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Crabhammer and Knock Off cover the majority of the tier, destroying common Pokemon like Hippowdon, Celesteela, and Slowking. Aqua Jet allows Crawdaunt to threaten frailer faster foes like Azelf, Thundurus-T, and Choice Scarf Diggersby. Close Combat destroys Hydreigon and Zarude attempting to switch into Crawdaunt. Lash Out is an option to crush defensive Salamence attempting to switch into Crabhammer while being a solid alternative STAB to Knock Off. Crawdaunt is intended to be used as an early- or mid-game wallbreaker on more offensive teams, tearing open defensive cores to allow its teammates to clean late-game. Pivots are essential to give Crawdaunt as many wallbreaking attempts as possible. Slowking is not only one of Crawdaunt's favorite targets, but an amazing teammate as well, defensively checking Keldeo and Noivern while also giving Crawdaunt safe entry with Teleport. Slowking also can provide Future Sight support to help Crawdaunt KO Pokemon like Salamence and Amoonguss that attempt to switch into it. Noivern, Choice Scarf Hydreigon, and Choice Scarf Diggersby can revenge kill faster threats like Cobalion, Zarude, and Raikou for Crawdaunt as well as bring it in against Hippowdon with U-turn. Scizor can bring in Crawdaunt with U-turn against threats like Celesteela as well as wear down Tangrowth and Salamence with Knock Off. It also answers Zarude. Entry hazard support is essential in wearing down bulky Pokemon due to Crawdaunt's inability to take a hit if it fails to KO its target. Nidoqueen and Hippowdon can provide Stealth Rock support for Crawdaunt, with the former checking foes like Thundurus-T and Hydreigon and the latter threatening Grass- and Fairy-types like Tangrowth, Tapu Bulu, and Primarina. Entry hazard removal from Pokemon like Tentacruel and Salamence keep Crawdaunt from being worn down by entry hazards, boosting its longevity. Defensive Grass-types like Amoonguss and Assault Vest Tangrowth can defensively answer revenge killers to Crawdaunt like Primarina, Thundurus-T, and Keldeo. Pokemon that can spread paralysis such as Nihilego and Togekiss can help Crawdaunt bypass its low Speed. Late-game cleaners like Zygarde-10% and Swords Dance Cobalion appreciate Crawdaunt's wallbreaking and can finish off weakened foes like Skarmory while also keeping faster threats like Hydreigon and Zarude in check throughout a game.

With a high base Attack stat in conjunction with a phenomenal ability in Adaptability, Choice Band Crawdaunt serves as a hard-hitting wallbreaker for Dark teams. Knock Off is Crawdaunt's most powerful and most spammable Dark-type STAB move, allowing it to remove items from targets. Crabhammer is the strongest Water-type STAB move backed by Adaptability, cleanly OHKOing the likes of physically defensive Hippowdon and 2HKOing physically defensive Mandibuzz and defensive Corviknight. Aqua Jet makes up for Crawdaunt's low Speed and additionally allows it to pick off weakened or frail Pokemon such as Alolan Raichu, Gardevoir, Galarian Darmanitan, and Zeraora. Close Combat serves as a stronger means of hitting Ferrothorn as well as threatens Normal teams, as no Normal-type can switch into it. Alternatively, Crunch allows Crawdaunt to maintain the 2HKO on an itemless Toxapex. Crawdaunt should be brought into the battle to wallbreak with pivoting moves such as U-turn or through double switches, as it cannot switch into attacks due to its lackluster bulk. Maximum Attack investment in conjunction with an Adamant nature while holding a Choice Band allows Crawdaunt to hit as hard as possible. Maximum Speed investment allows Crawdaunt to outspeed defensive Rotom-W and defensive Mandibuzz. Tyranitar is able to provide Stealth Rock support, which wears the opposing team down and allows Crawdaunt to wallbreak more easily. Tyranitar can also cripple threats such as Mew, Gardevoir, and Indeedee-M with Thunder Wave, allowing Crawdaunt to outspeed them and making up for its lackluster Speed tier. Mandibuzz can switch into Pokemon such as Flygon, Virizion, and Excadrill that threaten Crawdaunt greatly, Defog away entry hazards such as Toxic Spikes and Sticky Web that hinder Crawdaunt, and allow Crawdaunt to safely get into the battle with U-turn. Weavile and Bisharp appreciate Crawdaunt's wallbreaking abilities, as they all share similar checks. Weavile is able to beat Dragon-types such as Kommo-o and Noivern, while Bisharp is able to defeat Fairy-types such as Galarian Weezing and Hatterene. Additionally, Crawdaunt is able to wallbreak and punch holes through teams early-game, allowing Bisharp to sweep late-game. Dual screens Grimmsnarl makes up for Crawdaunt's poor bulk, allowing it to take hits more easily, while Bulk Up Grimmsnarl appreciates Crawdaunt's wallbreaking capabilities weakening Pokemon like Toxapex and allowing it to sweep more easily. Drapion is able to threaten Fairy-types such as Primarina, Togekiss, and Whimsicott, which all threaten Crawdaunt, in addition to providing Toxic Spikes support for Crawdaunt to wallbreak more easily. Incineroar is able to switch into Grass- and Fairy-type attacks and can provide Crawdaunt with a slow U-turn to enter the battle safely.

Crawdaunt is an incredible wallbreaker that fits on both balance and rain teams and can break through teams of many types such as Poison, Water, and Psychic. Knock Off is its most spammable move and can 2HKO walls like Toxapex and Slowbro, which can annoy rain sweepers, as well as removing important items such as Heavy-Duty Boots from Dragonite. Crabhammer offers more power and threatens Dark-resistant walls like Galarian Weezing, Mandibuzz, and Clefable. Close Combat is a good coverage move for Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Melmetal. Crunch can be used instead to guarantee high, reliable damage after Knock Off removes a foe's item. It's especially helpful against bulky archetypes such as Poison and Water stall teams, notably 2HKOing Toxapex and Amoonguss even after they lose their items. Aqua Jet helps Crawdaunt compensate for its low Speed, pick off weakened foes, and potentially OHKO Gengar, Nihilego, Thundurus-T, and Choice Specs Tapu Koko after Stealth Rock in rain. An Adamant nature with maximum Speed EVs is enough to outpace slower Pokemon like Clefable, Swampert, uninvested Rotom-W, and Mantine. Pokemon such as Slowking, Slowbro, and Rotom-W that can pivot Crawdaunt into annoying walls are great teammates; Slowbro and Slowking can also provide Future Sight support, which helps Crawdaunt break through Poison teams, especially if it isn't running Crunch. Swampert provides an immunity to Electric, Stealth Rock support, and Flip Turn to pivot Crawdaunt in safely. Toxapex can check Grass-, Fairy- and Fighting-types, such as Tapu Bulu, Clefable, and Terrakion, and carry Eject Button on rain teams to pivot Crawdaunt in against slower threats. Pelipper is a reliable Defog user and activates rain, which can allow Crawdaunt to spam Aqua Jet and Crabhammer, 2HKOing Pokemon such as Amoonguss. Urshifu-R can overwhelm Steel-types if Crawdaunt is lacking Close Combat, threaten Ice-types such as Kyurem, and use U-turn to avoid losing momentum by bringing Crawdaunt into Psychic-types such as Slowbro. As Crawdaunt is slow, faster teammates such as Barraskewda and Choice Scarf Tapu Fini can clean up teams late-game.

Choice Band Crawdaunt is one of the hardest Pokemon to switch into in the tier due to its enormous, Adaptability-boosted immediate power and nearly unresisted STAB combination. However, its middling Speed and bulk limit its ability to switch in. Aqua Jet is Crawdaunt’s main way of damaging faster foes that threaten to revenge kill it such as Mega Lopunny, Zeraora, and Tapu Koko, doing over half to all three of them. Knock Off synergizes well with Crabhammer due to most of the tier’s Dark-resistant Pokemon fearing Crabhammer, which is also Crawdaunt's hardest hitting move. Crunch is the usual fourth option for Choice Band Crawdaunt, as it provides a secondary STAB option if the target has already lost its item or uses a Mega Stone or Z-Crystal. Close Combat is an extremely niche option and is used for nailing Hydreigon, which can switch in to scout Crawdaunt’s move, and Ferrothorn. Crawdaunt fits perfectly on VoltTurn teams that can repeatedly bring it in to further pressure the opponent. A good defensive core that focuses on bringing Crawdaunt in is a must, with Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Corviknight, Slowbro, and Slowking as Crawdaunt is extremely susceptible to being revenge killed and is a huge momentum sink after getting a KO. Other than that, fast threats pair well with Crawdaunt such as Tapu Koko and Mega Lopunny, helping Crawdaunt pressure and soften up offensive teams for it to clean.

Swords Dance Crawdaunt is a potent wallbreaker, demolishing slower teams with Swords Dance and Adaptability while revenge killing faster Pokemon with a boosted Aqua Jet, as most teams lack a defensive answer to its power and STAB moves. It even eviscerates defensive Pokemon like Clefable, specially defensive Toxapex, and Ferrothorn. However, its middling Speed and bulk limit its switch-in opportunities. Knock Off is Crawdaunt’s most spammable move, letting it cripple switch-ins by removing their items and KOing the bulky Grass-types that attempt to tank a boosted hit. Crabhammer nets KOs on Dark-resistant Pokemon such as Clefable and Mega Tyranitar. Aqua Jet lets Crawdaunt pick off weakened foes, clean late-game, and revenge kill Pokemon like Volcarona and Mega Diancie that would otherwise end a sweep. Waterium Z is the preferred item, as it gives Crawdaunt a one-time nuke on many of its usual switch-ins and almost always KOes a neutral target, while Life Orb is a secondary option to pull off ridiculous feats such as OHKOing physically defensive Tangrowth and Toxapex after a boost. Crawdaunt fits on bulky offense teams that can safely bring it in multiple times throughout the match; it therefore appreciates slow pivoting from the likes of Corviknight, Slowbro, and Slowking. Reliable speed control such as Mega Lopunny complement this further by helping to deal with faster teams, while Crawdaunt shreds through bulkier teams for them. As Crawdaunt is prone to being revenge killed by even resisted and neutral hits due to its pitiful defences, a strong defensive core to fall back on complements it perfectly. Specifically, checks to offensive Grass-types such as Rillaboom, Kartana, and Serperior such as Corviknight and Zapdos deny these Pokemon a free boost or KO each time it comes in. Lastly, other wallbreakers such as Rillaboom and Tapu Koko work with it amazingly, softening up the opponent’s team early on for Crawdaunt to clean late-game.

Moves While Liquidation is more accurate, Crabhammer is chosen as Crawdaunt's Water-type STAB move due to its greater power enabling Crawdaunt to OHKO Hippowdon and Florges as well as 2HKO Mega Aggron. Aqua Jet lets Crawdaunt pick off weakened, faster Pokemon such as Zeraora, Mega Manectric, Mega Aerodactyl, and Nihilego. Superpower notably allows Crawdaunt to punch its way through Hydreigon, an otherwise solid check. It also threatens other foes that resist Crawdaunt's STAB combination like Mega Sharpedo and opposing Crawdaunt with a powerful neutral or super effective attack. Crunch is an alternative to Superpower, acting as a secondary Dark-type move that deals more damage to bulkier, itemless Pokemon, Mega Evolutions, and Z-Move users than Knock Off does. Set Details Choice Band makes Crawdaunt a terrifyingly powerful wallbreaker at the cost of locking it into one move at a time. An Adamant nature gives Crawdaunt a chance to 2HKO Pokemon like itemless Alomomola after Stealth Rock with Crunch as well as OHKO Pokemon like Florges. Usage Tips Crawdaunt should mainly be brought into play after a teammate has been KOed, through pivoting, or through double switches, as its poor defenses prevent it from reliably switching into much else. Crawdaunt is most effective at wallbreaking during the earlier and middle stages of a game, as its low Speed tends to make breaking through teams difficult later on. Prioritize safely getting Crawdaunt in more often against bulkier teams; Crawdaunt's great power and ability to just barely outpace a lot of defensive Pokemon allow it to consistently apply heavy amounts of pressure to them. Knock Off is generally a safe move to spam early-game, as it typically puts foes on the back foot due to it removing items and being fairly strong. Crabhammer becomes a lot safer to lock into after bulky Water-resistant foes have been removed or heavily weakened. Use Superpower whenever Crawdaunt expects Pokemon like Hydreigon and Chesnaught to switch in, as it deals more damage to them than any of its other moves and doesn't put Crawdaunt at as much of a disadvantage. Crunch should be used whenever Crawdaunt anticipates bulky Pokemon that have already taken a Knock Off such as Amoonguss and Alomomola to switch in. Make predictions when facing offensive teams, as Crawdaunt's lackluster defensive presence and low Speed put it at a massive disadvantage against them and doing so alleviates some of the pressure. An example of this would be switching into Mega Aerodactyl to revenge kill it and taking advantage of the forced switch by not using Aqua Jet, but predicting the switch-in and using the appropriate move. Use Aqua Jet cautiously; while it is a powerful tool for revenge killing Pokemon like Infernape, Mega Beedrill, and Nihilego and can also be used to clean late-game, being locked into it allows sweepers like Latias and Haxorus to set up for free. Team Options Choice Band Crawdaunt fits well on offensive and bulky offensive teams in need of a wallbreaker that has the tools to punish bulkier playstyles while still pressuring more offensive ones with its powerful STAB moves and access to decently strong priority. Pivots such as Gligar, Mega Manectric, and Scizor are essential teammates, as they give Crawdaunt a much easier time switching in. Gligar checks physical Fighting-types, Mega Manectric can take on annoyances like Togekiss as well as lure certain checks like Swampert and Chesnaught with its coverage moves, and Scizor offensively checks Fairy-types. Entry hazards are important for giving Crawdaunt an easier time with wallbreaking and putting foes such as Moltres, Terrakion, and Mamoswine in range of Aqua Jet, making setters such as Mamoswine, Cobalion, Chesnaught, and Klefki useful partners to have. Toxic Spikes setters such as Nihilego can also work, as the hazard puts greater pressure on defensive checks like Alomomola. Latias is a great teammate for multiple reasons: it resists Fighting, Grass, and Electric and is also immune to Ground; it's bulky enough to take on some of Crawdaunt's revenge killers like Cobalion, and Choice Scarf sets can revenge kill Pokemon like +1 Haxorus; it can reduce the residual damage that Crawdaunt is forced to take with Defog as well as give it another shot at breaking with Healing Wish; and Calm Mind variants can threaten bulky Water-types and have an easier time setting and sweeping with Pokemon like Krookodile and Alolan Muk kept at bay. As Crawdaunt is completely shut down by Mega Altaria and is similarly pressured by other Fairy-types like Primarina, pairing it with Fairy checks such as Cobalion, Scizor, and Gengar is ideal. Swords Dance variants of the former two also make for a deadly wallbreaking core alongside Crawdaunt. In order for Crawdaunt to be able to spam its STAB moves more reliably, pairing it with checks to Hydreigon, Mega Altaria, and Chesnaught such as Florges, Togekiss, and Moltres is important. Late-game sweepers and cleaners such as Scizor, Mega Altaria, and Choice Scarf Hydreigon find finishing teams off much easier as a result of Crawdaunt's wallbreaking prowess. Mega Altaria and Hydreigon are also capable of picking up the slack for Crawdaunt against more offensively inclined teams.

Moves Swords Dance boosts Crawdaunt's Attack to immense levels, allowing it to plow through offensive and defensive teams alike. Crabhammer is Crawdaunt's main STAB move, significantly damaging any neutral switch-ins as well as frailer Water-resistant foes such as Primarina. It gives Crawdaunt access to an extremely powerful Z-Move in Hydro Vortex when it's used with Waterium Z, enabling it to break through Pokemon such as Mega Aggron and defensive Primarina. Knock Off is Crawdaunt's best Dark-type STAB attack, denting Pokemon that resist Crabhammer such as Latias and Rotom-C while also having the utility of removing opposing items. Aqua Jet allows Crawdaunt to revenge kill faster threats such as Terrakion and Mega Beedrill while also being able to sweep late-game. Set Details 252 Speed and Attack EVs allow Crawdaunt to outspeed threats such as defensive Togekiss and Sylveon and Speed tie with offensive Scizor while maximizing power. Adamant Crawdaunt is usable, but the Speed gained from a Jolly nature is preferred in order to outspeed maximum Speed Modest Primarina. Adaptability is Crawdaunt's preferred ability, giving it the ability to hit as hard as possible. Waterium Z gives a one-time strong Water-type STAB attack, capable of blowing past walls such as Quagsire and Mandibuzz for teammates. Life Orb gives it extra damage output at the cost of HP. Furthermore, Lum Berry can be used to avoid a potentially crippling status condition while attempting to sweep, but Waterium Z and Life Orb are the preferred items, as they allow Crawdaunt to break more effectively. Usage Tips Due to its frailty, Crawdaunt shouldn't be switching directly into attacks. Crawdaunt should pivot into walls such as Blissey or resisted hits such as Scizor's Choice-locked Bullet Punch. This gives it more opportunities to heavily damage or outright KO defensive threats such as Swampert and Hippowdon. Aqua Jet should be used to force out threats such as Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl after they've been weakened. Team Options Pivots such as Scizor, Mega Manectric, and Hydreigon make good partners, as they can lure in setup fodder for Crawdaunt such as Blissey and Hippowdon. Entry hazard support from Spikes setters like Klefki, Stealth Rock setters like Nidoking, and Toxic Spikes setters like Tentacruel can help weaken checks so Crawdaunt can win late-game. Choice Scarf Latias helps deal with threats that normally force Crawdaunt out, such as Hydreigon, Infernape, and Cobalion, while also providing Healing Wish support for a late-game sweep. Other wallbreakers such as offensive Scizor and Choice Specs Hydreigon appreciate Crawdaunt's ability to wear down their checks. Fighting-type checks such as Sylveon and Mega Altaria make good partners, as they take on super effective attacks that Crawdaunt cannot.

Moves Knock Off is a very strong STAB attack that removes the held item of the opposing Pokemon. Crabhammer is a very solid STAB attack that has a high 100 Base Power. Aqua Jet gives Crawdaunt a form of priority to ensure that it is able to hit quicker Pokemon. Aerial Ace allows Crawdaunt to hit Chesnaught, which walls it otherwise, for super effective damage. Alternatively, Crunch allows Crawdaunt to do more damage with its Dark-type STAB move than it would with Knock Off to itemless Pokemon and Mega Evolutions. Switcheroo allows Crawdaunt to cripple most of its switch-ins, making it a decent option should Aerial Ace and Crunch not seem too useful. Set Details Choice Band boosts Crawdaunt's Attack, making it a very powerful wallbreaker at the cost of locking it into a move. Adaptability changes Crawdaunt's STAB bonus from 1.5x to 2x, making its STAB attacks a lot stronger. Maximum Attack and Speed EVs are used to augment Crawdaunt's wallbreaking potential, and a Jolly nature is used to ensure Crawdaunt is able to outspeed bulky Pokemon that attempt to Speed creep it, whereas an Adamant nature can be used to ensure Crawdaunt hits as hard as possible. Usage Tips Prediction is important for Crawdaunt, as it can easily give your opponent free turns depending on the move it locks itself into; however, most Pokemon take a lot of damage from Knock Off and Crabhammer, so don't be afraid to just use either whenever you can. Crawdaunt should only be coming in on weak attacks or from pivoting into something it has a good matchup against. Crawdaunt should be making use of its wallbreaking prowess during the early game as much as possible so its teammates can have an easier time later on. Use Crawdaunt's revenge killing potential with Aqua Jet as a tool against offense, as it generally doesn't get any other opportunity to be useful in those matchups. Team Options Sweepers and cleaners, such as Dragon Dance Gyarados and Mega Sharpedo, make for good Crawdaunt partners, as they capitalize on Crawdaunt's ability to effectively break down opposing teams. Other wallbreakers, such as Choice Band Entei and Choice Specs Kyurem, also make for good partners, as they form wallbreaking cores with Crawdaunt that can effectively break most defensively oriented teams. Entry hazard setters, such as Forretress and Nidoqueen, are good Crawdaunt partners due to their ability to wear down the opposing team via entry hazards, making Crawdaunt's switch-ins even more limited. Users of speed control moves, such as Sticky Web Shuckle and Tailwind Suicune, make for good Crawdaunt partners, as they can allow Crawdaunt to outspeed Pokemon it normally wouldn't be able to. Crawdaunt is also highly appreciative of momentum support from Volt Switch and U-turn users, such as Heliolisk and Hydreigon.

Moves Swords Dance boosts Crawdaunt's Attack, making it very deadly against defensively oriented teams. Crabhammer is a very strong STAB attack that also has a high critical hit ratio. Knock Off is a good secondary STAB attack that can also remove the item of the opposing Pokemon. Aqua Jet is weaker than Crabhammer and Knock Off, but its priority makes it the go-to move for doing damage to quicker Pokemon. Set Details Focus Sash ensures Crawdaunt is unable to be KOed from full HP, allowing it to have a free turn to either get off an attack or use Swords Dance; however, its main purpose is to ensure that Crawdaunt isn't mostly helpless against offensive teams, which tend to not give it any space. Life Orb is also an option due to the boost in power, which allows Crawdaunt to get some crucial KOs, such as against Mega Blastoise after Stealth Rock and a Swords Dance boost. Lum Berry can also be used should a one-time status immunity be more beneficial than the other options. The given EVs maximize Crawdaunt's wallbreaking potential. A Jolly nature is preferable to give Crawdaunt enough Speed to ensure that most bulky Pokemon, such as Nidoqueen and Suicune, are dissuaded from investing enough Speed EVs to outspeed Crawdaunt. An Adamant nature, on the other hand, allows Crawdaunt to hit benchmarks when attacking at the cost of being potentially outsped by many of the aforementioned bulky Pokemon. Adaptability is the ability of choice for boosting the power of Crawdaunt's STAB attacks. Usage Tips Predict a lot; strong wallbreakers like Crawdaunt that don't have much bulk or Speed don't get many opportunities to wallbreak in a match so make the most of the few turns it is given. In most matches, it's often better to just attack with Crawdaunt instead of setting up, as Swords Dance only benefits Crawdaunt against more defensively inclined teams that use sturdy walls that rely on being able to outlast Crawdaunt to get past it. Be sure to pivot Crawdaunt in on weak attacks or via U-turn and Volt Switch whenever it can get a good matchup. Most importantly, be sure to use Crawdaunt's ability to effectively wallbreak as much as possible during the early game so its teammates are able to clean later on. Team Options Sweepers and cleaners, such as Nasty Plot Lucario and Mega Sharpedo, make for excellent Crawdaunt partners, as they benefit from Crawdaunt's ability to wallbreak effectively. Other wallbreakers, such as Choice Band Darmanitan, Choice Specs Shaymin, and Life Orb Hydreigon, also make for nice Crawdaunt teammates, as they can form good wallbreaking cores with Crawdaunt to break through most teams. Shaymin gets a special mention for having access to Healing Wish, which not only heals Crawdaunt to full HP but also removes any status conditions Crawdaunt may have at the time. Pokemon that have access to speed control moves, such as Tailwind Whimsicott and Sticky Web Galvantula, also make for good teammates, as they can make Crawdaunt faster than its foe and give it more opportunities to wallbreak. Memento users, such as Chandelure and Gardevoir, make for good Crawdaunt teammates, as they can use Memento to give Crawdaunt a free turn to set up a Swords Dance, while Crawdaunt usually breaks down their defensive answers. Entry hazard setters, such as Aerodactyl, make for good Crawdaunt partners as well, as Crawdaunt can get some crucial KOs with entry hazard damage, such as OHKOs on Suicune after a Swords Dance. Similarly, entry hazard removers and suicide leads, such as Forretress and Aerodactyl, respectively, are also good Focus Sash Crawdaunt teammates, as they can respectively remove and prevent entry hazards, allowing Crawdaunt to retain its Focus Sash for as long as possible. Lastly, Crawdaunt appreciates having momentum support from VoltTurn users, such as Rotom-C and Infernape, making them good teammates for it.

This set makes use of the move Dragon Dance to raise Crawdaunt's Speed and Attack. After one boost, it outspeeds Pokemon with a base Speed of 105 and reaches 508 Attack, enabling it to break through many UU teams. Coupled with Crawdaunt's excellent dual 160 Base Power STAB moves, this crustacean will have very few troubles sweeping given the proper support. The moves employed on this set are fairly straightforward. Dragon Dance is the basis of the set, boosting Crawdaunt's Attack and Speed to prime it for a sweep. Waterfall and Crunch are Crawdaunt's main attacks, with their awesome combined coverage capable of hitting almost every Pokemon in UU for neutral damage. However, the last slot is a much more difficult choice to make. Superpower is the primary option, enabling Crawdaunt to massacre Ferroseed and Empoleon, which would otherwise wall it. However, Taunt shuts down walls and prevents them from hitting Crawdaunt with a crippling status effect or setting up hazards or stat boosts. Substitute also stops Crawdaunt from being affected by status, and has the added bonus of allowing Crawdaunt to scout for moves its opponent may be able to stop it with. The EVs on this set could hardly be more simple, enabling Crawdaunt to outspeed Pokemon with a base Speed of 105 after a Dragon Dance, and giving it maximum attack power to help it blast through teams. The leftover 12 EVs go into Crawdaunt's HP, giving it a bit of help with taking stray resisted attacks. A Jolly nature enables Crawdaunt to outspeed all Pokemon with a base Speed of up to 105 after a boost, but if you really want extra power, an Adamant nature is usable. A Life Orb is the suggested item because Crawdaunt needs all the power it can get, and it isn't bulky at all so an item such as Leftovers does it no good. Crabhammer can be used for a slight increase in Base Power, but Waterfall's accuracy and flinch chance are far more useful. The best teammates for this set are those that eliminate Crawdaunt's counters and help it sweep. Strong Ground-types can take on both Empoleon and Raikou, the former beating Crawdaunt without Superpower and the latter outspeeding it even after a Dragon Dance. Flygon and Swampert are both good choices, but must be wary of Empoleon's Scald and can both be taken out by the appropriate Hidden Power from Raikou. Checks for Hitmontop and Arcanine are necessary to use with Crawdaunt. In addition, a user of the move Rain Dance can be quite beneficial to Crawdaunt, as rain boosts Waterfall's Base Power to a ridiculous 270.

The combination of Crawdaunt's high Attack and low Speed make Trick Room a natural choice for it. Crunch is Crawdaunt's strongest and most reliable STAB move; it can gain a power boost from either Life Orb or Dark Gem to hit the enemy hard. The second moveslot is dedicated to Crawdaunt's secondary STAB. Crabhammer is the stronger choice, but misses can be costly, making Waterfall an equal option. Superpower is mainly for coverage, and the fact that Crawdaunt doesn't have much else to use for this slot. Protect is a common utility move to use in VGC; it enables Crawdaunt to stall out burn or poison damage, prevent damage from an obvious Fake Out, scout out an opponent's moves, or simply enable Crawdaunt to evade damage for a turn. A Brave nature optimizes Crawdaunt's stats, giving it as high an Attack and as low a Speed as possible. Similarly, as is standard for Trick Room abusing Pokemon, maximum Attack investment lets Crawdaunt hit as hard as possible, and the rest of the EVs are put in HP for some added bulk. 0 Speed IVs should also be used to maximize Crawdaunt's Speed when under Trick Room. Crawdaunt's most useful ability is Adaptability because of the boost it gives to Crawdaunt's STAB moves. Life Orb grants all of Crawdaunt's moves a nice boost, while Dark Gem gives Crawdaunt's main attack, Crunch, much more power the first time it is used. Rain support in the form of Drizzle Politoed would be nice to have, so as to ensure Crawdaunt hits harder with Crabhammer or Waterfall. More importantly, Psychic- or Ghost-types that set up Trick Room are necessary to maximize Crawdaunt's potential. Pokemon that can provide excellent Trick Room support include Cresselia, Dusknoir, Jellicent, and Reuniclus. Fighting-types hold as steady checks to Crawdaunt, so Psychic-type teammates might be preferred to Ghost-type ones. Lightningrod support from Pokemon such as Marowak and Seaking will also be handy, as they draw in Electric-type attacks that could otherwise KO Crawdaunt.

