After using Dunsparce on the NU server lately, I noticed a lot of additional things to add to each set, though I only have the Flinch set's comments written out.
After using the Calm Mind and Charge Beam sets and considering their similarities, I have decided to combine them and form one Special Boosting set. Any approvals or disapprovals are appreciated.
Additions
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/dunsparce
[SET]
name: Flinch
move 1: Body Slam / Thunder Wave
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Bite / Earthquake
move 4: Roost / Headbutt
item: Leftovers
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Adamant
evs: 144 HP / 252 Atk / 36 Def / 76 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Dunsparce may not look like much at first, but when you start throwing together secondary effects and Serene Grace, things can get pretty annoying for your opponent. Body Slam or Thunder Wave bring in the primary status, paralysis, to not only keep the foe from attacking but to also give Dunsparce the first attack; something that must be guaranteed for this set to function properly. The rest of your attack options are there to provide the second hax factor to stop your opponent: flinch. These combined statuses keep your opponent from attacking 70% of the time and can actually provide Dunsparce with a chance to get a helpful KO or two. Roost provides a helpful recovery option that keeps our little brawler alive to annoy your opponenteven longer. Although it lacks a chance for flinch, Earthquake is a viable option to provide some way of combating Steel-types, like Aggron.</p>
<p>The EV spread and Leftovers combine to aid in Dunsparce’s survival, though Lum Berry is a fair choice if you fear crippling statuses like burn of paralysis that could halt your onslaught.</p>
<p>Pairing Dunsparce up with the likes of double status Pokemon like Butterfree or Taunting Gligar is highly recommended, so the foe is already crippled before Dunsparce even enters the battlefield. Not many things are going to be OHKOed by Dunsparce’s attacks, so a Baton Passed Attack boost is also worth adding. Gligar is able to perform this task as well, as can Leafeon.</p>
<p>Steel-type Pokemon like Bastiodon and Aggron are the biggest pains for Dunsparce lacking Earthquake, though they are quickly demolished by the likes of Fire- and Fighting-type moves, with the latter doing quadruple damage to both Pokemon. Ninetails and Ampharos can both deal huge damage with Overheat and Focus Blast, respectively, since both Aggron and Bastiodon have lower Special Defense than Defense. Both Pokemon can also cause a plethora of status problems, but be wary of Earthquake, as it is super effective against Fire- and Electric-types.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Booster
move 1: Charge Beam / Calm Mind
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Glare / Water Pulse / Thunder
move 4: Ancient Power / Counter
item: Leftovers
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Modest
evs: 144 HP / 36 Def / 252 SpA / 76 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With the multitude of secondary effects offered by special attacks, running a Serene Grace fueled special sweeper set is very worthwhile. Charge Beam provides a 60% chance of Dunsparce’s Special Attack being raised one stage, while Ice Beam’s freeze chance is doubled to 20%. Glare provides useful paralysis, and is chosen over Thunder Wave to better handle opponents who switch in Ground-types to absorb Charge Beam. Water Pulse is a great option to consider, since its chance to cause confusion is bumped up to 40%, though Thunder is the best option to use in tandem with Calm Mind, as it carries with it a 60% chance of paralysis, in addition to having 120 Base Power. Ancient Power’s chance to raise every stat one stage is almost too good to pass up, though Counter becomes a great attack to combat the physical Pokemon, like Medicham, who would rip Dunsparce to bits.</p>
<p>Again, having a weakened opponent is a great help, though not quite as necessary, since Dunsparce will be boosting its own stats throughout its sweep. The Pokemon who are going to be giving Dunsparce the greatest trouble are Pokemon with resistances to Dunsparce’s attack types and a super effective Fighting-type attack, such as Ampharos or the previously mentioned Medicham. To combat such threats, adding a Ghost-type Pokemon like Drifblim or Dusclops who are immune to such attacks keeps the aformentioned threats in check. Both Pokemon are capable of inflicting further status conditions, like burn, that would ultimately aid in Dunsparce’s sweep as well.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>With a base Speed stat of 45 and defenses so low that falling over could KO it, a lot must be done to effectively use Dunsparce. The most useful status effects to inflict upon your opponent to aid Dunsparce are burn (against physical attackers), paralysis (on the many Pokemon who outrun Dunsparce), and sleep (against everything else). Toxic Spikes are not recommended, as they keep opponents from being inflicted with the more useful status afflictions, though Spikes and Stealth Rock are welcome additions.</p>
<p>The list of Pokemon who counter Dunsparce’s attacks may change, but the majority of them share common weaknesses. Aggron, Bastiodon, and Probopass are the best counters to the Flinch set, though Ghost-type Pokemon like Dusclops can also be a problem, since they are immune to both Body Slam and Headbutt. Adding Floatzel to your team can counter all of these Pokemon, since it has access to super effective STAB Water-type attacks, 4x effective Brick Break for the former two, and super effective Crunch for the latter. Medicham can also counter both effectively, as it has access to both High Jump Kick and Psycho Cut to combat these threats.</p>
<p>Pokemon who counter the Special Booster set include hybrid Ground-type Pokemon, like Quagsire and Gastrodon, who can nullify Charge Beam or Thunder, and their secondary effects along with them. Quagsire may be the best counter, as it is immune to Charge Beam, Thunder, and Water Pulse. Thankfully, Quagsire (and the majority of the other counters as well) are hit hard by Grass-type attacks. Leafeon can provide great coverage with Leaf Blade, and can Baton Pass an Attack Boosts or Wish to Dunsparce should a weaker opponent show up to revenge kill Leafeon. Meganium, also, can provide Grass-type attacks, in addition to other helpful moves, like dual screens, Aromatherapy, and Leech Seed.</p>
<p>Defensively, adding screen support is never a bad idea for such a weak Pokemon like Dunsparce. Mr. Mime is able to set up dual screens and can Trick the item Lagging Tail or Iron Ball onto opponents as they switch in, slowing them down enough to give Dunsparce the first attack. Ampharos, as well, can set up dual screens, provide paralysis support, can nullify status with Heal Bell or Safeguard, and can hit the Flinch set’s Rock/Steel counters hard with Focus Blast or Focus Punch. Baton Passing Substitutes and other stat boosts, though easily nullified by Roar, really help aid Dunsparce’s longevity and sweeping potential.</p>
<p>Psycho Shift opponents, like Togetic, can be troublesome if they are given primary status effects, so it it often in your best interest to carry a Pokemon who can either absorb the incoming status or unshackle Dunsparce of the incoming status. Ampharos can use Heal Bell or Aromatherapy to prevent or heal status effects for the entire team, and is an overall great partner for Dunsparce.</p>
<p>As you can tell, the times when Dunsparce can sweep are typically few and far between, so being able to capitalize on such instances is what it takes to make Dunsparce a playable Pokemon. A lower tiered team centered around slowing down the opponent and causing damage with entry hazards is a welcome home for Dunsparce, as is Baton Pass teams that can provide the stat boosts Dunsparce needs to OHKO anything. Just know that using Dunsparce isn’t applicable to every team strategy, so it is typically overlooked when building teams that look for wins without flair</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Screech and Yawn can be pretty neat with Spikes or Stealth Rock up, and Pursuit works in tandem with it. Dunsparce learns Stealth Rock himself, and he will probably be able to set it up, but there's better Pokémon for it. Endeavor and Flail can work if you've paralyzed your opponent, as Dunsparce is too slow to use them on his own. Gyro Ball works on speedy Pokemon, most notably Jumpluff and Persian. Fire Blast, Flamethrower and Shadow Ball are alternative special attacks. The 20% burn for the former two and a 40% chance for a Special Defense drop of the latter are nothing to scoff at, either. Finally, there's the interesting Magic Coat, which can be great to catch your opponent off-guard and to protect yourself from being paralyzed, Leech Seeded or otherwise hindered.</p>
<p>Lum Berry is an option over Leftovers on both sets, should preventing status effects seem more important that recovery each turn.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Max out the attacking stat you're using for Dunsparce. His most efficient defensive distribution comes down to 144 HP / 36 Def / 76 SpD, and it definitely gives better results than just maxing out HP and putting that one point somewhere else.</p>
<p>Since Game Freak decided to slap Dunsparce with horrible Speed in addition to his sub-par defenses, running it as a Trick Room sweeper isn’t a horrible idea. Should you try and use this Dunsparce in a Trick Room environment, changing the nature to Brave and the Speed IV to 0 is acceptable, since this allows Dunsparce to drop to a basement Speed stat of 85.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Many of the best counters have been mentioned above. Bastiodon, Aggron,and Probopass are the best counters to the Flinch set, since they aren't hit for super effective damage on anything bar Earthquake, resist every other attack, and can typically OHKO in return. Ghost-type Pokemon like Dusclops are fair counters, since they can switch in on half of the moveset with their immunitiy to Normal-type attacks alone. Pokemon like Camerupt who can utilize a Rest + Sleep Talk set are also great counters, since they can overcome the secondary effects caused by Dunsparce's attacks, thanks to their self-induced sleep stauts.</p>
<p>As stated above, the Pokemon who can overcome the Special Booster set include Ground-types, while to most effective is Quagsire. Wishcash can run a Rest + Sleep Talk set that nullifies all status, though unlike Quagsire he isn't immune to Water Pulse and can therefore be taken down if Dunsparce gets a few boosts under his belt. Dedicated special walls can also wall this set effectively, so be wary of the uncommon Regice.</p>
<p>A Pokemon that relies on abusing hax is obviously flawed from the strategy it imploys; sooner or later Dunsparce will get KOed by a paralyzed foe or the status he so dearly needs won't come the turn it is necessary. A team who has a strategy that allows it to take advantage of such instances will KO Dunsparce the first chance it gets, and the worst part is there is nothing Dunsparce can do from keeping Lady Luck from leaving him.</p>
After using the Calm Mind and Charge Beam sets and considering their similarities, I have decided to combine them and form one Special Boosting set. Any approvals or disapprovals are appreciated.
Additions
- Flinch set rewritten (posted)
- Special Boost set created (posted)
- Team Options section added (posted)
- EVs section added upon (posted)
- Counters section revamped towards NU (posted)
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/dunsparce
[SET]
name: Flinch
move 1: Body Slam / Thunder Wave
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Bite / Earthquake
move 4: Roost / Headbutt
item: Leftovers
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Adamant
evs: 144 HP / 252 Atk / 36 Def / 76 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Dunsparce may not look like much at first, but when you start throwing together secondary effects and Serene Grace, things can get pretty annoying for your opponent. Body Slam or Thunder Wave bring in the primary status, paralysis, to not only keep the foe from attacking but to also give Dunsparce the first attack; something that must be guaranteed for this set to function properly. The rest of your attack options are there to provide the second hax factor to stop your opponent: flinch. These combined statuses keep your opponent from attacking 70% of the time and can actually provide Dunsparce with a chance to get a helpful KO or two. Roost provides a helpful recovery option that keeps our little brawler alive to annoy your opponenteven longer. Although it lacks a chance for flinch, Earthquake is a viable option to provide some way of combating Steel-types, like Aggron.</p>
<p>The EV spread and Leftovers combine to aid in Dunsparce’s survival, though Lum Berry is a fair choice if you fear crippling statuses like burn of paralysis that could halt your onslaught.</p>
<p>Pairing Dunsparce up with the likes of double status Pokemon like Butterfree or Taunting Gligar is highly recommended, so the foe is already crippled before Dunsparce even enters the battlefield. Not many things are going to be OHKOed by Dunsparce’s attacks, so a Baton Passed Attack boost is also worth adding. Gligar is able to perform this task as well, as can Leafeon.</p>
<p>Steel-type Pokemon like Bastiodon and Aggron are the biggest pains for Dunsparce lacking Earthquake, though they are quickly demolished by the likes of Fire- and Fighting-type moves, with the latter doing quadruple damage to both Pokemon. Ninetails and Ampharos can both deal huge damage with Overheat and Focus Blast, respectively, since both Aggron and Bastiodon have lower Special Defense than Defense. Both Pokemon can also cause a plethora of status problems, but be wary of Earthquake, as it is super effective against Fire- and Electric-types.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Booster
move 1: Charge Beam / Calm Mind
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Glare / Water Pulse / Thunder
move 4: Ancient Power / Counter
item: Leftovers
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Modest
evs: 144 HP / 36 Def / 252 SpA / 76 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With the multitude of secondary effects offered by special attacks, running a Serene Grace fueled special sweeper set is very worthwhile. Charge Beam provides a 60% chance of Dunsparce’s Special Attack being raised one stage, while Ice Beam’s freeze chance is doubled to 20%. Glare provides useful paralysis, and is chosen over Thunder Wave to better handle opponents who switch in Ground-types to absorb Charge Beam. Water Pulse is a great option to consider, since its chance to cause confusion is bumped up to 40%, though Thunder is the best option to use in tandem with Calm Mind, as it carries with it a 60% chance of paralysis, in addition to having 120 Base Power. Ancient Power’s chance to raise every stat one stage is almost too good to pass up, though Counter becomes a great attack to combat the physical Pokemon, like Medicham, who would rip Dunsparce to bits.</p>
<p>Again, having a weakened opponent is a great help, though not quite as necessary, since Dunsparce will be boosting its own stats throughout its sweep. The Pokemon who are going to be giving Dunsparce the greatest trouble are Pokemon with resistances to Dunsparce’s attack types and a super effective Fighting-type attack, such as Ampharos or the previously mentioned Medicham. To combat such threats, adding a Ghost-type Pokemon like Drifblim or Dusclops who are immune to such attacks keeps the aformentioned threats in check. Both Pokemon are capable of inflicting further status conditions, like burn, that would ultimately aid in Dunsparce’s sweep as well.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>With a base Speed stat of 45 and defenses so low that falling over could KO it, a lot must be done to effectively use Dunsparce. The most useful status effects to inflict upon your opponent to aid Dunsparce are burn (against physical attackers), paralysis (on the many Pokemon who outrun Dunsparce), and sleep (against everything else). Toxic Spikes are not recommended, as they keep opponents from being inflicted with the more useful status afflictions, though Spikes and Stealth Rock are welcome additions.</p>
<p>The list of Pokemon who counter Dunsparce’s attacks may change, but the majority of them share common weaknesses. Aggron, Bastiodon, and Probopass are the best counters to the Flinch set, though Ghost-type Pokemon like Dusclops can also be a problem, since they are immune to both Body Slam and Headbutt. Adding Floatzel to your team can counter all of these Pokemon, since it has access to super effective STAB Water-type attacks, 4x effective Brick Break for the former two, and super effective Crunch for the latter. Medicham can also counter both effectively, as it has access to both High Jump Kick and Psycho Cut to combat these threats.</p>
<p>Pokemon who counter the Special Booster set include hybrid Ground-type Pokemon, like Quagsire and Gastrodon, who can nullify Charge Beam or Thunder, and their secondary effects along with them. Quagsire may be the best counter, as it is immune to Charge Beam, Thunder, and Water Pulse. Thankfully, Quagsire (and the majority of the other counters as well) are hit hard by Grass-type attacks. Leafeon can provide great coverage with Leaf Blade, and can Baton Pass an Attack Boosts or Wish to Dunsparce should a weaker opponent show up to revenge kill Leafeon. Meganium, also, can provide Grass-type attacks, in addition to other helpful moves, like dual screens, Aromatherapy, and Leech Seed.</p>
