What is a good moveset for Ninetales?

Question

This thread is for Kantonian Ninetales. For Alolan Ninetales, please go here.

If you have a good competitive moveset for Ninetales, 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 detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Ninetales Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gen V
Ninetales (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 128 HP / 120 Def / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Fire Blast
- Hypnosis
- Solar Beam

Obviously, bring out the SUN! If you know your opponent has weather different from Sun on their team, just switch out ASAP so you can bring out your other weather team counters and bring out Ninetales later in the hope of taking control of the game after defeating their instant weather. You'll want to start off using Hypnosis, this way you can set up a Calm Mind or two. This makes you hard to take out on the Special side and allows you to do good damage. Your Special Attack still isn't going to be that high, but STAB and Sun boosted Fire Blast is going to do some damage, as is your high base power Solarbeam. Your EVs are intended to help you survive some hits (not high powered ones like a Conkeldurr or Haxorus, but normal lead stuff.) Leftovers also goes along with this.

Comments

Don't use Hypnosis...

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@- Hypnosis is high risk,high reward.It can force switches,allowing you to set up.If you miss,you wasted a turn.For the set,I think nasty plot may be better for the set.Ninetales at 1 spec attack boost isn't powerful enough.At 2 spec attack boosts,it can start sweeping.For example,you hit hypnosis and force a switch,then you NP up and start wrecking the opponent.If you are gonna run sun,I think heat rock would be better.Other than that,good set!

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In gen 5 and before, weather is infinite if set via abilities and so Heat Rock is useless.

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Oh lol

Answer 2

Ninetales (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Drought
EVs: 64 HP / 128 SpA / 64 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- Flamethrower
- SolarBeam/Nasty Plot

Flash Fire can also be good, depends on what suits rest of team. (If you have like a Ferrothorn or something Flash Fire is definitely worth taking a look at.)

Will-O-Wisp Halves the foe's attack.
Hex Gets powered up by Will-O-Wisp.
Flamethrower STAB.
Solarbeam Is good with Drought, Nasty Plot Is very nice boosting move.

Answer 3

Here's a SubMind set that I love to run on Tales.

Ninetales (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 104 HP / 212 SpA / 192 Spe
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Energy Ball
- Calm Mind
- Substitute

EVs provide some bulk and some allowance for Subbing. Speed is to...outspeed...(:P) and then SpA. With Calm Mind it can get some nice set up going on behind that sub. Energy Ball hates on all of it's weaknesses. Defensive Poli is outsped, allowing me to get the initial sub, hoping for a switch as they predict my switch. I get my sub up, and begin Calming my Mind. Fire Blast is main STAB and hits wickedly hard in sun. I do rely on help from teammates to take down opposing Heatrans and SpD TTars, but most teams rely on help from teammates.

Gonna give credit to: Jona and Blob, who worked with me on this team so long ago, and with whom, we created this boss set.

Btw Blob, Jona, the team is insanely ground weak :P

Comments

What do you think latios is there for duh. Well he can suck up the ground attacks at least.

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everyone else is hit either super-effectively or neutrally by ground though :P Latios is only good for so long.

Answer 4

Gen 8 ZU

Ninetales @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower / Fire Blast
- Energy Ball
- Scorching Sands
- Nasty Plot

Flamethrower and Fire Blast are STAB that can get a Flash Fire boost. Flamethrower is more accurate, Fire Blast is stronger. Energy Ball covers all of Ninetales' weaknesses. Scorching Sands covers Rock types and has a solid burn chance of 30%. Nasty Plot to become a dangerous Special sweeper.

Answer 5

Role: Special Attacker

Ninetales (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 248 Def / 160 SpA / 48 SpD / 48 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hypnosis
- Nasty Plot
- Flamethrower
- Energy Ball

Okay, almost everyone uses Drought Ninetails. But let's see what it can do without it.

Hypnosis is your Obvious first move, to put foe asleep, meaning their Either gonna take a nap for a few turns, or switch out, meaning you get to set up at least 1 Nasty Plot. Flamethrower gives you a rather powerful STAB attack, and Energy Ball Covers all of your weaknesses.

Comments

The answer to what you can do without Drought is....

You can be a really weak Fire type.

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Well, he isn't too bad in UU

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Compared to what you could be using it is.

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Either Way, Sure Nintales Sucks, But the set isn't bad.

