[OVERVIEW]
Duraludon curves out a great niche in NU thanks to its utility and offense. Eviolite allows it to better tank attacks from Physical attackers like Basculegion-M, Overqwil, and Tsareena. Duraludon solid coverage moves allows it to pressure Pokemon like Incineroar, Copperajah, and Klefki letting it worn them out. However, Duraludon poor Special bulk even with Eviolite makes it unable to repeatedly switch into Special Attackers like Munkidori, Sylveon, and Toxtricity. Duraludon faces competition from Steel-types like Bronzong, Copperajah, and Klefki; since, they can handle the aforementioned Special Attackers. Furthermore, it struggles to break defensive Pokemon like Milotic, Bellibolt, and Wo-Chien with them having access to recovery while the latter can threaten Duraludon with Knock Off and Leech Seed.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Flash Cannon
move 3: Body Press / Thunder Wave
move 4: Stealth Rock / Dragon Tail / Thunder Wave
item: Eviolite
ability: Heavy Metal / Light Metal
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 40 Def / 216 SpA / 252 Spe
tera type: Fairy / Ghost / Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Body Press allows Duraludon to counter Steel-types like Copperajah and Alolan Sandslash that can tank its STAB attacks while handling Dark-types such as Incineroar and Scrafty. Thunder Wave threatens potential and fast switch-ins like Munkidori, Flamigo, and Paldean Tauros-W. Alternatively, Dragon Tail lets it phase out setup sweepers like Galarian Articuno, Scyther, and Hitmonlee. The EV spread allows Duraludon to survive Choice Band Flygon’s and Adamant Barraskewda’s attacks from full while outpacing foes like Chandelure and Tsareena. Timid nature gives it a speed advantage from fast Pokemon like Toxicroak and Chandelure, but Modest nature can be used to 2HKO foes such as Sylveon and Munkidori with entire hazards. Duraludon can opt to run a Specially Defensive EV spread of 248 HP / 204 SpD / 56 Spe with a Calm Nature lets it better handle Munkidori and Chandelure while outspeed foes like bulky Sylveon and Rhyperior. Heavy Metal allows Duraludon to tank Heavy Slam and Heat Crash from Bronzong and Copperajah, respectively. Whereas Light Metal allows Duraludon to better handle a boosted Grafaiai’s Low Kick. Tera Fairy gives Duraludon a better matchup against Pokemon like Flygon and Flamigo while Tera Ghost gives it an immunity to Fighting-types and letting it threaten Rapid Spin users like Tsareena and Brambleghast. Tera Flying maintains the Fighting-type resistance and being immune to Ground-types like Swampert, Gligar, and Flygon.
Duraludon pairs best with Pokemon like Incineroar, Swampert, and Milotic as the three can handle Special Attackers such as Munkidori, Goodra, and Inteleon. While Duraludon can help them deal with wallbreakers like Basculegion-M and Swords Dance Overqwil. Physical tanks like Galarian Slowbro, Houndstone, and Amoonguss help Duraludon deal with wallbreakers like Flygon, Toxicroak, and Heracross. Wallbreakers like Toxicroak, Basulegion-M, and Munkidori support Duraludon by breaking down bulky walls like Vaporeon, Chansey, and Wo-Chien. Offensive setup sweepers like Incineroar, Munkidori, and Toxtricity appreciates Duraludon’s Thunder Wave allowing them to outspeed fast threats like Chandelure and Barraskeda. Wish Passers such as Vaporeon, Sylveon, and Scream Tail benefit from Duraludon for checking Pokemon like Cinccino and Overqwil. In return, their wishes allow it to repeatedly switch into foes like Decidueye, Barraskeda, and Gligar.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Dragon Pluse can be use over Draco Meteor for not dropping its Special Attack exchange for weaker power. Thunderbolt allows Duraludon to threaten bulky Water-types like Vaporeon and Milotic but it prefers to run other options. Iron Defense pairs well with Body Press while letting Duraludon to better handle physical wallbreakers like Flygon, Incineroar, and Rhyperior. However, it very niche and often prefers to run Thunder Wave or Dragon Tail. Choice Specs makes Duraludon into a strong wallbreaker letting it 2HKO Pokemon like Vaporeon, Amoonguss, and Incineroar. However, it’s very prediction heavy and prefers to run utility sets. Eject Pack can be use on both offense and hyper offensive teams allowing Duraludon to setting up rocks and pivot into a wallbreaker like Swords Dance Incineroar and Choice Specs Chandelure. Expert Belt can be run on Duraludon to boost its Super Effective attacks but Eviolite is preferred for the defensive boost.
