Swampert - Movesets & Best Build for Ranked Battle

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

Swampert - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Swampert

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Swampert
Abilities
Torrent	Powers up Water-type moves in a pinch.
Damp (Hidden)	Prevents the use of self-destructing moves.

Swampert 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 Swampert

Singles Movesets for Swampert

Yawn + Stealth Rock Moveset & Best Build

Swampert is a good defensive Pokemon, boasting key resistances to common attacking types such as Rock, Electric, Steel, Fire, and Poison-types. This makes it a great defensive lead for a team that needs a reliable entry hazard setter.

About Swampert's Moves

Stealth Rock sets up entry hazards for your team, helping them net important KOs thanks to chip damage. Yawn allows it to phaze opposing Pokemon, forcing them to switch and get residual damage from Stealth Rock or risk falling asleep.

Earthquake is its main STAB move while Flip Turn allows it to quickly pivot to a teammate if it's facing a Pokemon it can't counter.

About Swampert's EV Spread

We're using a standard defensive set with full investment in HP and 220 Defense EVs. The remaining 36 EVs are placed in Special Defense to round off its bulk.

About Swampert's Ability

Torrent is the preferred Ability for this Swampert. When its HP drops down to 1/3 of its maximum health, it gets a 50% Attack or Special Attack boost when using a Water-type move.

Damp is another good Ability that prevents the moves Self-Destruct, Explosion, and Misty Explosion. It also prevents the effects of the Ability Aftermath.

About Swampert's Held Item

Swampert can use Sitrus Berry that heals it a good amount once its HP gets cut in half or Rindo Berry so that it can better resist Grass-type moves.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Swampert Effectively

Use it as a Lead Support Pokemon

Swampert is a great lead support Pokemon thanks its great dual-typing, which gives it a lot of resistances and only one weakness. It's one of the few lead defensive Pokemon that can use the Stealth Rock + Yawn strategy, making it an invaluable Pokempn for teams lacking in a bulky lead.

Quickly Pivot with Flip Turn

What sets Swampert apart from other entry hazard setters is Flip Turn, which allows it to quickly pivot from the battle once it's done setting up with Stealth Rock or phasing with Yawn. Swampert's naturally high physical attack also means that Flip Turn deals good damage even without investment,

How to Build a Team with Swampert

Use it as an Entry Hazard Setter

Swampert faces some competition from stronger bulky attackers, but it has a niche as an entry hazard setter and even phaser thanks to its resists.

Team Options for Swampert

Swampert	Dragonite	Cresselia	Heatran	Volcarona	Galarian Moltres
Lead Entry Hazard Setter	Weakness Policy Sweeper	Defensive Pivot	Special Wall	Special Sweeper	Choice Scarf Sweeper

Swampert makes a great defensive lead and plays an important role in setting up Stealth Rock for the rest of its team.

Check out our full article below to learn how to build a defensive team.
How to Build a Defensive Team

Counters for Swampert

Weakness

Counter it with Tapu Fini

Pokemon	Description
Tapu Fini	Ranking: ★★★★★ Moveset & Best Build for Rillaboom

Tapu Fini is the best counter to Swampert as its Misty Surge ability sets up Misty Terrain, which prevents status moves such as Yawn from working. Tapu Fini needs to be aware of other terrain setters though, but in a one-on-one match, Swampert can't do much against it.

Use Grass-type Moves

Swampert's typing leaves it with only a weakness to Grass-types. It's best to use a Pokemon that has a Grass-type coverage move to surprise Swampert with a KO.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Heatran	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Easily KOs Swampert with Solar Beam Moveset & Best Build for Heatran
Nihilego	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Can deal a significant amount of damage to Swampert with Grass Knot Moveset & Best Build for Nihilego
Tapu Koko	Ranking: ★★★ ・Can deal a significant amount of damage to Swampert with Grass Knot Moveset & Best Build for Tapu Koko

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 Crown Tundra Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon
Galarian Articuno	Galarian Zapdos	Galarian Moltres
Raikou	Entei	Suicune
Articuno	Zapdos	Moltres
Tornadus	Thundurus	Landorus
Tapu Koko	Tapu Lele	Tapu Bulu
Tapu Fini	Regieleki	Regidrago
Latios	Latias	Heatran
Cresselia	Glastrier	Spectrier
Nidoking	Swampert	Dragonite
Salamence	Garchomp	Metagross
Galarian Slowking	Nihilego	Naganadel
Pheromosa	Buzzwole	Celesteela
Kartana	Stakataka	Blaziken
Kyogre	Yveltal	Xerneas
Necrozma (Dusk Mane)	Calyrex (Shadow Rider)	Mewtwo
Calyrex (Ice Rider)	Dialga	Lugia
Black Kyurem	Zekrom	Ho-Oh
Rayquaza	Zygarde	Reshiram
White Kyurem	Groudon	Regirock
Palkia	Regigigas	Registeel
Regice	Giratina	Solgaleo
Lunala	Kyurem	Necrozma
Uxie	Mesprit	Azelf
Calyrex