Base Stats: 70 HP | 110 Atk | 80 Def | 95 SpA | 60 SpD | 70 Spe
Abilities: Ripen* | Gluttony | Hustle (HA)
Level-Up Moves:
[00] - Wing Attack
[00] - Recycle
[00] - Withdraw
[00] - Astonish
[00] - Growth
[00] - Twister
[04] - Acid Spray
[08] - Acrobatics
[12] - Leech Seed
[16] - Protect
[20] - Dragon Breath
[24] - Dragon Dance
[32] - Grav Apple*
[36] - Iron Defense
[40] - Fly
[44] - Dragon Rush
Technical Machines:
[TM06] - Fly
[TM08] - Hyper Beam
[TM09] - Giga Impact
[TM11] - Solar Beam
[TM21] - Rest
[TM24] - Snore
[TM25] - Protect
[TM26] - Scary Face
[TM28] - Giga Drain
[TM31] - Attract
[TM34] - Sunny Day
[TM39] - Facade
[TM50] - Bullet Seed
[TM56] - U-turn
[TM76] - Round
[TM78] - Acrobatics
[TM95] - Air Slash
Technical Records:
[TR13] - Focus Energy
[TR20] - Substitute
[TR24] - Outrage
[TR26] - Endure
[TR27] - Sleep Talk
[TR46] - Iron Defense
[TR51] - Dragon Dance
[TR59] - Seed Bomb
[TR62] - Dragon Pulse
[TR65] - Energy Ball
[TR77] - Grass Knot
[TR79] - Heavy Slam
Egg Moves:
- Sucker Punch
- Rollout
- Defense Curl
- Recycle
Move Tutor:
- Draco Meteor
[00] - Wing Attack
[00] - Recycle
[00] - Withdraw
[00] - Astonish
[00] - Growth
[00] - Twister
[04] - Acid Spray
[08] - Acrobatics
[12] - Leech Seed
[16] - Protect
[20] - Dragon Breath
[24] - Dragon Dance
[32] - Grav Apple*
[36] - Iron Defense
[40] - Fly
[44] - Dragon Rush
Technical Machines:
[TM06] - Fly
[TM08] - Hyper Beam
[TM09] - Giga Impact
[TM11] - Solar Beam
[TM21] - Rest
[TM24] - Snore
[TM25] - Protect
[TM26] - Scary Face
[TM28] - Giga Drain
[TM31] - Attract
[TM34] - Sunny Day
[TM39] - Facade
[TM50] - Bullet Seed
[TM56] - U-turn
[TM76] - Round
[TM78] - Acrobatics
[TM95] - Air Slash
Technical Records:
[TR13] - Focus Energy
[TR20] - Substitute
[TR24] - Outrage
[TR26] - Endure
[TR27] - Sleep Talk
[TR46] - Iron Defense
[TR51] - Dragon Dance
[TR59] - Seed Bomb
[TR62] - Dragon Pulse
[TR65] - Energy Ball
[TR77] - Grass Knot
[TR79] - Heavy Slam
Egg Moves:
- Sucker Punch
- Rollout
- Defense Curl
- Recycle
Move Tutor:
- Draco Meteor
Notable Moves:
- Leech Seed
- Dragon Dance
- Grav Apple*
- Fly
- Dragon Rush
- Giga Drain
- U-Turn
- Acrobatics
- Air Slash
- Outrage
- Dragon Pulse
- Heavy Slam
- Sucker Punch
- Recycle
- Draco Meteor
- Substitute
* - This is a new attribute introduced in this generation
Italics - This move has STAB (Same type attack bonus)
New Attributes (Abilities and Moves):
Ripen - Ripens berries and doubles their effects
This description will be updated once we determine the effect of "ripened berries" in battle as this may be irrelevant to competitive play.
Description - The user inflicts damage by dropping an apple from high above. This also lowers the target's Defense stat.
Physical | 80 Base Power | 100 Accuracy
100% Chance to Drop Defense by 1 stage
Physical | 80 Base Power | 100 Accuracy
100% Chance to Drop Defense by 1 stage
Pros:
- Flapple (and its split evolution Appletun) have a unique typing due to the fact that Mega Sceptile has been stopped by Galar border patrol. Its grass typing grants it immunity to Leech Seed and the Grass / Dragon combination has a healthy dose of 4x resistances being Water, Electric, and Grass.
- Grav Apple is a new signature move which is a glorified seed bomb with the additional effect of wearing down targets with the guaranteed defense drop.
- Ripen is a new signature ability that allows it to abuse the effects of berries by doubling the power of typically situational effects. This is the most unpredictable aspect of Flapple since berries can be used offensively to boost stats, or defensively to provide a significant amount of recovery which is are renewable with Recycle.
Cons:
- Flapple's stats are surprisingly average aside from its barely above average attack stat. Because of this, Flapple relies on it's ability to boost its stats using Dragon Dance to serve as any sort of offensive threat.
- To Flapple's further detriment, it's movepool is incredibly shallow having few options outside of non-optimal STAB options. As a result, Flapple will struggle to break types that resist both of its STAB types, notably steel.
- Flapple's typing still has something to be desired given by it's glaring 4x weakness to the commonly offensive ice typing and weaknesses to dragon and fairy, both common offensive types as well.
Dynamax/Gigantamax Potential:
- Flapple is graced with a Gigantamax form meaning you don't necessarily need to Dynamax. Gigantamax provides a truly unique option while Dynamax provides Grassy Terrain bonuses from G-Max Overgrowth which boost Flapple's spammable grass-type attacks.
- Through Gigantamax, Flapple gains access to a unique grass-type G-Max move called G-Max Tartness, which reduces the opponent's evasiveness by 1 stage. This is useful for boosting accuracy on a single opponent in the event you are using Dragon Rush or opting for Hustle.
- Flapple's limited coverage gains more traction as G-Max moves yield additional benefits.
- Flapple has very mediocre stats, but has access to Dragon Dance, a new move that weakens the opponent as it is spammed, and a unique ability that allows it to get significant benefits from any berry. Gigantamax gives Flapple extra needed bulk to set-up Dragon Dances as well as extra chances for pinch-type berry activation.
- There are currently many better Pokemon to Dynamax or Gigantamax at the current moment as Flapple's G-Max move has limited usefulness since it decreases evasion of opponents rather than boosting Flapple's own accuracy. Flapple's only other selling points are the novelty of a new ability and its typing offering quad resistances to a decent number of common types.
Potential Movesets:
Flapple @ Kee Berry/Maranga Berry
Ability: Ripen
EVs: 252 Atk / 248 HP / 8 Def
Adamant Nature
- Grav Apple
- Acrobatics
- Outrage/Draco Meteor
- Dragon Dance
This Flapple utilizes a similar strategy as Electric Seed Hawlucha to boost it's defenses and give a little more stability while Flapple Dragon Dances. A Kee Berry boosts defense by +2 when getting hit by a physical move and Maranga Berry boosts special defense by +2 when getting hit by a special move. Flapple prefers to get hit on the physical side with the Kee Berry due to its slightly higher physical defenses. Draco Meteor is a one time nuke that may surprise physical walls, Outrage is powerful dragon STAB after a Dragon Dance or two and once the berry activates, Acrobatics becomes a base 110 flying move that can also raise Flapple's speed as a G-Max move. Grav Apple is always Flapple's spam move of choice due to its decent damage output after Dragon Dance and its ability to weaken opponents as it is spammed.
While not explicitly noted, a Careful (Maranga) or Impish (Kee) nature may also be used with an EV spread along the lines of 248 HP / 252 SpD or Def / 8 Atk if a bulkier Dragon Dance set is preferred.
Flapple @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Ripen
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Naive/Rash/Naughty Nature
- Grav Apple/Giga Drain
- Draco Meteor/Dragon Pulse
- Acrobatics/Air Slash
- Substitute
An interesting take on a mixed/special Flapple set. Use substitute to reduce Flapple's own HP to a point where Petaya Berry will activate twice granting Flapple +2 Special Attack, the equivalent of a Nasty Plot boost, in addition to activating Acrobatics 2x damage clause. Grav Apple should generally be a go-to STAB move before Petaya activates after which Draco Meteor can become a one time nuke after Petaya boost. If the -2 SpA form Draco Meteor is too detrimental, Dragon Pulse and Air Slash are Flapple's options for consistent damage output at +2 SpA. Giga Drain is also usable in place of Grav Apple if Flapple wants to go fully special or have a way to regain HP. Note that this set suffers from Flapple's mediocre speed as there is no way to boost it without spending a moveslot on Dragon Dance other than Gigantamaxing and then using one of the G-Max flying moves for the speed boost.
