QC: fleggumfl, Hootie, AM
GP: P Squared, The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Feraligatr is a solid setup sweeper in the OU tier thanks to the move Dragon Dance and an excellent ability in Sheer Force, which boosts the power of many of its moves, including its main STAB move. Because of its solid mono-Water typing, Feraligatr resists common Water-, Ice-, and Steel-type priority moves that might hinder a sweep. Feraligatr does suffer competition as a Dragon Dance sweeper from Gyarados, which has a secondary STAB type and Intimidate to help it set up more easily; however, Feraligatr is not weak to Stealth Rock. It does have a mediocre Speed tier before setting up, though, so it often has to tank a hit in order to set up, which often puts it in range of a priority attack or a move from a Choice Scarf revenge killer. This isn't helped by its mediocre special bulk, either. Feraligatr has some four-moveslot syndrome as well because it does not have perfect coverage between Waterfall and two coverage moves.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Ice Punch / Crunch
move 4: Crunch / Superpower
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dragon Dance simultaneously boosts Attack and Speed, setting Feraligatr up to sweep. Waterfall is a mandatory STAB move that gets a Sheer Force boost. Ice Punch hits Grass- and Dragon-types like Serperior, Amoonguss, Mega Altaria, and notably bulky Garchomp. Crunch hits Psychic-types like Mew and Slowbro while sharing coverage with Ice Punch on Latios, Latias, and Celebi. Superpower hits Ferrothorn and Dark-types such as Mega Gyarados, but it does not receive a Sheer Force boost. Aqua Jet can be used to outprioritize Talonflame at +1 Speed, and it also hits faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam and Choice Scarf users such as Landorus-T and Hoopa-U.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature lets Feraligatr outspeed Timid Heatran, Jolly Breloom, and Adamant Excadrill. A Jolly nature is required to outspeed Mega Lopunny and Mega Manectric after a Dragon Dance. Maximum Attack is used to hit as hard as possible. Sheer Force boosts the power of Waterfall, Ice Punch, and Crunch with only the small downside of losing their secondary effects. Life Orb boosts power even further. Additionally, it does not inflict the 10% recoil when coupled with moves affected by Sheer Force.
Usage Tips
========
It is best to primarily use Feraligatr as a late-game cleaner; do not use as it an early-game switch-in to things. Identify Feraligatr's checks and counters, and then weaken them before setting up a Dragon Dance. Feraligatr can be used to threaten out Pokemon such as Heatran and Hippowdon with its STAB moves, which provides setup opportunities. Be wary of firing off attacks if the opponent has Ferrothorn or Garchomp, both of which can punish Feraligatr with recoil damage. Status ailments can hinder a sweep, particularly burns and paralysis, so be cautious about keeping Feraligatr in on Pokemon such as Clefable and bulky Water-types that run Scald.
Team Options
========
Feraligatr is found primarily on offensive teams and thus appreciates the support of both wallbreakers to soften walls and pivots to allow for safe switches in. Electric-types such as Thundurus and Mega Manectric threaten Pokemon that check Feraligatr like Keldeo and Azumarill, while Feraligatr in turn threatens Ground-types such as Hippowdon. Raikou can also do this and checks opposing Mega Manectric and Thundurus as well. Rotom-H, while niche, can also function as an answer to Mega Manectric, Serperior, Ferrothorn, and Celebi. Ground-types such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Hippowdon can set up Stealth Rock and wear down opposing fast offensive threats such as Mega Lopunny and Talonflame. Hippowdon in particular checks opposing Electric-types bar Rotom-W very well. Spikes setters such as Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Klefki work well with Feraligatr because the entry hazard wears down opposing checks through repeated switches in, making a sweep easier. Among these Spikers, Klefki can help to check Latios and provide speed control with Thunder Wave, while Skarmory provides an answer to revenge killers such as Excadrill and Bisharp. Ferrothorn makes use of its Grass typing to check Rotom-W and Azumarill and can utilize Thunder Wave to help provide speed control as well. Another Grass-type, Mega Venusaur, counters Mega Altaria, Keldeo, Azumarill, and Ferrothorn, which makes it a great partner for Feraligatr. Tornadus-T can threaten all Grass-types with its STAB moves and bulky Steel-types such as Skarmory, Mega Scizor, and Ferrothorn with Fire- or Fighting-type coverage. Mega Altaria is able to take on Grass- and Electric-types such as Serperior and Mega Manectric for Feraligatr while it can take Ice-type attacks aimed at Altaria. Mega Gardevoir makes a good partner for Feraligatr (particularly non-Superpower variants) because it lures in and weakens Ferrothorn, as well as softening up the other team with its general wallbreaking prowess. Talonflame, Bisharp, and Mega Charizard X are physical attackers that have good synergy with Feraligatr because they help each other soften up physical walls. Ice Punch on Feraligatr can remove Garchomp for Talonflame and Bisharp, while Crunch defeats Slowbro for Mega Charizard X.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
===========
A Swords Dance set can be used to function as a stronger wallbreaker or cleaner with Aqua Jet. Substitute can be used alongside Swords Dance or Dragon Dance to ease prediction and avoid status ailments, but this limits Feraligatr's coverage options, furthering its four-moveslot syndrome.
