Overview
Dustox is one of those Pokemons that has awesome abilities a great movepool, but fails to make proper use of it, because of its stats. All of Dustox's stats are pretty low except for its special defense stat. Besides Compound Eyes doesn't benefit Dustox at all and its Stealth Rock weakness doesn't help much either. In the Pokemon games Dustox advantage is that it evolves early so it gets a stat advatage over the other unevolved Pokemon in the early game. Of course this advantage fades away over time and it isn't even there at all in competetive. Dustox is usually outclassed by other Pokemon, but it can still be used. It's a good looking Pokemon that definetly has some fun strategies to offer.
Toxic Stall
Ability: Shield Dust
Item: Black Sludge / Leftovers
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP / 6 SpA / 252 SpD
Move 1: Toxic
Move 2: Roost / Moonlight
Move 3: Protect / Light Screen
Move 4: Bug Buzz / Venoshock
Dustox's strong special defense stats allows this moveset to work. The HP-stat might be low, but it 's barely enough to do the job, because the high special defense stat will help a lot. Both Roost and Moonlight provide solid sustain, but usually Roost is the better option, since it isn't affected by weather. Dustox isn't ground-immune anyways, so there's no real disadvantage of using Roost. However, Moonlight is the better option in a Sunny Day team of course. Both Protect and Light Screen can work; Protect increases your ability to stall a lot, while Light Screen boosts your special defense even more and supports your team as well. Bug Buzz is a good way to deal some damage; the STAB-bonus helps a lot as well and the 10% chance of lowering your targets special defense by one stage is never a bad thing. Venoshock on the other hand does give some great damage because of Toxic, but doesn't provide as much coverage as Bug Buzz. Sludge Bomb is off the table here since it gets hugely outclassed by Venoshock here.
Sunny Day
Ability: Shield Dust
Item: Heat Rock / Black Sludge / Leftovers
Nature: Modest / Timid
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Move 1: Sunny Day
Move 2: Solar Beam
Move 3: Hidden Power (Fire)
Move 4: Moonlight
This is an interesting approach to Dustox, but it works. Solar Beam is a very reliable with its 100% accuracy and it has some great power as well. Sunny Day will allow Solar Beam to be used properly, since you will be able to skip its charge turn. Hidden Power (Fire) will have increased power because of Sunny Day, which makes it pretty strong as well.Both moves provide great coverage, which is defenitely a plus for this moveset. The moves don't get the STAB-bonus though sad enough, but because of the great power it will do the job anyways. Moonlight really outclasses Roost in this situation, because Moonlight will heal you for 66,7% or your maximum HP, because of the Sunny Day boost, opposed to Roost, which always heal 50% of your maximum HP. The big disadvantage of this moveset is that Dustox is already weak to fire-attacks and Sunny Day is only going to make this even worse. Besides, Dustox has a pretty low special attack stat, which doesn't help much in this moveset. This moveset is most likely not expected by your opponent, which increases its potential a lot though.
Quiver Dance
Ability: Shield Dust
Item: Life Orb / Focus Sash / Black Sludge / Leftovers
Nature: Modest / Timid
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Move 1: Quiver Dance
Move 2: Sludge Bomb / Venoshock
Move 3: Bug Buzz
Move 4: Roost / Moonlight
Quiver Dance is arguably one of the better moves in the game; it even allows relativly weaker Pokemon to be played in higher tiers sometimes. For Dustox it doesn't do as much as for others because of it's low special attack stat, which doesn't help at all. Slugde Bomb does some fine damage and the STAB-bonus helps a lot here. Besides, the 30% chance of poisoning your target is awesome. If there is a Toxic Spikes user on your team however, you should use Venoshock as it does way more damage then Sludge Bomb then. Bug Buzz is a good way to deal some damage; the STAB-bonus helps a lot as well and the 10% chance of lowering your targets special defense by one stage is never a bad thing. Both Roost and Moonlight provide solid sustain, but usually Roost is the better option, since it isn't affected by weather. Dustox isn't ground-immune anyways, so there's no real disadvantage of using Roost. However, Moonlight is the better option in a Sunny Day team of course. Because of Dustoxs poor HP-stat it's hard to pull off its Quiver Dances, but if you can pull it off, Dustox might become a whole lot scarier.
Other Options
There are a few other options that are usable in some situations, but they are outclassed by the ones above in most situations. Choice Specs Dustox could do some solid damage. However the low special attack stat of Dustox won't allow you to OHKO or 2HKO its opponents, so it would need sustain, which it can't get, because of Choice Specs and no access to Moonlight or Roost. Besides, with Choice Specs you will not be able to refill the HP lost to Stealth Rock, unless Wish and Leech Seed were used of course. Another possibility is using Dustox as a physical wall using Iron Defense, but because of its low HP- and defense stat, it probably won't be able to reach the defense it needs in time, so it will die before becoming useful. Dustox could also be used as scout, since it has access to U-Turn, but Dustox lacks the needed speed and its Stealth Rock weakness doesn't help either here.
Checks and Counters
Because of Dustox low HP- and defense stat, pretty much any physical attacker, that is either speedy or bulky, will do the job. Especially Rock-, Flying- and Fire-types will be very suitable. Steel-types will also do very well because they will block all the Poison nosense and should be able to resist, beware of the Sunny Day strategy though.
Dustox is one of those Pokemons that has awesome abilities a great movepool, but fails to make proper use of it, because of its stats. All of Dustox's stats are pretty low except for its special defense stat. Besides Compound Eyes doesn't benefit Dustox at all and its Stealth Rock weakness doesn't help much either. In the Pokemon games Dustox advantage is that it evolves early so it gets a stat advatage over the other unevolved Pokemon in the early game. Of course this advantage fades away over time and it isn't even there at all in competetive. Dustox is usually outclassed by other Pokemon, but it can still be used. It's a good looking Pokemon that definetly has some fun strategies to offer.
Toxic Stall
Ability: Shield Dust
Item: Black Sludge / Leftovers
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP / 6 SpA / 252 SpD
Move 1: Toxic
Move 2: Roost / Moonlight
Move 3: Protect / Light Screen
Move 4: Bug Buzz / Venoshock
Dustox's strong special defense stats allows this moveset to work. The HP-stat might be low, but it 's barely enough to do the job, because the high special defense stat will help a lot. Both Roost and Moonlight provide solid sustain, but usually Roost is the better option, since it isn't affected by weather. Dustox isn't ground-immune anyways, so there's no real disadvantage of using Roost. However, Moonlight is the better option in a Sunny Day team of course. Both Protect and Light Screen can work; Protect increases your ability to stall a lot, while Light Screen boosts your special defense even more and supports your team as well. Bug Buzz is a good way to deal some damage; the STAB-bonus helps a lot as well and the 10% chance of lowering your targets special defense by one stage is never a bad thing. Venoshock on the other hand does give some great damage because of Toxic, but doesn't provide as much coverage as Bug Buzz. Sludge Bomb is off the table here since it gets hugely outclassed by Venoshock here.
Sunny Day
Ability: Shield Dust
Item: Heat Rock / Black Sludge / Leftovers
Nature: Modest / Timid
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Move 1: Sunny Day
Move 2: Solar Beam
Move 3: Hidden Power (Fire)
Move 4: Moonlight
This is an interesting approach to Dustox, but it works. Solar Beam is a very reliable with its 100% accuracy and it has some great power as well. Sunny Day will allow Solar Beam to be used properly, since you will be able to skip its charge turn. Hidden Power (Fire) will have increased power because of Sunny Day, which makes it pretty strong as well.Both moves provide great coverage, which is defenitely a plus for this moveset. The moves don't get the STAB-bonus though sad enough, but because of the great power it will do the job anyways. Moonlight really outclasses Roost in this situation, because Moonlight will heal you for 66,7% or your maximum HP, because of the Sunny Day boost, opposed to Roost, which always heal 50% of your maximum HP. The big disadvantage of this moveset is that Dustox is already weak to fire-attacks and Sunny Day is only going to make this even worse. Besides, Dustox has a pretty low special attack stat, which doesn't help much in this moveset. This moveset is most likely not expected by your opponent, which increases its potential a lot though.
Quiver Dance
Ability: Shield Dust
Item: Life Orb / Focus Sash / Black Sludge / Leftovers
Nature: Modest / Timid
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Move 1: Quiver Dance
Move 2: Sludge Bomb / Venoshock
Move 3: Bug Buzz
Move 4: Roost / Moonlight
Quiver Dance is arguably one of the better moves in the game; it even allows relativly weaker Pokemon to be played in higher tiers sometimes. For Dustox it doesn't do as much as for others because of it's low special attack stat, which doesn't help at all. Slugde Bomb does some fine damage and the STAB-bonus helps a lot here. Besides, the 30% chance of poisoning your target is awesome. If there is a Toxic Spikes user on your team however, you should use Venoshock as it does way more damage then Sludge Bomb then. Bug Buzz is a good way to deal some damage; the STAB-bonus helps a lot as well and the 10% chance of lowering your targets special defense by one stage is never a bad thing. Both Roost and Moonlight provide solid sustain, but usually Roost is the better option, since it isn't affected by weather. Dustox isn't ground-immune anyways, so there's no real disadvantage of using Roost. However, Moonlight is the better option in a Sunny Day team of course. Because of Dustoxs poor HP-stat it's hard to pull off its Quiver Dances, but if you can pull it off, Dustox might become a whole lot scarier.
Other Options
There are a few other options that are usable in some situations, but they are outclassed by the ones above in most situations. Choice Specs Dustox could do some solid damage. However the low special attack stat of Dustox won't allow you to OHKO or 2HKO its opponents, so it would need sustain, which it can't get, because of Choice Specs and no access to Moonlight or Roost. Besides, with Choice Specs you will not be able to refill the HP lost to Stealth Rock, unless Wish and Leech Seed were used of course. Another possibility is using Dustox as a physical wall using Iron Defense, but because of its low HP- and defense stat, it probably won't be able to reach the defense it needs in time, so it will die before becoming useful. Dustox could also be used as scout, since it has access to U-Turn, but Dustox lacks the needed speed and its Stealth Rock weakness doesn't help either here.
Checks and Counters
Because of Dustox low HP- and defense stat, pretty much any physical attacker, that is either speedy or bulky, will do the job. Especially Rock-, Flying- and Fire-types will be very suitable. Steel-types will also do very well because they will block all the Poison nosense and should be able to resist, beware of the Sunny Day strategy though.
