Bagon

Stat	Base	Min-	Min	Max	Max+
HP	45	N/A	21	24	N/A
Att	75	12	14	17	18
Def	60	10	12	15	16
Sp.A	40	9	10	13	14
Sp.D	30	8	9	12	13
Spe	50	9	11	14	15

Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Dragon Dance
- Fire Fang
- Hydro Pump / Draco Meteor / Brick Break / Dragon Claw
Item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
Ability: Rock Head
Nature: Naughty / Naive
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 196 Spe

Set Comments

This set works a lot like its big brother, Salamence. After a Dragon Dance, you hit an excellent 25/27 Attack and 21/22 Speed, which is amazing in Little Cup. Focus Sash can help ensure you get a boost, while Life Orb works if you think you can force a switch. Hydro Pump can hit harder on some things, such as Geodude, Rhyhorn, and Onix, and Draco Meteor is obscenely powerful on its own. Brick Break OHKOs Shieldon and Aron, and can OHKO Munchlax with DD and a Life Orb. Dragon Claw provides a non-locking option. Nothing in LC resists the Dragon-Fire combination, so DD up and sweep away. Focus Sash is preferred, as it ensures a boost, but clear the field beforehand.

Choice
- Outrage
- Fire Fang / Fire Blast
- Hydro Pump
- Dragon Claw
Item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
Ability: Rock Head
Nature: Naughty/Naive
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36SpA /196 Spe

Set Comments

Choice Bagon is pretty scary, being able to hit right off the bat with either excellent Speed or Attack. Scarfed, Bagon sports 17/18 attack and 21/22 Speed, which isn't bad when you consider that Dragon hits a lot in the Little Cup metagame. Banded, Bagon has 25/27 attack and 14/15 speed, which can cripple anything that may be switching in to try and hamper a Dragon Dance. Once again, Dragon/Fire is unresisted. Hydro Pump once again is used to hit Geodude, Rhyhorn, and Onix. Outrage deals immense damage, easily outpacing ever super-effective secondary options. Dragon Claw provides the most power without being locked in, but can be replaced by Brick Break or another option depending on your team. Use Fire Fang with Choice Band and Fire Blast with Choice Scarf.

Specs
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Hydro Pump
- Brick Break / Outrage
Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Rock Head
Nature: Rash / Naive
EVs: 76 Atk / 36 Def / 196SpA / 196 Spe

Set Comments

A rather gimmicky set, but it works for one reason: STAB Draco Meteor hitting off of 19/21 Special Attack can be devastating, especially considering that most of Bagon's counters are on the physical side. Once again, Fire Blast is for unresisted coverage. Hydro Pump hits harder on things that are weak to it. The last option provides coverage against Munchlax. Outrage has superior damage, but Brick Break doesn't lock you in. Dragon Pulse may be substituted for the physical move, but leads to problems with Munchlax.

Other Options

These three sets pretty much cover all of Bagon's useful options. Dragon Rush is decent if you're willing to gamble for the one hard hit and don't want to risk a revenge kill during Outrage, but only on the CB set, as having a miss when you're all set up to sweep can be catastrophic. Flamethrower can be substituted on the Specs set if you're worried about missing. Bagon's miscellaneous attacking movepool consists of Zen Headbutt, Rock Slide, and Crunch.

Opinion

Bagon is one of the few Dragon Dance users in the Little Cup metagame, and it's damn good at it. It has the highest base attack of any Dragon Dance user in Little Cup, and its 50 Base Speed is workable with a boost as well. The Choice Specs set can also be a nasty surprise to opponents expecting a physical set, and it's not too fragile on the physical side either. Dratini boasts a better support movepool, special stats, and Shed Skin, but Bagon's Outrage does superior damage.

Counters

Diglett can outspeed Bagon for the revenge kill if it uses a Focus Sash to set up, but it's hard-pressed to kill one from full HP. Additionally, weather starters like Hippopotas and Snover can prevent it from using its Focus Sash. Bagon also sports rather pathetic defense on the special side, so poking it gently there should shut it down.