Palkia

Competitive Strategy

Palkia is a Water/Dragon legendary that combines special power with a strong defensive profile. Water STAB pressures Fire, Ground, and Rock targets, while Dragon STAB offers broad neutral damage when Fairy types are controlled. Its 150 Special Attack means even neutral hits can be difficult to absorb, and its 100 Speed lets it pressure slower bulky teams without needing a setup turn. The weakness profile is Dragon and Fairy, both at 2×. Palkia has no 4× weakness from Water/Dragon typing. Water cancels several common Dragon-side problems, so Electric, Grass, and Ice do not become super-effective weaknesses in the standard chart. That makes Fairy and Dragon answers especially important for opponents, because relying on ordinary Water counterplay can fail if Palkia carries the right coverage. To use Palkia well, bring it in against Fire, Water, or Steel pressure and force progress with its STAB combination. Partners that remove Fairy types or pressure faster Dragon attackers help it stay threatening. To counter Palkia, keep a Fairy or Dragon answer healthy, use special walls that can handle its coverage, and force it to take chip before it can repeatedly trade powerful attacks.