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Bad Dreams
- Deals 1/8 damage to sleeping opponents per turn.
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Level 50 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
70
|
- |
145 |
177 |
- |
| Atk |
90
|
99 |
110 |
142 |
156 |
| Def |
90
|
99 |
110 |
142 |
156 |
| SpA |
135
|
139 |
155 |
187 |
205 |
| SpD |
90
|
99 |
110 |
142 |
156 |
| Spe |
125
|
130 |
145 |
177 |
194 |
Overview
Boasting a blazing-fast base 125 Speed and a stellar base 135 Special Attack, Darkrai is one of the most potent sweepers present in Ubers. With access to Nasty Plot and a fantastic Dark STAB, this malevolent specter of darkness has quite a few tricks up its sleeve, more than enough to have its enemies shudder in fear. Its signature move, Dark Void, a sleep-inducing move with 80% accuracy, allows Darkrai to set up with extreme ease, and makes it very difficult to counter. Darkrai's ability, Bad Dreams, complements this well by causing enemy Pokemon to lose health slowly as they are asleep, breaking their Focus Sashes. In addition, Darkrai is one of the few Pokemon that Wobbuffet cannot touch, as Darkrai is immune to Mirror Coat. Indeed, Darkrai is sometimes known as the bane of stall teams, and for good reason. Darkrai's only true flaw is its average defenses, which allow it to be taken down by powerful neutral attacks.
This is the very set that propelled Darkrai to fame, or rather notoriety, last generation. Darkrai's stellar base 125 Speed and Dark Void's decent accuracy make pulling off a sweep very easy. The basic game plan is to switch into a Pokemon slower than Darkrai, put it to sleep with Dark Void, grab a Nasty Plot boost or set up a Substitute, and start sweeping. After a single Nasty Plot, Darkrai's Special Attack reaches a jaw-dropping 738, and Dark Pulse will dent anything not resistant to it. Focus Blast hits the Dark- and Steel-types that resist Dark-type attacks, most notably Tyranitar, Heatran, Ferrothorn, and opposing Darkrai. To put Darkrai's insane power into perspective, even Chansey is 2HKOed by Focus Blast after a Nasty Plot boost. Dark Pulse and Focus Blast have near-perfect coverage, resisted only by Heracross and Toxicroak. Substitute allows Darkrai to avoid crippling status, have a fighting chance against Sleep Talk users, and scout for its counters. Dark has good type coverage in Ubers, so a mono-attacking set without Focus Blast is extremely viable, although Darkrai will then easily be walled by Steel-type Pokemon and Blissey.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
This Darkrai set functions exceptionally well as a lead or late-game sweeper, and the choice of item depends heavily on the position the team needs Darkrai to fill. Lead Darkrai can utilize Focus Sash well, as it stops most support leads with Dark Void and can 2HKO Prankster Taunt users such as Thundurus with STAB Dark Pulse. Focus Sash Darkrai can also pull off a mini-sweep early-game when played correctly. Thanks to Bad Dreams, Darkrai does not have to worry about an opponent's Focus Sash. Leftovers is the preferred item with Substitute, as Life Orb recoil will drain Darkrai's health too quickly. However, it must be kept in mind that without Life Orb, Darkrai's damage output drops significantly.
As the only way Darkrai can set up a Nasty Plot and sweep is by putting something to sleep, this set absolutely despises Sleep Talk users, particularly Heracross and Kyogre, as both can easily survive a boosted Dark Pulse and KO back with a STAB move. Giratina-O and Calm Mind Giratina thus make good partners for Darkrai as both can check and set up on the aforementioned threats. Giratina has the further advantage of checking Extreme Killer Arceus and Choice Scarf Terrakion, both of which threaten Darkrai with priority or by virtue of greater Speed, respectively.
It is nearly impossible to beat Darkrai without sacrificing a Pokemon to sleep, but once Sleep Clause has been activated, Darkrai becomes infinitely less threatening. One of the best ways to take out Darkrai is to let it put a Pokemon to sleep, then switch to a faster teammate to revenge kill it. Mewtwo, Shaymin-S, and Choice Scarf users such as Palkia, Kyogre, Dialga, Terrakion, Reshiram, and Zekrom are all great choices to revenge kill Darkrai. Darkrai also hates powerful users of priority attacks, such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Scizor. If one prefers a more defensive approach, Ho-Oh can survive a boosted Dark Pulse and OHKO with Brave Bird; Fighting Arceus can do the same with Judgment. If Darkrai lacks Focus Blast, almost all Steel-types can wall it easily.
Wobbuffet makes a good partner to Darkrai as it not only has Encore to give Darkrai many setup opportunities, but can also revenge kill Choice Scarf users easily thanks to Shadow Tag. Grass Arceus and Palkia are both good checks to Kyogre as they can switch in on Surf or Water Spout and threaten Kyogre with super effective attacks. Water Absorb Quagsire also fears nothing from Kyogre, and can use a combination of Encore and Toxic to wear it down. Zekrom can check Kyogre and Ho-Oh too, as neither of them dares take a STAB Bolt Strike. Ironically, defensive Kyogre also does a good job in checking Ho-Oh. Stealth Rock is possibly the best way to beat Ho-Oh; in general, entry hazard support is very much recommended to aid Darkrai in its sweep. Forretress and Deoxys-S make good partners as they can both set up entry hazards quite reliably. Magnezone and Groudon can be used to check Steel-types if Darkrai lacks Focus Blast; Mewtwo also makes a good teammate as it can decimate Fighting Arceus with Psystrike.
This set aims to take care of Darkrai's chronic problems with faster revenge killers. This set works best as a lead, as every non-Choice Scarf Pokemon is outsped and crippled by a combination of Trick and Dark Void; Darkrai can then proceed to set up with Nasty Plot and start a sweep. Thanks to Darkrai's monstrous base 135 Special Attack and its great coverage, STAB Dark Pulse packs a real punch, even when resisted. Darkrai can also come in later in the game to pose a threat to the opponent's team. It must be noted that although Trick can completely ruin one of your opponent's Pokemon, it must be used very carefully. Using Trick carelessly on a Pokemon that is immune to it, such as Arceus, or on an opposing Choice user will only give the surprise away. In order to avoid such situations, try to refrain from using Trick on common Choice users, until and unless it can be confirmed that the particular Pokemon is holding some other item.
As with Nasty Plot Darkrai, Choice Scarf Darkrai works well as a lead or a late-game sweeper. With a Choice Scarf, Darkrai outspeeds the omnipresent Deoxys-S and Deoxys-A leads. Darkrai can then put them to sleep with Dark Void, cripple them with Trick to lock them into one attack, or attack them directly with a STAB Dark Pulse. Additionally, Choice Scarf Darkrai is especially useful in taking down fast sweepers such as Adamant Rock Polish Groudon, or Choice Scarf users such as Palkia and Zekrom.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Focus Blast can be used to take out Steel-types such as Dialga, Heatran, and Tyranitar, while Ice Beam lets Darkrai maul the ubiquitous Dragon-types in Ubers, and also has good coverage with Dark Pulse. Spacial Rend has slightly more power than Ice Beam, as well as a nifty critical hit rate. Moreover, Spacial Rend has the added advantage of hitting Palkia—a common Choice Scarf user—super effectively.
Even though Choice Scarf Darkrai is a fantastic anti-lead, it still has problems with certain leads. Lum Berry leads that are capable of OHKOing Darkrai, such as Dialga, Kyogre, and Scizor, are this set's biggest threats. Choice Scarf Shaymin-S can outspeed Darkrai and 2HKO it with Air Slash, while Extreme Killer Arceus and Scizor can threaten Darkrai with their powerful priority moves, with the latter also resisting Dark Pulse. Jolly Rock Polish Groudon can outspeed Darkrai after a boost and OHKO it with STAB Earthquake; similarly, Choice Scarf Mewtwo can outspeed and smack Darkrai with Aura Sphere, which OHKOes it.
Shaymin-S and Scizor can easily be beaten by Dialga, Reshiram, and Ho-Oh. All of them have access to Fire-type moves and resistances to Shaymin-S's or Scizor's STAB attacks. Dialga and Reshiram have to be wary of a super effective Life Orb Earth Power from Shaymin-S, however. Quagsire can easily switch into lead Kyogre and use the turn to do whatever it pleases. Palkia and Grass Arceus will dislike Thunder Wave, but are otherwise great switch-ins as well, as they can dent Kyogre with Thunder or Grass Knot. Groudon can easily take on Terrakion and Tyranitar, check Dialga, and set up Stealth Rock to facilitate a sweep. Mewtwo can annihilate Fighting Arceus with Psystrike, while Wobbuffet can help create an opening for Darkrai, thanks to Shadow Tag, Encore, and Tickle, and thus help it sweep. Last but not least, entry hazards help Darkrai greatly as they soften up potential checks to Darkrai and discourage the opponent from switching frequently.
This set draws its inspiration from, of all Pokemon, Butterfree and its double powder combination. This set works by first putting the opposing Pokemon to sleep using Dark Void, as is to be expected from Darkrai. At this point, your opponent should most likely switch out, because staying in would mean Darkrai can set up a Nasty Plot or a Substitute. By using Thunder Wave the following turn, Darkrai can cripple two Pokemon on your opponent's team. This set works because Darkrai's common switch-ins are Choice Scarf wielders looking for a revenge kill, such as Palkia, Kyogre, and Genesect, as well as priority users, such as ExtremeKiller Arceus.
For the remaining two moveslots and item, this set has a few options. Dark Pulse will always fill one of these two slots, as its power with STAB and its ability to hit Ghost- and Psychic-types for super effective damage is impossible to pass up. The last slot can be filled with either Focus Blast or Nasty Plot. Focus Blast offers Darkrai awesome coverage with Dark Pulse, especially against Steel-types such as Dialga and Ferrothorn, as well as any Terrakion that it caught with Thunder Wave. Nasty Plot gives Darkrai a tool to sweep late-game, once its counters have been paralyzed or put to sleep. Mono-Dark coverage, while not optimal, is still usable, but be sure to include a teammate such as Fire Punch Groudon to get rid of Steel-types such as Dialga and Forretress. The item choice depends on what Darkrai's main goal is. If you want Darkrai to spread as much status as possible, then Focus Sash gives it insurance against faster threats and Dark Void's shaky accuracy. If you want some extra power, such as guaranteeing the OHKO against Mewtwo with Dark Pulse, then Life Orb is the superior choice. Leftovers provides a bit of longevity, but due to Darkrai's general frailty, it is inferior to the other two items listed.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Even though this set fills a more support-oriented role, its defenses are still too low for an all-out support spread, so the standard special attacker EV spread is the most effective. Maximum Speed investment takes advantage of Darkrai's blistering base 125 Speed stat, while max Special Attack investment allows it to hit as hard as possible. The extra Defense EV raises Genesect's Special Attack stat so that U-turn doesn't OHKO unless it has significant Attack investment; however, Bug Buzz will obviously OHKO Darkrai if Genesect carries it. This set pairs up well with slow, hard-hitters, such as Choice Specs Kyogre and Kyurem-W, and setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Rayquaza. By paralyzing and weakening opposing Choice Scarf users, Darkrai provides its teammates a chance to sweep unhindered or use powerful attacks without being forced out by a faster threat.
Although Darkrai is fairly self-sufficient, it still appreciates teammates that can cover its weak spots. As it is using two reflectable status moves, Xatu and Espeon can initiate a deadly guessing game with Darkrai, where the one that predicts wrong is as good as dead. Bulky Water-types such as RestTalk Kyogre and Manaphy also give Darkrai some problems, as they can take its attacks all day and are indifferent to Dark Void and Thunder Wave. Because of that, Zekrom is a good teammate as it can KO all of them with a powerful Bolt Strike. Entry hazards break Darkrai's Focus Sash, so try and keep them off the field if Darkrai is holding one. If you lack a way to clear the field of hazards, then leading off with Darkrai is the best way to keep its Focus Sash intact. Perhaps the best way for your opponent to foil this set is by not switching out after being put to sleep; this does not only wastes you a turn, but it also alerts your opponent of your strategy, which gives the opponent time to avoid it.
Other Options
Darkrai can also run a physical Swords Dance set comprising of Sucker Punch, Brick Break, and Dark Void; this set has the advantages of immense surprise factor and STAB priority Sucker Punch. However, once Darkrai's set is revealed, it will be easily walled due to its meager base 90 Attack. Thunder allows Darkrai to destroy Ho-Oh and Kyogre, but has little use outside of that. Ice Beam is usable on the Choice Scarf set to revenge kill Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Salamence, as well as Choice Scarf Garchomp, and also does sizable damage to Zekrom, Groudon, and Ground Arceus. Psychic is Darkrai's most powerful attack against Fighting Arceus and Heracross, but has little use otherwise. Taunt can be used to prevent sleep absorbers from using Sleep Talk, rendering them incapable of countering Darkrai.
Checks and Counters
Darkrai is extremely difficult to counter directly, but there are certain ways by which it can be taken down. The best method to handle Darkrai is to let something absorb Dark Void, and then send in another Pokemon that is either faster or capable of surviving a boosted hit, and that can OHKO it. Sleep Talk users such as Kyogre and Heracross can absorb Dark Void, and do all of the above. Kyogre can take a +2 Dark Pulse and does 92.2% - 108.9% with Surf, a guaranteed OHKO after Life Orb recoil. Heracross resists both Dark Pulse and Focus Blast, and can hit Darkrai super effectively with either of its STAB moves. Heracross has the added benefit of Guts, which powers up its moves when it is inflicted with status. Fighting Arceus and Ho-Oh can switch in on anything except Dark Void and OHKO Darkrai with Judgment or Brave Bird respectively. Once Sleep Clause has been activated, strong Choice Scarf users such as Palkia, Garchomp, Dialga, Kyogre, Reshiram, and Zekrom can revenge kill Darkrai with ease. Scizor can OHKO Darkrai with U-turn and survive all of its attacks bar a +2 Life Orb Focus Blast. Choice Scarf Terrakion can switch in on a Dark Pulse, grab a free potential Attack boost thanks to Justified, outspeed, and threaten an OHKO with its STAB Close Combat.
