[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Phantom Force
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Dragon Darts
move 4: Fire Blast / U-turn
item: Choice Band
ability: Clear Body / Infiltrator
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Choice Band Dragapult hits foes hard with Phantom Force and Outrage. Phantom Force beats Spectrier, most Metagross, and most Cresselia. Outrage threatens slower Dragon-types such as Naganadel and non-Choice Scarf Haxorus and Pokemon that can't OHKO Dragapult like Volcanion, Urshifu-R, and Volcarona. Dragon Darts allows Dragapult to bypass Haban Berry users such as Garchomp. Fire Blast beats Kartana and non-Custap Berry Ferrothorn, while U-turn beats Zarude. Clear Body gives Dragapult the edge against Intimidate + Bulldoze Arcanine and Bulldoze Entei, while Infiltrator makes Dragapult reliable versus SubSeed users such as Whimsicott and Venusaur.
EVs
=============
The given EV spread and an Adamant nature allow Dragapult to outspeed Naganadel and give it the best odds to OHKO Metagross and Landorus-T. 4 Special Defense EVs slightly improve Dragapult's odds to survive an Ice Beam from Modest Choice Scarf Porygon-Z. A Jolly nature is better against other Dragapult and some Zeraora.
Usage Tips
=============
Against slower Dragon-types, Dragon Darts is usually the superior move because the first hit activates the foe's Haban Berry, allowing the second hit to be full power. Due to the 2 turn nature of Phantom Force, Endure users with priority moves can slowly chip down Dragapult, most notably Endure + Bullet Punch Metagross and Endure + Grassy Glide Rillaboom. Kee Berry + Moonlight Cresselia also wins, since it can out-heal Phantom Force at +1 Defense.
[SET]
name: Will-O-Wisp + Hex
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Hex
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Disable
item: Weakness Policy
ability: Infiltrator
nature: Timid
evs: 76 HP / 220 Def / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Will-O-Wisp + Hex Dragapult uses its high Speed and Weakness Policy to beat slower physical attackers. Substitute and Disable allow Dragapult to beat Choice-locked attackers. Additionally, if Dragapult is hit by a super effective move that does not OHKO it, such as Tapu Koko's Dazzling Gleam, it can fire off a 130-Base Power Hex at +2. The versatility of this set is very appealing: with Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, and Disable, Dragapult can win a lot of unexpected matchups such as against Choice Band Urshifu-S, Avalugg, and non-Lum Berry Landorus-T.
EVs
=============
The Speed investment allows Dragapult to outspeed Jolly Choice Scarf Dracovish and Dracozolt so that it can safely use Substitute against them. The HP and Defense investment give Dragapult the best odds to survive burned Choice Band Avalugg's Icicle Spear.
Usage Tips
=============
Against most physical attackers such as Landorus-T, Rhyperior, and Aggron, it is safest to use Will-O-Wisp turn 1. This weakens their attacks and allows Dragapult to break Sturdy or play more confidently around a potential Custap Berry on future turns. Using Substitute after Will-O-Wisp racks up burn damage, putting foes into KO range of a boosted Hex. Additionally, when facing the likes of Choice Specs Naganadel, using Substitute + Disable forces the foe to use Struggle. Disable is also helpful if a Pokemon usually only runs one move to hit Dragapult hard, such as Dazzling Gleam Tapu Bulu.
[SET]
name: Curse
move 1: Curse
move 2: Disable
move 3: Substitute / Protect
move 4: Phantom Force
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Jolly
evs: 52 HP / 244 Def / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Curse Dragapult has a much better matchup versus bulkier Pokemon because Curse does consistent damage over time and Disable denies recovery. Substitute and Phantom Force buy turns for Dragapult to whittle down foes with Curse. Protect also buys extra turns against moves that can bypass Substitute, such as Rhyperior and Crustle's Rock Blast and Sylveon's Hyper Voice. Additionally, having Substitute or Protect + Disable allows Dragapult to retain its matchup versus many Choice item users. Furthermore, many Pokemon may only have one move that can OHKO Dragapult, which can be Disabled to let Curse damage build up. Clear Body is used to help increase Dragapult's reliability against Bulldoze Entei.
EVs
=============
The Speed investment and a Jolly nature are for outspeeding Choice Scarf Dracovish and Dracozolt, while the rest of the EVs are put into Defense for the best chances against the likes of Choice Band Rock Blast Aggron.
An alternative EV spread of 244 HP / 4 Def / 100 SpD / 160 Spe with a Jolly nature can be used as well. The HP EVs make it so that Curse activates Sitrus Berry, so Dragapult can use Substitute five times with Sitrus Berry's recovery. 160 Speed EVs and a boosting nature allow Dragapult to outspeed Spectrier. The Special Defense investment almost always allows Dragapult to survive Choice Specs Magnezone's Flash Cannon after Curse and Sitrus Berry. The final 4 EVs are put into Defense to marginally help with Rock Blast from Aggron or Crustle.
Usage Tips
=============
Curse Dragapult has many unintuitive matchups due in large part to its flexibility and varied lines of play that Substitute, Disable, and Curse afford it.
For example, against Magnezone, Dragapult should use Curse turn 1. If Flash Cannon does about 65%, it is Choice Specs Magnezone. Dragapult should then use Disable followed by Phantom Force. Otherwise, Dragapult should use Substitute followed by Phantom Force.
Against Entei, it is important to pay attention to its ability. If Entei reveals Pressure, this indicates Pressure stall Entei, which means Dragapult should use Substitute turn 1 followed up by Curse because Pressure stall Entei does not often run moves that can break past its Substitute. However, if no ability is revealed, this indicates Assault Vest Entei, which means that Dragapult should use Curse turn 1 followed by Substitute, Disable, and Phantom Force.
Against Aggron, Dragapult should use Substitute turn 1 followed by Disable to force Choice Band Aggron to use Struggle. On turn 3, Dragapult should use Substitute followed by two Phantom Forces, although this makes Aggron not take Struggle recoil during recharge turns.
Finally, Curse Dragapult does run into some mind games versus certain Pokemon like Spectrier. Turn 1 is fairly straightforward: Spectrier will reveal Hex or Shadow Ball, and Dragapult should use Substitute. Next, Dragapult can either use Disable to win if the opponent uses Hex again or use Substitute again turn 2 as Spectrier uses Taunt, which will win with Phantom Force. Neither turn 2 play is clearly better.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Hydro Pump
item: Choice Specs
ability: Infiltrator
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Choice Specs Dragapult uses its good offensive typing, good coverage, and amazing Speed to hit as much of the tier as possible super effectively. Shadow Ball solidifies its otherwise surprisingly shaky matchups versus Psychic-types like Cresselia and non-Assault Vest Metagross. Draco Meteor OHKOes non-Choice Scarf Haxorus, Naganadel, non-Assault Vest Urshifu-R and Urshifu-S, Zarude, and Porygon-Z. Fire Blast or Flamethrower allow Dragapult to have a super effective move against Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Choice Specs Magnezone. Fire Blast's additional Base Power greatly improves the Tapu Bulu matchup, but Flamethrower can be run for better reliability versus Ferrothorn. Finally, Hydro Pump gives Dragapult the ability to beat Pokemon such as Heatran and some Rhyperior. Infiltrator is the preferred ability in order to be reliable versus SubSeed users such as Whimsicott and Venusaur and helps against Substitute + Protect users such as Entei.
EVs
=============
4 Special Defense EVs help with the Choice Specs Magnezone matchup. A Modest nature is generally preferred, as even with Choice Specs and high Base Power moves, Dragapult's only average Special Attack can lead it to come up short against the likes of Tapu Bulu. However, a Timid nature can be ran to outspeed Choice Scarf Dracozolt and Dracovish as well as Speed tie with other Dragapult.
Usage Tips
=============
Choice Specs Dragapult is fairly straightforward. However, it is important to note that similar to many other Choice item users, Dragapult can be susceptible to Custap Berry users such as Garchomp and Dracovish. Additionally, resistance Berries are a threat to this Dragapult set in particular, notably Haban Berry Dragon-types, as Draco Meteor is often not strong enough to KO them through Haban Berry.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band Dragapult can exchange Dragon Darts for Breaking Swipe, which, paired with an EV spread of 116 Atk / 156 Def / 236 Spe, allows Dragapult to secure the Crustle matchup. This also makes Dragapult more reliable versus Arcanine, since Dragapult can sometimes survive an Outrage from maximum Attack Arcanine, allowing Dragapult to KO back with Outrage. The Speed investment allows Dragapult to outspeed Adamant Crustle at +2, so it can use Breaking Swipe freely. However, Choice Band Crustle can still win, so be careful.
Will-O-Wisp + Hex Dragapult can switch out Weakness Policy for Sitrus Berry to give it more reliability against Avalugg, although this is not often recommended, as this severely weakens the Landorus-T matchup, especially Assault Vest variants. It is also possible to exchange Substitute / Protect or Disable for Draco Meteor or other coverage moves to fit the specific needs of the team.
By far the most common variation on Will-O-Wisp + Hex Dragapult uses Dragon Dance + Outrage instead of Disable to catch Zeraora off guard. With an EV spread of 176 HP / 24 Atk / 252 Def / 56 Spe and an Impish nature, Dragapult can survive Jolly Zeraora's Choice Band Outrage and OHKO it with Outrage at +3. The Speed investment allows Dragapult to outspeed Garchomp at +0 and Regieleki at +1.
Choice Scarf Dragapult with an EV spread of 252 SpA / 16 SpD / 240 Spe, a Modest nature, Fire Blast, and Draco Meteor lures in checks to other sets such as Choice Scarf Darmanitan and Choice Scarf Haxorus and OHKOes them. However, the limitations of the Choice Scarf without additional boosts make this set lackluster overall.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Mishlef, 509647], [Itchy, 518399]]
- Quality checked by: [[Nick, 558869], [zo, 249890]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Dawn of Ares, 467437]], [[autumn, 384270]]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Phantom Force
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Dragon Darts
move 4: Fire Blast / U-turn
item: Choice Band
ability: Clear Body / Infiltrator
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Choice Band Dragapult hits foes hard with Phantom Force and Outrage. Phantom Force beats Spectrier, most Metagross, and most Cresselia. Outrage threatens slower Dragon-types such as Naganadel and non-Choice Scarf Haxorus and Pokemon that can't OHKO Dragapult like Volcanion, Urshifu-R, and Volcarona. Dragon Darts allows Dragapult to bypass Haban Berry users such as Garchomp. Fire Blast beats Kartana and non-Custap Berry Ferrothorn, while U-turn beats Zarude. Clear Body gives Dragapult the edge against Intimidate + Bulldoze Arcanine and Bulldoze Entei, while Infiltrator makes Dragapult reliable versus SubSeed users such as Whimsicott and Venusaur.
EVs
=============
The given EV spread and an Adamant nature allow Dragapult to outspeed Naganadel and give it the best odds to OHKO Metagross and Landorus-T. 4 Special Defense EVs slightly improve Dragapult's odds to survive an Ice Beam from Modest Choice Scarf Porygon-Z. A Jolly nature is better against other Dragapult and some Zeraora.
Usage Tips
=============
Against slower Dragon-types, Dragon Darts is usually the superior move because the first hit activates the foe's Haban Berry, allowing the second hit to be full power. Due to the 2 turn nature of Phantom Force, Endure users with priority moves can slowly chip down Dragapult, most notably Endure + Bullet Punch Metagross and Endure + Grassy Glide Rillaboom. Kee Berry + Moonlight Cresselia also wins, since it can out-heal Phantom Force at +1 Defense.
[SET]
name: Will-O-Wisp + Hex
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Hex
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Disable
item: Weakness Policy
ability: Infiltrator
nature: Timid
evs: 76 HP / 220 Def / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Will-O-Wisp + Hex Dragapult uses its high Speed and Weakness Policy to beat slower physical attackers. Substitute and Disable allow Dragapult to beat Choice-locked attackers. Additionally, if Dragapult is hit by a super effective move that does not OHKO it, such as Tapu Koko's Dazzling Gleam, it can fire off a 130-Base Power Hex at +2. The versatility of this set is very appealing: with Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, and Disable, Dragapult can win a lot of unexpected matchups such as against Choice Band Urshifu-S, Avalugg, and non-Lum Berry Landorus-T.
EVs
=============
The Speed investment allows Dragapult to outspeed Jolly Choice Scarf Dracovish and Dracozolt so that it can safely use Substitute against them. The HP and Defense investment give Dragapult the best odds to survive burned Choice Band Avalugg's Icicle Spear.
Usage Tips
=============
Against most physical attackers such as Landorus-T, Rhyperior, and Aggron, it is safest to use Will-O-Wisp turn 1. This weakens their attacks and allows Dragapult to break Sturdy or play more confidently around a potential Custap Berry on future turns. Using Substitute after Will-O-Wisp racks up burn damage, putting foes into KO range of a boosted Hex. Additionally, when facing the likes of Choice Specs Naganadel, using Substitute + Disable forces the foe to use Struggle. Disable is also helpful if a Pokemon usually only runs one move to hit Dragapult hard, such as Dazzling Gleam Tapu Bulu.
[SET]
name: Curse
move 1: Curse
move 2: Disable
move 3: Substitute / Protect
move 4: Phantom Force
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Jolly
evs: 52 HP / 244 Def / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Curse Dragapult has a much better matchup versus bulkier Pokemon because Curse does consistent damage over time and Disable denies recovery. Substitute and Phantom Force buy turns for Dragapult to whittle down foes with Curse. Protect also buys extra turns against moves that can bypass Substitute, such as Rhyperior and Crustle's Rock Blast and Sylveon's Hyper Voice. Additionally, having Substitute or Protect + Disable allows Dragapult to retain its matchup versus many Choice item users. Furthermore, many Pokemon may only have one move that can OHKO Dragapult, which can be Disabled to let Curse damage build up. Clear Body is used to help increase Dragapult's reliability against Bulldoze Entei.
EVs
=============
The Speed investment and a Jolly nature are for outspeeding Choice Scarf Dracovish and Dracozolt, while the rest of the EVs are put into Defense for the best chances against the likes of Choice Band Rock Blast Aggron.
An alternative EV spread of 244 HP / 4 Def / 100 SpD / 160 Spe with a Jolly nature can be used as well. The HP EVs make it so that Curse activates Sitrus Berry, so Dragapult can use Substitute five times with Sitrus Berry's recovery. 160 Speed EVs and a boosting nature allow Dragapult to outspeed Spectrier. The Special Defense investment almost always allows Dragapult to survive Choice Specs Magnezone's Flash Cannon after Curse and Sitrus Berry. The final 4 EVs are put into Defense to marginally help with Rock Blast from Aggron or Crustle.
Usage Tips
=============
Curse Dragapult has many unintuitive matchups due in large part to its flexibility and varied lines of play that Substitute, Disable, and Curse afford it.
For example, against Magnezone, Dragapult should use Curse turn 1. If Flash Cannon does about 65%, it is Choice Specs Magnezone. Dragapult should then use Disable followed by Phantom Force. Otherwise, Dragapult should use Substitute followed by Phantom Force.
Against Entei, it is important to pay attention to its ability. If Entei reveals Pressure, this indicates Pressure stall Entei, which means Dragapult should use Substitute turn 1 followed up by Curse because Pressure stall Entei does not often run moves that can break past its Substitute. However, if no ability is revealed, this indicates Assault Vest Entei, which means that Dragapult should use Curse turn 1 followed by Substitute, Disable, and Phantom Force.
Against Aggron, Dragapult should use Substitute turn 1 followed by Disable to force Choice Band Aggron to use Struggle. On turn 3, Dragapult should use Substitute followed by two Phantom Forces, although this makes Aggron not take Struggle recoil during recharge turns.
Finally, Curse Dragapult does run into some mind games versus certain Pokemon like Spectrier. Turn 1 is fairly straightforward: Spectrier will reveal Hex or Shadow Ball, and Dragapult should use Substitute. Next, Dragapult can either use Disable to win if the opponent uses Hex again or use Substitute again turn 2 as Spectrier uses Taunt, which will win with Phantom Force. Neither turn 2 play is clearly better.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Hydro Pump
item: Choice Specs
ability: Infiltrator
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Choice Specs Dragapult uses its good offensive typing, good coverage, and amazing Speed to hit as much of the tier as possible super effectively. Shadow Ball solidifies its otherwise surprisingly shaky matchups versus Psychic-types like Cresselia and non-Assault Vest Metagross. Draco Meteor OHKOes non-Choice Scarf Haxorus, Naganadel, non-Assault Vest Urshifu-R and Urshifu-S, Zarude, and Porygon-Z. Fire Blast or Flamethrower allow Dragapult to have a super effective move against Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Choice Specs Magnezone. Fire Blast's additional Base Power greatly improves the Tapu Bulu matchup, but Flamethrower can be run for better reliability versus Ferrothorn. Finally, Hydro Pump gives Dragapult the ability to beat Pokemon such as Heatran and some Rhyperior. Infiltrator is the preferred ability in order to be reliable versus SubSeed users such as Whimsicott and Venusaur and helps against Substitute + Protect users such as Entei.
EVs
=============
4 Special Defense EVs help with the Choice Specs Magnezone matchup. A Modest nature is generally preferred, as even with Choice Specs and high Base Power moves, Dragapult's only average Special Attack can lead it to come up short against the likes of Tapu Bulu. However, a Timid nature can be ran to outspeed Choice Scarf Dracozolt and Dracovish as well as Speed tie with other Dragapult.
Usage Tips
=============
Choice Specs Dragapult is fairly straightforward. However, it is important to note that similar to many other Choice item users, Dragapult can be susceptible to Custap Berry users such as Garchomp and Dracovish. Additionally, resistance Berries are a threat to this Dragapult set in particular, notably Haban Berry Dragon-types, as Draco Meteor is often not strong enough to KO them through Haban Berry.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band Dragapult can exchange Dragon Darts for Breaking Swipe, which, paired with an EV spread of 116 Atk / 156 Def / 236 Spe, allows Dragapult to secure the Crustle matchup. This also makes Dragapult more reliable versus Arcanine, since Dragapult can sometimes survive an Outrage from maximum Attack Arcanine, allowing Dragapult to KO back with Outrage. The Speed investment allows Dragapult to outspeed Adamant Crustle at +2, so it can use Breaking Swipe freely. However, Choice Band Crustle can still win, so be careful.
Will-O-Wisp + Hex Dragapult can switch out Weakness Policy for Sitrus Berry to give it more reliability against Avalugg, although this is not often recommended, as this severely weakens the Landorus-T matchup, especially Assault Vest variants. It is also possible to exchange Substitute / Protect or Disable for Draco Meteor or other coverage moves to fit the specific needs of the team.
By far the most common variation on Will-O-Wisp + Hex Dragapult uses Dragon Dance + Outrage instead of Disable to catch Zeraora off guard. With an EV spread of 176 HP / 24 Atk / 252 Def / 56 Spe and an Impish nature, Dragapult can survive Jolly Zeraora's Choice Band Outrage and OHKO it with Outrage at +3. The Speed investment allows Dragapult to outspeed Garchomp at +0 and Regieleki at +1.
Choice Scarf Dragapult with an EV spread of 252 SpA / 16 SpD / 240 Spe, a Modest nature, Fire Blast, and Draco Meteor lures in checks to other sets such as Choice Scarf Darmanitan and Choice Scarf Haxorus and OHKOes them. However, the limitations of the Choice Scarf without additional boosts make this set lackluster overall.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Mishlef, 509647], [Itchy, 518399]]
- Quality checked by: [[Nick, 558869], [zo, 249890]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Dawn of Ares, 467437]], [[autumn, 384270]]
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