Welcome to the SV Battle Stadium Singles Viability Rankings for the Regulation B / Series 2 Ruleset. This format ended on March 31st, 2023. Soon, old Regulation B analyses will be put in this thread for archival purposes! But for now, here's where we stood for Regulation B!
S Tier:
S rank
[OVERVIEW]
With Paradox Pokemon being introduced, Series 2 is bringing big changes to Battle Stadium Singles! This is a modified Series 1 analysis that takes Paradox Pokemon into account. We will update this overview and analysis again once the metagame settles more. [For more information on Series 2, check out the resource thread.](https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battle-stadium-singles-series-2-paradox-pandemonium-speed-tiers-and-more-inside.3714699/)
[If you feel that this analysis is missing important information, feel free to leave feedback here.](https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battle-stadium-singles-series-2.3715382/)
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Outrage / Tera Blast
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick / Tera Blast
item: Choice Band
ability: Multiscale
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Normal / Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
* Choice Band makes Dragonite both an effective late-game cleaner and revenge killer with Extreme Speed, and a powerful wall-breaker against foes such as Dondozo and Skeledirge.
* **Outrage**: Outrage is strong enough to potentially 2HKO Impish Dondozo after Stealth Rock damage, though it leaves Dragonite very vulnerable to getting revenge killed.
Other Options
========
* **Aqua Jet**: Aqua Jet works as a secondary priority move to pick off Ghost-types such as Flutter Mane, Mimikyu, and Gholdengo.
Tera Types
========
* **Normal**: Tera Normal boosts Dragonite's revenge killing potential with Extreme Speed.
* **Flying**: With Tera Blast, Tera Flying is a surprising option that lets Dragonite 2HKO defensive Pokemon such as Tera Fairy Skeledirge.
[SET]
name: Defensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Roost
move 3: Encore / Extreme Speed
move 4: Tera Blast / Iron Head / Earthquake / Fire Punch
item: Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
ability: Multiscale
nature: Impish / Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 Spe
tera type: Flying / Normal / Steel / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
* Dragonite's good bulk gives it plenty of chances to set up Dragon Dance, while still providing a solid defensive backbone.
* **Encore**: Encore makes setting up on slower defensive foes such as Corviknight fairly easy.
**Extreme Speed**: Extreme Speed is still a viable alternative for revenge killing weakened threats, though it requires extra coverage to work such as Earthquake or Fire Punch.
Tera Types
========
* **Flying**: With Tera Blast, Tera Flying gives Dragonite a solid mono-attacking option and defensive typing in one, at the cost of always needing to Terastallize.
* **Normal**: Tera Normal makes using Extreme Speed worth it, and makes Dragonite very hard to break through without Fighting-type attacks.
* **Steel**: Tera Steel covers Dragonite's former weaknesses very well, and can still work somewhat well even if not Terastallized thanks to Iron Head.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy gives Dragonite an excellent mono-attacking Tera Blast that gives it an advantage over other Dragon-types.
Items
========
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet lets Dragonite play more passively thanks to the chip damage.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Preserving Multiscale even when Stealth Rock is set up can help Dragonite survive attacks in emergencies.
* **Leftovers**: Leftovers's passive healing gives Dragonite a better matchup against passive foes it can Encore.
EV Spreads
========
* **252 HP / 100 Def / 156 Spe with Impish**: This EV Spread allows Dragonite to outspeed Jolly Kingambit before boosting, and up to Timid Scream Tail after Dragon Dance, avoiding a potentially faster Encore.
* **252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe with Jolly**: Maximizing Speed outspeeds Jolly Dragapult, Timid Flutter Mane, and Timid Iron Bundle after a Dragon Dance, and at least speed ties with offensive Dragonite.
[SET]
name: Extreme Killernite
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Dragon Dance
move 3: Earthquake / Fire Punch
move 4: Roost / Outrage / Low Kick
item: Lum Berry / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Normal
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Tera Normal, Dragonite can do its best impression of Arceus, with a powerful Extreme Speed that makes Dragonite a great revenge killer and sweeper in one!
* **Earthquake versus Fire Punch**: Earthquake is Dragonite's strongest tool against most Steel-types, but Fire Punch is worth considering to hit Corviknight.
* **Outrage**: While a Dragon-type STAB move is useful against opposing Dragons and is Dragonite's best shot at picking off weakened Dondozo, it's not strictly needed on this Dragonite.
* **Low Kick**: This is a far more reliable move against Kingambit, and can help in Tera Normal Dragonite mirrors.
