Eternatus - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

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

Eternatus - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Eternatus

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Eternatus
Abilities
Pressure	The Pokemon raises the foe's PP usage.

Eternatus 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
140	85	95	145	95	130

Best Nature for Eternatus

Best Natures
Timid (+Spd, -Atk)	Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk)	Bold (+Def, -Atk)

Singles Movesets for Eternatus

Special Attacker Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 4 / Sp.Atk 252 / Spd 252
Final Stat Values	HP 216 / Def 115 / SpAtk 197 / SpDef 115 / Spd 200
Ability	Pressure
Held Item	Choice Specs Life Orb
Moveset	・Dynamax Cannon ・Sludge Wave ・Flamethrower ・Shadow Ball

This build focuses on Eternatus' high Special Attack to take out its enemies. With its high speed it can easily get a headstart and hit its foes hard. With Dynamax Cannon dealing two times damage to Dynamaxed Pokemon, Dragon-types will always take massive damage.

About Eternatus' Moves

Dynamax Cannon and Sludge Wave serve as Eternatus' main STAB moves. Keep in mind that Dynamax Cannon deals double damage to Dynamaxed opponents so be sure to take advantage of that when you can.

Flamethrower serves as a fantastic coverage move to deal with Steel-types who would normally render Eternatus' STAB moves ineffective.

Shadow Ball rounds out the moveset as another coverage move that has the added benefit of having a chance to reduce the enemy's Special Defense.

About Eternatus' EV Spread

We're using a simple special attacking EV spread with full investment in Special Attack and Speed, with the remaining EVs placed in HP for a little extra bulk.

About Eternatus' Ability

Pressure is Eternatus' only ability, causing Pokemon to use twice the amount of PP when attacking it.

About Eternatus' Held Item

Choice Specs is a strong held item that boosts the power of Eternatus' special moves by 50%, but prevents it from switching moves.

Life Orb boosts the power of its moves by 30% at the cost of some recoil damage, a better chocie if you want more move options.

Other Viable Moves

Sludge Bomb	Another Poison-type option. While weaker than Slude Wave, it has a 30% chance to poison its target.
Flash Cannon	A good counter for Rock and Ice-types. It has slightly lower accuracy but a chance to lower the Special Defense of its target.
Meteor Beam	If choosing this move, you'll want to give Eternatus a Power Herb. This is also one of the few ways you can raise its Special Attack.

Pressure Stall Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Bold (+Def, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 204 / Def 252 / Sp.Atk 4 / Sp.Def 44 / Spd 4
Final Stat Values	HP 241 / Def 161 / SpAtk 166 / SpDef 121 / Spd 151
Ability	Pressure
Held Item	Black Sludge
Moveset	・Cosmic Power ・Recover ・Toxic ・Flamethrower

This build relies on Eternatus' ability to stall enemies with Pressure and DoT moves. Due to Eternatus being a Poison-type, Toxic has a 100% accuracy, so it can chip away at enemy Pokemon's HP while bulking itself up with Cosmic Power.

About Eternatus' Moves

Cosmic Power increases Eternatus' Defense and Special Defense by 1 stage per use so it can withstand attacks. This is supported by Recover, allowing it to heal itself by 50% of its HP, keeping it alive while it buffs itself.

For damage, Eternatus has the 100% accuracy Toxic to slowly take down its foes' HP while boosting its stats and healing itself. Flamethrower is its only direct offensive move, allowing it to hit Pokemon that aren't affected by poison like Ferrothorn.

About Eternatus' EV Spread

This EV spread aims to let Eternatus be bulky as possible. We maximize investment on Defense to capitalize on its natural bulk against generally Physical attacking types such as Fighting and Grass-types.

44 Sp.Def is mostly to capitalize on Dragon and Poison's resistances to Grass/Water/Fire/Electric-types.

About Eternatus' Ability

Pressure is Eternatus' only ability, causing Pokemon to use twice the amount of PP when attacking it.

About Eternatus' Held Item

For this build Eternatus is using Black Sludge which heals1/16 of its max HP every turn.

Other Viable Moves

Mystical Fire	A slightly weaker alternative to Flamethrower that has the ability to lower the enemy's Special Attack, helping Eternatus stall and survive longer.

Bulky Attacker Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 76 / Sp.Atk 252 / Spd 180
Final Stat Values	HP 225 / Def 115 / SpAtk 197 / SpDef 115 / Spd 190
Ability	Pressure
Held Item	Black Sludge
Moveset	・Dynamax Cannon ・Flamethrower ・Toxic ・Substitute

This Eternatus was used by Japanese competitive player Kamonegi Nabe to reach 18th place in the current Ranked Battle Season.

It's a bulkier attacking set that has enough natural bulk to withstand attacks and enough HP to get great recovery from its Black Sludge held item.

About Eternatus' Moves

Dynamax Cannon is Eternatus' main STAB move, dealing double damage to Dynamaxed opponents.

Flamethrower serves as a fantastic coverage move to deal with Steel-types who would normally render Eternatus' STAB moves ineffective.

Toxic allows it to cripple walls such as Chansey and Blissey. It's also a great move to use when you expect a switch.

Substitute is its last move and protects Eternatus from opposing Statuses such as Thunder Wave. When used in conjunction with Toxic, Eternatus can stall opposing walls while still hitting hard with its main attacking moves.

About Eternatus' EV Spread

76 HP EVs ensure that it gets as much recovery as possible from its Black Sludge held item, allowing it to easily recover lost health from Substitute in fewer turns.

252 Sp.Atk and 180 Spd EVs ensure that Eternatus still hits as hard and as fast as possible, and can potentially surprise potential checks and counters that are expecting a more defensive Eternatus.

About Eternatus' Ability

Pressure is Eternatus' only ability, causing Pokemon to use twice the amount of PP when attacking it.

About Eternatus' Held Item

We're giving Eternatus a Black Sludge for some much-needed passive recovery at the end of every turn.

How to Use Eternatus Effectively

A Dynamax Killer

Eternatus' signature move, Dynamax Cannon, deals double damage to Pokemon that are Dynamxed. This means that regardless of if a Pokemon is Dynamaxed or not, they will still take the same amount of damage.

As only Steel and Fairy-type Pokemon can resist or negate Dynamax Cannon's effects, there are plenty of opportunities for it to come into play.

Cannot Dynamax

In the story, we were shown Eternatus' Eternamax form, but at this time there is no possible way to use that form or Dynamax Eternatus at all in the game.

How to Build a Team with Eternatus

A Pressure Staller in a Defensive Team

Example Defensive Stall Team

Pivot/Support	Leech Seed Stall	Pressure Stall
Incineroar	Celesteela	Eternatus

Incineroar is this team's pivot and support Pokemon by spreading status through moves such as Burning Jealousy and lowering the opposing team's offenses with Parting Shot and Intimidate. Its typing also lets it cover Eternatus' weakness to Psychic-types.

Celesteela works well as another bulky member of the team to cover Incineroar and Eternatus' weakness to Ground-types. By using Leech Seed it helps maintain survivability for itself and its teammates. It's Steel-typing also offers key resistances against Water, Fairy, and Fighting-types.

With offensive stats lowered by Incineroar and Leech Seed set up from Celesteela, Eternatus' can safely stall out the opponent with status moves and Recover. This entire core will be difficult to take down easily.

How to Build a Defensive Team

Counters for Eternatus

Weakness

Target its Weakness

Due to its lack of weaknesses, you will have to resort to Psychic, Ground, or Ice-types to counter it. Aim for its weak points and hit it hard.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Calyrex (Shadow Rider)	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can strike first and aim for Eternatus' weakness
Mewtwo	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can 1 shot Eternatus with Psystrike
Tapu Lele	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Has a chance to one shot Eternatus with Psychokinesis while Pyschic Terrain is active ・Can attack first with a Choice Scarf Tapu Lele - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
Bronzong	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Can survive Fire-type attacks with its Heatproof ability

Prevent its Actions With Taunt

Against the Pressure Stall Eternatus build, out of its 4 moves only one of them is offensive. Due to this, Eternatus can be taken down a notch by using Taunt with Pokemon strong to Fire-type moves. Pokemon that use its strategy of inflicting status ailments to deal damage over time are also effective.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Heatran	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Its Fire-type immunity can completely seal off Eternatus' attacks ・Can also use Taunt to help out the rest of your team Heatran - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
Hydreigon	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Takes little damage from Fire-type moves ・Can hit Eternatus' weakness to Dragon-type moves Hydreigon - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
Gyarados	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Can take the lead against Eternatus Gyarados - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

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

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