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Well i think Ninetales rocks :)

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Ninetails doesn't suck at all...not one bit.

Answer 6

Ninetales @ Life Orb
Ability: Drought
EVs: 64 HP / 128 SpA / 64 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Solar Beam
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex

Makes use of Will-O-Wisp + Hex, which simultaneously cripples physical attackers and gives Ninetales a powerful attack that hits different targets to Fire. Nasty Plot enhances Ninetales's wallbreaking potential and Solar Beam hits common switchins to Fire-types.

Comments

Nowadays, Pokemon like Dragapult do this much better as they get STAB on Hex as well. This set is probably trying to do too much at once as well -- you don't forego a Fire attack when it's boosted by STAB and sun.

Answer 7

Gen III

Ninetales (M) @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 56 HP / 72 SpA / 252 SpD / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
- Grudge
- Overheat
- Faint Attack
- Imprison

Yeah, he sucks.

Overheat is pretty nice with STAB for a single use Attack, he can buff off special hits pretty well. Faint attack is cool coverage, all he really has for special without Hypno Dream eater.

Now onto his support, I use him on my Mono-Type Fire Gen III team, and he rocks. Grudge knocks out super effective moves that take you down. Example:

Blastoise:
Surf
Ice Beam
Substitute
Rapid Spin

He wants to take you down with Surf, and you Grudge him. Now you have a free turn to use something like a Charizard that favors setting up while he switches out. And Imprison can be handy to screw over someone else's fire type with Overheat, or heck. It can even take down another Grudger, even though they aren't common.

Comments

You say he sucks, but you are building him extremely wrong and lopsided. Do you not like him and therefore down play him? I have him on a sun team with a Flash Fire Arcanine and he's great. Solo, he takes out Blastoise with no problem 9/10...how does Ninetails built the right way suck?

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This is gen 3,where it doesn't get a lot of coverage and no drought.It is mainly support with grudge,hypnosis,and imprison.There might be moves I'm missing,but it is support and support alone.Learn about gen 3 posting nonsense.That said,I think HP Grass or another HP type would be better.

Answer 8

Double/Triple battle

Ninetales (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Imprison
- Heat Wave
- Protect
- Dark Pulse / Hidden Power [Dragon]

Since Drought is banned, we'll have to make use with Flash Fire. Heat Wave is STAB and hits multiple Pokemon. Dark Pulse can hit any foe in a Triple Battle. However, HP Dragon gets perfect (except for Heatran) coverage with Heat Wave. Imprison can screw over some foes. I mean, them not being able to protect themselves with Protect is fairly damaging. And Heat Wave sees good usage. Protect protects you from Surf and earthquake from teammates and opposing attacks.

Comments

drought is banned ?!
in what way?

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The use of instant weather is banned in non-Uber Doubles and Triples.

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oh
that clears it up .Thank you ! :)

Answer 9

Ninetales @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Solar Beam
- Heat Wave
- Nasty Plot
- Substitute

I find this mostly useful in Double battles as heat wave pretty much Doubles in power due to Sun + STAB and being able to hit the entire team. Just sub then nasty plot and then you can pretty much brute force your way through resistances. Solar Beam is 120 base attack and 1 turn in sun which provides some coverage.

Comments

Solarbeam will hit for 240 if it hits a Water, Ground, or Rock Pokemon.

Answer 10

Ninetales @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Disable
- Will-O-Wisp
- Substitute
- Fire Blast

Fast sacrifice lead. Disable is for any choiced leads. Will-o-wisp is for any physical leads predicting Ninetales. Sub to be annoying. Fire Blast's just for damage.

Answer 11

Ninetales (M) @ Leftovers / Choice Specs
Ability: Drought
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
- Will-O-Wisp
- Nasty Plot / Flamethrower

Since offensive Ninetales can't take many hits, I'd go with Choice Specs Flamethrower or Fire Blast if you're feeling lucky. Solar Beam covers all of Ninetales's weaknesses and only takes 1 turn to charge with drought. Ninetales with Choice specs can kill most sweepers and wear down walls. Only use nasty plot if your using leftovers. It's basically stronger than Choice specs but takes a turn to use while C-specs is instant and since Ninetales can't take many hits it's probably better. Will-O-Wisp for walls and burn halves their attack making Physical sweepers useless.

Comments

Hex instead of Nasty Plot/Flamethrower...trust me.

Answer 12

Gen 6!

Role: Special Sweeper

Ninetales @ Leftovers / Wide Lens / Charcoal
Ability: Drought / Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Flamethrower / Heat Wave / Fire Blast
- Solar Beam / Energy Ball
- Dark Pulse / Extrasensory / Hypnosis
- Nasty Plot / Clam Mind

• Flamethrower / Heat Wave / Fire Blast (Leftovers / Charcoal or Wide Lens)
• Solar Beam / Energy Ball (Drought / Flash Fire)
• Dark Pulse / Extrasensory / Hypnosis (Dragon Counter + Flinch or Sleep)
• Nasty Plot / Clam Mind (Double Sp. Atk or 50/50 Sp. Atk and Sp. Def)

A good Special Sweeper to counter a lot. Energy Ball / Solar beam gives counter for all
weaknesses (Water, Rock and Ground), and Dark pulse or Extrasensory are just great moves
with a chance of Flinch. Dark pulse has a larger chance or flinch but Extrasensory has more PP.
I know a lot of people goes for Hypnosis but I dont really find it "useful" on it IMO, but I still put
it on the list because people use it!

Personally, I went for:

Leftovers + Drought

• Flamethrower
• Solar Beam
• Dark pulse
• Nasty Plot

Works absolutely fantastic! Strongly recommended!

Answer 13

This is gonna be less of a simple moveset and more of an overview or analysis of XY sun teams in general. Ninetales is horrible this generation and so are most of the sun sweepers. Ninetales only niche over Zard Y is Heat Rock and better typing. All the dedicated sun sweepers like Houndoom and Venusaur are terrible and only Zard Y is actually good.

Ninetales @ Heat Rock
Ability: Drought
EVs: 248 HP / 10 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Substitute
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split

There is no reason to use an offensive Ninetales now because you are better off with Zard Y. This is probably the most useful set it has to offer as Will O' Wisp is much more reliable than Hypnosis and also allows opportunities to sweep. I am making you not want to use Ninetales but I speak from expirience, Ninetales sucks, and dedicated sun teams are not worth it.

Comments

Yea, just looking at this build, I can see why you think Ninetales sucks. I can kill a Charizard Y a billion times over if he too, had a horrible moveset. Your Ninetales knows one attack move where mine takes out water pokemon...now and back in 2014. Get your facts right...js.

Answer 14

Ninetales @ Heat Rock
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Calm Nature
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
- Confuse Ray / Hypnosis
- Will-O-Wisp

I've had my Ninetales for a while now and she's been pretty solid in battles.
Fire blast and Solarbeam are hard hitters with the sunlight out and the heat rock makes sure you can use Solar Beam in one move for longer. Will o wisp weakens the attack stat and decreases the hp. Ninetales already has amazing sp defense so you EV train it in that, use will o wisp and they'll have a hard time taking you out. Confuse ray and hypnosis are just added annoyances, I personally use Confuse Ray. It's not a perfect set but it works for me.

Comments

Hmm, replace Confuse Ray/Hypnosis with Hex and you'll be closer to an outstanding moveset, ;)  Actually, a couple of people suggested Hypnosis and even I have it down as an option for my build, because while it is an annoyance and while it is dangerous, it is extremely unreliable. It's accuracy is just TOO low.

Answer 15

Gen 3
Ninetales @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Toxic
- Pain Split
- Extrasensory

This set is for pure speed and hp stat, Sustitute avoid status problems and toxic+extrasensory for some flitch. Pain Split is pretty good vs wall like chansey and others! and this help to toxic work more fast.

Answer 16

Gen VII
Ninetales @ Life Orb / Charcoal / Spell Tag / Firium Z
Ability: Drought
EVs: 6 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower / Overheat
- Solar Beam
- Will-O-Wisp / Hypnosis
- Hex / Nasty Plot

Fire Blast / Flamethrower / Overheat (STAB)
Solar Beam (covers weakness)

(1) Fire Blast hits like a train coming from a Modest Ninetales and comes equipped with a STAB. Overheat is good if your Ninetales is utilizing Nasty Plot a lot because you can hit for more damage without a Sp. Atk penalty, and it also has a STAB. Flamethrower is weaker than Fire Blast but has better accuracy and yes... a STAB is included. Solar Beam covers ALL the weaknesses and hits in one turn instead of two thanks to Drought. Will-O-Wisp sets up Hex while also debuffing the enemy reducing the targets damage output. Keep in mind: Burned targets deal reduced damage. Hex would now hit for double the base damage (130) instead of the norm (65) because the target is inflicted with a status condition, specifically the burned status condition due to Will-O-Wisp. The double is now doubled (260) if it hits a Pokemon weak to ghost type moves (Psychic or Ghost) and if holding the spell tag, it will increase the move Hex by 20% making it the second hardest move Ninetales has in its arsenal.

(2) Another option is to have Ninetales set up its moves using Hypnosis, and then Nasty Plot twice - and assuming the target stays asleep for at least 2 turns - utilizing Solar Beam or one of the fire moves will surely knock the target Pokémon out of the arena. NOTE: This option is HIGHLY risky and unfavorable, mainly due to the fact that Hypnosis has such a low accuracy (60). It makes the move about as competitive as having the move Inferno instead of Will-O-Wisp on your moveset. Effective IF it lands, but way too risky in competitive or even PvE gameplay.

Answer 17

Ninetales - Fast Specs

Ninetales @ Choice Specs
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Flamethrower
- Solar Beam
- Psyshock
- Nasty Plot

Flamethrower - 135 Base Power with Stab, and 202.5 Base Power with Stab and Sunlight, 10% chance to burn the target
Solar Beam - 120 Base Power, no charging in sunlight, coverage against Water, Ground, and Rock Types
Psyshock - 80 Base Power, damage is calculated based off of the target’s defense rather than special defense, coverage against Fighting and Poison Types
Nasty Plot - Setup, Raises the Special Attack by 2 stages, doubling the stat
I hope that this moveset helps anyone who wishes to use a Ninetales

Answer 18

Sun setter:

Ninetales @ Heat Rock
Ability: Drought
EVs: 128 HP / 128 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Heat Wave / Flamethrower
- Solar Beam
- Will-O-Wisp
- Disable

Heat wave in doubles, flamethrower in singles for STAB. Solar beam for coverage. Will-O-Wisp cripples physical mons, and special mons already have to deal with his great natural special defense. Disable is annoying and fun.

Answer 19

Gen VIII
Ninetales@ Charcoal
Nature: Modest
Evs: 252 Sp.A / 4 Spd / 126 Sp.D / 126 Def
Ability: Drought
- Nasty Plot
- Flamethrower / Fire Blast / Fire Spin
- Energy Ball / Solar Beam
- Sunny Day / Hex

Drought sets up the sun so Ninetales gains a power boost as soon as it is sent out. Nasty Plot further boosts Ninetales' special attack, therefore boosting the power of its attacks. The STAB move, you can decide from Flamethrower, Fire Blast and Fire Spin (personally I would use Fire Spin). Your coverage move depends on whether you use Sunny Day or Hex. If you choose Hex, use Energy Ball. If you choose Sunny Day you get a boost in your Fire moves and Solar Beam executes in 1 turn. Sunny Day and Energy Ball can also be used.

Answer 20

Gen 9 NU Sun Setter

Vulpix @ Heat Rock
Ability: Drought
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower / Weather Ball
- Will-O-Wisp
- Encore
- Healing Wish

Yes, this is a Vulpix set that should use in Gen 9 NU. DLC 1 came out recently, giving NU a Drought user. If you decide to use a Sun team in NU at the time this was posted, Vulpix is the only Drought Pokemon that can be used in NU. Flamethrower is used as the STAB move should Vulpix need to attack something. Weather Ball can be used for a slightly stronger Fire STAB when sun is up. Will-O-Wisp allows Vulpix to cripple physical wallbreakers switching in. Encore allows Vulpix to take advantage of passive Pokemon. Healing Wish can potentially give a Sun abuser a second chance at sweeping. I didn't change the Tera Type since you shouldn't be using your Tera on Vulpix. Heat Rock is used to extend the turns of Sun.

252 EVs are used in Speed so Vulpix can be as fast as possible should it need to actually use its utility moves. 248 HP EVs are used since a base 50 Special Attack isn't really going to do much lmao. Since this is a Sun team, Hattrem is a required teammate since it has Magic Bounce to prevent Stealth Rock from coming onto your side.