Dialga, the Temporal Pokémon. It has the power to control time. It appears in Sinnoh-region myths as an ancient deity. This Pokémon is spoken of in legend. It is said that time began moving when Dialga was born. This Pokémon is revered as a deity in Hisuian legend. The birth of Dialga was what caused the vast river of time to begin flowing in our world. Radiant light caused Dialga to take on a form bearing a striking resemblance to the creator Pokémon. Dialga now wields such colossal strength that one must conclude this is its true form.
Overview
Dialga, the lord of time has always struck a fearsome presence. Base 150 Special Attack is insane, and Dialga’s coverage is vast, giving it superb coverage on top of the wide neutral coverage its STABs give. Dragon Steel is potent defensively too, giving Dialga a whopping 9 Resistances with only 2 weaknesses. Couple this with impressive base 100 HP and good defenses and Dialga passes for a Juggernaut, able to tank mighty hits and deal them out in turn. And it can use that hit taking ability to good effect, not only dealing damage, but setting up Stealth Rock, crialgag with Thunder Wave, or phazing with Dragon Tail and Dialga becomes an unpredictable foe.
However, Dialga has never found itself in such a time as hostile as this one. Koraidon and Miraidon are everywhere, and both are more than capable of eating Dialga alive given the chance. Their prevalence has also caused a surge of Ground types like Arceus Ground, Ting-Lu, Landorus-Therian and Clodsire, making Dialga’s life even more difficult. Even worse, Dialga faces stiff competition with several other Dragons, including the Miraidon as an offensive juggernaut and Eternatus as a defensive Dragon, since the latter has the reliable recovery that Dialga sorely lacks. Dialga’s Origin form does not address these issues, offering a slight boost to Special Defense, but at the cost of locking out Dialga’s item slot from items that would increase its bulk. Dialga’s Speed is an issue too. So many fast legends and threats have been introduced that Dialga is continuously forced to rely on its bulk, the bulk that can no longer hold against the opposition. Dialga is a titan among Pokémon, but the legends in Paldea have brought Dialga low.
Positives
Base 150 Special Attack is amazing, and the coverage Dialga possesses leave few truly safe targets from its assaults.
Dragon Steel typing is impressive, offering a wide array of resistances and coupling well with Dialga’s great HP and good defenses.
Good support movepool, enables Dialga to fulfill several roles
Negatives
Common Ground and Fighting weaknesses prevent Dialga from capitalizing on its bulk.
Dialga’s bulk, while impressive, still does not prevent it from being OHKOd by many popular legends
Lack of reliable recovery drastically impacts Dialga’s ability to repeatedly take hits.
Below Average 90 Speed leaves Dialga outstripped by many threats.
Origin Form’s increase in bulk doesn’t make up for the loss of an item slot.
Movesets
Dialga Double Time
-Draco Meteor
-Flash Cannon
-Ice Beam
-Fire Blast
Ability: Pressure
Item: Choice Scarf
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Choice Scarf Dialga is a terrifying revenge killer, patching up its poor speed and taking advantage of its fantastic coverage to devastate the opposition. Dialga stands out from most other Choice Scarfers by not being especially vulnerable to priority, leveraging its fantastic Steel Dragon typing to tank Extremespeeds, Ice Shards and Sucker Punches. Draco Meteor is incredibly powerful, not only annihilating the Raidon's and Eternatus, but also anything that isn't incredibly Specially bulky or a Steel or Fairy type. Arceus Fairy and Flutter Mane are not safe answers for switching into Flash Cannon will force them to switch out or be KO'd. Ice Beam gives Dialga a spammable option against the many Ground types running around while also covering potential Dragon targets without dropping Dialga's Special Attack. Fire Blast rounds out the set, enabling Dialga to hit the Steel types that resist the rest of its set, including the terrifying Zacian Crowned while taking advantage of the frequent Sun Groudon and Koraidon setup.
Tera Types:
Tera Dragon is recommended, pushing Dialga's Draco Meteor to terrifying levels of power even ripping holes into opposing Steel types. Tera Steel can be considered if you are very concerned about Flutter Mane and Arceus Fairy, enabling Dialga to OHKO the former and do the same to the latter after Stealth Rocks and 1 layer of Spikes. Tera Fire is another niche option but enables Dialga to tank Zacian Crowned's STABs better while OHKOing with Fire Blast.
EVs and Items:
As with many offensive Pokémon, Max Speed and Special Attack are recommended. Dialga desperately needs to outspeed as many targets as possible to be an effective revenge killer, and to reach as many KOs as possible, its Special Attack needs to be boosted in turn. If not going for a revenge killer set, other items may be considered. Choice Specs offers pure wallbreaking power, while the Adamant Orb is a compromise, giving a boost to Dialga's STABs while not locking it into a single move.
Partners:
Giratina Origin is a fantastic partner for Dialga, often taking advantage of the Ground and Fighting moves Dialga lures in for a free switch and using Defog to clear hazards so Dialga isn't ruined by the constant switching around. Crippling attackers with Will-O-Wisp and potential Scarfers with Thunder Wave just makes Dialga's job all the easier. Giratina in turn likes Dialga eliminating opposing Dragon types that can eviscerate it.
Groudon is another fantastic partner to Dialga, its entry hazard chipping foes into range where Dialga can safely pick up a KO. Groudon in turn loves Dialga for its ability to pivot into Kyogre, able to endure its rain boosted attacks and 2HKO back with either Draco Meteor (after Stealth Rocks + Spikes) or Thunder.
Other Options:
Dragon Pulse -great with Dragon Tera, this is a reliable STAB option that doesn't weaken with use and given the lack of Fairies and Steel types, this is safe to double down on Dragon STABs.
Thunder -great if Kyogre sets up the Rain and immensely punishing against Kyogre and the infrequent Corviknight.
Earth Power -hits a rather eclectic group of threats including Miraidon, Eternatus Clodsire, Zacian Crowned and Iron Treads, irrespective of weather for the latter two.
Steel Beam -a Steel STAB on par with Draco Meteor for power, but Dialga losing half its health upon use makes it incredibly vulnerable afterwards.
Return to Origin
-Stealth Rock
-Thunder Wave
-Dragon Tail
-Draco Meteor
Ability: Pressure
Item: Adamant Crystal
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature
Dialga’s Origin form offers superior Special Defense at the cost of some attack and its item slot, enabling Dialga-Origin to best exercise its defensive profile while providing support for its team. Stealth Rock is an excellent move to throw out, guarantee chip damage on the opposition throughout the match, while Thunder Wave provides excellent disruption, crippling many faster attackers reliant on their speed to excel, making them easier pickings for Dialga-Origin’s teammates. Dragon Tail fits well with this set, enabling Dialga-Origin to wrack up Stealth Rock damage and spread even more Paralysis. Draco Meteor rounds out the set, ensuring Dialga-Origin isn’t entirely passive and threatening the numerous Dragons it must contend with.
Tera Types:
Tera Fairy is a fantastic defensive Tera for Dialga-Origin, enabling it to resist Koraidon’s Fighting STAB, and complete blank the Scale Shot it uses to setup as well as the Draco Meteor and Dynamax Cannon Miraidon and Eternatus use to threaten Dialga-Origin, who easily OHKOs all of them back with Draco Meteor if your opponent guesses wrong. Tera Ghost is another popular option giving outright immunity to Fighting Attacks. Tera Flying is a niche option, giving Dialga resistance to Fighting and Immunity to Ground, but at the cost of being wholly unable to tank both of Miraidon’s STABs.
EVs and Items:
Max HP and Defense are to make Dialga-Origin as bulky as possible, since there are several excellent special walls it likes to pair up with. Or if you want Dialga Origin to be specially defensive to better handle Kyogre while another partner picks up the slack physically, that is an option too. Speed investment is also worth considering if not running Trick Room. Dialga speed ties with Groudon and very nearly so with Landorus-Therian who doesn’t always run max Speed, so Speed investment may be the difference between Dialga eating a huge Earthquake and being compromised or OHKOing them back with Draco Meteor. Item is locked to Adamant Crystal since we want to take advantage of Dialga-Origin’s extra Special Defense, though normal Dialga can run this set to similar effectiveness with Leftovers for badly needed passive recovery or Heavy Duty Boots to avoid entry hazard damage.
Partners:
Clodsire and Eternatus both make excellent partners for defensive Dialga-Origin, spreading Spikes, Toxic Spikes and Toxic that Dialga-Origin likes exploiting with Dragon Tail. Their ability to handle Fairy and Steel types that this Dialga can struggle to fit the moves to address is also greatly appreciated. In turn, Dialga-Origin readily absorbs the Psychic attacks that can give these Pokémon pause as well as being a physical wall to their special.
Kyogre also enjoys Dialga Origin’s defensive presence, enjoy the Thunder Waves it throws around for Speed control, giving Kyogre a leg up against the many faster Pokémon they both contend with as well as Dialga-Origin’s excellent ability to absorb Electric and Grass attacks that give Kyogre trouble. Kyogre in turn washes away the many Ground types that harry Dialga-Origin.
Other Options:
Trick Room -Dialga’s Base 90 is now considered slow for Ubers which is great news for using Trick Room, especially with powerful Trick Room users like Calyrex Ice Rider and Ursaluna to abuse the flipped speed.
Steel Beam -prevents Fairies from being a free switch into Dialga, but the cost of half of Dialga’s health makes this more akin to Explosion when Dialga has already done its job.
Doubles and VGC Options
While restricted Pokémon aren’t currently available in VGC, when looking to the future Dialga’s prospects look grim. As with the past several generations, Dialga struggles to stand out amongst the many other restricted Pokémon whose abilities and presence warp the battlefield around them. While Dialga can mimic this with Trick Room, it is far from the best abuser of Trick Room, despite the natural synergy Telepathy brings. Add in Dialga’s troubling matchups with Groudon, Miraidon and Koraidon, all of whom enable powerful Paradox Pokémon on top of being massive threats themselves, and Dialga not only struggles to stand out from the crowd but is brutally beaten back by it.
Room of Time
-Trick Room
-Protect
-Dragon Pulse
-Flash Cannon
Ability: Telepathy
Item: Adamant Crystal
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Def
Modest Nature
Dialga acts as a Trick Room setter and general attacker with this set, excelling on TailRoom teams that use both Trick Room and Tailwind to gain advantage against opponents who only use one or the other. Dialga’s speed tier is perfect for this, outslowing plenty of vicious targets like the Raidons, Chien-Pao, Urshifu, and Flutter Mane outside of Trick Room and outspeeding them when Tailwind is setup. Protect is there as the best move in Doubles, enabling Dialga to scout for moves, stall out effects like Screens and opposing Tailwind and Trick Rooms. Dragon Pulse and Flash Cannon round out the set, with Dialga’s STABs hitting many massively important targets in the format like the Raidons, Flutter Mane, Chien-Pao, Grimmsnarl, Roaring Moon and more.
Adamant Crystal is for bolstering Dialga’s STABs and Special Defense. Max HP and Special Attack are recommended as usually for a Trick Room Pokémon, but Modest nature so Dialga can outspeed targets like Miraidon and Koraidon in Tailwind. Tera Ghost is strongly recommended here, not only Protecting Dialga from Urshifu’s and Koraidon’s Fighting STABs, but also making it Immune to Fake Out, enabling ease of setting up Trick Room.
Other Options & Partners:
Safety Goggles -Amoongus is a massive headache for Dialga in Trick Room, so protection against Spore and Rage Powder is invaluable.
Thunder -Dialga’s historic niche is that it can stomach Kyogre’s attacks, so having Thunder to counter Kyogre never hurts.
Tornadus -a “Tailwind” of a TailRoom team and naturally synergistic with Dialga, able to pivot into Fighting and Ground attacks while threatening both with Flyng STAB and Icy Wind
Ursaluna -massive Trick Room abuser and loves Dialga’s Telepathy enabling it to fire off Earthquakes without repercussions.
Sinistcha -another Pokémon that enjoys both Trick Room and Tailwind, pivots into Dialga’s weaknesses and offers badly needed healing with Hospitality.
Countering Dialga
Blissey tends to excel against offensive sets -while the rare Specs Draco Meteor can threaten a KO if Blissey is significantly chipped, Blissey otherwise walls offensive sets all day and prefers the Thunder Wave of defensive sets to the Toxic and Toxic Spikes of other Pokémon. However, Blissey is not a fast KO and can be forced out with Dragon Tail. Ting-Lu also has the sheer bulk Blissey does to tank and threaten with Earthquake, while ignoring Thunder Wave but the lack of recovery makes switching into Dialga repeated painful. Clodsire also has the special bulk, Recovery, immunity to Thunder Wave and STAB Earthquake but must be wary of Ice Beam or Earth Power.
Defensive sets often struggle against Fairy types like Zacian, Arceus Fairy and Flutter Mane due to Dialga struggling to find room for Steel STAB, while being unable to phase them out with Dragon Tail. However, none of them like being hit with Thunder Wave and if Dialga is running Steel Beam, can be ruinous for them.
Revenge killing is surprisingly viable given Dialga’s famed typing and Bulk. Koraidon and Miraidon both reliably OHKO offensive sets with Fighting STAB and Draco Meteor respectively, and even defensive sets can be OHKOd with very little chip damage. However, both Koraidon and Miraidon must be wary of a sudden Terastalization, as Dialga will OHKO them with Draco Meteor regardless of set if they fail to KO. Arceus Ground is another naturally faster attacker who has the sheer bulk and recovery to shake off Draco Meteor, though it can’t OHKO defensive sets without entry hazards.
Dialga is quite vulnerable to being worn down despite its bulk due to lack of recovery. It will fall sooner rather than later.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in game
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in game
Colosseum/XD:
Not in game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Spear Pillar
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Sinjoh Ruins
Black/White:
Transfer from Generation IV / Dream Radar
Black 2/White 2:
Transfer from Generation IV / Dream Radar
X/Y:
Trade from Alpha Sapphire
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Soaring in the Sky (Alpha Sapphire)
Trade from Alpha Sapphire (Omega Ruby)
Sun/Moon:
Trade from Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Ultra Space Wilds
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game
Sword/Shield:
Dynamax Adventures
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl:
Spear Pillar
Legends: Arceus:
Temple of Sinnoh
Scarlet/Violet:
Transfer through Pokémon HOME
Anime Appearences
