Dusclops (Analysis) [QC 0/3]

Dusclops


My first analysis, hope I've done this right...

STATUS: Waiting for QC checks.
QC checks: None
GP checks: None

[Overview]

In ADV, Dusclops was the best (and probably) only defensive spinblocker in the game. When DPP came around, it was quickly overshadowed by big brother Dusknoir and the much better Rotom-H. However, with the advent of the Evolite in BW, Dusclops has a chance to return to its former glory. With defenses that exceed Deoxys-D's, a plethora of support moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Trick Room, along with two immunities and a good defensive ability in Pressure, it can serve as a powerful wall in today's metagame.

Unfortunately, not everything is sunshine and rainbows for Dusclops. Weather, entry hazards and status greatly wear it down due to the lack of Leftovers and Pain Split as its only method of recovery. It's low 70 base attack leaves something to be desired, forcing it to run Seismic Toss or Night Shade as its only attacking option. Anything with Taunt can stop it in its tracks, then proceed to set up in its face. Despite all of this, Dusclops is fantastic at its job, given that you play it right.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Pain Split
move 3: Toxic / Taunt
move 4: Night Shade
item: Evolite
ability: Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD

[Set Comments]

• Near impenetrable wall that can spread burn and poison around.
• Will-O-Wisp cripples physical attackers that can cause trouble for your team.
• EVs give 284/561/474 Defenses, which allow it to deal with the numerous amounts of physical attackers in the tier.
• Toxic is great for stalling and can wear down other walls like Milotic and Chansey.
• Pain Split is the only method of healing, and can actually cut Chansey's HP in half while fully restoring Dusclops's.
• Night Shade is used over Seismic Toss to break through Mismagius's Substitues and hit other Ghost-type Pokemon. Dusclops has no business dealing with Chansey, as it has too much HP and Staraptor is immediately made useless with Will-O-Wisp anyway.

[Additional Comments]

• Taunt can be used over Toxic if you have no problem with Flash Fire Pokemon, and want to cripple Chansey or other walls.
• A 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD could be used if you want more balance.
• Dusclops is susceptible to status and entry hazards, so Rapid Spin support or a cleric is greatly welcomed.
• Xatu can reflect back any status moves aiming at Dusclops.
• Steel types can soak up Dark and Ghost moves, then hit back with their own STAB moves. Bisharp and Empoleon are good examples of this.
• Chansey and Dusclops are a pair of assholes with Evolites. Chansey can neutralize Ghost-type moves and Dusclops can block Fighting-type moves. Wish support also greatly benefits Dusclops.

[Damage Calcs]

Choice Band Staraptor's Brave Bird vs 252/252+ Dusclops: 51.8% - 61.3%
Choice Scarf Staraptor's Brave Bird vs 252/252+ Dusclops: 34.9% - 41.2%
Life Orb Arcanine's Flare Blitz vs 252/252+ Dusclops: 35.2% - 41.5%
Life Orb Mamoswine
Choice Band Victini's V-Create vs 252/252+ Dusclops: 48.9% - 58.1%



[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Pain Split / Toxic
move 4: Night Shade
item: Evolite
ability: Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe

[Set comments]

• Heavy bulk and low speed makes Dusclops a prime Trick Room supporter.
• Strategy is simple: switch out onto something that cannot taunt you, set up Trick Room and either switch out or inflict status.
• Toxic can be run over Pain Split if you want to cripple Fire-types.
• Almost the same utility as the Defensive set.
• 0 Spe IVs give it a speed stat of 55, making it 'faster' than anything under Trick Room, save for Escavalier, who is rendered useless by Will-O-Wisp

[Additional comments]

• Memento could be used when low on health.
• Speed IVs could be maxed out to give it a leg up over other Dusclops outside Trick Room, but the difference is almost negligible.
• Teammates are the same for the Support set. It helps that most Steel-types are slow.

[Other options]

• Toxic stall may be viable with Protect, although Milotic does that better.
• Confuse Ray can be used, although it is somewhat unreliable.
• Pressure could be used to PP stall with Protect.
• Gravity is an okay support option.
• Dusclops has a lot of physical moves such as Earthquake and the elemental punches, but its low attack stat makes them unfavorable.
• Torment and Disable.
• Memento, although Dusclops is too slow for that.
• Seismic Toss can hit Normal types, but most of them have too much HP or are burned into uselessness anyway.

[Checks and Counters]

• Anything with Substitute can block Will-O-Wisp or Toxic, set up and then sweep.
• Choice Band Staraptor will always 2HKO Dusclops. However, Dusclops can switch on a predicted Close Combat or Double Edge, and proceed to burn.
• Xatu with Magic Bounce can reflect status moves right back at Dusclops, and out stall it with Night Shade and Roost.
• Hard hitting attackers that are immune to burn or poison such as Victini or Nidoking.
• Arcanine and Houndoom can switch into Will-O-Wisp, gain the Flash Fire boost and hit back with Flare Blitz or Fire Blast, respectively. Houndoom is particularly deadly if it uses Nasty Plot.

Bump.

Before this goes through QC, I'd like to know what other people think about this. Post away with your comments.

slash night shade with seismic toss. actually i think you should make night shade the first slash

most normal types in uu, are either unbeatable by dusclops, or can be burned into uselessness, ie chansey and staraptor. subbing ghosts such as mismagius can just set up and sweep on you if your running seismic toss

Mind Controller said:

Houndoom can taunt Dusclops, then set up Nasty Plot and then sweep.

Click to expand...

He can also switch into a predicted Will O' Wisp and receive a Flash Fire boost.

Thanks for the comments guys. I've added them all in and this is ready for QC now.

Honestly Seismic Toss should only be mentioned in other options instead of being included as a slash. Night Shade is incredibly important for keeping Mismagius and Golurk from setting up on you. The only prominent Normal types are Chansey (who has 2000000 base HP + softboiled + the ability to status you) and Staraptor (who you are better off burning)

We established in the previous thread that a spread of 252hp/80def/176sp.def calm was the most efficient EV spread.

I decided to do a reverse of that and change it to 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD, because there are so many physical sweepers in UU it's not even funny.

Trick Room shouldn't be running Memento or Taunt; just make it the same as the defensive set but put TR in slot 3. Taunt is never going to go first and Memento is just.. a bad idea on Dusclops. You waste a pokemon and a turn of Trick Room, they can just switch.

In that case, the nature HAS to be bold, to get that extra def point.

Changes have been made, thanks for everyone who commented. Any other ones I should add?

Still waiting for QC.

Im a fan of using enough speed to outrun and taunt Chansey, as well as burn Rhyperior or taunt Registeel. Dusclops has such huge defenses after the Eviolite boost that imo it will barely miss those EVs.

Mind Controller said:

I decided to do a reverse of that and change it to 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD, because there are so many physical sweepers in UU it's not even funny.

Click to expand...

that's what WoW is used for... Having boosted defense + WoW makes you a one sided wall only while if you split defenses and keep WoW you aren't forced out by special sweepers

locoghoul said:

that's what WoW is used for... Having boosted defense + WoW makes you a one sided wall only while if you split defenses and keep WoW you aren't forced out by special sweepers

Click to expand...

The problem is that there are a few physical attackers which flat out 2hko Dusclops if it runs a specially defensive spread, leaving it no time to burn them. Staraptor, Mamoswine, and Arcanine are good examples:

LO Arcanine's Flare Blitz versus 252/80 Dusclops: 43.7% - 51.8% (almost guaranteed 2hko after SR)
Same versus 252/176+ Dusclops: 37% - 43.7% (never a 2hko)

Scarf Staraptor Brave Bird versus 252/80 Dusclops: 42.6% - 50.7% (almost guaranteed 2hko after SR)
Same versus 252/176+ Dusclops: 36.3% - 43.3% (never a 2hko)

LO Mamoswine versus 252/80 Dusclops: 41.2% - 48.6%
Same versus 252/176+ Dusclops: 34.9% - 41.2%

You get the idea. Against a lot of these Dusclops' only hope is to get in and burn these Pokemon (or Pain Split against Arcanine) before hopefully getting a Wish from Chansey later on.

But the biggest thing these calcs tell me is how surprisingly inadequate Dusclops' defenses are...I think 252/252+ should be the only spread on the analysis, Dusclops just takes way too much damage from common physical attacks otherwise.

You forgot about Band Staraptor

Band staraptor massively fucks up Dusclops regardless of set, doing 77% max to specially defensive and 64% max to physically defensive. Dusclops has no business walling CB Staraptor (not that anything does...)

Yep, and you have no way of knowing if it's Banded or not until you switch in, unless something else takes a shit ton of damage from it.

Same goes for Mamoswine. Band can do over half with EQ.

OK



QC 1/3

Slash Rest next to Pain Split on the first set. You avoid toxic and with aromatherapy support it works like rest spintop. Sleep talk in AC.

You should also edit the following AC point:

Taunt can be used over Toxic if you have no problem with Flash Fire Pokemon, and want to cripple Chansey or other walls.

Click to expand...

All other walls are outspeeding you so they'll cripple you with toxic before you get them with taunt. The primary reason to use taunt, from what I can tell, is to counter last-mon curse users, which stall teams notoriously have trouble with. You still don't beat Crocune, but it's a start.

QC 2/3

ok, I've played around with dusclops a lot, enough to know that it's a vital component of stall teams. since this round is all about eviolite, I feel that right now is THE time for dusclops. the first set really ought to be:

[SET]
name: Rest + Sleep Talk (feel free to choose a more suitable name)
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Rest
move 3: Sleep Talk
move 4: Night Shade
item: Evolite
ability: Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD

because pain split is often really unreliable and leaves you very susceptible to status, especially toxic spikes, rest makes dusclops near unkillable. in fact, there is very little that can KO it and many, many things are simply stalled out of pp for their moves. I'd suggest that you replace the first set with this and mention pain split+filler in ac of the set.

spite is a really cool move that makes any attack that hits lose 6 pp per turn. when you realize that most normal attacks have 24 or less pp (aka 4 turns to waste an attack) you see that it's a pretty interesting idea. mention it in OO at least. similarly, mean look can trap opponents that you are spiting.

The OU QC team (here) rejected and i'm afraid the same principles apply in UU as well.

Remove the TR set, its terrible. It isn't threatning after TR goes up so you're forced to switch into one of your TR sweepers to get good use out of your limited 5 turns. Other TR users like Bronzong can explode to safely bring in a Trick Room sweeper, and Reuniclus is threatening on its own.

Click to expand...

You should add a Restalk set though, its pretty decent.

The OP has not been on since July 1st.

Locking due to inactivity