Palkia (Analysis)

[Overview]

<p>Palkia is an incredibly dangerous and versatile threat in the Uber tier.
Its great Dragon / Water-typing and decent special bulk allow it to serve as one of the game's premiere offensive Kyogre counters, while its high base 100 Speed allows it to revenge kill a majority of the metagame's top sweepers, including Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Mewtwo. Between its crushing offensive stats, nearly unresisted STAB typing, and brilliant movepool, it can glue many teams together, and tear just as many apart. Do not expect your team to get far if you lack a solid plan for Palkia.</p>

[SET]


name: Choice Scarf

move 1: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Outrage / Fire Blast / Draco Meteor
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Hasty / Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]


<p>Palkia's trademark set returns for another round in the treacherous Uber tier. With a Choice Scarf attached it reaches 492 Speed and becomes one of the game's premiere revenge killers, able to reliably take out threats such as Dragon Dance Rayquaza, Haxorus, Darkrai,
Latias, Latios, and Flame Charge Reshiram. Palkia can fit into virtually any team lacking a revenge killer, reliable Kyogre switch-in, or just a fast, hard-hitting attacker.</p>

<p>Spacial Rend is your most consistent STAB option dealing solid damage to anything that doesn't resist it, but Draco Meteor can replace it if your team needs the extra power to OHKO threats such as Darkrai outside of rain, or physically defensive Giratina after Stealth Rock. It should be noted, however, that the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor makes Palkia setup bait for several sweepers that it can not revenge kill after a boost, such as Rock Polish Groudon, and Extremekiller Arceus, so make sure you have these threats well covered if you forgo Spacial Rend. Surf is Palkia's secondary STAB of choice and is easily the most powerful move on the set under the rain, able to 2HKO even Wobbuffet, who normally scoffs at Choice Scarf users. Thunder is a must for dealing with Kyogre and Tail Glow Manaphy, though it is also your best option for hurting Lugia, and the 30% paralysis rate can really come in handy. </p>


<p>The last slot depends on what you need Palkia to do; Outrage allows Palkia to be a respectable physical threat and can help in dealing with Calm Mind users and Latias, while Fire Blast lets it take out Steel-types that come in to wall Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor, and also receives a pseudo STAB boost in the sun. Again, Draco Meteor is an option if you do not need the extra coverage or mixed capability, but often find yourself needing a bit more power.</p>


[Additional Comments]


<p>The EVs are bog standard; max Speed with a boosting nature lets Palkia at least tie with other
Pokemon with base 100 Speed, while the Special Attack investment pumps up Surf and Spacial Rend, the two main draws of the set. The last 4 EVs should go into Attack with a Hasty nature if using Outrage, or into HP with a Timid nature should another special attack suit your needs.</p>

<p>Chansey can take any of Palkia's special attacks in stride and even shrug off an Outrage thanks to the Defense boost from Eviolite, all the while stalling Palkia out with Wish and Toxic. Blissey and Lugia are also in much the same vein, only really fearing Outrage and Thunder, respectively. A supportive Dialga can survive even Draco Meteor and easily OHKO back with Dragon Pulse, though it can not switch in directly. Under the sun, Ho-Oh can take whatever Palkia throws at it and either stall it out with Substitute and Roost or OHKO Palkia with Brave Bird. Ferrothorn can come in on anything bar Fire Blast and set up entry hazards, or annoy Palkia or its switch-in with Leech Seed. Choice Scarf Garchomp and Wobbuffet can revenge Palkia with Outrage and Mirror Coat / Counter, respectively. Scizor, although relatively uncommon, can sponge Spacial Rend and use U-turn to either dent Palkia or gain momentum on the switch.</p>


<p>A support Groudon can scare Blissey, Chansey, and most Steel-types off with STAB Earthquake, while also checking Ho-Oh with Stone Edge; it can also lure in and cripple both Lugia and Wobbuffet with Toxic, and defeat Choice Scarf Garchomp one-on-one. Kyogre sets up rain for Palkia and can also check Ho-Oh, Heatran, Scizor, and Lugia with rain-boosted STAB Surf. Steel-types such as Arceus, Forretress, and Ferrothorn can take Dragon-type attacks for Palkia and support the team. Ferrothorn gets a special mention because it not only synergizes well with Palkia, but can also aid it in taking down Kyogre. Rock Arceus and Tyranitar both resist Ho-Oh's STABs and can OHKO it with Judgment and Stone Edge, respectively.</p>


[SET]


name: Specially Based Mix

move 1: Surf
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Aqua Tail / Outrage
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Lustrous Orb / Haban Berry / Life Orb
nature: Hasty
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]


<p>With Kyogre support, Palkia can be a formidable mixed attacker. In the rain, STAB Surf becomes absurdly powerful, especially when further boosted by Lustrous Orb. Spacial Rend complements Surf well, hitting everything commonly seen bar Ferrothorn for at least neutral damage, and easily 3HKOing any Groudon coming in to remove your rain. Aqua Tail always 2HKOes Bold 4 HP Eviolite Chansey after Stealth Rock, provided the rain is up, but Outrage is a solid replacement that lessens your dependence on weather, and lets you beat Ho-Oh in the sun. Running Thunder in the last slot lets you check Kyogre and pairs well with Aqua Tail, but Fire Blast grants you great sweeping coverage rain or shine, and is generally the better option when using Outrage. So long as Palkia is holding Lustrous Orb, Outrage provides a way of 2HKOing even max HP Kyogre after Stealth Rock, while Fire Blast can deal with common Steel-types such as Forretress and Ferrothorn.</p>


<p>The item choice is key in determining how this set will be used. Lustrous Orb is usually the most consistent option, boosting Palkia's STAB Water- and Dragon-type attacks by 20% with no drawbacks. Haban Berry removes Palkia's lone Dragon-type weakness for a turn, and can quickly turn the tides on would-be revenge killers,
including opposing Choice Scarf Palkia, Latias, Latios, and Garchomp, as it keeps their Dragon Claw, Dragon Pulse, and Spacial Rend well out of OHKO range. Lastly, Life Orb boosts all of Palkia's moves (as opposed to just its STAB attacks) by a factor of 1.3, but without the ability to bluff your item or thwart potential revenge killers, the set is better used as a wall breaker or late game cleaner.</p>

<p>Again,
the EV spread is one Palkia is quite familiar with: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe with a Hasty nature is used to maximize Speed without lowering either offensive stat or compromising Palkia's ability to switch into Water attacks from Kyogre.</p>

[Additional Comments]


<p>Hydro Pump can replace Surf and the power increase is quite noticeable, but the accuracy can let you down, and Surf usually has enough power to get the job done. Note that Hydro Pump does stand a chance to fell physically defensive Ferrothorn in two hits, provided the rain is up and Palkia is holding at least Lustrous Orb.</p>


<p>Ferrothorn is the bane of this set if you lack Fire Blast; nothing you normally have even comes close to 2HKOing (Life Orb-boosted Surf in the rain maxes at 36.4% against Max / Max Careful Ferrothorn) while it stalls Palkia out with Leech Seed or sets up Spikes. Ho-Oh is a decent check in the sun, though it must be wary as Outrage usually 2HKOes. Specially defensive Groudon can be a great check as nothing on the set can 2HKO it without a Life Orb boost, thanks to Drought diminishing the power of Surf and Aqua Tail, while Groudon can retaliate with Dragon Claw or Thunder Wave. Darkrai can come in after a kill and put Palkia to sleep with Dark Void. Variants of Lugia with Light Screen can stall Palkia out with Roost and Toxic, but Thunder will eventually paralyze it, meaning it can no longer Roost off its weakness. Lastly, unless Palkia holds a Haban Berry, faster Dragon-types such as Garchomp, Latias, Latios, and Choice Scarf users
such as opposing Palkia, Reshiram, and Zekrom can freely revenge kill Palkia with their Dragon STAB move of choice.</p>

<p>Needless to say, Kyogre support is a must with this Palkia. Rain-boosted Water-type moves are absolutely the crux of the set and are simply too powerful to pass up on something that can utilize them as well as Palkia can; also, without rain present, Palkia stands no chance at beating Max Defense Blissey or Eviolite Chansey. Although a specially defensive Ferrothorn is one of the biggest thorns in Palkia's side, it can also be one of its most valuable partners defensively; it can come in on Lugia and most Groudon with impunity, as well as the plethora of Choice Scarfed-Dragon-types that threaten Palkia, and set up on all of them. It can also aid Palkia in taking down opposing Kyogre, which can help keep Palkia's health high for a sweep later. Scizor, Jirachi, and Forretress also synergize well with Palkia and can build momentum with U-Turn / Volt Switch or support the team with entry hazards, status, Rapid Spin, or Wish.</p>


<p>Haban Berry Palkia is one of the most effective offensive lures in Ubers. It can bluff a Choice Scarf and spam Spacial Rend, then either roast the unsuspecting Steel-type with Fire Blast, or drown them with Surf. After seeing that Palkia is not choice-locked, most players will immediately throw out their Dragon-type revenge killer (Choice Scarf Zekrom, Reshiram, and Palkia, as well as Garchomp, Kindgra in the rain, Latias, and Latios), who will fail to OHKO Palkia through Haban Berry and will promptly be dispatched by Spacial Rend or Outrage. This opens the door for an entire host of threats
such as Choice Scarf Kyogre and Dragon Dance Rayquaza to steamroll teams with their main checks out of the way.</p>

[SET]


name: Physically Based Mix

move 1: Aqua Tail
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 4: Fire Blast / Thunder
item: Lustrous Orb / Life Orb
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]


<p>This is another take on mixed Palkia, taking advantage of Palkia's physical options to overcome some of its usual counters. Aqua Tail now snags an assured 2HKO on 4 HP / 252 Def Bold Eviolite Chansey under the rain, as well as max HP Tyranitar in sandstorm, which Surf could not accomplish. With a physical spread and Lustrous Orb backing it, Outrage will 2HKO even the bulkiest Kyogre, meaning Palkia can still reliably check it. Spacial Rend is still preferred for consistency, but Draco Meteor can be used to blast a hole in walls
such as Groudon and Giratina. As a plus, the Special Attack drop is not as bothersome as it is on other sets due to this set's physical gearing. Lastly, Fire Blast takes out Steel-types, while Thunder hurts Kyogre without resorting to Outrage, and is also your best option against Lugia and the rare Flying Arceus.</p>

<p>Lustrous Orb is again the preferred option to boost Palkia's already deadly STAB moves without suffering recoil damage, though Life Orb is an option if you want more power.</p>


[Additional Comments]


<p>This set retains many of the counters from the previous set, namely defensive Groudon, Lugia, and Ferrothorn, if you lack Fire Blast. Faster Dragon-types
such as Garchomp, Latias, Latios, and Choice Scarf users including Dialga, Palkia, Reshiram, and Zekrom can all revenge kill Palkia with their STAB Dragon moves. Ferrothorn can come in on walls such as Lugia and set up Spikes; it also has the bulk to survive repeated Dragon assaults while recovering health with Leech Seed. Kyogre, as usual, an essential teammate to provide rain support; Kyogre also thrives with Chansey and Blissey removed, which this Palkia specializes in accomplishing.</p>

[SET]

name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 3: Spacial Rend
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]


<p>With Choice Specs equipped Palkia's Special Attack soars to a massive 598, letting its powerful boosted Draco Meteor and Hydro Pump plow through some of its usual checks. Though Dialga and Reshiram may come to mind first when thinking of Dragon-type candidates for running
Choice Specs, it is important to note that Palkia has better STAB attacks to work with than Dialga, lacks Reshiram's Stealth Rock weakness, and possesses much higher Speed than both of them.</p>

<p>Choice Specs-boosted Draco Meteor is every bit as powerful as it sounds, and not many things can avoid the 2HKO. With Kyogre support STAB Hydro Pump gets a huge boost in power and the type coverage complements Draco Meteor fairly well. Spacial Rend is a must for consistency, and the bite it packs alone can be surprising; specially defensive Groudon, Max HP Kyogre, offensive Ho-Oh, and Wobbuffet are all 2HKOed by it with Stealth Rock damage alone. The last slot depends on what you need Palkia to cover; Thunder maims Kyogre and Lugia, but Fire Blast takes out Steel-types, most notably Ferrothorn. Surf can replace Hydro Pump if you are concerned about accuracy, but the power drop can let you down at times.</p>


[Additional Comments]


<p>Don't be tempted to use a Modest nature! Speed is one of Palkia's most deadly assets and the slight increase in power is nowhere near as useful as the ability to outspeed Rayquaza and tie with other base 100s.</p>


<p>Because of the sheer power this set provides, it can be very difficult to counter. Eviolite Chansey is the closest thing to a safe switch-in, but Hydro Pump in the rain can 2HKO it with Stealth Rock and some prior damage, though the chances are rather slim.
Ferrothorn can take anything but Fire Blast or repeated rain-boosted Hydro Pumps and stall Palkia out with Leech Seed and Protect, or just set up Spikes. Lastly, Choice Scarf Dialga, Zekrom, Reshiram, Haxorus, Palkia and Hydreigon, as well Garchomp, Latias, and Latios can all freely revenge kill Palkia with their STAB Dragon-type moves, though none of them can dream of switching in.</p>

<p>Thunder Wave Kyogre makes a great partner due to its
tendency to draw in and cripple would-be revenge killers, including the likes of Latios, Choice Scarf Zekrom, and Choice Scarf Palkia, as well as its ability to provide rain support. Bulky Steel-types such as Scizor and Ferrothorn can switch into the Dragon-type moves that plague Palkia and either set up hazards or build momentum with U-turn, while Palkia can easily switch on Fire-type moves aimed at either of them thanks to its handy 4x resistance.</p>

[Set]


Name: Blissey Boxer

Move 1: Substitute
Move 2: Focus Punch
Move 3: Spacial Rend
Move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast / Surf
Item : Leftovers / Expert Belt
Nature : Hasty
Evs: 100 Atk / 156 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]


<p>
Considering the many switches Palkia tends to cause, it has plenty of opportunities to set up a Substitute and proceed to wreak havoc. Chansey and Ferrothorn, Palkia's greatest enemies, are 2HKOed by Focus Punch with the given EVs, while Spacial Rend takes a bite out of nearly everything else. Thunder is generally the best choice for the last slot for the purpose of dealing with Kyogre and Lugia, but both Fire Blast and Surf are viable with the right weather support.</p>

[Additional Comments]


<p>Leftovers is the preferred item as the gradual healing helps Palkia recover health lost by using Substitute, but Expert Belt can offset the missing Special Attack investment when using Spacial Rend and the coverage move.</p>


<p>A defensive Groudon is one of the best checks to this Palkia, though repeated Spacial Rends wear it down. If Thunder is not in the last slot then Lugia becomes a problem. Scizor can U-turn to break the Substitute and then go to a counter depending on whether or not you began using Focus Punch. Wobbuffet can revenge kill Palkia with the combination of Encore and Mirror Coat while not caring about Focus Punch at all. Forretress is a pain if the sun is out and you lack Fire Blast, as a 50% accurate Thunder or weakened Surf are not all that threatening to it. Lastly, Ho-Oh walls this Palkia to no end in the sun barring a fair amount of luck with Thunder or repeated critical hits from Spacial Rend.</p>


<p>Palkia's usual favored teammates are still relevant here; Forretress, Ferrothorn, and Scizor can tank Dragon-type attacks aimed at Palkia and either set up entry hazards or build momentum with U-turn, while Palkia can easily absorb Fire-type moves in return. Forretress gets a special mention for being able to remove entry hazards, most notably Toxic Spikes, that severely hamper Palkia's staying power, especially when combined with the health lost from Substitute. Wobbuffet can take out many of the Choice Scarf users that threaten Palkia, and can also use Encore and Safeguard to net Palkia a free turn to set up. A defensive Groudon of your own can use Toxic to hamper walls such as Lugia and opposing Groudon who may stand in your way, as well as set up Stealth Rock which aids in punishing the switches this Palkia tends to force.</p>


[Other Options]


<p>Palkia can run a Choice Band set, but it is largely outclassed by Garchomp who has higher Attack and Speed. A Bulk Up set with Outrage and Aqua Tail is possible, but Dialga makes a better defensive booster and Garchomp again competes with it in the offensive sweeper role. Palkia has access to Dragon Tail but generally has better things to do. Fire Blast can replace Surf on any set if your team favors sunny weather. If Ho-Oh is a major concern, Power Gem can be used to OHKO it, but it serves little purpose elsewhere; in the same vein, Aura Sphere is always an option to 2HKO Extremekiller Arceus, but the coverage from the moves listed is better.</p>


[Checks and Counters]


<p>Palkia is far too versatile to have a strict counter, as it can almost always beat its checks with the right move. That being said, there are a few Pokemon that typically can take it on. Ferrothorn and Chansey are the biggest thorns in Palkia's side as they can take almost anything it has to offer, though the former must be wary of Fire Blast, and Choice Specs and rain-boosted Hydro Pump can threaten both of them with prior damage and hazards.
Under the sun, Ho-Oh can take any of Palkia's special attacks and stall it out with Roost or Recover, though Outrage will certainly dent it. Bulky Steel-types such as Scizor, Jirachi, and Steel Arceus can tank Palkia's Spacial Rend and Outrage, and retaliate with U-turn or status. A specially defensive Groudon serves as a great check to any physically inclined set thanks to Drought. Lugia can be a good switch-in, but hates Thunder and does not like paralysis at all. Choice Scarf Garchomp can revenge kill any Palkia not holding a Haban Berry with Outrage. Non-Choice Scarf Palkia is vulnerable to slower Dragon-types wielding a Choice Scarf, such as Zekrom and Reshiram. Dialga is a shaky check, as Palkia cannot OHKO it without the use of Choice Specs, while Dialga can OHKO back with Draco Meteor. In the rain, Kingdra can outspeed any variant of Palkia and KO it with Outrage or Draco Meteor. As with most Choice users, Wobbuffet can trap and revenge kill Palkia with either Counter or Mirror Coat.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Palkia received Telepathy through Dream World, which unfortunately has no use in single battles.</p>
 

Moo

Professor
is an Artist Alumnusis a Researcher Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
I have a present for you:

[Overview]
<p>Palkia is an extremely dangerous threat in the Ubers tier. With excellent attacking stats and typing, Palkia is possibly one the most versatile and deadly Pokemon in the game. With STABs unresisted by all except a handful of Pokemon, Palkia can act as both glue and sweeper for virtually any Ubers team. Do not expect your team to be successul if you don't have a way of dealing with Palkia.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Outrage / Fire Blast / Draco Meteor
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Hasty / Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]
<p>With a Choice Scarf attached, Palkia reaches a blistering 492 Speed, allowing it outspeed many Pokemon in the Ubers tier. With its monstrous 150 Base Special Attack, can then proceed to revenge kill a vast majority of them, such as Dragon Dance Rayquaza, Ononokusu, Darkrai, Mewtwo and Nitro Charge Reshiram. Choice Scarf Palkia can fit into virtually any team lacking a revenge killer, a reliable Kyogre switch-in or just a fast, hard-hitting attacker.</p>

<p>Spacial Rend is Palkia's main STAB and hurts any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Draco Meteor can be used in its place so Palkia can OHKO more threats, such as Darkrai and physically defensive Giratina after Stealth Rock. Surf is Palkia's most reliable attack, and can 2HKO Wobbuffet in the rain, a Pokemon who would otherwise trap and KO Palkia with Mirror Coat. Thunder is Palkia's best weapon against Kyogre and Lugia.</p>

[Additional Comments]
<p>The last moveslot should be chosen to fill whatever a team lacks. Outrage is Palkia's best weapon against Blissey and Ho-oh, while it can bypass Special Defense boosts accumulated by Latias or Latios. Fire Blast allows Palkia to sweep in both the sun and the rain, and it is also Palkia's best option against Nattorei, who laughs at everything else Palkia throws at it. Finally, Draco Meteor can be used so Palkia can hit hard while keeping Spacial Rend's reliability. Should you use Outrage, Hasty is the nature of choice, should you not, Timid is the nature of choice.</p>

<p>Evolution Stone Chansey can take any attack Palkia uses, heal off the damage with Softboiled or Wish and use Toxic to stall Palkia out. In the same vein, Blissey can switch into any attack apart from Outrage. In the sun, Ho-oh can take whatever Palkia throws at it and either stall it out with Substitute and Roost or OHKO Palkia with Brave Bird. Nattorei walls Palkia that doesn't run Fire Blast and sets up entry hazards at willDue to this, support Groudon is an excellent partner to run alongside Palkia. Groudon can scare Blissey, Chansey and Steel-types that switch into sponge Palkia's Dragon-type attacks while taking out Ho-oh with Stone Edge. It can also lure in and cripple Lugia and Wobbuffet with Toxic and defeat Choice Scarf Garchomp one-on-one, all of whom can potentially cause Palkia problems. Defensive Kyogre is also a great partner for Palkia, as it summons the rain to power up Palkia's Water-STAB, as well as being able to set up Calm Mind on Blissey and Chansey, as well as threatening to destroy both Ho-oh and Lugia with its overpowered Water-type attacks. Rock Arceus can switch into both of Ho-oh STAB attacks and OHKO with Judgment or Stone Edge.</p>


[SET]
name: Specially Based Mix
move 1: Surf
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Aqua Tail / Outrage
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Lustrous Orb / Life Orb / Haban Berry
nature: Hasty
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]
<p>With Base 150 Special Attack and Base 120 Attack, Palkia is a terrifying mixed attacker in the rain. With both Surf and Aqua Tail being boosted by the rain, and with Spacial Rend hitting virtually anything that resists Water-types attacks extremely hard, Palkia becomes nigh impossible to wall. In the rain, Surf becomes even stronger than Draco Meteor, allowing Palkia to blast through almost everything that doesn't resist it. Rain-boosted Aqua Tail allows Palkia to 2HKO both Blissey and Chansey. Outrage can be used as Palkia's physical attack should you are concerned that weather will not always be in your favour, or are worried about Aqua Tail's accuracy. The last move depends on what coverage Palkia needs more. Thunder has perfect accuracy in the rain, allowing Palkia to 2HKO offensive Kyogre and Lugia, but if Nattorei causes trouble, Fire Blast can be used to defeat it, as well as being a reliable way to deal with Steel-types in the sun.</p>

[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs are very simple. Max Speed and a Hasty nature allowing Palkia to outspeed all Pokemon under Base 100 Speed that don't carry Choice Scarf without weakening Palkia's physical Attack. Max Special Attack allows Palkia to hit as hard as possible while the remaining 4 EVs go into attack.</p>

<p>Lustrous Orb is the preferred item, since it powers up both of Palkia's STABs without forcing it to take recoil. This would in turn improve Palkia's longetivity and also allow it to bluff a Choice Scarf, potentially allowing Palkia to cripple or KO another Pokemon by surprise. Life Orb can still be used should you really want the extra 10% in power as well as extra power on Palkia's coverage move at the cost of 10% recoil per turn. Haban Berry is another choice to consider, as it allows Palkia to remove its sole weakness for a turn, potentially allowing to snatch an extra kill on Dragon-typed revenge killers. Beware, however, should you choose to use Haban Berry, the power drop is quite significant, and Palkia would only have a very slight chance of 2HKOing Chansey with Aqua Tail.</p>

<p>Specially Defensive Groudon is possibly the best check against this Palkia. With the sun weakening Palkia's Water-STAB, it can take Spacial Rend and threaten back with Dragon Claw or Earthquake or cripple it with Thunder Wave. Nattorei also wall Palkia's entire moveset if it lacks Fire Blast. Ho-oh in the sun is a decent check, as it can take an attack from Palkia can OHKO in return with Brave Bird. Lugia can use Light Screen in conjunction with Toxic to stall out Palkia, but can potentially be crippled by paralysis from Thunder. Finally, Dragon-typed Pokemon like Garchomp, Latias and Latios and other Dragons carrying a Choice Scarf can revenge kill Palkia. Kyogre support for Palkia is almost crucial. Not only does it provide rain to power up Surf and Aqua Tail, but also defeats Ho-oh, Groudon and Lugia relatively easily. Specially Defensive Scizor and Jirachi are also good teammates for Palkia, as they can switch into attacks from Choiced Dragon-type Pokemon and either deliver a powerful U-Turn or spread paralysis with Body Slam or Thunder Wave, respectively. Both Scizor and Jirachi have recovery as well.</p>

<p>Since Choice Scarf Palkia is the most frequently used, this Palkia can be used to lure in common counters of the Choice Scarf set. Palkia tends to lure in bulky Steel-types, Chansey and Blissey, so Pokemon that can take advantage of their removal also make good teammates to Palkia. With the removal of Chansey and Blissey, Choice Specs Dialga, Choice Scarf Kyogre, Calm Mind Arceus can have a much easier time destroying the opposing team, while Mewtwo and Darkrai greatly appreciates the removal of Steel-types.</p>

[SET]
name: Physically Based Mix
move 1: Aqua Tail
move 2: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Fire Blast / Thunder / Surf
item: Lustrous Orb / Life Orb / Haban Berry
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

Set Comments:
  • Similar to other mixed set, except it uses its physical Attack, can now guarantee a 2HKO on both Chansey and Blissey. Can also 2HKO Tyranitar in Sandstorm, which couldn't be done with Surf.
  • Outrage can 2HKO the bulkiest of Kyogre.
  • Spacial Rend is preferred for consistency, but Draco Meteor can used since this set focuses more on physical Attack anyway.

Additional Comments:
  • Last spot serves different purposes. Fire Blast allows Palkia to hit Nattorei, Thunder 2HKOs offensive Kyogre. If you don't care about specific coverage, Surf can be used as a Special Water STAB to hit physically defensive Steel-types not named Nattorei. Hydro Pump can also be used over Surf as well, but Surf is more reliable.
  • See specially mixed set for Lustrous Orb vs Life Orb vs Haban Berry.

Teammates and Counters:
  • Specially Defensive Groudon and Lugia can take pretty much any attack that this Palkia decides to use and threaten back with Dragon Claw or Toxic Stalling, respectively.
  • Without Fire Blast, Nattorei and other defensive Steel-types will give Palkia trouble.
  • Without a Haban Berry, any Pokemon that can revenge kill the specially based mix set can also revenge kill this Palkia.
  • Again, Kyogre is a great teammate to use with Palkia, since it can beat Lugia and defensive Groudon one-on-one and provide rain to power up Palkia's Water STAB.
  • Specially defensive Scizor can switch into Choiced Dragon attacks and deliver a powerful U-Turn, Roosting while it needs to.
  • Pokemon who this set lures out and KOs include Blissey, Chansey and Steel-type Pokemon who expect the Scarf set. Choice Specs Dialga, Calm Mind Mewtwo and Darkrai all make good partners by taking advantage of the aforementioned Pokemon being removed.


[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 3: Spacial Rend
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

Set Comments:
  • Reaches 598 Special Attack with Choice Specs, 657 using a Modest nature.
  • Advantages over Dialga and Reshiram: More Speed and better offensive coverage than Dialga, more Speed than Reshiram and not Stealth Rock weak.
  • Can potentially 2HKO every Pokemon in the game with Stealth Rock support apart from Evolution Stone Chansey (With Timid nature only) and Shedinja with its dual-STABs alone.
  • Draco Meteor is the main attack, which maims even Pokemon that resist it, while Hydro Pump, boosted by rain and STAB, OHKOs most Pokemon that do. Even Nattorei is 2HKO'd by Hydro Pump in the rain.
  • Spacial Rend is for more reliable STAB and is good for late game cleaning.

Additional Comments:
  • Thunder OHKOs Kyogre and Manaphy, but Fire Blast can be used in the sun to destroy Steel-types with (Barring Heatran). Fire Blast also allows Palkia to KO Shedinja, who takes nothing from every other move.
  • Surf can be used over Hydro Pump for more consistency, but will lose out on the 2HKO against Blissey. It can also be run over Thunder and Fire Blast if you don't care about additional coverage.
  • Timid nature is preferred to outspeed the 90-99 Speed range (Most 660-680 BST Pokemon, Ononokusu and Sazandora while speed tying with Salamence, Manaphy and Jirachi. Modest can be used is you want to be able to guarantee a 2HKO on Chansey with Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes.

Teammates and Counters:
  • Virtually no counters, Evolution Stone Chansey and Blissey with Wish and Protect have a very small chance to be 2HKOed by Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock (Timid Palkia cannot 2HKO Chansey after Stealth Rock).
  • Garchomp, Choice Scarf Palkia, Dialga, Sazandora, Reshiram, Zekrom, Ononokusu and Kyumeru, Darkrai, Latias and Latios can all revenge kill Specs Palkia, but cannot safely switch in.
  • Kyogre brings Rain to power up Palkia's Water-type STAB and makes Thunder 100% accurate. Thunder Wave Kyogre is a great partner since it attracts revenge killers like Latias and Latios and paralyses them, allowing Palkia to outspeed them.
  • Bulky Steel-types can switch into Dragon-typed attacks aimed at Palkia. Specially Defensive Scizor and Jirachi make great partners to Palkia by absorbing Dragon-typed attacks and healing with Roost or Wish. Jirachi can also spread paralysis with Thunder Wave and Body Slam.
  • Entry hazard support helps Palkia greatly. With a layer of Spikes and Stealth Rock, Blissey will always be 2HKOed by rain-boosted Hydro Pump, while Chansey will always be 2HKOed if Palkia is running a Modest nature. Deoxys-S can easily set up entry hazards early in the game. Forretress can set up all three types of entry hazards and synergises very well with Palkia.
  • Wobbuffet can trap and Encore Chansey and Blissey and Tickle them, allowing a Pursuit user like Scizor to remove them from the battlefield so Palkia has an easier time breaking down teams.

[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Aqua Tail
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Brick Break / Earthquake / Dragon Claw
item: Lustrous Orb / Haban Berry / Lum Berry
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Set Comments:
  • Bulk Up is Palkia's only way of boosting its stats (Outside of Claw Sharpen). Reaches 508 Attack and 354 Defense after a Bulk Up.
  • Aqua Tail is Palkia's primary attack and hits extremely hard in the rain after a Bulk Up.
  • Outrage is Palkia's secondary attack and destroys virtually everything that resists Aqua Tail apart from Nattorei, Empoleon and Shedinja.
  • Brick Break is the preferred option in the last spot since it allows Palkia to hit Nattorei for super effective damage. Earthquake allows Palkia to other grounded Steel-types like Metagross and Dialga for super effective damage. Dragon Claw can be used so Palkia can use a reliable STAB Dragon attack without being locked into Outrage.

Additional Comments:
  • Dragon Tail can be used in the last spot to stop pseudo-hazers like Skarmory
  • Fire Blast is also an option to deal damage to Nattorei and Steel-types, but is inadvisable since Palkia is focusing on attacking in the rain.
  • Thunder can hit Lugia super effectively and potentially paralyse it, allowing Palkia to 2HKO with boosted Aqua Tail later (Since Lugia will not be able to set up Reflect quickly enough). Thunder also hits Skarmory for super effective damage.
  • Lustrous Orb is preferred to give Palkia more power on its STABs, but Haban Berry can allow Palkia to avoid being revenge killed by Dragon-typed revenge killers. Lum Berry gives Palkia an insurance against status, and can also allow Palkia to snap out of confusion after calming down from Outrage.

Teammates and Counters:
  • Timid Lugia is a great counter to Bulk Up Palkia, softening the blow with Reflect before taking an attack, Roosting off the damage and then Whirlwinding Palkia away.
  • Physically defensive Groudon can switch into Palkia without much trouble and threaten back with Dragon Claw or Thunder Wave. Aqua Tail is weakened by Drought.
  • Without a Haban Berry, Garchomp, Choice Scarf Palkia, Dialga, Sazandora, Reshiram, Zekrom, Ononokusu and Kyumeru, Darkrai, Latias and Latios can all revenge kill Palkia, but cannot safely switch in.
  • Nearly all Palkia appreciate Kyogre support, and this one not an exception. With Kyogre support, Aqua Tail is boosted by the rain. Palkia can also lure in Chansey and Blissey and destroy them with boosted Aqua Tails, allowing Calm Mind Kyogre to devastate an opposing team.
  • While Groudon seems counter-productive, he can lure in Lugia and cripple with Thunder Wave or Toxic and also set up Stealth Rock for Palkia to reach crucial KOs.
  • Mixed Rayquaza can also lure in both Lugia and Groudon and cripple
    them with Draco Meteor.
  • Wobbuffet can remove Choice Scarf holding revenge killers while providing Palkia with free turns to set up. Wobbuffet can also Tickle Lugia down to Pursuit's killing range from Scizor, Metagross or Tyranitar.
  • Scizor can switch into Choiced Dragon-type attacks without much problem and deal heavy damage with U-Turn, or Roost off the damage.

[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 2: Rest
move 3: Sleep Talk
move 4: Bulk Up / Aqua Tail
item: Leftovers
nature: Jolly
evs: 152 HP / 104 Atk / 252 Spe

Set Comments:
  • Since Soul Dew is not available in Black/White just yet, Latias is no longer a good switch into Choice Specs Kyogre. While Palkia could switch in and threaten it out, it could only do it once. This set aims to allow Palkia to switch in on Kyogre more than once.
  • HP EVs allow Palkia to switch into Water Spout twice if Stealth Rock is not up. Palkia can outspeed and weaken Water Spout by damaging Kyogre first. Max Speed is so Palkia keeps general utility in outspeeding the 90-99 range, while the rest is dumped into Atk.
  • Rest and Sleep Talk keep Palkia relatively healthy.

Additional Comments:
  • Outrage is preferred is preferred in the first spot so Palkia can deal reasonable damage to Pokemon like Kyogre. It also loses its locking in effect when Palkia is asleep. Dragon Claw can be used to ensure Palkia doesn't get locked in when it's awake.
  • The last spot depends on what the user wants Palkia to do. Bulk Up allows Palkia to become reasonably threatening when the opponent's Steel-types are gone, but Aqua Tail gives Palkia decent coverage alongside Outrage or Dragon Claw.
  • Dragon Tail can also be used over Palkia's Dragon-type moves if one wants a pseudo-hazer, and works decently well with Rest and Sleep Talk.

Teammates and Counters:
  • Unlike other Palkia sets, this set is not too difficult to counter due to its relatively low damage output. Forretress and Nattorei can take attacks from it all day and set up entry hazards without much trouble at all.
  • If Bulk Up is used, removal of opposing Steel-types could allow Palkia sweep later with boosted Outrages. Magnezone can trap Steel-types like Jirachi, Forretress and Scizor and remove them with STAB Thunder and Hidden Power Fire.
  • Palkia is still reasonably easily revenge killed by Dragon-types faster than it. Scizor, Metagross and Jirachi are all good switch-ins to Dragon-types. Scizor and Jirachi can heal themselves with Roost and Wish, respectively.

[Team Options]
  • Like all offensive Pokemon, Palkia like entry hazards being set up to turn 3-2HKOs or 2-OHKOs. Deoxys-S is arguably the best entry hazard abuser, with its high Speed and can set up both Stealth Rock Spikes. Forretress and Nattorei both synergise well and can set up multiple layers of entry hazards easily. Groudon can switch into Thunder and set up Stealth Rock.
  • While not mandatory and completely dependent on the team, Palkia still prefers Kyogre support, as it boosts his Water-type STAB, which alongside with Dragon, is resisted by only Nattorei, Empoleon and Shedinja. It also gives Palkia a 100% accurate Thunder.
  • Palkia likes Wish support, as even with its 4x resistance to Water-type attacks, switching into Water Spout from Kyogre is still not easy. Palkia will generally be worn down entry hazards quite quickly as well. Blissey and Jirachi can pass Wish to Palkia while taking reasonably little from specially base Dragon-type attacks, which Palkia detest.
  • Steel-types synergise well with Palkia, as they can switch Dragon-type attacks that Palkia is weak to, while Palkia can switch into Fire- and powered up Water-type attacks with ease.
  • Revenge killers holding Choice Scarf to stop Palkia's assaults can easily be removed by Wobbuffet, who traps them and Counter/Mirror Coats them to death. Wobbuffet + Pursuit user combo can remove Lugia, Blissey and Chansey, Palkia's biggest nemeses.

[Optional changes]
  • Choice Band - Largely outclassed by Choice Band Garchomp, who has better Speed, arguably better STABs and a higher Attack stat.
  • Roar and Dragon Tail can be used, but Palkia prefers to kill rather than to phaze.
  • Power Gem can kill Ho-oh on a specially inclined set, but isn't very useful elsewhere.
  • Aura Sphere and Ice Beam can be used, but don't really add much coverage.
  • Palkia can run a SubSalac set, but SubBerry sets are generally unreliable.
  • Psych Up can be used to steal Calm Mind Kyogre's boosts and use it in its own sweeping.

[Counters]
  • No strict counter, since Palkia will always be able to beat its checks with the right move. Nattorei is possibly the best switch-in to Palkia, as he fears nothing except a Fire-type attack outside of rain or Choice Specs Hydro Pump in the rain. He can then proceed to Power Whip Palkia for damage or set up entry hazards.
  • Specially inclined sets are generally beaten by Chansey, Blissey (as long as she avoid getting hit by Aqua Tail or Outrage), Ho-oh (in the sun) and specially defensive Steel-types like Jirachi, Metagross and Scizor, as long as they avoid Water-type attack in the rain or Fire Blast in the sun.
  • Physically inclined sets are generally beaten by Specially Defensive Groudon, who removes the rain and can threaten back with STAB Earthquake and Dragon Claw. Lugia is also a good counter to most physically based Palkia, but needs to watch out for being paralysed from Thunder.
  • Without a Choice Scarf or Haban Berry, the multitude of Dragons can usually revenge-kill Palkia without much trouble. Choice Scarf Garchomp will outspeed every variant of Palkia and OHKO all of them with Outrage or Dragon Claw. Kingdra can outspeed Palkia in the rain and OHKO with Outrage or Draco Meteor. Any Dragon-type with a Choice Scarf (Apart from Kurimugan and pre-evolutions) can outspeed Palkia that doesn't carry a Choice Scarf and revenge kill Palkia with Dragon-STAB. All the above need to be wary of Haban Berry variants, since Palkia can live most non-boosted Dragon-type attacks.
  • Wobbuffet can revenge-kill virtually any variant of Palkia with Counter or Mirror Coat (As long as he picks the right move), capable of surviving even a Timid Choice Specs Hydro Pump in the rain should entry hazards not be set up against its team and OHKO back with Mirror Coat.

[Dream World]
  • Palkia got Telepathy from Dream World, which isn't very useful apart from Double battles and Triple Battles, which could allow a Pokemon to use an attack that hits every Pokemon (like Earthquake) and not hit Palkia.


Palkia is a very important Pokemon, make sure you do a good job writing this up.
 
I have a present for you:

[Overview]
<p>Palkia is an extremely dangerous threat in the Ubers tier. With excellent attacking stats and typing, Palkia is possibly one the most versatile and deadly Pokemon in the game. With STABs unresisted by all except a handful of Pokemon, Palkia can act as both glue and sweeper for virtually any Ubers team. Do not expect your team to be successul if you don't have a way of dealing with Palkia.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Outrage / Fire Blast / Draco Meteor
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Hasty / Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]
<p>With a Choice Scarf attached, Palkia reaches a blistering 492 Speed, allowing it outspeed many Pokemon in the Ubers tier. With its monstrous 150 Base Special Attack, can then proceed to revenge kill a vast majority of them, such as Dragon Dance Rayquaza, Ononokusu, Darkrai, Mewtwo and Nitro Charge Reshiram. Choice Scarf Palkia can fit into virtually any team lacking a revenge killer, a reliable Kyogre switch-in or just a fast, hard-hitting attacker.</p>

<p>Spacial Rend is Palkia's main STAB and hurts any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Draco Meteor can be used in its place so Palkia can OHKO more threats, such as Darkrai and physically defensive Giratina after Stealth Rock. Surf is Palkia's most reliable attack, and can 2HKO Wobbuffet in the rain, a Pokemon who would otherwise trap and KO Palkia with Mirror Coat. Thunder is Palkia's best weapon against Kyogre and Lugia.</p>

[Additional Comments]
<p>The last moveslot should be chosen to fill whatever a team lacks. Outrage is Palkia's best weapon against Blissey and Ho-oh, while it can bypass Special Defense boosts accumulated by Latias or Latios. Fire Blast allows Palkia to sweep in both the sun and the rain, and it is also Palkia's best option against Nattorei, who laughs at everything else Palkia throws at it. Finally, Draco Meteor can be used so Palkia can hit hard while keeping Spacial Rend's reliability. Should you use Outrage, Hasty is the nature of choice, should you not, Timid is the nature of choice.</p>

<p>Evolution Stone Chansey can take any attack Palkia uses, heal off the damage with Softboiled or Wish and use Toxic to stall Palkia out. In the same vein, Blissey can switch into any attack apart from Outrage. In the sun, Ho-oh can take whatever Palkia throws at it and either stall it out with Substitute and Roost or OHKO Palkia with Brave Bird. Nattorei walls Palkia that doesn't run Fire Blast and sets up entry hazards at willDue to this, support Groudon is an excellent partner to run alongside Palkia. Groudon can scare Blissey, Chansey and Steel-types that switch into sponge Palkia's Dragon-type attacks while taking out Ho-oh with Stone Edge. It can also lure in and cripple Lugia and Wobbuffet with Toxic and defeat Choice Scarf Garchomp one-on-one, all of whom can potentially cause Palkia problems. Defensive Kyogre is also a great partner for Palkia, as it summons the rain to power up Palkia's Water-STAB, as well as being able to set up Calm Mind on Blissey and Chansey, as well as threatening to destroy both Ho-oh and Lugia with its overpowered Water-type attacks. Rock Arceus can switch into both of Ho-oh STAB attacks and OHKO with Judgment or Stone Edge.</p>


[SET]
name: Specially Based Mix
move 1: Surf
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Aqua Tail / Outrage
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Lustrous Orb / Life Orb / Haban Berry
nature: Hasty
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]
<p>With Base 150 Special Attack and Base 120 Attack, Palkia is a terrifying mixed attacker in the rain. With both Surf and Aqua Tail being boosted by the rain, and with Spacial Rend hitting virtually anything that resists Water-types attacks extremely hard, Palkia becomes nigh impossible to wall. In the rain, Surf becomes even stronger than Draco Meteor, allowing Palkia to blast through almost everything that doesn't resist it. Rain-boosted Aqua Tail allows Palkia to 2HKO both Blissey and Chansey. Outrage can be used as Palkia's physical attack should you are concerned that weather will not always be in your favour, or are worried about Aqua Tail's accuracy. The last move depends on what coverage Palkia needs more. Thunder has perfect accuracy in the rain, allowing Palkia to 2HKO offensive Kyogre and Lugia, but if Nattorei causes trouble, Fire Blast can be used to defeat it, as well as being a reliable way to deal with Steel-types in the sun.</p>

[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs are very simple. Max Speed and a Hasty nature allowing Palkia to outspeed all Pokemon under Base 100 Speed that don't carry Choice Scarf without weakening Palkia's physical Attack. Max Special Attack allows Palkia to hit as hard as possible while the remaining 4 EVs go into attack.</p>

<p>Lustrous Orb is the preferred item, since it powers up both of Palkia's STABs without forcing it to take recoil. This would in turn improve Palkia's longetivity and also allow it to bluff a Choice Scarf, potentially allowing Palkia to cripple or KO another Pokemon by surprise. Life Orb can still be used should you really want the extra 10% in power as well as extra power on Palkia's coverage move at the cost of 10% recoil per turn. Haban Berry is another choice to consider, as it allows Palkia to remove its sole weakness for a turn, potentially allowing to snatch an extra kill on Dragon-typed revenge killers. Beware, however, should you choose to use Haban Berry, the power drop is quite significant, and Palkia would only have a very slight chance of 2HKOing Chansey with Aqua Tail.</p>

<p>Specially Defensive Groudon is possibly the best check against this Palkia. With the sun weakening Palkia's Water-STAB, it can take Spacial Rend and threaten back with Dragon Claw or Earthquake or cripple it with Thunder Wave. Nattorei also wall Palkia's entire moveset if it lacks Fire Blast. Ho-oh in the sun is a decent check, as it can take an attack from Palkia can OHKO in return with Brave Bird. Lugia can use Light Screen in conjunction with Toxic to stall out Palkia, but can potentially be crippled by paralysis from Thunder. Finally, Dragon-typed Pokemon like Garchomp, Latias and Latios and other Dragons carrying a Choice Scarf can revenge kill Palkia. Kyogre support for Palkia is almost crucial. Not only does it provide rain to power up Surf and Aqua Tail, but also defeats Ho-oh, Groudon and Lugia relatively easily. Specially Defensive Scizor and Jirachi are also good teammates for Palkia, as they can switch into attacks from Choiced Dragon-type Pokemon and either deliver a powerful U-Turn or spread paralysis with Body Slam or Thunder Wave, respectively. Both Scizor and Jirachi have recovery as well.</p>

<p>Since Choice Scarf Palkia is the most frequently used, this Palkia can be used to lure in common counters of the Choice Scarf set. Palkia tends to lure in bulky Steel-types, Chansey and Blissey, so Pokemon that can take advantage of their removal also make good teammates to Palkia. With the removal of Chansey and Blissey, Choice Specs Dialga, Choice Scarf Kyogre, Calm Mind Arceus can have a much easier time destroying the opposing team, while Mewtwo and Darkrai greatly appreciates the removal of Steel-types.</p>

[SET]
name: Physically Based Mix
move 1: Aqua Tail
move 2: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Fire Blast / Thunder / Surf
item: Lustrous Orb / Life Orb / Haban Berry
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

Set Comments:
  • Similar to other mixed set, except it uses its physical Attack, can now guarantee a 2HKO on both Chansey and Blissey. Can also 2HKO Tyranitar in Sandstorm, which couldn't be done with Surf.
  • Outrage can 2HKO the bulkiest of Kyogre.
  • Spacial Rend is preferred for consistency, but Draco Meteor can used since this set focuses more on physical Attack anyway.

Additional Comments:
  • Last spot serves different purposes. Fire Blast allows Palkia to hit Nattorei, Thunder 2HKOs offensive Kyogre. If you don't care about specific coverage, Surf can be used as a Special Water STAB to hit physically defensive Steel-types not named Nattorei. Hydro Pump can also be used over Surf as well, but Surf is more reliable.
  • See specially mixed set for Lustrous Orb vs Life Orb vs Haban Berry.

Teammates and Counters:
  • Specially Defensive Groudon and Lugia can take pretty much any attack that this Palkia decides to use and threaten back with Dragon Claw or Toxic Stalling, respectively.
  • Without Fire Blast, Nattorei and other defensive Steel-types will give Palkia trouble.
  • Without a Haban Berry, any Pokemon that can revenge kill the specially based mix set can also revenge kill this Palkia.
  • Again, Kyogre is a great teammate to use with Palkia, since it can beat Lugia and defensive Groudon one-on-one and provide rain to power up Palkia's Water STAB.
  • Specially defensive Scizor can switch into Choiced Dragon attacks and deliver a powerful U-Turn, Roosting while it needs to.
  • Pokemon who this set lures out and KOs include Blissey, Chansey and Steel-type Pokemon who expect the Scarf set. Choice Specs Dialga, Calm Mind Mewtwo and Darkrai all make good partners by taking advantage of the aforementioned Pokemon being removed.


[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 3: Spacial Rend
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

Set Comments:
  • Reaches 598 Special Attack with Choice Specs, 657 using a Modest nature.
  • Advantages over Dialga and Reshiram: More Speed and better offensive coverage than Dialga, more Speed than Reshiram and not Stealth Rock weak.
  • Can potentially 2HKO every Pokemon in the game with Stealth Rock support apart from Evolution Stone Chansey (With Timid nature only) and Shedinja with its dual-STABs alone.
  • Draco Meteor is the main attack, which maims even Pokemon that resist it, while Hydro Pump, boosted by rain and STAB, OHKOs most Pokemon that do. Even Nattorei is 2HKO'd by Hydro Pump in the rain.
  • Spacial Rend is for more reliable STAB and is good for late game cleaning.

Additional Comments:
  • Thunder OHKOs Kyogre and Manaphy, but Fire Blast can be used in the sun to destroy Steel-types with (Barring Heatran). Fire Blast also allows Palkia to KO Shedinja, who takes nothing from every other move.
  • Surf can be used over Hydro Pump for more consistency, but will lose out on the 2HKO against Blissey. It can also be run over Thunder and Fire Blast if you don't care about additional coverage.
  • Timid nature is preferred to outspeed the 90-99 Speed range (Most 660-680 BST Pokemon, Ononokusu and Sazandora while speed tying with Salamence, Manaphy and Jirachi. Modest can be used is you want to be able to guarantee a 2HKO on Chansey with Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes.

Teammates and Counters:
  • Virtually no counters, Evolution Stone Chansey and Blissey with Wish and Protect have a very small chance to be 2HKOed by Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock (Timid Palkia cannot 2HKO Chansey after Stealth Rock).
  • Garchomp, Choice Scarf Palkia, Dialga, Sazandora, Reshiram, Zekrom, Ononokusu and Kyumeru, Darkrai, Latias and Latios can all revenge kill Specs Palkia, but cannot safely switch in.
  • Kyogre brings Rain to power up Palkia's Water-type STAB and makes Thunder 100% accurate. Thunder Wave Kyogre is a great partner since it attracts revenge killers like Latias and Latios and paralyses them, allowing Palkia to outspeed them.
  • Bulky Steel-types can switch into Dragon-typed attacks aimed at Palkia. Specially Defensive Scizor and Jirachi make great partners to Palkia by absorbing Dragon-typed attacks and healing with Roost or Wish. Jirachi can also spread paralysis with Thunder Wave and Body Slam.
  • Entry hazard support helps Palkia greatly. With a layer of Spikes and Stealth Rock, Blissey will always be 2HKOed by rain-boosted Hydro Pump, while Chansey will always be 2HKOed if Palkia is running a Modest nature. Deoxys-S can easily set up entry hazards early in the game. Forretress can set up all three types of entry hazards and synergises very well with Palkia.
  • Wobbuffet can trap and Encore Chansey and Blissey and Tickle them, allowing a Pursuit user like Scizor to remove them from the battlefield so Palkia has an easier time breaking down teams.

[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Aqua Tail
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Brick Break / Earthquake / Dragon Claw
item: Lustrous Orb / Haban Berry / Lum Berry
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Set Comments:
  • Bulk Up is Palkia's only way of boosting its stats (Outside of Claw Sharpen). Reaches 508 Attack and 354 Defense after a Bulk Up.
  • Aqua Tail is Palkia's primary attack and hits extremely hard in the rain after a Bulk Up.
  • Outrage is Palkia's secondary attack and destroys virtually everything that resists Aqua Tail apart from Nattorei, Empoleon and Shedinja.
  • Brick Break is the preferred option in the last spot since it allows Palkia to hit Nattorei for super effective damage. Earthquake allows Palkia to other grounded Steel-types like Metagross and Dialga for super effective damage. Dragon Claw can be used so Palkia can use a reliable STAB Dragon attack without being locked into Outrage.

Additional Comments:
  • Dragon Tail can be used in the last spot to stop pseudo-hazers like Skarmory
  • Fire Blast is also an option to deal damage to Nattorei and Steel-types, but is inadvisable since Palkia is focusing on attacking in the rain.
  • Thunder can hit Lugia super effectively and potentially paralyse it, allowing Palkia to 2HKO with boosted Aqua Tail later (Since Lugia will not be able to set up Reflect quickly enough). Thunder also hits Skarmory for super effective damage.
  • Lustrous Orb is preferred to give Palkia more power on its STABs, but Haban Berry can allow Palkia to avoid being revenge killed by Dragon-typed revenge killers. Lum Berry gives Palkia an insurance against status, and can also allow Palkia to snap out of confusion after calming down from Outrage.

Teammates and Counters:
  • Timid Lugia is a great counter to Bulk Up Palkia, softening the blow with Reflect before taking an attack, Roosting off the damage and then Whirlwinding Palkia away.
  • Physically defensive Groudon can switch into Palkia without much trouble and threaten back with Dragon Claw or Thunder Wave. Aqua Tail is weakened by Drought.
  • Without a Haban Berry, Garchomp, Choice Scarf Palkia, Dialga, Sazandora, Reshiram, Zekrom, Ononokusu and Kyumeru, Darkrai, Latias and Latios can all revenge kill Palkia, but cannot safely switch in.
  • Nearly all Palkia appreciate Kyogre support, and this one not an exception. With Kyogre support, Aqua Tail is boosted by the rain. Palkia can also lure in Chansey and Blissey and destroy them with boosted Aqua Tails, allowing Calm Mind Kyogre to devastate an opposing team.
  • While Groudon seems counter-productive, he can lure in Lugia and cripple with Thunder Wave or Toxic and also set up Stealth Rock for Palkia to reach crucial KOs.
  • Mixed Rayquaza can also lure in both Lugia and Groudon and cripple
    them with Draco Meteor.
  • Wobbuffet can remove Choice Scarf holding revenge killers while providing Palkia with free turns to set up. Wobbuffet can also Tickle Lugia down to Pursuit's killing range from Scizor, Metagross or Tyranitar.
  • Scizor can switch into Choiced Dragon-type attacks without much problem and deal heavy damage with U-Turn, or Roost off the damage.

[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 2: Rest
move 3: Sleep Talk
move 4: Bulk Up / Aqua Tail
item: Leftovers
nature: Jolly
evs: 152 HP / 104 Atk / 252 Spe

Set Comments:
  • Since Soul Dew is not available in Black/White just yet, Latias is no longer a good switch into Choice Specs Kyogre. While Palkia could switch in and threaten it out, it could only do it once. This set aims to allow Palkia to switch in on Kyogre more than once.
  • HP EVs allow Palkia to switch into Water Spout twice if Stealth Rock is not up. Palkia can outspeed and weaken Water Spout by damaging Kyogre first. Max Speed is so Palkia keeps general utility in outspeeding the 90-99 range, while the rest is dumped into Atk.
  • Rest and Sleep Talk keep Palkia relatively healthy.

Additional Comments:
  • Outrage is preferred is preferred in the first spot so Palkia can deal reasonable damage to Pokemon like Kyogre. It also loses its locking in effect when Palkia is asleep. Dragon Claw can be used to ensure Palkia doesn't get locked in when it's awake.
  • The last spot depends on what the user wants Palkia to do. Bulk Up allows Palkia to become reasonably threatening when the opponent's Steel-types are gone, but Aqua Tail gives Palkia decent coverage alongside Outrage or Dragon Claw.
  • Dragon Tail can also be used over Palkia's Dragon-type moves if one wants a pseudo-hazer, and works decently well with Rest and Sleep Talk.

Teammates and Counters:
  • Unlike other Palkia sets, this set is not too difficult to counter due to its relatively low damage output. Forretress and Nattorei can take attacks from it all day and set up entry hazards without much trouble at all.
  • If Bulk Up is used, removal of opposing Steel-types could allow Palkia sweep later with boosted Outrages. Magnezone can trap Steel-types like Jirachi, Forretress and Scizor and remove them with STAB Thunder and Hidden Power Fire.
  • Palkia is still reasonably easily revenge killed by Dragon-types faster than it. Scizor, Metagross and Jirachi are all good switch-ins to Dragon-types. Scizor and Jirachi can heal themselves with Roost and Wish, respectively.

[Team Options]
  • Like all offensive Pokemon, Palkia like entry hazards being set up to turn 3-2HKOs or 2-OHKOs. Deoxys-S is arguably the best entry hazard abuser, with its high Speed and can set up both Stealth Rock Spikes. Forretress and Nattorei both synergise well and can set up multiple layers of entry hazards easily. Groudon can switch into Thunder and set up Stealth Rock.
  • While not mandatory and completely dependent on the team, Palkia still prefers Kyogre support, as it boosts his Water-type STAB, which alongside with Dragon, is resisted by only Nattorei, Empoleon and Shedinja. It also gives Palkia a 100% accurate Thunder.
  • Palkia likes Wish support, as even with its 4x resistance to Water-type attacks, switching into Water Spout from Kyogre is still not easy. Palkia will generally be worn down entry hazards quite quickly as well. Blissey and Jirachi can pass Wish to Palkia while taking reasonably little from specially base Dragon-type attacks, which Palkia detest.
  • Steel-types synergise well with Palkia, as they can switch Dragon-type attacks that Palkia is weak to, while Palkia can switch into Fire- and powered up Water-type attacks with ease.
  • Revenge killers holding Choice Scarf to stop Palkia's assaults can easily be removed by Wobbuffet, who traps them and Counter/Mirror Coats them to death. Wobbuffet + Pursuit user combo can remove Lugia, Blissey and Chansey, Palkia's biggest nemeses.

[Optional changes]
  • Choice Band - Largely outclassed by Choice Band Garchomp, who has better Speed, arguably better STABs and a higher Attack stat.
  • Roar and Dragon Tail can be used, but Palkia prefers to kill rather than to phaze.
  • Power Gem can kill Ho-oh on a specially inclined set, but isn't very useful elsewhere.
  • Aura Sphere and Ice Beam can be used, but don't really add much coverage.
  • Palkia can run a SubSalac set, but SubBerry sets are generally unreliable.
  • Psych Up can be used to steal Calm Mind Kyogre's boosts and use it in its own sweeping.

[Counters]
  • No strict counter, since Palkia will always be able to beat its checks with the right move. Nattorei is possibly the best switch-in to Palkia, as he fears nothing except a Fire-type attack outside of rain or Choice Specs Hydro Pump in the rain. He can then proceed to Power Whip Palkia for damage or set up entry hazards.
  • Specially inclined sets are generally beaten by Chansey, Blissey (as long as she avoid getting hit by Aqua Tail or Outrage), Ho-oh (in the sun) and specially defensive Steel-types like Jirachi, Metagross and Scizor, as long as they avoid Water-type attack in the rain or Fire Blast in the sun.
  • Physically inclined sets are generally beaten by Specially Defensive Groudon, who removes the rain and can threaten back with STAB Earthquake and Dragon Claw. Lugia is also a good counter to most physically based Palkia, but needs to watch out for being paralysed from Thunder.
  • Without a Choice Scarf or Haban Berry, the multitude of Dragons can usually revenge-kill Palkia without much trouble. Choice Scarf Garchomp will outspeed every variant of Palkia and OHKO all of them with Outrage or Dragon Claw. Kingdra can outspeed Palkia in the rain and OHKO with Outrage or Draco Meteor. Any Dragon-type with a Choice Scarf (Apart from Kurimugan and pre-evolutions) can outspeed Palkia that doesn't carry a Choice Scarf and revenge kill Palkia with Dragon-STAB. All the above need to be wary of Haban Berry variants, since Palkia can live most non-boosted Dragon-type attacks.
  • Wobbuffet can revenge-kill virtually any variant of Palkia with Counter or Mirror Coat (As long as he picks the right move), capable of surviving even a Timid Choice Specs Hydro Pump in the rain should entry hazards not be set up against its team and OHKO back with Mirror Coat.

[Dream World]
  • Palkia got Telepathy from Dream World, which isn't very useful apart from Double battles and Triple Battles, which could allow a Pokemon to use an attack that hits every Pokemon (like Earthquake) and not hit Palkia.


Palkia is a very important Pokemon, make sure you do a good job writing this up.
Thanks, and will do; I will make sure to credit you/shrang, too.
 
Palkia is a cheap pokemon, I will never approve such as lousy fishy dragon, so slow and fat, very ugly with an orb..so cheap..but Fireburn approved it although I still hate him for making Gyardos sad :(


QC APPROVED ( 2/2 )

PS: Palkia still sucks because Gyarados is larger and way more cooler.
 
Haha I don't know about that... pretty sure palk is wayyyy more beast than Gyara!

Anyway, I will start writing's this up when I get a chance...
 

Fireburn

BARN ALL
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Haha I don't know about that... pretty sure palk is wayyyy more beast than Gyara!

Anyway, I will start writing's this up when I get a chance...
Agreed.

One more set to consider:

Palkia @ Expert Belt
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 100 Atk / 156 SAtk / 252 Spe
Hasty nature (+Spe, -Def)
- Focus Punch
- Spacial Rend
- Substitute
- Thunder

Pretty deadly set since no one expects Sub on Palkia. Ferrothorn that lack Power Whip can't touch you while you smite them with FP, and its great for killing Blissey and weakened Chansey. It was in the old Palkia analysis and I don't see anything that would make it any less useful in my testing, so...

Consider adding it back on.
 
Fireburn is bad, he hates Gyarados for life. How could he?

Enough jokes..

I think leftovers deserves mention in the Palkia set. Expert Belt doesn't give you extra kills anyway. I doubt it OHKOes Chansey after Stealth Rock. Toxic Spikes kills it GG

Also that set is walled by some Steels such as Forretress and Metagross in the sun :(
One of the problems of that set is you have to outpredict the pink blobs or they will just use Seismic Toss and break your sub.

Any Arceus form minus Dragon can setup on that Palkia set which can be a major drawback. Steel Arceus can just roar you out while Focus Punch doesn't kill especially when you have only 301 Attack.
 
Well, at least in terms of blob/ferro killing, focus punch will 2HKO 252 Hp / 252 Def Bold chansey and 252 HP / 4 Def Careful Ferrothorn all the time (even without rocks) with leftovers, so expert belt isn't really necessary... but it will help replace the missing SpA investment when you thunder kyogre.
 
Ok, so I have tested and tested and tested both bulk up and rest talk Palkia and come to the conclusion that both sets completely suck. The first has no hope of ever getting past groudon, skarm (neutral weather), lugia, ferrothorn, or pretty much any defensive-ish variant of arceus (Especially those with w-o-w), while the latter has the same troubles, but you can tack on a whole horde of pokes that can (and very often will) set up on it (Whats up Lucario,RP Don, mew, etc) as well as it being revenged trapped and either killed or set up on by wobb.... It seems to me to be a case of yes, it *can* run these sets, but why the hell would you neuter a perfectly good palkia to do so? When just about every team has a least a really hard counter and a solid check or two built in (Just by virtue of building a halfway decent team, not even taking BU palk into account), it is pretty much dead weight that switches into ogre, then either gets set up on, or promptly forced out.

Regardless of its admittedly superior speed and dual stab combo, bulk up Dialga seems to outclass it at every turn due to the extreme ease with which BU palk can be revenge killed/walled. In my opinion, Dialga is a better defensive BU abuser and Garchomp is far and away a better non speed boosting physical sweeper.

It is entirely possible that the sets worked well in the metagame when shrang tested them however far back that was, but neither set holds its own right now, so my vote is to remove them.
 
I agree you should remove the Bulk Up Palkia set and move it to Other Options. Most of the time, Palkia should just use Special Attacks with its superior dual STABs or go mixed instead of pure physical.

Garchomp and Dialga just outclass Palkia in pure physical sweeping. Garchomp is faster, Earthquake STAB and more Attack while Dialga is bulkier and lacks a Dragon-type weakness.

RestTalk Palkia is just outclassed by Specially Defensive Giratina, the lower Attack doens't even matter much because defensive Palkia is actually rather weak. What is Palkia trying to wall with RestTalk set? Kyogre? Ho-Oh? Giratina can do it much better.

Any Dragon-type can come in and immediately threatens Resttalk Palkia so you are forced to switch or die.
 
Imo, fire blast should be slashed with surf. Palkia is used both in rain and sun, and if using sun, surf has very little purpose.
 

hamiltonion

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Imo, fire blast should be slashed with surf. Palkia is used both in rain and sun, and if using sun, surf has very little purpose.
Agreeing completely. Without Fire Blast, Ferrothorn can just wall Palkia all day, while healing off with Leech Seed.
 
I slashed it on the scarf set. Most of the other sets explicitly require Kyogre support, so I will work a mention into the OC of replacing surf with fire blast if being used with only sun support

EDIT: Written, GP ready
 
Deletions
Additions / Corrections
Comments

[Overview]

<p>Palkia is an incredibly dangerous and versatile threat in the Uber metagame; between its crushing offensive stats, nearly unresisted STAB typing, brilliant movepool, and relatively high base 100 Speed, it can glue many teams together, and tear just as many apart. Do not expect your team to get far if you lack a solid plan for Palkia.</p>

[SET]

name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Outrage / Fire Blast / Draco Meteor
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Hasty / Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>Palkia’s trademark set returns for another round in the treacherous Uber tier. With a Choice Scarf attached, it reaches 492 Speed and becomes one of the game’s premiere revenge killers, able to reliably take out threats such as Dragon Dance Rayquaza, Haxorus, Darkrai, the Lati Twins Latias and Latios, and Nitro Charge Reshiram. Palkia can fit into virtually any team lacking a revenge killer, reliable Kyogre switch-in, or just a fast, hard-hitting attacker.</p>

<p>Spacial Rend is your most consistent STAB option dealing solid damage to anything that doesn’t resist it, but Draco Meteor can replace it if your team needs the extra power to OHKO threats like such as Darkrai outside of rain, or physically defensive Giratina after Stealth Rock; it should be noted, however, that the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor makes Palkia setup bait for several sweepers that it can not revenge kill after a boost, such as Rock Polish Groudon, and Extremekiller Arceus, so make sure you have these threats well covered if you forego Spacial Rend. Surf is Palkia’s secondary STAB of choice and is easily the most powerful move on the set under the rain, able to 2HKO even Wobbuffet, who normally scoffs at Choice Scarf users. Thunder is a must for dealing with Kyogre and Tail Glow Manaphy, though it is also your best option for hurting Lugia, too, and the 30% paralysis rate can really come in handy. </p>

<p>The last slot depends on what you need Palkia to do; Outrage allows Palkia to be a respectable physical threat and can help in dealing with Calm Mind users and Latias, while Fire Blast lets it take out Steel-types that come in to wall Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor, and also receives a pseudo STAB boost in the sun. Again, Draco Meteor is an option if you do not need the extra coverage or mixed capability, but often find yourself needing a bit more power.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The EVs are bog standard; max Speed with a boosting nature lets it Palkia at least tie with other base 100s Pokemon with base 100 Speed, while the SpA investment pumps up Surf and Spacial Rend, the two main draws of the set. The last 4 should go into Attack with a Hasty nature if using Outrage, or into HP with a Timid nature should another special attack suit your needs.</p>

<p>Chansey can take any of Palkia’s special attacks in stride and even shrug off an Outrage thanks to the Defense boost from Evoiolite, all the while stalling Palkia out with Wish and Toxic; Blissey and Lugia are in also pretty much in the same vein, only really fearing Outrage and Thunder, respectively. A supportive Dialga can survive even Draco Meteor and easily OHKO back with Dragon Pulse, though it can not switch in directly. Under the sun, Ho-Oh can take whatever Palkia throws at it and either stall it out with Substitute and Roost, or OHKO Palkia with Brave Bird. Ferrothorn can come in on anything bar Fire Blast and set up entry hazards, or annoy either Palkia or its switch-in with Leech Seed. Choice Scarf Garchomp and Wobbuffet can revenge Palkia with Outrage and Mirror Coat / Counter, respectively. Scizor, although relatively uncommon, can sponge Spacial Rend, and use U-turn to either dent Palkia or gain momentum on the switch.</p>

<p>A supportive Groudon can scare Blissey, Chansey, and most Steel-types off with STAB Earthquake, while also checking Ho-Oh with Stone Edge. It can also lure in and cripple both Lugia and Wobbuffet with Toxic, and defeat Choice Scarf Garchomp one-on-one. Kyogre sets up rain for Palkia and can also check Ho-Oh, Heatran, Scizor, and Lugia with double STAB Surf. Steel-types like such as Arceus, Forretress, and Ferrothorn can take Dragon-type attacks for Palkia and support the team. Ferrothorn gets a special mention because it not only synergizes well with Palkia, but can also aid it in taking down Kyogre. Rock Arceus and Tyranitar both resist Ho-Oh’s STABs, and can OHKO it with Judgment and Stone Edge, respectively. </p>

[SET]

name: Specially Based Mix
move 1: Surf
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Aqua Tail / Outrage
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Lustrous Orb / Haban Berry / Life Orb
nature: Hasty
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>With Kyogre support, Palkia can be a formidable mixed attacker. In the rain, STAB Surf becomes absurdly powerful, especially when further boosted by Lustrous Orb. Spacial Rend compliments Surf well, hitting everything commonly seen bar Ferrothorn for at least neutral damage, and easily 2HKOing any Groudon coming in to remove your rain. Aqua Tail always 2HKOes Bold 4 HP Eviolite Chansey after Stealth Rock, provided the rain is up, but Outrage is a solid replacement that lessens your dependence on weather, and lets you beat Ho-Oh in the sun. Running Thunder in the last slot lets you check Kyogre and pairs well with Aqua Tail, but Fire Blast grants you great sweeping coverage rain or shine, and is generally the better option when using Outrage. So long as Palkia is holding Lustrous Orb, Outrage provides a way of 2HKOing even max HP Kyogre after Stealth Rock, while Fire Blast can deal with common Steel-types like such as Forretress and Ferrothorn. </p>

<p>The item choice is key in determining how this set will be used; Lustrous Orb is usually the most consistent option, boosting Palkia’s STAB Water- and Dragon-type attacks attacks by 20% with no drawbacks. Haban Berry removes Palkia’s lone Dragon-type weakness for a turn and can quickly turn the tides on would-be revenge killers like such as opposing Choice Scarf Palkia, Latios, Latias, and Garchomp, as it keeps their Dragon Claw, Dragon Pulse, and Spacial Rend well out of OHKO range. Lastly, Life Orb boosts all of Palkia’s moves (As opposed to just the STABs) by a factor of 1.3, but without the ability to bluff your item or thwart potential revenge killers, the set is better used as a wallbreaker or late game cleaner.</p>

<p>Again, a the EV spread is one Palkia is quite familiar with : 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe with a Hasty nature is used to maximize Speed without lowering either offensive stat or compromising Palkia’s ability to switch into Water attacks from Kyogre.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Hydro Pump can replace Surf and the power increase is quite noticeable, but the accuracy can let you down, and Surf usually has the power to get the job done too; it does stand a chance to fell physically defensive Ferrothorn in two hits, though, provided the rain is up and Palkia is holding at least Lustrous Orb.</p>

<p>Ferrothorn is the bane of this set if you lack Fire Blast; nothing you normally have even comes close to 2HKOing (Life Orb-bosted Surf in the rain maxes at 36.4% against Max / Max Careful Ferrothorn) while it stalls you out with Leech Seed or sets up Spikes. Ho-Oh is a decent check in the sun, though it must be wary as Outrage usually 2HKOs. Specially defensive Groudon can be a great check as nothing on the set can 2HKO it without a Life Orb boost, thanks to Drought diminishing the power of Surf and Aqua Tail, while Groudon can retaliate with Dragon Claw or Thunder Wave. Darkrai can come in after a kill and put Palkia to sleep with Dark Void. Variants of Lugia with Light Screen can stall Palkia out with Roost and Toxic, but Thunder will eventually paralyze it, meaning it can not Roost off the weakness damage forever. Lastly, unless Palkia holds a Haban Berry, faster Dragon-types like such as Garchomp, Latias, Latios, and Choice Scarf users like such as opposing Palkia, Reshiram, and Zekrom can freely revenge kill Palkia with their Dragon STAB move of choice. </p>

<p>Needless to say, Kyogre support is a must with this Palkia. Rain-boosted Water-type moves are absolutely the crux of the set, and are simply too powerful to pass up on something that can utilize them as well effectively as Palkia; also, without rain present, Palkia stands no chance at beating Max Defense Blissey or Eviolite Chansey. Although a specially defensive Ferrothorn is one of the biggest thorns in Palkia’s side, it can also be one of its most valuable partners defensively; it can come in on Lugia and most Groudon with impunity, as well as the plethora of Choice Scarf Dragon-types that threaten Palkia and set up on all of them. It can also aid Palkia in taking down opposing Kyogre, which can help keep Palkia’s health high for a sweep later. Scizor, Jirachi, and Forretress also synergize well with Palkia, and can build momentum with U-turn / Volt Change, or support the team with entry hazards, status, Rapid Spin, or Wish. </p>

<p>*A note on Haban Berry : Haban Palkia is one of the most effective offensive lures in Ubers. It can bluff a Choice Scarf and spam Spacial Rend, then either roast the unexpecting Steel-type with Fire Blast, or drown them with Surf. After seeing that Palkia is not choice-locked, most players will immediately throw out their Dragon-type revenge killer (Choice Scarf Zekrom, Reshiram, and Palkia, as well as Garchomp, Kindgra in the rain, Latias, and Latios), who will fail to OHKO Palkia through Haban Berry and will promptly be dispatched by Spacial Rend or Outrage. This opens the door for an entire host of threats like such as Choice Scarf Kyogre and Dragon Dance Rayquaza to steamroll teams with their main checks out of the way.</p>

[SET]

name: Physically Based Mix
move 1: Aqua Tail
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 4: Fire Blast / Thunder
item: Lustrous Orb / Life Orb
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>Here This is another take on mixed Palkia, this time taking advantage of Palkia’s physical options to overcome some of its usual counters. Aqua Tail now snags an assured 2HKO on 4 HP / 252 Def Bold Eviolite Chansey under the rain, as well as max HP Tyranitar in sandstorm, which Surf could not accomplish. With a physical spread and Lustrous Orb backing it, Outrage will 2HKO even the bulkiest Kyogre, meaning Palkia can still reliably check it. Spacial Rend is still preferred for consistency, but Draco Meteor can be used to blast a hole in walls like such as Groudon and Giratina, and the Special Attack drop is not as bothersome as on other sets, either, due to this set's physical gearing. Lastly, Fire Blast takes out Steel-types, while Thunder hurts Kyogre without resorting to Outrage, and is also your best option against Lugiaa and the rare Flying-type Arceus.</p>

<p>Lustrous Orb is again the preferred option to boost Palkia’s already deadly STAB moves while not suffering recoil damage, though Life Orb is an option if you want more power. </p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>This set retains many of the counters from the previous set, namely defensive Groudon, Lugia, and Ferrothorn, if you lack Fire Blast. Faster Dragon-types like such as Garchomp, and Lati@s Latias, and Latios, and Choice Scarf users like such as Dialga, Palkia, Reshiram, and Zekrom can all revenge kill Palkia with their STAB Dragon-type moves. Ferrothorn can come in on walls like such as Lugia and set up Spikes. and It has the bulk to survive repeated Dragon-type assaults, and can recover health with Leech Seed. Kyogre, as usual, is a must- have teammate to provide rain support; Kyogre also thrives with Chansey and Blissey removed, which this Palkia specializes in accomplishing. </p>

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 3: Spacial Rend
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>With Choice Specs equipped, Palkia’s Special Attack soars to a massive 598, letting its powerful boosted Draco Meteor and Hydro Pump plow through some of its usual checks. Though Dialga and Reshiram may come to mind first when thinking of Dragon-type Choice Specs candidates for running Choice Specs, it is important to note that Palkia has better STAB attacks to work with than Dialga, lacks Reshiram’s Stealth Rock weakness, and much higher Speed than both of them. </p>

<p>Specs-boosted Draco Meteor is every bit as powerful as it sounds, and not many things can avoid the 2HKO. With Kyogre support, STAB Hydro Pump gets a huge boost in power, and the type coverage compliments Draco Meteor fairly well. Spacial Rend is a must for consistency, and the bite it packs alone can be surprising; specially defensive Groudon, Max HP Kyogre, Offensive Ho-Oh, and Wobbuffet are all 2HKOed by it with Stealth Rock damage alone. The last slot depends on what you need Palkia to cover; Thunder maims Kyogre and Lugia, but Fire Blast takes out Steel-types, most notably Ferrothorn. Surf can replace Hydro Pump if you are concerned about accuracy, but the power drop can let you down at times. </p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Don’t be tempted to use a Modest nature! Speed is one of Palkia’s most deadly assets, and the slight increase in power is nowhere near as useful as the ability to outspeed Rayquaza and tie with other base 100s. The </p>

[Teammates and Counters]

<p>Because of the sheer power this set provides, it can be very difficult to counter. Eviolite Chansey is the closest thing to a safe switch-in, but Hydro Pump in the rain can 2HKO it with Stealth Rock and some prior damage, though the chances are rather slim. Ferrothorn can take anything but repeated Hydro Pumps in the rain all day, and stall you Palkia out with Leech Seed and Protect, or just set up Spikes. Lastly, Choice Scarf Dialga, Zekrom, Reshiram, Haxorus, Palkia, and Hydreigon, as well Garchomp, and the Lati twins Latias, and Latios can all freely revenge you kill Palika with their STAB Dragon-type moves, though none of them can dream of switching in.</p>

<p>Thunder Wave Kyogre makes a great partner due to its inherent habit of drawing in and crippling would-be revenge killers such as the Lati twins Latias, Latios, Choice Scarf Zekrom, and Choice Scarf Palkia as well as providing rain support. Bulky Steel-types like such as Scizor and Ferrothorn can come in on switch into the Dragon-type moves that plague Palkia and either set up hazards or build momentum with U-turn, while Palkia can easily switch on Fire-type moves aimed at either of them thanks to it’s handy 4x resistance.</p>

[Set]

Name: Blissey Boxer
Move 1: Substitute
Move 2: Focus Punch
Move 3: Spacial Rend
Move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast / Surf
Item : Leftovers / Expert Belt
Nature : Hasty
Evs: 100 Atk / 156 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>With as many switches as Palkia tends to cause, there is plenty of opportunity to set up a Substitute and proceed to wreak havoc on switch-ins. Both Chansey and Ferrothorn, Palkia's user’s public enemy number one and two, are 2HKOed by Focus Punch with the given EVs, while Spacial Rend takes a bite out of nearly everything else. Thunder is generally the best choice for the last slot for the purpose of dealing with Kyogre and Lugia, but both Fire Blast and Surf are viable with the right weather support. </p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Leftovers is the preferred item, as it helps Palkia produce more Substitutes set up Substitute more often, but Expert Belt can offset the missing Special Attack investment when using Spacial Rend and the coverage move. </p>
[Teammates and Counters] (remove spaces. There are no sections called [Teammates and CCounters]; the comments in this section are 100% valid for AC.)
<p>A defensive Groudon is one of the best checks against to this Palkia, though repeated Spacial Rends wear it down. If Thunder is not in the last slot, then Lugia becomes a problem. Scizor can U-turn to break the Substitute, and then go to a counter depending on whether or not you began using Focus Punch. Wobbuffet can revenge you kill Palkia with the combination of Encore and Mirror Coat while not caring about Focus Punch at all. Forretress is a pain if the sun is out and you lack Fire Blast, as a 50% accurate Thunder or 50% powerful Surf are not all that threatening to it. Lastly, Ho-Oh walls this Palkia to no end in the sun barring a fair amount of luck with Thunder or repeated critical hits from Spacial Rend. </p>

<p>Palkia’s usual favored teammates are still relevant here; Forretress, Ferrothorn and Scizor can tank Dragon-type attacks aimed at Palkia and either set up entry hazards or build momentum with U-turn, while Palkia can easily absorb Fire-type moves in return. Forretress gets a special mention for being able to Rapid Spin away remove hazards with Rapid Spin, especially Toxic Spikes, that severely hamper Palkia’s staying power, especially when combined with the health lost from Substitute. Wobbuffet can take out many of the Choice Scarf users that threaten Palkia, and can also use Encore and Safeguard to net Palkia a free turn to set up. A defensive Groudon of your own can use Toxic to hamper walls like such as Lugia and opposing Groudon who may stand in your way, as well as set up Stealth Rock which aids in punishing the switches this Palkia tends to force. <p/>

[Other Options]

<p>Palkia can run a Choice Band set, but it is largely outclassed by Garchomp who has higher Attack and Speed. A Bulk Up set with Outrage and Aqua Tail is possible, but Dialga makes a better defensive booster and Garchomp again competes with it in the offensive sweeper role. Palkia has access to Dragon Tail, but generally has better things to be doing. Fire Blast can replace Surf on any set if your team favors sunny weather. If Ho-Oh is a major concern, Power Gem can be used to OHKO it, but it serves little purpose elsewhere; in the same vein, Aura Sphere is always an option and to 2HKOs Extremekiller Arceus, but the coverage from the moves listed is better. </p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Palkia is far too versatile to have a strict counter and can almost always beat its checks with the right move. That being said, there are a few Pokemon that typically can take it on. Ferrothorn and Chansey and the biggest thorns in Palkia’s side, and as they can take almost anything it has to offer, though the former must be wary of Fire Blast, and Specs and rain-boosted Hydro Pump can threaten both of them with prior damage and hazards. Sun Screened Ho-Oh can stuff Under the sun, Ho-Oh can takeany of Palkia’s special attacks, and stall it out with Roost or Recover, though Outrage will certainly dent it. Bulky Steel-types like such as Scizor, Jirachi, and Iron Plate Steel Arceus can tank Palkia’s Spacial Rend and Outrage, and retaliate with U-turn or status. A specially defensive Groudon serves as a great check to any physically inclined set thanks to Drought. Lugia can be a good switch-in, but hates Thunder and does not like paralysis at all. Choice Scarf Garchomp can revenge kill any Palkia not holding a Haban Berry and at high health with Outrage. Non-Choice Scarf Palkia is vulnerable to slower Dragon-types like such as Zekrom and Reshiram who are. Dialga is a shaky check, as Palkia cannot OHKO it without the use of Choice Specs, while Dialga can OHKO back with Draco Meteor. In the rain, Kingdra can outspeed any variant of Palkia and KO it with Outrage or Draco Meteor. As with most Choice users, Wobbuffet can trap and revenge kill Palkia with either Counter or Mirror Coat.</p>

[Dream World]
<p>Palkia received Telepathy through Dream World, which unfortunately has no use in single battles. It can, however, prevent Palkia from being hit by its teammates in double and triple battles.</p>




GP 1 / 2
 
I'm not a member of the GP team, but here's an unofficial check.

Deletions
Additions/Corrections
(Comments)

When you implemented the previous GP check you introduced several spacing errors into the writeup, so be very careful when implementing the next. Among these errors were a lot of words with double spaces in between them; I did not mark all of them because they would make the check nearly illegible and I think you can take care of that yourself (and it's not really the biggest issue). I did, however, mark all words that have curly apostrophes, they should be straight.

[Overview]

<p>Palkia is an incredibly dangerous and versatile threat in the Uber tier;. (breaking up a long sentence) Its great Dragon / Water-typing and decent special bulk allow it to serve as one of the game's premiere offensive Kyogre counters, while its high base 100 Speed allows it to revenge kill a majority of the metagame's top sweepers, including Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Mewtwo with its flagship Choice Scarf set. Between its crushing offensive stats, nearly unresisted STAB typing, and brilliant movepool, it can glue many teams together, and tear just as many apart. Do not expect your team to get far if you lack a solid plan for Palkia.</p>

[SET]

name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Outrage / Fire Blast / Draco Meteor
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Hasty / Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>Palkia's trademark set returns for another round in the treacherous Uber tier. With a Choice Scarf attached it reaches 492 Speed and becomes one of the game's premiere revenge killers, able to reliably take out threats such as Dragon Dance Rayquaza, Haxorus, Darkrai, Latias, and Latios, and Nitro Flame Charge Reshiram. Palkia can fit into virtually any team lacking a revenge killer, reliable Kyogre switch-in, or just a fast, hard-hitting attacker.</p>

<p>Spacial Rend is your most consistent STAB option dealing solid damage to anything that doesn't resist it, but Draco Meteor can replace it if your team needs the extra power to OHKO threats such as Darkrai outside of rain, or physically defensive Giratina after Stealth Rock;. (breaking up long sentence) It should be noted, however, that the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor makes Palkia setup bait for several sweepers that it can not revenge kill after a boost, such as Rock Polish Groudon, and Extremekiller Arceus, so make sure you have these threats well covered if you forego forgo Spacial Rend. Surf is Palkia's secondary STAB of choice and is easily the most powerful move on the set under the rain, able to 2HKO even Wobbuffet, who normally scoffs at Choice Scarf users. Thunder is a must for dealing with Kyogre and Tail Glow Manaphy, though it is also your best option for hurting Lugia, too, and the 30% paralysis rate can really come in handy. </p>

<p>The last slot depends on what you need Palkia to do; Outrage allows Palkia to be a respectable physical threat and can help in dealing with Calm Mind users and Latias, while Fire Blast lets it take out Steel-types that come in to wall Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor, and also receives a pseudo STAB boost in the sun. Again, Draco Meteor is an option if you do not need the extra coverage or mixed capability, but often find yourself needing a bit more power.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The EVs are bog standard; max Speed with a boosting nature lets Palkia at least tie with other Pokemon with base 100 Speed, while the SpA investment pumps up Surf and Spacial Rend, the two main draws of the set. The last 4 EVs should go into Attack with a Hasty nature if using Outrage, or into HP with a Timid nature should another special attack suit your needs.</p>

<p>Chansey can take any of Palkia's special attacks in stride and even shrug off an Outrage thanks to the Defense boost from Evoiolite Eviolite, all the while stalling Palkia out with Wish and Toxic;. (sentence break) Blissey and Lugia are also in much the same vein boat, only really fearing Outrage and Thunder, respectively. A supportive Dialga can survive even Draco Meteor and easily OHKO back with Dragon Pulse, though it can not switch in directly. Under the sun, Ho-Oh can take whatever Palkia throws at it and either stall it out with Substitute and Roost or OHKO Palkia with Brave Bird. Ferrothorn can come in on anything bar Fire Blast and set up entry hazards, or annoy Palkia or its switch-in with Leech Seed. Choice Scarf Garchomp and Wobbuffet can revenge Palkia with Outrage and Mirror Coat / Counter, respectively. Scizor, although relatively uncommon, can sponge Spacial Rend and use U-turn to either dent Palkia or gain momentum on the switch.</p>

<p>A support Groudon can scare Blissey, Chansey, and most Steel-types off with STAB Earthquake, while also checking Ho-Oh with Stone Edge; it can also lure in and cripple both Lugia and Wobbuffet with Toxic, and defeat Choice Scarf Garchomp one-on-one. Kyogre sets up rain for Palkia and can also check Ho-Oh, Heatran, Scizor, and Lugia with double rain-boosted STAB Surf. Steel-types such as Arceus, Forretress, and Ferrothorn can take Dragon-type attacks for Palkia and support the team. Ferrothorn gets a special mention because it not only synergizes well with Palkia, but can also aid it in taking down Kyogre. Rock Arceus and Tyranitar both resist Ho-Oh's STABs and can OHKO it with Judgment and Stone Edge, respectively. </p>

[SET]

name: Specially Based Mix
move 1: Surf
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Aqua Tail / Outrage
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Lustrous Orb / Haban Berry / Life Orb
nature: Hasty
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>With Kyogre support, Palkia can be a formidable mixed attacker. In the rain, STAB Surf becomes absurdly powerful, especially when further boosted by Lustrous Orb. Spacial Rend compliments complements Surf well, hitting everything commonly seen bar Ferrothorn for at least neutral damage, and easily 2HKOing any Groudon coming in to remove your rain. Aqua Tail always 2HKOes Bold 4 HP Eviolite Chansey after Stealth Rock, provided the rain is up, but Outrage is a solid replacement that lessens your dependence on weather, and lets you beat Ho-Oh in the sun. Running Thunder in the last slot lets you check Kyogre and pairs well with Aqua Tail, but Fire Blast grants you great sweeping coverage rain or shine, and is generally the better option when using Outrage. So long as Palkia is holding Lustrous Orb, Outrage provides a way of 2HKOing even max HP Kyogre after Stealth Rock, while Fire Blast can deal with common Steel-types such as Forretress and Ferrothorn. </p>

<p>The item choice is key in determining how this set will be used;. (You talk about all the choices in different sentences anyway, so just split it here.) Lustrous Orb is usually the most consistent option, boosting Palkia's STAB Water- and Dragon-type attacks by 20% with no drawbacks. Haban Berry removes Palkia's lone Dragon-type weakness for a turn and can quickly turn the tides on would-be revenge killers including opposing Choice Scarf Palkia, Latias, Latios, and Garchomp, as it keeps keeping their Dragon Claws, Dragon Pulses, and Spacial Rends well out of OHKO range. Lastly, Life Orb boosts all of Palkia's moves (ss opposed to just the its STABs attacks) by a factor of 1.3, but without the ability to bluff your item or thwart potential revenge killers, the set is better used as a wall breaker or late game cleaner.</p>

<p>Again, the EV spread is one Palkia is quite familiar with: (remove space) 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe with a Hasty nature is used to maximize Speed without lowering either offensive stat or compromising Palkia's ability to switch into Water attacks from Kyogre.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Hydro Pump can replace Surf and the power increase is quite noticeable, but the accuracy can let you down, and Surf usually has enough power to get the job done;. Note that Hydro Pump it does stand a chance to fell physically defensive Ferrothorn in two hits, though, provided the rain is up and Palkia is holding at least Lustrous Orb.</p>

<p>Ferrothorn is the bane of this set if you lack Fire Blast; nothing you normally have even comes close to 2HKOing (Life Orb-boosted Surf in the rain maxes at 36.4% against Max / Max Careful Ferrothorn) while it stalls Palkia out with Leech Seed or sets up Spikes. Ho-Oh is a decent check in the sun, though it must be wary as Outrage usually 2HKOes. Specially defensive Groudon can be a great check as nothing on the set can 2HKO it without a Life Orb boost, thanks to Drought diminishing the power of Surf and Aqua Tail, while Groudon can retaliate with Dragon Claw or Thunder Wave. Darkrai can come in after a kill and put Palkia to sleep with Dark Void. Variants of Lugia with Light Screen can stall Palkia out with Roost and Toxic, but Thunder will eventually paralyze it, meaning it can no longer Roost off its weakness. Lastly, unless Palkia holds a Haban Berry, faster Dragon-types such as Garchomp, Latias, Latios, and Choice Scarf users such as opposing Palkia, Reshiram, and Zekrom can freely revenge kill Palkia with their Dragon STAB move of choice. </p>

<p>Needless to say, Kyogre support is a must with this Palkia. Rain-boosted Water-type moves are absolutely the crux of the set and are simply too powerful to pass up on something that can utilize them as well as Palkia can; also, without rain present, Palkia stands no chance at beating Max Defense Blissey or Eviolite Chansey. Although a specially defensive Ferrothorn is one of the biggest thorns in Palkia's side, it can also be one of its most valuable partners defensively; it can come in on Lugia and most Groudon with impunity, as well as the plethora of Choice Scarfed-Dragon-types that threaten Palkia, and set up on all of them. It can also aid Palkia in taking down opposing Kyogre, which can help keep Palkia's health high for a sweep later. Scizor, Jirachi, and Forretress also synergize well with Palkia and can build momentum with U-Turn/Volt Change Switch or support the team with entry hazards, status, Rapid Spin, or Wish. </p>

<p>Haban Berry Palkia is one of the most effective offensive lures in Ubers. It can bluff a Choice Scarf and spam Spacial Rend, then either roast the unexpecting unsuspecting Steel-type with Fire Blast, or drown them with Surf. After seeing that Palkia is not choice-locked, most players will immediately throw out their Dragon-type revenge killer (Choice Scarf Zekrom, Reshiram, and Palkia, as well as Garchomp, Kindgra in the rain, and the Lati@s Latias, and Latios), who will fail to OHKO Palkia through Haban Berry and will promptly be dispatched by Spacial Rend or Outrage. This opens the door for an entire host of threats such as Choice Scarf Kyogre and Dragon Dance Rayquaza to steamroll teams with their main checks out of the way.</p>

[SET]

name: Physically Based Mix
move 1: Aqua Tail
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 4: Fire Blast / Thunder
item: Lustrous Orb / Life Orb
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>This is another take on mixed Palkia, taking advantage of Palkia's physical options to overcome some of its usual counters. Aqua Tail now snags an assured 2HKO on 4 HP / 252 Def Bold Eviolite Chansey under the rain, as well as max HP Tyranitar in sandstorm, which Surf could not accomplish. With a physical spread and Lustrous Orb backing it, Outrage will 2HKO even the bulkiest Kyogre, meaning Palkia can still reliably check it. Spacial Rend is still preferred for consistency, but Draco Meteor can be used to blast a hole in walls such as Groudon and Giratina., and As a plus, the Special Attack drop is not as bothersome as it is on other sets, either, due to this set's physical gearing. Lastly, Fire Blast takes out Steel-types, while Thunder hurts Kyogre without resorting to Outrage, and is also your best option against Lugia and the rare Flying-type Arceus.</p>

<p>Lustrous Orb is again the preferred option to boost Palkia’s already deadly STAB moves while not without suffering recoil damage, though Life Orb is an option if you want more power. </p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>This set retains many of the counters from the previous set, namely defensive Groudon, Lugia, and Ferrothorn, if you lack Fire Blast. Faster Dragon-types such as Garchomp, Latias, Latios, and Choice Scarf users including Dialga, Palkia, Reshiram, and Zekrom can all revenge kill Palkia with their STAB Dragon moves. Ferrothorn can come in on walls such as Lugia and set up Spikes; it also has the bulk to survive repeated Dragon assaults while recovering health with Leech Seed. Kyogre, as usual, is a must-have an essential teammate to provide rain support; Kyogre also thrives with Chansey and Blissey removed, which this Palkia specializes in accomplishing. </p>

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 3: Spacial Rend
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>With Choice Specs equipped Palkia's Special Attack soars to a massive 598, letting its powerful boosted Draco Meteor and Hydro Pump plow through some of its usual checks. Though Dialga and Reshiram may come to mind first when thinking of Dragon-type candidates for running Choice Specs, it is important to note that Palkia has better STAB attacks to work with than Dialga, lacks Reshiram's Stealth Rock weakness, and posseses possesses much higher Speed than both of them. </p>

<p>Choice Specs-boosted Draco Meteor is every bit as powerful as it sounds, and not many things can avoid the 2HKO. With Kyogre support STAB Hydro Pump gets a huge boost in power and the type coverage compliments complements Draco Meteor fairly well. Spacial Rend is a must for consistency, and the bite it packs alone can be surprising; specially defensive Groudon, Max HP Kyogre, offensive Ho-Oh, and Wobbuffet are all 2HKOed by it with Stealth Rock damage alone. The last slot depends on what you need Palkia to cover; Thunder maims Kyogre and Lugia, but Fire Blast takes out Steel-types, most notably Ferrothorn. Surf can replace Hydro Pump if you are concerned about accuracy, but the power drop can let you down at times. </p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Don't be tempted to use a Modest nature! Speed is one of Palkia's most deadly assets and the slight increase in power is nowhere near as useful as the ability to outspeed Rayquaza and tie with other base 100s.</p>

<p>Because of the sheer power this set provides, it can be very difficult to counter. Eviolite Chansey is the closest thing to a safe switch-in, but Hydro Pump in the rain can 2HKO it with Stealth Rock and some prior damage, though the chances are rather slim. Ferrothorn can take anything but repeated Hydro Pump in the rain all day, and stall Palkia out with Leech Seed and Protect, or just set up Spikes. Lastly, Choice Scarf Dialga, Zekrom, Reshiram, Haxorus, Palkia and Hydreigon, as well Garchomp, Latias, and Latios can all freely revenge kill Palkia with their STAB Dragon-type moves, though none of them can dream of switching in.</p>

<p>Thunder Wave Kyogre makes a great partner due to its inherent habit of drawing in and crippling tendency to draw in and cripple would-be revenge killers, including the likes of Latios, Choice Scarf Zekrom, and Choice Scarf Palkia, as well as providing its ability to provide rain support. Bulky Steel-types such as Scizor and Ferrothorn can switch into the Dragon-type moves that plague Palkia and either set up hazards or build momentum with U-turn, while Palkia can easily switch on Fire-types moves aimed at either of them thanks to it’s its handy 4x resistance.</p>

[Set]

Name: Blissey Boxer
Move 1: Substitute
Move 2: Focus Punch
Move 3: Spacial Rend
Move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast / Surf
Item : Leftovers / Expert Belt
Nature : Hasty
Evs: 100 Atk / 156 SpA / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>With as many switches as Palkia tends to cause there is plenty of opportunity to set up a Substitute and proceed to wreak havoc on switch-ins. Considering the many switches Palkia tends to cause, it has plenty of opportunities to set up a Substitute and proceed to wreak havoc. Both Chansey and Ferrothorn, Palkia's public enemy number one and two biggest enemies, are 2HKOed by Focus Punch with the given EVs, while Spacial Rend takes a bite out of nearly everything else. Thunder is generally the best choice for the last slot for the purpose of dealing with Kyogre and Lugia, but both Fire Blast and Surf are viable with the right weather support. </p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Leftovers is the preferred item as the gradual healing helps Palkia recover health lost by using Substitute, but Expert Belt can offset the missing Special Attack investment when using Spacial Rend and the coverage move.</p>

<p>A defensive Groudon is one of the best checks to this Palkia, though repeated Spacial Rends wear it down. If Thunder is not in the last slot then Lugia becomes a problem. Scizor can U-turn to break the Substitute and then go to a counter depending on whether or not you began using Focus Punch. Wobbuffet can revenge kill Palkia with the combination of Encore and Mirror Coat while not caring about Focus Punch at all. Forretress is a pain if the sun is out and you lack Fire Blast, as a 50% accurate Thunder or weakened Surf are not all that threatening to it. Lastly, Ho-Oh walls this Palkia to no end in the sun barring a fair amount of luck with Thunder or repeated critical hits from Spacial Rend. </p>

<p>Palkia's usual favored teammates are still relevant here; Forretress, Ferrothorn, and Scizor can tank Dragon-type attacks aimed at Palkia and either set up entry hazards or build momentum with U-turn, while Palkia can easily absorb Fire-type moves in return. Forretress gets a special mention for being able to remove entry hazards, most notably Toxic Spikes, that severely hamper Palkia's staying power, especially when combined with the health lost from Substitute. Wobbuffet can take out many of the Choice Scarf users that threaten Palkia, and can also use Encore and Safeguard to net Palkia a free turn to set up. A defensive Groudon of your own can use Toxic to hamper walls such as Lugia and opposing Groudon who may stand in your way, as well as set up Stealth Rock which aids in punishing the switches this Palkia tends to force. <p/> </p>

[Other Options]

<p>Palkia can run a Choice Band set, but it is largely outclassed by Garchomp, who has higher Attack and Speed. A Bulk Up set with Outrage and Aqua Tail is possible, but Dialga makes a better defensive booster and Garchomp again competes with it in the offensive sweeper role. Palkia has access to Dragon Tail but generally has better things to be doing do. Fire Blast can replace Surf on any set if your team favors sunny weather. If Ho-Oh is a major concern, Power Gem can be used to OHKO it, but it serves little purpose elsewhere; in the same vein, Aura Sphere is always an option to 2HKO Extremekiller Arceus, but the coverage from the moves listed is better. </p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Palkia is far too versatile to have a strict counter and can almost always beat its checks with the right move. That being said, there are a few Pokemon that typically can take it on. Ferrothorn and Chansey and are the biggest thorns in Palkia's side as they can take almost anything it has to offer, though the former must be wary of Fire Blast, and Choice Specs and rain-boosted Hydro Pump can threaten both of them with prior damage and hazards. Under the sun, Ho-Oh can take any of Palkia's special attacks and stall it out with Roost or Recover, though Outrage will certainly dent it. Bulky Steel-types such as Scizor, Jirachi, and Steel Arceus can tank Palkia's Spacial Rend and Outrage, and retaliate with U-turn or status. A specially defensive Groudon serves as a great check to any physically inclined set thanks to Drought. Lugia can be a good switch-in, but hates Thunder and does not like paralysis at all. Choice Scarf Garchomp can revenge kill any Palkia not holding a Haban Berry with Outrage. Non-Choice Scarf Palkia is vulnerable to slower Dragon-types wielding a Choice Scarf, such as Zekrom (spacing) and Reshiram. Dialga is a shaky check, as Palkia cannot OHKO it without the use of Choice Specs, while Dialga can OHKO back with Draco Meteor. In the rai,n rain, Kingdra can outspeed any variant of Palkia and KO it with Outrage or Draco Meteor. As with most Choice users, Wobbuffet can trap and revenge kill Palkia with either Counter or Mirror Coat.</p>

[Dream World]
<p>Palkia received Telepathy through Dream World, which unfortunately has no use in single battles.</p>
 
Thanks wekhter. Implemented with the exception of:

can quickly turn the tides on would-be revenge killers including opposing Choice Scarf Palkia, Latias, Latios, and Garchomp, as it keeps keeping their Dragon Claws, Dragon Pulses, and Spacial Rends well out of OHKO range.
I was told that using the plural form of moves is to be avoided, so I will leave that one as is unless someone else objects.
 

shrang

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Just one nitpick for the Specs set:

Because of the sheer power this set provides, it can be very difficult to counter. Eviolite Chansey is the closest thing to a safe switch-in, but Hydro Pump in the rain can 2HKO it with Stealth Rock and some prior damage, though the chances are rather slim. Ferrothorn can take anything but repeated Hydro Pump in the rain all day, and stall Palkia out with Leech Seed and Protect, or just set up Spikes.
Ferrothorn needs to watch out for Fire Blast as well, should probably just mention it there.
 
Just one nitpick for the Specs set:



Ferrothorn needs to watch out for Fire Blast as well, should probably just mention it there.
Ferrothorn can take anything but Fire Blast or repeated Hydro Pump in the rain all day, and stall Palkia out with Leech Seed and Protect, or just set up Spikes.
Changed, can someone GP that ^
 
As for that sentence, I think it almost sounds as if the Fire Blast is in the rain, too, and with the addition of a second move the "all day" starts to sound out of place, so I'd probably write it as:

Ferrothorn can take anything but Fire Blast or repeated rain-boosted Hydro Pumps and stall Palkia out with Leech Seed and Protect, or just set up Spikes.
Though I guess if you really want to avoid pluralized attacks, "a repeated rain-boosted Hydro Pump" also sounds okay.

Since I just became a member of GP I guess I'll stamp my own check, making it GP 2/2.
 

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