[SET]
name: Berry Juice
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Berry Juice
ability: Defiant / Inner Focus
nature: Careful
evs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 196 SpD / 116 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Pawniard is one of Little Cup's best Stealth Rock setters, and it fills an invaluable role as a defensive Steel-type, checking powerful special attackers like Porygon and Abra. STAB Knock Off provides invaluable team support by removing Berry Juice and Eviolite and bringing foes into KO range of Pawniard's teammates. Iron Head is important for hitting Fighting-types hard on the switch, and it can sometimes bypass Pawniard's checks with its flinch chance. Berry Juice, a Careful nature, and the given EV spread help Pawniard avoid 2HKOs from hard hitters like Porygon and Staryu. Defiant lets Pawniard take advantage of stat drops from Galarian Ponyta's Mystical Fire and Abra's Shadow Ball, while Inner Focus prevents flinches from opposing Pawniard and weakened Mienfoo using Fake Out for chip damage.
Pawniard is a great switch into dangerous special attackers like Porygon, Abra, and Galarian Ponyta, and thus it pairs well with bulky Poison-types and Mienfoo, which fear OHKOs from them. It is also the most reliable Stealth Rock setter against Natu which fears Knock Off, thus helping offensive threats like Abra and Grookey that need Stealth Rock to reliably beat Natu. Pawniard needs a partner that can handle Mienfoo and Timburr, and bulky Poison-types like Koffing, Mareanie, and Foongus do this well. Frillish and Diglett help against Fire-types like Ponyta and Vulpix while also providing backup against Abra that carry Fighting-type coverage. Pawniard is vulnerable to Diglett and Trapinch, so a partner like Grookey or Staryu that takes advantages of these trappers is recommended.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Pawniard can run a set with Eviolite and more Speed investment, but it is less effective at handling the special attackers Pawniard checks. Choice Scarf is an option to catch faster foes like Abra and Galarian Ponyta unaware, and, as a Choice Scarf user, Pawniard has the advantage of outspeeding common Choice Scarf users like Porygon and Mudbray while resisting Grookey's Grassy Glide. A suicide lead set with Inner Focus, Focus Sash, Thunder Wave, and Steel Beam can be run on hyper offense teams to reliably set Stealth Rock. Thunder Wave is also an option on bulky sets to paralyze Mienfoo on the switch. Swords Dance is an option to overwhelm foes like bulky Poison-types at +2, though Pawniard's middling Speed limits its sweeping potential. Low Sweep beats other Pawniard and slows Mienfoo on the switch.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mienfoo**: Mienfoo is the most common Pokemon in the tier and also one of most reliable switch-ins to Pawniard, as it resists Knock Off, outspeeds it, and OHKOes it easily. After forcing Pawniard out, Mienfoo can take advantage with Knock Off and U-turn, and it can maintain its longevity with Regenerator. However, Mienfoo can be worn down by repeatedly switching into Iron Head and is vulnerable to Thunder Wave. Inner Focus Pawniard can also punish Mienfoo for using Fake Out when it is at low health.
**Timburr**: Timburr has the physical bulk to switch into Pawniard with little fear and reliably OHKOes it with Mach Punch. It can also heal off damage from Pawniard with Drain Punch and take advantage of forcing a switch by using Knock Off and its coverage. However, Timburr can be worn down by repeated switches into Iron Head, and it may struggle to recover enough health with Drain Punch.
**Fighting-type Coverage**: Abra, one of Pawniard's most important foes to check, can turn the tables and OHKO it with Focus Punch or Submission. Galarian Ponyta and opposing Pawniard can also run Low Kick to surprise it. Psychic-types must make risky predictions or use Substitute to safely attack Pawniard, though.
**Trappers**: Diglett and especially Trapinch can trap Pawniard on a double switch or after a KO. Trapinch is sometimes bulky enough to hard switch into Pawniard, though it can still lose to Iron Head flinches and frailer sets must beware switching into Knock Off. Life Orb Diglett runs Substitute to avoid the threat of Sucker Punch and safely trap. Both must beware losing too much health from trapping it, though, as this may limit their effectiveness against more threatening targets later.
**Fire-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Ponyta, Vulpix, and Charmander all outspeed and easily OHKO Pawniard, though they must fear Sucker Punch. Koffing, Natu, and Galarian Ponyta each run Fire-type coverage to wear down Pawniard, though Berry Juice helps it avoid 2HKOs from these moves, and Mystical Fire also triggers Defiant.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[KSG, 32350]]
- Quality checked by: [[gali, 107567], [DC, 449990]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
name: Berry Juice
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Berry Juice
ability: Defiant / Inner Focus
nature: Careful
evs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 196 SpD / 116 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Pawniard is one of Little Cup's best Stealth Rock setters, and it fills an invaluable role as a defensive Steel-type, checking powerful special attackers like Porygon and Abra. STAB Knock Off provides invaluable team support by removing Berry Juice and Eviolite and bringing foes into KO range of Pawniard's teammates. Iron Head is important for hitting Fighting-types hard on the switch, and it can sometimes bypass Pawniard's checks with its flinch chance. Berry Juice, a Careful nature, and the given EV spread help Pawniard avoid 2HKOs from hard hitters like Porygon and Staryu. Defiant lets Pawniard take advantage of stat drops from Galarian Ponyta's Mystical Fire and Abra's Shadow Ball, while Inner Focus prevents flinches from opposing Pawniard and weakened Mienfoo using Fake Out for chip damage.
Pawniard is a great switch into dangerous special attackers like Porygon, Abra, and Galarian Ponyta, and thus it pairs well with bulky Poison-types and Mienfoo, which fear OHKOs from them. It is also the most reliable Stealth Rock setter against Natu which fears Knock Off, thus helping offensive threats like Abra and Grookey that need Stealth Rock to reliably beat Natu. Pawniard needs a partner that can handle Mienfoo and Timburr, and bulky Poison-types like Koffing, Mareanie, and Foongus do this well. Frillish and Diglett help against Fire-types like Ponyta and Vulpix while also providing backup against Abra that carry Fighting-type coverage. Pawniard is vulnerable to Diglett and Trapinch, so a partner like Grookey or Staryu that takes advantages of these trappers is recommended.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Pawniard can run a set with Eviolite and more Speed investment, but it is less effective at handling the special attackers Pawniard checks. Choice Scarf is an option to catch faster foes like Abra and Galarian Ponyta unaware, and, as a Choice Scarf user, Pawniard has the advantage of outspeeding common Choice Scarf users like Porygon and Mudbray while resisting Grookey's Grassy Glide. A suicide lead set with Inner Focus, Focus Sash, Thunder Wave, and Steel Beam can be run on hyper offense teams to reliably set Stealth Rock. Thunder Wave is also an option on bulky sets to paralyze Mienfoo on the switch. Swords Dance is an option to overwhelm foes like bulky Poison-types at +2, though Pawniard's middling Speed limits its sweeping potential. Low Sweep beats other Pawniard and slows Mienfoo on the switch.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mienfoo**: Mienfoo is the most common Pokemon in the tier and also one of most reliable switch-ins to Pawniard, as it resists Knock Off, outspeeds it, and OHKOes it easily. After forcing Pawniard out, Mienfoo can take advantage with Knock Off and U-turn, and it can maintain its longevity with Regenerator. However, Mienfoo can be worn down by repeatedly switching into Iron Head and is vulnerable to Thunder Wave. Inner Focus Pawniard can also punish Mienfoo for using Fake Out when it is at low health.
**Timburr**: Timburr has the physical bulk to switch into Pawniard with little fear and reliably OHKOes it with Mach Punch. It can also heal off damage from Pawniard with Drain Punch and take advantage of forcing a switch by using Knock Off and its coverage. However, Timburr can be worn down by repeated switches into Iron Head, and it may struggle to recover enough health with Drain Punch.
**Fighting-type Coverage**: Abra, one of Pawniard's most important foes to check, can turn the tables and OHKO it with Focus Punch or Submission. Galarian Ponyta and opposing Pawniard can also run Low Kick to surprise it. Psychic-types must make risky predictions or use Substitute to safely attack Pawniard, though.
**Trappers**: Diglett and especially Trapinch can trap Pawniard on a double switch or after a KO. Trapinch is sometimes bulky enough to hard switch into Pawniard, though it can still lose to Iron Head flinches and frailer sets must beware switching into Knock Off. Life Orb Diglett runs Substitute to avoid the threat of Sucker Punch and safely trap. Both must beware losing too much health from trapping it, though, as this may limit their effectiveness against more threatening targets later.
**Fire-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Ponyta, Vulpix, and Charmander all outspeed and easily OHKO Pawniard, though they must fear Sucker Punch. Koffing, Natu, and Galarian Ponyta each run Fire-type coverage to wear down Pawniard, though Berry Juice helps it avoid 2HKOs from these moves, and Mystical Fire also triggers Defiant.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[KSG, 32350]]
- Quality checked by: [[gali, 107567], [DC, 449990]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
Last edited:
