DD-Deran:
Calderan@Life Orb
Ability: Unaware
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 64HP/252Atk/192Spe
Dragon Dance
Earthquake
Waterfall
Stone Edge/Ice Fang
This is a set that should look pretty familiar to all of you. What could this set me similar to? If you said Gyarados, you'd be correct. However, whilst Calderan has better speed than the aformentioned aquatic beast, you have pitiful attack in comparison, what could Calderan possibly do with a DD that Gyara doesn't do better? Quite a bit, actually.
As for the EVs, Nature, and Item, Calderan must run an Adamant Nature to get OHKOs where it needs them, Jolly just won't let you get ANY KOs. Life Orb is the same thing, you need all the power you can get, and for the EVs, 252 Attack for the aformentioned reasons, 192 Speed to outspeed +Spe Base 130s after a Dragon Dance, and the rest of the EVs are dumped into HP for survivability.
Calderan has overall great typing, massive physically defensive Bulk, and great abilities, along with STAB Earthquake, to seperate it from its Flying counterpart. It gets hit Super effective by significantly less, and takes less damage overall, than Gyarados. Gyarados on the offense is overkill after a Dragon Dance, but the significantly weaker Calderan, is still strong enough to get the Job done. Calderan will OHKO virtually anything that it can hit Super Effective after a Dragon Dance, and OHKO, or get an OHKO with Stealth Rock, on quite a few more, such as an EQ against Spinner Starmie has a 58% chance of OHKO with Stealth Rock out. For Calderan's moves themselves, however, there is one choice to be made. Ice Fang, or Stone Edge? The choice between Stone Edge and Ice Fang is simple. Are you annoyed more by Flygon, DNite, and Mence, or are you more annoyed by Gyarados, and want to hit Pokemon that are neutral to both moves harder?
Calderan isn't so much worried about the Power, however, the true potential of this set lies within his abilities. Levitate is extremely useful in granting free switch-ins into Earthquakes, and forcing switches if Choiced. However, Earthquake isn't too much of a threat when you have Base 140 Defense, so overall, the superior option here is Unaware. With Unaware, you can switch into anything statting up, and then shut them down. CurseTars must flee as they can't do much without the boosts, DDGyaras and Mences now have lost the power they spent that turn getting, just to be walled by Calderan with its amazing Base 140 Defense. Things like Crocune are still a threat with Calderan's low Special Defense, but that threat isn't nearly as bad as it could be. This guy also isn't too bad when it comes to wrecking Baton Pass teams, either, with Unaware at the plate.
Overall, even with Mediocre attack, Calderan's amazing Physical Bulk, and his great ability, Unaware, in a physically dominated Metagame, has amazing potential as a sweeper.
It would be a good idea to team Calderan up with something like Blissey or Latias to take Grass Knots and other special onslaughts. If you are confident you can get in a Dragon Dance, though, go with Blissey. An Infernape with Close Combat tand Grass Knot is the ultimate pain for these two, but with a Dragon Dance under your belt, Infernape isn't much of a problem. Celebi does this in a similar manner, but rather than taking special everything, it moreso shares Celebi's and Calderan's neutral hits, resistances and stats, allowing them to take hits for eachother very well.
The best counter for Calderan is Celebi, Calderan can't do anything to even touch Celebi, and Celebi can just Grass Knot it to death easily. ScarfNape is also a good counter, seeing as carrying Grass Knot on it will allow you out outspeed and OHKO Calderan with ease, just don't go switching in on any Waterfalls or Earthquakes, the same could be said for anything carrying HP Grass while Scarfed and outspeeds Calderan, but that isn't seen nearly as often as ScarfNape would. Rotom-C can Leaf Storm Calderan to the great beyond, but will take a pretty fair chunk of damage in the process. Choice Specs ANYTHING that can at least take a single hit, for example, Latias, will rip Calderan to shreds with any neutral attack, but in Latias' case, watch out for Ice Fang, it'll do nearly 80% damage on average, but you still get Calderan out.
Good checks for Calderan are Psedohazers that can take punishment from any of his attacks. Some somewhat noteable ones are Gyarados, Hippowdon, Latias, Vaporeon, and Swampert. All of these can safely switch in on any move, and Roar, assuming you're switching in on a Calderan which has not started statting up yet, however, they'll all take a pretty decent chunk of damage in the process. Two more ones are Skarmory and Suicune, who will take a decent chunk of damage, but not enough to really be too worrysome about it, with Skarmory's Roost for its instant recovery, and Suicune's ability to live forever with Rest. The most notable, however, would be a Calderan itself, having Unaware, another Calderan would block out the DD Boosts, and be able to simply Roar you out taking very little damage in the process.
![Terywj [태리]](/data/avatars/l/71/71007.jpg?1555906021){kind=avatar}