Checks and Counters
====
**Special Attackers**: Choice Specs Sylveon, Chandelure, and Toxtricity destroys it with their powerful attacks due to Duraludon’s poor special bulk. However, they must be cautious of switching into its STAB attacks. Setup sweepers like Munkidori, Dununsparce, and Meloetta can use Duraludon switching out as free setup while being able to destroy it with their coverage. Although, none of them enjoy switching into Thunder Wave.
**Defensive Tanks**: Specifically Defensive Pokemon like Wo-Chien, Incineroar, Chansey, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowbro can tank its attacks as they can attack Duraludon while the latter three can threaten it back with status. Although, they must be careful about switching directly into its attacks. Bulky Water-types like Vaporeon and Milotic are able to shrug off Duraludon’s attacks while being able to recover off the damage. Scrafty can tank Duraludon’s attacks being able to use it as setup fodder but doesn’t enjoy switching into a direct Body Press.
**Ground-types**: Flygon, Rhyperior, Gligar, and Swampert threaten Duraludon with their Earthquake while the former can use it as free setup after a Draco Meteor drop. However, Flygon and Rhyperior don’t enjoy switching into its STAB attacks while both Gligar and Swampert are cautious about repeatedly switch into its attacks.
**Steel-types**: Copperajah, Alolan Sandslash, and Bronzong are able to tank its STAB attacks allowing them to setup their own entire hazards with former two threaten to remove Duraludon’s Eviolite. However, none of them don’t enjoy switching into Body Press. Klefki is immune to its Dragon-type attacks letting it setup Spikes or hit Duraludon back with Dazzling Gleam but Klefki does not enjoy switching into a direct Flash Cannon.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pika134.609709/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Duraludon curves out a great niche in NU thanks to its utility and offense. Eviolite allows it to better tank attacks from Physical attackers like Basculegion-M, Overqwil, and Tsareena. Duraludon solid coverage moves allows it to pressure Pokemon like Incineroar, Copperajah, and Klefki letting it worn them out. However, Duraludon poor Special bulk even with Eviolite makes it unable to repeatedly switch into Special Attackers like Munkidori, Sylveon, and Toxtricity. Duraludon faces competition from Steel-types like Bronzong, Copperajah, and Klefki; since, they can handle the aforementioned Special Attackers. Furthermore, it struggles to break defensive Pokemon like Milotic, Bellibolt, and Wo-Chien with them having access to recovery while the latter can threaten Duraludon with Knock Off and Leech Seed.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Flash Cannon
move 3: Body Press / Thunder Wave
move 4: Stealth Rock / Dragon Tail / Thunder Wave
item: Eviolite
ability: Heavy Metal / Light Metal
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 40 Def / 216 SpA / 252 Spe
tera type: Fairy / Ghost / Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Body Press allows Duraludon to counter Steel-types like Copperajah and Alolan Sandslash that can tank its STAB attacks while handling Dark-types such as Incineroar and Scrafty. Thunder Wave threatens potential and fast switch-ins like Munkidori, Flamigo, and Paldean Tauros-W. Alternatively, Dragon Tail lets it phase out setup sweepers like Galarian Articuno, Scyther, and Hitmonlee. The EV spread allows Duraludon to survive Choice Band Flygon’s and Adamant Barraskewda’s attacks from full while outpacing foes like Chandelure and Tsareena. Timid nature gives it a speed advantage from fast Pokemon like Toxicroak and Chandelure, but Modest nature can be used to 2HKO foes such as Sylveon and Munkidori with entire hazards. Duraludon can opt to run a Specially Defensive EV spread of 248 HP / 204 SpD / 56 Spe with a Calm Nature lets it better handle Munkidori and Chandelure while outspeed foes like bulky Sylveon and Rhyperior. Heavy Metal allows Duraludon to tank Heavy Slam and Heat Crash from Bronzong and Copperajah, respectively. Whereas Light Metal allows Duraludon to better handle a boosted Grafaiai’s Low Kick. Tera Fairy gives Duraludon a better matchup against Pokemon like Flygon and Flamigo while Tera Ghost gives it an immunity to Fighting-types and letting it threaten Rapid Spin users like Tsareena and Brambleghast. Tera Flying maintains the Fighting-type resistance and being immune to Ground-types like Swampert, Gligar, and Flygon.
