Darmanitan (Analysis)

Co-opping with Colonel M, and taking over from Venser here.

Colonel_M will be writing up the Life Orb set, and I will be writing up everything else.

Status: Written, implementing checks

GP APPROVED 2/2: [Calm Pokemaster] [jc104]



Darmanitan
Old thread written by reyscarface.
Official Pokemon site


[Overview]

<p>Darmanitan, in terms of stats as well as appearance, seems to be a Pokemon that likes to go ape. Boasting one of the strongest base Attack stats in OU as well as good HP and Speed stats, it can easily rip holes in unprepared teams. This fact is only compounded by Darmanitan's ability, Sheer Force, which coincidentally boosts some of its strongest moves, namely Flare Blitz. Darmanitan is so strong that, carrying a Choice Band, a sun-boosted Flare Blitz from its base 140 Attack can usually 2HKO any Pokemon indiscriminately. Aside from its amazingly powerful attacks, it also has some interesting support options that can be used alongside its other attacks, namely Encore, Taunt, and Yawn, which can be used to surprise the opponent whenever necessary.</p>

<p>Despite all these amazing traits, Darmanitan is hindered by being a Fire-type, a type that is rare in OU for a reason; Darmanitan loses one quarter of its health every time it switches in while Stealth Rock is on the field, and possibly even more if there are Spikes or Toxic Spikes present. Another thing of note is Darmanitan's fairly average base Speed, meaning many Pokemon can outspeed it and pick it off, especially if it is weakened from firing off its mighty Flare Blitz. However, Darmanitan is still an amazing Pokemon that can work as a great offensive center for a team.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Superpower / Earthquake
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Darmanitan's Flare Blitz, when combined with Sheer Force and a boosting item, causes total devastation, 2HKOing walls such as Gliscor and Hippowdon. U-turn, though not boosted by Sheer Force, helps to ease prediction and maintain offensive momentum. The remaining moves provide coverage; Rock Slide is only slightly less powerful than Stone Edge thanks to Sheer Force, and Superpower helps to hit Balloon Heatran and Terrakion while taking out Blissey without recoil. Earthquake may be used instead to dish out consistent damage without lowering Darmanitan's Attack and Defense. Choice Band cranks the damage up a notch, allowing Darmanitan to 2HKO bulky Water-types such as Vaporeon, Jellicent, and Milotic with Flare Blitz, but Life Orb is usually the better option, providing versatility. Also, thanks to Sheer Force, no Life Orb recoil is incurred while using Flare Blitz or Rock Slide, though Life Orb recoil experienced when using Darmanitan's other moves adds to Flare Blitz recoil, Stealth Rock, and sandstorm, quickly wearing Darmanitan down. </p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ninetales can help provide valuable sunlight for Darmanitan thanks to Drought. With Choice Band equipped, sun-boosted Flare Blitz has enough power to OHKO Pokemon who doubly resist it. Since Rapid Spin is a good idea to prevent Stealth Rock from staying on the field, Forretress would be a good teammate for Darmanitan. As an added bonus, Forretress can lay entry hazards to help ensure some crucial 2HKOs and OHKOs for Darmanitan. If Darmanitan has Forretress for a teammate, Jellicent would also be a great partner. With Water Absorb, Jellicent can soak any Water-type attacks aimed at Darmanitan. If Darmanitan's team lacks Forretress or has a different spinblocker, Vaporeon can be a great teammate for Darmanitan. Vaporeon not only boasts Water Absorb, but can also keep Darmanitan alive with Wish support. Pokemon such as Terrakion and Conkeldurr can pummel the opponent once Darmanitan incapacitates the physical walls that otherwise plague them.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: U-Turn
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Superpower / Earthquake
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>While Life Orb Darmanitan is meant to hit hard right off the bat, Choice Scarf Darmanitan functions differently in that it boosts its mediocre Speed to decent levels, allowing it to get the jump on more opponents and smash them to pieces with its attacks, which are still powerful despite the lack of a boost from Life Orb or Choice Band. Fortunately, two of its most powerful attacks, Flare Blitz and Rock Slide, are still boosted by Sheer Force.</p>

