NU Druddigon

QC: Earth, quziel, Eternally
GP: marthaa, The Dutch Plumberjack

[OVERVIEW]

Druddigon is one of only two viable Pokemon to possess the combination of Stealth Rock and Mold Breaker, which allows it to set up the hazard against Xatu, courtesy of bypassing Magic Bounce. Compared to Pinsir, it boasts superior overall bulk and a much better defensive typing, making it a far more reliable option. Druddigon's bulk and resistances to Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves give it the ability to check many dangerous Pokemon, such as Emboar, Rotom-C, Sceptile, Slowbro, and Delphox. While defensively valuable, Druddigon isn't limited to running defensive sets—with a huge base Attack, Sheer Force, and a wide movepool, it can pick apart many opposing defensive cores. Its good bulk and useful resistances give it plenty of opportunity to come in and deal damage. However, Druddigon's lackluster Speed leaves it outrun by much of the tier, rendering the offensive set heavily reliant on Sucker Punch, which can be easily played around. Its lack of reliable recovery hurts the defensive set, meaning it is easily worn down, especially if it forgoes Leftovers. While its Dragon typing offers useful resistances, it also leaves Druddigon weak to common Ice- and Fairy-type moves. This leaves it threatened by prevalent Pokemon such as Whimsicott, Mega Audino, Sneasel, and Vanilluxe, though the offensive set can KO on them on the switch.


[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Glare / Toxic
move 3: Dragon Tail
move 4: Earthquake
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock helps to wear down the opponent's team throughout the match. Glare is a 100% accurate move that inflicts paralysis, crippling any Pokemon that relies on Speed such as Sneasel and Delphox. Alternatively, Toxic puts foes on a timer. The damage from poison and potentially Rocky Helmet wears down opposing Pokemon very quickly. Mold Breaker also gives Druddigon the ability to cripple Xatu along with safely setting Stealth Rock, vastly easing the matchup. Choose between Glare and Toxic depending on whether you would prefer to threaten fast Pokemon such as Sneasel or walls such as Vaporeon. Dragon Tail phazes the foe, spreading hazard damage and preventing Druddigon from becoming setup fodder. Lastly, Earthquake hits Steel-types that resist Druddigon's STAB move and also lets it better check Fire- and Electric-types.

Set Details
========

The given EV spread maximizes Druddigon's physical bulk. Mold Breaker lets Druddigon set Stealth Rock against Xatu, as well as cripple it with status. It also lets Druddigon hit Levitate users with Earthquake, such as Rotom and Vikavolt. Rocky Helmet is the preferred item to score chip damage on physical attackers; it could also make the opponent think twice about using Rapid Spin if the opposing Pokemon has less than one-sixth of its HP remaining. Leftovers is another good choice if you prefer passive recovery. Rough Skin is another option to further punish physical attackers that use contact moves against Druddigon, but the utility of Mold Breaker is preferred. Combined with Rocky Helmet, you'll be inflicting around 30% damage on foes that use contact moves on Druddigon.

A spread of 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD with a Careful nature is viable too, which maximizes Druddigon's equally good Special Defense in order to take hits from special Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves. With this spread, it can beat Calm Mind Delphox and Nasty Plot Houndoom that lack Darkinium Z. Such a set should always run Leftovers and Mold Breaker, as it won't be able to punish physical attackers as effectively. Bear in mind that such a spread will leave Druddigon no longer able to check Emboar.

Usage Tips
========

Early-game, setting up Stealth Rock should be Druddigon's goal. Once Stealth Rock has been set up, throwing around Glare or Toxic is a good idea to cripple fast frail Pokemon or walls without Heal Bell, respectively. Dragon Tail is also a good move to fall back to if you're not sure what your opponent will switch in, as it serves to both wear down the opponent's team and scout switch-ins.

This set should be used to check physical attackers that can't hit Druddigon super effectively, including Choice Scarf Emboar, Choice Scarf Braviary, and Cinccino. With Rocky Helmet, they can find themselves worn down very quickly, especially if using recoil moves, namely Brave Bird and Flare Blitz. Druddigon can also check certain special attackers such as Choice Scarf Delphox and Rotom-C, which gives it the opportunity to throw around Glare to cripple switch-ins like Whimsicott and Sigilyph.

Team Options
========

As this set can be worn down easily, Wish support is greatly appreciated. Vaporeon can pass Druddigon large Wishes to keep it healthy throughout the match and cure its status using Heal Bell. The two have good synergy as well, with Vaporeon resisting the Ice-type moves Druddigon is weak to and Druddigon resisting the Grass- and Electric-type moves Vaporeon is weak to. Defensive Mega Audino can fulfill a similar purpose and can check special attackers such as Vikavolt, Choice Specs Whimsicott, and Choice Scarf Vanilluxe.

This set works brilliantly on Spikes stacking teams, as Mold Breaker lets Druddigon set up Stealth Rock against Xatu, which will quickly wear it down and make it far harder for Xatu to come in against Spikes setters such as Froslass and Garbodor. Rocky Helmet causes spinners to lose around 17% of their HP if they attempt to use Rapid Spin on Druddigon, and its Dragon Tail combined with Stealth Rock and Spikes can quickly wear down the opposing team. Garbodor and Froslass can both set up Spikes and have decent synergy with Druddigon: the former can switch in on Fairy-type moves, while the latter can switch in on Ice-type attacks, both of which hit Druddigon for super effective damage. Braviary can deter the opponent from using Defog thanks to Defiant, while Druddigon punishes Rapid Spin users with Rocky Helmet and possibly Rough Skin damage. In general, Pokemon with Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type weaknesses, such as Steelix, Delphox, Rhydon, and Samurott, appreciate having Druddigon around to give them some breathing room.

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch / Crunch
move 4: Gunk Shot
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Adamant
evs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Outrage is Druddigon's strongest STAB move, 2HKOing almost anything that doesn't resist it. Fire Punch hits the Steel-types that resist Outrage and 2HKOes Steelix after one layer of Spikes most of the time. Sucker Punch is a useful priority move and can helps pick off faster Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Mismagius and Delphox. Crunch provides a consistent, Sheer Force-boosted way to break Psychic- and Ghost-types without being locked into Outrage. It OHKOes Xatu 50% of the time and 2HKOes Slowbro that lack Colbur Berry. Gunk Shot hits the Fairy-types immune to Druddigon's STAB move, OHKOing Aromatisse and Whimsicott and 2HKOing Mega Audino and Granbull. If you dislike Gunk Shot's shaky accuracy, Iron Head can be used instead. With Stealth Rock damage, it still secures the 2HKO against Mega Audino and Granbull, and with one layer of Spikes down, it will 2HKO Rhydon most of the time.

Set Details
========

Druddigon's Attack is maximized with an Adamant nature so that Druddigon can hit as hard as possible. 140 Speed EVs let it outrun uninvested Vaporeon. The rest is placed in HP for extra bulk. Sheer Force is used to power up Fire Punch, Gunk Shot, and Crunch and remove Life Orb's recoil for those moves. Life Orb gives Druddigon's attacks some extra power, letting it wallbreak more effectively. If you'd prefer more bulk, you could run a spread of 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe; this outruns uninvested Mega Audino.

Usage Tips
========

This set has the role of a wallbreaker, smashing holes into the opponent's team for another Pokemon to clean up later. As Outrage can be easily taken advantage of, avoid using it until your opponent has no Steel- or Fairy-types left. Opening with Druddigon's coverage moves is often the best idea, as with Sheer Force and Life Orb's combined effect, they'll still hit neutral targets hard. Once any Steel- and Fairy-types are down, spamming Outrage will have a good chance at sweeping.

This set excels as a lure, as many of the bulky Steel- and Fairy-types that wall the defensive set, such as Mega Audino and Steelix, can be 2HKOed with a super effective attack on a predicted switch. However, this set isn't as bulky as the defensive one, so it needs to be played more cautiously. It can still switch in on weaker Fire-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves, but be wary of switching into bulky Water-types, as a Scald burn will render this set useless if you don't have cleric support.

Team Options
========

Late-game sweepers such as Z-Happy Hour Malamar, Calm Mind Mega Audino, and Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary appreciate this set's wallbreaking prowess and luring ability. Malamar appreciates having a teammate that can lure and remove Fairy-types; Mega Audino and Braviary both appreciate having a teammate that can lure and remove Steelix. Entry hazards are useful to help Druddigon score additional KOs. Steelix can set up Stealth Rock and has good synergy with Druddigon—it resists the Dragon- and Fairy-type moves Druddigon is weak to, while Druddigon resists the Fire- and Water-type moves Steelix is weak to. Garbodor and Froslass can set up Spikes to help Druddigon wallbreak more effectively. The former can also set Toxic Spikes. Pokemon with U-turn or Volt Switch make for good teammates, as they can bring Druddigon in safely and create opportunities to wallbreaker. Braviary, Scyther, Rotom-C, and Vikavolt are all suitable providers of momentum.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========

A more offensive Stealth Rock set can be run, consisting of Stealth Rock, Outrage, and any of Fire Punch, Earthquake, Gunk Shot, Sucker Punch, and Iron Head. Such a set should run a spread of 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe with an Adamant nature and use Mold Breaker or Sheer Force as its ability. Dragon Claw is a reliable STAB option but is outclassed due to Dragon Tail's phazing capabilities and Outrage's higher Base Power. Iron Tail is an option for the Life Orb set; it retains coverage on Fairy-types and is able to secure a 2HKO on Rhydon without entry hazards. However, its poor accuracy makes it very unreliable. Thunder Punch can also be used on that set to hit bulky Water-types without having to be locked into Outrage. It still retains coverage on Slowbro, Xatu, and Jellicent, 2HKOing all of them. However, Druddigon will then be unable to harm most bulky Fairy-types, making it a lesser option overall. Flamethrower can be used on the offensive set, but it is only useful for hitting Steelix somewhat harder than Fire Punch. It also requires Druddigon to run a Naughty or Lonely nature, reducing its bulk. A set using Rest and Sleep Talk with Dragon Tail and either Stealth Rock, Glare, or Toxic in the final slot is extremely durable, but it will be unable to harm Steel- and especially Fairy-types and is generally outdone by Slowbro as a wall, as Druddigon lacks Slowbro's reliable recovery.

Checks and Counters
========

**Fairy-types**: Choice Specs Whimsicott outruns Druddigon and OHKOes it with Moonblast. Mega Audino and Aromatisse wall the defensive set, and both have Heal Bell to cure potential status conditions. Calm Mind variants can use it as setup fodder, as they are unable to be phazed by Dragon Tail. However, Gunk Shot OHKOes Whimsicott and Aromatisse and 2HKOes Mega Audino.

**Ice-types**: While most can't reliably switch in, many of NU's Ice-types can force out Druddigon or just outright OHKO it. Vanilluxe and Aurorus can OHKO with their STAB Blizzard. Piloswine walls the defensive set, 2HKOes Druddigon with Icicle Crash, and has a good chance to OHKO the offensive set after Stealth Rock; however, Outrage and Iron Head will 2HKO Piloswine. Sneasel hates paralysis and is OHKOed by Outrage and Fire Punch, so it can't switch into either set; however, it can always force Druddigon out. Cryogonal can also force Druddigon out and remove its Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin, but it can't switch in on either set, as it hates paralysis and is OHKOed by Fire Punch.

**Status**: A burn will completely cripple the offensive set, rendering it dead weight. Toxic puts the defensive set on a timer, limiting its phazing ability and longevity.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Steelix and Ferroseed can wall the defensive set and set up hazards in its face. However, the offensive set can 2HKO Steelix with Fire Punch after one layer of Spikes.
 
Last edited:

quziel

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Mention Crunch on the offensive set, which allows Druddigon to 2hko any non-colbur berry Slowbro, likely as a slash over sucker punch. Slash Mold breaker on the defensive set; it has a huge niche in getting up stealth rock vs. Xatu, which continues its dominance of NU.
 
OK, ready for QC now.

quziel Have made your suggested changes to the defensive set and added Crunch to the offensive one, however I slashed it behind Sucker Punch. From testing, I found the priority more important.
 
Mention in the overview that it checks one of the scariest threat in the metagame, Emboar. You also need to emphasize on the fact that it's a rocker able to set-up rocks against Xatu, which is super convenient in this metagame -- you may have mentioned it but I want a stronger point on that.
The moves or OO should include Flamethrower, imo; it's a decent coverage option that lets you hit super effectively Steelix and the rare Ferroseed / Togedemaru, and even Vikavolt. It definitely deserves a mention somewhere. I would honestly use Mold Breaker before Rough Skin because being able to set up rocks against Xatu really is one of Druddigon's biggest niche, so swap them.
Remove AV from OO, it really sounds like a very bad Guzzlord substitute and it honestly doesn't make use of any niches Druddigon possesses.
I've never played around with the offensive set so I'm not gonna say much about it and I'd let another QC member do that.

qc 1/3
 

quziel

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Defensive:
Mention that toxic from mold breaker cripples xatu, and eases the matchup for the rest of your team to an immense degree.
A SRless set shouldn't even be mentioned here; other mons like slowbro can still check emboar, while being easier to use.
Moldbreaker should also be mentioned in the spikestack comment; SR being up wears down Xatu really quickly, and basically means it can't block your other setters nearly as effectively.

"In general, Pokemon with Fire-, Water-, Grass- and Electric-type weaknesses appreciate having Druddigon around to give them some breathing room" - Which Ones.

Offensive:
Crunch should be mentioned as a valid option, rather than a downgrade, clean up phrasing; breaking slowbro is huge.
The 100 speed set shouldn't be mentioned, as uninvested Jellicent is not a thing.

Team Options:
"Late game sweepers like Virizion, Calm Mind Audino-Mega and Shell Smash Omastar can take advantage of the holes this set can create. Audino loves having Steelix gone, and can also use Heal Bell to rid Druddigon of potential Burns" - Delete the mention about Heal Bell Maud, or at least break it up; current phrasing implies that heal bell + calm mind mega audino is a thing, which is untrue at best. Would also appreciate a Malamar mention, as Drudd lures in like all of its answers, and fits on a lot of the same styles of teams.

Honestly, focus the teammates section more on stuff that creates switchin opportunities, especially u-turn users, as well as on what mons specifically appreciate its wallbreaking.

Every mon is affected by Hazards, not really worth mentioning hazard removal explicitly.

OOs:
Could afford to mention a rest-talk set here, I know some formulations of rest/talk/dtail/sr have been run in the past, or the one you put, def not worth mentioning in primary set though.

CB drudd isn't worth mentioning in OOs.

Checks and Counters:
Fairy types: not sure CM needs to be a prefix before Mega Audino, as all sets beat it, and its gonna be a good answer to any non Sheer Force set no matter what.

QC: 2/3 once implemented
 
Last edited:

etern

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NU Leader
Overview:
  • Mention that it's also vulnerable to Fairy-types, particularly the ever-present Whimsicott
  • You need to emphasise the fact that Druddigon is one of the only Stealth Rock setters in the tier that can reliably get up rocks versus Xatu, and unlike Pinsir it has the bulk and resistances to stay alive for a much longer period of time, making it far more reliable of a team member for many balanced teams.
  • Go into a little bit more depth on the Offensive set, tell us how it can wallbreak common defensive cores and find switch-in opportunities due to it's fantastic typing.
  • In general, this overview reads a little too much like a list, rather than an informative summary of what this Pokemon can do, try and step away from just stating dex information and explain why we should use this Pokemon more clearly.
Set (Defensive):
  • Slash Helmet first
  • Remove Rough Skin as a slash, the main reason you're using Druddigon is as a stealth rock setter that doesn't care about Xatu.
Moves:
  • Don't use 'Crux' in analysis's.
Set Details:
  • You can mention Rough Skin as an alternative, but Mold Breaker should be emphasised as the better option.
  • Give better examples for the SpD EV spread, you're never staying in versus Vanilluxe and Shell Smash Omastar isn't too relevant to justify the set on its own. What Pokemon / Sets are you able to check with this spread that the PhysDef set cannot, (e.g you deal with CM Delphox more comfortably), what are the downsides of using this spread.
Usage Tips:
  • Less emphasis on Rough Skin here, focus on Mold Breaker and how to play that.
  • Make it clear which Braviary set you're talking about since it has two.
  • It can also check Special Attackers like Scarf Delphox, Rotom-Mow, and throw off a Glare on predicted switches into faster Pokemon like Whimsicott and Sigilyph. (Make sure you specify that part, because Glare doesn't 'weaken' teams.)
Team Options:
  • Make Mold Breaker the focus
  • Move the Wish passer line up to the top, that's a good point. Also include SpD Audino-Mega as a fantastic partner that can keep Druddigon healthy and pivot into special attackers like Whimsicott, Vanilluxe, and Vikavolt
Checks and Counters
The rest is fine, just remember you shouldn't have all those spaces between sentences and ideas within your subsections. QC 3/3 after you've implemented all of this.
 

Ivy

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baby's first Amateur Check incoming, pending stamp.
Remove, Add, Comments; (ac) = add comma, (rc) = remove comma, (ah) = add hyphen, (as) = add semicolon (and remove hyphen if relevant)
[OVERVIEW]

Druddigon is an excellent Pokemon in NU. It is one of only two viable Pokemon to possess the combination of Stealth Rock and Mold Breaker, which allows it to set up the hazard against Xatu, courtesy of bypassing Magic Bounce. Compared to Pinsir,(ac) it boasts superior overall bulk and a much better defensive typing, making it a far more reliable option. GoodDruddigon's bulk and resistances to Fire-, Water-, Grass-,(oxford comma needed—there are a lot of these) and Electric-type moves give it the ability to check many dangerous Pokemon, such as Emboar, Rotom-C, Sceptile, Slowbro, and Delphox. No one dimensional PokemonWhile defensively valuable, Druddigon isn't limited to running defensive sets(em dash)with a huge base Attack, Sheer Force, and a wide movepool, it can pick apart many opposing defensive cores. Its good bulk and useful resistances give it plenty of spaceopportunity to come in and causedeal damage.

Druddigon does still have its issues, however. Lackluster(US spelling) Speed leaves it outrun by much of the tier, and leaves itsrendering the offensive set heavily reliant on Sucker Punch, which can be easily played around. TheIts lack of reliable recovery hurts the defensive set, meaning it'sit is easily worn down, especially if it forgoes Leftovers. While its Dragon typing offers useful resistances, it also leaves itDruddigon weak to common Ice- and Fairy-type moves. This leaves it threatened by commonprevalent Pokemon such as Whimsicott, Mega Audino-Mega, Sneasel, and Vanilluxe. Despite these flaws, Druddigon is a great Pokemon that you should always consider using on your team is worth considering for any style of team.


[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Glare / Toxic
move 3: Dragon Tail
move 4: Earthquake
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is the most important move on this set, helping to wear down the opponent's team throughout the match. Glare is a 100% accurate move that inflicts paralysis, crippling any Pokemon that relies on Speed likesuch as Sneasel and Delphox. In addition, they may also be left unable to act for a turn. Alternatively, Toxic puts opponents on a timer. The damage from poison and potentially Rocky Helmet wears Pokemon down opposing Pokemon very quickly. Mold Breaker also gives Druddigon the ability to cripple Xatu along with safely setting Stealth Rock, vastly easing the matchup(no space). Choose between Glare and Toxic depending on whether you' would prefer to threaten fast Pokemon such as Sneasel, (ac) or walls such as Vaporeon. Dragon Tail phazes out the opponent, spreading hazard damage and preventing Druddigon from becoming setup(no space) fodder. Lastly, Earthquake hits the Steel-types that resist Druddigon's STAB, and also lets it better check Fire- and Electric-types better, other than Rotom-C and Vikavolt. (Mold Breaker is discussed soon after, so don't exempt these Pokemon.)

Set Details
========

The given EVs spread maximizes Druddigon's physical bulk. Mold Breaker lets Druddigon set Stealth Rock against Xatu, as well as cripple it with status. It also lets Druddigon hit Pokemon with Levitate Levitate users with its Earthquake, such as Rotom or Vikavolt(moved from the move details). Rocky Helmet is the preferred item to score chip damage on physical attackers; -(semicolon instead of hyphen or em dash) it could also preventmake the opponent think twice about using Rapid Spin, if the useropposing Pokemon has less than 20%one-sixth(or 17%) of its remaining HP. Leftovers is another good choice if you prefer passive recovery. Rough Skin is another option to further punish physical attackers that use contact moves against Druddigon, but the utility of Mold Breaker is preferred. Combined with Rocky Helmet, (ac) you'll be inflicting around 30% damage on opponents that use contact moves on Druddigon.

A spread of 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD with a Careful nature is viable too, which maximizes Druddigon's equally good Special Defense if you need something to take in order to take hits from special Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves. With this spread, it can beat Calm Mind Delphox and Nasty Plot Houndoom that lack Darkinium Z. Such a set should always run Leftovers and Mold Breaker, as it obviously won't be able to punish physical attackers as mucheffectively.

Usage Tips
========

Early-game(ah), setting up Stealth Rock should be Druddigon's goal. Once Stealth Rock has been set up, throwing around Glare or Toxic is a good idea to cripple fast frail Pokemon andor walls without Heal Bell or Aromatherapy,(while good clarity to specify both healing moves, it muddles with the sentence structure when trying to use "respectively", imo) respectively. Dragon Tail is also a good move to throw aroundfall back to if you're not sure what your opponent will switch in, as it serves the dual function ofto both wearing down the opponent's team and scouting switch ins.

This set should be used to check physical attackers that can't hit Druddigon super effectively, likeincluding Scarf Emboar, Scarf Braviary and Cinccino. With Rocky Helmet, (ac) they can find themselves worn down very quickly, especially if they useusing recoil moves, likenamely,(another "such as" would also work, but there are a lot of those) Brave Bird and Flare Blitz. It can also check certain special attackers such as Choice Scarf Delphox and Rotom-C, which gives it the opportunity to throw around Glare to cripple switch-ins(ah) such asamong the likes of(again purely for diversity of vocabulary, "such as" is also fine) Whimsicott and Sigilyph.

Team Options
========

As this set can be worn down easily, Wish support is greatly appreciated. Vaporeon can pass Druddigon large Wishes to keep it healthy throughout the match, and cure its status withusing Heal Bell. The two have good synergy as well, with Vaporeon resisting the Ice-type moves Druddigon is weak to, and Druddigon resisting the Grass- and Electric-type moves Vaporeon is weak to. Defensive Mega Audino-Mega can fulfill a similar purpose, and can check special attackers such as Vikavolt, Choice Specs Whimsicott, (ac) and Choice Scarf Vanilluxe.

This set works brilliantly on Spikes stacking teams, as Mold Breaker lets Druddigon set up Stealth Rock against Xatu, which will quickly wear it down and make it far harder for itXatu to come in against fellow Spike setters. Rocky Helmet causes Rapid spinners(accepted term for rapid spin users) to lose around 2017% of their HP if they attempt to use Rapid Spin("Spin," on the other hand, should be fully written out) on Druddigon, and its Dragon Tail combined with Stealth Rock and Spikes can quickly wear down the opposing team. Garbodor and Froslass can both set up Spikes, and have decent synergy with Druddigon: the former can switch in on the Fairy-type moves Druddigon is weak to, while the latter can switch in on the Ice-type attacksmoves Druddigon is weak to, both of which hit Druddigon for super effective damage. Braviary can deter the opponent from using Defog thanks to Defiant, while Druddigon can deterpunishes Rapid Spin with Rocky Helmet and possibly Rough Skin. In general, Pokemon with Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type weaknesses, such as Steelix, Delphox, Rhydon, and Samurott, appreciate having Druddigon around to give them some breathing room.

[SET]

name: Offensive (all-out attacker?)
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch / Crunch
move 4: Gunk Shot
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Adamant
evs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Outrage is Druddigon's strongest STAB move, 2HKOing almost anything that doesn't resist it. Fire Punch hits the Steel-types that resist Outrage, and with 1one layer of Spikes down, it 2HKOes Steelix most of the time. Sucker Punch is a useful priority move, and can help pick off faster Ghost- and Psychic-types, likesuch as Mismagius and Delphox. Crunch provides a consistent, Sheer Force boosted way to break Psychic- and Ghost-types without being locked into Outrage. It OHKOes Xatu 50% of the time, and 2HKOes Slowbro that lack Colbur Berry. Gunk Shot hits the Fairy-types immune to Druddigon's STAB. It OHKOes Aromatisse and Whimsicott, and 2HKOes Mega Audino-Mega and Granbull.

If you dislike Gunk Shot's shaky accuracy, Iron Head can be used instead. With Stealth Rock damagedown it still secures the 2HKOes against Mega Audino-Mega and Granbull, and with 1one layer of Spikes down it will 2HKOes Rhydon most of the time. Thunder Punch is another viable option to hit bulky Water-types without having to be locked into Outrage. It still retains coverage on Slowbro, Xatu, and Jellicent, 2HKOing all of them.

Set Details
========

Attack is maximized with a boosting nature so that Druddigon can hit as hard as possible. 140 Speed EVs let it outrun uninvested Vaporeon. The rest is placed in HP for extra bulk. Sheer Force is used to power up Fire Punch, Gunk Shot and Crunch, and remove Life Orb's recoil when using those moves. Life Orb gives Druddigon's attacks some extra power, letting it wallbreak more effectively. If you'd prefer more bulk, you could run a spread of 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe;(as) - this outruns uninvested Mega Audino-Mega.

Usage Tips
========

This set has the role of a wallbreaker, smashing holes into the opponent's team for something elseanother Pokemon to clean up later. As Outrage can be easily taken advantage of, avoid using it until your opponent has no Steel- or Fairy-types left. Opening with Druddigon's coverage moves is often the best idea, as with Sheer Force and Life Orb's combined effect they'll still hit neutral targets hard. Once theany Steel- and Fairy-types are down, spamming Outrage will get the job donehave a good chance at sweeping.

This set excels in the role ofas a lure, as many of the bulky Steel- and Fairy-types that wall the defensive set, such as Mega Audino-Mega and Steelix, can be 2HKOed by this setwith a super effective attack on the predicted switch-in. AsHowever, this set isn't as bulky as the defensive one, so it needs to be played more cautiously. It can still switch in on weaker Fire-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves, but be wary of switching into bulky Water-types, as a Scald burn will render this set useless if you don't have cleric support something with Heal Bell or Aromatherapy.

