What is a good moveset for Armaldo?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Armaldo, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some explanation, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Armaldo Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Armaldo @ Life Orb
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- X-Scissor
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Swords Dance boosts its already high attack.
X-Scissor is STAB and hits Psychic Grass and Dark types hard.
Stone Edge is STAB as well and hits Fire Flying and Bug types, helping out X-Scissor.
Earthquake rounds out the coverage, and hits Steel types hard and is a powerful neutral attack against Fighting types.

Comments

I like it :D

Answer 2

Armaldo (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 196 HP / 60 Atk / 252 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Curse
- Block
- Rock Slide / Rest
- X-Scissor / Rest

If you can pull it off, this set works amazingly.
Running 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD also works well.
First you use Block, this will trap your opponent. The goal is to trap a Pokemon who can't do anything but set up on you, or who has a general offensive disadvantage when attacking you. The first situation is probably more likely.
Next, now that you've trapped a helpless opponent, you can set up Curse.
It's important to choose an opponent that you can take enough hits from to be able to safely rest off that damage. Next you have your choice of STAB, and Rest to heal off damage. +6 X-Scissor / Rock Slide is normally going to hurt.

Comments

curse with adamant nature? i dont see why you dont use swords dance, instead of handicapping your own mon

Answer 3

Role: Offensive Utility

Master (Armaldo)@ Lum Berry / Life Orb
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Blast / Stone Edge
- Knock Off / Stealth Rock
- Earthquake / Aqua Tail

Explanation

Armaldo's niche in NU and PU is that it has access to Rapid Spin, making it one of the few viable Spinners. With access to both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, you could call Armaldo, the Excadrill of PU.
Rock Blast is used for dealing with Focus Sash users, but Stone Edge can also be used for more reliable power.
Knock Off can be used to get rid of opposing Pokemon's items. On the other hand, Stealth Rocks is a good entry hazard if you don't have an SR setter.
Earthquake deals with Rock-types and Steel-types that Armaldo would struggle against. Aqua Tail helps deal with Rock-types and Ground-types, which Armaldo also struggles with. It's your choice.

(Note: Lum Berry can be used to absorb major Statuses, such as Burn, Toxic, and more. This is important because it allows him to take a Toxic Status from Toxic Spikes and Rapid Spin them away. For this reason, Lum Berry allows him to beat T-Spikes users, such as Roselia and Garbador. Life Orb can also be used for extra-power and you should only use it if you have a cleric / heal bell user on your team.)

Answer 4

Gen 8 ZU

Armaldo @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- X-Scissor
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake

Stone Edge is STAB. X-Scissor is also STAB. Rapid Spin allows you to clear away entry hazards on your side. Earthquake is to hit steel types who resist Armaldo's other 3 attacks.

Answer 5

Armaldo (M) @Focus Sash
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Aqua Tail
- Rock Blast
- Earthquake

Answer 6

Armaldo @ Left Overs
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stone Edge
- X-Scissor
- Aqua Jet
- Curse

Stone Edge have good power plus STAB and X-Scissor have good power else will. Aqua Jet is power up by curse plus this move go first and don't have to worry about speed and cover rock weakness.

Answer 7

Armaldo @ Metronome
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature / Adamant Nature
- Fury Cutter
- Hone Claws
- Rock Blast
- Superpower

Fury Cutter (STAB, boosted by Metronome and HC!)
Hone Claws (Used to raise accuracy of FC and RB to 100%, and to raise Attack back up after using SP)
Rock Blast (STAB, low base power neutralized by Met. and HC)
Superpower (coverage)

Answer 8

Armaldo is pretty good in attack. Though what it lacks in is speed. We're going to be fixing that by doing...
Trick Room Armaldo.

Armaldo @ Choice Band / Hard Stone
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stone Edge
- X-Scissor
- Earthquake
- Superpower / Cross Poison / Aqua Jet

Make sure to pair this with a Trick Room Pokemon, or next to Armaldo in doubles. Stone Edge is for huge Rock STAB and has a higher chance for critical hits. X-Scissor is Bug STAB. Earthquake is well, Earthquake. Why wouldn't you put Earthquake on a Pokemon that can learn it? Earthquake is for Rock and Steel coverage. The last option is up to you. Superpower is for big damage, Cross Poison is an option for fairy types, and Aqua Jet is for when Trick Room runs out and you need priority.

(another set will be coming soon)

Comments

You wouldn't put e quake in sceptile.

Answer 9

Armaldo @ Leftovers
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off
- Earthquake

Stone Edge (STAB)
Rapid Spin (get rid of entry hazards)
Knock Off (for Ghost types)
Earthquake (coverage)

Answer 10

Armaldo @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- X-Scissor
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Liquidation

Other option:
- Rock Polish (Boost speed)
- Sword dance (Boost Atk)
- Hone Claws (Boost Atk, Acc, work well with stone edge)
- Brick Break (Strong+Coverage)

Comments

this mans got movesets on deck

---

how do you have 4 stab moves

---

Earthquake isn’t STAB tho lmao

---

Neither is Liquidation. I think that was the point, right?

Answer 11

Gen 8 SwSh Monotype (Bug)

Armaldo @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge

This is basically the SM Monotype set on Smogon, but with a different EV spread and a different item. Armaldo provides role compression as a Stealth Rock setter while also being a hazard spinner for bug type teams. Stealth Rock is for a hazard that chips opposing Pokemon. Rapid Spin allows you to clear away entry hazards on your side. Knock Off provides good utility by removing items from opposing Pokemon and also allows you to punish ghost types switching in to spinblock you. Stone Edge is for rock STAB. Heavy Duty Boots allows you to become a spinner that isn't weak to Stealth Rock. Since this set doesn't have Leftovers for passive recovery, you should send Armaldo out sparingly.

Answer 12

Armaldo @ Choice Band
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 224 HP / 128 Atk / 156 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Rock Blast
- Knock Off
- Earthquake / Rock Slide
- X-Scissor / Fury Cutter / Superpower

Explanation:
(Doubles Format)
HP EV allows Armaldo tank effectively, while SpD EV offers Bulk on par with physical defense. Knock Off is the best Dark move in the game. Rock Blast is to break sashes. I was going to mention Ancient Power in this build, but that would involve explaining my EV spread to you like if you're 5 years old, so we're going full-attack now. Last move is for KOs, people go for Superpower but I don't like dropping my own stats.

Ability Explanation:
Battle Armor should be the only ability you opt for, as Armaldo is bad against Rain Teams. Swift Swim Armaldo (if you must to use it) should be strictly a Sunny Day user with Jolly Nature and maximum speed investment, fyi.

Goes without saying, this is for a Trick Room team. k bye. >_>

Comments

Please post movesets in Showdown! importable syntax, as they are easier to read and look nicer.

---

Why Fury Cutter?

Answer 13

Armaldo @ Weakness Policy / Life Orb
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpD or 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Superpower / Low Kick / Brick Break
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide
- Liquidation
- Stomping Tantrum / Earthquake

So this moveset is mainly for doubles, superpower,low kick, and brick break for tyranitar and steel’s, stone edge/rock slide for stab, liquidation for coverage, and stomping tantrum/earthquake for coverage as well, this set is mainly paired with a sand stream user, mainly tyranitar but also gigalith, weakness policy is used as armaldo dynamaxes and gigalith uses flash cannon on Armaldo to activate weakness policy, life orb is an alternative for singles and a more consistent option.