Qwilfish, The Balloon Pokémon. The small spikes covering its body developed from scales. They inject a toxin that causes fainting. To fire its poison spikes, it must inflate its body by drinking over 2.6 gallons of water all at once. It shoots the poison spines on its body in all directions. Its round form makes it a poor swimmer.

Overview

Qwilfish is one of my all time favourite Pokémon. I don't know why, it is just awesome. It is mostly regarded as an inferior Kabutops, which is far from the truth. Qwilfish has great usability in UU and even OU thanks to a nice typing, good offence, nice Speed, and general coolness. .

Ability

Swift Swim: primary ability for the majority of Qwilfish's sets. Doubles Speed when in the rain, which combined with Swords Dance and a Water move is devastating.

Poison Point: not really a very good ability, especially in comparison to Swift Swim.

Move Sets

Swordfish

- Swords Dance
- Waterfall
- Explosion
- Poison Jab
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

Swordfish is all I could think of. It'll do... anyway, this requires rain support to be used, so only consider it for a dedicated rain team. Swords Dance boosts that already nice Attack to power up your main move, Waterfall. Combined with STAB, Life Orb, Swords Dance and rain, Waterfall will be hitting ridiculously hard. Explosion is your standard suicide move, but is always useful, as it hits like a truck on virtually anything. Poison Jab covers most of the types that resist Water, which really helps out and, even though it isn't boosted by the rain, still hits really nicely.

Storm Support Sushi

- Rain Dance
- Waterfall
- Explosion / Destiny Bond
- Taunt / Poison Jab
Item Attached: Damp Rock / Focus Sash
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

Made as a lead, and designed to get Rain Dance set up for the rest of the team. Waterfall is your standard attack on any set, and it is still a great attack even without Swords Dance. Explosion is amazing as ever, a great suicide move, perfect for taking a Pokémon down with Qwilfish when it has done its job. Destiny Bond is another option for a suicide move, but they both work. Taunt stops other taunters, Stealth Rock, stuff like that. However, Poison Jab is another good move which has great coverage with Waterfall.

This Sushi Is Band

- Waterfall
- Poison Jab
- Explosion
- Aqua Jet
Item Attached: Choice Band
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

Although not an ideal Choice Bander, Qwilfish can still be effective. Waterfall and Poison Jab are your standard STAB moves, both strong and reliable. Explosion is the powerful suicide move, taking out pretty much everything. Aqua Jet works as a priority move and as a way of revenge killing.

Pin Cushion

- Spikes
- Waterfall
- Explosion / Destiny Bond
- Poison Jab / Taunt
Item Attached: Leftovers
Ability: Poison Point
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

Another supporting set. Spikes is a great move and a really useful part of any team. Waterfall is Qwilfish's standard way of attacking. Explosion or Destiny Bond for a suicide move, I prefer Explosion personally. Poison Jab is another attack which also works well with Waterfall, but you could opt for Taunt if you wanted to.

Qwilfish Is Clearly No Flailer At Dancing

- Rain Dance
- Swords Dance
- Flail
- Waterfall
Item Attached: Focus Sash
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

Flailer. Failure. Get it? It has two dances on this set, although sadly neither is the macarena. This is an interesting set. You have to play perfectly to get it to work, as well as get lucky. Use Rain Dance or Swords Dance on the switch, then hope they use an attack strong enough to take you done to 1 HP to let the Focus Sash kick in. Flail has amazing base power at 1 HP and partners up really well with Waterfall, which makes yet another appearance on this set.

EVs and Nature:

Swordfish
Big boy offence here, no reason for anything else.

Storm Support Sushi
Meant as a suicide lead, so just go all out offence.

This Sushi Is Band
God this is going to be monotonous and boring to read. No reason for anything other than 252 Attack, 252 Speed.

Pin Cushion
Qwilfish needs some bulk for this set, so max HP. Speed isn't needed. Max Attack to give your attacks more of a bite.

Qwilfish Is Clearly No Flailer At Dancing
Yawn... max Attack, max Speed. Nothing interesting here.

Other Options

Aqua Tail, Thunder Wave, Toxic Spikes

Aqua Tail is an option over Waterfall on any set, but the decrease in accuracy can really mess you up.

Thunder Wave could be used on a bulky support Qwilfish, as Thunder Wave is a fairly amazing move.

Toxic Spikes are an option over Spikes on the Pin Cushion set, if you would rather deal status damage than switch in damage..

Countering Qwilfish

Toxicroak is a good counter due to immunity to Water and resistance to Poison. However, it can't hit Qwilfish back very effectively. Quagsire is great for the same reasons, but it can kill Qwilfish with a strong Earthquake. Bulky Waters in general are good counters. Miltoic, Lanturn, Gastrodon, Lapras, those kind of Pokémon are fine for countering Qwilfish. Bulky Grass types can work, but mainly Cradily. Qwilfish is also a victim of revenge killing, but only if the rain isn't up. Qwilfish is pretty frail, so any strong neutral attack will be laying the hurt. However, just to make this clear... Qwilfish is uncounterable in terms of awesome. Absolutely uncounterable.

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Trade from FRC Colosseum/XD Snagged from Hunter Doken in Pyrite Town (Col.) Trade from FRC (XD) Fire Red/Leaf Green Five Isle Meadow, Green Path, Memorial Pillar, Outcast Island, Resort Gorgeous, Tanoby Ruins, Trainer Tower, Water Labyrinth, Water Path (FireRed) Trade from FRC (LeafGreen) Diamond/Pearl/Platinum Iron Mountain HeartGold/SoulSilver Route 12, Route 13, Route 32

Animé Appearences

Qwilfish has had a handful of Animé Appearences. Most of its appearances were in underwater schools of Pokémon, although Misty faced one in the Whirl Cup. Episode 218: Dueling Heroes Pikachu's Winter Vacation: Snorlax Snowmen The Legend of Thunder Heroes - Latios & Latias Episode 258: Just Add Water Pokémon Ranger & The Temple of the Sea Giratina & The Sky Warrior Episode 581: Hold the Phione