What is a good moveset for Clodsire?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Clodsire, 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.

Clodsire Pokedex & learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gen 9 Monotype Specifically Defensive (Ground)

Clodsire @ Black Sludge
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 24 Def / 232 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Toxic Spikes
- Toxic
- Recover

Clodsire's Poison/Ground typing, high HP and Special Defense stats along with Water Absorb makes Clodsire a good water immunity for Ground teams in Gen 9 Monotype. Earthquake is used for Ground STAB that chips opposing Pokemon. Toxic Spikes is used to spread a hazard that poisons grounded Pokemon. Toxic may be weird with Toxic Spikes on the same set, but Toxic allows you to poison Flying-types and Pokemon with Levitate such as Rotom-Wash and Eelektross, Pokemon who can't be poisoned by Toxic Spikes. Recover is used to get some HP back to be able to take more hits.

Comments

Explanation for the specific bit of Defense investment if you will?

Answer 2

Clodsire @ Black Sludge
Ability: Water Absorb
Tera: Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Substitute
- Toxic / Toxic Spikes
- Recover

Earthquake is Ground STAB that can damage opposing Pokemon. Toxic Spikes is used to spread a hazard that poisons Pokemon, or use Toxic to allow you to poison those Pokemon who can't be affected by Toxic Spikes. Substitute increases longevity, and Recover is used to heal again afterwards.

Answer 3

Item: Black Sludge / Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Adamant
Tera: Ground
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def
- Earthquake
- Stockpile / Toxic Spikes
- Toxic / Protect
- Venoshock / Counter
So Black Sludge is very useful, because it will heal Clodsire and if an opponent uses trick they take damage, but if you Tera you will take damage, so pick wisely. Water absorb is to deal with one of its 4 weaknesses. Tera ground for a tera-boosted attack and only weak to grass and ice. Earthquake, as I mentioned, is a tera-boosted attack and a STAB attack. Stockpile for defense boost (even though clodsire has pretty good defense stats) and toxic spikes to deal with some Ice and Psychic types. Toxic is for if you don't pick Toxic Spikes, and Protect is to stall if you do go for Toxic Spikes. Venoshock will deal double damage if the target is poisoned, which can be some STAB. Though Venoshock is a special attack and Clodsire is a physical attacker, I think it is still worth having. Counter is for x2 damage and is a physical move.

Comments

Black Sludge will make Clodsire take damage if you Terastallize it, so maybe switch it with Leftovers. Your choice though, hurt Trick users or keep recovery during Terastal.

---

Yeah, Black Sludge is bad if you Tera, but for Tera purposes, i'd say leftovers. Thanks for letting me know :)

---

No problem, +1!

---

Thanks!

---

What nature?

Answer 4

Gen 9 AG

Clodsire @ Black Sludge
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def
Careful Nature
Tera Type: Water

• Earthquake
• Toxic
• Recover
• Spikes/Stealth Rock

Clodsire makes a great check for most Special Attackers like Miraidon due to Unaware and it's great bulk. Toxic helps wear down opponents, Earthquake is coverage. Spikes or Stealth Rock are just to set up hazards.

Comments

Leftovers > Black Sludge since Black Sludge will hurt Clodsire when you Tera.

Answer 5

Clodsire @ Leftovers / Black Sludge
Ability: Unaware
Tera: Fairy / Ground
EVs: 252 SpD / 4 HP / 252 SpA
Modest / Calm Nature
- Earth Power
- Sludge Bomb / Toxic
- Recover / Yawn
- Stockpile / Yawn / Spikes / Stealth Rock

Explanation: This is a specially defensive staller set. It is supposed to withstand Skeledirge, a staller that can kill other stallers. The main reason Skeledirge can do this is because of Torch Song which raises it’s special attack. So even if you have a very good staller, you will eventually get KOed. But a Clodsire with this set can use Unaware to ignore Torch Song’s stat boosts, and can get revenge with Earth Power. Usually people run Skeledirge physically defensive, and Skeledirge’s base SpD stats aren’t great either, which makes this set more viable. Earth Power is STAB, Sludge Bomb is STAB with a high poison chance, Recover is healing, Stockpile is for extra bulk, and Spikes and Stealth Rock are entry hazards to maximise Coldsire’s viability as a staller. Yawn is phasing that is useful if the opposing Skeledirge or another Pokemon has Snarl, or if Skeledirge teras into a ghost type or has teammates that can take a lot of special hits such as Chansey or Blissey. Yawn + entry hazards are also a considerable combo, if you’re willing to give up Recover. Toxic to poison, Sludge Bomb to deal damage & poison ( although toxic is slightly more stable ). Tera Ground is to make Earth Power stronger, and Earth Power covers all of Tera Fairy’s weaknesses ( Steel & Poison are weak to Ground ). Leftovers if your’e using Tera, Black Sludge if not.

Answer 6

Clodsire @ Leftovers / Black Sludge
Ability: Water Absorb
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 248 HP / 188 SpD / 72 Def
Careful Nature
- Amnesia
- Curse
- Earthquake / Gunk shot
- Recover

If you play your cards right, you can have a super sturdy wall whilst also having a decent physical attacker on your team.
Tera flying for easy set up on ground types hoping to take out Clod with an easy earthquake or two.

Answer 7

Gen 9 OU TR Wall

Clodsire @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Recover
- Earthquake
- Curse
- Gunk Shot

The one of the main two Water immunities in OU (Volcanion), Clodsire is a great example of a versatile wall. In this set, it runs a Curse+Recover+2 attacks set, which coupled with its great HP and SpD, can actually let it sweep, especially under TR in this case.

• 244 SpA Choice Specs Walking Wake Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clodsire: 222-262 (47.8 - 56.4%) -- 32% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
• 252+ SpA Choice Specs Gholdengo Make It Rain over 2 turns vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clodsire: 394-465 (84.9 - 100.2%) -- 6.3% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
• 252 Atk Baxcalibur Icicle Spear (4 hits) vs. +1 252 HP / 0 Def Clodsire: 360-432 (77.5 - 93.1%) -- approx. 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

Answer 8

Clodsire @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware/Water Absorb
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Water/Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Earthquake/High Horsepower
- Curse
- Recover
- Protect/Gunk Shot/Poison Jab/Amnesia/Low Kick/Liquidation/Pretty much whatever you want

I've been wanting to make a good full offense Clodsire set. Here it is.

This set can work for singles or doubles, though I recommend the latter, preferably under Trick Room. I'd recommend Protect and HH for doubles, and anything else with EQ for singles, though the 4th move slot is really more of a luxury than a necessity so you can slot in pretty much whatever you want. EQ/HH is STAB obviously, Curse is to set up, Recover for - well - recovery, and the 4th slot for whatever you need. Leftovers is also recovery. Unaware prevents opponents from setting up on you, and is the better option in my opinion, but Water Absorb can be used to get rid of a weakness and for some less consistent recovery. Tera is defensive, but can also be used offensively if you decide to run Liquidation, Waterfall, or Iron Head. And obviously, most important of all...

It has to be shiny.

Now there's a clear issue with this set: A lot of the time, your only move is EQ/HH, which renders you useless against flying-types/levitate users. For this reason, some kind of ally that can hit flying-types well is highly recommended so your sweep doesn't hit a brick wall.