Palossand - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

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

Palossand - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Palossand

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Palossand
Abilities
Water Compaction	Sharply raises Defense when hit by a Water-type move.
Sand Veil (Hidden)	Boosts the Pokemon's evasion in a sandstorm.

Palossand 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

Best Nature for Palossand

Singles Movesets for Palossand

Scorching Sands Defensive Wall Moveset & Best Build

Palossand fills the role of a sturdy physical wall with reliable recovery. It's great dual typing gives it key resistances to Rock, Poison, and Bug-type moves, while also giving it immunity to Normal, Fighting, and Electric-type moves.

About Palossand's Moves

Scorching Sands is Palossand's new move and is a STAB Ground-type special attack that has a 30% chance to inflict the Burn status on the target. This allows Palossand to deter and check physical attackers, as well as potentially halve their physical attacks for the rest of the battle.

Shore Up is Palossand's main mode of recovery, restoring its HP by 1/2 of its total HP. This move also restores 2/3 of Pallosand's total HP during a Sandstorm!

The last two moves are for offensive and group utility. Shadow Ball is a STAB Ghost-type move that hits hard coming from Palossand's great 100 Base Special Attack stat.

Stealth Rock helps ease KOs for the rest of the team. Palossand is actually a great Stealth Rock user as it's immune to Rapid Spin - the most commonly used move to remove entry hazards.

About Palossand's EV Spread

We're using a straightforward EV spread with full investment in HP and Defense for maximum physical bulk. The remaining 4 EVs are there to patch up Palossand's mediocre Special Defense.

About Palossand's Ability

We're using the Water Compaction ability, which raises Palossand's Defense stat by 2 stages when it's hit by a Water-type move.

At +2 Defense and full Health, this Palossand can survive Adamant Rillaboom's STAB Grassy Glide and +1 Jolly Gyarados' Waterfall.

About Palossand's Held Item

Leftovers provides Palossand some much needed passive recovery, and allows Palossand to stay longer in the battle when used together with Shore Up.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Palossand Effectively

A Bulky Ground Wall

Palossand separates itself from other bulky Ground-types by having great type resistances and immunities, as well as reliable recovery. In many ways, it functions as a Ground-type version of Slowbro and should be used as such.

How to Build a Team with Palossand

Palossand's massive physical bulk and reliable recovery mean it's to fit it in most teams as part of its existing defensive core.

A Great Wall for Sand Teams

Key immunities to Fighting and Normal moves as well as better match-up against Water-type Pokemon make Palossand a great alternative to Hippowdon for a Sand Team's physical wall.

Palossand's recovery move, Shore Up, also recovers more HP than Hippowdon's Slack Off in Sand, meaning it can weather attacks and recover more lost HP in the right conditions.

Finally, while Hippowdon functions as a phazer with Whirlwind, Palossand fills the role of a spinblocker thanks to its Ghost-typing.

Check out our article below to learn how to build a Sand Team and which weather leads and partners to use with Palossand.

How to Build a Weather Team

Counters for Palossand

Weakness

Use a Defogger

While Palossand can block Rapid Spin, it's still possible to remove its entry hazards with Defog.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Mandibuzz	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Resists Palossand's Ghost-type moves ・Immune to Scorching Sands ・Can Knock Off Palossand's Leftovers

Use Strong Water Sweepers

Even with Water Compaction and a high defense stat, there are some Water-type Pokemon that Palossand can't defend against and even outright KO it!

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Urshifu Rapid-Strike Style	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Surging Strikes always lands a critical hit, ignoring Palossand's Defense boosts from Water Compaction Moveset & Best Build for Urshifu Rapid-Strike
Dracovish	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can KO Palossand with Choice Band boosted Fishious Rend even after +2 Defense Boosts Moveset & Best Build for Dracovish

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 The Isle of Armor Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for The Isle of Armor Pokemon
Scizor	Kingdra	Magnezone
Volcarona	Chansey	Blissey
Talonflame	Azumarill	Galarian Slowbro
Porygon2	Urshifu Single-Strike Style	Urshifu Rapid-Strike Style
Slowbro	Alolan Marowak	Dragalge
Klefki	Lycanroc	Amoonguss
Poliwrath	Palossand	Mienshao
Starmie	Heracross	Comfey
Porygon-Z	Alakazam	Politoed