Origin Forme Dialga vs Palkia: Which Is Better in Pokémon Go?

In the Master League, Palkia's Origin form sits at or near the very top at #1, while Dialga's Origin form is further down at around #9. That should, in theory, tell you what you need to know regarding their place in the rankings, but the truth is a little bit more nuanced than that.

The arrival of their Origin Formes doesn't change the question of whether you should be investing in these legendary Pokémon. As meta-shapers, the answer is still a resounding yes. The question you should be asking is which one goes first between Dialga and Palkia.

Stats and Typing: Origin Forme Dialga and Origin Forme Palkia

With base stats of 286 attack and a max CP of 4,683, Origin Palkia is the heavier hitter of the two, while Origin Dialga is tankier with a 225 defense and 205 stamina. This form also has a Steel/Dragon typing, giving it elite level 10 resistances. And while Palkia-O, with its 3 resistances and Water/Dragon typing, isn't necessarily a slouch in the defense department, it is vulnerable to two of the most popular Pokémon types in Master League: Dragon and Fairy.

PvP: Origin Forme Palkia Runs the Master League

For Master League, Palkia-O is ranked much higher than Dialga-O because of how their movesets work. Palkia-o's "Spacial Rend" is a charged attack that deals outstanding damage for a relatively small amount of energy that is quickly gathered by Palkia-O's use of “Dragon Breath”. Dialga-O, on the other hand, uses “Roar of Time”. While still powerful, it requires a larger amount of energy, something that Dialga-O's “Dragon Breath” has trouble supplying.

However, Dialga-O does have one specific advantage: its Steel typing cancels out the usual Dragon-type weaknesses to Dragon and Fairy. Since the Master League is full of Dragon Pokémon, Dialga-O has a specific anti-dragon role that makes it usable even though it's ranked lower overall.

Raids: Origin Forme Dialga Is the Better Anchor

In raids, the gap between these Origin Form Pokémon is narrower when comparing their performance. Amongst the best Dragon types, Palkia-O ranks above Dialga-O because of its higher attack, though both now sit outside the top 10, behind Mega and Shadow Dragons.

But as we've said before, Dialga's Origin form can outlast Pailkia-O. With a larger HP pool and its 10 resistances, Dialga-O is able to last longer on the field to deliver a higher TDO (total damage output) at 418 compared to Palkia-O's 403.

In terms of flexibility, Dialga-O's steel type makes it useful against tough raid boss encounters with Fairy, Ice, and Rock types. In contrast, Palkia-O, even though it has water typing, doesn't have a reliable water moveset, forcing it into a specialized dragon-type attacker role.

Roar of Time vs. Spacial Rend: Adventure Effects in Pokémon Go

Outside of battle, some pokémon provide bonuses called Adventure Effects that were introduced during the Pokémon Go tour: Sinnoh event.

Spacial Rend has an effect that increases the spawn area for Pokémon around trainers, effectively extending your capture range. With Roar of Time, it is possible to pause timers on lucky eggs and incense, giving you more value per activation.

These cost the same at 5,000 Stardust and five Dialga or Palkia candy (respectively) per activation. Although nice bonuses, they shouldn't be the determining factor in who to build first.

Dialga and Palkia: Which Origin Forme Should You Pick?

If you can only invest in one right now, choose Palkia-O. Its dominance in the Master League is simply too significant to overlook. With Spacial Rend, it remains a consistent threat in nearly every PvP matchup. This makes it a stronger competitive investment.

However, if your PvP roster is solid and you want a versatile raid attacker, Dialga-O is worth building. Its survivability and Steel-type coverage make it a Swiss army knife for PvE content.

Palkia-O might have the edge in PvP, but Dialga-O isn't just simply a consolation prize in this comparison. You decide which of them you need. At the end of the day, candy spent on either legendary Pokémon is something you won't regret.

The best move, though, is to build both Palkia and Dialga, and we can help you with that. From choosing a specific legendary to tracking down a specific resource, igitems has got you covered. Or maybe you'd like to skip the grind entirely and just get a stacked Pokémon Go account? We offer that as well, so head on over to igitems to get what you need.