"Guide to Catching and Evolving Deino in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet"

The Dark/Dragon-type Hydreigon is a formidable force in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, and trainers will undoubtedly want to include it in their Pokédex. To harness its power, you'll first need to obtain its pre-evolved forms, Deino and Zweilous. Evolving the Irate Deino into the Brutal Hydreigon is a rewarding process, but be aware that Deino and its evolutions are exclusive to Pokémon Scarlet. If you're playing Pokémon Violet, you'll need to employ other methods to acquire them.

Updated January 13, 2025 by Renri Seong: The Dark/Dragon-type Deino evolves into the powerful pseudo-legendary Hydreigon. Originally introduced in Generation 5 with Pokémon Black/White, the Deino line has become a staple in mainline games, including Pokémon Scarlet/Violet. As with many new generation titles, Deino and its evolutions are version-exclusive, available only in the wild in Pokémon Scarlet. To obtain them in Pokémon Violet, trading is necessary. With a variety of pseudo-legendary Pokémon to choose from in Scarlet/Violet, you might be wondering if Hydreigon remains a top choice. This guide has been updated to include new details about Hydreigon, such as its stats and type effectiveness.

Where to Catch Deino in Pokémon Scarlet

Deino and Zweilous Locations

In Pokémon Scarlet, you can encounter Deino in several locations: Alfornada Cavern, Dalizapa Passage, Glaseado Mountain, Area Zero, and North Province (Area Two). Glaseado Mountain, Area Zero, and North Province (Area Two) are straightforward to locate and access, but Alfornada Cavern and Dalizapa Passage are less obvious. Deino found in Dalizapa Passage and Alfornada Cavern range from levels 35 to 40.

• Alfornada Cavern: Located in the southwest corner of the Paldea map, you'll need Koraidon's high jump ability to navigate the cave.
• Dalizapa Passage: Accessible by heading east from Medali or west from Zapapico. It's the area between these two locations on the map.

Deino can also be obtained from 3-star Tera Raids, which become available once you've earned 3 gym badges. These raid Deinos may have different Tera Types than their wild counterparts and have a chance of possessing their Hidden Ability.

You might also find Zweilous, Deino's evolved form, in the wild at Dalizapa Passage, Area Zero, and Alfornada Cavern. Like Deino, Zweilous can be encountered in Tera Raids, specifically in 4-star raids.

Hydreigon itself can be caught in 5/6-star Tera Raids.

How to Get Deino in Pokémon Violet

How to Trade and Transfer

Since the Deino line is exclusive to Pokémon Scarlet, acquiring one in Pokémon Violet requires trading or transferring. To trade, you'll need a Nintendo Switch Online Membership to access the Union Circle. If you prefer not to subscribe, consider using Pokémon HOME to transfer Deino from another game into Pokémon Violet.

To transfer using HOME, you'll need the HOME app on your Switch. Deino and its evolutions can be transferred from Pokémon Sword/Shield, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon Scarlet.

1. Open Pokémon HOME, select the game from which you have Deino, and move it to your Basic Box. Save and exit.
2. In HOME, open Pokémon Violet and transfer Deino from the Basic Box to a PC Box. Save and exit.

How to Evolve Deino into Zweilous and Hydreigon

What Level Does Deino Evolve?

Deino evolves into Zweilous at level 50, and Zweilous evolves into Hydreigon at level 64. To expedite the evolution process, you can have Deino/Zweilous participate in auto-battles against large groups of Pokémon for faster experience gain. Additionally, feeding them Exp. Candies or Rare Candies can help. Exp. Candy L and Exp. Candy XL are particularly effective due to Deino's high evolution levels.

Is Hydreigon a Good Pokémon?

Hydreigon Stats & Weaknesses

As a pseudo-legendary, Hydreigon ranks among the strongest Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Its base stat total is 600, boasting high Special Attack and Attack with decent Speed, making it versatile with either a Timid (+Spd, -Attk) or Jolly (+Spd, -Sp.Attk) Nature.

As a Dark/Dragon-type, Hydreigon's type effectiveness is as follows:

With Terastallizing, Hydreigon can mitigate its significant double weakness to Fairy-type moves. Offensively, changing its Tera Type can enhance its moves like Flash Cannon, which provides STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) for powerful attacks. Hydreigon can serve as both a physical and special attacker, thanks to its diverse learnset.

However, due to its vulnerability to Fairy-type moves, it's crucial to equip Hydreigon with a Steel-type move. Flash Cannon, the only Steel-type move it can learn via TM, is recommended. Since it can't learn any physical Steel-type moves, leaning towards a special attacker build may be more advantageous. Other suggested moves include Nasty Plot to boost Special Attack significantly, Dragon Pulse (or Draco Meteor), and Dark Pulse.