Gen 8 drapion [QC 1/2]

[OVERVIEW]

Drapion faces intense competition from the tier's diverse Dark-types; it is weaker offensively compared to Incineroar, Pangoro, and Sharpedo, while defensively, it pales in comparison to Umbreon and Guzzlord. Still, it manages to carve out a niche for itself due to its unique combination of defensive and offensive utility. Firstly, its useful defensive typing grants it key resistances to Grass, Psychic, and Ghost, making it a decent check to dangerous Pokemon like Roserade, Dhelmise, and Reuniclus, as well as granting it a spammable STAB move in Knock Off. Although Drapion's mediocre stats leave something to be desired, it can remedy its unimpressive Attack stat with Swords Dance and the setup opportunities that its typing grants it. Finally, its higher-than-average speed tier lets it outspeed common tier staples like Togekiss, Lucario, and Xurkitree, differentiating it from the slow, tankier Dark-types like Incineroar and Guzzlord. However, Drapion can overextend itself if it tries to check Pokemon like Roserade too often throughout a match due to its lacking defenses and vulnerability to hazards, making it a soft check at best. Even when boosted, it struggles to reach important KOs such as Crobat and Flygon without chip. Overall, Drapion is like the jack of all trades of RU's Dark-types; on one hand, it can do every job decently well but will never excel in a single area, unlike its competition.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Poison Jab
move 4: Earthquake
item: Shuca Berry
ability: Battle Armor
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Earthquake is used to hit Steel- and Rock-types like Registeel, Steelix, and Diancie. Alternatively, Aqua Tail maintains coverage on Diancie and Steelix and OHKOes Rhyperior at +2 after some chip, but it misses out on Steel-types. Shuca Berry is used to consistently beat Steelix and prevent Flygon from revenge killing Drapion, and Battle Armor is preferred because Swords Dance Drapion tends to take hits while setting up.

Drapion can complement other wallbreakers such as Choice Band Metagross and Nidoqueen by weakening common checks like Steelix and Milotic. Shuca Berry Drapion should be paired with Pokemon like Choice Scarf Tyrantrum and Xurkitree that appreciate Drapion luring Ground-types. Pivots such as Flygon and Milotic allow Drapion to take advantage of Pokemon like Togekiss and Roserade to set up. Cleaners such as Mimikyu and Sharpedo can take advantage of Drapion weakening or removing bulky Pokemon like Steelix and Milotic.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Choice Band is a functional set on Drapion, as it sports a decent speed tier and a powerful and spammable STAB move in Knock Off, helping remove items while wallbreaking effectively. However, its mediocre attack stat of 95 can only carry it so much. Sniper can be used over Battle Armor with little consequence, though its activation is less likely to be relevant than Battle Armor on a Pokemon that requires setup. Other items, such as Lum Berry and Black Sludge can be used, but the lack of Shuca Berry makes Drapion's matchup against Ground-types quite iffy.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Physically bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon like Bewear and Guzzlord can take any attack from Drapion and heavily damage it back. Levitate Weezing Galar can comfortably tank Poison Jab and cripple it with Will-o-Wisp, and even Neutralizing Gas variants can take Earthquake if healthy. Rhyperior can check Drapion even through Shuca Berry unless it runs Aqua Tail.

**Special Attackers**: Drapion's underwhelming Special Defense makes it vulnerable to neutral Special Attacks from the likes of Choice Scarf Gardevoir, Life Orb Starmie, and Noivern.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[zizalith, 410251]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jmash, 363823], [GoldCat, 359771], [Yourwelcomethanku, 541847]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
 
Last edited:
qc 1/2 great work
However, Drapion can overextend itself if it tries to check Pokemon like Roserade too often throughout a match, making it a soft check at best.
Especially since, it has no recovery and is vulnerable to entry hazards, leaving it worn easily

Other wallbreakers such as Choice Band Metagross and Nidoqueen can take advantage of Drapion weakening the opposing team and potentially clean with Bullet Punch and Thousand Arrows.
Tell me how my Nidoqueen can learn Thousand Arrows and destroy Bronzong? Though, since it's not Zydog it'd make less sense, perhaps it'd be better to focus on what Drapion can weaken for them rather then how they clean (especially since they're slow and bp is limited), ie Drapion can weaken Steelix and Milotic.

Maybe throw Black Sludge in OO? Recovery is just generally good, but I haven't tried this

**Physically bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon like Bewear and Guzzlord can take any attack from Drapion and heavily damage it back
Levitate Galarian Weezing is a pretty good check as it can take boosted Poison Jab comfortably and beat Drapion with wisp and Pain Split, natgas gweezing can also take boosted EQ if it's healthy. Rhyperior is pretty fat and even considering Shuca Berry it can check Drapion.


**Special Attackers**: Drapion's underwhelming Special Defense makes it vulnerable to neutral Special Attacks from the likes of Gardevoir, Starmie, and Noivern.
Scarf garde and wallbreaker mie
 

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