LC Drifloon

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Taken over from Bagon



Overview
########

Without its signature item, Flying Gem, Drifloon was usually cast aside in XY in favor of faster, more powerful Ghost-type threats, such as Misdreavus and Gastly. However, with Misdreavus's ban from the metagame, Drifloon has begun to reemerge as an offensive threat with access to a useful ability in Unburden and good typing. It also has an excellent support movepool with moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Baton Pass, Destiny Bond, Memento, Knock Off, and Tailwind. Unfortunately, Drifloon's weakness to Stealth Rock and Knock Off do hamper its capabilities, and its 17 Speed (without Unburden) isn't enough to outspeed Gastly and 19 Speed threats such as Ponyta and Abra.

AcroFloon
########
name: AcroFloon
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Destiny Bond / Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Fighting
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 196 Atk / 116 SpA / 196 Spe
nature: Naive

Moves
========

Acrobatics hits everything that doesn't resist it quite hard. Shadow Ball smacks Rock-, Steel-, and Electric-types that resist Acrobatics as well as KOing Ghost-types that Drifloon outspeeds after an Unburden Boost; Shadow Ball is also the best move to use before Berry Juice is consumed. Substitute allows Drifloon to activate Unburden and Berry Juice with ease, avoid status moves, and play around Sucker Punch users that threaten Drifloon, such as Pawniard. Hidden Power Fighting allows Drifloon to hit Pawniard and Helioptile, the only Pokemon that resist both Ghost- and Flying-type attacks, as well as being Drifloon's best option against Aron and Amaura. Will-O-Wisp can be used in the final spot to cripple the Knock Off users that shut down Drifloon. Destiny Bond also remains a good option in order to nab a quick KO on a Pokemon intended to revenge kill Drifloon, and functions wonderfully with the speed increase from Unburden. It's also a great way to pick off opposing Fletchling checks so that Fletchling can sweep later in the match.


Set Details
========

Max Attack investment allows Drifloon to hit opposing Pokemon hard with Acrobatics, and Max Speed and a positive nature lets Drifloon outspeed Pawniard before Unburden and outpace all Choice Scarf and +1 Pokemon afterwards. A Naive nature and Defense investment allows Drifloon to take common priority attacks better. Berry Juice is Drifloon's main source of recovery and is the best item to activate Unburden. If Hidden Power Fighting is chosen for the fourth slot, the EV spread should be changed to 36 HP / 196 Atk / 8 Def / 40 SpA / 8 SpD / 200 Spe.


Usage Tips
========

Drifloon usually has plenty of opportunities to safely switch into Normal-, Ground-, Fighting-, and Bug-type attacks. This set excels at late-game sweeping, when bulky Pokemon and strong priority users have been KOed or weakened. However, it can be brought in early-game to neuter its switch-ins with Will-O-Wisp and soften Flying-type resists with Shadow Ball.

Team Options
========

Like most other Flying-type Pokemon, Drifloon appreciates having Stealth Rock off the field, so a Rapid Spin user or Defog user is appreciated. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can use Knock Off to soften up physical walls. Drilbur resists Rock-type moves, is immune to Electric-types, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. Drifloon appreciates Knock Off support to be able to OHKO bulky Pokemon, such as Spritzee. Pawniard resists Ice-, Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves for Drifloon, and Drifloon takes Fighting- and Ground-type moves for Pawniard. Scraggy resists Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, and keeps itself healthy with STAB Drain Punch, and Drifloon takes Fighting-type moves for Scraggy.


Calm Mind
########
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Recycle / Substitute / Will-O-Wisp
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 116 HP / 184 Def / 36 SAtk / 4 SpD / 120 Spe
nature: Modest

Moves
========

Calm Mind is crucial to this set, increasing both Special Defense and the power of Drifloon's Shadow Ball. Shadow Ball is Drifloon's STAB attack and has great coverage on its own, only being stopped by Normal- and Dark-type Pokemon. Hidden Power Fighting is to hit both Dark- and Normal-types that do not take damage from Shadow Ball. Recycle allows Drifloon to regain its Berry Juice and continue to boost with Calm Mind. Substitute is a great way for Drifloon to avoid status and activate its Berry Juice. Will-O-Wisp can also be run, and allows Drifloon to patch up its Defense and cripple Normal- and Dark-types, most of which are physical attackers.

Set Details
========

The Speed investment gives Drifloon 30 Speed after an Unburden boost, enough to outspeed any relevant Choice Scarf Pokemon, even those with 19 Speed. 14 Special Attack prevents rounding down when boosting and the remaining EVs are invested primarily in defense, as it is not boosted by Calm Mind.

Usage Tips
========

Drifloon can switch in on a plethora of moves and Pokemon due to its handy immunity to Normal-, Ground-, and Fighting-type moves. Calm Mind Drifloon is reliant on teammates to aid in stopping the things that can hard counter it, namely Normal- and Dark-types, as well as physically offensive Fire-types, which are immune to burns. This set also has some utility beyond simply boosting and sweeping, as access to reliable recovery allows it to switch in multiple times and spread burns.

Team Options
========

Entry hazard removal is beneficial to sustain Drifloon's longevity and allow it to be used as a utility Pokemon as well as a sweeper. Vullaby, which provides Defog support, resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can cripple opposing walls with Knock Off. Drilbur, which resists Rock- and Electric-type moves, can provide Rapid Spin support and clear away pesky foes with Earthquake. Pawniard also makes a great partner, as its ability to use Knock Off can definitely aid in Drifloon's attempt to sweep the opposing team. It also resists the Dark-, Ghost-, and Ice-type moves directed at Drifloon and has its Fighting- and Ground-type weaknesses covered by Drifloon.

Baton Pass
########
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Stockpile / Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Will-o-Wisp
move 4: Baton Pass
ability: Unburden
item: Weakness Policy
evs: 36 HP / 164 Def / 84 SpD / 196 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

Drifloon is one of the few Pokemon with access to Stockpile and Baton Pass, as well as Unburden. Its fantastic typing, with no quadruple weaknesses, and immunity to many forms of priority make it one of the best Weakness Policy passers in the tier. Stockpile is the star of the set, as Drifloon becomes bulky enough to survive super effective hits after a boost or two, and the defense boosts can be Baton Passed. Shadow Ball is a STAB with great coverage against most of the metagame, hitting anything that doesn't resist it for large damage coming off of +2 Special Attack. Will-O-Wisp is more efficient than Stockpile for tanking hits, permanently crippling many threats to Drifloon's Baton Pass; however, the benefits of Will-O-Wisp cannot be Baton Passed to a teammate. Baton Pass allows Drifloon to transfer its defensive and offensive boosts to a teammate. Calm Mind can be used to boost Drifloon's Special Attack and Special Defense and doesn't reveal Weakness Policy. Stockpile is usually much more reliable, however, for raising Drifloon's defenses, and Weakness Policy already does a nice job of providing offensive boosts.

Set Details
========

Max Speed investment and a positive nature allow Drifloon to outspeed Pawniard and use Stockpile before it can attack. The remaining EVs are put into bulk, as tanking super effective hits is quite difficult and this Drifloon set's priority is not to sweep, but to support. Unburden lets Drifloon outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in the metagame, and Weakness Policy is a great tool to abuse with Baton Pass and Drifloon's unique typing.

Usage Tips
========

Drifloon's many weaknesses to Ice-, Electric-, Rock-, Dark-, and Ghost-type attacks come in handy with this set, and every team has multiple Pokemon that can activate Weakness Policy. Drifloon should generally Stockpile on a predicted switch, unless the switch-in is a faster physical attacker; in that case, Will-O-Wisp is the preferred option. Drifloon can tank weak Knock Offs and activate its Weakness Policy, but stronger STAB hits can ruin it without sufficient Stockpile boosts or burns. This set is hard-countered by phazers like Whirliwind Munchlax and Roar Hippopotas, although neither of them enjoy being burned, as well as Clear Smog users like Foongus and Koffing, so make sure these are removed before attempting to set up.

Team Options
========

Rapid Spin or Defog is a necessity, as Drifloon needs every bit of health it can get to tank super effective hits. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark and Ghost weaknesses and can use Knock Off to weaken special walls. Drilbur resists Rock, is immune to Electric, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. In terms of receivers, it's best to have a well-rounded Pokemon that can take hits with Stockpile boosts and dish back with good Speed and Weakness Policy-boosted offenses. Scraggy is one of the best receivers, resisting Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, as well as shrugging off crippling burn and paralysis with Shed Skin. It has access to Dragon Dance to help outspeed fast Pokemon and a STAB Drain Punch to keep its health up, as well as being able to beat phazers such as Munchlax and Tyrunt with Fighting moves. It lures bulky Poison-types with Clear Smog, like Koffing, Trubbish, and Foongus to Knock Off their Eviolites, making them much more fragile and easy to KO. Pawniard is another good teammate, as it has a STAB Knock Off and can take Dark-, Ghost-, Rock-, and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with near-unresisted STABs and powerful priority in Sucker Punch. Chinchou works well too, taking Electric- and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with good bulk, unresisted coverage in three moves, and access to Agility.

