Competitive Information for Piplup [Sun/Moon]
Water
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Piplup? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sun/Moon Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Sun/Moon generation metagame.
Piplup is a marvelous Water-typed Pokemon. Piplup is not a Pokemon anyone usually expects sees on the battlefield. Piplup can be quite a contender in the LC tier (Little Cup). Piplup's only type-related weaknesses are Electric and Grass.
Item: Waterium Z / Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 224 Hp / 252 Atk / 28 Def / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Waterfall / Dive
- Return / Secret Power
- Drill Peck / Pluck
- Brick Break
Physical Sweeper Piplup (Defiant)
Piplup is a notable Physical Sweeper. It is meant to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Life Orb boosts the power of Piplup's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Defiant, Piplup's attack is raised by 2 for each of its stats that is lowered by a foe.
♦ Dive is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (dives underwater turn 1, strikes turn 2).
♦ Return is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at maximum happiness).
♦ Secret Power is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (effect varies with terrain. (30% paralysis chance)).
♦ Drill Peck is a physical 80-base power Flying-type move that deals a substantial amount of damage.
♦ Pluck is a physical 60-base power Flying-type move (Piplup steals and eats the target's berry).
♦ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/hs10a189
Item: Waterium Z / Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 224 Hp / 28 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Ice Beam / Icy Wind
- Signal Beam
- Round / Snore
Special Sweeper Piplup (Defiant)
Piplup is an astounding Special Sweeper. This moveset is designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Life Orb boosts the power of Piplup's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Defiant, Piplup's attack is raised by 2 for each of its stats that is lowered by a foe.
♦ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target. thaws target).
♦ Ice Beam is a special 90-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
♦ Icy Wind is a special 55-base power Ice-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
♦ Signal Beam is a special 75-base power Bug-type move (10% chance to confuse the target).
♦ Round is a special 60-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if others used round this turn).
♦ Snore is a special 50-base power Normal-type move (Piplup must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/hs11a189
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Piplup? These builds have been optimized for Sun/Moon Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Sun/Moon generation metagame.
Item: Waterium Z / Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 224 Hp / 252 Atk / 28 Def / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Waterfall / Dive
- Return / Secret Power
- Drill Peck / Pluck
- Brick Break
Doubles Physical Sweeper Piplup (Defiant)
Piplup is a pretty decent Physical Sweeper. It tries to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Life Orb boosts the power of Piplup's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Defiant, Piplup's attack is raised by 2 for each of its stats that is lowered by a foe.
♦ Dive is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (dives underwater turn 1, strikes turn 2).
♦ Return is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at maximum happiness).
♦ Secret Power is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (effect varies with terrain. (30% paralysis chance)).
♦ Drill Peck is a physical 80-base power Flying-type move that deals a nice amount of damage.
♦ Pluck is a physical 60-base power Flying-type move (Piplup steals and eats the target's berry).
♦ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/hd10a189
Item: Waterium Z / Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 224 Hp / 28 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Surf / Bubble
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Signal Beam
- Round / Snore
Doubles Special Sweeper Piplup (Defiant)
Piplup is a wonderful Special Sweeper. It's goal is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Life Orb boosts the power of Piplup's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Defiant, Piplup's attack is raised by 2 for each of its stats that is lowered by a foe.
♦ Bubble is a special STAB-boosted 40-base power Water-type move (10% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
♦ 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 90-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
♦ Signal Beam is a special 75-base power Bug-type move (10% chance to confuse the target).
♦ Round is a special 60-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if others used round this turn).
♦ Snore is a special 50-base power Normal-type move (Piplup must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/hd11a189
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Piplup learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Piplup can perform in Sun/Moon. 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 SM Move and Ability Combos for Piplup
- Moves: Endure + Flail
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Yawn + Protect
- Ability: Torrent + Item: Focus sash
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Move: Double Hit + Item: King's Rock
- Moves with Priority: Bide, Endure, Protect
- Moves that Break Screens: Defog, Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status: Yawn, Scald, Toxic
Moves that boost Piplup's stats
- Agility
- Work Up
Most notable and possible best moves for Piplup
- Hidden Power
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Protect
- Rest
- Scald
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
Common Effort Values for Piplup in Sun and Moon
- Nature ( )
- Nature ( )
- Optimize Piplup's EV spread for Pokemon Sun and Moon
Related Videos
Here are various how-to-use and competitive moveset analysis video guides for Piplup in Sun/Moon. These featured videos will most likely contain additional strategies and combos not listed on our site. Disclaimer: All videos belong to their respective owners along with the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the videos. They belong solely to the author and not to us.
We currently do not have any competitive video guides for Piplup in Sun/Moon
Want to have your Competitive Pokemon videos sponsored on our site? Contact us!
Some builds on this page have been hidden, click here to display them
Here are the best movesets for Piplup. Top rated Piplup Sun/Moon movesets. You can find Piplup builds Sun/Moon. Piplup movesets Sun/Moon are listed here. VGC Piplup Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Piplup in Sun/Moon along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for Prinplup evolution