Krookodile, The Intimidation Pokémon. Its unique faculty of sight can detect small prey more than 30 miles away, even in the midst of a sandstorm. After clamping down with its powerful jaws, it twists its body around to rip its prey in half.
Overview
Krookodile has been somewhat of main staple in UU since its introduction to the games back in Black and White version. It's never been top of the line, but it has always remained consistently good at what it does. It's an excellent revenge killer in lower tiers thanks to its Choice Scarf and High Attack Power + a great offensive typing in Dark and Ground type. Not to mention it's movepool is very diverse. It'd probably be used more if it had just a bit more speed and bulk, but sadly it doesn't and with things like Garchomp and Excadrill around there's really no reason to take Krookodile over other ground types in OU. Which is just fine by me because it excels in UU.
Positives
+Base 117 Attack is still pretty good
+Its Speed is decent, and with the Choice Scarf it can outspeed most threats.
+It has a fantastic movepool that supports its stats
+Dark and Ground Type is still a pretty good offensive typing to have
+All of its abilities are useful
Negatives
-Base 80 Defense and 70 Special Defense just doesn't cut it anymore. Intimidate helps mitigate that somewhat, but Krookodile really wishes it had more bulk.
-While Dark / Ground is a great offensive typing. Defensively it's vulnerable to some of the most common types in the game. Including Fairy, Fighting, Water, Grass, and even Bug and Ice Type moves.
-While its speed is still decent, many common threats will outspeed and KO it without its Choice Scarf.
Abilities
Intimidate: Upon entering battle, the opponent’s Attack lowers one stage. In a Double Battle, both opponents’ Attack are lowered. Pokémon with the Clear Body, Hyper Cutter, or White Smoke ability are unaffected. In a link battle, if both sides switch on the same turn, and first player sends out a Pokémon with Intimidate, the opponent’s Attack will be lowered before the opponent’s Pokémon switches. Opponents in S.O.S. Battles are more likely to call for help. Taking physical attackers down a stage is always useful and can potentially ruin your opponent's strategies.
Moxie: Attack is raised by one stage when the Pokémon knocks out another Pokémon. Most of the time Intimidate is more useful because it helps mitigate Krookodile's average defenses and it just doesn't have the speed to be an effective Moxie sweeper most of the time. It can still be useful sometimes though, and it's definitely worth considering.
Hidden Ability (Available):
Anger Point: Increases Attack to maximum level upon taking a critical hit. It's situational at best, and sees little to no action in singles because...to be honest if Krook gets hit with a crit by an opponent it's probably going to be knocked out of the game.
Movesets
What A Krok Vol.2
-Knock Off
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge / Superpower
-Pursuit
Item Attached: Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs and Nature:
4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Knock Off and Earthquake are fantastic stab moves and will dish out a lot of damage to your opponent, and Knock Off comes with the added benefit of taking away their mon's item as well (if it's not a Z Crystal or Mega Stone). The next slot is up to you but overall I find that Stone Edge is better because it hits Crobat, Mega Aero, and Togekiss hard whereas Superpower is mainly for Hydreigon and it comes with some nasty stat drops after you use it. The last slot I like to reserve for Pursuit so I can trap things like Latias and Chandelure.
Krook Of Steel
-Knock Off / Crunch
-Earthquake
-Dragon Claw
-Iron Tail
Item Attached: Steelium Z
Ability: Moxie
EVs and Nature:
4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
It's not the best moxie sweeper in the game because of its averagish speed, but it can still be a nice surprise for your opponent late in the game. Knock Off is your main stab which as we've said before doubles in power if your opponent's mon is holding an item, but Crunch is worth mentioning as well because it's damage is always the consistent and it does come with the added benefit of a 20% chance at a defense drop and that can very useful on this set. Earthquake is your secondary stab, and it's also amazing. h Dragon Claw hits Haxorus and Hydreigon really hard. Iron Tail is used to KO Pokemon like Clefable Mega Aerodactyl, which destroy Krookodile otherwise. With Steelium Z that KO is all but guaranteed and with the Moxie attack boosts things can snowball pretty quickly and you're bound to get a couple KO's in before Krookodile goes down and turn the tide of the battle in your favor if you play your cards right.
Other Options
-Choice Band: If you're one of those people who prefers power over speed then this can be used over Choice Scarf. It does a pretty substantial boost to it's already solid Attack power so it's worth considering, but overall Choice Scarf is going to be more useful because Krookodile only has average speed and it really needs it.
-Me First / Snatch: when you combine either of those moves with Darkinium Z, they combine to give you a +2 boost in speed as well.
-Low Kick: Low Kick can work really well on some heavier opponents and things like Blissey, and it doesn't come with stat drops after you use it unlike Superpower.
-Elemental Fangs: Another great alternative coverage option. Thunder Fang and Fire Fang come with an additional flinch chance + possible paralysis / burn. When you combine them with a Z crystal they can become pretty powerful too.
-Stealth Rock: It's actually one of the better Stealth Rock setters in UU if your team is lacking one thanks to Intimidate and it's typing.
-Taunt: Krookodile is fast enough to outspeed most walls and keep them from setting up their entry hazards and other various set up and status moves and etc that your opponent will use to try to ruin your day.
VGC, Double, & Triple Battle Options
Krookodile has done well for itself in VGC 2017. Intimidate is as great as ever, and it is capable of playing a support role or being an all-out attacker holding a Choice Scarf or its new toy, Groundium Z. While Krookodile’s ability is better and its secondary STAB is arguably better, Garchomp has been the more common Groundium Z user due to its better attack, speed, and bulk. While Arcanine and Gyarados also give Krookodile competition for the Intimidate role, Krookodile is unique in how it can fill the roles of Garchomp and Arcanine in one.
Krookodile Dundee
-Earthquake
-Crunch
-Rock Slide
-Protect / Fire Fang
Item Attached: Groundium Z / Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
On an offensive set like this, Krookodile will want to generally be as fast and as powerful as possible, so maximum speed and attack help it fulfill this best. An Adamant nature gives it more power, but Jolly can help it outspeed Adamant Garchomp, Modest Tapu Lele, and Timid Xurkitree. Intimidate is one of the best abilities in doubles, weakening the physical type attacks of your opponent's Pokemon. Groundium Z gives Krookodile a powerful, single target ground-type target in Tectonic Rage, while Choice Scarf turns Krookodile into a very fast threat that outspeeds Tapu Koko. A Jolly nature can even be considered with the Choice Scarf so it ensures you outspeed Modest Choice Scarf Tapu Lele.
Earthquake is one of the best spread attacks in doubles formats, and gives Tectonic Rage a high base power. Crunch is Krookodile's strongest dark-type attack. Rock Slide can hit flying-type opponents that Earthquake cannot, and the chance for flinches
"If you only knew the power of the dark side"
-Power Trip
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
-Protect
Item Attached: Mago Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs and Nature:
188 HP / 252 Atk / 68 Spe
Adamant Nature
This dark-type Pokemon is one of the best Pokemon for a boosted Extreme Evoboost Eevee to Baton Pass into. Intimidate can further weaken the opponent, and then Krookodile has a good movepool for utilizing the boosts. Earthquake is a great spread move, and Power Trip's base power becomes 220. Maximum attack helps Krookodile quickly sweep after receiving the boosts. 68 speed EVs ensure that a +2 Krookodile will outspeed a Timid Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, who can still do well over half to a boosted Krookodile with its Moonblast. 188 EVs in HP ensure that a boosted Krookodile can live both a Twinkle Tackle from a Modest Tapu Koko, and a Bloom Doom from a -1 Jolly Kartana on a switch in. Mago Berry (or another other 50% "pinch" berry that will not cause confusion) greatly increases Krookodile's longevity should the opponent find a way to wear it down.
