Shadow Altaria
Attack
Defense
Stamina
Best Movesets
Analysis
At long last, Altaria has received the tools that it wanted in order to become a threat in the PvE meta; a Shadow forme! This is a wonderful boost for Altaria, and it... basically does nothing. Shadow Altaria is competing in two of the absolute strongest metas in the game in Dragon and Flying, so it's so severely outclassed that it's really not worth the investment.
Offense
- Dragon Breath is the superior fast move of choice for PvE offense.
- Peck isn't particularly strong, but can be chosen for a Flying-type role if stronger Pokemon aren't available.
- Sky Attack synergizes well for a Flying-type role, and is also Shadow Altaria's strongest charge move in neutral fights.
- Dragon Pulse makes Shadow Altaria a budget Dragon-type attacker if the player lacks stronger Pokemon.
- Dazzling Gleam outperforms Moonblast*, but both lack STAB.
- Flamethrower is worthless on offense for Shadow Altaria.
Defense
- Peck is generally preferred on defense due to its higher base power than Dragon Breath.
- Flamethrower has great counter-coverage for Shadow Altaria, making it a prime choice.
- Sky Attack has the shortest damage window, and deals moderate damage as a 2-bar move.
- Dazzling Gleam lacks STAB but is less likely to be resisted by attackers.
- Dragon Pulse is easily dodged, and also most likely to be resisted.
- Moonblast* as a 1-bar move might not have a chance to be used before Shadow Altaria faints.
Dragon Breath and Peck are both excellent, providing incredible energy gains and decent damage; Dragon Breath is generally preferable for its shorter duration and helps widen Shadow Altaria's coverage.
Sky Attack isn't particularly amazing, but it is Shadow Altaria's cheapest attack and benefits from STAB. Flamethrower melts down Steel-type opponents who try to wall Shadow Altaria's Dragon and Flying damage. Moonblast is the other decent option with its solid DPE (Damage per Energy) and debuff potential, but picking it up will either slow Shadow Altaria down or leave it easily walled.
Altaria is a monster in the Great League as of right now, sporting HUGE raw power and utility, and its Shadow forme is very strong as well. Both are worth using, but your best bet is to look at how they stack up against key threats and pick the variant that best fits into your individual team.
