QC: dodmen / Pearl / IronBullet
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / frenzyplant
[OVERVIEW]
Despite the high number of other offensive Water-types in the tier, Crawdaunt makes a place for itself by being one of the most threatening wallbreakers in the tier thanks to a combination of good dual STAB types, Adaptability, a high Attack stat, and a good offensive movepool. However, Crawdaunt is very slow and frail, making it susceptible to many of the faster Pokemon in the tier that can revenge kill it with ease and leaving it heavily reliant on its priority move, Aqua Jet, to be able to damage these Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Crabhammer
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Aqua Jet
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Adaptability
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance boosts Crawdaunt's Attack, making it very deadly against defensively oriented teams. Crabhammer is a very strong STAB attack that also has a high critical hit ratio. Knock Off is a good secondary STAB attack that can also remove the item of the opposing Pokemon. Aqua Jet is weaker than Crabhammer and Knock Off, but its priority makes it the go-to move for doing damage to quicker Pokemon.
Set Details
========
Focus Sash ensures Crawdaunt is unable to be KOed from full HP, allowing it to have a free turn to either get off an attack or use Swords Dance; however, its main purpose is to ensure that Crawdaunt isn't mostly helpless against offensive teams, which tend to not give it any space. Life Orb is also an option due to the boost in power, which allows Crawdaunt to get some crucial KOs, such as against Tangrowth after Stealth Rock and a Swords Dance boost. Lum Berry can also be used should a one-time status immunity be more beneficial than the other options. The given EVs maximize Crawdaunt's wallbreaking potential. A Jolly nature is preferable to give Crawdaunt enough Speed to ensure that most bulky Pokemon, such as Nidoqueen and Suicune, are dissuaded from investing enough Speed EVs to outspeed Crawdaunt. An Adamant nature, on the other hand, allows Crawdaunt to hit benchmarks when attacking, such as an OHKO on Tangrowth when holding Life Orb and after a Swords Dance, as well as against Salamence with Life Orb after Stealth Rock, at the cost of being potentially outsped by many of the aforementioned bulky Pokemon. Adaptability is the ability of choice for boosting the power of Crawdaunt's STAB attacks.
Usage Tips
========
Predict a lot; strong wallbreakers like Crawdaunt that don't have much bulk or Speed don't get many opportunities to wallbreak in a match so make the most of the few turns it is given. In most matches, it's often better to just attack with Crawdaunt instead of setting up, as Swords Dance only benefits Crawdaunt against more defensively inclined teams that use sturdy walls that rely on being able to outlast Crawdaunt to get past it. Be sure to pivot Crawdaunt in on weak attacks or via U-turn and Volt Switch whenever it can get a good matchup. Most importantly, be sure to use Crawdaunt's ability to effectively wallbreak as much as possible during the early game so its teammates are able to clean later on.
Team Options
========
Sweepers and cleaners, such as Nasty Plot Lucario and Mega Sharpedo, make for excellent Crawdaunt partners, as they benefit from Crawdaunt's ability to wallbreak effectively. Other wallbreakers, such as Choice Band Darmanitan, Choice Specs Shaymin and Life Orb Hydreigon, also make for nice Crawdaunt teammates, as they can form good wallbreaking cores with Crawdaunt to break through most teams. Shaymin gets a special mention for having access to Healing Wish, which not only heals Crawdaunt to full HP but also removes any status conditions Crawdaunt may have at the time. Pokemon that have access to speed control moves, such as Tailwind Whimsicott and Sticky Web Galvantula, also make for good teammates, as they can make Crawdaunt faster than its foe and give it more opportunities to wallbreak. Memento users, such as Chandelure and Gardevoir, make for good Crawdaunt teammates, as they can use Memento to give Crawdaunt a free turn to set up a Swords Dance, while Crawdaunt usually breaks down their defensive answers. Entry hazard setters, such as Azelf and Aerodacyl, make for good Crawdaunt partners as well, as Crawdaunt can get some crucial KOs with entry hazard damage, such as OHKOs on Zapdos and Suicune after a Swords Dance. Similarly, entry hazard removers and suicide leads, such as Forretress and Aerodactyl, respectively, are also good Focus Sash Crawdaunt teammates, as they can respectively remove and prevent entry hazards, allowing Crawdaunt to retain its Focus Sash for as long as possible. Lastly, Crawdaunt appreciates having momentum support from VoltTurn users, such as Rotom-C and Infernape, making them good teammates for it.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Crabhammer
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Aerial Ace / Crunch
item: Choice Band
ability: Adaptability
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is a very strong STAB attack that removes the held item of the opposing Pokemon. Crabhammer is a very solid STAB attack that has a high `00 Base Power. Aqua Jet gives Crawdaunt a form of priority to ensure that it is able to hit quicker Pokemon. Aerial Ace allows Crawdaunt to hit Chesnaught, which walls it otherwise, for super effective damage. Alternatively, Crunch allows Crawdaunt to do more damage with its Dark-type STAB move than it would with Knock Off to itemless Pokemon and Mega Evolutions. Switcheroo allows Crawdaunt to cripple most of its switch-ins, making it a decent option should Aerial Ace and Crunch not seem too useful.
Set Details
========
Choice Band boosts Crawdaunt's Attack, making it a very powerful wallbreaker at the cost of locking it into a move. Adaptability changes Crawdaunt's STAB bonus from 1.5x to 2x, making its STAB attacks a lot stronger. Maximum Attack and Speed EVs are used to augment Crawdaunt's wallbreaking potential, and a Jolly nature is used to ensure Crawdaunt is able to outspeed bulky Pokemon that attempt to Speed creep it, whereas an Adamant nature can be used to ensure Crawdaunt hits as hard as possible.
Usage Tips
========
Prediction is important for Crawdaunt, as it can easily give your opponent free turns depending on the move it locks itself into; however, most Pokemon take a lot of damage from Knock Off and Crabhammer, so don't be afraid to just use either whenever you can. Crawdaunt should only be coming in on weak attacks or from pivoting into something it has a good matchup against. Crawdaunt should be making use of its wallbreaking prowess during the early game as much as possible so its teammates can have an easier time later on. Use Crawdaunt's revenge killing potential with Aqua Jet as a tool against offense, as it generally doesn't get any other opportunity to be useful in those matchups.
Team Options
========
Sweepers and cleaners, such as Dragon Dance Gyarados and Mega Sharpedo, make for good Crawdaunt partners, as they capitalize on Crawdaunt's ability to effectively break down opposing teams. Other wallbreakers, such as Choice Band Entei and Choice Specs Kyurem, also make for good partners, as they form wallbreaking cores with Crawdaunt that can effectively break most defensively oriented teams. Entry hazard setters, such as Forretress and Nidoqueen, are good Crawdaunt partners due to their ability to wear down the opposing team via entry hazards, making Crawdaunt's switch-ins even more limited. Users of speed control moves, such as Sticky Web Shuckle and Tailwind Suicune, make for good Crawdaunt partners, as they can allow Crawdaunt to outspeed Pokemon it normally wouldn't be able to. Crawdaunt is also highly appreciative of momentum support from Volt Switch and U-turn users, such as Heliolisk and Hydreigon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A fourth attack over Swords Dance on the Swords Dance set can be run to lure in and KO specific checks and counters. For instance, Ice Beam allows Crawdaunt to 2HKO common switch-ins in Chesnaught, Tangrowth, Whimsicott, and Hydreigon. Sludge Wave is another option that provides similar coverage to Ice Beam but trades being unable to 2HKO Hydreigon for being able to OHKO Whimsicott. Superpower, on the other hand, doesn't provide as much overall coverage but allows Crawdaunt to OHKO Hydreigon. Dragon Dance, while being a decent option on sets that use Focus Sash, is usually inferior to other options, such as Swords Dance and a fourth attack, due to Crawdaunt's low base Speed that renders it unable to outspeed base 108 Speed Pokemon and anything quicker even after a boost. It does allow Crawdaunt to beat some of its checks, though, which is mostly limited to a few faster Water-resistant Pokemon, including Mega Blastoise.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon that Resist Water**: Pokemon that have higher Speed than Crawdaunt and also resist Water-type attacks, such as Hydreigon and Whimsicott, can easily revenge kill Crawdaunt, as Crawdaunt's only way of damaging them before they OHKO it is Aqua Jet. Heliolisk and Toxicroak get a special mentions for having higher Speed, super effective STAB attacks against Crawdaunt, and an immunity to Water, courtesy of Dry Skin.
**Quicker Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon that have decent physical bulk and outspeed Crawdaunt, such as Cobalion and Zapdos, can easily revenge kill it, as they can survive an Aqua Jet and OHKO Crawdaunt in return.
**Physically Defensive Walls**: Physically defensive walls can deal with Crawdaunt well, with the best checks depending on its set. For instance, Swords Dance variants are easily dealt with by Chesnaught and Tangrowth, whereas variants using four attacking moves are more easily dealt with by the likes of Alomomola.
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / frenzyplant
[OVERVIEW]
Despite the high number of other offensive Water-types in the tier, Crawdaunt makes a place for itself by being one of the most threatening wallbreakers in the tier thanks to a combination of good dual STAB types, Adaptability, a high Attack stat, and a good offensive movepool. However, Crawdaunt is very slow and frail, making it susceptible to many of the faster Pokemon in the tier that can revenge kill it with ease and leaving it heavily reliant on its priority move, Aqua Jet, to be able to damage these Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Crabhammer
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Aqua Jet
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Adaptability
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance boosts Crawdaunt's Attack, making it very deadly against defensively oriented teams. Crabhammer is a very strong STAB attack that also has a high critical hit ratio. Knock Off is a good secondary STAB attack that can also remove the item of the opposing Pokemon. Aqua Jet is weaker than Crabhammer and Knock Off, but its priority makes it the go-to move for doing damage to quicker Pokemon.
Set Details
========
Focus Sash ensures Crawdaunt is unable to be KOed from full HP, allowing it to have a free turn to either get off an attack or use Swords Dance; however, its main purpose is to ensure that Crawdaunt isn't mostly helpless against offensive teams, which tend to not give it any space. Life Orb is also an option due to the boost in power, which allows Crawdaunt to get some crucial KOs, such as against Tangrowth after Stealth Rock and a Swords Dance boost. Lum Berry can also be used should a one-time status immunity be more beneficial than the other options. The given EVs maximize Crawdaunt's wallbreaking potential. A Jolly nature is preferable to give Crawdaunt enough Speed to ensure that most bulky Pokemon, such as Nidoqueen and Suicune, are dissuaded from investing enough Speed EVs to outspeed Crawdaunt. An Adamant nature, on the other hand, allows Crawdaunt to hit benchmarks when attacking, such as an OHKO on Tangrowth when holding Life Orb and after a Swords Dance, as well as against Salamence with Life Orb after Stealth Rock, at the cost of being potentially outsped by many of the aforementioned bulky Pokemon. Adaptability is the ability of choice for boosting the power of Crawdaunt's STAB attacks.
Usage Tips
========
Predict a lot; strong wallbreakers like Crawdaunt that don't have much bulk or Speed don't get many opportunities to wallbreak in a match so make the most of the few turns it is given. In most matches, it's often better to just attack with Crawdaunt instead of setting up, as Swords Dance only benefits Crawdaunt against more defensively inclined teams that use sturdy walls that rely on being able to outlast Crawdaunt to get past it. Be sure to pivot Crawdaunt in on weak attacks or via U-turn and Volt Switch whenever it can get a good matchup. Most importantly, be sure to use Crawdaunt's ability to effectively wallbreak as much as possible during the early game so its teammates are able to clean later on.
Team Options
========
Sweepers and cleaners, such as Nasty Plot Lucario and Mega Sharpedo, make for excellent Crawdaunt partners, as they benefit from Crawdaunt's ability to wallbreak effectively. Other wallbreakers, such as Choice Band Darmanitan, Choice Specs Shaymin and Life Orb Hydreigon, also make for nice Crawdaunt teammates, as they can form good wallbreaking cores with Crawdaunt to break through most teams. Shaymin gets a special mention for having access to Healing Wish, which not only heals Crawdaunt to full HP but also removes any status conditions Crawdaunt may have at the time. Pokemon that have access to speed control moves, such as Tailwind Whimsicott and Sticky Web Galvantula, also make for good teammates, as they can make Crawdaunt faster than its foe and give it more opportunities to wallbreak. Memento users, such as Chandelure and Gardevoir, make for good Crawdaunt teammates, as they can use Memento to give Crawdaunt a free turn to set up a Swords Dance, while Crawdaunt usually breaks down their defensive answers. Entry hazard setters, such as Azelf and Aerodacyl, make for good Crawdaunt partners as well, as Crawdaunt can get some crucial KOs with entry hazard damage, such as OHKOs on Zapdos and Suicune after a Swords Dance. Similarly, entry hazard removers and suicide leads, such as Forretress and Aerodactyl, respectively, are also good Focus Sash Crawdaunt teammates, as they can respectively remove and prevent entry hazards, allowing Crawdaunt to retain its Focus Sash for as long as possible. Lastly, Crawdaunt appreciates having momentum support from VoltTurn users, such as Rotom-C and Infernape, making them good teammates for it.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Crabhammer
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Aerial Ace / Crunch
item: Choice Band
ability: Adaptability
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is a very strong STAB attack that removes the held item of the opposing Pokemon. Crabhammer is a very solid STAB attack that has a high `00 Base Power. Aqua Jet gives Crawdaunt a form of priority to ensure that it is able to hit quicker Pokemon. Aerial Ace allows Crawdaunt to hit Chesnaught, which walls it otherwise, for super effective damage. Alternatively, Crunch allows Crawdaunt to do more damage with its Dark-type STAB move than it would with Knock Off to itemless Pokemon and Mega Evolutions. Switcheroo allows Crawdaunt to cripple most of its switch-ins, making it a decent option should Aerial Ace and Crunch not seem too useful.
Set Details
========
Choice Band boosts Crawdaunt's Attack, making it a very powerful wallbreaker at the cost of locking it into a move. Adaptability changes Crawdaunt's STAB bonus from 1.5x to 2x, making its STAB attacks a lot stronger. Maximum Attack and Speed EVs are used to augment Crawdaunt's wallbreaking potential, and a Jolly nature is used to ensure Crawdaunt is able to outspeed bulky Pokemon that attempt to Speed creep it, whereas an Adamant nature can be used to ensure Crawdaunt hits as hard as possible.
Usage Tips
========
Prediction is important for Crawdaunt, as it can easily give your opponent free turns depending on the move it locks itself into; however, most Pokemon take a lot of damage from Knock Off and Crabhammer, so don't be afraid to just use either whenever you can. Crawdaunt should only be coming in on weak attacks or from pivoting into something it has a good matchup against. Crawdaunt should be making use of its wallbreaking prowess during the early game as much as possible so its teammates can have an easier time later on. Use Crawdaunt's revenge killing potential with Aqua Jet as a tool against offense, as it generally doesn't get any other opportunity to be useful in those matchups.
Team Options
========
Sweepers and cleaners, such as Dragon Dance Gyarados and Mega Sharpedo, make for good Crawdaunt partners, as they capitalize on Crawdaunt's ability to effectively break down opposing teams. Other wallbreakers, such as Choice Band Entei and Choice Specs Kyurem, also make for good partners, as they form wallbreaking cores with Crawdaunt that can effectively break most defensively oriented teams. Entry hazard setters, such as Forretress and Nidoqueen, are good Crawdaunt partners due to their ability to wear down the opposing team via entry hazards, making Crawdaunt's switch-ins even more limited. Users of speed control moves, such as Sticky Web Shuckle and Tailwind Suicune, make for good Crawdaunt partners, as they can allow Crawdaunt to outspeed Pokemon it normally wouldn't be able to. Crawdaunt is also highly appreciative of momentum support from Volt Switch and U-turn users, such as Heliolisk and Hydreigon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A fourth attack over Swords Dance on the Swords Dance set can be run to lure in and KO specific checks and counters. For instance, Ice Beam allows Crawdaunt to 2HKO common switch-ins in Chesnaught, Tangrowth, Whimsicott, and Hydreigon. Sludge Wave is another option that provides similar coverage to Ice Beam but trades being unable to 2HKO Hydreigon for being able to OHKO Whimsicott. Superpower, on the other hand, doesn't provide as much overall coverage but allows Crawdaunt to OHKO Hydreigon. Dragon Dance, while being a decent option on sets that use Focus Sash, is usually inferior to other options, such as Swords Dance and a fourth attack, due to Crawdaunt's low base Speed that renders it unable to outspeed base 108 Speed Pokemon and anything quicker even after a boost. It does allow Crawdaunt to beat some of its checks, though, which is mostly limited to a few faster Water-resistant Pokemon, including Mega Blastoise.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon that Resist Water**: Pokemon that have higher Speed than Crawdaunt and also resist Water-type attacks, such as Hydreigon and Whimsicott, can easily revenge kill Crawdaunt, as Crawdaunt's only way of damaging them before they OHKO it is Aqua Jet. Heliolisk and Toxicroak get a special mentions for having higher Speed, super effective STAB attacks against Crawdaunt, and an immunity to Water, courtesy of Dry Skin.
**Quicker Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon that have decent physical bulk and outspeed Crawdaunt, such as Cobalion and Zapdos, can easily revenge kill it, as they can survive an Aqua Jet and OHKO Crawdaunt in return.
**Physically Defensive Walls**: Physically defensive walls can deal with Crawdaunt well, with the best checks depending on its set. For instance, Swords Dance variants are easily dealt with by Chesnaught and Tangrowth, whereas variants using four attacking moves are more easily dealt with by the likes of Alomomola.
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