Munkidori

Using Munkidori in a Playthrough

Munkidori is a standalone Poison/Psychic Legendary Pokémon that becomes catchable at level 70 in Wistful Fields after the player captures Ogerpon and completes The Teal Mask's main storyline. Its stat distribution is built for special offense and speed rather than physical durability: base 130 Special Attack and 106 Speed are excellent, while base 66 Defense makes strong physical attacks a serious concern. Psychic or Psyshock and Sludge Bomb or Sludge Wave provide reliable STAB, while Shadow Ball and Focus Blast cover many opposing Psychic-, Ghost-, Dark-, and Steel-types that would otherwise complicate those attacks. Nasty Plot can raise Special Attack by two stages and turn Munkidori into a dangerous sweeper, while U-turn or Parting Shot can reposition it when a matchup is unfavorable. Toxic Chain gives every damaging move a 30% chance to badly poison a susceptible target, so even U-turn can leave lasting damage behind as Munkidori escapes. Its Hidden Ability Frisk identifies opposing held items on entry and can provide information, but Toxic Chain is usually the more directly powerful option for ordinary play. Poison/Psychic strongly resists Fighting and also resists Fairy, Grass, and Poison, but weaknesses to Dark, Ghost, and Ground pair poorly with its weak physical Defense. Timid is generally ideal for maximizing the important Speed tier, while Modest can be used when additional special damage matters more than outrunning nearby opponents.

Munkidori in Competitive Pokémon

Munkidori currently resides in SV NU, where base 130 Special Attack, base 106 Speed, Toxic Chain, and U-turn make it a strong special attacker and offensive pivot. Psychic or Psyshock pressures Fighting- and Poison-types, while Sludge Bomb or Sludge Wave punishes Fairy- and Grass-types; Focus Blast and Shadow Ball can be chosen to address Steel-, Dark-, Psychic-, or Ghost-type answers. Toxic Chain is central to its pivoting value because U-turn can both maintain momentum and carry a 30% chance to badly poison the target, gradually weakening defensive Pokémon that might otherwise absorb Munkidori's attacks. Choice Scarf sets exploit its Speed and pivoting, while Nasty Plot sets use the switches it forces to double Special Attack and attempt a sweep; Trick can cripple defensive walls that rely heavily on their held item or move flexibility. Its limitations are substantial physical frailty, vulnerability to strong Dark priority, and the fact that Steel-types are completely immune to poison and often require dedicated coverage. Frisk can provide useful information but normally gives up too much long-term pressure compared with Toxic Chain. Munkidori's NU placement therefore reflects a capable fast breaker and pivot whose offensive tools are real but whose defensive profile and reliance on coverage keep it from dominating stronger tiers.

Munkidori in Nuzlockes

Munkidori is a useful late-game Nuzlocke attacker when Legendary encounters are allowed, but its base 66 Defense means it survives primarily by moving first rather than by absorbing physical damage. Psychic, Psyshock, Sludge Wave, and Shadow Ball provide perfectly accurate options for many matchups, while Focus Blast's 70% accuracy is a major risk and should generally be reserved for situations where no safer coverage can solve the problem. Toxic Chain can badly poison an opponent while Munkidori attacks, but the 30% chance should be treated as bonus attrition rather than a dependable defensive plan. U-turn is especially useful because base 106 Speed often lets Munkidori deal damage and leave before the opponent acts, reducing exposure to its Dark, Ghost, and Ground weaknesses. Nasty Plot can enable a sweep against a known passive or special opponent, but spending a setup turn against an unknown physical attacker creates a poor margin for error. Frisk can be a meaningful scouting Ability if an Ability Patch is available and enemy held items are relevant, although losing Toxic Chain's passive pressure is a real tradeoff. A Timid, accuracy-conscious set that prioritizes fast attacks and pivoting is much safer than attempting to use Munkidori as a general defensive switch-in.

Munkidori is a monkey-like Legendary Pokémon whose toxic chain is wrapped around its head like a headband and whose present intelligence is directly tied to that chain. The history surrounding Pecharunt says Munkidori was once clumsy and dim-witted; its wish for intelligence led it to consume Binding Mochi, after which the toxic chain stimulated its brain, awakened powerful Psychic abilities, and bound it to Pecharunt's control. Its enhanced mind is capable of perceiving the near future, and Munkidori prefers to remain somewhere comparatively safe while using psychic power to manipulate or torment opponents from a distance, including inducing severe dizziness. It is greedy and manipulative but nevertheless cooperates closely with Okidogi and Fezandipiti. Kitakami later revered it as one of the Loyal Three, obscuring the fact that its original arrival was connected to Pecharunt's attempt to obtain Ogerpon's masks.