Donphan

[elchupo]

I run Donphan as a spinner/ tank, and it is amazing awesome at taking physical hits. It also is my #1 counter to sandstorm teams since it checks so much, like TTar and Dory, while then can do next to nothing back.

However, I have a question about EV'ing it. I want it to be able to take physical hits as best it can, but still have great attack. I run 252Atk Adamant and I don't see that changing, but whats the optimum spread for HP/ Def since I want to heal as much with leftovers each turn. Currently I run 0HP/ 252Def.

 

[UnhandledException]

Always use max out Donphan's HP if you want to take advantage of its defenses. Donphan's HP when maxed out is divisible by 16 which makes it a perfect Lefties number.

 

[Juice!]

I run Donphan as a spinner/ tank, and it is amazing awesome at taking physical hits. It also is my #1 counter to sandstorm teams since it checks so much, like TTar and Dory, while then can do next to nothing back.

However, I have a question about EV'ing it. I want it to be able to take physical hits as best it can, but still have great attack. I run 252Atk Adamant and I don't see that changing, but whats the optimum spread for HP/ Def since I want to heal as much with leftovers each turn. Currently I run 0HP/ 252Def.

I'm personally testing out Donphan myself at the moment, as on the new team I'm trying out I needed a bulky spinner that could also lay Stealth Rock.

I'm running a somwhat funky spread, but I really like it.

Donphan @ Leftovers
Nature: Impish
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/252 Atk/4 Spe
-Earthquake
-Rapid Spin
-Stealth Rock
-Stone Edge/Ice Shard

With an Impish nature and 0 EV investment, Donphan still reaches 303 defense. 252 in HP is a given, and with 252 in attack, I still reach 339 attack without a boosting nature. I put the last 4 in speed just to beat other base 50s that don't invest, but this could just as easily go into defense. My biggest toss up is the last move. Ice Shard is sweet to nail stuff like Salamence or Garchomp that just KO'd something of mine and are locked into Outrage. But Stone Edge is much stronger against fliers in general, but the accuracy is gross.

 

[supermarth64]

Donphan should always have 252 HP to maximize its defenses. The question remains as to put the other 252 EVs: Attack or Defense.

As for the spread in the above post, it's inefficient. 252 HP / 132 Atk / 108 Def / 4 Spe with an Adamant nature gives the same EV spread except with 12 extra EVs leftover.

 

[Juice!]

Donphan should always have 252 HP to maximize its defenses. The question remains as to put the other 252 EVs: Attack or Defense.

As for the spread in the above post, it's inefficient. 252 HP / 132 Atk / 108 Def / 4 Spe with an Adamant nature gives the same EV spread except with 12 extra EVs leftover.

Shit, I never even saw that before. Thank you! ;D
Now to decide whether or not to put them in attack or defense.

 

[mamoswineFTW]

Donphan has been my lead since I first started 5th gen attling. Custap-Sturday means that I always get a chance to put up rocks, spin if needed and/or do damage. That and Pory2 @ Evo Stone have been constant in all of my teams.

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

I have been testing an anti-anti-lead Donphan, for quite some time. Paired with Xatu or Espeon support, it knocks other anti-leads out of the park.

Donphan @ Earth Jewel
Ability: Sturdy
Evs: 252 HP 252 Attack 6 Defense
-earthquake
-ice shard
-stone edge/rock slide
-seed bomb

The main idea of the set is to pound hard with earthquake STABed and the ground jewel boosted, and kill off anything without a focus sash, and if they do have it then all I have to do is ice shard. If they try to hit me even with a powerful special attack I will always survive with 1HP, to live a turn and hit them with earthquake. This comes at the exception of leads that actually set up, becuase then all you do is switch into Espeon or Xatu, and bounce rock spikes or even taunts back at them. Ground offers amazing coverage, with only grass and bug resisting and flying and levitating immune. And grass types are seldom leads and, if they are they are usually poison to. As with bug types like scizor with its secondary steel typing. And flying types can be delt with with stone edge or rock slide. Stone edge is poweful, but its dam annoying to miss a hit and then die, thats why rock slide is an option. Seed bomb is mostly filler, possibly hitting water types harder.

It is not without its problems though. Donphan must switch out on multi-hit attackers, and can do nothing to things with levitate or possibly baloon. Also if they predict earthquake and switch into lets say tangrowth, earth jewel is used and Donphan has no item. If you are forced with switch Donphan too it rarely works into your team acting as a deadweight.

The evs and nature are pretty straight forward. Maximize attack to hit hard then HP to possibly take any hits. Remember sturdy is there only for special attackers, Donphan can still tank is needed.

I have also been considering soft sand here as an item, but you do lose important power. But then again you still have an item afterwards to increase attack a bit.

Looking for some constructive critism here.

 

[-Terywj-]

Looks pretty solid IMO. Breloom causes issues, as you stated but you wouldn't be staying in on Breloom nonetheless.

 

[IcyMan28]

Basically the standard offensive Donphan with an Earth Jewel. Anti-leads aren't good this gen thanks to team preview, so you can imagine an Anti-Anti-Lead. I'd probably just slap on Leftovers and use it as a sturdy tank throughout the match.

 

[Sajak]

A Lum Berry or Leftovers would be much better options really.

 

[doughboy]

Well this is certainly a big bump, but I think the discussion is relevant because of Donphan's introduction into OU. Right now, Donphan is used just as much as Blissey in OU, which is pretty remarkable coming out of UU. I don't think Donphan is used on sun teams exclusively and when I tried him out on a non-sun team he did have excellent results. So I was wondering how well everyone else's experiences with Donphan are in OU.

IMO this is Donphan's best set and spread:

Donphan (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Atk / 176 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Ice Shard
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock

What makes the alternative spread so much better compared to the 252 atk/def ones? Well it has to do with being able to take very well hits while actually having the presence to force something out or to kill something. Ice Shard makes a great secondary check to Dragons/Ladorus for teams. With this spread Landorus takes 60% from Ice Shard! It has a great fit for decent priority to defensive/stall teams. In my experience Donphan makes a decent check to Volt Turn teams too. It's risky, but if there is an obvious Volt Switch from Choiced Rotom you can bring Donphan in to spin away the rocks or set up Stealth Rock of your own. Removing SR on your own side makes it extremely difficult for Volt-Turn to wear you down, while SR on their side will stop there switching shenagians. Being able to smack Landorus and Scizor with EQ respectively puts the icing on the cake.

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

I have been testing an anti-anti-lead Donphan, for quite some time. Paired with Xatu or Espeon support, it knocks other anti-leads out of the park.

Donphan @ Earth Jewel
Ability: Sturdy
Evs: 252 HP 252 Attack 6 Defense
-earthquake
-ice shard
-stone edge/rock slide
-seed bomb

The main idea of the set is to pound hard with earthquake STABed and the ground jewel boosted, and kill off anything without a focus sash, and if they do have it then all I have to do is ice shard. If they try to hit me even with a powerful special attack I will always survive with 1HP, to live a turn and hit them with earthquake. This comes at the exception of leads that actually set up, becuase then all you do is switch into Espeon or Xatu, and bounce rock spikes or even taunts back at them. Ground offers amazing coverage, with only grass and bug resisting and flying and levitating immune. And grass types are seldom leads and, if they are they are usually poison to. As with bug types like scizor with its secondary steel typing. And flying types can be delt with with stone edge or rock slide. Stone edge is poweful, but its dam annoying to miss a hit and then die, thats why rock slide is an option. Seed bomb is mostly filler, possibly hitting water types harder.

It is not without its problems though. Donphan must switch out on multi-hit attackers, and can do nothing to things with levitate or possibly baloon. Also if they predict earthquake and switch into lets say tangrowth, earth jewel is used and Donphan has no item. If you are forced with switch Donphan too it rarely works into your team acting as a deadweight.

The evs and nature are pretty straight forward. Maximize attack to hit hard then HP to possibly take any hits. Remember sturdy is there only for special attackers, Donphan can still tank is needed.

I have also been considering soft sand here as an item, but you do lose important power. But then again you still have an item afterwards to increase attack a bit.

Looking for some constructive critism here.

Sigh, those were the days.

Recently I played with the offensive rapid spin version on Donphan, fire fang in Godly in this metagame for a spinner, 2HKOing Ferrothorn is nothing to turn your nose down to. But you need something with poison typing or else you just lose to toxic spikes teams.

 

[malomyotismon]

Sigh, those were the days.

Recently I played with the offensive rapid spin version on Donphan, fire fang in Godly in this metagame for a spinner, 2HKOing Ferrothorn is nothing to turn your nose down to. But you need something with poison typing or else you just lose to toxic spikes teams.

Good thing sun teams have got venasaur.

 

[alphatron]

I honestly do not like using this guy to lay down SR and rapid spin at the same time. I think he does a better job simply by trying to do one or the other, rather than wasting two moveslots.

For one thing, donphan definitely needs earthquake and ice shard. Sun boosted fire fang isn't bad either, and he would also appreciate stone edge (stone edge is needed if you ever want donphan to take care of incoming gengar switch ins) for taking care of volcorona and healthy dragons that would live through ice shard.

 

[Pocket]

Yea, STAB EQ + a weak Ice Shard is not enough offense for my taste. I usually sacrifice Ice Shard for Stone Edge, b/c I want to hurt stuff. If Donphan really wants to do a good job at Rapid Spinning, it should be packing Odor Sleuth, which sets Donphan apart from other common defensive Rapid Spinners like Tentacruel and Forretress.

 

[Zacchaeus]

I don't think Donphan can perform well in OU. And if you aren't using Donphan for Rapid Spin, it's certainly outclassed as far as I'm concerned. There are plenty of bulky Stealth Rock users and Donphan is one of the slower ones too. No STAB Ice Shard is really underwhelming unless it's 4x effective. It's only other notable move is Seed Bomb but seeing as Wood Hammer Sudowoodo is probably more effective in that department, (and that's pretty sad,) I'll pass

 

[alexwolf]

Imo Rapid Spin + 3 attacks, or Rapid Spin + 2 attacks + Odor Sleught is the way to go!

The best 3 atacks would be EQ, Fire Fang and Ice Shard imo, since in Sun, Offensive Rapid Spin Donphan 2hkoes Gengar with Fire Fang and Ice Shard after SR. Even outside of Sun you do ~45% to Gengar with Fire Fang, which is a 2hko after SR and SS damage (if sun isn't up then sandstorm is right? if rain is up you can't do shit anyway since Fire Fang is JUST Fang). And in the case of SubDisable Gengar, Ice Shard always breaks his Subs, so he cannot avoid getting killed. Stone Edge is not really needed imo since Donphan should never be expected to take Volcarona anyway and Ice Shard is just fine anyway. Not to mention it's shaky accuracy.

Finally Odor Sleught is your only option to get past Jellicent no mater what offensive moves you use.

 

[alphatron]

Jellicient is faster than you though. I'd rather use foresight hitmontop for that purpose.

 

[Drifloon]

What I still don't understand is why people use ice shard. It's ridiculously weak, and without stab, you're really not hurting anything. Payback is a better option, or even stone edge, imo. Payback lets you hit frailer ghosts like Gengar while stone edge hurts dragon/flying types harder than ice shard. Roar is also a cool option but not sure if you want to use it without a recovery move.

 

[alexwolf]

@ Alphatron

You are slower, but what metters is that you can get the spin off, and Jellicent won't be killing you anytime soon with sun-weakened Scalds. Even if your Donphan gets burned in the proccess, it did his job. You, out of all people, know how important getting SR off the field is for Sun teams.

@ Drifloon

The main reason is Dragonite and Landorus, which are both great enemies of Sun teams. And generally having super effective priority for dragons is invaluable for Sun teams. Stone Edge and Fire Fang in the sun hit Gengar for the same amount of damage on the switch anyway, and then you can finish him off with Ice Shard. Againt Jellicent, EQ is stronger on the switch, and you won't get a 200 BP Payback against it, because it will burn you first.

 

[NoUserName]

Ice Shard is for priority against Dragons or Chlorophyll 'mons/Landorus, specially for Multiscale Dragonite and specially for to hit something before dying.

I haven't tested Odor Sleuth but I think it's a poor choice in OU, because Jellicent is going to Scald or WoW you while you are Spinning the hazards, since Donphan cannot heal itself bar Rest which is a bad option if you don't have a cleric.

I'd rather use Toxic for to catch Jellicent in the switch and cripple it.

Edit: I am talking about Odor Sleuth Donphan in a non-Sun team.

I think in these teams Blastoise or Starmie could be better in this role. I tested Blastoise in Hail and Sunny teams and it is a boss.
It can protect the team against Drizzle boosted Water moves, even it heals itself with Rain Dish and Roars away boosters and Toxics 'mons.