What is a good moveset for Dugtrio?

Question

This thread is for Kantonian Dugtrio. For Alolan Dugtrio, please go here.

If you have a good competitive moveset for Dugtrio, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some explanation, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Dugtrio Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gen V

Dugtrio (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Sucker Punch
- Aerial Ace

Trap the foe, then hit them hard with Choice Banded Dugtrio. Earthquake is STAB. Stone Edge is type coverage. Sucker Punch is priority. Aerial Ace is really the only thing left for Dugtrio to use. Maybe you'll be up against a Heracross or the like. Sweeping EVs.

Comments

Dugtrio with sucker punch XD

---

Suckerpunch is beast on Dugtrio

---

hey have u been stalking me?
http://pokemondb.net/pokebase/115770/why-did-they-make-azurill-look-sad

Answer 2

Role: Sweeper -For use with Entertainment Durant-

Dugtrio (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hone Claws
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Protect

---

For Use with Entertainment and Truant Durant.

Durant uses Entertainment, and then switches to Dugtrio.

With Arena Trap your Opponent can't get away, so You just start using Hone Claws and Protect Alternating until You've maxed your Attack.

And then Sweep with Stone Edge and Earthquake.

Comments

wow great strategy!

---

Calafox used it on me. Credit goes to him.

---

E.V.I.L M.O.V.E.S.E.T.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZClkvvcTnA

---

Entrainment won't work with truant. It's on bulbapedia.

---

Yes, it does work. Wanna test it out? Bulbapedia made a mistake.

---

........... Oops. I don't like being wrong on these things. Have you tried it.

Answer 3

Here are my Dugtrio movesets in Gen V

Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Aerial Ace
- Night Slash

• Earthquake: STAB
• Stone Edge: immense coverage and hi-critical hit ratio, deals with Ice types
• Aerial Ace: more coverage and never misses, deals with Grass types
• Night Slash: Filler, great move, deals with pesky levitating Ghosts

Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 4 HP / Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Reversal
- Sandstorm

• Earthquake: STAB
• Stone Edge: immense coverage and hi-critical hit ratio, deals with Ice types
• Reversal: Great move when it reaches base 200 at 1 HP since Dugtrio has very low HP anyway
• Sandstorm: Damage each turn by all other types except Ground, Rock, and Steel, and compliments the Sand Force boost for Earthquake and Stone Edge

Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Force
Modest Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Earth Power
- Ancient Power
- Sludge Bomb
- Sandstorm

• Earth Power: STAB and 10% chance to lower Sp. Def
• Ancient Power: immense coverage, deals with Ice types and chance to boost all stats by one stage
• Sludge Bomb: Grass coverage and 30% chance to Poison
• Sandstorm: Damage each turn by all other types except Ground, Rock, and Steel, and compliments the Sand Force boost for Earth Power and Ancient Power

Answer 4

Gen III

Dugtrio (M) @ Starf Berry
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Tri Attack
- Earthquake
- Ancient Power
- Sludge Bomb

---

Time to test your luck.

Ancient Power has a slim chance to raise all of your Stats, which would make you a sweeping machine, On top of the fact. That back in Gen III this was the most reliable Rock move, and it is physical. Sludge bomb has a 30% chance to poison, which would rock. Tri Attack has a 20% chance to Burn, Freeze, or Paralyze. And Starf Berry randomly Sharply raises one of your Stats when your Hp gets low. Hope you're lucky when you're using this guy.

Comments

It's good, but I think I'll prefer the Modest Nature, it's nowhere near as good as with it's Adamant Earthquake, but all the other moves are special, so think about it if you can because it will work a lot better that way, well unless you are doing a mixed sweeper Dugtrio, which I highly doubt will be possible.

---

I think you missed something. It's a Gen III set. Back in Gen III moves were determined to be physical or special by typing. All normal, poison, and rock moves are treated as physical in Gen III.
While it's weird, it's how it plays off, so it's actually an all physical set.

---

Oh ok, forgot that Gen III part, my bad, I was referring to my Modest Dugtrio.

Answer 5

Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Reversal
- Stone Edge
- Aerial Ace

Explanation: Just KO the opponent. Earthquake is STAB. Reversal gets powerful if Dugtrio uses its Focus Sash. Stone Edge has 100 base power and has a high critical hit rate. Aerial Ace is coverage against Grass types.

Comments

Try Jolly for the speed boost, but this is pretty good.

---

loads of pokemon do this way better, but I guess it could be worse.

Answer 6

Gen 8 Battle Stadium Singles

Dugtrio @ Choice Band
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Night Slash / Shadow Claw
- Body Slam

Earthquake is great STAB. Stone Edge is coverage for Ice types, as well as Flying types which aren't affected by Arena Trap. Night Slash or Shadow Claw are used to hit Ghost types, which are unaffected by Arena Trap. Body Slam because it's the only viable attacking move Dugtrio has that can fit on the Choice Band set. Plus throwing around 30% paralysis is neat :p

Answer 7

Suicide Lead/Setup Pokemon
Dugtrio (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Sucker Punch
- Memento
- Toxic/Stealth Rock

Trap The Pokemon With Arena Trap, Go For Toxic/Stealth Rock If They Are Going To Set Up. Then Go For Sucker Punch If You can predict their attack.Earthquake Is If You Can Get One Off, And Memento is when you are at 1 hp with focus sash and their is nothing else you can do with dugtrio.

Comments

also this is for gen 6. You could also replace equake with something else

Answer 8

Double/Triple Battle

Dugtrio (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Force / Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Aerial Ace
- Night Slash

Dugtrio is mainly a Single battle Pokemon, due to Arena Trap. While Arena Trap can still be used in multi-battles, the horde of Flying and Levitators used make it not so useful. However, without Sandstorm support it is still more useful than Sand Force. With Sand Force Dugtrio can do some damage. STAB Earthquake is always just incredible in multi-battles. Rock Slide gets boosted by Sand Force and is just a great move in multi. Aerial Ace can hit any foe in a Triple battle. Night Slash is coverage.

Answer 9

Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 6 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Sucker Punch
- Reversal

• Earthquake (STAB)
• Rock Slide (type coverage)
• Sucker Punch (priority)
• Reversal (powerful when opponent brings you to your Sash)

Answer 10

Gen VIII

Dugtrio @ Choice Band
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide
- Sucker Punch
- Body Slam

Explanation: This moveset can cripple anything frail or anything weak to its Ground Typing or any of its Rock or Dark Type coverage, Earthquake for STAB, Stone Edge/Rock Slide to counter Ice and Flying types, Sucker Punch is to hit opponents before they can land an attack, this will also make any frail Psychic and Ghost types cry, Body Slam is for some neutral coverage and that chance to paralyse the opponent with Arena Trap preventing the opponent from escaping it can make it even more annoying for the player.

Answer 11

Monotype

Dugtrio (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Sucker Punch
- Reversal

I got this set off of Smogon, and I figured I would share it here since it has worked well on my NatDex Mono Ground team on Showdown. Basically you attack with your other moves, until you get hit hard, hopefully using up your sash, then start popping off 1 HP reversals. Priority is this beautiful things Achilles Heel, sadly, so try to predict if the 'mon he is up agianst could finish him off. Also if he is at 1 HP, hazards need to be removed before he can be switched back in. Status elements are also death after he gets to 1 HP. So to sum it up, handle him like you would Shedninja.

Answer 12

Dugtrio(F) @Focus Sash
Ability:Arena trap
Evs:252 Spe / 252 HP/
Jolly Nature

Memento
Final Gambit
Stealth rock
Fissure

It's a support Dugtrio set up Stealth rocks and its your choice, risk it with fissure, drop stats, or damage. I always choose based of the scenario, I usually use it to ready a sweeper or annoy people

Answer 13

Gen 9 PU Swords Dance

Dugtrio @ Life Orb / Focus Sash / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Tera Type: Dark / Ground / Ice
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide
- Sucker Punch / Stealth Rock / Tera Blast / Substitute

Well, Dugtrio gets Swords Dance in Gen 9, meaning it finally has a viable way other than Choice Band to boost its attack stat. Swords Dance boosts Dugtrio's attack stat, allowing it to become a potent sweeper/breaker. Earthquake is used for a powerful Ground STAB. Stone Edge provides coverage against Flying-types such as Masquerain, Rotom-Fan, Squawkabilly, and Vespiquen. Rock Slide can be used over Stone Edge for better accuracy at the cost of less power. Sucker Punch is used for a priority move that is useful against slower Pokemon using a priority move as well as Pokemon faster than Dugtrio such as Choice Scarf Pokemon and setup sweepers that boost their speed. Stealth Rock can be used if you decide to make Dugtrio a Stealth Rock Lead set. Tera Blast with Ice as Dugtrio's Tera Type allows Dugtrio to hit Grass- and Dragon-types such as Cacturne, Lilligant, Flapple, and Dragonair. Tera Blast Ice also hits Flying-types so Dugtrio doesn't always have to rely on Stone Edge / Rock Slide to hit them. Substitute is an option to potentially dodge status moves as well as dodging potential Sucker Punches. Life Orb gives Dugtrio's attacks more power. Focus Sash is useful if using Stealth Rock to pretty much guarantee Dugtrio sets up Stealth Rock. Heav-Duty Boots is a good option if you have Dugtrio on a team that has no form of hazard removal. Tera Dark is used if you use Sucker Punch so Dugtrio's Sucker Punch can have more power. Tera Ground makes Dugtrio's Earthquake more powerful and should be used if you have Stealth Rock or Substitute as the last slot. Tera Ice should only be used if you use Tera Blast as the last slot. Sand Force is used as the Ability since that is the only Ability Dugtrio can use in Gen 9 PU.