Palkia

Legal regulations: regulation-m-a

Palkia is the Water/Dragon restricted that anchors rain and balance teams with a durable special presence and genuine spread pressure. Its Water STAB hits the format's Ground and Fire cores, its Dragon STAB pressures neutral boards, and its signature move, Spacial Rend, provides high-crit pressure that can crack defensive cores. Its bulk is solid enough to sit in front of weaker special attackers, and its speed, while not elite, is respectable for a restricted Pokémon. Its weaknesses are the standard Dragon package — vulnerable to the format's abundant Fairy, Ice, Dragon and Ground coverage — so it relies on redirection and speed support. It functions best behind Tailwind or alongside redirection, and it appreciates partners that handle the Fairy-types that threaten it. Palkia is not the flashiest restricted pick, but its combination of durability, spread pressure and flexible coverage makes it one of the most reliable special restricted slots in the format, especially on teams that already want a rain or defensive structure.

Use this page to understand Palkia's role in the current VGC metagame. Check the base stats and Level 50 benchmarks to plan your EV spreads. Review common moves, items, abilities and Tera types to see what the community uses most. The partners section shows which Pokémon pair well with Palkia, while counters and checks highlight what to watch out for in team preview.

Last updated: July 2026 (Regulation Set M-A). Data is based on available competitive trends and editorial review.

Palkia performs best when its role is clearly defined in team preview. As a Special Attacker and Speed Control Pokémon, focus on positioning it where it can execute its job without being forced into unfavorable exchanges. As a restricted Pokémon, it will attract significant counterplay — plan support and speed control around it.

When teambuilding, pair Palkia with Pokémon that cover its type weaknesses (see counters section below) and provide the speed control or redirection it needs to function. Review the common moves and items section for established sets, then adjust based on your team's specific needs.