taking this analysis over from silentverse, whose thread containing the skeleton can be found here. it already went through QC, so im just taking his skeleton and writing up the actual analysis.
Donphan
status: written up one gp check to go!
[Overview]
<p>Last generation, Donphan was one of the most reliable defensive Pokemon in UU due to its combination of bulk, power, and ability to successfully utilize Rapid Spin. Though the advent of bulkier Ghost-types, such as Cofagrigus and Dusclops, has made Donphan's job more difficult, it is still a top-notch Rapid Spinner capable of threatening frail spinblockers. Additionally, Donphan has obtained a great boost in Sturdy, which essentially prevents it from being OHKOed. While all this is wonderful, it isn't all good news. There are several powerful Pokemon, such as Shaymin and Kingdra, that are capable of dealing huge damage to Donphan, undermining its bulk and support potential. Donphan also suffers stiff competition from Hitmontop for the role of Rapid Spinner, as due to the number of fast, powerful threats that lurk in UU, priority moves—which Hitmontop specializes in while Donphan is stuck with the mediocre Ice Shard—are extremely important. Despite these drawbacks, Donphan remains a reliable Rapid Spinner who can take hits, dish out damage, and effectively support its team.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stealth Rock / Ice Shard
move 4: Head Smash / Stone Edge / Ice Shard
item: Leftovers
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Thanks to its often-overlooked base 120 Attack stat, Donphan can successfully run an offensive Rapid Spin set. Though it may seem silly for a support-oriented Pokemon to focus so heavily on power, by investing heavily in Attack, Donphan can get past many more spinblockers. Despite the heavy Attack investment, Donphan is still quite bulky, capable of taking many strong hits and checking threats such as Bisharp while smashing the opponent with its powerful STAB Earthquake. The moves are fairly self-explanatory; Rapid Spin forms the crux of the set, while Earthquake allows Donphan to dish out respectable damage. Stealth Rock is great if you're aiming to support your team, but Ice Shard allows Donphan to check some frail sweepers, as well as deal decent damage to Flygon and Gligar. In the final slot, Head Smash gives Donphan a powerful move to hit Flying-types and Levitating Ghost-types with; however, it comes with an unfortunate recoil that takes away from Donphan's longevity. Stone Edge, on the other hand, is a safer, albeit less accurate and powerful, option that still hits hard.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set's EVs are straightforward. 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature ensures that Donphan hits as hard as possible, and coming off an impressive base 120 Attack stat, the Armor Pokemon is going to be dishing out some heavy damage. 252 HP EVs give Donphan better all-around bulk, while the remaining 4 EVs are chucked into Defense for an extra point. An alternative EV spread of 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Def can be considered if you want Donphan to be able to take physical hits better. Additionally, Assurance can be used in the fourth slot instead of one of the moves listed in order to hit Ghost-types, especially Levitating ones such as Mismagius and Rotom, super effectively. However, Assurance is typically an inferior option, as even a super effective Assurance deals the same amount of damage to Mismagius and Rotom as a neutral Stone Edge on the switch in.</p>
<p>Due to Donphan's ability to almost always succesfully pull off a Rapid Spin, Pokemon who benefit from the removal of entry hazards make great teammates. Examples of such Pokemon include Fire-types such as Victini, and Flying-types such as Togekiss; both types have a tough time switching in due to Stealth Rock. It may also be helpful to pack Pokemon who can deal with Donphan's weaknesses to Ice-, Water-, and Grass-type moves. A Water-type of your own, such as Empoleon, Azumarill, or Milotic can sponge Water- and Ice-type attacks aimed at Donphan. Meanwhile, a Grass- or Fire-type teammate, such as Roserade, Shaymin, or Victini, can take Grass-type hits with aplomb; additionally, the aforementioned Grass-types can also absorb Water-type moves. However, bear in mind that Grass-types share a weakness to Ice-type attacks with Donphan, while Fire-types share a weakness to Water-type hits. It may be tempting to run Donphan alongside Chansey in order to soak up special hits that the Armor Pokemon has trouble with. This is generally discouraged, though, as this Donphan works better on offensively-oriented teams due to its combination of support potential and sheer power.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Roar / Odor Sleuth
