Buzzwole - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

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

Buzzwole - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Buzzwole

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Buzzwole
Abilities
Beast Boost	The Pokemon boosts its most proficient stat each time it knocks out a Pokemon.

Buzzwole 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 Buzzwole

Singles Movesets for Buzzwole

Bulk Up Moveset & Best Build

Great HP and Physical Defense, as well as reliable healing, make Buzzwole an effective Bulk Up sweeper in both Singles and Doubles.

About Buzzwole's Moves

Bulk Up boosts Buzzwole's Attack and Defense by one stage. Drain Punch is its main STAB and recovery move, while Lunge is its secondary STAB that lowers the target's Attack stat.

Ice Punch is its last move, and is mostly for coverage so that Buzzwole can hit Flying, Ground, and Dragon-types.

About Buzzwole's EV Spread

We're using a modified Bulk Up spread, focusing more on Buzzwole's defenses. Full HP investment and 144 Defense EVs make it as physically bulky as possible, while the remaining 112 EVs are placed in Speed so that it can outrun defensive Pokemon.

About Buzzwole's Ability

Beast Boost is Buzzwole's only ability, raising its highest stat every time it knocks out an opposing Pokemon.

With an Impish Nature and the given EVs, Buzzwole has an effective 194 Defense stat at Level 50. This means every time it knocks out an opposing Pokemon, it's Defense stat increases by one stage.

About Buzzwole's Held Item

We're giving Buzzwole Leftovers for this build to provide it passive healing. Alternatively, you can also give it Lum Berry to protect it from status from Will-O-Wisp or Toxic.

Other Viable Moves

Choice Scarf Moveset & Best Build

Buzzwole can surprise its usual counters and checks expecting a bulky set with a Choice Scarf build, turning it into a surprisingly fast but bulky revenge killer.

About Buzzwole's Moves

Leech Life is its main Bug-type STAB and is also it's main recovery move. Close Combat is its strongest STAB, but lowers both of Buzzwole's defenses.

Its remaining two moves, Stone Edge and Earthquake, offer great neutral coverage - forming the "EdgeQuake" combo common in many physical attackers.

About Buzzwole's EV Spread

We're using a standard physical attacking set with full investment in Attack and Speed, with the remaining 4 EVs placed in Special Defense.

About Buzzwole's Ability

Beast Boost is Buzzwole's only ability, raising its highest stat every time it knocks out an opposing Pokemon.

With a Jolly Nature and the given EVs, Buzzwole has an effective 191 Attack stat at Level 50. This means every time it knocks out an opposing Pokemon, it's Attack stat increases by one stage.

About Buzzwole's Held Item

Choice Scarf increases Buzzwole's Speed by 50%, but restricts it to using only the initial move it used during its turn.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Buzzwole Effectively

A Resilient Bulk Up Sweeper

Buzzwole's great HP and physical defense make it a tough Bulk Up sweeper and is a good alternative to Conkeldurr in balanced teams. In Singles, it's best sent out late in the battle after you've taken care of its checks and counters.

How to Build a Team with Buzzwole

Buzzwole faces some competition from its fellow Ultra Beast, Pheromosa, but has a niche in more defensive-oriented teams as a bulky sweeper.

Use it as a Bulk Up Sweeper

Buzzwole is easy to fit in defensive oriented teams that require an offensive Pokemon. Even with no Attack investment, this Ultra Beast can still hit hard after a Bulk Up boost.

Example Build Team

Lead Dynamax	Defensive Pivot	Special Sweeper
Buzzwole	Zapdos	Nidoking

Buzzwole makes an excellent lead Dynamax Pokemon, although it should ideally use Bulk Up first so that it can improve its bulkiness. What makes Buzzwole a great Dynamax lead is that it can continue threatening opposing Pokemon after Dynamax since it can simply recover lost HP with Drain Punch.

Zapdos is a great defensive pivot and partner for Buzzwole as it resists Flying-type moves that Buzzwole is very weak against. It can also help its teamate by spreading paralysis using Discharge, which helps with Buzzwole's low speed.

Nidoking rounds off this team, filling the role of a fast and powerful special attacker. It provides great neutral coverage and can threaten Fairy-types with its Poison-type STAB.

How to Build a Defensive Team

Counters for Buzzwole

Weakness

Check it with a Fairy-type

Outside of Iron Head, Buzzwole struggles against Fairy-types. Faster Fairy Pokemon, in particular, easily forces the Swollen Pokemon to switch or risk getting KO'd by their super effective attacks.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Tapu Lele	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Easily outspeeds Defensive Variants ・Easily KOs Buzzwole with Psychic or Moonblast Moveset & Best Build for Tapu Lele
Clefable	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Physically Defensive variants can survive Offensive Buzzwole's Iron Head ・Boasts reliable recovery and Moonblast to threaten Buzzwole Moveset & Best Build for Clefable

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