**Poison**:
Dragalge's unique Poison / Dragon typing grants it several resistances, making it a reliable switch-in to Pokemon such as Volcarona, Rotom-W, Cobalion, Mega Charizard Y, Breloom, and Politoed. Coupled with its solid bulk, this makes Dragalge a great defensive pivot on Poison-type teams. Dragalge has a rather enormous movepool that allows it to check multiple types within the metagame such as Steel, Flying, Dark, Normal, and Ice. Adaptability gives Dragalge a niche over other Poison-types, further boosting the power of its STAB attacks and making it a threatening wallbreaker. Thanks to Choice Specs, Dragalge is able to check Mega Scizor, as it can survive a +2 Bullet Punch and OHKO back with Hidden Power Fire; most of the time, its defensive spread can do the same after Stealth Rock damage.
However, Dragalge's base 44 Speed stat is rather poor, leaving it outsped by almost the entire metagame, which makes it more susceptible to taking damage first. Due to having a lack of reliable recovery, Dragalge becomes vulnerable to entry hazards and attacks from opposing threats, limiting its opportunities to switch in. Its Special Attack isn't that great either, leaving its coverage moves rather weak. Dragalge also faces tough competition from other special wallbreakers such as Nidoking, as they have more Speed, better STAB attacks, and superior coverage moves.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs (Poison)
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Focus Blast / Scald
item: Choice Specs
ability: Adaptability
nature: Modest
evs: 224 HP / 252 SpA / 32 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Draco Meteor is a powerful attack that is boosted by Adaptability and Choice Specs, allowing it to OHKO or 2HKO Pokemon that don't resist it. Sludge Wave is another STAB move that allows Dragalge to hit Fairy- and Grass-types such as Togekiss, Azumarill, and Serperior. Hidden Power Fire allows Dragalge to OHKO Mega Scizor and has a chance to OHKO physically defensive Ferrothorn. Focus Blast gives Dragalge more coverage for hitting Steel-types that resist its STAB moves such as Bisharp and Magnezone. It's also useful in 2HKOing specially defensive Heatran and OHKOing offensive variants and Tyranitar. Scald gives more coverage by hitting both Mega Diancie and Heatran. It also has a chance to burn the opposing threat; however, it's much weaker than Focus Blast, which Dragalge needs to eliminate other threats such as Tyranitar and Bisharp.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack EVs with a Modest nature maximize Dragalge's damage output, allowing it to hit as hard as possible as well as take advantage of Adaptability and Choice Specs. 224 HP EVs increase Dragalge's bulk in order to let it tank attacks much more effectively. The remaining EVs are added towards Speed, allowing Dragalge to outspeed uninvested Hippowdon and KO it with Draco Meteor. Choice Specs increases Dragalge's damage output even further, earning much-needed KOs but locking it into a move. Adaptability is needed to hit even harder with Dragalge's STAB moves, as it allows Dragalge to OHKO Volcanion, Slowbro, Mandibuzz, and Rotom-W, as well as OHKO Mega Venusaur and specially defensive Armaldo after Stealth Rock damage, with Draco Meteor.
Usage Tips
========
Dragalge functions well as a wallbreaker, being able to deal a lot of damage to the opposing team. Thanks to its great typing, Dragalge should mainly switch into attacks that it resists and Pokemon that it's able to beat such as Mega Charizard Y, Mega Venusaur, and Rotom-W. Due to a lack of reliable recovery, Dragalge can also come in after a fainted teammate without taking any damage. Dragalge hates entry hazards, as they can wear it down quite easily due to Draco Meteor's stat drops forcing it out often. Despite not being bothered by paralysis and poison, Dragalge should also be kept away from burns because they reduce its longevity. Dragalge should mainly be using its STAB moves for the Adaptability boost, especially Draco Meteor, as it is the most reliable attack in most matchups. It's a very spammable move, as most teams don't have a Pokemon with a Dragon-type resistance, and therefore it can wear them down very quickly. When playing against Bug- or Steel-types, Dragalge's health should be preserved long enough to revenge kill Mega Scizor with Hidden Power Fire, as none of its teammates enjoy taking damage from its Technician-boosted attacks, especially after a Swords Dance boost.
Team Options
========
Mega Venusaur can take on Ground- and Rock-types such as Excadrill, Garchomp, and Terrakion as well as check Ice-types for Dragalge thanks to Thick Fat. Mega Venusaur is also physically defensive, which makes it great for switching into incoming physical attacks. Weezing is also great for switching into physical attackers and using Will-O-Wisp to burn them. Gengar and Crobat can switch into Ground-type moves thanks to their immunity, and Gengar can specifically check Psychic-types such as Mega Medicham and Mew. Skuntank and Drapion both have an immunity to Psychic-type attacks and thus can freely switch into them. Skuntank can punish Pokemon that switch out with Pursuit or get extra damage with Sucker Punch. Drapion can provide utility with Knock Off to cripple item-reliant Pokemon such as Chansey and Porygon2. Drapion can also be reliable in setting up Toxic Spikes to make it easier for Dragalge to KO the opposing threat. Teammates such as Crobat, Skuntank, and Tentacruel can remove entry hazards with Defog or Rapid Spin, giving Dragalge more opportunities to switch in. Nidoqueen and Tentacruel can provide entry hazard support with Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, respectively. Nidoqueen is also able to check many types with its coverage moves. Both Nidoking and Nidoqueen can check Steel-types that Dragalge struggles against such as Heatran, Mega Scizor, Magnezone, and Doublade. Scolipede is also a good candidate, taking on Psychic-types and Cradily with its powerful Megahorn and applying pressure on Pokemon such as Volcarona, Chansey, and Zapdos.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
**Poison**:
Assault Vest makes Dragalge more specially bulky, but it unfortunately loses out on the extra damage output that Choice Specs offers and is still worn down by residual damage. Toxic Spikes can poison the opposing team, making it easier for Dragalge to KO them; however, other entry hazard setters such as Tentacruel fit the role much better, as Dragalge relies too much on its wallbreaking power to use Toxic Spikes. Sludge Bomb can be used instead of Sludge Wave because it has a 30% chance of poisoning the foe at a cost of 5 Base Power; however, Dragalge will have a much more difficult time OHKOing Keldeo if using the move over Draco Meteor. Dragon Pulse can be used instead of Draco Meteor for perfect accuracy and decent Base Power with no drawbacks, but it is much weaker and won't be able to get potential OHKOs that Draco Meteor is able to obtain. Thunderbolt can be used instead of Scald to hit Flying-types such as Skarmory; however, it's not all that useful and Focus Blast does a better job of damaging Skarmory, especially after it uses Roost.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Poison**:
**Steel-types**: Steel-types are very problematic, as they resist Dragalge's Dragon-type STAB move and are immune to its Poison-type attacks. Dragalge has no other way of dealing damage to them besides Focus Blast and Hidden Power Fire. They also require prediction, as the Doublade + Heatran core can be annoying to break without the help of Scald.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types resist Dragalge's Sludge Wave, and Pokemon such as Excadrill, Landorus, Seismitoad, and Mamoswine can easily eliminate it with their Ground-type STAB moves. However, pure Ground-types can't switch into a Draco Meteor, and Excadrill is 2HKOed by the move.
**Faster Pokemon**: Dragalge is very unlikely to attack first due to its terrible Speed stat. The majority of Pokemon, especially Latios, Latias, Hoopa-U, Excadrill, Weavile, and Garchomp, are able to outspeed and deal damage to it, making Dragalge less useful in battle.
*Residual Damage**: Dragalge hates taking damage from entry hazards, as they leave it greatly hindered, give it less opportunities to switch in, and put it in KO range for opposing Pokemon. Dragalge also needs to be wary of Will-O-Wisp and other sources of burns such as Scald, as they shorten its longevity.
**Psychic-types**: Almost every Psychic-type outspeeds Dragalge, and many of them such as Mega Medicham, Mega Gardevoir, Starmie, Hoopa-U, Latios, and Latias can OHKO it with their STAB moves.
**Specially Defensive Walls**: Despite Dragalge being a great special wallbreaker, Umbreon can take its STAB moves very well and stall with Wish + Protect while dealing damage to it with Foul Play. Mew can burn Dragalge with Will-O-Wisp, recover any health that was lost with Roost, and remove its item with Knock Off to make its attacks much weaker. Jirachi is immune to Dragalge's Poison-type STAB attacks and resists its Draco Meteor. It can replenish its health with Wish and get flinches thanks to Serene Grace Iron Head.
**Chansey**: Dragalge won't be able to break through Pokemon such as Chansey, as it can tank any of Dragalge's attacks and stall with Soft-Boiled while dealing damage back by using Seismic Toss.
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