* **Jolly versus Adamant**: A Jolly nature allows Dragonite to outspeed Dragapult, Iron Bundle, and Flutter Mane after one use of Dragon Dance, but Adamant is a reasonable consideration if revenge killing with Extreme Speed is more important.
Items
========
* **Lum Berry**: Lum Berry gives Dragonite more set up opportunities against status moves and pairs particularly well with Outrage to cure confusion.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Stealth Rock is commonly set up specifically to break Dragonite's Multiscale, so Heavy-Duty Boots are a good way to always preserve Dragonite's ability to set up and revenge kill.
* **Silk Scarf**: This item goes all in on Extreme Speed's revenge killing power, without conflicting with Multiscale.
* **Life Orb**: Life Orb doesn't pair well with Multiscale on paper, but the power boost it gives Extreme Speed can let Dragonite clean teams up earlier.
[SET]
name: Offensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick
item: Lum Berry / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Steel / Fire / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
* Dragonite uses both Multiscale and the unpredictability of Terastallization to become an extremely dangerous sweeper!
* **Earthquake versus Low Kick**: Earthquake is a consistent option against most Steel-types, but Low Kick does better against Kingambit.
Tera Types
========
* **Steel**: Dragonite has superb synergy with Tera Steel, resisting most of its weaknesses, and particularly helping against Fairy-types and opposing Dragon-types.
* **Fire**: With Tera Fire, Dragonite deals massive damage to Corviknight with +1 Fire Punch, in addition to gaining a useful Fairy-type resistance and valuable immunity to burns.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy gives Dragonite an edge against opposing Dragon-types without being vulnerable to common Ground-type coverage they may carry.
Items
========
* **Lum Berry**: With a Lum Berry, Dragonite can set up against status moves and use Outrage with less risk late game.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Avoiding damage from hazards lets Dragonite always set up with Multiscale in tow.
* **Life Orb**: Life Orb doesn't fit well with Multiscale, but it's notable for allowing Tera Fire Dragonite a 75% chance to OHKO Corviknight after Dragon Dance with Fire Punch.
[SET]
name: Encore Trapper
move 1: Roost
move 2: Encore
move 3: Fire Spin
move 4: Draco Meteor / Earthquake / Iron Head / Substitute
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Timid / Jolly
tera type: Steel / Fairy
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Due to Dragonite's offensive presence and high bulk, many opponents choose to either check it defensively or set up against it to break through Roost + Multiscale. Against either option, Encore can turn Dragonite practically invincible allowing it to reside on the field indefinitely in most cases.
* **Fire Spin**: This allows Dragonite to defeat almost any Pokemon universally by simply making full use of its longevity. Trapping an Encore locked Pokemon in the field is also highly valuable. Fire Spin is used instead of Wrap because it affects Ghost-types and doesn't trigger chip damage from Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet.
* **Draco Meteor**: Draco Meteor is a powerful move that can catch opposing Dragon-types off- guard and punish the normally immune to trapping Skeledirge. This Dragonite set has more than enough capability to run the timer out, so guaranteeing the number advantage is significant.
* **Earthquake**: Earthquake prevents Dragonite from being entirely passive against Flutter Mane, and deals massive damage to Magnezone and Bellibolt before they Volt Switch out of Fire Spin.
* **Iron Head**: Even with minimal Attack investment, Iron Head has a serious shot of OHKOing offensive Flutter Mane, and it gives Dragonite a decent STAB move if using Tera Steel.
* **Substitute**: Substitute adds to Dragonite's longevity. Baiting a status move such as Toxic or Yawn, blocking it with Substitute, and locking the move in with Encore guarantees Dragonite an active Substitute while defeating the opposing Pokemon. Most notably, managing to leave a Substitute against Garganacl's Salt Cure or Corviknight's U-turn gains a lot of momentum.
Other Options
========
* **Thunder Wave**: Thunder Wave allows Dragonite to lock a much wider variety of Pokemon into their moves, while also giving it more opportunities to keep Multiscale up via potential paralysis.
Tera Types
========
* **Steel**: Tera Steel massively improves Dragonite's matchups against Flutter Mane and Iron Bundle, at the cost of being even more vulnerable to Salt Cure.
* **Fairy**: Due to Dragonite’'s low Speed compared to other Dragon-types, Tera Fairy is a great response against them.
EV Spreads
========
* **252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe with Timid or Jolly**: In order to make the most use of Encore, max Speed is recommended.
