Empoleon, The Emperor Pokémon. The three horns that extend from its beak attest to its power. The leader has the biggest horns. It swims as fast as a jet boat. The edges of its wings are sharp and can slice apart drifting ice.
Overview
Empoleon's excellent defensive typing, well-rounded stats and its decent movepool allows it to fulfill plenty of roles in Singles. Its incredible defensive typing and natural bulk allow it to check a multitude of common threats, including Latios, Jirachi and Cloyster. This provides chances for Empoleon to support its team with setting up hazards or removing them. Additionally its decent Special Attack allows it to also go out as an underrated sweeper with Agility. However, while Empoleon's typing is something to be proud of, it leaves him vulnerable to Fighting, Electric and Ground attacks which are very common in Singles. Additionally, without an Agility boost, Empoleon is quite vulnerable to faster Pokemon such as Garchomp that can easily destroy it.
Positives
Empoleon's Water/Steel typing provides Empoleon with 10 resistances and 1 immunity. Coupled with its decent bulk, this allows Empoleon to act as a decent support Pokemon for its party.
Base 111 Special Attack is a very good stat allowing Empoleon to punch some holes with its STAB moves and decent coverage in Ice Beam and Grass Knot.
Negatives
Its base 60 Speed is quite slow as Empoleon is unable to outspeed anything relevant without an Agility boost. This means that faster opponents such as Lucario and Garchomp can easily destroy it with their STABs.
It's weakness to Electric, Ground and Fighting type moves makes it hard for Empoleon to wall threats that carry these offensive attacks as coverage which is worsened by the fact that due to its lack of recovery outside Leftovers, Empoleon cannot replenish the lost HP.
Movesets
Chilly Willy
- Scald
- Stealth Rock
- Defog
- Protect / Roar / Toxic*
Item Attached: Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 76 Def / 180 SpD
Calm Nature
Empoleon's excellent defensive typing coupled with its decent natural bulk allows it to perform as a hazard setter & remover finding plenty of opportunities of supporting its team. Scald is the most reliable STAB Empoleon gets access to while having a good chance of burning a potential switch-in. Empoleon is a decent user of Stealth Rock since it can take advantage of its typing to set up on foes such as Jirachi and Weavile. Additionally, it can also pressure setters such as Hippowdon which allows it to be a decent Defogger as well. Protect allows Empoleon to gain some extra recovery from Leftovers due to its lack of instant recovery. Every small percentage of HP counts so be sure you don't let the opponent take advantage of it. Roar allows Empoleon to phaze threats such as Calm Mind Latias while forcing the opponent to rack on Stealth Rock damage. Once HOME support is released for BDSP, Toxic should be one of the main moves as it allows Empoleon to hinder threats like Milotic and Vaporeon who would otherwise wall this set.
DYNAMAX:
Empoleon is unable to Dynamax at this time
EVs and Items:
Max HP and 76 Defense prevents Pokemon such as Flygon to OHKO with Earthquake. The rest goes into Special Defense allowing Empoleon to survive an onslaught of Draco Meteors from the likes of Lati@s while taking advantage of its fantastic defensive typing. Empoleon desperately needs to recover its lost HP so Leftovers is the only option for this set.
Other Options:
Empoleon can run an Agility set with Hydro Pump, Ice Beam and Grass Knot just like in the good ol' days of Gen 4 but this set would be extremely outdated and Empoleon would struggle with the new abilities such as Multiscale. Additionally, without a boost to its special attack, it wouldn't be able to get past defensive walls like Blissey.
Partners:
Empoleon appreciates partners that can cover for its weaknesses due to how vulnerable it is to faster opponents. Dragonite combines very well with Empoleon as it heavily appreciates Empoleon's Defog support to prevent its Multiscale from being broken while the hazard support allows it to obtain OHKOs with Stealth Rock support. Salamence is also on a similar vein and it can take advantage of the hazard support with Moxie and a Choice Scarf. Wish support from the likes of Clefable is heavily appreciated due to its lack of recovery. Gliscor deserves a special mention as thanks to its Ground and Flying typing, they cover each other weaknesses into perfection and Gliscor can either stallbreak or support its team alongside Empoleon. Garchomp is also a decent partner as it can easily destroy any Electric type that comes close to Empoleon with its STAB Earthquake.
Countering Empoleon
Blissey laughs at whatever Empoleon can do rendering useless throughout the match. It can either use Empoleon as set-up fodder to lay down hazards and recover from Toxic with Natural Care.
Faster Fighting types and Ground types like Infernape, Garchomp and Lucario will easily OHKO Empoleon with their STAB moves but they must be wary of switching into its Scald as none of them will either appreciate getting hit by it or being burned by Scald.
Electric types such as Zapdos and Raikou can easily beat Empoleon. Zapdos' fantastic Special Attack allows it to punish Empoleon with Thunderbolt while being able to remove its hazards with Defog. Raikou can set up Calm Mind on Empoleon and threaten it with its STAB Thunderbolt as well.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in game
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in game
Colosseum/XD:
Not in game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Evolve Prinplup
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Trade from Diamond/Pearl/Platinum
Black/White:
Transfer from Generation 4
Black 2/White 2:
Transfer from Generation 4
X/Y:
Trade from Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Evolve Prinplup
Sun/Moon:
Trade from Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Evolve Prinplup
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game
Sword/Shield:
Not in game
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl:
Evolve Prinplup
Anime Appearences
