Giratina, The Renegade Pokémon. A Pokémon that is said to live in a world on the reverse side of ours. It appears in an ancient cemetery. Giratina loses its legs upon changing into this form. I believe this Pokémon must hail from a world where the heavens and the earth are as one, though I have no way of proving it.

Overview

Giratina reprises its roles from previous generations as a stalwart wall or bulky attacker thanks to the stances offered by its Altered and Origin Forms enabling it to fit on more teams depending on team needs. Titanic HP and a bevy of resistances are the source of that bulk giving Giratina numerous opportunities to switch in and wreak havoc. A wide support move courtesy of its Ghostly and Draconic natures ensures that Giratina Altered can hinder a wide range of threats thanks to Will-O-Wisp and Toxic. Giratina-Origin enjoys its extremely spammable STABs in Hex, Draco Meteor and the newly added Poltergeist due to the excess of Psychic and Dragon type legendaries.

However, Giratina’s forms are more defined by how the game has changed around them. Giratina-Altered detests the new additions in both Calyrex’s, Zacian, and Eternatus thanks to all of them preying on its weaknesses preventing it from tanking effectively. Giratina-Origin is happy to see most of these new threats who are mutually weak to it and thus able to force opponents into a situation where they must take considerable damage because they have no safe switch ins. Both forms suffer serious competition from Lunala, Marshadow and Calyrex-Ghost who can often perform their roles better, but Giratina possesses a versatility that prevents it from completely fading to obscurity.
Positives
Massive 150 HP and numerous resistances and immunities give both forms numerous opportunities to switch in.
Base 120 Defenses and access to moves like Will-O-Wisp, Roar and Toxic make Giratina-Alter a frustrating wall to break and synergizes well with Pressure.
Base 120 Offenses with the rarely resisted Ghost STABs boosted by the Griseous Orb enable Giratina-Origin to deal considerable damage on both ends of the spectrum.
Negatives
Lack of reliable recovery means that both forms are worn down quickly.
Ghost Dragon has numerous weaknesses that are easily preyed upon, preventing Giratina from taking as many hits as it would like.
Low Speed means that Giratina will often take a hit before doing anything, further compromising its bulk.
Giratina lacks any boosting moves, preventing the Origin form from breaking past bulky targets.

Movesets

Altered Alcazar

-Will-O-Wisp
-Defog
-Rest
-Hex
Item Attached: Heavy Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature

Giratina Altered makes for a perennial wall and Defog abuser, able to switch in on many Stealth Rock setter’s attacks (namely Groudon, Landorus-T and Necrozma-DM), Defog in their face and hinder them with Will-O-Wisp. Rest gives Giratina-A longevity and prevents it from being ruined by a surprise Toxic from a target it normally walls. Hex rounds out the set, synergizing well with Will-O-Wisp, and preventing Giratina-A from being complete Taunt bait. Pressure synergizes well with this set, quickly draining PP from many low PP moves as well as making attempts to reestablish Entry Hazards more costly, making Defog more effective as well.

DYNAMAX:
As Giratina-Altered is wholly passive, you are better off Dynamaxing another Pokémon. .

EVs and Items:
Max HP and Defense to make Giratina-A as bulky as possible on the physical side. This is necessary despite Will-O-Wisp as most Stealth Rock setters are physical attackers, so better for Giratina-A to take a hit, and its best partner is Blissey, so a physical spread compliments Blissey’s Specially Defensive tendencies much better. If not running Blissey, a Special Defense spread can be considered. Heavy Duty Boots is necessary so Giratina isn’t ravaged by the Entry Hazards it is trying to remove and forced to Rest early. If you’d rather save Heavy Duty Boots for something else, Leftovers gives continued longevity, while Chesto Berry gives one free Rest.

Other Options:
Toxic -better for Specially Offensive targets and overly bulky ones.
Thunder Wave -provides valuable Speed Control and a missed turn enables Giratina-A to tank for longer
Roar/Dragon Tail -prevents Setup Sweepers from setting up in Giratina-A’s face. Dragon Tail is the Taunt proof version, but doesn’t stop Geomancy Xerneas.
Sleep Talk -prevents Giratina-A from being dead weight while Asleep

Partners:
Blissey makes a fantastic partner, able to pass massive Wishes and Aromatherapy that keep Giratina-A healthy over a long game, and able to nullify Ghost attacks while Giratina-A does the same for Fighting and Physical attacks, making a decent core. Xerneas and Zacian pivot into the Dragon and Dark moves Giratina fears and can take out the offending Pokémon, while Giratina provides more setup opportunities thanks to Will-O-Wisp and keeps them healthy by preventing Entry Hazards from sticking. Necrozma-DM is a reliable option to block Fairy, Dragon and Ice moves while setting up Stealth Rock that synergizes well with Roar and the switches that Giratina forces. Other Steel types like Ferrothorn can fill this role as well, as can Toxapex bar the Dragon pivot.

Antimatter Abomination

-Poltergeist
-Shadow Sneak
-Stone Edge
-Defog
Item Attached: Griseous Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Giratina Origin is a wholly bulky attacker, able to switch in on the likes of Necrozma-DM, Lugia, and Landorus and proceed to smash them with its potent STAB Poltergeist. Shadow Sneak is another fantastic tool that assuages Giratina-O’s speed woes, enabling it to pick off weakened targets as well as get the jump on Calyrex-S for a brutal OHKO. Stone Edge is valuable for all the Flying types legendaries, especially for its ability to smash Ho-oh, a difficult wall for most teams and catching Yveltal by surprise on the switch in. Defog gives Giratina-O utility to the team and with Levitate it is a natural Defogger, thanks to not being weak to Stealth Rock, it can get away without not needing Heavy Duty Boots (aside from the mandatory Griseous Orb for Giratina-O)

DYNAMAX:
Giratina-O makes for a decent Dynamax Pokémon. Its natural base 150 HP becomes ludicrous with the Dynamax Boost and Max Phantasm enables Giratina-O to smash through physical walls like Groudon thanks to its Defense drops while both Max Phantasm and Max Rockfall bypass the issues of Poltergeist and Stone Edge/

EVs and Items:
Standard Sweeper Array. Max Speed is recommended to outspeed Kyogre, Ho-oh and uninvested Yveltal. Your only item is Griseous Orb. More bulk may be considered if not overly concerned about Kyogre.

Other Options:
Dual Wingbeat -a potential option for dedicated Dynamax sets, enabling Giratina-O to patch up its lackluster speed. However, Max Knuckle is locked to Aura Sphere and Rock Smash, thus forcing Giratina to rely on Max Phantasm to scale its offense and still leaving a vulnerability to dedicated walls post Dynamax.
Thunder Wave -a powerful Speed Control option for Giratina-O, that can enable it to beat Pokémon that otherwise check it on the switch.
Will-O-Wisp -Punishes Groudon who is otherwise a free switch on this set. In fact, the possibility of Will-O-Wisp may send the Groudon running.

Partners:
Xerneas can pivot into the Dragon and Dark moves Giratina fears and can take out the offending Pokémon as well as its special prowess complimenting Giratina-O’s physical, able to take out Physical Walls that Giratina can’t. Kyogre answers Ice moves and blasts any dedicated Physical Wall with its powerful Special Attacks. Other special sweepers can excel at this role as well, though most of the remaining ones stack weaknesses with Giratina-O. Yveltal stands out for being able to pivot into other Ghosts and Buzzwole and take them out, while Giratina-O acting as a Defogger takes pressure off of Yveltal, enabling it to perform other roles.

Draconic Malediction

-Will-O-Wisp/Thunder Wave
-Hex
-Draco Meteor
-Shadow Sneak
Item Attached: Griseous Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature

Giratina Origin can also run a special attacking set effectively, leveraging its typing and Levitate to repeatedly switch in and leave holes in the other team. Will-O-Wisp/Thunder Wave and Hex make for a potent combo -if your opponent switches out to a check for Giratina-O, you can hinder them on the switch and either smack them with a boosted STAB or swap out to a team mate to take advantage. Draco Meteor is also a potent option, harshly punishing predicted Yveltal switch-ins as well as being able to nuke targets instantly without needing to setup with Hex. Shadow Sneak rounds out the set, enabling Giratina-O to pick up KOs on weakened targets.

DYNAMAX:
This set is not recommended to Dynamax. Giratina-O can’t effectively scale up while Dynamaxing making it a poor choice. However, Giratina-O’s massive HP, being able to boost up Hex without status and avoiding

Other Options:
Thunder -Punishes Ho-oh, Yveltal and Kyogre, but Draco Meteor does outdamage it.

Partners:
Zacian can pivot into Dragon and Dark moves and its physical offense complements Giratina-Origin’s special attacking prowess. Necrozma DM can pivot into Ice and Dragons moves, offers speed control (and status) with Thunder Wave, sets up Stealth Rock, and can carry Stone Edge to lure and punish Ho-oh and Yveltal. Dialga can perform this role as well with Power Gem.

Countering Giratina

Xerneas is a solid answer to Giratina, either using it as setup fodder or clearing away its status with Aromatherapy. Giratina has no answers for Chansey or Blissey aside from making them waste Aromatherapy/Heal Bell PP. Dark types are also extremely problematic for Giratina, walling the Ghost STAB moves it is usually spamming, though some Dark types like Tyranitar dislike burns and few like switching into a STAB Draco Meteor from the Origin form. Many of the opposing Ghost and Dragon types, while unable to switch in directly, can easily revenge KO Giratina with their STABs, thanks to many being faster and Giratina’s tendencies to tank hits.

Anime Appearences

Giratina made a few appearances. Most notably, it appeared to attack Dialga and Palkia. # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics M11 Giratina & The Sky Warrior Giratina & The Bouquet of the Sky - Shaymin Pics M12 Arceus & The Jewel of Life Arceus - Towards Conquering Space-Time Pics 616 Try for the Family Stone! Misdreavus, Murkrow & the Dusk Stone! Pics 641 Dealing With a Fierce Double Ditto Drama! Ditto - Transformation Battle! Which One Is It That's Real!? Pics M18 Hoopa & The Clash of Ages The Archdjinni of the Rings: Hoopa Pics