Kingambit is one of the top attackers in competitive Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, excelling in both Singles and VGC formats. Although facing its common Swords Dance and Sucker Punch combination can seem intimidating, you can be defiant, stand your ground, and defeat it with the right choices. Here’s how.
Kingambit weaknesses in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, explained
Kingambit’s main downsides in Scarlet and Violet are its double weakness to Fighting moves and its very slow base speed of 50. But it remains viable because it can Terastalize to change its type and use Sucker Punch, a +1 priority move, to hit first against base priority moves, regardless of the opponent’s speed. Your primary concern should be surviving a Sucker Punch at +2 Attack, which is typically Kingambit’s strategy after using Swords Dance. You’ll also need a strategy to take it down in up to two moves, ideally in just one. Here are several strategies for handling Kingambit:
- Burn Kingambit to cut its attack power in half, reducing the damage it does.
- Watch out for Kingambit that counter this with a Lum Berry or by Terastalizing into a Fire type to avoid burns.
- Choose a Pokémon with high Defense.
- Use a Pokémon immune to priority moves.
- Pick a Pokémon that is faster than Kingambit and can use a priority move.
- Equip a strong attacker with a Focus Sash to survive a Sucker Punch and retaliate with a one-hit knockout.
- Keep in mind that damage from Spikes and Stealth Rock will break your Focus Sash.
- Consider using another Kingambit.
- Terastalize into a Fairy type.
Below are the practical details on how to implement some of these tactics.
How to counter Kingambit in Pokémon SV Singles
Here are some Pokémon that work well against Kingambit in Scarlet and Violet single battles, using the strategies mentioned before.
- Physically Defensive Moltres or Cinderace: Both can use Will-o-Wisp to burn Kingambit, reducing its attack power. Moltres has an additional advantage with its Flame Body ability, which can also burn Kingambit upon contact.
- Great Tusk and Skarmory: Great Tusk is an excellent counter to Kingambit because of its type and strong defensive stats. It can take a non-Terastalized Kingambit’s +4 Attack Low Kick and Iron Head. Just one Bulk Up increases its survival against any +6 attack from Kingambit. Skarmory is also a strong check to Kingambit, since it is capable of outspeeding it.
- Unaware Dondozo or Skeledirge: Their Unaware ability allows them to ignore the attack boosts from Kingambit’s Swords Dance, letting them survive a Sucker Punch and retaliate to win the fight.
- Raging Bolt with Thunderclap: Raging Bolt is quicker than Kingambit and can defeat it using Thunderclap twice, which has priority as well. It can also survive a +2 Sucker Punch if you opt for using Thunderbolt instead.
- Kingambit with Low Kick, Iron Head, and a Jolly nature: This setup can outspeed many other Kingambits and hit them hard with Low Kick for its usual weaknesses and Iron Head for its common Fairy-tera weakness. It can carry a Focus Sash to ensure survival if there’s uncertainty about outspeeding.
How to counter Kingambit in VGC
Countering Kingambit in VGC is more complex due to the Double format, which introduces new strategies in addition to the ones mentioned earlier. First, avoid using Intimidate Pokémon like Incineroar because Kingambit’s Defiant ability turns the attack decrease into an attack increase. Outspeeding Kingambit is also tougher in Doubles, as partners like Latias with Tailwind or Trick Room setups are common. Instead of focusing solely on countering Sucker Punch, consider these strategies:
- Ogerpon with Follow Me: This forces Kingambit to target Ogerpon, causing Sucker Punch to miss or allowing Ogerpon to absorb other attacks, freeing your main attacker to take down Kingambit.
- Amoonguss with Rage Powder: Similar to Ogerpon, but Amoonguss has better resistances against Kingambit’s moves.
- Urshifu-Rapid Strike Form: Urshifu resists Kingambit’s primary attacks and can knock it out with one hit using Close Combat, unless Kingambit has Terastalized.
- Landorus Incarnate Form: An excellent attacker to pair with Ogerpon or Amoonguss, Landorus can target Fairy-Tera Kingambit with Sludge Bomb or hit a regular Kingambit with Earth Power. Setting up Substitute can also offer protection.
- Farigiraf: Concerned about Sucker Punch? Farigiraf’s Armor Tail ability prevents priority moves from hitting, protecting your entire team. Just ensure Farigiraf has Protect to avoid being defeated by Kowtow Cleave.
- Indeedee-F: Indeedee-F’s Psychic Terrain guards your whole team against Sucker Punch, functioning similarly to Armor Tail without needing Indeedee-F to remain in play.
- Raging Bolt with Thunderclap: Attacking Kingambit with a +1 priority move from a faster Pokémon remains a viable counter-strategy. Raging Bolt can do this.
