[Overview]
<p>Since the days of DPP, Diglett has not changed much, if at all. It still sports a decent Attack and reaches 20 Speed unboosted, the highest in Little Cup. It can function as a lead since it is the fastest natural user of Stealth Rock, with an incredible ability in Arena Trap to boot. However, Diglett doesn't have much else to brag about. Its awful defenses and HP make it highly susceptible to priority attacks. Diglett's movepool isn't too deep, either, and it thus finds itself walled easily by some common walls such as Bronzor. Though Diglett may not be as popular as it once was, it still can function as a very capable sweeper or supporter, and should never be underestimated.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Sucker Punch / Shadow Claw
move 4: Pursuit / Shadow Claw
item: Life Orb
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Jolly
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the most powerful set Diglett is capable of running. With its huge Speed unbeaten by any Pokemon not running Choice Scarf, Diglett can inflict a great amount of damage before it goes down. Earthquake is Diglett's strongest STAB attack, hitting anything that doesn't resist the move hard. Rock Slide nets great coverage alongside Earthquake, and the two moves are only resisted by Bronzor in Little Cup. The third slot is a big toss-up, and depends very much on the situation. Sucker Punch is an all-round great priority attack for Ghost-types that decide to attack Diglett, and also makes it a capable revenge killer, but could leave Diglett vulnerable if they decide to use Substitute. Shadow Claw is more reliable, but doesn't have as much power and cannot hit Normal-types. Finally, Pursuit is an interesting option that allows Diglett to trap Ghost-types low on HP, and allows it to play mind games with Gastly.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Jolly is the preferred nature on this set as it allows Diglett to reach 20 Speed, the fastest in the unboosted metagame. Hidden Power Fire is an option in order for Diglett to net a surprise 2HKO on Ferroseed, but Ferroseed can easily KO back with Bullet Seed or Seed Bomb before Diglett can KO it. Since Diglett takes minimal damage from Stealth Rock, it doesn't need much support to function properly. Choice Scarf users such as Misdreavus and Snover make great teammates though, as they can clean up the remains once Diglett has sufficiently weakened the opponent's team.</p>
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Protect
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Rock Slide / Hidden Power Ice
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Though with the addition of Team Preview "leads" have been pretty much dissolved, Diglett can still function as a decent first Pokemon in order to set up Stealth Rock. Protect stops the uncommon Fake Out, and allows Diglett to scout for U-turns and other surprise attacks. Earthquake and Rock Slide provide great neutral coverage, enabling Diglett to inflict decent damage after it gets Stealth Rock up. Hidden Power Ice is a nice alternative for hitting Gligar, though not much else will be taking a lot of damage from the move. One of the greatest reasons to use Diglett to set up Stealth Rock early in the game is its Speed. The only Pokemon that can prevent Diglett from setting up Stealth Rock are Choice Scarf users having Taunt or a multi-hit move.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Focus Sash allows Diglett to set up Stealth Rock almost all the time, even in the face of Choice Scarf users such as Snover. Life Orb can be used to hit certain threats harder, but most Ghost-types can easily sponge a Rock Slide, and Diglett's utility will be taking a major hit. Sucker Punch can be used over Protect since Fake Out users are rare, and Diglett can take out a boosting sweeper with the move. Houndour makes a great teammate for Diglett, as it benefits immensely from Stealth Rock while also dealing with pesky walls such as Bronzor and Ferroseed. Mantyke is a good partner too, as it has great defensive synergy with Diglett. Croagunk is nearly a surefire counter to this set if it avoids Earthquake on the switch, meaning Misdreavus is a great teammate for stopping it in its tracks with Will-O-Wisp or just KOing outright with Shadow Ball.</p>
[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Substitute / Sucker Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Jolly
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set can get Diglett to +6 Attack and +6 Accuracy if played correctly. The best way to pull off six Hone Claws is to come in on a Choice Scarf Chinchou's Volt Switch or Thunderbolt. From there, Diglett can set up Substitute, and then set up as many Hone Claws as it wants — preferably six, in order to max out its Attack and Accuracy. Earthquake is a dangerous STAB attack that can easily OHKO a great portion of the metagame at +6. Rock Slide gets great coverage, and is accurate thanks to Hone Claws boosting its accuracy. Sucker Punch can be used over Substitute for apriority attack, but it is unreliable, and Substitute is the better choice overall. Arena Trap is a very important ability on this set, as it allows Diglett to trap opposing Pokemon while they're locked into a useless attack.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Good partners are those which can take advantage of the sheer power that Diglett can present if it manages to net itself multiple boosts. Since the only Pokemon that Diglett cannot reliably beat are Hippopotas and Ferroseed, a Staryu with Hidden Power Fire is a very good teammate to beat them handily. It should be noted that this Diglett carries a lot of risk when using it despite the potential payoff and will probably only get one chance at a sweep. It is also very important that you know for certain that the Pokemon you are trapping is Choiced, as Diglett could be in a lot of trouble if it takes a super effective attack to the face (especially if it doesn't have Substitute). This set also requires a lot of prediction to function properly, since if the opponent correctly predicts Diglett switching in and uses a Water-type attack or Ice Beam, Diglett can say goodbye to its chances of sweeping.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Shadow Claw
