[OVERVIEW]
* Dondozo is a formidable threat thanks to its stats being doubled when combined with Tatsugiri's Commander ability. Due to its immense bulk, Dondozo is difficult to remove without adequate answers, easily sweeping through entire teams on its own.
* Dondozo performs best with offensive threats that can break apart teams for it and still function independently without needing to pivot. Examples include Chien-Pao and Dragonite, as well as Tornadus and a sweeper such as Urshifu-S or Flutter Mane. The two cores utilize strong speed control and get off massive damage early, allowing Dondozo to clean up. Glimmora is another excellent partner, as its ability and signature move put foes on a timer, forcing them to burn through Dondozo before fainting to Toxic poison.
* Dondozo struggles against Pokemon that can ignore its stat boosts, either by neutralizing or bypassing it entirely. Both Urshifu formes and Chien-Pao with Sacred Sword ignore Dondozo's Defense boost, with Chien-Pao both outspeeding and threatening Dondozo if it uses Tera Grass, and Urshifu-S dealing big damage with Wicked Blow and removing Dondozo's ability to stall with Protect. Incineroar and Gouging Fire are able to consistently weaken Dondozo with Breaking Swipe and Intimidate cycling respectively. A combination of Incineroar and Amoonguss is particularly difficult to handle, as Amoonguss can keep Incineroar safe with redirection and Incineroar is free to cycle Parting Shot and Intimidate.
* Dondozo requires much more experience to properly play compared to other sweepers, due to only making plays with one Pokemon for most of the game. While its not impossible to play into certain difficult matchups, especially with a strong composition and much practice, it necessitates significant reads and good positioning of Dondozo to win.
[SET]
Offensive Sweeper (Dondozo) @ Rocky Helmet / Leftovers / Clear Amulet
Ability: Unaware
Level: 50
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 4 HP / 156 Atk / 20 Def / 76 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wave Crash
- Order Up
- Earthquake
- Protect
[SET COMMENTS]
* Wave Crash is Dondozo's strongest Water-type move, OHKOing Pokemon like Tornadus and Gholdengo. Earthquake bypasses Follow Me from Ogerpon-W, and provides it a strong spread move thats picks off weakened foes.
* Rocky Helmet breaks Focus Sash on Chien-Pao and Urshifu, allowing for an OHKO. It also allows for big damage on Urshifu-R using Surging Strikes. Leftovers allows Dondozo to recover swathes of health, even more so by stalling with Protect. However, its harder to use now, as most threats to Dondozo can outdamage Leftovers recovery, especially so considering the Urshifu formes ignore Protect. Clear Amulet can be used to remove ways to weaken Dondozo, primarily Incineroar and Gouging Fire.
* 20 Defense EVs ensure that Sacred Sword from Chien-Pao is a 4HKO and allow Dondozo to survive two Wicked Blows from Urshifu-S. 76 Special Defense EVs allow Dondozo to survive two Moonblasts from Tera Fairy Choice Specs Flutter Mane. The Attack investment ensures Wave Crash OHKOes Urshifu-S after Rocky Helmet damage and that Order Up 2HKOes Ogerpon-W and Urshifu-R.
* Tera Grass provides resistances to Grass- and Electric-type attacks, as well as giving an immunity to Spore from Amoonguss, which is otherwise difficult to deal with.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/choruto.646006/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lameliarleo.641287/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sulo.528036/
[OVERVIEW]
* Tatsugiri is solely used to combine with Dondozo, and shouldn't be picked outside of that purpose.
[SET]
Choice Scarf Support (Tatsugiri) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Commander
Level: 50
Tera Type: Steel / Water
EVs: 44 HP / 140 Def / 76 SpA / 4 SpD / 244 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Muddy Water
- Draco Meteor
- Icy Wind
- Dragon Pulse / Sleep Talk / Tera Blast
[SET COMMENTS]
* Icy Wind is used as a late-game speed control option. Dragon Pulse is a more consistent STAB move compared to Draco Meteor and Muddy Water, at the cost of damage. Sleep Talk allows Tatsugiri to better answer Amoonguss, while Tera Blast hits Flutter Mane and Chien-Pao in the rare circumstances where Tatsugiri is Terastallized.
* Choice Scarf allows Tatsugiri to clean up late-game once Dondozo is down, either serving as speed control with Icy Wind to support its partner or dealing damage with Muddy Water and Draco Meteor.
* The given EVs allow Tatsugiri to outspeed Choice Scarf Landorus-T and survive an Icicle Crash from Chien-Pao and a Wicked Blow from Urshifu-S.
* Tera Steel gives Tatsugiri a resistance to Steel and Fairy and a generally better defensive profile. Tera Water can be used to boost Muddy Water's damage and remove its weakness to Flutter Mane's Fairy-type STAB moves, which is useful in some end-game scenarios.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/choruto.646006/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lameliarleo.641287/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sulo.528036/
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