Houndoom

Mega Houndoom sits at a 0.11% usage rate and rank 163 in M-A single ranks, placing it on the fringe. Solar Power amplifies its special attack under sun, but a fragile body coupled with weaknesses to ground, fighting, rock, and water makes it difficult to keep alive.

Playstyle：Solar Power is locked in at 100% usage. The movepool centers on Dark Pulse 24.1%, Flamethrower 23.7%, Nasty Plot 20.7%, and Sludge Bomb 18%, aiming to boost with Nasty Plot before firing high-power STAB. Solar Beam at 5.7% patches ground-type coverage, while Scorching Sands at 2% and Destiny Bond at 2.1% are fringe picks. Every listed spread runs Timid, with 31% on 1/0/0/32/0/32, 29.3% on 1/0/0/32/1/32, and 24.7% on 2/0/0/32/0/32, dumping EVs into special attack and speed. Top teammates include Primarina 13.8%, Basculegion 10.6%, and Venusaur 10.6%, each capable of setting sun or absorbing ground hits.

Mega Houndoom holds a 0.13% usage rate and rank 174 in M-B doubles, also on the fringe. Heat Wave coverage under sun remains its only argument for viability, though the bulk deficit is magnified in the doubled offensive output of double battles.

Playstyle：Houndoominite is held 100% of the time, and Solar Power remains the sole ability. Heat Wave 24.9%, Dark Pulse 24.1%, and Protect 24% lead the moveset in near-equal measure, framing it as a sun-spread attacker that also values self-preservation. Overheat 7.6% and Nasty Plot 7.2% follow, with Solar Beam 3.9%, Flamethrower 2.6%, and Sludge Bomb 2.5% as extras. All listed spreads are Timid: 1/0/0/32/1/32 at 33.2%, 2/0/0/32/0/32 at 28.4%, and 1/0/0/32/0/32 at 23.7%. Sun setters Torkoal 11.9% and Farigiraf 12.1% top the teammate list, the latter offering Trick Room or Helping Hand utility, while Annihilape 7.6% and Kangaskhan-Mega 6.5% cover the fighting core.

Houndoom posts a 0% usage rate in singles play this month, making it effectively absent from the ranked ladder despite a single ladder-top-300 appearance and 11 tournament showings. Its niche hinges on sun-powered special offense and Flash Fire immunity, balanced against a paper-thin defensive profile.

Houndoom sits at 0.04% usage in doubles (rank 222), filling a fringe support-attacker role. Protect (23.4%) and Heat Wave (19.9%) form the backbone, while Will-O-Wisp and Foul Play tie at 15.6%, giving the set a strong suite of speed control, special-attack drops, and Dark-type punishment. Focus Sash at 91.7% is nearly universal, and Flash Fire at 98.7% lets it safely absorb stray Fire-type hits from allies.

Playstyle：The doubles set revolves around Protect plus Focus Sash, letting Houndoom scout or stall before committing. Protect (23.4%) and Heat Wave (19.9%) let it punish Grass-, Steel-, and Dark-type threats like Corviknight without revealing the full set; Will-O-Wisp (15.6%) cripples physical attackers, while Foul Play (15.6%) punishes stat-boosting Dark-types like Kingambit. The dominant 62.9% spread is Timid 32/0/0/32/0/32, maxing speed to win the Protect and burn races; the minority Mild spreads invest in Foul Play but surrender speed, relying on Choice Scarf (6.3%) to compensate.