[PIMG]457[/PIMG]
Drapion
[Overview]
<p>Drapion has all the tools it needs to be a top offensive threat; it has good Attack and Speed stats to compliment its natural bulk and solid typing. Its Swords Dance set is very threatening, and it is a very effective stallbreaker with the combination of Swords Dance and Taunt. Drapion is also one of the best Pursuit users in the metagame; because it poses the threat of making Pokemon such as Rotom, Slowking, and Cryogonal setup fodder, it can catch them with Pursuit as they flee to make their defensive duties much more difficult. Drapion isn't without its flaws though, because while base 90 Attack is good, it's still pretty weak without a boost. Drapion also faces some heavy competition in its attacking roles; Absol has much more Attack and the strongest priority move in the game, Spiritomb can block Rapid Spin while being an effective Pursuit user, and Escavalier has a much more powerful STAB move in Megahorn. That being said, Drapion is still good, but you just need to be sure that it's exactly what you're looking for.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Poison Jab / Taunt
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry / Leftovers
ability: Sniper
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Drapion is most effective when utilizing its Speed, bulk, and power to sweep with Swords Dance. Setup opportunities aren't hard to come by, as Drapion can force out Pokemon such as Rotom, Slowking, and Mesprit quite easily to pick up a Swords Dance. Once at +2, Drapion is able to 2HKO nearly every Pokemon in the tier, with even defensive behemoths such as Tangrowth, Steelix, and Poliwrath falling to Life Orb-boosted assaults. Crunch is Drapion's main STAB move that gets pretty good neutral coverage on the tier, and hits the many Psychic-types in the metagame for super effective damage. Earthquake hits a lot of things that Crunch doesn't, including Steel-types and opposing Drapion. Steelix and Ferroseed don't take Life Orb-boosted Earthquakes that well, and Earthquake also gets the crucial OHKO on Nidoqueen.</p>
<p>The last slot can be a tough decision, as both moves are very good and have a lot of use in the current metagame. Poison Jab is the superior choice to make Drapion a more potent offensive threat, as it OHKOes Tangrowth at +2, and 2HKOes Poliwrath after Stealth Rock, although the latter will phaze Drapion out before it can land a second blow. Poison Jab is also good for getting a guaranteed OHKO on Grass-type threats such as Lilligant and Sceptile. Taunt, on the other hand, ensures Drapion's longevity isn't cut short by status, and prevents Pokemon such as Slowking, Rotom, or Uxie leaving it with a parting gift of paralysis or burn. Poison Jab is generally better, but Taunt can still be useful for setting up to oblivion on certain threats.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Attack and Speed is used so Drapion can hit as hard as possible while Speed tying with other base 95 Speed Pokemon, as well as outspeeding the likes of Rotom, Moltres, and Lilligant. Life Orb is generally the best item, as Drapion needs all the power it can get, and the HP lost is but a small price to pay, especially because Drapion looks to set up by forcing switches. Lum Berry is also a good choice, and it is especially useful to prevent status effects that can't be blocked by Taunt, such as a Scald burn or a Body Slam paralysis. A bulkier spread of 180 HP / 72 Atk / 252 Spe can be used in the hope that Drapion will be able to attain more boosts, while still allowing it to OHKO Nidoqueen after only a single Swords Dance. Both Lum Berry and Leftovers are viable item choices with this spread, and Taunt becomes a much better option. Sniper is the ability of choice, as Drapion isn't looking to take hits, it's looking to dish them out. There are some additional options that you can use on this set; Aqua Tail can be used in place of Poison Jab to hit Pokemon that Drapion would otherwise find it hard to get past, such as Rhydon and Sandslash, but Poison Jab is better overall. Pursuit is also viable, and it allows Drapion to KO Pokemon such as Rotom that have the balls to stay in as you set up, but then are promptly destroyed as they try to flee.</p>
<p>As this set relies on forcing switches to set up a Swords Dance, entry hazard support is greatly recommended. As a bonus, it also helps Drapion get past its checks. For example, two layers of Spikes allows Drapion to OHKO Intimidate Qwilfish with a +1 Earthquake. A great partner to set these hazards up is Roselia, which has access to Spikes, has good synergy with Drapion, and can dispose of Drapion's checks while it sets up on many special walls and attackers. Grass-type Pokemon such as Sceptile work well with Drapion, and can break through Poliwrath, one of Drapion's greatest checks. Rotom is another great partner for this set, as it synergizes well with Drapion, beats Poliwrath, and weakens walls with Pain Split, allowing Drapion to take them down later. Bulkier variants can also go toe-to-toe with Escavalier, another one of this set's best checks. Clefable also partners well with this set, as it has access to Wish and Heal Bell to grant Drapion another chance at a sweep. It also counter Nidoqueen, which can prove problematic at times for Drapion. In return, Drapion can force out Ghost-types such as Rotom and Dusknoir, which Clefable can't touch when they're behind a Substitute.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Pursuit
