Durant (Analysis)

JRank

Jonny
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Durant

QC Checks: 2/2
GP Checks: 2/2

[Overview]

<p>With base 109 Attack and Speed and a fabulous STAB in Bug, Durant has the potential to be a real force in the VGC 2011 metagame. Unfortunately, while Durant's typing is a blessing for its offensive prowess, it is a liability for its defensive capabilities. Bug / Steel leaves Durant 4x weak to Fire-type moves, which means Chandelure can OHKO it with ease. Despite this, when used properly, Durant can be a viable member of any VGC team.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Protect / Crunch
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Swarm / Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Iron Head gives Durant a reliable STAB attack and also has a 30% flinch rate. Durant's 109 base Speed allows it to make good use of the flinch chance, as it just outspeeds the musketeer trio of Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion. Rock Slide allows Durant to 2HKO Chandelure, while X-Scissor dents bulky Psychic-type Trick Room users, such as Reuniclus and Musharna, while also OHKOing some offensive Pokemon that are weak to Bug-type attacks such as Hydreigon. Protect allows Durant to shield itself from damage for a turn, possibly allowing Durant's partner to eliminate a threat. Crunch is also a good option, however, to deal heavy damage to Jellicent that try to get off a powerful Water Spout, in addition to hitting Cofagrigus, one of the few Trick Room users not covered by the rest of this set.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With 58 / 112 / 48 defenses, Durant needs a Focus Sash to prevent most special attacks from OHKOing it, although Durant can use a Life Orb instead for an extra power boost. With a Life Orb and Hustle, Durant is able to OHKO 252/0 Reuniclus and has a chance to OHKO max Defense Musharna. A Jolly nature allows Durant to outpace Terrakion and hit it with a STAB super effective Iron Head, which is one of the main reasons for using Durant. Swarm boosts Durant's Bug-type moves whenever its health drops below 33%, which, in conjunction with a Focus Sash, allows for a very powerful final X-Scissor. On the other hand, Hustle allows Durant to always OHKO Terrakion with Iron Head and gives Durant more power overall; unfortunately, this comes with a loss of accuracy on all of Durant's moves. With Durant's poor defenses, there is no point in investing in bulk, allowing EVs to be fully invested in Attack and Speed.</p>

<p>Wide Guard users such as Mienshao and Conkeldurr are great teammates for Durant, as they allow it to outspeed and 2HKO Chandelure without getting destroyed by Heat Wave. Wide Guard also helps Durant damage Scarf Jellicent, which would otherwise dent Durant and its teammates. Pairing Durant with Terrakion creates a lethal Iron Head / Rock Slide combo, increasing the chance of flinch while dealing a lot of damage.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Crunch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Hustle / Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With a Choice Scarf, Durant is able to function as an effective counter for other Choice Scarf Pokemon, as well as outspeed Tornadus and Thundurus, which otherwise hit Durant hard with their STAB moves. Crunch smacks Jellicent, making it unable to unleash a full-power Water Spout and crippling it for the remainder of the match. Rock Slide hits Tornadus and Thundurus hard, in addition to having a high flinch rate. X-Scissor OHKOes Hydreigon and gives Durant a strong STAB move, while Iron Head is Durant's only way to hit Terrakion and can cause a flinch too. With a Choice Scarf, Durant is already outspeeding most of the metagame, so an Adamant nature is used.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle gives all of Durant's moves the equivalent of a Choice Band boost at the cost of 20% accuracy. If the lower accuracy is a problem for you, Swarm is a decent replacement, although Durant will not often take an attack and live with under 33% health. With Durant's terrible defenses, you should simply invest all you can into Attack and Speed. You can use a Jolly nature if you fear Scarf Terrakion, but the drop in power is so significant that this is rarely a good idea.</p>

<p>Wide Guard support is greatly appreciated, as it allows Durant to eliminate Chandelure, Jellicent, and Terrakion, respectively, in two turns. Musharna can provide Durant with Helping Hand support, allowing Durant to OHKO Jellicent and Chandelure with Crunch, and Terrakion with Iron Head.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Durant can attempt to support its team with Thunder Wave, providing paralysis support to slow down the opposing team; however, a Pokemon with Prankster, such as Thundurus, is more suited for this job, as it gets +1 priority on Thunder Wave. Stone Edge has a higher base power than Rock Slide, but with its infamous 80% accuracy and inability to hit more than one foe, it is generally inferior to Rock Slide. However, Stone Edge does give Durant the ability to OHKO Tornadus and Thundurus. A set revolving around Substitute and Hone Claws could be viable, allowing Durant to get to +1 Attack and Accuracy, which along with Hustle would prove for some powerful attacks; however, it is very hard to successfully boost in the VGC 2011 metagame, so this is generally discouraged. Durant could hold a Choice Band to power up its attacks even further, but Hustle allows you to have an Attack boost and still change moves, in addition to holding another item, such as a Focus Sash.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Chandelure and Volcarona OHKO Durant with their powerful STAB Heat Wave, though Volcarona must use a Charti Berry or Focus Sash to avoid being OHKOed itself. Strong special-based moves such as Jellicent's Water Gem Water Spout take advantage of Durant's abysmal base 48 Special Defense, easily OHKOing it. With Cofagrigus's massive Defense, it can easily take a STAB Iron Head and respond with Will-O-Wisp, neutering Durant.</p>
 
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Durant

QC Checks: 0/2
GP Checks: 0/2

[Overview]

<p>With a base 109 Attack and Speed, just one point ahead of Terrakion, and a typing that allows it to dent common Trick Room users, Durant has the potential to become a force in the VGC '11 metagame. Durant's typing is also its weakness, however, as Bug / Steel leaves Durant 4x weak to Fire-type moves, which lets Chandelure OHKO it with ease. Despite this, when used effectively Durant can become a viable member of any VGC team.</p>

[SET]
name: Escaped Radioactive Ant Experiment #0135 Durant
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Protect / Crunch
ability: Swarm / Hustle
nature: Jolly / Adamant
item: Focus Sash / Choice Scarf / Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Iron Head gives Durant a reliable STAB and also has a 30% flinch rate, which can lead to multiple flinches with Durant's 109 base Speed, allowing it to just outspeed the musketeer trio of Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion, who sit just below Durant at 108 base Speed. Fits better at the top with the overview. Rock Slide allows Durant to put a dent into heavily damage Chandelure, 3HKOing 2HKOing it. Because rock slide hits both opponents, its power is decreased by 25%. X-Scissor dents most Trick Room users, such as Reuniclus and Musharna, while OHKOing frail Bug-weak Pokemon such as Hydregion. Protect allows Durant to shield itself from damage for a turn, possibly allowing Durant's partner to eliminate the threat. If using a Choice Scarf, however, Crunch should be used instead of protect to hitScarf Jellicent's before it can get off a powerful Water Spout or sets up Trick Room, and Durant does not need to get locked into Protect.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With 58 / 112 / 48 defenses, Durant needs a Focus Sash to help it from getting OHKOed by most special attacks, and while an Occa Berry could be used instead, powerful Water-type attacks such as Jellicent Water Spout OHKOes Durant, forcing it to use a Focus Sash. A Jolly nature allows Durant to outpace Terrakion and hit it with a STAB super effective Iron Head, while an Adamant nature provides Durant with more power if a Choice Scarf is used. Swarm boosts Durant's Bug-type moves whenever its health drops below 25%, allowing it to get off one last powerful X-Scissor if Durant is holding a Focus Sash. On the other hand, Hustle allows Durant to get a guaranteed OHKO on Terrakion with Iron Head if it hits and gives Durant a boosted attack stat without the need to use a Life Orb more power, unfortunately this comes with a loss of accuracy on all of Durant's mvoes, which can be fatal in the fast paced VGC metagame. A Life Orb gives Durant the Hustle boost without the accuracy issues, however Durant is then OHKOed by most special attacks. Chandelure Heat Wave, as without a Focus Sash Heat Wave easily OHKOes. A Choice Scarf may be used to hit outpace other Scarfers such as Terrakion and Jellicent, hitting the former with Iron Head and weakening the latter's Water Spout with Crunch. With Durant's poor defenses, there is no point in investing in Defense, allowing EVs to be fully invested in Attack and Speed.</p>

<p>Wide Guard users such as Mienshao and Conkeldurr are great teammates Durant, allowing it to outspeed and 2HKO Chandelure without getting destroyed by its Heat Wave. Wide Guard also helps Durant damage Scarf Jellicent assuming you can confidently and accurately predict that it's Scarf Jelli from team preview, which would otherwise dent Durant and its teammates. Pairing Durant with Terrakion could lead to a Iron Head / Rock Slide combo, or if so inclined, double Rock Slide, increasing the chance of flinch while dealing a lot of damage.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Durant could utilize Shadow Claw, which has the advantage of an increased critical hit rate, however Crunch has 10 more base power and a 30% chance to lower the opponent's Defense, making it more viable. Durant can attempt to support its team with Thunder Wave, providing paralysis support to slow down the other team, however a Pokemon with Prankster such as Thundurus is more suited for this job, as it gets +1 priority on Thunder Wave. Stone Edge has a higher base power than Rock Slide, but with its infamous 80% accuracy and ability to hit only one foe, Rock Slide is generally recommended. Bug Bite could be used to steal opposing Musharna's Sitrus Berries and regain health, however X-Scissor has 20 more base power and is usually the better option. A set revolving around Substitute and Hone Claws could be viable, allowing Durant to get to +1 Attack and Accuracy, which along with Hustle would prove for some powerful attacks, however in the VGC 2011 metagame boosting is very hard to do, and is often discouraged.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Chandelure and Volcarona OHKO Durant with their powerful STAB Heat Wave, though Volcarona must use a Charti Berry or Focus Sash to avoid being OHKOed by Durant. Strong special-based moves such as Jellicent's Water Gem Water Spout take advantage of Durant's abysmal base 48 Special Defense, easily OHKOing. With Cofagrigus's massive Defense, it can easily take a STAB X-Scissor and respond with a Will-O-Wisp, neutering lol Durant.</p>


Well written but I suggest you go ahead you write a whole different set for Choice Scarf. Easier for choosing.
 

sandman

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I wouldn't even mention Occa berry as an option since Eelektross doesn't even need a positive nature to KO with flamethrower.
 

Honko

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[Overview]

<p>With base 109 Attack and Speed and a fabulous offensive typing STAB in Bug, Durant has the potential to become a force in the VGC 2011 metagame. Unfortunately, while Durant's typing is a blessing on offense, but it is a liability on defense. Bug / Steel leaves Durant 4x weak to Fire-type moves, which lets means Chandelure can OHKO it with ease. Despite this, when used effectively properly, Durant can become a viable member of any VGC team.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Protect / Crunch
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Swarm / Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Iron Head gives Durant a reliable STAB attack and also has a 30% flinch rate.(period) which can lead to multiple flinches with Durant's 109 base Speed,(remove) allowing it to allows it to make good use of the flinch chance, as it just outspeeds the musketeer trio of Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion, who sit just below Durant at 108 base Speed. Rock Slide allows Durant to heavily damage 2HKO Chandelure, 2HKOing it. X-Scissor dents bulky Psychic-type Trick Room users, such as Reuniclus and Musharna, while also OHKOing Bug-weak some offensive Pokemon that are weak to Bug-type attacks, such as Hydreigon. Protect allows Durant to shield itself from damage for a turn, possibly allowing Durant's partner to eliminate the a threat. Crunch could be used is also a good option, however, to deal heavy damage to Jellicent who want that try to get off a powerful Water Spout, in addition to hitting Cofagrigus, one of the few Trick Room users not covered by the rest of this set.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With 58 / 112 / 48 defenses, Durant needs a Focus Sash to help it from getting OHKOed by prevent most special attacks from OHKOing it, although Durant can use a Life Orb instead could be utilized for an extra power boost. A Jolly nature allows Durant to outpace Terrakion and hit it with a STAB super effective Iron Head, which is one of the main reasons for using Durant. Swarm boosts Durant's Bug-type moves whenever its health drops below 25% 33% (Swarm's boost comes at 1/3 HP, not 1/4), allowing it to get off one last powerful X-Scissor. This which, in conjunction with a Focus Sash, allows for a very powerful final X-Scissor. On the other hand, Hustle allows Durant to get a guaranteed always OHKO on Terrakion with Iron Head and gives Durant more power overall;(semicolon) unfortunately,(comma) this comes with a loss of accuracy on all of Durant's moves. A Life Orb gives Durant a greatly needed power boost, however Durant is then OHKOed by Chandelure Heat Wave, as without a Focus Sash Heat Wave easily OHKOes. (You already talked about Life Orb vs Focus Sash, and this sentence doesn't really add anything new.) With Durant's poor defenses, there is no point in investing in Defense bulk, allowing EVs to be fully invested in Attack and Speed. With a Life Orb and Hustle, Durant is able to OHKO 252/0 Reuniclus and has a chance to OHKO max Defense Musharna. (This last sentence feels out of place here at the end of this paragraph. Maybe move it up to where you discussed the items or abilities, or even into the main comments?)</p>

<p>Wide Guard users such as Mienshao and Conkeldurr are great teammates for Durant, as they allowing it to outspeed and 2HKO Chandelure without getting destroyed by its Heat Wave. Wide Guard also helps Durant damage Scarf Jellicent, which would otherwise dent Durant and its teammates. Pairing Durant with Terrakion could lead to creates a lethal Iron Head / Rock Slide combo, increasing the chance of flinch while dealing a lot of damage.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Crunch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Hustle / Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With a Choice Scarf,(comma) Durant is able to function as an effective counter for other Choice Scarfed Pokemon, as well as outspeeding Tornadus and Thundurus, which otherwise hit Durant hard with their STAB moves. Crunch dents Jellicent, making it unable to unleash a full-power Water Spout,(remove) and crippling it for the remainder of the match. Rock Slide hits Tornadus and Thundurus hard, in addition to having a high flinch rate. X-Scissor OHKOes Hydreigon and gives Durant a strong STAB move. Iron Head is Durant's only way to hit Terrakion and can cause flinching as well. With a Choice Scarf, Durant is already outspeeding most of the tier, so an Adamant nature is used.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle gives all of Durant's moves the equivalent of a Life Orb Choice Band boost,(remove) at the cost of 20% accuracy. If you find the lower accuracy is a problem for you, Swarm may be used instead is a decent replacement, although Durant will not often take an attack and live with under 25% 33% health, but it does fix any accuracy issues. With Durant's terrible defenses,(comma) you should simply invest all you can into Attack and Speed. You can use a Jolly nature if you fear Scarf Terrakion, a Jolly nature could be used, though but the drop in power is so significant that Jolly should not often be used this is rarely a good idea.</p>

<p>As with the standard set, Wide Guard support is greatly appreciated, as it allows Durant to eliminate Chandelure, Jellicent, and Terrakion, respectively, in two turns. Musharna can provide Durant with Helping Hand support, allowing Durant to OHKO Jellicent and Chandelure with Crunch, and Terrakion with Iron Head.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Durant can attempt to support its team with Thunder Wave, providing paralysis support to slow down the other opposing team;(semicolon) however,(comma) a Pokemon with Prankster,(comma) such as Thundurus,(comma) is more suited for this job, as it gets +1 priority on Thunder Wave. Stone Edge has a higher base power than Rock Slide, but with its infamous 80% accuracy and inability to hit only more than one foe, it is generally inferior to Rock Slide is generally recommended. However, Stone Edge does give Durant the ability to OHKO Tornadus and Thundurus. A set revolving around Substitute and Hone Claws could be viable, allowing Durant to get to +1 Attack and Accuracy, which along with Hustle would prove for some powerful attacks;(semicolon) however,(comma) it is very hard to successfully boost in the VGC 2011 metagame boosting is very hard to do, so this is generally and is often discouraged.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Chandelure and Volcarona OHKO Durant with their powerful STAB Heat Wave, though Volcarona must use a Charti Berry or Focus Sash to avoid being OHKOed by Durant. Strong special-based moves such as Jellicent's Water Gem Water Spout take advantage of Durant's abysmal base 48 Special Defense, easily OHKOing. With Cofagrigus's massive Defense, it can easily take a STAB Iron Head and respond with a Will-O-Wisp, neutering Durant.</p>

Nice job. Just try to avoid using the passive voice too much ("is used" and "could be used"), and watch out for run-on sentences.


GP 1/2
 

JRank

Jonny
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(Comments)

[Overview]

<p>With base 109 Attack and Speed and a fabulous offensive typing STAB in Bug, Durant has the potential to become a force in the VGC 2011 metagame. Unfortunately, while Durant's typing is a blessing on offense, but it is a liability on defense. Bug / Steel leaves Durant 4x weak to Fire-type moves, which lets means Chandelure can OHKO it with ease. Despite this, when used effectively properly, Durant can become a viable member of any VGC team.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Protect / Crunch
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Swarm / Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Iron Head gives Durant a reliable STAB attack and also has a 30% flinch rate.(period) which can lead to multiple flinches with Durant's 109 base Speed,(remove) allowing it to allows it to make good use of the flinch chance, as it just outspeeds the musketeer trio of Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion, who sit just below Durant at 108 base Speed. Rock Slide allows Durant to heavily damage 2HKO Chandelure, 2HKOing it. X-Scissor dents bulky Psychic-type Trick Room users, such as Reuniclus and Musharna, while also OHKOing Bug-weak some offensive Pokemon that are weak to Bug-type attacks, such as Hydreigon. Protect allows Durant to shield itself from damage for a turn, possibly allowing Durant's partner to eliminate the a threat. Crunch could be used is also a good option, however, to deal heavy damage to Jellicent who want that try to get off a powerful Water Spout, in addition to hitting Cofagrigus, one of the few Trick Room users not covered by the rest of this set.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With 58 / 112 / 48 defenses, Durant needs a Focus Sash to help it from getting OHKOed by prevent most special attacks from OHKOing it, although Durant can use a Life Orb instead could be utilized for an extra power boost. A Jolly nature allows Durant to outpace Terrakion and hit it with a STAB super effective Iron Head, which is one of the main reasons for using Durant. Swarm boosts Durant's Bug-type moves whenever its health drops below 25% 33% (Swarm's boost comes at 1/3 HP, not 1/4), allowing it to get off one last powerful X-Scissor. This which, in conjunction with a Focus Sash, allows for a very powerful final X-Scissor. On the other hand, Hustle allows Durant to get a guaranteed always OHKO on Terrakion with Iron Head and gives Durant more power overall;(semicolon) unfortunately,(comma) this comes with a loss of accuracy on all of Durant's moves. A Life Orb gives Durant a greatly needed power boost, however Durant is then OHKOed by Chandelure Heat Wave, as without a Focus Sash Heat Wave easily OHKOes. (You already talked about Life Orb vs Focus Sash, and this sentence doesn't really add anything new.) With Durant's poor defenses, there is no point in investing in Defense bulk, allowing EVs to be fully invested in Attack and Speed. With a Life Orb and Hustle, Durant is able to OHKO 252/0 Reuniclus and has a chance to OHKO max Defense Musharna. (This last sentence feels out of place here at the end of this paragraph. Maybe move it up to where you discussed the items or abilities, or even into the main comments?)</p>

<p>Wide Guard users such as Mienshao and Conkeldurr are great teammates for Durant, as they allowing it to outspeed and 2HKO Chandelure without getting destroyed by its Heat Wave. Wide Guard also helps Durant damage Scarf Jellicent, which would otherwise dent Durant and its teammates. Pairing Durant with Terrakion could lead to creates a lethal Iron Head / Rock Slide combo, increasing the chance of flinch while dealing a lot of damage.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Crunch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Hustle / Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With a Choice Scarf,(comma) Durant is able to function as an effective counter for other Choice Scarfed Pokemon, as well as outspeeding Tornadus and Thundurus, which otherwise hit Durant hard with their STAB moves. Crunch dents Jellicent, making it unable to unleash a full-power Water Spout,(remove) and crippling it for the remainder of the match. Rock Slide hits Tornadus and Thundurus hard, in addition to having a high flinch rate. X-Scissor OHKOes Hydreigon and gives Durant a strong STAB move. Iron Head is Durant's only way to hit Terrakion and can cause flinching as well. With a Choice Scarf, Durant is already outspeeding most of the tier, so an Adamant nature is used.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle gives all of Durant's moves the equivalent of a Life Orb Choice Band boost,(remove) at the cost of 20% accuracy. If you find the lower accuracy is a problem for you, Swarm may be used instead is a decent replacement, although Durant will not often take an attack and live with under 25% 33% health, but it does fix any accuracy issues. With Durant's terrible defenses,(comma) you should simply invest all you can into Attack and Speed. You can use a Jolly nature if you fear Scarf Terrakion, a Jolly nature could be used, though but the drop in power is so significant that Jolly should not often be used this is rarely a good idea.</p>

<p>As with the standard set, Wide Guard support is greatly appreciated, as it allows Durant to eliminate Chandelure, Jellicent, and Terrakion, respectively, in two turns. Musharna can provide Durant with Helping Hand support, allowing Durant to OHKO Jellicent and Chandelure with Crunch, and Terrakion with Iron Head.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Durant can attempt to support its team with Thunder Wave, providing paralysis support to slow down the other opposing team;(semicolon) however,(comma) a Pokemon with Prankster,(comma) such as Thundurus,(comma) is more suited for this job, as it gets +1 priority on Thunder Wave. Stone Edge has a higher base power than Rock Slide, but with its infamous 80% accuracy and inability to hit only more than one foe, it is generally inferior to Rock Slide is generally recommended. However, Stone Edge does give Durant the ability to OHKO Tornadus and Thundurus. A set revolving around Substitute and Hone Claws could be viable, allowing Durant to get to +1 Attack and Accuracy, which along with Hustle would prove for some powerful attacks;(semicolon) however,(comma) it is very hard to successfully boost in the VGC 2011 metagame boosting is very hard to do, so this is generally and is often discouraged.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Chandelure and Volcarona OHKO Durant with their powerful STAB Heat Wave, though Volcarona must use a Charti Berry or Focus Sash to avoid being OHKOed by Durant. Strong special-based moves such as Jellicent's Water Gem Water Spout take advantage of Durant's abysmal base 48 Special Defense, easily OHKOing. With Cofagrigus's massive Defense, it can easily take a STAB Iron Head and respond with a Will-O-Wisp, neutering Durant.</p>

Nice job. Just try to avoid using the passive voice too much ("is used" and "could be used"), and watch out for run-on sentences.


GP 1/2
Thanks, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Changes made!
I can't spell Hydreigon wtf is wrong with me
 
What about a Banded set? With 109 speed it is able to outspeed the majority of the metagame barring the Genies, Whimsicott and Scarfers. However Band worked great for me ESPECIALLY under Tailwind. It's at least worth a mention.
 

JRank

Jonny
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
What about a Banded set? With 109 speed it is able to outspeed the majority of the metagame barring the Genies, Whimsicott and Scarfers. However Band worked great for me ESPECIALLY under Tailwind. It's at least worth a mention.
Hustle is the equivalent of a Choice Band boost (albeit at an accuracy drop), with the ability to switch moves and hold another item. Although a Choice Band allows you to get the Attack boost and not lower accuracy, Hustle + Choice Scarf is basically a Choice Band AND a Choice Scarf, which (in my opinion at least), means that Hustle's pros and cons outweighs Choice Band's pros and cons. Hustle + Focus Sash (in Tailwind), is better 80% of the time than Choice Band + Tailwind as well. (80% is the average accuracy rate Hustle gives)

I do see where it has merit, however, and I'll give it a mention in Other Options.
 

elDino

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[Overview]

<p>With base 109 Attack and Speed and a fabulous STAB in Bug, Durant has the potential to be a real force in the VGC 2011 metagame. Unfortunately, while Durant's typing is a blessing on offense for its offensive prowess, it is a liability on defense for its defensive capabilities. Bug / Steel leaves Durant 4x weak to Fire-type moves, which means Chandelure can OHKO it with ease. Despite this, when used properly, Durant can be a viable member of any VGC team.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Protect / Crunch
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Swarm / Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Iron Head gives Durant a reliable STAB attack and also has a 30% flinch rate. Durant's 109 base Speed allows it to make good use of the flinch chance, as it just outspeeds the musketeer trio of Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion. Rock Slide allows Durant to 2HKO Chandelure., (comma) while X-Scissor dents bulky Psychic-type Trick Room users, such as Reuniclus and Musharna, while also OHKOing some offensive Pokemon that are weak to Bug-type attacks such as Hydreigon. Protect allows Durant to shield itself from damage for a turn, possibly allowing Durant's partner to eliminate a threat. Crunch is also a good option, however, to deal heavy damage to Jellicent that try to get off a powerful Water Spout, in addition to hitting Cofagrigus, one of the few Trick Room users not covered by the rest of this set.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With 58 / 112 / 48 defenses, Durant needs a Focus Sash to prevent most special attacks from OHKOing it, although Durant can use a Life Orb instead for an extra power boost. With a Life Orb and Hustle, Durant is able to OHKO 252/0 Reuniclus and has a chance to OHKO max Defense Musharna. A Jolly nature allows Durant to outpace Terrakion and hit it with a STAB super effective Iron Head, which is one of the main reasons for using Durant. Swarm boosts Durant's Bug-type moves whenever its health drops below 33%, which, in conjunction with a Focus Sash, allows for a very powerful final X-Scissor. On the other hand, Hustle allows Durant to always OHKO Terrakion with Iron Head and gives Durant more power overall; unfortunately, this comes with a loss of accuracy on all of Durant's moves. With Durant's poor defenses, there is no point in investing in bulk, allowing EVs to be fully invested in Attack and Speed.</p>

<p>Wide Guard users such as Mienshao and Conkeldurr are great teammates for Durant, as they allow it to outspeed and 2HKO Chandelure without getting destroyed by Heat Wave. Wide Guard also helps Durant damage Scarf Jellicent, which would otherwise dent Durant and its teammates. Pairing Durant with Terrakion creates a lethal Iron Head / Rock Slide combo, increasing the chance of flinch while dealing a lot of damage.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Crunch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Hustle / Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With a Choice Scarf, Durant is able to function as an effective counter for other Choice Scarf Pokemon, as well as outspeed Tornadus and Thundurus, which otherwise hit Durant hard with their STAB moves. Crunch dents smacks (repetition) Jellicent, making it unable to unleash a full-power Water Spout and crippling it for the remainder of the match. Rock Slide hits Tornadus and Thundurus hard, in addition to having a high flinch rate. X-Scissor OHKOes Hydreigon and gives Durant a strong STAB move., (comma) while Iron Head is Durant's only way to hit Terrakion and can cause flinching as well a flinch too. With a Choice Scarf, Durant is already outspeeding most of the metagame, so an Adamant nature is used.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle gives all of Durant's moves the equivalent of a Choice Band boost at the cost of 20% accuracy. If the lower accuracy is a problem for you, Swarm is a decent replacement, although Durant will not often take an attack and live with under 33% health. With Durant's terrible defenses, you should simply invest all you can into Attack and Speed. You can use a Jolly nature if you fear Scarf Terrakion, but the drop in power is so significant that this is rarely a good idea.</p>

<p>Wide Guard support is greatly appreciated, as it allows Durant to eliminate Chandelure, Jellicent, and Terrakion, respectively, in two turns. Musharna can provide Durant with Helping Hand support, allowing Durant to OHKO Jellicent and Chandelure with Crunch, and Terrakion with Iron Head.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Durant can attempt to support its team with Thunder Wave, providing paralysis support to slow down the opposing team; however, a Pokemon with Prankster, such as Thundurus, is more suited for this job, as it gets +1 priority on Thunder Wave. Stone Edge has a higher base power than Rock Slide, but with its infamous 80% accuracy and inability to hit more than one foe, it is generally inferior to Rock Slide. However, Stone Edge does give Durant the ability to OHKO Tornadus and Thundurus. A set revolving around Substitute and Hone Claws could be viable, allowing Durant to get to +1 Attack and Accuracy, which along with Hustle would prove for some powerful attacks; however, it is very hard to successfully boost in the VGC 2011 metagame, so this is generally discouraged. Durant could hold a Choice Band to power up its attacks even further, but Hustle allows you to have an Attack boost and still change moves, in addition to holding another item, such as a Focus Sash.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Chandelure and Volcarona OHKO Durant with their powerful STAB Heat Wave, though Volcarona must use a Charti Berry or Focus Sash to avoid being OHKOed by Durant itself. Strong special-based moves such as Jellicent's Water Gem Water Spout take advantage of Durant's abysmal base 48 Special Defense, easily OHKOing it. With Cofagrigus's massive Defense, it can easily take a STAB Iron Head and respond with Will-O-Wisp, neutering Durant.</p>


Fantastic work.

GP Approved 2/2

 

JRank

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[Overview]

<p>With base 109 Attack and Speed and a fabulous STAB in Bug, Durant has the potential to be a real force in the VGC 2011 metagame. Unfortunately, while Durant's typing is a blessing on offense for its offensive prowess, it is a liability on defense for its defensive capabilities. Bug / Steel leaves Durant 4x weak to Fire-type moves, which means Chandelure can OHKO it with ease. Despite this, when used properly, Durant can be a viable member of any VGC team.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Protect / Crunch
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Swarm / Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Iron Head gives Durant a reliable STAB attack and also has a 30% flinch rate. Durant's 109 base Speed allows it to make good use of the flinch chance, as it just outspeeds the musketeer trio of Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion. Rock Slide allows Durant to 2HKO Chandelure., (comma) while X-Scissor dents bulky Psychic-type Trick Room users, such as Reuniclus and Musharna, while also OHKOing some offensive Pokemon that are weak to Bug-type attacks such as Hydreigon. Protect allows Durant to shield itself from damage for a turn, possibly allowing Durant's partner to eliminate a threat. Crunch is also a good option, however, to deal heavy damage to Jellicent that try to get off a powerful Water Spout, in addition to hitting Cofagrigus, one of the few Trick Room users not covered by the rest of this set.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With 58 / 112 / 48 defenses, Durant needs a Focus Sash to prevent most special attacks from OHKOing it, although Durant can use a Life Orb instead for an extra power boost. With a Life Orb and Hustle, Durant is able to OHKO 252/0 Reuniclus and has a chance to OHKO max Defense Musharna. A Jolly nature allows Durant to outpace Terrakion and hit it with a STAB super effective Iron Head, which is one of the main reasons for using Durant. Swarm boosts Durant's Bug-type moves whenever its health drops below 33%, which, in conjunction with a Focus Sash, allows for a very powerful final X-Scissor. On the other hand, Hustle allows Durant to always OHKO Terrakion with Iron Head and gives Durant more power overall; unfortunately, this comes with a loss of accuracy on all of Durant's moves. With Durant's poor defenses, there is no point in investing in bulk, allowing EVs to be fully invested in Attack and Speed.</p>

<p>Wide Guard users such as Mienshao and Conkeldurr are great teammates for Durant, as they allow it to outspeed and 2HKO Chandelure without getting destroyed by Heat Wave. Wide Guard also helps Durant damage Scarf Jellicent, which would otherwise dent Durant and its teammates. Pairing Durant with Terrakion creates a lethal Iron Head / Rock Slide combo, increasing the chance of flinch while dealing a lot of damage.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Crunch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Hustle / Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With a Choice Scarf, Durant is able to function as an effective counter for other Choice Scarf Pokemon, as well as outspeed Tornadus and Thundurus, which otherwise hit Durant hard with their STAB moves. Crunch dents smacks (repetition) Jellicent, making it unable to unleash a full-power Water Spout and crippling it for the remainder of the match. Rock Slide hits Tornadus and Thundurus hard, in addition to having a high flinch rate. X-Scissor OHKOes Hydreigon and gives Durant a strong STAB move., (comma) while Iron Head is Durant's only way to hit Terrakion and can cause flinching as well a flinch too. With a Choice Scarf, Durant is already outspeeding most of the metagame, so an Adamant nature is used.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle gives all of Durant's moves the equivalent of a Choice Band boost at the cost of 20% accuracy. If the lower accuracy is a problem for you, Swarm is a decent replacement, although Durant will not often take an attack and live with under 33% health. With Durant's terrible defenses, you should simply invest all you can into Attack and Speed. You can use a Jolly nature if you fear Scarf Terrakion, but the drop in power is so significant that this is rarely a good idea.</p>

<p>Wide Guard support is greatly appreciated, as it allows Durant to eliminate Chandelure, Jellicent, and Terrakion, respectively, in two turns. Musharna can provide Durant with Helping Hand support, allowing Durant to OHKO Jellicent and Chandelure with Crunch, and Terrakion with Iron Head.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Durant can attempt to support its team with Thunder Wave, providing paralysis support to slow down the opposing team; however, a Pokemon with Prankster, such as Thundurus, is more suited for this job, as it gets +1 priority on Thunder Wave. Stone Edge has a higher base power than Rock Slide, but with its infamous 80% accuracy and inability to hit more than one foe, it is generally inferior to Rock Slide. However, Stone Edge does give Durant the ability to OHKO Tornadus and Thundurus. A set revolving around Substitute and Hone Claws could be viable, allowing Durant to get to +1 Attack and Accuracy, which along with Hustle would prove for some powerful attacks; however, it is very hard to successfully boost in the VGC 2011 metagame, so this is generally discouraged. Durant could hold a Choice Band to power up its attacks even further, but Hustle allows you to have an Attack boost and still change moves, in addition to holding another item, such as a Focus Sash.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Chandelure and Volcarona OHKO Durant with their powerful STAB Heat Wave, though Volcarona must use a Charti Berry or Focus Sash to avoid being OHKOed by Durant itself. Strong special-based moves such as Jellicent's Water Gem Water Spout take advantage of Durant's abysmal base 48 Special Defense, easily OHKOing it. With Cofagrigus's massive Defense, it can easily take a STAB Iron Head and respond with Will-O-Wisp, neutering Durant.</p>


Fantastic work.

GP Approved 2/2

Thanks, implemented your changes.

This is done! :D
 

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