Darmanitan
QC Checks: 2/2
GP Checks: 2/2
[Overview]
<p>A high Attack stat, above-average Speed, and a fantastic ability seem to set Darmanitan up for great things in VGC 2012. Unfortunately, this is the exception rather than the norm. Common spread moves such as Rock Slide, Surf, and Earthquake land super effective damage on Darmanitan, and its poor defenses further decrease its staying power. While this may turn one off of Darmanitan, proper support and correct strategy will turn it into a premier attacker in VGC 2012.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Darmanitan's base 95 Speed is often not suitable for VGC, where many Pokemon reside at a base Speed of 100 or higher. However, Darmanitan is able to patch this up by donning a Choice Scarf, which boosts its Speed at the cost of it being able to use only one move. Thankfully, Flare Blitz is such as powerful move that this handicap is often not a handicap at all. Still, some Pokemon resist or are immune to Fire-type attacks, meaning Darmanitan can't run away with the game just by spamming Flare Blitz.</p>
<p>Darmanitan does have several useful coverage options to fall back on should the foe resist its powerful STAB attacks. Tyranitar and Heatran give Darmanitan massive problems, the former resisting Darmanitan's STAB move and the latter being immune to it. Thankfully, Superpower is super effective against both of these Pokemon—Tyranitar being 4x weak—and with its Choice Scarf, Darmanitan easily outspeeds and OHKOes them. Rock Slide takes on Pokemon that otherwise wall Darmanitan, such as Chandelure. Earthquake rounds off Darmanitan's coverage, completing the infamous ''EdgeQuake'' combo and hitting both foes at once; this can be utilized to great effect with an immune partner such as Cresselia. However, the recoil from Flare Blitz may be unattractive, and Fire Punch has certain situational uses, such as in OHKOing the "genies" Tornadus and Thundurus, making it an option over Earthquake.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>With a Choice Scarf, a Jolly nature, and 252 Speed EVs, Darmanitan is able to outspeed Adamant Choice Scarf Terrakion, which it would fail to otherwise. The remaining 252 EVs are placed in Attack to boost Darmanitan's damage output even further.</p>
<p>Moves such as Rock Slide, Earthquake, and Surf threaten Darmanitan constantly, and as such it appreciates a partner who can mitigate this problem somewhat. Hitmontop provides both Intimidate and Wide Guard support; Intimidate lowers the power of Rock Slide and Earthquake, while Wide Guard blocks the effects of the previously mentioned spread moves for a turn. Cresselia is a great partner for Darmanitan, providing it with Helping Hand support while also being immune to Earthquake, if it is used. Ninetales brings sun to the field with its ability Drought, and once Flare Blitz has been powered up by sun, little can stop it.</p>
<p>Powerful attackers also pair well with Darmanitan, as they can take out the Pokemon which threaten it while also cleaning up the remains after Darmanitan has sufficiently weakened the opposition with Flare Blitz. Expert Belt Weavile, in particular, is a great partner for Darmanitan; Fake Out + Flare Blitz OHKOes Pokemon such as Thundurus, who would otherwise cripple Darmanitan via a priority Thunder Wave. Weavile also OHKOes Pokemon that trouble Darmanitan, such as Heatran, Terrakion, and Tyranitar with Low Kick. Water-type Pokemon are a real annoyance to Darmanitan; this can be remedied by providing sun support and putting Darmanitan alongside Chlorohpyll users such as Shiftry, who handle Water-types with ease. Any Fighting-type will aid Darmanitan greatly, as the Rock-types that threaten it are easily handled by their STAB moves. Zapdos and Thundurus too handle the Water-types that plague Darmanitan with ease, making them wonderful partners.</p>
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Superpower / Earthquake
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Though Darmanitan's middling Speed becomes more predominant in the absence of a Choice Scarf, a Life Orb set can provide the sheer firepower which the Choice Scarf set lacks. STAB-, Life Orb-, and Sheer Force-boosted Flare Blitz has a mind-boggling Base Power of 304, destroying everything that doesn't resist it. Superpower deals with pesky Rock-types, as well as Heatran, who is immune to Flare Blitz via its ability Flash Fire. However, Earthquake deals damage to both opponents at once, and with an immune partner who can also provide Helping Hand support, such as Cresselia, it still gets the same KOs Superpower does. Keep in mind though that even with a Helping Hand boost, Earthquake won't OHKO Tyranitar, who will KO back with its STAB Rock-type attacks. Rock Slide, while granting little additional coverage, grants Darmanitan the ability to hit two opponents at once without harming its partner. Protect is vital to Darmanitan's well-being, allowing its partner to eliminate a threat and granting it a crucial additional turn of life.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>With its ability, Sheer Force, Darmanitan takes no recoil from Life Orb—while still receiving the boost—when using moves boosted by Sheer Force. This allows it to utilize a Life Orb relatively risk-free, as Life Orb will only cause recoil when Superpower is used. Darmanitan sits at an odd base Speed of 95, something very few other Pokemon have. A Jolly nature would thus be wasted on Darmanitan, as a Speed-boosting nature outspeeds nothing important, allowing it to run an Adamant nature and further boost its massive Attack. The given EV spread simply maximizes Darmanitan's Attack and Speed, as its poor defenses render any investment in its defensive stats useless.</p>
<p>95 base Speed is relatively slow, as many of the Pokemon that stop Darmanitan are faster. Because of this, Darmanitan appreciates a partner who can slow the opponent down through moves such as Thunder Wave. Cresselia thus makes a fantastic partner, as it can utilize either Icy Wind, which slows down both foes, or Thunder Wave, which reduces Speed by 75% and has a chance to incapacitate the victim for a turn. On the other hand, Tailwind can be used to speed Darmanitan up, allowing it to outspeed and deal massive damage to its usual counters. Whimsicott sets Tailwind up with priority thanks to its ability Prankster, and can Charm physical attackers that want to cause Darmanitan pain. Thundurus can Thunder Wave faster foes and take on Water-types with its STAB Thunderbolt, making it a prime choice for a teammate. Zapdos too can set up Tailwind, in addition to taking on Water-types.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Taunt may seem like an attractive option, but Darmanitan's poor defenses and middling Speed mean it would rather be attacking, and bulkier, faster Pokemon utilize Taunt better in most cases anyway. A Choice Band turns Darmanitan into an unstoppable machine; Choice Band Flare Blitz OHKOes 252 HP Musharna, and has an excellent chance to OHKO physically defensive Cresselia in the sun, something no other Pokemon can boast. Stone Edge looks like a powerful alternative, but it has low accuracy and can only hit one opponent, something Rock Slide surpasses it in. Brick Break may be used over Superpower if one finds the Attack and Defense drop unsuitable; however the drop in power is so great that Superpower or even Earthquake is usually the superior choice. U-turn has a niche on the Choice Scarf set, hitting Psychic-type Trick Room users hard and allowing Darmanitan to switch out before they have a chance to Trick Room and neuter it.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Terrakion just avoids being OHKOed by Superpower, and can hit Darmanitan hard in return with a combination of Rock Slide + Quick Attack to weaken it and then KO. Other Rock- and Ground-types that resist Flare Blitz, such as Rhyperior with its high Defense and Garchomp with its Dragon typing, are able to take a hit and respond with a super effective Rock Slide or Earthquake. Gyarados walls Darmanitan to the end of the earth and back, lowering its Attack with Intimidate and taking next to nothing from Darmanitan's assaults while responding with a super effective Waterfall of its own.</p>
