[OVERVIEW]
Durant has a good attack stat and the ability Hustle, which makes it one of the strongest wallbreakers in the tier, it has access to great coverage options that allows Durant to cover virtually any viable Pokemon and a good Speed tier, outspeeding most unboosted Pokemon on its own and most threats in the metagame with Choice Scarf. However, while Hustle is a useful ability, it's a double-edged sword as it reduces the accuracy of its physical moves besides Z-moves by 20% which makes Durant often an unreliable Pokemon, but Durant has access to Hone Claws, which makes up for its low accuracy and, thanks to its decent physical bulk, good defensive typing, and ability to force switches, it's not very hard to find an opportunity to set up. It's not as easy, though, because Durant has a terrible special bulk, making it somewhat harder to find opportunities as it won't be able to take even strong resisted hits such as Swellow's Boomburst after some prior damage.
[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Superpower
item: Fightinium Z / Darkinium Z
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hone Claws boosts Durant's attack and accuracy which covers the accuracy drop from Hustle and enables it to KO most Pokemon in the tier. Iron Head is the main STAB that at +1 KOes Pokemon like Nidoqueen most of the time after Stealth Rock, Florges, and Tyrantrum. Crunch allows Durant to cover Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon such as Cresselia, Durant, and Decidueye for super effective damage. Superpower covers Steel-, Normal-, and Dark-types such as Umbreon, Mega Steelix, and Porygon2.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in Speed and Attack with a Jolly nature are used to make Durant as fast and strong as possible. Hustle is the chosen ability that increases Durant's power at the cost of some accuracy on its moves. With Fightinium Z Durant has an accurate and powerful Fighting-type attack with no drawback that KOes Milotic after Stealth Rock at +1 and Bewear with no boosts. Darkinium Z is an option that lets Durant beat Cresselia and Doublade more easily, it can also make Hone Claws boost Attack by 2 stages instead of 1 once.
Usage Tips
========
Durant shouldn't switch into anything trying to keep HP to set up more easily in the late-game, but it can switch into weak Pokemon unable to beat it like Bronzong, non Choice Band Escavalier, Mega Glalie, and Registeel, it should still be careful to don't get much weakened, though, as Pokemon like that could be used later as a setup fodder once Durant can clean. It should always be brought in safely and most of the time doubling into things that can threaten its potencial switch-ins like Qwilfish or Milotic can be a good idea to pressure them for Durant to clean later, it should wait until the opposing team has no faster threats that can KO Durant and defensive checks like Qwilfish are weakened to set up, it can set up to pressure the opposing team's switches or wallbreak for another Pokemon to clean later, though. The Z-Move should be used to get past a threat Durant can't otherwise like Bewear or Mega Steelix or to bypass accuracy on some Pokemon if Durant hasn't setted up yet and can't afford to miss. If using Darkinium Z and Z-Crunch won't be needed, Durant can use Z-Hone Claws but it shouldn't be used until it can just set up and clean.
Team Options
========
Durant fits well with Pokemon that appreciates Durant's ability to weaken threats like Gligar, Milotic, and Doublade such as Shaymin, Gardevior, and Yanmega or cleaners like Scarf Tyrantrum and Zygarde-10% as Durant can weaken or beat threats like Chesnaught, Milotic, and Gligar for them. Due to Durant's subpar Special Defense, Pokemon that can take special hits like Porygon2, Umbreon, and Snorlax are much appreciated, Snorlax also provides a Fire-type resist and Salazzle check for Durant. Aerodactyl can check and trap Swellow and Salazzle for Durant. It can also and weaken the opposing team for Durant to clean later or vice-versa. Pokemon that can set Stealth Rock like Kommo-o, Nidoqueen or Necrozma or Spikes like Chesnaught, Roserade, and Mega Glalie helps pressuring the opposing team making it easier for Durant to win. Kommo-o also works as a Fire-type check. Flygon is particularly a great teammate as they have a good type synergy, with Flygon being able to check Salazzle and Durant checking some Ice-types while Flygon can work as a pivot and give Durant free switch-ins with U-turn. They also share similar checks like Milotic and Gligar, weakening them for each other.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Crunch
move 4: X-Scissor
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Iron Head is the main STAB that, allowing Durant to 2HKO most Pokemon that don't resist it in the meta. Superpower hits most Steel-, Normal, and Dark-types for super effective damage, covering Mega Steelix, Porygon2, Snorlax, and 2HKOing Quagsire with Choice Band due to Unaware ignoring Hustle. Crunch hits Psychic- and Dark-types like Doublade, Cresselia, and Decidueye that Durant could have problems breaking otherwise.
