COMPLETE!
Credit goes to Bojangles for doing the SubSalac set.
Theorymon also gets credit for doing the Bulk Up set.
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/palkia
Whew…this was a biggun. :/
Changes:
-Added Team Comments to sets.
-Added Team Options section.
-Fleshed out existing comments if need be.
-Merged Dual Weather set with Mixed Attacker (Rain)
-Renamed Mixed Attacking sets: the Mixed Attacker (Rain) is now known as Specially based Mix, and the other Mixed set is now known as the Physically based Mix.
-Split the Special Choice Sets, as they play very differently.
-Reordered sets: The new order is Choice Scarf, Specially Based Mix, Physically based Mix, Choice Specs, SubPunch, Choice Band, Bulk Up, SubSalac.
-Rewrote Counter Section a bit.
____________________________________________________________________
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Outrage / Fire Blast / Draco Meteor
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Hasty / Timid
evs: 6 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Palkia makes an excellent Choice Scarf candidate. With a devastating 150 base Special Attack, Palkia can do huge amounts of damage even without a boosting item. With a Choice Scarf, Palkia reaches an impressive 492 Speed, a Speed that Rayquaza cannot match even after a Dragon Dance. In fact, Deoxys-S is the only Pokemon who can reach this Speed without a Choice Scarf of its own.</p>
<p>The choice between Draco Meteor and Spacial Rend comes down to raw power versus consistency. Draco Meteor allows Palkia to OHKO max HP / min SpD Giratina with Stealth Rock, but Spacial Rend is generally preferred in that slot because of greater reliability. Draco Meteor also gives Palkia the ability to OHKO Minimum HP / Minimum SpD Darkrai 92% of the time. Surf is generally Palkia's most reliable attack. In the rain, it is a 2HKO on Wobbuffet, who normally eats Choice Pokemon for breakfast. It also OHKOes the omnipresent Darkrai, who otherwise beats Palkia with Dark Void. Thunder may seem situational, but it is necessary to keep Kyogre at bay, and also is your best option against Lugia.</p>
<p>The last slot simply depends on which Pokemon threaten you the most. With Stealth Rock, Outrage can 2HKO min HP / max Def Blissey 87% of the time, and also OHKOes Latias (Spacial Rend only 2HKOes it). Putting Draco Meteor in this slot gives Palkia a powerful attack without losing the reliability of Spacial Rend. When combined with Surf, Fire Blast gives Palkia more dependability, as it allows Palkia to sweep well in any weather.</p>
<p>Roost Ho-oh in the sun is the number one best check against Choice Scarf Palkia. Ho-oh only fears Thunder, and with only 50% accuracy, it is far from reliable. During a sandstorm, Tyranitar also makes a decent check, but without an instant recovery move it is troubled by repeated attacks, particularly Spacial Rend and Surf. Wobbuffet will almost always beat Palkia one-on-one, as only a rain-boosted Surf is strong enough to 2HKO Wobbuffet. Similarly, Palkia needs Outrage to beat Blissey, who otherwise can wall it all day, and wear it down with Seismic Toss or Toxic. Dialga is only 2HKOed by Spacial Rend or a sun-boosted Fire Blast, and laughs at just about anything else Palkia has to offer. As with most Choice sets, there are many Pokémon who can beat Palkia, as long as your opponent guesses correctly, or first scouts your attack with Protect. Latias only fears Dragon-typed attacks, while those same attacks will not even phase Steel-types, such as Scizor and Metagross.</p>
<p>A supportive Groudon is a great teammate for Palkia. STAB Earthquake scares off Blissey, Dialga, and most Steel-types. Toxic cripples Wobbuffet, Lugia, Latias, and opposing Groudon, and a Dragon Claw quickly dispatches a Choice Scarfed Garchomp. Kyogre can use Sleep Talk to beat Darkrai, bypassing the threat of Dark Void, and hopefully KOing Darkrai with Surf. Kyogre also does well against other Palkia threats, such as Groudon, Scizor, and Metagross. The powerful Brave Bird makes Ho-oh difficult to switch into, so your best bet is to use something faster than Ho-oh with Stone Edge, such as faster versions of Groudon or Garchomp. Scizor can take any Dragon-type attack thrown at Palkia, and can destroy many of Palkia's other checks, such as Wobbuffet and Blissey, with U-turn and Superpower, respectively.</p>
[SET]
name: Specially Based Mix
move 1: Surf
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Aqua Tail / Outrage
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Lustrous Orb / Life Orb
nature: Hasty
evs: 6 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Palkia is an absolute terror with Kyogre support. In the rain, Surf and Aqua Tail receive a significant boost in power and Thunder becomes 100% accurate. Spacial Rend is a powerful STAB move that 2HKOes Giratina, bulky Dialga, and Latias. Aqua Tail is important for 2HKOing max Defense Blissey, who otherwise walls this set. Outrage also works here, as it isn't reliant on weather and hits many Pokemon in Ubers for either neutral or super effective damage. Thunder severely damages Kyogre and Lugia, and also has a 30% chance of paralyzing them. Fire Blast allows Palkia to destroy many of the Steel-types in Ubers, such as Scizor, Forretress, and Metagross, and allows this Palkia to comfortably sweep in either rain or sun.</p>
<p>In Ubers, many Pokemon are neutral to or resist Water-type attacks. Super effective damage, however, is not necessary. In the rain, even Pokemon who take neutral damage from Water-type attacks are at the very least 2HKOed by Surf or Aqua Tail. Furthermore, any Dragon- and Water-type Pokemon who attempt to sponge your Water-type moves are easily dispatched by Spacial Rend and Thunder, respectively.</p>
<p>Lustrous Orb is Palkia’s best item for this set. It gives Palkia’s Water- and Dragon-type moves a x1.2 boost. Life Orb gives Palkia more power and versatility, but at the cost of 10% of Palkia's health per attack. Timid is an acceptable nature if you have Aqua Tail, as it will still 2HKO Blissey 37% of the time with Stealth Rock and Leftovers factored in, assuming rain is active. However, Hasty is usually superior to get the guaranteed 2HKO on Blissey.</p>
<p>While the greater power and ability to switch attacks can make this set even deadlier then the Choice Scarf set, this Palkia still has trouble with Latias, who can come into anything but Outrage, and OHKO the always-slower Palkia with Dragon Pulse. Thanks to Drought, Specially Defensive Groudon can take all of Palkia's attacks, and threaten it back with Dragon Claw. Timid Lugia can use Light Screen or Toxic and potentially outstall Palkia, however, it risks getting paralyzed by Thunder.</p>
<p>Palkia is more vulnerable to being revenged killed by Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Dialga, opposing Choice Scarf Palkia, Garchomp (who doesn’t need a Choice Scarf this time because Garchomp is naturally faster then Palkia), and Darkrai. Scizor is once again a good teammate, because it can take any Dragon-type attack thrown at Palkia and smack Dialga and Palkia with Superpower, Garchomp with Bullet Punch, and Latias and Darkrai with U-turn. Kyogre's name is also gets a second mention, as it annihilates Lugia and Groudon with Thunder and Surf, respectively. It is worth noting, however, that Kyogre has to switch into Groudon, not the other way around, to ensure favorable weather conditions.</p>
<p>This Palkia set has a tendency to lure out and KO, Blissey, and Steel-type Pokemon who will be expecting the more common Choice Scarf set. Therefore you want to pair it with a Pokemon who will thrive once Blissey and Steel-types are out of the picture. Choice Specs Dialga is a great example of this, since it can bulldoze through teams with its powerful Draco Meteor. Calm Mind Mewtwo and Nasty Plot Darkrai also make great partners, since they can easily set-up and sweep once Pokemon such as Blissey and Scizor are in the graveyard.</p>
[SET]
name: Physically Based Mix
move 1: Aqua Tail
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Fire Blast / Thunder / Surf
item: Lustrous Orb
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 6 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>At a quick glance this set may appear to be similar to the other Mixed Palkia set, however, this set instead focuses on Palkia's overlooked Attack stat. With the given EVs, Palkia will always OHKO a standard Uber Blissey with Aqua Tail if rain is active. (It is only a 2HKO without rain however.) Aqua Tail can also 2HKO a Tyranitar even in sandstorm, a feat that Palkia cannot accomplish with Surf. Outrage can be an answer to Kyogre, dealing 50% damage on even the bulkiest of Kyogre. Lustrous Orb means Spacial Rend is doing just as much damage as with the Choice Scarf set. Fire Blast will scare off Steel-types, but Surf is more consistent in general. Thunder is also an option for Lugia and "sun-screened" Ho-oh.</p>
