Pumpking Hard Mode Strategy 2022

[Bertolfoso]

Video: https://youtu.be/KM3KllPYEpI

Team: https://pokepast.es/0456570674d0f4b6

 

Welcome to my Pumpking Hard mode 2022 guide. You can unlock this mode after you beat Pumpking 1 time, by offering it a Special Candy.

 

The strategy I use is based on Snarl Hydreigon as a Minion cleaner and Weezing as a way to prevent their abilities to activate, especially Friend Guard (Pumpaladin) and Rob the Rich (Pumpthief), and 2 strong Assurance users, Tyranitar and Krookodile in my case. A 5th hard hitter may be added for more consistency at the cost of less particles per run.

 

Items needed: xSpecials, Healing Items, Chesto Berries (or Awakenings), Pumpkin Cookie, xSpeed/xAttack/xSpDef (Phase 3 dependant)

I reccomend stocking up with these items to be safe.

 

Since this strategy relies on Snarl hitting, it can be a bit RNG dependant. There are some ways to make this more reliable: 

 

- on phase 1, instead of using Assurance with Tyranitar, use an x Accuracy on Hydreigon;

- phase 2 is really dependant on Fever Dreams RNG, you don't really have time to use an xAccuracy, you will have to improvise. It's NECESSARY to end phase 2 with Tyranitar, Hydreigon and Weezing at very high HP;

- on phase 3, you'll have to pay attention to what stats get reduced on Hydreigon. On turn 2, depending on that, you can choose between xAtk on Tyranitar or xAccuracy on Hydreigon on your Weezing turn.

 

Keep in consideration what Minions get summoned on turn 3: Ghastly Vision will take Hydreigon (and the rest of the active mons) to 1 HP and some of the Minions have Priority:

-Pumprince (Shadow Sneak)

-Pumprincess (Vacuum Wave, supereffective vs Hydreigon)

-Pumpthief (Extreme Speed)

If Pumpthief is summoned, make sure to heal Weezing as well or otherwise it will get KO'd and Rob the Rich will activate.

 

EVs

Spoiler

IVs

Spoiler

It is possible to complete runs with Tyranitar-Hydreigon-Weezing only as a core, with 3 pokemon to put particle on. I don't know consistency but I'm 5/5 as of now.

 

Be sure to ask any questions, I'll try to reply.

 

 

TRANSLATION CORNER:

Garanzia = Assurance

Urlorabbia = Snarl

Provocazione = Taunt

Sgranocchio = Crunch

Edited November 6, 2022 by Bertolfoso

[NeonNuggets]

Does the tyranitar need all those 31?

 

[Bertolfoso]

1 minute ago, NeonNuggets said:

Does the tyranitar need all those 31?

 

Probably not, obviously the higher the IVs the better, mine are good because I was making a comp one anyways.

[Onraider]

In phase 2 i think u can go with xspatt and xaccuracy turn 1 without taunt, however if two or more mons are put to sleep u need a ghost cookie to wake them up and u need to taunt on that turn with weezing to stop spirited away. However with bad fever dreams rng, you can have multiple instances of 2 or more mons falling asleep so you will need ghost cookies to cover for those but should be doable in that method as well, without risking the snarl miss.

[Bertolfoso]

3 minutes ago, Onraider said:

In phase 2 i think u can go with xspatt and xaccuracy turn 1 without taunt, however if two or more mons are put to sleep u need a ghost cookie to wake them up and u need to taunt on that turn with weezing to stop spirited away. However with bad fever dreams rng, you can have multiple instances of 2 or more mons falling asleep so you will need ghost cookies to cover for those but should be doable in that method as well, without risking the snarl miss.

I haven't tried this strategy, but there's the problem that you can't make a mon eat multiple cookies, at least in my experience. Thanks for adding this though, I'll check it out.

[Onraider]

4 minutes ago, Bertolfoso said:

I haven't tried this strategy, but there's the problem that you can't make a mon eat multiple cookies, at least in my experience. Thanks for adding this though, I'll check it out.

Yep so for example, on first double sleep u give ghost cookie to ttar, and if you get double sleep again on the next fever dreams you can give it to hydrei. If it happens for the 3rd time in a row, you can double awakening/full heal and taunt with weezing.
And ye theres a certain number of turns where a mon cant consume multiple cookies, but that should wear off after a few turns.
Difference in both methods is comparing between snarl miss rng and fever dreams rng and which side you wanna go on. In general i prefer to kill the minions asap with no risk, but maybe they arent as threatening to validate this

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by Onraider

[caioxlive13]

Eh, a player called Kusanagi says to me that Pumpking abilitys aren't cancelled by Reactive Gas, can someone confirm to me?

