OU Hydreigon (Darkinium Z Revamp)

[OVERVIEW]

Hydreigon is a decently powerful wallbreaker in the tier due to a solid Special Attack stat, a good STAB move in Dark Pulse, and great coverage options like Flash Cannon and Earth Power. Despite being a primarily offensive Pokemon, decent bulk, reliable recovery in Roost, and a unique typing allow it to check a number of Pokemon such as Heatran, Ash-Greninja before transformation, Reuniclus, and Blacephalon. Hydreigon's Speed tier, while good enough to outspeed Pokemon like Tapu Lele and Kyurem-B, unfortunately narrowly misses out on base 100s. Hydreigon is also aided by its useful ability Levitate, granting it an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, meaning it doesn't have to use Roost as much as other Pokemon and making it a more reliable switch-in to Pokemon that pair well with these entry hazards such as Reuniclus. However, Hydreigon lacks the immediate power and Speed of other offensive wallbreakers and pivots in the tier like Ash-Greninja and Mega Latios. Additionally, it can be hard to justify the use of Hydreigon on a lot of teams because of how specific its niche in the tier is.

[SET]
name: Darkinium Z
move 1: Dark Pulse
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Roost
item: Darkinium Z
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 244 SpA / 32 SpD / 232 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========


Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's mandatory STAB move, packing a decent Base Power and 100% accuracy. Earth Power allows Hydreigon to deal heavy damage to Steel-types such as Heatran, Magearna, and Magnezone while also hitting Tyranitar. Flash Cannon punishes Fairy-types that try to switch into Hydreigon, namely Clefable and Tapu Bulu. Roost improves Hydreigon's longevity when it is needed to check certain Pokemon such as Heatran and Ash-Greninja.

Set Details
========


32 Special Defense EVs ensure Hydreigon isn't 2HKOed by Battle Bond Greninja's Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock. 232 Speed EVs in tandem with a Timid nature allow Hydreigon to outspeed base 95s, and the rest is dumped into Special Attack in order to keep Hydreigon's offensive presence intact. A Modest nature can be used instead if the extra damage dealt to Clefable and Tapu Bulu is deemed necessary, but the inability to outspeed Pokemon such as Z-Move Landorus-T, Tapu Lele, Kyurem-B, and Excadrill can be disappointing. Darkinium Z powers Dark Pulse up to a 160-Base Power Black Hole Eclipse, granting Hydreigon the ability to deal heavy damage to checks, including Ferrothorn, Zygarde, Celesteela, and Mega Scizor. Levitate is Hydreigon's only ability, but it is nonetheless a good one, giving it an immunity to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and most Ground moves, although it should be noted that Hydreigon is a poor switch-in to the majority of Ground-types.

Usage Tips
========


Hydreigon can be used to check a number of Pokemon such as Heatran, Battle Bond Greninja, and Reuniclus due to its bulk and two immunities. However, you should be wary of switching it into Heatran and Greninja without knowing their sets, as Heatran can potentially OHKO Hydreigon with Corkscrew Crash or annoy it with Toxic, and Greninja can carry Ice Beam on Battle Bond sets or can be Protean, which Hydreigon fails to check at all. Also, if Hydreigon is needed to check something, you should make sure to keep it healthy with Roost so it can continue to do so throughout the match. Since Hydreigon is known to be a utilizer of both Choice Specs and Choice Scarf, it is reasonable for the opponent to suspect that Hydreigon could be using one of these items, so it can be valuable to bluff these sets to surprise Pokemon that could otherwise beat this set if it were locked into a move. If facing a Clefable or specially defensive Tapu Bulu, it is essential to attempt to predict them to switch in and hit them with a Flash Cannon, as otherwise Hydreigon is forced out by Moonblast or Superpower.

Team Options
========


This set can be used on offensive and balanced teams alike due to its reliability and ability to check dangerous Pokemon for such archetypes. Steel-types like Heatran and Celesteela are welcome teammates, as they have solid type synergy with Hydreigon, providing it a switch-in to Fairy and Ice-type moves that it would otherwise fold to. Similarly, Fairy-types and bulky Psychic-types including Clefable, Reuniclus, Mew, and Mega Slowbro are decent partners, as they can beat Fighting-types such as Mega Medicham and Hawlucha that tear through Hydreigon. Stealth Rock and especially Spikes setters such as Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Greninja help to wear down Hydreigon's checks. Pokemon that enjoy Fairy-types being weakened like Hawlucha, Mega Medicham, and Mega Lopunny are good partners, since Hydreigon can deal heavy damage to said Fairy-types with Flash Cannon. Tornadus-T is an exemplary teammate, as it can annoy Hydreigon checks such as Clefable, Toxapex, and Assault Vest Magearna with Knock Off and chip damage from U-turn, and it additionally forces in Heatran, which Hydreigon can take advantage of. Likewise, Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and other Grass-types lure in Pokemon that Hydreigon can use to get free turns out of, like the aforementioned Heatran, Tangrowth, and Zapdos, while also wearing down Steel-types that check Hydreigon with repeated use of Leech Seed and boosted Superpowers.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============


Hydreigon has an expansive movepool containing a number of solid moves including Fire Blast, U-turn, Taunt, and Defog, but it is difficult to fit such moves onto the set without making it less effective. Hydreigon is an effective user of Choice Specs due to its solid Special Attack stat and decent Speed tier; however, no Roost causes it to be worn down much more easily, resulting in it checking things less effectively.

Checks and Counters
===================


**Chansey** Chansey takes practically no damage from any of Hydreigon's moves and can freely get up Stealth Rock or poison it with Toxic.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types that either are faster than Hydreigon or can take one of its coverage moves such as Clefable, Tapu Bulu, Tapu Lele, and Tapu Fini pose huge threats to Hydreigon, as they can threaten it with their Fairy-type STAB moves or, in Tapu Bulu's case, Superpower.

**Bulky Steel-types**: While Hydreigon does carry Earth Power for Steel-types, some take very little damage from it or are immune to it, namely Ferrothorn, Assault Vest Magearna, and Celesteela, although the latter two are prone to being worn down over time.

**Fighting-types** Due to the lack of Draco Meteor, Fighting-types such as Mega Lopunny, Hawlucha, and Keldeo can come in without taking much damage and OHKO Hydreigon with their Fighting-type STAB moves.

**Bulky Water-types** Water-types with solid special bulk such as Toxapex, Gastrodon, and Mantine can easily take any of Hydreigon's moves and threaten it with Toxic or a Scald burn.

**Faster Pokemon** Pokemon that are faster than Hydreigon such as Mega Alakazam, Kartana, and Weavile can threaten to OHKO Hydreigon with their super effective moves.
 
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Ready for QC. I know Team Options is really short but I couldn't really think of many partners since the set is fairly self sufficient. Also wasn't sure whether or not to just group Chansey, bulky Steels and bulky Waters into "Specially Defensive Pokemon" in C&C, but I'm sure you guys will tell me lol.
 
why is it timid and not modest also mention u can run more bulk for ash gren

edit: i forgot the bulkier spread for ash gren but regardless timid hydreigon is an L

edit2: this is why 252 SpA Hydreigon Flash Cannon vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Clefable: 186-220 (47.2 - 55.8%) -- 22.3% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

also timid does fucking 0 to spdef bulu

also usage tips/overview is missing one the biggest reasons to use hydreigon which is that it can check ash gren
 
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why is it timid and not modest also mention u can run more bulk for ash gren

edit: i forgot the bulkier spread for ash gren but regardless timid hydreigon is an L

edit2: this is why 252 SpA Hydreigon Flash Cannon vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Clefable: 186-220 (47.2 - 55.8%) -- 22.3% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

also timid does fucking 0 to spdef bulu

also usage tips/overview is missing one the biggest reasons to use hydreigon which is that it can check ash gren
because you miss out on kyub and lele if you go modest, the extra spatk is nice but i figured missing out on those two sucks hard
its not the greatest ash gren check imo bc it just dies to 2 pump if transformed and even if it isnt timid ep is a roll to 2hko and if its taken some chip then hydro 2hkos. i had mentioned it once or twice but i figured its not the greatest check to it but i should probably mention it at least once
 
because you miss out on kyub and lele if you go modest, the extra spatk is nice but i figured missing out on those two sucks hard
its not the greatest ash gren check imo bc it just dies to 2 pump if transformed and even if it isnt timid ep is a roll to 2hko and if its taken some chip then hydro 2hkos. i had mentioned it once or twice but i figured its not the greatest check to it but i should probably mention it at least once
missing out on lele is not a big deal ur goal is to wallbreak and soft check stuff. lele cant come in on you anyway because dark z just kills

also the most popular olt hydreigon build uses hydreigon as the ash gren check; its pretty good when built around properly (kory's hydreigon exca torn medi celesteela slowbro team


timid is not used at all ive been using that team for about 2 weeks now and losing modest just means you fail to punish theclef switchin and do like 33 to bulu

clef has close to an 80% chance to take two flashes from timid and just forces you out
 
missing out on lele is not a big deal ur goal is to wallbreak and soft check stuff. lele cant come in on you anyway because dark z just kills

also the most popular olt hydreigon build uses hydreigon as the ash gren check; its pretty good when built around properly (kory's hydreigon exca torn medi celesteela slowbro team


timid is not used at all ive been using that team for about 2 weeks now and losing modest just means you fail to punish theclef switchin and do like 33 to bulu

clef has close to an 80% chance to take two flashes from timid and just forces you out
qc have decided modest can go in set details and not slashed, bc missing out on exca lando lele kyub sucks ass
edit: ive updated this to mention modest in set details and have mentioned ash gren a few times
 
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change the spread to EVs: 244 SpA / 32 SpD / 232 Spe, this way u always avoid the 2hko from non-evolved specs gren after rocks while still outspeeding max speed base 95s and largely not affecting offensive rolls.

Usage Tips
========

mention how one should be wary of steelium z and toxic from Heatran, ice beam from Gren and to not mindlessly switch into Gren in the case its set hasnt been revealed yet

Team Options
========
Steel-types like Heatran, Magnezone, and Mega Scizor

remove Magnezone altogether; Ferro/Steela aren't that good checks, Sciz isn't a check at all - it's usable but i'd say generally not

replace Scizor with Steela

Similarly, Fairy-types including Clefable and Tapu Fini

Fini not so much, keep Clef, mention fat Psychics like Mew/Reuni/Mbro

-------------

u could bring up things like Medicham, Lopunny that like fairies weakened or can in turn weaken them themselves for Hydra and abuse a lot of Hydra switchins while Hydra also takes advantage of Reuni/Mew

Torn can weaken/cripple Hydra checks like Clef, Magearna, Pex etc and can force in Heatran for Hydreigon to abuse

grasses like Bulu, Ferro r also good cuz they force in shit that Hydra takes advantage

spikes help it break down some of its checks like Ferro, Pex

Hydreigon is an effective utilizer of both Choice Specs and Choice Scarf

not an effective utilizer of Scarf, remove that and keep Specs

  • Dragonium Z with Draco Meteor could be used to bust through would be checks such as Gliscor and Zygarde with a powerful Devastating Drake, but Dragon-type STAB moves are generally not very useful in the current metagame.

remove this whole part tbh, dragonium's kinda unviable

good looks, 1/3
 
change the spread to EVs: 244 SpA / 32 SpD / 232 Spe, this way u always avoid the 2hko from non-evolved specs gren after rocks while still outspeeding max speed base 95s and largely not affecting offensive rolls.

Usage Tips
========

mention how one should be wary of steelium z and toxic from Heatran, ice beam from Gren and to not mindlessly switch into Gren in the case its set hasnt been revealed yet

Team Options
========


remove Magnezone altogether; Ferro/Steela aren't that good checks, Sciz isn't a check at all - it's usable but i'd say generally not

replace Scizor with Steela



Fini not so much, keep Clef, mention fat Psychics like Mew/Reuni/Mbro

-------------

u could bring up things like Medicham, Lopunny that like fairies weakened or can in turn weaken them themselves for Hydra and abuse a lot of Hydra switchins while Hydra also takes advantage of Reuni/Mew

Torn can weaken/cripple Hydra checks like Clef, Magearna, Pex etc and can force in Heatran for Hydreigon to abuse

grasses like Bulu, Ferro r also good cuz they force in shit that Hydra takes advantage

spikes help it break down some of its checks like Ferro, Pex



not an effective utilizer of Scarf, remove that and keep Specs



remove this whole part tbh, dragonium's kinda unviable

good looks, 1/3
Implemented, thanks :]
 
[Overview]
Despite being a primarily offensive Pokemon, it still has great bulk and reliable recovery in Roost, so it can check a number of Pokemon such as Heatran, Ash-Greninja before transformation, Reuniclus, and Blacephalon.
  • I'd make this first point and emphasize it a bit more. Being an offensive check to Heatran and Ash-Greninja is honestly a huge part of its niche.
However, it is sometimes difficult to justify using Hydreigon due to the competition it faces from Pokemon like Ash-Greninja, Mega Latios, and Mega Latias due to the better offensive presence of the former two and their better Speed tiers.
  • I'm not all that sold on this point, because Hydriegon's niche is quite specific. It fills quite a specific gap in checking Heatran and Ash-Greninja due to it's typing while being an offensive pick, you can't just replace Hydreigon with other breakers on most teams. Instead, I'd say how it has neither the immediate power or Speed other wallbreakers or pivots have, respectively.

[Moves]
Roost improves Hydreigons' longevity when it is needed to check certain Pokemon.
  • Add a few examples.

[Set Details]
Modest can be used instead if the extra power is needed but it can be disappointing due to it failing to speed tie with base 95s such as Tapu Lele and Kyurem-Black and being slower than Pokemon such as Jolly Landorus and Excadrill.
  • Talk about Timid. I'd also emphasize one of the main advantages of Modest, in having a much bigger chance to KO Clefable, whereas Timid variants will likely be forced out.

[Usage Tips]
  • Make a point on catching Clefable and Tapu Bulu on the switch with Flash Cannon. Otherwise they'll likely force Hydreigon out.

[Checks & Counters]
  • Talk about Tapu Bulu in Fairy-types, tanks Flash Cannon decently well, and threatens Hydreigon with a Superpower.

QC 2/3 good work!
qc-lyd2-gif.124224
 
[Overview]

  • I'd make this first point and emphasize it a bit more. Being an offensive check to Heatran and Ash-Greninja is honestly a huge part of its niche.

  • I'm not all that sold on this point, because Hydriegon's niche is quite specific. It fills quite a specific gap in checking Heatran and Ash-Greninja due to it's typing while being an offensive pick, you can't just replace Hydreigon with other breakers on most teams. Instead, I'd say how it has neither the immediate power or Speed other wallbreakers or pivots have, respectively.

[Moves]

  • Add a few examples.

[Set Details]

  • Talk about Timid. I'd also emphasize one of the main advantages of Modest, in having a much bigger chance to KO Clefable, whereas Timid variants will likely be forced out.

[Usage Tips]
  • Make a point on catching Clefable and Tapu Bulu on the switch with Flash Cannon. Otherwise they'll likely force Hydreigon out.

[Checks & Counters]
  • Talk about Tapu Bulu in Fairy-types, tanks Flash Cannon decently well, and threatens Hydreigon with a Superpower.

QC 2/3 good work!
qc-lyd2-gif.124224
We talked on Discord, and decided that for readability's sake, mentioning defensive merit after offensive merit in the overview made more sense.
Implemented and written up, ty c:
 
[Overview]

Hydreigon is a decently powerful breaker in the tier due to possessing a solid Special Attack stat, good STAB moves, and great coverage options like Fire Blast, Flash Cannon, and Earth Power.

Not really "good STAB moves", because the combination is hard walled by fairies, and Hydreigon doesn't even run a Dragon-type STAB move to begin with. It never has place for Fire Blast so remove it.

Despite being a primarily offensive Pokemon, it still has great bulk and reliable recovery in Roost, so it can check a number of Pokemon such as Heatran, Ash-Greninja before transformation, Reuniclus, and Blacephalon.

Hydreigon doesn't really have great bulk, it's average at best. The main reason why it can take on these Pokemon is thanks to its typing, which grants it important resistances.

Add a point that explains that Hydreigon is hard to justify using due to how specific its niche is in the metagame, it doesn't face much competition in this niche however. Don't merge this with the point where you compare it with other breakers and pivots.

[Team Options]

Similarly, Fairy-types and bulky Psychic-types including Clefable, Reuniclus, and Mew are decent partners as they can beat Fighting-types such as Mega Medicham and Hawlucha that tear through Hydreigon.

Mention (M)Slowbro here because it's the bulky Psychic-type that's most often used with Hydreigon.

and additionally brings in Heatran which Hydreigon can take advantage of.

Tornadus-T doesn't bring in Heatran, it forces the opponent to switch it in.

[Other Options]

Hydreigon has an expansive movepool containing a number of solid moves including but not limited to Fire Blast, Focus Blast, U-turn, Taunt, and Defog, but it is difficult to fit such moves onto the set without making it less effective.

Fire Blast and Focus Blast don't really achieve anything important for Hydreigon.

[Checks and Counters]

**Bulky Steel-types**: While Hydreigon does carry Earth Power for Steel-types, some take very little damage from it or are just flat out immune to it, namely Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Celesteela, meaning they can abuse Hydreigon by setting up Hazards in Ferrothorn's case, annoying it with Leech Seed, or setting up Swords Dances in Mega Scizor's case.

Mega Scizor is not an answer. Celesteela is somewhat of an answer but is quite easy to wear down.

qc-jordy-small-gif.126334
Good job, 3/3
 
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[Overview]



Not really "good STAB moves", because the combination is hard walled by fairies, and Hydreigon doesn't even run a Dragon-type STAB move to begin with. It never has place for Fire Blast so remove it.



Hydreigon doesn't really have great bulk, it's average at best. The main reason why it can take on these Pokemon is thanks to its typing, which grants it important resistances.

Add a point that explains that Hydreigon is hard to justify using due to how specific its niche is in the metagame, it doesn't face much competition in this niche however. Don't merge this with the point where you compare it with other breakers and pivots.

[Team Options]



Mention (M)Slowbro here because it's the bulky Psychic-type that's most often used with Hydreigon.



Tornadus-T doesn't bring in Heatran, it forces the opponent to switch it in.

[Other Options]



Fire Blast and Focus Blast don't really achieve anything important for Hydreigon.

[Checks and Counters]



Mega Scizor is not an answer. Celesteela is somewhat of an answer but is quite easy to wear down.

qc-jordy-small-gif.126334
Good job, 3/3
We discussed on Discord and left Fire Blast in Other Options since it's one of the more usable coverage moves it gets. This is ready for GP.
 
Remove Add Comments (AC)= add comma (RC)= remove comma (AH)= add hyphen (RH)= remove hyphen
[OVERVIEW]

Hydreigon is a decently powerful wallbreaker in the tier due to possessing a solid Special Attack stat, a good STAB move in Dark Pulse, and great coverage options like Flash Cannon and Earth Power. Despite being a primarily offensive Pokemon, it still has decent bulk, reliable recovery in Roost, and a unique typing, allowing it to check a number of Pokemon such as Heatran, Ash-Greninja before transformation, Reuniclus, and Blacephalon. Hydreigon's Speed tier, while good enough to outspeed Pokemon like Tapu Lele and Kyurem-Black Kyurem-B, unfortunately narrowly misses out on base 100s. Hydreigon is also aided by it's its useful ability Levitate, granting it an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, meaning it doesn't have to use Roost up as much as other Pokemon,(RC) and making it a more reliable switch-in to Pokemon that pair well with these entry hazards such as Reuniclus. However, it Hydreigon lacks the immediate power and Speed of other offensive wallbreakers and pivots in the tier like Ash-Greninja and Mega Latios. Additionally, it can be hard to justify the use of Hydreigon on a lot of teams because of how specific it's its niche in the tier is.

[SET]
name: Darkinium Z
move 1: Dark Pulse
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Roost
item: Darkinium Z
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 244 SpA / 32 SpD / 232 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's mandatory STAB move, packing a decent Base Power and perfect 100% (something like Aerial Ace is "perfect") accuracy. Earth Power allows Hydreigon to deal heavy damage to Steel-types such as Heatran, Magearna, and Magnezone,(RC) while also hitting Tyranitar. Flash Cannon punishes Fairy-types that try to switch in to into Hydreigon, namely Clefable and Tapu Bulu. Roost improves Hydreigons' Hydreigon's longevity when it is needed to check certain Pokemon such as Heatran and Ash-Greninja.

Set Details
========

32 Special Defense EVs ensures ensure Hydreigon isn't 2HKOed by Battle Bond Greninja's Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock. 232 Speed EVs in tandem with a Timid nature allow Hydreigon to outspeed base 95s, and the rest is dumped into Special Attack in order to keep Hydreigon's offensive presence intact. A Modest nature can be used instead if the extra damage dealt to Clefable and Tapu Bulu is deemed necessary, but it can be disappointing due to failing having Hydreigon fail to outspeed Pokemon such as Z-Move Landorus-T, Tapu Lele, Kyurem-Black Kyurem-B, and Excadrill. Darkinium Z powers Dark Pulse up to a 160-Base Power Black Hole Eclipse, granting Hydreigon with the ability to deal heavy damage to checks,(AC) including,(RC) but not limited to Ferrothorn, Zygarde, Celesteela, and Mega Scizor. Levitate is Hydreigon's only ability, but it is nonetheless a good one, giving it an immunity to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and most Ground moves, although it should be noted that Hydreigon is a poor switch-in to the majority of Ground-types.

Usage Tips
========

Hydreigon can be used to check a number of Pokemon such as Heatran, Battle Bond Greninja, and Reuniclus due to its bulk and two immunities. However, you should be wary of switching it into Heatran and Greninja without knowing their sets,(AC) as Heatran can potentially OHKO with Corkscrew Crash or annoy Hydreigon with Toxic, and Greninja can carry Ice Beam on Battle Bond sets or can be Protean,(AC) which Hydreigon fails to check at all. Also, if Hydreigon is needed to check something, you should make sure to keep it healthy with Roost,(RC) so it can continue to do so throughout the match. Since Hydreigon is known to be a utiliser utilizer of both Choice Specs and Choice Scarf, it is reasonable for the opponent to suspect that you Hydreigon could be using one of these items, so it can be valuable to bluff these sets to surprise Pokemon that could otherwise beat this set if it was were (this is complicated to explain so I won't unless you want me to) locked into a move. If facing a Clefable or specially defensive Tapu Bulu, it is essential to attempt to predict them to switch in and hit them with a Flash Cannon, as otherwise you are Hydreigon is forced out by Moonblast and Superpower,(AC) respectively. (I removed all of the weird linebreaks)

Team Options
========

This set can be used on offensive and balanced teams alike due to its reliability and ability to check dangerous Pokemon for such archetypes. Steel-types like Heatran and Celesteela are welcome teammates,(AC) as they have solid type synergy with Hydreigon, providing it a switch-in to Fairy-type and Ice-type moves that it would otherwise fold to. Similarly, Fairy-types and bulky Psychic-types including Clefable, Reuniclus, Mew, and Mega Slowbro are decent partners,(AC) as they can beat Fighting-types such as Mega Medicham and Hawlucha that tear through Hydreigon. Stealth Rock and especially Spikes setters such as Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Greninja help to wear down Hydreigon's checks. Pokemon that enjoy Fairy-types being weakened like Hawlucha, Mega Medicham, and Mega Lopuuny are good partners,(AC) since as (repetition) Hydreigon can deal heavy damage to said Fairy-types with Flash Cannon. Tornadus-T is an exemplary teammate,(AC) as it can annoy Hydreigon checks such as Clefable, Toxapex, and Assault Vest Magearna with Knock Off and chip damage from U-turn, and it additionally forces in Heatran,(AC) which Hydreigon can take advantage of. Likewise, Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and other Grass-types lure in Pokemon that Hydreigon can use to get free turns out of, like the aforementioned Heatran, Tangrowth, and Zapdos, while also wearing down Steel-types that check Hydreigon with repeated uses use of Leech Seed and boosted Superpowers.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Hydreigon has an expansive movepool containing a number of solid moves including but not limited to ("including" implies that you aren't listing every example, meaning that "including" already implies the phrase "but not limited to") Fire Blast, U-turn, Taunt, and Defog, but it is difficult to fit such moves onto the set without making it less effective. Hydreigon is an effective utilizer user of Choice Specs due to its solid Special Attack stat and decent Speed tier,(RC);(SC) however,(AC) no Roost causes it to be worn down much easier, resulting in it checking things less effectively.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Chansey**:(colon) Chansey takes practically no damage from any of Hydreigon's moves and can freely get up Stealth Rock or poison it with Toxic it.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types that carry Fairy-type STAB moves and that are either faster than Hydreigon or can take one of Hydreigon's coverage moves such as Clefable, Tapu Bulu, Tapu Lele, and Tapu Fini pose huge threats to Hydreigon,(AC) as they can threaten it with their Fairy-type STAB moves,(RC) or Superpower in Tapu Bulu's case.

**Bulky Steel-types**: While Hydreigon does carry Earth Power for Steel-types, some take very little damage from it or are just flat out immune to it, namely Ferrothorn, Assault Vest Magearna, and Celesteela, although the latter two are prone to being worn down over time.

**Fighting-types**:(colon) Due to the lack of Draco Meteor, Fighting-types such as Mega Lopunny, Hawlucha, and Keldeo can come in without taking much damage and OHKO Hydreigon with their Fighting-type STAB moves.

**Bulky Water-types**:(colon) Water-types with solid special bulk such as Toxapex, Gastrodon, and Mantine can easily take any of Hydreigon's moves and threaten it with Toxic or a Scald burn.

**Faster Pokemon**:(colon) Pokemon that are faster than Hydreigon such as Mega Alakazam, Kartana, and Weavile can threaten to OHKO Hydreigon with their super effective moves.
GP 1/2
hGdnNDm.gif
 
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Remove Add Comments (AC)= add comma (RC)= remove comma (AH)= add hyphen (RH)= remove hyphen
[OVERVIEW]

Hydreigon is a decently powerful wallbreaker in the tier due to possessing a solid Special Attack stat, a good STAB move in Dark Pulse, and great coverage options like Flash Cannon and Earth Power. Despite being a primarily offensive Pokemon, it still has decent bulk, reliable recovery in Roost, and a unique typing, allowing it to check a number of Pokemon such as Heatran, Ash-Greninja before transformation, Reuniclus, and Blacephalon. Hydreigon's Speed tier, while good enough to outspeed Pokemon like Tapu Lele and Kyurem-Black Kyurem-B, unfortunately narrowly misses out on base 100s. Hydreigon is also aided by it's its useful ability Levitate, granting it an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, meaning it doesn't have to use Roost up as much as other Pokemon,(RC) and making it a more reliable switch-in to Pokemon that pair well with these entry hazards such as Reuniclus. However, it Hydreigon lacks the immediate power and Speed of other offensive wallbreakers and pivots in the tier like Ash-Greninja and Mega Latios. Additionally, it can be hard to justify the use of Hydreigon on a lot of teams because of how specific it's its niche in the tier is.

[SET]
name: Darkinium Z
move 1: Dark Pulse
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Roost
item: Darkinium Z
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 244 SpA / 32 SpD / 232 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's mandatory STAB move, packing a decent Base Power and perfect 100% (something like Aerial Ace is "perfect") accuracy. Earth Power allows Hydreigon to deal heavy damage to Steel-types such as Heatran, Magearna, and Magnezone,(RC) while also hitting Tyranitar. Flash Cannon punishes Fairy-types that try to switch in to into Hydreigon, namely Clefable and Tapu Bulu. Roost improves Hydreigons' Hydreigon's longevity when it is needed to check certain Pokemon such as Heatran and Ash-Greninja.

Set Details
========

32 Special Defense EVs ensures ensure Hydreigon isn't 2HKOed by Battle Bond Greninja's Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock. 232 Speed EVs in tandem with a Timid nature allow Hydreigon to outspeed base 95s, and the rest is dumped into Special Attack in order to keep Hydreigon's offensive presence intact. A Modest nature can be used instead if the extra damage dealt to Clefable and Tapu Bulu is deemed necessary, but it can be disappointing due to failing having Hydreigon fail to outspeed Pokemon such as Z-Move Landorus-T, Tapu Lele, Kyurem-Black Kyurem-B, and Excadrill. Darkinium Z powers Dark Pulse up to a 160-Base Power Black Hole Eclipse, granting Hydreigon with the ability to deal heavy damage to checks,(AC) including,(RC) but not limited to Ferrothorn, Zygarde, Celesteela, and Mega Scizor. Levitate is Hydreigon's only ability, but it is nonetheless a good one, giving it an immunity to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and most Ground moves, although it should be noted that Hydreigon is a poor switch-in to the majority of Ground-types.

Usage Tips
========

Hydreigon can be used to check a number of Pokemon such as Heatran, Battle Bond Greninja, and Reuniclus due to its bulk and two immunities. However, you should be wary of switching it into Heatran and Greninja without knowing their sets,(AC) as Heatran can potentially OHKO with Corkscrew Crash or annoy Hydreigon with Toxic, and Greninja can carry Ice Beam on Battle Bond sets or can be Protean,(AC) which Hydreigon fails to check at all. Also, if Hydreigon is needed to check something, you should make sure to keep it healthy with Roost,(RC) so it can continue to do so throughout the match. Since Hydreigon is known to be a utiliser utilizer of both Choice Specs and Choice Scarf, it is reasonable for the opponent to suspect that you Hydreigon could be using one of these items, so it can be valuable to bluff these sets to surprise Pokemon that could otherwise beat this set if it was were (this is complicated to explain so I won't unless you want me to) locked into a move. If facing a Clefable or specially defensive Tapu Bulu, it is essential to attempt to predict them to switch in and hit them with a Flash Cannon, as otherwise you are Hydreigon is forced out by Moonblast and Superpower,(AC) respectively. (I removed all of the weird linebreaks)

Team Options
========

This set can be used on offensive and balanced teams alike due to its reliability and ability to check dangerous Pokemon for such archetypes. Steel-types like Heatran and Celesteela are welcome teammates,(AC) as they have solid type synergy with Hydreigon, providing it a switch-in to Fairy-type and Ice-type moves that it would otherwise fold to. Similarly, Fairy-types and bulky Psychic-types including Clefable, Reuniclus, Mew, and Mega Slowbro are decent partners,(AC) as they can beat Fighting-types such as Mega Medicham and Hawlucha that tear through Hydreigon. Stealth Rock and especially Spikes setters such as Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Greninja help to wear down Hydreigon's checks. Pokemon that enjoy Fairy-types being weakened like Hawlucha, Mega Medicham, and Mega Lopuuny are good partners,(AC) since as (repetition) Hydreigon can deal heavy damage to said Fairy-types with Flash Cannon. Tornadus-T is an exemplary teammate,(AC) as it can annoy Hydreigon checks such as Clefable, Toxapex, and Assault Vest Magearna with Knock Off and chip damage from U-turn, and it additionally forces in Heatran,(AC) which Hydreigon can take advantage of. Likewise, Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and other Grass-types lure in Pokemon that Hydreigon can use to get free turns out of, like the aforementioned Heatran, Tangrowth, and Zapdos, while also wearing down Steel-types that check Hydreigon with repeated uses use of Leech Seed and boosted Superpowers.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Hydreigon has an expansive movepool containing a number of solid moves including but not limited to ("including" implies that you aren't listing every example, meaning that "including" already implies the phrase "but not limited to") Fire Blast, U-turn, Taunt, and Defog, but it is difficult to fit such moves onto the set without making it less effective. Hydreigon is an effective utilizer user of Choice Specs due to its solid Special Attack stat and decent Speed tier,(RC);(SC) however,(AC) no Roost causes it to be worn down much easier, resulting in it checking things less effectively.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Chansey** Chansey takes practically no damage from any of Hydreigon's moves and can freely get up Stealth Rock or poison it with Toxic it.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types that carry Fairy-type STAB moves and that are either faster than Hydreigon or can take one of Hydreigon's coverage moves such as Clefable, Tapu Bulu, Tapu Lele, and Tapu Fini pose huge threats to Hydreigon,(AC) as they can threaten it with their Fairy-type STAB moves,(RC) or Superpower in Tapu Bulu's case.

**Bulky Steel-types**: While Hydreigon does carry Earth Power for Steel-types, some take very little damage from it or are just flat out immune to it, namely Ferrothorn, Assault Vest Magearna, and Celesteela, although the latter two are prone to being worn down over time.

**Fighting-types** Due to the lack of Draco Meteor, Fighting-types such as Mega Lopunny, Hawlucha, and Keldeo can come in without taking much damage and OHKO Hydreigon with their Fighting-type STAB moves.

**Bulky Water-types** Water-types with solid special bulk such as Toxapex, Gastrodon, and Mantine can easily take any of Hydreigon's moves and threaten it with Toxic or a Scald burn.

**Faster Pokemon** Pokemon that are faster than Hydreigon such as Mega Alakazam, Kartana, and Weavile can threaten to OHKO Hydreigon with their super effective moves.
GP 1/2
hGdnNDm.gif
done, ty
 
remove add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]

Hydreigon is a decently powerful wallbreaker in the tier due to possessing a solid Special Attack stat, a good STAB move in Dark Pulse, and great coverage options like Flash Cannon and Earth Power. Despite being a primarily offensive Pokemon, it still has decent bulk, reliable recovery in Roost, and a unique typing, allowing allow it to check a number of Pokemon such as Heatran, Ash-Greninja before transformation, Reuniclus, and Blacephalon. Hydreigon's Speed tier, while good enough to outspeed Pokemon like Tapu Lele and Kyurem-B, unfortunately narrowly misses out on base 100s. Hydreigon is also aided by its useful ability Levitate, granting it an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, meaning it doesn't have to use Roost as much as other Pokemon and making it a more reliable switch-in to Pokemon that pair well with these entry hazards such as Reuniclus. However, Hydreigon lacks the immediate power and Speed of other offensive wallbreakers and pivots in the tier like Ash-Greninja and Mega Latios. Additionally, it can be hard to justify the use of Hydreigon on a lot of teams because of how specific its niche in the tier is.

[SET]
name: Darkinium Z
move 1: Dark Pulse
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Roost
item: Darkinium Z
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 244 SpA / 32 SpD / 232 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's mandatory STAB move, packing a decent Base Power and 100% accuracy. Earth Power allows Hydreigon to deal heavy damage to Steel-types such as Heatran, Magearna, and Magnezone while also hitting Tyranitar. Flash Cannon punishes Fairy-types that try to switch into Hydreigon, namely Clefable and Tapu Bulu. Roost improves Hydreigon's longevity when it is needed to check certain Pokemon such as Heatran and Ash-Greninja.

Set Details
========

32 Special Defense EVs ensure Hydreigon isn't 2HKOed by Battle Bond Greninja's Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock. 232 Speed EVs in tandem with a Timid nature allow Hydreigon to outspeed base 95s, and the rest is dumped into Special Attack in order to keep Hydreigon's offensive presence intact. A Modest nature can be used instead if the extra damage dealt to Clefable and Tapu Bulu is deemed necessary, but it can be disappointing due to having Hydreigon fail the inability to outspeed Pokemon such as Z-Move Landorus-T, Tapu Lele, Kyurem-B, and Excadrill can be disappointing. Darkinium Z powers Dark Pulse up to a 160-Base Power Black Hole Eclipse, granting Hydreigon the ability to deal heavy damage to checks, including Ferrothorn, Zygarde, Celesteela, and Mega Scizor. Levitate is Hydreigon's only ability, but it is nonetheless a good one, giving it an immunity to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and most Ground moves, although it should be noted that Hydreigon is a poor switch-in to the majority of Ground-types.

Usage Tips
========

Hydreigon can be used to check a number of Pokemon such as Heatran, Battle Bond Greninja, and Reuniclus due to its bulk and two immunities. However, you should be wary of switching it into Heatran and Greninja without knowing their sets, as Heatran can potentially OHKO Hydreigon with Corkscrew Crash or annoy Hydreigon it with Toxic, and Greninja can carry Ice Beam on Battle Bond sets or can be Protean, which Hydreigon fails to check at all. Also, if Hydreigon is needed to check something, you should make sure to keep it healthy with Roost so it can continue to do so throughout the match. Since Hydreigon is known to be a utilizer of both Choice Specs and Choice Scarf, it is reasonable for the opponent to suspect that Hydreigon could be using one of these items, so it can be valuable to bluff these sets to surprise Pokemon that could otherwise beat this set if it were locked into a move. If facing a Clefable or specially defensive Tapu Bulu, it is essential to attempt to predict them to switch in and hit them with a Flash Cannon, as otherwise Hydreigon is forced out by Moonblast and or Superpower, respectively.

Team Options
========

This set can be used on offensive and balanced teams alike due to its reliability and ability to check dangerous Pokemon for such archetypes. Steel-types like Heatran and Celesteela are welcome teammates, as they have solid type synergy with Hydreigon, providing it a switch-in to Fairy-type and Ice-type moves that it would otherwise fold to. Similarly, Fairy-types and bulky Psychic-types including Clefable, Reuniclus, Mew, and Mega Slowbro are decent partners, as they can beat Fighting-types such as Mega Medicham and Hawlucha that tear through Hydreigon. Stealth Rock and especially Spikes setters such as Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Greninja help to wear down Hydreigon's checks. Pokemon that enjoy Fairy-types being weakened like Hawlucha, Mega Medicham, and Mega Lopuuny Lopunny are good partners, since Hydreigon can deal heavy damage to said Fairy-types with Flash Cannon. Tornadus-T is an exemplary teammate, as it can annoy Hydreigon checks such as Clefable, Toxapex, and Assault Vest Magearna with Knock Off and chip damage from U-turn, and it additionally forces in Heatran, which Hydreigon can take advantage of. Likewise, Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and other Grass-types lure in Pokemon that Hydreigon can use to get free turns out of, like the aforementioned Heatran, Tangrowth, and Zapdos, while also wearing down Steel-types that check Hydreigon with repeated use of Leech Seed and boosted Superpowers.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Hydreigon has an expansive movepool containing a number of solid moves including Fire Blast, U-turn, Taunt, and Defog, but it is difficult to fit such moves onto the set without making it less effective. Hydreigon is an effective user of Choice Specs due to its solid Special Attack stat and decent Speed tier; however, no Roost causes it to be worn down much easier more easily, resulting in it checking things less effectively.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Chansey** Chansey takes practically no damage from any of Hydreigon's moves and can freely get up Stealth Rock or poison it with Toxic.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types that either are either faster than Hydreigon or can take one of Hydreigon's its coverage moves such as Clefable, Tapu Bulu, Tapu Lele, and Tapu Fini pose huge threats to Hydreigon, as they can threaten it with their Fairy-type STAB moves or, (AC) Superpower in Tapu Bulu's case, (AC) Superpower.

**Bulky Steel-types**: While Hydreigon does carry Earth Power for Steel-types, some take very little damage from it or are just flat out immune to it, namely Ferrothorn, Assault Vest Magearna, and Celesteela, although the latter two are prone to being worn down over time.

**Fighting-types** Due to the lack of Draco Meteor, Fighting-types such as Mega Lopunny, Hawlucha, and Keldeo can come in without taking much damage and OHKO Hydreigon with their Fighting-type STAB moves.

**Bulky Water-types** Water-types with solid special bulk such as Toxapex, Gastrodon, and Mantine can easily take any of Hydreigon's moves and threaten it with Toxic or a Scald burn.

**Faster Pokemon** Pokemon that are faster than Hydreigon such as Mega Alakazam, Kartana, and Weavile can threaten to OHKO Hydreigon with their super effective moves.
 
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