Monotype Dragon Team

[RicardoSilva7631]

Greetings. This post will serve to expose my Dragon team. With the advent of Fairy Type Pokémon, Dragons suffered a rude blow. However, I think they remain one the predominant type for propose of attack since with only 3 weaknesses (Fairy, itself, and Ice, which is uncommon to see), they have very few weak points. So taking this in consideration, I chose to make a team full of Dragons. Despite being satisfied with the team, I feel something is lacking and would like to ask for advice.

Dragalge @ Assault Vest
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpA
Mild Nature
- Scald
- Haze
- Gunk Shot
- Outrage

Dragalge is a concession to Fairy types, which are Dragon's greatest weakness. It uses Gunk shot to shoot them down and Scald to cripple everything else. I chose Haze because I always like to have a entry hazard move available and Outrage because of the damage it always does. However,

Goodra @ Leftovers
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rain Dance
- Fire Blast
- Blizzard
- Thunder

Goodra as a pleasant surprise to me. Despite having a sub-par speed, it mostly copensates for it with bulk and has a wide range of options. I chose Hydration over Sap Sipper because when in conjuction with Rain Dance, it allows Goodra to nullify status moves. Leftovers mitigate damage every turn. The other moves were chosen on the basis of damage made by Goodra's Special Attack stats. However, I have been thinking about adding Earthquake or of another combination of moves with wider coverage.

Altaria @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Roost
- Heal Bell
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast

Altaria is a bizarre choice and made by the same reasons I chose Haze on Dragalge. It is the only dragon on the format that has a party restoring move, and since the team is susceptible to status moves I wanted to have a move like Heal Bell to take some members of though spots. However, without acess to its Mega-Evolution, Altaria is painfully weak, unable to take a hit.

Haxorus @ Assault Vest
Ability: Mold Breaker
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Poison Jab
- Brick Break
- Earthquake
- Outrage

Haxorus is the physical hitter of the team. I chose Assault Vest (must probably, amateurishly) over Life Orb, because the last item caused Haxorus to last too little, and the Vest was the only option that prolonged his useful time.Poison ab is a counter against Fairies. Brick Break is useful agisnt Rock, Ice and Wall users. Earthquake is a coverage option and Outrage the main attack.

Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Roost
- Dark Pulse
- Dragon Rush
- Heat Wave

Hydreigon is the foil to Haxorus, being Special focused. Since it can use Roost, the Life Orb is not a issue. I chose its other three moves based on Stab (Dark Pulse and Dragn Rush) and coverage (Heat Wave).

Garchomp @ Assault Vest
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
- Outrage

Garchomp is the last element of the team. I chose Assault Vest for the same reasons in Haxorus. Stalth Rock is the basic entry hazard and Poison Jab thanks advantage of its Attack stat to inflict damage on Fairy Types. Earhtquake and Outrage are Stab attacks.

All help is welcome.

 

[Mr. Miner]

When running AV, you can't use non attacking moves.

e: There's also a lot more wrong with this team but I'm just pointing out the smaller detail rn. Will try and rate later

 

[GoldenTorkoal]

Hey, it's always cool to see someone using a Dragon team since it's one of my favourite types and the best hyper offensive type you can find. With that said i'd like to help you with this team because there are several things that you're missing and that would make your team much more competitive and viable. I'd like to suggest you to visit the 'Monotype Viability Rankings' to get an idea about the most viable and important mons that teams should have to be competitive. You also have other resources like 'Monotype Sample Teams' and 'Monotype Teambuilding Workshop' where you can see how competent players build their teams and learn more about teambuilding in the Monotype metagame.
With that said, i'm going to explain you the different changes i'd made in this team in order to improve its viability:

