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

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Last updated on: 11/16/2021 8:47 PM

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This is a strategy guide for using Snorlax 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 Snorlax, as well as its strengths and weak points.

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

List of Contents

Basic Information for Snorlax
Singles Movesets for Snorlax
How to Use Snorlax Effectively
Counters for Snorlax
Best Teams Featuring Snorlax
Related Links

Basic Information for Snorlax

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Snorlax
Abilities
Thick Fat	Ups resistance to Fire-Type and Ice-Type moves.
Immunity	Prevents the Pokemon from getting poisoned.
Gluttony (Hidden)	Encourages the early use of a held Berry.

Snorlax Weaknesses and Resistances

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

As with other Normal-type Pokemon, Snorlax' only weakness is Fighting-type moves.

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

HP	Attack	Defense	Sp. Atk	Sp. Def	Speed
160	110	65	65	110	30

Best Nature for Snorlax

Best Natures
Adamant (+Atk, -SpAtk)	Brave (+Atk, -Spd)
Impish (+Def, -SpAtk)	Relaxed (+Def, -Spd)

What are Natures?

How to Learn Snorlax's Egg Moves

Curse	Inherit from Bergmite (learns at Lv. 9)
Fissure	Inherit from Lapras, which inherits from Stunfisk (learns at Lv. 55)

Singles Movesets for Snorlax

Leftovers Moveset & Best Build

Gluttony + Recycle Snorlax.png

Nature	Impish (+Def, -SpAtk)
EV Spread	HP 252 / Def. 252 / Atk. 4
Final Stat Values	HP 267 / Atk. 131 / Def. 128 / Sp.Def. 130 / Spd. 50
Ability	Thick Fat
Held Item	Leftovers
Moveset	・Yawn ・Counter ・Protect ・Facade

This is a stall moveset for Snorlax. With the combination of its high HP, Defense, Special Defense, Thick Fat, Leftovers, and Protect, it's going to be tough to bring down this Pokemon. Use Facade and Counter to deal massive damage as well. Protect is a good move to stall out the opponent's Dynamax turn.

Other Viable Moves

Fissure	A last resort move to use when Snorlax is at low health.
Body Slam	A Normal-type STAB that can give opposing Pokemon paralysis.
Darkest Lariat	A choice for countering Ghost types. Its property of ignoring stat boosts makes it useful against Defense-boosted opponents.
Ice Punch	A coverage move against Grass, Ground, and Flying-type Pokemon.
Fire Punch	Another strong coverage move for Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Kartana

Assault Vest Physical Attacker Moveset & Best Build

Assault Vest Physical Attacker.png

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -SpAtk)
EV Spread	Atk. 252 / Def. 252 / HP 4
Final Stat Values	HP 236 / Atk. 178 / Def. 117 / Sp.Def. 130 / Spd. 50
Ability	Thick Fat
Held Item	Assault Vest
Moveset	・Earthquake ・Body Slam ・Hammer Arm ・Fire Punch

A build that takes advantage of Snorlax's high defensive stats. With its high Special Defense, Snorlax can effortlessly weather Special attacks, and can also do well as a straight-up attacker.

Other Viable Moves

Facade	Useful as both a STAB Normal-type move and for a counter to the Burn status condition.
Iron Head	For use against Fairies. Also effective when Dynamaxed for its raising Snorlax's Defense as Max Steelspike.
Darkest Lariat	A choice for countering Ghost types. Its property of ignoring stat boosts makes it useful against Defense-boosted opponents.
Fissure	When coming up against a foe that Snorlax just can't take down, Fissure works as a final trump card.

Gigantamax Snorlax Moveset & Best Build

Gigantamax Snorlax.png

Nature	Impish (+Def, -Sp. Atk)
EV Spread	Hp 244 / Atk 132 / Defense 128 / Sp. Def 130 / Spd 50
Final Stat Values	HP 266 / Atk 132 / Def 128 / Sp.Def 130 / Spd 50
Ability	Gluttony
Held Item	Figy Berry or Custap Berry
Moveset	・Heavy Slam (Max Steelspike) ・Body Slam (G-Max Replenish) ・Yawn (Max Guard) ・Belly Drum (Max Guard)

This is a standard build for Gigantamax Snorlax. This build covers and highlights Snorlax's high defense, strong attack, and utility.

Other Viable Moves

Fissure	A last resort move to use when Snorlax is at low health.
Body Slam	A Normal-type STAB that can give opposing Pokemon paralysis.
Darkest Lariat	A choice for countering Ghost types. Its property of ignoring stat boosts makes it useful against Defense-boosted opponents.
Facade	A strong STAB move if Snorlax is poisoned or burned.
Earthquake	A strong physical Earth-type move that allows you to deal with Poison, Steel, and Fire-type Pokemon.
Ice Punch	A coverage move against Grass, Ground, and Flying-type Pokemon.
Fire Punch	Another strong coverage move for Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Kartana

How to Use Snorlax Effectively

A highly defensive Physical attacker

Snorlax is a Physical attacker with a high HP and Special Defense. Its defensive nature makes it useful as a wall Pokemon, but unlike other tanks, while absorbing damage it can also dish out damage of its own.

Counters for Snorlax

Weakness

Use hard-hitting Physical attackers

Snorlax has both a high HP and Special Defense, but its Defense is rather low, allowing physical attackers to deal massive damage against it.

As Fighting-type moves is its only weakness, it's difficult to hit with super effective damage, but that won't stop big hitters from laying hard into Snorlax.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Conkeldurr	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・A high-damage physical attacker who does well against Snorlax ・Can wall Snorlax's attacks with high Defense
Durant	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can use Fighting moves with high attacking power ・With its high Defense, it can even handle super effective moves from Snorlax Best Ranked Battle Build for Durant
Gyarados	Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・Can use Moxie to easily raise its stats ・Snorlax usually does not have any attacks that can hit Gyarados super effectively Best Ranked Battle Build for Gyarados
Sirfetch'd	Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・Can deal high damage with Fighting-type attacks ・Can wall Snorlax's attacks with high Defense
Corviknight	Ranking: ★★★☆☆ ・Has high defense to handle even super effective attacks ・Must be careful to time Roost to avoid getting hit by Earthquake Best Ranked Battle Build for Corviknight

Best Teams Featuring Snorlax

All our Best Teams are available for free rental, and usable in Ranked Battle with no EV Training necessary.
All Best Teams for Ranked Battle

Best Durant Team for Ranked Battle

Best Durant Team for Ranked Battle
Grimmsnarl	Durant	Ditto
Hydreigon	Mimikyu	Snorlax

This is the team that made Durant, a minor Pokemon unseen in the metagame, into a superstar. Even ignoring all the trends, it's notable for its highly aggressive attacking style.

You can try out this team to get a feel for using Snorlax together with Durant, or even use it as your go-to team if it fits your play style.
Best Durant Team for Ranked Battle

Best Team for Ranked Battle from a World Top 3 Player

Best Team for Ranked Battle from a World Top 3 Player
Dragapult	Excadrill	Grimmsnarl
Togekiss	Snorlax	Cloyster

This is the primary set used by a former World Top 3 from a previous game in the series. Despite that daunting promise, it's an easy set to use for beginners, as the order to use Pokemon and which moves should be used are readily apparent. Not only that, but the set is carefully sculpted to be highly effective and dangerous even in the upper echelons of the Master Ball tier.
Best Team for Ranked Battle from a World Top 3 Player

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List	Best Builds	Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List	Team Building	Rental Teams

Movesets & Best Builds for Returning Pokemon
Mimikyu	Wash Rotom	Gyarados
Ferrothorn	Aegislash	Excadrill
Tyranitar	Hydreigon	Heat Rotom
Arcanine	Mamoswine	Toxapex
Togekiss	Cloyster	Durant
Snorlax	Charizard	Sylveon
Lucario	Hippowdon	Umbreon
Conkeldurr	Quagsire	Gastrodon
Lapras	Whimsicott	Rhyperior
Goodra	Haxorus	Glaceon
Mow Rotom	Type: Null	Gengar
Milotic	Gardevoir	Flygon
Chandelure	Lanturn	Torkoal
Bisharp	Seismitoad	Silvally
Butterfree	Primarina	Incineroar
Blastoise	Decidueye	Venusaur
Darmanitan	Alolan Ninetales	Gothitelle
Crawdaunt	Clefable	Reuniclus
Kommo-o	Terrakion	Cobalion
Virizion	Noivern	Fan Rotom
Toxicroak	Pelipper	Jellicent
Celebi	Clefairy	Hitmontop
Diggersby	Ditto	Raichu
Hawlucha	Shiftry	Tsareena
Ludicolo

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List	Best Builds	Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List	Team Building	Rental Teams

Movesets & Best Builds for Returning Pokemon
Mimikyu	Wash Rotom	Gyarados
Ferrothorn	Aegislash	Excadrill
Tyranitar	Hydreigon	Heat Rotom
Arcanine	Mamoswine	Toxapex
Togekiss	Cloyster	Durant
Snorlax	Charizard	Sylveon
Lucario	Hippowdon	Umbreon
Conkeldurr	Quagsire	Gastrodon
Lapras	Whimsicott	Rhyperior
Goodra	Haxorus	Glaceon
Mow Rotom	Type: Null	Gengar
Milotic	Gardevoir	Flygon
Chandelure	Lanturn	Torkoal
Bisharp	Seismitoad	Silvally
Butterfree	Primarina	Incineroar
Blastoise	Decidueye	Venusaur
Darmanitan	Alolan Ninetales	Gothitelle
Crawdaunt	Clefable	Reuniclus
Kommo-o	Terrakion	Cobalion
Virizion	Noivern	Fan Rotom
Toxicroak	Pelipper	Jellicent
Celebi	Clefairy	Hitmontop
Diggersby	Ditto	Raichu
Hawlucha	Shiftry	Tsareena
Ludicolo

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