Drapion
Credit to ParaChomp for the original analysis.
[Overview]
<p>Drapion is a very versatile Pokemon in RU, boasting a great stat spread with a mix of Speed, bulk, and power. Its fantastic typing leaves it as a Dark-type in a Ghost-type world, with a neutrality to Fighting complimented by a resistance to Ghost, giving it something which Spiritomb lacks. As such, Drapion is one of the best Pursuit users in the tier, not only being able to outspeed Rotom but also using its resistances and power to trap and kill Golurk, Dusknoir, and Spiritomb, which are some of the most used spinblockers in the RU metagame. It can run a variety of sets, however it's not exceptional at any one thing. Its offensive sets rely on Swords Dance to reach acceptable power levels, and its defensive set lacks the bulk to take on many common special attackers. However, Drapion is by no means a bad Pokemon, as it is extremely threatening due mainly due to its versatility and Speed.</p>
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Toxic Spikes
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Whirlwind
move 4: Crunch
item: Leftovers
ability: Battle Armor
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 244 SpD / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Drapion can run an effective specially defensive set, as heavy investment in Special Defense alows Drapion to take on most Ghost-types with ease, sponging their attacks and setting up Toxic Spikes to hamper them when they switch in next. Barring Golurk, every Ghost-type in the tier can't break through Drapion, as Cofagrigus and Rotom are walled, and Spiritomb and Dusknoir can be Taunted before they can use Will-O-Wisp to cripple Drapion. Toxic Spikes is one of Drapion's main niches, and works well in combination with Whirlwind as it can cripple a wall or sweeper before your opponent has a chance to switch to a Toxic Spikes absorber or spinner. Drapion's fast Taunt is also one of its greatest aspects, allowing it to stop Tangrowth from putting a Pokemon on your team to sleep, as well preventing slow setup sweepers such as Omastar and Crawdaunt from setting up. Whirlwind allows Drapion to counter Nasty Plot Cofagrigus, and is also effective against users of Substitute such as Magneton. Crunch is Drapion's most powerful STAB move that ensures that Drapion isn't the victim of Taunt itself, especially against faster users such as Aerodactyl and opposing offensive Drapion. It also hits Ghost-types for super-effective damage, which allows Drapion to fill its role as a Ghost-type killer.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>16 Speed EVs allow Drapion to outspeed and Taunt both Omastar and Crawdaunt before they can use Shell Smash or Dragon Dance, respectively. The rest is placed in HP and Special Defense to take special hits better, with 248 HP EVs used so Drapion takes less damage from entry hazards. A physically defensive spread could work as well due to Drapion's impressive Defense stat, but Drapion will never be a true physical wall, and is better off using its resistances as a specially defensive pivot that counters key threats such as Cofagrigus and Rotom. Battle Armor is the preferred ability, as while a Sniper boost may come in handy at times, this set focuses more on taking hits than dishing them out, and a critical hit could mean the difference between one and two layers of Toxic Spikes. Since this set lacks recovery, Rest can be used in conjunction with Sleep Talk to turn Drapion into a RestTalking phazer, similar to Munchlax and Poliwrath. However, this would mean missing out on both the utility of Taunt and the ability to lay down Toxic Spikes. Also, Knock Off can be used to cripple Eviolite foes such as Ferroseed, Munchlax, Roselia, and Rhydon. However, the former three are setup fodder regardless, and Drapion has no business staying in on the latter. Since Toxic Spikes are frequently absorbed by common Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Toxic is an option over it to spread status more reliably. However, Toxic Spikes is one of Drapion's main niches. Earthquake can be used to provide coverage on Steel-types which aren't affected by Toxic Spikes and resist Crunch, Drapion doesn't really have the moveslot for it and still lacks the power to break through Steelix and Ferroseed.</p>
<p>First and foremost among the qualities that Drapion looks for in its teammates is Wish support. Clefable is an excellent choice that can take on more powerful special attackers such as Moltres as well as set up Stealth Rock for Drapion to take advantage of with Whirlwind. However, Alomomola has decent synergy with Drapion as well, and can take on physical attackers such as Feraligatr. Both Pokemon also have the advantage of being able to Toxic stall with Wish and Protect, slowly increasing the damage taken from Toxic Spikes. Other good partners are those that can set up more hazards for Drapion to take advantage of with Whirlwind. Some examples that synergize well are Aerodactyl to lay Stealth Rock and Accelgor to lay Spikes. This set is also great for stall teams, as it can absorb Toxic Spikes, lay Toxic Spikes of its own, and counter troublesome Ghost-types that stall often lacks good answers for</p>
[SET]
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Earthquake
item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
