Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Shake Up Competitive Play
Every time a new Pokémon game comes out, we get cool new creatures and moves. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are no exception. They’ve brought cool additions to the competitive scene. Players now use Gholdengo, Paradox Pokémon, and the Tatsugiri/Dondozo duo a lot.
The sushi fish duo, Tatsugiri and Dondozo, are really strong. Tatsugiri’s special ability, Commander, lets it boost Dondozo’s stats big time. Depending on Tatsugiri’s form, Dondozo gets even stronger. Because of this, many players include them in their teams. So, it’s smart to know how to beat them.
Beating the Unbeatable Duo
Facing Dondozo and Tatsugiri can be scary because of the stat boosts. But, the move Haze can wipe all stat changes away. Murkrow is great at this, thanks to its Ability that lets it hit first with status moves. If Murkrow uses Haze, Dondozo loses its advantage. Just remember, Haze also resets your Pokémon’s stat boosts.
Another way to deal with Dondozo’s strength is Intimidate. This Ability lowers the opponent’s attack when your Pokémon joins the fight. It works well against Dondozo. Pokémon like Arcanine or Tauros can scare Dondozo multiple times by coming in and out of battle. But, if Tatsugiri has boosted Dondozo already, Dondozo can’t be switched out to shake off the Intimidate effect.
Putting the Pressure On
Perish Song is a move that can pressure your opponents. It sets a three-turn countdown to faint any Pokémon on the field that can’t switch out in time. This works extremely well against the Tatsugiri/Dondozo duo, especially since Tatsugiri’s ability prevents Dondozo from switching out. You can also use moves like Fake Out and Protect to stall Dondozo.
Interestingly, using your own Tatsugiri/Dondozo duo can also be a good strategy. Dondozo’s Ability, Unaware, ignores the opponent’s stat changes. This makes it perfect for a mirror match. Terastallizing your Dondozo might give you the edge needed to win.
The Ultimate Strategy
In summary, while the Tatsugiri/Dondozo duo can seem unbeatable, there are various ways to counter them. Use Haze to reset stat boosts or Intimidate to lower attack. Perish Song can force a countdown on Dondozo. Surprisingly, using the duo yourself with smart strategies like Terastallizing can also lead to victory. Remember these tips when building your team, and you might just come out on top.