QC: PK Gaming / p2 / TDK
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
* Base 120 Attack backed by Adaptability makes Crawdaunt terrifyingly strong.
* Its Water / Dark STAB combination coupled with high-Base Power moves such as Crabhammer and Knock Off is very good, with little resisting it.
* It also has access to priority with Adaptability boosted Aqua Jet.
* Access to boosting moves in Swords Dance and Dragon Dance makes it a threatening wallbreaker.
* Its bad Speed stat at base 55 prevents it from taking on the role of a sweeper.
* Terrible bulk of 65 / 85 / 55 coupled with a plethora of weaknesses such as Grass, Fighting, Electric, Fairy, and Bug means it will rarely survive any unresisted hits.
* It is plagued by the new popularity of Fairy-types such as Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu, which resist its STAB attacks and handily KO it back, while Tapu Lele can revenge kill it and stop its priority with Psychic Terrain.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Crabhammer
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Crunch / Superpower
item: Choice Band
ability: Adaptability
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Knock Off is Crawdaunt's main STAB move, removing items and hitting ridiculously hard with boosts from Adapatability and Choice Band.
* Crabhammer is a strong Water-type STAB attack that dents some Fairy- and Fighting-type switch-ins to Knock Off and deals super effective damage to Ground-, Rock-, and Fire-types.
* Aqua Jet is a strong priority move that is backed up by Adaptability and can revenge kill weakened threats such as Pheromosa and Mega Alakazam.
* Crunch is used for reliable STAB damage against targets that have already been hit by Knock Off or don't take boosted damage from Knock Off to begin with, such as Mega Venusaur or Flyinium-Z Gyarados.
* Alternatively, Superpower provides Fighting-type coverage, mainly to OHKO Ferrothorn and smash Keldeo.
Set Details
========
* A Jolly nature with 252 Speed EVs allows Crawdaunt to outspeed uninvested Rotom-W, letting it OHKO after some prior damage.
* Adamant can be used for more power at the cost of Speed tying with uninvested Rotom-W.
* Maximum Attack and Speed investment let Crawdaunt outspeed some slower defensive Pokemon and let it pack a punch.
* Adaptability is necessary for the added power on Crawdaunt's STAB moves.
* Choice Band gives Crawdaunt an immediate power boost in exchange for being unable to switch moves, which is helpful because Crawdaunt struggles to find opportunities to set up.
Usage Tips
========
* Since Crawdaunt is extremely frail and slow, bring it in with U-turn or Volt Switch or a predicted double switch against a Pokemon that it can take advantage of or KO, such as Slowbro or Landorus-T.
* Choice Band Crawdaunt must choose its moves carefully, as it cannot switch them; therefore predicting an opponent's switch, such as using Knock Off on a predicted Amoonguss switch-in, is vital to Crawdaunt's success, as otherwise it will lose momentum and often be forced out.
* However, prediction should be done carefully, as if Crawdaunt does not make the right move, it will often be flat-out OHKOed by the opposing Pokemon.
* Crawdaunt excels at breaking down walls and forcing out frailer threats with Aqua Jet, so don't sack Crawdaunt until its usefulness has expired against all types of teams.
* Use Aqua Jet to revenge kill threats on hyper offensive teams, such as Mega Alakazam and weakened Latios.
* Crawdaunt is most useful on teams needing a powerful wallbreaker that can break down common threats such as Tangrowth, Landorus-T, Rotom-W, and Slowbro while also weakening Pokemon such as Keldeo and Tapu Fini.
Team Options
========
* Pokemon such as Dragon Dance Zygarde and Dragon Dance Mega Gyarados are solid partners as Crawdaunt breaks down Pokemon that check them such as Landorus-T and Tangrowth.
* Crawdaunt's low Speed and weakness to priority make Pokemon such as Tapu Bulu good partners, as they can switch in on some priority users or common checks or counters to Crawdaunt, such as Azumarill, Breloom, and Keldeo.
* Mega Scizor, Rotom-W, Tapu Koko, and Landorus-T all have U-turn or Volt Switch to get Crawdaunt in safely.
* Stealth Rock allows Crawdaunt to increase its chances to KO defensive Pokemon, so setters like Landorus-T and Ferrothorn are not bad choices.
* Pokemon that can get rid of bulky Grass-types make Crawdaunt's job a lot more straightforward, so Pokemon such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, and Tornadus-T are good partners. Heatran deserves a special mention for being able to lure Tapu Fini and other Water-types and KO them with the Z-move Bloom Doom, making Crawdaunt's life significantly easier.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Crabhammer
move 4: Aqua Jet
item: Life Orb
ability: Adaptability
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Swords Dance doubles Crawdaunt's Attack stat, turning it into a monstrous threat backed up by its high-Base Power moves and Adaptability.
* Knock Off is a useful STAB move that is very strong after an Adaptability boost and Swords Dance boost and also removes opposing Pokemon's items.
* Crabhammer is a strong Water-type STAB move that can KO almost anything that resists Knock Off at +2,and is generally strong enough to fire off without a boost when needed.
* Aqua Jet is an Adaptability-boosted STAB priority move that can be used to pick off opposing Pokemon and deter revenge killing from faster Pokemon without priority such as Tapu Koko.
Set Details
========
* A Jolly nature with maximum Attack and Speed investment allows Crawdaunt to outspeed defensive Pokemon and deal extreme damage.
* Life Orb increases Crawdaunt's damage output tremendously, but it loses HP as a result.
* Adaptability boosts the Base Power of Crawdaunt's offensive moves.
* Adamant can be used for more power, but the boosts from Swords Dance, Life Orb, and Adaptability make it somewhat redundant.
Usage Tips
========
* Set up Swords Dances on forced switches or free turns gained from passive Pokemon; Crawdaunt has trouble setting up a Swords Dance without being KOed or crippled in almost every other situation.
* Crawdaunt should try to set up against more balanced or defensive teams; it's better off dishing out attacks without setup against hyper offensive teams unless the opposing team is very weak and vulnerable to a Swords Dance Aqua Jet sweep.
* Crawdaunt's frailty means that it often cannot stomach most strong neutral attacks, so it will not be able to handle most offensive threats that are not in Aqua Jet range; it should be played only when there are walls to break or its Aqua Jet can come in handy.
* Bringing it on resisted hits should be done sparingly, as Crawdaunt usually still takes a good chunk from them, which, combined with Life Orb recoil and entry hazard damage will add up very quickly.
Team Options
========
* Tapu Koko, Landorus-T, and Rotom-W all have U-turn or Volt Switch to get Crawdaunt in against defensive Pokemon easily.
* Landorus-T sets Stealth Rock for it as well and resists Fighting, making it a decent partner in general.
* Pokemon that appreciate the lack of Skarmory, Quagsire, and Amoonguss make good partners; examples include Zygarde, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Metagross.
* Mega Metagross in particular can switch in on and trap Latios and Latias, while also being able to KO or weaken Keldeo, Azumarill, Tapu Fini, and other Fairy-types. Crawdaunt also mows down most bulky Grass- and Ground-types after an SD, complementing Mega Metagross.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Focus Sash is an option for Swords Dance and Dragon Dance sets for a guaranteed turn of setup and helps offset Crawdaunt's bad defenses; however, Crawdaunt prefers Life Orb's greater power, and entry hazards make it tough to keep it intact.
* Sludge Wave can be used to do severe damage against Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu, which resist Crawdaunt's STAB type combination.
* Lum Berry can be used on Swords Dance and Dragon Dance sets to keep Crawdaunt free from crippling status and allow it to set up on weak Scalds from Pokemon such as Toxapex.
* Dragon Dance can be used to give Crawdaunt a boost in both Speed and Attack, but Crawdaunt's poor natural speed and bulk mean that wallbreaking sets with Swords Dance are almost always a better option.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu resist Crawdaunt's STAB combination and handily KO it with their Fairy-type STAB attacks. Primarina and Tapu Lele can also easily KO, it but they must be careful because they have trouble switching in.
**Water-types**: Keldeo, Mega Gyarados, and Azumarill all resist Crawdaunt's STAB type combination and can KO it in the case of Keldeo and Azumarill or attempt to set up on it in the case of Mega Gyarados.
**Grass-types**: Defensive Grass-types such as Tangrowth, Ferrothorn, and Amoonguss have difficulty switching in on Crawdaunt's Dark-type STAB moves, but they can comfortably deal with Crabhammer and Aqua Jet and can KO back with their respective Grass-type moves.
**Faster Pokemon**: Latios, Alakazam, and Tapu Koko all handily outspeed Crawdaunt and KO it, but they generally cannot switch in and must be wary of boosted Aqua Jets.
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
* Base 120 Attack backed by Adaptability makes Crawdaunt terrifyingly strong.
* Its Water / Dark STAB combination coupled with high-Base Power moves such as Crabhammer and Knock Off is very good, with little resisting it.
* It also has access to priority with Adaptability boosted Aqua Jet.
* Access to boosting moves in Swords Dance and Dragon Dance makes it a threatening wallbreaker.
* Its bad Speed stat at base 55 prevents it from taking on the role of a sweeper.
* Terrible bulk of 65 / 85 / 55 coupled with a plethora of weaknesses such as Grass, Fighting, Electric, Fairy, and Bug means it will rarely survive any unresisted hits.
* It is plagued by the new popularity of Fairy-types such as Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu, which resist its STAB attacks and handily KO it back, while Tapu Lele can revenge kill it and stop its priority with Psychic Terrain.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Crabhammer
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Crunch / Superpower
item: Choice Band
ability: Adaptability
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Knock Off is Crawdaunt's main STAB move, removing items and hitting ridiculously hard with boosts from Adapatability and Choice Band.
* Crabhammer is a strong Water-type STAB attack that dents some Fairy- and Fighting-type switch-ins to Knock Off and deals super effective damage to Ground-, Rock-, and Fire-types.
* Aqua Jet is a strong priority move that is backed up by Adaptability and can revenge kill weakened threats such as Pheromosa and Mega Alakazam.
* Crunch is used for reliable STAB damage against targets that have already been hit by Knock Off or don't take boosted damage from Knock Off to begin with, such as Mega Venusaur or Flyinium-Z Gyarados.
* Alternatively, Superpower provides Fighting-type coverage, mainly to OHKO Ferrothorn and smash Keldeo.
Set Details
========
* A Jolly nature with 252 Speed EVs allows Crawdaunt to outspeed uninvested Rotom-W, letting it OHKO after some prior damage.
* Adamant can be used for more power at the cost of Speed tying with uninvested Rotom-W.
* Maximum Attack and Speed investment let Crawdaunt outspeed some slower defensive Pokemon and let it pack a punch.
* Adaptability is necessary for the added power on Crawdaunt's STAB moves.
* Choice Band gives Crawdaunt an immediate power boost in exchange for being unable to switch moves, which is helpful because Crawdaunt struggles to find opportunities to set up.
Usage Tips
========
* Since Crawdaunt is extremely frail and slow, bring it in with U-turn or Volt Switch or a predicted double switch against a Pokemon that it can take advantage of or KO, such as Slowbro or Landorus-T.
* Choice Band Crawdaunt must choose its moves carefully, as it cannot switch them; therefore predicting an opponent's switch, such as using Knock Off on a predicted Amoonguss switch-in, is vital to Crawdaunt's success, as otherwise it will lose momentum and often be forced out.
* However, prediction should be done carefully, as if Crawdaunt does not make the right move, it will often be flat-out OHKOed by the opposing Pokemon.
* Crawdaunt excels at breaking down walls and forcing out frailer threats with Aqua Jet, so don't sack Crawdaunt until its usefulness has expired against all types of teams.
* Use Aqua Jet to revenge kill threats on hyper offensive teams, such as Mega Alakazam and weakened Latios.
* Crawdaunt is most useful on teams needing a powerful wallbreaker that can break down common threats such as Tangrowth, Landorus-T, Rotom-W, and Slowbro while also weakening Pokemon such as Keldeo and Tapu Fini.
Team Options
========
* Pokemon such as Dragon Dance Zygarde and Dragon Dance Mega Gyarados are solid partners as Crawdaunt breaks down Pokemon that check them such as Landorus-T and Tangrowth.
* Crawdaunt's low Speed and weakness to priority make Pokemon such as Tapu Bulu good partners, as they can switch in on some priority users or common checks or counters to Crawdaunt, such as Azumarill, Breloom, and Keldeo.
* Mega Scizor, Rotom-W, Tapu Koko, and Landorus-T all have U-turn or Volt Switch to get Crawdaunt in safely.
* Stealth Rock allows Crawdaunt to increase its chances to KO defensive Pokemon, so setters like Landorus-T and Ferrothorn are not bad choices.
