Archaludon

Popular pick

steel dragon

Strategies

What it does

Stamina raises Defense by one stage every time it takes a hit, making it increasingly durable mid-battle. Thunder is 100% accurate in rain. Steel/Dragon typing gives strong defensive coverage. Often called in to wall Water-resistant Pokémon.

Why it's threatening

Stamina turns every hit against Archaludon into a buff — by turn 3 it can be taking physical hits at +3 or +4 Defense. Thunder under rain never misses. It walls the Pokémon that would normally counter Rain teams (Ground and Water-resistant types).

How to stop it

Meta answers

Garchomp

dragon ground

Incineroar

fire dark

Lucario

fighting steel

Ground moves deal 2× (Steel is weak to Ground; Dragon is neutral). Fighting moves deal 2× — Lucario's Close Combat is the cleanest in-roster answer that stacks with Fighting STAB. Focus on special damage to bypass Stamina's Defense boosts. Fire moves are neutral. KO before Stamina stacks too high.

Found in these teams

Weather

Control the sky, control the game — sun, rain, sand, or snow does your work for you.