三首惡龍 怎麼配招

When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Hydreigon can revenge kill faster threats like Azelf, Zygarde-10%, and Keldeo, as well as setup sweepers like Gyarados, with its STAB moves. U-turn lets Hydreigon pivot away from Chansey and Primarina and bring in a teammate to handle them. Fire Blast OHKOes Steel-types like Scizor, Cobalion, and Excadrill and 2HKOes Assault Vest Tangrowth. Alternatively, Defog allows Hydreigon to compress emergency entry hazard removal. Roost lets Hydreigon utilize its typing to switch into Chandelure, Rotom-W, and Slowking and heal as it forces them out, though both it and Defog are troublesome to lock into. Roost is also is useful if Hydreigon chooses to take a Knock Off in a game where Choice Scarf is no longer needed. Earth Power can be used to hit Nihilego hard if the team needs the insurance, but it fails to OHKO without chip damage and lacks any other meaningful targets that a STAB move or Fire Blast cannot cover. A Modest nature can be used for more power at the cost of not outspeeding +1 Excadrill, +2 Cloyster, and Choice Scarf Darmanitan. Hydreigon best fits on bulky offense teams that appreciate the role compression of revenge killer, Ghost-resistant piece, and potential entry hazard remover in one Pokemon. Tentacruel, Tangrowth, and Amoonguss check Fairy-types like Primarina and Azumarill for Hydreigon; Tentacruel also can hinder Celesteela with Knock Off, and Liquid Ooze keeps it from clicking Leech Seed. Entry hazard removal from the aforementioned Tentacruel and Excadrill is needed to offset the chip damage from Stealth Rock that Hydreigon accumulates from frequent pivoting. They also free up the Defog moveslot on Hydreigon for another option like Roost. Entry hazard support from Hippowdon, Nidoqueen, and Excadrill can wear down threats like Gyarados, Nihilego, Keldeo, and Assault Vest Tangrowth for Hydreigon to get past. Nidoqueen also pressures Fairy-types like Hatterene and Primarina. Bulky Swords Dance Scizor beats checks to Hydreigon like Nihilego and Chansey and can clean late-game with certain faster threats like Thundurus-T and Salamence removed. Wallbreakers like Mamoswine and Keldeo appreciate Hydreigon revenge killing threats to them such as Starmie, Azelf, and Zygarde-10%. In return, they pressure Chansey and Nihilego and soften up Celesteela. Pivots like Rotom-H, Rotom-W, and Thundurus-T form VoltTurn cores with Hydreigon, with each wearing down each other's checks.

Hydreigon's dual STAB combination hits most of the tier for massive damage, wiping out the likes of Nihilego, Slowking, Tangrowth, and Moltres. Flamethrower OHKOes Scizor and Cobalion and cleanly 2HKOes Celesteela and Assault Vest Tangrowth. Fire Blast is another option for more power, but Flamethrower gets the same KOs as Fire Blast and has better accuracy. Alternatively, Flash Cannon prevents Primarina and Azumarill from walling Hydreigon while also hitting Togekiss super effectively. Roost helps offset passive damage from Stealth Rock and sand while also letting Hydreigon switch into Volt Switch from Rotom-H and Rotom-W, allowing it to maintain defensive utility while being a powerful wallbreaker. Additionally, it gives Hydreigon the option to switch into Knock Off and still be a dangerous threat. U-turn can be used to evade unfavorable matchups against the likes of Primarina and Chansey. Sleep Talk is an option to absorb Spore from Amoonguss for its team and still function as a wallbreaker, though it can be rather inconsistent. Hydro Pump can nail Hippowdon, Nihilego, and Excadrill for heavy damage while being a good midground option against Scizor and Togekiss, but it is harder to fit compared to other options. Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Hydreigon to outspeed and KO threats like Moltres, Excadrill, and Tentacruel. Hydreigon best fits on offensive teams that enjoy having a powerful wallbreaker that can overwhelm Slowking and Hippowdon, and ideally give it ample opportunities to fire off powerful attacks in return. Tentacruel is a key partner for Hydreigon, being able to reliably switch into Primarina and remove Stealth Rock, which wears Hydreigon down. It also blanks Celesteela and can use Knock Off to remove Eviolite from Chansey. Bulky Grass-types like Amoonguss and Assault Vest Tangrowth also check Azumarill and Primarina for Hydreigon. Primarina and the aforementioned Amoonguss can check dangerous Fighting-types like Keldeo and Conkeldurr. Pivots like Rotom-W, Thundurus-T, and Moltres can safely bring in Hydreigon against their answers like Amoonguss and Rotom-H. The former two also can threaten Primarina and Azumarill. Furthermore, slow pivots like Slowking and Chansey check revenge killers to Hydreigon like Keldeo, Salamence, and Azelf and get Hydreigon in especially safely against Skarmory and Tangrowth. Crobat and Choice Scarf Diggersby are also excellent partners for Hydreigon, revenge killing faster threats like Keldeo and Azelf. Both lure in Skarmory for Hydreigon; the former also compresses entry hazard removal and answers Conkeldurr, while the latter can bring Hydreigon in on Amoonguss and Tangrowth and threaten specially defensive walls like Chansey and Primarina. Entry hazard support from allies like Skarmory, Nihilego, and Hippowdon helps Hydreigon break past the likes of opposing Nihilego and Celesteela more easily, with even Chansey being overwhelmed with Spikes on the field. Nihilego also can use Knock Off to remove items from Celesteela and Chansey. Scizor and Cobalion are able to pressure specially defensive walls like Chansey, Nihilego, and Umbreon for Hydreigon. Late-game cleaners like the aforementioned Scizor, Zygarde-10%, and Gyarados can finish off weakened walls like Celesteela and Nihilego after Hydreigon breaks holes in the enemy team.

Nasty Plot enables Hydreigon to muscle through the generally bulky Ubers metagame. Draco Meteor OHKOes bulky Kyogre, Yveltal, and Zarude after a boost. Dark Pulse hits Necrozma-DM and Calyrex-S while also providing the potential to OHKO Groudon at +2. Flash Cannon allows Hydreigon to hit Xerneas and Tyranitar for super effective damage, two Pokemon that otherwise can switch into its STAB combination. Roost is an option on the final moveslot to better check Calyrex-S and mitigate Life Orb recoil, but it turns Hydreigon into a momentum sink due to its reliance on the move. Because of its middling bulk but high damage output, Hydreigon fits best on hyper offense teams where it can help mitigate the Choice Scarf Calyrex-S weakness these teams have. Shuckle and Slurpuff can set up Sticky Web for Hydreigon, making it much harder to revenge kill and providing more setup opportunities. Offensive Yveltal should double up with Hydreigon to better take on Calyrex-S while overwhelming their shared checks in Eternatus, Tyranitar, and Xerneas. Other strong wallbreakers that blow through the opponent's special walls are appreciated. Examples of those include Marshadow and Mewtwo, both of which can effectively deal with Yveltal and Blissey. Dragon Dance Necrozma-DM can bait in and heavily damage Yveltal and check Eternatus for Hydreigon while also dealing with defensive Xerneas. In exchange, Hydreigon dissuades Calyrex-S from attempting to revenge kill Necrozma-DM while also keeping Kyogre in check.

Dark Pulse hits Poison-, Ghost-, and Psychic-types such as Galarian Slowking, Galarian Corsola, and Jirachi. Flamethrower allows Hydreigon to threaten Steel- and Grass-types such as Bisharp, Ferrothorn, and Amoonguss. Fire Blast can be used over Flamethrower, as it allows Hydreigon to remove specially defensive Celesteela, Galarian Weezing, and Assault Vest Melmetal at +2. After a Nasty Plot boost, Hydreigon threatens to 2HKO most defensive Pokemon, such as Hippowdon, Gastrodon, specially defensive Skuntank, and Galarian Slowking. Substitute allows Hydreigon to set up on passive Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Aegislash, and Toxapex without fear of getting statused. Roost can be used over Substitute to further increase Hydreigon's longevity at the cost of not being able to avoid status. Leftovers allows Hydreigon to stay healthy after setting Substitute and attempt to wallbreak multiple times in a match. Dragalge is a fantastic teammate that provides utility in Toxic Spikes and Flip Turn while also checking special attackers like Tapu Fini, Keldeo, and Volcarona. Hydreigon repays Dragalge by covering for its Psychic and Ground weaknesses, and removing Steel-types that are unbothered by Dragalge's moves. Kyurem can remove Flying-, Ground-, and Water-types like Landorus-T, Nidoking, and Tapu Fini and run a plethora of sets like Choice Specs, SubRoost, and Dragon Dance. Garchomp sets Stealth Rock, provides an Electric immunity, and removes Pokemon that wall Hydreigon such as Tyranitar, Terrakion, and specially defensive Heatran. Dragapult can be used to deter foes such as Urshifu-R, Thundurus-T, and Gengar from using Fighting-type moves to remove Hydreigon and covers for Hydreigon's Bug weakness due to its Ghost typing, and it also has an excellent Speed tier that lets it outpace and remove threats like Latias and Tapu Lele. Choice Scarf Latias provides a fast teammate for Hydreigon, aids in Fighting and Poison matchups, and can provide Healing Wish to give Hydreigon a second chance to wallbreak.

Hydreigon functions as an excellent wallbreaker on balance teams, as it has strong wallbreaking potential and good defensive utility, which let it switch into a plethora of common Pokemon such as Ash-Greninja, Heatran, Slowbro, and Zapdos. Nasty Plot allows Hydreigon to break down common defensive staples such as Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, Gastrodon, and Gliscor. Earth Power hits important targets such as Toxapex, Heatran, Mega Mawile, and Mega Tyranitar while also being a good neutral option against Fairy-types. After Nasty Plot, Groundium Z allows Hydreigon to OHKO foes such as physically defensive Clefable, Toxapex, and Mega Tyranitar. Roost gives Hydreigon reliable recovery to improve its longevity and act as a sufficiently defensive Pokemon. The given EV spread lets Hydreigon survive 2 Hydro Pumps from Choice Specs Greninja after Stealth Rock as well as Kartana's Sacred Sword from full HP. Hydreigon fits best on balance teams with offensive and defensive teammates to support it. Due to Hydreigon's average Speed tier and vulnerable defensive typing, it has a tendency to get revenge killed by offensive threats, so it appreciates teammates that can give it a solid defensive backbone and offensively check these threats. Hydreigon is capable of soft checking Heatran and Ash-Greninja, but it can get overwhelmed easily and isn't good as the only form of counterplay to them. Toxapex, Gastrodon, Assault Vest Tangrowth, and Slowking aid Hydreigon in handling these Pokemon. Heatran, Mega Scizor, and Ferrothorn help cover Hydreigon's Fairy- and Ice-type weaknesses, with the latter two appreciating it acting as a Fire-resistant partner in return. Toxapex and Clefable can help against annoying Fighting-types trying to revenge kill Hydreigon, like Mega Lopunny and Kommo-o. Zeraora, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and Choice Scarf Victini check offensive threats like Weavile and Tapu Koko, which prove troublesome for Hydreigon. Blissey tends to render Hydreigon useless offensively, so pairing it up with Pokemon such as Kartana, Mega Scizor, and Mega Lopunny helps out Hydreigon.

With Flame Orb + Quick Feet, Hydreigon outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame, namely Barraskewda and Tapu Koko. With its Flame Orb activated, Hydreigon gains an effective immunity to poison and paralysis, which would otherwise stifle its sweeps. Nasty Plot gives Hydreigon the firepower to OHKO offensive threats like Talonflame and Zygarde-10% and boost past bulky walls like Blissey. Dark Pulse and Fire Blast are the preferred coverage options of choice, as at +2, they OHKO Barraskewda and Tapu Koko, respectively. Draco Meteor is also an option over Fire Blast to provide more immediate power versus Dark- and Fire-resistant Pokemon like Terrakion and opposing Hydreigon; it also 2HKOes Unaware Mandibuzz. Earth Power is another alternative that gives more accurate coverage for targets like Tapu Koko, Toxapex, and Heatran. A Modest nature is preferred, as Timid offers no notable benchmarks. Hydreigon fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate the Speed it provides. Physical wallbreakers like Galarian Zapdos and Terrakion benefit from Hydreigon pivoting into Mew and Intimidate Corviknight that try to switch into them. Offensive Pokemon like Dhelmise and Tapu Lele with weaknesses to status spreaders like Toxapex and Blissey pair well with Hydreigon, since it has an effective immunity to their status and can use them as setup fodder. Also, Hydreigon is constantly taking chip damage from its burn and appreciates the Grassy Terrain recovery that Dhelmise offers. Pixilate Tapu Koko is a noteworthy partner for Hydreigon because Dark Pulse + Fire Blast coverage targets many of Tapu Koko's common switch-ins, such as Heatran, Jirachi, and Ferrothorn. In addition, entry hazard control from common users like Tapu Fini and Corviknight keeps Hydreigon as healthy as possible so it doesn't have to continuously use Roost.

Hydreigon is a powerful wallbreaker that can overpower common special walls such as Blissey, Assault Vest Swampert, and Jirachi. Nasty Plot and Dragon's Maw provide Hydreigon with obscene power; it has a chance to OHKO Blissey with Draco Meteor after one boost, as well as a guaranteed OHKO on Swampert, Corviknight, and Toxapex. Hydreigon's third move is flexible based on team needs. Flash Cannon hits Fairy-types such as Togekiss, Tapu Lele, and Tapu Bulu, Dark Pulse hits Assault Vest Jirachi—which otherwise can survive Hydreigon's attacks comfortably, and Shock Wave can OHKO Tapu Fini after minor chip damage. Roost allows Hydreigon to stay healthy over the course of a game to wallbreak multiple times, while running three attacks instead lets Hydreigon pressure more Pokemon. Life Orb maximizes its wallbreaking potential and is necessary for getting KOs against Blissey and Tapu Fini. A Timid nature allows it to outspeed common Pokemon such as Adamant Zarude, but a Modest nature still lets it outspeed many of the same foes. Hydreigon fits on balance teams and provides high damage while breaking through common special walls for them. Due to its middling Speed, it pairs well with teammates such as Zapdos and Zygarde-10% that can spread paralysis, enabling Hydreigon to outspeed and threaten even more Pokemon. Similarly, it also appreciates fast partners such as Barraskewda, Choice Scarf Azelf, and Choice Scarf Landorus-T, which threaten other fast Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Terrakion. If lacking Flash Cannon, Hydreigon has trouble hitting Fairy-type Pokemon, thus appreciating strong teammates like Tapu Bulu that pressure the common Fairy-types. Assault Vest Jirachi is a problem if Hydreigon is not running Dark Pulse, so Knock Off users such as Azelf and Tapu Fini, which can remove Jirachi's Assault Vest, or Wandering Spirit users like Corviknight, which can remove Regenerator, are good partners. Defensive pivots that can safely bring in Hydreigon, such as Blissey and Swampert, are helpful partners. Hydreigon also appreciates entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Swampert and Heatran to secure important KOs, like against Blissey.

Moves Draco Meteor allows Hydreigon to OHKO threatening Pokemon like Nidoking, Crawdaunt, and Kyurem. Fire Blast can be used as an alternative over Draco Meteor to hit Steel-types like Scizor, Mega Aggron, Bisharp, and Cobalion for a significant amount of damage. Focus Blast should only be used alongside Fightinium Z and can break past Empoleon, which Draco Meteor and Fire Blast can't, while retaining valuable coverage on Steel- and Dark-types. Set Details Levitate strengthens Hydreigon's role as a Defog user by making it immune to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web. Dragonium Z turns Draco Meteor into a powerful nuke that lets Hydreigon beat many Pokemon that don't resist it without dropping Hydreigon's Special Attack, such as Hippowdon, Amoonguss, and Gligar. Dread Plate can be used to power up Dark Pulse, especially if the team already has a Z-Move user. Darkinium Z can be used to give Hydreigon a reliable nuke with good coverage overall that lets it muscle through Steel-types like Mega Aggron more easily. Leftovers is a good alternative on defensive teams that are in need of entry hazard control to help keep Hydreigon healthy throughout. Usage Tips Hydreigon should be pivoted into Pokemon that it can naturally beat due to its typing, such as Krookodile, Mew, and Tentacruel, and utilize these opportunities to remove entry hazards. If using a Z-Move, take care to save it for the appropriate moment. For example, some Stealth Rock users like Hippowdon and Gligar can stall out Hydreigon one-on-one if it has already used its Z-Move, whereas Devastating Drake allows Hydreigon to beat them with a bit of prior damage. Use Dark Pulse liberally throughout the match, as it has limited drawbacks , but be wary of potentially giving Terrakion or Cobalion an Attack boost on the switch. Be cautious of status from Pokemon that Hydreigon tends to pivot into, such as Rotom-Heat and Mega Slowbro, as a potential poison or paralysis will hinder Hydreigon's job of removing entry hazards. Due to this set's limited attacking moves, Fire Blast and Focus Blast should be used on predicted switches to Steel-types like Mega Aggron, Klefki, and Empoleon to allow Hydreigon to spam Dark Pulse or allow another teammate to potentially clean later on in the match. This set can bluff a Choice Scarf, primarily by spamming Dark Pulse, which can be used to Hydreigon's advantage to catch Pokemon like Krookodile and Empoleon with Dragonium Z or Fightinium Z. Team Options This set can be used on a variety of playstyles ranging from bulky offense to stall due to its incredible offensive and defensive utility, so it possesses a wide variety of team options. Fairy-types like Togekiss, Primarina, and Mega Altaria wall this set with ease. As a result, it's vital to have teammates that can pressure them. Some good examples include Cobalion, Rotom-Heat, and Amoonguss. Pokemon that appreciate entry hazard removal, such as Mega Aerodactyl, Rotom-Heat, and Moltres, make for good teammates, and these can also pressure Steel-types to make Hydreigon's job easier. Since common Fighting-type Pokemon like Terrakion, Infernape, and Cobalion can all outspeed Hydreigon and OHKO it with their STAB attacks, Gligar, Slowbro, and Nidoqueen are valuable teammates that can counter them as well as wear down Steel-types. Fighting-types possess excellent offensive synergy with Hydreigon thanks to their ability to pressure Steel- and Ground-types as well as break past specially bulky Pokemon. For example, Terrakion and Cobalion can heavily pressure Mega Altaria, Empoleon, and Blissey for Hydreigon, while Hydreigon can pressure physically defensive Pokemon like Slowbro and Hippowdon. Scizor and Mega Aerodactyl make for good teammates because they can utilize their ability as physical breakers to weaken special walls for Hydreigon. Moreover, both can trap Latias with Pursuit, which can use Hydreigon as setup fodder if Hydreigon has used or isn't running Dragonium Z. Hydreigon also fits well on stall builds due to its ability to switch in against troublesome stallbreakers like Chandelure, revenge kill Pokemon that can be difficult to check like Celebi and Mew, and provide reliable entry hazard removal. For this reason, partners like Blissey, Alomomola, and Pyukumuku make great partners with Hydreigon. Blissey can provide Heal Bell support to ease Hydreigon's vulnerability to Toxic while also checking some Fairy-types like Sylveon and Primarina for it.

Moves Taunt shuts down a large portion of specially defensive threats that can otherwise wall Hydreigon and attempt to cripple it, such as Blissey and Empoleon. Dark Pulse is a consistent STAB attack without drawbacks, hitting decently hard with the given investment. Roost provides Hydreigon with a reliable method of sustaining itself throughout a match, allowing it to consistently stallbreak. Draco Meteor is a powerful STAB attack that Hydreigon can use to muscle past offensive Pokemon like Nidoking and Mega Manectric. When Dragonium Z is activated, Draco Meteor becomes a powerful Devastating Drake that can be used to break a few defensive Pokemon without decreasing Hydreigon's Special Attack, such as Alomomola and Suicune after chip damage. Fire Blast is an option over Dark Pulse that can prove to be useful for weakening Steel-types like Cobalion and Scizor. However, it generally prevents Hydreigon from hitting a wider variety of foes due to Dark Pulse's better overall coverage. Set Details The given investment and nature maximize Hydreigon's power while giving it as much Speed as possible. Levitate is especially useful on this set, as Hydreigon can easily utilize it to shut down defensive Ground-types like Swampert and Hippowdon. Life Orb is the preferred item due to the respectable power it will put behind Hydreigon's attacks. Dragonium Z is also an option, however, for granting access to Devastating Drake in addition to minimizing Knock Off damage. It should only be used if another teammate is not holding a Z-Crystal, however. Dread Plate is another option to boost the power of Dark Pulse without damaging Hydreigon with recoil. Usage Tips Hydreigon looks to break past opposing teams, using Taunt whenever it needs to shut down a wall like Alomomola or Quagsire. Roost should be used whenever Hydreigon has been worn down a fair amount so as not to leave it open to a revenge killer. Lastly, Hydreigon should carefully count the turns in which the opposing Pokemon is crippled with Taunt, as if it doesn't continuously hit defensive foes with the move, they will be able to easily recover their health and stall it out. Team Options This set fits well on bulky offensive teams that appreciate a Pokemon capable of crippling and wearing down defensive threats. Entry hazard support is important to the success of this set, as Hydreigon forces many switches and will be able to rack up residual damage on foes in doing so. Toxic Spikes from Nihilego, Tentacruel, or Nidoqueen is particularly helpful due to its ability to further wear defensive foes down. Hydreigon's inability to break past the likes of Mega Altaria, Sylveon, and Florges with this set makes checks to them like Scizor and Lucario good options as teammates. Fighting-types can also be useful if Hydreigon doesn't wish to use up a fair amount of PP breaking past Blissey. Cobalion and Terrakion are both notable examples due to their ability to also set Stealth Rock for Hydreigon if need be. Special sweepers that can have trouble breaking past bulky walls appreciate Hydreigon's ability to significantly chip them down with this set. Examples include Agility Moltres, Suicune, and Volcanion. All of which also appreciate Hydreigon being able to prevent the setting of entry hazards like Stealth Rock or Toxic Spikes with Taunt.

Moves Draco Meteor is Hydreigon's most powerful STAB attack and is useful for revenge killing faster Pokemon like Latias, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Manectric. Dark Pulse is a spammable STAB attack that, in addition to providing good overall coverage, reliably lets Hydreigon revenge kill Pokemon like Celebi, Doublade, and Gengar. U-turn safely pivots Hydreigon out of play while chipping common switch-ins such as Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Blissey. Fire Blast covers Steel-types that otherwise tank Hydreigon's attacks, with some examples being Cobalion, bulky Scizor, and Klefki. Defog is an option that can be run over Fire Blast in order to quickly remove entry hazards on forced switches. Set Details 252 EVs invested in Speed with a Timid nature give Hydreigon a respectable amount of Speed. A Choice Scarf further adds onto this, turning Hydreigon into a reliable revenge killer and allowing it to outrun the entire unboosted metagame. 252 EVs invested in Special Attack give Hydreigon's attacks a considerable amount of power, especially for a Choice Scarf user. Levitate is the only ability available, but it can be utilized to freely switch into the likes of Swampert and Choice-locked Krookodile. Usage Tips Hydreigon's decent defensive typing and bulk allow it to pivot into attacks it resists or is immune to, such as Scald or Psyshock from Mega Slowbro, to then begin forcing switches with its good Speed and power. It should also look to come in through the support of a pivot or as a foe is setting up in order to guarantee a reliable revenge kill. Due to the fact that many of its attacks can be punished when locked into, Hydreigon should carefully predict as it does its job. For example, if Mega Altaria or Togekiss is expected to switch in, pivoting out with U-turn would be optimal, while predicted Steel-type switch-ins such as Cobalion should be nailed with Fire Blast. Hydreigon should also be careful as it uses Draco Meteor due to the potential threat of a Pokemon like Scizor, Mimikyu, or Mega Altaria receiving an easy opportunity to punish Hydreigon and set up, Mimikyu in particular is given an opportunity to boost twice with its Disguise still intact. If running Defog, Hydreigon can use it to clear entry hazards as it forces switches. It can also attempt using the move in emergency situations, such as when entry hazards are on its side of the field and a Pokemon weak to them is desperate for their removal. If opposing offensive teams have been sufficiently weakened, Hydreigon can attempt to use its above average Speed and power to clean up with Dark Pulse. Team Options This set's ability to function as a reliable, powerful way to keep faster threats in check allows it to fit very well on offensive teams, in addition to fitting on really any other team archetype other than dedicated stall. Because of this set's lack of Steel-type coverage, Fairy-type checks are fairly important to pair with Hydreigon. Scizor, Mega Steelix, and Stakataka can check Fairy-types for Hydreigon while in return appreciating its ability to switch into Fire- and Ground-type attacks. Fighting-type checks like Doublade, Mega Altaria, and Latias can come in on or offensively pressure a few huge thorns in Hydreigon's side in Terrakion, Mienshao, and Infernape. Physical wallbreakers like Terrakion and Scizor are capable of breaking past the specially bulky Pokemon Hydreigon hates dealing with, thus improving its chances of a potential late-game sweep. Nidoking and Gengar are particularly helpful partners for this set, as they are able to threaten the Fairy-types that wall Hydreigon, Gengar also providing an immunity to the Fighting-type STAB moves that threaten Hydreigon. Through the use of Superpower or Taunt, Nidoking can also break past Blissey, which enables a late-game sweep for Hydreigon.

Moves Draco Meteor is a devastatingly powerful STAB attack with Choice Specs equipped, OHKOing the majority of offensive Pokemon while even cutting into defensive Pokemon like Hippowdon and Alolan Muk. Dark Pulse is a spammable STAB attack with no drawbacks and good neutral coverage. Flash Cannon can be used to catch Fairy-types on the switch, 2HKOing even Sylveon and Florges after entry hazard damage. Fire Blast rounds off Hydreigon's coverage, giving it a way to hit Steel-types like Klefki, Cobalion, and Mega Aggron for super effective damage. U-turn can be used over either Flash Cannon or Fire Blast for to allowing Hydreigon to pivot out of predicted switch-ins such as Blissey and Primarina. It can also potentially allow Hydreigon to bluff a Choice Scarf set. Set Details Full investment in Special Attack with Choice Specs equipped maximizes Hydreigon's damage output. Full Speed investment with a Timid nature gives Hydreigon as much Speed as possible, notably allowing it to outrun threats such as Rotom-Heat and non-Choice Scarf Krookodile. Levitate grants Hydreigon opportunities to switch in against passive Ground-types like Hippowdon and Swampert. Usage Tips This set looks to wallbreak throughout the early and middle stages of a match, meaning that Hydreigon should look to switch in on Pokemon like Volcanion, Mew, and Chandelure in order to get off a powerful hit. If it cannot find an opportunity to switch in, it should seek support from a pivot or come in after a teammate has fainted. Due to Choice Specs locking Hydreigon into one move, it should be wary of switch-ins and look to either pivot out or nail them with super effective coverage. For example, if a Fairy-type like Sylveon or Togekiss is expected to switch in, Hydreigon should look to use Flash Cannon to hit them super effectively, while it should try pivoting out with U-turn against predicted switch-ins from specially bulky Pokemon like Blissey and the rare Umbreon. Draco Meteor should be used liberally once reliable switch-ins are weakened due to its immense power, otherwise Pokemon like Mimikyu can take advantage of this and use Hydreigon as a free setup opportunity. Dark Pulse can also be spammed freely throughout later portions of the game due to its good neutral coverage and flinch chance. One thing to keep in mind is that this set is prone to being worn down, which means that entry hazard damage and status conditions should be avoided if possible. Team Options Powerful physical attackers appreciate Hydreigon's ability to break past physical walls while in return taking care of specially bulky Pokemon. Cobalion is an especially notably example, due to its ability to take on both Blissey and Fairy-types. Other Fairy-type checks, such as Nidoqueen, Scizor, and Mega Aggron, are capable of offensively pressuring the likes of Sylveon and Primarina for Hydreigon. Fighting-type checks like Gligar and Latias can apply pressure to foes like Infernape, Cobalion, and Lucario. Late-game cleaners such as Mega Sharpedo, Scizor, and Gengar are appreciative of Hydreigon's ability to weaken opposing teams for them to more easily break through. VoltTurn support from Pokemon like Mega Beedrill, Mega Manectric, and Scizor can safely bring Hydreigon into play while also chipping foes for it to more easily muscle past. Lastly, clerics such as Sylveon and Togekiss can prove useful to Hydreigon on bulky offense teams due to its lack of recovery and vulnerability to status.

Moves Draco Meteor is Hydreigon's strongest available STAB attack and has very limited switch-ins. Dark Pulse heavily damages Psychic- and Ghost-types like Latias and Doublade while also hitting the majority of the tier for neutral damage. Roost provides Hydreigon with a way of reliably recovering its health. Flash Cannon is able to 2HKO Togekiss and Sylveon, which otherwise wall Hydreigon, after Stealth Rock damage. Fire Blast is an option over Roost, which covers Steel-types that may attempt coming in on Draco Meteor, such as Klefki. Superpower is also an option that can be used to lure in Blissey and KO it, though it also forces Hydreigon to decrease its defenses so as not to run an Attack-reducing nature. Set Details Maximum investment in Special Attack gives Hydreigon a respectable amount of power. Maximum investment in Speed with a Timid nature makes Hydreigon as fast as possible, giving it key Speed advantages over threats like Rotom-Heat and non-Choice Scarf Krookodile. Life Orb gives Hydreigon the freedom of switching between its moves while putting more power behind its attacks. Levitate provides an immunity to Ground-type attacks that can be used to exploit Pokemon like Swampert. Usage Tips In order to maximize effectiveness, Hydreigon should look to come in on weak hits like Scald from Alomomola. It can then freely fire off its powerful attacks. However, prediction is required in order to 2HKO Pokemon like Sylveon on the switch with super effective coverage. It is important to be wary of Hydreigon's HP throughout the match, as Life Orb damage will wear it down rather quickly. When it has been significantly worn down, it should thus look to restore its HP with Roost. Lastly, Hydreigon should try spamming its STAB attacks as frequently as possible, which means that it is best that its common checks are removed or weakened before it is utilized in later stages of the game. Team Options Entry hazards from Pokemon like Cobalion, Hippowdon, and Mega Aggron are useful for increasing Hydreigon's overall damage output. Physical wallbreakers are ideal for pairing with this set due to their ability to take on the majority of special walls for Hydreigon. Swords Dance Doublade is a notable example thanks to its ability to take care of both Blissey and Fairy-types. Other Fairy-type checks like Nidoqueen and Scizor can take care of big threats to Hydreigon in Sylveon and Mega Altaria. Fast threats like Mega Aerodactyl, Mega manectric, and Gengar can take on revenge killers for Hydreigon, while the likes of Suicune and Mega Aggron can easily switch into the priority attacks that threaten it. Sweepers such as Scizor, Infernape, and Celebi enjoy Hydreigon's ability to weaken opposing teams for them to easily clean up late-game.

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Choice Specs allows Hydreigon to deal massive amounts of damage, while Choice Scarf lets it stay in a comfortable Speed tier, outspeeding multiple Pokemon including maximum Speed Pheromosa. A Timid nature is preferred with Choice Specs, as it bumps up Hydreigon's Speed without sacrificing damage. Choice Scarf Hydreigon uses a Modest nature because it already achieves a high Speed stat of 225, appreciating the boost in damage more. The EV spread lets Hydreigon hit hard and hit fast, two things that it wants to take advantage of. Choice Specs guarantees the OHKO on uninvested Mega Metagross with Dark Pulse and the OHKO on uninvested Landorus-T with Draco Meteor. The current moveset allows Hydreigon to fully take advantage of its offensive presence without sacrificing damage or coverage in return. Flash Cannon is a possible option to hit Fairy-types but is often outclassed by Hydreigon's other moves because it usually doesn't deal enough damage to become relevant.

The EVs help take advantage of Hydreigon's Special Attack while also patching up its average Speed. Darkinium Z gives Hydreigon a very powerful one-time nuke, OHKOing Cresselia and Aegislash while dealing massive damage to most of the metagame that doesn't resist it. Life Orb gives Hydreigon a consistent damage boost to all attacks. Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's move of choice, as it deals heavy damage to common Pokemon such as Aegislash and Cresselia. Draco Meteor functions as a powerful attack that can deal very heavy damage at the cost of reducing Hydreigon's Special Attack by two stages. Tailwind provides a means of speed control for your team. Flamethrower hits Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Amoonguss super effectively, but you can opt for its riskier alternative Fire Blast for more firepower at the cost of accuracy. Earth Power gives Hydreigon the opportunity to hit Incineroar, Tapu Koko, and Mega Mawile super effectively. The Timid nature can be swapped out for Modest for more damage overall at the cost of making Hydreigon slower than Timid Tapu Lele and Jolly Landorus-T. Hydreigon fits very well on Tapu Lele and Mega Metagross teams because it can stop key threats that both Tapu Lele and Mega Metagross dislike, such as Aegislash and Cresselia. Landorus-T provides Intimidate support and is able to freely use Earthquake thanks to Hydreigon's Levitate. Amoonguss is also a reliable partner thanks to its ability to redirect attacks and also check Fairy-types in one slot.

Moves Combined with the boost from Choice Specs or Life Orb, Draco Meteor becomes insanely powerful, KOing or dealing massive damage to threats that don't resist the attack while putting pressure on teams lacking a Dragon-resistant Pokemon. Dark Pulse is more consistent without any drawbacks and provides great neutral coverage with Draco Meteor. Fire Blast hits Steel-types such as Klefki, Skarmory, Mega Scizor, and Ferrothorn. Focus Blast is a nifty coverage move for breaking through Normal- and Rock-types such as Porygon2, Stakataka, and Tyranitar and as well as OHKOing offensive Heatran, but its accuracy leaves much to be desired. Earth Power is an alternative over Focus Blast used to hit threats such as Tapu Koko and Tyranitar while OHKOing Heatran. However, Earth Power misses out on OHKOing Tyranitar, and Hydreigon needs to be very cautious about threats that are immune to Ground when using it. Set Details 252 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Hydreigon to be as fast as possible. 252 Special Attack EVs increase Hydreigon’s damage output. Choice Specs further boosts Hydreigon’s attacking power to get more KOs. Expert Belt can be used instead of Choice Specs so Hydreigon can attack with no drawbacks. With Hydreigon's well-rounded coverage moves, it can get Expert Belt's super effective damage bonus often. Despite it dealing less extra damage than Choice Specs, Life Orb grants Hydreigon the freedom to use all of its moves at the cost of health after each successful hit. Usage Tips This set concentrates on Hydreigon’s role as a wallbreaker, making it great against defensive teams and bulky attackers. Hydreigon is excellent to use early-game to weaken walls for its teammates to finish off or sweep later in the game. Hydreigon should mainly use Draco Meteor or Dark Pulse unless it’s against threats that resist both of these attacks or take more damage from its coverage moves. However, be careful when using Draco Meteor early because the huge Special Attack drop will force Hydreigon out and provide the foe with a free turn to set up. Dark Pulse is usually Hydreigon’s safest option while saving Draco Meteor for later, and with no drawbacks and a 20% chance to flinch, it’s easily spammable. When equipped with Choice Specs, Hydreigon should be more cautious about using its coverage moves because the opponent can switch in a Pokemon that doesn't mind them to set up. For example, attempting to use Focus Blast on Heatran will force it to switch to defensive Mega Scizor, which is 3HKOed by the attack. If that happens, Hydreigon is locked into Focus Blast, forcing it to switch out. Only use Focus Blast on threats that resist Hydreigon's other attacks or are only KOed by it. Hydreigon should always be careful of Fairy-types on the opposing team such as Tapu Koko on Electric, Azumarill on Water, and Mega Altaria on Dragon because the majority easily walls Hydreigon and can take it out. Despite Hydreigon’s resistances and good bulk, it is still recommended to have it come in safely from U-turn to avoid taking unnecessary damage, as it should stay healthy to continue coming in to wallbreak. With Expert Belt or Life Orb equipped, Hydreigon has more freedom to use coverage moves. Life Orb Hydreigon should avoid switching on attacks at all because its attacks' recoil make it worn down even faster. Hydreigon doesn't lose momentum from using Expert Belt or Life Orb, so it doesn't need to make as many predictions and is less prone to being setup bait. Hydreigon can utilize Expert Belt to bluff a Choice item, as the opponent usually assumes Hydreigon is running Choice Scarf or Choice Specs. Make sure to keep Hydreigon away from paralysis, as the reduced Speed will make it less effective at wallbreaking, while Life Orb Hydreigon should also avoid poison and burns to conserve its precious HP. Team Options Tyranitar and Krookodile provide Stealth Rock support, assisting Hydreigon in getting KOs. Tyranitar can also spread paralysis with Thunder Wave, which is great for a somewhat slow wallbreaker like Hydreigon. Dragon Dance Mega Tyranitar pairs well with Hydreigon, as both can dismantle teams. Mega Tyranitar can check Flying- and Ice-types for Hydreigon. Bisharp and Alolan Muk can take on Fairy-types for Hydreigon. Bisharp specifically can also check slower Ice-types that pose a threat and can set up Swords Dance to help Hydreigon break down slower threats. With Alolan Muk’s excellent special bulk coupled with Assault Vest, it serves as a pivot that tanks special attacks. Alolan Muk can also absorb Toxic. Both Bisharp and Alolan Muk can provide Knock Off support to remove items such as Eviolite from Chansey and Porygon2 and Leftovers from bulky threats. Mega Sableye serves as another status absorber for Hydreigon and hazard control thanks to Magic Bounce while being a great switch-in to Knock Off to prevent Hydreigon from losing its Choice Specs or Life Orb. Mega Sableye is also reliable in offering utility such as Knock Off and can burn threats. Mandibuzz is another partner that offers hazard control and boasts impressive physical bulk to tank physical attacks for Hydreigon while checking Fighting-types. Greninja and Sharpedo are great offensive Water-types to pair with Hydreigon. Greninja can check Fairy- and Fighting-types with Gunk Shot and Extrasensory alongside taking on a variety of types thanks to Protean. Sharpedo can gain a Speed boost and Mega Evolve to clean up after Hydreigon has dealt enough damage to the opposing team.

Moves Draco Meteor is Hydreigon’s most powerful STAB attack and is mainly necessary for KOing threats that do not faint from its other attacks. Dark Pulse gives Hydreigon another reliable STAB move with no drawbacks and a chance to flinch the foe. Fire Blast supports Hydreigon’s reliable STAB moves in hitting annoying Steel-types such as Cobalion, Klefki, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor as well as Tapu Bulu. U-turn allows Hydreigon to pivot out of unfavorable matchups and have one of its more suitable teammates take out a threat while also maintaining momentum. Set Details Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature and Choice Scarf allows Hydreigon to outspeed Mega Latias, Keldeo, and other Choice Scarf users such as Tapu Bulu, Landorus-T, Heracross, and Excadrill. 252 Special Attack EVs allow Hydreigon to hit as hard as possible. The remaining 4 EVs in Special Defense prevent Porygon-Z from ever getting a Special Attack boost from Download. Levitate is Hydreigon's only ability, which lets it switch into Ground-type attacks bar Mold Breaker Excadrill's Earthquake without taking damage. Usage Tips Because Hydreigon functions primarily as a revenge killer and a solid late-game sweeper, it should come in freely after a teammate has fainted with a slow U-turn user such as Mandibuzz, or with a double switch. Take advantage of Hydreigon’s typing and solid bulk to switch into resisted attacks and Levitate to switch into Ground-type moves, but be wary of switching Hydreigon into coverage moves such as Nidoking's Ice Beam. Make sure to utilize U-turn whenever Hydreigon is at a disadvantage and needs to maintain momentum or when the opponent attempts to switch in a counter to Hydreigon. Choice Scarf Hydreigon can also make use of U-turn as a lead to scout foes, especially those that resist its STAB attacks. Be careful about using Draco Meteor, and try not to use it very early in the game. It destroys Hydreigon’s momentum because the huge drop in Special Attack will leave it setup bait and unable to KO anything else that is healthy. Also be careful when locking Hydreigon into one of its coverage moves because they're quite weak. Try not to have Hydreigon stay in against bulkier threats because this set isn’t built to deal with defensive Pokemon. Hydreigon should avoid paralysis at all times because it ruins its role as a revenge killer. Team Options Hydreigon pairs well with Greninja, as Greninja's offensive presence, Protean, and Speed stat can assist Hydreigon in applying offensive pressure onto teams. It also has an enormous movepool that allows it to check many threats and includes Gunk Shot and Extrasensory, which threaten Fairy- and Fighting-types that Hydreigon struggles against. Mega Sharpedo is another strong Water-type and can take on special walls that Hydreigon can’t break. It also has access to Psychic Fangs, making it a decent check to Fighting-types. Alolan Muk and Bisharp are great partners for Hydreigon, helping its weakness to Fairy-types. Assault Vest Alolan Muk can switch into special attacks, while Bisharp can check Ice-types that threaten Hydreigon. Hydreigon appreciates Mandibuzz’s Defog granting it more freedom to switch in. Hydreigon can also come in safely thanks to Mandibuzz’s slow U-turn. Tyranitar and Krookodile are great users of Stealth Rock, which pressures the opposing team and makes foes easier for Hydreigon to finish off. Tyranitar is also good for checking Ice-types and spreading paralysis with Thunder Wave to cripple faster threats. In return, Hydreigon can cover Tyranitar’s weakness to Ground with Levitate. Mega Sableye takes pressure off Hydreigon thanks to its immunity to Fighting-type attacks. Mega Sableye can also bounce back Stealth Rock and status moves.

Moves Draco Meteor is Hydreigon's strongest STAB attack and allows it to take on a variety of different Pokemon such as Kommo-o and Rotom-Wash as well as use Devastating Drake. Dark Pulse is its most spammable STAB attack due to its flinch chance, consistent power, and ability to hit Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and Heatran that resist Draco Meteor for decent damage. Roost allows Hydreigon to stay healthy through the match, allowing it to continually act as a stallbreaker. Taunt allows Hydreigon to prevent walls such as Chansey from recovering off damage, prevents infliction of status, and forces them to use their weak attacks, allowing Hydreigon to easily take them on. Set Details Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment alongside a Timid nature allows Hydreigon to be as fast as possible and to hit as hard as possible, outspeeding Pokemon such as Kyurem-B. The 4 remaining EVs are dumped into Special Defense to give Download users such as Porygon2 a boost in Attack rather than Special Attack. Dragonium Z allows Hydreigon's Draco Meteor to become Devastating Drake, which can help it take on walls such as Toxapex and Hippowdon with minor chip damage and outright OHKO Pokemon such as Diggersby. Levitate grants Hydreigon a Ground immunity and prevents it from being affected by entry hazards such as Spikes and Sticky Web. Dread Plate is an item option that gives Hydreigon's Dark Pulse a nice boost in power, allowing it to guarantee the 2HKO on Pokemon like specially defensive Jellicent without Stealth Rock damage, while Life Orb allows Hydreigon to boost the power of both of its attacks, allowing it to pick up the OHKO on Pokemon like Diggersby with Draco Meteor; however, the extra 10% chip damage at the end of each turn makes walls much harder to break for Hydreigon, since it will need to rely on Roost more to stay healthy. Usage Tips Hydreigon should only Roost against Pokemon that do not threaten it, such as Toxapex, allowing it to stay healthier through the game. Hydreigon should save Devastating Drake for when opposing threats such as Toxapex and Mega Venusaur are weakened and can be KOed. Taunt should be used to keep walls at bay by preventing them from using their recovery, allowing Hydreigon to break them with more ease, as well as to stop bulky setup Pokemon such as Suicune from boosting, as they are easily able to overwhelm the team otherwise. On top of this, Hydreigon should stay healthy through the game so it can continually switch in on walls and break them. Hydreigon should try to avoid status such as Toxic poisoning and paralysis as much as possible, as the former prevents it from staying healthy through the game, while the latter prevents it from outspeeding threats such as Porygon-Z and Diggersby. This Hydreigon set, however, lets in Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny fairly easily, which can be a pain for Dark to face, especially since Mega Lopunny can 2HKO Mandibuzz after Stealth Rock chip. Hydreigon should be wary of Pokemon like that and decide whether it is better to Taunt and Roost or predict the switch and attack to take them out with Devastating Drake. Hydreigon should be wary when trying to take on a wall with an attack that can inflict a status effect, such as Zapdos's Discharge, as the Speed loss makes Hydreigon's job of stallbreaking much harder. Team Options All of its teammates appreciate Hydreigon's ability to break walls with Taunt and Roost, as well as its ability to take care of threats such as unboosted Kommo-o. Tyranitar provides Hydreigon with much-needed chip damage, as both Stealth Rock and Sand Stream weaken opposing Pokemon, allowing Hydreigon to take on walls such as Hippowdon with Devastating Drake. In return, Tyranitar appreciates Hydreigon's ability to check walls that can easily beat it such as Toxapex. Due to Tyranitar's great natural Special Defense, which is increased under sand, it can take on many special attackers for Hydreigon such as Latios, Nihilego, and Volcarona. Mandibuzz provides Hydreigon with a much-needed neutrality to Fighting-type attacks, allowing it to switch into attacks such as Choice Scarf Terrakion's Close Combat and Keldeo's Secret Sword while also being able to Defog away entry hazards. Mandibuzz can also check physical setup sweepers such as Mega Scizor with Foul Play. Mega Sableye and Hydreigon form a very solid stallbreaking core, as walls can not touch Mega Sableye thanks to its Magic Bounce and Recover. Mega Sableye can also spread status such as Will-O-Wisp and Toxic, further chipping Hydreigon's switch-ins as well as crippling other Pokemon such as Chansey by removing their Eviolite with Knock Off. Greninja is a way of keeping faster foes in check and acts as a check to Fairy-type Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu because of Gunk Shot. Because Greninja also forces many switches and has access to U-turn, it can pretty safely bring Hydreigon into battle. Alolan Muk is a solid and much-needed special wall with Assault Vest that can switch into a plethora of attacks for Hydreigon such as Latios's Draco Meteor and Mega Diancie's Moonblast. Alolan Muk also can act as a setup sweeper with access to Curse and a somewhat reliable form of recovery in Iapapa Berry allowing it to clean through Fairy-type teams with ease. Bisharp appreciates Hydreigon's ability to beat walls that it struggles with such as Toxapex and Hippowdon, allowing it to clean late-game. Bisharp also provides the team with a priority attack in Sucker Punch, allowing it to pick off weakened Pokemon such as Mega Gallade. If Hydreigon decides not to use a Z-Move, Bisharp can use Darkinium Z and provide a one-time nuke to take down walls such as Chansey and Suicune, especially since it can boost its Attack with Swords Dance.

Moves Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's Dark-type STAB attack and threatens Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Blacephalon, Jirachi, and Mew. Draco Meteor is Hydreigon's most powerful offensive option, threatening to deal massive damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Fire Blast is used to hit Bug-, Ice-, and Steel-types such as Heracross, Alolan Sandslash, and Mega Scizor for massive damage. Earth Power is used to hit Steel-types that take less damage from Fire Blast such as Empoleon and Heatran and also OHKOes unsuspecting Mega Diancie and Tapu Koko if they switch directly into Hydreigon. Focus Blast can also be utilized as better, condensed coverage for Normal-types such as Chansey, Rock-types such as Tyranitar, and Steel-types such as Heatran. However, its poor accuracy can make it more of a liability than an asset. Set Details Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment paired with a Timid nature allows Hydreigon to hit as hard and as fast as possible. The remaining EVs are placed into Special Defense to prevent Download users such as Porygon2 from receiving a Special Attack boost. Choice Specs enable Hydreigon to do insane amounts of damage with its moves but locks it into using only one move. A Life Orb can be used over Choice Specs in order to use moves freely, though Hydreigon must be wary of the recoil. Additionally, the lessened power prevents Hydreigon from 2HKOing foes such as Armaldo. Levitate, despite being Hydreigon's only ability, is very handy, as it avoids all entry hazards outside of Stealth Rock while also granting it a Ground-type immunity. Usage Tips This set is meant to break down various walls early-game in order to allow a teammate such as Kommo-o or Mega Latias to set up and sweep late-game. Hydreigon should be preserved against Psychic teams, as it can freely spam Dark Pulse to heavily damage most of them. In the face of foes such as Mega Gallade and Victini, it should be swapped out to avoid excess damage. Hydreigon can also act as a revenge killer due to its decent Speed stat, which is useful against slower threats such as Mimikyu and Mega Garchomp. Try to predict an incoming switch-in with one of Hydreigon's coverage moves if it's utilizing Choice Specs, since it's forcefully locked into the move selected. If the opposing team doesn't have a Pokemon that resists Dragon-type attacks or a specially defensive switch-in, feel free to use Draco Meteor in order to deal massive damage to the foe, though keep in mind the Special Attack drop after using it, as the foe can take advantage of it to use Hydreigon as setup bait. Hydreigon should be mindful of Protect users such as Celesteela and Suicune, as they can scout the move Hydreigon locks into and can make the appropriate switch or countermeasure as a result. Be mindful of paralysis, as a halved Speed stat will prevent it from breaking down slower foes such as Mega Scizor and bulky Zapdos. If Hydreigon is using a Life Orb keep in mind the recoil received by it, as Hydreigon can easily be worn down. Team Options Mega Latias uses its incredible bulk, Calm Mind, and Stored Power to threaten Fairy teams and bulky special walls such as Chansey late-game for Hydreigon. Additionally, Mega Latias can reliably come in on Fighting-type moves from Infernape and Terrakion for Hydreigon and recover off any damage taken. Choice Scarf Latios acts as a solid revenge killer for Hydreigon, as it outspeeds and threatens opposing Choice Scarf users or setup sweepers such as Keldeo and Kommo-o. Additionally, it can assist Hydreigon by using Trick on Chansey to cripple it and target and OHKOing Mega Diancie with Hidden Power Steel. Kyurem-B uses its unparalleled BoltBeam coverage to offensively threaten many balance builds for Hydreigon, most notably against the Flying-type core of Celesteela, Zapdos, and Mantine and the Poison-type core of Alolan Muk, Toxapex, and Mega Venusaur. Garchomp provides Stealth Rock support that chips away at the opposing team's health, allowing foes such as Celesteela to be put within KO range of Hydreigon's attacks. Mega Altaria can threaten opposing Dragon-types thanks to its additional Fairy typing and also switches into Fighting-types such as Mega Gallade and Keldeo that Hydreigon is weak to. In return, Hydreigon can threaten Steel-types such as Heatran and Mega Scizor for Mega Altaria. Kommo-o uses its combination of Clangorous Soulblaze and Close Combat to threaten the Normal core of Chansey and Porygon2, which Hydreigon has trouble breaking. In return, Hydreigon can switch into Psychic-type moves from Celebi and Mew for Kommo-o and threaten to KO them with Dark Pulse. Dragonite uses its sheer power to break down specially defensive walls that Hydreigon can't easily break, such as Chansey and Mantine. Additionally, Dragonite can also threaten faster presences such as Greninja and Mega Lopunny through Extreme Speed and acts as a powerful revenge killer as a result.

Moves Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's Dark-type STAB move, which it uses to threaten Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Jellicent and Jirachi. Draco Meteor is Hydreigon's most powerful offensive option and devastates foes that don't resist it. U-turn is used to pivot out of foes that it can hardly damage such as Chansey and Mantine. Flash Cannon is utilized to lure and take out problematic Fairy-types such as Alolan Ninetales and Mega Diancie. Defog can be utilized over Flash Cannon as a means of entry hazard removal, which also grants teammates such as Mega Altaria and Latios the flexibility to run other sets. Fire Blast can also be used as a means of checking Ice- and Steel-types such as Alolan Sandslash and Ferrothorn. Set Details Maximum Special Attack investment allows Hydreigon to hit as hard as possible. Maximum Speed investment, a Timid nature, and a Choice Scarf enable Hydreigon to become a revenge killer, as its boosted Speed stat can let it offensively check incredibly fast foes such as Mega Lopunny. The remaining EVs are placed into Special Defense to prevent Download users such as Porygon-Z from receiving a Special Attack boost. Levitate allows Hydreigon to avoid all entry hazards outside of Stealth Rock as well as Ground-type moves. Usage Tips This set is meant to act as a revenge killer, as the Speed attained through a Choice Scarf allows it to threaten to KO fast Pokemon while also being able to pick off weakened foes. Hydreigon can also act as a late-game sweeper thanks to its natural special power and great coverage moves. Against Fairy teams, try luring Mega Diancie and KOing it with Flash Cannon. If Fairy teams lose Mega Diancie, it's more likely that Calm Mind Mega Latias can set up and sweep them. Hydreigon also provides momentum for Dragon teams through U-turn. This puts Dragon teams in favorable positions to win and should also be used in situations where the foe may switch out into a defensive countermeasure. Avoid being paralyzed, as a halved Speed stat will prevent Hydreigon from acting efficiently as a revenge killer. Watch out for Protect users, such as Mega Sableye and Toxapex, as these foes can scout for Hydreigon's moves and take an appropriate countermeasure. Draco Meteor sharply lowers Hydreigon's Special Attack stat, making it vulnerable to setup sweepers such as Mega Gallade and Volcarona, so be cautious of locking into it. It's also possible to lead with Hydreigon, as it can pivot out of any unfavorable matchups to teammates better suited for handling them while also providing some early momentum. Team Options Latios helps to check Fighting-types such as Keldeo and Terrakion for Hydreigon. In return, Hydreigon can check bulkier Psychic-types such as Jirachi and Slowbro. Because Hydreigon provides another countermeasure against faster foes, Latios can run alternativesets such as Choice Specs. Mega Altaria helps against specially defensive Dark-types such as Mega Sableye and Tyranitar by threatening to set up and KO them with its Pixilate-boosted STAB moves, as well as against opposing Dragon teams thanks to its immunity to Dragon-type moves. Kyurem-B utilizes its unrivaled mixed BoltBeam coverage in order to break many defensive Pokemon such as Mantine and Mega Venusaur for Hydreigon. Mega Latias can check Fighting-types such as Breloom and Infernape. Additionally, Calm Mind sets are critical against Fairy teams as they can set up and sweep against most of them bar Mega Diancie and Mimikyu. Kommo-o utilizes Clangorous Soulblaze to act as a late-game cleaner and is especially helpful versus defensive cores such as the Normal-type core of Chansey and Porygon2. Hydreigon can offensively come in on Psychic-types such as Latios and Mew for Kommo-o. Choice Band Dragonite is a powerful tool for breaking down many specially defensive foes for Hydreigon, such as Araquanid, Chansey, and Mantine. Additionally, its access to Extreme Speed also enables it to threaten to revenge kill faster foes and priority users such as Mega Lopunny and Mamoswine for Hydreigon. Garchomp is the only viable user of Stealth Rock available to Dragon teams, and the chip damage helps put foes such as Mega Aerodactyl in range of a KO from Hydreigon's attacks.

In tandem with Darkinium Z, Dark Pulse becomes a powerful STAB-boosted Black Hole Eclipse, capable of severely damaging even specially bulky Pokemon, such as Hippowdon, Porygon2, and Assault Vest Mamoswine, putting them all into range for Draco Meteor. Draco Meteor is Hydreigon's most powerful STAB move, dealing heavy damage to most neutral targets. As Hydreigon's most powerful STAB move is resisted by Steel-types, Fire Blast offers a powerful option to deal with them. Flamethrower trades power for consistency, hitting the same targets as Fire Blast. Earth Power is Hydreigon's best option to hit opposing Heatran as well as Tapu Koko if it tries to switch in. U-turn allows Hydreigon to pivot out against unfavorable match-ups without forfeiting momentum. Taunt allows Hydreigon to deal with defensive teams more effectively, denying opportunities to heal, set hazards, or spread status. Alternatively, Flash Cannon can be run for a reliable method of hitting Fairy-types, even if its damage is rather mediocre in most match-ups and without a boost. Roost allows Hydreigon to recover half of its health, allowing it to work more reliably during early-game thanks to reliable recovery. It is most effective alongside Taunt. Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment improves Hydreigon's offensive capabilities, dealing as much damage as possible while being as fast as possible. A Timid nature prevents Hydreigon from being outsped by Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Mimikyu. Darkinium Z lets Hydreigon act as a wallbreaker early- to mid-game, as Black Hole Vortex deals decent damage against opposing teams. If carrying Taunt, Hydreigon can act as a counter-lead against defensive or stall teams. If carrying Roost, it allows Hydreigon to act more efficiently late-game as a potential sweeper. Hydreigon needs Steel- and Poison-types to deal with Fairy-types, as Hydreigon has no consistent options against them and is 4x weak to them. Sweepers appreciate Hydreigon's ability to wallbreak with Black Hole Eclipse, as they can then cleanly KO weakened opposing Pokemon.

Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's most reliable STAB move as there are no Pokemon immune to it and it deals with common Ghost-type and Psychic-types. Draco Meteor is incredibly difficult for many Pokemon to switch into, dealing heavy damage against any non-Steel- or Fairy-type Pokemon. Fire Blast deals with Steel-types that resist Hydreigon's Dragon-type STAB, such as Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Mega Scizor. Flamethrower is much more reliable than Fire Blast, although the drop in damage is highly noticeable. U-turn allows Hydreigon to pivot out against Pokemon it struggles against or greatly threaten it. Earth Power gives Hydreigon the ability to threaten Heatran and Tapu Koko. Maximum Special Attack takes advantage of Hydreigon's excellent Special Attack and movepool, while full Speed investment makes it as fast as possible. Choice Scarf improves Hydreigon's matchups against Pokemon that are generally faster than it, including ridiculously fast Pokemon such as Pheromosa with a positive nature. A Modest nature allows Hydreigon to hit as hard as possible. Timid is an option, however, to outspeed Timid Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, which can easily OHKO Hydreigon with its Fairy-type STAB moves. Choice Scarf Hydreigon is best used as a revenge killer and a cleaner, utilizing its great Special Attack to blow through weakened teams. Be aware of when it is safe to use Draco Meteor, as a Fairy-type may switch in and force Hydreigon out. Even if this is not the circumstance, its stat drops prevent Hydreigon from doing much after its use. Hydreigon despises Fairy-types, so Poison- and Steel-types that can take advantage of them make excellent partners. Stealth Rock support weakens incoming Pokemon, helping Hydreigon clean up and safely revenge kill.

Hydreigon is an excellent user of Choice Specs thanks to its great Special Attack and good movepool. Dark Pulse is a reliable STAB move that lets Hydreigon deal with Ghost- and Psychic-types. Draco Meteor in combination with Choice Specs hits hard, dealing significant damage against most neutral targets. Fire Blast deals with Steel-types such as Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Celesteela. Flamethrower can be run if its higher accuracy is desired, but the loss in power is rather noticeable. U-turn lets Hydreigon switch into a teammate while maintaining momentum. Earth Power OHKOes Heatran, non-Sturdy Assault Vest Magnezone, and Blaziken and Mega Lucario on the switch in while almost always OHKOing Raikou and 2HKOing Tyranitar However, Flying-types, Pokemon with Levitate, and Pokemon that resist Ground can all take advantage of Hydreigon if it locks itself into it. Flash Cannon reliably damages Fairy-types that may try to switch in. 252 Special Attack EV's maximize Hydreigon's offensive capabilities and 252 Speed EV's allows it to outspeed as much as possible. A Timid nature is recommended to outspeed Pokemon with similar Speed, such as Mimikyu. Choice Specs boosts the power of Hydreigon's special moves, allowing it to act as a wallbreaker. Hydreigon deals best against bulkier teams, as it can use the absurd power of its STAB moves to break through most defensive cores. Fairy-types severely threaten Hydreigon, so it appreciates Steel- and Poison-type partners that can deal with them. Sweepers appreciate Hydreigon's ability to break through defensive teams, giving them the opportunity to clean up. Stealth Rock support, while not mandatory, helps Hydreigon more easily break opposing teams while breaking Focus Sash and Sturdy.

Moves Draco Meteor hits most Pokemon incredibly hard and not many foes resist it, making it a great opening move for this set. Dark Pulse allows Hydreigon to hit Steel-type Pokemon that resist Draco Meteor, especially Bronzong, for good damage and also has decent super effective coverage. Superpower allows Hydreigon to threaten Blissey, Empoleon, Snorlax, and Umbreon with a potential KO after hitting them with Draco Meteor. Fire Blast hits Steel-type Pokemon for super effective damage, making it useful on sets without Dark Pulse, and also allows Hydreigon to hit bulky Grass-type Pokemon for massive damage without relying on Draco Meteor. Roost gives Hydreigon more longevity and helps it deal with Life Orb recoil. Iron Tail allows Hydreigon to 2HKO Florges and other less common Fairy-type Pokemon, which would easily wall this set. Flash Cannon can be used because it has 100% accuracy and hits Fairy-types not called Florges harder than Iron Tail; however, it won't 2HKO Florges without some prior damage. Set Details The listed EVs maximize Hydreigon's Special Attack and Speed. A Hasty nature is needed to outspeed Pokemon such as Haxorus, Lucario, and Roserade and to not Speed tie with base 85 Speed Pokemon running a positive nature. 4 Attack EVs make Superpower and Iron Tail slightly stronger. If no physical move is being used, Timid is the preferred nature, and the 4 remaining EVs should be put in Special Defense to prevent Download users from getting a Special Attack boost. Life Orb is the only item this set should run; otherwise it struggles to 2HKO some walls. Usage Tips More often than not, starting with Draco Meteor is the best option. Exceptions are if there's a Fairy-type Pokemon or a bulky Steel-type Pokemon in the opponent's team; in those cases, prediction could be used to 2HKO them if they switch in. This set should be used early- or mid-game to weaken the opposing team and allow a different Pokemon to do the sweeping. Hydreigon isn't frail, but it isn't particularly bulky either. Don't play Hydreigon recklessly, and try to avoid taking any unnecessary hits, as otherwise it can be worn down fairly quickly. Team Options Entry hazard support is extremely important, as it helps Hydreigon get some important 2HKOs against some walls, such as Blissey and Umbreon, and helps it wear down the opponent's team. Pokemon such as Mega Aggron, Empoleon, and Roserade can set up entry hazards, and they can deal with Fairy-type Pokemon that might give Hydreigon problems. Pokemon that can deal with fast revenge killers or priority users, such as Crobat and Mega Aggron, help Hydreigon stay alive longer. Sweepers that can take advantage of Hydreigon's wallbreaking capabilities, such as Mega Sceptile and Kingdra, are good partners.

Moves Draco Meteor is strong enough to OHKO most offensive threats that don't resist it, especially if Stealth Rock is on the opponent's side of the field, making it great for revenge killing. Dark Pulse is a secondary STAB attack, that allows Hydreigon to revenge kill or clean up late-game without Special Attack drops. Fire Blast hits Steel- and Grass-type Pokemon for good damage and is Hydreigon's best option against Pokemon such as Lucario and Whimsicott. Dragon Pulse can be used as another consistent STAB attack; however, it doesn't give Hydreigon any useful coverage. U-turn is a good way of gaining momentum and does chip damage to potential switch-ins. Set Details The given EVs maximize Hydreigon's Special Attack and Speed. 4 EVs in Special Defense prevent it from giving a Special Attack boost to Download users. A Timid nature with a Choice Scarf is needed to be able to outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in the tier, as well as Choice Scarf users such as Darmanitan and Krookodile. Usage Tips This set only really works as a revenge killer and late-game cleaner, as it lacks the power to fulfill any other role. Hydreigon's U-turn might be weak, but it is still a great spammable move because it steals momentum from the opponent if they decide to switch out. Team Options Hydreigon appreciates entry hazard support, especially Stealth Rock, because it needs it to be able to OHKO Pokemon such as Mega Aerodactyl. This set is really vulnerable to Fairy-types, making Pokemon such as Mega Aggron and Empoleon great partners, thanks to their ability to effortlessly switch into Fairy-type Pokemon and set up Stealth Rock. Strong physical attackers, such as Heracross and Infernape, can be used to take advantage of special walls trying to beat Hydreigon.

Moves Draco Meteor, when boosted by Choice Specs, is one of the scariest special attacks in the tier, outdamaging others like Choice Specs Sylveon's Hyper Voice and Adaptability Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Tri-Attack. Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's most spammable move, as it has great neutral coverage and hits most of the tier for excellent damage. Flash Cannon hits Fairy-type switch-ins, OHKOing Whimsicott and 2HKOing Florges and Sylveon if entry hazards are down. Focus Blast allows Hydreigon to break through many common special walls in the tier, including Umbreon, Snorlax, and Porygon2. U-turn is an option over Focus Blast that allows Hydreigon to bluff a Choice Scarf set and maintain momentum early-game. Flamethrower is an option over Focus Blast as well, as it allows Hydreigon to OHKO Pokemon that resist its STAB moves such as Cobalion and Lucario without relying on the unreliable Focus Blast, but Hydreigon will miss the coverage against the aforementioned Special walls. Set Details Maximum Special Attack investment ensures Hydreigon hits as hard as possible, while maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Hydreigon to outpace key threats such as Entei, Krookodile, and Kyurem. Choice Specs is the item of choice for this set, providing maximum power to Hydreigon's attacks and even allowing it to beat most special walls. Usage Tips Choice Specs Hydreigon trades the ability to switch moves or heal itself for the power and consistency of its potent STAB attacks as well as the ability to surprise and break through Fairy-type Pokemon without relying on Iron Tail's shaky accuracy. This set is particularly proficient at breaking down walls in the early-game, allowing another sweeper to come in and clean house late-game. Against teams that lack a Fairy-type Pokemon, there are very few drawbacks to using Draco Meteor early-game, as the power of a Choice Specs-boosted Draco Meteor will even punch through moderately bulky switch-ins such as Cobalion. Dark Pulse is an easy move to spam mid-game, hitting most of the tier for good damage and even hitting hard enough to break down softer checks to Hydreigon such as Empoleon and Whimsicott without requiring prediction. Try to bring Hydreigon in on weak resisted moves or those that it is immune to; though the lack of Life Orb recoil aids its longevity overall, it lacks Roost to recover from strong attacks. This means that it cannot reliably check Pokemon such as Krookodile or Entei, so be sure to play around them carefully. Team Options Choice Specs Hydreigon fits best on bulkier offensive teams that most benefit from its ability to punch through walls. Pokemon such as Conkeldurr, Choice Scarf Mienshao, and Heracross all particularly appreciate Hydreigon's ability to lure and weaken Fairy-type Pokemon with Flash Cannon. Hydreigon always appreciates entry hazard support, as that allows it to secure several key OHKOs and 2HKOs it would otherwise miss, such as the guaranteed 2HKO on Blissey with Focus Blast or Calm Florges with Flash Cannon. Forretress is a particularly good partner, as it can set up Spikes against defensive Fairy-type Pokemon to ensure their KOs later in the game. As Choice Specs Hydreigon lacks longevity, it also appreciates VoltTurn support to get it in safely. The aforementioned Forretress helps here, as does Choice Scarf Infernape, which can also clean up late-game after Hydreigon softens up the opposing team's bulky Water-, Psychic-, and Fairy-type Pokemon. Mega Beedrill is another great fit, as Hydreigon threatens many of the bulky Steel-type Pokemon that would otherwise switch into Mega Beedrill's U-turn.

Moves Taunt allows Hydreigon to shut down most specially defensive Pokemon that try to counter it, such as Umbreon, Blissey, and Vaporeon. It also allows Hydreigon to act as a stallbreaker and stop some entry hazard setters, such as Tentacruel and Swampert. Roost helps Hydreigon stay healthy, which means the aforementioned walls are not able to wear it down after being Taunted. Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's main attack move because it has great neutral coverage and a 20% flinch chance, which makes it extremely spammable. Dragon Pulse is slightly stronger than Dark Pulse, which is helpful for wearing down most Pokemon. Fire Blast OHKOes Whimsicott, which is otherwise a big problem for this set, and also allows Hydreigon to OHKO Chesnaught and Forretress. Draco Meteor can be used to do huge immediate damage, because Dark Pulse already provides a consistent STAB attack without drawbacks. Set Details The given EV spread maximizes Hydreigon's Special Attack and Speed, while 4 EVs in Special Defense prevent Download users from getting a Special Attack boost. A Timid nature is needed to be able to outspeed Pokemon such as Haxorus, Krookodile, and Roserade. Life Orb helps Hydreigon wear down walls significantly faster, as well as making it a much bigger offensive threat in general. However, Leftovers is an option because it makes Hydreigon much harder to wear down, which helps it deal with Scald users, such as Suicune and Vaporeon. Usage Tips This set is pretty straightforward. Attack the opponent's team until you need to use Taunt to shut down a wall. Counting Taunt turns is a must, because if Hydreigon is at low health the turn its effect ends, the foe might be able to cripple Hydreigon or heal if you decide to Roost, and if you don't, Hydreigon might faint. Team Options Entry hazard support is extremely important for this set, because it forces a huge amount of switches and helps Hydreigon wear down the opponent's team. Toxic Spikes deserve a special mention because they make Hydreigon's job significantly easier. Pokemon such as Mega Aggron and Roserade are great partners, because they can deal with Fairy-type Pokemon and set up entry hazards. Special sweepers, such as Celebi and Mega Sceptile, appreciate Hydreigon's ability to wear down walls that give them trouble.

Moves Equipping a Choice Scarf allows Hydreigon to bypass the ill effects of its base 98 Speed tier, allowing it to outspeed threats it otherwise wouldn't be able to. Draco Meteor is Hydreigon's strongest STAB move, and even without a boosting item it hits exceptionally hard off a base 125 Special Attack stat. Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's secondary, reliable STAB attack and can be used where Draco Meteor would be unnecessary. Fire Blast is Hydreigon's main way of getting through Steel-types such as Mega Mawile. Flamethrower can be used over Fire Blast, but without a boosting item, it will not do significant damage to its intended targets. Finally, Dragon Pulse can be used along with Dark Pulse, which makes Hydreigon better at cleaning up weakened teams. However, if Dragon Pulse is not needed to clean up teams, then U-turn can be used to switch out of bad situations while chipping away at the opposing Pokemon's health. Set Details The EV spread with a Modest nature emphasizes power instead of Speed, because thanks to the Choice Scarf, Hydreigon will not be outspeeding much with a Speed-boosting nature that it couldn't without. If you are worried about Speed tying with opposing Choice Scarf Hydreigon, a Timid nature is a perfectly reasonable choice instead. Usage Tips Hydreigon needs to be played carefully around Fairy-types, as it could possibly be locked into a Dragon-type move on a Fairy-type. Hydreigon should ideally be used as a pseudo-revenge killer to pick off weakened foes. If the situation is unfavorable, Hydreigon should either switch or U-turn out into an appropriate counter to deal with the threat. Also, you should make use of Hydreigon's immunity to Ground-type attacks to safely switch into predicted Earthquakes. Finally, before using Choice Scarf Hydreigon aggressively, you should pick off faster Choice Scarf users that can knock out Hydreigon before it can move. Team Options As Fairy-types are especially problematic, a Steel- or Poison-type partner should be used in order to deal with them. Bisharp is especially helpful as it can easily deal with the majority of Fairy-types in the metagame while also providing Knock Off support to remove Choice Scarf from faster opposing Pokemon. With the Speed increase granted by Choice Scarf, Hydreigon can function as a scout with U-turn. Because of this, Intimidate users such as Mawile are quite handy in order to weaken physical attackers. Gardevoir can aid Hydreigon by picking off faster Choice Scarf Dragon-types such as the common Choice Scarf Salamence.

Moves This set uses Hydreigon's strengths to their fullest, particularly its unparalleled attacking power. Draco Meteor is Hydreigon's main STAB move and does a hefty amount of damage to the majority of the metagame. Alternatively, Dragon Pulse can be used over Draco Meteor if the Special Attack drop is unappealing, though the decrease in power is noticeable. Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's second STAB attack, giving it good coverage against the majority of the tier; between its two STAB moves, Hydreigon only hits Fairy-types and select Pokemon like Bisharp for anything less than neutral damage. Dark Pulse also allows Hydreigon to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Chandelure and Aegislash, which are OHKOed and 2HKOed, respectively, for super effective damage. Fire Blast hits Steel-types for super effective damage and is Hydreigon's best way of getting past them, as while Flamethrower is a more accurate option, it has less power and will not net an OHKO on Ferrothorn or Mega Mawile without a Modest nature. Protect is a useful utility move that allows Hydreigon to avoid getting double attacked. Set Details Full investment in Speed and a Timid nature makes Hydreigon as fast as possible, hopefully negating the impact of its awkward Speed tier, while Special Attack is also maximized for obvious reasons. If you are not concerned about Speed, Hydreigon can run a Modest nature instead to increase the power of its attacks even further. Life Orb is recommended in order to give Hydreigon an extra power boost, but if you're worried about Hydreigon going down too quickly, Focus Sash is another option. Usage Tips Even though Hydreigon's power is unrivaled, it still needs to play conservatively to overcome its weaknesses to Fighting-, Bug-, and Fairy-types, especially as Fairy-types can switch in for free on its Dragon-type attacks. If Fairy-types aren't on the field, then Hydreigon can be played more aggressively to try and obtain early OHKOs. Team Options Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Aegislash in particular are tremendously helpful in dealing with Fairy-types. The former is able to stall out threats such as Mawile with the combination of Leech Seed and Protect, and the latter is immune or resistant to all of Hydreigon's weaknesses. However, Aegislash must be careful in order to play around Mawile's Sucker Punch. Amoonguss pairs well with Hydreigon, thanks to its access to Rage Powder, to redirect moves aimed at Hydreigon towards itself, and Spore, to temporarily incapacitate the opponent's Pokemon. This means that it can provide Hydreigon with the free turns it needs in which to deal heavy damage. Any Rotom forme, especially Rotom-H, can provide Thunder Wave support to help Hydreigon overcome its awkward Speed tier; it can also provide dual screens support to help Hydreigon take hits more easily. With its access to Levitate, Hydreigon is a good partner with a Pokemon that spams Ground-type moves.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Moves Hydreigon has spectacular resistances to a vast amount of the metagame but is normally vulnerable to chip damage if it's played defensively. Roost alleviates this problem, allowing Hydreigon to act as a pivot, repeatedly switching in on Fire-types, Grass-types, and more to soak up hits and fire back with its extremely powerful STAB-boosted attacks. Draco Meteor OHKOes even moderately bulky Pokemon such as Landorus-T. Dark Pulse provides coverage on Steel-types, especially Aegislash, and reliability; because it doesn't force Hydreigon to switch out, it is easy to spam. Another option would be to use Dragon Pulse and Earth Power as Hydreigon's attacks for better coverage on Pokemon such as Bisharp, Diancie, and Azumarill, but then Hydreigon loses its fearsome power. Protect is a staple on any Pokemon that can afford it, thanks to its many applications. Set Details The given Special Attack EVs guarantee an OHKO on 44 HP Landorus-T with Draco Meteor, an OHKO on 16 HP Mega Metagross with Dark Pulse, and a 2HKO on 252 HP / 4 SpD Cresselia if it uses Calm Mind between hits. The Speed EVs are enough to outrun Jolly Breloom and the rest of the EVs are invested in bulk. The HP hits a Life Orb number. Hydreigon needs Life Orb to get almost all of its OHKOs. Usage Tips This set is used as a pivot: it can come in on a variety of bulky attackers such as Heatran and Aegislash, throw out Dark Pulses or Draco Meteors until it's forced out, and repeat. Roost should be used when Hydreigon is facing Pokemon that cannot outdamage its recovery and either are likely to Protect or are less threatening to your team than Hydreigon is to theirs. If you can avoid revealing Roost until the optimal moment, you can often get it for free and even mess up your opponent's game plan. Team Options Roost Hydreigon is an excellent pick for teams that want to be able to repeatedly handle special Fire-types, such as Heatran and Charizard, without opening up a weakness to rain. Like Kyurem-B, Roost Hydreigon is excellent at dismantling bulky Fire / Water / Grass cores; while Kyurem-B is better against rain, Hydreigon has a better matchup with sun and Aegislash. Hydreigon has a very bad matchup against Terrakion, Keldeo, and Fairy-types and is setup fodder for Azumarill, so it's important to have partners that can patch up these weaknesses. Some good options are Aegislash and Grass-types, particularly Mega Venusaur and Amoonguss. Those three really appreciate Hydreigon's ability to remove Jirachi as well.

Moves Draco Meteor is an extremely powerful attack that can hugely dent, if not outright KO, opposing Pokemon. This move should not be used randomly, though, as Hydreigon will almost certainly have to switch out after this move has been used due to the Special Attack drop. Dark Pulse is a weaker secondary STAB move that hits common Trick Room setters such as Cresselia and Slowbro for super effective damage. Unlike Draco Meteor, Dark Pulse has no drawbacks, so it can be used repeatedly, allowing Hydreigon to stay in for longer. Fire Blast has good coverage with Dragon-type attacks, hitting bulky Grass-types such as Ferrothorn, Amoonguss, and Mega Venusaur. Earth Power is another option for the third slot. Although it has slightly less Base Power, it hits Steel-types for super effective damage, nails Diancie on the switch, and deals more damage on average due to higher Base Power and better general coverage than Flash Cannon. If your team can cover the Pokemon that Fire Blast and Earth Power are supposed to hit, Tailwind is also an option for the third slot. With Hydreigon's passable defenses, it can tank a hit and set up Tailwind, providing speed control that gives your team momentum. Protect is good for wasting your opponent's turn and for playing mind games, allowing Hydreigon's partner to strike hard and possibly net a KO while Hydreigon protects itself from the attacks of the opposing Pokemon. Set Details 252 Special Attack and Speed EVs allow Hydreigon to hit hard and fast, while the remaining 4 EVs are thrown into Special Defense. Modest is usually the better nature because it allows Hydreigon to hit as hard as possible. A Timid nature can be used to Speed tie with opposing Hydreigon and allows Hydreigon to outspeed anything below base 97 Speed. A Timid nature also allows Hydreigon to outspeed Adamant Mega Kangaskhan and other neutral-natured base 100 Speed Pokemon, though Hydreigon can only 2HKO Mega Kangaskhan, not to mention that Mega Kangaskhan will have a partner helping her. Life Orb allows Hydreigon to hit as hard as possible while still being able to change moves without switching out. Usage Tips Hydreigon can be used early-game to KO a threat to your team with Draco Meteor, and later on it can be used to pick off opposing Pokemon with Dark Pulse and other coverage moves. If Draco Meteor deals more than 66% to the foe, use it again to net a KO rather than immediately switching out. Hydreigon performs well against bulky offense teams because of its decent bulk and high power. Common Pokemon on said teams, such as Heatran and Ferrothorn, struggle to deal any meaningful damage to Hydreigon, while Hydreigon can OHKO Heatran with Earth Power and deal heavy damage to Ferrothorn with Fire Blast. Hydreigon also has a good matchup against Trick Room teams because few setters like to take hits from it. Dark Pulse hits the majority of Trick Room setters, such as Cresselia, Slowbro, and Chandelure, for super effective damage, and those that aren't hit super effectively are usually 2HKOed by Earth Power. Despite Hydreigon's good defensive typing and bulk, try to only switch it in on weaker resisted hits such as Thunderbolt from Rotom-W or Thundurus. Team Options Aegislash is a great partner for Hydreigon due to their near-perfect offensive and defensive synergy. Aegislash can deal with Mega Gardevoir, Sylveon, and Mega Diancie with Flash Cannon, use Wide Guard to stop common spread moves such as Rock Slide and Hyper Voice, and easily switch into powerful Fighting- and Dragon-type moves such as Keldeo's Secret Sword and opposing Draco Meteor. Aegislash also beats Mega Metagross one-on-one, which is important because Hydreigon loses to Mega Metagross if it carries Hammer Arm. Offensive Steel-types such as Mega Metagross, Heatran, and the previously mentioned Aegislash are good partners because they can deal with pesky Fairies that would otherwise demolish Hydreigon, and Hydreigon can easily switch in on many of their weaknesses in return. Bulky Steel-types such as Ferrothorn can take many hits that Hydreigon would not want to take. Just watch out for Fighting-type moves, which hit both Hydreigon and bulky Steel-types for super effective damage. Mega Gardevoir and Sylveon can switch in on and demolish the Fighting-types that give Hydreigon trouble, and Hydreigon can weaken or KO most of their checks with Draco Meteor, Dark Pulse, and Earth Power in return. Mega Gardevoir can use Ally Switch as a form of redirection because it can eat up Draco Meteor and Close Combat, while Hydreigon can tank Shadow Ball and Steel-type moves for Mega Gardevoir with relative ease. Redirectors such as Jirachi, Togekiss, and Amoonguss help Hydreigon switch in for free so that it may use Draco Meteor. Landorus-T can beat Mega Diancie, can safely use Earthquake next to Hydreigon because of Hydreigon's Levitate, and has Intimidate to weaken the foes' Attack, augmenting Hydreigon's physical bulk. Fake Out support from Pokemon such as Mega Kangaskhan can help Hydreigon net KOs that it would narrowly miss out on under normal circumstances. Fake Out support can also help Hydreigon set up Tailwind if you opt to run it. With Thunder Wave and Icy Wind, Thundurus and Cresselia help out with Hydreigon's Speed. Cresselia is an especially good partner due to her good type synergy with Hydreigon and her ability to set up Trick Room for semi-Trick Room teams, which Hydreigon shines on.

Moves Draco Meteor will generally OHKO anything that isn't resistant, immune, or packing lots of special bulk. Dark Pulse is a reliable STAB coverage option that hits important targets such as Cresselia and Aegislash for super effective damage. Flamethrower and Earth Power are both for Steel-types. Both options can OHKO Bisharp and Mega Mawile not running significant Special Defense investment. Flamethrower allows Hydreigon to hit Ferrothorn and Scizor and is also the safer move to be locked into. Earth Power lets Hydreigon hit Heatran instead. Dragon Pulse gives Hydreigon a slightly stronger alternative STAB attack for late in the game, when you want to use its Dragon STAB but don't want the Special Attack drop. Set Details Choice Specs gives Hydreigon ridiculous power, while Choice Scarf lets Hydreigon surprise and OHKO something with Draco Meteor. The EVs are pretty straightforward; maximum Special Attack and Speed investment allow Hydreigon to lay down the hurt as quick and hard as possible. If you want to lower Hydreigon's Speed to invest more in bulk, 204 Speed will keep it faster than fully-invested Adamant Landorus-T. Jolly Garchomp can then outspeed Hydreigon and hit it with Dragon Claw, but it only has a 37.5% chance to OHKO. If you want to survive it every time, the smallest investment you can make is 28 HP / 36 Def. For better overall bulk at the cost of more EVs, 76 HP / 4 Def will also work. Usage Tips The ideal way to play Hydreigon is to come in early game, hit something with Draco Meteor, run away, then come back later in the game to do it again or use other attacks that won't lower Hydreigon's stats. Hydreigon causes a lot of switching with the threat of its Draco Meteor. As such, if something is especially vulnerable to the attack and you noticed a Fairy- or Steel-type on your opponent's team in Team Preview, there's a good chance your opponent will switch out the vulnerable target to something to sponge it. In this scenario, you should contemplate using Draco Meteor on the less valuable target to maim them instead. Team Options You're going to need Pokemon that resist Fairy- and Dragon-type attacks when using Hydreigon. Most Steel-types, such as Metagross and Mawile, pair really well with it. A large recommendation goes to Aegislash. If they're both on the field, Aegislash can use Wide Guard to keep Hydreigon safe from Hyper Voice. They each generally take on what the other hates pretty well. Lastly, between the two of them, Hydreigon and Aegislash resist or are immune to every type in the game. Pokemon that can bust through Steel- and Fairy-types are also good partners for Hydreigon. Landorus-T and Garchomp are both fine choices, though watch out for Blizzard. Fake Out support is useful as well to narrow down what can attack Hydreigon for the turn. Mega Kangaskhan and Hitmontop go especially well with it. Redirecting Dragon- and Fighting-type attacks is also useful for Hydreigon. Togekiss and Amoonguss in particular make for great partners.

Moves This set trades the drawbacks of being locked into one attack for less power and durability. Draco Meteor still hits very hard with a Life Orb and is your go to attack. Dark Pulse gives you a reliable STAB attack. Fire Blast is used for coverage against Steel-types and is used here over Flamethrower and Earth Power because of the drop in power from the Choice set. Protect allows Hydreigon to shield itself for a turn to avoid double targeting and what normally threatens it. Set Details Life Orb is your most powerful item choice if you wish for Hydreigon to hit hard with Draco Meteor while keeping Protect and the ability to switch moves. Modest is chosen for as much power as Hydreigon can muster; Hydreigon's power drops severely as you begin to take investment out of Special Attack. Due to the Life Orb, investing defensive EVs to survive certain hits isn't particularly useful, as Hydreigon will still be knocked out from Life Orb recoil. Usage Tips Hydreigon is a very simple Pokemon to use. Come in, use Draco Meteor on a Pokemon vulnerable to it, then switch out to restore Hydreigon's Special Attack. Be aware of what Steel- and Fairy-types your opponent is carrying and avoid using Draco Meteor on an obvious switch. Team Options Hydreigon likes the presence of Steel-types such as Aegislash, Metagross, and Mawile to switch into Dragon- and Fairy-type attacks aimed at Hydreigon. Steel-type killers such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Arcanine are also great partners for Hydreigon, making sure it can fire off Draco Meteors uninhibited. Fake Out and redirectional support are recommended for this Hydreigon set; Kangaskhan, Amoonguss, and Togekiss are good choices.

Moves Life Orb Hydreigon trades the speed and power of Choice sets for the ability to wallbreak with the freedom to change moves. Draco Meteor and Dark Pulse are the primary STAB moves, and the ability to switch between moves makes it easier to choose a move. Hydreigon isn't punished as harshly for choosing the wrong STAB move, so it's much more difficult to play around it through effective switching, though Dark Pulse will still generally be the safer option due to the lack of drops. As for coverage moves, Earth Power is great on the Life Orb set because the ability to switch moves eliminates the risk of being forced out against Flying-types and Pokemon with Levitate. Fire-type moves are strong choices for hitting Ferrothorn and Scizor, and the risk of Heatran coming in isn't as problematic due to the ability to freely choose Earth Power on the next turn. Focus Blast hits Porygon2 and Tyranitar, although it has few other targets and has a significant risk of missing. Alternatively, Roost can be used to increase Hydreigon's longevity amidst Life Orb recoil and any other damage that might add up. However, this set thrives on its ability to choose coverage moves more freely, so the reduced coverage that comes with running Roost is not without drawbacks. Set Details Life Orb grants Hydreigon a nice power boost and the ability to switch moves freely at the cost of recoil. Hydreigon wants to maximize its wallbreaking ability, so maximum Special Attack and Speed investment allows it to hit as fast and hard as possible. The leftover EVs are placed in Special Defense to prevent Porygon2 from getting a Special Attack boost with Download. A Modest nature is preferred over Timid, as this set is more likely to be worn down due to recoil and is not likely to last long enough to pull off a sweep even with the Speed boost from a Timid nature. Usage Tips This set functions as a wallbreaker. The draw to this set is the ability to switch moves, as oftentimes an opponent will try to take advantage of the Choice lock to beat Hydreigon. Draco Meteor hits insanely hard, but you must be careful when using it early because the Special Attack drop will quickly force Hydreigon out, which ruins the staying power that Life Orb provides over Choice Specs. Clicking coverage moves doesn't sacrifice as much momentum, so less prediction is required when clicking Earth Power. This also applies to the other coverage moves, so the risk of locking Hydreigon into a move and giving a foe a free setup opportunity is not as crippling. Roost can keep Hydreigon healthy and should be used to punish forced switches or against something that can't hurt Hydreigon much. It also prevents the opponent from stalling until Life Orb recoil brings Hydreigon down. Team Options Paralysis support is incredibly helpful for letting Hydreigon break through teams, so Serperior, Cresselia, and Rotom-W make for strong partners. This set is more crippled by status itself and hates the residual damage from burns, so Lunar Dance Cresselia is an especially effective partner here. Cresselia also beats Blaziken, which otherwise has an easy time beating Hydreigon. Aegislash has perfect type synergy with Hydreigon, can deal with Fairy-types, and forms a less restricted wallbreaking core between the two that's more difficult to play around without a Choice-locked Hydreigon. Mega Metagross functions similarly alongside Hydreigon, trading Aegislash's superior defensive typing for the ability to threaten faster Pokemon. Blaziken also appreciates Hydreigon's ability to break common defensive threats such as Slowbro, Cresselia, and Gliscor, while Blaziken threatens Chansey in return. Additionally, Hydreigon appreciates Stealth Rock to help it secure KOs. Garchomp in particular can wear down a threat with Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet while setting up Stealth Rock, while Ferrothorn can use Leech Seed to mitigate Life Orb recoil a bit if a foe does not switch out. Ferrothorn can also provide paralysis support and checks Fairy-types, so it makes for a particularly effective partner.

Moves Draco Meteor and Dark Pulse are the two main STAB moves, and with a Choice Scarf they'll be used to clean up threats. Earth Power provides great coverage for hitting Steel-types such as Heatran, Klefki, and Mawile while also letting Hydreigon hit Tyranitar harder. Fire Blast and Flamethrower cover the Steel-types that don't mind Earth Power such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory, but otherwise they cover most of the same threats as Earth Power. Running both Earth Power and a Fire-type move is viable as well. Dragon Pulse lets Hydreigon clean up a weakened team late-game without having to worry about Draco Meteor's stat drops, at the cost of reduced type coverage. Despite the redundancy with Draco Meteor, it's a useful option to have due to the fantastic neutral coverage when Fighting-types and Dark-types are a danger late-game. Focus Blast is an option almost exclusively for Porygon2 and Tyranitar and is pretty weak on a Choice Scarf set, but Hydreigon has a difficult time breaking through either of these two without it. Set Details The EVs maximize Speed and Special Attack to take full advantage of the Choice Scarf boost. The Choice Scarf set has a significantly lower damage output than Hydreigon's other sets, so a Modest nature is used to avoid sacrificing too much power. However, Timid is equally viable to capitalize on its role as a revenge killer, managing to outspeed Jolly Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Adamant Mega Charizard X at +1. The final 4 EVs are placed in Special Defense to stop Download Porygon2 from getting a Special Attack boost. Usage Tips As Choice Scarf Hydreigon is a revenge killer, avoid leading with it and attempt to bring it in primarily after a partner has been KOed to revenge kill something. Hydreigon's Dark typing grants it a resistance to Sucker Punch, which makes it an effective check to Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Mawile, and Bisharp. Finding safe opportunities to switch in is important, as this Hydreigon's increased Speed tier allows it to threaten many faster and frailer threats, giving it the opportunity to dent something with Draco Meteor. However, don't use Draco Meteor too often early in the game because it can be a huge momentum killer, and because this Hydreigon is not a wallbreaker it lacks the power to OHKO many threats. Due to its lack of a power-boosting item, this set is also far less effective against bulkier teams with threats like Tyranitar and Chansey. However, bluffing a Choice Specs by bringing it in against a bulky threat can force a switch, as there are many threats that can't afford to stay in if Hydreigon's item has not been revealed, which can be just enough to take advantage of the game. Likewise, this set can surprise faster threats that expect a Choice Specs set, so try to keep your opponent guessing with Hydreigon's item whenever it's possible. Team Options Choice Scarf Hydreigon generally fits primarily on teams in need of a strong revenge killer, so teams are not often built around it. Aegislash stands out as the most prominent teammate, capable of handling the Fairy-types that give Hydreigon trouble. Aegislash also makes up for this set's lack of wallbreaking power and boasts perfect defensive synergy with Hydreigon. Blaziken and Mega Metagross have great type synergy with Hydreigon as well and appreciate its ability to threaten Slowbro and Rotom-A while functioning as a switch-in to Ground-type moves. Wallbreakers and sweepers that like having fast Pokemon like Mega Kangaskhan and Garchomp out of the way make for great partners, such as Belly Drum Azumarill and Mega Heracross. Checking Azumarill is especially important for this set, so Rotom-W, Zapdos, and Serperior are great partners for that. Pokemon that can take care of defensive teams, such as Mega Gengar and Mega Mawile, make up for Hydreigon's inability to break through them by itself.

Moves Draco Meteor is incredibly strong with a boost from Choice Specs, and it will often OHKO or 2HKO Pokemon that don't resist it. This will generally be used when you need to remove a threat as soon as possible, and it puts incredible pressure on teams that lack many sturdy switch-ins for a Dragon-type move. However, Draco Meteor can't be used recklessly due to the Special Attack drops, so Dark Pulse gives Hydreigon another powerful STAB move that doesn't lower Special Attack and can be used more easily due to the lack of Pokemon that resist Dark-type moves. Fire Blast complements Hydreigon's Dark / Dragon STAB combination and is used to hit Steel-types such as Mawile, Klefki, Ferrothorn, Scizor, and Skarmory, all of which threaten Hydreigon or force it out otherwise. However, the risk of missing Fire Blast can be critical in a fast-paced format, so Flamethrower is an acceptable option as well despite the power drop. Earth Power can be used to hit Heatran and Tyranitar harder, which Fire Blast can't do, and also has a chance to 2HKO Choice Band Azumarill in an emergency. However, it can leave you open to a Flying-type or Levitate switch-in, so it's not always safe to be locked into. Alternatively, Focus Blast can be used to break through Tyranitar more effectively than Earth Power can, although the accuracy can prove problematic. It also lets Hydreigon threaten Porygon2, but it has few other uses and is ineffective against Fairies. Set Details 252 Special Attack EVs maximize damage output, and 252 Speed EVs help make the most of Hydreigon's Speed tier. The final 4 EVs are put into Special Defense specifically so that a Porygon2 with Download will get an Attack boost instead of a Special Attack boost. Modest is generally the preferred nature because Hydreigon wants all the power it can get, but Timid is an option to get the jump on Adamant Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Charizard X. Choice Specs is also necessary to let Hydreigon punch holes into the opposing team effectively, as it allows Hydreigon to OHKO Rotom-A with Draco Meteor and Aegislash with Dark Pulse, even in Shield forme. Usage Tips This set is primarily a wallbreaker, so it excels against defensive teams and slower bulky offensive teams. Draco Meteor and Dark Pulse grant incredible neutral coverage that is only resisted by Fairy-types, so these two moves are the ones Hydreigon should be using most often. Draco Meteor OHKOes most Pokemon that don't resist it, so if your opponent lacks a Steel-type or Fairy-type, this is a fairly safe choice. Dark Pulse is the safest option otherwise and doesn't force Hydreigon to switch out as often, and it can be used very freely due to the lack of Dark-resistant Pokemon. All of Hydreigon's coverage moves should be used carefully, as they put Hydreigon at a much greater risk of being used as setup fodder. If there is significant risk of an opponent switching in something that can take advantage of Hydreigon being locked into Fire Blast, Earth Power, or Focus Blast, it may be a better idea to use Dark Pulse for a safe hit or simply switch Hydreigon out. Focus Blast in particular presents this risk, as there is very little reason to use it if the opponent lacks a Porygon2 or Tyranitar. Team Options Aegislash has perfect type synergy with Hydreigon and can deal with Fairies comfortably. They also form an effective wallbreaking core that can be very difficult for slower teams to deal with. Much like Aegislash, Mega Metagross and Mega Mawile have fantastic type synergy with Hydreigon and appreciate its ability to threaten Heatran, Rotom-A, and Cresselia. Azumarill and Talonflame also like having defensive threats such as Rotom-A removed. Mega Venusaur is a good partner for Hydreigon, as it handles the Fairy-types that give Hydreigon trouble while appreciating its ability to threaten Psychic-types; it is also generally a sturdy switch-in that can ease the risks of Hydreigon locking itself into a bad move. Hydreigon's ability to break down sturdy walls makes it a great partner for Mega Kangaskhan as well, which can more easily overwhelm teams with threats like Slowbro and Sableye out of the way. Hydreigon itself appreciates paralysis support to help it outspeed faster threats, as many Pokemon rely on its awkward Speed tier to revenge kill it. Pokemon such as Serperior, Ferrothorn, Rotom-A, and Cresselia are great partners for this, with Serperior in particular being able to paralyze Ground-types such as Garchomp and Landorus-T with Glare.

Dragon Pulse gives Hydreigon a solid STAB attack that only a few Pokemon resist, all of which are hit for super effective damage by Hydreigon's Fire-type move of choice. If you aren't concerned about Hydreigon's capability to maintain a continued long-term offensive, Draco Meteor is also an option for a much more powerful initial hit. Dark Pulse is there for a secondary STAB attack. While it provides no extra neutral coverage, it does allow Hydreigon to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Reuniclus, Beheeyem, Cofagrigus, and Musharna much harder. Dark Pulse also comes with a 20% chance to flinch the opponent, which can be game changing in some situations like potentially stopping Trick Room set up. The choice between Flamethrower or Fire Blast is the classic dilemma of accuracy versus power, and depends on your personal preference. It's worth noting, however, that Fire Blast assures a 2HKO on Amoonguss even when using a Timid nature, while Flamethrower never 2HKOes if it invests enough EVs in Special Defense and HP. Whichever Fire-type attack Hydreigon has, it will help it with the few Steel-types present in 2011 play, and scores super effective hits on the numerous Grass- and Bug-type Pokemon. The choice of the final move really comes down to what type of team Hydreigon is playing in. If you really want to try and stop set up, Hydreigon can run Taunt and attempt to keep Trick Room, Tailwind, or rain from being set up, but it won't have any effect on the Prankster Tailwinds coming from Whimsicott and Tornadus. Remember, however, that Mental Herb now cures Taunt, and so Taunt is not a completely reliable way to stop Pokemon from setting up. If you are pairing Hydreigon with a Water Absorb user such as Jellicent, Surf can be a very valuable attack for extra coverage against sand teams. It is also useful as a spread attack that can finish off a weakened enemy while still dealing damage to its partner. It also allows Hydreigon to heal your Jellicent, possibly powering up its Water Spout. Finally, if your team doesn't fit either description above, Protect can be run as as consistently useful move. The choice of item really boils down to how afraid of Conkeldurr you are. Keep in mind, however, that even Guts-boosted Mach Punch from Conkeldurr with an Attack-boosting nature and 252 Atk Evs does a maximum of 94% to Hydreigon without Chople Berry, and Hammer Arm from the same Conkeldurr will OHKO Hydreigon through Chople Berry 87% of the time, even with no prior damage. These decisive outcomes puts the usefulness of Chople Berry in question. Hydreigon makes a good partner for Jellicent, forming the famed "SazaJelly" combo. They complement each other well offensively, and have great synergy, considering Hydreigon's ability to give Jellicent back 25% of its health each turn with Surf. Jellicent is also a deterrent to Trick Room by being slow and bulky, while also being able to set up Trick Room if the opposing team tries to use Sand Rush, Tailwind, or Swift Swim to gain the Speed advantage over Hydreigon. Hydreigon actually works very well as a lead on Trick Room teams, however, firing off powerful hits before Trick Room goes up. Because of Hydreigon's middling Speed, it can outpace opposing Trick Room teams with ease, and deal heavy damage to the Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokemon which set up Trick Room, while also undercutting most frail offensive Pokemon even if they haven't boosted their Speed with a field effect. The ability to deal with both fast teams and dedicated Trick Room teams gives Hydreigon terrific synergy with Jellicent. Finally, Hydreigon also has the obvious immunity to Ground-type attacks, making it a viable partner for an Earthquake user other than Haxorus, whose ability Mold Breaker would allow Earthquake to hit Hydreigon.

Oftentimes, Hydreigon's main role in a team is to hit hard off its Special Attack, and this set is its best bet for doing so. Dark Pulse is the move you're probably going to fire off most often, 2HKOing even max Special Defense Eviolite Dusclops 85% of the time when using a Timid nature, and 100% of the time when Modest. Draco Meteor is the main option due to its sheer power; while Dragon Pulse is an alternative if you don't like the Special Attack drop, the drop in power is very noticeable. Fire Blast is Hydreigon's best coverage move, allowing Hydreigon to perform admirably in sun. Under the sun, Fire Blast destroys even max Special Defense Bronzong and deals a minimum of 87% to 252 HP Occa Berry Metagross. Speaking of Fire Blast, if you don't like the 85% accuracy, you can always use Flamethrower. While it misses out on a little more power, Life Orb Flamethrower can still 2HKO Occa Metagross and max Special Defense Amoonguss. Protect is fairly self-explanatory as it keeps Hydreigon safe from Mach Punches, Draco Meteors, and Ice Shards. The EVs are fairly straightforward, but if you're not concerned about opposing max Speed Hydreigon, you can use a spread of 12 HP / 252 SpA / 244 Spe which, along with a Timid nature, allows you to outpace Jolly Haxorus. Modest Hydreigon must run max Speed in order to outpace neutral-natured Haxorus, but if you're also not concerned with Haxorus, you can use a spread of 56 HP / 252 SpA / 200 Spe for both Timid and Modest in order to outpace base 90 Pokemon such as Lucario. Defensive items such as Haban Berry and Focus Sash are perfectly acceptable, but unless you invest heavily in your defenses, resist berries rarely do much good. For example, Life Orb or Dragon Gem Latios will KO Hydreigon right through its Haban Berry. Due to its awkward Speed tier, Hydreigon loves paralysis support; Prankster Thunder Wave and Stun Spore from Thundurus and Whimsicott are especially good choices. Pokemon that are capable of taking on Fighting-types are also a huge help. Cresselia, a solid option, can provide Thunder Wave support as well. Tailwind support is also welcome, but most of the Pokemon that set it up share an Ice-type weakness with Hydreigon, so you may have to take a few measures to stop hail teams, such as Wide Guard Fighting-types or a reliable Fire-type, in addition to using Fire Blast.

Hydreigon's powerful STAB moves give it a good matchup against most of the format, with Dragon Gem-boosted Draco Meteor greatly threatening anything it hits for neutral damage and Dark Pulse hitting two of the most common switch-ins, Metagross and Cresselia, for significant damage. Coverage moves like Earth Power and Flamethrower give it a niche in its ability to beat common Steel-types such as Heatran, Metagross, and Scizor. The 4 Defense EVs ensure Hydreigon always survives a Flying Gem-boosted Acrobatics from Tornadus. Hydreigon's Speed tier allows it to beat most of the format and outspeed even some Pokemon with a higher base Speed that elect to run a non-Speed-boosting nature, most notably Volcarona and Latios. Other Options Hydreigon can sometimes run Tailwind to shift from a more offensive to supportive role on teams. Hydreigon's natural bulk can also allow it to run Choice Specs or Choice Scarf, allowing it to surprise opponents with high damage or speed and flip the matchups against Pokemon like Latios, Cresselia, and Volcarona. Common Partners Cresselia can offer Hydreigon support or take down the Fighting-types that threaten it, while Hydreigon can deal with the Steel-types that Cresselia struggles to beat. Metagross offers the same ability to beat Fighting-types as Cresselia while also resisting many of the hits from faster Pokemon that threaten Hydreigon, most notably Latios. In return, Hydreigon can obliterate many of the Pokemon Metagross doesn't want to face like Heatran. Thundurus offers the best speed control for Hydreigon in Thunder Wave, letting it fire off attacks with no fear of being removed first. Checks and Counters Latios is faster and OHKOes Hydreigon with Draco Meteor. Conkeldurr and Breloom 2HKO Hydreigon with Mach Punch. Conkeldurr needs only minimal chip damage to KO Hydreigon with a Life Orb-boosted Mach Punch, while Breloom survives any hit from Hydreigon thanks to its Focus Sash and always 2HKOs with Mach Punch. Similarly, although Tornadus doesn't OHKO Hydreigon, any chip damage makes Hydreigon fodder for Tornadus. Volcarona can be faster than Hydreigon and OHKOes it with Bug Buzz.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Hydreigon has an excellent offensive typing, strong coverage moves, and good bulk. What truly separates Hydreigon from other special attacking Dragon-types like Latios is its ability to hit Jellicent and Cresselia super effectively. Access to Earth Power and Fire Blast also allows it to better damage common Dragon-resistant Pokemon, such as Metagross and Heatran, making Hydreigon a decent anti-metagame option. That said, Hydreigon's Speed is an issue, as it is outrun by Latios and Genesect. Additionally, its Dark typing gives it a weakness to Fighting, allowing it to be easily revenge killed by Conkeldurr's Mach Punch. Most notably, Hydreigon faces competition with Latios, which is faster and has similar damage output, thus making Latios a more consistent fit on most teams. Draco Meteor OHKOes neutral Pokemon like Landorus-T and picks off weakened Pokemon after minimal chip such as Thundurus after Stealth Rock damage. Dark Pulse hits common bulky Pokemon like Cresselia and Jellicent super effectively. Earth Power is typically the more reliable coverage option, as it is able to hit common Dragon-resistant Pokemon, such as Metagross and Heatran, super effectively. Fire Blast is used for stronger damage into Metagross while trading the ability to hit Heatran for the ability to hit other Ground-neutral Steel-types, such as Genesect, Ferrothorn, and Scizor, super effectively. Flamethrower is a more reliable Fire-type attack that OHKOes the same targets in exchange for increased damage on Metagross. Life Orb gives a consistent boost to all of Hydreigon's attacks, allowing it to 2HKO Jellicent even after the activation of Sitrus Berry with Dark Pulse and OHKO Metagross with Fire Blast. Dragon Gem gives a one-time power boost to Draco Meteor, making Hydreigon difficult for foes to switch into and giving it a high chance to OHKO Thundurus. Hydreigon oftentimes finds itself on weather teams, which can mitigate its Speed by threatening faster Pokemon with their weather abusers. Kingdra appreciates Hydreigon's ability to threaten Jellicent and Cresselia, while Hydreigon benefits from Kingdra's threatening Latios. Sand teams, despite the overlapping Fighting weakness, also appreciate Hydreigon's ability to threaten Jellicent and Cresselia and can support Hydreigon by beating Latios and Kyurem-B. Hydreigon reliably beats Heatran if running Earth Power, which can be annoying for sand teams to break if Heatran is able to set up Substitute. Metagross is an excellent teammate, as it matches up well into Latios and Conkeldurr while benefitting greatly from Hydreigon beating Jellicent, Cresselia, Heatran, and opposing Metagross.