Analysis
With a blistering base 105 speed and 115 base attack, Pawmot has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the very top of the post-bans July meta. The secret to Pawmot's metallic reign lies in its ability to pick and choose its checks and counters.
This versatility is granted partially by role diversity and partially by type coverage. Volt switch allows Pawmot to easily mauever itself in favorable positions, earning chip damage on threatening opponents without suffering any itself.
The Natural Cure or Volt Absorb abilities synergize naturally with volt switch sets, making Pawmot into either the world's scariest status sponge or a looming threat haunting every potential electric move-user. Far more often though, Pawmot serves as a primary win condition via wallbreaking or late-game sweeping.
The aforementioned life orb is standard on the offensive Pawmots that have exploded in popularity as of late. Carrying close combat and electric stab allows Pawmot up to 2 potential coverage moves, and this is where offensive Pawmots pick their poisons. Ice punch, often paired with the Iron Fist ability, helps break through defensive Chesnaught and quasi-offensive Goodra. Knock off, besides providing valuable general utility, frees Pawmot up to use double shock without fear of being walled by Slowking. Fire punch, while not a popular choice, can facilitate steel type destruction without engendering any of the drawbacks of Pawmot’s stabs. Finally, Mach punch can be used to punish choice scarf revenge killers and pick up critical kos against opposing setup sweepers in a pinch.
Pawmot typically appreciates life orb for the immediate power boost, but that’s not the only item it can run. Leftovers, heavy duty boots, protective pads, and lum berry all contribute doubly to its longevity. Choice band can be used for maximum power and synergizes well with Mach punch or volt switch sets. Choice scarf sets allow you to comfortably outspeed the entire metagame, and running an adamant nature can make up for a portion of the power you lose from dropping life orb.
A note about Pawmot’s STABs: On paper Pawmot fares better than most when it comes to STABs, but they’re not without their costs. As most people are well aware, Close Combat lowers both defensive stats by one stage after each use. In a meta rife with priority and choice scarf users, especially when factoring in life orb recoil, these drops can pave a highway to the danger zone for your late game sweep.
Pawmot’s electric options, though, are where things get interesting. Its signature move, double shock, removes Pawmot’s electric typing in return for hitting with a perfectly accurate 120 base power. This means that Pawmot can only use the move once per switch-in which can leave it in a pinch if defensive threats like Slowking are still in play. Its next best option, Supercell slam, causes 50% crash damage if the move misses (a 5% chance) or hits into an immunity and has 20 less base power. That leaves Thunder punch, at a slightly underwhelming 75 base power, as the best electric STAB that can be used repeatedly without consequence.
Written by Typhon