What is a good moveset for Solgaleo?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Solgaleo, 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.

Solgaleo Pokedex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

I haven't gotten into competitive SM but this seems really fun.

Solgaleo @ Normalium Z
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Splash
- Sunsteel Strike
- Zen Headbutt
- Flame Charge

I doubt there's much that could take a +3 move from Solgaleo, and Flame Charge will let it outspeed a lot of things, so this might be a good strategy.

Comments

There we go!

Shockingly little Solgaleo sets using Z-Splash

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Hahahahaha! I'm dying! they finally made a sue for splash and didn't tell anyone! Lmao

Answer 2

SS AG

Solgaleo @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Speed
- Sunsteel Strike
- Knock Off / Future Sight / Earthquake
- Morning Sun
- Teleport

Zacian-C check, and frees up space for offensive Necrozma-Dusk Mane. What's more, it has access to FuturePort and can pivot to bring in teammates. Plus it is Gothitelle immune thanks to Full Metal Body preventing stat drops as well as Teleport to switch out. Heavy-Duty Boots ensure that Assurance Zacian-C doesn't make you cry. The second slot is the most flexible while the rest are pretty restricted. Knock Off punishes a greedy Lunala as well as Gothitelle, while FuturePort is a combo to bring in your attackers. Earthquake eases up Zekrom matchup.

The EVs are pretty self explanatory. Relaxed Nature because to perform a slow pivot out. You can try this set with all kinds of ideas, such as even Choice Banded Necrozma-DM, Yveltal or Zygarde abusers like Kyogre, Lunala and Calyrex-Shadow that annoy Solgaleo just keep your creativity out!

Comments

Nice! +1

Answer 3

Solgaleo @ Choice Band / Life Orb
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sunsteel Strike
- Zen-Headbutt
- Flame Charge / Flare Blitz
- Earthquake

This is a Choice Band set that allows Solgaleo to sweep. Flame Charge and Jolly speed allows it to outspeed many opponents. Flame Charge and Flare Blitz hits hard at many opponents like Ferrothorn, Kartana, Scizor, Genesect. Earthquake is for more coverage. Flare Blitz is an option if you don't mind recoil even with Life Orb. Zen-Headbutt and Sunsteel Strike are reliable physical STAB. The EV spread is suitable for physical sweepers like Solgaleo. Life Orb is an alternative if you don't like Choice Band, but provides a little less power and recoil. Full Metal Body is great as it is immune to abilitys like Intimidate which lowers Attack.

Comments

Was I the only one to be surprised that Solglaeo wasn't a fire type? I can imagine the developers like: "Hey, I made this legendary Pokemon that represents the sun," "Cool, so it's a fire type?" "No, it's a steel psychic". Where do you see psychic in this thing?

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Cosmog and Cosmoem are Psychic. Also, some Psychics are said to be able to create and or control Fire. Also, Game Freak Logic. :P

Answer 4

Solgaleo @ Assault Vest / Leftovers
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Sunsteel Strike
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake / Flame Charge
- Morning Sun / Cosmic Power

So for the held item it is based off of preference. Personally I like the extra Special Defensive bulk so I use assault vest. Sunsteel Strike and Zen Headbutt for STAB. Now Earthquake for additional coverage or Flame Charge to cover the poor speed Solgaleo has. Morning Sun or Cosmic Power whether you want more defense or health regeneration. This is my first post on Pokemondb so hope it wasn't too bad

Comments

If it is using Assault vest what is the point of putting in status moves xD

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Maybe because Morning Sun and Cosmic Power pairs with Leftovers. If running Assualt Vest, put Flame Charge in the last slot since it's the only move for raising speed.

Answer 5

Solgaleo @ Life Orb
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Sunsteel Strike
- Zen Headbutt
- Flame Charge
- Flare Blitz

Sunsteel Strike
STAB Move. Ignores Mimikyu's Disguise and (though rare) Shedinja's Wonder Guard. Has 100 Power and 100 Accuracy, so it's very consistent. Also will do substantial damage to basically anything after the Life Orb Boost.

252+ Atk Life Orb Solgaleo Sunsteel Strike vs. 252 HP / 4+ Def Giratina: 188-224 (37.3 - 44.4%) -- 100% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Life Orb Solgaleo Sunsteel Strike vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Yveltal: 181-214 (39.7 - 47%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

Zen Headbutt
STAB Move. Has a 10% Flinch rate.

252+ Atk Life Orb Solgaleo Zen Headbutt vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Gengar-Mega: 463-549 (177.3 - 210.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Flame Charge
After 1 Flame Charge, Solgaleo speed ties with Scarf Lunala and outspeeds most unboosted Pokemon in the Ubers tier.

Flare Blitz
Has 110 Power and breaks walls like nobody's business.

252+ Atk Life Orb Solgaleo Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Aegislash-Shield: 276-325 (85.1 - 100.3%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Solgaleo Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Celesteela: 276-325 (69.3 - 81.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery and Leech Seed recovery

That's my set for Solgaleo. Please leave feedback!

Comments

Why the nature in your set is Jolly while the calculations are done with Adamant?

Answer 6

Solgaleo @ Solganium Z
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Automize
- Sunsteel Strike
- Zen Headbutt
- Flare Blitz

Answer 7

Dual Sweeper
Solgaleo @ Life Orb
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Sunsteel Strike
- Work Up

Work up is sadly the only move it gets that boosts attack, so I threw Fire Blast on it to get a use out of the Special Attack boost as well.

Attack
Solgaleo @ Life Orb
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Flare Blitz
- Sunsteel Strike
- Zen Headbutt

Went for full offensive set. You can also replace Life Orb with Assault Vest for added Spdef

Special Attack
Solgaleo @ Leftovers
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Fire Blast
- Flash Cannon
- Psyshock

Sadly one of Solgaleo's best uses. You can also replace Leftovers for Life Orb for added power, but it nullifies its survivability. You can also go timid with max spatk and speed too, but I prefer the modest set personally.

Answer 8

Solgaleo @ Solganium Z
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 110 SpD / 100 Spe
Impish Nature
- Sunsteel Strike
- Zen Headbutt
- Crunch
- Earthquake

Answer 9

Rawr XD

4kPP Entei (Solgaleo) @ Life Orb
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Zen Headbutt
- Sunsteel Strike
- Crunch
- Earthquake

Comments

Our Solgaleo are alike in moves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRWbIoIR04c

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My cod... can this be? Is this truly the work of the illuminati?

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*GASP*, it could be so...

Answer 10

Gen 8

Solgaleo @ Life Orb
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sunsteel Strike
- Psychic Fangs
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake

Answer 11

Solgaleo @ Power Herb
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Meteor Beam
- Psychic
- Flash Cannon
- Focus Blast

Meteor Beam: Boosts special attack, goes in one turn with power herb, and has the added bonus of being a 120 power rock move with a special attack boost.
Psychic: Strong STAB
Flash Cannon: Nice STAB
Focus Blast: Strong Coverage

I know this guy is better physical but a special set would be kinda fun, would it not?

Comments

Can you put that this only works for Gen 8? Cause as someone who doesn't play swsh and the fact that it's from sun and US, it's kinda confusing that there is a move not from sm on a set for a sm legendary.

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Well isn’t it pretty obvious it only works in gen 8?

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It works in Gen 9, too!

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Someone should actually make a Gen 9 set for this guy!

Answer 12

Gen 8 LC

Connor (Cosmog) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Unaware
Level: 5
EVs: 12 HP / 204 Atk / 28 Def / 28 SpD / 220 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Splash
- Teleport

Connor the Cosmog, known as the strongest being in Alola mythology, its Struggles can murder the legendary Palkia, Dialgia, Giratina, and even the Alpha Pokemon Arceus itself. The only thing that's stopping its Splashes from ending us all is the Assault Vest that the great LC Pokemon Magikarp had sealed him in.

Anyways, enough stalling, this sets probably one of the only ways to viably run Cosmog, Assault Vest (which shouldn't be used as Eviolite is a much better option in LC) doesn't allow the use of Splash and Teleport, thus, Cosmog can only use Struggle, which is the only way you can get Cosmog to attack something. This set shouldn't be used ever, but I thought it was a weird gimmicky way to use a Pokemon that has never been used since release.

Answer 13

Solgaleo SS AG

Solgaleo @ Solganium Z
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Psychic Fangs
- Sunsteel Strike
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake

- Psychic Fangs STAB and destroys Light Screen and Reflect.
- Sunsteel Strike strong STAB and ignores the target's ability for example, if Sunsteel Strike is used on a Rhyperior that has the ability Solid Rock, Sunsteel Strike would still do 2x damage to it instead of 1.5x. When Solganium Z is activated Sunsteel Strike turns into "SEARING SUNRAZE SMASH" and has a power of 200 while also still ignoring the targets ability (Sunsteel Strike is required for Solgaleo to use Searing Sunraze smash).
- Flare Blitz strong coverage against steel types, and if Solgaleo is frozen then Flare Blitz can be used and will thaw out the user before attacking.
- Earthquake strong coverage against fire and electric.

Solgaleo pairs well with Primal Groudon because it can deal with most of his checks and can absorb burns for it and Solgaleo can absorb Toxic for Groudon, as both are immune to the the said moves respectively, other good members include Yveltal, Xerneas, and Rayquaza.

Comments

Solgaleo is outclassed by Necrozma-DM which does what the former does but better -- Solgaleo only has the advantage of a higher speed tier, which doesn't necessarily help as Calyrex-Shadow, Rayquaza-Mega, Arceus formes etc. still outspeed you.

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Ok… but that does not make solgaleo completely useless and it still works fine but I’ll just take your advice anyway because I don’t know that much, btw you should edit that “till” to “still” in your comment.

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Z-Moves aren't always helpful since you can't Dynamax and also an all-out attacker Solgaleo is outclassed every way by offensive DD Necrozma DM or Ultra.

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what format does Solgaleo do best in?

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It's usually outclassed by Necrozma-DM in cartridge legal formats (i.e. formats playable with only non-hackable moves/items/Pokémon etc.) A mainstream format example can be VGC 2022 Series 12, where Solgaleo has the upper hand than Necrozma-DM. Solgaleo also has higher speed, so it can be a better choice for some fast-paced offensive tiers, but Necrozma-DM usually has other tricks and tools to make up for this. Solgaleo is also a thing in Balanced Hackmons because of the higher speed.

Answer 14

I think mine is a good move set, but it is up to you. Also this is my move set, for Ultra Sun.

Solgaleo @ Solganium Z
Ability: Full Metal Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Quirky Nature
- Sunsteel Strike
- Psychic
- Flare Blitz
- Solar Beam

The Solar Beam wipes out Water types, and Flare Blitz is a really good attack-on move, if you don’t mind recoil. It sweeps Grass types, and the rest is based on Solgaleo’s type.