Pokemon Sword and Shield

Aegislash - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

Aegislash.png

This is a strategy guide for using Aegislash in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Builds, and Held Items to use with Aegislash, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Aegislash - Related Guides
Pokemon SWSH - Aegislash Evolution and LearnsetEvolution and Learnset Pokemon SWSH - Aegislash Best BuildBuild for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Aegislash

Types and Abilities

Pokemon Type 1 Type 2
Pokemon Sword and Shield - Steel Type Pokemon Sword and Shield - Ghost Type
Abilities
Stance Change Changes form depending on moves used.

Aegislash Weaknesses and Resistances

Type
Takes 4x damage
-
Takes 2x damage
Pokemon Fire Image Pokemon Ground Image Pokemon Ghost Image Pokemon Dark Image
Takes 0.5x damage
Pokemon Grass Image Pokemon Ice Image Pokemon Flying Image Pokemon Psychic Image Pokemon Rock Image Pokemon Dragon Image Pokemon Steel Image Pokemon Fairy Image
Takes 1/4x damage
Pokemon Bug Image
Takes 0x damage
Pokemon Normal Image Pokemon Fighting Image Pokemon Poison Image

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

HP Attack Defense Sp. Atk Sp. Def Speed
60 50 140 50 140 60

Best Nature for Aegislash

Best Natures
Quiet
(+SpAtk, -Spd)
Brave
(+Atk, -Spd)

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Aegislash

Weakness Policy Moveset & Best Build

Weakness Policy Aegislash.png

Nature Quiet
EV Spread HP 252 / Sp.Atk. 252 / Sp.Def. 4
Final Stat Values HP 167 / Atk. 70 / Def. 160 / Sp.Atk. 112 / Sp.Def. 161 / Spd. 72
Ability Stance Change
Held Item Weakness Policy
Moveset Shadow Ball
Sacred Sword
Shadow Sneak
King's Shield

With its effective type combination of Steel and Ghost, and its Stance Change ability, Aegislash is versatile as an attacker or defender. In its Shield Form, it can survive even super effective hits, activating its Weakness Policy and giving it even greater firepower.

Other Viable Moves

Steel Beam A powerful move which Aegislash gets STAB for. Depending on your party, consider switching out Sacred Sword for Steel Beam.

Choice Band Moveset & Best Build

Choice Band Aegislash.png

Nature Brave
EV Spread HP 252 / Atk. 252 / Sp.Def. 4
Final Stat Values HP 167 / Atk. 112 / Def.160 / Sp.Def. 161 / Spd. 72
Ability Stance Change
Held Item Choice Band
Moveset Iron Head
Close Combat
Shadow Sneak
Head Smash

This set leans toward the offensive and gives Aegislash a Choice Band. As Aegislash is often used as a Special Attacker, this set can catch your opponents off guard.

For the first time, Aegislash can learn Close Combat in Sword and Shield, allowing it to counter Dark and Normal-types better than ever before.

Other Viable Moves

Shadow Claw A strong move which Aegislash gets STAB for. If you're worried about Psychic or Ghost types, consider switching Close Combat out for Shadow Claw.

Focus Sash Moveset & Best Build

Nature Mild (+SpAtk, -Def)
EV Spread Atk. 220 / Sp Atk. 252 / Spd. 36
Final Stat Values HP 135 / Atk. 98 / Def. 144 / Sp. Atk. 112 / Sp. Def. 160 / Spd. 85
Ability Stance Change
Held Item Focus Sash
Moveset Shadow Ball
Close Combat
Shadow Sneak
Steel Beam

Letting Aegislash hold Focus Sash allows it to survive any possible one-shot attacks and still manage to attack with STAB moves Shadow Sneak or Steel Beam.

Having it learn Close Combat will enable it to attack the sole weakness of Normal-type Pokemon instead of damaging them with moves that cause 1x damage.

About Aegislash's EV Spread

It is safe to choose a Nature that negatively affects Aegislash's Defense and not allocate any EV points in the stat as it already boasts high Defense numbers. With that in mind, EVs are split between Attack and Special Attack as this set will make use of both type of attacks.

Other Viable Moves

Iron Head Steel-type move that works great against Togekiss and similar Fairy-types.
Head Smash Rock-type move to use against Flying and Fire-types. Be aware that this move has recoil damage.
Flash Cannon Alternative Steel-type move for a STAB-boosted special attack.

