Overview
########
The generation shift wasn't very kind towards Hydreigon. With the new Fairy-type Hydreigon received a quadruple weakness to watch out for. Not only that, Hydreigon now has to resort to moves like Iron Tail to get past its weakness to Fairy-types. Depending on your coverage moves, Pokemon such as Conkeldurr and Clefable can switch in on Hydreigon and force it out. As a Dragon-type, Hydreigon now has competition from Mega Charizard X, who has more Speed, power, and the ability to increase its stats with a boosting move. As a Dark-type, Hydreigon competes with Bisharp, who has strong priority, discourages the use of Defog, and isn't weak to Fairy-type attacks. But not all is dark for Hydreigon. Steel-types no longer resist Dark-type attacks, allowing Hydreigon to spam Dark Pulse more easily. With a unique typing, Hydreigon has many useful resistances. Its base 98 Speed leaves much to be desired as Hydreigon misses out on the base 100 mark, but with an impressive base 125 Special Attack, base 105 Attack, and a movepool that would make most other Pokemon green with envy, Hydreigon still has the right tools to 2HKO most of the metagame of this generation. Play Hydreigon towards its strengths and you will not be disappointed.
Mixed Attacker
########
set name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Dark Pulse
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Fire Blast / Superpower
move 4: Superpower / Iron Tail / Roost
ability: Levitate
item: Life Orb
evs: 60 Atk / 216 SpA / 232 Spe
nature: Rash / Mild
Moves
========
This set is pretty simple, as the focus lies in Hydreigon's massive offensive power. Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's most spammable attack, as it's only resisted by Fairy-, Fighting-, and Dark-types. Draco Meteor deals massive damage to everything but Fairy- and Steel-types, and leaves big holes in walls like Hippowdon and Mega Venusaur. Fire Blast makes every Steel-type besides Heatran think twice before switching in, as Fire Blast will outright OHKO or 2HKO them. The choice between Superpower and Iron Tail comes down to what threats your team needs taken care of. If you decide to go with Superpower, then Blissey, Chansey, and Tyranitar are no longer a problem. It also helps Hydreigon get past both Bisharp and Heatran. If HYdreigon chooses to run Iron Tail, then Fairy-types such as Sylveon and Clefable will no longer be a problem, as they are 2HKOed on the switch. Iron Tail also has the benefit of being able to break past Tyranitar. Roost can be used to keep Hydreigon healthy when facing bulkier teams.
Set Details
========
232 Speed EVs let Hydreigon outspeed max Speed neutral Kyurem-B and hit it with Draco Meteor before it can hit back. The 60 Attack EVs let Hydreigon 2HKO 4 HP / 252+ Defense Chansey with Superpower after Stealth Rock. However a little more damage is needed before Hydreigon can 2HKO 252 HP / 252+ Defense Chansey with Superpower, though. It also secures the 2HKO on Sylveon and Bold Clefable with Iron Tail after Stealth Rock. The rest of the EVs are put into Special Attack to hit as hard as possible. Rash is the preferred nature as it helps Hydreigon take priority attacks while increasing its Special Attack. If you don't mind taking a little more damage from priority but want a little extra special bulk, then a Mild nature can be used instead. Life Orb is the preferred item as it gives Hydreigon the power needed to 2HKO most of the metagame while still being able to switch between its attacks. If outspeeding Haxorus is important, a spread of 60 Atk / 252 SpA/ 196 Spe with a Naive nature lets Hydreigon outspeed the standard Dragon Dance set before a boost.
Usage Tips
========
Hydreigon should be used as a wallbreaker and punch giant holes in bulky teams and tanks rather than trying to sweep on its own, as it's too slow for sweeping. With plenty of resistances, Hydreigon has an easy time switching in and performing this role. Draco Meteor's power makes it a good move for breaking down walls, but be careful of spamming it, as the Special Attack drop leaves Hydreigon wide open to setup sweepers. Even though Hydreigon resists Pursuit, you should also be careful when spamming Superpower, because at -1 Defense a fleeing Hydreigon will take massive damage from Pursuit.
Team Options
========
Hydreigon greatly appreciates Stealth Rock support, as it secures many 2HKOes for Hydreigon. Heatran can lay down Stealth Rock and check Fairy-types with its 4x resistance to Fairy-type attacks and STAB Flash Cannon. Skarmory is another good option, as it can lay down Stealth Rock and handle Fighting-types well. If Hydreigon lacks Superpower, a strong Fighting-type that can break through Chansey, Blissey and Tyranitar, who otherwise wall Hydreigon, as a good teammate. Conkeldurr and Terrakion can easily OHKO all three of these Pokemon. If Hydreigon lacks Iron Tail, a solid answer to Fairy-types is needed. Mega Venusaur can check the majority of Fairy-types and can hit back with STAB Sludge Bomb. Mega Scizor and variants of Heatran carrying Flash Cannon are two other good options for checking Fairy-types. Aegislash also makes a great offensive and defensive partner, as it has great defensive synergy with Hydreigon and the two can take hits for each other fairly easily. Pivots such as Landorus-T, Mega Scizor, and Rotom-W are all good scouts and help Hydreigon get a safe switch-in. Finally, you should always consider a sweeper such as Keldeo, Mega Pinsir, Mega Mawile, or Mega Gyarados, as they can easily clean up after Hydreigon has broken down opposing walls.
Other Options
########
Hydreigon has a lot of other options due to its wide movepool. A Choice Scarf set can be used to catch the opposing team off guard, but the power drop can really hurt sometimes. While Choice Specs hits even harder than Life Orb, it's easier to take advantage of a Hydreigon while it is locked into a single move due to its low Speed. If Hydreigon is using Choice Specs, then it can use Flash Cannon to get past Fairy-types. Hydreigon is one of the only Dragon-types that gets U-turn, a move which can help gain momentum. With U-turn, Hydreigon can scout the opposing team for any potential check or counter, and get chip damage. Substitute is another good move, as Hydreigon often forces switches and attacking isn't always the best option. A bulky set with Taunt, Roost, and two attacks can also work well if your team needs that more than a wallbreaker.
Checks & Counters
########
**Fairy-types** Without Iron Tail, Hydreigon is very prone to Fairy-types such as Clefable, Sylveon, and Azumarill. Azumarill in particular can switch to any attack bar the gimmick Charge Beam and either OHKO Hydreigon or set up on it.
**Special Walls** Without Superpower, Umbreon, Chansey, and Blissey become major headaches. Umbreon can wear out Hydreigon with STAB Foul Play while using Wish and Protect to heal itself. Chansey and Blissey take little damage from any attack Hydreigon can throw at them bar Superpower, and can force Hydreigon out with Seismic Toss or Toxic stall.
**Assault Vest Users** Pokemon such as Conkeldurr and Goodra can stomach any attack barring repeated Draco Meteors, and scare off Hydreigon with STAB Drain Punch and STAB Draco Meteor, respectively. Conkeldurr can also revenge kill weakened Hydreigon with STAB Mach Punch.
**Revenge Killers** Pokemon that commonly carry priority attackers such as Conkeldurr, Breloom, and Mega Scizor can finish off a weakened Hydreigon. In addition, Hydreigon’s mediocre Speed leaves it very vulnerable to revenge killers such as Garchomp, Latios, Latias, and Greninja.
Last Edited: 26/04/2014 10:30
########
The generation shift wasn't very kind towards Hydreigon. With the new Fairy-type Hydreigon received a quadruple weakness to watch out for. Not only that, Hydreigon now has to resort to moves like Iron Tail to get past its weakness to Fairy-types. Depending on your coverage moves, Pokemon such as Conkeldurr and Clefable can switch in on Hydreigon and force it out. As a Dragon-type, Hydreigon now has competition from Mega Charizard X, who has more Speed, power, and the ability to increase its stats with a boosting move. As a Dark-type, Hydreigon competes with Bisharp, who has strong priority, discourages the use of Defog, and isn't weak to Fairy-type attacks. But not all is dark for Hydreigon. Steel-types no longer resist Dark-type attacks, allowing Hydreigon to spam Dark Pulse more easily. With a unique typing, Hydreigon has many useful resistances. Its base 98 Speed leaves much to be desired as Hydreigon misses out on the base 100 mark, but with an impressive base 125 Special Attack, base 105 Attack, and a movepool that would make most other Pokemon green with envy, Hydreigon still has the right tools to 2HKO most of the metagame of this generation. Play Hydreigon towards its strengths and you will not be disappointed.
Mixed Attacker
########
set name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Dark Pulse
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Fire Blast / Superpower
move 4: Superpower / Iron Tail / Roost
ability: Levitate
item: Life Orb
evs: 60 Atk / 216 SpA / 232 Spe
nature: Rash / Mild
Moves
========
This set is pretty simple, as the focus lies in Hydreigon's massive offensive power. Dark Pulse is Hydreigon's most spammable attack, as it's only resisted by Fairy-, Fighting-, and Dark-types. Draco Meteor deals massive damage to everything but Fairy- and Steel-types, and leaves big holes in walls like Hippowdon and Mega Venusaur. Fire Blast makes every Steel-type besides Heatran think twice before switching in, as Fire Blast will outright OHKO or 2HKO them. The choice between Superpower and Iron Tail comes down to what threats your team needs taken care of. If you decide to go with Superpower, then Blissey, Chansey, and Tyranitar are no longer a problem. It also helps Hydreigon get past both Bisharp and Heatran. If HYdreigon chooses to run Iron Tail, then Fairy-types such as Sylveon and Clefable will no longer be a problem, as they are 2HKOed on the switch. Iron Tail also has the benefit of being able to break past Tyranitar. Roost can be used to keep Hydreigon healthy when facing bulkier teams.
Set Details
========
232 Speed EVs let Hydreigon outspeed max Speed neutral Kyurem-B and hit it with Draco Meteor before it can hit back. The 60 Attack EVs let Hydreigon 2HKO 4 HP / 252+ Defense Chansey with Superpower after Stealth Rock. However a little more damage is needed before Hydreigon can 2HKO 252 HP / 252+ Defense Chansey with Superpower, though. It also secures the 2HKO on Sylveon and Bold Clefable with Iron Tail after Stealth Rock. The rest of the EVs are put into Special Attack to hit as hard as possible. Rash is the preferred nature as it helps Hydreigon take priority attacks while increasing its Special Attack. If you don't mind taking a little more damage from priority but want a little extra special bulk, then a Mild nature can be used instead. Life Orb is the preferred item as it gives Hydreigon the power needed to 2HKO most of the metagame while still being able to switch between its attacks. If outspeeding Haxorus is important, a spread of 60 Atk / 252 SpA/ 196 Spe with a Naive nature lets Hydreigon outspeed the standard Dragon Dance set before a boost.
Usage Tips
========
Hydreigon should be used as a wallbreaker and punch giant holes in bulky teams and tanks rather than trying to sweep on its own, as it's too slow for sweeping. With plenty of resistances, Hydreigon has an easy time switching in and performing this role. Draco Meteor's power makes it a good move for breaking down walls, but be careful of spamming it, as the Special Attack drop leaves Hydreigon wide open to setup sweepers. Even though Hydreigon resists Pursuit, you should also be careful when spamming Superpower, because at -1 Defense a fleeing Hydreigon will take massive damage from Pursuit.
Team Options
========
Hydreigon greatly appreciates Stealth Rock support, as it secures many 2HKOes for Hydreigon. Heatran can lay down Stealth Rock and check Fairy-types with its 4x resistance to Fairy-type attacks and STAB Flash Cannon. Skarmory is another good option, as it can lay down Stealth Rock and handle Fighting-types well. If Hydreigon lacks Superpower, a strong Fighting-type that can break through Chansey, Blissey and Tyranitar, who otherwise wall Hydreigon, as a good teammate. Conkeldurr and Terrakion can easily OHKO all three of these Pokemon. If Hydreigon lacks Iron Tail, a solid answer to Fairy-types is needed. Mega Venusaur can check the majority of Fairy-types and can hit back with STAB Sludge Bomb. Mega Scizor and variants of Heatran carrying Flash Cannon are two other good options for checking Fairy-types. Aegislash also makes a great offensive and defensive partner, as it has great defensive synergy with Hydreigon and the two can take hits for each other fairly easily. Pivots such as Landorus-T, Mega Scizor, and Rotom-W are all good scouts and help Hydreigon get a safe switch-in. Finally, you should always consider a sweeper such as Keldeo, Mega Pinsir, Mega Mawile, or Mega Gyarados, as they can easily clean up after Hydreigon has broken down opposing walls.
Other Options
########
Hydreigon has a lot of other options due to its wide movepool. A Choice Scarf set can be used to catch the opposing team off guard, but the power drop can really hurt sometimes. While Choice Specs hits even harder than Life Orb, it's easier to take advantage of a Hydreigon while it is locked into a single move due to its low Speed. If Hydreigon is using Choice Specs, then it can use Flash Cannon to get past Fairy-types. Hydreigon is one of the only Dragon-types that gets U-turn, a move which can help gain momentum. With U-turn, Hydreigon can scout the opposing team for any potential check or counter, and get chip damage. Substitute is another good move, as Hydreigon often forces switches and attacking isn't always the best option. A bulky set with Taunt, Roost, and two attacks can also work well if your team needs that more than a wallbreaker.
Checks & Counters
########
**Fairy-types** Without Iron Tail, Hydreigon is very prone to Fairy-types such as Clefable, Sylveon, and Azumarill. Azumarill in particular can switch to any attack bar the gimmick Charge Beam and either OHKO Hydreigon or set up on it.
**Special Walls** Without Superpower, Umbreon, Chansey, and Blissey become major headaches. Umbreon can wear out Hydreigon with STAB Foul Play while using Wish and Protect to heal itself. Chansey and Blissey take little damage from any attack Hydreigon can throw at them bar Superpower, and can force Hydreigon out with Seismic Toss or Toxic stall.
**Assault Vest Users** Pokemon such as Conkeldurr and Goodra can stomach any attack barring repeated Draco Meteors, and scare off Hydreigon with STAB Drain Punch and STAB Draco Meteor, respectively. Conkeldurr can also revenge kill weakened Hydreigon with STAB Mach Punch.
**Revenge Killers** Pokemon that commonly carry priority attackers such as Conkeldurr, Breloom, and Mega Scizor can finish off a weakened Hydreigon. In addition, Hydreigon’s mediocre Speed leaves it very vulnerable to revenge killers such as Garchomp, Latios, Latias, and Greninja.
Last Edited: 26/04/2014 10:30
Last edited:
