Gen 3 Dunsparce (NU Revamp)

[Rabia]

https://www.smogon.com/dex/rs/pokemon/dunsparce/

[Overview]

Dunsparce features the best balanced defenses for a Normal-type in NU, but unfortunately is outclassed by Lickitung, Kecleon, and Wigglytuff in the defensive roles you would normally want to use it in. The biggest thing Lickitung and Wigglytuff have over it is access to Wish, and Kecleon sports way better special bulk and Attack. This leaves Dunsparce languishing at the bottom of the pack, unable to really distinguish itself enough to make it worth using over its competition. Dunsparce does have a saving grace in Serene Grace (heh), but without reliable recovery it can be hard to properly get the most out of it.

[SET]
name: Paralysis Support
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Thunder Wave / Glare
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Headbutt / Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
- Luckily for Dunsparce, there's probably nothing better in the tier to spread paralysis than it. Serene Grace gives Body Slam a 60% chance to paralyze so use with gusto
- TWave or Glare helps guarantee a paralysis if you feel clicking Body Slam is not the most prudent option
- Fire Blast beats back Mawile and has a decent chance to burn, makes sure Haunter and Sableye don't just get in for free
- Headbutt takes advantage of paralysis and can cheese through a lot of paralyzed things if they don't resist Normal
- Protect helps stall for Leftovers recovery and can scout CB users' moves

[ADDITIONAL SET COMMENTS]
- EV spread helps avoid 2HKO from Seadra's Hydro Pump and Choice Band Relicanth. More investment can be used either way but there's few significant benchmarks to warrant it and wastes the major thing Dunsparce has over Lickitung: better mixed bulk
- Shadow Ball can be used for Ghosts but still does little to Sableye anyway
- Toxic and Yawn, but the big draw here is paralysis spam
- Rock Slide to make use of flinch, but chance to miss and no STAB over Headbutt
- Hidden Power Grass for Rock-types
- Needs teammates to make use of paralysis spam, slower sweepers like Kingler and Hitmonchan prime examples. Rock-types with Rock Slide will make use of paraflinch spam

[Other Options]
- Curse, ultimately done better by Lickitung
- CB set w/ Body Slam, Earthquake, Shadow Ball, filler but Speed is an obvious issue even if you get paralysis from every Body Slam
- Ancient Power, 20% chance to get all boosts
- Ice Beam
- Pursuit
- Thief

[Checks and Counters]
- Relicanth
- Pupitar (Shed Skin)
- Sableye, Haunter
- Machoke, Hitmonchan
- Sudowoodo, Graveler

 

[Fakes]

Is there any point in using Glare? It does not affect Ghost types as of Gen III and sports a rather mediocre accuracy of 75%, whereas Serene Grace Body Slam already has 60% chance of paralyzing.

Paralysis + Serene Grace flinches can be tremendously annoying, yet Dunsparce is severely troubled by its inability to damage Sableye. There are three ways to circumvent this problem, none of which is very convincing:

a) 101 HP Substitute + Toxic (Dunsparce needs only 44 Spd EV outrun uninvested Sableye, however this forfeits either the unique Serene Grace flinches or the ability to damage Mawile)
b) Curse/Rest with Earthquake or Shadow Ball (Impish/Bold Sableye's Recover just eats up Ancient Power and Rock Slide PP)
c) Calm Mind/Rest (the most unique approach with a 20% freezing chance from Serene Grace Ice Beam, but very severely lacking in terms of immediate power)

 

[Rabia]

marking this analysis as one to come back to