[Overview]
<p>While the UU metagame has not been kind to Drapion's offensive capabilities, it can still sweep adequately. Its main draw, however, is its access to Toxic Spikes; it is also one of only three Pokemon with both Toxic Spikes and a phazing move, the others being Nidoking and Nidoqueen. Nidoking would rather prefer to sweep with Sheer Force, and Drapion outspeeds Nidoqueen. Drapion can also handle Cresselia and other Psychic-types well due to its secondary Dark typing, something most other Toxic Spikers cannot do. This all combines to make Drapion a dangerous opponent in the UU tier. </p>
[SET]
name: Toxic Spiker
move 1: Toxic Spikes
move 2: Taunt / Whirlwind
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Earthquake / Pursuit
item: Leftovers
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the most common set you will find Drapion using in the UU metagame. Whereas Roserade falls rather easily to physical moves and has only base 90 Speed, Drapion can easily lay two layers of Toxic Spikes due to its bulk and slightly higher base 95 Speed. Next, Taunt can be used for preventing opponents such as other entry hazard users, as well as slower boosting sweepers, from setting up. Whirlwind is an alternative to Taunt. Like Taunt, it prevents Pokemon such as Ferroseed from setting up on Drapion while it sets up Toxic Spikes; it has the added benefit of shuffling the opponent's team around, spreading poison. Crunch is a reliable STAB move for hitting Psychic- and Ghost-types, and can also destroy Roserade that attempt to absorb Toxic Spikes. Earthquake provides coverage, taking care of Steel-types that take little damage from Crunch, while Pursuit can take care of many dangerous Pokemon, especially Alakazam. </p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A physically defensive variant can be used with 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD and an Impish nature, taking advantage of Drapion's already great Defense. Knock Off can be used in the second slot to get rid of opponents' items, which is useful against foes such as Dusclops. A spinblocker such as Dusknoir, Dusclops, Golurk, or Cofagrigus is recommended for your team. Wish support can also come in handy, as Drapion has no reliable recovery outside of Leftovers; Alomomola is your best bet due to its massive HP. Additional entry hazard support is helpful to increase the damage done to those switching in, especially Stealth Rock since it will hit Flying-types, which are not affected by Toxic Spikes, hard. </p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Toxic Spikes
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Crunch
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly
ability: Sniper
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Despite the existence of other more specialized sweepers, Drapion is able to sweep well in the UU environment. Toxic Spikes may seem odd on a Choice Band set, but Drapion can utilize it efficiently, as it can often get in two layers before switching out. Drapion is also one of the best Pursuit users in the tier, as a Pursuit from Drapion OHKOes most Mismagius, which Honchkrow's Pursuits cannot do. Honchkrow is also less bulky and OHKOed by Mismagius's Thunderbolt, whereas a full health Drapion easily survives a +2 Thunderbolt. </p>
<p>Earthquake is for coverage, but is usually unnecessary except on 4x weak Pokemon or 2x weak Pokemon with low defenses, such as Bisharp, Houndoom, or Aggron, as Crunch has great neutral coverage and is usually strong enough to handle things.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Even though doing so would mean forfeiting the speed tie with base 95 Pokemon, an alternative EV spread of 252 Atk / 32 SpD / 224 Spe could be used to better sponge special attacks such as Mismagius's Thunderbolt while maintaining the ability to outspeed maximum Speed Rotom-A.</p>
<p>Good counters to bulky Ground-types are much appreciated. Bulky Water-types or Grass-types such as Milotic or Tangrowth can be used to get rid of Rhyperior, a hard counter to this set. Anything that can get rid of Steelix will also be an excellent addition to the team; again, Milotic or Tangrowth can be used, but Milotic is preferred since its STAB Water-type attacks hit Steelix super effectively, while Tangrowth's Grass-type moves do neutral damage to Steelix. </p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Crunch
move 2: Pursuit / Swords Dance
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Aqua Tail
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly
ability: Sniper
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Drapion is surprisingly fast and is decently powerful for a physical sweeper. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes, thus not only avoiding an otherwise crippling poison, but clearing the way for its teammates. The first three moves function similarly to their counterparts on the Choice Band set, while Aqua Tail is for Rhyperior, which is hit super effectively. </p>
<p>Swords Dance could be used over Pursuit to boost Drapion's Attack stat to even higher levels, allowing it to set up on either weak attackers or fleeing Psychic- or Ghost-types. Drapion could potentially nab KOs on bulky Pokemon that would otherwise survive its attacks. </p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Bulky physical walls are the bane of this set, particularly if you forgo Swords Dance. Milotic and Tangrowth are especially problematic, being able to beat this set 1 on 1 most of the time, as well as having Recover and Regenerator, respectively. Rhyperior is also dangerous, even with Aqua Tail. </p>
<p>Drapion can also utilize other moves. Ice Fang could replace Aqua Tail in order to defeat the likes of Tangrowth and Flygon, but leaves Drapion vulnerable to Rhyperior. Taunt could be used to prevent Drapion from being hit with status moves, such as Will-O-Wisp or Sleep Powder, turning most walls into setup fodder. Lastly, Poison Jab could be used to defeat Pokemon resistant to Drapion's other moves, but Crunch is usually the better STAB move since Poison-type attacks have poor coverage. </p>
[Other Options]
<p>A gimmicky Sniper set could be used with Scope Lens and high critical-hit-ratio moves, such as Cross Poison and Night Slash, as critical hits will take large chunks out of the opponent's health. However, even with many boosts, the critical hit ratio will not be high enough to beat hard counters. A Rest, Sleep Talk, Acupressure, and Crunch set could also work if you get the right boosts, but again, it's too unreliable to be used competitively. </p>
<p>The general rule of thumb for abilities is as follows: Battle Armor on the defensive sets, and Sniper on the offensive sets. The former provides some additional survivability by nullifying critical hits that could KO or otherwise heavily dent Drapion, while the latter boosts any critical hits Drapion may get, hastening the opponent's demise. </p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Steelix is the best counter to Drapion due to its huge Defense and immunity to Toxic Spikes. Rhyperior is a hard counter to pretty much any set bar the All-Out Attacker. Taunt users, especially those with Prankster, can cripple both sets. Poison-types can come in and absorb Toxic Spikes; Nidoking and Nidoqueen are particularly dangerous, as both can hit Drapion with Sheer Force-boosted Earth Power, but Drapion is faster than both of them and can hit them hard with Earthquake. Weezing and Spiritomb that invest in Defense can survive a Crunch and cripple Drapion with Will-O-Wisp. Bulky Fighting-types such as Hitmontop also have no problem setting up on Drapion, and will be able to beat it with strong STAB Fighting-type moves. Guts users such as Heracross can use Toxic Spikes to their own advantage, gaining an Attack boost and becoming much more threatening. </p>
[Dream World]
<p>Drapion gets Keen Eye in the Dream World, which is useless. </p>