The Pokémon Go Halloween event is introducing Greavard and Houndstone to the mobile game. Both of these Pokémon will be available through various methods.
With the arrival of Houndstone in Pokémon Go, it’s natural to question its impact on the metagame.
Here, we’ll delve into the optimal moveset for Houndstone in Pokémon Go and explore whether this Ghost-type Pokémon holds any significance in the metagame.
Houndstone is a Ghost-type Pokémon that’s pretty strong. In the world of Pokémon, it’s a top pick. It can hold its own against popular Ghost Pokémon like Drifblim, Dusclops, and Jellicent because it’s both tough and has powerful moves. If you compare it to other Pokémon like Victini and Florges, you’ll see it’s quite competitive.
It’s important to know that Ghost Pokémon with only one type are not common in battles. Houndstone is mainly vulnerable to Dark and other Ghost moves. But it’s good at resisting Poison, Fighting, and Bug moves. It’s also extra good at resisting Normal moves, with a 2x resistance.
Moves that Houndstone can learn in Pokemon GO
Let’s take a look at Houndstone’s moves. It has two fast moves,
- Lick: which is a Ghost-type move,
- Bite: a Dark-type move.
While Bite can be strong in some situations, most trainers prefer Lick. That’s because Lick gets a bonus called STAB and works kind of like moves such as Water Gun and Bug Bite.
Charged Moves
- Dig (Ground)
- Psychic Fangs (Psychic)
- Shadow Ball (Ghost)
Houndstone’s best moveset in Pokemon Go
For Pokémon Go players, it’s recommended to outfit Houndstone with Lick as the Fast Move, along with Shadow Ball and Psychic Fangs as the Charged Moves.
Houndstone can use Psychic Fangs, Dig, and Shadow Ball. Psychic Fangs are good for tricking your opponent and putting pressure on their shields. Dig is useful because it covers Ghost-type Pokémon that might try to counter Houndstone. Shadow Ball is a really strong Ghost-type move and is one of the best moves you can have in battles.
In terms of Fast Moves, Houndstone has just two options. Between the two, Lick stands out with its higher EPS (Energy Per Second) and it benefits from the STAB bonus
In the Great League, Houndstone’s win rate might seem a bit low, but it actually does really well against top Pokémon like Medicham, Galarian Stunfisk, Bastiodon, and Registeel. It’s also handy in the Halloween Cup, especially if you give it the move Dig to tackle Halloween Cup star Carbink.
Is Houndstone good?
Houndstone may not be a powerhouse in PvP battles. In Pokémon Go’s Great League as of October 2023, it’s ranked at #262 according to PvPoke.
However, when it comes to the Ultra League, Houndstone steps up its game. In the Ultra League, especially with XL size, it’s ranked at #187.