[OVERVIEW]
Dudunsparce stands out as one of the best Pokemon in the metagame. With a large movepool, good stat spread, and useful abilities, Dudunsparce is an unpredictable and flexible Pokemon that can take on a variety of offensive and defensive roles. Dudunsparce's setup sets are amongst the most theatening late-game wincons in the metagame thanks to its great bulk, fantastic attacking options, and access to reliable recovery. The fact that both physically and specially based sets are viable and dangerous adds yet another layer of peril to these sets. It can also serve as a reliable special wall that is capable of spreading status and setting up Stealth Rock. Dudunsparce's main shortcomings stem from its low Speed, which leaves it outpaced by virtually the entire offensive metagame. Its typing also offers no resistances, and it is weak to common Fighting-type attacks from the likes of Hisuian Decidueye, Passimian, and Hitmonlee.
[SET]
Coil (Dudunsparce) @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
Tera Type: Fairy / Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Coil
- Roost
- Body Slam
- Dragon Tail / Poison Jab
[SET COMMENTS]
Coil Dudunsparce is an extremely dangerous late-game wincon thanks to its bulk, access to Roost, and ability to overcome its checks via Serene Grace Body Slam and Dragon Tail. Coil notably complements its stat spread very well, as most special attackers struggle to break through Dudunsparce, while physical attackers fail to do so after Coil boosts Dudunsparce's Defense, and it makes Dragon Tail 100% accurate after one boost. Roost allows Dudunsparce to stay healthy and reliably accrue multiple Coil boosts versus more passive teams. Body Slam is preferred for a STAB move, as it comes with a nasty 60% paralysis chance thanks to Serene Grace. Dragon Tail is the preferred last option, as it allows Dudunsparce to phaze potential checks such as Sandaconda, Palossand, and Dipplin. This allows Dudunsparce to rack up entry hazard damage and make it easier for it to break through them. Poison Jab is an alternative that comes with a 60% chance to poison the foe with Serene Grace. It also lets Dudunsparce potentially win the mirror matchup over time and can cripple incoming checks, such as Rhydon and Regirock, more significantly than paralysis does. However, this leaves Dudunsparce with a significantly worse matchup against foes such as Orthworm and Naclstack, and Dudunsparce could potentially force one status onto a foe when the other would be preferred instead. Maximum Special Defense investment gives Dudunsparce setup opportunities against foes such as Jolteon, Cramorant, and Mesprit, while Leftovers is the preferred item for passive recovery. Tera Fairy allows Dudunsparce to become immune to Dragon Tail while removing its detrimental Fighting weakness, therefore allowing it to beat Dipplin, Passimian, and Hisuian Decidueye. However, Tera Poison boosts Poison Jab's power and makes it immune to Toxic from the likes of Hisuian Qwilfish and opposing Dudunsparce while still giving Dudunsparce a Fighting resistance. However, this leaves Dudunsparce vulnerable to Dragon Tail and also saddles it with undesirable weaknesses to Psychic- and Ground-type attacks.
Coil Dudunsparce is an excellent wincon for balance and bulky offense teams thanks to its solid defensive presence combined with its threatening offensive profile. Dudunsparce loves having entry hazards on the opponent's side, as they help it chip down its defensive answers, such as Regirock, Orthworm, and Rhydon, while also having great synergy with Dragon Tail. Physically bulky Stealth Rock setters like Sandaconda, Palossand, and Regirock help check physical attackers for Dudunsparce; the former two in particular can help check Fighting-types like Passimian and apply further chip damage with Rocky Helmet. In a similar vein, Spikes setters like Sandslash and Qwilfish and Toxic Spikes setters like Weezing and Hisuian Qwilfish work great with this set. Weezing in particular can further help out with dangerous Fighting-types and is another great user of Rocky Helmet. Dudunsparce is capable of using Body Slam to spread paralysis early- and mid-game before setting up for a sweep, so slow attackers like Glastrier, Clawitzer, and Alolan Exeggutor are good teammates. These wallbreakers can help soften up checks to Dudunsparce such as Orthworm, Regirock, and opposing Dudunsparce. Dudunsparce hates status, so it appreciates status absorbers such as RestTalk Lanturn and Naclstack backing it up. Dudunsparce appreciates Ghost-types such as Mismagius, Rotom, and Sableye being taken care of before it attempts to win, so threatening Dark-types such as Sneasel and Brute Bonnet are good teammates to help threaten them. Coil Dudunsparce often needs to Terastallize