Samurott Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Hydro Pump gives Samurott a powerful STAB move that can easily break through Pokemon that don't resist it. Grass Knot is its main coverage move, allowing Samurott to hit Water-resistant foes like Seismitoad and Slowking for more damage. Ice Beam provides additional coverage and consistent damage and is Samurott's main attack to hit the potent Heliolisk as well as various Grass-types like Sceptile and Whimsicott. Taunt can be run to prevent status and stop entry hazards from going up, effectively allowing Samurott to stay healthy longer. Another reason as to why Taunt is useful is to allow Samurott to beat Vaporeon one-on-one. Knock Off is an option over Taunt to remove items like Assault Vest on Slowking and Leftovers on Vaporeon. Aqua Jet can also be used over Taunt to give Samurott some kind of priority against faster Pokemon like Aerodactyl and Delphox. However, it is a bit weaker due to the lack of Attack investment. Finally, Surf can be run over Hydro Pump for a more consistent Water-type STAB move. However, it does worsen most matchups, as the power Hydro Pump gives off is irreplaceable. Set Details Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs along with a Timid nature are run to make Samurott as fast and as powerful as possible. Life Orb effectively makes its attacks more powerful. Expert Belt can be used over Life Orb to deal decent damage with super effective hits while not taking recoil. Torrent is used to boost Samurott’s Water-type moves if it gets below 1/3rd of its HP. This can let Samurott pull off a clutch sweep with Aqua Jet. Usage Tips Make sure to play around Heliolisk effectively. It is Samurott's best counter, as it can be healed up by Water-type attacks. Try to avoid spamming Hydro Pump and Surf before Heliolisk and other Water-immune Pokemon like Seismitoad, which is susceptible to Grass Knot, are taken out. Instead, try using Ice Beam to catch Heliolisk on the switch. Try to take out all special walls such as Mega Audino and Assault Vest Slowking before spamming moves with Samurott, as taking Life Orb damage just for the foe to soak up a hit and heal right up is not ideal. Thankfully, Samurott can prevent this in many ways, such as using Taunt on Audino to prevent Wish. Knock Off can also hit Assault Vest users such as Hariyama and Slowking, allowing Samurott to muscle through them more easily. Be sure to Taunt Pokemon like Druddigon and Vaporeon to prevent entry hazards and status moves like Toxic. Vaporeon is also shut down by Taunt, as it prevents it from using Wish, effectively letting Samurott beat it one-on-one. Due to Samurott's low Speed stat, it's advised to send it in on Pokemon that are slower than it, like Steelix and Rhydon. This will allow it to get as much damage off as it can while taking less damage. Team Options Physical wallbreakers such as Incineroar and Medicham are great partners for Samurott, as they help break through special walls like Mega Audino and Cryogonal. Electric-types like Heliolisk also help Samurott, as they deal with the Water-types Samurott struggles with such as Vaporeon and Assault Vest Slowking. Electric-resistant Pokemon such as Decidueye and Dhelmise also make for good partners, as they can effectively deal with Samurott's biggest counter, Heliolisk. Grass-resistant Pokemon like Delphox and Incineroar can help weaken and even eliminate Grass-types such as Sceptile and Whimsicott, which resist Aqua Jet. Samurott can support physical Choice Scarf users such as Braviary and Passimian, as Samurott eliminates their checks. The same logic can also be applied to late-game sweepers like Comfey, as Samurott helps weaken its checks as well.

Moves Swords Dance gives Samurott the ability to break or sweep through teams effectively. Liquidation is the most powerful physical STAB move it has access to, allowing it to have consistent damage output throughout the match. Waterfall can be run over Liquidation for the flinch chance, although the extra power from Liquidation is nice to have. Aqua Jet is used for priority and helps with Samurott's low Speed stat. However, it can also make Samurott a potent revenge killer, being able to potentially OHKO Aerodactyl and Delphox. Lastly, Megahorn targets some of Samurott's easiest switch-ins such as Heliolisk and Slowking. Set Details Maximum Attack and Speed EVs along with a Jolly nature allow Samurott to be both as fast and as powerful as it can. Buginium Z is usually run to give Samurott the ability to OHKO Slowking with a +2 Attack boost, but Waterium Z can be run as well for a consistent STAB Z-Move if you so wish. Lum Berry is also something to consider, as it can let Samurott easily beat Vaporeon one-on-one. Besides those three items, Rindo Berry and Wacan Berry are both options as well if Samurott is needed to take a Grass- or Electric-type hit. For example, it may be useful to take a Thunderbolt from Heliolisk if you need to hit it with a Megahorn. Torrent is used so Samurott's Water-type moves, specifically Aqua Jet, can do more at less than a third of its HP. Usage Tips Unless there is a clear opportunity early on, Samurott shouldn't try to sweep until late-game. Samurott will be better off if it waits until most Pokemon are chipped down to sweep. However, if there is an opportunity for Samurott to set up a Swords Dance and wallbreak, you should take that opportunity. A Swords Dance-boosted Liquidation is sure to do a ton of damage to anything that doesn't resist Water, and the foes that do resist it like Slowking and Vaporeon are susceptible to Megahorn. Keep Samurott away from status moves like Will-O-Wisp from Incineroar and Toxic from Vaporeon, as they will ruin any chance Samurott had to sweep. If at all possible, try to get Samurott into Torrent range to maximize the power of its Water-type moves, specifically Aqua Jet, to help it sweep. Aqua Jet should be used to clean late-game to hit faster Pokemon that can KO Samurott. It can also be used throughout the match to simply KO weakened Pokemon. Team Options Consistent Heliolisk answers such as Decidueye and Togedemaru should be paired with Samurott, as they help eliminate one of its biggest threats. They can soak up Electric- and Normal-type STAB moves and almost always take every other coverage move with the exception of the rare Dark Pulse for Decidueye and Focus Blast in Togedemaru's case. Pokemon that deal with physical walls, such as Heliolisk and Alolan Exeggutor, are welcomed. Not only do they easily eliminate some of Samurott's biggest checks, but they also help chip down the opposing team in general, making it easier for Samurott to sweep late-game. Grass-resistant Pokemon such as Incineroar and Magmortar are helpful, as they can come in on some of Samurott's best checks like Sceptile and Whimsicott and use their Fire-type moves. Incineroar and Silvally-Steel are particularly good picks, as they can pivot around using U-turn or Parting Shot. Xatu can make a great partner for Samurott, as it can bounce back entry hazards and status, both of which can be detrimental to Samurott. Spikes and Toxic Spikes users such as Ferroseed and Garbodor can help chip down some of Samurott's bulkier checks like Seismitoad and Torterra, making it easier for Samurott to sweep late-game. Pokemon like Comfey and Heliolisk that enjoy the presence of a physical wallbreaker are great partners for Samurott, as it assists them in being able to clean or sweep.

Moves Swords Dance enables Samurott to sweep, boosting its Attack stat to high levels. Aqua Jet makes up for Samurott's middling Speed and KOes many faster weakened threats at +2, and it can also be used throughout the game to revenge kill foes. Waterfall is a more powerful STAB move that breaks through slower, bulkier foes after a boost. Megahorn gives Samurott super effective coverage against Grass-types such as Torterra, Ludicolo, and Lilligant, and hits opposing Water-types neutrally. Knock Off is an option to hit the Gourgeist formes super effectively in addition to hitting Mantine and Pelipper neutrally, giving Samurott a better matchup against stall teams but leaving it with significantly less powerful coverage against other, generally more common Grass- and Water-types. Set Details Samurott packs a simple offensive EV spread, making Samurott as fast and strong as possible, with an Adamant nature giving it a much-appreciated boost in power. A Jolly nature is an option to outspeed neutral-natured Ludicolo and opposing Samurott, in addition to the various Pokemon that creep the base 70 Speed benchmark. 112 HP / 252 Atk / 144 Spe can be used for more bulk, with enough Speed to outrun fully invested Adamant Torterra as well as neutral-natured base 55 Speed Pokemon, such as Cacturne, Exeggutor, and Golurk. Lum Berry allows Samurott to set up without having to fear status ailments from the likes of Weezing and Scald users such as Prinplup. Wave Incense boosts the power of Samurott's Water-type STAB moves without recoil. Life Orb is useful for a stronger Megahorn, but the recoil severely hinders Samurott's longevity. Rindo Berry lets Samurott avoid being revenge killed by Lilligant and Ludicolo, which are oftentimes an offensive team's only response to a +2 Samurott. An EV spread of 252 Atk / 100 SpD / 156 Spe with an Adamant nature should be used, as it Samurott can avoid being revenge killed by Electric-types, such as Rotom and Lanturn, by holding a Wacan Berry; however, this is somewhat less useful than Rindo Berry, as Samurott can KO weakened, faster Electric-types with Aqua Jet. Torrent makes it significantly easier for Samurott to sweep late-game thanks to the boost it gives to Samurott's Water-type STAB moves, as Samurott will often find itself below 33% health after it sets up. Usage Tips Samurott should typically be saved for late-game, only being used before then to revenge kill faster Pokemon such as Archeops, check Pokemon such as Rhydon, and possibly dish out a Megahorn or two to weaken checks such as Lanturn and Prinplup. However, Samurott is mostly useless if one of its counters, such Vileplume, the Gourgeist formes, or Poliwrath, is on the opposing team, so it should double switch to a teammate that threatens them to at least force them to take entry hazard damage. If necessary, Samurott can act as a check to the likes of Archeops and Pyroar, but it can only switch into them one time and is often left at such low HP that it probably won't be able to set up and sweep late-game; on the flip side, it can then use its Torrent-boosted STAB moves to wallbreak. Late-game, Samurott can set up a Swords Dance against a foe that can't do too much to it, such as Pyroar locked into a Fire-type move or even the likes of Hariyama and Archeops if Samurott is at high HP, often leaving it in Torrent range, and then it can proceed to sweep. Team Options Checks to Grass-types are important partners, with Fire-, Ice-, and Flying-types such as Pyroar, Aurorus, and Scyther covering them well; Garbodor is also a notable partner, as it not only walls Grass-types but can also set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes to get them into +2 Megahorn KO range. Grass- and Electric-types and Freeze-Dry users such as Torterra, Rotom, and Vanilluxe take care of the bulky Water-types that check Samurott. Ground- and Grass-types, such as Rhydon and Lilligant, are also nice partners for their ability to handle Electric-types. Fast Pokemon such as Archeops, Zebstrika, and Tauros cover Samurott's low Speed stat and improve its team's matchup against more offensive teams. Wallbreakers such as mixed Archeops, Aurorus, Mawile, and Beheeyem can weaken or even outright beat most walls standing in the way of Samurott's sweep with relative ease. Healing Wish support from the likes of Mesprit and Musharna is helpful to potentially give Samurott a second chance at sweeping and is especially useful when Samurott is using Wave Incense, as it compensates for the loss of status protection given by Lum Berry.

Moves Hydro Pump is Samurott's strongest viable Water-type STAB move and plows through anything that doesn't resist it. Ice Beam nails the Grass-types that resist Hydro Pump, such as Vileplume, Tangela, and the Gourgeist formes. Aqua Jet hits faster Pokemon such as Archeops and Pyroar, letting Samurott act as a decent check to them. Grass Knot targets Gastrodon, Poliwrath, and opposing Samurott, which wall this set otherwise. Megahorn is an alternative that hits Lanturn on its lower Defense stat, OHKOes Ludicolo and Jynx, and hits most Water-types neutrally. Taunt prevents Pokemon such as Audino and Ferroseed from recovering health or using utility moves, allowing Samurott to beat them one-on-one. Knock Off hits most of Megahorn's targets neutrally, in addition to Mantine, and is able to remove Prinplup's Eviolite and Hariyama's Assault Vest; however, it's weaker than Megahorn, especially if the foe's item has already been removed, and doesn't hit Ludicolo and Cradily super effectively. Set Details Samurott packs a simple offensive spread, making it as fast and strong as possible, with a Rash or Mild nature giving Samurott an extra boost in power in its special moves while not weakening its physical ones. Rash lets Samurott check physical attackers such as Rhydon and Archeops better, while Mild lets it handle special Fire-types better. Alternatively, a Naive or Hasty nature allows Samurott to outspeed Modest Ludicolo and opposing Samurott. Life Orb makes Samurott an extremely powerful wallbreaker by boosting all of Samurott's moves. Torrent makes Hydro Pump ridiculously powerful when under 33% HP. Usage Tips Samurott can come in on Rock- and Ground-types, preferably while they set up Stealth Rock, and slower, specially frail Pokemon such as Weezing and launch a powerful Hydro Pump. Even if the opponent has Grass-types such as Vileplume, Tangela, and the Gourgeist formes, Samurott doesn't have to predict with Ice Beam, as the combination of Hydro Pump and Ice Beam easily KOes them. However, it's best to nail Lanturn and, to a lesser extent, Ludicolo, Jynx, and Cradily switch-ins, with Megahorn, 3HKOing Lanturn, 2HKOing Cradily, and OHKOing Ludicolo and Jynx, as they can all easily shrug off Hydro Pump due to their resistance or immunity to the move. If the opponent has a hard counter to Samurott, such as Poliwrath or Mantine depending on its coverage, it's best to switch out to a teammate that threatens them and force them out to make them take entry hazard damage. Samurott can be used as a check to the likes of Archeops and Pyroar if necessary, nailing them with Aqua Jet or even using them as an opportunity to launch another attack if you predict the foe will switch, but Samurott will often be left with barely any HP. Team Options Grass- and Electric-types and Freeze-Dry users, such as Lilligant, Rotom, and Vanilluxe, beat the bulky Water-types that check Samurott, such as Lanturn, Poliwrath, and Mantine. While special Samurott has a good matchup against slower Grass-types thanks to its strong, Life Orb-boosted Ice Beam and Megahorn, it still wants partners to handle faster Grass-types such as Lilligant; Vileplume, Garbodor, and Fire-types make for decent partners in this regard. Pokemon such as Klinklang, Barbaracle, Zebstrika, Lilligant, and Pyroar can sweep teams after Samurott breaks down their walls, as Samurott can weaken or even outright beat the Grass- and Water-types and general bulky Pokemon that prevent them from sweeping. Though Samurott has the bulk to switch into weak and resisted hits, it really appreciates U-turn and Volt Switch support from the likes of Scyther, Rotom, and Manectric, whose common checks are handled by Samurott, in order to be able to come in unscathed.

With this set, Samurott plays the role of a boosting sweeper, taking advantage of its good bulk to set up. This set compensates for its lack of Speed with its great Attack stat, its boosting move, and access to priority. Swords Dance is the reason for a physical set; after a single boost, Samurott hits a threatening 656 Attack, meaning that even some of the bulkiest walls in the tier struggle to tank its attacks. Razor Shell is a reliable physical STAB for Samurott to utilize with a 50% chance of lowering the foe's Defense, though Waterfall is a viable alternative with 5 more Base Power and accuracy and a chance to flinch the opponent. One of the main reasons to use Razor Shell is that Waterfall's flinch chance is less exploitable with a low Speed stat. Aqua Jet is used on the set for a strong STAB priority attack, which allows Samurott to beat many of the faster Pokemon that could otherwise revenge kill it with ease. Finally, Megahorn is used on this set as Samurott's strongest coverage move, and it allows Samurott to hit Tangela and Musharna, two of the tier's most common physical walls, for super effective damage. The given EVs on this set serve a few different purposes. To begin with, maximum investment is used in Attack to allow Samurott to muscle past many of the tier's common physical walls. 56 Speed EVs are used to allow Samurott to outspeed fully invested base 45 Speed Pokemon, such as Marowak, Golem, and Armaldo, as well as minimum Speed Garbodor. Finally, the rest of the EVs are used in HP, as they allow Samurott a chance to survive a Close Combat from Adamant Choice Band Sawk as well as a Life Orb Horn Leech from Sawsbuck. An alternate EV spread of 64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe can be used should you be more interested in outspeeding other Pokemon, such as Timid Gorebyss before a Shell Smash. As this set is very susceptible to all forms of status, Lum Berry is a fantastic option for an item. Most notably, it keeps Samurott from being stopped by an untimely Will-O-Wisp from Misdreavus. Mystic Water is another viable option that boosts the power of Samurott's choice in STAB, as well as its Aqua Jet, without the drawback of Life Orb recoil. Finally, thanks to its ability, Torrent, Samurott receives an additional boost to its Water-type attacks when it is brought down to one-third or less of its max HP, only adding onto how deadly this set can be for opponents to face. Despite how powerful this set is, Samurott cannot defeat the whole tier on its own. Grass-types, such as Simisage, Serperior, and Vileplume, pair well with this set, as they can defeat Alomomola, a Pokemon that has the ability to Toxic stall this set. Because Mantine and Frillish wall this set completely, Electric-types, such as Eelektross and Rotom-A, can be used alongside Samurott in order to defeat them. Vileplume is difficult to break, making strong Flying- and Fire-types, such as Braviary and Charizard, good partners as well. Wish and Heal Bell support from Lickilicky and Audino, while not entirely necessary, is also appreciated, as they can restore Samurott if it has been crippled mid-sweep, giving it another chance to attempt to sweep again later in the match. Lickilicky and Audino also take on many of the tier's Grass- and Electric-types, as most of them use special attacks.

This set takes advantage of Samurott's great Special Attack stat and access to great support moves to let it serve as a powerful wallbreaker. As this set defeats most of the checks and counters to the Swords Dance set, it also serves as a great lure; one poor switch from the opponent can leave them without a physical wall for the remainder of the match. Hydro Pump is used on this set as Samurott's most powerful STAB move. Ice Beam has great coverage alongside Hydro Pump, hitting Grass-types, as well as the occasional Dragon-type, for super effective damage. Hidden Power Grass is used in the third slot for reliable coverage against Water-types. The last slot depends on what your team would prefer. Megahorn KOes Ludicolo after Stealth Rock damage. Taunt, however, can be used to allow Samurott to function as an anti-lead and a means of keeping entry hazards off your side of the field. It also helps Samurott take down bulky walls that rely on hitting it with a status-inducing move in order to help defeat it. A Modest nature is used instead of Timid on this set, as the only Pokemon that a Timid nature allows Samurott to outspeed is the rare Fraxure. It does, however, also allow Samurott to Speed tie with Timid Ludicolo and Victreebel, so should you prefer to get the jump on these Pokemon, a Timid nature is still viable. Life Orb is chosen for the item on this set to help increase Samurott's immediate power, as it has no move that allows it to boost its Special Attack. Life Orb also comes with the added bonus of bringing Samurott into Torrent range. Should the accuracy of Hydro Pump be off-putting, Surf is a viable alternative in the first moveslot. Hidden Power Electric can also be used instead of Hidden Power Grass to let Samurott hit Mantine for super effective damage, but Hidden Power Grass hits Seismitoad, a much more common threat. Superpower can be used to hit Regice, Lickilicky, and Ludicolo for solid damage. While Aqua Jet isn't very powerful with a Modest nature, it can still be used in the last slot to help it pick off severely weakened foes. Dragon Tail is another interesting potential choice for Samurott, as Samurott is good at forcing switches. With Dragon Tail, Samurott can rack up entry hazard damage against its checks and counters. Finally, Encore can be used in the last slot, as it is one of the best support moves in the game, but Samurott's Speed doesn't allow it to utilize the move as well as other Pokemon in the tier. As this set is very good at breaking down physical walls, attackers that can clean up weakened teams, such as Swellow and Choice Scarf Sawk, work well with this set. Without Megahorn, this set still struggles to defeat Ludicolo and Serperior, so priority users, such as Kangaskhan and Skuntank, are appreciated as ways of taking them out. Special walls can still prove to be troublesome, even in spite of Samurott's power; strong Fighting-types, such as Sawk and Gurdurr, are great ways to defeat them, as most of the tier's common special walls--particularly Regice, Audino, and Lickilicky--are weak to Fighting-type attacks.