What is a good moveset for Purugly?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Purugly, 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.

Purugly Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Comments

Purugly, a fat cat, has 112 base speed(faster than Latios)
Because that makes sense

---

You watched the stats that don't make sense video, correct?

---

yes i did

Answer 1

This is my Taunt-Lead Purugly, I use it on my Mono-Normal team. It's a little gimmicky, but here's the set:

Purugly (F) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 72 HP / 184 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Super Fang
- U-turn / Sucker Punch
- Taunt
- Toxic
Thick Fat is the only really useful ability here, it gives a normally neutral Purugly a couple of free resistances.
Super Fang deals 1/2 health instantly, it can really cripple just about anything. U-Turn can switch out to something that can finish a wounded opponent, or Sucker Punch can hit with priority and do some damage. Taunt stops set up and recovery that would make Super Fang pointless, it is the most important move in the set and should always be used first turn. Toxic is another crippler and great to irritate an opponent right from the get-go.
EVs give a 301 HP stat to deal with stallers who use Seismic Toss. Speed is the most important, as it gets the Taunts and Super Fangs out quickly, while the rest is in Attack to deal heavier damage on the Turn or the Sucker Punch. This Pokemon also works really well with someone who uses Entry Hazards.

Comments

How do you get Super Fang on Purugly?

Answer 2

So I heard you wanted to use a Purugly? Well that's not an easy thing, but I would recommend this set:

Jolly Nature. Item:Leftovers
Ability:Thick Fat
18 HP, 252 Attack, 240 Speed.
Substitute
Hone Claws
Hypnosis
Return

The Tricky Part of this set is getting your first Hone Claws boost, as this is difficult due to Purugly's Frailty, but once it happens the magic begins. Once Purugly has his boost, he now has now has a relatively reliable sleep move to incapacitate his victim. Then, if he hasn't already, immediately sets up a Substitute to provide protection. Once this happens he has a free turn to either kill his target or continue setting up Hone Claws; at +2 he is golden, as Hypnosis will have 100% Accuracy, and he can spam it over and over again without worrying about missing. Combined with Substitute and leftovers recovery, it will be very hard to hit him afterward, and then he can prepare a sweep with the attack boosts. While Mono-Normal is not the best way to go due to ghosts being immune, it is still quite the uphill battle for Rock and Steel Types due to the sheer number of turns Purugly gets in this way.

In a contextual manner Purugly will usually the crucial initial boost to get this set rolling as the opponent uses a status move or Purugly Blocks an incoming status such Thunder Wave or Will-o-Wisp with Substitute. Thick Fat can let Purugly take a Fire/Ice move if the opponent forgets that Purugly has access to it(Who remembers Purugly anyway?) to get the crucial initial boost. An unboosted Hypnosis is Purugly's fallback, and last resort option.

Answer 3

Gen V

Purugly (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Sucker Punch
- Fake Out
- Hypnosis
- Bulldoze

Answer 4

Purugly @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant (+Atk, -SAtk) or Jolly (+Speed, -SAtk)
- Body Slam/Slash
- Wake-Up Slap/Bulldoze/Aerial Ace
- Shadow Claw
- Hone Claws/Fake Out/Sucker Punch
Body Slam or Slash is for STAB. Wake-Up Slap is for Rocks and Steels, but…so is Bulldoze, which lowers everyone’s Speed and…doesn’t wake them up. Aerial Ace is for…Fighting types? Yeah, that’s the only reason to use it. Shadow Claw is for Ghosts the Body Slam, Slash, Wake-Up Slap and sometimes Bulldoze cannot hit. Hone Claws raises Attack and accuracy, but Fake Out or Sucker Punch are both good options.

Answer 5

Purugly (F) @ Choice Band
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Return
- Play Rough
- U-turn
- Knock Off

Answer 6

Gen 7 ZU

Purugly @ Psychium Z
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hypnosis
- Hone Claws
- Return
- Play Rough / Knock Off

Psychium Z is for Z-Hypnosis, which boosts your speed and can put a Pokemon to sleep. Hone Claws is to boost your attack and accuracy and can be used while the opposing Pokemon is asleep. Return is STAB. Play Rough can be used to deal with fighting types. Knock Off is an option so you can remove items and deal super effective damage to ghost types.

Answer 7

Purugly @Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 Atk/ 252 Spd
Nature: Jolly
- U-turn
- Sucker Punch/ Fake Out
- Play Rough
- Taunt/ Body Slam

Thick Fat to allow resistances to some moves for a possible switch in or to just get off less damge.
U-turn to switch into a more effective match up. Sucker Punch or Fake Out for the prority (preferably sucker punch since it deals more damage.) Play Rough as a STAB move or to get some effective damage, and Taunt to stop opponents from setting up or putting hazards on the field. Also consider Body Slam for the possible paralysis to slow down threats, so that then you can bring in a better match up against it or for you oppenent to get paralyzed.

Comments

I like how u added play rough for variety

Answer 8

Purugly @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
Nature: Jolly(+Speed, -Special Attack)
EVs: 252 Attack / 252 Speed / 4 Defense
- Fake Out
- Return
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off / Play Rough

Answer 9

Two sets...

Purugly @ Psychium Z
Ability: Defiant
- Fake Out / Return
- Hypnosis
- Knock Off
- Wake-Up Slap

• Fake Out to flinch, while Return is a very spammable move with no drawbacks
• Hypnosis + Psychium-Z allows Purugly to use a one time 100% accurate sleep inducing move
• Wake-Up Slap is used in combination with Hypnosis for a hard-hitting fighting type move.
• Knock Off is used to knock off items

Purugly @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Return
- Knock Off
- Stomping Tantrum

• Fake Out for flinching
• Return for a spammable move without drawbacks
• Knock Off to hit Ghost types
• Stomping Tantrum to hit Rock and Steel types

Comments

I'd probably use U-turn instead of Stomping Tantrum, but nice!

Answer 10

Gen 7 (USUM)

Very gimmicky

Purugly @ Wide Lens
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hypnosis
- Dream Eater
- Hyper Voice
- Shadow Ball / Thunderbolt

Hypnosis puts the opponent to sleep and allows you to use Dream Eater, healing off any damage you may have taken. Wide Lens slightly boosts the accuracy of Hypnosis for continual use. Thick Fat makes it a bit tankier against Ice- and Fire-type moves, although with it's horrendous defenses it can't take them for very long. Hyper Voice is STAB. Shadow Ball is for Ghost-types, or you can Thunderbolt for general coverage.

Comments

Pretty sure z status moves don't boost status hit chances but idk.

Answer 11

Here is a set I like to run on Purugly:

Purugly @ Choice Band
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Body Slam
- Knock Off
- Play Rough
- U-turn

Body Slam is for STAB. Knock Off and Play Rough are for coverage for ghost and fighting types. U-turn is for a reliable switch.