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Unlike the previous set, which focused on power over longevity, this Donphan is a bulky Rapid Spinner that is designed to support its team and survive throughout a match. Thanks to Donphan's good base 90 HP and excellent base 120 Defense stats, it can check many physical threats, and although its lack of instant recovery hinders it, Donphan is still an excellent defensive Pokemon capable of taking on even the most vicious of physical attackers and holding its own. Earthquake is a powerful STAB attack; even with no Attack investment, it can still dish out respectable damage, especially against Pokemon that are weak to it. In the third slot, you can choose between Roar and Odor Sleuth. Roar is used to phaze the opposing team and rack up entry hazard damage, and also prevents Pokemon that are immune to Ground-type moves from setting up on Donphan, while Odor Sleuth allows Donphan to pull a Rapid Spin even against Ghost-types. Roar is typically the superior option, however, due to its greater overall utility. Finally, Stealth Rock rounds off the set, providing Donphan with a way to support your team by dispensing an essential entry hazard.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>As this set focuses on physical bulk, the EVs make sure that Donphan can take even the strongest physical blows without faltering. 252 Defense EVs and an Impish nature maximize Donphan's Defense, while 252 HP EVs give the Armor Pokemon greater overall bulk. Though this set's claim to fame is its ability to tank physical hits, one may opt to utilize a specially defensive spread, which would allow Donphan to take both physical and special attacks reasonably well. However, it's probably a better idea to just focus on Donphan's Defense, as this is what makes it a great Pokemon to begin with. There are also some other moves one may want to consider. Knock Off, which allows Donphan to cripple Eviolite and Choice item users, can be utilized in the third moveslot. Rest can also be used in the third slot, somewhat making up for Donphan's disappointing lack of a reliable recovery move. However, if you opt to use Rest, then it would be a good idea to run a cleric as a teammate, as a sleeping Donphan is nothing but pure set-up bait for countless dangerous Pokemon.</p>
<p>Just like for the previous set, Pokemon who dislike entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock, make great teammates. Victini, Yanmega, Arcanine, and Charizard are all great choices. While the previous set is better suited to offensive teams, this Donphan finds more success on balance and defensively-oriented teams. Therefore, Chansey is an excellent partner, as she can sponge the special attacks that would otherwise cause problems for Donphan due to its lackluster base 60 Special Defense stat. Additionally, Chansey can pass titanic Wishes to Donphan, essentially restoring it to full health and completely making up for the Armor Pokemon's lack of recovery. Due to the fact that this Donphan's only means of dishing out damage is Earthquake, it is completely vulnerable against Flying-types and Levitating Ghost-types. In order to deal with such foes, proper team support should be employed. Registeel can counter most Flying-types successfully, and also has good defensive synergy with Donphan. Meanwhile, a Pursuit user, such as Houndoom, Snorlax, or Spiritomb, can be used to wreck Ghost-types.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Head Smash / Stone Edge
move 3: Ice Shard / Toxic
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Donphan is almost always seen as a supporter first and an attacker second, this set aims to turn it into a fearsome physical threat that hits like a ton of bricks off a Choice Band-boosted base 120 Attack stat. This set relies heavily on surprise value, as many opponents are expecting a moderately powerful physical tank, and are devestated when Donphan unleashes an extremely powerful attack. Earthquake is the set's key move, dealing tremendous damage to any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. However, don't just mindlessly spam it, as UU is home to many Pokemon that resist or are immune to Ground-type blows. Head Smash and Stone Edge are both powerful Rock-type attacks that allow Donphan to dominate the Flying-types that resist Earthquake, as well as hit Levitating Ghost-types such as Mismagius. Ice Shard allows Donphan to deal heavy damage to Flygon and Gligar, as well as revenge kill weakened, frail sweepers such as Azelf. However, you can opt to use Toxic instead, which allows Donphan to surprise and cripple walls. Despite the fact that this set utilizes a Choice Band, Rapid Spin is still a must, as the ability to clear away all entry hazards in a single turn is too good to pass up. Just be wary of using Rapid Spin too carelessly, as it is not a good move to be locked into.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set uses very simple EVs. 252 HP EVs let Donphan take hits more easily, while 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature ensure that it will be doing astronomical damage, especially with the boost from Choice Band. This set is a great choice on teams that dislike Ghost-types, as this Donphan variant is excellent at luring such Pokemon in and disposing of them with a powerful STAB Earthquake (or, in Mismagius and Rotom's case, Head Smash). Bulky Water-types can really give this set problems, particularly Milotic, which cannot switch in on Earthquake without being seriously injured, but can utilize Recover and 2HKO Donphan with Surf. In order to deal with bulky Water-types, a teammate such as Tangrowth or Raikou should be employed. Powerful special attackers, such as Charizard and Shaymin, are great partners to this set, as they can take out the physical walls that give Donphan a hard time. As an added bonus, Charizard benefits greatly from the Rapid Spin support Donphan provides, as it has a terrible 4x weakness to Stealth Rock. Charizard can even take on Grass-types, which Donphan has an extremely hard time taking down and is severely threatened by. Though it is by no means neccessary, one might also wish to employ Spikes support alongside this Donphan, as it is capable of forcing many switches due to its sheer, unexpected power. Roserade and Froslass are both capable of dispensing Spikes, and Froslass can even prevent them from being Rapid Spinned away by the opposing team due to its Ghost typing.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Donphan doesn't have the widest of movepools, so there aren't too many other options it can utilize. Donphan can attempt to abuse a Level 25 Sturdy + Endeavor set, but such a set is destroyed by priority, and the role of low-level Endeavor user is better left to the Clefairy trio. One can try Rock Polish if one wants Donphan to attempt a sweep, but Donphan isn't particularly fast even after a Rock Polish boost, and there are better, more powerful options for a sweeper. Donphan has access to other physical attacks, such as Seed Bomb, Superpower, and Bounce, but these are inferior to its aforementioned attacks, and Donphan typically doesn't have room for them on its moveset. One can also employ a Counter + Sturdy strategy, which could potentially score a surprise KO or two on an unsuspecting physical attacker.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Since Donphan is primarily a Rapid Spinner, Ghost-types, particularly bulky ones such as Cofagrigus and Dusclops, can give it problems. Bulky Ghost-types are especially hard for Donphan to pull a Rapid Spin on due to their longevity, making them great checks. Since Donphan's main way of dealing damage is with its STAB Earthquake, Flying-types and Pokemon with the ability Levitate can cause it problems; however, Flying-types must watch out for a super effective Head Smash or Stone Edge. Grass-types, such as Tangrowth and Shaymin, resist Donphan's Earthquake, and can hit it with a powerful STAB Grass-type attack. Water-types, like Milotic and Slowbro, can also cause the Armor Pokemon pain, though they lack the Ground resistance that Grass-types are blessed with. Donphan's Special Defense is quite mediocre, so powerful special hits will also put it down fairly quickly.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Donphan's Dream World ability is Sand Veil. While this typically isn't as good of an option as Sturdy, it can be somewhat useful on sandstorm teams, where Donphan can annoy the opponent with Substitute. However, Sandslash is a more competent sandstorm + Sand Veil abuser due to its access to Swords Dance.</p>
Donphan
status: written up one gp check to go!
[Overview]
<p>Last generation, Donphan was one of the most reliable defensive Pokemon in UU due to its combination of bulk, power, and ability to successfully utilize Rapid Spin. Though the advent of bulkier Ghost-types, such as Cofagrigus and Dusclops, has made Donphan's job more difficult, it is still a top-notch Rapid Spinner capable of threatening frail spinblockers. Additionally, Donphan has obtained a great boost in Sturdy, which essentially prevents it from being OHKOed. While all this is wonderful, it isn't all good news. There are several powerful Pokemon, such as Shaymin and Kingdra, that are capable of dealing huge damage to Donphan, undermining its bulk and support potential. Donphan also suffers stiff competition from Hitmontop for the role of Rapid Spinner, as due to the number of fast, powerful threats that lurk in UU, priority moves—which Hitmontop specializes in while Donphan is stuck with the mediocre Ice Shard—are extremely important. Despite these drawbacks, Donphan remains a reliable Rapid Spinner who can take hits, dish out damage, and effectively support its team.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stealth Rock / Ice Shard
move 4: Head Smash / Stone Edge / Ice Shard
item: Leftovers
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Thanks to its often-overlooked base 120 Attack stat, Donphan can successfully run an offensive Rapid Spin set. Though it may seem silly for a support-oriented Pokemon to focus so heavily on power, by investing heavily in Attack, Donphan can get past many more spinblockers. Despite the heavy Attack investment, Donphan is still quite bulky, capable of taking many strong hits and checking threats such as Bisharp while smashing the opponent with its powerful STAB Earthquake. The moves are fairly self-explanatory; Rapid Spin forms the crux of the set, while Earthquake allows Donphan to dish out respectable damage. Stealth Rock is great if you're aiming to support your team, but Ice Shard allows Donphan to check some frail sweepers, as well as deal decent damage to Flygon and Gligar. In the final slot, Head Smash gives Donphan a powerful move to hit Flying-types and Levitating Ghost-types with; however, it comes with an unfortunate recoil that takes away from Donphan's longevity. Stone Edge, on the other hand, is a safer, albeit less accurate and powerful, option that still hits hard.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set's EVs are straightforward. 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature ensures that Donphan hits as hard as possible, and coming off an impressive base 120 Attack stat, the Armor Pokemon is going to be dishing out some heavy damage. 252 HP EVs give Donphan better all-around bulk, while the remaining 4 EVs are chucked into Defense for an extra point. An alternative EV spread of 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Def can be considered if you want Donphan to be able to take physical hits better. Additionally, Assurance can be used in the fourth slot instead of one of the moves listed in order to hit Ghost-types, especially Levitating ones such as Mismagius and Rotom, super effectively. However, Assurance is typically an inferior option, as even a super effective Assurance deals the same amount of damage to Mismagius and Rotom as a neutral Stone Edge on the switch in.</p>
<p>Due to Donphan's ability to almost always succesfully pull off a Rapid Spin, Pokemon who benefit from the removal of entry hazards make great teammates. Examples of such Pokemon include Fire-types such as Victini, and Flying-types such as Togekiss; both types have a tough time switching in due to Stealth Rock. It may also be helpful to pack Pokemon who can deal with Donphan's weaknesses to Ice-, Water-, and Grass-type moves. A Water-type of your own, such as Empoleon, Azumarill, or Milotic can sponge Water- and Ice-type attacks aimed at Donphan. Meanwhile, a Grass- or Fire-type teammate, such as Roserade, Shaymin, or Victini, can take Grass-type hits with aplomb; additionally, the aforementioned Grass-types can also absorb Water-type moves. However, bear in mind that Grass-types share a weakness to Ice-type attacks with Donphan, while Fire-types share a weakness to Water-type hits. It may be tempting to run Donphan alongside Chansey in order to soak up special hits that the Armor Pokemon has trouble with. This is generally discouraged, though, as this Donphan works better on offensively-oriented teams due to its combination of support potential and sheer power.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Roar / Odor Sleuth
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Unlike the previous set, which focused on power over longevity, this Donphan is a bulky Rapid Spinner that is designed to support its team and survive throughout a match. Thanks to Donphan's good base 90 HP and excellent base 120 Defense stats, it can check many physical threats, and although its lack of instant recovery hinders it, Donphan is still an excellent defensive Pokemon capable of taking on even the most vicious of physical attackers and holding its own. Earthquake is a powerful STAB attack; even with no Attack investment, it can still dish out respectable damage, especially against Pokemon that are weak to it. In the third slot, you can choose between Roar and Odor Sleuth. Roar is used to phaze the opposing team and rack up entry hazard damage, and also prevents Pokemon that are immune to Ground-type moves from setting up on Donphan, while Odor Sleuth allows Donphan to pull a Rapid Spin even against Ghost-types. Roar is typically the superior option, however, due to its greater overall utility. Finally, Stealth Rock rounds off the set, providing Donphan with a way to support your team by dispensing an essential entry hazard.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>As this set focuses on physical bulk, the EVs make sure that Donphan can take even the strongest physical blows without faltering. 252 Defense EVs and an Impish nature maximize Donphan's Defense, while 252 HP EVs give the Armor Pokemon greater overall bulk. Though this set's claim to fame is its ability to tank physical hits, one may opt to utilize a specially defensive spread, which would allow Donphan to take both physical and special attacks reasonably well. However, it's probably a better idea to just focus on Donphan's Defense, as this is what makes it a great Pokemon to begin with. There are also some other moves one may want to consider. Knock Off, which allows Donphan to cripple Eviolite and Choice item users, can be utilized in the third moveslot. Rest can also be used in the third slot, somewhat making up for Donphan's disappointing lack of a reliable recovery move. However, if you opt to use Rest, then it would be a good idea to run a cleric as a teammate, as a sleeping Donphan is nothing but pure set-up bait for countless dangerous Pokemon.</p>
<p>Just like for the previous set, Pokemon who dislike entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock, make great teammates. Victini, Yanmega, Arcanine, and Charizard are all great choices. While the previous set is better suited to offensive teams, this Donphan finds more success on balance and defensively-oriented teams. Therefore, Chansey is an excellent partner, as she can sponge the special attacks that would otherwise cause problems for Donphan due to its lackluster base 60 Special Defense stat. Additionally, Chansey can pass titanic Wishes to Donphan, essentially restoring it to full health and completely making up for the Armor Pokemon's lack of recovery. Due to the fact that this Donphan's only means of dishing out damage is Earthquake, it is completely vulnerable against Flying-types and Levitating Ghost-types. In order to deal with such foes, proper team support should be employed. Registeel can counter most Flying-types successfully, and also has good defensive synergy with Donphan. Meanwhile, a Pursuit user, such as Houndoom, Snorlax, or Spiritomb, can be used to wreck Ghost-types.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Head Smash / Stone Edge
move 3: Ice Shard / Toxic
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Donphan is almost always seen as a supporter first and an attacker second, this set aims to turn it into a fearsome physical threat that hits like a ton of bricks off a Choice Band-boosted base 120 Attack stat. This set relies heavily on surprise value, as many opponents are expecting a moderately powerful physical tank, and are devestated when Donphan unleashes an extremely powerful attack. Earthquake is the set's key move, dealing tremendous damage to any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. However, don't just mindlessly spam it, as UU is home to many Pokemon that resist or are immune to Ground-type blows. Head Smash and Stone Edge are both powerful Rock-type attacks that allow Donphan to dominate the Flying-types that resist Earthquake, as well as hit Levitating Ghost-types such as Mismagius. Ice Shard allows Donphan to deal heavy damage to Flygon and Gligar, as well as revenge kill weakened, frail sweepers such as Azelf. However, you can opt to use Toxic instead, which allows Donphan to surprise and cripple walls. Despite the fact that this set utilizes a Choice Band, Rapid Spin is still a must, as the ability to clear away all entry hazards in a single turn is too good to pass up. Just be wary of using Rapid Spin too carelessly, as it is not a good move to be locked into.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set uses very simple EVs. 252 HP EVs let Donphan take hits more easily, while 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature ensure that it will be doing astronomical damage, especially with the boost from Choice Band. This set is a great choice on teams that dislike Ghost-types, as this Donphan variant is excellent at luring such Pokemon in and disposing of them with a powerful STAB Earthquake (or, in Mismagius and Rotom's case, Head Smash). Bulky Water-types can really give this set problems, particularly Milotic, which cannot switch in on Earthquake without being seriously injured, but can utilize Recover and 2HKO Donphan with Surf. In order to deal with bulky Water-types, a teammate such as Tangrowth or Raikou should be employed. Powerful special attackers, such as Charizard and Shaymin, are great partners to this set, as they can take out the physical walls that give Donphan a hard time. As an added bonus, Charizard benefits greatly from the Rapid Spin support Donphan provides, as it has a terrible 4x weakness to Stealth Rock. Charizard can even take on Grass-types, which Donphan has an extremely hard time taking down and is severely threatened by. Though it is by no means neccessary, one might also wish to employ Spikes support alongside this Donphan, as it is capable of forcing many switches due to its sheer, unexpected power. Roserade and Froslass are both capable of dispensing Spikes, and Froslass can even prevent them from being Rapid Spinned away by the opposing team due to its Ghost typing.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Donphan doesn't have the widest of movepools, so there aren't too many other options it can utilize. Donphan can attempt to abuse a Level 25 Sturdy + Endeavor set, but such a set is destroyed by priority, and the role of low-level Endeavor user is better left to the Clefairy trio. One can try Rock Polish if one wants Donphan to attempt a sweep, but Donphan isn't particularly fast even after a Rock Polish boost, and there are better, more powerful options for a sweeper. Donphan has access to other physical attacks, such as Seed Bomb, Superpower, and Bounce, but these are inferior to its aforementioned attacks, and Donphan typically doesn't have room for them on its moveset. One can also employ a Counter + Sturdy strategy, which could potentially score a surprise KO or two on an unsuspecting physical attacker.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Since Donphan is primarily a Rapid Spinner, Ghost-types, particularly bulky ones such as Cofagrigus and Dusclops, can give it problems. Bulky Ghost-types are especially hard for Donphan to pull a Rapid Spin on due to their longevity, making them great checks. Since Donphan's main way of dealing damage is with its STAB Earthquake, Flying-types and Pokemon with the ability Levitate can cause it problems; however, Flying-types must watch out for a super effective Head Smash or Stone Edge. Grass-types, such as Tangrowth and Shaymin, resist Donphan's Earthquake, and can hit it with a powerful STAB Grass-type attack. Water-types, like Milotic and Slowbro, can also cause the Armor Pokemon pain, though they lack the Ground resistance that Grass-types are blessed with. Donphan's Special Defense is quite mediocre, so powerful special hits will also put it down fairly quickly.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Donphan's Dream World ability is Sand Veil. While this typically isn't as good of an option as Sturdy, it can be somewhat useful on sandstorm teams, where Donphan can annoy the opponent with Substitute. However, Sandslash is a more competent sandstorm + Sand Veil abuser due to its access to Swords Dance.</p>
