Dialga Movesets & Competitive Sets

Draco Meteor slices through common Dragon-types such as Eternatus, Zygarde-C, and Zekrom and is its best neutral attack for Pokemon such as Groudon, Landorus-T, Blissey, and Lunala. Fire Blast melts Steel-types such as Necrozma-DM, Ferrothorn, and Zamazenta-C. Thunder is for Kyogre and is a good option to hit Xerneas with if rain is active. Power Gem prevents Ho-Oh from switching in and healing off the damage done by a different move while also doubling as a more accurate attack against Pokemon such as Yveltal and Calyrex-I. Flash Cannon is an acceptable alternative to Power Gem to hit Xerneas on top of granting a spammable STAB option that doesn't weaken over time, as Thunder can deal with Ho-Oh in its place. Dialga fits best on offensive and balanced teams, as it's able to cleave through opposing balances and open up gaping holes for its partners, such as Eternatus, Xerneas, Zekrom and Calyrex-S, to clean up. Pokemon that can bring Dialga in more safely with U-turn such as Yveltal and Landorus-T are great partners, as they also check Pokemon that force Dialga out such as Calyrex-S and Groudon. Paralysis spreaders such as Ho-Oh, Zygarde-C, and Kyogre help compensate for Dialga's middling Speed. Dialga appreciates entry hazard support from teammates like Landorus-T and Ferrothorn to help it wallbreak; similarly, hazard control from partners like Yveltal and Ho-Oh helps keep it healthy so it can safely wallbreak throughout a battle. Dialga struggles to reliably get past Ho-Oh without proper prediction, and Blissey consistently walls its attacks; Calyrex-S and Necrozma-DM can lure in and KO Ho-Oh, while Psyshock Xerneas and Dragon Tail Zygarde-C are good at forcing enough damage onto Blissey so Dialga can KO it with Draco Meteor. Lastly, checks to Xerneas, Calyrex-S, and Blissey are necessary, so Pokemon such as Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Marshadow are good teammates.

Moves Stealth Rock greatly benefits setup sweepers such as Xerneas, Mega Salamence, Rayquaza, and Arceus by wearing down the opposing team. The move also allows threats like Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM to run more offensive sets. Draco Meteor is a very powerful STAB move that puts a dent on most targets that do not resist it. It comes at a cost of a drastic drop in Special Attack, however. Fire Blast punishes Steel-types such as Celesteela, Ferrothorn, Magearna, and defensive Necrozma-DM that resist Draco Meteor. Thunder does heavy damage to Arceus-Water, Primal Kyogre, Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Celesteela, but it sometimes tends to be unreliable due to its shaky accuracy. Toxic punishes foes that hope to take Draco Meteor and Fire Blast from Dialga, such as Arceus formes, Ho-Oh, and Lugia, by putting them on a timer. It also punishes Xerneas if it tries to set up on Dialga. Ice Beam is an alternative to Draco Meteor that does not force Dialga to switch out, hits Arceus-Ground, and still OHKOes Zygarde-C with Life Orb. This is a plausible option if reserving momentum is more important than access to a powerful STAB move. Set Details The given EV spread allows Dialga to outspeed Adamant Necrozma-DM, letting it reliably score a 2HKO with Fire Blast. Full Special Attack investment with a Modest nature maximizes Dialga's damage output to the point where Draco Meteor forces a recovery move from Arceus formes by taking away around half of their health. Life Orb increases Dialga's damage output at the cost of its longevity and allows Dialga to OHKO offensive Primal Groudon with Draco Meteor after Stealth Rock, OHKO Celesteela and 2HKO defensive Necrozma-DM with Fire Blast, and 2HKO bulky Ho-Oh with Thunder. Shuca Berry allows Dialga to survive a Precipice Blades from Primal Groudon and take Earthquake from various threats, such as Mega Salamence, Ultra Necrozma, and Rayquaza, that rely on said move to defeat Dialga. Shuca Berry can be paired with an alternative EV spread of 240 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpA in order to survive +1 Tectonic Rage from Zygarde-C from full HP. Usage Tips Dialga should avoid leading against the likes of Excadrill, Cloyster, and Deoxys-S, since they can either remove entry hazards or prevent Dialga from setting hazards in the first place. Draco Meteor is best used against neutral targets to either heavily damage them or force them to use a recovery move so Dialga can potentially gain a turn to set Stealth Rock, use Toxic to put them on timer, or switch into a counter. Toxic is a great way to punish Defog users that are able to take Dialga's attacks, such as Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Water. The former especially is inclined to switch into Dialga to heal off the damage taken while forcing it out, so it is best to use Toxic on it as it switches in. Switching into Toxic from predictable users of the move like Lugia and Arceus-Water allows Dialga to easily grab an opportunity to set entry hazards or fire attacks, since it forces out said foes due to them not being able to do much in return. Dialga is quite reliant on predictions to punish switch-ins with its moves. Draco Meteor shouldn't be used recklessly when Steel-types are likely to switch in, and Toxic should be used when Arceus formes are the most likely switch-ins. This is especially important if Dialga has to avoid taking hits to preserve its health while utilizing its moveset to full potential. It is important to make right decisions about whether to use Dialga early-game as a dedicated lead or preserve it to check sweepers that it can at full health. For instance, if Dialga holds Shuca Berry and is the only reliable answer to dangerous sweepers like Mega Salamence and Rayquaza, it should be preserved and left healthy so it can deal with them later in the match. If Dialga does not have to stay healthy to handle a specific threat that none of its teammates can't already, it should set Stealth Rock as early as possible to start pressuring the opposing team. Team Options Checks to Primal Groudon are necessary, since Dialga cannot handle it alone, even with Shuca Berry. Support Arceus formes mostly do a sufficient job handling Primal Groudon and are able to occasionally run Fire Blast to free Dialga of a moveslot to run a different move. Lugia is able to prevail against setup variants of Primal Groudon while handling Mega Lucario. Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM appreciate the Stealth Rock support Dialga provides. They benefit from said entry hazard when attempting to sweep and are free to use more offensively oriented sets that they could not use otherwise when dedicating their movesets to set the hazard themselves. The former checks Fairy-types and threatens Steel-types for Dialga in the event Dialga does not run Fire Blast and appreciates Dialga switching into Toxic while using Toxic of its own to put support Arceus formes on timer. The latter is also a strong check to Fairy-types and enjoys Steel-types weakened from Dialga's Fire Blast. Xerneas enjoys Stealth Rock support, which weakens Ho-Oh and removes Multiscale from Lugia, and appreciates Dialga luring Steel-types and denting them with Fire Blast. In return, Xerneas resists Fighting-type moves and threatens any Defog users that Dialga cannot handle by threatening to set up Geomancy on them. Yveltal is an offensive powerhouse that pairs well with Dialga. It provides a Ground immunity to the team, which Dialga appreciates, and is able to use Taunt to prevent Defog and shut down special walls like Chansey. Choice Scarf variants are good checks to Marshadow and Lunala. Marshadow meets a lot of important benchmarks with Stealth Rock up and appreciates Dialga threatening support Arceus formes. In return, Marshadow can switch into predicted Fighting-type attacks, block Rapid Spin, and destroy most special walls in the tier. Mega Salamence appreciates Stealth Rock support as well as Dialga weakening support Arceus forms with powerful attacks or Toxic. In return, Mega Salamence acts as a good check to Primal Groudon and provides a Ground-type immunity for Dialga, letting it avoid unwanted matchups and preserve Shuca Berry. Arceus-Ground appreciates Dialga luring Steel-types like Celesteela and punishing them with Fire Blast. This allows Arceus-Ground to sweep easily with Swords Dance. Defensive variants of Arceus-Ground serve as strong checks to Primal Groudon and Mega Lucario, which Dialga struggles with. Ho-Oh resists Fighting-, Fairy-, and Steel-types that Dialga might have trouble with if it does not have appropriate coverage against them. It also appreciates Dialga using Toxic on support Arceus formes and threatening Giratina and Zygarde-C with Draco Meteor.

Moves Stealth Rock can be set up reliably and works great on offensive teams that would prefer to have an offensive Primal Groudon set. Draco Meteor from this Dialga variant will severely dent just about anything that doesn't resist it and makes it a terror to switch into. Having both Flash Cannon and Thunder means that Dialga now has excellent coverage across most of the tier, and with the Special Attack investment, the attacks will OHKO or 2HKO just about anything weak to them. Thunder allows Dialga to hit Ho-Oh, Lugia, Primal Kyogre, and Arceus-Water super effectively. Fire Blast is an alternative option to Thunder that can hit Steel-types such as Ferrothorn that would otherwise resist the entire moveset. Set Details The HP EVs give Dialga maximum bulk, while maximum Special Attack and a Modest nature give Dialga excellent power behind its attacks. 12 Speed EVs allow Dialga to outspeed Diancie before Mega Evolution. Shuca Berry is preferred to give Dialga the extra niche of being an offensive check to Mega Salamence and also lets it survive an attack from Primal Groudon or Arceus-Ground in a pinch. Usage Tips Use Dialga's great typing to find opportunities to switch in and set up Stealth Rock while using the tremendous power behind its attacks to ward off Defog or Magic Bounce users. This set does not have as much bulk as the support set and lacks recovery, so take care to avoid unnecessary damage. Keeping this Dialga variant healthy is key for offensive teams to be able to stop Mega Salamence. It should be noted that if Dialga cannot force its way past Defog users with recovery, it is unable to stop Defog and may kill momentum after using Draco Meteor. Team Options This Dialga set best fits on offensive teams that require a Stealth Rock setter that can also check Mega Diancie and Mega Salamence due to the Shuca Berry. Teams that are using Pokemon that can clash with Primal Groudon, such as Arceus-Ground, can use Dialga as an alternative Stealth Rock user. Checks to Primal Groudon make for great teammates, as Primal Groudon and Mega Salamence are commonly seen together, and Dialga cannot deal with both. Examples include Giratina-O, Latias, and Latios. The aforementioned Pokemon also help with Dialga's Fighting-type weakness, as they can switch into Mega Blaziken, Mega Lucario, and Mega Mewtwo X. Strong physical wallbreakers such as Primal Groudon and Mega Salamence can break past the specially bulky Pokemon that Dialga cannot do very well against, namely Ho-Oh. Mega Gengar can also potentially trap and remove possible Dialga checks.

Moves Stealth Rock is a key niche that Dialga can provide to a team and is what this set is built around. Draco Meteor provides a great STAB attack for Dialga, OHKOing nearly everything weak to it with the exception of Latias and Giratina while also dealing great damage to neutral targets, making it very difficult to switch into when taking Dialga's possible coverage into consideration. Fire Blast hits the majority of Pokemon that resist Dragon in the tier for great damage, OHKOing Pokemon such as Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Genesect. Flash Cannon is an alternative coverage move that can be used to take out Mega Diancie, Arceus-Rock, and Tyranitar if needed. Toxic can pressure bulky Defog Arceus formes and prevent them from removing Stealth Rock while also catching Dialga switch-ins such as Ho-Oh and Lugia. Roar can also be used in place of Toxic to phaze potential setup sweepers that may try to set up on Dialga after it has used Draco Meteor, and Roar can help to prevent it from being trapped by Shadow Tag users. Rest could also be used in the last slot, as a common way of beating Dialga is through residual damage and Rest can stop that from becoming an issue. Set Details 244 HP EVs and maximum Special Defense with a Calm nature allow Dialga to take on the numerous special attackers of the tier, such as Mewtwo, Kyogre, and Palkia. The 12 Speed EVs are used to let Dialga outspeed maximum Speed Diancie before it Mega Evolves. Shuca Berry allows Dialga to become a great check to Mega Salamence, and it can prevent Primal Groudon from easily taking advantage of Dialga's Ground weakness. Leftovers can also be used if the passive recovery is necessary. A physically defensive spread could also be used instead to check Pokemon such as Rayquaza, Zekrom, and Mega Salamence better. Usage Tips Dialga's typing alone can provide plenty of opportunities to switch in and set up Stealth Rock multiple times in a match. However, Dialga's lack of recovery without Leftovers means that some caution should be used when switching in repeatedly. Toxic possible Defog users such as bulky Arceus and attack with Draco Meteor to pressure them while constantly setting up Stealth Rock to keep it on the field. Be wary of possible setup sweepers after using Draco Meteor; if they can deal with being poisoned, you might find yourself in trouble. This isn't an issue if you are running Roar, however. Team Options This Dialga is based around supporting its teammates, and therefore it doesn't require much support of its own. Pokemon that appreciate Stealth Rock being on the field to aid in sweeping, such as Geomancy Xerneas and Extreme Killer Arceus, make for great partners. Pokemon that have good defensive synergy with Dialga, such as Ho-Oh, Giratina-O, Latios, Latias, and Lugia, also pair well with this set; Latios, Latias, and Giratina-O in particular make for great teammates due to their Ground immunity. Note that if you are using Fire Blast over Flash Cannon, Mega Diancie can completely shut this set down, so be sure to have an answer to it, with possibilities being Arceus-Ground or Primal Kyogre. Dialga generally finds its way onto teams that need a Stealth Rock setter that isn't Primal Groudon.

Dialga's monstrous Special Attack often eclipses its deceptively dangerous base 120 Attack. With significant EV investment in both Attack and Special Attack, as well as ridiculously powerful coverage moves, it is no wonder that Dialga is one of the most difficult Pokemon to wall in the entire game. With a Life Orb equipped, Draco Meteor from 438 Special Attack will quickly crush all but pink blobs and specially defensive Steel-types. The former Pokemon can easily be defeated by Dialga's physical move of choice; both Outrage and Brick Break can 2HKO most Blissey and Chansey after Stealth Rock damage. Outrage is preferred due to its superior power and coverage, but Brick Break can be used if you do not like locking Dialga in; it also boasts the ability to hit Heatran for super effective damage. Fire Blast absolutely annihilates most Steel-types, but it does come at the price of being nerfed in rain. Thunder can be used in the final slot to hit Steel-types and is extremely useful in the rain to smash down Kyogre. However, Bulk Up opens up many opportunities for Dialga; not only does it allow Dialga to become progressively more dangerous, but it can also be used to lure in certain threats, such as Groudon, which is the best counter to defensive Bulk Up Dialga. Groudon will readily switch into Dialga after it uses Bulk Up, only to be met with a Life Orb-boosted Draco Meteor, which will OHKO any Groudon that doesn't significantly invest in Special Defense and severely cripple even those that do. Bulk Up also allows Dialga to comfortably tank an unboosted Garchomp's Earthquake and OHKO in return with its Dragon-type STAB attack. There are many ways to EV mixed Dialga, and your pick should depend on your team. The spread listed above allows Dialga to hit extremely hard both physically and specially. With maximum Attack investment, Dialga can 2HKO most Blissey and Chansey with Outrage or Brick Break, as well as OHKOing 252/0 Kyogre and Ho-Oh with Outrage. Dialga can also invest in Speed; a Hasty nature and 192 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed neutral base 95s, most notably Adamant Swords Dance Rayquaza. Keep in mind, however, that most Rayquaza run a Speed-boosting nature. Dialga can even run a spread of 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe with a Hasty nature to Speed tie with all base 90 Pokemon. On the other hand, Dialga can drop its Speed to the absolute minimum with a spread of 120 HP / 136 Atk / 252 SpA and a Quiet nature; such a spread allows it to survive attacks such as Choice Scarf Garchomp's Earthquake and Life Orb Mewtwo's Aura Sphere and OHKO in return with Draco Meteor. Quiet Dialga is also usable on a Trick Room team and can even forgo its last move to set up the field effect itself. Another thing to consider when running Trick Room Dialga is to lower its level to 99; this allows Dialga to outspeed uninvested Scizor in Trick Room. It is also worthy to note that Dialga is probably the best Shell Smash recipient in the game. It resists all forms of priority aside from the rare Vacuum Wave and Mach Punch and is also immune to Toxic Spikes. Should Dialga be a designated SmashPass recipient, it should fully maximize its Speed to outrun virtually everything. Gorebyss, Smeargle, and the rarer Huntail are the only Pokemon that can pass Shell Smash, but all three can do it admirably. Should Dialga receive a Shell Smash safely, your opponent should start praying to a deity for divine intervention, because not even Arceus will be able to stop it. Life Orb is the preferred item as it allows Dialga to hit as hard as possible while keeping the ability to switch moves. Quiet Dialga can also consider Expert Belt, as it helps preserve Dialga's bulk while still allowing it to break the walls it is supposed to. An Adamant Orb can be used to bluff a Choice item, while Leftovers can help Dialga survive for even longer. Other moves, however, are generally outclassed by the options listed. Dragon Tail allows Dialga to shuffle switch-ins and is rather effective with multiple layers of entry hazards. Earthquake is a decent fourth move, as it allows Dialga to 2HKO Jirachi and OHKO Heatran; the latter can be OHKOed by Earth Power too. If your team really hates Ho-Oh, Stone Edge and Power Gem are options to clip the phoenix's wings. Again, Stealth Rock is always an option should nothing else on your team be able to set it up, but it is a big waste of Dialga's talents. As with all wallbreakers, Dialga appreciates entry hazard support. Deoxys-S is the premier offensive Spikes setter, while Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Forretress work very well on more balanced teams. Giratina-O easily blocks Rapid Spin and switches into attacks super effective on Dialga, while ChestoRest Giratina can spinblock while remaining a dangerous threat. As for sweepers, those that can take advantage of the holes that Dialga punches make good teammates. Extreme Killer Arceus, Rayquaza, Arceus-Dragon, Choice Scarf Salamence, and Garchomp can all take advantage of the ravaging of Steel-types. Sweepers that synergize well with Dialga are fine choices too; Mewtwo resists Fighting-type attacks, while Flying-types such as the aforementioned Rayquaza can easily capitalize on incoming Ground-type attacks.

Dialga is one of the very few Dragon-types that can take a support route; it is especially useful as a bulky all-around pivot. As very few Pokemon can outright OHKO Dialga, it can easily switch into an opposing Pokemon and set up Stealth Rock or just start dishing out damage. Draco Meteor packs a strong immediate punch, but if you prefer PP and consistency, Dragon Pulse is an excellent alternative STAB move. Notably, Draco Meteor allows Dialga to severely damage Groudon, as well as OHKO Reshiram and Palkia without Stealth Rock. Fire Blast rounds out the coverage; in particular, it 2HKOes most Groudon in the sun and Ferrothorn in the rain. Roar lets Dialga force switches, but if you want Dialga to phaze through Taunt instead of Substitute, Dragon Tail is a fine alternative. Thunder works best alongside Kyogre, as its Drizzle ability remedies Thunder's poor accuracy. The given EVs ensure that Dialga is not 2HKOed by Palkia's Lustrous Orb-boosted Spacial Rend or by non-Choice Specs Kyogre's full-power Water Spout. The Special Attack EVs and Modest nature allow Dialga to OHKO Darkrai with Draco Meteor and to 2HKO most Kyogre and some Ho-Oh with Thunder. Lum Berry prevents Dialga from being put to sleep by Darkrai leads; Dialga can then severely cripple them with Thunder Wave or OHKO them with Draco Meteor. Dialga can use Toxic in the last slot to cripple walls such as Lugia, while Thunder Wave helps Dialga's offensive teammates take advantage of slower opponents. Dialga appreciates the residual damage from Spikes and Toxic Spikes that defensive teams can provide, as it can easily shuffle opposing Pokemon around with Roar or Dragon Tail. Tentacruel can set up Toxic Spikes, while Forretress can set up both Spikes and Toxic Spikes. However, relying on Forretress to lay down that many hazards puts it under a lot of stress. Lead Deoxys-S is a good choice to set up Spikes right off the bat, and it can even forgo Stealth Rock if Dialga opts to use it. Skarmory is an excellent partner, as it can lay Spikes, completely walls Groudon barring the rare Overheat or Fire Punch, has access to a recovery move, and can use Whirlwind to force switches. Ferrothorn can switch into most Kyogre variants and set up Spikes easily. With entry hazards taken into account, Dialga needs a teammate that can block Rapid Spin. Giratina, Giratina-O, and Arceus-Ghost are the best Pokemon for the job. Giratina and Giratina-O share great type synergy with Dialga thanks to their immunity to both Ground- and Fighting-type attacks; both check Groudon as well. Dialga also resists the Dark- and Ghost-type attacks they are weak to. In addition to hazards support, offensive teams tend to appreciate Toxic or Thunder Wave support from Dialga. Swords Dance variants of Groudon, Terrakion, and Garchomp, as well as Rayquaza, Mewtwo, and Darkrai, all appreciate opposing Choice Scarf users being paralyzed, while a Toxic-poisoned Lugia will find it difficult to wall Rock Polish Groudon and Extreme Killer Arceus. Finally, offensive Groudon appreciates Dialga's ability to batter many of its checks, such as Skarmory and Giratina.

Dialga's lackluster Speed can be fixed with a Choice Scarf, which allows it to reach 400 Speed. While faster Dragon-types such as Palkia and Salamence exist, Dialga's main attraction is its typing. Its resistance to Extreme Speed allows it to check Swords Dance Rayquaza and weakened Extreme Killer Arceus, though keep in mind that Draco Meteor cannot KO a healthy Arceus, and if Arceus has Recover, Dialga loses. It is also one of the revenge killers to Tail Glow Manaphy; offensive sets are OHKOed by Thunder, while bulkier ones fail to OHKO Dialga in return. Draco Meteor is the primary attack, as with Stealth Rock in play, it easily OHKOes Darkrai, Reshiram, Zekrom, Rayquaza, Arceus-Dragon, Garchomp, and unboosted Mewtwo. Thunder 2HKOes Lugia and Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock and inflicts severe damage on Kyogre. Fire Blast prevents Steel-types from switching in freely, while Aura Sphere nails Heatran and Tyranitar for super effective damage. Lastly, Dragon Pulse gives Dialga a way of dealing consistent damage. A Modest nature is preferred so that Dialga is strong enough to revenge kill the threats it should defeat. The Speed EVs allow Dialga to outspeed neutral-natured Deoxys-A. The advantage of outspeeding Adamant Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Naive Deoxys-A might be lost, but Rayquaza generally runs a Speed-boosting nature anyway, while Deoxys-A tends to run a Rash nature. Nonetheless, Dialga can use a Timid nature and maximum Speed if outspeeding all Deoxys-A is critical; in addition, maximum Speed Dialga Speed ties with all Choice Scarf base 90s. In terms of other options, Outrage can be run in the last slot to 2HKO non-defensive variants of Calm Mind Kyogre, as well as to 2HKO Blissey after some prior damage. Choice Scarf Dialga might be faster than most Pokemon, but it does lose to other Choice Scarf users, such as Palkia, Garchomp, Terrakion, and Darkrai, as well as Dragon Dance Rayquaza. Groudon can handle Garchomp, Terrakion, and Rayquaza most of the time, but it can be worn down due to its lack of recovery. Scizor can switch into Darkrai safely and OHKO it with U-turn or deal major damage with Bullet Punch; if Sleep Clause is activated, various Arceus formes can easily set up on it. Finally, be very cautious of Wobbuffet, as it can easily revenge kill Choice-locked Dialga. Blissey and Chansey don't fear anything from this set. Lugia and Ho-Oh are both problematic if rain is not up, as is opposing defensive Dialga. Ferrothorn can take any attack not named Fire Blast and set up Spikes or use Leech Seed. Defensive Arceus and Groudon can take any attack; the latter can subsequently OHKO Dialga with Earthquake. Kyogre can check defensive Arceus, Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Groudon with its powerful Water-type strikes, Giratina-O can handle Groudon and set up on opponents locked into Fighting- or Ground-type moves, while Lugia covers Dialga's weaknesses and checks Choice Scarf Palkia, Choice Scarf Garchomp, and Dragon Dance Rayquaza.

Dialga's typing and enormous base 150 Special Attack just scream for the user to slap Choice Specs on it and click Draco Meteor whenever possible. Indeed, with its excellent bulk and typing, Dialga is the cream of the crop when it comes to the many Draco Meteor-spamming Dragon-types in the game. Draco Meteor is easily Dialga's best STAB move, and it completely decimates anything that doesn't resist it. To illustrate, it deals at least 85% to defensive Dialga. Thunder easily OHKOes Kyogre that do not invest in Special Defense, while both Fire Blast and Aura Sphere help Dialga swat aside Steel-types. Fire Blast has a chance to OHKO Ferrothorn after Stealth Rock damage even in rain, while Aura Sphere allows Dialga to 2HKO Heatran and OHKO Tyranitar after Stealth Rock. Dragon Pulse rounds out the set as a reliable STAB move. The given EVs allow Dialga to take advantage of its excellent bulk to repeatedly switch in and dish out the pain, but an alternative spread of 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe is perfectly usable. Earth Power can OHKO Heatran, but Aura Sphere easily 2HKOes it anyway. Thunderbolt can be used in sunny weather to strike down Ho-Oh, as can Power Gem, but it is comfortably 2HKOed by Draco Meteor anyway. Choice Specs provides the power that makes this set so threatening, but if its locking effect is not appealing, Dialga can use a Life Orb as an alternative item to power up its attacks. If using Life Orb, Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot so that Dialga can act as an offensive lead. Be aware that if you're looking for a bulky attacker, Choice Specs is definitely the better option. On the other hand, a Timid nature with maximum Speed is usable if you want Dialga to Speed tie with all base 90 Pokemon. Blissey and Chansey are the only surefire counters to Choice Specs Dialga, as Dialga lacks any reliable way of KOing the pink blobs. Arceus-Rock in sand can take a Draco Meteor--although it still won't enjoy it--and use Recover to heal off the damage. Otherwise, one will have to rely on prediction to prevent a switch-in from becoming horribly mutilated by one of Dialga's attacks. Dialga's low Speed also makes it rather susceptible to faster revenge killers packing super effective moves. Finally, the Special Attack drop Draco Meteor causes allows bulky threats such as Arceus to set up easily. Therefore, Terrakion is a good partner, as it easily scares away Blissey and Chansey, while Arceus-Rock will not enjoy taking it on either. Excadrill is also a good teammate, as it easily outspeeds Arceus-Rock in a sandstorm and buries it with its powerful Earthquake. While not sweeping in sandstorm, Excadrill is a good spinner for rain teams, which Dialga also thrives in as rain makes Thunder 100% accurate. As Dialga is weak to Fighting- and Ground-type moves, Giratina-O is an excellent partner due to its immunity to both types; as a bonus, it can also block Rapid Spin. Lugia is another defensive Pokemon that can easily switch into attacks targeted at Dialga, while Dialga has no problem switching into Thunders directed at Lugia. Dialga's powerful wallbreaking abilities attract two other kinds of teammates, namely entry hazard setters and cleaners. With entry hazards, Dialga finds it a lot easier to break down walls. Deoxys-S is possibly the best entry hazard layer for offensive teams, while Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Forretress can use their bulk to set up Spikes and Stealth Rock for more balanced ones. As Dialga's main attack is its Dragon STAB, it tends to lure in Steel-types and damage them heavily. This makes sweepers such as Extreme Killer Arceus, Rayquaza, Arceus-Dragon, Choice Scarf Salamence, and Garchomp much more dangerous.

This set takes advantage of Dialga's numerous resistances, well-distributed defensive stats, great neutral STAB coverage, and access to Bulk Up. By boosting its Attack and Defense, Dialga can power up its attacks while increasing its physical bulk. After Dialga manages to set up Bulk Up, it can be almost impenetrable on the physical side. For example, it can easily survive a Choice Band Close Combat from Terrakion and OHKO with +1 Outrage. Rest lets a weakened Dialga heal itself, while Sleep Talk enables it to remain threatening. The RestTalk combination also allows Dialga to absorb Dark Void from Darkrai. Outrage gives Dialga more power but locks Dialga in when it is used, except when selected by Sleep Talk; alternatively, Dragon Claw can be used if you want reliability instead of more PP and power. As Dialga will be boosting its Defense via Bulk Up, maximum Special Defense helps it cushion most special attacks. Dragon Tail can be used with entry hazard support, but it is generally an inferior option as it is quite weak. Furthermore, some phazers outspeed Dialga anyway, which makes it useless. Dialga can, however, run 164 Spe EVs to outspeed uninvested Lugia. In particular, a set of Bulk Up, Dragon Tail, Earthquake, and Substitute, along with entry hazard support, puts lots of pressure on stall teams that use phazing as their main way of dealing with Bulk Up Dialga. As sturdy as Bulk Up Dialga might be, there are still Pokemon that can break through its defenses. Groudon can easily set up alongside Dialga with Bulk Up or Swords Dance and smash it with Earthquake; Arceus-Ground can do a similar job with Calm Mind. Excadrill and Lucario both resist Outrage, can set up Swords Dance, and OHKO +1 Dialga with Earthquake and Close Combat, respectively. Sacred Sword Terrakion can 2HKO Dialga irrespective of its Defense boosts, while Outrage cannot OHKO Terrakion without Defense drops. On the special side, Reshiram OHKOes with sun- and Choice Specs-boosted Blue Flare. Arceus-Fighting can boost up with Calm Mind, take relatively little from Outrage, and 2HKO with Judgment. Heatran can use Taunt to stop Dialga from setting up or recovering and 3HKO with Flamethrower. Skarmory and Lugia can both phaze Dialga, although they cannot stop it if Dialga is the last Pokemon. Therefore, Giratina, Giratina-O, and Kyogre are excellent teammates to run alongside Dialga due to their ability to defeat these Pokemon. Arceus-Water is also a good teammate to Dialga, as it can easily take on Heatran and Reshiram and is bulky enough to deal with Lucario, Excadrill, and Terrakion. Phazers are also significant threats to Bulk Up Dialga. As Dialga has no Attack investment, it is quite weak initially. Skarmory and Lugia have absolutely no problems forcing Dialga out with Whirlwind or Dragon Tail, unless Dialga itself is running Dragon Tail, in which case Skarmory will be forced out first. Groudon and Hippowdon take little from Outrage and can Roar Dialga out as well. Various Arceus formes, such as Arceus-Steel, have no problems taking on and phazing out Dialga. It should be noted, however, that should Dialga be the last Pokemon, it cannot be forced out, and any team lacking a win condition will be in trouble. Perish Song is probably the best win condition, as it ensures that Dialga is KOed in three turns; its most common user is defensive Arceus. Tricking Dialga a Choice Scarf also effectively neuters it; Darkrai and Mewtwo are effective users of this strategy.

Moves Both Dragon Pulse and Draco Meteor have merit as Dialga's STAB option; Dragon Pulse gives consistent damage output against various targets, but Draco Meteor nets an OHKO on Giratina-O and Latios after Stealth Rock damage. Dragon Claw can also be used with a Sassy nature to better handle Calm Mind Latias and net a bit more chip damage on Blissey, but the move has no other targets. Thunder is mandatory to damage Kyogre, which is the main threat Dialga is tasked to handle. Roar allows Dialga to rack up entry hazard damage on its checks multiple times and single-handedly reverses the positive matchup that defensive teams typically enjoy against rain offense. Dialga has a number of options for the last moveslot; Earth Power is a generally solid coverage option against opposing Dialga, Jirachi, and Heatran, while Protect stalls turns for extra Leftovers recovery. This enables Dialga to more reliably avoid the 2HKO from attacks such as Latios's Draco Meteor and Mewtwo's Life Orb Aura Sphere. Stealth Rock can be used if no other member of Dialga's team can fit it, but it is generally best to use another Stealth Rock user such as Bronzong. Toxic can be used to put some of Dialga's switch-ins on a timer, and it also enables it to more quickly overcome Ludicolo, a Pokemon that is otherwise incredibly annoying for rain offense teams to handle. Thunder Wave can support slower wallbreakers like Choice Specs Kyogre, but it does not bother most of Dialga's common switch-ins. Set Details A simple specially defensive EV spread enables Dialga to handle Kyogre and other miscellaneous special attackers. Generally, you should not deviate from this spread, as Dialga only barely avoids the 2HKO from attacks such as Latios's Draco Meteor with maximum investment. However, the EV spread of 252 HP / 16 SpA / 240 SpD with a Modest nature can be opted for if better damage output is desired. Usage Tips Proper management of Dialga's HP is important, as it has no reliable recovery and is quite easily worn down by most offensive threats in Ubers. This is especially crucial for Stealth Rock variants, which are incredibly vulnerable to chip damage on the turn they set Stealth Rock. For this reason, immediately attacking opposing support Dialga with Earth Power, Dragon Pulse, or Draco Meteor is quite important in the hyper offense mirror matchup. Similarly, when facing Kyogre, consider using Thunder over Roar or Stealth Rock; many rain offense teams struggle to break a healthy defensive Dialga without directly trading and will therefore attack it directly. If Dialga has Stealth Rock, try to find relatively safe opportunities to set up against foes such as a lead Kyogre Choice-locked into Thunder. Otherwise, use Roar to rack up entry hazard damage on predicted switches; with multiple layers of hazards, even extremely bulky walls like Blissey can be broken through. Team Options A Spikes user is nigh mandatory as a partner, given Dialga's propensity to phaze switch-ins and lure in grounded checks such as Groudon. Lead Choice Scarf Deoxys-S is the most consistent Spiker in the metagame and can also paralyze opposing Dialga and Giratina-O, enabling Dialga to check them more effectively. It also enables Dialga to beat stall teams centered around Toxic Spikes by giving lead Tentacruel a Choice Scarf while getting multiple layers of entry hazards to facilitate Dialga's phazing. A few other possible Spikers are Forretress, Skarmory, Qwilfish, lead Deoxys-A, and Froslass. In a similar vein, a spinblocker is a mandatory teammate to maintain the presence of Spikes and Stealth Rock; Giratina-O is typically the best option, as it is resilient to hazards itself and can check Groudon for Dialga. Finally, Bronzong checks specially offensive Dragon-types while not stacking weaknesses with Dialga; the core of Dialga, Giratina-O, Bronzong, and Kyogre together forms the most dominant archetype in the metagame. Besides these nigh mandatory inclusions, a sleep absorber can be a useful teammate. Dialga is hopelessly shut down by Darkrai's Dark Void, which can lead to disastrous situations if it is the team's primary answer to dangerous threats such as Kyogre. Such sleep absorbers can range from bulky RestTalk users like the aforementioned Kyogre to Choice Scarf users equipped with Sleep Talk, such as Garchomp. While it's not mandatory on offensive teams, Dialga appreciates a secondary switch-in to Kyogre, as it can be overwhelmed by Choice Specs and Calm Mind + Thunder Wave variants. Latios and Latias can pivot into Choice Specs Kyogre's Water Spout as well as miscellaneous Ground-type attacks. Palkia is another possible auxiliary Kyogre check, and it can absorb Thunder Wave once if it's carrying a Lum Berry. However, it is prone to being worn down by hazards far more easily than Latias.

Although it may seem strange to use Trick Room on a Pokemon with Base 90 Speed, Dialga is relatively slow by Ubers standards, which can actually let Dialga sweep if it sets up. With a Quiet nature and the listed IVs, Dialga reaches 166 Speed, which allows it to outpace virtually every common threat in Ubers when Trick Room is active. Since Dialga has no use for Speed EVs, it can maximize both its Attack and Special Attack, allowing it to abuse two powerful STAB attacks: Draco Meteor and Outrage. With a Life Orb boost, Dialga functions as a powerful wallbreaker, as it can simultaneously nail both physical walls and special sponges such as Groudon and Blissey, respectively. The final slot is dedicated to hitting Steel-types that resist Dialga's powerful Dragon-type attacks. Fire Blast will roast most Steels in the sun, but Earth Power and Thunder are good alternative on rain teams; Earth Power allows Dialga to break Jirachi. Another option to consider is Shuca Berry instead of Life Orb. While Life Orb is generally superior to boost Dialga's already powerful attacks, Shuca Berry will allow Dialga to survive a Life Orb-boosted Earthquake from Groudon and set up Trick Room. Not many Pokemon have the bulk to survive Dialga's onslaught, since it can hit on both the special and physical side extremely hard. Lugia is a counter that comes to mind because it can outstall Dialga with Roost as Life Orb recoil accumulates. Wobbuffet can't be OHKOed by any of Dialga's attacks, and can take out Dialga in one shot with either Mirror Coat or Counter. If Dialga isn't set to level 99 or doesn't pack a Fire-type move, Scizor will gladly switch in and OHKO Dialga with Superpower. By the same token, any Dialga without Fire Blast or Thunder will be hard-pressed to hurt Skarmory and Forretress. Without Earth Power, Heatran will completely wall Dialga, while Jirachi and Metagross can do the same in the rain. When Trick Room is not up, Dialga must be careful against Groudon if it doesn't have a Shuca Berry, as it will OHKO Dialga with a powerful Earthquake. Dialga makes a great "selfish" user of Trick Room thanks to its blistering offenses, but there are still several Pokemon you should consider pairing it with. Swords Dance Groudon is a wonderful partner for Dialga, since it can take advantage of Trick Room to outpace and OHKO Lugia after Stealth Rock. With Swords Dance, Groudon also fares well against most Steel-types that wall Dialga, as even Skarmory can't keep up with boosted Stone Edges or Fire Punches. Wobbuffet has great synergy with Dialga because it can use Encore to give Dialga a chance to set up Trick Room, and in turn can use Dialga's Trick Room to outpace virtually everything in the metagame. Other Pokemon that can set up Trick Room are worthwhile partners for Dialga. For example, Bronzong can wall Groudon and further help Dialga by setting up Trick Room, while Palkia can take a more offensive approach and still maintain the ability to set up Trick Room. If you aren't using Dialga in a full Trick Room team, you might want to invest in fast sweepers like Mewtwo and Darkrai that can help clear a path for Dialga to sweep late-game.

Finally, a set other than Bulk Up that doesn't call for the spamming of Draco Meteor! With this set, Dialga forgoes special attacks in order to catch many of its switch-ins off-guard. Don't assume that Groudon has the upper hand against this set; unless Groudon invests heavily in its Defense stat, it is 2HKOed by Outrage. Earthquake complements Outrage by giving Dialga a wide amount of coverage against the Uber metagame; it prevents most Steel-types, especially Heatran, from switching in safely. Dragon Claw should be your third move as Outrage lock puts Dialga in grave danger if you're not aware of the rest of the opponent's Pokemon. The fourth move depends on whether you prefer shutting down the majority of Steel-types, notably Skarmory, or annihilating Ho-Oh and keeping Lugia away from Dialga. The EV structure is very similar to the Choice Specs set, with the only difference being not recommending a positive Speed nature. Outspeeding Adamant Tyranitar is the minimum amount of Speed Dialga should use. You can opt to use 116 Speed EVs to outspeed Adamant Scizor, or max Speed to tie with Adamant Lucario or Modest Kyogre at worst. Jolly nature with max Speed and max Attack allows Dialga to get the upper hand on Adamant Rayquaza at the cost of sheer attacking power. Choice Band Dialga has the exact opposite problems that Choice Specs has. Outrage is a powerful attack, but it prevents Dialga from switching out from a troublesome position. Dialga trades being able to handle Heatran and Ho-Oh (unless it has Stone Edge) for having issues with Lugia, Impish Groudon, and Skarmory (unless it has Overheat). While Lucario can't take much of a beating, it can switch into Stone Edge and freely set up Swords Dance followed by quickly KOing Dialga with Close Combat. Powerful special attackers and mixed attackers are recommended for this reason. Mixed Rayquaza can outspeed and annihilate most of these Pokemon when they switch in. Mewtwo is pretty effective here since Taunt completely shuts down Lugia and Skarmory, allowing Mewtwo to set up Calm Mind freely. Its only fear is Blissey that carry Seismic Toss, which Dialga can at least handle to an extent. As a partner, Wobbuffet can set up Encore + Tickle, then follow up with a Pokemon that knows Pursuit to kill off the opposing physical wall. Beware that Impish Groudon sometimes carry Toxic, which will harm Wobbuffet's effectiveness.