<p>The moves on this set reflect the general idea of switching Darmanitan in and out repeatedly. Flare Blitz is the most powerful STAB move Darmanitan gets, and hits like a truck from Darmanitan's base 140 Attack. U-turn allows it to scout the opponent while doing decent damage as well, maintaining momentum. Rock Slide provides good coverage in tandem with Flare Blitz, and receives a Sheer Force boost, making it very powerful. Superpower fits perfectly with the idea of constant switching, as it is nearly mandatory due to the stat drops. It also has great neutral coverage in tandem with Rock Slide. However, if you prefer to stay in for longer than one turn, Earthquake may be used instead of Superpower, despite the loss in power. It also pairs well with Rock Slide in that they form a slight alteration of the famous EdgeQuake combo.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>As this set is meant to switch in and out of the battlefield repeatedly, Rapid Spin users are good teammates, especially as Darmanitan's weakness to entry hazards hinders its offensive capabilities. Forretress is an ideal example, as it spins away entry hazards on its side while at the same time putting down hazards of its own, giving Darmanitan and its teammates a bit of an edge. As Darmanitan likes entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field, it might be a good option to invest in a spinblocker. Jellicent fits this role almost to a tee, covering most of Darmanitan's weaknesses at the same time as well. Another thing to take note of is that if you are using this set at the beginning of a match, Earthquake and Superpower should not be used recklessly. Many Pokemon are resistant or immune to these attacks, and can hence use them as an opportunity to set up.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Darmanitan has several interesting support options it can use, such as Yawn, Encore, and Will-O-Wisp, which are all good moves in their own right. They may be used as filler if one decides to, though Darmanitan does not really have the defenses to use them effectively. It also loses out on coverage when using a support move over an attacking move. Fire Punch also has a niche over Flare Blitz, lacking recoil and being boosted by Sheer Force at the same time. However, the power drop is very significant, causing Darmanitan to miss out on most of its key KOs. Flame Charge may also seem like a good idea, but despite the increase in power, the boost in Speed is removed due to Sheer Force, completely removing its usefullness.</p>

<p>Belly Drum is an interesting option, giving Darmanitan an Attack stat capable of razing large cities. However, Belly Drum often leaves Darmanitan weak enough to be easily revenge killed after the boost, and sometimes even before that. A Jolly nature can be used in lieu of Adamant nature on both sets, outspeeding Pokemon such as Lucario and the Rotom formes. However, the drop in power is noticeable, and aside from the aforementioned threats, few other notable Pokemon are outsped with a Jolly nature as opposed to Adamant. Stone Edge may seem like an interesting option over Rock Slide. However, Rock Slide has higher accuracy, and its Base Power is boosted by Sheer Force to 98 as opposed to Stone Edge's 100, making Rock Slide the better choice.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>In general, if you are looking for something that can directly switch into Darmanitan, look for something with reasonable defenses and a resistance to Flare Blitz. Swampert and other bulky Water-types are good examples, and ones with recovery moves, such as Jellicent, are an even better option. However, if you can't fit one on your team, something more offensive may be in order. Revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Landorus can wipe Darmanitan off the face of the battlefield with Earthquake. However, it must be emphasized that most revenge killers cannot come in on Darmanitan directly due to the immense power of Flare Blitz. Thunder Wave and other moves which inflict paralysis can stop Darmanitan's sweep cold, as it will be easily outsped and disposed of.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Darmanitan received Zen Mode as its Dream World ability. Although gimmicky, it is a very interesting ability that transforms Darmanitan into a completely different Pokemon when its HP is under half. This ability swaps its Attack with its Special Attack, allowing it to use its specially oriented movepool, which would be left to rot otherwise. However, the problem with Zen Mode Darmanitan is that it will usually not have time or spare HP to activate Zen Mode, being OHKOed fairly easily. Being at half health when activated does not help either, especially as Darmanitan is hit neutrally by all but two priority attacks. Frankly, Darmanitan can't usually afford the severe loss in HP.</p>
 
<~_M_> I have put a parasite on your Darma analysis
<~_M_> If you open said Darma analysis, it will unleash a virus that will destroy Vader's computer
<~_M_> Think carefully before opening it up
<+NatGeo> hmm
<+NatGeo> HELL YES
<+NatGeo> (j/k thanks for writing it up man)

This writeup is done.
 

Lemonade

WOOPAGGING
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis an Artist Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
"Choice Band versus Flare Blitz is extra power versus versatility." (near end of 1st paragraph after the set)

do you mean "Choice Band versus Life Orb"?
 
Deletions
Additions / Corrections
Comments

[Overview]

<p>Darmanitan, in terms of stats as well as appearance, seems to be a Pokemon that likes to go ape. Boasting one of the strongest base Attack stats in OU as well as good HP and Speed stats, it can easily rip holes in unprepared teams. This fact is only compounded by Darmanitan's ability, Sheer Force, which coincidentally boosts some of its strongest moves, namely Flare Blitz. Darmanitan is so strong that, carrying a Choice Band, a sun-boosted Flare Blitz from its base 140 Attack can usually 2HKO any Pokemon indiscriminately. Aside from its amazingly powerful attacks, it also has some interesting support options that can be used alongside its other attacks, namely Encore, Taunt, and Yawn, which can be used to surprise the opponent whenever necessary.</p>

<p>Despite all these amazing traits, Darmanitan is hindered by being a Fire-type, a type that is rare in OU for a reason; Darmanitan loses one quarter of its health every time it switches in while Stealth Rock is on the field, and possibly even more if there are Spikes or Toxic Spikes present. Another thing of note is Darmanitan's fairly average base Speed, meaning many Pokemon can outspeed it and pick it off, especially if it is weakened from firing off its mighty Flare Blitz. However, Darmanitan is still an amazing Pokemon that should always be considered when making a team.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Superpower / Earthquake
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Darmanitan's Flare Blitz, combined with Sheer Force and Life Orb or Choice Band, equates to total devastation. It has enough power to 2HKO walls such as Gliscor and Hippowdon while OHKOing Skarmory without breaking a sweat. Choice Band cranks the damage up a notch to 2HKO bulky Water-types such as Vaporeon, Jellicent, and Milotic. Thanks to Flare Blitz's secondary effect and Sheer Force, no Life Orb recoil is taken when using the attack. Just be aware of the recoil from the attack that follows it. U-turn doesn’t get boosted by Sheer Force and consumes 10% of Darmanitan's HP; however, it’s great for easing prediction when by helping Darmanitan switching out while doing damage to the opponent. Rock Slide is slightly stronger than Return and doesn’t induce Life Orb recoil. The final slot is between Superpower and Earthquake are both options for the last moveslot. Superpower gives an option to annihilate Blissey in one swing while safely hitting Balloon Pokemon users such as Heatran and Terrakion. Earthquake dishes out consistent damage without dropping Darmanitan's Attack and Defense. The choice between Choice Band versus and Flare Blitz Life Orb is one of extra power versus versatility. While Life Orb doesn't have negative drawbacks from Flare Blitz and Rock Slide, it damages itself it causes recoil damage when using Darmanitan uses U-turn and Superpower or Earthquake. This set, especially with Life Orb and Flare Blitz's recoil, is very susceptible to residual damage such as Stealth Rock and sandstorm. It's best to keep these off the field as much as possible.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ninetales can help shed some light provide provide the valuable sunlight for Darmanitan thanks to Drought. With Choice Band equipped, sun-boosted Flare Blitz has enough power to OHKO Garchomp. Since Rapid Spin is a good idea to prevent Stealth Rock from staying on the field, Forretress would be a good supporter teammate for Darmanitan. As an added bonus, Forretress can lay entry hazards to help ensure Darmanitan's some crucial 2HKOs and OHKOs for Darmanitan. If Darmanitan's team adds Forretress Darmanitan has Forretress for a teammate, Jellicent would also be a great partner. With Water Absorb, Jellicent can soak any Water-type attacks aimed at Darmanitan. If Darmanitan's team lacks Forretress or has a different spinblocker, Vaporeon can be a great teammate for Darmanitan. Not only does Vaporeon brag Water Absorb, but it also can keep Darmanitan alive with Wish support. Pokemon such as Terrakion and Conkeldurr can pummel the opponent once Darmanitan incapacitates the physical walls that otherwise plague them.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Superpower / Earthquake
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>While Life Orb Darmanitan is meant to hit hard right off the bat, Choice Scarf Darmanitan functions differently in that it boosts its mediocre Speed to decent levels, allowing it to get the jump on more opponents and smash them to pieces with its attacks, which are still powerful despite the lack of a boost from Life Orb or Choice Band. Fortunately, two of its most powerful attacks, Flare Blitz and Rock Slide, are still boosted by Sheer Force.</p>

<p>The moves on this set reflect Choice Scarf Darmanitan's general idea of switching in and out repeatedly. Flare Blitz is the most powerful STAB move Darmanitan gets, and hits like a truck from Darmanitan's base 140 Attack. U-turn allows it to scout the opponent while doing decent damage to the opponent as well as keeping maintaining momentum. Rock Slide provides good coverage in tandem with Flare Blitz, and receives a Sheer Force boost, making it very powerful. Superpower fits perfectly with this set's idea of constant switching, as it is nearly mandatory due to the stat drops. It also has great neutral coverage in tandem with Rock Slide. However, if you prefer to stay in for longer than one turn, Earthquake may be used instead of Superpower, despite the loss in power. It also pairs well with Rock Slide in that they form a slight alteration of the famous EdgeQuake combo.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>As this set is meant to switch in and out of the battlefield repeatedly, Rapid Spin users are a good idea good teammates, especially as Darmanitan's weaknesses to entry hazards hinders its offensive capabilities. Forretress is an ideal example, as it spins away entry hazards on its side while at the same time putting down hazards of its own, giving Darmanitan and its teammates a bit of an edge. As Darmanitan likes entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field, it might be a good option to invest in a spinblocker. Jellicent fits this role almost to a tee, resisting most of Darmanitan's weaknesses at the same time as well. Another thing to take note of is that you make sure that if you are using this set at the beginning of a match, don't be Earthquake or Superpower willy-nilly should not be used recklessly. These attacks can be easily used by one of the many Pokemon that resist them or are immune to them as an opportunity to set up.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Darmanitan has several interesting non offensive support options it can use. Yawn, Encore, and Will-O-Wisp are all interesting options and good moves in their own right. They may be used as filler if one decides to, though Darmanitan does not really have the defenses to use them in an actual set. It also loses out on coverage when using a support move over an attacking move, such as U-turn. Fire Punch also has a niche over Flare Blitz, lacking recoil and being boosted by Sheer Force at the same time. However, the recoil from Flare Blitz is often sorely missed, as the power drop is very significant, causing Darmanitan to miss out on most of its key KOs. Flame Charge may also seem like a good idea, but despite the increase in power, the boost in Speed is removed due to Sheer Force, severely limiting its uses, if any at all.</p>

<p>Belly Drum is an interesting option, giving it Darmanitan an Attack stat capable of razing large cities. However, Belly Drum often leaves Darmanitan weak enough to be easily revenge killed after the boost, and sometimes even before that. A Jolly nature can be used in lieu of the regular Adamant nature on both sets, outspeeding such things Pokemon such as Lucario and the Rotom formes. However, the drop in power in contrast to an Adamant nature is noticeable, and the aside from the aforementioned threats, few other notable Pokemon are outsped with a Jolly nature as opposed to Adamant. Stone Edge may seem like an interesting option over Rock Slide. However, Rock Slide has higher accuracy, and its Base Power and is boosted by Sheer Force to 98 as opposed to Stone Edge's 100, making Rock Slide the better choice.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>In general, if you are looking for something that can directly onto switch into Darmanitan, look for something with reasonable defenses and a resistance to Flare Blitz. Swampert and other bulky Water-types are good examples, and ones with recovery moves, such as Jellicent, are an even better option. However, if you can't fit one on your team, something more offensive may be in order. Revenge killers like such as Choice Scarf Garchomp and Landorus can wipe Darmanitan off the face of the battlefield with Earthquake. However, it must be emphasized that most revenge killers cannot come in on Darmanitan directly due to the immense power of Flare Blitz. Anything with a status move, especially paralysis, can stop Darmanitan's sweep cold, as it will be easily outsped and disposed of.</p>
(remove space)
[Dream World]