* **252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe with Bold or Impish**: A more defensive spread lets Dragonite preserve Terastallization against certain physical attackers, which makes it a noteworthy choice. In particular, max Defense Dragonite can use Roost to mitigate the damage from Choice Band Meowscarada without needing to Terastallize, and Substitute can survive Garganacl's Salt Cure.
Items
========
* **Leftovers versus Heavy-Duty Boots** Generally, Leftovers preserves Dragonite’'s longevity best, as it cancels out the damage from Sandstorm and makes timer stall easier. However, the increased usage of entry hazard setters in response to Dragonite makes Heavy-Duty Boots a strong option.
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet makes it easier for Dragonite to defeat Pokemon such as opposing Dragonite, Kingambit, and Meowscarada, and its residual damage can be used to execute a win condition.
[SET]
name: Double Priority Lure
move 1: Tera Blast
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick
item: Sharp Beak / Assault Vest
ability: Multiscale
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Flying-type Tera Blast OHKOing physically frail and Flying-weak Pokemon such as Flutter Mane and Annihilape, this set is effective at fooling opponents into thinking that it's Choice Band Dragonite, but it almost always needs to Terastallize to be effective.
* **Aqua Jet**: It may seem redundant with Extreme Speed, but Aqua Jet is a key move for picking off weakened Ghost-types, such as Flutter Mane, and surprising Focus Sash Pokemon that might use Tera Ghost to avoid being sniped by Extreme Speed, such as Iron Valiant.
* **Earthquake versus Low Kick**: Earthquake is the preferred coverage move for OHKOing Magnezone, a common response when thinking Dragonite is locked into Tera Blast. Low Kick trades that OHKO from full health for defeating Kingambit and revenge killing opposing Tera Normal Dragonite, assuming your Dragonite's Multiscale is still intact.
* **Adamant versus Jolly**: Adamant is the best nature for needing less chip damage to revenge kill weakened targets with priority attacks, but Jolly can make sense if outspeeding foes like Jolly Breloom, Modest Gholdengo, and Adamant Baxcalibur is appealing.
Items
========
* **Sharp Beak**: Sharp Beak gives Dragonite the most offensive presence with the fewest drawbacks, giving Flying-type Tera Blast just enough of a boost to 3HKO Dondozo. This heavily pressures it to use Rest, or possibly Protect for Leftovers variants. In the latter case, Dragonite can switch to maintain offensive momentum.
* **Assault Vest**: Assault Vest vastly improves Dragonite's matchup against Iron Bundle and Flutter Mane, especially if Multiscale's protection has been lost.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots means Stealth Rock will no longer remove this set's ability to trade blows with powerful threats.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Theorymon, 29010], [Tachipoyo, 613881]]
- Quality checked by: [[StarkGod, 62165], [Butch Hardnight, 265677], [Thick Fat Azumarill, 330577], [DerpySuX, 528485]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866], [Isaiah, 375662], [YashGreninja, 383911], [Adeleine, 517429]]
With Paradox Pokemon being introduced, Series 2 is bringing big changes to Battle Stadium Singles! This is a modified Series 1 analysis that takes Paradox Pokemon into account. We will update this overview and analysis again once the metagame settles more. [For more information on Series 2, check out the resource thread.](https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battle-stadium-singles-series-2-paradox-pandemonium-speed-tiers-and-more-inside.3714699/)
[If you feel that this analysis is missing important information, feel free to leave feedback here.](https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battle-stadium-singles-series-2.3715382/)
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Outrage / Tera Blast
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick / Tera Blast
item: Choice Band
ability: Multiscale
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Normal / Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
* Choice Band makes Dragonite both an effective late-game cleaner and revenge killer with Extreme Speed, and a powerful wall-breaker against foes such as Dondozo and Skeledirge.
* **Outrage**: Outrage is strong enough to potentially 2HKO Impish Dondozo after Stealth Rock damage, though it leaves Dragonite very vulnerable to getting revenge killed.
Other Options
========
* **Aqua Jet**: Aqua Jet works as a secondary priority move to pick off Ghost-types such as Flutter Mane, Mimikyu, and Gholdengo.
Tera Types
========
* **Normal**: Tera Normal boosts Dragonite's revenge killing potential with Extreme Speed.
* **Flying**: With Tera Blast, Tera Flying is a surprising option that lets Dragonite 2HKO defensive Pokemon such as Tera Fairy Skeledirge.
[SET]
name: Defensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Roost
move 3: Encore / Extreme Speed
move 4: Tera Blast / Iron Head / Earthquake / Fire Punch
item: Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
ability: Multiscale
nature: Impish / Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 Spe
tera type: Flying / Normal / Steel / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
* Dragonite's good bulk gives it plenty of chances to set up Dragon Dance, while still providing a solid defensive backbone.
