Dugtrio (Uber Analysis)

shrang

General Kenobi
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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>
 

Nails

Double Threat
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Mentioning ubers in your analysis, even though you used on an ubers team, isn't good. You need an ou set written, as a lot of the thunder users you mentioned were already banned. Or, make sure to note that it's a set written for uber usage. That said, the writing is really good. Just needs to have ou as the main focus.
 

drcossack

I'm everywhere, you ain't never there
Mentioning ubers in your analysis, even though you used on an ubers team, isn't good. You need an ou set written, as a lot of the thunder users you mentioned were already banned. Or, make sure to note that it's a set written for uber usage. That said, the writing is really good. Just needs to have ou as the main focus.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82178

We don't have an OU tier yet.
 

Fireburn

BARN ALL
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Claw Sharpen actually makes Dugtrio a threat now. :B

Nah, the main reason I'm approving this is because Dugtrio isn't useless if it can't set up. It has a very specific niche use but it can be deadly in the right hands.

(1/2)
 
i thought i'd try this...

imma give this a shot. Add, remove. If I have a comment it'll be in Green.


Dugtrio Dex

[Overview]
space
<p>In the past generations, Dugtrio was relegated to the lower tiers because, while his ability allowed him to trap opposing Pokémon,he had the niche of trapping Pokemon with his ability, he was still too weak to pose any kind of real threat. However, with the advent of Black and White, Dugtrio was sent a gift from heaven in the form of Claw Sharpen. Now Dugtrio can take advantage of the many Choiced Choice-locked Electric-type attacks by setting up on them. Ignore Dugtrio as a threat by carelessly using your attacks and he will make you pay.</p>

[SET]
name: Substitute + Claw Sharpen
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Claw Sharpen
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]
space
<p>The idea behind goal of this set is to take advantage of the numerous Electric-type attacks thrown around used by grounded Choiced Pokemon. When Dugtrio is safely switched in, he can set up a Substitute and use Claw Sharpen to raise his attack to extraordinary heights while the opposing Pokemon has no choice to but to repeat its futile struggle. When Dugtrio is fully set up, he will have a monstrous 1036 Attack and can then proceed to sweep the opponent's team. Earthquake is Dugtrio's main STAB, while and Stone Edge has excellent coverage alongside it. Stone Edge's accuracy will not be an issue after the use of Claw Sharpen 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 attempting to pick off Dugtrio with 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]
space
<p>Max Speed and a Jolly nature ensures that Dugtrio speed-ties with max Speed Arceus, which could potentially allows it to kill 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 more power on a 20% boost to his STAB move attack (this one's your choice, but I feel "attack" sounds better)but and does not suffer from recoil. Lum Berry can be used if Dugtrio is will be switching into Toxic Spikes and therefore will not cut into lower (again, your choice. Conciseness won this over for me.) his sweeping time. Life Orb is another option so which allows Dugtrio can to OHKO Specially Defensive Skarmory at +6 with Stone Edge after Stealth Rock damage (not sure if this is needed), but the recoil would means that Dugtrio has to be at high health to sweep.</p>

<p>The good news for Dugtrio is that Choiced Electric attacks are extremely common in Ubers for him to take advantage of (this seems unneccessary). There is are a slew of many Pokemon in which from whom Dugtrio can snatch a free setup from setup upon freely, including Choice Scarf Palkia, Zekrom, Dialga, and Choice Specs Kyogre. The bad news, however, is that should the user mispredict and switch Dugtrio into any other attack from these Pokemon, he will die instantly. This is why having proper team support to lure these attacks is important. Electric weak Pokemon Pokemon weak to electric like such as Kyogre, Manaphy, Lugia, and Skarmory all make excellent teammates to for Dugtrio. Kyogre is especially good useful because he can shrug off most non-Electric type attacks with his high Special Defense and invites the opponent to use Thunder on him by making it perfectly accurate. Wobbuffet is also an excellent partner to Dugtrio as he can Encore support moves like 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 plaguing sabotaging (sounds better with "'s sweep") Dugtrio's sweep while removing Choice Scarf revenge killers that might try to revenge kill it him. It should be noted one should count the PP of the Electric-typed attack that Dugtrio is switching into, as if the PP runs out, the opponent can break Dugtrio's Substitute with Struggle and hinder its his sweep greatly.</p>

<p>Even with after Dugtrio amping boosts/amps (your choice) its his Attack stat to +6, there are still Pokemon that can take its his attacks with Dugtrio at full power.(Seems unnecessary.) Multiple Pokemon with strong priority or high Speed like such as Arceus, Rayquaza and Mewtwo will also bring Dugtrio's sweep to a halt. Groudon and Giratina that invest extremely heavily in physical Defense can take a +6 Earthquake and Roar Dugtrio away in a pinch. Skarmory and defensive 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 his coverage move. Doryuuzu in the sand holding a Balloon 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. Although rare, Claydol is immune to Earthquake and shrugs off Stone Edge, breaking Dugtrio's Substitute and KOing it next turn. (Is this really necessary? I'm unsure on the policy of listing counters that aren't seen in the respective tier.) However, both Doryuuzu and Claydol need to watch out for Sucker Punch variants, as Doryuuzu is 2HKOed by a +6 Sucker Punch and Claydol is OHKOed. 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 both 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 kill OHKO Skarmory, allowing Dugtrio to sweep.</p>

[Team Options]
space
<p>Since Dugtrio's only way of setting up safely is via Choiced Electric-type attacks or support attacks that are locked in through Encore, Pokemon that can lure these go a long way towards helping Dugtrio achieve its his sweep. Calm Mind Kyogre and Manaphy are especially good at luring Electric-type attacks because they generally force the opponent to take them down quickly (With Thunder or Lightning Strike) or they get progressively harder to stop. Defensive Pokemon like such as Lugia and Skarmory generally lure Electric-type moves very well too, since they are difficult to kill otherwise. Wobbuffet is also an excellent tool in helping Dugtrio set up. Firstly, he can Encore moves that can't harm Dugtrio, allowing for a free switch in (B beware, that Encore only lasts three turns with the new mechanics). Secondly, he can revenge kill Choice Scarf revenge killers that could stop Dugtrio's sweep. Otherwise, focus on what could potentially stop Dugtrio after he has set up. Mixed Bulk Up Dialga can lure in Groudon and Skarmory and destroy them both with Draco Meteor or Fire Blast. Magnezone can trap and OHKO Skarmory with Thunder.</p>

<p>While the above has (probably remove) focused on how to support Dugtrio in securing a sweep, one must not forget on how Dugtrio can support a team with its ability. While When not looking for opportunities to sweep, Dugtrio can trap and remove troublesome Pokemon on the opponent's team. Removing Choice Scarf Palkia can potentially open the door to a Dragon Dance Rayquaza or Salamence sweep (It doesn't outspeed, unless you're talking about switching in on Thunder). With Choice Scarf Dialga out of the picture, Swords Dance Rayquaza or Lucario now has an opportunity to sweep. (Dugtrio does not outspeed here either.) With Zekrom removed, Ho-oh will have a much better time terroriszing (Ho-oh isn't causing fear in the team, is it?) the opponent's team. Dugtrio can also trap and severely injure Blissey and Chansey, potentially allowing Choice Specs Dialga or Choice Scarf Kyogre to devastate an opposing team.</p>

[Other Options]
space
<p>Dugtrio can also don the classic Choice Band or Life Orb trapping set to specialisze in removing Ground-weak Pokemon like 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 Nitro Charge Reshiram. One may forgo Substitute on the Claw Sharpen set for Sucker Punch, but Dugtrio likes to snuggle under his Substitute. but Dugtrio is much safer behind a Substitute. (You can use the first if you really feel like using snuggle.)</p>

<p>Dugtrio has a handful of other moves he can use. Night Slash can be used for hitting 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 used combined with Dugtrio's trapping abilities to create conditions for a teammate to setup.</p>

[Counters]
space
<p>Strictly speaking, once Dugtrio has trapped his prey, he is uncounterable because the opponent cannot switch. With tThat aside, physically defensive Pokemon, preferably especially those that who resist Earthquake, are generally the best Pokemon to defeat Dugtrio after it has removed your the Choiced Pokemon locked into 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 him away or pick him off with Shadow Sneak respectively. Doryuuzu in Sandstorm holding a Balloon and the rare Claydol can defeat Dugtrio should he lack Sucker Punch. Otherwise, Dugtrio requires two hits to take out, one to break his Substitute and the other to KO him. Without his Substitute, Dugtrio can easily be picked off by Pokemon who are faster than him 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 may be carrying a Dugtrio, 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]
space
<p>Dugtrio gets Sand Power as a Dream World ability, which gives him 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, like such as Doryuuzu, while Dugtrio's main niche is trapping.</p>
Just be careful in regards to a consistent gender, and are Pokemon really killed?
 

shrang

General Kenobi
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Thanks Venser and Fatecrashers, changes made (I left a few bits the same because I felt it was better).
 

Komodo

Huff
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GP 2/2



Dugtrio Dex

[Overview]
<p>In past generations, Dugtrio was relegated to the lower tiers because, while his ability allowed him to trap opposing Pokemon, he 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 Claw Sharpen. 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 he will make you pay.</p>

[SET]
name: Substitute + Claw Sharpen
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Claw Sharpen
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, he can set up a Substitute and use Claw Sharpen to raise his Attack to extraordinary heights while the opposing Pokemon has no choice to but to repeat its futile struggle. When Dugtrio is fully set up, he 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 Claw Sharpen 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 his STAB attack Earthquake (there is only one so being specific is better) 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 his 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 at high 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 upon freely, including Choice Scarf Palkia, Zekrom, Dialga, and Choice Specs Kyogre. The bad news, however, is that should the user mispredict and switch Dugtrio into any other attack, he 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 invites lures the opponent into using Thunder on him by making it perfectly accurate. Wobbuffet is also an excellent partner to 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, as if the PP runs out, the opponent can break Dugtrio's Substitute with Struggle and hinder his sweep greatly.</p>

<p>Even after Dugtrio amps his Attack stat to +6, there are still Pokemon that can take his attacks at full power. Multiple Pokemon with strong priority or high Speed like Arceus, Rayquaza,(comma) and Mewtwo will also bring Dugtrio's sweep to a halt. Groudon and Giratina that invest extremely (makes the sentence run on and seems misplaced) 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 his 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>

[Team Options]

<p>Since Dugtrio's only way of setting up safely is via Choiced Electric-type attacks or support attacks that are locked in through Encore, Pokemon that can lure these go a long way towards helping Dugtrio achieve his sweep. Calm Mind Kyogre and Manaphy are especially good at luring Electric-type attacks because they generally force the opponent to take them down quickly (With Thunder or Lightning Strike) or they get progressively harder to stop. Defensive Pokemon such as Lugia and Skarmory generally lure Electric-type moves very well too, since they are difficult to kill otherwise. Wobbuffet is also an excellent tool in helping Dugtrio set up. Firstly, he can Encore moves that can't harm Dugtrio, allowing for a free switch in (beware, that Encore only lasts three turns with the new mechanics). Secondly, he can revenge kill Choice Scarf revenge killers that could stop Dugtrio's sweep. Otherwise, focus on what could potentially stop Dugtrio after he has set up. Mixed Bulk Up Dialga can lure in Groudon and Skarmory and destroy them both with Draco Meteor or Fire Blast. Magnezone can trap and OHKO Skarmory with Thunder.</p>

<p>While the above focused on how to support Dugtrio in securing a sweep, one must not forget on how Dugtrio can support a team with its ability. While not looking for opportunities to sweep, Dugtrio can trap and remove troublesome Pokemon on the opponent's team. Removing Choice Scarf Palkia when switching into Thunder can potentially open the door to a Dragon Dance Rayquaza or Salamence sweep. Likewise, with Choice Scarf Dialga out of the picture, Swords Dance Rayquaza or Lucario now has an opportunity to sweep. With Zekrom removed, Ho-Oh will have a much better time terrorizing the opponent's team. Dugtrio can also trap and severely injure Blissey and Chansey, potentially allowing Choice Specs Dialga or Choice Scarf Kyogre to devastate an opposing team.</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,(comma) 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 Nitro Charge Reshiram. One may forgo Substitute on the Claw Sharpen set for Sucker Punch, but Dugtrio likes to snuggle under hide behind his Substitute.</p>

<p>Dugtrio has a handful of other moves he 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>

[Counters]

<p>Strictly speaking, once Dugtrio has trapped his prey, he 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 him away or pick him off with Shadow Sneak,(comma) respectively. Excadrill in sandstorm holding a Balloon and the rare Claydol can defeat Dugtrio should he lack Sucker Punch. Otherwise, Dugtrio requires two hits to take out, one to break his Substitute and the other to KO him. Without his Substitute, Dugtrio can easily be picked off by Pokemon who are faster than him 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 him 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>


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Oglemi

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Remember, it's now Hone Claws, not Claw Sharpen. You'll have to make sure that everything is up to date on American names.
 
I'm new to this forum and all so please forgive me if I say something too noobish. But when you do Uber analysis and it's been fully approved, does this mean that Dugtrio is now in the Uber tier or is it still in the NU tier.
 

Oglemi

Borf
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Nothing is considered Uber unless it has been banned from OU. We won't know what tier (OU, UU, or NU) Dugtrio is until usage stats come out.
 

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