http://www.smogon.com/rs/pokemon/donphan
I've always loved Donphan, but the current RSE analysis has some things that need touched up, so I've made some minor changes (and one "major" change).
Changes:
- I'm Combining the first two sets since they're nearly identical. Everything is the same except the first has Rapid Spin and the other has Roar (and Adamant is an option for the nature on the Spinner). Since the second set has essentially one sentence of set comments, they would probably be better off combined. They don't really play differently either. Sure, you're more paranoid about Gengar and Dusclops if you're running Rapid Spin and you can abuse Spikes with Roar, but Donphan still stops the same things and is stopped by the same things. As for the difference in natures, I honestly don't know why Adamant is slashed on one set but not the other since they play very much the same way. I guess Defense is a little more important on something using an attack with a negative priority, but Donphan always goes last anyway. I'm using Impish as the preferred option and Adamant as the second option, but they both work.
- Because of both sets being combined and the next reason, I'm going to make some changes to the set comments for what I guess will be called the "Tank" moveset. However, they are pretty much going to mirror the current comments for the Rapid Spin set, but they will mention Roar and be less choppy. As far as the name of the set is concerned, it could just stay "Rapid Spinner" since it's the main option and is generally more useful than Roar.
- There are a lot of fragments and short/choppy sentences in the analysis. While that fine to a degree and is just a different style of writing I suppose, it is a little excessive and makes it look a bit messy. Also, there were some commas in places that I'm pretty sure they don't go (but put them back in if anything is wrong). Certain parts of the analysis are going to be rewritten or slightly changed to make it look a little more polished. Also, the current analysis for the Choice Bander is using "2HKOs" as the verb form, which should be "2HKOes". Other than that, the Choice Bander isn't going to be changed at all unless anybody is willing to put Speed EVs on it to beat Blissey and -Speed Swampert. The EV section was reworded to fit that the two defensive sets were combined, and I added some examples of Donphan counters (since even though the counters section is pretty accurate, some examples probably wouldn't hurt).
Alright, that's about it. Here is the entire edited analysis:
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[SET]
name: Tank
move1: Earthquake
move2: Hidden Power Rock
move3: Rest
move4: Rapid Spin / Roar
item: Leftovers
nature: Impish / Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 188 Def / 24 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Donphan is your typical physical tank and Rapid Spinner. Switch it into one of the many physical attacking Pokémon that it can handle, and Donphan can attack or Rapid Spin. Thanks to its high base Attack and powerful STAB Earthquake, Donphan's damage output is a lot higher than almost every physical wall in OU. Hidden Power Rock is generally superior to Rock Slide because Donphan is too slow to go for the flinch on anything he'd be using Rock Slide on. Also, Hidden Power Rock does more average damage and has more PP (which can be quite useful vs. a stall team, which is when Rapid Spin Donphan really shines). While Donphan is one of the few good users of Rapid Spin, it can also use Roar to function as a pseudo hazer against Pokémon like Snorlax, Salamence, and Ninjask.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Bander
move1: Earthquake
move2: Rock Slide
move3: Hidden Power Bug / Hidden Power Ghost
move4: Rapid Spin
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 80 HP / 188 Atk / 216 Def / 24 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is useful for four big reasons. The first is that as long as your opponent has Dusclops, Gengar, or some other Ghost alive, you won't be able to Rapid Spin. The Choice Band allows Donphan to 2HKO Dusclops with Earthquake and 2HKO Gengar with Rock Slide. The second is that Donphan has a horrible typing, as far as special resistances go, and matches it with an equally bad Special Defense. For this reason, Donphan has to either kill whatever special attacker is coming in with one hit, or switch out. Choice Band perfectly suits this sort of hit-and-run style of play. The third reason is that Donphan has a massive Attack stat. The fourth is sheer surprise. Donphan OHKOes Celebi with Hidden Power Bug, for instance, and nearly 2HKOes Suicune (it does 2HKO all other Waters) with Earthquake. Hidden Power Ghost can be used over Hidden Power Bug to knock out Gengar in one hit and still do some damage to Celebi.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Counter is a nice surprise, although Donphan shouldn't be taking much physical damage anyways, and it does enough to Tyranitar with STAB Earthquake. Body Slam can paralyze, but that's about it. Substitute can be used on the Rapid Spinner in place of Rest to beat Dusclops one on one and ease prediction, but Donphan will be worn down much quicker. Toxic can be used to cripple Swampert and other Waters that often switch in on Donphan.</p>
[EVs]
<p>You'll generally want max HP and fairly equal Attack and Defense. 24 Speed EVs allows Donphan to outspeed Relaxed Swampert, but if you aren't worried about the mudfish, you can dump the EVs into Attack or Defense instead. The Choice Bander needs a bit more Attack than the Rapid Spinner. The remaining EVs are split between HP and Defense for maximum physical survivability.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Donphan has the advantage over Claydol, Starmie, and other Rapid Spinners of actually being able to hurt the number one Rapid Spinner threat, Dusclops. However, it has serious problems with a lack of a real recovery move, and the fact that it's hurt by the Spikes that it's coming in to spin. With how popular Substitute Skarmory has become, Donphan is a rather sad elephant when it's unable to spin vs. the flying tin can on Netbattle. It also has trouble with the poison status, something Starmie can shrug off thanks to Natural Cure. It makes an excellent Dragon Dance Tyranitar counter, but has some troubles with Boah.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Donphan dies to anything special. Anything. Probably even another Donphan with Hidden Power Grass. It would not be surprising. The trick is just to get them in without dying to Donphan's massive Attack. With that in mind, bulky Water-types and Celebi make solid counters to the defensive set, but the Choice Bander do can serious damage to almost all of them. Skarmory and Flygon make good counters to the Choice Bander, and prediction in general will usually work.</p>