Team Options
========

Late-game(ah) sweepers likesuch as Z-Happy Hour Malamar, Calm Mind Mega Audino-Mega, and Substitute / Bulk Up Braviary appreciate this set's wallbreaking prowess and luring ability. Malamar lovesappreciates having a teammate that can lure and remove Fairy-types; Mega Audino-Mega and Braviary both appreciate having a teammate that can lure and remove Steelix. Entry hazards are useful to help Druddigon score additional KOs. Steelix can set up Stealth Rock, and has good synergy with Druddigon(em dash)it resists the Dragon- and Fairy-type moves Druddigon is weak to, while Druddigon resists the Fire- and Water-type moves Steelix is weak to. Garbodor and Froslass can set up Spikes to help Druddigon wallbreak more efffectively(typo). The former can also set Toxic Spikes. Pokemon with U-turn or Volt Switch make for good teammates, as they can bring Druddigon in safely and create opportunities to wallbreaker. Braviary, Scyther, Rotom-C, and Vikavolt are good examples all suitable providers of momentum.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========

A more offensive Stealth Rock set can be run, consisting of Stealth Rock, Outrage, and any of Fire Punch, Earthquake, Gunk Shot, Sucker Punch, or Iron Head. Such a set should run a spread of 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe with an Adamant Nature, and use Mold Breaker or Sheer Force as its ability. Dragon Claw is a reliable STAB option, but is outclassed by between Dragon Tail's phazing capabilities and Outrage's higher power, it's difficult to justify using. Iron Tail retains coverage on Fairy-types, butand is able to secure a can also 2HKO on Rhydon without entry hazards. However, its poor accuracy makes it very unreliable. Flamethrower can be used on the offensive set, but other thanit is only useful for hitting Steelix somewhat harder than Fire Punch it doesn't accomplish much else. It also requires Druddigon to run a Naughty or Lonely nature, reducing its bulk. A set using Rest and Sleep Talk with Dragon Tail and either Stealth Rock, Glare or Toxic in the final slot is extremely durable, but it will be unable to harm Steel- and especially Fairy-types, and is generally outdone by Slowbro as a wall, as that haslacking Slowbro's reliable recovery.

Checks and Counters
========

**Fairy-types**: Choice Specs Whimsicott outruns and OHKOes with Moonblast. Mega Audino-Mega and Aromatisse wall the defensive set, and both have Heal Bell to cure potential status conditions. Calm Mind variants can use it as set up fodder, as they are unable to be phazed by Dragon Tail. However, Gunk Shot OHKOes Whimsicott and Aromatisse, and 2HKOes Mega Audino-Mega.

**Ice-types**: While most can't reliably switch in, many of NU's Ice-types can force out Druddigon or just straight up OHKO it. Vanilluxe and Aurorus can OHKO with their STAB Blizzards. Piloswine walls the defensive set, and 2HKOes with Icicle Crash, and has a good chance to OHKO the offensive set after Stealth Rock;(as) although, Outrage and Iron Head dowill 2HKO Piloswine. Sneasel hates paralysis and is OHKOed by Outrage and Fire Punch, so it can't switch into either set; however, it but can always force Druddigon out. Cryogonal can also force Druddigon out,(rc) and remove its Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin; although, again, it can't switch in on either set, as it hates paralysis and is OHKOed by Fire Punch.

**Status**: A burn will completely cripple the offensive set, rendering it dead weight. Toxic puts the defensive set on a timer, limiting its phazing longevity.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Steelix and Ferroseed can wall the defensive set and set up hazards in its face. However, the offensive set can 2HKO Steelix with Fire Punch after 1one layer of Spikes.
 
Last edited:

autumn

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GP 1/2
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[OVERVIEW]

Druddigon is an excellent Pokemon in NU. It (fluff) is one of only two viable Pokemon to possess the combination of Stealth Rock and Mold Breaker, which allows it to set up the hazard against Xatu, courtesy of bypassing Magic Bounce. Compared to Pinsir, it boasts superior overall bulk and a much better defensive typing, making it a far more reliable option. Druddigon's bulk and resistances to Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves give it the ability to check many dangerous Pokemon, such as Emboar, Rotom-C, Sceptile, Slowbro, and Delphox. While defensively valuable, Druddigon isn't limited to running defensive sets—with a huge base Attack, Sheer Force, and a wide movepool, it can pick apart many opposing defensive cores. Its good bulk and useful resistances give it plenty of opportunity to come in and deal damage. (remove line break) Druddigon does still have its issues, however. (fluff) However, Druddigon's lackluster Speed leaves it outrun by much of the tier, rendering the offensive set heavily reliant on Sucker Punch, which can be easily played around. Its lack of reliable recovery hurts the defensive set, meaning it is easily worn down, especially if it forgoes Leftovers. While its Dragon typing offers useful resistances, it also leaves Druddigon weak to common Ice- and Fairy-type moves. This leaves it threatened by prevalent Pokemon such as Whimsicott, Mega Audino, Sneasel, and Vanilluxe. Despite these flaws, Druddigon is a great Pokemon that is worth considering for any style of team. (fluff)


[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Glare / Toxic
move 3: Dragon Tail
move 4: Earthquake
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is the most important move on this set, helping to wear down the opponent's team throughout the match. Glare is a 100% accurate move that inflicts paralysis, crippling any Pokemon that relies on Speed such as Sneasel and Delphox. In addition, they may also be left unable to act for a turn. (this is dex info; why does this help?) Alternatively, Toxic puts opponents foes on a timer. The damage from poison and potentially Rocky Helmet wears down opposing Pokemon very quickly. Mold Breaker also gives Druddigon the ability to cripple Xatu along with safely setting Stealth Rock, vastly easing the matchup. Choose between Glare and Toxic depending on whether you would prefer to threaten fast Pokemon such as Sneasel, (RC) or walls such as Vaporeon. Dragon Tail phazes out the opponent foe, spreading hazard damage and preventing Druddigon from becoming setup fodder. Lastly, Earthquake hits Steel-types that resist Druddigon's STAB move, (RC) and also lets it better check Fire- and Electric-types.

Set Details
========

The given EV spread maximizes Druddigon's physical bulk. Mold Breaker lets Druddigon set Stealth Rock against Xatu, as well as cripple it with status. It also lets Druddigon hit Levitate users with its Earthquake, such as Rotom or and Vikavolt. Rocky Helmet is the preferred item to score chip damage on physical attackers; it could also make the opponent think twice about using Rapid Spin, (RC) if the opposing Pokemon has less than one-sixth (20% was fine but up to you) of its remaining HP remaining. Leftovers is another good choice if you prefer passive recovery. Rough Skin is another option to further punish physical attackers that use contact moves against Druddigon, but the utility of Mold Breaker is preferred. Combined with Rocky Helmet, you'll be inflicting around 30% damage on opponents foes that use contact moves on Druddigon.

A spread of 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD with a Careful nature is viable too, which maximizes Druddigon's equally good Special Defense in order to take hits from special Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves. With this spread, it can beat Calm Mind Delphox and Nasty Plot Houndoom that lack Darkinium Z. Such a set should always run Leftovers and Mold Breaker, as it won't be able to punish physical attackers as effectively. Bear in mind that such a spread will no longer be able to check Emboar.

Usage Tips
========

Early-game, setting up Stealth Rock should be Druddigon's goal. Once Stealth Rock has been set up, throwing around Glare or Toxic is a good idea to cripple fast frail Pokemon or walls without Heal Bell, respectively. Dragon Tail is also a good move to fall back to if you're not sure what your opponent will switch in, as it serves to both wear down the opponent's team and scout switch-(AH)ins.

This set should be used to check physical attackers that can't hit Druddigon super effectively, including Choice Scarf Emboar, Choice Scarf Braviary and Cinccino. With Rocky Helmet, they can find themselves worn down very quickly, especially if using recoil moves, namely, (RC) Brave Bird and Flare Blitz. It can also check certain special attackers such as Choice Scarf Delphox and Rotom-C, which gives it the opportunity to throw around Glare to cripple switch-ins among the likes of Whimsicott and Sigilyph.

Team Options
========

As this set can be worn down easily, Wish support is greatly appreciated. Vaporeon can pass Druddigon large Wishes to keep it healthy throughout the match, (RC) and cure its status using Heal Bell. The two have good synergy as well, with Vaporeon resisting the Ice-type moves Druddigon is weak to, and Druddigon resisting the Grass- and Electric-type moves Vaporeon is weak to. Defensive Mega Audino can fulfill a similar purpose, (RC) and can check special attackers such as Vikavolt, Choice Specs Whimsicott, and Choice Scarf Vanilluxe.

This set works brilliantly on Spikes stacking teams, as Mold Breaker lets Druddigon set up Stealth Rock against Xatu, which will quickly wear it down and make it far harder for Xatu to come in against fellow (don't implement if druddigon actually sets spikes, but from the set I don't think it does) Spikes setters (such as?). Rocky Helmet causes spinners to lose around 17% of their HP if they attempt to use Rapid Spin on Druddigon, and its Dragon Tail combined with Stealth Rock and Spikes can quickly wear down the opposing team. Garbodor and Froslass can both set up Spikes, and have decent synergy with Druddigon: the former can switch in on Fairy-type moves, while the latter can switch in on Ice-type attacks, both of which hit Druddigon for super effective damage. Braviary can deter the opponent from using Defog thanks to Defiant, while Druddigon punishes Rapid Spin users (or spinners) with Rocky Helmet and possibly Rough Skin damage. In general, Pokemon with Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type weaknesses, such as Steelix, Delphox, Rhydon, and Samurott, appreciate having Druddigon around to give them some breathing room.

[SET]

name: Life Orb Wallbreaker
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch / Crunch
move 4: Gunk Shot
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Adamant
evs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Outrage is Druddigon's strongest STAB move, 2HKOing almost anything that doesn't resist it. Fire Punch hits the Steel-types that resist Outrage, (RC) and with one layer of Spikes down, 2HKOes Steelix after one layer of Spikes most of the time. Sucker Punch is a useful priority move, and can helps pick off faster Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Mismagius and Delphox. Crunch provides a consistent, Sheer Force-(AH)boosted way to break Psychic- and Ghost-types without being locked into Outrage. It OHKOes Xatu 50% of the time, (RC) and 2HKOes Slowbro that lack Colbur Berry. Gunk Shot hits the Fairy-types immune to Druddigon's STAB move. It OHKOes Aromatisse and Whimsicott, (RC) and 2HKOes Mega Audino and Granbull. If you dislike Gunk Shot's shaky accuracy, Iron Head can be used instead. With Stealth Rock damage, (AC) it still secures the 2HKO against Mega Audino and Granbull, and with one layer of Spikes down, (AC) it will 2HKO Rhydon most of the time.

Set Details
========

Druddigon's Attack is maximized with an Adamant boosting nature so that Druddigon can hit as hard as possible. 140 Speed EVs let it outrun uninvested Vaporeon. The rest is placed in HP for extra bulk. Sheer Force is used to power up Fire Punch, Gunk Shot, (AC) and Crunch, (RC) and remove Life Orb's recoil when using those moves. Life Orb gives Druddigon's attacks some extra power, letting it wallbreak more effectively. If you'd prefer more bulk, you could run a spread of 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe; this outruns uninvested Mega Audino.

Usage Tips
========

This set has the role of a wallbreaker, smashing holes into the opponent's team for another Pokemon to clean up later. As Outrage can be easily taken advantage of, avoid using it until your opponent has no Steel- or Fairy-types left. Opening with Druddigon's coverage moves is often the best idea, as with Sheer Force and Life Orb's combined effect, (AC) they'll still hit neutral targets hard. Once any Steel- and Fairy-types are down, spamming Outrage will have a good chance at sweeping.

This set excels as a lure, as many of the bulky Steel- and Fairy-types that wall the defensive set, such as Mega Audino and Steelix, can be 2HKOed with a super effective attack on the a predicted switch-in. However, this set isn't as bulky as the defensive one, so it needs to be played more cautiously. It can still switch in on weaker Fire-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves, but be wary of switching into bulky Water-types, as a Scald burn will render this set useless if you don't have cleric support.

Team Options
========

Late-game sweepers such as Z-Happy Hour Malamar, Calm Mind Mega Audino, and Substitute / + Bulk Up Braviary appreciate this set's wallbreaking prowess and luring ability. Malamar appreciates having a teammate that can lure and remove Fairy-types; Mega Audino and Braviary both appreciate having a teammate that can lure and remove Steelix. Entry hazards are useful to help Druddigon score additional KOs. Steelix can set up Stealth Rock, (RC) and has good synergy with Druddigon—it resists the Dragon- and Fairy-type moves Druddigon is weak to, while Druddigon resists the Fire- and Water-type moves Steelix is weak to. Garbodor and Froslass can set up Spikes to help Druddigon wallbreak more effectively. The former can also set Toxic Spikes. Pokemon with U-turn or Volt Switch make for good teammates, as they can bring Druddigon in safely and create opportunities to wallbreaker. Braviary, Scyther, Rotom-C, and Vikavolt are all suitable providers of momentum.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========

A more offensive Stealth Rock set can be run, consisting of Stealth Rock, Outrage, and any of Fire Punch, Earthquake, Gunk Shot, Sucker Punch, or Iron Head. Such a set should run a spread of 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe with an Adamant nature, (RC) and use Mold Breaker or Sheer Force as its ability. Dragon Claw is a reliable STAB option, (RC) but is outclassed by Dragon Tail's phazing capabilities and Outrage's higher Base Power. Iron Tail is an option for the life Orb set; it retains coverage on Fairy-types, (RC) and is able to secure a 2HKO on Rhydon without entry hazards. However, its poor accuracy makes it very unreliable. Thunder Punch can also be used on that set to hit bulky Water-types without having to be locked into Outrage. It still retains coverage on Slowbro, Xatu, and Jellicent, 2HKOing all of them. However, Druddigon will then be unable to harm most bulky Fairy-types, making it a lesser option overall. Flamethrower can be used on the offensive set, but it is only useful for hitting Steelix somewhat harder than Fire Punch. It also requires Druddigon to run a Naughty or Lonely nature, reducing its bulk. A set using Rest and Sleep Talk with Dragon Tail and either Stealth Rock, Glare, (AC) or Toxic in the final slot is extremely durable, but it will be unable to harm Steel- and especially Fairy-types, (RC) and is generally outdone by Slowbro as a wall, as Druddigon lacks lacking Slowbro's reliable recovery.