Other Options
========

Status moves can be used, as Hypnosis can be run alongside Substitute to provide an 84% chance of sleep in two turns, and Thunder Wave and Toxic have their merits; however, Will-O-Wisp is usually the superior option to help protect Drifloon. Explosion is an alternative to Memento or Destiny Bond to heavily damage an opponent and bring in a switch-in, but the other two options are superior due to being able to play around Sucker Punch. Hidden Power Ground destroys Magnemite without Sturdy and still hits Helioptile, but is much weaker against Pawniard. Haze and Clear Smog are options for a support Drifloon set, but Drifloon is fragile without boosts or burns and has trouble switching in repeatedly due to its Stealth Rock weakness, limiting its ability to take boosted attacks. Knock Off can be used to remove an opponent's items and cripple them. Sucker Punch can be used to eliminate other priority users before they beat Drifloon, but most of the priority users that Drifloon fears resist Sucker Punch, like Croagunk, Pawniard, and Stunky. Disable can be used to stop Pokemon such as Porygon and Choice Scarf Pawniard, especially when Drifloon has a Substitute.

Checks & Counters
========

**Bulky Normal-types**: Porygon is one of the hardest counters to Drifloon, as it's immune to Shadow Ball and doesn't mind burns at all while threatening Drifloon with an Ice Beam or Thunder Wave. Munchlax is immune to Shadow Ball, can tank boosted hits, and Whirlwind Drifloon away or simply use Pursuit.

**Dark-types**: Dark-types in general fare well against Drifloon, resisting Shadow Ball and threatening it with STAB Sucker Punch, Knock Off, or Pursuit. None of them enjoy Acrobatics, however, except for Pawniard. Substitute, Destiny Bond, Baton Pass, and Memento give it options to play around Sucker Punch, however.

**Electric-types**: Electric-types can easily switch into an Acrobatics and hit Drifloon with a super effective STAB attack. Shadow Ball can usually put a solid dent into them, but bulkier Electric-types like Chinchou and Magnemite can still check Drifloon.

**Rock-types**: Rock-type Pokemon, such as Nosepass and Tirtouga, can easily switch into an Acrobatics and proceed to set hazards up or boost. Drifloon can still hit them with Shadow Ball, but most Rock-types have significant bulk and can take a hit before hitting Drifloon with a STAB Rock-type move.

**Sturdy Users**: Onix and Bonsly resist Acrobatics and have a failsafe in Sturdy, and are able to OHKO with STAB attacks or, in Bonsly's case, threaten with priority.

**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock puts a damper on Drifloon's longevity, limiting the amount of times it can switch in.
 
Last edited:

frenzyplant

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amcheck :) Please change the tag to Copyediting

add remove (comma)

Overview
########

Without it's signature item, Flying Gem, Drifloon was usually cast aside in Generation 6 has been cast aside in XY in favor of faster, more powerful Ghost-type threats such as Misdreavus and Gastly. However, with Misdreavus's ban from the tier, Drifloon has begun to reemerge as a solid offensive threat with a good typing and access to a unique ability in Unburden and good typing. It also has an excellent support movepool with moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Baton Pass, Destiny Bond, Memento, Knock Off, (comma) and Tailwind. Unfortunately, Drifloon's weaknesses to Stealth Rock and Knock Off do hamper its capabilities and its 17 Speed (without Unburden) isn't enough to let it handle Gastly and 19 Speed threats such as Ponyta and Abra.

AcroFloon
########
name: AcroFloon
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Destiny Bond / Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Fighting
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 196 Atk / 116 SpA / 196 Spe
nature: Naive

Moves
========

As the set name states, the bread and butter of the set is Acrobatics, hitting hits everything that doesn't resist it quite hard. Shadow Ball smacks the Rock-, Steel-, and Electric-types that resist Acrobatics as well as outspeeding and allowing Drifloon to outspeed and KOing Ghost-types after an Unburden boost; Shadow Ball is also the best move to use before Unburden is activated. Substitute allows Drifloon to activate Unburden and Berry Juice with ease, avoid status moves, (comma) and play around Sucker Punch users such as Pawniard that can threaten Drifloon, such as Pawniard. Hidden Power Fighting allows Drifloon to hit Pawniard and Helioptile, the only Pokemon that resist both Ghost- and Flying-type attacks, as well as being Drifloon's (apostrophe) best option versus Aron and Amaura. Will-O-Wisp can be used in the final spot to cripple the Knock Off users that can shut down Drifloon. Destiny Bond also remains a good option in order to nab a quick KO on a Pokemon intended to revenge kill Drifloon and functions wonderfully with the speed increase from Unburden. It's (apostrophe) also a great way to pick off opposing Fletchling checks so that Fletchling can sweep later in the match.


Set Details
========

Max Attack investment lets Drifloon hit opposing Pokemon hard with Acrobatics, (comma) while max Speed investment and a positive Naive nature lets Drifloon outspeed Pawniard before Unburden and outpace all Choice Scarf users and +1 Pokemon Speed Boost users afterwards. A Naive nature and Defense investment allow Drifloon to take common priority attacks better. Berry Juice is Drifloon's main source of recovery and the best item to activate Unburden. If Hidden Power Fighting is being utilized, the EV spread should be changed to 36 HP / 196 Atk / 8 Def / 40 SpA / 8 SpD / 200 Spe.


Usage Tips
========

Drifloon usually has plenty of opportunities to switch in on an immunity to Normal-, Ground- and Fighting-type moves which it's immune to or the Bug-type moves its quadruple Bug-typre 4x resistsance. This set excels at late-game sweeping, when bulky Pokemon and strong priority users have been KOed or weakened. However, it can be brought in early-game to neuter its switch-ins with Will-O-Wisp and soften up the opponent's Flying-type resists with Shadow Ball.

Team Options
========

Like most other Flying-type Pokemon, Drifloon appreciates having Stealth Rock off the field, so a Rapid Spinn user or Defog user are is welcomed. A good Defogger is Vullaby, which resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can use Knock Off to soften up physical walls. Drilbur has access to Rapid Spin, resists Rock-type moves, is immune to Electric-type moves, (comma) and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer Pokemon that resist Acrobatics both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. Drifloon appreciates Knock Off support to be able to OHKO bulky Pokemon, such as Spritzee. Pawniard resists Ice-, Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves for Drifloon, while Drifloon takes Fighting- and Ground-type moves for Pawniard. Scraggy resists Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, (remove comma) and keeps itself healthy with STAB Drain Punch, while Drifloon takes Fighting-type moves for Scraggy Pawniard.


Calm Mind
########
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Recycle / Substitute / Will-O-Wisp
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 116 HP / 184 Def / 36 SAtk / 4 SpD / 120 Spe
nature: Modest

Moves
========

As the name implies, Calm Mind is crucial to the set, weakening special attacks and increasing the power of Drifloon's Shadow Ball. Shadow Ball is Drifloon's STAB attack and has great coverage on its own, only being stopped by Normal- and Dark-typed Pokemon. Recycle allows Drifloon to regains its Berry Juice and continue to boost with Calm Mind, and Hidden Power Fighting is to hit both the Dark- and Normal-types that resist do not take damage from Shadow Ball. Will-O-Wisp can also be run, (remove comma) and to allows Drifloon to patch up its physical defense and cripple Normal- and Dark-types, most of whom which are physical attackers.

Set Details
========

The speed investment gives Drifloon 30 Speed after an Unburden boost, enough to outspeed any relevant Choice Scarf users Pokemon, even those with 19 speed. 14 Special Attack prevents rounding down when boosting, (comma) and the remaining EVs are invested primarily in Defense, as it is not boosted by Calm Mind. (nature/item?)

Usage Tips
========

Drifloon can switch in on a plethora of moves and Pokemon due to its handy immunityies to Normal-, Ground- and Fighting-type moves. Calm Mind Drifloon is reliant on teammates to aid in stopping the things that can hard counter it, namely Normal- and Dark-types, as well as physically offensive-attacking Fire-types, who which are immune to burns. This set also has some utility beyond simply boosting and sweeping, as access to reliable recovery allows it to switch in multiple times and spread burns.

Team Options
========

A form of Entry hazards removal is beneficial to sustain Drifloon's longevity and allow it to continue to be used as a utility Pokemon as well as a sweeper. Vullaby, which provides Defog support, resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can cripple opposing walls with Knock Off. Drilbur, which resists Rock- and Electric-type moves, can provide Rapid Spin support and clear away pesky foes with a STAB Earthquake. Pawniard can also make a great partner, as its ability to use Knock Off can definitely aid in Drifloon's attempt to sweep the opposing team. It also resists the Dark-, Ghost-, (comma) and Ice-type moves directed at Drifloon and has its Fighting- and Ground-type weaknesses covered by Drifloon.

Baton Pass
########
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Stockpile / Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Baton Pass
ability: Unburden
item: Weakness Policy
evs: 36 HP / 164 Def / 84 SpD / 196 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

Drifloon is one of the few Pokemon with access to Stockpile and Baton Pass, as well as Unburden. Its (remove apostrophe) fantastic typing, with no quadruple weaknesses, as well as an immunity to many forms of priority, makes it one of the best Weakness Policy passers in the tier. Stockpile is the star of the set, as Drifloon becomes bulky enough to survive super effective (remove dash) hits after a Stockpile boost or two, and the defense boosts can be Baton Passed. Shadow Ball is STAB and has a STAB move with great coverage on most of the tier, hitting anything that doesn't resist it for large damage coming off of +2 Special Attack. Will-O-Wisp is more efficient than Stockpile for tanking hits, permanently cripplesing many threats to Drifloon's Baton Passing, though; however, the passive defense boost from Will-O-Wisp cannot be Baton Passed to a teammate. Baton Pass allows Drifloon to transfer its defensive and offensive boosts to a teammate. Calm Mind can be used over Stockpile to boost Drifloon's Special Attack, as well as raise its Special Defense, though and doesn't reveal Weakness Policy. (how does Stockpile reveal Weakness Policy?) Stockpile is usually much more reliable though for raising your Drifloon's defenses, (comma) and Weakness Policy already does a nice job of providing offensive boosts.

Set Details
========

Max Speed investment and a positive nature allow Drifloon to outspeed Pawniard and use Stockpile before it Pawniard can attack. The remaining EVs are put into Drifloon's bulk, as tanking super effective (remove dash) hits is quite difficult and this setDrifloon's priority is not to sweep. Unburden lets Drifloon outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in the tier after it loses its item, and Weakness Policy is a great tool to abuse with Baton Pass and Drifloon's unique typing.

Usage Tips
========

Drifloon's many weaknesses to Ice-, Electric-, Rock-, Dark-, (comma) and Ghost- types come in handy with this set, asnd every team has multiple Pokemon that can activate Weakness Policy. Drifloon should generally Stockpile on a predicted switch, unless the switch-in is a faster physical attacker, (comma) and in that case, in which case Will-O-Wisp is the preferred option. Drifloon can tank weaker Knock Offs and activate its Weakness Policy, but stronger STAB hits can ruin it without burns or sufficient Stockpile boosts or burns. This set is hard countered (remove dash) by phazers like such as Whirlwind Munchlax and Roar Hippopotas and Clear Smog users such as Foongus and Koffing, although neither of them enjoy being burned, as well as Clear Smog users like Foongus and Koffing, so make sure these are removed before attempting to sweep.

Team Options
========

Rapid Spin or Defog is a necessity, as Drifloon needs every bit of health it can get to tank super effective hits. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark and Ghost weaknesses and can use Knock Off to weaken special walls. Drilbur resists Rock, is immune to Electric, can use Rapid Spin to remove entry hazards, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer Pokemon of both types both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. In terms of receivers, it's best to have a well-rounded Pokemon that can take hits with Stockpile boosts and dish hit back with good Speed and Weakness Policy-boosted offenses attack. Scraggy is one of the best receivers, resisting Dark-, (dash) Ghost-, (dash) and Rock-type moves, as well as shrugging off crippling burns and paralysis with Shed Skin. (comma to period) it Scraggy also has access to Dragon Dance to help outspeed things and STAB Drain Punch to keep its health up, as well as being and it is able to beat phazers such as the phazers Munchlax and Tyrunt with Fighting-type moves. It also lures in bulky Poison-types with Clear Smog, like such as Koffing, Trubbish, and Foongus. (how is this a good thing?) Lastly, it Knocks Off Scraggy can use Knock Off to remove Eviolites, making them walls much more fragile and easy to remove. Pawniard is another option, as it has STAB Knock Off, has near-unresisted STAB types, can use Sucker Punch for powerful priority, and can take Dark-, Ghost-, Rock-, and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with near-unresisted STABs and powerful priority in Sucker Punch. Chinchou works well too, taking as it can take Electric- and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with and also has good bulk, unresisted coverage in three moves, and access to Agility.

Other Options
========

Drifloon can use status moves can be used. (period) , as Hypnosis can be run alongside Substitute to provide an 84% chance of sleep in two turns, and Thunder Wave and Toxic have their merits; however, Will-O-Wisp is usually the superior option to help bolster Drifloon's subpar (remove dash) physical bulk. Explosion is an alternative to Memento or Destiny Bond to heavily damage an opponent and bring in a switch-in, but the other two options are superior due to being able to play around their ability to allow Drifloon to avoid Sucker Punch. Hidden Power Ground destroys non-Sturdy Magnemite without Sturdy and still hits Helioptile, but it is much weaker against Pawniard. Haze and Clear Smog are options for a support Drifloon, but Drifloon is fragile without boosts or burns and has trouble switching in repeatedly due to its Stealth Rock weakness, limiting so its ability to take boosted attacks is limited. Knock Off can be used to cripple opponents by removing their items knock off opponents' items and cripple them. Sucker Punch can be used to eliminate other priority users before they beat Drifloon, but most of the priority users that Drifloon fears, including Croagunk, Pawniard, and Stunky, resist Sucker Punch, like Croagunk, Pawniard, and Stunky. Disable can be used to stop Pokemon such as Porygon and Choice Scarf Pawniard, especially when Drifloon has a Substitute up.

Checks & Counters
========

**Bulky Normal-types**: Porygon is one of the hardest counters to Drifloon, as it is immune to Shadow Ball and not minding does not mind burns at all while threatening it Drifloon with Ice Beam or Thunder Wave. Munchlax is immune to Shadow Ball, can tank boosted hits, and either Whirlwind Drifloon away, (remove comma) or simply use Pursuit.

**Dark-types**: Dark-types in general fare well against Drifloon, as they resisting Shadow Ball and threatening it Drifloon with STAB Sucker Punch, Knock Off, or Pursuit. None of them except Pawniard enjoy taking an Acrobatics, however, except for Pawniard. and Substitute, Destiny Bond, Baton Pass, and Memento give it Drifloon options to play around Sucker Punch, however.

**Electric-types**: Electric-types can easily switch into an Acrobatics and hit Drifloon with a super effective STAB attack. Shadow Ball can usually put a solid dent into them, but bulkier Electric-types like such as Chinchou and Magnemite can still check Drifloon.

**Rock-types**: Rock-type Pokemon, such as Nosepass and Tirtouga, can also easily switch into an Acrobatics and proceed to set hazards or boost. Drifloon can still hit them with Shadow Ball, but most Rock-types have significant bulk and can take a Shadow Ball before proceed to hitting Drifloon with a STAB Rock-type move.

**Sturdy Users**: Magnemite and Tirtouga resist Acrobatics, (comma) and have a failsafe in Sturdy, while being and are able to OHKO Drifloon with STAB attacks, or, (comma) in Tirtouga's case, threaten Drifloon with priority or set up.

**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock puts a damper on Drifloon's longevity, limiting the amount of times it can switch in.
 

