[OVERVIEW]
With access to Pursuit and Sucker Punch, Stunky is able to trap and remove strong special attackers like Gastly and Abra very easily. Stunky also is able to carve its own niche as a Pursuit trapper that can remove hazards from the field. Its very nice defensive typing grants it an immunity to Psychic-type moves and a weakness to only Ground. However, this one weakness leaves Stunky vulnerable to Pokemon like Diglett, Mudbray, and Drilbur, which are very common. Unfortunately for Stunky, its abilities are mediocre at best; Stench doesn't really help Stunky do its job at all, and Aftermath is rarely useful. Stunky also struggles offensively because it lacks physical coverage options, and it typically has a hard time doing anything aside from Pursuit trapping and removing hazards. Stunky's complete lack of recovery leaves it prone to being worn down over the course of the battle. Alolan Grimer is almost always a better Pursuit trapper due to its better bulk and access to Knock Off.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Pursuit
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Defog
move 4: Sludge Bomb / Fire Blast / Memento
item: Eviolite
ability: Aftermath
nature: Careful
evs: 252 Atk / 60 Def / 188 SpD / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Pursuit deals heavy damage to a foe that switches out, and it allows Stunky to trap Abra, Gastly, and weakened Pokemon. Sucker Punch allows Stunky to hit and generally KO the opposing threat before it can attack Stunky. Defog is useful because it lets Stunky remove entry hazards, and it is the main reason to use Stunky over other Pursuit trappers like Alolan Grimer. The final slot is typically reserved for a coverage move or a support option. Sludge Bomb gains a STAB bonus and lets Stunky hit Fairy- and Grass-types. It is able to 2HKO Snivy, preventing it from setting up on Stunky, and it OHKOes Cottonee. Fire Blast lets Stunky hit Steel-types like Pawniard and Ferroseed that can otherwise wall Stunky, since they resist or are immune to Stunky's other moves. Fire Blast 2HKOes Pawniard after Stealth Rock damage and Ferroseed regardless of Stealth Rock damage. Stunky can also use Memento after it is weakened so that one of its teammates is given an opportunity to set up and possibly sweep the opposing team.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment is used so Stunky can hit hard. Aftermath can damage physical attackers like Pawniard and Mienfoo if they KO Stunky. Stunky is equipped with an Eviolite so it can have as much bulk as possible to take less damage from attacks. The majority of the remaining EVs go into Special Defense alongside a Careful nature to help Stunky tank attacks from Abra and Gastly. With this, Stunky has enough Special Defense to avoid being 2HKOed by Abra's Dazzling Gleam. 4 EVs are invested in Speed so that Stunky can outspeed all Pokemon with 13 Speed. The remaining EVs are put into Defense so that Stunky gets an extra point from Eviolite and so it can take more priority hits like Corphish's Aqua Jet and Timburr's Mach Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Stunky is able to compress several roles into one Pokemon. You should use Stunky to Pursuit trap Pokemon like Abra and Gastly and to remove entry hazards from the field. If needed, you can switch Stunky into either Abra or Gastly, but if you do so, it is likely that Stunky will be too weakened to do very much after eliminating the opposing Pokemon. You should avoid switching Stunky into Pokemon that it does not wall like Mienfoo, Vullaby, and Staryu because it has no recovery and does not like taking continuous chip damage. Generally, it's recommended to try bringing in Stunky after one of your slower Pokemon uses U-turn or Volt Switch. After one of your Pokemon has been KOed, you can also send in Stunky to Pursuit trap a weakened target.
