Flygon

[Shimrit As]

Change always comes bearing gifts. -Price Pritchett

FLYGON

-->

-->

-->

​

Flygon remains almost the same Pokemon as it was one generation ago - no groundbreaking new toys, no new Dream World ability... if anything it appears comprehensively outclassed by the dragons introduced in Gen V, with their greater offensive stats and wider attacking options. What's keeping Flygon in the game then?

1) A Set-up Move (at last)

It gained a new set-up move in Claw Sharpen (which boosts Atk and Acc), which opens up new possibilities for it. Yes, it's probably inferior to Swords Dance and Dragon Dance that Ononokuso got. But Flygon has been yearning for any means of setting up at all, and it's got it now.

2) Significant Base Speed

Base 100 Spe is faster than all the dragons introduced this dragon and - going by previous generation's tiering - it remains the fastest OU Dragon-type. This speaks volumes about its ability to revenge its counterparts or get in a sweep late game. A number of new Pokemon lie in the 90s: Warubiaru, Hihidaruma, Ononokuso and Sazando to name but a few, and Flygon can serve as a check to them.

3) Invulnerability to Passive Damage

Thanks to its part-Ground typing and levitate, Flygon takes reduced damage from Stealth Rock and nothing from Spikes, Toxic Spikes or Sandstorm. This allows it to wield a Choice item with greater freedom and flexibility and hold its own against spike-stacking teams.


Here are the moves Flygon learns:

Gen V Level-Up

Sonicboom, Sand-Attack, Faint Attack, Sand Tomb, Sand-Attack, Faint Attack, Sand Tomb, Supersonic, DragonBreath, Screech, Dragon Claw, Sandstorm, Hyper Beam, Dragon Tail

Gen V Egg Moves

Focus Energy, Quick Attack, Gust, Flail, Fury Cutter, Mud Shot, Endure, Earth Power, Bug Bite, Signal Beam

Gen V TMs

Claw Sharpen, Dragon Claw, Toxic, Hidden Power, Sunny Day, Hyper Beam, Protect, Frustration, Solar Beam, Earthquake, Return, Dig, Double Team, Flamethower, Sandstorm, Fire Blast, Rock Tomb, Aerial Ace, Facade, Rest, Attract, Troll, Complete Burn, Giga Impact, Stone Edge, Bug Resistance, Smooth Over, Rock Slide, Dragon Tail, Swagger, U-Turn, Substitute, Rock Smash, Fly, Strength

Exclusive Gen IV TMs

Giga Drain, Iron Tail, Steel Wing, Roost, Dragon Pulse, Silver Wind, Captivate, Sleep Talk, Natural Gift

Gen V Tutor Moves

Draco Meteor

Gen IV Tutor Moves

Air Cutter, Fire Punch, Fury Cutter, Ominous Wind, Thunderpunch, Snore, Swift, Earth Power, Heat Wave, Mud-slap, Outrage, Twister, Tailwind, Bug Bite, Headbutt

Gen V Pre-Evolution Moves

Bite, Crunch, Dig, Earth Power, Earthquake, Feint, Fissure

Viable Sets:

1) Choice Scarf

Flygon@Scarf
252 Atk 252 Spe; Jolly
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge/Thunderpunch
- U-turn

Standard for a while now, but possibly even more useful this generation. Coupling Choice Scarf with Base 100 Speed allows Flygon to serve as a reliable revenge killer and even a late-game cleaner. Outrage is only available from old tutors so this Flygon has to be transferred over from Gen IV.

2) Claw Sharpen Sweeper

Flygon@Life Orb
252 Atk 252 Spe; Jolly (or Naive with Fire Blast)
- Claw Sharpen
- Outrage/Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge/Fire Blast/Roost

Thanks to Claw Sharpen, Flygon can get a boost and (hopefully) initiate a sweep. Outrage/Earthquake provide great coverage if you can eliminate Skarmory and company earlier in the game, while Stone Edge gets rounds out the set with good power, SE coverage and perfect accuracy following Claw Sharpen. It might be outclassed by other physical attackers but considering Flygon's powerful STAB attacks, resistance to SR and immunity to Sandstorm, Spikes and Toxic Spikes, this could be easier to set-up and harder to take down with Stall.

Fire Blast has been suggested by a few users to defeat Steel types independently. It also benefits from the acc boost.

3) Defensive

Flygon@Leftovers
252 HP, 252 Spe; Jolly
- Substitute/Toxic
- Roost
- Dragon Tail
- Earthquake/Toxic

With a resistance to EdgeQuake and decent 80/80/80 defences (better than Starmie's and comparable to Kurimugan's) Flygon can serve as a decent defensive Pokemon, against the likes of Doryuuzu and Gigiaisu. With great speed a new phazing move in Dragon Tail, Flygon will be able to shuffle Hippowdon, Swampert and Gyarados before they get to Roar. Similarly, Substitute + Toxic + Dragon Tail if one chooses to go that route will let it beat stallbreaker Gliscor by virtue of a faster sub and status and ability to continue phazing in spite of Taunt. This can also act as a stall team's emergency check to SD Ononokuso and stuff with its good speed, while causing double switches with Dragon Tail if the opponent chooses to withdraw Ononokuso on the same turn.


While Flygon barely presents itself as anything new, the metagame around it has certainly changed in form. Does Flygon serve any new role or will it decline in utility/usage thanks to stronger Dragons introduced this generation?

Please post your views here freely (:
But remember to avoid discussing it's tiering or whether it will get banned which it wont d:

 

[Evex]

Just thought I should mention, that after a Claw Sharpen boost, Steel types should also worry about a very accurate Fire Blast from Flygon as well. No more powerful that in Gen IV, but no longer missing helps.

~Evex

 

[The King of Harts]

I think you should try to squeeze Fire Blast on the Claw Sharpen set so that you can handle Skarmory and Bronzong by yourself.

I was never a fan of the ScarfGon set, but I do like how it's popularity lets me run a Fake ScarfGon set:

Flygon @Expert Belt
Naive
ATK 252 / SPATK 4 / SPE 252
-Earthquake
-Draco Meteor
-Fire Blast/Fire Punch
-ThunderPunch

It works stupendously because Earthquake usually draws in Salamence or Gyarados and Draco Meteor draws in Heatran. There's no guarantee they'll still be staples, but I'd be pretty surprised if they weren't.

I wish it could use Claw Sharpen to boost his power and increase FB's accuracy, but it totally ruins the disguise, thus potentially preventing you from landing surprise KOs. Perhaps if ScarfGon drops in popularity Claw Sharpen will rise. Other than that, though, Flygon really hasn't changed.

 

[Calm Pokemaster]

You could even go for the MixGon set with Claw Sharpen, FB, EQ and Stone Edge/ Draco Meteor/Outrage, with Life Orb. Checks Skarm and Zong, and helps revenge Ononokusu.

 

[Alan]

i have a feeling that flygon is going to be uu/bl this time around :(

the claw sharpen set is horribly outclassed by sdchomp and ddmence (yeah accuracy, but wouldn't you rather just fire off +2 EQs?) I guess you could use scarfgon but that one thing that gets reckless and hjk thats fighting-type is my favorite scarfer atm. i really like flygon but he didnt get enough of the toys to keep up with the bigger dragons on the block imo. hopefully he still has his uses though :)

edit: maybe to take advantage of his great typing/ability something like:

flygon @ muscle band / leftovers / idk some filler item that isnt life orb
252 atk / 252 spe / 4 hp
jolly nature
sub
claw sharpen
d claw / outrage
eq

its not perfect but i imagine it might be useful maybe

 

[red12345]

The substitute set will come back for another round

 

[Johnny_Darko]

Garchomp isn't Uber at the moment and may remain OU this time around, in which case Flygon is completely outclassed outside of a fast U-Turn which other Pokemon can do better. While he got Claw Sharpen, I just don't see it making too much of a difference as his attacking stats are pretty poor compared to his Dragonic brethren.

 

[ShinyAzelf]

My favourite Dragon type of all time. I was disappointed that it didn't get a new Dream World ability. Even more disappointed when I found out it didn't get Dragon Dance.

 

[Shimrit As]

I think we should gear this thread towards what has changed for Flygon and how it will (not) perform in the new metagame. I've only posted the sets that have increased relevance now even though CB, EB etc could all have been listed. If you feel that there's something worth discussing about a new set then please post it, but apart from that I think we don't have to mention old sets that don't present any new value or utility. Thanks (:

Main point about Claw Sharpen is the Atk boost in my opinion, it's almost the same as if it had gotten Howl. I've included Fire Blast but honestly I dont think we should use sub-100 accuracy moves just so it makes use of the Acc increase.

And @above, FLYGON IS MY FAVOURITE POKEMON OF ALL TIME. I had been hoping for DD or even Cheer Up as well when I was browsing through its learnsets, but was left pretty disappointed.

 

[PK Gaming]

Horribly outclassed by Garchomp. If Chomp gets banned, I can see him getting some use as an excellent scarfer like last gen, but I would never consider using him over Garchomp. If Garchomp stays in OU this gen, I can see it dropping into the lower tiers.

 

[Move_Zero]

Y'know, now that it gets Earth Power, a Specs Set might be useable:

Flygon @ Choice Specs
Levitate
Modest (+SpAtk, -Atk)/Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
252 SpAtk, 252 Spd, 4 SpDef/4 HP
~Draco Meteor
~Earth Power
~Fire Blast
~Dragon Pulse/Hidden Power [?]

Draco Meteor to hit anthing that doesn't resist it hard, Earth Power for secondary STAB, Fire Blast for Steels, and Dragon Pulse for a more reliable STAB option, though I'm not sure if you can breed DPulse and EP on the same set. Maybe a Hidden Power over the 4th move?

 

[Manaphy]

The Choice Scarf Set has unique potential for outspeeding DD Ononokusu, DD Dragonite, and pretty much all the OU Dragons.

If Garchomp comes to OU, I can see a UU Flygon. But Garchomp looks like he'll be Uber IMO.

 

[Johnny_Darko]

The Choice Scarf Set has unique potential for outspeeding DD Ononokusu, DD Dragonite, and pretty much all the OU Dragons.

If Garchomp comes to OU, I can see a UU Flygon. But Garchomp looks like he'll be Uber IMO.

Just because something was Uber last gen doesn't make it Uber this gen. Besides, these threads aren't really about tierings as far as I know.

Flygon will find his niche, but in the mean time people will look to Garchomp.

 

[Shimrit As]

Yeah Garchomp can revenge kill everything can, along with Salamence, Jirachi and other Flygon with a 100% success rate. Only thing Flygon has going for it offensively is a fast U-turn which may or may not be enough to justify the 30 less base Atk significant loss bulk. However resisting both Rock and Ground while being immune to Spikes and Toxic Spikes is a major advantage - stall teams won't be getting past it that easily. That's just my opinion, I may be wrong (and probably am).

Uh Skoonie I'm quite sure Flygon already knew Earth Power before BW.

 

[Move_Zero]

Uh Skoonie I'm quite sure Flygon already knew Earth Power before BW.

*facepalms* So much for suggesting a new set...

 

[DarkMoon]

Here is an other interesting set:
Flygon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 44 Atk / 252 Spd / 212 SAtk
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Claw sharpen / Roost

 

[IronGross]

Claw Sharpen is bery useful to boost Fire Blast, Draco Meteor and Stone Edge's accuracy, so at least it gives more reliability...

 

[Raptorg]

Y'know, now that it gets Earth Power, a Specs Set might be useable:

Flygon @ Choice Specs
Levitate
Modest (+SpAtk, -Atk)/Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
252 SpAtk, 252 Spd, 4 SpDef/4 HP
~Draco Meteor
~Earth Power
~Fire Blast
~Dragon Pulse/Hidden Power [?]

Draco Meteor to hit anthing that doesn't resist it hard, Earth Power for secondary STAB, Fire Blast for Steels, and Dragon Pulse for a more reliable STAB option, though I'm not sure if you can breed DPulse and EP on the same set. Maybe a Hidden Power over the 4th move?

All those moves are tutor or TM moves in generation 4, you won't need to breed anything for this moveset.

On a sidenote, how much accuracy does 1 stage of accuracy grant? At first I thought 10%, but this other website is stating 25%. Which is it?

 

[Shimrit As]

One stage gives a 1/3 boost, two stages give a 2/3 boost, three stages doubles it. Read here.

Actually Claw Sharpen is a surefire way to make Flygon outclassed compared to Ononokuso, Garchomp and Salamence. U-turn and a defensive set might make more sense.

 

[Max_LKC]

Flygon's my favorite pokemon too. I don't have a team without one, it's such a bump that it dosen't get much stat boosting moves other than claw sharpen, and it should learn dragon dance. I mean come on, crawdaunt a giant lobster can while a real dragon can't? It seem that Gamefreak kinda hates flygon...

 

[The Messiah]

NO! flygon is still the fastest dragon allowed in OU even though they all have more imposing attack, flygon will still be up there in OU, the new dragons will probs get kicked to ubers, unless they've done their stats just to allow flygon to scarf up and outrage em down,

dragonite on the other hand, that is being outclassed in every aspect

 

[Thorhammer]

NO! flygon is still the fastest dragon allowed in OU even though they all have more imposing attack, flygon will still be up there in OU, the new dragons will probs get kicked to ubers, unless they've done their stats just to allow flygon to scarf up and outrage em down,

dragonite on the other hand, that is being outclassed in every aspect

Pay more attention to recent events. Just about all of that is false.

 

[shipship]

Flygon was never any good at sweeping.

The main set will still be max speed + Choice Scarf. Immunity to Thunderwave and U-turn are what made it useful, but now that Ground/Flying genie does that better too.

Flygon will be UU.

 

[Immaterial]

Yeah, I don't really know if Claw Sharpen can help Flygon much. The only physical move that benefits from more accuracy is Stone Edge, and using a buff that gives +1 Atk and +1 Acc with special moves feels like a bit of a waste. :( Though if you want to get really, really gimmicky you could always use it with Purgatory, despite the horrible ~66.67% chance to hit after the boost. (Haha. No.)

Dragon Tail is a nice PHazing move, and the first thing that pops into my mind when I see it is Restalk abuse as it ignores the negative priority (Dragon Tail/Rest/Sleep Talk/EQ or something). In general, though, the set in the first post with Roost/Toxic is probably going to be more effective. The Specs set could make some use of Giga Drain, with the increase in power, perhaps? Idk.

Flygon didn't gain much this gen. It's a really cool pokémon, so it's a shame. :(

 

[AxelLow]

NO! flygon is still the fastest dragon allowed in OU even though they all have more imposing attack, flygon will still be up there in OU, the new dragons will probs get kicked to ubers, unless they've done their stats just to allow flygon to scarf up and outrage em down,

dragonite on the other hand, that is being outclassed in every aspect

If you haven't read any of the other discussion you are horribly miss-informed.

I agree that the claw-sharpen set removes Flygon's chance to revenge Ono, especially if it's running Haban Berry, and wont be scary at all to Ono. the Scarfed set is the only one that competently revenge's Ono, IF, it's not wearing a Haban berry, which will probably be common on it.

Claw sharpen is a gimmick set indeed, but with dual-screens, it can make it alot better.