That is cool and all Heysup, but you are still not getting my point. The set has nothing to do with the fact that Dugtrio as a Pokemon is broken. You can run all the sets you want, get set up on, etc. I don't care about getting set up on because in the end, I eliminate your defensive wall/core easily (most likely). Being set up on should not affect Dugtrio's effectiveness as a supporter. Yeah sure, what if nothing sets up on Dugtrio? I guess my LO Raikou or NP Mismagius can sweep your team now. In a nutshell, I don't like Dugtrio at all simply because it traps your defensive core so easily. I'm not going to run Shed Shell on my Registeel and Chansey because this will leave me more weak to special attackers without the ever-important Leftovers.
Lol you keep dismissing my point: Dugtrio is a liability after it revenge kills a "wall" (which only applies to stall and balanced teams, to be honest) against literally every team style (you don't need me to go through the defensive/stall-based Pokemon that set up on Dugtrio to know this is true).
Sure, you can take out my Registeel or Chansey (lol), but you lose SO much momentum by being locked into Earthquake, your not going to get a chance to set up your Raikou because I'll have a +2 Speed Torterra, or you'll be switching into a 349 SpA LO Fire Blast, or better yet, a SubCM Raikou for balance / semi-stall. For stall, it could be a SubRoost Toxic Moltres, SubSeed Venusaur / Sceptile, Donphan. Stall often carries more than one Raikou "check" as well because one is so easily passable via Dugtrio, Pursuit, Spikes, and double-switching.
This is
exactly why I run Scyther over Dugtrio with my Raikou. Scyther can use Pursuit to fuck with Chansey if it's safe to do so (and also Slowking, which helps with Moltres), opposing Dugtrio, AND Ghosts. It also sweeps, has U-turn to abuse Spikes, and can switch into a surprising amount of shit (like Leaf Storm, Close Combat, etc). Why use such a one-dimensional Pokemon when you can use a much more versatile Pokemon?
So once again: Dugtrio is a liability after it revenge kills. i.e. You lose to much momentum after it revenge kills something that against a good player you will likely never even set up your LO Raikou.
So yes, it does its job, but in an extremely desperate manner so that the consequences can easily outweigh the benefits.
Lemmiwinks MkII said:
How does this matter? This is how it works: use CB Duggy to kill their only Raikou counter. Job done for Duggy. Let Duggy or any better death fodder die to Moltres. Bring in Raikou. Set up. gg.
Moltres doesn't set up, you could even let Dugtrio struggle to death for all you care, it makes no difference.
Franky's suggesting, now, that Dugtrio is BL because it removes walls. LO Moltres isn't exactly "common" on stall teams (though it would still wreck), I was referring to SubRoost Moltres for setting up. If you want to bring in LO Raikou on a Moltres with a Substitute, go ahead, but it absolutely won't sweep the stall team (which
will consequently carry at least another "check" for Raikou).
This is why I'm emphasizing that Dugtrio makes you lose momentum, basically unless it gets removed on that turn. Or, just as likely, it could do both.
Sure, you took out Chansey/Registeel. I still have Venusaur, Donphan, Hitmontop, <insert other Pokemon who can survive an attack and do approximately 50% to Raikou> and who knows what else to check Raikou who's probably poisoned or at half health from said SubRoost Moltres that I set up.
The support that Raikou (for example) works best with (read: does not need) are things that can weaken the opposing team to the point that they cannot even check Raikou anymore. For example, things like Spikes and a Pursuit user that have more longevity.