[Utsa]

1 hour ago, caioxlive13 said:

Eh, a player called Kusanagi says to me that Pumpking abilitys aren't cancelled by Reactive Gas, can someone confirm to me?

Yeah it can not suppress pumpking's ability but it should be still fine.

[Dufeyz]

Thank you so much for your guide. Got my hard mode clear! 

 

Really appreciate it mate!

[Rittz]

Thanks for this!

[LucasLyn5]

Huh, I've never considered using an xAccuracy instead of xSpecial in the first phase. I'll have to test if that can basically eliminate all RNG in the first 2 phases with my method. Thanks!

[Bertolfoso]

7 hours ago, LucasLyn5 said:

Huh, I've never considered using an xAccuracy instead of xSpecial in the first phase. I'll have to test if that can basically eliminate all RNG in the first 2 phases with my method. Thanks!

xAccuracy should be used in place of Assurance or in a turn where you know weezing can tank (phase 1), you need xSpecial to take out the minions.

[Elizn]

4 tries, and having to read the adds in Phase 3, thanks to this guide I knew how to handle them. 

 

Actually beat this thing with a team of my own. Thank you for sharing 😄 

[Darkoure]

Nice one!

Ive used another tactic with 5 mons, but with 4 its way better 😄
can krook be adamant ? or needs to be jolly

 

[Bertolfoso]

8 hours ago, Darkoure said:

Nice one!

Ive used another tactic with 5 mons, but with 4 its way better 😄
can krook be adamant ? or needs to be jolly

 

I think Adamant should work, as Krook is slower than the boss even with Jolly.

[Ryukaai]

10 minutes ago, Bertolfoso said:

I think Adamant should work, as Krook is slower than the boss even with Jolly.

First things first.... THANK YOU FOR THIS GUIDE BRO 🙏

 

secondly... What do I do if earth power drops wheezing sp def? Use x item or he'll be okay?

[Poufilou]

Heal weezing with your Assurance pokemon, keep Snarl to drop sp atk and keep taunting, a drop sp def is actually fine to handle, you take 1 more turn but you are safe. 

[toddkman]

Is spirited away a run killer or is there a way to avoid it durring phase 2?

 

Edit: its happened 2 times in a row failed 2 runs cause of it.

 

Edited November 6, 2022 by toddkman

[Bertolfoso]

12 minutes ago, toddkman said:

Is spirited away a run killer or is there a way to avoid it durring phase 2?

 

You can prevent Spirit Away by using taunt, usually the boss uses it when at least 2 pokemon are asleep (although it can happen with only 1 as well), but taunt will force it into using Soul Drain. Depending on the number of back-ups spirit away can also not kill a run, but it's best that it's avoided.

 

[Leeges]

Love the guide, been having almost a 90% success rate using x acc/ x special at the start of phase 2. It's important to mention that when you get double sleep, use taunt to avoid whirlwind.. I didn't no this at first.

I was wondering about the end of phase 3 when everyone is at 1 hp, I heal Hydro with both (unless it's pumpthief, I heal Weezing too) then use snarl but if it's Pumprince, Tyranite survives and then gets harvested by boss at the end which loses my stat boosts on Krook for the kill.. can I avoid this by healing Tyranite too? Thanks. 

[Bertolfoso]

1 minute ago, Leeges said:

I was wondering about the end of phase 3 when everyone is at 1 hp, I heal Hydro with both (unless it's pumpthief, I heal Weezing too) then use snarl but if it's Pumprince, Tyranite survives and then gets harvested by boss at the end which loses my stat boosts on Krook for the kill.. can I avoid this by healing Tyranite too? Thanks. 

On turn 3, Weezing goes down to Phantom Strike and Tyranitar can either survive or die. This does not matter because you get switched out at the end and the boss should be at low hp enough where it goes down the next turn. If it ever harvests you can Broom Cookie to remove its defense boosts. 

[toddkman]

one more thing in your guide you risk the 5% miss on enimies at the start of phase 2 or do you use x accuracy and x special?

 

Edited November 6, 2022 by toddkman

[Bertolfoso]

6 minutes ago, toddkman said:

one more thing in your guide you risk the 5% misson enimies at the start of phase 2 or do you use x accuracy and x special?

 

Turn 1 I risk the accuracy, if paladin dodges and it's on weezing side it's gonna heal pulse anyways, but you kinda need to taunt turn 1 so you can't really x Accuracy.

 

[toddkman]

Sorry, i meant phase 2 with sleep rng do you taunt 24-7 on that one or risk sleep

 

[Bertolfoso]

Just now, toddkman said:

Sorry, i meant phase 2 with sleep rng do you taunt 24-7 on that one or risk sleep

 

Phase 2 I taunt the first turn, then take the Fever Dreams the 2nd. If you get good RNG you kill it right there, if you get bad RNG you have to use a Ghost Cookie.