Leftovers Moveset & Best Build

Nature Modest (+Sp. Atk, -Atk)
EV Spread HP 220 / Sp. Atk. 248 / Sp. Def. 4 / Spd. 36
Final Stat Values HP 163 / Def. 160 / Sp. Atk. 111 / Sp. Def. 161 / Spd. 85
Ability Stance Change
Held Item Leftovers
Moveset Substitute
Shadow Ball
Flash Cannon
King's Shield

This build is centered on the move Substitute. Aegislash starts as a slow-moving wall, and will alternate in attacking and using King's Shield, while recovering HP with Leftovers.

Other Viable Moves

Shadow Sneak Ghost-type move that will allow Aegislash to attack first.

How to Use Aegislash Effectively

Keep its Speed low

Aegislash's ability Stance Change allows it to switch into its Shield Forme, with high Defense and Special Defense, to handle foes' attacks. However, Aegislash will switch into its Sword Forme immediately before attacking, and won't change back to Shield Forme until you use King's Shield, so make sure Aegislash hits second so that it can take the first hit in Shield Forme, not Sword Forme. This can be done by using the Speed-lowering Brave or Quiet Natures, and avoiding EVs and IVs in Speed.

A sweeper that can also take its share of hits

Aegislash is a great attacker rocking both high attacking power and defensive power, and a wide movepool. With its great typing, it's able to face threats like Sylveon and other Fairy-types, as well as Grass-types without fear.

Counters for Aegislash

Aegislash
Weakness Pokemon Fire Image Pokemon Ground Image Pokemon Ghost Image Pokemon Dark Image

Deal heavy damage to its weak points

Aegislash has high defensive power, but an attacker with high Attack or Special Attack hitting with a Ground or Fire-type move has the potential to take it down in one hit.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon Description
Pokemon SWSH - Urshifu Single-Strike Style ImageUrshifu Single-Strike Style Ranking: ★★★★★
G-Max One Blow can go through King's Shield's protection, making it a very devastating move.
Moveset & Best Build for Urshifu Single-Strike Style
Pokemon SWSH - Cinderace ImageCinderace Ranking: ★★★★★
・In addition to Cinderace having STAB moves that are super-effective against Aegislash, it can also learn Sucker Punch.
Moveset & Best Build for Cinderace
Pokemon SWSH - Landorus (Therian Forme) ImageLandorus (Therian Forme) Ranking: ★★★★★
・Can knock out Aegislash in one hit with Earthquake.
・Can lower Attack stat with Intimidate.
・Can switch with U-Turn.
Moveset & Best Build for Landorus (Therian Forme)
Pokemon SWSH - Excadrill ImageExcadrill Ranking:★★★★
・Can knock out Aegislash in one hit with Earthquake.
Moveset & Best Build for Excadrill
Pokemon SWSH - Chandelure ImageChandelure Ranking:★★★★
・Can knock out Aegislash in one hit with Overheat.
Moveset & Best Build for Chandelure

Use Pokemon who can resist its attacks

As Aegislash boasts a number of powerful attacks, and often holds an item to boost its attacking power further, even Pokemon taking neutral damage will often be sent flying. Make sure to pit it against something which can bear the brunt of its attacks with 1/2x or less damage.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon Description
Pokemon SWSH - Diggersby ImageDiggersby Ranking: ★★★★
・Being a Normal-type, it will not be affected by Ghost-type moves.
Moveset & Best Build for Diggersby
Pokemon SWSH - Hydreigon ImageHydreigon Ranking: ★★★★
・Resists damage from Ghost-type moves
・Can deal big damage with Dark Pulse
Moveset & Best Build for Hydreigon
Pokemon SWSH - Snorlax ImageSnorlax Ranking: ★★★★
・Immune to damage from Ghost-type moves
・Can hold on for the long haul by boosting up with Curse
Moveset & Best Build for Snorlax

Related Links

Pokemon Sword and Shield - Best Builds for Ranked Battle

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Pokemon SWSH - Tier ListTier List Pokemon SWSH - Best BuildsBest Builds Pokemon Sword and Shield - Ranked Battle Series 10 Contenders.pngSeries 10 List of Contenders
Pokemon SWSH - Doubles Tier ListDoubles Tier List Pokemon SWSH - Competitive Team BuildingTeam Building Pokemon SWSH - Rental TeamsRental Teams

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