ability: Battle Armor / Sniper
nature: Jolly
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Drapion's access to Taunt and Swords Dance, as well as its great bulk even when invested in minimally make it arguably the best stallbreaker in the tier. It can best use all of these traits in a bulky Swords Dance set, capable of busting through almost every wall in the tier. With Taunt, Drapion is easily able to set up more than one Swords Dance, easily setting up on the likes of Qwilfish, Ferroseed, Cofagrigus, and Slowking. Swords Dance boosts Drapion's Attack to very threatening levels, especially after a couple of boosts, and is necessary for plowing through RU's bulkest physical walls such as Tangrowth, Poliwrath, and Steelix. Crunch is a powerful and reliable STAB move that obliterates Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus that Drapion is notorious for countering, and Earthquake hits the Steel-types, Fighting-types, and Dark-types that resist Crunch while also having high Base Power and no drawbacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum investment in Speed allows Drapion to Taunt as many threats as possible, and the remainder is invested in bulk to try to accumulate as many Swords Dances as possible. Leftovers is the preferred item choice to increase overall longevity, but Lum Berry can also be useful for setting up on Scald, Body Slam, or Discharge, and also eases prediction when switching in or using Taunt. Battle Armor is the ability of choice on this set because Drapion will typically take a hit setting up a Swords Dance, but Sniper is also an option because it can win you the game in some cases if Drapion lacks enough boosts to get the job done. Drapion doesn't really have space for another coverage move on this set, as all of the moves on the set are very important and once you go with three attacking moves, you're better off going with the Offensive Swords Dance set.</p>
<p>As far as partners go, Feraligatr is an excellent choice to provide complimentary offense, as it and Drapion can beat each others checks, such as Ferroseed and Steelix, respectively. Aerodactyl can weaken your opponent's defensive core enough for Drapion to sweep later, and can also set up Stealth Rock. While not common, Torterra is definitely a teammate you should consider when picking partners for Drapion, as it boasts good synergy, access to Stealth Rock, and the ability to beat Steelix. Also, Clefable is a great partner that can set up Stealth Rock and give Drapion a second chance to sweep with Wish. In return, Drapion can take care of Ghost-types such as Rotom that Clefable can't touch.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Pursuit
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Aqua Tail
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Sniper
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ghost-types are plentiful in the RU metagame, so users of Pursuit are close to a necessity. Drapion is one of the best candidates for the job, and this set capitalizes on that. Drapion is the fastest of RU's main Pursuit users, and the only one that outspeeds Rotom. This is great for it, as Rotom usually doesn't stay in on Drapion, and Pursuit catches it while it tries to flee. Also, Drapion has both a resistance to Ghost-type attacks and a neutrality to Fighting-type attacks, which makes it arguably the best Pursuit user when dealing with Trick Room Cofagrigus. Crunch is a powerful and reliable STAB move, and hits Ghost-types for major damage, 2HKOing even standard defensive Cofagrigus with a Choice Band, while Life Orb versions need Stealth Rock to guarantee the 2HKO. Crunch is also the go-to move for targets that aren't weak to Earthquake or Aqua Tail. Earthquake gets good neutral coverage with Crunch, hitting Steel-types, Fighting-types, and Dark-types for at least neutral damage. The most notable Pokemon that fall in this category are Steelix, Hitmonchan, and opposing Drapion. Aqua Tail is used for bulky Ground-types that aren't hit hard enough by any other move on the set such as Sandslash and Rhydon, and is also good against Moltres.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum investment in Speed with a Jolly nature is used to outspeed Rotom and Speed tie with opposing base 95 Speed Pokemon, such as Uxie, Jynx, and Haunter. Maximum investment in Attack allows Drapion to hit as hard as possible, and the remaining EVs are used to slightly increase Drapion's bulk. Choice Band is the preferred item choice, as Drapion needs all the power it can get due to its average Attack stat, and doesn't mind being locked into one move. However, Life Orb is another good choice that allows Drapion to switch between moves at the cost of slightly decreasing its longevity. Choice Band's power is necessary most of the time, as Life Orb Crunch can fail to 2HKO and OHKO defensive Cofagrigus and SubPunch Golurk, respectively, while a Choice Band picks up both of the aforementioned KOs without fail. Sniper is the recommended ability as Drapion will be hitting first most of the time, and shouldn't be taking many hits if it's doing its job effectively. Poison Jab is an option over Aqua Tail in the last slot as an additional STAB move that hits Grass-types, most notably 2HKOing Tangrowth after Stealth Rock. However, it has terrible coverage otherwise, and Aqua Tail generally gets more use.</p>