Power Trip is just insane with the attack boost, STAB boost, and base power of 240. For example, Power Trip can do a minimum of 70% damage to a max HP, max defense, Bold Tapu Fini (factor in Helping Hand support from an Eevee or Smeargle, and Krookodile can actually OHKO Tapu Fini!). Earthquake provides strong damage to anything that is not off the ground or protected by Wide Guard. Rock Slide hits flying types who are not affected by Earthquake. Protect is still good to carry to dodge moves like Fake Out.
Other Options & Team Ideas
-Anger Point has seen some usage to get a (typically Choice Scarf) Krookodile to maximum attack. Scope Lens Super Luck Honchkrow is a common teammate. Honchkrow's Sucker Punch has a 50% chance to critical hit (and is not blocked by Psychic Terrain if hitting a teammate), while Night Slash will have a 100% chance to get a critical hit and max out Krookodile's attack. A bit gimmicky, but there are other fun combos out there to try out.
-Moxie is not as good or consistent as Intimidate, but can help Krookodile sweep and make up for attack drops from opposing Intimidate.
-Assault Vest and 50% pinch berries have seen use on support Krookodile.
-Stone Edge is stronger than Rock Slide, but sees much less use in doubles. Thunder Fang provides coverage for Pokemon like Gyarados.
-Bulldoze, Rock Tomb, and Low Sweep all provide speed control with different coverage.
-Snarl can lower the opponents' special attack, and unlike Arcanine, it gains a STAB boost.
-Assurance hits quite hard if you pair it with a faster teammate to double into an opponent.
-Brick Break breaks Aurora Veil and provides fighting coverage. Brutal Swing is not an ideal spread move since it also hits a teammate, but it can be used an teammates with Justified for some fun combos.
-Taunt and Roar are used on support sets to shut down the opponent's strategy.
-Knock Off, Superpower, Low Kick, and Aqua Tail all provide additional means of coverage, but are only available through the ORAS move tutors currently and cannot be used in VGC 2017.
-Tapu Koko and other electric types can freely Discharge next to Krookodile.
-Celesteela appreciates that Krookodile can threaten Arcanine or Tapu Koko with its ground moves (and Celesteela is immune to Earthquake), and Intimidate increases its bulk by weakening the opposing team. Kartana also likes that Krookodile can take out Arcanine.
-Naturally, Eevee is on teams where Krookodile receives its boosts. Pokemon with access to Psych Up like Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini enjoy copying the boosts Krookodile has and each terrain can be useful for Krookodile in certain situations.
-Milotic wards away Intimidate from opposing Pokemon.
-Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain can prevent Krookodile from being burned or put to sleep.
Countering Krookodile
Krookodile isn't too difficult to take out under the right circumstances. The first instance that comes to mind is if it faces off against bulky water types like Mega Blastoise and Suicune and Rotom Wash . They have little to no trouble taking your attacks and they can more or less switch in wtihout any headaches as well. Although Suicune doesn't like having its item taken away with Knock Off..but yeah. Fighting types like Cobalion, Terrakion, and Heracross will destroy you. Although none of them can really reliably switch into its attacks either. Grass types like Celebi and Mega Sceptile will ruin your life as well. The biggest threat to you is probably physical walls like Gliscor and Fairy Types though. Fairy Types like Togekiss and Sylveon can take all your attacks except Steelium Z with Iron Tail. Plus they're many many mons that are faster than our friend Krookodile in UU now, so non scarfed users are pretty much starting at a disadvantage and need to be played very carefully.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in game
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in game
Colosseum/XD:
Not in game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Not in game
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Not in game
Black/White:
Evolve Krokorok
Black 2/White 2:
Evolve Krokorok
X/Y:
Evolve Krokorok
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Evolve Krokorok
Sun/Moon:
Evolve Krokorok
Animé Appearences
