Drednaw, The Bite Pokémon. With jaws that can shear through steel rods, this highly aggressive Pokémon chomps down on its unfortunate prey. This Pokémon rapidly extends its retractable neck to sink its sharp fangs into distant enemies and take them down. It responded to Gigantamax energy by becoming bipedal. First it comes crashing down on foes, and then it finishes them off with its massive jaws. In the Galar region, there's a tale about this Pokémon chewing up a mountain and using the rubble to stop a flood.
Overview
Drednaw is a somewhat interesting take on an otherwise overdone concept. The reasonably powerful Water/Rock type with Swift Swim is far from a new concept, but Drednaw tries to differentiate itself with some unique moves, alternative abilities, and a unique Gigantamax form that lets it stand out a bit. Unfortunately these traits don't really do enough to really make it excel above the others that have tried this concept, but at the very least Drednaw accomplishes what it was designed to do.
Positives
-115 Attack is solid, allowing Drednaw to punch holes in many threats with ease.
-Access to Head Smash gives Drednaw a base 150 power STAB to hit Grass threats with, and makes for a deadly Max Rockfall when Gigantamaxed.
-74 is a nice base Speed in the some formats, allowing Drednaw to outpace threats and be a potent wallbreaker.
Negatives
-68 Special Defense makes it hard to pivot into some threats as well as eat some neutral moves, even if it has sand support up which it often doesn't want.
-74 base Speed does hold Drednaw back in higher tiers of play despite its good Attack, leaving it too dependent on rain support to hit relevant benchmarks.
-Drednaw is fairly predictable move wise tending to use: Liquidation, Head Smash, Earthquake, and a filler on every set with little room for variation. While Head Smash may not be an easy move for most to stomach, that recoil will also bring it down fast too.
Abilities
Shell Armor - Prevents Critical hits - Not great overall especially with Strong Jaw or Swift Swim as alternative options.
Strong Jaws - Bite based moves have their power increased by 50% - This is a good ability but Drednaw lacks many options only having Crunch, Jaw Lock, Ice Fang, and Bite, so its applications are somewhat limited.
Swift Swim - Doubles Speed in rain - Always a good ability, this gives Gigantamax Drednaw a nice niche in a few places though it clashes slightly with Max Rockfall. In general this is the ability you want for Drednaw.
Movesets
Rain Sweeper
-Liquidation
-Stone Edge / Head Smash
-Earthquake / Swords Dance
-Stealth Rock / Swords Dance / Rain Dance
Item Attached: Life Orb / Shuca Berry
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs and Nature:
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Speed
Jolly Nature
Liquidation is a strong Water STAB with slightly more base power than Waterfall as well as a defense drop chance, which can allow Drednaw to keep piling on pressure for its stronger Rock STABs. Stone Edge is a less reliable and weaker option but doesn't hurt Drednaw with recoil. However, Head Smash is 50 more base power so that extra power boost usually enough to compensate the recoil in most cases, and it isn't any less accurate than Stone Edge. Earthquake rounds out the set with neutral coverage combined with Drednaw's Rock STAB, but Swords Dance can be used in combo with Stealth Rock or Rain Dance in the final slot for more pressure. The last slot is open based on what one wants to do with Drednaw, Stealth Rock is nice to provide pressure with passive damage. Swords Dance allows Drednaw to act as a wallbreaker and makes its Head Smash terrifying for anything that doesn't resist Rock. Finally Rain Dance allows Drednaw to act as a sweeper as well as boost its Liquidation further, giving it a sweeping tool with better accuracy.
Maximum offensive investment is the way to go with Drednaw, Head Smash makes defensive benchmarks pointless and the preferred Life Orb ruins that option even if you're not using Head Smash. Jolly nature is ideal since Drednaw wants to outspeed as much as possible with its otherwise average Speed tier, and gives it better mileage with Swift Swim. Shuca Berry is another item alternative if Life Orb recoil is a problem, and can allow it to set up Rain Dance more safely against random Earthquake users.
Dynamax
Drednaw is one of the best Rain Dance abusers in Ubers due to Gigantamaxing doubling its health while keeping Swift Swim. This combined with Drednaw's raw power and larger health pool makes it very threatening. Swords Dance can be used before Gigantamaxing if Drednaw forces a switch to really boost its power. The set is largely the same as its regular Singles set except Superpower is run in the last slot for move coverage plus the +1 from Max Knuckle, and Swords Dance potentially over Head Smash due to Max Rockfall changing the weather to Sand.
Other Options
-Strong Jaw with Jaw Lock has interesting trapping utility, though Drednaw doesn't have much to capitalize on that itself so it's hard to justify.
Partners
Vikavolt - Access to Sticky Web and Volt Switch allows for Drednaw to become a more oppressive threat by patching its average Speed a bit.
Virizion - Able to answer bulky Waters that threaten Drednaw and can set up Swords Dance or Calm Mind to sweep itself. Virizion also benefits from Stealth Rock support if you choose to run it on Drednaw.
Qwilfish - Can also set up or abuse Swift Swim and has similar walls, so it can help wear them down or sweep through brute force.
Countering Drednaw
Gastrodon - Immune to Liquidation and resisting Head Smash, Gastrodon can sit in front of Drednaw with ease
Manectric -Outpaces Drednaw and can threaten OHKOs with its STAB Electric moves and can be a potent threat. It just can't switch into Drednaw since it's not very bulky and lacks resistances to any of Drednaw's moves.
Hitmontop - Intimidate allows Hitmontop to check Drednaw and threaten it out with Close Combat, it just needs to watch out for boosted Liqudation since an unlucky Defense drop offset the Intimidate Attack drop.
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:
Not in game
Black 2/White 2:
Not in game
X/Y:
Not in game
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Not in game
Sun/Moon:
Not in game
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Not in game
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game
Sword/Shield:
Route 2, Route 6, Bridge Field, Dusty Bowl, Galar Mine No. 2, Giant's Cap, Giant's Mirror, Lake of Outrage, West Lake Axewell, Fields of Honor, Soothing Wetlands, Challenge Beach, Courageous Cavern, Loop Lagoon
Max Raid Battles: Bridge Field, Dusty Bowl, Giant's Mirror, Lake of Outrage, South Lake Miloch, West Lake Axewell, Soothing Wetlands, Forest of Focus, Challenge Beach, Courageous Cavern
Gigantamax Raid Battles: Giant's Cap, Courageous Cavern
Anime Appearences
|
Drednaw has made a couple of appearances in the anime. In this, a wild Drenaw by Wyndon Stadium got affected by Dyanamax Energy and Gigantamaxed, requiring Ash to stop it |
|