RU Spotlight: Flygon

History

Flygon was introduced in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and has been one of the fan favorites of the Generation III ever since. However, unlike a lot of other fan favorites, Flygon has always seemed to thrive in whatever metagame it's used in. In ADV, Flygon was primarily seen as an offensive Pokémon, but not in the way that most are used to today. Rather than relying on its Speed to get the job done offensively, Flygon would rely more on its typing and bulk to handle major threats, such as Tyranitar, Aerodactyl, and non-Hidden Power Ice Raikou, while still dealing out serious damage. It still had a full-on offensive set with Choice Band, but the lack of a physical Dragon-type STAB move (note: this was before the physical-special split, so all Dragon-type moves were considered special attacks) really hurt such a set. Flygon could even run a SubToxic set thanks to its Ground-type STAB moves hitting most Pokémon immune to Toxic for heavy damage. Flygon was definitely a reliable choice in the ADV OU metagame thanks to its bulk, typing, and ability, but it wasn't one of the metagame-defining Pokémon. However, little did anyone know that this little dragonfly would be one of the centerpieces of the next Generation...

DPP brought about a ton of change for competitive Pokémon. There were powerful new items and moves introduced in this generation, but perhaps the biggest changes lied in the physical-special split, Stealth Rock, introduction of the Choice Scarf, and a unique damaging move in U-turn. If you haven't guessed by now, Flygon benefited from all of these changes. Flygon was, bar none, one of the best Choice item users in DPP OU. This was thanks to Flygon's access to U-turn and near immunity to all forms of entry hazards, only taking a maximum of 6.25% from switching into battle. One must also remember that Team Preview was not a thing in DPP, so Flygon could freely come in and click U-turn to force out and weaken its checks and counters. Flygon was most commonly seen with a Choice Scarf equipped, as its solid Speed, access to U-turn, and strong STAB options helped in wearing down many teams over time. It could also use Choice Band rather reliably for very similar reasons, but this set focused more on Flygon's great coverage with its STAB moves alone. Mixed attacking sets were great trump card sets to lure out specific Pokémon for a teammate to pull off a sweep more reliably, but they weren't nearly as common as Flygon's Choice sets. Defensively, Flygon still carried its Toxic set over from ADV, but the introduction of Roost made the set easier to use defensively. With all of these sets, Flygon was easily one of the faces of DPP OU in spite of other powerful threats, such as Scizor, Starmie, and Skarmory, around to ruin its fun at times.

With the introduction of BW came the fall of some of DPP OU's greatest titans. This was largely due to the power creep and introduction of Team Preview that the generation saw. Dedicated leads, such as Azelf and Aerodactyl, fell off the OU map, while Zapdos and Swampert were made obsolete in OU but thrived in UU. Flygon would follow a similar fate to that of Zapdos and Swampert. With the introduction of powerful Dragon-types to OU, both old and new, Flygon simply could not keep up with them. The advent of Team Preview also took away one of the greatest perks of Flygon's Choice Scarf set: a fast U-turn with the ability to force out and wear down checks and counters that you had no knowledge of at the time. Now with Team Preview, you knew what would stand in the way of your win condition or revenge killer, so it was much easier to just hit it with the appropriate move if you could. While it could still be used in OU, Flygon had a very hard time setting itself apart from the other Dragon-types of BW OU. Instead, Flygon became a staple in BW UU. Unlike in DPP OU, Flygon's best and most common set in BW UU was its Choice Band set. Thanks to its high-Base Power STAB moves, a great typing, an ability that let it switch into entry hazards with ease, and a powerful U-turn to utilize on forced switches, Choice Band Flygon was one of the biggest physical threats in BW UU. Choice Scarf was still a common set, but not nearly as reliable as it was in DPP OU considering Flygon outsped most threats in BW UU as it was. Even still, it was a pretty easy revenge killer to put on your team considering its high resistance to entry hazards, which was an issue for many other Choice Scarf users in BW UU. While Choice sets were common, Flygon could utilize its solid defensive typing and Roost to reliably wield Life Orb. This set rose fairly late, however, with the introduction of Superpower from BW2 move tutors, thus granting Flygon the ability to handle Porygon2 and Snorlax, two of the more difficult Normal-type walls to break down in the tier. Just like in ADV and DPP, Flygon was able to adjust to the metagame it found itself in, and while it may have no hope of ever returning to prominence in OU, Flygon seemed perfectly safe in its new home of UU.

The start of the XY metagame was a very mixed bag for Flygon. While the introduction of the new Fairy-type hurt it, like it did all Dragon-types, Flygon also gained a new defensive option in the form of Defog. While Defog was not a new move, it gained the ability to rid the field of all entry hazards at once. With Flygon's strong resistance to entry hazards, one would assume that Flygon would just adapt to its metagame once more, as it had three times previously, and still remain a solid Pokémon in UU. However, as the XY metagame developed, this simply did not turn out to be the case. The Fairy-type brought the likes of Haxorus, Hydreigon, and even Salamence down to UU, something that nobody could have seen coming at the start of XY. The introduction of more Mega Evolutions in ORAS seemed to make Flygon's fate inevitable. It would take longer than most people expected, but the May tier shifts finally saw Flygon drop to ORAS RU. Although Flygon has only been in the tier for a month, it has already made its presence felt. The RU tier was in great need of a Defog user following the departure of Gligar a few months back, and Flygon provided this. On top of that, Flygon puts the bind on Electric-types in the tier once more, as many are forced to run Hidden Power Ice to avoid getting stopped with ease. Flygon might not be perfect, but its typing, well-rounded stats, and access to Defog make things look promising as Flygon gets used to its new home in ORAS RU.

Flygon's Qualities

Flygon has quite a few unique traits. The most notable for the current ORAS RU metagame would be its access to Defog along with a strong resistance to entry hazards. Flygon is easily the most reliable Defog user in the tier right now thanks to it taking a mere pittance from entry hazards, its access to Roost for reliable recovery, and U-turn to build momentum after it Defogs. With base 100 Attack and base 100 Speed, Flygon is perfectly capable of going on the offensive as well with either a Choice Scarf set, Choice Band set, or an offensive approach to Defog support. Powerful STAB moves in Outrage, Earthquake, and Draco Meteor can make life difficult for many RU Pokémon, and Flygon's access to Fire Blast and Iron Tail serve it well in hitting the common Steel- and Fairy-types that aim to handle its STAB moves. Flygon's 80 / 80 / 80 defenses might not seem all that great, but its typing, access to Roost, and strong resistance to entry hazards make a defensive set perfectly viable.

Flygon isn't without its flaws, however. Base 100 Speed is definitely solid, but it does leave Flygon behind major threats, such as Cobalion, Delphox, and Durant, should it not wield a Choice Scarf. As most sets rely on providing Defog support, it can be hard to fit in Fire Blast or Iron Tail on Flygon's moveset, leaving it vulnerable to top defensive threats, such as Togetic, Bronzong, and Aromatisse. Finally, while not a flaw in the strictest sense of the word, Flygon isn't the only Dragon around in RU. Tyrantrum and Druddigon are other powerful physical Dragon-types that can give Flygon stiff competition when it comes to wallbreaking. This is why defensive Defog and Choice Scarf sets are Flygon's best options in the current metagame, as they provide invaluable support and help to set Flygon apart from these other powerful Dragon-types.

Playing with Flygon

As with any Pokémon that's new to a tier, it may be daunting to try it out without knowing how it fully operates in the current metagame. As of this writing, Flygon has no RU analysis due in part to its newness; however, these are some of the more common sets used by top players in the tier that should give you a good start when it comes to using Flygon on a team:

Flygon @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 116 SDef / 24 Spe
Careful Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Earthquake
- U-turn / Toxic / Dragon Tail

As mentioned previously, two of Flygon's greatest attributes in RU are its access to Defog and high resistance to entry hazards. With the given EV spread, Flygon is capable of quite a few impressive feats defensively. For instance, a +2 Life Orb Houndoom is not able to OHKO Flygon with STAB Dark Pulse. Choice Band Emboar is also incapable of OHKOing this Flygon set with Superpower. The Speed EVs ensure that Flygon can KO Emboar back as well as outspeed Adamant Tyrantrum. This is a very solid set to use on balance teams that need a method of reliable entry hazard control and building momentum. You might be tempted to use Earth Power over Earthquake, but keep in mind that Flygon needs the raw power of Earthquake to beat Emboar and that this set isn't meant to break down opposing walls.

Flygon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- U-turn
- Defog / Dragon Claw / Tailwind

Choice Scarf Flygon is a very reliable option for a revenge killer on more offensive teams. With Base 100 Speed and Attack, as well as a very strong entry hazard resistance, Flygon needs very little support outside of basic wallbreaking that any Choice Scarf user benefits from. Earthquake and Outrage are Flygon's STAB moves of choice here thanks to their high Base Power and solid neutral coverage. U-turn allows Flygon to chip away at its checks and counters early-game to hopefully soften them up for a late-game sweep. Flygon's final slot gives it utility. Defog is the most common option because it can let Flygon provide entry hazard control support late-game should Flygon be unable to clean up but all faster threats are removed. Dragon Claw is somewhat weak, but it does give Flygon a reliable Dragon-type STAB attack to use early-game if it needs to. Finally, Tailwind can be used as a late-game option over Defog. While a bit more situational, Tailwind can give a temporary Speed boost that could let a teammate, such as Hitmonlee, Meloetta, or Houndoom, win the game. With Rotom-C being the next fastest common Choice Scarf user in RU, Flygon is able to afford the use of an Adamant nature. However, if your team has trouble handling less common Choice Scarf users, such as Hitmonlee, Meloetta, and Houndoom, you can utilize a Jolly nature to ensure that Flygon can get the jump on them.

Flygon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Earth Power
- Defog
- Fire Blast

A set that ORAS RU council member, 49, has shown in the spotlight, offensive Defog is one of the rising sets for Flygon in the ORAS RU metagame. This set effectively allows Flygon to wallbreak for its team while still providing the Defog support that sets it apart from the other wallbreaking Dragons of RU, Tyrantrum and Druddigon. Draco Meteor is a strong STAB option considering the heavy Special Attack investment this set uses and the fact that Flygon often lures in physical walls. Earth Power is Flygon's reliable STAB option with the only drawback being that Flying-types and Pokémon with Levitate are immune to it. Defog allows Flygon to remove entry hazards that are troubling to its teammates, but be wary about it removing your own entry hazards as well. Fire Blast is Flygon's only way around Bronzong and it also deals significant damage to Tangrowth and Amoonguss without resorting to Draco Meteor. Iron Tail is literally the only move Flygon has to deal significant damage to Togetic and it can also catch Aromatisse for solid damage, thus making it an alternative option should you not need Fire Blast. The given nature and EV spread is for when you're using Fire Blast, but you will want to use Rash or Naive nature with Iron Tail so its power isn't reduced. Modest is the preferred nature for the power boost it provides Flygon, but Naive is an option if you want Flygon to get the jump on Meloetta and Houndoom. However, do note that most Houndoom run Sucker Punch anyway and this Flygon lacks U-turn to punish a Meloetta switching in. While it is an option, Roost is simply hard to fit on this moveset, as you would either have to give up the utility of Defog or the coverage of Fire Blast and Iron Tail. If you're wanting Flygon to last longer and still provide Defog support, you're better off using the defensive set over this one.

Flygon @ Choice Band
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Iron Tail

While it might seem odd to use Choice Band Flygon when there are two other powerful Dragon-types in RU with higher Attack stats in Druddigon and Tyrantrum, Flygon certainly has its perks over them. Flygon is incredibly resilient to entry hazards, meaning it will usually outlast its checks and counters when played well. On top of this, Flygon's access to U-turn allows it to take advantage of said hazard resilience and play much more aggressively. Finally, Flygon has a much higher Speed tier than Tyrantrum or Druddigon, allowing it to perform better against faster-paced teams. Outrage and Earthquake are Flygon's main STAB moves and its primary sources of damage. U-turn is a great scouting tool for Flygon by virtue of Flygon's great Speed tier and hazard resistance. Iron Tail fills the last slot, as Flygon has no other way to cause significant damage to Togetic, defensive Mega Audino, or Granbull. If coverage on these Fairy-types isn't necessary for your team, you can opt to try Toxic, Dragon Claw, Fire Punch, or even Defog in the last slot instead. Toxic can cripple walls that Flygon can't bypass reliably, such as Alomomola. Dragon Claw gives Flygon a safer Dragon-type STAB move to use early-game. Fire Punch is Flygon's best attack against Bronzong if your team needs it gone quickly. Finally, Defog is an option for removing entry hazards late-game if Flygon has served its purpose, but can't clean up. The EVs and nature allow Flygon to hit as hard and fast as possible. An Adamant nature might seem tempting, but Choice Band gives Flygon the power it needs while a Jolly nature takes advantage of Flygon's great Speed tier for optimal wallbreaking.

Playing against Flygon

There is no 100% counter to Flygon considering that it may be used offensively or defensively. With that being said, Togetic is the safest option against Flygon. Iron Tail is very rare on Flygon and Togetic takes a pittance from all other attacks thanks to Eviolite and its typing. In fact, it's completely immune to both of Flygon's STAB options! Bronzong comes in a close second. Although repeated U-turns and Dragon-type moves can wear it down, it can reliably switch into any move that isn't Fire Blast and proceed to use Toxic on defensive sets or Gyro Ball against offensive sets. Aside from these two, Aromatisse is also a relatively safe switch-in. Repeated Earthquakes from offensive sets can take their toll, but Aromatisse is completely immune to Dragon-type moves, has Wish to keep itself healthy, and doesn't take much from Fire Blast. Although uncommon, Granbull can utilize Intimidate to take negligible damage from most of Flygon's moves. However, Fire Blast and Earth Power can do a fair amount if it isn't careful. Alomomola doesn't care about much of what Flygon has to offer, but it must be careful of being lured in by the offensive Defog set and taking a lot of damage from Draco Meteor. As long as it can avoid Draco Meteor, Alomomola can Toxic stall defensive sets and burn offensive sets with Scald. Mega Steelix takes a lot of damage from Fire Blast, Earth Power, and Choice Band Earthquake, but it resists Dragon-type moves and can take a Fire Blast or Earthquake in a desperate situation. While base 100 Speed is solid, that doesn't mean you can't revenge kill Flygon. Most Choice Scarf users and faster Pokémon, such as Rotom-C, Tyrantrum, Medicham, and Hidden Power Ice Jolteon, have no trouble revenge killing a non-Choice Scarf Flygon. However, be sure that Flygon itself is not holding Choice Scarf before sending in these revenge killers, as most are unable to take on Flygon's STAB moves reliably. Ice Shard users, such as Mega Glalie and Sneasel, can easily pick off Flygon, but have difficulty switching in. Offensive Steel-types, such as Escavalier, Durant, and Cobalion, can come in easily if Flygon locks itself into Outrage too early. The same can be said of Fairy-types. While priority outside of Ice Shard might be somewhat useless against the defensive set, it is definitely useful to pick off offensive sets. Hitmonlee, Houndoom, and Spiritomb are all capable of revenge killing offensive sets. However, Houndoom and Spiritomb can be worked around by using Defog on the offensive Defog set. For this reason, Fletchinder, although uncommon as of this writing, can be very useful thanks to Gale Wings Acrobatics.

Fitting Flygon onto your team

It isn't simple to fit Flygon onto your team, as it requires different support depending on its role. It is one of very few Pokémon in RU that can be used offensively and defensively, so I will separate this into good teammates for each set, as all four main sets generally require different forms of support.

The defensive Defog set works best on balance teams. Sturdy Stealth Rock users are helpful because they might be required to set up Stealth Rock more than once thanks to Defog. Bronzong is the most notable because, despite being a solid answer to opposing Flygon, it actually covers Flygon very nicely defensively. Aromatisse is another solid teammate for Flygon, as Aromatisse enjoys having a defensive teammate capable of recovering its own HP while Flygon enjoys the cleric support that Aromatisse can provide. Offensive teammates that appreciate Flygon's Defog support are also very useful. Delphox, Houndoom, and various Choice item users, such as Rotom-C and Meloetta, can all make use of the Defog support that Flygon provides.

The Choice Scarf set is perhaps the easiest to work with. Choice Scarf Flygon is best used on more offensive teams that may need utility late-game. As such, it generally supports the team rather than the team supporting it. However, should you want Flygon to clean up late-game, answers to Togetic and Bronzong are an absolute must considering that they take next to no damage (or absolutely none in Togetic's case) from Flygon's STAB moves. Steel- and Fire-types are capable of dealing with Togetic rather reliably. Durant, Cobalion, Delphox, and Emboar are all capable of handling Togetic, although they are wise to be wary of Thunder Wave. Bronzong happens to be weak to Fire-type moves, but because it commonly carries Earthquake, it's to abuse its weaknesses to Ghost- and Dark-type moves instead. Scrafty is the most notable answer to Bronzong thanks to its solid bulk and access to STAB Knock Off. Powerful Knock Off users, such as Gallade and Hitmonlee, are also reliable options to quickly wear down Bronzong. A Steel-type of your own can be helpful with dealing with Ice Shard users. The aforementioned Cobalion and Durant work pretty well here. Otherwise, general wallbreakers such as Tyrantrum, Emboar, and Medicham can help wear down opposing teams quickly for Choice Scarf Flygon to finish them off. Remember that Choice Scarf Flygon is more than capable of using Defog, so Pokémon that are weak to Stealth Rock, such as Delphox and Fletchinder, are options to consider should you want Flygon to take more of a supportive role late-game rather than a cleaning role.

The offensive Defog set generally likes to be on offensive teams, but unlike the Choice Scarf set it will usually go down before late-game thanks to Life Orb recoil and the fact that it's much more aggressive in nature. Sweepers that need Steel- and Rock-types removed and have a disdain for Stealth Rock are ideal teammates for this set. Fletchinder fits all of these descriptions, while the likes of Meloetta and SubCM Uxie appreciate Steel-types being softened up or outright removed before they attempt a sweep. Without Fire Blast, an answer to Bronzong would be helpful considering it could just set up Stealth Rock for days if Flygon lacks Fire Blast. Scrafty is a strong option against Bronzong due to its access to STAB Knock Off as well as solid bulk to handle multiple Gyro Balls if necessary. Fire-types, such as Emboar and Delphox can also pressure Bronzong reliably, but they must be wary of Earthquake. Without Iron Tail, Togetic is free to do as it pleases against Flygon considering it's immune to both Flygon's STAB types and takes a mere pittance from Fire Blast. Mega Steelix, Mega Camerupt, Cobalion, and Durant are all solid options to take on Togetic. However, Durant and Cobalion should scout for Thunder Wave first in some way (Cobalion can use Taunt or Substitute while Durant can run Lum Berry or use Substitute) before attempting to set up on Togetic. Finally, a late-game cleaner or sweeper can be useful to pick apart what Flygon leaves behind. Jolteon, Accelgor, Swords Dance Cobalion, and Choice Scarf variants of Rotom-C, Hitmonlee, and Medicham can all do this reliably.

The Choice Band set likes similar teammates to that of the offensive Defog set, but keep in mind that Choice Band Flygon will rarely have the luxury of using Defog even if it carries the move. For this reason, you should focus on using Pokémon that simply appreciate Flygon's wallbreaking potential. Choice Scarf Tyrantrum is especially notable because it shares similar checks and counters with Flygon. Other fast Pokémon, such as Jolteon, Accelgor, Swords Dance Cobalion, and Choice Scarf variants of Rotom-C, Medicham, and Braviary, are other late-game sweeper options to take advantage of Flygon's wallbreaking potential with. A check to most Steel- and Fairy-types is appreciated so Flygon can use its strongest move, Outrage, with fewer concerns. Delphox and Emboar can handle most such Pokémon for more offensive teams while Mega Camerupt is more suitable for bulkier teams. Entry hazard support is also helpful to amplify the effects of U-turn. More offensive teams can turn to the likes of Seismitoad, Qwilfish, and Accelgor for this while bulkier teams will find Mega Steelix, Uxie, and defensive variants of Qwilfish to be more reliable.

Get out there!

Flygon is one of the most storied Pokémon in competitive play. It works well in just about every metagame it has been a part of (based on its tiering at least!). It might have fallen from its glory days of ADV and DPP, but don't let that stop you from using one of the most versatile Pokémon in the current ORAS RU metagame. It provides great support, has a solid typing, and is one of the very best entry hazard controllers the tier has ever seen. Only time will tell if Flygon will remain a serious threat in ORAS RU, but if the past is any indication, it should be a potent top 10 or top 15 threat for the rest of the Generation. So, get out there and try it for yourself!

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