X-Scissor 2HKOes Milotic always with Choice Band and always after Stealth Rock damage with Life Orb and hits Psychic-types with Colbur Berry and Grass-types like Shaymin and Tsareena.
Set Details
========
Max Speed Jolly makes Durant outspeed most unboosted Pokemon in the tier and be very strong, 252 EVs in Attack with Hustle are used making Durant able to break most Pokemon in the tier at the cost of some accuracy. Choice Band boosts Durant's attack enabling it to break through most bulky Pokemon in the tier, Life Orb makes Durant less strong and cost 10% of its HP each time it attacks but allows it to swap its moves.
Usage Tips
========
This set works mainly as a wallbreaker, as with the right prediction Durant can 2HKO almost the entire tier, weakening the opposing team for a teammate to clean later. If using Choice Band, Durant has to predict its opponent most of the time, judging which your opponent would do or switch into to decide the best option to hit that is a good idea, however be careful as a wrong prediction usually means Durant being KOed or much momentum loss. If using Life Orb Durant can afford to predict less as it can trade its moves, but always being careful as it's being weakened at each turn. It should only switch into Pokemon that can't threaten it very well like Mega Glalie, Registeel, or Bronzong to use a powerful attack against the opposing team, and if possible never switch into any damaging move if using Life Orb as it is prone to harshly weaken itself with Life Orb recoil.
Team Options
========
Cleaners that benefit from Durant weakening the opposing team like Zygarde-10% and Flygon. Choice Scarf users like Tyrantrum, Shaymin and Flygon appreciate Durant's ability to weaken the opposing team making it easier for them to clean and they provide speed control for Durant by checking Pokemon like Salazzle. Flygon in particular has a great type synergy and can give free switch-ins to Durant as well as check Fire-types. Other Fire-type checks include Snorlax, Milotic, Kommo-o, and Rhyperior, they are very appreciated as Durant usually gives a free hit to Fire-types. Rhyperior and Kommo-o can also set Stealth Rock for Durant. Pokemon bulky on the special side like Umbreon, Porygon2, and Specially Defensive Gligar also help Durant as it fails to take strong Special hits. Entry hazards makes it easier for Durant to wallbreak, allowing it to break Pokemon like Milotic and Gligar more easily, for instance. Nidoqueen sets Stealth Rock and Mega Glalie and Chesnaught set Spikes.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Rock Slide
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Iron Head is Durant's main STAB with a decent coverage doing a decent damage to most Pokemon that don't resist it even without any boosting item. Crunch hits Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Cresselia, Doublade, and Decidueye. Superpower hits Steel-, Normal-, and some Dark-types like Registeel, Pangoro, Porygon2, and Linoone. Rock Slide hits Fire-types, being necessary to KO Moltres and Salazzle as Durant needs more damage to do it otherwise. X-Scissor is an option that hits Grass- such as Shaymin and Tsareena and deals more to most Psychic-types.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in Speed, a Jolly nature, and Choice Scarf are used to make Durant outspeed most Pokemon in the tier like Salazzle, Flygon at +1, and Modest Venusaur under sun. Max Attack with Hustle makes Durant as strong as possible at exchange for some accuracy. It can use an Adamant nature to hit harder but it's unable to outspeed some threats like Flygon at +1 and Venusaur under sun, which makes it a worse choice.
Usage Tips
========
This set works mainly as a revenge killer, beating most fast threats such as Salazzle, Choice Scarf Shaymin, and Swellow and after some prior damage Venusaur under sun, Kommo-o, Feraligatr and Flygon. It can be used as a cleaner, if aiming for that the opposing team's checks like Doublade and Gligar should be either weakened or beaten for Durant to win the late game by clicking one of its STABs, although since Hustle makes Durant's moves less accurate, it's not that workable as a cleaner. Most of the time Durant should be clicking Iron Head as it is Durant's most powerful and spammable move, only clicking some coverage option in order to beat a threat like Moltres or Salazzle. It shouldn't switch into anything most of the time, but it can come into resisted physical attacks like Mega Glalie's Double Edge if Durant doesn't need much HP on the match.
