Draft Diancie

[Deranged_Lime]

**Draft Order**: Round 5 onwards

**Price Range**: 8-10 points

**Overview**: Diancie's stat spread lends it to being primarily a defensive Pokemon, boasting high defenses alongside a typing that grants it some key resistances. This combos well with its support movepool, allowing it to assume a plethora of roles. However, it also has decent attacking stats, granting it the ability to be offensive, using its great STAB moves, useful coverage, and range of setup moves to enable itself. On the flip side, Diancie has several shortcomings, such as its typing having several common weaknesses, with Steel-types in particular being extremely dangerous for it. In addition, it has low HP and Speed stats, both of which can potentially compromise its offensive and defensive capabilities.


[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Entry Hazard Setter**: Diancie gets access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes, meaning it can attempt to stack as many hazards as possible. This set aims to either stack hazards at the start of a game to immediately pressure the opposing team or use its numerous switch in opportunities to set hazards gradually over the course of a game.

**Bulky Support**: Dipping into its support movepool, Diancie has numerous ways to enable its teammates, such as Baton Pass, Encore, and dual screens. By maxing out its bulk, it can hit the field multiple times to continue to support throughout the match.

**Setup Sweeper**: Diancie has access to numerous setup moves. Rock Polish and Trick Room offer speed control, Calm Mind boosts Diancie's offense to more threatening levels, and Iron Defense and Diamond Storm pair well with Body Press to create a defensive and offensive threat. Since its offenses are not world-breaking, it needs support to weaken the opposing team if it intends to attempt a sweep.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Diamond Storm, Power Gem, Meteor Beam, Moonblast, Draining Kiss, Play Rough

**Setup Moves**: Rock Polish, Calm Mind, Iron Defense

**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Encore, Light Screen, Reflect, Baton Pass, Trick Room, Rock Tomb, Bulldoze

**Coverage**: Earth Power, Flash Cannon, Psyshock, Psychic, Body Press, Gyro Ball, Tera Blast

Niche Moves
========
**Scorching Sands**: Scorching Sands is an alternate option to Earth Power that is slightly weaker but allows Diancie to potentially spread burn. This should be used solely on support sets, as offensive sets need as much power available as possible.

**Stored Power**: Some sets focus on Diancie attempting to acquire as many stat boosts as possible. This strategy pairs perfectly with Stored Power, making it ridiculously strong under these conditions.

**Endeavor**: Diancie's defensive stat spread often means it will be knocked down to low HP, powering up Endeavor and allowing it to bypass its normally lackluster offenses to deal massive damage to the foe. When paired with Endure, Diancie can potentially knock down foes to just 1 HP.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Diancie has no reliable recovery outside of Rest and Draining Kiss, meaning Leftovers is an invaluable item for it. This can be paired with Protect to extract as much use out of Leftovers as possible.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Being vulnerable to all entry hazards, Diancie can find itself worn down easily. Heavy-Duty Boots sacrifices passive recovery to allow Diancie to switch in and out more frequently throughout a game, as well as avoid the potentially game-ending Toxic Spikes.

**Sitrus Berry**: In situations where Diancie will be taking big hits, Sitrus Berry can provide a burst of health recovery, putting its health above the threshold needed for the foe to KO it and granting Diancie more turns on the field.

Niche Items
========
**Resistance Berries**: Diancie has a few weaknesses to common types, allowing foes to easily slot in coverage moves to break it down. Resistance Berries such as Babiri and Shuca Berry can allow Diancie to survive a potential KO from these attacks.

**Air Balloon**: Ground-type moves are common in the format, and being weak to them means Diancie appreciates the support of an Air Balloon, providing it a potential free switch against said moves with the added benefit of avoiding Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

**Light Clay**: Used solely on sets that focus on setting dual screens, Light Clay will extend the duration of these moves, granting its teammates more time to take advantage of them.

**Power Herb**: This should be used on sets using Meteor Beam, allowing Diancie to bypass its charging turn.

**Custap Berry**: In a similar vein to Endeavor, Diancie being knocked down to low health can enable Custap Berry, allowing it to bypass its low Speed to fire off an attack or support move in a pinch. This can also be paired with Endure to ensure it activates safely.

Tera
========
Although Diancie shouldn't be considered for your main Tera Captain, it makes for an excellent backup Tera Captain. Diancie will primarily be using Tera to allow itself to set up more easily using one or more of its many setup moves, using Tera types such as Tera Fairy, Water, and Steel for this purpose. Also, offensive sets can also take advantage of powerful coverage options provided by Tera, with Tera types such as Tera Fire and Ground able to grant Diancie options to bypass Steel-types. Finally, Tera Fighting can give Diancie STAB on Body Press, making it a perfect candidate for an Iron Defense set.

Draft Strategy
========
Diancie is not a Pokemon you center a draft around. Instead, it should be drafted with the aim of supporting other Pokemon with its vast array of utility moves, whether that be with entry hazards, dual screens, or something else. There are many different Pokemon that work in tandem with Diancie's support, which can also work to support it in the process.

**Wallbreakers / Cleaners**: Thanks to the numerous entry hazards Diancie can set up, it is able to support dangerous wallbreakers and cleaners that have their switch-ins constantly chipped down throughout the game. Additionally, Diancie can also be a slow pivot thanks to its low Speed and access to Baton Pass, allowing it to bring teammates in safely. Wallbreakers such as Palafin and frail cleaners such as Iron Valiant and Weavile benefit greatly from this kind of support.

**Setup Sweepers**: Diancie can provide multiple opportunities for teammates to safely switch in and start setting up, whether it's by using Encore or setting up dual screens. This can allow it to create potential endgame scenarios when paired with the right teammates. Setup sweepers such as Baxcalibur, Dragonite, and Volcarona become extremely dangerous when given free turns thanks to Diancie.

**Steel-type Answers**: Steel-types are the absolute best answer to Diancie, and as such, it benefits from teammates that can KO Steel-types for it as well as sponge their attacks. Fire-types such as Cinderace and Skeledirge and Ground-types such as Garchomp are able to take on Steel-types offensively and threaten them with powerful super effective STAB attacks, reducing the number of threats Diancie has to deal with.

**Naturally Faster Teammates**: Diancie is naturally slow, and thus it is reliant on a turn to set up if running some form of speed control such as Rock Polish. A way to offset this reliance is to pair Diancie with naturally faster teammates that can take over for it in a pinch. Pokemon such as Meowscarada, Greninja, and Cinderace are examples of naturally fast Pokemon that can work in this role.

Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Diancie suffers from a nasty 4x weakness to Steel, meaning not only do Steel-types themselves have a major advantage over it, but many Pokemon can run Steel-type coverage moves to lure it and score a surprise KO. Scizor and Metagross are prime examples of bulky Steel-types that can take Diancie's attacks and threaten it with Bullet Punch in return. Additionally, Pokemon that Diancie may usually check such as Urshifu-S can run moves like Iron Head to lure Diancie and render it useless.

**Residual Damage**: Lacking reliable recovery means Diancie is prone to being worn down throughout a game, notably through passive damage, and it cannot run every item it wants to try and compensate for this. Simply switching into attacks all game will rack up damage, especially if lacking Leftovers, leaving Diancie prone to being KOed more easily the longer a game goes on.

**Bulky Walls**: Although Diancie has some nice offensive traits, it lacks initial power to break through some bulkier Pokemon. As such, Pokemon that can take Diancie's attacks and wall it make for good counters that can wear it down and take advantage of its lack of reliable recovery. Bulky Pokemon such as Skarmory, Gholdengo, and Vaporeon can sponge Diancie's attacks, heal themselves, and threaten Diancie with their attacks in return.

**Entry Hazard Removers**: While simply removing hazards doesn't hurt Diancie directly, it is worth noting that Diancie has a poor matchup against most spinners, many of which are Ground-, Water- and Grass-types with STAB attacks that threaten Diancie with super effective damage and thus allow them to more easily keep hazards off the field. These include Iron Treads, Forretress, and Excadrill, which also boast a Steel typing that greatly threatens Diancie.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/

 

[Deranged_Lime]

Initial draft is done, totally not written at 5am or anything.

Ready for QC1

 

[scionicle]

QC 1/2

Girl's best friend

[overview]
**Draft order**: Round 5-6 onwards

**Price range**: 8-10 points

**Overview**: Diancie's stat spread lends it to being primarily a defensive Pokemon, boasting high defenses alongside a typing that grants it some key resistances. This combos well with it's support movepool, allowing it to assume a plethora of roles. However, it also has decent attacking stats, granting it the ability to go offensive, using it's great STABs, useful coverage and a range of setup moves to enable it. On the flipside, Diancie has several shortcomings, such as its typing having several common weaknesses, with Steel-types in particular being extremely dangerous for it. In addition, it has low HP and Speed stats, both of which can potentially compromise its offensive and defensive capabilities.


[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Hazard stacker Entry Hazard Setter**: Diancie gets access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes, meaning it can attempt to stack as many hazards as possible. This set aims to either stack hazards at the start of a game to immediately pressure the opposing team or to use its numerous switch in opportunities to lay hazards gradually over the course of a game.

**Bulky support**: This set aims to allow Diancie to support its team in ways aside from hazard stacking. Dipping into its wide support movepool, Diancie has numerous ways to enable its teammates, such as Baton Pass, Encore and screens. Leaning into maxing out its bulk, it can hit the field multiple times so it can continue to support throughout the match.

**Setup sweeper/cleaner**: Diancie has access to numerous setup moves, such as Calm Mind, Rock Polish and Trick Room. Using one or a combination of these moves can turn Diancie into an offensive threat, either bypassing its low initial Speed to clean up the opposing team or using its bulk to obtain multiple boosts to slowly roll over them instead. Since its offensives are not world breaking, it needs support to weaken the opposing team if it intends to attempt a sweep. (Mention Draining Kiss and Iron Defense+Body Press)

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Diamond Storm, Power Gem, Moonblast, Draining Kiss, Play Rough

**Setup moves**: Rock Polish, Calm Mind, Trick Room, Iron Defense

**Utility moves**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Encore, Light Screen, Reflect, Baton Pass, Trick Room

**Coverage**: Earth Power, Flash Cannon, Psyshock, Psychic, Body Press, Gyro Ball, Tera Blast

Niche Moves
========
**Meteor Beam**: This move almost always requires a Power Herb to be used effectively, bypassing its charging turn and allowing Diancie to fire off an extremely powerful STAB attack with an additional boost to its Special Attack. This can be combined with a speed control option to potentially enable a sweep. (Clarify that it keeps pressure up instead of requiring you to sit around using CM for boosts)

**Scorching Sands**: An alternate option to Earth Power which is slightly weaker but allows Diancie to potentially spread burns 30% of the time.

**Stored Power**: Some sets focus on Diancie attempting to acquire as many stat boosts as possible. This strategy pairs perfectly with Stored Power, becoming ridiculously strong under these conditions.

**Rock Tomb / Bulldoze**: A much weaker Rock-type STAB option that is used less so for damage output and moreso for lowering the opponent's speed once it hits, which can provide an opportunity for an otherwise slow teammate to take advantage of. (Rephrase to include bulldoze)

**Endeavor**: Diancie's bulk defensive stat spread often means it will be knocked down to low HP, powering up Endeavor and allowing it to bypass its potentially lackluster offenses to deal massive damage to the opponent. When paired with Endure, Diancie can potentially knock down opponents to just 1HP.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Diancie has no reliable recovery outside of Rest and Draining Kiss, meaning Leftovers are an invaluable item for it. This can be paired with Protect to extract as much use out of it as possible.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Being vulnerable to all entry hazards except Sticky Web, Diancie can find itself worn down easily. Heavy-Duty Boots sacrifices passive recovery to allow Diancie to switch in and out more frequently throughout a game, as well as avoid the potentially game ending Toxic Spikes.

**Sitrus Berry**: In situations where Diancie will be taking big hits, Sitrus Berry can provide a burst of health recovery, putting its health above the threshold needed for the opponent to KO them and granting Diancie more turns on the field.

Niche Items
========
**Resist berries**: Diancie has a few weaknesses to common types, allowing opponents to easily slot in coverage moves to break it down. Resist berries such as Babiri and Shuca berries can allow Diancie to survive a potential KO from these attacks.

**Air Balloon**: Ground-type moves are common in the format, and being weak to them means Diancie appreciates the support of an Air Balloon, providing it a potential free switch vs said moves with the added benefit of avoiding Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

**Light Clay**: Used solely on sets that focus on setting Light Screen and/or Reflect, Light Clay will extend the duration of these moves, granting its teammates more time to abuse them.

**Power Herb**: This should be used on sets using the move Meteor Beam, allowing Diancie to bypass its charging turn and use the full benefit of a single turn Meteor Beam.

**Custap Berry**: In a similar vein with Endeavor, Diancie often being knocked down to low health can enable Custap Berry, allowing Diancie to bypass its low speed to fire off an attack or support move in a pinch. This can also be paired with Endure to ensure it activates safely.

Tera
========
Although Diancie shouldn't be considered for your main Tera Captain, it makes for an excellent backup Tera Captain, allowing it to shed its typing with numerous weaknesses and better take advantage of its naturally high defenses. Types such as Fairy-, Water- and Steel-types make for great mono-types for defensive purposes. However, offensive sets can also take advantage of Tera, with types such as Fire- and Ground-type to grant Diancie powerful coverage options to bypass Steel-types. Alternatively, it can also power up its STABs instead with Fairy- or Rock-type tera, thanks to the wide coverage they have on their own. (Mention that tera helps it set up- that's the main reason you'd be clicking tera on a diancie. Tera fighting could get a shoutout for body press as well)

Draft Strategy
========
Diancie is not a Pokemon you center a draft around. Instead, it should be drafted with the aim of supporting other Pokemon with its vast array of utility, whether that be with hazards, screens, or something other. In some scenarios, it is able to go offensive, but it should not be consistently relied upon for this task. There are many different Pokemon that work in tandem with Diancie's support, which can also work to support it in the process.

**Wallbreakers/Cleaners**: Thanks to the numerous hazards Diancie can set up, it is able to support dangerous wallbreakers and cleaners that have their switch ins constantly chipped throughout the game. Wallbreakers such as Palafin and cleaners such as Booster Energy Iron Valiant benefit greatly from this kind of support.

**Setup sweepers**: Diancie can provide multiple opportunities for teammates to safely switch in and start setting up, whether it's by using Encore or setting up screens. This can allow Diancie to create potential endgame scenarios when paired with the right teammates. Setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Baxcalibur or Quiver Dance Volcarona become extremely dangerous when given free turns thanks to Diancie.

**Steel-type answers**: Steel-types are the absolute best answer to Diancie, and as such, it benefits well alongside teammates that can KO Steel-types for it as well as sponge their attacks. Fire-types such as Cinderace and Ground-types such as Garchomp are able to take on Steel-types offensively and threaten them with powerful super effective STAB attacks, reducing the number of threats Diancie has to deal with.

**Slow pivot beneficiaries**: Diancie's low speed, great bulk and access to Baton Pass allow it to become an excellent slow pivot, where it can get its frail teammates in safely. Because of this, Diancie pairs well with Pokemon that have a hard time hitting the field, usually due to their frailty. Blaziken and Greninja are good examples, which become extremely dangerous when their frailty is compensated for with a slow pivot. (Talk about this in the wallbreakers/cleaners and setup sweepers sections)

Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types and coverage**: Diancie suffers from a nasty x4 weakness to Steel-type moves, meaning not only do Steel-types themselves have a major advantage over it, but many Pokemon can run Steel-type coverage moves to lure it and score a surprise KO. Scizor and Metagross are prime examples of bulky Steel-types that can take Diancie's attacks and can also threaten it with Bullet Punch in return. Additionally, Pokemon that Diancie may usually check such as Urshifu-SS can run moves like Iron Head to lure Diancie and render it useless.

**Residual damage**: Lacking reliable recovery means Diancie is prone to being worn down throughout a game, notably through passive damage, and it cannot run every item it wants to try and compensate for them. Lacking Heavy-Duty Boots means it can be worn down by hazards, set by Pokemon such as Ting-Lu, or lacking a Lum Berry can leave it prone to status such as poison, spread by Poison-types such as Galarian Weezing. Finally, simply switching into attacks all game will add up damage, especially if lacking leftovers, leaving Diancie prone to being KO'd more easily the longer a game goes on.

**Bulky walls**: Although Diancie has some nice offensive traits, it lacks initial power to break through some of the bulker Pokemon in the format. As such, Pokemon that can take Diancie's attacks and wall it make for good counters that can wear it down and take advantage of its lack of reliable recovery. Bulky Pokemon such as Skarmory and Vaporeon can sponge Diancie's attacks, heal themselves and threaten Diancie with their attacks in return.

**Hazard removers**: Whilst simply removing hazards doesn't hurt Diancie directly, it is worth noting that Diancie has a poor matchup vs most of the Rapid Spin users in the format, many of which are Ground-, Water- and Grass-type whose STAB attacks threaten Diancie with super effective damage and thus allowing them to more easily keep hazards off the field. Among these include Iron Treads and Excadrill, which also boast a Steel-type that greatly threatens Diancie.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.300000
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.400000

 

[Deranged_Lime]

QC 1/2

Girl's best friend

[overview]
**Draft order**: Round 5-6 onwards

**Price range**: 8-10 points

**Overview**: Diancie's stat spread lends it to being primarily a defensive Pokemon, boasting high defenses alongside a typing that grants it some key resistances. This combos well with it's support movepool, allowing it to assume a plethora of roles. However, it also has decent attacking stats, granting it the ability to go offensive, using it's great STABs, useful coverage and a range of setup moves to enable it. On the flipside, Diancie has several shortcomings, such as its typing having several common weaknesses, with Steel-types in particular being extremely dangerous for it. In addition, it has low HP and Speed stats, both of which can potentially compromise its offensive and defensive capabilities.


[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Hazard stacker Entry Hazard Setter**: Diancie gets access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes, meaning it can attempt to stack as many hazards as possible. This set aims to either stack hazards at the start of a game to immediately pressure the opposing team or to use its numerous switch in opportunities to lay hazards gradually over the course of a game.

**Bulky support**: This set aims to allow Diancie to support its team in ways aside from hazard stacking. Dipping into its wide support movepool, Diancie has numerous ways to enable its teammates, such as Baton Pass, Encore and screens. Leaning into maxing out its bulk, it can hit the field multiple times so it can continue to support throughout the match.

**Setup sweeper/cleaner**: Diancie has access to numerous setup moves, such as Calm Mind, Rock Polish and Trick Room. Using one or a combination of these moves can turn Diancie into an offensive threat, either bypassing its low initial Speed to clean up the opposing team or using its bulk to obtain multiple boosts to slowly roll over them instead. Since its offensives are not world breaking, it needs support to weaken the opposing team if it intends to attempt a sweep. (Mention Draining Kiss and Iron Defense+Body Press)

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Diamond Storm, Power Gem, Moonblast, Draining Kiss, Play Rough

**Setup moves**: Rock Polish, Calm Mind, Trick Room, Iron Defense

**Utility moves**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Encore, Light Screen, Reflect, Baton Pass, Trick Room

**Coverage**: Earth Power, Flash Cannon, Psyshock, Psychic, Body Press, Gyro Ball, Tera Blast

Niche Moves
========
**Meteor Beam**: This move almost always requires a Power Herb to be used effectively, bypassing its charging turn and allowing Diancie to fire off an extremely powerful STAB attack with an additional boost to its Special Attack. This can be combined with a speed control option to potentially enable a sweep. (Clarify that it keeps pressure up instead of requiring you to sit around using CM for boosts)

**Scorching Sands**: An alternate option to Earth Power which is slightly weaker but allows Diancie to potentially spread burns 30% of the time.

**Stored Power**: Some sets focus on Diancie attempting to acquire as many stat boosts as possible. This strategy pairs perfectly with Stored Power, becoming ridiculously strong under these conditions.

**Rock Tomb / Bulldoze**: A much weaker Rock-type STAB option that is used less so for damage output and moreso for lowering the opponent's speed once it hits, which can provide an opportunity for an otherwise slow teammate to take advantage of. (Rephrase to include bulldoze)

**Endeavor**: Diancie's bulk defensive stat spread often means it will be knocked down to low HP, powering up Endeavor and allowing it to bypass its potentially lackluster offenses to deal massive damage to the opponent. When paired with Endure, Diancie can potentially knock down opponents to just 1HP.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Diancie has no reliable recovery outside of Rest and Draining Kiss, meaning Leftovers are an invaluable item for it. This can be paired with Protect to extract as much use out of it as possible.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Being vulnerable to all entry hazards except Sticky Web, Diancie can find itself worn down easily. Heavy-Duty Boots sacrifices passive recovery to allow Diancie to switch in and out more frequently throughout a game, as well as avoid the potentially game ending Toxic Spikes.

**Sitrus Berry**: In situations where Diancie will be taking big hits, Sitrus Berry can provide a burst of health recovery, putting its health above the threshold needed for the opponent to KO them and granting Diancie more turns on the field.

Niche Items
========
**Resist berries**: Diancie has a few weaknesses to common types, allowing opponents to easily slot in coverage moves to break it down. Resist berries such as Babiri and Shuca berries can allow Diancie to survive a potential KO from these attacks.

**Air Balloon**: Ground-type moves are common in the format, and being weak to them means Diancie appreciates the support of an Air Balloon, providing it a potential free switch vs said moves with the added benefit of avoiding Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

**Light Clay**: Used solely on sets that focus on setting Light Screen and/or Reflect, Light Clay will extend the duration of these moves, granting its teammates more time to abuse them.

**Power Herb**: This should be used on sets using the move Meteor Beam, allowing Diancie to bypass its charging turn and use the full benefit of a single turn Meteor Beam.

**Custap Berry**: In a similar vein with Endeavor, Diancie often being knocked down to low health can enable Custap Berry, allowing Diancie to bypass its low speed to fire off an attack or support move in a pinch. This can also be paired with Endure to ensure it activates safely.

Tera
========
Although Diancie shouldn't be considered for your main Tera Captain, it makes for an excellent backup Tera Captain, allowing it to shed its typing with numerous weaknesses and better take advantage of its naturally high defenses. Types such as Fairy-, Water- and Steel-types make for great mono-types for defensive purposes. However, offensive sets can also take advantage of Tera, with types such as Fire- and Ground-type to grant Diancie powerful coverage options to bypass Steel-types. Alternatively, it can also power up its STABs instead with Fairy- or Rock-type tera, thanks to the wide coverage they have on their own. (Mention that tera helps it set up- that's the main reason you'd be clicking tera on a diancie. Tera fighting could get a shoutout for body press as well)

Draft Strategy
========
Diancie is not a Pokemon you center a draft around. Instead, it should be drafted with the aim of supporting other Pokemon with its vast array of utility, whether that be with hazards, screens, or something other. In some scenarios, it is able to go offensive, but it should not be consistently relied upon for this task. There are many different Pokemon that work in tandem with Diancie's support, which can also work to support it in the process.

**Wallbreakers/Cleaners**: Thanks to the numerous hazards Diancie can set up, it is able to support dangerous wallbreakers and cleaners that have their switch ins constantly chipped throughout the game. Wallbreakers such as Palafin and cleaners such as Booster Energy Iron Valiant benefit greatly from this kind of support.

**Setup sweepers**: Diancie can provide multiple opportunities for teammates to safely switch in and start setting up, whether it's by using Encore or setting up screens. This can allow Diancie to create potential endgame scenarios when paired with the right teammates. Setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Baxcalibur or Quiver Dance Volcarona become extremely dangerous when given free turns thanks to Diancie.

**Steel-type answers**: Steel-types are the absolute best answer to Diancie, and as such, it benefits well alongside teammates that can KO Steel-types for it as well as sponge their attacks. Fire-types such as Cinderace and Ground-types such as Garchomp are able to take on Steel-types offensively and threaten them with powerful super effective STAB attacks, reducing the number of threats Diancie has to deal with.

**Slow pivot beneficiaries**: Diancie's low speed, great bulk and access to Baton Pass allow it to become an excellent slow pivot, where it can get its frail teammates in safely. Because of this, Diancie pairs well with Pokemon that have a hard time hitting the field, usually due to their frailty. Blaziken and Greninja are good examples, which become extremely dangerous when their frailty is compensated for with a slow pivot. (Talk about this in the wallbreakers/cleaners and setup sweepers sections)

Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types and coverage**: Diancie suffers from a nasty x4 weakness to Steel-type moves, meaning not only do Steel-types themselves have a major advantage over it, but many Pokemon can run Steel-type coverage moves to lure it and score a surprise KO. Scizor and Metagross are prime examples of bulky Steel-types that can take Diancie's attacks and can also threaten it with Bullet Punch in return. Additionally, Pokemon that Diancie may usually check such as Urshifu-SS can run moves like Iron Head to lure Diancie and render it useless.

**Residual damage**: Lacking reliable recovery means Diancie is prone to being worn down throughout a game, notably through passive damage, and it cannot run every item it wants to try and compensate for them. Lacking Heavy-Duty Boots means it can be worn down by hazards, set by Pokemon such as Ting-Lu, or lacking a Lum Berry can leave it prone to status such as poison, spread by Poison-types such as Galarian Weezing. Finally, simply switching into attacks all game will add up damage, especially if lacking leftovers, leaving Diancie prone to being KO'd more easily the longer a game goes on.

**Bulky walls**: Although Diancie has some nice offensive traits, it lacks initial power to break through some of the bulker Pokemon in the format. As such, Pokemon that can take Diancie's attacks and wall it make for good counters that can wear it down and take advantage of its lack of reliable recovery. Bulky Pokemon such as Skarmory and Vaporeon can sponge Diancie's attacks, heal themselves and threaten Diancie with their attacks in return.

**Hazard removers**: Whilst simply removing hazards doesn't hurt Diancie directly, it is worth noting that Diancie has a poor matchup vs most of the Rapid Spin users in the format, many of which are Ground-, Water- and Grass-type whose STAB attacks threaten Diancie with super effective damage and thus allowing them to more easily keep hazards off the field. Among these include Iron Treads and Excadrill, which also boast a Steel-type that greatly threatens Diancie.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.300000
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.400000

Thank you for the feedback.

Implemented all the changes and gone into extra detail where necessary, such as adding some emphasis on Iron Defense Body Press in some sections.

Ready for QC 2

 

[Nyx]

Deranged_Lime, post: 9999374, member: 272077

**Draft order**: Round 5 onwards

**Price range**: 8-10 points

**Overview**: Diancie's stat spread lends it to being primarily a defensive Pokemon, boasting high defenses alongside a typing that grants it some key resistances. This combos well with it's support movepool, allowing it to assume a plethora of roles. However, it also has decent attacking stats, granting it the ability to go offensive, using it's great STABs, useful coverage and a range of setup moves to enable it. On the flipside, Diancie has several shortcomings, such as its typing having several common weaknesses, with Steel-types in particular being extremely dangerous for it. In addition, it has low HP and Speed stats, both of which can potentially compromise its offensive and defensive capabilities.


[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Entry Hazard Setter**: Diancie gets access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes, meaning it can attempt to stack as many hazards as possible. This set aims to either stack hazards at the start of a game to immediately pressure the opposing team or to use its numerous switch in opportunities to lay hazards gradually over the course of a game.

**Bulky support**: This set aims to allow Diancie to support its team in ways aside from hazard stacking. Dipping into its support movepool, Diancie has numerous ways to enable its teammates, such as Baton Pass, Encore and screens. Leaning into maxing out its bulk, it can hit the field multiple times so it can continue to support throughout the match. no need to reference the previous bullet

**Setup sweeper**: Diancie has access to numerous setup moves. Rock Polish or Trick Room offer speed control, Calm Mind boosts Diancie's offenses to more threatening levels and Iron Defense or Diamond Storm pairs well with Body Press to create a defensive offensive threat. Using one or a combination of these moves can turn Diancie into a threatening sweeper, especially with Draining Kiss allowing it to do damage and stick around for longer. Since its offensives are not world breaking, it needs support to weaken the opposing team if it intends to attempt a sweep.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Diamond Storm, Power Gem, Moonblast, Draining Kiss, Play Rough

**Setup moves**: Rock Polish, Calm Mind, Iron Defense

**Utility moves**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Encore, Light Screen, Reflect, Baton Pass, Trick Room

**Coverage**: Earth Power, Flash Cannon, Psyshock, Psychic, Body Press, Gyro Ball, Tera Blast

Niche Moves
========
**Meteor Beam**: This move requires a Power Herb to be used effectively, bypassing its charging turn and allowing Diancie to fire off an extremely powerful STAB attack with an additional boost to its Special Attack, allowing Diancie to be immediately threatening instead of needing to set up a Calm Mind first. This can be combined with a speed control option to potentially enable a sweep. move to stab

**Scorching Sands**: An alternate option to Earth Power which is slightly weaker but allows Diancie to potentially spread burns 30% of the time. mention that it should only be used on support sets as offensive diancie cannot afford to forgo the powrt

**Stored Power**: Some sets focus on Diancie attempting to acquire as many stat boosts as possible. This strategy pairs perfectly with Stored Power, becoming ridiculously strong under these conditions.

**Rock Tomb / Bulldoze**: These two moves are almost the same, bearing the same base power with Rock Tomb offering a STAB boost. However the main feature of these moves are dropping the opponents speed when they hit, allowing Diancie to provide an opportunity for a teammate to take advantage of. move to utility, theyre self explanatory

**Endeavor**: Diancie's defensive stat spread often means it will be knocked down to low HP, powering up Endeavor and allowing it to bypass its potentially lackluster offenses to deal massive damage to the opponent. When paired with Endure, Diancie can potentially knock down opponents to just 1HP.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Diancie has no reliable recovery outside of Rest and Draining Kiss, meaning Leftovers are an invaluable item for it. This can be paired with Protect to extract as much use out of it as possible.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Being vulnerable to all entry hazards except Sticky Web, Diancie can find itself worn down easily. Heavy-Duty Boots sacrifices passive recovery to allow Diancie to switch in and out more frequently throughout a game, as well as avoid the potentially game ending Toxic Spikes.

**Sitrus Berry**: In situations where Diancie will be taking big hits, Sitrus Berry can provide a burst of health recovery, putting its health above the threshold needed for the opponent to KO them and granting Diancie more turns on the field.

Niche Items
========
**Resist berries**: Diancie has a few weaknesses to common types, allowing opponents to easily slot in coverage moves to break it down. Resist berries such as Babiri and Shuca berries can allow Diancie to survive a potential KO from these attacks.

**Air Balloon**: Ground-type moves are common in the format, and being weak to them means Diancie appreciates the support of an Air Balloon, providing it a potential free switch vs said moves with the added benefit of avoiding Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

**Light Clay**: Used solely on sets that focus on setting Light Screen and/or Reflect, Light Clay will extend the duration of these moves, granting its teammates more time to abuse them.

**Power Herb**: This should be used on sets using the move Meteor Beam, allowing Diancie to bypass its charging turn and use the full benefit of a single turn Meteor Beam.

**Custap Berry**: In a similar vein with Endeavor, Diancie often being knocked down to low health can enable Custap Berry, allowing Diancie to bypass its low speed to fire off an attack or support move in a pinch. This can also be paired with Endure to ensure it activates safely.

Tera
========
Although Diancie shouldn't be considered for your main Tera Captain, it makes for an excellent backup Tera Captain, allowing it to shed its typing with numerous weaknesses and better take advantage of its naturally high defenses. Diancie will primarily be using Tera to allow itself to setup more easily using one or more of its many setup moves. Ttypes such as Fairy-, Water- and Steel-types make for great mono-types are great for this purpose. However Also, offensive sets can also take advantage of powerful coverage options provided by Tera, with types such as Fire- and Ground-type able to grant Diancie options to bypass Steel-types. Alternatively, it can also power up its STABs instead with Fairy- or Rock-type tera, thanks to the wide coverage they have on their own. Finally, Tera Fighting can give Diancie a STAB boost on Body Press, making it a perfect candidate for an Iron Defense set.