Checks and Counters
========

**Fairy-types**: (none of these should be in bold) Choice Specs Whimsicott outruns and OHKOes Druddigon with Moonblast. Mega Audino and Aromatisse wall the defensive set, (RC) and both have Heal Bell to cure potential status conditions. Calm Mind variants can use it as set up setup fodder, as they are unable to be phazed by Dragon Tail. However, Gunk Shot OHKOes Whimsicott and Aromatisse, (RC) and 2HKOes Mega Audino.

**Ice-types**: While most can't reliably switch in, many of NU's Ice-types can force out Druddigon or just straight up OHKO it. Vanilluxe and Aurorus can OHKO with their STAB Blizzard. Piloswine walls the defensive set, 2HKOes Druddigon with Icicle Crash, and has a good chance to OHKO the offensive set after Stealth Rock; although however, Outrage and Iron Head will 2HKO Piloswine. Sneasel hates paralysis and is OHKOed by Outrage and Fire Punch, so it can't switch into either set; however, it can always force Druddigon out. Cryogonal can also force Druddigon out and remove its Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin; although, again, but it can't switch in on either set, as it hates paralysis and is OHKOed by Fire Punch.

**Status**: A burn will completely cripple the offensive set, rendering it dead weight. Toxic puts the defensive set on a timer, limiting its phazing ability and longevity.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Steelix and Ferroseed can wall the defensive set and set up hazards in its face. However, the offensive set can 2HKO Steelix with Fire Punch after one layer of Spikes.
 
Last edited:

Lumari

empty spaces
is a Site Content Manageris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Member of Senior Staffis a Community Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributoris an Administrator Alumnus
TFP Leader
remove add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]

Druddigon is one of only two viable Pokemon to possess the combination of Stealth Rock and Mold Breaker, which allows it to set up the hazard against Xatu, courtesy of bypassing Magic Bounce. Compared to Pinsir, it boasts superior overall bulk and a much better defensive typing, making it a far more reliable option. Druddigon's bulk and resistances to Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves give it the ability to check many dangerous Pokemon, such as Emboar, Rotom-C, Sceptile, Slowbro, and Delphox. While defensively valuable, Druddigon isn't limited to running defensive sets—with a huge base Attack, Sheer Force, and a wide movepool, it can pick apart many opposing defensive cores. Its good bulk and useful resistances give it plenty of opportunity to come in and deal damage. However, Druddigon's lackluster Speed leaves it outrun by much of the tier, rendering the offensive set heavily reliant on Sucker Punch, which can be easily played around. Its lack of reliable recovery hurts the defensive set, meaning it is easily worn down, especially if it forgoes Leftovers. While its Dragon typing offers useful resistances, it also leaves Druddigon weak to common Ice- and Fairy-type moves. This leaves it threatened by prevalent Pokemon such as Whimsicott, Mega Audino, Sneasel, and Vanilluxe, though the offensive set can KO on them on the switch.


[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Glare / Toxic
move 3: Dragon Tail
move 4: Earthquake
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is the most important move on this set, helping helps to wear down the opponent's team throughout the match. Glare is a 100% accurate move that inflicts paralysis, crippling any Pokemon that relies on Speed such as Sneasel and Delphox. Alternatively, Toxic puts foes on a timer. The damage from poison and potentially Rocky Helmet wears down opposing Pokemon very quickly. Mold Breaker also gives Druddigon the ability to cripple Xatu along with safely setting Stealth Rock, vastly easing the matchup. Choose between Glare and Toxic depending on whether you would prefer to threaten fast Pokemon such as Sneasel or walls such as Vaporeon. Dragon Tail phazes out the foe, spreading hazard damage and preventing Druddigon from becoming setup fodder. Lastly, Earthquake hits Steel-types that resist Druddigon's STAB move and also lets it better check Fire- and Electric-types.

Set Details
========

The given EV spread maximizes Druddigon's physical bulk. Mold Breaker lets Druddigon set Stealth Rock against Xatu, as well as cripple it with status. It also lets Druddigon hit Levitate users with Earthquake, such as Rotom and Vikavolt. Rocky Helmet is the preferred item to score chip damage on physical attackers; it could also make the opponent think twice about using Rapid Spin if the opposing Pokemon has less than one-sixth of its HP remaining. Leftovers is another good choice if you prefer passive recovery. Rough Skin is another option to further punish physical attackers that use contact moves against Druddigon, but the utility of Mold Breaker is preferred. Combined with Rocky Helmet, you'll be inflicting around 30% damage on foes that use contact moves on Druddigon.

A spread of 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD with a Careful nature is viable too, which maximizes Druddigon's equally good Special Defense in order to take hits from special Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves. With this spread, it can beat Calm Mind Delphox and Nasty Plot Houndoom that lack Darkinium Z. Such a set should always run Leftovers and Mold Breaker, as it won't be able to punish physical attackers as effectively. Bear in mind that such a spread will leave Druddigon no longer be able to check Emboar.

Usage Tips
========

Early-game, setting up Stealth Rock should be Druddigon's goal. Once Stealth Rock has been set up, throwing around Glare or Toxic is a good idea to cripple fast frail Pokemon or walls without Heal Bell, respectively. Dragon Tail is also a good move to fall back to if you're not sure what your opponent will switch in, as it serves to both wear down the opponent's team and scout switch-ins.

This set should be used to check physical attackers that can't hit Druddigon super effectively, including Choice Scarf Emboar, Choice Scarf Braviary, (AC) and Cinccino. With Rocky Helmet, they can find themselves worn down very quickly, especially if using recoil moves, namely Brave Bird and Flare Blitz. It Druddigon can also check certain special attackers such as Choice Scarf Delphox and Rotom-C, which gives it the opportunity to throw around Glare to cripple switch-ins like Whimsicott and Sigilyph.

Team Options
========

As this set can be worn down easily, Wish support is greatly appreciated. Vaporeon can pass Druddigon large Wishes to keep it healthy throughout the match and cure its status using Heal Bell. The two have good synergy as well, with Vaporeon resisting the Ice-type moves Druddigon is weak to (RC) and Druddigon resisting the Grass- and Electric-type moves Vaporeon is weak to. Defensive Mega Audino can fulfill a similar purpose and can check special attackers such as Vikavolt, Choice Specs Whimsicott, and Choice Scarf Vanilluxe.

