[OVERVIEW]
Dodrio is a niche setup sweeper, carving itself a place in the meta thanks to its solid Speed tier, decent Attack stat, and access to Swords Dance. After it has attained a boost, Dodrio can cleave through weakened teams with ease thanks to its strong Drill Peck and good coverage in Jump Kick. Unfortunately for Dodrio, getting that boost in the first place can be quite the challenge thanks to its middling bulk and lacking defensive utility, and even if it manages to set up a Swords Dance, it can struggle to break through common Pokemon like Zapdos, Melmetal, and Rhydon. It's also outsped by some of the fastest Pokemon in the metagame, like Mega Aerodactyl, Starmie, and Mega Beedrill, all of which can revenge kill it; the latter must be wary of a boosted Quick Attack, though. This typically results in Dodrio struggling to find a place on teams over other setup sweepers like Mega Alakazam and Mew.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Drill Peck
move 3: Quick Attack
move 4: Jump Kick
item: No Item
nature: Jolly
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Information
========
Swords Dance boosts Dodrio's Attack to frightening levels, enabling its sweep. Drill Peck is a strong STAB attack that allows Dodrio to break through many physically bulky Pokemon, like Mega Venusaur, Poliwrath, and Mega Charizard X. Quick Attack is a useful tool that prevents Dodrio from being revenge killed by the likes of Mega Beedrill and Mega Alakazam. Jump Kick provides great coverage with Dodrio's STAB attacks, hitting Pokemon like Melmetal, Rhydon, and Alolan Sandslash for massive damage.
Usage Tips
========
Dodrio is a straightforward Pokemon. Finding setup opportunities for Dodrio can be difficult, but it can be done on Pokemon that cannot OHKO it like Alolan Exeggutor, Poliwrath, and Snorlax; it should be wary of Toxic, though. Dodrio also forces switches against the likes of Mega Venusaur and Victreebel, giving it chances to boost up with Swords Dance. Try to weaken Dodrio's most common checks in Melmetal, Mew, and Zapdos before setting it up, as Dodrio cannot break these Pokemon alone and will usually faint when trying to. If needed, Dodrio can be used early-game to weaken these Pokemon for teammates like Dragonite, giving them opportunities to sweep later on.
Team Options
========
Ground-types that can help with Melmetal and Zapdos like Sandslash and Nidoqueen are excellent partners for Dodrio, as it cannot break these threats without support. These Pokemon can also land a Toxic on Mew, making it much more difficult for Mew to reliably check Dodrio. Nidoqueen in particular is a very helpful partner, weakening opposing Pokemon with Super Fang and putting them in range of Dodrio's attacks. Dragonite can be used alongside Dodrio, as they share many checks like Rhydon and Sandslash and can often break through them when paired together. Dodrio can be used on teams that feature dual screens support from Electrode. The added bulk allows Dodrio to set up on many more Pokemon, like Mega Gyarados, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Beedrill. Electrode can also prevent Stealth Rock from going up with Taunt, with its blistering Speed ensuring it outspeeds all Stealth Rock setters other than Mega Aerodactyl, which it Speed ties with. Mew is a great teammate that can switch into and deal with Pokemon that frustrate Dodrio, like Zapdos, and ensure they remain weakened with Taunt preventing their recovery moves. It can also check Melmetal, burning it with Will-O-Wisp or Scald or just weakening it with Flamethrower. Thunder Wave support is extremely useful for Dodrio, preventing revenge killing from the likes of Starmie and Mega Alakazam. Common users like Melmetal, Starmie, and Mega Gyarados all pair well with Dodrio for this reason.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Facade can be used over Drill Peck as a stronger Normal-type STAB move that can also take advantage of status, giving Dodrio the ability to power through some Pokemon it'd otherwise struggle with like Zapdos and Will-O-Wisp Mew. Forgoing Drill Peck leaves Dodrio totally walled by Gengar, though, and means it struggles to break through Mega Venusaur and Poliwrath. Thrash can be used over Quick Attack on teams with heavy paralysis support, with its raw power allowing Dodrio to crush common checks like Zapdos and Mew, but its lock-in effect can be dangerous if the opponent still has a Pokemon like Melmetal or Gengar. Toxic can also be used to lure Pokemon like Zapdos and Mew, but once again, Dodrio struggles to fit the move.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Zapdos**: Zapdos is Dodrio's best counter, taking very little damage from any of its attacks and threatening it back with a strong Thunderbolt. It can switch into Dodrio at any point in the game and use it as an opportunity to heal any damage it may have taken with Roost.
**Melmetal**: Melmetal takes next to nothing from any of Dodrio's STAB attacks and can stomach a boosted Jump Kick thanks to its titanic physical bulk. It can then smack Dodrio in return with a powerful Double Iron Bash.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types like Sandslash and Nidoqueen can easily switch into Dodrio and threaten it with Toxic or Rock Slide, being able to tank a boosted Drill Peck thanks to their solid bulk. A healthy Rhydon can also check Dodrio, but must be wary of a boosted Jump Kick.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Alakazam, and Starmie are all capable of revenge killing Dodrio, with the former also being able to switch into it. They must be wary of a boosted Quick Attack if they have been weakened, though.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Lilburr, 481709]]
- Quality checked by: [[Vengeance417, 198446], [Eve, 375272], [McCoolDude, 469684]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Estronic, 240732]]
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