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Jolly
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With a Choice Scarf, Diglett reaches 30 Speed and Speed ties with +2 Scraggy, making it a fantastic revenge killer. Arena Trap is what makes it so dangerous, as Diglett can easily trap and stop many threats from running away with the game. Earthquake is Diglett's most powerful and reliable STAB attack that can hit a lot of Pokemon for good amounts of damage. Rock Slide gets good coverage, hitting most Flying-types that are immune to Ground-type attacks for super effective damage. Shadow Claw hits Ghost-types and Slowpoke for big damage, while Pursuit is good for trapping Pokemon that avoid Arena Trap.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs on this set make the most of Diglett's attacking abilities and maximize its Speed, something absolutely necessary in a Speed-based metagame. Mantyke makes a good partner, having great defensive synergy with Diglett. Since this set loses quite easily to Wynaut, a mixed sweeper such as Houndour is good for taking it out. Houndour also deals with Slowpoke, another Pokemon that will beat Diglett with ease. Snover is also a good partner for this set as it beats Hippopotas without much trouble.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Because Diglett's movepool is so shallow, it does not have many other options. It can run a Substitute + 3 attacks set, but since it is very frail, it might not be able to successfully pull off a sweep. It has Pursuit for trapping Ghost-types, but the move isn't very powerful, doesn't get STAB, and fails to 2HKO most variants of Misdreavus. Knock Off could be useful in removing an Eviolite or Choice item. Sand Veil might be used on sandstorm teams, and most people wouldn't bother trying to switch out when they see Diglett, but Arena Trap is better most of the time. Sunny Day is also an option, but weather isn't great in Little Cup.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>It's tough to "counter" Diglett because it usually only comes in on Pokemon that it can easily beat. However, it is very frail, and most attacks will be able to inflict a lot of damage to it. Priority is very effective against it, and Fake Out is a great move to have, as it will render Diglett useless for a turn and rid Diglett of its Focus Sash. Though Croagunk hates Earthquake, it can easily KO Diglett with the combination of Fake Out and Vacuum Wave. Choice Scarf Snover beats most variants easily since Blizzard OHKOes, and can stave off a Sucker Punch. If Diglett lacks Hidden Power Ice, Hippopotas can sponge its attacks all day and hit back with Earthquake. If Misdreavus predicts Sucker Punch correctly, it can set up Substitute, then use Nasty Plot or KO Diglett with Shadow Ball with relative ease.</p>
<p>Since the days of DPP, Diglett has not changed much, if at all. It still sports a decent Attack and reaches 20 Speed unboosted, the highest in Little Cup. It can function as a lead since it is the fastest natural user of Stealth Rock, with an incredible ability in Arena Trap to boot. However, Diglett doesn't have much else to brag about. Its awful defenses and HP make it highly susceptible to priority attacks. Diglett's movepool isn't too deep, either, and it thus finds itself walled easily by some common walls such as Bronzor. Though Diglett may not be as popular as it once was, it still can function as a very capable sweeper or supporter, and should never be underestimated.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Sucker Punch / Shadow Claw
move 4: Pursuit / Shadow Claw
item: Life Orb
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Jolly
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the most powerful set Diglett is capable of running. With its huge Speed unbeaten by any Pokemon not running Choice Scarf, Diglett can inflict a great amount of damage before it goes down. Earthquake is Diglett's strongest STAB attack, hitting anything that doesn't resist the move hard. Rock Slide nets great coverage alongside Earthquake, and the two moves are only resisted by Bronzor in Little Cup. The third slot is a big toss-up, and depends very much on the situation. Sucker Punch is an all-round great priority attack for Ghost-types that decide to attack Diglett, and also makes it a capable revenge killer, but could leave Diglett vulnerable if they decide to use Substitute. Shadow Claw is more reliable, but doesn't have as much power and cannot hit Normal-types. Finally, Pursuit is an interesting option that allows Diglett to trap Ghost-types low on HP, and allows it to play mind games with Gastly.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Jolly is the preferred nature on this set as it allows Diglett to reach 20 Speed, the fastest in the unboosted metagame. Hidden Power Fire is an option in order for Diglett to net a surprise 2HKO on Ferroseed, but Ferroseed can easily KO back with Bullet Seed or Seed Bomb before Diglett can KO it. Since Diglett takes minimal damage from Stealth Rock, it doesn't need much support to function properly. Choice Scarf users such as Misdreavus and Snover make great teammates though, as they can clean up the remains once Diglett has sufficiently weakened the opponent's team.</p>
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Protect
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Rock Slide / Hidden Power Ice
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Though with the addition of Team Preview "leads" have been pretty much dissolved, Diglett can still function as a decent first Pokemon in order to set up Stealth Rock. Protect stops the uncommon Fake Out, and allows Diglett to scout for U-turns and other surprise attacks. Earthquake and Rock Slide provide great neutral coverage, enabling Diglett to inflict decent damage after it gets Stealth Rock up. Hidden Power Ice is a nice alternative for hitting Gligar, though not much else will be taking a lot of damage from the move. One of the greatest reasons to use Diglett to set up Stealth Rock early in the game is its Speed. The only Pokemon that can prevent Diglett from setting up Stealth Rock are Choice Scarf users having Taunt or a multi-hit move.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Focus Sash allows Diglett to set up Stealth Rock almost all the time, even in the face of Choice Scarf users such as Snover. Life Orb can be used to hit certain threats harder, but most Ghost-types can easily sponge a Rock Slide, and Diglett's utility will be taking a major hit. Sucker Punch can be used over Protect since Fake Out users are rare, and Diglett can take out a boosting sweeper with the move. Houndour makes a great teammate for Diglett, as it benefits immensely from Stealth Rock while also dealing with pesky walls such as Bronzor and Ferroseed. Mantyke is a good partner too, as it has great defensive synergy with Diglett. Croagunk is nearly a surefire counter to this set if it avoids Earthquake on the switch, meaning Misdreavus is a great teammate for stopping it in its tracks with Will-O-Wisp or just KOing outright with Shadow Ball.</p>
[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Substitute / Sucker Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Jolly
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set can get Diglett to +6 Attack and +6 Accuracy if played correctly. The best way to pull off six Hone Claws is to come in on a Choice Scarf Chinchou's Volt Switch or Thunderbolt. From there, Diglett can set up Substitute, and then set up as many Hone Claws as it wants — preferably six, in order to max out its Attack and Accuracy. Earthquake is a dangerous STAB attack that can easily OHKO a great portion of the metagame at +6. Rock Slide gets great coverage, and is accurate thanks to Hone Claws boosting its accuracy. Sucker Punch can be used over Substitute for apriority attack, but it is unreliable, and Substitute is the better choice overall. Arena Trap is a very important ability on this set, as it allows Diglett to trap opposing Pokemon while they're locked into a useless attack.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Good partners are those which can take advantage of the sheer power that Diglett can present if it manages to net itself multiple boosts. Since the only Pokemon that Diglett cannot reliably beat are Hippopotas and Ferroseed, a Staryu with Hidden Power Fire is a very good teammate to beat them handily. It should be noted that this Diglett carries a lot of risk when using it despite the potential payoff and will probably only get one chance at a sweep. It is also very important that you know for certain that the Pokemon you are trapping is Choiced, as Diglett could be in a lot of trouble if it takes a super effective attack to the face (especially if it doesn't have Substitute). This set also requires a lot of prediction to function properly, since if the opponent correctly predicts Diglett switching in and uses a Water-type attack or Ice Beam, Diglett can say goodbye to its chances of sweeping.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Shadow Claw
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Arena Trap
nature: Jolly
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With a Choice Scarf, Diglett reaches 30 Speed and Speed ties with +2 Scraggy, making it a fantastic revenge killer. Arena Trap is what makes it so dangerous, as Diglett can easily trap and stop many threats from running away with the game. Earthquake is Diglett's most powerful and reliable STAB attack that can hit a lot of Pokemon for good amounts of damage. Rock Slide gets good coverage, hitting most Flying-types that are immune to Ground-type attacks for super effective damage. Shadow Claw hits Ghost-types and Slowpoke for big damage, while Pursuit is good for trapping Pokemon that avoid Arena Trap.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs on this set make the most of Diglett's attacking abilities and maximize its Speed, something absolutely necessary in a Speed-based metagame. Mantyke makes a good partner, having great defensive synergy with Diglett. Since this set loses quite easily to Wynaut, a mixed sweeper such as Houndour is good for taking it out. Houndour also deals with Slowpoke, another Pokemon that will beat Diglett with ease. Snover is also a good partner for this set as it beats Hippopotas without much trouble.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Because Diglett's movepool is so shallow, it does not have many other options. It can run a Substitute + 3 attacks set, but since it is very frail, it might not be able to successfully pull off a sweep. It has Pursuit for trapping Ghost-types, but the move isn't very powerful, doesn't get STAB, and fails to 2HKO most variants of Misdreavus. Knock Off could be useful in removing an Eviolite or Choice item. Sand Veil might be used on sandstorm teams, and most people wouldn't bother trying to switch out when they see Diglett, but Arena Trap is better most of the time. Sunny Day is also an option, but weather isn't great in Little Cup.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>It's tough to "counter" Diglett because it usually only comes in on Pokemon that it can easily beat. However, it is very frail, and most attacks will be able to inflict a lot of damage to it. Priority is very effective against it, and Fake Out is a great move to have, as it will render Diglett useless for a turn and rid Diglett of its Focus Sash. Though Croagunk hates Earthquake, it can easily KO Diglett with the combination of Fake Out and Vacuum Wave. Choice Scarf Snover beats most variants easily since Blizzard OHKOes, and can stave off a Sucker Punch. If Diglett lacks Hidden Power Ice, Hippopotas can sponge its attacks all day and hit back with Earthquake. If Misdreavus predicts Sucker Punch correctly, it can set up Substitute, then use Nasty Plot or KO Diglett with Shadow Ball with relative ease.</p>