* Pokemon that can get rid of bulky Grass-types make Crawdaunt's job a lot more straightforward, so Pokemon such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, and Tornadus-T are good partners. Heatran deserves a special mention for being able to lure Tapu Fini and other Water-types and KO them with the Z-move Bloom Doom, making Crawdaunt's life significantly easier.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Crabhammer
move 4: Aqua Jet
item: Life Orb
ability: Adaptability
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Swords Dance doubles Crawdaunt's Attack stat, turning it into a monstrous threat backed up by its high-Base Power moves and Adaptability.
* Knock Off is a useful STAB move that is very strong after an Adaptability boost and Swords Dance boost and also removes opposing Pokemon's items.
* Crabhammer is a strong Water-type STAB move that can KO almost anything that resists Knock Off at +2,and is generally strong enough to fire off without a boost when needed.
* Aqua Jet is an Adaptability-boosted STAB priority move that can be used to pick off opposing Pokemon and deter revenge killing from faster Pokemon without priority such as Tapu Koko.
Set Details
========
* A Jolly nature with maximum Attack and Speed investment allows Crawdaunt to outspeed defensive Pokemon and deal extreme damage.
* Life Orb increases Crawdaunt's damage output tremendously, but it loses HP as a result.
* Adaptability boosts the Base Power of Crawdaunt's offensive moves.
* Adamant can be used for more power, but the boosts from Swords Dance, Life Orb, and Adaptability make it somewhat redundant.
Usage Tips
========
* Set up Swords Dances on forced switches or free turns gained from passive Pokemon; Crawdaunt has trouble setting up a Swords Dance without being KOed or crippled in almost every other situation.
* Crawdaunt should try to set up against more balanced or defensive teams; it's better off dishing out attacks without setup against hyper offensive teams unless the opposing team is very weak and vulnerable to a Swords Dance Aqua Jet sweep.
* Crawdaunt's frailty means that it often cannot stomach most strong neutral attacks, so it will not be able to handle most offensive threats that are not in Aqua Jet range; it should be played only when there are walls to break or its Aqua Jet can come in handy.
* Bringing it on resisted hits should be done sparingly, as Crawdaunt usually still takes a good chunk from them, which, combined with Life Orb recoil and entry hazard damage will add up very quickly.
Team Options
========
* Tapu Koko, Landorus-T, and Rotom-W all have U-turn or Volt Switch to get Crawdaunt in against defensive Pokemon easily.
* Landorus-T sets Stealth Rock for it as well and resists Fighting, making it a decent partner in general.
* Pokemon that appreciate the lack of Skarmory, Quagsire, and Amoonguss make good partners; examples include Zygarde, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Metagross.
* Mega Metagross in particular can switch in on and trap Latios and Latias, while also being able to KO or weaken Keldeo, Azumarill, Tapu Fini, and other Fairy-types. Crawdaunt also mows down most bulky Grass- and Ground-types after an SD, complementing Mega Metagross.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Focus Sash is an option for Swords Dance and Dragon Dance sets for a guaranteed turn of setup and helps offset Crawdaunt's bad defenses; however, Crawdaunt prefers Life Orb's greater power, and entry hazards make it tough to keep it intact.
* Sludge Wave can be used to do severe damage against Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu, which resist Crawdaunt's STAB type combination.
* Lum Berry can be used on Swords Dance and Dragon Dance sets to keep Crawdaunt free from crippling status and allow it to set up on weak Scalds from Pokemon such as Toxapex.
* Dragon Dance can be used to give Crawdaunt a boost in both Speed and Attack, but Crawdaunt's poor natural speed and bulk mean that wallbreaking sets with Swords Dance are almost always a better option.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu resist Crawdaunt's STAB combination and handily KO it with their Fairy-type STAB attacks. Primarina and Tapu Lele can also easily KO, it but they must be careful because they have trouble switching in.
**Water-types**: Keldeo, Mega Gyarados, and Azumarill all resist Crawdaunt's STAB type combination and can KO it in the case of Keldeo and Azumarill or attempt to set up on it in the case of Mega Gyarados.
**Grass-types**: Defensive Grass-types such as Tangrowth, Ferrothorn, and Amoonguss have difficulty switching in on Crawdaunt's Dark-type STAB moves, but they can comfortably deal with Crabhammer and Aqua Jet and can KO back with their respective Grass-type moves.
**Faster Pokemon**: Latios, Alakazam, and Tapu Koko all handily outspeed Crawdaunt and KO it, but they generally cannot switch in and must be wary of boosted Aqua Jets.
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