Crawdaunt - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

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

Crawdaunt - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Crawdaunt

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Crawdaunt
Abilities
Hyper Cutter	Prevents other Pokemon from lowering Attack stat.
Shell Armor	The Pokemon is protected against critical hits.
Adaptability (Hidden)	Powers up moves of the same type.

Crawdaunt Weaknesses and Resistances

	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
63	120	85	90	55	55

Best Nature for Crawdaunt

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

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Crawdaunt

Focus Sash/Physical Attacker Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp. Atk)
EV Spread	HP 4 / Atk 252 / Speed 252
Final Stat Values	HP 139 / Atk 189 / Def 105 / Sp. Def 75 / Speed 107
Ability	Adaptability
Held Item	Focus Sash
Moveset	・ Aqua Jet ・ Knock Off ・ ・ Swords Dance

These values are from base stats and ideal EVs, excluding external factors.

This build guarantees that you'll get at least one strong attack due to Focus Sash and Adaptability. Also, putting EVs in Speed should allow you to outspeed Pokemon like Rotom-Heat.

On top of that, the Focus Sash helps Crawdaunt survive attacks from faster Pokemon, which allows it to strike first with the priority move Aqua Jet on the next turn and deliver the finishing blow.

Alternate Move Choices

Liquidation	Alternate Water-type move. While it has high accuracy, it has low power.
Close Combat	Effective against Snorlax and Hydreigon
Brick Break	Low power, but it can break Reflect/Light Screen

Life Orb Attacker Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp. Atk)
EV Spread	HP 192 / Atk 252 / Spd 64
Final Stat Values	HP 162 / Atk 189 / Def 105 / Sp. Def 75 / Spd 83
Ability	Adaptability
Held Item	Life Orb
Moveset	・ Aqua Jet ・ Knock Off ・ Crabhammer ・ Close Combat

These values are from base stats and ideal EVs, excluding external factors.

The Life Orb makes Crawdaunt's attacks much more powerful, to the point that it can defeat a non-Defense EV-trained Excadrill in one shot with Aqua Jet.

The EVs in Speed will also allow Crawdaunt to not only outspeed a Tyranitar but to also defeat one with 252 EVs in HP with Close Combat.

Crawdaunt can also outspeed Hydreigon with EVs and Nature maximized for Speed when paralysis is inflicted. However, note that you still might not outspeed a paralyzed Pokemon if it's holding a Choice Scarf.

Alternate Move Choices

Liquidation	Alternate Water-type move. While it has high accuracy, it has low power.
Swords Dance	Raises attack, which lets you more easily defeat opponents
Brick Break	Low power, but it can break Reflect/Light Screen

How to Use Crawdaunt Effectively

Attack using moves with STAB

Thanks to Adaptability, Crawdaunt can hit hard with STAB moves. In particular, he can hit hard with Knock Off, which allows you to deal a lot of damage while removing your opponent's held item.

Crawdaunt is also one of the few Pokemon that takes half damage from Water-type and Dark-type moves.

Counters for Crawdaunt

Weakness

Strike first and take advantage of Crawdaunt's weaknesses

Take advantage of Crawdaunt's weaknesses by using Pokemon that are faster than it and that have good type compatibilty as these will be able to counterattack while taking damage from Crawdaunt.

Mimikyu in particular is a good counter against Crawdaunt as its Disguise ability allows it to resist an attack.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Mimikyu	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can defeat Crawdaunt with Play Rough. ・Can counter a Focus Sash Crawdaunt with Shadow Sneak Moveset & Best Build for Mimikyu
Primarina	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Takes only half damage from Water-type and Dark-type moves. ・Can beat Crawdaunt with Moonblast Moveset & Best Build for Primarina
Wash Rotom	Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・With EVs in Speed, it can outspeed Crawdaunt and weaken it. ・Has above average defenses and can withstand attacks from Crawdaunt Moveset & Best Build for Wash Rotom

Use Strong Defensive Pokemon

Pokemon with high defenses can beat Crawdaunt even with its powerful attacks. In particular, Pokemon that can resist Water-type moves can more easily defeat Crawdaunt.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Toxapex	Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・Extremely high defense ・Can burn Crawdaunt with Scald ・Can regain HP with Recover Moveset & Best Build for Toxapex
Gastrodon	Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・Extremely durable when EV trained in HP and Defense ・Shuts down Water-type moves with Storm Drain ・Can burn Crawdaunt with Scald ・Can regain HP with Recover Moveset & Best Build for Gastrodon

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

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

Best Builds for Returning Pokemon

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

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

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

Best Builds for Returning Pokemon

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