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This is a strategy guide for using Galarian Darmanitan in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Builds, and Held Items to use with Galarian Darmanitan, as well as its strengths and weak points.
Galarian Darmanitan - Related Guides | |
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Evolution and Learnset | Build for Ranked Battle |
List of Contents
Pokemon | Type 1 | Type 2 |
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Abilities | ||
Gorilla Tactics | Boosts the Pokemon's Attack Stat but only allows the use of the first selected move. | |
Zen Mode (Hidden) | Changes form when HP drops below half. |
Type | |
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Takes 4x damage |
|
Takes 2x damage | |
Takes 0.5x damage | |
Takes 1/4x damage |
|
Takes 0x damage |
|
HP | Attack | Defense | Sp. Atk | Sp. Def | Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
105 | 140 | 55 | 30 | 55 | 95 |
Best Natures | ||
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Adamant +Atk, -SpAtk |
Jolly +Spd, -SpAtk |
Nature | Jolly |
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EV Spread | HP 4 / Atk. 252 / Spd. 252 |
Final Stat Values | HP 181 / Atk. 192 / Def. 75 / Sp.Def. 75/ Spd. 161 |
Ability | Gorilla Tactics |
Held Item | Choice Scarf / Choice Band |
Moveset | ・Flare Blitz ・Icicle Crash ・U-turn ・Earthquake |
Galarian Darmanitan's Ability Gorilla Tactics boosts Attack while limiting it to using only the first-selected Move, so by stacking it with a Choice Item having the same effect, it can dish out heavy attack damage without an additional disadvantage.
The Choice Scarf in particular can raise Galarian Darmanitan's already-high Speed to make it faster than most opponents and make it into a killer physical sweeper.
Stone Edge | A powerful attack to hit the often-present Heat Rotom. The best solution for the current metagame. |
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Superpower | A great counter for Dark-types, in particular Tyranitar. Its Dynamax counterpart Max Knuckle's attack boost is also great to have. |
Nature | Jolly |
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EV Spread | HP 4 / Atk. 252 / Spd. 252 |
Final Stat Values | HP 180 / Atk. 192 / Def. 76 / Sp.Def. 75/ Spd. 161 |
Ability | Zen Mode |
Held Item | Sitrus Berry |
Moveset | ・Substitute ・Belly Drum ・Icicle Crash ・Fire Punch |
These values are from base stats and ideal EVs, excluding external factors.
Galarian Darmanitan's Zen Mode Ability increases its Speed and Attack when its HP is below half, allowing it to hit first and hit hard. This gives it a power boost without the disadvantage of the Gorilla Tactics ability, which restricts it to use only the first-selected move.
When used in the order, use Substitute, then Belly Drum – while holding Sitrus Berry, you maximize HP while still satisfying Zen Mode's requirement of having less than half HP. This allows the Substitute to take advantage of Belly Drum's attack-maximizing effect and Sitrus Berry's HP recovery effect, while satisfying Zen Mode's condition of the true Galarian Darmanitan's HP having to be below half its max.
Superpower | A Fighting-type move. Effective against Rock-types, especially powerful threats like Tyranitar. |
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Iron Head | A Steel-type move, powerful against Fairy-types, like Mimikyu. |
Earthquake | A Ground-type move that hits all opponents and allies, except for Flying-types. Effective against Ice-types. |
Zen Headbutt | A Psychic-type option. Changes into Max Mindstorm when Dynamaxed, which creates Psychic Terrain, blocking priority moves. |
Rock Slide | A Rock-type move that can potentially strike first and cause an opponent to flinch thanks to Zen Mode's Speed boost. |
Stone Edge | Another Rock-type move, with emphasis on power. Its imperfect accuracy hurts, but can defeat many opponents in one hit with its high power. |
Galarian Darmanitan's unique ability Gorilla Tactics combines well with Choice Band to doubly boost its attack. While this limits it to one move choice per switch-in, this combination grants double the advantage compared to other Pokemon, making it a superpowered physical attacker.
When Dynamaxing Galarian Darmanitan, the effects of Gorilla Tactics and Choice Items will be removed. This will result in a decrease in Attack and/or Speed, but has the tradeoff of breaking the selection bondage of the Choice Item. This leaves the player with a key decision, to Dynamax or not to Dynamax.
Weakness |
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Because Galarian Darmanitan is focused entirely on physical attacking, it has a hard time taking down defensive Water-type Pokemon, who can bear the brunt of its moves.
Pokemon | Description |
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Tapu Fini | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Good defensive Pokemon that can take a lot of damage ・A flexible Pokemon that fits into different parties Tapu Fini - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle |
Toxapex | Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・Can hold off physical sweepers with Scald and Recover ・Can field a number of physical sweepers besides Galarian Darmanitan Toxapex - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle |
Milotic | Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・Can defend against both physical and special sweepers effectively ・Its Ability Marvel Scale makes it a superb wall against physical attackers Milotic - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle |
Although Galarian Darmanitan has high Attack, its Defense and Special Defense are lacking. If you've got a physical attacker who can take the first hit from Galarian Darmanitan, it's not a hard feat to knock it out with one Move.
Pokemon | Description |
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Mimikyu | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・After setting up Swords Dance on the first turn, it can Dynamax on the second turn to use Max Starfall and knock out Galarian Darmanitan ・Can knock out a wide range of Pokemon after setting up Swords Dance Best Ranked Battle Build for Mimikyu |
Cinderace | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can one-shot Galarian Darmanitan due to its typing ・Can be in different parties due to its great stats and versatility Cinderace - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle |
Rillaboom | Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・Can one-shot Darmanitan if built as an offensive Pokemon Rillaboom - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle |
All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle
Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tier List | Best Builds | Series 10 List of Contenders | |||
Doubles Tier List | Team Building | Rental Teams |
Movesets & Best Builds for New Pokemon | ||
---|---|---|
Dragapult | Galarian Corsola | Toxtricity |
Galarian Darmanitan | Corviknight | Dracovish |
Grimmsnarl | Rillaboom | Duraludon |
Cinderace | Alcremie | Dracozolt |
Hatterene | Eiscue | Inteleon |
Pincurchin | Frosmoth | Zacian |
Sirfetch'd | Flapple | Coalossal |
Centiskorch | Arctozolt | Zarude |
Galarian Weezing | Eternatus | Indeedee (Female) |
Sandaconda | Zamazenta |
Galarian Darmanitan - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
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