http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/dragonair
QC 2/2
Let me start by saying that although Dragonair has no significant impact in the UU metagame and is seemingly outclassed in many ways, fragile, an analysis has to be written on it and the 'Dragon Dance' set is by far the best regarding what Dragonair has to offer.
[Overview]
<p>Dragonair is often overlooked in UU due to its mediocre stats and NFE status; however, it does have a few strong points. In addition to the sheer power of STAB Outrage, Dragonair has a very impressive movepool, which makes up for Dragonair's not-so-great offensive attributes. The dragon snake is also a great choice for teams that need a wallbreaking partner or late-game sweeper. Access to a priority attack in ExtremeSpeed, combined with the fact that Dragonair lacks a 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks, gives it advantages over Altaria and Gabite. Overall, Dragonair's excellent type coverage, powerful STAB attacks, many resistances, and lack of a Stealth Rock weakness make it a powerful Pokemon that should not be underestimated.</p>
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: ExtremeSpeed
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Aqua Tail
ability: Shed Skin
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant
evs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Despite its impressive movepool, Dragonair cannot successfully utilize many of its potential moves due to its mediocre stats, which is typical for a NFE Pokemon. Nevertheless, its access to Dragon Dance allows Dragonair to function as a moderately powerful physical sweeper. Additionally, unlike other sweepers, Dragonair does not fear getting inflicted with status thanks to its awesome ability, Shed Skin.</p>
<p>After a single Dragon Dance, Dragonair hits a respectable 341 Speed, outspeeding everything up to positive-natured base 105s, a large majority of the UU metagame. Although there are Pokemon that outspeed Dragonair even after a Dragon Dance boost, such as Dugtrio and Alakazam, they are also fragile enough to be taken down by a boosted ExtremeSpeed. As stated above, ExtremeSpeed is one of the biggest reasons to consider Dragonair over the other Dragon-types in UU; it not only allows it to revenge kill weakened, faster threats, but also to protect itself from priority revenge kills after it has set up a Dragon Dance or two. Outrage is Dragonair's most reliable physical STAB move, since Dragon Rush's poor accuracy can cause a potential sweep to go astray, not to mention the vital extra power that Outrage provides. Aqua Tail has almost unresisted coverage alongside Outrage, and helps Dragonair deal with bulky Ground- and Steel-types, hitting the likes of Registeel for neutral damage. One of the primary reasons Aqua Tail is used over Waterfall is that it can OHKO 140 HP / 0 Def Rhyperior after Stealth Rock, something Waterfall can only very rarely accomplish.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is tailored to outspeed specific Pokemon, as well as giving Dragonair maximum power. 204 Speed EVs with an Adamant nature allows Dragonair to outspeed and crush the likes of Mismagius and Scyther after a single Dragon Dance boost. If 341 Speed is not sufficient for you, a Jolly nature combined with 232 Speed EVs allow Dragonair to outrun even positive-natured base 125 Speed Pokemon after a Dragon Dance, though Dragonair will miss out on the power provided by the listed EV spread.</p>
<p>Due to Dragonair's mediocre offensive stats, entry hazard support is greatly appreciated. Omastar and Qwilfish have good synergy with Dragonair, and can set up multiple entry hazards. Donphan shares an Ice-type weakness with the dragon snake, but it still makes a good teammate due to its ability to set up Stealth Rock, as well as utilize Rapid Spin to remove them from your side. Donphan can also deal with Steel-types that would otherwise trouble Dragonair, such as Registeel, with its powerful STAB Earthquake. Venusaur is another great teammate for Dragonair, as it can put opposing Pokemon to sleep, thereby granting Dragonair a safe switch-in (and possibly a few turns to set up). Dragonair's defensive stats are mediocre at best, so finding time to set up is quite a task. Dragonair can set up against Chansey and Clefable, due to Seismic Toss being the main form of offense for the aforementioned Pokemon. Non-offensive Spiritomb are good set-up bait as well, since Shadow Sneak and Will-O-Wisp won't be doing much to Dragonair. Paralysis support is also invaluable, as Dragonair finds it much easier to set up and sweep when the opposing team is crippled thus. Uxie and Chansey have access to Thunder Wave, and are bulky enough to reliably utilize it throughout the match, as well as absorb powerful physical and special attacks aimed at Dragonair, respectively.