Hydreigon

[R.B.G.]

(This is not a chatroom for what should be Ubers and otherwise, take that somewhere else.)
reyscarface has written the analysis for Sazandora, but you can continue your discussions here if you'd like.

Flying out Generation V is this hydra...or dragon...or whatever it is. Fine, let's go with Hydragon. We've only learned about Sazando recently, news of it and its evolutionary line released within the last week off of Serebii.

The latest member of an exclusive club previously consisting of only five Pokemon, Sazando is special even among the pseudo legendaries, being first specially based alumni of the group. We all saw what Garchomp and Salamence did in last generation's extreme fast paced OU and Ubers metagames. How will Sazando live up to both our and the other dragons' standards? Only time will tell.

Sazando
Pokedex #: 635
Type: Dragon/Dark
Base Stats: 92/105/90/125/90/98
Ability: Levitate
​

In the upcoming metagame, look for Sazando to fill in a Lati@s like niche, especially if it happens across Draco Meteor. Dark/Dragon is a great offensive typing. Combine that with exceptional bulk and great mixed offensive stats, and you've got yourself one helluva Pogeymanz. A lot of eyes are on this one, including mine.

This thing is a star among it's draconic brethren, look for Hydragon to show up on plenty of teams, even mine. Here are some of the things that make it such a star

Special thanks to Whistle

level-up moves

Level-Up Moves:
Lv1: Tri Attack
Lv1: Dragon Rage
Lv1: Focus Energy
Lv1: Bite
Lv4: Focus Energy
Lv9: Bite
Lv12: Headbutt
Lv17: DragonBreath
Lv20: Roar
Lv25: Crunch
Lv28: Slam
Lv32: Dragon Pulse
Lv38: [M526]
Lv42: Dragon Rush
Lv48: Body Slam
Lv55: Scary Face
Lv68: Hyper Voice
Lv79: Outrage

tms and hms

TMs / HMs:
TM05: Roar
TM06: Toxic
TM10: Hidden Power
TM11: Sunny Day
TM12: Taunt
TM15: Hyper Beam
TM17: Protect
TM18: Rain Dance
TM21: Frustration
TM26: Earthquake
TM27: Return
TM32: Double Team
TM33: Reflect
TM35: Flamethower
TM38: Fire Blast
TM39: Rock Tomb
TM41: Torment
TM42: Facade
TM44: Rest
TM45: Attract
TM46: Thief
TM48: Troll
TM49: Echo Voice
TM52: Focus Blast
TM57: Charge Beam
TM59: Complete Burn
TM62: Acrobat
TM66: Payback
TM68: Giga Impact
TM71: Stone Edge
TM73: Thunder Wave
TM77: Psych Up
TM78: Smooth Over
TM80: Rock Slide
TM82: Dragon Tail
TM83: Cheer Up
TM87: Swagger
TM89: U-Turn
TM90: Substitute
TM91: Flash Cannon
TM94: Rock Smash
HM02: Fly
HM03: Surf
HM04: Strength

egg moves

Egg Moves:
Fire Fang
Thunder Fang
Ice Fang
Double Hit
Astonish
Earth Power
Screech
Head Smash
Assurance
Dark Pulse

Great Mixed Attacking Stats: Unlike its five colleagues in the pseudo legendary club, Sazando is specially based, and is also the most offensively balanced of them all.

Bulk: 92/90/90 defenses are pretty good. Combine that with resistances to common attacking types in Electric and Fire, and an immunity to Ground, you'll find plenty of switch-in opportunities for this thing.

Ice/Dragon/Fighting weaknesses: A tradeoff for Fire, Water, Ground, and Electric resistances that many will be willing to accept. The 7 attacking types listed above were the most commonly used in Generation 4 OU, Sazando has got to do that work son.

Lack of boosting moves: This is where Sazando's stock seriously drops, seriously. No Calm Mind, no Swords Dance, no Dragon Dance kills off many of our fantasies for this thing.

Great offensive STAB: Sazando has Dragon STAB and STAB on Dark moves, most notably Dark Pulse, Crunch, and Pursuit.

Possible Sets:
These sets are subject to change as I learn more about Sazando.
Choice Specs
Ability - Levitate
Item - Choice Specs
Nature - Naive/Modest/Timid
EVs - 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Speed
Moves - Earth Power/Flamethrower/Fire Blast/Dragon Pulse or Draco Meteor/Surf

Sazando screams for a Choice Specs set. Here, he gets 575 SpA and amazing offensive coverage. This set is a refined version of last generation's rarely seen SpecsMence, and we're sure to see a set like this pop up on Smogon. Anything not named Blissey is running from Sazando, as this set grants super effective hits on 11/18 types. This set is hitting extremely hard on a lot of Pogeymanz. Getting perfect coverage and then smashing pokemon into pieces at your own leisure can make someone power-hungry, good luck.


Classic Mixando
Ability - Levitate
Item - Life Orb/Leftovers
Nature - Naive
EVs - 32 HP/220 Attack/184 SpA/74 Speed
Moves - Crunch/Fire Blast/Dragon Pulse/Outrage/Draco Meteor/Earthquake

Remember MixMence? Say hai to MixAndo. This shit kills stuff, burns the remains, and then eats the charred ash. While this set is the sex, MixMence does do better against many common threats. However, unlike MixMence, MixAndo is specially based and hits from the other side of the spectrum. I smell mixed wallbreakers. Consider that fact. This set was built perfectly for Sazando's mixed stats. Gl Generation V, you'll need it.

Happy Hydra
Ability - Levitate
Item - Life Orb
Nature - Modest
EVs - 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Speed
Moves - Cheer Up / Outrage / Dark Pulse / Flamethrower/Surf

This set, of the three listed, has the best sweeping potential. Cheer Up is an amazing set-up move, boosting both Attack and Special Attack one stage. From there, you can proceed to boost some more and prepare for a sweep. I was thinking about this set, and when I saw so many people post about on my thread, I just simply had to put it here.


Choice Scarf
Ability - Levitate
Item - Choice Scarf
Nature - Modest
EVs - 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Speed
Moves - U-Turn / / Outrage / Flamethrower/Fire Blast/Surf

This set works very similar to that of ScarfGon of Generation IV. Sazando even gets Levitate.While Flygon would seem like a smarter choice, Sazando does have some toys that Flygon wishes it had. The first is a little action figure named Pursuit. With STAB Pursuit, Sazando works as a check to some very threatening ghosts such as Shanderaa and Gengar. Also, with Pursuit, Sazando can do to the extent the jobs of both Scizor and Flygon, while still having a good SpA to put out strong Flamethrowers or Surf. Sazando also gets U-Turn, a move unique to the two among dragons, letting it serve as an effective scout. Outrage is a mandatory STAB doing a lot of damage to a lot of things, while the last slot serves as a filler.
Wall-Breaker

Lee's Life Orb Special thanks to Lee
Ability - Levitate
Item - Life Orb
Nature - Modest
EVs - 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Speed
Moves - Draco Meteor / / Taunt / U-Turn/Fire Blast

"The combination of Draco Meteor, Taunt and U-turn prevent Blissey from walling this. Standard Bold Blissey loses up to 40% of her health if she comes in on Draco Meteor. Taunt her to prevent her from recovering health and then get a light hit in with U-turn (17% on avg) as you go to a counter. Factoring in the few rounds of Leftovers recovery and Stealth Rock, Blissey will be on 52% health assuming average damage rolls on both Draco Meteor and U-turn. If Sandstorm is in effect, she'll be on 34%! Either way, next time she comes in on the Hydra, she's dead."
​

 

[latinoheat]

Earth Power on the choice specs set could also be an option

 

[ghost]

I'm thinking that Sazando could work very well with a set of Outrage, Draco Meteor, Earth Power, and Surf/Fire Blast.

 

[IcyMan28]

Worth noting is that MixMence will be much more effective than Sazando, IMO.

105 attack, while good, is nothing to write home about for a Dragon (just look at Flygon's depressingly weak Outrage). Lack of speed really hurts it as well, so I'm expecting a Specs set to be most dominant, especially since (unlike the Lati twins), it can roast incoming steels with a simple Flamethrower.

 

[Veles]

He learns a move at level 38 "Ancient Construction" or something like that. It's a normal move that has no Base Power and no Accuracy. It's available to a bunch of Legendary's as well, it seems. I've yet to see if anyone has it's effect yet, so I'm still hopefully he might have some sort of boosting move.

I'm excited the try the Mix set though, his stat distribution just screams for it.

Edit: Seems it's a +ATK/SPATK boosting move according to whistle. It's what I was expecting, actually.

 

[NeoSeth]

Cheer Up has amazing set-up potential. Give up a move-slot for it and this new Pokemon will wreck any team.

 

[IcyMan28]

Sazando@Life Orb + Cheer Up / Outrage / Dark Pulse / Flamethrower seems quite viable, with a Naive nature and emphasis on the SpA. Shame there isn't a more powerful special dark move.

 

[Upstart]

Great presentation. I was wondering where you got the tm list from.
On a competive note with good bulk and unique typing this guy can switch into a number of attacks and simply wreak havoc

 

[Limewire]

Any opinions on a Scarf set?

Sazando @ Choice Scarf
Mild nature (+SpA, -Def) or Rash nature (+SpA, -SpD)
252 Atk/88 SpA/164 Spe

-Earthquake
-Pursuit
-Draco Meteor
-Surf/Fire Blast/U-turn/whatever

Basically, this set plays like a ScarfGon minus U-turn (EDIT: never mind, it learns U-turn), but the main selling point is Pursuit. I'm not sure how common Ghosts and Psychics will be in this metagame, but Pursuit should take care of threats like Shadow Tag Chanderra. 164 speed outspeeds Timid Jolteon and KOs with Earthquake. Draco Meteor is for STAB, and the last option is a filler move. Interestingly enough, Fire Blast and Surf could be useful against Sunny Day and Rain Dancers, respectively.

 

[YaM]

isn't this pokemon Dark/Dragon? You say it's only Dragon type in the OP

 

[cosmicexplorer]

An Expert Belt set could be viable; it doesn't negate its excellent bulk like LO does, it has great type coverage, and if Specs ever gets popular, it can bluff it.

 

[B-Lulz]

My favourite dragon, its being outclassed by othe rdragons at the moment, but maybe we will see in a years time how good this thing is.

 

[VaxtinTheWolf]

Definitely going onto my mono dark team. I now have a dragon to play with.

 

[Justinawe]

Definitely one of my favorite new pokemon of this gen. 98 speed means it will be able to revenge kill Ononokusu without Dragon Dance, so it will have a niche there. Looking forward to using this, should work similar to Latias.

 

[Otterpaw]

Notice that it's speed is perfect for a scarf; to come in on a +1 Ononokusu and outspeed by 2 points.

 

[Max_LKC]

Sad that it has weakness to U-turn, scarfgon and CBscizor would hurt him

 

[IcyMan28]

We've been dealing with CB Scizor's U-turn for about 2 years now. It's not that scary.

The issue with being weak to U-turn is that you really can't afford to stay in. ScarfGon U-turns so often these days that often I'll just leave in my current pokemon and attack the switch-in; its that predictable. Being Dark-type means Sazando can't do that.

 

[SJCrew]

I'm tired of all these "Uturn wins the game" arguments. It's not very strong, you don't always have a concrete counter for whatever comes in, and you don't even know what set the Pokemon is running just by looking at it.

If I just predict too and don't switch out, you could be eating an attack and ultimately keeping the momentum on my side. Even if you get Suicune in on my Infernape, you're still taking Close Combat pretty hard.

 

[Max_LKC]

I'm tired of all these "Uturn wins the game" arguments. It's not very strong, you don't always have a concrete counter for whatever comes in, and you don't even know what set the Pokemon is running just by looking at it.

If I just predict too and don't switch out, you could be eating an attack and ultimately keeping the momentum on my side. Even if you get Suicune in on my Infernape, you're still taking Close Combat pretty hard.

I'm not saying U-turn is strong or scary and all I'm just saying its annoying, predicting means 50/50, not all people will use U-turn all the time, you have to understand and be clear of your opponents battle style first. ''Uturn wins the game'' for the record I didn't say that, I just pointed out its annoying and with all the new bugs type running around in BW(note that some new bugs have higher speed stat) it might cause Sazando A LITTLE problem.

 

[TEA_DEMON]

Tbh I think Latias has nothing on Sazando. Pursuit immunity and stronger Draco Meteors; all that I can see Latias having over it is Thunderbolt, Calm Mind and perhaps the extra bit of speed, which isn't a lot when you can wreck shit with Draco Meteor anyway.

 

[lordkira]

Sazando is a tragedy case imo
It has great offensive stats...but that's it
It doesn't get Sword Dance, nasty plot, dd, or any other notable stat-up moves
while others like its pseudo bro Mence gets a fantastic new ability from the dream world
however i do agree with the point that was made earlier about its spA prowess
I'd be scared of its specs variant firing off draco meteor
mixed set may be good (though mence would seem to be the "better" mon on this) due to its already high spA o boost off draco meteor better than its pseudo bros

 

[Losa]

Sazando is a tragedy case imo
It has great offensive stats...but that's it
It doesn't get Sword Dance, nasty plot, dd, or any other notable stat-up moves
while others like its pseudo bro Mence gets a fantastic new ability from the dream world
however i do agree with the point that was made earlier about its spA prowess
I'd be scared of its specs variant firing off draco meteor
mixed set may be good (though mence would seem to be the "better" mon on this) due to its already high spA o boost off draco meteor better than its pseudo bros

It doesn't need Nasty Plot and all that other shit. Specs Draco Meteor is all it will ever need :D

 

[Pagz]

I like that it's stats don't scream broken like the other Dragons of this gen, if it was slipped into gen4 it would fit in quite well.

I can't wait for a gen5 simulator so we can test all these out, looking forward to try a mixed Sazando set (Crunch/Draco Meteor/Flame Thrower/Dragon Tail), with it being able to threaten so much it'll be good to put in a stall team with stealth rocks. Also, since it'll attract fighting/ice moves like the plague, it'll be great to group up with the new fire/ghost trapper.

 

[diamondfan1910]

Shanderaa and Sazando could be an amazing offensive combination. They cover each other's weaknesses perfectly aside from Shanderaa's Rock/Sazando's Dragon weakness (both covered by a Steel-type) and help each other out enormously. Shanderaa can trap, set up on and kill Blissey which seems to be one of the only things that stands between a purely Special Sazando and complete domination. Sazando can severely weaken the opposition with its insanely powerful Draco Meteors and will attract plenty of Fighting and Ice-type moves, which Shanderaa will just love to take advantage of.

 

[Miscellaneous]

I think it's interesting how gamefreak gave Sazando 1 more base speed than Ono (147 base at pokemon). Definitely going to be an important outspeed if these offensive monesters stay OU. Still pretty annoying Sazando misses out on the magic 100 base however.. :(

Dark/Dragon STAB gets amazing coerage in Ubers, with all those psychics and dragons O_o

I think it's also better to look at the positives about his typing. Yes, it's a weakness to U-turn, but that also means Sazando is excellent Scizor bait.

Come to think of it, Sazando is actually a lot better than i first presumed when i saw it's stats compared to some others.