Battle Moveset

A Good Moveset for Dodrio would have to be this:

Attacks:

Drill Peck
Return
Quick Attack
Hidden Power [Ground / Fighting] / Steel Wing

Items Attached:

Choice Band

Preferred Nature:

Adamant or Jolly

Preferred Trait:

Early Bird

Strategy Using Dodrio

Dodrio has strong Attack and Speed stats and Double STAB but a rather limited move pool. Choice Band is it's most suitable role, once Steel and Rock types are out of the way (even with Hidden Power it has difficulty overcoming them) it can cause major problems for the opponent. With Quick Attack it can also take out End-Rev/Flail-ers and destroy weakened Pokémon who are fast than it. It's main issues come from it's weak defences and weaknesses to three common types (Rock, Ice and Electric). It's immune to Ground and Ghost attacks which can be used to it's favour immensely and has a resistance to Grass and Bug also.

EV Corner:

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk) / Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)

If you run HP Fight the IVs will not allow a 31 Speed IV so you can shave off a few Speed EVs for HP or Defence (keep enough for 296 Speed to outrun Jolly Heracross when running an Adamant Nature on Dodrio).

Other Optional Sets

Dodrio @ Leftovers / Liechi Berry
Trait: Early Bird
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Drill Peck
- Baton Pass
- Return / Substitute / Agility / Taunt
- Return / Substitute / Agility / Taunt

It gets BP with XD so it has the potential to pass Agility as well as Subs. One thing worthy of note is it has Taunt which can prevent an opposing Pokémon from using Haze or Whirlwind/Roar.

Dodrio @ Salac / Liechi Berry
Trait: Early Bird
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Drill Peck
- Flail
- Substitute / Endure
- Hidden Power [Ground / Fighting]

Flailer set. While most people would say to go with 264 Speed you may as well go Max Speed, it'll let you get Subs up before an opposing Pokémon's attack. It also opens up Liechi Berry as a viable option (although Jolly is probably best advised) which can help Dodrio handle some of the more durable opponents. You'll need to get all Rock and Steel types out of the way before trying to use this set. Your best bet would be to keep up the expectation that it's a Choice Band Dodrio, especially when using Endure (which'll come as a surprise to your opponent). Make sure that Dodrio's resulting HP stat isn't divisible by 4 if you intend to use Substitute since you'll need to get Dodrio to 1% HP to make the most use of Flail.

Other Optional Moves

Haze, Rest, Toxic, Body Slam, Double-Edge, Endeavour, Pursuit. Pretty much it, Dodrio's move pool is it's major weakness. Haze is mainly a good move, there are situations where it's useful but they're too few to consider it worth using. Rest works with Early Bird but it doesn't have the Defences to last the one turn of sleep anyway, you'd most likely find yourself wasting a move slot. Toxic with Spikes support may help you against Rock types but it's no use against Steels, again, rarely worth the move slot. Body Slam does weaker damage than Return but has the potential to Paralyse while Double-Edge does more damage than Return but has recoil. Both are options over Return but are less reliable than it. Some people have used Endeavour successfully with Quick Attack (or even Pursuit) and Sub/Endure which may be worth considering, although perfecting it's use is difficult and may not bring as helpful results as the Choice Band set.

Strategy Against Dodrio

It's move pool is very predictable. Provided you don't switch into a Hidden Power (and even then with good Defensive stats it isn't a particularly huge worry) any Rock or Steel type will nullify it's use. It's defences are weak so it doesn't handle hits switching in particularly well. Priority moves like Quick Attack are effective against the Flail set or any other Endure variations. Against a Baton Passer variation it'll probably have Taunt so that should be kept in mind when trying to handle it.

Contest Moveset

A good Contest Moveset for Dodrio would have to be this for the Cool Contest best with Lonely, Adament, Naughty or Brave Nature:

Attacks:

Aerial Ace
Double Team
FeatherDance
Hyper Beam

Items Attached:

Red Scarf

Strategy Using Dodrio

If you do the attacks in this following order you should have very few problems; 1st - Aerial ace, 2nd - Double team, 3rd - Aerial ace, 4th - Featherdance, 5th - Hyperbeam

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Safari Zone Colosseum/XD Trade from RSEFRLGXD (Col) Snagged from Chaser Ankura in Nickledark Island (XD) Fire Red/Leaf Green Evolve Doduo

Animé Appearences

Dodrio has had numerous Animé Appearences. First it was used in a Pokémon Race by Fuschia City. After that various trainers used them around Kanto and in the Pokémon League. Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader had one and used it against Ash's Pikachu. Later, Gary used on to try and protect Aerodactyl from Team Rocket Episode 033: Flame Pokémon-Athon! Episode 047: A Chansey Operation! Episode 077: Round One! Begin! Episode 133: Fighting Flyer With Fire! Episode 220: Hi Ho Silver Away! Chronicles 15: Putting the Air Back Into Aerodactyl!