• Hi all. We have had reports of member's signatures being edited to include malicious content. You can rest assured this wasn't done by staff and we can find no indication that the forums themselves have been compromised.

    However, remember to keep your passwords secure. If you use similar logins on multiple sites, people and even bots may be able to access your account.

    We always recommend using unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication if possible. Make sure you are secure.
  • Be sure to join the discussion on our discord at: Discord.gg/serebii
  • If you're still waiting for the e-mail, be sure to check your junk/spam e-mail folders

Altaria Discussion

Haru Glory

Rave Master
334Altaria_Dream.png


Dragon/Flying

Stats

HP: 75
Attack: 70
Defense: 90
Sp. Attack: 70
Sp. Defense: 105
Speed: 80

Abilities

Natural Cure: Any status on this Pokèmon is healed upon switching. Altaria's best ability IMHO.
Cloud Nine (DW): While this Pokèmon is on the field, all weather effects are negated. Cool, but not useful as much as NC. Avoid this in any weather team.

Weaknesses: Ice (x4), Rock (x2), Dragon (x2)
Resistances: Fire, Water, Grass, Fight, Bug
Immunities: Ground

As we can see, Altaria's strong points are Defenses, making it a great staller. Also, with this Gen, he has gained a brand new move, that makes him more bulkier as it could be: Cotton Guard.
What it does? +3 Defense.
What it means? Two turns = Max Defense.

Also, has a nice Speed that lets him setup with no worries.

As for the attacking powers, has some nice moves for each side, having Dragon Claw/Rush, Earthquake, even Pursuit could be viable, that's for the Physical side; Dragon Pulse, Ice Beam and Flamethrower from the Special side.
Has a reliable recovery move in Roost, and can Haze the field to avoid sweepers doing their job, spread some status with Sing/Toxic + Roar, or even suck their health with Sing + Dream Eater.

Here are some sets!

Bulkiness inside

Altaria @ Leftovers
Calm, Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SpD
- Cotton Guard
- Dragon Pulse
- Toxic
- Roost

A mix of some sets I mentioned above. A Calm nature grants the max Sp. Defense, comboed with Cotton Guard = Awesomeness. Dragon Pulse is your reliable STAB attacking move, to not be blocked by Taunt. Toxic gives status, and Roost helps with stalling.

Double Setup

Altaria @ Muscle Band
Adamant, Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Atk/252 SpD/4 Spe
- Hone Claws
- Cotton Guard
- Dragon Rush
- Earthquake

As the name says, this set works on both power and bulk. Muscle Band gives a little boost without being locked in a move. Hone Claws gives +1 Attack and +1 Accuracy, boosting Dragon Rush's accuracy and Earthquake. Cotton Guard boost Defense to gargantuan levels.

Special Attacker - Mixed Bulk

Altaria @ Wise Glasses
Modest, Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA/252 SpD/4 Spe
- Cotton Guard
- Dragon Pulse
- Flamethrower
- Hyper Voice

Again, both power and bulk are settled here. Wise Glasses has the same use of Muscle Band. Cotton Guard boost defense, Dragon Pulse is the obligatory STAB move, Flamethrower covers Ice weakness and adds coverage, same for Hyper Voice. Sadly, this Pokèmon doesn't have any Sp. Attack setup move.

Dragon Dancer

Altaria @ Muscle Band
Adamant, Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw/Outrage
- Earthquake
- Aerial Ace

Dragon Dance boosts Attack and Speed. Dragon Claw if you want to stay sure, or Outrage if you want more power, but a Confusion. EQ is always EQ, lovely. Aerial Ace as secondary STAB, unfailable, and great move overall.

Many other sets could work, with moves in the likes of Sing + Dream Eater, Haze, even a Perish Song + something with Shadow Tag/Arena Trap combo.

Post you thoughts! :)
 

Zachmac

Well-Known Member
Double set-up/special attacker could also use leftovers. Dragon dance could use roost or cotton guard rather then aerial ace. It could also use fire blast for coverage, even though it is a special attack.

Cotton gaurd's main problem is phazers, but also the only reason to use it over dragonite/mence.
 

Exeggator

Psychic Mastermind
Special Attacker - Mixed Bulk

Altaria @ Wise Glasses
Modest, Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA/252 SpD/4 Spe
- Cotton Guard
- Dragon Pulse
- Flamethrower
- Hyper Voice

Again, both power and bulk are settled here. Wise Glasses has the same use of Muscle Band. Cotton Guard boost defense, Dragon Pulse is the obligatory STAB move, Flamethrower covers Ice weakness and adds coverage, same for Hyper Voice. Sadly, this Pokèmon doesn't have any Sp. Attack setup move.

Dragon Pulse does ALWAYS more damage than Hyper Voice when used by a Dragon-type Pokémon.
 

Zachmac

Well-Known Member
Dragon Pulse does ALWAYS more damage than Hyper Voice when used by a Dragon-type Pokémon.
That's a good point, unless for some reason you're fighting in Ubers and for some reason keep altaria in on dialga.

Give it roost, it will be convenient for a bulky set.
 

Ilan

Well-Known Member
That's a good point, unless for some reason you're fighting in Ubers and for some reason keep altaria in on dialga.

Give it roost, it will be convenient for a bulky set.

dragon to steel/dragon= neutral
normal to steel/dragon= 1/2 damage
still better in conclution= useless move unless used on meloetta which wont change type with relic song (I mean a meloetta which wont be used for switching forms) and no one else... (and still melloetta use the relic song for breaking walls which is better...)
dragon pulse is better in all means... just use hidden power for something... I guess ground if in OU (somehow) for heatran or HP ice for gliscor or HP grass for gastrodon,swampert,quagsmire and other pokemon weak to it.
or like you said roost
altaria can use perish song too to force switches
it can use a specs set in RU can be really good with Hidden power ground,draco meteor, dragon pulse,fire blast
 

Eranu™

Well-Known Member
Altaria is a great wall in UU.
I always like to run a bulky DD set on this poke, though it isn't mentioned in the 1st post.
 

Ninja Dewott

Ice Cold Fire


Bulkiness inside

Altaria @ Leftovers
Calm, Cloud Nine
EVs: 252 HP/4 Sp.Atk/252 SpD
- Cotton Guard
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
- Roost

A mix of some sets I mentioned above. A Calm nature grants the max Sp. Defense, comboed with Cotton Guard = Awesomeness. Dragon Pulse is your reliable STAB attacking move, to not be blocked by Taunt. Toxic gives status, and Roost helps with stalling.​
With the small changes I've put in bold, this is the set I like to use. I use it as a weather counter, so flamethrower is for excadrill, the only weather sweeper that resists toxic.
 

Zachmac

Well-Known Member
^But there is no STAB. Besides, why use altaria in OU when there is dragonite?

Altaria is for lower tiers.
 

Ilan

Well-Known Member
^But there is no STAB. Besides, why use altaria in OU when there is dragonite?

Altaria is for lower tiers.

altaria is one of the 3 cloud nine the other ones being golduck and licky^2 with golduck being weak and slow and licky^2 being at the same place as altaria more or less (but being bulckier) this ability cancels weather (yeah rayquazas ability with other name) it is really good especially for teams and pokemons who rely on the weather.
seeing the OU of today of excadrill and tyranitar being the most common (ferrothorn is #1 but those 2 come after) so it have it's niche although even then altaria can't outspeed excadrill but the +3 in defence will do the job
 

The Jock

Banned
Altaria sucks, and Cloud Nine is useless, just use TTar, Toed, Aboma, Hippo or Ninetales for weather control, that or pull a Tabloo. As Zachmac said, it's easily outclassed by Dragonite, and it's bad in general, so I doubt it will see usage if DNite is banned.
 

Zachmac

Well-Known Member
^But that's also what lower tiers are for. Why else would we have so many?

altaria is one of the 3 cloud nine the other ones being golduck and licky^2 with golduck being weak and slow and licky^2 being at the same place as altaria more or less (but being bulckier) this ability cancels weather (yeah rayquazas ability with other name) it is really good especially for teams and pokemons who rely on the weather.
seeing the OU of today of excadrill and tyranitar being the most common (ferrothorn is #1 but those 2 come after) so it have it's niche although even then altaria can't outspeed excadrill but the +3 in defence will do the job
Both they can smash it's head in with rock attacks, also. Rain teams can easily ice beam it. It can stop sun I guess....Hold on, Dragonite does that to.

Rather then having a specific weather counter, try making a team that can fight weather without relying on a specific pokemon.
 

Fortunato

Sic Transit Gloria
Altaria is an interesting mon, she has some qualities that seperate her from dragon brethren, namely being pretty bulky and having access to a pretty wide support movepool. Now all the dragons have this but Altaria is one of the few that actually successfully pulls it off. Sure in OU Dragonite outclasses her in terms of being a dragon, but Altaria has a niche of her own in cloud nine. With useful resistances to fire and water she could potentially cause problems. It would be smarter to just run your own weather, but thats not what this discussion is about.
 

AlexielSolarin

New Member
Altaria's got that niche with Cloud Nine, yes, but in OU, if you want to counter weather, bring your own weather. It's almost certain that a weather team has a counter to Altaria in their arsenal, even if they don't expect it - Excadrill can run Stone Edge and it has a higher base Speed than Altaria anyway, so it could just pull off the potential OHKO before Altaria could put up Cotton Guard. Cloyster can also outspeed Altaria after Shell Smash and OHKO it with Icicle Spear. Not to mention any other Pokemon with priority attacks that could revenge kill it or Pokemon with phazing attacks like Dragon Tail that would just knock Altaria out of the ring and restore the weather immediately afterwards.

The long and short of it is that Altaria's good for weather manipulation in UU or lower. It can negate opposing weather and set up either Rain or Sun for your own team, which has to rely on the weather TMs in UU or lower. Using a Cloud Nine Altaria in OU is risky at best, and functions more like a general annoyance than a serious contender. I'm not hating on it for being a UU/NU Pokemon, I really do think that Altaria's got potential, but it's got the potential in the UU/NU tiers. There are just too many other Dragons in the higher tiers that do a much better job, and Ice Beam, Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Blizzard, Outrage and Dragon Claw are everywhere in OU.
 
Top