Best Dragapult ability for competitive?

Question

I can’t decide if it’s infiltrator or Cursed Body! They both seem useful but with it’s low defence is cursed body really that useful?

Comments

Infiltrator is probably best on offensive and defensive sets, because defensive sets already run Disable, and Infiltrator makes it able to 1v1 other defensive Dragapult.

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Its clear body

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It gets Clear Body, Cursed Body, and Infiltrator. Clear Body is better if you are against Pokemon with Intimidate, Infiltrator is better for countering Substitute, and Cursed Body is kinda bad on a Pokemon that isn't meant to take a hit. :P

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With Dynamax making stat debuffs more common, as well as a surprising usage increase of moves like Fake Tears in VGC, Clear Body is definitely a good option. Honestly, I'd say that Infiltrator is probably better in singles, while Clear Body is better in doubles, since Substitute is pretty much never seen, although Infiltrator also gets through screens, so it definitely is still worth considering for doubles.

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What format/rules are you playing with?

Answer 1

Let's construct this answer with what several users have given us.

You could use any of them effectively. Personally I prefer Infiltrator, as mine is a Choice Specs set and it is helpful to break things with Substitute. If you're running a physical set, run Clear Body to nullify Intimidate. If you're afraid for some reason of being hit by Mystical Fire as a Special Attacker (though such an instance should be rare), Clear Body could help in such a scenario.

I sort of agree with you that Cursed Body could also be situationally useful, but I find it less reliable because anything that can hit Dragapult for super-effective damage usually does such severe damage that it'll knock it out before the ability kicks in. Molthree also gives an excellent point that many defensive Dragapults run a more reliable disruption in Disable anyway.

Comments

Dragapult @ Leftovers  
Ability: Cursed Body  
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe  
Timid Nature  
IVs: 0 Atk  
- Substitute  
- Disable  
- Will-O-Wisp  
- Hex

Oh nothing, just possibly the most annoying set in existence.

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Mandibuzz says hi