<p>This set is a great partner for Pokemon that enjoy the removal of Ghost-types. The plethora of Fighting-type Pokemon in RU all appreciate Drapion's help, as Medicham, Hitmonlee, Primeape, and Hitmonchan can power through the rest of your opponent's team once their Ghost-type is gone. The former two are especially good partners, as they are free to use their ridiculously high-powered Hi Jump Kicks to great effect with no Ghost-types to stop them. Spinners that fail to get past spinblockers such as support Sandslash and Hitmonchan also appreciate Drapion's talents, as without a spinblocker they will get a Rapid Spin off without fail, giving Pokemon such as Moltres and Scyther a chance to shine while also giving you momentum. Since this set can also clean late-game with Crunch, hazards and complimentary offense are top-priority. Accelgor is a good user of Spikes that can take down Tangrowth and Steelix, and Aerodactyl sets up Stealth Rock while weakening Drapion's checks. Both share good synergy with Drapion. Since this set's top counters are Poliwrath, Tangrowth, and Steelix, Pokemon such as Manectric and Magmortar that can break these defensive behemoths allow Drapion to sweep late-game.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Crunch
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Aqua Tail
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Sniper
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While this set is undoubtedly inferior to the All-Out Attacker as far as Pursuit trapping is concerned, with a Choice Scarf Drapion can fill the role of a Pursuit trapper while also doubling as a revenge killer. This set can trap even Choice Scarf Rotom, and also revenge kills +1 Lilligant. Crunch is the main move on the set that brings decent power to the table while hitting Ghost-types super effectively. Pursuit is used mainly for Rotom, as it tends to switch out of Drapion, but is plain weak otherwise and won't even 2HKO Cofagrigus or Dusknoir. Earthquake gets good neutral coverage with Crunch, and is crucial for hitting Omastar as Drapion can revenge kill it even at +2. Aqua Tail is more important on this set than the All-Out Attacker set, as hitting Moltres is a major priority. It also hits the rare Rock Polish Rhydon which Drapion outspeeds, as well as hitting Sandslash hard.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Using maximum Speed on Drapion lets it outspeed a multitude of threats, including Choice Scarf Rotom, +2 Omastar and +1 Lilligant. It also allows Drapion to Speed tie with Choice Scarf variants of Uxie, Haunter, and Jynx, as the latter two are OHKOed by Crunch, or Pursuit if they try to switch out. As with most offensive Pokemon, maximum investment in Attack is used to hit as hard as possible. Sniper is the ability of choice on this set, as Drapion outspeeds the entire unboosted tier, and even then it is still faster than most Speed-boosting sweepers. Therefore, it won't be taking many hits. Poison Jab is an option over Aqua Tail in the last slot, as it hits +1 Lilligant and other Grass-types harder than Crunch. However, Moltres is a huge threat as well, and is much more difficult to stop with smart play due to its superior coverage.</p>
<p>This set is useful as a revenge killer on offensive teams that need something to absorb Toxic Spikes while also offering Pursuit support. Pokemon such as Medicham and Hitmonchan really appreciate the removal of Ghost-types and Moltres, and can offer great offensive support with their immense power and STAB Fighting-type attacks. As this set really only functions well on offensive teams, offensive Pokemon that can simultaneously set up entry hazards are great partners for this set. Aerodactyl can set up Stealth Rock, Accelgor can set up Spikes, and both share good synergy with Drapion. Another great partner for this set is SubSeed Sceptile, as it can easily force out Poliwrath and Steelix while resisting both of their main STAB moves. It greatly appreciates the remobal of Toxic Spikes, and can wear down Drapion's counters through repeated switching. If you are running hazards along with Drapion on an offensive team, Rotom is a great choice for a spinblocker, as it appreciates the removal of other Ghost-types, and synergizes well with Drapion.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Aqua Tail
item: Life Orb
ability: Sniper
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Unlike the Bulky Swords Dance set, this set aims to accomplish as much as possible with only a single Swords Dance. At +2 with a Life Orb, Drapion can 2HKO most of the top physical walls in the tier, such as Steelix and Cofagrigus. Crunch is a mainstay on any Drapion set, and allows it to get in a free Swords Dance by forcing out Ghost-types and Psychic-types such as Rotom and Mesprit. It is Drapion's most powerful STAB move, and OHKOes Cofagrigus just about all of the time at +2. Earthquake is Drapion's main means of hitting Steel-types, Fighting-types, and opposing Drapion, and 2HKOes Steelix at +2. In the last slot, Aqua Tail is used mainly for Sandslash and Rhydon, who would otherwise be able to stop Drapion's assault even at +2, before OHKOing with Earthquake.