[Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl] Best nature for Empoleon? Any advice?

[JonathanGEN1]

Modest may seems at first the best option but since Earthquake is part of the moveset while surf, flash cannon and ice beam are the other moves, im not sure modest is the best pick since it lowers attack. Plus im going for the hidden ability which favorizes attack further. So what option do you think would be best? A neutral nature or one that sacrifices speed for either sp atk or atk? Your opinions and advice on this matter would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Nah]

What are you planning on using it for exactly? If it's just a regular old playthrough then you don't need to worry about it much, but if you're planning to use it for the Battle Tower, or are doing some sort of challenge run, or are going to use it in battles against other people, then it's a different story.

Either way, I'm not sure if bothering with physical attacks at all is really the best way to go with it.

 

[JonathanGEN1]

Yes, this is about the Battle Tower indeed! And what would you replace Earthquake with? Earth Power is unfortunately not possible for Empoleon.

 

[XVanitasX]

Modest or Calm. No point boosting speed on a 60 base Speed Pokemon, so anything that boosts it is immediately disqualified. Modest would take advantage of your best stat, which is Sp.Atk. Since it's only weak to three types, it's not as important to boost its defenses, but Calm nature would be taking advantage of its serviceable 101 base Sp.Def stat while lowering its useless Atk. stat. It would be very ill-advised to go for a physical set on this thing, it's Speed is too low to try to set up with it and it's not bulky enough on the physical side to take multiple hits while doing so.

 

[Nah]

Yes, this is about the Battle Tower indeed! And what would you replace Earthquake with? Earth Power is unfortunately not possible for Empoleon.

There's not a whole lot of options to pick from admittedly, it's special movepool doesn't have a lot of interest in it and the thing learns an awful lot of physical attacks for something with only 86 base Attack. Stealth Rock or Defog would be good options, but I'm not sure how useful those are in the Tower compared to 6v6 Singles. So that leaves you with like....having two moves in a type by using say Scald or Icy Wind, or Aqua Ring+Leftovers to try to have it be a little tanky or something I guess. Maybe Grass Knot, idk?

Ground coverage would probably be best left to a Ground type, Empoleon sort of covers their type weaknesses anyway.

 

[JonathanGEN1]

Ok then, you have convinced me. My Empoleon wil be physical, not special. Any moves to suggest for a physical Empoleon? Im keeping Earthquake of course.

 

[XVanitasX]

Physical Empoleon would be the height of idiocy, but if you're dead-set on trying it, the logical way to go would be with a swords dance set. You'd probably go Waterfall, Avalanche and Earthquake.

 

[Corveone]

If it's meant for a competitive build, you can either:

-Physical Defiant: Swords Dance, Aqua Jet/Waterfall + coverage (Earthquake, Drill Peck/Avalanche)
-Or full Special Empoleon. Surf/Scald, Ice Beam, and honestly there's not much else, but EQ and other physical coverage will be probably a waste because asuming it has Sp. Attack EVs in most cases Surf/Scald would still probably do more damage to Electric types than a 0 Attack EVs Earthquake. Nature could be -Sp. Attack, or -Speed if you give it Avalanche.

But both things at the same time won't work. It would require a weird offensive EV spread. You may make it mixed if you build a defensive/support Empoleon, with just EVs in HP and either/both its defenses so both of its Attack stats would be bad anyway, and give it a couple of utility moves instead of just direct damage attacks.