Pupitar PU Analysis
Overview:
Pupitar with decent mixed bulk of 70 / 70 / 70 and access to Eviolite sets it apart from other tanks in the current meta such as golem or Avalugg. It is also blessed with shed skin so it can deal with status. Pupitar also contains offensive presence. It has access to dragon dance and two powerful STAB moves, stone edge and earthquake which have a great type advantage as they are only resisted by water and grass. Furthermore, with its access to stealth rocks, it can also be a lead, which it also outclasses golem at. Even so, it has two x4 weaknesses (water and grass), no reliable recovery other than rest, and is set-up fodder after its eviolite is knocked off.
Set Name: Hard Shelled Taco
Pupitar @ Eviolite
Ability: Shed Skin
EVs: 126 HP / 252 Atk / 126 Def
Nature: Adamant / Jolly
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rocks
- Dragon Dance
Moves:
Earthquake is Pupitar’s most reliable STAB move and unloads a lot of damage onto anything that doesn’t resist it. Thinking about using a flying type? Pupitar also gets access to stone edge which will OHKO almost every bird in the tier (Assuming it hits). Dragon Dance can be used to set up all over stalls and then break through them. Finally, Stealth Rocks is just a utility move if your team is weak to flying or fire types such as Monferno.
Set Details:
Eviolite is used to maximize the decent defensive stats. Investment in HP and Defense ensures it can only be 3HKOed by Avalugg Avalanche and 2HKOed by a close combat Monferno. Max investment in attack ensures a OHKO with earthquake on an all-out attacker Monferno. On-top of all that, Shed Skin helps it reliably soak status moves.
Usage Tips:
Due to its exposure while setting up, you need to have at least one water and grass check and prefers to be brought in after a KO or by a pivot. Even so, it can be completely safely on stalls such as clefairy because of shed skin, and start to set-up all over it.
Team Options:
Pupitar excels on stall or balanced teams. The single best pair for Pupitar is Clefairy. Clefairy counters its weakness to grass knot perfectly and can tank an aqua jet or energy ball, and Pupitar counters all of Clefairy’s weaknesses with earthquake.
Other Options:
Pupitar has a great movepool. Rock Slide or Smack Down can be used over stone edge for the accuracy. It can be a revenge killer if using retaliation but without set-up it has almost no offensive presence. Super-power can be an option if you need to take out common threats such as Bouffalant and Stoutland. Iron head is a good choice to 2HKO Clefairy if it has set-up with x2 attack. Crunch can take out Drifblim and Dusclops with ease not to mention Kadabra.
Checks and Counters:
- Faster Water Types: All-out attackers such as Frogadier get a guaranteed OHKO.
- Faster Grass Types: Chloropyll grass types make quick work of pupitar due to its x4 weakness and no coverage moves.
- Special / Mixed Sweepers: Even though Pupitar has a solid 70 Special Defense and is eviolite boosted, strong special sweepers such as Cacturne can OHKO it without fear of Stone Edge or Earthquake.
- Knock Off: A powerful knock off user such as Regigigas can OHKO or 2HKO it with ease and not worry much about its unboosted attacks.
Overview:
Pupitar with decent mixed bulk of 70 / 70 / 70 and access to Eviolite sets it apart from other tanks in the current meta such as golem or Avalugg. It is also blessed with shed skin so it can deal with status. Pupitar also contains offensive presence. It has access to dragon dance and two powerful STAB moves, stone edge and earthquake which have a great type advantage as they are only resisted by water and grass. Furthermore, with its access to stealth rocks, it can also be a lead, which it also outclasses golem at. Even so, it has two x4 weaknesses (water and grass), no reliable recovery other than rest, and is set-up fodder after its eviolite is knocked off.
Set Name: Hard Shelled Taco
Pupitar @ Eviolite
Ability: Shed Skin
EVs: 126 HP / 252 Atk / 126 Def
Nature: Adamant / Jolly
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rocks
- Dragon Dance
Moves:
Earthquake is Pupitar’s most reliable STAB move and unloads a lot of damage onto anything that doesn’t resist it. Thinking about using a flying type? Pupitar also gets access to stone edge which will OHKO almost every bird in the tier (Assuming it hits). Dragon Dance can be used to set up all over stalls and then break through them. Finally, Stealth Rocks is just a utility move if your team is weak to flying or fire types such as Monferno.
Set Details:
Eviolite is used to maximize the decent defensive stats. Investment in HP and Defense ensures it can only be 3HKOed by Avalugg Avalanche and 2HKOed by a close combat Monferno. Max investment in attack ensures a OHKO with earthquake on an all-out attacker Monferno. On-top of all that, Shed Skin helps it reliably soak status moves.
Usage Tips:
Due to its exposure while setting up, you need to have at least one water and grass check and prefers to be brought in after a KO or by a pivot. Even so, it can be completely safely on stalls such as clefairy because of shed skin, and start to set-up all over it.
Team Options:
Pupitar excels on stall or balanced teams. The single best pair for Pupitar is Clefairy. Clefairy counters its weakness to grass knot perfectly and can tank an aqua jet or energy ball, and Pupitar counters all of Clefairy’s weaknesses with earthquake.
Other Options:
Pupitar has a great movepool. Rock Slide or Smack Down can be used over stone edge for the accuracy. It can be a revenge killer if using retaliation but without set-up it has almost no offensive presence. Super-power can be an option if you need to take out common threats such as Bouffalant and Stoutland. Iron head is a good choice to 2HKO Clefairy if it has set-up with x2 attack. Crunch can take out Drifblim and Dusclops with ease not to mention Kadabra.
Checks and Counters:
- Faster Water Types: All-out attackers such as Frogadier get a guaranteed OHKO.
- Faster Grass Types: Chloropyll grass types make quick work of pupitar due to its x4 weakness and no coverage moves.
- Special / Mixed Sweepers: Even though Pupitar has a solid 70 Special Defense and is eviolite boosted, strong special sweepers such as Cacturne can OHKO it without fear of Stone Edge or Earthquake.
- Knock Off: A powerful knock off user such as Regigigas can OHKO or 2HKO it with ease and not worry much about its unboosted attacks.
