[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 9-11 points
**Overview**: Pawmot is a mid-tier Fighting-type with respectable Attack and a solid Speed tier, with a selection of good abilities to help it as both a mid-game pivot and a late-game cleaner. Where Pawmot does differentiate itself is with its access to Revival Blessing, along with its secondary STAB Electric-type moves, which can allow it to muscle through some traditional Fighting-type checks. The problems it runs into are that its unique traits tend not to be valuable to most drafts, and outside of them, it is strictly worse than other Fighting-types of a similar cost. Pawmot can be a serviceable replacement for other mid-tier Fighting-types such as Mienshao, Infernape, or Hisuian Lilligant, but it shouldn't be considered if they are open.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Fast Pivot**: Thanks to its Speed tier and Volt Switch, Pawmot can act as a solid pivot to bring its teammates in. It's able to force out many common defensive Pokemon thanks to Encore while also being able to threaten Ground-types with Close Combat.
**Revenge Killer**: Typically seen with a Choice Scarf, Pawmot is able to outspeed a substantial amount of setup threats and either force them out or, even better, revenge kill for a fallen ally. It's able to do this consistently thanks to its strong STAB Close Combat and its wide range of coverage, both of which allow it to hit most Pokemon for super effective damage. It can also effectively pick off quite weakened foes with its STAB Iron Fist Mach Punch, especially with a boosting item.
**Wallbreaker**: On rare occasions, Pawmot can function as a solid wallbreaker when paired with damage-boosting items such as Choice Band or Life Orb. It can also use Bulk Up on occasion to give it an extra power boost while having flexibility in its item slot.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Close Combat, Thunder Punch, Mach Punch, Wild Charge, Low Kick, Double Shock
**Setup Moves**: Bulk Up
**Utility Moves**: Revival Blessing, Nuzzle, Knock Off, Encore, Volt Switch, Super Fang, Brick Break, Fake Out
**Coverage**: Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Play Rough, Seed Bomb, Rock Tomb
Niche Moves
========
**Throat Chop**: Throat Chop can give Pawmot a more consistent Dark-type attack for opposing Psychic-type foes when other teammates may be carrying Knock Off instead.
**Upper Hand**: Against foes sporting strong priority options, Upper Hand can be used to try to prevent and bypass their priority attacks.
Common Items
========
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf Pawmot can be used as both a pivot and a revenge killer, combining two of its better traits into one.
**Damage-Boosting Items**: Items such as Choice Band, Life Orb, and Black Belt can all be used to turn Pawmot into a respectable wallbreaker. Expert Belt is also a viable choice, thanks to Pawmot's solid coverage options.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Regardless of the role it's filling, an immunity to entry hazards can enable Pawmot to stick around for longer and be a valuable asset throughout the entire game.
Niche Items
========
**Leppa Berry**: Revival Blessing's biggest drawback is that it only has 1 PP; Leppa Berry can give Pawmot one extra chance to bring back a teammate, although its poor bulk often makes this challenging.
**Resistance Berries**: On Bulk Up sets, a resistance Berry can provide Pawmot with a safe turn to use Bulk Up.
**Protective Pads / Punching Glove / Lum Berry**: These items serve a similar purpose, which is to prevent Pawmot from being affected by status, whether that be by an attack or by Flame Body. The difference between Protective Pads and Punching Glove is that the former prevents burns while using Close Combat, and the latter gives a damage boost to punching moves.
**Focus Sash**: Since Pawmot has rather mediocre bulk, Focus Sash can allow it to safely setup or use Revival Blessing, so long as entry hazards are not on the field.
Tera
========
Pawmot should not usually be considered as a Tera Captain. While it can work well as a secondary option, it's outclassed by Pokemon of a similar cost while also locking the draft out of having a high-tier Tera Captain. If you do make it a Tera Captain, it can offensively benefit from a boost to either of its STAB moves, with Tera Electric allowing it to freely use Double Shock with no drawback, while Tera Steel or Poison gives it super effective coverage against Fairy-types. It can defensively use Tera types such as Grass, Fairy, and Water to attempt to have safer setup opportunities.
