What is a good moveset for Qwilfish?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Qwilfish, 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.

Qwilfish Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Double Dance Qwilfish

Qwilfish (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Rain Dance
- Waterfall
- Poison Jab

Kingdra has nothing on this baby. :3 it's for use in UU or RU. It uses its great typing to switch in on many powerful attackers like Heracross, Darmanitan, and Cobalion. If the predicted switchin outspeeds and directly threatens it, you can immediately Rain Dance, outspeed it under Swift Swim, and kill it with STAB Rain boosted Waterfall, or STAB Poison Jab. If you think you can live another hit from the switchin, then you're free to Swords Dance. Then you Rain Dance, and suddenly you're at 634 attack and 538 speed, with a 160 base power STAB move you can spam. It's amazing. Poison Jab is nice secondary STAB, hitting Grass types hard and most other Water resists neutrally. If you can get rid of stuff like Slowbro, this thing will destroy >:D

Comments

I <3 this set *Upvote*

Answer 2

Fun and useless fact: Qwilfish apparently got access to Scale Shot in Gen 8.

Gen 8 ZU

Qwilfish @ Black Sludge
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Scale Shot
- Liquidation
- Poison Jab

Swords Dance is to boost your attack. Scale Shot is to attack and boost your speed. (be careful of Scale Shot's inconsistency though) Liquidation and Poison Jab are STAB moves. You can use this under dual screens to help you set up.

Answer 3

Gen 8 ZU

Qwilfish @ Black Sludge
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 12 Spe
Impish Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Taunt
- Thunder Wave / Scald / Destiny Bond
- Poison Jab

Toxic Spikes is to poison opposing Pokemon that are grounded and not wearing Heavy Duty Boots upon switching in. Taunt is stop other Pokemon from setting up hazards. Thunder Wave can be used to slow down opposing Pokemon to help out your teammates. Scald can be used instead of Thunder Wave if you'd rather go for the 30% chance to burn the opposing Pokemon. Destiny Bond is another move that can be used here instead and works nicely with Taunt. Poison Jab is STAB.

Answer 4

Gen 9 NU Defensive Pivot

Qwilfish @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Water / Ghost / Grass
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe or 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spikes
- Barb Barrage
- Flip Turn
- Thunder Wave / Taunt

A defensive pivot set for Gen 9 NU. Spikes allows Qwilfish to lay down a hazard that hurts grounded Pokemon switching in. Barb Barrage is used for the Poison STAB due to its 50% poison chance along with it being twice as strong when used against a poisoned Pokemon. Qwilfish got access to Flip Turn thanks to DLC 1, allowing it to switch out while dealing chip damage, making it a greater defensive pivot. Thunder Wave allows Qwilfish to cripple faster Pokemon in the tier. Taunt can be used to shut down slower defensive Pokemon in the tier. Rocky Helmet allows Qwilfish to punish Pokemon using contact moves. Tera Water lets Qwilfish remove its Psychic and Ground weaknesses while still being a Water-type. Tera Ghost lets Qwilfish become immune to Fighting moves. Tera Grass allows Qwilfish to resist Ground moves instead of being weak to them.

The EV spread you use depends on what move you use in the last slot. If you use Thunder Wave, use the EV spread of 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe, which allows Qwilfish to outspeed Pokemon such as Jolly Grimmsnarl and Adamant Samurott. If you use Taunt, use the EV spread of 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 Spe, which allows Qwilfish to outspeed Pokemon such as Timid Magneton, Jolly Samurott, and Jolly Decideueye.

Comments

No Eviolite? That’s new.

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Eviolite doesn't work on Johto Qwilfish

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Mb, my brain saw Barb Barrage and thought “no Overqwil? Use Eviolite”

Answer 5

Man, this guy have so few answers, that's exactly why I will give it a set

Gen VIII

Qwilfish @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim / Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall / Liquidation
- Poison Jab
- Throat Chop
- Fell Stinger

Waterfall and Liquidation are STAB Water moves. One has a better side effect, the other has more power.
Poison Jab is the STAB Poison move.
Throat Chop is coverage against Psychic-types.
Fell Stinger is great to finish things off with style, +3 attack is top tier.

Answer 6

Gen 9 NU Fast Spikes

Qwilfish @ Leftovers
Ability: Poison Point
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Spikes
- Toxic
- Taunt

Qwilfish is used as a Spikes setter in Gen 9 NU, and this is one of two Spikes sets it uses. Surf is used for the Water STAB due to its ability to 2HKO Sandaconda with a damage roll. Spikes is used to spread a hazard that chips grounded Pokemon. Toxic puts opposing Pokemon on a timer and is really good in a tier with zero clerics. Taunt prevents Pokemon such as Drifblim and Oricorio from removing Spikes with Defog. Taunt is also nice for stopping opposing Pokemon from setting up hazards, using status moves, or setting up to break through teams. Tera Steel provides Qwilfish with a type that has nice resistances. Poison Point is used over Intimidate due to Passimian being the best Choice Scarf user in the tier, so punishing Passimian should Qwilfish switch in to Passimian is really nice.

Comments

Is eviolite not effective on them yet?

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Eviolite doesn't work on Jotho Qwilfish unfortunately.

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Oh yeah it is regional

Answer 7

Gen 9 NU Physically Defensive

Qwilfish @ Leftovers
Ability: Poison Point
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Spikes
- Toxic
- Protect

This is the other Spikes set Qwilfish can use in Gen 9 NU. This is a Physically Defensive Qwilfish set. Surf is used for the Water STAB due to its ability to 2HKO Sandaconda with a damage roll. Spikes allows Qwilfish to lay down a hazard that chips grounded Pokemon switching in. Toxic lets you put opposing Pokemon who can be problematic such as Bruxish on a timer since there are no clerics in the tier at the time of this post. Protect works well with Toxic and allows Qwilfish to scout for choiced locked Pokemon. Protect also allows Qwiflish to have a free turn to get Leftovers recovery. Tera Steel allows Qwilfish to resist Psychic moves, which allows Qwilfish to switch into a Psychic Fangs from Bruxish. Poison Point is used as the ability to punish physical wallbreakers such as Passimian for making contact with Qwiflish with a 30% chance to poison the Pokemon who made contact with Qwilfish.

Answer 8

Gen 9 NU Defensive + Pivot (DLC 2 Meta)

Qwilfish @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Barb Barrage / Gunk Shot
- Flip Turn
- Pain Split

An updated defensive Qwilfish set for Gen 9 NU. Spikes allows Qwilfish to setup a hazard that chips grounded Pokemon switching in and allows Gligar to use Stealth Rock instead of Spikes. Barb Barrage is used for the Poison STAB due to its 50% chance to poison opposing Pokemon as well as having double power against poisoned Pokemon. You can use Gunk Shot for a powerful Poison STAB that has a 30% chance to poison opposing Pokemon. Do note Gunk Shot can miss and has a slightly lower chance to poison opposing Pokemon. Flip Turn is used to let Qwilfish switch out and bring in a teammate, making it a good defensive pivot. With DLC 2, Qwilfish gets Pain Spilt back, meaning Qwilfish actually has reliable recovery. Pain Split also lets Qwilfish potentially lower the opposing Pokemon's HP, making Qwilfish an even better check to Pokemon such as Tauros-Paldea-Aqua and Flamigo. Rocky Helmet and Intimidate helps Qwilfish take hits from physical wallbreakers. Tera Water is used so Qwilfish can have a good defensive typing while still keeping its Water typing. The spread is a max HP max Defense one since there aren't really any notable benchmarks Qwilfish wants to hit with in this new DLC 2 meta.