[OVERVIEW]
Dodrio is one of the best and most poweful wallbreakers in the tier. With a staggering 110 Attack along with STAB Body Slam and Hyper Beam putting it on par with Snorlax in terms of raw power. Scant few can take more than one or two hits from Dodrio without buckling under pressure. Dodrio's 100 base Speed is quite fast, notably tying with Tentacruel and Raichu and outspeeding Haunter and Kangaskhan, which its bulkier counterpart with more coverage options, Kangaskhan, fails to do. Dodrio also has a strong STAB Drill Peck, which allows it to 2HKO Haunter and Grass-types. Dodrio's good Speed stat also gives it a 19.53% crit rate, which can allow it to make its way out of even the most dire of situations, with nearly the entire tier crumbling to a crit Hyper Beam. Its typing also gives it immunities to Earthquake and Body Slam paralysis.
However not all is well for our feathered friend, Dodrio's defenses are extremely poor, making it take heavy damage from even neutral hits. Its typing also gives it weaknesses to common Electric- and Ice-type coverage, being OHKOed by Articuno and Dewgong's Blizzard, and 2HKOed by all other relevant Electric- and Ice-type coverage. Dodrio also lacks any sort of coverage, leaving it stonewalled by Rock-types such as Golem and Omastar. As a result, Dodrio finds it hard to hit the field safely, needing to come in on a smart double or as a revenge killer. Dodrio also has competition with Kangaskhan, as many teams can only fit one of the two. Kangaskhan is much physically bulkier, isn't weak to common Electric- and Ice-type coverage, and has access to Earthquake and Rock Slide as important coverage options, which lets it 3HKO Rock-types and 2HKO Articuno respectively, which Dodrio fails to do.
[SET]
name: Slot Machine
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Drill Peck
move 4: Agility
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Body Slam is Dodrio's best no drawback STAB move, doing good damage to nearly all foes and putting them into KO range of Hyper Beam. Body Slam's paralysis chance can also let Dodrio win against foes it may otherwise lose against, such as Electabuzz and Gyarados. Hyper Beam is an amazing finisher and can KO foes with even slight chip on them. It also outright OHKOes Kadabra and is favored to OHKO Dugtrio. A crit Hyper Beam demolishes nearly the entirety of the tier, with very few not being OHKOed by it. Drill Peck 2HKOes Haunter and Grass-types, and can also scout for Counter on Kangaskhan. Agility lets Dodrio ignore the speed drop from paralysis and outspeed the entire tier in a single turn, which lets it KO something and then heavily chip the incoming revenge killer with Hyper Beam.
Dodrio requires support to be able to deal with Articuno and Dewgong, Water-types such as Dewgong and Tentacruel make good partners to Dodrio as they can switch into Articuno's Blizzard. Dodrio also requires support to deal with Rock-types, Gyarados
Dodrio can be used in three different positions in a team; lead, midgame progress maker, and lategame sweeper. Dodrio in lead acts as an immediatly threatening battering ram that attempts to mow down opposing leads with its strong STAB and high crit rate. Lead Dodrio fits on hyper offensive teams that want to be immediatly threatening right out the gate. It OHKOes lead Kadabra with Hyper Beam, and it can break through other common leads with its high crit rate and strong STAB. Lead Dodrio faces issues into lead Clefable, Electabuzz, and Dragonite, being 2HKOed by all of them, Clefable and Dragonite also tank two Body Slam's from Dodrio before being put into Hyper Beam range, with Dragonite even being favored to live a crit Hyper Beam from full health. Electabuzz can be KOed if it gets paralyzed by Body Slam, you can also immediatly switch to a Ground-type such as Dugtrio or Golem, although Dugtrio fears Body Slam.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Double-Edge can be used in place of Body Slam as it is a fair bit stronger than Body Slam. Although it is generally not preferred over Body Slam as it cannot paralyze foes, and the recoil can quickly put Dodrio into KO range of many attacks, such as Tentacruel's Blizzard. Substitute can be used in place of Agility as it can be set up as the opponent sacks a Pokemon to Dodrio. Although it is generally not preferred over Agility as the lack of any way to ignore the speed drop from paralysis makes Dodrio much more prone to being revenge killed.
Checks and Counters
===================
Rock-types: Rock-types such as Golem and Omastar completely stonewall Dodrio and 2HKO it in return.
Ice-types: Articuno and Dewgong both OHKO Dodrio with STAB Blizzard, with Articuno even being favored to live a crit Hyper Beam from full health. Ice-type coverage from the likes of Tentacruel, Gyarados, and Omastar also 2HKOes Dodrio.
Electric-types: Electric-types such as Electabuzz, Electrode, and Raichu 2HKO Dodrio with Thunderbolt, with the former two outspeeding it and the latter tying it. Although they fear paralysis from Body Slam and are all KOed by Body Slam into Hyper Beam.
Dragonite: Dragonite takes Body Slam and Drill Peck very well at full health, unless Dodrio lands a critical hit, and can then paralyze it with Thunder Wave and 2HKO it with Blizzard.
Clefable: Although by no means is Clefable a good check to Dodrio, as it fears getting crit, it tanks hits from Dodrio decently well at full health and 2HKOes it with Blizzard.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/notverycake.625260/
Quality checked by:
Grammer checked by:
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