Draft Strategy
========
Pawmot is the backup to most backups, so it will almost never be on your radar because it's simply worse than other Fighting-types in what it provides to a team. Revival Blessing does give it a gimmicky use on hyper offense though, and it works best alongside the following kinds of Pokemon:
**Strong Wallbreakers**: Pawmot's kit enables it to act as a pivot for strong wallbreakers, since it's able to lure in Pokemon that they tend to beat, notably bringing in Ground-, Grass-, and Electric-types. For this reason, it pairs well with Pokemon such as Ogerpon-W, Kyurem, and Landorus-T, (AC) which can exploit its checks. Pawmot is also able to support them by healing them up for a second chance thanks to Revival Blessing, especially frailer wallbreakers such as Meowscarada and Greninja, which are far more prone to fainting earlier in the game.
**Slow Pivots**: Offensive drafts are where Pawmot will fit best, and having a slow pivot to form a momentum core of sorts can be valuable, especially since Pawmot is rather frail. Good examples include Galarian Slowking, Corviknight, and Scizor.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Pawmot appreciates the support of entry hazards to try to further its role as a wallbreaker, with setters such as Ting-Lu, Donphan, and Hisuian Samurott being good partners. Toxic Spike setters such as Dragalge and Muk can also help wear down the foe.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Ground-types**: Pawmot struggles against many bulky Ground-types, as it simply cannot hit them hard enough. Pokemon such as Great Tusk, Hippowdon, and Mudsdale are especially annoying for it to deal with.
**Faster Pokemon and Priority**: 105 Speed leaves Pawmot vulnerable to being outsped, not only by Choice Scarf users but also naturally faster Pokemon such as Darkrai and Cinderace. It's not uncommon for most drafts to have one, if not two or more Pokemon, faster than it, which severely hampers its item flexibility. It's also incredibly prone to priority such as Palafin's Jet Punch or Extreme Speed Dragonite.
**Bulky Attackers**: Since Pawmot is quite weak, a lot of bulky attackers can simply take a hit and threaten to OHKO it, even if they don't resist its attacks. Notably, Pokemon such as Iron Hands, Metagross, and Raging Bolt can be especially troublesome.
**Passive Damage**: Since Pawmot wants to be running offensive items and exclusively uses contact moves, it finds itself being both prone to hazards as well as to Rocky Helmet chip damage.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf2.608304/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny004.197240/
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 9-11 points
**Overview**: Pawmot is a mid-tier Fighting-type with respectable Attack and a solid Speed tier, with a selection of good abilities to help it as both a mid-game pivot and a late-game cleaner. Where Pawmot does differentiate itself is with its access to Revival Blessing, along with its secondary STAB Electric-type moves, which can allow it to muscle through some traditional Fighting-type checks. The problems it runs into are that its unique traits tend not to be valuable to most drafts, and outside of them, it is strictly worse than other Fighting-types of a similar cost. Pawmot can be a serviceable replacement for other mid-tier Fighting-types such as Mienshao, Infernape, or Hisuian Lilligant, but it shouldn't be considered if they are open.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Fast Pivot**: Thanks to its Speed tier and Volt Switch, Pawmot can act as a solid pivot to bring its teammates in. It's able to force out many common defensive Pokemon thanks to Encore while also being able to threaten Ground-types with Close Combat.
**Revenge Killer**: Typically seen with a Choice Scarf, Pawmot is able to outspeed a substantial amount of setup threats and either force them out or, even better, revenge kill for a fallen ally. It's able to do this consistently thanks to its strong STAB Close Combat and its wide range of coverage, both of which allow it to hit most Pokemon for super effective damage. It can also effectively pick off quite weakened foes with its STAB Iron Fist Mach Punch, especially with a boosting item.
**Wallbreaker**: On rare occasions, Pawmot can function as a solid wallbreaker when paired with damage-boosting items such as Choice Band or Life Orb. It can also use Bulk Up on occasion to give it an extra power boost while having flexibility in its item slot.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Close Combat, Thunder Punch, Mach Punch, Wild Charge, Low Kick, Double Shock
**Setup Moves**: Bulk Up
**Utility Moves**: Revival Blessing, Nuzzle, Knock Off, Encore, Volt Switch, Super Fang, Brick Break, Fake Out
**Coverage**: Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Play Rough, Seed Bomb, Rock Tomb
Niche Moves
========
**Throat Chop**: Throat Chop can give Pawmot a more consistent Dark-type attack for opposing Psychic-type foes when other teammates may be carrying Knock Off instead.
**Upper Hand**: Against foes sporting strong priority options, Upper Hand can be used to try to prevent and bypass their priority attacks.
Common Items
========
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf Pawmot can be used as both a pivot and a revenge killer, combining two of its better traits into one.
**Damage-Boosting Items**: Items such as Choice Band, Life Orb, and Black Belt can all be used to turn Pawmot into a respectable wallbreaker. Expert Belt is also a viable choice, thanks to Pawmot's solid coverage options.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Regardless of the role it's filling, an immunity to entry hazards can enable Pawmot to stick around for longer and be a valuable asset throughout the entire game.
Niche Items
========
**Leppa Berry**: Revival Blessing's biggest drawback is that it only has 1 PP; Leppa Berry can give Pawmot one extra chance to bring back a teammate, although its poor bulk often makes this challenging.
**Resistance Berries**: On Bulk Up sets, a resistance Berry can provide Pawmot with a safe turn to use Bulk Up.
**Protective Pads / Punching Glove / Lum Berry**: These items serve a similar purpose, which is to prevent Pawmot from being affected by status, whether that be by an attack or by Flame Body. The difference between Protective Pads and Punching Glove is that the former prevents burns while using Close Combat, and the latter gives a damage boost to punching moves.
**Focus Sash**: Since Pawmot has rather mediocre bulk, Focus Sash can allow it to safely setup or use Revival Blessing, so long as entry hazards are not on the field.
Tera
========
Pawmot should not usually be considered as a Tera Captain. While it can work well as a secondary option, it's outclassed by Pokemon of a similar cost while also locking the draft out of having a high-tier Tera Captain. If you do make it a Tera Captain, it can offensively benefit from a boost to either of its STAB moves, with Tera Electric allowing it to freely use Double Shock with no drawback, while Tera Steel or Poison gives it super effective coverage against Fairy-types. It can defensively use Tera types such as Grass, Fairy, and Water to attempt to have safer setup opportunities.
Draft Strategy
========
Pawmot is the backup to most backups, so it will almost never be on your radar because it's simply worse than other Fighting-types in what it provides to a team. Revival Blessing does give it a gimmicky use on hyper offense though, and it works best alongside the following kinds of Pokemon:
**Strong Wallbreakers**: Pawmot's kit enables it to act as a pivot for strong wallbreakers, since it's able to lure in Pokemon that they tend to beat, notably bringing in Ground-, Grass-, and Electric-types. For this reason, it pairs well with Pokemon such as Ogerpon-W, Kyurem, and Landorus-T, (AC) which can exploit its checks. Pawmot is also able to support them by healing them up for a second chance thanks to Revival Blessing, especially frailer wallbreakers such as Meowscarada and Greninja, which are far more prone to fainting earlier in the game.
**Slow Pivots**: Offensive drafts are where Pawmot will fit best, and having a slow pivot to form a momentum core of sorts can be valuable, especially since Pawmot is rather frail. Good examples include Galarian Slowking, Corviknight, and Scizor.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Pawmot appreciates the support of entry hazards to try to further its role as a wallbreaker, with setters such as Ting-Lu, Donphan, and Hisuian Samurott being good partners. Toxic Spike setters such as Dragalge and Muk can also help wear down the foe.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Ground-types**: Pawmot struggles against many bulky Ground-types, as it simply cannot hit them hard enough. Pokemon such as Great Tusk, Hippowdon, and Mudsdale are especially annoying for it to deal with.
**Faster Pokemon and Priority**: 105 Speed leaves Pawmot vulnerable to being outsped, not only by Choice Scarf users but also naturally faster Pokemon such as Darkrai and Cinderace. It's not uncommon for most drafts to have one, if not two or more Pokemon, faster than it, which severely hampers its item flexibility. It's also incredibly prone to priority such as Palafin's Jet Punch or Extreme Speed Dragonite.
**Bulky Attackers**: Since Pawmot is quite weak, a lot of bulky attackers can simply take a hit and threaten to OHKO it, even if they don't resist its attacks. Notably, Pokemon such as Iron Hands, Metagross, and Raging Bolt can be especially troublesome.
**Passive Damage**: Since Pawmot wants to be running offensive items and exclusively uses contact moves, it finds itself being both prone to hazards as well as to Rocky Helmet chip damage.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf2.608304/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny004.197240/
Last edited:
