Crimson Core Guides: Heatran Raid - Dig Strat
Heatran Raid Guide: Dig Strat
This strategy revolves around using Dig on the Roar turn to reduce variance, making it a resilient and consistent strategy when the team composition and party order are followed exactly. Magmapool is removed on turn 1 by two Defog Flygons. Hydreigon and Flygon then deal Ground damage, intentionally making Ground the dominant damage type so Heatran's Adaptation resists it later.
On turn 4, three Dig users go underground while one specific P2 Hydreigon deals damage to trigger the Roar threshold. The Dig users are completely invulnerable underground, so Roar cannot touch them. P2 gets roared into a wide variety of Pokémon, so it does not matter which one appears. The fight finishes with four Gallades using Sacred Sword (which bypasses Iron Defense) and rain-boosted Brines from AV Kingdra. Gallade also serves as a flex role that can substitute in at any point if things go wrong.
Screener note: The Light Screen user must be able to barely survive a Helping Hands Weather Ball from Magmortar and then faint to the following Heatran attack. Do not bring Cloud Nine Golduck: its weather interaction can cause a two-turn Solar Beam sequence that interferes with the required Flygon survival.
Magmapool★ (100%)
Burns affected Pokémon, deals 25% damage, and procs at the end of the turn. The two Flygons use Defog on turn 1 to remove it.
Stealth Rock★ (80%)
Normal Stealth Rock with an additional end-of-turn proc. Keep the exact turn order so the early Ground sequence is not disrupted.
Roar (67%)
Deliberately trigger Roar on turn 4 while P1, P3, and P4 are underground. P2's active Hydreigon remains above ground and takes the Roar by design.
Iron Defense (50%)
Heatran raises its Defence. Gallade's Sacred Sword ignores the target's stat changes, which is why all four players use Gallade on turn 6.
Adaptation (40%)
Heatran becomes resistant to the type it has been hit by most. The strategy intentionally makes Ground dominant early, then transitions to Fighting and Water.
Barrier (25%)
By this phase the team is using Rain and Brine. Keep the required cadence and continue the Water damage sequence until Heatran is defeated.
Each player has a specific role and a party of 6 built around it. The order you send them matters. Follow the turn guide exactly. Click your player number to see your full team. Full pastes: P1 / P2 / P3 / P4 / Alternatives
You lead with Flygon to Defog the Magmapool on turn 1, then deal Ground damage on turns 2-3. On turn 4 switch to Excadrill and go underground to dodge Roar. Turn 6 bring Gallade for Sacred Sword through Iron Defense, then close out with Kingdra and Pelipper Brine under Rain.
You are the most critical player. Your Hydreigon must survive to turn 4 to trigger Roar while P1/P3/P4 are underground. Your EV spread is the bulkiest of the three Hydreigons. Do not deviate. After Roar, you finish with Gallade, Pelipper, Kingdra, and Politoed.
You lead with a Light Screen user that eats the Magmortar hit and faints to Heatran. Then your Hydreigon does Earth Power damage on turns 2-3. On turn 4 Excadrill goes underground. Turn 6 Gallade. Turn 7 Fake Tears to drop SpDef before the Barrier, then Kingdra Brine.
You lead with Heatmor (Flash Fire @ Sash) to force Magmortar to use Heat Wave on P3's screener instead of Weather Ball. Turn 2 your Hydreigon does Earth Power. Turn 4 Excadrill goes underground. Turn 6 Gallade. Then Kingdra Brine and Pelipper Brine under Rain.
Reset for Magmortar
Before the fight properly begins, check whether Magmortar has spawned in the encounter. If it has not appeared, forfeit the match and try again. The entire turn 1 setup depends on Magmortar being present. P4 Flash Fire absorbs Magmortar's Heat Wave to protect P3's screener. Without Magmortar, the screener mechanics break down completely.
The strategy runs across 9 turns (turns 8-9 repeat until Heatran faints). Each turn all 4 players act simultaneously. Follow your player's action for each turn and the fight runs itself. Turns 4-5 are the most critical, because they contain the Roar window.
Flygon
→
Defog
Removes Magmapool before anyone else switches in
Flygon
→
Defog
Both Flygons Defog simultaneously
Screener ★
→
Light Screen
Survives Magmortar Heat Wave, then dies to Heatran next turn
Heatmor ★
→
Knock Off
Flash Fire forces Magmortar to use Heat Wave, not Weather Ball
Flygon
→
Earth Power / EQ
Ground Gem boosts first hit massively
Flygon
→
Earth Power / EQ
Double Flygon Earth Power
Hydreigon
→
Earth Power
Choice Specs, 120 SpD spread
Hydreigon
→
Earth Power
Choice Specs, 120 SpD spread
Nidoking
→
Earth Power
Sheer Force + Choice Specs
Hydreigon ★
→
Earth Power
MUST survive this turn. 168 SpD spread
Hydreigon
→
Earth Power
120 SpD, targeted before P2
Hydreigon
→
Earth Power
120 SpD, targeted before P2
Excadrill ★
→
Dig
Go underground before Hydreigon moves. Roar cannot reach you.
Hydreigon ★
→
Earth Power
Triggers 67% Roar threshold. P2 gets roared into a random party member.
Excadrill ★
→
Dig
Underground and invulnerable. Roar does nothing.
Excadrill ★
→
Dig
Underground and invulnerable. Roar does nothing.
Excadrill
→
Dig (surfaces)
Dig from last turn lands for 4× Ground damage
Hydreigon
→
Earth Power
One final Earth Power after the roared-in Pokémon faints
Excadrill
→
Dig (surfaces)
Triple Dig lands simultaneously
Excadrill
→
Dig (surfaces)
Triple Dig lands simultaneously
Gallade
→
Sacred Sword ★
Ignores Iron Defense's +2 Def, hitting as if there were no stat change.
Gallade
→
Sacred Sword ★
Ignores Iron Defense's +2 Def
Gallade
→
Sacred Sword ★
Ignores Iron Defense's +2 Def
Gallade
→
Sacred Sword ★
Ignores Iron Defense's +2 Def
Kingdra
→
Brine
Double damage below 50% HP
Politoed / Pelipper
→
Weather Ball / Brine
Whichever P2 has left after Roar
Infernape ★
→
Fake Tears ★
Heatran SpDef −2: amplifies every Brine and Water move
Kingdra
→
Brine
Double damage below 50% HP
Kingdra / Pelipper
→
Brine
Double damage, Rain boosted
Toed / Peli / Kingdra
→
Weather Ball / Brine
Whatever P2 has left. Maintain Drizzle Rain.
Kingdra
→
Brine
Double damage, Rain boosted
Kingdra / Pelipper
→
Brine
Double damage, Rain boosted
Reset for Magmortar
If Magmortar does not appear, reset immediately. The Flash Fire mechanic that protects P3's screener on turn 1 depends entirely on Magmortar being present in the encounter.
Hydreigon spreads are non-negotiable
Three different EV spreads: P2 needs 168 SpD to survive turn 4. P3/P4 need 120 SpD to be targeted before P2. Deviating risks P2 getting KO'd before it can trigger Roar, which is a forced reset.
Dig must go before Hydreigon
On turn 4, P1/P3/P4 Excadrills must be faster than P2 Hydreigon and Dig first. If you surface when Roar fires you get randomly swapped, destroying the entire setup. Check your speed tiers before the raid.
Respect the screener requirement
The screener must barely survive a Helping Hands Weather Ball from Magmortar and then die to the following Heatran attack. Do not use Cloud Nine Golduck, because its weather interaction can cause a two-turn Solar Beam sequence that interferes with the required Flygon survival.
Gallade bypasses Iron Defense completely
Sacred Sword ignores all stat changes on the target, including the +2 Def from Iron Defense at 50% HP. This is the entire reason turn 6 uses Gallade. Never skip it or substitute another Pokémon.
Use Fake Tears before the Water finish
P3's Scarf Infernape uses Fake Tears to lower Special Defense before the final Water damage. Suitable Fire- or Electric-type alternatives include Jolteon, Raichu, Plusle, Minun, or Ninetales without Drought.
