Competitive Information for Basculin [Sword/Shield]
Water
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Basculin? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield 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 Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Basculin is a fabulous Water-typed Pokemon. It's a common sight to see Basculin out in the 8th generation battlefield. Basculin's only type-related weaknesses are Electric and Grass.
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Double-Edge / Facade
- Liquidation / Aqua Tail
- Superpower / Revenge
- Psychic Fangs / Zen Headbutt
Physical Sweeper Basculin (Reckless)
Basculin is pretty popular Physical Sweeper for single battles. It's primary goal is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Basculin from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Band will increase the damage of Basculin's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Reckless, Basculin's attacks with recoil or crash damage have 1.2x power; not struggle. Facade's damage doubles when the user has a status affliction.
◆ Facade is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if Basculin is burn/poison/paralyzed).
◆ Liquidation is a physical STAB-boosted 85-base power Water-type move (20% chance to lower the target's defense by 1 stage).
◆ Aqua Tail is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Water-type move that deals a substantial amount of damage.
◆ Superpower is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Basculin's attack and defense by 1 stage).
◆ Revenge is a physical 60-base power Fighting-type move (power doubles if Basculin is damaged by the target).
◆ Psychic Fangs is a physical 85-base power Psychic-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
◆ Zen Headbutt is a physical 80-base power Psychic-type move (20% chance to make the target flinch).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is10a226
Item: Focus Sash / Throat Spray
Ability: Reckless
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Ice Beam / Icy Wind
- Round / Snore
- Mud Shot
Special Sweeper Basculin (Reckless)
Basculin is a notable Special Sweeper for single battles. The purpose of this moveset is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Throat Spray activates when a Pokemon uses a sound-based move (in this case Round or Snore) and boosts Basculin's special attack stat by 2 stages. Focus Sash helps protect Basculin from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Reckless, Basculin's attacks with recoil or crash damage have 1.2x power; not struggle.
◆ 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).
◆ 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 (Basculin must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target).
◆ Mud Shot is a special 55-base power Ground-type move (100% chance to lower the target's speed by 1 stage).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is11a226
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Basculin? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield 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 Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Double-Edge / Facade
- Liquidation / Aqua Tail
- Superpower / Revenge
- Psychic Fangs / Zen Headbutt
Doubles Physical Sweeper Basculin (Reckless)
Basculin is popular Physical Sweeper for double battles. It is primarily designed to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Basculin from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Band will increase the damage of Basculin's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Reckless, Basculin's attacks with recoil or crash damage have 1.2x power; not struggle. Facade's damage doubles when the user has a status affliction.
◆ Facade is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if Basculin is burn/poison/paralyzed).
◆ Liquidation is a physical STAB-boosted 85-base power Water-type move (20% chance to lower the target's defense by 1 stage).
◆ Aqua Tail is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Water-type move that deals a mighty amount of damage.
◆ Superpower is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Basculin's attack and defense by 1 stage).
◆ Revenge is a physical 60-base power Fighting-type move (power doubles if Basculin is damaged by the target).
◆ Psychic Fangs is a physical 85-base power Psychic-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
◆ Zen Headbutt is a physical 80-base power Psychic-type move (20% chance to make the target flinch).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id10a226
Item: Focus Sash / Throat Spray
Ability: Reckless
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Round / Snore
- Mud Shot
Doubles Special Sweeper Basculin (Reckless)
Basculin is a decent Special Sweeper for double battles. It is designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Throat Spray activates when a Pokemon uses a sound-based move (in this case Round or Snore) and boosts Basculin's special attack stat by 2 stages. Focus Sash helps protect Basculin from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Reckless, Basculin's attacks with recoil or crash damage have 1.2x power; not struggle.
◆ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target. Thaws target).
◆ 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).
◆ 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 (Basculin must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target).
◆ Mud Shot is a special 55-base power Ground-type move (100% chance to lower the target's speed by 1 stage).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id11a226
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Basculin 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 Basculin can perform in Sword/Shield. 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 SS Move and Ability Combos for Basculin
- Moves: Endure + Flail
- Moves: Endure + Reversal
- Moves: Endure + Endeavor
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Substitute + Reversal
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Assurance + Item: Rocky Helmet
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Move: Endeavor + Item: Focus Sash
- Recoil moves boosted by Reckless: Double-Edge, Head Smash, Take Down
- Moves with Priority: Endure, Protect, Aqua Jet
- Moves that Break Screens: Psychic Fangs
- Moves that inflict status: Scald, Toxic
Moves that boost Basculin's stats
- Agility
- Scale Shot
Most notable and possible best moves for Basculin
- Flip Turn
- Head Smash
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Protect
- Rest
- Scald
- Taunt
- Toxic
Common Effort Values for Basculin in Sword and Shield
- Adamant Nature ( 0/252/0/0/0/252 )
- Modest Nature ( 0/0/0/252/0/252 )
- Optimize Basculin's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
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Here are the best movesets for Basculin. Top rated Basculin Sword/Shield movesets. You can find Basculin builds Sword/Shield. Basculin movesets Sword/Shield are listed here. VGC Basculin Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Basculin in Sword/Shield along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution