What it does
No Guard makes all moves used by the holder hit with 100% accuracy, ignoring accuracy and evasion modifiers. It also makes all moves targeting the holder hit with 100% accuracy, for the same reason.
The reason this matters for Machamp specifically is Dynamic Punch. At base accuracy of 50%, Dynamic Punch is a gamble — you'd hit it roughly half the time under normal conditions. With No Guard, the full package becomes reliable: 100 base power, Fighting type, never misses, and guarantees confusion on hit. The confusion effect forces a 50% chance of self-damaging per turn from the confused Pokémon. That's enormous consistent pressure for a single move slot.
The tradeoff is real. Every move aimed at the No Guard holder also ignores accuracy checks. An opponent's Focus Blast (normally 70%) or Stone Edge (normally 80%) hits Machamp with certainty if it's targeted. This is not a theoretical downside — some Pokémon carry specifically low-accuracy coverage moves, and No Guard guarantees those will land.
Who runs it
Machamp (92% usage) is the defining No Guard user. The entire set is built around Dynamic Punch as a central threat, supplemented by coverage like Ice Punch or Thunder Punch that No Guard also makes more consistent. There is no better ability for this Pokémon in the current format — the accuracy guarantee on Dynamic Punch is the reason Machamp is competitively relevant.
Golurk (72% usage) benefits similarly. Its key offensive moves are independently unreliable: Stone Edge sits at 80% accuracy normally, and Focus Punch has a different failure mode (canceled by taking damage before acting). No Guard solves the Stone Edge accuracy problem cleanly, making it a dependable coverage move against Flying and Fire types. Focus Punch is more complicated — the 'interrupted if hit' condition remains regardless of No Guard, so other strategies are needed to enable that.
How to use it
No Guard is a passive ability — there is no activation. It applies immediately on field entry. Machamp is in, Dynamic Punch never misses. That's the entirety of the mechanic from an activation standpoint.
Entry timing needs more care than average precisely because of the two-way nature. Before switching in Machamp or Golurk, check whether the opponent's current or likely-to-come-in Pokémon carries low-accuracy moves. A Focus Blast user becomes a guaranteed threat to Machamp, not a probabilistic one. This doesn't mean you never switch in — it means you factor it into the entry decision.
Confusion from Dynamic Punch disappears on switch-out. If the confused Pokémon switches, the confusion vanishes from the replacement. This means Dynamic Punch is most effective when the opponent has no clean switch — when the confused Pokémon is stuck in the field. In practice, scouting for situations where the opponent's best option is to stay in and fight through confusion gives Machamp maximum value.
Tips & strategy
Dynamic Punch confusion is sustained pressure, not a one-time payoff. The confused Pokémon faces a 50% self-damage roll every turn it stays in. Keep hitting it and maintain the situation rather than assuming confusion will handle things. A confused Pokémon still wins if its self-damage rolls are favorable and yours aren't.
No Guard works on low-accuracy status moves too — both directions. Hypnosis at 60% becomes guaranteed against Machamp. If you're running Machamp and carrying your own low-accuracy status moves, those also hit 100%. The rule is simple and cuts both ways without exception.
No Guard does not fix Focus Punch's interrupt condition. Focus Punch fails if the user is hit before it executes — that is not an accuracy issue, that's a priority and turn-order issue. No Guard solves nothing about it. To use Focus Punch on Golurk, you need to either avoid being targeted that turn (Protect the turn before, partner Fake Out, etc.) or guarantee the opponent cannot move. Accuracy is not the limiting factor here.
The holder draws guaranteed hits from otherwise-probabilistic moves. Don't ignore this in team preview. Identify opponents that use moves like Stone Edge, Focus Blast, or Blizzard as coverage — those land every time against Machamp or Golurk. Plan entry timing and switch sequencing accordingly.