What is a good moveset for Dodrio?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Dodrio, 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.

Dodrio Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Dodrio @ Toxic Orb

Ability: Tangled Feet
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
• Protect
• Facade
• Brave Bird
• Jump Kick

Protect stalls a turn so toxic orb takes affect. Facade is incredibly powerful STAB with the boost from it being poisoned. Brave bird is strong STAB. Jump kick is strong coverage

Comments

I never really liked green shinies. Kind of reminds me of puke.

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I usually don’t but shiny dodrio is great

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Tbh shiny dodrio is kind of like a combination of all the things I hate in a pokemon. It's another pokemon but 3 of them, it's a green shiny, and it's not good competitively.

Answer 2

Role: Revenge Sweeper

Dodrio @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Early Bird
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Return
- Knock Off / Stomping Tantrum
- Mirror Move

The strategy with this moveset is to use Dodrio as a revenge sweeper. It's prime move is Z-Mirror Move. This gives it +2 stages of attack and uses the last move the opponent used, but as a Z-Move.
(Ex: An opposing Snorlax uses body slam. If Dodrio uses Z-Mirror Move, it will gain +2 stages of attack and uses the attack "Breakneck Blitz" against the Snorlax).

Dodrio has a high amount of speed, so it can outspeed most Pokemon on enemy teams. Brave Bird is used for high damage (Has stab). Return is again used for high damage (Also has stab). Knock Off is good as a neutral move which will also have the added benefits of knocking the opponent's item off. Stomping Tantrum is great coverage since a player might want to throw out a steel type, or a Pokemon like Toxapex to wall you off. Also there's Mirror Move, which is mainly used as a Z-Move.

Dodrio is a Glass Cannon so be wary on how you use it. I personally have one of my Pokemon to die in battle to then send out Dodrio. I don't recommend switching into Dodrio as any kind of pivot, mostly because it has very low hp, defense, and sp.defense stats. But if you know the opponent will use a ground type move, you can most likely pivot into Dodrio, as it's immune to ground type attacks. (Same with ghost type attacks).

Answer 3

Gen V

Dodrio (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Early Bird
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Quick Attack
- Feint Attack
- Return

Brave Bird provides high powered STAB. Quick Attack provides STAB priority, although it isn't very powerful, which is why Return is also used. Not like there are really any other moves for this guy. Poor movepool. Faint Attack as a move further shows this, I just ran out of stuff to put. Life Orb can maybe help this guy KO one foe. Early Bird is there because obviously the foe is trying to put this guy to sleep so that the foe can defeat an incredibly powerful Pokemon such as this. Seriously though, it's the best of the worst for abilities. Sweeping EVs.

Answer 4

Role: Planner
Dodrio (M) @ Power Herb

Ability: Early Bird
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sky Attack
- Brave Bird
- Agility
- Pursuit

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This guy is quite strange, and I love using weird sets like this.

He Actually Pulls off the Power Herb Sky Attack Strategy of you Plan things out right, and can set up Agility, Brave Bird is a classically Beast Move, and Pursuit is just there for Added coverage on the switch, but you could easily Switch it to Faint Attack without hurting the set value.

Ps. For those who don't know,

Power herb = 1 Turn Sky Attack

Answer 5

Dodrio @ Leftovers / Life Orb
Ability: Early Bird
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Drill Peck
- Steel Wing
- Body Slam
- Agility / Work Up

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Drill-peck is reliable and accurate STAB. Steel-wing provides coverage over Ice and Rock type Pokemon. Body-slam is STAB though not the strongest Normal type move he can learn it is the best IMO because it can paralyze the foe. Agility is for if you go with Life-orb and Adamant because you will need the extra speed, Work-up is for if you go with Leftovers and Jolly as it makes up for the lack of power, I find that Work-up is better because Body-slam also helps with the not as much speed as Agility thing. Because this set has some moves that it is hard to get in Gen V I will say how they can each be obtained. Drill-peck Level 47, Steel-wing Gen IV Tm, Body-slam Gen III move tutor, Agility Level 41, Work-up Gen V Tm.

Answer 6

Double/Triple Battle

Dodrio (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Tangled Feet
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Assurance
- Thrash
- Brave Bird
- Frustration

Assurance gets more power if the foe has taken damage already, which is good in multi-battles. Thrash is interesting. Dodrio has decent Attack boosted by a Choice Band, and Thrash gets STAB. So it can do some damage. Team it up with a Ghost type to be safe from that random attacking. Once Thrash is done, Dodrio will be confused, which will raise its evasion thanks to Tangled Feet. You can also activate Tangled Feet by using Swagger on it. Brave Bird is STAB that can hit any foe in a Triple battle. Frustration is STAB in case you don't want to be stuck with Thrash.

Answer 7

Gen VI

Dodrio @ Life Orb

Ability: Early Bird
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Return
- Brave Bird
- Endeavor

One of my favorite Pokémon behind Braviary and Vaporean. Knock Off is probably one of the best moves in the game, STAB Return and Brave Bird hits hard with Life Orb, and Endeavor is used as last ditch effort to break a wall after you're worn down from Dodrios frailness or the recoil.

Answer 8

Dodrio @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Early Bird
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Return
- Jump Kick
- Knock Off

• Brave Bird (STAB)
• Return (STAB)
• Jump Kick (coverage against Rock)
• Knock Off (for Ghosts)

Answer 9

Gen 7 PU

Dodrio @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Tangled Feet
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

• Brave Bird
• Flail
• Knock Off
• Facade/Protect/Jump Kick

This is a gimmicky set. Brave Bird is powerful STAB coming off of a base 110 attack stat. Toxic Orb+ Brave Bird, however, comes with a nasty drawback: every time it uses said combo, Dodrio's health decreases heavily each turn. So, that's why Flail is here. STAB attack that gets stronger each turn. Knock off mauls ghosts and is also useful because it removes items. Facade is (sometimes) weaker but more consistent STAB than Flail, Protect allows it to safely be poisoned and can be used to stall out poison damage to have an even more powerful Flail the next turn. Jump Kick destroys Rock and Steel types and also has recoil damage.
Hope this helps :)

Comments

What does Brave Bird + a Toxic Orb do?

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Extra damage to itself? Could also have meant toxic orb+facade

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Brave Bird has the added effect of recoil, and Toxic Orb inflicts bad poison.

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Focus Sash Endeavor+Flail or some kind of priority is more trustworthy than Toxic Orb considering Dodrio's poor bulk and Toxic Orb has no place, since you even don't have Facade.

Answer 10

Gen 7 PU

Dodrio @ Darkinium Z
Ability: Early Bird
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Taunt
- Pursuit / Knock Off / Swords Dance
- Brave Bird / Return
- Jump Kick

So, you should send this Dodrio out against a lead Pokemon that would use Stealth Rock or something, so you can use Z-Taunt, which raises your attack one stage and taunts the opposing Pokemon on the same turn. Pursuit is an option if you want to inflict damage on the lead Pokemon before it can switch out. Knock Off is another option to remove the items of Pokemon switching in if the opposing lead Pokemon can't really do much to you. Swords Dance if you really want to get a +3 attack from Z-Taunt and Swords Dance. Brave Bird is strong STAB. Return can be used instead if you want a STAB move that doesn't have recoil damage. Jump Kick is good coverage against rock and steel types.

Answer 11

Gen 1 Tradebacks OU
Low Kick AgiliFlinch or ParaFlinch
Dodrio
Body Slam
Drill Peck
Low Kick
Agility
Body Slam is strong STAB,and has a 30 percent chance to paralyze.Drill Peck is another strong STAB.Low Kick may seem weird,but in Gen 1 Low Kick does 50 damage,and has a 30 percent chance to flinch,which is pretty good.Agility is the crux of the set,allowing it to outspeed everything,boosts its crit rate,and allows Low Kick to flinch.Alternatively,you can paraflinch with Body Slam and Low Kick.