[OVERVIEW]
Dragalge has a slew of unique traits that carve it a niche on Trick Room teams. Its Adaptability-boosted Draco Meteor is one of the hardest-hitting moves in the format. Its typing also grants it excellent neutral STAB coverage, with Poison covering Fairies and Dragon hitting most Pokemon neutrally, as well as several resistances that grant it plenty of opportunities to switch in. It also makes Dragalge the only Dragon-type in the format that takes neutral damage from Fairy-type moves. Dragalge's high Special Defense complements its resistances to make it a great switch-in to special attackers. Unfortunately, while good neutrally, Poison and Dragon have very poor super effective coverage. Moreover, Dragalge is weak to Ground and Ice, which are both very common coverage types in the metagame. Dragalge's low overall base stats also leave it weak against physical attackers, with an underwhelming damage output on its non-STAB moves, and with a Speed stat that leaves it only able to function effectively under Trick Room. Be sure that you're taking advantage of Dragalge's niches properly, as it is otherwise outclassed by other Dragon-types such as Hydreigon.
[SET]
name: Trick Room Attacker
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Focus Blast / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Protect / Dragon Pulse
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
ability: Adaptability
nature: Quiet
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Draco Meteor is Dragalge's hardest-hitting STAB move and has the potential to OHKO many foes. Sludge Bomb hits Fairy-types, which are immune to Draco Meteor, super effectively and provides a secondary STAB move that doesn't lower Dragalge's Special Attack. Focus Blast deals with opposing Steel-types, which resist both Dragon and Poison. Hidden Power Fire is an alternative that trades a lot of power for greater accuracy. Protect shields Dragalge for a turn and gives a teammate the opportunity to react to the foes. Alternatively, if running Choice Specs, Dragon Pulse provides a Dragon-type coverage option without drawbacks, unlike Draco Meteor.
Set Details
========
Adaptability boosts the power of Dragalge's STAB moves, turning it into a fearsome wallbreaker. Life Orb further increases Dragalge's damage output; alternatively, Choice Specs maximizes Dragalge's wallbreaking potential but locks it into the first move it uses. A Quiet nature and maximum Special Attack EVs are used to deal as much damage as possible, and maximum HP EVs increase Dragalge's general bulk. When using Hidden Power Fire, an EV spread of 252 HP / 4 Def / 248 SpA / 4 SpD should be used to compensate for the associated loss of IVs. Speed IVs are minimized to allow Dragalge to move faster under Trick Room.
Usage Tips
========
Dragalge's plentiful resistances and great Special Defense make it easy to switch in once Trick Room has been set up, so don't be afraid to take some hits to accomplish this. Draco Meteor is capable of picking up many OHKOs, but you must be wary of killing momentum by using the move and leaving Dragalge neutered offensively. Despite Dragalge's access to moves such as Hidden Power Fire and Focus Blast to handle Steel-types, their damage outputs are still fairly underwhelming, so leave handling Steel-types to Fighting-, Fire-, or Ground-type teammates whenever possible.
Team Options
========
Trick Room setters such as Cresselia, Gardevoir, and Jellicent are mandatory teammates in order to set up the field condition for Dragalge. Fighting-types can handle opposing Steel-types, which wall Dragalge's STAB moves. Hariyama and Scrafty are notable examples, as they can also use Fake Out to help a teammate set up Trick Room more easily. Fire- and Ground-types such as Heatran, Mega Camerupt, and Gastrodon are also able to handle opposing Steel-types. Helping Hand users such as Cresselia, Politoed, and Togekiss can turn Dragalge's attacks from 2HKOs into OHKOs. Will-O-Wisp users such as Jellicent and Rotom-W as well as Intimidate users such as Landorus-T, Scrafty, and Mega Mawile can weaken opposing physical attackers, which target Dragalge's lower defensive stat. Wide Guard users such as Aegislash, Conkeldurr, and Swampert can protect Dragalge against Earthquake.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Sludge Wave is an option for dealing spread damage, but it also targets allies and should therefore be used in combination with a Steel-type or a Telepathy user. Scald provides a more reliable option to deal with Heatran, which can easily switch into Dragalge's STAB moves. Hydro Pump is a more powerful alternative to Scald, but it is less accurate and generally won't pick up any KOs that Scald doesn't already achieve. Shadow Ball provides a stronger option to deal with Aegislash. Finally, Assault Vest can turn Dragalge into a special tank, but as a Trick Room attacker, dealing as much damage as possible is more important.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types such as Aegislash, Heatran, and Mega Metagross can easily switch into Dragalge's STAB moves. Aegislash does an excellent job at dealing with common Trick Room setters, and Heatran and Mega Metagross both have ways of dealing super effective damage to Dragalge with Earth Power and Zen Headbutt, respectively.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Landorus-T, Excadrill, and Mega Camerupt hit Dragalge super effectively with their STAB moves and resist Poison, making them easy to switch in against it. Notably, Excadrill is also part Steel-type, so it can switch into either of Dragalge's STAB moves. Mega Camerupt has a lower base Speed than Dragalge and can move faster than it under Trick Room.
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types such as Cresselia and Mega Metagross can deal super effective damage to Dragalge with their STAB moves.
**Physical Attackers**: Dragalge's low HP and mediocre Defense leave it vulnerable to physical attackers such as Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Salamence, and Tyranitar.
Dragalge has a slew of unique traits that carve it a niche on Trick Room teams. Its Adaptability-boosted Draco Meteor is one of the hardest-hitting moves in the format. Its typing also grants it excellent neutral STAB coverage, with Poison covering Fairies and Dragon hitting most Pokemon neutrally, as well as several resistances that grant it plenty of opportunities to switch in. It also makes Dragalge the only Dragon-type in the format that takes neutral damage from Fairy-type moves. Dragalge's high Special Defense complements its resistances to make it a great switch-in to special attackers. Unfortunately, while good neutrally, Poison and Dragon have very poor super effective coverage. Moreover, Dragalge is weak to Ground and Ice, which are both very common coverage types in the metagame. Dragalge's low overall base stats also leave it weak against physical attackers, with an underwhelming damage output on its non-STAB moves, and with a Speed stat that leaves it only able to function effectively under Trick Room. Be sure that you're taking advantage of Dragalge's niches properly, as it is otherwise outclassed by other Dragon-types such as Hydreigon.
[SET]
name: Trick Room Attacker
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Focus Blast / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Protect / Dragon Pulse
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
ability: Adaptability
nature: Quiet
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Draco Meteor is Dragalge's hardest-hitting STAB move and has the potential to OHKO many foes. Sludge Bomb hits Fairy-types, which are immune to Draco Meteor, super effectively and provides a secondary STAB move that doesn't lower Dragalge's Special Attack. Focus Blast deals with opposing Steel-types, which resist both Dragon and Poison. Hidden Power Fire is an alternative that trades a lot of power for greater accuracy. Protect shields Dragalge for a turn and gives a teammate the opportunity to react to the foes. Alternatively, if running Choice Specs, Dragon Pulse provides a Dragon-type coverage option without drawbacks, unlike Draco Meteor.
Set Details
========
Adaptability boosts the power of Dragalge's STAB moves, turning it into a fearsome wallbreaker. Life Orb further increases Dragalge's damage output; alternatively, Choice Specs maximizes Dragalge's wallbreaking potential but locks it into the first move it uses. A Quiet nature and maximum Special Attack EVs are used to deal as much damage as possible, and maximum HP EVs increase Dragalge's general bulk. When using Hidden Power Fire, an EV spread of 252 HP / 4 Def / 248 SpA / 4 SpD should be used to compensate for the associated loss of IVs. Speed IVs are minimized to allow Dragalge to move faster under Trick Room.
Usage Tips
========
Dragalge's plentiful resistances and great Special Defense make it easy to switch in once Trick Room has been set up, so don't be afraid to take some hits to accomplish this. Draco Meteor is capable of picking up many OHKOs, but you must be wary of killing momentum by using the move and leaving Dragalge neutered offensively. Despite Dragalge's access to moves such as Hidden Power Fire and Focus Blast to handle Steel-types, their damage outputs are still fairly underwhelming, so leave handling Steel-types to Fighting-, Fire-, or Ground-type teammates whenever possible.
Team Options
========
Trick Room setters such as Cresselia, Gardevoir, and Jellicent are mandatory teammates in order to set up the field condition for Dragalge. Fighting-types can handle opposing Steel-types, which wall Dragalge's STAB moves. Hariyama and Scrafty are notable examples, as they can also use Fake Out to help a teammate set up Trick Room more easily. Fire- and Ground-types such as Heatran, Mega Camerupt, and Gastrodon are also able to handle opposing Steel-types. Helping Hand users such as Cresselia, Politoed, and Togekiss can turn Dragalge's attacks from 2HKOs into OHKOs. Will-O-Wisp users such as Jellicent and Rotom-W as well as Intimidate users such as Landorus-T, Scrafty, and Mega Mawile can weaken opposing physical attackers, which target Dragalge's lower defensive stat. Wide Guard users such as Aegislash, Conkeldurr, and Swampert can protect Dragalge against Earthquake.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Sludge Wave is an option for dealing spread damage, but it also targets allies and should therefore be used in combination with a Steel-type or a Telepathy user. Scald provides a more reliable option to deal with Heatran, which can easily switch into Dragalge's STAB moves. Hydro Pump is a more powerful alternative to Scald, but it is less accurate and generally won't pick up any KOs that Scald doesn't already achieve. Shadow Ball provides a stronger option to deal with Aegislash. Finally, Assault Vest can turn Dragalge into a special tank, but as a Trick Room attacker, dealing as much damage as possible is more important.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types such as Aegislash, Heatran, and Mega Metagross can easily switch into Dragalge's STAB moves. Aegislash does an excellent job at dealing with common Trick Room setters, and Heatran and Mega Metagross both have ways of dealing super effective damage to Dragalge with Earth Power and Zen Headbutt, respectively.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Landorus-T, Excadrill, and Mega Camerupt hit Dragalge super effectively with their STAB moves and resist Poison, making them easy to switch in against it. Notably, Excadrill is also part Steel-type, so it can switch into either of Dragalge's STAB moves. Mega Camerupt has a lower base Speed than Dragalge and can move faster than it under Trick Room.
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types such as Cresselia and Mega Metagross can deal super effective damage to Dragalge with their STAB moves.
**Physical Attackers**: Dragalge's low HP and mediocre Defense leave it vulnerable to physical attackers such as Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Salamence, and Tyranitar.
Last edited:
