[OVERVIEW]
Pawniard is a metagame-defining force and a very potent wallbreaker with excellent STAB coverage and the strongest Knock Off in the tier. Its great offensive typing is really good defensively as well, taking on Flying- and Grass-type Pokemon with ease. It also severely threatens anything slower than it due to its good coverage, powerful attacks, and the potential for an Iron Head flinch. Additionally, unlike many of the best wallbreakers, Pawniard is no slouch against offense due to its powerful Sucker Punch. It does have a few flaws, though; a middling Speed stat leaves Pawniard in an awkward Speed tier, and it struggles with Fighting- and Fire-type Pokemon, which make for its best checks. Lastly, Pawniard suffers from having shaped the metagame in the past; more Pokemon run coverage moves for Pawniard than for any other Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: Stealth Rock / Swords Dance / Brick Break
item: Eviolite
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 116 SpD / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off provides a strong STAB attack and removes the foe's item. Sucker Punch is a strong priority attack that allows Pawniard to revenge KO many faster foes. Iron Head is another strong STAB attack that gives Pawniard excellent neutral coverage. Stealth Rock is an essential move to most teams, providing chip damage and breaking foe's Sturdy and Focus Sashes. Swords Dance turns Pawniard into a huge wallbreaking threat; most defensive Pokemon have severe trouble taking Pawniard on when it's at +2 Attack. Brick Break provides coverage against the three Pokemon in Little Cup that resist Pawniard's STAB attacks: Houndour, Carvanha, and other Pawniard.
Set Details
========
196 Speed EVs and a Jolly Nature maximize Pawniard's Speed. The defensive EV investment maximizes the boost to both of Pawniard's defenses that Eviolite provides. The remaining EVs go to Attack to boost Pawniard's power. Alternatively, an Adamant nature will further increase Pawniard's damage output but will leave it at risk of a Speed tie with Scraggy. Defiant is Pawniard's best ability; it gives Pawniard a +2 Attack boost if one of its stats drops. This helps Pawniard discourage the use of the move Defog and the ability Intimidate.
Usage Tips
========
One of Pawniard's main goals is to set Stealth Rock, a task easily accomplished against any Pokemon it forces out such as Snubbull. The next most important task for Pawniard is to spam Knock Off; the more items it can remove, the better! Pawniard has a tendency to bring in foe Fighting-type Pokemon, such as Mienfoo, as they attempt to take one of Pawniard's strong Knock Offs. A double switch to a check to Fighting-type Pokemon, such as Snubbull or Skrelp, is often a good idea. You can also use Pawniard to check a plethora of threatening Flying-, Grass-, and Fairy-type Pokemon due to its defensive typing and powerful priority attack. Additionally, if your opponent has a threatening setup sweeper such as Shellder or Omanyte, it is often wise to preserve Pawniard so it can KO them with Sucker Punch after they have set up and taken some damage.
Team Options
========
Pawniard is such a good Pokemon that it can fit on practically any team archetype, as there are very few teams that would not appreciate its immense offensive presence and strong defensive typing. However, a sturdy check to Fighting-type Pokemon is absolutely essential when using Pawniard. Good examples include Fairy-type Pokemon such as Snubbull and Poison-type Pokemon such as Mareanie and Foongus. Pawniard is also heavily threatened by Fire- and Ground-type Pokemon. A good switch-in to these Pokemon, such as Chinchou for Fire-types or Vullaby for Ground-types, helps remedy this issue. Lastly, Pawniard happens to synergize well with many Fighting-type Pokemon, as it threatens the Fairy- and Flying-type Pokemon with which Pokemon such as Mienfoo and Timburr tend to struggle.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf Attacker
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Pursuit
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off and Iron Head are Pawniard's best STAB attacks, and both have additional effects; Knock Off removes the foe's item and Iron Head has a chance to induce flinch. Brick Break complete's Pawniard's neutral coverage, allowing it to hit Houndour, Carvanha, and other Pawniard super effectively. Should you choose not to use Brick Break, however, Stealth Rock is a great option for teams that need the role compression it can provide. Pursuit allows Pawniard to trap weakened foes, and it guarantees the removal of any Gastly or Abra it manages to get in against. Defiant gives Pawniard a +2 Attack boost when one of its stats is dropped by a foe; this allows it to severely threaten Defog users.
Set Details
========
196 Speed EVs and a Jolly nature maximize Pawniard's Speed, which is then further boosted by Choice Scarf; Pawniard hits an impressive 24 Speed using this set. 236 Attack EVs maximize Pawniard's Attack, as it runs only attacking moves on this set and has little need for extra bulk. The remaining EVs boost Pawniard's defensive stats slightly; there's really no better place for them.
Usage Tips
========
This variant of Pawniard is good at picking up revenge KOs following the fainting of a teammate thanks to its high Speed and access to Pursuit. Smart predictions can allow you to bring Pawniard directly in on strong attackers such as Abra and Gastly, which Pawniard can then trap with Pursuit. However, always be wary of being hit with Hidden Power Fighting on the switch! Pawniard's excellent typing still allows it to switch in on many Flying- and Grass-type Pokemon to an extent; however, missing out on the bulk of Eviolite or the recovery of Berry Juice really hurts Pawniard's ability to switch into attacks repeatedly, so be cautious of it being worn down.
Team Options
========
Since you will often lock Pawniard into a Dark-type attack due to Choice Scarf, a strong check to Fighting-type Pokemon is absolutely essential. Good examples of such Pokemon include Spritzee, Foongus, and Ponyta. In addition to Fighting-type Pokemon, Pawniard is threatened by Fire- and Ground-type Pokemon. A good switch-in to these Pokemon, such as Chinchou for Fire-types or Snivy for Ground-types, is always a good choice. Because of its access to Pursuit, Pokemon that appreciate the removal of threats like Abra and Gastly, such as Timburr, find a good partner in Pawniard. Lastly, Pawniard is threatened by status effects such as burn and paralysis; cleric support from the likes of Snubbull and Chinchou helps to remedy this issue.
[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: Low Sweep / Swords Dance
item: Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
ivs: 0 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is a great STAB attack that also removes foes' items. Sucker Punch is a powerful priority attack that allows Pawniard to revenge kill a plethora of Pokemon. Iron Head is another STAB attack that provides excellent neutral coverage and super effective coverage against Fairy-type Pokemon. Low Sweep hits every Pokemon that resists Pawniard's STAB attacks for super effective damage, and it also lowers the Speed of any Pokemon it hits. This allows Pawniard to slow down conventional checks such as Mienfoo and Ponyta and hit them hard the next turn. Alternatively, Swords Dance allows Pawniard to further boost its Attack, making it into a truly terrifying threat. However, the move is fairly difficult to use effectively without the added bulk of Eviolite.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread and nature maximize Pawniard's Speed and Attack, making it as threatening as possible; the remaining EVs are put in bulk, as there's really no other place to put them. Life Orb boosts Pawniard's damage output by a factor of 1.3x at the cost of 1/10 of its HP per attack; 0 HP IVs allow Pawniard to only lose 1 HP per attack, as the calculation will round down. Defiant allows Pawniard to discourage the use of Defog, Sticky Web, and Intimidate by giving it a +2 Attack boost whenever one of its stats is dropped by the foe.
Usage Tips
========
Try to get Pawniard in on a free switch, like off a slow U-turn or after a teammate faints. That way, Pawniard will be able to stay as healthy as possible as it slowly loses HP to its Life Orb. For its Life Orb set more than ever, Pawniard has a tendency to bring in foe Fighting-type Pokemon, such as Mienfoo, as they attempt to take one of Pawniard's strong Knock Offs. A double switch to a check to Fighting-type Pokemon, such as Ponyta or Foongus, is often a good idea!
Team Options
========
Pawniard appreciates a free switch from slow pivot moves due to its increased frailty when using Life Orb. Mienfoo and Chinchou make great partners, as they tend to bring in Pokemon that are threatened by Pawniard and can pivot out to it using U-turn or Volt Switch. As always, Pawniard absolutely needs a good check to Fighting-type Pokemon in order to be successful. Offensive options such as Snubbull and Ponyta tend to fit well with the offensive playstyles on which Life Orb Pawniard fits best. Pawniard is always a huge threat to Pokemon slower than it, so Sticky Web support from Spinarak or Surskit can make it very difficult to handle. Spinarak comes with the added benefit of checking Fighting-type Pokemon well due to its Bug / Poison typing. Additionally, other entry hazard support can help Pawniard secure valuable KOs it would not obtain otherwise. Pokemon such as Dwebble and Omanyte can reliably set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes to provide chip damage against foe Pokemon. As Pawniard is particularly hampered by status effects such as burn and paralysis, cleric support from the likes of Snubbull and Chinchou can go a long way in making it more effective. Lastly, Pokemon such as Magnemite and Snivy that can use Thunder Wave or Glare to cripple Pawniard's checks can help make Pawniard even more of a threat.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Thunder Wave allows Pawniard to cripple any switch-in and opens up the potential for infinitely frustrating paraflinch shenanigans. Rock Tomb allows Pawniard to slow down and remove Ponyta, one of its best checks, if it switches in on the attack. It also helps Pawniard deal with Weak Armor Vullaby. However, it's very difficult to find room on a moveset for coverage against a few specific threats. Running Substitute allows Pawniard to capitalize on the many switches it tends to force. Holding a Lum Berry allows Pawniard a one-time out from crippling status inflictions such as burn and sleep as it takes on Pokemon such as Foongus, Ponyta, and Gastly. However, it is generally less effective overall than other options presented. Alternatively, holding Steelium Z gives Pawniard access to a one time attack that will OHKO any Mienfoo or Timburr on the switch, provided their items have been removed. This can be valuable as a lure, but its effects are very situational, limited, and overall less valuable than those of other items. Pawniard can also run Rock Polish in order to boost its Speed to an extremely threatening level. However, since it already has access to Sucker Punch, Rock Polish can become redundant, and the moveslot is generally better used with another move. Lastly, Choice Scarf Pawniard can make use of Snarl, as 36 EVs in Special Attack and a neutral nature allow Pawniard to KO Gastly behind a Substitute; however, this move is incredibly niche.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-type Pokemon**: Pawniard's best attacks are its Dark-type attacks, so its biggest threat is the plethora of Fighting-type Pokemon in the tier. The best examples are Mienfoo, which naturally outspeeds Pawniard, and Timburr and Croagunk, which each threaten Pawniard with priority Fighting-type attacks.
**Burn Status**: Pawniard becomes significantly less threatening when inflicted with burn; this can be accomplished by Flame Body users such as Ponyta and Larvesta or by Will-O-Wisp users such as Ponyta and Gastly.
**Ground-type Pokemon**: Mudbray and Diglett, specifically, are huge threats to Pawniard. Mudbray can repeatedly check Pawniard due to its ability Stamina and its powerful STAB Earthquake, whereas Diglett can come in on Pawniard after it KOes another foe Pokemon, trap it via Arena Trap, and KO it with Earthquake.
**Hidden Power Fighting Users**: Several Pokemon that do not ordinarily check Pawniard can be turned into checks by including Hidden Power Fighting in their moveset; these include fast Pokemon such as Cottonee, defensive Pokemon such as Foongus, and Magnemite, which can run a set that uses Hidden Power Fighting designed specifically to switch into and trap Pawniard.
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