Medicham's Fighting-type STAB move, as well as having a 20% flinch rate to potentially spare Medicham from taking serious damage. Fake Out and Bullet Punch provide priority and let Medicham revenge kill weakened threats, such as Alakazam and Sceptile, with ease. Thunder Punch and Ice Punch can be used for coverage on Pokemon like Claydol or Slowbro, which resist both of Medicham's STAB attacks. Additionally, they serve as safer alternatives for High Jump Kick when used on Pokemon that are hit for super effective damage by the respective attack. An Adamant nature is a viable option on Medicham to ensure OHKOs on bulkier Pokemon that it still outspeeds, such as Dragon Dance Feraligatr (before the Speed boost from Dragon Dance) and Weezing. However, that will leave it unable to at least tie with many of the positive base 80 Pokemon in UU, most notably Venusaur. Since Psycho Cut is illegal alongside Bullet Punch, Zen Headbutt is the only physical Psychic-type STAB available to this Medicham set. While one can forgo Bullet Punch to use Psycho Cut, Bullet Punch is Medicham's most reliable priority move, as Fake Out only works once, and Medicham needs a reliable priority move to handle faster Pokemon. Medicham enjoys having entry hazards and paralysis support to sweep through opposing teams with greater ease. Registeel is a good teammate for this task as it can set up Stealth Rock, paralyze opposing Pokemon with Thunder Wave, and resists Flying- and Ghost-type attacks aimed at Medicham. Wish support is recommended to compensate for the loss of HP from Life Orb, which would leave Medicham at more risk than usual. Leafeon and Chansey are good choices due to their bulk.

A Choice Band provides Medicham with the necessary boost to break through even the sturdiest of physical walls. High Jump Kick coming off 657 Attack can OHKO walls such as Steelix and Regirock with minimal residual damage. Even Pokemon that take neutral damage from High Jump Kick are effectively 2HKOed after a switch in; for instance, Tank Torterra is dealt a minimum of 54.2% damage. Despite this destructive power, one should be wary of Ghost-types on the opposing team, which enjoy switching into Medicham locked into High Jump Kick, causing it to lose a significant portion of its HP in the process. Brick Break is a good option to avoid the perils of High Jump Kick, but Medicham will have to settle for 2HKOs on Pokemon that it would normally OHKO with High Jump Kick. Psycho Cut deals with Pokemon that High Jump Kick or Brick Break cannot dispose of, such as Venusaur and Weezing. Thunder Punch is for Flying-types and an alternative for High Jump Kick against Water-types. Slowbro, which normally counters Medicham, takes 51.8% - 60.9% damage from Thunder Punch, making it difficult for it to wall Medicham. Ice Punch is for additional coverage alongside Thunder Punch, mainly for Ground-types like Claydol and Gligar. Trick cripples defensive threats like Uxie by ridding them of their Leftovers, and is especially useful when partnered with Brick Break, so Medicham can at least ruin an opposing wall if it cannot KO it. This Medicham is an asset to offensive teams that need a reliable wallbreaker. While Medicham normally appreciates an Adamant nature to boost its already phenomenal Attack stat, Jolly is necessary to tie with other positive Speed nature base 80 Pokemon like Venusaur, Blaziken, and Altaria. A Pursuit user is also necessary to ensure that Medicham can attack without the fear of Ghosts switching in. Once again, Houndoom is an excellent candidate for the position as it also absorbs Will-O-Wisp aimed at Medicham. Entry hazards help Medicham tear through bulky Pokemon much easier. Omastar is a good choice to provide this due to its access to all three entry hazards and resistance to Flying-type moves.

An exceptional Attack stat, along with decent Speed, makes Medicham a perfect candidate for a Choice Scarf, transforming it into a potent revenge killer and late-game sweeper. Due to Medicham's mediocre defensive stats and lack of resistances, it is best to bring it in for a revenge kill, which should prove to be a simple task as Medicham has good type coverage with its attacks to KO most opponents. From there, Medicham can muscle its way through weakened teams with its titanic Attack. High Jump Kick is Medicham's main attack and reaches 150 Base Power after STAB, which can OHKO many neutral targets, such as Swellow and Sceptile. Bulkier sweepers such as Leafeon and Drapion will not have an easy time against High Jump Kick either, as most are 2HKOed even without residual damage factored in. Despite this, High Jump Kick should not be used haphazardly, as it invites Ghost-types to switch in and cause Medicham to lose a significant portion of its HP. Brick Break is a weaker alternative that does not suffer from High Jump Kick's flawed accuracy and potential recoil. Psycho Cut is a good secondary STAB that allows Medicham to handle Poison-types that resist High Jump Kick, primarily Venusaur and Weezing. Most Venusaur are OHKOed, while Weezing is always 2HKOed, regardless of residual damage. Support and SubSeeder Venusaur, however, are only OHKOed with residual damage. Psycho Cut also puts a large dent in Rotom and Mismagius that try to switch into a predicted Fighting-type move. Thunder Punch and Ice Punch are for additional coverage, mainly against specific Pokemon that resist or are neutral to either of Medicham's STAB attacks. Thunder Punch assures a 2HKO on Moltres and Slowking, while Ice Punch can OHKO Gligar and Altaria and 2HKO Claydol. Trick cripples defensive Pokemon like Slowbro and Uxie that would otherwise wall Medicham, making it easier for Medicham or another team member to dispose of them. A Jolly nature and Choice Scarf bring Medicham's Speed to 426, which is enough to outspeed Adamant Rock Polish Torterra and Aggron after a boost. Alternatively, Medicham can use an Adamant nature to improve its chances of scoring an OHKO against threats such as Scyther and Alakazam. The loss of Speed from using an Adamant nature, however, will leave Medicham vulnerable to boosting sweepers such as Rock Polish Rhyperior, which Medicham can normally take on when using a Jolly nature. Since High Jump Kick scores most of Medicham's KOs, a means of handling Ghost-types is necessary to let Medicham smash through opposing teams. Therefore, a Pursuit user is an excellent teammate for Medicham, and Houndoom fits that role perfectly. Mixed Houndoom eliminates Ghost-types with ease, as its Life Orb-boosted Pursuit OHKOes Mismagius and most Rotom as they switch out, and its Sucker Punch will always KO them. Additionally, Houndoom absorbs Will-O-Wisp aimed at Medicham to gain a Flash Fire boost, which will let it weaken the opposing team with a boosted Fire-type attack, so Medicham can come in and clean up later in the match. Phazers help Medicham tremendously when coupled with entry hazards, as they allow you to scout opposing teams for any Ghost-types or physically defensive Pokemon that cause Medicham trouble and rack up entry hazard damage by inducing multiple switches. Specially Defensive Drapion works well for this role because it can also KO Ghost-types that it may expose with Whirlwind or wear down opposing Pokemon with Toxic Spikes so Medicham can finish them off.