QC: EonX / atomicllamas / 49
[OVERVIEW]
Scrafty is a threatening Dragon Dance sweeper in RU. It sets up easily against bulkier teams thanks to its decent 65 / 115 / 115 bulk and great abilities; Shed Skin and Intimidate help Scrafty set up, whereas Moxie assists in sweeping. Scrafty's Dark / Fighting typing makes it a good answer to Dark-types such as Sneasel and Drapion and grants it great STAB options in High Jump Kick, Knock Off, and Drain Punch. Scrafty also possesses useful coverage options in Iron Head and Zen Headbutt, making it an overall versatile setup sweeper. Sadly, Scrafty requires a Dragon Dance or Life Orb boosts to thoroughly sweep due to its unimpressive base 90 Attack. It also has an uncomfortable weakness to Fighting-type moves, which is further worsened by the presence of the many Fighting-types in RU such as Medicham, Virizion, Hitmonlee, and Sawk, which are all faster than an unboosted Scrafty. Scrafty is also held back by its underwhelming base 58 Speed, meaning it fails to outspeed every relevant Choice Scarf user in the tier even after a Dragon Dance boost.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: High Jump Kick
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Iron Head / Rest
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Shed Skin / Moxie
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dragon Dance raises Scrafty's Attack and Speed by 1 stage, making it a threatening sweeper if left unchecked. High Jump Kick is the preferred STAB move due to its great 130 Base Power. Knock Off hits Psychic- and Ghost-types that might try to switch into High Jump Kick such as Sigilyph and Hoopa. Iron Head lets Scrafty hit Fairy-types such as Diancie and Granbull super effectively, which would otherwise switch into its STAB moves easily. Rest works very well in conjunction with Shed Skin, giving Scrafty the opportunity to fully recover its HP in one turn. Drain Punch provides Scrafty with a secondary Fighting-type STAB move that is safer than High Jump Kick due to its perfect accuracy and lack of recoil and helps preserve Scrafty's longevity by mitigating Life Orb recoil.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature with maximum Attack and Speed EVs makes Scrafty as fast and strong as possible while outspeeding Virizion after a boost. Life Orb increases Scrafty's overall power, making it more threatening prior to setting up. Do note Life Orb compromises its overall longevity unless it opts to run Rest or Drain Punch. Leftovers lets Scrafty set up on defensive Pokemon more easily, although the difference in power compared to Life Orb is noticeable. For example, Life Orb Scrafty can OHKO Diancie with High Jump Kick, while Scrafty holding Leftovers fails to do so. It should be noted that if Leftovers is chosen, 8 HP EVs should be invested in order to maximize recovery. Chople Berry lets Scrafty survive Virizion's Close Combat and Emboar's Superpower as well as avoiding the 2HKO from Life Orb Hitmonlee's Mach Punch, giving Scrafty the opportunity to attack or set up another Dragon Dance. Shed Skin mitigates Scrafty's worry about status conditions, letting it set up on passive Pokemon such as Registeel and Alomomola more easily. Moxie increases Scrafty's Attack stat after it knocks out a Pokemon, making it even more threatening after achieving a KO. Intimidate lets Scrafty set up on some physical attackers upon switching in, although the benefits that Shed Skin and Moxie provide are much more useful.
Usage Tips
========
Scrafty's item and coverage move of choice can be pretty customizable depending on the coverage its partners provide. Scrafty should attempt to set up once checks and faster attackers have been weakened or KOed. However, Knock Off can be used early-game to generally cripple the opponent's Pokemon, making late-game cleaning easier. Scrafty should attempt to set up on passive Pokemon such as Registeel and Alomomola and offensive Pokemon that can't break past it such as slow Psychic-types such as Slowking and Dark-types such as Sneasel, Spiritomb, and Drapion. If against a Fairy-type, Scrafty should not stay to use Iron Head unless it is sure to KO. If it lacks Shed Skin, Scrafty should be wary of status ailments, which would cripple its sweeping potential. High Jump Kick should not be used recklessly if the opponent has a Ghost-type Pokemon such as Hoopa or Jellicent.
Team Options
========
Entry hazards such as Stealth Rock from Diancie and Uxie and Spikes from Garbodor and Mega Glalie are very useful, as they weaken Scrafty's checks and counters, making them easier to handle later in the match. Psychic-types like Delphox, Meloetta, and Sigilyph can wear down Fighting- and Poison-types for Scrafty. In return, Scrafty can dissuade Dark-types from switching in. Pokemon that can wear down Fairy-types such as Escavalier and Venusaur allow Scrafty to break past the opposing team more easily. Partners that can deal with Flying-types for Scrafty such as Magneton, Choice Band Rhyperior, and Rotom are greatly appreciated. Wallbreakers to pave the way for Scrafty to sweep late-game are quite useful. Examples include Hoopa, Choice Specs Meloetta, and Choice Band Escavalier.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Zen Headbutt allows Scrafty to better deal with bulky Fighting- and Poison-types like Poliwrath and Venusaur. Head Smash can be an option to surprise Flying-types like Golbat, Fletchinder, and Togetic, although its imperfect accuracy and 50% recoil can prove troublesome. Iron Tail can be an option over Iron Head if power is desired, as a Life Orb-boosted Iron Tail OHKOes Diancie, but just like with Head Smash its imperfect accuracy can be annoying. Rest + Chesto Berry can be used so that Scrafty can opt for Moxie or Intimidate over Shed Skin. Bulk Up can be used as a more defensive means of setting up, but the lack of Speed boosts means that Scrafty will have a harder time dealing with more offensive threats, aside from the fact that Malamar performs this role much better. An Adamant nature can be used for more power, but Scrafty then fails to outspeed maximum investment base 100 Speed Pokemon after a Dragon Dance boost.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Aromatisse, Togetic, and Granbull resist both of Scrafty's STAB moves and can easily KO Scrafty with their own Fairy-type STAB moves, although they should be careful of switching into Iron Head. Both Togetic and Granbull also dislike switching into Knock Off, as Togetic loses its Eviolite and Granbull its only form of recovery in Leftovers. Dazzling Gleam from the likes of Delphox, Meloetta, and Sigilyph, which can also use Air Slash, can easily OHKO Scrafty.
**Fighting-types**: Faster Fighting-types such as Virizion, Sawk, and Hitmonlee can OHKO Scrafty with Fighting-type STAB moves of their own, but they can't switch into any of its moves bar Knock Off in Virizion's and Sawk's case. Virizion and Hitmonlee must also be wary of Chople Berry Scrafty, as it survives a super effective Close Combat and Mach Punch, respectively. Hitmontop can switch into Scrafty while also reducing its Attack with Intimidate and can heavily damage it with Close Combat. Gurdurr can tank one High Jump Kick and retaliate with Drain Punch, or it can finish Scrafty off with Mach Punch if Scrafty is weak enough. While they can't switch in directly, maximum HP Hariyama and Poliwrath can tank a +1 High Jump Kick and OHKO Scrafty and phaze it, respectively.
**Revenge Killers**: Due to its low base 58 Speed, Scrafty can be revenge killed by Choice Scarf users carrying super effective moves such as Medicham, Emboar, Braviary, and Delphox. Scrafty should also be wary of super effective priority attacks such as Fletchinder's Acrobatics and Hitmonlee's Mach Punch.
**Bulky Poison-types**: Defensive Venusaur can sponge most of Scrafty's attacks well while wearing down Scrafty with Leech Seed and Giga Drain. Garbodor can wear Scrafty down with Rocky Helmet and Aftermath recoil and remove its boosts with Haze. Golbat switches into any of Scrafty's Fighting-type attacks with impunity, although it must be wary of Knock Off and Stealth Rock damage.
[OVERVIEW]
Scrafty is a threatening Dragon Dance sweeper in RU. It sets up easily against bulkier teams thanks to its decent 65 / 115 / 115 bulk and great abilities; Shed Skin and Intimidate help Scrafty set up, whereas Moxie assists in sweeping. Scrafty's Dark / Fighting typing makes it a good answer to Dark-types such as Sneasel and Drapion and grants it great STAB options in High Jump Kick, Knock Off, and Drain Punch. Scrafty also possesses useful coverage options in Iron Head and Zen Headbutt, making it an overall versatile setup sweeper. Sadly, Scrafty requires a Dragon Dance or Life Orb boosts to thoroughly sweep due to its unimpressive base 90 Attack. It also has an uncomfortable weakness to Fighting-type moves, which is further worsened by the presence of the many Fighting-types in RU such as Medicham, Virizion, Hitmonlee, and Sawk, which are all faster than an unboosted Scrafty. Scrafty is also held back by its underwhelming base 58 Speed, meaning it fails to outspeed every relevant Choice Scarf user in the tier even after a Dragon Dance boost.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: High Jump Kick
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Iron Head / Rest
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Shed Skin / Moxie
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dragon Dance raises Scrafty's Attack and Speed by 1 stage, making it a threatening sweeper if left unchecked. High Jump Kick is the preferred STAB move due to its great 130 Base Power. Knock Off hits Psychic- and Ghost-types that might try to switch into High Jump Kick such as Sigilyph and Hoopa. Iron Head lets Scrafty hit Fairy-types such as Diancie and Granbull super effectively, which would otherwise switch into its STAB moves easily. Rest works very well in conjunction with Shed Skin, giving Scrafty the opportunity to fully recover its HP in one turn. Drain Punch provides Scrafty with a secondary Fighting-type STAB move that is safer than High Jump Kick due to its perfect accuracy and lack of recoil and helps preserve Scrafty's longevity by mitigating Life Orb recoil.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature with maximum Attack and Speed EVs makes Scrafty as fast and strong as possible while outspeeding Virizion after a boost. Life Orb increases Scrafty's overall power, making it more threatening prior to setting up. Do note Life Orb compromises its overall longevity unless it opts to run Rest or Drain Punch. Leftovers lets Scrafty set up on defensive Pokemon more easily, although the difference in power compared to Life Orb is noticeable. For example, Life Orb Scrafty can OHKO Diancie with High Jump Kick, while Scrafty holding Leftovers fails to do so. It should be noted that if Leftovers is chosen, 8 HP EVs should be invested in order to maximize recovery. Chople Berry lets Scrafty survive Virizion's Close Combat and Emboar's Superpower as well as avoiding the 2HKO from Life Orb Hitmonlee's Mach Punch, giving Scrafty the opportunity to attack or set up another Dragon Dance. Shed Skin mitigates Scrafty's worry about status conditions, letting it set up on passive Pokemon such as Registeel and Alomomola more easily. Moxie increases Scrafty's Attack stat after it knocks out a Pokemon, making it even more threatening after achieving a KO. Intimidate lets Scrafty set up on some physical attackers upon switching in, although the benefits that Shed Skin and Moxie provide are much more useful.
Usage Tips
========
Scrafty's item and coverage move of choice can be pretty customizable depending on the coverage its partners provide. Scrafty should attempt to set up once checks and faster attackers have been weakened or KOed. However, Knock Off can be used early-game to generally cripple the opponent's Pokemon, making late-game cleaning easier. Scrafty should attempt to set up on passive Pokemon such as Registeel and Alomomola and offensive Pokemon that can't break past it such as slow Psychic-types such as Slowking and Dark-types such as Sneasel, Spiritomb, and Drapion. If against a Fairy-type, Scrafty should not stay to use Iron Head unless it is sure to KO. If it lacks Shed Skin, Scrafty should be wary of status ailments, which would cripple its sweeping potential. High Jump Kick should not be used recklessly if the opponent has a Ghost-type Pokemon such as Hoopa or Jellicent.
Team Options
========
Entry hazards such as Stealth Rock from Diancie and Uxie and Spikes from Garbodor and Mega Glalie are very useful, as they weaken Scrafty's checks and counters, making them easier to handle later in the match. Psychic-types like Delphox, Meloetta, and Sigilyph can wear down Fighting- and Poison-types for Scrafty. In return, Scrafty can dissuade Dark-types from switching in. Pokemon that can wear down Fairy-types such as Escavalier and Venusaur allow Scrafty to break past the opposing team more easily. Partners that can deal with Flying-types for Scrafty such as Magneton, Choice Band Rhyperior, and Rotom are greatly appreciated. Wallbreakers to pave the way for Scrafty to sweep late-game are quite useful. Examples include Hoopa, Choice Specs Meloetta, and Choice Band Escavalier.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Zen Headbutt allows Scrafty to better deal with bulky Fighting- and Poison-types like Poliwrath and Venusaur. Head Smash can be an option to surprise Flying-types like Golbat, Fletchinder, and Togetic, although its imperfect accuracy and 50% recoil can prove troublesome. Iron Tail can be an option over Iron Head if power is desired, as a Life Orb-boosted Iron Tail OHKOes Diancie, but just like with Head Smash its imperfect accuracy can be annoying. Rest + Chesto Berry can be used so that Scrafty can opt for Moxie or Intimidate over Shed Skin. Bulk Up can be used as a more defensive means of setting up, but the lack of Speed boosts means that Scrafty will have a harder time dealing with more offensive threats, aside from the fact that Malamar performs this role much better. An Adamant nature can be used for more power, but Scrafty then fails to outspeed maximum investment base 100 Speed Pokemon after a Dragon Dance boost.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Aromatisse, Togetic, and Granbull resist both of Scrafty's STAB moves and can easily KO Scrafty with their own Fairy-type STAB moves, although they should be careful of switching into Iron Head. Both Togetic and Granbull also dislike switching into Knock Off, as Togetic loses its Eviolite and Granbull its only form of recovery in Leftovers. Dazzling Gleam from the likes of Delphox, Meloetta, and Sigilyph, which can also use Air Slash, can easily OHKO Scrafty.
**Fighting-types**: Faster Fighting-types such as Virizion, Sawk, and Hitmonlee can OHKO Scrafty with Fighting-type STAB moves of their own, but they can't switch into any of its moves bar Knock Off in Virizion's and Sawk's case. Virizion and Hitmonlee must also be wary of Chople Berry Scrafty, as it survives a super effective Close Combat and Mach Punch, respectively. Hitmontop can switch into Scrafty while also reducing its Attack with Intimidate and can heavily damage it with Close Combat. Gurdurr can tank one High Jump Kick and retaliate with Drain Punch, or it can finish Scrafty off with Mach Punch if Scrafty is weak enough. While they can't switch in directly, maximum HP Hariyama and Poliwrath can tank a +1 High Jump Kick and OHKO Scrafty and phaze it, respectively.
**Revenge Killers**: Due to its low base 58 Speed, Scrafty can be revenge killed by Choice Scarf users carrying super effective moves such as Medicham, Emboar, Braviary, and Delphox. Scrafty should also be wary of super effective priority attacks such as Fletchinder's Acrobatics and Hitmonlee's Mach Punch.
**Bulky Poison-types**: Defensive Venusaur can sponge most of Scrafty's attacks well while wearing down Scrafty with Leech Seed and Giga Drain. Garbodor can wear Scrafty down with Rocky Helmet and Aftermath recoil and remove its boosts with Haze. Golbat switches into any of Scrafty's Fighting-type attacks with impunity, although it must be wary of Knock Off and Stealth Rock damage.
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