Dragalge [QC: 0/3]

[Alter]

/

Dragalge | #691
[Serebii | Bulbapedia]
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Status: QC Ready
QC Approvals: [ ] | [ ] | [ ]
GP Checks: [ ] | [ ]
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Notes

re: protect
‹funbro›
[12:20:35]
i'd slash it with dragon tail, cause i've used the move and it's okay i guess, but not really mandatory; i'd also drop dragon pulse to moves and leave scald as its own slash

- resttalk moved up to moves section (ac moves)
- specs mention in oo

Overview
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• Solid defensive typing that grants it resistances to Electric-, Water-, Fire-, Grass-, and Fighting-type attacks.
  • (This means it can be a great check/counter to Pokemon such as Jolteon, Emboar, and Sceptile oh and Virizion's SD/CM sets!!)
• It has access to Toxic Spikes, which it is a very reliable setter of. Toxic Spikes is a great entry hazard for both balance and stall teams.
• Dragalge has a superb Special Defense stat.
• No reliable form of recovery. As a result, Dragalge has a reliance on teammates to heal it instead of healing itself.
• Its HP and Speed stats are particularly unimpressive.

Toxic Spikes
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name: Toxic Spikes
move 1: Toxic Spikes
move 2: Dragon Tail / Protect
move 3: Sludge Bomb
move 4: Scald
ability: Poison Touch
item: Black Sludge
nature: Calm / Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD


Moves
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• Toxic Spikes allows Dragalge to soften up opponents with residual damage and spread status. Dragalge is a relatively reliable setter of Toxic Spikes because it can force out many Pokemon and has decent defenses.
• Dragon Tail works well in tandem with Poison Touch, and gives Dragalge a way to phaze out opponents. Therefore, Dragalge can force Pokemon to come in and become poisoned by its Toxic Spikes or get rid of setup sweepers.
• Protect could also be used in this slot if you want to stall out Toxic damage, scout attacks, or heal a bit more with Black Sludge.
• Sludge Bomb has a nifty poison chance and makes Dragalge not a sitting duck. It comes off a usable base 97 Special Attack stat.
• Scald is a good way to deal with Gligar, which would otherwise freely Defog away Toxic Spikes. It also poses a mean burn chance to threaten physical attackers.
• Dragon Pulse is a secondary STAB option if the utility provided by Scald isn't needed.
• RestTalk could be used alongside Tspikes + Dragon Tail as a similar set.

Set Details
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• Calm is the primary slash to increase Dragalge's special bulk while lowering a less useful stat. However, a Sassy nature boosts Dragalge's Special Defense while lowering its speed, as to retain power with Dragon Tail. Calm nature = extra power of Dragon Tail isn't wanted or in order to outspeed Rhyperior and Gastrodon.
• Black Sludge gives Dragalge a way to heal off any damage that it incurs.
• The EV spread maximizes its Special Defense, allowing Dragalge to deal with threats such as Jolteon very efficiently.

Usage Tips
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• If the opponent has an easy switch-in to Toxic Spikes (a grounded Poison-type), setting them up immediately isn't always the best idea.
• Toxic Spikes are best used when the opponent is forced out by Dragalge or otherwise completely walled. Dragalge is not a suicide lead and should not be used as such.
• Use Dragon Tail to get rid of setup sweepers before they become a problem.
• Scald is best used on predicted switch-ins to physical attackers (or Pokemon such as Gligar/Rhyperior)
• Dragalge doesn't particularly shine in any particular part of the game, but it's best to get use Toxic Spikes as soon as there the opponent doesn't have options to deal with them (e.g. when their spinner faints)
• Toxic Spikes work especially well with other entry hazards (Spikes, Stealth Rock), so don't neglect to set them all up.

Team Options
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• Because Dragalge can't really heal itself, having a Wish passer can be extremely helpful. Alomomola and Aromatisse can both fit this role, and the latter can also heal off status with Aromatherapy.
• Walls such as Gligar also appreciate Dragalge's Toxic Spikes support to free up a moveslot and slowly damage opponents.
• A spinblocker is great for keeping Toxic Spikes on the field. Examples include Doublade and Gourgeist.
• SubBU Braviary appreciates Toxic damage for opposing walls and deters Defog thanks to Defiant. This also works for Substitute + Bulk Up Gallade and Substitute + Calm Mind Meloetta.

Choice Specs
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name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Scald / Hydro Pump
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Focus Blast
ability: Poison Point
item: Choice Specs
evs: 200 HP / 252 SpA / 56 Spe
nature: Modest

[yeah i need more stuff here]

Other Options
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• Assault Vest (but jesus christ don't use it)
• Haze to reset stat stuff
• Sludge Wave for a bit more power
• Toxic

Checks & Counters
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• Gligar can defog away its Toxic Spikes and smash it with EQ. Rhyperior can also destroy Dragalge with Earthquake. Both have to watch out for Scald, however.
• Durant and Escavalier don't really mind any of the attacks it can throw and target its lower physical defense
• Delphox is a specially offensive Pokemon that can hit Dragalge super effectively with its Psychic-type STAB.
• Dugtrio gets a special mention for being able to trap Dragalge with Arena Trap and dispose of it with its powerful Ground-type STAB.
• Defog users (Moltres / Skuntank) or Rapid Spin (Hitmonlee / Kabutops) to get rid of Tspikes.

 

[Alter]

This is now ready for qc checks

 

[s_aman]

SubBU Braviary in team options. It greatly appreciates Toxic damage on opposing walls as well as deterring Defog due to Defiant.
Dugtrio can trap opposing grounded Poison-types and kill them with STAB Earthquake although, it does not fit well on stall teams where this set shines.

 

[Eddie2013]

Drapion can be mentioned as a team option since they both have good type synergy and Drapion can clear the way of special walls that dragalge lures in. However make a mention of the ground weakness and emphasize on a 3rd member either being flying type or having levitate as mentioned above sub bulk braviary can be used.

 

[Alter]

SubBU Braviary in team options. It greatly appreciates Toxic damage on opposing walls as well as deterring Defog due to Defiant.

added, thanks. I'm not 100% sure on Dugtrio right now, so I didn't implement that suggestion.

 

[Molk]

You should at least add a mention of a more physically defensive spread somewhere (QC is probably gonna discuss whether or not it should be the main spread later on, someone will post if we do decide that). You'll still have (for the most part) enough bulk to take on what you need to take on with Dragalge, and in return you get the ability to take on things such as LO/Band Emboar and Virizion more effectively (you also avoid the 2HKO from hitmonlee), which can be quite useful at times.

 

[Alter]

Let me know when a decision is reached qc's desired ev spread and then I shall continue. If it is not considered to be the main spread, I'll include it in the set details of the 1st set.

 

[RockRocks]

Shouldn't there be an AV set? Dragalge is one of the better and makes a great check to Fire, Water, Grass, and Electric types and special attackers in general. It deserves better than just an OO mention

 

[EonX]

No. Dragalge lacks the offensive firepower and utility other AV mons have. Dragon Tail is done better by Slowking and it's still weak to ground, psychic, and ice moves. Oh, and no Regenerator or damaging move that heals.

 

[EonX]

Double posting like a lord.

[Overview]

- I'd make special mention of Virizion as quite a few Stall teams that lack fat Psychic-types struggle with it, but Dragalge can handle CM and SD variants decently well

[Toxic Spikes]

- Calm is the primary slash, so reflect this when talking about the natures in Set Details
- Be wary of Scald burns possibly clashing with targets you'd rather poison (Slowking is the main one) and vice versa
- Make mention of SubBU Gallade and SubCM Meloetta as other offensive teammates that appreciate Toxic Spikes support

[Other Options]

- Remove Choice Specs. You'll see why momentarily
- Haze just due to the fact it has piss poor distribution in RU
- Toxic
- Sludge Wave just to explain how the 5 extra BP is never worth it

[Checks and Counters]

- Durant and Esca definitely mind a possible Scald burn
- Replace Moltres with Golbat. Defog Moltres is aids

And finally, a proposal. Ran this by Molk on IRC and he had no objections to it, but I'd like to see a Choice Specs set added as the 2nd set. Dragagle has decent coverage, solid STAB options, and is the only viable special attacking Dragon-type in RU. It also tends to blow up grounded Poison-types, which the opponent will probably keep around when first seeing Dragalge in Team Preview. Here's the set I had in mind:

Specs

Choice Specs
########
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Scald / Hydro Pump
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Focus Blast
ability: Poison Point
item: Choice Specs
evs: 200 HP / 252 SpA / 56 Spe
nature: Modest

Base 97 Special Attack is very respectable when you have a powerful nuke in Draco Meteor. Sludge Bomb deters Aromatisse from just coming in at will to block Draco. Scald is preferred in spite of the lower power since you should only be using it to KO Water-weak mons or as a deterent to Escavalier or Durant. Hydro Pump has much more power though, so it can come in handy by giving you a decently powerful 3rd move to lock into. HP Fire hits all Steels, most notably Escavalier. Focus Blast is twice as strong, and can be very helpful in wearing down Registeel. Accuracy sucks ass though. Speed EVs let Dragalge get in front of base 50s (Tangrowth and Registeel) to donk them with Special Attack being maxed out for obvious reasons. Mention Shadow Ball in moves for Slowking, Cresselia, and Reuniclus (though make note that Cress will outspeed, thus keeping you from getting that 2nd hit in before Dragalge gets leveled)

Also tagging Spirit specifically since I was told you had a different spread for defensive Dragalge that you've had experience with.

 

[SylveonIsCute]

uh i wish it could get adaptability :(

 

[Molk]

Alter are you still working on this? If not i'll have to reassign in 72 hours ;-;