What is a good moveset for Chesnaught?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Chesnaught, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for its pre-evolutions, if any, 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 detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Chesnaught Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Belly Drum-Salac Sweeper

Chesnaught @ Salac Berry
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Belly Drum
- Wood Hammer
- Drain Punch
This set aims to obtain the boosts of Belly Drum and the Salac Berry to pull of a sweep. Use Substitute on a predicted switch, then Belly Drum while behind the Substitute. The HP loss from these moves will put Chesnaught in the range of its Salac Berry. Use Drain Punch as soon as possible to recover the HP lost, and proceed to sweep. A Jolly Nature and 252 Speed EVs give Chesnaught 373 Speed under the Salac Berry boost, and Attack is maximized so it can hit as hard as possible. The 4 HP EVs make Chesnaught's HP even to ensure it will consume its Salac Berry after Substitue and Belly Drum. While Overgrow may seem appealing as an ability because it kicks in after the Salac Berry and Substitute, you will be attempting to heal back your health with Drain Punch and it will be useless. As such, Bulletproof is used instead.

Comments

Is this moveset applicable to Pokemon X and Y? I can't seem to find Drain Punch in his learnset.

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For anyone who wonders: no, this set is not possible in X/Y, Chesnaught cannot learn Drain Punch in those games.

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I have put 4 evs for hp but after substitute and belly drum the hp is left at 26 so the salac berry does not get activated,is there any solution for this.I play in pokemon showdown btw.

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@Rowen22 You should post a new question to get a proper answer. Did you try without the 4 HP EVs?

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Yeah I did but it isn't working still @Fizz

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You have to put 12 in HP for it to work for those wondering

Answer 2

Bulky Setup Artist

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature

• Spikes
• Synthesis
• Leech Seed / Toxic
• Spiky Shield

Comments

Leach seed because of STAB. ( would it be effected by STAB? )

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What about Sludge Bomb?

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Yay! Complete Gengar protection!

Answer 3

Bulky Band

Chesnaught @ Choice Band
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature

• Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
• Hammer Arm
• Stone Edge
• Shadow Claw / Earthquake / Seed Bomb

Power-Up Punch may also be used as a pseudo-moxie for late game cleaning.

Comments

Where do you get the TMs for Stone Edge, Shadow Claw, and Earthquake?

Answer 4

Role: Bulky Physical Sweeper

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 SpD / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Drain Punch
- Leech Seed
- Spiky Shield

Wood Hammer is your strongest attacking move. Its recoil doesn't matter much, as you're able to use Drain Punch and Leech Seed to recover any lost health. The combination of Spiky Shield + Leftovers gives you ample opportunity to further recoup health and pressure your opponent.

Answer 5

A slow tank

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof / Overgrow
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave / Adamant Nature
- Seed Bomb / Wood Hammer
- Hammer Arm
- Gyro Ball
- Belly Drum

Seed Bomb and Wood Hammer are the two main choices for Grass STAB --- the latter is generally preferred due to its power, but you can use Seed Bomb if you really hate recoil. Hammer Arm is the best Fighting move Chesnaught has and combos well with Gyro Ball thanks to its Speed drops. You probably won't have many opportunities to click Belly Drum, but it makes Chesnaught an even more fearsome attacker.

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Or you can give him:
Defensive/Offensive tank

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish / Careful / Relaxed / Sassy Nature
Seed Bomb / Wood Hammer / Hammer Arm / Earthquake - a basic strong move. Don't use Stone Edge (its accuracy is to low)
Leech Seed / Synthesis / Pain Split / Giga Drain / Swagger - to gain health. Or if Swagger, to confuse
Spiky Shield / Substitute /a health gaining move - to deflect, or to gain health while the other Pokemon is confused
Belly Drum - to make him invincible

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And my personal favorite: the subpuncher moveset

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def
Careful Nature

• Substitute
• Focus Punch
• Seed Bomb - so you don't get walled by Ghost types
• Belly Drum

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Notes: Substitute and Pain Split work well together. There's hardly any point of using Swagger and Spiky Shield. Depending on if you use Seed Bomb or Wood Hammer, a good item would be Miracle Seed, just to make him even stronger. Leftovers is a good item because if you use Leech Seed and this item he gains 1/8 of his health every turn, so in 4 turns of using spiky shield he'll have full health. The reason you shouldn't use Bulk Up instead of Belly Drum is because Bulk Up takes too long and Bulk Up raises Defence, but your opponent could use special moves.

Answer 6

Chesnaught @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 148 Atk / 208 SpD / 152 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Spiky Shield
- Wood Hammer
- Drain Punch / Hammer Arm
- Earthquake / Belly Drum

This set works well against physical attackers- with one Spiky Shield and a Rocky Helmet, when hit by a direct attack, the opponent will lose a little bit more than 1/4 of their HP. Drain Punch could be used to heal damage from Wood Hammer, and EQ / Belly Drum are also great moves to have!

Answer 7

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature

• Bulk Up
• Hammer Arm
• Seed Bomb
• Stone Edge/Earthquake/Pain Split

Bulk Up boosts its defense and attack to increase its ability to take and dish out physical hits. Hammer Arm and Seeb Bomb are STABs that will hit hard after some boosts. Stone Edge is recommended for the last slot to hit Flying types, Earthquake also gets some type coverage, although not as useful. Pain Split is also a viable option to keep it healthy and going, and is also unfortunately its only form of recovery.

An alternate spread of 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Atk and a Careful Nature can be used to have an easier time taking on special attackers, but the extra attack seems more useful imo.

Answer 8

Chesnaught (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature (+Def, -SpA)
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Spiky Shield
- Seed Bomb

Comments

Instead of Substitute, an other attack maybe ?
and maybe an EV Spread like that : 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef and a Careful nature ?

Answer 9

When I saw this, I thought PHYSICAL TANKS GALORE!!!

Chesnaught @ Focus Sash
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Def / 4 HP
Impish Nature

Wood Hammer: Because it doesn't have great Speed anyway.
Spiky Shield: Well, duh!
Stone Edge: A Rock type move. This is like Rock Slide for Sceptile!
Power-Up Punch: For the STAB and the extra Attack bonus.

Chesnaught doesn't have the greatest typing, but when you use him carefully, he can be great.

Comments

Focus Sash? Really?
And Wood Hammer causes recoil :P

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Wood Hammer has recoil, you are thinking of Hammer Arm

Answer 10

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Atk / 128 Def
Impish Nature
- Bulk Up
- Spiky Shield
- Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
- Stone Edge

This guy has good potential to be a offensive physical wall. A great Defense stat and a good Attack set take advantage of Bulk Up. Stone Edge gives it a powerful comeback on any Fire or Flying types. Wood Hammer is powerful and reliable STAB (minus recoil), or you can have non-recoil Seed Bomb. Spiky Shield lets it be a further physical wall, acting like Protect AND causing damage. It works pretty well with Leftovers.

Answer 11

I have not really got into Gen 6 due to my work schedule but after seeing it's movepool I believe Chesnaught would make a great physical wall and has a great Hidden Ability in Bulletproof. This would be great for it.

Physical Wall

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 8 Atk
Impish Nature / Adamant Nature

• Spiky Shield
• Pain Split
• Toxic
• Power-Up Punch

I placed Spiky Shield in the 1st slot because it's a Protect move that dishes out damage if contact is made, which is a very useful move. Pain Split is placed in the 2nd slot since this Chesnaught's only reliable source to recover HP besides holding Leftovers, which leads to placing Toxic at the 3rd which can go great with Pain Split for stalling purposes. And at the 4th slot Power-Up Punch takes it's place there just in case your opponent uses Taunt on you and you get an automatic +1 increase in Attack which can come in handy.

Comments

Personally i think it would be best for 252 Def 252 SpDef and the last 4 into HP because it is weak to fire which are largely special attack and flying which are a lot of both so is poison and ice and psychic and fairy how many weaknesses does this guy have? so anyway it has more Sp Atk weaknesses but you know whatever floats your boat

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No Pain Split, it gets Synthesis.

Answer 12

STABer

Chesnaught @ Weakness Policy / Shell Bell / Leftovers
Adamant Nature
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 Attack/ 252 Defense
Seed Bomb- 80 damage
Low Sweep- Good damage (65) and lowers Speed
Spiky Shield Protects Chesnaught from attacks & if hit, it damages the attacking Pokémon.
Bulk Up- Raises Chesnaught's Attack & Defense by 1

Answer 13

Chesnaught @ Choice Band
Ability: Bulletproof
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 Def / 252 Atk / 4 HP

-Wood Hammer
-Hammer Arm
-Stone Edge
-Dragon Claw

Answer 14

Bulky physical attacker

Chesnaught @ Life Orb / Lum Berry
Ability: Bulletproof
Nature: Adamant
EVS: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD

-Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
-Hammer Arm / Brick Break
-Rock Slide / Toxic / Synthesis
-Synthesis / Substitute / Leech Seed

Comments

Exactly what i would have said except i would have spiky shield as an option somewhere. I happen to have already ev trained him before looking and when i saw this i was happy that someone else had chosen mine too! BTW, i am going to use this :)

Answer 15

Bulky Physical Attacker

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Chesnaught@ Expert Belt/Leftovers

Ability: Overgrow

Nature: Impish

EVs: 252 Defence, 252 Attack, 4 HP

Moves:

• Earthquake (All-powerful Earthquake gives Chesnaught coverage against Poison and Fire-types and, duh, its like one of the best moves around)
• Stone Edge (Powerful move and also gives coverage against Flying and Ice types)
• Spiky Shield (Protects Chesnaught from attacks and if hit, it damages the attacking Pokémon)
• Seed Bomb (Strong move and recieves STAB and benefits from Chesnaught's ability, Overgrow)

Answer 16

Slow Tank/Sweeper

Chesnaught @ Assault Vest
Nature: Brave (+Attack -Speed)
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 Def

-Spiky Shield (Protect + physical=damage) / Synthesis (Recovery)
-Hammer Arm (STAB, great power, horrible Speed anyway)
-Seed Bomb (Good power & accuracy, STAB)
-Shadow Claw (Psychic coverage, high crit rate)

Love this guy, he got outclassed by Greninja and gets overlooked so much.

Comments

Can't use Spiky Shield or Synthesis while holding an Assault Vest.

Answer 17

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
Nature: Brave
EVs: 252 Def / 252 Atk / 4 SpD

-Spiky Shield
-Hammer Arm
-Seed Bomb
-Toxic / Bulk Up

Hammer Arm and Seed Bomb are STAB moves with good power. Wood Hammer is NOT used as this set is for good endurance. Bulk Up is for Attack and Defense boosts, but I prefer Toxic. Use Toxic if you want to poison your opponent, then protect and damage with Spiky Shield to slowly damage the opponent, while any damage is healed with Leftovers.

Answer 18

Physical Tank

Chesnaught @ Aguav / Figy / Mago / Iapapa Berry
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant / Impish / Careful Nature
- Spiky Shield
- Belly Drum
- Pain Split
- Hammer Arm

Comments

Why not use Sitrus berry instead of the heal/confusion berries? He also needs another attack, as he can't hit ghosts. This set is more wall than tank.

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Would Belly Drum work though I can`t figure out if it is valuable enough when I could just go all out attack.

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Yes, but not on this set. He needs 2 attacks to run an effective belly drum set, preferably with priority as he's slow.

Answer 19

There is a problem with most of these Chesnaughts; they won't survive a hit from something like a Mega Gengar, which is why I use this:

Chesnaught @ Black Glasses
Ability: Bulletproof
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD
-Spiky Shield
-Seed Bomb
-Hammer Arm
-Payback

The terms behind the use of Payback are amazing, hence why adding it onto something that can survive a hit from a Mega Gengar is great, especially when you actually use Payback, it becomes a OHKO! Also, the reason you EV train him in Special Defense is because his Defense is high enough already, this just makes him bulkier and more deadly.

Comments

Incorrect, he can in fact survive a mega gengar hit. Because of bulletproof it is immune to sludge bomb, focus blast and shadow ball commonly used on a sweeping gengar. If you want to counter mega gengar use earthquake. It sees more non recoil coverage

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True, but quite a lot of sweeping Mega Gengar's use Dazeling Gleem, hence why I use Payback. And Hammer Arm decreases its speep, which increases the use of Payback.

Answer 20

Chesnaught @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Overgrow / Bulletproof
Evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Nature: Adamant / Jolly
-Hammer Arm / Superpower
-Wood Hammer
-Earthquake
-Poison Jab / Shadow Claw / Stone Edge

Even though his Fighting STABs lower his stats, he can just switch out, which will also unlock his moves. his STABs will probably kill the opponent, and you might need to switch anyways because they might send in a Ghost type.