Blastoise Movesets & Competitive Sets

Blastoise is a unique Pokemon in Series 11 for its access to G-Max Cannonade, ability to pressure foes with Yawn, and strong matchups against metagame staples such as Incineroar, Charizard, and Landorus-T. Blastoise is able to dish out large amounts of damage with G-Max Cannonade's powerful residual effect, and Hydro Cannon gives Blastoise the strongest possible G-Max Cannonade, and being inflexible outside of Dynamax doesn't matter much since Blastoise often is the one Dynamaxing on the team. Blizzard gives Blastoise the strongest possible Max Hailstorm against threats such as Venusaur, Dragapult, and Rillaboom, 2HKOing Dynamaxed Dragapult. Ice Beam can be used for more consistency outside of Dynamax, which is especially relevant given that the hail set by Max Hailstorm is often replaced, leaving Blizzard inaccurate. Blastoise can pressure Dynamaxed Pokemon with Yawn reliably thanks to its natural bulk, threatening to waste their Dynamax turns. Fake Out, Helping Hand, and Terrain Pulse are all more niche options that can be run over preferably Protect but also Yawn. Fake Out gives Blastoise's teammates opportunities to set up or get a strong attack off. Helping Hand allows Blastoise to boost the power of its teammates such as Zacian-C unimpeded due to its high priority. Terrain Pulse allows Blastoise to hit Water-types such as Kyogre, Gastrodon, and opposing Blastoise super effectively when paired with Rillaboom's Grassy Surge. Aqua Jet is an alternative option over Yawn on Coalossal teams so that Blastoise can best position itself to activate Coalossal's Weakness Policy and Steam Engine. Wacan Berry improves Blastoise's matchup against Regieleki and offensive Thundurus. Alternatively, Life Orb boosts Blastoise's damage output immensely, enabling it to 2HKO Gigantamax Venusaur and Dynamaxed Rillaboom with Max Hailstorm. Blastoise's given Speed investment outspeeds paralyzed Calyrex-S and also outspeeds it at +2, both of which are relevant given that support Thundurus and Landorus-T that can boost its Speed with Max Airstream are common partners. Blastoise is most commonly paired with Zacian-C to pressure Pokemon such as Incineroar, Rotom-H, and Landorus-T for it, while Zacian-C checks Rillaboom for Blastoise. Furthermore, the residual damage from G-Max Cannonade can set Zacian-C up to sweep late-game. Incineroar checks Grass-types such as Venusaur, Amoonguss, and Rillaboom and offers Blastoise Fake Out pressure. Grimmsnarl's dual screens support and speed control allow Blastoise to pressure foes more easily. Support Thundurus pairs similarly well with Blastoise, as it can provide speed control and support in Eerie Impulse to help Blastoise better take on threats such as Venusaur and Regieleki. Landorus-T is very frequently paired with Blastoise, as it checks Regieleki and Grass-types. Rillaboom smacks Water-types such as Gastrodon, Tapu Fini, and Kyogre, which Blastoise struggles to damage. Coalossal deals with threats to Blastoise like Thundurus and Venusaur, and Blastoise in return can check Ground-type threats to Coalossal like Landorus-T, as well as activate Coalossal's Weakness Policy and Steam Engine via Aqua Jet.

Fake Out and Follow Me let Blastoise keep its team safe, making them its primary tools for providing support. Flip Turn lets Blastoise act as a pivot, utilizing its bulk and relatively low Speed to effectively provide safe switches for teammates; it also makes Fake Out available again for later. Toxic pressures bulky threats such as Porygon2 and Kyurem-B, making up for Blastoise's lack of offensive presence, while Roar can be quite nifty for phazing and denying Trick Room setups. The EV spread is primarily focused on Defense to help Blastoise deal with the likes of Urshifu-R, Rillaboom, and Kyurem-B much more reliably, with the investment in its special bulk, in conjunction with its Sitrus Berry, handily letting it survive two Expanding Forces from Necrozma in Psychic Terrain.

Blastoise differentiates itself from other defensive Water-type pivots like Milotic, Swampert, and Vaporeon with Rapid Spin, allowing it to also serve as the team's entry hazard remover. The combination of Flip Turn and Regenerator makes it a solid defensive pivot, taking advantage of its Assault Vest-boosted bulk to switch into special attackers like Heatran, Inteleon, and Volcarona. Earthquake threatens common Desolate Land users like Heatran, Cinderace, and Volcanion that would otherwise stop Blastoise from pivoting freely with Flip Turn. Dragon Tail phazes out setup sweepers like Mew, Galarian Moltres, Salamence, and Kommo-o that try to exploit its passivity, even providing a super effective hit for the latter two. Dragon Tail also works well with Flip Turn; Dragon Tail can bring in an undesired foe into the field and then force them to switch out, allowing Blastoise to gain momentum with Flip Turn afterwards. Minimum Speed investment lets Blastoise have the slowest possible Flip Turn, underspeeding opposing pivots like Mandibuzz and Milotic. Blastoise finds a place in bulky offense teams that appreciate its unique role compression. Offensive teammates like Desolate Land Heatran, Primordial Sea Zapdos, and Choice Band Terrakion appreciate Blastoise bringing them in safely via Flip Turn into foes like Swampert, Tapu Fini, and Ferrothorn, respectively. Blastoise also relieves them of entry hazard damage to let them constantly enter the field and pressure the opposing team and grants Zapdos more freedom to forgo Heavy-Duty Boots and run an offensive item like Magnet or Sharp Beak. As one of the few viable spinners, Blastoise has excellent synergy with Spikes setters like Skarmory and Mew. Due to Blastoise's reliance on Assault Vest, Knock Off absorbers like Kommo-o and the aforementioned Skarmory make great teammates. Ground-types like Garchomp and Landorus-T can help dissuade Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zapdos from using Volt Switch, with the latter also forming a VoltTurn core with Blastoise. Similarly, Corviknight can form a VoltTurn core with it and also help check Grass-types like Zarude, Dhelmise, and Tapu Bulu; in return, Blastoise deals with Fire-types like Heatran, Chandelure, and Volcarona. Landorus-T and Corviknight are good secondary entry hazard removers, preventing Blastoise from getting overwhelmed by entry hazards itself.