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>What usually prevents Dragonair from sweeping is the presence of a Steel-type on your opponent's team. Registeel and Steelix, though the latter is weak to Aqua Tail, can take several hits from Dragonair and retaliate with Iron Head and Gyro Ball (which nails an easy 2HKO on Dragonair), respectively. Magneton and Dugtrio are wonderful teammates to sort out this problem, as they can trap the aforementioned walls thanks to their abilities and dispose of them. Magneton also has great defensive synergy with Dragonair. Dugtrio is also a good option thanks to its ability, Arena Trap, allowing it to trap pesky Steel-types and hit them with STAB Earthquake. Unfortunately, Dugtrio shares an Ice-type weakness with Dragonair, so packing another Pokemon capable of absorbing Ice-type attacks is a must. Blaziken and Moltres are also good teammates for Dragonair, as they do well against Steel-types and bulky physical walls in general, threatening them with their impressive STAB Fire-type moves. Bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Slowbro have impressive bulk, and can slowly wear down Registeel with Surf, while drowning Steelix and Aggron. Spiritomb can get rid of opposing Mismagius and Rotom with Pursuit, which is very helpful to Dragonair, as the aforementioned Ghosts are immune to ExtremeSpeed and can survive a +1 Aqua Tail, forcing Dragonair to lock itself in with Outrage if it wants to OHKO them.</p>
<p>Due to its below-average all-around stats, entry hazard support is neccessary for utilizing Dragonair to its full potential. Omastar, Mesprit, and Uxie are great entry hazard users, the former being able to set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes, while the latter two, despite only being able to set up Stealth Rock, can also provide paralysis and dual screen support, which can greatly aid Dragonair when attempting to sweep. Cloyster and Donphan can spin away the opponent's entry hazards, as well as setting up their own; Donphan can also get rid of opposing Steel-types with its STAB Earthquake.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Dragonair has been blessed with a huge movepool. However, most of its viable options are limited due to its poor stats. Dragon Rush is an option if you dislike the prospect of being locked into Outrage for several turns, though its inferior power and accuracy are unattractive. Return has little reason to be considered, as it has poor coverage alongside Outrage. While many players think of Dragonair as a physical sweeper, it actually has an extensive special movepool. Fire Blast can be used on a special or mixed set, and it is the only way Dragonair can take on Registeel. Dragonair also learns Surf and Thunderbolt, the former annihilating Rock-types such as Rhyperior, as well as dealing with Fire-types, while the latter can hit Water-type Pokemon for serious damage, landing a 2HKO on Milotic after Stealth Rock damage (considering maximum EV investment). Draco Meteor is Dragonair's strongest attack, capable of picking off physical walls, as well as denting almost anything that does not resist it.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Cloyster is one of the best counters to Dragonair thanks to its impressive physical bulk and STAB Ice-type attacks. Bulky Pokemon such as Milotic and Omastar can 2HKO Dragonair with Ice Beam, and can take a boosted Outrage pretty well. Registeel resists every attack Dragonair commonly carries bar Aqua Tail and Fire Blast, which the former will not deal much damage after a boost, and can temporarily hinder Dragonair with Thunder Wave and proceed to finish it off with Ice Punch or Iron Head. Slowbro falls in the same category, able to take repeated attacks and beating Dragonair with STAB Psychic, or Ice Beam. Due to Donphan's sheer bulk and great Attack, it can easily take boosted hits and finish off Dragonair with a combination of Earthquake and Ice Shard. Torterra can take a boosted hit or two and retaliate with STAB Earthquake. Weezing, despite not resisting Outrage, has the physical bulk to take several hits and can temporarily cripple Dragonair with Will-O-Wisp.</p>
QC 2/2
Let me start by saying that although Dragonair has no significant impact in the UU metagame and is seemingly outclassed in many ways, fragile, an analysis has to be written on it and the 'Dragon Dance' set is by far the best regarding what Dragonair has to offer.
[Overview]
<p>Dragonair is often overlooked in UU due to its mediocre stats and NFE status; however, it does have a few strong points. In addition to the sheer power of STAB Outrage, Dragonair has a very impressive movepool, which makes up for Dragonair's not-so-great offensive attributes. The dragon snake is also a great choice for teams that need a wallbreaking partner or late-game sweeper. Access to a priority attack in ExtremeSpeed, combined with the fact that Dragonair lacks a 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks, gives it advantages over Altaria and Gabite. Overall, Dragonair's excellent type coverage, powerful STAB attacks, many resistances, and lack of a Stealth Rock weakness make it a powerful Pokemon that should not be underestimated.</p>
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: ExtremeSpeed
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Aqua Tail
ability: Shed Skin
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant
evs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Despite its impressive movepool, Dragonair cannot successfully utilize many of its potential moves due to its mediocre stats, which is typical for a NFE Pokemon. Nevertheless, its access to Dragon Dance allows Dragonair to function as a moderately powerful physical sweeper. Additionally, unlike other sweepers, Dragonair does not fear getting inflicted with status thanks to its awesome ability, Shed Skin.</p>
<p>After a single Dragon Dance, Dragonair hits a respectable 341 Speed, outspeeding everything up to positive-natured base 105s, a large majority of the UU metagame. Although there are Pokemon that outspeed Dragonair even after a Dragon Dance boost, such as Dugtrio and Alakazam, they are also fragile enough to be taken down by a boosted ExtremeSpeed. As stated above, ExtremeSpeed is one of the biggest reasons to consider Dragonair over the other Dragon-types in UU; it not only allows it to revenge kill weakened, faster threats, but also to protect itself from priority revenge kills after it has set up a Dragon Dance or two. Outrage is Dragonair's most reliable physical STAB move, since Dragon Rush's poor accuracy can cause a potential sweep to go astray, not to mention the vital extra power that Outrage provides. Aqua Tail has almost unresisted coverage alongside Outrage, and helps Dragonair deal with bulky Ground- and Steel-types, hitting the likes of Registeel for neutral damage. One of the primary reasons Aqua Tail is used over Waterfall is that it can OHKO 140 HP / 0 Def Rhyperior after Stealth Rock, something Waterfall can only very rarely accomplish.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is tailored to outspeed specific Pokemon, as well as giving Dragonair maximum power. 204 Speed EVs with an Adamant nature allows Dragonair to outspeed and crush the likes of Mismagius and Scyther after a single Dragon Dance boost. If 341 Speed is not sufficient for you, a Jolly nature combined with 232 Speed EVs allow Dragonair to outrun even positive-natured base 125 Speed Pokemon after a Dragon Dance, though Dragonair will miss out on the power provided by the listed EV spread.</p>
<p>Due to Dragonair's mediocre offensive stats, entry hazard support is greatly appreciated. Omastar and Qwilfish have good synergy with Dragonair, and can set up multiple entry hazards. Donphan shares an Ice-type weakness with the dragon snake, but it still makes a good teammate due to its ability to set up Stealth Rock, as well as utilize Rapid Spin to remove them from your side. Donphan can also deal with Steel-types that would otherwise trouble Dragonair, such as Registeel, with its powerful STAB Earthquake. Venusaur is another great teammate for Dragonair, as it can put opposing Pokemon to sleep, thereby granting Dragonair a safe switch-in (and possibly a few turns to set up). Dragonair's defensive stats are mediocre at best, so finding time to set up is quite a task. Dragonair can set up against Chansey and Clefable, due to Seismic Toss being the main form of offense for the aforementioned Pokemon. Non-offensive Spiritomb are good set-up bait as well, since Shadow Sneak and Will-O-Wisp won't be doing much to Dragonair. Paralysis support is also invaluable, as Dragonair finds it much easier to set up and sweep when the opposing team is crippled thus. Uxie and Chansey have access to Thunder Wave, and are bulky enough to reliably utilize it throughout the match, as well as absorb powerful physical and special attacks aimed at Dragonair, respectively.