Duraludon pairs best with Pokemon like Incineroar, Swampert, and Milotic as the three can handle Special Attackers such as Munkidori, Goodra, and Inteleon. While Duraludon can help them deal with wallbreakers like Basculegion-M and Swords Dance Overqwil. Physical tanks like Galarian Slowbro, Houndstone, and Amoonguss help Duraludon deal with wallbreakers like Flygon, Toxicroak, and Heracross. Wallbreakers like Toxicroak, Basulegion-M, and Munkidori support Duraludon by breaking down bulky walls like Vaporeon, Chansey, and Wo-Chien. Offensive setup sweepers like Incineroar, Munkidori, and Toxtricity appreciates Duraludon’s Thunder Wave allowing them to outspeed fast threats like Chandelure and Barraskeda. Wish Passers such as Vaporeon, Sylveon, and Scream Tail benefit from Duraludon for checking Pokemon like Cinccino and Overqwil. In return, their wishes allow it to repeatedly switch into foes like Decidueye, Barraskeda, and Gligar.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Dragon Pluse can be use over Draco Meteor for not dropping its Special Attack exchange for weaker power. Thunderbolt allows Duraludon to threaten bulky Water-types like Vaporeon and Milotic but it prefers to run other options. Iron Defense pairs well with Body Press while letting Duraludon to better handle physical wallbreakers like Flygon, Incineroar, and Rhyperior. However, it very niche and often prefers to run Thunder Wave or Dragon Tail. Choice Specs makes Duraludon into a strong wallbreaker letting it 2HKO Pokemon like Vaporeon, Amoonguss, and Incineroar. However, it’s very prediction heavy and prefers to run utility sets. Eject Pack can be use on both offense and hyper offensive teams allowing Duraludon to setting up rocks and pivot into a wallbreaker like Swords Dance Incineroar and Choice Specs Chandelure. Expert Belt can be run on Duraludon to boost its Super Effective attacks but Eviolite is preferred for the defensive boost.
Checks and Counters
====
**Special Attackers**: Choice Specs Sylveon, Chandelure, and Toxtricity destroys it with their powerful attacks due to Duraludon’s poor special bulk. However, they must be cautious of switching into its STAB attacks. Setup sweepers like Munkidori, Dununsparce, and Meloetta can use Duraludon switching out as free setup while being able to destroy it with their coverage. Although, none of them enjoy switching into Thunder Wave.
**Defensive Tanks**: Specifically Defensive Pokemon like Wo-Chien, Incineroar, Chansey, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowbro can tank its attacks as they can attack Duraludon while the latter three can threaten it back with status. Although, they must be careful about switching directly into its attacks. Bulky Water-types like Vaporeon and Milotic are able to shrug off Duraludon’s attacks while being able to recover off the damage. Scrafty can tank Duraludon’s attacks being able to use it as setup fodder but doesn’t enjoy switching into a direct Body Press.
**Ground-types**: Flygon, Rhyperior, Gligar, and Swampert threaten Duraludon with their Earthquake while the former can use it as free setup after a Draco Meteor drop. However, Flygon and Rhyperior don’t enjoy switching into its STAB attacks while both Gligar and Swampert are cautious about repeatedly switch into its attacks.
**Steel-types**: Copperajah, Alolan Sandslash, and Bronzong are able to tank its STAB attacks allowing them to setup their own entire hazards with former two threaten to remove Duraludon’s Eviolite. However, none of them don’t enjoy switching into Body Press. Klefki is immune to its Dragon-type attacks letting it setup Spikes or hit Duraludon back with Dazzling Gleam but Klefki does not enjoy switching into a direct Flash Cannon.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pika134.609709/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Last edited:
