Pidgeot, The Bird Pokémon. This Pokémon has a dazzling plumage of beautifully glossy feathers. Many Trainers are captivated by the striking beauty of the feathers on its head, compelling them to choose Pidgeot as their Pokémon. It spreads its gorgeous wings widely to intimidate enemies. It races through the skies at Mach-2 speed. When hunting, it skims the surface of water at high speed to pick off unwary prey such as Magikarp. By flapping its wings with all its might, Pidgeot can make a gust of wind capable of bending tall trees.
Overview
Ah, Pidgeot. This majestic bird has long been one of the most well known and infamous Pokemon of all times… but not necessarily for good reasons. Pidgeot’s evolutionary line has always been the poster child of the generic first-route flying type trend, and for good reason considering how many games utilized it as such. Unfortunately, despite its notoriety due to how common it is (not to mention its meme-status thanks to Twitch Plays Pokemon), Pidgeot has long since been considered one of the more useless flying types in the game. No matter how hard it tried, other birds seemed to outclass it. Dodrio had higher attack and Knock Off, Swellow had blinding speed and better abilities, Staraptor had more power, better abilities, and the coveted Close Combat, and Fletchling ended up evolving into the priority-abusing Talonflame. Despite being given an extra 10 speed in the transition to Gen 6, it seemed as though Pidgeot would forever be outclassed at anything it tried… until OR/AS came along and decided to mix things up by giving Pidgeot a Mega Evolution. As a result, Pidgeot finally had something to make itself useful… but its base form is still very terrible. If you're using Pidgeot, you need to be using Pidgeotite along with it. Standard Pidgeot is still awful, and has very little (if anything) to justify using it without its Mega Evolution.
Positives
+Base 101 speed is pretty good, narrowly edging out the average of base 100.
+It has access to some decent moves such as Defog, Brave Bird, Roost, and Hurricane.
+Its Mega Evolution is pretty good, finally giving it a new lease on life.
+Its hairdo is incredibly slick.
Negatives
-Base 80 attack and base 70 special attack are not particularly impressive, especially since so many other flying types outclass it offensively.
-83/75/70 defenses are not that great, so it can’t take a lot of hits.
-All three of its abilities suck and tend to be almost entirely useless.
-A weakness to Stealth Rock limits the number of times it can switch in.
-There is no real reason to use this thing if you’re not using its Mega Evolution. Seriously, there’s nothing it can do that another Pokemon can’t do better. DON’T USE STANDARD PIDGEOT!
Abilities
Keen Eye: Opponent cannot lower this Pokémon’s accuracy. The Pokémon ignores evasion boosts of the opponent. - Keen Eye is pretty much useless, because accuracy reducing moves are rare to the point of never being used. Plus, if you’re gonna Mega Evolve Pidgeot (which you should be!), it gets No Guard, which takes accuracy out of the equation.
Tangled Feet: Pokémon’s evasion raises one level when Confused. - Tangled Feet is also pretty useless, because not only is Confusion rare, but when you actually do get confused, your best bet is usually to switch out, lest you get screwed by bad luck, which in turn gets rid of the raised evasion. So you’ll probably never see this ability do anything, and even if it does, it’s still pretty bad.
Hidden Ability (Available):
Big Pecks: Its defense cannot be lowered. - You’re probably tired of hearing this, but Big Pecks is also pretty useless. Defense lowering moves are also very rare, barring chance occurrences on things like Crunch. You’ll probably never see this ability do anything.
