Stunfisk Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Discharge is used to hit Flying-type foes like Oricorio-G and Swanna that may be tempted to either set up or remove Stealth Rock right away with Defog. It also helps spread paralysis if the foe doesn't make contact. Earth Power is useful for beating many of the Pokemon that Stunfisk checks like Skuntank and Lycanroc as well as opposing Stealth Rock setters like Regirock and Aggron. Toxic helps wear down bulkier Pokemon like Mudsdale and Assault Vest Lanturn, and Pokemon like Eelektross and Rotom-F that resist or are immune to Stunfisk's STAB attacks. Protect is an option to scout Choice-locked foes like Choice Specs Jellicent and Choice Scarf Abomasnow and better assess what to switch in while also healing more with Leftovers. Set Details Leftovers gives Stunfisk passive recovery and allows it to stay in and check more foes. Static is Stunfisk's most viable ability, having a chance to paralyze Pokemon that make contact. A physically defensive spread works best with Stunfisk's typing, as many of the types that it resists are primarily physically based such as Flying and Rock, while most types that it's weak to are primarily specially based like Ice and Water. Usage Tips Stunfisk is best switched in on attackers that can't do much damage to it and are threatened by paralysis like Scyther. It can then use this pressure to set up Stealth Rock. It is used as a physical sponge with its decent resistances and should be kept healthy so it can check Pokemon like Dodrio. Stunfisk should avoid switching into status, especially Toxic, that can wear it down. Stunfisk should usually use Discharge, as paralysis can be detrimental to almost anything in the metagame by slowing it down. Protect should be used to scout the opponent's moves and can also be used to stall out field effects like rain and Trick Room. Toxic should be used when the opponent has Pokemon that don't mind being paralyzed. Assault Vest Crabominable and Audino are much more threatened by poison. Team Options Specially defensive Pokemon that can tank attacks from Jellicent and Aurorus help Stunfisk remain able to check physical threats. Lanturn, Articuno, and specially defensive Alolan Sandslash are all good examples of this and appreciate Stunfisk's ability to check physical Pokemon like Primeape. Clerics like Lanturn, Altaria, and Audino help Stunfisk stay healthy via Heal Bell, with Audino in particular providing great Wish support. Strong attackers like Choice Specs Jellicent and Stoutland appreciate Stunfisk's ability to slow down faster threats. Scyther in particular appreciates the Rock-type resistance and Electric-type immunity that Stunfisk provides, while Stunfisk appreciates a good Grass-type check. Roselia is a great partner for Stunfisk, checking Water- and Grass-types like Jellicent while also providing Spikes support to form an entry hazard stacking core. In return, Stunfisk also checks physical attackers like Skuntank that threaten Roselia.

Moves Stealth Rock provides the utility of wearing down each foe that switches in. Discharge is a STAB move that has a high chance to paralyze, allowing Stunfisk to cripple opposing Pokemon and sweepers. Earth Power is a good STAB move that provides coverage on opposing Electric-types, such as opposing Stunfisk. Toxic is a good move to cripple opposing walls that are not hit hard by Stunfisk's other attacks, and it has good synergy with Earth Power, as Earth Power threatens Poison- and Steel-type Pokemon that attempt to switch into Toxic. Yawn is another option if Stunfisk wants to force switches or immobilize the opponent. Protect can also be run to scout foes and gain more Leftovers recovery, and Sludge Wave can hit Leafeon on the switch in and break Rotom-F's Substitute. Set Details 252 HP EVs add to Stunfisk's overall bulk, allowing it to sustain more hits and spread more status. 