[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 4-6 points
**Overview**: Hitmontop's astounding Technician-boosted priority, coverage, and STAB moves can throw almost any enemy off balance. Its decent special bulk, ability in Intimidate, and access to Rapid Spin can ensure entry hazards stay off the field for days. Hitmontop has some pretty solid offensive and defensive capabilities overall, but unfortunately it can't play both at once: it can't take many physical hits without Intimidate, it fails to OHKO even Fighting-weak targets without Technician, and it's susceptible to chip damage no matter what ability it runs. All this paired with a coverage movepool that's one fist short of hitting Ghost-types, and Hitmontop is left a step behind other cheap hazard removers, as it's drafted for its offensive merits just as much as it is for its utility.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Revenge Killer**: Technician gives Hitmontop one of the strongest STAB Mach Punches on the east side of the draft board. Paired with Sucker Punch and Technician Bullet Punch, even the fastest of attackers are sent packing by its priority. For bulkier foes, Hitmontop has an all-powerful Close Combat and devastating Technician coverage options like Triple Axel and Aerial Ace.
**Defensive Utility**: With Rapid Spin being as rare as a usable Fairy-type, Hitmontop immediately sticks out as a solid cheap entry hazard remover. Its deceptively usable special bulk and access to Intimidate make it fairly annoying to take out, while moves like Bulldoze, Fake Out, and Brick Break make it equally annoying to switch into.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Mach Punch, Close Combat
**Setup Moves**: See Niche
**Utility Moves**: Rapid Spin, Brick Break, Substitute, Protect
**Coverage**: Aerial Ace, Bulldoze, Bullet Punch, Earthquake, Ice Spinner, Quick Attack, Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Sucker Punch, Tera Blast, Thief, Triple Axel
Niche Moves
========
**Bulk Up**: Bulk Up is Hitmontop's only setup option, but its focus on priority and utility means it isn't a Pokemon that should rely on setup very often.
**Upper Hand**: Upper Hand lets Hitmontop out-prioritize any foe that tries to pick it off with their own priority attacks.
**Fake Out**: A Technician-boosted Fake Out can deal that extra bit of damage Hitmontop needs to secure a KO.
**Endeavor**: Hitmontop can take a few hits with its bulk and deal massive damage in return with Endeavor, potentially giving it the opportunity to finish the foe off with its priority options.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: In games where entry hazard stacking is inevitable, Heavy-Duty Boots keeps Hitmontop in tip-top shape for spinning.
**Choice Band**: Choice Band Hitmontop is no laughing matter - it can take out even healthy targets with its priority, wearing out all foes but the bulkiest walls with its Close Combat and coverage moves as soon as it hits the field.
**Assault Vest**: Hitmontop's already-decent special bulk and lack of status moves make it an ideal Assault Vest user, as the item lets it go toe-to-toe with special attackers without losing much utility.
**Leftovers**: Hitmontop's humble bulk can get a bit more arrogant when it's paired with Intimidate and the healing power of Leftovers.
**Protective Pads**: Almost all of Hitmontop's moves make contact, but Protective Pads protects it from contact-punishing switch-ins.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Expert Belt, Black Belt, Punching Glove, and Life Orb all let Hitmontop score impressive damage numbers without Choice-locking it for Ghost-types to take advantage of.
**Rocky Helmet**: Bulky Intimidate sets can take quite a few physical hits before going down, and Rocky Helmet lets Hitmontop benefit from that bulk to its best.
**Lum Berry**: Hitmontop can run Lum Berry to thwart an enemy's status-spreading efforts and deal massive damage in return.
**Eject Pack**: With Close Combat and an Eject Pack, Hitmontop can unexpectedly switch out against most foes, generating momentum for its team like a pro.
**No item**: When Hitmontop's got nothing better to do, it can simply opt to go itemless, turning Thief into a budget Knock Off and ruining the day of some of its bulkier switch-ins.
Tera
========
Hitmontop can be a decent secondary Tera Captain in a dystopian scenario where all the more expensive options have been either drafted or Tera banned. When opportunity cost isn't an issue, you’ll find Tera Dark and Steel are Hitmontop's favorite Tera types, boosting its best priority and flipping its matchup against Psychic-types. Tera Ice and Ground strengthen its best coverage options to terrifying new levels, Tera Fighting boosts Mach Punch's damage to make it less reliant on chip, and Tera Fire and Poison alleviate its fear of status.
Draft Strategy
========
Hitmontop works best on offensive teams looking for a cheap Fighting-type, solid priority, and maybe the occasional Rapid Spin. In reality, Hitmontop isn't the most reliable entry hazard remover, and it doesn't always want to play the utility role to begin with. A team with Hitmontop on it should either have another form of removal, or just not care too much about hazard chip damage to begin with.
**Knock Off Users**: Rocky Helmet and Heavy-Duty Boots users are usually quite the headache for Hitmontop, either threatening it with chip damage or repeatedly switching into it without taking entry hazard punishment. Knock Off-using allies like Meowscarada and Tinkaton can remove such items, wearing down these checks for it to finish off.
**Ghost-types**: Ghosts-types like Gholdengo love Hitmontop's ability to force out and tKO Dark-types. In return, they can keep the entry hazards on the enemy's side up and put a bit of pressure on Ghosts-types that Hitmontop might struggle with.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Hitmontop and entry hazards go hand-in-hand; not only do hazard setters like Ting-Lu and Glimmora give a reason to use Rapid Spin to keep the hazards on the foe's side intact compared to Defog, but those hazards chip fast foes into Mach Punch range and punish walls that try to run Rocky Helmet.
Checks and Counters
========
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types like Annihilape and Skeledirge are Hitmontop's worst nightmare, as they're completely immune to its STAB attacks and Rapid Spin. Most don't even fear Sucker Punch, as they can use Encore, Will-O-Wisp, or any other spooky status move instead!
**Chip Damage**: Hitmontop is vulnerable to every form of chip damage due to its reliance on contact moves and lack of recovery. Entry hazards are a major pain in Hitmontop's side if it's not wearing Heavy-Duty Boots, while contact-punishing foes like Moltres and common Rocky Helmet users like Slowking can easily knock it off balance. Lastly, Toxic punishes this already mediocre Pokemon for simply existing, and burns both add extra chip damage and delete its damage output.
**Physical Walls**: Hitmontop's average Attack stat and inability to spiral out of control mean it can be checked by most physical walls, so long as they aren't weak to Fighting. Foes like Zapdos and Alomomola can switch into its STAB attacks as much as they please, only really fearing super effective coverage or Choice Band Close Combat. Psychic-, Fairy-, and Poison-types in particular mean trouble for Hitmontop, as the former two can hit it super effectively without issue, and the latter are prime Rocky Helmet candidates.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/big-pharma.657717/
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/adorluigi.528364/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 4-6 points
**Overview**: Hitmontop's astounding Technician-boosted priority, coverage, and STAB moves can throw almost any enemy off balance. Its decent special bulk, ability in Intimidate, and access to Rapid Spin can ensure entry hazards stay off the field for days. Hitmontop has some pretty solid offensive and defensive capabilities overall, but unfortunately it can't play both at once: it can't take many physical hits without Intimidate, it fails to OHKO even Fighting-weak targets without Technician, and it's susceptible to chip damage no matter what ability it runs. All this paired with a coverage movepool that's one fist short of hitting Ghost-types, and Hitmontop is left a step behind other cheap hazard removers, as it's drafted for its offensive merits just as much as it is for its utility.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Revenge Killer**: Technician gives Hitmontop one of the strongest STAB Mach Punches on the east side of the draft board. Paired with Sucker Punch and Technician Bullet Punch, even the fastest of attackers are sent packing by its priority. For bulkier foes, Hitmontop has an all-powerful Close Combat and devastating Technician coverage options like Triple Axel and Aerial Ace.
**Defensive Utility**: With Rapid Spin being as rare as a usable Fairy-type, Hitmontop immediately sticks out as a solid cheap entry hazard remover. Its deceptively usable special bulk and access to Intimidate make it fairly annoying to take out, while moves like Bulldoze, Fake Out, and Brick Break make it equally annoying to switch into.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Mach Punch, Close Combat
**Setup Moves**: See Niche
**Utility Moves**: Rapid Spin, Brick Break, Substitute, Protect
**Coverage**: Aerial Ace, Bulldoze, Bullet Punch, Earthquake, Ice Spinner, Quick Attack, Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Sucker Punch, Tera Blast, Thief, Triple Axel
Niche Moves
========
**Bulk Up**: Bulk Up is Hitmontop's only setup option, but its focus on priority and utility means it isn't a Pokemon that should rely on setup very often.
**Upper Hand**: Upper Hand lets Hitmontop out-prioritize any foe that tries to pick it off with their own priority attacks.
**Fake Out**: A Technician-boosted Fake Out can deal that extra bit of damage Hitmontop needs to secure a KO.
**Endeavor**: Hitmontop can take a few hits with its bulk and deal massive damage in return with Endeavor, potentially giving it the opportunity to finish the foe off with its priority options.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: In games where entry hazard stacking is inevitable, Heavy-Duty Boots keeps Hitmontop in tip-top shape for spinning.
**Choice Band**: Choice Band Hitmontop is no laughing matter - it can take out even healthy targets with its priority, wearing out all foes but the bulkiest walls with its Close Combat and coverage moves as soon as it hits the field.
**Assault Vest**: Hitmontop's already-decent special bulk and lack of status moves make it an ideal Assault Vest user, as the item lets it go toe-to-toe with special attackers without losing much utility.
**Leftovers**: Hitmontop's humble bulk can get a bit more arrogant when it's paired with Intimidate and the healing power of Leftovers.
**Protective Pads**: Almost all of Hitmontop's moves make contact, but Protective Pads protects it from contact-punishing switch-ins.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Expert Belt, Black Belt, Punching Glove, and Life Orb all let Hitmontop score impressive damage numbers without Choice-locking it for Ghost-types to take advantage of.
**Rocky Helmet**: Bulky Intimidate sets can take quite a few physical hits before going down, and Rocky Helmet lets Hitmontop benefit from that bulk to its best.
**Lum Berry**: Hitmontop can run Lum Berry to thwart an enemy's status-spreading efforts and deal massive damage in return.
**Eject Pack**: With Close Combat and an Eject Pack, Hitmontop can unexpectedly switch out against most foes, generating momentum for its team like a pro.
**No item**: When Hitmontop's got nothing better to do, it can simply opt to go itemless, turning Thief into a budget Knock Off and ruining the day of some of its bulkier switch-ins.
Tera
========
Hitmontop can be a decent secondary Tera Captain in a dystopian scenario where all the more expensive options have been either drafted or Tera banned. When opportunity cost isn't an issue, you’ll find Tera Dark and Steel are Hitmontop's favorite Tera types, boosting its best priority and flipping its matchup against Psychic-types. Tera Ice and Ground strengthen its best coverage options to terrifying new levels, Tera Fighting boosts Mach Punch's damage to make it less reliant on chip, and Tera Fire and Poison alleviate its fear of status.
Draft Strategy
========
Hitmontop works best on offensive teams looking for a cheap Fighting-type, solid priority, and maybe the occasional Rapid Spin. In reality, Hitmontop isn't the most reliable entry hazard remover, and it doesn't always want to play the utility role to begin with. A team with Hitmontop on it should either have another form of removal, or just not care too much about hazard chip damage to begin with.
**Knock Off Users**: Rocky Helmet and Heavy-Duty Boots users are usually quite the headache for Hitmontop, either threatening it with chip damage or repeatedly switching into it without taking entry hazard punishment. Knock Off-using allies like Meowscarada and Tinkaton can remove such items, wearing down these checks for it to finish off.
**Ghost-types**: Ghosts-types like Gholdengo love Hitmontop's ability to force out and tKO Dark-types. In return, they can keep the entry hazards on the enemy's side up and put a bit of pressure on Ghosts-types that Hitmontop might struggle with.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Hitmontop and entry hazards go hand-in-hand; not only do hazard setters like Ting-Lu and Glimmora give a reason to use Rapid Spin to keep the hazards on the foe's side intact compared to Defog, but those hazards chip fast foes into Mach Punch range and punish walls that try to run Rocky Helmet.
Checks and Counters
========
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types like Annihilape and Skeledirge are Hitmontop's worst nightmare, as they're completely immune to its STAB attacks and Rapid Spin. Most don't even fear Sucker Punch, as they can use Encore, Will-O-Wisp, or any other spooky status move instead!
**Chip Damage**: Hitmontop is vulnerable to every form of chip damage due to its reliance on contact moves and lack of recovery. Entry hazards are a major pain in Hitmontop's side if it's not wearing Heavy-Duty Boots, while contact-punishing foes like Moltres and common Rocky Helmet users like Slowking can easily knock it off balance. Lastly, Toxic punishes this already mediocre Pokemon for simply existing, and burns both add extra chip damage and delete its damage output.
**Physical Walls**: Hitmontop's average Attack stat and inability to spiral out of control mean it can be checked by most physical walls, so long as they aren't weak to Fighting. Foes like Zapdos and Alomomola can switch into its STAB attacks as much as they please, only really fearing super effective coverage or Choice Band Close Combat. Psychic-, Fairy-, and Poison-types in particular mean trouble for Hitmontop, as the former two can hit it super effectively without issue, and the latter are prime Rocky Helmet candidates.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/big-pharma.657717/
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/adorluigi.528364/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