fleurdyleurse

nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands
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hi
Overview
########
Without it's signature item, Flying Gem, Drifloon was usually cast aside in Generation 6 in favor of faster, more powerful Ghost-type threats, such as Misdreavus and Gastly. However, with Misdreavus's ban from the tier, Drifloon as begun to re-emerge as a solid offensive threat with access to a unique ability in Unburden and good typing. It also has an excellent support movepool with moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Baton Pass, Destiny Bond, Memento, Knock Off, and Tailwind. Unfortunately, Drifloon's weakness to Stealth Rock and Knock Off do hamper it's capabilities, and its 17 sSpeed (without Unburden) isn't enough to let it handle Gastly and 19 sSpeed threats such as Ponyta and Abra.
AcroFloon
########
name: AcroFloon
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Destiny Bond / Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Fighting
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 196 Atk / 116 SpA / 196 Spe
nature: Naive
Moves
========
As the set name states, the bread and butter of the set is Acrobatics, hitting everything that doesn't resist it quite hard. Shadow Ball smacks Rock-, Steel-, and Electric-types that resist Acrobatics as well as outspeeding and KOing Ghost-types after an Unburden Boost; Shadow Ball is also the best move to use before Unburden is activated. Substitute allows Drifloon to activate Unburden and Berry Juice with ease, avoid status moves, and play around Sucker Punch users that can threaten Drifloon, such as Pawniard. Hidden Power Fighting allows Drifloon to hit Pawniard and Helioptile, the only Pokemon that resist both Ghost- and Flying-type attacks, as well as being Drifloon's best option versusagainst Aron and Amaura. Will-O-Wisp can be used in the final spot to cripple the Knock Off users that can shut down Drifloon. Destiny Bond also remains a good option in order to nab a quick KO on a Pokemon intended to revenge kill Drifloon, and functions wonderfully with the speed increase from Unburden. It's also a great way to pick off opposing Fletchling checks so that Fletchling can sweep later in the match.
Set Details
========
Max Attack lets Drifloon hit opposing Pokemon hard with Acrobatics, while Max Speed and a positive nature lets Drifloon outspeed Pawniard before Unburden and outpace all Choice Scarf and +1 Speed Boost users afterwards. A Naive nature and Defense investment allows Drifloon to take common priority attacks better. Berry Juice is Drifloon's main source of recovery and is the best item to activate Unburden. If Hidden Power Fighting is being utilized, the EV spread should be changed to 36 HP / 196 Atk / 8 Def / 40 SpA / 8 SpD / 200 Spe.
Usage Tips
========
Drifloon usually has plenty of opportunities to switch in on an immunity to Normal-, Ground- and, Fighting-types or its quadruple, and Bug-typre resistanceattacks. This set excels at late-game sweeping, when bulky Pokemon and strong priority users have been KO'ed or weakened. However, it can be brought in early-game to neuter its switch-ins with Will-O-Wisp and soften Flying-type resists with Shadow Ball.
Team Options
========
Like most other Flying-type Pokemon, Drifloon appreciates having Stealth Rock off the field, so a Rapid Spinn user or Defog user areis welcomed. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can use Knock Off to soften up physical walls. Drilbur resists Rock-type moves, is immune to Electric-types, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. Drifloon appreciates Knock Off support to be able to OHKO bulky Pokemon, such as Spritzee. Pawniard resists Ice-, Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves for Drifloon, while Drifloon takes Fighting- and Ground-type moves for Pawniard. Scraggy resists Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, and keeps itself healthy with STAB Drain Punch, while Drifloon takes Fighting-type moves for Pawniard.
Calm Mind
########
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Recycle / Substitute / Will-O-Wisp
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 116 HP / 184 Def / 36 SAtk / 4 SpD / 120 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
As the name implies, Calm Mind is crucial to the set, weakening special attacks and increasing the power of Drifloon's Shadow Ball. Shadow Ball is Drifloon's STAB attack and has great coverage on its own, only being stopped by Normal- and Dark-typed Pokemon. Recycle allows Drifloon to regains its Berry Juice and continue to boost with Calm Mind, and Hidden Power Fighting is to hit both Dark- and Normal-types that do not take damage from Shadow Ball. Will-O-Wisp can also be run, and allows Drifloon to patch up its physical dDefense and cripple Normal- and Dark-types, most of whomich are physical attackers.
Set Details
========
The sSpeed investment gives Drifloon 30 Speed after an Unburden boost, enough to outspeed any relevant Choice Scarf Pokemon, even those with 19 sSpeed. 14 Special Attack prevents rounding down when boosting, and the remaining EVs are invested primarily in defense, as it is not boosted by Calm Mind.
Usage Tips
========
Drifloon can switch in on a plethora of moves and Pokemon due to its handy immunity to Normal-, Ground-, and Fighting-type moves. Calm Mind Drifloon is reliant on teammates to aid in stopping the things that can hard counter it, namely Normal- and Dark-types, as well as physical-attacking Fire-types, whoich are immune to burns. This set also has some utility beyond simply boosting and sweeping, as access to reliable recovery allows it to switch in multiple times and spread burns.
Team Options
========
A form of hazard removal is beneficial to sustain Drifloon's longevity and allow it to be used as a utility Pokemon as well as a sweeper. Vullaby, which provides Defog support, resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can cripple opposing walls with Knock Off. Drilbur, which resists Rock- and Electric-type moves, can provide Rapid Spin support and clear away pesky foes with a STABn Earthquake. Pawniard can also make for a great partner, as its ability to use Knock Off can definitely aid in Drifloon's attempt to sweep the opposing team. It also resists the Dark-, Ghost- and Ice-type moves directed at Drifloon and has its Fighting- and Ground-type weaknesses covered by Drifloon.
Baton Pass
########
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Stockpile / Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Will-o-Wisp
move 4: Baton Pass
ability: Unburden
item: Weakness Policy
evs: 36 HP / 164 Def / 84 SpD / 196 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Drifloon is one of the few Pokemon with access to Stockpile and Baton Pass, as well as Unburden. It's fantastic typing, with no quadruple weaknesses, as well as immunity to many forms of priority, makes it one of the best Weakness Policy passers in the tier. Stockpile is the star of the set, as Drifloon becomes bulky enough to survive super- effective hits after a boost or two, and the defense boosts can be Baton Passed. Shadow Ball is STAB and has great coverage on most of the tier, hitting anything that doesn't resist it for large damage coming off of +2 SpAtk. Will-O-Wisp is more efficient than Stockpile for tanking hits, permanently crippling many threats to Drifloon's Baton Pass; however, the passive defense boost from Will-O-Wisp cannot be Baton Passed to a teammate. Baton Pass allows Drifloon to transfer its defensive and offensive boosts to a teammate. Calm Mind can be used to boost Drifloon's Special Attack, as well as raise its Special Defense, and doesn't reveal Weakness Policy. Stockpile is usually much more reliable, thoughwever, for raising your defenses, and Weakness Policy already does a nice job of providing offensive boosts.
Set Details
========
Max sSpeed and a positive nature allows Drifloon to outspeed Pawniard and Stockpile before it can attack. RThe remaining EVs are put into bulk, as tanking super- effective hits is quite difficult, and this Drifloon's priority is not to sweep. Unburden lets Drifloon outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in the tier, and Weakness Policy is a great tool to abuse with Baton Pass and Drifloon's unique typing.
Usage Tips
========
Drifloon's many weaknesses to Ice-, Electric-, Rock-, Dark-, and Ghost- type attacks come in handy with this set, and every team has multiple Pokemon that can activate Weakness Policy. Drifloon should generally Stockpile on a predicted switch, unless the switch-in is a faster physical attacker and; in that case, Will-O-Wisp is the preferred option. Drifloon can tank weaker Knock Offs and activate its Weakness Policy, but stronger STAB hits can ruin it without sufficient Stockpile boosts or burns. This set is hard-countered by phazers like Whirliwind Munchlax and Roar Hippopotas, although neither of them enjoy being burned, as well as Clear Smog users like Foongus and Koffing, so make sure these are removed before attempting to sweep.
Team Options
========
Rapid Spin or Defog is a necessity, as Drifloon needs every bit of health it can get to tank super effective hits. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark and Ghost weaknesses and can use Knock Off to weaken special walls. Drilbur resists Rock, is immune to Electric, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. In terms of receivers, it's best to have a well-rounded Pokemon that can take hits with Stockpile boosts and dish back with good Speed and Weakness Policy-boosted attackoffenses. Scraggy is one of the best, resisting Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, as well as shrugging off crippling burn and paralysis with Shed Skin,; it has access to Dragon Dance to help outspeed things and STAB Drain Punch to keep its health up, as well as being able to beat phazers such as Munchlax and Tyrunt with Fighting moves. It also lures bulky Poison-types with Clear Smog, like Koffing, Trubbish, and Foongus. Lastly, it Knocks Offs Eviolites, making them much more fragile and easy to remove. Pawniard is another option, as it has STAB Knock Off and can take Dark-, Ghost-, Rock-, and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with near-unresisted STABs and powerful priority in Sucker Punch. Chinchou works well too, taking Electric- and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with good bulk, unresisted coverage in three moves, and access to Agility.
Other Options
========
Status moves can be used, as Hypnosis can be run alongside Substitute to provide an 84% chance of sleep in two turns, and Thunder Wave and Toxic have their merits; however, Will-WO-Wisp is usually the superior option to help bolster Drifloon's sub-par bulk. Explosion is an alternative to Memento or Destiny Bond to heavily damage an opponent and bring in a switch-in, but the other two options are superior due to being able to play around Sucker Punch. Hidden Power Ground destroys Magnemite without Sturdy and still hits Helioptile, but is much weaker against Pawniard. Haze and Clear Smog are options for a support Drifloon, but Drifloon is fragile without boosts or burns and has trouble switching in repeatedly due to its Stealth Rock weakness, limiting its ability to take boosted attacks. Knock Off can be used to knock off opponents' items and cripple them. Sucker Punch can be used to eliminate other priority users before they beat Drifloon, but most of the priority users that Drifloon fears resist Sucker Punch, like Croagunk, Pawniard, and Stunky. Disable can be used to stop Pokemon such as Porygon and Scarf Pawniard, especially when Drifloon has a Substitute.
Checks & Counters
========
**Bulky Normal T-types**: Porygon is one of the hardest counters, immune to Shadow Ball and not minding burns at all while threatening it with Ice Beam or Thunder Wave. Munchlax is immune to Shadow Ball, can tank boosted hits, and Whirlwind Drifloon away, or simply use Pursuit.
**Dark Types**: Dark-types, in general, fare well against Drifloon, resisting Shadow Ball and threatening it with STAB Sucker Punch, Knock Off, or Pursuit. None of them enjoy Acrobatics, however, except for Pawniard. Substitute, Destiny Bond, Baton Pass, and Memento give it options to play around Sucker Punch, however.
**Electric Types**: Electric-types can easily switch into an Acrobatics and hit Drifloon with a super effective STAB attack. Shadow Ball can usually put a solid dent into them, but bulkier Electric-types like Chinchou and Magnemite can still check Drifloon.
**Rock Types**: Rock-type Pokemon, such as Nosepass and Tirtouga, can also easily switch into an Acrobatics and proceed to set hazards up or boost. Drifloon can still hit them with Shadow Ball, but most Rock-types have significant bulk and can proceed to hit Drifloon with a STAB Rock-type move.
**Sturdy Users**: Magnemite and Tirtouga resist Acrobatics and have a fail-safe in Sturdy, while being able to OHKO with STAB attacks, or in Tirtouga's case, threaten with priority or set up.
**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock puts a damper on Drifloon's longevity, limiting the amount of times it can switch in.

GP 1/2
 
Last edited:

doomsday doink

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hi
Overview
########
Without it's signature item, Flying Gem, Drifloon was usually cast aside in Generation 6 in favor of faster, more powerful Ghost-type threats, such as Misdreavus and Gastly. However, with Misdreavus's ban from the tier, Drifloon as begun to re-emerge as a solid offensive threat with access to a unique ability in Unburden and good typing. It also has an excellent support movepool with moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Baton Pass, Destiny Bond, Memento, Knock Off, and Tailwind. Unfortunately, Drifloon's weakness to Stealth Rock and Knock Off do hamper it's capabilities, and its 17 sSpeed (without Unburden) isn't enough to let it handle Gastly and 19 sSpeed threats such as Ponyta and Abra.
AcroFloon
########
name: AcroFloon
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Destiny Bond / Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Fighting
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 196 Atk / 116 SpA / 196 Spe
nature: Naive
Moves
========
As the set name states, the bread and butter of the set is Acrobatics, hitting everything that doesn't resist it quite hard. Shadow Ball smacks Rock-, Steel-, and Electric-types that resist Acrobatics as well as outspeeding and KOing Ghost-types after an Unburden Boost; Shadow Ball is also the best move to use before Unburden is activated. Substitute allows Drifloon to activate Unburden and Berry Juice with ease, avoid status moves, and play around Sucker Punch users that can threaten Drifloon, such as Pawniard. Hidden Power Fighting allows Drifloon to hit Pawniard and Helioptile, the only Pokemon that resist both Ghost- and Flying-type attacks, as well as being Drifloon's best option versusagainst Aron and Amaura. Will-O-Wisp can be used in the final spot to cripple the Knock Off users that can shut down Drifloon. Destiny Bond also remains a good option in order to nab a quick KO on a Pokemon intended to revenge kill Drifloon, and functions wonderfully with the speed increase from Unburden. It's also a great way to pick off opposing Fletchling checks so that Fletchling can sweep later in the match.
Set Details
========
Max Attack lets Drifloon hit opposing Pokemon hard with Acrobatics, while Max Speed and a positive nature lets Drifloon outspeed Pawniard before Unburden and outpace all Choice Scarf and +1 Speed Boost users afterwards. A Naive nature and Defense investment allows Drifloon to take common priority attacks better. Berry Juice is Drifloon's main source of recovery and is the best item to activate Unburden. If Hidden Power Fighting is being utilized, the EV spread should be changed to 36 HP / 196 Atk / 8 Def / 40 SpA / 8 SpD / 200 Spe.
Usage Tips
========
Drifloon usually has plenty of opportunities to switch in on an immunity to Normal-, Ground- and, Fighting-types or its quadruple, and Bug-typre resistanceattacks. This set excels at late-game sweeping, when bulky Pokemon and strong priority users have been KO'ed or weakened. However, it can be brought in early-game to neuter its switch-ins with Will-O-Wisp and soften Flying-type resists with Shadow Ball.
Team Options
========
Like most other Flying-type Pokemon, Drifloon appreciates having Stealth Rock off the field, so a Rapid Spinn user or Defog user areis welcomed. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can use Knock Off to soften up physical walls. Drilbur resists Rock-type moves, is immune to Electric-types, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. Drifloon appreciates Knock Off support to be able to OHKO bulky Pokemon, such as Spritzee. Pawniard resists Ice-, Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves for Drifloon, while Drifloon takes Fighting- and Ground-type moves for Pawniard. Scraggy resists Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, and keeps itself healthy with STAB Drain Punch, while Drifloon takes Fighting-type moves for Pawniard.
Calm Mind
########
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Recycle / Substitute / Will-O-Wisp
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 116 HP / 184 Def / 36 SAtk / 4 SpD / 120 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
As the name implies, Calm Mind is crucial to the set, weakening special attacks and increasing the power of Drifloon's Shadow Ball. Shadow Ball is Drifloon's STAB attack and has great coverage on its own, only being stopped by Normal- and Dark-typed Pokemon. Recycle allows Drifloon to regains its Berry Juice and continue to boost with Calm Mind, and Hidden Power Fighting is to hit both Dark- and Normal-types that do not take damage from Shadow Ball. Will-O-Wisp can also be run, and allows Drifloon to patch up its physical dDefense and cripple Normal- and Dark-types, most of whomich are physical attackers.
Set Details
========
The sSpeed investment gives Drifloon 30 Speed after an Unburden boost, enough to outspeed any relevant Choice Scarf Pokemon, even those with 19 sSpeed. 14 Special Attack prevents rounding down when boosting, and the remaining EVs are invested primarily in defense, as it is not boosted by Calm Mind.
Usage Tips
========
Drifloon can switch in on a plethora of moves and Pokemon due to its handy immunity to Normal-, Ground-, and Fighting-type moves. Calm Mind Drifloon is reliant on teammates to aid in stopping the things that can hard counter it, namely Normal- and Dark-types, as well as physical-attacking Fire-types, whoich are immune to burns. This set also has some utility beyond simply boosting and sweeping, as access to reliable recovery allows it to switch in multiple times and spread burns.
Team Options
========
A form of hazard removal is beneficial to sustain Drifloon's longevity and allow it to be used as a utility Pokemon as well as a sweeper. Vullaby, which provides Defog support, resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can cripple opposing walls with Knock Off. Drilbur, which resists Rock- and Electric-type moves, can provide Rapid Spin support and clear away pesky foes with a STABn Earthquake. Pawniard can also make for a great partner, as its ability to use Knock Off can definitely aid in Drifloon's attempt to sweep the opposing team. It also resists the Dark-, Ghost- and Ice-type moves directed at Drifloon and has its Fighting- and Ground-type weaknesses covered by Drifloon.
Baton Pass
########
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Stockpile / Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Will-o-Wisp
move 4: Baton Pass
ability: Unburden
item: Weakness Policy
evs: 36 HP / 164 Def / 84 SpD / 196 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Drifloon is one of the few Pokemon with access to Stockpile and Baton Pass, as well as Unburden. It's fantastic typing, with no quadruple weaknesses, as well as immunity to many forms of priority, makes it one of the best Weakness Policy passers in the tier. Stockpile is the star of the set, as Drifloon becomes bulky enough to survive super- effective hits after a boost or two, and the defense boosts can be Baton Passed. Shadow Ball is STAB and has great coverage on most of the tier, hitting anything that doesn't resist it for large damage coming off of +2 SpAtk. Will-O-Wisp is more efficient than Stockpile for tanking hits, permanently crippling many threats to Drifloon's Baton Pass; however, the passive defense boost from Will-O-Wisp cannot be Baton Passed to a teammate. Baton Pass allows Drifloon to transfer its defensive and offensive boosts to a teammate. Calm Mind can be used to boost Drifloon's Special Attack, as well as raise its Special Defense, and doesn't reveal Weakness Policy. Stockpile is usually much more reliable, thoughwever, for raising your defenses, and Weakness Policy already does a nice job of providing offensive boosts.
Set Details
========
Max sSpeed and a positive nature allows Drifloon to outspeed Pawniard and Stockpile before it can attack. RThe remaining EVs are put into bulk, as tanking super- effective hits is quite difficult, and this Drifloon's priority is not to sweep. Unburden lets Drifloon outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in the tier, and Weakness Policy is a great tool to abuse with Baton Pass and Drifloon's unique typing.
Usage Tips
========
Drifloon's many weaknesses to Ice-, Electric-, Rock-, Dark-, and Ghost- type attacks come in handy with this set, and every team has multiple Pokemon that can activate Weakness Policy. Drifloon should generally Stockpile on a predicted switch, unless the switch-in is a faster physical attacker and; in that case, Will-O-Wisp is the preferred option. Drifloon can tank weaker Knock Offs and activate its Weakness Policy, but stronger STAB hits can ruin it without sufficient Stockpile boosts or burns. This set is hard-countered by phazers like Whirliwind Munchlax and Roar Hippopotas, although neither of them enjoy being burned, as well as Clear Smog users like Foongus and Koffing, so make sure these are removed before attempting to sweep.
Team Options
========
Rapid Spin or Defog is a necessity, as Drifloon needs every bit of health it can get to tank super effective hits. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark and Ghost weaknesses and can use Knock Off to weaken special walls. Drilbur resists Rock, is immune to Electric, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. In terms of receivers, it's best to have a well-rounded Pokemon that can take hits with Stockpile boosts and dish back with good Speed and Weakness Policy-boosted attackoffenses. Scraggy is one of the best, resisting Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, as well as shrugging off crippling burn and paralysis with Shed Skin,; it has access to Dragon Dance to help outspeed things and STAB Drain Punch to keep its health up, as well as being able to beat phazers such as Munchlax and Tyrunt with Fighting moves. It also lures bulky Poison-types with Clear Smog, like Koffing, Trubbish, and Foongus. Lastly, it Knocks Offs Eviolites, making them much more fragile and easy to remove. Pawniard is another option, as it has STAB Knock Off and can take Dark-, Ghost-, Rock-, and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with near-unresisted STABs and powerful priority in Sucker Punch. Chinchou works well too, taking Electric- and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with good bulk, unresisted coverage in three moves, and access to Agility.
Other Options
========
Status moves can be used, as Hypnosis can be run alongside Substitute to provide an 84% chance of sleep in two turns, and Thunder Wave and Toxic have their merits; however, Will-WO-Wisp is usually the superior option to help bolster Drifloon's sub-par bulk. Explosion is an alternative to Memento or Destiny Bond to heavily damage an opponent and bring in a switch-in, but the other two options are superior due to being able to play around Sucker Punch. Hidden Power Ground destroys Magnemite without Sturdy and still hits Helioptile, but is much weaker against Pawniard. Haze and Clear Smog are options for a support Drifloon, but Drifloon is fragile without boosts or burns and has trouble switching in repeatedly due to its Stealth Rock weakness, limiting its ability to take boosted attacks. Knock Off can be used to knock off opponents' items and cripple them. Sucker Punch can be used to eliminate other priority users before they beat Drifloon, but most of the priority users that Drifloon fears resist Sucker Punch, like Croagunk, Pawniard, and Stunky. Disable can be used to stop Pokemon such as Porygon and Scarf Pawniard, especially when Drifloon has a Substitute.
Checks & Counters
========
**Bulky Normal T-types**: Porygon is one of the hardest counters, immune to Shadow Ball and not minding burns at all while threatening it with Ice Beam or Thunder Wave. Munchlax is immune to Shadow Ball, can tank boosted hits, and Whirlwind Drifloon away, or simply use Pursuit.
**Dark Types**: Dark-types, in general, fare well against Drifloon, resisting Shadow Ball and threatening it with STAB Sucker Punch, Knock Off, or Pursuit. None of them enjoy Acrobatics, however, except for Pawniard. Substitute, Destiny Bond, Baton Pass, and Memento give it options to play around Sucker Punch, however.
**Electric Types**: Electric-types can easily switch into an Acrobatics and hit Drifloon with a super effective STAB attack. Shadow Ball can usually put a solid dent into them, but bulkier Electric-types like Chinchou and Magnemite can still check Drifloon.
**Rock Types**: Rock-type Pokemon, such as Nosepass and Tirtouga, can also easily switch into an Acrobatics and proceed to set hazards up or boost. Drifloon can still hit them with Shadow Ball, but most Rock-types have significant bulk and can proceed to hit Drifloon with a STAB Rock-type move.
**Sturdy Users**: Magnemite and Tirtouga resist Acrobatics and have a fail-safe in Sturdy, while being able to OHKO with STAB attacks, or in Tirtouga's case, threaten with priority or set up.
**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock puts a damper on Drifloon's longevity, limiting the amount of times it can switch in.

GP 1/2
implemented, thanks for the check :3
 

Lord Alphose

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Comment
Overview
########

Without its signature item, Flying Gem, Drifloon was usually cast aside in Generation 6XY in favor of faster, more powerful Ghost-type threats, such as Misdreavus and Gastly. However, with Misdreavus's ban from the tiermetagame, Drifloon has begun to reemerge as a solidn offensive threat with access to a uniqueseful ability in Unburden(technically its not unique. Treecko and Purrloin get it.)and good typing. It also has an excellent support movepool with moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Baton Pass, Destiny Bond, Memento, Knock Off, and Tailwind. Unfortunately, Drifloon's weakness to Stealth Rock and Knock Off do hamper its capabilities, and its 17 Speed (without Unburden) isn't enough to let it handleoutspeed Gastly and base 19 Speed threats such as Ponyta and Abra.

AcroFloon
########
name: AcroFloon
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Destiny Bond / Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Fighting
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 196 Atk / 116 SpA / 196 Spe
nature: Naive

Moves
========

As the set name states, the bread and butter of the set is Acrobatics, hittings everything that doesn't resist it quite hard. Shadow Ball smacks Rock-, Steel-, and Electric-types that resist Acrobatics as well as outspeeding and KOing Ghost-types that Drifloon outspeeds after an Unburden Boost; Shadow Ball is also the best move to use before UnburdenBerry Juice is activatconsumed. Substitute allows Drifloon to activate Unburden and Berry Juice with ease, avoid status moves,(AC) and play around Sucker Punch users that can threaten Drifloon, such as Pawniard. Hidden Power Fighting allows Drifloon to hit Pawniard and Helioptile, the only Pokemon that resist both Ghost- and Flying-type attacks, as well as being Drifloon's(apostrophe) best option against Aron and Amaura. Will-O-Wisp can be used in the final spot to cripple the Knock Off users that shut down Drifloon. Destiny Bond also remains a good option in order to nab a quick KO on a Pokemon intended to revenge kill Drifloon, and functions wonderfully with the sSpeed increase from Unburden. It's(apostrophe) also a great way to pick off opposing Fletchling checks so that Fletchling can sweep later in the match.


Set Details
========

Max Attack letinvestment allows Drifloon to hit opposing Pokemon hard with Acrobatics, whileand Max Speed and a positive nature lets Drifloon outspeed Pawniard before Unburden and outpace all Choice Scarf and +1 Speed Boost usersPokemon afterwards.(Speed boost Pokemon encompass such a small group, like, three Pokemon: Venipede, Torchic, and Carvanha) A Naive nature and Defense investment allows Drifloon to take common priority attacks better. Berry Juice is Drifloon's main source of recovery and is the best item to activate Unburden. If Hidden Power Fighting is being utilizedchosen for the fourth slot, the EV spread should be changed to 36 HP / 196 Atk / 8 Def / 40 SpA / 8 SpD / 200 Spe.


Usage Tips
========

Drifloon usually has plenty of opportunities to safely switch in onto Normal-, Ground-, Fighting-, and Bug-type attacks. This set excels at late-game sweeping, when bulky Pokemon and strong priority users have been KOed or weakened. However, it can be brought in early-game to neuter its switch-ins with Will-O-Wisp and soften Flying-type resists with Shadow Ball.

Team Options
========

Like most other Flying-type Pokemon, Drifloon appreciates having Stealth Rock off the field, so a Rapid Spin user or Defog user is welcomappreciated. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can use Knock Off to soften up physical walls. Drilbur resists Rock-type moves, is immune to Electric-types, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. Drifloon appreciates Knock Off support to be able to OHKO bulky Pokemon, such as Spritzee.(No correction, I just like how you provided an example. nice) Pawniard resists Ice-, Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves for Drifloon, whileand Drifloon takes Fighting- and Ground-type moves for Pawniard. Scraggy resists Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, and keeps itself healthy with STAB Drain Punch, whileand Drifloon takes Fighting-type moves for Pawniard.Scraggy.(This sentence is about Scraggy, not Pawniard, you nerd.)


Calm Mind
########
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Recycle / Substitute / Will-O-Wisp
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 116 HP / 184 Def / 36 SpAtk / 4 SpD / 120 Spe(Be sure to get this change here)
nature: Modest

Moves
========

As the name implies, Calm Mind is crucial to theis set, weakenincreasing sboth Special attacksDefense and increasing the power of Drifloon's Shadow Ball. Shadow Ball is Drifloon's STAB attack and has great coverage on its own, only being stopped by Normal- and Dark-typed Pokemon. Recycle allows Drifloon to regain its Berry Juice and continue to boost with Calm Mind, and(Just type) Pokemon. Hidden Power Fighting is to hit both Dark- and Normal-types that do not take damage from Shadow Ball. Recycle allows Drifloon to regain its Berry Juice and continue to boost with Calm Mind. Will-O-Wisp can also be run, and allows Drifloon to patch up its Defense and cripple Normal- and Dark-types, most of which are physical attackers.(This paragraph lacks even a mention of Substitute, despite the fact that it is mentioned even before Will-O-Wisp. Add that and get back to me.)

Set Details
========

The Speed investment gives Drifloon 30 Speed after an Unburden boost, enough to outspeed any relevant Choice Scarf Pokemon, even those with 19 Speed. 14 Special Attack prevents rounding down when boosting and the remaining EVs are invested primarily in dDefense, as it is not boosted by Calm Mind.

Usage Tips
========

Drifloon can switch in on a plethora of moves and Pokemon due to its handy immunity to Normal-, Ground-,(AC) and Fighting-type moves. Calm Mind Drifloon is reliant on teammates to aid in stopping the things that can hard counter it, namely Normal- and Dark-types, as well as physical-attackingly offensive Fire-types, which are immune to burns. This set also has some utility beyond simply boosting and sweeping, as access to reliable recovery allows it to switch in multiple times and spread burns.

Team Options
========

A form ofEntry hazard removal is beneficial to sustain Drifloon's longevity and allow it to be used as a utility Pokemon as well as a sweeper. Vullaby, which provides Defog support, resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can cripple opposing walls with Knock Off. Drilbur, which resists Rock- and Electric-type moves, can provide Rapid Spin support and clear away pesky foes with an Earthquake. Pawniard can also make fors a great partner, as its ability to use Knock Off can definitely aid in Drifloon's attempt to sweep the opposing team. It also resists the Dark-, Ghost-,(AC) and Ice-type moves directed at Drifloon and has its Fighting- and Ground-type weaknesses covered by Drifloon.

Baton Pass
########
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Stockpile / Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Will-o-Wisp
move 4: Baton Pass
ability: Unburden
item: Weakness Policy
evs: 36 HP / 164 Def / 84 SpD / 196 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

Drifloon is one of the few Pokemon with access to Stockpile and Baton Pass, as well as Unburden. It's(no apostrophe) fantastic typing, with no quadruple weaknesses, as well asnd immunity to many forms of priority,(RC) makes it one of the best Weakness Policy passers in the tier. Stockpile is the star of the set, as Drifloon becomes bulky enough to survive super- effective(no hyphen) hits after a boost or two, and the dDefense boosts can be Baton Passed. Shadow Ball is a STAB and hasmove with great coverage onagainst most of the tiermetagame, hitting anything that doesn't resist it for large damage coming off of +2 Special Attack. Will-O-Wisp is more efficient than Stockpile for tanking hits, permanently crippling many threats to Drifloon's Baton Pass; however, the passive dDefense boost from Will-O-Wisp cannot be Baton Passed to a teammate.(This is really strangely phrased. I suggest "...however, the benefits of Will-O-Wisp cannot be Baton Passed to a teammate..." It's not like it's actually a Defense boost. It's just sorta...a thing.) Baton Pass allows Drifloon to transfer its defensive and offensive boosts to a teammate. Calm Mind can be used to boost Drifloon's Special Attack, as well as raise itsnd Special Defense and doesn't reveal Weakness Policy. Stockpile is usually much more reliable, however, for raising yourDrifloon's defenses, and Weakness Policy already does a nice job of providing offensive boosts.

Set Details
========

Max Speed investment and a positive nature allows Drifloon to outspeed Pawniard and use Stockpile before it can attack. The remaining EVs are put into bulk, as tanking super effective hits is quite difficult and this Drifloon set's priority is not to sweep, but to support. Unburden lets Drifloon outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in the tiermetagame, and Weakness Policy is a great tool to abuse with Baton Pass and Drifloon's unique typing.

