Groudon Movesets & Competitive Sets

Physically defensive Groudon is one of the best sources of Stealth Rock besides Necrozma-DM in the tier. It also provides a good check to some dangerous setup sweepers such as Zekrom and Dragon Dance Necrozma-DM. Precipice Blades will still do decent damage generally, even without Attack investment. Stone Edge and Rock Slide are great coverage options, and they notably make the most common Defoggers in the tier, Yveltal and Ho-Oh, very afraid of switching into Groudon. Toxic gives Groudon a decent way of punishing switch-ins such as Zygarde and Yveltal. Dragon Tail can be used to phaze foes and rack up entry hazard damage. It particularly punishes Zygarde nicely. Thunder Wave is another option that can cripple switch-ins, but you need to watch out for Zygarde. 16 Speed EVs are run to outspeed a paralyzed Calyrex-S. This set's biggest flaws are its lack of reliable recovery and vulnerability to status. Because of this, you will want to pair it with a cleric like Xerneas or Blissey. Blissey can even provide Thunder Wave support and check Kyogre. Ferrothorn is good to heal Groudon with Leech Seed and provide Spikes support, which helps Dragon Tail sets. Ferrothorn can also switch into Kyogre, which often switches into Groudon. Necrozma-DM has good synergy with this set, as it appreciates Groudon's sun support for Moonlight, and Groudon can provide extra insurance against physical wallbreakers such as Zekrom and Marshadow. This pairing also frees up a moveslot on Necrozma-DM that is normally reserved for Stealth Rock. For example, it could run Knock Off to cripple Ho-Oh, which then cannot use Defog in front of Groudon due to fear of a Rock-type move, thus severely limiting its presence for the rest of the game and keeping Stealth Rock on the field.

Precipice Blades and Stone Edge give Groudon great neutral coverage. Rock Polish makes Groudon faster than everything in the metagame bar Choice Scarf Calyrex-S. Swords Dance makes Groudon incredibly strong and gives it the power to break through most physical walls. For example, +2 Life Orb Groudon has an 81.3% chance to OHKO defensive Zygarde, giving it no chance to transform into Zygarde-C. Life Orb gives Groudon great power with or without Swords Dance. However, Lum Berry can be run to better protect Groudon from status such as poison from Eternatus's Toxic Spikes, burn from Lunala's Will-O-Wisp, and paralysis from Zygarde's Glare. Also, the lack of recoil prevents opponents from switching around to get chip damage on it, which can be critical to defeating a damaged Groudon in a pinch. The given EV spread outspeeds uninvested Yveltal and Xerneas. This set is fairly straightforward to use, and it works well on offensive teams. Groudon will appreciate offensive teammates that can help break down its few checks. Zekrom is fantastic for this, luring in and severely damaging Tangrowth or Buzzwole with Draco Meteor. Marshadow is another good physical partner, as its strong Spectral Thief will take out Lunala. In return, Groudon can KO Zygarde. Xerneas and offensive Eternatus have good synergy with Groudon as well, as Groudon can come in on Necrozma-DM, which they attract in. For hyper offense teams, Froslass and Aerodactyl lay down entry hazards and prevent the opponent from laying their own with Taunt. Grimmsnarl is another fantastic hyper offense partner, switching into Calyrex-S, which may try to revenge kill Groudon, and setting up dual screens, making Groudon terrifyingly hard to KO.

This set makes use of Groudon's naturally high physical bulk to provide more support for its team, as well as being a terrifying wallbreaker in its own right. Without Rock Polish, Groudon can run another coverage option or a status move to help deal with its normal checks, such as Zarude, Buzzwole, Tangrowth, and Lunala. Bulk Up gives a better matchup against Zygarde than Swords Dance, and it gives Groudon superior physical bulk after boosting. Swords Dance facilitates a more defensive EV spread that gives Groudon more bulk without boosting that can be used to lure in and defeat Foul Play Yveltal and better check physical attackers in a pinch. The last moveslot is very flexible. Heat Crash is a great coverage option to KO Buzzwole, Zarude, Tangrowth, Skarmory, and Corviknight, which would otherwise wall Groudon. Notably, Heat Crash under sun will typically do just as much damage as Precipice Blades will to a neutral target, easing Groudon's accuracy issues. Toxic is useful to break down Lunala and Zygarde over time. Thunder Wave provides nice team support and helps patch up Groudon's low Speed. 240 HP EVs improve Leftovers recovery; Leftovers and higher HP investment give this set more bulk to check Zekrom and other physical attackers, and they prolong Groudon's sweeping potential. Maximum Attack investment ensures Groudon will hit hard as possible after a Bulk Up, being able to OHKO Tangrowth with Heat Crash. 16 Speed EVs work well alongside Thunder Wave or paralysis support to outspeed paralyzed Calyrex-S. Another option is to run a spread of 224 HP / 108 Atk / 160 Def / 16 Spe with an Impish nature; it is preferred for Swords Dance sets, notably giving Groudon the bulk to survive a Foul Play from Yveltal even after it has used Swords Dance. The Attack investment is used to always KO specially defensive Yveltal with Stone Edge. Other paralysis spreaders like Necrozma-DM, Ho-Oh, and Zygarde are good teammates to help make up for Groudon's poor Speed. This Groudon will often inflict status onto or KO Yveltal, so Pokemon that can sweep with Yveltal gone, such as Calyrex-S, are great teammates. If you are running Heat Crash, physical attackers that appreciate Tangrowth or Buzzwole being gone, such as Zekrom and Marshadow, make good partners. Clerics such as Xerneas, Calyrex-S, Blissey, and Clefable will be able to keep Groudon status free, which is especially relevant if Groudon is trying to break through Lunala or Zygarde. This set can struggle to break through defensive Zygarde, so switch-ins to Zygarde such as Lunala, Buzzwole, and Xerneas are great partners.

Moves Rock Polish boosts Primal Groudon's otherwise average Speed tier into an area that only faster boosting attackers can reach. This makes Rock Polish Primal Groudon very scary for opposing offensive teams. A boost from Swords Dance makes Primal Groudon very difficult to defensively check, leaving only the bulkiest physical walls such as Zygarde-C and Giratina able to stomach a boosted Precipice Blades. Precipice Blades with maximum Attack investment hits very hard and can even 2HKO common support Arceus formes by itself. Stone Edge offers the best dual attack coverage, ensuring that Ground-immune Pokemon such as Lugia, Giratina-O and physically defensive Yveltal are not safe switch-ins. Fire Punch is an alternative option that better hits Celesteela and Skarmory while also maintaining perfect accuracy against the likes of Lugia. Set Details Maximum Attack investment with an Adamant nature gives Primal Groudon the best possible damage output. This allows Primal Groudon to OHKO against the likes of Arceus-Water with a boosted Precipice Blades. 156 Speed EVs ensure that Primal Groudon will be faster than Adamant Necrozma-DM assuming equal Speed boosts while also outspeeding a +1 Adamant maximum Speed Mega Salamence after Rock Polish. The rest of the EVs are allocated to Special Defense, letting Primal Groudon survive two Ice Beams from Primal Kyogre after taking Stealth Rock damage as base forme Groudon, as well as any boosted move from Geomancy Xerneas at full health. Taking investment away from Attack or Speed to invest 144 EVs into Special Defense allows Primal Groudon to take any boosted move from Geomancy Xerneas even after Stealth Rock damage, but this comes at the cost of lowered damage output or a compromised Speed benchmark. Red Orb is required for Primal Reversion. Usage Tips Double Dance Primal Groudon is a wallbreaker and sweeper packed into one set. If it can get a clean setup opportunity, it will prove very hard to stop. This means that this set should be played a bit more cautiously. Avoid switching into strong attacks if it can be helped, because the healthier Primal Groudon is, the easier it becomes to get one boost or even both of them. It isn't uncommon for this set to be preserved until late-game. This set can be brought out early-game in order to be used as a wallbreaker in matchups that it may struggle to do work in, however. Pokemon such as Celesteela and Skarmory should be weakened or removed prior to setting up. It is a waste of Primal Groudon's HP trying to break through these checks if they are healthy. This is irrelevant if Primal Groudon is carrying Fire Punch on this set though, as it will break through them easily with it. Lugia can also prove troublesome if Multiscale is intact, while Ho-Oh proves annoying to Fire Punch variants. Keeping Stealth Rock up will greatly help this set's ability to break both of these Pokemon, regardless of coverage. Forcing a switch can give Primal Groudon the chance to get one boost, and if the opponent did not expect a Double Dance set, they may even send out a Pokemon that this set is intended to beat such as Arceus-Water, giving the opportunity to grab both boosts. This is when Primal Groudon becomes extremely threatening. When the time comes to set up, don't be afraid to take some damage doing so. Do not take damage twice in exchange for both boosts, however, as Primal Groudon may then be too weakened to take down many Pokemon. If this set gets afflicted with Toxic poison while setting up, be prepared to predict around the opponent's switches afterwards. It is likely they will try to minimize their losses to a rampaging Primal Groudon until Toxic damage takes its toll. Team Options Stealth Rock support from Arceus-Fairy, Necrozma-DM, or a dedicated lead such as Deoxys-S or Excadrill is almost essential to increase Primal Groudon's chances of breaking through the enemy team's defenses. Double Dance Primal Groudon enjoys having offensive partners that can assist and follow up on any breakthroughs each one makes. Mega Salamence, Rayquaza, and Yveltal are all capable of damaging different Pokemon to make Primal Groudon's life easier while also helping to cover its Ground-type weakness. Mega Salamence and Rayquaza can share some checks with Primal Groudon, meaning that one can take advantage of an opening from the other. Trappers such as Gothitelle and Mega Gengar are able to trap and KO Pokemon such as support Arceus-Ground and Lugia to make way for Primal Groudon. Offensive Xerneas variants are able to pressure offensive checks to Primal Groudon such as Giratina-O, Rayquaza, Yveltal, and Zygarde-C. Marshadow is also capable of threatening typical checks to this set with its anti-offensive abilities and wallbreaking potential.

Moves Stealth Rock is a vital entry hazard to any team, and Primal Groudon's ability to force many switches make it effective at setting it. STAB Precipice Blades from a base 180 Attack stat is capable of 2HKOing common threats such as offensive Xerneas and Primal Kyogre even without Attack investment, reducing this set's passivity. Overheat limits potential switch-ins to Primal Groudon courtesy of a boost in power from Desolate Land and a high base Special Attack stat. It can also open up a free turn by forcing recovery options from common switch-ins such as Arceus-Ground and Mega Salamence, as well as OHKO Marshadow, something that Precipice Blades cannot do without Attack investment. Toxic cripples many Defog users, making it difficult for them to remove Primal Groudon's Stealth Rock in the long run. It also punishes most Pokemon that would hope to take both of Primal Groudon's STAB attacks, such as Ho-Oh. Lava Plume could be used over Overheat, trading burst damage for consistency along with a good burn rate, further improving Primal Groudon's ability to spread status among the enemy team. This can lead to Primal Groudon pressuring the opponent less due to the lower damage output, however, and it is much more beneficial to afflict some Pokemon such as Arceus-Water with Toxic poison than with a burn. Thunder Wave can be used over Toxic to remove the Speed advantage that Mega Salamence and support Arceus formes have over Primal Groudon, improving the odds of fellow team members and Primal Groudon itself breaking through them. The residual damage of Toxic generally proves more useful, however. Roar can be used over a status option to phaze boosting attackers such as Geomancy Xerneas and Dragon Dance variants of Zygarde-C and Mega Salamence. Set Details Maximum HP investment increases Primal Groudon's overall bulk, allowing it to tank notable hits in combination with further defensive investment. 56 Defense EVs and a Relaxed nature buff Primal Groudon's already impressive Defense stat to the point that it can handle common physical threats. Specifically, this spread can survive a +2 Earthquake from Necrozma-DM, take a +2 Close Combat from Mega Lucario, avoid the 2HKO from Marshadow, and also avoid the OHKO from Dugtrio's Tectonic Rage. Defense investment assists against physical variants of Primal Kyogre as well. The remaining EVs are used in Special Defense to handle typical special attackers such as Primal Kyogre and Xerneas. Primal Groudon can avoid the 2HKO from Primal Kyogre's Ice Beam and avoid the OHKO from boosted Geomancy Xerneas. It also avoids the 2HKO from Choice Scarf Yveltal's Dark Pulse should it ever prove necessary. Red Orb is required for Primal Reversion. Usage Tips The main goal of this set is to support the team by acting as a blanket check to common Pokemon in Ubers, setting Stealth Rock, and forcing predictable plays from the opponent with the usage of Overheat. Aim to set Stealth Rock on forced switches or otherwise free turns, but have a plan on how you will play around the opponent's methods of entry hazard removal. This can range from using Toxic as the enemy Pokemon uses Defog to attacking instead of setting Stealth Rock. Be careful around opposing Primal Kyogre, as they are capable of switching directly into Primal Groudon's Overheat or Stealth Rock and forcing it out immediately. This can cause significant problems if Primal Groudon is the only answer to Primal Kyogre. Primal Groudon's HP is a very important resource, as it is generally the first answer to many different Pokemon in Ubers. Avoid taking unnecessary damage from Pokemon aiming to chip Primal Groudon's HP into range of another foe such as Geomancy Xerneas. This also means avoiding Toxic unless the situation calls for it. Having a cleric on the team makes trading Toxic with enemy Defog users such as Arceus-Water an easier decision. Team Options Support Primal Groudon is capable of fitting with just about every Pokemon in the tier, as its utility and power offer a large amount of usefulness to a team. It tends to find a place on balanced or bulky offense teams. A secondary Water-type resistance is helpful alongside this set, as it can struggle to contain Primal Kyogre by itself. Arceus-Water and Ferrothorn can be common partners to Primal Groudon on balance teams for this reason. Necrozma-DM and Primal Groudon work rather well in tandem with each other, helping to cover Xerneas between them. With Stealth Rock on Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM can use a variety of offensive sets or even use Stealth Rock as well to gain more chances of keeping the entry hazard up against some teams. Ground-type checks are also wanted alongside Primal Groudon, as it can prove to be an annoying weakness to deal with. Celesteela, Giratina-O, and Zygarde-C can all be good for this purpose, with some combination between the three being plausible. Defog users are helpful to prevent entry hazard damage wearing at Primal Groudon's precious HP. Support Arceus formes, Giratina-O, and Mega Salamence are all good ideas, but more offensive Defoggers such as Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal can also prove useful depending on overall team structure. Although it can be difficult to find and more difficult to fit, a cleric will make Primal Groudon's life much easier when dealing with common Toxic users such as Arceus-Water. Some Xerneas variants are capable of providing this support, as is Heal Bell Magearna.

Moves Rock Polish boosts Primal Groudon's otherwise average Speed tier into an area that only faster boosting attackers can reach. With a mixed moveset alongside Rock Polish, offensive teams struggle to get their ideal damage onto Primal Groudon. Precipice Blades is still used over Earth Power to prevent Primal Groudon from being hopelessly walled by the likes of Blissey and Chansey, and it also comes in handy against Primal Kyogre. Fire Blast is a very powerful attack when boosted by Desolate Land and Special Attack investment. Against neutral targets, it outdamages a maximum Attack Precipice Blades by a decent margin. Hidden Power Ice hits most targets that Primal Groudon's STAB combination misses out on, and it notably allows Primal Groudon to beat Pokemon such as Zygarde-C and Mega Salamence with greater ease than other sets. Dragon Pulse is an alternative option to Hidden Power Ice that trades a 4x super effective hit on Zygarde-C and Mega Salamence in exchange for a 2HKO on Giratina-O. Set Details Maximum Special Attack investment with a Mild nature offers the most power to Fire Blast and Primal Groudon's coverage. Attack investment isn't necessary for this set, as a base 180 Attack stat and the high Base Power of Precipice Blades are enough to still strike special walls hard. 156 Speed EVs ensures that Primal Groudon will be faster than Adamant Necrozma-DM assuming equal Speed boosts while also outspeeding a +1 Adamant maximum Speed Mega Salamence after Rock Polish. The rest of the EVs are allocated to Special Defense, letting Primal Groudon survive two Ice Beams from Primal Kyogre after taking Stealth Rock damage as base forme Groudon, as well as any boosted move from Geomancy Xerneas at full health. Taking investment away from Special Attack or Speed to invest 144 EVs into Special Defense allows Primal Groudon to take any boosted move from Geomancy Xerneas even after Stealth Rock damage, assuming Stealth Rock damage is taken as base forme Groudon, but this comes at the cost of lowered damage output or a compromised Speed benchmark. Red Orb is required for Primal Reversion. Usage Tips Mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon aims to take advantage of the checks that offensive teams commonly employ as offensive answers to Primal Groudon, namely Arceus-Ground, Mega Salamence, and offensive Zygarde-C. The sheer power behind a neutral Fire Blast can also limit Pokemon such as Yveltal from switching in safely. This set can struggle against balance teams, however, as checks such as Giratina-O, Primal Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and most importantly Arceus-Water are all commonly seen on them. It is wise to get them out of the way or considerably weaken them before attempting to sweep. Set up Rock Polish against offensive teams whenever a suitable chance is given, but avoid taking too much damage while doing so. As this set doesn't boost its own attacking stats, weakening the enemy team into the range for Primal Groudon to clean up is ideal. Stealth Rock support helps immensely with this. Note that due to running no physical bulk and a Mild nature, Primal Groudon will take more damage from physical attacks than usual. This also applies to priority attacks, making this set a little easier to revenge kill. Team Options As this set is good at dealing with typical offensive checks to Primal Groudon, wallbreakers make for good partners to assist in dealing with bulky Pokemon that this set struggles with. Stealth Rock support is very helpful against Ho-Oh, which otherwise walls this set pretty easily. This best comes from dedicated leads such as Deoxys-S and Excadrill, as Stealth Rock Arceus-Fairy and Necrozma-DM struggle against Ho-Oh without Stone Edge, which can be difficult to fit onto their movesets. Wallbreakers such as Rayquaza, Yveltal, and Mega Lucario are all capable partners that can assist in punching holes into the enemy team in order to make Primal Groudon's sweep easier. Ways of pressuring support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Water will be required to prevent them from easily walling this set. Trapping them with Shadow Tag users such as Gothitelle and Mega Gengar is a possible idea, as is simply overpowering them with other Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre. If using this set on a more balanced team, Zygarde-C makes for a great Ho-Oh answer, a very desirable trait in a partner.

Moves Stealth Rock's importance to a competitive team is huge, and this Primal Groudon set is capable of setting it while also offensively disrupting common Defog users. STAB Precipice Blades from a base 180 Attack stat is capable of 2HKOing common threats such as offensive Xerneas and Primal Kyogre even without investment. Overheat's damage output when factoring in harsh sunlight and maximum Special Attack investment is lethal to the majority of the tier. Even against Pokemon that resist it, it can easily force recovery moves or chunk them for a lot of damage. For example, if an offensive Salamence switches into this Primal Groudon set prior to Mega Evolution, it can be outright OHKOed by Overheat after Stealth Rock damage. Toxic helps greatly with pressuring common Defog users that would want to switch into Primal Groudon and remove its hazards, such as Arceus-Water and Giratina-O. Rock Tomb slows down faster Pokemon that may try to take advantage of a resistance or immunity to Primal Groudon's STAB moves. This can be effective against Ho-Oh, Yveltal, Mega Salamence, and varying support Arceus formes. Hidden Power Ice is typically unexpected on a Stealth Rock set, and with Special Attack investment it will catch the likes of Mega Salamence, Zygarde, and Giratina-O for varying levels of damage, or lethal amounts in the case of Mega Salamence. Dragon Tail is another option for the fourth slot that forces Defog users such as support Arceus formes, Mega Salamence, and Giratina-O to take a good chunk of damage and be forced into choosing one move before being phazed, limiting their effectiveness as Defog users. This works even better if they can be caught on the switch. Set Details A Mild nature and maximum Special Attack investment turn Primal Groudon's Overheat into an extremely powerful nuke, giving it a lot of offensive presence. To showcase Overheat's power, Swords Dance Arceus-Ground variants can be OHKOed after Stealth Rock damage. 152 Speed EVs allow Primal Groudon to outspeed Adamant Necrozma-DM while also outspeeding Pokemon up to maximum Speed Arceus formes and Mega Salamence after their Speed has been lowered by Rock Tomb. The rest of the EVs are allocated to Special Defense, letting Primal Groudon survive two Ice Beams from Primal Kyogre after taking Stealth Rock damage as base forme Groudon, as well as any boosted move from Geomancy Xerneas at full health. Red Orb is required for Primal Reversion. Usage Tips As this set is relatively proactive against common Defog users, setting up Stealth Rock early can be a good idea. Depending on what fourth move Primal Groudon is running, the matchup against specific Defog users can change. Toxic is capable of messing with any Defog user that switches into Primal Groudon when combined with the threat of its STAB options. The usage of Stealth Rock may lure Zygarde into a false sense of security, which can be taken advantage of with Hidden Power Ice should it switch in. Hidden Power Ice is also very effective against Mega Salamence, a potential Defog user that handles most of Primal Groudon's attacks. Rock Tomb is effective against faster switch-ins and may scare them out with the fear of Overheat next turn, but it most notably gives this set the ability to hit Ho-Oh, which can be another potential Defog user to watch out for. Using Rock Tomb or Hidden Power Ice can make this set pretty helpless against Arceus-Water, so be ready to handle it with other methods. Be careful with Overheat usage, as it may end up giving away a free turn to Primal Kyogre or a setup sweeper if Primal Groudon is at -2. Dragon Tail forces most Defog users to decide between healing themselves, removing Stealth Rock, or damaging Primal Groudon in some way before being phazed out. It's best used after Stealth Rock has already been set. After Primal Groudon phazes an incoming check with Dragon Tail, it may be unable to come in again without being KOed by Overheat. This applies to Arceus-Ground and Mega Salamence specifically. Team Options This set better fits teams that want Stealth Rock support to come from Primal Groudon, but without the lower damage output of a defensive support set. Some form of an overall offensive team will be desired, as this set cannot stand up to strong attackers for very long. Due to this set's offensive EV investment, it cannot handle Xerneas very reliably. Support from Magearna or Necrozma-DM is highly valued to assist against it. Mega Salamence, whether it be a Defog or Dragon Dance variant, stands out as a partner that can support this Primal Groudon's playstyle of a good offense being a good defense. It can take on opposing Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh while also functioning somewhat as a revenge killer. Giratina-O follows a similar train of thought by offensively checking opposing Primal Groudon while spreading status to boost the damage of its own Hex against the likes of support Arceus formes. Dragon Dance Zygarde and Swords Dance Arceus-Ground are able to take advantage of this set's ability to mess with Giratina-O and Mega Salamence. This set can struggle to keep Stealth Rock up against some Defog Arceus formes such as Arceus-Water in the long run if Toxic isn't being used, and it will require some assistance to prevent them from keeping their side of the field clear of entry hazards. This can come from Shadow Tag users such as Gothitelle and Mega Gengar or from the likes of Thunder Primal Kyogre and Life Orb Yveltal, which can attempt to break through it.

Moves Swords Dance may not seem like a sensible option without Attack investment, but it serves to limit the potential number of defensive walls that may try to handle Primal Groudon and makes the set overall more threatening against balance teams. The likes of Zygarde and Arceus-Water can still be 2HKOed by a boosted Precipice Blades, despite the lack of Attack investment. Precipice Blades serves as the main physical attack on the set that Swords Dance aims to boost the damage of, and it is very useful for taking on most Pokemon that try to handle this set's other moves such as Primal Kyogre and support Arceus formes. Rock Tomb's purpose is to take down Ho-Oh, which handles Primal Groudon's STAB options, and slow down faster Pokemon that try to switch in. Anything between this set's Speed investment and maximum Speed Arceus formes will be slowed down to the point that Primal Groudon will move first. Eruption can combine well with Rock Tomb and is Primal Groudon's strongest possible attack when at full HP, OHKOing offensive Arceus-Ground on the switch and having a good chance to OHKO offensive Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock damage. It has the notable downside of losing effectiveness as Primal Groudon takes damage, however. Overheat or Fire Blast can also be considered in place of Eruption for more consistent damage. Set Details 152 Speed EVs allow Primal Groudon to outspeed Adamant Necrozma-DM while also outspeeding Pokemon up to maximum Speed Arceus formes and Mega Salamence after their Speed has been lowered by Rock Tomb. 144 Special Defense EVs help to prevent special attackers such as Geomancy Xerneas and Primal Kyogre from overpowering Primal Groudon with coverage moves. It will survive any +2 attack from Geomancy Xerneas after Stealth Rock damage, assuming Stealth Rock damage is taken as base forme Groudon. The remaining EVs are used in Special Attack to boost the power of Primal Groudon's special Fire-type move. Swords Dance acts as the damage boost to Precipice Blades on this set, meaning investment in Attack isn't as necessary. Red Orb is required for Primal Reversion. Usage Tips Mixed Swords Dance sets are all-out offensive in nature and aim to punch holes into the enemy team. Bulky teams can struggle to contain a Primal Groudon set that has the ability to hit hard both physically and specially. However, there are bulky Pokemon capable of handling this set. A healthy Zygarde-C is a pretty good answer, for instance, which means that careful play will be required to keep Zygarde from activating Power Construct safely. Getting Primal Groudon in safely and keeping it healthy via U-turn and Volt Switch from the likes of Mega Scizor or Magearna can give a good opportunity to start punching holes. Eruption can catch many offensive switch-ins to Primal Groudon by surprise, easily OHKOing Yveltal, and dealing very high damage to Arceus-Ground and Mega Salamence. Against offensive teams, this set is likely to play more of a burst damage-dealing role with the usage of Rock Tomb and Fire-type coverage. Swords Dance isn't likely to be of much use in such a matchup. This combination of moves can prove very difficult for the opponent to scout without taking heavy damage on a crucial Pokemon in the process, which can give Primal Groudon a great advantage. Until all four moves are revealed, this set can prove to be unpredictable. If using Eruption, avoid taking any damage when switching in. It only takes 13% worth of chip damage on Primal Groudon for Eruption to lose enough power to where Overheat is equal in damage output, and it will only get worse. Team Options This set best fits on bulky offense teams that can support the idea of their Primal Groudon being an all-out offensive variant, with a solid backup plan to handling things that Primal Groudon would usually be the first answer to. Bringing methods of getting Primal Groudon in safely and keeping it from heavy damage is also a good strategy. Magearna is a great teammate that suits the above criteria well, being able to act as a good primary answer to Xerneas in place of Primal Groudon while also helping this set get in against ideal targets such as slower Steel-types with Volt Switch. Stealth Rock setters such as Necrozma-DM and Dialga can prove useful for added chip damage. Necrozma-DM provides another Xerneas check, while Dialga is able to offensively pressure Mega Salamence and Giratina-O a little better. U-turn from the likes of Mega Scizor or Choice item variants of Yveltal are also handy to get Primal Groudon in safely. Arceus-Water can provide a good fallback against Primal Kyogre and opposing Ground-type Pokemon. Ferrothorn is also capable of checking Primal Kyogre while providing Spikes support to help Primal Groudon with its wallbreaking efforts.

Moves Stealth Rock is a valuable entry hazard for spreading damage across the enemy team and limiting the effectiveness of Flying-types such as Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Rayquaza. Swords Dance, when combined with Stealth Rock, allows this Primal Groudon variant to be both a utility entry hazard setter and a wallbreaker at the same time against Defog users such as support Arceus formes, Giratina, and Ho-Oh that would try to remove Stealth Rock. Precipice Blades is capable of 2HKOing typical support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Water, OHKOing them at +2. Rock Tomb targets switch-ins like Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Mega Salamence while also slowing all Arceus formes down to the point where Primal Groudon can strike them first. This, along with the threat of a boosted Precipice Blades, heavily limits their ability to use Defog on Primal Groudon. Stone Edge is a stronger Rock-type move that proves beneficial against Giratina-O and Mega Salamence and has the power to OHKO defensive Ho-Oh at the cost of lacking a method to slow Arceus formes and other faster Pokemon. Smack Down is a niche option that gives Primal Groudon the ability to remove the Ground-type immunity of common switch-ins, opening up the possibility of using the stronger Precipice Blades against them. This proves especially useful against Skarmory and Celesteela, as Rock-type coverage moves tend to lack the power to beat them, whereas Precipice Blades will heavily damage them. Set Details The given EV spread allows Primal Groudon to survive +2 Focus Blast from Geomancy Xerneas after taking Stealth Rock damage as base forme Groudon, survive +1 Double-Edge from Adamant Mega Salamence, and outspeed Adamant Necrozma-DM, with the rest of the EVs put into Attack with an Adamant nature to boost damage output. An EV spread of 172 Atk / 144 SpD / 192 Spe with a Jolly nature allows Primal Groudon to outspeed Dragon Dance variants of Zygarde-C prior to boosts, enabling a potential +2 hit on it before it sets up Substitute or Dragon Dance boosts. It will also survive +2 Focus Blast from Geomancy Xerneas after Stealth Rock damage. Maximum Speed investment instead of Special Defense is also valid to Speed tie with opposing Primal Kyogre. Red Orb is required for Primal Reversion. Usage Tips This set preys on Pokemon that assume Primal Groudon will struggle to punish their attempts at entry hazard removal. Setting Stealth Rock on forced switches is ideal. It works out better if the opponent switches to a Defog user such as a support Arceus forme, Ho-Oh, or Giratina, as Primal Groudon can then reveal Swords Dance or Rock Tomb and surprise the opponent, likely putting them into an unfavorable situation where they have to decide between dealing with Primal Groudon and the Stealth Rock it can set. Giratina-O is a bit harder to handle without Stone Edge or Smack Down, as even a boosted Rock Tomb can struggle to make Primal Groudon win should it come to a duel. Managing Primal Groudon's HP and getting chip damage onto Giratina-O will be key to setting up Stealth Rock against it. Using Rock Tomb on predicted switches can make dueling enemy Pokemon easier or make it easier for a teammate to switch in and handle the foe due to the Speed drop. Rarer variants of Arceus-Ground that carry Defog will give this set a very hard time if Primal Groudon has taken any damage, as Arceus-Ground is faster and has the ability to decide between using Defog and KOing Primal Groudon with Judgment before it can retaliate with boosted attacks, something other support Arceus formes cannot do. This means that Primal Groudon may have to use Swords Dance as Arceus-Ground switches in to give it the necessary pressure to set Stealth Rock while threatening to OHKO with a boosted Precipice Blades, but it will likely emerge severely damaged or unable to set Stealth Rock in the process. In general, be wary of this matchup. The best method for the opponent to deal with this set is to simply overpower Primal Groudon, as very few Defog users can safely remove the Stealth Rock this Primal Groudon variant sets due to brute force getting the better of them. Primal Groudon still has other utility in checking threats such as Primal Kyogre and Xerneas, so be wary of taking too much damage unless teammates can safely handle threats in exchange for Primal Groudon setting Stealth Rock. Team Options Stealth Rock + Swords Dance Primal Groudon excels at forcing bulky teams into difficult situations. The downside of this is that Primal Groudon likely has to duel enemy Defog users to keep Stealth Rock up and may come out too damaged to check threats. This means that extra checks to various threats that Primal Groudon would help against are ideal. Necrozma-DM is one of the ideal partners to this set. It offers a secondary check to Xerneas and appreciates Primal Groudon's ability to break past many answers such as Arceus-Water and Ho-Oh, with Primal Groudon even being able to set Stealth Rock to limit Ho-Oh's ability to check Necrozma-DM. Ultra Necrozma sets are also very potent, doubling down on the wallbreaking ability. Offensive Primal Kyogre checks such as Rayquaza, Palkia, and Giratina-O come in handy for situations where Primal Kyogre switches into Primal Groudon for free. Having sufficient offensive strength across the team is key to prevent Primal Kyogre from dealing too much damage to teams that otherwise lack secondary checks. Xerneas also benefits from the pressure this Primal Groudon set can bring to the table against its Steel-type checks. With a Choice Scarf set, Xerneas can threaten many offensive Pokemon, most notably Yveltal, and provide cleric support, both of which are important traits, as this Primal Groudon variant best deals with bulkier teams and not offensive ones. Geomancy sets can also provide offensive pressure and enjoy Ho-Oh being weakened. Many Ghost-types such as Lunala and Marshadow are capable of working alongside this Primal Groudon set. Both of them enjoy Stealth Rock support and additional pressure against various Arceus formes. Lunala provides a check to various threats as long as Shadow Shield is intact and threatens support Arceus-Ground. Marshadow offers revenge killing potential against many offensive threats. Offensive Arceus formes such as Extreme Killer Arceus, Arceus-Ground, and Arceus-Flying all offer various benefits to offensive teams and fit well with this set. Extreme Killer Arceus offers strong priority against offensive teams, Arceus-Ground offers sweeping potential with Calm Mind or Swords Dance, and Arceus-Flying helps against opposing Ground-types and Marshadow.

Moves Rest is Primal Groudon's best method of recovering HP on its own. Passive teams often rely on poison or other residual damage to take down Primal Groudon, making this set a potential stallbreaker. Sleep Talk is used so that Primal Groudon's sleeping turns aren't a total loss. Lava Plume hits several Ground-immune targets well and spreads burns that are irritating for several common Primal Groudon checks. Precipice Blades is the primary STAB move, dealing solid damage against Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre, opposing Primal Groudon, Steel-types, and Rock-types despite the Attack stat being uninvested. Roar is used to prevent the opposing Pokemon from boosting stats. It also allows this set to phaze Geomancy Xerneas consistently. Stone Edge can also be used as a coverage move, primarily for teams that struggle against Ho-Oh, but it also has use against some other Ground-immune targets. Set Details The maximum Special Defense investment offsets Primal Groudon's lackluster natural special bulk. This investment is also helpful against key threats such as Xerneas, Primal Kyogre, and Mega Diancie. A Sassy nature is to be used with Lava Plume so that both offensive stats are left intact, as Speed isn't especially important for this set. If you're not using Precipice Blades, the preferred nature becomes Calm. An Impish nature can be used to further boost Primal Groudon's physical bulk; this can be situationally helpful against threats such as Ho-Oh, Mega Salamence, Rayquaza, and opposing Primal Groudon. Usage Tips This Primal Groudon should be played similarly to the defensive Stealth Rock set, except that it doesn't have to worry quite as much when it comes to taking damage, since it can recover with Rest. Use this set to sponge status against Pokemon that rely on Toxic alone to break Primal Groudon. Understand that a sleeping Primal Groudon is mostly useless even with Sleep Talk; this can be reduced to a single turn by Resting and then creating an opening for cleric use. Maintain enough breathing room to Rest again by burning sleep turns against Pokemon that can't deal much damage to Primal Groudon while it is immune to Toxic. Team Options A reliable defensive Stealth Rock setter such as Tyranitar is a must for teams that utilize this Primal Groudon set. A Ground-immune Pokemon such as Lugia, Mega Salamence, Latios, or Latias is also needed for proper defensive support. A support Arceus is typically paired with this set, one example being Arceus-Water. Mega Sableye pairs well with Primal Groudon, as it can handle several Primal Groudon checks, can bounce entry hazards, and fits well on defensive teams. A backup check to Primal Kyogre is greatly desired if this set forgoes running Precipice Blades, as the only thing Primal Groudon can do against it is Roar. Spikes support from Ferrothorn, Skarmory, or Klefki pairs well when this set runs Roar to rack up residual damage. A cleric is a good idea so that Primal Groudon can be awakened and spend fewer turns wasted when asleep.

Moves Rather than boosting Speed or running high investment in the Speed stat, this set uses Thunder Wave to gain the Speed advantage against opposing threats. The move also has use against Primal Groudon switch-ins such as Latios, Mega Salamence, and Rayquaza and is used to check Xerneas. Swords Dance allows Primal Groudon to deal massive damage against Pokemon such as support Arceus, Lugia, Primal Kyogre, and Pokemon that typically fall short of being OHKOed by unboosted Primal Groudon. Rock Slide is used as the coverage move, which hits most Ground-immune targets well. Combined with the paralysis induced by Thunder Wave, the flinch rate of Rock Slide makes it difficult for targets to move successfully. Precipice Blades is the strongest Ground-type STAB move available and meets important KOs against some of the aforementioned threats. Set Details EVs maximize the Attack stat and the 12 Speed EVs make Primal Groudon faster than Mega Diancie before Mega Evolution. The remaining EVs maximize mixed bulk and allow Primal Groudon to survive a +2 Focus Blast from Xerneas after Stealth Rock and a +1 Double-Edge from Adamant Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock. An EV spread of 152 HP / 236 Atk / 44 SpD / 76 Spe with an Adamant nature sacrifices some Attack investment in order to outspeed uninvested Xerneas and Yveltal. This spread also lets Primal Groudon survive a +2 Focus Blast from Xerneas after Stealth Rock and a +1 Double-Edge from Adamant Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock. Usage Tips This set functions less as a wincon and more as an intermediate wallbreaker, so focus on dismantling cores with Thunder Wave and +2 boosted attacks. Thunder Wave combined with Primal Groudon's bulk can be used to emergency check a variety of setup sweepers when facing offense teams. Focus on paralyzing faster defensive Pokemon first and setting up Swords Dance later. With their Speed advantage eliminated, Primal Groudon can break through several Pokemon when at +2 Attack. Team Options Since this Primal Groudon set doesn't have room for Stealth Rock, an alternate setter such as Dialga, Tyranitar, Mega Diancie, Excadrill, or Bronzong is required. An alternative setup sweeper such as Swords Dance Arceus, Geomancy Xerneas, Mega Salamence, or Rayquaza can greatly benefit from this Primal Groudon's ability to weaken their checks. Pokemon that are immune Ground and resist Water such as Latios, Latias, Mega Salamence, and Giratina-O cover Primal Groudon's most exploitable weaknesses. A secondary Xerneas check such as Ho-Oh, Klefki, or Bronzong is desired, as this Primal Groudon can be worn down and left unable to check Xerneas on its own. Zekrom is useful for threatening physically defensive Pokemon such as Arceus-Water and Lugia as well as threaten Mega Salamence and Primal Kyogre. A Healing Wish user such as Latias or Shaymin-S can give Primal Groudon a second chance to bust through the opposing team.

Moves Rock Polish offsets Primal Groudon's lackluster Speed and turns it into one of the most dangerous setup sweepers in the tier. Precipice Blades is the preferred Ground-type STAB move, as it maximizes damage output and meets several key KOs. Although it can be difficult to set up both Swords Dance and Rock Polish, Swords Dance provides Primal Groudon with the offensive power to break certain defensive threats that Rock Polish alone cannot trump. Dragon Claw hits several Primal Groudon checks such as Latios, Latias, Giratina-O, and Flygon. Stone Edge hits most Ground-immune Pokemon for high damage such as Ho-Oh, Lugia, Mega Salamence, and Yveltal. Rock Slide can be used as Rock-type coverage for its better accuracy and flinch rate. Fire Punch's low Base Power is mitigated by STAB and Desolate Land, and the move works in lieu of Rock-type coverage to take out Ground-immune Steel-types while still hitting most other Ground-immune targets hard. Set Details 252 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature maximize damage output and allow Primal Groudon to OHKO opposing Primal Groudon that don't run Defense investment, OHKO defensive Primal Kyogre with Precipice Blades at +2, and OHKO standard Mega Salamence with Stone Edge when at +1. 56 Speed EVs are used so that Primal Groudon will be faster than base 90 Choice Scarf users when at +2. The remaining EVs maximize physical bulk while still enabling Primal Groudon to survive +2 Focus Blast from Xerneas after Stealth Rock; the physical bulk is also sufficient to survive a +1 Adamant Double-Edge from Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock. An EV spread of 208 Atk / 144 SpD / 156 Spe with an Adamant nature makes +2 Primal Groudon faster than +1 252 Mega Salamence and standard +2 Xerneas. This EV spread still survives a +2 Focus Blast from Xerneas after Stealth Rock. An EV spread of 248 HP / 204 Atk / 56 Spe with an Adamant nature can be used with a set that features Swords Dance for higher mixed bulk. This spread also survives a +2 Focus Blast from Xerneas after Stealth Rock and a +1 Adamant Mega Salamence Double-Edge after Stealth Rock. Usage Tips Setting up Rock Polish or Swords Dance is best when forcing a switch. Setup can be accomplished without forcing a switch due to Primal Groudon's natural bulk, but this should only be done when the ensuing trade is assured to be beneficial. If using both Rock Polish and Swords Dance, set up one first on a forced switch and then boost the other stat while surviving the ensuing attack. Focus on checking opposing threats without letting this set sponge attacks so that Primal Groudon has enough bulk to set up or keep from being revenge killed. If this set is used as the wincon, focus on pressuring the opposing Pokemon that need to be damaged or eliminated in order for Primal Groudon to successfully clean. Team Options An offensive Stealth Rock setter is a mandatory partner with this set, with some examples including Deoxys-S, Dialga, Excadrill, Mega Diancie, Tyranitar, and Mega Aerodactyl. An offensive teammate with a Ground immunity such as Mega Salamence or Rayquaza is desired to offset Primal Groudon's weakness to Ground. The appropriate Arceus forme to pair with Rock Polish Primal Groudon is one that runs Swords Dance or one that runs another form of offensive set. An offensive Fairy-type such as Xerneas or Mega Diancie is desired for the immunity to Draco Meteor and ability to keep offensive Dragon- and Dark-types in check. An offensive Ghost- or Dark-type such as Mega Gengar, Darkrai, or Yveltal is effective for pressuring defensive components of certain teams.

Moves This set utilizes Primal Groudon's large Special Attack in conjunction with the Speed-boosting effects of Rock Polish to create a setup sweeper that is effective against a variety of typical Primal Groudon checks. With maximum Special Attack investment and the effects of Desolate Land, Fire Blast deals more damage than Precipice Blades on this set. Fire Blast is notable for usually OHKOing defensive Yveltal after Stealth Rock, dealing upwards of 87% against Arceus-Ground, and 2HKOing Lugia after Stealth Rock. Dragon Pulse usually OHKOes Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock, and it 2HKOes Giratina-O, Latios, and Flygon. Precipice Blades is used handle Primal Kyogre, Blissey, and Rock-types. Set Details 56 Speed EVs ensure that Primal Groudon is faster than Choice Scarf base 90 Pokemon after using Rock Polish. 252 Special Attack EVs with a Mild nature maximize the damage output of Fire Blast and Dragon Pulse. The nature is chosen as Mild so that it does not impair the damage output of Precipice Blades. 144 Special Defense EVs allow Primal Groudon to survive a +2 Focus Blast from Xerneas after Stealth Rock. The remaining EVs are slotted into Attack. Usage Tips This set is only to be used for certain offense teams that appreciate its ability to beat certain otherwise solid Primal Groudon checks. Precipice Blades should be used to bluff a physical set or one that isn't highly invested in offensive stats. Setting up is best when forcing a switch against a Steel-type. While it can also be done when not forcing a switch thanks to Primal Groudon's natural bulk, this should only be done when necessary. This set is not really intended to check big threats except when absolutely necessary, so teammates should sponge attacks instead so that Primal Groudon has enough bulk to set up or keep from being revenge killed. Team Options An offensive Stealth Rock setter such as Deoxys-S, Dialga, Excadrill, Mega Diancie, Tyranitar, or Mega Aerodactyl is required, as this Primal Groudon does not have room for the move. An additional entry hazard setter, one that can lay Spikes or Toxic Spikes, is especially helpful for breaking down threats for this set. A Ground-immune teammate such as Mega Salamence, Rayquaza, or Shaymin-S helps cover Primal Groudon's weakness to Ground. Offensive Fairy-types such as Xerneas and Mega Diancie help cover Latios, and Ghost- or Dark-types such as Mega Gengar, Arceus-Ghost, Darkrai, and Yveltal help threaten the physically defensive backbones of teams.

