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This is a strategy guide for using Primarina 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 Primarina, as well as its strengths and weak points.
Primarina - Related Guides | |
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Evolution and Learnset | Build for Ranked Battle |
List of Contents
Pokemon | Type 1 | Type 2 |
---|---|---|
Abilities | ||
Torrent | Powers up Water-type moves in a pinch. | |
Liquid Voice (Hidden) | All sound-based moves become Water-type moves. |
Type | |
---|---|
Takes 4x damage |
|
Takes 2x damage | |
Takes 0.5x damage | |
Takes 1/4x damage |
|
Takes 0x damage |
|
HP | Attack | Defense | Sp. Atk | Sp. Def | Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
80 | 74 | 74 | 126 | 116 | 60 |
Best Natures | ||
---|---|---|
Modest (+SpAtk, -Atk) |
Bold (+Def, -Atk) |
Nature | Modest (+SpAtk, -Atk) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP 180 / Sp.Atk. 252 / Sp.Def. 4 / Spd. 72 |
Final Stat Values | HP 178 / Def. 94 / Sp.Atk. 195 / Sp.Def. 137 / Spd. 89 |
Ability | Torrent |
Held Item | Lum Berry |
Moveset | ・
Scald
・ Psychic ・ Energy Ball ・ Moonblast |
These values are from base stats and ideal EVs, excluding external factors.
Taking advantage of its already high base stats, Primarina has the ability to break down highly defensive teams. With 72 EVs put into Speed, it can outspeed a Corviknight with 4 EVs in Speed. With its highly variable learnset, it can break some of the hardest walls in the metagame, using Energy Ball to take down the Ground-type Quagsire and Psychic to handle the Poison-type Toxapex.
Sparkling Aria | As a Sound-based move, can break through Substitute |
---|---|
Encore | Can limit an opponent's movement. |
Perish Song | Can help escape from a sticky situation. |
Hydro Pump | For when you want to deal more damage. An alternate choice for Calm Mind. |
Ice Beam | Has a small chance of inflicting Freeze. Can somewhat improve the range of opponents it can hit. |
Blizzard | More powerful than Ice Beam. Its low accuracy makes it high-risk, high-reward. |
Nature | Modest (+SpAtk, -Atk) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP 252 / Def. 252 / Sp.Atk. 4 |
Final Stat Values | HP 187 / Def. 138 / Sp.Atk. 146 / Sp.Def. 136 / Spd. 81 |
Ability | Torrent |
Held Item | Chesto Berry |
Moveset | ・
Scald
・ Moonblast ・ Calm Mind ・ Rest |
These values are from base stats and ideal EVs, excluding external factors.
New in this generation, Primarina is able to learn Calm Mind to achieve a similar role that Pokemon such as Suicune, Latias, and Sylveon played in previous games. By placing EVs in its HP and Defense, it becomes a formidable Physical defender, and with Calm Mind, it can hold the line as a Special defender as well.
With Scald, it can inflict Burn to lower its opponent's Attack, and with Moonblast, it has a chance of lowering its opponent's Special Defense. Primarina can choose its moves effectively to prepare itself defensively to deal with either Physical or Special attacks.
Sparkling Aria | As a Sound-based move, can break through Substitute |
---|---|
Hydro Pump | For when you want to deal more damage. An alternate choice for Calm Mind. |
Ice Beam | Has a small chance of inflicting Freeze. Can somewhat improve the range of opponents it can hit. |
Blizzard | More powerful than Ice Beam. Its low accuracy makes it high-risk, high-reward. |
Nature | Modest (+SpAtk, -Atk) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP 252 / Sp. Atk. 252 / Spd. 4 |
Final Stat Values | HP 187 / Def. 94 / Sp. Atk. 195 / Sp. Def. 136 |
Ability | Torrent |
Held Item | Assault Vest |
Moveset | ・Sparkling Aria
・Moonblast ・Energy Ball ・Aqua Jet |
Letting Primarina hold Assault Vest will further boost its durability against Special Attacks, allowing it to take more hits and fight for longer.
Psychic | Super-effective against Poison-types. |
---|---|
Hydro Pump | Alternative to Sparkling Aria. More powerful but has low accuracy. |
Ice Beam | Super-effective agaisnt Grass and Flying-types. Can be used as Max Hailstorm against Pokemon holding Focus Sash. |
Nature | Bold (+Def, -Atk) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP 172 / Def. 236 / Spd. 100 |
Final Stat Values | HP 177 / Def. 136 / Sp. Atk. 146 / Sp. Def. 136 / Spd. 93 |
Ability | Torrent |
Held Item | Leftovers |
Moveset | ・Scald
・Moonblast ・Calm Mind ・Substitute |
This set frames Primarina to be tanky. with its EVs allocated to its HP and Defense stats, with some spent on Speed to outspeed some common threats.
Sparkling Aria | As a Sound-based move, can break through Substitute. |
---|---|
Aqua Jet | Water-type move that is guaranteed to go first. Effective against opponents holding Focus Sash. |
Ice Beam | Super-effective agaisnt Grass and Flying-types. Can be used as Max Hailstorm against Pokemon holding Focus Sash. |
Blizzard | More powerful than Ice Beam, but less accurate. |
Primarina can use its Special Attack to dish out damage, and its Special Defense to absorb hits. And with a combined 3 weaknesses and 7 resistences, its type combination makes it an ideal defender for a variety of situations, especially switch-heavy defensive battles. It can be switched in against a variety of opponents to lash out with super-effective attacks and lay on the pressure.
As Primarina can learn Calm Mind starting in this generation, it's significantly more able to checkmate its opponent. As it can recover lost HP with Rest, it can become impossible for the opponent to faint it, allowing it to build up and wreak havoc. That said, as its Special Attack and Special Defense are strong from the start, it can also be played effectively even without using setup moves.
Weakness |
---|
Although Primarina has high base Special Attack and Special Defense, its base Defense is a rather low 74. As long as the Primarinas you're up against are not stacked to handle Physical attacks, you won't have too much trouble bringing in a type-advantaged Physical hitter to take it down.
Pokemon | Description |
---|---|
Rillaboom | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Grassy Terrain + Grassy Glide will OHKO Primarina even if EVs are allocated in Defense and HP.. Moveset & Best Build for Rillaboom |
Raikou | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Can dish out super-effective Electric moves. Moveset & Best Build for Raikou |
Tapu Koko | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Can dish out super-effective Electric moves. ・Increase power of said moves with Electric Terrain. Moveset & Best Build for Tapu Koko |
Venusaur | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Has a type advantage in a one-on-one matchup. |
Gyarados | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Can hit a weak point with Power Whip. ・Has a type advantage in a one-on-one matchup. Moveset & Best Build for Gyarados |
Ferrothorn | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Can take its attacks with reduced damage. ・Can hit its weak spots with STAB. Moveset & Best Build for Ferrothorn |
Zapdos | Ranking: ★★★★
・Can dish out super-effective Electric moves. ・Be aware that Primarina can use Ice-type moves. Moveset & Best Build for Zapdos |
Regieleki | Ranking: ★★★★
・Can dish out super-effective Electric moves. ・Durability is low. Moveset & Best Build for Regieleki |
All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle
Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tier List | Best Builds | Series 10 List of Contenders | |||
Doubles Tier List | Team Building | Rental Teams |
Primarina - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
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Don’t forget that primarina is also weak to poison