Duraludon - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

This is a strategy guide for using Duraludon 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 Duraludon, as well as its strengths and weaknesses.

Duraludon - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle	Gigantamax Duraludon

Basic Information for Duraludon

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Duraludon
Abilities
Heavy Metal	Doubles the Pokemon's weight.
Light Metal	Halves the Pokemon's weight.
Stalwart (Hidden)	Ignores the effects of opposing Pokémon's Abilities and moves that draw in moves.

Duraludon Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage
Takes 0x damage

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Duraludon

What are Natures?

How to Learn Duraludon's Egg Moves

Singles Movesets for Duraludon

Assault Vest Moveset & Best Build

These values are from base stats and ideal EVs, excluding external factors.

Make up for its low Special Defense with Assault Vest

Duraludon boasts high Special Attack and Defense, but it's got a weak spot in its Special Defense. Assault Vest is useful for boosting its defensive capabilities and allowing it to take Special hits without a quick knockout.

Choose its attacks carefully

While holding Assault Vest, the number of moves Duraludon can use effectively are accordingly limited. In addition to the STAB choices of Draco Meteor and Flash Cannon, Thunderbolt is useful for its super effective damage to Gyarados and other Water types, while Solar Beam is mostly used when Dynamaxed as its Max Move alternate Max Overgrowth.

An EV Spread to handle Wash Rotom

By adding a few extra EVs to Speed, Duraludon is able to outspeed a Wash Rotom with only 4 EVs in Speed. It can use Max Overgrowth to defeat a Wash Rotom with full EVs in HP in one hit.

Other Viable Moves

Choice Scarf Moveset & Best Build

These values are from base stats and ideal EVs, excluding external factors.

Raise its Speed for a surprise attack

Duraludon is often seen as a slow, defensive attacker, but it's got surprisingly high speed, and with a Choice Scarf it's able to outspeed a surprisingly wide range of Pokemon. This build lets it outspeed Jolly Dragapult, Adamant Darmanitan with Choice Scarf, or even Jolly Gyarados with +1 stage in Speed.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Duraludon Effectively

A Special attacker with high Defense

Duraludon can serve a vital Special attacker role in your party. It can use the powerful Draco Meteor with STAB, and combined with its high Defense, it's a powerful threat in a metagame dominated by Physical attackers.

A perfect defensive typing

As a Dragon/Steel dual-type, Duraludon has only two weaknesses in the Fighting and Ground types. On top of that, it boasts a total of 10 type resistances. Although Dragon types are usually weak to Dragon and Fairy moves, Duraludon turns these into advantages, and with its Steel typing is able to handle the everpresent threats of Dragapult and Mimikyu.

Counters for Duraludon

Weakness

Use a Special Attacker

Although Duraludon has a soaring Defense, its Base Special Defense is a pitiful 50. Combined with a middling HP, Duraludon isn't so durable when faced with Special attacks like Aura Sphere and Earth Power. That said, Duraludon can usually survive at least one hit when holding an Assault Vest, so be sure to hit hard to avoid taking heavy damage of your own.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Hydreigon	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・An attacker with high firepower ・Learns the Special Ground Move Earth Power ・Recommended with Choice Specs Best Ranked Battle Build for Hydreigon
Lucario	Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・Has high Special Attack, and gets the powerful STAB attack Aura Sphere ・If it has a damage-raising item, it can get a 1HKO even against Assault Vest Duraludon

Pokemon that Resist Steel and Dragon-type Moves

Switching in a Pokemon who resists Dragon and Steel can turn the tides against Duraludon. On top of that, if you've got a Pokemon who can do Special damage, then you can make quick work of Duraludon.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Aegislash	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Its high defensive stats let it absorb attacks ・A high-damage special attacker Best Ranked Battle Build for Aegislash
Excadrill	Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・Can deal super effective STAB damage with Earthquake ・Needs a damage-boosting item like Choice Band to get a 1HKO Best Ranked Battle Build for Excadrill

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for New Pokemon

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