Why is hidden power so popular?

Question

I know it can be any type so great coverage but only works on special pokes, low power+no side effects.
So what makes it so popular?

Comments

This is for competitive, right? What format/rules are you playing with?

Answer 1

It's a way of covering weaknesses and other Pokemon you can't cover otherwise.

Take for instance Jolteon. Hidden Power [Ice] is used on it, in order to counter Ground types and Grass types that resist it. Magnezone with Hidden Power [Fire] was quite popular at one point, as it enables it to take out other Steel types that get trapped by Magnet Pull.

It's a surprise.
The opponent doesn't know what type of Hidden Power you're packing. Does that Salazzle have Hidden Power [Grass], or is it Water? It keeps the opponent guessing, and the potential unpredictability makes it useful.

Hope I helped!

Comments

To be honest guessing HP types isn't too hard, Fairies and Grass are going to carry HP Fire, Electric is going to carry HP Ice/Grass, Psychic is usually going to use HP Fighting, etc.

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Fair, but it can occasionally prove useful.

Answer 2

In some cases, certain Pokemon appreciate the ability to get HP coverage of any type when a shallow movepool is taken into account.

A general example was various Electric-Types running Ice Hidden Power to get Garchomp and Landorus down.

A specific example is Serperior, who otherwise has no way to hit Steels on the special side, can run either Fire Hidden Power for Ferrothorn, or Ground Hidden Power for Heatran.

Naturally, the common HP types are Fighting, Ground, Fire, Grass, Electric, and Ice.