Flapple @ Aguav Berry/Sitrus Berry
Ability: Ripen
EVs: 252 Atk / 248 HP / 8 Spe
Adamant/Naughty Nature
- Grav Apple
- Dragon Rush/Outrage/Draco Meteor
- Dragon Dance/U-turn
- Recycle/Acrobatics
A more unique set that I'd like to try that takes advantage of the massive benefit that Ripen grants. Although Aguav/Figy/Iapapa/etc. berries have been nerfed this generation and only heal 33% as opposed to 50% HP as they did in generations past, Ripen boosts the effects of these berries to be equivalent to Moonlight/Morning Sun in sunlight or Shore-up in sandstorm. Sitrus Berry is a bit more stable, activating at 50% HP as opposed to 25% meaning Flapple's HP won't need to be so low to get its healing, but healing only 50% instead of 66%.
Grav Apple is Flapple's go-to STAB move as it has a guaranteed defense drop and a decent base power. If you intend to Gigantamax, Dragon Rush can be utilized to abuse the evasiveness drop that G-Max Tartness provides as it is Flapple's strongest available STAB move that does not lock it in. Otherwise, Outrage accomplishes the same task with the weakness being that it locks Flapple into Outrage and confuses it afterwards. Dragon Dance is a fantastic status move that boosts Flapple's usable attack stat and speed stats to a more threatening level. U-turn is also a potential option for this slot if Flapple wants to go with a pivot set instead of a boosting one. Recycle can renew the effects of the Aguav berry, so that the huge 66% heal is not a one-off effect. If renewing the Aguav berry loses too much momentum, Recycle is replaceable with Acrobatics which can serve as a method of boosting Flapple's speed stat during Gigantamax and serve as a powerful coverage move after the Aguav berry is consumed and Flapple has boosted up with Dragon Dances.
Overall, this kind of set is likely suited better for Appletun, the opposite evolution for Flapple, but Flapple has the unique ability to boost with Dragon Dance or pivot with U-turn along with recycling it's healing potential. The EV spread can most likely be tuned to maximize bulk while still making the most of Flapple's best stats.
Flapple @ Choice Scarf/Choice Band/Life Orb
Ability: Hustle
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Jolly Nature
- Grav Apple
- Dragon Rush/Outrage
- U-turn/Dragon Dance
- Fly
This seems like it may be a go-to set for Flapple if the intention is to Dynamax or Gigantamax it. G-Max moves do not miss which mitigates the -20% accuracy that Hustle gives in exchange for a 50% attack boost. Dynamax/Gigantamax Fly boosts Flapple's speed to a usable level. Choice Scarf gives Flapple a usable speed tier upon switch-in while Choice Band can push Flapple's damage on top of Hustle. Life Orb gives some extra damage on top of Hustle without the lock downside which is preferable if Flapple is not planning on Dynamaxing/Gigantamaxing. Dragon Dance works in place of U-turn if opting for Life Orb.
To be honest, I do not yet understand how Choice items re-lock Flapple after the Dynamax/Gigantamax is over, but if the player has the option to change which move Flapple is locked into after the Max ends, then it may be a potential gimmick to lock yourself into Dragon Dance upon switching in and then Max out to un-choice-lock Flapple, and then beat down with a different move after the Max wears off.
Conclusion:
Overall, Flapple is an interesting new addition with access to a unique ability that pushes the power of held berries to a new level. However, Flapple suffers from mediocre stats and a lack of coverage moves which makes it difficult to fully abuse its great ability. Most of Flapple's potential sets have redundant move options due to the general lack of options it has, but still may be able to surprise players with the diverse collection of berries it can choose from to take advantage of its ability.
Hustle is most likely not worth the accuracy drop due to Flapple's dragon STAB being limited to Outrage and the already inaccurate Dragon Rush as well as its benefit not really standing up to the uniqueness provided by Ripen.
Flapple also definitely suffers from 4 moveslot syndrome as it as access to a wide variety of great status moves as a grass-type that it cannot fully put to use. Flapple is not bulky enough to make use of a stally Leech Seed + Aguav Berry type set and the pinch berry sets probably rely too heavily on Substitute as a way to artificially lower Flapple's own HP so that the berries will activate. Flapple also has access to priority through Sucker Punch as well as steel coverage through Heavy Slam; however, Sucker Punch is often not worth the moveslot since Dragon Dance is often a better way to alleviate Flapple's lower than average speed and Heavy Slam is hard countered by Dynamax limiting its general usefulness.
In general, Flapple is more offensively oriented as opposed to its chonkier cousin Appletun, but still suffers from poor coverage as evidenced by its limited movepool and coverage options. However, similarly to Appletun as well, Flapple's typing is pretty decent defensively with unique 4x resistances to Water, Electric, and Grass type attacks in addition to the fact that Hidden Power [Ice] is no longer a roadblock in spite of the 4x weakness to Ice.
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