Shed Skin, Dragon Dance, and the permission to use Eviolite? I'm interested. Though Dragonair doesn't have much of a presence in RU due to the amount of "leftover" threats there, I believe he does a great job of sweeping there nevertheless.
Status: Done
QC Approvals (3/3): (Oglemi) (Honko) (Windsong)
GP Approvals (2/2): (November Blue + Snorlaxe) (Omicron)
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My big bro's the King of OU! I hope to be like him someday!
[Overview]
<p>As its NFE status implies, Dragonair should not be expected to strike fear into its opponent's hearts just by appearing in Team Preview (unlike its evolution), mostly because its only practical role in the RU metagame is one thing, and one thing only: Dragon Dance sweeping. Fortunately, despite its admittedly average stats, Dragonair can distinguish itself from other attackers with its exceptional Dragon typing. As a special note, the generation shift granted Dragonair a gift in Eviolite, which gives it a golden opportunity to be a viable defensive sweeper in RU. Although its options are pretty limited outside of Dragon Dance, being able to boost both its Attack and Speed at once is always a valuable asset in an environment that lacks solid Dragon Dance users, or Dragon-types, for that matter.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Dragon Tail / Waterfall
item: Eviolite
ability: Shed Skin
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>It's not very often one sees a bulky boosting sweeper in the predominantly offensive RU metagame. Dragonair, however, can fulfill this role successfully thanks to its typing which gives it a few resistances and only two weaknesses, access to Dragon Dance and Shed Skin, and boosted defenses via the Eviolite. The key to using Dragonair, however, is to be conservative; only attempt a sweep when you have eliminated any opposing powerhouses, as Dragonair's bulk isn't exactly game-breaking. The most efficient way to start the sweep is to switch Dragonair into something that can't hurt it significantly, which applies mostly to Grass-, Electric-, Fire-, and Water-types, as well as defensive Pokemon in general, such as Munchlax, Cofagrigus, and Rotom-C.</p>
<p>Dragonair's primary focus is attaining multiple Dragon Dance boosts while the opponent attempts to respond (likely by using status or switching in a check). Status is nothing to worry about as far as Shed Skin is concerned, so feel free to set up on any predicted status except sleep. If Dragonair sustains a major amount of damage, simply use Rest to recover. Do not be over-reliant on Rest, however, as Shed Skin only has a 30% activation rate. Once Dragonair has secured a number of boosts, simply lash out with Outrage. Though somewhat unreliable, Outrage can put huge dents in anything that is not extremely bulky, or a Steel-type.<p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The last slot is essentially filler; courtesy of its limited movepool, Dragonair has little else to use on this set besides Dragon Tail and Waterfall. Although Dragon Tail's negative priority may seem to contradict Dragon Dance's Speed boosts, it ensures that Dragonair cannot be phazed out. After a Speed boost, Dragonair is faster than all of the usual Roar, Dragon Tail, and Whirlwind users in the metagame, so in a phazing war, Dragonair will almost always come out on top. On the other hand, Waterfall is an alternative for coverage against Steel-type Pokemon bar Ferroseed, though its relative lack of power even after a boost or two is rather unappealing.</p>
<p>Dragonair thrives on defensive investment, and because of the populace of special attackers with resisted attacks in RU, Dragonair should be specially defensive with a Careful nature. If investing in Speed seems worthwhile, a good benchmark would be 96 EVs in Speed, which allows Dragonair to outspeed all neutral base 50 Pokemon before the Dragon Dance boost. Additionally, you may consider some Attack investment so that Dragonair isn't completely reliant on Dragon Dance for power; without investment, Dragonair only has a small chance of OHKOing Entei with three Attack boosts. With maximized Attack, however, it has a chance to do so with only two boosts, which comes at the cost of being significantly less bulky.</p>
<p>Avoid using Dragonair early to mid-game; despite Dragonair's self-sufficiency with this set, it requires some offensive support to bypass its checks and counters. Ferroseed is an example of such an obstacle amongst other bulky Steel-type Pokemon, capable of annoying Dragonair with Leech Seed and continued attacks while resisting every attack this set utilizes. Thus, using offensive Pokemon with Fire- or Fighting-type attacks, such as Medicham or mixed Honchkrow, is recommended. As a special mention, Magneton is a straightforward way to deal with Steel-types, courtesy of its defensive typing and Magnet Pull ability. If Waterfall is chosen, also be sure to eliminate foes with phazing moves prior to set-up, which can can identified with Team Preview.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Aqua Tail / Waterfall
move 4: ExtremeSpeed