Usage Tips
========

Drifloon's many weaknesses to Ice-, Electric-, Rock-, Dark-, and Ghost- type(no space after "Ghost-") attacks come in handy with this set, and every team has multiple Pokemon that can activate Weakness Policy. Drifloon should generally Stockpile on a predicted switch, unless the switch-in is a faster physical attacker; in that case, Will-O-Wisp is the preferred option. Drifloon can tank weaker Knock Offs and activate its Weakness Policy, but stronger STAB hits can ruin it without sufficient Stockpile boosts or burns. This set is hard-countered by phazers like Whirliwind Munchlax and Roar Hippopotas, although neither of them enjoy being burned, as well as Clear Smog users like Foongus and Koffing, so make sure these are removed before attempting to sweeet up.(Guuuurl, you said early it don't sweep.)

Team Options
========

Rapid Spin or Defog is a necessity, as Drifloon needs every bit of health it can get to tank super effective hits. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark and Ghost weaknesses and can use Knock Off to weaken special walls. Drilbur resists Rock, is immune to Electric, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. In terms of receivers, it's best to have a well-rounded Pokemon that can take hits with Stockpile boosts and dish back with good Speed and Weakness Policy-boosted offenses. Scraggy is one of the best receivers, resisting Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, as well as shrugging off crippling burn and paralysis with Shed Skin, i. It has access to Dragon Dance to help outspeed thingsfast Pokemon and a STAB Drain Punch to keep its health up, as well as being able to beat phazers such as Munchlax and Tyrunt with Fighting moves. It also lures bulky Poison-types with Clear Smog, like Koffing, Trubbish, and Foongus. Lastly, it to Knock Offs their Eviolites, making them much more fragile and easy to removeKO. Pawniard is another optiongood teammate, as it has a STAB Knock Off and can take Dark-, Ghost-, Rock-, and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with near-unresisted STABs and powerful priority in Sucker Punch. Chinchou works well too, taking Electric- and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with good bulk, unresisted coverage in three moves, and access to Agility.

Other Options
========

Status moves can be used, as Hypnosis can be run alongside Substitute to provide an 84% chance of sleep in two turns, and Thunder Wave and Toxic have their merits; however, Will-O-Wisp is usually the superior option to help bolsterprotect Drifloon's sub-par bulk. Explosion is an alternative to Memento or Destiny Bond to heavily damage an opponent and bring in a switch-in, but the other two options are superior due to being able to play around Sucker Punch. Hidden Power Ground destroys Magnemite without Sturdy and still hits Helioptile, but is much weaker against Pawniard. Haze and Clear Smog are options for a support Drifloon set, but Drifloon is fragile without boosts or burns and has trouble switching in repeatedly due to its Stealth Rock weakness, limiting its ability to take boosted attacks. Knock Off can be used to knock offremove an opponents's items and cripple them. Sucker Punch can be used to eliminate other priority users before they beat Drifloon, but most of the priority users that Drifloon fears resist Sucker Punch, like Croagunk, Pawniard, and Stunky. Disable can be used to stop Pokemon such as Porygon and Choice Scarf Pawniard, especially when Drifloon has a Substitute.

Checks & Counters
========

**Bulky Normal-types**: Porygon is one of the hardest counters to Drifloon, as it's immune to Shadow Ball and nodoesn't minding burns at all while threatening itDrifloon with an Ice Beam or Thunder Wave. Munchlax is immune to Shadow Ball, can tank boosted hits, and Whirlwind Drifloon away,(RC) or simply use Pursuit.

**Dark Types-types(add hyphen)**: Dark-types,(RC) in general,(RC) fare well against Drifloon, resisting Shadow Ball and threatening it with STAB Sucker Punch, Knock Off, or Pursuit. None of them enjoy Acrobatics, however, except for Pawniard. Substitute, Destiny Bond, Baton Pass, and Memento give it options to play around Sucker Punch, however.

**Electric Types-types(add hyphen)**: Electric-types can easily switch into an Acrobatics and hit Drifloon with a super effective STAB attack. Shadow Ball can usually put a solid dent into them, but bulkier Electric-types like Chinchou and Magnemite can still check Drifloon.

**Rock Types-types(add hyphen)**: Rock-type Pokemon, such as Nosepass and Tirtouga, can also easily switch into an Acrobatics and proceed to set hazards up or boost. Drifloon can still hit them with Shadow Ball, but most Rock-types have significant bulk and can proceed totake a hit before hitting Drifloon with a STAB Rock-type move.

**Sturdy Users**: Magnemite and Tirtouga resist Acrobatics and have a failsafe in Sturdy, while beingand are are able to OHKO with STAB attacks,(RC) or ,(AC)in Tirtouga's case, threaten wih pririty or to set up.(Both Magnemite and Tirtouga are mentioned in previous checks and counters sections. There are other Pokemon that could have been used here without forcing redundency. Replace these Pokemon with two others that haven't been mentioned and get back to me.)

**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock puts a damper on Drifloon's longevity, limiting the amount of times it can switch in.

Address my comments beneath the Moves section of the Calm Mind set and the Sturdy Users section of Checks and Counters, then spam my wall with YouTube videos of cats and then I'll give you das check.
 
Last edited:

doomsday doink

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Overview
########

Without its signature item, Flying Gem, Drifloon was usually cast aside in Generation 6XY in favor of faster, more powerful Ghost-type threats, such as Misdreavus and Gastly. However, with Misdreavus's ban from the tiermetagame, Drifloon has begun to reemerge as a solidn offensive threat with access to a uniqueseful ability in Unburden(technically its not unique. Treecko and Purrloin get it.)and good typing. It also has an excellent support movepool with moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Baton Pass, Destiny Bond, Memento, Knock Off, and Tailwind. Unfortunately, Drifloon's weakness to Stealth Rock and Knock Off do hamper its capabilities, and its 17 Speed (without Unburden) isn't enough to let it handleoutspeed Gastly and base 19 Speed threats such as Ponyta and Abra.

AcroFloon
########
name: AcroFloon
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Destiny Bond / Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Fighting
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 196 Atk / 116 SpA / 196 Spe
nature: Naive

Moves
========

As the set name states, the bread and butter of the set is Acrobatics, hittings everything that doesn't resist it quite hard. Shadow Ball smacks Rock-, Steel-, and Electric-types that resist Acrobatics as well as outspeeding and KOing Ghost-types that Drifloon outspeeds after an Unburden Boost; Shadow Ball is also the best move to use before UnburdenBerry Juice is activatconsumed. Substitute allows Drifloon to activate Unburden and Berry Juice with ease, avoid status moves,(AC) and play around Sucker Punch users that can threaten Drifloon, such as Pawniard. Hidden Power Fighting allows Drifloon to hit Pawniard and Helioptile, the only Pokemon that resist both Ghost- and Flying-type attacks, as well as being Drifloon's(apostrophe) best option against Aron and Amaura. Will-O-Wisp can be used in the final spot to cripple the Knock Off users that shut down Drifloon. Destiny Bond also remains a good option in order to nab a quick KO on a Pokemon intended to revenge kill Drifloon, and functions wonderfully with the sSpeed increase from Unburden. It's(apostrophe) also a great way to pick off opposing Fletchling checks so that Fletchling can sweep later in the match.


Set Details
========

Max Attack letinvestment allows Drifloon to hit opposing Pokemon hard with Acrobatics, whileand Max Speed and a positive nature lets Drifloon outspeed Pawniard before Unburden and outpace all Choice Scarf and +1 Speed Boost usersPokemon afterwards.(Speed boost Pokemon encompass such a small group, like, three Pokemon: Venipede, Torchic, and Carvanha) A Naive nature and Defense investment allows Drifloon to take common priority attacks better. Berry Juice is Drifloon's main source of recovery and is the best item to activate Unburden. If Hidden Power Fighting is being utilizedchosen for the fourth slot, the EV spread should be changed to 36 HP / 196 Atk / 8 Def / 40 SpA / 8 SpD / 200 Spe.


Usage Tips
========

Drifloon usually has plenty of opportunities to safely switch in onto Normal-, Ground-, Fighting-, and Bug-type attacks. This set excels at late-game sweeping, when bulky Pokemon and strong priority users have been KOed or weakened. However, it can be brought in early-game to neuter its switch-ins with Will-O-Wisp and soften Flying-type resists with Shadow Ball.

Team Options
========

Like most other Flying-type Pokemon, Drifloon appreciates having Stealth Rock off the field, so a Rapid Spin user or Defog user is welcomappreciated. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can use Knock Off to soften up physical walls. Drilbur resists Rock-type moves, is immune to Electric-types, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. Drifloon appreciates Knock Off support to be able to OHKO bulky Pokemon, such as Spritzee.(No correction, I just like how you provided an example. nice) Pawniard resists Ice-, Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves for Drifloon, whileand Drifloon takes Fighting- and Ground-type moves for Pawniard. Scraggy resists Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, and keeps itself healthy with STAB Drain Punch, whileand Drifloon takes Fighting-type moves for Pawniard.Scraggy.(This sentence is about Scraggy, not Pawniard, you nerd.)


Calm Mind
########
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Recycle / Substitute / Will-O-Wisp
ability: Unburden
item: Berry Juice
evs: 116 HP / 184 Def / 36 SpAtk / 4 SpD / 120 Spe(Be sure to get this change here)
nature: Modest

Moves
========

As the name implies, Calm Mind is crucial to theis set, weakenincreasing sboth Special attacksDefense and increasing the power of Drifloon's Shadow Ball. Shadow Ball is Drifloon's STAB attack and has great coverage on its own, only being stopped by Normal- and Dark-typed Pokemon. Recycle allows Drifloon to regain its Berry Juice and continue to boost with Calm Mind, and(Just type) Pokemon. Hidden Power Fighting is to hit both Dark- and Normal-types that do not take damage from Shadow Ball. Recycle allows Drifloon to regain its Berry Juice and continue to boost with Calm Mind. Will-O-Wisp can also be run, and allows Drifloon to patch up its Defense and cripple Normal- and Dark-types, most of which are physical attackers.(This paragraph lacks even a mention of Substitute, despite the fact that it is mentioned even before Will-O-Wisp. Add that and get back to me.)

Set Details
========

The Speed investment gives Drifloon 30 Speed after an Unburden boost, enough to outspeed any relevant Choice Scarf Pokemon, even those with 19 Speed. 14 Special Attack prevents rounding down when boosting and the remaining EVs are invested primarily in dDefense, as it is not boosted by Calm Mind.

Usage Tips
========

Drifloon can switch in on a plethora of moves and Pokemon due to its handy immunity to Normal-, Ground-,(AC) and Fighting-type moves. Calm Mind Drifloon is reliant on teammates to aid in stopping the things that can hard counter it, namely Normal- and Dark-types, as well as physical-attackingly offensive Fire-types, which are immune to burns. This set also has some utility beyond simply boosting and sweeping, as access to reliable recovery allows it to switch in multiple times and spread burns.

Team Options
========

A form ofEntry hazard removal is beneficial to sustain Drifloon's longevity and allow it to be used as a utility Pokemon as well as a sweeper. Vullaby, which provides Defog support, resists Drifloon's Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses and can cripple opposing walls with Knock Off. Drilbur, which resists Rock- and Electric-type moves, can provide Rapid Spin support and clear away pesky foes with an Earthquake. Pawniard can also make fors a great partner, as its ability to use Knock Off can definitely aid in Drifloon's attempt to sweep the opposing team. It also resists the Dark-, Ghost-,(AC) and Ice-type moves directed at Drifloon and has its Fighting- and Ground-type weaknesses covered by Drifloon.

Baton Pass
########
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Stockpile / Calm Mind
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Will-o-Wisp
move 4: Baton Pass
ability: Unburden
item: Weakness Policy
evs: 36 HP / 164 Def / 84 SpD / 196 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

Drifloon is one of the few Pokemon with access to Stockpile and Baton Pass, as well as Unburden. It's(no apostrophe) fantastic typing, with no quadruple weaknesses, as well asnd immunity to many forms of priority,(RC) makes it one of the best Weakness Policy passers in the tier. Stockpile is the star of the set, as Drifloon becomes bulky enough to survive super- effective(no hyphen) hits after a boost or two, and the dDefense boosts can be Baton Passed. Shadow Ball is a STAB and hasmove with great coverage onagainst most of the tiermetagame, hitting anything that doesn't resist it for large damage coming off of +2 Special Attack. Will-O-Wisp is more efficient than Stockpile for tanking hits, permanently crippling many threats to Drifloon's Baton Pass; however, the passive dDefense boost from Will-O-Wisp cannot be Baton Passed to a teammate.(This is really strangely phrased. I suggest "...however, the benefits of Will-O-Wisp cannot be Baton Passed to a teammate..." It's not like it's actually a Defense boost. It's just sorta...a thing.) Baton Pass allows Drifloon to transfer its defensive and offensive boosts to a teammate. Calm Mind can be used to boost Drifloon's Special Attack, as well as raise itsnd Special Defense and doesn't reveal Weakness Policy. Stockpile is usually much more reliable, however, for raising yourDrifloon's defenses, and Weakness Policy already does a nice job of providing offensive boosts.

Set Details
========

Max Speed investment and a positive nature allows Drifloon to outspeed Pawniard and use Stockpile before it can attack. The remaining EVs are put into bulk, as tanking super effective hits is quite difficult and this Drifloon set's priority is not to sweep, but to support. Unburden lets Drifloon outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in the tiermetagame, and Weakness Policy is a great tool to abuse with Baton Pass and Drifloon's unique typing.

Usage Tips
========

Drifloon's many weaknesses to Ice-, Electric-, Rock-, Dark-, and Ghost- type(no space after "Ghost-") attacks come in handy with this set, and every team has multiple Pokemon that can activate Weakness Policy. Drifloon should generally Stockpile on a predicted switch, unless the switch-in is a faster physical attacker; in that case, Will-O-Wisp is the preferred option. Drifloon can tank weaker Knock Offs and activate its Weakness Policy, but stronger STAB hits can ruin it without sufficient Stockpile boosts or burns. This set is hard-countered by phazers like Whirliwind Munchlax and Roar Hippopotas, although neither of them enjoy being burned, as well as Clear Smog users like Foongus and Koffing, so make sure these are removed before attempting to sweeet up.(Guuuurl, you said early it don't sweep.)

Team Options
========

Rapid Spin or Defog is a necessity, as Drifloon needs every bit of health it can get to tank super effective hits. Vullaby resists Drifloon's Dark and Ghost weaknesses and can use Knock Off to weaken special walls. Drilbur resists Rock, is immune to Electric, and has access to a powerful STAB Earthquake to hammer both of them, as well as access to Rapid Spin. In terms of receivers, it's best to have a well-rounded Pokemon that can take hits with Stockpile boosts and dish back with good Speed and Weakness Policy-boosted offenses. Scraggy is one of the best receivers, resisting Dark-, Ghost-, and Rock-type moves, as well as shrugging off crippling burn and paralysis with Shed Skin, i. It has access to Dragon Dance to help outspeed thingsfast Pokemon and a STAB Drain Punch to keep its health up, as well as being able to beat phazers such as Munchlax and Tyrunt with Fighting moves. It also lures bulky Poison-types with Clear Smog, like Koffing, Trubbish, and Foongus. Lastly, it to Knock Offs their Eviolites, making them much more fragile and easy to removeKO. Pawniard is another optiongood teammate, as it has a STAB Knock Off and can take Dark-, Ghost-, Rock-, and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with near-unresisted STABs and powerful priority in Sucker Punch. Chinchou works well too, taking Electric- and Ice-type moves for Drifloon, with good bulk, unresisted coverage in three moves, and access to Agility.

Other Options
========

Status moves can be used, as Hypnosis can be run alongside Substitute to provide an 84% chance of sleep in two turns, and Thunder Wave and Toxic have their merits; however, Will-O-Wisp is usually the superior option to help bolsterprotect Drifloon's sub-par bulk. Explosion is an alternative to Memento or Destiny Bond to heavily damage an opponent and bring in a switch-in, but the other two options are superior due to being able to play around Sucker Punch. Hidden Power Ground destroys Magnemite without Sturdy and still hits Helioptile, but is much weaker against Pawniard. Haze and Clear Smog are options for a support Drifloon set, but Drifloon is fragile without boosts or burns and has trouble switching in repeatedly due to its Stealth Rock weakness, limiting its ability to take boosted attacks. Knock Off can be used to knock offremove an opponents's items and cripple them. Sucker Punch can be used to eliminate other priority users before they beat Drifloon, but most of the priority users that Drifloon fears resist Sucker Punch, like Croagunk, Pawniard, and Stunky. Disable can be used to stop Pokemon such as Porygon and Choice Scarf Pawniard, especially when Drifloon has a Substitute.

Checks & Counters
========

**Bulky Normal-types**: Porygon is one of the hardest counters to Drifloon, as it's immune to Shadow Ball and nodoesn't minding burns at all while threatening itDrifloon with an Ice Beam or Thunder Wave. Munchlax is immune to Shadow Ball, can tank boosted hits, and Whirlwind Drifloon away,(RC) or simply use Pursuit.

**Dark Types-types(add hyphen)**: Dark-types,(RC) in general,(RC) fare well against Drifloon, resisting Shadow Ball and threatening it with STAB Sucker Punch, Knock Off, or Pursuit. None of them enjoy Acrobatics, however, except for Pawniard. Substitute, Destiny Bond, Baton Pass, and Memento give it options to play around Sucker Punch, however.

**Electric Types-types(add hyphen)**: Electric-types can easily switch into an Acrobatics and hit Drifloon with a super effective STAB attack. Shadow Ball can usually put a solid dent into them, but bulkier Electric-types like Chinchou and Magnemite can still check Drifloon.

**Rock Types-types(add hyphen)**: Rock-type Pokemon, such as Nosepass and Tirtouga, can also easily switch into an Acrobatics and proceed to set hazards up or boost. Drifloon can still hit them with Shadow Ball, but most Rock-types have significant bulk and can proceed totake a hit before hitting Drifloon with a STAB Rock-type move.

**Sturdy Users**: Magnemite and Tirtouga resist Acrobatics and have a failsafe in Sturdy, while beingand are are able to OHKO with STAB attacks,(RC) or ,(AC)in Tirtouga's case, threaten wih pririty or to set up.(Both Magnemite and Tirtouga are mentioned in previous checks and counters sections. There are other Pokemon that could have been used here without forcing redundency. Replace these Pokemon with two others that haven't been mentioned and get back to me.)

**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock puts a damper on Drifloon's longevity, limiting the amount of times it can switch in.

Address my comments beneath the Moves section of the Calm Mind set and the Sturdy Users section of Checks and Counters, then spam my wall with YouTube videos of cats and then I'll give you das check.
implemented, nerd
 

Rowan

The professor?
is a Community Leader Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
fixed a couple of formatting errors (Will-O-Wisp > Will-o-Wisp, SpA > SAtk) and uploaded
 

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