[overview]
**Draft order**: Mid- or late-round 1 onwards
**Price range**: 18-19 points
**Overview**: Darkrai is a very fast, strong special attacker with incredible coverage. With access to Hypnosis and Bad Dreams, it can be a very difficult Pokemon to handle for any team if Hypnosis doesn't miss. Access to Nasty Plot, coupled with its amazing Speed and amazing coverage options, makes Darkrai a potent setup threat. It is also a strong cleaner thanks to its base 125 Speed. However, Darkrai is frail and lacks a strong STAB option outside of Dark Pulse; thus, it works best on teams with good entry hazard support and pivot options.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup sweeper**: Darkrai's amazing Speed, excellent coverage, and access to both Nasty Plot and Calm Mind make Darkrai an excellent setup sweeper. Hypnosis can be used to give Darkrai free turns to set up.
**Wallbreaker**: Holding a Special Attack-boosting item allows Darkrai to hit extremely hard. It has super effective coverage to hit all of the types that resist Dark.
**Cleaner/revenge killer**: Darkrai's excellent Speed allows it to outspeed several Pokemon and pick them off with a strong Dark Pulse or strong coverage move. It's also an excellent Choice Scarf user, as it naturally outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame with a Choice Scarf.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Dark Pulse
**Setup moves**: Nasty Plot, Calm Mind, Swords Dance
**Utility moves**: Trick, Hypnosis, Taunt, Substitute, Knock Off, Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, Disable
**Coverage**: Sludge Bomb, Focus Blast, Ice Beam, Thunder, Psychic, Psyshock
Niche Moves
========
**Foul Play**: Foul Play can be used to deal with physical attackers. This is a good option on a Choice Scarf set to revenge kill physical setup sweepers.
**Sucker Punch**: Sucker Punch can be used to pick off weakened Pokemon that might have a Choice Scarf or priority attacks.
**Hex**: Hex can be combined with Toxic Spikes or other status spreading support to give Darkrai a 130 base power Ghost-type coverage option.
**Night Shade**: Night Shade is an option to deal consistent damage to Fairy-types that are not weak to Poison-type coverage like Diancie.
Common Items
========
**Special Attack-boosting items**: Darkrai prefers switching up moves to make the most out of its excellent coverage. Items like Life Orb and Expert Belt provide a much needed boost without locking Darkrai into a single move. Choice Specs can be run in case Darkrai wants to hit as hard as possible.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf makes use of Darkrai's excellent Speed, enabling it to revenge kill faster Pokemon or slower Pokemon at +1 Speed. It can also be used in combination with Trick to hinder bulky special walls.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Darkrai is pretty frail and entry hazards cut into its longevity. Heavy-Duty Boots circumvents this issue.
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash is usually seen on lead sets that carry Hypnosis. Focus Sash allows Darkrai at least 2 two chances to land a Hypnosis and impair a Pokemon.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers can be run on sets with Hypnosis or Substitute to provide consistent recovery, allowing Darkrai to stick around for longer.
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest can be used to patch up Darkrai's mediocre special bulk to take on special hits better. This can be useful in games where Darkrai has to check a Psychic-type.
**Resistance Berry**: A resistance Berry can be used to live a super effective hit once, helping with setting up or revenge killing.
Tera
========
Darkrai is typically banned from using Tera due to its amazing Speed and strong Special Attack with excellent coverage options. If it is allowed to Tera, it would make an excellent Tera Captain. Defensive Tera type options like Steel, Fairy, or Poison can allow Darkrai to set up more easily and sweep. Tera Ground and Electric are also excellent options to avoid any potential Thunder Wave attempting to slow it down. On the offensive side, Darkrai can use Tera Dark, Poison, or Ice to boost its damage output.
Draft Strategy
========
Darkrai will be one of the top Pokemon on a draft. Darkrai provides an excellent speed option and the important Dark typing for a draft. The rest of the draft should be chosen to support Darkrai. Darkrai's profile is best suited for offense-oriented teams.
**Entry hazards**: Darkrai particularly appreciates entry hazard support like Toxic Spikes from Galarian Slowking, Stealth Rock from Landorus-T, and Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes from Glimmora to weaken opposing bulky Pokemon. This enables Darkrai to sweep more easily.
**Pivot options**: Darkrai is very frail and takes a lot of damage, even from neutral hits. As such, it appreciates being able to switch in safely and appreciates VoltTurn momentum from the likes of Rotom-W, Landorus-T, and Quaquaval and Chilly Reception support from Galarian Slowking.
**Strong physical attackers**: Darkrai appreciates a physical wallbreaker or setup sweeper on the team to help with breaking the opposing team. This makes the likes of Ogerpon-W, Quaquaval, and Iron Hands excellent partners for Darkrai.
**Dual screens support**: Dual screens from Pokemon like Uxie, Rotom-W, and Klefki help circumvent Darkrai's frailty and allow it to setup more easily and sweep the opposing team.
**Strong Steel- or Poison-type Pokemon**: Darkrai appreciates having a teammate that is able to switch into Fairy-type moves and threaten to KO them. Pokemon like Metagross and Glimmora make excellent teammates for this reason.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Fairy-types**: Fairy-types that are not weak to or are immune to Sludge Bomb like Diancie, Klefki, and Tinkaton are especially very good vs Darkrai, as it lacks the coverage to hit them super effectively. Other Fairy-types need to be wary of switching into Sludge Bomb. Darkrai can overcome this by being paired with a strong Steel- or Poison-type that can switch into the Fairy-type move.
**Faster attackers**: Darkrai is very fast, but it is still vulnerable to opposing Choice Scarf users and faster threats like Iron Bundle. Darkrai likes being paired with strong Choice Scarf or priority attack users to help deal with opposing faster threats.
**Strong attackers with priority**: Darkrai is frail and does not resist any priority attacks outside of Sucker Punch. As such, it can be picked off by strong priority attacks like Jet Punch from Palafin-H, Vacuum Wave from Keldeo, and Bullet Punch from Scizor. While Darkrai is bulky enough to live a strong priority move from full, it's worth scouting for the item and offensive investment of these Pokemon before deciding to stay in with Darkrai.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/professor-shuckle.530941/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/dartrix-joker.356084/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
**Draft order**: Mid- or late-round 1 onwards
**Price range**: 18-19 points
**Overview**: Darkrai is a very fast, strong special attacker with incredible coverage. With access to Hypnosis and Bad Dreams, it can be a very difficult Pokemon to handle for any team if Hypnosis doesn't miss. Access to Nasty Plot, coupled with its amazing Speed and amazing coverage options, makes Darkrai a potent setup threat. It is also a strong cleaner thanks to its base 125 Speed. However, Darkrai is frail and lacks a strong STAB option outside of Dark Pulse; thus, it works best on teams with good entry hazard support and pivot options.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup sweeper**: Darkrai's amazing Speed, excellent coverage, and access to both Nasty Plot and Calm Mind make Darkrai an excellent setup sweeper. Hypnosis can be used to give Darkrai free turns to set up.
**Wallbreaker**: Holding a Special Attack-boosting item allows Darkrai to hit extremely hard. It has super effective coverage to hit all of the types that resist Dark.
**Cleaner/revenge killer**: Darkrai's excellent Speed allows it to outspeed several Pokemon and pick them off with a strong Dark Pulse or strong coverage move. It's also an excellent Choice Scarf user, as it naturally outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame with a Choice Scarf.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Dark Pulse
**Setup moves**: Nasty Plot, Calm Mind, Swords Dance
**Utility moves**: Trick, Hypnosis, Taunt, Substitute, Knock Off, Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, Disable
**Coverage**: Sludge Bomb, Focus Blast, Ice Beam, Thunder, Psychic, Psyshock
Niche Moves
========
**Foul Play**: Foul Play can be used to deal with physical attackers. This is a good option on a Choice Scarf set to revenge kill physical setup sweepers.
**Sucker Punch**: Sucker Punch can be used to pick off weakened Pokemon that might have a Choice Scarf or priority attacks.
**Hex**: Hex can be combined with Toxic Spikes or other status spreading support to give Darkrai a 130 base power Ghost-type coverage option.
**Night Shade**: Night Shade is an option to deal consistent damage to Fairy-types that are not weak to Poison-type coverage like Diancie.
Common Items
========
**Special Attack-boosting items**: Darkrai prefers switching up moves to make the most out of its excellent coverage. Items like Life Orb and Expert Belt provide a much needed boost without locking Darkrai into a single move. Choice Specs can be run in case Darkrai wants to hit as hard as possible.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf makes use of Darkrai's excellent Speed, enabling it to revenge kill faster Pokemon or slower Pokemon at +1 Speed. It can also be used in combination with Trick to hinder bulky special walls.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Darkrai is pretty frail and entry hazards cut into its longevity. Heavy-Duty Boots circumvents this issue.
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash is usually seen on lead sets that carry Hypnosis. Focus Sash allows Darkrai at least 2 two chances to land a Hypnosis and impair a Pokemon.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers can be run on sets with Hypnosis or Substitute to provide consistent recovery, allowing Darkrai to stick around for longer.
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest can be used to patch up Darkrai's mediocre special bulk to take on special hits better. This can be useful in games where Darkrai has to check a Psychic-type.
**Resistance Berry**: A resistance Berry can be used to live a super effective hit once, helping with setting up or revenge killing.
Tera
========
Darkrai is typically banned from using Tera due to its amazing Speed and strong Special Attack with excellent coverage options. If it is allowed to Tera, it would make an excellent Tera Captain. Defensive Tera type options like Steel, Fairy, or Poison can allow Darkrai to set up more easily and sweep. Tera Ground and Electric are also excellent options to avoid any potential Thunder Wave attempting to slow it down. On the offensive side, Darkrai can use Tera Dark, Poison, or Ice to boost its damage output.
Draft Strategy
========
Darkrai will be one of the top Pokemon on a draft. Darkrai provides an excellent speed option and the important Dark typing for a draft. The rest of the draft should be chosen to support Darkrai. Darkrai's profile is best suited for offense-oriented teams.
**Entry hazards**: Darkrai particularly appreciates entry hazard support like Toxic Spikes from Galarian Slowking, Stealth Rock from Landorus-T, and Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes from Glimmora to weaken opposing bulky Pokemon. This enables Darkrai to sweep more easily.
**Pivot options**: Darkrai is very frail and takes a lot of damage, even from neutral hits. As such, it appreciates being able to switch in safely and appreciates VoltTurn momentum from the likes of Rotom-W, Landorus-T, and Quaquaval and Chilly Reception support from Galarian Slowking.
**Strong physical attackers**: Darkrai appreciates a physical wallbreaker or setup sweeper on the team to help with breaking the opposing team. This makes the likes of Ogerpon-W, Quaquaval, and Iron Hands excellent partners for Darkrai.
**Dual screens support**: Dual screens from Pokemon like Uxie, Rotom-W, and Klefki help circumvent Darkrai's frailty and allow it to setup more easily and sweep the opposing team.
**Strong Steel- or Poison-type Pokemon**: Darkrai appreciates having a teammate that is able to switch into Fairy-type moves and threaten to KO them. Pokemon like Metagross and Glimmora make excellent teammates for this reason.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Fairy-types**: Fairy-types that are not weak to or are immune to Sludge Bomb like Diancie, Klefki, and Tinkaton are especially very good vs Darkrai, as it lacks the coverage to hit them super effectively. Other Fairy-types need to be wary of switching into Sludge Bomb. Darkrai can overcome this by being paired with a strong Steel- or Poison-type that can switch into the Fairy-type move.
**Faster attackers**: Darkrai is very fast, but it is still vulnerable to opposing Choice Scarf users and faster threats like Iron Bundle. Darkrai likes being paired with strong Choice Scarf or priority attack users to help deal with opposing faster threats.
**Strong attackers with priority**: Darkrai is frail and does not resist any priority attacks outside of Sucker Punch. As such, it can be picked off by strong priority attacks like Jet Punch from Palafin-H, Vacuum Wave from Keldeo, and Bullet Punch from Scizor. While Darkrai is bulky enough to live a strong priority move from full, it's worth scouting for the item and offensive investment of these Pokemon before deciding to stay in with Darkrai.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/professor-shuckle.530941/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/dartrix-joker.356084/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
Last edited: