[SET]
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Reflect
move 3: Light Screen
move 4: Fire Blast / Surf
item: Leftovers
[SET COMMENTS]
Dragonair stands out as the best dedicated dual screens setter in the tier, starting off the game by paralyzing opposing Pokemon with Thunder Wave and setting up Reflect and Light Screen to support dangerous teammates with setup moves, primarily Growth + Baton Pass Flareon, but also others like Swords Dance Kingler. Dragonair has decent bulk, a comfortable Speed tier backed by Thunder Wave, and unique typing that grants it a resistance to all of Electric-, Water-, and Fire-type moves, giving it ample opportunity to take advantage of almost any opposing Pokemon and set up screens. Importantly, Dragonair is one of the best ways for frail setup-based offensive teams, like those centered around Growth + Baton Pass Flareon or those that physical boosters, to handle Magmar and Hidden Power Electric Octillery. Even most Pokemon that take little from Fire Blast and often run RestTalk like Xatu, Stantler, Primeape, Octillery, and Rapidash are still heavily hindered by screens and paralysis from Thunder Wave. These foes are often forced to use Rest, and if left undamaged while paralyzed, are severely exploitable, facilitating easier setup for teammates. Lastly, Fire Blast is used to threaten severe damage on Pineco and prevent it from safely using Spikes. Fire Blast also does solid damage to Magnemite, which threatens the frail teams Dragonair is often found on, and is also the best move available to force chip damage on Weezing. Surf can also be used instead to hit Ground-types like Dugtrio and Graveler that are immune to Thunder Wave and take little from Fire Blast, but usually it isn't worth being taken advantage of by Pineco. Additionally, Dragonair has competition with other strong offensive Pokemon like Curse Stantler and Wigglytuff, as these teams might forgo Dragonair's support early-game in favor of a more potent late-game.
[SET]
name: 3 Attacks
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Surf
item: Leftovers
[SET COMMENTS]
Dragonair is a unique choice that makes full use of its wide special attacking movepool to hit as many targets as possible for super effective damage as possible while spreading paralysis with Thunder Wave to provide both offensive and defensive utility and prevent RestTalk users that are not weak to any of its attacks like Stantler and Primeape from completely taking advantage of Dragonair. Fire Blast hits Pineco, Magnemite, and Grass-types like Gloom, Surf hits Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-types like Flareon, Dugtrio, Graveler, Sudowoodo, and Rapidash, and Thunder hits Octillery, Xatu, Fearow, and Dewgong. However, Dragonair is reliant on super effective hits and Thunder Wave to make progress, so it should be used alongside Pineco for Spikes, Primeape to handle opposing Stantler and Wigglytuff, and Weezing to handle opposing Primeape, the three of which pack RestTalk and are not weak to any of its moves. Dragonair also has competition with Chinchou as an answer to Hidden Power Electric Octillery and Magmar and as a coverage attacker.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/beeorsomething.583728/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/dawnbuster.508601/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Reflect
move 3: Light Screen
move 4: Fire Blast / Surf
item: Leftovers
[SET COMMENTS]
Dragonair stands out as the best dedicated dual screens setter in the tier, starting off the game by paralyzing opposing Pokemon with Thunder Wave and setting up Reflect and Light Screen to support dangerous teammates with setup moves, primarily Growth + Baton Pass Flareon, but also others like Swords Dance Kingler. Dragonair has decent bulk, a comfortable Speed tier backed by Thunder Wave, and unique typing that grants it a resistance to all of Electric-, Water-, and Fire-type moves, giving it ample opportunity to take advantage of almost any opposing Pokemon and set up screens. Importantly, Dragonair is one of the best ways for frail setup-based offensive teams, like those centered around Growth + Baton Pass Flareon or those that physical boosters, to handle Magmar and Hidden Power Electric Octillery. Even most Pokemon that take little from Fire Blast and often run RestTalk like Xatu, Stantler, Primeape, Octillery, and Rapidash are still heavily hindered by screens and paralysis from Thunder Wave. These foes are often forced to use Rest, and if left undamaged while paralyzed, are severely exploitable, facilitating easier setup for teammates. Lastly, Fire Blast is used to threaten severe damage on Pineco and prevent it from safely using Spikes. Fire Blast also does solid damage to Magnemite, which threatens the frail teams Dragonair is often found on, and is also the best move available to force chip damage on Weezing. Surf can also be used instead to hit Ground-types like Dugtrio and Graveler that are immune to Thunder Wave and take little from Fire Blast, but usually it isn't worth being taken advantage of by Pineco. Additionally, Dragonair has competition with other strong offensive Pokemon like Curse Stantler and Wigglytuff, as these teams might forgo Dragonair's support early-game in favor of a more potent late-game.
[SET]
name: 3 Attacks
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Surf
item: Leftovers
[SET COMMENTS]
Dragonair is a unique choice that makes full use of its wide special attacking movepool to hit as many targets as possible for super effective damage as possible while spreading paralysis with Thunder Wave to provide both offensive and defensive utility and prevent RestTalk users that are not weak to any of its attacks like Stantler and Primeape from completely taking advantage of Dragonair. Fire Blast hits Pineco, Magnemite, and Grass-types like Gloom, Surf hits Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-types like Flareon, Dugtrio, Graveler, Sudowoodo, and Rapidash, and Thunder hits Octillery, Xatu, Fearow, and Dewgong. However, Dragonair is reliant on super effective hits and Thunder Wave to make progress, so it should be used alongside Pineco for Spikes, Primeape to handle opposing Stantler and Wigglytuff, and Weezing to handle opposing Primeape, the three of which pack RestTalk and are not weak to any of its moves. Dragonair also has competition with Chinchou as an answer to Hidden Power Electric Octillery and Magmar and as a coverage attacker.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/beeorsomething.583728/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/dawnbuster.508601/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Last edited:
