Darmanitan Sun - Gen 8 OU

Question

Torkoal @ Heat Rock
Ability: Drought
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Lava Plume
- Rest

Torkoal is pretty much mandatory on sun teams. Heat Rock so my sun abusers can utilize sun longer. Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin are for keeping the hazards stacked up on them, while Rest improves Torkoals longevity.

Victini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- V-create
- Bolt Strike
- Trick
- Zen Headbutt

Victini hits hard with V-create, and Choice Scarf lets you V-create more safely with the speed boost. Bolt Strike hits water types. Trick can cripple walls, and Zen Headbutt is STAB.

Darmanitan @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Rock Slide
- U-turn
- Earthquake

Darmanitan hits like a truck with Sun and Sheer Force boosted Flare Blitz STAB, even 2HKOing resists and OHKOing others, like Dragapult. Rock Slide is "coverage," but you don't really need it. U-turn for pivoting and Earthquake hits Heatran.

Venusaur @ Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Growth
- Solar Beam
- Weather Ball
- Earth Power

Venusaur is a solid Chlorophyll sweeper that can really take advantage of sun. Growth is great on a predicted switch, and Solar Beam is STAB. Weather Ball is coverage and can take advantage of opposing weathers as well, and Earth Power hits Heatran.

Mandibuzz @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- U-turn
- Foul Play
- Roost
- Defog

Mandibuzz is the chosen physical wall, and provides a lot for this team. U-turn lets Mandibuzz pivot the sweepers in safely, while Defog can remove harmful hazards. Roost for recovery and Foul Play hits physically oriented Pokemon hard.

Blissey (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Teleport
- Soft-Boiled
- Seismic Toss
- Thunder Wave

Blissey is a great special wall and can spread status really well. Teleport pivots in the sun abusers and Soft Boiled is recovery.

Pokepaste

Comments

The only thing that this sun team lacks is immediate firepower. I would suggest having one of Darmanitan or Victini be choice banded for more firepower. While I do think that is good, I would also suggest using a modest specs eruption Heatran with max spa and spe investment. Full powered eruption straight up two shots everything even Blissey and Slowking in sun. There's really not much to suggest for this team aside from adding a wall breaker

---

I think bold nature is a mistake. lowering attack and also having u turn and foul play is a bad idea.

---

well foul play uses the opponents attack stat, but I'll change it to Impish.

---

@Polaris, like ST said, foul play uses the opponent's attack. On top of that, u-turn is for momentum, not for damage.

---

fair point. but also like Spooky said i guess it couldn't hurt to change to Impish, just to get a bit more damage off for U-Turn, even if that is not the sole purpose :)

---

@First Sinner who do you recommend I switch out for Heatran?

---

Darmanitan. If played correctly, it can easily be switched around as it spams sun boosted flare blitz and die to recoil. At least with Heatran, nothing switches in that doesn't die instantly. Even Garchomp instantly dies to sun boosted specs eruption. Also, give Heatran both eruption and fire blast. Last two moves can be anything you want

---

I've been having some trouble with Regieleki, as it does a lot of damage to everything but Venusaur, but Venusaur can't really win against Chansey. Should I try using Landorus-Therian instead of Mandibuzz?

---

You don't need to prepare for Leki. That mon is garbage. If you're seeing it then you really need to get to at least 1400. Around in that elo range nobody uses Leki. It really sucks because the only thing it can do is explode on the ground types and is mostly outclassed by Koko. You also have Blissey so that already gives Leki another headache. Chansey is another mon that you would almost never see becaue Blissey is a better pokemon due to it being able to afford to eat a knock off unlike Chansey. Modest specs full power eruption under sun also straight up two shots Chansey

252+ SpA Choice Specs Heatran Eruption (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey in Sun: 466-549 (65.2 - 76.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Heatran Eruption (150 BP) vs. 8 HP / 252+ SpD Blissey in Sun: 352-415 (53.9 - 63.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ SpA Choice Specs Heatran Eruption (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Chansey in Sun: 387-456 (54.9 - 64.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Heatran Eruption (150 BP) vs. 8 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey in Sun: 309-364 (48 - 56.6%) -- 89.1% chance to 2HKO