Dialga VGC Guide
Roar of Time Steel-Dragon Doubles · Origin Forme Analysis
Regulation I Dual-Restricted | Steel/Dragon | Base SpA 150 | Telepathy Ability
Form Comparison
Dialga (Standard)
High physical bulk; suited for defensive builds that tank physical hits
Dialga-Origin
Higher SpD; Telepathy avoids partner Earthquake; the preferred form in Reg I
EV Spread Recommendations
Special Nuke (Choice Specs)
ModestMax SpA + Max HP. Roar of Time under Specs OHKOs most targets; switch out resets the recharge turn.
Bulky Control (Assault Vest)
SassyAssault Vest boosts SpD survivability; Sassy nature lowers Speed for Trick Room. Flash Cannon + Dragon Pulse for sustained pressure.
Trick Room Core
BraveMax Atk physical set (Iron Head + Dragon Claw); under Trick Room base 90 reverses against most fast opponents.
Move Analysis
Signature Dragon Special — user cannot act next turn (switch out resets). Nearly nothing survives under Choice Specs.
Steel STAB hitting Fairy types (Zacian, Grimmsnarl). 10% SpD drop chance. Reliable sustained damage in doubles.
Reliable Dragon Special with no recharge penalty. Primary move against opposing Dragon-type restricteds.
Covers Incineroar (weakness) and Steel-types; fills the gap Flash Cannon leaves against Ground targets.
Standard doubles Protect; mandatory on non-Choice sets to preserve turns.
Tera Type Options
Boosts Flash Cannon STAB; gains Fairy and Poison immunity, removes Dragon weakness — the most versatile Tera option
Boosts Roar of Time / Dragon Pulse damage; best for full offensive sets
Gains Dragon immunity and Fighting resistance; loses both STAB bonuses — defensive pivot option
Removes Steel’s Fire weakness; useful against Groudon sun-heavy teams
Recommended Partners
Electric Terrain + Dialga’s Flash Cannon cover Fairy-types; Miraidon adds speed and Electric firepower Dialga lacks.
Ice Rider sets Trick Room; Dialga-Origin sweeps at low speed. Both cover Fairy-types, complementing resistance gaps.
Intimidate protects Dialga; Fake Tears lowers SpD to boost Roar of Time; Fake Out buys Dialga a free turn.
Spore shuts down back-row threats; Rage Powder redirects attacks during Roar of Time’s recharge turn.
Key Battle Tips
After Roar of Time, Dialga must recharge next turn — standard Choice Specs play is "Roar of Time → switch out → switch back in" to avoid wasting the recharge turn.
Origin Forme Telepathy lets the partner use Earthquake freely — Dialga + Garchomp or Dialga + Groudon (Precipice Blades) are common combinations where Dialga tanks while the partner sweeps.
Dialga’s Steel typing grants 10 resistances (Normal, Grass, Ice, Flying, Rock, Steel, Dragon, Fairy, Bug, Poison) — making it one of the most resilient restricted Pokémon for pivoting into threatening moves.