What is a good moveset for Iron Valiant?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Iron Valiant, post an answer below and upvote the best ones.

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.

Iron Valiant Pokedex & learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gen 9 OU

Iron Valiant @ Booster Energy
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Fairy / Fighting
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Soe
Timid Nature
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast / Aura Sphere
- Calm Mind
- Psyshock

Calm Mind Iron Valiant is one of the Gen 9 OU metagame's most terrifying win conditions. It comes down to a couple of factors: its excellent speed tier (only relevantly surpassed by Choice Scarf Meowscarada and Unburden Sneasler), the insanely spammable STAB Moonblast, a Fairy-Fighting typing which gives it a 4x resistance to Kingambit's Sucker Punch whereas most setup Pokemon easily lose to it.

In the Pokemon Home meta, pretty much all the newly added Pokemon have a bad matchup to Iron Valiant, which makes the amount of Pokemon it threatens way larger. One of them is key to this set, in a weird way.

Heatran is a Pokemon that is weak to Fighting type moves, however it would be able to comfortably beat almost all Calm Mind Iron Valiant sets due to those sets commonly using Thunderbolt over Focus Blast or Aura Sphere. Thunderbolt does a lot to Corviknight, and Fighting STAB was not important enough to have on a Calm Mind set. However, now that Heatran is here and as great as ever, Iron Valiant needs a fighting type move to be able to KO it, as it can easily eat Thunderbolt. Iron Valiant thus now has a reason to run a fighting STAB over Thunderbolt, and Fighting STAB still does good damage to Corviknight (+1 Aura Sphere and Focus Blast are 2hkoes after rocks, +1 Focus Blast can OHKO).

Psyshock is used to do strong damage to Poison types like Amoonguss, Toxapex, and Clodsire. Tera Fairy boosts Moonblast allowing it to OHKO some neutral targets, Tera Fighting is less significant but it does OHKO Corviknight and Specially Defensive Heatran with Aura Sphere at +1.

Answer 2

Gen 9 National Dex UU Swords Dance

Iron Valiant @ Booster Energy
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Steel / Fairy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Spirit Break
- Taunt / Knock Off

A Swords Dance set for Gen 9 NatDex UU. Swords Dance is used to raise your attack, which allows Iron Valiant to become a scary breaker since Booster Energy will boost Iron Valiant's speed. Close Combat is used for a powerful Fighting STAB. Spirit Break is for Fairy STAB that works well with Close Combat due to the coverage the two moves provide. Taunt stops opposing Pokemon from setting up, crippling you with a status condition, and removing you from the field from moves like Whirlwind. Knock Off can be used instead to have a good coverage move that cripples Pokemon by removing their items. Knock Off is also useful for hitting Galarian Slowking and Aegislash super effectively. Tera Steel lets you resist some types that would normally be Iron Valiant's weaknesses such as Steel, Poison, and Flying. Tera Fairy can be used instead to give Spirit Break more power.

Answer 3

Gen 9 National Dex UU Calm Mind

Iron Valiant @ Fightinium Z / Booster Energy
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Steel / Fairy
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Focus Blast / Aura Sphere
- Moonblast
- Shadow Ball / Psychic

Calm Mind Iron Valiant is used to catch Pokemon expecting the Swords Dance set off guard. Calm Mind boosts your Special Attack and Special Defense to let you break through teams. Focus Blast is used for a powerful Fighting STAB move. Should you use Focus Blast, Fightinium Z can be used to have a powerful nuke move for one turn that bypasses Focus Blast's 70% accuracy. Aura Sphere, while weaker than Focus Blast, can be used for a Fighting STAB that doesn't miss should you use Booster Energy to give Iron Valiant a speed boost. Moonblast is used for Fairy STAB. Shadow Ball is used as coverage against Pokemon such as Aegislash, Galarian Slowking, and Blacephalon. Psychic can be used instead to hit Poison-types such as Iron Moth and Amoonguss super effectively. Tera Steel lets you resist some types that would normally be Iron Valiant's weaknesses such as Steel, Poison, and Flying. Tera Fairy can be used instead to give Moonblast more power.

Answer 4

Iron Valiant @ Choice Specs
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Electric / Fairy / Psychic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast

This set is basically special STAB go brr. The Tera type depends on what coverage you need to hit harder. Specs makes you hit like a truck. Moonblast doesn't really need an explanation, it hits like a truck and hits like a truck on steroids with Tera Fairy. Thunderbolt hits Corviknight and 1 shots with Tera Electric, and does great damage to Skeledirge with Electera. 252 SpA Choice Specs Iron Valiant Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Corviknight: 224-264 (56 - 66%) -- guaranteed 2HKO, 252 SpA Choice Specs Tera Electric Iron Valiant Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Corviknight: 448-528 (112 - 132%) -- guaranteed OHKO, and 252 SpA Choice Specs Tera Electric Iron Valiant Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Skeledirge: 352-416 (85.4 - 100.9%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO. Psyshock sends Clodsire for a loop and 1 shots with Tera Psychic. 252 SpA Choice Specs Iron Valiant Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Clodsire: 374-440 (80.6 - 94.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO and 252 SpA Choice Specs Tera Psychic Iron Valiant Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Clodsire: 748-880 (161.2 - 189.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO. Focus Blast is innacurate, but 1 shots Garganacl and sends anything that doesn't resist it for really good damage. 252 SpA Choice Specs Iron Valiant Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Garganacl: 428-506 (105.9 - 125.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO.

Comments

What about Assault Vest, to counter Iron Valiant’s poor SpD? You already have all attacking moves.

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This set isn't supposed to be defensive, besides its HP stat is mediocre and SpD too.

Answer 5

Gen 9 National Dex UU Mixed Attacker

Iron Valiant @ Life Orb
Ability: Quark Drive
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Moonblast
- Close Combat
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic / Knock Off / Grass Knot

A mixed set for Gen 9 NatDex UU. Moonblast is used for Fairy STAB. Close Combat is used for Fighting STAB since it doesn't miss unlike Focus Blast. Shadow Ball is used for coverage against Pokemon such as Aegislash, Blacephalon, and Galarian Slowking. Psychic is used to deal super effective damage to the few Poison-types in the tier such as Venusaur/Mega Venusaur, Iron Moth, and Amoonguss. Knock Off can be used instead to let Iron Valiant remove items from opposing Pokemon to cripple them. Grass Knot can be used to target Bulky Water-types such as Gastrodon and Dondozo.

Answer 6

Gen 9 OU strong, bulky, yet speedy set (for both doubles and singles)
Item: Booster Energy
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Psychic (chose it because it’s good against Poison Types)
EVs: 253 Spe, 251 Atk, 6 Def
Nature: Jolly (lowers SpA, boosts Spe)
- Spirit Break/Play Rough
- Drain Punch
- Swords Dance/Night Slash/Poison Jab/Thunder Punch
- Psycho Cut (didn’t go with Zen Headbutt since Psycho Cut is more accurate. Plus, if it’s a crit [which it’s likely to be], it’s actually stronger than Zen Headbutt)

Spirit Break/Play Rough and Drain Punch are STAB. Swords Dance is a great boosting move, while the others handle a few of Iron Valiants weaknesses. Psycho Cut handles its Poison weakness.

Comments

Just a heads up to anyone who wants to try this set, Iron Valiant cannot learn Play Rough.

Answer 7

Member #2 of my OU team, and this one is a certified professional hurter.

Edible (Iron Valiant) @ Choice Specs/Choice Scarf
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Focus Blast/Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball

This can work with either a Scarf or Specs, but I prefer specs to give it a little extra hurting power. Moonblast is STAB and also hits a good chunk of the tier for super-effective damage. TBolt and Shadow Ball is for coverage, and Focus Blast breaks past Kingambit. You could also use Aura Sphere, but I find that Focus Blast has less trouble breaking past the AV Gambit, or you could go with Psyshock for taking out Volcarona. Tera Ghost is for not being wrecked by Dragonite's Extreme Speed.

Things You Beat:
Dragon Types
Kingambit
Great Tusk
Armarouge
Volcarona

Things You Lose To:
Toxapex (toxic stalled)
Ting-Lu (destroyed by Earthquake)
Volcarona (without Psyshock)
Hatterene (Psychic always OHKOs)

Top Teammate
This works quite well as a late game cleanup, and AV Defiant Kingambit helps with that. It takes hits and wears down Ting-Lu, and it most likely KO Hatterene, and gets a boost if it decides to be silly and use Mystical Fire. Same goes with the 'pex, and it gets boosts from Chilling Water.

Summary
There's a reason this is in the Big 5 of OU. It could be its large amounts of power, or it could be its incredible typing, or even its unpredictable set. It is in my firm belief that you must have at least 3 of the 5 on a team, and this is one of mine. I hope you have fun with this set.

Middling at Best Showdown Player,
MrKensa
Lord of the Sheep

Answer 8

I think it's time.

Elbow Eliminator (Iron Valiant) @ Booster Energy
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spirit Break / Ice Punch
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Close Combat

Behold, the Elbow Eliminator, spiritual cousin to the late and great Kneecap Knocker. This is more or less a standard sweeping set, using SD to setup then promptly obliterate the opponent. Close Combat is a must with its STAB and BP launching it up to nuclear levels of destruction, while Knock Off destroys Glowking and Gholdengo thinking they were safe from the regular special set. Spirit Break is my preferred last move as it allows me to actually fight back against other Valiant, defensive Tusk, and Zenta, but if you got those Mons covered, Ice Punch is great to blow past stuff like defensive Zapdos and Enamorous, should those become to annoying to deal with.

The Eliminator should be used mid-late game, or as an emergancy check to a setup threat. Max Speed along with Booster Energy helps it soft checks Rapid Bulk Tusk, Various DD Mons, and Zenta lacking many Iron Defenses. However, if possible, save it till the end when its checks like Enamorous and Amoonguss on non Ice Punch sets, Dondozo, and Clodsire have been weakened.

Other Options:
Valiant has one of the most expansive offensive movepools in the game, but to me, only one is notable: Liquidation. Liquidation handles Moltres, a Pokemon mysteriously rising up to OU recently (someone explain), while also hitting Lando and Cinderace for great damage. However, if you seek more opportunities to set up, Encore can be used in the first slot to great effect. Simply switch into one of many defensive Pokemon like a Screens setter or a Hazard setter, SD up, and blow massive holes.

Good Teammates
I have always used the Elbow Eliminator with Specs Enamorous. Fairy is currently an extremely dangerous offensive typing, especially to Hyper Offense. It hits the Dragon Dancers, Greninja, Tusk, Zenta, VALIANT ITSELF, it feels like Gholdengo is the only offensive mon able to take on these fairies (please unban Volcarona in the future). That being said, this can be used to our advantage, as Elbow Eliminator's Spirit Breaks coupled with Enamorous's Moonblasts make for a deadly duo that hit both sides of the spectrum.

Speaking of Hyper Offense, what's a good HO team without a suicide lead? This can come in multiple different incarnations, but most commonly, it's either Screens or Hazards, which means it's most commonly Pult, Hamurott, or Glimmora. These can either provide more opportunities to setup (Screens) or chipping down potential checks to be in range of their Elbows Eliminated (Hazards)

Answer 9

Gen 9 OU
Out of all of this Pokemon's moves, one stands out the most:

Gardelade (Iron Valiant) @ Booster Energy / Pixie Plate
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Steel / Fairy
EVs: 4 Spd / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly nature
~ Swords Dance
~ Spirit Break
~ Encore
~ Close combat / Disable

Swords dance up, oh they setup too? Or did they set up hazards? Whatever, encore time! Spirit Break
because you can't trust play rough, and even if you could, Gardelade here can't even learn it. Close Combat is STAB, but if you want go the extra mile with disable (not recommended), then sure I guess.

Answer 10

Gen 9 Monotype Expert Belt Mixed Attacker

Iron Valiant @ Expert Belt
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Vacuum Wave
- Ice Punch
- Thunderbolt
- Moonblast / Aura Sphere

A Mixed Attacker set Iron Valiant can use in Gen 9 Monotype. Iron Valiant can now use Vacuum Wave, which is a useful priority Fighting STAB that is useful to revenge kill Dark-types such as Chien-Pao and Meowscarada. Ice Punch allows Iron Valiant to hit Flying-types such as Landorus, Landorus-Therian, Gliscor, Thundurus-Therian, and Zapdos super effectively. Ice Punch is also useful against Pokemon such as Clodsire and Torterra. Thunderbolt is nice coverage alongside Ice Punch, as it forms a BoltBeam (BoltPunch in this case?) combo to cover every viable Flying-type in the tier in addition to dealing super effective damage to Water-types such as Toxapex, Manaphy, Basuclegion-F, and Slowbro. The last slot depends on what STAB you want. Moonblast rounds this set's coverage, as there's nothing that resists all of Moonblast, Vacuum Wave, Ice Punch, and Thunderbolt (Shedinja doesn't count). You can use Aura Sphere instead for a consistent Fighting STAB that has more power than Vacuum Wave. Also, there aren't Pokemon who can resist Fighting/Ice/Electric coverage (Once again, Shedinja doesn't count.). Expert Belt is used to boost the power of Iron Valiant's moves when using a super effective move on opposing Pokemon since it doesn't really want to take chip damage from Life Orb.

Answer 11

How to be annoying in Gen 9 1v1:

Third Kirlia (Iron Valiant) @ Booster Energy
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Encore
- Disable
- Substitute
- Spirit Break / Any Physical Move

First: Substitute. If they use a status move, Encore. If they break your Sub, either Sub again or Disable. Then the rest is obvious. I chose Spirit Break over something like CC because ghost types exist.

Have fun using it!