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Poison Jab / Aqua Tail
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Sniper
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Drapion is one of the best Pursuit users in the metagame, and this set looks to hit hard off the bat in order to use the move effectively. Drapion is capable of trapping Ghost- and Psychic-types with ease thanks to its handy resistances to their STAB moves, and it is also the fastest Pursuit user in RU, meaning that it can Speed tie with Uxie, and outspeed Mesprit and Rotom. While Pursuit tries to hit Ghost- and Psychic-types as they flee, Drapion also has the reliable and powerful Crunch to hit them with if they choose to stay in. Crunch is also Drapion's best STAB move that gets good coverage on the majority of the metagame, and Drapion can sweep late-game with it once the opponent's team has been weakened. Earthquake hits most of the threats that Crunch misses out on, such as Fighting-, Dark-, and Steel-types. In practice, it gives Drapion a way of hitting Nidoqueen, Steelix, and opposing Drapion hard. There are two good options in the last slot; Poison Jab is generally the better option as it allows Drapion to hit Grass-types hard. It 2HKOes all variants of Tangrowth after Stealth Rock, and allows Drapion to OHKO Lilligant and Sceptile, which no other move in Drapion's arsenal is capable of doing. That being said, Aqua Tail is a viable alternative, and it allows Drapion to hit Rhydon and Sandslash hard, which would otherwise be hard counters to it; it also allows Drapion to OHKO Moltres without the help of Stealth Rock.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Speed investment and a Jolly nature lets Drapion outrun 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 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 though, as Life Orb Crunch can fail to OHKO Golurk and bulky Rotom 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.</p>
<p>This set is a great partner for Pokemon that enjoy the removal of Ghost-types. The plethora of Fighting-types in RU all appreciate Drapion's help, as Medicham, Hitmonlee, Primeape, and Hitmonchan can all 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 Kick 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. Without a spinblocker standing in their way, they will are able to use Rapid Spin without fail, giving Pokemon such as Moltres and Scyther a chance to shine while also giving your team momentum. Because this set can also clean late-game with Crunch, hazards and complimentary offense are of 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. This set is countered mainly by the likes of Poliwrath, Rhydon, and Steelix, so Pokemon such as Manectric and Magmortar, which can break these defensive behemoths, allows Drapion to sweep late-game.</p>
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Crunch
move 2: Poison Jab
move 3: Whirlwind
move 4: Taunt
item: Leftovers
ability: Battle Armor
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 244 SpD / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set takes advantage of Drapion's key resistances to Ghost-, Psychic-, and Grass-type attacks to combat some of the most threatening sweepers in the metagame. This set can fit well on stall teams that are looking for an additional check to Pokemon like Sceptile, Lilligant, and Substitute + Calm Mind Uxie; it can also defeat Clefable using Taunt, which is usually a headache for stall teams due to its inability to take residual damage. This set looks to take hits and hit back with one of Drapion's STAB moves, and although they are rather weak without investment, they are typically super effective against the threats that Drapion is supposed to check. Crunch is good against Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Rotom and Mesprit, while Poison Jab finds use against Grass-types such as Lilligant. Whirlwind is a great asset for Drapion, as it can hit Pokemon behind Substitutes that Drapion may or may not be able to deal with, ranging from Rotom to Entei to Gallade, the latter two being somewhat harder for Drapion to KO. It also allows Drapion to rack up entry hazard damage, which is likely because this set is typically seen on stall teams. Taunt, while also having the aforementioned use for beating Clefable, also allows Drapion to prevent slower threats from setting up, as well as protecting it from status from the likes of Spiritomb, Tangrowth, and Lilligant.</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 allow Drapion to take special attacks more easily. 248 HP EVs specifically let Drapion take less damage from entry hazards. A physically defensive spread could work as well thanks to Drapion's impressive Defense stat, but Drapion will never be a true physical wall due to its weakness to common Ground-type attacks and lack of useful resistances. Instead, it is better off using its resistances to play the role of a specially defensive pivot that counters key threats such as Sceptile and Rotom. Battle Armor is the preferred ability; while a Sniper boost might come in handy at times, this set focuses more on taking hits than dishing them out. Toxic Spikes are an option on this set, however they aren't very effective in the current metagame because of common threats such as Nidoqueen, Drapion, and Qwilfish that can easily nullify them. Similarly, Toxic can be used to inflict status more reliably. RestTalk is viable on this set as well, with two attacks or Whirlwind being good options that work well it. It acts as a good sleep absorber against the Grass-types that Drapion can effectively check, such as Lilligant and Sceptile. However, you miss out on Taunt and become a slave to the random number generator. Knock Off can cripple Eviolite users such as Munchlax, Roselia, Ferroseed, and Rhydon, but the former two are beaten regardless, and Drapion has no business staying in on the latter two. Earthquake can be used as well to hit Steel-types among others, but Drapion lacks the space for it and it is very weak without investment.</p>
<p>Wish support is one of the most important qualities Drapion looks for in a teammate. 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. Another choice is Alomomola, which has decent synergy with Drapion 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. This set struggles against Nidoqueen, so a rather unorthodox option to check it is Wish Gallade, which can also pass its Wishes to Drapion. Other good partners are those that can set up more hazards, as this lets Drapion rack up more damage with Whirlwind. Some examples that synergize well are Aerodactyl, which can set up Stealth Rock, and Accelgor, for Spikes.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Chief among Drapion's other options is a Choice Scarf set. With a Choice Scarf, Drapion can function as both a Pursuit trapper and a revenge killer, but base 90 Attack is far too weak without a boosting item. Drapion can run a 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, making an offensive Swords Dance set usually superior. On the topic of boosting moves, Drapion also has access to Agility. This is of little use, however, as Drapion is relatively 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. That being said, if you really want to trust your luck, you can always use the mighty Acupressure; it might work, but probably will not. 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. Although it receives STAB, Payback shouldn't get any use as Drapion is too fast to be an effective user of the move. One very interesting move in Drapion's movepool is Torment, which cripples many Ghost-types, such as Rotom and Dusknoir; they usually only run one coverage move, and Drapion resists their STAB Ghost-type move. Other viable physical moves in Drapion's movepool include X-Scissor, Brick Break, Rock Slide, Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, and Iron Tail. While all of these 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>Poliwrath is the best counter in existence to all Drapion variants. No matter how hard it tries, Drapion just can't break through it. Poliwrath can then attempt to burn it with Scald, or get rid of its boosts with Circle Throw. Rhydon is the next best option for countering Drapion, although it fears the rare Aqua Tail. Otherwise, it can switch into even Earthquake and KO Drapion with one of its own Earthquakes. Sandslash is in a similar boat, but although it isn't as bulky as Rhydon, it doesn't have a weakness to Earthquake and Aqua Tail isn't as effective against it either. That being said, its defensive sets can only hope to 2HKO Drapion. Tangrowth is a decent option for checking Drapion if it carries Earthquake, but Poison Jab hurts a lot. Steelix is a pretty good check to Drapion, but like Sandslash it is easily worn down due to its lack of recovery and can only 2HKO with an uninvested Earthquake. Ferroseed is a good check to any Drapion set that lacks Taunt, as it really doesn't take much from any of its attacks, and can paralyze it and use Leech Seed to continually recover HP. Escavalier is one of the best offensive checks to Drapion, as it can switch in on any of Drapion's moves, and OHKOes with a Choice Band-boosted Megahorn. Nidoqueen is a decent offensive check as well, as it can survive any of Drapion's moves provided that it isn't at +2, and OHKOes with Earth Power. Both Bouffalant and Druddigon are bulky enough to take an unboosted onslaught, and can each KO with Earthquake and Outrage (almost all of the time), respectively. Aerodactyl and Archeops are both naturally faster than Drapion, and can switch in for free on a predicted Earthquake and KO it with one of their own. Durant is faster than Drapion as well, and can use its own natural bulk to take even a +2 Earthquake and 2HKO in return.</p>
tl;dr:
-New set order:
-Choice Scarf is being moved to OO.
-Rewrite of Overview and Checks and Counters.
-Touching up with other small changes and updated examples.
Drapion
I'll just be going through what's currently on the SCMS and make proposed changes for each section, in line with DC's proposal.
[Overview]
<p>Drapion has all the tools it needs to be a top offensive threat; it has good Attack and Speed stats to compliment its natural bulk and solid typing. Its Swords Dance set is very threatening, and it is a very effective stallbreaker with the combination of Swords Dance and Taunt. Drapion is also one of the best Pursuit users in the metagame; because it poses the threat of making Pokemon such as Rotom, Slowking, and Cryogonal setup fodder, it can catch them with Pursuit as they flee to make their defensive duties much more difficult. Drapion isn't without its flaws though, because while base 90 Attack is good, it's still pretty weak without a boost. Drapion also faces some heavy competition in its attacking roles; Absol has much more Attack and the strongest priority move in the game, Spiritomb can block Rapid Spin while being an effective Pursuit user, and Escavalier has a much more powerful STAB move in Megahorn. That being said, Drapion is still good, but you just need to be sure that it's exactly what you're looking for.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Poison Jab / Taunt
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry / Leftovers
ability: Sniper
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Drapion is most effective when utilizing its Speed, bulk, and power to sweep with Swords Dance. Setup opportunities aren't hard to come by, as Drapion can force out Pokemon such as Rotom, Slowking, and Mesprit quite easily to pick up a Swords Dance. Once at +2, Drapion is able to 2HKO nearly every Pokemon in the tier, with even defensive behemoths such as Tangrowth, Steelix, and Poliwrath falling to Life Orb-boosted assaults. Crunch is Drapion's main STAB move that gets pretty good neutral coverage on the tier, and hits the many Psychic-types in the metagame for super effective damage. Earthquake hits a lot of things that Crunch doesn't, including Steel-types and opposing Drapion. Steelix and Ferroseed don't take Life Orb-boosted Earthquakes that well, and Earthquake also gets the crucial OHKO on Nidoqueen.</p>
<p>The last slot can be a tough decision, as both moves are very good and have a lot of use in the current metagame. Poison Jab is the superior choice to make Drapion a more potent offensive threat, as it OHKOes Tangrowth at +2, and 2HKOes Poliwrath after Stealth Rock, although the latter will phaze Drapion out before it can land a second blow. Poison Jab is also good for getting a guaranteed OHKO on Grass-type threats such as Lilligant and Sceptile. Taunt, on the other hand, ensures Drapion's longevity isn't cut short by status, and prevents Pokemon such as Slowking, Rotom, or Uxie leaving it with a parting gift of paralysis or burn. Poison Jab is generally better, but Taunt can still be useful for setting up to oblivion on certain threats.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Attack and Speed is used so Drapion can hit as hard as possible while Speed tying with other base 95 Speed Pokemon, as well as outspeeding the likes of Rotom, Moltres, and Lilligant. Life Orb is generally the best item, as Drapion needs all the power it can get, and the HP lost is but a small price to pay, especially because Drapion looks to set up by forcing switches. Lum Berry is also a good choice, and it is especially useful to prevent status effects that can't be blocked by Taunt, such as a Scald burn or a Body Slam paralysis. A bulkier spread of 180 HP / 72 Atk / 252 Spe can be used in the hope that Drapion will be able to attain more boosts, while still allowing it to OHKO Nidoqueen after only a single Swords Dance. Both Lum Berry and Leftovers are viable item choices with this spread, and Taunt becomes a much better option. Sniper is the ability of choice, as Drapion isn't looking to take hits, it's looking to dish them out. There are some additional options that you can use on this set; Aqua Tail can be used in place of Poison Jab to hit Pokemon that Drapion would otherwise find it hard to get past, such as Rhydon and Sandslash, but Poison Jab is better overall. Pursuit is also viable, and it allows Drapion to KO Pokemon such as Rotom that have the balls to stay in as you set up, but then are promptly destroyed as they try to flee.</p>
<p>As this set relies on forcing switches to set up a Swords Dance, entry hazard support is greatly recommended. As a bonus, it also helps Drapion get past its checks. For example, two layers of Spikes allows Drapion to OHKO Intimidate Qwilfish with a +1 Earthquake. A great partner to set these hazards up is Roselia, which has access to Spikes, has good synergy with Drapion, and can dispose of Drapion's checks while it sets up on many special walls and attackers. Grass-type Pokemon such as Sceptile work well with Drapion, and can break through Poliwrath, one of Drapion's greatest checks. Rotom is another great partner for this set, as it synergizes well with Drapion, beats Poliwrath, and weakens walls with Pain Split, allowing Drapion to take them down later. Bulkier variants can also go toe-to-toe with Escavalier, another one of this set's best checks. Clefable also partners well with this set, as it has access to Wish and Heal Bell to grant Drapion another chance at a sweep. It also counter Nidoqueen, which can prove problematic at times for Drapion. In return, Drapion can force out Ghost-types such as Rotom and Dusknoir, which Clefable can't touch when they're behind a Substitute.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Pursuit
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Poison Jab / Aqua Tail
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Sniper
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Drapion is one of the best Pursuit users in the metagame, and this set looks to hit hard off the bat in order to use the move effectively. Drapion is capable of trapping Ghost- and Psychic-types with ease thanks to its handy resistances to their STAB moves, and it is also the fastest Pursuit user in RU, meaning that it can Speed tie with Uxie, and outspeed Mesprit and Rotom. While Pursuit tries to hit Ghost- and Psychic-types as they flee, Drapion also has the reliable and powerful Crunch to hit them with if they choose to stay in. Crunch is also Drapion's best STAB move that gets good coverage on the majority of the metagame, and Drapion can sweep late-game with it once the opponent's team has been weakened. Earthquake hits most of the threats that Crunch misses out on, such as Fighting-, Dark-, and Steel-types. In practice, it gives Drapion a way of hitting Nidoqueen, Steelix, and opposing Drapion hard. There are two good options in the last slot; Poison Jab is generally the better option as it allows Drapion to hit Grass-types hard. It 2HKOes all variants of Tangrowth after Stealth Rock, and allows Drapion to OHKO Lilligant and Sceptile, which no other move in Drapion's arsenal is capable of doing. That being said, Aqua Tail is a viable alternative, and it allows Drapion to hit Rhydon and Sandslash hard, which would otherwise be hard counters to it; it also allows Drapion to OHKO Moltres without the help of Stealth Rock.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Speed investment and a Jolly nature lets Drapion outrun 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 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 though, as Life Orb Crunch can fail to OHKO Golurk and bulky Rotom 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.</p>
<p>This set is a great partner for Pokemon that enjoy the removal of Ghost-types. The plethora of Fighting-types in RU all appreciate Drapion's help, as Medicham, Hitmonlee, Primeape, and Hitmonchan can all 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 Kick 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. Without a spinblocker standing in their way, they will are able to use Rapid Spin without fail, giving Pokemon such as Moltres and Scyther a chance to shine while also giving your team momentum. Because this set can also clean late-game with Crunch, hazards and complimentary offense are of 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. This set is countered mainly by the likes of Poliwrath, Rhydon, and Steelix, so Pokemon such as Manectric and Magmortar, which can break these defensive behemoths, allows Drapion to sweep late-game.</p>
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Crunch
move 2: Poison Jab
move 3: Whirlwind
move 4: Taunt
item: Leftovers
ability: Battle Armor
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 244 SpD / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set takes advantage of Drapion's key resistances to Ghost-, Psychic-, and Grass-type attacks to combat some of the most threatening sweepers in the metagame. This set can fit well on stall teams that are looking for an additional check to Pokemon like Sceptile, Lilligant, and Substitute + Calm Mind Uxie; it can also defeat Clefable using Taunt, which is usually a headache for stall teams due to its inability to take residual damage. This set looks to take hits and hit back with one of Drapion's STAB moves, and although they are rather weak without investment, they are typically super effective against the threats that Drapion is supposed to check. Crunch is good against Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Rotom and Mesprit, while Poison Jab finds use against Grass-types such as Lilligant. Whirlwind is a great asset for Drapion, as it can hit Pokemon behind Substitutes that Drapion may or may not be able to deal with, ranging from Rotom to Entei to Gallade, the latter two being somewhat harder for Drapion to KO. It also allows Drapion to rack up entry hazard damage, which is likely because this set is typically seen on stall teams. Taunt, while also having the aforementioned use for beating Clefable, also allows Drapion to prevent slower threats from setting up, as well as protecting it from status from the likes of Spiritomb, Tangrowth, and Lilligant.</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 allow Drapion to take special attacks more easily. 248 HP EVs specifically let Drapion take less damage from entry hazards. A physically defensive spread could work as well thanks to Drapion's impressive Defense stat, but Drapion will never be a true physical wall due to its weakness to common Ground-type attacks and lack of useful resistances. Instead, it is better off using its resistances to play the role of a specially defensive pivot that counters key threats such as Sceptile and Rotom. Battle Armor is the preferred ability; while a Sniper boost might come in handy at times, this set focuses more on taking hits than dishing them out. Toxic Spikes are an option on this set, however they aren't very effective in the current metagame because of common threats such as Nidoqueen, Drapion, and Qwilfish that can easily nullify them. Similarly, Toxic can be used to inflict status more reliably. RestTalk is viable on this set as well, with two attacks or Whirlwind being good options that work well it. It acts as a good sleep absorber against the Grass-types that Drapion can effectively check, such as Lilligant and Sceptile. However, you miss out on Taunt and become a slave to the random number generator. Knock Off can cripple Eviolite users such as Munchlax, Roselia, Ferroseed, and Rhydon, but the former two are beaten regardless, and Drapion has no business staying in on the latter two. Earthquake can be used as well to hit Steel-types among others, but Drapion lacks the space for it and it is very weak without investment.</p>
<p>Wish support is one of the most important qualities Drapion looks for in a teammate. 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. Another choice is Alomomola, which has decent synergy with Drapion 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. This set struggles against Nidoqueen, so a rather unorthodox option to check it is Wish Gallade, which can also pass its Wishes to Drapion. Other good partners are those that can set up more hazards, as this lets Drapion rack up more damage with Whirlwind. Some examples that synergize well are Aerodactyl, which can set up Stealth Rock, and Accelgor, for Spikes.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Chief among Drapion's other options is a Choice Scarf set. With a Choice Scarf, Drapion can function as both a Pursuit trapper and a revenge killer, but base 90 Attack is far too weak without a boosting item. Drapion can run a 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, making an offensive Swords Dance set usually superior. On the topic of boosting moves, Drapion also has access to Agility. This is of little use, however, as Drapion is relatively 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. That being said, if you really want to trust your luck, you can always use the mighty Acupressure; it might work, but probably will not. 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. Although it receives STAB, Payback shouldn't get any use as Drapion is too fast to be an effective user of the move. One very interesting move in Drapion's movepool is Torment, which cripples many Ghost-types, such as Rotom and Dusknoir; they usually only run one coverage move, and Drapion resists their STAB Ghost-type move. Other viable physical moves in Drapion's movepool include X-Scissor, Brick Break, Rock Slide, Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, and Iron Tail. While all of these 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>Poliwrath is the best counter in existence to all Drapion variants. No matter how hard it tries, Drapion just can't break through it. Poliwrath can then attempt to burn it with Scald, or get rid of its boosts with Circle Throw. Rhydon is the next best option for countering Drapion, although it fears the rare Aqua Tail. Otherwise, it can switch into even Earthquake and KO Drapion with one of its own Earthquakes. Sandslash is in a similar boat, but although it isn't as bulky as Rhydon, it doesn't have a weakness to Earthquake and Aqua Tail isn't as effective against it either. That being said, its defensive sets can only hope to 2HKO Drapion. Tangrowth is a decent option for checking Drapion if it carries Earthquake, but Poison Jab hurts a lot. Steelix is a pretty good check to Drapion, but like Sandslash it is easily worn down due to its lack of recovery and can only 2HKO with an uninvested Earthquake. Ferroseed is a good check to any Drapion set that lacks Taunt, as it really doesn't take much from any of its attacks, and can paralyze it and use Leech Seed to continually recover HP. Escavalier is one of the best offensive checks to Drapion, as it can switch in on any of Drapion's moves, and OHKOes with a Choice Band-boosted Megahorn. Nidoqueen is a decent offensive check as well, as it can survive any of Drapion's moves provided that it isn't at +2, and OHKOes with Earth Power. Both Bouffalant and Druddigon are bulky enough to take an unboosted onslaught, and can each KO with Earthquake and Outrage (almost all of the time), respectively. Aerodactyl and Archeops are both naturally faster than Drapion, and can switch in for free on a predicted Earthquake and KO it with one of their own. Durant is faster than Drapion as well, and can use its own natural bulk to take even a +2 Earthquake and 2HKO in return.</p>
tl;dr:
-New set order:
- Swords Dance
- All-Out Attacker
- Specially Defensive
-Choice Scarf is being moved to OO.
-Rewrite of Overview and Checks and Counters.
-Touching up with other small changes and updated examples.