This set works brilliantly on Spikes stacking teams, as Mold Breaker lets Druddigon set up Stealth Rock against Xatu, which will quickly wear it down and make it far harder for Xatu to come in against Spikes setters such as Froslass or and Garbodor. Rocky Helmet causes spinners to lose around 17% of their HP if they attempt to use Rapid Spin on Druddigon, and its Dragon Tail combined with Stealth Rock and Spikes can quickly wear down the opposing team. Garbodor and Froslass can both set up Spikes (RC) and have decent synergy with Druddigon: the former can switch in on Fairy-type moves, while the latter can switch in on Ice-type attacks, both of which hit Druddigon for super effective damage. Braviary can deter the opponent from using Defog thanks to Defiant, while Druddigon punishes Rapid Spin users with Rocky Helmet and possibly Rough Skin damage. In general, Pokemon with Fire-, Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type weaknesses, such as Steelix, Delphox, Rhydon, and Samurott, appreciate having Druddigon around to give them some breathing room.

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Sucker Punch / Crunch
move 4: Gunk Shot
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Adamant
evs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Outrage is Druddigon's strongest STAB move, 2HKOing almost anything that doesn't resist it. Fire Punch hits the Steel-types that resist Outrage and 2HKOes Steelix after one layer of Spikes most of the time. Sucker Punch is a useful priority move (RC) and can helps pick off faster Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Mismagius and Delphox. Crunch provides a consistent, Sheer Force-boosted way to break Psychic- and Ghost-types without being locked into Outrage. It OHKOes Xatu 50% of the time and 2HKOes Slowbro that lack Colbur Berry. Gunk Shot hits the Fairy-types immune to Druddigon's STAB move, (comma) It OHKOes OHKOing Aromatisse and Whimsicott and 2HKOes 2HKOing Mega Audino and Granbull. If you dislike Gunk Shot's shaky accuracy, Iron Head can be used instead. With Stealth Rock damage, it still secures the 2HKO against Mega Audino and Granbull, and with one layer of Spikes down, it will 2HKO Rhydon most of the time.

Set Details
========

Druddigon's Attack is maximized with an Adamant nature so that Druddigon can hit as hard as possible. 140 Speed EVs let it outrun uninvested Vaporeon. The rest is placed in HP for extra bulk. Sheer Force is used to power up Fire Punch, Gunk Shot, and Crunch and remove Life Orb's recoil when using for those moves. Life Orb gives Druddigon's attacks some extra power, letting it wallbreak more effectively. If you'd prefer more bulk, you could run a spread of 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe; this outruns uninvested Mega Audino.

Usage Tips
========

This set has the role of a wallbreaker, smashing holes into the opponent's team for another Pokemon to clean up later. As Outrage can be easily taken advantage of, avoid using it until your opponent has no Steel- or Fairy-types left. Opening with Druddigon's coverage moves is often the best idea, as with Sheer Force and Life Orb's combined effect, they'll still hit neutral targets hard. Once any Steel- and Fairy-types are down, spamming Outrage will have a good chance at sweeping.

This set excels as a lure, as many of the bulky Steel- and Fairy-types that wall the defensive set, such as Mega Audino and Steelix, can be 2HKOed with a super effective attack on a predicted switch-in. However, this set isn't as bulky as the defensive one, so it needs to be played more cautiously. It can still switch in on weaker Fire-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves, but be wary of switching into bulky Water-types, as a Scald burn will render this set useless if you don't have cleric support.

Team Options
========

Late-game sweepers such as Z-Happy Hour Malamar, Calm Mind Mega Audino, and Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary appreciate this set's wallbreaking prowess and luring ability. Malamar appreciates having a teammate that can lure and remove Fairy-types; Mega Audino and Braviary both appreciate having a teammate that can lure and remove Steelix. Entry hazards are useful to help Druddigon score additional KOs. Steelix can set up Stealth Rock and has good synergy with Druddigon—it (spacing) resists the Dragon- and Fairy-type moves Druddigon is weak to, while Druddigon resists the Fire- and Water-type moves Steelix is weak to. Garbodor and Froslass can set up Spikes to help Druddigon wallbreak more effectively. The former can also set Toxic Spikes. Pokemon with U-turn or Volt Switch make for good teammates, as they can bring Druddigon in safely and create opportunities to wallbreaker. Braviary, Scyther, Rotom-C, and Vikavolt are all suitable providers of momentum.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========

A more offensive Stealth Rock set can be run, consisting of Stealth Rock, Outrage, and any of Fire Punch, Earthquake, Gunk Shot, Sucker Punch, or and Iron Head. Such a set should run a spread of 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe with an Adamant nature and use Mold Breaker or Sheer Force as its ability. Dragon Claw is a reliable STAB option but is outclassed by due to Dragon Tail's phazing capabilities and Outrage's higher Base Power. Iron Tail is an option for the life Life Orb set; it retains coverage on Fairy-types and is able to secure a 2HKO on Rhydon without entry hazards. However, its poor accuracy makes it very unreliable. Thunder Punch can also be used on that set to hit bulky Water-types without having to be locked into Outrage. It still retains coverage on Slowbro, Xatu, and Jellicent, 2HKOing all of them. However, Druddigon will then be unable to harm most bulky Fairy-types, making it a lesser option overall. Flamethrower can be used on the offensive set, but it is only useful for hitting Steelix somewhat harder than Fire Punch. It also requires Druddigon to run a Naughty or Lonely nature, reducing its bulk. A set using Rest and Sleep Talk with Dragon Tail and either Stealth Rock, Glare, or Toxic in the final slot is extremely durable, but it will be unable to harm Steel- and especially Fairy-types and is generally outdone by Slowbro as a wall, as Druddigon lacks Slowbro's reliable recovery.

Checks and Counters
========

**Fairy-types**: Choice Specs Whimsicott outruns Druddigon and OHKOes Druddigon it with Moonblast. Mega Audino and Aromatisse wall the defensive set, (AC) and both have Heal Bell to cure potential status conditions. Calm Mind variants can use it as setup fodder, as they are unable to be phazed by Dragon Tail. However, Gunk Shot OHKOes Whimsicott and Aromatisse and 2HKOes Mega Audino.

**Ice-types**: While most can't reliably switch in, many of NU's Ice-types can force out Druddigon or just straight up outright OHKO it. Vanilluxe and Aurorus can OHKO with their STAB Blizzard. Piloswine walls the defensive set, 2HKOes Druddigon with Icicle Crash, and has a good chance to OHKO the offensive set after Stealth Rock; however, Outrage and Iron Head will 2HKO Piloswine. Sneasel hates paralysis and is OHKOed by Outrage and Fire Punch, so it can't switch into either set; however, it can always force Druddigon out. Cryogonal can also force Druddigon out and remove its Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin, but it can't switch in on either set, as it hates paralysis and is OHKOed by Fire Punch.

**Status**: A burn will completely cripple the offensive set, rendering it dead weight. Toxic puts the defensive set on a timer, limiting its phazing ability and longevity.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Steelix and Ferroseed can wall the defensive set and set up hazards in its face. However, the offensive set can 2HKO Steelix with Fire Punch after one layer of Spikes.
 
Last edited:

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