What is a good moveset for Floatzel?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Floatzel, 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.

Floatzel Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Role: NU Anti-Lead

Floatzel @ Flame Orb
Ability: Water Veil
EVs: 104 HP / 188 Atk / 216 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Switcheroo
- Taunt
- Ice Punch / Crunch
- Waterfall

Explanation

Floatzel stands out in NU as one of the fastest Pokemon. It can outspeed many threatening Pokemon, such as Tauros and Archeops. It's typing also has a great match-up against many leads, making it suitable for being an anti-lead.

Taunt is a typical move seen on many anti-leads. You generally start off with Taunt (if you predict the Stealth Rock from Rhydon, Ferroseed, etc... you get the idea).

Water Veil + Flame Orb + Switcheroo is a great combo. You don't get burned by Flame Orb because of Water Veil and you can use Switcheroo, so it cripples a Physical Sweeper. It's essential that you play Switcheroo carefully. Most of your opponents probably won't be expecting it, but you could get a bad item.

Ice Punch does around 60% - 75% to Torterra with this EV spread. Crunch deals around 60% - 75% to bulky Psychics, like Mushrana and Xatu (and in rare cases, Eviolite Duosion).

Waterfall deals with Rhydon and can OHKO Archeops (which is important because Archeops is a pretty good Stealth Rock lead in NU).

Note: 216 EVs in speed + Jolly Nature ensures that it outspeeds Archeops, while 188 Atk means that it can OHKO Archeops with Waterfall. Other damage estimates (for Ice Punch / Crunch) are done above.

Comments

I'm just going to say this, I love this moveset.

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I think it's better with choice band/scarf instead of flame orb

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Kobrah no, it's better with Flame Orb. The opponent is much more likely to benefit from a Choice Band or Scarf than a Flame Orb.

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the life orb with swift swim have rain dance instead of switcharoo it will become a sweeper and i would teach liquidation and wave crash

Answer 2

Gen 9 OU / National Dex

Floatzel @ Choice Band
Ability: Swift Swim
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wave Crash
- Liquidation
- Aqua Jet
- Ice Spinner

The best Swift Swimmer. Floatzel benefits greatly from Terastilization and access to Wave Crash, a nuke of a move which Barraskewda doesn't have. Liquidation is reliable and strong Water type STAB. Aqua Jet is priority which is great in this hyper offensive meta. Ice Spinner is coverage for Dragon types, Clodsire, and Amoonguss. Floatzel is definitely worse in NatDex than it is in Gen 9 OU, because it gets worn down by Ferrothorn, and it has competition for the best Swift Swimmer in Mega Swampert, but it is still great on rain teams there, due to not sacrificing a mega slot and having the option to Terastilize. The sheer power of banded STAB rain Tera wave Crash is astounding (except against Dondozo).

+2 252+ Atk Choice Band Floatzel Wave Crash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex in Rain: 148-174 (48.6 - 57.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
(This set uses +2 and no STAB in calcs because that is equivalent to STAB Tera Water)

+2 252+ Atk Choice Band Floatzel Liquidation vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ferrothorn in Rain: 117-138 (33.2 - 39.2%) -- 75.8% chance to 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

Good teammates for Floatzel

Pelipper is mandatory because of rain.
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Choice Specs Kilowattrel (or Zapdos in Nat Dex) is a great partner for Floatzel, as their Hurricane does a lot to or straight up beats Toxapex, Clodsire and Ferrothorn (if playing Nat Dex). Thunder destroys Dondozo and can make it risky for something like Dragonite to switch in. Iron Treads is useful on rain for setting up Stealth Rocks and spinning away hazards, while appreciating rain weakening fire moves.

Golduck is nice as an added Swift Swim user, which focuses on special attacking instead. Having Grass Knot for Floatzel's checks in Gastrodon and Dondozo is useful, but it should not be one's only option to beat these Pokemon.

Answer 3

Floatzel @ Choice Band
Ability: Water Veil
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Mild / Hasty Nature
- Waterfall
- Ice Beam / Blizzard
- Brick Break
- Crunch

I've been called an idiot when I go all Choice Band + Blizzard on people, but Ice Fang doesn't KO jack crap. Blizzard has a large enough BP difference to do much more damage. If ran with rocks, it can probably KO Dragonite / Flygon / Salamence / Landorus and maybe even Gliscor. Which rocks! Waterfall is his main attack. I personally use Hasty, although Mild helps Blizzard get easier guaranteed KO's on those quad effective receivers. Brick Break and Crunch give amazing coverage together.

Comments

While Ice Fang is weak, at least it actually gets a boost from the Choice Band. Using Ice Beam or Blizzard is locking yourself into a single move without any positive effect. Besides, Floatzel's Attack is better than its Special Attack, so Ice Fang would probably do more damage anyway.

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What about Ice Punch? Wasn't it in that particular Gen when this answer was written?

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Actually, it doesn't matter which generation this was posted in. In at least one game for each gen (platinum for gen 4, b2w2 for gen 5, oras for gen 6, usum for gen 7) Floatzel has gotten Ice Punch via move tutor. Also necropost I mean what

Answer 4

One of the fastest Water Type Pokemon, Floatzel! It is a Physical Pokemon so too bad Surf and Ice Beam can't be very effective since that would be perfect. Too bad with low Defense of 55 and Special Defense of 50, Floatzel won't stay in for long so pretty much just give it a Focus Sash, anyway here's a set that I hope that will work!

Floatzel @ Focus Sash
Ability: Swift Swim / Water Veil
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Rain Dance
- Aqua Jet / Crunch

Waterfall is the best Physical Water type move for Floatzel, and has a 30% chance of flinching the opponent and so that will make up for Floatzel's frailty, plus it gets STAB. Ice Fang is for Grass coverage and a small chance of freezing the opponent, which again will make up for Floatzel's frailty. Rain Dance is for activating its Abilities, so if it has Swift Swim, it'll double its Speed, which is good if you are running on an Adamant Nature. Water Veil is to cure it from those nasty Burns. Rain Dance will also make its Water type moves a little more powerful. Aqua Jet is a priority move so it may almost always go first which is good if the opponent is low on HP, or you can go with Crunch, which does good power and has a chance of lowering Defense stat which can make you hit them harder.

Comments

If you are going to run Rain Dance in your moveset then swift swim is the best choice, not only your speed goes up, but water moves become stronger, making waterfall a deadly STAB

Answer 5

Gen 7 ZU

Floatzel @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 216 HP / 252 Atk / 40 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Liquidation
- Ice Punch
- Bulk Up
- Agility

Liquidation is STAB. Ice Punch deals with grass types. Bulk Up raises your attack along with your defense. Agility boosts your speed. The reason I didn't invest max out the Speed EVs is because if you use this in the rain and manage to get +2 from Agility, you will still be quite fast.

Comments

I appreciate using its better Physical Attack stat, but it is not safe to set up with Floatzel. It has a measly 55 Defense and 50 Special Defense.

Answer 6

Gen 8 BDSP PU

Floatzel @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Surf

Even though Floatzel's base attack is higher than its special attack, Special Floatzel is used over Physical Floatzel in BDSP PU as it lost access to Ice Punch in the BDSP games. Choice Specs Floatzel hits hard, despite coming off of a Base Special Attack of 83.

Hydro Pump is Floatzel's strongest STAB and is able to 2HKO Pelipper upon it taking Stealth Rock damage. Ice Beam provides coverage against Pokemon like Altaria, Meganium, Victreebel, Jumpluff, and Gabite. Focus Blast lets you do nuetral damage to pretty much the best Choice Specs Floatzel switchin, Lumineon, even though it doesn't like switching into Focus Blast. Surf is used as a reliable STAB move that is useful late-game and if you don't want to rely on Hydro Pump due to its 80% accuracy.

Answer 7

Gen 9 OU/National Dex Floatzel

Floatzel @ Mirror Herb
Ability: Swift Swim
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Swagger
- Rain Dance
- Ice Spinner

Aqua Jet is for STAB plus Priority.
Swagger is for to not just confuse and boost the opponent but it will boost YOUR stats due to the Mirror Herb.
Rain Dance is to activiate the Swift Swim Ability. it will be good clutch.
Ice Spinner is to counter Grass types

also I'd appreciate if you report any errors.

Comments

I’d recommend a drizzle setter like Pelipper so Rain Dance doesn’t take a turn. Also, the moveset says Dig, when you explain Aqua Jet.

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@RedMiikki07 firstly yes pelipper whould be very good. secondly sorry about that i was gonna add dig but i changed my mind

Answer 8

Gen 9 NU Bulk Up

Floatzel @ Mystic Water
Ability: Water Veil
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bulk Up
- Liquidation
- Aqua Jet
- Tera Blast

Floatzel is usually used as a rain sweeper in the Gen 9 formats. However, the set I'm posting is a Bulk Up set for use in Gen 9 NU before this weasel gets snatched by UU. Bulk Up Floatzel is honestly the best bet if you want to use Floatzel on a balance team instead of a rain team in NU.

Bulk Up lets Floatzel boost its Attack and Defense stat, allowing it to serve as a wincon. Thanks to Water Veil, Floatzel doesn't have to worry about being burned by Will-O-Wisp from Pokemon like Drifblim, Rotom, and the occasional Crocalor. Liquidation is used as the Water STAB so it doesn't have to take both Rocky Helmet and recoil damage. Sandaconda uses Rocky Helmet on its Stealth Rock set, so beating it without chipping Floatzel too much in the process is useful. Aqua Jet is used for a priority Water STAB that allows Floatzel to pick off weakened Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Passimian, Rotom, Scyther, Zoroark, and Mabosstiff. Tera Blast with Electric as the Tera Type allows Floatzel to deal super effective damage to Water-types such as Qwilfish, Bruxish, Clawitzer, and Vaporeon. Mystic Water is used to boost the power of Floatzel's Water STABs. Tera Electric not only gives Floatzel a move to hit Water-types super effectively, but it also prevents Floatzel from being paralyzed in addition to having an immunity to burns.

Answer 9

floatzel @muscle band/toxic orb
ability: swift swim/water veil
adamant nature
EVs 252 Atk/252 spe/6 HP

-ice punch/spinner
-liquidation/wave crash
-rain dance/bulk up/switcheroo
-dig

ice punch/spinner is for grass coverage liquidation is safer for floatzel at it can't take a lot of damage but if you go full wakanda forever go with wave crash rain dance is for swift swim but I wouldn't recommend it because floatzel outspeeds most things but it is an option bulk up is a good setup for floatzel switcheroo is for breaking down tanks with leftovers and poisoning them dig is for electric types make sure opponent doesn't have earthquake!

Comments

Why toxic orb