<p>Darmanitan received Zen Mode as its Dream World ability. Although gimmicky, it is a very interesting ability that utterly transforms Darmanitan into a completely different Pokemon when its HP is under half. This ability swaps its Attack with its Special Attack, allowing it to use its specially oriented movepool, which would be left to rot otherwise. However, the problem with Zen Mode Darmanitan is that it will usually not have time or spare HP to activate Zen Mode, being OHKOed fairly easily. Being at half health when activated does not help either, especially as Darmanitan is hit neutrally by all but two priority attacks. Frankly, Darmanitan can't usually afford the severe loss in HP.</p>




GP 1 / 2
 
Totally thoerymoning here, but what about a sub + 3 attacks set? Darmanitan can cause quite a few switches with its amazing attack, and you can possibly get a free sub to hit from behind in the process. At the least it might be both an OO comment.
 
To be honest Darma has terrible defenses, and it can waste any HP. Once the sub is broken (which can be done fairly easily), its almost game over for it.
 

jc104

Humblest person ever
is a Top Contributor Alumnus
[Overview]

<p>Darmanitan, in terms of stats as well as appearance, seems to be a Pokemon that likes to go ape. Boasting one of the strongest base Attack stats in OU as well as good HP and Speed stats, it can easily rip holes in unprepared teams. This fact is only compounded by Darmanitan's ability, Sheer Force, which coincidentally boosts some of its strongest moves, namely Flare Blitz. Darmanitan is so strong that, carrying a Choice Band, a sun-boosted Flare Blitz from its base 140 Attack can usually 2HKO any Pokemon indiscriminately. Aside from its amazingly powerful attacks, it also has some interesting support options that can be used alongside its other attacks, namely Encore, Taunt, and Yawn, which can be used to surprise the opponent whenever necessary.</p>

<p>Despite all these amazing traits, Darmanitan is hindered by being a Fire-type, a type that is rare in OU for a reason; Darmanitan loses one quarter of its health every time it switches in while Stealth Rock is on the field, and possibly even more if there are Spikes or Toxic Spikes present. Another thing of note is Darmanitan's fairly average base Speed, meaning many Pokemon can outspeed it and pick it off, especially if it is weakened from firing off its mighty Flare Blitz. However, Darmanitan is still an amazing Pokemon that should always be considered when making a team.
(really – I thought Darmanitan was more the sort of Pokemon you based a team around – e.g providing it with sun, rather than throwing it onto your rain team)</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Superpower / Earthquake
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Darmanitan's Flare Blitz, when combined with Sheer Force and a boosting item, causes total devastation, 2HKOing walls such as Gliscor and Hippowdon. U-turn, though not boosted by Sheer Force, helps to ease prediction and maintain offensive momentum. The remaining moves provide coverage; Rock Slide is only slightly less powerful than Return thanks to Sheer Force, and Superpower helps to hit Balloon Heatran and Terrakion while taking out Blissey without recoil. Earthquake may be used instead to dish out consistent damage without lowering Darmanitan's Attack and Defense. Choice Band cranks the damage up a notch, allowing Darmanitan to 2HKO bulky Water-types such as Vaporeon, Jellicent, and Milotic with Flare Blitz, but Life Orb is usually the better option, providing versatility. Also, thanks to Sheer Force, no Life Orb recoil is incurred while using Flare Blitz or Rock Slide, though Life Orb recoil experienced when using Darmanitan's other moves adds to Flare Blitz recoil, Stealth Rock, and sandstorm, quickly wearing Darmanitan down. </p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ninetales can help provide
the valuable sunlight for Darmanitan thanks to Drought. With Choice Band equipped, sun-boosted Flare Blitz has enough power to OHKO Garchomp. Since Rapid Spin is a good idea to prevent Stealth Rock from staying on the field, Forretress would be a good teammate for Darmanitan. As an added bonus, Forretress can lay entry hazards to help ensure some crucial 2HKOs and OHKOs for Darmanitan. If Darmanitan has Forretress for a teammate, Jellicent would also be a great partner. With Water Absorb, Jellicent can soak any Water-type attacks aimed at Darmanitan. If Darmanitan's team lacks Forretress or has a different spinblocker, Vaporeon can be a great teammate for Darmanitan. Not only does Vaporeon Vaporeon not only boasts brag Water Absorb, but it also can also keep Darmanitan alive with Wish support. Pokemon such as Terrakion and Conkeldurr can pummel the opponent once Darmanitan incapacitates the physical walls that otherwise plague them.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: U-Turn
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Superpower / Earthquake
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>While Life Orb Darmanitan is meant to hit hard right off the bat, Choice Scarf Darmanitan functions differently in that it boosts its mediocre Speed to decent levels, allowing it to get the jump on more opponents and smash them to pieces with its attacks
, which are still powerful despite the lack of a boost from Life Orb or Choice Band. Fortunately, two of its most powerful attacks, Flare Blitz and Rock Slide, are still boosted by Sheer Force.</p>

<p>The moves on this set reflect
Choice Scarf Darmanitan's general the idea of switching Darmanitan in and out repeatedly. Flare Blitz is the most powerful STAB move Darmanitan gets, and hits like a truck from Darmanitan's base 140 Attack. U-turn allows it to scout the opponent while doing decent damage, as well as maintaining momentum. Rock Slide provides good coverage in tandem with Flare Blitz, and receives a Sheer Force boost, making it very powerful. Superpower fits perfectly with this set's the idea of constant switching, as it is nearly mandatory due to the stat drops. It also has great neutral coverage in tandem with Rock Slide. However, if you prefer to stay in for longer than one turn, Earthquake may be used instead of Superpower, despite the loss in power. It also pairs well with Rock Slide in that they form a slight alteration of the famous EdgeQuake combo.</p>(we had the QuakeSlide combo first btw. Also I don't really get this idea of switching out, which is highly unsuited to Darmanitan given its entry hazard weakness – the reason it has to switch out is that it usually has no choice, rather than because you really want it to. Stat drops should not be made to sound like an advantage)

[Additional Comments]

<p>As this set is meant to switch in and out of the battlefield repeatedly, Rapid Spin users are good teammates, especially as Darmanitan's weakness to entry hazards hinders its offensive capabilities. Forretress is an ideal example, as it spins away entry hazards on its side while at the same time putting down hazards of its own, giving Darmanitan and its teammates a bit of an edge. As Darmanitan likes entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field, it might be a good option to invest in a spinblocker. Jellicent fits this role almost to a tee,
resisting covering most of Darmanitan's weaknesses at the same time as well. Another thing to take note of is that if you are using this set at the beginning of a match, using Earthquake or and Superpower should not be used recklessly. Many Pokemon are resistant or immune to these attacks, and can hence use them as an opportunity to set up These attacks can be easily used by one of the many Pokemon that resist them or are immune to them as an opportunity to set up.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Darmanitan has several interesting support options it can use, such as Yawn, Encore, and Will-O-Wisp, which are are all
interesting options and good moves in their own right. They may be used as filler if one decides to, though Darmanitan does not really have the defenses to use them effectively in an actual set. It also loses out on coverage when using a support move over an attacking move, such as U-turn. Fire Punch also has a niche over Flare Blitz, lacking recoil and being boosted by Sheer Force at the same time. However, the power drop is very significant, causing Darmanitan to miss out on most of its key KOs. Flame Charge may also seem like a good idea, but despite the increase in power, the boost in Speed is removed due to Sheer Force, completely removing its usefulness severely limiting its use, if any at all.</p>

<p>Belly Drum is an interesting option, giving Darmanitan an Attack stat capable of razing large cities. However, Belly Drum often leaves Darmanitan weak enough to be easily revenge killed after the boost, and sometimes even before that. A Jolly nature can be used in lieu of
the regular Adamant nature on both sets, outspeeding Pokemon such as Lucario and the Rotom formes. However, the drop in power in contrast to an Adamant nature is noticeable, and the aside from the aforementioned threats, few other notable Pokemon are outsped with a Jolly nature as opposed to Adamant. Stone Edge may seem like an interesting option over Rock Slide. However, Rock Slide has higher accuracy, and its Base Power is boosted by Sheer Force to 98 as opposed to Stone Edge's 100, making Rock Slide the better choice.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>In general, if you are looking for something that can directly switch into Darmanitan, look for something with reasonable defenses and a resistance to Flare Blitz. Swampert and other bulky Water-types are good examples, and ones with recovery moves, such as Jellicent, are an even better options. However, if you can't fit one on your team, something more offensive may be in order. Revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Garchomp and Landorus can wipe Darmanitan off the face of the battlefield with Earthquake. However, it must be emphasized that most revenge killers cannot come in on Darmanitan directly due to the immense power of Flare Blitz.
Anything with a status move, especially paralysis, Thunder Wave and other moves which inflict Paralysis can stop Darmanitan's sweep cold, as it will be easily outsped and disposed of.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Darmanitan received Zen Mode as its Dream World ability. Although gimmicky, it is a very interesting ability that transforms Darmanitan into a completely different Pokemon when its HP is under half. This ability swaps its Attack with its Special Attack, allowing it to use its specially oriented movepool, which would be left to rot otherwise. However, the problem with Zen Mode Darmanitan is that it will usually not have time or spare HP to activate Zen Mode, being OHKOed fairly easily. Being at half health when activated does not help either, especially as Darmanitan is hit neutrally by all but two priority attacks. Frankly, Darmanitan can't usually afford the severe loss in HP.</p>
The Set Comments of the LO set were disjointed and repetitive, so I basically rewrote that paragraph, recycling a few bits. Have a quick check through it for errors.

GP 2/2
 
Could he run a Bulk up + three attacks set? U-turn seems a little gimmicky if not running Choice band, as it doesn't get the sheer force boost. Fire/Ground/Rock is pretty good coverage, and with a bulk up this thing could increase its power and physical longevity.

Or will he not have time to set up?
 
Could he run a Bulk up + three attacks set? U-turn seems a little gimmicky if not running Choice band, as it doesn't get the sheer force boost. Fire/Ground/Rock is pretty good coverage, and with a bulk up this thing could increase its power and physical longevity.

Or will he not have time to set up?
With Life Orb/Choice Band + Sheer Force there is really no reason to use Bulk Up for even more boosts. Darmanitan is also rather slow in OU, with 95 speed, and his defenses are really low regardless.

Darmanitan is the ultimate revenge killer, not a bulky sweeper at all.
 
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ninetales can help provide valuable sunlight for Darmanitan thanks to Drought. With Choice Band equipped, sun-boosted Flare Blitz has enough power to OHKO Pokemon who doubly resist it. Since Rapid Spin is a good idea to prevent Stealth Rock from staying on the field, Forretress would be a good teammate for Darmanitan. As an added bonus, Forretress can lay entry hazards to help ensure some crucial 2HKOs and OHKOs for Darmanitan. If Darmanitan has Forretress for a teammate, Jellicent would also be a great partner. With Water Absorb, Jellicent can soak any Water-type attacks aimed at Darmanitan. If Darmanitan's team lacks Forretress or has a different spinblocker, Vaporeon can be a great teammate for Darmanitan.Vaporeon not only boasts Water Absorb, but can also keep Darmanitan alive with Wish support. Pokemon such as Terrakion and Conkeldurr can pummel the opponent once Darmanitan incapacitates the physical walls that otherwise plague them.</p>


Missing a space.
 
I'm aware this probably won't be seen favourably, and haven't had a chance to try it out but I'm just sharing the thought (and hence the EV spread is just a guess).

name: The Troll
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Earthquake / Superpower
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Encore
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly/Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe (just a guess)

The idea here being to switch in to something slower and Encore a move that doesn't threaten Darmanitan (I called it The Troll here as it would be funny, and perhaps most effective, to troll one of it's own counters like this :P). Then let Darmanitan do what we all know it loves to do.
 

prem

failed abortion
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that is just the physical attacker set with encore. encore is mentioned in the OO, so that set isnt exactly needed
 
Would Jolly outspeed any noteworthy threats? Is 252 Spe necessary or could it be dropped a touch to outspeed the same pokes, but with a wee bit more bulk?
 

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