Checks and Counters
===============
**Water-types**: Offensive Water-types such as Manaphy, Azumarill, and Keldeo all check Feraligatr with their solid bulk and ability to 2HKO it. Gyarados can lower Feraligatr's Attack stat with Intimidate and threatens to set up in response and hit it with a STAB Bounce. Bulky Water-types such as Slowbro (if Feraligatr is not running Crunch), Rotom-W, Suicune, and Gastrodon are very difficult for Feraligatr to break through and can cripple it with a burn. Quagsire in particular walls Feraligatr to no end because it ignores stat boosts and Feraligatr's Waterfall loses its ability to induce flinch because of Sheer Force.
**Grass-types**: Mega Venusaur is a counter to Feraligatr, as it can take on any boosted attacks and heal up with Synthesis or Giga Drain. Other Grass-types like Ferrothorn, Tangrowth, Amoonguss, and Chesnaught have the bulk to take most hits from Feraligatr and retaliate with super effective STAB moves. Serperior does not switch in to Feraligatr well but can OHKO in a one-on-one situation before Feraligatr has boosted to +1.
**Electric-types**: Mega Manectric lowers Feraligatr's Attack with Intimidate and threatens to OHKO with its STAB move. Raikou also threatens to OHKO with a STAB move, as does Thundurus, which has the ability to paralyze Feraligatr with Thunder Wave if it Feraligatr has already set up as well, thanks to the ability Prankster.
**Dragon-types**: If it lacks Ice Punch, Dragon-types such as Dragonite, Mega Altaria, Garchomp, Hydreigon, and Dragalge pose an immediate threat to Feraligatr, as they can take a hit and set up or retaliate. Latios is purely an offensive check that cannot take on Feraligatr at +1, but it threatens to fire off a powerful Draco Meteor if Feraligatr has not yet boosted. Kyurem-B can also be problematic for Feraligatr because of its stellar bulk and access to Fusion Bolt.
**Priority**: Priority users such as Bisharp, Talonflame, and Breloom are able to pick off a weakened Feraligatr. It should be noted that Bisharp and Talonflame are not able to revenge Feraligatr carrying Dragon Dance + Aqua Jet, as it can outprioritize Talonflame's Brave Bird and makes Bisharp's Sucker Punch fail. Klefki can utilize its ability Prankster to paralyze Feraligatr with Thunder Wave, which ruins its Speed.
**Weather Sweepers**: Pokemon that rely on weather to sweep, such as Excadrill, Kingdra, Kabutops, and Omastar, can all outspeed Feraligatr even after a Dragon Dance and threaten to deal heavy damage to it.
**Choice Scarf Users and Fast Pokemon**: Mega Alakazam and Pokemon holding Choice Scarf such as Kyurem-B and Landorus-T can outspeed Feraligatr even after a Dragon Dance and threaten to heavily dent it with their STAB moves.
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