Draft Strategy
========
Diancie is not a Pokemon you center a draft around. Instead, it should be drafted with the aim of supporting other Pokemon with its vast array of utility, whether that be with hazards, screens, or something other. In some scenarios, it is able to go offensive, but it should not be consistently relied upon for this task. There are many different Pokemon that work in tandem with Diancie's support, which can also work to support it in the process.

**Wallbreakers/Cleaners**: Thanks to the numerous hazards Diancie can set up, it is able to support dangerous wallbreakers and cleaners that have their switch ins constantly chipped throughout the game. Additionally, Diancie can also provide a slow pivot thanks to its low speed and access to Baton Pass, allowing it to bring teammates in safely. Wallbreakers such as Palafin and frail cleaners such as Iron Valiant benefit greatly from this kind of support.

**Setup sweepers**: Diancie can provide multiple opportunities for teammates to safely switch in and start setting up, whether it's by using Encore or setting up screens. This can allow Diancie to create potential endgame scenarios when paired with the right teammates. Setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Baxcalibur or Quiver Dance Volcarona become extremely dangerous when given free turns thanks to Diancie.

**Steel-type answers**: Steel-types are the absolute best answer to Diancie, and as such, it benefits well alongside teammates that can KO Steel-types for it as well as sponge their attacks. Fire-types such as Cinderace and Ground-types such as Garchomp are able to take on Steel-types offensively and threaten them with powerful super effective STAB attacks, reducing the number of threats Diancie has to deal with.

add a point on natural speed control, diancie is reliant on a turn to be able to have any form of speec control (tr/rp), so having naturally faster mons to help offset this is worthwhile

Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types and coverage**: Diancie suffers from a nasty x4 weakness to Steel-type moves, meaning not only do Steel-types themselves have a major advantage over it, but many Pokemon can run Steel-type coverage moves to lure it and score a surprise KO. Scizor and Metagross are prime examples of bulky Steel-types that can take Diancie's attacks and can also threaten it with Bullet Punch in return. Additionally, Pokemon that Diancie may usually check such as Urshifu-SS can run moves like Iron Head to lure Diancie and render it useless.

**Residual damage**: Lacking reliable recovery means Diancie is prone to being worn down throughout a game, notably through passive damage, and it cannot run every item it wants to try and compensate for them. Lacking Heavy-Duty Boots means it can be worn down by hazards, set by Pokemon such as Ting-Lu, or lacking a Lum Berry can leave it prone to status such as poison, spread by Poison-types such as Galarian Weezing. Finally, sSimply switching into attacks all game will add up damage, especially if lacking leftovers, leaving Diancie prone to being KO'd more easily the longer a game goes on.

**Bulky walls**: Although Diancie has some nice offensive traits, it lacks initial power to break through some of the bulker Pokemon in the format. As such, Pokemon that can take Diancie's attacks and wall it make for good counters that can wear it down and take advantage of its lack of reliable recovery. Bulky Pokemon such as Skarmory and Vaporeon can sponge Diancie's attacks, heal themselves and threaten Diancie with their attacks in return.

**Hazard removers**: Whilst simply removing hazards doesn't hurt Diancie directly, it is worth noting that Diancie has a poor matchup vs most of the Rapid Spin users in the format, many of which are Ground-, Water- and Grass-type whose STAB attacks threaten Diancie with super effective damage and thus allowing them to more easily keep hazards off the field. Among these include Iron Treads and Excadrill, which also boast a Steel-type that greatly threatens Diancie.

for all listed examples, provide 3 per bullet point, this applies to strategy and c&c too. only exception rly would be steel types as that alrdy has 3 mons

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.300000
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.400000

QC 2/2. There's a few glaring GP issues but I'm too tired to correct them so sorry not sorry to whoever GPs this.

 

[Deranged_Lime]

Deranged_Lime, post: 9999374, member: 272077

**Draft order**: Round 5 onwards

**Price range**: 8-10 points

**Overview**: Diancie's stat spread lends it to being primarily a defensive Pokemon, boasting high defenses alongside a typing that grants it some key resistances. This combos well with it's support movepool, allowing it to assume a plethora of roles. However, it also has decent attacking stats, granting it the ability to go offensive, using it's great STABs, useful coverage and a range of setup moves to enable it. On the flipside, Diancie has several shortcomings, such as its typing having several common weaknesses, with Steel-types in particular being extremely dangerous for it. In addition, it has low HP and Speed stats, both of which can potentially compromise its offensive and defensive capabilities.


[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Entry Hazard Setter**: Diancie gets access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes, meaning it can attempt to stack as many hazards as possible. This set aims to either stack hazards at the start of a game to immediately pressure the opposing team or to use its numerous switch in opportunities to lay hazards gradually over the course of a game.

**Bulky support**: This set aims to allow Diancie to support its team in ways aside from hazard stacking. Dipping into its support movepool, Diancie has numerous ways to enable its teammates, such as Baton Pass, Encore and screens. Leaning into maxing out its bulk, it can hit the field multiple times so it can continue to support throughout the match. no need to reference the previous bullet

**Setup sweeper**: Diancie has access to numerous setup moves. Rock Polish or Trick Room offer speed control, Calm Mind boosts Diancie's offenses to more threatening levels and Iron Defense or Diamond Storm pairs well with Body Press to create a defensive offensive threat. Using one or a combination of these moves can turn Diancie into a threatening sweeper, especially with Draining Kiss allowing it to do damage and stick around for longer. Since its offensives are not world breaking, it needs support to weaken the opposing team if it intends to attempt a sweep.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Diamond Storm, Power Gem, Moonblast, Draining Kiss, Play Rough

**Setup moves**: Rock Polish, Calm Mind, Iron Defense

**Utility moves**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Encore, Light Screen, Reflect, Baton Pass, Trick Room

**Coverage**: Earth Power, Flash Cannon, Psyshock, Psychic, Body Press, Gyro Ball, Tera Blast

Niche Moves
========
**Meteor Beam**: This move requires a Power Herb to be used effectively, bypassing its charging turn and allowing Diancie to fire off an extremely powerful STAB attack with an additional boost to its Special Attack, allowing Diancie to be immediately threatening instead of needing to set up a Calm Mind first. This can be combined with a speed control option to potentially enable a sweep. move to stab

**Scorching Sands**: An alternate option to Earth Power which is slightly weaker but allows Diancie to potentially spread burns 30% of the time. mention that it should only be used on support sets as offensive diancie cannot afford to forgo the powrt

**Stored Power**: Some sets focus on Diancie attempting to acquire as many stat boosts as possible. This strategy pairs perfectly with Stored Power, becoming ridiculously strong under these conditions.

**Rock Tomb / Bulldoze**: These two moves are almost the same, bearing the same base power with Rock Tomb offering a STAB boost. However the main feature of these moves are dropping the opponents speed when they hit, allowing Diancie to provide an opportunity for a teammate to take advantage of. move to utility, theyre self explanatory

**Endeavor**: Diancie's defensive stat spread often means it will be knocked down to low HP, powering up Endeavor and allowing it to bypass its potentially lackluster offenses to deal massive damage to the opponent. When paired with Endure, Diancie can potentially knock down opponents to just 1HP.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Diancie has no reliable recovery outside of Rest and Draining Kiss, meaning Leftovers are an invaluable item for it. This can be paired with Protect to extract as much use out of it as possible.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Being vulnerable to all entry hazards except Sticky Web, Diancie can find itself worn down easily. Heavy-Duty Boots sacrifices passive recovery to allow Diancie to switch in and out more frequently throughout a game, as well as avoid the potentially game ending Toxic Spikes.

**Sitrus Berry**: In situations where Diancie will be taking big hits, Sitrus Berry can provide a burst of health recovery, putting its health above the threshold needed for the opponent to KO them and granting Diancie more turns on the field.

Niche Items
========
**Resist berries**: Diancie has a few weaknesses to common types, allowing opponents to easily slot in coverage moves to break it down. Resist berries such as Babiri and Shuca berries can allow Diancie to survive a potential KO from these attacks.

**Air Balloon**: Ground-type moves are common in the format, and being weak to them means Diancie appreciates the support of an Air Balloon, providing it a potential free switch vs said moves with the added benefit of avoiding Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

**Light Clay**: Used solely on sets that focus on setting Light Screen and/or Reflect, Light Clay will extend the duration of these moves, granting its teammates more time to abuse them.

**Power Herb**: This should be used on sets using the move Meteor Beam, allowing Diancie to bypass its charging turn and use the full benefit of a single turn Meteor Beam.

**Custap Berry**: In a similar vein with Endeavor, Diancie often being knocked down to low health can enable Custap Berry, allowing Diancie to bypass its low speed to fire off an attack or support move in a pinch. This can also be paired with Endure to ensure it activates safely.

Tera
========
Although Diancie shouldn't be considered for your main Tera Captain, it makes for an excellent backup Tera Captain, allowing it to shed its typing with numerous weaknesses and better take advantage of its naturally high defenses. Diancie will primarily be using Tera to allow itself to setup more easily using one or more of its many setup moves. Ttypes such as Fairy-, Water- and Steel-types make for great mono-types are great for this purpose. However Also, offensive sets can also take advantage of powerful coverage options provided by Tera, with types such as Fire- and Ground-type able to grant Diancie options to bypass Steel-types. Alternatively, it can also power up its STABs instead with Fairy- or Rock-type tera, thanks to the wide coverage they have on their own. Finally, Tera Fighting can give Diancie a STAB boost on Body Press, making it a perfect candidate for an Iron Defense set.

Draft Strategy
========
Diancie is not a Pokemon you center a draft around. Instead, it should be drafted with the aim of supporting other Pokemon with its vast array of utility, whether that be with hazards, screens, or something other. In some scenarios, it is able to go offensive, but it should not be consistently relied upon for this task. There are many different Pokemon that work in tandem with Diancie's support, which can also work to support it in the process.

**Wallbreakers/Cleaners**: Thanks to the numerous hazards Diancie can set up, it is able to support dangerous wallbreakers and cleaners that have their switch ins constantly chipped throughout the game. Additionally, Diancie can also provide a slow pivot thanks to its low speed and access to Baton Pass, allowing it to bring teammates in safely. Wallbreakers such as Palafin and frail cleaners such as Iron Valiant benefit greatly from this kind of support.

**Setup sweepers**: Diancie can provide multiple opportunities for teammates to safely switch in and start setting up, whether it's by using Encore or setting up screens. This can allow Diancie to create potential endgame scenarios when paired with the right teammates. Setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Baxcalibur or Quiver Dance Volcarona become extremely dangerous when given free turns thanks to Diancie.

**Steel-type answers**: Steel-types are the absolute best answer to Diancie, and as such, it benefits well alongside teammates that can KO Steel-types for it as well as sponge their attacks. Fire-types such as Cinderace and Ground-types such as Garchomp are able to take on Steel-types offensively and threaten them with powerful super effective STAB attacks, reducing the number of threats Diancie has to deal with.

add a point on natural speed control, diancie is reliant on a turn to be able to have any form of speec control (tr/rp), so having naturally faster mons to help offset this is worthwhile

Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types and coverage**: Diancie suffers from a nasty x4 weakness to Steel-type moves, meaning not only do Steel-types themselves have a major advantage over it, but many Pokemon can run Steel-type coverage moves to lure it and score a surprise KO. Scizor and Metagross are prime examples of bulky Steel-types that can take Diancie's attacks and can also threaten it with Bullet Punch in return. Additionally, Pokemon that Diancie may usually check such as Urshifu-SS can run moves like Iron Head to lure Diancie and render it useless.

**Residual damage**: Lacking reliable recovery means Diancie is prone to being worn down throughout a game, notably through passive damage, and it cannot run every item it wants to try and compensate for them. Lacking Heavy-Duty Boots means it can be worn down by hazards, set by Pokemon such as Ting-Lu, or lacking a Lum Berry can leave it prone to status such as poison, spread by Poison-types such as Galarian Weezing. Finally, sSimply switching into attacks all game will add up damage, especially if lacking leftovers, leaving Diancie prone to being KO'd more easily the longer a game goes on.

**Bulky walls**: Although Diancie has some nice offensive traits, it lacks initial power to break through some of the bulker Pokemon in the format. As such, Pokemon that can take Diancie's attacks and wall it make for good counters that can wear it down and take advantage of its lack of reliable recovery. Bulky Pokemon such as Skarmory and Vaporeon can sponge Diancie's attacks, heal themselves and threaten Diancie with their attacks in return.

**Hazard removers**: Whilst simply removing hazards doesn't hurt Diancie directly, it is worth noting that Diancie has a poor matchup vs most of the Rapid Spin users in the format, many of which are Ground-, Water- and Grass-type whose STAB attacks threaten Diancie with super effective damage and thus allowing them to more easily keep hazards off the field. Among these include Iron Treads and Excadrill, which also boast a Steel-type that greatly threatens Diancie.

for all listed examples, provide 3 per bullet point, this applies to strategy and c&c too. only exception rly would be steel types as that alrdy has 3 mons

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.300000
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.400000

QC 2/2. There's a few glaring GP issues but I'm too tired to correct them so sorry not sorry to whoever GPs this.

Thanks for feedback.

Implemented everything, added extra paragraph on faster mons and added extra mons as examples in relevant sections.

Onto GP Team

 

[SolarBeam]

1/1, GP Team done

it and magearna are paradoxes. think about it

blue = add
red = remove
(orange) = comment

**Draft order Order**: Round 5 onwards

**Price range Range**: 8-10 points

**Overview**: Diancie's stat spread lends it to being primarily a defensive Pokemon, boasting high defenses alongside a typing that grants it some key resistances. This combos well with its (RA) support movepool, allowing it to assume a plethora of roles. However, it also has decent attacking stats, granting it the ability to go be offensive, using its (RA) great STABs STAB moves, useful coverage, (AC) and a range of setup moves to enable it itself. On the flipside flip side, Diancie has several shortcomings, such as its typing having several common weaknesses, with Steel-types in particular being extremely dangerous for it. In addition, it has low HP and Speed stats, both of which can potentially compromise its offensive and defensive capabilities.


[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Entry Hazard Setter**: Diancie gets access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes, meaning it can attempt to stack as many hazards as possible. This set aims to either stack hazards at the start of a game to immediately pressure the opposing team or to use its numerous switch in opportunities to lay set hazards gradually over the course of a game.

**Bulky support Support**: Dipping into its support movepool, Diancie has numerous ways to enable its teammates, such as Baton Pass, Encore, (AC) and dual screens. Leaning into By maxing out its bulk, it can hit the field multiple times so it can to continue to support throughout the match.

**Setup sweeper Sweeper**: Diancie has access to numerous setup moves. Rock Polish or and Trick Room offer speed control, Calm Mind boosts Diancie's offenses offense (not offenses since it's only SpA) to more threatening levels, (AC) and Iron Defense or and Diamond Storm pairs pair well with Body Press to create a defensive and offensive threat. Since its offensives offenses are not world-breaking (AH), it needs support to weaken the opposing team if it intends to attempt a sweep.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves Moves**: Diamond Storm, Power Gem, Meteor Beam, Moonblast, Draining Kiss, Play Rough

**Setup moves Moves**: Rock Polish, Calm Mind, Iron Defense

**Utility moves Moves**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Encore, Light Screen, Reflect, Baton Pass, Trick Room, Rock Tomb, Bulldoze

**Coverage**: Earth Power, Flash Cannon, Psyshock, Psychic, Body Press, Gyro Ball, Tera Blast

Niche Moves
========
**Scorching Sands**: An Scorching Sands is an alternate option to Earth Power which that is slightly weaker but allows Diancie to potentially spread burn burns 30% of the time (dex info). This should be used solely on support sets, (AC) as offensive sets need as much power available as possible.

**Stored Power**: Some sets focus on Diancie attempting to acquire as many stat boosts as possible. This strategy pairs perfectly with Stored Power, becoming making it ridiculously strong under these conditions.

**Endeavor**: Diancie's defensive stat spread often means it will be knocked down to low HP, powering up Endeavor and allowing it to bypass its potentially normally lackluster offenses to deal massive damage to the opponent foe. When paired with Endure, Diancie can potentially knock down opponents foes to just 1 (added space) HP.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Diancie has no reliable recovery outside of Rest and Draining Kiss, meaning Leftovers are is an invaluable item for it. This can be paired with Protect to extract as much use out of it Leftovers as possible.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Being vulnerable to all entry hazards except Sticky Web (irrelevant to getting worn down), Diancie can find itself worn down easily. Heavy-Duty Boots sacrifices passive recovery to allow Diancie to switch in and out more frequently throughout a game, as well as avoid the potentially game-ending (AH) Toxic Spikes.

**Sitrus Berry**: In situations where Diancie will be taking big hits, Sitrus Berry can provide a burst of health recovery, putting its health above the threshold needed for the opponent foe to KO them it and granting Diancie more turns on the field.

Niche Items
========
**Resist berries Resistance Berries**: Diancie has a few weaknesses to common types, allowing opponents foes to easily slot in coverage moves to break it down. Resist berries Resistance Berries such as Babiri and Shuca berries Berry can allow Diancie to survive a potential KO from these attacks.

**Air Balloon**: Ground-type moves are common in the format, and being weak to them means Diancie appreciates the support of an Air Balloon, providing it a potential free switch vs against said moves with the added benefit of avoiding Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

**Light Clay**: Used solely on sets that focus on setting Light Screen and/or Reflect dual screens, Light Clay will extend the duration of these moves, granting its teammates more time to abuse take advantage of (abuse is not a permitted analysis term) them.

**Power Herb**: This should be used on sets using the move Meteor Beam, allowing Diancie to bypass its charging turn and use the full benefit of a single turn Meteor Beam (filler).

**Custap Berry**: In a similar vein with to Endeavor, Diancie often being knocked down to low health can enable Custap Berry, allowing Diancie it to bypass its low speed Speed to fire off an attack or support move in a pinch. This can also be paired with Endure to ensure it activates safely.

Tera
========
Although Diancie shouldn't be considered for your main Tera Captain, it makes for an excellent backup Tera Captain. Diancie will primarily be using Tera to allow itself to setup set up more easily using one or more of its many setup moves, (AC) using Tera types such as Fairy-, Water- and Steel-types Tera Fairy, Water, and Steel for this purpose. Also, offensive sets can also take advantage of powerful coverage options provided by Tera, with Tera types such as Fire- and Ground-type Tera Fire and Ground able to grant Diancie options to bypass Steel-types. Finally, Tera Fighting can give Diancie a STAB boost on Body Press, making it a perfect candidate for an Iron Defense set.

Draft Strategy
========
Diancie is not a Pokemon you center a draft around. Instead, it should be drafted with the aim of supporting other Pokemon with its vast array of utility moves, whether that be with entry hazards, dual screens, or something other else. There are many different Pokemon that work in tandem with Diancie's support, which can also work to support it in the process.

**Wallbreakers / (added spaces) Cleaners**: Thanks to the numerous entry hazards Diancie can set up, it is able to support dangerous wallbreakers and cleaners that have their switch-ins (AH) constantly chipped down throughout the game. Additionally, Diancie can also provide be a slow pivot thanks to its low speed Speed and access to Baton Pass, allowing it to bring teammates in safely. Wallbreakers such as Palafin and frail cleaners such as Iron Valiant and Weavile benefit greatly from this kind of support.

**Setup sweepers Sweepers**: Diancie can provide multiple opportunities for teammates to safely switch in and start setting up, whether it's by using Encore or setting up dual screens. This can allow Diancie it to create potential endgame scenarios when paired with the right teammates. Setup sweepers such as Baxcalibur, Dragonite, (AC) and or Volcarona become extremely dangerous when given free turns thanks to Diancie.

**Steel-type answers Answers**: Steel-types are the absolute best answer to Diancie, and as such, it benefits well alongside from teammates that can KO Steel-types for it as well as sponge their attacks. Fire-types such as Cinderace or and Skeledirge and Ground-types such as Garchomp are able to take on Steel-types offensively and threaten them with powerful super effective STAB attacks, reducing the number of threats Diancie has to deal with.

**Naturally faster teammates Faster Teammates**: Diancie is naturally slow, and thus it is reliant on a turn to set itself up if running some form of speed control such as Rock Polish. A way to offset this reliance on applying offensive pressure (said it was reliant on setup, also don't need to specify again) is to pair Diancie with naturally faster teammates that can take over for it in a pinch. Pokemon such as Meowscarada, Greninja, (AC) and Cinderace are examples of naturally fast Pokemon that can work in this role.

Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types Steel-type Pokemon and coverage Coverage**: Diancie suffers from a nasty x4 4x weakness to Steel-type moves Steel, meaning not only do Steel-types themselves have a major advantage over it, but many Pokemon can run Steel-type coverage moves to lure it and score a surprise KO. Scizor and Metagross are prime examples of bulky Steel-types that can take Diancie's attacks and can also threaten it with Bullet Punch in return. Additionally, Pokemon that Diancie may usually check such as Urshifu-SS can run moves like Iron Head to lure Diancie and render it useless.

**Residual damage Damage**: Lacking reliable recovery means Diancie is prone to being worn down throughout a game, notably through passive damage, and it cannot run every item it wants to try and compensate for them this. Simply switching into attacks all game will add rack up damage, especially if lacking leftovers Leftovers, leaving Diancie prone to being KO'd KOed more easily the longer a game goes on.

**Bulky walls Walls**: Although Diancie has some nice offensive traits, it lacks initial power to break through some of the bulker bulkier Pokemon in the format ("in the format" is implied). As such, Pokemon that can take Diancie's attacks and wall it make for good counters that can wear it down and take advantage of its lack of reliable recovery. Bulky Pokemon such as Skarmory, Gholdengo, (AC) and Vaporeon can sponge Diancie's attacks, heal themselves, (AC) and threaten Diancie with their attacks in return.

**Entry Hazard removers Removers**: Whilst While simply removing hazards doesn't hurt Diancie directly, it is worth noting that Diancie has a poor matchup vs against most of the Rapid Spin users in the format spinners, many of which are Ground-, Water- and Grass-type whose Grass-types with STAB attacks that threaten Diancie with super effective damage and thus allowing allow them to more easily keep hazards off the field. Among these These include Iron Treads, Forretress, (AC) and Excadrill, which also boast a Steel-type Steel typing that greatly threatens Diancie.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/

 

[Deranged_Lime]

1/1, GP Team done

it and magearna are paradoxes. think about it

blue = add
red = remove
(orange) = comment

**Draft order Order**: Round 5 onwards

**Price range Range**: 8-10 points

**Overview**: Diancie's stat spread lends it to being primarily a defensive Pokemon, boasting high defenses alongside a typing that grants it some key resistances. This combos well with its (RA) support movepool, allowing it to assume a plethora of roles. However, it also has decent attacking stats, granting it the ability to go be offensive, using its (RA) great STABs STAB moves, useful coverage, (AC) and a range of setup moves to enable it itself. On the flipside flip side, Diancie has several shortcomings, such as its typing having several common weaknesses, with Steel-types in particular being extremely dangerous for it. In addition, it has low HP and Speed stats, both of which can potentially compromise its offensive and defensive capabilities.


[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Entry Hazard Setter**: Diancie gets access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes, meaning it can attempt to stack as many hazards as possible. This set aims to either stack hazards at the start of a game to immediately pressure the opposing team or to use its numerous switch in opportunities to lay set hazards gradually over the course of a game.

**Bulky support Support**: Dipping into its support movepool, Diancie has numerous ways to enable its teammates, such as Baton Pass, Encore, (AC) and dual screens. Leaning into By maxing out its bulk, it can hit the field multiple times so it can to continue to support throughout the match.

**Setup sweeper Sweeper**: Diancie has access to numerous setup moves. Rock Polish or and Trick Room offer speed control, Calm Mind boosts Diancie's offenses offense (not offenses since it's only SpA) to more threatening levels, (AC) and Iron Defense or and Diamond Storm pairs pair well with Body Press to create a defensive and offensive threat. Since its offensives offenses are not world-breaking (AH), it needs support to weaken the opposing team if it intends to attempt a sweep.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves Moves**: Diamond Storm, Power Gem, Meteor Beam, Moonblast, Draining Kiss, Play Rough

**Setup moves Moves**: Rock Polish, Calm Mind, Iron Defense

**Utility moves Moves**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Encore, Light Screen, Reflect, Baton Pass, Trick Room, Rock Tomb, Bulldoze

**Coverage**: Earth Power, Flash Cannon, Psyshock, Psychic, Body Press, Gyro Ball, Tera Blast

Niche Moves
========
**Scorching Sands**: An Scorching Sands is an alternate option to Earth Power which that is slightly weaker but allows Diancie to potentially spread burn burns 30% of the time (dex info). This should be used solely on support sets, (AC) as offensive sets need as much power available as possible.

**Stored Power**: Some sets focus on Diancie attempting to acquire as many stat boosts as possible. This strategy pairs perfectly with Stored Power, becoming making it ridiculously strong under these conditions.

**Endeavor**: Diancie's defensive stat spread often means it will be knocked down to low HP, powering up Endeavor and allowing it to bypass its potentially normally lackluster offenses to deal massive damage to the opponent foe. When paired with Endure, Diancie can potentially knock down opponents foes to just 1 (added space) HP.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Diancie has no reliable recovery outside of Rest and Draining Kiss, meaning Leftovers are is an invaluable item for it. This can be paired with Protect to extract as much use out of it Leftovers as possible.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Being vulnerable to all entry hazards except Sticky Web (irrelevant to getting worn down), Diancie can find itself worn down easily. Heavy-Duty Boots sacrifices passive recovery to allow Diancie to switch in and out more frequently throughout a game, as well as avoid the potentially game-ending (AH) Toxic Spikes.

**Sitrus Berry**: In situations where Diancie will be taking big hits, Sitrus Berry can provide a burst of health recovery, putting its health above the threshold needed for the opponent foe to KO them it and granting Diancie more turns on the field.

Niche Items
========
**Resist berries Resistance Berries**: Diancie has a few weaknesses to common types, allowing opponents foes to easily slot in coverage moves to break it down. Resist berries Resistance Berries such as Babiri and Shuca berries Berry can allow Diancie to survive a potential KO from these attacks.

**Air Balloon**: Ground-type moves are common in the format, and being weak to them means Diancie appreciates the support of an Air Balloon, providing it a potential free switch vs against said moves with the added benefit of avoiding Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

**Light Clay**: Used solely on sets that focus on setting Light Screen and/or Reflect dual screens, Light Clay will extend the duration of these moves, granting its teammates more time to abuse take advantage of (abuse is not a permitted analysis term) them.

**Power Herb**: This should be used on sets using the move Meteor Beam, allowing Diancie to bypass its charging turn and use the full benefit of a single turn Meteor Beam (filler).

**Custap Berry**: In a similar vein with to Endeavor, Diancie often being knocked down to low health can enable Custap Berry, allowing Diancie it to bypass its low speed Speed to fire off an attack or support move in a pinch. This can also be paired with Endure to ensure it activates safely.

Tera
========
Although Diancie shouldn't be considered for your main Tera Captain, it makes for an excellent backup Tera Captain. Diancie will primarily be using Tera to allow itself to setup set up more easily using one or more of its many setup moves, (AC) using Tera types such as Fairy-, Water- and Steel-types Tera Fairy, Water, and Steel for this purpose. Also, offensive sets can also take advantage of powerful coverage options provided by Tera, with Tera types such as Fire- and Ground-type Tera Fire and Ground able to grant Diancie options to bypass Steel-types. Finally, Tera Fighting can give Diancie a STAB boost on Body Press, making it a perfect candidate for an Iron Defense set.

Draft Strategy
========
Diancie is not a Pokemon you center a draft around. Instead, it should be drafted with the aim of supporting other Pokemon with its vast array of utility moves, whether that be with entry hazards, dual screens, or something other else. There are many different Pokemon that work in tandem with Diancie's support, which can also work to support it in the process.

**Wallbreakers / (added spaces) Cleaners**: Thanks to the numerous entry hazards Diancie can set up, it is able to support dangerous wallbreakers and cleaners that have their switch-ins (AH) constantly chipped down throughout the game. Additionally, Diancie can also provide be a slow pivot thanks to its low speed Speed and access to Baton Pass, allowing it to bring teammates in safely. Wallbreakers such as Palafin and frail cleaners such as Iron Valiant and Weavile benefit greatly from this kind of support.

**Setup sweepers Sweepers**: Diancie can provide multiple opportunities for teammates to safely switch in and start setting up, whether it's by using Encore or setting up dual screens. This can allow Diancie it to create potential endgame scenarios when paired with the right teammates. Setup sweepers such as Baxcalibur, Dragonite, (AC) and or Volcarona become extremely dangerous when given free turns thanks to Diancie.

**Steel-type answers Answers**: Steel-types are the absolute best answer to Diancie, and as such, it benefits well alongside from teammates that can KO Steel-types for it as well as sponge their attacks. Fire-types such as Cinderace or and Skeledirge and Ground-types such as Garchomp are able to take on Steel-types offensively and threaten them with powerful super effective STAB attacks, reducing the number of threats Diancie has to deal with.

**Naturally faster teammates Faster Teammates**: Diancie is naturally slow, and thus it is reliant on a turn to set itself up if running some form of speed control such as Rock Polish. A way to offset this reliance on applying offensive pressure (said it was reliant on setup, also don't need to specify again) is to pair Diancie with naturally faster teammates that can take over for it in a pinch. Pokemon such as Meowscarada, Greninja, (AC) and Cinderace are examples of naturally fast Pokemon that can work in this role.

Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types Steel-type Pokemon and coverage Coverage**: Diancie suffers from a nasty x4 4x weakness to Steel-type moves Steel, meaning not only do Steel-types themselves have a major advantage over it, but many Pokemon can run Steel-type coverage moves to lure it and score a surprise KO. Scizor and Metagross are prime examples of bulky Steel-types that can take Diancie's attacks and can also threaten it with Bullet Punch in return. Additionally, Pokemon that Diancie may usually check such as Urshifu-SS can run moves like Iron Head to lure Diancie and render it useless.

**Residual damage Damage**: Lacking reliable recovery means Diancie is prone to being worn down throughout a game, notably through passive damage, and it cannot run every item it wants to try and compensate for them this. Simply switching into attacks all game will add rack up damage, especially if lacking leftovers Leftovers, leaving Diancie prone to being KO'd KOed more easily the longer a game goes on.

**Bulky walls Walls**: Although Diancie has some nice offensive traits, it lacks initial power to break through some of the bulker bulkier Pokemon in the format ("in the format" is implied). As such, Pokemon that can take Diancie's attacks and wall it make for good counters that can wear it down and take advantage of its lack of reliable recovery. Bulky Pokemon such as Skarmory, Gholdengo, (AC) and Vaporeon can sponge Diancie's attacks, heal themselves, (AC) and threaten Diancie with their attacks in return.

**Entry Hazard removers Removers**: Whilst While simply removing hazards doesn't hurt Diancie directly, it is worth noting that Diancie has a poor matchup vs against most of the Rapid Spin users in the format spinners, many of which are Ground-, Water- and Grass-type whose Grass-types with STAB attacks that threaten Diancie with super effective damage and thus allowing allow them to more easily keep hazards off the field. Among these These include Iron Treads, Forretress, (AC) and Excadrill, which also boast a Steel-type Steel typing that greatly threatens Diancie.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/

Thank you for the feedback, all implemented!

 

[Theia]

Uploaded, thank you!

https://www.smogon.com/dex/sv/pokemon/diancie/draft/