EonX
Battle Soul
[OVERVIEW]
Flygon is easily one of the best Pokemon in the RU tier thanks to its typing, movepool, and well-rounded stat distribution. Flygon's solid Attack and Speed in combination with its great offensive typing and access to U-turn means that it can easily run Choice sets. These sets are made even better by Flygon's incredible resilience to entry hazards, taking a negligible 6.25% from Stealth Rock thanks to its Ground typing and immunity to all other entry hazards because of Levitate. Flygon also has the high-powered STAB moves in order to make these kinds of sets very effective. However, Flygon's support movepool shouldn't be overlooked either. Thanks to access to Roost, a solid defensive typing, and its resilience to entry hazards, Flygon is arguably the most reliable entry hazard remover in the tier with Defog. All of this enables Flygon to find a home on a wide variety of RU teams without the need for a lot of team support. Flygon doesn't have many weaknesses to account for, but there are a few you should keep in mind. Well-rounded stats are great, but this leads to Flygon sometimes being a little underwhelming offensively or defensively. There are many physically bulky Water- and Grass-type Pokemon in RU that are capable of switching into Flygon multiple times to give it issues, regardless of the set it uses. Despite its otherwise good Speed, Flygon also is unable to outspeed key threats like Delphox, Sneasel, Virizion, and Jolteon without the help of a Choice Scarf. Finally, Flygon's typing does have a couple of holes in it defensively, most notably a 4x weakness to Ice in a tier where Sneasel, Mega Glalie, and Abomasnow are very serious threats to most teams.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Outrage
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Dragon Claw
item: Choice Band
ability: Levitate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
By donning a Choice Band, Flygon is able to fix its issue of being unable to break through more defensive Pokemon due to its decent, but not amazing, Attack stat. Earthquake is the best move on this set, as it's a 100 Base Power STAB move that hits anything that lacks a resistance hard. Outrage is an important secondary STAB move due to its ability to crush the Flying-types, Grass-types, and Levitate users that attempt to switch into Earthquake. U-turn gets valuable chip damage on checks and counters to Flygon while also building momentum for its team. Since Flygon has most of its bases covered in just three moves, Dragon Claw is chosen as the last move in order to give Flygon a reliable Dragon-type STAB move to use early in a game where there are numerous Pokemon with a Ground-type resistance but few Dragon-type resistances outside of a possible Fairy-type. There are a few other notable options if Dragon Claw is unnecessary, but keep in mind that Flygon will very rarely need to use its last move, so don't edit the moveslot just on account of not using Dragon Claw much. Iron Tail is an option to hit Togetic and Granbull much harder than any other move Flygon has, but simply pivoting out to a teammate usually suffices. Stone Edge covers Togetic and allows Flygon to at worst 2HKO all variants of Sigilyph and Braviary without locking into Outrage. Defog can be used to rid the field of all entry hazards, but it is often an undesirable move to lock into unless Flygon outspeeds the opposition and is likely to faint to the next attack it takes. Finally, Tailwind can be used to provide Flygon's team a temporary boost in Speed, but it has similar issues to Defog.
Set Details
========
Flygon simply needs an EV spread that maximizes its Attack and Speed stats in order to hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Jolly nature is used so that Flygon can outspeed key threats like Drapion, Sigilyph, Houndoom, and Meloetta. A Choice Band is required so that Flygon is capable of breaking down bulky foes with its powerful STAB moves and U-turn.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Band Flygon absolutely loves to chip away at the opponent's Dragon- and Ground-type switch-ins with U-turn early on in the game. Flygon is able to easily switch into predicted Ground- and Electric-type moves as well as weaker Fire-type moves and either build momentum with U-turn or threaten the opponent with its powerful STAB moves. Once the opponent has lost of their Ground- or Dragon-type checks, Flygon can quickly rip into the opposing team with its strong STAB moves. Outrage is Flygon's strongest move, but also the most dangerous due to it locking Flygon in for two or three turns, possibly leading to a premature KO. For this reason, it should only be used when the power of Dragon Claw isn't enough or when the opponent has lost all of their Dragon-resistant Pokemon and you're simply exploiting that. Flygon's fourth move should not be revealed until it is necessary to eliminate a target or to support its team, as it can lead to Flygon possibly lulling a key threat, such as Granbull or Sigilyph, into a false sense of security. Flygon should be kept away from possible Scald or Knock Off users unless it can eliminate them before being hit. The loss of its Choice Band or a possible burn will rob Flygon of the power it needs to break through bulkier foes. Be careful around Hidden Power users, especially Manectric and Jolteon. Due to its 4x weakness to Ice, Flygon can easily be lured in if it isn't careful, so make sure that you scout for Hidden Power Ice even if you don't see Life Orb recoil due to them possibly using Expert Belt to feign a Choice item.
Team Options
========
This particular Flygon pairs very well with Magneton, as the two form an extremely threatening VoltTurn core that synergizes well offensively and defensively. Due to many of Flygon's checks and counters being grounded, it benefits greatly from Spikes support to not only wear them down faster but also amplify the effects of U-turn. Mega Glalie is a fantastic option thanks to its ability to push past bulky Water- and Grass-types and pressure the best forms of entry hazard removal in the tier, Blastoise and opposing Flygon. Venusaur is a solid teammate for its ability to handle most opposing bulky Water-, Fairy-, and Grass-types, and it can also catch Flying-types and Bronzong with Sleep Powder, making them much less threatening if they switch into Earthquake. Jolteon and Manectric are solid options for a VoltTurn core with Flygon. While they don't have as much synergy with Flygon as Magneton does, they are able to handle most variants of Sigilyph and Braviary more reliably due to their higher Speed stats. Escavalier is able to handle Fairy-types, check Sneasel, and Pursuit trap Bronzong, all of which Flygon appreciates having weakened or removed. Most Choice item users appreciate defensive pivots to fall back on whenever they encounter a bad matchup, and Flygon is no different. Slowking and Registeel are more traditional defensive pivots that Flygon can fall back on when it's locked into an unfavorable move. If using Flygon on a more offensive VoltTurn team, Uxie is a worthy addition due to its ability to check Virizion and Choice Scarf Medicham while also setting up Stealth Rock and building momentum with its combination of Yawn and U-turn.
[SET]
name: Defog Support
move 1: Defog
move 2: Roost
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: U-turn / Dragon Claw
item: Leftovers
ability: Levitate
nature: Jolly
evs: 112 HP / 144 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
This set capitalizes on Flygon's great entry hazard resilience and access to Defog to create a fantastic support set. Defog removes all entry hazards from play, and Flygon can easily do this multiple times throughout a match to keep its team from being worn down or crippled. Roost is necessary reliable recovery so that Flygon can continue to pivot into attacks and remove entry hazards over the course of a match. Earthquake allows Flygon to reliably handle the likes of Delphox, Houndoom, and Mega Camerupt. U-turn gives Flygon the ability to build momentum for its team once it has removed entry hazards, thus keeping it from bogging down more offensive teams as much as most other entry hazard removers do. If U-turn isn't necessary, Dragon Claw is a fine alternative in order to allow Flygon to hit Fletchinder, Sigilyph, and opposing Flygons for decent damage. Toxic is another alternative that allows Flygon to prevent Braviary from setting up on it as easily while also putting more pressure on defensive Pokemon, such as Slowking and Alomomola, by effectively limiting their walling abilities.
Set Details
========
The EV spread maximizes Speed while also allowing Flygon to 2HKO Meloetta and offensive variants of Venusaur with Earthquake. The rest is put into HP so that Flygon can pivot into hits better. Due to Flygon's Speed tier, there are multiple benchmarks that you can aim for depending on team needs. 232 Speed EVs allow Flygon to outspeed Sigilyph, while 216 EVs ensure that Flygon outspeeds Houndoom and Drapion. 176 Speed EVs keep Flygon ahead of Meloetta, thus allowing it to 2HKO with Earthquake or dent Meloetta with U-turn. If significantly more bulk is required to handle the likes of Mega Camerupt and Delphox, Flygon can opt for a Careful nature and use 108 Speed EVs to outspeed positive-natured base 70s, such as Hoopa and Magneton. However, it is usually advised to have at least 176 Speed EVs and a Timid nature so that Flygon can handle the likes of Meloetta, Rotom-C, and Hitmonlee without any issues. Leftovers is the preferred item so that Flygon doesn't have to rely as much on Roost to stay healthy. Earth Plate and a more offensive spread can be used to power up Earthquake, but this should only be considered if the team doesn't have Pokemon, such as Scyther and Fletchinder, that are completely reliant on entry hazard removal in order to function.
Usage Tips
========
Even with Leftovers, Roost, and some HP investment, Flygon's bulk is decidedly average, so find opportunities to switch in against Pokemon using Rock-, Fire-, Ground-, or Electric-type moves. Due to Defog letting opposing Pokemon in for free, it's usually best to attempt to whittle down opposing entry hazard users before using Defog in earnest unless the team has a Pokemon, such as Scyther or Fletchinder, that absolutely needs Stealth Rock removed in order to function well. Earthquake is extremely low risk to use at most points in the game due to Flygon's lack of a Choice item and the solid power it has against offensive neutral targets and anything weak to it; it's easily the move of choice on most occasions when Flygon is just being used to check a threat on the opposing team and it's still healthy. Roost is a reliable recovery move, but you shouldn't wait to use it until Flygon is in dire need of it as it will become very predictable at that point. It's generally best to use the move when Flygon is around half HP and very likely to withstand the next attack from the Pokemon it just switched into. This allows Flygon to stay healthy to check dangerous foes and keeps it from becoming too predictable with Roost. U-turn is a fantastic momentum-building move that turns Flygon into a defensive pivot thanks to its solid typing and great Speed tier. Dragon Claw should only be used when the opponent sends in the likes of Sigilyph or Fletchinder and Flygon is healthy enough to take a hit from these Pokemon. Make sure to scout for Ice-type coverage moves from the likes of Mega Camerupt, Jolteon, and Rhyperior, as these are common Pokemon that Flygon can handle in most other situations due to its resistance or immunity to their STAB moves.
Team Options
========
Due to being arguably the best entry hazard remover in the tier, Flygon works well with any Pokemon that dislikes Stealth Rock and other entry hazards on the field. Fletchinder and Scyther are obvious options due to their 4x weakness to Stealth Rock, but Sneasel, Aerodactyl, and Braviary are other key offensive Pokemon that love not having to deal with Stealth Rock every time they switch in. Thanks to Levitate, Flygon can easily remove Spikes and Toxic Spikes due to not being pressured by them at all and having a solid matchup against most users of the moves. For this reason, defensive Pokemon like Alomomola, Registeel, and Diancie appreciate Flygon's support so that they can preserve as much HP as possible to handle dangerous threats on the opposing team. Flygon works well with bulky Stealth Rock users due to the possibility of it using Defog multiple times throughout a battle, so Rhyperior, Registeel, and Diancie can be useful due to their solid bulk and ability to set up Stealth Rock multiple times. Diancie and Rhyperior can check the likes of Fletchinder, Sigilyph, and Braviary for when Flygon lacks Dragon Claw, while Registeel is generally a good response to most Ice-types that threaten Flygon. Having teammates that can pivot into opposing Flygon is very useful so that Flygon doesn't have to risk a Speed tie if it's running Dragon Claw. Alomomola, Togetic, and Slowking are all reliable options for this. Alomomola and Slowking have Regenerator to stay healthy and appreciate not having to deal with the prospect of Spikes and Toxic Spikes, while Togetic appreciates not having to switch into Stealth Rock and can provide cleric support if Flygon is caught by stray status moves. Pokemon that can threaten Ice-types with their powerful STAB moves, such as Emboar, Escavalier, and Medicham, are very useful teammates, as Flygon is quite vulnerable to them due to most having Ice Shard.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Aerial Ace / Tailwind / Defog
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Levitate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
While Flygon doesn't have the greatest of Attack stats, its great Speed tier, strong STAB options, and great entry hazard resilience make a Choice Scarf set possible. Earthquake is the main STAB move on this set, as it doesn't force Flygon to stay in and has solid coverage overall. U-turn is a great tool for Flygon to maintain offensive pressure and to chip away at its checks and counters. Outrage is Flygon's stronger STAB option, but it should generally only be used when Flygon is capable of cleaning with it due to the lock-in effect it comes with. As Flygon has most of what it needs in three moves, the last moveslot is designed to give some extra support to the team. Aerial Ace is the primary option because it allows Flygon to revenge kill Virizion without fail. Tailwind is a fine option if Virizion is not a big concern for your team, as it can give the rest of the team doubled Speed for three turns, thus allowing slower hard hitters such as Hitmonlee, Medicham, and Meloetta to clean up the opposing team. Finally, Defog can be used as a means to remove entry hazards in tight situations. Keep in mind that Tailwind and Defog can very easily be exploited by setup sweepers and should only be used when Flygon is about to be KOed.
Set Details
========
Flygon simply needs its Attack and Speed maximized in order to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Jolly is the preferred nature so that Flygon can outspeed opposing Choice Scarf Drapion and Hitmonlee as well as to Speed tie with opposing Choice Scarf Flygon. Adamant nature is an option to power up Flygon's moves some, but it generally isn't worth losing out on the Speed necessary to outspeed Drapion and Hitmonlee. Choice Scarf gives Flygon the Speed it needs to revenge kill threats and possibly clean late-game.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf enables Flygon to fulfill multiple roles based on what the team needs it to do. Thanks to the boost in Speed and access to U-turn, Flygon can be used as a scout lead to put some early pressure on the opposing team or as a safety net if you can't really determine what the opponent might lead with just by looking at Team Preview. Flygon's STAB moves each have their major drawbacks early-game, so it's generally best to use U-turn to begin chipping away at the opponent's responses to Flygon. Earthquake is easily the safer STAB move for Flygon to use in order to revenge kill opposing Pokemon, as Flygon can freely switch out after using the move. Due to its slightly higher Base Power, Outrage is a good cleaning move for Flygon, but the lock-in effect makes the move very risky to use when the opponent has Pokemon that resist it or priority users remaining on their team. As Flygon's last moveslot is used for general utility, it should be treated as such and only used when the selected move is needed. Aerial Ace is almost exclusively for revenge killing Virizion and should be used if all other answers to Virizion on the team have either been KOed or weakened to a point where they can no longer take hits from it. The move is very weak otherwise, and just about any Pokemon outside of Virizion can take it and retaliate. Tailwind and Defog are great in late-game situations where Flygon can't clean up the opposing team but a teammate can if supported by one of said moves. However, these moves have a very obvious drawback of doing no damage, making it easily exploitable for the opponent should Flygon not be KOed immediately after using the moves; therefore, make sure that Flygon is almost guaranteed to be KOed by whatever move hits it next. Finally, remember that, of all entry hazards, Flygon only takes Stealth Rock damage, thus allowing it to be played more aggressively than other Choice Scarf users in the tier, such as Medicham, Drapion, and Hitmonlee.
Team Options
========
Flygon doesn't need a lot of support to function at maximum capabilities, but it obviously appreciates Pokemon that can remove Fairy- and Flying-types so that it can spam its STAB moves more easily. Magneton is a top option, as it fares well against most of them, heavily pressures bulky Water-type Pokemon, and forms a powerful VoltTurn core with Flygon. Escavalier and Venusaur are other solid options to break down the opposing team and pressure Fairy-types in particular. Venusaur can also pressure opposing bulky Grass- and Water-types. Rhyperior and Diancie are also good teammates, as they can set up Stealth Rock and handle most Flying-types in the tier. Mega Glalie can put pressure on bulky Water- and Grass-types and set up Spikes to amplify the pressure U-turn can cause. However, make sure that Flygon is using Tailwind or Aerial Ace in the last moveslot should you go this route, as Defog would be counterproductive. While they can't safely switch into Flygon, Ice Shard users give it a very difficult time due to a 4x weakness to Ice and the fact that Ice Shard ignores Flygon's boosted Speed. Diancie is able to check Sneasel while Escavalier is able to handle Abomasnow as well as Mega Glalie should it be using a more defensive set than Choice Band. Registeel is able to check all three of these Ice-types, but it has to be wary of Low Kick and Focus Blast from Sneasel and Abomasnow, respectively. As Flygon can work on most types of teams, defensive pivots such as Alomomola, Slowking, defensive Venusaur, and Registeel can be used to switch into attacks for Flygon on more balanced teams. Wallbreakers, such as Medicham, Meloetta, and Hitmonlee can break down walls for Flygon and take advantage of a late-game Tailwind should Flygon be carrying the move. On the flip side, Aerodactyl and Fletchinder are notable sweepers that can take advantage of a late-game Defog that can keep them from worrying about Stealth Rock. Life Orb Druddigon doesn't share much defensive synergy with Flygon, but it can form a double Dragon core to heavily pressure Steel- and Fairy-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
============
Flygon can utilize a more offensive Defog set with Earthquake, Draco Meteor, Defog, and U-turn to keep from draining as much momentum when Defogging, but it will not be nearly as reliable at removing entry hazards or dealing damage to the opposing team as its other sets are. Note that Earth Power can be used on such a set to make it purely special, but the higher damage output on Registeel is usually preferred. Flygon can use Fire Punch on the Choice Band set to 2HKO Bronzong, but chipping it with U-turn and having a Pursuit user in the back generally works well enough. Dragon Tail is a noteworthy option on the support set, as it can prevent the opponent from trying to use Flygon as setup fodder. Hone Claws is the only boosting move Flygon has in its movepool, and while it does let Flygon use Dragon Rush and Iron Tail more reliably thanks to the accuracy boost, it generally lacks the Speed to reliably sweep. Flygon can use the combination of Substitute and Dragon Tail to shuffle through the opposing team, but Druddigon is generally preferred for phazing due to its better overall bulk and more raw power. Flygon's offensive movepool includes some colorful options, like Superpower, Bug Buzz, Giga Drain, and Thunder Punch, but they simply don't allow Flygon to beat much of anything that its main moves miss out on. Finally, Flygon has a decent typing and access to Sunny Day and Defog for sun-based teams. However, strategies with Sunny Day are rare in RU and are heavily matchup reliant.
Checks and Counters
============
**Togetic**: Unless it carries Iron Tail or the uncommon Stone Edge on the Choice Band set, Flygon can do very little to Togetic, while Togetic can heal itself with Roost or support its team with Heal Bell or Nasty Plot + Baton Pass.
**Bronzong**: Although Flygon has an easier time chipping it with U-turn than it does Togetic, Bronzong is able to handle Flygon's STAB moves and Toxic support sets or Gyro Ball offensive sets in return.
**Fairy-types**: Aromatisse, Granbull, and Mega Audino are able to discourage Flygon from using its Dragon-type moves and have the bulk to stomach an Earthquake or two. However, they are all very vulnerable to Iron Tail due to either no reliable recovery in the case of Granbull, or delayed recovery in the cases of Aromatisse and Mega Audino.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon with good natural bulk and no weakness to Ground- or Dragon-type moves can usually pivot into Flygon. Alomomola is the best example, but physically defensive Slowking, defensive Venusaur, and Jellicent are also useful, albeit a little more susceptible to chip damage from U-turn.
**Ice-type coverage**: Pokemon with a 4x weakness to a good attacking type are prone to being lured in by specific threats, and Flygon is no different. Jolteon, Mega Camerupt, and Manectric can easily use Hidden Power Ice to OHKO Flygon without losing much effectiveness, if any. However, Mega Camerupt is slower and must hit Flygon on the switch, while Jolteon and Manectric have to hit the Choice Scarf set on the switch as well. Rhyperior is another great example, as it can easily fit Ice Punch onto most sets in order to keep Flygon from getting a free attack or Defog off on it.
Flygon is easily one of the best Pokemon in the RU tier thanks to its typing, movepool, and well-rounded stat distribution. Flygon's solid Attack and Speed in combination with its great offensive typing and access to U-turn means that it can easily run Choice sets. These sets are made even better by Flygon's incredible resilience to entry hazards, taking a negligible 6.25% from Stealth Rock thanks to its Ground typing and immunity to all other entry hazards because of Levitate. Flygon also has the high-powered STAB moves in order to make these kinds of sets very effective. However, Flygon's support movepool shouldn't be overlooked either. Thanks to access to Roost, a solid defensive typing, and its resilience to entry hazards, Flygon is arguably the most reliable entry hazard remover in the tier with Defog. All of this enables Flygon to find a home on a wide variety of RU teams without the need for a lot of team support. Flygon doesn't have many weaknesses to account for, but there are a few you should keep in mind. Well-rounded stats are great, but this leads to Flygon sometimes being a little underwhelming offensively or defensively. There are many physically bulky Water- and Grass-type Pokemon in RU that are capable of switching into Flygon multiple times to give it issues, regardless of the set it uses. Despite its otherwise good Speed, Flygon also is unable to outspeed key threats like Delphox, Sneasel, Virizion, and Jolteon without the help of a Choice Scarf. Finally, Flygon's typing does have a couple of holes in it defensively, most notably a 4x weakness to Ice in a tier where Sneasel, Mega Glalie, and Abomasnow are very serious threats to most teams.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Outrage
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Dragon Claw
item: Choice Band
ability: Levitate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
By donning a Choice Band, Flygon is able to fix its issue of being unable to break through more defensive Pokemon due to its decent, but not amazing, Attack stat. Earthquake is the best move on this set, as it's a 100 Base Power STAB move that hits anything that lacks a resistance hard. Outrage is an important secondary STAB move due to its ability to crush the Flying-types, Grass-types, and Levitate users that attempt to switch into Earthquake. U-turn gets valuable chip damage on checks and counters to Flygon while also building momentum for its team. Since Flygon has most of its bases covered in just three moves, Dragon Claw is chosen as the last move in order to give Flygon a reliable Dragon-type STAB move to use early in a game where there are numerous Pokemon with a Ground-type resistance but few Dragon-type resistances outside of a possible Fairy-type. There are a few other notable options if Dragon Claw is unnecessary, but keep in mind that Flygon will very rarely need to use its last move, so don't edit the moveslot just on account of not using Dragon Claw much. Iron Tail is an option to hit Togetic and Granbull much harder than any other move Flygon has, but simply pivoting out to a teammate usually suffices. Stone Edge covers Togetic and allows Flygon to at worst 2HKO all variants of Sigilyph and Braviary without locking into Outrage. Defog can be used to rid the field of all entry hazards, but it is often an undesirable move to lock into unless Flygon outspeeds the opposition and is likely to faint to the next attack it takes. Finally, Tailwind can be used to provide Flygon's team a temporary boost in Speed, but it has similar issues to Defog.
Set Details
========
Flygon simply needs an EV spread that maximizes its Attack and Speed stats in order to hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Jolly nature is used so that Flygon can outspeed key threats like Drapion, Sigilyph, Houndoom, and Meloetta. A Choice Band is required so that Flygon is capable of breaking down bulky foes with its powerful STAB moves and U-turn.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Band Flygon absolutely loves to chip away at the opponent's Dragon- and Ground-type switch-ins with U-turn early on in the game. Flygon is able to easily switch into predicted Ground- and Electric-type moves as well as weaker Fire-type moves and either build momentum with U-turn or threaten the opponent with its powerful STAB moves. Once the opponent has lost of their Ground- or Dragon-type checks, Flygon can quickly rip into the opposing team with its strong STAB moves. Outrage is Flygon's strongest move, but also the most dangerous due to it locking Flygon in for two or three turns, possibly leading to a premature KO. For this reason, it should only be used when the power of Dragon Claw isn't enough or when the opponent has lost all of their Dragon-resistant Pokemon and you're simply exploiting that. Flygon's fourth move should not be revealed until it is necessary to eliminate a target or to support its team, as it can lead to Flygon possibly lulling a key threat, such as Granbull or Sigilyph, into a false sense of security. Flygon should be kept away from possible Scald or Knock Off users unless it can eliminate them before being hit. The loss of its Choice Band or a possible burn will rob Flygon of the power it needs to break through bulkier foes. Be careful around Hidden Power users, especially Manectric and Jolteon. Due to its 4x weakness to Ice, Flygon can easily be lured in if it isn't careful, so make sure that you scout for Hidden Power Ice even if you don't see Life Orb recoil due to them possibly using Expert Belt to feign a Choice item.
Team Options
========
This particular Flygon pairs very well with Magneton, as the two form an extremely threatening VoltTurn core that synergizes well offensively and defensively. Due to many of Flygon's checks and counters being grounded, it benefits greatly from Spikes support to not only wear them down faster but also amplify the effects of U-turn. Mega Glalie is a fantastic option thanks to its ability to push past bulky Water- and Grass-types and pressure the best forms of entry hazard removal in the tier, Blastoise and opposing Flygon. Venusaur is a solid teammate for its ability to handle most opposing bulky Water-, Fairy-, and Grass-types, and it can also catch Flying-types and Bronzong with Sleep Powder, making them much less threatening if they switch into Earthquake. Jolteon and Manectric are solid options for a VoltTurn core with Flygon. While they don't have as much synergy with Flygon as Magneton does, they are able to handle most variants of Sigilyph and Braviary more reliably due to their higher Speed stats. Escavalier is able to handle Fairy-types, check Sneasel, and Pursuit trap Bronzong, all of which Flygon appreciates having weakened or removed. Most Choice item users appreciate defensive pivots to fall back on whenever they encounter a bad matchup, and Flygon is no different. Slowking and Registeel are more traditional defensive pivots that Flygon can fall back on when it's locked into an unfavorable move. If using Flygon on a more offensive VoltTurn team, Uxie is a worthy addition due to its ability to check Virizion and Choice Scarf Medicham while also setting up Stealth Rock and building momentum with its combination of Yawn and U-turn.
[SET]
name: Defog Support
move 1: Defog
move 2: Roost
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: U-turn / Dragon Claw
item: Leftovers
ability: Levitate
nature: Jolly
evs: 112 HP / 144 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
This set capitalizes on Flygon's great entry hazard resilience and access to Defog to create a fantastic support set. Defog removes all entry hazards from play, and Flygon can easily do this multiple times throughout a match to keep its team from being worn down or crippled. Roost is necessary reliable recovery so that Flygon can continue to pivot into attacks and remove entry hazards over the course of a match. Earthquake allows Flygon to reliably handle the likes of Delphox, Houndoom, and Mega Camerupt. U-turn gives Flygon the ability to build momentum for its team once it has removed entry hazards, thus keeping it from bogging down more offensive teams as much as most other entry hazard removers do. If U-turn isn't necessary, Dragon Claw is a fine alternative in order to allow Flygon to hit Fletchinder, Sigilyph, and opposing Flygons for decent damage. Toxic is another alternative that allows Flygon to prevent Braviary from setting up on it as easily while also putting more pressure on defensive Pokemon, such as Slowking and Alomomola, by effectively limiting their walling abilities.
Set Details
========
The EV spread maximizes Speed while also allowing Flygon to 2HKO Meloetta and offensive variants of Venusaur with Earthquake. The rest is put into HP so that Flygon can pivot into hits better. Due to Flygon's Speed tier, there are multiple benchmarks that you can aim for depending on team needs. 232 Speed EVs allow Flygon to outspeed Sigilyph, while 216 EVs ensure that Flygon outspeeds Houndoom and Drapion. 176 Speed EVs keep Flygon ahead of Meloetta, thus allowing it to 2HKO with Earthquake or dent Meloetta with U-turn. If significantly more bulk is required to handle the likes of Mega Camerupt and Delphox, Flygon can opt for a Careful nature and use 108 Speed EVs to outspeed positive-natured base 70s, such as Hoopa and Magneton. However, it is usually advised to have at least 176 Speed EVs and a Timid nature so that Flygon can handle the likes of Meloetta, Rotom-C, and Hitmonlee without any issues. Leftovers is the preferred item so that Flygon doesn't have to rely as much on Roost to stay healthy. Earth Plate and a more offensive spread can be used to power up Earthquake, but this should only be considered if the team doesn't have Pokemon, such as Scyther and Fletchinder, that are completely reliant on entry hazard removal in order to function.
Usage Tips
========
Even with Leftovers, Roost, and some HP investment, Flygon's bulk is decidedly average, so find opportunities to switch in against Pokemon using Rock-, Fire-, Ground-, or Electric-type moves. Due to Defog letting opposing Pokemon in for free, it's usually best to attempt to whittle down opposing entry hazard users before using Defog in earnest unless the team has a Pokemon, such as Scyther or Fletchinder, that absolutely needs Stealth Rock removed in order to function well. Earthquake is extremely low risk to use at most points in the game due to Flygon's lack of a Choice item and the solid power it has against offensive neutral targets and anything weak to it; it's easily the move of choice on most occasions when Flygon is just being used to check a threat on the opposing team and it's still healthy. Roost is a reliable recovery move, but you shouldn't wait to use it until Flygon is in dire need of it as it will become very predictable at that point. It's generally best to use the move when Flygon is around half HP and very likely to withstand the next attack from the Pokemon it just switched into. This allows Flygon to stay healthy to check dangerous foes and keeps it from becoming too predictable with Roost. U-turn is a fantastic momentum-building move that turns Flygon into a defensive pivot thanks to its solid typing and great Speed tier. Dragon Claw should only be used when the opponent sends in the likes of Sigilyph or Fletchinder and Flygon is healthy enough to take a hit from these Pokemon. Make sure to scout for Ice-type coverage moves from the likes of Mega Camerupt, Jolteon, and Rhyperior, as these are common Pokemon that Flygon can handle in most other situations due to its resistance or immunity to their STAB moves.
Team Options
========
Due to being arguably the best entry hazard remover in the tier, Flygon works well with any Pokemon that dislikes Stealth Rock and other entry hazards on the field. Fletchinder and Scyther are obvious options due to their 4x weakness to Stealth Rock, but Sneasel, Aerodactyl, and Braviary are other key offensive Pokemon that love not having to deal with Stealth Rock every time they switch in. Thanks to Levitate, Flygon can easily remove Spikes and Toxic Spikes due to not being pressured by them at all and having a solid matchup against most users of the moves. For this reason, defensive Pokemon like Alomomola, Registeel, and Diancie appreciate Flygon's support so that they can preserve as much HP as possible to handle dangerous threats on the opposing team. Flygon works well with bulky Stealth Rock users due to the possibility of it using Defog multiple times throughout a battle, so Rhyperior, Registeel, and Diancie can be useful due to their solid bulk and ability to set up Stealth Rock multiple times. Diancie and Rhyperior can check the likes of Fletchinder, Sigilyph, and Braviary for when Flygon lacks Dragon Claw, while Registeel is generally a good response to most Ice-types that threaten Flygon. Having teammates that can pivot into opposing Flygon is very useful so that Flygon doesn't have to risk a Speed tie if it's running Dragon Claw. Alomomola, Togetic, and Slowking are all reliable options for this. Alomomola and Slowking have Regenerator to stay healthy and appreciate not having to deal with the prospect of Spikes and Toxic Spikes, while Togetic appreciates not having to switch into Stealth Rock and can provide cleric support if Flygon is caught by stray status moves. Pokemon that can threaten Ice-types with their powerful STAB moves, such as Emboar, Escavalier, and Medicham, are very useful teammates, as Flygon is quite vulnerable to them due to most having Ice Shard.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Aerial Ace / Tailwind / Defog
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Levitate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
While Flygon doesn't have the greatest of Attack stats, its great Speed tier, strong STAB options, and great entry hazard resilience make a Choice Scarf set possible. Earthquake is the main STAB move on this set, as it doesn't force Flygon to stay in and has solid coverage overall. U-turn is a great tool for Flygon to maintain offensive pressure and to chip away at its checks and counters. Outrage is Flygon's stronger STAB option, but it should generally only be used when Flygon is capable of cleaning with it due to the lock-in effect it comes with. As Flygon has most of what it needs in three moves, the last moveslot is designed to give some extra support to the team. Aerial Ace is the primary option because it allows Flygon to revenge kill Virizion without fail. Tailwind is a fine option if Virizion is not a big concern for your team, as it can give the rest of the team doubled Speed for three turns, thus allowing slower hard hitters such as Hitmonlee, Medicham, and Meloetta to clean up the opposing team. Finally, Defog can be used as a means to remove entry hazards in tight situations. Keep in mind that Tailwind and Defog can very easily be exploited by setup sweepers and should only be used when Flygon is about to be KOed.
Set Details
========
Flygon simply needs its Attack and Speed maximized in order to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Jolly is the preferred nature so that Flygon can outspeed opposing Choice Scarf Drapion and Hitmonlee as well as to Speed tie with opposing Choice Scarf Flygon. Adamant nature is an option to power up Flygon's moves some, but it generally isn't worth losing out on the Speed necessary to outspeed Drapion and Hitmonlee. Choice Scarf gives Flygon the Speed it needs to revenge kill threats and possibly clean late-game.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf enables Flygon to fulfill multiple roles based on what the team needs it to do. Thanks to the boost in Speed and access to U-turn, Flygon can be used as a scout lead to put some early pressure on the opposing team or as a safety net if you can't really determine what the opponent might lead with just by looking at Team Preview. Flygon's STAB moves each have their major drawbacks early-game, so it's generally best to use U-turn to begin chipping away at the opponent's responses to Flygon. Earthquake is easily the safer STAB move for Flygon to use in order to revenge kill opposing Pokemon, as Flygon can freely switch out after using the move. Due to its slightly higher Base Power, Outrage is a good cleaning move for Flygon, but the lock-in effect makes the move very risky to use when the opponent has Pokemon that resist it or priority users remaining on their team. As Flygon's last moveslot is used for general utility, it should be treated as such and only used when the selected move is needed. Aerial Ace is almost exclusively for revenge killing Virizion and should be used if all other answers to Virizion on the team have either been KOed or weakened to a point where they can no longer take hits from it. The move is very weak otherwise, and just about any Pokemon outside of Virizion can take it and retaliate. Tailwind and Defog are great in late-game situations where Flygon can't clean up the opposing team but a teammate can if supported by one of said moves. However, these moves have a very obvious drawback of doing no damage, making it easily exploitable for the opponent should Flygon not be KOed immediately after using the moves; therefore, make sure that Flygon is almost guaranteed to be KOed by whatever move hits it next. Finally, remember that, of all entry hazards, Flygon only takes Stealth Rock damage, thus allowing it to be played more aggressively than other Choice Scarf users in the tier, such as Medicham, Drapion, and Hitmonlee.
Team Options
========
Flygon doesn't need a lot of support to function at maximum capabilities, but it obviously appreciates Pokemon that can remove Fairy- and Flying-types so that it can spam its STAB moves more easily. Magneton is a top option, as it fares well against most of them, heavily pressures bulky Water-type Pokemon, and forms a powerful VoltTurn core with Flygon. Escavalier and Venusaur are other solid options to break down the opposing team and pressure Fairy-types in particular. Venusaur can also pressure opposing bulky Grass- and Water-types. Rhyperior and Diancie are also good teammates, as they can set up Stealth Rock and handle most Flying-types in the tier. Mega Glalie can put pressure on bulky Water- and Grass-types and set up Spikes to amplify the pressure U-turn can cause. However, make sure that Flygon is using Tailwind or Aerial Ace in the last moveslot should you go this route, as Defog would be counterproductive. While they can't safely switch into Flygon, Ice Shard users give it a very difficult time due to a 4x weakness to Ice and the fact that Ice Shard ignores Flygon's boosted Speed. Diancie is able to check Sneasel while Escavalier is able to handle Abomasnow as well as Mega Glalie should it be using a more defensive set than Choice Band. Registeel is able to check all three of these Ice-types, but it has to be wary of Low Kick and Focus Blast from Sneasel and Abomasnow, respectively. As Flygon can work on most types of teams, defensive pivots such as Alomomola, Slowking, defensive Venusaur, and Registeel can be used to switch into attacks for Flygon on more balanced teams. Wallbreakers, such as Medicham, Meloetta, and Hitmonlee can break down walls for Flygon and take advantage of a late-game Tailwind should Flygon be carrying the move. On the flip side, Aerodactyl and Fletchinder are notable sweepers that can take advantage of a late-game Defog that can keep them from worrying about Stealth Rock. Life Orb Druddigon doesn't share much defensive synergy with Flygon, but it can form a double Dragon core to heavily pressure Steel- and Fairy-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
============
Flygon can utilize a more offensive Defog set with Earthquake, Draco Meteor, Defog, and U-turn to keep from draining as much momentum when Defogging, but it will not be nearly as reliable at removing entry hazards or dealing damage to the opposing team as its other sets are. Note that Earth Power can be used on such a set to make it purely special, but the higher damage output on Registeel is usually preferred. Flygon can use Fire Punch on the Choice Band set to 2HKO Bronzong, but chipping it with U-turn and having a Pursuit user in the back generally works well enough. Dragon Tail is a noteworthy option on the support set, as it can prevent the opponent from trying to use Flygon as setup fodder. Hone Claws is the only boosting move Flygon has in its movepool, and while it does let Flygon use Dragon Rush and Iron Tail more reliably thanks to the accuracy boost, it generally lacks the Speed to reliably sweep. Flygon can use the combination of Substitute and Dragon Tail to shuffle through the opposing team, but Druddigon is generally preferred for phazing due to its better overall bulk and more raw power. Flygon's offensive movepool includes some colorful options, like Superpower, Bug Buzz, Giga Drain, and Thunder Punch, but they simply don't allow Flygon to beat much of anything that its main moves miss out on. Finally, Flygon has a decent typing and access to Sunny Day and Defog for sun-based teams. However, strategies with Sunny Day are rare in RU and are heavily matchup reliant.
Checks and Counters
============
**Togetic**: Unless it carries Iron Tail or the uncommon Stone Edge on the Choice Band set, Flygon can do very little to Togetic, while Togetic can heal itself with Roost or support its team with Heal Bell or Nasty Plot + Baton Pass.
**Bronzong**: Although Flygon has an easier time chipping it with U-turn than it does Togetic, Bronzong is able to handle Flygon's STAB moves and Toxic support sets or Gyro Ball offensive sets in return.
**Fairy-types**: Aromatisse, Granbull, and Mega Audino are able to discourage Flygon from using its Dragon-type moves and have the bulk to stomach an Earthquake or two. However, they are all very vulnerable to Iron Tail due to either no reliable recovery in the case of Granbull, or delayed recovery in the cases of Aromatisse and Mega Audino.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon with good natural bulk and no weakness to Ground- or Dragon-type moves can usually pivot into Flygon. Alomomola is the best example, but physically defensive Slowking, defensive Venusaur, and Jellicent are also useful, albeit a little more susceptible to chip damage from U-turn.
**Ice-type coverage**: Pokemon with a 4x weakness to a good attacking type are prone to being lured in by specific threats, and Flygon is no different. Jolteon, Mega Camerupt, and Manectric can easily use Hidden Power Ice to OHKO Flygon without losing much effectiveness, if any. However, Mega Camerupt is slower and must hit Flygon on the switch, while Jolteon and Manectric have to hit the Choice Scarf set on the switch as well. Rhyperior is another great example, as it can easily fit Ice Punch onto most sets in order to keep Flygon from getting a free attack or Defog off on it.
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