Kingambit Movesets and Best Builds

This is a guide to movesets and best builds for using Kingambit in competitive play for the games Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV). Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Tera Type, and Held Items to use with Kingambit, as well as its strengths and weakness.

Kingambit - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Moveset for Ranked Battle	Tera Raid Build

Kingambit Base Stats, Type, Abilities and Weaknesses

Paldea #369 Kitakami #188		Type
Kingambit
		Abilities
		Defiant Supreme Overlord Pressure (Hidden)
Weak to:	(4x)
	(2x)
Damaged Normally By:	(1x)
Resists:	(0.5x)
Immune to:	(0x)

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Kingambit

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Kingambit

Assault Vest Attacker Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Sp. Def
Final Stat Values	207 HP / 205 Atk / 140 Def / 106 Sp.Def / 70 Spe
Ability	Supreme Overlord
Tera Type	With a Flying Tera Type, Kingambit gains resistance to Fighting type Pokemon that it is usually 4x weak against. With a Dark Tera Type Kingambit gains a further boost on its Kowtow Cleave and Sucker Punch STAB moves, while maintaining its Prankster immunity as a Dark Type
Held Item	Assault Vest
Moveset	・ Sucker Punch ・ Kowtow Cleave ・ Iron Head Tera Type: ・ Tera Blast Tera Type: ・ Brick Break

Kingambit's Supreme Overlord gives it a 10% Attack and Special Attack increase for each fainted Pokemon on the team. This allows it to reach a maximum 50% boost in a 6v6 Singles team if Kingambit is the last Pokemon left standing.

This makes Kingambit one of the strongest revenge killers in the metagame, and is a high-risk, high-reward Pokemon that can turn around a match to your favor if all of its checks and counters are cleared.

Sucker Punch and Kowtow Cleave are its main STAB moves, with the former allowing it to hit faster opponents while the latter ignores evasion boosts from Sand Veil, Snow Cloak, and Minimize users.

Iron Head is its secondary STAB move and hits Rock, Ice, and Fairy-types for super effective damage. Tera Blast as a Flying Type allows you to hit Fighting type Pokemon for 2x Super Effective damage.

This EV spread gives Kingambit as much bulk as possible alongside the 50% Special Defense boost from Assault Vest.

Key Damage Calculations

The following calculations are with full Attack investment without Supreme Overlord boosts. The defensive calculations factor in Assault Vest's boost.

Damage Dealt by Kingambit
HP 211｜Def 152 Defensive EV Investment: HP 252 | Def 252	Kowtow Cleave 116 ~ 140 (54.9 ~ 66.3%) Guaranteed 2HKO
HP 215｜Def 151 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 252 | Def 0	Kowtow Cleave 72 ~ 85 (33.4 ~ 39.5%) Guaranteed 3HKO
HP 162｜Def 115 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 0 | Def 0	Kowtow Cleave 170 ~ 204 (104.9 ~ 125.9% Guaranteed OHKO
HP 257｜Def 183 Defensive EV Investment: HP 252 | Def 252	Kowtow Cleave 54 ~ 64 (21 ~ 24.9%) Guaranteed 5HKO
HP 183｜Def 115 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 0 | Def 0	Sucker Punch 70 ~ 84 (38.2 ~ 45.9%) Guaranteed 3HKO
HP 163｜Def 95 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 0 | Def 0	Sucker Punch 170 ~ 204 (104.2 ~ 125.1%) Guaranteed OHKO
HP 151｜Def 90 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 0 | Def 0	Sucker Punch 45 ~ 54 (29.8 ~ 35.7%) Guaranteed 3HKO
HP 160｜Def 85 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 0 | Def 0	Sucker Punch 96 ~ 114 (60 ~ 71.2%) Guaranteed 2HKO
HP 167｜Def 110 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 0 | Def 0	Iron Head 84 ~ 100 (50.2 ~ 59.8%) Guaranteed 2HKO
HP 202｜Def 117 Defensive EV Investment: HP 252 | Def 252	Iron Head 146 ~ 174 (72.2 ~ 86.1%) Guaranteed 2HKO
HP 202｜Def 85 Defensive EV Investment: HP 252 | Def 0	Iron Head 218 ~ 258 (107.9 ~ 127.7%) Guaranteed OHKO
HP 185｜Def 100 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 252 | Def 0	Tera Blast (Flying Tera) 186 ~ 222 (100.5 ~ 120%) Guaranteed OHKO
HP 207｜Def 130 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 252 | Def 0	Tera Blast (Flying Tera) 206 ~ 246 (136.4 ~ 162.9%) Guaranteed OHKO
HP 207｜Def 140 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 252 | Def 0	Brick Break 168 ~ 200 (81.1 ~ 96.6%) Guaranteed 2HKO
HP 207｜Def 130 No Defensive EV Investment: HP 252 | Def 0	Brick Break 180 ~ 216 (86.9 ~ 104.3%)) Guaranteed OHKO
Damage Received by Kingambit
(Draco Meteor) Final Special Attack Value (EV's): 194 Sp. Atk (+252 Sp. Atk)	42 ~ 49 (20.2 ~ 23.6%) Guaranteed 5HKO
(Dark Pulse) Final Special Attack Value (EV's): 194 Sp. Atk (+252 Sp. Atk)	25 ~ 30 (12 ~ 14.4%) Guaranteed 7HKO
(Flash Cannon) Final Special Attack Value (EV's): 194 Sp. Atk (+252 Sp. Atk)	17 ~ 20 (8.2 ~ 9.6%) Guaranteed 11HKO
(Flamethrower) Final Special Attack Value (EV's): 194 Sp. Atk (+252 Sp. Atk)	78 ~ 92 (37.6 ~ 44.4%) Guaranteed 3HKO
(Make it Rain) Final Special Attack Value (EV's): 203 Sp. Atk (+252 Sp. Atk)	40 ~ 48 (19.3 ~ 23.1%) Guaranteed 5HKO
(Shadow Ball) Final Special Attack Value (EV's): 203 Sp. Atk (+252 Sp. Atk)	32 (13 ~ 15.4%) Guaranteed 7HKO
(Focus Blast) Final Special Attack Value (EV's): 203 Sp. Atk (+252 Sp. Atk)	236-280 (114 - 135.2%) Guaranteed OHKO
(Wave Crash) Final Attack Value (EV's): 120 Atk(+0 Atk)	58 ~ 70 (28 ~ 33.8%) Guaranteed 3HKO
(Body Press) Final Def Value (EV's): 183 Def(+252 Def)	160 ~ 192 (77.2 ~ 92.7%) Guaranteed 2HKO

Other Viable Moves

Doubles Movesets for Kingambit

Regulation G Bulky Doubles Attacker Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	HP 116 / Atk 252 / Spe 140
Final Stat Values	HP 190 / Atk 205 / Def 172 / Sp.Def 105 / Spe 88
Ability	Defiant
Tera Type
Held Item	Safety Goggles
Moveset	・ Kowtow Cleave ・ Sucker Punch ・ Iron Head ・ Protect

Kowtow Cleave is its main STAB move that never misses. It is also especially useful for damaging both Calyrex forms.

Sucker Punch is a Priority Move option that is useful against much speedier Pokemon like Iron Bundle and Flutter Mane.

Iron Head is a powerful STAB option that is especially useful against Fairy-types, while the last slot is Protect; a useful move for protecting Kingambit against Fake Out or super-effective hits.

Tera Flying is chosen so that Kingambit takes no damage from Ground-type moves, and resisted damage from Fighting-type moves.

Other Viable Moves

Doubles Support Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	HP 116 / Atk 252 / Sp.Def 140
Final Stat Values	HP 190 / Atk 205 / Def 140 / Sp.Def 123 / Spe 70
Ability	Defiant
Tera Type	or
Held Item	Sitrus Berry
Moveset	・ Quick Guard ・ Sucker Punch ・ Iron Head ・ Thunder Wave

This is a slower but bulkier Kingambit build meant to provide Quick Guard support for its ally. Although it lacks a boosting move, full Attack investment means it still hits hard with Sucker Punch and Iron Head alongside Attack boosts from Defiant.

Thunder Wave is its secondary support move and can catch Kingambit's usual checks and counters are, particularly faster Pokemon that would take advantage of the Big Blade Pokemon's middling speed.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Kingambit Effectively

A Powerful Setup Sweeper with Defiant

Access to Swords Dance and the Defiant Ability make Kingambit a great bulky setup sweeper in Doubles. It also has great natural bulk, allowing it to come in on resisted moves and sweep after setting up.

Can Fill the Role of Offensive Support

Access to Quick Guard allows Kingambit to support its teammate in a priority-dominated Doubles metagame.

Unlike other Quick Guard users though, Kingambit has the bulk and offenses to threaten opposing Pokemon with its powerful STAB moves and help net KOs for its team.

How to Build a Team with Kingambit

To make up for Kingambit's low Speed Stat, use it as part of a Trick Room team.

Singles Trick Room Team

Lead Attacker	Utility	Physical Sweeper
Dragapult	Mimikyu	Kingambit

Dragapult's high Speed and Attack/Special Attack gives it enough firepower to deal as much damage against the enemy team before it faints.

Mimikyu plays an off-meta role here, where you can catch opponents off guard by setting up Trick Room and Curse instead of the usual Swords Dance sweep.

With this setup, by the time Kingambit enters the field, you will now deal 1.2x more damage, and you will go first against most Pokemon, because of Trick Room.

Sample Doubles Team

Physical Attacker	Physical Attacker
Zacian (Crowned Sword)	Kingambit
Support / Physical Attacker	Support / Physical Attacker
Incineroar	Rillaboom

Kingambit is a good partner for Zacian in Regulation G as it can work as a deterrent for Incineroar's Intimidate. It also matches up favorably against both Calyrex forms.

Rillaboom is strong against opposing Calyrex (Shadow Rider), while Incineroar offers a resistance to opposing Astral Barrage, as well as Intimidate for opposing Groudon and Calyrex (Ice Rider).

Sample Balance Team

Lead Attacker	Lead Support
Iron Valiant	Kingambit
Redirection Support	Special Attackker
Toedscruel	Gholdengo

Iron Valiant's high speed stat makes it an easy target for priority Thunder Wave users such as Grimmsnarl. This makes Kingambit a great partner as not only can it block Prankster Thunder Wave, it's also immune to the Ability thanks to its Dark typing.

Toedscruel is this team's redirection support and is a great check to Garganacl as its Mycelium Might Ability ignores Purifying Salt and shuts it down with Spore.

Gholdengo rounds off this team's coverage by providing strong Ghost and special Steel-type moves, while also boasting great type synergy with both Kingambit and Iron Valiant.

Counters for Kingambit

Take Advantage of its Weaknesses

Despite Kingambit's great natural bulk, it's also weak to common attacking types such as Fighting, Ground, and Fire-type moves. Both offensive and defensive-oriented Pokemon can check or force it out, or even outright KO it if the Big Blade Pokemon decides to stay.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Iron Moth	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Faster and can outright KO Kingambit with STAB Fire Blast. ・Resists Kingambit's Steel-type STAB and has enough natural bulk to shrug off Kowtow Cleave and Sucker Punch. ▶️Iron Moth Best Movesets
Hippowdon	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Great physical defense and access to Slack Off lets it easily shrug off Kingambit's moves and phaze it with Yawn. ・Can force Kingambit out with STAB Earthquake. ▶️Hippowdon Best Movesets
Lucario	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Resists both of KIngambit's Dark and Steel-type STAB. ・Justified variants will get a +Attack every time it gets hit by a Dark-type move. ・Can threaten Kingambit with STAB Close Combat, while special attacking variants can easily KO it with STAB Focus Blast.

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