What is a good moveset for Linoone?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Linoone, 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.

Linoone Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Comments

damn, RUBL, higher than Metagross. Good job Linoone

Answer 1

Linoone @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Pickup
EVs: 60 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Shadow Claw
- Brick Break

Pickup is used because everyone seems to think Gluttony makes Sitrus Berry activate and 50% but it already does without Gluttony.
Belly Drum + Sitrus Berry boost attack.
Extreme Speed STAB and priority.
Brick Break is so it can hit Rock- and Steel-types for decent damage.
Max attack for as much damage output as possible, some Speed to not be very slow and the rest into HP to have easier time setting up.

Answer 2

Linoone @ Choice Band
Ability: Quick Feet
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Switcheroo
- Belly drum
- Return
- Play Rough

This is the set I use for my team in X/Y. First use Switcheroo to give the Choice Band. Many people start with a status move (Sword dance etc.). Use belly drum to max your attack. Now use Return (STAB) or play rough.
This is maybe a risk because if someone uses a normal attack move and you pass the Choice band than Linoone is already done since he has low Def and SpD.

Comments

What? Choice Band and Belly Drum?

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I think the idea is that you use Switcheroo first to cripple walls then sweep with Belly Drum.

Answer 3

Linoone @ Salac Berry
Ability: Gluttony
Jolly / Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Belly Drum
- Throat Chop
- Last Resort

First, set up belly drum. Then, use Throat Chop. Then you can Last Resort freely, not having to be scared of Ghosts because of Throat Chop.

Comments

Gluttony doesn't work like that. It only consumes the confusion if - nature, like aguav or figy berries, earlier. So it's better to use figy if your doing that

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https://pokemondb.net/ability/gluttony
“Salac”...

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Oh really? Learn something new everyday lol

Answer 4

Linoone @ Figy Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Throat Chop
- Stomping Tantrum
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed

This thing got buffed in gen 7, and no one noticed apparently :P
Throat chop now is better ghost coverage, along with the addition of not worrying about sound moves. Stomping tantrum for steels and rocks, which resists extreme speed, and it also hits toxapex hard. Speaking of extreme speed, it's a priority 80 base power stab move. Also belly drum because it pairs nicely with gluttony, so it gets more hp back after using it(over Sitrus berry, because with gluttony they trigger at the same time)

Answer 5

Gen 7 VGC Doubles
Linoone @ Mago Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EV's: 128 HP 64 Def 64 SpD 252 Speed
Nature: Jolly
-Simple Beam
-Extreme Speed
-Belly Drum/Roar
-Protect

Eevee @ Eevium-Z
Ability: Anticipation (scouts Fighting/OHKO)
EV's: 128 HP 64 Def 64 SpD 256 Speed
Nature: Timid
-Last Resort
-Baton Pass
-Stored Power
-Detect/Protect

This set is more for doubles with Eevee+Extreme Evoboost. Linoone is the fastest non-boosted setter (faster than Genesect, Xatu, Golduck, Grumpig, and Smeargle) for Simple Beam+Extreme Evoboost. If holding a Toxic/Flame Orb and Quick Feet ability, it's speed is boosted 50%! This strategy gives an insane +4 to all stats, that can be used with Stored Power (beware of Dark Pokemon), or Baton Passed to another. Protect/Detect for Fake Out.

Use Simple Beam on Eevee, then Z-move. Once set up, this is hard to shut down. Common stops are Taunt, Encore, Roar, Whirlwind, Circle Throw, Dragon Tail, Eject Button, etc. (Phazers). If you choose to use a Timid Xatu lead with Magic Bounce, that can at least help with the initial boosted Simple Beam Evoboost unless phazing is targeted at Eevee.

Linoone can also remove phazers itself with Roar. Common teammates receiving Extreme Evoboost are Tapu Fini/Lele, Moxie Gyarados, Mega-Gengar, Eviolite tank sweepers. Supporting Pokemon can be Magic Bounce Espeon with Psych Up to copy boosts, or any Pokemon with Psych Up!

Answer 6

Linoone @ Choice Band
Ability: Pickup
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe (Sweeper spread)
Jolly Nature
- Retaliate
- Seed Bomb
- Shadow Ball
- Gunk Shot / Iron Tail / Roar / Flail / Dig / Extreme Speed

Retaliate - REVENGE KILL! Being this guy's main use. Retaliate is STAB revenge kill.
Seed Bomb - Pretty solid coverage.
Shadow Ball - Coverage. Mainly for ghosts.
Filler: Gunk Shot / Iron Tail / Roar / Flail / Dig / E-Speed

Gluttony isn't much better, can't have DW and good coverage
Adamant is optional, but why not out speed threats?

Comments

You do know that Shadow ball is coming off of a 127 S.Attack stat right? Did you mean Shadow-claw?

Answer 7

Linoone @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Quick Feet
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Belly Drum
- Throat Chop
- Stomping Tantrum
- Facade

This thing is sooooo broken! Get a belly drum up you are super strong and toxic orb activation means super fast sweep with just facade.

Answer 8

Linoone @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Play Rough/Stomping Tantrum
- Throat Chop

With Gluttony + Aguav Berry, Linoone can be at 83% health with +6 Attack. Sweet. Extreme Speed is STAB with +2 priority. Throat Chop for Ghost Coverage. Play Rough for covering the Fighting weakness or Stomping Tantrum for covering Rock and Steel.

Answer 9

Linoone @ An Arceus Plate of your choice
Ability: Pickup
EVs: 252 ATK/252 SPE/4 HP
Adamant/Jolly Nature
Fling
Covet/Thief
Pin Missile/Play Rough/Extreme Speed/"Arceus Plate move"
Shadow Claw/Play Rough/Extremespeed/Type coverage move

I think Gluttony, and a moveset that works in tandem with it, is probably the more ideal moveset for Linoone, but this was just a set I used to make something out of my Pickup Linoone in BDSP. I wanted to keep Pickup for its out of battle functionality, but I also wanted to do something with the Linoone battlewise and see if it could at least work semi-decently in Battle Tower (with Singles in mind at the time), and also give it a moveset that tied in with its Pickup ability in some way. So, it's ultimately kind of more gimmicky in nature.

So, this set uses Fling to help Linoone still benefit off an item, with the ability to clear the item slot and allow Pickup, as well as Covet/Thief, to go live as needed. The Arceus plates allow Fling to do decent 90 BP Dark damage, while also doubling as a way of powering up your moves. In my game, I tend to use the Insect Plate, which ends up powering up Pin Missile, which makes it do 60 BP Bug damage at its worst, or otherwise it does 90, 120, and 150 BP with better hits and can help break through Focus Sash and Substitute users. Though, you can opt to choose a different move and plate, like Play Rough for Fairy damage with the Fairy plate, or Extremespeed with the Normal plate for the STAB+Boost.

Since you can go itemless with Fling, Covet/Thief is just to debuff your opponent by taking their items, and if they had anything that works with Fling, you can Fling their items back at them. Since Fling is already dark, and Covet gets STAB, it makes Covet a more natural choice, but if a more consistent dark move is needed for coverage (since Fling will only really be used once, mostly), then Thief is an option.

The final move can be a move of your choice for type coverage. Since I use Covet, Fling, & Pin Missile, I chose Shadow Claw to better handle ghosts. Though, depending on the Plate/Boosted Move picked, you can go with something different.

In the end, as mentioned prior, it is more of a gimmicky set and meant more as a way to try and make Pickup Linoone viable with Single battles in mind, though inevitably probably also works better in Doubles, where Pickup has more utility.