QC: p2 / Jukain / dk
GP: Rare Poison / Fireflame479
[OVERVIEW]
Diggersby is among the strongest Pokemon in the game by virtue of its ability Huge Power, which doubles its Attack stat. This makes Diggersby a potent wallbreaker in the OU metagame. In addition, very few Pokemon resist its STAB combination of Normal and Ground, and Diggersby has the necessary coverage to get by the Pokemon that do with moves such as Fire Punch, Ice Punch, and Knock Off. Having access to STAB priority in Quick Attack allows Diggersby to alleviate its middling Speed stat somewhat. However, Diggersby isn't the bulkiest Pokemon around and has weaknesses to common attacking types such as Water, Ice, and Fighting. Overall, while Diggersby excels at punishing slower teams that rely on bulkier Pokemon, its frailty and relatively low Speed stat make it less effective against more offensive teams.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Return
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Quick Attack
move 4: Fire Punch / Knock Off / Swords Dance
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Huge Power
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Return is strong STAB move that provides good coverage against Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Rotom-W. It manages to get OHKOes or 2HKOes against a lot of the metagame, and it's a very spammable move. Earthquake is another solid STAB move that gets good coverage and hits Steel-, Electric-, Poison-, Rock-, and Fire-types such as Toxapex, Ferrothorn, and Heatran. It is not as spammable as Return, however. Quick Attack is a STAB move that has priority, and it deals a lot of damage when boosted by both Huge Power and a Life Orb. It can KO Pokemon such as Latios and Tapu Koko once they are chipped down to around 40% of their HP. Fire Punch roasts Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Skarmory, which is important, as the latter two resist Diggersby's STAB moves. Knock Off removes items and also hits Ghost-types and bulky Psychic-types, such as Bronzong and Mew, super effectively. Swords Dance can be used to obtain a +2 boost to Diggersby's Attack and quickly level slower teams, and it works well in conjunction with Quick Attack to prevent faster Pokemon from revenge killing Diggersby. However, the loss of coverage against Pokemon such as Skarmory and Bronzong is somewhat unappealing.
Set Details
========
Jolly is Diggersby's preferred nature, allowing it to outspeed positive-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Heatran. Adamant can be used to sacrifice speed for power, although it's usually not worth it. A Life Orb gives Diggersby a substantial power boost while allowing it to change moves, at the cost of some of its HP per attack, and is generally preferred over a Choice Band to make Diggersby less prediction reliant and more flexible against teams with Pokemon such as Skarmory, Bronzong, and Celesteela. However, a Choice Band gives an immediate boost to Attack that allows it to bypass Intimidate's Attack drop, which can be useful if you predict well with Diggersby. The given EV spread maximizes Attack and Speed so Diggersby can hit as hard as possible and outspeed common defensive Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
If Diggersby is using Life Orb, you can afford to be a bit less cautious when using moves, as you can still switch your moves if your opponent predicts your move choice correctly. For example, if Skarmory switches in on your Earthquake, Life Orb allows you to smack it with a Fire Punch on the next turn. Prediction is necessary for catching Pokemon that resist or are immune to one of Diggersby's STAB moves if it is are using Choice Band. However, predicting incorrectly can waste a lot of your momentum and give the opponent the advantage. Quick Attack allows Diggersby to revenge kill weakened threats such as Latios and Tapu Koko. It should also be used to finish off weakened Pokemon or switch-ins after using Return or Earthquake. As Diggersby is a bit on the frail side, it should be brought in on predicted double switches or slow U-turns and Volt Switches. The momentum gained from U-turn and Volt-Switch will often put Diggersby right in front of bulkier Pokemon that it can easily crush, thus opening up holes for your team to exploit. Use Swords Dance when given a free turn or on a predicted switch when you know the opponent wants to keep a useful Pokemon; use it only when Diggersby is able to gain an advantage against a defensive Pokemon or sweep the opposing team. Do not use Swords Dance if Diggersby does not need it to KO a defensive Pokemon and will be forced out by something that does not mind a boosted Quick Attack.
Team Options
========
Volt Switches and U-turns help bring Diggersby in safely where it can fire off attacks, so slow users such as Landorus-T, Mega Scizor, and Tapu Koko are decent teammates. Diggersby breaks down common defensive Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Skarmory, Celesteela, and Bronzong, so pairing it with sweepers such as Mega Metagross and Mega Gyarados is a good idea. Tapu Lele's Psychic Terrain prevents Diggersby's priority from being used and thus makes it less effective, so teams should usually avoid partnering these two Pokemon up. Stealth Rock (and to a degree, Spikes) helps Diggersby secure key KOes against Pokemon such as Tangrowth, so setters such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Ferrothorn can help, although they can compound weaknesses on a team. Pivots such as the aforementioned Mega Scizor and Landorus-T are good teammates, as Diggersby is quite vulnerable to being revenge killed. Magnezone traps Skarmory and Celesteela, two Pokemon that resist Diggersby's STAB combination, and is an especially good partner when Diggersby is using Swords Dance. In general, Diggersby fits well on offensive teams needing a powerful wallbreaker that is very good at wearing down common Pokemon that require prior damage for sweepers to break, such as Landorus-T and Tangrowth.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Scarf is an option to turn Diggersby into a revenge killer and momentum-grabber with U-turn, but in general, it is useless most of the time due to the lack of power and the nature of being Choice-locked. Ice Punch is an option to OHKO Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Gliscor, but Diggersby can do this anyways with Life Orb-boosted Returns and some prior damage from Stealth Rock. Spikes can be used to pressure defensive teams on the switch, as Diggersby forces out a lot of Pokemon. Normalium Z is a one-time option to nuke foes with a powerful Normal-type STAB move, but Diggersby misses the added power from Life Orb or Choice Band for its other moves. Focus Sash can be used to guarantee a Swords Dance for Diggersby and can make it act as a decent revenge killer with a combination of its STAB moves and Quick Attack, but Diggersby loses out on the power given by Life Orb and is too reliant on entry hazards being off of the field for it to function.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Latios, Mega Metagross, and Greninja all easily outspeed and crush Diggersby, although priority from Quick Attack can deter them if they're weakened, and none can safely switch in. Pokemon that can outspeed and KO Diggersby but are neutral to Quick Attack must be careful, as Diggersby can KO them if they are weakened.
**Pokemon that Resist its STAB Combination**: Skarmory and Celesteela both resist Diggersby's STAB moves and can either Whirlwind it out or attempt to weaken or KO it with Heavy Slam, respectively. However, both must watch out for Fire Punch. Similarly, Gengar and other Ghost-types are immune to Return but must watch out for Knock Off and Earthquake.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: While Diggersby excels in breaking down walls, the set it's running can often make it easier for some defensive Pokemon to beat it or cripple it. Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Mega Slowbro can take on the Swords Dance set (albeit barely coming out on top) but will have significantly more trouble against a Choice Band variant. Pokemon such as Alomomola and Mew are also able to cripple Diggersby with Knock Off or a burn but are unable to switch in.
GP: Rare Poison / Fireflame479
[OVERVIEW]
Diggersby is among the strongest Pokemon in the game by virtue of its ability Huge Power, which doubles its Attack stat. This makes Diggersby a potent wallbreaker in the OU metagame. In addition, very few Pokemon resist its STAB combination of Normal and Ground, and Diggersby has the necessary coverage to get by the Pokemon that do with moves such as Fire Punch, Ice Punch, and Knock Off. Having access to STAB priority in Quick Attack allows Diggersby to alleviate its middling Speed stat somewhat. However, Diggersby isn't the bulkiest Pokemon around and has weaknesses to common attacking types such as Water, Ice, and Fighting. Overall, while Diggersby excels at punishing slower teams that rely on bulkier Pokemon, its frailty and relatively low Speed stat make it less effective against more offensive teams.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Return
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Quick Attack
move 4: Fire Punch / Knock Off / Swords Dance
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Huge Power
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Return is strong STAB move that provides good coverage against Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Rotom-W. It manages to get OHKOes or 2HKOes against a lot of the metagame, and it's a very spammable move. Earthquake is another solid STAB move that gets good coverage and hits Steel-, Electric-, Poison-, Rock-, and Fire-types such as Toxapex, Ferrothorn, and Heatran. It is not as spammable as Return, however. Quick Attack is a STAB move that has priority, and it deals a lot of damage when boosted by both Huge Power and a Life Orb. It can KO Pokemon such as Latios and Tapu Koko once they are chipped down to around 40% of their HP. Fire Punch roasts Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Skarmory, which is important, as the latter two resist Diggersby's STAB moves. Knock Off removes items and also hits Ghost-types and bulky Psychic-types, such as Bronzong and Mew, super effectively. Swords Dance can be used to obtain a +2 boost to Diggersby's Attack and quickly level slower teams, and it works well in conjunction with Quick Attack to prevent faster Pokemon from revenge killing Diggersby. However, the loss of coverage against Pokemon such as Skarmory and Bronzong is somewhat unappealing.
Set Details
========
Jolly is Diggersby's preferred nature, allowing it to outspeed positive-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Heatran. Adamant can be used to sacrifice speed for power, although it's usually not worth it. A Life Orb gives Diggersby a substantial power boost while allowing it to change moves, at the cost of some of its HP per attack, and is generally preferred over a Choice Band to make Diggersby less prediction reliant and more flexible against teams with Pokemon such as Skarmory, Bronzong, and Celesteela. However, a Choice Band gives an immediate boost to Attack that allows it to bypass Intimidate's Attack drop, which can be useful if you predict well with Diggersby. The given EV spread maximizes Attack and Speed so Diggersby can hit as hard as possible and outspeed common defensive Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
If Diggersby is using Life Orb, you can afford to be a bit less cautious when using moves, as you can still switch your moves if your opponent predicts your move choice correctly. For example, if Skarmory switches in on your Earthquake, Life Orb allows you to smack it with a Fire Punch on the next turn. Prediction is necessary for catching Pokemon that resist or are immune to one of Diggersby's STAB moves if it is are using Choice Band. However, predicting incorrectly can waste a lot of your momentum and give the opponent the advantage. Quick Attack allows Diggersby to revenge kill weakened threats such as Latios and Tapu Koko. It should also be used to finish off weakened Pokemon or switch-ins after using Return or Earthquake. As Diggersby is a bit on the frail side, it should be brought in on predicted double switches or slow U-turns and Volt Switches. The momentum gained from U-turn and Volt-Switch will often put Diggersby right in front of bulkier Pokemon that it can easily crush, thus opening up holes for your team to exploit. Use Swords Dance when given a free turn or on a predicted switch when you know the opponent wants to keep a useful Pokemon; use it only when Diggersby is able to gain an advantage against a defensive Pokemon or sweep the opposing team. Do not use Swords Dance if Diggersby does not need it to KO a defensive Pokemon and will be forced out by something that does not mind a boosted Quick Attack.
Team Options
========
Volt Switches and U-turns help bring Diggersby in safely where it can fire off attacks, so slow users such as Landorus-T, Mega Scizor, and Tapu Koko are decent teammates. Diggersby breaks down common defensive Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Skarmory, Celesteela, and Bronzong, so pairing it with sweepers such as Mega Metagross and Mega Gyarados is a good idea. Tapu Lele's Psychic Terrain prevents Diggersby's priority from being used and thus makes it less effective, so teams should usually avoid partnering these two Pokemon up. Stealth Rock (and to a degree, Spikes) helps Diggersby secure key KOes against Pokemon such as Tangrowth, so setters such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Ferrothorn can help, although they can compound weaknesses on a team. Pivots such as the aforementioned Mega Scizor and Landorus-T are good teammates, as Diggersby is quite vulnerable to being revenge killed. Magnezone traps Skarmory and Celesteela, two Pokemon that resist Diggersby's STAB combination, and is an especially good partner when Diggersby is using Swords Dance. In general, Diggersby fits well on offensive teams needing a powerful wallbreaker that is very good at wearing down common Pokemon that require prior damage for sweepers to break, such as Landorus-T and Tangrowth.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Scarf is an option to turn Diggersby into a revenge killer and momentum-grabber with U-turn, but in general, it is useless most of the time due to the lack of power and the nature of being Choice-locked. Ice Punch is an option to OHKO Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Gliscor, but Diggersby can do this anyways with Life Orb-boosted Returns and some prior damage from Stealth Rock. Spikes can be used to pressure defensive teams on the switch, as Diggersby forces out a lot of Pokemon. Normalium Z is a one-time option to nuke foes with a powerful Normal-type STAB move, but Diggersby misses the added power from Life Orb or Choice Band for its other moves. Focus Sash can be used to guarantee a Swords Dance for Diggersby and can make it act as a decent revenge killer with a combination of its STAB moves and Quick Attack, but Diggersby loses out on the power given by Life Orb and is too reliant on entry hazards being off of the field for it to function.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Latios, Mega Metagross, and Greninja all easily outspeed and crush Diggersby, although priority from Quick Attack can deter them if they're weakened, and none can safely switch in. Pokemon that can outspeed and KO Diggersby but are neutral to Quick Attack must be careful, as Diggersby can KO them if they are weakened.
**Pokemon that Resist its STAB Combination**: Skarmory and Celesteela both resist Diggersby's STAB moves and can either Whirlwind it out or attempt to weaken or KO it with Heavy Slam, respectively. However, both must watch out for Fire Punch. Similarly, Gengar and other Ghost-types are immune to Return but must watch out for Knock Off and Earthquake.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: While Diggersby excels in breaking down walls, the set it's running can often make it easier for some defensive Pokemon to beat it or cripple it. Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Mega Slowbro can take on the Swords Dance set (albeit barely coming out on top) but will have significantly more trouble against a Choice Band variant. Pokemon such as Alomomola and Mew are also able to cripple Diggersby with Knock Off or a burn but are unable to switch in.
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