What is a good moveset for Altaria?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Altaria, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Altaria Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

This mega is so fun.

Altaria @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Frustration / Return / Façade
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
- Earthquake / Heal Bell / Substitute

This thing is deadly after it sets up a Dragon Dance, which it can easily do with great defenses and typing that gives a lot of resistances with the handy Dragon immunity. Not too many things out there can take a +1 Pixilated Return or Frustration, much less at +2. Roost is to heal off damage with your surprisingly good bulk despite being uninvested. Earthquake is excellent coverage that hits what Return can't (especially Heatran), but Heal Bell or Subsitute can be used if you hate status.

(99% sure that ORAS is out. I'm going to assume it's safe to post movesets now.)

Comments

I think if you max out S.Def and split Atk and S.Atk with the remaining 4 going into Spd, you can get great coverage as well as great defense. Change dragon dance to cotton gaurd, and earthqauke to flamethrower, and you have boosted return, w/ flamethrower for coverage, and a tank that can defend against phys. And non-phys. Attacks while healing itself. Plus no damge from dragon-type attacks

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Facade is kinda situational, so I'd say Return/Frustration is better for this beast.

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what would be another good item for this build set?

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if I were you would replace roost with dragon breath it does decent damage and paralyses if it doesn't kill don't worry you can get a para or even a turn one full para it happened to me once. sure it's only a 30% to and the odds of a first turn are low but I couldn't find a move that paralyses or flinches that's better than dragon breath bedsides dragon rush but it has 75 accuracy vs 100 and 20% vs 30% and Altaria learn it roost replacement shell bell and roost has to breed to a swablu because altaria can't LEARN IT BY LEVEL UP  and altaria learn dragon breath upon evolution.

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@Dhonny Moretto You need Altarianite to mega evolve Altaria.

@Levitoy1 Dragon breath is a really low damage move which doesn't cover anything extra. Only Fire, Poison and Steel resist a pixilated Return/Frustration which are all dealt with by Earthquake. And as Tysonyoshi mentioned, Altaria has decent enough bulk to make good use of Roost.

Answer 2

Gen 8 Perish Trappper

Altaria @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Spin
- Perish Song
- Roost
- Protect

Fire Spin is to trap the opponent. Perish Song is to be used after you trap the opponent with Fire Spin. Roost is for healing off any damage. Protect is to stall while waiting for the Perish count to drop. Switch out when your Perish Song count is at 1.

Comments

Agency set

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is that too trolley for pvp?

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used this in a gen 9 draft league w/ tera steel. this thing is awesome

Answer 3

Altaria-Mega @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 164 HP / 252 Atk / 92 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hone Claws
- Dragon Rush
- Return / Double Edge
- Iron Tail

Wait! I have a reason for using this! Hone Claws can be deadly with Dragon Rush, as Dragon Rush now is a 100 Power 99% Accuracy move (with a slight chance of flinching of course). Why not have Double-Edge for a Power 156 Fairy move with 100% Accuracy and Iron Tail for coverage too?

Comments

This is a unique set! Upvoted

Answer 4

Gen 9 NU Defensive Utililty

Altaria @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Natural Cure
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Will-O-Wisp
- Defog
- Roost

Altaria is in NU, so here is set it can use in Gen 9 NU. Altaria has a couple new tools it can use. It has a stronger Flying STAB in Brave Bird, meaning it doesn't have to worry about Hurricane missing. Altaria also gets Will-O-Wisp, meaning it can burn physical wallbreakers to cripple them. Defog lets Altaria remove hazards from the field, providing more utility for its team. Roost give Altaria reliable HP recovery so it can stay around longer. Haze is an option to let Altaria remove the stat boosts from setup sweepers. Heavy-Duty Boots is used to prevent Altaria from being chipped by Stealth Rock pre Tera. Natural Cure lets Altaria serve as a status abosrber for its teammates. Tera Steel turns all of Altaria's usual weaknesses into resists.

252 HP EVs are used for bulk. 96 Speed EVs allow Altaria to outspeed Adamant Grimmsnarl. The rest of the EVs are used in Defense with an Impish Nature to allow Altaria to check physical wallbreakers better.

Answer 5

Gen 9 National Dex

Altaria-Mega @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 44 SpA / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower / Will-O-Wisp
- Roost

• Mega Altaria has been a Pokemon that has been seeing some occasional usage in the tier recently, having appeared in a couple of NDWC tournament games to my knowledge. The reason for this is largely in part to its excellent defensive typing, which grants it an immunity to Dragon, as well as resistances to Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Fighting, Bug, and Dark letting it check many premier metagame threats like Urshifu-R, Samurott-Hisui, Raging Bolt, Darkrai, Ogerpon-Wellspring, Gouging Fire, and Rillaboom. There are two movesets currently being used, the more popular Dragon Dance + Roost set and a more specially offensive set. This set is EVd to always KO physically defensive Landorus-T from full with Ice Beam and outspeeds max speed Modest Raging Bolt by one point.
• Hyper Voice becomes a 108 base power Fairy type move after Pixilate, and is its main source of offensive pressure. Ice Beam is used to hit Landorus-T and Gliscor, which are very common, and is also its strongest move into Clodsire and Charizard Y. Flamethrower is used to cover Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, Corviknight, Kartana, Iron Crown, and Mega Mawile. Will-O-Wisp is an alternative but it is generally inferior to Flamethrower in my opinion. Roost allows Altaria to heal off damage and stick around consistently
• Mega Altaria is completely stopped by Heatran, Slowking-Galar, and Volcarona. The latter uses it as set up fodder. Checks to these Pokemon are very important considering how common they are, Ting-Lu is a great teammate as it threatens Heatran and Slowking with Earthquake, easily takes their hits and can use them to set up entry hazards, while it can utilize Whirlwind to phaze out Volcarona. Other Pokemon that can fit this role include Gliscor and Urshifu-Rapid Strike.
• Mega Altaria is also threatened out by other Fairy types (Mega Diancie, Iron Valiant, Tapu Lele) so Pokemon that can switch into them are much appreciated. Iron Crown and Slowking-Galar can check these Pokemon.

Answer 6

Offensive Moveset

Altaria (F) @ Metal Coat
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant / Impish / Jolly / Careful Nature
- Steel Wing
- Dragon Dance
- Cotton Guard
- Dragon Claw

• Steel Wing: Covers 3/4 weaknesses (Rock, Ice, and Fairy).
• Dragon Dance: Power up!
• Cotton Guard: Use twice, and poof. Cotton goes poof, and your defense is now as high as @$&!
• Dragon Claw: Sure it covers Dragon weakness, but... How does this thing even learn Dragon Claw??!

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  Stalling Moveset

Altaria (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 252 HP / 126 Def / 126 SpD
Jolly Nature
- Cotton Guard
- Roost
- Toxic
- Steel Wing

• Cotton Guard: Raise your def and take them hits!
• Roost: Heal up after waiting for...
• Toxic: Everyone's favorite stalling move, except when it's used against them.
• Steel Wing: If you're just waiting for toxic to finish the job, throw in a steel wing or two. Also here to cover weaknesses (Ice, Rock, and Fairy... Which is a nice 3/4 weaknesses covered with one move.).

Comments

you may replace dragon claw with breath it's still dragon and paralyses

Answer 7

Gen 8 Natonal Dex UU

Altaria @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Flamethrower
- Defog / Heal Bell
- Roost

Hyper Voice is STAB that's boosted by Pixilate once Altaria mega evolves. Flamethrower is to deal with steel types. Defog is to clear entry hazards for your team. Heal Bell can be used instead to heal the status conditions of you and your teammates. Roost is for healing and allows Mega Altaria to stay in the game longer.

Answer 8

Altaria (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake

248 HP EVs allow Altaria to switch into Stealth Rock 4 times without fainting, but it also helps a little even if it only does it once. A spinner is recommended though.
Physical bulk is invested in so Altaria has best overall bulk since it's SpD is higher than Def.
Dragon Dance is used to boost Speed and Attack, making it more powerful, and faster. Easily gets away with it having Roost as reliable recovery.
Dragon Claw is STAB and has good neutral coverage, Earthquake complements it nicely by hitting Steel types that resists Dragon Claw.

Answer 9

The bulkiest Dragon in NU is a beast with the right set. And his cursed 4x weakness to Ice is hard on him, but he can usually take it like a baws.

Altaria @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Cotton Guard
- Roost
- Dragon Pulse
- Toxic

One Cotton Guard can make this guy a beast. Adn two makes him BAWS. Roost removes that 4x weakness and heals him. Dragon Pulse prevents him from becoming Taunt bait. Toxic is also useful to force switches because of the quicklt dwindling HP.

Comments

Ice Beam still does a huge chunk.

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I'll try this...

Answer 10

Altaria (F) @ Altarianite
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 6 SpD
Modest Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Rock] / Hidden Power [Ground]
- Roost / Ice Beam

Hyper Voice is STAB and is boosted by Pixilate. Fire Blast and the HP of your choice provides coverage. Roost can be recovery, while Ice Beam could be useful somehow. IDK.

Answer 11

"Le Bulky Swablu Set"

I thought I'd post a Swablu set here in case anyone would like to use an Altaria-like Pokémon in lower tiers (NU/PU). I haven't seen one here so have fun trolling people with little Swablu.

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Swablu @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful / Calm Nature
- Return / Hyper Voice
- Cotton Guard / Feather Dance
- Toxic
- Roost

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Okay so this little set is all about stall, stall, stall! Some details about the stats, abilities and item. A Swablu with Eviolite and Max. Special Defence has a whopping 409 Special Defence! Now that straight away just makes you a complete tank. And with 248 HP, this little Swablu is going to be sponging up special hits for days. Careful is if you wanna go Return, Calm is if you wanna go Hyper Voice (don't forget to fix the attack stat accordingly). Natural Cure is in case someone tries to Toxic-stall you; just switch out of there!
As for the moveset.. The set is really about Toxic stalling and healing yourself up. Literally just Toxic them, Roost if you get low on health, Cotton Guard / Feather Dance in fear of physical attackers and Return / Hyper Voice to do some solid damage if need be.

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Have fun with this set and enjoy trollin'.

~Butters

Answer 12

Altaria @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Fly / Sky Attack / Roost
- Moonblast
- Cotton Guard / Earthquake

-Dragon Pulse: Coverage/STAB
-Fly/Sky Attack/Roost: Fly for convenience in your party, Sky Attack for STAB and the chance of flinching, Roost so you can heal.
-Moonblast: Coverage/Lowering Special Attack against your opponent down 1 stage.
-Cotton Guard/Earthquake: Defence against Steel, Poison, Fairy, and Ice types, Earthquake for more type coverage.

This set is meant to give your Altaria a good movepool to defend against a bunch of types. For your flying type move, you have three options. Fly for convenience, Sky Attack for flinching and stab, and Roost, to heal. For your fourth move, you can choose a defensive move, Cotton Guard, to up your defence drastically. Or you can have an attack to give your Altaria a wider movepool. Whatever you feel is best whether it's an attack or a defence. I hoped this helped, and gave you an idea for a good set for your Altaria. Thanks for reading.

Answer 13

I got a good moveset for a Tank Mega Altaria to serve as a Physical and Special Tank or for short a Mixed Tank but it's only a Mixed Tank as a mega so best to make sure every turn it has it's a Mega

Altaria @ Altarianite
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 126 Def / 126 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake / Bulldoze
- Steel Wing
- Roost
- Moonblast

Ability: Cloud Nine - Make sure your opponent doesn't use the weather to their advantage. As Mega: Pixilate - useless

This is for a Mixed Tank Mega Altaria but if your Altarianite gets knocked off or stolen or anything else before you can mega evolve you may also wanna replace Moonblast with Sky Attack which is STAB and powerful or Dragon Rush/Dragon Pulse, I hope I helped!

• Earthquake/Bulldoze - Take care of the Fairy Type Weakness and with Bulldoze you'll be able to be faster soon
• Steel Wing - Take care of your remaining 2 weaknesses, Fairy and Ice due to the dragon type
• Roost - Make sure you remain alive, this is your mixed Tank so you want to make sure Altaria doesn't faint
• Moonblast- STAB, plus your best best is the fairy typing with more advantages

Comments

You know, Altaria is better as a Special Attacker.

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I'm a bit late, but mega stones can't be removed in any way

Answer 14

Altaria-Mega @ Altarianite
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
- Moonblast
- Dragon Pulse
- Refresh / Roost
- Ice Beam / Flamethrower

Moonblast and Dragon Pulse are STAB.

Refresh is to cure paralysis, poison, and burns. Roost is to restore your HP.

Ice Beam and Flamethrower are for coverage, although I prefer Flamethrower to cover Ice and Steel weaknesses.

Answer 15

Hmmm...What should be the name...Oh, I got it.

Physical Xerneas (Altaria-Mega) @ Altarianite
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Return
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake

• Dragon Dance: Do this twice first, you're not speedy enough to sweep yet
• Return:with STAB and the Pixilate boost it's and x1.7, and then factor in x2 Atk
• Dragon Claw: STAB
• Earthquake: Coverage against Steel types and Poison types that you are now weak to

Feel free to use this set.

Answer 16

Altaria Mega Set

Altaria @ Altarianite
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Tail
- Roost / Dragon Dance
- Fire Blast / Take Down / Hyper Beam / Hyper Voice / Dragon Pulse

• Earthquake: Coverage
• Iron Tail: More Coverage
• Roost / Dragon Dance: Dragon dance if you try and max out HP, if not use roost.
• Fire Blast / Take Down / Hyper Beam / Hyper Voice / Dragon Pulse: Fireblast because why not, or use one of the other moves for Fairy STAB, Or dragon pulse for Dragon STAB.

Hoped this helped :D

Answer 17

Special Altaria(Natdexag)
Altaria-Mega @ Altarianite
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Ground]

Moonblast is the most useful move since this isn't doubles, putting it's ability to waste. Draco Meteor have STAB but lowers Special Attack, so it isn't recommended to use unless needed. Fire Blast covers Steel amd Ice types, which is very useful for a 110 base power move with a small chance to burn, which is equivalent to raising defense. Hidden Power Ground not just covers Steel like Fire Blast, it also covers against Poison types.

I've hoped I've helped!

Comments

Pixilitate boosts hyper voice to 101 power I think, so it's actually stronger than moonblast

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Dragon Pulse>Draco Meteor

Answer 18

Gen 8 National Dex UU

Altaria @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Roost

Hyper Voice is STAB upon Mega Evolving thanks to Pixilate. Draco Meteor is STAB. Fire Blast is for coverage against steel types. Roost is for healing.

Answer 19

Here's my moveset

Altaria-Mega @ Altarianite
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Return
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw / Haze

-STAB Pixilated Return, with max happiness, The best move for Altaria
-Dragon Dance, if you have the chance to boost up, then it's perfect for sweep
-Earthquake, one of the best moves, covers 5 types(2 of them being Mega Altaria's weakness)
-Dragon Claw for STAB, or Haze to reset all stat changes, just make sure you don't boost up, if you're using Haze

Comments

Haze and Dragon Dance don’t complement each other on the same set; it’s quite counterproductive. I’d recommend Roost on the last slot, as Return is good enough of a STAB option, and Roost provides longevity.

Answer 20

Ines (Altaria) @ Altarianite
Ability: Cloud Nine / Natural Cure
EVs: 130 Atk / 126 SpA / 252 Spe
Lonely / Mild / Hasty Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Return / Frustration
- Flamethrower / Fire Blast

This set covers pretty much everything that's currently in the dex. Dragon Dance to set up, Dragon Claw and Return/Frustration as STABs (Pixilate turns the latter into STABs,) and Flamethrower for coverage.