[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Choice Specs
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Draco Meteor, when boosted by Choice Specs, is one of the scariest special attacks in the tier, outdamaging others like Choice Specs Sylveon's Hyper Voice and Adaptability Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Tri-Attack. Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's most spammable move, as it has great neutral coverage and hits most of the tier for excellent damage. Flash Cannon hits Fairy-type switch-ins, OHKOing Whimsicott and 2HKOing Florges and Sylveon if entry hazards are down. Focus Blast allows Hydreigon to break through many common special walls in the tier, including Umbreon, Snorlax, and Porygon2. U-turn is an option over Focus Blast that allows Hydreigon to bluff a Choice Scarf set and maintain momentum early-game. Flamethrower is an option over Focus Blast as well, as it allows Hydreigon to OHKO Pokemon that resist its STAB moves such as Cobalion and Lucario without relying on the unreliable Focus Blast, but Hydreigon will miss the coverage against the aforementioned Special walls.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment ensures Hydreigon hits as hard as possible, while maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Hydreigon to outpace key threats such as Entei, Krookodile, and Kyurem. Choice Specs is the item of choice for this set, providing maximum power to Hydreigon's attacks and even allowing it to beat most special walls.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Specs Hydreigon trades the ability to switch moves or heal itself for the power and consistency of its potent STAB attacks as well as the ability to surprise and break through Fairy-type Pokemon without relying on Iron Tail's shaky accuracy. This set is particularly proficient at breaking down walls in the early-game, allowing another sweeper to come in and clean house late-game. Against teams that lack a Fairy-type Pokemon, there are very few drawbacks to using Draco Meteor early-game, as the power of a Choice Specs-boosted Draco Meteor will even punch through moderately bulky switch-ins such as Cobalion. Dark Pulse is an easy move to spam mid-game, hitting most of the tier for good damage and even hitting hard enough to break down softer checks to Hydreigon such as Empoleon and Whimsicott without requiring prediction. Try to bring Hydreigon in on weak resisted moves or those that it is immune to; though the lack of Life Orb recoil aids its longevity overall, it lacks Roost to recover from strong attacks. This means that it cannot reliably check Pokemon such as Krookodile or Entei, so be sure to play around them carefully.
Team Options
========
Choice Specs Hydreigon fits best on bulkier offensive teams that most benefit from its ability to punch through walls. Pokemon such as Conkeldurr, Choice Scarf Mienshao, and Heracross all particularly appreciate Hydreigon's ability to lure and weaken Fairy-type Pokemon with Flash Cannon. Hydreigon always appreciates entry hazard support, as that allows it to secure several key OHKOs and 2HKOs it would otherwise miss, such as the guaranteed 2HKO on Blissey with Focus Blast or Calm Florges with Flash Cannon. Forretress is a particularly good partner, as it can set up Spikes against defensive Fairy-type Pokemon to ensure their KOs later in the game. As Choice Specs Hydreigon lacks longevity, it also appreciates VoltTurn support to get it in safely. The aforementioned Forretress helps here, as does Choice Scarf Infernape, which can also clean up late-game after Hydreigon softens up the opposing team's bulky Water-, Psychic-, and Fairy-type Pokemon. Mega Beedrill is another great fit, as Hydreigon threatens many of the bulky Steel-type Pokemon that would otherwise switch into Mega Beedrill's U-turn.
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Choice Specs
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Draco Meteor, when boosted by Choice Specs, is one of the scariest special attacks in the tier, outdamaging others like Choice Specs Sylveon's Hyper Voice and Adaptability Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Tri-Attack. Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's most spammable move, as it has great neutral coverage and hits most of the tier for excellent damage. Flash Cannon hits Fairy-type switch-ins, OHKOing Whimsicott and 2HKOing Florges and Sylveon if entry hazards are down. Focus Blast allows Hydreigon to break through many common special walls in the tier, including Umbreon, Snorlax, and Porygon2. U-turn is an option over Focus Blast that allows Hydreigon to bluff a Choice Scarf set and maintain momentum early-game. Flamethrower is an option over Focus Blast as well, as it allows Hydreigon to OHKO Pokemon that resist its STAB moves such as Cobalion and Lucario without relying on the unreliable Focus Blast, but Hydreigon will miss the coverage against the aforementioned Special walls.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment ensures Hydreigon hits as hard as possible, while maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Hydreigon to outpace key threats such as Entei, Krookodile, and Kyurem. Choice Specs is the item of choice for this set, providing maximum power to Hydreigon's attacks and even allowing it to beat most special walls.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Specs Hydreigon trades the ability to switch moves or heal itself for the power and consistency of its potent STAB attacks as well as the ability to surprise and break through Fairy-type Pokemon without relying on Iron Tail's shaky accuracy. This set is particularly proficient at breaking down walls in the early-game, allowing another sweeper to come in and clean house late-game. Against teams that lack a Fairy-type Pokemon, there are very few drawbacks to using Draco Meteor early-game, as the power of a Choice Specs-boosted Draco Meteor will even punch through moderately bulky switch-ins such as Cobalion. Dark Pulse is an easy move to spam mid-game, hitting most of the tier for good damage and even hitting hard enough to break down softer checks to Hydreigon such as Empoleon and Whimsicott without requiring prediction. Try to bring Hydreigon in on weak resisted moves or those that it is immune to; though the lack of Life Orb recoil aids its longevity overall, it lacks Roost to recover from strong attacks. This means that it cannot reliably check Pokemon such as Krookodile or Entei, so be sure to play around them carefully.
Team Options
========
Choice Specs Hydreigon fits best on bulkier offensive teams that most benefit from its ability to punch through walls. Pokemon such as Conkeldurr, Choice Scarf Mienshao, and Heracross all particularly appreciate Hydreigon's ability to lure and weaken Fairy-type Pokemon with Flash Cannon. Hydreigon always appreciates entry hazard support, as that allows it to secure several key OHKOs and 2HKOs it would otherwise miss, such as the guaranteed 2HKO on Blissey with Focus Blast or Calm Florges with Flash Cannon. Forretress is a particularly good partner, as it can set up Spikes against defensive Fairy-type Pokemon to ensure their KOs later in the game. As Choice Specs Hydreigon lacks longevity, it also appreciates VoltTurn support to get it in safely. The aforementioned Forretress helps here, as does Choice Scarf Infernape, which can also clean up late-game after Hydreigon softens up the opposing team's bulky Water-, Psychic-, and Fairy-type Pokemon. Mega Beedrill is another great fit, as Hydreigon threatens many of the bulky Steel-type Pokemon that would otherwise switch into Mega Beedrill's U-turn.
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