QC: Hunterstorm, Zangooser
GP: Haund, The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Darkrai is one of the most threatening Pokemon in the Anything Goes metagame thanks to its ability to put to sleep as many foes as it wants to in a row thanks the lack of a Sleep Clause. Its combination of Dark Void and excellent Speed makes it an incredibly difficult Pokemon to handle, and it can put to sleep and sweep entire teams with ease. Additionally, it has solid a Special Attack stat that can be boosted by Nasty Plot to make it a highly potent offensive sweeper, and it can also run multiple different options to demolish some of its checks. However, Darkrai's mediocre bulk can leave it somewhat vulnerable to priority users and strong attackers, which it needs to put to sleep to take on. Additionally, it can be checked by certain Fairy-types such as Mega Diancie, Clefable, and Xerneas, and Dark Void's middling accuracy can leave Darkrai in difficult situations.
[SET]
name: Go to Sleep
move 1: Dark Void
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Nasty Plot / Sludge Bomb / Taunt
item: Leftovers
ability: Bad Dreams
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dark Void puts foes to sleep, giving Darkrai an opportunity to set up Substitute and begin attacking with Dark Pulse. Nasty Plot allows Darkrai to increase its attacking power while its foes are sleeping to sweep more easily, while Sludge Bomb provides coverage to hit Fairy-types such as Clefable and Mega Diancie. Taunt allows Darkrai to beat Sleep Talk users such as Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre more reliably by preventing them from attacking while asleep.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment allows Darkrai to outspeed as many foes as possible to put them to sleep before they can damage it. Maximum Special Attack breaks down foes as quickly as possible, and Leftovers provides passive recovery to let Darkrai set up as many Substitutes as possible throughout the match.
Usage Tips
========
Darkrai's main goal should be to put every foe it faces to sleep, set up a Substitute, and begin wearing down the opposing team with Dark Pulse or boosting with Nasty Plot. Beware of surprise Sleep Talk or Magic Coat users, which can attack after the Dark Void or put Darkrai to sleep itself. Use Substitute frequently to scout for these moves. If facing a team with a Magic Bounce user, set up a Substitute to use Dark Void without fear of having Darkrai put to sleep itself. Darkrai should avoid directly switching into the field if possible, as it is very frail and needs to stay at a high amount of health to set up Substitutes.
Team Options
========
Using multiple Darkrai on the same team can effectively wear down its checks and counters by chipping away at Sleep Talk or Magic Bounce users and forcing them to use their Lum Berries. Checks to Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Rayquaza, such as Skarmory, Ghost Arceus, and Rock Arceus, are essential, as these Pokemon can force Darkrai out easily. Fairy-type checks such as Primal Groudon and Steel Arceus are also appreciated. Setup sweepers such as Xerneas and Mega Rayquaza appreciate Darkrai's ability to put extreme pressure on defensive cores. Stealth Rock setters such as Primal Groudon help to wear down Ho-Oh and chip away at teams forced to switch around Darkrai. Mega Gengar is useful to trap sleeping Pokemon and remove certain checks such as Ho-Oh with Destiny Bond. It also checks Arceus and can remove Toxic Spikes. Other entry hazard removers for getting rid of Toxic Spikes are appreciated, and clerics such as Clefable can keep Darkrai free of status.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Thunder allows Darkrai to hit Kyogre and Ho-Oh harder than anything else in its repertoire. Focus Blast targets Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, and Klefki, but Darkrai has trouble fitting this into its set. Focus Sash can allow Darkrai to survive a single hit and put foes to sleep, but it prevents Darkrai from effectively using Substitute and can be easily broken by entry hazards. Double Team Darkrai can become hard to take down with the combination of sleep, Substitute, and evasion boosting, but this is still checked by most of Darkrai's normal checks and is reliant on foes not waking up too quickly. Hidden Power Steel hits Mega Diancie, but the move is otherwise worthless and Mega Diancie can be worn down by Sludge Bomb anyway. An alternative spread of 180 Def / 72 SpA / 252 Spe allows Darkrai to survive two Extreme Speeds from Lum Berry Arceus after Stealth Rock and then put it to sleep with two Dark Voids, but this can be situational, requiring Darkrai to be at full health and sacrificing attacking power and Leftovers's recovery. Life Orb allows Darkrai to wallbreak more quickly, often with Sludge Bomb, but it makes it easier to be chipped away at and KOed. Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp have niche uses to cripple checks such as Choice Scarf Xerneas and Swords Dance Arceus, respectively, but Darkrai would almost always rather put its foes to sleep and not waste the moveslot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: If Darkrai does not have a Substitute up, it can be KOed by Pokemon such as Mewtwo, Shaymin-S, and Deoxys-A before it gets the chance to put them to sleep. Choice Scarf users such as Xerneas and Zekrom are also effective checks, especially if running Sleep Talk. Mega Gengar can trap Darkrai and OHKO it with Focus Blast.
**Lum Berry and Sleep Talk**: As Darkrai is reliant on sleep to beat most foes, it can be KOed by working around the status. Lum Berry users such as Arceus and Mega Rayquaza can absorb one Dark Void and either set up on or KO Darkrai, and Sleep Talk users can absorb Dark Void and still be able to attack Darkrai. Although Sleep Talk will occasionally be seen on many Pokemon specifically to check Darkrai, it is most often seen on Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre, which can effectively take on Darkrai lacking Taunt thanks to their high natural Special Defense.
**Magic Bounce and Magic Coat**: Magic Bounce users such as Mega Diancie and Mega Sableye and Magic Coat users such as various Arceus formes can reflect Darkrai's Dark Void, putting it to sleep if it does not have a Substitute up and avoiding being put to sleep themselves.
**Fairy-types**: Darkrai lacking Sludge Bomb has no concrete way to hit Fairy-types and must instead slowly chip away at foes such as Xerneas and Fairy Arceus with Dark Pulse and Bad Dreams. Additionally, Xerneas often carries Sleep Talk and a Choice Scarf, Mega Diancie can reflect Dark Void, and Klefki can paralyze Darkrai with Prankster Thunder Wave as long as it does not have a Substitute up.
**Status**: Poison or burn prevents Darkrai from effectively setting up Substitutes to stall out foes and chips away at its health. Paralysis allows Darkrai to be outsped and KOed far more easily.
GP: Haund, The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Darkrai is one of the most threatening Pokemon in the Anything Goes metagame thanks to its ability to put to sleep as many foes as it wants to in a row thanks the lack of a Sleep Clause. Its combination of Dark Void and excellent Speed makes it an incredibly difficult Pokemon to handle, and it can put to sleep and sweep entire teams with ease. Additionally, it has solid a Special Attack stat that can be boosted by Nasty Plot to make it a highly potent offensive sweeper, and it can also run multiple different options to demolish some of its checks. However, Darkrai's mediocre bulk can leave it somewhat vulnerable to priority users and strong attackers, which it needs to put to sleep to take on. Additionally, it can be checked by certain Fairy-types such as Mega Diancie, Clefable, and Xerneas, and Dark Void's middling accuracy can leave Darkrai in difficult situations.
[SET]
name: Go to Sleep
move 1: Dark Void
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Nasty Plot / Sludge Bomb / Taunt
item: Leftovers
ability: Bad Dreams
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dark Void puts foes to sleep, giving Darkrai an opportunity to set up Substitute and begin attacking with Dark Pulse. Nasty Plot allows Darkrai to increase its attacking power while its foes are sleeping to sweep more easily, while Sludge Bomb provides coverage to hit Fairy-types such as Clefable and Mega Diancie. Taunt allows Darkrai to beat Sleep Talk users such as Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre more reliably by preventing them from attacking while asleep.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment allows Darkrai to outspeed as many foes as possible to put them to sleep before they can damage it. Maximum Special Attack breaks down foes as quickly as possible, and Leftovers provides passive recovery to let Darkrai set up as many Substitutes as possible throughout the match.
Usage Tips
========
Darkrai's main goal should be to put every foe it faces to sleep, set up a Substitute, and begin wearing down the opposing team with Dark Pulse or boosting with Nasty Plot. Beware of surprise Sleep Talk or Magic Coat users, which can attack after the Dark Void or put Darkrai to sleep itself. Use Substitute frequently to scout for these moves. If facing a team with a Magic Bounce user, set up a Substitute to use Dark Void without fear of having Darkrai put to sleep itself. Darkrai should avoid directly switching into the field if possible, as it is very frail and needs to stay at a high amount of health to set up Substitutes.
Team Options
========
Using multiple Darkrai on the same team can effectively wear down its checks and counters by chipping away at Sleep Talk or Magic Bounce users and forcing them to use their Lum Berries. Checks to Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Rayquaza, such as Skarmory, Ghost Arceus, and Rock Arceus, are essential, as these Pokemon can force Darkrai out easily. Fairy-type checks such as Primal Groudon and Steel Arceus are also appreciated. Setup sweepers such as Xerneas and Mega Rayquaza appreciate Darkrai's ability to put extreme pressure on defensive cores. Stealth Rock setters such as Primal Groudon help to wear down Ho-Oh and chip away at teams forced to switch around Darkrai. Mega Gengar is useful to trap sleeping Pokemon and remove certain checks such as Ho-Oh with Destiny Bond. It also checks Arceus and can remove Toxic Spikes. Other entry hazard removers for getting rid of Toxic Spikes are appreciated, and clerics such as Clefable can keep Darkrai free of status.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Thunder allows Darkrai to hit Kyogre and Ho-Oh harder than anything else in its repertoire. Focus Blast targets Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, and Klefki, but Darkrai has trouble fitting this into its set. Focus Sash can allow Darkrai to survive a single hit and put foes to sleep, but it prevents Darkrai from effectively using Substitute and can be easily broken by entry hazards. Double Team Darkrai can become hard to take down with the combination of sleep, Substitute, and evasion boosting, but this is still checked by most of Darkrai's normal checks and is reliant on foes not waking up too quickly. Hidden Power Steel hits Mega Diancie, but the move is otherwise worthless and Mega Diancie can be worn down by Sludge Bomb anyway. An alternative spread of 180 Def / 72 SpA / 252 Spe allows Darkrai to survive two Extreme Speeds from Lum Berry Arceus after Stealth Rock and then put it to sleep with two Dark Voids, but this can be situational, requiring Darkrai to be at full health and sacrificing attacking power and Leftovers's recovery. Life Orb allows Darkrai to wallbreak more quickly, often with Sludge Bomb, but it makes it easier to be chipped away at and KOed. Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp have niche uses to cripple checks such as Choice Scarf Xerneas and Swords Dance Arceus, respectively, but Darkrai would almost always rather put its foes to sleep and not waste the moveslot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: If Darkrai does not have a Substitute up, it can be KOed by Pokemon such as Mewtwo, Shaymin-S, and Deoxys-A before it gets the chance to put them to sleep. Choice Scarf users such as Xerneas and Zekrom are also effective checks, especially if running Sleep Talk. Mega Gengar can trap Darkrai and OHKO it with Focus Blast.
**Lum Berry and Sleep Talk**: As Darkrai is reliant on sleep to beat most foes, it can be KOed by working around the status. Lum Berry users such as Arceus and Mega Rayquaza can absorb one Dark Void and either set up on or KO Darkrai, and Sleep Talk users can absorb Dark Void and still be able to attack Darkrai. Although Sleep Talk will occasionally be seen on many Pokemon specifically to check Darkrai, it is most often seen on Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre, which can effectively take on Darkrai lacking Taunt thanks to their high natural Special Defense.
**Magic Bounce and Magic Coat**: Magic Bounce users such as Mega Diancie and Mega Sableye and Magic Coat users such as various Arceus formes can reflect Darkrai's Dark Void, putting it to sleep if it does not have a Substitute up and avoiding being put to sleep themselves.
**Fairy-types**: Darkrai lacking Sludge Bomb has no concrete way to hit Fairy-types and must instead slowly chip away at foes such as Xerneas and Fairy Arceus with Dark Pulse and Bad Dreams. Additionally, Xerneas often carries Sleep Talk and a Choice Scarf, Mega Diancie can reflect Dark Void, and Klefki can paralyze Darkrai with Prankster Thunder Wave as long as it does not have a Substitute up.
**Status**: Poison or burn prevents Darkrai from effectively setting up Substitutes to stall out foes and chips away at its health. Paralysis allows Darkrai to be outsped and KOed far more easily.
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