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>What usually prevents Dragonair from sweeping is the presence of a Steel-type on your opponent's team. Registeel and Steelix, though the latter is weak to Aqua Tail, can take several hits from Dragonair and retaliate with Iron Head and Gyro Ball (which nails an easy 2HKO on Dragonair), respectively. Magneton and Dugtrio are wonderful teammates to sort out this problem, as they can trap the aforementioned walls thanks to their abilities and dispose of them. Magneton also has great defensive synergy with Dragonair. Dugtrio is also a good option thanks to its ability, Arena Trap, allowing it to trap pesky Steel-types and hit them with STAB Earthquake. Unfortunately, Dugtrio shares an Ice-type weakness with Dragonair, so packing another Pokemon capable of absorbing Ice-type attacks is a must. Blaziken and Moltres are also good teammates for Dragonair, as they do well against Steel-types and bulky physical walls in general, threatening them with their impressive STAB Fire-type moves. Bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Slowbro have impressive bulk, and can slowly wear down Registeel with Surf, while drowning Steelix and Aggron. Spiritomb can get rid of opposing Mismagius and Rotom with Pursuit, which is very helpful to Dragonair, as the aforementioned Ghosts are immune to ExtremeSpeed and can survive a +1 Aqua Tail, forcing Dragonair to lock itself in with Outrage if it wants to OHKO them.</p>
<p>Due to its below-average all-around stats, entry hazard support is neccessary for utilizing Dragonair to its full potential. Omastar, Mesprit, and Uxie are great entry hazard users, the former being able to set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes, while the latter two, despite only being able to set up Stealth Rock, can also provide paralysis and dual screen support, which can greatly aid Dragonair when attempting to sweep. Cloyster and Donphan can spin away the opponent's entry hazards, as well as setting up their own; Donphan can also get rid of opposing Steel-types with its STAB Earthquake.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Dragonair has been blessed with a huge movepool. However, most of its viable options are limited due to its poor stats. Dragon Rush is an option if you dislike the prospect of being locked into Outrage for several turns, though its inferior power and accuracy are unattractive. Return has little reason to be considered, as it has poor coverage alongside Outrage. While many players think of Dragonair as a physical sweeper, it actually has an extensive special movepool. Fire Blast can be used on a special or mixed set, and it is the only way Dragonair can take on Registeel. Dragonair also learns Surf and Thunderbolt, the former annihilating Rock-types such as Rhyperior, as well as dealing with Fire-types, while the latter can hit Water-type Pokemon for serious damage, landing a 2HKO on Milotic after Stealth Rock damage (considering maximum EV investment). Draco Meteor is Dragonair's strongest attack, capable of picking off physical walls, as well as denting almost anything that does not resist it.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Cloyster is one of the best counters to Dragonair thanks to its impressive physical bulk and STAB Ice-type attacks. Bulky Pokemon such as Milotic and Omastar can 2HKO Dragonair with Ice Beam, and can take a boosted Outrage pretty well. Registeel resists every attack Dragonair commonly carries bar Aqua Tail and Fire Blast, which the former will not deal much damage after a boost, and can temporarily hinder Dragonair with Thunder Wave and proceed to finish it off with Ice Punch or Iron Head. Slowbro falls in the same category, able to take repeated attacks and beating Dragonair with STAB Psychic, or Ice Beam. Due to Donphan's sheer bulk and great Attack, it can easily take boosted hits and finish off Dragonair with a combination of Earthquake and Ice Shard. Torterra can take a boosted hit or two and retaliate with STAB Earthquake. Weezing, despite not resisting Outrage, has the physical bulk to take several hits and can temporarily cripple Dragonair with Will-O-Wisp.</p>