Dunsparce Movesets & Competitive Sets

Dunsparce attempts to act as a defensive sweeper with Coil. However, it can easily be broken through due to its mediocre stats and is easily stopped by any Toxic users like Miltank. There are much better bulky sweepers like Galarian Rapidash and Skuntank, which are immune to Toxic and more threatening.

Dunsparce is able to outspeed almost all unboosted paralyzed foes and hit them with STAB Headbutt, giving the foe only a 30% chance to attack back due to paralysis and a Serene Grace-boosted flinch chance. However, because Dunsparce's Attack is so low, this set is completely walled by Rock- and Steel-types like Aggron, Regirock, and Alolan Sandslash and is straight up useless against Ghost-types like Jellicent and Oricorio-G. At the same time, this is outclassed as a pure ParaFlinch set by Sawsbuck, which has higher Attack and Speed, a Grass-type move in Horn Leech, and a larger movepool to hit more foes. Examples of better Normal-type Pokemon are Stoutland and Kangaskhan, since they can directly hit Ghost-types thanks to Scrappy and don't rely on luck to deal a lot of damage.

Moves Stealth Rock is a helpful asset for any team, as it can rack up damage on foes every time they switch and break Focus Sash and Sturdy. Body Slam, which should be used with Magic Coat, allows Dunsparce to spread paralysis with the help of Serene Grace while dealing decent damage. Alternatively, Headbutt allows Dunsparce to deal decent damage to neutral targets and has a high chance to make the foe flinch along with Serene Grace, but it isn't the best option because Dunsparce is slow and needs the chance of paralysis that Body Slam gives. Magic Coat allows Dunsparce to prevent the use of entry hazards, status moves, and Taunt. Alternatively, Glare can be used to cripple foes and allow Dunsparce the chance to use Roost as well as paraflinch its foes. Roost gives Dunsparce reliable recovery, which allows it to survive throughout games. Set Details Maximum HP and Special Defense investment along with a Careful nature maximizes Dunsparce's special bulk, allowing it to take on Pokemon such as Zebstrika and Kadabra. Leftovers gives Dunsparce passive recovery, which allows it to survive for longer periods of time. Serene Grace raises Headbutt's flinch rate and allows Dunsparce to paraflinch its foes with Glare and Headbutt. Usage Tips Dunsparce is often used as a lead to set up Stealth Rock early in the game, but it can also be spared until later in the game to take hits and set up Stealth Rock. Dunsparce can be switched into some special attacks, but it has trouble taking on strong special attackers with prior damage, so it should use Roost when it is low on health. Don't switch Dunsparce into strong physical attackers, as it has poor Defense. Dunsparce should most often use Glare to cripple its foes and proceed to use Headbutt continuously in order to paraflinch the foe, only giving it a 30% chance to attack. Dunsparce can be used to pivot into special attackers such as Zebstrika and set up Stealth Rock or paralyze a switch-in with Glare. Team Options Dunsparce fits best on balanced teams for its ability to take on special attacks well and provide Stealth Rock. Spinblockers such as Misdreavus and Gourgeist-XL can prevent foes from removing Dunsparce's Stealth Rock. Similarly, Defiant users such as Pawniard can discourage the use of Defog in order to keep Stealth Rock on the field. Pokemon that resist Fighting-type moves, such as Clefairy, Pelipper, and Gourgeist, make for good partners for Dunsparce, as they are able to take on the only type that Dunsparce is weak to. Pokemon such as Roselia and Venipede are able to provide Spikes and Toxic Spikes support, which causes the foe to take more damage upon switching in. Slower Pokemon such as Golem and Camerupt appreciate Dunsparce's paralysis support from Glare, as they are able to take advantage of the foe's lowered Speed. Dunsparce appreciates Pokemon such as Pawniard and Scrappy Stoutland, which can take on Ghost-types, as Dunsparce is unable to touch them. Clerics such as Audino and Grumpig are helpful to Dunsparce to make sure it stays healthy and avoids status from moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Toxic, which can cause Dunsparce to be easily worn down.

A paraflinch set is the only thing Dunsparce should be running, as it takes advantage of its one niche, but it also relies on luck. Thanks to Coil, Roost, and its viable defenses, Dunsparce can run a defensive set. While its Special Defense isn't great, it is enough to tank hits. To reach an acceptable level of bulk, two Coils are usually needed. Special attackers have some issues with it as well. The goal of this set is to paralyze the opponent and either switch into a teammate to set up or continually cause the foe to flinch. Glare is recommended in the first moveslot; while its initial accuracy might not be perfect, after a Coil boost, Glare is a dangerous move, as it can paralyze any Pokemon, even Ground-types. However, if you want to have a STAB move for Dunsparce, Body Slam can be used, boasting a 60% chance to paralyze the foe. Coil is an important move to the set as well, as it allows Dunsparce to be a decent physical wall and increase its offensive prowess. Choosing which move to use in the third moveslot reflects on the choice of the first moveslot. If Body Slam is used, Rock Slide is recommended, as having two similar STAB moves of the same type generally isn't a good idea. If Glare is used, Headbutt is the move of choice. Roost is the final move of the set, healing Dunsparce in a pinch and maintaining its HP throughout the match. Serene Grace is the key aspect to the set, as it allows Dunsparce to consistently immobilize the opponent. Leftovers increases Dunsparce's longevity. Dunsparce runs a defensive EV spread so it can tank as much attacks as possible, rather than attacking. 252 Special Defense EVs help balance Dunsparce's defenses after a Coil boost, and a Careful nature maximizes it, raising it to acceptable heights. As for other move options, Bite can be used in the third moveslot to deal with Ghost-types while still attaining the paraflinch strategy. Thunder Wave can be used in the first moveslot for a reliable 100% accuracy, unlike Glare. However, after a Coil, Glare outclasses Thunder Wave, as it not only has reliable accuracy, but can hit Ground-types, something Thunder Wave cannot. Finally, Substitute is an option, as status completely cripples Dunsparce. It works well with Roost, allowing Dunsparce to survive much longer. However, finding a moveslot for it can be difficult. Since Dunsparce's goal is to spread paralysis to your adversary, Pokemon that appreciate slower opponents are good partners to Dunsparce. Mixed Samurott and Choice Band Golurk aren't very fast, so they'll appreciate slower opponents. They can also deal with Golem and Gigalith, two Pokemon Dunsparce can't scar. Status conditions annoy Dunsparce, so clerics such as Musharna and Miltank are great choices; the former being able to deal with Tangela, a Pokemon that walls Dunsparce, while the latter can heal statuses that are inflicted on Dunsparce while aiding in spreading paralysis to Pokemon. Poison-types such as Skuntank are good allies, as they can absorb the dreaded Toxic Spikes that Dunsparce despises. Even when it's fully invested in Special Defense, Dunsparce is still weak to special attacks. Special walls, such as Gardevoir, Regice, and Flareon, can take the special attacks for Dunsparce; in return, Dunsparce takes the physical attacks for them. Finally, Ghost-types such as Golurk and Misdreavus bring grief to Dunsparce, only fearing the rare Bite. Skuntank is a good counter to both of them, only fearing of Misdreavus's Will-O-Wisp.

Dunsparce is a very annoying Pokemon to fight against, and this set allows Dunsparce to whittle down the opposing Pokemon as the opponent is forced to watch and hope for Dunsparce to stop flinching their Pokemon. However, even if they do manage to land a hit on Dunsparce, they'll have to hit him another time before he faints, as Dunsparce is generally bulky enough to take a hit or two before healing the damage off with Leftovers. Dunsparce will often need a paralysis move to get the endless stream of flinches going. Either Body Slam or Thunder Wave is perfect for this purpose. Body Slam has a nice chance of paralysis, and can do damage at the same time, while Thunder Wave is more reliable. In the end, the choice between the two is mainly up to preference. Headbutt is Dunsparce's main flinch move, as it has a solid 60% flinch rate and is boosted by STAB. Bite and Earthquake hit the Ghost-, Rock-, and Steel-types that Headbutt cannot hit, and Bite has a high flinch rate as well. It should be noted, however, that Earthquake is fairly weak, so it should only be used to deal with weakened Rock- and Steel-types. The EVs look complicated at first, but in reality, they're actually fairly simple. An Adamant Nature and 252 Attack EVs allow for maximum power, while the remaining EVs are placed into Dunsparce's defenses to make him bulkier. Investing in Speed is generally unnecessary, as Dunsparce should ideally be used with paralysis support. However, you can use a simple 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe spread if you want Dunsparce to outspeed some Pokemon without paralyzing them first, though this sacrifices bulk. Dunsparce has a couple of good alternative moves. Roost can be used to make Dunsparce bulkier, but it's hard to find room for it on this set. Zen Headbutt can be used over Bite to hit bulky Fighting-types that Dunsparce has issues with while retaining the ability to hit Ghost-types. Unfortunately, it only has a 40% flinch rate. Rock Slide can go over Earthquake if you feel that your team can cover Rock- and Steel-types well enough, rendering Earthquake's Rock- and Steel- type damaging services unnecessary. Iron Tail can be used to hit Rock-types harder; it also has a 60% chance to lower their defenses. However, it's unreliable due to its poor accuracy, so Earthquake is generally the better option. This set particularly enjoys team members who can spread paralysis, as well as slow, strong Pokemon who can take advantage of paralysis support. Slowbro and Slowking are good choices for this purpose, as they resist Dunsparce's only weakness and are bulky. Registeel can also spread paralysis, as well as set up Stealth Rock to punish switches; however, it shares a Fighting weakness with Dunsparce. Examples of Pokemon who can take advantage of paralysis include Rhyperior and Aggron. Though both are weak to Fighting, they're both strong and bulky and can abuse paralysis support with hard-hitting attacks.

Dunsparce tends to force switches, as opponents will often try to switch out to avoid being flinched. With Substitute, Dunsparce can protect himself and paralyze the switch-in. Since Dunsparce has the ability to create 101 HP Substitutes, he can easily set up on Pokemon that rely mainly on Seismic Toss for damage, such as Chansey and Registeel. Substitute is what differentiates this set from the previous one. As mentioned above, Substitute allows Dunsparce to take advantage of switches. Thunder Wave or Body Slam can be used to paralyze the switch-in. Thunder Wave is recommended over Body Slam on this set, as its perfect accuracy is generally more useful than Body Slam's damage, though Body Slam is still a viable option. Headbutt is Dunsparce's main STAB once again, and has an excellent 60% flinch rate. Earthquake or Bite can be used in the last slot to hit Rock- and Steel-types or Ghost-types respectively. Unfortunately, since you can only choose one move, he'll always walled by at least one opposing type; Ghost-types if you pick Earthquake, and Steel-types if you pick Bite. The EVs of this set are quite simple. 252 HP EVs allow Dunsparce to create 101 HP Substitutes, while 44 Speed EVs allow Dunsparce to outspeed Chansey and set up a Substitute in her face. The remaining EVs are poured into Attack to make Headbutt and Earthquake or Bite stronger. This spread, though simple, is necessary for the set's success. Without 252 HP EVs, Dunsparce can't set up on Seismic Tosses, while 44 Speed EVs are important because Chansey could otherwise hit Dunsparce with Toxic before he gets behind a Substitute. Since this set will only use one coverage move, Pokemon that can deal with the type that walls Dunsparce are necessary. If you choose Earthquake, Choice Banded Spiritomb is a good Pokemon to trap and KO Ghost-types. Spiritomb also has the advantage of being immune to Fighting, which allows him to switch in easier. If you opt for Bite, Dugtrio can come in, trap the Steel-type Pokemon, and KO it with Earthquake (or at least severely damage it). However, since Dugtrio is so frail, be wary of switching him directly into attacks.

Dunsparce is a highly diverse Pokemon; I find it works better as a physical sweeper in a UU game. Flinching enemies constantly with Serene Grace + Headbutt is very annoying, and no Pokemon will score it more than Dunsparce, especially when a paralyzed foe is left in. Basically, use Thunder Wave (or Body Slam if you want the 60% chance of paralyzing a Ground Pokemon), maybe again if you predict a switch. Then Headbutt or Rock Slide for some major flinching! Shadow Ball is really only there to hit Ghosts, and with repeated Special Defense drops, it can trigger a switch later on. Rock Slide is primarily there to take out the common Jumpluff, Fearow and Swellow, but if you decide to risk using Dunsparce outside of UU, you may be able to score a KO against Skarmory... something I have managed to do with this Dunsparce many times.

Dunsparce's good stats make it an individually solid Pokemon, but despite this, it is almost never worth using. Dunsparce serves the same role as Wigglytuff, yet it is wholly outclassed by it. Dunsparce lacks Body Slam and Double-Edge, forcing it to use Return, which has neither the paralysis chance of Body Slam nor the power of Double-Edge. Dunsparce also has marginally lower Special Defense, which makes its matchup against Octillery worse. Dunsparce does have slightly better Defense, which makes handling Fearow and Stantler easier before using Curse, but the difference is largely negligible. If used, a Curse set with RestTalk will be the most consistent way to get value out of Dunsparce, providing a win condition and a check to Chinchou, Dewgong, and Xatu.