Competitive Information for Frillish [Black/White]
Water / Ghost
Abilities:
If this Pokemon is hit by an attack, there is a 30% chance that move gets disabled.
Prevents Explosion/Self-Destruct/Aftermath while this Pokemon is active.
This Pokemon heals 1/4 of its max HP when hit by Water moves; Water immunity.

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Note: Pokemon with the Water Absorb ability are immune to Water attacks.
Movesets for Singles
Looking for a competitive moveset for Frillish? These builds are optimized for Black/White Single Battles. The movesets and EVs are designed to maximize damage against common opponents and threats in the Black/White metagame. Check out the expert movesets below to boost your battle performance and dominate your opponents!
Say hello to Frillish, a terrific Pokémon that excels with Water and Ghost typing! Frillish is not a Pokémon anyone usually expects to see on the battlefield. It often dominates battles in the LC tier (Little Cup). It is weak to Dark, Electric, Ghost, and Grass-typed attacks. Curious about Frillish's movesets? Check our suggestions listed below!
Item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 160 Hp / 96 Def / 252 SpA
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Shadow Ball / Ominous Wind
- Sludge Wave / Sludge Bomb
- Ice Beam
Frillish shows an astounding Special Sweeper prowess in single battles. It is primarily designed to crush rivals using forceful special power. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Frillish's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Frillish's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Water Absorb, Frillish heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity.
◆ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target).
◆ Shadow Ball is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Ghost-type move (20% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Ominous Wind is a special STAB-boosted 60-base power Ghost-type move (10% chance to raise all stats by 1 stage (not acc/eva)).
◆ Sludge Wave is a special 95-base power Poison-type move (10% chance to poison adjacent pokemon).
◆ Sludge Bomb is a special 90-base power Poison-type move (30% chance to poison the target).
◆ Ice Beam is a special 95-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gaa250
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Mild (+SpA, -Def)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Trick Room
- Energy Ball
- Recover
- Ice Beam
In single battles, Frillish is known as a noteworthy Special Sweeper. This moveset was created to crush rivals using intense special power. Leftovers are always a great recovery option to ensure Frillish last longer regaining it's health points every turn. With Water Absorb, Frillish heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity.
◆ Energy Ball is a special 80-base power Grass-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Recover is a status move (heals your Frillish by 50% of its max hp).
◆ Ice Beam is a special 95-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gba250
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Quiet (+SpA, -Spe)
EVs: 130 Hp / 250 SpA / 130 Spe
Moveset:
- Hex / Giga Drain
- Scald
- Recover
- Ice Beam
Ready for single battles? Frillish is a fabulous Special Tank. This moveset is designed to handle special hits and respond with decent damage. Life Orb boosts the power of Frillish's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Water Absorb, Frillish heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity.
◆ Giga Drain is a special 75-base power Grass-type move (Frillish recovers 50% of the damage dealt).
◆ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target).
◆ Recover is a status move (heals your Frillish by 50% of its max hp).
◆ Ice Beam is a special 95-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gca250
Movesets for Doubles
Need a strong doubles moveset for Frillish? These builds are perfect for VGC (Pokémon Video Game Championship) and other competitive Black/White Double Battles. The VGC is the ultimate test of strategy and skill, and these movesets and EVs are designed to excel against multiple opponents at once while providing essential support to your team. Dominate the Black/White metagame with these expert-crafted setups!
Item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 160 Hp / 96 Def / 252 SpA
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Water Spout / Surf
- Sludge Wave / Sludge Bomb
- Shadow Ball / Ominous Wind
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
For those intense double battles, Frillish is a noteworthy Special Sweeper. This strategy is built to overwhelm foes with lethal special power. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Frillish's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Frillish's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Water Absorb, Frillish heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity.
◆ Surf is a special STAB-boosted 95-base power Water-type move (hits adjacent pokemon. Double damage on dive).
◆ Sludge Wave is a special 95-base power Poison-type move (10% chance to poison adjacent pokemon).
◆ Sludge Bomb is a special 90-base power Poison-type move (30% chance to poison the target).
◆ Shadow Ball is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Ghost-type move (20% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Ominous Wind is a special STAB-boosted 60-base power Ghost-type move (10% chance to raise all stats by 1 stage (not acc/eva)).
◆ Icy Wind is a special 55-base power Ice-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
◆ Ice Beam is a special 95-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/haa250
Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Sassy (+SpD, -Spe)
Nature: Relaxed (+Def, -Spe)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Shadow Ball / Ominous Wind
- Sludge Wave / Sludge Bomb
- Trick Room
Frillish stands out as a remarkable Defensive Trick Roomer in single battles. Focus Sash helps protect Frillish from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out (usually Ominous Wind to boost Frillish for the following turns). With Water Absorb, Frillish heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity.
◆ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target).
◆ Shadow Ball is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Ghost-type move (20% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Ominous Wind is a special STAB-boosted 60-base power Ghost-type move (10% chance to raise all stats by 1 stage (not acc/eva)).
◆ Sludge Wave is a special 95-base power Poison-type move (10% chance to poison adjacent pokemon).
◆ Sludge Bomb is a special 90-base power Poison-type move (30% chance to poison the target).
◆ Trick Room is a status move (goes last. For 5 turns, turn order is reversed).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/hba250
Movepool
Want to know what moves Frillish can learn? Check out the full list of moves available in the Pokemon Black/White generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by type, category, accuracy, and power. Moves in bold get the same-type attack bonus (STAB) when used by Frillish.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Frillish can perform in Black/White. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive BW Move and Ability Combos for Frillish
- Moves: Swagger + Psych up
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Pain split + Toxic
- Moves: Pain split + Will-o-wisp
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Moves with Priority: Magic Coat, Protect
- Moves that inflict status (and combo with the move Hex): Scald, Will-O-Wisp, Toxic
Moves that boost Frillish's stats
- Acid Armor
- Ominous Wind
Most notable and possible best moves for Frillish
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Protect
- Rest
- Scald
- Taunt
- Toxic
- Water Spout
Common Effort Values for Frillish in Black and White
Usage Data
Explore the latest analytical usage data for this Pokémon from various VGC and online competitions. We use this data to develop our strategies and movesets. The data is categorized by competition and skill level: top-ranking trainers, mid-level players, and entry-level players.

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