Moves Primal Groudon can set Stealth Rock rather easily thanks to its high bulk and ability to force out a variety of Pokemon. Precipice Blades 2HKOes standard Xerneas and inflicts higher damage than Earthquake, which is important in a tier where many Pokemon are physically bulky. Lava Plume, supported by STAB and Desolate Land, deals strong damage to many Ground-immune targets, eases prediction, and can burn Pokemon such as Lugia and support Arceus formes, which makes them much easier to break in the long run. Rock Slide hits a variety of Ground-immune targets; it cannot burn like Lava Plume and runs off the Attack stat, but it OHKOes Ho-Oh. Roar phazes Xerneas and several other setup sweepers such as Mega Salamence, Swords Dance Arceus, and the rarer Calm Mind Arceus. It has other utility in being able to cause additional passive damage when the opponent switches to a Primal Groudon check. Thunder Wave is best used with Rock Slide, as the combination of moves does well against a variety of Ground-immune targets due to paralysis combined with the flinch rate of Rock Slide. Thunder Wave is also used to remove the Speed advantage of setup sweepers such as Xerneas and Mega Salamence. Similar to Roar but unable to phaze Xerneas, Dragon Tail has the benefit of smacking Latios, Latias, and Giratina-O switch-ins while still being able to phaze other setup sweepers such as Mega Salamence and Arceus formes. Toxic is worthwhile, as several Primal Groudon switch-ins such as Lugia, support Arceus, and Giratina-O cannot function properly when badly poisoned. Set Details Due to having a naturally low Special Defense, this Primal Groudon set runs maximum Special Defense investment. This special bulk is helpful against key threats such as Xerneas, Primal Kyogre, and Mega Diancie. A Sassy nature is to be used with Lava Plume so that both offensive stats are left intact, as Speed is less important. If not using Lava Plume, the preferred nature becomes Careful. An Impish nature can be used to further boost Primal Groudon's physical bulk; this can be situationally helpful against threats such as Ho-Oh, Mega Salamence, Rayquaza, and opposing Primal Groudon. Usage Tips Primal Groudon has no method of recovery and requires efficient play, especially since it is used to check several big threats such as Xerneas, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh but fails to do so when damaged. Stealth Rock needs to be set early, but not at the expense of being reckless. Lava Plume is one of the most readily clicked moves here, since it covers a variety of Primal Groudon switch-ins and spreads burns. Assume that Primal Groudon is slower than the opposing base 90 Speed Pokemon, since this set runs no investment and this Speed tier often invests. While Primal Groudon checks Ho-Oh, it does not want to switch into it, especially if it isn't running an Impish nature or Rock-type coverage. Be wary of Toxic as Primal Groudon switches in, especially against Pokemon like Klefki. Team Options Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Giratina-O, Latios, and Latias that are able to Defog and provide a Ground immunity naturally pair well with Primal Groudon. Ho-Oh is a strong partner for this defensive Stealth Rock set due to the potency of Ho-Oh balance, Ho-Oh's ability to sponge a variety of special attacks, and its Ground immunity. Other Ground-immune teammates such as Lugia and Yveltal can make good partners on a balance team. Certain Fairy-types such as Klefki, Xerneas, and Mega Diancie provide a switch-in to Primal Groudon checks such as Latios, Latias, and Giratina-O. An appropriate Arceus forme should be run with this particular Primal Groudon, such as Arceus-Water, Extreme Killer Arceus, or Swords Dance Arceus-Ground. Mega Gengar is a strong partner choice that reaps the benefits of Primal Groudon status spam via Hex. Mega Sableye is handy for bouncing Toxic back at several common Primal Groudon checks. A Toxic immunity or Steel-type in general is useful for protecting Primal Groudon from being poisoned. Aromatherapy and Heal Bell from Xerneas or Diancie are options for removing status from Primal Groudon, while Wish or Healing Wish from Shaymin-S or Latias can give Primal Groudon an additional breath in battle.

Moves Primal Groudon can serve as a setter of Stealth Rock for a variety of offense arrangements thanks to its natural bulk and offensive potency. Precipice Blades is preferred for maximum damage output and can 2HKO physically bulky Xerneas, can 2HKO maximum Defense Primal Kyogre, and can OHKO opposing Primal Groudon that don't invest in Defense. Dragon Tail smacks several common Primal Groudon switch-ins and forces them back out such as Latios, Latias, Mega Salamence, Giratina-O, and support Arceus. Fire Punch cannot phaze or hit the above threats quite as hard, but it is more consistent than Dragon Tail, eases prediction, and is the only option on this set that can destroy Skarmory and Bronzong. Fire Punch also has the benefit of being almost as strong as Precipice Blades versus neutral targets while being accurate. Stone Edge OHKOes Ho-Oh and deals high damage to most other Ground-immune Pokemon. Rock Tomb can still OHKO Ho-Oh and has the benefit of lowering the Speed of opposing Pokemon by one stage, which is very useful against certain switch-ins such as Mega Salamence and Latios. Set Details 76 Speed EVs beat everything up to uninvested Xerneas and Yveltal. 152 HP EVs with 44 Special Defense EVs maximize the amount of HP Primal Groudon can run with the remaining EVs while still surviving a +2 Focus Blast from Xerneas after Stealth Rock. This also is enough to survive a +1 Double-Edge from Adamant Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock. The remaining EVs are slotted to Attack: 236 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature can let Primal Groudon 2HKO physically bulky Xerneas, 2HKO maximum Defense Primal Kyogre, and OHKO opposing Primal Groudon that don't invest in Defense. An EV spread of 244 HP / 252 Atk / 12 Spe with an Adamant nature sacrifices some Speed investment while still retaining Attack in order to raise the HP stat enough to where it still survives a +2 Focus Blast from Xerneas but has the benefit of higher physical bulk. Usage Tips Lack of recovery, use as a setter of Stealth Rock, and use as a check to Pokemon such as Xerneas and Primal Kyogre require that Primal Groudon be played with minimal risk. Stealth Rock is best set when Primal Groudon forces a switch. Dragon Tail should be used when the opponent attempts to bring in a Defogger or thinks they have forced a switch and will set up. If you're using Fire Punch, it is generally a safe option when you are not sure what Pokemon the opponent will switch to, as it deals good damage against a variety of targets. By using Rock Tomb on the opponent's switch, Pokemon such as Latios can now be dispatched by Primal Groudon before they have a chance to attack. Team Options Offensive Pokemon with a Ground immunity such as Mega Salamence, Latios, Giratina-O, and Rayquaza synergize well with this Primal Groudon set. Ho-Oh works well with this set on a bulky offense team and covers some of Primal Groudon's weaknesses to special attacks and Ground-type attacks. The appropriate Arceus forme to pair with this Primal Groudon is one that utilizes Swords Dance or another offensive technique. A Fairy-type such as Xerneas, Mega Diancie, or Klefki is desired in order to check offensive Dragon-types that threaten Primal Groudon. An offensive Ghost- or Dark-type such as Mega Gengar, Darkrai, or Yveltal can threaten key components of balanced or stall teams. Lastly, Shaymin-S can provide a Ground immunity and soft check a variety of Pokemon that threaten Primal Groudon.

Moves This Primal Groudon set functions as both an entry hazard setter and a stallbreaker by offsetting its low natural Speed with high investment. Swords Dance doubles Primal Groudon's Attack, allowing it to 2HKO most Pokemon in the tier. Precipice Blades is the best STAB move for this set, as it maximizes damage output. The remaining slot is used for Rock-type coverage to hit Ground-immune targets. Stone Edge is preferred for its higher power. Rock Slide can also be used due to being slightly more consistent and this Primal Groudon being fast enough to make use of the flinch effects. Set Details 196 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are sufficient to outspeed fully invested base 90 Speed Pokemon and below. 144 Special Defense EVs are used in order to survive a +2 Focus Blast from Xerneas after Stealth Rock. The remaining EVs are slotted into the Attack stat. An EV spread of 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe with a Jolly nature maximizes Primal Groudon's Speed and runs more Attack at the cost of not meeting the +2 Xerneas benchmark. Usage Tips This set is best used on balance or bulky offense teams that need to combine a Stealth Rock setter and wallbreaker into one teamslot. Set up Stealth Rock when forcing a switch, and set it early. This Primal Groudon can also bluff a support set or an offensive Stealth Rock set so long as it hasn't revealed Swords Dance yet. Set up Swords Dance against an incoming Defog Arceus or if you manage to force a switch while Stealth Rock is up. If a Pokemon that can successfully Defog against this set even when it is boosted is going to switch in, double switch to a Pokemon that won't allow it to Defog. In order to function as a check to Pokemon such as Geomancy Xerneas, this Primal Groudon must remain healthy. Team Options An alternative setup sweeper such as Swords Dance Arceus, Geomancy Xerneas, or Mega Salamence pairs well with this set and serves to increase a team's ability to strip down opposing defensive cores. Ground-immune or Water-resistant teammates such as Latios, Latias, Mega Salamence, and Giratina-O provide Primal Groudon with needed support against common Ground-type attacks and against Primal Kyogre. Fairy-types such as Xerneas, Klefki, and Mega Diancie are partners that are able to check Dragon-types that threaten Primal Groudon. A Steel-type such as Jirachi or Ferrothorn is able to simultaneously serve as a check to Latios and Xerneas. Jirachi can support Primal Groudon with Wish, while Ferrothorn benefits from this Primal Groudon's ability to take down anti-entry hazard cores employed by passive teams. Ferrothorn also supports Primal Groudon by being able to handle Primal Kyogre well. Offensive Ghost- or Dark-types such as Mega Gengar, Giratina-O, Darkrai, and Yveltal can check certain offensive Psychic-types and also stallbreak well. A secondary Xerneas check such as Ho-Oh, Klefki, or Bronzong is also desired, as this Primal Groudon doesn't have much room for taking damage without losing its ability to check Xerneas.

Groudon is quite a good physical wall. With the given EVs, it can take powerful physical hits such as a +2 Outrage from Garchomp, a +2 Dragon Claw from Rayquaza, a +2 Close Combat from Lucario and Terrakion, and repeated Outrages from Zekrom, and deal with them easily with either Earthquake or Stone Edge, depending on what is appropriate. Groudon also isn't setup bait either, thanks to its base 150 Attack stat and Dragon Tail, making it a good defensive back up for stall and balanced teams alike. Earthquake provides STAB, and allows Groudon to take a decent chunk out of anything that doesn't resist it. Stone Edge is mainly there for Rayquaza and Ho-Oh, OHKOing the former after Stealth Rock damage and one turn of Life Orb recoil, and always OHKOing the latter. Fire Blast is also an option to hit other Groudon and Gliscor harder while also busting up Ferrothorn and Skarmory. Stealth Rock is Groudon's preferred support option as it is one of the few viable users of the move in Ubers, and Groudon doesn't have any other notable supporting moves to replace it with. However, Fire Blast should only be used if Groudon also runs Dragon Tail and if the team has reliable ways around Ho-Oh. Dragon Tail provides Groudon with the ability to phaze while also nailing Giratina-O, Rayquaza, Zekrom, and Palkia for decent damage. Thunder Wave and Toxic can also be used to cripple Lugia switch-ins and to provide general team support. The given EVs provide Groudon with the best possible physical defense, but if you would prefer to have Groudon be able to survive more special attacks, an EV spread of 252 HP / 32 Def / 224 SpD with a Careful nature is an option. This spread allows Groudon to take 2 Spacial Rends from Choice Scarf Palkia and live to tell the tale, and it also makes it capable of taking a Draco Meteor from Mixed Zekrom more effectively. Not even an unboosted Seed Flare from Shaymin-S can OHKO a specially defensive Groudon. Groudon will also still have enough Defense to survive a Life Orb-boosted Outrage from Rayquaza after it has used Dragon Dance once. Overheat and Fire Punch are two other Fire-type attacks Groudon can consider using on this set. Overheat does more damage than Fire Blast, but the drop in Special Attack that comes after using it will make it easier to stall out. Fire Punch runs off of Groudon's higher Attack stat and is guaranteed to OHKO a specially defensive Ferrothorn, but it isn't of much help against Gliscor, Skarmory, or other Groudon. This set is more troubled by Shaymin-S, Wobbuffet, and Kyogre than Groudon's other sets; they can switch in and proceed to trap Groudon with Shadow Tag (in Wobbuffet's case), or OHKO it with a powerful STAB attack. Forretress can help against Wobbuffet by setting up Toxic Spikes, which will limit the number of times it can come in. Zekrom can handle Shaymin-S and defensive variants of Kyogre easily with Bolt Strike, while Palkia can come in on offensive Kyogre variants and 2HKO with Thunder. Blissey is also a good teammate in general, as it can sponge the inevitable special attacks aimed at Groudon's hide with its vast rolls of pink fat.

This is one of Groudon's more versatile sets, for it can both sweep and support the rest of the team. This set also lets it beat some of its counters. When first bringing Groudon in early game, you should usually use Thunder Wave. Generally, most things that switch into Groudon, such as Lugia, Shaymin-S, Kyogre, and Arceus-Grass, are neither Ground-types nor very slow, and therefore loathe paralysis. Late game, when a sufficient amount of your foe's team is paralyzed, Groudon can waltz right back in and set up a Swords Dance on something that doesn't threaten it, and proceed to sweep. Even Lugia will be taken down by a boosted Stone Edge after Stealth Rock damage has been taken into account, and it should hopefully be paralyzed and therefore slower than Groudon so it cannot use Roost to negate its weakness to Rock-type attacks. The given EVs look complicated but are actually very straightforward. 200 HP EVs afford Groudon the ability to take more hits while rounding down residual damage incurred from poison or Spikes. 200 Attack EVs usually guarantee that Lugia will be felled by a +2 Stone Edge after Stealth Rock damage. The rest of the EVs go to Defense for durability. For example, this Groudon set is still capable of surviving a +1 Outrage from a Rayquaza toting Life Orb. This set generally likes teammates that benefit from the paralysis it spreads, as well as those that appreciate having Lugia out of the way. Mixed Dialga, in additional to loving paralysis support, can easily destroy Giratina-O and Skarmory, two things that can take on this set. Choice Specs Kyogre also loves having Arceus-Grass paralyzed so that it cannot Recover before the bloated blue whale defeats it with Ice Beam. Kyogre is also a wonderful counter for Cresselia, another Pokemon that gives this set trouble. Most other slow yet strong Pokemon such as Giratina-O, Reshiram, and Zekrom, will cherish the paralysis support Groudon provides as well.

When equipped with a Choice Band, Groudon reaches a titanic 657 Attack stat, allowing it to OHKO or 2HKO pretty much everything in the game thanks to its great type coverage. Earthquake is extremely powerful, and allows Groudon to OHKO even Kyogre after Stealth Rock damage. Dragon Claw destroys Giratina-O and Rayquaza switch-ins, and is a nice move to use when you have no idea what's coming in due to the great neutral coverage Dragon-type attacks possess. Stone Edge 2HKOes Lugia, and OHKOes Ho-Oh and Shaymin-S. Fire Punch gains pseudo-STAB courtesy of Drought, which makes it a very powerful attack capable of OHKOing Ferrothorn and 2HKOing Skarmory, Bronzong, and Arceus-Grass. Shadow Claw is also an option as it is Groudon's best attack against Cresselia, but even then it probably won't 2HKO the celestial duck. Generally, Groudon should open up with one of its coverage moves as the first strike. Your opponent will generally switch in something that is immune to or resists Earthquake, such as Lugia, Arceus-Grass, Giratina-O or Skarmory, so something like throwing out a simple Stone Edge can gash them badly, making them easier for Groudon to break through if they try to come back in. It is a bad idea to mindlessly spam Earthquake should your opponent still have Pokemon with immunities to Ground-type attacks, otherwise Groudon risks becoming setup bait. Generally, this set will appreciate the same teammates as the Rock Polish set, but paralysis support is also recommended to use alongside this set to make up for the low Speed. Lugia, Dialga, Kyogre, Arceus-Grass, and Ferrothorn can all make good use of Thunder Wave to slow down your opponent's team, paving the way for a Groudon sweep. Jirachi also gets special mention as its Body Slam can paralyze Ground-types such as Garchomp and enemy Groudon.

Groudon's enormous Attack and middling Speed stats allow it to capitalize on Rock Polish quite effectively. After one use, Groudon reaches 520 Speed, enough to outrun anything slower than Choice Scarf Terrakion. From there, Groudon can sweep pretty easily with its mighty STAB Earthquake. Dragon Claw enables Groudon to hit the Dragon-types that are immune to Earthquake, such as Latias, Latios, Rayquaza, and Giratina-O, while having a much higher chance of OHKOing the likes of Palkia and Garchomp. Stone Edge's main purpose is to 2HKO Lugia, but it is useful for hitting Flying-types in general, such as Ho-Oh. Overheat, however, provides completely unresisted coverage, and easily OHKOes Skarmory and Ferrothorn while 2HKOing Bronzong. It also cooks bulky Grass-types such as Arceus-Grass to a delicious crisp. Swords Dance is also an option over Dragon Claw. Groudon has excellent two-move coverage in Earthquake and Stone Edge, so it can use Swords Dance to increase its already great Attack stat to a jaw-dropping 872, letting it OHKO pretty much everything that doesn't resist its attacks. Swords Dance also lets Groudon break through stall teams more easily, but it can be difficult to get in both a Swords Dance and a Rock Polish without assistance from Wobbuffet or dual screens. The EVs give Groudon as much power as possible while giving Groudon enough Speed to hit the magic number of 520 after a Rock Polish. The remaining EVs are placed in HP to provide some extra bulk. An Adamant nature is used to make the most out of Groudon's beefy Attack stat. However, a Jolly nature with an EV spread of 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spe can be used to outrun certain Pokemon that could otherwise revenge kill Groudon, such as Choice Scarf Shaymin-S. Be warned, however, that using Jolly will cost Groudon a significant amount of power. The main Pokemon Groudon will have trouble breaking past are Giratina, Lugia, Skarmory, and Arceus-Grass. Giratina can handle all of Groudon's attacks without any problems whatsoever, and cripple it with Will-O-Wisp. Lugia is weak to Stone Edge, and will lose if Groudon is packing Swords Dance as well, but a miss can allow Lugia time to use Toxic. Skarmory can handle all of Groudon's attacks except for the occasional Overheat, and either use Toxic, or set up Spikes. Arceus-Grass is bulky enough to survive an Overheat from Groudon, and doesn't care about any of its other moves. Groudon will be forced to switch out lest it feels like being OHKOed by STAB Judgment from Arceus-Grass. Defensive Kyogre, Wobbuffet, and Giratina-O also pose a threat to Groudon, as they can handle one hit from the Continent Pokemon and OHKO back with Surf, Counter, or Draco Meteor, respectively. Finally, Choice Scarf Shaymin-S can also outspeed Groudon unless it is Jolly, and OHKO with Seed Flare. Zekrom is an excellent teammate for Rock Polish Groudon. Lugia, Skarmory, and Kyogre are all dealt with by a quick Bolt Strike while Giratina and Giratina-O get crushed by a mighty Draco Meteor. Zekrom also resists Shaymin-S's Seed Flare, and is capable of OHKOing it with Bolt Strike. Palkia is notable for being able to switch in on Kyogre more easily, but it fares worse against Lugia than Zekrom does. Ho-Oh benefits from the sunlight Groudon provides and easily wrecks Arceus-Grass, Shaymin-S, and Skarmory with its powerful STAB Sacred Fire. Heatran can also take down Arceus-Grass, Skarmory, and Shaymin-S easily with Fire Blast, and it is also a great check to Giratina-O that lack Earthquake. Tyranitar can also remove Giratina-O from the match permanently, and its powerful STAB Crunch also gives Lugia a tough time. Entry hazards in the form of Stealth Rock and Spikes are also helpful to weaken Groudon's checks more quickly, easing its sweep.

This set chooses to forgo the common Groudon ideals of supporting, tanking, and boosting; instead, it chooses to become an offensive lead capable of beating all users of Rapid Spin and the all-too-common lead Dialga. This set is also a nasty surprise for physically defensive Kyogre, which likes to switch in on support Groudon, 2HKOing it without fail; Chansey, who is capable of walling the support set, cannot take two Earthquakes from this beast. Stealth Rock is that all-important hazard that every team requires, and this set excels at setting it up after tearing some serious holes in the opposition. Earthquake is the obligatory STAB move, and Groudon actually possesses the strongest one in the game! Fire Punch allows Groudon to OHKO Ferrothorn and Forretress (provided Sturdy isn't active), and also deals heavy damage to Skarmory. Stone Edge paired with Earthquake provides almost impeccable neutral coverage, and is also capable of 2HKOing Pressure Lugia provided Groudon is using a Life Orb. Dragon Claw hits Giratina-O, Latias, and Latios hard, OHKOing the latter two and doing over 60% to the former, provided a Life Orb is used. This set's EVs eschew Groudon's great physical bulk, and instead are poured into Attack and Speed to maximize its offensive presence. However, when running a Jolly nature, 96 EVs can be moved from Speed into HP to give Groudon a bit of extra bulk; this spread outspeeds Mixed Dancer Rayquaza and all neutral-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon. A Life Orb is the preferred item to give a solid boost to all of Groudon's attacks, and is needed in order to 2HKO Lugia with Stone Edge and Giratina-O with Dragon Claw. However, Earth Plate is usable when running an Adamant nature, as it nabs the OHKO on support Dialga with Earthquake and bluffs a Choice Band set. Keep in mind Earth Plate should not be used with a Jolly nature, as Groudon can fail to OHKO 252 HP Dialga with Earthquake if it is not running an Adamant nature. Froslass makes a good teammate for this set, as the Spikes that it sets up can be kept on the field thanks to Groudon's ability to outspeed and OHKO all spinners under the sunlight. Ironically, the Pokemon that this very set aims to beat is also an excellent teammate; Dialga switches into Giratina, Lugia, Arceus-Grass, and Choice Scarf Kyogre relatively easily, and is capable of scaring all of them out with its powerful attacks. Chansey and Blissey also synergize well with Groudon, sponging special attacks coming from Shaymin-S, Mewtwo, Kyurem-W, and Darkrai, all of which outspeed Groudon and can either OHKO or incapacitate it. Groudon can choose to run Thunder Wave or Toxic over one of its coverage moves, but it is usually better off attacking. Swords Dance can also be run in the same slot, as it allows Groudon to pack some serious punch behind its attacks. Opposing support Groudon and Hippowdon are only 3HKOed by Life Orb Earthquake, so the former can set up Stealth Rock and then switch out while the latter can set up Stealth Rock and sandstorm, recover lost HP with Slack Off, and then phaze Groudon out whenever it pleases. Arceus-Grass resists Earthquake and isn't even close to being OHKOed by Fire Punch, and can OHKO Groudon in return with its STAB Judgment or Grass Knot. A physically defensive Giratina isn't 2HKOed by Life Orb Dragon Claw and can phaze or burn Groudon with Will-O-Wisp in return. A fast Lugia with Reflect won't be 2HKOed by Stone Edge, and can Ice Beam or Toxic Groudon to wear it down. Any super effective special attack or strong Draco Meteor will immediately obliterate this set, so play to this set's Speed investment and don't let Groudon take hits it doesn't have to.

Moves For all of Groudon's offensive merits, its defenses are instrumental in enabling sets that lack immediate power; finding opportunities to leverage its incredible bulk proves rather easy. Groudon makes for a fantastic Stealth Rock user, as it leverages its bulk to set entry hazards against the more passive Pokemon in the tier and frees up a moveslot for other Pokemon like Blissey and Heatran. With Groudon's Attack, Earthquake does solid damage to even neutral targets such as Kyogre, Mewtwo, Darkrai, and Scizor, aided greatly by the help of Stealth Rock that Groudon finds so many chances to set up. Dragon Claw is the primary coverage on Groudon to not get walled out by the likes of Giratina-O, Latios, Latias, and Rayquaza. Thunder Wave brings out the best of Groudon's talents as a supporting team member, with the capacity to shut down potential faster switch-ins that take advantage of the lack of Speed and power on this set. Paralysis support can also be leveraged by other teammates that don't quite have enough Speed to sweep through fairly healthy teams, giving them openings to break offensive structures far more effectively. Lava Plume is a great tool for messing with Steel-types like Bronzong and Skarmory while still giving Groudon the option to make progress against Giratina, and it is typically run over Thunder Wave. There are some other move options that can be explored on this set; one of Groudon's best traits is its flexibility. Roar is great on entry hazard-stacking teams looking for a way to mess with mixed attackers with setup moves like Rayquaza, as well as giving the teams that appreciate support Groudon another way to deal with the ever-irritating Ho-Oh. Protect functions well alongside Toxic Spikes to allow Groudon to even wear down some of its counters, and Toxic can be more immediately helpful against opposing Groudon or Giratina, which might carry Will-O-Wisp. Rock Slide is an alternative option to Dragon Claw to turn Groudon into a great Ho-Oh lure, but it can also be used to deal with Lugia, as allowing Lugia to freely use Substitute against bulkier teams can be fatal once Blissey is either removed or weakened. Set Details Fully specially defensive Groudon is the standard choice for a support set, as it is particularly suited for the metagame due to its preference for taking special attacks. Groudon uses its rather impressive Special Defense to check a myriad of special attackers, including Giratina-O, non-Choice Specs Dialga, and Darkrai if a teammate is already asleep. Additionally, sun further accents Groudon's defensive traits by weakening the common Surf used by Kyogre and Palkia, and even a Grass Knot from Latios and Latias doesn't threaten an OHKO after Stealth Rock damage. Activating sun is also made easier with special bulk and makes winning the weather war more consistent. When opting for the main EV spread, a Sassy nature best fits a set running Lava Plume. As an alternative EV option, 112 Speed EVs with a neutral nature allow Groudon outrun Jolly Tyranitar. This can be used when pairing Groudon with a lead Deoxys-S or Deoxys-A as a reliable method of revenge killing Tyranitar, as well as giving Deoxys forms the flexibility to fit another move onto its set, since Groudon can set up Stealth Rock instead. Usage Tips Support Groudon's Achilles' heel is its lack of reliable recovery, often relying on either Wish support or pivoting into a potential Thunder or expected switches. As a result, one should be careful not to let it switch into too many big hits, especially with multiple entry hazards set, as it serves as the glue for many bulky teams that can't afford to take hits with rain active or simply need an Electric immune teammate. Bringing it in to switch the weather is often a risky proposition, as rain teams aren't short of ways to hit Groudon hard, so positioning your team to send it into Pokemon like Bronzong and support Dialga that can't threaten it easily is key. Additionally, the turn when Groudon uses Stealth Rock is very important, as it will either sponge a hit in doing so or let in a Pokemon like Kyogre that can put on far more pressure when given a free turn to switch in. The damage it takes is difficult to heal off, so the Groudon user often tries to create opportunities to recover through Leftovers. This is made somewhat easier by Groudon’s resistance to Stealth Rock, which allows it to gain net health two turns after switching in. Support Groudon is at its best when facilitating other teammates through spreading paralysis and getting damage on key targets; this set should be used as an enabler and not a wall. Team Options Groudon is markedly usable on many different team structures. Sun offense structures can be built around Groudon and take advantage of sun beneficiaries such as Ho-Oh, Shiftry, and Victreebel, and unlike Kyogre for its rain teams, Groudon's Stealth Rock resistance is key in being able to set up sun or pivot into other Pokemon several times throughout a battle. Forretress and Skarmory make for great partners, as their Spikes is one of the most reliable methods of wearing down Kyogre and its many teammates; having other entry hazard setters on the team eases up Groudon's job and makes winning the weather war an easier task. Heatran is also a fantastic partner due to its immunities to burn and poison, two ways of crippling Groudon, and switches into the Ice-, Grass-, and even Water-type moves that Groudon would be hesitant to soak up, with its Fire-type moves doing respectable damage without investment in sun. Jirachi works well in providing Wish support to remedy Groudon's lack of reliable healing and can potentially take a hit from Pokemon like Latios or Palkia lacking a Fire-type move in order to spread paralysis, and Groudon can help check Pokemon such as Lucario, Rayquaza, and Garchomp that Jirachi would run from. Kyogre is a surprisingly good teammate as well, as it appreciates Groudon's ability to weaken or remove Dialga, one of Kyogre's biggest enemies, and Kyogre can help with Skarmory or Bronzong, which non-Lava Plume Groudon struggles to deal with. Groudon is also the backbone of sun stall teams, which have become very prominent in recent years along with the rise of specially defensive Groudon sets. Cresselia greatly appreciates sun, as its Moonlight, coupled with Leftovers, heals a massive 73%, and Blissey enjoys having a teammate that can handily respond to physical attackers. Groudon also serves as a decent answer to mixed Giratina-O, which is otherwise very threatening to stall structures. Rayquaza works well on more offensive structures for its ability to remove Steel-types that most Groudon sets don't appreciate dealing with, and it can help against rain teams by picking off weakened Kyogre or beating Swift Swim sweepers thanks to its Air Lock. Latias is used as the Kyogre check on sun teams, as most structures don't require Latios's immediate power, but Latios can also accompany Groudon if the team being used is more fast-paced. Additionally, Groudon is rarely seen without Giratina-O, as it can spinblock and helps Groudon by chipping checks such as Latios and Mewtwo with its Shadow Sneak.

Sample set before we work on new analyses; up to date as of 09/17/2024. The EV spread is almost completely geared to the defensive side, with 56 EVs invested into Speed so Groudon can beat Timid Choice Scarf Kyogre, as well as other base 90 Speed Pokemon at +1, after a Rock Polish. Further investment in Speed can be useful, but it detracts from the main draw of the set, which is bulk. Not to mention, the less bulk Groudon has, the likelier it is your opponent will figure out it's not running a purely defensive set. Still, investing 124 EVs in Speed will allow Groudon to outspeed base 100 Speed Pokemon with a Choice Scarf; most notably Palkia, who could otherwise 2HKO with Draco Meteor; which can be useful. This Groudon is not the kind of Pokemon you should base your team around. In fact, it plays almost identically to a support set besides the potential boosting. If anything, though, Groudon appreciates entry hazard support, particularly Toxic Spikes, so that it may better deal with opposing Groudon and Kyogre. This does not mean that you need to go out of your way to set it up though; many Pokemon enjoy entry hazard support. Forretress is generally the best Toxic Spikes user in Ubers; it can also set up the other entry hazards too or spin them away from your own side of the field as needed. Skarmory, Lugia, and Giratina are troublesome for Groudon to deal with; a combination of Tickle Wobbuffet and Pursuit Scizor can handle the latter two, while Skarmory can be dealt with by a powerful special attacker like Heatran. The aforementioned Wobbuffet is also useful for eliminating Choice Scarf revenge killers such as Shaymin-S and Palkia, among others.

Choice Band Groudon is commonly used to hit and run, setting up the sunlight while it's at it. With Choice Band boosting its already massive Attack stat, it can easily exploit the generally lower physical defensive Pokemon found in Ubers. With this set, Groudon is capable of striking many Ubers very hard. Earthquake is a general STAB attack that leaves a huge dent in any Pokemon not immune or resistant to it. The other three attacks cover every type that Earthquake does not. Stone Edge damages Lugia badly and easily KOs Ho-Oh, while Dragon Claw destroys Latias and Latios, and also provides some extra power against Giratina and Palkia. Fire Punch wrecks Skarmory, Forretress, and Bronzong and receives what is tantamount to a STAB boost thanks to Drought. While Overheat is an option to OHKO Skarmory, Fire Punch works off Groudon's enormous Attack, doesn't carry an annoying side effect such as a Special Attack drop, and helps in situations where prediction is required, such as between Skarmory and Blissey. Fire Punch will still take down Skarmory in two hits however. The EVs given for this set allow for a combination of durability and power. The combination of HP and Defense EVs allows this Groudon to survive a Rayquaza Outrage that is boosted by both a Life Orb and a Dragon Dance. Meanwhile, the small amount in Speed helps it outrun fellow Ubers that rarely invest in Speed, such as Giratina and Dialga. What stops Choice Band Groudon from dominating the physically frail Uber metagame is its less than staggering Speed. As such, a team that can provide paralysis support will greatly aid Groudon's sweep. Pokemon such as Lugia, which usually lure in special attackers such as Darkrai, Kyogre, and Palkia, can neutralize all such threats with a Thunder Wave on the switch. Similarly, a Kyogre of your own can help lure in Palkia, Latias, and Latios, while also utilizing an uncommon move in Thunder Wave. While Stealth Rock is a great addition to any sweeper, it presents a pseudo Rock / Ground coverage, a two-type combination that hits hard. For example, Lugia, Shaymin-S, and Rayquaza can switch in to an Earthquake with impunity; however, with Stealth Rock in place, the three will lose 25% of their hit points when switching in. Dialga makes a good candidate for setting up Stealth Rock as it is also capable of slowing down various threats with Thunder Wave. It can also lure in Lugia and cripple it with Toxic. Moreover, there are ways to take advantage of these switch-ins as well. In Lugia's case, Taunt Mewtwo can switch in and use Lugia as setup time as long as it avoids Toxic. In a similar manner, Darkrai can switch in, put Lugia to sleep, and set up on it. For Rayquaza, Choice Scarf Dialga can put an end to Swords Dance Rayquaza, while Dragon Dance Rayquaza will be beaten by Choice Scarf Palkia. Choice Scarf Gengar has the ability to beat both Dragon Dance and Swords Dance Rayquaza. Mixed Rayquaza is far more difficult to deal with -- the best bet against it is a Bold Lugia with 248 Speed EVs. Finally, Shaymin-S's plans are foiled by Choice Scarf Dialga, which sports a 4x resistance to Seed Flare and can OHKO with Draco Meteor. Offensively, Groudon pairs well with mixed Rayquaza, which can switch in on Grass- and Water-type attacks reasonably well, lure in standard physical walls such as opposing Bulky Groudon or Lugia, and batter them down with Draco Meteor. Likewise, the unpredictable mixed Dialga sets work well at luring in physical walls, then smacking them hard. Wobbuffet with Tickle, alongside a Pursuit user, can also effectively break Lugia and/or Giratina.

Groudon's modest Speed and massive Attack stats make it a fantastic user of Rock Polish. This set is best used as a late-game sweeper as you will still need residual damage splashed upon the more bulky Pokemon that are neutral against its attacks. After using Rock Polish, Groudon hits a Speed stat of 500, enough to outrun Choice Scarf Garchomp with a Jolly nature. You can then pick one of Groudon's many options to tear up the field with. STAB Earthquake is mandatory and destroys Dialga, Metagross, and any Pokemon that does not resist Ground yet dares to switch in. Fire Punch allows Groudon to break Bronzong after setting up. Dragon Claw is the best option in the last slot, as it allows Groudon to destroy Latias, Latios, Giratina-O, and Rayquaza. Swords Dance, on the other hand, is extremely useful if you can create two turns of setup for Groudon. After both a Rock Polish and a Swords Dance, your opponent will more than likely have to rely on Stone Edge missing if they hope to stop Groudon's rampage. In addition, Swords Dance gives Groudon a reliable way of defeating Wobbuffet barring an untimely Encore, as a +2 Earthquake will always OHKO. The HP EVs allow the maximum number of Life Orb uses and give enough defenses on both sides to take hits if needed. As previously mentioned, the Speed EVs allow Groudon to reach a Speed stat of 500, while the remaining 8 EVs are placed in Defense for slightly more bulk. However, another EV spread to consider is 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe with a Jolly nature. This will allow Groudon to outspeed even a Choice Scarf Mewtwo, which also means that Choice Scarf Shaymin-S and Darkrai can no longer stop Groudon's sweep. Unfortunately, this results in a power loss, meaning Groudon has a far lower chance of obtaining vital OHKOs on Pokemon such as Palkia. This becomes a non-issue when using Swords Dance though, as almost every single Pokemon in the game will be OHKOed regardless of the nature. In fact, the only common Pokemon in Ubers that don't have to rely on Stone Edge's accuracy to beat this Groudon are Cresselia and Giratina. There are three main walls in Ubers that will give Groudon trouble: Cresselia, Lugia (if Groudon lacks Stone Edge), and Giratina. Even when Groudon uses Stone Edge, its shaky accuracy can give Lugia the advantage if it misses. In addition, there are still a few Pokemon capable of revenge killing it: Choice Scarf Darkrai, Choice Scarf Mewtwo, Choice Scarf Shaymin-S, and Wobbuffet. A Timid Darkrai can KO Groudon with Dark Pulse if Groudon is below 40% health, but the threat of sleep is what makes Darkrai truly problematic, as Dark Void gives it a very reliable way of crippling Groudon. Similarly, Timid Mewtwo can do 85% - 100% to Groudon with Grass Knot. Choice Scarf Shaymin-S is a particularly large problem, because not only can it switch into Earthquake, but it can also OHKO Groudon with Seed Flare. Finally, if Wobbuffet switches into Groudon, Groudon will eventually be forced to attack Wobbuffet, and will thus be KOed by Counter. Scizor is a fantastic partner for Rock Polish Groudon. It can easily take Dark Pulses and Grass Knots from Darkrai and Mewtwo, respectively, and can shrug off Shaymin-S's Seed Flare like nothing. Scizor can then threaten to OHKO both Darkrai and Mewtwo with U-turn, and do a serious amount of damage to Shaymin-S. It can also use Pursuit to do a heavy amount of damage to Mewtwo and Shaymin-S as they switch out. Pairing Scizor with Wobbuffet can also spell doom for Giratina and Lugia. Wobbuffet can Encore a support move and use multiple Tickles to allow Scizor to come in and Pursuit the fleeing Pokemon. Kyogre is also a great teammate for Groudon, as its gargantuan Special Defense will easily allow it to take attacks from Mewtwo and Darkrai and use the time to set up Calm Minds or to launch off powerful Water-type attacks. It also has very little to fear from Skarmory, Lugia, and Giratina, and can use them as setup fodder or unleash its powerful attacks on them. Spikes should always be considered in conjunction with Stealth Rock support when using Rock Polish Groudon. With Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, Palkia will always be OHKOed by Dragon Claw, while 4 HP / 0 Def Mewtwo and Kyogre will also be KOed by Earthquake. Garchomp will have a 92.3% chance of being OHKOed by Groudon's Dragon Claw after Stealth Rock and Spikes, a much more favorable position than the meager 7% chance with only Stealth Rock. Deoxys-S is a good choice for laying down Spikes and Stealth Rock, and makes a good lead for many offensive teams. If Deoxys-S is not a suitable option for your team, Forretress makes another excellent choice as a teammate. Forretress can easily set up Spikes and Stealth Rock on Lugia and Skarmory, both of whom are common switch-ins to Groudon.

This set looks unusual at first but it is effective when used properly. The main idea is to figure out what Pokemon switches into Groudon. Lugia is the prime example as it attempts to stall Groudon out with Reflect and Roost, leaving it useless. This set proposes a different idea than the normal 'hit and run' or 'cripple everything in sight' strategy. Instead, it meshes the ideas together to create quite the imposing threat. It's best to Thunder Wave early in the game when almost every Pokemon is faster than Groudon. Most Pokemon that switch in to take Groudon's attacks aren't usually of the Ground-type, which makes the strategy even more appealing. After crippling some Pokemon, use Swords Dance while the opponent switches, or on Pokemon that don't pose an immediate threat to Groudon. After that, Groudon can tear apart every Pokemon with STAB Earthquake and a boosted Stone Edge. Keep in mind that Stealth Rock is necessary on this set to help generate necessary OHKOs and 2HKOs after a Swords Dance. Without Stealth Rock, Groudon will have a harder time beating down its usual counters even with paralysis on its side. Paralysis is the crux of this set for many reasons. First off, Lugia has a more difficult time blocking Stone Edges as Roost will not remove the Rock-type weakness. Then, the 25% chance of being fully paralyzed is also a benefit and allows free Swords Dances or even more spamming of Groudon's attacks. Finally, having a Pokemon slower than Groudon is always a benefit for you and trouble for your opponent. The EVs here seem somewhat complicated but they actually work well together. 200 HP EVs grant 391 HP, effectively minimizing damage taken by poison, burn, and Spikes while retaining a medium amount of Leftovers recovery. The Attack EVs guarantee that Lugia is taken down after a Swords Danced Stone Edge. The rest is thrown into Defense for durability, although 84 EVs can be taken out of Attack and placed in Speed to generate 237 Speed, which is just enough to outpace neutral base 100s with no Speed. ParaDance Groudon's focus on paralysis not only helps itself sweep, but is also extremely helpful to the many powerful but slow Pokemon of the Uber environment. A great example of this kind of partner is Choice Specs Kyogre. Some people will be tempted to predict an Earthquake, and switch in either Latias or Shaymin-S. With Shaymin-S crippled by paralysis, it will no longer be able to revenge kill Kyogre. Latias will also be unable to use Recover in time before two Ice Beams from Choice Specs Kyogre finishes it off. Giratina-O benefits in a similar way, as a paralyzed Latias has no chance of stopping a Calm Mind Giratina-O from sweeping. If Lugia is paralyzed, then Swords Dance Rayquaza can outspeed Lugia and OHKO it with a +2 Outrage. Most offensive Dialga of any kind will greatly appreciate the paralysis support, especially mixed Dialga. Mixed Dialga can also destroy both Skarmory and Giratina with almost no problems, which means that Groudon itself will have a much easier time sweeping. Additionally, Wobbuffet can benefit from the paralysis. If Groudon paralyzes a Pokemon such as Lugia, it may attempt to use Reflect. However, if you switch Wobbuffet in, it can use Encore before Lugia moves due to the paralysis Speed drop, and thus easily set up a Pokemon such as Darkrai to sweep.

Only use Roar with a few layers of Spikes down. Once you have these in place, you can send Groudon out versus something like Blissey and Roar as they go to Lugia. This will bring in anything but Lugia, which generally means something Groudon takes on fairly well. This set completely walls just about any Blissey, non-Calm Mind Lugia, and physical Deoxys-A. Toxic can be used to actually do something to Lugia, and then you can Rest off its Toxic and use Earthquake to keep Blissey from coming in and using Aromatherapy. The EVs given make Choice Band Metagross's Meteor Mash a 3HKO but still leave Groudon with some attacking power.

Choice Band Groudon works really well. Hidden Power Bug and Hidden Power Ghost both hit Latias and Latios. Hidden Power Bug also OHKOes Exeggutor and Celebi however, while Hidden Power Ghost will not. Overheat really rampages through Skarmory, Forretress, and Exeggutor. This means Hidden Power Ghost eases up predicting the switch to Lugia and also does more to stuff like Rayquaza and Ho-Oh should you not predict them coming in.

Overheat is used to kill Skarmory and Forretress and can also be used to kill Exeggutor. It's used over Flamethrower and Fire Blast because Flamethrower fails to OHKO all but Forretress if Groudon doesn't have Special Attack EVs and Fire Blast has less accuracy. Fire Blast can be used to avoid the Special Attack drop, but you almost never need it for multiple Pokemon on the enemy's team. Use Hidden Power Ghost with Overheat and Hidden Power Bug with Rock Slide generally, although you can use Overheat with Rock Slide if you want. Hidden Power Ghost fails to OHKO Exeggutor on the switch in, though, so beware of that. Other than that, however, Hidden Power Ghost and Hidden Power Bug both hit Latias and Latios equally hard. Hidden Power Ghost also hits Lugia, so Rock Slide isn't as useful. Rock Slide hits Rayquaza, Lugia, and Ho-Oh. For a single physical supplementary attack, however, Hidden Power Ghost is usually used over Rock Slide and Hidden Power Bug because it hits Latias, Latios, and Lugia. Ho-Oh is much less common than Latias, Latios, and Lugia, three of the most common Ubers, so you get better coverage with Overheat than with Rock Slide.

Groudon can come in on the likes of Blissey, set up a Substitute as the opponent switches, and then proceed to Swords Dance. Groudon can continue to Substitute until it gets the Salac Berry boost, allowing it to outspeed positive natured Deoxys-A. Earthquake gets STAB and hurts Forretress and Mewtwo after a Swords Dance or two, while Hidden Power Ghost hurts Lugia, Latias, and Latios. The 204 Speed EVs allow Groudon to outspeed Deoxys-A and normal Deoxys after the Salac Berry boost, and maximum Attack is obvious on a sweeper. 44 HP EVs mean the Salac boost comes on the third Substitute, and the additional 8 EVs are relegated to Special Defense.