The Pokémon series is one of the rare examples of a property that’s arguably even more popular and prominent now than it was when it debuted decades ago. There have been steady advancements to Pokémon, whether it’s through the core series, anime, or the wealth of Pokémon spin-offs. There’s no consensus on just what is the best generation and region from the series, but there’s a ton of love for Generation IV.
Generation IV’s Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum are satisfying for many different reasons, but some of the Legendary Pokémon that it introduces, like Dialga and Palkia, are fantastic additions. However, debate still rages on over which is the superior Legendary Pokémon.
10 Dialga: Its HP Is Higher
Every single one of a Pokémon’s stats is important in their own way, but a very superficial area is to analyze a Pokémon’s amount of health. A high maximum HP doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to stay alive longer, but it’s still a valid factor that can end up being the deciding element in a close battle. Dialga and Palkia both have phenomenal stats that give them separate perks and Dialga is the one of the two with higher HP. This comes at the expense of Palkia’s higher speed, but a well-trained Dialga can use this detail to its advantage.
9 Palkia: It’s The Faster Pokémon
There are a lot of conditions to consider when it comes to a Pokémon battle beyond the most obvious battle stats like attack and defense. All Legendary Pokémon have impressive base stats that are on the strong side, so speed can be the deciding factor to end a battle before the opponent even has a chance to respond. Palkia’s speed is at a stat of 100, which is ten higher than Dialga’s 90. This guarantees Palkia the advantage and the luxury of the first blow, which is sometimes enough to set the entire tone of the battle.
8 Dialga: It’s A Better Combination Of Pokémon Types
Dialga and Palkia are very similar Legendary Pokémon in many respects, but their few differences are tremendous. Both of these Legendary Pokémon from Generation IV are Dragon-Types, but Dialga is a hybrid Steel-type Pokémon whereas Palkia is a Water-Type hybrid Pokémon.
These both have their advantages, but Steel-type is ultimately the better of the Pokémon types in this scenario and it provides Dialga with more resistance against other Pokémon, which means that it can typically survive longer than Palkia. Palkia might be able to hit them harder, but Dialga’s perks are long-term benefits.
7 Palkia: Aura Sphere Can Be Cultivated Into A Deadly Attack
There's a lot of common attacks that are shared between Palkia and Dialga, which isn't exactly surprising since the two Pokémon are linked in many ways. Attacks like Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Earth Power, and Flamethrower are shared between the Pokémon, while Palkia's unique attack is Spacial Rend. Spacial Rend is devastating in its own right, but Palkia is also able to use the shared move, Aura Sphere, more effectively than Dialga. Palkia’s higher speed allows Aura Sphere to often become super effective and it’s an attack that will always hit its target.
6 Dialga: Its Roar Of Time Is A Devastating Attack
Dialga and Palkia have two very different signature attacks that reflect their divergent backstories. Both of these maneuvers have their advantages, but Dialga comes out benefitting more between the two of them. Dialga can learn the deadly Dragon-Type attack, Roar of Time, which bears similarities to Palkia’s Spacial Rend, but it’s the superior ability. A powerful Dragon-Type attack can be some of the quickest ways to end a Pokémon battle and this is definitely one of the most intimidating examples of the power that reinforces why Dialga is such a memorable Legendary Pokémon.
5 Palkia: Its Special Defense Stat Is Higher
There’s a lot to consider in a Pokémon battle and the very best trainers are the ones that meticulously cultivate parties that cater towards a specific playing style rather than an assorted mix of independently powerful Pokémon.
Special attacks can be some of the most dangerous moves in the series and they’re more prevalent with Legendary Pokémon. It may not seem that crucial, but Palkia’s Special Defense is 120 as opposed to Dialga’s 100 stat. Granted, Dialga’s regular Defense is 100, which is ten higher than Palkia, but in this scenario, it’s Special Defense that’s more important.
4 Dialga: It Can Control And Travel Through Time
There’s certainly a very different interpretation of how Pokémon’s powers manifest depending on what medium is being considered. It’s one thing to see a strong attack obliterate a Pokémon in a video game, but the Pokémon movies often allow the true power of Legendary Pokémon to be realized. In the case of Dialga, this is actually frightening and the movie Arceus and the Jewel of Life demonstrates the full scope of Dialga’s time displacing powers. A Pokémon that can travel to the past, future, or simply freeze time is undeniably dangerous.
3 Palkia: It’s More Of A Versatile Mixed Sweeper
It’s important to think about the bigger picture with Pokémon. It can be satisfying to cultivate the perfect party for a specific battle, but it’s sometimes even more impressive to have certain Pokémon that are always going to get results. Palkia may be slightly inferior specifically against Dialga, but his Pokémon type allows him to have minimal weaknesses and be able to do serious damage against most Pokémon, which is what’s important. Palkia may not last as long in battle as Dialga, but it’s meant to do as much damage as possible while it’s still in play.
2 Dialga: It Can Perform Better Against Palkia
Dialga and Palkia are two of Generation IV’s most important Legendary Pokémon and although they often work in tandem alongside Giratina and Arceus, it’s also worth considering which of these Pokémon would outlast the other. Dialga’s Steel-Type is resistant to Dragon-Type, so Palkia’s Spacial Rend is neutral against him, whereas Dialga’s Roar of Time will do massive damage against Palkia.
It’s also relevant that Steel-Types have better STAB moves than Water-Type Pokémon, which gives Dialga another direct advantage here. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Dialga is necessarily the best overall Pokémon, but in this specific area, it’s superior.
1 Palkia: It Can Transport Itself To Other Dimensions
Palkia and Dialga are both dangerous in the video games, but they’re Legendary Sinnoh Pokémon that get extra special attention in the movies, The Rise of Darkrai and Arceus and the Jewel of Life. Palkia is a Legendary Pokémon that’s supposed to represent space itself and the movies really get to highlight how phenomenal its powers are. Palkia’s very existence keeps space stable and it can distort it, move through it, or travel to other dimensions. This allows Palkia to completely evade any kind of threat or extinguish its problems by stranded the enemy elsewhere.