What is a good moveset for Tangrowth?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Tangrowth, 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.

Tangrowth Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Hidden Power [Fire]

Pretty much the OU set of Tangrowth. Giga Drain is obligatory STAB, nailing the Water Types that run around(Rotom-W, Mega Gyarados, Suicune, and other things.) Knock Off works great with Tangrown, pretty much nailing any switch in to it, and removing its item (unless a Mega.) Earthquake also pairs well with a Grass type such as Tangrowth in OU, destroying Steel types on the switch, most notably Heatran. And last but not least, HP Ice. Mainly there as coverage against the Pokemon 4x weak to Ice (Landorus, Garchomp, Dragonite, Gliscor), but one can opt to go for HP Fire to nail Ferrothorn and Scizor, if you have the former Mons covered.

Answer 2

Tangrowth @ Leftovers
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 92 HP / 188 SpA / 68 SpD / 160 Spe
Modest Nature
- Sunny Day
- Solar Beam
- Growth
- Synthesis

A complete Sunny Day sweeper! Solar Beam hits 1st turn in sun, Growth doubles Atk and SAtk in sun, Synthesis heals 3/4 HP in sun, and don't forget that Chlorophyll doubles speed in sun!

Answer 3

Tangrowth this. Tangrowth that. Time to show some appreciation to Tangela.

Gen 8 ZU

Tangela @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Toxic / Sleep Powder
- Leech Seed / Synthesis

Giga Drain is STAB and is for healing. Knock Off is to remove the opposing Pokémon's item. You can use Toxic to poison the opposing Pokémon to put them on a timer. You could use Sleep Powder instead if you'd rather put Pokemon to sleep. Leech Seed is to steal some of your opponent's HP. Synthesis can be used instead of Leech Seed. You can use Tangela with a Pokemon that can use Stealth Rock, so Tangela's Knock Off can annoy fire and flying types switching in, who hate having their Heavy-Duty Boots being removed and Stealth Rock is on their side.

Answer 4

Gen V

Tangrowth (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 128 Def / 128 SAtk / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Giga Drain
- Stun Spore
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Focus Blast

Comments

why focus blast? hidden power covers ice types.
edit: also try using sunny day instead of stun spore to make use of chlorophyll and boost hidden powers damage.

Answer 5

Sun sweeper:

Tangrowth @ Leftovers
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Growth
- Solar Beam / Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Focus Blast / Ancient Power

Growth boosts Special Attack (and Attack but that is not important here) by 2 stages in the sun. Solar Beam is powerful STAB while Giga Drain is healing STAB. Hidden Power [Fire] is coverage and is boosted by the sun. Focus Blast is coverage while Ancient Power is for some coverage that can boost all stats for some fun.

Answer 6

Tangela @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD
Bold Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Leech Seed
- Substitute
- Giga Drain

Eviolite is to boost Tangela's decent defenses even higher, the EVs are for bulk, Bold is to make Tangela a physical wall. Sleep Powder is to put the opponent to sleep. Leech Seed is to drain the foe's HP away. Substitute makes this a SubSeed set and with Regenerator you can set up Substitutes as long as you want. Giga Drain is to heal and it's STAB.

Comments

sub? Y not protect

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SubSeed...

Answer 7

Bulky kind of fast special sweeper with sun

Tangrowth @ Heat Rock
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SpA / 128 HP / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
- Sunny Day
- Solar Beam
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Synthesis

He starts by using Sunny Day, which doubles his speed because of Chlorophyll. Then he can use Solar Beam (Now taking one turn because of sunlight) or Hidden Power (Which is powered up because of sunlight). And when his health gets low, he uses Synthesis (Which restores ⅔ of it's maximum HP instead of half because of sunlight). So overall, he has quite a lot of power, and a reliable way to restore health quickly.

But, he won't be much use if the foe has Air Lock or Cloud Nine, so you should make sure to defeat Pokemon with those abilities first with other Pokemon on your team.

Answer 8

SLOW, PAINFUL DEATH BY NOODLES

Tangrowth @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def
Sassy Nature
- Leech Seed
- Infestation
- Toxic
- Giga Drain

This thing is NOT dying. Trap with Infestation, chip away HP with Toxic, and provide a constant drain with Leech Seed. Toxic boosts the power of Leech Seed, getting you more and more HP per turn. Giga Drain keeps up your HP.

Comments

When suddenly, Venusaur.

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When suddenly, switch to Talonflame. Or kill Venusaur before sending Tangrowth in.

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Lol yeah. I just wanted to point out that Venusaur is a competitive Pokemon that would wreck this set.

