Welcome to the SV BSS Viability Ranks for Regulation C! By this point the ruleset has moved on from the current ruleset and ended on June 30th 2023. While the active thread has moved on from this ruleset, here is where we ended up on Regulation C before the meta transition. This thread won't be actively updated but if you look back here in the future and see that maybe we were off-base with some placements, feel free to comment! Otherwise this list is mostly here for archival purposes.
For those that are interested in reading old analyses: as Pokemon are updated for Regulation D, their old Regulation C analyses will be in this thread!
Previous BSS Viability Rankings
Regulation A 
Regulation BS Tier:
S rank
Chien-Pao
Dragonite[OVERVIEW]
This analysis is for the Regulation C format of Battle Stadium Singles, which lasts until June 30th, 2023. [For more information on this format and its current events, check out this page!](/dex/sv/formats/battle-stadium-singles/)
[If you feel this analysis is missing anything important or needs an update, feel free to suggest any changes here.](/forums/threads/battle-stadium-regulation-c-analyses.3719040/)
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Outrage / Tera Blast
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick / Tera Blast
item: Choice Band
ability: Multiscale
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
tera type: Normal / Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
* Choice Band makes Dragonite both an effective late-game cleaner and revenge killer with Extreme Speed, and a powerful wall-breaker against foes such as Dondozo and Skeledirge.
* **Outrage**: Outrage is strong enough to potentially 2HKO Impish Dondozo after Stealth Rock damage, though it leaves Dragonite very vulnerable to getting revenge killed.
Other Options
========
* **Aqua Jet**: Aqua Jet works as a secondary priority move to pick off Ghost-types such as Flutter Mane, Mimikyu, and Gholdengo.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: This Dragonite will usually want to Terastallize to either increase its revenge killing or wall-breaking capabilities, but Choice Band's power doesn't make this strictly necessary.
* **Normal**: Tera Normal massively boosts Dragonite's revenge killing potential with Extreme Speed.
* **Flying**: With Tera Blast, Tera Flying is a surprising option that lets Dragonite potentially OHKO Wo-Chien before it Terastallizes and 2HKO bulky Pokemon such specially defensive Ting-Lu and Tera Fairy Skeledirge.
EV Spreads
========
* **252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe with Adamant**: Maximizing HP best takes advantage of Multiscale, giving Dragonite a 69.7% chance of surviving Choice Specs Freeze-Dry from Iron Bundle in particular. This does make Dragonite more reliant on Extreme Speed though.
* **76 HP / 252 Atk / 180 Spe with Adamant**: This spread outspeeds up to Adamant Breloom, giving Dragonite a good chance to revenge kill it without relying on Extreme Speed.
* **4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe with Adamant or Jolly**: Maximizing Speed is helpful for at least getting a speed-tie against opposing Dragonite, and with Jolly, guarantees outspeeding Breloom and Wo-Chien.
[SET]
name: Defensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Roost
move 3: Extreme Speed / Encore
move 4: Tera Blast / Iron Head / Earthquake / Fire Punch
item: Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
ability: Multiscale
nature: Impish / Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 Spe
tera type: Flying / Normal / Steel / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
* Dragonite's good bulk gives it plenty of chances to set up Dragon Dance, while still providing a solid defensive backbone.
* **Extreme Speed**: Extreme Speed is still a viable alternative for revenge killing weakened threats, though it requires extra coverage to work such as Tera Blast, Earthquake, or Fire Punch.
* **Encore**: Encore makes setting up on slower defensive foes such as Corviknight fairly easy, though the lack of coverage makes Terastallizing far more important.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium / High / Almost Required**: While Terastallization is not required for this set to work since Extreme Speed is useful, it is needed for Dragonite to have reasonable access to a STAB Attack and deals with the many troublesome matchups being a defensive Dragon-type brings. If using Encore, Terastallization becomes far more important due to the lack of a good way to revenge kill faster threats, and combined with Tera Flying, this set will need Terastallization to function.
* **Flying**: With Tera Blast, Tera Flying gives Dragonite a solid mono-attacking option and defensive typing in one, at the cost of always needing to Terastallize.
* **Normal**: Tera Normal makes using Extreme Speed worth it, and makes Dragonite very hard to break through without Fighting-type attacks.
* **Steel**: Tera Steel covers Dragonite's former weaknesses very well, and can still work somewhat well even if not Terastallized thanks to Iron Head.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy gives Dragonite an excellent mono-attacking Tera Blast that gives it an advantage over other Dragon-types.
Items
========
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet lets Dragonite play more passively thanks to the chip damage.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Preserving Multiscale even when Stealth Rock is set up can help Dragonite survive attacks in emergencies.
* **Leftovers**: Leftovers's passive healing gives Dragonite a better matchup against passive foes it can Encore.
* **Weakness Policy**: Since Multiscale makes Dragonite very difficult to OHKO, Weakness Policy is a viable option to turn the tables on foes targeting Dragonite's weaknesses.
EV Spreads And Dragon Dance Speed Tiers
========
* **252 HP / 188 Defense / 68 Spe with Impish**: This EV spread outspeeds up to Mimikyu after one Dragon Dance, and Dragapult after two Dragon Dances. This spread works particularly well with Tera Normal getting around the low Speed.
* **252 HP / 148 Defense / 108 Speed with Impish**: This spread outspeeds Garchomp and Chi-Yu after Dragon Dance, both of which are threats that can easily revenge kill Dragonite once Multiscale is broken.
* **252 HP / 68 Def / 188 Spe with Impish**: This spread lets a boosted Dragonite outspeed Iron Valiant, a common user of Encore and Focus Sash that can be troublesome otherwise.
* **252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe with Jolly**: Maximizing Speed outspeeds Jolly Dragapult, Timid Flutter Mane, Jolly Chien-Pao, and Timid Iron Bundle after a Dragon Dance, and at least speed ties with offensive Dragonite.
[SET]
name: Extreme Killernite
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Dragon Dance
move 3: Earthquake / Fire Punch
move 4: Roost / Outrage / Low Kick
item: Lum Berry / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Normal
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Tera Normal, Dragonite can do its best impression of Arceus, with a powerful Extreme Speed that makes Dragonite a great revenge killer and sweeper in one!
* **Earthquake versus Fire Punch**: Earthquake is Dragonite's strongest tool against most Steel-types, but Fire Punch is worth considering to hit Corviknight.
* **Outrage**: While a Dragon-type STAB move is not strictly needed on this Dragonite, Outrage is useful coverage against opposing Dragons. Outrage is also the most powerful move option against neutral targets, which is useful when Dragonite is attempting to break bulkier targets like Ting-Lu, Hippowdon, and weakened Dondozo.
* **Low Kick**: This is a far more reliable move against Kingambit, and can help in Tera Normal Dragonite mirrors.
* **Jolly versus Adamant**: A Jolly nature allows Dragonite to outspeed Dragapult, Chien-Pao, Iron Bundle, and Flutter Mane after one use of Dragon Dance, but Adamant is a reasonable consideration if revenge killing with Extreme Speed is more important.
* **Tera Dependency - High**: This set benefits immensely from the ability to Terastallize to both boost Extreme Speed's power while also removing Dragon type weaknesses. However, care should be taken on the timing of Terastallization depending on the matchup, as Dragonite more effectively checks several prominent threats, such as Volcarona and Breloom, with its base typing.
Items
========
* **Lum Berry**: Lum Berry gives Dragonite more set up opportunities against status moves and pairs particularly well with Outrage to cure confusion.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Stealth Rock is commonly set up specifically to break Dragonite's Multiscale, so Heavy-Duty Boots are a good way to always preserve Dragonite's ability to set up and revenge kill.
* **Silk Scarf**: This item goes all in on Extreme Speed's revenge killing power, without conflicting with Multiscale.
* **Life Orb**: Life Orb doesn't pair well with Multiscale on paper, but the power boost it gives Extreme Speed can let Dragonite clean teams up earlier.
[SET]
name: Offensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick
item: Lum Berry / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Steel / Fire / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
* Dragonite uses both Multiscale and the unpredictability of Terastallization to become an extremely dangerous sweeper!
* **Earthquake versus Low Kick**: Earthquake is a consistent option against most Steel-types, but Low Kick does better against Kingambit.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Thanks to the power of Outrage, this Dragonite is fully capable of functioning without Terastallization, though Terastallization is still great at surprising its offensive checks.
* **Steel**: Dragonite has superb synergy with Tera Steel, resisting most of its weaknesses, and particularly helping against Fairy-types and opposing Dragon-types.
* **Fire**: With Tera Fire, Dragonite deals massive damage to Corviknight with +1 Fire Punch, in addition to gaining a useful Fairy-type resistance and valuable immunity to burns.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy gives Dragonite an edge against opposing Dragon-types without being vulnerable to common Ground-type coverage they may carry.
Items
========
* **Lum Berry**: With a Lum Berry, Dragonite can set up against status moves and use Outrage with less risk late game.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Avoiding damage from hazards lets Dragonite always set up with Multiscale in tow.
* **Life Orb**: Life Orb doesn't fit well with Multiscale, but it's notable for allowing Tera Fire Dragonite a 75% chance to OHKO Corviknight after Dragon Dance with Fire Punch.
[SET]
name: Encore Trapper
move 1: Roost
move 2: Encore
move 3: Fire Spin
move 4: Draco Meteor / Earthquake / Iron Head / Substitute
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Bold / Impish
tera type: Steel / Fairy
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Due to Dragonite's offensive presence and high bulk, many opponents choose to either check it defensively or set up against it to break through Roost + Multiscale. Against either option, Encore can turn Dragonite practically invincible allowing it to reside on the field indefinitely in most cases.
* **Fire Spin**: This allows Dragonite to defeat almost any Pokemon universally by simply making full use of its longevity. Trapping an Encore locked Pokemon in the field is also highly valuable. Fire Spin is used instead of Wrap because it affects Ghost-types and doesn't trigger chip damage from Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet.
* **Draco Meteor**: Draco Meteor is a powerful move that can catch opposing Dragon-types off- guard and punish the normally immune to trapping Skeledirge. This Dragonite set has more than enough capability to run the timer out, so guaranteeing the number advantage is significant.
* **Earthquake**: Earthquake prevents Dragonite from being entirely passive against Flutter Mane, and deals massive damage to Magnezone and Bellibolt before they Volt Switch out of Fire Spin.
* **Iron Head**: Even with minimal Attack investment, Iron Head has a serious shot of OHKOing offensive Flutter Mane, and it gives Dragonite a decent STAB move if using Tera Steel.
* **Substitute**: Substitute adds to Dragonite's longevity. Baiting a status move such as Toxic or Yawn, blocking it with Substitute, and locking the move in with Encore guarantees Dragonite an active Substitute while defeating the opposing Pokemon. Most notably, managing to leave a Substitute against Garganacl's Salt Cure or Corviknight's U-turn gains a lot of momentum.
Other Options
========
* **Thunder Wave**: Thunder Wave allows Dragonite to lock a much wider variety of Pokemon into their moves, while also giving it more opportunities to keep Multiscale up via potential paralysis.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Dragonite's typing does have some fairly exploitable weaknesses that can harm its defensive capability, but an immunity to Toxic Spikes and useful resistances to common attack types such as Ground, Fire, and Fighting mean that Terastallization is not always the right play.
* **Steel**: Tera Steel massively improves Dragonite's matchups against Flutter Mane and Iron Bundle, at the cost of being even more vulnerable to Salt Cure.
* **Fairy**: Due to Dragonite’'s low Speed compared to other Dragon-types, Tera Fairy is a great response against them.
* **Water**: Tera Water adds a resistance to Ice without losing Dragonite's innate Fire-type resistance, which is helpful against Chien-Pao.
* **Poison**: The niche Tera Poison gives Dragonite a way to remove its common weaknesses without being vulnerable to Toxic Spikes, while still resisting Fighting unlike Tera Steel.
EV Spreads
========
* **252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe with Bold or Impish**: A defensive spread lets Dragonite preserve Terastallization against certain physical attackers, which makes it a noteworthy choice. In particular, max Defense Dragonite can use Roost to mitigate the damage from Choice Band Meowscarada without needing to Terastallize, and Substitute can survive Garganacl's Salt Cure.
* **252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe with Timid or Jolly**: Maximizing Speed lets Dragonite make even better use of Encore, outspeeding major threats such as Jolly Breloom and Adamant Baxcalibur.
Items
========
* **Leftovers versus Heavy-Duty Boots** Generally, Leftovers preserves Dragonite’'s longevity best, as it cancels out the damage from Sandstorm and makes timer stall easier. However, the increased usage of entry hazard setters in response to Dragonite makes Heavy-Duty Boots a strong option.
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet makes it easier for Dragonite to defeat Pokemon such as opposing Dragonite, Kingambit, and Meowscarada, and its residual damage can be used to execute a win condition.
[SET]
name: Double Priority Lure
move 1: Tera Blast
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick
item: Sharp Beak / Assault Vest
ability: Multiscale
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Flying-type Tera Blast OHKOing physically frail and Flying-weak Pokemon such as Flutter Mane and Annihilape, this set is effective at fooling opponents into thinking that it's Choice Band Dragonite.
* **Aqua Jet**: It may seem redundant with Extreme Speed, but Aqua Jet is a key move for picking off weakened Ghost-types, such as Flutter Mane, and surprising Focus Sash Pokemon that might use Tera Ghost to avoid being sniped by Extreme Speed, such as Iron Valiant.
* **Earthquake versus Low Kick**: Earthquake is the preferred coverage move for OHKOing Magnezone, a common response when thinking Dragonite is locked into Tera Blast. Low Kick trades that OHKO from full health for defeating Kingambit and revenge killing opposing Tera Normal Dragonite, assuming your Dragonite's Multiscale is still intact.
* **Adamant versus Jolly**: Adamant is the best nature for needing less chip damage to revenge kill weakened targets with priority attacks, but Jolly can make sense if outspeeding foes like Jolly Breloom, Modest Gholdengo, and Adamant Baxcalibur is appealing.
* **Tera Dependency - Almost Required**: This set is highly reliant on using Tera Blast as a luring tool, so Terastallization should be a top priority for Dragonite.
Items
========
* **Sharp Beak**: Sharp Beak gives Dragonite the most offensive presence with the fewest drawbacks, giving Flying-type Tera Blast just enough of a boost to 3HKO Dondozo. This heavily pressures it to use Rest, or possibly Protect for Leftovers variants. In the latter case, Dragonite can switch to maintain offensive momentum.
* **Assault Vest**: Assault Vest vastly improves Dragonite's matchup against Iron Bundle and Flutter Mane, especially if Multiscale's protection has been lost.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots means Stealth Rock will no longer remove this set's ability to trade blows with powerful threats.
[SET]
name: Dragon Tail Phazer
move 1: Dragon Tail
move 2: Roost
move 3: Earthquake / Iron Head / Encore
move 4: Substitute / Encore / Extreme Speed
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Impish / Adamant
evs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe
tera type: Steel / Water / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Multiscale's incredible bulk potential and Dragon Tail bypassing Taunt, Dragonite is a unique and very effective phazer that massively ups the danger of entry hazards!
* **Entry Hazard Teammates**: For this Dragonite to be at its most effective, you'll need some partners to at least set up Stealth Rock. Ting-Lu and Garchomp stand out for being particularly bulky options that can even set up Spikes, but other options include Annihilape, defensive Glimmora, Clodsire, and Kingambit.
* **Earthquake versus Iron Head**: Earthquake is the most wide-reaching coverage move, ensuring good damage against Steel-types like Kingambit. Iron Head is worth considering as it prevents Dragonite from being walled by Tera Fairy Rotom-W and has good damage output against Fairy-types like Flutter Mane and Iron Valiant.
* **Substitute versus Encore**: Substitute is a fantastic option against Pokemon with status moves that threaten Dragonite's phazing cycles, such as Garganacl, Wo-Chien, and Toxapex. Encore won't do as well against these threats but does punish opposing foes carrying Substitute that can be a problem for Dragon Tail along with slower foes that use status moves in general such as Corviknight and Dondozo. Encore can even be used over extra coverage if teammates can deal with Fairy-types.
* **Extreme Speed versus Aqua Jet**: Extreme Speed's ability to pick off threats is useful, even on defensive variants of this set. Despite being half as powerful, Aqua Jet is still worth considering for its ability to pick off weakened Flutter Mane, which can be difficult for this set to handle due to its power when Multiscale isn't in play.
Tera Types
======
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Dragonite's defensive typing can be quite helpful against foes like Chi-Yu and Breloom, but some of the huge exploitable weakness to Pokemon like Chien-Pao and Flutter Mane will require Terastallization to cover.
* **Steel**: Tera Steel is not only an incredible defensive typing that covers much of Dragonite's former weaknesses, but the power boost it provides to Iron Head lets it OHKO all but the most bulky Flutter Mane.
* **Water**: Tera Water's Ice and Fire resistance makes it a great pick against Chien-Pao, Chi-Yu, and Iron Moth and is among the best defensive types in general. The boost to Aqua Jet can also be helpful for picking off threats, though it won't be as powerful as Extreme Speed.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy's Dragon immunity gels well with Dragonite and is a great defensive typing in general against foes like Chien-Pao, Annihilape, and Iron Hands.
* **Normal**: Tera Normal isn't that incredible defensively, but it can be worth it for boosting Extreme Speed's power, letting offensive EV spreads 2HKO Chien-Pao with it.
* **Poison**: Tera Poison is a niche option that lets Dragonite absorb Toxic Spikes and gain a Toxic immunity without being weak to Fighting- and Fire-type attacks like Tera Steel is.
Items
========
* **Leftovers**: Leftovers is a high value item, but it's worth using on Dragonite if using Substitute, as it gives Dragonite a serious chance of passively gaining Multiscale's effect back.
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet allows Dragonite to play more passively, punishing Pokemon that rely on contact moves like Annihilape, and users of physical pivot moves like Scizor and Palafin-H.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots' Stealth Rock immunity makes Multiscale more flexible, especially if Dragon Tail brings in a threat Dragonite isn't equipped to handle.
* **Safety Goggles**: With Dragonite often moving last with Dragon Tail, it's especially vulnerable to Spore from Breloom, Amoonguss, and Brute Bonnet, so Safety Goggles can be a good pick if Substitute isn't a good fit.
EV Spreads
=====
* **244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe with Impish**: This spread outspeeds Adamant Kingambit and is bulky enough that Garganacl's Salt Cure will never break Substitute.
* **252 HP / 76 Def / 180 Spe with Impish**: This spread gives up quite a bit of bulk in exchange for outspeeding Adamant Breloom, while still often mantaining a Substitute against Garganacl's Salt Cure.
* **252 HP / 124 Atk / 108 Def / 4 SpD / 20 Spe with Adamant**: This EV spread is optimized for use with Earthquake and Aqua Jet, allowing Dragonite to 2HKO 4 Defense Flutter Mane with that combination of moves without needing to Terastallize. Only Modest Tera Fairy Flutter Mane will have a chance to OHKO through Multiscale.
* **236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe with Adamant**: This EV spread is a far more offensive approach, mainly for use with Extreme Speed to pick off threats more effectively.
[SET]
name: Paraflinch
move 1: Air Slash / Iron Head
move 2: Encore / Substitute
move 3: Thunder Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Multiscale
nature: Bold / Impish
EVs: 244 HP / 212 Def / 52 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Tera Type: Water / Steel
[SET COMMENTS]
* Paraflinch Dragonite is a defensively oriented Dragonite set that takes full advantage of Terastallization and the element of surprise to cripple and downright defeat numerous Pokemon. Multiscale allows Dragonite to paralyze its foes relatively safely, becoming a massive nuisance for unprepared opponents.
* **Air Slash vs. Iron Head**: Air Slash is a more practical move for this set, as it can cover a wider range of Pokemon for at least neutral damage. Air Slash also does not trigger Rocky Helmet and is naturally boosted by Dragonite's STAB. The Iron Head variant of Paraflinch, however, gives Dragonite an easier time against a number of common threats such as Flutter Mane.
* **Encore vs. Substitute**: Encore will allow Dragonite to effectively check a wider variety of physically offensive Pokemon such as Azumarill by locking them into an unfavorable move and chipping away at their health with Rocky Helmet and Multiscale + Roost. Locking foes into status moves with Encore such as Stealth Rock will give Dragonite a free opportunity to land Thunder Wave on your opponent's switch-in on the following turn. Substitute, on the other hand, will give Dragonite a much easier time dealing with defensive Pokemon that rely on status inflictions such as Wo-Chien and Dondozo.
Other Options
========
* **Waterfall**: Waterfall can be a viable option. However, the move is less reliable for the application of this set, as its chance to flinch is 20% as opposed to Air Slash and Iron Head's 30%.
Tera Types
========
* **Water**: Tera Water provides Dragonite with the much-needed defensive versatility to paralyze and wall common threats, such as Chien-Pao and Azumarill. Water is an excellent defensive type in general with its only weaknesses being Electric and Grass.
* **Steel**: Steel is a great defensive type that provides resistance to Fairy-type attacks, such as Moon Blast from Flutter Mane. If using the physical set, Tera Steel also provides a significant boost to the damage of Iron Head.
EV and IV Spreads
========
* **244 HP / 212 Def / 52 Spe**: 52 Speed EVs are the minimum Speed requirement to outspeed paralyzed Dragapult. Investing 116 Speed EVs allows Dragonite to sacrifice some bulk to outspeed paralyzed Modest Choice Scarf Chi-Yu.
* **0 Attack IVs**: If using Air Slash, 0 Attack IVs are highly recommended for having a high chance of retaining Substitute against STAB Foul Play users such as Wo-Chien and Umbreon.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theorymon.29010
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tachipoyo.613881/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/readyhigh1.634491/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/starkgod.62165/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/butch-hardnight.265677/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/thick-fat-azumarill.330577/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/derpysux.528485/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ut.523866/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/isaiah.375662/
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https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adeleine.517429/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/clas.545372/
Additional contributions by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/greilmercenary9.336524/
This analysis is for the Regulation C format of Battle Stadium Singles, which lasts until June 30th, 2023. [For more information on this format and its current events, check out this page!](/dex/sv/formats/battle-stadium-singles/)
[If you feel this analysis is missing anything important or needs an update, feel free to suggest any changes here.](/forums/threads/battle-stadium-regulation-c-analyses.3719040/)
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Outrage / Tera Blast
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick / Tera Blast
item: Choice Band
ability: Multiscale
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
tera type: Normal / Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
* Choice Band makes Dragonite both an effective late-game cleaner and revenge killer with Extreme Speed, and a powerful wall-breaker against foes such as Dondozo and Skeledirge.
* **Outrage**: Outrage is strong enough to potentially 2HKO Impish Dondozo after Stealth Rock damage, though it leaves Dragonite very vulnerable to getting revenge killed.
Other Options
========
* **Aqua Jet**: Aqua Jet works as a secondary priority move to pick off Ghost-types such as Flutter Mane, Mimikyu, and Gholdengo.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: This Dragonite will usually want to Terastallize to either increase its revenge killing or wall-breaking capabilities, but Choice Band's power doesn't make this strictly necessary.
* **Normal**: Tera Normal massively boosts Dragonite's revenge killing potential with Extreme Speed.
* **Flying**: With Tera Blast, Tera Flying is a surprising option that lets Dragonite potentially OHKO Wo-Chien before it Terastallizes and 2HKO bulky Pokemon such specially defensive Ting-Lu and Tera Fairy Skeledirge.
EV Spreads
========
* **252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe with Adamant**: Maximizing HP best takes advantage of Multiscale, giving Dragonite a 69.7% chance of surviving Choice Specs Freeze-Dry from Iron Bundle in particular. This does make Dragonite more reliant on Extreme Speed though.
* **76 HP / 252 Atk / 180 Spe with Adamant**: This spread outspeeds up to Adamant Breloom, giving Dragonite a good chance to revenge kill it without relying on Extreme Speed.
* **4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe with Adamant or Jolly**: Maximizing Speed is helpful for at least getting a speed-tie against opposing Dragonite, and with Jolly, guarantees outspeeding Breloom and Wo-Chien.
[SET]
name: Defensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Roost
move 3: Extreme Speed / Encore
move 4: Tera Blast / Iron Head / Earthquake / Fire Punch
item: Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
ability: Multiscale
nature: Impish / Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 Spe
tera type: Flying / Normal / Steel / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
* Dragonite's good bulk gives it plenty of chances to set up Dragon Dance, while still providing a solid defensive backbone.
* **Extreme Speed**: Extreme Speed is still a viable alternative for revenge killing weakened threats, though it requires extra coverage to work such as Tera Blast, Earthquake, or Fire Punch.
* **Encore**: Encore makes setting up on slower defensive foes such as Corviknight fairly easy, though the lack of coverage makes Terastallizing far more important.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium / High / Almost Required**: While Terastallization is not required for this set to work since Extreme Speed is useful, it is needed for Dragonite to have reasonable access to a STAB Attack and deals with the many troublesome matchups being a defensive Dragon-type brings. If using Encore, Terastallization becomes far more important due to the lack of a good way to revenge kill faster threats, and combined with Tera Flying, this set will need Terastallization to function.
* **Flying**: With Tera Blast, Tera Flying gives Dragonite a solid mono-attacking option and defensive typing in one, at the cost of always needing to Terastallize.
* **Normal**: Tera Normal makes using Extreme Speed worth it, and makes Dragonite very hard to break through without Fighting-type attacks.
* **Steel**: Tera Steel covers Dragonite's former weaknesses very well, and can still work somewhat well even if not Terastallized thanks to Iron Head.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy gives Dragonite an excellent mono-attacking Tera Blast that gives it an advantage over other Dragon-types.
Items
========
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet lets Dragonite play more passively thanks to the chip damage.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Preserving Multiscale even when Stealth Rock is set up can help Dragonite survive attacks in emergencies.
* **Leftovers**: Leftovers's passive healing gives Dragonite a better matchup against passive foes it can Encore.
* **Weakness Policy**: Since Multiscale makes Dragonite very difficult to OHKO, Weakness Policy is a viable option to turn the tables on foes targeting Dragonite's weaknesses.
EV Spreads And Dragon Dance Speed Tiers
========
* **252 HP / 188 Defense / 68 Spe with Impish**: This EV spread outspeeds up to Mimikyu after one Dragon Dance, and Dragapult after two Dragon Dances. This spread works particularly well with Tera Normal getting around the low Speed.
* **252 HP / 148 Defense / 108 Speed with Impish**: This spread outspeeds Garchomp and Chi-Yu after Dragon Dance, both of which are threats that can easily revenge kill Dragonite once Multiscale is broken.
* **252 HP / 68 Def / 188 Spe with Impish**: This spread lets a boosted Dragonite outspeed Iron Valiant, a common user of Encore and Focus Sash that can be troublesome otherwise.
* **252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe with Jolly**: Maximizing Speed outspeeds Jolly Dragapult, Timid Flutter Mane, Jolly Chien-Pao, and Timid Iron Bundle after a Dragon Dance, and at least speed ties with offensive Dragonite.
[SET]
name: Extreme Killernite
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Dragon Dance
move 3: Earthquake / Fire Punch
move 4: Roost / Outrage / Low Kick
item: Lum Berry / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Normal
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Tera Normal, Dragonite can do its best impression of Arceus, with a powerful Extreme Speed that makes Dragonite a great revenge killer and sweeper in one!
* **Earthquake versus Fire Punch**: Earthquake is Dragonite's strongest tool against most Steel-types, but Fire Punch is worth considering to hit Corviknight.
* **Outrage**: While a Dragon-type STAB move is not strictly needed on this Dragonite, Outrage is useful coverage against opposing Dragons. Outrage is also the most powerful move option against neutral targets, which is useful when Dragonite is attempting to break bulkier targets like Ting-Lu, Hippowdon, and weakened Dondozo.
* **Low Kick**: This is a far more reliable move against Kingambit, and can help in Tera Normal Dragonite mirrors.
* **Jolly versus Adamant**: A Jolly nature allows Dragonite to outspeed Dragapult, Chien-Pao, Iron Bundle, and Flutter Mane after one use of Dragon Dance, but Adamant is a reasonable consideration if revenge killing with Extreme Speed is more important.
* **Tera Dependency - High**: This set benefits immensely from the ability to Terastallize to both boost Extreme Speed's power while also removing Dragon type weaknesses. However, care should be taken on the timing of Terastallization depending on the matchup, as Dragonite more effectively checks several prominent threats, such as Volcarona and Breloom, with its base typing.
Items
========
* **Lum Berry**: Lum Berry gives Dragonite more set up opportunities against status moves and pairs particularly well with Outrage to cure confusion.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Stealth Rock is commonly set up specifically to break Dragonite's Multiscale, so Heavy-Duty Boots are a good way to always preserve Dragonite's ability to set up and revenge kill.
* **Silk Scarf**: This item goes all in on Extreme Speed's revenge killing power, without conflicting with Multiscale.
* **Life Orb**: Life Orb doesn't pair well with Multiscale on paper, but the power boost it gives Extreme Speed can let Dragonite clean teams up earlier.
[SET]
name: Offensive Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick
item: Lum Berry / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Steel / Fire / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
* Dragonite uses both Multiscale and the unpredictability of Terastallization to become an extremely dangerous sweeper!
* **Earthquake versus Low Kick**: Earthquake is a consistent option against most Steel-types, but Low Kick does better against Kingambit.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Thanks to the power of Outrage, this Dragonite is fully capable of functioning without Terastallization, though Terastallization is still great at surprising its offensive checks.
* **Steel**: Dragonite has superb synergy with Tera Steel, resisting most of its weaknesses, and particularly helping against Fairy-types and opposing Dragon-types.
* **Fire**: With Tera Fire, Dragonite deals massive damage to Corviknight with +1 Fire Punch, in addition to gaining a useful Fairy-type resistance and valuable immunity to burns.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy gives Dragonite an edge against opposing Dragon-types without being vulnerable to common Ground-type coverage they may carry.
Items
========
* **Lum Berry**: With a Lum Berry, Dragonite can set up against status moves and use Outrage with less risk late game.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Avoiding damage from hazards lets Dragonite always set up with Multiscale in tow.
* **Life Orb**: Life Orb doesn't fit well with Multiscale, but it's notable for allowing Tera Fire Dragonite a 75% chance to OHKO Corviknight after Dragon Dance with Fire Punch.
[SET]
name: Encore Trapper
move 1: Roost
move 2: Encore
move 3: Fire Spin
move 4: Draco Meteor / Earthquake / Iron Head / Substitute
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Bold / Impish
tera type: Steel / Fairy
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Due to Dragonite's offensive presence and high bulk, many opponents choose to either check it defensively or set up against it to break through Roost + Multiscale. Against either option, Encore can turn Dragonite practically invincible allowing it to reside on the field indefinitely in most cases.
* **Fire Spin**: This allows Dragonite to defeat almost any Pokemon universally by simply making full use of its longevity. Trapping an Encore locked Pokemon in the field is also highly valuable. Fire Spin is used instead of Wrap because it affects Ghost-types and doesn't trigger chip damage from Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet.
* **Draco Meteor**: Draco Meteor is a powerful move that can catch opposing Dragon-types off- guard and punish the normally immune to trapping Skeledirge. This Dragonite set has more than enough capability to run the timer out, so guaranteeing the number advantage is significant.
* **Earthquake**: Earthquake prevents Dragonite from being entirely passive against Flutter Mane, and deals massive damage to Magnezone and Bellibolt before they Volt Switch out of Fire Spin.
* **Iron Head**: Even with minimal Attack investment, Iron Head has a serious shot of OHKOing offensive Flutter Mane, and it gives Dragonite a decent STAB move if using Tera Steel.
* **Substitute**: Substitute adds to Dragonite's longevity. Baiting a status move such as Toxic or Yawn, blocking it with Substitute, and locking the move in with Encore guarantees Dragonite an active Substitute while defeating the opposing Pokemon. Most notably, managing to leave a Substitute against Garganacl's Salt Cure or Corviknight's U-turn gains a lot of momentum.
Other Options
========
* **Thunder Wave**: Thunder Wave allows Dragonite to lock a much wider variety of Pokemon into their moves, while also giving it more opportunities to keep Multiscale up via potential paralysis.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Dragonite's typing does have some fairly exploitable weaknesses that can harm its defensive capability, but an immunity to Toxic Spikes and useful resistances to common attack types such as Ground, Fire, and Fighting mean that Terastallization is not always the right play.
* **Steel**: Tera Steel massively improves Dragonite's matchups against Flutter Mane and Iron Bundle, at the cost of being even more vulnerable to Salt Cure.
* **Fairy**: Due to Dragonite’'s low Speed compared to other Dragon-types, Tera Fairy is a great response against them.
* **Water**: Tera Water adds a resistance to Ice without losing Dragonite's innate Fire-type resistance, which is helpful against Chien-Pao.
* **Poison**: The niche Tera Poison gives Dragonite a way to remove its common weaknesses without being vulnerable to Toxic Spikes, while still resisting Fighting unlike Tera Steel.
EV Spreads
========
* **252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe with Bold or Impish**: A defensive spread lets Dragonite preserve Terastallization against certain physical attackers, which makes it a noteworthy choice. In particular, max Defense Dragonite can use Roost to mitigate the damage from Choice Band Meowscarada without needing to Terastallize, and Substitute can survive Garganacl's Salt Cure.
* **252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe with Timid or Jolly**: Maximizing Speed lets Dragonite make even better use of Encore, outspeeding major threats such as Jolly Breloom and Adamant Baxcalibur.
Items
========
* **Leftovers versus Heavy-Duty Boots** Generally, Leftovers preserves Dragonite’'s longevity best, as it cancels out the damage from Sandstorm and makes timer stall easier. However, the increased usage of entry hazard setters in response to Dragonite makes Heavy-Duty Boots a strong option.
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet makes it easier for Dragonite to defeat Pokemon such as opposing Dragonite, Kingambit, and Meowscarada, and its residual damage can be used to execute a win condition.
[SET]
name: Double Priority Lure
move 1: Tera Blast
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Aqua Jet
move 4: Earthquake / Low Kick
item: Sharp Beak / Assault Vest
ability: Multiscale
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Flying-type Tera Blast OHKOing physically frail and Flying-weak Pokemon such as Flutter Mane and Annihilape, this set is effective at fooling opponents into thinking that it's Choice Band Dragonite.
* **Aqua Jet**: It may seem redundant with Extreme Speed, but Aqua Jet is a key move for picking off weakened Ghost-types, such as Flutter Mane, and surprising Focus Sash Pokemon that might use Tera Ghost to avoid being sniped by Extreme Speed, such as Iron Valiant.
* **Earthquake versus Low Kick**: Earthquake is the preferred coverage move for OHKOing Magnezone, a common response when thinking Dragonite is locked into Tera Blast. Low Kick trades that OHKO from full health for defeating Kingambit and revenge killing opposing Tera Normal Dragonite, assuming your Dragonite's Multiscale is still intact.
* **Adamant versus Jolly**: Adamant is the best nature for needing less chip damage to revenge kill weakened targets with priority attacks, but Jolly can make sense if outspeeding foes like Jolly Breloom, Modest Gholdengo, and Adamant Baxcalibur is appealing.
* **Tera Dependency - Almost Required**: This set is highly reliant on using Tera Blast as a luring tool, so Terastallization should be a top priority for Dragonite.
Items
========
* **Sharp Beak**: Sharp Beak gives Dragonite the most offensive presence with the fewest drawbacks, giving Flying-type Tera Blast just enough of a boost to 3HKO Dondozo. This heavily pressures it to use Rest, or possibly Protect for Leftovers variants. In the latter case, Dragonite can switch to maintain offensive momentum.
* **Assault Vest**: Assault Vest vastly improves Dragonite's matchup against Iron Bundle and Flutter Mane, especially if Multiscale's protection has been lost.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots means Stealth Rock will no longer remove this set's ability to trade blows with powerful threats.
[SET]
name: Dragon Tail Phazer
move 1: Dragon Tail
move 2: Roost
move 3: Earthquake / Iron Head / Encore
move 4: Substitute / Encore / Extreme Speed
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Impish / Adamant
evs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe
tera type: Steel / Water / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
* With Multiscale's incredible bulk potential and Dragon Tail bypassing Taunt, Dragonite is a unique and very effective phazer that massively ups the danger of entry hazards!
* **Entry Hazard Teammates**: For this Dragonite to be at its most effective, you'll need some partners to at least set up Stealth Rock. Ting-Lu and Garchomp stand out for being particularly bulky options that can even set up Spikes, but other options include Annihilape, defensive Glimmora, Clodsire, and Kingambit.
* **Earthquake versus Iron Head**: Earthquake is the most wide-reaching coverage move, ensuring good damage against Steel-types like Kingambit. Iron Head is worth considering as it prevents Dragonite from being walled by Tera Fairy Rotom-W and has good damage output against Fairy-types like Flutter Mane and Iron Valiant.
* **Substitute versus Encore**: Substitute is a fantastic option against Pokemon with status moves that threaten Dragonite's phazing cycles, such as Garganacl, Wo-Chien, and Toxapex. Encore won't do as well against these threats but does punish opposing foes carrying Substitute that can be a problem for Dragon Tail along with slower foes that use status moves in general such as Corviknight and Dondozo. Encore can even be used over extra coverage if teammates can deal with Fairy-types.
* **Extreme Speed versus Aqua Jet**: Extreme Speed's ability to pick off threats is useful, even on defensive variants of this set. Despite being half as powerful, Aqua Jet is still worth considering for its ability to pick off weakened Flutter Mane, which can be difficult for this set to handle due to its power when Multiscale isn't in play.
Tera Types
======
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Dragonite's defensive typing can be quite helpful against foes like Chi-Yu and Breloom, but some of the huge exploitable weakness to Pokemon like Chien-Pao and Flutter Mane will require Terastallization to cover.
* **Steel**: Tera Steel is not only an incredible defensive typing that covers much of Dragonite's former weaknesses, but the power boost it provides to Iron Head lets it OHKO all but the most bulky Flutter Mane.
* **Water**: Tera Water's Ice and Fire resistance makes it a great pick against Chien-Pao, Chi-Yu, and Iron Moth and is among the best defensive types in general. The boost to Aqua Jet can also be helpful for picking off threats, though it won't be as powerful as Extreme Speed.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy's Dragon immunity gels well with Dragonite and is a great defensive typing in general against foes like Chien-Pao, Annihilape, and Iron Hands.
* **Normal**: Tera Normal isn't that incredible defensively, but it can be worth it for boosting Extreme Speed's power, letting offensive EV spreads 2HKO Chien-Pao with it.
* **Poison**: Tera Poison is a niche option that lets Dragonite absorb Toxic Spikes and gain a Toxic immunity without being weak to Fighting- and Fire-type attacks like Tera Steel is.
Items
========
* **Leftovers**: Leftovers is a high value item, but it's worth using on Dragonite if using Substitute, as it gives Dragonite a serious chance of passively gaining Multiscale's effect back.
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet allows Dragonite to play more passively, punishing Pokemon that rely on contact moves like Annihilape, and users of physical pivot moves like Scizor and Palafin-H.
* **Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots' Stealth Rock immunity makes Multiscale more flexible, especially if Dragon Tail brings in a threat Dragonite isn't equipped to handle.
* **Safety Goggles**: With Dragonite often moving last with Dragon Tail, it's especially vulnerable to Spore from Breloom, Amoonguss, and Brute Bonnet, so Safety Goggles can be a good pick if Substitute isn't a good fit.
EV Spreads
=====
* **244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe with Impish**: This spread outspeeds Adamant Kingambit and is bulky enough that Garganacl's Salt Cure will never break Substitute.
* **252 HP / 76 Def / 180 Spe with Impish**: This spread gives up quite a bit of bulk in exchange for outspeeding Adamant Breloom, while still often mantaining a Substitute against Garganacl's Salt Cure.
* **252 HP / 124 Atk / 108 Def / 4 SpD / 20 Spe with Adamant**: This EV spread is optimized for use with Earthquake and Aqua Jet, allowing Dragonite to 2HKO 4 Defense Flutter Mane with that combination of moves without needing to Terastallize. Only Modest Tera Fairy Flutter Mane will have a chance to OHKO through Multiscale.
* **236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe with Adamant**: This EV spread is a far more offensive approach, mainly for use with Extreme Speed to pick off threats more effectively.
[SET]
name: Paraflinch
move 1: Air Slash / Iron Head
move 2: Encore / Substitute
move 3: Thunder Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Multiscale
nature: Bold / Impish
EVs: 244 HP / 212 Def / 52 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Tera Type: Water / Steel
[SET COMMENTS]
* Paraflinch Dragonite is a defensively oriented Dragonite set that takes full advantage of Terastallization and the element of surprise to cripple and downright defeat numerous Pokemon. Multiscale allows Dragonite to paralyze its foes relatively safely, becoming a massive nuisance for unprepared opponents.
* **Air Slash vs. Iron Head**: Air Slash is a more practical move for this set, as it can cover a wider range of Pokemon for at least neutral damage. Air Slash also does not trigger Rocky Helmet and is naturally boosted by Dragonite's STAB. The Iron Head variant of Paraflinch, however, gives Dragonite an easier time against a number of common threats such as Flutter Mane.
* **Encore vs. Substitute**: Encore will allow Dragonite to effectively check a wider variety of physically offensive Pokemon such as Azumarill by locking them into an unfavorable move and chipping away at their health with Rocky Helmet and Multiscale + Roost. Locking foes into status moves with Encore such as Stealth Rock will give Dragonite a free opportunity to land Thunder Wave on your opponent's switch-in on the following turn. Substitute, on the other hand, will give Dragonite a much easier time dealing with defensive Pokemon that rely on status inflictions such as Wo-Chien and Dondozo.
Other Options
========
* **Waterfall**: Waterfall can be a viable option. However, the move is less reliable for the application of this set, as its chance to flinch is 20% as opposed to Air Slash and Iron Head's 30%.
Tera Types
========
* **Water**: Tera Water provides Dragonite with the much-needed defensive versatility to paralyze and wall common threats, such as Chien-Pao and Azumarill. Water is an excellent defensive type in general with its only weaknesses being Electric and Grass.
* **Steel**: Steel is a great defensive type that provides resistance to Fairy-type attacks, such as Moon Blast from Flutter Mane. If using the physical set, Tera Steel also provides a significant boost to the damage of Iron Head.
EV and IV Spreads
========
* **244 HP / 212 Def / 52 Spe**: 52 Speed EVs are the minimum Speed requirement to outspeed paralyzed Dragapult. Investing 116 Speed EVs allows Dragonite to sacrifice some bulk to outspeed paralyzed Modest Choice Scarf Chi-Yu.
* **0 Attack IVs**: If using Air Slash, 0 Attack IVs are highly recommended for having a high chance of retaining Substitute against STAB Foul Play users such as Wo-Chien and Umbreon.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theorymon.29010
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tachipoyo.613881/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/readyhigh1.634491/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/starkgod.62165/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/butch-hardnight.265677/
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Grammar checked by:
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Additional contributions by:
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Ting-LuS- rank
Flutter Mane
GholdengoA Tier:
A+ rank
Chi-Yu
Dondozo
Garganacl Iron Bundle[OVERVIEW]
This analysis is for the Regulation C format of Battle Stadium Singles, which lasts until June 30th, 2023. [For more information on this format and its current events, check out this page!](/dex/sv/formats/battle-stadium-singles/)
[If you feel this analysis is missing anything important or needs an update, feel free to suggest any changes here.](/forums/threads/battle-stadium-regulation-c-analyses.3719040/)
[SET]
name: Santa's Slay
move 1: Freeze-Dry
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Encore / Ice Beam
move 4: Flip Turn / Ice Beam / Substitute / Tera Blast
item: Booster Energy / Choice Specs / Focus Sash
ability: Quark Drive
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
tera type: Water / Ice / Ground / Ghost
[SET COMMENTS]
* With nearly perfect coverage and an incredible Speed stat, Iron Bundle's ferocious brand of holiday spirit is a metagame-defining force!
* **Encore**: Giving the gift of an encore lets Iron Bundle punish passive Pokemon and naughty sweepers alike.
* **Ice Beam**: With a power-boosting item, Ice Beam OHKOes Dragonite through Multiscale.
* **Flip Turn**: Pivoting is a big help when Iron Bundle is facing Pokemon likely to Terastallize such as Garchomp or against bulky Assault Vest foes such as Baxcalibur, Iron Hands, and Magnezone.
* **Substitute**: Substitute lets Iron Bundle take further advantage of encored Pokemon and is a decent way to scout for Tera types when using Booster Energy or Life Orb. It's especially effective at punishing Sucker Punch revenge killers such as Chien-Pao and Kingambit.
Other Options
========
* **Taunt**: Taunt will make support Pokemon such as Clodsire and Tinkaton want to take a holiday, though watch out for common users of Mental Herb such as Toxapex.
* **Whirlpool**: Although difficult to pull off with Iron Bundle's mediocre bulk, trapping foes with Whirlpool can make Encore especially deadly.
* **Electric Terrain**: Giving Iron Bundle a Speed boost via Electric Terrain isn't nearly as flexible as Booster Energy, but it does let Iron Bundle support potentially deadly Quark Drive teammates such as Iron Valiant and Iron Hands.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Low**: Iron Bundle's perfect coverage and high Speed means its fairly flexible with a team's Terastallization needs.
* **Water**: Besides the power boost for Hydro Pump and resistance to Scizor's Bullet Punch, Tera Water enables a reliable Water-type STAB move in Tera Blast.
* **Ice**: With Tera Ice, Freeze-Dry will OHKO offensive Dragonite through Multiscale and Ice Beam will OHKO even bulky Dragonite.
* **Ground**: An immunity to Electric-type attacks lets Iron Bundle potentially give Magnezone's and Rotom-W's momentum a snow day and deal more damage to Gholdengo via Tera Blast.
* **Ghost**: Tera Ghost gives Iron Bundle an important immunity to Extreme Speed, which can especially ruin Dragonite's holiday with Encore. It also gives Iron Bundle a reliable way to 2HKO Flutter Mane.
* **Fighting**: Tera Fighting gives Iron Bundle a handy Sucker Punch resistance and a Tera Blast that threatens Chien-Pao, Wo-Chien, and Kingambit.
* **Fire**: While Tera Fire's resistances aren't fantastic, the ability to roast Scizor and Chien-Pao like a chestnut is useful, and it gives Iron Bundle an improved matchup against Gholdengo.
Items
========
* **Booster Energy**: Quark Drive's Speed boost lets Iron Bundle outpace key threats such as Dragapult, Booster Energy Flutter Mane, +1 Baxcalibur, +1 Roaring Moon, and Choice Scarf Gholdengo.
* **Choice Specs**: Choice Specs Iron Bundle regifts support moves so it can wallbreak, with moves such as Tera Water Hydro Pump now OHKOing Tera Fairy Skeledirge.
* **Focus Sash**: Getting around Iron Bundle's iffy bulk makes it a fantastic lead and revenge killer.
* **Life Orb**: While Life Orb compromises Iron Bundle's ability to take priority attacks, it boosts damage without passing on powerful support moves.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theorymon.29010/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/thick-fat-azumarill.330577/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cryogyro.331519/
This analysis is for the Regulation C format of Battle Stadium Singles, which lasts until June 30th, 2023. [For more information on this format and its current events, check out this page!](/dex/sv/formats/battle-stadium-singles/)
[If you feel this analysis is missing anything important or needs an update, feel free to suggest any changes here.](/forums/threads/battle-stadium-regulation-c-analyses.3719040/)
[SET]
name: Santa's Slay
move 1: Freeze-Dry
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Encore / Ice Beam
move 4: Flip Turn / Ice Beam / Substitute / Tera Blast
item: Booster Energy / Choice Specs / Focus Sash
ability: Quark Drive
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
tera type: Water / Ice / Ground / Ghost
[SET COMMENTS]
* With nearly perfect coverage and an incredible Speed stat, Iron Bundle's ferocious brand of holiday spirit is a metagame-defining force!
* **Encore**: Giving the gift of an encore lets Iron Bundle punish passive Pokemon and naughty sweepers alike.
* **Ice Beam**: With a power-boosting item, Ice Beam OHKOes Dragonite through Multiscale.
* **Flip Turn**: Pivoting is a big help when Iron Bundle is facing Pokemon likely to Terastallize such as Garchomp or against bulky Assault Vest foes such as Baxcalibur, Iron Hands, and Magnezone.
* **Substitute**: Substitute lets Iron Bundle take further advantage of encored Pokemon and is a decent way to scout for Tera types when using Booster Energy or Life Orb. It's especially effective at punishing Sucker Punch revenge killers such as Chien-Pao and Kingambit.
Other Options
========
* **Taunt**: Taunt will make support Pokemon such as Clodsire and Tinkaton want to take a holiday, though watch out for common users of Mental Herb such as Toxapex.
* **Whirlpool**: Although difficult to pull off with Iron Bundle's mediocre bulk, trapping foes with Whirlpool can make Encore especially deadly.
* **Electric Terrain**: Giving Iron Bundle a Speed boost via Electric Terrain isn't nearly as flexible as Booster Energy, but it does let Iron Bundle support potentially deadly Quark Drive teammates such as Iron Valiant and Iron Hands.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Low**: Iron Bundle's perfect coverage and high Speed means its fairly flexible with a team's Terastallization needs.
* **Water**: Besides the power boost for Hydro Pump and resistance to Scizor's Bullet Punch, Tera Water enables a reliable Water-type STAB move in Tera Blast.
* **Ice**: With Tera Ice, Freeze-Dry will OHKO offensive Dragonite through Multiscale and Ice Beam will OHKO even bulky Dragonite.
* **Ground**: An immunity to Electric-type attacks lets Iron Bundle potentially give Magnezone's and Rotom-W's momentum a snow day and deal more damage to Gholdengo via Tera Blast.
* **Ghost**: Tera Ghost gives Iron Bundle an important immunity to Extreme Speed, which can especially ruin Dragonite's holiday with Encore. It also gives Iron Bundle a reliable way to 2HKO Flutter Mane.
* **Fighting**: Tera Fighting gives Iron Bundle a handy Sucker Punch resistance and a Tera Blast that threatens Chien-Pao, Wo-Chien, and Kingambit.
* **Fire**: While Tera Fire's resistances aren't fantastic, the ability to roast Scizor and Chien-Pao like a chestnut is useful, and it gives Iron Bundle an improved matchup against Gholdengo.
Items
========
* **Booster Energy**: Quark Drive's Speed boost lets Iron Bundle outpace key threats such as Dragapult, Booster Energy Flutter Mane, +1 Baxcalibur, +1 Roaring Moon, and Choice Scarf Gholdengo.
* **Choice Specs**: Choice Specs Iron Bundle regifts support moves so it can wallbreak, with moves such as Tera Water Hydro Pump now OHKOing Tera Fairy Skeledirge.
* **Focus Sash**: Getting around Iron Bundle's iffy bulk makes it a fantastic lead and revenge killer.
* **Life Orb**: While Life Orb compromises Iron Bundle's ability to take priority attacks, it boosts damage without passing on powerful support moves.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theorymon.29010/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/thick-fat-azumarill.330577/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cryogyro.331519/
Iron Moth
Mimikyu
Rotom-WashA rank
Baxcalibur
Breloom
Corviknight
Garchomp
Great Tusk
Iron Hands
Scizor
Wo-ChienA- rank
Amoonguss
Annihilape
Azumarill
Clodsire
Dragapult
Glimmora
Kingambit Meowscarada
Palafin
Roaring Moon
VolcaronaB tier:
B+ rank
Hippowdon
Iron Valiant
Magnezone
Rotom-Heat Skeledirge
Sylveon
ToxapexB rank
Arboliva
Blissey
Cloyster
Gallade
Gardevoir
Hydreigon
Orthworm
Pawmot Quaquaval
Tinkaton
UmbreonB- rank
Arcanine
Avalugg
Bellibolt
Brute Bonnet
Ceruledge
Espathra
Grimmsnarl
Gyarados
Hariyama
Lucario
Sandy Shocks
Scream Tail
Slither Wing
Tauros-FireC tier:
C+ rank
Abomasnow
Armarouge
Chansey
Ditto
Gastrodon
Gengar
Glalie
Goodra
Hatterene
Iron Treads
Mudsdale
Pelipper
Salamence
Tauros-Water
Torkoal
TyranitarC rank
Bronzong
Cyclizar
Donphan
Drifblim
Espeon
Floatzel
Forretress
Gothitelle
Haxorus
Houndstone
Iron Jugulis
Iron Thorns
Lycanroc-Dusk
Scovillain
Salazzle
Slowking
Talonflame
Vaporeon
Last edited by a moderator: