[OVERVIEW]
Dragalge is a staple in NU thanks to its great typing, utility movepool, and its access to Adaptability. Because of this, Dragalge can be both defensive and offensive with both sets showing great results. Bulkier sets can come in on more defensive Pokemon like Vileplume and take advantage of them by placing Toxic Spikes, causing the rest of their team to suffer. On the other hand, Choice Specs sets provide a ton of nuking power with Adaptability, allowing it the possibility to break through former counters like Umbreon and Registeel. However, Dragalge lacks good speed, meaning it often can't retaliate before strong attackers overwhelm it. Also, bulkier sets are held back due to no access to recovery moves and Dragalge’s below-average HP. Dragalge’s typing too, at times, can be somewhat difficult to deal with since Ground- and Steel-types are fairly common in NU.
[SET]
name: Bulky Pivot
move 1: Sludge Bomb
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Toxic Spikes / Dragon Tail
move 4: Flip Turn
item: Leftovers / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Adaptability
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
tera type: Steel / Water
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Toxic Spikes allow Dragalge to chip away at defensive walls while Dragon Tail can phase them out along with set-up sweepers. Flip Turn works amazingly on Dragalge, letting act as bulky pivot that can bring in powerful breakers. The given EV spread allows Dragalge to outspeed Vileplume while giving you some physical bulk to aid with Fighting-types like Mienshao and Infernape. Tera Steel allows Dragalge to take Psychic-, Fairy-, and Dragon-type attacks, letting it survive longer and take on Munkodori, Sylveon, and Noivern in a pinch. On the other hand, Tera Water alleviates its weakness Ground-type attacks while giving it an overall strong defensive typing.
Toxic Spikes lowers switch rates as your opponent tries to play around them, so Pokemon that can scare out Poison-types and cause switches like Flygon and Future Sight Reuniclus can overwhelm your opponents. Partners that can bring in physically defensive Pokemon such as Mienshao and Infernape gift Dragalge with chances to set these Toxic Spikes. In the face of Steel-types like Klefki and Copperajah, Dragalge fails to do much, so partners that can take advantage of its Flip Turn and deal with these pests, like Gallade, Mienshao, and Flare Blitz Talonflame, work well together. Opposing Dragon- and Fairy-type Pokemon also cause issues for Dragalge as they’re usually faster and can get good damage in if not KO Dragalge before it can react. Teammates that help alleviate this weakness such as Magnezone, Registeel, and Sylveon are appreciated. Dragalge’s limited health also hinders it in being a defensive Pokemon; to ensure its survival for longer, hazard removers or Wish users like Talonflame, Brambleghast, and Vaporeon can be used in conjunction with Dragalge. Pokemon like Slowbro and Tsareena that can handle more offensive Ground-types such as Flygon and Krookodile can help out Dragalge.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Sludge Wave / Sludge Bomb
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Focus Blast / Tera Blast
move 4: Flip Turn
item: Choice Specs
ability: Adaptability
nature: Modest
evs: 120 HP / 252 SpA / 136 Spe
tera type: Poison / Steel / Ground
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Sludge Wave is preferred for damage output, but Sludge Bomb can provide useful poisonings on specially defensive Pokemon like Gastrodon, Vaporeon, or Umbreon. Focus Blast can heavily dent many Steel-types on the switch-in like Registeel, Klefki, and Magnezone. Tera Blast Ground can be used instead to hit these targets more accurately and powerfully along with Muk-Alola; however, this comes at the cost of its Tera, making it not as strong of an option overall. For the last move, a way to pivot in Flip Turn is preferred to bring in a partner in on a wall it would otherwise have trouble with. The given EV spread gives Dragalge enough speed to outrun uninvested Sylveon while having the rest dumped into HP. Tera Poison grants Dragalge a resistance to Fairy while also powering Sludge Wave to preposterous levels; however, a more defensive Tera like Tera Steel could be used to help Dragalge retaliate after surviving Psychic- and Dragon-type attacks.