Movesets
Bird is the Word
-Brave Bird
-Return
-U-Turn
-Quick Attack
Item Attached: Choice Band
Ability: Keen Eye / Tangled Feet / Big Pecks
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
You really don’t want to use standard Pidgeot given how its Mega Evolution outclasses it entirely. That said, if for some reason you become possessed to use Pidgeot in a way that it’s Mega Evolution doesn’t do better, this is the only set. Given Mega Pidgeot can only hold its Mega Stone, a Choice Band set is literally the only thing that standard Pidgeot can do that Mega Pidgeot doesn’t morbidly outclass it at. That said, numerous other flying types outclass Choice Band Pidgeot regardless, so it’s still pretty bad and should never be used in a serious match. Nevertheless, it's the best standard Pidgeot can hope so, and this set is pretty straightforward. Brave Bird is its strongest STAB, with its solid base 120 power. Return is its secondary STAB, and although it’s less powerful than Brave Bird, it also lacks the recoil as well, and can hit Electric types that resist Brave Bird pretty hard. U-Turn can be decent for momentum; if you expect an obvious switch, you can use it to chip in a little damage on whatever switches in, and then switch an appropriate counter. Quick Attack has niche usage, in that its priority being backed up by Choice Band’s power can pick off a weakened target in a pinch. In general though, it sucks being locked into it, so only use it if you have to.
The nature and EVs are extremely self explanatory. A Jolly nature and max speed let you outspeed base 100’s and anything below, while the attack EVs maximize your damage output. The last 4 EVs are put in defense rather than HP to minimize stealth rock damage. Its ability honestly does not matter either, since none of its abilities are very good. You’ll probably never get any effect from any of the abilities, so which you choose is largely irrelevant. Again though, I must reiterate that standard Pidgeot is pretty bad and you probably shouldn’t even consider it without its Mega Stone.
Other Options
Steel Wing can hit Rock types who otherwise wall Pidgeot for super effective damage, but getting locked into it sucks given how many common types resist it, such as Water, Fire, Steel, and Electric.
Pursuit can be used to try and trap certain psychic types or ghost types, but if they stay in it’s not especially powerful, since it's outdamaged by neutral Brave Bird, and getting locked into it sucks.
Hurricane is a powerful special attacking option, but Mega Pidgeot does it better in every conceivable way, so there’s no reason to use it on standard Pidgeot.
Heat Wave, much like Hurricane, is outclassed entirely by Mega Pidgeot using it. Don’t use standard Pidgeot as a special attacker if you’re not going to Mega Evolve it.
Defog is tempting since it’s great for hazard control, but you’re probably better off using a bulkier bird that can afford to switch in and can take hits when blowing away hazards. Pidgeot is just too frail to be your primary means of hazard control, and it needs a Choice Band to have any chance of doing respectable damage.
Roost, like Defog, is one of those options that's generally good, but since Pidgeot is so frail, other Pokemon take advantage of it better... including its Mega Evolution! And once again, it tends to need a Choice Band to do decent damage, which Roost doesn't work well with.
Double & Triple Battle Options
In everyone's first playthough of Pokemon R/B/Y after watching the first few episodes of the Anime, was there anyone who didn't capture and raise a Pidgey? That said, never use standard Pidgeot in a Double Battle so this set isn't serious at all
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-Mirror Move
- Sand Attack
- Quick Attack
- Sky Attack
Item Attached: Helix Fossil
Ability: Keen Eye / Tangled Feet / Big Pecks
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
This is your best bet for any Pidgeot. This Pidgeot aided well over 170,000 people in a very chaotic and challenging adventure throughout the Kanto Region. Helix Fossil generally gives good advice, so there's no harm in letting Pidgeot hold it. Mirror Move is for when you skillfully dodge a Choice Specs Hydreigon Draco Meteor just to fire one back at them for the game winning KO. Sand Attack will lower opponent's accuracy giving you more opportunity to skillfully dodge potentially fatal attacks to follow up with Mirror Move. Your opponent may find themselves asking "Why am I hitting myself?" Quick Attack is great STAB Priority in case your opponent was holding Sash or something silly. Sky Attack is for Shedinja, who won't use a Ghost type move because of Pidgeot's natural immunity won't hurt Pidgeot, more than likely it'll attack with X-Scissor which, even through Mirror Move, won't get through Wonder Guard.
Pidgeot's best partners would be partners who resist Rock, Electric and or Ice, while being able to hurt those types of Pokemon severely. Surf Nidoking comes to mind, but Lapras isn't a bad pick either. Go with your heart on this one.
The downside of using Pidgeot is that really should avoid taking attacks altogether.
Countering Pidgeot
Pretty much any rock or steel type walls standard Pidgeot entirely. Even ones that aren’t especially good give it trouble. Bronzong, Doublade, Magneton, Registeel, Rhyperior, Tyrantrum, Kabutops, Klinklang, Probopass, Regirock, Rhydon, Steelix… seriously, most rock and steel types counter Pidgeot so easily that it’s barely worth the time I’m taking to list them all off. Physically bulky Pokemon like Weezing or Torkoal have no problem shrugging off Pidgeot’s attacks can burning it to cripple it. Since its bulk isn’t great, any strong rock, electric, or ice type attack can usually quell it pretty easily. Fast users such as Cinccino, Heliolisk, Jolteon, etc. can check it in a flash without much fear of retaliation, but watch out when switching in since they all tend to be a bit frail. Since the bird is Stealth Rock weak, putting the rocks up early limits the number of times it can switch in. Honestly, standard Pidgeot is pretty bad and countering it is not a difficult endeavor.
Overview
Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… no, wait. I was right the first time, it is a bird. But what a majestic bird it is! Thanks to getting a Mega Evolution, Pidgeot finally became able to soar through the skies without fear of getting its wings clipped by anything and everything. Getting a fantastic new speed tier is nice enough as it is, but Mega Pidgeot completely reinvents Pidgeot; no longer does it have to worry about competing with the myriad of physical flying types that have outclassed it for generations, as its Mega Evolution went ahead and pumped up its special attack to great levels, and gave it No Guard so that it can throw out perfectly accurate Hurricanes with reckless abandon. However, it’s not all good news for Mega Pidgeot. Although its Mega Evolution ramped up its special attack stat, it did nothing for its special movepool, making it woefully shallow and predictable. Many of the problems that the standard form have are still present in the Mega Evolution as well, such as as Stealth Rock weakness and below average bulk. It’s also got the never-ending competition for the single Mega Evolution slot on a team, so in formats where more Mega Evolutions are usable, it often finds itself edged out by more potent Mega Evolutions. Still though, for what it’s got, Mega Pidgeot certainly manages to carve a niche for itself. And considering how useless standard Pidgeot is, having a solid niche is a welcome improvement!
Positives
+Base 121 speed is very fast, leaving it tied with Tornadus Therian as the 28th fastest Pokemon. This lets it outspeed a huge number of relevant unboosted Pokemon, and even outspeed some of the slower Choice Scarf users such as Tyranitar and Magnezone.
+Base 135 special attack is also very good, putting it on par with powerful special attackers like Alakazam and Darkrai.
+No Guard allows Mega Pidgeot to spam perfectly accurate Hurricanes, which with its high power, solid coverage, and 30% chance to confuse, can put a lot of pressure on switch-ins.
+It’s got access to a few decent moves such as Heat Wave, which allows it to nail steel types who might otherwise be able to take Mega Pidgeot’s STAB, and U-Turn, which combined with Mega Pidgeot’s high speed allows it to grab momentum with ease.
+It has access to Roost and Refresh, which gives it reliable recovery and status healing to extend its longevity.
+Its new hairdo is also slick!
Negatives
-Its special movepool is horribly shallow, making it predictable. Its viable special attacks include only Hurricane, Heat Wave, and Hidden Power.
-Although its base 135 special attack is certainly respectable, the lack of being able to hold an item might leave it hitting less hard than you’d expect.
-Stealth Rock continues to be a thorn in its side, stripping it of 25% of its HP upon every switch-in.
-Base 83/80/80 defenses are still awfully average, meaning it can’t take too many hits.
-No Guard works both ways, so Stone Edge, Thunder, or other inaccurate moves that get aimed at Mega Pidgeot will always hit it.
-Two of its viable options, Work Up and Refresh, are illegal in Nintendo formats that require Gen 6 native Pokemon, since these two moves can only be obtained in past generations.
-It has to start out as standard Pidgeot, which can be harder to switch in due to worse bulk, and it has to endure a worse speed tier on its first turn.
Abilities
No Guard: The accuracy of all moves known by this Pokémon and all Pokémon targeting this Pokémon raises to 100%. - No Guard is great for Mega Pidgeot’s Hurricane, because with accuracy taken out of the equation, it’s a base 110 power attack with a 30% chance to confuse and no downsides, making it very spammable. It only wishes it got more attacks that took advantage of it (why no Focus Blast, Game Freak?). Though you do need to be wary of the fact that your opponent’s attacks will become perfectly accurate as well, so don’t expect to be saved by a timely Stone Edge miss. That said, this is but a minor inconvenience at best, and ensuring that your best STAB never misses is more than worth it.
Movesets
Rock you like a Hurricane
-Hurricane
-Heat Wave
-U-Turn
-Roost/Hidden Power (Grass)
Item Attached: Pidgeotite
Ability: No Guard (Tangled Feet/Big Pecks on Pidgeot)
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
This is it, Mega Pidgeot’s bread and butter, and the set you will see it using most often due in part to the fact that it has so few other options. Hurricane is the crux of this set, and it is the move you will be spamming most of the time. A perfectly accurate flying STAB with base 110 power and the naturally good coverage that flying STAB provides is fantastic as it is, but it also comes with a respectable 30% chance to cause confusion. This makes it even more spammable, as many switch-ins are put at an instant disadvantage if they get confused. Heat Wave compliments Hurricane’s coverage by dealing with the steel types who otherwise might try to wall you, and although the accuracy doesn’t benefit as much from No Guard as Hurricane did, you at least don’t have to worry about those untimely misses that can happen about 10% of the time under normal circumstances. U-Turn tends to be important for Mega Pidgeot, as it can allow it can allow it to scout and steal the momentum on obvious switches. Given Pidgeot tends to attract Rock and Electric types, it can easily U-Turn on a predicted switch to an appropriate counter, usually forcing a double-switch. Or, if you really want to stick it to the Rock and Electric types, you can partner Mega Pidgeot up with Dugtrio, who when brought in by a U-Turn against a switch, can end up trapping and disposing of said Rock and Electric types with little to no resistance so that Mega Pidgeot can clean house later on. Roost can be used to offset the Stealth Rock damage and any other damage you might be taking, thus increasing Mega Pidgeot’s longevity. Although the above listed moves will serve you pretty reliably most of the time, you can opt for Hidden Power over Roost to increase Mega Pidgeot’s coverage. Hidden Power Grass is preferable in formats where Mega Pidgeot is common, to hit one of its worst nemeses in Rhyperior who otherwise resists all of Mega Pidgeot’s other moves and is bulky enough to only be 5HKO’ed by Hurricane. Do note though that even with Hidden Power Grass, Mega Pidgeot will still only be 2HKO’ing your standard Rhyperior, meaning you need to either catch it on the switch, or have some decent prior damage on it. As a side note, if you’re using Mega Pidgeot in less restrictive formats, you can opt for Hidden Power Ground to try and hit Heatran or Hidden Power Fighting for Tyranitar, but let’s be fair; in less restrictive environments there’s a lot more competition for the Mega Evolution slot and you may not find yourself using Mega Pidgeot, and you also have teammates to deal with them as well.
The nature and EVs for this set are self explanatory. The focus is to maximize Mega Pidgeot’s speed and Special Attack, with the Timid nature preferring speed to capitalize on its fantastic speed tier. The remaining 4 EVs go into defense rather than HP to minimize Stealth Rock damage. With regards to abilities, much like standard Pidgeot, it really doesn’t matter what you pick because they’re all pretty useless, and since you’ll be Mega Evolving anyway, you deal with the useless ability solely on a switch. Keen Eye is the most useless of its abilities though, given No Guard turns accuracy into a non-factor. It’s moot point either way; you always want to be Mega Evolving ASAP, so the ability won’t matter in the long run. There are no exceptions; Mega Evolve as soon as you can.
Work ‘em to the Bone
-Hurricane
-Work Up
-Refresh
-Roost
Item Attached: Pidgeotite
Ability: No Guard (Tangled Feet/Big Pecks on Pidgeot)
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
And here we have something a little more atypical. It may seem like a risky move to have a set with just a single attack, and in many ways, it is, since without Heat Wave you put yourself more at risk from Steel types. As a result, this set tends to be a little gimmicky. However, this set is able to get around some of Mega Pidgeot’s more passive checks who may try to stall it out with status. Do note, though, that this should not be your first choice when using Mega Pidgeot.
Before I go more into this, I should note that this set is illegal in Nintendo formats which require Gen 6 native Pokemon, due to the fact Work Up can only be obtained via a Gen 5 TM, and Refresh is only available as a special move from Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness. As a result, you’ll want to save this for simulators or other formats without the Gen 6 native restriction.
As with any Mega Pidgeot set, Hurricane is your primary attacking option simply because a perfectly accurate base 110 STAB with a 30% chance to confuse is just really, really good. Flying STAB is pretty spammable given only Electric, Rock, and Steel types resist it, with relatively few rock or electric types being viable, which is one of the reasons why this mono-attacking set can even work at all. However, despite sets with more attacks having a bit better coverage, this set makes up for it with Work Up. Although the attack boost of Work Up will be going to waste, it remains Mega Pidgeot’s only way of boosting its special attack. Poor Mega Pidgeot would’ve killed for Nasty Plot or Calm Mind. Nevertheless, it has to make due with what it has. Work Up can make it so specially bulky Pokemon who don’t resist Hurricane may find themselves unable to take the boosted attacks; even a single boost can make its already powerful Hurricanes nasty to take. The combination of Refresh and Roost allows Mega Pidgeot to keep itself healthy against those that may try to beat Mega Pidgeot with status. Refresh will cleanse Mega Pidgeot of any status effects, while Roost will offset the damage it accumulates.
The nature, EVs, and ability are all absolutely standard, and are identical to the previous set, with the emphasis being to maximize speed and special attack, while minimizing stealth rock damage. Again though, I would like to emphasize that this set should not be your first choice when using Mega Pidgeot, as the previous set will usually serve you more reliably.
Other Options
Defog may seem tempting for its hazard clearing prowess, but Mega Pidgeot would usually rather focus on offense, and leave the Defogging to bulkier Pokemon.
Tailwind can be an interesting option for team support, although finding time to use it can be tricky. You can either use it on an obvious switch and then U-Turn out, or it can be a useful last resort when you know you’re going to get KO’ed regardless, and saving Mega Pidgeot by U-Turning out wouldn’t be worth it, since whatever you bring on following Mega Pidgeot being KO’ed will have its speed doubled.
Hyper Beam is a truly horrible attack overall due to the recharge turn basically affording your foe a free turn to do anything they want, but for Mega Pidgeot, it can be an incredibly situational last resort nuke. If you’re in a do-or-die situation, you can opt for STAB Hyper Beam to hit things for some pretty hefty damage (especially the electric types that resist Hurricane). Even if it doesn’t KO them, if you get KO’ed, the recharge turn won’t matter. That said, if it does KO them, you’re stuck with the recharge turn, which can be a very, very bad thing since they can easily revenge kill Mega Pidgeot, set up, etc.. Hyper Beam is still pretty bad and I would not recommend it.
Double & Triple Battle Options
If you're ready to be serious then so am I. The only Pidgeot you'll see in competitive play will be holding Pidgeotite. I used to think that Mega Pidgeot would rip the Doubles/Triples environment to shreds, and then I remembered that Hurricane is only SINGLE TARGET. Could you imagine if Hurricane hit multiple Pokemon with that NASTY 30% confusion rate? Unfortunately Mega Pidgeot isn't much better than its non mega counterpart, I'm tempted to say the two should stay away from serious battles, BUT here is a set to try out.
Big Bird
-Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- Hyper Beam / Swagger
- Protect
Item Attached: Pidgeotite
Ability: No Guard (Tangled Feet on Pidgeot)
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 SATK/ 252 Speed / 4 HP
Timid / Modest Nature
No Guard would have been a neat ability for Pidgeot if it had more moves with shaky accuracy to use with it like Focus Blast or Inferno, and then Hurricane doesn't hit multiple targets. No Guard may even be a liability considering that Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Blizzard and Thunder are 100% accurate against Mega Pidgeot. 100% Accurate Hurricanes outside of Rain are Pidgeot's claim to fame. Much like Contrary Super Power for Malamar. One doesn't need to worry about unfortunate Heat Wave misses though. Hyper Beam takes advantage of Pidgeot's Normal STAB but should be used when Pidgeot is about to faint or needs to get a crucial KO. Swagger can win you games you had no business winning, but you can only get there reliably if it doesn't miss when that moment arrives. No Guard takes care of that. Protect is so Pidgeot can safely transisiton into base 121 speed.
Mega Pidgeot may find itself on a few funky Skill Swap teams, but generally its best partners will deter its weaknesses. Landorus seems a great pick as long as you've a Pokemon or two who can take on Ice types.
Mega Pidgeot falls short mainly because No Guard usually benefits the opponent more than it benefits Pidgeot. There are safer ways to ensure 100% Accurate hurricanes without taking up a Mega Slot for your team. And there's always Talonflame for speedy Brave Birds. So! Until Pidgeot's moveset expands for the better, don't expect to see too many when battling.
Countering Mega Pidgeot
Countering Mega Pidgeot can be a little tricky due to the 30% chance of confusion that Hurricane brings, because even if you have the perfect counter, there’s always a chance that the confusion’s dumb luck will cause everything to backfire. But luck aside, a few Pokemon stand out in particular in settings where Mega Pidgeot is most used that deal with Mega Pidgeot with ease. Rhyperior’s rock typing and great bulk due to Solid Rock allows it to resist everything barring the uncommon Hidden Power Grass, and easily 1HKO it with Rock Blast or Stone Edge (although the former can miss out on the 1HKO if it gets unlucky with only two hits). Even if Mega Pidgeot does have Hidden Power Grass, Rhyperior still checks it, as Hidden Power Grass only 2HKO’s. Eelektross’s Assault Vest set stops Mega Pidgeot pretty well, as it has bulk enough to only be 4HKO’d at best, while its Volt Switch or Thunderbolt can 1HKO (although the former needs Stealth Rock to consistently net the 1HKO). Just watch out as it can be worn down over time if you’re not careful. Specially defensive Cresselia can work to an extent against the first set, although it tends to lose to Work Up sets. Specially defensive Lanturn and Eviolite Rhydon can work against Mega Pidgeot as well, but they’re not great Pokemon on their own, and fitting them onto a team can be difficult. Checking Pidgeot can be equally tricky, because its high speed makes it difficult to outpace for all but a few non-Scarfed Pokemon. Jolteon stands tall as a check, because with its base 130 speed tier and Electric STAB, it can pick off Mega Pidgeot or force it out. Rotom-C can check Mega Pidgeot, since its popular Scarf Set can pick off Mega Pidgeot with Thunderbolt, but thanks to its Grass typing, it has a hard time switching in. Tyrantrum can 1HKO Mega Pidgeot with Stone Edge, and its Scarf set outspeeds Mega Pidgeot, but it has to be wary since Hurricane can 2HKO it if it's not careful. If Stealth Rock is up, Mega Pidgeot can be a little easier to check. Thanks to losing Ľ of its HP on the switch, things like Scarfed Moltres can take a giant chunk of Mega Pidgeot’s HP with Fire Blast or Hurricane, 1HKOing it if Stealth Rock is up, and Scarfed Braviary’s Brave Bird does largely the same. That said, both have trouble switching in, especially due to their own Stealth Rock weaknesses as well.
If you’re using Pidgeot in less restrictive formats, though, then it runs into a few more problems. Specially defensive Heatran can be an immovable object for any Mega Pidgeot lacking Hidden Power Ground, and its access to Taunt and Roar can make any Mega Pidgeot who thinks it’ll set up Work Up think twice. Tyranitar works just as well; between its typing, bulk, and Sand’s special defense boost, it fears nothing but the rare Hidden Power Fighting, and it has no problem picking Mega Pidgeot off with Stone Edge. Mega Tyranitar is in the same boat, and can set up a Dragon Dance as it usually forced Mega Pidgeot out. Standard Zapdos is bulky enough to survive a few Hurricanes, only being 4HKO’ed, can Roost off the damage, and can 1HKO more often than not with Thunderbolt. Assault Vest Raikou is in the same boat, only being 4HKO’ed at best, while Raikou 1HKOs with Thunderbolt. It can be worn down due to lack of recovery, though. Rotom-W and Mega Ampharos also don’t mind its attacks so much, and can hit back hard with their electric STAB attacks. Aerodactyl and Mega Aerodactyl are both able to outspeed Mega Pidgeot, and can soundly 1HKO with Stone Edge, while only being 3HKO'ed at best by Hurricane and having Roost to shrug off prior damage. Just watch out for Stealth Rock damage though, which can turn Hurricane's 3HKO into a 2HKO. When checking Mega Pidgeot, many of the faster Scarf users can outspeed it, but it’s speed tier allows it to outspeed slower Scarfed Pokemon like Magnezone and Tyranitar. Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Terrakion can all check it with Stone Edge on their Scarf sets, and thanks to No Guard untimely misses on Stone Edges won’t be a concern. Kyurem-B’s Scarf Set also has no problem picking it off, as Fusion Bolt cleanly 1HKO’s. Assault Vest Azumarill can work in a pinch as well, as it is only 3HKO’ed by Hurricane, while it 2HKOs with the combination of Play Rough and Aqua Jet. This should not be your first choice, however, as Azumarill will be left very nearly dead. Goodra’s Assault Vest set also works, albeit a little better than Azumarill’s, due to its supreme special bulk only allowing for Hurricane to 4HKO. Mega Pidgeot also doesn’t resist any form of priority except the already rare Shadow Sneak, so a weakened Mega Pidgeot can be picked off by most powerful priority users. Mamoswine and Weavile are notable for hitting Pidgeot for SE damage with their priority Ice Shards, but they fall a little short of the 1HKO, so they need prior damage and/or Stealth Rock to secure the KO. Choice Band Talonflame can pick off Mega Pidgeot in a hurry, with an Adamant Brave Bird 1HKOing a full health Mega Pidgeot half the time. Other priority users such as Azumarill, (Mega) Scizor, and Conkeldurr can work in a pinch if you’ve got a very weakened Mega Pidgeot, but they should be reserved for a last resort as they typically only take about half its HP at most, and can get wrecked by Hurricane or Heat Wave in retaliation. In the end though, Mega Pidgeot’s not terribly bulky, so most strong neutral STABs can 2HKO it, especially due to that Stealth Rock weakness. Getting those rocks up ASAP helps, because Mega Pidgeot tends to pivot out frequently with U-Turn if it has a bad matchup, meaning that Stealth Rock damage will add up.
Locations in Games
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Trade from FireRed/LeafGreen/XD
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Evolve Pidgeotto
Colosseum/XD:
Evolve Pidgeotto(Colosseum)
Trade from FireRed/LeafGreen(Colosseum)
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Evolve Pidgeotto
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Evolve Pidgeotto
Black/White:
Evolve Pidgeotto (White)
Trade from White (Black)
Black 2/White 2:
Trade from White
X/Y:
Evolve Pidgeotto
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Evolve Pidgeotto
Animé Appearences
