[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 6-8 points
**Overview**: Munkidori is a mid-tier special attacker that can set up, wallbreak, pivot, or and deal valuable chip damage. Toxic Chain lets it turn moves such as Fake Out and U-turn into strong momentum swings by potentially inflicting Toxic on foes. Its strength as a special attacker is only limited by a poor coverage pool and middling bulk. It has to rely on the unreliable Focus Blast to hit Dark- and Steel-types, and its STAB combination is not very spammable, especially when Choice-locked. While it is somewhat fast, many faster foes can easily KO Munkidori, forcing it to use Choice Scarf more often than it wants.
Common Roles
========
**Offensive Pivot**: With access to U-turn and Parting Shot, Munkidori can easily pivot out against slower foes. U-turn synergizes with Toxic Chain, whereas Parting Shot can weaken incoming attacks for the Pokemon switching in. Running Frisk allows Munkidori to scout items on multiple opposing Pokemon. Using a Choice Scarf allows it to be a good speed control option, with Trick being able to cripple setup sweepers and walls.
**Wallbreaker**: Munkidori can very easily deals lots of damage to unprepared teams, as a strong Special Attack stat paired with Choice Specs or other damage-boosting options can allow it to deal large chunks of damage. It can use Nasty Plot to break through defensive answers.
**Toxic Spreader**: Toxic Chain allows Munkidori to threaten chip damage on opposing pokemon that are not immune to being poisoned. Fake Out gives it a free turn to potentially inflict Toxic on opposing Pokemon, and U-turn can allow it to switch out while also having a chance to poison foes. Using Fake Out or Protect against an already-poisoned Pokemon gives a free turn of chip damage. Venoshock can be ran here if the opposing Pokemon is poisoned, allowing Munkidori to threaten large amounts of damage.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Psychic, Psyshock, Sludge Wave, Venoshock, Future Sight, Psychic Noise
**Setup Moves**: Nasty Plot, Calm Mind
**Utility Moves**: U-turn, Trick, Parting Shot, Fake Out, Taunt, Clear Smog, Substitute, Toxic, Protect
**Coverage**: Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, Grass Knot
Niche Moves
========
**Sludge Bomb**: Sludge Bomb can be run over Sludge Wave to maintain damage while having a larger chance to inflict poison on the foe.
**Hex**: Hex can be a strong coverage move on sets that want to reliably poison foes, although it does not help too much against the better counters to that strategy.
Common Items
========
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf allows Munkidori to outspeed many threats while either dealing significant damage to those threats or pivoting to a Pokemon better suited for the matchup.
**Damage-boosting Item**: Choice Specs allows Munkidori to deal large amounts of damage, whereas Life Orb lets it select different moves at the cost of recoil damage and a smaller damage boost. It can also use Twisted Spoon, Poison Barb, and Expert belt to deal slightly more damage to specific foes without drawback.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Pivoting and Toxic-spreading sets frequently enter the field, leaving Munkidori vulnerable to entry hazard damage. Heavy-Duty Boots allow it to more freely switch back in without having to worry about extra chip damage.
Niche Items
========
**Focus Sash**: Munkidori's lackluster bulk means in some matchups, having the ability to survive a single hit can allow it to eliminate a relevant threat. This should only be run if it is a dedicated lead or on a team with reliable entryhazard removal.
**Black Sludge**: Investing in Munkidori's bulk combined with Fake Out and Protect on more Toxic-focused sets let Black Sludge easily recover back resisted and weaker neutral hits.
**Assault Vest**: With its already decent Special Defense, Assault Vest Munkidori can relatively easily survive special attacks while still being able to deal damage, pivot, and spread Toxic.
**Resistance Berries**: As Munkidori is weak to Dark-type moves, Colbur Berry can allow it to power through a Sucker Punch. Kasib Berry can reduce the damage from an incoming Shadow Sneak.
Tera
========
While Munkidori is not the strongest Tera Captain, Tera Blast can give it a consistent coverage option for the Pokemon that would wall its STAB moves. Common Tera Types would be Tera Ground, Fire, and Fighting. In addition, Tera Dark and Flying allow Munkidori to mitigate a significant portion of damage from potential super effective Dark-, Ghost-, and Ground-type attacks.
Draft Strategy
========
Munkidori is a frail special attacker that can benefit teammates with its wallbreaking and Toxic-spreading abilities. It will not win games on its own in most cases, but it can provide valuable utility to its teammates.
**Reliable Steel-type Counters**: As Steel-type Pokemon are the best counters for Munkidori, they often run special bulk. Using Parting Shot on them would allow for the counter to more easily come in. This includes Pokemon like Great Tusk, Garchomp, and Rotom-H.
**Entry Hazard Support**: Good entry hazard support can allow Munkidori to KO Pokemon that would otherwise threaten it. These hazards can also wear down opposing Steel-types and compound with the chip damage from Toxic spreader sets. Pokemon like Ting-Lu, Gliscor, and Iron Treads fulfill this role.
**Slow Pivots**: While Munkidori can be a pivot, it is not bulky enough to switch into most attacks more than once. As such, a slower pivot such as Corviknight, Mandibuzz, and Alomomola can allow it to get in and apply pressure in different ways, whether it be to pivot on the opposing switch-in or deal large amounts of damage.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Bulky Pokemon can sit in front of foes poisoned by Munkidori, allowing the status damage to ultimately knock them out. Skeledirge, Gholdengo, and Moltres can all fulfill this role.
Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types**: Steel-types are immune to Poison and resist Psychic, greatly forcing Munkidori to use the unreliable Focus Blast to damage them. Pokemon like Corviknight, Jirachi, and Gholdengo are excellent counters.
**Faster Wallbreakers**: Attackers that outspeed Munkidori and can easily KO it mitigate the threat it poses. This includes Meowscarada, Greninja, and Azelf.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Specially Defensive Pokemon take little damage from most of Munkidori's attacks, with the exception of Psyshock. In addition, they can run Lum Berry, Covert Cloak, or Rest to mitigate damage from Toxic Chain. Pokemon like Snorlax can also run Immunity to be completely immune to Toxic. Other Pokemon that counter Munkidori in this way include Galarian Slowking and Alolan Muk.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/garrukapexpredator.617226/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 6-8 points
**Overview**: Munkidori is a mid-tier special attacker that can set up, wallbreak, pivot, or and deal valuable chip damage. Toxic Chain lets it turn moves such as Fake Out and U-turn into strong momentum swings by potentially inflicting Toxic on foes. Its strength as a special attacker is only limited by a poor coverage pool and middling bulk. It has to rely on the unreliable Focus Blast to hit Dark- and Steel-types, and its STAB combination is not very spammable, especially when Choice-locked. While it is somewhat fast, many faster foes can easily KO Munkidori, forcing it to use Choice Scarf more often than it wants.
Common Roles
========
**Offensive Pivot**: With access to U-turn and Parting Shot, Munkidori can easily pivot out against slower foes. U-turn synergizes with Toxic Chain, whereas Parting Shot can weaken incoming attacks for the Pokemon switching in. Running Frisk allows Munkidori to scout items on multiple opposing Pokemon. Using a Choice Scarf allows it to be a good speed control option, with Trick being able to cripple setup sweepers and walls.
**Wallbreaker**: Munkidori can very easily deals lots of damage to unprepared teams, as a strong Special Attack stat paired with Choice Specs or other damage-boosting options can allow it to deal large chunks of damage. It can use Nasty Plot to break through defensive answers.
**Toxic Spreader**: Toxic Chain allows Munkidori to threaten chip damage on opposing pokemon that are not immune to being poisoned. Fake Out gives it a free turn to potentially inflict Toxic on opposing Pokemon, and U-turn can allow it to switch out while also having a chance to poison foes. Using Fake Out or Protect against an already-poisoned Pokemon gives a free turn of chip damage. Venoshock can be ran here if the opposing Pokemon is poisoned, allowing Munkidori to threaten large amounts of damage.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Psychic, Psyshock, Sludge Wave, Venoshock, Future Sight, Psychic Noise
**Setup Moves**: Nasty Plot, Calm Mind
**Utility Moves**: U-turn, Trick, Parting Shot, Fake Out, Taunt, Clear Smog, Substitute, Toxic, Protect
**Coverage**: Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, Grass Knot
Niche Moves
========
**Sludge Bomb**: Sludge Bomb can be run over Sludge Wave to maintain damage while having a larger chance to inflict poison on the foe.
**Hex**: Hex can be a strong coverage move on sets that want to reliably poison foes, although it does not help too much against the better counters to that strategy.
Common Items
========
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf allows Munkidori to outspeed many threats while either dealing significant damage to those threats or pivoting to a Pokemon better suited for the matchup.
**Damage-boosting Item**: Choice Specs allows Munkidori to deal large amounts of damage, whereas Life Orb lets it select different moves at the cost of recoil damage and a smaller damage boost. It can also use Twisted Spoon, Poison Barb, and Expert belt to deal slightly more damage to specific foes without drawback.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Pivoting and Toxic-spreading sets frequently enter the field, leaving Munkidori vulnerable to entry hazard damage. Heavy-Duty Boots allow it to more freely switch back in without having to worry about extra chip damage.
Niche Items
========
**Focus Sash**: Munkidori's lackluster bulk means in some matchups, having the ability to survive a single hit can allow it to eliminate a relevant threat. This should only be run if it is a dedicated lead or on a team with reliable entryhazard removal.
**Black Sludge**: Investing in Munkidori's bulk combined with Fake Out and Protect on more Toxic-focused sets let Black Sludge easily recover back resisted and weaker neutral hits.
**Assault Vest**: With its already decent Special Defense, Assault Vest Munkidori can relatively easily survive special attacks while still being able to deal damage, pivot, and spread Toxic.
**Resistance Berries**: As Munkidori is weak to Dark-type moves, Colbur Berry can allow it to power through a Sucker Punch. Kasib Berry can reduce the damage from an incoming Shadow Sneak.
Tera
========
While Munkidori is not the strongest Tera Captain, Tera Blast can give it a consistent coverage option for the Pokemon that would wall its STAB moves. Common Tera Types would be Tera Ground, Fire, and Fighting. In addition, Tera Dark and Flying allow Munkidori to mitigate a significant portion of damage from potential super effective Dark-, Ghost-, and Ground-type attacks.
Draft Strategy
========
Munkidori is a frail special attacker that can benefit teammates with its wallbreaking and Toxic-spreading abilities. It will not win games on its own in most cases, but it can provide valuable utility to its teammates.
**Reliable Steel-type Counters**: As Steel-type Pokemon are the best counters for Munkidori, they often run special bulk. Using Parting Shot on them would allow for the counter to more easily come in. This includes Pokemon like Great Tusk, Garchomp, and Rotom-H.
**Entry Hazard Support**: Good entry hazard support can allow Munkidori to KO Pokemon that would otherwise threaten it. These hazards can also wear down opposing Steel-types and compound with the chip damage from Toxic spreader sets. Pokemon like Ting-Lu, Gliscor, and Iron Treads fulfill this role.
**Slow Pivots**: While Munkidori can be a pivot, it is not bulky enough to switch into most attacks more than once. As such, a slower pivot such as Corviknight, Mandibuzz, and Alomomola can allow it to get in and apply pressure in different ways, whether it be to pivot on the opposing switch-in or deal large amounts of damage.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Bulky Pokemon can sit in front of foes poisoned by Munkidori, allowing the status damage to ultimately knock them out. Skeledirge, Gholdengo, and Moltres can all fulfill this role.
Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types**: Steel-types are immune to Poison and resist Psychic, greatly forcing Munkidori to use the unreliable Focus Blast to damage them. Pokemon like Corviknight, Jirachi, and Gholdengo are excellent counters.
**Faster Wallbreakers**: Attackers that outspeed Munkidori and can easily KO it mitigate the threat it poses. This includes Meowscarada, Greninja, and Azelf.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Specially Defensive Pokemon take little damage from most of Munkidori's attacks, with the exception of Psyshock. In addition, they can run Lum Berry, Covert Cloak, or Rest to mitigate damage from Toxic Chain. Pokemon like Snorlax can also run Immunity to be completely immune to Toxic. Other Pokemon that counter Munkidori in this way include Galarian Slowking and Alolan Muk.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/garrukapexpredator.617226/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