Team Options
========
Spikes setters such as Mega Glalie, Chesnaught, and Roserade and Stealth Rock setters such as Nidoqueen, Kommo-o, and Necrozma make it easier for Durant to get KOes and potencially clean. Kommo-o also checks Fire-types and can instead use a Dragon Dance set that can act as a wallbreaker for Durant to clean later or clean once Durant has weakened the opposing team. Wallbreakers that help Durant by breaking or weakening threats such as Gligar and Doublade are very appreciated, that includes Salazzle, Machamp, and Pangoro. Nasty Plot Salazzle particularly helps Durant by breaking through most Pokemon Durant struggles against and making it easier for Durant to clean later. Fire-type checks like Milotic, Snorlax, Flygon, and Rhyperior are also useful as Durant will most of the time give a free turn against Fire-types like Salazzle or Moltres whenever it gets a KO.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Life Orb or Figy Berry can be used on the Hone Claws set if Durant can't afford to have a Z-move. Life Orb increases Durant's power at exchange for some HP while Figy Berry provides it longevity and makes it easier to set up and harder to be revenge killed, but the reliability and power of the Z-move are usually better. A set with Rock Polish can be used to make Durant stronger more threatening against Offense. Choice Scarf Durant can use Swarm to act as a revenge killer or cleaner more reliably, however most of the time the power boost given by Hustle is needed for Durant to perform these roles. Durant's choiced sets, mainly Choice Scarf, can use Toxic somewhere to cripple Pokemon such as Milotic and Quagsire on switch to make them easier to take later, but it's hard to fit as Durant generally misses out an important coverage option.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Torkoal, Rotom-H, Moltres, and Salazzle resist Durant's STAB attacks and can resists most of its moves or outspeed it without Choice Scarf in Salazzle's case and KO it with their Fire-type STAB.
**Faster Attackers**: Due to Durant's typing and special bulk, most faster Pokemon can beat it with Fire-type coverage or strong special attacks, that includes Venusaur under sun, Swellow, Espeon, Choice Scarf Moltres, Choice Scarf Flygon, and Choice Scarf Roserade, they have to be careful against Choice Scarf Durant is in range of its moves, though.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Physically defensive Pokemon can usually beat Durant depending on its set, Gligar can beat choiced sets and U-turn out into some faster Pokemon against Hone Claws, however it is easy to pressure Gligar into 2HKO range from Choice Band Iron Head and is a fodder to Durant without U-turn. Qwilfish can beat any set thanks to its typing, bulk, and Intimidate, Defensive Mega Ampharos, Quagsire and Milotic can usually beat Durant, but they have to watch out for Choice Band boosted X-Scissor or Z-move as Durant can usually pass them with that. Mega Steelix and Doublade can generally take Durant but they have problem with Choice Band, and with Fightinium Z and Darkinium Z sets, respectively.
Durant has a good attack stat and the ability Hustle, which makes it one of the strongest wallbreakers in the tier, it has access to great coverage options that allows Durant to cover virtually any viable Pokemon and a good Speed tier, outspeeding most unboosted Pokemon on its own and most threats in the metagame with Choice Scarf. However, while Hustle is a useful ability, it's a double-edged sword as it reduces the accuracy of its physical moves besides Z-moves by 20% which makes Durant often an unreliable Pokemon, but Durant has access to Hone Claws, which makes up for its low accuracy and, thanks to its decent physical bulk, good defensive typing, and ability to force switches, it's not very hard to find an opportunity to set up. It's not as easy, though, because Durant has a terrible special bulk, making it somewhat harder to find opportunities as it won't be able to take even strong resisted hits such as Swellow's Boomburst after some prior damage.
[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Superpower
item: Fightinium Z / Darkinium Z
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hone Claws boosts Durant's attack and accuracy which covers the accuracy drop from Hustle and enables it to KO most Pokemon in the tier. Iron Head is the main STAB that at +1 KOes Pokemon like Nidoqueen most of the time after Stealth Rock, Florges, and Tyrantrum. Crunch allows Durant to cover Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon such as Cresselia, Durant, and Decidueye for super effective damage. Superpower covers Steel-, Normal-, and Dark-types such as Umbreon, Mega Steelix, and Porygon2.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in Speed and Attack with a Jolly nature are used to make Durant as fast and strong as possible. Hustle is the chosen ability that increases Durant's power at the cost of some accuracy on its moves. With Fightinium Z Durant has an accurate and powerful Fighting-type attack with no drawback that KOes Milotic after Stealth Rock at +1 and Bewear with no boosts. Darkinium Z is an option that lets Durant beat Cresselia and Doublade more easily, it can also make Hone Claws boost Attack by 2 stages instead of 1 once.
Usage Tips
========
Durant shouldn't switch into anything trying to keep HP to set up more easily in the late-game, but it can switch into weak Pokemon unable to beat it like Bronzong, non Choice Band Escavalier, Mega Glalie, and Registeel, it should still be careful to don't get much weakened, though, as Pokemon like that could be used later as a setup fodder once Durant can clean. It should always be brought in safely and most of the time doubling into things that can threaten its potencial switch-ins like Qwilfish or Milotic can be a good idea to pressure them for Durant to clean later, it should wait until the opposing team has no faster threats that can KO Durant and defensive checks like Qwilfish are weakened to set up, it can set up to pressure the opposing team's switches or wallbreak for another Pokemon to clean later, though. The Z-Move should be used to get past a threat Durant can't otherwise like Bewear or Mega Steelix or to bypass accuracy on some Pokemon if Durant hasn't setted up yet and can't afford to miss. If using Darkinium Z and Z-Crunch won't be needed, Durant can use Z-Hone Claws but it shouldn't be used until it can just set up and clean.
Team Options
========
Durant fits well with Pokemon that appreciates Durant's ability to weaken threats like Gligar, Milotic, and Doublade such as Shaymin, Gardevior, and Yanmega or cleaners like Scarf Tyrantrum and Zygarde-10% as Durant can weaken or beat threats like Chesnaught, Milotic, and Gligar for them. Due to Durant's subpar Special Defense, Pokemon that can take special hits like Porygon2, Umbreon, and Snorlax are much appreciated, Snorlax also provides a Fire-type resist and Salazzle check for Durant. Aerodactyl can check and trap Swellow and Salazzle for Durant. It can also and weaken the opposing team for Durant to clean later or vice-versa. Pokemon that can set Stealth Rock like Kommo-o, Nidoqueen or Necrozma or Spikes like Chesnaught, Roserade, and Mega Glalie helps pressuring the opposing team making it easier for Durant to win. Kommo-o also works as a Fire-type check. Flygon is particularly a great teammate as they have a good type synergy, with Flygon being able to check Salazzle and Durant checking some Ice-types while Flygon can work as a pivot and give Durant free switch-ins with U-turn. They also share similar checks like Milotic and Gligar, weakening them for each other.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Crunch
move 4: X-Scissor
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Iron Head is the main STAB that, allowing Durant to 2HKO most Pokemon that don't resist it in the meta. Superpower hits most Steel-, Normal, and Dark-types for super effective damage, covering Mega Steelix, Porygon2, Snorlax, and 2HKOing Quagsire with Choice Band due to Unaware ignoring Hustle. Crunch hits Psychic- and Dark-types like Doublade, Cresselia, and Decidueye that Durant could have problems breaking otherwise.
X-Scissor 2HKOes Milotic always with Choice Band and always after Stealth Rock damage with Life Orb and hits Psychic-types with Colbur Berry and Grass-types like Shaymin and Tsareena.
Set Details
========
Max Speed Jolly makes Durant outspeed most unboosted Pokemon in the tier and be very strong, 252 EVs in Attack with Hustle are used making Durant able to break most Pokemon in the tier at the cost of some accuracy. Choice Band boosts Durant's attack enabling it to break through most bulky Pokemon in the tier, Life Orb makes Durant less strong and cost 10% of its HP each time it attacks but allows it to swap its moves.
Usage Tips
========
This set works mainly as a wallbreaker, as with the right prediction Durant can 2HKO almost the entire tier, weakening the opposing team for a teammate to clean later. If using Choice Band, Durant has to predict its opponent most of the time, judging which your opponent would do or switch into to decide the best option to hit that is a good idea, however be careful as a wrong prediction usually means Durant being KOed or much momentum loss. If using Life Orb Durant can afford to predict less as it can trade its moves, but always being careful as it's being weakened at each turn. It should only switch into Pokemon that can't threaten it very well like Mega Glalie, Registeel, or Bronzong to use a powerful attack against the opposing team, and if possible never switch into any damaging move if using Life Orb as it is prone to harshly weaken itself with Life Orb recoil.
Team Options
========
Cleaners that benefit from Durant weakening the opposing team like Zygarde-10% and Flygon. Choice Scarf users like Tyrantrum, Shaymin and Flygon appreciate Durant's ability to weaken the opposing team making it easier for them to clean and they provide speed control for Durant by checking Pokemon like Salazzle. Flygon in particular has a great type synergy and can give free switch-ins to Durant as well as check Fire-types. Other Fire-type checks include Snorlax, Milotic, Kommo-o, and Rhyperior, they are very appreciated as Durant usually gives a free hit to Fire-types. Rhyperior and Kommo-o can also set Stealth Rock for Durant. Pokemon bulky on the special side like Umbreon, Porygon2, and Specially Defensive Gligar also help Durant as it fails to take strong Special hits. Entry hazards makes it easier for Durant to wallbreak, allowing it to break Pokemon like Milotic and Gligar more easily, for instance. Nidoqueen sets Stealth Rock and Mega Glalie and Chesnaught set Spikes.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Rock Slide
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Iron Head is Durant's main STAB with a decent coverage doing a decent damage to most Pokemon that don't resist it even without any boosting item. Crunch hits Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Cresselia, Doublade, and Decidueye. Superpower hits Steel-, Normal-, and some Dark-types like Registeel, Pangoro, Porygon2, and Linoone. Rock Slide hits Fire-types, being necessary to KO Moltres and Salazzle as Durant needs more damage to do it otherwise. X-Scissor is an option that hits Grass- such as Shaymin and Tsareena and deals more to most Psychic-types.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in Speed, a Jolly nature, and Choice Scarf are used to make Durant outspeed most Pokemon in the tier like Salazzle, Flygon at +1, and Modest Venusaur under sun. Max Attack with Hustle makes Durant as strong as possible at exchange for some accuracy. It can use an Adamant nature to hit harder but it's unable to outspeed some threats like Flygon at +1 and Venusaur under sun, which makes it a worse choice.
Usage Tips
========
This set works mainly as a revenge killer, beating most fast threats such as Salazzle, Choice Scarf Shaymin, and Swellow and after some prior damage Venusaur under sun, Kommo-o, Feraligatr and Flygon. It can be used as a cleaner, if aiming for that the opposing team's checks like Doublade and Gligar should be either weakened or beaten for Durant to win the late game by clicking one of its STABs, although since Hustle makes Durant's moves less accurate, it's not that workable as a cleaner. Most of the time Durant should be clicking Iron Head as it is Durant's most powerful and spammable move, only clicking some coverage option in order to beat a threat like Moltres or Salazzle. It shouldn't switch into anything most of the time, but it can come into resisted physical attacks like Mega Glalie's Double Edge if Durant doesn't need much HP on the match.
Team Options
========
Spikes setters such as Mega Glalie, Chesnaught, and Roserade and Stealth Rock setters such as Nidoqueen, Kommo-o, and Necrozma make it easier for Durant to get KOes and potencially clean. Kommo-o also checks Fire-types and can instead use a Dragon Dance set that can act as a wallbreaker for Durant to clean later or clean once Durant has weakened the opposing team. Wallbreakers that help Durant by breaking or weakening threats such as Gligar and Doublade are very appreciated, that includes Salazzle, Machamp, and Pangoro. Nasty Plot Salazzle particularly helps Durant by breaking through most Pokemon Durant struggles against and making it easier for Durant to clean later. Fire-type checks like Milotic, Snorlax, Flygon, and Rhyperior are also useful as Durant will most of the time give a free turn against Fire-types like Salazzle or Moltres whenever it gets a KO.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Life Orb or Figy Berry can be used on the Hone Claws set if Durant can't afford to have a Z-move. Life Orb increases Durant's power at exchange for some HP while Figy Berry provides it longevity and makes it easier to set up and harder to be revenge killed, but the reliability and power of the Z-move are usually better. A set with Rock Polish can be used to make Durant stronger more threatening against Offense. Choice Scarf Durant can use Swarm to act as a revenge killer or cleaner more reliably, however most of the time the power boost given by Hustle is needed for Durant to perform these roles. Durant's choiced sets, mainly Choice Scarf, can use Toxic somewhere to cripple Pokemon such as Milotic and Quagsire on switch to make them easier to take later, but it's hard to fit as Durant generally misses out an important coverage option.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Torkoal, Rotom-H, Moltres, and Salazzle resist Durant's STAB attacks and can resists most of its moves or outspeed it without Choice Scarf in Salazzle's case and KO it with their Fire-type STAB.
**Faster Attackers**: Due to Durant's typing and special bulk, most faster Pokemon can beat it with Fire-type coverage or strong special attacks, that includes Venusaur under sun, Swellow, Espeon, Choice Scarf Moltres, Choice Scarf Flygon, and Choice Scarf Roserade, they have to be careful against Choice Scarf Durant is in range of its moves, though.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Physically defensive Pokemon can usually beat Durant depending on its set, Gligar can beat choiced sets and U-turn out into some faster Pokemon against Hone Claws, however it is easy to pressure Gligar into 2HKO range from Choice Band Iron Head and is a fodder to Durant without U-turn. Qwilfish can beat any set thanks to its typing, bulk, and Intimidate, Defensive Mega Ampharos, Quagsire and Milotic can usually beat Durant, but they have to watch out for Choice Band boosted X-Scissor or Z-move as Durant can usually pass them with that. Mega Steelix and Doublade can generally take Durant but they have problem with Choice Band, and with Fightinium Z and Darkinium Z sets, respectively.
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