Team Options
========
Setup sweepers that like having strong and fast special attackers gone, like Zigzagoon, Omanyte, and Vullaby, really appreciate Stunky's presence on their team. Fighting-types are also very helpful to Stunky, since they appreciate Abra and Gastly being removed while also dealing with Pawniard and other Steel-types, which Stunky typically has trouble with. Grass-types like Snivy and Flying-types like Vullaby are good teammates for Stunky, since they either resist or are immune to Ground. Fairy-types like Spritzee and Snubbull also help Stunky out by putting offensive pressure on opposing Fighting-type Pokemon, which take very little damage from Stunky's attacks. Sturdy users like Magnemite and Dwebble appreciate Stunky's ability to remove entry hazards and would also be good teammates. Any other Pokemon that benefit from Stunky's entry hazard removal, like Vullaby and Diglett, are good additions to Stunky's team. Stunky's ability to use Memento makes it a great partner for setup sweepers like Zigzagoon and Tirtouga.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Stunky can run a full Pursuit trapping set with two coverage moves or two utility moves, but this is outclassed by Alolan Grimer, which has better bulk and better moves. Stunky can also run a dedicated entry hazard removal set, but this is fairly weak because Stunky has little offensive presence aside from its Pursuit trapping ability. Stunky can also run sets that only have 4 attacks, but this is typically a waste of Stunky's abilities and you'd be better off using a different Pokemon instead. Stunky is able to use Taunt instead of a coverage move or Memento, but it likes having the coverage. If you do run Taunt, make sure to invest more EVs in Speed so Stunky will be faster than most opposing Pokemon. Explosion is an option to run as Stunky's fourth move to hit the Pokemon that switches in after Stunky traps something, but it typically does not do much damage to bulky Pokemon, so a coverage move is better. Stunky can also use Haze to prevent setup sweepers from setting up on it. Darkinium Z is an option if you want to use either Z-Memento or Black Hole Eclipse, but this isn't recommended because Stunky prefers to have the bulk that Eviolite gives it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Magnemite and Pawniard are threats to watch out for, as they are able to hit Stunky relatively hard. Even if Stunky runs Fire Blast, most Steel-types are fairly bulky and will not take large amounts of damage from Stunky.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types deal super effective damage against Stunky. Stunky's mediocre attacking stats make it so they can easily switch in and KO Stunky. Mudbray and Drilbur can tank two hits from Stunky and KO it with Earthquake, while Diglett will need to predict the move Stunky is using correctly to successfully switch in on and KO it.
**Bulky Pokemon with Recovery**: Since Stunky is not a very powerful attacker, Pokemon like Munchlax, Slowpoke, Mareanie, and Rufflet can wear it down while recovering off the damage they take.
With access to Pursuit and Sucker Punch, Stunky is able to trap and remove strong special attackers like Gastly and Abra very easily. Stunky also is able to carve its own niche as a Pursuit trapper that can remove hazards from the field. Its very nice defensive typing grants it an immunity to Psychic-type moves and a weakness to only Ground. However, this one weakness leaves Stunky vulnerable to Pokemon like Diglett, Mudbray, and Drilbur, which are very common. Unfortunately for Stunky, its abilities are mediocre at best; Stench doesn't really help Stunky do its job at all, and Aftermath is rarely useful. Stunky also struggles offensively because it lacks physical coverage options, and it typically has a hard time doing anything aside from Pursuit trapping and removing hazards. Stunky's complete lack of recovery leaves it prone to being worn down over the course of the battle. Alolan Grimer is almost always a better Pursuit trapper due to its better bulk and access to Knock Off.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Pursuit
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Defog
move 4: Sludge Bomb / Fire Blast / Memento
item: Eviolite
ability: Aftermath
nature: Careful
evs: 252 Atk / 60 Def / 188 SpD / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Pursuit deals heavy damage to a foe that switches out, and it allows Stunky to trap Abra, Gastly, and weakened Pokemon. Sucker Punch allows Stunky to hit and generally KO the opposing threat before it can attack Stunky. Defog is useful because it lets Stunky remove entry hazards, and it is the main reason to use Stunky over other Pursuit trappers like Alolan Grimer. The final slot is typically reserved for a coverage move or a support option. Sludge Bomb gains a STAB bonus and lets Stunky hit Fairy- and Grass-types. It is able to 2HKO Snivy, preventing it from setting up on Stunky, and it OHKOes Cottonee. Fire Blast lets Stunky hit Steel-types like Pawniard and Ferroseed that can otherwise wall Stunky, since they resist or are immune to Stunky's other moves. Fire Blast 2HKOes Pawniard after Stealth Rock damage and Ferroseed regardless of Stealth Rock damage. Stunky can also use Memento after it is weakened so that one of its teammates is given an opportunity to set up and possibly sweep the opposing team.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment is used so Stunky can hit hard. Aftermath can damage physical attackers like Pawniard and Mienfoo if they KO Stunky. Stunky is equipped with an Eviolite so it can have as much bulk as possible to take less damage from attacks. The majority of the remaining EVs go into Special Defense alongside a Careful nature to help Stunky tank attacks from Abra and Gastly. With this, Stunky has enough Special Defense to avoid being 2HKOed by Abra's Dazzling Gleam. 4 EVs are invested in Speed so that Stunky can outspeed all Pokemon with 13 Speed. The remaining EVs are put into Defense so that Stunky gets an extra point from Eviolite and so it can take more priority hits like Corphish's Aqua Jet and Timburr's Mach Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Stunky is able to compress several roles into one Pokemon. You should use Stunky to Pursuit trap Pokemon like Abra and Gastly and to remove entry hazards from the field. If needed, you can switch Stunky into either Abra or Gastly, but if you do so, it is likely that Stunky will be too weakened to do very much after eliminating the opposing Pokemon. You should avoid switching Stunky into Pokemon that it does not wall like Mienfoo, Vullaby, and Staryu because it has no recovery and does not like taking continuous chip damage. Generally, it's recommended to try bringing in Stunky after one of your slower Pokemon uses U-turn or Volt Switch. After one of your Pokemon has been KOed, you can also send in Stunky to Pursuit trap a weakened target.
Team Options
========
Setup sweepers that like having strong and fast special attackers gone, like Zigzagoon, Omanyte, and Vullaby, really appreciate Stunky's presence on their team. Fighting-types are also very helpful to Stunky, since they appreciate Abra and Gastly being removed while also dealing with Pawniard and other Steel-types, which Stunky typically has trouble with. Grass-types like Snivy and Flying-types like Vullaby are good teammates for Stunky, since they either resist or are immune to Ground. Fairy-types like Spritzee and Snubbull also help Stunky out by putting offensive pressure on opposing Fighting-type Pokemon, which take very little damage from Stunky's attacks. Sturdy users like Magnemite and Dwebble appreciate Stunky's ability to remove entry hazards and would also be good teammates. Any other Pokemon that benefit from Stunky's entry hazard removal, like Vullaby and Diglett, are good additions to Stunky's team. Stunky's ability to use Memento makes it a great partner for setup sweepers like Zigzagoon and Tirtouga.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Stunky can run a full Pursuit trapping set with two coverage moves or two utility moves, but this is outclassed by Alolan Grimer, which has better bulk and better moves. Stunky can also run a dedicated entry hazard removal set, but this is fairly weak because Stunky has little offensive presence aside from its Pursuit trapping ability. Stunky can also run sets that only have 4 attacks, but this is typically a waste of Stunky's abilities and you'd be better off using a different Pokemon instead. Stunky is able to use Taunt instead of a coverage move or Memento, but it likes having the coverage. If you do run Taunt, make sure to invest more EVs in Speed so Stunky will be faster than most opposing Pokemon. Explosion is an option to run as Stunky's fourth move to hit the Pokemon that switches in after Stunky traps something, but it typically does not do much damage to bulky Pokemon, so a coverage move is better. Stunky can also use Haze to prevent setup sweepers from setting up on it. Darkinium Z is an option if you want to use either Z-Memento or Black Hole Eclipse, but this isn't recommended because Stunky prefers to have the bulk that Eviolite gives it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Magnemite and Pawniard are threats to watch out for, as they are able to hit Stunky relatively hard. Even if Stunky runs Fire Blast, most Steel-types are fairly bulky and will not take large amounts of damage from Stunky.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types deal super effective damage against Stunky. Stunky's mediocre attacking stats make it so they can easily switch in and KO Stunky. Mudbray and Drilbur can tank two hits from Stunky and KO it with Earthquake, while Diglett will need to predict the move Stunky is using correctly to successfully switch in on and KO it.
**Bulky Pokemon with Recovery**: Since Stunky is not a very powerful attacker, Pokemon like Munchlax, Slowpoke, Mareanie, and Rufflet can wear it down while recovering off the damage they take.
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