* **Encore**: Encore makes setting up on slower defensive foes such as Corviknight fairly easy.
**Extreme Speed**: Extreme Speed is still a viable alternative for revenge killing weakened threats, though it requires extra coverage to work such as Earthquake or Fire Punch.
Tera Types
========
* **Flying**: With Tera Blast, Tera Flying gives Dragonite a solid mono-attacking option and defensive typing in one, at the cost of always needing to Terastallize.
* **Normal**: Tera Normal makes using Extreme Speed worth it, and makes Dragonite very hard to break through without Fighting-type attacks.
* **Steel**: Tera Steel covers Dragonite's former weaknesses very well, and can still work somewhat well even if not Terastallized thanks to Iron Head.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy gives Dragonite an excellent mono-attacking Tera Blast that gives it an advantage over other Dragon-types.
Items
========
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet lets Dragonite play more passively thanks to the chip damage.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Preserving Multiscale even when Stealth Rock is set up can help Dragonite survive attacks in emergencies.
* **Leftovers**: Leftovers's passive healing gives Dragonite a better matchup against passive foes it can Encore.
EV Spreads
========
* **252 HP / 100 Def / 156 Spe with Impish**: This EV Spread allows Dragonite to outspeed Jolly Kingambit before boosting, and up to Timid Scream Tail after Dragon Dance, avoiding a potentially faster Encore.
* **252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe with Jolly**: Maximizing Speed outspeeds Jolly Dragapult, Timid Flutter Mane, and Timid Iron Bundle after a Dragon Dance, and at least speed ties with offensive Dragonite.
[SET]
name: Extreme Killernite
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Dragon Dance
move 3: Earthquake / Fire Punch
move 4: Roost / Outrage / Low Kick
item: Lum Berry / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Normal
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Tera Normal, Dragonite can do its best impression of Arceus, with a powerful Extreme Speed that makes Dragonite a great revenge killer and sweeper in one!
* **Earthquake versus Fire Punch**: Earthquake is Dragonite's strongest tool against most Steel-types, but Fire Punch is worth considering to hit Corviknight.
* **Outrage**: While a Dragon-type STAB move is useful against opposing Dragons and is Dragonite's best shot at picking off weakened Dondozo, it's not strictly needed on this Dragonite.
* **Low Kick**: This is a far more reliable move against Kingambit, and can help in Tera Normal Dragonite mirrors.
* **Jolly versus Adamant**: A Jolly nature allows Dragonite to outspeed Dragapult, Iron Bundle, and Flutter Mane after one use of Dragon Dance, but Adamant is a reasonable consideration if revenge killing with Extreme Speed is more important.
Items
========
* **Lum Berry**: Lum Berry gives Dragonite more set up opportunities against status moves and pairs particularly well with Outrage to cure confusion.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Stealth Rock is commonly set up specifically to break Dragonite's Multiscale, so Heavy-Duty Boots are a good way to always preserve Dragonite's ability to set up and revenge kill.
* **Silk Scarf**: This item goes all in on Extreme Speed's revenge killing power, without conflicting with Multiscale.
* **Life Orb**: Life Orb doesn't pair well with Multiscale on paper, but the power boost it gives Extreme Speed can let Dragonite clean teams up earlier.
[SET]
name: Offensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick
item: Lum Berry / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Steel / Fire / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
* Dragonite uses both Multiscale and the unpredictability of Terastallization to become an extremely dangerous sweeper!
* **Earthquake versus Low Kick**: Earthquake is a consistent option against most Steel-types, but Low Kick does better against Kingambit.
Tera Types
========
* **Steel**: Dragonite has superb synergy with Tera Steel, resisting most of its weaknesses, and particularly helping against Fairy-types and opposing Dragon-types.
* **Fire**: With Tera Fire, Dragonite deals massive damage to Corviknight with +1 Fire Punch, in addition to gaining a useful Fairy-type resistance and valuable immunity to burns.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy gives Dragonite an edge against opposing Dragon-types without being vulnerable to common Ground-type coverage they may carry.
Items
========
* **Lum Berry**: With a Lum Berry, Dragonite can set up against status moves and use Outrage with less risk late game.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Avoiding damage from hazards lets Dragonite always set up with Multiscale in tow.
* **Life Orb**: Life Orb doesn't fit well with Multiscale, but it's notable for allowing Tera Fire Dragonite a 75% chance to OHKO Corviknight after Dragon Dance with Fire Punch.
[SET]
name: Encore Trapper
move 1: Roost
move 2: Encore
move 3: Fire Spin
move 4: Draco Meteor / Earthquake / Iron Head / Substitute
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Timid / Jolly
tera type: Steel / Fairy
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Due to Dragonite's offensive presence and high bulk, many opponents choose to either check it defensively or set up against it to break through Roost + Multiscale. Against either option, Encore can turn Dragonite practically invincible allowing it to reside on the field indefinitely in most cases.
* **Fire Spin**: This allows Dragonite to defeat almost any Pokemon universally by simply making full use of its longevity. Trapping an Encore locked Pokemon in the field is also highly valuable. Fire Spin is used instead of Wrap because it affects Ghost-types and doesn't trigger chip damage from Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet.
* **Draco Meteor**: Draco Meteor is a powerful move that can catch opposing Dragon-types off- guard and punish the normally immune to trapping Skeledirge. This Dragonite set has more than enough capability to run the timer out, so guaranteeing the number advantage is significant.
* **Earthquake**: Earthquake prevents Dragonite from being entirely passive against Flutter Mane, and deals massive damage to Magnezone and Bellibolt before they Volt Switch out of Fire Spin.
* **Iron Head**: Even with minimal Attack investment, Iron Head has a serious shot of OHKOing offensive Flutter Mane, and it gives Dragonite a decent STAB move if using Tera Steel.
* **Substitute**: Substitute adds to Dragonite's longevity. Baiting a status move such as Toxic or Yawn, blocking it with Substitute, and locking the move in with Encore guarantees Dragonite an active Substitute while defeating the opposing Pokemon. Most notably, managing to leave a Substitute against Garganacl's Salt Cure or Corviknight's U-turn gains a lot of momentum.
Other Options
========
* **Thunder Wave**: Thunder Wave allows Dragonite to lock a much wider variety of Pokemon into their moves, while also giving it more opportunities to keep Multiscale up via potential paralysis.
Tera Types
========
* **Steel**: Tera Steel massively improves Dragonite's matchups against Flutter Mane and Iron Bundle, at the cost of being even more vulnerable to Salt Cure.
* **Fairy**: Due to Dragonite’'s low Speed compared to other Dragon-types, Tera Fairy is a great response against them.
EV Spreads
========
* **252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe with Timid or Jolly**: In order to make the most use of Encore, max Speed is recommended.
* **252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe with Bold or Impish**: A more defensive spread lets Dragonite preserve Terastallization against certain physical attackers, which makes it a noteworthy choice. In particular, max Defense Dragonite can use Roost to mitigate the damage from Choice Band Meowscarada without needing to Terastallize, and Substitute can survive Garganacl's Salt Cure.
Items
========
* **Leftovers versus Heavy-Duty Boots** Generally, Leftovers preserves Dragonite’'s longevity best, as it cancels out the damage from Sandstorm and makes timer stall easier. However, the increased usage of entry hazard setters in response to Dragonite makes Heavy-Duty Boots a strong option.
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet makes it easier for Dragonite to defeat Pokemon such as opposing Dragonite, Kingambit, and Meowscarada, and its residual damage can be used to execute a win condition.
[SET]
name: Double Priority Lure
move 1: Tera Blast
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick
item: Sharp Beak / Assault Vest
ability: Multiscale
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Flying-type Tera Blast OHKOing physically frail and Flying-weak Pokemon such as Flutter Mane and Annihilape, this set is effective at fooling opponents into thinking that it's Choice Band Dragonite, but it almost always needs to Terastallize to be effective.
* **Aqua Jet**: It may seem redundant with Extreme Speed, but Aqua Jet is a key move for picking off weakened Ghost-types, such as Flutter Mane, and surprising Focus Sash Pokemon that might use Tera Ghost to avoid being sniped by Extreme Speed, such as Iron Valiant.
* **Earthquake versus Low Kick**: Earthquake is the preferred coverage move for OHKOing Magnezone, a common response when thinking Dragonite is locked into Tera Blast. Low Kick trades that OHKO from full health for defeating Kingambit and revenge killing opposing Tera Normal Dragonite, assuming your Dragonite's Multiscale is still intact.
* **Adamant versus Jolly**: Adamant is the best nature for needing less chip damage to revenge kill weakened targets with priority attacks, but Jolly can make sense if outspeeding foes like Jolly Breloom, Modest Gholdengo, and Adamant Baxcalibur is appealing.
Items
========
* **Sharp Beak**: Sharp Beak gives Dragonite the most offensive presence with the fewest drawbacks, giving Flying-type Tera Blast just enough of a boost to 3HKO Dondozo. This heavily pressures it to use Rest, or possibly Protect for Leftovers variants. In the latter case, Dragonite can switch to maintain offensive momentum.
* **Assault Vest**: Assault Vest vastly improves Dragonite's matchup against Iron Bundle and Flutter Mane, especially if Multiscale's protection has been lost.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots means Stealth Rock will no longer remove this set's ability to trade blows with powerful threats.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Theorymon, 29010], [Tachipoyo, 613881]]
- Quality checked by: [[StarkGod, 62165], [Butch Hardnight, 265677], [Thick Fat Azumarill, 330577], [DerpySuX, 528485]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866], [Isaiah, 375662], [YashGreninja, 383911], [Adeleine, 517429]]
Flutter ManeS- rank
Baxcalibur
Iron BundleA Tier:
A+ rank
Dondozo
Garganacl
Gholdengo
Iron Valiant
MagnezoneA rank
Dragapult
Corviknight
Garchomp
Iron Moth
Kingambit
Meowscarada
Mimikyu
Roaring Moon
Rotom-Wash
VolcaronaA- rank
Annihilape
Espathra
Great Tusk
Iron Hands
Palafin
Scizor[OVERVIEW]
With Paradox Pokemon being introduced, Series 2 is bringing big changes to Battle Stadium Singles! This is a modified Series 1 analysis that takes Paradox Pokemon into account. We will update this overview and analysis again once the metagame settles more. [For more information on Series 2, check out the resource thread.](https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battle-stadium-singles-series-2-paradox-pandemonium-speed-tiers-and-more-inside.3714699/)
[If you feel that this analysis is missing important information, feel free to leave feedback here.](https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battle-stadium-singles-series-2.3715382/)
[SET]
name: Pivot
move 1: Bullet Punch
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Thief / Tera Blast
item: Choice Band / Assault Vest
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
tera type: Steel / Water
[SET COMMENTS]
* Thanks to its high Attack, great defensive typing and solid bulk, Scizor is an effective bulky pivot that can also punish faster foes with Technician-boosted Bullet Punch, such as Flutter Mane, Iron Valiant, and Baxcalibur.
* **Close Combat**: Close Combat is Scizor’s best option to hit opposing Steel types.
* **Thief** Thief is a great option for hitting Gholdengo hard thanks to the Technician boost.
Other Options
========
* **Aerial Ace** This is an option over Thief to hit Fighting types like Annihilape, Great Tusk, and Breloom, but leaves you vulnerable to Gholdengo.
* **Trailblaze**: Besides gaining a useful Speed boost, Trailblaze does good damage to Great Tusk and Rotom-W.
Items
========
* **Choice Band**: Choice Band lets Scizor function as a scary late-game cleaner, especially with Tera Steel-boosted Bullet Punch. The high damage output also helps Scizor to break down walls for its teammates.
* **Assault Vest**: While much less immediately threatening than Choice Band, Assault Vest lets Scizor more comfortably switch in to stray special attacks like Gholdengo’s and Flutter Mane's Shadow Ball or Rotom-W’s Volt Switch, improving its longevity.
Tera Types
========
* **Steel**: Choice Band Scizor is a fairly good user of Terastallization, as with Tera Steel boosts Bullet Punch to terrifying levels. Tera Steel also softens Scizor’s weakness to Fire, letting it avoid the OHKO from attacks like Dragonite’s Fire Punch even after a boost.
* **Water**: While Steel is Scizor’s best Tera type in most circumstances, Water turns its Fire weakness into a resistance, allowing Scizor to surprise Pokemon like Skeledirge, Iron Moth, and Volcarona.
* **Fire**: A Fire Tera type functions similarly to Water, but it trades more weaknesses in general for an immunity to burn and a better matchup against Corviknight.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Thief / Tera Blast
move 4: Close Combat / U-turn / Tera Blast
item: Life Orb / Sitrus Berry / Metal Coat
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
tera type: Steel / Water / Fire
[SET COMMENTS]
* Scizor's incredible power and good typing make it one of the premier priority sweepers!
* **Thief**: Thief is Scizor's most reliable way of getting past Gholdengo.
* **Close Combat**: Close Combat lets Scizor smash through Kingambit and 2HKO Corviknight after a boost.
* **U-turn**: While pivoting doesn't gel well with sweeping, it gives Scizor an alternate playstyle if it needs to revenge kill more than sweep against a foe.
Other Options
========
* **Quick Attack**: While difficult to fit in without sacrificing coverage or utility, Quick Attack lets Scizor sweep through common offensive Pokemon that can take Bullet Punch after some chip damage, such as Iron Moth, Rotom-W, and Volcarona.
* **Trailblaze**: Trailblaze will 2HKO even the bulkiest Rotom-W without a boost and deal good chip damage to Dondozo. The Speed boost also comes in handy considering how crowded Scizor's Speed tier is.
Tera Types
========
* **Steel**: Boosting Bullet Punch is Scizor's best ticket for revenge killing and late-game sweeping.
* **Water**: Tera Water lets Scizor ambush Iron Bundle and Iron Moth with a resistance and is especially handy against Fire-types when using Tera Blast.
* **Fire**: While not particularly amazing defensively, Tera Fire grants Scizor a wonderful burn immunity, making Skeledirge and defensive Volcarona much easier matchups.
* **Normal**: If you're using Quick Attack, Tera Normal is highly recommended, letting Scizor OHKO Iron Moth after a Swords Dance.
* **Fighting**: Tera Fighting makes Close Combat very powerful against bulky foes that lack Unaware, being able to OHKO Corviknight and Iron Hands after a boost. The Sucker Punch resistance also makes Scizor a better Kingambit revenge killer.
Items
========
* **Life Orb**: While Life Orb does compromise Scizor's bulk, it's worth it for being able to OHKO Iron Bundle with a boosted Bullet Punch.
* **Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry trades late-game sweeping power for new setup opportunities, such as avoiding a 2HKO from Modest Gholdengo that lack Choice Specs and a good chance of avoiding a 2HKO from Timid Rotom-W's Hydro Pump. It also has good synergy with Thief, allowing Scizor to steal important items such as Leftovers from Skeledirge and Dondozo.
* **Metal Coat**: If Life Orb must be used on another Pokemon, Metal Coat is a reasonable alternative for boosting Bullet Punch's power.
EV Spreads
========
* **252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe**: Maximizing bulk and power leads to the easiest opportunities to sweep, though getting outsped by Corviknight and Skeledirge can be problematic.
* **116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe**: This Speed investment lets Scizor outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Kingambit.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Jediment, 15093],[Theorymon, 29010]]
- Quality checked by: [[DerpySuX, 528485], [Pearl, 47861]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662], [Lumari, 232216]]
With Paradox Pokemon being introduced, Series 2 is bringing big changes to Battle Stadium Singles! This is a modified Series 1 analysis that takes Paradox Pokemon into account. We will update this overview and analysis again once the metagame settles more. [For more information on Series 2, check out the resource thread.](https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battle-stadium-singles-series-2-paradox-pandemonium-speed-tiers-and-more-inside.3714699/)
[If you feel that this analysis is missing important information, feel free to leave feedback here.](https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battle-stadium-singles-series-2.3715382/)
[SET]
name: Pivot
move 1: Bullet Punch
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Thief / Tera Blast
item: Choice Band / Assault Vest
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
tera type: Steel / Water
[SET COMMENTS]
* Thanks to its high Attack, great defensive typing and solid bulk, Scizor is an effective bulky pivot that can also punish faster foes with Technician-boosted Bullet Punch, such as Flutter Mane, Iron Valiant, and Baxcalibur.
* **Close Combat**: Close Combat is Scizor’s best option to hit opposing Steel types.
* **Thief** Thief is a great option for hitting Gholdengo hard thanks to the Technician boost.
Other Options
========
* **Aerial Ace** This is an option over Thief to hit Fighting types like Annihilape, Great Tusk, and Breloom, but leaves you vulnerable to Gholdengo.
* **Trailblaze**: Besides gaining a useful Speed boost, Trailblaze does good damage to Great Tusk and Rotom-W.
Items
========
* **Choice Band**: Choice Band lets Scizor function as a scary late-game cleaner, especially with Tera Steel-boosted Bullet Punch. The high damage output also helps Scizor to break down walls for its teammates.
* **Assault Vest**: While much less immediately threatening than Choice Band, Assault Vest lets Scizor more comfortably switch in to stray special attacks like Gholdengo’s and Flutter Mane's Shadow Ball or Rotom-W’s Volt Switch, improving its longevity.
Tera Types
========
* **Steel**: Choice Band Scizor is a fairly good user of Terastallization, as with Tera Steel boosts Bullet Punch to terrifying levels. Tera Steel also softens Scizor’s weakness to Fire, letting it avoid the OHKO from attacks like Dragonite’s Fire Punch even after a boost.
* **Water**: While Steel is Scizor’s best Tera type in most circumstances, Water turns its Fire weakness into a resistance, allowing Scizor to surprise Pokemon like Skeledirge, Iron Moth, and Volcarona.
* **Fire**: A Fire Tera type functions similarly to Water, but it trades more weaknesses in general for an immunity to burn and a better matchup against Corviknight.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Thief / Tera Blast
move 4: Close Combat / U-turn / Tera Blast
item: Life Orb / Sitrus Berry / Metal Coat
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
tera type: Steel / Water / Fire
[SET COMMENTS]
* Scizor's incredible power and good typing make it one of the premier priority sweepers!
* **Thief**: Thief is Scizor's most reliable way of getting past Gholdengo.
* **Close Combat**: Close Combat lets Scizor smash through Kingambit and 2HKO Corviknight after a boost.
* **U-turn**: While pivoting doesn't gel well with sweeping, it gives Scizor an alternate playstyle if it needs to revenge kill more than sweep against a foe.
Other Options
========
* **Quick Attack**: While difficult to fit in without sacrificing coverage or utility, Quick Attack lets Scizor sweep through common offensive Pokemon that can take Bullet Punch after some chip damage, such as Iron Moth, Rotom-W, and Volcarona.
* **Trailblaze**: Trailblaze will 2HKO even the bulkiest Rotom-W without a boost and deal good chip damage to Dondozo. The Speed boost also comes in handy considering how crowded Scizor's Speed tier is.
Tera Types
========
* **Steel**: Boosting Bullet Punch is Scizor's best ticket for revenge killing and late-game sweeping.
* **Water**: Tera Water lets Scizor ambush Iron Bundle and Iron Moth with a resistance and is especially handy against Fire-types when using Tera Blast.
* **Fire**: While not particularly amazing defensively, Tera Fire grants Scizor a wonderful burn immunity, making Skeledirge and defensive Volcarona much easier matchups.
* **Normal**: If you're using Quick Attack, Tera Normal is highly recommended, letting Scizor OHKO Iron Moth after a Swords Dance.
* **Fighting**: Tera Fighting makes Close Combat very powerful against bulky foes that lack Unaware, being able to OHKO Corviknight and Iron Hands after a boost. The Sucker Punch resistance also makes Scizor a better Kingambit revenge killer.
Items
========
* **Life Orb**: While Life Orb does compromise Scizor's bulk, it's worth it for being able to OHKO Iron Bundle with a boosted Bullet Punch.
* **Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry trades late-game sweeping power for new setup opportunities, such as avoiding a 2HKO from Modest Gholdengo that lack Choice Specs and a good chance of avoiding a 2HKO from Timid Rotom-W's Hydro Pump. It also has good synergy with Thief, allowing Scizor to steal important items such as Leftovers from Skeledirge and Dondozo.
* **Metal Coat**: If Life Orb must be used on another Pokemon, Metal Coat is a reasonable alternative for boosting Bullet Punch's power.
EV Spreads
========
* **252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe**: Maximizing bulk and power leads to the easiest opportunities to sweep, though getting outsped by Corviknight and Skeledirge can be problematic.
* **116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe**: This Speed investment lets Scizor outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Kingambit.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Jediment, 15093],[Theorymon, 29010]]
- Quality checked by: [[DerpySuX, 528485], [Pearl, 47861]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662], [Lumari, 232216]]
SkeledirgeB tier:
B+ rank
Bellibolt
Breloom
Brute Bonnet
Clodsire
Hippowdon
Hydreigon
Rotom-Heat
Sylveon
TinkatonB rank
Amoonguss
Azumarill
Blissey
Glimmora
Orthworm
Pawmot
Sandy Shocks
Scream Tail
UmbreonB- rank
Avalugg
Ceruledge
Cloyster
Grimmsnarl
Iron Treads
ToxapexC tier:
C+ rank
Arcanine
Armarouge
Chansey
Gastrodon
Gengar
Glalie
Gyarados
Lucario
Mudsdale
Pelipper
Salamence
Slither Wing
Torkoal
TyranitarC rank
Abomasnow
Arboliva
Bronzong
Cyclizar
Ditto
Donphan
Drifblim
Gothitelle
Haxorus
Houndstone
Iron Jugulis
Iron Thorns
Quaquaval
Scovillain
Slowking
Talonflame
Tauros-Fire
Tauros-Water
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