Durant (BW2 Update) (QC 3/3) (GP 2/2)

Taking over for SteelEdges.

Durant

[Overview]
  • One of the tier's premier offensive threats thanks to its high Speed and Attack that is bolstered even further by Hustle
  • Can perform a whole variety of roles, from wallbreaker to sweeper to reliable revenge killer
  • Good Steel / Bug typing and decent physical bulk grants it some chances to freely come in, and it helps tank priority when attempting to sweep
  • Accuracy drops from Hustle can and will let you down at times
  • Absolutely horrid special bulk and HP will sometimes make it hard to set-up or switch in
  • All in all, though, Durant is one of tier's best Pokemon and is a threat that should widely be considered to have a spot on your team.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Thunder Fang
move 4: Iron Head
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
  • A Choice Band set gives Durant the ability to hit hard right off the bat without too many consequences
  • X-Scissor is the primary STAB, nailing the many Grass- and Psychic-types of RU
  • Superpower smashes the Steel-types that would otherwise wall this set, such as Steelix, Escavalier, Ferroseed, and Magneton
  • Thunder Fang hits Poliwrath, Qwilish, and Alomomola, heavily denting them, as well as KOing Moltres after Stealth Rock
  • Iron Head provides secondary STAB and allows Durant to hit bulky Ghost types, such as Golurk and Misdreavus
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
  • Hustle is preferred ability because it gives Durant a valuable power boost in Attack
  • Baton Pass can work as a pseudo U-turn in the fourth slot
  • Rock Slide will kill Moltres and Entei without the need for Stealth Rock and can nab a kill on non-bulky Rotom after Stealth Rock, but lacks utility otherwise.
  • Hazard support is also great for Durant, as it turns some 3HKOes into 2HKOes
  • For example, with Stealth Rock, Durant will consistently 2HKO Qwilfish with Thunder Fang and OHKO Entei with Superpower, and with SR and one layer of Spikes, Durant will able to 2HKO Alomomla with Thunder Fang
  • Druddigon and Rhydon can set up Stealth Rock for Durant as well as take on Fire-types for Durant
  • Qwilfish can lay down layers of Spikes for Durant as well as also take on Fire-types that can revenge kill Durant
  • For more offensive teams, Crustle and Smeargle can set-up hazards for Durant to do some work early game
  • Mixed Druddigon can make a decent partner considering it can lure in Pokemon that discourage Durant from spamming its STAB moves, such as Steelix and Escavalier, and roast them with a Flamethrower
  • Physical set-up sweepers such as Sceptile, Kabutops, and Gallade can take advantage of Durant's ability to wear down at physical walls and potentially sweep.
  • Gallade has the added benefit of destroying Steelix with its Fighting STAB, while being able to scare out Poliwrath and Qwilfish, both of which are common switch-ins to Durant, with a Psycho Cut, which can possibly give it a chance to set-up.
[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Thunder Fang / Iron Head
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
  • This set gives Durant a means to sweep, and when having accumulated a Hone Claws boost, makes one of the tier's best sweepers
  • Hone Claws is Durant's only way of boosting its Attack, and it also mitigates the accuracy drop that Hustle brings
  • X-Scissor is the primary STAB, nailing the many Grass- and Psychic-types of RU
  • Superpower smashes the Steel-types that would otherwise wall this set, such as Steelix, Escavalier, Ferroseed, and Magneton
  • Thunder Fang hits Poliwrath, Qwilish, and Alomomola, 2HKOing them at +1 (or in Qwilfish’s case, due to Intimidate neutralizing the attack boost, at +0) after Stealth Rock, as well as KOing Moltres after Stealth Rock
  • On the other hand, though, Iron Head provides secondary STAB and allows Durant to hit bulky Ghost types, such as Golurk and Misdreavus
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
  • Hustle is preferred ability because of the invaluable power boost that Durant will receive
  • Lum Berry is the preferred item, as it allows Durant to have a free pass on burn or paralysis, while still having the same power as the Choice Band set after a boost
  • Life Orb, however, is another alternative that allows Durant to hit hard without a Hone Claws boost and gives Durant the ability to power through even the bulkiest of walls
  • Baton Pass has some use on this set, being able to pass a Hone Claws boost
  • Rock Slide kills Moltres and Entei without the need of Stealth Rock as well as hitting Rotom hard, but it's not useful otherwise
  • A combination of Substitute and Salac Berry allows Durant to outspeed the common Choice Scarf users that would stop a potential sweep, but it will lose valuable coverage if taking this route
  • While this set is extremely potent at sweeping, it gets easily revenge killed by many common Choice Scarf users, especially Emboar and Rotom-C
  • Slowking, Druddigon, and Rhydon can all deal with the Fire types that can easily revenge kill Durant.
  • Druddigon also handles the common Choice Scarf Electrics, such as Rotom-C, Rotom, and Manectric
  • Hazard support is also great for Durant, as it turns 3HKOes into 2HKOes
  • For example, with Stealth Rock, Durant will consistently 2HKO Qwilfish with Thunder Fang at +0 and OHKO Entei with Superpower at +1, and with SR and one layer of Spikes, Durant has the ability to OHKO defensive Steelix 93.75% of the time with a LO Superpower
  • The aforementioned Druddigon and Rhydon can set up Stealth Rock for Durant
  • Qwilfish can lay down layers of Spikes for Durant as well as take on Fire-types that can revenge kill Durant
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Iron Head / Baton Pass
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
  • Instead of utilizing Durant's wallbreaking capabilities, this set capitalizes on its great 109 base Speed that allows it to outspeed many key threats, such as +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar
  • X-Scissor is the main STAB, hitting opposing Grass-types, such as Sceptile, Rotom-C, and Lilligant
  • Superpower hits opposing Steel-types, such as Aggron and Magneton, as well nabbing the KO on -1 Omastar
  • Stone Edge KOs Moltres, and will put a heavy dent in Entei and Sigilyph
  • Iron Head provides a secondary STAB, while Baton Pass can help Durant lure in defensive Pokemon such as Poliwrath and Qwilfish and Baton Pass out to something to threaten those Pokemon
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
  • An Adamant nature is chosen on this set because of a good power boost that it provides, and the only Pokemon you lose out on are Choice Scarf Manectric and Typhlosion. Even with an Adamant nature, Durant will still outspeed +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar, which is good enough.
  • Swarm is the ability of choice here, because as a revenge killer, Durant cannot afford to miss at the most inopportune times with Hustle
  • As this set lacks the great power of the other sets, it needs something to lure in its counters, such as Alomomola, Qwilfish, Poliwrath, and Steelix, and heavily damage them
  • Mixed Emboar and Mixed Druddigon are great partners for this set, as they can lure in those previously mentioned counters and wreck them with the appropriate move

[Other Options]
  • Durant's other options are extremely scarce
  • It can Baton Pass boosting moves like Agility and Hone Claws, as well as pass off Substitutes, but this is a total waste of a Durant
  • Entrainment Truant is a somewhat gimmicky strategy in which Durant passes off Truant to an opposing Pokemon and can work with something like CM Gothorita, which traps the opposing Pokemon which can usually not do much to Gothorita.
[Checks and Counters]
  • Not a very easy Pokemon to counter because of the brute power it posseses.
  • Choice Scarf Emboar is the best offensive check to Durant, being able to outspeed and easily kill Durant with Flare Blitz. If need be, it can switch into any of Durant's attacks barring Superpower and retaliate
  • Qwilfish can easily take any of Durant's attacks, barring a Choice Band or neutral attack Thunder Fang, and paralyze any non-Lum variant, rendering it useless
  • Poliwrath can phaze Durant with Circle Throw or burn it with Scald, but must also be wary of Thunder Fang, which 2HKOs at +1 or with a Choice Band
  • Alomomola can take repeated hits from CB Durant outside of Thunder Fang, which will put Alomomola in a tough situation, but it fails to threaten Durant with its Waterfalls and can turn into set-up bait for Durant
  • Steelix can take any attack other than a CB or +1 Superpower and Roar away a boosted Durant
  • Choice Scarf Magneton can trap Durant and kill it with a Thunderbolt or HP Fire
  • Rotom can take any one hit from Durant barring a +1 LO X-Scissor and KO it with Thunderbolt. Scarf variants easily outspeed Durant, while bulky variants can take one hit and burn any non-Lum variant
  • Other Choice Scarf users, such as Rotom-C and Manectric, can also kill Durant easily with their STAB moves
  • If Stealth Rock is not on the field, Moltres can a Thunder Fang and OHKO with its respective Fire attack
  • Naturally faster Pokemon such as Tauros and Aerodactyl can revenge kill Durant with a Fire Blast

[Overview]

<p>Durant is among the tier's premier offensive threats largely in part due to its high Speed and Attack that is bolstered even further by its ability, Hustle. It can perform a whole variety of roles that can accomplish much in a match, from a wallbreaker to a sweeper to a reliable revenge killer. Its good Bug / Steel typing and decent physical bulk can grant it some chances to freely come in and also makes it hard to take down with priority when attempting a sweep. Unfortunately, while Hustle grants Durant an amazing power boost, it comes at the cost of the accuracy of its moves, which can be a letdown at times. Durant also has terrible special bulk and HP that will make it hard to setup or switch in at times as well as make it easy to revenge kill with many of the common Choice Scarf users. All in all though, Durant is one of tier's best Pokemon and is a threat that should be considered for a spot on your team.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Thunder Fang
move 4: Iron Head
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>A Choice Band gives Durant the ability to hit hard right off the bat without too many consequences. X-Scissor is the primary STAB, heavily damaging the many Grass- and Psychic-types of the tier, such as Tangrowth, Slowking, and Uxie. Superpower smashes through the Steel-types that would otherwise wall this set, such as Steelix, Aggron, and Magneton. Thunder Fang hits Poliwrath, Qwilfish, and Alomomola, heavily denting them, as well as KOing Moltres after Stealth Rock. Iron Head rounds off this set by providing secondary STAB that allows Durant to hit bulky Ghost-types, such as Golurk and Misdreavus.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle is the ability of choice because it gives Durant a great power boost in its attacks that makes it the fearsome wallbreaker it is. As for other options, Baton Pass can work as a pseudo-U-turn in the fourth slot, but Durant wants all the coverage it can get. Rock Slide will always OHKO Moltres and Entei without the need for Stealth Rock and can also nab a kill on non-bulky Rotom after Stealth Rock, but those are the only circumstances that it would be useful in.</p>

<p>Entry hazard support is appreciated for Durant, as it allows it to wallbreak even further with its attacks and turns some 3HKOes into 2HKOes. For example, with Stealth Rock on the field, Durant will consistently 2HKO Qwilfish switch-ins with Thunder Fang and OHKO Entei with Superpower, and with Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, Durant will be able to 2HKO Alomomola with Thunder Fang. Druddigon and Rhydon both make for excellent candidates for Stealth Rock support, as both can take on the Fire-types that annoy Durant. For more offensive teams, suicide leads such as Smeargle and Crustle can set up entry hazards for Durant to do some work early-game. Mixed Druddigon can make for a decent partner considering that it can lure in Pokemon that discourage Durant from spamming its STAB moves, such as Steelix and Escavalier, and destroy them with a Flamethrower. Physical setup sweepers, such as Sceptile, Kabutops, and Gallade, can take advantage of Durant's ability to wear down physical walls and potentially sweep on their own. Gallade has the added benefit of destroying Steelix with its Fighting-type STAB while being able to scare out Poliwrath and Qwilfish with Psycho Cut, both of which are common switch-ins to Durant, which can possibly give it a chance to setup and do some major damage.</p>

[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Thunder Fang / Iron Head
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Durant is best used as a powerful wallbreaker, this set gives Durant a means to sweep, and when supported by a Hone Claws boost, makes it one of the tier's best sweepers. Hone Claws is Durant's only way of boosting its Attack, and it also mitigates the accuracy drop that Hustle brings. X-Scissor is the primary STAB here, nailing the many Grass- and Psychic-types of the tier, such as Lilligant, Uxie, and Mesprit. Superpower provides the necessary coverage to crush opposing Steel-types, such as Steelix, Escavalier, Ferroseed, and Magneton. Thunder Fang is the preferred move in the last slot, as it hits Poliwrath, Qwilfish, and Alomomola, 2HKOing them at +1 (or in Qwilfish's case, due to Intimidate neutralizing the Attack boost, +0) after Stealth Rock, as well as KOing Moltres after Stealth Rock. On the other hand, Iron Head provides a secondary STAB move which allows Durant to hit bulky Ghost-types, such as Golurk and Misdreavus, that would otherwise wall Durant.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle is the preferred ability because of the invaluable power boost that Durant is granted from the ability. Lum Berry is the preferred item, as it allows Durant to have a free pass on status, specifically burn and paralysis, while still having the same amount of power as the Choice Band set after a boost. Life Orb, however, is another alternative that allows Durant to hit hard without a Hone Claws boost and gives Durant the ability to power through even the bulkiest of walls without too many problems. Baton Pass can be somewhat useful on this set, as Durant can pass off Hone Claws boosts when put in an unfavorable situation, but this comes at the cost of coverage, and Durant will usually lose the chance to sweep if giving up its last slot to Baton Pass. Rock Slide will OHKO Moltres and Entei without the need of Stealth Rock after a boost and hits Rotom for major damage, but lacks utility otherwise. A combination of Substitute and a Salac Berry allows Durant to outspeed the common Choice Scarf users that would stop a potential sweep, but Durant loses valuable coverage if taking this route.</p>

<p>While this set is extremely potent at sweeping, it will often get easily revenge killed by many common Choice Scarf users, especially Emboar and Rotom-C. Slowking, Druddigon, and Rhydon can all deal with the Fire-types that can revenge kill Durant. Druddigon has the added benefit of dealing the with the common Choice Scarf Electric-types, such as Rotom-C, Rotom, and Manectric. Entry hazard support is also great for Durant, as it can turn some 3HKOs into 2HKOs. For example, with Stealth Rock, Durant will consistently 2HKO Qwilfish with Thunder Fang at +0 and OHKO Entei with Superpower at +1, and with Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, Durant has the ability to OHKO defensive Steelix 93.75% of the time with a Life Orb-boosted Superpower at +1. Druddigon and Rhydon can also provide Stealth Rock support for Durant. Qwilfish also makes for a great partner, being able to lay down layers of Spikes for Durant as well as take on the Fire-types that limit Durant's chances of sweeping.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Iron Head / Baton Pass
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Durant is typically a Pokemon that punches holes with its wallbreaking power, a Choice Scarf set capitalizes on Durant's great base 109 Speed that allows it to outspeed many key threats, such as +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar. X-Scissor is the main STAB move, hitting opposing Grass-types, such as Sceptile, Rotom-C, and Lilligant. Superpower smashes opposing Steel-types, such as Aggron and Magneton, that would otherwise wall Durant, as well as nabbing a KO on -1 Omastar. Stone Edge destroys Moltres and puts a heavy dent in Entei and Sigilyph. Iron Head rounds off the set by providing a secondary STAB move. However, Baton Pass is another alternative that allows Durant to lure in defensive Pokemon, such as Poliwrath and Qwilfish, and Baton Pass out to something that can threaten it.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>An Adamant nature is chosen specifically on this set because it provides Durant with a good power boost, and the only Pokemon that Durant loses out on are Choice Scarf Manectric and Choice Scarf Typhlosion. Even with an Adamant nature, Durant is still capable of outspeeding +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar, which is good enough considering both are massive threats that can have their sweep cut short by Durant. Swarm is the ability of choice here, because as a revenge killer, Durant cannot afford to miss with Hustle.</p>

<p>As this set lacks the great power of the other sets, it needs something to lure in its counters, such as Alomomola, Qwilfish, Poliwrath, and Steelix, and heavily damage them so that Durant has a better chance of possibly sweeping. Mixed Emboar and mixed Druddigon are great partners for this set, as they can lure in those previously mentioned counters and wreck them with the appropriate coverage move.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Durant's small movepool leaves it strapped for many other options. Durant can try a full Baton Pass set, with some boosting moves such as Agility and Hone Claws, but more often than not, this is a waste of Durant's potential. Durant has access to the move Entrainment, which passes off its ability to another Pokemon. With arguably the worst ability in Truant, it can pass off the horrible ability to the opposing Pokemon, making it into an awful Pokemon. However, this gimmicky strategy only will work with a Shadow Tag Pokemon such as Gothorita, which will be able to trap the opposing Pokemon and set up Calm Minds, or else the Pokemon that has Truant will just switch out. That Pokemon also must not be able to do much to the Gothorita so that it eases setup. The strategy is relatively inconsistent, though, because there are plenty of Pokemon that can heavily dent Gothorita with physical moves and cause it to falter eventually.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Durant is not a very easy Pokemon to directly counter because of the brute power it possesses. In terms of answers, though, Choice Scarf Emboar is the best offensive check to Durant, being able to outspeed and easily OHKO Durant with Flare Blitz. If need be, it can switch into any of Durant's attacks, barring Superpower, and retaliate. Qwilfish can easily stomach any of Durant's attacks, barring a Choice Band or neutral attack Thunder Fang, and paralyze any Durant not packing Lum Berry, rendering Durant useless. Poliwrath can also tank any hit from Durant outside of Thunder Fang, which 2HKOes at +1 or with a Choice Band, and phaze Durant with Circle Throw or burn it with Scald. Alomomola can take repeated hits from Choice Band Durant outside of Thunder Fang, which can put Alomomola in a tough situation, but it fails to threaten Durant with its Waterfalls and can turn into setup bait for Durant. Steelix can take any of Durant's attacks other than a Choice Band-boosted or +1 Superpower and Roar away a boosted Durant.</p>

<p>Often the easiest way to deal with Durant is to revenge kill it. Other than the previously mentioned Emboar, Choice Scarf Magneton can trap Durant with Magnet Pull, outspeed it, and OHKO Durant with a Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Rotom can take any one hit from Durant barring a +1 Life Orb X-Scissor and OHKO with Thunderbolt. Choice Scarf variants of Rotom easily outspeed Durant, while bulky variants can take any one hit and burn any Durant lacking a Lum Berry, crippling it for the rest of the match. Other common Choice Scarf users, such as Rotom-C and Manectric, can also KO Durant with their STAB moves. If Stealth Rock is not on the field, Moltres can take a Thunder Fang and OHKO with its Fire-type STAB. Naturally faster Pokemon, such as Tauros and Aerodactyl, can also revenge kill Durant with a Fire Blast. However, all of the previously mentioned checks, with the exception to Rotom and Manectric, can be outsped by the Choice Scarf set and OHKOed by the appropriate move.</p>
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Be careful not to undersell it too much on the overview, since it seems like you might just looking at it right now (don't forget, its likely a top 10 RU pokemon at the moment) - also don't put the concluding point to get rid of the formulaic bit.

On Band, mention other moves can also obtain the KOs Rock Slide can get.

Pokemon such as Swords Dance Sceptile, Tauros, and Choice Scarf Braviary can take advantage of Durant's ability to wear down at physical walls and potentially sweep
I feel like there are better examples than Tauros and Braviary since they have no synergy with Durant at all, unlike SD Sceptile (only common physical sweeper in RU I can think of that scares out bulky waters) Instead, I think more optimal partners here would be...
  • SD Kabutops. It can switch into Fire-types that can switch into Durant's STABs and scare it out. Durant can hurt them with other moves, but prediction can always backfire.
  • Any kind of Gallade can set up on/scare out Qwilfish and Poliwrath with its Psychic STAB and then just hit them hard or set up with Swords Dance or Bulk Up or a Sub or whatever.
  • Both also defeat Steelix, latter beats Rotom with Shadow Sneak, or Night Slash on slower variants
On Scarf, mention that even with Adamant it outspeeds +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar. Also I don't think Spikes (and therefore partners with spikes) does anything important, as the only thing you mentioned is that SR is needed to OHKO Entei with Stone Edge (which is fine). "Not strong enough" isn't really a reason.

Make the changes (or discuss why you disagree) and I'll stamp.
 

EonX

Battle Soul
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Ok, my crack at this as I've gotten into using Durant a bit lately:

[Overview]

  • Drop the whole 2 paragraph set up. Just say what Durant does, what it may struggle with, and how good it is. Look to S-R's Aggron analysis that's currently in progress for an example of this.

[Checks and Counters]

  • Mention that the revenge killers need to be careful of walking into the Choice Scarf set, which will outspeed them (with the exception of Choice Scarf Manectric and Choice Scarf Typhlosion) and probably KO them if it's locked in the right move
  • Mention that Scarf Magneton (since it's the only one that has any business trying to come in) has to be careful of Baton Pass on the Scarf set (Superpower as well for that matter)
Make these changes and I'll approve it. Good work on this so far.
 
additions
removals
comments

[Overview]

<p>Durant is among the tier's premier offensive threats largely in part due to its high Speed and Attack that is bolstered even further by its ability,(AC) Hustle. It can perform a whole variety of roles that can accomplish much in a match, including being from a wallbreaker to a sweeper to a reliable revenge killer. Its good Steel / Bug Bug / Steel typing and decent physical bulk can grant it some chances to freely come in and also makes it hard to take down with priority when attempting a sweep. Unfortunately, while Hustle grants Durant an amazing power boost, it comes at the cost of the accuracy of its moves, which can be a letdown at times. Durant also has terrible special bulk and HP that will make it hard to set-(RH)up ("set up") or switch in at times as well as make it easy to revenge kill with many of the common Choice Scarf users. All in all, though, Durant is one of tier's best Pokemon and is a threat that should widely be considered to have for a spot on your team.</p>
(line break)
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Thunder Fang
move 4: Iron Head
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>A Choice Band set gives Durant the ability to hit hard right off the bat without too many consequences. X-Scissor is the primary STAB, heavily damaging the many Grass- and Psychic-types of the tier, such as Tangrowth, Slowking, and Uxie. Superpower smashes through the Steel-types that would otherwise wall this set, such as Steelix, Aggron, and Magneton. Thunder Fang hits Poliwrath, Qwilfish, and Alomomola, heavily denting them, as well as KOing Moltres after Stealth Rock. Iron Head rounds off this set by providing secondary STAB that allows Durant to hit bulky Ghost-types, such as Golurk and Misdreavus.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle is the ability of choice because it gives Durant a great power boost in its attacks that makes it the fearsome wallbreaker it is. As for other options, Baton Pass can work as a pseudo U-turn in the fourth slot, but often Durant wants all the coverage it can get gets in any particular situation. Rock Slide will always OHKO Moltres and Entei without the need for Stealth Rock and can also nab a kill on non-bulky Rotom after Stealth Rock, but those are the only circumstances that it would be useful in.</p>

<p>H Entry hazard support is appreciated for Durant, as it allows it to wallbreak even further with its attacks and turns some 3HKOes into 2HKOes. For example, with Stealth Rock on the field, Durant will consistently 2HKO Qwilfish switch-ins with Thunder Fang and OHKO Entei with Superpower, and with Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, Durant will be able to 2HKO Alomomola with Thunder Fang. Druddigon and Rhydon both make for excellent candidates for Stealth Rock support, as both can take on the Fire-types that annoy Durant to no end. For more offensive teams, suicide leads such as Smeargle and Crustle can set up hazards for Durant to do some work early game. Mixed Druddigon can make for a decent partner considering that it can lure in Pokemon that discourage Durant from spamming its STAB moves, such as Steelix and Escavalier, and grill them with a Flamethrower. Physical set-(RH)up ("setup") sweepers, such as Sceptile, Kabutops, and Gallade, can take advantage of Durant's ability to wear down at physical walls and potentially sweep on their own. Gallade has the added benefit of destroying Steelix with its Fighting-type STAB, while being able to scare out Poliwrath and Qwilfish with Psycho Cut, both of which are common switch-ins to Durant, with a Psycho Cut, which can possibly give it a chance to set-(RH)up ("set up") and do some major damage.</p>
[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Thunder Fang / Iron Head
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Durant is best used as a powerful wallbreaker, this set gives Durant a means to sweep, and when accumulated supported by a Hone Claws boost, makes one of the tier's best sweepers. Hone Claws is Durant's only way of boosting its Attack, and it also mitigates the accuracy drop that Hustle brings. X-Scissor is the primary STAB here, nailing the many Grass- and Psychic-types of the tier, such as Lilligant, Uxie, and Mesprit. Superpower provides the necessary coverage that crushes opposing Steel-types, such as Steelix, Escavalier, Ferroseed, and Magneton. Thunder Fang is the preferred move in the last slot, as it hits Poliwrath, Qwilfish, and Alomomola, 2HKOing them at +1 (or in Qwilfish's case, due to Intimidate neutralizing the aAttack boost, at +0) after Stealth Rock, as well as KOing Moltres after Stealth Rock. One the other hand, Iron Head provides a secondary STAB move which allows Durant to hit bulky Ghost-types, such as Golurk and Misdreavus, that would otherwise wall Durant to no end.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle is the preferred ability because of the invaluable power boost that Durant is granted from the ability. Lum Berry is the preferred item, as it allows Durant to have a free pass on status, most specifically burn or and paralysis, while still having the same amount of power as the Choice Band set after a boost. Life Orb, however, is a another alternative that allows Durant to hit hard without a Hone Claws boost and gives Durant the ability to power through even the bulkiest of walls without too much problem many problems. Baton Pass can be somewhat useful on this set, as Durant can pass off Hone Claws boosts when put in an unfavorable situation, but this comes at the cost of coverage, and often, Durant will usually lose the chance to sweep if giving up its last slot to Baton Pass. Rock Slide will OHKO Moltres and Entei without the need of Stealth Rock after a boost as well as hitting and hits Rotom for major damage, but lacks utility otherwise. A combination of Substitute and a Salac Berry allows Durant to outspeed the common Choice Scarf users that would stop a potential sweep, but Durant would lose loses valuable coverage if taking this route.</p>

<p>While this set is extremely potent and at sweeping, it will often get easily revenge killed by many common Choice Scarf users, especially Emboar and Rotom-C. Slowking, Druddigon, and Rhydon can all deal with the Fire-types that can revenge kill Durant. Druddigon has the added benefit of dealing the with the common Choice Scarf Electric-types, such as Rotom-C, Rotom, and Manectric. H Entry hazard support is also great for Durant, as it can turn some 3HKOes into 2HKOes. For example, with Stealth Rock, Durant will consistently 2HKO Qwilfish with Thunder Fang at +0 and OHKO Entei with Superpower at +1, and with Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, Durant has the ability to OHKO defensive Steelix 93.75% of the time with a Life Orb-boosted Superpower. The aforementioned Druddigon and Rhydon can also provide Stealth Rock support for Durant. Qwilfish also makes for a great partner, being able to lay down layers of Spikes for Durant as well as take on the Fire-types that plague limit Durant's chances of sweeping.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Iron Head / Baton Pass
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Durant is typically a Pokemon that punches through holes with its wallbreaking power, a Choice Scarf set capitalizes on Durant's great base 109 Speed that allows it to outspeed many key threats, such as +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar. X-Scissor is the main STAB move, hitting opposing Grass-types, such as Sceptile, Rotom-C, and Lilligant. Superpower smashes opposing Steel-types, such as Aggron and Magneton, that would otherwise wall Durant to no end, as well as nabbing a kill KO on -1 Omastar. Stone Edge destroys Moltres and will put puts a heavy dent in Entei and Sigilyph. Iron Head rounds off the set by providing a secondary STAB move. However, Baton Pass is another alternative that allows Durant to lure in defensive Pokemon, such as Poliwrath and Qwilfish, and Baton Pass out to something that can threaten both Pokemon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>An Adamant nature is chosen specifically on this set because it provides Durant with a good power boost, and the only Pokemon that Durant would lose loses out on are Choice Scarf Manectric and Choice Scarf Typhlosion. Even with an Adamant nature, Durant is still capable of outspeeding +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar, which is good enough considering both are massive threats that can have their sweep cut short by Durant. Swarm is the ability of choice here, because as a revenge killer, Durant cannot afford to miss at the most inopportune times with Hustle.</p>

<p>As this set lacks the great power of the other sets, it needs something to lure in its counters, such as Alomomola, Qwilfish, Poliwrath, and Steelix, and heavily damage them,(RC) so that Durant has a better chance of possibly sweeping. Mixed Emboar and Mmixed Druddigon are great partners for this set, as they can lure in those previously mentioned counters and wreck them with the appropriate coverage move.</p>
[Other Options]

<p>Durant's small movepool leaves it strapped for many other options. Durant can try a full Baton Pass set, with some boosting moves like such as Agility and Hone Claws, but more often than not, this will be is a waste of Durant's potential. Durant has access to the move Entrainment, which passes off its ability to another Pokemon. With arguably the worst ability in Truant for Durant, it can pass off the horrible ability to the opposing Pokemon, making it into an awful Pokemon. However, this gimmicky strategy only will work with a Shadow Tag Pokemon like such as Gothorita, which will be able to trap the opposing Pokemon and set-up ("set up") Calm Minds, or else the Pokemon that has Truant will just switch out. That Pokemon also must not be able to do much to the Gothorita so that it eases set-up ("setup"). The strategy is relatively inconsistent, though, because there are plenty of Pokemon that can heavily dent Gothorita with physical moves and cause it to falter eventually.</p>
[Checks and Counters]

<p>Durant is not a very easy Pokemon to directly counter because of the brute power it possesses. In terms of answers, though, Choice Scarf Emboar is the best offensive check to Durant, being able to outspeed and easily OHKO Durant with Flare Blitz. If need be, it can switch into any of Durant's attacks
,(AC) barring Superpower,(AC) and retaliate. Qwilfish can easily stomach any of Durant's attacks, barring a Choice Band or neutral attack Thunder Fang, and paralyze any Durant not packing Lum Berry, rendering Durant useless. Poliwrath can also tank any hit from Durant outside of Thunder Fang, which 2HKOs at +1 or with a Choice Band, and phaze Durant with Circle Throw or burn it with Scald. Alomomola can take repeated hits from Choice Band Durant outside of Thunder Fang, which can put Alomomola in a tough situation, but it fails to threaten Durant with its Waterfalls and can turn into set-up setup bait for Durant. Steelix can take any of Durant's attacks other than a Choice Band-(hyphen)boosted or +1 Superpower and Roar away a boosted Durant.</p>

<p>Often the easiest way when dealing to deal with Durant is to revenge kill it. Other than the previously mentioned Emboar, Choice Scarf Magneton can trap Durant with Magnet Pull, outspeed it, and OHKO Durant with a Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Rotom can take any one hit from Durant barring a +1 Life Orb X-Scissor and OHKO with Thunderbolt. Choice Scarf variants of Rotom easily outspeed Durant, while bulky variants can take any one hit and burn any Durant lacking a Lum Berry, crippling it for the rest of the match. Other common Choice Scarf users, such as Rotom-C and (already mentioned) Manectric, can also kill KO Durant with their STAB moves. If Stealth Rock is not on the field, Moltres can take a Thunder Fang and OHKO with its respective Fire attack Fire-type STAB. Naturally faster Pokemon, such as Tauros and Aerodactyl, can also revenge kill Durant with a Fire Blast. However, all of the previously mentioned checks, with the exception to Rotom and Manectric, can be outsped by the Choice Scarf set and be OHKOed by the appropriate move.</p>

gp 1/2
 
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additions
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comments
[Overview]

<p>Durant is among the tier's premier offensive threats largely in part due to its high Speed and Attack that is bolstered even further by its ability, Hustle. It can perform a whole variety of roles that can accomplish much in a match, from a wallbreaker to a sweeper to a reliable revenge killer. Its good Bug / Steel typing and decent physical bulk can grant it some chances to freely come in and also makes it hard to take down with priority when attempting a sweep. Unfortunately, while Hustle grants Durant an amazing power boost, it comes at the cost of the accuracy of its moves, which can be a letdown at times. Durant also has terrible special bulk and HP that will make it hard to set(space)up or switch in at times as well as make it easy to revenge kill with many of the common Choice Scarf users. All in all,(RC)(without the removal it sounds really weird) though, Durant is one of tier's best Pokemon and is a threat that should be considered for a spot on your team.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Thunder Fang
move 4: Iron Head
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>A Choice Band gives Durant the ability to hit hard right off the bat without too many consequences. X-Scissor is the primary STAB, heavily damaging the many Grass- and Psychic-types of the tier, such as Tangrowth, Slowking, and Uxie. Superpower smashes through the Steel-types that would otherwise wall this set, such as Steelix, Aggron, and Magneton. Thunder Fang hits Poliwrath, Qwilfish, and Alomomola, heavily denting them, as well as KOing Moltres after Stealth Rock. Iron Head rounds off this set by providing secondary STAB that allows Durant to hit bulky Ghost-types, such as Golurk and Misdreavus.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle is the ability of choice because it gives Durant a great power boost in its attacks that makes it the fearsome wallbreaker it is. As for other options, Baton Pass can work as a pseudo U-turn in the fourth slot, but Durant wants all the coverage it can get. Rock Slide will always OHKO Moltres and Entei without the need for Stealth Rock and can also nab a kill on non-bulky Rotom after Stealth Rock, but those are the only circumstances that it would be useful in.</p>

<p>Entry hazard support is appreciated for Durant, as it allows it to wallbreak even further with its attacks and turns some 3HKOes into 2HKOes. For example, with Stealth Rock on the field, Durant will consistently 2HKO Qwilfish switch-ins with Thunder Fang and OHKO Entei with Superpower, and with Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, Durant will be able to 2HKO Alomomola with Thunder Fang. Druddigon and Rhydon both make for excellent candidates for Stealth Rock support, as both can take on the Fire-types that annoy Durant to no end. For more offensive teams, suicide leads such as Smeargle and Crustle can set up hazards for Durant to do some work early game. Mixed Druddigon can make for a decent partner considering that it can lure in Pokemon that discourage Durant from spamming its STAB moves, such as Steelix and Escavalier, and grill(grill=/=roast?) them with a Flamethrower. Physical set-(add hyphen)up sweepers, such as Sceptile, Kabutops, and Gallade, can take advantage of Durant's ability to wear down physical walls and potentially sweep on their own. Gallade has the added benefit of destroying Steelix with its Fighting-type STAB, while being able to scare out Poliwrath and Qwilfish with Psycho Cut, both of which are common switch-ins to Durant,(space)which can possibly give it a chance to set(space)up and do some major damage.</p>

[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Thunder Fang / Iron Head
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Durant is best used as a powerful wallbreaker, this set gives Durant a means to sweep, and when supported by a Hone Claws boost, makes it(you can use 'for' as well) one of the tier's best sweepers. Hone Claws is Durant's only way of boosting its Attack, and it also mitigates the accuracy drop that Hustle brings. X-Scissor is the primary STAB here, nailing the many Grass- and Psychic-types of the tier, such as Lilligant, Uxie, and Mesprit. Superpower provides the necessary coverage that crushes(the coverage doesn't crush steel types..) opposing Steel-types, such as Steelix, Escavalier, Ferroseed, and Magneton. Thunder Fang is the preferred move in the last slot, as it hits Poliwrath, Qwilfish, and Alomomola, 2HKOing them at +1 (or in Qwilfish's case, due to Intimidate neutralizing the aAttack boost, at +0) after Stealth Rock, as well as KOing Moltres after Stealth Rock. One the other hand, Iron Head provides a secondary STAB move which allows Durant to hit bulky Ghost-types, such as Golurk and Misdreavus, that would otherwise wall Durant to no end.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle is the preferred ability because of the invaluable power boost that Durant is granted from the ability. Lum Berry is the preferred item, as it allows Durant to have a free pass on status,(space)specifically burn and paralysis, while still having the same amount of power as the Choice Band set after a boost. Life Orb, however, is another alternative that allows Durant to hit hard without a Hone Claws boost and gives Durant the ability to power through even the bulkiest of walls without too many problems. Baton Pass can be somewhat useful on this set, as Durant can pass off Hone Claws boosts when put in an unfavorable situation, but this comes at the cost of coverage, and(space)Durant will usually lose the chance to sweep if giving up its last slot to Baton Pass. Rock Slide will OHKO Moltres and Entei without the need of Stealth Rock after a boost and hits Rotom for major damage, but lacks utility otherwise. A combination of Substitute and a Salac Berry allows Durant to outspeed the common Choice Scarf users that would stop a potential sweep, but Durant loses valuable coverage if taking this route.</p>

<p>While this set is extremely potent at sweeping, it will often get easily revenge killed by many common Choice Scarf users, especially Emboar and Rotom-C. Slowking, Druddigon, and Rhydon can all deal with the Fire-types that can revenge kill Durant. Druddigon has the added benefit of dealing the with the common Choice Scarf Electric-types, such as Rotom-C, Rotom, and Manectric. Entry hazard support is also great for Durant, as it can turn some 3HKOes into 2HKOes. For example, with Stealth Rock, Durant will consistently 2HKO Qwilfish with Thunder Fang at +0 and OHKO Entei with Superpower at +1, and with Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, Durant has the ability to OHKO defensive Steelix 93.75% of the time with a Life Orb-boosted Superpower at +1(lol). Druddigon and Rhydon can also provide Stealth Rock support for Durant. Qwilfish also makes for a great partner, being able to lay down layers of Spikes for Durant as well as take on the Fire-types that limit Durant's chances of sweeping.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Iron Head / Baton Pass
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Durant is typically a Pokemon that punches holes with its wallbreaking power, a Choice Scarf set capitalizes on Durant's great base 109 Speed that allows it to outspeed many key threats, such as +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar. X-Scissor is the main STAB move, hitting opposing Grass-types, such as Sceptile, Rotom-C, and Lilligant. Superpower smashes opposing Steel-types, such as Aggron and Magneton, that would otherwise wall Durant to no end, as well as nabbing a KO on -1 Omastar. Stone Edge destroys Moltres and puts a heavy dent in Entei and Sigilyph. Iron Head rounds off the set by providing a secondary STAB move. However, Baton Pass is another alternative that allows Durant to lure in defensive Pokemon, such as Poliwrath and Qwilfish, and Baton Pass out to something that can threaten both Pokemon.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>An Adamant nature is chosen specifically on this set because it provides Durant with a good power boost, and the only Pokemon that Durant loses out on are Choice Scarf Manectric and Choice Scarf Typhlosion. Even with an Adamant nature, Durant is still capable of outspeeding +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar, which is good enough considering both are massive threats that can have their sweep cut short by Durant. Swarm is the ability of choice here, because as a revenge killer, Durant cannot afford to miss with Hustle.</p>

<p>As this set lacks the great power of the other sets, it needs something to lure in its counters, such as Alomomola, Qwilfish, Poliwrath, and Steelix, and heavily damage them(Space)so that Durant has a better chance of possibly sweeping. Mixed Emboar and mixed Druddigon are great partners for this set, as they can lure in those previously mentioned counters and wreck them with the appropriate coverage move.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Durant's small movepool leaves it strapped for many other options. Durant can try a full Baton Pass set, with some boosting moves such as Agility and Hone Claws, but more often than not, this is a waste of Durant's potential. Durant has access to the move Entrainment, which passes off its ability to another Pokemon. With arguably the worst ability in Truant, it can pass off the horrible ability to the opposing Pokemon, making it into an awful Pokemon. However, this gimmicky strategy only will work with a Shadow Tag Pokemon such as Gothorita, which will be able to trap the opposing Pokemon and set(space)up Calm Minds, or else the Pokemon that has Truant will just switch out. That Pokemon also must not be able to do much to the Gothorita so that it eases setup. The strategy is relatively inconsistent, though, because there are plenty of Pokemon that can heavily dent Gothorita with physical moves and cause it to falter eventually.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Durant is not a very easy Pokemon to directly counter because of the brute power it possesses. In terms of answers, though, Choice Scarf Emboar is the best offensive check to Durant, being able to outspeed and easily OHKO Durant with Flare Blitz. If need be, it can switch into any of Durant's attacks,(AC) barring Superpower,(AC) and retaliate. Qwilfish can easily stomach any of Durant's attacks, barring a Choice Band or neutral attack Thunder Fang, and paralyze any Durant not packing Lum Berry, rendering Durant useless. Poliwrath can also tank any hit from Durant outside of Thunder Fang, which 2HKOs at +1 or with a Choice Band, and phaze Durant with Circle Throw or burn it with Scald. Alomomola can take repeated hits from Choice Band Durant outside of Thunder Fang, which can put Alomomola in a tough situation, but it fails to threaten Durant with its Waterfalls and can turn into set-(consistent; use either setup or set-up throughout)up bait for Durant. Steelix can take any of Durant's attacks other than a Choice Band-boosted or +1 Superpower and Roar away a boosted Durant.</p>

<p>Often the easiest to deal with Durant is to revenge kill it. Other than the previously mentioned Emboar, Choice Scarf Magneton can trap Durant with Magnet Pull, outspeed it, and OHKO Durant with a Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Rotom can take any one hit from Durant barring a +1 Life Orb X-Scissor and OHKO with Thunderbolt. Choice Scarf variants of Rotom easily outspeed Durant, while bulky variants can take any one hit and burn any Durant lacking a Lum Berry, crippling it for the rest of the match. Other common Choice Scarf users, such as Rotom-C and Manectric, can also KO Durant with their STAB moves. If Stealth Rock is not on the field, Moltres can take a Thunder Fang and OHKO with its Fire-type STAB. Naturally faster Pokemon, such as Tauros and Aerodactyl, can also revenge kill Durant with a Fire Blast. However, all of the previously mentioned checks, with the exception to Rotom and Manectric, can be outsped by the Choice Scarf set and be OHKOed by the appropriate move.</p>
 

GatoDelFuego

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SpareAacount

REMOVE CHANGE COMMENTS

This is working over kingler's changes
[Overview]

<p>Durant is among the tier's premier offensive threats largely in part due to its high Speed and Attack that is bolstered even further by its ability, Hustle. It can perform a whole variety of roles that can accomplish much in a match, from a wallbreaker to a sweeper to a reliable revenge killer. Its good Bug / Steel typing and decent physical bulk can grant it some chances to freely come in and also makes it hard to take down with priority when attempting a sweep. Unfortunately, while Hustle grants Durant an amazing power boost, it comes at the cost of the accuracy of its moves, which can be a letdown at times. Durant also has terrible special bulk and HP that will make it hard to set(space)up or switch in at times as well as make it easy to revenge kill with many of the common Choice Scarf users. All in all,(RC)(without the removal it sounds really weird) though, Durant is one of tier's best Pokemon and is a threat that should be considered for a spot on your team.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Thunder Fang
move 4: Iron Head
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>A Choice Band gives Durant the ability to hit hard right off the bat without too many consequences. X-Scissor is the primary STAB, heavily damaging the many Grass- and Psychic-types of the tier, such as Tangrowth, Slowking, and Uxie. Superpower smashes through the Steel-types that would otherwise wall this set, such as Steelix, Aggron, and Magneton. Thunder Fang hits Poliwrath, Qwilfish, and Alomomola, heavily denting them, as well as KOing Moltres after Stealth Rock. Iron Head rounds off this set by providing secondary STAB that allows Durant to hit bulky Ghost-types, such as Golurk and Misdreavus.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle is the ability of choice because it gives Durant a great power boost in its attacks that makes it the fearsome wallbreaker it is. As for other options, Baton Pass can work as a pseudo-U-turn in the fourth slot, but Durant wants all the coverage it can get. Rock Slide will always OHKO Moltres and Entei without the need for Stealth Rock and can also nab a kill on non-bulky Rotom after Stealth Rock, but those are the only circumstances that it would be useful in. Explain them?</p>

<p>Entry hazard support is appreciated for Durant, as it allows it to wallbreak even further with its attacks and turns some 3HKOes into 2HKOes. For example, with Stealth Rock on the field, Durant will consistently 2HKO Qwilfish switch-ins with Thunder Fang and OHKO Entei with Superpower, and with Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, Durant will be able to 2HKO Alomomola with Thunder Fang. Druddigon and Rhydon both make for excellent candidates for Stealth Rock support, as both can take on the Fire-types that annoy Durant to no end. For more offensive teams, suicide leads such as Smeargle and Crustle can set up entry hazards for Durant to do some work early-game. Mixed Druddigon can make for a decent partner considering that it can lure in Pokemon that discourage Durant from spamming its STAB moves, such as Steelix and Escavalier, and destroy grill(grill=/=roast?) please don't use either grill or roast! them with a Flamethrower. Physical setup sweepers, such as Sceptile, Kabutops, and Gallade, can take advantage of Durant's ability to wear down physical walls and potentially sweep on their own. Gallade has the added benefit of destroying Steelix with its Fighting-type STAB, (RC) while being able to scare out Poliwrath and Qwilfish with Psycho Cut, both of which are common switch-ins to Durant,(space)which can possibly give it a chance to set(space)up and do some major damage.</p>

[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Thunder Fang / Iron Head
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Durant is best used as a powerful wallbreaker, this set gives Durant a means to sweep, and when supported by a Hone Claws boost, makes it(you can use 'for' as well) one of the tier's best sweepers. Hone Claws is Durant's only way of boosting its Attack, and it also mitigates the accuracy drop that Hustle brings. X-Scissor is the primary STAB here, nailing the many Grass- and Psychic-types of the tier, such as Lilligant, Uxie, and Mesprit. Superpower provides the necessary coverage that to crushes(the coverage doesn't crush steel types..) opposing Steel-types, such as Steelix, Escavalier, Ferroseed, and Magneton. Thunder Fang is the preferred move in the last slot, as it hits Poliwrath, Qwilfish, and Alomomola, 2HKOing them at +1 (or in Qwilfish's case, due to Intimidate neutralizing the aAttack boost, at +0) after Stealth Rock, as well as KOing Moltres after Stealth Rock. One the other hand, Iron Head provides a secondary STAB move which allows Durant to hit bulky Ghost-types, such as Golurk and Misdreavus, that would otherwise wall Durant to no end.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hustle is the preferred ability because of the invaluable power boost that Durant is granted from the ability. Lum Berry is the preferred item, as it allows Durant to have a free pass on status,(space)specifically burn and paralysis, while still having the same amount of power as the Choice Band set after a boost. Life Orb, however, is another alternative that allows Durant to hit hard without a Hone Claws boost and gives Durant the ability to power through even the bulkiest of walls without too many problems. Baton Pass can be somewhat useful on this set, as Durant can pass off Hone Claws boosts when put in an unfavorable situation, but this comes at the cost of coverage, and(space)Durant will usually lose the chance to sweep if giving up its last slot to Baton Pass. Rock Slide will OHKO Moltres and Entei without the need of Stealth Rock after a boost and hits Rotom for major damage, but lacks utility otherwise. A combination of Substitute and a Salac Berry allows Durant to outspeed the common Choice Scarf users that would stop a potential sweep, but Durant loses valuable coverage if taking this route.</p>

<p>While this set is extremely potent at sweeping, it will often get easily revenge killed by many common Choice Scarf users, especially Emboar and Rotom-C. Slowking, Druddigon, and Rhydon can all deal with the Fire-types that can revenge kill Durant. Druddigon has the added benefit of dealing the with the common Choice Scarf Electric-types, such as Rotom-C, Rotom, and Manectric. Entry hazard support is also great for Durant, as it can turn some 3HKOs into 2HKOs. For example, with Stealth Rock, Durant will consistently 2HKO Qwilfish with Thunder Fang at +0 and OHKO Entei with Superpower at +1, and with Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, Durant has the ability to OHKO defensive Steelix 93.75% of the time with a Life Orb-boosted Superpower at +1(lol). Druddigon and Rhydon can also provide Stealth Rock support for Durant. Qwilfish also makes for a great partner, being able to lay down layers of Spikes for Durant as well as take on the Fire-types that limit Durant's chances of sweeping.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Iron Head / Baton Pass
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Durant is typically a Pokemon that punches holes with its wallbreaking power, a Choice Scarf set capitalizes on Durant's great base 109 Speed that allows it to outspeed many key threats, such as +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar. X-Scissor is the main STAB move, hitting opposing Grass-types, such as Sceptile, Rotom-C, and Lilligant. Superpower smashes opposing Steel-types, such as Aggron and Magneton, that would otherwise wall Durant to no end, as well as nabbing a KO on -1 Omastar. Stone Edge destroys Moltres and puts a heavy dent in Entei and Sigilyph. Iron Head rounds off the set by providing a secondary STAB move. However, Baton Pass is another alternative that allows Durant to lure in defensive Pokemon, such as Poliwrath and Qwilfish, and Baton Pass out to something that can threaten it both Pokemon.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>An Adamant nature is chosen specifically on this set because it provides Durant with a good power boost, and the only Pokemon that Durant loses out on are Choice Scarf Manectric and Choice Scarf Typhlosion. Even with an Adamant nature, Durant is still capable of outspeeding +1 Lilligant and +2 Omastar, which is good enough considering both are massive threats that can have their sweep cut short by Durant. Swarm is the ability of choice here, because as a revenge killer, Durant cannot afford to miss with Hustle.</p>

<p>As this set lacks the great power of the other sets, it needs something to lure in its counters, such as Alomomola, Qwilfish, Poliwrath, and Steelix, and heavily damage them(Space)so that Durant has a better chance of possibly sweeping. Mixed Emboar and mixed Druddigon are great partners for this set, as they can lure in those previously mentioned counters and wreck them with the appropriate coverage move.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Durant's small movepool leaves it strapped for many other options. Durant can try a full Baton Pass set, with some boosting moves such as Agility and Hone Claws, but more often than not, this is a waste of Durant's potential. Durant has access to the move Entrainment, which passes off its ability to another Pokemon. With arguably the worst ability in Truant, it can pass off the horrible ability to the opposing Pokemon, making it into an awful Pokemon. However, this gimmicky strategy only will work with a Shadow Tag Pokemon such as Gothorita, which will be able to trap the opposing Pokemon and set(space)up Calm Minds, or else the Pokemon that has Truant will just switch out. That Pokemon also must not be able to do much to the Gothorita so that it eases setup. The strategy is relatively inconsistent, though, because there are plenty of Pokemon that can heavily dent Gothorita with physical moves and cause it to falter eventually.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Durant is not a very easy Pokemon to directly counter because of the brute power it possesses. In terms of answers, though, Choice Scarf Emboar is the best offensive check to Durant, being able to outspeed and easily OHKO Durant with Flare Blitz. If need be, it can switch into any of Durant's attacks,(AC) barring Superpower,(AC) and retaliate. Qwilfish can easily stomach any of Durant's attacks, barring a Choice Band or neutral attack Thunder Fang, and paralyze any Durant not packing Lum Berry, rendering Durant useless. Poliwrath can also tank any hit from Durant outside of Thunder Fang, which 2HKOes at +1 or with a Choice Band, and phaze Durant with Circle Throw or burn it with Scald. Alomomola can take repeated hits from Choice Band Durant outside of Thunder Fang, which can put Alomomola in a tough situation, but it fails to threaten Durant with its Waterfalls and can turn into setup bait for Durant. Steelix can take any of Durant's attacks other than a Choice Band-boosted or +1 Superpower and Roar away a boosted Durant.</p>

<p>Often the easiest way to deal with Durant is to revenge kill it. Other than the previously mentioned Emboar, Choice Scarf Magneton can trap Durant with Magnet Pull, outspeed it, and OHKO Durant with a Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Rotom can take any one hit from Durant barring a +1 Life Orb X-Scissor and OHKO with Thunderbolt. Choice Scarf variants of Rotom easily outspeed Durant, while bulky variants can take any one hit and burn any Durant lacking a Lum Berry, crippling it for the rest of the match. Other common Choice Scarf users, such as Rotom-C and Manectric, can also KO Durant with their STAB moves. If Stealth Rock is not on the field, Moltres can take a Thunder Fang and OHKO with its Fire-type STAB. Naturally faster Pokemon, such as Tauros and Aerodactyl, can also revenge kill Durant with a Fire Blast. However, all of the previously mentioned checks, with the exception to Rotom and Manectric, can be outsped by the Choice Scarf set and be OHKOed by the appropriate move.</p>

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