Groudon, The Continent Pokémon. Said to have expanded the lands by evaporating water with raging heat. It battled titanically with Kyogre It had been asleep in underground magma ever since it fiercely fought Kyogre long ago. Groudon is said to be the personification of the land itself. Legends tell of its many clashes against Kyogre, as each sought to gain the power of nature.
Overview
The flagship legendary of Ruby, Groudon debuted as a powerhouse Pokémon being the only one that could induce Sunny Day with Drought. With great base stats, Groudon has been a staple of the Ubers metagame but was overshadowed by its opposite Kyogre till it gained its Primal form, becoming one of the most defining Pokémon in Ubers.
Positives
Stats - Groudon had good stats in all the right places making it a top contender for physical tank in Ubers. This on top of Groudon's monstrous Attack means that it forces a lot of threats out and can apply a lot of offensive pressure.
Drought - Groudon is the best Drought user in game being resistant to Stealth Rocks. While the bar is low and Groudon has a hard time maintaining Drought with Primal Kyogre, Primal Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza it's a major part of standard Groudon's niche.
Negatives
Outclassed - There is no reason to use Groudon anymore with Primal Groudon since it does everything Groudon does better. This is further accentuated by Primal Groudon not taking the mega slot so you can use a mega it makes it hard to find a reason to use normal Groudon on a competitive level.
Abilities
Drought - Induces Sunny Day on switching in - A fantastic ability as it helps patch Groudon's Water weakness and supports some powerhouses in Ubers such as Kyurem White and Rayquaza
Movesets
Heat Rock
-Stealth Rock
-Precipice Blades
-Toxic
-Lava Plume
Item Attached: Heat Rock/Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs and Nature:
252HP/56Def/200SpDef
Relaxed Nature
Groudon's niche in Ubers is being the best sun inducer in the game. Resistance to Stealth Rocks and being fairly tanky, Groudon stays around awhile. Precipice Blades is a strong STAB option, still hitting things hard with no attack investment while Lava Plume is there for burn chances but Smack Down or Rock Tomb can be used instead. Toxic puts big threats on a timer such as Primal Groudon, Arceus, and Lugia. Finally Stealth Rocks because it's a fantastic utility tool.
Other Options& Partners
Ho-Oh - Resisting Rock threats and providing sun support, Ho-Oh becomes a terrifying threat. Groudon also can bring in some threats Ho-Oh can slap with Flame Charge or just pivot into such as Lugia and Lunala as not much wants to take a sun boosted Sacred Fire.
Venusaur - Similar to Ho-Oh but higher risk. Venusaur is the best Chlorophyll sweeper and access to Growth further helps. While Venusaur has a harder time boosting on checks for Groudon, especially since Kyogre cancels sun, getting it in is hard but if you can score a Growth Venusaur will be a huge threat late game.
Countering Groudon
Kyogre - Changing the weather and being just really bulk, Kyogre and as such Primal Kyogre are excellent answers to Groudon. Precipice Blade does hit pretty hard and Kyogre should be wary but not as hard as Primal Groudon's so it's a safer option.
Toxic - Toxic does a good job stopping Groudon as it lacks a form of recovery. This means that it will be easy to just wear down Groudon and make it hard to sponge hits it needs.
Groudon, The Continent Pokémon. Through Primal Reversion and with nature's full power, it will take back its true form. It can cause magma to erupt and expand the landmass of the world.
Overview
With a Red Orb, Groudon gains 100 points more to its base stats and becomes one of the defining Pokémon in Ubers. Primal Groudon is an immensely flexible and powerful Pokémon making it very hard to answer as it can be a tank, a defensive pivot, a wallbreaker, or a sweeper. This means that it's hard to really figure out the set until Groudon does something and even then there's a lot of overlap in moves
Positives
Stats - Gaining 100 points more on its base stats, Primal Groudon becomes a monster boost amazing defense and attack as well as a nice buff to its Special Attack making mixed or special options actually viable unlike its standard form.
Ability - Desolate Land is an amazing ability. Negating all water moves is huge for Primal Groudon's durability as it stops things such as Arceus Water and normal Kyogre from answer it. This also allows Primal Groudon to now switch into Kyogre without fear something it had to be wary of before while Kyogre still has a hard time due to Primordial Sea not stopping Precipice Blades.
Negatives
Speed - Still a big issue, 90 base is ok but not really good. This means Primal Groudon can be revenge killed but some common threats such as Mega Salamence, Arceus, and Landorus.
Typing - This more a minor con but the gained Fire typing makes Primal Groudon easier to wear down as it now takes neutral from Stealth Rocks. This also means Primal Groudon gains a ground weakness meaning it can check itself.
Abilities
Desolate Land - On switch in turns the weather to harsh sunlight, preventing water attacks and providing Sunny Day benefits. Weather changes on switch out or Primordial Sea/Delta Stream is activated - Amazing ability, this removes Groudon's Water weakness and benefits its newfound Fire typing. The only downside is that it stops when Primal Groudon switches out unlike Drought on Groudon.
Movesets
Physical Wall
-Stealth Rock
-Precipice Blades
-Overheat/Lava Plume
-Toxic
Item Attached: Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs and Nature:
252HP/56Def/200SpDef
Relaxed Nature
With tank base stats, Primal Groudon is an amazing physical wall. Precipice Blades is the primary move of the set, still chunking threats with Groudon's massive attack stat. Overheat is a secondary option to hit flying threats but Lava Plume can be used to fish for a Burn. Toxic beats tanky checks to Groudon such as Lugia and Ho-oh. Finally Stealth Rocks cause Groudon is great at setting hazards.
Special Attacker
-Stealth Rock
-Precipice Blades
-Overheat
-Toxic/Hidden Power Ice/Rock Tomb
Item Attached: Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs and Nature:
180HP/252SpAtk/76Speed
Mild Nature
Gaining a boost to its Special Attack, Primal Groudon can take the role of a mixed pivot very well. Overheat is a must here to just decimate some switch ins such as Celesteela and Skarmory. Precipice Blades covers the physical side so Blissey and Chansey can't just sponge Groudon. Stealth Rocks are just a fantastic utility option and Groudon doesn't have a huge need for other coverage more than it wants rocks. Toxic can be used last to cripple Lugia and Lunala while Hidden Power Ice can OHKO Zygarde C who's a common switch in or Rock Tomb can be used to slow threats and hurt Ho-Oh.
Swords Dance
-Stealth Rock
-Swords Dance
-Precipice Blades
-Rock Tomb/Stone Edge
Item Attached: Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs and Nature:
144HP/156Atk/56SpDef/152Speed
Adamant Nature
With Swords Dance, Primal Groudon acts similar to Garchomp in OU guarantees Stealth Rocks and can just swing into an offensive roll with Swords Dance. Precipice Blades hits really hard and after Swords Dance can secure a lot of 2HKOes. Rock Tomb is strong as it makes threats slower than itself while Stone Edge can just secure more KOes on switch ins.
Other Options & Partners
Smack Down - A good option to catch Flying threats on the switch in and makes the vulnerable to Precipice Blades. Rock Tomb is better in some sets and for specific threats such as Mega Salamence.
Rock Polish/Swords Dance - Average Speed makes Rock Polish an option to turn Primal Groudon into a terrifying attacker while Swords Dance secures a lot of 2HKO and OHKO making it very hard to answer as it can just break slower threats. Both can be used together like Landorus Therian and gives some flexibility based on the opponents team style (Swords Dance for defensive teams, Rock Polish for faster teams) unless you can pull off both then it's probably over.
Necrozma Dusk Mane - Necrozma Dusk Mane synergizes well with most Primal Groudon sets, being able to pivot into some of the answers to Primal Groudon such as Arceus Dragon and Giratina while being able to give up Stealth Rocks or pressure the opponent's team with Stealth Rocks on both.
Countering Primal Groudon
Dragons - Most Dragons in Ubers can pivot into Primal Groudon as they all resist Overheat and some such as Mega Salamence and Rayquaza are immune to Ground moves. Giratina is one of the best as normal form is very tanky, can rest off Toxic from defensive Groudon or phase out boosting ones and hit it with Toxic. Origin form can just pressure Groudon's low special defense with powerful Draco Meteors. Arceus Dragon is also good with its bulk and recovery but has a harder time than Giratina with defensive sets. Finally Mega Salamence just pressures offensive Groudon and will lose to defensive sets but needs to be wary of Rock Tomb on switch in.
Toxic - No recovery options means that Primal Groudon gets crippled with Toxic, especially defensive sets. This can also be good for the offensive sets but boosting sets will care a bit less because Swords Dance Groudon just OHKO or 2HKOes the whole tier.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in Game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in Game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Cave of Origin (Ruby)
Terra Cave (Emerald)
Trade from Ruby/Emerald (Sapphire)
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Trade from Ruby/Emerald
Colosseum/XD:
Trade from Ruby/Emerald
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Trade from SoulSilver
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Embedded Tower (SoulSilver)
Trade from SoulSilver (HeartGold)
Black/White:
Transfer from Generation IV
Black 2/White 2:
Transfer from Generation IV
X/Y:
Trade from Omega Ruby
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Cave of Origin (Omega Ruby)
Trade from Omega Ruby (Alpha Sapphire
Sun/Moon:
Trade from Ultra Sun
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Ultra Space Wilds (Ultra Sun)
Trade from Ultra Sun (Ultra Moon)
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in Game
Animé Appearences
