groundPokédex entry ↗
Usage · September 2026
14.4%
Donphan is ranked #12 in Gen 9 UU, carried by 8,002 teams
TierA · top 15 of the format
Ladder rank#12 of 204
Raw count8,002
Viability ceiling88
Month on month-3.79pp
13 month peak19.4%
FormatGen 9 UU
Base statsspecies values, before EVs and natureBST 500
HP
90
Atk
120
Def
120
SpA
60
SpD
60
Spe
50
Usage over time14.4%▼ 3.79pppeak 19.4% · Mar '26
hover a month for the exact figure · 13 months of ladder history
Most used set
29.8% of Donphan teamsHP
0
Atk
252
Def
4
SpA
0
SpD
0
Spe
252
NatureAdamant
AbilitySturdy · 100.0%
ItemHeavy-Duty Boots · 40.1%
Tera typeWater · 47.9%
Moves
99.4%
99.4%
56.8%
45.1%
Alternative spreads
over 5% usageImpish248 HP / 16 Atk / 244 Def23.9%
Impish248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe5.7%
Moves
7 tracked99.4%
99.4%
56.8%
45.1%
36.8%
30.2%
17.1%
Items
40.1%
22.9%
21.9%
8.7%
6.4%
Tera types
47.9%
47.2%
Abilities
100.0%
EV spreads
top 6Adamant252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe29.8%
Impish248 HP / 16 Atk / 244 Def23.9%
Impish248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe5.7%
Adamant252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe5.0%
Adamant248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD5.0%
Impish252 HP / 228 Def / 28 Spe4.5%
Top teammates
share of teams
Best Donphan build for Gen 9 UU
The set above is the one Gen 9 UU players run most often, taken from 33,671 battles in September 2026. Donphan sits at rank #12 with 14.4% usage, which puts it in A tier, down 3.79 points on the month before.
These are usage numbers, not a recommendation from a council. A move at 90% is close to mandatory; anything under 30% is a tech pick that answers a specific matchup. Read the spreads the same way: the top spread is the safe default, and the alternatives usually trade bulk for speed or the other way round.
The checks and counters table is generated from real games rather than a type chart, so it accounts for items, Tera choices, and how often the matchup ends in a switch instead of a knockout.