What is a good moveset for Drifblim?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Drifblim, 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.

Drifblim Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

I use this driftblim in ubers, first use minimise at least twice then substitute (use protect in a sutuation when you need some more time to recover with leftovers) and finally baton pass into an offensive Pokemon.

Drifblim @ Leftovers
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 Def / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Baton Pass
- Minimize
- Substitute
- Protect

Answer 2

Drifblim @ Mental Herb
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Minimize*
- Substitute
- Disable / Will-O-Wisp
- Baton Pass

Very basic set, not too hard to understand either. With Mental Herb, it can avoid a Taunt, set up a Substitute and activate Unburden. After the Substitute is up, it can either gather Minimize boosts or Baton Pass this high HP sub to another Pokemon (all this because Taunt fails against Substitute). Disable to stop certain Pokemon from functioning i.e taking full advantage of the fact that some Pokemon only carry one coverage move for it, and Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical attacker and being it's only means of damage.
This set works with Aftermath too, just change Mental Herb for Leftovers instead.

• NOTE: This is not eligible for most Smogon tiers, as it avoids the Evasion clause by using Minimize.

Answer 3

Stalling mastermind strikes again. I just love Driftblim

Driftblim @ Leftovers
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Amnesia
- Minimize
- Hex

• Will-O-Wisp: Cripples opponents attack power while also burning them
• Amnesia: To counter special attackers whose attack power doesn't deplete from the burn
• Minimize: The ultimate beast move for Driftblim making this thing near impossible to deal with
• Hex: Double damage with burn, and also can be used if Taunt is put into play

Answer 4

Just gonna post this Drifblim moveset I've been trying out

Drifblim (M) @ Power Herb
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Acrobatics
- Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
- Phantom Force
- Explosion

A physical set just for an attempt of something somewhat different. Power Herb is for instant Phantom Force usage in order to activate Unburden. Acrobatics provides a good Flying-type STAB move to use afterwards. Toxic wears down opponents and Phantom Force can offer a quasi-Protect for toxic stalling. Alternatively, you could use Will-O-Wisp to slowly deplete the opponent's health while making their physical attacks weaker. Finally, since this set probably won't last too long, Explosion is there for a devastating move once your HP is low enough.

Answer 5

Rather more gimmicky set...

Drifblim @ Flame Orb
Ability: Flare Boost
EVs: 96 Def / 252 SpA / 160 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hex
- Air Cutter
- Psychic / Thunderbolt / Clear Smog / Thunder Wave / Pain Split
- Trick

Steps:
1.) Switch in on an opponent to receive Flame Orb boost.
2.) Trick the Flame Orb onto a non-fire type Pokemon.
3.) Hex and blow them back a couple years.
Move options: Air Cutter is for coverage. The second and third move can be replaced with any filler move that fits your team. You could even run rest if you wanted to, so you get your HP back, but your attacks will do a lot less.

EVs: The speed investment is just so you outspeed max speed Gogoat in case it becomes a problem and all else below it. The rest is dumped into Special Attack and then defense so you can take an ice punch from Floatzel and beat it 1v1 with the Flame Orb (if it isn't choice band).

Comments

I would’ve guessed Will-o-Wisp was going to be better, but Trick is more accurate

Answer 6

Drifblim @ Leftovers
Ability: Aftermath
Calm Nature
EVs: 252 SpD / 252 Def
- Focus Energy
- Baton Pass
- Minimize
- Calm Mind

Comments

You're crippled by Taunt, and Minimize and Baton Pass are banned in a lot of formats.

Answer 7

Chernoblim (Drifblim) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Aftermath
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Toxic
- Will-O-Wisp
- Thunder Wave / Defog / Pain Split
- Explosion

The reason I nicknamed him Chernoblim is because this is the MOST HAZARDOUS DRIFBLIM EVER, you have everything you need to hold the enemy Pokemon's with Status Hazards in this set.

If they throw a Wall you put it on a timer with Toxic.

If they throw a Physical Monster you can Will-O-Wisp him and reduce his Attack (beware Guts abusers like Conkeldurr).

You also have Thunder Wave to slow down Sweepers and take them out.

Explosion is there in case you just want to press the "eject" button but go out with a bang alongside it, warning that this can take out a member of your team too, so be cautious.

Rocky Helmet and Aftermath make sure they get what they deserve when they touch you, or KO you.

P.S.: Bold Moves can be swapped with the moves in Italic according to preference/need.

Warning: This set works best if you have Tailwind going, that allows you to act first 99% of the time with the Doubled Speed, even as Drifblim.

Warning 2: This set is very bad if you pretend to use Drifblim as a Staller, he is just a hazard ball, he goes in, then blows up after like 5-6 turns if he is not dead already, though he is fun and can cause some enemies to rage at you, legit, one of those "it just works" Sets. If you really want to make this set Work I advise you have 2 Walls alongside Drifblim (A Physical and a Special one, change them as needed) and a good Revenge Killer, with all the Status Hazards you have and with some decent Stalling this guy is kinda nuts as he can spread all those with ease (even better with a Taunter in your side so you evade some of those nasty hits).

This concludes it, sorry for the Wall of Text. Hope someone can have the same fun as me running this set :)

Answer 8

Drifblim @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Unburden
Nature: Brave / Quiet
EVs: 252 Spe / 200 SpA / 50 Atk / 8 HP
- Shadow Ball
- Acrobatics
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic

Happy October, everybody! Today we're starting things off with Drifblim, a signature Halloween Pokémon due to its creepy behavior of grabbing children and lifting them up to the heavens (and it being a Ghost type of course). Now, onto the set. The reason why I chose Quiet or Brave is because well, turns out that after Unburden, Brave or Quiet Drifblim clocks in at 466 Speed, letting it outspeed everything that isn't scarfed or Deoxys-Speed. Shadow Ball is Ghost STAB. Acrobatics is your most powerful Flying type move. Weakness Policy + Unburden is a pretty powerful combination, especially if you count STAB. Thunderbolt is coverage, Psychic is also coverage. It's a real shame it doesn't get Air Slash or Hurricane. I'll be making more movesets for Ghost Pokemon for the rest of the month so stay tuned :)

Comments

You can also always baton pass

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Revised EVs: 8 HP / 48 Atk / 200 SpA / 252 Spe (the 2 extra in Attack don't do anything :P)

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yeah i know, yet I still think having 50 Atk EVs is better than 48 for some reason lol

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"The reason why I chose Quiet or Brave is because well, turns out that after Unburden, Brave or Quiet Drifblim clocks in at 466 Speed, letting it outspeed everything that isn't scarfed or Deoxys-Speed."

I can't help but still be confused by the Speed-decreasing nature. And why Speed EVs and a Speed-decreasing nature?

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I chose Quiet because it's a mixed attacker with high HP and bad defenses. you aren't sacrificing much when you run a -speed nature because it still outspeeds everything other than Deoxys-S and Regieleki and lets you focus on damage without hindering your bulk

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Oh, OK.

Answer 9

Drifblim @ Leftovers

Ability: Aftermath
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 SpD / 252 Def / 4 HP
- Strength Sap
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- Protect

Strength Sap lowers their Attack and heals. Will-O-Wisp is also crippling for physical attackers. Hex is STAB and does double damage against burned Pokémon. Protect lets the burn and the Leftovers take effect.

Comments

Might as well use Bold or 252 SpD EVs tbh

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252 SpD EVs > 252 HP EVs since Drifblim has high HP.

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never max out two defenses over hppppppppppppp

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For Pokemon such as Wailord, it's better to max out both defenses than 252 HP and 128 Def/128 SpD. Also, take a look at these equations that can help determine a Pokémon's walling capabilities:

252 HP/128 SpD: 504*176=88704
0 HP/252 SpD: 441*207=91287
In this case, it's better to max out both of Drifblim's defenses.

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Why do you have 252 Special Defense and 4 Special Defense?

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I had changed the EVs and forgot to replace the 4 SpD.

Answer 10

Gen 8 PU

Drifblim @ Grassy Seed / Electric Seed / Psychic Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic / Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
- Calm Mind
- Strength Sap

This set is to be used in either Grassy Terrain, Psychic Terrain, or Electric Terrain to use the designated seed for the terrain you use to activate Unburden. Psychic provides coverage. You could also choose Thunderbolt if you don't want to be walled by Dark Types. Shadow Ball is STAB. Calm Mind Boosts your Special Attacker and Special Defense. Strength Sap is for healing is helpful for lowering the attack of sweepers/wallbreakers such as Toxicroak. If you're running a Grassy Terrain Team, Thwackey would be a good teammate since it sets up Grassy Terrain and can use U-Turn to bring in Drifblim. If you're running an Electric Terrain Team, Pinchurchin would be a good teammate since it can setup Electric Terrain and can use Memento to help Drifblim setup. If your running Psychic Terrain, Indeedee-F would make a good teammate for it, but keep in mind that Drifblim won't get the priority protection from Psychic Terrain.

Answer 11

Gen 7 ZU

Drifblim @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Lonely Nature
- Acrobatics
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Endure

A mixed Weakness Policy set, but physically biased. Endure allows you to take a super-effective hit so you can activate Weakness Policy, which activates Unburden. Then, you can spam a +2 Acrobatics which is STAB. Knock Off removes items from opposing Pokemon switching in. HP Fighting allows you to 2HKO Pokemon like Avalugg and Golem on their weak special defense upon them switching in. You can use this under dual screens if you want. Stealh Rock and Spikes allow opposing Pokemon to get put in the OHKO range of Drifblim's attacks.

Answer 12

Gen 6, 7, or 8
Drifblim @ Liechi Berry
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 6 HP
Adamant Nature
- Endure
- Acrobatics
- Knock Off
- Explosion / Sucker Punch

Answer 13

Drifblim @ Absorb Bulb
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 200 SpA / 176 Spe / 132 Def or SpD
Modest Nature
- Thunder/Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
- Memento
- Tailwind / Pain Split

Basically an anti-Water-type set that I feel could work on a Sand team. Let’s say your opponent gets up the rain and you have a Ground/Rock type in. It’s pretty obvious that they will go for a Water move. Switch in Drifblim, which, while the EVs are not prefect, could survive either a hard special or physical hit. Absorb Bulb and Unburden activate, which will allow you to go for super effective Thunder or the safer Thunderbolt and hopefully OHKO before their Swift Swim-mer hits back. After that, just try to sweep, or set up for your next guy with Memento/Tailwind.

Comments

Interesting moveset, but its niche is very specific. You should definitely mention the format in this case.

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I could see someone running this in monotype.

Answer 14

Drifblim @ Flame Orb
Ability: Flare Boost
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Strength Sap
- Air Slash

Now this Pokemon SWEEPS NU. With flame orb, Drifblim uses its flare boost to up its special attack by 1.3x.
Use calm mind once or twice and you're on the way to sweep any mon with this moveset.
Strength sap to regain hp and air slash to flinch opponents.