dex
Hard as Vince Carter’s knee cartilage is
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Punch / Dual Wingbeat
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Dragonite is a powerful sweeper due to its great bulk, coverage, and access to Multiscale. It notably provides a good deal of defensive utility before it attempts to sweep, switching into tough-to-check foes like Air Balloon Heatran and Astrolotl without Will-O-Wisp. Earthquake and Ice Punch provide Dragonite with perfect coverage, allowing it to pressure common defensive foes like Landorus-T, Toxapex, and Tornadus-T while threatening offensive Pokemon like Zeraora and Dragapult as well. Dual Wingbeat can be used over Ice Punch to hit Arghonaut, Buzzwole, and Pyroak super effectively; however, dropping Ice Punch greatly worsens Dragonite's matchup against the omnipresent Landorus-T. A Jolly nature is used over Adamant to outspeed Dragapult, Zeraora, Tapu Koko, and Stratagem at +1.
Dragonite fits on offense and bulky offense teams that appreciate its useful defensive utility and its sweeping capabilities. Stacking Dragonite alongside other bulky setup sweepers like Venomicon, Tapu Fini, Volcarona, and Reuniclus is an excellent strategy; together, they can weaken bulky foes like Ferrothorn while switching into each other's checks to always keep the pressure on. Tapu Fini is particularly helpful to switch into Weavile and opposing Dragon-types. Landorus-T is an absolutely amazing option to slowly wear down walls like Ferrothorn and Tapu Fini with Earthquake and Stealth Rock, poison bulky Water-types like Arghonaut and Slowbro, and switch into Pokemon like Zapdos and Scale Shot Garchomp, which can force Dragonite out before it sets up. Pivots like Tapu Koko and Tornadus-T excel at wearing down foes into range of a Dragonite sweep; Tapu Koko notably pressures bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini and Slowbro. Ferrothorn and Astrolotl provide Spikes support, wearing down foes like Tapu Fini and Ferrothorn into range of Dragonite's attacks. Astrolotl can also run Defog, letting Dragonite more comfortably tank Knock Off from Pokemon like Zeraora and Ferrothorn. Clefable is an excellent teammate that can situationally switch into Weavile and Dragapult and absorb Toxic for Dragonite while providing support in Thunder Wave and Knock Off.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Dragonite can run a bulkier EV spread of 248 HP / 52 Atk / 56 Def / 152 Spe with Heal Bell and Dual Wingbeat to better tank super effective hits with Multiscale and heal off status from Landorus-T and Clefable. However, this leaves it outsped by common revenge killers like Stratagem and Dragapult, even after a Dragon Dance, and forfeits crucial coverage. Dragonite can run a support set with Ice Beam, Earthquake, Roost, and one of Defog or Heal Bell on bulky teams that struggle to deal with Heatran and Urshifu-R; however, Corviknight is generally superior as a defensive Flying-type due to its better bulk, Toxic immunity, and access to U-turn.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ice-types and Ice-type Coverage**: Weavile can effectively revenge kill Dragonite with Triple Axel or Ice Shard if Dragonite's Multiscale has been broken. Hail teams perform particularly well against Dragonite by threatening it with Arctozolt and breaking its Multiscale with hail chip damage. Melmetal can run Ice Punch, and it has the physical bulk to tank even boosted Earthquake. If Dragonite forgoes Dual Wingbeat, Buzzwole and Syclant check it adequately; Buzzwole can pressure it with Ice Punch and has the physical bulk to switch into Dragonite consistently, while Syclant resists all of Dragonite's attacks and can punish it with its powerful Ice Beam.
**Fairy-types**: Clefable and Tapu Fini do not take too much from any of Dragonite's attacks and threaten it with status, Knock Off, and their Fairy-type STAB moves. Tapu Lele, particularly Choice Scarf variants, forces Dragonite out if its Multiscale has been broken; however, it takes a good deal of damage from even Dragonite's unboosted attacks. Choice Scarf Jumbao can copy Dragonite's Multiscale with Trace, outspeed it, and threaten it with Moonblast.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types like Dragapult, Garchomp, and Pajantom can all revenge kill Dragonite if it has not yet set up. However, they are ineffective if Dragonite has already set up.
**Physically Defensive Water-types**: Slowbro, Rotom-W, and Arghonaut can all comfortably switch into Dragonite. Slowbro threatens it with a Scald Burn, Rotom-W resists all of Dragonite's moves and can cripple it with Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave, and Arghonaut, which is particularly effective at checking Dragonite due to Unaware, can remove its item with Knock Off and phaze it with Circle Throw. Toxapex can check Dragonite if it burns it with Scald; however, Dragonite is completely capable of powering through it with Earthquake if it avoids a burn.
**Status**: Toxic from Landorus-T, defensive Zapdos, or Heatran, burn from Astrolotl or Volcanion, and paralysis from Thunder Wave Clefable or Zapdos completely quash any hope Dragonite has at sweeping.
**Knock Off**: Dragonite is often asked to switch into menacing attackers like Urshifu-R and Victini due to its typing and Multiscale. Without its Heavy-Duty Boots, however, it can easily become overwhelmed if Stealth Rock is up.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[dex, 277988]]
- Quality checked by: [[spoo, 251944], [Lasen, 273339]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Punch / Dual Wingbeat
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Dragonite is a powerful sweeper due to its great bulk, coverage, and access to Multiscale. It notably provides a good deal of defensive utility before it attempts to sweep, switching into tough-to-check foes like Air Balloon Heatran and Astrolotl without Will-O-Wisp. Earthquake and Ice Punch provide Dragonite with perfect coverage, allowing it to pressure common defensive foes like Landorus-T, Toxapex, and Tornadus-T while threatening offensive Pokemon like Zeraora and Dragapult as well. Dual Wingbeat can be used over Ice Punch to hit Arghonaut, Buzzwole, and Pyroak super effectively; however, dropping Ice Punch greatly worsens Dragonite's matchup against the omnipresent Landorus-T. A Jolly nature is used over Adamant to outspeed Dragapult, Zeraora, Tapu Koko, and Stratagem at +1.
Dragonite fits on offense and bulky offense teams that appreciate its useful defensive utility and its sweeping capabilities. Stacking Dragonite alongside other bulky setup sweepers like Venomicon, Tapu Fini, Volcarona, and Reuniclus is an excellent strategy; together, they can weaken bulky foes like Ferrothorn while switching into each other's checks to always keep the pressure on. Tapu Fini is particularly helpful to switch into Weavile and opposing Dragon-types. Landorus-T is an absolutely amazing option to slowly wear down walls like Ferrothorn and Tapu Fini with Earthquake and Stealth Rock, poison bulky Water-types like Arghonaut and Slowbro, and switch into Pokemon like Zapdos and Scale Shot Garchomp, which can force Dragonite out before it sets up. Pivots like Tapu Koko and Tornadus-T excel at wearing down foes into range of a Dragonite sweep; Tapu Koko notably pressures bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini and Slowbro. Ferrothorn and Astrolotl provide Spikes support, wearing down foes like Tapu Fini and Ferrothorn into range of Dragonite's attacks. Astrolotl can also run Defog, letting Dragonite more comfortably tank Knock Off from Pokemon like Zeraora and Ferrothorn. Clefable is an excellent teammate that can situationally switch into Weavile and Dragapult and absorb Toxic for Dragonite while providing support in Thunder Wave and Knock Off.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Dragonite can run a bulkier EV spread of 248 HP / 52 Atk / 56 Def / 152 Spe with Heal Bell and Dual Wingbeat to better tank super effective hits with Multiscale and heal off status from Landorus-T and Clefable. However, this leaves it outsped by common revenge killers like Stratagem and Dragapult, even after a Dragon Dance, and forfeits crucial coverage. Dragonite can run a support set with Ice Beam, Earthquake, Roost, and one of Defog or Heal Bell on bulky teams that struggle to deal with Heatran and Urshifu-R; however, Corviknight is generally superior as a defensive Flying-type due to its better bulk, Toxic immunity, and access to U-turn.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ice-types and Ice-type Coverage**: Weavile can effectively revenge kill Dragonite with Triple Axel or Ice Shard if Dragonite's Multiscale has been broken. Hail teams perform particularly well against Dragonite by threatening it with Arctozolt and breaking its Multiscale with hail chip damage. Melmetal can run Ice Punch, and it has the physical bulk to tank even boosted Earthquake. If Dragonite forgoes Dual Wingbeat, Buzzwole and Syclant check it adequately; Buzzwole can pressure it with Ice Punch and has the physical bulk to switch into Dragonite consistently, while Syclant resists all of Dragonite's attacks and can punish it with its powerful Ice Beam.
**Fairy-types**: Clefable and Tapu Fini do not take too much from any of Dragonite's attacks and threaten it with status, Knock Off, and their Fairy-type STAB moves. Tapu Lele, particularly Choice Scarf variants, forces Dragonite out if its Multiscale has been broken; however, it takes a good deal of damage from even Dragonite's unboosted attacks. Choice Scarf Jumbao can copy Dragonite's Multiscale with Trace, outspeed it, and threaten it with Moonblast.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types like Dragapult, Garchomp, and Pajantom can all revenge kill Dragonite if it has not yet set up. However, they are ineffective if Dragonite has already set up.
**Physically Defensive Water-types**: Slowbro, Rotom-W, and Arghonaut can all comfortably switch into Dragonite. Slowbro threatens it with a Scald Burn, Rotom-W resists all of Dragonite's moves and can cripple it with Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave, and Arghonaut, which is particularly effective at checking Dragonite due to Unaware, can remove its item with Knock Off and phaze it with Circle Throw. Toxapex can check Dragonite if it burns it with Scald; however, Dragonite is completely capable of powering through it with Earthquake if it avoids a burn.
**Status**: Toxic from Landorus-T, defensive Zapdos, or Heatran, burn from Astrolotl or Volcanion, and paralysis from Thunder Wave Clefable or Zapdos completely quash any hope Dragonite has at sweeping.
**Knock Off**: Dragonite is often asked to switch into menacing attackers like Urshifu-R and Victini due to its typing and Multiscale. Without its Heavy-Duty Boots, however, it can easily become overwhelmed if Stealth Rock is up.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[dex, 277988]]
- Quality checked by: [[spoo, 251944], [Lasen, 273339]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
Last edited: