Articles

Published on September 11th, 2013 | by jio

9

Dragon! Dragon! Rock the Dragon!

They roam the skies, lands, and seas and frighten everything with their ferocious power! They are the mighty Dragon Pokemon, and this article will explain how they work in our metagame. Dragon-type Pokémon are known for their incredible base stats, notable movepools, and dependable abilities, which allow them to become significant threats in our VGC metagame. One can think that you can easily slap a Dragon-type on your team and do well, but that is not always the case, as the Dragon can easily be knocked out if you’re just being reckless. Every Pokemon on your team works together with their own individual goals to push the entire team towards victory. While this doesn’t apply solely to Dragon-types, but every Pokemon in existence, most Dragon-types are notable for fitting well on teams and punishing opponents with powerful STAB attacks.

Offensively, Dragon-type STAB is arguably the best STAB in the game, hitting every other type but Steel for neutral damage, and its own type for super effective damage. This allows high powered moves such as Draco Meteor and Outrage to do an incredible amount of damage to almost every Pokemon in the game. While there are Steel-types to switch in on the predicted Dragon moves to tank them, most Dragons are capable of learning various Fire-type attacks and Earthquake, which makes them difficult to handle at times. While it’s not very common, most Dragons are also capable of learning Dragon Dance which boosts their Attack and Speed by one stage, which makes them even more threatening. Dragon Dance is underused however, as the omnipresent Intimidate will negate the Attack boost instantly. There’s also the ever popular Dragon Gem to increase any attacking Dragon-type move by one stage, which makes Draco Meteor a nuke that annihilates anything that isn’t prepared for it.

Defensively, Dragon is mediocre, as it only resists four other types in the game (Water, Fire, Electric, Grass) while being hit super effectively by Ice and other Dragon moves. They tend to have respectable physical and special bulk, but a powerful STAB Draco Meteor from opposing dragons is usually enough to end them. Many players equip their Dragons with either Focus Sash, Yache Berry, or Haban Berry to enhance its survivability and allow them to stay on the field just a bit longer and continue to fire off high powered attacks or support the team. Hail ruins most Dragon-types, as not only do they take residual damage, but now they have to worry about taking a 100% accurate Blizzard to the face, putting them out of commission. This is why most players pair them up with other weather starters to prevent this fiasco from happening (or by simply running Bright Powder on their Garchomps).

Now that all the general information is out of the way it’s time to analyze each fully-evolved, VGC-allowed Dragon type and learn what they’re capable of.

Base Stats
91 Hp / 134 Atk / 95 Def / 100 SpAtk / 100 SpDef / 80 Speed

Notable Moves

• Dragon Claw
• Extremespeed
• Fire Punch
• Tailwind
• Hurricane
• Roost
• Thunder Wave
• Draco Meteor
• Superpower
• Dragon Dance

Notable Items

• Haban Berry
• Yache Berry
• Lum Berry
• Dragon Gem
• Leftovers

We’ll start off with the OG of Dragon-types, Dragonite! While he may not have had much going for it in the older generations, he returns to Unova with a plethora of attack and support moves as well as the unique ability Multiscale, which can make it an underrated threat. It possess two phenominal abilities, also learning Inner Focus, which makes it immune to flinching, in addition to the aforementioned Multiscale, which cuts the damage it takes from any attack down to 50% if it’s at full health. This makes for an effective bluff strategy, as the opponent will have to think twice about using Fake Out on a Dragonite, as it will not flinch if it has Inner Focus and be able to attack or set up Tailwind. Dragonite also wields a 134 base Attack, but its main attacking options, including Dragon Claw, Fire Punch, and Extremespeed, are weak in base power, so it wont be doing much harm to opponents who are invested in defense. Dragonite also has to worry about Intimidate cutting down its physical power, which really severs its physical damage output. While Dragonite’s Special Attack is significantly lower, it’s made up for with moves such as Draco Meteor, Fire Blast, and Hurricane which have a much higher base powers than its physical counterparts. Its 80 base speed ties it with other common threats such as Mamoswine and Chandelure, but it has access to Extremespeed and Dragon Dance to make up for that. Taking a look at its spectrum of supportive moves, Dragonite has access to Thunder Wave and Tailwind, both of which it can pull off to a surprisingly great impact thanks to Multiscale increasing its bulk. Thunder Wave + Roost would make Dragonite an agonizing wall to topple thanks to Thunder Wave automatically making its opponents slower and Roost increasing its HP back to full for Multiscale to reactivate. Haban and Yache Berry are valuable tools, as combined with Multiscale they will nearly guarantee that Dragonite survives a turn barring a critical hit, which allows it to fight back with its own Dragon Claw/Draco Meteor or Fire Punch/Fire Blast to punish enemy Dragon- and Ice-types, respectively. Leftovers assists Dragonite with the bothersome Hail and Sandstorm chip damage, which is useful for maintaining Multiscale, and the gradual HP recovery is always welcome for its natural bulk.

While Dragonite’s impressive base stats and movepool might give you the impression that he can fit on any team, but this is sadly not true. Dragonite is a strong contender, but is very often denied a spot on a team for more effective offensive dragons such as Hydreigon, Latios, Salamence or defensive dragons like Latias. Dragonite has lower Special Attack and Speed compared to the three aforementioned offensive dragons, while Salamence has Intimidate going for it and Latios and Hydreigon sport better typings. Fitting Dragoniite on your team will mean that you need to find a way to create a situation where another dragon couldn’t do the job better, which can be very difficult. Dragonite can fire off a Dragon Gem Draco Meteor, but Hydreigon, Latios, and Salamence perform that job to much better. Dragonite can set up Tailwind for its teammates, but Hydreigon, Latios, Salamence put on much more offensive pressure with a Tailwind behind them. Also, Latias is much bulkier than Dragonite, (assuming its Multiscale is broken) and can set up Tailwind repeatedly, and even set up both Reflect and Light Screen. Dragonite can try to attack on the physical side and has Extremespeed to back it up, but even Haxorus far outclasses it in that field. With all these factors, Dragonite may almost never see the light of day while being overshadowed by its Dragon-type brethren.

Dragonite can perform best on Rain teams where it can abuse one of its most powerful STAB moves, Hurricane! Hurricane becomes a fearful move on Dragonite in the Rain, as it’s 70% accuracy gets buffed up to 100% and it has a 30% chance to confuse the target. Dragonite can also abuse a now 100% accurate Thunder which has a 30% chance to paralyze the target. Hurricane and Thunder combined can make Dragonite a powerful and irritating threat on Rain teams. Dragonite can also go up against Rain teams pretty well, as its Dragon typing, Multiscale, and impressive special bulk will allow it to shrug off repeated Water-type attacks easily. Dragonite can also withstand a Dragon Gem boosted Draco Meteor from Kingdra with only 252 HP investment thanks to Multiscale, which no other Dragon can boast, as they would need to pack a Haban Berry to accomplish this feat. While Dragonite has its pros, it obviously has its cons as well. The 80 base speed makes it slower than a lot of viable VGC Pokemon and one of the slowest Dragons, which makes it somewhat viable on a Trick Room team. Multiscale is often easily stopped by the ever-present Tyranitar, and it is also in danger of taking a lot of damage from Rock Slide or being OHKOed by a Scarf Tyranitar’s Ice Punch. Not to mention Pokemon with the Mold Breaker ability such as Excadrill, Rampardos, and Haxorus can ignore Multiscale and get good damage on Dragonite. Choice Scarf Cloyster and Jolly Mamoswine are nightmares for Dragonite, as Icicle Spear breaks through Multiscale and can knock it out assuming all of the Icicle Spears hit. To sum it up, Dragonite can be a fantastic Pokémon with a respectable movepool, stats, and ability. Like all Pokemon it has significant flaws, but if you can make use of its MultiScale ability it will certainly not disappoint.

Base Stats
75 Hp / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 95 SpAtk / 95 SpDef / 85 Speed

Notable Moves

• Muddy Water
• Draco Meteor
• Substitute
• Hydro Pump
• Surf
• Dragon Pulse
• Disable
• Ice Beam
• Yawn
• Quash

Notable Items

• Life Orb
• Lum Berry
• Dragon Gem
• Choice Scarf
• Haban Berry

At first glance of Kingdra’s base stats, it doesn’t appear to be the most menacing of the Dragon-type group. Once you put it under a storm cloud, however, it becomes a speed demon that will quickly plow through your team if you’re not able to stop it. With Swift Swim, access to moves like Muddy Water and Hydro Pump, and Dragon-typing, Kingdra becomes one of the staples to any modern Rain team you’ll see in our metagame. Kingdra’s Water/Dragon typing is amazing offensively, as it can hit the whole metagame for at least neutral damage between both of its STABs. Defensively, Water/Dragon only resists Water and Fire while only having Dragon as a weakness. With the effect of Drizzle, thanks to its partner in crime, Politoed, Kingdra becomes a dangerous offensive force, as it now has the speed to outpace the whole metagame while having the Rain boost it’s STAB water attacks to now deal a tremendous amount of damage to almost any foe. Life Orb is the main item you’ll see on Kingdra to boost its attacking power to greater heights at the cost of its HP. Lum Berry + Substitute is a good tactic for getting past Thundurus’s Thunder Wave and status in general, however you may lose out on OHKOs without the boost from Life Orb. Dragon Gem is cool for strengthening your Draco Meteor, although there are Latios, Hydreigon, and Salamence for that. Choice Scarf makes Kingdra viable outside of Rain, as it can now get surprise knock outs on other dragons with Draco Meteor. Not only, that but it is guaranteed to outspeed and Knock Out other Kingdras with the Rain up, so it’s an interesting Rain check. Haban Berry buffers Kingdra’s only weakness in Dragon-type moves, and allows it to potentially survive a Draco Meteor from opposing Kingdras and knock them out. Choice Scarf is a cool item on Kingdra that allows it to have the speed advantage outside of Rain and get a few surprise knock outs. Even under Rain it’s a great tool for beating other Rain teams, as it is guaranteed to outspeed other Kingdras.

Kingdra’s offensive movepool isn’t much to write home about, as it mainly consist of Water, Ice, and Dragon moves, with the occasional filler move that many other Pokemon can get. Scald, Hydro Pump, Muddy Water, Dragon Pulse and Draco Meteor are three of the main attacks you should be expecting from any Kingdra set; each of Kingdra’s attacking options have a ton of power when backed up by a Life Orb, but they also have their own setbacks. Hydro Pump is the strongest when in Rain, but has the least accuracy of the four. Scald has 100% accurate and has a 30% chance to burn, but is weaker in power. Muddy Water is the favored Water-type move due to being able to hit both opponents and potentially drop both of their accuracy by one stage, which can make Kingdra insufferable to play against, however the accuracy makes it a shaky option as well. Dragon Pulse is your safest move, but also your weakest one, while Draco Meteor is your strongest Dragon-type move, but makes Kingdra dead weight afterward with -2 Special Attack. Because Kingdra only needs its two STAB moves for offense and Protect for defending and scouting, its last moveslot is usually up for grabs. Substitute is the most common choice because it gives Kingdra a great tool for getting the jump on the opponent. Kingdra no longer has to worry about being crippled by Thunder Wave, and Substitute gives Kingdra a shield to hide behind while it fires off powerful attacks. Kingdra really appreciates Substitute to block hits for it, as its frailness usually causes it to be knocked out pretty quickly. It also prevents Icy Wind from lowering its Speed, which many other dragons fear. Disable is an interesting choice for Kingdra as it prevents the opponent from using their last used move for up to 4 turns. I have used Disable personally for the past year and can attest to how useful it is. It’s a good tool for disrupting your opponents plan and keeping Kingdra and the rest of your team safe and your momentum flowing. Quash is also a very useful tool for disrupting an opponent’s plans, as it makes the target Pokemon move last on the field, which lets you get the drop on it. Kingdra’s Swift Swim allows it to outspeed almost any Pokemon under Rain so it can Quash a target while its partner knocks it out.

Kingdra and Politoed are almost always seen together because Politoed is a fantastic partner for Kingdra. Not only does Politoed provide Drizzle for Kingdra, but also has Helping Hand to boost Kingdra’s attacks to greater heights to possibly Knock Out some of the bulkiest threats such as Gastrodon and Cresselia. Politoed also has Icy Wind to slow down opposing Kingdras and Ice Beam to potentially Knock Out other dragons for it. Seeing as Kingdra functions at its best in Rain, it would be ideal to neuter its speed advantage by using Thunder Wave, Trick Room, or activating another weather. Thunder Wave is risky because Kingdra can easily set up a Substitute or carry a Lum Berry and foil that plan. Trick Room is one of the safer options as it disrupts its speed advantage and forces it to switch out in most cases. Tyranitar, Abomasnow, or manual Sun are also safe answers for Kingdra, as they clear away the Rain weather. Not only that, but Tyranitar’s SpDef boost from Sand, Abomasnow’s resistance to water, and Sun’s weakening effect on Water moves removes Kingdra’s offensive prowess. Kingdra also has to worry about other Dragons setting up Tailwind like Latios, Latias, Hydreigon, and Salamence since their higher base speeds allow them to outspeed Kingdra even in the Rain. While it’s a sitting duck without Rain covering it and likely to be OHKOed due to its frailness, it should definitely not be underestimated. Kingdra is one of the scariest Dragons in the metagame with Politoed backing it up, and is one of the reasons why Rain is a dominant force in VGC.

Base Stats
95 Hp / 135 Atk / 80 Def / 110 SpAtk / 80 SpDef / 100 Speed

Notable Moves

• Draco Meteor
• Heat Wave
• Dragon Pulse
• Hidden Power Flying
• Hydro Pump
• Tailwind
• Fire Blast/Flamethrower
• Roost
• Rock Slide

Notable Items

• Dragon Gem
• Choice Scarf
• Choice Specs
• Yache Berry
• Focus Sash

Salamence not only has a fearsome and noble appearance, but has a lot to bring to the table with it Base Stats and Typing. With an abnormally high 135 Attack and respectable 110 Special Attack backed up by 100 Speed, it is a potent offensive threat. Not to mention with 95 HP and 80 in both Defenses while packing Intimidate, it’s no slouch when it comes to surviving neutral hits. While Salamence’s Attack is it’s strongest stat, it is very often its most unused one due to the fact that its physical move options are pretty lackluster. Its main physical STAB moves are Dragon Claw and Outrage. Dragon Claw has a very low base power, and Outrage is unreliable, as not only will you be unable to Protect for 2-3 turns, but you’ll be unable to pick a target. Not to mention Intimidate is common enough to discourage physical Salamence even further. You’ll only see special Salamence in VGC, as its special options exceed its physical options. Its Dragon and Fire coverage allows it to hit every common threat for at least neutral damage except Heatran, who still has to worry about Hydro Pump. Hidden Power Flying is also a solid option for teams that need a solid check for Fighting-types. When it comes to setting up Tailwind, Salamence may not be as bulky as Zapdos or Suicune, or fast and powerful like Latios or Latias, but what makes Salamence a notable Tailwind user is its access to Intimidate, which makes setting up Tailwind easier and amplifies its ability as a team player. Salamence also has a better STAB than both Zapdos and Suicune, and better type coverage than Latios and Latias. Fire Blast and Flamethrower are good options for hitting Steel-types such as Scizor, Metagross, and Escavalier. Choice Specs Fire Blast has impressive power as it OHKOs 252 HP / 136 SpDef Metagross and OHKOs Escavalier even with Rain active, but Flamethrower is a solid option as well if you prefer to play it safe. Roost is great if you plan to go down the bulky Salamence route. Roost combined with Intimidate and its 95 hp and 80 Defenses will allow it to keep on fighting on the battlefield so long as it avoids Ice- and Dragon-type moves. Dragon Dance is very rare, and hard to pull off due to the fact that Salamence’s physical options are lackluster at best. Rock Slide can be used on Scarf Salamence to get a surprise knock out on Volcarona, so it deserves a mention.

Salamence’s item choices are usually limited like most Dragon-types. Dragon Gem is probably the most preferred option as it strengthens Draco Meteor to great lengths and is good for getting a ton of damage on a target or eliminating it right off the bat. Choice Scarf and Choice Specs are also popular choices for their utility in netting surprise knock outs. Choice Scarf buffs its speed to outpace most of the metagame and get the Knock Out on faster threats such as Latios, (assuming it’s not scarfed too). It’s a good way for Salamence to pick off threats to itself and your team right off the bat, and can even be used to sweep late game. Choice Specs compliments Salamence’s good type coverage, as it now does massive damage to almost any target. As said before, Choice Specs Fire Blast OHKOs 252 hp / 136 SpDef Metagross and Escavalier (in rain), while also having a high chance to OHKO 252 HP Heatran with Hydro Pump. Yache Berry helps Salamence tank those nasty ice attacks that it despises so much at least once. However, it needs a ton of bulk to survive hits like Abomasnow’s Blizzard even with the Yache, so it’s generally not worth it. Focus Sash is somewhat rare, but is useful for getting a free Tailwind.

While Salamence is competitively better than Dragonite in most cases, it still struggles for a spot when compared to the likes of Latios, Latias, and Hydreigon. Latios has it beat when it comes to power, speed and movepool. Latias is better at supporting the team with Tailwind, by having better bulk, Helping Hand, and a plethora of other support moves. Hydreigon is slower, but has a better typing which helps it beat Cresselia. What makes Salamence special is Intimidate, which neuters both of the opposing Pokemon’s attack by one stage, which is always useful. Due to this, Salamence finds a home on teams that require some Intimidate support as well as a Fighting-type check, and it can punish slower teams with a Dragon Gem Draco Meteor. Be careful with Intimidate, as it can easily backfire as Tornadus and Bisharp both carry Defiant, which gets them a +1 boost in attack after Intimidate, and they both can one shot Salamence with Flying Gem Acrobatics and Dark Gem Sucker Punch, respectively. It’s best not to lead Salamence when your opponent carries either of these two, as they’ll more than likely use them against you. Fast Salamence is usually preferred, as getting off that fast Draco Meteor is good for eliminating threats to your team as soon as possible, which is why Scarf Salamence is a notable set. Bulky Salamence is harder to pull off as it is weak to Rock, Ice, and Dragon, which are very common attacking types in VGC. It would require a lot more support to work, as a fast Ice Beam or Draco Meteor could put it out of commission easily. Salamence despises anything that messes with its Speed, such as Thunder Wave and Trick Room, since they both render it vulnerable to being Knocked Out as it is likely to move last. Salamence also really hates Icy Wind, as not only does it deal a significant amount of damage thanks to its 4x weakness to Ice, but it’ also lowers its Speed by one stage. The unreliability of Draco Meteor and its weakness to common moves makes Salamence a bit difficult to use, but if you overlook that then it’s a stellar Pokemon that is a value to any team that needs it.

Base Stats
80 Hp / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 110 SpAtk / 130 SpDef / 110 Speed

Notable Moves

• Dragon Pulse
• Draco Meteor
• Psyshock
• Tailwind
• Charm
• Helping Hand
• Calm Mind
• Roost/Recover
• Heal Pulse
• Reflect Type
• Healing Wish
• Role Play
• Reflect / Light Screen

Notable Items

• Haban Berry
• Light Clay
• Sitrus Berry
• Leftovers
• Dragon Gem

Latias is the sister of the Eon twins and one of the most unique Dragon-types out there. While her HP and Defense is mediocre, she has an impressive 110 Special Attack 130 Special Defense and 110 Speed. Her fantastic support movepool makes her more of a support Dragon-type than a hard hitting one, and it does a fine job at it. Latias also has Levitate, which supports her team by allowing its partners to use Earthquake more comfortably, while also being able to boost its power with Helping Hand. Haban Berry Latias is one of the most common items on Latias as its often targeted by other Dragon moves, notably Latios’ Dragon Gem Draco Meteor. While Latias usually has to worry about Tyranitar’s Crunch, Scizor’s Bug Bite, and Escavalier’s Megahorn it usually has partners to tackle those threats which makes Dragon moves it’s main concern, hence why it runs Haban Berry. Light Clay extends the turns of both Light Screen and Reflect from 5 to 8, and the moves boost the SpDef and Def of its teammates by 1.5, respectively. Latias is one of the best dual screen users in VGC as it’s both fast and bulky to set them both up safely, and also has moves such as Helping Hand, Tailwind, and Heal Pulse to further support the team. Sitrus and Leftovers are good for regaining back HP if you opt not to use Roost or Recover. Dragon Gem is available if you opt to go down the offensive Latias route, or need a strong attack to fight back with while aiding your teammates. Latias has a 110 SpAtk stat to work with, so a Dragon Gem Draco Meteor will do plenty of damage to most targets even with minimal investment.

Latias has a solid support movepool, which makes her capable of supporting almost any team. Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor, and Psyshock are going to be its main attacking options, since its other moves are often for support. Dragon Pulse and Psyshock are the safe moves for when you want to do consistent damage and not be a dead weight if you get Taunted. Draco Meteor is also a viable option if you want to deal a bit more damage to opponents and it’s viable on more offensive Latias variants. Draco Meteor OHKOs most other Dragon-types even with 0 SpA investment, which is always handy. Latias is an excellent Tailwind user as it has the bulk to set it up effortlessly, and the movepool to continue to support its team with it in effect. Calm Mind Latias turns it into a fast and bulky underrated threat that can quickly become a problem if not dealt with soon enough. Calm Mind Latias is also good at completely destroying Rain teams once Scizor and Escavalier air taken out of the picture, as it can take a Draco Meteor from Kingdra and Roost off the damage. Charm is a cool option for lowering Tyranitar’s and Scizor’s attack stat by two stages, but it usually struggles to find a move slot for it. Helping Hand and Heal Pulse are good tools for aiding your partner, however Helping Hand usually has more utility than Heal Pulse and often sees more usage. Roost and Recover are to help keep Latias on the battlefield longer to continue supporting itself and the team. It often goes unused due to Latias’s health being difficult to maintain sometimes seeing as it’s weak to Ice, Dark, Bug, Ghost, and Dragon, which are very common attacking types in VGC. Reflect Type is an interesting move that lets Latias copy the typing of the target, which can be useful against its common checks. It can be used against the likes of Tyranitar, Scizor, Heatran, Ferrothorn, and Metagross to wall their STAB attacks, however you lose out on your own STAB moves and usually end up in a stalemate vs. those Pokemon. Reflect Type can also be a cool technique when used on a Sableye to make Latias a Dark/Ghost type with no weaknesses! Latias is one the the few Pokemon that learns Healing Wish, which forces Latias to faint and fully heal a weakened Pokemon in the back. It’s usually not a good option as you can’t afford to waste your own Pokemon in such a offensive metagame. Finally, Role Play is good for copying other abilities and using them against your opponent, such as Intimidate, Swift Swim, etc. Role Play Latias is popular with Contrary Shuckle, as it Role Plays the Contrary and receives a +2 in Special Attack every time it uses Draco Meteor.

Latias is usually cast in the shadow of her big brother Latios due to his superior Special Attack, so a fully offensive Latias is usually not the path you want to take. Not only that, but by being a bulky Psychic type it has competition with the ever popular Cresselia, who also has a solid support movepool coupled with higher HP and Defense. With both of these two factors, Latias has a very hard time fitting on most teams. However, thanks to its Dragon typing and massive 130 Special Defense, it’s often utilized as a fast special tank, and regarded as a Rain and Sun check. It can tank just about any common attack most Rain and Sun teams throw at you besides Kingdra’s Draco Meteor and Escavalier’s Megahorn, while also wanting to steer clear of fast Sleep Powders. Tyranitar, Escavalier, and Scizor are Latias’s biggest foes, as they can all easily tank moves from her and threaten to OHKO her with their respective attacks. She also hates Icy Wind, Thunder Wave, and Trick Room, as they all mess with her great speed stat and often forces her to switch out. Despite her noticeable flaws, she’s a dependable Tailwind setter with more special bulk and speed than majority of the other Tailwind setters out there, access to Recover, and a great attacking STAB. With the right teammates and support moves that your party needs, Latias can be a very effective Dragon-type that won’t disappoint you.

Base Stats
80 HP / 90 Atk / 80 Def / 130 SpAtk / 110 SpDef / 110 Speed

Notable Moves

• Draco Meteor
• Psyshock
• Hidden Power Fire
• Tailwind
• Substitute
• Dragon Pulse
• Trick
• Calm Mind
• Roost/Recover
• Memento
• Ice Beam
• Hidden Power Ground

Notable Items

• Dragon Gem
• Life Orb
• Choice Scarf
• Choice Specs
• Focus Sash

It wouldn’t be a complete article if I didn’t mention the poster child for Dragon Gem Draco Meteor, Latios! Ever since the start of VGC 2012 the bigger and badder Eon sibling has been running amuck in VGC as one of the top threats and for good reasons. A Dragon Gem boosted Draco Meteor is incredibly powerful and capable of 2HKOing or OHKOing many of the commonly seen Pokemon in the current VGC metagame. Most players EV their Pokemon to be able to withstand a Timid Dragon Gem Draco from Latios now because of how much damage it’s capable of dealing. Some players tend to run Dragon Gem with a Modest nature to get guaranteed Knock Outs on Pokemon that were designed to suvive one from a Timid Latios at the cost of their Latios being slower than the likes of Garchomp. Life Orb is another great item which boosts the power of each of Latios’s attacks instead of just one. That extra power which allows it to get a guaranteed OHKO on Hitmontop with Psyshock and 2HKO on 252 hp / 136 SpDef Metagross with Hidden Power Fire or Ground. Choice Scarf is also very viable, as it can outspeed every other dragon in the game and knock them out instantly with a fast Draco Meteor, and is also good for taking out other Latios without having to risk a speed tie. What’s unique about the Choice Scarf set is that with Latios’s natural high base Speed, you’ll be able to outspeed almost any target with the Choice Scarf equipped, even with a Modest nature. As a result, you can afford to run a lot less investment in Speed EVs and invest more in it’s bulk and have the extra power from the Modest nature as well. Choice Specs is also viable, as it gives all of Latios’s attacks a 1.5 boost instead of just Draco Meteor with the Dragon Gem. It’s not seen as much as the Choice Scarf variant because you’re still at risk of losing speed ties as well as being locked into one move, unlike the other sets, which made Latios more flexible. Focus Sash is viable as it helps Latios win against other Latios by surviving a Draco Meteor at 1 HP. This can be problematic as Sandstorm or Hail chip damage can render your Focus Sash useless in just one turn and leave you itemless for the rest of the game.

The feared Draco Meteor is Latios’s most powerful STAB move and a move you best be prepared for. As stated before, a Dragon Gem Draco Meteor is capable of OHKOing almost any Pokemon in the VGC metagame, even being able to 2HKO some Steel-types that are meant to resist it. With every powerful move there is a drawback, as after unleashing a devastating Draco Meteor Latios is left a sitting duck with -2 Special Attack. Psyshock is a solid secondary STAB move as it good for taking advantage of targets who focus on special bulk to take on a Draco Meteor and targets their defense stat. Psyshock is good at dealing a ton of damage to Hitmontop, Amoonguss, Heracross and Chansey who have higher Special Defense stats than physical Defense. Hidden Power Fire is a fun tool for eliminating Scizor and Escavalier (though it needs Life Orb to guarantee the Knock Outs), while dealing a hefty chunk to Metagross. Running Hidden Power Fire means that you will always be outsped by other Latios, but your team should have others means of taking out opposing Latios. Tailwind is a great move for Latios despite not seeing as much action as its other moves. After dropping a Draco Meteor your opponent will likely view Latios as harmless, but it can still set up Tailwind and make the rest of its team more threatening. Substitute is good move for keeping Latios alive and healthy for a bit longer while it fires off high powered moves safely behind a decoy. It’s also useful for blocking Thunder Wave, which Latios really hates, and gives it a way around Sucker Punch. Trick will only be seen on either a Choice Scarf or Choice Specs, set as you can Trick either item onto an unsuspecting Cresselia or Sableye and severely cripple their options. Be careful with how you use Trick, as you can easily trick the wrong item onto the wrong Pokemon and give them an advantage. Calm Mind Latios gives its attacks the same power as a Choice Specs but removes the restraints of being locked into one move. While Calm Mind Latias emphasized on bulk and speed, Calm Mind Latios will want the boost to power through teams faster and easier. Recover and Roost are good for getting Latios its health back up when consecutive damage almost puts it down for the count. Dragon Pulse is a weaker, safer, alternative to Draco Meteor, as it has 100% accuracy and no drawback. Latios is one of the few users of the unique move Memento. Memento drops both the Attack and Special Attack stat of the target at the cost of Latios’s life. People usually opt not to use Memento, seeing as dropping stats in exchange for losing a Pokemon seems like a pretty lousy trade-off. However, it can be a useful tool for when Latios has done its job, it can pave the way for its teammate to set up more comfortably. Hidden Power Ground is rare, but stops Heatran from walling you completely and also still hits Metagross pretty hard in the Rain.

The fact that Latios has stayed a relevant threat ever since it was allowed to be used in 5th gen VGC says a lot for its prowess. He may not be as bulky as his Eon sister, but he is not hopelessly fragile either (although he wont enjoy taking super effective moves). Latios has one job, which is to abuse its speed and power to plow through unprepared teams effortlessly. It’s often seen on standard and Tailwind teams, as it’s good at setting up Tailwind and having synergy with its teammates. Some people run a Modest nature with Dragon Gem to knock out any target that was designed to survive only a Timid Dragon Gem Draco Meteor, while having partners to deal with Pokemon that would now outpace it. Like most other Dragons listed, Latios hates having its Speed taken advantage of. Thunder Wave, Icy Wind, and Trick Room ruin Latios’ day, since now slower Pokemon like Tyranitar, Scizor, and Metagross can get the first hit on it. Latios also hates Sucker Punch thanks to its Psychic typing which is why it’s ill-advised to leave Latios in against a Bisharp. Fire Gem Overheat Volcarona is a good partner for Latios, as Overheat Knocks Out almost everything that doesn’t resist it and was meant to survive a Timid Dragon Gem Draco Meteor. It’s also good for nuking any Steel-type other than Heatran and hitting Cresselia hard with Bug Buzz, which are both problems Latios would appreciate being gone. They both have to watch out for Tyranitar, but they can potentially knock it out if they double target it or if it has taken previous damage. When building a team don’t make the mistake of underestimating Latios, because it’s more than capable of raining down destruction on anyone not prepared for it.

Base Stats
108 hp / 130 Atk / 95 Def / 80 SpAtk / 85 SpDef / 102 Speed

Notable Moves

• Dragon Claw
• Earthquake
• Substitute
• Sword Dance
• Outrage
• Rock Slide
• Stone Edge
• Dual Chop
• Fire Fang

Notable Items

• Yache Berry
• Haban Berry
• Life Orb
• Focus Sash
• Choice Scarf
• Bright Powder

Here we have a Dragon who has had mixed reactions from VGC players for its wonderful ability to dodge Ice Beams and Draco Meteors with Sandstorm active when it matters the most, Garchomp! This jerk is not only known for being half of the famous DisQuake combo, and being featured on two Worlds 2012 winning teams, but it is also known for being an incredibly annoying Pokemon to face with Sandstorm in play. Whether you’re using Garchomp or fighting against it, you can expect Sand Veil magic to kick in at any possible turn and possibly turn the tide of the whole battle. When looking at Garchomp’s stats, you can see that it pretty much has it all: 108 hp, 95 Def, and 85 SpDef is very respectable bulk, and combined with 130 base Attack and 102 Speed makes it a potent offensive threat. Dragon/Ground is great offensive typing which hits almost every other type in the game for neutral damage between both STABs and gives it an immunity to Thunder Wave, which every other Dragon would kill for. Combine all of this and Garchomp can be very frustrating to take down without abusing its weaknesses. Yache Berry buffers its crippling weakness to Ice-type moves, allowing it to even withstand a Blizzard from Abomasnow at full HP. Haban Berry is used to help Garchomp stand tall against Draco Meteors from Latios and knock it out in return with Dragon Claw. Haban Garchomp has proven its worth by being on two Worlds winning teams! Life Orb increases Garchomp’s damage output to a decent level, which helps considering it has a low damage output in doubles. Focus Sash allows it to allow survive those Dragon or Ice moves that would normally take it out in one shot, but it’s very easy to render a Focus Sash useless with a well timed priority move or Hail damage. Just like Latios, Garchomp has respectable power and Speed to pull off a Choice Scarf set, and can invest enough bulk to even survive Ice Shards while still maintaining its Speed thanks to the Choice Scarf. BrightPowder is the reason why Garchomp can be a VERY frustrating Pokemon to take down, as both the BrightPowder and Sand Veil increases its evasion by 28%. Now if you thought facing a Sand Veil Garchomp with Substitute up under Sandstorm was cringe-worthy enough, imagine BrightPowder being thrown into the mix. With both BrightPowder and Sand Veil in play, you now have to pray your Ice Beam or Hidden Power Ice, which is barely more accurate than a Focus Blast, can even hit the Substitute and stop Garchomp from chipping away at your team’s health.

Dragon Claw and Earthquake are Garchomp’s main STAB moves and are probably the two moves you’ll see on the majority of Garchomps. Seeing as these two moves are Garchomp’s best attacking options, you shouldn’t expect it to be doing a crazy amount of damage. Dragon Claw only has an 80 BP and Earthquake has 75 BP against two targets. Outrage is a stronger alternative to Dragon Claw, but Outrage is pretty unreliable in doubles, as it only selects a random target for 2-3 turns and you cannot use any other move during those turns, so Garchomp is often left a sitting duck if it hasn’t knocked anything out. Substitute is a good move for Garchomp that works well with Sand Veil, as it increases Garchomp chances of not taking damage, as now your opponent has to try break the Substitute and Knock Out Garchomp without Sand Veil interfering. Substitute also lets Garchomp block Intimidate, Will-o-Wisp, and the speed drop from Icy Wind. Sword Dance helps buff Garchomp’s attack in doubles and is good for neutralizing Intimidate spam and making it a threat at the same time. However, Sword Dance Garchomp is hard to pull off with Icy Wind, Trick Room, and Latios everywhere. Rock Slide is another filler for most Garchomp sets and throws in a flinch chance along with Sand Veil magic. Stone Edge is a stronger alternative to Rock Slide, but with less accuracy. An Adamant Stone Edge has a slim chance to OHKO bulky Thundurus, but with Intimidate flying around and the chance it has to miss, Stone Edge is usually ill-advised. Dual Chop is an interesting move that strikes the opponent twice with a 40 base power Dragon move, which is equivalent to a Dragon Claw with two hits. Dual Chop can be good for hitting through and breaking a Substitute, as well as breaking through a Haban Berry and hitting the target for full power on the second hit. Fire Fang is a pretty lackluster move that’s only good for hitting Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Scizor, and Bronzong, but the omnipresence of Rain in VGC renders it useless.

While Garchomp has a lot of positive qualities it has many more faults, and it’s often deemed as an overrated Dragon-type. Being Dragon/Ground would normally be a godsend if it wasn’t for all the Icy Winds, Blizzards, Ice Beams, and Hidden power Ices being thrown around. Even with a Yache Berry Garchomp is susceptible to being 2HKOd by most of the aforementioned Ice moves, so it really needs its teammates to take care of those problems. While being super weak to Ice moves is a significant flaw that’s only scratching the surface. That 130 base attack may look impressive, but when it only has Dragon Claw and Earthquake to work with and the fact the Intimidate nerfs its attacking power, you’ll usually be disappointed with Garchomp’s offensive capabilities. Garchomp is one of those Pokemon where it relies on the team more than the team relies on it. Without its teammates to handle the laundry list of issues, Garchomp will usually fall apart on the battlefield. There are better Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Dragon-types who can abuse their STABs better than Garchomp. Garchomp’s main niche is that it fits well on Sand teams thanks to its Sand Veil ability. It’s also notable for working well against opposing Sand teams, as it can take on Tyranitar and take advantage of the Sandstorm the opponent supplies for you. Tyranitar and Garchomp are partners in crime, so you’ll almost always seem them on the same teams as they compliment each other nicely. Tyranitar can switch in to set up the Sandstorm, has access to Rock Slide to punish any Ice-type Pokemon, and can take on Cresselia, who is a notable check to Garchomp. Garchomp returns the favor by hitting Metagross really hard with an Earthquake, but has to avoid hurting Tyranitar as well. Garchomp’s base stats and typing would make it appear as a solid Pokemon, but the amount of variables in VGC that can quickly put it at a disadvantage often costs Garchomp a slot on many teams. However, despite these flaws, Garchomp is far from being a bad Dragon-type and has plenty of perks that can be utilized to aid your teambuilding.

Base Stats
76 HP / 147 Atk / 90 Def / 60 SpAtk / 70 SpDef / 97 Speed

Notable Moves

• Outrage
• Dragon Claw
• Dragon Dance
• Earthquake
• Aqua Tail
• Super Power
• Low Kick
• Dual Chop

Notable Items

• Focus Sash
• Choice Scarf
• Lum Berry
• Life Orb

Haxorus gets a bad reputation for being a common sight on in-game teams on GBU or 1400-1500 teams in any Wi-Fi International who want to show off their shiny Haxorus from the Nature Preserve, but it has some perks that helps it stick out from the other dragons. The Axe Jaw Pokemon has the highest physical Attack stat out of all the Dragon-types and one of the highest physical Attack stat of all non-legendary Pokemon. With an abnormally high Attack stat, Haxorus is capable of dealing a ton of damage to almost any Pokemon in the game with an Outrage. Combine its high Attack with the boosts from Dragon Dance, and you have a Dragon-type that can become a big threat if not properly taken care of. However Haxorus has a very hard time justifying a reason to be used on a team other than looking cool, but its abilities give it a good niche. Mold Breaker is its main and ability, and it is good for ignoring popular abilities such Multiscale, Levitate, Inner Focus, Solid Rock, Sand Veil, Sturdy, and Wonder Guard which allows Haxorus to break through any hurdle that prevents a OHKO. Rivalry increases its Attack and Special Attack by 25% if targeting a Pokemon of the same gender and decreases it by 25% if fighting a Pokemon of the opposite gender. Rivalry Haxorus had usage in 2011 as some of the most popular Pokemon like Thundurus, Tornadus, and Landorus were always the Male gender. However, in VGC 2013 it wont see as much usage as Mold Breaker with all the extra Pokemon being allowed, which means getting Rivalry to work for you is even more of a gamble now. Unnerve is a cool ability that ignores the effects of berries, which means other dragons wont have a Haban Berry to protect them from Haxorus. Unnerve also does fun little tricks like preventing a Pokemon from recovering from Sitrus Berry and having Metagross get confused confused from Cresselia’s Swagger instead of Lum Berry curing it. Focus Sash essentially gives Haxorus a free Dragon Dance, but with Sandstorm, Hail, and priority moves everywhere, it probably won’t see too much usage. Choice Scarf aids with Haxorus’s mediocre Speed stat while also taking advantage of its huge Attack stat to get some surprise Knock Outs. Lum Berry makes pulling off a Dragon Dance somewhat easier, as it shakes off harmful status afflictions from ruining Haxorus’s day. Life Orb boosts Haxorus’s already enormous offensive power to even greater heights, but cuts its short life even shorter.

Haxorus’s attacking movepool is pretty limited as it misses out on a usable Fire-type move, unlike most Dragon-types. Outrage is the strongest physical Dragon move and compliments Haxorus’s large Attack by inflicting a lot of damage to anything that doesn’t resist. As explained in the Garchomp section, while Outrage is strong it is very unreliable, and you’re vulnerable during the 2-3 turns that Outrage picks a random target, so it’s completely out of your hands. Dragon Claw is a safer, although weaker, alternative to Outrage, but it is Haxorus’s best bet at using a move that won’t potentially cost it its life. Dragon Dance is a cool move on Haxorus that boosts it Attack and Speed by one stage, but it needs to know when to Dragon Dance and when not to because it can easily be shut down by Thunder Wave, Icy Wind, or Trick Room. Haxorus’s Earthquake is weaker than Garchomp’s, but it’s the only move it has to dent Metagross. Aqua Tail is an interesting move that has more BP than Earthquake (assuming Earthquake is hitting both targets) and hits more Steel-types for neutral damage and Tyranitar for super effective damage. It can also be used on Rain teams to increase its power, but has somewhat low accuracy. Superpower and Low Kick are both great moves for Haxorus to hit most Steel-types for super effective damage, and both moves work well with Unnerve as they can pierce through any Chople Berries and get the OHKO on Pokemon like Tyranitar. Dual Chop is cool for breaking Substitutes, but Dragon Claw is often the better choice, as it has 100% accuracy and Haxorus cant afford to miss any moves with its frail defenses.

While Haxorus is famous for having the highest Attack of all the non-legendary Dragons out there, unfortunately that’s all it has going for it. It has the worst overall bulk of all the fully evolved Dragon-types, and being one speed point slower than Hydreigon isn’t doing it any favors. Like most other Dragons, it has to worry about Thunder Wave, Icy Wind, and Trick Room crippling its Speed, and Haxorus really can’t afford to have its opponents moving before it. Missing out on getting Fire Punch was also unfortunate for Haxorus, since it loses out on a viable Fire coverage move that most dragons possess and only has Earthquake, Superpower, Low Kick, and Aqua Tail to dent Steel-types. Not to mention physical Dragon offense is not nearly as good as special dragon offense in VGC, so Haxorus has to deal with that as well. With all these defects, Haxorus will probably never earn a spot on a team over other popular Dragons such as Hydreigon, Garchomp, Salamence, and Latios. However, Haxorus scored a spot in the main section for its nifty ability Mold Breaker that allows it to do cool things like hitting Rotom with Earthquake and ignoring Shedinja’s Wonder Guard. It’s also one of the few Dragons to utilize Dragon Dance in VGC, which is perfect for boosting its sky high Attack and middling Speed to turn it into a threat quickly with the right support. With Mold Breake and Dragon Dance being the only thing that differentiates it from most other Dragons, you’ll want to take full advantage of it if you plan on using the Axe Jaw Dragon on your team.

Base Stats
77 hp / 120 Atk / 90 Def / 60 SpAtk / 90 SpDef / 48 Speed

Notable Moves

• Dragon Claw
• Outrage
• Fire Punch
• Rock Slide
• Crunch
• Sucker Punch
• Glare
• Superpower

Notable Items

• Haban Berry
• Life Orb
• Yache Berry

Druddigon has a few unique traits that separates it from its fellow Dragon-types, most notably its 48 base speed. It has the lowest base speed of all the fully evolved Dragon-types, which means its that it’s the most viable Dragon-type for a Trick Room based team. While other Dragon-types struggle when their Speed stats are threatened, Druddigon doesn’t mind being hit with an Icy Wind or Thunder Wave all that much, as it’ll have an even greater speed advantage when Trick Room goes up. Druddigon also has access to Rough Skin and Sheer Force to separate it from most other Dragons in the VGC metagame. Sheer Force powers up any attack with a side effect while getting rid of the side effect. When combined with a Life Orb, those attacks get boosted to an even higher level, and you also lose the recoil drawback from Life Orb, which makes Sheer Force and Life Orb on any Pokemon a fearsome combo. It should also be noted that Sheer Force Druddigon out-damages Tyranitar with Rock Slide, Crunch, and Fire Punch, but you shouldn’t measure Druddigon up to Tyranitar in any other case. Rough Skin is a neat ability that does damage to any opponent that uses an attack on Druddigon that makes contact. Its good for punishing bulky Fake Out users such as Hitmontop, Scrafty, and Ludicolo to chip away at their health to make it easier to finish them off. Haban Berry helps Druddigon survive the common Dragon-type moves that may come its way, but it would need a lot of HP and SpDef investment to take a Dragon Gem Draco Meteor from the common heavy hitters, which cuts down on its offensive pressure. As mentioned, before Life Orb goes hand-in-hand with Sheer Force, and it boosts Druddigon’s damage potential from mediocre to respectable. However, none of Druddigon’s STAB moves benefit from Sheer Force, which is really unfortunate. Finally, Yache Berry gives Druddigon more of a fighting chance against Ice-type Pokemon, so it can fire back with Fire Punch or Superpower.

Dragon Claw is going to be Druddigon’s main STAB of choice and one of the most reliable moves it can ask for. While it’s mentioned you’re not going to want to use Outrage for reasons explained for Garchomp and Haxorus. It’s even worse for Druddigon as its speed leaves it completely vulnerable for those 2-3 turns to faster Pokemon. Even if you were to use it under Trick Room, your inability to willingly choose a target as well as being unable to Protect yourself leaves Druddigon open to anti Trick Room tactics, such as being hit by Spore from Amoonguss, outsped by an even slower Pokemon in Trick Room and get Knocked Out, or having Trick Room reversed and Druddigon get Knocked Out. Fire Punch is a solid Fire-type coverage move for Druddigon that lets it dent Ice and Steel types which are banes to Dragon-types. Rock Slide is another coverage move that hits Ice-types and Flying types, but loses out on the flinch rate if you’re running Sheer Force. Crunch is probably the only move Druddigon has that can do a significant amount of damage to Cresselia with Sheer Force so that’s worth noting. Sucker Punch is a gift to Druddigon as it’s one of the few Dragon-types to receive a priority move. It helps Druddigon work outside of Trick Room as it has a good chance to Knock Out Latios with a Life Orb boosted Sucker Punch before getting nuked by Draco Meteor. Glare is another unique move exclusive to Druddigon and has a 90% chance to paralyze a target. Unfortunately, Druddigon is too slow and frail to pull off Glare consistently and is better off with Trick Room support for speed control. Superpower is a strong attack for hitting Steel and Ice types, but the Attack and Defense drop may not make it worthwhile.

If you thought Haxorus got shafted for being a physical Dragon-type in VGC then you’re going to really feel sorry for Druddigon. As explained before, physical attacking Dragons are not nearly as good as Special Attacking Dragons in the modern VGC metagame. Special dragons have access to strong STAB and coverage moves such as Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor, Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Surf, Earth Power, etc. Physical Dragons are plagued with their weaker counterparts such as Dragon Claw, Outrage, Fire Punch, Crunch, Earthquake (weaker when hitting two targets), and Aqua Tail. Physical dragons also have to worry about the omnipresent Intimidate from Hitmontop, Scrafty, and Landorus-T cutting down their Attack power. It’s true that special Dragons have to worry about Snarl, but that has a chance to miss and can be blocked by Wide Guard. There are Dragons such as Salamence, Garchomp and Dragonite who have higher Attack, but also have high enough Special Attack to be used, so they can run either a mixed or fully special set. Now back on the topic of Druddigon, it has a very low Special Attack stat which prompts it to abuse its Attack. Not only that, but you have to keep note of Druddigon’s 48 Base Speed, Druddigon will definitely need Trick Room support if it wants to have any impact on the battle. A slow but strong Dragon-type offers a very useful Water, Fire, Electric, and Grass resistance for a Trick Room team as well as a strong offensive presence with its typing and 120 Base Attack. If you want a Dragon-type that fits your standard, Rain, Sand, Sun, or Tailwind team, you may be better off with another Dragon. If you want a Dragon-type for your Trick Room team then Druddigon is your pick.

Base Stats
92 Hp / 105 Atk / 90 Def / 125 SpAtk / 90 SpDef / 98 Speed

Notable Moves

• Draco Meteor
• Dragon Pulse
• Flamethrower
• Heat Wave
• Dark Pulse
• Earth Power
• Super Power
• Tailwind
• Roost

Notable Items

• Dragon Gem
• Life Orb
• Choice Scarf
• Choice Specs
• Haban Berry

Last, but most certainly not the least, the triple-headed hydra stamps its place in the VGC metagame as one of the strongest Dragon-types offered. Being featured in two Worlds winning teams proves Hydreigon’s worth and why its a force to be reckoned with in doubles. Sporting an impressive 125 SpAtk enables it to deal massive amounts of damage to any Pokemon that doesn’t resist its Draco Meteor and even give Cresselia a scare with its Dark typing. Not only does it present massive offensive pressure, but it’s no slouch when playing on the defensive. A respectable 92 / 90 / 90 bulk combined with a immunity to Psychic and Ground moves (thanks to Levitate) makes it a reliable defensive pivot that can switch in relatively comfortably. Dragon Gem is a solid item choice for Hydreigon, as it boosts Draco Meteor to incredible lengths around Latios’s level, or even higher if you run a Modest nature compared to Timid Latios. Hydreigon is one of the slower Dragon Gem Draco Meteor abusers when compared to Salamence, Kingdra (in Rain), and Latios, so you’ll want to make sure you clear out faster threats so you don’t let it go to waste. Life Orb is great for giving all of Hydreigon’s moves the extra power that it appreciates, but the recoil + Sandstorm and Hail damage will chip away at Hydreigon’s health and lead to a faster downfall. Choice Scarf aids Hydreigon’s decent Speed stat and gives it a jump on faster opponents like Latios and Tornadus to knock them out with Draco Meteor. Having a speed advantage like that will also help Hydreigon get flinches with Dark Pulse. Choice Specs is also nifty for giving all of Hydreigon’s moves an even greater boost than Life Orb at the cost of being forced to use the same move repeatedly. Choice Specs sounds great on paper, but Hydreigon really enjoys flexibility in switching up attacks, and Choice Specs makes it more susceptible to being Knocked Out, since it can’t Protect as freely now. Haban Berry had seen some usage for its utility in helping Hydreigon survive a Dragon Gem Draco Meteor from Latios and knocking it out in return with a Draco Meteor. It’s still a viable item, but Dragon Gem and Life Orb are far more favorable now.

What makes Hydreigon different from most other Dragons is that it boasts a high Special attack along with a diverse special movepool, which can make it pretty difficult to play against. Draco Meteor is Hydreigon’s strongest STAB move and one of the most common moves you’ll see it carry. Draco Meteor Hydreigon is even scarier when you consider Hydreigon’s amazing coverage options. Most Steel-types that would want to take a Draco Meteor are going to take a heavy hit from either Flamethrower or Earth Power, and once the Steel-types are gone nothing is going to want to take a Draco Meteor. Dragon Pulse doesn’t stack up to Draco Meteor’s raw power, but it is reliable enough if you don’t like missing 10% of the time. Hydreigon enjoys the usefulness Flamethrower and Heat Wave provide for nailing Ice- and Steel-types for super effective damage. Dark Pulse compliments Hydreigon’s Dark-typing by being able to abuse a powerful Dark-type attack that hits Cresselia for a good amount of damage and has a handy 30% chance to flinch it. Dark Pulse is a nice move to throw around if you’re not ready to fire off a powerful Draco Meteor just yet. Earth Power is rare on Hydreigon and mainly used to bait and OHKO Heatran for any team that has issues with it. Superpower is also an interesting move for knocking out Tyranitar attempting to tank a Draco Meteor. You have to count on Intimidate and Chople Berry not ruining your surprise OHKO, however. Tailwind was a new toy Hydreigon picked up in Black and White 2 to help it and the rest of the team with a huge Speed boost. What separates Hydreigon from most Tailwind users is that its Dark-typing punishes common Trick Room abusers that try to set up Trick Room on your Tailwind. Roost helps it regain any damage it lost over the course of the battle, but it usually struggles for a spot on Hydreigon’s moveset since it loses out on coverage.

Hydreigon’s Dark-typing gives it a unique characteristic that sets it apart from every other fully evolved Dragon in the game. Most Dragons usually have to nuke Cresselia with a boosted Draco Meteor to get significant damage on it, while Hydreigon can accomplish the same feat with a boosted Dark Pulse while having a shot at flinching it for that turn. While Hydreigon is an effective Pokemon, it cant exactly be thrown on just about any team and expect to perform miracles 100% of the time. It appreciates being placed on teams that have a form a speed control, whether it be Tailwind, Thunder Wave, or Trick Room. Each of these teams will appreciate a Dragon-type that can also topple Cresselia, while Hydreigon appreciates the speed control these teams offer. Without them, Hydreigon has to live with a 98 base Speed, which makes it slower than than a variety of common VGC pokemon such as Salamence, Volcarona, Latios, Latias, Virizion, Terrakion, Thundurus, and Tornadus, leaving it vulnerable to being Knocked Out before it can accomplish anything. While its not exactly super fast, it won’t appreciate having its speed taken advantage of with Thunder Wave, Icy Wind, and Trick Room like most dragons. However, despite all these factors, Hydreigon is still an incredible Dragon-type in VGC 2013. If you can take advantage of its power and versatility well enough, you’ll have a powerhouse at your fingertips that can punch holes through or completely destroy a team.

Honorable Mentions

I know I’m probably going to get yelled at for not mentioning Flygon in the main section, but it was for good reason. Unlike all of the Dragon-types mentioned in this article, Flygon has no merit in the VGC 2013 metagame and is outclassed by many other popular Dragons. Flygon is forced to sulk in Garchomp’s shadow, as it possesses superior base stats besides SpAtk, an ability that helps it take on Sand teams, and a better set up move in Sword Dance. Fortunately, Flygon receives some neat tools like Tailwind, which is good for supporting its team, and Feint, which no other Dragon learns. However, when you have better Tailwind users like most of the aforementioned Dragons, and Feint users such as Scizor, Hitmontop, and Heracross; Flygon pales in comparison. While Flygon is not a completely terrible Pokemon, altogether it has too few redeeming qualities that would prompt anyone to consider using it over better Dragon-types offered in VGC. If you want to use Flygon as a gimmick, then go right ahead, but if you need a viable Dragon/Ground type, there is no shame in choosing Garchomp.

If you have ever considered Altaria, you probably looked at its Dream World ability, Cloud Nine, and assumed that was enough to make it remotely viable in VGC as a weather check. Now if you’re one of those people who decided to forgo Altaria then congratulate yourself for making a sensible decision, but if you’re one of the few who actually decided to give it a chance, then prepare yourself to be disappointed. Altaria’s 75 / 90 / 105 bulk along with a handful of resistances may make it sound tempting, but you have to consider how it’ll stack up to other Dragons in VGC. Latias and Dragonite sport better bulk and offenses than Altaria, as well as better movepools. Altaria does get some neat tools such as Perish Song, Feather Dance, and Power Swap, which makes it appealing. Unfortunately, Altaria is going to have a hard sitting there and stalling when it’s getting pressured by all the top threats in VGC. And don’t even think about using offensive Altaria, because just about every other Dragon-type in the game outclasses it in that department. Like Flygon, if you want to make Altaria work on your team for whatever reason, then knock yourself out, just make sure that you understand that there are far better options out there than the Humming Pokemon.

Conclusion

Dragon-type is probably the most feared type in any 5th gen metagame, and you’re going to want to make sure you have them properly handled. Currently, only Steel-types can resist their STAB attacks, which means you’re almost forced to carry a Steel-type on your team. If you choose not to, then you better have other means of taking them down, because Dragon-types are more than capable of decimating teams that don’t take them seriously. One of the best ways to take them on is to take advantage of their Speed, since most of the popular Dragon-types fall apart when paralyzed or struck with Icy Wind. Speaking of Ice moves, a strong Blizzard is enough to put them out of commission instantly. Dragons probably struggle the most against Trick Room Hail teams, as their Speed advantages are disrupted and they have to worry about Blizzards coming their way. Because Dragon-types are weak to other Dragons, running a Choice Scarf on your own Dragon or setting up Tailwind would be ideal for winning the war.

Dragons are easily one of the strongest types in the game because of having a good mix of Power, Speed, and versatility. Even while Dragon are checked by Steel and Ice Pokemon, they have the tools to getting around them that most other types only dream of. If you haven’t tried out one of the Dragons listed, then do yourself a favor and get acquainted with them. You’ll have to make it quick, because 6th gen is approaching which means Dragons are now in danger of a new threat to their kin, Fairies! With the announcement of the Fairy-type being super effective against Dragon-types, it means they’re going to put in their place after rampaging for so long. Hopefully, the Dragons will be able to strive against these new adversaries and and continue to reign supreme as the most feared type in the game.

About the Author

jio began his Pokemon career as a singles player but became interested in VGC after seeing his friends compete in 2011. He managed to be able to attend VGC 2012 events by attending Rhode Island and Philadelphia regionals and US nationals. On IRC he's been able to supply RNG'd pokemon and/or EV spreads to help any member of the community to improve their teams. He is also a very huge fan of Blissey despite the hate she receives and considers it his favorite pokemon.

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