What is a good moveset for Cradily?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Cradily, 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.

Cradily Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Comments

sadly, ever since gen 4, assault vest Tangrowth is a better wall than Cradily :((

Answer 1

Cradily @ Life Orb
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
- Earth Power
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Sludge Wave

This is a dangerous special sweeper, with Trick Room support of course. Switch Cradily in when you senses a water type attack. With Life Orb and Storm Drain you're now ready to sweep! Earth Power is a powerful special attack (90 BP), that covers Steel weakness. Giga Drain is also a powerful special attack (75 BP + STAB), and it recovers Cradily's HP. Hidden Power Fire covers Ice, Bug and Steel weaknesses. Slugde Wave have also a powerful BP at 95.

Comments

Great set. I like it. TR Cradily is so dangerous.

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Thanks!

Answer 2

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 208 HP / 92 Def / 88 SpA / 120 SpD
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Ingrain / Toxic
- Infestation
- Recover

A good stall and heal set for Cradily- Giga Drain is great for healing and damage too, while an Infestation+Toxic can Wreak havoc on any team while healing using Recover. For a totally gradual damage set, use Sandstorm, Wrap, Toxic, and Infestation. Wow.

Answer 3

Lileep @ Eviolite
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature

• Toxic
• Stockpile
• Protect
• Stealth Rock

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This thing has monster defenses. It's LC, but it can be used in higher tiers. It's defensive all the way, lacking the offense that Cradily has, but it's usually used defensively anyway. The point of this set is to stall the bulkier foes out with poison and set up rocks.

Answer 4

Gen 8

Cradily @ Power Herb
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Meteor Beam
- Rock Polish
- Giga Drain
- Earth Power

Storm Drain is to be able to switch into water type attacks and gives you a special attack boost. Meteor Beam is STAB and can be executed in one turn with Power Herb, and also raises your special attack. Rock Polish to double your speed if you find an opportunity to. Giga Drain is STAB and healing. Earth Power is for coverage.

Comments

this set is underrated

Answer 5

ZU stealth rock set

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Giga Drain

Cradily is among the only 2 ZU Pokémon to have access to reliable recovery, Stealth Rock, and good defensive stats (the other one being corsolla). The two both have their pros and cons with Corsolla having decent defensive stats, access to Scald and 2 great abilities but having a 4× weakness to grass and Cradily having slightly better stats, no 4× weaknesses and access to Giga Drain but having slightly more situational abilities.

Answer 6

Gen 8 ZU

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Power Whip
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Swords Dance Cradily. The ability is Storm Drain so you can switch into predicted water type moves. Swords Dance is to boost your attack stat. Power Whip is for a powerful grass STAB. Stone Edge is strong rock STAB and allows you to hit Pokemon like Articuno, Centiskorch, and Altaria super effectively. Earthquake is for hitting steel types like Klinklang and also forms the EdgeQuake combo.

Answer 7

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Suction Cups
EVs: 252 HP / 72 SpA / 184 SpD
Modest Nature
- Giga Drain
- Earth Power
- Recover
- Hidden Power [Rock] / Sludge Bomb

Special tank.
Giga Drain is excellent STAB with a nice bonus of healing.
Earth Power gives some nice Coverage.
Recover is very nice reliable healing.
Hidden Power Rock is STAB and hits Flying types, while Sludge Bomb has a nice chance of poisoning the opponents and gives some neutral coverage.

Comments

It's good, but why not AncientPower?  It's reliable (at the expense of low PP) and has a 10% chance to boost all stats by one stage.  I mean, c'mon, it could take a while to get Hidden Power (Rock) anyway, so AncientPower is a more suitable choice.

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It's also a weaker choice, and the 10% chance isn't worth it IMO.

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True, but at least you get STAB from it.

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You do too on HP Rock.

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Hmmm, Ok, I guess it's doable.

Answer 8

Cradily @ Choice Specs
Ability: Storm Drain / Suction Cups
EVs: 140 Def / 252 SpA / 112 SpD
Modest Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Wave
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Ancient Power / Earth Power

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Giga Drain is STAB and healing at the same time, and by the way, Cradily can have Giga Drain and the ability Storm Drain at the same time because it is one of the special moves that Lileep can have when it comes from the DW. Sludge Wave is coverage. Hidden Power [Fire] is coverage. Ancient Power is STAB, but if you decide to use Suction Cups he should have Earth Power for coverage.

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Answer 9

Oh Cradily, yet another victim of my crazy mastermind stalling Pokemon.

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
- Ingrain
- Recover
- Giga Drain
- Confuse Ray

• Ingrain: First part of regaining health
• Recover: Second part of regaining health
• Giga Drain: Third part of regaining health
• Confuse Ray: To confuse opponent making it harder for them to hit you

I chose Confuse Ray over Toxic because with this moveset, its better for you to give your opponent less of a chance to hit you rather than having them take even more damage. If your opponent hits themselves, then a combination of Ingrain and Leftovers, as well as either a Recover or Giga Drain attack will heal a bunch of health, while Confuse Ray still will deal damage to the opponent if they hit themselves.

Answer 10

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Suction Cups
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Infestation
- Toxic
- Recover
- Sandstorm

Infestation stops the opponent from switching while dealing damage per turn and works really well with toxic
Recover is to annoy the opponent while you regen
Sandstorm is to boost SpD and also a little more turn damage.

Answer 11

In my experience, stall teams are better than offensive ones. Here is my Cradily for you to test out:

Trapper Cradily

Cradily @ Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Suction Cups / Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 58 SpD
IVs: 0 Atk
Sassy Nature
- Recover
- Stockpile
- Infestation
- Toxic

Playstyle/Explanation:

So 1st of all; This is not a sweep Cradily, as you can see. The purpose of this build is to bolster your defenses using Stockpile 3 times. Then Toxic before Infestation to stack the damage faster. Infestation will trap the opponent and wear him down slowly. Recover is there for you to heal off damage and stall.

The held item is really up to you; I prefer Leftovers over Rocky Helmet cause of the sustain, but both work like a charm. Be aware that Cradily has an exceptional bulk, but it still won't save it from bulky attackers that setup. That's why Stockpile should be used as a priority and also you have to switch Cradily in a safe match up so you can setup. After 3 Stockpiles it is a beast.

Hope I helped, have fun!

Answer 12

Gen 8

Cradily @ Life Orb
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 200 HP / 56 Def / 252 Atk
Impish Nature
- Ingrain
- Swords Dance
- Seed Bomb
- Stone Edge

Ingrain heals off some Life Orb damage and keeps Cradily in longer. Swords Dance boosts it's Attack up, and Seed Bomb/Stone Edge are STAB.