Cradily Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Stealth Rock is used to pressure Fire-, Flying-, Bug-, and Ice-types that threaten Grass teams such as Mega Charizard Y, Togekiss, Volcarona, and Kyurem-B. Recover enables Cradily to recover its HP, giving it sustainability. Rock Slide allows Cradily to hit Bug-, Fire-, Ice-, and Flying-types such as Volcarona, Mega Charizard Y, Kyurem-B, and Mantine. Toxic is used to cripple walls such as Mandibuzz and Porygon2, which would otherwise wall Cradily. Set Details Maximum HP and Special Defense investment along with a Careful nature ensures that Cradily is as bulky as possible and able to take +1 Inferno Overdrive from Volcarona. Leftovers allows Cradily to recover a bit of its HP each turn. Storm Drain is the preferred ability because it enables Cradily to be a solid Scald switch-in. Alternatively, Suction Cups can be used to ensure that Cradily cannot be phazed by Skarmory so that its teammates do not take unnecessary damage from entry hazards. Usage Tips Set up Stealth Rock as early as possible to pressure Flying-, Ice-, Bug-, and Fire-types such as Zapdos, Kyurem-B, Volcarona, and Mega Charizard Y. Preserve Cradily's HP because it needs to maintain high HP to switch in and KO Mega Charizard Y. Be wary of status, specifically burn and poison, because a burn halves Cradily's already mediocre Attack stat, while poison slowly wears it down, decreasing its sustainability. Since Cradily's Defense is average, avoid switching into powerful physical attackers such as Terrakion and Garchomp. Cradily should be switched in on special attackers such as Togekiss and Tapu Koko so that it can cripple them with Toxic. Avoid Knock Off, as Cradily is easily worn down when without Leftovers recovery. Switch Cradily, which is immune to Water, into Scald so that its teammates don't have to take unnecessary damage and risk the possible burn. Team Options Cradily fits on most Grass teams because of its ability to set up Stealth Rock. Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn can take Ice- and Bug-type attacks for Cradily, while Cradily can eliminate Mega Charizard Y. Ferrothorn can set up Spikes for Cradily and is able to switch into Toxic. Mega Venusaur can switch into physical Fire-type attacks that Cradily doesn't take well. Tapu Bulu sets up Grassy Terrain for Cradily, giving it more sustainability, while Cradily can switch into Fire-type attacks for Tapu Bulu. Since Cradily can check Mega Charizard Y, Breloom is an excellent teammate because it is then free to run Life Orb over Focus Sash, making it a bigger offensive threat. Serperior appreciates Cradily's ability to cripple bulky Pokemon such as Mandibuzz and Porygon2 with Toxic, as that enables it to sweep late-game. Rotom-C can use Volt Switch to bring Cradily in safely. Celebi and Whimsicott can eliminate Fighting-types that KO Cradily and the latter is also immune to Dragon-type attacks.

Moves Giga Drain is Cradily's best STAB move, dealing significant damage against Water-types like Mega Sharpedo, Seismitoad, and Gastrodon and Ground-types like Hippowdon and Dugtrio while also healing Cradily. Recover is essential for keeping Cradily healthy throughout a match so it can consistently switch into Pokemon like Garchomp. Toxic is good for wearing down opposing walls like Mantine, Zapdos, and Porygon2. Mirror Coat gives Cradily a way to offensively pressure special attackers that it can survive a hit from, like Mega Charizard Y and Landorus under sand. Set Details Maximum investment in HP is used to make Cradily as bulky as possible. 48 Speed EVs are used to always outspeed Belly Drum Azumarill, which is one of the biggest threats to Rock teams, after the Speed drop from Sticky Web. The remaining EVs are placed into Defense with a Bold nature to let Cradily avoid a 2HKO from Tapu Bulu's Horn Leech and Landorus-T's Earthquake. Leftovers is used to give Cradily passive recovery each turn, which greatly benefits its role as a defensive wall. Storm Drain is Cradily's best ability, granting it an immunity to Water-type attacks that threaten Rock teams. The Special Attack increase granted from Storm Drain also helps Cradily OHKO frail Water-types like Greninja and Mega Sharpedo. Usage Tips It's important to keep Cradily as healthy as possible in order to check offensive threats like Landorus-T and Mega Swampert. Against special attackers like Mega Charizard Y and Latios, it's usually best to use Mirror Coat immediately to try removing them. However, Toxic can also be used on an expected Roost or Defog. Toxic can also be used if a defensive wall such as Torkoal or Zapdos attempts to switch in. Keep Cradily away from poison, since it can wear it down very quickly throughout a match. Make sure to consistently bring in Cradily on predicted Water-type attacks to protect teammates like Tyranitar and Mega Diancie. Team Options Mega Diancie can check Fighting-types like Keldeo and Heracross that threaten Cradily as well as bounce back Toxic Spikes thanks to Magic Bounce. Shuckle can set up Sticky Web for Cradily, allowing it to outspeed Belly Drum Azumarill. It can also use Knock Off to remove Leftovers from bulky Pokemon like Mantine and Zapdos to make them easier to wear down. Terrakion is able to beat Steel-types like Heatran, Excadrill, and Stakataka that Cradily can't threaten. In return, Cradily can switch into and beat bulky Ground-types like Hippowdon and Gastrodon. Tyranitar can break past defensive Pokemon that aren't affected by Toxic, such as Toxapex and Mega Venusaur, and provides Cradily some important special bulk with Sand Stream. Rhyperior and Alolan Golem are both able to beat Mega Scizor for Cradily. Rhyperior can serve as a blanket check against physical attackers like Mega Lopunny and Excadrill, while Alolan Golem can trap and remove defensive Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Celesteela.

Thanks to its great defensive stats, small number of weaknesses, and access to Recover, Cradily is an ideal team supporter. Storm Drain gives Cradily an easy time when faced with Water-types, such as Feraligatr, and its high defenses make it very difficult to KO. The idea is to set up Stealth Rock, cripple bulkier opponents with Toxic, and proceed to stall with Recover. Energy Ball can be used to hit opposing Water-types super effectively, and the STAB boost helps secure KOs against the likes of Rhydon and Quagsire. Hidden Power Fire is preferred to hit Steel- and Grass-types--especially Ferroseed--while Hidden Power Rock gains a STAB boost and hits Moltres super effectively. Maximum HP and Defense investment turn Cradily into an unstoppable tank. Defense EVs are preferred over Special Defense as Cradily can already take on the majority of special attackers, and the added cushion against physical attacks is extremely helpful. With an immunity to Water-type moves, a resistance to Electric-type moves, and neutral damage from Fire- and Grass-type attacks, most opponents will be hard-pressed to take it out. You may choose to run Special Defense EVs along with Curse, but that isn't recommended. Alternatively, an Impish nature can be used with Rock Slide, Earthquake, and Seed Bomb, turning Cradily into a physically oriented tank. Pokemon that can switch into Cradily's weaknesses are essential in keeping it alive. Qwilfish can switch into Ice- and Steel-type moves and set up entry hazards, while Moltres can switch into Fighting- and Bug-type moves and roast opposing Ice-types with its STAB Fire-type moves. A cleric or status absorber is helpful too; Lanturn can switch into Ice-type moves and support Cradily with Heal Bell, while Clefable has access to a variety of other support options, such as Encore, Thunder Wave, and Wish. RestTalk Spiritomb is a viable alternative, and its ability to switch into Fighting-types is always welcomed.

This set utilizes Cradily's base 81 Attack, good defenses, and access to Swords Dance to deal massive damage to the opponent. Thanks to its enormous bulk, Cradily has no difficulty in setting up multiple boosts. After a Swords Dance, Cradily has enough power to crush the majority of Pokemon in RU. Storm Drain gives Cradily an immunity to Water-type moves, giving it an easy time setting up against Pokemon such as Choice Band Feraligatr and Alomomola. Stone Edge and Seed Bomb provide reliable STAB; Seed Bomb hits bulky Water-types super effectively, and Stone Edge deals with pesky Flying-types that are immune to Earthquake. Earthquake provides coverage against Steel-types, and Recover helps Cradily set up more easily. Cradily's EVs capitalize on its decent bulk and Attack--its Speed is so poor it's not worth investing in. Storm Drain is the chosen ability as it gives Cradily an immunity to Water-type moves; furthermore, it gives you a reason to use Cradily over Torterra or Sceptile. Suction Cups can be used if you're afraid of being phazed, but the extra Water-type immunity is preferred. Stockpile can be used over Earthquake if you want to raise Cradily's defenses, but the loss of coverage makes this a poor choice. Rock Slide can be used over Stone Edge for its higher accuracy, whilst Toxic can be used over Earthquake to cripple bulkier Pokemon, such as Uxie. This set can also function as a Baton Pass receiver; thanks to Suction Cups and its access to Recover, Cradily is an absolute monster after a few boosts, and it's capable of destroying whole teams. Support from entry hazards can increase Cradily's sweeping potential, and helps it score easier KOs. Crustle can set up Spikes and Stealth Rock, Scolipede can set up Toxic Spikes, and Uxie can set up Stealth Rock. Due to its low Speed, Pokemon that can switch into Cradily's weaknesses are appreciated. Moltres can switch into Bug- and Fighting-type moves, whilst Klinklang can switch into Ice-type moves and pose an offensive threat with its STAB Gear Grind. A cleric can be used to cure any nasty status. Lanturn can support Cradily with Heal Bell, and RestTalk Pokemon, such as Spiritomb, can absorb status.

This set attempts to create a monstrous wall by utilizing Curse, Rest, and Sleep Talk. The idea is to set up on a weak or resisted attack, Rest off the damage, and hit the opponent with boosted STAB attacks. Rest and Sleep Talk turn Cradily into an excellent status absorber and late-game tank, making it very difficult for the opponent to KO Cradily. Rock Slide and Seed Bomb are reliable STAB options; Rock Slide leaves Cradily walled by Steel- and bulky Water-types, while Seed Bomb leaves it walled against Fire- and Flying-types. What sets Cradily apart from other Curse users is Suction Cups; thanks to Suction Cups, Cradily can boost its stats without fear of being phazed. If Cradily manages to set up, the only way to stop it is through Haze or multiple critical hits. The EVs are self-explanatory; maximum HP and Special Defense allow Cradily to sponge special attacks while it sets up with Curse. Stone Edge or Earthquake can be used in the last slot; however, Stone Edge has low PP, and Earthquake leaves Cradily utterly walled by Flying-types and Pokemon with the Levitate ability. If you prefer a more offensive set, a coverage move can replace Sleep Talk and Cradily can hold a Chesto Berry. In this case, Stone Edge and Earthquake are the preferred attacking moves as they provide great coverage. Toxic Spikes cripple bulky opponents that resist or take little damage from Cradily's attacking move. Qwilfish can set up Toxic Spikes, and its ability, Intimidate, helps soften physical attacks. Pokemon that can switch into Cradily's weaknesses are helpful too. Lanturn can switch into Ice- and Steel-type moves, Spiritomb can switch into Fighting-type moves, and Moltres can switch into Bug-, Steel-, and Fighting-type moves. Finally, a cleric, such as Clefable, can be used to wake up a sleeping Cradily.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Cradily is an effective Curse user that has several advantages over Tyranitar and Regirock, namely Suction Cups, which prevents it from being phazed, and a Grass typing, which eliminates its weaknesses to Water and Grass. Curse is a great move that boosts Cradily's average Attack and Defense stats and enables it to both hit harder and take hits more easily. Rock Slide is Cradily's main attack as it gains STAB and hits most Pokemon that don't resist it quite hard after a few boosts. Recover allows Cradily to heal without going to sleep and becoming setup bait; however, Rest completely heals Cradily and cures it of status as well, especially Toxic and Will-O-Wisp. Earthquake is the recommended move if using Recover as it gives Cradily better coverage, while Sleep Talk is the preferred option if Cradily carries Rest; it allows Cradily to attack or set up while asleep. The EV spread and nature maximizes Cradily's HP and Special Defense stats to let it take most special attacks with ease, especially when sandstorm is in play. Special Defense investment is preferred to physical bulk because Cradily will be boosting its latter defense with Curse. The remaining EVs are put into Attack to enable Cradily to hit a bit harder. A Sand Stream Pokemon is needed for Cradily to reach its full potential. Tyranitar and Hippowdon are both great options; both can provide Stealth Rock support as well. A teammate that can switch into Bug-, Steel-, and Fighting-type attacks, such as Gyarados or Zapdos, is also appreciated as Cradily will often attract attacks of these types.

Cradily is constantly seen as a bulky supporter Pokemon lacking in the offensive department; however, this set attempts to take advantage of its ability to reliably set up Stealth Rock (thanks to its great overall bulk) and its great dual typing to turn it into a solid, effective Stealth Rock lead. With a Life Orb attached, Cradily becomes surprisingly powerful, capable of 2HKOing or OHKOing almost every common lead, such as Arcanine, Omastar, and Cloyster, as well as becoming a decent late-game sweeper. Even though Cradily has equal offensive stats, its physical movepool is much stronger than its special movepool; as such, Cradily's moveset is geared towards the physical side. Seed Bomb and Stone Edge are the two primary STAB moves, the former hitting Omastar and Kabutops for extreme damage, and the latter smashing Moltres. Recover is used in the final slot to allow Cradily to heal any damage taken and to lengthen Cradily's survivability during the match, especially since Life Orb's recoil will be gradually reducing Cradily's health. The suggested EV spread focuses primarily on Cradily's offensive stats, but leaves enough EVs to be used in HP so it doesn't become defensively weak and can still tank some hits. With 104 Speed EVs, Cradily is always able to outpace Omastar and 16 Speed Azumarill and smack them with a powerful STAB Seed Bomb. The 176 Attack EVs and Adamant nature give it a good chance at OHKOing the previously mentioned Omastar, which takes 91% - 100% from Seed Bomb. Finally, the rest of the EVs are added to HP so Cradily is never OHKOed by a Life Orbed Fire Blast from Timid Moltres, as it only does 63% - 75%, which gives you enough HP left over to OHKO Moltres and not die from Life Orb recoil. Although rarer, Cradily is even able to survive a Life Orbed Fire Blast from Modest Moltres with enough HP left to survive Life Orb's recoil. There are a few leads whom Cradily has no chance at winning against, most notably Uxie and Hariyama. Cradily will struggle to break through Uxie's high Defense stat and Hariyama's great HP stat, and it will easily fall to the latter's Close Combat. Spiritomb is one of the best choices to deal with the aforementioned threats, especially for bulky, offensive teams. Spiritomb possesses immunities to Uxie's Psychic and Hariyama's Close Combat, as well as access to Calm Mind to set up against them. Bulky Steel-types like Registeel and Steelix will also pose a big problem, as Cradily isn't strong enough to break through their massive Defense. In this case, Water-types, particularly Milotic, can work exceptionally well against these threats. To keep the bulky offense feel of your team, Milotic can run the Life Orb Tank set to hit very hard and still take neutral and resisted attacks to good effect.

This is the classic Cradily set, which handles special assaults as well as nearly any Pokemon in UU with sandstorm support. Its great typing, above average defenses, and access to Recover make it a very formidable wall. The strategy is simple: switch in on a special attacker like Mismagius or Milotic, shrug off their attacks, and hit them with Toxic or an attack when appropriate. There are very few special attackers Cradily does not beat or stall out with relative ease. It does, however, need to watch out for status moves on this set. Toxic is especially problematic, as Cradily cannot cure itself like it can on sets with Rest. This is the one downside to Recover, which otherwise gives Cradily remarkable longevity. Using Pokemon with Heal Bell or Aromatherapy on your team can allow you to use Cradily much more fearlessly. The last slot is a matter of preference and depends on what you want Cradily to do. Hippopotas should be your team's Stealth Rock user, assuming you are running a sandstorm team. If this is the case, Seed Bomb complements Cradily's Rock-type move nicely, providing excellent type coverage. It also allows Cradily to hit Pokemon like Steelix and Aggron, which would otherwise laugh at all of its moves. Protect can also be viable in this slot, as it simultaneously allows Cradily to restore its health with Leftovers and let passive damage from poison and sandstorm wear down its opponent. The suggested EV spread ensures that a Life Orb-boosted +2 Hidden Power Fighting from Mismagius is a 3HKO in a sandstorm. However, the EVs on the defenses can be tweaked as needed. The more Defense EVs that can be spared, the better, but Cradily's primary objective is to be your team's special wall and should be EVed as such.

This set is quite similar to the last, with one large change: Stockpile. Stockpile lets Cradily boost both of its defenses up to +3 (Stockpile's limit), at which point it is nearly impossible to take down with unboosted attacks. Unlike the previous set, this one is designed to function outside of sandstorm, although sandstorm support is certainly a plus. This set also makes use of Suction Cups, as Cradily would normally be an easy target for phazing moves. Toxic and Recover are givens on this set, as Cradily's primary goal is to stall out opponents with poison damage. Toxic is Cradily's main method of racking up damage, which it can do easily after it has boosted its defenses sky high with Stockpile. Against many opponents, Cradily can simply laugh as they throw themselves at it with unsuccessful attacks while their HP slips away. The nature and EVs allow Cradily to be a more balanced staller, as its Defense and Special Defense are equalized. The attack to supplement Toxic is a matter of preference. Earthquake may appear a little out of place on this set, but it allows Cradily to beat Poison- and Steel-types, which is critical as they are immune to Toxic. Rock Slide is, of course, Cradily's typical STAB option and has good neutral type coverage. The EVs here are designed to equalize Cradily's defenses, as it will need to take special and physical hits equally in order to stall out as many different Pokemon as possible. If you plan to use this set with sandstorm support, all of Cradily's EVs can be committed to Defense, as sandstorm and Stockpile will give it more than enough Special Defense to work with. Entry hazards work extremely well alongside this set and are important to its success. Opponents will naturally want to switch out soon after they are poisoned, so entry hazards will both discourage and punish this course of action. Spikes also allow Cradily to handle Steel-types better. Omastar and Qwilfish are also good options to fill this role. Omastar receives a boost to its mediocre Special Defense in sandstorm while Qwilfish is noteworthy for its resistances to every single one of Cradily's weaknesses, although unfortunately, its defenses hardly allow it to even take resisted attacks. If you do not opt for Earthquake on Cradily, most Steel-types can be dealt with efficiently by Magneton, that can trap and beat them. If you want to use this set with sandstorm support, then Hippopotas will, of course, be a necessary component of your team.

While the previous set requires Cradily to stack quite a few Curses to take on opponents, this one allows the set up process to be hastened by adding a second attack, and thus, better type coverage. The addition of Seed Bomb allows Cradily to take on bulky Pokemon, such as Milotic, Donphan, and Rhyperior without having to maximize its Attack stat, as you can now hit them for super effective or neutral damage. In addition, Seed Bomb is a more reliable attack, as it has 100% accuracy (Rock Slide is the preferred move on the mono-attacking set due to superior type coverage). The key to this set is essentially to use Curse as many times as possible before being forced to Rest, then awaken instantly and sweep. This is quite different from the gradual process discussed in the last set, yet it plays quite similarly for the most part. The main difference is that Cradily can begin attacking earlier, and only stack excess Curses when it is convenient, rather than attempting to nearly maximize its stats before sweeping. The advantage of this set is that your opponent basically has less time to "react", meaning that Encore and Taunt will be futile once Cradily is a few Curses deep and free to begin attacking. In general, the same counters and team options for the last set apply to this set. Fighting-types, Encore, Haze, and Registeel with Curse or Rest can still bring Cradily to a halt when used properly. Due to the absence of recovery from Leftovers, Seismic Toss is a 4HKO, which can cause problems for Cradily if it is asleep and at low health. Steelix, Aggron, and Rhyperior are now considerably less threatening, as Cradily can hit them neutrally with Seed Bomb (or 4x effectively in Rhyperior's case), but it will need Curses under its belt to beat the latter two due to their high Attack stats. Note that status becomes slightly more of an issue for Cradily once its Chesto Berry has been used, but again, chances are, it will be able to Rest multiple times with sufficient boosts from Curse.

This set is designed to make Cradily an offensive threat outside of sandstorm, where the Curse sets dare not stray. Although using two moves to boost its stats may seem like overkill, the unique combination of Suction Cups, Recover, and balanced all-around stats makes Cradily the perfect Pokemon to do it. Possessing two stat boosting moves is also convenient because it gives you the freedom to choose what Cradily boosts, which can be very beneficial in many situations. Due to its bulk and instant recovery move, Cradily will find it quite easy to switch into a lot of Pokemon, although it must be cautious of status moves. Once it finds a Pokemon it can set up on, Cradily can begin to boost its stats, typically starting with Stockpile to defend itself against powerful attackers. After multiple Stockpiles, Cradily is extremely difficult to take down in two hits, meaning it will be able to Recover away most damage it takes. When it is convenient, Cradily should have little trouble using Swords Dance multiple times to boost its Attack to high levels. Rock Slide is yet again the preferred option on this set, due to its superior neutral type coverage over Seed Bomb. Status ruins this set, which is unfortunate because Cradily is too slow to do anything to prevent it. Therefore, clerics, and even Safeguard users, make great partners for this set. Altaria makes a good teammate, as it can use Heal Bell and Safeguard, although not on the same set. It also resists Fighting- and Bug-type attacks, which Cradily is weak to, and can absorb status moves thanks to Natural Cure. Like the other offensive variants, Cradily struggles to deal with Registeel, and users of Encore, Haze, and Trick. Fighting-types are, as always, a huge problem for this set, even with the Impish nature, as Cradily fails to hit them very hard with Rock Slide. For this reason Ghost-types make good partners, as they are immune to Fighting assaults and can Will-O-Wisp in return.

The addition of Curse to its movepool really gave Cradily a new lease on life. Curse lets Cradily not only boost its Attack, but also allow its Defense to catch up to its already stellar Special Defense (when boosted by sandstorm). Coupled with its unique ability, Suction Cups, a deadly combination is spawned. The goal of this set is to slowly accrue Curses, using Cradily's bulk to take attacks while gaining Attack and Defense. Cradily is very difficult to take down, as it is free to Rest as often as it pleases, allowing it to absorb status as well as take most attacks. Sleep Talk allows Cradily to stack Curses or fire off Rock Slides while sleeping, meaning that the longer Cradily is in, the more difficult it will be to take down. Although it may seem as though a Pokemon like Milotic could switch in easily and Ice Beam away, the reality is that unless the opposing Pokemon carries extremely powerful super effective special attacks, Cradily will take shockingly low damage from them, as its Special Defense will be sky-high in sandstorm (where it should always be used). This set can be very difficult to stop once it begins setting up, so it can be quite difficult to counter, but an assortment of moves and Pokemon can easily stand in its way. First and foremost, Fighting-types will stop it in its tracks, as they can switch in for free the instant Cradily begins using Curse. Unless Cradily has stacked three or more Curses, it should get out of the way of Fighting-type attacks, leaving them for its teammates, that should be well-equipped to take them on. Other powerful physical attackers, such as Aggron and Rhyperior, can also get the job done, assuming they don't switch in too late. Registeel completely walls Cradily, assuming it either has Curse, to boost alongside Cradily, or Rest, to PP stall Cradily. If it has neither of these moves, Cradily can prevail in a lengthy battle, barring some bad luck. After these Pokemon, stopping Cradily gets a whole lot trickier. Haze is hands-down the best option, as Cradily can do absolutely nothing to stop it. Encore is a great bet because Cradily is so slow that you can simply switch a Pokemon into three of its four moves and use Encore. Fortunately for Cradily, both of these moves are relatively rare, and their potential users are few and easily identified. Taunt can either prevent Cradily from Resting or setting up in the first place, but it cannot check Cradily once it has built up enough Curses; by that point Cradily can attack and take hits until the Taunt wears off. Tricking a Choice item onto Cradily devastates it, so Cradily should proceed with extreme caution around Pokemon like Uxie, Mesprit, and Rotom. Rather than getting Cradily in as soon as it is convenient, the best way to ensure Cradily sweeps is to play semi-stall in the early stages of the match, attempting to identify the Pokemon that can halt Cradily's impending onslaught. From there your goal should be to knock out or neutralize these foes in any way possible, and use Cradily sparingly until late in the match when the coast is clear. When used correctly, Cradily should have little trouble making mince meat out of your opponent's team. It is worth noting that Regirock can run an identical set, but with over double the physical Defense. Cradily, however, boasts neutralities to Water-, Grass-, and Ground-type attacks, which are critical for surviving onslaughts from special attacking Pokemon like Sceptile and Life Orb Milotic. Suction Cups also sets it apart from Regirock and all other Curse users by preventing it from being Roared out by Pokemon like Donphan or Steelix.

Like its aquatic counterpart, Octillery, Cradily is a good Baton Pass receiver due to its excellent ability, Suction Cups. Although it lacks the raw power of other Baton Pass candidates, it brings great typing and impressive bulk to the table. Furthermore, the attacking combination of Rock and Grass provides nearly flawless neutral type coverage in UU, resisted only by Registeel and Toxicroak. Despite Cradily's miserable Speed stat, 252 EVs and an Agility boost will vault it into the upper echelon of UU, allowing it to reach a Speed stat of 370, which outspeeds maximum Speed base 115s. A +1 boost allows it to reach 277 Speed and beat maximum Speed Hitmonchan, neutral natured Hitmonlee, maximum Speed base 75s, and neutral natured base 85s. If you are not concerned with its poor Speed, those EVs can be dumped into HP to increase Cradily's durability. Cradily needs all the power it can muster in order to score OHKOs, so Stone Edge gets the nod over Rock Slide, although the latter is still a good option for its accuracy. The third moveslot in this set is really a matter of preference. Earthquake provides even better type coverage, and is notable for its ability to hit Registeel and Aggron. Swords Dance helps to boost Cradily's power and sweeping ability, and is especially valuable if your team struggles to pass Attack boosts, which Cradily will certainly need in order to sweep. Toxic can help get rid of pesky defensive Pokemon that can Recover or Rest away the attacks you throw at them. One thing Cradily does not have going for it is its vulnerability to priority moves. Life Orb TechniTop will deal an average of 80% damage with Mach Punch, while Leftovers variants will still 2HKO. In addition, Blaziken's Vacuum Wave and Hitmonlee's Mach Punch both surpass 50% damage. Fortunately, Donphan's Ice Shard and Choice Band Azumarill's Aqua Jet are 3HKOs, and Sucker Punches thrown by Cacturne and Absol can be Recovered away. All of these Pokemon should also be OHKOed by the appropriate move after a Swords Dance.

Industrial strength stalling bullshit. This only works because of Suction Cups, and you'd better hope your opponent doesn't have a Poison- or Steel-type.

Special Cradily. Watch out for Giga Drain's PP.

Standard Cradily. Toxic foes, Recover off the damage. Cradily is a truly great special sponge, and makes the majority of Electric-types cry for their respective Pokemon mothers.

Barrier up, and when they give up and attack you with a special attack Mirror Coat it back in their faces.