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>In addition to being one of the few usable defensive sweepers in RU, Dragonair is one of the tier's only offensive Dragon Dance sweepers, with its only notable competition being Feraligatr. After a single boost in conjunction with Life Orb, Dragonair has the potential to tear teams apart. Unlike its fellow Dragon Dance user, Dragonair boasts an advantage in its Dragon typing, which is useful both offensively and defensively. Dragonair also has a powerful STAB attack in Outrage, which provides raw power and coverage against everything but Steel-types, which are covered by Dragonair's chosen Water-type move. Dragonair can choose either Waterfall or Aqua Tail; again, a power versus accuracy dilemma. This alone makes Dragonair a hard attacker to beat, seeing as it can break through threats with Outrage's sheer power and exceptional coverage.</p>
<p>On top of this, Dragonair has been graced with the rare ExtremeSpeed, which allows Dragonair to beat revenge killers and other priority users, especially the omnipresent Sucker Punch Honchkrow. As a small bonus, Shed Skin gives Dragonair a "second chance" to function if status happens to get in the way, though relying on it is highly inadvisable due to Dragonair's decreased bulk.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A simple offensive spread with maximized Attack and Speed and an Adamant nature is the best choice. Simply put, the Speed investment prevents Dragonair from being revenge killed by the odd +1 Pokemon, and also allows Dragonair to outrun positive-natured base 105 Speed Pokemon after a boost, so investing in bulk is hardly necessary. A Jolly nature is also optimal if you wish for Dragonair to outspeed positive-natured base 125s after a Dragon Dance, though obviously, this comes at the cost of power.</p>
<p>Initially, Dragonair may find it difficult to set up because of its sub-par defenses, so taking advantage of an opportunity to switch in and sweep is quite a task. Ideally, Dragonair should switch in after one of its teammates has fainted to increase its time on the field. Another way to open setup opportunities is by using Pokemon with crippling strategies at hand, ranging from Encore to status to Choice Tricking. Lopunny is particularly skilled at using both Encore and Trick, while Lilligant and Tangrowth can shut down a foe with Sleep Powder. Dragonair can also set up on most defensive Pokemon such as Munchlax, as many of them are predominantly non-offensive, and are severely damaged by a +1 Outrage. Don't be greedy with the number of turns Dragonair has earned, however, as the damage and recoil can accumulate at a fast pace. It is also advisable to stack Dragonair with other offensive teammates if it finds itself down early in the game.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Dragonair is the antithesis of its more versatile and powerful evolution; Dragonair unfortunately lacks the options, let alone certain stats, to do what Dragonite would do to make an impact. In short, the few options Dragonair does have are limited by unimpressive stats. For instance, Dragonair can make use of some useful special attacks such as Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor, and basic coverage moves including Ice Beam, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, and Surf. However, its low Special Attack, even when invested, hinders the effectiveness of these moves quite a bit. The only other notable physical attacks are Dragon Rush and Aqua Jet, but both are hard to fit on either Dragon Dance set due to redundancy (and accuracy in Dragon Rush's case).</p>
<p>Dragonair is more affluent in support moves, but more often than not, its only decent bulk and lack of reliable recovery will let it down in more defensive roles. Dragonair's hidden ability, Marvel Scale, isn't of much use because of the limitations that come with it, such as the lack of Sleep Talk (so any chance of using the RestTalk combination is out of the question). As for support moves, Haze, Thunder Wave, and Safeguard are certainly useful options. Light Screen can prove useful on the defensive Dragon Dance set, granting Dragonair easier setup against special attacks while allowing it to invest more in physical Defense.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>When facing Dragonair, the best thing to do is strike it down with force. With or without Eviolite, Dragonair is only decently bulky, and much frailer on the physical side. For instance, Entei has a chance to 2HKO +1 252/0 Dragonair with Flare Blitz, factoring in Life Orb and Stealth Rock damage. If the prospect of a healthy boosted Dragonair is frightening, certain bulky Pokemon such as Ferroseed, Tangrowth, and Hariyama will have little trouble taking some boosted attacks (in moderation). Keep in mind, however, that attempting to stop Dragonair with status may be a wasted effort because of Shed Skin. Quagsire in particular is one of the best counters to Dragonair, as it will be Unaware of Dragonair's boosts, and can wear the dragon down with consecutive Earthquakes. In a worst-case scenario, priority users and Choice Scarf Pokemon with a base Speed of at least 55 can still revenge kill Dragonair successfully, the most notable being Honchkrow, Medicham, and Krookodile.</p>
Status: Done
QC Approvals (3/3): (Oglemi) (Honko) (Windsong)
GP Approvals (2/2): (November Blue + Snorlaxe) (Omicron)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
My big bro's the King of OU! I hope to be like him someday!
[Overview]
<p>As its NFE status implies, Dragonair should not be expected to strike fear into its opponent's hearts just by appearing in Team Preview (unlike its evolution), mostly because its only practical role in the RU metagame is one thing, and one thing only: Dragon Dance sweeping. Fortunately, despite its admittedly average stats, Dragonair can distinguish itself from other attackers with its exceptional Dragon typing. As a special note, the generation shift granted Dragonair a gift in Eviolite, which gives it a golden opportunity to be a viable defensive sweeper in RU. Although its options are pretty limited outside of Dragon Dance, being able to boost both its Attack and Speed at once is always a valuable asset in an environment that lacks solid Dragon Dance users, or Dragon-types, for that matter.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Dragon Tail / Waterfall
item: Eviolite
ability: Shed Skin
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>It's not very often one sees a bulky boosting sweeper in the predominantly offensive RU metagame. Dragonair, however, can fulfill this role successfully thanks to its typing which gives it a few resistances and only two weaknesses, access to Dragon Dance and Shed Skin, and boosted defenses via the Eviolite. The key to using Dragonair, however, is to be conservative; only attempt a sweep when you have eliminated any opposing powerhouses, as Dragonair's bulk isn't exactly game-breaking. The most efficient way to start the sweep is to switch Dragonair into something that can't hurt it significantly, which applies mostly to Grass-, Electric-, Fire-, and Water-types, as well as defensive Pokemon in general, such as Munchlax, Cofagrigus, and Rotom-C.</p>
<p>Dragonair's primary focus is attaining multiple Dragon Dance boosts while the opponent attempts to respond (likely by using status or switching in a check). Status is nothing to worry about as far as Shed Skin is concerned, so feel free to set up on any predicted status except sleep. If Dragonair sustains a major amount of damage, simply use Rest to recover. Do not be over-reliant on Rest, however, as Shed Skin only has a 30% activation rate. Once Dragonair has secured a number of boosts, simply lash out with Outrage. Though somewhat unreliable, Outrage can put huge dents in anything that is not extremely bulky, or a Steel-type.<p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The last slot is essentially filler; courtesy of its limited movepool, Dragonair has little else to use on this set besides Dragon Tail and Waterfall. Although Dragon Tail's negative priority may seem to contradict Dragon Dance's Speed boosts, it ensures that Dragonair cannot be phazed out. After a Speed boost, Dragonair is faster than all of the usual Roar, Dragon Tail, and Whirlwind users in the metagame, so in a phazing war, Dragonair will almost always come out on top. On the other hand, Waterfall is an alternative for coverage against Steel-type Pokemon bar Ferroseed, though its relative lack of power even after a boost or two is rather unappealing.</p>
<p>Dragonair thrives on defensive investment, and because of the populace of special attackers with resisted attacks in RU, Dragonair should be specially defensive with a Careful nature. If investing in Speed seems worthwhile, a good benchmark would be 96 EVs in Speed, which allows Dragonair to outspeed all neutral base 50 Pokemon before the Dragon Dance boost. Additionally, you may consider some Attack investment so that Dragonair isn't completely reliant on Dragon Dance for power; without investment, Dragonair only has a small chance of OHKOing Entei with three Attack boosts. With maximized Attack, however, it has a chance to do so with only two boosts, which comes at the cost of being significantly less bulky.</p>
<p>Avoid using Dragonair early to mid-game; despite Dragonair's self-sufficiency with this set, it requires some offensive support to bypass its checks and counters. Ferroseed is an example of such an obstacle amongst other bulky Steel-type Pokemon, capable of annoying Dragonair with Leech Seed and continued attacks while resisting every attack this set utilizes. Thus, using offensive Pokemon with Fire- or Fighting-type attacks, such as Medicham or mixed Honchkrow, is recommended. As a special mention, Magneton is a straightforward way to deal with Steel-types, courtesy of its defensive typing and Magnet Pull ability. If Waterfall is chosen, also be sure to eliminate foes with phazing moves prior to set-up, which can can identified with Team Preview.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Aqua Tail / Waterfall
move 4: ExtremeSpeed
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>In addition to being one of the few usable defensive sweepers in RU, Dragonair is one of the tier's only offensive Dragon Dance sweepers, with its only notable competition being Feraligatr. After a single boost in conjunction with Life Orb, Dragonair has the potential to tear teams apart. Unlike its fellow Dragon Dance user, Dragonair boasts an advantage in its Dragon typing, which is useful both offensively and defensively. Dragonair also has a powerful STAB attack in Outrage, which provides raw power and coverage against everything but Steel-types, which are covered by Dragonair's chosen Water-type move. Dragonair can choose either Waterfall or Aqua Tail; again, a power versus accuracy dilemma. This alone makes Dragonair a hard attacker to beat, seeing as it can break through threats with Outrage's sheer power and exceptional coverage.</p>
<p>On top of this, Dragonair has been graced with the rare ExtremeSpeed, which allows Dragonair to beat revenge killers and other priority users, especially the omnipresent Sucker Punch Honchkrow. As a small bonus, Shed Skin gives Dragonair a "second chance" to function if status happens to get in the way, though relying on it is highly inadvisable due to Dragonair's decreased bulk.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A simple offensive spread with maximized Attack and Speed and an Adamant nature is the best choice. Simply put, the Speed investment prevents Dragonair from being revenge killed by the odd +1 Pokemon, and also allows Dragonair to outrun positive-natured base 105 Speed Pokemon after a boost, so investing in bulk is hardly necessary. A Jolly nature is also optimal if you wish for Dragonair to outspeed positive-natured base 125s after a Dragon Dance, though obviously, this comes at the cost of power.</p>
<p>Initially, Dragonair may find it difficult to set up because of its sub-par defenses, so taking advantage of an opportunity to switch in and sweep is quite a task. Ideally, Dragonair should switch in after one of its teammates has fainted to increase its time on the field. Another way to open setup opportunities is by using Pokemon with crippling strategies at hand, ranging from Encore to status to Choice Tricking. Lopunny is particularly skilled at using both Encore and Trick, while Lilligant and Tangrowth can shut down a foe with Sleep Powder. Dragonair can also set up on most defensive Pokemon such as Munchlax, as many of them are predominantly non-offensive, and are severely damaged by a +1 Outrage. Don't be greedy with the number of turns Dragonair has earned, however, as the damage and recoil can accumulate at a fast pace. It is also advisable to stack Dragonair with other offensive teammates if it finds itself down early in the game.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Dragonair is the antithesis of its more versatile and powerful evolution; Dragonair unfortunately lacks the options, let alone certain stats, to do what Dragonite would do to make an impact. In short, the few options Dragonair does have are limited by unimpressive stats. For instance, Dragonair can make use of some useful special attacks such as Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor, and basic coverage moves including Ice Beam, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, and Surf. However, its low Special Attack, even when invested, hinders the effectiveness of these moves quite a bit. The only other notable physical attacks are Dragon Rush and Aqua Jet, but both are hard to fit on either Dragon Dance set due to redundancy (and accuracy in Dragon Rush's case).</p>
<p>Dragonair is more affluent in support moves, but more often than not, its only decent bulk and lack of reliable recovery will let it down in more defensive roles. Dragonair's hidden ability, Marvel Scale, isn't of much use because of the limitations that come with it, such as the lack of Sleep Talk (so any chance of using the RestTalk combination is out of the question). As for support moves, Haze, Thunder Wave, and Safeguard are certainly useful options. Light Screen can prove useful on the defensive Dragon Dance set, granting Dragonair easier setup against special attacks while allowing it to invest more in physical Defense.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>When facing Dragonair, the best thing to do is strike it down with force. With or without Eviolite, Dragonair is only decently bulky, and much frailer on the physical side. For instance, Entei has a chance to 2HKO +1 252/0 Dragonair with Flare Blitz, factoring in Life Orb and Stealth Rock damage. If the prospect of a healthy boosted Dragonair is frightening, certain bulky Pokemon such as Ferroseed, Tangrowth, and Hariyama will have little trouble taking some boosted attacks (in moderation). Keep in mind, however, that attempting to stop Dragonair with status may be a wasted effort because of Shed Skin. Quagsire in particular is one of the best counters to Dragonair, as it will be Unaware of Dragonair's boosts, and can wear the dragon down with consecutive Earthquakes. In a worst-case scenario, priority users and Choice Scarf Pokemon with a base Speed of at least 55 can still revenge kill Dragonair successfully, the most notable being Honchkrow, Medicham, and Krookodile.</p>
