Rillaboom - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle | Pokemon Sword and Shield

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

Rillaboom - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle	Gigantamax Rillaboom

Basic Information for Rillaboom

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Rillaboom
Abilities
Overgrow	Powers up Grass-type moves in a pinch.
Grassy Surge (Hidden)	The Pokemon creates a Grassy Terrain when it enters a battle.

Type Defenses

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage	-
Takes 0x damage	-

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

HP	Attack	Defense	Sp. Atk	Sp. Def	Speed
100	125	90	60	70	85

Best Nature for Rillaboom

Best Natures
Jolly (+Spd, -Sp.Atk)	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)

What are Natures?

How to Learn Rillaboom's Egg Moves

Hammer Arm	Inherit from Rhydon (Learnable on evolution) or Stufful(learns at Lv. 32)

Singles Movesets for Rillaboom

Choice Item Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	HP 252 / Atk 252 / Spd 4
Final Stat Values	HP 207 / Atk 177 / Def 110 / Sp.Def 90 / Spd 150
Ability	Grassy Surge
Held Item	Choice Band
Moveset	・Grassy Glide ・Superpower ・Knock Off ・High Horsepower

This set is all about dealing strong damage up front thanks to the +1 Priority Grassy Glide. This 70 Base Power move coming off a STAB, Choice Banded, Grassy Terrain boosted Rillaboom effectively becomes one of the fastest ways to deal guaranteed physical damage.

About Rillaboom's Moves

Grassy Glide serves as Rillaboom's main attacking move. It benefits from STAB, and the priority increase and damage boost from Grassy Terrain.

Superpower is a strong fighting-type coverage move that allows you to deal heavy damage to Steel-types. It also gives Rillaboom access to Max Knuckle to further strengthen its Attack stat.

Knock Off serves as a dark-type coverage move that has the added benefit of removing the item of the opponent. This can be especially useful when up against bulky Pokemon to knock off Leftovers or Eviolite.

High Horsepower is a ground-type coverage move that can also be used for the Sp.Def boost provided by Max Quake.

About Rillaboom's EV Spread

This set utilizes a bulky attacker spread with max investment in Attack and HP. Speed isn't as big of an issue since, thanks to Grassy Terrain, Grassy Glide becomes a priority move. Higher health also means more recovery provided by the ability. We can place the remaining EVs in Speed.

About Rillaboom's Ability

With its Hidden Ability Grassy Surge, Rillaboom will automatically set up Grassy Terrain to power up all Grass-type moves to 1.3x power. This allows it to take out Wash Rotom with 252 EVs placed in HP with a single Grassy Glide, and handle a variety of opponents that it could not have before with its newfound power boost.

Grassy Surge also ensures Rillaboom's Grassy Glide has increased priorty, allowing it to hit faster Water, Rock, and Ground-type Pokemon for super effective damage.

How to Get Grassy Surge Rillaboom

A free Grookey with the Grassy Surge Ability is available via Pokemon HOME. Learn how to get all three Galar Starters with Hidden Abilities and transfer them to Pokemon Sword and Shield with our guide below:
How to Get & Transfer Hidden Ability Starters from Pokemon HOME

About Rillaboom's Held Item

Choice Band gives Rillaboom's attack stat a 50% increase at the cost of locking it into only one move. Grassy Glide is a pretty safe move to get locked into so this isn't too much of an issue.

Other Viable Moves

Drum Beating	Rillaboom's signature move has the added effect of lowering the target's Speed.
Wood Hammer	A stronger grass-type alternative when you need a bit more damage.

Assault Vest Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -SpAtk)
EV Spread	HP 140 / Atk 252 / Def 4 / Sp.Def 84 / Spd 28
Final Stat Values	HP 190 / Atk 194 / Def 111 / Sp.Def 101 / Spd 109
Ability	Grassy Surge
Held Item	Assault Vest
Moveset	・Drum Beating ・U-turn ・Grassy Glide ・Knock Off

This build is a better for handling opponents like Primarina, Excadrill and Wash Rotom. These Pokemon rarely have an attack which can hit Rillaboom effectively, so use Drum Beating on whatever switches and Grassy Glide on Pokemon that can outspeed you.

About Rillaboom's Moves

This set focuses on taking advantage of Rillaboom's natural bulk, while escaping from difficult matchups with U-turn. Even if the opponents outspeeds Rillaboom, it can use Drum Beating to decrease its opponent's Speed and gain the upper hand.

Grassy Glide serves as Rillaboom's main attacking move. It benefits from STAB, and the priority increase and damage boost from Grassy Terrain.

Knock Off serves as a Dark-type coverage move that has the added benefit of removing the item of the opponent. This can be especially useful when up against bulky Pokemon to knock off Leftovers or Eviolite.

About Rillaboom's EV Spread

Its EVs are placed here to allow it to outspeed a Mimikyu with its Speed decreased by one stage, so it can take the upper hand when Mimikyu comes out on a switch-in. When Mimikyu hasn't used Swords Dance yet, Rillaboom can handle its hits with no problem, and it can beat back to net a KO.

About Rillaboom's Held Item

Assault Vest boosts Rillaboom's Special Defense by 50%. This allows for an even distribution of its bulk to tank attacks from both sides of the spectrum.

Other Viable Moves

High Horsepower	An alternate Ground move for when you want to Dynamax Rillaboom. Its power doesn't decrease with Grassy Terrain, making it more effective than Earthquake in this context.
Hammer Arm	An alternate choice for Knock Off if you need extra coverage. It drops Rillaboom's speed by 1 stage every time you use it, but this can be alleviated by using Grassy Glide.

Swords Dance Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	Atk 252 / Sp.Def. 4 / Spd 252
Final Stat Values	HP 175 / Atk 194 / Def 110 / Sp.Def 91 / Spd 137
Ability	Grassy Surge
Held Item	Lum Berry Life Orb Grassy Seed
Moveset	・Swords Dance ・Grassy Glide ・Knock Off ・Superpower

After a Swords Dance boost, Rillaboom reaches unexpected levels of offense. As opposed to the Choice Band set, where you are forced into a single move, this set leaves you with the freedom of choice.

About Rillaboom's Moves

Swords Dance gives Rillaboom a 2-stage increase in its Attack Stat, effectively giving the same boost as Choice Band.

Superpower is a strong fighting-type coverage move that allows you deal heavy damage to Steel-types. It also gives Rillaboom access to Max Knuckle to further strengthen it's Attack stat.

Grassy Glide serves as Rillaboom's main attacking move. It benefits from STAB, and the priority increase and damage boost from Grassy Terrain.

Knock Off serves as a dark-type coverage move that has the added benefit of removing the item of the opponent. This can be especially useful when up against bulky Pokemon to knock off Leftovers or Eviolite.

About Rillaboom's EV Spread

Its EVs are placed here to allow it to outspeed a Mimikyu with its Speed decreased by one stage, so it can take the upper hand when Mimikyu comes out on a switch-in. When Mimikyu hasn't used Swords Dance yet, Rillaboom can handle its hits with no problem, and it can beat back to net a KO.

About Rillaboom's Held Item

Life Orb offers another way for Rillaboom to boost its damage, but at the expense of its HP. Thankfully Grassy Terrain can help mitigate the damage accrued from Life Orb.

Meanwhile, Lum Berry is a safe item to have in case Rillaboom comes across enemies who may try to inflict status such as Paralysis or Burn to cripple its offense.

When using a Grassy Seed, it might be a good idea to have Acrobatics as one of your moves. Upon consumption of the Grassy Seed in Grassy Terrain, you will get a speed boost which further strengthens your offensive prowess and Acrobatics will benefit from Rillaboom's lack of item.

Other Viable Moves

High Horsepower	An alternate Ground move for when you want to Dynamax Rillaboom. Its power doesn't decrease with Grassy Terrain, making it more effective than Earthquake in this context.
Acrobatics	Strong coverage move with synergy with Grassy Seed. Also gives Rillaboom access to Max Airstream.
Drain Punch	A less powerful fighting-move but has the added advantage of HP recovery.

How to Use Rillaboom Effectively

An attacker who combines Attack and Defense

Rillaboom is able to hit hard with its high Attack. It also has high Speed, so arming it with a Choice Scarf can allow it to take advantage of this to move faster and defeat many opponents.

Must watch out for its many weaknesses

As a Grass-type Pokemon, Rillaboom is cursed with weaknesses to Fire, Flying and others which are frequently held even by non-STAB opponents. Don't send it up against opponents who it can't handle.

Can Handle Kyogre or Regieleki

A Choice Banded Rillaboom can hit Kyogre or Regieleki incredibly hard with its increased priority Grassy Glide, especially if they don't Dynamax. This means they must decide to Dynamax or try and hit Rillaboom to salvage the situation.

Counters for Rillaboom

Weakness

Take advantage of its weaknesses

As Rillaboom is a Grass-type Pokemon, a type with several weaknesses, and since it can only learn Moves of a few types, it's easy to exploit these weaknesses with an advantageously-typed Pokemon.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Yveltal	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Takes half damage from most of Rillaboom's common moves ・Has access to STAB Max Airstream Yveltal - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
Zapdos	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Resists Rillaboom's STAB Grass attacks. ・Has access to STAB Max Airstream ・Static can also inflict paralysis onto Rillaboom since most of its attacks are contact moves. Best Ranked Battle Build for Zapdos
Cinderace	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・STAB Pyro Ball deals significant damage even to Bulky Rillaboom ・Can switch to advantageous types thanks to Libero Best Ranked Battle Build for Cinderace
Landorus (Therian Forme)	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Intimidate can help lower Rillaboom's attack. ・Has access to STAB Max Airstream Best Ranked Battle Build for Landorus
Celesteela	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Resists Rillaboom's STAB Grass attacks. ・Has access to STAB Max Airstream Best Ranked Battle Build for Celesteela
Dragonite	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Resists Rillaboom's STAB Grass attacks. ・Has access to STAB Max Airstream ・Has additional bulk thanks to Multiscale. Can easily recover HP thanks to Roost. Best Ranked Battle Build for Dragonite
Naganadel	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Resists Rillaboom's STAB Grass-type attacks. ・Has a type advantage with it's STAB Poison-type attacks. ・Be careful of Ground-type attacks from Rillaboom Best Ranked Battle Build for Naganadel
Heat Rotom	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Can go for a knockout with Overheat ・Can handle almost all of Rillaboom's attacks with its type combination and Levitate Heat Rotom - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
Corviknight	Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・A physical attacker with a great dual-typing of Flying and Steel ・Can take an attack even when switched in on Rillaboom Best Ranked Battle Build for Corviknight

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 8 Tier List Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for New Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for New Pokemon
Dragapult	Galarian Corsola	Toxtricity
Galarian Darmanitan	Corviknight	Dracovish
Grimmsnarl	Rillaboom	Duraludon
Cinderace	Alcremie	Dracozolt
Hatterene	Eiscue	Inteleon
Pincurchin	Frosmoth	Zacian
Sirfetch'd	Flapple	Coalossal
Centiskorch	Arctozolt	Zarude
Galarian Weezing	Eternatus	Indeedee (Female)

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle ## Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 8 Tier List Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for New Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for New Pokemon
Dragapult	Galarian Corsola	Toxtricity
Galarian Darmanitan	Corviknight	Dracovish
Grimmsnarl	Rillaboom	Duraludon
Cinderace	Alcremie	Dracozolt
Hatterene	Eiscue	Inteleon
Pincurchin	Frosmoth	Zacian
Sirfetch'd	Flapple	Coalossal
Centiskorch	Arctozolt	Zarude
Galarian Weezing	Eternatus	Indeedee (Female)