Competitive Information for Ninetales [Sword/Shield]
Fire
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Ninetales? 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.
VenusaurTogekissCharizardIncineroarGastrodonWhimsicottConkeldurrClefairyMeowsticDurant
Ninetales is an interesting Fire-typed Pokemon. It's pretty common to see Ninetales show up as a Sword/Shield opponent. Ninetales is weak to Ground, Rock, and Water-typed attacks.
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Scarf
Ability: Drought
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Solar Beam / Energy Ball
- Heat Wave / Will-O-Wisp
- Fake Tears / Dark Pulse
- Protect
Special Sweeper Ninetales (Popular/Trending)
Ninetales is an awesome Special Sweeper. It's designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Ninetales from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Scarf will increase Ninetales's speed by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. Drought changes the weather to Intense Sunlight when Ninetales is sent out onto the field. This help boosts all fire attacks while the Sunlight remains active.
♦ Energy Ball is a special 90-base power Grass-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Heat Wave is a special STAB-boosted 95-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the foes).
♦ Will-O-Wisp is a status move (burns the target).
♦ Fake Tears is a status move (lowers the target's special defense by 2 stages).
♦ Dark Pulse is a special 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Protect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Ninetales this turn).
Item: Heat Rock / Life Orb
Ability: Drought
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Flare Blitz / Flame Charge
- Foul Play
- Body Slam
- Zen Headbutt
Physical Sweeper Ninetales (Drought)
Ninetales is a pretty decent Physical Sweeper. This moveset is designed to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Life Orb boosts the power of Ninetales's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. Drought changes the weather to Intense Sunlight when Ninetales is sent out onto the field. This help boosts all fire attacks while the Sunlight remains active.
♦ Flame Charge is a physical STAB-boosted 50-base power Fire-type move (100% chance to raise your Ninetales's speed by 1 stage).
♦ Foul Play is a physical 95-base power Dark-type move (uses target's attack stat in damage calculation).
♦ Body Slam is a physical 85-base power Normal-type move (30% chance to paralyze the target).
♦ Zen Headbutt is a physical 80-base power Psychic-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
Item: Heat Rock / Life Orb
Ability: Drought
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Overheat / Flamethrower
- Solar Beam / Energy Ball
- Dark Pulse
- Psyshock
Special Sweeper Ninetales (Drought)
Ninetales is a fabulous Special Sweeper. It's designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Life Orb boosts the power of Ninetales's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. Drought changes the weather to Intense Sunlight when Ninetales is sent out onto the field. This help boosts all fire attacks while the Sunlight remains active.
♦ Flamethrower is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
♦ Solar Beam is a special 120-base power Grass-type move (charges turn 1. hits turn 2. no charge in sunlight).
♦ Energy Ball is a special 90-base power Grass-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Dark Pulse is a special 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Psyshock is a special 80-base power Psychic-type move (damages target based on defense, not special defense).
Item: Air Balloon
Ability: Drought
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 248 Hp / 12 SpA / 248 Spe
Moveset:
- Dark Pulse
- Calm Mind
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
Ninetales Support (Seen Gooder)
Ninetales is a remarkable Support. Drought changes the weather to Intense Sunlight when Ninetales is sent out onto the field. This help boosts all fire attacks while the Sunlight remains active.
♦ Calm Mind is a status move (raises your Ninetales's special attack and special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Fire Blast is a special STAB-boosted 110-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
♦ Solar Beam is a special 120-base power Grass-type move (charges turn 1. hits turn 2. no charge in sunlight).
Item: Safety Goggles
Ability: Flash Fire
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Nasty Plot
- Energy Ball
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
Ninetales Special Sweeper (Nasty Burn)
Ninetales is a notable Special Sweeper. It is meant to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. With Flash Fire, Ninetales's fire attacks do 1.5x damage if hit by one fire move; fire immunity. This set is targeted towards working with my Alolan Ninetales set Veil Attacker. That is the reason for it having Safety Goggles, so it doesn't take damage from the snow storm. I decided not to use its HA because while it gives access to Solar Beam, it removes or is removed by Alolan Ninetales Hail. If used in singles instead of doubles replace the ability with drought and the item with life orb.
♦ Energy Ball is a special 90-base power Grass-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Dark Pulse is a special 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Fire Blast is a special STAB-boosted 110-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
Item: Sitrus Berry
Ability: Drought
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Psyshock
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
Ninetales Special Sweeper (Desert Queen)
Ninetales is popular Special Sweeper. It was designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Drought changes the weather to Intense Sunlight when Ninetales is sent out onto the field. This help boosts all fire attacks while the Sunlight remains active.
♦ Nasty Plot is a status move (raises your Ninetales's special attack by 2 stages).
♦ Fire Blast is a special STAB-boosted 110-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
♦ Solar Beam is a special 120-base power Grass-type move (charges turn 1. hits turn 2. no charge in sunlight).
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Ninetales? 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: Heat Rock / Life Orb
Ability: Drought
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Flare Blitz / Flame Charge
- Foul Play
- Body Slam
- Zen Headbutt
Doubles Physical Sweeper Ninetales (Drought)
Ninetales is popular Physical Sweeper. It's primary goal is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Life Orb boosts the power of Ninetales's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. Drought changes the weather to Intense Sunlight when Ninetales is sent out onto the field. This help boosts all fire attacks while the Sunlight remains active.
♦ Flame Charge is a physical STAB-boosted 50-base power Fire-type move (100% chance to raise your Ninetales's speed by 1 stage).
♦ Foul Play is a physical 95-base power Dark-type move (uses target's attack stat in damage calculation).
♦ Body Slam is a physical 85-base power Normal-type move (30% chance to paralyze the target).
♦ Zen Headbutt is a physical 80-base power Psychic-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
Item: Heat Rock / Life Orb
Ability: Drought
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Heat Wave / Incinerate
- Solar Beam / Energy Ball
- Dark Pulse
- Psyshock
Doubles Special Sweeper Ninetales (Drought)
Ninetales is a stupendous Special Sweeper. It's purpose is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Life Orb boosts the power of Ninetales's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. Drought changes the weather to Intense Sunlight when Ninetales is sent out onto the field. This help boosts all fire attacks while the Sunlight remains active.
♦ Incinerate is a special STAB-boosted 60-base power Fire-type move (destroys the foes berry/gem).
♦ Solar Beam is a special 120-base power Grass-type move (charges turn 1. hits turn 2. no charge in sunlight).
♦ Energy Ball is a special 90-base power Grass-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Dark Pulse is a special 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Psyshock is a special 80-base power Psychic-type move (damages target based on defense, not special defense).
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Ninetales 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.
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Ninetales 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 Ninetales
- Moves: Sunny day + Solar Beam
- Moves: Endure + Flail
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Ability: Drought + Item: Heat Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Moves with Priority: Quick Attack, Endure, Protect, Baby-Doll Eyes
Create a build
Have an idea in mind for Ninetales that you'd like to test? Customize the IVs, EVs and their Sword/Shield moveset. This area allows you to examine the typing coverages of selected moves and stat variances.
This feature is currently in the final stages of development.