What is a good moveset for Azelf?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Azelf, 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.

Azelf Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Azelf @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Flamethrower
- Dazzling Gleam

Answer 2

Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thunder Punch
- U-turn
- Fire Punch
- Facade

Suicidal sweeper :D, plus U-turn to escape.

Comments

I would give it a flame or toxic orb instead to boost the power of facade.

Answer 3

Azelf @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Fire Punch

Answer 4

These are two of the sets I used in the UU Tourney, and they worked pretty good.

Azelf @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Psyshock
- Dazzling Gleam / Shadow Ball
- Fire Blast

After a Nasty Plot, Azelf destroys most things in UU with it's average coverage. Psyshock is to check Blissey and set-up Suicune. Dazzling Gleam hits Hydreigon, but Shadow Ball hits Ghost types like Gengar. Fire Blast checks one of the biggest threats in UU, Scizor. Beware that Choice Banded Scizor does a lot to Azelf with Bullet Punch, almost an OHKO.

Azelf @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 112 SpD / 144 Spe
Timid / Calm Nature
- Psyshock
- Dazzling Gleam
- Shadow Ball
- Fire Blast

Before you say AV Azelf is bad, I already know. Though hear me out, this EV spread plus the Assault Vest + Calm Nature is guaranteed to live a Dark Pulse from a Life Orb Hydreigon. Now this isn't that useful, because most Azelf are going to outspeed and OHKO Hydreigon anyways. This is basically the same moveset as above, for the same reasons.

Answer 5

Gen 8 OU

Azelf @ Life Orb / Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Psyshock
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt

Another Nasty Plotter, except this one is viable. Nasty Plot doubles Special Attack, incredible move. Psyshock is STAB, mainly used over Psychic due to its ability to threaten Blissey, cleanly 2HKOing it at +2 on the switch, as well as similarly dealing with the incredibly dangerous and incredibly obnoxious Calm Mind or Physically defensive Wish passer Clefable. Flamethrower is excellent coverage and covers its Bug weakness, while hitting Kartana, Buzzwole, Magearna, Melmetal, Phermosa, Ferrothorn, and Rillaboom super-effectively. Thunderbolt is also valuable coverage, slamming Corviknight, Moltres, Slowbro, Tapu Fini, Tornadous-T, Urshifu-R, and most importantly, Toxapex.

Answer 6

National Dex UU

Azelf @ Psychium Z / Electrium Z / Expert Belt / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Fire Blast
- Knock Off / Energy Ball / Thunderbolt
- U-turn

This is the Offensive Pivot set Azelf runs in NatDex UU. Psychic is used as your STAB move. Fire Blast lets you deal super effective damage to Steel-types like Scizor, Celesteela, Bisharp, Aegislash, and Skarmory. Knock Off allows Azelf to remove items from opposing Pokemon switching in. Energy Ball can be used if you use Expert Belt to deal super effective damage to Pokemon like Swampert and Hippowdon. Thunderbolt is used with Electrium Z so Azelf can do massive damage against Pokemon such as Celesteela, Mandibuzz, and Slowking. U-Turn lets Azelf pivot out, allowing it to escape from its checks.

Psychium Z is pretty much the standard on Offensive Pivot Azelf, as it allows Azelf to have a good nuke move to OHKO Salamence, Offensive Moltres, and Pokemon faster than Azelf such as Zeraora and Mega Manectric. Electrium Z is used with Thunderbolt to severely damage Slowking, Mandibuzz, and Celesteela. If a teammate is using a Z Crystal, Expert Belt and Heavy-Duty Boots are good items for the set. Expert Belt provides some extra damage output when you hit a Pokemon with a super effective move, while Heavy-Duty Boots allow Azelf to avoid taking chip damage from Stealth Rock.

Answer 7

Gen V

Azelf @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Last Resort
- Taunt
- Zen Headbutt
- Fire Punch

Answer 8

Azelf @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psyshock
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Psyshock is for STAB. Thunderbolt is for coverage. Flamethrower is more coverage. Hidden Power [Ice] gives you BoltBeam coverage.

Comments

i like this one but i would replace flamethrower with shadow ball

Answer 9

Well, Azelf's Attack and Special Attack base stats are the same, so it depends on IVs and nature is what set you would use. Here's what I use.

The intents of my set are to be a physical/special sweeper also knowing Stealth Rock. The Red Card is there to support the Stealth Rock, because the first opponent Pokémon could take damage from those too. It's also nice to do that on a Pokémon with Rapid Spin.

Physical:

Azelf @ Red Card
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Punch
- Power-Up Punch
- Knock Off

Special:

Azelf @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Flamethrower
- Dazzling Gleam
- Shadow Ball

Answer 10

Azelf @ Damp Rock
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 HP / 4 SpA
Jolly Nature
- Magic Coat
- Stealth Rock
- Rain Dance
- U-turn

Azelf is one of the best (or the best) non-Drizzle rain setters. With its high Speed investment, it will move first most of the time. The main goal here is to set up Rain Dance and Stealth Rock. Magic Coat is to reflect away other status moves and U-turn is to bring your rain sweepers on the field. Maximum HP investment is for some bulk which you will need by setting up and the bit of Attack investment is for U-turn.

Answer 11

Suicide lead (Gen 9 OU as of now)

Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 16 HP / 240 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Explosion

Azelf is a great suicide lead, don't get me wrong, it gets all the tools it needs with more than the other people can consider. That said, its main advantage over all the over suicide leads is its access to Explosion.

We now get into the set. Focus sash is obvious for a suicide lead. Ability is only levitate, 16 hp evs is to ensure that Azelf doesn't die instantly to Glimmora's Sludge wave + Poison, due to Glimmora being one of the most used leads in the game.

The other lead is H-Samurott, which we cannot deal with using Azelf unless we use our tera typing on our lead. Which the tera type Fairy guarantees that we survive most attacks.

Jolly nature is mandatory to boost our speed.

MOVES:
Thunder Wave is to severely cripple opposing leads if their mon is an offensive mon that cannot deal with Azelf, for example, Enamorus(Both forms), H-Lilligant, Sneasler, Moltres, and Glowking.

Stealth Rock is mandatory for a suicide lead, as it is literally their purpose, to set rocks.

Taunt is to stop opposing set-up leads from functioning, like as previously mentioned, Glimmora.

Explosion is to create offensive momentum as to be able to get a free switch into one of your Pokemon while discarding Azelf.

TEAMBUILDING:

Azelf should be used on hyper offense teams, as once you use Azelf, you need to apply constant pressure on your opponent as to not let them to be able to get rid of the rocks. However, Azelf cannot tolerate opposing balance or semistall teams, as they can easily shake off the lasting impact Azelf makes.