<p>Lustrous Orb is a must on this specific set, since it raises Palkia's Dragon- and Water-type moves by 20% with no limiting effects. With it, Palkia can "bluff" the item it is holding, creating the illusion of a Choice Scarf (because there is no recoil and the damage output of special attacks is about the same). Hasty is the best choice of nature here, since it doesn't lower either of the attack stats, maintaining the opportunity for crucial KOs. Also, the ability to absorb special attacks, such as Water Spout, is important, so a Naive nature is not used.</p>
<p>This set still has a lot of the same problems from the previous Mixed set, who are Latias, Ho-oh, Timid Lugia with Screens, extremely defensive Groudon, and revenge killers, so any of the partners with the previous set will work just as well with this one. This Palkia also needs to be wary of physically defensive variants of Mewtwo, who can outspeed Palkia and completely shatter its Attack with Will-O-Wisp, ruining its ability to break past Blissey. Kyogre can easily decimate both Mewtwo and Ho-oh with its powerful rain-boosted Water-type attacks, and it doesn’t mind taking a burn.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Surf / Hydro Pump
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Thunder / Fire Blast
move 4: Draco Meteor
item: Choice Specs
nature:Timid / Modest
evs: 6 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs makes Palkia’s already excellent Special Attack swell to enormous heights, and it is then able to 2HKO many of the Uber Pokemon with just its two STAB moves alone. Even Steel-types will take hefty damage from resisted attacks, leaving Blissey as the only reliable switch in for this monster. Choice Specs Palkia is usually pushed aside in favor of Choice Specs Dialga who has more numerous resistances to switch in on and a Toxic Spikes immunity. However, Palkia has better offensive type-coverage, and a slightly higher Speed stat, which lets it outpace base 90 and 95 Speed Pokemon, such as Dialga, Groudon, Giratina-O, Ho-oh, Kyogre, and Rayquaza.</p>
<p>Draco Meteor is going to be Palkia’s main attack, absolutely smashing every Pokémon who doesn’t resist it. Surf provides very good neutral coverage with Draco Meteor, hitting every Pokemon in the game for neutral damage, except Shedinja and Empoleon, neither of whom is seen in Ubers that much, if at all. In the rain, Surf is just as dangerous as Draco Meteor, severely damaging most of the Steel-types used in Ubers. Hydro Pump has less accuracy, but much more power than Surf. With Hydro Pump, you stand a much better chance of winning against Blissey. Thunder fries Kyogre, Lugia, and Manaphy. Fire Blast can be used in its place, if you want more power against pesky Steel-types. It can also be used in place of Surf, but only if you have sun support from Groudon. Fire Blast also 2HKOes most Groudon variants and OHKOes most Steel-types in the sun.</p>
<p>Few Pokemon can switch into the sheer power of Choice Specs Palkia. Scizor barely manages to outstall Draco Meteor with Roost, and loses to pretty much any other attack. Jirachi works pretty much the same way with Wish and Protect, but it does a much better job of taking Palkia's other attacks, and can use Toxic to whittle down Palkia's HP. Lugia needs to be faster in order to win against Palkia, otherwise it will be outsped and KOed next turn.</p>
<p>Blissey is the only 100% safe switch in for this set, as she will shrug off any hit thanks to her high Hit Point and Special Defense stats. Tickle Wobbuffet, paired with a Pursuit user, such as Scizor or Tyranitar, is an almost assured way to get rid of Blissey and Lugia, allowing Palkia to rip apart the opposing team without much trouble. Groudon can poison Lugia with Toxic, and smash Blissey, Scizor, and Jirachi with Earthquake. Rest + Sleep Talk Kyogre with Calm Mind can also set up on any of the aforementioned threats.</p>
<p>Palkia must be careful of Pokemon who may come in to revenge kill it or set up on it after a KO. Groudon can come in after a Draco Meteor or Thunder and use Rock Polish to set up for a sweep. Garchomp can come in on Thunder or Fire Blast and either KO Palkia with Outrage or set up Swords Dance and start sweeping. Lucario can also swap in after a Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor and use Swords Dance, although Lucario will still take well around 50% damage from a -2 Draco Meteor. Kyogre can switch in on anything but Thunder or a full power Draco Meteor and destroy Palkia with a Choice Specs-boosted Thunder or set up on it with Calm Mind. Lastly, Wobbuffet can switch into anything but the initial Draco Meteor, or a rain-boosted Water-type attack, and can then trap Palkia and KO it with Mirror Coat. Lugia can handle Groudon, Garchomp, and Lucario as long as it has Reflect, and Latias is a nice answer to Kyogre, being able to Calm Mind up alongside it and destroy it with Grass Knot. There is not much you can do about Wobbuffet trapping you, but before you bring Palkia out, you can try to lure in and weaken Wobbuffet with a mixed attacker who may usually run a Choice item, such as Expert Belt Mixed Dialga. Wobbuffet is then unable to score revenge kill once its health is at 40% or lower.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + Focus Punch
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Spacial Rend
move 4: Thunder/ Fire Blast / Surf
item: Expert Belt / Leftovers
nature: Hasty
evs: 100 Atk / 156 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With status-inflicting moves everywhere, Palkia has plenty of chances to use Substitute. Furthermore, the combination of Substitute and Focus Punch help Palkia beat some of its counters, including the number one threat: Blissey. With Expert Belt and the given EVs, Focus Punch always OHKOes 651 HP / 119 Def Blissey. On top of that, Focus Punch is a 2HKO on most Dialga and Kyogre. Thunder works best in slot four to prevent Kyogre from setting up on Palkia, but with weather support, Surf and Fire Blast are also viable options.</p>
<p>Expert Belt is preferred for guaranteeing an OHKO on Blissey with Focus Punch. Leftovers help Palkia recover health, thus allowing more uses of Substitute. With Stealth Rock, Focus Punch followed by Spacial Rend OHKOes Blissey most of the time.</p>
<p>Despite the protection from Substitute, this Palkia still has trouble with Latias and specially defensive Groudon. Without Fire Blast, Forretress in the sun can also be a pain, as Thunder's 50% accuracy gives the steel bug plenty of time to set up entry hazards that could potentially ruin the rest of your team. Encore Wobbuffet also poses a huge problem, as it can then either KO Palkia or allow another sweeper to set up. Specially defensive Scizor can also break the Substitute with U-turn, allowing a Pokemon who is faster than Palkia to come in and revenge kill it.</p>
<p>Groudon is once again a good teammate, as it can smack Latias and opposing Groudon with Toxic, and Forretress and Scizor will be roasted by Fire-type attack. Wobbuffet is also not going to like Toxic either. Speaking of Wobbuffet, it too makes a good teammate for Palkia, because it can use a combination of Encore, Shadow Tag, and Safeguard to turn many walls into set up bait. It can also revenge kill Latias, Groudon, and Scizor (be wary of U-turn) quite easily.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Aqua Tail
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge / Dragon Claw
item: Choice Band
nature:Jolly
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set's effectiveness stems from the fact that many of Palkia’s counters invest heavily in their Special Defense stats, often neglecting their Defense. This, when combined with Palkia's underestimated 120 Attack stat, makes for a very effective surprise. Aqua Tail and Outrage make Palkia difficult for the opponent to handle. An effective "Double STAB" in the rain allows Aqua Tail to 2HKO any unsuspecting Lugia while decimating anything else that attempts to switch in. Outrage gives Palkia the ability to hit Aqua Tail-resistant Pokemon for a 2HKO. Earthquake shuts down Metagross and Dialga, however one should be extremely careful: with so many Flying-types and Levitators, avoid using Earthquake until you are sure they don't have a Pokemon who is immune to Ground-type moves, like Rayquaza, waiting in the wings. Stone Edge enables Palkia to 2HKO Lugia should the rain be absent. It also prevents Shedinja from safely switching into Palkia and burning it with Will-O-Wisp. Dragon Claw gives Palkia a consistent STAB that doesn't lock it into Outrage early in the game.</p>
<p>Choice Scarf is also an acceptable item on this set. Palkia misses the boost in power, however it is able to outspeed and revenge kill many more Pokemon, which can prove advantageous on certain teams.</p>
<p>Choice Band Palkia has issues with Timid Lugia, as it can survive almost anything and Roost off the damage, and then set up Reflect and wear away at Palkia’s HP with Toxic. Latias and Giratina can take anything but Outrage and will decimate Palkia with their STAB Dragon-type moves. Impish Groudon can turn off the rain with Drought, allowing it to take even Aqua Tail, and will shred Palkia with Dragon Claw. Skarmory, Forretress, and Bronzong can all survive any of Palkia’s attacks barring rain boosted Aqua Tails, and can either pick away at it with Toxic or use the turn to set up entry hazards. Finally, like most of the other Palkia sets, this set is vulnerable to being revenge killed by Choice Scarfers, such as Dialga, Palkia, and Garchomp.</p>
<p>Kyogre is an excellent teammate because it can easily drown Groudon, Skarmory, Bronzong, and Forretress with Surf; blast Lugia and Giratina with Ice Beam; and can lure in and cripple Latias, Choice Scarf Dialga, and opposing Choice Scarf Palkia with Thunder Wave. Magnezone can trap and destroy Steel-types with Thunder, allowing Palkia to use Outrage with impunity. Magnezone can also take Dragon-type attacks from Dialga, Palkia, and Garchomp and can respond with Thunder or Hidden Power Ice. Furthermore, Lugia is also completely walled by Magnezone, and cannot do anything while the steel magnet roasts it with Thunder. As always, Scizor is a good partner, since it can trap and KO Latias with Pursuit, and can also switch in on the Dragon-type attacks coming Palkia’s way. Mixed Dialga can also lure in Groudon and Lugia and can destroy them with Draco Meteor and Thunder, respectively. It can also melt Steel-types with Fire Blast, rip Latias to shreds with Dragon Claw, and use the previously mentioned Draco Meteor to crush Giratina.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Aqua Tail
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw
item: Lustrous Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Palkia’s higher Speed stat and STAB Aqua Tail are major differences that set it apart from Bulk Up Dialga. Kyogre support is highly recommended for this set because sunlight ruins the use of Palkia’s primary attack: Aqua Tail. After a Bulk Up, Palkia’s Attack and Defense stats become 508 and 354 respectively. Outrage is the secondary attack for this set. With Lustrous Orb and one Bulk Up, Outrage will inflict massive damage to almost anything that switches in, regardless of weather. Even Groudon will be 2HKOed by Outrage, unless it is extremely defensive. Aqua Tail boosted by rain is devastating for the opponent to handle. With Stealth Rock and Lustrous Orb, Lugia is 2HKOed if it attempts to switch in. Before Reflect, a +1 Aqua Tail in the rain does 62% minimum to the standard Bold 252 HP / 52 Def Lugia, and 31% minimum after Reflect is set up; thus the standard Lugia will often be defeated. Earthquake is mostly filler, but it always at least 2HKOes Metagross and Dialga after a Bulk Up, allowing a little more freedom for using Outrage. Dragon Claw is a fine option over Earthquake so that you can avoid untimely Outrages and maintain the ability to switch out.</p>
<p>Lustrous Orb boosts Palkia’s main STAB attacks by 20%, making it the ideal item for this set. Life Orb can also be used for a stronger Earthquake, however, Lustrous Orb is usually the preferred item due to the lack of recoil.</p>
<p>While Bulk Up Palkia may be able to get past Bold Lugia, Timid Lugia can use its superior Speed stat to set up Reflect before Palkia hits it with a boosted Aqua Tail. Under Reflect, Timid Lugia can then use Roost to heal its self, and then Whirlwind Palkia away. Because this Palkia set focuses on setting a sweep with Bulk Up, Latias, Latios, and Choice Scarf Dialga will be more of an issue than usual, as they will now have the potential to switch in unharmed, and then OHKO Palkia with a STAB Dragon-type attack. Although they are not commonly switched in, Choice Scarf Palkia and Garchomp can revenge kill Bulk Up Palkia with ease.</p>
<p>Wobbuffet makes a great partner to this set for several reasons. Wobbuffet can use its combination of Shadow Tag and either Counter or Mirror Coat to trap and revenge kill Choice Scarfed Dragon-types, such as Dialga, Palkia, and Garchomp. Wobbuffet can also Encore a support move or an attack that does little damage to Palkia (usually Water-type or Fire-type attacks), thus giving Palkia a free turn to set up. Finally, Wobbuffet has the option of using Tickle paired with a Pursuit user, such as Tyranitar or Scizor, to defeat Lugia. Even on their own, Pursuit users are great teammates for Bulk Up Palkia, due to their ability to trap and destroy Latias and Latios. Scizor is a particularly great user of Pursuit to pair with Palkia, because it can use its resistance to Dragon-type attacks to switch into not only Latias and Latios, but also into the assaults of Choice Scarfed Dragon-type Pokémon. Finally, Mewtwo can use Taunt and Calm Mind to easily set up on Lugia, while Darkrai can use Dark Void to put Lugia to sleep, and thus threaten to set up a sweep with Nasty Plot.</p>
[SET]
name: SubSalac
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Bulk Up
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Aqua Tail / Earthquake
item: Salac Berry
nature:Jolly
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bulk Up Dialga has the upper hand on Palkia when it comes to using Bulk Up with Rest and Sleep Talk; however, Palkia has a superior Speed stat to take advantage of Salac Berry. The premise is simple: simply use Substitute while your opponent switches to a Palkia counter and then follow up with Bulk Up. After 3 uses of Substitute, Salac Berry will activate, boosting Palkia's Speed stat to 492. Aqua Tail is a good STAB that pairs well with its Dragon-type STAB counterpart. However, if you are unable to ensure rainy weather, Earthquake is a much safer option.</p>
<p>The consistency versus raw power debate returns with this set - this time between Dragon Claw and Outrage. With a Substitute intact, Palkia should be able to use Outrage with little problems. Palkia doesn't have a weakness to any priority move (though Rayquaza's and Deoxys-A's ExtremeSpeeds hurt), and the only things that are faster than +1 Speed Palkia are Deoxys-S and Choice Scarf users, such as Darkrai. Also, because this set is designed to only allow you to set up once, the benefits of the extra power from Outrage outweigh the drawbacks of being unable to switch. With these factors in mind, Dragon Claw is inferior to Outrage in almost every way on this set.</p>
<p>Palkia must watch out for threats who are faster than it, as well as priority abusers, like Scizor. When Palkia is finished setting up, it will have a maximum of 25% of its HP remaining. This makes it easy for Palkia to be picked off by Scizor or a Choice Scarf Pokemon. Futhermore, sandstorm will whittle away Palkia's remaining HP, ruining its chances to sweep.</p>
<p>Tyranitar can easily be disposed of by Kyogre, who also removes the crippling sandstorm and strengthens Palkia's Aqua Tail with its rain. Choice Scarf users, such as Garchomp, can be taken out by Wobbuffet, who traps and kills them with either Mirror Coat or Counter. Wish support from Jirachi or Blissey can be useful here, as it allows Wobbuffet to do this multiple times. The Scizor and Palkia duo return once again, as Scizor is needed to dispose of Darkrai, who Wobbuffet cannot handle. Scizor also makes a good Tyranitar check, capable of OHKOing it with Bullet Punch. </p>
<p>The three most common users of priority in Ubers are Scizor, Swords Dance Rayquaza, and, to a lesser extent, Deoxys-A. Mewtwo with a Fire-typed attack can easily handle Scizor. Swords Dance Rayquaza is checked by a Choice Scarf Dialga, who resists ExtremeSpeed, and can otherwise outspeed and KO it. Finally, Scizor is a good answer to Deoxys-A (unless it has Hidden Power Fire), and can Bullet Punch if it stays in, or Pursuit it if it switches out.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>RestTalk makes Palkia a good status absorber. Its typing, Bulk Up, and useful STABs make it a good mono-attacker. In comparison, Dialga has better defenses and isn’t weak to Dragon-type attacks, which are abundant in the Uber metagame. Palkia can use Roar, however this is limited in use to dealing with Pokemon like Calm Mind Kyogre. Speaking of solutions to Calm Mind Kyogre, Psych Up is another option for Palkia, as it can copy Kyogre's boosts and use them to do its own sweeping.</p>
<p>Ice Beam is Palkia’s best weapon against Celebi and Groudon (barring Draco Meteor); however, the coverage overlaps with Surf and Spacial Rend most of the time. Flamethrower is an option over Fire Blast with its better accuracy, but the loss in power is easily noticed. Aura Sphere is an acceptable Special Attack if Palkia lacks sunlight. It is the best attack against Bulk Up Dialga. Power Gem allows Palkia to reliably revenge kill Ho-oh, as in the sun, Palkia has no other options against the phoenix.</p>
<p>Haban Berry works well with Palkia's sole weakness: Dragon-type attacks. It lowers the damage done by Dragon-type attacks, allowing Palkia to finish the unsuspecting Pokemon off. Chilan Berry can allow Palkia to revenge kill Swords Dance Rayquaza and Lucario, but otherwise has liitle use. Finally, Substitute and a Salac Berry can be applied on either a mixed sweeper or a pure special sweeper.</p>
[EVs]
<p>The Mixed Sweeper should have 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe with a Hasty nature to produce 277 Attack / 399 SpA / 328 Spe. The Physical Mixed set should always have Max Attack and Speed with 4 EVs thrown into Special Attack. With a Hasty nature, Palkia outpaces non-Scarf Kyogre, Groudon, and most Lugia. The same EVs and nature should be applied on the Choice sets, although you can also use a Timid or Jolly nature where appropriate. All physical sweeping sets should use 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe and a Jolly nature. Any set with Substitute and a pinch berry should use a 30 HP IV to have an HP stat divisible by 4.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Palkia, like most offensive sweepers, enjoys entry hazard support to help turn important 2HKOs into OHKOs. Groudon is a good choice to provide Stealth Rock, Deoxys-S can use Stealth Rock and Spikes, and Forretress can use any of the three entry hazards. Toxic Spikes is particularly helpful in wearing down Blissey, a common answer to special attacking Palkia variants. Palkia is also commonly used as a safe switch in to Kyogre, particularly Water Spouts coming from Choice Specs Kyogre. However, due to the sheer might of Choice Specs Kyogre’s Water Spout and the fact that Palkia has no recovery outside of Rest, it can get worn down rather quickly. Wish support is particulary helpful in keeping Palkia alive throughout the match. Blissey, Latias, and Jirachi are the main users of this move in Ubers. Rain support from Kyogre also pumps up Palkia’s Water-type attacks, enabling it to 2HKO most Pokemon who don’t resist Water-type moves. Dual screen support is helpful for all of the sets, as it allows Palkia to survive longer to dole out more punishment to the enemy. Latias, Memento Latios, Uxie, Bronzong, Metagross, Jirachi, Lugia, and Mewtwo are all good users of Reflect and Light Screen. Lastly, any of the non-Choice Scarfed sets enjoy paralysis support to help break their respective counters, such as enemy Choice Scarfers, Lugia, and Latias. Kyogre and Groudon are good candidates here, as both of them lure out a lot of Palkia’s counters only for said counters to be rendered useless by Thunder Wave.</p>
<p>Palkia does not have a true counter due to its sheer power and unpredictability. Therefore, you must find out what set it is using first to stop it. Latias is Palkia’s #1 enemy, as it can stop most of the sets with its impressive special bulk, greater Speed stat, and powerful Dragon Pulse. Latias’s weakness to Dragon-type attacks hinders it however. Choice Scarf Garchomp is probably Palkia's #2 threat, as it can easily switch into Palkia's Fire Blast and Thunder attacks, outspeed any variant of Palkia, and OHKO it with Outrage. Blissey can take on any of the special variants because of its huge Hit Points and Special Defense stats, and can retaliate with Toxic, Thunder Wave, and/or Seismic Toss. Timid Lugia with Reflect and/or Light Screen, Toxic, and Roost can potentially stall Palkia out of HP. Lugia doesn’t like rain-boosted Aqua Tail and hates Thunder though. Specially defensive variants of Groudon and Dialga are also decent checks to Palkia, as they able to cripple it with Thunder Wave and can hit Palkia with Dragon Claw and Dragon Pulse, respectively. Steel-types, such as Jirachi and Scizor, can give the Choice sets (as well as non-Choiced sets locked into Outrage) a hard time, as they are able to come in on most of Palkia's Dragon-type attacks and respond with a hard U-turn (Scizor) or stall it out with Toxic (Jirachi). Defensive Mewtwo can also stall out Palkia with Toxic and Light Screen, and can also cripple physical sets with Will-O-Wisp. Finally, Choice Scarfers, such as Dialga, opposing Palkia, and Darkrai, can revenge kill Palkia after a KO. Scizor is a nice teammate because it can trap and KO Latias with Pursuit; leave huge holes in Darkrai, Dialga, and Blissey with Superpower; hurt Focus Sash Mewtwo with U-Turn (beware of Will-O-Wisp); and revenge kill Garchomp with Bullet Punch. Groudon can cripple Latias, Lugia, and Groudon with Toxic; slam Dialga, Jirachi, and Scizor with Earthquake; and take Garchomp’s attacks and respond with Dragon Claw. Groudon is also immune to Thunder Wave, so it can come in to stop Palkia from being crippled. Kyogre can drown Groudon, Scizor, Jirachi, and Lugia with Surf; set up on Blissey with Rest/Sleep Talk and Calm Mind; or even lure in Latias, Choice Scarf Dialga, and opposing Choice Scarf Palkia and ruin their usefulness with Thunder Wave. Wobbuffet can trap Blissey and Lugia and turn them into set up bait for the Bulk Up, SubSalac, or Substitute + Focus Punch sets, or it can trap and KO Garchomp, Dialga, opposing Palkia, Scizor (beware of U-turn though), Groudon, and Latias with Counter and/or Mirror Coat. </p>
<p>Palkia possesses a sole weakness to Dragon-type attacks. Unfortunately for Palkia, Dragon-type attacks are the most common attacking type in Ubers, so having a Pokemon who can take Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Dialga, opposing Palkia, Garchomp, Giratina-O, and Rayquaza is very important when using Palkia. Steel-types are the only Pokemon who resist Dragon-type moves, so as such they make good teammates. Scizor can take most Dragon-type attacks aimed at Palkia, and can take down Dialga with Superpower, opposing Palkia with U-turn, Latias and Latios with Pursuit, and Garchomp, Giratina-O, and Rayquaza with Bullet Punch. Forretress can handle most Dragon-type strikes, and can set up entry hazards to aid Palkia in sweeping, or fight back with Gyro Ball and/or Payback. Jirachi can outstall most opposing Dragon-types, save Dialga, with Toxic, and also provides Wish support for Palkia. Blissey can take any special Dragon-type attack and respond with Toxic, Thunder Wave, or Seismic Toss. It can also use Ice Beam to ward off Garchomp and Rayquaza, making them think twice about coming in to set up for a sweep. Groudon can take most physical Dragon-type strikes and respond with Earthquake, Dragon Claw, or Thunder Wave. Timid Lugia can handle most attacks and put up dual screens to help Palkia; Lugia can also whittle down enemy Dragon-types with Toxic or Ice Beam.</p>
<p>Palkia's usual checks and counters – Latias, Blissey, defensive Groudon and Dialga, Lugia, Steel-types such as Scizor and Jirachi, and Choice Scarfers such as Garchomp – are usually paired with Kyogre, Forretress, Giratina, Darkrai, Rayquaza, and Mewtwo. Palkia can usually deal with Kyogre, Forretress, and Giratina itself, so no extra teammates are needed. Rayquaza is only a threat if it sets up, which can be foiled depending on Palkia’s set. Even so, Lugia is a good teammate to beat Rayquaza (and Garchomp too), able to take most attacks from that beast and respond with Ice Beam. Darkrai can be a problem because of Dark Void sending Palkia into slumberland. Scizor can easily switch in and OHKO Darkrai with U-turn (however, watch out for boosted Focus Blasts). Scizor can take down Mewtwo as well (beware of Fire-type attacks) and can use Bullet Punch to dispose of Rayquaza and Garchomp as well. Groudon can beat most Steel-types thanks to its high Defense, STAB Earthquake, and Fire Punch.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Palkia is an absolute menace in the Uber environment. Its dual STABs have great coverage alongside its excellent Special Attack, Attack, and Speed stats backing them up. To further elaborate, Palkia's Speed stat is unique in Ubers as max Speed Palkia outpaces many threats in the metagame, such as Groudon, Kyogre, Ho-oh, Dialga, Giratina-O, Rayquaza, and the standard Lugia. Palkia is a type of Pokemon who works in both rain and sunshine, and that alone makes handling Palkia difficult. Defensively, Palkia is one of the very few Pokemon who can take a Choice Specs Water Spout from Kyogre, which is proclaimed as the most powerful special attack in Ubers. The typing gives Palkia resistances to Water-, Fire-, and Steel-type moves, while leaving Dragon-type moves as its lone weakness. Overall, Palkia is a powerful Pokemon in the Uber environment, and it's difficult to say that it even has counters, as it easily 2HKOes most Pokemon who attempt to switch into it.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Palkia does not have a true counter, therefore, you must find out which set it is running first, and then have the right combinations of resistances to beat it.</p>
<p>Latias is the closest thing to a true counter for Palkia. It survives most of Palkia’s attacks, is faster, and OHKOes with Dragon Pulse. Latias needs to watch out for Choice Scarf variants, however. Choice Scarf Garchomp outspeeds all versions of Palkia and destroys it with Dragon Claw or Outrage. Blissey can take every special attack Palkia aims at her, but Outrage, rain-boosted Aqua Tail, and Focus Punch make Blissey think twice before receiving the impact. Lugia can switch into Palkia and threaten it off with Roost, Reflect, or Toxic and can survive even Thunder with Light Screen. Physical Palkia and Stealth Rock make Lugia’s life miserable, however. Support Dialga and Groudon can take most special attacks, cripple Palkia with Thunder Wave, or destroy it with Dragon Pulse. Scizor and Jirachi can come in on Choiced Dragon-type attacks and threaten Palkia with U-turn and Toxic, respectively.</p>
<p>Entry hazards such as Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes will seriously hamper Palkia's staying power, weakening it so that once you know its set, Palkia will become much easier to take down.</p>
Credit goes to Bojangles for doing the SubSalac set.
Theorymon also gets credit for doing the Bulk Up set.
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/palkia
Whew…this was a biggun. :/
Changes:
-Added Team Comments to sets.
-Added Team Options section.
-Fleshed out existing comments if need be.
-Merged Dual Weather set with Mixed Attacker (Rain)
-Renamed Mixed Attacking sets: the Mixed Attacker (Rain) is now known as Specially based Mix, and the other Mixed set is now known as the Physically based Mix.
-Split the Special Choice Sets, as they play very differently.
-Reordered sets: The new order is Choice Scarf, Specially Based Mix, Physically based Mix, Choice Specs, SubPunch, Choice Band, Bulk Up, SubSalac.
-Rewrote Counter Section a bit.
____________________________________________________________________
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Spacial Rend / Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Outrage / Fire Blast / Draco Meteor
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Hasty / Timid
evs: 6 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Palkia makes an excellent Choice Scarf candidate. With a devastating 150 base Special Attack, Palkia can do huge amounts of damage even without a boosting item. With a Choice Scarf, Palkia reaches an impressive 492 Speed, a Speed that Rayquaza cannot match even after a Dragon Dance. In fact, Deoxys-S is the only Pokemon who can reach this Speed without a Choice Scarf of its own.</p>
<p>The choice between Draco Meteor and Spacial Rend comes down to raw power versus consistency. Draco Meteor allows Palkia to OHKO max HP / min SpD Giratina with Stealth Rock, but Spacial Rend is generally preferred in that slot because of greater reliability. Draco Meteor also gives Palkia the ability to OHKO Minimum HP / Minimum SpD Darkrai 92% of the time. Surf is generally Palkia's most reliable attack. In the rain, it is a 2HKO on Wobbuffet, who normally eats Choice Pokemon for breakfast. It also OHKOes the omnipresent Darkrai, who otherwise beats Palkia with Dark Void. Thunder may seem situational, but it is necessary to keep Kyogre at bay, and also is your best option against Lugia.</p>
<p>The last slot simply depends on which Pokemon threaten you the most. With Stealth Rock, Outrage can 2HKO min HP / max Def Blissey 87% of the time, and also OHKOes Latias (Spacial Rend only 2HKOes it). Putting Draco Meteor in this slot gives Palkia a powerful attack without losing the reliability of Spacial Rend. When combined with Surf, Fire Blast gives Palkia more dependability, as it allows Palkia to sweep well in any weather.</p>
<p>Roost Ho-oh in the sun is the number one best check against Choice Scarf Palkia. Ho-oh only fears Thunder, and with only 50% accuracy, it is far from reliable. During a sandstorm, Tyranitar also makes a decent check, but without an instant recovery move it is troubled by repeated attacks, particularly Spacial Rend and Surf. Wobbuffet will almost always beat Palkia one-on-one, as only a rain-boosted Surf is strong enough to 2HKO Wobbuffet. Similarly, Palkia needs Outrage to beat Blissey, who otherwise can wall it all day, and wear it down with Seismic Toss or Toxic. Dialga is only 2HKOed by Spacial Rend or a sun-boosted Fire Blast, and laughs at just about anything else Palkia has to offer. As with most Choice sets, there are many Pokémon who can beat Palkia, as long as your opponent guesses correctly, or first scouts your attack with Protect. Latias only fears Dragon-typed attacks, while those same attacks will not even phase Steel-types, such as Scizor and Metagross.</p>
<p>A supportive Groudon is a great teammate for Palkia. STAB Earthquake scares off Blissey, Dialga, and most Steel-types. Toxic cripples Wobbuffet, Lugia, Latias, and opposing Groudon, and a Dragon Claw quickly dispatches a Choice Scarfed Garchomp. Kyogre can use Sleep Talk to beat Darkrai, bypassing the threat of Dark Void, and hopefully KOing Darkrai with Surf. Kyogre also does well against other Palkia threats, such as Groudon, Scizor, and Metagross. The powerful Brave Bird makes Ho-oh difficult to switch into, so your best bet is to use something faster than Ho-oh with Stone Edge, such as faster versions of Groudon or Garchomp. Scizor can take any Dragon-type attack thrown at Palkia, and can destroy many of Palkia's other checks, such as Wobbuffet and Blissey, with U-turn and Superpower, respectively.</p>
[SET]
name: Specially Based Mix
move 1: Surf
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Aqua Tail / Outrage
move 4: Thunder / Fire Blast
item: Lustrous Orb / Life Orb
nature: Hasty
evs: 6 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Palkia is an absolute terror with Kyogre support. In the rain, Surf and Aqua Tail receive a significant boost in power and Thunder becomes 100% accurate. Spacial Rend is a powerful STAB move that 2HKOes Giratina, bulky Dialga, and Latias. Aqua Tail is important for 2HKOing max Defense Blissey, who otherwise walls this set. Outrage also works here, as it isn't reliant on weather and hits many Pokemon in Ubers for either neutral or super effective damage. Thunder severely damages Kyogre and Lugia, and also has a 30% chance of paralyzing them. Fire Blast allows Palkia to destroy many of the Steel-types in Ubers, such as Scizor, Forretress, and Metagross, and allows this Palkia to comfortably sweep in either rain or sun.</p>
<p>In Ubers, many Pokemon are neutral to or resist Water-type attacks. Super effective damage, however, is not necessary. In the rain, even Pokemon who take neutral damage from Water-type attacks are at the very least 2HKOed by Surf or Aqua Tail. Furthermore, any Dragon- and Water-type Pokemon who attempt to sponge your Water-type moves are easily dispatched by Spacial Rend and Thunder, respectively.</p>
<p>Lustrous Orb is Palkia’s best item for this set. It gives Palkia’s Water- and Dragon-type moves a x1.2 boost. Life Orb gives Palkia more power and versatility, but at the cost of 10% of Palkia's health per attack. Timid is an acceptable nature if you have Aqua Tail, as it will still 2HKO Blissey 37% of the time with Stealth Rock and Leftovers factored in, assuming rain is active. However, Hasty is usually superior to get the guaranteed 2HKO on Blissey.</p>
<p>While the greater power and ability to switch attacks can make this set even deadlier then the Choice Scarf set, this Palkia still has trouble with Latias, who can come into anything but Outrage, and OHKO the always-slower Palkia with Dragon Pulse. Thanks to Drought, Specially Defensive Groudon can take all of Palkia's attacks, and threaten it back with Dragon Claw. Timid Lugia can use Light Screen or Toxic and potentially outstall Palkia, however, it risks getting paralyzed by Thunder.</p>
<p>Palkia is more vulnerable to being revenged killed by Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Dialga, opposing Choice Scarf Palkia, Garchomp (who doesn’t need a Choice Scarf this time because Garchomp is naturally faster then Palkia), and Darkrai. Scizor is once again a good teammate, because it can take any Dragon-type attack thrown at Palkia and smack Dialga and Palkia with Superpower, Garchomp with Bullet Punch, and Latias and Darkrai with U-turn. Kyogre's name is also gets a second mention, as it annihilates Lugia and Groudon with Thunder and Surf, respectively. It is worth noting, however, that Kyogre has to switch into Groudon, not the other way around, to ensure favorable weather conditions.</p>
<p>This Palkia set has a tendency to lure out and KO, Blissey, and Steel-type Pokemon who will be expecting the more common Choice Scarf set. Therefore you want to pair it with a Pokemon who will thrive once Blissey and Steel-types are out of the picture. Choice Specs Dialga is a great example of this, since it can bulldoze through teams with its powerful Draco Meteor. Calm Mind Mewtwo and Nasty Plot Darkrai also make great partners, since they can easily set-up and sweep once Pokemon such as Blissey and Scizor are in the graveyard.</p>
[SET]
name: Physically Based Mix
move 1: Aqua Tail
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Fire Blast / Thunder / Surf
item: Lustrous Orb
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 6 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>At a quick glance this set may appear to be similar to the other Mixed Palkia set, however, this set instead focuses on Palkia's overlooked Attack stat. With the given EVs, Palkia will always OHKO a standard Uber Blissey with Aqua Tail if rain is active. (It is only a 2HKO without rain however.) Aqua Tail can also 2HKO a Tyranitar even in sandstorm, a feat that Palkia cannot accomplish with Surf. Outrage can be an answer to Kyogre, dealing 50% damage on even the bulkiest of Kyogre. Lustrous Orb means Spacial Rend is doing just as much damage as with the Choice Scarf set. Fire Blast will scare off Steel-types, but Surf is more consistent in general. Thunder is also an option for Lugia and "sun-screened" Ho-oh.</p>
<p>Lustrous Orb is a must on this specific set, since it raises Palkia's Dragon- and Water-type moves by 20% with no limiting effects. With it, Palkia can "bluff" the item it is holding, creating the illusion of a Choice Scarf (because there is no recoil and the damage output of special attacks is about the same). Hasty is the best choice of nature here, since it doesn't lower either of the attack stats, maintaining the opportunity for crucial KOs. Also, the ability to absorb special attacks, such as Water Spout, is important, so a Naive nature is not used.</p>
<p>This set still has a lot of the same problems from the previous Mixed set, who are Latias, Ho-oh, Timid Lugia with Screens, extremely defensive Groudon, and revenge killers, so any of the partners with the previous set will work just as well with this one. This Palkia also needs to be wary of physically defensive variants of Mewtwo, who can outspeed Palkia and completely shatter its Attack with Will-O-Wisp, ruining its ability to break past Blissey. Kyogre can easily decimate both Mewtwo and Ho-oh with its powerful rain-boosted Water-type attacks, and it doesn’t mind taking a burn.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Surf / Hydro Pump
move 2: Spacial Rend
move 3: Thunder / Fire Blast
move 4: Draco Meteor
item: Choice Specs
nature:Timid / Modest
evs: 6 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs makes Palkia’s already excellent Special Attack swell to enormous heights, and it is then able to 2HKO many of the Uber Pokemon with just its two STAB moves alone. Even Steel-types will take hefty damage from resisted attacks, leaving Blissey as the only reliable switch in for this monster. Choice Specs Palkia is usually pushed aside in favor of Choice Specs Dialga who has more numerous resistances to switch in on and a Toxic Spikes immunity. However, Palkia has better offensive type-coverage, and a slightly higher Speed stat, which lets it outpace base 90 and 95 Speed Pokemon, such as Dialga, Groudon, Giratina-O, Ho-oh, Kyogre, and Rayquaza.</p>
<p>Draco Meteor is going to be Palkia’s main attack, absolutely smashing every Pokémon who doesn’t resist it. Surf provides very good neutral coverage with Draco Meteor, hitting every Pokemon in the game for neutral damage, except Shedinja and Empoleon, neither of whom is seen in Ubers that much, if at all. In the rain, Surf is just as dangerous as Draco Meteor, severely damaging most of the Steel-types used in Ubers. Hydro Pump has less accuracy, but much more power than Surf. With Hydro Pump, you stand a much better chance of winning against Blissey. Thunder fries Kyogre, Lugia, and Manaphy. Fire Blast can be used in its place, if you want more power against pesky Steel-types. It can also be used in place of Surf, but only if you have sun support from Groudon. Fire Blast also 2HKOes most Groudon variants and OHKOes most Steel-types in the sun.</p>
<p>Few Pokemon can switch into the sheer power of Choice Specs Palkia. Scizor barely manages to outstall Draco Meteor with Roost, and loses to pretty much any other attack. Jirachi works pretty much the same way with Wish and Protect, but it does a much better job of taking Palkia's other attacks, and can use Toxic to whittle down Palkia's HP. Lugia needs to be faster in order to win against Palkia, otherwise it will be outsped and KOed next turn.</p>
<p>Blissey is the only 100% safe switch in for this set, as she will shrug off any hit thanks to her high Hit Point and Special Defense stats. Tickle Wobbuffet, paired with a Pursuit user, such as Scizor or Tyranitar, is an almost assured way to get rid of Blissey and Lugia, allowing Palkia to rip apart the opposing team without much trouble. Groudon can poison Lugia with Toxic, and smash Blissey, Scizor, and Jirachi with Earthquake. Rest + Sleep Talk Kyogre with Calm Mind can also set up on any of the aforementioned threats.</p>
<p>Palkia must be careful of Pokemon who may come in to revenge kill it or set up on it after a KO. Groudon can come in after a Draco Meteor or Thunder and use Rock Polish to set up for a sweep. Garchomp can come in on Thunder or Fire Blast and either KO Palkia with Outrage or set up Swords Dance and start sweeping. Lucario can also swap in after a Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor and use Swords Dance, although Lucario will still take well around 50% damage from a -2 Draco Meteor. Kyogre can switch in on anything but Thunder or a full power Draco Meteor and destroy Palkia with a Choice Specs-boosted Thunder or set up on it with Calm Mind. Lastly, Wobbuffet can switch into anything but the initial Draco Meteor, or a rain-boosted Water-type attack, and can then trap Palkia and KO it with Mirror Coat. Lugia can handle Groudon, Garchomp, and Lucario as long as it has Reflect, and Latias is a nice answer to Kyogre, being able to Calm Mind up alongside it and destroy it with Grass Knot. There is not much you can do about Wobbuffet trapping you, but before you bring Palkia out, you can try to lure in and weaken Wobbuffet with a mixed attacker who may usually run a Choice item, such as Expert Belt Mixed Dialga. Wobbuffet is then unable to score revenge kill once its health is at 40% or lower.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + Focus Punch
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Spacial Rend
move 4: Thunder/ Fire Blast / Surf
item: Expert Belt / Leftovers
nature: Hasty
evs: 100 Atk / 156 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With status-inflicting moves everywhere, Palkia has plenty of chances to use Substitute. Furthermore, the combination of Substitute and Focus Punch help Palkia beat some of its counters, including the number one threat: Blissey. With Expert Belt and the given EVs, Focus Punch always OHKOes 651 HP / 119 Def Blissey. On top of that, Focus Punch is a 2HKO on most Dialga and Kyogre. Thunder works best in slot four to prevent Kyogre from setting up on Palkia, but with weather support, Surf and Fire Blast are also viable options.</p>
<p>Expert Belt is preferred for guaranteeing an OHKO on Blissey with Focus Punch. Leftovers help Palkia recover health, thus allowing more uses of Substitute. With Stealth Rock, Focus Punch followed by Spacial Rend OHKOes Blissey most of the time.</p>
<p>Despite the protection from Substitute, this Palkia still has trouble with Latias and specially defensive Groudon. Without Fire Blast, Forretress in the sun can also be a pain, as Thunder's 50% accuracy gives the steel bug plenty of time to set up entry hazards that could potentially ruin the rest of your team. Encore Wobbuffet also poses a huge problem, as it can then either KO Palkia or allow another sweeper to set up. Specially defensive Scizor can also break the Substitute with U-turn, allowing a Pokemon who is faster than Palkia to come in and revenge kill it.</p>
<p>Groudon is once again a good teammate, as it can smack Latias and opposing Groudon with Toxic, and Forretress and Scizor will be roasted by Fire-type attack. Wobbuffet is also not going to like Toxic either. Speaking of Wobbuffet, it too makes a good teammate for Palkia, because it can use a combination of Encore, Shadow Tag, and Safeguard to turn many walls into set up bait. It can also revenge kill Latias, Groudon, and Scizor (be wary of U-turn) quite easily.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Aqua Tail
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge / Dragon Claw
item: Choice Band
nature:Jolly
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set's effectiveness stems from the fact that many of Palkia’s counters invest heavily in their Special Defense stats, often neglecting their Defense. This, when combined with Palkia's underestimated 120 Attack stat, makes for a very effective surprise. Aqua Tail and Outrage make Palkia difficult for the opponent to handle. An effective "Double STAB" in the rain allows Aqua Tail to 2HKO any unsuspecting Lugia while decimating anything else that attempts to switch in. Outrage gives Palkia the ability to hit Aqua Tail-resistant Pokemon for a 2HKO. Earthquake shuts down Metagross and Dialga, however one should be extremely careful: with so many Flying-types and Levitators, avoid using Earthquake until you are sure they don't have a Pokemon who is immune to Ground-type moves, like Rayquaza, waiting in the wings. Stone Edge enables Palkia to 2HKO Lugia should the rain be absent. It also prevents Shedinja from safely switching into Palkia and burning it with Will-O-Wisp. Dragon Claw gives Palkia a consistent STAB that doesn't lock it into Outrage early in the game.</p>
<p>Choice Scarf is also an acceptable item on this set. Palkia misses the boost in power, however it is able to outspeed and revenge kill many more Pokemon, which can prove advantageous on certain teams.</p>
<p>Choice Band Palkia has issues with Timid Lugia, as it can survive almost anything and Roost off the damage, and then set up Reflect and wear away at Palkia’s HP with Toxic. Latias and Giratina can take anything but Outrage and will decimate Palkia with their STAB Dragon-type moves. Impish Groudon can turn off the rain with Drought, allowing it to take even Aqua Tail, and will shred Palkia with Dragon Claw. Skarmory, Forretress, and Bronzong can all survive any of Palkia’s attacks barring rain boosted Aqua Tails, and can either pick away at it with Toxic or use the turn to set up entry hazards. Finally, like most of the other Palkia sets, this set is vulnerable to being revenge killed by Choice Scarfers, such as Dialga, Palkia, and Garchomp.</p>
<p>Kyogre is an excellent teammate because it can easily drown Groudon, Skarmory, Bronzong, and Forretress with Surf; blast Lugia and Giratina with Ice Beam; and can lure in and cripple Latias, Choice Scarf Dialga, and opposing Choice Scarf Palkia with Thunder Wave. Magnezone can trap and destroy Steel-types with Thunder, allowing Palkia to use Outrage with impunity. Magnezone can also take Dragon-type attacks from Dialga, Palkia, and Garchomp and can respond with Thunder or Hidden Power Ice. Furthermore, Lugia is also completely walled by Magnezone, and cannot do anything while the steel magnet roasts it with Thunder. As always, Scizor is a good partner, since it can trap and KO Latias with Pursuit, and can also switch in on the Dragon-type attacks coming Palkia’s way. Mixed Dialga can also lure in Groudon and Lugia and can destroy them with Draco Meteor and Thunder, respectively. It can also melt Steel-types with Fire Blast, rip Latias to shreds with Dragon Claw, and use the previously mentioned Draco Meteor to crush Giratina.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Aqua Tail
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw
item: Lustrous Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Palkia’s higher Speed stat and STAB Aqua Tail are major differences that set it apart from Bulk Up Dialga. Kyogre support is highly recommended for this set because sunlight ruins the use of Palkia’s primary attack: Aqua Tail. After a Bulk Up, Palkia’s Attack and Defense stats become 508 and 354 respectively. Outrage is the secondary attack for this set. With Lustrous Orb and one Bulk Up, Outrage will inflict massive damage to almost anything that switches in, regardless of weather. Even Groudon will be 2HKOed by Outrage, unless it is extremely defensive. Aqua Tail boosted by rain is devastating for the opponent to handle. With Stealth Rock and Lustrous Orb, Lugia is 2HKOed if it attempts to switch in. Before Reflect, a +1 Aqua Tail in the rain does 62% minimum to the standard Bold 252 HP / 52 Def Lugia, and 31% minimum after Reflect is set up; thus the standard Lugia will often be defeated. Earthquake is mostly filler, but it always at least 2HKOes Metagross and Dialga after a Bulk Up, allowing a little more freedom for using Outrage. Dragon Claw is a fine option over Earthquake so that you can avoid untimely Outrages and maintain the ability to switch out.</p>
<p>Lustrous Orb boosts Palkia’s main STAB attacks by 20%, making it the ideal item for this set. Life Orb can also be used for a stronger Earthquake, however, Lustrous Orb is usually the preferred item due to the lack of recoil.</p>
<p>While Bulk Up Palkia may be able to get past Bold Lugia, Timid Lugia can use its superior Speed stat to set up Reflect before Palkia hits it with a boosted Aqua Tail. Under Reflect, Timid Lugia can then use Roost to heal its self, and then Whirlwind Palkia away. Because this Palkia set focuses on setting a sweep with Bulk Up, Latias, Latios, and Choice Scarf Dialga will be more of an issue than usual, as they will now have the potential to switch in unharmed, and then OHKO Palkia with a STAB Dragon-type attack. Although they are not commonly switched in, Choice Scarf Palkia and Garchomp can revenge kill Bulk Up Palkia with ease.</p>
<p>Wobbuffet makes a great partner to this set for several reasons. Wobbuffet can use its combination of Shadow Tag and either Counter or Mirror Coat to trap and revenge kill Choice Scarfed Dragon-types, such as Dialga, Palkia, and Garchomp. Wobbuffet can also Encore a support move or an attack that does little damage to Palkia (usually Water-type or Fire-type attacks), thus giving Palkia a free turn to set up. Finally, Wobbuffet has the option of using Tickle paired with a Pursuit user, such as Tyranitar or Scizor, to defeat Lugia. Even on their own, Pursuit users are great teammates for Bulk Up Palkia, due to their ability to trap and destroy Latias and Latios. Scizor is a particularly great user of Pursuit to pair with Palkia, because it can use its resistance to Dragon-type attacks to switch into not only Latias and Latios, but also into the assaults of Choice Scarfed Dragon-type Pokémon. Finally, Mewtwo can use Taunt and Calm Mind to easily set up on Lugia, while Darkrai can use Dark Void to put Lugia to sleep, and thus threaten to set up a sweep with Nasty Plot.</p>
[SET]
name: SubSalac
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Bulk Up
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Aqua Tail / Earthquake
item: Salac Berry
nature:Jolly
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bulk Up Dialga has the upper hand on Palkia when it comes to using Bulk Up with Rest and Sleep Talk; however, Palkia has a superior Speed stat to take advantage of Salac Berry. The premise is simple: simply use Substitute while your opponent switches to a Palkia counter and then follow up with Bulk Up. After 3 uses of Substitute, Salac Berry will activate, boosting Palkia's Speed stat to 492. Aqua Tail is a good STAB that pairs well with its Dragon-type STAB counterpart. However, if you are unable to ensure rainy weather, Earthquake is a much safer option.</p>
<p>The consistency versus raw power debate returns with this set - this time between Dragon Claw and Outrage. With a Substitute intact, Palkia should be able to use Outrage with little problems. Palkia doesn't have a weakness to any priority move (though Rayquaza's and Deoxys-A's ExtremeSpeeds hurt), and the only things that are faster than +1 Speed Palkia are Deoxys-S and Choice Scarf users, such as Darkrai. Also, because this set is designed to only allow you to set up once, the benefits of the extra power from Outrage outweigh the drawbacks of being unable to switch. With these factors in mind, Dragon Claw is inferior to Outrage in almost every way on this set.</p>
<p>Palkia must watch out for threats who are faster than it, as well as priority abusers, like Scizor. When Palkia is finished setting up, it will have a maximum of 25% of its HP remaining. This makes it easy for Palkia to be picked off by Scizor or a Choice Scarf Pokemon. Futhermore, sandstorm will whittle away Palkia's remaining HP, ruining its chances to sweep.</p>
<p>Tyranitar can easily be disposed of by Kyogre, who also removes the crippling sandstorm and strengthens Palkia's Aqua Tail with its rain. Choice Scarf users, such as Garchomp, can be taken out by Wobbuffet, who traps and kills them with either Mirror Coat or Counter. Wish support from Jirachi or Blissey can be useful here, as it allows Wobbuffet to do this multiple times. The Scizor and Palkia duo return once again, as Scizor is needed to dispose of Darkrai, who Wobbuffet cannot handle. Scizor also makes a good Tyranitar check, capable of OHKOing it with Bullet Punch. </p>
<p>The three most common users of priority in Ubers are Scizor, Swords Dance Rayquaza, and, to a lesser extent, Deoxys-A. Mewtwo with a Fire-typed attack can easily handle Scizor. Swords Dance Rayquaza is checked by a Choice Scarf Dialga, who resists ExtremeSpeed, and can otherwise outspeed and KO it. Finally, Scizor is a good answer to Deoxys-A (unless it has Hidden Power Fire), and can Bullet Punch if it stays in, or Pursuit it if it switches out.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>RestTalk makes Palkia a good status absorber. Its typing, Bulk Up, and useful STABs make it a good mono-attacker. In comparison, Dialga has better defenses and isn’t weak to Dragon-type attacks, which are abundant in the Uber metagame. Palkia can use Roar, however this is limited in use to dealing with Pokemon like Calm Mind Kyogre. Speaking of solutions to Calm Mind Kyogre, Psych Up is another option for Palkia, as it can copy Kyogre's boosts and use them to do its own sweeping.</p>
<p>Ice Beam is Palkia’s best weapon against Celebi and Groudon (barring Draco Meteor); however, the coverage overlaps with Surf and Spacial Rend most of the time. Flamethrower is an option over Fire Blast with its better accuracy, but the loss in power is easily noticed. Aura Sphere is an acceptable Special Attack if Palkia lacks sunlight. It is the best attack against Bulk Up Dialga. Power Gem allows Palkia to reliably revenge kill Ho-oh, as in the sun, Palkia has no other options against the phoenix.</p>
<p>Haban Berry works well with Palkia's sole weakness: Dragon-type attacks. It lowers the damage done by Dragon-type attacks, allowing Palkia to finish the unsuspecting Pokemon off. Chilan Berry can allow Palkia to revenge kill Swords Dance Rayquaza and Lucario, but otherwise has liitle use. Finally, Substitute and a Salac Berry can be applied on either a mixed sweeper or a pure special sweeper.</p>
[EVs]
<p>The Mixed Sweeper should have 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe with a Hasty nature to produce 277 Attack / 399 SpA / 328 Spe. The Physical Mixed set should always have Max Attack and Speed with 4 EVs thrown into Special Attack. With a Hasty nature, Palkia outpaces non-Scarf Kyogre, Groudon, and most Lugia. The same EVs and nature should be applied on the Choice sets, although you can also use a Timid or Jolly nature where appropriate. All physical sweeping sets should use 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe and a Jolly nature. Any set with Substitute and a pinch berry should use a 30 HP IV to have an HP stat divisible by 4.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Palkia, like most offensive sweepers, enjoys entry hazard support to help turn important 2HKOs into OHKOs. Groudon is a good choice to provide Stealth Rock, Deoxys-S can use Stealth Rock and Spikes, and Forretress can use any of the three entry hazards. Toxic Spikes is particularly helpful in wearing down Blissey, a common answer to special attacking Palkia variants. Palkia is also commonly used as a safe switch in to Kyogre, particularly Water Spouts coming from Choice Specs Kyogre. However, due to the sheer might of Choice Specs Kyogre’s Water Spout and the fact that Palkia has no recovery outside of Rest, it can get worn down rather quickly. Wish support is particulary helpful in keeping Palkia alive throughout the match. Blissey, Latias, and Jirachi are the main users of this move in Ubers. Rain support from Kyogre also pumps up Palkia’s Water-type attacks, enabling it to 2HKO most Pokemon who don’t resist Water-type moves. Dual screen support is helpful for all of the sets, as it allows Palkia to survive longer to dole out more punishment to the enemy. Latias, Memento Latios, Uxie, Bronzong, Metagross, Jirachi, Lugia, and Mewtwo are all good users of Reflect and Light Screen. Lastly, any of the non-Choice Scarfed sets enjoy paralysis support to help break their respective counters, such as enemy Choice Scarfers, Lugia, and Latias. Kyogre and Groudon are good candidates here, as both of them lure out a lot of Palkia’s counters only for said counters to be rendered useless by Thunder Wave.</p>
<p>Palkia does not have a true counter due to its sheer power and unpredictability. Therefore, you must find out what set it is using first to stop it. Latias is Palkia’s #1 enemy, as it can stop most of the sets with its impressive special bulk, greater Speed stat, and powerful Dragon Pulse. Latias’s weakness to Dragon-type attacks hinders it however. Choice Scarf Garchomp is probably Palkia's #2 threat, as it can easily switch into Palkia's Fire Blast and Thunder attacks, outspeed any variant of Palkia, and OHKO it with Outrage. Blissey can take on any of the special variants because of its huge Hit Points and Special Defense stats, and can retaliate with Toxic, Thunder Wave, and/or Seismic Toss. Timid Lugia with Reflect and/or Light Screen, Toxic, and Roost can potentially stall Palkia out of HP. Lugia doesn’t like rain-boosted Aqua Tail and hates Thunder though. Specially defensive variants of Groudon and Dialga are also decent checks to Palkia, as they able to cripple it with Thunder Wave and can hit Palkia with Dragon Claw and Dragon Pulse, respectively. Steel-types, such as Jirachi and Scizor, can give the Choice sets (as well as non-Choiced sets locked into Outrage) a hard time, as they are able to come in on most of Palkia's Dragon-type attacks and respond with a hard U-turn (Scizor) or stall it out with Toxic (Jirachi). Defensive Mewtwo can also stall out Palkia with Toxic and Light Screen, and can also cripple physical sets with Will-O-Wisp. Finally, Choice Scarfers, such as Dialga, opposing Palkia, and Darkrai, can revenge kill Palkia after a KO. Scizor is a nice teammate because it can trap and KO Latias with Pursuit; leave huge holes in Darkrai, Dialga, and Blissey with Superpower; hurt Focus Sash Mewtwo with U-Turn (beware of Will-O-Wisp); and revenge kill Garchomp with Bullet Punch. Groudon can cripple Latias, Lugia, and Groudon with Toxic; slam Dialga, Jirachi, and Scizor with Earthquake; and take Garchomp’s attacks and respond with Dragon Claw. Groudon is also immune to Thunder Wave, so it can come in to stop Palkia from being crippled. Kyogre can drown Groudon, Scizor, Jirachi, and Lugia with Surf; set up on Blissey with Rest/Sleep Talk and Calm Mind; or even lure in Latias, Choice Scarf Dialga, and opposing Choice Scarf Palkia and ruin their usefulness with Thunder Wave. Wobbuffet can trap Blissey and Lugia and turn them into set up bait for the Bulk Up, SubSalac, or Substitute + Focus Punch sets, or it can trap and KO Garchomp, Dialga, opposing Palkia, Scizor (beware of U-turn though), Groudon, and Latias with Counter and/or Mirror Coat. </p>
<p>Palkia possesses a sole weakness to Dragon-type attacks. Unfortunately for Palkia, Dragon-type attacks are the most common attacking type in Ubers, so having a Pokemon who can take Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Dialga, opposing Palkia, Garchomp, Giratina-O, and Rayquaza is very important when using Palkia. Steel-types are the only Pokemon who resist Dragon-type moves, so as such they make good teammates. Scizor can take most Dragon-type attacks aimed at Palkia, and can take down Dialga with Superpower, opposing Palkia with U-turn, Latias and Latios with Pursuit, and Garchomp, Giratina-O, and Rayquaza with Bullet Punch. Forretress can handle most Dragon-type strikes, and can set up entry hazards to aid Palkia in sweeping, or fight back with Gyro Ball and/or Payback. Jirachi can outstall most opposing Dragon-types, save Dialga, with Toxic, and also provides Wish support for Palkia. Blissey can take any special Dragon-type attack and respond with Toxic, Thunder Wave, or Seismic Toss. It can also use Ice Beam to ward off Garchomp and Rayquaza, making them think twice about coming in to set up for a sweep. Groudon can take most physical Dragon-type strikes and respond with Earthquake, Dragon Claw, or Thunder Wave. Timid Lugia can handle most attacks and put up dual screens to help Palkia; Lugia can also whittle down enemy Dragon-types with Toxic or Ice Beam.</p>
<p>Palkia's usual checks and counters – Latias, Blissey, defensive Groudon and Dialga, Lugia, Steel-types such as Scizor and Jirachi, and Choice Scarfers such as Garchomp – are usually paired with Kyogre, Forretress, Giratina, Darkrai, Rayquaza, and Mewtwo. Palkia can usually deal with Kyogre, Forretress, and Giratina itself, so no extra teammates are needed. Rayquaza is only a threat if it sets up, which can be foiled depending on Palkia’s set. Even so, Lugia is a good teammate to beat Rayquaza (and Garchomp too), able to take most attacks from that beast and respond with Ice Beam. Darkrai can be a problem because of Dark Void sending Palkia into slumberland. Scizor can easily switch in and OHKO Darkrai with U-turn (however, watch out for boosted Focus Blasts). Scizor can take down Mewtwo as well (beware of Fire-type attacks) and can use Bullet Punch to dispose of Rayquaza and Garchomp as well. Groudon can beat most Steel-types thanks to its high Defense, STAB Earthquake, and Fire Punch.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Palkia is an absolute menace in the Uber environment. Its dual STABs have great coverage alongside its excellent Special Attack, Attack, and Speed stats backing them up. To further elaborate, Palkia's Speed stat is unique in Ubers as max Speed Palkia outpaces many threats in the metagame, such as Groudon, Kyogre, Ho-oh, Dialga, Giratina-O, Rayquaza, and the standard Lugia. Palkia is a type of Pokemon who works in both rain and sunshine, and that alone makes handling Palkia difficult. Defensively, Palkia is one of the very few Pokemon who can take a Choice Specs Water Spout from Kyogre, which is proclaimed as the most powerful special attack in Ubers. The typing gives Palkia resistances to Water-, Fire-, and Steel-type moves, while leaving Dragon-type moves as its lone weakness. Overall, Palkia is a powerful Pokemon in the Uber environment, and it's difficult to say that it even has counters, as it easily 2HKOes most Pokemon who attempt to switch into it.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Palkia does not have a true counter, therefore, you must find out which set it is running first, and then have the right combinations of resistances to beat it.</p>
<p>Latias is the closest thing to a true counter for Palkia. It survives most of Palkia’s attacks, is faster, and OHKOes with Dragon Pulse. Latias needs to watch out for Choice Scarf variants, however. Choice Scarf Garchomp outspeeds all versions of Palkia and destroys it with Dragon Claw or Outrage. Blissey can take every special attack Palkia aims at her, but Outrage, rain-boosted Aqua Tail, and Focus Punch make Blissey think twice before receiving the impact. Lugia can switch into Palkia and threaten it off with Roost, Reflect, or Toxic and can survive even Thunder with Light Screen. Physical Palkia and Stealth Rock make Lugia’s life miserable, however. Support Dialga and Groudon can take most special attacks, cripple Palkia with Thunder Wave, or destroy it with Dragon Pulse. Scizor and Jirachi can come in on Choiced Dragon-type attacks and threaten Palkia with U-turn and Toxic, respectively.</p>
<p>Entry hazards such as Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes will seriously hamper Palkia's staying power, weakening it so that once you know its set, Palkia will become much easier to take down.</p>