STAB Draco Meteor bolstered by 438 Special Attack, or 399 if Dialga opts to use a Hasty nature, is frightening for any opponent. Only Steel-type Pokemon and Blissey can take Draco Meteor without the risk of being 2HKOed in the process, though some frailer Steel-types such as Lucario take major damage anyway (66.2% - 77.9% if Dialga is Mild). Fire Blast is the best attack for taking down the vast majority of Steel-types in the Uber metagame, but it comes with the downside of being weakened by the near-omnipresent rain. This can be resolved by partnering Dialga with Groudon or Tyranitar. The final slot should generally be Thunder due to its perfect accuracy in the rain; with its 30% chance of paralysis, most opponents will think twice before they switch in, since many Dialga checks or counters rely on their Speed. Outrage is an excellent attack to use, as it enables Dialga to break one of its most common switch-ins in Blissey. To maximize Dialga's potential, there are many options in regards to natures and EVs. The suggested EV spread and nature allows Dialga's Draco Meteor to hit with maximum power and outspeed Adamant Scizor. 144 Atk EVs grant Dialga the ability to 2HKO most Blissey, barring max HP / max Def variants. Adamant Orb is a good option, since it provides enough power to obtain some of the same KOs as Life Orb while conserving Dialga's HP. Hasty, with 64 Atk / 252 SpA / 192 Spe EVs, allows Dialga to outspeed Adamant Rayquaza and Adamant Lucario. Hasty with 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe also works. Outspeeding Adamant Rayquaza means that Dialga's team is less susceptible to a Swords Dance Rayquaza sweep, though keep in mind that most Dragon Dance and Mixed Rayquaza sets use a positive Speed nature. With a Hasty nature, Dialga will need a Life Orb in order to stay competitive offensively. Because Dialga can survive Choice Scarf Garchomp's Earthquake and even Life Orb Aura Sphere from Mewtwo, Dialga can effectively utilize a spread of 120 HP / 136 Atk / 252 SpA with a Quiet nature in order to survive one of those assaults. Adamant Orb is preferable for Quiet Dialga since the main goal is to make sure that Dialga is as healthy as possible in case it needs to take these extreme hits. Life Orb can be used, however, since Dialga can even OHKO Support Groudon with Draco Meteor 100% of the time with a Quiet nature, which is slightly reduced to 87% with Hasty; Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes assures the KO. Life Orb Outrage also 2HKOes max HP / min Def Kyogre, which means Dialga can be effective at taking out Mono-Attacker Kyogre. Earth Power, with Stealth Rock in play, can also be used to easily OHKO Heatran after Stealth Rock, since max HP / max SpDef variants take 86-101.5%. A couple of move options were left out of the set because they only offer niche results, but are nevertheless effective choices if Dialga needs them. Earth Power means Dialga will never fall to a Heatran switch-in. Stealth Rock is also an option since Dialga forces many switches. Finally, Stone Edge can be used if Dialga's team has issues with Ho-Oh. While Draco Meteor and Outrage do sufficient damage by themselves, Draco Meteor has the nasty drawback of -2 SpA while Pressure takes away 2 PP in the process. Outrage is risky since Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire has a 50% chance of a burn behind it, and usually has boosted power thanks to most Ho-Oh being used in conjunction with sunlight. These moves can replace either Thunder or Fire Blast. For items, Leftovers and Shuca Berry are viable. Leftovers offer Dialga recovery and works well with the Quiet spread, while Shuca Berry allows Dialga to take an attack from Groudon and Garchomp in emergencies. While Dialga is an intimidating Pokemon, it does require support from its teammates. As shown with just a few damage calculations, Dialga appreciates entry hazards to help it net its KOs. Leads such as Deoxys-S or Deoxys-A are great choices for teammates since they have a high chance of getting Stealth Rock and at least one layer of Spikes up. Forretress is also a great partner as it has the added benefit of removing entry hazards on your side of the field thanks to Rapid Spin. Giratina-O can also be a staple provided that you're using entry hazards. It has the added benefit of being able to handle Groudon well thanks to its Earthquake immunity and moderate base defensive stats. Since Thunder is reliant on rain, Kyogre is an excellent partner, as not only does its ability boost Thunder's accuracy to 100%, but it also nullifies Heatran as a threat while making Ho-Oh less effective, thanks to Dialga resisting Brave Bird. Sadly, Groudon doesn't bring as many benefits to the table as Kyogre does, though Support Groudon is an excellent teammate as it can slow Dialga's counters down with Thunder Wave while being able to set up Stealth Rock. Since Dialga is great at breaking through defensive teams in general, offensive Pokemon such as Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Swords Dance Garchomp appreciate having Dialga as their partner. Dialga's other issues involve its lack of Speed, which leaves it susceptible to being revenge killed by Pokemon such as Mewtwo and Latios. Scarf Garchomp is a great partner since it outspeeds Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Scarf Palkia. Another great Scarf user is Shaymin-S, which can target both Kyogre and Groudon with STAB Seed Flare while outspeeding Rock Polish Groudon. Scarf Tyranitar is rather slow; however, its natural bulk and SpD boost from the sandstorm allows it to be effective at revenge killing non-Dragon Dance Rayquaza, Latias, Latios, Swords Dance Lucario, Heatran, and Ho-Oh. While Wobbuffet is slower than Choice Scarfers, it has the advantage of being able to cushion at least one hit from a Scarf Pokemon before biting the dust. Finally, Heatran does very well at stopping a Mixed Dialga sweep cold, so teammates are needed to handle this situation. Calm Mind Latias is great at switching into Heatran's attacks due to its great special bulk and resistance to Fire. It only fears Taunt and Explosion, the latter being rare on bulkier Heatran to begin with. Rayquaza's Air Lock nullifies the sunlight's boost, and it can switch into Earth Power freely, though it has to be careful with Dragon Pulse variants.

Dialga's lackluster Speed can be fixed with the item Choice Scarf at the cost of locking Dialga onto one attack. Dialga reaches 459 Speed with Choice Scarf, which is enough to outspeed Deoxys-A. Draco Meteor is the primary attack; with Stealth Rock in play Draco Meteor easily OHKOes Darkrai, and has a 33% chance of OHKOing Mewtwo. Thunder is used to 2HKO Lugia after Stealth Rock, and for inflicting severe damage onto Kyogre. Fire Blast can be used to prevent Steel-types from switching in freely, but it relies more on the team having dual weather to support both it and Thunder. Aura Sphere can help reduce the chances of a Lucario and Dialga sweep, while nailing Heatran and Tyranitar for super effective damage. For the fourth moveslot, Dragon Pulse gives Dialga a move that is consistent damage-wise. On the other hand, Outrage, with a Hasty nature, can be used to take down Calm Mind Kyogre; it may also get the 2HKO on Blissey. Dialga can use a Modest or Mild nature if you want more power behind Dialga's attacks. The advantage of outspeeding Dragon Dance Rayquaza may be lost with this change, since many of them opt to run a Jolly nature. With Modest, Dialga OHKOes Mewtwo after Stealth Rock 87% of the time. Scarf Dialga can handle some walls with careful prediction, but above all else Dialga wants some weather to help it take advantage of Thunder and possibly Fire Blast. Offensive Kyogre and Groudon both appreciate faster Pokemon being picked off by Dialga. Scarf Dialga may be quick, but it does lose to Scarf Palkia, Scarf Garchomp, and Scarf Darkrai in Speed. Groudon can handle Scarf Garchomp and Scarf Palkia most of the time, though beware that continuously taking damage will eventually wear out Groudon due to its lack of recovery. Scarf Darkrai's only threatening attacks are Dark Void and Focus Blast, the latter having only 70% accuracy. Scizor can switch into Scarf Darkrai safely and OHKO it with U-turn. It can at least take out a weakened Darkrai with Bullet Punch if necessary (54.4% - 64.4%). Finally, be very cautious of Wobbuffet as it can revenge kill Dialga easily thanks to the Choice lock.

If you thought Dialga's meteor showers were already painful enough, then just wait until you see what happens when they are boosted by Choice Specs! Not only does Draco Meteor OHKO Groudon, barring those that heavily invest in Special Defense, but it has enough power to OHKO Lucario. Even max HP Metagross has an 87% chance of being 2HKOed by Draco Meteor. Thunder helps Dialga a lot since the paralysis caters to Dialga's low Speed. After Stealth Rock, Thunder also OHKOes max HP Kyogre. Fire Blast is used to prevent wasting Draco Meteor's PP on Steel-type Pokemon, while decreasing the chances of Groudon safely switching into Dialga. Since Heatran can cause trouble with its resistance to Dialga's Dragon-type attacks, Aura Sphere can be used instead. Aura Sphere is also an option over Thunder since Draco Meteor hits hard enough to OHKO min HP Kyogre anyway. The given EVs allow Dialga to outspeed max Speed Adamant Tyranitar. They also keep Dialga very bulky so it can keep threatening the opponent. If you want Dialga to be faster, you can use 112 Speed EVs to outspeed Adamant Scizor, or max Speed to outspeed the vast majority of bulky 90 base Speed Pokemon, while tying with those that attempt to be agile. Timid is also a good nature since it allows Dialga to outspeed Adamant Rayquaza, while tying with max Speed Jolly Lucario. Dialga can use 192 Speed EVs with a Timid nature to outspeed said Adamant Rayquaza and place the rest of the EVs toward HP. Dialga's biggest issues with this set can all be in fact resolved, but with varying degrees of difficulty. Blissey becomes the biggest counter to this set, since Dialga lacks any way of KOing Blissey reliably unless Blissey is under a third of its health. Because Dialga is great for knocking down the physical walls of Ubers, it appreciates physical attackers as its teammates. Swords Dance Garchomp enjoys Groudon and Lugia being cleared out of the way, and doesn't falter to Thunder Wave from Blissey. Granted, Garchomp still has to fear Ice Beam, but Blissey oftentimes opts to use Seismic Toss to better handle Dialga, Kyogre, and Palkia. Swords Dance Garchomp with a Haban Berry is sufficient for the job, though Choice Band climbs in effectiveness thanks to many of the Levitating Pokemon being shut down by Draco Meteor or Thunder. Once again, weather is fairly important for this set to work effectively. Much like the Choice Scarf set, beware of Wobbuffet; it poses less of a threat since it is 2HKOed by Dragon Pulse, but it still only takes 40% max from -2 SpA Draco Meteor, which is unimpressive.

This set takes advantage of Dialga's numerous resistances, well-distributed defensive stats, access to a STAB attack that only has one resistance, and Bulk Up. Bulk Up boosts Dialga's Attack and Defense stats, which helps power up its Dragon-type attack of choice, as well as increase its chances of survival against physical attacking Pokemon. For example, after a Bulk Up, Dialga can survive Choice Band Garchomp's Earthquake. Once Dialga finds an ideal time to do so, simply Rest off the damage, all the while using Sleep Talk to keep Dialga threatening to the opponent. This set is excellent for absorbing Dark Void from Darkrai since Dialga isn't deterred by falling asleep. Outrage versus Dragon Claw is a matter of preference between power and reliability. Since Dialga will be boosting its Defense via Bulk Up, max Special Defense is necessary to help Dialga cushion special attacks. Skarmory, Lugia, Groudon, Heatran, and Lucario to some extent will cause issues for this set. The best way to address these threats is to have offensively oriented teammates for Dialga. While it will need Aura Sphere to deal with Heatran, Giratina-O stops most Groudon sets cold thanks to STAB Draco Meteor and its immunity to Earthquake. Mixed Rayquaza is also an excellent teammate, since it lures in and takes out many of Dialga's checks, and doesn't require any setup time to do so. Rayquaza needs to be aware of its surroundings, however, since switching into any of Dialga's counters will leave your Rayquaza crippled or likely fainted. While Mixed Dialga could check many of its slower enemies with the help of some Speed EV investment or even a Hasty nature, this set has many problems with Pokemon that are faster than it. Some of the recommended Scarf Pokemon mentioned in the Mixed set (Shaymin-S and Garchomp for example) are great assets since Groudon likely outspeeds Dialga. Sadly, some of the problematic Pokemon that Dialga faces cannot be exactly "countered" per se, but they should definitely be brought to attention while you plan out Dialga's setup. Wobbuffet can cause some issues with this set in particular. It can easily Encore a move and not take damage three-fourths of the time, or two-thirds of the time if Dialga is asleep and locked onto Sleep Talk. Assuming Stealth Rock, Dialga would need three Bulk Ups to nearly KO Wobbuffet with Outrage (80.7% - 95.1%). With Dragon Claw, Dialga needs three Bulk Ups in order to 2HKO Wobbuffet. Since there is no real way of countering Wobbuffet, the best that can be said is "Watch out". Haban Berry Garchomp cannot always win against this set, but it can either severely damage Dialga or scare it off. Even after a Bulk Up, a Swords Dance-boosted Earthquake from Garchomp will OHKO Dialga 87% of the time. Taunt is uncommon, but it is a relevant threat since it allows Pokemon such as Mewtwo to set up freely when Dialga is asleep. Finally, watch out for Trick; since many Pokemon in the Uber metagame are part Psychic-type, it is a common move to have on Choice sets.