shrang
General Kenobi
Dugtrio Dex
[Overview]
<p>In past generations, Dugtrio was relegated to the lower tiers because, while its ability allowed it to trap opposing Pokemon, it was too weak to pose any kind of threat. However, with the advent of Black and White, Dugtrio was sent a gift from heaven in the form of Hone Claws. Now Dugtrio can take advantage of Choice-locked Electric-type attacks by setting up on them. Ignore Dugtrio as a threat by carelessly using attacks and it will make you pay.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + Hone Claws
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Hone Claws
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge / Sucker Punch
item: Earth Plate / Lum Berry
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The goal of this set is take advantage of the numerous Electric-type attacks used by grounded Choiced Pokemon. When Dugtrio has safely switched in, it can set up a Substitute and use Hone Claws to raise its Attack to extraordinary heights while the opposing Pokemon has no choice to but to repeat its futile struggle. When Dugtrio is fully set up, it will have a monstrous 1036 Attack and can then proceed to sweep the opponent's team. Earthquake is Dugtrio's main STAB, and Stone Edge has excellent coverage alongside it. Stone Edge's accuracy will not be an issue after the use of Hone Claws either. At +6 Attack, Dugtrio can OHKO standard Lugia with Stone Edge. Sucker Punch can be used as the coverage move to get the jump on Giratina-O using Shadow Sneak or Mewtwo. Be aware that Sucker Punch will not go before ExtremeSpeed because ExtremeSpeed now has a higher priority than Sucker Punch.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Max Speed and a Jolly nature ensures that Dugtrio speed ties with max Speed Arceus, which allows it hit Arceus that don't use ExtremeSpeed. Max Attack is used so Dugtrio hits as hard as possible. The item of choice is Earth Plate, which gives a 20% boost on Earthquake and does not suffer from recoil. Lum Berry can be used if Dugtrio will be switching into Toxic Spikes and therefore will not cut into its sweeping time. Life Orb is another option which allows Dugtrio to OHKO Specially Defensive Skarmory at +6 with Stone Edge after Stealth Rock, but the recoil would mean that Dugtrio has to be healthy to sweep.</p>
<p>The good news for Dugtrio is that Choiced Electric attacks are extremely common in Ubers. There are many Pokemon from whom Dugtrio can setup on freely, including Choice Scarf Palkia, Zekrom, Dialga, and Choice Specs Kyogre. The bad news, however, is that should if you mispredict and switch Dugtrio into any other attack, it will die instantly. This is why having proper team support to lure these attacks is important. Pokemon weak to Electric-type attacks like Kyogre, Manaphy, Lugia, and Skarmory all make excellent teammates for Dugtrio. Kyogre is especially useful because he can shrug off most non-Electric type attacks with his high Special Defense and lures the opponent to into using Thunder on him by making it perfectly accurate. Wobbuffet is also an excellent partner for Dugtrio as he can Encore support moves such as Stealth Rock as well as Electric attacks to ease the prediction Dugtrio requires to switch in. Wobbuffet can also use Safeguard to stop Toxic Spikes sabotaging Dugtrio while removing Choice Scarf revenge killers that might try to revenge kill it. It should be noted one should count the PP of the Electric-typed attack that Dugtrio is switching into, since if the PP runs out, the opponent can break Dugtrio's Substitute with Struggle and hinder its sweep greatly.</p>
<p>Even after Dugtrio amps its Attack stat to +6, there are still Pokemon that can take its attacks at full power. Multiple Pokemon with strong priority or high Speed like Arceus, Rayquaza, and Mewtwo will also bring Dugtrio's sweep to a halt. Groudon and Giratina that invest heavily in Defense can take a +6 Earthquake and Roar Dugtrio away in a pinch. Skarmory and Giratina-O can take a +6 Stone Edge should Dugtrio not carry a Life Orb. Skarmory can use Whirlwind to force Dugtrio out, while Giratina-O can pick off Dugtrio with Shadow Sneak. However, Giratina-O must beware Sucker Punch if Dugtrio has not revealed its coverage move. Balloon Excadrill in the sand can avoid being OHKOed by Earthquake on the first turn, breaking Dugtrio's Substitute and outspeeding and OHKOing the next turn. However, Excadrill needs to watch out for Sucker Punch variants, as he is 2HKOed by a +6 Sucker Punch. Thus, Pokemon that can lure out and cripple these checks are extremely helpful to Dugtrio's sweep. Mixed attacking Bulk Up Dialga is an excellent partner to Dugtrio as he can lure in both Groudon and Skarmory only to slam them with Draco Meteor or Fire Blast respectively. Lugia can take most attacks that Giratina-O throws at it while attracting Electric-type attacks for Dugtrio to take advantage of. Magnezone can trap and KO Skarmory, allowing Dugtrio to sweep.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Dugtrio can don the classic Choice Band or Life Orb trapping set to specialise in removing Ground-weak Pokemon such as Dialga, Reshiram, and Zekrom, but is generally too weak to be much use elsewhere in Ubers. Even with a Choice Band or Life Orb, Dugtrio will have trouble removing more defensively oriented Dialga or Flame Charge Reshiram. One may forgo Substitute on the Hone Claws set for Sucker Punch, but Dugtrio likes to hide behind its Substitute.</p>
<p>Dugtrio has a handful of other moves it can use. Night Slash can be used to hit Giratina-O for super effective damage. Reversal can be combined with Substitute for a 200 Base Power attack, but is generally unreliable. It is also interesting to note that Dugtrio is now the fastest user of Memento, which can be combined with Dugtrio's trapping abilities to create conditions for a teammate to setup.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Strictly speaking, once Dugtrio has trapped its prey, it is uncounterable because the opponent cannot switch. That aside, physically defensive Pokemon, especially those that resist Earthquake, are generally the best Pokemon to defeat Dugtrio after it has removed the Choiced Pokemon locked onto an Electric-type attack. Groudon and Giratina can take a +6 Earthquake and Roar Dugtrio away, while Skarmory and Giratina-O can take a +6 Stone Edge and Whirlwind it away or pick it off with Shadow Sneak, respectively. Excadrill in sandstorm holding a Balloon and the rare Claydol can defeat Dugtrio should it lack Sucker Punch. Otherwise, Dugtrio requires two hits to take out, one to break its Substitute and the other to KO it. Without its Substitute, Dugtrio can easily be picked off by Pokemon who are faster than it or with priority. Mewtwo, Darkrai, Shaymin-S, Arceus, and Rayquaza are great examples of this.</p>
<p>Of course, the best way to counter Dugtrio is via smart play. If the opponent's Dugtrio is revealed by Team Preview, avoid using Thunder or Lightning Strike from Choice Scarf Palkia or Zekrom until you are sure that the coast is clear.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Dugtrio gets Sand Power as a Dream World ability, which gives it an extra power boost in the sand. However, Arena Trap is usually always better, since there are Pokemon that hit harder and faster in the sand than Dugtrio does, such as Excadrill, while Dugtrio's main niche is trapping.</p>