Team of the Week: [Gen 9] VGC 2024 Regulation F Dondozo Hyper Offense

[Gen 9] VGC 2024 Regulation F Team of the Week: Dondozo Hyper Offense

Team by Olymak | Description by sempra | Grammar checked by Milak

Ogerpon @ Covert Cloak  
Ability: Defiant  
Level: 50  
Tera Type: Grass  
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe  
Jolly Nature  
- Ivy Cudgel  
- Superpower  
- Follow Me  
- Spiky Shield  

Dragonite @ Choice Band  
Ability: Inner Focus  
Level: 50  
Tera Type: Normal  
EVs: 228 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD / 20 Spe  
Adamant Nature  
- Extreme Speed  
- Outrage  
- Aerial Ace  
- Earthquake  

Dondozo @ Rocky Helmet  
Ability: Unaware  
Level: 50  
Tera Type: Grass  
EVs: 44 HP / 204 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD / 252 Spe  
Jolly Nature  
- Wave Crash  
- Earthquake  
- Order Up  
- Protect  

Chien-Pao @ Focus Sash  
Ability: Sword of Ruin  
Level: 50  
Tera Type: Ghost  
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe  
Adamant Nature  
- Ice Spinner  
- Sucker Punch  
- Sacred Sword  
- Protect  

Glimmora @ Power Herb  
Ability: Toxic Debris  
Level: 50  
Tera Type: Grass  
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe  
Timid Nature  
- Meteor Beam  
- Sludge Bomb  
- Mortal Spin  
- Spiky Shield  

Tatsugiri @ Choice Scarf  
Ability: Commander  
Level: 50  
Tera Type: Steel  
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe  
Timid Nature  
- Muddy Water  
- Draco Meteor  
- Icy Wind  
- Dragon Pulse  

A hyper offense Dondozo team built and popularized by Olymak (Francesco Rasini), Chuppa Cross IV would pilot this build to second place at the Portland Regional Championship, Dondozo's highest placement in North American regionals since Chuppa himself would get second place at a previous regional. This team combines Dondozo's punishing playstyle with a multitude of offensive threats to become nearly impossible to break. While in the past Intimidate users such as Incineroar and especially Landorus-T would prove to be a huge headache for offensive Dondozo teams, this team's unique pick in Ogerpon completely punishes any defensive counterplay and throttles other common threats such as Terastallized Flutter Mane, Urshifu-R, and a large group of glass cannon Pokemon that Dondozo dislikes playing against. Covert Cloak rounds off Ogerpon's kit and completely shuts down Fake Out counterplay, another common option Dondozo previously struggled against. To keep the offensive pressure up, Chien-Pao and Dragonite can catch an opponent prepared for Dondozo completely off guard and can bait in previous checks to Dondozo such as Amoonguss and Ogerpon-W. Finally, Glimmora completes the team by adding the only other source of special damage outside of Tatsugiri, and it gives you the option to play both slow and methodical with Toxic Spikes and Mortal Spin; it also completely shreds through Dondozo and Dragonite checks such as Flutter Mane after an Icy Wind, Incineroar, and Chien-Pao with Meteor Beam.