What is a good moveset for Heliolisk?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Heliolisk, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for its pre-evolutions, if any, 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 detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Heliolisk Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Weather Support:

Heliolisk @ Damp Rock / Smooth Rock
Ability: Dry Skin / Sand Veil
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder / Thunderbolt
- Rain Dance / Sandstorm
- Surf / Focus Blast
- Volt Switch / Dark Pulse

With a quite nice base 109 speed, in coherence with an offensive typing and abilities that complement both Rain and Sand, Heliolisk makes a fine choice for your non-Ability weather setter. For the most part, the items, abilities, and moves that work best together are lined up with each other, though moveslots three and four are more open to variance.

Thunder and Thunderbolt are obligatory STAB that helps deal with opposing Water-types, known to give both Sand and Rain issue. The second slot goes to the weather set up of choice. Third, Surf is best left for Rain, as it has far more power and is more reliable than Focus Blast, and even in sand the accuracy may make it the better choice, but Focus Blast is nice for nailing tyranitar and ferrothorn among other things.

Finally, Volt Switch allows for some hefty damage to be dealt while the main weather sweeper comes in, but it should be noted that Dark Pulse, in addition to reliable nailing the great threats Aegislash, Chandelure and Shadow Tag Mega-Gengar, is also Heliolisk's only reliable way of hitting Latios / Latias for solid damage, though all the latter three outspeed it.

Other options include Grass Knot for nailing heavier Water / Ground-types as well as Tyranitar, and typically, a Rain boosted Surf will outdamage and Hidden Power Ice, while also being more useful overall. Unforunately, Heliolisk does not learn Sunny Day, as otherwise, a set similar to the one above with Solar Power would be viable.

Comments

Wouldn't you say I would be difficult to use volt switch when you've just killed a water type with Thunder and the opponent switches to a Venusaur knowing Earthquake? Choice specs will be an issue, just sayin'

---

Nobleman Ever heard of switching out? If you are worried about choice specs you can replace it using a life orb.

Answer 2

Heliolisk @ Wise Glasses
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thunder
- Rain Dance
- Hyper Voice / Surf
- Parabolic Charge

This is the moveset I use. It may not be as competitive as most movesets here, but it takes advantage of Heliolisk's typing with STAB and of course its base Special Attack and Speed of 109.

The first slot goes to Thunder - 110 base power and 100% accuracy when raining + STAB.

The second slot goes to Rain Dance - heals in rain, Thunder never misses and powers up Surf.

The third slot goes to Hyper Voice - 90 base power + STAB (might be less useful but I like it (also, it's only obtainable through ORAS move tutor))

OR

Surf has a base power of 90 and is powered up in rain, hits multiple targets and great for Ground coverage.

The fourth slot goes to Parabolic Charge / Surf - Parabolic Charge has only 50 base power but heals and can hit multiple targets + STAB

I personally don't like Choice Specs as it restricts you to one move, so I prefer to give Heliolisk Wise Glasses to boost its special moves by 10%. If you find Hyper Voice useless, you could easily replace it with Surf.

Also, this moveset is perfect for double battles. I would personally pair it up with a Volt Absorb Lanturn. Lanturns Surf( powered up by Rain Dance) heals Heliolisk and Heliolisk's Parabolic Charge heals Lanturn in return.

Comments

Nice moveset, thanks!

---

I would replace Adamant with Timid or Modest

Answer 3

Heliolisk @ Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunder
- Surf
- Grass Knot / Focus Blast / Dark Pulse

It's got an unnecessary Normal typing for some reason, meaning it's weak to Mach Punch. Doesn't help that it has a base 52 Defence as well. In any case, it's got a decent movepool to utilise with a nice base 109 Sp. Atk & Speed.

Heliolisk will work well on Rain teams and in Doubles with Surf from Dry Skin. For a Doubles Set, replace Volt Switch with Protect instead. And then finally a coverage move of your choice.

Answer 4

The rain Sweeper

Helioptile @ Choice Specs:
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Volt Switch
- Surf
- Grass Knot / Dark Pulse

Basically the same moveset for the 3 of us. The Normal typing adds a weakness to Fighting, but otherwise, it adds a resistance and thus immunity to both Jellicent's STAB when Dry Skin is your ability. This should abuse Drizzletoad. OK, we are not gonna see this much in OU and near never in Ubers, but who knows...

Thunder > Thunderbolt and the other options, for the extra power, and the ability to abuse Rain. Volt Switch maybe be used on weak Water Pokémon, I mean frail ones, like Starmie, thus OHKOing it and switching to prepare against a threat. Surf is also abusing Rain to double its power, and can OHKO Heatran, not the specially defensive one of course. Grass Knot is here to smash the OU, full of obese Pokémon, while Dark Pulse can be an answer to Alakazam, Aegislash, Gengar and so-on.

Comments

Why call it the rain Sweeper if it doesn't know rain dance???

---

Because it profits of rain to sweep, and teammates like Politoed or Floatzel who summon rain frequently are benefic for him.

Answer 5

Heliolisk @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Ice]

This guy will be best running a Scarf set imo due to his base Speed sitting around 109, putting him in a fantastic speed tier. Thunderbolt is your reliable, fairly hard hitting STAB. Volt Switch is STAB as well to help you escape bad situations. Surf is coverage getting off good damage on Ground types. HP Ice gets Grass and Dragon types the other moves can't.

Comments

This is basically the set I would suggest, so I won't be making my own answer and be lame like that. I will however suggest something to use in place of Focus Blast: Either HP Ice or a less ideal HP Fire.

Thunderbolt/VS and Surf are going to be the moves of choice to deal with most foes. However, these two types do not cover Grass and Dragon type Pokemon. Focus Blast does little to patch up this fault, leaving Leavanny (who is indeed a consideration thanks to Sticky Web), Amoonguss, and potentially will leave it unable to handle Dragalge, Trevenant, and Gourgeist.

Answer 6

Heliolisk (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 68 SpA / 252 SpD / 188 Spe
Calm Nature
- Thunder
- Rain Dance
- Psych Up
- Substitute

Dry Skin + Rain Dance + Leftovers is the best combo on Heliolisk, imho. With the Rain set up I can heal off most of the Sub damage. This set can wall pretty much any special sweeper with a SE move, though probably not any Megas or Legends. But she walls pretty well.

EVs highlight Special Defense and Speed. 301 speed is enough to outspeed the bulkier sweepers and lets me catch a few already-fast-and-not-investing-in-Speed-EVs sweepers. Otherwise Heliolisk can usually tank a hit before setting up a Sub.

Once I have a Sub up, I have one free turn to do as I please. I usually set up Rain Dance ASAP, since the recovery is amazing on Heliolisk due to her low HP.

Thunder wrecks in the Rain, having a whopping 165 base power after STAB. It's the strongest Electric type attack and this set only works in the Rain so why not.

Psych Up is probably a questionable move, but I just picked it and it worked. It works well against Pokemon like Gardevoir (non-Mega), who set up with Calm Mind first. One time a dude got like +3 SpA and SpD on a Gardevoir. I was faster, so I was able to Psych Up and tank the blow, then proceed to damage the Gardevoir like there were no stat changes (due him being +3 SDef and me being +3 SAtk).

The problem with this set is of course the Ground type, Megas/Legends, anything that resists Electric and Physical or Mixed sweepers. I keep this set away from such things, and it works pretty well. Not the best set on Heliolisk but a good one if you ask me.

Answer 7

Heliolisk @ Choice Specs
Ability : Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hyper Voice
- Dark Pulse
- Surf / Focus Blast

Comments

Generally good, but I would like to know your exact mentality behind this.  Also, I would recommend Timid.

Answer 8

This guy is notably good with weather, he can be built very well for either Rain or Sunshine weathers, I have 2 Sets for him, one for Sunny Weather and other for Rainy weather.

Sun Weather Sweeper

Heliolisk @ Choice Specs
Ability: Solar Power
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature / Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Thunderbolt is his STAB. Dark Pulse and Focus Blast are for coverage. HP [Ice] covers his Ground weakness and makes him able to deal with Dragons. The strategy here is to put this guy after someone set-up Sunny Day (or maybe Drought if you're using Groudon / Primal Groudon), ideally this Pokemon would set up Sunny Day, put up a Substitute for Heliolisk and then Batton Pass him some stat boosts (preferably SpA and Spe so he can sweep).

After the Baton Pass he has a defense, then you'll have 50% extra SpA from Solar Power and 50% extra SpA from Choice Specs, it literally doubles your SpA with these two (If I'm not mistaken it doubles the total ammount, not the Base ammount, so even better), with a Modest Nature, you're almost hitting 700 SpA, imagine this guy getting a stat buff along this? And he would have a Substitute so he could faint 2-3 guys before they actually manage to take him down. This just sounds too good to pass up for me. The only problem I can see is that he has subpar Physical Bulk and his Base HP is Extra Low, but with a Substitute and maybe a Taunter alongside him he can be pretty durable.

---

Rain Weather Sweeper

Heliolisk @ Choice Specs / Life Orb
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Signal Beam / Agility
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Thunder is STAB, higher Base Power than Thunderbolt and since he's in a Rain Weather comp it is a realiable damage source. Signal Beam and Focus Blast for coverage, go with Agility if you went for Life Orb. HP [Ice] is the same deal as before. This guy has less SpA than Sun Heliolisk but he is a little bit sturdier because of his healing from Rain/Water Type moves, the concept is kinda the same here, though a bit simpler since he does not need a Batton Pass/Substitute to start Sweeping, he just needs someone to provide him with a Rain weather.

I put both together because I don't really care about upvotes/downvotes, since it's much easier to know what people didn't like about the set if they tell me rather than if they downvote me, simply downvotting won't say to me what specificaly is bad about my set.

Comments

What about replacing  Thunder and focus blast by Thunderbolt and electrify and You could replace Hidden Power by Surf

---

But i do like the set just need improvement

Answer 9

Lanturn's Best Friend

I read about a moveset here which recommended Lanturn as a Double / Triple Battle partner, so I improved it a little bit. :)

For Heliolisk

Heliolisk:@ Life Orb
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 102 Def / 204 SpA / 204 Spe
Timid Nature
- Parabolic Charge
- Hyper Beam
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Electrify

For Lanturn

Lanturn: @ Damp Rock
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 102 Def / 204 SpA / 204 Spe
Lax Nature
- Thunderbolt / Thunder
- Surf
- Ice Beam / Blizzard
- Rain Dance

In the first round, Lanturn sets up with Rain Dance, while Heliolisk starts attacking. In the next rounds, Heliolisk and Lanturn heals each other with Parabolic Charge and Surf, powered up by Life Orb, rain and STAB. The rain also restores HP taken by Heliolisk's Life Orb, and raises the accuracy of Lanturn's Thunder. If any risky Pokémon comes in (like pseudo-legendaries, Garchomp or Dragonite for example), Heliolisk can Electrify an Earthquake for example, weakening the damage on itself and healing Lanturn.

Comments

why Hyper Beam for Heliolisk? and why lax nature for Lanturn? You should use Bold instead

Answer 10

Basically Manetric with a shallower movepool

Heliolisk @ Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- ThunderBolt
- Focus Blast
- Grass Knot / Dark Pulse

Comments

Seems like a better movepool to me.

---

How dare you compare this to Manetric!

---

Heliolisk tramples Manectric any day......

Answer 11

Heliolisk @ Life Orb
Ability: Solar Power
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Parabolic Charge
- Dark Pulse
- Grass Knot

Volt Switch (STAB and pivot)
Parabolic Charge (STAB, restores HP)
Dark Pulse (Coverage)
Grass Knot (Coverage)

Pretty much one of my favorite sets for Sun teams and works well by itself if your Sunny Day provider or Drought member is knocked out. So it's pretty much you should run either Charizard Y or a Ninetales if you want a different mega on your team.

Answer 12

Thin moveset can be used in doubles with surf or to switch in on a predicted water type Attack.

Heliolisk @ Absorb Bulb
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Grass Knot / Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Surf

Answer 13

Is this a Jolteon replacement? :DD??
Alright.. I like Heliolisk because it's new. But it DOES have an interesting movepool o.o.

Heliolisk @ Life Orb
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunder / Thunderbolt
- Surf
- Grass Knot / Dark Pulse / Hyper Beam

Volt Switch (Hits pretty hard and good for scouting)
Thunder / Thunderbolt (Thunder if using in Rain, Thunderbolt otherwise, because missing ticks me off)
Surf (Covers Ground-type weakness, only move in the set that can hit Steel-types)
Whatever you want

Last slot is situational @.@. Grass Knot works because all Rock-types are fat, making it out damage Surf. Usually. Dark Pulse is super effective against Ghost-types. Lots of people are saying Focus Blast but.. I personally hate it. Missing all day and night. BUT PERSONALLY MY SUGGESTION IS.. Hyper Beam? :l. It allows you to use the Normal-type for something and, well, if you are going down, go down with a 100% accurate BANG! :D

Comments

No no no!hyper beam never works.
Try hp ice/dragon pulse/focus blast/dark pulse.
With one of those your set is pretty good.=)

Answer 14

This thing would've been OU last gen.

Heliolisk @ Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
Ability: Solar Power
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast

Answer 15

Heliolisk (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rain Dance
- Thunder
- Surf
- Grass Knot

Answer 16

Helioslisk @ Bright Powder
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Sandstorm
- Electrify
- Wild Charge / Thunderbolt

Rules: Switch out when nasty Ground, Fighting, Grass and Dragon types appear out of enemy team.
Steps: Start with Sandstorm to raise evasion then always use Electrify before you use Thunder Wave. After you're done with those moves spam Wild Charge.
The Bright Powder combined with Sand Veil + Sandstorm will make your opponents moves miss all the time. Wild Charge / Thunderbolt will deal damage to the enemy team.

Comments

You shouldn't be using physical moves on a Pokemon with 55 base Attack and no investment. Scrap Wild Charge, and replace Jolly nature with Timid.

Answer 17

With a base 109 Speed stat, Heliolisk outspeeds a lot of common Pokemon such as Infernape, Galvantula, and Cobalion. It also has a great movepool, boasting moves such as Surf, Grass Knot, Focus Blast, Thunderbolt, Hyper Voice, Volt Switch, and Dark Pulse.

This is what I would do:

Heliolisk @ Damp Rock
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rain Dance
- Thunder
- Thunderbolt
- Surf

Rain Dance (Slowly heals you. People will be tempted to use Water-type moves, which will also heal you)
Thunder (Good Electric-type move with whopping 110 base power. In Rain Dance it can't miss, and will get rid of any Water-types that try to use your Rain)
Thunderbolt (Chance to paralyze. This is a good primary attack with a base power of 90)
Surf (For Ground-types. It also has 90 base power, and is powered up by the Rain)

Answer 18

Z-Thunderbolt!

Heliolisk @ Electrium Z
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Surf
- Dragon Pulse
- Dark Pulse

So yeah...
KABLAMMM

Answer 19

Gen 6 Special Sweeper:

Heliolisk @ Magnet
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Sandstorm
- Parabolic Charge
- Volt Switch
- Dark Pulse

Answer 20

Sweeper

Gen 6

Heliolisk @ Life Orb / Damp Rock
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Parabolic Charge
- Rain Dance
- Electric Terrain / Grass Knot
- Thunder / Surf / Magnet Rise

Strategy: Use Electric Terrain/ Rain Dance first turn then start sweeping. Life Orb Damages Heliolisk but powers up moves and the damage is healed with Dry Skin in rain anyway. xD

• Parabolic Charge is the STAB move with Life Orb power boost and can heal you.
• Rain Dance lasts 8 turns with the Damp Rock. Heals Heliolisk because of the ability Dry Skin, plus powers up Surf and gives Thunder 100% accuracy.
• Electric Terrain powers up Electric-type moves and prevents Grounded Pokemon from falling asleep, but won't if you use Magnet Rise. Grass Knot gives coverage against Ground-types and is especially good if the Ground-type is heavy.
• Thunder has 100% accuracy in rain and is powerful with STAB; Surf could provide Ground-type coverage and can hit multiple Pokemon in double battles, or you could choose Magnet Rise if the Ground-types are causing some trouble. But be warned, you don't get the Electric Terrain bonuses while raised.

Tips: Make sure you set up Rain Dance and Electric Terrain first as this set works best with them. Unfortunately in gen 6 Heliolisk has no coverage against Fighting-types. I would prefer not to use this set against Ground-types as Earthquake can be a big danger to Heliolisk because of the low defense stat.

I hope you like it! :)