| Hydreigon Movesets in Other Games | |
|---|---|
| SV |  SWSH |
This is a strategy guide for using Hydreigon in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Builds, and Held Items to use with Hydreigon, as well as its strengths and weak points.
| Hydreigon - Related Guides | |
|---|---|
| Evolution and Learnset |  Build for Ranked Battle |
List of Contents
- Basic Information for Hydreigon
- Singles Movesets for Hydreigon
- How to Use Hydreigon Effectively
- Counters for Hydreigon
- Best Teams Featuring Hydreigon
- Related Links
Basic Information for Hydreigon
Types and Abilities
| Pokemon | Type 1 | Type 2 |
|---|---|---|
Hydreigon | ||
| Abilities | ||
| Levitate | Gives immunity to Ground type moves. | |
Hydreigon Weaknesses and Resistances
| Type | |
|---|---|
| Takes 4x damage | |
| Takes 2x damage | |
| Takes 0.5x damage | |
| Takes 1/4x damage | - |
| Takes 0x damage |
What is Type Effectiveness?
Base Stats
| HP | Attack | Defense | Sp. Atk | Sp. Def | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92 | 105 | 90 | 125 | 90 | 98 |
Best Nature for Hydreigon
| Best Natures | ||
|---|---|---|
| Modest (+SpAtk, -Atk) | Timid (+Spd, -Atk) | |
What are Natures?
Singles Movesets for Hydreigon
Choice Scarf/Specs Moveset & Best Build
| Nature | Modest (+SpAtk, -Atk) |
|---|---|
| EV Spread | Sp.Atk. 252 / Sp.Def. 4 / Spd. 252 |
| Final Stat Values | HP 167 / Def. 110 / Sp.Atk. 194 / Sp.Def. 111 / Spd. 150 |
| Ability | Levitate |
| Held Item | Choice ScarfChoice Specs |
| Moveset | ・Draco Meteor ・Dark Pulse ・Fire Blast ・U-turn |
Choice Scarf helps Hydreigon cover its middling Speed - a stat not exceeding 100 which ends up a waste of stat points otherwise. Its high Special Attack combined with the hard-to-resist Dark Pulse, and a movepool filled with moves of other types as well, make it an extremely difficult Pokemon to handle defensively.
With Choice Scarf, it can even outspeed the currently popular Dragapult, which takes its 142 Speed for granted and rarely wears the Scarf.
In the case where a boost in Special Attack is preferred, use Choice Specs.
Other Viable Moves
| Focus Blast | Useful for countering Rock types such as Tyranitar. |
|---|---|
| Flamethrower | An alternate choice for Fire Blast. The increased accuracy helps, but decreases the number of opponents it can theoretically 1HKO or 2HKO. |
| Flash Cannon | For countering Fairy types, who Hydreigon has a 4x weakness to. Can turn the tide of battle against a Fairy type with decreased HP. |
| Earth Power | Can be used against Fire- and Flying-types. |
| Hydro Pump | Useful for countering Arcanine and Heat Rotom. |
Substitute Moveset & Best Build
| Nature | Modest (SpAtk+, Att-) |
|---|---|
| EV Spread | HP 204 / Sp. Atk. 252 / Spd. 52 |
| Final Stat Values | HP 193 / Defense 110 / Sp. Atk. 194 / Sp. Def. 110 / Spd. 125 |
| Ability | Levitate |
| Held Item | Leftovers |
| Moveset | ・Substitute ・Nasty Plot ・Dark Pulse ・Flash Cannon |
This build takes advantage of the resistances brought by Hydreigon's typing. Special Attack is boosted with Nasty Plot, and any status conditions is avoided with Substitute. Additionally, an opponent's Dynamax turn can be wasted with the Substitute taking the damage.
About Hydreigon's EV Spread
252 EV is alloted to Special Attack to maximize Hydreigon's potential asa special attacker, and some EV is given to HP so Substitute can be used again after 4 Leftover heals. The rest is given to Speed.
Other Viable Moves
| Fire Blast | Fire-type move against Steel-types. Flamethrower can be an alternative for a more accurate move. |
|---|---|
| Hydro Pump | Useful for countering Arcanine and Heat Rotom. |
| Draco Meteor | Used against fellow Dragon-types. Dragon Pulse can be an alternative so Special Attack is not lowered. |
How to Use Hydreigon Effectively
An attacker with a sprawling moveset
Hydreigon can handle a variety of opponents thanks to its wide and unpredictable selection of moves. Even up against Mimikyu, it can use U-Turn to switch out and send in a more effective counter. This provides flexibility to allow players to use Hydreigon to match the situation at hand.
A unique type combination
As a Dark/Dragon dual-type, Hydreigon has a unique type combination in this generation. It can take advantage of its typing to withstand attacks on switching in and match itself up effectively.
Counters for Hydreigon
| Weakness |
|---|
Attack with Fairy-types
As Hydreigon is a Dark/Dragon dual-type, it suffers from a 4x weakness to the Fairy type. It's quite possible to knock Hydreigon out in one hit with a Fairy-type attack, so be sure to have one ready if you're worried about handling it.
Best Pokemon to Use
| Pokemon | Description |
|---|---|
| Tapu Fini | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・High Special Defense that can withstand most of Hydreigon's attacks. |
| Grimmsnarl | Ranking: ★★★★★・Can take Hydreigon's STAB attacks with 1/2x or less damage ・Also effective against the ever-present Dragapult |
| Mimikyu | Ranking: ★★★★・Just an overall powerful hitter in its own right. |
| Sylveon | Ranking: ★★★★・With high Special Defense, can switch into Hydreigon as many times as needed ・Hyper Voice used with the Pixilate ability can deal huge damage. |
Best Teams Featuring Hydreigon
All our Best Teams are available for free rental, and usable in Ranked Battle with no EV Training necessary.
All Best Teams for Ranked Battle
Best Durant Team for Ranked Battle
| Best Durant Team for Ranked Battle | ||
|---|---|---|
| Grimmsnarl | Durant | Ditto |
| Hydreigon | Mimikyu | Snorlax |
This is the team that made Durant, a minor Pokemon unseen in the metagame, into a superstar. Even ignoring all the trends, it's notable for its highly aggressive attacking style.
You can try out this team to get a feel for using Hydreigon together with Durant, or even use it as your go-to team if it fits your play style.
Best Durant Team for Ranked Battle
Best Arcanine Team for Ranked Battle
| Best Arcanine Team for Ranked Battle | ||
|---|---|---|
| Arcanine | Hydreigon | Tyranitar |
| Corviknight | Mow Rotom | Mimikyu |
Born from one player's love of one Pokemon, Arcanine, this team takes advantage of Arcanine's already-high Base Stats, supported by Assault Vest to make it a powerful player both offensively and defensively.
In addition to Arcanine, this team features a host of other surprises, such as a Pressure Corviknight, a Special Attack-using Tyranitar, and a stall-ready Mimikyu, that might change your preconceptions about the competitive scene as a whole.
Best Arcanine Team for Ranked Battle
Related Links
All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle
Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield
| Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier List | Best Builds | Series 10 List of Contenders | |||
| Doubles Tier List | Team Building | Rental Teams | |||
Best Builds for Returning Pokemon
| Movesets & Best Builds for Returning Pokemon | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mimikyu | Wash Rotom | Gyarados |
| Ferrothorn | Aegislash | Excadrill |
| Tyranitar |  Hydreigon | Heat Rotom |
| Arcanine | Mamoswine | Toxapex |
| Togekiss | Cloyster | Durant |
| Snorlax | Charizard | Sylveon |
| Lucario | Hippowdon | Umbreon |
| Conkeldurr | Quagsire | Gastrodon |
| Lapras | Whimsicott | Rhyperior |
| Goodra | Haxorus | Glaceon |
| Mow Rotom | Type: Null | Gengar |
| Milotic | Gardevoir | Flygon |
| Chandelure | Lanturn | Torkoal |
| Bisharp | Seismitoad | Silvally |
| Butterfree | Primarina | Incineroar |
| Blastoise | Decidueye | Venusaur |
| Darmanitan | Alolan Ninetales | Gothitelle |
| Crawdaunt | Clefable | Reuniclus |
| Kommo-o | Terrakion | Cobalion |
| Virizion | Noivern | Fan Rotom |
| Toxicroak | Pelipper | Jellicent |
| Celebi | Clefairy | Hitmontop |
| Diggersby | Ditto | Raichu |
| Hawlucha | Shiftry | Tsareena |
| Ludicolo | ||
