[overview]
**Draft order**: Round 4 onwards
**Price range**: 12-13 points
**Overview**: Kingambit boasts very strong Attack, which it combines with its great STAB moves in Iron Head and Kowtow Cleave, allowing it to put strong offensive pressure on the enemy team. As well as this, it has a good priority move and decent utility options to help support its team. Combining this with its bulky stats makes Kingambit incredibly annoying to prepare for. However, its slow base Speed and its 4x Fighting-type weakness mean it's extremely reliant on being able to take hits before dealing damage.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Physical Wallbreaker**: When given a damage-boosting item, Kingambit can reliably deal massive damage to all but the biggest walls in the game. It threatens many Pokemon and forces them to switch out, including faster Pokemon for their fear of being hit by a strong STAB-boosted Sucker Punch.
**Setup Sweeper**: With access to Swords Dance, Kingambit can use Sucker Punch on faster, frailer Pokemon and use its stronger STAB moves and coverage moves to take out bulkier, slower Pokemon. A well-timed Swords Dance can be devastating for the opponent to deal with.
**Bulky Utility**: Kingambit can provide a utility role in games where it's needed, using moves such as Taunt and Thunder Wave for disruption or Stealth Rock for entry hazard setting. Furthermore, a Defiant Kingambit can deter the opponent from running Defog and Intimidate on certain enemy Pokemon.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Sucker Punch, Iron Head, Kowtow Cleave
**Setup moves**: Swords Dance
**Utility moves**: Thunder Wave, Stealth Rock, Substitute, Foul Play
**Coverage**: Brick Break, Low Kick, Poison Jab, Rock Tomb, Stone Edge, X-Scissor, Zen Headbutt
Niche Moves
========
**Lash Out**: Due to Kingambit's access to Defiant, Lash Out becomes a potentially strong STAB move that deals insane amounts of damage to any Pokemon even attempting to lower its stats.
**Metal Burst**: Metal Burst is a very uncommon move, but thanks to Kingambit's massive physical bulk, it can reliably use this move against foes that would otherwise withstand its attacks.
Common Items
========
**Resistance Berries**: Steel / Dark is a fantastic type combination with very few weaknesses. Thus, Kingambit is a very reliable user of a resistance Berry, oftentimes surviving a hit that is expected to KO it. Chople Berry is especially common, with some Pokemon carrying Fighting-type coverage moves just to take on Kingambit.
**Damage-Boosting Items**: Kingambit usually hates being Choice-locked into one move due to the mind games that come with Sucker Punch. However, it does appreciate a damage-boosting item. One can be used to help Kingambit hit damage ranges that it otherwise would not.
**Leftovers**: As a slower attacker, Kingambit appreciates being able to stay on the field as long as possible. Leftovers can help Kingambit pull off a Swords Dance and sweep the entire opposing team.
**Lum Berry**: Being burned is quite possibly a Kingambit player's biggest fear. Lum Berry allows it to ignore one connected Will-O-Wisp or Flame Body activation.
Niche Items
========
**Air Balloon**: Against a team with a reasonably threatening Earthquake or Earth Power user, an Air Balloon lets Kingambit ignore this threat for the beginning of the battle. This forces opposing Pokemon to have to hit Kingambit with a potentially weaker move whilst having to take a strong hit in return.
**Assault Vest**: Kingambit's fantastic physical bulk unfortunately comes with weaker special bulk. While a setup move would usually be appreciated on Kingambit, an Assault Vest can be used to let it take on some of the stronger special attackers in the game.
**Mental Herb**: Being a strong setup sweeper, Kingambit can naturally be blocked from sweeping by a non-Prankster Encore or Taunt user. A Mental Herb helps let Kingambit begin its sweep without being disrupted by the opponent.
**Choice Band**: In a matchup with weaker Dark-resistant Pokemon, Choice Band becomes a more viable item. Kingambit's already strong moves get boosted even further, making switch-ins for it incredibly unreliable.
**Protective Pads**: Kingambit has a ton of contact moves that it would like to make use of. If the opponent carries bulky Flame Body, Static, and Rocky Helmet users, then Kingambit may find it worthwhile to run Protective Pads to prevent the risk of unnecessary damage or a status condition.
Tera
========
Kingambit is usually Tera-banned. If you get the chance to use a Tera-Legal Kingambit, I both congratulate you and pray for your opponent's well-being. It should absolutely be one of your Tera Captains. Tera Dark is one popular choice, further boosting the power of STAB Kowtow Cleave and Sucker Punch. Other great options include defensive Tera types, such as Fairy, Water, and Flying, to flip its defensive matchups on their heads.
Draft Strategy
========
Kingambit is a very good bulky physical attacker and can offer solid support options for a team. It fits best on teams that appreciate these roles, but make sure that the team can cover its numerous weaknesses. You should expect to have at least some of the following roles filled out before considering picking it.
**Special wallbreaker**: Kingambit struggles against strong physical walls like Great Tusk and Dondozo. Special attackers such as Keldeo, Chi-Yu, and Enamorus are able to deal significant damage to Kingambit's common checks or force them to run less physical bulk, which in turn allows it to perform better.
**Entry hazard setters**: Despite Kingambit's access to entry hazards, another Pokemon with access to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, or Stealth Rock can pair really well with it. This allows Kingambit to run another move to boost its offensive potential without having to miss out on some potential KOs. Great examples of these partners include Iron Treads, Garchomp, and Gliscor.
**Fairy- and Flying-types**: With a 4x super effective STAB move and a resistance to Sucker Punch, most Fighting-types are very good answers to Kingambit. Therefore, it would be very useful to draft a Pokemon that can withstand the Fighting-type attacks that Kingambit is weak to. Enamorus and Iron Valiant offer fantastic offensive potential against Kingambit counters, and Zapdos, Clefable, and Moltres can offer great defensive synergy.
**Fast attackers**: With good partners that fill in Speed tiers the slow Kingambit cannot reach, offensive foes will feel pressured into investing more of their EVs into Speed rather than bulk to move first against your team. This makes the opposing team more frail and allows Kingambit to perform its role as a cleaner more reliably, picking off faster foes with Sucker Punch. Speedy Pokemon like Sneasler, Latios, and Garchomp complement Kingambit well in this regard.
Checks and Counters
========
**Special wallbreakers**: Kingambit's lower Special Defense leaves it open to strong special attacks. Frailer attackers can get picked off by a Sucker Punch, but Pokemon like Enamorus and Darkrai can resist the attack and deal massive damage back.
**Bulky physical walls**: With limited coverage, Kingambit struggles to make a dent in the best physical walls. Pokemon like Great Tusk and Iron Hands can absorb its STAB and coverage moves very well, then threaten it back with big damage.
**Flame Body / Static users**: The overwhelming majority of Kingambit's moves make contact. Therefore, it is extremely susceptible to contact move abilities from Pokemon like Zapdos and Moltres. This can be neutralized by running Protective Pads or Lum Berry, but this does come at the expense of its item slot.
**Fighting-type attackers**: Kingambit is 4x weak to Fighting. On top of that, Fighting-type attackers like Mienshao and Iron Valiant resist its Sucker Punch and can threaten an OHKO back. Even Pokemon that have Fighting-type coverage moves like Meowscarada can expose Kingambit's biggest weakness.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/faultierchunk60.602692
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hacker.387847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
**Draft order**: Round 4 onwards
**Price range**: 12-13 points
**Overview**: Kingambit boasts very strong Attack, which it combines with its great STAB moves in Iron Head and Kowtow Cleave, allowing it to put strong offensive pressure on the enemy team. As well as this, it has a good priority move and decent utility options to help support its team. Combining this with its bulky stats makes Kingambit incredibly annoying to prepare for. However, its slow base Speed and its 4x Fighting-type weakness mean it's extremely reliant on being able to take hits before dealing damage.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Physical Wallbreaker**: When given a damage-boosting item, Kingambit can reliably deal massive damage to all but the biggest walls in the game. It threatens many Pokemon and forces them to switch out, including faster Pokemon for their fear of being hit by a strong STAB-boosted Sucker Punch.
**Setup Sweeper**: With access to Swords Dance, Kingambit can use Sucker Punch on faster, frailer Pokemon and use its stronger STAB moves and coverage moves to take out bulkier, slower Pokemon. A well-timed Swords Dance can be devastating for the opponent to deal with.
**Bulky Utility**: Kingambit can provide a utility role in games where it's needed, using moves such as Taunt and Thunder Wave for disruption or Stealth Rock for entry hazard setting. Furthermore, a Defiant Kingambit can deter the opponent from running Defog and Intimidate on certain enemy Pokemon.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Sucker Punch, Iron Head, Kowtow Cleave
**Setup moves**: Swords Dance
**Utility moves**: Thunder Wave, Stealth Rock, Substitute, Foul Play
**Coverage**: Brick Break, Low Kick, Poison Jab, Rock Tomb, Stone Edge, X-Scissor, Zen Headbutt
Niche Moves
========
**Lash Out**: Due to Kingambit's access to Defiant, Lash Out becomes a potentially strong STAB move that deals insane amounts of damage to any Pokemon even attempting to lower its stats.
**Metal Burst**: Metal Burst is a very uncommon move, but thanks to Kingambit's massive physical bulk, it can reliably use this move against foes that would otherwise withstand its attacks.
Common Items
========
**Resistance Berries**: Steel / Dark is a fantastic type combination with very few weaknesses. Thus, Kingambit is a very reliable user of a resistance Berry, oftentimes surviving a hit that is expected to KO it. Chople Berry is especially common, with some Pokemon carrying Fighting-type coverage moves just to take on Kingambit.