Crawdaunt's high Attack and excellent physical movepool make it a decent Choice Band user that can outspeed and bulldoze many common UU walls. Crunch should be treated as the primary move on this set, as nothing is immune to or 4x resists it, and it has a chance of lowering the opposing Pokemon's Defense. Waterfall is a strong and reliable secondary STAB move, and it gets excellent neutral coverage with Crunch. The last two moveslots are mostly filler, but they can be useful for certain situations. Superpower smites Registeel, while also OHKOing Chansey and Clefable. X-Scissor is the strongest move that Crawdaunt has against Tangrowth and Leafeon (although it will fail to OHKO either); Return has nice neutral coverage and power; and Aerial Ace is worth consideration because it hits Toxicroak, which would otherwise have an easy time switching into and setting up on Crawdaunt. Choice Band Crawdaunt greatly appreciates entry hazard support, which is best provided by Gligar and Qwilfish due to their great defensive synergy with Crawdaunt. Paralysis support is also greatly appreciated, as it makes Crawdaunt's job much easier. Rotom, Uxie, or Tangrowth make good choices for providing this. Since paralysis support is so useful, Body Slam can be considered, but its mediocre Base Power when compared to Return is a major turn-off. Because the Choice Band restricts Crawdaunt's freedom to switch between moves, it must rely on prediction to get the job done. Bringing Crawdaunt in early in the game is not a good idea, as you will have no idea what Pokemon your opponent plans to counter it with. Save it for mid- to late-game, when you have scouted your opponent's counters and have a good idea of how they'll react to Crawdaunt. The EV spread may seem odd due to Crawdaunt's atrocious Speed, but it's actually quite necessary; maximum Speed EVs allow Crawdaunt to tie with Exeggutor, while outspeeding minimum Speed Milotic. Most UU walls lurk around that speed tier, so hitting it is critical.

With its newly acquired move, Dragon Dance, Crawdaunt gains the ability to raise its above-average Attack and meager Speed stats. Water and Dark is a powerful type combination in UU, resisted only by Toxicroak, Cacturne, Shiftry, and Poliwrath. Crawdaunt may seem very easy to revenge kill, but it is very difficult to switch into after a Dragon Dance, as nothing enjoys taking a hit from an Attack stat of 558. Waterfall and Crunch are compulsory for their STAB and great type coverage. X-Scissor helps Crawdaunt dent some of its biggest counters: Tangrowth and Leafeon. Additionally, Taunt may be used in the last slot to stop Haze Milotic and Will-O-Wisp Weezing from spoiling Crawdaunt's fun. The EVs are straightforward: 252 Attack EVs are for maximum damage output, while the Speed EVs allow Adamant Crawdaunt to outspeed everything up to positive base 90s after a Dragon Dance boost. A Jolly nature is usable to outpace key threats, such as Mismagius, Scyther, and Houndoom, that target Crawdaunt's poor Special Defense. An Adamant nature is almost always the better option though, as it allows Crawdaunt to obtain several key OHKOs and 2HKOs. Thanks to its ability to switch between moves, Dragon Dance Crawdaunt is more difficult to counter than the Choice Band set. However, there are some hard counters that one needs to bear in mind when building a team around this Crawdaunt variant. Tangrowth and Leafeon can take Crawdaunt's hits very well with their sturdy Defense; the former can cripple it with Stun Spore, whereas the latter can destroy it with Leaf Blade. Pokemon that utilize Fighting-type priority moves, such as Blaziken, Hitmontop, and Hitmonlee, can revenge kill Crawdaunt after it sets up. Milotic can come in, erase Crawdaunt's boosts via Haze, and KO it with Hidden Power Grass. Weezing can switch in on X-Scissor, then burn Crawdaunt with Will-O-Wisp. Registeel can also take a Waterfall at full health, and proceed to smack Crawdaunt with a crippling Thunder Wave. To cover these threats, utilizing Pokemon like Moltres and Venusaur can prove useful. Moltres can switch in on Grass- and Fighting-types, Weezing, and Registeel with ease and proceed to destroy them with Fire Blast and Air Slash. Venusaur can block Milotic's advances and waste it with Leaf Storm. In addition, Venusaur provides a safe backup switch in for Grass- and Fighting-types and can sleep threats with Sleep Powder. Pokemon that can take specially-based Electric- and Grass-type attacks are effective partners to this set. Such partners include Registeel, Chansey, and Exeggutor. Blaziken also makes a great teammate, as Crawdaunt weakens the bulky Waters that prevent Blaziken from sweeping. Life Orb Arcanine is another good choice, as it dents Registeel, Leafeon, and Tangrowth with its STAB Fire-type attacks. Claydol can take Electric- and Fighting-type hits for Crawdaunt, and put the hurt on Hitmonlee, Hitmontop, and Blaziken with Psychic. Stealth Rock is a necessity for Crawdaunt, and Spikes may also be used to weaken walls such as Registeel, putting them into Waterfall's KO range. Toxic Spikes are another useful tool for their ability to cripple Tangrowth and Leafeon.