Pokemon Sword and Shield

Whimsicott - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

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Whimsicott.png

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

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

Basic Information for Whimsicott

Types and Abilities

Pokemon Type 1 Type 2
Pokemon Sword and Shield - Grass Type Pokemon Sword and Shield - Fairy Type
Abilities
Prankster Gives priority to a status move.
Infiltrator Passes through the foe's barrier and strikes.
Chlorophyll (Hidden) Boosts the Pokemon's Speed in sunshine

Whimsicott Weaknesses and Resistances

Type
Takes 4x damage
Pokemon Poison Image
Takes 2x damage
Pokemon Fire Image Pokemon Ice Image Pokemon Flying Image Pokemon Steel Image
Takes 0.5x damage
Pokemon Water Image Pokemon Grass Image Pokemon Electric Image Pokemon Fighting Image Pokemon Ground Image Pokemon Dark Image
Takes 1/4x damage
-
Takes 0x damage
Pokemon Dragon Image

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

HP Attack Defense Sp. Atk Sp. Def Speed
60 67 85 77 75 116

Best Nature for Whimsicott

Best Natures
Timid
(+Spd, -Atk)
Bold
(+Def, -Atk)

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Whimsicott

Cotton Guard + Leech Seed Moveset & Best Build

Cotton Guard + Leech Seed Whimsicott.png

Nature Bold (+Def, -Atk)
EV Spread HP 236 / Def 252 / Sp.Atk. 20
Final Stat Values HP 165 / Def 150 / Sp.Atk 100 / Sp.Def 95 / Spd 136
Ability Prankster
Held Item Leftovers
Moveset Cotton Guard
Leech Seed
Substitute
Moonblast

This is the Whimsicott Cotton Guard + Leech Seed build feared across the metagame. With the move Cotton Guard, it can raise its Defense by a whopping three stages, while healing itself with Leech Seed and simultaneously wearing down its opponent. Thanks to its ability Prankster, it can use all moves in this build aside from Moonblast with priority, allowing it to start setting up right away.

About Whimsicott's EV Spread

The EVs in this moveset are tactically arranged to allow it to take down a Hydreigon with 252 EVs in HP in one hit with Moonblast. With its 120 Speed, it's able to outspeed a non-Choice Scarf Hydreigon with maximized Speed. Also, its HP is arranged with a 16n+1 value, meaning that it will receive the maximum possible HP each time it recovers HP with Leech Seed.

Other Viable Moves

Protect Works well with Leech Seed as a potential alternate for Substitute. However, it can't be used repeatedly.
Taunt Useful for preventing the stall-heavy Whimsicott from being taken advantage of to set up moves like Stealth Rock.

Tailwind Support Moveset & Best Build

Tailwind Support Whimsicott.png

Nature Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk)
EV Spread Def 4 / Sp.Atk. 252 / Spd 252
Final Stat Values HP 135 / Def 106 / Sp.Atk 141 / Sp.Def 95 / Spd 168
Ability Prankster
Held Item Focus Sash
Moveset Moonblast
Endeavor
Tailwind
Memento

This Whimsicott' eschews defense for speed and special attack so it can hit as hard and as fast as possible after setting up Tailwind. Moonblast is its main STAB move while Endeavor works well with Focus Sash, allowing Whimsicott to reduce an opposing Pokemon's HP to 1 once it survives a super effective hit.

It's last move is Memento, which causes Whimsicott to faint, but reduces the opposing Pokemon's Attack and Special Attack by 2 stages. This move is best used once Whimsicott has finished setting up Tailwind.

About Whimsicott's EV Spread

This build has full investment in Speed and Special Attack so it's fast as possible and hits hard with Moonblast, with the remaining 4 EVs placed in Defense to slightly boost its bulk.

Other Viable Moves

Protect Allows Whimsicot to stall and scout moves.
Taunt Useful for preventing the stall-heavy Whimsicott from being taken advantage of to set up moves like Stealth Rock.

Doubles Movesets for Whimsicott

Beat Up Support Moveset & Best Build

Beat Up Support Whimsicott.png

Nature Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
EV Spread HP 4 / Sp.Atk 252 / Spd 252
Final Stat Values HP 136 / Def 105 / Sp.Atk 129 / Sp.Def 95 / Spd 184
Ability Prankster
Held Item Focus Sash
Moveset Beat Up
Tailwind
Protect
Dazzling Gleam

This Whimsicott is centered around using the move Beat Up on a partner Pokemon with the ability Justified to raise their attack. In a typical 4 vs 4 Doubles Battle, this move will hit the Justified Pokemon 4 times, essentially raising their attack by 4 stages.

Good partners for this Whimsicott include Terrakion, Lucario, and Arcanine.

Whimsicott's other moves are for team support. Tailwind is ideally used first before using Beat Up to boost team's speed, while Protect allows it to scout moves. Dazzling Gleam is its only attacking move, hitting both opponents and ensuring Whimsicott doesn't struggle when it sustains a Taunt.

About Whimsicott's EV Spread

This Whimsicott's EV spread is more straightforward as it's main role is purely to support its teammate. It will be the immediate target when your opponent realizes that it's using Beat Up so defensive EVs are a waste.

Instead, we give Whimsicott full Speed and Sp. Attack investment, with the remaining EVs on HP. This ensures it can use Tailwind and Beat Up before other Pokemon and hit hard with Dazzling Gleam.

Focus Sash is the preferred held item to ensure it can use Beat Up at least once on its turn.

To learn more about using Whimsicott in the Doubles format, take a look at our How to Build a Doubles Team article below:
How to Build a Doubles Team

Other Viable Moves

Taunt A good alternative to Protect to use against Follow Me users that completely counter this strategy.
Encore Useful for locking in an opposing Pokemon to a specific move.
Helping Hand A good alternative to Protect to ensure Whimsicott can still support its teammate even if it fails to use Beat Up.

How to Use Whimsicott Effectively

Move first and set up fast

Whimsicott has both a blistering speed of 120 and the Ability Prankster, allowing it to move first automatically when using Status moves. If it does a good job setting up Cotton Guard against a Physical attacker, followed by Substitute and Leech Seed to further avoid its chances of being taken down in one hit, the opponent may become completely unable to take it down, allowing it to sweep the rest of the match.

Counters for Whimsicott

Whimsicott
Weakness Pokemon Poison Image Pokemon Fire Image Pokemon Ice Image Pokemon Flying Image Pokemon Steel Image

Reflect its Status moves with Magic Bounce

The most effective strategy to counter Whimsicott is to completely nullify its ability to use Leech Seed. Without its primary healing source, Whimsicott will be limited to healing using Leftovers, its rhythm will be impeded. Also, as Pokemon with the Ability Magic Bounce, which reflects the effects of Status moves, tend to have high Special Attack, these Pokemon can frequently avoid the effects of Cotton Guard to take down Whimsicott easily.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon Description
Pokemon SWSH - Espeon ImageEspeon Ranking: ★★★★★
・Has the Ability Magic Bounce
・Its high Special Attack can take down Whimsicott
Moveset & Best Build for Sylveon
Pokemon SWSH - Hatterene ImageHatterene Ranking: ★★★★★
・Has the Ability Magic Bounce
・Its high Special Attack can take down Whimsicott
Moveset & Best Build for Hatterene

Nullify Leech Seed with a Grass-type Pokemon

Whimsicott is famous for stalling opponents with Leech Seed, but this move fails when facing against a Grass-type Pokemon. As such, many Grass-types can comfortably switch into Whimsicott and force it out or even heavily damage it.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon Description
Pokemon SWSH - Ferrothorn ImageFerrothorn Ranking: ★★★★★
・Resists Whimsicott's Fairy-type STAB
・Can threaten and heavily damage Whimsicott with Gyro Ball

Moveset & Best Build for Ferrothorn
Pokemon SWSH - Kartana ImageKartana Ranking: ★★★★
・Resists Whimsicott's Fairy-type STAB and easily KO it with its Steel-type STAB
・Can't take repeated special attacks due to its lower Special Defense

Moveset & Best Build for Kartana

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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Comment

1 Anonymousover 2 years

espeon link leads to sylveon, also thank you for the work, I really appreciate it

Author

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