to perform its role consistently, so teammates that are less dependant on Terastallizing, such as Mesprit, Palossand, and Grafaiai, are good teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dudunsparce's vast movepool leaves it with plenty of additional options. Glare is by far the best move not mentioned above; it allows Dudunsparce to spread paralysis without having to rely on Body Slam and it can paralyze Ghost-types such as Palossand, Rotom, and Mismagius. This also opens up the opportunity for the Coil set to run Glare and either Headbutt or Bite over Body Slam and Dragon Tail. While the well-known paraflinch strategy is extremely irritating to play against and can let Dudunsparce potentially break through even sturdy Normal-resistant Pokemon like Orthworm and Regirock, it is ultimately a luck-based and inconsistent strategy. This set also can't directly damage Ghost-types unless it opts for Bite, which is much weaker than Headbutt. Glare could also be considered on the specially defensive set, but Dudunsparce generally prefers Body Slam so that it can fit every move that the set wants. Body Press is an additional option on Coil sets that can heavily damage Normal-resistant Pokemon such as Orthworm, Regirock, and Rhydon, but this also makes Dudunsparce walled by Ghost-types and has significantly less overall utility than Dragon Tail or Poison Jab. Earthquake allows Dudunsparce to hit Regirock, Rhydon, and Naclstack, but it is walled by Orthworm and many of the tier's Ghost-types. The Calm Mind set could consider Flamethrower to more immediately threaten Orthworm and Magneton or Ice Beam to threaten Dipplin, but between Shadow Ball and Tera Ghost, it can usually beat these threats anyway, and the coverage is much worse. Ice Beam can be run with Serence Grace to fish for a freeze, but this is an unreliable strategy at best. Rest can take advantage of attempts to beat Dudunsparce via status, but it is significantly easier to take advantage of than Roost. Stored Power may look interesting for the Calm Mind sets, but its coverage is inferior to that of Shadow Ball, and it leaves Dudunsparce walled by Spiritomb and Sableye. Tera Fairy is also an option on the Calm Mind set to deny Dragon Tail attempts and give Dudunsparce a fantastic defensive typing, but it is generally not as effective as the Tera type options listed. Covert Cloak is an interesting option to prevent various detrimental secondary effects from moves like Psychic Noise, Triple Arrows, and Salt Cure, but it is overall niche compared to Heavy-Duty Boots or Leftovers. A dedicated specially based wallbreaker with Boomburst, Shadow Ball, Earth Power or Flamethrower, and Roost with Tera Normal or Ghost is actually quite difficult for many teams to switch into while having more longevity than most of its competitors, but it is ultimately too slow to perform its role consistently.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types and Fighting-type Coverage**: Fighting-types such as Passimian, Hisuian Decidueye, Hitmonlee, and Virizion threaten Dudunsparce with their powerful STAB moves. Additionally, Fighting-type coverage commonly run by Regirock, Orthworm, and Glastrier can make life difficult for Dudunsparce. However, Dudunsparce almost always runs Tera types designed to give it a Fighting resistance, which can turn the tables on all of these answers.
**Bulky Normal-resistant Pokemon**: Bulky Normal-resistant Pokemon, such as Orthworm, Regirock, and Rhydon, can take Dudunsparce's STAB moves well. The former two can also set up Iron Defense to threaten Dudunsparce further. They lack reliable recovery, however, so a patient player can chip them down with entry hazard damage and then break through with Dudunsparce anyway, and Regirock and Rhydon are vulnerable to Toxic. Naclstack stands out as an option that has recovery and can apply Dudunsparce with Salt Cure; it is also significantly better against the Calm Mind set thanks to Purifying Salt giving it a Ghost resistance.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Mismagius, Rotom, Spiritomb, and Sableye are immune to Dudunsparce's STAB moves and can threaten it with status, Taunt, or Encore. They must watch for Shadow Ball or Toxic, however, and Dudunsparce can phaze all of them with Dragon Tail.
**Status**: Dudunsparce hates being statused; Toxic is crippling for all sets in particular, while Coil sets greatly dislike being burned. Toxic spreaders such as Muk, Hisuian Qwilfish, and opposing Dudunsparce are therefore quite threatening to it. Will-O-Wisp users such as Weezing and Charizard require similar levels of caution, although the Calm Mind set can deal with them. Paralysis is also annoying; opposing Dudunsparce, Lanturn, and Mesprit can spread paralysis well against Dudunsparce.
**Taunt and Encore**: Dudunsparce's general reliance on setting up and using utility moves makes Encore and Taunta good ways to shut it down. Encore users such as Whimsicott, Sableye, and Grafaiai can lock Dudunsparce into an unfavorable move and force it out. Similarly, Taunt from Hisuian Qwilfish, Lycanroc, and Mismagius is quite annoying, although this doesn't prevent Dudunsparce from attempting to phaze them with Dragon Tail or maiming them with a STAB move or Shadow Ball.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sputnik.475916/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Dudunsparce stands out as one of the best Pokemon in the metagame. With a large movepool, good stat spread, and useful abilities, Dudunsparce is an unpredictable and flexible Pokemon that can take on a variety of offensive and defensive roles. Dudunsparce's setup sets are amongst the most theatening late-game wincons in the metagame thanks to its great bulk, fantastic attacking options, and access to reliable recovery. The fact that both physically and specially based sets are viable and dangerous adds yet another layer of peril to these sets. It can also serve as a reliable special wall that is capable of spreading status and setting up Stealth Rock. Dudunsparce's main shortcomings stem from its low Speed, which leaves it outpaced by virtually the entire offensive metagame. Its typing also offers no resistances, and it is weak to common Fighting-type attacks from the likes of Hisuian Decidueye, Passimian, and Hitmonlee.
[SET]
Coil (Dudunsparce) @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
Tera Type: Fairy / Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Coil
- Roost
- Body Slam
- Dragon Tail / Poison Jab
[SET COMMENTS]
Coil Dudunsparce is an extremely dangerous late-game wincon thanks to its bulk, access to Roost, and ability to overcome its checks via Serene Grace Body Slam and Dragon Tail. Coil notably complements its stat spread very well, as most special attackers struggle to break through Dudunsparce, while physical attackers fail to do so after Coil boosts Dudunsparce's Defense, and it makes Dragon Tail 100% accurate after one boost. Roost allows Dudunsparce to stay healthy and reliably accrue multiple Coil boosts versus more passive teams. Body Slam is preferred for a STAB move, as it comes with a nasty 60% paralysis chance thanks to Serene Grace. Dragon Tail is the preferred last option, as it allows Dudunsparce to phaze potential checks such as Sandaconda, Palossand, and Dipplin. This allows Dudunsparce to rack up entry hazard damage and make it easier for it to break through them. Poison Jab is an alternative that comes with a 60% chance to poison the foe with Serene Grace. It also lets Dudunsparce potentially win the mirror matchup over time and can cripple incoming checks, such as Rhydon and Regirock, more significantly than paralysis does. However, this leaves Dudunsparce with a significantly worse matchup against foes such as Orthworm and Naclstack, and Dudunsparce could potentially force one status onto a foe when the other would be preferred instead. Maximum Special Defense investment gives Dudunsparce setup opportunities against foes such as Jolteon, Cramorant, and Mesprit, while Leftovers is the preferred item for passive recovery. Tera Fairy allows Dudunsparce to become immune to Dragon Tail while removing its detrimental Fighting weakness, therefore allowing it to beat Dipplin, Passimian, and Hisuian Decidueye. However, Tera Poison boosts Poison Jab's power and makes it immune to Toxic from the likes of Hisuian Qwilfish and opposing Dudunsparce while still giving Dudunsparce a Fighting resistance. However, this leaves Dudunsparce vulnerable to Dragon Tail and also saddles it with undesirable weaknesses to Psychic- and Ground-type attacks.
Coil Dudunsparce is an excellent wincon for balance and bulky offense teams thanks to its solid defensive presence combined with its threatening offensive profile. Dudunsparce loves having entry hazards on the opponent's side, as they help it chip down its defensive answers, such as Regirock, Orthworm, and Rhydon, while also having great synergy with Dragon Tail. Physically bulky Stealth Rock setters like Sandaconda, Palossand, and Regirock help check physical attackers for Dudunsparce; the former two in particular can help check Fighting-types like Passimian and apply further chip damage with Rocky Helmet. In a similar vein, Spikes setters like Sandslash and Qwilfish and Toxic Spikes setters like Weezing and Hisuian Qwilfish work great with this set. Weezing in particular can further help out with dangerous Fighting-types and is another great user of Rocky Helmet. Dudunsparce is capable of using Body Slam to spread paralysis early- and mid-game before setting up for a sweep, so slow attackers like Glastrier, Clawitzer, and Alolan Exeggutor are good teammates. These wallbreakers can help soften up checks to Dudunsparce such as Orthworm, Regirock, and opposing Dudunsparce. Dudunsparce hates status, so it appreciates status absorbers such as RestTalk Lanturn and Naclstack backing it up. Dudunsparce appreciates Ghost-types such as Mismagius, Rotom, and Sableye being taken care of before it attempts to win, so threatening Dark-types such as Sneasel and Brute Bonnet are good teammates to help threaten them. Coil Dudunsparce often needs to Terastallize to perform its role consistently, so teammates that are less dependant on Terastallizing, such as Mesprit, Palossand, and Grafaiai, are good teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dudunsparce's vast movepool leaves it with plenty of additional options. Glare is by far the best move not mentioned above; it allows Dudunsparce to spread paralysis without having to rely on Body Slam and it can paralyze Ghost-types such as Palossand, Rotom, and Mismagius. This also opens up the opportunity for the Coil set to run Glare and either Headbutt or Bite over Body Slam and Dragon Tail. While the well-known paraflinch strategy is extremely irritating to play against and can let Dudunsparce potentially break through even sturdy Normal-resistant Pokemon like Orthworm and Regirock, it is ultimately a luck-based and inconsistent strategy. This set also can't directly damage Ghost-types unless it opts for Bite, which is much weaker than Headbutt. Glare could also be considered on the specially defensive set, but Dudunsparce generally prefers Body Slam so that it can fit every move that the set wants. Body Press is an additional option on Coil sets that can heavily damage Normal-resistant Pokemon such as Orthworm, Regirock, and Rhydon, but this also makes Dudunsparce walled by Ghost-types and has significantly less overall utility than Dragon Tail or Poison Jab. Earthquake allows Dudunsparce to hit Regirock, Rhydon, and Naclstack, but it is walled by Orthworm and many of the tier's Ghost-types. The Calm Mind set could consider Flamethrower to more immediately threaten Orthworm and Magneton or Ice Beam to threaten Dipplin, but between Shadow Ball and Tera Ghost, it can usually beat these threats anyway, and the coverage is much worse. Ice Beam can be run with Seren
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types and Fighting-type Coverage**: Fighting-types such as Passimian, Hisuian Decidueye, Hitmonlee, and Virizion threaten Dudunsparce with their powerful STAB moves. Additionally, Fighting-type coverage commonly run by Regirock, Orthworm, and Glastrier can make life difficult for Dudunsparce. However, Dudunsparce almost always runs Tera types designed to give it a Fighting resistance, which can turn the tables on all of these answers.
**Bulky Normal-resistant Pokemon**: Bulky Normal-resistant Pokemon, such as Orthworm, Regirock, and Rhydon, can take Dudunsparce's STAB moves well. The former two can also set up Iron Defense to threaten Dudunsparce further. They lack reliable recovery, however, so a patient player can chip them down with entry hazard damage and then break through with Dudunsparce anyway, and Regirock and Rhydon are vulnerable to Toxic. Naclstack stands out as an option that has recovery and can apply Dudunsparce with Salt Cure; it is also significantly better against the Calm Mind set thanks to Purifying Salt giving it a Ghost resistance.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Mismagius, Rotom, Spiritomb, and Sableye are immune to Dudunsparce's STAB moves and can threaten it with status, Taunt, or Encore. They must watch for Shadow Ball or Toxic, however, and Dudunsparce can phaze all of them with Dragon Tail.
**Status**: Dudunsparce hates being statused; Toxic is crippling for all sets in particular, while Coil sets greatly dislike being burned. Toxic spreaders such as Muk, Hisuian Qwilfish, and opposing Dudunsparce are therefore quite threatening to it. Will-O-Wisp users such as Weezing and Charizard require similar levels of caution, although the Calm Mind set can deal with them. Paralysis is also annoying; opposing Dudunsparce, Lanturn, and Mesprit can spread paralysis well against Dudunsparce.
**Taunt and Encore**: Dudunsparce's general reliance on setting up and using utility moves makes Encore and Taunt
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sputnik.475916/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