Moves Water Pulse is Mega Blastoise's most consistent STAB move, possessing perfect accuracy and receiving a Mega Launcher boost. Hydro Pump is a more powerful STAB option, notably dealing more damage to Water-neutral targets like Scizor and Swampert, but it is less reliable due to its 80% accuracy, making Water Pulse superior in most cases. Mega Launcher-boosted Dark Pulse hits Psychic-types that resist Water such as Latias, Starmie, and Celebi for huge damage, and it also punishes Ghost-types like Doublade and Gengar that may try to block Rapid Spin and pivot back out. Aura Sphere lets Mega Blastoise hit Dark- and Steel-types like Hydreigon and Empoleon super effectively, which also receives a boost from Mega Launcher. Alternatively, Ice Beam threatens Pokemon like Mega Altaria and Amoonguss that take relatively little from Mega Blastoise's other common moves. Rapid Spin clears all entry hazards on Mega Blastoise's side of the field, pairing nicely with its ability to force switches. Set Details 152 Speed EVs let Mega Blastoise outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Scizor, though this stat can be customized to outspeed certain threats such as Volcanion and Magneton. After maximizing Special Attack, the remaining EVs are dumped into HP, improving Mega Blastoise's overall bulk as much as possible, notably improving its chance to avoid the 2HKO from Mega Aerodactyl's Stone Edge among other moves. Blastoisinite is necessary for Blastoise to Mega Evolve and receive its various stat boosts. Rain Dish lets Blastoise gain back some health if rain is active and it has yet to Mega Evolve, though it is useless in most cases. Mega Blastoise's ability, Mega Launcher, provides moves like Water Pulse, Dark Pulse, and Aura Sphere with a remarkable 1.5x damage boost. Usage Tips Mega Evolve Blastoise as soon as possible to take advantage of its numerous stat boosts and vastly superior ability in Mega Launcher. Due to its tremendous natural bulk and fantastic coverage options, Mega Blastoise can beat most of the tier's offensive threats one-on-one, and it should be used to do so if its health is not crucial for the rest of the match. Wear down or KO opposing special walls with either entry hazards or physically attacking partners before sending in Mega Blastoise to wallbreak, as Pokemon such as Blissey, Sylveon, and Alolan Muk stop it in its tracks while at full HP. Get rid of entry hazards with Mega Blastoise's Rapid Spin whenever possible, keeping itself and teammates from being worn down over time. It is preferable to bring Mega Blastoise in on free switches from U-turn and Volt Switch, as it is prone to being worn down quickly by repeated attacks and entry hazard damage. Aggressive predictions can help make the most of Mega Blastoise, especially in punishing faster switch-ins such as Latias and Hydreigon. Team Options Mega Blastoise fits best on bulky offense and balance teams that appreciate the offensive presence it brings alongside Rapid Spin. Physical wallbreakers such as Flame Orb Heracross and offensive Swords Dance Scizor make for great partners, breaking through the special walls like Blissey and Alolan Muk that Mega Blastoise struggles against. Grass-types like Amoonguss and Celebi absorb Electric- and Grass-type moves aimed at Mega Blastoise and appreciate its ability to threaten Fire-types like Entei. Amoonguss also serves as a strong answer to Primarina, one of Mega Blastoise's most sturdy answers. Choice Scarf Latias can cripple special walls with Trick and eliminate all residual damage on Mega Blastoise with Healing Wish, additionally providing similar defensive synergy to Hydreigon. U-turn users such as Choice Scarf Hydreigon, Scizor, and Infernape can get Mega Blastoise into favorable situations on free switches, reducing the amount of chip damage it is forced to take. Klefki is a fantastic partner, offering great defensive synergy with Mega Blastoise while laying down Spikes to help pressure its few solid switch-ins. Sylveon shares similar type synergy with Mega Blastoise and can heal it up with Wish or alleviate it of status conditions with Heal Bell. Grounded Poison-types like Nihilego, Nidoking, and Alolan Muk remove Toxic Spikes upon entry, possibly preventing Mega Blastoise from poisoning itself in order to remove them. These Poison-types double down as great answers to Sylveon, one of Mega Blastoise's most effective countermeasures.

Moves Fake Out allows Mega Blastoise to deal a small amount of chip damage and break Multiscale and Sturdy of Pokemon such as Dragonite, Donphan, and Golem and KO them with the appropriate move depending on the scenario. Hydro Cannon is Mega Blastoise's hardest-hitting STAB move, which is powerful enough to grab KOs against Pokemon that it is super effective against and Pokemon with low Special Defense such as Archeops and Mega Aggron. Rock Tomb is a great way to beat some of 1v1's strongest wallbreakers such as Mega Charizard Y, non-specially defensive Mega Charizard X, and Choice Band Hoopa-U with some residual damage from Fake Out by lowering their Speed and getting them in KO range of Mega Blastoise's other powerful moves. Ice Beam OHKOes some of the most important threats in the metagame such as Dragonite after Fake Out, Zygarde, and Garchomp. Dragon Pulse is an alternative to beat specially defensive Mega Charizard X. Aura Sphere is a decent Mega Launcher-boosted option that lets Mega Blastoise beat common Dark- and Steel-types such as non-Power Whip Ferrothorn, Mega Tyranitar, and almost always non-Timid Magnezone. Dark Pulse can also be run, allowing Mega Blastoise to deal with the many Ghost- and Psychic-types in the tier such as Mega Gengar, Jirachi, and Choice Specs Deoxys-S. Be mindful that Mega Blastoise should always use Dragon Pulse together with Rock Tomb. Hidden Power Electric in conjunction with Aura Sphere guarantees that Mega Blastoise always beats Mega Gyarados one-on-one. Set Details 216 HP EVs and 44 Special Defense EVs guarantee that Mega Blastoise always survives one Thunderbolt from Genesect as well as Solar Beam from Mega Charizard Y. The HP investment also allows it to take any move that Landorus-T and Dragonite have to offer. 112 Speed EVs allow Mega Blastoise to outspeed non-Timid Magnezone as well as base 100 Speed Pokemon after a Speed drop from Rock Tomb, such as Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y. The remaining EVs are dumped into its Special Attack, improving its matchup against other physical Pokemon such as Garchomp. Alternatively, Mega Blastoise can run an EV spread of 224 HP / 68 Def / 96 SpA / 8 SpD / 112 Spe with a Modest nature to gain as much reliability against Choice Band Victini and Mega Heracross as possible while sacrificing the matchup against Genesect. Usage Tips Don't use Fake Out turn one against Mega Lucario, which can have Inner Focus as its pre-Mega ability. Mega Blastoise is vulnerable to stall Pokemon such as Type: Null and Suicune, which can all beat it one-on-one due to taking very little damage from it after lowering its stats or boosting their own stats. When facing Mega Charizard X, first use Fake Out to scout for whether or not it is running bulk. If it is running bulk, use Rock Tomb to slow it down and follow it up with Dragon Pulse. On the other hand, if it isn't bulky, use Hydro Cannon to win. Team Options Agile allies such as Pheromosa, Naganadel, and Choice Scarf Porygon-Z are key due to their ability to defeat Pokemon like Zeraora, Jumpluff, and Tapu Lele that Mega Blastoise struggles to deal with because of its mediocre Speed tier. In return, Mega Blastoise can defeat bulkier Pokemon such as Dragonite for Jumpluff and Landorus-T for Zeraora and Tapu Lele. Mega Blastoise appreciates having Ground-type partners such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Donphan, which all threaten the common Electric-types in the tier such as Zeraora and Magnezone. In return, Mega Blastoise can deal with opposing Ground-types and Dragonite. Flying-types like Dragonite, Flyinium Z Landorus-T, and Togekiss are great teammates, as they can take down Grass-types such as Serperior, Tapu Bulu, and Mega Venusaur, while Mega Blastoise can defeat opposing Rock-types such as Golem and Carracosta that give them difficulty. Electric-types such as Zeraora and Magnezone are great allies, as they can beat many bulky Water-types that Mega Blastoise struggles against such as Primarina and Tapu Fini. In return, Mega Blastoise can deal with common Ground- and Rock-types such as Golem, Landorus-T, and Garchomp. As Mega Blastoise itself is a Water-type Pokemon, it can be utilized on a standard Fire / Water / Grass core, which has great synergy as a whole. Fire-types such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Victini, and Volcarona deal with the plethora of Steel- and Grass-types in the tier such as Magearna, Serperior, and Tapu Bulu, while Mega Blastoise can deal with the Ground- and Rock-types they struggle with. Grass-types like Serperior and Mega Venusaur are helpful, as they cover Mega Blastoise's weakness to Electric-types such as Zeraora and Zapdos; in return, Mega Blastoise can help deal with some of the Dragon-, Flying-, and Fire-types in the tier such as Zygarde-C, Mega Charizard Y, and Heatran. Physical wallbreakers such as Mega Heracross, Choice Band Hoopa-U, Incineroar, and Mega Medicham are useful, as they can defeat many of the stall Pokemon in the tier such as Mega Slowbro and Type: Null. Mega Blastoise, on the other hand, can deal with some agile Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny, non-Grass Knot Greninja, and Naganadel thanks to its bulk.

Mega Blastoise is a powerful bulky attacker with unique coverage options over Tapu Fini and Primarina thanks to Mega Launcher. Water Pulse is preferred over Scald as Mega Blastoise's STAB move for the higher Base Power. Ice Beam allows Mega Blastoise to hit Mega Salamence and Grass-types such as Serperior and Tapu Bulu. Aura Sphere and Dark Pulse are both coverage options boosted by Mega Launcher, with Aura Sphere providing greater overall coverage and Dark Pulse being a stronger option against Aegislash. Aqua Jet is used to give Blastoise a priority move to pick off weakened foes and deal with Focus Sash users.

