Portal
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http://www.smogon.com/download/sprites/dp/328.png
http://smogon.com/dp/pokemon/trapinch
[SET]
name: Trick Room Revenge Trapper
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Quick Attack
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Crunch
item: Focus Sash
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Brave
evs: 176 HP / 252 Atk / 40 Def / 40 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set is designed to be used on a Trick Room team as it is probably Trapinch's best chance at pulling off some revenge kills in UU or even in OU. With a Brave nature and a 0 Speed IV, Trapinch comes away with 22 Speed. While Trapinch lacks the defenses of its big brother Flygon and doesn’t quite have the Speed of its fellow Arena Trap cousin Dugtrio, it can still pack quite a punch off its base 100 Attack.
Earthquake is your main attack and your best bet at hitting something hard. Quick Attack is useful for finishing off Focus Sash users, or anything else at low health, especially Pokémon trying to sweep with a Salac Berry if Trick Room isn't in play. Rock Slide is just for type coverage against fliers and Levitators should you ever need to kill one, but since they can switch out of Arena Trap you won’t be using it much. Crunch is mainly a filler, though it will easily OHKO fragile psychic-types like Espeon, and even Alakazam should you ever come across one in OU, and also do a fair amount of damage to others like Claydol and Gardevoir.
Keep in mind; if the Pokemon you plan on revenge killing isn't a flying-type or a Levitate user (which generally isn't good revenge prey to begin with) and can be hit with Earthquake for, at the very least, neutral damage, you're going to use Earthquake every time. Other than quick attack, the last two attacks listed are considered filler since you will be using a combination of Earthquake and Quick attack almost all the time.
Trapinch will only, or should only be sent out to trap and revenge kill, which means under most circumstances, bringing in a counter isn't possible. Your only means of escape is U-Turn and Baton Pass, or of course, being a flying-type or Levitate user. Shed Shell can get you out of trouble as well. Once Trapinch has fainted your Pokemon, or once you've escaped, pretty much any Pokemon on your team that you think will handle an earthquake (flying-type, Levitator, or grass-type preferrabley) will be a fine switch in. If Trick Room is still up, be sure to not fall in the same trap, especially if Trapinch is full health as it will probably carry a sash.
[Team Options]
Trapinch is one of those rare Pokemon that can actually trap and kill other Pokemon, therefore your team should make the most of it.
In order for a revenge kill to be successful, it is essential to have a lure that attracts potential revenge prey, and this lure can come in many forms. Perhaps the easiest to pull off is simple death fodder. Send in a Pokemon that has been, for the most part, rendered useless from earlier in the game, let it die, and send in Trapinch for an easy kill. Another lure could be something like Gyarados, who attracts electric-type attacks, which Trapinch is immune to, therefore a safe switch and an easy kill. Also, if you think your opponent will switch, you can use this to your advantage. For example, like before, if you have Gyarados out against something it can easily OHKO, you can predict a switch to an electric-type Pokemon and switch yourself, making the kill with Earthquake.
To help support Trapinch and his revenge-killing abilities, you'll want to have Trick Room up before you send it in. For OU, Bronzong is always welcome on a Trick Room team, and it attracts fire-type pokemon like Infernape for your convenience; for both OU and UU, special mention goes to Slowbro, Slowking, and Exeggutor, as all three attract pokemon that are weak to Earthquake. Also, since Trapinch always carries a sash, it's a good idea to have a spinner (FYI, Claydol is a useful Trick Room user, lure, and a spinner). Thankfully, Trapinch is not affected by Sandstorm.
Info on countering Trapinch has been mentioned above.
[Other Options]
Instead of Crunch, Bite is an alternative, if you want a chance of flinch at the cost of 20 power. Body Slam has more power than Crunch with a chance of paralysis, however Crunch gets better coverage with Earthquake and Rock Slide, hitting ghosts and psychics super effectively. The same thing goes for Flail and Return, which deserve a mention. I suppose a Choice Band could be used for extra power, but a sash is almost always of more use.
[EVs]
328 Attack (252 EVs, + nature) always on Trapinch. The defensive spread provided, 176 HP / 40 Def / 40 SpD, makes Trapinch evenly defensive on both sides of the attacking spectrum, however it won't matter much being that so frail. A defensive spread of 52 HP / 204 SpD will allow you to survive a Hidden Power Ice / Grass from Modest Raikou. Alternately, 164 HP / 92 SpD will allow you to survive a Modest Manectric Hidden Power, likely the most powerful Special Attacker in UU.
[Opinion]
Trapinch is mostly outclassed in OU by Dugtrio, who has significantly more Speed (unless Trick Room is up, of course) and slightly better defenses at the cost of a bit of Attack. Where Trapinch has Quick Attack, Dugtrio has Sucker Punch. That said, Trapinch can still make a decent trapper with Trick Room support (Trapinch is the second slowest competitive Pokémon, after Shuckle), especially in UU, where Dugtrio is not allowed.
In UU, Trapinch can take on things such as Manectric, Mawile and Camerupt to name a few, and in OU, Electivire, Lucario, and Infernape to name a few, being able to OHKO each with its STAB move (with Trick Room support if you can get it in), which makes Trapinch a viable trapper both in UU and OU.