<p>Defensively, adding screen support is never a bad idea for such a weak Pokemon like Dunsparce. Mr. Mime is able to set up dual screens and can Trick the item Lagging Tail or Iron Ball onto opponents as they switch in, slowing them down enough to give Dunsparce the first attack. Ampharos, as well, can set up dual screens, provide paralysis support, can nullify status with Heal Bell or Safeguard, and can hit the Flinch set’s Rock/Steel counters hard with Focus Blast or Focus Punch. Baton Passing Substitutes and other stat boosts, though easily nullified by Roar, really help aid Dunsparce’s longevity and sweeping potential.</p>
<p>Psycho Shift opponents, like Togetic, can be troublesome if they are given primary status effects, so it it often in your best interest to carry a Pokemon who can either absorb the incoming status or unshackle Dunsparce of the incoming status. Ampharos can use Heal Bell or Aromatherapy to prevent or heal status effects for the entire team, and is an overall great partner for Dunsparce.</p>
<p>As you can tell, the times when Dunsparce can sweep are typically few and far between, so being able to capitalize on such instances is what it takes to make Dunsparce a playable Pokemon. A lower tiered team centered around slowing down the opponent and causing damage with entry hazards is a welcome home for Dunsparce, as is Baton Pass teams that can provide the stat boosts Dunsparce needs to OHKO anything. Just know that using Dunsparce isn’t applicable to every team strategy, so it is typically overlooked when building teams that look for wins without flair</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Screech and Yawn can be pretty neat with Spikes or Stealth Rock up, and Pursuit works in tandem with it. Dunsparce learns Stealth Rock himself, and he will probably be able to set it up, but there's better Pokémon for it. Endeavor and Flail can work if you've paralyzed your opponent, as Dunsparce is too slow to use them on his own. Gyro Ball works on speedy Pokemon, most notably Jumpluff and Persian. Fire Blast, Flamethrower and Shadow Ball are alternative special attacks. The 20% burn for the former two and a 40% chance for a Special Defense drop of the latter are nothing to scoff at, either. Finally, there's the interesting Magic Coat, which can be great to catch your opponent off-guard and to protect yourself from being paralyzed, Leech Seeded or otherwise hindered.</p>
<p>Lum Berry is an option over Leftovers on both sets, should preventing status effects seem more important that recovery each turn.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Max out the attacking stat you're using for Dunsparce. His most efficient defensive distribution comes down to 144 HP / 36 Def / 76 SpD, and it definitely gives better results than just maxing out HP and putting that one point somewhere else.</p>
<p>Since Game Freak decided to slap Dunsparce with horrible Speed in addition to his sub-par defenses, running it as a Trick Room sweeper isn’t a horrible idea. Should you try and use this Dunsparce in a Trick Room environment, changing the nature to Brave and the Speed IV to 0 is acceptable, since this allows Dunsparce to drop to a basement Speed stat of 85.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Many of the best counters have been mentioned above. Bastiodon, Aggron,and Probopass are the best counters to the Flinch set, since they aren't hit for super effective damage on anything bar Earthquake, resist every other attack, and can typically OHKO in return. Ghost-type Pokemon like Dusclops are fair counters, since they can switch in on half of the moveset with their immunitiy to Normal-type attacks alone. Pokemon like Camerupt who can utilize a Rest + Sleep Talk set are also great counters, since they can overcome the secondary effects caused by Dunsparce's attacks, thanks to their self-induced sleep stauts.</p>
<p>As stated above, the Pokemon who can overcome the Special Booster set include Ground-types, while to most effective is Quagsire. Wishcash can run a Rest + Sleep Talk set that nullifies all status, though unlike Quagsire he isn't immune to Water Pulse and can therefore be taken down if Dunsparce gets a few boosts under his belt. Dedicated special walls can also wall this set effectively, so be wary of the uncommon Regice.</p>
<p>A Pokemon that relies on abusing hax is obviously flawed from the strategy it imploys; sooner or later Dunsparce will get KOed by a paralyzed foe or the status he so dearly needs won't come the turn it is necessary. A team who has a strategy that allows it to take advantage of such instances will KO Dunsparce the first chance it gets, and the worst part is there is nothing Dunsparce can do from keeping Lady Luck from leaving him.</p>
