Dodrio (NU Analysis)

Honko

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https://www.smogon.com/dex/dp/pokemon/dodrio

[Overview]
- One of the most dangerous physical attackers in NU, with great power and Speed.
- Hard-walled by Rock-types, especially Regirock but also Golem, Rhydon, Relicanth, and Probopass.
- Competes for a team slot with Tauros, who is faster and much bulkier and has Earthquake for coverage.
- Dodrio's main advantages are its extra power, better STAB, and access to utility moves like Taunt and Quick Attack.
- Somewhat of a high-risk, high-reward Pokemon. If your opponent lacks a sturdy Flying resist, or if you can wear that resist down with other team members, Dodrio should be able to get at least one KO every time it comes in. If not, Dodrio won't accomplish much at all.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Quick Attack
item: Choice Band
ability: Early Bird
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]
- Choice Band is a natural fit for a fast, powerful Pokemon with limited coverage. Dodrio doesn't mind being locked into an attack because it wants to use Brave Bird 99% of the time.
- Click Brave Bird every time. It 2HKOes everything that doesn't resist it and many that do. It also OHKOes most offensive Pokemon, including relatively bulky ones like Charizard and Whiscash. Terrifying to switch into for teams that don't have a Rock-type or Magneton.
- Return is solid, recoil-free, secondary STAB. For pussies.
- Pursuit checkmates Haunter and Jynx if they aren't behind a sub, and nails walls like Hypno and Slowking that switch out in fear of taking 70+% from Brave Bird. It's a somewhat dangerous move to be locked into, though, so use it carefully.
- Quick Attack is strong priority, always useful insurance against a speed-boosting sweeper. Like Pursuit, it's a dangerous move to be locked into.

[Additional Comments]
- Make sure you wouldn't be better off with Tauros. Dodrio's extra power allows it to always 2HKO some of NU's sturdiest walls like Quagsire and Meganium, whereas Tauros sometimes falls a little short. Dodrio's main STAB also doesn't give Haunter a free switch-in. Are those things valuable enough for your team to give up Tauros's better speed, bulk, and coverage?
- Dodrio needs Rock- and Steel-types dead or at least severely weakened or it won't accomplish anything. Tauros can actually be a good partner for this, luring in those Pokemon and smashing them with Earthquake. Fire-types with Focus Blast or HP Grass also work.
- Rapid Spin support is pretty critical. Dodrio's lifespan is already pretty short with all the Brave Bird recoil it's taking on its wimpy base 60 HP. If it also has to deal with Stealth Rock on top of that, realistically it's only going to be able to come in once.
- Sandslash is NU's best spinner and also takes on Electric-, Rock-, and Steel-types well.

[SET]
name: Utility Attacker
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Taunt / Return
move 3: Quick Attack / Toxic
move 4: Pursuit / Roost
item: Life Orb / Sharp Beak
ability: Early Bird
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]
- Running a non-Choice item gives Dodrio more leeway to use its handy utility moves like Pursuit, Quick Attack, Taunt, and Toxic without giving the opponent free turns.
- Brave Bird is the only non-negotiable move on the set. The remaining slots can be filled by basically any combination of three of the other six moves listed. Dodrio can fill a variety of offensive niches depending on what you choose.
- Taunt is a great disrupting move that lets Dodrio beat walls like Gligar, Quagsire, and Lickilicky that could otherwise cripple it with status or stall it out. Even against walls that Dodrio can't beat on its own, Taunt ensures that they can't heal off the damage it inflicts, which can pave the way for a teammate to sweep.
- Quick Attack is strong priority, always useful insurance against a speed-boosting sweeper. Also, Manectric/Electrode/Raichu all die to LO Brave Bird + Quick Attack.
- Pursuit traps Jynx and Haunter, but note that you need a little bit of prior damage from SR or LO recoil on them first to guarantee the OHKO if they stay in. Pursuit also works well with Taunt and/or Toxic to take out fleeing walls.
- Return is solid, recoil-free, secondary STAB. That said, it doesn't provide much useful coverage, since fast Electrics still beat Dodrio 1v1 but lose if they switch into BB and it has QA.
- Toxic allows Dodrio to weaken Pokemon that it otherwise has no chance of beating, most notably Regirock.
- Roost heals SR damage and recoil from Brave Bird and Life Orb, but Dodrio will rarely have opportunities to use it except on predicted switches. It works best with Toxic and/or Taunt to allow Dodrio to stall out certain walls like Quagsire.

[Additional Comments]
- Life Orb is the better item if you're using Dodrio mainly for its offensive prowess. In particular, if you're using Pursuit and/or Quick Attack, you should use Life Orb so they have enough power to be useful.
- Sharp Beak is an option to give Dodrio a bit more survivability if you're running more than one non-attacking move. It also allows you to bluff a Choice item.
- This set doesn't need too much support, it's more of an offensive supporter to fill small holes on your team with Pursuit or QA or the ability to demolish lame Meganiums. That said, Pokemon that can weaken or kill Rock-types are always appreciated, and Rapid Spin from Sandslash won't hurt.

[SET]
name: Agility
move 1: Agility
move 2: Brave Bird
move 3: Return
move 4: Taunt / Drill Peck / Quick Attack
item: Life Orb
ability: Early Bird
nature: Adamant
evs: 16 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Spe

[Set Comments]
- Nearly unstoppable late-game sweeper if the opponent's Rock-types and priority users are eliminated
- Outspeeds the entire metagame after a boost
- OHKOes every relevant offensive Pokemon (including all common Scarfers) except Tauros and Magneton
- Brave Bird is Brave Bird
- Return is actually useful on this set to hit Manectric and other Electrics
- Taunt allows Dodrio to set up on something like Hypno or Dusclops without getting crippled by status
- Drill Peck is backup Flying STAB to take out something that requires use of Flying STAB like Haunter or Pinsir without taking recoil damage that could cut your sweep short
- Quick Attack prevents Pokemon with Sucker Punch or Fake Out from being able to revenge kill Dodrio for free, although you need good prediction to actually beat most Sucker Punch users

[Additional Comments]
- Adamant is required to guarantee OHKOs against common late-game sweepers like Charizard and Floatzel, and Jolly wouldn't outspeed anything extra at +2.
- 240 Spe allows Dodrio to beat positive-natured base 85s like Golduck and Pinsir before boosting. After a boost Dodrio is easily the fastest thing you'll encounter in a late-game situation (only loses to max speed weather-boosted Jumpluff/Floatzel).
- Don't set up until late-game when you're 100% sure there are no stealth Regirocks waiting in the wings. If you need to bring Dodrio out at all before late-game, treat it like a normal offensive Pokemon with effectively 86 base Speed.
- Once you're confident Dodrio can OHKO everything left on the opponent's team, bring it in on something it forces out, like a Grass- or Bug-type or a weak wall it can Taunt, and go to town.
- Obviously, you need something that can weaken Rock- and Steel-types. As usual, Rapid Spin Sandslash is also a good idea, since Dodrio will be taking a lot of recoil damage already from Brave Bird and Life Orb.

[Other Options]
- Choice Scarf, but Tauros outclasses it pretty hard at the revenge killing role thanks to its better super effective coverage and higher Speed.
- Endure + Flail + Liechi Berry OHKOes everything that doesn't resist Normal after SR
- Can Baton Pass Agility, Acupressure, or Substitutes, but Gligar is better. BP is illegal with Brave Bird so can't use it as a scouting move on offensive sets.
- Steel Wing
- HP Grass / HP Ground
- Natural Gift
- Payback is Dodrio's strongest move against Rock-types as they switch in, but it still won't do meaningful damage. Ghosts and Psychics are all scared of Brave Bird and won't switch in.
- Faint Attack is the same as or worse than Drill Peck against everything except Solrock/Lunatone.
- Double-Edge is illegal with Brave Bird.
- Early Bird Rest
- Mirror Move

[Checks & Counters]
- Regirock
- Offensive Rock-types (Golem, Rhydon, Relicanth)
- Probopass
- Magneton
- Tauros
- Manectric, Electrode
- can be revenge killed by almost anything faster or with powerful priority (Floatzel, Skuntank, Sneasel, any Scarfer if Dodrio isn't Scarfed)
 

Oglemi

Borf
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I don't think Dodrio is beating Lickilicky even with Taunt lol, iirc Return 2HKOes p. easily

otherwise this is fine, i've actually never played or even seen an agility dodrio but it sounds really cool
 

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