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum investment in Attack and Speed is to hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Jolly nature allows Drapion to outspeed Rotom, Lilligant, and Moltres, as well as force a Speed tie Uxie, Jynx, Haunter, and opposing Drapion. Life Orb is the primary item for this set, as it makes or breaks many KOs for Drapion, including the 2HKO on Steelix as well as the OHKO on Lanturn. Sniper is the main ability, as this set focuses on hitting hard and fast, while preying on forced switches to set up. While Drapion can take a hit, it usually doesn't have to, so Battle Armor isn't recommended. Poison Jab can be used in the last slot as a secondary STAB move that hits Grass-types such as Tangrowth harder, a guaranteed 2HKO at +2. Fire Fang can also be used to hit the aforementioned Grass-types, as well as a way to obliterate Ferroseed. However, both of these moves are used to hit specific threats, while Aqua Tail has more utility.</p>
<p>As this set relies on forcing switches to set up a Swords Dance, entry hazard support is greatly recommended. It also helps in allowing Drapion to get past its checks. For example, two layers of Spikes allows Drapion to OHKO Qwilfish with +1 Earthquake, due to Intimidate. A great partner to set these hazards up for Drapion is Accelgor, as it has access to Spikes, good synergy with Drapion, and can dispose of Tangrowth while Drapion sets up on many special walls. Grass-type Pokemon such as Sceptile synergize well with Drapion, and can break through the impossible obstacle for Drapion known as Poliwrath. Rotom is another great partner for this set, as it has good synergy, beats Poliwrath, and weakens walls with Pain Split, allowing Drapion to take them on later and power through their subpar health. Clefable also partners well with this set, as it has access to Wish and Heal Bell, allowing Drapion to get another chance at sweeping no matter how much it's damaged. In turn, Drapion can force out Ghost-types such as Rotom and Dusknoir that Clefable can't touch when they're behind a Substitute.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Drapion can run an even bulkier take on a Swords Dance set, using Rest and Sleep Talk along with Crunch to act as a mono-attacking RestTalk booster. However, Drapion needs to invest heavily in bulk to accumulate enough boosts this way, and even then the Bulky Swords Dance set is usually superior. On the topic of boosting moves, Drapion also has access to Agility. This doesn't do it any favors however, as Drapion is pretty fast already and more often than not lacks the immediate power to sweep as opposed to Speed. To take advantage of Sniper, Night Slash and Cross Poison can be used for a greater chance of a critical hit. However, this is not advised, as relying on luck is never a reason to use an otherwise inferior move. Drapion can act as a supporter for weather teams, as it is able to set up both Rain Dance and Sunny Day. However, Uxie supports its team far better, and Drapion doesn't bring any key resistances to the table to justify its use. Payback is a STAB move in Drapion's arsenal that shouldn't get any use, as Drapion is too fast to be an effective user of the move and most of the time it will only hit for a meager 50 Base Power. One very interesting move in Drapion's movepool is Torment, which is crippling to many Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus, Rotom, and Dusknoir, as they rely on two-move coverage most of the time, and can be forced into using their STAB attacks, which are resisted by Drapion. Other viable physical moves in Drapion's movepool are X-Scissor, Brick Break, Rock Slide, Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, and Iron Tail. While all of them offer coverage options against very specific opponents, they don't bring enough to the table to find use in one of Drapion's main sets.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>RestTalk Poliwrath is the best counter that you will find to all of Drapion's sets. It resists Crunch, and can phaze any boosts away with Circle Throw, one of the only non-Tauntable phazing moves. It can also use Rest to heal off damage from Toxic Spikes. Tangrowth, specifically those with Earthquake, is another solid counter. While rarely seen running Earthquake, Tangrowth isn't even 2HKOed by +2 Life Orb Crunch and can put Drapion in its place. Against sets that lack Taunt, Tangrowth can put Drapion to sleep, rendering it near useless barring cleric support. Steelix is another great option for countering Steelix, as it is immune to Toxic Spikes, and is only 2HKOed by +2 Life Orb Earthquake. However, it needs to make sure that Drapion has taken some damage beforehand, as an uninvested Earthquake is only 2HKOing at best. However, the Offensive Swords Dance set is really the only set that can muscle through Steelix, so Steelix can counter any other set. Sandslash and Rhydon are good checks to almost any set, as they can both survive a +2 Life Orb Aqua Tail, and at least 2HKO with Earthquake (the latter OHKOes almost all of the time after Life Orb recoil). Aerodactyl and Archeops can check Drapion as well, as they can come in for free on a predicted Earthquake, and outspeed and OHKO with an Earthquake of their own. Ironically, you can check Drapion with a Drapion of your own, as it absorbs Toxic Spikes, resists Crunch, and KOes with Earthquake. However, the Choice Scarf set is best for this as relying on Speed ties generally isn't recommended.</p>