**Damage-Boosting Items**: Kingambit usually hates being Choice-locked into one move due to the mind games that come with Sucker Punch. However, it does appreciate a damage-boosting item. One can be used to help Kingambit hit damage ranges that it otherwise would not.
**Leftovers**: As a slower attacker, Kingambit appreciates being able to stay on the field as long as possible. Leftovers can help Kingambit pull off a Swords Dance and sweep the entire opposing team.
**Lum Berry**: Being burned is quite possibly a Kingambit player's biggest fear. Lum Berry allows it to ignore one connected Will-O-Wisp or Flame Body activation.
Niche Items
========
**Air Balloon**: Against a team with a reasonably threatening Earthquake or Earth Power user, an Air Balloon lets Kingambit ignore this threat for the beginning of the battle. This forces opposing Pokemon to have to hit Kingambit with a potentially weaker move whilst having to take a strong hit in return.
**Assault Vest**: Kingambit's fantastic physical bulk unfortunately comes with weaker special bulk. While a setup move would usually be appreciated on Kingambit, an Assault Vest can be used to let it take on some of the stronger special attackers in the game.
**Mental Herb**: Being a strong setup sweeper, Kingambit can naturally be blocked from sweeping by a non-Prankster Encore or Taunt user. A Mental Herb helps let Kingambit begin its sweep without being disrupted by the opponent.
**Choice Band**: In a matchup with weaker Dark-resistant Pokemon, Choice Band becomes a more viable item. Kingambit's already strong moves get boosted even further, making switch-ins for it incredibly unreliable.
**Protective Pads**: Kingambit has a ton of contact moves that it would like to make use of. If the opponent carries bulky Flame Body, Static, and Rocky Helmet users, then Kingambit may find it worthwhile to run Protective Pads to prevent the risk of unnecessary damage or a status condition.
Tera
========
Kingambit is usually Tera-banned. If you get the chance to use a Tera-Legal Kingambit, I both congratulate you and pray for your opponent's well-being. It should absolutely be one of your Tera Captains. Tera Dark is one popular choice, further boosting the power of STAB Kowtow Cleave and Sucker Punch. Other great options include defensive Tera types, such as Fairy, Water, and Flying, to flip its defensive matchups on their heads.
Draft Strategy
========
Kingambit is a very good bulky physical attacker and can offer solid support options for a team. It fits best on teams that appreciate these roles, but make sure that the team can cover its numerous weaknesses. You should expect to have at least some of the following roles filled out before considering picking it.
**Special wallbreaker**: Kingambit struggles against strong physical walls like Great Tusk and Dondozo. Special attackers such as Keldeo, Chi-Yu, and Enamorus are able to deal significant damage to Kingambit's common checks or force them to run less physical bulk, which in turn allows it to perform better.
**Entry hazard setters**: Despite Kingambit's access to entry hazards, another Pokemon with access to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, or Stealth Rock can pair really well with it. This allows Kingambit to run another move to boost its offensive potential without having to miss out on some potential KOs. Great examples of these partners include Iron Treads, Garchomp, and Gliscor.
**Fairy- and Flying-types**: With a 4x super effective STAB move and a resistance to Sucker Punch, most Fighting-types are very good answers to Kingambit. Therefore, it would be very useful to draft a Pokemon that can withstand the Fighting-type attacks that Kingambit is weak to. Enamorus and Iron Valiant offer fantastic offensive potential against Kingambit counters, and Zapdos, Clefable, and Moltres can offer great defensive synergy.
**Fast attackers**: With good partners that fill in Speed tiers the slow Kingambit cannot reach, offensive foes will feel pressured into investing more of their EVs into Speed rather than bulk to move first against your team. This makes the opposing team more frail and allows Kingambit to perform its role as a cleaner more reliably, picking off faster foes with Sucker Punch. Speedy Pokemon like Sneasler, Latios, and Garchomp complement Kingambit well in this regard.
Checks and Counters
========
**Special wallbreakers**: Kingambit's lower Special Defense leaves it open to strong special attacks. Frailer attackers can get picked off by a Sucker Punch, but Pokemon like Enamorus and Darkrai can resist the attack and deal massive damage back.
**Bulky physical walls**: With limited coverage, Kingambit struggles to make a dent in the best physical walls. Pokemon like Great Tusk and Iron Hands can absorb its STAB and coverage moves very well, then threaten it back with big damage.
**Flame Body / Static users**: The overwhelming majority of Kingambit's moves make contact. Therefore, it is extremely susceptible to contact move abilities from Pokemon like Zapdos and Moltres. This can be neutralized by running Protective Pads or Lum Berry, but this does come at the expense of its item slot.
**Fighting-type attackers**: Kingambit is 4x weak to Fighting. On top of that, Fighting-type attackers like Mienshao and Iron Valiant resist its Sucker Punch and can threaten an OHKO back. Even Pokemon that have Fighting-type coverage moves like Meowscarada can expose Kingambit's biggest weakness.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/faultierchunk60.602692
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hacker.387847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
Last edited: