Competitive Information for Hippowdon [Diamond/Pearl]
Ground
Abilities:
On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Sandstorm.

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Movesets for Singles
Looking for a competitive moveset for Hippowdon? These builds are optimized for Diamond/Pearl Single Battles. The movesets and EVs are designed to maximize damage against common opponents and threats in the Diamond/Pearl metagame. Check out the expert movesets below to boost your battle performance and dominate your opponents!
Meet Hippowdon, a prestigious Pokémon ready to dominate with its Ground typing! It's a sight to see Hippowdon out in the 4th generation battlefield. It is weak to Grass, Ice, and Water-typed attacks. Discover how Hippowdon excels in battles with the movesets provided below.
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Nature: Impish (+Def, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Earthquake
- Roar
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
Hippowdon excels as an astounding Physical Wall during single battles. The purpose of this moveset is to absorb physical damage and return fire with decent force. Leftovers are always a great recovery option to ensure Hippowdon last longer regaining it's health every turn. Sand Stream changes the weather to a Sandstorm when Hippowdon is sent out onto the field. This damages all Pokemon every turn while the Sandstorm remains active unless they are Rock-, Steel- or Ground-typed. Sandstorm also raises the Special Defense of all Rock-type Pokémon by 50%.
◆ Roar is a status move (forces the target to switch to a random ally).
◆ Slack Off is a status move (heals your Hippowdon by 50% of its max hp).
◆ Stealth Rock is a status move (hurts foes on switch-in. Factors rock weakness).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/eaa1c2
Item: Smooth Rock / Expert Belt
Ability: Sand Stream
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 124 Hp / 252 Atk / 132 SpD
Moveset:
- Earthquake
- Iron Head / Rock Slide
- Superpower
- Crunch
Hippowdon stands out as popular Physical Sweeper in single battles. It is meant to crush rivals using forceful physical attacks. Expert Belt boosts the damage of Hippowdon's super effective moves by 20%. Sand Stream changes the weather to a Sandstorm when Hippowdon is sent out onto the field. This damages all Pokemon every turn while the Sandstorm remains active unless they are Rock-, Steel- or Ground-typed. Sandstorm also raises the Special Defense of all Rock-type Pokémon by 50%. Equipping Smooth Rock helps extend sandstorm weather effects this Pokemon creates from 5 turns to 8 instead. Iron Head or Rock Slide are added to provide additional threat coverage.
◆ Iron Head is a physical 80-base power Steel-type move (30% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ Rock Slide is a physical 75-base power Rock-type move (30% chance to make the foes flinch).
◆ Superpower is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Hippowdon's attack and defense by 1 stage).
◆ Crunch is a physical 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to lower the target's defense by 1 stage).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/eba1c2
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 126 Atk / 132 Def
Moveset:
- Stone Edge
- Fire Fang / Slack Off
- Crunch / Ice Fang
- Earthquake
Hippowdon proves to be popular Physical Wall for single battles. This setup is intended to withstand physical attacks and hit back effectively. Choice Band will increase the damage of Hippowdon's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. Sand Stream changes the weather to a Sandstorm when Hippowdon is sent out onto the field. This damages all Pokemon every turn while the Sandstorm remains active unless they are Rock-, Steel- or Ground-typed. Sandstorm also raises the Special Defense of all Rock-type Pokémon by 50%.
◆ Fire Fang is a physical 65-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn. 10% chance to flinch).
◆ Slack Off is a status move (heals your Hippowdon by 50% of its max hp).
◆ Crunch is a physical 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to lower the target's defense by 1 stage).
◆ Ice Fang is a physical 65-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze. 10% chance to flinch).
◆ Earthquake is a physical STAB-boosted 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon. Power doubles on dig).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/eca1c2
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Nature: Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Moveset:
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Substitute / Rock Slide
- Roar
Hippowdon stands out as a first-rate Physical Tank in single battles. It attempts to absorb physical damage and return fire with decent force. Leftovers are always a great recovery option to ensure Hippowdon last longer regaining it's health every turn. Sand Stream changes the weather to a Sandstorm when Hippowdon is sent out onto the field. This damages all Pokemon every turn while the Sandstorm remains active unless they are Rock-, Steel- or Ground-typed. Sandstorm also raises the Special Defense of all Rock-type Pokémon by 50%.
◆ Stone Edge is a physical 100-base power Rock-type move (high critical hit ratio).
◆ Substitute is a status move (Hippowdon takes 1/4 its max hp to put in a substitute).
◆ Rock Slide is a physical 75-base power Rock-type move (30% chance to make the foes flinch).
◆ Roar is a status move (forces the target to switch to a random ally).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/eda1c2
Movesets for Doubles
Need a strong doubles moveset for Hippowdon? These builds are perfect for VGC (Pokémon Video Game Championship) and other competitive Diamond/Pearl Double Battles. The VGC is the ultimate test of strategy and skill, and these movesets and EVs are designed to excel against multiple opponents at once while providing essential support to your team. Dominate the Diamond/Pearl metagame with these expert-crafted setups!
Item: Smooth Rock / Razor Fang
Ability: Sand Stream
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 124 Hp / 252 Atk / 132 SpD
Moveset:
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Superpower
- Iron Head / Double-Edge
Dominating double battles, Hippowdon is a terrific Physical Sweeper. This strategy is built to crush rivals using brute physical attacks. Sand Stream changes the weather to a Sandstorm when Hippowdon is sent out onto the field. This damages all Pokemon every turn while the Sandstorm remains active unless they are Rock-, Steel- or Ground-typed. Sandstorm also raises the Special Defense of all Rock-type Pokémon by 50%. Equipping Smooth Rock helps extend sandstorm weather effects this Pokemon creates from 5 turns to 8 instead. Iron Head was added to provide additional threat coverage. With a Razor Fang equipped to it, Hippowdon's attacks without a chance to flinch gain a 10% chance to flinch.
◆ Rock Slide is a physical 75-base power Rock-type move (30% chance to make the foes flinch).
◆ Superpower is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Hippowdon's attack and defense by 1 stage).
◆ Iron Head is a physical 80-base power Steel-type move (30% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 1/3 recoil).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/faa1c2
Movepool
Want to know what moves Hippowdon can learn? Check out the full list of moves available in the Pokemon Diamond/Pearl generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by type, category, accuracy, and power. Moves in bold get the same-type attack bonus (STAB) when used by Hippowdon.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Hippowdon can perform in Diamond/Pearl. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive DP Move and Ability Combos for Hippowdon
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Yawn + Protect
- Moves: Stockpile + Spit up
- Moves: Stockpile + Swallow
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Moves with Priority: Endure, Protect
- Moves that inflict status: Yawn, Toxic
Moves that boost Hippowdon's stats
- Curse
- Stockpile
Most notable and possible best moves for Hippowdon
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Other
- Protect
- Rest
- Roar
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
Common Effort Values for Hippowdon in Diamond and Pearl
- Impish Nature ( 252/0/252/0/4/0/ )
- Impish Nature ( 248/0/252/0/0/8/ )
- Optimize Hippowdon's Defensive EV-spread for Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
Usage Data
Explore the latest analytical usage data for this Pokémon from various VGC and online competitions. We use this data to develop our strategies and movesets. The data is categorized by competition and skill level: top-ranking trainers, mid-level players, and entry-level players.

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Here are the best movesets for Hippowdon. Top rated Hippowdon Diamond/Pearl movesets. You can find Hippowdon builds Diamond/Pearl. Hippowdon movesets Diamond/Pearl are listed here. VGC Hippowdon Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Hippowdon in Diamond/Pearl along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution