What is a good moveset for Bouffalant?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Bouffalant, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some explanation, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Bouffalant Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Role: Tank

Bouffalant (M) @ Power Herb
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 96 HP / 92 Atk / 160 Def / 160 SpD
Adamant Nature

• Earthquake
• Swords Dance
• Skull Bash
• Megahorn

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1 Turn STAB Skull Bash hits super duper hard, Swords Dance makes it hit even harder, While Megahorn and Earthquake hit for Powerful Coverage.

Comments

I love this set I'm using it for PO :D

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Skull Bash can be prejudicable, the oponent can switch to a ghost type and the attack will fail.

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Power herb makes it a one turn move.

Answer 2

Bouffalant (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature

• Head Charge
• Wild Charge
• Megahorn
• Earthquake

Wild Charge and Head Charge make use of Reckless. Megahorn and Earthquake provide type coverage. The EVs allow you to make the most out of your recoil moves (and a tiny bit of protection put in towards priority.) Choice Band leaves you destroying foes.

Answer 3

Role: Physical Wall

Bouffalant @ Leftovers
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
- Head Charge
- Wild Charge
- Cotton Guard
- Earthquake

Head Charge is STAB and is boosted by its ability, Reckless. Wild Charge is also stronger because of Reckless. Cotton Guard ups it's Defense. Earthquake is good coverage. You can replace Wild Charge with Megahorn, but you should probably make its ability Sap Sipper if you do so.

Comments

Replace cotton guard. That move is usually useless, as just attacking is superior to using defensive moves.

Answer 4

Role: Bulky AV Physical Sweeper

Bouffalant @ Assault Vest
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Adamant Nature
- Head Charge
- Wild Charge
- Zen Headbutt
- Megahorn / Earthquake

Head Charge: STAB and 144 power thanks to Reckless

Wild Charge: 108 power and coverage

Zen Geadbutt: Coverage

Megahorn/Earthquake: More coverage

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In conclusion, while it may not be as good as Tauros, Its still a good Pokemon. It just has a weird design is all.

Answer 5

this is a bit of a fun set I thought ages ago you'd be better off using an assault vest set to be honest
Bouffalant @ Leftovers
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Adamant Nature
- Skull Bash
- Amnesia
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Comments

Good set, but it would only be able to use Skull Bash if it had an Assault Vest

Answer 6

Bouffalant @ Assault Vest
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Head Charge
- Wild Charge
- Earthquake
- Megahorn

A good bulky sweeper that often catches opponents off guard. It is also excellent at absorbing special attacks. Fighting types wreck it, though.

Head Charge
120 base power, plus STAB, plus reckless boost!

Wild Charge
Reckless boosted electric coverage.

Earthquake
Ground coverage that is useful against steel types (which resist your STAB).

Megahorn
Bug coverage that opponents often don't expect.

Answer 7

BULKY Soundproof set!

Buffy (Bouffalant) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Soundproof
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
- Skull Bash
- Substitute
- Bulldoze
- Amnesia

This is a VERY different set I came up with a while ago. Soundproof makes it immune to sound moves that would otherwise go through its Substitute. Skull Bash and Amnesia raise its Defense and Special Defense, respectively. Bulldoze is for both coverage and lowering foes' Speed stats (so you can bulk yourself up before the next hit). Rocky Helmet is held to punish any physical attackers that hit Bouffalant while it's charging Skull Bash.

Answer 8

Gen 8 ZU

Bouffalant @ Choice Band
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Head Charge
- Throat Chop
- Close Combat
- Earthquake

Choice Band Boufalant. Sap Sipper coupled with Choice Band can make Bouffalant a pretty powerful attacker. Head Charge is STAB. Throat Chop is coverage against ghost types like Jellicent and Cofagrigus. Close Combat is coverage against Pokemon like Ferroseed. Earthquake is for coverage that pretty much covers what Close Combat covers, but allows you to hit Coalossal without getting burnt and it covers poison types.

Answer 9

Gen 8 ZU

Bouffalant @ Leftovers
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 248 HP / 56 Atk / 160 SpD / 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
- Head Charge
- Throat Chop / Earthquake

Substitute + Swords Dance set. Sap Sipper is the ability so you can freely switch into grass moves. Substitute allows you to potentially dodge status conditions and is useful for scouting. Swords Dance is for setting up. Head Charge is really powerful STAB. The last move depends on what you want to deal with. Throat Chop is coverage against ghost types, while Earthquake is coverage for rock and steel types. Do note, however, this set suffers from 4mss. (Fourth moveset slot syndrome) If you choose Throat Chop, you're pretty much walled by Rhydon. If you choose Earthquake, you're pretty much walled by ghost types.

248 HP EVs with 160 Special Defense EVs allows you to take a Volt Switch from Rotom well, as shown by this calc:

252 SpA Rotom Volt Switch vs. 248 HP / 160 SpD Bouffalant: 82-97 (20.8 - 24.6%) -- possible 6HKO after Leftovers recovery

44 Speed EVs allow you to outspeed minimum speed Tangela. The rest of the EVs are dumped into attack.

Answer 10

Bouffalant @ Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 200 HP / 252 Atk / 28 Def / 28 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Head Charge
- Wild Charge
- Aerial Ace / Zen Headbutt
- Payback / Throat Chop

Explanation: Head Charge is powerful STAB boosted by Reckless, and Wild Charge takes advantage of Reckless as well and is for extra coverage. Aerial Ace or Zen Headbutt is up to you but covers its weakness to Fighting type. Choose between which type your team lacks more as well as whether you prefer a higher BP or a never-miss move. Payback/Throat Chop is for dealing against Ghost types (and against Psychic), depending on whether you think Bouffalant is slow enough to take advantage of the doubling of Payback should the target move first, or you want a consistent BP move that also renders the target unable to use sound-related moves for two turns.