Dageki
IT'S BERT! :D
[Overview]
- Pretty much its abilities are the key reason to use it over Hitmonlee. Sadly the cards play in Hitmonlee and Heracross's favor, and not so much in Dageki's.
- Dageki holds a niche in being a decent lead thanks to Sturdy providing a free Focus Sash or Inner Focus preventing it from being flinched. This helps a lot versus leads with Fake Out.
- Its bulk is "okay". 75 HP / 75 Def / 75 SpD is not much to write home about, sadly.
name: Anti-Lead
move 1: Ankle Sweep
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Bulk Up
item: Lum Berry
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Set Comments
- While it can't beat leads like Deoxys-S and Deoxys-A very well, it does handle decently against the old anti-leads. Think Machamp, Infernape, and Aerodactyl for examples.
- Inner Focus means that Fake Out will fail to flinch Dageki. This means Infernape is forced to lay Stealth Rock or die only damaging Dageki with Fake Out. Ankle Sweep + Close Combat will KO Infernape easily.
- Sturdy is an option, but due to Fake Out's prevalence in some Anti-Leads, Inner Focus sounds more appealing. Be very careful of Kojondo, which can OHKO Dageki with Hi Jump Kick thanks to Life Orb. This might be a good reason to use Sturdy to keep Kojondo leads guessing. Sturdy makes it more effective versus Roserade leads and Modest Heatran leads, which have a chance to KO Dageki.
- With Lum Berry and Bulk Up, Machamp leads will fail versus Dageki. Using the current 240 HP | 0 Def Machamp spread, +1 Close Combat does 99.2% minimum.
- Stone Edge is to make quick work of Aerodactyl and Borutorosu leads after an Ankle Sweep. It also helps beat Roserade leads, which are KOed by Ankle Sweep + Stone Edge.
- +1 Dageki poses a moderate threat. It can 2HKO Hippowdon most of the time (though minimum rolls aren't great to see). The best you can hope for is either an undamaged Dageki or one that is phazed out by Roar, leaving a half health Hippowdon. The same goes with Skarmory, which cannot OHKO Dageki after a Bulk Up.
- Max Speed is to take advantage of Ankle Sweep. After it is used, Dageki will be faster than positive nature base 130s on down.
- Dageki CAN be EV'd to take Fake Out + Fire Blast from Infernape, though it's best to use Inner Focus to keep Dageki as healthy as possible.
- Taunt is a decent option, but it depends on what you fear more. Taunt prevents opponents like Deoxys-S from setting up. Since Dageki are often seen as attacking leads, Taunt can bring a nasty surprise for Deoxys-S while trying to set up. Taunt is best to consider with Payback. This likely means you replace Bulk Up, so you lose to Machamp easier.
- Since Dageki is used as an offensive lead, you will have to rely on another Pokemon to lay Stealth Rock for you.
- Make sure that you have ways to beat Kojondo in particular, since it actually is the worst lead Dageki can face, aside from the Deoxys formes.
- Any lead with U-turn and a teammate that can take a boosted Stone Edge or Close Combat is a good strategy to take down Dageki.
name: Choice
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Payback
move 4: Toxic / Return / Reversal
item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Set Comments
- 574 Attack after a Choice Band is equipped onto Adamant Dageki.
- Choice Scarf can reach past base 130s with Adamant while Jolly gets the upper hand on Timid Heatran.
- Dageki is outclassed by Hitmonlee, Heracross, and many other Choice Fighting-types in this regard
- Close Combat 2HKOes Hippowdon and Skarmory switch-ins, provided Stealth Rock is on the field.
- Stone Edge assures Zapdos stays away from Dageki.
- Sadly it doesn't even learn Assurance, so Payback is only effective on Ghost-types that stay in on Dageki... and are miraculously faster than it.
- Toxic neuters Hippowdon and Gliscor, Return can be used to dent Gliscor a little easier.
- Reversal can work on a very low health Dageki. It's mostly a gambling option, since Return or Toxic is better.
- Sturdy and Inner Focus don't really accomplish much for it. Sturdy can work if you can keep entry hazards and sandstorm from harming Dageki. This means that Dageki is guaranteed to be 2HKOed, which can make it as an okay revenge killer.
- Ghost-types are the major bane for this set.
- Choice Scarf suffers from beating physical walls, Choice Band suffers from outspeeding certain threats. Special Sweepers help with the Choice Scarf set, so Pokemon like Borutorosu help Dageki a lot.
- To help with Ghost-types, pack Dark-types to pick them off. Be very wary of Will-O-Wisp: most Dark-types are physical and hate coming into the attack. Due to Will-O-Wisp, Heatran might not be a bad idea thanks to the free Flash Fire boost.
- Dageki is more of a team player with the lead position. Be sure to have a Pokemon that can take out Kojondo. If Deoxys leads trouble you, Taunt is a good move to use. Be very wary that Machamp will now wreck Dageki.
- Since Dageki cannot learn Stealth Rock, Dageki's teammate will need to know Stealth Rock.
- Choiced Dageki, or all Dageki sets in general, hate Ghost-types and Pokemon such as Gliscor. Heatran is a decent response versus Ghost-types, and at least prevents Gliscor from switching into Heatran.
- Dageki has an interesting niche with Sturdy + Reversal. Sadly, it is too situational as it requires a lot to pull off the strategy. It could work as a lead so long as Fake Out nor sandstorm and hail get in the way.
- Furthermore, Dageki can use Sturdy + Counter, though once again will only work in the lead position. Due to it being vulnerable to sandstorm and hail or Fake Out killing the strategy, it isn't the greatest idea.
- Earthquake can hit Nidoking and Nidoqueen.
- Since Dageki will likely be seen as a lead, only possible leads that beat Dageki will be listed, followed by solid counters.
- Kojondo can either Fake Out + HJK and beat Sturdy Dageki, go straight for a HJK to KO Dageki, or U-turn and force Dageki to lose its Sturdy. Option 3 is the best course of action, but Kojondo has a 50/50 chance of winning with either strategy that doesn't include using U-turn.
- Any lead that is faster than Dageki and has access to U-turn with a Fighting-type resist will beat Dageki leads. U-turn will de-activate Sturdy's Focus Sash effect.
- Without Inner Focus, Fake Out leads become a little more threatening. Be sure to EV Dageki to take Fake Out + Fire Blast if you're using Sturdy. Keep in mind that you either sacrifice losing to Machamp with absolute minimum damage rolls or sacrifice being able to outspeed base 130s after an Ankle Sweep.
- Gliscor and any Ghost-type slower than Dageki are great counters for it. The Ghost-type can use Will-O-Wisp to cripple Dageki and attack it while Gliscor can openly use Earthquake and occasionally Roost if it can predict Stone Edge. Be careful of Gliscor using Roost while Dageki uses Close Combat, provided that Gliscor is faster than Dageki.
- Bulky Psychic-types such as Slowbro and Cresselia are excellent counters to Dageki; especially due to their STAB being super effective on Dageki.
- Dageki gets Mold Breaker as a Dream World ability.
- Dageki can use this ability to pierce through Sturdy or use Earthquake on Bronzong and Rotom-W.