Dragalge’s low Speed tends to hinder it a lot, but this can be marginalized with pivot cores. Dragalge draws in Steel-types, but it can Flip Turn out and let Mienshao or Flygon handle them. On the other hand, these Pokemon themselves can U-turn after drawing in a physical wall like Slowbro or Quagsire which Dragalge preys on. Dragalge can also whittle Steel-types like Copperajah and Registeel overtime with a strong Focus Blast, so Pokemon that can take advantage of this such as Munkidori, Reuniclus, and Calm Mind Sylveon enjoy its presence. Specially defensive walls like Alolan Muk and Assault Vest Reuniclus love to come in on Dragalge, so strong Physical wallbreakers like Gallade, Incineroar, and Krookodile work well to deal with these checks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Scald can be used an option on bulkier Dragalge sets to try to burn opponents but this causes it to have to lose one of either pressure in Toxic Spikes or momentum in Flip Turn. A moveset consisting of Substitute / Sludge Bomb / Dragon Pulse / Focus Blast or Tera Ground Blast can be used with Leftovers to make switches work in your favor and to take advantage of more passive Pokemon. But, this can hurt its longevity quite a bit, and, in general, opportunities aren’t too common.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-types**: Ground-types like Flygon and Krookodile are difficult to handle for Dragalge as they’re always faster and can land a strong Earthquake that almost always OHKOs it.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Registeel and Tera Steel Sylveon are a pain to deal with due to Dragalge’s lack of an accurate and powerful move to hit them with, meaning they can come in and take advantage of it often. Also, Klefki loves to come in on any of Dragalge’s attacks and proceed to take advantage of it by spreading status and setting up hazards.
**Psychic-types**: Dragalge struggles against the plethora of Psychic-types, ranging from more defensive ones like Slowbro and Reuniclus to offensive threats like Gallade and Munkidori. All of these Pokemon easily scare out Dragalge with their Psychic-type STAB and also tend to be able to take a hit from it.
**Special Walls**: Special walls like Alolan Muk, Assault Vest Gallade, and Reuniclus, and Diancie take on Dragalge’s attacks easily and can proceed to threaten it with Knock Off or a physical attack. All of these Pokemon don’t have a very reliable source of healing, though, so they tend to be whittled down over the course of a battle.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/powerofmemes.583607/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rabia.336073/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lucario.189361/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Dragalge is a staple in NU thanks to its great typing, utility movepool, and its access to Adaptability. Because of this, Dragalge can be both defensive and offensive with both sets showing great results. Bulkier sets can come in on more defensive Pokemon like Vileplume and take advantage of them by placing Toxic Spikes, causing the rest of their team to suffer. On the other hand, Choice Specs sets provide a ton of nuking power with Adaptability, allowing it the possibility to break through former counters like Umbreon and Registeel. However, Dragalge lacks good speed, meaning it often can't retaliate before strong attackers overwhelm it. Also, bulkier sets are held back due to no access to recovery moves and Dragalge’s below-average HP. Dragalge’s typing too, at times, can be somewhat difficult to deal with since Ground- and Steel-types are fairly common in NU.
[SET]
name: Bulky Pivot
move 1: Sludge Bomb
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Toxic Spikes / Dragon Tail
move 4: Flip Turn
item: Leftovers / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Adaptability
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
tera type: Steel / Water
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Toxic Spikes allow Dragalge to chip away at defensive walls while Dragon Tail can phase them out along with set-up sweepers. Flip Turn works amazingly on Dragalge, letting act as bulky pivot that can bring in powerful breakers. The given EV spread allows Dragalge to outspeed Vileplume while giving you some physical bulk to aid with Fighting-types like Mienshao and Infernape. Tera Steel allows Dragalge to take Psychic-, Fairy-, and Dragon-type attacks, letting it survive longer and take on Munkodori, Sylveon, and Noivern in a pinch. On the other hand, Tera Water alleviates its weakness Ground-type attacks while giving it an overall strong defensive typing.
Toxic Spikes lowers switch rates as your opponent tries to play around them, so Pokemon that can scare out Poison-types and cause switches like Flygon and Future Sight Reuniclus can overwhelm your opponents. Partners that can bring in physically defensive Pokemon such as Mienshao and Infernape gift Dragalge with chances to set these Toxic Spikes. In the face of Steel-types like Klefki and Copperajah, Dragalge fails to do much, so partners that can take advantage of its Flip Turn and deal with these pests, like Gallade, Mienshao, and Flare Blitz Talonflame, work well together. Opposing Dragon- and Fairy-type Pokemon also cause issues for Dragalge as they’re usually faster and can get good damage in if not KO Dragalge before it can react. Teammates that help alleviate this weakness such as Magnezone, Registeel, and Sylveon are appreciated. Dragalge’s limited health also hinders it in being a defensive Pokemon; to ensure its survival for longer, hazard removers or Wish users like Talonflame, Brambleghast, and Vaporeon can be used in conjunction with Dragalge. Pokemon like Slowbro and Tsareena that can handle more offensive Ground-types such as Flygon and Krookodile can help out Dragalge.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Sludge Wave / Sludge Bomb
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Focus Blast / Tera Blast
move 4: Flip Turn
item: Choice Specs
ability: Adaptability
nature: Modest
evs: 120 HP / 252 SpA / 136 Spe
tera type: Poison / Steel / Ground
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Sludge Wave is preferred for damage output, but Sludge Bomb can provide useful poisonings on specially defensive Pokemon like Gastrodon, Vaporeon, or Umbreon. Focus Blast can heavily dent many Steel-types on the switch-in like Registeel, Klefki, and Magnezone. Tera Blast Ground can be used instead to hit these targets more accurately and powerfully along with Muk-Alola; however, this comes at the cost of its Tera, making it not as strong of an option overall. For the last move, a way to pivot in Flip Turn is preferred to bring in a partner in on a wall it would otherwise have trouble with. The given EV spread gives Dragalge enough speed to outrun uninvested Sylveon while having the rest dumped into HP. Tera Poison grants Dragalge a resistance to Fairy while also powering Sludge Wave to preposterous levels; however, a more defensive Tera like Tera Steel could be used to help Dragalge retaliate after surviving Psychic- and Dragon-type attacks.
Dragalge’s low Speed tends to hinder it a lot, but this can be marginalized with pivot cores. Dragalge draws in Steel-types, but it can Flip Turn out and let Mienshao or Flygon handle them. On the other hand, these Pokemon themselves can U-turn after drawing in a physical wall like Slowbro or Quagsire which Dragalge preys on. Dragalge can also whittle Steel-types like Copperajah and Registeel overtime with a strong Focus Blast, so Pokemon that can take advantage of this such as Munkidori, Reuniclus, and Calm Mind Sylveon enjoy its presence. Specially defensive walls like Alolan Muk and Assault Vest Reuniclus love to come in on Dragalge, so strong Physical wallbreakers like Gallade, Incineroar, and Krookodile work well to deal with these checks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Scald can be used an option on bulkier Dragalge sets to try to burn opponents but this causes it to have to lose one of either pressure in Toxic Spikes or momentum in Flip Turn. A moveset consisting of Substitute / Sludge Bomb / Dragon Pulse / Focus Blast or Tera Ground Blast can be used with Leftovers to make switches work in your favor and to take advantage of more passive Pokemon. But, this can hurt its longevity quite a bit, and, in general, opportunities aren’t too common.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-types**: Ground-types like Flygon and Krookodile are difficult to handle for Dragalge as they’re always faster and can land a strong Earthquake that almost always OHKOs it.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Registeel and Tera Steel Sylveon are a pain to deal with due to Dragalge’s lack of an accurate and powerful move to hit them with, meaning they can come in and take advantage of it often. Also, Klefki loves to come in on any of Dragalge’s attacks and proceed to take advantage of it by spreading status and setting up hazards.
**Psychic-types**: Dragalge struggles against the plethora of Psychic-types, ranging from more defensive ones like Slowbro and Reuniclus to offensive threats like Gallade and Munkidori. All of these Pokemon easily scare out Dragalge with their Psychic-type STAB and also tend to be able to take a hit from it.
**Special Walls**: Special walls like Alolan Muk, Assault Vest Gallade, and Reuniclus, and Diancie take on Dragalge’s attacks easily and can proceed to threaten it with Knock Off or a physical attack. All of these Pokemon don’t have a very reliable source of healing, though, so they tend to be whittled down over the course of a battle.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/powerofmemes.583607/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rabia.336073/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lucario.189361/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Last edited:
