What is a good moveset for Delphox?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Delphox, 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.

Delphox Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gen 9 NU Dual Dance

Delphox @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Blaze
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Agility
- Flamethrower
- Psyshock

A Dual Dance set Delphox can use in Gen 9 NU. With Nasty Plot, Delphox can break past opposing Pokemon easier. With Agility, Delphox can have the ability to outspeed the entier NU metagame. If you can somehow get off both, Delphox can make for a scary late-game cleaner. If you can only get one off, use the one stat boosting move that is better for the situation. If there is only slower Pokemon left on the team, use Nasty Plot. If there are faster Pokemon such as Scyther, Hisuian-Sneasel, and Choice Scarf users such as Flamigo, Rotom-Mow, and Passimian remaining on the team, use Agility. Most Pokemon in the tier don't like switching into one of Delphox's STAB moves, making this set a potent cleaner. Psyshock is used for the Psychic STAB so Delphox can hit Pokemon who can tank special hits such as Blissey, Cryogonal, and Goodra. Heavy-Duty Boots is used to prevent Delphox from taking hazard damage. Tera Fairy allows Delphox to resist Dark-moves, making it useful to resist a Sucker Punch.

Answer 2

Gen 9 NU Psychic Terrain Nasty Plot Sweeper

Delphox @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Blaze
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Expanding Force
- Fire Blast
- Dazzling Gleam

A Nasty Plot set Delphox can use on Psychic Terrain teams in Gen 9 NU. Nasty Plot boosts Delphox's Special Attack by two stages, making it able to break past defensive Pokemon more easily. Expanding Force is Psychic Terrain is a powerful Psychic STAB that can nuke Pokemon, being able to potentially 2HKO resists that aren't Steel-types, as well as Pokemon with good special defense such as Goodra and Florges. Fire Blast is used as a powerful Fire STAB, being able to melt Copperajah and Registeel as a punishment for being able to tank an Expanding Force. Dazzling Gleam allows Delphox to hit Dark-types such as Umbreon and Zoroark super effectively. Tera Fairy is used to turn Delphox's Dark weakness into a resist as well as making Dazzling Gleam a STAB move to make it more powerful.

Answer 3

Gen 9 NU Nasty Plot + Protect (Or two attacks)

Delphox @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Blaze
Tera Type: Grass / Fairy
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Protect / Encore / Taunt
- Flamethrower
- Psyshock

The typical Nasty Plot set Delphox uses, but with a nice tech it uses in the current NU meta: Protect. There are a couple reasons why Delphox uses Protect on a Nasty Plot set. 1. Delphox only needs its STABs for attacking moves on a Nasty Plot set, as no Pokemon resist its STAB combination aside from opposing Delphox. This means Delphox doesn't have to use a coverage move in the last slot. 2. Protect lets Delphox scout opposing Pokemon, which is useful against Choice locked Pokemon, as it lets you know what Pokemon you need to send out or if Delphox can afford to stay in. The other moves are standard. Nasty Plot boosts Delphox's Special Attack, letting it break through teams more easily. Flamethrower is used for the Fire STAB since it doesn't have a chance to miss. Psyshock is used for the Psychic STAB since it lets Delphox break past Calm Mind and Quiver Dance Pokemon. Tera Grass lets Delphox turn its weaknesses to Water and Grass to resists. Tera Fairy can be used to let Delphox resist Dark moves.

Protect isn't the only option for the filler slot on Nasty Plot Delphox. Delphox has a couple options it can use. Encore can be used to discourage slower setup sweepers from setting up. Taunt can be used to let Delphox act as a stallbreaker.

Answer 4

Gen 9 Special Sweeper

Delphox @ Leftovers
Ability: Blaze
Tera: Stellar
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 SpA
Bold Nature
- Shadow Ball / Will-o-wisp
- Hex
- Psychic
- Flamethrower

A solid set. Psychic and flamethrower are great STABs. Stellar tera type is good for everything. Hex Works with the set. Shadow ball is coverage, good damage, and has the nifty feature of lowering the opponent's special defence sometimes. Leftovers is for survivability.

Comments

No point of Hex if you have Shadow Ball and no Will-o-Wisp.