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[Overview]
<p>Don't let Druddigon's juvenile design fool you into thinking it can't pull its weight in a match; on the contrary, it is one of the most dangerous Pokemon in the tier. Druddigon resides in a select circle of viable Dragon-type Pokemon in RU, having the qualities needed to take full advantage of this rare trait. Its high Attack stat makes it capable of powering through many Pokemon with its powerful Outrage, a trait magnified by the limited number of Steel-types available in the tier; which while the move's unsavory lock-in effect can occasionally prove inconvenient, Druddigon's ability to power through most Pokemon attempting to switch in means this drawback can often be ignored. The useful resistances that come with Druddigon's Dragon typing, complimented by its respectable 77 / 90 / 90 defenses, make it very capable of switching into and dismantling the Fire / Water / Grass cores that plague the metagame. Druddigon also retains two useful abilities in Rough Skin and Sheer Force, which it can use to either passively wear down Pokemon such as Entei or act as a potent lure in the form of a mixed set. Druddigon's movepool tailors to its needs quite well, granting it respectable STAB moves and coverage options to work with as well as an assortment of useful support options for it to take advantage of.</p>
<p>However, that is not to say Druddigon is without its fault. While Druddigon is a true force in the metagame, its low base Speed hinders its performance against most faster threats, forcing it to fall back on its bulk to take hits instead. Moreover, its lack of recovery beyond Leftovers and the unreliable RestTalk make Druddigon highly susceptible to being worn down. The presence of hail has only exacerbated this, not only wearing Druddigon down passively but also bringing with it powerful Blizzard users to prey upon it. Notwithstanding, Druddigon remains a unique and dangerous threat, so be wary of underestimating it lest you invoke its wrath.</p>
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Adamant
evs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Druddigon's respectable blend of bulk, typing, and Attack allow it to serve as an excellent offensive Stealth Rock user throughout the match. Due to its useful bulk and typing, Druddigon finds multiple opportunities to set up Stealth Rock during a match. Outrage provides a powerful STAB attack capable of dealing large damage to anything that does not resist it. On the other hand, Dragon Claw provides a much safer attacking option that does not require Druddigon to lock itself in. Earthquake provides Druddigon with a powerful coverage move allowing it to hit Steel-types hard and also hit several common Pokemon, such as Nidoqueen, Kabutops, and Entei, hard without having to lock itself into Outrage. Lastly, Sucker Punch offers Druddigon a moderately powerful priority attack that allows it to mitigate its poor Speed stat and pick off weakened Pokemon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread seeks to maximize offensive presence and bulk, with 20 Speed EVs allowing Druddigon to outpace Tangrowth and hit it again before being put to sleep. If need be, Druddigon can invest more heavily in Speed to outpace Pokemon such as Clefable and Lanturn, though the loss in bulk resulting from this is evident when faced with powerful attackers such as Sceptile and Rotom. Superpower and Fire Punch both offer Druddigon alternative coverage moves capable of hitting Steel-types, with the former being capable of punishing bulky Normal-types as well and the latter hitting Pokemon such as Escavalier and Durant that enjoy switching into Druddigon's STAB attacks as well as hitting Ice-types such as Cryogonal consistently without locking into Outrage. As contradictory as it sounds, if one's team can afford an alternative Stealth Rock user, Leftovers Druddigon in its own right is quite viable and threatening, taking advantage of the free moveslot to utilize another attacking option such as Dragon Claw, or a secondary coverage move, Glare for crippling faster attackers, or even Substitute to minimize prediction.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, powerful offensive Pokemon such as Durant are useful teammates for Druddigon for their ability to wear down dedicated physical walls such as Poliwrath and Steelix so it can more effectively break through them. Spikes support is appreciated for Druddigon considering most of its checks and counters are grounded. Ferroseed and Qwilfish are useful for this purpose, setting up hazards against a respectable amount of common switch-ins to Druddigon. Powerful Fighting- and Ground-types offer a more direct way of pressuring Steel-types that trouble Druddigon. Nidoqueen and Gallade can both pressure Steel-types rather well, with Druddigon in turn helping to barrel through some of their prospective checks with its STAB attacks.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Superpower / Earthquake
move 3: Sucker Punch / Fire Punch
move 4: Dragon Claw
item: Choice Band
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Adamant
evs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Druddigon's solid Attack stat, Dragon STAB, and numerous opportunities to switch in lend itself to being a potent Choice Band user. Outrage is Druddigon's primary STAB move and hits everything barring Steel-types for an impressive amount of damage. Superpower and Earthquake both offer Druddigon coverage options for combating Steel-types, with both providing their own benefits. Superpower allows Druddigon to hit Ferroseed hard, while also punishing incoming Normal-types, whereas Earthquake, while not offering any particular coverage against Steel-types that Superpower lacks, allows Druddigon to hit Fire-types it innately checks hard without having to lock itself into Outrage. Earthquake's lack of stat drops is also important, as it allows it to better handle Pokemon such as Steelix, which can otherwise 2HKO with Earthquake when taking into account Defense drops. Sucker Punch allows Druddigon to mitigate its poor Speed stat, picking off weakened or frail Pokemon that would otherwise threaten it. However, being Choice-locked into Sucker Punch is dangerous, so it should be used only in instances of absolute necessity. That said, Fire Punch offers Druddigon a feasible alternative, allowing it to hit Pokemon such as Escavalier, Durant, and Ferroseed hard. Dragon Claw grants Druddigon a "safe" Dragon STAB, allowing it to fire off Dragon-type attacks mid-game without giving Steel-types more than one free turn to work with or becoming too vulnerable to being taken out by a strong Ice- or Dragon-type attack.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread seeks to maximize offensive presence and bulky, with 20 Speed EVs allowing Druddigon to outpace Tangrowth and hit it again before being put to sleep, ensuring it can be 2HKOed with Outrage after Stealth Rock damage. Druddigon can also bump up its Speed to outpace Pokemon such as Lanturn before they can attempt to burn it with Scald, though taking away from bulk does somewhat hurt Druddigon's ability to pivot into attacks. In a similar vein, Druddigon performs admirably in Trick Room, with its lower base Speed turned to a boon, and is one of the tier's most dangerous Trick Room sweepers. Should it be used as such, a spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD with a Brave nature should be used to "maximize" its Speed. ThunderPunch is a decent option, allowing Druddigon to hit bulky Water-types such as Slowking and Poliwrath without locking itself into Outrage.</p>
<p>As Choice Band Druddigon generally faces very few Pokemon that can readily take on multiple attacks from it, other hard-hitting physical attackers are excellent partners for overloading physical walls and sweeping. Pokemon such as Rock Polish Rhydon and Durant make solid examples of this, being able to pressure Steel-types that can check Druddigon and in turn spring-boarding off Druddigon's attacks. Strong Fighting- and Fire-types are also cool partners to Druddigon, as their ability to steamroll through Steel-types makes Druddigon's STAB attacks that much more effectual. Examples of these are Gallade, Entei, and Moltres. As Druddigon's typing lends itself to switching in on a plethora of attacks, it will find itself being worn down by hazard damage rather quickly. Rapid Spin users such as Cryogonal and Kabutops mitigate this issue, as well as offering a reasonable Ice-type resistance as well.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Sucker Punch / Substitute
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Lonely
evs: 216 HP / 252 Atk / 20 SpA / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>By utilizing its Sheer Force ability in conjunction with Life Orb, Druddigon is capable of luring in and KOing several of its usual checks and counters. Outrage remains as powerful as ever, dealing massive damage to all those that don't resist it. Dragon Claw can be utilized over this, as while the drop in power is very noticeable, it allows Druddigon more leniency in taking advantage of its STAB earlier in a match, as well as functioning better in conjunction with Substitute. Flamethrower is what makes this set tick, allowing it to safely and cleanly break through Pokemon such as Steelix, Tangrowth, and Escavalier easily, 2HKOing the former two and OHKOing the latter after Stealth Rock damage. Earthquake, while seemingly providing redundant coverage, is invaluable for hitting an assortment of Pokemon hard without resorting to locking Druddigon into Outrage, including but not limited to Nidoqueen, Kabutops, and Omastar. Sucker Punch offers Druddigon a useful priority move to pick off faster threats such as Galvantula and Sceptile, among others. On the other hand, Substitute capitalizes on the switches Druddigon forces and the surprise value of the set, allowing it to safely hide behind a Substitute while also taking out Pokemon such as Steelix and Tangrowth effectively.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread allows Druddigon to maintain bulk and high Attack, with 20 Special Attack EVs ensuring that Flamethrower OHKOes 248 HP / 8 SpD Escavalier after Stealth Rock damage and the Speed investment allowing it to outpace minimum Speed Tangrowth, allowing it to effectively 2HKO it with Flamethrower. Alternatively, a spread of 152 HP / 252 Atk / 20 SpA / 84 Spe with a Brave nature can be used to similar effect, making Druddigon more generally bulky and allowing it to take on Pokemon such as Entei better as opposed to favoring Druddigon's ability to take specially oriented hits. While being relatively slow, Druddigon can still outpace Pokemon such as Poliwrath, Clefable, and Lanturn should it be deemed necessary, though doing so would encourage the use of a Lonely nature as opposed to a Brave one. Alternative move options include Crunch, which allows Druddigon to cleanly 2HKO Uxie and hit other such Psychic-types hard, and ThunderPunch, which allows it to hit Water-types such as Slowking and Poliwrath hard without locking into Outrage, both of which receive the boost provided by Sheer Force.</p>
<p>Pokemon that appreciate the removal of dedicated physical walls such as Steelix and Tangrowth really appreciate the support of mixed Druddigon. Escavalier, Aerodactyl, and Kabutops all are reasonable examples of this, with the latter also providing Rapid Spin support to allow Druddigon to switch in better. Paralysis support is nice if available, as it allows Druddigon to avoid relying on Sucker Punch or Substitute to leave an impact on offensively oriented teams. Lanturn, Ferroseed, and Slowking are all capable of slowing down the opposing team for Druddigon and provide good defensive synergy with it as well. Considering Druddigon is often presented with opportunities to switch in, a Rapid Spin user such as Kabutops or Cryogonal can be useful for reducing the rate at which Druddigon can be worn down from doing so.</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Glare
move 2: Dragon Tail
move 3: Stealth Rock / Rest
move 4: Earthquake / Sleep Talk
item: Leftovers
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Due to its plethora of useful resistances and respectable bulk, Druddigon makes for a very effective status platform and phazer. Glare offers a reasonably accurate paralysis move that affects nearly all of the tier, making it easy for Druddigon to cripple opposing Pokemon. Dragon Tail offers Druddigon a moderately powerful STAB move that doubles as a phazing move, allowing it to spread around paralysis and residual damage from entry hazards effectively. Druddigon, finding quite a few opportunities to set up Stealth Rock, makes for a very versatile user of the move. Earthquake allows Druddigon to hit Steel-types that resist Dragon Tail hard, preventing Pokemon such as Klinklang from setting up on it. Having access to a neutral priority attack is also useful, as Druddigon is capable of outpacing most of the unboosted tier should they be paralyzed, and can thusly KO Pokemon before they can attack back. On the other hand, considering how easily Druddigon is worn down, RestTalk can be used to effectively prolong its life.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Druddigon's EV spread seeks to maximize special bulk in order to capitalize on its specially based resistances. However, an alternative spread of 252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SpD can be used to better take on certain Pokemon like Choice Band Entei, which this spread is being able to consistently survive two Choice Band Flare Blitzes from Choice Band Entei, though deviating heavily from investment in Special Defense hurts Druddigon's ability to check Pokemon such as Sceptile. Fire Punch can be used over Earthquake for the ability to hit Ferroseed, Durant, and Escavalier hard, while also hitting Grass-types at neutral priority. Roar is an interesting option for helping Druddigon phaze around Substitute users more efficiently and can also be used alongside Dragon Claw instead of Dragon Tail and a coverage move to allow for a neutral priority STAB move to work with. Sucker Punch is available, and priority is never a bad thing to have, though without investment in Attack it is somewhat weak, which should be taken into account. Substitute is a feasible option for Druddigon that can ensure it can safely paralyze Pokemon in most situations where it might otherwise be threatened out, such as match-ups with hard-hitting Ice-types, while also making it less vulnerable to Trick.</p>
<p>The most effective partners to this set are slow heavy hitters that can take advantage of the widespread paralysis support Druddigon provides. Examples of this include Aggron, Escavalier, and Bouffalant. As Druddigon spends about half its time phazing Pokemon around, entry hazard support is appreciated for capitalizing on this. Ferroseed and Qwilfish both are strong Spikes users and defensive partners for Druddigon. Wish and Heal Bell support are both appreciated, as Druddigon is quite vulnerable to both being worn down over time, a trait exemplified by its occasional resorting to RestTalk. Clefable and Flareon are both respectable examples of users of these moves. As with most of Druddigon's sets, it appreciates Rapid Spin support from Pokemon such as Cryogonal.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Hone Claws is an interesting tool for improving Druddigon's Attack stat, though its lower Speed prevents it from taking full advantage of the move outside a dedicated Trick Room team. Druddigon has access to Taunt, which could be an interesting option for shutting down checks such as Alomomola, though Druddigon's mediocre Speed again prevents it from making good use of the move. Pursuit is an interesting move to carry, though for the most part Druddigon doesn't scare Ghost-types out particularly well, as most would rather attempt to burn it with Will-O-Wisp, and generally speaking without any form of boost from STAB or ability, Pursuit is rather weak.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>In the most conventional sense, Steel-types are probably the most effective counters to Druddigon, resisting its STAB and generally not caring much about paralysis from Glare due to their characteristically low Speed, though they all need to be wary of its coverage moves. Steelix in particular is problematic for Druddigon, taking any two attacks from it barring the mixed set's Flamethrower by merit of its mammoth physical bulk. Pokemon such as Escavalier and Aggron can steamroll Druddigon with powerful Choice Band boosted Megahorn and Head Smash (respectively), and Durant can set up Hone Claws boosts on a locked-in Druddigon. Pokemon with good natural physical bulk, such as Rhydon and Tangrowth, can take most of Druddigon's attacks well, though they struggle to takes hits from the Choice Band and mixed set. However, more often than not, exploiting Druddigon's lower Speed is the best method of checking it, as most Pokemon struggle to take multiple attacks. Fast Pokemon such as Accelgor and Aerodactyl are able to outpace it and put it out of commission after enough prior damage, and Pokemon such as Uxie can take a hit by merit of their bulk and KO after Druddigon has been worn down enough. Powerful Ice-types, such as Rotom-F and Glaceon, are usually able to OHKO Druddigon with their powerful STAB attacks, even more so in the context of hail teams where they have access to a powerful and accurate Blizzard. Druddigon as a whole is very susceptible to being worn down and simply crumples from switching in on Pokemon such as Sceptile after switching into entry hazards and attacks enough. The support set, when utilizing RestTalk, falls prey to Substitute users, which are capable of avoiding Druddigon's Glare and phazing prowess.</p>
<p>Don't let Druddigon's juvenile design fool you into thinking it can't pull its weight in a match; on the contrary, it is one of the most dangerous Pokemon in the tier. Druddigon resides in a select circle of viable Dragon-type Pokemon in RU, having the qualities needed to take full advantage of this rare trait. Its high Attack stat makes it capable of powering through many Pokemon with its powerful Outrage, a trait magnified by the limited number of Steel-types available in the tier; which while the move's unsavory lock-in effect can occasionally prove inconvenient, Druddigon's ability to power through most Pokemon attempting to switch in means this drawback can often be ignored. The useful resistances that come with Druddigon's Dragon typing, complimented by its respectable 77 / 90 / 90 defenses, make it very capable of switching into and dismantling the Fire / Water / Grass cores that plague the metagame. Druddigon also retains two useful abilities in Rough Skin and Sheer Force, which it can use to either passively wear down Pokemon such as Entei or act as a potent lure in the form of a mixed set. Druddigon's movepool tailors to its needs quite well, granting it respectable STAB moves and coverage options to work with as well as an assortment of useful support options for it to take advantage of.</p>
<p>However, that is not to say Druddigon is without its fault. While Druddigon is a true force in the metagame, its low base Speed hinders its performance against most faster threats, forcing it to fall back on its bulk to take hits instead. Moreover, its lack of recovery beyond Leftovers and the unreliable RestTalk make Druddigon highly susceptible to being worn down. The presence of hail has only exacerbated this, not only wearing Druddigon down passively but also bringing with it powerful Blizzard users to prey upon it. Notwithstanding, Druddigon remains a unique and dangerous threat, so be wary of underestimating it lest you invoke its wrath.</p>
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Adamant
evs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Druddigon's respectable blend of bulk, typing, and Attack allow it to serve as an excellent offensive Stealth Rock user throughout the match. Due to its useful bulk and typing, Druddigon finds multiple opportunities to set up Stealth Rock during a match. Outrage provides a powerful STAB attack capable of dealing large damage to anything that does not resist it. On the other hand, Dragon Claw provides a much safer attacking option that does not require Druddigon to lock itself in. Earthquake provides Druddigon with a powerful coverage move allowing it to hit Steel-types hard and also hit several common Pokemon, such as Nidoqueen, Kabutops, and Entei, hard without having to lock itself into Outrage. Lastly, Sucker Punch offers Druddigon a moderately powerful priority attack that allows it to mitigate its poor Speed stat and pick off weakened Pokemon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread seeks to maximize offensive presence and bulk, with 20 Speed EVs allowing Druddigon to outpace Tangrowth and hit it again before being put to sleep. If need be, Druddigon can invest more heavily in Speed to outpace Pokemon such as Clefable and Lanturn, though the loss in bulk resulting from this is evident when faced with powerful attackers such as Sceptile and Rotom. Superpower and Fire Punch both offer Druddigon alternative coverage moves capable of hitting Steel-types, with the former being capable of punishing bulky Normal-types as well and the latter hitting Pokemon such as Escavalier and Durant that enjoy switching into Druddigon's STAB attacks as well as hitting Ice-types such as Cryogonal consistently without locking into Outrage. As contradictory as it sounds, if one's team can afford an alternative Stealth Rock user, Leftovers Druddigon in its own right is quite viable and threatening, taking advantage of the free moveslot to utilize another attacking option such as Dragon Claw, or a secondary coverage move, Glare for crippling faster attackers, or even Substitute to minimize prediction.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, powerful offensive Pokemon such as Durant are useful teammates for Druddigon for their ability to wear down dedicated physical walls such as Poliwrath and Steelix so it can more effectively break through them. Spikes support is appreciated for Druddigon considering most of its checks and counters are grounded. Ferroseed and Qwilfish are useful for this purpose, setting up hazards against a respectable amount of common switch-ins to Druddigon. Powerful Fighting- and Ground-types offer a more direct way of pressuring Steel-types that trouble Druddigon. Nidoqueen and Gallade can both pressure Steel-types rather well, with Druddigon in turn helping to barrel through some of their prospective checks with its STAB attacks.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Superpower / Earthquake
move 3: Sucker Punch / Fire Punch
move 4: Dragon Claw
item: Choice Band
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Adamant
evs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Druddigon's solid Attack stat, Dragon STAB, and numerous opportunities to switch in lend itself to being a potent Choice Band user. Outrage is Druddigon's primary STAB move and hits everything barring Steel-types for an impressive amount of damage. Superpower and Earthquake both offer Druddigon coverage options for combating Steel-types, with both providing their own benefits. Superpower allows Druddigon to hit Ferroseed hard, while also punishing incoming Normal-types, whereas Earthquake, while not offering any particular coverage against Steel-types that Superpower lacks, allows Druddigon to hit Fire-types it innately checks hard without having to lock itself into Outrage. Earthquake's lack of stat drops is also important, as it allows it to better handle Pokemon such as Steelix, which can otherwise 2HKO with Earthquake when taking into account Defense drops. Sucker Punch allows Druddigon to mitigate its poor Speed stat, picking off weakened or frail Pokemon that would otherwise threaten it. However, being Choice-locked into Sucker Punch is dangerous, so it should be used only in instances of absolute necessity. That said, Fire Punch offers Druddigon a feasible alternative, allowing it to hit Pokemon such as Escavalier, Durant, and Ferroseed hard. Dragon Claw grants Druddigon a "safe" Dragon STAB, allowing it to fire off Dragon-type attacks mid-game without giving Steel-types more than one free turn to work with or becoming too vulnerable to being taken out by a strong Ice- or Dragon-type attack.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread seeks to maximize offensive presence and bulky, with 20 Speed EVs allowing Druddigon to outpace Tangrowth and hit it again before being put to sleep, ensuring it can be 2HKOed with Outrage after Stealth Rock damage. Druddigon can also bump up its Speed to outpace Pokemon such as Lanturn before they can attempt to burn it with Scald, though taking away from bulk does somewhat hurt Druddigon's ability to pivot into attacks. In a similar vein, Druddigon performs admirably in Trick Room, with its lower base Speed turned to a boon, and is one of the tier's most dangerous Trick Room sweepers. Should it be used as such, a spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD with a Brave nature should be used to "maximize" its Speed. ThunderPunch is a decent option, allowing Druddigon to hit bulky Water-types such as Slowking and Poliwrath without locking itself into Outrage.</p>