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Yep, I gotcha.

Answer 9

Gen V Set for Tangela:

Tangela (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sleep Powder
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Leech Seed

Answer 10

Tangrowth @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator / Leaf Guard
EVs: 252 Def / 180 HP / 78 SpD
Bold Nature
- Amnesia
- Leech Seed
- Sleep Powder / Toxic
- Giga Drain

Amnesia is for boosting that terrible Special Defense. Leech Seed is for stalling and healing. Sleep Powder gives you more time to heal/boost, while Toxic is for more stalling. Giga Drain is STAB and healing.

Answer 11

This thing is one of the most beastly walls in RU, possessing more physical bulk than Skarmory, access to Leech Seed and Sleep Powder, the highly covered ability Regenerator, along with a good STAB in Power Whip and a decent Atk stat to use it.

Tangrowth @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Atk
Bold Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Insane bulk, the ability to SleepSeed, a great STAB, and HP Fire to take down Ferroseeds and grass type and bug type switch ins. What more does he need?

Answer 12

For use on a Sun team:

Tangrowth @ Big Root / Leftovers
Ability: Leaf Guard
EVs: 252 SpD / 252 HP / 4 SpA
Calm Nature
- Grassy Terrain / Hidden Power [Fire]
- Giga Drain
- Leech Seed
- Ingrain / Synthesis

Grassy Terrain / HP Fire - I DO know that Grassy Terrain heals the other team to, but the 50% boost to Grass type (STAB in this case) moves helps a lot. HP Fire is for coverage and gets boosted by the sun.

Giga Drain - STAB, also more healing

Leech Seed - I like this for wearing down, also for even more heals

Ingrain / Synthesis - Again, your choice, but I prefer Synthesis for even MORE healing! Some people playing X / Y may not have access to Tangrowth getting Synthesis. This is due to no move tutors to teach him the move. However, Ingrain works just as well, if not better. Although you can't planning to be switching a lot.

Comments

Why not Rest over Synthesis because Leaf Guard protects from status and Rest fully heals, unlike Synthesis?

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@Dusparce, does LG protect from self-inflicted status conditions? If so, rest all the way!

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Sadly, Leaf Guard does not protect from self-inflicted status conditions, making Synthesis better. Source: this website.

Answer 13

Tangrowth has an insanely good BST. With 100 / 125 / 50 bulk. With an Assault Vest the mediocre Special Defense can be remedied.

Set

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Atk / 156 SpD
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Power Whip
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide / Poison Jab

With Knock Off, Tangrowth can cripple switch ins by removing their items. Power Whip is an insanely powerful move with only one downside, it's shaky accuracy. Earthquake is a good move in general, hitting many types super effectively. The last moveslot is up to you. If you have adequate Fairy counters, Rock Slide is the answer, while if your team is weak to the fairies Poison Jab shall send them back to their fairy land.

Answer 14

Gen VII

Tangela (F) @ Big Root / Eviolite / Terrain Extender / Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator / Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Grassy Terrain / Hidden Power
- Wring Out / Shock Wave
- Giga Drain
- Ancient Power

Grassy Terrain/Hidden Power - Grassy Terrain would be the set-up and works well if holding a Terrain Extender to make it last longer. Yes, it heals the opposition, but it also heals you and gives you a 50% boost to Grass moves. You can utilize Hidden Power for coverage (type varies, but may be useful if it's Psychic or Ground to cover your Poison type weakness).
Wring Out/Shock Wave - Wring Out is a great powerful starting move. It should be the first damaging move used when no move on the list is super-effective. Shock Wave covers your Flying type weakness and doesn't miss!
Giga Drain - If using Big Root, you can absorb a higher amount of HP from the target to heal your Tangela. It also gives you STAB.
Ancient Power - This is a great coverage move as it can be used to cover Ice, Bug, Flying, and Fire type Pokémon. In addition, it has a small chance to raise all of Tangela stats which is always a good thing.

Answer 15

Mixed Tank Set

Tangrowth (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Leech Seed
- Toxic/Stun Spore
- Ancient Power
- Giga Drain

OR

Tangrowth (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Leaf Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Knock Off
- Synthesis
- Earthquake
- Giga Drain

Answer 16

Tangrowth @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SpD / 104 HP / 152 SpA
Calm Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Energy Ball / Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Knock Off / Earthquake

• Sleep Powder to put them to sleep.
• Energy Ball for higher power, Giga Drain for healing.
• Sludge Bomb for coverage.
• Knock Off to get rid of items, Earthquake to nuke Electric types.