• 
  Dragalge: Dragalge is a very useful mon for Dragon teams for some good reasons. The first and the most obvious one is its Poison typing, which makes it neutral to Fairy-type moves, an important spot for Dragon teams. Another thing that Dragalge brings to the table is the setting of Toxic Spikes which are very useful in difficult matchups like Normal, whose defensive core (Porygon2+Chansey) is hard to break with Dragon. So if using Dragalge you need definetely to include Toxic Spikes in its moveset to exploit the benefits that Dragalge can provide. Although i understand that Haze may seem an interesting move to avoid the opposing foe to start boosting its stats, it's simply not worthy to run it in Dragalge. Most boosters are physical attackers that would have no problem in KOing Dragalge even without boost due to Dragalge's mediocre Defense stat, and special boosters like Volcarona aren't a huge threat for Dragon teams. That's why i'd run Toxic Spikes > Haze in Dragalge. Now if we look at Dragalge's offensive stats we can see that its Special Attack is higher than its Attack (97-75), but you have opted for running Gunk Shot and Outrage which are both physical moves and full investment in Special Attack. That doesn't make much sense for me, so i suggest running Sludge Wave > Gunk Shot and Draco Meteor > Outrage. Outrage is a move that should only be used with powerful physical attackers that can deal a lot of damage, and Dragalge is far away from that: it's just simply not worthy to lock yourself into a move like Outrage if you don't have the enough power to justify it. Scald is another move that i'd never run on Dragalge because it does not bring anything crucial: Dragalge's role in Dragon teams is not to cripple physical attackers fishing for burns, Dragalge is there to set up Toxic Spikes and hit as hard as possible with its Adaptability boosted Draco Meteor and Sludge Wave. These two moves can't hit Steel-types even for neutral damage so i'd run Hidden Power Fire > Scald in the last slot. This move gives you a way to hit Steel-types like Ferrothorn or Mega Scizor for super effective damage, which would otherwise wall Dragalge. Another change that would improve Dragalge is using Black Sludge > Assault Vest as its item to give it passive recovery and to allow Dragalge to set up Toxic Spikes (if you run Assault Vest you can't use status moves like Toxic Spikes or Haze). You can run Dragon Fang over Black Sludge if you want more offensive presence but passive recovery is usually much more appreciated. The last change i'd made is 228 HP / 252 SpA / 28 Spe > 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpA and Modest nature > Mild nature. This changes maximize Dragalge's offensive potential and the 28 Spe EVs allow Dragalge to outspeed Hippowdon and have a chance to OHKO it after Stealth Rock if running Dragon Fang as its item. Something important to note is that Dragon teams can't afford to run both Dragalge and Goodra because they need to include mons like Dragonite, Latios, Garchomp and Kuyrem-B, to be optimal teams. That's why i suggest you to run only one between Dragalge and Goodra, the one you feel provides more to your team. Proposed change(s): Toxic Spikes > Haze, Sludge Wave > Gunk Shot, Draco Meteor > Outrage, Hidden Power Fire > Scald, Black Sludge > Assault Vest, 228 HP / 252 SpA / 28 Spe > 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpA & Modest nature > Mild nature.
• 
  Goodra: if you decide to run Goodra over Dragalge there are some things i'd change. There's no point in running in running a set with Rain Dance and Fire Blast since rain would half the power of Fire-type moves, and Blizzard isn't a good move to use outside of Hail. If you want to run BoltBeam you should go with Thunderbolt and Ice Beam over Thunder and Blizzard. With that said i prefer to use a different set for Goodra, so i proppose to run Dragon Pulse > Rain Dance to give it a STAB move, Sludge Bomb > Thunder to help in the Fairy matchup, Earthquake > Blizzard to hit Heatran super effectively once you've got rid of its Air Balloon, and Flamethrower > Fire Blast because of the accuracy. As the item i'd use Assault Vest > Leftovers to be able to tank more special hits and act as a pivot for the team. Since you won't get much use of Hydration for obvious reasons (i'd also like to point out that status is not a big deal for a mon like Dragalge; burns cripple its Attack but that's not a huge problem outside of facing Heatran, paralysis cripple its Speed and Goodra won't outspeed many mons even without that and poison is a problem for almost every mon) i suggest you to run Gooey or Sap Pipper > Hydration. I'd run Sap Pipper over Gooey to avoid Tapu Bulu spamming Grass-type moves and also because Dragon teams have good scarfers to revenge kill and not needing Gooey's Speed drop. Finally i'd run 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpA > 252 HP / 252 SpA /4 SpD and Quiet nature > Modest nature (this nature ensures Goodra OHKOes offensive Heatran with Dragon Pulse+Earthquake). Proposed change(s): Dragon Pulse > Rain Dance, Sludge Bomb > Thunder, Earthquake > Blizzard, Flamethrower > Fire Blast, Assault Vest > Leftovers, Gooey or Sap Pipper > Hydration, 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpA > 252 HP / 252 SpA /4 SpD & Quiet nature > Modest nature.

Goodra calcs

252+ SpA Goodra Dragon Pulse vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 64-76 (19.8 - 23.5%) -- possible 5HKO
8 Atk Goodra Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Heatran: 276-328 (85.4 - 101.5%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO

• 
  >
  
  Mega Altaria > Altaria: Mega Altaria is the best choice for the mega slot for Dragon teams for obvious reasons. Its Fairy typing makes it immune to Dragon-type moves whic makes it an important asset for Dragon teams. With Dragon Dance it can boost its Attack and Speed becoming a powerful wincon for the team, with Frustration as its Fairy STAB (thanks to Pixilate) and Earthquake to hit grounded Steel-types such as Heatran. Full offensive Mega Altaria is the set i like the most and the one i suggest you to run (set details are in the importable), but an alternative more bulky set can be run (took this set from Alpha-Harpreet and Sabella). Proposed change(s): Mega Altaria > Altaria.

Mega Altaria alternative set

Altaria @ Altarianite
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 252 HP / 136 Def / 92 SpD / 28 Spe
Impish Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
- Return
- Heal Bell

• 
  >
  
  Dragonite > Haxorus: Dragonite is another must for Dragon teams as it can act as the physical wallbreaker of the team. With a Choice Band, Adamant nature and its wide movepool, Dragonite can hit very hard almost everything in the metagame. It posseses some big advantages over Haxorus. Multiscale allows it to take almost always one effective move, so you don't need to run something like Assault Vest, and this allows Choice Band Dragonite to hit harder than Assault Vest Haxorus even having a lower Attack stat. Another big advantage is its movepool. Superpower is very useful mainly to hit Normal- and Steel-types such as Porygon2 and Heatran, Fire Punch allows Dragonite to hit Steel-types such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn and priority in the form of Extreme Speed makes it a good revenge killer. Although being slower than Haxorus, Dragonite overcomes that problem with Multiscale and Extreme Speed. Proposed change(s): Dragonite > Haxorus.
• 
  >
  
  /
  
  Kyurem-B > Dragalge/Goodra: as i've said above, Dragon teams can't afford to run both Dragalge and Goodra since its role is similar (checking Fairy-types). That's why i suggest replacing Dragalge or Goodra with Kyurem-B, a very powerful mixed wallbreaker which gives the team an Ice neutrality. The set i suggest you is to maximize its wallbreaking power and its capability of punching holes in the opposing team. Z-Freeze Shock is a one time use nuke that can destroy things like Ferrothorn, Bolt Strike lets it hit Water-types and Flying-types that are neutral to Ice moves, Ice Beam is its special Ice STAB to hit physical walls and Outrage is the most powerful Dragon STAB it can learn. Proposed change(s): Kyurem-B > Dragalge/Goodra.
• 
  >
  
  Latios > Hydreigon: this team needs some sort of speed control to deal with threats like Nihilego and Terrakion as well as Defog support to get rid of Stealth Rock, and Choice Scarf Latios is the best bet to fill that role. Psychic+Draco Meteor are the two STAB moves chosen to revenge kill, Trick is to cripple opposing walls like Chansey or Celesteela and Defog provides a way to get rid of Stealth Rock as i've said before. Although Hydreigon provides a way to deal better with Steel-types due to Fire Blast, this team would appreciate more the presence of a fast revenge killer (don't ever use Dragon Rush, it has low accuracy and it's a physical move, and Hydreigon is a special sweeper). Proposed change(s): Latios > Hydreigon.
• 
  Garchomp: Garchomp covers the role of Stealth Rocker for Dragon teams to ease its teammates' job, and that's why a bulky set is used. Again, if you're running Assault Vest you can't use status moves like Stealth Rock. So my first suggestion is running Rocky Helmet > Assault Vest. The tandem formed by Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet can wear down physical attackers such as Mega Gallade and Mega Swampert and help putting them in range of Dragonite's Extreme Speed or Latios' Psychic/Draco Meteor. I also suggest to run Fire Blast > Poison Jab to hit Steel-types that are immune to Earthquake or at least neutral, such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn. Another change i'd made is Dragon Tail > Outrage to be able to phaze opposing foes, since Garchomp's role in a Dragon team should be setting rocks up and wear down physical attackers with residual damage. For the EV spread and the nature i'd go with 240 HP / 176 Def / 92 Spe > 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe and Impish nature > Jolly nature. 92 Speed EVs give Garchomp enough speed to outspeed Jolly base 70's such as Bisharp and Breloom to be able to 1vs1 them. Proposed change(s): Rocky Helmet > Assault Vest, Fire Blast > Poison Jab, Dragon Tail > Outrage, 240 HP / 176 Def / 92 Spe > 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe & Impish nature > Jolly nature.

Here you have the importables with the new sets and mons, one with Dragalge and the other one with Goodra:

Importable with Dragalge

Altaria-Mega @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Frustration
- Earthquake
- Roost

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 92 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Dragon Tail
- Fire Blast

Dragalge @ Black Sludge
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 228 HP / 252 SpA / 28 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Sludge Wave
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Toxic Spikes

Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psychic
- Defog
- Trick

Kyurem-Black @ Icium Z
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Lonely Nature
- Freeze Shock
- Ice Beam
- Fusion Bolt
- Outrage

Dragonite @ Choice Band
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
- Fire Punch
- Superpower

Importable with Goodra

Altaria-Mega @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Frustration
- Earthquake
- Roost

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 92 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Dragon Tail
- Fire Blast

Goodra @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Sludge Bomb
- Flamethrower
- Earthquake

Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psychic
- Defog
- Trick

Kyurem-Black @ Icium Z
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Lonely Nature
- Freeze Shock
- Ice Beam
- Fusion Bolt
- Outrage

Dragonite @ Choice Band
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
- Fire Punch
- Superpower