What is a good moveset for Vileplume?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Vileplume, 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.

Vileplume Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Comments

Oh hey, it's me :)

Answer 1

Gen V

Vileplume (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Sleep Powder
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Should be used in Sun, although since Vileplume is NU, that means you won't have instant weather (since it seems that Vulpix is for some strange reason Borderline, makes no sense as that really just puts it in OU with Ninetales) so you'll have to use Sunny Day. Since that isn't the most reliable, Giga Drain is used on this set instead of Solarbeam. Hidden Power Fire is fine outside of Sun and works really well inside Sun. Sludge Bomb provides STAB. Sleep Powder allows you to take down the foe. Life Orb makes it more powerful, and the stats are your standard sweeping stats.

Answer 2

Steel Lure Trapper Vileplume
Gen 8 NU

Vileplume
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Bomb
- Leech Seed
- Infestation
- Strength Sap

This set has been seeing some use recently in NU. This set allows you to lure in steel types and Guzzlord so you can dismantle them. Sludge Bomb is poison STAB and allows you to fish for the 30% poison chance. Leech Seed allows you to force chip damage on opposing Pokemon while having a little HP recovery. Infestation is on this set for steel types. Although prediction reliant, Infestation traps steel types not named Doublade so you can dismantle them. Strength Sap is for recovery while lowering the opposing Pokemon's attack. This, combined with Leech Seed and Infestation, allows you to beat steel types. Be careful of the Psychic Bronzong variants. This set even dismantles non Rest Guzzlord since this set has no item, meaning you don't take the 1.5 bonus damage from Knock Off.

Answer 3

Role: Tank

Vileplume (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 128 HP / 80 Def / 252 SpA / 40 SpD / 8 Spe
Modest Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Stun Spore

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Well, seeing as Trachy's done a set for in sun, here's one for out of sun.

Stun Spore can effectively paralyze someone, which is incredibly annoying.

Giga Drain and Sludge Bomb are both for STAB.

Hidden Power [Rock] for covering all weaknesses, though Hidden Power [Fire] can do nicely as well.

Answer 4

Gen III

Vileplume (M) @ Salac Berry
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 120 HP / 120 Def / 128 SpA / 128 SpD / 12 Spe
Modest Nature
- Aromatherapy
- Moonlight
- Sunny Day
- Solar Beam

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Kind of a team support.

Aromatherapy works great if you have someone on your team who likes to use Resto Chesto, so the second time you use Rest, you can just switch, which is nice.
Sunny Day can support the rest of your team with Fire types, etc, but it's also the only way this guy can have a decent Grass type STAB move. So go Solar Beam! On top of that, Moonlight will heal you by quite a bit more in the Sun, and your Salac Berry speed boost lets you use it Quickly after you've been taken down to low health.

Answer 5

Double/Triple Battle

Vileplume (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 32 HP / 176 Def / 252 SpA / 48 SpD
Calm Nature
- Petal Dance
- Round
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Specs Tank. Petal Dance is powerful yet unpredictable. It might even hit one of your own Pokemon. As such, you'll want to team it up with a Sap Sipper Pokemon. Round can be powerful if you have other Pokemon using it. Sludge Bomb is STAB. HP Fire is coverage. Since this thing has no Speed even with a +2 boost, Effect Spore is used to perhaps give the opponent a status condition.

Answer 6

This kind of requires a Pokémon to use Sunny Day and then U-Turn into Vileplume to work.

Vileplume @ Black Sludge
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
- Leech Seed
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Protect

• Leech Seed (Egg move, but very annoying)
• Giga Drain (Decent damage and recovery)
• Sludge Bomb (STAB)
• Protect (To stall out Leech Seed and opponents moves)

Other options are: Moonlight to replace Giga Drain (more reliable recovery); Toxic to replace Leech Seed (does better work at dealing damage); Solar Beam instead of Giga Drain (If Sunny Day is up, then this move is very useful)

Answer 7

Vileplume @ Black Sludge
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Timid Nature
- Toxic
- Giga Drain
- Moonlight
- Moonblast

This moveset is SWEEPER

Answer 8

Vileplume @ Leftovers / Big Root
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Impish Nature
- Toxic
- Giga Drain
- Protect
- Moonlight

Toxic to badly poison the opponent. Giga Drain so you heal while they are taking damage. Protect so they take Toxic damage while you are immune to the damage they deal. Moonlight to heal yourself up.

Answer 9

Role: Special Tank
Big Root abuser:

Vileplume @ Big Root
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Giga Drain
- Ingrain
- Leech Seed
- Strength Sap

Answer 10

Gen 8 NU

Vileplume
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 252 HP / 214 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Bomb
- Giga Drain
- Strength Sap
- Corrosive Gas

This set has no item so Vileplume can have an immunity from Poltergeist and lowers damage done from Knock Off. Sludge Bomb is STAB. Giga Drain is also STAB and is for healing. Strength Sap also heals you and can cripple physical attackers. Corrosive Gas is to remove items from Pokémon that are reliant on them.

Comments

Is it really worth having no item just to be immune to ONE move? plus it's not like it has a weakness to Ghost or anything...

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Well, I'd say going itemless is worth it.
https://www.smogon.com/stats/2020-12-H2/moveset/gen8nu-1760.txt
These Usage Stats contain Vileplume and most Vileplume run itemless. This is from high ladder players, so they know what they're doing.

Answer 11

Gen 8 NU

Vileplume @ Black Sludge
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpD
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Moonblast
- Sleep Powder
- Strength Sap

Giga Drain is STAB and healing. Moonblast deals good damage, covers Dragon types, and has a chance to lower SpA. Sleep Powder to put stuff to sleep. Strength Sap for healing. Strength Sap's Attack lowering and Moonblast's chance to lower SpA makes Vileplume able to force switches.

Answer 12

Gen 8 NU

Vileplume @ Black Sludge / No item
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Growth
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Strength Sap

Pretty much the defensive set, but without Sleep Powder or Corrosive Gas. Growth boosts your special attack, making your attacks stronger. Giga Drain is grass STAB so you can beat water, ground, and rock types. Sludge Bomb is poison STAB that allows you to hit fairy and opposing grass types like Sylveon Rotom-C super effectively. Strength Sap is for healing while lowering the attack stat of opposing Pokemon.

Answer 13

The definition of evil.

NATIONAL DEX

(For Showdown!)

UhOhStinky- (Gloom) @ Eviolite
Ability: Stench
Tera Type: Steel / Water
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD or 252 HP / 252 Def / 4SpD
Calm / Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Strength Sap / Moonlight
- Toxic
- Leech Seed
- Protect

• Strength Sap / Moonlight - Nice heals
• Toxic - Passive damage
• Leech Seed - More passive damage and heals
• Protect - More stall

Ability: Stench (no options really)

It's Grass Poison typing makes it immune to Leech Seed, powder moves, Toxic and can remove TSpikes. It can be either a Physical or Special wall, but Special is better imo. Also, this is total Taunt bait so you can replace something with Giga Drain, Sludge Bomb or maybe even Infestation, I just don't know what moves you can replace. The Tera Types are pretty normal for bulky Pokémons. Have fun using this!
P.S.: Feedback is accepted!

Answer 14

Gen 9 NU Sun Sweeper

Vileplume @ Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Growth
- Solar Beam
- Sludge Bomb
- Weather Ball

A Sun Sweeper set Vileplume can use on Sun teams in Gen 9 NU. Growth lets Vileplume boost its Special Attack by two stages when Sun is up, making its attacks more dangerous to switch into. Solar Beam is used for a powerful Grass STAB that instantly attacks when the Sun is up. Sludge Bomb is used for a Poison STAB that is useful to hit Pokemon who resist Solar Beam such as Emboar, Thundurus, Delphox, Alolan Exeggutor, Flamigo, Altaria, and Staraptor. Weather Ball becomes a Fire move in the sun, giving Vilelpume coverage for Steel-types such as Registeel, Copperajah, and Duraludon. Life Orb is used to make Vileplume's attacks more powerful. Tera Fire allows Weather Ball to become a STAB move while the Sun is up, making it hit harder.