Diggersby with Scorching Sands PvP analysis in Pokemon GO Battle League

Pokemon GO Battle League's Adventures Abound season started on September 1, 2023. New moves as well as balance updates to existing attacks are offered at the start of each new season. In Adventures Abound, the new moves are Scorching Sands, Triple Axle, and Trailblaze. It's also worth noting that old options like Spark, Sky Attack, and Earthquake have been nerfed. That said, the addition of moves like Scorching Sands has the potential to shake up this title's meta.

One of the critters getting this new move in the latest Pokemon GO update is Diggersby. This Digging Pokemon was already strong in the Great League thanks to its substantial bulk. As such, you might be wondering whether access to a new move improves this critter's viability substantially in that format.

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Diggersby in Pokemon GO: Type, moves, and stats

Diggersby (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Diggersby is a Ground-and-Normal-type entity, which makes it weak to Fighting-, Water-, Ice-, and Grass-type attacks. On the upside, it heavily resists Ghost- and Electric-type attacks in Pokemon GO.

It can learn the following Fast Attacks:

• Mud Shot
• Quick Attack

Diggersby has access to the following Charged Attacks:

• Earthquake
• Fire Punch
• Scorching Sands
• Dig
• Hyper Beam

When it comes to stat distribution, Diggersby is a bulk-heavy Pocket Monster with base 198 Stamina, 155 Defense, and 112 Attack.

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Is Scorching Sands Diggersby worth it in Pokemon GO Battle League?

Scorching Sands is a Ground-type attack that deals 80 damage and consumes 50 energy. As an additional effect, it has a 30% chance of lowering the opponent's Attack by one stage.

Diggersby also gets access to Dig, which got a buff this season and now requires less energy to use. Both this move and Scorching Sands have the same damage potential when used by this critter. However, thanks to the latter's additional effect, it is more preferable.

Diggersby's ideal Fast Attack option is Mud Shot. Although this move is quite weak in terms of damage output, it generates energy very quickly. The creature can reach one Scorching Sands in six turns when it's in use. If you are lucky, and you get the Attack debuff, Diggersby can withstand multiple super effective attacks as well, courtesy of its massive bulk.

Before this creature got Scorching Sands, players preferred to run it with Fire Punch and Earthquake. With that last move getting a nerf this season, it makes more sense to use Scorching Sands as the Ground-type STAB move and have Hyper Beam for late-game situations to finish off full HP opponents in one go.

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Best counters to Diggersby in Pokemon GO Battle League

Diggersby is a strong pick, but it is not without its weaknesses. Some of the hardest counters to it in the Great League are:

• Medicham with Counter and Psychic
• Swampert with Mud Shot and Hydro Cannon
• Alolan Ninetales with Powder Snow and Weather Ball
• Gligar with Wing Attack and Aerial Ace

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This new season of GO Battle League also allows you to use the Starter Pokemon from Scarlet and Violet. You can use them in battle to try out some new strategies.