Moves Scald applies defensive pressure to the opponent's team with its 30% chance to burn. Hydro Pump's power is good for wallbreaking beyond that of STAB Scald, but it is slightly unreliable due to only 80% accuracy. Dark Pulse is a fantastic coverage move, offering Mega Blastoise near-perfect neutral coverage alongside Scald or Hydro Pump. Ice Beam is a great option for dealing with the many Dragon- and Flying-types in UU, and Aura Sphere is a decent coverage option for Dark- and Steel- types. Dragon Pulse can be useful if you find that Aura Sphere or Ice Beam provides redundant coverage. Set Details Maximize Mega Blastoise's Special Attack investment in order to take on a wide variety of frail attackers and walls. Mega Launcher grants Mega Blastoise's Dark Pulse, Dragon Pulse, and Aura Sphere a 1.5x boost. Lack of passive recovery means status, especially Toxic, is a problem. 200 Speed EVs allow Mega Blastoise to outspeed and uninvested base 100s. Furthermore, with Sticky Web support, Mega Blastoise outspeeds anything that is base 115 Speed or under. Mega Blastoise's Speed EVs can be tweaked to outspeed base 85 Speed Pokemon such as Gligar and Adamant maximum Speed Choice Band Machamp. In this case, moving 72 EVs from HP to Speed to hit 210 Speed is ideal. Mega Blastoise can also run maximum Speed EVs with a Timid nature to outspeed everything up to and including neutral-natured base 90s. Keep in mind that this set should only be used when your team already has Rapid Spin or Defog Support. Usage Tips If Mega Blastoise's teammates are able to control entry hazards without relying on Mega Blastoise's access to Rapid Spin, it is able to gain a moveslot for an extra coverage move, turning it into dedicated special wallbreaker. Mega Blastoise's task is to wallbreak, stallbreak, and rip apart frail attackers attempting to work around Mega Blastoise's bulk. Mega Blastoise is excellent against bulky Ground-type leads such as Mamoswine and Donphan, but it is not very effective against the top specially defensive walls such as Blissey, Florges, and Umbreon. Team Options Use Mega Blastoise alongside Pokemon with Heal Bell / Aromatherapy support such as Roserade and Florges. Mega Blastoise also appreciates Wish support from Florges, Blissey, or Umbreon, as all three can sponge Electric- and Grass-type special attacks. As with most wallbreakers, Mega Blastoise appreciates teammates with U-turn and Volt Switch. Pokemon such as Gligar and Heliolisk make good teammates in this respect; Gligar can use U-turn, set up Stealth Rock, and offer an Electric-type immunity, while Heliolisk provides a fast and powerful Volt Switch and also resists Electric-type attacks. Galvantula is a decent option for Sticky Web support, giving this set more opportunities to wallbreak against faster bulkier threats. Tailwind support is another way that this set can shine. Hitting 255 speed allows Mega Blastoise to outspeed Choice Scarf Mienshao under Tailwind. Lastly, this set appreciates entry hazard support for increased wallbreaking potential. Physical wallbreakers also help Mega Blastoise get past specially defensive walls. Ultimately, Mega Blastoise works best on bulky offensive or balanced teams.

Moves Scald is a consistent STAB attack that also has a burn chance. Rapid Spin allows Blastoise to remove entry hazards that wear down its teammates. Roar phazes the opposing Pokemon, ensuring Blastoise isn't setup bait. Toxic is used to weaken opposing walls, especially Jellicent, which is immune to Scald and Rapid Spin, as well as Pokemon that either resist or are immune to Scald, such as Mega Sceptile and Heliolisk, respectively. Ice Beam can be used to hit Dragon- and Grass-types for super effective damage. Set Details Leftovers gives Blastoise passive recovery. Torrent is the ability of choice, as it is more consistent than Rain Dish. A Bold nature is used with the given EV spread to maximize Blastoise's physical bulk. This Blastoise set faces competition as a defensive Rapid Spin user from Tentacruel, which has a good secondary typing, a good Speed tier, and Toxic Spikes, but Blastoise is also viable, as it is able to take on the numerous physically offensive Fire-types in the tier thanks to its better physical bulk. Regular Blastoise is normally overshadowed by its Mega counterpart when it comes to spinning, but it is better defensively, as it is able to hold Leftovers, which gives it a form of recovery without using a moveslot as well as more staying power. Usage Tips Should the opposing player set entry hazards that are detrimental to the rest of your team, be sure to remove them with Rapid Spin. Blastoise should be sent in to wall physical attackers, especially Fire-types, such as Entei and Arcanine. Due to Blastoise's good natural bulk coupled with the EV investment, it can stop dangerous sweepers, such as Dragon Dance Feraligatr, from sweeping by phazing them via Roar, crippling them via either Scald burns or Toxic, or, in Salamence's case, OHKOing with Ice Beam. Team Options Specially defensive Pokemon with access to Wish and a clerical move, such as Blissey and Florges, make for good teammates, as they can heal Blastoise by Wish passing and removing status effects that Blastoise could receive throughout a match. Pokemon that appreciate the removal of entry hazards, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Entei, also make for good teammates. Dragon-types, such as Hydreigon and Dragalge, make for good teammates, as they resist Grass- and Electric-type moves, which hit Blastoise for super effective damage. In return, Blastoise resists the Ice-type moves that hit these Dragon-types for super effective damage. Grounded Poison-types, such as Dragalge and Nidoqueen, also make for good teammates, as they are able to remove Toxic Spikes, which poison Blastoise upon switching in, while Blastoise can remove other entry hazards.

Moves Rapid Spin is for clearing entry hazards on your side of the field. Scald applies defensive pressure to the opponent's team with its 30% chance to burn, further hindering the opponent's opportunities to set up entry hazards. Hydro Pump is a good option for extra power, but it is slightly unreliable due to only having 80% accuracy. Dark Pulse provides Mega Blastoise with some decent Mega Launcher-boosted coverage and makes for near-perfect neutral coverage in conjunction with Blastoise's STAB move. The last moveslot is based on the needs of the team. Ice Beam and Dragon Pulse are generally superior options for dealing with the many Dragon- and Flying-types in UU. Aura Sphere is a decent Mega Launcher-boosted option for Dark- and Steel-types, though it is generally outclassed by the other coverage moves. Set Details This set maximizes Mega Blastoise's Special Attack in order to take on a wide variety of frail attackers and walls. Mega Launcher grants Mega Blastoise's Dark Pulse, Dragon Pulse, and Aura Sphere a 1.5x boost. Blastoise's lack of passive recovery means status, especially Toxic, is a problem. The HP investment extends Mega Blastoise's longevity, while 72 Speed EVs allow Mega Blastoise to outspeed Machamp, Gligar, and defensive Suicune. An alternative spread to hit a Speed benchmark of 242 can be used to outspeed Honchkrow. Usage Tips Mega Blastoise has two main roles. The first is to use Rapid Spin and keep hazards off the field and the second is to wallbreak. Though Mega Blastoise can be used somewhat effectively as an anti-lead, it is always wise to keep it around for the long haul due to its precious access to Rapid Spin. It is a great option for both offensive and defensive teams due to its dual Rapid Spinning and wallbreaking capabilities. Lastly, it is important to note that Mega Blastoise is not very effective against the top special walls, such as Blissey, Florges, and Umbreon. Team Options Mega Blastoise can work on both offensive and defensive teams, but it is best used with cleric support from Pokemon such as Roserade, Sylveon, and Florges. Mega Blastoise also appreciates Wish support from Florges, Blissey, Sylveon, or Umbreon, as all of them can sponge Electric- and Grass-type special attacks. As with most wallbreakers, Mega Blastoise appreciates U-turn and Volt Switch support that can help retain momentum for optimal wallbreaking. Pokemon such as Gligar and Heliolisk make good teammates in this respect; Gligar can use U-turn, set up Stealth Rock, and offer an Electric-type immunity, while Heliolisk provides a fast and powerful Volt Switch and also resists Electric-type attacks. Lastly, this set appreciates entry hazard support for increased wallbreaking potential. Pokemon such as Roserade make good teammates for this reason.

Moves Origin Pulse is the only reason to run Mega Blastoise in STABmons, as Mega Launcher boosts its Base Power from 110 to 165, which is even more powerful than Water Spout at full health. Ice Beam is a great coverage move, as two of the three types that resist Water are weak to it, namely Grass and Dragon, allowing Mega Blastoise to hit some of its checks, including Amoonguss and Latias. Rapid Spin allows Mega Blastoise to clear entry hazards from its side of the field, and Ghost-types have a hard time switching into Mega Blastoise because of its access to Mega Launcher-boosted Dark Pulse and Origin Pulse. The last slot is up to the user's preference. Aura Sphere is nice to hit Ferrothorn, Mega Gyarados, and Kyurem-B for good chunks of damage, while Dark Pulse has excellent neutral coverage in conjunction with Origin Pulse and comes in handy against some common Pokemon that resist Water such as Slowking, Slowbro, Latios, and Latias. Set Details Blastoisinite allows Blastoise to Mega Evolve. A Modest nature is necessary to have Mega Blastoise hit as hard as possible, and it has no reason to run a Timid nature due to its mediocre Speed tier. The given Speed EVs allow Mega Blastoise to outspeed uninvested defensive Landorus-T. The remaining EVs are put into HP so that Mega Blastoise can survive for as long as possible, as it lacks any form of recovery. Mega Launcher makes Mega Blastoise's aura and pulse moves extraordinarily powerful, allowing it to OHKO a lot of common Pokemon in STABmons. There's also the option to run a faster EV spread of 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe, which lets Mega Blastoise outpace Adamant Mega Scizor. Usage Tips Mega Blastoise should be mainly used on offensive or balanced teams due to its ability to break through walls, making it easier for its teammates to sweep. Mega Launcher-boosted Origin Pulse is one of the most powerful special attacks in the metagame, so it should be spammed as often as possible. Mega Blastoise is able to force out many common Pokemon in the tier such as Heatran, Weavile, Tyranitar, and Landorus-T, which gives it the opportunity to remove entry hazards or deal damage to the Pokemon coming in on the switch. Mega Blastoise doesn't appreciate being burned, but it isn't game ending. Don't forget to use Rapid Spin, as getting rid of entry hazards is always nice. Team Options The biggest threats to Mega Blastoise are Chansey and other specially defensive Pokemon, so a physical wallbreaker such as Terrakion, Aerodactyl, or Infernape is a really nice companion for Mega Blastoise. Fast Electric- and Grass-types also threaten Mega Blastoise; Thundurus in particular is troublesome, so Pokemon that can deal with it such as Excadrill, Kyurem-B, Thundurus-T make for great partners. Grass types help to absorb Electric- and Grass-type moves that can really trouble Mega Blastoise; in this regard Ferrothorn makes for a nice defensive partner, while Serperior can make for a good offensive partner. Flying-types such as Talonflame, Thundurus, and Landorus-T appreciate Mega Blastoise's ability to remove Stealth Rock and can also deal with some some of Mega Blastoise's Grass-type checks in return. Pokemon with access to moves like Sticky Web and Thunder Wave that can help with Mega Blastoise's low Speed are very helpful as well. Scizor is a common Sticky Web setter, while a Pokemon like Thundurus can use Thunder Wave to support Mega Blastoise.

Moves Water Spout is Mega Blastoise's primary offensive option, as it has the potential to deal massive damage to both opposing Pokemon. Aura Sphere threatens an OHKO against common targets such as Mega Kangaskhan, Hydreigon, and Tyranitar. Ice Beam synergizes well with Water Spout by dealing super effective damage to the Dragon- and Grass-types that resist it. Dark Pulse is an alternative option that is mostly used to better handle Aegislash, which is a particularly problematic Pokemon due to its access to Wide Guard. Protect is an important tool in shielding Mega Blastoise from unnecessary damage, giving its partner a turn to react to the foe. Set Details Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature are preferred to outspeed as many foes as possible before they can retaliate, ensuring that Water Spout strikes with its maximum Base Power as often as possible. A Modest nature is an alternative that trades reliability outside of Tailwind for extra power. Maximum Special Attack investment is used to deal as much damage as possible. Rain Dish, while only providing recovery in the rare instance that rain is active before Mega Evolution, is still the preferred option over the comparatively useless Torrent. Usage Tips Managing Mega Blastoise's HP effectively is key. Bring Blastoise onto the field safely when there's an opportunity to deal a lot of damage with Water Spout, by leading with it, or by switching it in after one of your Pokemon faints. Either keep Mega Blastoise well defended behind a redirecting partner, or ensure that it's faster than everything on the field by utilizing speed control. Aim to use Water Spout early in battle to prevent excessive chip damage from neutering its Base Power. Team Options Redirection is crucial to prevent Mega Blastoise from taking unnecessary damage. Rage Powder Amoonguss has excellent type synergy with Mega Blastoise, as it resists both of Mega Blastoise's weaknesses and hits opposing Water-types super effectively. Clefairy is a notable user of Follow Me thanks to, in part, Friend Guard, which reduces the damage that Mega Blastoise takes from spread attacks. Clefairy also has access to both Helping Hand, which can boost Mega Blastoise's damage output, and Heal Pulse, which can recover Mega Blastoise's lost HP and therefore restore Water Spout's power. Speed control is also important as as a way to remedy Mega Blastoise's middling Speed stat. Talonflame has access to priority Tailwind and has great type synergy with Mega Blastoise, threatening Grass-types that Mega Blastoise struggles against with its STAB moves. Talonflame also has access to Quick Guard, which can protect Mega Blastoise from priority moves. Thundurus can slow down foes with priority Thunder Wave, can Taunt opposing Wide Guard users, and, as an Electric-type, can help deal with opposing Water-types. Zapdos is another Electric-type and can also provide Tailwind support. Togekiss can provide both redirection and speed control with Follow Me and Tailwind, respectively. Raichu can help Mega Blastoise's teammate set up Tailwind with Fake Out, and Raichu's Lightning Rod can also protect Mega Blastoise from Electric-type moves. Both, like Clefairy, also have access to Helping Hand to boost Mega Blastoise's damage output.

Moves Water Pulse has an effective Base Power of 90 thanks to the boost from Mega Launcher, allowing Mega Blastoise to check Talonflame, Blaziken, and Mamoswine. Aura Sphere is a must on Mega Blastoise to check Dark-, Normal-, and Steel-types such as Hydreigon, Tyranitar, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Lucario. Ice Beam OHKOes some of the most important threats in the metagame such as Garchomp, Mega Salamence, and Landorus-T. It can also be used as a way to hit Thundurus on a predicted switch. The last moveslot is based on personal preference. Dark Pulse provides Mega Blastoise with additional coverage and allows it to hit top threats such as Gengar and Aegislash for super effective damage. Aqua Jet is very useful against common Focus Sash users such as Gengar, Mamoswine, Blaziken, and Greninja. Set Details Blastoisinite is essential for enough wallbreaking power. Blastoise should always Mega Evolve on the first turn so it can gain Mega Launcher. 252 EVs in HP make Mega Blastoise as bulky as possible and allow it to survive powerful attacks such as an Outrage from Choice Band Garchomp, Double-Edge from Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Salamence, Draco Meteor from Choice Specs Hydreigon, and Solar Beam from Mega Charizard Y. However, do note that a combination of Fake Out and Double-Edge from Mega Kangaskhan has a chance to KO Mega Blastoise. 252 EVs in Special Attack and a Modest nature ensure Mega Blastoise hits as hard as possible. If Aqua Jet is opted for, a Quiet nature with an alternative EV spread of 244 HP / 4 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD can be used. Usage Tips The best option is to always Mega Evolve Blastoise immediately so it can deal as much as damage as possible. Mega Blastoise's great coverage can be exploited by hitting opposing Pokemon for super effective damage on predicted switches early in the game. For example, lead Mamoswine and Mega Salamence are often used together. Usually on the first turn, most opponents switch to Salamence fearing a Water Pulse. You can use this to your advantage and use Ice Beam on the predicted switch. Now your opponent loses their Salamence and you take control of the game. Later in the game, Mega Blastoise can be used to clean through the opposing team after your opponent's Pokemon have been crippled by status or are at low health. Hence, Mega Blastoise is very versatile, functioning both as a lead and as a late-game sweeper. Mega Blastoise is also great at taking out common physical walls such as Hippowdon, Cresselia, and Porygon2; it OHKOes the former and 2HKOes the latter two. Mega Blastoise struggles with stall Pokemon such as Mega Sableye, Chansey, and Suicune and must never be left on the field when facing those. Due to lack of reliable recovery, Mega Blastoise should only be switched in after its teammate has fainted, as it won't have to risk taking any damage. Team Options Mega Blastoise enjoys the help of Pokemon that provide it with speed control such as Cresselia, Thundurus, and Zapdos. Cresselia has access to Trick Room and Lunar Dance, which help Mega Blastoise sweep and recover from previous damage. Thundurus has access to Prankster Thunder Wave and can switch into common Grass-types such as Serperior and Ferrothorn. Defensive Zapdos can wear down opposing Pokemon with Discharge and Toxic. Zapdos also helps eliminate Ferrothorn reliably with Heat Wave. Ferrothorn itself is another great teammate, as it resists Electric- and Grass-type attacks and can cripple opposing teams with Stealth Rock and Leech Seed, making Mega Blastoise's job much easier. It is also a great check to Azumarill, which stops Mega Blastoise right in its tracks. Garchomp is a notable partner as well, since it's immune to Electric-type moves and helps deal with Pokemon that can cause Mega Blastoise problems such as Mega Mawile and Weakness Policy Aegislash. Garchomp enjoys Mega Blastoise's help too, since it can take care of physical walls such as Hippowdon and Cresselia and other common threats to Garchomp such as Mamoswine and Hydreigon. Talonflame and Heatran make good partners for Mega Blastoise, as they can help get rid of Serperior and Mega Venusaur. Additionally, Heatran can switch into Fairy-types such as Mega Mawile and Sylveon for Mega Blastoise. In return, Mega Blastoise can deal with Ground-types such as Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Landorus-T. Another notable teammate is Volcarona; common Rock-type move users such as Garchomp, Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Tyranitar are all easily taken care of by Mega Blastoise, giving Volcarona an easier time setting up Quiver Dance, while Mega Blastoise also eliminates Talonflame. Whimsicott and Sylveon can be used to switch into resisted Dark- and Fighting-type attacks. Also, they help Mega Blastoise avoid any damage from Dragon-type attacks. Sylveon can additionally deal with Mega Sableye, which is a huge problem for Mega Blastoise. Finally, Grass-types such as Breloom and Serperior can help Mega Blastoise against Suicune and Rotom-W. In return, Mega Blastoise deals with Fire-types such as Talonflame and Blaziken for the two.

Moves Water Spout is an extremely powerful spread attack when Mega Blastoise is healthy, especially when it has rain support. Fake Out gives Mega Blastoise useful flinch support and is very important for ensuring that Mega Blastoise helps guarantee the setup of your speed control move of choice. If either if these are replaceable for you, consider Water Pulse, which is Mega Blastoise's most powerful placement-ignoring move. It's especially useful for smashing Landorus-T and reliably hitting Sylveon when Mega Blastoise's health is low. You can opt for Protect to save Mega Blastoise from getting seriously damaged from strong super effective attacks. Thanks to Mega Launcher, Dark Pulse gets the equivalent of a STAB boost, making it Mega Blastoise's most reliable placement-ignoring move. It also happens to hit important targets such as Aegislash, Gothitelle, and Mega Gengar for super effective damage. Aura Sphere has nearly perfect coverage with Dark Pulse, grabbing an easy OHKO on Bisharp, and even having a 12.5% chance of OHKOing Mega Kangaskhan with no residual damage. Set Details Mega Blastoise should usually max its Special Attack to ensure that it gets the KOs it needs to function, such as OHKOing Meowstic with Dark Pulse, or defeating Tyranitar or Mega Kangaskhan with a small amount of residual damage via Aura Sphere. Rain Dish is the preferred ability, because it allows Blastoise to restore some of its health on switch-ins when it's raining before it Mega Evolves. The biggest decision to make for Mega Blastoise is its Speed, as it has numerous speed benchmarks to consider. If running Mega Blastoise with Tailwind support, run 76 Speed EVs and a Modest nature to outspeed Adamant Choice Scarf Landorus-T. If you prefer to use Mega Blastoise with Trick Room support, run a Quiet nature and a Speed IV of 0 to maximize its effectiveness under Trick Room. If launching off powerful Water Spouts is your biggest concern, you can run a Timid nature with maximum Speed, though note that you lose some power in the process, such as the ability to always OHKO Bold Meowstic with Dark Pulse, or KO Tyranitar or Mega Kangaskhan after a bit of damage. Usage Tips Mega Blastoise's placement really depends on your gameplan and the stage of the game. If you want to use Dark Pulse and Aura Sphere, you'll want Mega Blastoise on the sides to avoid getting hit by any of the opponent's three Pokemon. If your plan is to use Fake Out, sending Mega Blastoise in the middle can be a good idea to be able to target any Pokemon. However, if your opponent is carrying a faster Fake Out user, it might be wise to put Mega Blastoise in the corner and make it shift to the center. This way, Mega Blastoise conserves its Fake Out so it can use it the next turn without fear of getting flinched itself! While Mega Blastoise works well to set the tone early in the match, leaving it until later in the game can still be a very effective tactic, because as long as your desirable speed control is intact, Mega Blastoise can become a deadly spread sweeper with Water Spout. Just note that if your opponent is carrying Mega Charizard Y or Ninetales, Mega Blastoise's late-game utility will be diminished due to sunny weather. Mega Blastoise's ability to ignore placement and flinch with Fake Out is the cause of many switches and uses of Protect, so try to take advantage of your opponent's predictability by targeting the Pokemon most likely to attack, such as vulnerable Pokemon in the middle, as this can give Mega Blastoise an effective edge over your opponent. Team Options The most important kind of support for Mega Blastoise is speed control. Because Mega Blastoise's Speed is rather middling, it isn't able to fully take advantage of Water Spout or its placement-ignoring attacks without usually going after the opponent. For faster variants of Mega Blastoise, Tailwind is best suited for the job. Talonflame is one of the premier users of Tailwind and can help against Wide Guard with Snatch and slam Amoonguss and Ludicolo with priority Brave Bird. Crobat works as an alternative to Talonflame that is less worried about Quick Guard and is immune to Fake Out, while Whimsicott has plenty of unique support moves in addition to Tailwind. For slower Mega Blastoise, Trick Room support makes the most sense. Gothitelle and Aromatisse are especially good teammates to consider, as they both have access to Heal Pulse, which can power Mega Blastoise's Water Spout back up. Meowstic in particular can use Snatch to defeat Wide Guard, opening up a chance to use Water Spout. If you're looking for pure bulk, Cresselia will work fine enough. Note that Mega Blastoise, while a good user of Fake Out, is one of the slower users of it (especially on Trick Room variants), so pairing Mega Blastoise up with a secondary Fake Out user such as Hitmontop or Smeargle can lower the pressure to set up speed control for Mega Blastoise. For Mega Blastoise that focus on cleaning up with Water Spout, Wide Guard needs to be addressed. Similarly, Fake Out Mega Blastoise can't stand the idea of Quick Guard blocking its flinching. As previously mentioned, Talonflame, Crobat, and Meowstic are great choices for Snatch users. Clefairy is another great choice, making Mega Blastoise bulkier with Friend Guard, and having the ability to use Heal Pulse to power up Water Spout again. Hitmontop and Hariyama are among the best users of Feint around, and both benefit from Mega Blastoise taking care of Aegislash. Mega Blastoise's biggest problem are redirection Pokemon, which will attract its movement-displacing moves. Amoonguss is the biggest problem due to its fantastic bulk, but Clefairy and Togekiss are also problematic due to their resistances to Aura Sphere and Dark Pulse. Taunt Pokemon do a great job of shutting these tactics down, such as Talonflame, Crobat, Sableye, and Whimsicott. Ironically, these very same Pokemon that give Mega Blastoise trouble are great teammates, since they can keep Mega Blastoise's health up by redirecting attacks. While Politoed brings typing redundancies in, it's an especially great teammate thanks to Drizzle. Under the rain, Water Spout becomes extremely powerful, and Water Pulse becomes a hard-hitting move that ignores placement. Politoed can also aid in checking Mega Charizard Y by switching in after it has Mega Evolved. If you're especially worried about Mega Charizard Y, Rain Dance users can also make for good teammates. Klefki and Meowstic stand out as the best users of Rain Dance thanks to Prankster and access to other useful support moves, but Thundurus can also work if you need a more offensive support Pokemon. If bulk is more important, Latias makes for a great user of Rain Dance thanks to its ability to effectively handle Mega Charizard Y.

Easy to bring in against many UU teams: Gligar, Sandslash and Solrock are just some examples. Use Sleep Talk if you are lacking something to absorb sleep, but beware that the most common sleepers in UU are Grass-types that can put a hurting in Blastoise. It's mostly useful to keep Blastoise alive and to surprise things like Gligar that try to set up on you while you're sleeping. If you don't want Sleep Talk, you can use Rapid Spin if you're afraid of Spikes. Rapid Spinning against Substitute Qwilfish is not a good idea, so it's a better idea to bring in something to take care of Qwilfish first, and get rid of the Spikes later. Toxic ruins a Lanturn that doesn't carry Rest, as well as several other Waters and Electrics that tend to come in on Blastoise.

Set Description Blastoise is highly regarded as the best spinner in the tier. Its ability to beat Qwilfish one-on-one with the longevity gained from Rest means that it can remove Spikes reliably in the long term. However, Curse Qwilfish or a well-timed critical hit can give it some trouble. Although Haunter can spinblock Blastoise, it does not appreciate a hard-hitting Surf that has a chance to 2HKO. Blastoise's Speed and respectably powerful Surf make it a viable counter to the Ground-types of the tier—even Thunder Nidoqueen. It also hits Pokemon with low Special Defense reasonably hard, like Granbull and Kabutops. Sleep Talk makes Blastoise less passive when asleep and lets it use Rapid Spin—mainly on Qwilfish—while asleep. Sleep Talk also allows Blastoise to play around status inducers and gives it better odds against Sandslash and Lovely Kiss Nidoqueen. Roar can be used instead as an emergency button against some of the setup Pokemon like Scyther and Granbull, but it means that Blastoise should be supported by a Heal Bell user like Granbull or Chansey to reduce the drawbacks of Rest without Sleep Talk. Team Options As the tier's best spinner and due to the defensive utility it offers, Blastoise finds relevance in making defensive teams work. Rapid Spin support reinforces the resilience of walls such as Slowbro and Hypno, greatly improving their performance as Nidoqueen checks. It also works well with sweepers that are difficult to wall in the long term, such as Belly Drum Quagsire, Growth or Belly Drum Politoed, and Swords Dance Pinsir. These can all work as standalone sweepers on defensive teams and use its teammates' defensive utility to wait for an opportunity to set up. Pokemon that can stomach hard-hitting Electric-type attacks, such as Nidoqueen, Ampharos, and Chansey, make good partners for Blastoise because they take away the burden of one of its weaknesses. All of these appreciate the removal of Spikes that Blastoise offers.