<p>As Choice Band Druddigon generally faces very few Pokemon that can readily take on multiple attacks from it, other hard-hitting physical attackers are excellent partners for overloading physical walls and sweeping. Pokemon such as Rock Polish Rhydon and Durant make solid examples of this, being able to pressure Steel-types that can check Druddigon and in turn spring-boarding off Druddigon's attacks. Strong Fighting- and Fire-types are also cool partners to Druddigon, as their ability to steamroll through Steel-types makes Druddigon's STAB attacks that much more effectual. Examples of these are Gallade, Entei, and Moltres. As Druddigon's typing lends itself to switching in on a plethora of attacks, it will find itself being worn down by hazard damage rather quickly. Rapid Spin users such as Cryogonal and Kabutops mitigate this issue, as well as offering a reasonable Ice-type resistance as well.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Sucker Punch / Substitute
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Lonely
evs: 216 HP / 252 Atk / 20 SpA / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>By utilizing its Sheer Force ability in conjunction with Life Orb, Druddigon is capable of luring in and KOing several of its usual checks and counters. Outrage remains as powerful as ever, dealing massive damage to all those that don't resist it. Dragon Claw can be utilized over this, as while the drop in power is very noticeable, it allows Druddigon more leniency in taking advantage of its STAB earlier in a match, as well as functioning better in conjunction with Substitute. Flamethrower is what makes this set tick, allowing it to safely and cleanly break through Pokemon such as Steelix, Tangrowth, and Escavalier easily, 2HKOing the former two and OHKOing the latter after Stealth Rock damage. Earthquake, while seemingly providing redundant coverage, is invaluable for hitting an assortment of Pokemon hard without resorting to locking Druddigon into Outrage, including but not limited to Nidoqueen, Kabutops, and Omastar. Sucker Punch offers Druddigon a useful priority move to pick off faster threats such as Galvantula and Sceptile, among others. On the other hand, Substitute capitalizes on the switches Druddigon forces and the surprise value of the set, allowing it to safely hide behind a Substitute while also taking out Pokemon such as Steelix and Tangrowth effectively.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread allows Druddigon to maintain bulk and high Attack, with 20 Special Attack EVs ensuring that Flamethrower OHKOes 248 HP / 8 SpD Escavalier after Stealth Rock damage and the Speed investment allowing it to outpace minimum Speed Tangrowth, allowing it to effectively 2HKO it with Flamethrower. Alternatively, a spread of 152 HP / 252 Atk / 20 SpA / 84 Spe with a Brave nature can be used to similar effect, making Druddigon more generally bulky and allowing it to take on Pokemon such as Entei better as opposed to favoring Druddigon's ability to take specially oriented hits. While being relatively slow, Druddigon can still outpace Pokemon such as Poliwrath, Clefable, and Lanturn should it be deemed necessary, though doing so would encourage the use of a Lonely nature as opposed to a Brave one. Alternative move options include Crunch, which allows Druddigon to cleanly 2HKO Uxie and hit other such Psychic-types hard, and ThunderPunch, which allows it to hit Water-types such as Slowking and Poliwrath hard without locking into Outrage, both of which receive the boost provided by Sheer Force.</p>
<p>Pokemon that appreciate the removal of dedicated physical walls such as Steelix and Tangrowth really appreciate the support of mixed Druddigon. Escavalier, Aerodactyl, and Kabutops all are reasonable examples of this, with the latter also providing Rapid Spin support to allow Druddigon to switch in better. Paralysis support is nice if available, as it allows Druddigon to avoid relying on Sucker Punch or Substitute to leave an impact on offensively oriented teams. Lanturn, Ferroseed, and Slowking are all capable of slowing down the opposing team for Druddigon and provide good defensive synergy with it as well. Considering Druddigon is often presented with opportunities to switch in, a Rapid Spin user such as Kabutops or Cryogonal can be useful for reducing the rate at which Druddigon can be worn down from doing so.</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Glare
move 2: Dragon Tail
move 3: Stealth Rock / Rest
move 4: Earthquake / Sleep Talk
item: Leftovers
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Due to its plethora of useful resistances and respectable bulk, Druddigon makes for a very effective status platform and phazer. Glare offers a reasonably accurate paralysis move that affects nearly all of the tier, making it easy for Druddigon to cripple opposing Pokemon. Dragon Tail offers Druddigon a moderately powerful STAB move that doubles as a phazing move, allowing it to spread around paralysis and residual damage from entry hazards effectively. Druddigon, finding quite a few opportunities to set up Stealth Rock, makes for a very versatile user of the move. Earthquake allows Druddigon to hit Steel-types that resist Dragon Tail hard, preventing Pokemon such as Klinklang from setting up on it. Having access to a neutral priority attack is also useful, as Druddigon is capable of outpacing most of the unboosted tier should they be paralyzed, and can thusly KO Pokemon before they can attack back. On the other hand, considering how easily Druddigon is worn down, RestTalk can be used to effectively prolong its life.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Druddigon's EV spread seeks to maximize special bulk in order to capitalize on its specially based resistances. However, an alternative spread of 252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SpD can be used to better take on certain Pokemon like Choice Band Entei, which this spread is being able to consistently survive two Choice Band Flare Blitzes from Choice Band Entei, though deviating heavily from investment in Special Defense hurts Druddigon's ability to check Pokemon such as Sceptile. Fire Punch can be used over Earthquake for the ability to hit Ferroseed, Durant, and Escavalier hard, while also hitting Grass-types at neutral priority. Roar is an interesting option for helping Druddigon phaze around Substitute users more efficiently and can also be used alongside Dragon Claw instead of Dragon Tail and a coverage move to allow for a neutral priority STAB move to work with. Sucker Punch is available, and priority is never a bad thing to have, though without investment in Attack it is somewhat weak, which should be taken into account. Substitute is a feasible option for Druddigon that can ensure it can safely paralyze Pokemon in most situations where it might otherwise be threatened out, such as match-ups with hard-hitting Ice-types, while also making it less vulnerable to Trick.</p>
<p>The most effective partners to this set are slow heavy hitters that can take advantage of the widespread paralysis support Druddigon provides. Examples of this include Aggron, Escavalier, and Bouffalant. As Druddigon spends about half its time phazing Pokemon around, entry hazard support is appreciated for capitalizing on this. Ferroseed and Qwilfish both are strong Spikes users and defensive partners for Druddigon. Wish and Heal Bell support are both appreciated, as Druddigon is quite vulnerable to both being worn down over time, a trait exemplified by its occasional resorting to RestTalk. Clefable and Flareon are both respectable examples of users of these moves. As with most of Druddigon's sets, it appreciates Rapid Spin support from Pokemon such as Cryogonal.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Hone Claws is an interesting tool for improving Druddigon's Attack stat, though its lower Speed prevents it from taking full advantage of the move outside a dedicated Trick Room team. Druddigon has access to Taunt, which could be an interesting option for shutting down checks such as Alomomola, though Druddigon's mediocre Speed again prevents it from making good use of the move. Pursuit is an interesting move to carry, though for the most part Druddigon doesn't scare Ghost-types out particularly well, as most would rather attempt to burn it with Will-O-Wisp, and generally speaking without any form of boost from STAB or ability, Pursuit is rather weak.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>In the most conventional sense, Steel-types are probably the most effective counters to Druddigon, resisting its STAB and generally not caring much about paralysis from Glare due to their characteristically low Speed, though they all need to be wary of its coverage moves. Steelix in particular is problematic for Druddigon, taking any two attacks from it barring the mixed set's Flamethrower by merit of its mammoth physical bulk. Pokemon such as Escavalier and Aggron can steamroll Druddigon with powerful Choice Band boosted Megahorn and Head Smash (respectively), and Durant can set up Hone Claws boosts on a locked-in Druddigon. Pokemon with good natural physical bulk, such as Rhydon and Tangrowth, can take most of Druddigon's attacks well, though they struggle to takes hits from the Choice Band and mixed set. However, more often than not, exploiting Druddigon's lower Speed is the best method of checking it, as most Pokemon struggle to take multiple attacks. Fast Pokemon such as Accelgor and Aerodactyl are able to outpace it and put it out of commission after enough prior damage, and Pokemon such as Uxie can take a hit by merit of their bulk and KO after Druddigon has been worn down enough. Powerful Ice-types, such as Rotom-F and Glaceon, are usually able to OHKO Druddigon with their powerful STAB attacks, even more so in the context of hail teams where they have access to a powerful and accurate Blizzard. Druddigon as a whole is very susceptible to being worn down and simply crumples from switching in on Pokemon such as Sceptile after switching into entry hazards and attacks enough. The support set, when utilizing RestTalk, falls prey to Substitute users, which are capable of avoiding Druddigon's Glare and phazing prowess.</p>
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