[OVERVIEW]
Doublade cements itself as one of the tier's most influential Pokemon, with its unique Ghost / Steel typing providing a nearly unprecedented total of nine resistances and three immunities, which are backed up by its gargantuan Defense stat and access Eviolite's boost. Doublade is able to apply offensive pressure with its high Attack while simultaneously providing teams with a defensive backbone capable of checking many physical attackers in the tier, such as Aerodactyl, Mega Glalie, Tyrantrum, Bewear, and Snorlax. On top of this, access to Swords Dance and Shadow Sneak and the ability to set up on many physical attackers allow Doublade to double as an effective late-game sweeper. Doublade is also able to come in on special attackers that lack a STAB option to hit it, such as Cresselia and Gardevoir; however, its low Special Defense and HP make it susceptible to being defeated by many special attackers in the tier, including prominent Fire-type Pokemon, such as Salazzle and Moltres. In addition, Doublade struggles to offensively threaten some of the tier's best walls, like Milotic and Umbreon, as the former can beat it with Haze and Scald burns while the latter can beat it with Foul Play. Finally, Doublade is prone to being worn down thanks to its lack of reliable recovery, and can have its defensive abilities crippled by the commonly used Knock Off.
[SET]
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Sneak
move 3: Sacred Sword
move 4: Shadow Claw
item: Eviolite
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 180 Atk / 76 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Doublade to boost its Attack in order to break through bulky setup sweepers, such as Calm Mind Cresselia and Bulk Up Bewear, and allows it to serve as a late-game sweeper once its checks are sufficiently whittled down or have been knocked out. Shadow Sneak provides Doublade with a priority attack and a reliable, though relatively weak, Ghost-type STAB move. Priority is helpful in allowing Doublade to revenge kill weakened setup sweepers and KO faster offensive threats in a late-game sweep. Sacred Sword provides Doublade with the coverage it needs to beat Bewear, Snorlax, and Cloyster and 2HKO Mega Steelix when at +2 Attack. Sacred Sword is also needed to revenge kill Linoone after a small bit of prior damage. Shadow Claw allows Doublade to deal more damage to Araquanid, Escavalier, Moltres, Feraligatr, Durant, Mega Camerupt, and opposing Doublade. Iron Head is an alternative option that provides Doublade with a secondary STAB move to hit foes such as Shaymin, Roserade, Swellow, Meloetta, Kommo-o, and Flygon for more damage. Iron Head or Shadow Claw should be selected based on which of the above Pokemon the team is weaker to, as Doublade's three other moves should always be run.
Set Details
========
An Adamant nature with 180 Attack EVs allows Doublade to 2HKO Mega Steelix after a Swords Dance boost and Stealth Rock damage while providing it with adequate power to pressure opposing offensive teams. 76 Special Defense EVs guarantee Doublade's survival of two Choice Specs Gardevoir Moonblasts after two switches into Stealth Rock. The remaining EVs are poured into HP to make Doublade as effective at tanking hits as possible. Doublade's EV spread can be adapted to fit the purposes of your team, and running a modest amount of Speed, such as 44 EVs for Rhyperior, can be wise if your team appreciates Doublade better dealing with that and Pokemon naturally slower than Rhyperior lacking significant Speed investment. If run with a Sticky Web user, Doublade should generally run 24 EVs in Speed along with maximum Attack in order to outspeed uninvested Umbreon under Sticky Web and KO it with +2 Sacred Sword after Stealth Rock, though this leaves Doublade much less able to switch into even resisted special hits, such as Gardevoir's Moonblast. Eviolite maximizes Doublade's bulk, and Doublade is forced to run No Guard for lack of another option.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure to carefully budget Doublade's health in order to allow it to check the Pokemon it needs to for the remainder of the match; otherwise, it can be quickly whittled down and overcome due to its lack of a reliable recovery move. Do not attempt to set up Doublade in order to sweep unless its checks have been sufficiently weakened, as sacrificial wallbreaking is generally a task better assigned to other Pokemon. Lastly, be wary of switching Doublade into Knock Off unless absolutely necessary, as that will cripple its defensive capabilities for the remainder of the game.
Team Options
========
Milotic can switch into many of the Fire- and Ground-types that threaten Doublade, such as Salazzle, Moltres, Zygarde-10%, and Mega Camerupt. Spikes users such as Mega Glalie, Roserade, and Qwilfish appreciate Doublade spinblocking Tsareena. Grass-types like Shaymin and Roserade can easily come in on Milotic, which stops Doublade, and threaten the opposing team with their STAB moves and coverage. Choice Scarf Shaymin can also provide Healing Wish support to a severely whittled Doublade, while Roserade appreciates the opportunity to set up Spikes, which can even help Doublade sweep in the long run. Kommo-o provides a switch-in to Knock Off and to Umbreon's Foul Play that can provide immediate offensive momentum or set up Stealth Rock. Finally, Wish passers such as Umbreon and Florges pair nicely with Doublade, as they appreciate its good physical bulk, can switch into strong special attacks that threaten it, and can rectify its lack of reliable recovery.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic allows Doublade to pressure Pokemon that would normally wall it such as Milotic, Quagsire, and Pyukumuku, but requires Doublade to repeatedly come in to break through these walls, and Pokemon such as Bewear, Durant, and Swords Dance Feraligatr are generally better options for breaking through walls. Pursuit can be used to eliminate or severely weaken Psychic-types, Ghost-types, and frail attackers that want to switch out of Doublade such as Espeon, Gardevoir, Bruxish, and Roserade not locked into Hidden Power Fire. This is generally inferior to other options, however, unless your team strongly requires the removal of one of those threats.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire- and Ground-types**: Salazzle, Rotom-H, Moltres, and Nidoqueen OHKO Doublade with their super effective STAB moves and switch into Doublade at least once from full health. Zygarde-10% and Flygon threaten Doublade like this to a lesser extent, as their STAB moves aren't able to OHKO it and Doublade is capable of dealing significant damage back.
**Haze, Foul Play, and Unaware Walls**: Milotic and Umbreon are able to completely shut down any offensive momentum from Doublade with Haze and Foul Play, respectively. Quagsire and Pyukumuku can shrug off any of Doublade's attacks with ease, not fearing an Attack boost, though they do need to be somewhat wary of the occasional Toxic variant.
**Knock Off**: Pokemon with Knock Off for coverage, such as Tsareena and Machamp, can cripple Doublade on the switch in and wear it down, allowing them to beat it later.
**Gligar**: Physically defensive Gligar takes extremely little from Doublade's boosted attacks and can beat it with Earthquake.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Strong special attackers in general, such as Shaymin, Roserade, and Swellow, can deal massive damage to Doublade.
Doublade cements itself as one of the tier's most influential Pokemon, with its unique Ghost / Steel typing providing a nearly unprecedented total of nine resistances and three immunities, which are backed up by its gargantuan Defense stat and access Eviolite's boost. Doublade is able to apply offensive pressure with its high Attack while simultaneously providing teams with a defensive backbone capable of checking many physical attackers in the tier, such as Aerodactyl, Mega Glalie, Tyrantrum, Bewear, and Snorlax. On top of this, access to Swords Dance and Shadow Sneak and the ability to set up on many physical attackers allow Doublade to double as an effective late-game sweeper. Doublade is also able to come in on special attackers that lack a STAB option to hit it, such as Cresselia and Gardevoir; however, its low Special Defense and HP make it susceptible to being defeated by many special attackers in the tier, including prominent Fire-type Pokemon, such as Salazzle and Moltres. In addition, Doublade struggles to offensively threaten some of the tier's best walls, like Milotic and Umbreon, as the former can beat it with Haze and Scald burns while the latter can beat it with Foul Play. Finally, Doublade is prone to being worn down thanks to its lack of reliable recovery, and can have its defensive abilities crippled by the commonly used Knock Off.
[SET]
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Sneak
move 3: Sacred Sword
move 4: Shadow Claw
item: Eviolite
ability: No Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 180 Atk / 76 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Doublade to boost its Attack in order to break through bulky setup sweepers, such as Calm Mind Cresselia and Bulk Up Bewear, and allows it to serve as a late-game sweeper once its checks are sufficiently whittled down or have been knocked out. Shadow Sneak provides Doublade with a priority attack and a reliable, though relatively weak, Ghost-type STAB move. Priority is helpful in allowing Doublade to revenge kill weakened setup sweepers and KO faster offensive threats in a late-game sweep. Sacred Sword provides Doublade with the coverage it needs to beat Bewear, Snorlax, and Cloyster and 2HKO Mega Steelix when at +2 Attack. Sacred Sword is also needed to revenge kill Linoone after a small bit of prior damage. Shadow Claw allows Doublade to deal more damage to Araquanid, Escavalier, Moltres, Feraligatr, Durant, Mega Camerupt, and opposing Doublade. Iron Head is an alternative option that provides Doublade with a secondary STAB move to hit foes such as Shaymin, Roserade, Swellow, Meloetta, Kommo-o, and Flygon for more damage. Iron Head or Shadow Claw should be selected based on which of the above Pokemon the team is weaker to, as Doublade's three other moves should always be run.
Set Details
========
An Adamant nature with 180 Attack EVs allows Doublade to 2HKO Mega Steelix after a Swords Dance boost and Stealth Rock damage while providing it with adequate power to pressure opposing offensive teams. 76 Special Defense EVs guarantee Doublade's survival of two Choice Specs Gardevoir Moonblasts after two switches into Stealth Rock. The remaining EVs are poured into HP to make Doublade as effective at tanking hits as possible. Doublade's EV spread can be adapted to fit the purposes of your team, and running a modest amount of Speed, such as 44 EVs for Rhyperior, can be wise if your team appreciates Doublade better dealing with that and Pokemon naturally slower than Rhyperior lacking significant Speed investment. If run with a Sticky Web user, Doublade should generally run 24 EVs in Speed along with maximum Attack in order to outspeed uninvested Umbreon under Sticky Web and KO it with +2 Sacred Sword after Stealth Rock, though this leaves Doublade much less able to switch into even resisted special hits, such as Gardevoir's Moonblast. Eviolite maximizes Doublade's bulk, and Doublade is forced to run No Guard for lack of another option.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure to carefully budget Doublade's health in order to allow it to check the Pokemon it needs to for the remainder of the match; otherwise, it can be quickly whittled down and overcome due to its lack of a reliable recovery move. Do not attempt to set up Doublade in order to sweep unless its checks have been sufficiently weakened, as sacrificial wallbreaking is generally a task better assigned to other Pokemon. Lastly, be wary of switching Doublade into Knock Off unless absolutely necessary, as that will cripple its defensive capabilities for the remainder of the game.
Team Options
========
Milotic can switch into many of the Fire- and Ground-types that threaten Doublade, such as Salazzle, Moltres, Zygarde-10%, and Mega Camerupt. Spikes users such as Mega Glalie, Roserade, and Qwilfish appreciate Doublade spinblocking Tsareena. Grass-types like Shaymin and Roserade can easily come in on Milotic, which stops Doublade, and threaten the opposing team with their STAB moves and coverage. Choice Scarf Shaymin can also provide Healing Wish support to a severely whittled Doublade, while Roserade appreciates the opportunity to set up Spikes, which can even help Doublade sweep in the long run. Kommo-o provides a switch-in to Knock Off and to Umbreon's Foul Play that can provide immediate offensive momentum or set up Stealth Rock. Finally, Wish passers such as Umbreon and Florges pair nicely with Doublade, as they appreciate its good physical bulk, can switch into strong special attacks that threaten it, and can rectify its lack of reliable recovery.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic allows Doublade to pressure Pokemon that would normally wall it such as Milotic, Quagsire, and Pyukumuku, but requires Doublade to repeatedly come in to break through these walls, and Pokemon such as Bewear, Durant, and Swords Dance Feraligatr are generally better options for breaking through walls. Pursuit can be used to eliminate or severely weaken Psychic-types, Ghost-types, and frail attackers that want to switch out of Doublade such as Espeon, Gardevoir, Bruxish, and Roserade not locked into Hidden Power Fire. This is generally inferior to other options, however, unless your team strongly requires the removal of one of those threats.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire- and Ground-types**: Salazzle, Rotom-H, Moltres, and Nidoqueen OHKO Doublade with their super effective STAB moves and switch into Doublade at least once from full health. Zygarde-10% and Flygon threaten Doublade like this to a lesser extent, as their STAB moves aren't able to OHKO it and Doublade is capable of dealing significant damage back.
**Haze, Foul Play, and Unaware Walls**: Milotic and Umbreon are able to completely shut down any offensive momentum from Doublade with Haze and Foul Play, respectively. Quagsire and Pyukumuku can shrug off any of Doublade's attacks with ease, not fearing an Attack boost, though they do need to be somewhat wary of the occasional Toxic variant.
**Knock Off**: Pokemon with Knock Off for coverage, such as Tsareena and Machamp, can cripple Doublade on the switch in and wear it down, allowing them to beat it later.
**Gligar**: Physically defensive Gligar takes extremely little from Doublade's boosted attacks and can beat it with Earthquake.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Strong special attackers in general, such as Shaymin, Roserade, and Swellow, can deal massive damage to Doublade.
Last edited: