Palkia is an absolute terror with Kyogre support, with nearly no Pokemon being able to switch in on its attacks. In fact, Rain support is the crux of this set allowing Palkia to sweep both sides of the spectrum with it's physical and special STAB Water moves as well as benefiting from the accuracy boost it gives to Thunder. Unlike the following Choice sets, this Palkia is used as a high-powered wall breaker as it is free to switch between moves, allowing it to constantly apply pressure to slower, defensive teams. Even though Surf (and Aqua Tail) only hits for super-effective on a few Ubers, when factoring in STAB, Weather support and a boosting item, type coverage doesn't seem to really matter. As for the Dragon, Water and Grass Types that do resist Palkia's fearsome water-based attacks, Spacial Rend and Thunder will at least hit the first two for super-effective damage. Surf is Palkia's primary attack, capable of delivering OHKOs to the likes of Mewtwo, Darkrai and Scizor (as long as the rain is falling). Thunder puts a big dent in Kyogre and especially helps when dealing with Calm Mind variants. Thunder's high paralysis rate also helps in shutting down Lugia who relies on its Speed to setup Reflect and Roost off damage. Spacial Rend 2HKOs Dialga, Giratina and even extremely defensive versions of Latias. Aqua Tail does 52%-61% to Blissey in Ubers (4 HP / 252 Def Neutral) under Rain without a Lustrous Orb boost; multiply the numbers by 1.2 and you have a Blissey in pain.
With a very comfortable base 100 Speed, Palkia always enjoys outpacing a large amount of the Ubers, including powerhouses such as Kyogre and Rayquaza. However, due the popularity and power of ScarfOgre and the Dragon Dancing Rayquaza set, Palkia's Speed can't often be used at its full potential. However, with its own Choice Scarf, Palkia can continue to beat these threats as well as a variety of its usual counters. Choice Scarf Palkia has the luxury of outspeeding the likes of Latias, Darkrai, Mewtwo and Deoxys-F, and has the opportunity to almost OHKO every one of these usually faster threats. Stealth Rock support is suggested to eliminate any annoying Focus Sashes (fairly common on Darkrai and Deoxys-F), while also guaranteeing OHKOs on Latias and Mewtwo (if you're using Spacial Rend). With Choice Specs, Surf puts a gigantic dent in Dialga and non-Water, Grass or Dragon Arceus, easily 2HKOing both of them. Spacial Rend/Draco Meteor is up to you. Draco Meteor is a hit and run move and is perfect with Choice Specs, but the Special Attack drop can greatly disenfranchise Palkia, especially when confronted by Tyranitar or Scizor. This set is largely played similiar to the Mixed Attacker set, but trades versatility for raw power and speed.
Unlike previous sets, this version of Choice Palkia is designed to combat Bulky Steels and to be used in conjunction with Groudon. This Palkia still outspeeds and does well against the Dragon Dancing Rayquaza and Choice Scarf Kyogre, when employing a Choice Scarf. Fire Blast, when boosted by the Sun, provides definite OHKOs on Bulky Steels like Jirachi, Registeel and Bronzong that can usually stand in its way. Despite Fire Blast's shaky accuracy and low PP, it is largely recommended over Flamethrower due to its higher Base Power, which helps compensate for the lack of STAB. Draco Meteor is also stressed as a much more useful move if you are using Fire Blast due to an absence of rain. Additionally, Draco Meteor somewhat remedies Palkia's relatively 'weak' attacks, and provides a definite 2HKO on any non-support Groudon. Focus Punch is your best option against a SpDef-oriented Dialga as well as Blissey, but requires a great deal of prediction to be used effectively. Focus Punch becomes Palkia's physical move of choice, dealing 77%-90% to the most defensive Blissey seen in Ubers as well as offering a straight out, OHKO on Tyranitar. However, you must exersise this attack wisely at it leaves you more widely open than any of Palkia's other attacks.
Stone Edge rips apart Lugia like tissue paper. Dragon Claw is a must on the physical set, as Choice Banded Dragon Claw OHKOs all Dragons not named Arceus, Giratina or Dialga. Aqua Tail is nice with Kyogre support, and destroys things like Mewtwo or Mew. Aqua Tail actually does more to Lugia under the rain, but Stone Edge allows Palkia to hurt it without the rain. Earthquake destroys Metagross and Dialga. It is pretty scary since no one expects this, and a wrong switch in on the opponent's side usually means death. Draco Meteor allows Palkia to 2HKO Giratina.
Palkia can easily take advantage of Substitute with a metagame that is thriving with status-inflicting moves. The combination of Substitute and Focus Punch help Palkia arrange to beat some of its counters including the number one threat: Blissey. With Expert Belt and the given EVs Focus Punch OHKO 651 HP / 119 Def Blissey with no problems whatsoever. What makes this set even more devastating is it can 2HKO Kyogre and Dialga provided they aren't investing in both HP and Defense too much. Surf or Fire Blast is whether you prefer to play this set in the rain or in the sun. If you prefer the rain you have better options here as you can abuse both STABs with relative ease. The sun gives Palkia more abuse of Fire Blast as the sun gives it a pseudo-STAB move and combining Spacial Rend with it offers perfect coverage. It also gives you a better advantage against Steel and Grass-types that would normally shrug off Palkia's STAB Surfs.
Bulk Up Palkia is definitely inferior to Bulk Up Dialga when it comes to Bulk Up plus Rest and Sleep Talk; however, Palkia has more Speed to take advantage of Substitute and the ability to use both of his STAB moves. Given that in mind the setup is simple. First use Substitute to block any status aimed at you then follow up with Bulk Ups. Dragon Claw and Aqua Tail allow Palkia to tear through with his STAB moves but Aqua Tail can be replaced with Earthquake to damage severely Dialga and Kyogre. Salac Berry is the prime option here to take advantage of obtaining more Speed once you've used Substitute three times. You can also use Lustrous Orb or Leftovers if you feel that Palkia needs more of an edge or some recovery each turn. Other OptionsPalkia can Rest and Sleep Talk, although not very good like Dialga due to its lower defenses. It can use that in conjunction with Roar for a neutral priority phazing. Sleep Talk can help against Darkrai if you needed something just to absorb sleep and not counter that thing. Thunder Wave can be annoying for Latias switch ins thinking it can survive Spacial Rend and OHKO you back with Dragon Pulse. Focus Punch can OHKO Blissey with Life Orb and no Attack EVs, and besides that it's useless. Trick Room can be funny if your team is slow and no one expects Trick Room on Palkia. Toxic and Heal Block are ways to torture Lugia—the former makes it hard to recover; the latter prevents easy recovering. Psych Up lets it steal Calm Minds from Kyogre (and this thing becomes really beastly once it destroys Kyogre), and Roar is your phazing move of sorts, but unless you're using Rest/Sleep Talk to change Roar's priority, this is better left to Lugia, Giratina or Arceus. Substitute to block status and stuff. Fire Blast/Flamethrower is useful under sunny weather and for beating Shedinja. Choice Scarf is a decent item for a leading Palkia—it lets Palkia outrun Choice Scarf Kyogre, and Rayquaza with one Dragon Dance under their belt. As a bonus, Draco Meteor still has enough power to OHKO Latias. EVsPalkia's base 100 Speed allows it to outspeed many ubers. 300 outspeeds all neutral Palkia, 308 outspeeds the weather ubers (Kyogre and Groudon), 319 outspeeds Jolly Rayquaza, 320 outspeeds Modest Latios/Latias. Maximum speed is recommended as the extra 8 HP is not exactly helpful and you can tie at worst with other base 100s at worst with the maximized speed. If you don't feel like going at jet speed, 290 outruns Adamant Rayquaza, 296 outruns Jolly Heracross, and 280 outruns Modest/Adamant Kyogre/Groudon. Each set has its own EV spread, but the Speed is the most variable out of all its stats. OpinionPalkia is an absolute monster and is even more under the rain, where it can do all sorts of lethal things like 2HKO Blissey with Aqua Tail. Palkia may seem like an inferior Latios at first sight, but then you realize that Palkia has fewer weaknesses and a base 120 Attack to boot. Palkia also has enough power to hurt its counters, hence why Palkia has no real counter. CountersGrass Arceus is the best and only true Palkia counter in the game. It resists both Surf and Thunder and can survive two Life Orb boosted Spacial Rends, and poses a threat to Palkia with STAB Judgment or Grass Knot. A Water Arceus with Dragon Claw is a pretty decent Palkia counter, resisting Surf and 2HKOing Palkia. However, Thunder will ruin you if you mispredict while switching in on the Choice Specs set. Lugia can wall you unless you have Toxic, or if you're running the Specs set once again. Lugia can Calm Mind and then Whirlwind you away. Blissey can come into the Choice Specs set as long as you predict its moves correctly (don't switch into Aqua Tail unless it's sunny). Rayquaza can come in on Aqua Tail if you have Choice Specs and set up a Dragon Dance on you. Latias can survive anything barring Dragon Claw or Draco Meteor, and easily OHKOs back with Dragon Pulse; also, it is faster with Timid. Palkia, and I'll mention this for the third time, has few real counters. The Choice Specs set actually requires a lot of prediction to handle, so good luck. Ignore this thing and there go the last few breaths of your life. |
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