Dodrio's most powerful set is undoubtedly the Choice Band set. With naturally high Speed and Attack this is a significant threat in UU. With a Choice Band, Dodrio can easily OHKO or 2HKO some of the premier walls in UU, such as Drapion, Leafeon, and Sandslash. Pursuit is helpful for catching anything off-guard that tries to switch out. Payback is Dodrio's best attack to catch an incoming Solrock, Lunatone, or Rotom, all of whom resist Return and Brave Bird. Although the other Ghosts can be OHKOed with Brave Bird, Payback has slightly more power when used on the switch and doesn't make Dodrio take recoil damage. Quick Attack can be used to finish off any Pokemon holding Focus Sash, as well as opponents with low HP, especially those attempting to sweep with Reversal or Flail.
A Jolly nature allows you to outpace threats such as Leafeon, Rotom, and Hitmonlee.
Dodrio can also effectively use Choice Scarf, which turns it into one of the fastest Pokémon in UU. This makes Dodrio a decent revenge killer against most sweepers, but it can serve the role of a sweeper in its own right towards the end of the battle. The goal is to switch into Stealth Rock multiple times and use Brave Bird's recoil to drastically lower your HP. Once your health is almost at zero, you should attempt to use Endeavor and cripple your opponent's switch-in. Once again Payback or Pursuit is for Ghost-types who can ruin this strategy. Return is largely a filler option, but it can be occasionally useful against defensive Electric-types.
Although not as immediately dangerous as the Choice sets, Flailing is a solid strategy for Dodrio. The basic idea is to simply use Substitute or Endure to get your HP as low as you can. Then proceed to use Flail, and when faced with Ghost-types, use Payback. Substitute is recommended over Endure as it can block status such as paralysis and burn, as well as open up an opportunity to use Agility. Agility and Liechi Berry can be replaced by Endeavor and Salac Berry. However, Agility and Liechi Berry net you an Attack and Speed boost which can prove to be devastating to opponents. At low HP, Endeavor will cripple Steels and Rocks, although it often requires Dodrio to sacrifice itself in the process.
The goal of this set is to use Agility or Acupressure right away and Baton Pass to a recipient. Focus Sash guarantees safety, almost guaranteeing you a successful stat boost and Baton Pass. Taunt allows you to fend off phazers such as Steelix, Drapion, and Aggron. Drill Peck or Return are both here so that great Attack isn't going to waste. Acupressure is a great move as it separates Dodrio from other Baton Passers. As it can give you a boost in any stat, you have more options to pass to. If you are looking for a more consistent stat boosting move, Agility provides a +2 Speed boost. Other OptionsRoost can be used in tandem with Brave Bird; however Dodrio is frail defensively, meaning it won't be easy to pull off. Haze is not recommended due to the same defensive inadequacies. Steel Wing hurts Rock-types, but as many of them in UU have a secondary Water-type or Steel-type, it will do less than a resisted Return or Brave Bird. Hidden Power Fighting can 2HKO Aggron, but is almost useless against everything else. Mirror Move can work if Dodrio can switch into Ground-type attacks and bounce them back, but it is a risky and unreliable option. EVsDodrio will need max Attack and Speed on most sets, although you must make sure that your HP ends in an odd number to ensure you can switch into Stealth Rock four times. OpinionAlthough Dodrio is outclassed by Staraptor in OU offensively, it still makes a fantastic Pokemon to use in UU. Its movepool is quite shallow, but with Flail, Acupressure, Baton Pass, and Taunt, Dodrio has enough good move options to give it an edge over the competition. Unlike Swellow, Dodrio does not need to have a status affliction to dish out a lot of damage and hits a lot harder from turn one. Overall, Dodrio is a solid choice for most UU teams. CountersAny and all Steel-types will completely stop Dodrio, although it can Baton Pass out if they don't have Roar. Rock-types such as Golem and Relicanth also take it down. Brave Bird recoil and Stealth Rock will quickly wear down Dodrio. |
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