252 Defense EVs with a Bold nature maximize Stunfisk's Defense stat, allowing it to take any physical hit well and possibly paralyze the opponent with Static. However, a specially defensive spread can be used to take hits from special attackers. The aforementioned Static is the ability, as it has a high chance to paralyze the opponent if hit on contact. Leftovers is used for passive recovery, although Passho Berry can also be run to check offensive Water-types such as Floatzel. Usage Tips Stunfisk should stick around throughout the match as a pivot and spread status with Discharge and Toxic to cripple most of the opposing team. Stealth Rock is best used after Stunfisk has already induced status or if it forces a switch due to type advantage. With its good Defense and Static, Stunfisk does a great job of keeping physical attackers, such as Dodrio, Purugly, and Pawniard, in check. This means that Stunfisk can pivot into physical attacks to try to activate Static. U-turn, in particular, is a great attack to pivot into, as users of the move are normally reliant on being quick. That being said, Stunfisk should not pivot recklessly into attacks that are powerful, as they can easily wear it down. If running Passho Berry, Stunfisk should be used to lure in and KO Water-type attackers such as Simipour and Swanna. Not revealing its lack of Leftovers can help lure these threats in, as, once it is clear Stunfisk is not carrying Leftovers, they are more likely to be wary of Passho Berry. Team Options Stunfisk's paralysis support is greatly appreciated on balanced teams by Pokemon that are relatively slow albeit powerful, such as Bouffalant and Regice. These two Pokemon also can cover Grass-types for Stunfisk. Roselia and other hazard setters can set their hazards in combination with Stunfisk's Stealth Rock to apply extreme pressure to the opponent. Grass-types such as Roselia can keep Water- and Ground-type Pokemon at bay, making them good partners. Clerics such as Audino and Grumpig are good partners, as they rid Stunfisk of poison and burns, and Audino can provide Wish support as well. Spinblockers such as Gourgeist can also keep Stealth Rock on the field, as well as other hazards. If Defog is a threat, Pawniard is a good partner, as the evasion drop from Defog activates Defiant and boosts Pawniard's Attack by two stages. Swanna and Dodrio also have great synergy with Stunfisk, while Stunfisk can block Volt Switch for them, which they both despise. Other Options Choice Specs is a viable option on Stunfisk, as it finds a lot of opportunities to switch in and can do surprisingly good damage. Rest can be run in the last slot either with a Chesto Berry as the item or with cleric support, but it generally won't be worth the loss of Leftovers recovery or reliance on clerics. Foul Play seems like a good option to hit physical setup sweepers, but it is rather weak without a STAB boost, and Stunfisk would much rather use a status-inducing move. Scald has a chance to burn but is usually inferior to Discharge, as it has worse coverage, doesn't get a STAB boost, and doesn't always cause a burn, whereas Discharge is also backed up by Static. Thunderbolt is better on stall teams that would rather have Stunfisk poison foes with Toxic, as well as having a higher damage output.

This set makes use of Stunfisk's bulk and typing as a physically defensive wall that can easily beat Flying-types without having to rely on a Rock or Steel typing. Stealth Rock allows Stunfisk to support its teammates with entry hazards. Discharge is used as it allows Stunfisk to spread paralysis and gives it a decent STAB move, while Earth Power is Stunfisk's strongest STAB move that allows it to inflict as much damage as possible against Ground-, Rock-, Electric-, and Steel-types. Finally, Toxic helps Stunfisk cripple troublesome Pokemon such as Audino, Lickilicky, and Alomomola, all of which can easily take a Discharge and recover their health back with Wish. Stunfisk can also use maximum Special Defense investment to take on Pokemon such as Choice Specs Charizard better if needed. Scald can be used over Toxic if you want Stunfisk to burn a physical attacker, but most of the time Stunfisk will prefer Toxic to cripple as many bulky Pokemon as possible. Grass-types such as Tangela, Ludicolo, and Roselia pair well with Stunfisk, as they can easily take Grass-, Water-, and Ground-type attacks for it while Stunfisk can easily deal with the Flying-types that threaten them. Flying-types such as Braviary and Swellow are also great partners for Stunfisk, as they are immune to Ground-type attacks and can easily deal with the Grass-types that threaten Stunfisk, while Stunfisk is immune to Electric-type attacks and can easily KO Rock- and Steel-types to help Braviary or Swellow sweep later in the game. Finally, Mantine can also be a great partner for Stunfisk, as Mantine has a Water- and Ground-type immunity and can easily deal with the Grass-types that threaten Stunfisk, which can easily take on the opponent's Rock- and Electric-types.