I have considered this type of set before, but not these moves in specific. I was thinking more of an Ivy Cudgel + Knock + Synthesis as your standard moves, and then anything ranging from taunt to spikes to encore to another attacking move like play rough or horn leech (I hate power whip). Taunt is what I wanted to test because it could be really annoying against defensive teams, especially with knock off. I think it's very underexplored though, and maybe could be really strong or broken, even. Sort of reminds me of utility Kartana with synthesis defog or something alone those lines.Chat, what are your thoughts on Synthesis Waterpon? I find it helps to alleviate the pressure that hazards put on it, and dropping SD isn't so bad considering your natural offensive power. Waterpon can force a switch, threatening Ivy Cudgel or whatever, and Synthesis, healing up for free. I had been running Superpower to hit Arch and guaranteed OHKO Moon, but after Arch's ban I do think Play Rough is better.
Ogerpon-Wellspring (F) @ Wellspring Mask
Ability: Water Absorb
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Ivy Cudgel
- Play Rough
- Power Whip
- Synthesis
I would say that yeah, physically defensive Dondozo is best, but spdef Dozo is actually really underrated at the moment. It beats non-giga drain Volcarona, psyshock Gholdengo if you can avoid some spdef drops (this is the big reason why I have been using spdef Dozo lately), and some Iron Valiant sets lacking thunderbolt, although it does get sketchy and I only do it in a pinch. Aside from that, it's still pretty good at beating some physicals, such as Dragonite lacking encore, select Gouging Fire sets, bulk up Tusk, Iron "Fraud" Boulder, Weavile if you can eat the knock off, and Zamazenta. It can also 1v1 Kingambit if you can get the sequencing right, but you'd need a backup answer.Dozo needs to run physdef to perform well in OU for a lot reasons, SpDef Dozo is barely real, and they all run curse now to deal with several of the potent breakers in the tier.
Personally, I think an underrated path, especially for stall, is to use Dondozo with spdef and use a flame body wisp mon like Talonflame, Moltres, or Volcarona. Even if Kingambit teras into a fire type, it becomes weak to hazards and you can toxic it with Gliscor, as well as the fact that Dondozo can 1v1 in a pinch. Basically, this approach tries to compress as much as possible to try and justify dropping Clodsire, so you get one whole slot to do whatever patching you want. You can add another knock absorber, a copium answer to Waterpon, or even a really funny progress forcer like knock synthesis Serperior. I like trying to justify this approach by slotting in Amoonguss and using it as the main regenerator for the team, then supporting the Roaring Moon matchup with sticky barb Clefable.
Not as popular, yes, but I still think it's quite underrated and has some really cool options going this path in terms of compression that it offers.
But yeah I agree, the Gouging Fire vs Dondozo in sun calc is sorta a meme at this point, it doesn't happen that much and it still has counterplay to it on stall even if it trucks Dondozo (it literally kills itself to hazards and recoil if it clicks flare blitz, gets stalled by wish tect Mola a little, 1v1'd by phys def curse Dondozo, you will lose to sun anyways as stall if you don't make the right plays to actually force progress and opt to play as a passive sitting duck instead). Not to say that I think it's balanced, rather that the problematic set isn't the band set in my opinion, but the dragon dance ones.