As the Dragon Dance set was the primary focus of this update's concern, I present to you a newly buffed up Dragon Dance set:
Name: GUTSy Dragon Dance
Move 1: Dragon Dance
Move 2:
Liquidation
Move 3: Wild Charge
Move 4:
Psychic Fangs / Icicle Crash
Ability: Guts
Item: Flame Orb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Nature: Jolly
- Dragon Dance gives the set its name. Flame Orb to Activate Guts.
- Liquidation for STAB and a defense lowering effect that enables multiple defense breaking scenarios.
- Wild Charge for bulky waters such as (Mega) Slowbro.
- Psychic Fangs breaks screens and dissuades defensive Poison types like Mega Venusaur from switching in as well as threatening Fighting types.
- As a grounded Pokemon with both Psychic and Electric Moves, Naviathan plays well on teams with Tapu Koko or Tapu Lele either as a teammate or a threat to opposing teams that effectively boosted its coverage moves.
- Icicle Crash can be used over Psychic Fangs to address Malaconda and guarantee a OHKO on Scarf Landorus-T, however it makes the set fare poorly against Mega Venusaur, Scarf Mollux, and Scarf Plasmanta and worsens the matchup against Tomohawk because it gains neutrality to Ice on Roost.
- Max Atk and Spe to outrun anything slower.
During Naviathan's original thread there was a great deal of discussion over which coverage moves should make it on the DD set to ensure it was not too powerful. As it turns out, translated into CAP Power was a huge issue with Naviathan. Pokemon specifically mentioned as troublesome for Psychic coverage were Mega Sableye and Mandibuzz, whose Foul Play now threatens Naviathan even more. These additions neatly address Naviathan's cheif problems in CAP while still leaving it checked by Bulky Grass types and having several unfavorable neutral scenarios. Waterfall is replaced by Liquidation because the higher base power and defense lowering RNG effect can assist Naviathan is scoring further KOs.
Psychic Fangs is a new move in Gen 7 that will help Naviathan further distinguish itself from ZardX and Z-Fly Gyarados by removing opposing Screens from the field. This gives Naviathan a further option against Hyper Offense playstyles that set up screens and attempt to boost from behind them. It also gives Naviathan coverage against some of CAPs strongest offensive and defensive threats without giving it coverage for every threat.
A few calculations:
Tomohawk:
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Psychic Fangs vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tomohawk: 192-226 (46.3 - 54.5%) -- 98.8% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
+1 252 Atk Guts Naviathan Psychic Fangs vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tomohawk: 286-338 (69 - 81.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
0 SpA Tomohawk Aura Sphere vs. 48 HP / 0 SpD Naviathan: 276-326 (76.8 - 90.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
After Tomohawk Hazes, Psychic Fangs can still score a 2HKO, especially if rocks were down when Tomohawk came in. Tomohawk is still a very viable check though, as you can see from its Aura Sphere damage output. Focus Blast OHKOs Naviathan outright.
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Mollux:
+1 252 Atk Guts Naviathan Psychic Fangs vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Mollux: 432-510 (130.5 - 154%) -- guaranteed OHKO
GG Resist Snail
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Tapu Lele:
+1 252 Atk Guts Naviathan Liquidation vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Tapu Lele: 349-412 (124.1 - 146.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Thx for Psychic Terrain much appreciate.
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Plasmanta:
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Psychic Fangs vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Plasmanta: 214-252 (81.6 - 96.1%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Plasmanta Thunderbolt vs. 48 HP / 0 SpD Naviathan: 422-498 (117.5 - 138.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Scarf Plasmanta remains a good check to Naviathan with Psychic Fangs, but it cannot switch in with Spikes or Stealth Rock down as Psychic Fangs will often KO it from there.
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Skarmory and Mandibuzz
+1 252 Atk Guts Naviathan Waterfall vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 148-175 (44.3 - 52.3%) -- 79.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
+1 252 Atk Guts Naviathan Liquidation vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 159-187 (47.6 - 55.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Liquidation vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 106-126 (31.7 - 37.7%) -- 91.3% chance to 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Wild Charge vs. -1 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 224-264 (67 - 79%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Waterfall vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Mandibuzz: 135-159 (31.9 - 37.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Liquidation vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Mandibuzz: 142-168 (33.5 - 39.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Liquidation vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Mandibuzz: 142-168 (33.5 - 39.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Wild Charge vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Mandibuzz: 202-238 (47.7 - 56.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Wild Charge vs. -1 248 HP / 136+ Def Mandibuzz: 302-356 (71.3 - 84.1%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Comparison of Waterfall and Liquidation on Skarmory and Mandibuzz reveals that Liquidation can 2HKO even without SR (Max Damage >54%), Waterfall cannot. Additionally, if Liquidation's defense lowering effect activates, Wild Charge follows up with a KO. Waterfall's effect was irrelevant when Skarmory or Mandibuzz switched in. In short, this set gives 2 scenarios where Skarmory or Mandibuzz must be wary of a switch. They cannot do so after Naviathan has already set up, and Naviathan can opt for a break attempt by selecting Liquidation first over Dragon Dance.
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252 Atk Guts Naviathan Liquidation vs. 252 HP / 64 Def Unaware Clefable: 220-261 (55.8 - 66.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Wild Charge vs. -1 200 HP / 0 Def Unaware Arghonaut: 410-484 (102.2 - 120.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Guts Naviathan Psychic Fangs vs. -1 200 HP / 0 Def Unaware Arghonaut: 388-458 (96.7 - 114.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Lack of Steel STAB is no impediment to breaking through Clefable, and Arghonaut does not want to switch in on any of Naviathan's attacking moves, as Unaware will not protect it from a Liquidation stat drop.
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Note this set is not without counters. Ferrothorn and Malaconda decisively counter this Naviathan set if they have Power Whip. Scarf Plasmanta was already noted as an excellent check. Scarf Tapu Koko operates similarly, as well as Scarf Pheremosa. Intimidate Gyarados -> Mega Gyarados w/ Earthquake results in a 1 for 1 scenario. Mega Charizard X wins neutral scenarios where both must set up. Tomohawk wins neutral scenarios entirely.
Additionally Rocks support is vital to netting the set many of its best defense breaking scenarios, so Naviathan does not sweep on its lonesome even with these updates / upgrades.